The Tyrant’s Drama Queen Empress

CHAPTER 30: This Official Gossip Was Too Perfect.

　　When Eunuch A Mu’s head was delivered to the Princess’s Manor, Princess Yuzhen was talking with Xue Mi'er. Princess Yuzhen was always proper and obedient in front of Xie Yuanxun, never stepping out of line. After seeing so many brothers and sisters executed by him, she became even more disciplined.

　　Xue Mi'er said, “Aunt, cousin’s concubines in the back garden are causing trouble again. They fight over everything, no manners at all. Aren’t you going to manage them?”

　　Princess Yuzhen shook her head. “They’re not causing trouble, it’s just sisterly play. Mi'er, don’t always keep your eyes on Yunshi’s backyard.”

　　Xue Mi'er panicked. Of course she had to watch—it’s not like she wasn’t going to marry him.

　　Princess Yuzhen pulled out some information about unmarried sons of dukes and officials in the Capital. “Look, I picked these suitors for you. You’re grown now, so it’s time to think about marriage. If anyone catches your eye, tell me. You’ve been by my side since you were little, so I couldn’t bear to let you marry off too early.”

　　Xue Mi'er stomped her foot. “Aunt, I don’t want to marry anyone else. I want to stay by your side. Since you can’t bear to part with me anyway, why not let me marry cousin? We grew up together, and I love him deeply. Please, let us be together.”

　　Princess Yuzhen’s smile faded. “Don’t ever say that again. I never intended for Yunshi to marry you. Mi'er, I treat you as a daughter, and Yunshi sees you as a little sister.”

　　Xue Mi'er froze. It was the first time Princess Yuzhen had been so blunt, telling her she could never be Xue Yunshi’s wife. “But I remember… when I was sent to you, you said cousin and I were a perfect match…”

　　Princess Yuzhen said, “That was when you were little and crying. I was just comforting you. How could you take it seriously, Mi'er? I only want what’s best for you.”

　　Tears in her eyes, Xue Mi'er ran from the room, shouting sadly, “Aunt, I don’t believe you! You’re lying! I’m going to find uncle!”

　　As Xue Mi'er ran off, Princess Yuzhen’s lips moved, wanting to call her back, but Nanny Su stopped her.

　　“Princess, think of the young Marquis. You and the prince consort share a deep bond, and all these years, the young Marquis has been your only heir. If you wish for him to rise to fame and fortune, you cannot allow this marriage to become his burden.”

　　Xue Mi’er was sweet and adept at charming elders, but the Xue family itself held little power. Were it not for Princess Yuzhen having taken a prince consort from that family, they would have remained an ordinary household. Even now, the highest-ranking official in the Xue family was only of the fourth rank, not even upper fourth rank.

　　Princess Yuzhen asked, “Will the prince consort blame me? He once said he wanted Mi'er to marry Yunshi, and I didn't object. But why does Yunshi resist so much? He insists his wife must be someone else, not Mi'er.”

　　Nanny Su said, “He won’t blame you. He’s simply blinded by family affection. The Xue family has already achieved great honor. If the young Marquis were to marry someone from the Xue family, outsiders might accuse him of favoring his maternal family. And I’ve heard that the young Marquis has formed a strong connection with Miss Song, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Fuguo, whom he only met recently.”

　　Princess Yuzhen’s eyes widened. “The Duke of Fuguo family has military power. Yunshi mustn’t get involved. He already has a title, more than most. Why risk swords and battles when marrying a cultured young lady would be safer?” She also had deeper concerns. If Xie Yuanxun found out Xue Yunshi was getting involved with Miss Song of the Duke of Fuguo family, the Princess’s household might be misjudged politically. A Princess married out and a prince consort cannot participate in politics; even their children would hold only ceremonial titles. Xue Yunshi’s Marquisate could only pass in his generation.

　　Nanny Su hesitated. Could Xue Yunshi really want to marry a girl skilled in martial arts? But before, Xue Yunshi preferred women who were skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

　　Princess Yuzhen exclaimed, “No wonder Yunshi wanted me to stop Mi'er and even hoped she would give up on him. He’s paving the way for his future wife. No, I have to find him, get to the bottom of this, and see what he's really thinking!”

　　A maid entered, excitedly announcing. “Princess, someone from the Palace has come, bringing His Majesty’s gift.”

　　Princess Yuzhen froze. “A gift?” Did she hear that right? Xie Yuanxun would give a gift for no reason?

　　“The people have already arrived in the main hall, they’re just waiting for you, Princess,” the maid said.

　　Princess Yuzhen took a deep breath. “Go and make sure the servants treats them properly. I’ll be there after I change my clothes.”

　　“Yes, Princess.”

　　With a serious expression, Princess Yuzhen entered the main hall. The moment she saw the visitors, her heart skipped a beat. They were indeed palace officials, and the one leading them was a eunuch.

　　“Princess, you’re here.” The eunuch stepped aside, and the eunuch behind him holding a box stepped forward. “His Majesty sent this with instructions that you open it yourself, please.”

　　Princess Yuzhen asked, “What’s inside?”

　　The eunuch didn’t answer, only gestured politely for her to take it.

　　Princess Yuzhen had no choice but to step forward and open the box. She froze when her eyes met the horrifying sight inside. The human head stared back at her, and she staggered backward, letting out a terrified scream. “Ah!”

　　Seeing her about to faint, Nanny Su hurriedly supported her. Princess Yuzhen turned her face away, unwilling to look at the box any longer. The bloody scene had already been imprinted on her mind.

　　The eunuch said, “Princess, it’s good you didn’t faint. You may now step forward and receive it as thanks.”

　　Princess Yuzhen said, “Nanny Su, you go ahead.”

　　The eunuch shook his head. “No, His Majesty said you must come personally.” He emphasized the word “personally.”

　　Trembling, Princess Yuzhen lifted the box. “Th-thank you, Your Majesty.”

　　Once the palace officials had left, she fumbled and dropped the box to the ground. “What… what is this? Why is it for me? Nanny Su, do you know who this is?”

　　Nanny Su, hiding her fear, carefully examined the head. “Princess, this is Xiao Muzi. He used to serve in Yu Taifei’s palace. You even saved his life once.”

　　Princess Yuzhen frowned. “I don’t remember… never mind. He wasn’t important anyway. But why would His Majesty send his head here?”

　　Nanny Su leaned close and whispered, “Princess, I just remembered… in the past, the young Marquis asked you for a list of people you had shown favor to in the Palace. Could it be that the young Marquis did something with them, maybe used them to spy on His Majesty’s movements…”

　　“Shut up!” Princess Yuzhen snapped.

　　Nanny Su immediately knelt. “Now is not the time to be angry, Princess. You should ask the young Marquis directly. Maybe he’s been misled by someone.”

　　Princess Yuzhen closed her eyes. “Go and bring Yunshi here.”

　　“Yes, Princess.”

　　When Nanny Su found Xue Yunshi, he was in the study, painting a portrait of Miss Song Qiaochu, the daughter of the Duke of Fuguo. He planned to finish it and personally deliver it to her.

　　Hearing that Princess Yuzhen wanted to see him, Xue Yunshi asked, “Nanny Su, do you know why Mother wants me?”

　　Nanny Su replied, “You’ll know when you go.”

　　Xue Yunshi raised an eyebrow. “Could it be something good?”

　　Nanny Su hesitated but finally said, “It’s palace business.”

　　He paused, then nodded. “Alright, I’ll go.”

　　When he arrived at the main hall, his eyes immediately fell on the box on the floor. Princess Yuzhen kept her distance as if it were a wild tiger. Xue Yunshi walked over, picked it up, and opened it. His pupils constricted. It was a human head.

　　Princess Yuzhen demanded, “Yunshi, did you have something to do with this?”

　　Xue Yunshi shook his head. “You’re overthinking. What could I possibly do outside the Palace?”

　　She slammed her hand on the table. “Then why did His Majesty send the head to the Princess’s Manor! You…” She had Nanny Su guard the room, then glared at Xue Yunshi. “You’re my child with the prince consort. We gave you the title of Marquis when you were young. Except that you cannot enter the Court, what more could you be dissatisfied with? You’ve contacted people I left behind in the Palace, and you’re involved with the Duke of Fuguo’s daughter. Yunshi, what exactly are you trying to do?”

　　Xue Yunshi lowered his gaze, fiddling with the jade ornament at his waist. Slowly, he said, “What I resent most is that I cannot serve in the Court. Just because I’m the Princess’s son, my talents are left useless. Why should I, Mother, spend my life being mediocre?” His voice softened, drifting almost like a whisper. “If I gain power, then when His Majesty turns against us, he won’t be able to kill us as easily as he did other royals. Haven’t there been enough of the Emperor’s cousins and aunts who suffered already?”

　　“Mother, I only want to protect our lives,” he said, locking eyes with her.

　　Princess Yuzhen’s expression grew serious. “You’re not lying to me?”

　　“No.” His words were true, though he was hiding part of the truth. Saving their lives was genuine, but he also had other plans.

　　Princess Yuzhen sighed. “Yunshi, the prince consort and his children cannot participate in Court affairs. This has been the law since the founding of our dynasty. The previous dynasty fell because prince consorts and their children interfered in Court, their ambitions threatening the throne. Because children born to prince consorts and princesses have royal blood, the law exists to prevent such disasters.”

　　Xue Yunshi’s eyes were dark and unfathomable. The current Emperor was cruel and bloodthirsty, merciless as a ruler, his moods swinging wildly. If prince consorts and their children rebelled in the previous dynasty, it was because the Emperor indulged himself recklessly. Their coups were justified for the sake of the state. If they could act, why couldn’t he follow the example?

　　But Princess Yuzhen and his father were too cautious. Xue Yunshi had not revealed the deeper plans hidden in his heart. They assumed he only wanted to enter Court to use his talents.

　　And that so-called law? Has His Majesty ever truly followed it when it comes to killing royal family members?

　　Princess Yuzhen said thoughtfully, “So you want to marry the Duke of Fuguo’s legitimate daughter just for an extra layer of protection. By marrying into a loyal family guarding the Capital, you’re signaling loyalty to His Majesty. That’s a clever strategy.”

　　Xue Yunshi nodded. “Exactly.” Marrying Song Qiaochu was only part of it; the deeper goal was to gradually bring the Duke of Fuguo’s family under his influence.

　　Before leaving, Xue Yunshi personally took care of disposing of the head from the box.

　　......

　　Xue Yunshi had been invited to meet with Shen Jinxiu and the others at a villa called Shanyahai. By the time he arrived, the young talents were already composing poems and essays.

　　Shanyahai was Xue Yunshi’s domain. The villa held an impressive library, and literati often came to visit. Xue Yunshi always told outsiders that this place was for sharing books, not for networking or recruiting talent.

　　He reached the pavilion, and soon Shen Jinxiu approached.

　　“Marquis, why did you come alone?” Shen Jinxiu asked. “You seem troubled. Has something happened?”

　　Xue Yunshi glanced at him. He and Shen Jinxiu had met by chance at a hunting ground outside the City. Xue Yunshi had been aiming at a fox when Shen Jinxiu’s arrow struck it first. At first, Xue Yunshi was annoyed, but Shen Jinxiu came to apologize. While talking, Xue Yunshi realized Shen Jinxiu had both literary talent and strategic insight, cautious yet bold. From then on, he had kept an eye on him.

　　But thinking of Shen Ling in the Palace, Xue Yunshi felt a pang of loss. His attitude toward Shen Jinxiu, as a senior brother figure, was inevitably a little off. If he weren’t careful, he might have taken his frustration out on Shen Jinxiu. After all, whether in Court or in the Palace, Xue Yunshi had spent considerable effort to secure allies. When palace spies like eunuch A Mu were killed, he felt little pain. What truly pained him were the officials who had been demoted or executed by Xie Yuanxun.

　　Xue Yunshi masked his complicated thoughts and spoke, “I heard there have been more deaths in the Palace, and this time, quite a few. Even Jing Fēi, the daughter of Prime Minister Yang, has been affected. Jinxiu, it seems that your sister will truly be all-powerful from now on.”

　　Shen Jinxiu’s face fell. “It’s our fault. We failed to properly guide her in advising His Majesty. Even if those who were killed were just servants, His Majesty’s actions still go against the natural order.”

　　Xue Yunshi asked, “Do you really think that?”

　　Shen Jinxiu nodded. “People see that the Bao Fei in the Palace came from our Shen family and think we’ve landed in luck. But only we know how cautious we’ve been. The more she’s favored, the more we worry she won’t guide His Majesty wisely, and instead follow him recklessly.”

　　He shook his head with a wry, helpless smile.

　　“Take this recent massacre, for example,” Shen Jinxiu continued. “She didn’t restrain him. His Majesty is the Emperor, and they are his people. Over time, I fear she might sway him to neglect state affairs. If that happens, how could my father and I face the Court or the people?”

　　Xue Yunshi narrowed his eyes.

　　He realized he seemed to have made a mistake. He shouldn't have tried to upset Shen Ling. He should do as Shen Jinxiu suggested: let her be fully favored, maybe even sway Xie Yuanxun into neglecting governance.

　　As for Shen Jinxiu’s worries, Xue Yunshi trusted that with Shen Ling at the forefront drawing all the fire, any display of his own ambition would bring Shen Jinxiu on board. Though he couldn’t hold office, as a Marquis with a solid reputation in the royal family, he could protect the Shen household and its influence. If he separated Shen Ling and the Shen family strategically, outsiders wouldn’t dare interfere too much.

　　As Xue Yunshi pondered, Shen Jinxiu spoke again. “Marquis, I’m an outsider. Without imperial orders, I can't see her again. Please, if you and your mother have the chance, tell her my father and I never expected her to serve the family. Ask her to serve His Majesty obediently, be a virtuous consort, and never let the Emperor act recklessly.”

　　Xue Yunshi replied calmly, “I’ll tell her when the opportunity arises.”

　　Shen Jinxiu let out a relieved breath. Looking at Xue Yunshi, he thought honestly that the Marquis had grace in his dealings and treated people kindly. Being around him was easy, unlike the pressure he felt in Xie Yuanxun’s presence.

　　Shen Jinxiu sighed. “Marquis, your talents are wasted in these times.”

　　Xue Yunshi said, “With the ancestral laws in place, what can I do even if time does not wait?”

　　Shen Jinxiu frowned. “Then why not petition His Majesty to allow you to participate in governance?”

　　Xue Yunshi chuckled. “And risk a repeat of the chaos at the end of the previous dynasty?”

　　Shen Jinxiu’s expression turned serious. “The previous dynasty didn’t fall because of the prince consorts alone. It was the Emperor’s cruelty, corrupt officials, and impoverished people that caused its ruin. In my view, the prince consorts actually prolonged the dynasty, preventing it from collapsing faster. But that’s just my personal opinion. Listen if you will, Marquis.”

　　Xue Yunshi smiled. “Coincidentally, I think the same way.”

　　Shen Jinxiu looked up sharply.

　　Xue Yunshi’s smile deepened. “The current situation mirrors that time closely. Only now, there’s no prince consort capable of turning the tide.”

　　Shen Jinxiu seemed to guess what he meant.

　　Xue Yunshi said, “Jinxiu, you’re a rare young talent, virtuous and capable. I trust that, like me, you see injustices in the Court. If I truly set out to achieve greatness, would you come to help me?”

　　Shen Jinxiu’s heart surged. He bowed deeply. “To aid the Marquis is my honor. Command me, and I dare not refuse.”

　　After leaving Shanyahai and boarding his carriage, Shen Jinxiu understood that Xue Yunshi had truly included him in his sphere of influence.

　　He didn’t see Xue Yunshi’s ambition as reckless. On the contrary, he admired that the Marquis dared to nurture a power capable of challenging authority.

　　Not for anything else, Shen Jinxiu wanted to make his mark under Xue Yunshi’s wing, to rise on his own merit rather than riding on the fame of Shen Ling’s brother.

　　His father, Shen Kangzheng, was more than happy to enjoy the benefits brought by Shen Ling, but Shen Jinxiu refused to settle for that.

　　In a way, Shen Jinxiu’s situation mirrored Xue Yunshi’s. Xue Yunshi couldn’t hold office and was suppressed by Xie Yuanxun. Shen Jinxiu’s own talents were similarly overshadowed by the spotlight on Shen Ling as the Bao Fei. People didn’t see him as Shen Jinxiu; they only saw him as the Bao Fei’s brother. For someone proud and ambitious, that was unbearable.

　　Back at the Shen Manor, Shen Jinxiu first went to Shen Xi’s courtyard. “Xi’er, Xi’er?”

　　He frowned. Why wasn’t she responding? Had she left the house? He asked the maids, “Where’s the young miss?”

　　“She’s in her room, Young Master,” one replied.

　　Shen Jinxiu didn’t rush in. Shen Xi only ignored him when she was upset or sad. Ever since they were children, whenever she acted this way, he had to coax her. If he didn’t, he couldn’t bear the thought of her sulking alone.

　　“What’s happened to Xi’er?” he asked.

　　The maid’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “A proposal came from the Marquis’s Manor. I heard it’s from the Nanling Marquis family, for their legitimate second son. Madam was very pleased to hear it.”

　　Shen Jinxiu pushed past the maid and strode into Shen Xi’s room. Looking around, he didn’t see her at first. Then his gaze landed on the bed, where a lump was clearly hiding beneath the covers. He smiled to himself. Shen Xi hadn’t changed—whenever she wanted a moment alone, she’d hide under the blanket.

　　He came to the bed. A muffled voice protested, “Go away.”

　　“It’s me, Xi’er,” he said softly.

　　Shen Xi lifted the blanket, her eyes red, and threw herself into Shen Jinxiu’s arms. “Mother says I have to marry into the Nanling Marquis household. She says it’s a good match.”

　　Shen Jinxiu held her tightly. “And do you agree?”

　　She glanced at him, then looked down. “Parental command, matchmaker’s words.” Her voice carried a faint melancholy. “As a child, even if my heart thinks otherwise, can I truly disobey?”

　　“I’m afraid we won’t see each other like this again. But you must take care of yourself, and let Mother find you a virtuous wife.”

　　“Xi’er, tell me—do you care about me? Do you not want to be apart from me?”

　　She answered slowly, “I don’t want to. I’ve heard the legitimate second son of the Nanling Marquis household is reckless, taking many women in his harem. The person I want to marry is someone like Father or someone who shares his background.” She gave him a shy smile.

　　Shen Xi hadn’t been blinded by the name or prestige of the Nanling Marquis.

　　Even if the Nanling Marquis household didn’t mention Shen Ling, Shen Xi knew that the reason they sent a matchmaker was mostly because of Shen Ling’s status. Shen Xi prided herself on not being inferior to Shen Ling. Back when Shen Ling had just returned to the Shen Manor, Shen Xi had always tried to outshine her. Now, having to rely on Shen Ling’s light for this match was the most frustrating thing she could imagine.  

　　Even though Madam Jiang had once mentioned in front of her that she planned to use Shen Ling’s name to arrange a marriage for her, Shen Xi agreed verbally, but in her heart, she did not take it seriously at all.

　　Besides, no matter how unwilling she was to admit it, Shen Xi had to face the truth. The fact that she was not Madam Jiang’s biological daughter had affected her far more than she wanted to acknowledge.

　　Her status had changed from a biological daughter to an adopted one. It was true that she could still marry into a prestigious household like the Marquis of Nanling’s Manor. But once a woman married into her husband’s family, it was not easy for her to return to her natal home. The only natal family Shen Xi recognized was the Shen Manor. Right now, she was still by Madam Jiang’s side, and she was confident she could coax her well enough to make Madam Jiang value her more than Shen Ling. But once she married, if Madam Jiang’s attitude toward her and Shen Ling changed, if she slowly stopped favoring her the way she did now, would Shen Xi’s days in her husband’s household still be easy?

　　People always change.

　　What was Shen Kangzheng’s attitude toward Shen Ling in the past, and what was it like now? As long as the benefits Shen Ling brought were great enough, even dislike could turn into fondness.

　　After all, Shen Xi was not truly of the Shen family bloodline.

　　So her best choice was to marry Shen Jinxiu.

　　Yes, Shen Jinxiu was not a Marquis’s son and had no title to inherit, but he was still the best husband Shen Xi could imagine.

　　If she married Shen Jinxiu, she would not have to leave the Shen Manor. She would not need to worry about Madam Jiang’s attitude changing either. And she could not bear the thought of Shen Jinxiu marrying another woman.

　　That was why, when Shen Xi sensed Shen Jinxiu’s different treatment of her, that unmistakable look a man gave a woman, she quietly deepened the bond between them.

　　Now that the Marquis of Nanling’s Manor had come to propose marriage, it was the perfect opportunity for Shen Xi to expose the ambiguous relationship between herself and Shen Jinxiu.

　　Shen Jinxiu curled his lips slightly. “If you don’t want to marry, then don’t. I’ll go talk to Mother about it.”

　　Shen Xi said softly, “Then what if another matchmaker comes to the house next time? What should I do?”

　　“I won’t allow it,” Shen Jinxiu said.

　　Shen Xi leaned her head against his chest and whispered, “Why won’t you allow it? You’re just my brother. You might be able to stop it once, but can you stop it forever? What reason would you even use?”

　　Shen Jinxiu pulled her into his arms. “I’m no longer your brother, Xi’er.”

　　Shen Xi pressed her lips together. She had already given him such a perfect opening, so why could he not simply go along with her and say he would marry her?

　　She immediately stepped out of his embrace, turned her back to him, and said coldly, “You should leave. Don’t come into my boudoir again in the future. You said it yourself, you’re not my brother anymore, which means you’re a man. From now on, I’ll keep my distance from you, wuwu.” Shen Xi covered her mouth with a handkerchief, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes.

　　From Shen Jinxiu’s angle, he could clearly see the tears on her face. His heart ached as he reached out to wipe them away. “Xi’er, saying things like that, aren’t you hurting my heart? The way I treat you, can’t you feel it at all?”

　　Shen Xi seemed too heartbroken to speak, sobbing softly. “Wuwuwu……” What she wanted to hear was his promise to marry her.

　　Shen Jinxiu cupped her face and gently kissed her forehead. “Xi’er, I will marry you and make you my wife.” Compared to other women, he truly treated Shen Xi differently. Since she was so hurt, he might as well speak his feelings aloud. That way, she could finally feel at ease.    

　　Shen Xi felt a rush of joy, but she was still sniffling and pretending to resist. “No, we can’t do this. Father and Mother would never agree. They’ve always had high expectations for you and wanted you to marry a noble lady. Even though I’m happy to hear you say you want to marry me, I can’t be this selfish.”

　　Shen Jinxiu held her shoulders. “You’re not selfish. The selfish one is me. I want to marry you. I’ll deal with Father and Mother and make them agree.”

　　Tears glistened in Shen Xi’s eyes, but a smile spread across her face. The sight made Shen Jinxiu unable to resist holding her close again.

　　This time, Shen Xi truly felt at ease.

　　After leaving Shen Xi, Shen Jinxiu went to Madam Jiang’s courtyard. Soon enough, the sound of something crashing to the ground and breaking echoed through the hall.

　　Madam Jiang’s voice trembled in disbelief. “What did you just say? You want to marry Xi’er?!”

　　Shen Jinxiu replied calmly, “Yes, Mother. I hope you can agree. And please, don’t arrange any more marriage proposals for Xi’er in the future.”

　　Madam Jiang’s anger flared. “Nonsense! You’re her brother! Are you trying to create a scandal? Tell me the truth—is it her who seduced you?!”

　　Shen Jinxiu frowned. “We’re not related by blood. How is that a scandal? I want to marry her. Xi’er is a good girl. Do you really not know what kind of person she is? How can you use a word like ‘seduce’? If Xi’er heard you, she’d be hurt. She has always treated you with respect.”

　　Madam Jiang’s voice turned cold. “I will not allow it. Don’t ever bring this up again. I will find her a good match, and you will have a noble wife as well—not someone of lowly, commoner blood like her. Do you even understand the difference here? I let her stay in the Shen Manor all these years to preserve our bond, thinking I could find her a proper future. If I had known she had designs on you, I would never have kept her here!”

　　Shen Jinxiu was Madam Jiang’s most favored son. Whenever she spoke of her children to other wives and colleagues, Shen Jinxiu’s talents brought her endless praise. Shen Xi could never match his status in Madam Jiang’s eyes. Between Shen Xi and Shen Ling, Madam Jiang had chosen Shen Xi. But between Shen Xi and Shen Jinxiu, her choice was obvious—Shen Jinxiu came first.

　　Shen Jinxiu was stunned. “Mother, how can you say such cruel things?”

　　Madam Jiang’s voice was sharp. “Jinxiu! How dare you question me! Now I understand why, when the matchmakers from the Marquis of Nanling came, Xi’er didn’t look happy. She had her eyes on you all along.” Wasn't she good enough to Shen Xi?

　　Shen Jinxiu had expected some opposition from Madam Jiang, but he hadn’t anticipated such extreme resistance. It was as if she suddenly hated Shen Xi.

　　He couldn’t imagine how heartbroken Shen Xi would be if she saw her mother like this.

　　He said firmly, “Mother, I will only marry her. If you truly care for me, you will agree. Otherwise, I would rather never marry or have children. Don’t make things difficult for Xi’er. If anyone should be blamed, blame me—I was the first to harbor feelings for her.”

　　Madam Jiang sneered. “Flies don’t land on a sealed egg.” In that moment, she seemed to lift the filter she had long kept over Shen Xi. She recalled so many things. How had her dissatisfaction with Shen Ling grown over time? Oh, it seemed Shen Xi had been subtly stirring the pot all along. Clever as she was, she had unknowingly become a knife in Shen Xi’s hands.

　　No matter what, she would never allow Shen Xi to marry Shen Jinxiu.

　　Madam Jiang stared deeply at Shen Jinxiu, knowing her son would not change his mind once he made a decision. If she went head-on against him, she would only push him faster into Shen Xi’s arms. She needed to think carefully and find a roundabout way to handle the situation. She didn’t want to harm the jade vase while trying to swat a mouse.

　　Shen Xi was the mouse, and Shen Jinxiu was naturally the jade vase.

　　Elsewhere, Shen Xi’s personal maid, Caixia, whispered, “Miss, if you go and reveal your feelings for Young Master now, then let him go to Madam Jiang, aren’t you afraid she’ll be angry?”

　　Shen Xi replied calmly, “I’m afraid, but no matter how afraid I am, I still have to do it.”

　　Her gaze drifted toward Madam Jiang’s courtyard. She said softly, “She won’t be angry at Jinxiu. Her anger will be directed at me. For a while, I’ll have to bear the consequences.”

　　Madam Jiang knew Shen Xi well, and Shen Xi understood Madam Jiang just as clearly.

　　Shen Xi continued, “Be smart in the future. If you see her being harsh with me, go and fetch Shen Jinxiu.” She was wary of Madam Jiang striking too harshly. Madam Jiang wouldn’t outright poison her, because if Shen Xi died, it would create a rift between Shen Jinxiu and Madam Jiang—and Madam Jiang wasn’t the type to do something that would backfire. And Shen Jinxiu was not someone who would allow harm to come to those under his protection. This wasn’t about love; it was about a man’s pride.

　　Still, Madam Jiang’s subtle and indirect schemes against her wouldn’t be few. Shen Xi had seen enough of how she’d dealt with Shen Kangzheng’s concubines and maids, forcing them to beg for mercy without even a word to speak.

　　Shen Xi thought bitterly: Mother, I’m not trying to go against you. You’re forcing my hand. Don’t think I don’t know that you’ve already met with the Marchioness of Nanling in secret. You want to raise the prestige of the Shen Manor by marrying me off to that awful Marquis’s son. His status may be high, but he’s just a son taken from a concubine and raised under the Marchioness. Not to mention he’s a drunken fool who only knows how to wander brothels. If I don’t resist, you’ll ruin me. So it’s you who wronged me first. And if you truly cared about me, you’d let Jinxiu marry me—there is no one better in this entire Capital.

　　Shen Xi avoided thinking about her fear of losing the Shen family’s favor. If she had even a trace of Shen Kangzheng’s blood—concubine-born or not—she wouldn’t have refused the Nanling Marquis’s marriage proposal.

　　But the reality was she didn’t. That meant she had to hold onto Shen Jinxiu tightly. She would not compromise. Unlike Shen Ling, who entered the Palace, Shen Xi was jealous of the favor Shen Ling received, but she feared death. With Xie Yuanxun’s cruel and unpredictable reputation, Shen Xi knew her safest, most advantageous choice was to marry Shen Jinxiu.

　　......

　　Chang Le Palace. After Liu Zhu finished reporting on the sales of the newspaper she had prepared, Shen Ling’s expression was heavy. She rested her chin on her crossed hands and muttered to herself, “Why aren’t people buying it?”

　　After Shen Ling printed the newspapers, she did not rush to sell them outside the Palace. Instead, she used the inner palace as a trial, wanting to see how the sales would go. But the results were terrible. Almost no one bought them. They were not officially banned by Xie Yuanxun, yet not a single person showed any interest. Why?

　　Isn’t gossip supposed to be something everyone loves?

　　Shen Ling asked, “Liu Zhu, what do you think is the reason?”

　　Liu Zhu thought for a moment before replying, “Your Grace, I think they’re too afraid to read them. Everyone in the Palace fears that if they know too much, they might end up dead for no reason.”

　　Shen Ling nodded, agreeing. That made sense. She herself feared that if she learned too much about Xie Yuanxun’s affairs, she could get caught up in it and be done for, though by now she already knew far more than she should.

　　She reflected, “I didn’t think this through.” Even in the Palace, the trial had failed. Outside, it would sell even worse. Maybe palace gossip isn’t something she can handle. But what about gossip outside the Palace?

　　“Mmm, that could work,” Shen Ling said. Then a key thought struck her: she couldn’t leave the Palace. So where would the material come from?

　　“What could possibly work?” Xie Yuanxun’s calm voice interrupted as he walked in. He glanced at the stack of unsold newspapers on the floor. The failure didn’t surprise him at all—he’d known it would turn out this way.

　　Shen Ling blushed. Her ambitious plan for a career had flopped before it even started.

　　She mumbled vaguely, “It’s nothing. I’m just thinking of approaching the newspaper from a different angle.” She couldn’t exactly admit that her career was failing and the papers weren’t selling. Of course not. She still had pride. But if he figured it out himself, well, that was his problem.

　　Xie Yuanxun handed her two dossiers.

　　Shen Ling opened them and immediately froze. The contents were insane—fighting over inheritances, secret pregnancies, poisoning relatives, uncles and sisters-in-law entangled together, scandalous group affairs… Shen Ling felt like her eyes were going to pop out.

　　She looked at him in mock pity, “Your Majesty, so this is what you’ve been reading all this time? You’ve been working so hard.”

　　“……”

　　Xie Yuanxun tapped her head with his hand. “These are confidential reports delivered by the Shadow Guards. Weren’t you looking to make a newspaper to stir up gossip? There’s more than enough here for you to use.”

　　“People in the Palace are too scared to read about palace affairs. But officials’ scandals? There will be plenty of people eager to read those.”

　　Shen Ling clutched her mouth, trying not to let her tears fall.

　　This official gossip was too perfect.

________________

Glossary:

🏡 Manor → the physical place. The residence, estate, buildings.

Think: walls, courtyards, rooms, gates.

🏡 Household → the people + internal structure. Family members, concubines, servants, management.

Think: hierarchy, rules, inner affairs.  

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