Early autumn, wild geese from the northern lands formed a line across the distant sky, flying towards the warm southern regions. In the courtyard, the lush foliage of summer had begun to wither, and the colorful fish in the pond seemed lonelier than usual.
A young girl’s jet-black hair was styled into a Strand Deer Bun, adorned with an exquisite coral hairpin. She wore a deep-red embroidered double-cloud and wild goose dress that accentuated her delicate and graceful figure.
Bailu gently draped a brocade cloak over Shen Miao’s shoulders and said, “Young Miss, your illness hasn’t fully healed yet. Be careful not to catch a chill.”
Shen Miao shook her head.
She was still petite, not as tall as Shen Yue or Shen Qing, with a round face and a timid demeanor that made her seem even younger than her actual age—barely eleven or twelve.
But today was different.
Shuangjiang watched from the side, feeling an inexplicable strangeness.
The girl’s fair complexion and delicate frame made her seem small and fragile, yet today, there was not a trace of a smile on her face. It wasn’t coldness, nor was it foolishness—just a quiet indifference as she gazed at the sky with what seemed like nostalgia. She stood the same as before, yet with a newfound dignity, as if overnight, she had acquired an air of grace and nobility.
Shuangjiang shook her head, as if to dispel the absurd thought, and smiled at Shen Miao. “Young Miss, what are you looking at?”
Since breakfast, Shen Miao had been standing in the courtyard, lost in thought as she stared at the sky.
“I was just wondering if these geese, flying from the north to the south, also pass through the deserts of the northwest,” Shen Miao murmured softly.
The northwestern deserts—that was where Shen Xin was stationed, along with Lady Shen and the eldest young master. Last month’s letter had mentioned that while the capital was just beginning to feel the chill, the northwest was already barren, with the first snowflakes drifting down.
“Young Miss must be missing the master and mistress,” Shuangjiang said with a smile. “When the master returns at the end of the year and sees how much you’ve grown, he’ll be overjoyed.”
Shen Miao smiled faintly, though the corners of her lips held a trace of bitterness.
The great general, who could only return to the Fixed Capital once a year, would first be met with the scandal of his shameless daughter throwing herself at a man, even threatening suicide to force a marriage. How overjoyed could he be?
And the man she had been so desperate to marry was nothing but a scoundrel who sought to exploit the Shen family’s military power in the struggle for the throne. The battle for succession was a murky affair, and the Shen family had never wished to be involved—yet her blind love had dragged them into the fray, leading to their tragic downfall.
Shen Miao closed her eyes briefly.
In just half a year, so much had happened. Ever since her coming-of-age ceremony, her marriage had become a weapon for the East Courtyard to wield against her. It was as if, from that moment, the East Courtyard had shed its disguise like a beast, step by step forcing her into a dead end with no way back.
“Young Miss? Young Miss?” Bailu called softly, noticing the strange expression on her mistress’s face and the whitened knuckles gripping the cloak.
Shen Miao snapped out of her thoughts as Gu Yu hurried over and said, “Young Miss, someone from the Hall of Glory and Scenery is here to hurry us along.”
The Hall of Glory and Scenery—Old Madam Shen’s residence. Early that morning, the old madam had sent a maid to check on Shen Miao, claiming that once she had recovered, she should come to pay her respects. But whether it was truly a visit of respect or an interrogation, everyone knew the truth.
Shen Miao smiled faintly, tightened her cloak, and said, “Let’s go.”
Within the Shen Mansion, the East Courtyard and the West Courtyard were as distinct as black and white.Back when Old General Shen was still alive, he often practiced swordplay and martial arts in an empty courtyard in the West Courtyard. After his passing, while Shen Gui and Shen Wan pursued civil official careers, only Shen Xin inherited the old general's legacy, and that empty courtyard along with the West Courtyard was given to him. The East Courtyard was spacious, housing the families of the eldest and second branches, as well as Old Madam Shen.
In truth, compared to the East Courtyard, the West Courtyard was more remote, with even sunlight being scarce—less than half of what the East Courtyard received. There was hardly anything praiseworthy about it. Yet Shen Xin was always cheerful, treating that empty plot as if he had stumbled upon a great bargain. Both Shen Xin and his wife came from military aristocratic families, their tastes similarly straightforward—white walls and black tiles, simplicity at its finest. It couldn't compare to the refined elegance of the East Courtyard.
Shen Miao used to be quite dissatisfied with their West Courtyard, envying the refined charm of the East Courtyard's residents, and privately resenting Shen Xin for it. Looking back now, she could only scoff at her own ignorance.
Their courtyard, though simple, was far from crude. Every detail reflected an open-hearted disposition—how could it compare to the East Courtyard, where demons lurked beneath a gilded exterior?
After turning down a long corridor and passing through an exquisitely manicured garden, she finally arrived at the entrance of the Hall of Glory and Scenery.
Perhaps to emphasize its scholarly air, the hall was arranged with utmost refinement. A plaque inscribed with "Elegance of Bamboo Heart" hung at the entrance, and the bronze door handles shaped like pine trees and cranes were delicate and lively.
"Fifth Miss has arrived," announced Xi'er, Old Madam Shen's maid.
Shen Miao stepped into the Hall of Glory and Scenery.
Inside, a scene of harmonious warmth unfolded, with nearly everyone already present. The Shen family's second wife, Ren Wanyun, and third wife, Chen Ruoqiu, stood below Old Madam Shen. Shen Qing sat beside the old madam with a plate of pastries, while on the other side sat Shen Yuanbai, the younger brother from the second branch. At just five years old, he clumsily grabbed a pastry and tried to stuff it into Old Madam Shen's mouth, making her laugh heartily.
No one seemed to notice Shen Miao's arrival until Shen Yue remarked with a smile, "Fifth Sister, why are you so late? Seventh Brother has nearly finished all the steamed milk custard."
Shen Miao nodded. "My health hasn't fully recovered. Walking a bit made me dizzy, so I rested along the way. That's why I'm late."
A brief silence fell over the hall.
While Shen Yue implied she was being presumptuous by arriving late, Shen Miao had no qualms pointing out that Old Madam Shen was using her seniority to demand her granddaughter's presence despite her poor health.
After a moment, Ren Wanyun chuckled. "I see Little Wu truly is unwell. The physician has been called twice these past few days. Fortunately, she seems better now."
"Are you feeling better?" A hoarse, stern voice rang out, laced with a barely detectable impatience.
Shen Miao looked up at Old Madam Shen.
The old madam's smile had vanished, replaced by a haughty tilt of her chin. Despite being in her seventies, she wore a peach-red narrow-waisted jacket with intricate embroidery, its collar adorned with green jade and turquoise buttons, and a forehead band embroidered with white orchids. Her silver hair was coiled into an auspicious cloud bun, embellished with jade beads.
She was a woman extremely particular about appearances. In her past life, during her youth, Shen Miao had always believed Old Madam Shen to be the epitome of nobility—her elegance and beauty in old age utterly captivating. Now, however, she found it somewhat laughable.Old General Shen's first wife, Shen Xin's mother, was born into a prestigious family—a true noble lady. Unfortunately, she passed away from illness in middle age. Later, while marching with his troops, Old General Shen rescued a songstress from local ruffians. With nowhere to go, she pleaded to become his concubine and bore him Shen Gui and Shen Wan, eventually being elevated to the status of his official wife.
The songstress had finally risen in status, becoming Madam Shen and later Old Madam Shen. Though her reputation and position had changed, the petty, vulgar demeanor from her lowly origins remained unchanged. Shen Miao still remembered how, in her past life, Old Madam Shen had forced her to marry the crippled Prince of Yuzhou—all to pave the way for Shen Qing.
She studied the woman before her. Old Madam Shen had been beautiful in her youth, with a delicate, pointed face and large, sparkling eyes. But in old age, her face had shriveled into a dry, triangular drum, with two bulging eyes protruding unnaturally. And yet, she refused to accept her fate, stubbornly painting her lips with garishly bright rouge.
How utterly... lacking in dignity. Shen Miao judged her silently with the discerning eye of her past life as Empress, yet humbly replied, "I've taken the medicine and feel much better now. Thank you for your concern, Grandmother."
The next moment, Old Madam Shen's shrill voice rang out above her: "Ungrateful girl, kneel at once!"
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Thank you to Summer123wcl, Xiliang., and yunanrong for the flowers and diamonds~
...
OpenNovel