Chapter 28 - Běngōng Has Returned

One was able to see a middle-aged male walking over. He did not sit with those officials and youths but sat at the far away, at the special seats for distinguished guests. This man was around forty years old, looking dark and hideous, wearing pine rosin colour robes. His clothes were luxurious but unfortunate he only had a leg.

This was the blood brother of the Emperor, Prince Yu of the First Rank.

Prince Yu was a brother of the Emperor with the same mother. When he was young, he saved the Emperor's life from the hands of the assassins and thus his left leg was injured and had to be amputated, becoming a cripple. Since then, Prince Yu's temperament has changed drastically, cruel and fierce; and his character is surly. He even collected a house full of concubines. The outsiders may not know the insides, but the Royals knew it clearly. This Prince yu has a filthy hobby. Countless women have been sullied and killed by him.

Yu Wángfēi passed away seven years ago, and this was also very strange. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager both protected Prince Yu, and Yu Wángfēi's family had to swallow their grievances. Recently, there was sudden news from Prince Yu residence that Prince Yu had the intention to bring a Wángfēi in.

For a period of time, everyone in Ding City was endlessly speculating. Prince Yu's status was very high and he also had the favour of the Emperor and Empress Dowager, thus his Wángfēi had to be of equal status. The noble and high ranking families that really loved their daughters would naturally not let their daughters enter the wolf's den. Those who see their daughters as a bargaining chip would then be anxious to exchange their daughters for prestige and wealth, even at the expense of their life.

Looking at the previous Yu Wángfēi's family, although they had lost a daughter, the Emperor took care of them and didn't they become a lot more prosperous?

Shen Miao's gaze passed Prince Yu and landed on Ren Wan Yun at the banquet area designated for females.

Sure enough, she saw Ren Wan Yun's face brighten and said to Yi Fūrén, "Bìxià indeed treats Yù Qīnwáng Diànxià really well."

They were all people who fought in the courtyard so Yi Fūrén immediately thought of Ren Wan Yun's intention. Even though she found that Ren Wan Yun's action was despicable, but her Dàrén and Shen Gui were in the same fraction so naturally, she had to side and help Ren Wan Yun. She smiled and said, "That's true. Even though he is much older but is someone that will dote on others."

Chen Rou Qiu lowered her head at the side and slowly ate some snacks but the smile on her lips was somewhat odd. Dote others? Believe that no one will be willing to see their own daughter marry a crippled widower even if he was to dote on them or had a huge amount of power, it was as good as pushing one's daughter into the fire pits. As she thought about it, she turned her head and looked at Shen Miao.

Shen Miao was holding the chess pieces patiently and placed them on the chessboards as if she did not pay any attention to anyone. Suddenly, Chen Rou Qiu felt bottomless in her heart. After Shen Miao woke up after falling into the water, she was like another person like Shen Xin's blood was awakened in her. The entire Shen Xin family had a fierce and violent personality and if Shen Miao knew about Ren Wan Yun's plan, would she obediently accept it?

Just as she was thinking, she saw Shen Miao seemingly come to be aware of her gaze thus she raised her head to look at her. That pair of eyes were filled with a coldness that iced Chen Rou Qiu's heart even though it was only the tenth lunar month.

Shen Miao lowered her head and looked at the chess in her hands.

In the last life, she made a fool of herself during the Chrysanthemum Banquet but Ren Wan Yun mentioned about Prince Yu's marriage to Old Shen Fūrén upon the return to the residence. Ren Wan Yun said, "Not saying that Xiǎo wǔ's actions today had no good aspects at all and moreover she had lost Shen family's reputation. Which noble family would be willing to marry a young lady like Xiǎo wǔ? Now that there is a good marriage of Yù Wángzǐ, if Xiǎo wǔ marries over, she would be a Wángfēi and have the favour from Bìxià and Tàihòu Niángniáng and can be considered as fortunate. Even though his legs are not good and his age is somewhat more matured, but our Xiǎo wǔ do not have any exceptional abilities and thus it would not be a loss for Xiǎo wǔ." (HidAnas: 太后娘娘 Tàihòu Niángniáng - Empress Dowager)

They made it high-sounding but it was in fact very vicious. It was later on when she spent a lot of money to bribe a Rong Jing Tang's maid could she then know these remarks. Old Shen Fūrén hated the First Household in her heart because Shen Xin was born from the Yuánpéi. (原配 Original/First Wife) When Old Master Shen was alive, he deeply favoured Shen Xin which made Old Shen Fūrén, the second wife, jealous. It was so difficult for her to endure till the death of Old Master Shen but Shen Xin's military power was untouchable. Since Shen Xin was untouchable, Shen Miao was targeted and as to target a female, there was nothing more painful than letting her marry into hardship.

Old Shen Fūrén and Ren Wan Yun hit it off and immediately sent someone over to Prince Yu Residence to bring the matter up. Shen Miao was afraid and angry. At that time, she was in love with Fu Xiu Yi and in a haste, that very night, she packed up and went over to Prince Ding's residence and begged him to shelter her. She did not care about her reputation when others deliberately spread the matter out as she thought that since her reputation was already destroyed, it would be too late to change anything and thus better to marry Prince Ding as a concubine than to Prince Yu Residence.

At that time, Old Shen Fūrén was furious at the turn of events. Even though Fu Xiu Yi was angry in his heart, he did not treat her badly on the surface. Perhaps, he saw the value of the Shen family's army. Even though he did not treat Shen Miao warmly, he did not refute her.

Upon Shen Xin's return at the end of the year, what welcomed him was the news of his daughter in the capital jumping into the residence of others. He was shocked and angry but Shen Miao did not hesitate to protest with a hunger strike, so Shen Xin ran out of ideas and could only use all his military accomplishments to finally exchange a title of Ding Wángfēi for her.

But no one had thought that that was the beginning of a real nightmare.

Shen Miao closed her eyes. The mistakes that were made in her previous life had all traced back to today and today was destined to be a turning point of her life. Those people who owed her must now start to pay their debts!

"Hey. Why play by yourself?" Suddenly a voice rang by her ear. It was unknown when Feng An Ning walked over and even though there was some awkward expression, she sat across her, "Why not play a game with me? Do you know how to play chess?"

Feng An Ning looked down at the chessboard. She only intended to casually talk but when she looked down, some interest of hers was sparked. After carefully looking for a while, she was unable to see anything out of it and asked, "What kind of tactic is this? I have not seen it before."

"This is not a game of chess." Shen Miao smiled, "This is a battlefield."

"What?"

"Now it cannot be seen." Shen Miao said plainly, "Only when the pieces are swallowed then it can be seen for this kind of chess." Just like a net that is woven firmly and tightly so that no one can escape.

Feng An Ning shuddered, "What are you talking about? It is strange and horrifying" She looked over at the male side of the banquet and suddenly her eyes brightened and gave Shen Miao a look of encouragement, "Look there! Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià has arrived."

At the banquet section for males, Prince Ding, Fu Xiu Yi, was wearing a loose gold and blue robe with green boots and jade crown and looked splendid. He was born handsome and coupled with his solemn bearing but yet cordial actions, he did not have the temperament of an overbearing prince. Throughout his way, he was able to attract the cries of surprise from the female side of the banquet.

Shen Miao lowered her head as her fingers dug deep into her palm as she clenched her fists.

Ten years of accompaniment and wholehearted support was only exchanged with a piece of long white silk and extermination of an entire clan. And even her son and daughter lost their lives.

The kinder this person looks on the outside, the more vicious his heart was. How just he looked on the outside was how cruel he was on the inside.

In the last life, this man granted her with an intact corpse. In this lifetime, she wants this person to die without an intact corpse!

Fu Xiu Yi, Běngōng has returned!