No matter what the East Court did, Shen Miao began to deliberately distance herself from the people of the Second and Third Houses. She no longer clung to Shen Yue and Shen Qing like before. At first, everyone in the Shen Mansion thought she was just being childish and angry about the drowning incident, but when Shen Miao began to act with her own ideas, everyone began to sense that something was amiss.

As always, Nanny Gui urged Shen Miao not to get angry with the East Courtyard, occasionally hinting that Prince Ding was a peerless man in Mingqi. But Shen Miao seemed unwavering in her resolve, berating her harshly whenever Nanny Gui mentioned him, giving her a headache. However, the West Courtyard was now filled with people from the Second and Third Houses, and there were always some unruly servants. Guyu and the others had assumed that Shen Miao, now that she had changed her ways, would definitely tidy up the backyard, but who knew that Shen Miao would simply ignore them?

Shen Miao naturally had her own plans.

These days, she'd been going to Guangwen Hall more and more diligently. Although everyone still looked at her as being at the bottom of the class, she remained unfazed and simply went about her business each day. The more open she was, the more bored people found her, and she actually managed to live a peaceful life.

That morning, after the poetry class ended, Shen Miao felt a tightness in her chest, so she took a casual walk in the garden of Guangwen Hall.

Although Guangwen Hall was a school, it covered a vast area. Because there were three levels: Grade One, Grade Two, and Grade Three, Shen Miao, who was at Grade Two at her age, had unknowingly walked in front of Grade One.

I happened to see a child sitting on the steps wiping his tears.

The child, about eight or nine years old, was pale and plump. Perhaps because he was a little overweight, he looked like a fat ball. He wore a ramie blue jacket with silver thread, small cloth boots, and a round collar around his neck. He looked like a doll from a New Year's picture.

Shen Miao was slightly startled, then walked over and asked softly, “Why are you crying?”

The child probably didn't expect someone to come suddenly, and was so frightened that he fell down the stairs with a "thump". He didn't cry, but sat up with a thud, staring at Shen Miao blankly.

He was white and plump, with a pair of bright eyes, a small tuft of hair on his head, and tear marks on his face, which made him look really adorable. Shen Miao couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The child called out "Sister" in a baby voice.

Shen Miao's heart was melted by this child. In her previous life, she gave birth to Wanyu and Fuming, but she had been a hostage in Qin State until Wanyu and Fuming were five years old. When she returned, both children had already learned to call her "Mother Queen" politely. Shen Miao herself didn't even know what her two children looked like before they were five years old. Although the child in front of her was only eight or nine years old, he looked so innocent that she couldn't help but think of Wanyu and Fuming.

Shen Miao squatted down slightly and touched his head: "Why are you crying?"

"The teacher asked me a question, and when I couldn't answer it, he hit my palm." The child stretched out his hand, revealing his red palm, and said aggrievedly, "It really hurts."

Shen Miao wanted to tease her, so she asked, "What question did the teacher ask you?"

"The teacher asked me to write the four words 'The rabbit dies and the fox mourns', but I can't remember them." The child said with a sad face.

If a child of Guo Yi's age couldn't even memorize a single word, it would be quite unreasonable. Putting aside Shen Miao herself, Fu Ming had already begun to learn how to handle the affairs of the imperial court when this child was this old. Although he was only pretending to communicate, he could still handle it to some extent. Although the young men of the royal family were often precocious, the children who came to Guangwen Hall to study were all children of the nobility and should not have been enlightened so late.

The child still felt his complaints were not enough and continued to whine, "If my father finds out when I get home, he'll definitely scold me again. What's the point of me living? I might as well just run into a wall and die."

Shen Miao was startled by the child's mournful tone, feeling both angry and amused. She wondered whose little darling this was, and wondered where he had learned this operatic way of speaking. She asked, "Whose child are you?"

The child looked at Shen Miao. Shen Miao was only fourteen years old now, and with her childlike appearance, she didn't look much older than the child. But for some reason, she had an indescribable aura, as if she had experienced many storms and waves, and was able to calm people's hearts. Even the child, upon hearing this, could not help but calm down and recount her origins word by word.

"I'm Su Minglang, the second young master of the Pingnan Earl family in the capital. My father is Pingnan Earl Su Yu, and my eldest brother is Pingnan Earl's son Su Mingfeng."

He actually told the whole story of his worth in great detail, like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube.

Shen Miao was stunned. Su family? Pingnanbo?

Whether in this life or the past, the Su and Shen families had no connection. This was because they held opposing political views at court. The Su and Xie families had a good relationship. Pingnan Earl Su Yu and Lin'an Marquis Xie Ding were close brothers. Su Mingfeng and Xie Jingxing had been friends since childhood. How close was their relationship? When Su Mingfeng died, only Xie Jingxing dared to collect his body.

Yes, Su Mingfeng was dead. Or rather, the entire Su family was destroyed. The late emperor uncovered evidence of the Su family's embezzlement and the private sale of military forces. Once military matters were involved, there was no turning back.

The imperial decree came down suddenly and swiftly, without even a trial. The troops were immediately dispatched to confiscate the family's property and execute them on the spot. In broad daylight, the blood of the entire Su family flowed from east to west of Dingjing City.

By the time Xie Jingxing learned the news, it was too late. The entire Su family was wiped out. None of his former friends came forward, and Xie Jingxing had to personally collect the body of the Su master. Afterward, Xie Ding apologized to the late emperor, requesting burial in consideration of the Su family's contributions to Ming Qi.

The late emperor had approved it, and the Xie family was solely responsible for handling the Su family's funeral. Shen Miao remembered it clearly. When Shen Xin came back around the end of the year and learned about this, he was deeply moved.

The Su family was destroyed just two months later. The ignorant child in front of him also died under the cold imperial edict.

Her expression suddenly became a little cold, and there was a hint of fierceness in her eyes.

The child couldn't help but flinch. When Shen Miao looked at the child again, her tone was as gentle as before: "Su Mingfeng? Is he the Su family's heir who has made great contributions recently and is very good at managing the military horses?"

"Yes!" the child answered with his head held high, "Dad said that His Majesty will definitely reward big brother with honors this time."

Shen Miao smiled. She bent down slightly, approached the child, and whispered, "Didn't you say that your father would punish you if he knew you couldn't answer the teacher's questions? I have a way to teach him not to punish you."

"What is it?" the child blinked.

"You have to promise me that you won't let him know that I told you, then I'll tell you."

"Okay." The child thought for a while and nodded.