Her pupils contracted sharply, all color draining from her face in an instant.
Her entire body trembled uncontrollably, her nails digging so deeply into her palms that they drew blood, yet she felt nothing.
That face…
That face!
It was Shen Miao!
It was that Shen Miao whom she and Xiao Jingyuan had driven to jump into the lake, who had long since drowned in South Lake, whose body had vanished without a trace!
Exactly the same!
Even the faint, tiny mole at the end of the eyebrow was identical!
But where was even a trace of the weak, docile woman from the Marquis’s Mansion who had once been at her mercy, allowing herself to be pushed around and molded at will?
Clad in fiery red, her aura was intimidating, noble and coldly beautiful, gazed upon by all the powerful nobles in the hall, even the Emperor regarded her with special favor.
And she was here as Jiangnan’s Shen Gongzi—
That mysterious tycoon who had made Xiao Jingyuan stumble twice, incurring losses of hundreds of thousands of taels of silver!
That Shen Gongzi who had bankrupted her?
Su Manrou felt a chill surge from the soles of her feet straight to the crown of her head, her soul terrified out of her, almost screaming aloud on the spot.
It was her… She wasn’t dead… She had returned…
Not only was she not dead, she was Shen Gongzi!
She had come for revenge!
Fear, panic, despair, and jealousy instantly consumed her.
She clutched her sleeves tightly, her face as pale as paper, not even daring to breathe loudly. Not a trace of arrogance remained in her eyes, only bone-chilling terror.
…
The moment Xiao Jingyuan saw Shen Miao, the blood in his body seemed to freeze instantly.
The hand holding the wine cup jerked to a halt, his pupils contracting violently to their limit, his eyes churning with overwhelming shock, disbelief, and a deep-seated, bone-marrow terror.
The wine cup slipped from his hand, clattering onto the blue brick floor.
Fine wine splashed everywhere, shattered porcelain fragments flying up, yet none of it could pull his mind back.
He stared fixedly at the figure in red, not blinking, his heart pounding wildly, almost bursting from his chest.
Alike.
Too alike.
Alike enough to make his entire body tremble.
Alike enough to make his breath stop.
Alike enough to make him think that Shen Miao, who had long since drowned in South Lake, had returned from the dead!
The same brows and eyes, the same contours, the same jawline, the same small mole at the end of the eyebrow, even the cool arc in the depths of her eyes—all identical!
But the woman before him, clad in red, was peerlessly elegant, her aura sharp and commanding, admired by thousands.
She was worlds apart from the Shen Nianqing of the past, who had endured humbly and meekly in the Marquis’s Mansion, submissive and timid, discarded by him like worn-out shoes.
Was it her?
Was it truly her?
That legal wife whom he had personally driven to desperation, declared drowned…
That Shen Miao whom he had never paid any mind to, trampled upon at will…
Was actually Shen Gongzi?
Was actually that mysterious merchant from Jiangnan who had toyed with him, made him lose five hundred and fifty thousand taels, and left him utterly disgraced?
Boom—!
Xiao Jingyuan felt a thunderclap explode in his mind, the entire world crumbling around him.
He abruptly stood up, his movements too rushed, causing the table and chairs to emit a harsh, grating sound that shattered the deathly silence in the hall.
All eyes turned to him, filled with confusion and shock.
What was wrong with Jing’an Hou?
Why had he lost his composure so completely upon seeing Shen Gongzi appear?!
Xiao Jingyuan remained oblivious, his gaze glued to Shen Miao, unwilling to look away for even a moment, his eyes churning with stormy waves.
It was her.
Even if she had changed into women’s clothing, changed her aura, changed her identity, he could recognize her at a glance—
This was his former wife, Shen Miao.
She wasn’t dead!
She hadn’t drowned at all!
She had been deceiving him all along!
Using the identity of Shen Gongzi, she set traps step by step, watching him suffer a crushing defeat, watching him go mad, watching him utterly collapse!
Overwhelming rage, the humiliation of being played, and the fury of being deceived swept away his reason.
He wished he could rush forward immediately, seize her, and demand an explanation—why she had faked her death, why she had deceived him, why she had trampled him so mercilessly underfoot!
But he could not.
This was the imperial palace, the Palace Banquet. If he lost his composure, the Jing’an Marquisate would face utter ruin.
Xiao Jingyuan clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his bones creaking audibly. Emotions surged wildly in his eyes—
Shock, anger, madness, resentment, and even a trace of something he himself refused to acknowledge or confront—
The panic of something lost and regained, and a belated, heart-wrenching regret.
…
Shen Miao felt his burning, frenzied gaze and sensed Su Manrou’s soul-shattering fear. The corners of her lips curved into a faint, icy, ruthless arc.
Her eyes held not a ripple of emotion, as if she had never known this despicable pair.
She slowly raised her gaze, looking past the crowd to directly meet the Emperor seated high above. With a slight bend of her knees, she performed a commoner’s bow—neither subservient nor arrogant—her voice clear and resonant, echoing through the hall:
“The Shen family of Jiangnan pays respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years.”
Her tone was cool and composed, without a trace of timidity, fully displaying the grace and bearing of a Jiangnan magnate.
A mix of astonishment and admiration flickered in the Emperor’s eyes as he proclaimed, “Rise.”
“We have long heard of the great reputation of Shen Gongzi of Jiangnan, who controls caoyun and stabilizes the grain market, contributing greatly to the state. Today, upon meeting, We never imagined Shen Gongzi would be a woman of such unparalleled elegance. Truly astonishing.”
“Your Majesty flatters me. This humble subject merely did what little she could and dares not claim credit.” Shen Miao lowered her gaze, her tone modest yet not submissive. “As for disguising myself as a man, it was solely for convenience in conducting affairs. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness for this deception.”
This response was dignified and graceful, her presence innate. The civil and military officials in the hall were thoroughly convinced, no longer harboring any trace of disdain.
“Hearing you say so, We can understand.” If she had acted as a woman, she might not have achieved the same success as Shen Gongzi. Thinking this, the Emperor said, “You never explicitly stated whether you were male or female, so how can it be called deception?”
Before Shen Gongzi attended the Palace Banquet today, she had donated a vast sum to replenish the national treasury.
Hearing the Emperor’s words, Shen Miao promptly expressed her gratitude: “This humble subject thanks Your Majesty for your understanding. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years.”
Yet the hall remained deathly silent.
Everyone’s attention swirled wildly around three facts: Shen Gongzi is a woman!
Shen Gongzi is devastatingly beautiful!
Shen Gongzi’s face… bears an uncanny resemblance to the “deceased” former wife of the Marquis of Jing’an!
Before rumors could even begin, a thunderbolt lay hidden.
Shen Miao slowly turned and, under the gaze of all, took a seat in an inconspicuous yet strategically positioned spot.
As her red robes settled, she remained the sole light in the entire hall.
Mu Jin stood behind her like a loyal blade, her entire demeanor cold and vigilant, her gaze sharp as a knife, fixed unwaveringly on Xiao Jingyuan and Su Manrou.
Shen Miao picked up the clear tea before her, took a small sip, and lowered her eyes to conceal the overwhelming chill within.
Xiao Jingyuan, Su Manrou, are you surprised?
…
The atmosphere in the hall remained eerie.
Everyone stole glances at the figure in red, whispers rising in fragments, yet no one dared to speak loudly.
“What exactly is the background of this Miss Shen? Her beauty is truly peerless!”
“I heard she’s the wealthiest merchant in Jiangnan, personally invited by His Majesty’s decree. Her background must be anything but simple!”
“Look at Jing’an Hou—he seems utterly lost in thought. Could it be that this Miss Shen has some connection to the Marquis’s Mansion?”
These whispers reached Xiao Jingyuan’s ears without missing a single word, causing his expression to darken further.
He slowly sat down, emanating a chilling, fierce aura, yet his gaze remained fixed on Shen Miao, never leaving her for a moment.
He was determined to find out whether this woman was truly Shen Miao!
If she was… he would make sure she paid the price for today’s deception!
As for Shen Miao, she picked up the light tea on the table, took a small sip, her expression calm, as if everything around her had nothing to do with her.