Alright peeps… Please don’t start squealing yet. The scene will not happen in part 1 but in part 2 AND it’s not supposed to be a scene for us to squeal… More like for us to laugh at. Please lower your expectations!!!

Edited by Tnyhy

The Shen Xin’s household started packing up their luggage overnight, and what made others slap the table and shout with praise, was that before leaving, they unexpectedly forced Old Shen Furen to separate the family in front of the Shen family elders.

That day when Shen Xin and wife were summoned to the Palace, the dispute that Shen Miao had with Old Shen Furen at the residence door, got into Shen Xin’s ears and naturally he was unable to restrain his anger. This opportunity of hitting someone when they were down was used very well, and he did not even bother to save any face for the other. Luo Xue Yan hated that her eyes were blinded initially, and treated this entire family of dirty people, sincerely.

Even though Shen Xin’s military power was seized, he was still daring. When he was obstinate, nine bulls would not be able to pull him back. The clan leader was unable to rush over, but there were clan members present. At his deathbed, the Old General Shen hoped that the entire family would live in harmony, but at the end it still collapsed and fell apart.

Old Shen Furen brought out the skills she had when she was a songstress, to claim more than half of Old General Shen’s a.s.sets and lands. Shen Miao did not obstruct this because for so many years they had not been easy to manage, and those shops and lands were no longer as satisfactory as before, and on the contrary they will be a drag to leave them by one’s side. Moreover, they would soon be heading to the Xiao Chun City, thus these things were useless.

Shen Xin did not have a lack of money as the Emperor would usually bestow heaps of it to him. Old Shen Furen had initially thought that in the accounting books of the common fund, Shen Xin’s money has long been cleaned out, and did not think that at the end, Shen Miao found from somewhere, another accounting book no one knew. Inside, it clearly indicated all the money that Shen Xin had supplemented over the years to the public fund.

In front of the clan members, this could not be denied and in any case, Old Shen Furen had to vomit that out. Shen Miao thought of it simple, no matter how much could be gotten back, even if Shen Xin and Luo Xue Yan had no regards for these mere worldly possessions, it was good to nauseate Old Shen Furen.

Old Shen Furen was really so ‘nauseated’ that she fell ill, while Chen Rou Qiu was furious in her heart. Now that Ren Wan Yun did not care about this matters, she was the one managing the household and there was just not enough money. With the return of a portion of it back to Shen Xin, if the future was not as smooth as before, one fear that Old Shen Furen would take it out on her.

Shen Yue was also angry with them. These days she watched as Chen Rou Qiu became utterly exhausted due to the matter of money. Shen Yue was previously raised with an ‘arrogant and holier than thou’ temperament but now that had changed. Previously, she despised money matters, but now also wanted to fight for it. It was not good to say anything in front of the clan member, thus she looked at Shen Miao and pretended to be worried, “One do not know when Fifth Younger Sister will be back this time. One heard that there is a shortage of suppliers at that Xiao Chun City, and it will bad if one was not able to eat or use good stuffs. It is better to bring more money along.”

The words spoken had some ridicule insinuating that Shen Miao was going to a place of suffering, but Shen Miao only laughed gently, “Correct, but the prices in the Ding capital are very high, thus in the future without His Majesty’s rewards, Second Older Sister must not spend so extravagantly like in the past.” Her gaze landed on the bracelet on Shen Yue’s wrist and smiled, “After all, Father will not be here to gift you a bracelet in the future.”

Shen Yue was surprised for a moment, and looked at the bracelet on her wrist before her face flushed red. This was not other bracelet but one that Shen Xin was bestowed. Year after year Shen Xin would fill the common fund with the bestowments, and Shen Yue would pick out some jewellery. Who knew that when she said those words, Shen Miao would be so straightforward to say that the bracelet that she was wearing was one of Shen Xin’s things. This was slapping her face in public.

But this bracelet was very valuable, and Shen Yue was not willing to take it off and return it to her.

Shen Miao seemed to have seen her thoughts and said with a gentle smile, “Older Sister better not return the bracelet back, since there is no logic to recover things that were gifted. One do not know if in the future there will be such a fine bracelet.”

This time even Shen Wan, who was standing by the side quietly, started to have his to turn ugly. Shen Miao’s words meant that Shen Wan, was unable to get such good rewards based on his own abilities. Shen Wan’s career in his entire lifetime would never reach to the level of what Shen Xin had.

He made a long face and coldly glared at Shen Miao before saying to Chen Rou Qiu and Shen Yue, “Go back.” Then he left without looking at Shen Miao again.
Since Shen Xin would be leaving the capital and his military power was confiscated, all those fake brotherly affections and pretences, were no longer required to be kept up. Shen Wan would never look at people without any value.

Shen Gui was also somewhat pleased as he bowed to Shen Xin, “Eldest Brother, this Younger Brother will retreat first.” His appearance of brus.h.i.+ng his sleeves and leave was somewhat arrogant. Wan YiNiang saw this and quickly pulled Shen Dong Ling to follow along, behaving like she had been for over ten years, and not because of the changes in Cai Yun Yuan.

Shen Gui was one that was unable to remain calm, since he climbed up in his career by fawning and flattering others. In terms of talent and learnings, he was incomparable to his son, Shen Yuan, in terms of temperament, he was incomparable to Shen Wan’s tenacity and Shen Gui was also even heartless and lacked a sense of justice. Once he tasted a little sweetness, he would forget the pain he suffered and thus, he was not enough to be feared.

It was Shen Qiu that got angry, “What kind of people are they?”

Shen Miao smiled gently but did not answer. Temporarily putting Shen Wan and Chen Rou Qiu aside and speaking of Shen Gui’s branch, within two years, Shen Yuan Bo would die due to smallpox, and since Shen Gui was already drugged by Ren Wan Yun’s medication, he would definitely not be able to have anymore offspring in this lifetime. Even if he had money or women, there would not be anyone to inherit it. There were three ways to be unfilial, and having no sons was the worst. At that time Old Shen Furen would urge both sons to quickly spread out their branches, so did Chen Rou Qiu think that she could just sit back and relax?

A wicked person would be hara.s.sed by another. Leave this mess to the Shen family and let them clean themselves up.

When the matter of Shen Xin moving out to guard the Xiao Chun City reached the ears of Prince Ding, Fu Xiu Yi, Emperor Wen Hui had already approved it.

At such a time, Fu Xiu Yi naturally could not say anything more. The more one speak the more doubtful it will make others feel. It is just that to him, it was strange for Shen Xin to suddenly use this tactic. He had understood clearly that for so many years even though Shen Xin looked like a rough military person on the surface, he was not one who was impulsive. Even if he was discontented with the confiscation of the military tally, he would not submit a memorandum the next day to leave the capital.

Involuntary Fu Xiu Yi started to recall the words that Shen Yuan had warned him of.

“Your Highness must not underestimate this official’s Fifth Younger Sister in the residence.”

It was just that Fu Xiu Yi did not pay much attention to such a sentence at that time. Now one did not know that at this time, this drifted up in his mind. For Shen Xin to suddenly make such a decision, could it be that Shen Miao fuelled it behind the scene? But she was such a spoilt young lady that was raise delicately, so why would she take the initiative to head out to such a cold place like the Northwestern region?

Fu Xiu Yi was sensitive to detect that something was wrong, but was unable to exactly point out what was wrong. He only felt that things should not have developed in such a manner.

The advisor beside him asked, “Is Your Highness worried about that the matter of the Formidable General had changed? But the Shen family army is dispersed and the military tally was retrieved back, so there is no more impact from the Formidable Great General. Your Highness can rest a.s.sured to expand.”

Fu Xiu Yi recovered from his imagination and lightly agreed. Even though Shen Xin had deviated from his plans, but at the end he was not the most important chess piece. He was an important piece at the beginning when Shen Miao was in love with him, since then he could use him, but one did not know what happened as that feeling of love scattered, making him lose the opportunity of pulling Shen Xin into his boat.

But it could also be regarded as a sigh of relief. If he really married Shen Miao, even if he gained the Shen family’s military power, he would have been ridiculed by everyone. Fu Xiu Yi was extremely proud by nature, thus he would not allow for such a stain on him? Now that those conjectures will disperse as soon as Shen Xin leave the capital. He said, “Go and recruit some more people these days.”

His adviser was startled before cupping his hands and complied.
Fu Xiu Yi moved his gaze away. Since the game of vying for the world was just around the corner, it was imperative to attract more talents in the shortest possible time.

Shen Xin left the capital early the next morning.

When they left the capital, it was early in the morning and the skies had not even brightened. Shen Xin left in secret. First, it was that he did not want to put those close colleagues in a dilemma, because if they came to bid farewell, it was practically going against Emperor Wen Hui. The mood of the Emperor was always fickle, so it was not good to incur fury. Second was that the Xiao Chun City was a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers away from the Ding capital, thus by leaving early meant that one would arrive early.

Even if horses were spurred at full speed, it would take more than six months to arrive.

Even though the Shen family"s army was confiscated and only the front section remained, there were a number of confidants that remained. Including Shen Qiu’s subordinates, including Mo Qing and Ah Chi, one would not fear there would be any danger during the journey. The entire journey was rather smooth. Luo Xue Yan and Shen Xin were initially worried that Shen Miao would not be able to take such a long journey, and feared that during the journey she would get sick. Who knew that Shen Miao did not even utter a single word of tiredness. Even Shen Xin repeatedly praised, “Jiao Jiao is really my daughter. Such a heart of steel, which other female in the Ding capital would have it?”

Luo Xue Yan rolled her eyes at him but felt even more guilty towards Shen Miao. A perfectly pampered and delicate young lady had to follow them and suffer.

Jing Zhe pushed aside the carriage’s curtain. Because it was her first trip far away, she was somewhat amazed and would point at the birds in the skies, and also point at the wild rabbits in the forest. Seeing Shen Miao calm appearance, she asked curiously, “Why does Young Lady not find it refres.h.i.+ng? These things cannot be seen in the city.”

When it was put this way, Gu Yu also took a look at Shen Miao’s expression and asked temptingly, “Young Lady look as if one did not have a little nostalgia.”
Luo Xue Yan who was sitting in the carriage became stunned for a moment.

To leave the place that one had stayed for over ten years to a place that they had never heard before, any Young Lady at this time would display feelings of yearning for one’s hometown, and be reluctant to part with it since the Xiao Chun City, would definitely not be as prosperous as the Ding capital, and one would be a stranger in a strange land. But Shen Miao remained calm all the way since the beginning, and even looked somewhat lively at times.

To leave one’s native place especially against one’s will, what about that was lively?

Feeling Luo Xue Yan’s gaze, Shen Miao was slightly surprised for a moment before smiling and looked at the pa.s.sing scenery outside the horse carriage, “Father, Mother and Eldest Brother are all at my side, what is there to be nostalgic about. Even if one remain in the Ding capital, without any loved ones, it will not be considered as home.”

When the words were spoken, Luo Xue Yan’s heart became sour. Thinking about seeing clearly the ugly faces of the entire Shen family in this last trip when they came back to the capital, she had thought that Shen Miao had lived well after leaving her with that family, but now it seemed to be a big joke. Perhaps Shen Miao did not view those people as family, else she would not have said these words.

Thinking of this, Luo Xue Yan pulled Shen Miao into her embrace and said conscience-stricken, “Correct, in the future Jiao Jiao will always be with Father, Mother and Eldest Brother. No one will dare to bully you.”
Shen Miao nestled in Luo Xue Yan’s embrace and lowered her eyes, covering the trace of coldness in them.

Leaving one’s native place. Starting a journey alone. In the last lifetime when she went to the Qin country to be a hostage, the mountains were as high and the rivers were as long, which place had she not walked alone? She brought her trustful maids and when several of them died in a foreign country, the scenery was just like today. It was already very vague but she could still clearly remember the feeling of that time. From the Ding capital to the Qin country, from the Qin country back to the Ding capital, both journeys were very bleak and desolate. It was pathetic that she though that she completed a virtuous cause, for the common people under heavens, but did not know that in everyone eyes, how ridiculous she was.

Now she was not leaving alone and when she return, she would definitely not be alone too.

The mountain road was remote and unknowingly the skies turn dark. Because this was a mountain route and there was no tavern in the mountains, one could only stay in a family"s farmhouse. It was fortunate that this farmer"s family was hospitable and friendly. They had warmly received them, and even cooked up a number of dishes.

Because of the need to hasten the journey, Shen Xin and the rest did not dare to drink, fearing that mistakes would be made upon drinking and delay the departure the next day. It was however Shen Miao, not sure it was because one was in a good mood, or that the plum blossom wine was sweet and intoxicating, that she drank a few cups and her cheeks became the colour of a peach.

“Why did Jiao Jiao drink this much?” Luo Xue Yan initially did not pay any attention thus when she saw it, she could not help but be shocked. She watched as Shen Miao supported her face with her hand, and had a drowsy look on before quickly reach out to touch her head.

“Most likely Lady is not aware of the power of this wine.” The mistress of the farmer family laughed, “This homemade plum blossom wine tastes sweet but the aftereffects are great. When our family’s daughter drink in excess, she would also be drunk. However one only need to sleep the entire night and on the second day, one will not be dizzy so Furen need not worry.”

Luo Xue Yan then calmed down. Shen Qiu saw Shen Miao’s drunk appearance and felt that it was funny, “Did not expect that there will be a day when Younger Sister will be drunk. Really interesting.”

This time when Shen Qiu came back, he saw a calm and quiet Shen Miao. She was so solemn and mature that sometimes, Shen Qiu would have the wrong illusion that Shen Miao was the older one. At times, he would miss the Shen Miao from before even though she was stubborn and rude, she still had the temperament what a young lady should have. Now seeing her look like this, Shen Qiu thought about the Shen Miao before and felt closer.

“Brat.” Shen Xin stepped onto Shen Qiu’s foot, “Your Younger Sister is already this drunk and you still make trouble?”

Shen Qiu quickly stuck his tongue out and pretended to ask for mercy. The entire family and that farmer"s family were all bustling in noise cheerfully. Where was the disappointment and the helplessness of ‘leaving one’s native place’?