"Miss Shen of the Shen family, does the Capital Archivist have some grudge against you?"
Shen Miao gazed quietly at the young man before her.
His handsome features carried an imposing aura, and though his expression was one of playful irreverence, there was a steadiness about him that belied his years. It wasn't something visible on the surface, but rather a sense that with him by your side, you could face anything—as if he'd hold up the sky itself should it come crashing down. Even in her past life, whether in Qin State or the imperial harem, she'd never encountered someone so remarkably perceptive. With just a single sentence, he could pierce straight to the heart of any matter.
Such a brilliant talent, yet doomed to die young—truly, heaven envies the gifted.
A fleeting look of regret passed through her eyes before she replied in an even tone, "Yes."
"You've laid out quite the roundabout chessboard," Xie Jingxing remarked, his gaze scrutinizing. "Going through all this trouble just to push Gao Yan into officialdom. Do you intend to stir up the Ming Qi court?"
Even with two lifetimes under her belt, Shen Miao couldn't help feeling a slight shock. If before, Xie Jingxing had merely seemed excessively clever—quick to grasp her meaning—now he struck her as almost frightening.
Ordinary people plan one move at a time; the clever plan ten. But Xie Jingxing's seemingly casual question suggested he could see a thousand moves ahead. His bluntness, so utterly unguarded, left her momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
After a pause, she countered, "And what concern is that of the Young Marquis?"
"This marquis cares little for the Ming Qi court, but Marquis Lin'an is not to be touched." His tone carried a warning. "If you set your sights on Marquis Lin'an Manor, don't blame me for being impolite."
Shen Miao studied him. Xie Jingxing had always appeared to despise Marquis Lin'an Manor, delighting in opposing his father at every turn. Yet now it seemed his feelings weren't entirely negative—he must still hold some regard for the household. Otherwise, in their past life, he wouldn't have met such a tragic end, pierced by countless arrows, all to preserve the reputation of Marquis Lin'an Manor.
That Xie Jingxing suspected her of targeting the Xie family was only natural. The Shen and Xie families had always been at odds, and her recent actions were perplexing to outsiders. To them, it might indeed seem like the Shens were setting a trap for the Xies.
"Young Marquis Xie need not worry," she said calmly, as if discussing the weather. "The Shen and Xie families have kept to their own affairs and will continue to do so. What you fear will not come to pass. Life is but a few short decades, and fortunes change with the wind. Though the Xie family now sees the Shens as enemies, who's to say that one day we might not stand together against a common foe?"
"Are you extending an olive branch?" Xie Jingxing arched a brow.
"Yes," Shen Miao replied evenly.
Xie Jingxing assessed the girl before him. In his life, he'd encountered countless women. As a child, they'd sought to ingratiate themselves with his father; later, they'd turned their attentions to him. Among them were delicate flowers who spoke sweet words, breathtaking beauties, those skilled with blade and bow, and others versed in strategy.
He'd met thousands of clever individuals, yet none had surprised him quite like the one before him now.
Perhaps it was the instinct of someone who'd survived the battlefield, but Xie Jingxing could smell blood on this girl. Like a stagnant pool concealing a monstrous beast beneath its surface—calm for now, but biding its time until the day it would erupt in a storm of violence.
It seemed almost laughable—what tempest could a sheltered young maiden possibly stir up? Yet Xie Jingxing never dismissed his instincts.
Cloaked in a lotus-blue brocade cape, her delicate face cool as frost, she stood amidst the lush plum grove as if it were a grand palace. Noble, solitary, decisive, fathomless as an abyss.
"To think the Shen family has someone intelligent," he said mockingly, though his expression turned serious. "Very well, do as you will. Consider today's events a performance—don't disappoint me." He straightened, about to leave.
"Young Marquis Xie," Shen Miao called after him.
"What now?" He paused but didn't turn.
"Your two younger half-brothers will also be participating in today's verification," Shen Miao said evenly. "Will the Young Marquis simply let them be?"
The Xie family's two illegitimate sons—Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao, born to concubine Fang Shi—were both second-year students at the Hall of Extensive Learning. In truth, Xie Jingxing was a third-year there as well, though his free-spirited nature meant the academy had long given up trying to rein him in. Otherwise, he would have been participating in the verification alongside his half-brothers.
In their past life, Xie Jingxing hadn't participated, allowing his half-brothers to steal the spotlight. To be fair, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were quite capable, ranking near the top in martial skills. Their performance had caught the emperor's eye, and later, Fu Xiuyi had deliberately promoted them, keeping them close.
Shen Miao had always wondered—if both Marquis Lin'an and his son were so clever, how had they met such an end in their past life? Though the imperial family had offered condolences afterward, it was Fang Shi and her sons who'd reaped the benefits. Upon closer reflection, there were many unanswered questions. Just as the Shen family's downfall had involved contributions from its second and third branches, perhaps the Xie family's troubles had also stemmed from within.
"You wouldn't actually want me to compete with them, would you?" Xie Jingxing turned back, surprised. "Like how you contend with your sister?"
"Is the Young Marquis's situation not the same as mine?" Shen Miao ignored his mocking tone. "The deepest cuts often come from those closest to you. I understand someone of your status wouldn't deign to squabble with illegitimate siblings. But even the mightiest dam can be breached by termites. What seems insignificant may be a venomous serpent lying in wait." Her words were crisp with warning, yet her gaze remained clear as a child's. "Cut them down before they sprout. Ensure they never sprout at all."
"Rather than letting them bask in glory with powerful patrons, forever pretending to be devoted brothers, wouldn't it be more satisfying to knock them down one by one—humiliating them publicly so they needn't keep up appearances even at home?"
Xie Jingxing felt a stir within.
His mother had been the noble Princess Yuqing. He'd never wanted to stoop to his half-brothers' level—doing so would not only make him seem petty but also invite talk of his mother's so-called jealousy, which had supposedly driven her to her death. He cared little for his own reputation, but he would always protect Princess Yuqing's name.
Though he treated Fang Shi and her sons with cold disdain in Marquis Lin'an Manor, and though his father favored him, outsiders still gossiped. Meanwhile, the three of them played the roles of the dutiful, loving family, sickening him. He'd been content to watch their charade from the sidelines, but Shen Miao's words struck a chord.
Wouldn't it be more satisfying to crush their hopes? To tear off their masks so they could no longer play the part of devoted brothers?
Shen Miao's voice seemed almost hypnotic as she said, "It's been too long. Don't hold back."
Don't hold back.
He looked down at the girl before him, close enough to catch her faint fragrance—like her, seemingly pure yet cold and detached. Though he knew she had her own motives for suggesting this, he found it hard to refuse.
With a smirk, he flicked his sleeve, and the begonia flower from his dark hair landed in his palm. In the next moment, where the flower had been now sat a small jade begonia.
Twirling it between his fingers, he said with ambiguous amusement, "You're quite interesting. This flower's for you—your suggestion was excellent. My thanks."
–––––– Author's Note ––––––
First, a token of affection (:3 」∠)
OpenNovel