Chapter 204
**Chapter 202: The Great General**
Liu Qiao'er approached with trembling hands to pay her respects, her son fearfully hiding behind her.
"Xun'er is young and has offended Shu Fei; I hope Shu Fei will not take it to heart," Liu Qiao'er said, bowing deeply. She was terrified of Lu Xuan.
In her past life, Liu Qiao'er had fought tooth and nail against Lu Xuan, only to be outmaneuvered in the end, losing the Emperor's favor, her child, and her family.
This time around, Liu Qiao'er had chosen to live a low-profile life, no longer daring to show off. Meanwhile, Lu Xuan continued to shine as she had in the past, while the other concubines in the palace fell victim to Lu Xuan's schemes, gradually losing the Emperor's affection. Even the noble Empress could not compete with Lu Xuan.
What a terrifying woman.
Liu Qiao'er was as jittery as a startled bird, afraid to look up at Lu Xuan, beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead.
Lu Xuan spoke slowly, her voice surprisingly gentle, "It's nothing. The Seventh Prince is still young; I won't hold it against a child."
Liu Qiao'er took her son's hand and hurriedly bowed again, "It's hot; I shall return to the palace now."
She turned and left in a hurry.
"Why is she so afraid of me?" Lu Xuan wondered, perplexed. She was not a fearsome beast; why did Liu Qiao'er tremble so?
After entering the palace, Lu Xuan had already outmaneuvered many favored concubines, and she hardly had to lift a finger anymore. Newcomers who basked in the Emperor's favor for a few days soon fell from grace. The Emperor was fickle; his affections were fleeting.
Yet, Lu Xuan had not targeted Liu Qiao'er.
Xiao Qin, equally puzzled, remarked, "Qiao Fei rarely goes out; I find it strange too."
Lu Xuan recalled Qiao Fei's background.
Liu Qiao'er, originally from a modest family, had seen her fortunes rise in the past two years as the Emperor favored the Liu family, promoting her father and brothers. Despite their newfound wealth, Liu Qiao'er still spent her days holed up in her palace, rarely venturing out except to pay her respects to the Empress.
Last year, when the Empress exempted her from the daily morning and evening greetings, Liu Qiao'er seemed eager to seal her palace doors and never leave.
"Should we send someone to keep an eye on Qiao Fei?" Xiao Qin asked.
In this harem, everyone had their own schemes; Xiao Qin worried that Qiao Fei was merely pretending to be harmless.
Lu Xuan smiled, shaking her head slowly, "Not for now. When the time is right, I’ll deal with them one by one."
Qiao Fei was truly naive, thinking that by keeping a low profile and avoiding trouble, she could escape the palace's intrigues.
In reality, any concubine with a son, regardless of how low-key they were, would find themselves in Lu Xuan's crosshairs as she paved the way for her own son.
...
Liu Qiao'er felt as if she had seen a ghost as she hurriedly brought her son back to her residence, the Xiangyun Palace.
The palace was quite secluded, the entrance shrouded in gloom, with only a few servants bowing their heads in busy silence.
"Mother," the young Li Chengxun looked up, his little face puzzled, "Will Shu Fei really harm me?"
Liu Qiao'er’s eyes reddened as she caressed her child's tender face, "Shu Fei is ruthless. The death of the Empress's eldest son is closely tied to her. Chengxun, you must be very careful at the Guozijian. Avoid conflicts, don’t wander off alone, and be sure to scrutinize any food you eat."
As a prince, even if Li Chengxun was not favored by the Emperor, he still had to attend the Guozijian and study alongside the other princes.
Liu Qiao'er was filled with anxiety, constantly fearing that Lu Xuan would target her child.
Lu Xuan was truly terrifying; Liu Qiao'er dared not provoke her.
"I understand," Li Chengxun nodded obediently, committing his mother’s words to memory.
Liu Qiao'er held her child tightly, letting out a long sigh, "Even if I have to live on plain food for the rest of my life, I will protect your lives, both you and your brother..."
...
In the prosperous Jiangnan, within a modest official residence.
Shen Xiuming, now the magistrate of Jiangnan, received a decree from the Emperor. The decree stated that he was to personally host the envoy from the Yue Kingdom and return to the capital with them afterward.
"Return to the capital?" Shen Xiuming carefully tucked away the decree, his brows furrowing deeply.
Was this a promotion, or was he being sent back for punishment?
Shen Xiuming felt a surge of anger.
Three years ago, when the Yan Wang ascended the throne, he was overjoyed, thinking his sister would finally have a better life as a consort in the palace.
But who would have thought the Emperor would send Shen Wei and her three children out of the palace? He even concocted a grand excuse, claiming Shen Wei had grown arrogant from her favor and was scheming for the position of Guifei (noble consort).
It was utterly absurd; Shen Xiuming knew his sister well.
She was gentle and dignified, with a mild temperament, always obedient, and wouldn’t even harm a grasshopper. How could she possibly covet the position of Guifei?
It was clear as day that the Emperor looked down on her humble origins and fabricated excuses to cast her out.
"Enough, enough," Shen Xiuming gripped the decree tightly. This time, when he returned to the capital to meet the Emperor, he would once again petition for his poor sister to be brought back to the palace.
Even if the Emperor sent someone to beat him, he wouldn’t care for his sister’s sake!
Shen Xiuming suppressed his discontent and methodically arranged for officials to prepare for the reception of the Yue Kingdom's envoys.
It was said that the envoys were not only coming to sign a century-long peace treaty with Da Qing but also to seek a marriage alliance with a princess of Qing Kingdom for their Emperor.
Such a union would further promote peace between the two nations.
Three days later, General Shen Mieyue escorted the Yue Kingdom's envoys, arriving at the Jiangnan dock aboard an official ship.
Shen Xiuming was ordered to receive them and waited by the riverbank with the Jiangnan officials. Over the years, Shen Xiuming had grown into a handsome figure, clad in a red official robe, standing in the chilly morning breeze, the fabric billowing around him.
After waiting for a full hour, two official ships appeared at the riverbank.
On the deck, he could see a dozen soldiers clad in armor, their expressions serious, standing in perfect formation like sharp blades drawn from their sheaths.
As the ships docked, Shen Xiuming hurriedly approached with the officials, ready to greet the rumored General Shen.
The morning wind at the dock was strong, causing the flags to flap loudly. Facing the river breeze, Shen Xiuming discreetly observed the approaching General Shen Mieyue. The man was exceptionally tall and robust, with a deep scar running across his face, his skin dark like a leopard, instilling a sense of fear.
He was clearly a battle-hardened man, a terrifying figure who had tasted blood!
Behind Shen Mieyue was Deputy General Yan Yunting, who had earned merit in Liangzhou and was highly regarded by the Emperor. This return to the capital would surely bring him high office and wealth, with a bright future ahead.
Following Shen Mieyue were about thirty envoys from the Yue Kingdom, all dressed in silver and black official robes.
Shen Xiuming cleared his throat and stepped forward, preparing to bow in greeting. Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew, snatching a handkerchief from Shen Mieyue's sleeve.
Shen Mieyue's dark, handsome face showed a flash of anxiety as he dashed forward, swiftly catching the gray handkerchief in the wind.
After securing it, Shen Mieyue expressionlessly tucked the handkerchief into his sleeve.
Shen Xiuming, quick-eyed, caught a glimpse of the gray handkerchief embroidered with white flowers, clearly crafted by a young lady's hand.
Shen Xiuming was momentarily stunned; the formidable general had a lady's handkerchief hidden in his sleeve...
Seeing Shen Mieyue's nervous demeanor, could it be a gift from some girl?
Shen Mieyue was still unmarried; could it be he had found someone special in Liangzhou?
Various thoughts raced through his mind, but Shen Xiuming refrained from asking directly. He skillfully donned a polite smile, stepping forward to bow, "General Shen, it’s an honor to meet you. I am Shen Xiuming, the magistrate of Jiangnan, here to receive—"
Before he could finish, a sharp pain shot through his arm.
Shen Mieyue had actually grabbed his arm!
Shen Xiuming let out a yelp, his face turning red, and exclaimed, "General Shen! What do you mean by this?"
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