"Shen Jiaotou, does Jingdianshi have a grudge against you?"

  Shen Miao quietly looked at the young man in front of her.

  He was born with beautiful eyebrows and eyes, but his heroic spirit was intimidating. Although he had a playful and irreverent expression, he had a kind of stability that transcended his age. It wasn't just his appearance, but rather it seemed that being with him gave one a sense of security, as if even if the sky were to fall, he would be there to hold it up. Even in her past life in the state of Qin or in the harem, she had never seen anyone so transparent. With just one sentence, he could see through to the very center of all things.

  Such a talented and beautiful person, unfortunately passed away at a young age, it's really heaven's jealousy of talents.

  A flash of regret passed through her eyes, and when she spoke again, it was in a flat and calm tone: "Yes."

  "This game of chess is laid out in a circuitous way." Xie Jing's gaze was scrutinizing: "You've gone to such great lengths just to send Gao Yan into officialdom. Are you trying to stir up trouble in the Ming Qi government?"

  Even if Shen Miao lived two lifetimes, she couldn't help but feel a slight shock in her heart. If what Xie Jingxuan had shown her before was just being clever to the point of being excessive and understanding at once, now this person seemed somewhat frightening.

  Ordinary people take one step and look at one step, clever people take one step and look at ten steps. Xie Jinghang's seemingly ordinary question seemed to see thousands of miles away. Such an unreserved and straightforward approach made her somewhat unsure how to respond.

  After a moment, she replied, "What does this have to do with Young Master Hou?"

  "I don't care about the officialdom of Ming Qi, but you can't move if you're in Lin An Hou's mansion." His tone was warning: "If you set your sights on Lin An Hou's mansion, don't blame me for being impolite."

  Shen Miao looked at him with a glance. Xie Jingyi seemed to have always been disgusted with Lin'an Houfu, and loved to go against his father. Now it seems that he is not completely disgusted, but rather still has Lin'an Houfu in his heart. Otherwise, in the last life, he would not have ended up being pierced by a thousand arrows for the sake of preserving Lin'an Houfu's reputation.

  Xie Jingxing suspected that she would make a move on the Xie family, which was not unreasonable. The Shen and Xie families had never seen eye to eye, and now her actions were making it impossible for others to understand, so it seemed possible that the Shen family might trip up the Xie family.

  "Thank you, Your Excellency, you can rest assured." She spoke lightly, her tone as casual as if she were commenting on the weather: "The Xie and Shen families are like well water and river water, they won't interfere with each other, so naturally there won't be any trouble. What Your Excellency is worried about won't happen. Life is short, just a few decades, and fortunes rise and fall. The Xie family now regards the Shen family as enemies, but doesn't know that in the future, one day they will join forces against a common enemy."

  "Are you trying to show off in front of me?" Xie Jinghang raised an eyebrow.

  "Yes." Shen Miao said calmly.

  Xie Jinghang sized up the girl in front of him. From birth to now, he had seen countless women. When he was young, those women wanted to get close to his father, and later they began to get close to him. Among these women, there were those who were delicate and charming, those who could overturn cities with their beauty, those skilled in wielding swords, and those skilled in using strategies.

  Xie Jinghang had met countless people, but none of them had ever surprised him like the person in front of him.

  Perhaps it was the intuition of someone who had been through the battlefield, Xie Jinghang could smell the scent of blood from this girl. It seemed like a deep and dead water, but at the bottom of the water, a huge ferocious beast was lurking. Now the surface is calm, but it's just waiting for an opportunity to move, and one day it will burst out, and it will be a bloody storm.

  Although it seems ridiculous at first glance, a lady can stir up quite a storm. However, Xie Jinghang has never underestimated his own intuition.

  The maiden was shrouded in a cyan-colored brocade cloak, her lovely face veiled, and this lush plum forest seemed to have been elevated by her to the level of a nine-story palace. Noble, solitary, ruthless, and unfathomably deep.

  "Shen's family actually has a clever person." His words were somewhat sarcastic, but he still spoke seriously: "Since that's the case, then go ahead and do it. Today is just like watching a good show, don't disappoint me." He stood up straight, about to turn around and leave.

  "Thank you, Master Hou." Shen Miao called out to him.

  "Anything else?" He stood still and asked without turning his head.

  "Two younger brothers of the Xie family will also come on stage for verification today." Shen Miao said calmly, "Is Marquis Xie going to let them off like this?"

  Xie's two younger sons, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao, who were born to Concubine Fang, are now in their second year of national studies. In fact, Xie Jinghang is also a third-year student at Guangwen Hall, but he naturally does things his own way, and Guangwen Hall cannot restrain him, so they let him do as he pleases. Otherwise, Xie Jinghang should be reviewing with his two younger brothers who are in their second year of national studies today.

  In his previous life, Xie Jingxing did not participate in the assessment, but let his two younger brothers steal the show. To be fair, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were also very capable and ranked among the top in martial arts. As a result, they caught the emperor's eye and later became favored by Fu Xiuyi, who intentionally promoted them to work alongside him.

  Shen Miao always thought that Lin An and his son were intelligent people, how could they have ended up like that in their previous life. Although the imperial family eventually granted them consolation, it was actually the Fang family mother and son who received protection. Upon careful consideration, there are indeed many suspicious points. For example, the downfall of the Shen family in their previous life was also due to the efforts of the second and third branches. Looking at it this way, could it be that the Xie family also had internal problems?

  "You wouldn't want to go up against them in a competition?" Xie Jinghang turned his head, somewhat surprised, and said: "Just like you competing with your sister?"

  "Isn't your situation the same as mine, Duke Xie?" Shen Miao didn't notice the mockery in his words and said: "The ones who stabbed the deepest are often the closest people around you. I naturally understand that someone of your noble status wouldn't bother with the petty calculations of a concubine's child. However, even the smallest hole can cause a dike to collapse, and seemingly insignificant things can be like venomous snakes lurking in the shadows." She spoke clearly and slowly, her tone extremely warning, but her eyes were as clear as a child's: "We must cut them off at the bud. We must make sure they never have the chance to sprout."

  "Is it not more satisfying to strip them of their pretenses one by one, exposing their ugliness in public and not having to put on a show in the manor?"

  Xie Jing's heart skipped a beat.

  His mother was the Jade Pure Princess, a golden branch and jade leaf. He didn't want to bother with the illegitimate child, or people would not only say that he had an insufficient temper, but also bring up the fact that his birth mother had been driven to death by jealousy. He could ignore his own reputation, but he would always consider the Jade Pure Princess's reputation.

  In Lin'an Houfu, he had been facing the mother and son trio with a cold eye all day. Although Lin'an Hou was biased towards him, outsiders might still gossip about it. The mother and son trio were pretending to be obedient and loving, which made him nauseous. He just wanted to watch these three people make a show as an outsider, but Shen Miao's words had moved his heart.

  If their hopes are dashed, will it be more refreshing? When face to face, tear off the skin, let them have no face to do brotherly friendship and annoy people's hearts.

  Shen Miao's voice seemed to carry a hint of temptation as she said, "It's been too long, don't endure it."

  Don't hold back.

  He lowered his head, looking at the person close to him. A faint scent of orchid wafted from the girl's body, just like her, seemingly pure and transparent, but actually cold and heartless. Although he knew she had an ulterior motive for proposing this, it was impossible to refuse.

  He smiled slightly, his sleeve fluttering as he swept it across, and the begonia flower on his black hair fell into his palm. The next second, where the begonia flower had been, turned into a small jade begonia.

  He picked a flower with a smile that was not a smile and said in a ambiguous tone: "You're quite interesting. This flower is for you, your proposal isn't bad, thanks."

  Digression

  First send a token of love