Chapter 449 Return to Beijing (5)

"Prince, you're joking again," the young girl said, her eyebrows furrowed, her expression full of arrogance. "Back then, the Xie family of the Lin'an Marquisate was also lawless, and even now, they're still like dogs that have lost their home. That Xie Jingxing didn't even leave behind a complete corpse. Who knows, the Shen family might be the next Xie family."

The man smiled and did not continue what the woman said.

Elsewhere, someone leaned against the rooftop, their figure partially obscured by the lush evergreens, revealing only the corner of their flowing golden robe. One hand, delicate and powerful, held the teacup before them. A white jade ring rested on the middle finger, making the entire hand resemble a fine jade sculpture. Bringing the teacup to their lips, their gaze followed the shape of their graceful chin. Their thin lips, slightly red and moistened with tea, seemed even more alluring.

He slowly curled the corners of his lips.

…

The house Mo Qing found was across the street from Yanqing Lane. Turning down an alley, it was right in the heart of the bustling southern city, lined with restaurants and shops. The location was excellent. The owner was also very easy to talk to. Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin were both forthright people, and the price offered was fair. That very night, they bought the deed and transferred the house to another owner.

Just as things were settling down, a eunuch from the palace arrived with an imperial decree demanding that Chen Xin appear before the emperor the next day. Emperor Wenhui was so impatient, it was clear the situation was truly critical. After receiving the decree and busily moving things, it was already late. After dinner, everyone went to rest, having finally settled down after such a long journey.

Shen Miao and Luo Tan lived in adjacent courtyards. While the house wasn't as spacious as the general's residence, it was still clean and tidy, with a unique design. Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were a little disappointed that they couldn't train in the courtyard anymore. Luo Xueyan and Luo Tan were very satisfied. Shen Miao had never been one to care about such things, so naturally, she had no objections.

As a result, at night, Luo Tan slipped into Shen Miao's room to talk again.

Luo Tan wrapped in a cloak sat on Shen Miao's couch and said, "Little cousin, I can't sleep. Please talk to me."

“What do you want to say?” Shen Miao asked Jingzhe and the others to leave, and she cut the wick of the oil lamp a little shorter. At this moment, she had no intention of sleeping, so she casually found a book and put it on the table to flip through it, but she didn’t read it seriously.

"I didn't expect Dingjing City to be like this." Luo Tan's tone was unclear, whether it was disappointment or joy. "I grew up in Xiaochun City and thought the outside world was just like Xiaochun City. I didn't expect Dingjing City to be even bigger and more lively than the storytellers described. Little cousin, I'm a little scared."

The lawless eldest daughter of the Luo family would actually have a day when she was afraid. Shen Miao smiled: "What's there to be afraid of?"

"Of course I'm scared being out here all alone. Even though Brother Ling is here with me, this isn't the familiar Little Spring City after all. Little cousin, have you ever been this scared? When your aunt and uncle were in the northwest, leaving you all alone in Dingjing City, were you scared?"

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Shen Miao replied calmly. Staying in the Shen Residence wasn't scary for her, because in her eyes, everyone in the Shen Residence was trustworthy and family. She wasn't afraid without knowing why, like Luo Tan said, because she was afraid of being alone in a foreign land... Wasn't that how it was back in Qin?

Thinking of Qin, Shen Miao's eyes flickered, and she suddenly recalled what the waiter had said today. People from Qin and Daliang had arrived. At this time in her previous life, she had met the Crown Prince of Qin and the people from Daliang while paying tribute. Daliang had already begun to show ambition, and the Mingqi royal family had always been wary of it. To counterbalance Daliang, Mingqi and Qin had been testing each other. Later, when Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, Qin and Mingqi formed an alliance, sending the Queen to Qin as a hostage... The Crown Prince of Qin, Huangfu Hao, was a deeply evil and cruel man. For unknown reasons, he always liked to go against her, and Princess Ming'an was even more arrogant and fearsome. Much of her difficult and humiliating time in Qin was due to these two siblings.