"Miss." Gǔ Yǔ and Jīng Zhān were somewhat on guard in front of Shen Miào, loudly shouting was a bit too impolite, besides this young man's brocade clothes and noble appearance made people suspect his identity. But after all he was a stranger, Gǔ Yǔ and Jīng Zhān feared something unexpected might happen.

  "Gu Yu, Jing Zhen, you are guarding at Lin Kou." Shen Miao said.

  "But miss..." The two of them hesitated a little.

  "Go." Shen Miao slightly furrowed her brow. She didn't know why, but she was very good at giving orders. Every time she commanded the maids to do something, she would have an inexplicable air of authority that made people dare not refute her.

  Jingzhen and Guyu had no choice but to retreat to Linkou.

  "You're quite interesting." Xie Jinghang leaned against the tree trunk, watching her with a hint of amusement. Clearly a young master from a noble family, his gaze was as sharp as a blade on the battlefield, and his calm tone carried a chilling intent. He must have seen bloodshed on the battlefield.

  "What does Young Master Xie want to say?" Shen Miao asked. Xie Jing suddenly appeared, and naturally wouldn't be here for idle chatter. Although this person was young, he acted with great determination, and since even Old Master Hou couldn't control him, he became even more reckless in his actions, making it impossible for others to grasp his intentions.

  "The Yuqin Prince's mansion is still missing a princess, and that cripple seems to have taken a liking to you. I suppose congratulations are in order." His tone was unclear. However, referring to the Yuqin Prince as "cripple" was extremely bold, but when said by Xie Jingxing, it carried a hint of disdain and mockery, as if the Yuqin Prince was nothing more than a filthy plaything.

  This person has quite an arrogant attitude.

  Shen Miao was deep in thought, but her face didn't show it. She had forgotten that this calm demeanor might mean something to the other person. Xie Jinghang suddenly took a step forward, his tall stature casting Shen Miao entirely in his shadow. The youth in purple leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "You've known all along, haven't you?"

  The young man's sleeves carried the fragrance of cold bamboo, his voice deliberately lowered, with a hint of ambiguity and magnetism. This movement was also ambiguous, Shen Miao raised her eyes, that handsome face was right in front of her, and the corners of his lips slightly curled up, adding a few points of omniscient evil charm to his smile.

  But she wasn't a real Doukaku girl after all, and she just slightly lowered her eyelids, saying: "I know how, but what if I don't?"

  Xie Jinghang saw that she was unmoved, and too lazy to put on a charming young master's facade, he pushed her away without any tenderness, holding up a letter: "You know but don't care about your own affairs, yet you worry about the Second Young Master of the Capital's History?"

  Shen Miao's eyes suddenly moved, and she stared at him tightly, her tone involuntarily carrying a few hints of viciousness: "Is Lord Xie meddling too much in other people's business?"

  "A piece of paper, you're so tense." Xie Jinghang returned to his usual nonchalant demeanor: "What kind of relationship do you have with Jingdian Shi's second son that you'd help him like this? Or... Shen family's young lady, what are you planning?"

  Shen Miao's face was as calm as water, quietly staring at the paper in Xie Jingxuan's hand. The paper was thin, but it was a heavy stone in her heart.

  That was her silently pondering for a long time, and finally came up with the "行律策". In her previous life, Pei Lian was discovered by Fu Xiuyi because of this strategy, and from then on, she became Fu Xiuyi's strategist, helping him plan and scheme for his kingdom.

  Now he has not yet shown his talent, Shen Miao wants to cut off the possibility before that. Moreover, Pei Lang is best never to serve anyone in the imperial family, this is the most secure way.

  While the second son of Jingdian Shi's family, Gao Yan, was a newly emerging nobleman outside of the old aristocratic families with ancient traditions in the capital city. The Mingqi imperial court wanted to suppress the old aristocracy and naturally also wanted to support the new nobility. The Jingdian Shi family was one of the most prominent among the newly supported ones. The eldest son of the Jingdian Shi family, Gao Jin, was truly talented and later, when Fu Xiuyi ascended to the throne, he was greatly promoted. The Jingdian Shi family thus received imperial favor and became even more overbearing, while this Gao Yan... had even coveted her, Yuwen Yuxuan.

  If she hadn't been the mistress of the six palaces at that time, and Fu Xiuyi hadn't started dealing with the Shen family, I'm afraid Wenyu would have also suffered a terrible fate. This Gao Yan is not as talented as his older brother, but he is extremely vain and likes to take credit for his older brother's achievements as his own. He has a narrow mind and always remembers past grievances, in short, he is a troublemaker. In his previous life, Gao Yan had never entered officialdom, and this life, the imperial historian's family had not yet reached its peak. Gao Jin had just entered officialdom not long ago, she might as well put in some effort to send Gao Yan onto this smooth path of being an official.

  She handed Gao Yan's "Travel Strategy" to him, naturally because she knew that every year during the examination, Gao Yan would let his servant buy a copy of the exam paper with silver. Today, she let Yu Yu wait for someone to replace this exam paper. With Fu Xiuyi's character who values talent, he will definitely collect Gao Yan regardless of everything. And Gao Yan is a proud person, he must not admit that it was not his handwriting. Such a person entered the officialdom of Mingqi... She wanted to see how these two people would bite each other!

  Cut off Fu Xiuyi's powerful arm and replace it with a brainless stirrer. Shen Miao was making such a good plan, but who knew that Xie Jinghang would suddenly appear halfway through, causing her plan to fall apart.

  Her gaze flickered, as if a thousand words were gathered in her clear and bright eyes like a young beast. Xie Jinghang finally raised his lips and lazily said: "You don't have to show such a hateful expression, this letter is a copy made by my people, the original is still in the hands of that little kid from the Gao family."

  Shen Miao was taken aback for a moment, never expecting such an outcome. She looked at Xie Jingxing and asked after a brief silence, "Is Young Master Hou all right?"

  "It's not that I'm broad-minded, it's just that from the beginning, there has been some praise for this matter," Xie Jing said with a slightly cold glint in his eyes: "I dislike meddling in other people's business the most."

  Shen Miao was about to speak when Xie Jingxing's voice came again: "Now you can tell Ben Hou, why did you write a letter to Jing Tian Shi?"

  Shen Miao sighed in her heart, she had intended to tie the Shen and Xie families together, but it wasn't the right time yet. The grudge between the two families had been going on for a long time and couldn't be resolved overnight. It required careful planning, but unexpectedly, getting involved with Xie Jingxuan had messed up her entire plan.

  She doesn't believe anyone, she has her own path to follow. Xie Jinghang is fine, the Xie family is also fine, they are just pawns in a big game under the sky, and no player will explain the reason to the pawn.

  "I thought to myself, you're helping him so much, unless you have a private relationship with him, helping the young master show off." Xie Jinghang smiled slyly and looked Shen Miao up and down: "Later I thought, although Gao family's second son is not capable, his taste in women is not bad." He looked at Shen Miao, whose eyebrows and eyes were extremely beautiful, but seemed as harsh as the northwest desert wind.

  "Moreover, by helping Gao Yan, you are actually helping Jingdian Shi gain reputation, but instead of helping Gao Jin, you are helping the useless Gao Yan. It seems that your intentions are not good." He smiled with ill intent, yet his words pierced the heart.

  "Shen Jiaotou, does Jingdianshi have a grudge against you?"

  Digression

  This rascal who seems carefree but actually knows everything has been hitting my soft spot lately, are you guys jealous? (～￣▽￣）～