Empress Jingxian's life was undoubtedly legendary. From being the most pampered daughter of a prime minister to becoming the Empress, she endured marital estrangement, schemes, and separation from her child. Yet in the end, she repaid cruelty in kind, cleansing the Great Coolness's imperial harem with ruthless efficiency—a feat that was deeply satisfying. She was the type who grew more indignant in adversity and rose to the challenge. If there were any regrets in her life, the first would be Xie Chi's incurable poison, and the second, that she never had the chance to reunite with Xie Yuan.
Xie Chi and Xie Yuan, the two brothers, took more after Empress Xiao. Back in Longye, Empress Xiao had been the most sought-after beauty, a peerless stunner by all accounts. Xie Chi and Xie Yuan not only inherited her beauty but also her cunning. Xie Chi, being part of the imperial family, bore some resemblance to Emperor Xiaowu—such as his reliance on political marriages to balance factions when wielding power. Xie Yuan, however, was different. Far away in Ming Qi, he stood in opposition to the Ming Qi imperial family. He bore not a trace of Xie Yilong's influence and truly fulfilled Empress Xiao's expectations for him. Though he couldn't be called a good man, he was certainly not a despicable one.
Shen Miao hadn’t expected Xie Jingxing’s origins to be so convoluted and extraordinary. While reflecting on Empress Jingxian’s life, she couldn’t help but feel admiration. Empress Jingxian’s life bore striking similarities to Shen Miao’s past, yet in the end, she emerged as the victor of this realm. Still, Shen Miao admitted she couldn’t match Empress Xiao’s resolve—her willingness to sever ties decisively and endure the agony of being torn from her flesh and blood.
Noticing her complicated gaze, Xie Jingxing merely smiled carelessly and said, “Don’t pity me. I never met her, so I have no attachment to her.”
He was a young man forged in the tempest, born under the shadow of his father’s pursuit, never knowing his mother—yet this shaped him into someone far more resilient than most. To him, even the gravest matters were but a fleeting jest.
But indifference to human emotions often stemmed from never expecting much from people in the first place.
After a moment of silence, Shen Miao said, “I’ll stay with you till the end.”
Xie Jingxing’s eyes flickered slightly before he smirked and teased, “If you sympathize with me, why not compensate me?”
His roguish grin instantly dispelled the earlier melancholy. Shen Miao glared at him, then suddenly remembered something. “But in that case, the Emperor’s illness…” She trailed off.
If the Gao family had declared that Xie Chi wouldn’t live past thirty-five, how many years did the Yongle Emperor have left now?
“His Majesty already celebrated his thirty-sixth birthday this year,” Xie Jingxing said. “So some predictions aren’t entirely accurate. However…” His expression darkened. “His condition is worsening.”
“Do the Lu and Ye families know about this?” Shen Miao asked.
“After my mother’s passing, Empress Xiao silenced all those in the palace who knew the truth. Now, aside from the Gao family head, you, me, and Her Majesty the Empress, there should be no one left alive who knows about His Majesty’s condition.”
Shen Miao’s heart skipped a beat. Empress Jingxian’s methods were indeed ruthless, but they had also eliminated many future troubles.
“Did the Empress know about His Majesty’s illness before marrying him, or only after…?” Shen Miao asked.Xie Jingxing looked at her with a teasing smile. "What do you want to ask?"
Shen Miao wondered: If Xiande Huanghou had known from the start that the Yongle Emperor wouldn’t live past thirty-five, would she still have married him? After all, becoming a widow at such a young age was no easy fate. But if she only found out after marrying him, wouldn’t that mean she had been deceived for a lifetime?
"If it were you, what would you choose?" Xie Jingxing asked.
Shen Miao replied, "When I married you, I didn’t like you enough to be willing to become your widow." As soon as the words left her mouth, she looked annoyed, realizing she had just jinxed Xie Jingxing.
Yet Xie Jingxing seemed delighted by her words. He pulled her into his arms, pressing her head against his chest, and said with a grin, "Oh? Does that mean you like me enough now to become my widow?" Without waiting for her answer, he added thoughtfully, "So, you must have been quite fond of me when you married me."
"Who was fond of you?" Shen Miao struggled to breathe in his tight embrace and retorted indignantly. Xie Jingxing’s leisurely voice drifted down from above her head, "If you like me, just say so. I’ve always been tender toward women—I’d never let you suffer as a young widow."
Instead of getting angry, Shen Miao laughed and shot back, "Suffer as a widow? Don’t worry, these days few women obediently stay widowed. Widows have plenty of options—Longye is full of male pleasure houses, after all." Under Xie Jingxing’s influence, she had long shed her former reserved demeanor and could occasionally infuriate him in return.
Sure enough, Xie Jingxing paused at her words, studying her carefully before speaking in a deceptively gentle tone, "Thinking of visiting a pleasure house?" Though his voice was soft, Shen Miao felt an inexplicable chill at the back of her neck. Before she could respond, Xie Jingxing suddenly scooped her up and strode toward the bed, making her shriek in surprise. Unfazed, he remarked, "Since you’ve reminded me to 'put in the effort,' your husband naturally won’t slack off."
Outside, Tie Yi, who had been standing guard, flushed crimson at the couple’s antics, torn between staying and leaving. His dark face turned an impressive shade of red.
After a breathless tussle, the couple finally settled down. Shen Miao rested her head on Xie Jingxing’s arm and nudged him. "You still haven’t answered my question—did the Empress know or not?"
"Someone as clever as my sister-in-law? If she didn’t know and was tricked into marrying him, that would be a serious matter," Xie Jingxing sighed. "When Mother was selecting a wife for my brother, she once summoned the Empress into the palace for a talk. No need to guess—Mother despised those who exploited others’ sincerity all her life. Even if it was for political balance, she would have made sure the other party was fully aware."
Shen Miao said, "If she knew and still married him, the Empress must have truly loved the Emperor."
Xie Jingxing remained silent.Xiande Huanghou's maternal family was an aristocratic family of scholars and historians. In terms of actual power, many other aristocratic families surpassed them, yet in the end, Empress Dowager Jingxian chose Xiande Huanghou as Yongle Emperor's wife because her family, the Chief Historian's household, was absolutely loyal. And Xiande Huanghou, true to her title as Empress, was gentle, kind, wise, and magnanimous. Unlike Empress Dowager Jingxian and Emperor Xiaowu, Yongle Emperor could elevate other consorts to balance power, but he had only one wife—a lifelong companion. Character was more important; she could share both hardship and prosperity, a true noble lady who could withstand storms and uphold splendor.
Xiande Huanghou's family was honest and sincere, but whether she had genuine feelings for Yongle Emperor remains unknown. After all, speaking of true love in the imperial family is a luxury. However, Xiande Huanghou remained composed about Yongle Emperor not living past thirty-five.
Shen Miao said, "If it were just for power, she should have planned for herself."
Xie Jingxing smiled. "The Empress is very intelligent and not greedy."
Not being greedy was the best. Many tragedies stemmed from nothing more than greed—craving power, wealth, or demanding affection.
Shen Miao pondered for a moment. "Now that Consort Jing is pregnant, how do you plan to deal with the Lu family?"
Xie Jingxing played with Shen Miao's loose hair, indifferent. "What does Lu Jing's pregnancy have to do with us? Water can carry a boat but also capsize it. The Lu family thinks they can rest easy with imperial offspring, but they're mistaken. With an heir, some opponents will naturally switch sides. How many of the Lu family's soldiers are fence-sitters? They can lean toward the Lu family or the imperial family."
Shen Miao looked at him. "Surely it's not just that?"
Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?"
"You've prepared for so long, yet Consort Jing's pregnancy was unexpected. You didn't anticipate this at all," Shen Miao said. "If Consort Jing hadn't gotten pregnant, how would you have dealt with the Lu family?"
"Simple," Xie Jingxing replied. "Since ascending the throne, His Majesty has been planning to deal with the Lu and Ye families. Over the years, he's been gathering evidence of the Lu family's military overreach. Now that it's almost complete, it's time to reveal it. That will silence the world—that's the first point. Second," Xie Jingxing continued, "though the Lu family holds significant military power in Great Coolness, there are other generals. Most of them have privately pledged allegiance to His Majesty, and the Ink Feather Army has also been building strength. Now it's simpler: present the evidence. Either the Lu family submits and confesses—but Lu Zhengchun, arrogant all his life, would never admit guilt and would turn against the imperial family—or we wipe them out in one fell swoop."
Hearing this, Shen Miao thought Xie Jingxing and Yongle Emperor were truly brothers—their methods were anything but roundabout, simple and brutal yet effective. Perhaps they inherited some traits from Empress Xiao?
She said, "If that's the case, why prepare for so many years? You could have opposed them from the start." An early confrontation would have saved a lot of time.Xie Jingxing leaned close to her ear and said, "Little girl, you should know that the men of our Xie family don’t like half-measures or the idea of an even match. If we’re going to do something, we’ll uproot it completely. The Lu family’s roots run too deep—the earlier we act, the harder it is to clean up. Now that the time is ripe, isn’t it better to pull them out cleanly?"
Shen Miao frowned, only to hear Xie Jingxing continue, "I know you have a gambler’s spirit in your bones. Back when you were alone and powerless, you dared to scheme against Prince Yu. But it was too dangerous—the cost to yourself could have been too high, and I don’t like that." He added, "A pyrrhic victory is still a defeat."
Shen Miao had to admit that Xie Jingxing made a valid point. Back then, she had dared to confront Prince Yu and even Fu Xiuyi precisely because she was fighting alone—throwing a stone at jade, where the jade would always suffer the worst damage. But as the Shen family gradually became entangled, she had too much to consider and could no longer act as freely as before.
This time, with Xie Jingxing involved, an evenly matched struggle would only prolong the suffering of Great Coolness’s people. But with sufficient strength now, wiping out the Lu family in one fell swoop would minimize the sacrifices.
"But what about the Ye family?" Shen Miao still had doubts. She hesitated, wanting to speak but ultimately holding back.
"Earlier, my brother planned to win over the Ye family. After all, they have no heirs—just one disabled young master who can’t stir up trouble," Xie Jingxing said. "But since you’ve told me about your 'dream,' Ye Mei and her brother are now enemies. How can we ally with enemies? That would be courting destruction." He added, "Don’t worry, I’ll avenge you."
Shen Miao remained silent for a long time before whispering, "Thank you." For him to alter a long-laid plan wasn’t just a matter of words. Everything connected to it would have to be reorganized—not to mention the sheer trouble involved. Plans were most vulnerable to unforeseen variables, yet Xie Jingxing was willing to shoulder all possible consequences for her sake.
How fortunate she was to meet someone like him in this lifetime.
Noticing her expression, Xie Jingxing hooked a finger under her chin and tilted her face up, studying her intently before clicking his tongue. "Why so moved? How about repaying me properly with your person?"
Shen Miao pushed him away, scolding, "What nonsense are you spouting? How do you plan to deal with the Ye family?"
Xie Jingxing pondered for a moment. "It’s not difficult. Since the Ye family can’t be on our side, they’re naturally allied with the Lu family. We just need evidence of their secret dealings. Once the Lu family falls, the Ye family will follow. Weren’t you quite clever before? Why can’t you even frame someone now?"
Shen Miao stared at him, dumbfounded. Xie Jingxing could speak of framing others with such solemn righteousness—one might think he was accomplishing some grand feat. Moreover, framing a country’s chancellor wasn’t so simple.
"The Ye family is actually easier to handle than the Lu family. Their influence is just tangled up with the civil officials at court. But once the Lu family falls and the Ye family is implicated, those officials—unless they’re fools—will cut ties with them. Over the years, the two most trusted aides left by Emperor Xiao Wu have already lost much of their former power."Shen Miao thought for a moment and said, "It's not that their strength has diminished, but yours has grown to the point where you no longer need to be constrained by them."
The young beast had finally grown into the king of all beasts, and now it was time to deal with those petty clowns in the mountains and forests one by one.
Xie Jingxing looked at her teasingly, "So you admire me this much?"
Shen Miao replied expressionlessly, "Oh, so very much."
"Since my wife is so supportive, I must serve her well," Xie Jingxing said solemnly before flipping over and pinning Shen Miao beneath him.
Shen Miao: "..."
...
At the Ye residence.
Ye Mei and Ye Ke were talking in the room.
Ye Maocai prided himself as a scholar, so the furnishings in his room were naturally elegant—filled with calligraphy, paintings, and orchids. But upon closer inspection, the artworks were all masterpieces, the orchids were of the finest variety, and even the paperweights on the desk were priceless. It was clear that the Ye family was indeed wealthy, and while they might be scholars, the notion of them being "impoverished" scholars was certainly far from the truth.
Exquisite pastries were arranged on the table.
Ye Mei wore a delicate yellow blouse embroidered with lotus flowers and embedded with crystals, paired with a long skirt. The fabric and craftsmanship of the outfit were of the highest quality. She was already naturally striking in appearance, and with such attire, even the noblewomen in the palace would pale in comparison. She exuded an innate charm, both alluring and radiant.
Ye Ke sat across from her. His clothing remained as simple as before, but the fabric was of a higher grade. Clearly, the siblings were living quite comfortably in the Ye household.
"Sister, what did you mean by what you said earlier?" Ye Ke frowned as he asked.
Ye Mei took a sip of tea from the table and replied calmly, "Earlier, Madam Ye insisted that I was her long-lost daughter. The whole situation is too chaotic to tell what’s true or false. But in any case, it’s given us a good place to stay. After our parents died, the family business couldn’t be sustained. Besides, being the daughter of an official family is far better than being a merchant’s daughter. The same goes for you—with Prime Minister Ye as your father, your career path will surely be smoother."
Ye Ke smiled bitterly. "I understand that, of course. But doesn’t Ye Maocai outright doubt our identities?"
If there was one thing Ye Mei and Ye Ke had never believed in before, it was the idea of good fortune falling from the sky. But ever since the Ye family’s search for their lost daughter led them to their doorstep, the siblings had no choice but to accept that such miracles did exist. It was said that years ago, during Madam Ye’s childbirth, a villain had sown discord, causing her daughter to be lost. Now, after years of searching, they had identified Ye Mei as that daughter. Whether this was true or not, Ye Mei was certain it wasn’t.
Because she and Ye Ke were siblings born at the same time.
But people could be stubborn. Take Madam Ye, for example—despite appearing perfectly rational, she adamantly insisted that Ye Mei was her daughter, refusing to listen to any reasoning. She even went so far as to bring Ye Ke into the Ye household because of his connection to Ye Mei.
The siblings remained wary and guarded. Later, Ye Maocai also met with them. Unlike Madam Ye, he was far more clear-headed. He straightforwardly stated that Ye Mei and Ye Ke were not Madam Ye’s children. However, because of Madam Ye’s insistence, Ye Maocai chose not to oppose her. For the sake of his wife’s well-being, he was willing to uphold this lie and grant the siblings the status of Ye family children.Who was Ye Mei? She was astute beyond measure and wouldn't recklessly leap into a pit of fire without first weighing the pros and cons. She went to great lengths to investigate the Ye family's circumstances, discovering their delicate position with the imperial court. With only one disabled young master in the household—effectively leaving them without an heir—Ye Maocai naturally needed a pair of "children" to silence public gossip.
Mutual benefit, each taking what they needed. A cripple couldn't stir up much trouble, so wouldn't the Ye family's wealth eventually fall into Ye Ke's hands? And with the Ye family's prestigious name, Ye Mei could effortlessly secure a life of luxury and marry into nobility. Even if Ye Maocai had other schemes, the siblings were no fools—they'd find a way to get what they wanted.
Thus, Ye Mei and her brother entered the Ye household, becoming its young lady and young master. Madam Ye trusted them, while Ye Maocai remained wary, but it made no difference to the siblings. The Ye family was merely a stepping stone, a powerful backer to help them advance faster in the future.
Ye Mei said, "Believing in our identities or not doesn't matter. You and I both came from merchant backgrounds—just treat him as a businessman. But this deal seems to have turned into a loss. I never expected things to turn out this way."
"This way?" Ye Ke frowned. "Sister, explain more clearly."
"Before, I thought the Ye family was firmly established in Longye, with nothing to fear. Though their relationship with the imperial family was delicate, they could still maintain some balance. But lately, something feels off. The Ye family isn't as secure as I thought—it seems to be teetering on the edge. One step forward, and they could live in peace. One misstep, and it's a bottomless abyss—losing everything they've gained."
Ye Ke's expression darkened. "You mean the Ye family is in danger now?"
"Whether it's dangerous or not, I can't say," Ye Mei sneered. "That old fox Ye Maocai keeps everything tightly hidden, unwilling to let us know the truth. Madam Ye trusts me, but she trusts Ye Maocai more. Getting information out of her is harder than scaling the heavens. But the more secretive they are, the more uneasy I feel. Something about this household feels very wrong."
"Maybe you're overthinking it," Ye Ke said after a pause, shaking his head. "After all, the Ye family holds the position of Great Coolness's prime minister. How could things be as dire as you say? As for their wariness toward us, it's probably just because we haven't been here long. We're all on the same boat now—otherwise, they wouldn't have agreed when you suggested assassinating Prince Rui's Consort. It's just a shame that woman has such luck, surviving because of that scholar's intervention."
Ye Mei's gaze sharpened, then she suddenly laughed. "She really is fortunate, isn't she?"
"But sister," Ye Ke looked at her, "why did you want the Ye family to kill Prince Rui's Consort in the first place? Was it really just to take her place in Prince Rui's Estate? That decision felt rushed, almost careless."
Ye Mei paused, thinking for a moment before replying, "What if I told you that the first time I saw her, I simply didn't want her to live in this world? Would you believe me?"
Ye Ke was stunned, but Ye Mei had already lost herself in her own thoughts.When she first arrived in Longye with the Ye family, it happened to be right after Xie Yuan returned from the imperial hunting expedition. Ye Maocai gave her the antidote and instructed her to pretend she had unintentionally taken down the bounty notice and stepped in to help. Naturally, the fact that the Ye family could produce the antidote suggested they were likely involved in Prince Rui's injury in the first place. If Ye Mei had gone to help as a member of the Ye family, it would have inevitably raised suspicions about them. It was much more plausible to claim she was searching for relatives, only to later discover she was part of the Ye family.
Ye Maocai intended to use Ye Mei to establish ties with Prince Rui's Estate. With her striking beauty and status as Xie Yuan's savior, the longer she stayed at the estate, the more certain things would unfold naturally.
It was during that time that Ye Mei met Prince Rui, Xie Yuan.
When it came to men, Ye Mei could not be said to love or not love them. She had ambition and means—men were merely tools to achieve her ends. If a better, more outstanding one came along, she would simply switch. To her, it was like how beautiful people deserved gorgeous clothes, precious jewelry, and lavish mansions—naturally, they also deserved a noble husband.
Xie Yuan was the finest she had ever seen since growing up.
Young yet holding high authority, he was also dashingly handsome. Even lying still, his innate nobility drew attention. Moreover, Ye Mei had learned from Ye Maocai that Xie Yuan was an extremely capable and formidable man. It was only natural for her to want to claim such a man for herself, and his aloofness only made her more determined to conquer him.
She had heard Xie Yuan had a Royal Consort, though Ye Mei had never seen her. Knowing the woman was the daughter of a Ming Qi military officer, she dismissed her outright—a martial family’s daughter, crude and unrefined, traveling thousands of miles alone with no backing. Ye Mei didn’t even consider her worthy as an opponent.
Until the moment she laid eyes on Shen Miao.
Shen Miao’s clothes were still stained with dirt, her hair somewhat disheveled, her face bearing the marks of a long journey. Yet she stood before Ye Mei, backlit, poised and dignified, exuding an aura of authority like a dominant beast asserting its territory.
Logically, Ye Mei was the radiant one—Shen Miao was the disheveled one.
But in that moment, Ye Mei felt an absurd sensation, as though even if she exerted all her strength, she could not wrest the slightest thing from this woman before her.
In the days that followed, Shen Miao treated her with marked indifference, occasionally letting slip faint traces of disgust and resentment.
Yet since ancient times, women’s emotions have been reciprocal. Just as Shen Miao felt discomfort toward her, Ye Mei felt the same toward Shen Miao.
She had heard Shen Miao was doted on by her parents, cared for by her elder brother, surrounded by friends and sisters, and cherished by Xie Yuan. Though they were in a cold war, bystanders saw the truth most clearly—if there were no love, why bother with a cold war? Clearly, it was love deep in the bones, where every action tugged at one’s emotions.
The more she compared, the more resentful Ye Mei grew. Why should all the good things in the world belong to Shen Miao alone? With her blunt, unsophisticated nature, how did she deserve Xie Yuan’s favor?
What galled her most was seeing someone she deemed inferior living a better life. Ye Mei was jealous, she was resentful—she delighted in snatching others’ possessions and making them her own. But Shen Miao’s things seemed impossibly difficult to seize.
What to do, then? Make Shen Miao disappear.
So Ye Mei told Ye Maocai that only with Shen Miao dead and the position of Xie Yuan’s Royal Consort vacant could she be confident of capturing his heart.
Rather than saying Ye Mei wanted to steal Xie Yuan, it was more accurate to say she simply couldn’t bear Shen Miao living better than her. Ye Mei refused to lose to Shen Miao.
Ye Maocai had long harbored ambitions of Ye Mei climbing into Prince Rui’s Estate and ultimately agreed.
But who could have guessed Shen Miao would survive? That someone would willingly shield her with their own body? And because of the Ye family’s rash actions, Xie Yuan seemed suspicious, keeping them under close watch—even prompting Ye Maocai to blame Ye Mei for the fallout.In this lifetime, Ye Mei had never failed to obtain what she desired. She used every person she could exploit, living smoothly all along, and taking what belonged to others came effortlessly to her. Whether it was objects, people, or even hearts—she always succeeded.
Yet it was with Shen Miao that she hit a wall.
She couldn't steal Shen Miao's man, couldn't take Shen Miao's life, and couldn't snatch away Shen Miao's good fortune.
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