The most supreme authority is imperial power. But more formidable than imperial power is the voice of the people.
Though one may suppress it with an iron fist, when that day truly comes, if the people dare not speak freely and rumors spread like wildfire, wouldn’t that be the greatest joke of all?
The Ming Qi imperial family was likely like this—despite committing countless unspeakable deeds behind the scenes, they still wore the facade of caring for the nation. They shamelessly enjoyed the offerings and protection of aristocratic families, only to turn around and stab them in the back.
Shen Miao’s words gradually silenced everyone present.
The young ladies, reminded of their ancestors’ glory, were moved—especially those from military families. The male students, at the age of fiery youth, naturally revered battlefield heroes, admiring soldiers no matter where they were.
But not everyone was pleased.
The three Ming Qi princes in attendance all frowned in unison. While others might not know, they were well aware of the imperial family’s current stance toward these aristocratic clans. The Shen family, standing tall and drawing envy, would inevitably be eradicated by the emperor under some pretext sooner or later. Yet, the Shen family had maintained an impeccable reputation among the people for so many years that toppling them wouldn’t be an overnight task. Now, Shen Miao’s words, seemingly mourning fallen soldiers, were in fact glorifying their achievements, placing them in the spotlight. Any misstep by the imperial family in terms of virtue would leave them morally compromised.
Was she doing this on purpose?
The crowd looked up at the young girl, who had fallen silent after speaking. Her slightly oversized robes fluttered in the cold wind, making her figure appear even more delicate.
Perhaps they were overthinking it—she was just a girl from the inner chambers. The only reason she had unexpectedly taken the lead this time was because she was Shen Xin’s daughter, and he must have told her stories from the battlefield, allowing her to seize the opportunity.
Prince Yu’s gaze remained fixed on the girl in purple. After a moment, he suddenly smiled meaningfully. “This young lady of the Shen family is quite intriguing.”
For some reason, the moment Prince Yu spoke, both Pei Lang and Fu Xiuyi frowned, a sense of foreboding creeping into their hearts.
Prince Zhou, hearing this, asked suggestively, “Does Uncle fancy the Shen family’s young lady? I heard she was an incompetent fool, but now she seems quite sharp-tongued and not bad-looking. If she were to become my aunt…” He smirked lewdly. “It would certainly be interesting.”
Prince Yu was already over forty, and his cruel, violent nature had led to the deaths of countless women at his hands. If Shen Miao fell into his grasp, she would likely perish before long. Prince Zhou’s words were already crossing the line, but given his arrogant nature, no one found it surprising. Yet, to casually throw a young girl into such a den of wolves was utterly despicable.
Prince Jing, however, thought further than his brother. While the imperial family intended to suppress the Shen family, the Shen family still held military power—like a commoner carrying a priceless treasure. If any prince privately gained the Shen family’s support, it would be a massive advantage in the struggle for succession. But if Shen Miao married Prince Yu, who was no longer in contention for power, the military authority would remain within the imperial family, free from any prince’s grasp. Perhaps this was the best course of action.
Considering this, Prince Jing Fu Xiuxuan nodded and said, “The Shen family’s young lady is indeed quick-witted. If Uncle finds her suitable, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Fu Xiuyi’s frown deepened. What Prince Jing had considered, he had naturally thought of as well. He knew that Shen Miao marrying into Prince Yu’s Manor would bring him nothing but benefits. For one, it would free him from Shen Miao’s persistent advances, sparing him from becoming the subject of gossip. Secondly, the Shen family’s military power was too hot to handle—even if he wanted to exploit it, he feared arousing the emperor’s suspicion. It was better to leave it with Prince Yu and wait for the right moment. Yet, for some reason, he felt an inexplicable displeasure, as if this wasn’t the right path.
Pei Lang glanced worriedly at Shen Miao as she walked off the stage. Her steps were composed, her expression calm—she likely had no idea her fate was now in the hands of these imperial descendants. He sighed inwardly. After all, they had shared a teacher-student bond. But he was merely a humble tutor, powerless to change anything. He could only lament Shen Miao’s fate in his heart.
Prince Yu waved his hand impatiently, not appearing particularly pleased. The smile on his lips carried a hint of cruelty. “Nephew, this prince is not unaware of your schemes. Prince Yu’s Manor cannot handle a figure as grand as the Shen family.” His gaze fell on his crippled leg. “However, the Shen family’s young lady is amusing. Bringing her over for some fun wouldn’t be bad.”
Su Mingfeng glanced in their direction. Standing close to Fu Xiuyi and the others, he pretended to focus on the stage while feeling a surge of indignation. No matter how incompetent Shen Miao might be, being targeted by Prince Yu would spell disaster for her. If Shen Xin were in the Fixed Capital, things might be different—but he wouldn’t return until the New Year. Without her father or brothers to protect her, how could a young girl resist these wolves?
Foreseeing the tragic outcome, Su Mingfeng sighed and led Su Minlang to Master Su before quietly slipping away.
Unaware of the machinations among the male attendees, Shen Miao remained oblivious. Jing Zhe was overjoyed for her, while Shen Yue, unable to maintain her composure any longer, stiffly excused herself.
After the women’s verification concluded, it was the men’s turn. Many of the young ladies who had already participated began to leave to rest. Feng Anning followed Shen Miao, her earlier arrogance replaced with genuine admiration. “You were amazing just now,” she said. “Truly outstanding.”
Shen Miao replied indifferently, “You did well too.”
Perhaps reminded of her first-place finish in the “qin” category, Feng Anning smiled. “Hard work pays off. I’ll fetch something from the carriage—wait for me here.”
After Feng Anning left, Shen Miao walked into the plum grove of Yanbei Hall to wait. Though it wasn’t the season for plum blossoms, the trees were lush and verdant.
Gu Yu emerged from the foliage, glancing around before whispering, “Miss, it’s been delivered to the son of the Capital Records Office. We bribed an outside servant to swap it—it’s absolutely safe.”
“Good,” Shen Miao said.
Gu Yu was still puzzled. She couldn’t understand why her mistress would do such a thing. After all, there was no way Shen Miao could have known the son of the Capital Records Office.
Just then, a light chuckle sounded above them. All three looked up to see a flash of purple descending gracefully from a nearby tree branch, landing before them in an instant.
The young man in purple was breathtakingly handsome, his arms crossed lazily as he leaned against the tree trunk. A faint smirk played on his lips, but his eyes were as deep and cold as a winter night in the Fixed Capital.
It was Xie Jingxing.
Author’s Note:
With a thunderous boom from the heavens, the young marquis makes his dazzling entrance (:3 」∠)
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