"He won't be able to marry her."
Gao Yang followed Xie Jingxing's gaze and saw Shen Miao's personal maid whispering something to a young eunuch amidst the flowers. The eunuch nodded in response, clearly overjoyed at receiving such a large sum of silver for the first time. He bowed respectfully to the maid before scurrying away.
After the eunuch left, Jing Zhe stood still for a moment, a trace of doubt flickering across her face. Shen Miao had specifically instructed her to deliver the items to this particular eunuch, but he was clearly new to the palace and had no prior connection with Shen Miao. Why the special emphasis? Unable to make sense of it, Jing Zhe shook her head. The task was done, so she turned and left as well.
"That young lady from the Shen family has quite the nerve," Gao Yang remarked. "Daring to play tricks even within the palace walls. And it seems General Shen Xin is unaware of it."
Xie Jingxing neither agreed nor disagreed. Someone who dared to burn down their own ancestral hall was hardly what he'd consider timid. As for where and how she chose to act, it probably made no difference in Shen Miao's eyes.
"Let's go," he said, a strange smile playing at his lips. "We should go watch the show."
"I'll pass," Gao Yang blinked. "We need to be cautious these days. Besides, with the change in plans, extra prudence is required."
"Suit yourself," Xie Jingxing replied lazily. Suddenly remembering something, he added offhandedly, "If you have time, ask those old fellows at the Imperial Hospital if they have anything."
"As you wish." Gao Yang cupped his hands in salute before strolling leisurely in the opposite direction.
......
Time passed unhurriedly until the day of the court banquet arrived.
The women were seated in the lower section of the grand hall, while the men occupied the upper section. To the far left, closest to the central dais, sat the imperial princes. Princes Zhou, Jing, and Ding had already arrived. Following them were Princes Li, Xiang, and Cheng.
Princes Zhou and Jing, being brothers, naturally formed one faction, while Princes Xiang and Cheng aligned themselves with Prince Li as their leader, forming another. The yet-to-arrive Crown Prince had the support of Princes Xuan and Chu. As for the ninth prince, Prince Ding Fu Xiuyi, he belonged to no faction, appearing the weakest and most neutral of all.
With the arrival of the three princes, the earlier clamor in the hall gradually subsided.
Emperor Wenhui was an oddity—father to nine sons, each exceptionally talented. In an ordinary family, such gifted sons would have been a source of boundless joy. But among the nobility, the more outstanding the sons, the fiercer the competition. Worse still, these nine exceptional sons were born into the most ruthless of families—the imperial household. Their brilliance would inevitably become thorns in each other's eyes, each eager to eliminate the others.
Now that all nine had come of age, though the Crown Prince had been appointed, the various factions remained unyielding. While Emperor Wenhui still maintained a delicate balance, the day would come when this coiled dragon grew old. Then, the long-restless Ming Qi imperial family would surely erupt into another storm of bloodshed.Among the factions of Prince Zhou and his brothers, Prince Li, and the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince appeared to have the strongest influence on the surface. However, the Crown Prince's frail health meant Emperor Wenhui would never allow a weak son to ascend the throne. Thus, the Crown Prince's so-called power was more illusory than a true following of legitimacy. Should his health falter even slightly, it would only benefit Prince Xuan and Prince Chu under his command.
Prince Li's faction, due to its sheer numbers, wielded considerable influence, with many officials secretly pledging allegiance to him. Though Prince Zhou and Prince Jing could not match the Crown Prince in legitimacy nor Prince Li in power, they had the advantage of a mother, Consort Xu, who was deeply favored by the emperor. The Xu family also provided strong backing.
As for the remaining Prince Ding, no one took him seriously. In terms of power, he was practically a joke, fighting alone. In terms of background, his birth mother, Consort Dong, was extremely low-key—had she not given birth to Fu Xiuyi, she would never have risen to the rank of the Four Consorts. Though Fu Xiuyi was outstanding and humble, one man's strength was always limited, so few held high hopes for him. Despite Fu Xiuyi maintaining neutrality and showing no interest in the succession struggle, in the treacherous depths of the palace, vigilance was essential. His brothers still watched him with covetous eyes.
However, the young ladies present did not analyze matters as deeply as the men. Instead, they stole glances at Fu Xiuyi's striking features, blushing and whispering among themselves.
To be fair, the Fu family was blessed with good looks, and among the nine princes, Fu Xiuyi stood out the most. The imperial family had bestowed upon him an extraordinary bearing, yet he carried himself with an air of serene detachment—neither haughty nor arrogant. To the young ladies, such a man, both "approachable" and "transcendent," exuded an irresistible charm.
"Prince Ding is indeed far too handsome," came the hushed murmur of a girl beside her. Shen Miao turned her head to find Feng Anning had somehow sidled up to her, grinning mischievously before suddenly putting on a stern face. "Since you're here, why didn't you come find me? Are you putting on airs as the young mistress, making me seek you out instead?"
Shen Miao was momentarily baffled by her words. She couldn't fathom why Feng Anning, the young mistress, had suddenly become so clingy, like sticky toffee. Nor did she understand when Feng Anning's attitude toward her had shifted. After all, Shen Miao was no longer a naive young girl and couldn't achieve the same intimacy with Feng Anning as peers might. Moreover, she couldn't unreservedly accept others' goodwill now, leaving her unsure how to respond. In the end, she could only shake her head and offer an excuse: "I didn’t see you."
Of course, Shen Miao didn’t know that the old her would never have warranted a second glance from Feng Anning. But the current Shen Miao was a former empress who had weathered the bloody storms of Ming Qi's imperial harem. People naturally gravitated toward and admired those stronger than themselves. Feng Anning could faintly sense the formidable strength within Shen Miao and thus unconsciously sought to follow her.
"Tch," Feng Anning scoffed, then suddenly teased in a whisper, "But Prince Ding is here too. Wasn’t he once the one you fancied? Why haven’t you even glanced his way?"
As if to confirm her words, the moment Feng Anning finished speaking, Jiang Xiaoxuan's cheerful voice rang out: "Fifth Miss Shen, Prince Ding has arrived!"She had intended to humiliate Shen Miao, knowing full well that under the watchful eyes of the crowd and in the presence of the royal family, Shen Miao wouldn’t dare lose her temper—even Luo Xueyan would have to hold back. Such words could easily be dismissed as a jest, but Shen Miao’s infatuation with Prince Ding was common knowledge throughout Ming Qi’s court. The moment those words were spoken, not only the women but even the men at the banquet turned their gazes toward her.
Luo Xueyan gritted her teeth. She knew this person was deliberately provoking Shen Miao. Though Shen Miao claimed she no longer harbored feelings for Prince Ding, Luo Xueyan understood that love wasn’t something one could simply abandon so easily. Shen Miao might appear composed on the surface, but deep down, she could be suffering immensely. Luo Xueyan was furious that Shen Xin happened to be absent at this moment. She turned to Shen Miao, worried she might be heartbroken, and whispered softly, "Jiaojiao..."
The reactions among the men were equally telling. Cai Lin curled his lips, seemingly gloating. Back at the Verification Ground, Shen Miao had humiliated him, and now she was about to suffer the same fate. The thought alone delighted him. Su Mingfeng and Su Minlang sat side by side, with the younger brother tugging at Su Mingfeng’s sleeve excitedly. "Big brother, has Sister Shen arrived?"
Being too short, the table blocked his view entirely, making it impossible for him to catch a glimpse of Shen Miao. Su Mingfeng shook his head, puzzled as to why his younger brother held such fondness for the fifth young lady of the Shen family. If not for Su Minlang’s young age, Su Mingfeng might have suspected him of harboring inappropriate thoughts toward Shen Miao.
Still... he, too, turned to look at Shen Miao. At such close quarters, how would she face Prince Ding?
In a secluded corner of the men’s seating area, a man in plain blue robes stood out among the extravagantly dressed nobles. His simplicity, however, did not make him appear shabby. On the contrary, his unadorned attire lent him an air of ancient scholarly elegance. At this moment, he too was quietly observing the silent girl in purple, his gaze flickering with unspoken emotion.
This was Pei Lang. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t have been qualified to attend such an event. But today, the headmaster of the Hall of Extensive Learning was absent due to a family bereavement, and Pei Lang had been sent in his stead. Though officially a teacher, Pei Lang was practically the deputy headmaster, so he hadn’t refused.
Little did he expect to witness such a scene upon arrival.
Prince Zhou and Jing Wang stood beside Fu Xiuyi, having overheard Jiang Xiaoxuan’s deliberate provocation. Prince Zhou chuckled and patted Fu Xiuyi’s shoulder meaningfully. "Our ninth brother is truly remarkable..."
Fu Xiuyi frowned slightly but managed a faint smile. "Fourth brother jests." Despite his words, his gaze involuntarily drifted toward the seated girl.
A soft laugh escaped the girl’s lips, and the surroundings fell silent.
The sound carried no discernible emotion—too gentle to be mockery, too calm to be joy. It was like a long-aged liquor, complex and layered, its myriad flavors condensed into a single, lighthearted chuckle.
While the men remained composed, the women were astonished. Despite their years of experience in noble households, none could decipher the meaning behind Shen Miao’s laughter. How old was she, after all?Shen Miao raised her head, her gaze unwavering, like the arrow she had once shot towards Cai Lin on the verification ground, now sharply directed at the figure standing with hands behind his back—Fu Xiuyi.
Fu Xiuyi was slightly taken aback.
In the young girl's eyes, there was no infatuation, adoration, or pleasant surprise—only an unfathomable calm. It was as if an elder who had lived through centuries was looking at him across the vast expanse of time, devoid of joy or sorrow, yet unsettling to the heart.
Those clear eyes had a beautifully shaped curve; if they had softened slightly, they might have evoked the sweetness of honey. But she merely stared quietly, and an inexplicable unease surged in Fu Xiuyi’s heart, akin to walking alone through a dense forest only to be fixed by the gaze of a hidden beast lurking deep within the undergrowth. The unease grew stronger, and his faint smile faded without notice as he stared intently at Shen Miao.
“Heh.” Shen Miao let out another soft laugh. This time, everyone saw it clearly—the corners of her rosy lips curled slightly, but her eyes remained cold. It was unmistakably a mocking laugh.
Perhaps it was a cold chuckle born from the bitterness of unrequited love, they thought. Yet they were astonished that Shen Miao dared to express her dissatisfaction so openly. Who had the audacity to mock a prince in the palace?
Fu Xiuyi did not move.
In that cold laugh, he distinctly sensed a faint trace of killing intent, deliberately concealed yet unable to fully suppress its violent surge. The chilling certainty behind it made his heart tighten.
Was she harboring murderous thoughts simply because he rejected her affections? Fu Xiuyi was stunned. What shocked him more was that he actually found that killing intent threatening.
Could it be his imagination?
By the time he focused his gaze on Shen Miao again, she had already turned away, speaking to Feng Anning.
A flicker of cold killing intent passed through Shen Miao’s eyes. Even after all this time, whether on the verification ground or elsewhere, she had only ever exchanged distant glances with Fu Xiuyi. She had avoided close encounters precisely because she feared that proximity would make it impossible to conceal the overwhelming hatred within her!
Jiang Xiaoxuan’s provocative words were overshadowed by Shen Miao’s two inexplicable laughs—the first complex, the second icy. Even a fool could tell there was not a trace of affection for Fu Xiuyi in them! After those two laughs, she simply turned to chat with the girl beside her, her disdain and disregard leaving others unsure whether it was deliberate or unintentional.
Yet the atmosphere had undeniably cooled because of her.
A glint flashed in Prince Zhou’s eyes as he leaned toward Fu Xiuyi with a smile. “Ninth Brother, it seems you’re not as invincible as you thought.”
Fu Xiuyi gave a bitter laugh, but inwardly, he began to regard Shen Miao with greater seriousness.
“Hah, it seems the fifth young miss of the Shen family has quite the spirit,” Su Mingfeng remarked with interest. His “serious illness” had improved somewhat, but he was still unfit for strenuous duties, so his official position remained suspended.
“Sister Shen has always been remarkable,” Su Minlang retorted, rolling his eyes.
Pei Lang, seated nearby, lowered his head to sip his tea, his eyes deep in thought.
Just as the silence lingered, a hearty, booming laugh broke through. “Hahaha, my apologies for the delay, everyone!”The towering figure was none other than Shen Xin, with Shen Qiu following closely behind. Seeing these key figures arrive, the officials greeted them one after another. After exchanging courtesies with Prince Zhou and a few others, Shen Xin took his seat. Both he and Shen Qiu had missed the earlier spectacle; otherwise, even if Shen Xin hadn’t intervened, Shen Qiu—never one to spare any tenderness—would have surely made Jiang Xiaoxuan regret her actions.
After Shen Xin, the trio from Prince Li’s faction and the three from the Crown Prince’s side arrived in succession. The Crown Prince was frail, but his consort was dignified and poised. Shen Miao glanced at her, her gaze softening with emotion.
The Crown Princess came from a powerful ministerial family, and the Crown Prince had initially relied on her family’s influence to secure his position. Later, when she became pregnant, Emperor Wenhui, fearing that the Crown Prince’s poor health might lead to her family monopolizing power, orchestrated a miscarriage. Deeply devoted to her husband, the Crown Princess never imagined he could harm their own child. Afraid of bringing disaster to her family, she kept silent and eventually died of sorrow. Three years after her death, the Prime Minister’s household learned the truth and sought vengeance for their daughter, only to end up aligning with Fu Xiuyi…
Shen Miao stared at the cup before her. Every member of the Fu Family was ruthless; their men were all heartless and faithless. She and the Crown Princess were no different—both were sacrificial pawns in the game of power, innocent yet discarded.
Now, she would be the one holding the chess pieces. Anyone who dared to play would have to be prepared to sacrifice!
Once the Crown Princess was seated, her close friends from before her marriage gathered around to chat and laugh. On the men’s side, Prince Yu had also arrived.
His presence cast a pall over the women’s seating area, especially the young maidens, whose faces turned pale with fear.
In previous years, Prince Yu had never attended the Returning Court Banquet. For decades, he had shown no interest in court affairs, which was why the ever-suspicious Emperor Wenhui treated his younger brother with unusual leniency. While this was partly due to Prince Yu’s life-saving actions in their youth, had he not remained obediently detached from politics all these years, even the greatest debt of gratitude would not have outweighed the Emperor’s distrust—after all, all of Emperor Wenhui’s brothers had died by his hand.
Prince Yu’s sudden appearance unsettled the women and puzzled the men, though the princes exchanged knowing smiles. A lady seated near the Crown Princess, who was on friendly terms with her, ventured, “I wonder why His Highness Prince Yu has come?” Her tone was probing.
The Crown Princess, aware of the reason, smiled faintly and replied, “Uncle has been widowed for many years. It’s time someone tended to his needs.”
Her words sent a ripple of shock through the women. Could Prince Yu be selecting a Royal Consort? But becoming Princess Yu was no blessing—at least not now, as the young maidens instinctively shrank back.
“May I ask, Your Highness,” the lady pressed with a smile, “which young lady has been bestowed such fortune?”
The Crown Princess declined to elaborate, shaking her head. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Her remark plunged the women into uneasy silence, fear gripping them all. The title of Princess Yu was like a death warrant—accepting it only hastened one’s demise. How could it be considered a blessing?Feng Anning leaned closer to Shen Miao and asked, "Guess who the Royal Consort of Prince Yu really is?"
Shen Miao replied, "I can't guess."
"You're no fun at all," Feng Anning pouted.
Meanwhile, Shen Qing was gripping the hem of her dress tightly. The moment she saw Prince Yu, her mind was flooded with memories of the torment he had inflicted on her that night. If not for Ren Wanyun pinching her hard, Shen Qing might have screamed aloud.
"Don't be afraid, Qing'er," Ren Wanyun whispered into Shen Qing's ear, her voice so low only the two of them could hear. "Today, Prince Yu is here to deal with that woman for you. Once she enters Prince Yu's Manor, there will be ways to make her wish for death rather than life..."
On the other side, Chen Ruoqiu observed Ren Wanyun and Shen Qing's reactions, took a sip of tea, and smiled faintly.
After Prince Yu's arrival, it seemed that nearly everyone except the Emperor and Empress had arrived. Suddenly, gasps of surprise erupted once more. Feng Anning, who had been chatting with Shen Miao, looked up at the commotion.
From the depths of the palace, beyond the grand hall's entrance, a figure approached leisurely. Clad in a violet-gold robe and dark silk boots, his strikingly handsome features seemed almost unreal. His steps were unhurried, exuding an air of lazy confidence.
Lin'an Hou Xie Ding was the first to react with delighted surprise, calling out, "Jingxing!" But then, as if remembering something, his expression darkened, and he fell silent as he stared at the approaching figure.
The crowd was astonished. What kind of grand occasion was this homecoming banquet? Not only had the reclusive Prince Yu made an appearance, but now even the young Marquis of the Xie family, Xie Jingxing, had arrived.
The excitement and infatuation among the noblewomen were no less intense than when Fu Xiuyi had appeared earlier—if anything, it surpassed it.
The young man's posture was upright, and though his steps seemed casual, each one carried an undeniable authority. His extraordinary looks, accentuated by the violet-gold robe, gave him an almost untouchable aura. His complexion was like snow, his eyes dark as lacquer, his brows sharp as swords, and the faintly upturned corners of his lips resembled red plum blossoms blooming defiantly in the frost—radiant and captivating. Yet, despite features more delicate than most women, there was not a trace of femininity in him. Instead, he burned as brightly as the sun, dazzling to behold. As he walked alone, the assembled officials seemed to fade into the background, as if the golden halls of Ming Qi had finally drawn out the nobility and pride etched into his very bones.
He was so breathtakingly handsome that even heaven and earth paled in comparison.
Yet this young man, radiant as the sun, had a gaze as sharp as a blade. His roguish smile, upon closer inspection, was filled with coldness and cruelty.
"When did the young Marquis Xie become so extraordinary...?" Feng Anning murmured.
Though Xie Jingxing had always been strikingly handsome and flamboyant in the past, compared to today, he had been utterly eclipsed. It was as if he had deliberately concealed his brilliance before. Now, shedding that disguise, the true Xie Jingxing stood revealed—his magnificence so overwhelming that even Fu Xiuyi seemed dim in comparison. It was as if he alone deserved to stand at the pinnacle of the dynasty, looking down upon all beneath him!The thought startled Shen Miao herself. She looked up at Xie Jingxing as the young man in the purple robe walked up to the banquet table. Meeting the astonished gazes of the crowd, he raised an eyebrow with a smile. "I thought I'd join in the fun today," he said, taking a seat—not beside Lin'an Hou Xie Ding, but next to Su Mingfeng. Su Minlang curled his lip and reluctantly scooted over a little.
At the sight, Xie Ding's expression darkened immediately. Though the onlookers murmured among themselves, no one intervened. After all, Xie Jingxing had always been known for his irreverent nature, and today was likely just another whim.
"The Xie family has produced quite the remarkable figure," Luo Xueyan remarked gravely. She had a sharp eye for distinguishing dragons from worms. There was an undeniable air of grandeur in Xie Jingxing's bearing, coupled with an inexplicable sense of danger. Those who had been on the battlefield could sense such peril with keener instinct.
Shen Qiu caught sight of Xie Jingxing, and his eyes instantly brightened. He nearly stood up but then scratched his head as if to cover his reaction, grabbing the teacup in front of him and gulping it down in one go. Such a rough gesture drew odd looks from those around him, prompting Shen Qiu to chuckle sheepishly.
"That Xie boy isn't bad at all," Shen Xin remarked with great satisfaction. He was practically overflowing with admiration for Xie Jingxing, who had managed to irk his old rival. If not for the fact that Xie Jingxing was from the Xie family, Shen Xin might have even proposed becoming sworn brothers with him.
Meanwhile, the princes from the Fu Family wore gloomy expressions.
This young heir of Marquis Lin'an Manor seemed far too outstanding. Though he hadn't yet entered the imperial court, his unruly and untamed demeanor alone made it clear he wasn't the type to submit to others. If such a person couldn't be won over, it was best to eliminate him early.
The imperial family had no desire to see a powerful marquis with control over the Military Seal rise to prominence, producing a figure of such caliber.
Just then, the drawn-out voice of a eunuch announced, "His Majesty arrives—Her Majesty the Empress arrives—"
Emperor Wenhui and the Empress finally made their belated appearance after keeping everyone waiting.
Emperor Wenhui seemed to be in good spirits, while the Empress appeared rather severe. As a woman, she could still be considered elegant, with traces of her youthful beauty visible. However, age had hollowed her cheeks, lending her a somewhat harsh appearance.
With the Crown Prince ailing, this Empress had always been ruthless. In her past life, Shen Miao had stood on Fu Xiuyi's side, and after marrying him, she had suffered countless hardships under the Empress's relentless torment. It was this very Empress who, through her own example, taught Shen Miao the brutal realities of survival in the palace.
All past grievances were but illusions. She had returned for revenge, but her ultimate goal was the complete overthrow of the imperial family. Like an ant trying to shake a mighty tree or a cup of water attempting to douse a burning cart, the gap between her and the Empress seemed insurmountable.
Yet that throne had once been hers. One day, she would reclaim it.
Shen Miao lowered her gaze and gently took a sip from her teacup.
Not far from her, Shen Qing also smiled faintly, as if joining in the celebration, and raised her own cup to take a delicate sip.
Her smile seemed even more radiant.
The darkness in Shen Miao's eyes deepened, and the corners of her lips suddenly curved upward. Unlike a cold smirk, this smile was sweet and charming, her eyes crinkling delightfully—so captivating that even some men at the opposite seating area, who happened to glance her way, were momentarily dazed.
Pei Lang had been staring intently at Shen Miao. He didn't know why he felt compelled to do so, as if something about this young woman drew him in. Yet just a few months ago, Shen Miao had been nothing more than an Incompetent at the Hall of Extensive Learning. Pei Lang had treated her kindly out of courtesy, but deep down, he had looked down on her.
With the Emperor and Empress seated, the banquet officially began. This so-called celebration of harmony between ruler and subjects was merely a facade—the ruler remained the ruler, and the subjects remained the subjects. Everyone exchanged harmless pleasantries, pretending as if the emperor truly delighted in mingling with commoners.
Su Mingfeng nudged Xie Jingxing. "Why did you come?"
"To watch the fun," Xie Jingxing replied, his lips quirking up, eliciting another round of hushed gasps from the women's seating area.
"It's so dull—what fun is there to watch?" Su Mingfeng rubbed his temples.
Just then, Prince Yu spoke up. "Imperial Brother—"His voice was neither loud nor soft, yet the hall immediately fell silent. Clearly, everyone was deeply wary of this God of Carnage.
"The matter of the Selection that Your Majesty promised me some time ago—I have already made my decision." Prince Yu smiled strangely as he spoke. "Since today is an auspicious occasion, why not double the joy?"
"The one I favor—is the young lady of the Shen family." His words were drawn out slowly, his gaze like a venomous serpent coiling and entangling, clinging like a bone-deep parasite to the poised young woman in the Purple robe before him.
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Who said Her Ladyship has no suitors? Excluding that scoundrel Fu, Mr. Pei and the bright young lad have already made their appearance. The young marquis might just cry himself unconscious in the restroom—having to guard against both the old and the young...
This book is first published online—do not repost!
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