After my father was sent to marry into the princess's household, I became the darling of the en

Shen Tingyun leaned against the door and listened intently to what was happening outside.

Only after confirming that there were no more footsteps on the corridor did he slowly turn his head.

"I don't understand what you're saying."

Shen Jingque said, "You've been peeking around behind him ever since you left the school. You still dare to say you weren't following Rong Jing?"

Shen Tingyun smirked, "I was just going to the library in the back mountain to borrow books, and it just so happened that I was going the same way as Young Master Rong. Why are you making such a fuss?"

The library of Qishan Academy is indeed open to its students, and it contains some rare and unique copies of classics and historical texts, so this excuse is not too far-fetched.

"Going the same way?" Shen Jingque's eyes swept over her from head to toe, full of inquiry. "If you're going the same way, why are you acting so suspiciously? I've been following you for ages, I can see everything clearly."

Shen Tingyun tightened his grip on the cuff of his sleeve, his fingertips almost digging into his palm.

"Aren't you with Rong Jing too?"

She suddenly retorted, her voice turning cold: "If you weren't following him, how would you know I was? Shen Jingque, neither of us should play innocent."

Shen Jingque narrowed her eyes.

Hey, they're turning the tables on you.

If it weren't for the fact that she was the original owner's older sister, and that she had even considered helping him on the Jade Bridge, he would have been disappointed.

She had already gone directly to Rong Jing.

Now that we've given her a chance to confess, she's actually turning around and accusing us.

"Okay." Shen Jingque nodded, turned around and pulled the door latch. "Then I'll go after Rong Jing now and tell him that someone is watching him."

She asked casually, "What do you think he would do if he found out he was being monitored?"

"Stop right there!"

Shen Tingyun practically lunged forward, her hands gripping the door latch tightly, her chest heaving violently.

"Get out of the way," Shen Jingque said.

You can't go.

"Why not?"

Shen Tingyun bit her lip, and after a long while, she managed to squeeze out a sentence: "He is a hostage of the Great Yan. You...you're disturbing him so casually. Aren't you afraid of causing trouble for the Princess's residence?"

"Don't be afraid."

Shen Jingque raised an eyebrow slightly: "I discovered that someone is threatening the safety of the hostage. I'm informing him in advance to prevent any future incidents from affecting the alliance between our two countries."

She looked completely confident: "Rong Jing might even thank me."

Shen Tingyun's eyelashes trembled.

Yes, now that Shen Jingque has someone protecting her, this kind of minor trouble is nothing to her.

Thinking about her current situation, she felt a tightness in her chest.

Shen Jingque saw her expression change several times, and she slowly withdrew her hand from the door latch, her voice softening slightly.

"Sister, is someone pressuring you?"

"Zhao Yuwan? Zhao Heng?"

She paused, then lowered her voice even further: "Or...the Third Prince?"

Shen Tingyun's eyes darted away, and he caught his breath.

The next instant, she quickly tucked her hands into her sleeves, her expression hardening once more.

But that momentary loss of composure was enough.

Shen Jingque's suspicions were confirmed.

"It was Xiao Jingchen who told you to keep an eye on Rong Jing, wasn't it?"

The room fell silent.

The beam of light from the high window slanted across the ground, illuminating a speck of dust as it settled.

Shen Tingyun leaned against the door panel, slowly slid down, and buried half of her face in the shadows.

After a long while, he finally spoke.

"...He gave me the opportunity to enter Qishan Academy."

"He only asked me to record where Rong Jing went and who he met every day, and then send a message to him."

Her voice trailed off, "I haven't harmed anyone, I was just passing on a few words for someone."

"Could you pass on a few words?"

Shen Jingque crouched down to be at eye level with her.

"Do you know that if something happens to the person he asked you to keep an eye on, those few words you passed on will become a knife in someone else's hand?"

"You will become an accomplice to murder."

This sentence seemed to have hit a nerve.

Shen Tingyun suddenly looked up, her eyes red-rimmed, and her voice rose.

"Then tell me what I should do!"

"If I don't catch him, how am I supposed to survive in that Marquis's mansion? Zhao Yuwan is finding all sorts of ways to humiliate me, and my mother is only concerned about the child in her womb; she won't even glance at me."

"My life is a little better now in the Marquis's mansion, but that's only because I've gotten close to the Third Prince, which is why the Marquis is willing to give me a second glance."

Tears streamed down her face as she almost screamed, "I have no father to protect me every day! I have no princess to bail me out, I have nothing but this little thing I can grasp!"

Shen Jingque stood there, stunned.

She suddenly remembered the four years the original owner of the body was trapped in the Marquis's mansion in the book.

From the age of twelve to sixteen, she lived a humble and arduous life, to the point that she regarded Xiao Jingchen as the only light in her life and rushed towards him like a moth to a flame.

Initially, I was just helping Xiao Jingchen pass on a few messages.

Later, because of her message, the emperor and empress fell out of love, and the empress lost her unborn child.

In her moment of guilt and fear, Xiao Jingchen reappeared as her savior, telling her—

"It's not your fault, I will protect you."

The bewildered and helpless girl could only become more and more dependent on him, eventually becoming a blood bag that he could take whatever he wanted.

Shen Jingque sighed and swallowed back the sarcastic remark that was on the tip of her tongue.

I will not tell Rong Jing about what happened today.

Shen Tingyun looked up, a moment of confusion in her expression.

"It's not because I pity you." Shen Jingque looked down at her. "It's because if I expose you now, Xiao Jingchen will only send someone more secretive. That kind of person is more ruthless and better at hiding than you."

"I hope you can hold onto one."

"Don't send out messages that could cost people their lives."

"Don't give your whole heart to Xiao Jingchen."

Shen Tingyun remained silent for a long time before finally managing a smirk, his smile full of mockery.

"It's easy for you to say that when you're not the one suffering the consequences."

"If you're so capable, then go ahead and complain."

"Anyway, I don't have any dirt on me that you can use against me, so who would believe your side of the story?"

Seeing her stubbornness, Shen Jingque knew that further persuasion would be futile.

She pulled back the latch, and light poured in instantly, swirling dust particles in the light.

The corridor was empty; Rong Jing had long since disappeared, with only the bamboo forest in the distance swaying in the wind.

She stood on the threshold, without turning around.

"Sister, whether you listen to what I say today is up to you, but remember one thing."

Her voice faded.

"If you dare to help Xiao Jingchen touch a single hair on my family's head—"

"I won't let you get away with this."

In this world, she was like a rootless duckweed, adrift and without any connection.

It was the eldest princess, Shen Yan, and her brothers who gave her a home and warmth.

She would not allow anyone to hurt them.

Shen Tingyun sat in the dim light, staring at the narrow beam of light on the ground, remaining silent for a long time.

Just as Shen Jingque's figure was about to disappear into the sunlight under the corridor, a very soft call came from behind.

"Sparrow".

Shen Jingque paused in her steps.

"You should also be careful with Xiao Jingchen."

Shen Tingyun didn't have the courage to tell her that another task Xiao Jingchen had assigned her was to keep an eye on her younger sister.

Perhaps it was out of fear of the overwhelming imperial power.

Perhaps he just didn't want her to know that he had degenerated into such a person.

Blood ties and family bonds cannot be severed overnight.

After weighing the pros and cons, there is still a sliver of sincerity left.

Shen Jingque stood at the door for a long time before finally replying softly, "I understand."

The sound of footsteps faded into the distance along the corridor.

Behind the moon gate, the hem of an indigo-colored garment silently emerged.

Rong Jing stood in the shadows with his hands behind his back, his folding fan closed, and he lightly tapped his palm.

Wenren Du followed behind, lowering his voice, "Young Master, now that we know who's spying on us, should I...?"

The fan slammed down on his forehead.

"Didn't you have ears?"

Rong Jing said in a calm tone: "Even a little girl knows that keeping a visible pawn is more worthwhile than exposing a hidden spy who has escaped. You've been with me for all these years, how come you're getting more and more senile?"

Wenren Du covered his forehead, not daring to utter a sound.

Rong Jing's gaze fell on the corner of the corridor where Shen Jingque had disappeared, and a smile spread from his eyes.

"Twelve years old," he whispered, "so clever."

He closed the fan and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

"Let's go back. No more checks today."

Wenren Du was taken aback for a moment, then jogged to catch up: "Young Master, about the matter Empress Dowager Yan entrusted to us..."

"What's the rush?"

Rong Jing didn't turn around; his voice drifted away in the bamboo shadows. "Anyway, she's just scheming for my good brother. Why should I be so attentive?"