"Phoenix Beak Incense is not cheap. To spend this much money, it would definitely not for the sake of reminiscing between sisters."

"Scheme against you?" Xie Jing Xing asked with his brows raised.

"Shen Dong Ling is not Shen Yue. Even if she really scheme against me, I would not fall for it easily. Shen Dong Ling is not stupid so I guess that she will scheme against me. If I gone, it would only make things goes her way even smoother and if I did not go, there would not be too much losses." Shen Miao smiled, "I just feel that since it is surprising that the family of the Minister of Land have this much money." She looked at Xie Jing Xing. At the execution grounds when Shen Miao saw Shen Dong Ling, she had noticed that the clothes and jewelry that Shen Dong Ling was wearing was extremely expensive. No matter how much w.a.n.g Bi pampered her, it was irrational to surpa.s.s the wealth of the w.a.n.g family. So how did the w.a.n.g family have so much wealth?

When Xie Jing Xing saw Shen Miao"s gaze, he tactfully continued, "The w.a.n.g family are the Crown Prince"s people and have some relations with the salt merchants that the Crown Prince secretly selling to. w.a.n.g Bi is the middleman."

Shen Miao suddenly came into realisation. That was of no wonder. Selling salt privately was a very profitable business that even a fragmentary portion of it would make others jealous. No wonder the w.a.n.g family could afford to appreciate incense and Shen Miao somewhat understood where Shen Dong Ling was coming from. If Shen Dong Ling married to an ordinary official, she would definitely operate carefully. But the w.a.n.g family was very wealthy and w.a.n.g Bi was working under the Crown Prince so naturally her position worth more. She was w.a.n.g Bi"s official wife and infinite glory. Most likely she was blinded by the momentarily glory that her guts had become bigger.

Life sprang from sorrow and calamity but death comes from ease and pleasure. Shen Dong Ling was unable to maintain a clear mind thus she was unable to see the facts clearly. There are so many variables in the world so who could ensure that the Crown Prince would be able to succeed the throne? Taking a thousand steps back, even if the Crown Prince succeeded the thrown, who was able to guarantee that w.a.n.g Bi, had been free from worries under the Crown Prince, would be able to be promoted steadfastly? There were too many instances of boiling the hound once the rabbit was caught. There was nothing more ruthless than the Imperial family.

"w.a.n.g Bi is the Crown Prince"s people." Shen Miao was deep in thought, "Shen Dong Ling"s sudden actions are definitely related to w.a.n.g Bi and that means it is related to the Crown Prince." Shen Miao looked at Xie Jing Xing, "The relations between me and the Crown Prince… She want to make a fuss out of my marriage?"

Xie Jing Xing looked at her praising, "Smart."

"You had already knew about it?" Shen Miao was somewhat doubtful.

"It is Shen Dong Ling"s idea." Xie Jing Xing picked up a snack and took a bite, "Letting HuangFu Hao and the Crown Prince act out a play after an agreement. With you marrying HuangFu Hao as a condition of the alliance with Ming Qi, otherwise there would not be an alliance and perhaps even would attack Ming Qi. When the news is released, the commoners would beg SHen Xin to marry you to HuangFu Hao. One hand is the commoners, the other is you. Shen Xin would definitely be extreme pain."

"But no one under Heavens would dared to go against HuangFu Hao and at this time only the Crown Prince step out and say that there was already a marriage agreement between you and the Crown Prince. Comparing to you marrying far away, Shen Xin would easily accept you being married to the Crown Prince and remain in Ming Qi and would even be grateful to the Crown Prince." Xie Jing Xing shrugged his shoulders, "This Shu sister of yours is not a simple character."

When Shen Miao heard it, her face turned ashen and she sneered, "She really exhausts her thoughts and ingenuity for me."

She even went as far as to use the commoners under Heavens to force Shen Xin, one who had inherited the body and mind of Old General Shen"s teaching of fighting for Ming Qi"s commoners. When Shen Xin was forced by the commoners that he loved and the other side is Shen Miao, his daughter, one can only imagine how painful Shen Xin"s heart would be. In the Shen residence, Shen Miao and Shen Dong Ling had always been minding their own business thus Shen Miao felt an irresistible hate towards Shen Dong Ling"s action.

She said, "Cannot proceed with the marriage with the Crown Prince."

Xie Jing Xing stared at her with a smile but not a smile, "Why? Do you want to marry me?" Not waiting for Shen Miao to be furious, he continued speaking, "Don"t worry. There is still no one under Heavens who dared to s.n.a.t.c.h things from my hand. One feared that he would not be able to want the female I fancied."

His words were always had no misgiving and fear, making Shen Miao"s face blushed unfathomably. She changed the topic, "Shen Dong Ling dared to scheme against me. Naturally I want to repay her back a few points."

"Furen"s desire is my desire." Xie Jing Xing said lazily.

Shen Miao, "…"

She said, "What intentions do you currently have? Exterminate Ming Qi and Great Liang would unify?"

Xie Jing Xing"s gaze was somewhat strange, "If I say yes, you will help me?"

"I said before that on this point, I am the same as you." Shen Miao answered.

The joking expression on Xie Jing Xing"s face started to gradually disappear. He did not know what Shen Miao was thinking about and it seemed that he could not see anything at all. In the matter of the hostility between two countries, Xie Jing Xing had never thought that Shen Miao would support him. With Shen Miao current degrading att.i.tude, Xie Jing Xing was already very surprised. With Shen Miao"s expression, it reminded him that she was serious about it.

She wanted to eliminate Ming Qi?

Why?

Shen Miao was definitely not a person who was greedy for fame and fortune so it was not to parrot his words. And for her to throw Ming Qi to the back of her mind just for her love of Xie Jing Xing… Xie Jing Xing did not think it was possible. It was as if from the beginning of knowing Shen Miao, she was already extremely hostile to the Fu family. That was because the Fu family wanted to suppress the Shen family but Shen Miao was an unmarried female so how would she know of such matters? Something he found that Shen Miao could see clearer than Shen Xin and Shen Qiu. She always stood in front of the Shen family in a protecting manner, as if she had long expected what would happen. The more he got closer with Shen Miao, the more he discovered the many mysterious parts of Shen Miao. However even Feng Xian p.a.w.nshop was unable to find out the reasons behind the behaviours.

This made one really suspicious.

He hesitated for a moment before asking, "You… Don"t like Ming Qi?"

Shen Miao"s eyes hung down, "The power under Heavens that are long divided will be united and those long united will be divided. Such is the way of the universe. It is not changing weather I like it or not. Even if I am not willing and dislike it, these things will still happen. This is destined." She lifted her head and looked at the candlelight that was slightly wavering, "Moreover comparing to the Fu family, I rather the country lands in your hands."

Xie Jing Xing was startled.

"The war between two countries has nothing to do with the commoners. Ming Qi has been on the decline in these years and has heavy taxes with constant natural disasters and that make the commoners" life difficult. Officialdom circles are dark with the officials decaying in quality. The Emperor is fatuous and would scheme and guard against meritorious families that one could not wait to kill them as their appearance is just too ugly to look at. Comparing as such, Great Liang"s commoners are living and working peacefully in contentment with all industries flouris.h.i.+ng." Shen Miao said, "I know that Emperor Long Le is a wise monarch. When attacking other small countries, the commoners of those small countries would open their city gates to meet with the army. Isn"t that the truth?"

Xie Jing Xing took a long look at Shen Miao and there was an indescribable feeling in his heart.

The world said that female were the most short-sighted and would only be able to see what was in front and unable to see the overall picture. It was only because they had never met one. Xie Jing Xing had seen an magnanimous and most knowledgeable female which was his Imperial Sao, Emperor Yong Le"s wife, Empress Xian De. But Empress Xian De was the descendant of the historian aristocratic family and had an encyclopedic knowledge and was the Mistress of the Six Palaces. Shen Miao was only sixteen years old and the furthest she went was Xie Chun City and was even known as an idiot by others. But Shen Miao"s words on the current situation were not comparable to majority of Emperor Yong Le"s aides.

Instead of treating oneself as a person of a country but as the highest point in history and calmly look at it as conforming to a regular pattern, just like conforming to the changing four seasons.

There are not many people in the world that was able to look at things so transparently but this person sat right in front of him. Xie Jing Xing suddenly felt glad as he was the one who discovered this female and Shen Miao was willing to tell him these words.

However Shen Miao did not know what Xie Jing Xing was thinking. She previously heard Fu Xiu Yi evaluating Emperor Yong Le, indicating that Emperor Yong Le was a distinguished and accomplished character and a wise Emperor of a generation. The land that Great Liang initially had was not as vast as it was currently, especially when the late Emperor of Great Liang pa.s.sed on, the internal affairs were turbulent and many other countries seized the opportunities. Afterwards the current Emperor Yong Le succeeded the throne and slowly started to reclaim the lands and not only that, he started to swallow up the neighbouring small countries. Emperor Yong Le was very charming and conformed to the people"s heart hust some of the commoners of the small countries even hoped that Emperor Yong Le would swallow them up so that their difficult lives could improve.

And Emperor Yong Le did that.

At that time Shen Miao was very surprise by it and Fu Xiu Yi was also very jealous with Fu Xiu Yi. Afterwards when Fu Ming was studying, he also read that and discussed with Shen Miao with great enthusiasm thus Shen Miao had a deeply carved memory of it

Xie Jing Xing paused for a moment and said unpleased, "Why do you remember his matters so clearly?"

Shen Miao, "…"

She said, "Of course I am not that great and it was all for self-protection. If the Fu family were in charge, the Shen family would be eliminated. When the monarch is not benevolent then naturally officials need not have abide by righteousness and justice. Is it not?"

"Then how would you know if Emperor Yong Le would not be like the second Emperor Wen Hui and take action on the Shen family?" Xie Jing Xing questioned.

"One heard that there is a General by the Emperor"s side by the surname Li that has very similar experience with the Shen family but the Li family was treated with deferential treatment. The Shen family military is not as good as General Li so one does not need to worry about it." Shen Miao was thinking in her heart that at least till before she died, the entire family of General Li lived very well.

Xie Jing Xing was stunned, "How do you know that there is a General Li?"

Shen Miao heard moved. She had forgotten that she is the Di daughter of the Shen family and naturally it was not possible to know about General Li of Great Liang. However she had to say some words to cover it up, "This General Li is very famous. It is not strange for Ming Qi to know of him."

"Very famous?" Xie Jing Xing frowned, "More famous than me?"

Shen Miao was determined not to speak to him about these, "Let"s not talk about these. Since at the end one would be dealing with Ming Qi, naturally one cannot let the Qin country and Ming Qi to form an alliance. If so it would be troublesome for Great Liang to deal with it. You remained in the Ding capital and not leave, isn"t it to break up their alliance?"

Xie Jing Xing smiled gently, "When one get married, one will follow the husband. You really think thoroughly for me."

Shen Miao ignored the part where it should not be heard, "There is a good way to break up their alliance but it depends if you can do it successfully."

Xie Jing Xing"s lips hooked up to a smile, "Let"s listen to it."

"a.s.sa.s.sinating, moving, planting, slandering." She smile gently yet dignified, "Best if the dead can"t testify."

Translator remarks: Why is it that when I read the last sentence, I feel that XJX is SM lackey instead? She don"t lift a finger and he does all the work… ?