"Miss." Gu Yu and Jing Zhe both stood protectively in front of Shen Miao, their expressions wary. Shouting would be too undignified, and this youth was dressed in luxurious robes, his noble and striking appearance making one wonder about his identity. But he was still a stranger, and Gu Yu and Jing Zhe couldn't help but fear something might go wrong.
"Gu Yu, Jing Zhe, guard the forest entrance," Shen Miao instructed.
"But Miss..." The two hesitated.
"Go." Shen Miao frowned slightly. For some reason, she was quite adept at giving orders. Whenever she commanded her maids, there was an inexplicable authority in her tone that made it impossible to refuse.
Jing Zhe and Gu Yu had no choice but to retreat to the forest entrance.
"You're quite interesting," Xie Jingxing remarked, leaning against a tree trunk as he studied her with amusement. Though he looked every bit the pampered young noble, his gaze was as sharp as a bloodied blade on the battlefield, and even his casual tone carried a chilling edge. After all, he was someone who had seen bloodshed on the frontlines.
"What does Lord Xie wish to say?" Shen Miao asked. Xie Jingxing's sudden appearance was certainly not for idle chatter. Though young, he was decisive in his actions. Since even the old marquis couldn't control him, he acted with even greater audacity, making his motives impossible to discern.
"Prince Yu's Manor is currently lacking a Royal Consort. That cripple seems to have taken a liking to you—congratulations." His tone was ambiguous. Yet referring to Prince Yu as a "cripple" was incredibly bold. Coming from Xie Jingxing, however, it carried a hint of disdain and mockery, as if Prince Yu were nothing more than a filthy plaything.
This person's arrogance was truly something.
Shen Miao pondered inwardly, but her expression remained calm, unaware of what this composed demeanor might convey to the other. Xie Jingxing suddenly took a step forward. Towering over her, Shen Miao was entirely enveloped in his shadow as the purple-robed youth leaned down slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper by her ear: "So you already knew."
The faint scent of cold bamboo drifted from him, and his deliberately lowered voice carried a magnetic, almost intimate quality. The gesture itself was intimate. Shen Miao lifted her eyes to find that handsome face right before her, the corners of his lips quirking up in a smile that exuded a knowing, almost wicked charm.
But she was no naive young girl. Lowering her gaze slightly, she replied, "What does it matter whether I knew or not?"
Seeing her indifference, Xie Jingxing abandoned his playboy act and pushed her away without a shred of gentleness. Holding up a letter, his smile turned teasing: "Knowing yet showing no concern for your own affairs, instead worrying over the second young master of the Capital Records Office?"
Shen Miao's gaze flickered abruptly before fixing on him, her voice involuntarily sharpening: "Does Lord Xie have nothing better to do than meddle in others' business?"
"A single piece of paper, and you're this tense?" Xie Jingxing reverted to his usual carefree demeanor. "What connection do you have with the second son of the Capital Records Office, to help him like this? Or... Shen girl, what exactly are you scheming?"
Shen Miao's expression was as still as water as she stared at the paper in Xie Jingxing's hand. Though thin, it weighed heavily in her heart.
It was the Conduct and Law Strategy she had painstakingly memorized. In her past life, Pei Lang had used this very treatise to catch Fu Xiuyi's attention, becoming his advisor and strategist, aiding him in securing the throne.Now, before he could even display his talents, Shen Miao intended to cut off all possibilities in advance. Moreover, it would be safest if Pei Lang never served the imperial family.
As for Gao Yan, the second son of the Jingdian Shi family, he was part of the newly rising nobility in Fixed Capital, outside the ancient aristocratic families. The Ming Qi imperial family sought to suppress the old aristocracy while naturally promoting the new nobility. The Jingdian Shi family was the most prominent among these newly elevated clans. The eldest son, Gao Jin, was truly brilliant, and when Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, he was heavily favored. The Jingdian Shi family thus basked in imperial grace, growing increasingly domineering. And this Gao Yan… he had even coveted her Wan Yu.
Had she not still been the mistress of the six palaces at the time, and had Fu Xiuyi not yet begun targeting the Shen family, Wan Yu might have suffered a tragic fate. This Gao Yan was far less talented than his elder brother, extremely vain, and always eager to claim his brother’s achievements as his own. He was petty, vindictive, and narrow-minded—nothing more than a troublemaker. In her past life, Gao Yan had never entered officialdom. Now, with the Jingdian Shi family not yet at its peak and Gao Jin only recently embarking on his career, she might as well give Gao Yan a push into the treacherous world of politics.
She had given Gao Yan Pei Lang’s Conduct and Law Strategy precisely because she knew that during the annual Verification, Gao Yan would have his servants buy exam papers. Today, she had Gu Yu arrange for someone to replace those papers. Given Fu Xiuyi’s so-called "appreciation for talent," he would undoubtedly go out of his way to recruit Gao Yan. And Gao Yan, being vain, would never admit the work wasn’t his. With such a man entering Ming Qi’s official circles… she wanted to see how these two would tear into each other like dogs!
Removing one of Fu Xiuyi’s capable allies and replacing him with an empty-headed troublemaker—this was Shen Miao’s clever plan. But who could have guessed that Xie Jingxing would appear out of nowhere, ruining her scheme?
Her gaze flickered, as if countless words were condensed in her clear, doe-like eyes. Xie Jingxing finally smirked lazily and said, "No need to look at me with such hatred. The letter you see is a copy made by my people. The original is still in the hands of that Gao boy."
Shen Miao was stunned. She had never expected this outcome. She looked at Xie Jingxing, silent for a moment, before replying, "The young marquis is magnanimous."
"Not magnanimous," Xie Jingxing’s eyes turned cold. "It’s just that I’ve always been praised for one thing—I dislike meddling in others’ affairs."
Just as Shen Miao was about to speak, Xie Jingxing continued, "Now, you can tell me why you wrote to the Jingdian Shi family."
Shen Miao sighed inwardly. Though she had intended to tie the Shen and Xie families together, now was not the time. The rift between the two families ran deep and could not be mended overnight. It required careful planning. Yet now, Xie Jingxing had inexplicably become involved, throwing her well-laid plans into chaos.
She trusted no one. She had her own path to walk. Xie Jingxing, the Xie family—they were merely pieces on the board of her grand scheme. No player ever explains their moves to their pawns."I thought, the only reason you'd help him so much is if you had a private affair, aiding your lover in seeking glory." Xie Jingxing's smile was teasing as he looked Shen Miao up and down. "Then I reconsidered—though the second Gao son is useless, his taste in women isn't bad." His gaze on Shen Miao was sharp, his strikingly handsome features as biting as the desert winds of the northwest.
"And another thing—helping Gao Yan means aiding the Chief Historian in gaining prestige. Yet you chose to support the worthless Gao Yan instead of Gao Jin. Seems rather ill-intentioned, doesn't it?" His smirk was mischievous, but his words struck true.
"Girl of the Shen family, do you have a grudge against the Chief Historian?"
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
This kind of seemingly carefree but actually all-knowing delinquent really hits my soft spot lately. Do you guys like him too? (～￣▽￣)～
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