"Is that so?"
A deep male voice echoed in the empty secret chamber. The tone was remarkably calm, even pleasant to the ear, yet at this moment, it carried a palpitation-inducing power that sent chills down one's spine.
Xie Changchao froze, releasing Shen Miao in an instant as he turned to face the newcomer.
On the walls of the chamber hung ox horns holding torches that cast bright light, seemingly dividing the dim space into two halves. The figure stood in the shadows, his features faintly discernible in the flickering torchlight.
It was an exceptionally tall and upright young man, draped in a black marten-fur cloak that revealed glimpses of a purple-gold brocade robe beneath, paired with deerskin boots and a dark golden belt. Even in such gloom, his noble bearing remained undiminished. His face was half-covered by a silver mask—a cold metallic hue that somehow caught the torchlight's warmth, drawing the eye irresistibly.
After a stunned pause, Xie Changchao suddenly exclaimed, "Prince Rui!"
He had seen this man at Ming Qi's tribute banquet and crossed paths with him at the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace feast. Who else but Prince Rui of Great Coolness would wear that distinctive silver mask? But how could Prince Rui appear here so abruptly? A sinking feeling gripped Xie Changchao as he demanded, "How did you find this place?"
This was a secret chamber within Marquis Lin'an Manor. Even if Prince Rui possessed extraordinary means to infiltrate the estate, discovering this hidden room should have been impossible. Not even Xie Ding knew of its existence—only Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao themselves were privy to it. How could an outsider like Prince Rui have located it? Xie Changwu would never have revealed it.
At the sight of Xie Jingxing's appearance, Shen Miao exhaled in quiet relief. While she could have struggled against Xie Changchao and might have devised another escape plan, there would always be risks. Any misstep could lead to future dangers. Xie Jingxing's arrival seemed to eliminate even the possibility of "accidents."
"Speak! How did you know about this chamber?" Xie Changchao's voice trembled with rising unease—not the fear inspired by Prince Rui's status, but a primal, instinctive dread. Only he and Xie Changwu knew of this place; none of his subordinates were aware. Having come alone today, escape now seemed impossible.
"There is nowhere in Marquis Lin'an Manor unknown to me."
The purple-robed youth advanced leisurely, stepping from shadows into light. The brighter the torchlight grew, the more his silver mask shimmered with dancing reflections. His lips curved in an ambiguous smile—whether mocking or genuine—as he slowly reached up to remove the mask.
Shen Miao blinked in surprise while Xie Changchao swallowed hard, eyes locked on the approaching figure.
The silver mask came off.
Torchlight crept across the young man's near-perfect features, his handsome countenance putting even the blazing sun to shame. That characteristic roguish half-smile remained, but his peach-blossom eyes—once brimming with youthful frivolity—now held depths of quiet intensity, like a lone boat navigating starry night waters that still reflected boundless radiance when gazed upon.Xie Jingxing, more handsome, composed, inscrutable, and dangerous than two years ago.
The same Xie Jingxing who had been pierced by ten thousand arrows on the battlefield, skinned and left to dry in the wind, already reduced to a sigh of lament in the annals of Ming Qi’s history.
Xie Changchao couldn’t believe his eyes.
He shouted, “Xie Jingxing! Xie Jingxing!”
“How kind of you to still remember my name.” Xie Jingxing stepped forward with a smile, though the warmth never reached his eyes.
“Long time no see, Xie Changchao.”
“Aren’t you dead?” Fear began to rise in Xie Changchao’s expression as he blurted out, “Weren’t you pierced by ten thousand arrows on the Northern Frontier Battlefield, skinned and left to dry as a warning? Didn’t you die without even a corpse left? Are you human or a ghost? Stay back!” His words tumbled out in a frantic rush, as if sheer speed could mask the terror in his heart—as if repeating the news of Xie Jingxing’s death over and over could somehow make it true.
Xie Jingxing said, “What do you think—am I human or a ghost?”
Xie Changchao froze.
The young man before him was dressed in noble attire, his bearing innately elegant. If the Xie Jingxing of two years ago had been a Precious Sword that dazzled at first glance, then this blade had now been unsheathed, its killing intent restrained yet impossible for anyone to overlook its razor-sharp edge.
Xie Changchao’s gaze fell on the Silver Mask in Xie Jingxing’s hand, and realization struck him.
If Xie Jingxing were truly a ghost, how could he appear as Prince Rui? Xie Changchao remembered clearly—when Xie Jingxing donned that mask, he was none other than Prince Rui of Great Coolness. No wonder he and Xie Changwu had always felt that Prince Rui bore an uncanny resemblance to someone, yet could never place who. Now, it was obvious—it was Xie Jingxing all along. But two years ago, Xie Jingxing’s death on the battlefield was common knowledge. No one would connect Prince Rui to a man who had been dead for two years. Who could have guessed that he had long since switched identities?
At this thought, Xie Changchao suddenly sneered. “So that’s how it is. You didn’t die—instead, you defected to Great Coolness. Who knows what tricks you used to suddenly become Prince Rui? Faking your death and betraying your country—you’re unworthy of being a son of the Xie family. If Father knew of this, he would be ashamed of you. Elder Brother, I truly admire you.”
Shen Miao had already retreated to a corner. Hearing this, she was taken aback—she hadn’t expected Xie Changchao to assume Xie Jingxing had turned traitor to Ming Qi and defected to Great Coolness. Did he not consider that, no matter how much Great Coolness valued talent, the status of the Yongle Emperor’s younger brother wasn’t something just handed out to anyone?
Sure enough, Xie Jingxing let out a soft laugh, his gaze turning cold. “Don’t lump your filthy bloodline together with mine. If you want to call yourself my brother, Xie Changchao, you’re not qualified.”
Xie Changchao scoffed. “Do you really think that just because you’ve taken on the title of Prince Rui, you’re actually the Yongle Emperor’s younger brother? Xie Jingxing, you’ve always thought yourself superior—now you’ve even learned to daydream.”
Xie Jingxing neither confirmed nor denied it.
Seeing this, Xie Changchao’s expression slowly changed. He stammered, “You… you really are Prince Rui of Great Coolness?”
“So what if I am?” Xie Jingxing stared at him. “Did I ever tell you—don’t touch what’s mine.”Xie Changchao was stunned. Ever since he and Xie Changwu were very young, they had deeply disliked Xie Jingxing. The servants of Marquis Lin'an Manor were originally old retainers who had followed Princess Yuqing. Occasionally, when they gathered and talked, Xie Changchao overheard them saying that Fang Shi had driven Princess Yuqing to her death. Xie Changchao had never known Princess Yuqing, who died before they were born, but he harbored deep resentment toward Xie Jingxing for no other reason than Xie Ding's unreasonable favoritism toward him.
Xie Jingxing always had the best of everything in Marquis Lin'an Manor—food, clothing, toys. Whatever Xie Jingxing wanted to do, no one dared to stop him. Even if he committed the gravest of mistakes, such as beating a prince or the son of a high-ranking official, Xie Ding would only apologize on his behalf and let Xie Jingxing off with a light reprimand. Once, a rare and intact tiger pelt was sent from overseas, and Xie Ding gave it to Xie Jingxing. Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu, still young at the time, sneaked into Xie Jingxing's room and played with the pelt for an entire afternoon.
Later, when Xie Jingxing returned, Xie Changchao would never forget the look on his face. Xie Jingxing glanced at the pelt that the two brothers had crawled over and casually ordered the steward to burn it.
"Don't touch my things," he said. "They're dirty."
Xie Ding severely scolded the two Xie brothers but never reprimanded Xie Jingxing for making a fuss over nothing. From that moment on, Xie Changchao developed an obsession with Xie Jingxing's possessions. Shen Miao was no exception.
So when he heard Xie Jingxing's words, he immediately laughed. Glancing maliciously at Shen Miao in the corner, he said, "Xie Jingxing, so what? I've touched your woman. Are you going to burn her like you did before? I just touched her—don't you think she's dirty now?"
Shen Miao's gaze darkened. Xie Changchao truly had a talent for making people want to kill him the moment he opened his mouth. Even someone as patient as she had been since her rebirth now wished to have Xie Changchao dragged out and executed.
"She's not like the tiger pelt," Xie Jingxing replied with a faint smile. "Back then, that pelt was worthless in my eyes, so burning it meant nothing. But now—" His eyes turned icy, and though his tone remained gentle, his words carried a biting chill.
"I think you're the one who's too dirty. So I'll burn you instead."
Xie Changchao scoffed at first, but as he continued laughing, he noticed Xie Jingxing's composed expression and suddenly couldn't muster another sound. He sat on the ground, scrambling back a step, forcing down his fear as he demanded, "What do you think you're doing?"
"Xie Changchao, after all these years, you still haven't improved." Xie Jingxing sounded almost disappointed as he sighed. "You've seen my face. Did you really think I'd let you live?"
Shen Miao found it somewhat amusing.
Xie Changchao's level of cunning was like a child's in front of Xie Jingxing—no wonder Xie Jingxing was disappointed. The moment Xie Jingxing removed his mask, Shen Miao had known Xie Changchao wouldn't leave this place alive.
Terror flooded Xie Changchao's eyes. "You wouldn't dare! I'm Father's son! This is Marquis Lin'an Manor! If you kill me, people will trace it back to you—you won't get away with it!""Don't worry," Xie Jingxing smiled. "Lin'an Hou and Xie Changwu are attending a banquet today and won't return until nightfall. No one will discover your presence." He continued, "Considering you've called me 'big brother' for so many years, I'll look after you. I won't leave you alone on the road to the underworld. Xie Changwu will join you soon—no need to mention the Xie family name."
Xie Changchao seemed to finally believe Xie Jingxing was serious. He stood up to flee, but even two years ago, he was no match for Xie Jingxing, who never held back. How could he possibly escape now? Before he could even react, a kick struck the back of his knees, and in the blink of an eye, a hand clamped around his throat.
Shen Miao was watching when suddenly darkness enveloped her vision—something had been draped over her. Reaching up, she realized it was Xie Jingxing's cloak.
Xie Jingxing covered her head with the cloak and said, "Don't look."
His tone was gentle, but his other hand remained merciless, tightening around Xie Changchao's throat. The crisp sound of bones cracking echoed clearly in the secret chamber.
With a dull thud , Shen Miao pushed the cloak aside to see Xie Jingxing already wiping his hands with a handkerchief. On the ground, Xie Changchao lay on his back, eyes wide open—clearly lifeless.
Xie Jingxing's actions were swift and ruthless. This was the first time Shen Miao had seen him kill, yet his expression remained calm, without the slightest hint of disturbance. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
She handed the cloak back to Xie Jingxing, who glanced at her before turning away. "Keep it."
Following his gaze, Shen Miao realized that during her struggle with Xie Changchao, her collar had been torn open, now exposing her chest—even the edges of her undergarments were visible. Stunned, she silently cursed Xie Changchao before wrapping Xie Jingxing's cloak around herself.
The cloak was far too large for her, and the front clasp refused to fasten no matter how she adjusted it. Noticing her prolonged struggle, Xie Jingxing turned back just as Shen Miao was still fumbling with the clasp. He walked over, knelt before her, and pulled the ties from the cloak's collar to secure it for her.
His hands were strikingly beautiful—slender with distinct knuckles—and his movements were deft and gentle, if one ignored his icy expression. Shen Miao looked up at him. Xie Jingxing's lashes were unusually long, softening his sharp gaze when lowered, lending him an uncharacteristic gentleness.
He focused intently on tying the knot, his face cold throughout, as if displeased—though it was unclear who had provoked him.
Once the sturdy bow was tied, before Xie Jingxing could stand, Shen Miao spoke. "You didn’t have to kill him."
She meant Xie Changchao. Xie Jingxing truly hadn’t needed to kill him. Xie Changchao was right—despite being a lesser son, he was still Xie Ding's child. Though Shen Miao didn’t know why Xie Jingxing remained in Ming Qi, this would undoubtedly bring him unnecessary trouble.
"He saw my face. I couldn’t let him live," Xie Jingxing replied.
Shen Miao rolled her eyes inwardly. No one had asked to see Xie Jingxing's face—from start to finish, he had been the one to remove his mask voluntarily. Xie Jingxing had clearly intended to kill Xie Changchao all along. Why bother with such a flimsy excuse?"Go out less in the future," Xie Jingxing said. "If I had arrived any later, something would have happened to you today." As he spoke, his brows furrowed slightly, his cold expression lending an air of earnest admonishment.
Shen Miao was momentarily speechless. After a pause, she asked, "How are my parents and eldest brother now?"
"The entire Shen Family Army has been mobilized. Fixed Capital has been searched house by house several times, but all efforts have been fruitless," Xie Jingxing replied. "No one guessed you were hidden in Marquis Lin'an Manor." He paused before adding, "Luo Tan is severely injured and remains unconscious. Gao Yang has already gone to the Shen residence to treat her. I heard her condition is improving now."
"Luo Tan is injured?" Shen Miao was stunned. "How is she so badly hurt?"
"She suffered a stab wound," Xie Jingxing glanced at Shen Miao. "You didn’t know?"
Shen Miao shook her head. "I was knocked unconscious and taken away on horseback. I have no idea what happened afterward." After a moment of silence, she suddenly thought of something and looked at Xie Jingxing. "If Luo Tan is unconscious, how did you find your way here?"
Xie Jingxing seemed puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Shen Miao’s heart stirred. If Luo Tan was severely injured and unconscious, she couldn’t have met Xie Jingxing or relayed Shen Miao’s request to him. So, Xie Jingxing had come to rescue her of his own accord?
For a moment, Shen Miao’s emotions were complicated.
Meanwhile, Xie Jingxing’s eyes flickered slightly. He suddenly leaned closer to Shen Miao, placing his hands on either side of her, almost enveloping her in his arms. With a smirk, he said, "From the sound of it, you asked Luo Tan to find me? To beg for my help?"
Shen Miao pushed him away, knowing Xie Jingxing was too sharp to deceive. She admitted, "I just thought you had the capability, and your status would make it more convenient." She emphasized, "I told Luo Tan to seek you out as part of a transaction. Once you rescued me, I would naturally offer appropriate compensation."
"Compensation?" Xie Jingxing said dismissively. "The Shen family has posted a reward of ten thousand taels of gold, but I don’t care about that. Great Coolness’ treasury has plenty. What could you possibly offer?"
Shen Miao gritted her teeth. "As long as it doesn’t involve marrying you, anything is possible."
Xie Jingxing raised a brow and sighed. "So that’s what you were thinking. Are you hinting that you actually want to marry me? Women should be gentle and reserved. This isn’t proper of you."
Shen Miao could only respond with a cold laugh.
"Fine," Xie Jingxing said. "Saving you is just a trivial matter for me. I won’t make it difficult for you. The compensation is simple." He stared at Shen Miao with a teasing smile. "Write poetry, play the qin, make pastries, do needlework—just these few things for now."
Shen Miao: "..."
She said, "Pick something else."
"This prince insists on this," Xie Jingxing refused her request. Seeming to notice the cold floor, he pulled Shen Miao up.
"I can’t send you back to the Shen residence right now. You’ve been missing for three days, and rumors are rampant. Returning now would only invite suspicion," Xie Jingxing said. "I’ll arrange for someone to take you to the princess’s residence. Rong Yi will help you."
Shen Miao froze and looked at Xie Jingxing. "Does Rong Xin Princess also know your identity?"
Xie Jingxing shook his head. "Among the people of Ming Qi, you are the only one."Shen Miao fell silent. Xie Jingxing glanced at Xie Changchao's corpse on the ground, a flicker of disgust flashing in his eyes. Suddenly, he said, "But today, in order to save you, I had to kill someone, which will inevitably bring trouble. Since this matter started because of you, from now on, we're grasshoppers tied to the same rope. You're my ally now, understand?"
"I don’t recall agreeing to this," Shen Miao retorted angrily.
"My agreement is enough," Xie Jingxing said cheerfully, snapping his fingers. Two black-clad men entered from outside.
"Take it back," Xie Jingxing nudged Xie Changchao's corpse with his foot.
Shen Miao was astonished. "What do you need his body for?"
Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. "It has great uses."
Tie Yi and Nan Qi carried Xie Changchao's body away. Fortunately, the Xie Changwu brothers had built this secret chamber themselves—even the servants of Marquis Lin'an Manor were unaware of it. The chamber was connected to a tunnel that led directly outside, making the task much easier.
The Princess's residence had not welcomed any guests for a long time.
Ever since the news of Xie Jingxing's death on the battlefield two years ago, Rong Xin Princess had fallen seriously ill. Though she eventually recovered, she seemed to have been left with lingering ailments, rarely attending royal events afterward. She ventured out of the residence less and less, even refusing all visitors. Everyone knew it was because Xie Jingxing had died. Rong Xin Princess had no children of her own and had treated this nephew as her own son. When Xie Jingxing was alive, he would visit the residence every now and then. But after his death, coupled with the princess's increasingly reclusive temperament, the residence had become nearly deserted.
Today, however, a guest arrived at the Princess's residence.
The maids sweeping outside were long-time servants of the residence. One of them immediately recognized the young lady in the carriage—she had visited the residence two years ago, when Rong Xin Princess had warmly received her. What was her name again? Shen... something? The maid couldn’t quite recall. But before the messenger had waited long, they saw the princess's personal attendant rush out to welcome the female guest and her accompanying guard inside.
The remaining maids gathered in hushed whispers: "Who is that young lady? The princess hasn’t received any guests in two years, yet she’s meeting her today."
"Judging by the princess's eagerness, they must have had some connection in the past. It’s rare to see someone like this."
"She came two years ago too. Back then, the princess’s attendant, Aunt Xi, even escorted her home. Her surname was Shen, wasn’t it?"
The maid who had been struggling to remember the name suddenly had an epiphany and slapped her forehead. "I remember now! That young lady is the daughter of the Grand General of Might—Shen Miao!"
The others gasped in realization, their expressions turning intrigued.
Of course, they knew of Shen Miao. Recently, the entire Fixed Capital had been abuzz with news of her disappearance for three days, with Shen Xin even offering ten thousand taels of gold for her safe return. Everyone had speculated that Shen Miao must have met with misfortune. Who would have thought the subject of such heated discussion would now appear at the Princess's residence?
What was Shen Miao doing here?Shen Miao sat in the main hall as maidservants came forward to serve her tea and pastries. Yet she could still sense the subtle, probing glances directed her way. She accepted this calmly. If anyone recognized her, they would naturally wonder why she was currently at the princess's residence.
But there was no other choice. As Xie Jingxing had said, if she returned to her own residence alone now, she wouldn’t be able to stop the spread of rumors. She needed someone of high status and credibility to vouch for her. Last time, during the Lantern Festival, Rong Xin Princess had done so. This time, she would have to seek the princess’s help again.
It couldn’t be helped. Everyone knew Rong Xin Princess was upright and fair to the point of being somewhat unyielding. If the words came from her mouth, no one would doubt their truth.
A short while later, footsteps sounded behind her. Shen Miao turned to see Rong Xin Princess slowly approaching, supported by a female official.
Shen Miao couldn’t help but startle.
The woman before her wore a thin autumn-hued robe with a cloak draped over it. Though her face was lightly powdered, it couldn’t conceal her aged and haggard appearance. When Shen Miao had last seen Rong Xin Princess two years ago, she had been a spirited and dignified woman. Now, however, she seemed as though her soul had been Drawing away overnight, evoking an inexplicable pang of sorrow.
Even in Shen Miao's past life, when Rong Xin Princess had truly aged, she had never appeared as haggard as she did now. The reason for this was all too clear to Shen Miao. It seemed the news of Xie Jingxing's death in battle had dealt a devastating blow to Rong Xin Princess, reducing her to such a state in just two years.
She rose and bowed to Rong Xin Princess.
Upon seeing her, Rong Xin Princess showed a trace of nostalgia, a faint smile touching her lips. "It's been two years since I last saw you. When General Shen left in haste, I didn't have time to send you farewell gifts. By the time you returned to the capital, I had caught a chill and missed the tribute banquet, so we never had the chance to meet." She sat down at the table and gestured for Shen Miao to join her.
Shen Miao nodded slightly. "It should have been my duty to visit you first."
"I always knew you were beautiful," Rong Xin Princess said with a smile. "Seeing you now confirms what I imagined—you were a beauty since childhood and have grown even more striking. If only my nephew were still alive..." Her voice trailed off, a flash of pain crossing her eyes as she couldn't continue.
Shen Miao didn't know how to respond.
Rong Xin Princess forced a laugh. "I always say such depressing things. Every time I tell myself not to dwell on it, yet I end up doing so anyway. Now I've made you share in my sorrow, and you must be grieving too. I was so caught up in my own grief that I didn't consider how my words would affect you. That was thoughtless of me."
For someone as strong-willed as Rong Xin Princess to apologize was surprising. Shen Miao felt more sympathy than astonishment. Xie Jingxing's true identity couldn't be revealed to Rong Xin Princess, but from her perspective, her beloved nephew had died tragically on the battlefield after years by her side. The depth of her sorrow was understandable.
Rong Xin Princess smiled again. "I've heard about your situation. Don't worry—just as I helped you two years ago, I'll help you again this time."
Shen Miao had explained that she had been abducted by villains but was rescued near Marquis Lin'an Manor by Xie Jingxing's former personal Shadow Guard. Since the guard had recognized her from before, he intervened. However, returning directly to the Shen family might stir rumors, so she sought Rong Xin Princess's assistance.
Mentioning Xie Jingxing always softened Rong Xin Princess's heart. Moreover, the so-called former Shadow Guard genuinely possessed a token bestowed by Xie Jingxing. After verifying it, Rong Xin Princess dismissed any doubts. Coupled with her existing fondness for Shen Miao, she readily agreed to help.
"This humble girl thanks Your Highness," Shen Miao said. "I feel ashamed to trouble you time and again."
"This is no trouble at all," Rong Xin Princess replied bitterly. "When Jingxing was alive, whenever he made a mistake, he'd always come running to the Princess Hall. The messes he caused were far worse than anything you could imagine, yet he never showed a hint of remorse. I used to think I was doing a good deed, and when I grew old, it would be my turn to trouble him. Who would have thought..." Her smile twisted painfully. "Now I wish he could trouble me again, but that chance is gone forever."
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
︴Xie Changchao inadvertently assists in triggering the rebirth of the Poisonous Queen from the General's Household.
Chapter 142: Alliance Formation
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