The sky was overcast, dark clouds pressing down on the dignified and grand palace walls. The once resplendent palace, now shrouded in dark clouds, appeared dim and gloomy, like a massive cage, trapping the people inside securely.
The spacious bedroom, with its seemingly very old gauze curtains, was covered in thick dust. It was supposed to be hot weather, yet one could still feel a hint of chill. Clothes and jewelry were scattered all over the ground, as if they had just gone thru a catastrophe.
The woman knelt halfway on the ground, looking up at the person in front of her.
This woman, barely in her thirties, had a face that looked as old as a crone's. Her brows were furrowed with deep-seated resentment, and her eyes, like a long-abandoned dry well, were devoid of tears yet filled with an unfathomable hatred.
"Your Highness, please." The eunuch beside her, holding a piece of pure white silk, spoke with unmistakable impatience, "I still need to report back to His Majesty."
Shen Miao's gaze fell on the eunuch, and after a long silence, she slowly spoke, her voice hoarse and chaotic: "Little Li, when I promoted you back then, you were still a dog by Grandfather Gao's side."
The eunuch arrogantly tilted his head slightly: "Your Highness, times have changed."
"The times have changed..." Shen Miao murmured, then suddenly threw her head back and laughed: "What a difference the times make!"
Just because of the phrase "the times have changed," those subjects and servants who once treated her with utmost respect can now call her to come and go as they please. Because "the times have changed," she is destined to meet a tragic end, with her head severed from her body. What was the past like, and when did the present begin? Is it from when Lady Mei entered the palace, or from when the Crown Prince was deposed, or perhaps from when the Grand Princess was sent off to marry far away and met a tragic end? Or was it when she returned to the palace after being a hostage in the State of Qin for five years?
From "the past" to "the present," the empress was deposed just because of a single word from Fu Xiuyi! The entire court could change their expressions, and the Mingqi dynasty could turn black and white upside down! What a "different time from the past"!
The door to the sleeping quarters creaked open, and a pair of green boots embroidered with dragon patterns stopped in front of Shen Miao. Above, there was the bright yellow hem of a robe.
"Considering you have followed me for twenty years, I grant you a complete corpse. Be grateful," the Emperor said.
Shen Miao slowly raised her head, looking at the man high above her. Time had left no marks on his face, just as he had been in his prime. He was the wise ruler of the world, the rightful emperor, the man she had been infatuated with for twenty years, her husband with whom she had shared both joys and sorrows. Now he said to her, "I grant you a complete corpse, be grateful."
"Why?" Shen Miao asked with difficulty.
He didn't answer.
"Why do you want to raid the entire Shen family?" she asked.
Prince Ding, Fu Xiu Yi, the late emperor had nine sons, each with their own merits, but the crown prince was often ill. The late emperor hesitated to name a new crown prince, leading to a power struggle among the princes. She admired Prince Ding for his unparalleled elegance, disregarding her family's advice. She finally got what she wished for, but it also bound the entire Shen family to Prince Ding.
Because of this, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to assisting King Ding, transforming from a sheltered young girl who knew nothing into a princess who could participate in court affairs, strategizing and finally securing the dynasty. On the day Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, he made her the empress, the revered mother of the nation, a truly glorious occasion.
She thot she was the most glorious empress, with the prince's rebellion just quelled, the Mingqi dynasty's foundation unstable, the Xiongnu invading, and neighboring countries eyeing them covetously. To borrow troops, Shen Miao voluntarily went to the Qin state as a hostage. When she left, her daughter and son were still in their infancy. Fu Xiuyi even said, "I will personally bring you back."
Five years later, she finally returned to Mingqi, but the harem had gained a new lady, Madam Mei, who was both beautiful and exceptionally talented.
Madam Mei was the daughter of a minister whom Fu Xiuyi encountered during his eastern expedition. He liked her for her understanding and maturity, and brought her back to the palace. Madam Mei gave birth to Prince Fu Sheng for Fu Xiu Yi, and Fu Sheng was deeply favored by the Emperor. However, Shen Miao's son, Crown Prince Fu Ming, did not receive the Emperor's favor.
Fu Xiuyi once said in front of the entire court, "Fu Ming's temperament is too gentle, but Fu Sheng resembles my son." The words clearly indicate the intention to change the crown prince.
Lady Mei made Shen Miao feel a sense of crisis; in the palace, Shen Miao and Lady Mei have been at odds for ten years. Madam Mei repeatedly gained the upper hand, even goading Fu Xiuyi into marrying their biological daughter, Princess Wanyu, to the Xiongnu as part of a peace treaty. The Xiongnu were known for their aggressive and ruthless nature, and Princess Wanyu fell ill and passed away during the journey to the Xiongnu, her body cremated on the spot. Everyone knew there was something suspicious about it, but Shen Miao, as her mother, was helpless.
After all, we have reached today.
Fu Xiuyi issued a decree: the Shen family plotted rebellion, the crown prince was deposed and committed suicide in atonement, and she, as the empress, was also to be deposed, receiving a three-foot white silk.
She just wanted to ask, "Why?"
Shen Miao said, "Fu Xiuyi, do you have any conscience? We have been married for over twenty years, and I believe I have never wronged you." When you first ascended the throne, it was my Shen family that assisted you. When you went to war and the Xiongnu invaded, I wrote a surrender letter for you. When you wanted to win over a minister, I knelt down to plead with him to assist you. Going to a neighboring country as a hostage, the suffering and torment I endured, what did you repay me with? Madam Mei arranged for Wanyu to marry, and you issued an edict; Wanyu passed away at just sixteen. You favored Fu Sheng and neglected Fu Ming; the whole court knows it. Now you slaughter my entire family, and as death approaches, I ask you one question: why?
"Shen Miao," Fu Xiuyi frowned, his expression showing no signs of emotion, as if he were a cold statue, "When Father was alive, he discussed dealing with several prominent families. The Shen family had too much power and influence and could not be allowed to stay for long. It was I who persuaded Father. I have already allowed the Shen family to remain for twenty more years, which is already a tremendous favor to the Shen family!"
It is already a tremendous blessing for the Shen family! Shen Miao swayed slightly; she had cried too much these past few days, and now she couldn't shed any more tears. She looked at Fu Xiuyi and said word by word, "Why keep the Shen family? It's not out of your kindness, nor is it a favor. You just want to use the military power of the Shen family to increase your leverage in the struggle for the throne." "A cunning rabbit will die, and a hunting dog will be cooked. Now that the empire is secured, you are burning the bridge after crossing it. Fu Xiuyi, you have a heart as hard as stone!"
"Shen Miao!" Fu Xiu Yi shouted angrily, as if he had been hit in a sore spot. With a cold snort, he said, "Take care of yourself." After saying that, he flicked his sleeve and left.
Shen Miao lay on the ground, clenching her fists tightly. This was the man she had loved her whole life. She had competed with Madam Mei in the palace for his favor, only to realize in the end that it wasn't about winning his favor; this man's heart had never been with her! Those sweet nothings and whispers were nothing but jokes played for the occasion!
She "pfft" spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Sister, what's wrong? You look really disheveled." A gentle voice sounded.
The woman was dressed in a light yellow, thin blouse, with a face like a hibiscus, a willow-like waist, and her appearance was truly heavenly. Her posture was graceful and enchanting as she walked slowly toward them.
This is Madam Mei, who has fought against Shen Miao her entire life and is sure to win.
Behind Madam Mei stood two women dressed in palace attire. Shen Miao was taken aback: "Shen Qing, Shen Yue!"
These are the daughters of the second and third branches, the second and third uncles. How did her two cousins end up in the palace?
"His Majesty has summoned my sisters and me to the palace," Shen Yue said with a smile, covering her lips. "Fifth sister, there's no need to be surprised. For several years, you loved to help my sisters and me find matches, but now it's no longer necessary. His Majesty treats my sisters and me very well."
"You..." Shen Miao's heart was in turmoil, and in a flash, it seemed she understood some things she had never made sense of before. Her voice was somewhat incredulous: "You... you all delayed marrying just for today?"
"Indeed." Shen Qing stepped forward: "Back then, His Majesty and my father, the Third Uncle, reached an agreement. As long as they persuaded you to marry His Majesty, one day, my sister and I would also have the same fate."
At the time, when Shen Miao was able to marry Fu Xiu Yi, the second and third branches must have put in a lot of effort. Now that she thinks about it, it seems that her initial admiration for Fu Xiu Yi was also due to the second and third aunts constantly mentioning the young talents of the Ding Wang, which made her develop feelings for him. So, it was an agreement made long ago? So, the second and third branches had been harboring ill intentions all along, waiting for everything to unfold today?
Shen Qing, however, seemed afraid that Shen Miao wouldn't understand, and continued, "Your Majesty is handsome and charming. My sister has admired you for a long time, but only my uncle holds the real power, so we had no choice but to let my fifth sister take the lead." Fifth sister has enjoyed quite a bit of fortune in recent years, and now the time has come.
"Shen Qing!" Shen Miao suddenly straightened up and said loudly, "The Emperor raided the Shen family, yet allowed the two of you to enter the palace. How could the second and third branches be safe and sound?"
"Of course, the second and third branches will be safe and sound," Shen Yue covered her mouth and laughed, "because we are the great contributors. The evidence of the eldest uncle's rebellion was pointed out by our two branches, upholding justice and punishing relatives." Fifth sister, His Majesty is going to appoint high-ranking officials from both our families.
Shen Miao stared in shock at her two cousins and said, "Have you both gone mad? How can there be a complete egg under an overturned nest? The Shen family is one family. If Fu Xiuyi wants to deal with the Shen family, you actually betray your own family..."
"Family, Fifth Sister, we have never acknowledged the main branch as family." Shen Qing sneered, "Besides, you've enjoyed far too much." Now that the crown prince is dead, the princess is gone, and the Shen family has perished, you might as well head to the underworld early and reunite with them.
Madam Mei stepped forward gracefully, smiling as she said, "Sister, the empire is settled; it's time for you to step down."
After ten years of struggle, Shen Miao ended up losing completely, losing so miserably that her family was ruined, and she became a huge joke!
She said resentfully, "As long as I don't die, you will always be concubines!"
"Master Chen, go ahead," Madam Mei signaled to the eunuch.
The stout eunuch immediately stepped forward, gripping Shen Miao's neck tightly with one hand and placing the white silk from the plate around Shen Miao's neck with the other. With a forceful tug, the white silk tore thru flesh and bone, producing a crisp cracking sound.
The woman struggling on the ground widened her eyes and silently swore an oath in her heart.
Her son, her daughter, her parents, brothers, sisters, servants, the entire Shen family, all have been harmed.
Fu Xiuyi, Madam Mei, Shen Qing, Shen Yue, all the people who have harmed her, who have harmed her loved ones, if there is a next life, blood for blood!
When will this day come? You and I will both perish!
Chapter Two: Rebirth The grand mansion, starkly divided into black and white, with blue stone slabs, vermilion pillars, and intricately carved railings adorned with begonia patterns. It had just rained all nite, and the raindrops rolled off the banana leaves and fell into the soil on the ground.
The purple-gold incense burner on the table is shaped like a delicate little beast, and the incense it emits is sweet-scented wood, which smells particularly refreshing on an early autumn day.
At the four corners of the bed, there were sachets adorned with tassels, their colors vibrant. At the soft edge of the couch, two tall maids were carefully fanning the person on the bed.
"The weather has turned cool, and if she fell into the water, it would be terrible." The young lady has been asleep for a whole day and nite. The doctor said she should have woken up by now, but why is there no sign of her waking up? The maid in the blue dress couldn't hide her anxiety.
"Grain Rain, it's already been over half an hour, why hasn't the doctor come yet?" another maid in purple said.
"Second Madam is keeping a close watch over there; this is considered a disgrace, and the whole mansion is keeping it under wraps." Gu Yu glanced at the person on the bed: "The lady and the master are not in the capital, the eldest young master is also away, and the old lady favors the East Courtyard. Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang went to find a doctor and haven't returned yet. Could it be that they were stopped by someone? They're trying to force the young lady into a dead end! No, I have to go out and check."
As soon as the words were spoken, a faint sound was heard from the person on the bed.
"The young lady is awake!" the maid in purple exclaimed with joy, quickly running to the bedside. She saw the young girl on the bed rubbing her forehead and slowly sitting up.
"Awakening of Insects..." Shen Miao murmured.
"I'm here, miss," the maid in purple said with a smile, holding Shen Miao's hand. "Do you feel any better? You've been sleeping for a whole day and nite. The fever seems to have gone down, but you still haven't woken up. I was thinking of going to find a doctor again."
"Miss, would you like some water?" Gu Yu offered a cup of tea.
Shen Miao looked somewhat confused at the two people in front of her.
She had four top-notch maids, Jingzhe, Guyu, Bailu, and Shuangjiang, all of whom were clever and quick-witted. Unfortunately, none of them could stay until the end.
Gu Yu, while being a hostage in the State of Qin, died at the hands of the Crown Prince of Qin in order to protect her from being humiliated. Bailu and Shuangjiang, one died on the way to accompany Wanyu for a marriage alliance, and the other died in the harem fighting for favor with Lady Mei.
As for Jingzhe, she was the most beautiful of them all. Initially, to help Fu Xiuyi rise to power and win over the powerful officials, Jingzhe willingly became a concubine, using her beauty as a major reason for the officials to bow down to her. In the end, she was beaten to death by the official's wife under the pretext of punishment.
After learning that Jingzhe had died, Shen Miao cried a lot and almost had a miscarriage.
Today, Jingzhe stood right in front of her, his features still as picturesque as ever. Gu Yu looked at her with a beaming smile, and the two maids were both at the fine age of fourteen or fifteen, making Shen Miao momentarily dazed.
For a moment, she bitterly smiled and closed her eyes: "This illusion before death is too real."
"What are you talking about, miss?" Gu Yu set the teacup aside and reached out to touch Shen Miao's forehead. "Are you feeling feverish?"
The hand touching her forehead was cold, comfortable, and real. Shen Miao suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze sharp and piercing. She slowly lowered her head and looked at her hand.
Those were a pair of delicate, fair hands, with neatly trimmed nails, round and lovely, clearly the hands of someone who has been pampered and well taken care of.
That's not her hand.
Her hands, while accompanying Fu Xiuyi in handling court affairs and assessing situations, had already become rough and coarse. She held the pen, going thru ledger after ledger, was treated like a servant in the Qin state, called and ordered around, fought for Fu Ming and Wanyu in the inner palace, and washed clothes in the cold palace. Her hands were covered in calluses, her joints swollen, dark, and thin. How could they still look so delicate?
"Bring me a mirror," Shen Miao said. Her voice was still very weak, but her tone was firm.
Grain Rain and Awakening of Insects exchanged glances, but in the end, it was Awakening of Insects who went to fetch a mirror and handed it to Shen Miao.
In the bronze mirror, the girl's face was round, her forehead full, her large almond-shaped eyes slightly reddened, her nose rounded, and her mouth small. It was still a face that hadn't shed its childishness, not particularly beautiful, but winning in its fresh and cute, well-behaved and shy appearance.
That was a youthful face that had once been praised by the royals as a "husband-boosting" visage.
The mirror in Shen Miao's hand suddenly fell to the ground, making a crisp sound. The sound of the shards hitting her heart stirred up huge waves of shock.
She pinched herself hard, and two streams of hot tears rolled down her cheeks.
Heaven does not forsake those who strive, heaven does not forsake her!
She's back!
Gu Yu and Jing Zhe were startled. Gu Yu hurriedly went to pick up the shards on the ground, anxiously saying, "Miss, be careful not to cut your foot."
"Why are you crying, miss?" Jingzhe asked, holding out a handkerchief to wipe Shen Miao's face. However, he saw Shen Miao's expression was strange, half-crying, half-laughing, murmuring, "I'm back..."
She grabbed Jingzhe and asked, "What year is it now?"
Jing Zhe was a bit scared, but still answered honestly, "The 68th year of the Mingqi era." What's wrong, miss? Are you feeling unwell?
"The 68th year of the Mingqi era, the 68th year of the Mingqi era..." Shen Miao's eyes widened. The 68th year of the Mingqi era, the year she was fourteen, was when she met Fu Xiuyi, fell deeply in love with him, and even pressured her father to let her marry him, pleading to marry Fu Xiuyi!
And now... her ears echoed with Gu Yu's words: "Miss, please don't scare the maids. The fever has just subsided, and your mind might not be completely clear. Miss, you are being too harsh. Isn't this putting your life at risk...?"
In her previous life, Shen Miao spent most of her time following Fu Xiuyi around, running errands for him, but her days in the Shen residence were utterly tasteless. She remembers this matter clearly; she remembers every detail related to Fu Xiuyi clearly.
Shen Qing told her that Fu Xiuyi was coming to the Shen residence to visit Uncle Er and Uncle San, and took her along to sneak a look. When they arrived at the garden, Shen Qing pushed her off the rockery.
Soaked and dragged out of the pond, there were other officials and colleagues present at the time, who just took it as a joke at the Shen residence. Her infatuation with Prince Ding had spread throughout the capital city over half a year ago; this time, it was merely adding to the mockery.
In her previous life, after she woke up, she accused Shen Qing of pushing her into the pond, but not a single person believed her. Shen Miao felt extremely wronged and was punished by the old lady to be confined to the Buddhist hall, making it impossible for her to go out during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Shen Yue secretly let her out and took her to the Chrysanthemum Appreciation Banquet at Yanbei Hall, where she made a complete fool of herself.
Shen Miao closed her eyes.
The Shen family has three branches. The eldest branch is Shen Xin, who is Shen Miao's father and the son of the old general's first wife. The first wife passed away in middle age, and the old general married a secondary wife, who gave birth to the second son, Shen Gui, and the third son, Shen Wan. After the old general passed away, the stepmother became the current matriarch. The Shen family did not split up, and the three brothers supported each other, maintaining a very good relationship, which has become a well-known story.
The Shen family has been military-oriented for generations. By the time of Shen Xin, except for the eldest branch holding military power, the second and third branches were following the path of civil officials. Shen Xin spent most of his years fighting on the battlefield, and Madam Shen followed her husband with the army. Shen Miao was left at the Shen residence, where the old madam and two aunts personally taught her.
Teaching and teaching, and it has turned into such a useless person who has achieved nothing, learned nothing, and shamelessly clings to men.
In her previous life, she only felt that her aunt and the old lady treated her exceptionally well. She didn't have to learn the rules and etiquette that Shen Yue and Shen Qing had to learn. Now it seems, it was nothing but a completely clumsy act of flattery.
Taking advantage of her parents and brothers not being around, she would act one way in front of them and another behind their backs, making Shen Xin and Mrs. Shen feel that their daughter had become even more troublesome and useless than before every time they returned home.
In this lifetime, she wants to see how these people will shamelessly resort to their old tricks again!
Just as she was thinking, she heard the maid who was sweeping the courtyard run in and say, "Miss, the second young lady has come to see you."
Chapter Three: Provocation "Miss, the Second Miss has come to see you."
Jing Zhe's expression was somewhat displeased: "Why come at this time? The young lady hasn't fully recovered yet, aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"
Grain Rain nudged the arm of Awakening of Insects, but his expression was also very worried.
Shen Miao saw it with her own eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
The four maids by her side were all personally selected and trained by Shen Xin and Madam Shen, loyal and clever. What exactly is the situation with the Shen family? She, being young, can't see thru the hidden intentions of the second and third branches, but the maids can pick up on the clues.
Before they had a chance to speak, a young girl walked in from outside. This girl looked to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing a light pink chrysanthemum-patterned top, a moon-white pleated skirt, and her hair styled in a tassel bun. Her complexion was fair, her brows and eyes were elegant and beautiful, and she exuded a strong scholarly aura, appearing both graceful and dignified. Seeing her, he quickly walked to the bedside and said with concern, "Fifth sister, do you feel any better?" Knowing that you fell into the water, I was worried for a long time. But the people at Yujiaoyuan said you needed rest, so I didn't dare to disturb you. Today, hearing that you woke up, I finally dared to come over.
Shen Miao looked at the young girl in front of her; this was Shen Yue, the legitimate daughter of the third branch of the Shen family.
The three legitimate daughters of the Shen family: Shen Qing is cheerful and generous, Shen Yue is renowned for her talent, but only Shen Miao is dull, timid, and talentless. Outsiders praise her as "chaste, quiet, and virtuous," but they actually know she has no strengths and is the least presentable daughter of the Shen family.
In her previous life, before Shen Miao got married, her relationship with Shen Yue was the best. Shen Yue was gentle and considerate, and many times she could come up with ideas for Shen Miao. At that time, Shen Miao couldn't tell whether the ideas were good or bad; she was just grateful for her cousin's wholehearted help.
This time, Shen Yue came, probably to plead for Shen Qing.
Sure enough, Shen Yue opened her mouth and said, "Fifth Sister, Eldest Sister also made a mistake that day. Now that things have come to this point, I hope Fifth Sister can forgive her once." Hearing that Fifth Sister has a fever, Eldest Sister is also extremely self-reproachful. After Fifth Sister recovers, can you forgive Eldest Sister this time? She didn't mean to embarrass you in front of the King in the Hall of Judgment.
It's better not to say this, but you insist on mentioning the name of the Second Prince in front of Shen Miao. Everyone knows that Prince Ding is the apple of Shen Miao's eye. Shen Miao can endure grievances, but when it comes to Prince Ding, she will never back down an inch. If it weren't for mentioning Prince Ding, Shen Miao might have let it go. This time, Shen Yue deliberately brought up Prince Ding, isn't it to provoke a conflict between her and Shen Qing?
It was the same in her previous life. As soon as she woke up, Shen Yue rushed over to "plead" for Shen Qing. This plea made Shen Miao furious. Usually, a timid person, she accused Shen Qing of pushing her into the water in front of the old lady, all for the sake of her beloved. However, Shen Qing did not admit it, and the people around said they did not see Shen Qing push Shen Yue. The old lady, who already favored the second and third branches, naturally took the opportunity to teach her a lesson, saying, "At such a young age, you don't know how to love yourself and still dare to slander your legitimate sister," and punished her with house arrest.
Later, this matter was spread to the Imperial Academy, and Shen Miao became the laughingstock of her classmates. In shame and anger, she stopped going to the Imperial Academy. Later on... she gradually faded out of the circle of noblewomen in the capital.
Looking back now, her perspective had always been confined to the world created for her by the people in the general's mansion. She thot she was virtuous and kind, but little did she know that others saw her as weak and ignorant. She thot her admiration for Prince Ding was brave and straightforward, but little did she know that others called her shameless.
The result of this deliberate teaching led to her initially disastrous impression. Although she later successfully married Fu Xiuyi, she was still considered unworthy of being in the public eye. Even when people compared her to Madam Mei, they only called her foolish and ignorant.
How foolish the past was!
Shen Yue worriedly stroked Shen Miao's shoulder, her lips subtly curling into a faint smile.
She knew that with Shen Miao's temperament, as long as Fu Xiu Yi was mentioned, she would definitely fly into a rage. But after waiting for a long time without any response, Shen Yue looked over suspiciously, only to see the girl in front of her smiling at her.
The girl's face was still very pale, her lips dry and chapped, but her pitch-black eyes were as bright and lively as grapes.
Shen Miao's eyes were the most beautiful, with large apricot-shaped eyes, dazed and confused, timid like a newborn puppy. It's just that she usually has a dull expression, which is a pity for her expressive eyes.
Nowadays, those almond-shaped eyes are still round, but the gaze is very different. With a hint of coldness, devoid of emotion, not like a dull expression, but rather... it seemed like... it was a condescending gaze from above.
Shen Yue felt a jolt; for some reason, an indescribable fear suddenly arose in her heart. It was as if she were not facing a foolish, simple-minded goose, but someone in a high position.
How could I feel this way?
She naturally didn't know that the Shen Miao in front of her was no longer the same Shen Miao. The Shen Miao before her was a Shen Miao who had experienced the struggle for the crown prince, war, the fight for favor, the loss of a child, and the destruction of her clan.
It is the Empress Shen of the Mingqi Dynasty, who once held supreme power over the six palaces.
She was stunned for a moment, until the girl in front of her rubbed her forehead and said softly, "Second sister, you are being too harsh. This matter has nothing to do with eldest sister; I fell down by myself."
"Fifth sister..." Shen Yue didn't expect Shen Miao to say that. She was taken aback for a moment before reacting, shaking her head and saying, "Fifth sister, don't put yourself in a difficult position."
"Where would I be putting myself at a disadvantage?" Shen Miao interrupted her with a smile. "It's just a small matter. My head is still a bit dizzy, so I want to rest a little longer. If there's anything, we can discuss it together tomorrow at Grandmother's place."
The conversation had reached this point, so Shen Yue didn't have much else to say. Although she found it strange that Shen Miao was not very warm toward her today, she attributed it to Shen Miao's embarrassment in front of Fu Xiu Yi, which made her unhappy. After saying a few more words, Shen Yue finally left.
After Shen Yue left, Gu Yu said, "Our young lady was pushed into the water and nearly lost her life, yet you come to plead for the eldest young lady. If you're going to plead, at least do it properly; it sounds like you're not sincere." Gu Yu was subtly reminding Shen Miao that Shen Yue had ulterior motives.
"The clam and the snipe fight, and the fisherman benefits. She probably wants to be that 'fisherman,'" Shen Miao said淡淡道.
Grain Rain was surprised that Shen Miao could finally see Shen Yue's true colors, but he still didn't quite understand the meaning behind Shen Miao's words. Looking up, he saw his daughter's charming face turned icy, giving him an inexplicable sense of solemnity that made him involuntarily look up to her.
Shen Miao looked at her fingertips.
Why did Shen Qing push her into the water? It was because at that moment she said, "When the New Year comes and Father returns victorious, I will let Father decide and ask Father to marry me off to Prince Ding."
She spoke innocently, thinking of them as family, so she had no reservations. Shen Xin is a high-ranking general in the court; it's not impossible for him to want to marry off his daughter.
Why is Shen Yue trying to sow discord between her and Shen Qing?
Naturally, it's because Shen Yue also has feelings for Prince Ding.
In her past life, when death was imminent, Shen Yue and Shen Qing finally told her that they had long admired Fu Xiu Yi. Looking back now, it was already starting to show at that time.
Since these two sisters are both infatuated with Fu Xiuyi, wouldn't it be a pity not to let them fulfilll their wishes in this lifetime?
She will definitely make their wishes come true. The second and third branches owe the entire Shen family a blood debt from their past lives, and it's time to start repaying it now.
Chapter Four: Old Madam Shen Early autumn, the wild geese from the northern lands flew in a line across the vast sky, heading toward the warm southern country. In the courtyard, the lush summer foliage has begun to wither, and the colorful fish in the pond look a bit colder than before.
The girl's long, jet-black hair was styled into a deer bun, adorned with an exquisite coral hairpin. She wore a deep red, embroidered dual-cavity cloud and wild goose dress, which accentuated her graceful and delicate figure.