The reason Shen Jingxuan had stayed at Shen Zhiyi’s place all this time was because he had discovered that hearing her inner thoughts had a distance limit. He also figured that Xie Yu would probably come looking for him again.
So he used every trick he had to grow closer to Shen Zhiyi. Perhaps because of their natural blood bond, and because their personalities clicked so well, the two quickly became inseparable.
Shen Jingxuan realized that this little sister of his, though quiet on the surface and seemingly gentle and easygoing, actually had an incredibly active inner world. Sometimes her thoughts were mercilessly blunt, but they always cut straight to the heart of the matter and left people enlightened.
So even though his little sister constantly roasted him in her head, he still loved hearing her talk.
Most importantly, she seemed almost omniscient. Anything she wanted to know, she somehow knew. She could even glimpse bits of the near future, as though a deity had descended into the mortal world.
She was ten thousand times more miraculous than the supposedly all-knowing Master Kongwu in the estate!
And even more amazing, he discovered that almost nobody else could hear these inner thoughts.
Except him.
The one-in-ten-thousand lucky man.
Just thinking about it lifted his spirits considerably. He believed that with his little sister’s vast supernatural abilities, as long as he tried hard enough, he would definitely find a way to solve his problems through her.
“Second Brother, the Heir Apparent is here to see you.”
Outside the courtyard, Xie Yu stopped in his tracks as Shen Zhiyi called out, tactfully hinting that it was time for Shen Jingxuan to leave.
Shen Jingxuan naturally understood Xie Yu’s purpose for coming. If Shen Zhiyi wasn’t present, what was the point of discussing anything?
He hurriedly came up with an excuse.
“Xiao Yi, Second Brother still has something I want to ask you about. It’s… emotional matters. Girls are definitely more thoughtful than us men—you might even be able to give us some advice.”
The moment Shen Zhiyi heard that her silly sweet second brother had romantic troubles, she immediately perked up.
To avoid being overheard, but also because it wasn’t proper to enter a young lady’s boudoir, Shen Jingxuan and Xie Yu chose a secluded spot beside a decorative rock formation.
The two exchanged glances, their eyes once again clouded with gloom.
They sat facing each other in silence until Shen Jingxuan finally improvised another excuse.
“Little Sister, you know that the woman I love is Ji Changge, the daughter of the Minister of War. In three months, we’re supposed to be married.”
“But last night, I suddenly had a terrifying dream. In the dream, someone told me that the woman I love isn’t Ji Changge at all, but someone else entirely. Even in the dream, I couldn’t see her face clearly. But after waking up, I felt extremely uneasy, as though I might really have mistaken the wrong person for the right one.”
“Tell me… why would I have such a dream? Am I just too nervous?”
【Yes! You really did mistake the wrong person! This isn’t pre-marriage anxiety at all!】
Shen Zhiyi had not expected something this dramatic to happen in real life. Immediately, she picked up the conversation, looking every bit like a mystical fortune-teller.
“When I was little, I once heard a saying: truth is falsehood, and falsehood is truth. Perhaps what you thought was false in your dream is actually real.”
Xie Yu thought for a moment before saying, “Suppose the woman I love and I cannot openly be together because of reality. Suppose that only by eloping could we achieve happiness—but doing so might bring endless calamities.”
【Ah, as expected of the sweet CP I ship so hard. If it were Ji Changge, she’d definitely follow you across the world without hesitation!】
Joy surged through Xie Yu’s heart.
He himself could abandon everything and accept a life spent hiding and wandering. If Ge’er was willing too, then even defying the imperial decree and refusing the marriage might not be impossible. Perhaps, through some twist of fate, it could even fulfill Ah Xuan and Ling Siyao’s relationship…
“We aren’t afraid of hardship. Even wandering the world and suffering for the rest of our lives would be acceptable. But I still have some concerns. Miss Shen, since you are a woman, would you advise me to take her and run away?”
Xie Yu asked indirectly. He knew very well how terrifying the Emperor’s wrath could be. He feared dragging Ge’er into disaster.
Shen Zhiyi gently shook her head.
【Of course I wouldn’t recommend it! Setting aside how much suffering Ji Changge would endure, with the Emperor’s methods, you probably wouldn’t even stay hidden for a few years before being captured. And when that happens, who knows what horrific torture awaits you?】
【After all, wasn’t Princess Leyang the same? They spent an entire year preparing in advance, but after only three years, the old Emperor had already tracked them down. He’s about to set a trap and arrest them. This time, they probably won’t escape disaster.】
Both Xie Yu and Shen Jingxuan were shocked.
Rumor had claimed that Princess Leyang had suddenly fallen gravely ill and was recuperating far away, which was why the marriage alliance had quietly dissolved.
So the truth was that she had eloped to escape marriage.
Even Princess Leyang’s carefully laid plans had ended in failure…
Pain filled Xie Yu’s heart.
He knew better than anyone how horrifying the capital’s torture methods were. He himself could endure them, but he could never accept Ge’er suffering such cruelty.
If he could not give her happiness, then he would rather she live safely without him in her future.
【Actually… it’s not completely hopeless. It’s just…】
Both men immediately looked up, staring intensely at Shen Zhiyi as she furrowed her brows in deep thought.
Little Sister / Miss Shen, hurry and say it!
Even if you can’t tell us directly, you could at least mutter a few clues in your head!
Our lifelong happiness is hanging entirely on you!
Shen Zhiyi wrinkled her nose, genuinely unsure how to hint at it.
Ever since she’d finished reading this “drama,” she’d realized just how absurdly melodramatic the situation was.
【Sigh, it’s too cliché and cruel. Not only are these two loving couples forced apart, but they even end up getting married on the same day, at the exact same hour.】
【And because of a heavy rainstorm, Ling Siyao’s bridal procession and Ji Changge’s bridal procession both stop to rest in the very same abandoned schoolhouse for a quarter of an hour.】
【In the end, the two best friends bid each other farewell through tears, then marry each other’s beloved men. Only on their wedding night do they discover that the man each truly loves is actually the other’s husband.】
The more Shen Zhiyi thought about it, the more familiar the plotline felt.
【Isn’t this basically the tragic version of “Wrong Carriage, Right Groom”?】
Xie Yu & Shen Jingxuan: Wrong carriage, right groom? What kind of nonsense is that?
【But right now, Xie Yu and Ling Siyao’s wedding date hasn’t even been set yet. How am I supposed to play the mystical fortune-teller and hint that they’ve mistaken the identities of the people they love? And how do I explain this seemingly impossible plan?】
Shen Zhiyi frowned so hard her brows nearly knotted together.
Xie Yu and Shen Jingxuan were both frantic with anxiety, their hearts hanging by a thread. They almost wanted to come clean to Shen Zhiyi outright.
But they restrained themselves.
What exactly was this plan?
How impossible was it?
Xie Yu finally couldn’t hold back anymore and began making up stories just like Shen Jingxuan.
“Miss Shen, to be honest, I once had an absurd dream too. In the dream, my beloved and I eloped. But instead of living happily ever after, we met a miserable end. That’s why I’m worried about a future that hasn’t even happened yet.”
Shen Zhiyi suddenly understood.
No wonder Xie Yu had been asking her these questions too.
She couldn’t help admiring the two men. Their dreams were astonishingly accurate. Was this what novels called prophetic dreams?
Seeing Shen Zhiyi nod seriously without the slightest suspicion, Xie Yu continued fabricating his story with a perfectly calm expression.
“Actually, within that dream, I had another dream.”
“In that second dream, we did not elope. Instead, we accepted fate and proceeded with our arranged marriages step by step.”
“But on the eve of the wedding, I vaguely remember going to a temple to pray for blessings. On the way, I encountered an immortal-like sage in the woods. With one glance, he saw the misfortune awaiting me in the future. So he gave me guidance and helped me resolve it.”
Shen Jingxuan was dumbfounded.
For the sake of love, Xie Yu had truly evolved to another level. His ability to make things up was terrifying.
No wonder, according to the original storyline, Xie Yu would eventually beat him black and blue before cutting ties with him forever. Honestly, Shen Jingxuan suspected Shen Zhiyi had understated things—he wouldn’t even be surprised if Xie Yu beat him so badly he couldn’t get out of bed.
Shen Zhiyi was completely engrossed and urged eagerly, “And then? What happened next?”
【Quick, let me learn from that immortal sage too! Maybe if I combine his method with mine, I can come up with an even better solution!】
Xie Yu: “……”
You’re the only immortal sage here!
I’ve already hinted this heavily—just say your plan in your head already!
Xie Yu sighed regretfully.
“Unfortunately, it was only a dream within a dream. The fact that I can vaguely remember the scenes at all is already rare. As for what the sage actually said, I can’t remember a single word.”
Shen Zhiyi also looked disappointed.
【Ah, what a pity. Because my idea really is outrageously far-fetched. It’s almost impossible to pull off.】
【According to my theory, the key lies in that rainstorm, that schoolhouse, and—】
At once, Xie Yu and Shen Jingxuan held their breath, terrified of missing even a single word.
Right then, the courtyard gates were violently kicked open.
From the entrance, one could only see Xie Yu in black robes standing beside the rock formation. Opposite him, just a corner of Shen Zhiyi’s dress was visible.
“Shen Zhiyi, do you have any sense of shame left as a young lady at all? How dare you secretly meet a man in private inside your own home!”
Shen Honglang stormed in furiously.
No matter who this man was, Shen Zhiyi’s actions would damage the family’s reputation. If word got out, how was he supposed to gain promotions and rise in rank?
That uncultured country girl truly was nothing but trouble. She had no understanding whatsoever of noble etiquette. The moment she saw a slightly distinguished man, she rushed toward him without hesitation. It was utterly disgraceful.
If Chen Wanran hadn’t threatened to return to her maiden home, he would have kicked Shen Zhiyi out long ago!
“Elder Sister, how could you do something like this?” Shen Ruoyue’s soft voice followed, sounding shocked.
“The Heir Apparent Min has always valued propriety and reputation. Even if you wanted to speak with him, you shouldn’t have dragged him into your courtyard and secretly shut the gates. If nothing else, you should at least have asked your brothers to accompany you. If others found out, where would the dignity of the daughters of our marquis household go?”
As soon as she finished speaking, the “Heir Apparent Min” she referred to slowly turned around.
Xie Yu glanced at the two of them coldly.
From the distance, his expression could not be clearly seen. His face appeared as emotionless as always, yet Shen Ruoyue and Shen Honglang suddenly felt an icy killing intent wash over them, as though invisible flames of fury were about to devour them whole.
Then they heard him speak in a voice colder than frost.
“Is that so?”