Chapter 12: Gift

Shen Sheng had a strange thought. Perhaps, besides Jiang Buyan herself, there was another—a sister, perhaps older, perhaps younger.

That’s why the candy needed to be in even numbers.

On the day of the welcoming banquet, Jiang Buyan had eaten two tangerines and secretly taken two with her.

She ate some and took the same amount back to give to a little sister at home.

Once the idea took root in her mind, it grew wildly like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Moments later, she decided she would test her theory tomorrow.

But as she happily took a sip of tea, the thought was dismissed just as quickly. Was Jiang Buyan one child, or were there two? And what did it have to do with her?

Whether one or two…

No, this involved the Shen family. It required more prudence.

Shen Sheng eagerly went to the Main Room to find her mother. The maid at the door greeted her with a smile. “Fifth Miss, the Madam was just calculating that the Eldest Young Madams will arrive the day after tomorrow.”

“That’s wonderful news. Should I go to meet them?” Shen Sheng stepped over the threshold.

The maid replied, “That is precisely the Madam’s wish. If you go to receive them, the Eldest Young Madams will surely be most delighted.”

Master and servant walked into Madam Shen’s bedchamber. The charcoal brazier burned warmly inside, and a faint, gentle fragrance filled the room.

The maid withdrew. Shen Sheng sidled up to her mother, careful not to startle her. In the softest, gentlest voice, she began, “A-Niang, I saw a child who looks very much like me.”

“So?” Madam Shen reclined on the daybed, a thin blanket draped over her. A faint, rosy blush colored her well-preserved face.

The charcoal brazier made the room feel like a spring day.

Shen Sheng took a breath and explained, “Could it be a child one of my brothers left behind outside?”

Madam Shen raised her eyes to study her youngest daughter’s face. A youthful complexion, almond eyes slightly upturned, brows and eyes still youthful. Not exactly classically beautiful, but the killing aura that surrounded her forced one to take more than a passing glance.

Truthfully, Shen Sheng wasn’t particularly close to her. Because by the time she arrived here, Shen Sheng had just left the capital for Juzhou City.

Madam Shen had been in Nanqian for three years now, and life was fairly pleasant. Her husband and sons were dead; her daughters-in-law were filial; there wasn’t much to truly worry about.

But once Shen Sheng returned, those peaceful days were gone for good.

Strictly speaking, she hadn’t merely traveled to ancient times—she was in a book, and the plot had only just begun.

Once she made it through the main storyline, she could return to the modern world.

She looked at her youngest daughter with pity. “Actually… you are not a child of the Shen family. You share no blood relation with the Shen family. How could your brother’s child possibly look like you?”

Shen Sheng: “…”

“A-Niang, that joke isn’t funny.” Shen Sheng was so shocked she rubbed her chest, slanting a glance at her mother. “It must be one of my brother’s children. The State Preceptor found her, and now she’s pinning it on me, claiming she’s my child. Tell me, I’m eighteen. That child is four or five. Did I supposedly get pregnant and give birth at twelve or thirteen?”

Madam Shen seemed to find amusement in this, her eyes curving into crescents. “The State Preceptor is pinning it on you?”

“Not exactly. She just said something along the lines of ‘our child’ and then nothing more. A-Niang, you tell me: I want to marry her, but she’s unwilling. Then she turns around and says she has my child. What does that mean?” Shen Sheng muttered, deeply puzzled.

Madam Shen kindly offered, “Perhaps she’s playing hard to get.”

“A-Niang, be honest with me. Is this related to my brothers?” Shen Sheng ignored her mother’s teasing.

“It’s not related. Handle your own mess.” Madam Shen propped herself up. Looking at Shen Sheng’s face, she simply couldn’t reconcile that this young general—who had earned illustrious military achievements for Nanqian—was actually the God of the South River from a thousand years ago.

According to the texts, the God of the South River wasn’t a god of the river, but a black abyss at the river’s bottom.

When the black abyss was discovered, it was believed to be what would destroy the South River. Thus, all the inhabitants above the South River—who could also be called gods—tried every means to destroy the abyss.

In the end, the black abyss was destroyed, and the South River dried up.

The divine power of the gods vanished along with it. They turned into ordinary mortals, and before they could even die of old age, they were annihilated by other gods.

A black abyss could be called a black hole in modern terms—a black hole that could devour everything. The gods above the South River feared it, never realizing that their own divine power actually originated from it.

Madam Shen rested her chin on her hand and looked at the frowning girl before her. Shen Sheng’s kindness was plain to see, her pure, clean smile a rare sight in this world.

She kindly said, “You could go investigate the history books about the South River. There’s a Library Pavilion in the palace.”

After speaking, her heart softened again, and she added, “Take the State Preceptor with you to look. Without the State Preceptor, you won’t get in.”

More opportunities to be alone—maybe that would help things along.

Shen Sheng glanced at her mother, then mentioned the matter of inviting the State Preceptor. Madam Shen’s eyes lit up. Shen Sheng was very proactive—unlike the State Preceptor, that mute who never opened her mouth.

“Quite good. I’ll have people make the arrangements. I’m not fond of meeting outsiders; just hold the banquet in your courtyard then.” Madam Shen nodded at her daughter. “I won’t stop you from doing what you want, but you must realize: His Majesty is wary of you, the Crown Prince wants to win you over, yet Anle wishes to put you to death. You must know how to handle this.”

Shen Sheng’s expression turned solemn. She nodded. “I understand. I will maintain proper discretion. I won’t cause you worry, nor bring trouble to the Shen family.”

Madam Shen hesitated. Too much talk of filth and vice could ruin one’s mood, especially for Shen Sheng. Three years of bloody battles, fighting with her life to recapture the lost Juzhou City, only to end up trapped in the capital, stripped of freedom—telling her all this was simply too cruel.

It was like a company you poured your heart into maintaining, working without rest for three years. Just as the company stabilizes and rises, the boss suspects you of wanting independence and strips your authority. Wouldn’t that be heartbreaking?

Shen Sheng’s eyes flickered. Her heart felt blocked. She smiled faintly at her mother, “I understand. I’ll go back and prepare.”

Madam Shen remained lying down, not moving a muscle, staring up at the ceiling beams.

State Preceptor Anu came from a thousand years ago. The gods, using the last of their divine power, sent her a millennium into the future to find the reincarnation of the God of the South River.

But what reincarnation was there?

From beginning to end, it was always only Shen Sheng.

The next day, the State Preceptor didn’t come. The love-brained Princess Anle came instead.

Princess Anle practically had “I am a love brain” written all over her.

Madam Shen personally went to greet the Princess. Just as the two sat down, the gatekeeper announced that the State Preceptor had arrived, bringing a child with her.

The State Preceptor walked in front, a small child trotted behind her. Anle watched in astonishment. “The State Preceptor has a child?”

“Is that so? This humble woman does not know,” Madam Shen feigned surprise. “Looking at the child, she’s about four or five years old.”

Princess Anle had been married to Zhou Yi for over two years. The capital constantly buzzed with sweet tales of their loving marriage. Others lamented: though their affection was good, they were still childless.

The Zhou Manor only had Zhou Yi as the sole heir. Madam Zhou was so anxious she could barely eat, often muttering behind people’s backs that the Zhou family’s only son had no offspring, her words and hints all expressing a desperate desire to hold a grandson.

In the snowy grounds, the little girl bounced and skipped over the threshold and bowed to Madam Shen. “Jiang Buyan pays respects to Madam Shen. May Madam Shen be blessed with fortune, longevity, and health.”

Madam Shen looked the little girl over and smiled faintly. “Such a sweet talker. Just as sweet as our Little Five.”

The mouths of Jiang Buyan and Jiang Buyu—ghost-deceiving mouths.

Princess Anle’s gaze remained fixed on the girl. Her noble frame shifted slightly. She exclaimed in surprise, “She somewhat resembles Shen Sheng.”

The corner of Anu’s lips curved upwards. “I also think she looks alike. Your Highness, do you suppose she could be Young General Shen’s child? And if so, who would her father be?”

Who was the father?

Anle shot a glance at the State Preceptor, then looked towards Madam Shen. Madam Shen, frightened by the State Preceptor’s remark—a move that injured both the enemy and herself—went pale and quickly tried to explain. “The State Preceptor is joking. How is Prince Consort Zhou’s health? No, no… I didn’t mean that the father is Prince Consort Zhou.”

“Oh my, Madam Shen brought up Prince Consort Zhou herself. It has nothing to do with me,” Anu said with a graceful, radiant smile. Under her red fox-fur cloak, her brows and eyes were curved, her bright eyes alluring.

This look of pure innocence was completely at odds with the rumors the world had of her.

Madam Shen: “…”

Forget it. No more explanations. In any case, Little Five wouldn’t be marrying any man.

The culprit now lowered her gaze to the ground, her long, raven-black lashes leisurely veiling the emotions in her eyes. Her posture appeared exceptionally sincere.

Anle was so furious she slammed the table and rose to her feet. She wanted to erupt in anger, but after another glance at the State Preceptor, her inner fear overwhelmed her, and she shook her sleeves and left in a huff.

The culprit watched the doorway, smiling radiantly, and affectionately patted Jiang Buyu’s head. “Tell me, what do you call that?”

“Hurting the enemy a thousand while damaging yourself eight hundred,” Jiang Buyu hummed lightly.

Anu raised her eyes to look at Madam Shen. Only then did she seem to remember she hadn’t formally greeted her. She unhurriedly performed the bow of a junior. “Madam Shen.”

Madam Shen dared not look at her. She pursed her lips, gave a nervous, forced smile. “Little Five is waiting for the State Preceptor in her courtyard. I will have someone lead you there.”

“Madam Shen does not mind that your beloved daughter associates with a devil like me?” Anu suddenly spoke, a soul-piercing question that made everyone in the room change color.

What kind of person was the State Preceptor? A ruthless killer. Who dared act out of line in her presence?

The already cold room was swept by a frigid gust of wind. Especially Madam Shen—her face went terribly pale.

Madam Shen felt some fear towards the State Preceptor before her. The later version of Anu, and Jiang Wan, the leader of the South River gods—though they were the same person, their natures had long since diverged.

The person before her had an unpredictable, volatile temperament. She was not someone to be trifled with at all.

After a long moment, her body rigid, she forced a stiff smile. “I have never been one to interfere in the affairs of youngsters.”

Shen Sheng was the Shen family’s only daughter, so her courtyard was also the largest. It contained rockeries and running water, and at the back, a high pavilion warmed by a tower.

Today’s banquet was set right here, in the warm pavilion.

Early in the morning, the braziers in the pavilion had been lit to high heat. Zhu Fan sent over some candies and snacks that children loved, and even the tea water was prepared with plum blossom syrup, tasting sweet on the tongue.

Anu led the child slowly into the warm pavilion. She took off her red cloak, removed her shoes, and stepped inside. Jiang Buyan ran in ahead of her. “General Shen!”

Shen Sheng had been arranging flowers, fretting terribly. Jiang Buyan came running up and, in a few swift movements, inserted the freshly picked plum blossoms into the white porcelain vase, arranging them with exquisite taste.

Shen Sheng rewarded her with a box of candy and glanced at her hair. Red silk ribbons. It was the true Jiang Buyan.

Anu stepped forward and spoke, as if deliberately provocative: “Anle came, and then left again.”

Shen Sheng invited the two guests—one tall, one short—to sit. Jiang Buyan refused to sit still and ran outside with her candy to play.

Only the two of them remained in the warm pavilion.

The two sat facing each other, an arm’s length apart. They could see each other’s faces clearly just by looking up.

The warmth was pleasant, the atmosphere exceptionally good.

Anu didn’t wait for Shen Sheng’s reply before speaking again: “I heard that when Zhou Yi got married, you sent him a congratulatory gift from thousands of miles away.”

Shen Sheng was baffled by the question. The year Zhou Yi got married, she had been fighting a desperate, chaotic war. Who would have had time to send Zhou Yi any gift?

“What gift?”

“I heard it was a martial arts manual. Zhou Yi’s body is weak—how very thoughtful of you,” Anu said coolly.

Shen Sheng opened her mouth. “What manual?”

Anu thought for a moment, meeting Shen Sheng’s blank expression, and answered seriously: “The Sunflower Manual.”