Edited by Tnyhy

It was most probably that the mansion that the Qins were staying at was repaired, as it was somewhat different from the setting the Ming Qi’s mansion would have. When Shen Miao entered she had discovered that this Yan Qing Lane’s mansion was renovated by the Qin people, as it was the same style as the Qin country’s Palaces and was extremely luxurious.

The Qin people loved sparkling golden things, just like the previous Shen Miao, most likely it was because they thought that gold could highlight their wealth, that even some of the bricks in the Palace were made of gold. The first time Shen Miao went to the Qin country, she was envious when she saw the Palace. But now thinking about it, the Imperial family of the Qin country"s love of such sparkle and gold was not flattering at all, to be such in a rush to show off one’s wealth, it was really a cliché.

Shen Miao finally saw Princess Ming An, after the maid who was showing the way lead them to the gardens.

Princess Ming An sat at the small stone table in the garden. The stone table was decorated with silk embroidered b.u.t.terflies’ handkerchiefs, and on top of them were plates of exquisite snacks and a pot of tea. There was a small pond next to it which still had not yet frozen due to the season, and the red carps in the pond were wagging their tails. A few maids were holding a small bowl as they sat by the side feeding the fishes.

Shen Miao stood straight in front of Princess Ming An and greeted her.

Princess Ming An turned around.

Among the Ming Qi, the Great Liang and the Qin country, the Great Liang was the most powerful nation and upon comparison, the Ming Qi and the Qin county were undoubtedly much inferior. If comparison was made between the Ming Qi and the Qin country, then the Qin country was much better than the Ming Qi because the Qin’s troops were much stronger.

Perhaps it was the Ming Qi’s Imperial family, the Fu family who overly wanted to consolidate the military power in their Fu family and dare not decentralise it. After so many years, there was no outstanding Generals. For example, Shen Xin and Xie Ding, when both of them were not as good as the past, the Ming Qi was unable to find anyone from families with military lineage to replace their positions. Thus in this tribute banquet, Emperor Wen Hui called back Shen Xin in a hurry, lest he lose face in front of the other countries.

Perhaps the Qin country also knew that they were inferior to the Great Liang but was well above the Ming Qi, as when the Qin country"s people were in front of the Ming Qi’s people they would have a sense of superiority. This was an annoying feeling, so when Shen Miao went over to the Qin country in her past life, all the lowly ranked maids in the Qin Palace would look down on her, much less the Qin country’s Imperial family, which did more unspeakable things. Since she was living in the foot of others, they trampled the Ming Qi’s dignity under their feet.

Seeing Princess Ming An at this moment, all the memories of the previous lifetime surfaced up.

“Today BenGong invited you over but originally one thought that you would not dare to come. One did not think that you would actually come over. You do have guts.” Princess Ming An glanced at Shen Miao and her gaze became dark and gloomy. She was wearing a golden silk flower gauzed robes today, and her hairstyle was the best looking on in the Qin country but upon seeing Shen Miao’s lilac cloak and light makeup, it proved to be inferior by comparison.

In fact Princess Ming An was very delicate and beautiful, and even among the females in the Imperial family of the Qin country, there was a special exquisiteness about her. But there were many different things of personality traits, Shen Miao’s appearance was graceful and gentle but her traits were her pair of attractive eyes. The dignified look made her seem that there was no weak or feeble air, as if she was a high ranking female in the Palace for many years, that there was an air of n.o.bility throughout her body.

“Princess is joking.” Shen Miao’s expression did not change, “The Princess is the Ming Qi’s guest so since Shen Miao had the fortune to meet, why would one not keep to the appointment?”

Jing Zhe and Gu Yu stood behind Shen Miao. Mo Qing was obstructed by the guards at the door and Shen Miao did not say anything. As for Princess Ming An’s temperament, Shen Miao knew of it crystal clear. Today, since Princess Ming An sent the invitation, it would be impossible for her to do anything truly dangerous. It would be nothing more than using some means to make things difficult for her, so when Shen Miao came over she was already prepared, and the suffering she endured would not be taken for granted. She will definitely return ten times of what Princess Ming An do today.

“This mouth of your is really very nimble. BenGong of course know that you are very brace, else during the tribute banquet you will not have deliberately humiliate BenGong.” Thinking about the events during the tribute banquet, a hint of killing intent flashed onto Princess Ming An’s eyes. One need to know that she was the most pampered Princess of the Qin country that even in the Imperial family, everyone would be afraid of her. One did not know that after coming to the Ming Qi, which was inferior to the Qin country in everything, she was frightened so much by Shen Miao during the tribute banquet that she fainted. Thinking about the fact that she had no longer any face, Princess Ming An could not wait to kill the person in front. If there was no consideration that this was the Ming Qi’s land and was also warned by HuangFu Hao, Princess Ming An would now take Shen Miao’s life.

She suddenly looked at Shen Miao and laughed, “BenGong see that you have outstanding archery abilities and find that there is no such sister like you in the Qin Palace. Why not one make a request to your Emperor to let you follow BenGong back to the Qin country?”

Shen Miao almost laughed. In the past and present lifetime, this Princess Ming An seemed to still be disagreeable with her, and with these kind of words it was like she had returned to the past lifetime when she was willing to go to the Qin country as a hostage, Princess Ming An also said this to Fu Xiu Yi. She said, “Your Majesty can be rest a.s.sured that since it is the Empress of the Ming Qi, the Qin country would naturally treat her very well, after all she is BenGong’s good sister.”

At the end when in the Qin country, all the humiliation she suffered was not lesser than when one was in the Ming Qi. When Shen Miao returned to the Ming Qi and fought for so long with Mei Furen in the Inner Palace, many things were all thanks to the five years in the Qin country in which she learned to endure silently and live in dormancy.

“If Your Highness have such intentions then do inform His Majesty.” Shen Miao smiled without a care, “If His Majesty agree to it, this official’s daughter will head to the Qin country with Your Highness.”

Princess Ming An wanted to ridicule and pressure Shen Miao but she did not think that Shen Miao would answer back sarcastically. Shen Miao was Shen Xin’s precious daughter so in order for Emperor Wen Hui to keep Shen Xin, he would not touch Shen Miao for the moment. She glared angrily at Shen Miao, “You.”

Shen Miao smiled gently as she looked at her without speaking a single word.

“Do not worry, it would be too wrong for you to just return like this.” Princess Ming An coldly smiled and her eyes became vicious, “Why not you enter my Crown Prince Older Brother"s residence and be a concubine or secondary consort? One believe that the Emperor of the Ming Qi will be very willing.”

Shen Miao’s brows slightly wrinkled. If the Ming Qi want to have good relations.h.i.+p with the Qin country, an alliance marriage was indeed good. If Princess Ming An really could persuade HuangFu Hao and he proposed to marry Shen Miao as a secondary consort, Emperor Wen Hui would agree to it. And to the entire country, even if Shen Xin disagree, there would not be any way to contend against it.

Seeing Shen Miao slightly lost in thoughts, Princess Ming An’s lips turned into a sneer and suddenly glanced to the maid beside Shen Miao. That maid suddenly put her hands out and pushed Shen Miao into the pond.

This push was sudden and fierce, so Shen Miao was caught off guard and she fell into the pond. Jing Zhe and Gu Yu shouted and when they wanted to come over to help, it was too late. Shen Miao could feel the cold air that was splashed onto her clothes but her lips were already ice cold. Princess Ming An’s methods were all like this. Since today she could not truly hurt her, then she would let Shen Miao suffer some difficulties. Even this kind of results were almost expected by Shen Miao.

Shen Miao landed in the water in a ‘putong’ but she knew how to tread water, so even though the water at the beginning of winter is cold, it did not render her immovable. However one heard another ‘putong’ sound shortly. At first she thought that she heard wrongly but when she turned around, she saw that there was splas.h.i.+ng behind her, and that gold colour was none other than Princess Ming An.

Princess Ming An’s shrieks almost pierced one’s eardrums and it seemed that she did not know how to float, she could only shriek, “Someone come. Someone come.”

Princess Ming An’s servants also became frenetic after seeing this sight, and quickly went to look for a bamboo to save her. The guards knew how to tread water but they were all males and Princess Ming An was a blue-blooded n.o.bility. One fear that if one were to touch her, on the second day their heads would roll, thus no one went up to rescue. Moreover the location where Princess Ming An fell into, was truly too far away.

Shen Miao was also pushed into the pond but as she fell by the side of the pond, her location was not far from the edge of the pond. But Princess Ming An actually fell into the middle of the pond, where even bamboo poles could not reach at all.

When Shen Miao saw this amusing scene, she felt that it was somewhat funny. But it was not the time to watch the show from the water. So when everyone was fl.u.s.tered, she leisurely swam towards the sh.o.r.e of the pond.

When she reached the edge of the pond, Jing Zhe and Gu Yi were filled with panic as they pulled her up. Just halfway during their actions, one could hear a shout, “What is going on?”

One could only see two males walking from outside the gardens. One male was clad in gold robes and jade headgear, with a gloomy expression that destroyed a third of his handsome appearance. The other person was clad in a gold purple robe with a black coat and half a sliver mask covering his face. It did not change his handsome and heroic appearance as he unhurriedly followed HuangFu Hao’s steps and headed over.

“Replying Your Highness, the Princess has fallen into the water.” Those servants quickly reported. Seeing the servants running around in disorder, HuangFu Hao took a deep breath before looking over to see Prince Rui’s expression. But Prince Rui was wearing a mask and the lips under the mask were slightly hooked up, but no one could see clearly what was he thinking at the moment.

HuangFu Hao then shouted at the guard behind, “Still do not go quickly?”

That guard stiffened but was also helpless and could only fly towards the pond. Most likely he had some martial arts skills, as he easily fished the soaking wet Princess Ming An to the sh.o.r.e.

Princess Ming An had choked on quite a lot of water, and the first thing she did was scream and point at Shen Miao, “This s.l.u.t pushed me into the water. Crown Prince Older Brother, kill her for me.”

Princess Ming An was utterly furious that she actually said such words in front of everyone. HuangFu Hao was secretly shocked and opened his mouth to stop her, “Ming An.”

Princess Ming An was surprised for a moment, and it was only now she saw that Prince Rui was actually standing by HuangFu Hao’s side. She jumped up in shock but her face was still flushed red in anger. To be such a sorry figure in front of such an elegant man of the generation, if there was a hole on the ground, Princess Ming An would have squeezed into in. And all this was thanks to Shen Miao.

Jing Zhe was unable to hold back and counterattacked for Shen Miao, “Your Highness’s words do not make sense. It was obviously our Young Lady that fell into the water first, so how would one be able to push Your Highness. Our Young Lady is not a G.o.d that have the capabilities of having three heads and six arms.”

“What thing are you to be so daring as to talk like that to BenGong.” Princess Ming An was not angry but laughed instead, “You meant that BenGong is slandering Shen Miao? Someone come and catch this crazy and raved maid for BenGong.”

Shen Miao smiled coldly and blocked Jing Zhe, “Your Highness is from the Qin country while Jing Zhe is my people and this is the Ming Qi. Since when can the Qin people behave atrociously on the Ming Qi’s soil?”

She used the two words ‘behave atrociously’ and it can be said that it was so impolite, that even HuangFu Hao could not help but gave her another look.

“You impudent.” Princess Ming An shouted.

“This official’s daughter does not find oneself impudent.” Shen Miao’s imposing manner was not the slightest weak at all. Now she was not the Empress who suffered in silence in the Qin country. Moreover, if she could not even protect a maid then she would have wasted living in this lifetime. Now that Princess Ming An used her ident.i.ty to behave atrociously, she did not even need to use her brains to deal with her.

This was the Qin country’s residence and Princess Ming An’s servants had long brought a cloak for Princess Ming An to drap over herself. But there was none for Shen Miao, as the lilac cloak was drenched and almost attached to her body, that even if Jing Zhe and Gu Yu used themselves to block, it would still be unsuccessful. HuangFu Hao stared at Shen Miao, which was somewhat presumptuous.