Ji Furen smiled and said, "This young lady is Li Mei, the one who provided the medicinal herbs."
Shen Miao stared at her intently.
Mei Furen had managed to remain favored in the imperial harem for so many years, and Fu Sheng had secured his position as the new crown prince largely because of her. Among the three palaces and six courtyards filled with seventy-two concubines, none were easy to deal with, yet Fu Xiuyi favored her alone. She was no ordinary woman to contend with. Those more beautiful than her lacked her intelligence, and those smarter than her lacked her beauty. She knew precisely when to advance and when to retreat. Though she was full of schemes and calculations, she always gave the impression of acting on impulse. Arrogant yet mindful of her boundaries, beautiful yet aware of when she looked her best. The concubines in the harem once whispered behind her back that if she wished, no man in the world could resist falling at her feet.
Take this moment, for example. She entered wearing Shen Miao’s clothes—a dignified, even somewhat conservative outfit—yet she made it come alive with charm, effortlessly making Shen Miao appear all the more disheveled in comparison.
Mei Furen had a pair of exceedingly alluring eyes, like a cat lazily waking from an afternoon nap, exuding an air of careless languor. Shen Miao’s gaze was so unusually intense that it drew Mei Furen’s attention. She glanced at Shen Miao with just the right amount of surprise, stopping short of being impolite.
This slight surprise was caught by Ji Furen and Ji Yushu, who were standing closest. Both turned to look at Shen Miao and were momentarily stunned by her expression. But the next second, Shen Miao lowered her head, and when she raised it again, her face had transformed into a smile, as if nothing had happened.
"She’s quite the looker," Shen Miao said softly.
Uncle Tang couldn’t help but frown. Shen Miao’s tone sounded almost like a jealous first wife in a noble household scrutinizing a newly arrived concubine—disdainful and petty. But Shen Miao wasn’t the type to make unreasonable scenes. She hadn’t even batted an eye at Lu Wan'er’s antics, so why would she suddenly act so sensitive and jealous toward someone she’d just met?
Luo Tan, however, sighed inwardly. Earlier, Uncle Tang had mentioned that the siblings were exceptionally striking. When she saw Li Ke, she hadn’t thought much of it, considering him merely passable. But now, seeing Li Mei, she finally understood what "striking" truly meant. Luo Tan had always believed that among the women she knew, Shen Miao was the most unique. Setting aside her appearance, Shen Miao’s innate grace and dignity were a kind of beauty any woman would envy. Li Mei, on the other hand, was entirely different. If Shen Miao was a grand, flourishing peony—the queen of flowers—then this woman was like a poppy: irresistibly seductive, bewitching, radiant, and carrying a hint of something indescribable, almost sinister in her beauty.
Shen Miao asked, "Is Miss Li from Great Coolness?"
"Indeed," Li Mei replied, glancing at Shen Miao again in surprise before smiling. "I’ve only just arrived in Longye."
"Miss Li and her brother are from Qinzhou," Ji Furen chimed in cheerfully. "They’d barely set foot in Longye when they took up the challenge at the city gates and saved Jingxing’s life."
"Took up the challenge as soon as you arrived?" Shen Miao looked at Li Mei with a faint smile. "Should we say His Highness was fortunate, or that Miss Li was fortunate?"At this point, almost everyone in the room could sense the hostility in Shen Miao's tone. Li Mei was also taken aback, while Li Ke stepped forward and bowed to Shen Miao with a smile. "Since His Highness is unharmed, my sister and I shall take our leave now. We’ve imposed on your household for days and must apologize for any offense caused."
Li Ke's words were neither servile nor overbearing, as if he had acted out of wounded pride after hearing Shen Miao's remarks. Ji Furen was momentarily stunned, too preoccupied to ask Shen Miao what had happened, and instinctively moved to stop Li Ke and Li Mei. "What do you mean by 'imposing'? You saved Jingxing’s life—how could it be an offense? If anything, we are the ones who owe you gratitude..."
Li Mei, however, smiled and interjected, "Ji Furen, as we’ve mentioned before, we came here to answer the notice purely by chance. At the time, we didn’t think much of it. The medicinal herbs were meant to save lives—since we had no use for them, keeping them would have been wasteful. If they could help someone, it was only right to offer them. This can only be called fate between the herbs and His Highness. Beyond that, there’s nothing more to say."
The other noblewomen in the hall murmured in admiration once more—such beauty, such grace, so generous and untainted by greed for power. Truly, they seemed like remarkable people. In contrast, Shen Miao’s inexplicable hostility toward them seemed petty and unbecoming of Prince Rui’s Consort.
Li Mei then turned to Shen Miao and spoke apologetically, "As for this dress—I only wore it because my own was soiled earlier. Please do not take offense, Your Highness. I will wash it thoroughly and return it to you personally, ensuring no trace of wear remains."
Shen Miao stared at her intently.
When Shen Miao had first met Mei Furen, it was after her return to Ming Qi from the Qin State. She had expected the palace to be filled with new consorts, but Mei Furen was the only one who had borne a son for Fu Xiuyi. At first, Shen Miao refused to believe that a man as cold and aloof as Fu Xiuyi could dote on any woman, but witnessing it firsthand forced her to concede the truth.
Mei Furen enjoyed Fu Xiuyi’s favor to such an extent that, from the very beginning, she had never truly bowed her head to Shen Miao. Even when she pretended deference, it was a hollow, mocking gesture that brought Shen Miao no satisfaction. Even as Empress, Shen Miao had always seemed secondary to Mei Furen in the harem—just as Fu Sheng had always been more favored than Fu Ming.
And now, that woman who had once carried herself with a haughty tilt of her chin, exuding charm and looking at Shen Miao with undisguised mockery, stood before her in a posture of humility, calling herself a "common woman" and addressing Shen Miao as "Your Highness."
The world was vast—vast enough for a person to live two lifetimes. Yet it was also small—so small that even after two lives, she could still encounter the enemies of her past.
Seeing that Shen Miao remained silent, Li Mei flushed slightly and made to leave with Li Ke. Ji Furen wanted to persuade them to stay, but Prince Rui’s Estate was Shen Miao’s domain—she had no right to override Shen Miao’s authority.
"Wait," Shen Miao suddenly spoke.
Li Ke and Li Mei paused, turning back to see Shen Miao smiling gently, like still water. "Since you saved His Highness’s life, you are the benefactors of the entire Prince Rui’s Estate. If you leave now, wouldn’t it invite criticism that our household is cold and ungrateful?"
"How could anyone say such a thing about the Estate?" Li Mei shook her head, smiling. "This was our decision.""We must wait until His Highness has fully recovered before leaving," Shen Miao said with a faint smile. "Otherwise, leaving things half-done is something the Prince's residence cannot afford."
Her words carried an underlying suspicion—what if the legendary medicinal herb passed down through generations was actually fake? If Xie Jingxing's illness relapsed in a few days, where would they find help then?
Ji Furen and Ji Yushu felt somewhat awkward. Shen Miao was not usually someone who pressed others aggressively, so why was she being so harsh toward this pair of siblings? After all, they were lifesavers—no matter what, such an attitude was unwarranted. Even if there were doubts in her heart, there was no need to voice them.
But Shen Miao knew that while these siblings might not stay for the Prince's gratitude, they would certainly linger because of the Prince's suspicion.
Because their lives were built on ensuring a spotless reputation, no matter how many misdeeds they committed. How could they allow others to tarnish their image without reason?
Sure enough, as soon as these words were spoken, Li Ke's face darkened with indignation. He declared, "Rest assured, we will remain here and witness His Highness's full recovery with our own eyes."
Shen Miao smiled. "That’s good. The Prince's residence owes you such a great debt. If you don’t stay, how can we repay you?"
Her shifting attitude—first suspicion, then talk of repayment—left everyone somewhat bewildered. Li Mei studied her thoughtfully. Noticing her gaze, Shen Miao smiled again and said, "I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t keep you company any longer." Turning to Ji Furen, she added, "Aunt, please help entertain the ladies in my stead." She made as if to leave but suddenly paused in front of Li Mei and said with a smile, "This dress suits you so well—it’s as if it were made for you. Since it fits, there’s no need to return it. Consider it my gift to you."
Her words about gifting the dress didn’t sound like a simple gesture—it carried an air of condescension, as though bestowing some great favor. Even the usually smooth-talking Uncle Tang was left puzzled by Shen Miao’s inexplicable behavior today. After she left, he could only glance at Luo Tan for answers.
Luo Tan stuck out her tongue. "Don’t ask me—I don’t know either." With that, she turned and followed Shen Miao out.
Ji Furen looked apologetically at Li Mei and Li Ke. "The Royal Consort has been preoccupied with His Highness’s condition these days. She might be a bit oversensitive—please bear with her."
"Such devotion is understandable," Li Mei replied with a smile.
"Then let’s continue our conversation inside," Ji Furen suggested warmly.
Ji Yushu also turned to Li Ke and, after a moment’s hesitation, said, "Brother Li, please."
When Shen Miao returned to her quarters, Jing Zhe and Gu Yu rushed to greet her in delight. "Madam, you’re finally back! We’ve been so worried these past days, afraid something might have happened to you."
But as soon as they took in her disheveled appearance, they froze. Jing Zhe asked, "Madam... what happened? Did someone mistreat you?"
Shen Miao’s clothes were soiled and rumpled, and her expression was unusually grim. Upon closer inspection, she even seemed somewhat dazed, as though she had suffered a tremendous blow.It was Gu Yu who was quick-witted, saying, "Madam, let me first draw some water for you to bathe. After that, you can have a bowl of warm porridge. Since His Highness is already out of danger, you can take your time to rest and think things through later." She then pulled Jing Zhe along to prepare hot water for Shen Miao.
Once the water was ready, Shen Miao dismissed the two maids and sat alone in the wooden tub. The water was pleasantly warm, yet Shen Miao felt as if it were icy cold.
How could Mei Furen have appeared in Great Coolness? And how had she coincidentally become Xie Jingxing's savior? Shen Miao had endured immense hardship to restrain herself from killing Mei Furen upon their first encounter, especially since this was Prince Rui's Estate, where she couldn’t possibly explain her actions.
But no matter how much she restrained herself, her unusual demeanor today had still been noticed by everyone. What others thought of her now was anyone's guess. They were likely speculating whether she was jealous or something else. Yet what Shen Miao truly wanted to understand was: how had Mei Furen come to Great Coolness?
In her past life, Shen Miao had gone to Qin State as a hostage, and by the time she returned, Mei Furen had already entered the palace. It was said that Mei Furen was the daughter of a minister Fu Xiuyi encountered during his eastern campaign. But now, Fu Xiuyi had yet to embark on that campaign, so he couldn’t have met Mei Furen. Yet here she was in Great Coolness.
Had Mei Furen also come to Great Coolness in her past life? Judging by the timeline, Mei Furen had encountered Xie Jingxing before ever meeting Fu Xiuyi.
Then why had Mei Furen ultimately become Fu Xiuyi’s favored consort? Why had she gone to Ming Qi… Could this also have been Xie Jingxing’s doing? Shen Miao couldn’t help but shiver.
In her past life, she and Xie Jingxing had never met, nor had she followed him to Longye. Xie Jingxing hadn’t attended the tribute banquet in Ming Qi. Shen Miao had been Fu Xiuyi’s wife, while Xie Jingxing lay unconscious in Longye, just as he did now. The passing siblings Mei Furen and her brother had saved him, so at the very least, they shouldn’t have been enemies… If Mei Furen was originally from Great Coolness but later became the favored consort of Ming Qi’s emperor, could she have been a spy?
Just as Xie Jingxing, though a prince of Great Coolness, had posed as the young marquis of Marquis Lin'an Manor in Fixed Capital of Ming Qi. Could Mei Furen have been a spy sent by Great Coolness?
But if that were the case, Mei Furen wouldn’t have needed to bear Fu Sheng for Fu Xiuyi, let alone have Fu Sheng named crown prince.
Her frown deepened. Yet what unsettled her most was the question of whether Mei Furen and Xie Jingxing had been allies in her past life. If Mei Furen had been sent to Ming Qi by Great Coolness’s imperial family, then no matter what, Shen Miao’s tragic fate was inextricably linked to them. With Fu Ming and Wan Yu forever lost to her, how could she and Xie Jingxing possibly reconcile?
Lost in thought, Shen Miao didn’t even notice when the water in the tub turned cold. It was only when Jing Zhe, unable to stop worrying, came to knock and call for her that Shen Miao snapped back to reality. She touched the water—it was now freezing. After drying off and dressing, she stepped out and immediately spotted Luo Tan.
Luo Tan approached and asked, "Little cousin, do you dislike that Li Mei?"
Shen Miao replied, "Why do you say that?""You're usually very polite to people. But you're acting strangely towards this Li Mei, just like you did with Chang Zaiqing back then." Luo Tan thought for a moment: "That Chang Zaiqing turned out to be no good person in the end. Could this Li Mei be the same? Come to think of it, compared to Chang Zaiqing, you seem to dislike this Li Mei even more."
Shen Miao, while wringing her hair with a dry cloth, said indifferently: "If I said she's a bad person, would you believe me?"
"She's really a bad person?" Luo Tan was taken aback: "But she doesn't seem like one at all."
Shen Miao shook her head. No matter what she said, without evidence, it would all be in vain. She said: "You should go back now."
Luo Tan was surprised: "Aren't you going to see your brother-in-law?"
Shen Miao paused, then said: "I'm very tired today and want to sleep early."
"Alright." Luo Tan nodded: "You've been running around these past few days and have lost a lot of weight. It's better to rest well. I won't disturb you anymore." After a moment's thought, she added: "If you feel there's something wrong with that Li Mei, you can tell me. In this Great Coolness, only we share the same blood in our bones."
After Luo Tan left, Shen Miao's expression turned cold. She said to Jing Zhe: "Call Mo Qing here for me."
She rarely acted so solemnly, especially today, when there was even a faint hint of killing intent, making Jing Zhe and Gu Yu dare not ask any questions. Without another word, they went out to find the person.
Mo Qing quickly came in. Shen Miao had the door tightly closed and, with no one else around, asked Mo Qing: "Where are that sister and brother staying in the mansion now?"
Mo Qing thought Shen Miao had some important task for him and was slightly taken aback by the question. He replied: "They're staying in an empty room in the side courtyard."
"Kill them for me," Shen Miao said.
Mo Qing was stunned.
From the time he started following Shen Miao, Mo Qing had witnessed her circumstances, which could almost be described as dire. There were constant schemes against her and arrows shot from all directions. In such an environment, Shen Miao had never suffered a loss. She had ordered Mo Qing to do this and that, most of which were tit-for-tat actions. But today was the first time she had directly said, "Kill them for me."
Mo Qing looked at Shen Miao, hesitated for a long while, and still asked: "Madam, they..."
"They are my sworn enemies, with a blood feud that cannot coexist under the same sky. If these two are not eliminated, the future troubles will be endless. Kill them for me," she said.
Before Mo Qing could respond, a voice suddenly came from outside the window: "This is not a good strategy."
The two turned to look and saw that Jing Zhe had left in such a hurry that she hadn't even closed the window. It was already dark in the evening, and they hadn't noticed when someone had appeared by the window—it was Pei Lang.
Shen Miao signaled for him to come in. Pei Lang entered, glanced at Mo Qing, and shook his head at Shen Miao: "Killing people rashly is not a good strategy."
Shen Miao stared at him coldly. The appearance of Mei Furen had brought back memories of those dark days, and even towards Pei Lang, her expression was unfriendly.Pei Lang rubbed his nose somewhat inexplicably, cleared his throat lightly, and finally spoke up: "That pair of siblings are currently residing in the prince's residence. If you kill them now, by all accounts, the prince's residence won't be able to wash its hands of the matter. With such a grand prince's residence and countless guards, if they can't even protect the lives of one pair of siblings, do you think others would believe it? They would only say it was done by someone from the prince's residence."
"Secondly, what you did outside today was too excessive. You probably don't know, but there are rumors spreading that you're jealous of Li Mei's beauty and deliberately made things difficult for her. Before, I didn't understand why you acted this way, but now that I've heard you have a grudge against these siblings, it makes sense. Since you have a grudge against them, you shouldn't show it. Once you do and others see it, if anything happens to these siblings, you'll be the first suspect."
"Thirdly, you sought Mo Qing to kill for you, which shows you don't trust others with this matter, including Prince Rui's subordinates. But is Mo Qing really a match for the other guards in this residence? Even if Mo Qing's martial arts are exceptional, one cannot fight against many. If caught, Prince Rui would inevitably question you. If you have Mo Qing act without informing Prince Rui, there must be reasons you can't tell others. If discovered, your secret won't remain hidden."
"So, this plan isn't a good strategy." Pei Lang finished in one breath.
Shen Miao stared at him for a while before suddenly laughing. She said, "Mr. Pei, are you always this rational?" Without waiting for his reply, she sneered, "Of course, if you weren't rational and detached, how could you stand above others?"
Pei Lang didn't quite understand her words, only to hear Shen Miao continue, "You're right, indeed. I can't recklessly kill within the prince's residence. Moreover, letting them die so easily would be far too lenient for these two."
Mo Qing remained silent. Shen Miao said to him, "You may leave. First, investigate thoroughly for me. I want to know every detail about these siblings, down to the smallest matter."
Mo Qing acknowledged and left.
Shen Miao took a deep breath. Having enemies right before her yet unable to act now—this clawing, gnawing feeling was unbearable, almost making her want to vent her anger on someone.
Mo Qing left as instructed. Pei Lang looked at Shen Miao, pondered for a moment, and asked, "You seem to harbor deep resentment toward these siblings."
Shen Miao sneered, "What makes you say that?"
"I've never seen you demand someone's life upon first meeting." He studied her curiously. "It shows you feel wariness and caution toward them. Are these siblings... formidable?"
Shen Miao's heart skipped a beat. Looking at Pei Lang before her, another surge of anger rose within her. She asked, "Mr. Pei, you always seem to grasp others' thoughts so well. Then do you know what deep hatred lies between them and me?"
"Would you be willing to tell me?"
"They owe me two lives that can never be reclaimed." Shen Miao said. "Even killing them ten thousand times wouldn't be enough to compensate."
Pei Lang was startled by the unmistakable ferocity in Shen Miao's eyes. He said, "I can help you."
Shen Miao stared at him. "Why should I trust you?"These words took Pei Lang by surprise. In recent days, he had clearly sensed a softening in Shen Miao's attitude toward him, as if she had let go of certain grievances. He had even begun to think their relationship might no longer be as strained as before. Yet today, Shen Miao was like a hedgehog with all its quills raised, her sharp defenses back in place. Her demeanor toward him had reverted to how it used to be—even more distant than before.
As though they were enemies.
Pei Lang knew this must be related to that pair of siblings. After a moment of thought, he asked again, "I heard that brother and sister are from Great Coolness. You’ve never been to Great Coolness before, nor have you met them. How could you have such a deep-seated grudge against them?"
"Mr. Pei," Shen Miao interrupted him, "I’ve already told you everything I can. You know exactly how I feel about those two. I don’t expect you to offer me advice or assistance in this matter, but I also ask that you neither interfere nor tell anyone else about it."
Pei Lang suddenly felt an unbearable surge of anger rise within him. He, too, had his pride. Originally content to live a life of carefree solitude, he had been coaxed into the imperial court by Shen Miao through Liuying’s persuasion, becoming Fu Xiuyi’s subordinate, then inexplicably branded a spy and forced to flee to a foreign land. Now, his sincere intentions were met with suspicion and ill will, and he had the urge to turn and leave immediately. Yet, when he saw the coldness in Shen Miao’s gaze, his anger inexplicably dissipated.
As if the moment he saw her, an inexplicable guilt would wash over him.
He stiffened and said, “You don’t trust me.”
Shen Miao replied coldly, “I trust no one.”
After Pei Lang left, Shen Miao sat back down at the table, feeling as though all her strength had drained away, leaving her utterly exhausted.
Li Mei and Li Ke, residing in Prince Rui's Estate under such identities—unable to be killed yet impossible to ignore—could only be confined within the estate for now. The great vengeance must be repaid; otherwise, she would be unworthy of having once been a mother to two children.
As she pondered this, Jing Zhe pushed the door open and said to Shen Miao, “Madam, His Highness has just awakened and wishes to see you.”
Shen Miao was taken aback, her expression turning complicated. After a moment, she replied, “I understand.”
The possible connections between Xie Jingxing of Great Coolness’s imperial family, Mei Furen, and her brother had been speculated upon by Shen Miao in every conceivable way. The deeper she delved, the more terrifying the implications became. If those dreadful conjectures turned out to be true, Shen Miao wasn’t sure how she would react.
Mei Furen’s appearance had disrupted her plans and unsettled her emotions. She could hardly even face Xie Jingxing now. She feared others might detect the resentment in her heart, and she dreaded Xie Jingxing confirming her worst suspicions.
The bedchamber was thick with the scent of medicine, and servants bustled about attending to their tasks. Xie Jingxing’s awakening meant more attention was required, and his condition needed careful nursing. Gao Yang was just stepping out with his medicine chest when he spotted Shen Miao and paused. “He just woke up. He asked for you earlier this morning. His wounds haven’t fully healed yet, so humor him.”
Shen Miao acknowledged this and pushed the door open.
Xie Jingxing was clad only in his undergarment, draped in an outer robe, reclining on the couch as he read. Perhaps due to his injuries, he appeared somewhat thinner these days, his features sharper. In moments of quiet like this, he resembled nothing more than an elegant young nobleman, flipping through his book with an air of effortless grace—utterly unlike someone who had teetered on the brink of life and death just days before.
Shen Miao hesitated at the threshold, as though taking that step forward would force her to confront the questions she dared not face. She feared the answers, instinctively wanting to evade the issue.
But in life, there are no problems one can avoid forever.
Without lifting his gaze, Xie Jingxing said coolly, “Since you’re here, why not come in?”
Shen Miao stiffened, clenched her fists, and slowly stepped inside. Only when she reached the couch did she sit down and say, “Are you alright? Uncle Tang mentioned you had woken up. I thought you needed rest, so I didn’t disturb you.”
Xie Jingxing’s voice was still hoarse, likely from his incomplete recovery. Yet he suddenly smirked, his tone unreadable. “How amusing.”
Shen Miao looked at him. His eyes remained fixed on the book, his voice carrying a chill.
“You’re afraid to look at me?”
“How could that be?” Shen Miao smiled. “Are you delirious from the fever?”Xie Jingxing also smiled faintly, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. With a crisp "snap," he closed the book and tossed it aside casually before turning his head to look at Shen Miao for the first time since she had entered.
His gaze was sharp, yet tinged with a hint of concealed anger as he asked, "Shen Miao, if I hadn't sent someone to summon you, would you never have come to see me?"
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Brother Xie's main concern is always: "My wife didn't come to see me, I'm unhappy."
Those who question Brother Xie's character should go read the synopsis three times ╮╯▽╰╭
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