Shen Miao had already left Fixed Capital for over a month.
No one knew how far Prince Rui's wedding procession had traveled by now—in any case, it was already beyond pursuit. Over this past month, the talk in Fixed Capital about that grand wedding procession stretching ten miles with its lavish dowry still hadn't died down. Storytellers in the taverns continued to recount the magnificence of Prince Rui's wedding day, drawing packed audiences who listened with rapt attention, as if they had witnessed it themselves.
After all, such extravagance wasn't something just anyone could afford.
Following Shen Miao's sudden transformation into Prince Rui's Royal Consort and her departure to Great Coolness with him, two notable events occurred in Fixed Capital.
The first was the sudden closure of Fengxian Pawnshop, which had operated in the city for many years. Overnight, everyone from the shopkeeper to the clerks vanished without a trace. The pawnshop's buildings and properties were sold off at low prices, and rumors spread that the owner had encountered some urgent family matter requiring immediate funds, hence the abrupt departure. Though Fengxian Pawnshop had always dealt in rare and valuable goods, catering only to the wealthy and noble—ordinary folk couldn't afford its services—its sudden disappearance still left people feeling unsettled. It was only after the change of ownership that the public realized no one had ever actually seen the face of Fengxian Pawnshop's mysterious proprietor.
The second event was the promotion of Grand General of Might Shen Xin after his daughter's marriage. He was appointed as Military Governor, overseeing the entire Imperial Guards of the dynasty.
On the surface, this seemed like a promotion, but in reality, it was anything but. For one, the Military Governor held the authority to issue orders but not to train troops—a hollow position with no real power. Though the salary was more generous than that of a general, who truly lived off their stipend alone? Moreover, Shen Xin had always trained and commanded the Shen Family Army, his personal troops. Suddenly being reassigned to the Imperial Guards—who were Emperor Wenhui's men—meant he likely had little actual control over them.
Those with eyes and brains quickly understood: Emperor Wenhui was wary of Shen Xin. With Shen Miao married into Great Coolness and Shen Xin being a doting father, the delicate relations between Great Coolness and Ming Qi posed a risk. If Shen Xin were to side with his daughter and secretly align with Great Coolness, causing harm to Ming Qi, the consequences would be dire.
Though Shen Xin had served as a loyal general in Ming Qi for many years, his devotion beyond question, emperors throughout history had always been suspicious by nature. As a subject, he could only blame his own misfortune.
While court officials saw the situation clearly, the common folk sympathized with Shen Xin, lamenting the royal family's heartlessness. After all, it was Emperor Wenhui who had arranged the marriage, yet now he held Shen Xin accountable for the complications arising from it—truly infuriating.
Emperor Wenhui, however, paid no heed to such sentiments. He was currently preoccupied with currying favor with the Emperor of Qin. For some reason, Great Coolness filled him with unease, as if it were a lurking threat. At the very least, an alliance with Qin State would grant him some peace of mind—otherwise, he wouldn't be able to rest easy.
Meanwhile, Prince Ding's Residence was also far from cheerful.
Fu Xiuyi's expression darkened as he said, "It's been a month, and you still haven't found Pei Lang. Can he vanish into thin air? Whether alive or dead, I want him found. If you return empty-handed again, don't bother coming back."
The spies below him murmured their assent, and Fu Xiuyi waved them away impatiently. "Get out!"
The men scrambled out in a panic.
He sank into his chair, pressing his fingers to his temples, his expression grim.The person who rescued Pei Lang set fire to his dungeon. Before this incident, Fu Xiuyi hadn't realized how inconvenient it would make things. Many prisoners in the dungeon still held other uses for him, but the fire had reduced everything to ashes. One could imagine the fury burning in Fu Xiuyi's heart.
What infuriated him most was that despite all efforts to trace Pei Lang's whereabouts, not a single clue had surfaced. Fu Xiuyi prided himself on having eyes and ears throughout Fixed Capital, yet failing to locate one man could only mean his opponent was even more cunning. Having such a rival was hardly a comforting thought.
Fu Xiuyi had long suspected the Shen family was behind Pei Lang, but after thorough investigation, all suspicions against them were cleared. If not the Shen family, then who?
"Your Highness," a strategist reminded him, "there's no trace of Pei Lang within or outside Fixed Capital. Could it be that he has already left the city?"
"Impossible," Fu Xiuyi replied. "I have men stationed at the city gates. Every person leaving these days has their portrait recorded. There's no way Pei Lang could slip through unharmed."
The strategist frowned, at a loss for words.
"However," Fu Xiuyi suddenly added, "there is one group exempt from such scrutiny. When Prince Rui left the city for his wedding, his guards and officials passed through unchecked."
The strategist's eyes lit up. "Could Pei Lang have disguised himself among Prince Rui's entourage?"
Fu Xiuyi scoffed. "Prince Rui's Residence is heavily guarded. How could anyone infiltrate it? Besides, what connection does Pei Lang have with Prince Rui?" He abruptly stopped mid-sentence. "Connection?"
At that moment, Fu Xiuyi recalled something. He had always viewed Pei Lang as part of the "Shen family," with Shen Xin as its head. Yet he had overlooked one detail—many obstacles to his ambitions, whether intentional or not, seemed linked to Shen Miao.
If "Shen family" and "Shen Miao" were considered separately, and Pei Lang served "Shen Miao" rather than the "Shen family," everything fell into place.
Pei Lang was Shen Miao's man. Shen Miao was now the Royal Consort of Prince Rui, and even before that, she seemed to share an ambiguous relationship with the prince. Out of regard for Shen Miao, Prince Rui might have aided in Pei Lang's rescue.
Thus, Pei Lang and Prince Rui were connected after all.
Fu Xiuyi abruptly stood up, growing increasingly convinced of this possibility. In all of Fixed Capital, the only one capable of burning down Prince Ding's dungeon without a trace and escaping unscathed was the enigmatic Prince Rui.
"Damn it!" Fu Xiuyi slammed the table. He had long wanted to uncover Prince Rui's secrets, but the spy he sent on the eve of Shen Miao's wedding never returned—likely discovered and silenced. Otherwise, he might have learned the prince's deepest secrets.
Just as frustration gripped him, a guard hurried in—one of Fu Xiuyi's most trusted men. The guard stepped forward and produced a letter from his robes. "This letter was sent from the princess's residence to the palace. We intercepted it and made a copy. Your Highness, please take a look."Fu Xiuyi's heart stirred as he hurriedly took the letter. Regarding Prince Rui's matter, Princess Rong Xin had also been acting unusually. Fu Xiuyi had been eager to uncover something, but ever since Prince Rui and Shen Miao left the capital, neither Princess Rong Xin nor the Pingnan Bo Manor had done anything particularly noteworthy. They carried on with their daily routines as usual, leaving him no opening to exploit.
Princess Rong Xin had been widowed for many years and was not particularly close to Emperor Wenhui. She rarely entered the palace throughout the year, let alone took the initiative to write letters. It was precisely because she had stayed away from the palace for so long that Fu Xiuyi could so easily obtain a copy of her letter.
Fu Xiuyi drew out the letter and eagerly began reading. At first, his expression was merely urgent, but as time passed, his face changed.
He seemed both shocked and furious, his features twisting with extreme anger. The advisors beside him dared not even breathe loudly at the sight. Moments later, Fu Xiuyi suddenly braced himself against the table and violently overturned the teapot on it.
The spilled tea splashed across the floor, startling the advisors and close aides. Fu Xiuyi was usually someone who concealed his emotions well. Though he occasionally showed anger, it had never been as unrestrained as now. This might have been the first time they had seen him so visibly distraught.
Fu Xiuyi spat out a single word—"Good!"—before slamming the letter onto an advisor's face. The advisor hastily caught it and was stunned upon reading it.
In the letter, Princess Rong Xin mentioned something about Prince Rui. Everyone knew that because of her close relationship with Princess Yuqing, she had also shown great care for Xie Jingxing, Princess Yuqing's son. She had even gone so far as to turn against Marquis Lin'an Manor for Xie Jingxing's sake. Two years ago, when Xie Jingxing died in battle, Princess Rong Xin had grieved deeply.
Princess Rong Xin naturally knew Xie Jingxing well. In the letter, she raised a shocking claim—she believed Prince Rui of Great Coolness bore a striking resemblance to Xie Jingxing.
Without any evidence, suddenly claiming that Prince Rui of Great Coolness resembled someone who had been dead for over two years would naturally seem absurd at first glance. But Fu Xiuyi had been monitoring the princess's manor for so long that he had long noticed Princess Rong Xin's unusual behavior. Without a doubt, Fu Xiuyi was almost certain that what she said was true.
There was no need for doubt—the Prince Rui from Great Coolness was none other than Xie Jingxing in disguise.
The advisor's hands trembled so much he could barely hold the letter. If Xie Jingxing was Prince Rui, what did that mean? It meant Xie Jingxing had played the entire Ming Qi for fools. If Xie Jingxing had secretly been in contact with Great Coolness even while he was still the Heir Apparent of Marquis Lin'an Manor, then Great Coolness must have been fully aware of everything that had happened in Ming Qi.
"Y-Your Highness..." The advisor looked at Fu Xiuyi, a flicker of fear in his eyes.
Fu Xiuyi did gradually calm down, but upon closer inspection, his hands still seemed to tremble slightly.
"If Xie Jingxing isn't dead, then the truth about the Xie Family Army in the northern border must have already come to light," he said slowly.
There had been imperial spies within the Xie Family Army, and Xie Ding's trusted aide had dealt Xie Jingxing a fatal blow. If Xie Jingxing had survived, he must have uncovered the truth behind it all. It also meant that everything they had done to Marquis Lin'an Manor had been witnessed by Xie Jingxing. So, what was Xie Jingxing's purpose in coming to Ming Qi's tribute ceremony this time? Was it for revenge?Fu Xiuyi leaned against the table.
His advisor was equally at a loss. After a pause, he said, "Since the princess has already sent this letter to the palace, His Majesty will surely take action once he knows."
"It's useless," Fu Xiuyi interrupted. "Xie Jingxing left Fixed Capital over a month ago. My father fears Great Coolness's influence and won't openly oppose him. If Xie Jingxing were still here, we could have used public sentiment to stir up conflict. But now it's too late."
The advisor sighed regretfully. "Why didn't the princess present this letter earlier? Had she done so, we wouldn't be so helpless now."
Fu Xiuyi shot him a displeased glance, clearly annoyed by his subordinate's foolishness. The advisor grew nervous under his gaze. "Foolish," Fu Xiuyi said. "The princess must have already tried to inform my father before—perhaps even the night before the wedding. But like my own men, she was intercepted by Xie Jingxing."
Though he tried to suppress his anger, his eyes betrayed his resentment. "Xie Jingxing has hidden himself far too well."
"And the Shen family?" the advisor asked.
"Keep watching them," Fu Xiuyi sneered. "I want to see whether the Shens truly knew nothing about Xie Jingxing's identity or if they've been feigning ignorance all these years."
Meanwhile, back at the Shen residence, no one was aware of the turmoil at Prince Ding's Residence.
Since Shen Xin had been promoted to Military Governor, he no longer needed to personally lead troops and thus didn't have to visit the Ministry of War daily. Shen Qiu remained in his old post, serving as a minor officer in the garrison alongside Luo Ling. Their lives had become much more relaxed.
Luo Xueyan discussed with Shen Xin, "Should we ask His Majesty in a few days if we can return to Xiaochun City?" She sighed. "At least there, we wouldn't be wasting our time like this."
Shen Xin shook his head. "The Emperor keeps us in Fixed Capital to monitor the Shen family's movements. He won't let us return to Xiaochun City. Staying here as pawns to restrain Jiaojiao will serve his purposes better in the future."
Luo Xueyan sensed something odd in Shen Xin's words, as if he were hinting at something. Just as she was about to ask, Shen Xin sighed again. "Besides, we still haven't heard anything from Tan'er. If we go back now, I wouldn't dare face Father-in-Law or my brother-in-law."
"That's true," Luo Xueyan agreed, rubbing her temples at the thought. "I've already sent word to Jiaojiao and the others, but Jingxing's men move quickly. I don't know if the message reached them in time. It takes time to go back and forth, and with no news yet, I feel uneasy."
On the day of Shen Miao's wedding procession out of the city, Luo Tan hadn't come to see her off. She was sulking because Shen Miao refused to take her to Great Coolness and didn't want to witness the farewell. The Shens were used to Luo Tan's willfulness and could only sigh helplessly. By the time Shen Miao returned that evening, Luo Tan's maid said she had already gone to bed. Assuming Luo Tan was still upset, Luo Xueyan didn't disturb her.
It wasn't that Luo Xueyan didn't care about her niece—no one had expected Luo Tan to be bold enough to do what she did. When Luo Tan had secretly followed Shen Xin to Fixed Capital before, it was at least within Ming Qi and among family. But this time, she would be traveling from Ming Qi to Great Coolness, a completely foreign land, accompanied by strangers from Prince Rui's entourage. Surely even Luo Tan wouldn't dare such a reckless move.Who would have thought that this young lady of the Luo family also had a bold and impulsive temperament, daring enough to travel alone for thousands of miles. By the next noon, when Luo Tan still refused to leave her room under the pretense of feeling unwell, Luo Xueyan finally sensed something amiss. When she went to check on her, she found Luo Tan’s maid tremblingly holding a letter and kneeling to beg for mercy.
Well, traveling alone for thousands of miles—Luo Tan had left a breezy letter behind and followed in her little cousin’s footsteps to Great Coolness, a land of abundant food and clothing, where the streets bustled with crowds.
Luo Xueyan was startled and immediately sent people to chase after her. But Shen Miao’s group had already been gone for a day, and Prince Rui’s entourage was no ordinary party—they moved swiftly. It was unclear when they could catch up. A month passed with no news, and Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were still worried about the matter.
“I only hope the letter reaches Jingxing, and he can send some reliable people to escort Tan’er back,” Luo Xueyan said.
How could Luo Tan know about these happenings in Fixed Capital? Even if she did, she would pretend not to hear, because right now, there were far more important matters at hand.
As evening fell again, the caravan prepared to rest for the night. Shen Miao, naturally, had already arranged for lodgings along the way, but Luo Tan was in a miserable state.
She had disguised herself among the guards of Prince Rui’s Residence’s caravan. Having grown up among the Luo family, she lacked the delicate air of a young lady and could pass convincingly as a man, so no one had discovered her identity yet. But every night was agony for her. Unlike Royal Consort Shen Miao, who had her own room, the guards slept a dozen to a room—some on beds, some on the floor, and some even makeshift beds of chairs and tables pushed together.
Luo Tan wasn’t fussy—whether it was a bed, chairs, tables, or the floor, she could endure it. The one thing she couldn’t bear was sharing a room with over a dozen strange men. The snoring, sleep-talking, and all sorts of odors, not to mention the occasional leg thrown over her—it was worse than death for Luo Tan. If Luo Liantai and Ma Shi found out, they’d probably break her legs.
But the most terrifying thing for Luo Tan was bathing.
No matter how rough-and-tumble she usually was, she couldn’t go weeks without bathing like these men, nor could she tolerate jumping into a lake with all of them to wash. A few times, she had nearly been pushed in, scaring her so much she almost screamed. In the end, she came up with a quick excuse, claiming she had hideous scars and didn’t want to be seen naked. Though the guards thought she was being difficult, they didn’t force her.
Tonight, luckily, there was a hot spring behind the farmhouse they were staying at, its waters clear and inviting. The guards had already bathed in the evening, but she hadn’t. Now, with the moon high and everyone asleep—even those who got up in the middle of the night to relieve themselves wouldn’t come this far—Luo Tan finally felt safe. Clutching her clothes, she sneaked out.
She groped her way through the dark until she reached the spring. After glancing around to confirm the deep night silence, she quickly stripped down to her undergarments and slipped into the water.The hot spring water was warm and incredibly soothing. Luo Tan hadn't bathed this blissfully in ages. She'd been sneaking out at night to heat water for baths, which was such a hassle. But now, she felt utterly content.
Gazing at the moon, she thought: Over a month had passed, and it seemed Luo Xueyan hadn't caught up yet. She probably never would. Even if she did, going back wasn't an option anymore. In that case, should she come clean with Shen Miao? Her little cousin had a sharp tongue but a soft heart—she wouldn't really do anything to her. That way, she could sleep in Shen Miao's room and wouldn't have to bathe in secret anymore.
Just as she was lost in thought, footsteps approached from a distance. Luo Tan startled, fearing someone was coming. Panicked but not daring to linger, she grabbed her clothes by the rocks and submerged herself completely as the footsteps drew near.
Luo Tan knew how to swim, but holding her breath underwater wasn't easy. The footsteps stopped by the hot spring but didn't leave. Gradually, breathing became agonizing. She desperately wanted to surface, but with only a thin undergarment on, her reputation would be ruined if she did.
No matter how carefree she usually was, Luo Tan had to think of her dignity now.
Stubborn as the Luo family was known to be, she refused to emerge while the person lingered by the spring. But as time passed, her vision blurred, her mind grew hazy, and she feared she might die here. The thought saddened her—sacrificing her life to protect her dignity, and she hadn't even visited Great Coolness yet.
Then, a muffled voice came from above: "Not bad at holding your breath. Planning to suffocate yourself?"
Luo Tan's heart leaped. She couldn't hold it any longer and burst through the surface. Still, she kept her body hidden underwater, with only her head exposed. Thankfully, the steam from the hot spring veiled her figure—otherwise, she'd have died of shame.
"Tsk," the voice said. "Thought you'd last longer."
Luo Tan glared at the speaker but froze when she recognized him. "D-Doctor Gao?" she stammered.
There, crouched by the spring with a pink lantern in hand, was none other than Gao Yang, smiling at her. Despite the cold, he lazily fanned himself with his ever-present folding fan, his relaxed demeanor irritatingly nonchalant.
"What are you doing here?" Luo Tan blurted.
Gao Yang smiled without answering.
Luo Tan frowned. As a royal physician of Ming Qi, why was he so far from Fixed Capital? Had his practice brought him to such a remote place? "Doctor Gao, do you even take patients this far out? Does the court pay you so little that you have to work this hard?" Her tone dripped with undisguised pity.
Gao Yang choked on her words before finally replying, "It's not what you think."
Luo Tan stared. "Then why are you here?"
Gao Yang tilted his head, studying her. "Why are you here?""I," Luo Tan declared confidently, "am the cousin accompanying the bride—I'm going to Great Coolness with my little cousin."
Gao Yang nearly laughed out loud. A bridal attendant cousin—only she could come up with such a notion. He said, "Oh, a few days ago I met someone who seemed to have come from the Shen residence. He was carrying a letter for the Royal Consort of Prince Rui but didn't know where to find her, so he asked me for directions."
Luo Tan was startled. "You let him go see my little cousin?"
Gao Yang shrugged his shoulders. "No, I saw he was travel-worn and exhausted, so I kept him here to rest before sending him on his way."
Luo Tan first sighed in relief, then tensed up again. "Doctor Gao, you mustn't let this man see the Royal Consort."
"Why not?"
"He's a bad person," Luo Tan said. "He wants to frame me. You absolutely mustn't."
Gao Yang laughed. "Frame you? For sneaking from the Shen residence into Prince Rui's carriage convoy to follow them to Great Coolness?"
Luo Tan: "You—" After stammering "you" several times, Luo Tan stared at Gao Yang, speechless.
"What should I do?" Gao Yang looked rather troubled. "If I take this man to Prince Rui, you'll be sent back to Fixed Capital, possibly tomorrow."
Luo Tan blurted out: "No way!" After finally coming this far and sleeping among those warriors for a month, she refused to let all her efforts go to waste now. She looked at Gao Yang with determination. "What do I need to say for you to keep this secret for me?"
Gao Yang said, "That's more like it. If you'd said this earlier, I wouldn't have wasted so much time with you."
Luo Tan: "..."
Why did she feel like Gao Yang had been waiting for her to say this all along?
"What do you want me to do?" Luo Tan asked.
Gao Yang glanced at her. "Come out first."
Only then did Luo Tan remember she was still only wearing a bellyband while talking to Gao Yang. Though she couldn't see herself, she still felt embarrassed, her cheeks flushing crimson. Fortunately, it was dark, and Gao Yang wouldn't notice.
"My clothes are all wet," she said. "I can't come out like this. Find me something to wear." Earlier, to avoid being discovered, she had submerged herself in the water with her clothes, and now they were soaked. She couldn't possibly put them back on.
Gao Yang thought for a moment, then began removing his outer robe. Luo Tan paled in shock. "What are you doing?"
Gao Yang handed her his robe unhurriedly. "Just giving you something to wear. What were you thinking?"
"Turn around!" Luo Tan felt this Doctor Gao was especially irritating today—every time she faced him, she ended up being toyed with.
Gao Yang turned around, muttering, "Not like there's anything worth seeing anyway."
Luo Tan didn't catch his words. She emerged from the water, hid behind a rock, and quickly put on Gao Yang's robe. It was a bit large for her, but she couldn't be picky now.
Once dressed, she said, "You can turn around now."
Gao Yang turned back with a smile.
"Speak. What's your condition?" Luo Tan asked.
"How have you been sleeping these past few days?" Gao Yang countered with his own question.
"With everyone else, of course," Luo Tan answered matter-of-factly.
"From now on, sleep in my room."
"Why should I?" Luo Tan flared up. "Men and women shouldn't be too familiar!"
"You're a woman?" Gao Yang smirked.
"Right, you're not a man," Luo Tan shot back immediately.
Gao Yang said faintly, "That messenger is still in my room..."
"I'll sleep there, I'll sleep there!" Luo Tan hastily agreed. "I'll go right now!"
Gao Yang walked off, fan swaying, with Luo Tan trailing behind.
Why did she feel like this Gao Yang was completely different from the easy-to-bully Doctor Gao of before?
It was as if his true nature had finally surfaced.
[Author's Note: The third volume will progress a bit faster, otherwise we won't finish by December :3 The side CP will also get some sweet moments~~ Search for "blue" to read the full text of later chapters.]
OpenNovel