Two days later.
Shen Miao rose early in the morning, and Luo Tan was already dressed and ready. Luo Tan had always been lively and restless in the mansion. After the previous incident, Shen Qiu and Luo Ling had reduced the number of outings for Shen Miao and Luo Tan. Even when they did go out, they were always accompanied by a long line of guards. Shen Miao didn’t mind—she wasn’t truly a sixteen-year-old girl and preferred quiet, so staying in the mansion more often wasn’t an issue. Luo Tan, however, was extremely unaccustomed to this. Whenever she heard they could go out, regardless of the reason, she was always brimming with excitement.
Shen Qiu and Luo Ling gave a few instructions and insisted Shen Miao take A Zhi and Mo Qing with her. A Zhi and Mo Qing were the best martial artists in the entire Shen Mansion and had now become Shen Miao’s personal guards. Shen Qiu said, “Don’t force yourself. If there’s anything you’re uncomfortable with, just leave. Don’t hold back.”
Initially, when Shen Qiu learned that Shen Miao was meeting Shen Dongling, he had been opposed. For some reason, Shen Qiu didn’t have a good impression of Shen Dongling either. Though Shen Dongling hadn’t been as overtly hostile as Shen Qing and Shen Yue, and had coexisted peacefully with the main branch in the past, Shen Qiu couldn’t shake the feeling that she was no good. After the major incident involving the second branch of the Shen family, Shen Dongling and Wan Yiniang were the only ones left unscathed. Then there was the matter of the marriage exchange between Shen Yue and Shen Dongling—though he didn’t know the specifics, Shen Qiu felt Shen Dongling must have been involved.
Perhaps those who had been on the battlefield developed an instinct for self-preservation. Shen Qiu didn’t want to associate much with Shen Dongling and certainly didn’t want Shen Miao getting too close to her. If someone like Shen Dongling harbored ulterior motives and tried to use Shen Miao for her own ends, it would be disastrous.
Shen Miao smiled. “I know. Besides, Cousin is coming with me. Nothing will happen.”
Luo Tan grinned. “Exactly! If Cousin Qiu is really worried, you can come with us.”
Shen Qiu shook his head. “I have matters to attend to at the military ministry. Besides, what would a rough man like me do at a fragrance appreciation? It’d just make my nose itch.” Just as civil officials looked down on the coarseness of military officers, the latter also found some of the former’s habits incomprehensible. Shen Qiu couldn’t understand the appeal of appreciating fragrances, let alone why someone would spend hundreds of taels on a mere ounce of incense. It was baffling.
Luo Tan said, “Don’t worry, Cousin Qiu. I’ll take good care of Little Cousin.”
Shen Qiu scowled at her. “With your half-baked skills? Last time, someone nearly lost their life and had to be treated by Imperial Physician Gao for over a month.”
Luo Tan hated being reminded of that incident the most. She stuck out her tongue and looked pleadingly at Luo Ling.
Luo Ling smiled. “Regardless, you must be careful. Finish the fragrance appreciation early and return soon. It gets dark early, and it’s unsafe for young ladies.” As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Shen Miao, full of concern.When news previously spread that the Crown Prince intended to marry Shen Miao, Luo Xueyan had been busy arranging an engagement to settle the matter first. The first to speak up was Luo Ling. Luo Ling's character and family background were impeccable, and since they were relatives, Luo Xueyan favored him the most. Later, due to a single remark from Prince Rui, the engagement was put on hold. Luo Xueyan's urgency to find a suitable match for Shen Miao lessened, but Luo Ling had already expressed his feelings to both Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin, making certain things particularly obvious.
Such undisguised affection was something even Shen Miao, who had presided over the imperial harem and witnessed countless affairs, couldn't ignore. She could only subtly evade it, saying, "Understood. Thank you for your concern, Cousin Ling."
Luo Tan urged them to leave, saying, "Alright, let's hurry and set off. It wouldn't be good to be late on the road."
Only then did the two bid farewell and proceed with the carriage.
Inside the carriage, Luo Tan asked, "Little cousin, what exactly are you thinking?"
Shen Miao turned to look at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"Your marriage, of course." Luo Tan wore an expression of deep concern. "Even though the Crown Prince's side has quieted down for now, there will come a day when you must marry. Recently, I heard Aunt say that your engagement must be settled this year. Otherwise, even if it's not the Crown Prince, with your excellent qualities, you'll inevitably attract covetous eyes."
Shen Miao remained silent. The Shen family's position in Ming Qi was indeed quite delicate. Used well, it could be a sharp sword; used poorly, it could invite disaster. One thing was certain: the Ming Qi imperial family only regarded the Shen family with wariness. What they wanted was the military power in Shen Xin's hands. As for the person leading the troops—if one day he were to grow too powerful—it would be a loss they couldn't afford.
As the Shen family's only legitimate daughter, the implications of her marriage were manifold. Sometimes, circumstances were beyond her control, and it wasn't something she could decide for herself.
Involuntarily, Shen Miao's mind drifted back to the words Xie Jingxing had said to her that day.
"Once this matter is resolved, I'll marry you, Shen Jiaojiao."
He had said it so plainly, under sudden circumstances. It didn't sound like a promise, yet it carried a sense of assurance. Most importantly, coming from him, those words held an undeniable weight, as if he could truly make it happen.
But how could that be possible? One was the legitimate daughter of a Ming Qi general, the other was Prince Rui of Great Coolness. To put it bluntly, Great Coolness was a powerful nation. Even a Ming Qi princess marrying Prince Rui might be considered reaching above her station, let alone someone like her. And if she really were to marry him, how would the Shen family's position fare? It was truly a difficult matter.
Shen Miao's gaze darkened as she pondered, only to be abruptly shaken out of her thoughts by Luo Tan. She snapped back to reality, hearing Luo Tan say, "What are you thinking about so intently? You didn't even answer my question."
Shen Miao asked, "What did you ask me?"
Luo Tan looked at her helplessly before finally saying, "I asked, among those who have come to propose marriage, who do you favor the most?"Shen Miao was taken aback as Luo Tan began counting on her fingers: "Cousin Ling is gentle and considerate, and we know him well. Su Mingfeng is deeply in love with you, and Su Furen also likes you very much. Feng Zixian seems well-educated and reasonable, and with Feng Anning protecting you, you’d live quite comfortably. Among these three, they can all be considered outstanding young talents." Luo Tan leaned closer to Shen Miao, carefully observing her expression. "Don’t you like any of them?"
Shen Miao chuckled. "No."
Luo Tan straightened up and spoke earnestly: "Little cousin, that’s not right. While it’s good to pursue perfection in everything, setting your standards too high isn’t ideal. From what I’ve seen these past few days, these three are already the cream of the crop in Fixed Capital. If they were in Xiaochun City, girls would probably fight tooth and nail just for a concubine’s position. And all three of them have agreed not to take concubines."
She studied Shen Miao for a moment before shaking her head with a sigh. "But then again, thinking about it, you don’t seem particularly interested in any of them, so I suppose you haven’t fallen for anyone. From what I’ve read in those romantic novels, a girl in love would blush like a peach and feel her heart flutter like a deer. The deer in your heart must not have been born yet, huh?"
Listening to Luo Tan’s nonsensical rambling, Shen Miao couldn’t help but laugh. "What nonsense are you spouting? Why are you so concerned about my affairs? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Don’t say that," Luo Tan said, clutching her throat. "My throat has been awfully dry these past few days. Probably caught a chill from going out at night. I wanted to ask Doctor Gao to take a look, but I haven’t even seen a shadow of him these days." Luo Tan grumbled, "What an unethical physician."
Shen Miao was speechless. Gao Yang’s true identity was a court official of Great Coolness, and even in Ming Qi, he was at least a royal physician. For him to spend his days treating minor ailments like headaches and fevers—only Luo Tan could make such a request.
Meanwhile, in another part of the residence, Shen Dongling was dressing up. Today, her attire was unusually plain, almost devoid of makeup. She wore a long, pine-scented skirt made of exquisite fabric, and her jewelry consisted mainly of simple jade ornaments.
Xinghua looked her over and said, "Madam, why are you dressed so simply today? Though you’re naturally beautiful, isn’t it better to appear more radiant when going out?"
"What do you know?" Shen Dongling examined the beauty in the mirror. Her features were delicate, reminiscent of Wan Yiniang’s youthful charm. Even in such simple attire, she managed to look quite fetching. Perhaps because she was now a married woman, there was an added touch of inexplicable allure.
The servants in the household sometimes whispered behind her back, saying Shen Dongling had the face of a concubine. The mistresses of wealthy families were usually dignified and benevolent-looking, with rounded features that exuded fortune. But Shen Dongling had large eyes and a pointed chin, pretty as a fox—a classic concubine’s face. Madam Wang and Old Master Wang had their reservations, but since Wang Bi adored her, everything else could be overlooked.
After a moment of contemplation, Shen Dongling removed the jade hairpin from her hair and replaced it with a plain silver one.
Seeing this, Xinghua hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.Shen Dongling said, "No need to overthink it. I'm not the main attraction today. Dressing too flashy would steal the spotlight, and I won't make such a foolish mistake. There will be plenty of chances to shine—this one occasion doesn't matter much."
Upon hearing this, Xinghua added, "Madam is naturally beautiful. Even without comparison, you are the most stunning."
Shen Dongling was pleased by the flattery, but what delighted her even more was not Xinghua's praise. Today was the day to make the Qin Crown Prince "fall in love at first sight" with Shen Miao. She was merely a foil—the more plain she appeared, the more Shen Miao's elegance would stand out, making this "match" seem all the more natural.
However, since this "fated union" required many witnesses, the more people present, the better. Wang Bi would also attend. This way, the Crown Prince would be constantly reminded that Wang Bi's contribution to this auspicious affair was the greatest.
Shen Dongling stood up and glanced at the invitation again. The time indicated was the hour of Si (9–11 AM), still quite early. She said, "First, I'll go out to have breakfast with my husband. After that, we'll head to Phoenix Pavilion—just in time."
Little did she know, while she was still on her way to breakfast with Wang Bi, Huangfu Hao had already left.
The incense appreciation event was set at Phoenix Pavilion, a scenic pavilion in the outskirts of Fixed Capital. It was once built by the late emperor for the late empress as a picturesque retreat. Perched at Phoenix Pavilion, one could gaze down at the deep valleys below or look up to the azure sky above. Wealthy families with a penchant for refinement often enjoyed appreciating incense here. As a stick of incense burned, the breeze would carry its fragrance straight to the heavens, evoking a sense of boundless serenity.
Though it was now winter, the silver-clad valley below added a unique charm to the occasion—discussing incense while brewing snow was particularly poetic.
Huangfu Hao glanced at the exquisitely crafted invitation and smirked. "Falling in love at first sight" with a minister's daughter in such a beautiful place sounded pleasant enough. But it was merely a charade, benefiting others at his expense.
Huangfu Hao's guard approached, informing him that the carriage was ready and they could depart. Frowning, Huangfu Hao finally stepped toward the estate gate. Regardless, the invitation insisted on arriving at Phoenix Pavilion by the hour of Chen (7–9 AM), which was far too early. It had forced him to rise at dawn.
But since the act had to be convincing, no matter how displeased Huangfu Hao felt, he had no choice but to comply.
Phoenix Pavilion was located in the outskirts, quite a distance from the city center of Fixed Capital. One had to set off at daybreak, and even after reaching the outskirts, there was still a long mountain path ahead. Fortunately, the wealthy had specially built a carriage road, making the journey slightly easier. Still, it took considerable time to arrive at Phoenix Pavilion.
Huangfu Hao ordered his guards to remain at the mountainside and proceeded alone. This wasn't for any particular reason—the invitation had explicitly instructed him not to bring guards. The more guards present, the less "natural" this "romance" would appear. Moreover, the Crown Prince would arrive early to discuss important matters with Huangfu Hao, and too many people would only complicate things.
Huangfu Hao wasn't the least bit worried about any mishaps. For one, the place was surely guarded by the Crown Prince's men—assassins were no concern. Secondly, the Crown Prince wouldn't dare harm him. Too many eyes were watching, and everyone in Prince Qin's household knew he was meeting the Crown Prince today. If anything happened to him, the Crown Prince would be implicated.Therefore, Huangfu Hao left his guards behind without hesitation and went up alone.
However, there was no cure for regret in this world, and Huangfu Hao soon paid a lifelong price for this arrogant decision.
As Huangfu Hao ascended from the mountainside, the Crown Prince was also making his way toward Phoenix Pavilion with his guards via another path. The two of them happened to maintain a distance where one was slightly ahead of the other, not far apart, but because they were on different paths and moving in different directions, they just missed each other.
Two incense sticks’ worth of time later, Huangfu Hao arrived at Phoenix Pavilion.
Inside the long pavilion of Phoenix Pavilion, someone was already seated. Upon seeing Huangfu Hao, the person immediately stood up—it was the Crown Prince.
Huangfu Hao was somewhat surprised, not expecting the Crown Prince to arrive before him. In that case, the requested time of chenshi on the invitation didn’t seem so unreasonable after all, since the other party had come even earlier.
He glanced around and asked, “Why haven’t the others arrived?”
Since this was supposed to be the beginning of a “love at first sight” act, how could the play proceed without any other participants?
The Crown Prince smiled faintly and said, “No need to rush. The reason I asked you to come so early today is because I have some words to share with you alone.”
Huangfu Hao found this a bit odd, but he didn’t dwell on it. His guards were stationed at the mountainside and could arrive quickly if needed. Seeing that the Crown Prince’s own guards were all present, he didn’t think anything could go wrong. “Go ahead,” he said.
The Crown Prince stepped closer to Huangfu Hao and stopped. “Brother Huangfu, aren’t you curious why I summoned you so early today? Or why I asked your guards to remain at the mountainside?”
“Probably because there’s something important to discuss,” Huangfu Hao replied, growing impatient with the Crown Prince’s cryptic words. At this stage between them, there was no need for such veiled speech.
“Brother Huangfu, doesn’t this seem like the perfect setup for silencing someone?” the Crown Prince asked.
Huangfu Hao burst into laughter. “Making jokes isn’t your style.”
The Crown Prince didn’t respond. When Huangfu Hao turned to look at him, his heart skipped a beat.
The Crown Prince’s expression was calm, devoid of any other movement, but it was precisely this calmness that suddenly filled Huangfu Hao with a deep unease. A chill crept up his spine. But why would the Crown Prince want to silence him? Unless the Crown Prince could slaughter every servant in Prince Qin’s estate, he wouldn’t be able to escape suspicion. Moreover, Huangfu Hao still couldn’t think of any reason the Crown Prince would want him dead.
But before he could hear an answer, he noticed a faint flicker in the Crown Prince’s eyes. Startled, Huangfu Hao instinctively sidestepped, narrowly avoiding a silver streak of sword light that thrust toward him from behind.
It was the Crown Prince’s personal guard!
Shock and fear surged through Huangfu Hao as he finally realized something was terribly wrong. The Crown Prince had brought his guards, while Huangfu Hao’s own were left halfway up the mountain. Unable to fathom the Crown Prince’s motive for killing him, he had walked right into the trap. “What are you doing?!” he roared in fury.
The Crown Prince looked at him impassively. “My apologies.”
Several guards lunged at Huangfu Hao simultaneously. In his despair, he cried out, “Fu Xiuyan! You dare harm me? Qin State will not let this go! Fu Xiuyan!”
Fu Xiuyan was the Crown Prince’s name.
His voice was abruptly cut off. The sword light piercing through his chest resembled a silver serpent, gleaming coldly, while the blood that slowly seeped out clung to the thin layer of ice on the ground.The Phoenix Pavilion stood against the backdrop of a great canyon. Huangfu Hao's final roar, a desperate cry that poured out his entire life, echoed endlessly, drifting faintly downward.
Layer upon layer, like ripples spreading through water.
On the other side, the Crown Prince and his entourage, who were on their way to the Phoenix Pavilion, suddenly halted. They were on the shaded path descending the mountain, where the echoes were indistinct. The Crown Prince frowned and said, "Did someone just call my name?"
The guards exchanged puzzled glances, all claiming they hadn’t heard clearly.
After a moment’s thought, the Crown Prince added, "Perhaps I misheard."
Under the heavens, aside from the Emperor and Empress, no one dared to address him by his full name. Moreover, the Phoenix Pavilion should have been empty at this hour. The invitations had specified the meeting time as the hour of Si (9–11 AM), but the Crown Prince had a habit of arriving early, so he had ascended the mountain at the hour of Chen (7–9 AM). He should have been the first to arrive.
Thinking this, he dismissed the earlier sound as a figment of his imagination. Yet, for some reason, an uneasy feeling crept into his heart, and he quickened his pace.
When he finally reached the Phoenix Pavilion, he spotted a figure sitting with his back to him in the pavilion from afar. The silhouette was unmistakably Huangfu Hao. The Crown Prince was surprised—he hadn’t expected Huangfu Hao to arrive so early. Smiling, he stepped forward to greet him. "I didn’t expect Brother Huangfu to be here so—"
Before the word "early" could leave his lips, the Crown Prince had just placed a hand on Huangfu Hao’s shoulder when Huangfu Hao suddenly collapsed with a loud "thud." Startled, the Crown Prince immediately reached out to catch him. As he pulled Huangfu Hao upright, the man’s face turned toward him, and the Crown Prince let out a sharp cry of alarm, releasing his grip in shock.
Huangfu Hao’s eyes were wide open, his mouth agape, as if frozen in an expression of fury and astonishment. Yet his robes were cold and damp, soaked through with large patches of blood staining the silver fabric over his chest.
"What happened?" Panic surged through the Crown Prince’s mind, leaving him momentarily dazed. Huangfu Hao was dead?
How was this possible?
Before he could even process the situation, a large group of men suddenly burst in from outside, all dressed as guards. Seeing Huangfu Hao lying lifeless on the ground, they shouted at the Crown Prince in fury, "How dare you murder His Highness the Crown Prince! Prepare to die!" Without another word, they lunged at him.
The Crown Prince had brought his own guards, who naturally rushed to protect him, clashing with the attackers. Only then did the Crown Prince realize these assailants were Huangfu Hao’s guards. But where had they been earlier? Why had they only appeared now?
Desperate to explain, the Crown Prince shouted, "I just arrived here! When I arrived, Brother Huangfu was already dead! It wasn’t me!"
One of the guards, seemingly their leader, spat back hatefully, "Lies! Earlier, while we were waiting halfway up the mountain for His Highness’s orders, we heard him clearly call out that it was you who harmed him! We were delayed in reaching him in time, but now with both witnesses and evidence, how can you deny it?" With that, he raised his sword and charged again.
Shielded by his own guards, the Crown Prince was left speechless. Huangfu Hao had called out that he was the one who harmed him?
This was nothing short of absurd.He had just arrived here when Huangfu Hao was already dead. Why would Huangfu Hao slander him? The Crown Prince's heart suddenly stirred. Before reaching the Phoenix Pavilion, he thought he had heard someone calling his name. But he had taken the shaded mountain path, so the sound was indistinct. Could it have been real and not just an illusion?
But how could Huangfu Hao have called out his name?
The Crown Prince's mind was in turmoil, yet he still said, "This palace has only just arrived. How could I have harmed him?"
"You deceitful dog of Ming Qi! You lured our Crown Prince out, then in your letter instructed His Highness to leave his guards halfway up the mountain—all to make it easier for you to commit this foul deed! If we do not avenge this, the Qin State would be unworthy of being called human!"
The Crown Prince felt as if struck by lightning.
The letter to Huangfu Hao had been written by his own hand, intended to make this "love at first sight" act appear more natural and genuine. The Crown Prince had invited Huangfu Hao to appreciate incense—a rare stick Wang Bi had unintentionally acquired. Who would have guessed that Wang Bi's newly wedded wife, being "unworldly," would also invite her younger sister out of curiosity? The four of them had coincidentally gathered, and what followed had unfolded naturally.
But that letter had never mentioned anything about "leaving his guards halfway up the mountain."
A guard shielded the Crown Prince and said, "Your Highness, we can't hold them off. These men are fighting like they have nothing to lose. Your Highness should leave now."
The Crown Prince looked up at the assailants. Huangfu Hao was clearly already dead—once a man was gone, there was no bringing him back. His guards likely knew their master had perished, and even if they returned to the Qin State, the Emperor of Qin would blame them for failing to protect the prince. In the end, they would still face death. So they pinned all the blame on the Crown Prince, now resolved to perish together with him.
Their attacks were ruthless, while the Crown Prince's guards had to prioritize his safety, making it difficult to fend them off. The Crown Prince hesitated. If he fled now without resolving the situation, it would be as good as admitting guilt. But if he stayed, given the ferocity of the enemy, he wasn’t sure he could make it out alive.
Gritting his teeth, he glanced once more at Huangfu Hao’s body on the ground, then steeled himself and said, "Let’s go."
Outside, no one yet knew what had transpired in the Phoenix Pavilion.
Shen Dongling and Wang Bi sat in their carriage, still on the way up the mountain, some distance from the foot. They were only here today to serve as "witnesses"—arriving too early would be counterproductive. Besides, the journey from the Shen residence to the Phoenix Pavilion was longer. If Shen Miao hadn’t arrived yet, showing up too soon would disrupt the Crown Prince’s conversation with Huangfu Hao. So Wang Bi had deliberately ordered the carriage to move slowly.
Shen Dongling nestled against Wang Bi and smiled. "Husband, you seem in good spirits today."
Wang Bi held her close. "With such a beauty in my arms, how could I not be?" The thought that after today, his standing in the Crown Prince’s eyes would rise even higher filled him with smug satisfaction.
Though the Assistant Minister’s household had grown immensely wealthy from the illicit salt trade, it was all under the table, and they had to constantly guard against exposure and impeachment, which could doom the entire family. A man always had to look ahead. In the past, Wang Bi had taken a steady, cautious path, but once wealth was no longer an issue, power became the next pursuit.
He wanted to soar to the heavens in a single leap.
Wang Bi was the Crown Prince’s man. Among the imperial princes, the Crown Prince had always held the legitimacy of succession but lacked distinction. Now, however, with the other princes embroiled in power struggles, Emperor Wenhui had begun to favor the Crown Prince more, seeing him as more manageable. With the emperor’s support, the Crown Prince had gradually shed his former passivity, and those who followed him, like Wang Bi, had begun to nurture grand ambitions.
Glancing down at the woman in his arms, Wang Bi felt that marrying Shen Dongling had only reinforced his belief that his old, steady ways, while safe, would never truly elevate him. What was the point of grinding away for decades until he was old and gray?
Shen Dongling, however, suited him perfectly—she always seemed to spur him toward things he’d never dared consider before. Wang Bi counted himself fortunate. Now, if only Shen Miao’s plan succeeded, the Crown Prince’s path to the throne would be all but assured. When one man attained the Way, even his dogs and chickens rose to heaven—and so would he.
Just as he was lost in thought, the carriage suddenly came to a halt.
Wang Bi lifted the curtain and asked, "What’s going on?"
A guard hurried over—one of the Crown Prince’s men. The Crown Prince had sent him to relay messages to Wang Bi before, so Wang Bi recognized him.
But now, the man’s expression was grim, his clothes disheveled. He waved at Wang Bi and said, "Lord Wang, something’s happened."
Inside the carriage, Shen Dongling froze.
–––––– Author’s Note ––––––
The computer’s back.
First order of business? A bloodbath o°°o［bngo］
...
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