Chapter 75

Xiao Jingyuan and Su Chen both changed expression upon hearing that.

After Shen Shuangning left the manor, Qingfeng was ordered to secretly follow her.

When the incident occurred, Qingfeng was lying on the wall and saw everything clearly.

To be honest, Qingfeng at the time wanted nothing more than to rush down and kick Zhao Lai'an twice!

"What are you saying?" Su Chen exclaimed in shock, "Isn't the Zhao heir the Fourth Miss's brother-in-law?"

Qingfeng said, "Yes! The Fourth Miss and that heir's wife are so close, and the wife is even pregnant; if she found out Zhao Lai'an was keeping a concubine and eyeing his sister-in-law, who knows how angry she'd be!"

Even someone as crude as Qingfeng could see Zhao Lai'an's blatantly petty motives.

Xiao Jingyuan's brows knit, he unconsciously snapped the railing, and coldly barked, "Where is Zhao Lai'an? Lead the way!"

At this point, Zhao Lai'an had already put Miao Miao onto the carriage, given her travel funds, and sent her away from Jingcheng.

Miao Miao lifted the curtain, looked at Zhao Lai'an holding the umbrella, and couldn't help asking, "Zhao Lang, have you ever even once liked me?"

Zhao Lai'an replied, "Of course I like you."

Miao Miao then asked, "And among those paintings in the room, is there even one of me?"

Zhao Lai'an fell silent.

Miao Miao gave a bitter smile, said "Take care," and lowered the carriage curtain.

After seeing Miao Miao off, Zhao Lai'an himself turned back to the house to pack his belongings.

When Miao Miao left, she took the two servants the manor had, leaving Zhao Lai'an alone in the residence.

Not knowing when the rain had stopped, Zhao Lai'an shook the water off his paper umbrella, set it aside, and stepped inside.

He habitually closed the door.

On the walls and tables of the room lay many paintings, some spread out, some rolled as scrolls, yet all depicted the same woman in countless forms and expressions.

Miao Miao once held one of those paintings, bashful yet delighted, and said, "So this is how Zhao Lang sees me—so beautiful! Could this be the 'beauty in the lover's eye'?"

"But Zhao Lang, could you not paint me too beautifully? Otherwise I always feel the person in the painting isn't me..."

Zhao Lai'an gazed at the room's furnishings, his eyes full of reluctance.

He intended to seal the paintings here, coming back when he had free time to look at them as a keepsake.

Who would have expected that at that moment, a bang sounded from behind.

A pair of black boots clad slender, strong legs, stepping heavily inside.

Zhao Lai'an shuddered in fright, thinking it was Shen Xiuci returning, but when he turned sharply he saw a face that chilled him even more.

Xiao... Xiao heir... how did you come here?

Xiao Jingyuan's face was grim as if chilled by ice, his body still exuding an undissipated bitter chill, his gaze falling like a sharp sword, as if it could pierce someone from inside out.

Zhao Lian'an felt inexplicably guilty, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Xiao Jingyuan stepped forward, first catching sight of the painting hanging on the wall, his gaze slowly sweeping over it, then he casually picked up a scroll on the table and unfolded it as if absentmindedly.

Yet the scroll he happened to grab was a "Beauty Bathing" picture; the woman's figure was hazy, her eyes full of feeling—it was none other than Shen Shuangning.

Xiao Jingyuan's eyes darkened, and with a "snap" he closed the scroll, shutting his eyes briefly.

When he opened them again, his gaze fell directly on the panicked Zhao Lian'an.

Only then did Zhao Lian'an realize—it was his most treasured painting! He lunged forward in a panic, trying to snatch it back: "Give it back to me!"

Xiao Jingyuan raised a hand, and Zhao Lian'an couldn't reach it.

"Young Master Zhao, you're quite good at painting."

Zhao Lian'an felt both ashamed and angry, and exclaimed urgently: "This is my private residence; please leave, Young Master Xiao! And return the painting—it's mine!"

"Yours?" Xiao Jingyuan snorted coldly, "With your status you dare even think of staining her?"

Before his words finished, he shot out a hand and seized Zhao Lian'an's right hand—the one he habitually used for painting—clenching his knuckles with an irresistible ruthlessness: "You painted these things with this hand, didn't you?"

Zhao Lian'an's wrist ached from the grip, his bones feeling as if they'd be crushed, sweat beading on his forehead from the pain, and he couldn't help but drop to his knees!

Shen Shuangning got caught in the rain and fell ill upon returning, but fortunately the manor had a "goddess doctor," so it wasn't serious.

Shen Miaoyun was staying overnight at the Orchid Garden; Shen Shuangning, fearing to pass her chill to her, had the servants set up an extra bed in the room.

After washing up, the two slept separately; although there was some distance between them, it did not hinder their casual chat.

Among the three daughters of the Shen family, Shen Shuangning and Shen Miaoyun were the closest, sharing almost everything.

After Shen Miaoyun married into her husband's household, her days were dull and repetitive, with little new to say, so she let Shen Shuangning talk about her own experiences.

Shen Shuangning first recounted many sights and sounds from Jingcheng—mostly places Xie Lin had taken her to play, and she had even learned to ride horseback.

Speaking of playing pitch-pot at the Manor of the State‑Guarding Duke, when she beat that ever‑proud Young Master Zhou, Shen Miaoyun couldn't help laughing: "No wonder I heard he refuses to touch pitch‑pot now—he lost to my sister, serves him right."

Shen Shuangning then shared some palace gossip. While serving as a reader in the palace, she would idly listen to the palace maids chatter, and thus learned many secrets she had never heard even in her previous life.

For example, the death of the former empress was actually closely tied to Song Zhang, and Shen Shuangning finally understood why the crown prince was moving against the Song family.

Naturally, she did not reveal this to Shen Miaoyun, but instead talked about other trivial matters.

Shen Miaoyun lay on the bed, her hands folded over her raised belly, eyes fixed on the canopy, quietly listening to Shen Shuangning recount those vivid experiences, her heart full of envy.

Especially when she thought of how she had once believed she enjoyed an enviable, blissful marriage, while inside it had long been rotting away, tears welled up unbidden.

Shen Miaoyun shed tears silently, fortunately unseen by Shen Shuangning.

Their feelings remained as close as before, yet each now harbored private thoughts.

That night they tacitly avoided mentioning that ill‑omened Zhao Lian'an.

As they chatted, Shen Miaoyun steered the conversation toward Pei Zhi.

She probed a little, asking softly: "Today I saw you with that Third Young Master Pei—when did you two meet?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Shuangning paused, gave a vague reply, and said they had only met a month ago.

But in her heart she couldn't help pondering it over and over.

She always had a faint feeling that Pei Zhi had known her for far longer than he let on.

She could be certain that, in her previous life, she had never had such a person by her side, nor had she ever heard the name "Pei Sanlang".

This person seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, becoming an abrupt variable in the familiar trajectory of her fate.

She couldn't help but wonder, if she could be reborn, could others be reborn as well?

Someone so familiar to her must either be someone close to her by her side, or someone who had placed countless spies around her, silently observing her every move in the dark; if the latter, this person's scheming would be terrifyingly deep.

Shen Shuangning only felt her head wave after wave of heaviness, her thoughts like a tangled skein.

Shen Miaoyun called her several times, getting no response, and only then realized she had already fallen into a deep sleep.

She then tiptoed over, bent down to tug at the corner of her blanket, and as her gaze swept the room, she inadvertently caught sight of something.

Shen Shuangning lay on her side, a cascade of black hair loosely spread over the soft pillow, revealing a small section of her neck, white and smooth as jade.

And right where her nape met her hair, there lay a faint red mole, like a speck of cinnabar lightened by moonlight, quietly set upon that expanse of snow‑white skin.

Shen Miaoyun couldn't help but wonder: Did Ningning used to have this mole?

The next morning, Shen Miaoyun rose first, while Shen Shuangning lingered in bed before getting up.

The dining table was already laid with fragrant dishes, among them not lacking medicinal meals that dispel the cold.

After Shen Shuangning finished washing up and came to eat, Shen Miaoyun casually asked.

Shen Shuangning blinked, then reached to touch her nape, as if she really felt something.

A Heng also came over, looked closely, and exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, there really is one!"

"Bring the mirror."

A Heng did as told and went to fetch the mirror; Shen Shuangning turned her head to look, but she couldn't see it no matter what.

Seeing her concern, Shen Miaoyun said, "Maybe it's always been there and you just didn't notice; hurry and eat before the soup gets cold."

Shen Shuangning's voice sounded muffled: "Coming."

This mole definitely did not exist before.

That spot on her nape is extremely sensitive; when she used to be intimate with Xiao Jingyuan, he always liked to touch it, kneading it with his hand.

And whenever he touched it, she would instinctively check with her hand; if there were a mole, she could not possibly have missed it.

Therefore there is only one answer: this mole appeared on her body only after her rebirth.

Shen Shuangning didn't know what this signified, yet she inexplicably felt uneasy.

After finishing breakfast, Lady Yu of the second branch came to the Orchid Garden to visit Shen Miaoyun.

After Lady Yu expressed a few words of concern, she wondered, "Usually when you come to the duke's mansion, your son‑in‑law would be fawning over you, attending to your every need; why is it that today you came alone? It's already this time of day, and I don't see him coming to fetch you—could you two have had a quarrel?"

Shen Shuangning was sitting on the swing under the tree; hearing Lady Yu's question, she lifted her gaze and looked over.

All she saw was Shen Miaoyun smiling gently and saying, "It's nothing; he's busy with social engagements, I'll head back myself shortly."

Lady Yu then said, "As long as you didn't quarrel, it's fine; if he dares to let you suffer even the slightest grievance, just come back and I'll back you up."

Shen Miaoyun smiled and said nothing.

Lady Yu secretly felt that her daughter had fallen out with her husband, and she kept chattering on about Zhao Lian'an's virtues, hoping to persuade her daughter.

Shen Miaoyun, however, did not want to hear it; she suddenly rose and said, "Mother, I want to go back."

She still needed to go back to clean up Zhao Lian'an's mess.

Who would have thought that just then, a servant came running in, panicked, to deliver a report.

"Something terrible, something terrible, young mistress!" came the cry—it was Cai Xia, Shen Miaoyun's personal maid.

Seeing her carry on like that, Lady Yu's face darkened and she snapped, "What's there to panic about? You have no sense of decorum at all!"

Cai Xia, who usually feared Lady Yu, shrank her neck at the scolding and, with a trembling voice, said, "Young mistress, your son‑in‑law… your son‑in‑law has been taken to the Office of Pacification!"

Lady Yu shot up to her feet, her voice changing tone: "What?!"

When Shen Shuangning heard the words "Office of Pacification," her brow jumped and she rose from the swing.

"Damn it, what are those mad dogs of the Office of Pacification doing arresting a worthy son‑in‑law?!" Lady Yu exclaimed, both shocked and angry, cursing loudly.

First they had taken Shen Wei, and now they had taken Zhao Lian'an; Lady Yu's opinion of the Office of Pacification was no longer mild—her whole face twisted, losing its usual composure.

Shen Miaoyun's complexion was not good either.

Cai Xia added, "However, the son‑in‑law has already come out, only..."

Lady Yu glared and urged, "Only what? Hurry up and say it!"

Cai Xia said, "The son‑in‑law suffered punishment in the Office of Pacification; it seems his injuries are not light."

After that, Shen Miaoyun hurried back, and Lady Yu followed her out.

Only Shen Shuangning remained in the Orchid Garden.

Not long after, A Heng returned from outside, and Shen Shuangning hurriedly asked, "Did you find out anything?"

A Heng said with a strange expression, "It seems the Office of Pacification suspected Zhao Lian'an of privately hoarding contraband in his residence, so they arrested him; what's even stranger is that, in the dead of night, that residence in the west of the city suddenly burst into flames, burning all night long—I just went to look, and it was already reduced to nothing."

Shen Shuangning frowned slightly, her intuition telling her this was no coincidence.

She paced back and forth under the magnolia tree in the courtyard, her thoughts racing.

She had just left Zhao Lian'an's residence, and the next moment he was arrested, while Xiao Jingyuan had conveniently pinned the charge of "private hoarding of contraband" on him. This clearly shows that the other side had long been sending people to watch her in secret!

But why would Xiao Jingyuan arrest Zhao Lian'an? Was it to vent his anger on her behalf?

Although Xiao Jingyuan now harbors a few different thoughts toward her, this slight affection is far from enough to make him risk offending the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor's household to protect her.

This is not at all like Xiao Jingyuan's usual way of doing things.

Most likely it's for Xie Lin's sake.

If Zhao Lian'an's secret dealings were to be exposed, the fallout would inevitably tarnish her reputation; even if Xie Lin doesn't mind, other members of the Xie family would surely have objections.

Shen Shuangning's thoughts turned back to the matter of Xiao Jingyuan having people watch her.

She didn't know what else made him uneasy about her, but it seemed she would have to be more careful in her recent actions.

Zhao Lian'an was injured, but Shen Shuangning had no intention of going to see him.

Shen Miaoyun returned to the Loyal and Brave Marquis Manor; before she even approached the bedchamber door, she heard Zhao Lian'an's wailing like ghosts and wolves.

She paused outside the door, then pushed it open and entered.

Zhao Lian'an lay bare-chested on the bed, his back covered with ferocious-looking wounds that appeared frightening but were merely superficial injuries.

But for Zhao Lian'an, who had been pampered and privileged since childhood, even this minor injury was enough to torment him.

The worst was his right hand, which had been brutally broken; he wouldn't be able to hold a brush to paint for at least half a year.

"Yun'er, you've finally come back." Zhao Lian'an hastily grabbed Shen Miaoyun's hand with his left hand, his voice full of grievance and reliance.

"Yun'er, where did you just go? When I returned, I didn't even see you. These maidservants are all clumsy; they don't even know how to apply medicine!"

Shen Miaoyun lowered her eyelids, her eyes showing a hint of cold clarity, her tone flat and unperturbed: "I've just returned from the Duke's mansion."

Upon hearing that, Zhao Lian'an's eyes flickered, and he immediately felt guilty.

Could Shen Shuangning have said something to Yun'er?

He lifted his gaze to look at Shen Miaoyun, seeing her expression indifferent, tinged with a hint of aloofness. But in the next moment, a dark thought quietly rose—

Shen Miaoyun treasures me so much; if she learned something, would she… would she be willing to let Shen Shuangning become his concubine? Even actively persuade Ningning to nod?

After all, she is currently pregnant, her body inconvenienced; we cannot let an unrelated woman attend to her personally. If we switched to her sister, at least she'd be family, which would be better than an outsider, right?

As the saying goes, "water that nourishes one's own field does not flow to outsiders' fields." If Shen Shuangning married him, he would treat her very, very well.

Once this thought took root, Zhao Lian'an's gaze toward Shen Miaoyun gained a few more hints of secret probing, and even that earlier grievance was mixed with a sense of calculation.

He deliberately tightened his grip with his left hand and softened his voice: "I was just returning to my parents' home… How are your father-in-law and mother-in-law doing? This injury looks scary, but it's actually nothing serious; don't worry. By the way, when you went back, did you see Ningning?"