Edited by Tnyhy

Shortly after Chang Zai Qing left, Shen Xin and entourage returned. Luo Xue Yan told them about Chang Zai Qing’s matter, and Shen Xin was first surprised then lamented. When the Old General Shen was alive, he often mentioned about the loyal and brave Chang Hu, and the Shen family stressed on paying a debt of grat.i.tude, but it was just that after the Old General Shen’s death, that the Chang family moved to the Liu province and there was no news of them for so many years, that one did not know why they suddenly appeared. Shen Xin had also seen Chang Zai Qing before, but at that time Chang Zai Qing was still a girl. Even so, if Chang Zai Qing was in any difficulties, one could give her a hand.

Naturally Chang Zai Qing had difficulties, but it is just that they could not be spoken in front of the younger generation so after the meal, Luo Xue Yan pulled Shen Xin back to their room in a rush, most likely to discuss with him about Chang Zai Qing’s matter.

Shen Qiu was busy these few days about the arrangements of the capital and even Luo Ling, who was just brought into the army, was very busy. When both of them were free they would gather and speak about it. As for Luo Tan, after playing outside for a day she was tired and returned to the room early to rest. In the depth of the night, only the lamps in Shen Miao’s room were brightly lit in the entire Shen residence.

Jing Zhe and Gu Yu were long sent out to sleep by Shen Miao. The two maids saw that Shen Miao had no intention of sleeping, and thought that she was worried about the matter with Princess Ming An in the morning. After everyone had left, Shen Miao rubbed her forehead and did not move as she looked at the book in front of her.

With regards to the matter with Princess Ming An, she was not at all worried. HuangFu Hao had lost all face in front of Xie Jing Xing, and because of that warning to Princess Ming An, for the recent period of time, Princess Ming An would temporarly stop. What bothered her was Chang Zai Qing who came to the Shen residence to visit.

That day when she went to the Feng Xian p.a.w.nshop to probe Ji Yu Shu, she saw a figure on the way back and she was shocked but after she took another look, that figure had disappeared from the crowd. Initially Shen Miao thought that her eyes had blurred but now thinking about it, it was the fact that she saw Chang Zai Qing at that time.

Some things had changed but not sure if some people were destined or not, would still appear at this time.

Shen Xin’s branch, from the beginning of the collapse, other than the military power, the most important thing was the deviation of the people in the residence. Shen Xin was one who would not submitted as a loser and with the bravery he had on the battlefield, he did not fear any problem that arises. But at the end was forced to desperation by Fu Xiu Yi, and a large part of it was not because of Fu Xiu Yi’s pressure.

Because of Shen Qiu’s death that was caused by Jing Chu Chu, and because of Chang Zai Qing’s appearance, Luo Xue Yan lost her life.

It was true that Chang Zai Qing was from the Liu province and in the past lifetime, not long now, Chang Zai Qing also appeared in front of the Shen residence. At that time the Shen residence was not separated and due to Chang Zai Qing’s warmth, magnanimity and ability to carry on conversations, everyone in the Shen residence liked her, including Luo Xue Yan.

Luo Xue Yan was a military commander, and in the entire Shen residence even though on surface it looked amiable, Luo Xue Yan was unable to be close with the sleek Ren Wan Yun and aloof Chen Rou Qiu due to her own personality. It was however when Chang Zai Qing came that not too long later, Luo Xue Yan was very close with her.

Previously Shen Miao felt that Chang Zai Qing was definitely a good person, and at that time she had already married to Fu Xiu Yi. During her few trips back, she saw Chang Zai Qing and liked talking with her. Chang Zai Qing was very clever in her words, when she meet up with Chen Rou Qiu, she would talk to her about poetry, with Luo Xue Yan, she will discuss about military tactics and to Shen Miao, she will chat about how to gain one’s husband’s favour. She was considerate to others and could come out with advice and suggestions, so Shen Miao liked her very much.

Afterwards it came into knowledge that Chang Zai Qing was still not married at the age of twenty-six, because some son of a big household in the Liu province let it be known that he wanted to take her as a concubine. That household had a big business and no one in the Liu province dare to mess with, so no matter how outstanding Chang Zai Qing was, no one dared to propose marriage and offend that household. After so many years, that household"s people did more outrageous things, and Chang Zai Qing had no more alternatives but to come to the Ding capital to look for her father’s old acquaintance for shelter.

Shen Miao was very sympathetic towards Chang Zai Qing’s bitter experiences, and seeing her unable to marry even though she has a pure heart and spirit. One initially thought that Chang Zai Qing would kept on staying in the Shen residence as a guest, until Chen Rou Qiu produced a marriage contract. It was actually a marriage contract between Shen Xin and Chang Zai Qing. Most probably the Old General Shen wrote it with Chang Hu and since it had been so long, no one knew what the situation was, so it could be said as a joke.

But at the end this marriage contract is what changed matters.

One did not know who mentioned that the reason Chang Zai Qing did not marry after so many years, was not only because of the bullying by some big family’s gentleman, but also to remain chaste for Shen Xin.

However Shen Xin had very deep feelings for Luo Xue Yan, so this marriage contract was somewhat awkward.

At that time Chang Zai Qing knelt in front of Luo Xue Yan and said that she did not have any thoughts on Shen Xin, and that marriage contract was the elders’ joke. She had never paid any attention to it, and for the next half of her life she did not want anything but only to live quietly. As for marriage, she had long given up on that idea. If the Shen family find her inconvenient, she could just go and search for a temple and shave her head to be a nun, and would never bother the Shen family.

A perfectly fine Young Lady came over to seek shelter, moreover she was the daughter of a benefactor. How could one let her become a nun at the end? Everyone in the Shen family tried to persuade, especially Chen Rou Qiu and Ren Wan Yun. At the end, somehow Old Shen Furen was the one who actually brought up to let Shen Xin take Chang Zai Qing as a concubine.

Naturally Shen Xin was unwilling, his own inner courtyard was clean so why add another female in? Chang Zai Qing was also not willing but the one who finally agreed was actually Luo Xue Yan.

Luo Xue Yan was one who would not tolerate a grain of sand in her eyes and had the strongest of personality. Initially when she got married to Shen Xin, she requested that Shen Xin would only have her in his inner courtyard. Shen Xin really indeed did it, but she took the initiative to accept Chang Zai Qing for her own husband.

Chang Zai Qing had no alternative but only agree to it. But she said she only has the name of a YiNiang, but would not commit in performing a YiNiang’s obligation. The reason as to why she agreed was just to solve some worries in the future, and would not do anything on normal days.

At that time Shen Miao thought that Chang Zai Qing was really fair and reasonable. How would there be such a good person in the world? To be a YiNiang but not fight for favour and just be content with one’s lot with just a name. In Shen Miao’s own Prince Ding"s residence, those concubines that the officials sent over constantly upset her but looking at Chang Zai Qing, she felt that she was extremely dependable.

So Chang Zai Qing became Shen Xin’s official concubine, but did not have any relations.h.i.+p with Shen Xin and were like siblings instead. The relations.h.i.+p with Luo Xue Yan was exceptionally good. One initially was worried about it but afterwards Shen Miao felt that it was good like this.

And not long after, Luo Xue Yan became pregnant and Chang Zai Qing would take care of her all day long, but one did not know why Luo Xue Yan had a miscarriage in her own courtyard. After the miscarriage, she was depressed all day and soon pa.s.sed away due to illness.

Shen Xin was in utter pain and in a night his hair practically went all white. Upon Luo Xue Yan’s death, Shen Xin seemed to have lost the will to live and rapidly aged. Much later he had no mood to fight battles and when he was schemed by Fu Xiu Yi, he did not have the energy or power to fight back, and even let the Second and Third household exploit.

What Shen Miao hated the most was Chang Zai Qing’s methods. Not mentioning how Luo Xue Yan would miscarriage without any rhyme or reason, but Shen Miao knew that Luo Xue Yan was a female warrior, so how would she succ.u.mb to grief and die in just one night? The one who accompanied and talked Luo Xue Yan all day was only Chang Zai Qing, so the matter must involve Chang Zai Qing.

At that time Shen Xin also send people to investigate, but there were no trails so Chang Zai Qing was seen as innocent. After Luo Xue Yan’s dead, Shen Xin did not marry again and Chang Zai Qing still occupied the name of a YiNiang. It is just that the Shen family’s First household needed a female to manage internally and externally, so naturally Chang Zai Qing did it and became the First household’s Furen in the eyes of the servants. Her gentleness and warmth quickly won over the hearts of the servants, and she had the tolerance of a matriarch.

This was the most scariest thing for Shen Miao.

Chang Zai Qing was very smart. She knew that Shen Xin’s heart could not contain another female, so she did not thought about capturing Shen Xin’s heart. That was why she started off with Luo Xue Yan and cheated her trust, and made Luo Xue Yan view her as her loved one before stubbing severely behind her back. Words could hurt people and for Chang Zai Qing kind of person, as long as she ‘unintentionally’ said some things, perhaps it would give immense pain and suffering to Luo Xue Yan. When Luo Xue Yan was sick and bedridden, one did not know how many ‘consoling’ words had Chang Zai Qing said to push someone to death.

It was of no matter if Shen Xin did not recognise Chang Zai Qing, because what Chang Zai Qing wanted from the beginning was what others see. Once Luo Xue Yan was dead, she was Shen Xin’s only lady, which is Shen Furen and she would be able to live comfortably for the rest of her life. Chang Zai Qing was the most realistic person and would not pursue those unruly feelings.

This was a sober and intelligent female that made one resentful.

If there were no mishaps then perhaps Chang Zai Qing would keep on living as a victim of grievances, and at least Shen Miao would still think that she was a pitiful woman. But paper could not wrap fire, two years after Luo Xue Yan’s death, Chang Zai Qing’s husband and son from the Liu province came knocking.

Yes. It was Chang Zai Qing’s husband and son. A gambling husband and a sickly son. Chang Zai Qing had married early on and at that time both of them were in love, but trouble loomed on the poor married couple. Chang Zai Qing was so proud and arrogant, so how would she tolerate a lifetime of growing peonies in the mud? So she took the money, tossed her husband, abandoned her son and used an excuse to head to the Ding capital.

Her husband had inquired for a long time, before finding out that Chang Zai Qing was in the Ding capital and became Shen Xin’s concubine, so he brought his son and came knocking. Everyone was up in an uproar, Chang Zai Qing always did things so gently and elegantly, but she could even abandon her sickly son. It could be seen that things that looked good on the surface were not what they appear. And with all the lies that were told, it was truly evil and nauseating.

After Chang Zai Qing was taken away, Shen Xin became the joke of the Ding capital. After raising another’s wife for so many years, one did not know if this was considered as wearing a green hat.

Shen Miao closed her eyes.

Events of the past are as transient as a fleeting cloud. She had always been wary that there would be a day where old events would repeat again, and did not expect it would be too late. Chang Zai Qing had appeared and like in the previous lifetime, she quickly made Luo Xue Yan want to keep her close.

With regards of putting on a play, Shen Miao had seen two formidable females. One was Chang Zai Qing, the other was Mei Furen. It was just that Mei Furen was somewhat arrogant and had an unrestrained nature, and Chang Zai Qing was too cautious that she would not let others have a hold on her.

But this lifetime was not the past lifetime, so Shen Miao would not let Chang Zai Qing live well no matter what. But as to how this chess piece was to be used, Shen Miao need to plan it well.

Just as she was thinking, the light from the lamp in the room swayed and suddenly someone spoke by her ear, “Thinking of what?”

Shen Miao was startled and unconsciously leaned back and almost fell. That person grabbed her arm with one hand and supported her back with the other, and only straightened up and retrieved his hands when she was stable.

His face under the light was unbelievably handsome (Translator: You are being unbelievably ridiculous /Ed: thumbs up zaza), as the familiar naughty smile hung on his face while he looked down at her, “So entranced? Thinking of how to repay me?”

“What are you here for?” Now that Shen Miao saw Xie Jing Xing, she could not be bothered to even get angry. But there was a trace of bewilderment in her heart as she had clearly ordered Mo Qing to place additional staff out at the courtyard, and did not expect that Xie Jing Xing would still come here as though this was unmanned. The people around him were actually so powerful. One tiny clue revealed the whole, the Great Liang’s means were indeed overbearing.

Xie Jing Xing’s hooked up to a smile, “I am here to retrieve my clothes.”

In the afternoon over at Princess Ming An’s, Xie Jing Xing took off his black cloak and gave it to Shen Miao, and helped her out of trouble. It was only then Shen Miao remembered, but she saw Xie Jing Xing looking at the ground with profound meaning.

Shen Miao came back in the afternoon in a rush and afterwards hurried up to see Chang Zai Qing, so after changing she went out bringing Jing Zhe and Gu Yu with her. That big black cloak was casually thrown onto the chair, and one did not know when did it slipped off the chair and quietly lay on the floor. It was crumpled up to a ball, looking very appalling.

Xie Jing Xing hugged his chest and coolly said, “You really help yourself.”

The cloak of the Great Liang’s Prince Rui would be in any case worth a lot in gold. To just be thrown so casually aside, much worse than cleaning cloths. In the entire land under the Heavens, only Shen Miao dare to do it. Shen Miao said really frankly, “Your Highness’s cloak is on the floor. Many thanks.” She did not even bother to say more to deal with it. Anyways the Great Liang’s Imperial family was rich and did not lack of this one cloak. Thinking about that Shen Miao glanced at Xie Jing Xing, such an excellent appearance but still changed to new clothes every single day, one did not know how did the Great Liang could afford to raise this wastrel. All the money in the treasury was used to make clothes, could it be that because of that they did not go to war, as they did not have money for funds and provision for the troops?

Xie Jing Xing looked at Shen Miao for a while before speaking with interest, “You are strange today to be so unfathomably angry. Such a big temper.” He raised his brows and said, “It is because of that female by the name of Chang Zai Qing in the residence?”