"Yes, truly pitiful."
Though they spoke of pity, neither showed the slightest trace of compassion on their faces. Shen Miao had long harbored hatred for the eldest branch of the Shen family, compounded by blood debts from her past life—her actions were hardly excessive. Shen Dongling, however, was different. Though she and Wan Yiniang had been rendered invisible in Shen Mansion under Ren Wanyun's oppression in earlier years, Shen Dongling had never displayed the slightest dissatisfaction. Precisely because of this, her current demeanor was all the more chilling.
Several heads rolled "thud-thud-thud" from the platform into the crowd, eliciting gasps of shock. Timid women covered their eyes and screamed. Since the Shen family were convicted criminals, their bodies could not be claimed for burial and had to be disposed of according to official orders—which meant nothing more than burning them to ashes.
Watching the officials move the corpses, Shen Dongling seemed to lose interest. Smiling at Shen Miao, she said, "Back in the mansion, I rarely had the chance to visit you, Fifth Sister, due to my poor health. Now that I'm married, it’s even less convenient. But I’ve always kept you in my thoughts. If you ever feel inclined, you’re welcome to visit me at the prince’s residence. We sisters could share some heartfelt words."
Shen Qiu, listening nearby, frowned. He had never particularly liked Shen Dongling, especially now that Shen Wan’s downfall had implicated even Shen Yue and Chen Ruoqiu, while the married-off Shen Dongling remained unscathed. Of course, as a concubine-born daughter, she might not have been worth targeting—but it seemed the Wang family had intervened on her behalf.
A timid and seemingly meek person, yet her new in-laws already revolved around her shortly after marriage—Shen Qiu was no fool. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Shen Dongling wasn’t as simple as she appeared. Seeing her now, sweetly demure yet cold-hearted, only deepened his dislike. The idea of Shen Miao growing close to her was out of the question.
Hearing this, Shen Miao merely smiled indifferently and countered, "From the looks of it, Third Sister, Young Master Wang treats you very well."
Shen Dongling lowered her head bashfully. "The Wang family is kind."
Shen Miao’s smile turned icy. The Wang family’s kindness was debatable—but regardless, Shen Dongling herself was hardly kind. In her past life, Shen Miao hadn’t paid much attention to Shen Dongling. Under Ren Wanyun’s suppression, she likely hadn’t dared to act so boldly. Yet she seemed cut from the same cloth as Fu Xiuyi—adept at concealment. Shen Miao wondered if, after her own death, Shen Dongling had gained the upper hand in future struggles.
"If so, it’s your good fortune," Shen Miao said lightly. "We have other matters to attend to and won’t disturb Third Sister’s enjoyment of the spectacle."
Shen Dongling quickly bid farewell. "Safe travels, Fifth Sister."
Shen Miao had no desire to prolong the conversation and strode ahead to leave. Shen Qiu gave a perfunctory nod before following. Luo Tan and Luo Ling hurried after them. Once Shen Miao’s group had departed, Shen Dongling’s personal maid, Xinghua, pouted resentfully. Once a timid and simple girl, Xinghua had grown bolder since entering the Wang family as Shen Dongling’s chief maid. With her mistress now the young madam, she carried herself with newfound arrogance, no longer as cautious as before—even bordering on insolence.Xinghua grumbled, "Madam has been so kind to Fifth Young Miss, yet she seems ungrateful. It's truly unreasonable."
"She's the legitimate daughter, and I'm the illegitimate one. Naturally, she looks down on me from the bottom of her heart." Shen Dongling wasn't as angry as Xinghua.
"But now you're the young mistress of the Wang family! At the very least, she shouldn't treat you the same as before. Besides, when Fifth Young Miss marries in the future, she won't have any sisters to rely on. Who knows how many people will laugh at her. Instead of currying favor with Madam, she remains so aloof. In the future, she might beg for help and not get it."
Shen Dongling smiled faintly, "Being the young mistress of the Wang family is nothing in their eyes. Why talk about currying favor?"
Xinghua said indignantly, "You're a proper official's wife now. What kind of person does Fifth Young Miss think she can marry? Does she still dream of marrying a prince? Her reputation was ruined years ago. What respectable family would dare take her?"
"Xinghua." Shen Dongling frowned slightly, feeling her maid had gone too far. Xinghua immediately fell silent, though her expression still showed discontent.
"Reputation means nothing," Shen Dongling said softly. "With the Shen Family Army as her backing and the Luo Family Army as her foundation, even if she married the current emperor, no one could stop her. But..." Shen Dongling's smile turned meaningful, "marrying high isn't necessarily good."
On the other side, Luo Tan was pestering Shen Miao, "Little cousin, is that your illegitimate sister? She doesn't seem as timid and invisible as people say."
Before coming to Fixed Capital, Luo Tan probably didn't recognize anyone in Shen Mansion, so she had specifically asked the servants about the temperaments of the various household members. The least was said about Shen Dongling because this Third Young Miss was indeed like an invisible person, staying in her courtyard all day and being very humble. Luo Tan had sighed over it, as the younger generation of the Luo family were all mischievous, especially Luo Tan and Luo Qian, so she couldn't imagine a life like Shen Dongling's.
But today, she saw it was nothing like what the servants had described. Shen Dongling was completely different from what she had imagined.
Shen Miao smiled, "People always change."
Luo Tan thought for a moment and agreed, "True. I suppose she's changed now that she's married and is well-liked by her in-laws." Then she sighed, "It's so hard to remain the same as before."
Shen Miao was amused by her antics. Shen Qiu asked, "Sister, now that we've watched the execution, can we go back to the mansion?" He was still uneasy about Shen Miao being inexplicably kidnapped before.
Just as Shen Miao was about to answer, a clear voice called out, "Sister Shen!"
Shen Miao turned to look.
The newcomer was a delicate young master, dressed in pine-green satin robes with pine needle embroidery along the edges, quite unique. This young master was about eleven or twelve, already a small youth with handsome features, yet somehow still carrying a childish air. Though one shouldn't wear a crown until twenty, he sported a small jade crown with two silk ribbons hanging by his ears. A jade gourd hung at his waist. Fair-skinned and tender, he looked like a lovable figure straight out of a painting.Luo Tan stared with wide eyes. The children in Little Spring City were all mischievous little monkeys—none were as adorable and beautiful as this one, with such proper and charming manners that could melt anyone's heart. Even someone like Luo Tan, who had little patience for children, was captivated by this young boy, let alone others.
Luo Ling and Shen Qiu were somewhat surprised, seeing how familiar the boy seemed with Shen Miao. Shen Miao furrowed her brows, sensing a faint familiarity in the boy's features but unable to recall who he was.
The young boy had expected Shen Miao to call out his name immediately, but instead, she just stared at him blankly. So he walked up to her. Since he wasn’t as tall as Shen Miao, he had to tilt his head slightly upward, locking eyes with her in a silent standoff.
Just as Shen Miao was about to say something to break the silence, she heard a light chuckle beside her, followed by a voice saying, "Fifth Miss Shen, Young Master Shen."
The newcomer wore a lake-blue robe, identical in style to the young boy’s, though he was much older—a young man whose features bore a faint resemblance to the boy. With refined brows and eyes and an elegant smile, this was someone both Shen Miao and Shen Qiu recognized: Su Mingfeng of the Pingnan Marquis’ household.
"My younger brother is mischievous and lacks manners. I hope he hasn’t offended you, Fifth Miss," Su Mingfeng said with a smile.
Shen Miao nearly bit her tongue.
The young boy glared at him indignantly. Shen Miao asked, "Su Minlang?"
"Two years apart, and you don’t recognize me anymore?" Su Minlang snapped. "Didn’t you promise to bring me a gift when you returned?"
Shen Miao found it hard to believe.
Two years ago, Su Minlang had been a chubby little dumpling—neither refined nor particularly pretty, at most just fair and tender-skinned, vaguely similar to the boy before her now. But after two years, who was this slender, handsome youth standing in front of her? How had he lost so much weight? They say girls change drastically as they grow, but boys do too?
Su Minlang was still sulking. Meanwhile, Luo Tan couldn’t resist patting his head. She adored beautiful things, and earlier, she had been utterly charmed by Su Minlang’s good looks. Now, seeing Su Mingfeng, she blurted out bluntly, "No wonder you’re brothers—you’re both equally good-looking."
Su Minlang was too preoccupied with Shen Miao’s failure to recognize him, but Su Mingfeng, who had never encountered such a straightforward girl before, found himself both amused and embarrassed by her blunt praise.
Shen Qiu and Luo Ling quickly greeted the two brothers.
Shen Miao looked at Su Minlang and smiled. "The gift is at my residence. I’ll have someone send it to you later." Heaven knew that ever since returning to Fixed Capital with Shen Xin, she had been swamped with all sorts of troubles, and Su Minlang had truly slipped her mind. She hadn’t seen him at all, and now, seeing him so transformed, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia.
Perhaps children change the most during their growing years, looking different every day. Thinking back, when she left, Wan Yu and Fu Ming had been tiny, and by the time she returned, she could barely recognize them.
Su Minlang, however, wasn’t one to hold grudges. Hearing her words, his earlier displeasure vanished instantly. He asked, "Sister Shen, are you here to go shopping?"Su Mingfeng gave an awkward smile. He naturally knew that today was the day of the Shen family's execution. Originally, the main branch of the Shen family had been at odds with the second and third branches. The execution grounds weren't far from here, so it was likely Shen Miao had come to observe the proceedings. However, this was something he couldn't explain to his younger brother.
Shen Miao said, "Just taking a casual stroll. I'm about to head back to the residence now."
Su Minlang nodded obediently and said, "Don't forget my gift then."
Su Mingfeng smacked the back of his head, and Su Minlang glared at him while rubbing his head. He then turned to Shen Miao to bid farewell when his gaze suddenly froze. Pointing at the bracelet on Shen Miao's wrist, he said, "Sister Shen, this jade ring looks like the Tiger Head Bracelet Brother Xie made back then."
At these words, everyone was stunned. Shen Qiu and Luo Ling didn't know what a Tiger Head Bracelet was, while Luo Tan was somewhat curious. Shen Miao, of course, felt guilty. Though Su Minlang spoke innocently, Su Mingfeng frowned.
On that snow-white wrist indeed hung a delicate jade ring. The jade was of excellent quality, a translucent emerald green throughout, like a spiritual plant growing deep in the mountains. The ring wasn't a single piece but was split into two at the top, resembling a pair of twin rings. There were no carved marks on it—it looked entirely natural—except for a small raised part at the top engraved with a tiny tiger's head.
Though Shen Miao thought it looked more like a cat.
It was one of the many pieces of jewelry Xie Jingxing had sent in a full box. Shen Miao had initially thought that since the jewelry was all either luxurious or precious, each with its own merits, it would be nice to wear them all at once. But later, Gu Yu took one look and said, "Miss, you can't wear all of these at the same time. These pieces are too extravagant. They need to be paired with lavish clothing to match. If the outfit is too simple, it’ll look out of place."
Shen Miao was disheartened. Xie Jingxing had no shortage of silver, but sending so many obviously expensive pieces of jewelry—did that mean she had to buy a whole new wardrobe of lavish clothes just to match them? Even if she did, she’d find them cumbersome to wear.
After much deliberation, she decided this emerald twin ring was the simplest. It also concealed needles inside and appeared relatively "modest."
Even so, Luo Xueyan couldn’t stop praising its exquisite quality.
It seemed Xie Jingxing’s gifts were just like the man himself—utterly incapable of subtlety.
While she was lost in these thoughts, Su Mingfeng’s expression turned grave. Before Shen Miao could react, he grabbed her hand and said, "My apologies."
Shen Miao instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but Su Mingfeng held on tightly. Moreover, he wasn’t directly gripping her wrist but had a layer of sleeve between them, making the posture rather odd. Shen Qiu and Luo Ling both narrowed their eyes coldly. Shen Qiu said, "Young Master Su, you’re being too forward!"
Su Minlang’s eyes widened. This was probably the first time he’d heard someone accuse his elder brother of impropriety.
But Su Mingfeng quickly released her hand and cupped his hands in apology to Shen Miao. "That was abrupt of me just now. I apologize."
In the end, he hadn’t done anything particularly offensive, so Shen Miao couldn’t possibly take offense. She just didn’t know what Su Mingfeng had noticed. The next moment, she heard him ask, "May I ask, Fifth Miss, where did you get this Tiger Head Bracelet?"
Shen Miao’s heart skipped a beat. Luo Tan and the others were dumbfounded. Why would Su Mingfeng, a grown man, ask a young woman where she got her jewelry?Even Su Minlang looked at Su Mingfeng with a strange expression.
Yet Su Mingfeng remained unfazed, still staring intently at Shen Miao, as if stubbornly waiting for her answer.
Shen Miao snapped out of her thoughts and smiled faintly. "I bought it from an overseas merchant who claimed it was an exotic import. I didn’t expect Young Master Su to recognize it. Is this bracelet called the Tiger Head Bracelet?"
Su Mingfeng’s expression briefly darkened with disappointment, but he quickly composed himself and said, "Indeed, it is called the Tiger Head Bracelet. Would Fifth Miss be willing to part with it and sell this bracelet to me?"
"Cough—" Luo Tan choked on her own saliva. The people of Fixed Capital were truly bizarre—even this handsome young man before them had a peculiar fondness for buying women’s jewelry. Rumors said some noble families harbored strange habits in private—some collected women’s undergarments, others liked to smear women’s rouge. It seemed this Young Master Su had a penchant for women’s accessories.
Su Minlang asked, "Elder Brother, do you want to buy this Tiger Head Bracelet for the girl you fancy?"
At these words, Shen Qiu and Luo Ling instantly understood, while Luo Tan froze in realization—so it wasn’t for himself, but for a beloved girl.
Shen Miao’s thoughts raced, but she merely smiled and said, "This is, after all, my personal jewelry. Whether sold or gifted, it would be improper for it to end up in the hands of an unrelated man. Moreover, if Young Master Su intends to give it to a girl you admire, you shouldn’t present her with something I’ve already worn. If you’re sincere, I happen to know that the Pavilion of Treasures in Fixed Capital has several exquisite jewelry sets far superior to this one."
She had even invoked the matter of her reputation—how could she hand over her personal jewelry to an outsider? Absolutely not!
Shen Qiu also nodded firmly. "Indeed." When it came to his younger sister’s reputation, even a single piece of jewelry couldn’t be mishandled.
Su Mingfeng could only force an awkward smile and say, "In that case, it seems I must resign myself to regret." After exchanging a few polite words, Su Mingfeng prepared to take his leave with Su Minlang.
Just as they were about to depart, Su Mingfeng suddenly seemed to remember something. He hesitated, then turned back to Shen Miao and asked, "Fifth Miss, have you ever met the young Marquis of Marquis Lin'an Manor, Xie Jingxing?"
Shen Miao froze, as did everyone around her.
Xie Jingxing had been dead for two years—was Su Mingfeng out of his mind?
Shen Miao laughed incredulously. "The young Marquis of the Xie family died young—how could I have met him? Does Young Master Su hold some grudge against me, deliberately cursing me like this?"
Su Mingfeng said nothing more and finally left with Su Minlang in tow.
Only when the two had completely disappeared from sight did Luo Tan rub her shoulders and mutter, "I got goosebumps all over. Little cousin, why on earth would that person ask if you’ve seen a dead man?"
Shen Miao replied, "He must be delusional."
"I think so too," Luo Tan agreed emphatically.
Shen Qiu frowned. "From now on, limit your interactions with the Su family." Asking whether Shen Miao had seen a dead man—where and why would she have seen him? It was nothing but bad luck.
"But why did he ask you?" Luo Tan pressed curiously. "Little cousin, did you have any connection with that young Marquis Xie?"
"Absolutely none. No association whatsoever," Shen Miao answered in eight clipped words.
Luo Ling gave her a surprised glance.Shen Miao was unaware that on this day, Su Mingfeng, who had caught sight of the "Tiger Head Bracelet" on her wrist, had been restless the entire time.
Even Su Yu noticed Su Mingfeng's unusual behavior and asked him what was wrong. Nowadays, the Su family of Pingnan Bo had been keeping a low profile and hiding their talents. Everyone knew the court was turbulent, and it was best not to stir the waters. The Su family had grown accustomed to this leisurely life, and since Su Mingfeng had not entered officialdom, who was he frowning at?
During the meal, Su Mingfeng only mumbled a few vague responses before hastily finishing his food and retreating to his room, leaving Su Yu and Su Furen exchanging bewildered glances. Su Furen asked, "What's wrong with him?"
Su Yu shook his head. Su Furen then turned to their younger son, Su Minlang, and asked, "Minlang, you went out with your elder brother today. Did you meet anyone?"
Su Minlang, carelessly picking at his food, replied, "We met Sister Shen. Big Brother asked Sister Shen for her jewelry, but she refused, saying it wasn't proper. Big Brother got upset."
Su Furen and Su Yu gasped in shock.
Su Minlang's words were disjointed, but to the ears of the older couple, it sounded as though Su Mingfeng had grown close to a young lady from the Shen family, who felt it would damage her reputation to comply, and Su Mingfeng had taken offense.
Su Furen set down her chopsticks and asked, "Let me ask you—this Sister Shen you mentioned, is she the fifth young lady of the Shen family?" Currently, the second and third branches of the Shen family had been executed, so it couldn't be Shen Yue. Shen Qing had died two years prior. Shen Dongling had been married off to the Wang family in a marriage exchange. The only unmarried "Sister Shen" left was Shen Miao. Su Furen naturally thought first of the Shen family of the Grand General of Might, as they were the most prominent Shen family in Fixed Capital.
Su Minlang nodded vigorously.
At this, Su Yu could no longer remain seated. He pointed a trembling finger at Su Minlang and asked, "Your elder brother asked her for her jewelry?"
Su Minlang's head bobbed up and down like a chicken pecking at rice.
The couple exchanged glances, each seeing disbelief in the other's eyes. Logically speaking, Su Mingfeng would soon turn twenty-three after the New Year. In ordinary families, he would have long been married, and some might even have children by now. But their son seemed to have some inexplicable resistance to marriage. In earlier years, there had been Xie Jingxing of Marquis Lin'an Manor accompanying Su Mingfeng, so Su Yu hadn't worried much, knowing Xie Jingxing was popular with ladies and would surely influence Su Mingfeng. But after Xie Jingxing's death, well, their son might as well have become a monk. In the past two years, he hadn't shown interest in any young lady. Whether his standards were too high or not, if this continued, the Su couple would start suspecting Su Mingfeng was a cut sleeve.
Now, hearing Su Minlang's words, the couple felt both relief and concern. Relief that Su Mingfeng was still a normal man who liked women. Concern that of all the young ladies he could have taken a liking to, it had to be the daughter of Shen Xin. Shen Xin held immense power, and forming ties with him could spell disaster for the Su family if Emperor Wenhui ever decided to move against Shen Xin. Had they just barely escaped one pit of fire only to leap into another?
The thought gave them a headache. Su Furen, ever considerate, said, "Don't panic yet. Minlang's explanation wasn't clear. If Mingfeng truly likes the young lady from the Shen family, he will surely make further moves. Jinfeng, go summon all the servants from the eldest young master's courtyard. I have questions for them."
In his room, Su Mingfeng paced back and forth.He was not mistaken. Even in that brief moment, it was enough for him to see clearly and confirm. The jade bracelet on Shen Miao's wrist was unmistakably the Tiger Head Bracelet.
There were only two Tiger Head Bracelets in existence. One was in the hands of Rong Xin Princess at the princess's residence, and the other had now appeared on Shen Miao's wrist. Su Mingfeng had always believed the second one would never resurface—because Xie Jingxing was dead.
In all the world, only Xie Jingxing could craft the Tiger Head Bracelet.
At that time, Su Mingfeng and Xie Jingxing were still reckless youths who spent their days gallivanting around the pleasure quarters. One day, Su Mingfeng saw Xie Jingxing polishing something that looked like a bracelet and couldn't help but tease him about it. Yet, deep down, he was intensely curious. Su Mingfeng knew Xie Jingxing well—despite his handsome, carefree demeanor, Xie Jingxing had no interest in flashy ornaments, let alone women's accessories. Unable to contain his curiosity, Su Mingfeng asked about it. Xie Jingxing merely rolled his eyes and called it a hidden weapon.
When Su Mingfeng pestered him enough to irritate him, Xie Jingxing finally showed it to him. The bracelet was designed as two interlinked rings, concealing hidden mechanisms inside—poisoned needles for self-defense.
Su Mingfeng found it fascinating and wanted one for himself. Xie Jingxing scoffed, "This is for women. Who would want to see you wearing a bracelet?"
Su Mingfeng backed off. Later, however, he saw Xie Jingxing gift the bracelet to Princess Rong Xin. After the death of Princess Yuqing, Princess Rong Xin had doted on Xie Jingxing, and the two shared a deep bond, so the gift made sense.
The reason it was called the "Tiger Head Bracelet" was because Xie Jingxing had carved a tiger's head onto it himself. His carving skills were, to put it kindly, unimpressive—so crude it looked more like a dog. Su Mingfeng laughed endlessly, but Princess Rong Xin adored it. Xie Jingxing, oddly encouraged, declared he would carve another.
But the jade material was hard to come by, and they never found another suitable piece. Until two years ago, when Su Mingfeng managed to procure a piece from a wealthy merchant. However, the jade wasn’t as fine as the previous one—it had faint white streaks that were still visible upon close inspection. Before leaving for battle, Xie Jingxing took the jade, saying he would work on the bracelet during the journey to pass the time. Who could have known that departure would be their final farewell?
And now, the Tiger Head Bracelet in Shen Miao’s possession—the jade bore the same faint white streaks under sunlight, the same mechanisms, the same craftsmanship, and that same atrociously carved tiger head, unmistakably Xie Jingxing’s handiwork.
Xie Jingxing had left the capital two years ago. Shen Xin had departed for the northwest around the same time—Shen Xin first, then Xie Jingxing. And when Xie Jingxing left, he still had that piece of jade. Could it be that Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing had met sometime in those two years?
But Xie Jingxing was already dead by then.
Moreover, the carving marks on the bracelet didn’t seem old—as if it had been polished recently, the edges not yet fully smoothed.
Su Mingfeng’s heart pounded wildly. He beckoned his servant and ordered, "Send a few men to keep watch outside Shen Xin’s residence. Observe Fifth Miss Shen’s every move—bribe the servants if you must. I want to know everything she does, no matter how trivial."
Naturally, Su Mingfeng had no idea how much of an uproar his words would cause once they reached Master Su and Su Furen’s ears.
"Heavens," Su Yu remarked, "Mingfeng is truly smitten with this girl."
"I never thought Mingfeng would be the type to snatch jewelry from someone—such audacity! I thought Minlang was just spouting nonsense, but it turns out to be true." Su Furen rubbed her temples in exasperation and took a sip of tea. "Why was he so restrained before, and now he’s acting like a completely different person? Planting spies? That’s no way to pursue a lady. How is he any different from those uncouth boys out there?"
"Perhaps his feelings run deeper than we realize," Su Yu mused. "The boy takes after me—loyal to a fault."
Su Furen shot him a glare. "At this rate, if we don’t arrange a marriage for Mingfeng, he’ll pine himself to death. We should send an invitation to the Shen Mansion first."
"An invitation? For what?" Su Yu was puzzled.
"What else? To find your son a wife," Su Furen declared bluntly.
Author’s Note:
Su Minlang: Professional teammate betrayer for a hundred years. ( ˘ ³˘)♥
︴
Su Mingfeng: I don’t like Shen Miao. Nope. Not taking the blame for this one. Σ(°△°|||)︴
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