During the Jade Rabbit Festival in Fixed Capital, countless young girls were abducted by traffickers each year. Boys fared slightly better, usually sold to childless families in remote areas to become sons. But girls and young women faced far worse fates—those without looks would be resold by human traffickers multiple times before ending up as lowly maids in wealthy households. The more beautiful ones suffered even more miserable fates than their plainer counterparts—some sold to opera troupes, others to brothels, or worse, groomed into Yangzhou slender horses, trained for years to become playthings for the nobility.
Among these women, some came from respectable families. But traffickers made no distinctions—whether you were a young lady from a prominent household or a commoner, once in their hands, everyone was the same.
"Miss Shen was abducted by traffickers?" Ji Yushu sprang to his feet inside the room, pacing back and forth with visible anxiety. "Miss Shen is quite beautiful and carries herself with grace. If she falls into their hands, she’ll surely be sold off. Though I do admire Miss Shaoyao, I wouldn’t wish for Miss Shen to become another ‘Miss’ of that sort. Brother Xie, should we go rescue her?"
Gao Yang scoffed at Ji Yushu’s words. "Are you out of your mind? With Shen Miao’s skills, how could she possibly be taken by traffickers? Besides, traffickers only target lone women or lost children. Shen Qiu and Shen Xin were nearby—those traffickers aren’t fools. Why would they pick such a troublesome target? Shen Miao isn’t some peerless beauty either, so it wouldn’t even be worth the risk."
His words weren’t wrong. Traffickers always struck when no one was paying attention. Even if they targeted noblewomen, they’d wait until the girl was alone. But according to the scouts, Shen Miao had been by Wanli Lake, where the crowd was dense. While it might have been easy to snatch her in the chaos, getting caught would mean no escape with so many people around. Such a risky move might make sense for a stunning beauty, but Shen Miao was still just a young girl—pretty, yes, but not enough to drive men to madness.
Most importantly, Shen Qiu and Shen Xin had been nearby. Since ancient times, bullies preyed on the weak—knowing the Shen family wasn’t to be trifled with, why would traffickers invite trouble? Unless, of course, the trafficker was an idiot.
Ji Yushu suddenly realized, "So it wasn’t traffickers? Then who? This was clearly aimed at Miss Shen. Could it be remnants of Prince Yu’s faction?" He shook his head. "But Prince Yu’s people don’t know Shen Miao was involved in the massacre. Could it be someone from the Shen family? I’ve heard there’s discord within their household—maybe someone from another branch?"
Xie Jingxing, who had been silently sitting to the side, stood up. "It’s ‘them.’"
"Them?" Gao Yang tensed, turning to Xie Jingxing. "They’ve found out?"
"Probably not." Xie Jingxing shook his head. "I’ve been waiting for them to make a move, but there’s been no sign until now. Now I understand—they might know about the secret chamber but not how Shen Miao was involved that day. Our identities are still hidden. They’re trying to extract information from her."
"They’re the ones who took her?" Ji Yushu was stunned, then grimaced. "This is bad. With their methods, Miss Shen won’t fare well in their hands."
"Send the Ink Feather Army’s covert unit to search around Wanli Lake. With the crowd, they couldn’t have gone far." Xie Jingxing’s voice was icy. His usual careless demeanor had vanished, replaced by a chilling intensity that belied his youth.
"Deploying the Ink Feather Army now isn’t wise." Gao Yang frowned. "Too many eyes are on you in Fixed Capital. If we alert the higher-ups, it’ll be trouble. Better to secure the city gates and have your men search discreetly tomorrow. We’ll find her eventually—no need to startle the enemy now."
"Wait another night?" Ji Yushu jumped up. "By then, Miss Shen might already be dead!" Unlike Gao Yang, who had the ruthlessness of a politician, Ji Yushu still retained the fiery sincerity of youth.
Gao Yang snapped, "This is no time to worry about Shen Miao! One misstep, and our identities will be exposed!"
"Send the covert unit now." Xie Jingxing’s voice was frigid. "I won’t repeat myself."
"Xie San!" Gao Yang glared at him. "Are you going to ruin everything for a girl? Remember your own words."
"Gao Yang, watch your tone." Xie Jingxing’s voice turned sharp. His brows furrowed, his dark peach-blossom eyes swirling with a fury deeper than Fixed Capital’s night sky. The sudden rage made Gao Yang flinch.
Ji Yushu quickly intervened. "This was unexpected, but things might not be as dire as they seem. Let’s think this through."
Xie Jingxing fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "This isn’t about anyone in particular. But playing this kind of desperate move on my turf is unacceptable. Since they dared to come, tonight they’ll learn what it means to never return!"
The shores of Wanli Lake teemed with people, their cheers and laughter drowning out all other sounds. The disappearance of a noblewoman hadn’t caused much of a stir—partly because the Shen family hadn’t made it public, but even if they had, the crowd was too absorbed in the festivities.
The Jade Rabbit Fairy had finished her dance, leaving men entranced and women muttering curses under their breaths. A massive Jade Rabbit Lantern, crafted from snow-white silk and painted with scenes of jubilant rabbits, floated slowly across the lake, its candles flickering amidst the patterns.
With a collective cheer, people rushed to the lakeshore to release their own handmade lanterns, each containing a slip of paper inscribed with their wishes for the coming year.
A light snow began to fall, but the lake’s brilliance and the fireworks above made it hard to distinguish sky from water. The dazzling spectacle was rare even for the Jade Rabbit Festival. At the lake’s center, several exquisitely carved pleasure boats drifted—usually reserved for nobles to drink and revel in. Tonight, their occupants were unknown, as the dense lanterns made the boats nearly invisible.
One unlit pleasure boat drifted leisurely downstream, where the crowd thinned. From afar, it seemed surrounded by lanterns, but as it moved further from the city, the area grew desolate.
Shen Miao sat in the boat’s innermost cabin, coldly observing the two men before her.
A dim oil lamp flickered in the dark cabin. A rag was stuffed in her mouth, her hands and feet tightly bound.
The two men wore coarse hemp clothing, their faces unfamiliar. The taller one peered outside before nodding to his companion. "All clear."
The shorter man grinned, yanking the rag from Shen Miao’s mouth. "Miss Shen, no one’s around. Scream if you want, but we’ve got plenty of time to kill you and run."
Shen Miao’s gaze flickered, but she remained silent.
These men had acted against expectations—while everyone searched the shore, she had been taken right under their noses, hidden in plain sight on the lake.
Earlier, while waiting for Shen Qiu on the stone platform, she had been grabbed from behind, a cloth pressed over her mouth and nose before she could react. In moments, she was bound and thrown onto the boat.
Satisfied with her silence, the shorter man smirked. The taller one sat opposite her, his gaze dark. "Miss Shen, let’s not mince words. We brought you here to ask about something." His demeanor was unlike that of a common criminal.
"You’ve been to the secret chamber in Prince Yu’s Manor, haven’t you?"
Shen Miao’s eyes flashed. When abducted, she had considered many possibilities—her uncle’s family, Shen Yuan, remnants of Prince Yu’s faction, even Fu Xiuyi. But she hadn’t expected the secret chamber to be the reason.
Aside from Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang, no one else should know of its existence. Had Fu Xiuyi learned of it years earlier?
But since they had come prepared, clearly having investigated her, she saw no point in lying. "Yes. My brother was handling affairs at Prince Yu’s Manor that day. While waiting in the tea room, I stumbled upon the chamber and went in out of curiosity."
The two exchanged glances. The shorter man asked, "Then you must have met someone inside. Who was it?"
Shen Miao’s fingers twitched slightly.
Not the chamber’s secrets, not its contents—they were after the person inside. Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang? Were these men targeting them?
Her mind raced. They seemed to know someone else had been in the chamber but not who. Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang must be hiding something. If she revealed their identities, their secret would be exposed.
She feigned confusion. "Someone else?"
The taller man’s expression turned vicious. "Miss Shen, don’t play games. We believe you found the chamber by chance, but its contents were already taken. Who did you meet inside? Tell us, and we’ll spare your life."
Shen Miao studied him, calculating swiftly. Due to her past life, she knew of the chamber, so to them, her discovery could only be accidental. These men were investigating something but didn’t know the specifics. Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang were their targets.
She shook her head. "When I entered, the chamber was empty. As for what you mentioned, I saw nothing. Perhaps those people left before I arrived."
"Impossible!" The taller man’s lips curled into a cruel smile. "Since you won’t talk, we’ll have to persuade you—"
Before he finished, the shorter man’s eyes gleamed. He reached out to stroke Shen Miao’s cheek, his expression lecherous. "Such smooth skin. Maybe if you ‘serve’ me properly, you’ll remember." His fingers moved to undo her buttons.
"If you touch me, I’ll bite off my tongue. You’ll learn nothing." Shen Miao’s voice was calm. "If I’m defiled, I’ll have nothing left to live for. Do you really think you’ll get answers then?"
The shorter man froze, glancing at his companion. The taller one stared at Shen Miao. "You know who it is?"
Shen Miao smiled faintly. "Perhaps I can still recall."
The shorter man was dumbfounded, while the taller one’s expression darkened. Shen Miao’s composure had thrown them off—no woman valued her purity so little. Yet here she was, bargaining like a street rogue. If she truly knew the chamber’s visitor, defiling her would ensure she’d never talk.
Shen Miao’s gaze turned icy. Everyone had weaknesses. These two were desperate to know who had been in the chamber, and she might be the only one who could tell them. If she were a delicate noblewoman, fear might have broken her. But she was the former Empress Shen, hardened by the palace’s ruthlessness.
"What do you want?" The shorter man withdrew his hand, adopting a coaxing tone. "Tell us who it was, and we’ll agree to anything."
Shen Miao didn’t blink. "Who are you?"
They paused. The taller man sneered. "What good would knowing our names do you?"
"Maybe it’ll jog my memory."
"You’re stalling."
Shen Miao neither confirmed nor denied.
The shorter man abruptly stood and slapped her, his patience snapping. "You bitch! We tried being nice! Since you won’t cooperate, let’s take her back. Once there—" His grin turned twisted. "—we’ll have ways to make her talk!"
He leaned down, his filthy hand roughly grabbing her chin. "Little miss, I was trying to be nice earlier. Since you’ve got a death wish, don’t blame us!"
Shen Miao’s eyes flashed cold. In a sudden move, she slashed at his face with a hidden dagger. Caught off guard, the man cried out as blood streamed down his cheek. The ropes binding her had been frayed unnoticed—she always kept a dagger in her sleeve.
After the strike, she bolted for the cabin door, screaming, "Help!" But before she could escape, a brutal yank dragged her back and flung her to the floor. Her back slammed into a wooden table, the impact sending waves of pain through her. The boat rocked violently.
Gritting her teeth, she scrambled up and lunged again. The taller man kicked her knee with a force that sent searing agony through her leg. Shen Miao retaliated by thrusting the dagger toward his eyes. He barely dodged, cursing her as a "vicious shrew" before wrenching the blade away.
Ignoring the pain, Shen Miao clawed at the cabin window and hurled herself into the lake without hesitation.
"Think you can run?" The taller man sneered, hurling the dagger after her. It struck her calf, not deeply, but enough to send crimson blooming across the water.
Shen Miao could swim, but the lake’s icy winter waters sapped her strength within moments. Her limbs grew numb, her movements sluggish.
The taller man prepared to dive after her—she was their only lead, after all—but before he could, a firework burst in the western sky.
"Change of plans!" The shorter man wiped blood from his face. "Retreat!"
"Grab her first!" The taller man cursed, but the boat suddenly lurched. Two black-clad figures stood at the bow, golden eagle insignias glinting on their shoulders.
"Ink Feather Army!" the shorter man gasped. "Why are they here?"
Before they could react, the two figures blurred forward. Silver flashed—the abductors’ faces froze in terror as they collapsed.
In the lake, Shen Miao thrashed weakly. The men’s words suggested a larger organization behind them, one powerful enough to vanish without a trace. Her instincts screamed that while she might escape these two, falling into their masters’ hands would mean death without justice.
But her desperate leap had trapped her. The men hadn’t followed—was she doomed to freeze to death?
Her head grew heavy, her ears ringing as if trapped in an ice cellar. The lanterns’ glow shimmered mockingly just out of reach.
As her vision dimmed, a figure cut through the water toward her—swift, sure, like a god descending through the light-streaked darkness.
The stranger reached her, wrapping an arm around her waist before surging back toward the surface. Despite the freezing water and her dead weight, he swam effortlessly, hauling her onto the boat before climbing up himself.
Shen Miao coughed violently, water spilling from her lips. When she finally looked up, the man before her was equally drenched, his usual teasing expression replaced by a frown.
Xie Jingxing.
At this point, surprise was beyond her. The abductors had been after him—naturally, he’d come.
Struggling upright, she spotted the two corpses in the cabin. Two black-clad figures emerged from the shadows, one whispering to Xie Jingxing before departing with the bodies, meticulously erasing all traces of blood.
Shen Miao didn’t need to ask who they were—any fool could guess they were Xie Jingxing’s men. Every inch of her ached, her soaked clothes clinging to her skin. The worst pain came from her calf, where blood seeped through her skirt, blending with the embroidery.
Too cold and hurt to speak, she simply shivered. Xie Jingxing strode into the cabin—such pleasure boats often stored spare clothing and warming stoves. He retrieved a stove, lit it with a fire tinder, and added charcoal.
As warmth filled the cabin, Xie Jingxing glanced at Shen Miao, his lips quirking. "I’m changing. Care to watch?"
Shen Miao shut her eyes immediately. Her mind was still reeling—how could he joke at a time like this? A soft chuckle followed, then the rustle of fabric.
"Done."
She opened her eyes to find Xie Jingxing fastening the last button on an elegant dark blue robe, a white fox fur cloak draped over his shoulders, lending him an air of icy solemnity. His dark peach-blossom eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Your turn to change?"
Wearing cold, soaked clothes close to the skin made it easy to catch a chill. Even sitting by the warm stove, it would take considerable time to dry them completely. By then, she might already have fallen ill. Shen Miao had always been careful with her health. Coupled with the current discomfort all over her body, she looked at Xie Jingxing calmly and asked, "Are there any other clothes?"
Xie Jingxing stood up, retrieved a set of garments from a cloth bundle on the wooden table, and sat back against the wall. "My subordinate brought me a change of clothes. Given the current situation, it's troublesome to find women's attire for you. If you want to change, you'll have to wear mine."
For an unmarried young woman to don the clothes of an unfamiliar man carried a hint of scandalous implication. Shen Miao raised her eyes to Xie Jingxing, whose lips curled into a slightly mischievous smile. It was unclear whether this was truly due to circumstances or if he was deliberately provoking her.
Shen Miao realized Xie Jingxing possessed a peculiar magic. Since her rebirth, she had faced everyone with the mindset of "Empress Shen." Even with Shen Qiu, she couldn't fully regard him as her elder brother; at times, she even felt as though she were taking care of him. Yet, whenever she encountered Xie Jingxing, his mischief always managed to unsettle her, making her feel as though she wasn’t the seasoned Empress Shen who had weathered life’s storms, but merely the naive and sheltered Fifth Miss of the Shen family.
Taking a deep breath inwardly, Shen Miao said, "Give them to me."
Her response surprised Xie Jingxing. He eyed her skeptically. "You’re going to wear my clothes?"
"Are there any other options?" Shen Miao countered.
Xie Jingxing chuckled and tossed the clothes to her. Shen Miao caught them, hesitated for a moment, then said to him, "Please turn around, Young Marquis."
At her words, Xie Jingxing gave her a meaningful once-over. Shen Miao’s drenched clothes clung tightly to her petite frame, revealing the delicate curves of a young girl. Her disheveled state lent her an uncharacteristically vulnerable charm. Xie Jingxing remarked with amusement, "A little fledgling like you still gets shy? Don’t worry," his gaze was critical and dismissive, "there’s nothing to see anyway." With that, he turned away effortlessly, not sparing her another glance.
Shen Miao exhaled slightly in relief and picked up Xie Jingxing’s robe. It was a slate-blue cotton gown with neatly tailored sleeves, made of fine fabric and exquisite embroidery. She unconsciously ran her fingers over it—such craftsmanship was something she had only encountered in the palace in her past life. The rumors that the Lin'an Marquis’s wealth rivaled the state’s treasury were evidently not unfounded.
Slowly, she removed her soaked outer robe and undergarment, using the damp clothes to wipe herself dry by the warm stove before picking up Xie Jingxing’s robe. However, the robe’s intricate design proved troublesome—she couldn’t put it on properly, and the sash tangled around her left calf. The wound from the earlier dagger, which she had thought minor, now appeared gruesome, the flesh mangled. The sash rubbed against the injury, and Shen Miao gasped sharply in pain. Losing her balance, she fell to the ground with a thud, knocking over the teapot on the table in the process.Xie Jingxing turned at the sound and saw Shen Miao fallen on the ground. He stepped forward immediately to help her up. Before Shen Miao could stop him, she was already nestled in his arms, her clothes still loosely draped over her body, revealing delicate shoulders with damp hair clinging to her skin—creating an inadvertently intimate scene. Even for someone as composed as her, there was a fleeting moment of fluster and helplessness.
Contrastingly, Xie Jingxing frowned as he grasped her calf, his voice grave as he examined the wound. "What happened?"
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Young Marquis Xie is about to start aggressively filling up that favorability meter~
This book is first published online—do not repost!
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