Shen Miao lowered her head, seeming bashful.
Xie Jing Xing died at the age of twenty-six.
The Imperial family of Ming Qi became more muddle-headed and incompetent as time passed. They did not consider developing the country's strength, instead, only thought about how to protect themselves against the vassal families who they viewed as threats. As per Fu Xiu Yi, the Shen family's objective was to live honestly whereas the Xie family ignored Imperial commands, so naturally, they were a thorn in the Late Emperor's eyes, causing the Late Emperor to want to punish them.
When the Xiong Nu attacked, Xie Ding set off with the Xie family troops. Once on the battlefield, the presumptuous General Xie's troops were annihilated to the last man. While Xie Jing Xing waited for his father's return, in reality, what he waited for was the return of a coffin.
Xie Ding's death was not the end. During the funeral, the people in the Ding capital sent Xie Ding off and the entire country was in mourning. To the Imperial family, this was a big taboo.
Thus, it did not take long for young Xie Jing Xing to be appointed to lead the military campaign on behalf of his father.
This was not Xie Jing Xing's first battle. Like the Xie family, his talent on the battlefield was enough to make the enemy terrified. But despite obviously knowing the queer nature of his father's death, Xie Jing Xing went into the battlefield and was defeated; the Imperial edict had pushed him onto the road of death.
Yet Xie Jing Xing still received the Imperial edict. That day he was exposed to the enemy and became the target, ending up with thousands of arrows through his heart. Not only that, for unknown reasons, the body was also taken away and the Xiong Nu skinned it before hanging the body up in the tower to serve as a warning to others.
Another tragic outcome was played and Ming Qi went into national mourning.
Father and son made the battlefield their grave and the commoners could only see the Xiong Nu's brutality and the generals' heroism but they did not see that the undercurrent of this conspiracy.
At that time, the late Emperor was already approaching his deathbed, so Fu Xiu Yi took over the affairs of the court. In order to express regret for the bitter outcome of the Xie family, he conferred titles to both the father and son. Even though the titles were useless for the deceased, it appeased the court while the concubine and the two Shu-son's gained all the advantages.
Shen Miao still remembered Shen Xin's look of pain when he came to know of Xie Jing Xing's death. She initially thought that the Xie and Shen family were like water and fire and when the Xie family fall into despair, her father would not be sad about it. Thinking about it now, it was most likely at that time, Shen Xin experienced the feeling of the fox grieving when the rabbit dies.
Since the balance was broken with the collapse of the Xie family, the next to fall would be the Shen family.
The ridiculous thing was that, at that time, she single-mindedly pushed the Shen family into the muddy waters of the fight of the throne.
Shen Miao did not have any feelings for the Xie family and in the beginning, she only felt some regret towards the fate of this young man. Such an outstanding young man should be leaving a legacy in the country of Ming Qi, who would have expected such an ending. He knew that the Imperial edict was a seal of death but he still went.
Perhaps, it was in order to preserve the dignity of the Xie family and to prove that to the very end that the Xie family was loyal to the country. But knowing that it cannot be avoided yet still proceeding showed that this unruly Xie Jing Xing was not ordinary.
He was an extremely upright and brave person.
As Shen Miao was thinking about it, Cai Lin squeezed out from the crowd and handed Xie Jing Xing a small cloth bag, saying respectfully, "Little Marquis, this is the medical book that you told me to find."
For a little overlord to be this respectful to others, it shocked the teeth out of everyone. But after some thought, it would be as such as Xie Jing Xing was the capital's overlord. The Xie family were the overlords of the overlords. With such in mind, one would be able to understand Cai Lin's attitude towards Xie Jing Xing.
Feng An Ning quietly whispered into Shen Miao's ear, "What do you think of Little Xie Marquis as compared to Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià?"
Shen Miao choked a little. She was not used to how well Feng An Ning suddenly treated her. But she seriously answered, "Little Xie Marquis is better."
Not only better, in her view, but such a black-hearted villain as Fu Xiu Yi could not be compared with Xie Jing Xing. In the beginning, when Wan Yu and Fu Ming studied the history of Ming Qi and read the part about the Xie family, they would secretly tell her that they felt that Xie Jing Xing was a good man through and through and his death was such a pity.
Even her own children praised this youth, naturally, he must be good.
Feng An Ning was somewhat surprised and took a while before she said, "It really seems that you are truly pained."
Shen Miao could not be bothered to explain it to her. They saw Xie Jing Xing on horseback as he casually held the saddle and gave Cai Lin a look. Without any additional words, he pulled the horse's reins and turned away stylishly.
The horse stirred up a cloud of dust but it could not conceal the charm of the youth on it's back. Like the sun in the skies, he shined with a bright light in one's eyes.
Cai Lin was somewhat at a loss and the surrounding females did not conceal their disappointment as they hoped that Xie Jing Xing would stay longer. The strange thing was that Xie Jing Xing was the only one that young noblemen would not be jealous of his reputation with the young ladies. It could be that his way of doing things and personality was different from others, which made them respect him.
Behind her calm facade, Shen Miao was doing some reflection. After overthrowing the Xie family, the Shen family would be ushering in monstrous disaster. Since the two are closely related, why not ease the situation? If the Imperial family wanted to get involved then they would have to consider if they had the ability.
Saving the Xie family, saving Xie Jing Xing, only with that it would the Shen Family gain an additional bargaining chip.
The Shen family was honest and sincere while the Xie family was imperious and domineering. The Imperial family would first deal with the Xie family and she, perhaps, may be able to make a deal with the Xie family.
*****
Xie Jing Xing rode away and finally stopped his horse in front of a tavern.
He flipped off the horse and walked to the innermost part of the tavern. In the room, there was a white-clad male so handsome that one would smile upon seeing him. "Sāndì."
"Take it!" Xie Jing Xing threw the bag in his hands over, "In the future, don't find for me for such things."
If it was not for Gao Yang who requested that he find this whatever medical book, he would not go to Cai Lin and would not be surrounded in Guang Wen Tang like a fool. Thinking of that silk blossom, he felt disgusted as he patted his clothes.
Gao Yang knew that this junior of his was a little odd and smiled lightly as he joked, "You should go around more with this temper of yours. These students' ages are similar to yours and you should learn to be as lively as them." He paused and with a slight urging smile, "Perhaps there would be an adorable young lady. You are at the right age, why are you still alone all day?"
Xie Jing Xing was already accustomed to the straightforward and quiet nature of his senior and wrote it off in a slightly impatient manner as he thought of the pair of eyes that he saw.
They were a pair of clear eyes, like an animal's, with a deep sense of compassion and helplessness. That kind of look stunned him, while, afterwards the owner looked down in a seemingly shy manner.
But what kind of person was Xie Jing Xing? He followed his father and travelled extensively, fought battles and killed people so he has a trained pair of eyes. That girl was only pretending to admire him. It was unfortunate that she did not know that her eyes were like a pool of stagnant water, without a single ripple.
It was truly interesting.