Chapter 8: The Average Guy’s Misguided Jealousy

Outside the palace, a black carriage waited under the crimson walls. Xiao Jingren emerged from the palace grounds and spotted the vehicle from a distance.

The driver, seeing the Third Prince exit, guided the carriage forward and helped him board before setting off at a swift pace. Inside sat Yan Qingyu, the sworn brother of Yan Qingshi.

Observing Xiao Jingren’s furrowed brow, Yan Qingyu asked, "What is troubling Your Highness?"

"My Imperial Father summoned me just now to question me about my affairs with Shen He. I hardly knew how to answer. I cannot understand why she spoke as she did today; it feels as though Shen He has become someone else entirely."

Yan Qingyu had already heard about the scene at the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet. "Your Highness, pray set your mind at ease. His Majesty’s inquiries are merely a sign of his concern for you; it shows that you hold a place in his heart and that he keeps a watchful eye on your affairs."

Xiao Jingren pondered this for a moment and nodded. It was true—in the past, the Emperor rarely concerned himself with Xiao Jingren’s business. That he had specially summoned him today proved that he had indeed taken notice.

Seeing that his words had taken root, Yan Qingyu continued, "As for Miss Shen, it is well known that she has a spoiled and temperamental nature. Perhaps she is merely feeling slighted by some trivial matter and is acting out of spite. Everyone knows the eldest daughter of the Shen family is devoted to you."

Xiao Jingren frowned. There had been no unpleasantness between them recently. Could it be that Shen Jiao had done something to cause a misunderstanding? Shen Jiao was not as simple or easily managed as Shen He; she was cunning and resourceful, and with the support of the Madam Shan, it was not impossible that they had orchestrated a rift.

Thinking this, Xiao Jingren leaned back against the carriage wall, a smug expression on his face. If that was the case, it was easily resolved. Her jealousy only proved she still cared for him; he would simply have to explain things to her later.

"You speak sense. Tell me, are the arrangements for tomorrow in order?" Xiao Jingren asked, setting aside thoughts of Shen He.

Yan Qingyu nodded. "Rest assured, everything is prepared. According to the intelligence you provided, Yan Qingyi will certainly attend. It will not be difficult to apprehend him then. We shall pin the blame for Yan Qingshi’s death on him; there will be no issues."

Xiao Jingren shot him a sharp, warning look. "You said there would be no issues last time as well. Yan Qingyi’s life is the pledge of loyalty I have offered the Empress; it cannot be bungled. We have failed once; I do not wish for a second time."

Yan Qingyu quickly replied, "Do not worry, Your Highness. The Empress is only anxious because Yan Qingyi was so unyielding regarding the case of the hijacked tribute ships, insisting on implicating her family. Once he is branded a patricide, the Jinling Guards will have no place for him. As long as he is stopped from investigating the tribute ships, our goal will be achieved."

Empress Zhao Yuning was the heir to the "Painting of the Jue" lineage. Having been married to the Emperor for many years without bearing a child, and now advanced in age, she sought to adopt one of the princes. Most princes already had mothers of high standing, but Xiao Jingren’s birth mother had been of humble origin and was long deceased, making him the Empress's ideal choice.

Of the four great noble families, only the Zhao family was deeply entrenched in the imperial court; the others lived in seclusion. General Shen had spent his life on the battlefield but never coveted power; now in his twilight years, he had returned his military command to the Emperor. The Yan family had long ago turned their backs on the world, dedicating themselves to the Yunshan Academy. The Xue family were merchants for generations; while they possessed vast wealth, they lacked the political influence of the Zhao family. The Yan, Shen, and Xue families were deeply connected through friendship and intermarriage, binding them together.

Only the Zhao family was driven by political ambition. With one of their own as Empress, they held themselves above the others, forgetting the bond shared by the four families for generations, let alone considering the protection of the other three clans.

Half a month ago, tribute ships from Southern Fujian were hijacked. The Jinling Guards were ordered to investigate, with Yan Qingyi leading the charge. Yan Qingyi was known for his cold, impartial nature; he discovered a connection between the case and Zhao Zhihuan, the Empress’s father, and intensified his investigation. The Zhao family’s attempts to sway him with both threats and bribes had failed, leading to the current situation.

Xiao Jingren nodded, accepting the explanation. With his own foundation still unsteady, he could not afford to alienate Yan Qingyu’s support.

"Tomorrow’s funeral for Yan Qingshi will be well-attended, given he was the Dean of Yunshan Academy. You must act with caution."

"Leave it to me, Your Highness."

Night deepened. Too many things had happened; sleep felt impossible. Shen He sat at her desk, her mind racing. The events of her past life flashed before her like a revolving lantern.

The Empress... She remembered the Empress’s hatred for her aunt. Before the fall of the Shen family, she had been imprisoned by the Empress in a pitch-black, windowless cell. The darkness had devoured her spirit, bit by bit, until her nerves were frayed and fragile. After an eternity, when her voice had gone hoarse from screaming, a blinding light had suddenly pierced the room as a small window was opened.

Shen He had rushed to the window, desperate for a glimpse of the outside. After so long in the dark, the light was agonizing. When her eyes finally adjusted, she realized with horror that the cell looked out onto the city gates of Jiu’ge. Through that window, she had seen her aunt’s corpse hanging from the ramparts.

Shen He had shrieked in agony, but no one could hear her. She had been forced to watch her aunt’s body be desecrated and exposed to the sun for three full days.

Her body trembled. She reached out to adjust the wick of the candle, but pulled her hand back the moment she touched the flame. After a moment, she took up her brush and wrote the name "Xiao Jingren" on a piece of paper. The scent of ink filled the air as it dried.

Merely looking at the characters made her feel ill. She then wrote "Empress Zhao Yuning" beside it. In her previous life, she had helped Xiao Jingren become the Empress’s adopted son, granting him the status of a legitimate heir and bringing him one step closer to the throne. She had never imagined that the person who hated the Shen family and her aunt, Shen Liqin, the most was none other than the Empress herself. The collapse of the Shen family and the tragic death of her kin were, in no small part, the work of the Empress.

It was said that Shen Liqin and the current Emperor, Xuanwu, had once shared a romance, but it had not come to fruition, and her aunt had remained unmarried. The details were murky, but perhaps that was the root of the Empress’s hatred.

Regardless, the Empress’s grudge was not a matter of a single day. It could not be extinguished. She had to sever the ties between the Empress and Xiao Jingren, and above all, prevent the Empress from seizing power—for if she did, she would surely kill Shen Liqin to vent her rage.

Shen He looked at her own calligraphy on the rice paper and sighed. Even with Master Yan’s personal instruction, her penmanship remained atrocious. She held the corner of the paper to the candle flame, watching it turn to ash, the acrid smell of burning paper filling the room. As the last spark faded, she thought of Master Yan’s kindness, and a wave of sorrow washed over her.

Suddenly, she recalled something and took up her brush once more to write "Yan Qingyi." In her past life, Yan Qingyi had attended his brother’s funeral alone, only to be framed by Yan Qingyu for the assassination of the Sixth Prince and his own brother, leading to his exile. It was said he died on the road to his place of banishment. After his death, Yan Zhengtan had died of grief, and Yan Qingyu had fully taken control of the academy, joining Xiao Jingren’s camp and breaking all ties with the Shen and Xue families.

This time, she would save Yan Qingyi.

As the night reached its deepest hour, a sudden wave of exhaustion overcame her. Shen He took a deep breath, climbed into bed, and fell into a deep sleep.

"Shen He..."

"Who is calling me?"