Chapter 19: Young Gentleman

"So it was you."

A handsome youth walked out of the bamboo forest. He was wearing an ivory robe trimmed with silver thread, as compared to the white dumpling, it was very elegant.

He walked to Shen Miao, stopping in front of her as he looked down at her with probing eyes.

This youth was very tall as Shen Miao only came up to the height of his chest. There was an unruly laugh on his lips, as if he was looking at a child, but because of his handsome face, it was in no way offensive. If it was an ordinary female, their heartbeat would increase and their ears would have reddened.

But Shen Miao, after all, was not a true budding beauty. She glanced at that person and remained silent.

The youth's lips hooked up and suddenly there was a sophisticated short sword in his hands. He pointed the scabbard at himself and used sword shaft to lift Shen Miao's chin, forcing her to raise her head.

Shen Miao had no choice but to look at the other person.

The youth was in his teens, but his brows were exceptionally bright and his eyes were like autumn water, smiling and moving. But the depths of his eyes made others cold and it was a pair of sharp eyes that could almost see into one's heart. This kind of person, even with such a frivolous appearance, would be like a piece of ice inside.

She took a deep breath and stepped back so that the shaft of the short sword was away from her chin. She warmly acknowledged, "Little Xie Marquis."

Xie Jing Xing smiled but his tone was unclear, "You recognise me?"

"In the Ding capital, there is no one who does not know Little Marquis Xie." Shen Miao lightly said. There seemed to be some sarcasm in the words, but when she said it, it was actually unusually serious, which made others unable to differentiate the tone.

"I don't recognise you." Xie Jing Xing gave her a glance before looking at the dumpling shivering on the ground, "It was you who let Su Ming Lang pass the message to the Su family."

"Pass the message?" Shen Miao looked at him and suddenly smiled, "It was only to teach him a method to avoid getting reprimanded by his father by diverting his attention. How can it be to pass a message? Little Marquis mustn't overthink."

"Overthink?" The youth pondered those words before he suddenly approached in a bullying manner and forced Shen Miao's back to the tree. His expression was ambiguous, but his tone was very clear, "If I did not overthink, I would be deceived by you."

Shen Miao frowned.

Although there were not too many regulations between males and females in Ming Qi, to do such an action in broad daylight would be lacking in manners. In particular, there were so many nobles in Guang Wen Tang and if they were to see this. Well, she did not mind that it would destroy her reputation, but she did care that Shen Xin would then be shamed because of her. In her previous life, because of her, the Shen family collapsed, but it was only after that happened that she was able to see all the care and thought her parents gave. Now, with another lifetime, she would protect her family, so how would she tolerate others mentioning anything bad about the Shen family. Moreover, if it was caused by her.

Thinking of that, Shen Miao became somewhat impatient, "For Little Marquis to attack with condemnations, what is the actual purpose?"

Xie Jing Xin watched the young female before him attentively.

He had always been very sensitive to his intuition and was able to see the undercurrent of things beneath the surface. This was how he had lived for the past ten or so years. To kill others in battle and to fight the treacherous battle under the surface of Ding capital, including the hidden plotting in the back courtyard of his residence. He looked like he grew up just as such but it was not entirely by luck. There were so many noble children in Ming Qi and there were many reasons for their disappearances.

He would never take anything for granted.

Su Ming Lang's words, Su Ming Feng would definitely not think there was anything more to it and Master Su would also think that it was an inadvertent reminder from his son. But in his view it was not. To be able to grasp this opportunity so accurately, there were not many coincidences in the world. Most coincidences were man-made.

He could conclude that someone had taught Su Ming Lang to say these words, but for what purpose, he did not know.

He planned to meet this person for a while now.

When he really met the person behind this, he was actually surprised.

Xie Jing Xing thought that to be able to come out with such deeply significant words and in Guang Wen Tang, it would be some court official's son, most likely one who would be entering the official circles soon. Perhaps it was to win over the Su family, or perhaps it was to loosen the reins only to grasp them better. But when he saw who it was, he thought that Su Ming Lang was up to some mischief. It was only when she spoke, then he was sure that he was right.

The young female in front of him was not tall and only reached his chest. Her looks were not moving and at most were considered adorable. She looked like an eleven-year-old, with a double-loop bun on her head, a round face, round eyes, and small lips, standing there like a little lost deer from the forest. But she stood straight and dignified and each spoken word was slowly weighed as if she was taught by the women in the Palace. Did she want to be the Empress? If he did not see it for himself, Xie Jing Xing would have choked on his saliva.

Looking up then down, looking left then right, she was just silly little girl.

Until she said those words.

Her features were child-like but her tone was steady and not even a trace of panic was revealed, but some impatience instead. This was actually a first for Little Marquis Xie. When other females saw him coming close they would have long blushed, which was not interesting at all.

Most likely she was too young and would not understand anything. But how did she understand the words to give the Su family?

One of his hands was placed on the tree trunk behind Shen Miao was, if someone was looking in, it seemed as if he was embracing Shen Miao in an intimate way. Xie Jing Xing lowered his head and leaned very closely to Shen Miao.

"You are not afraid of me."

"Little Marquis is not a monster who devours people, so what is there to be afraid of." Shen Miao said lightly, "If there is nothing else, I will go back to class first." Finishing, she got ready to leave.

"Stop right there." Xie Jing Xing lifted his arms and a piece of Shen Miao's hair slid across his palm making it itch like ants crawling by. He withdrew his hands and took a few steps back to lean against the tree as he folded his arms across his chest, portraying the usual frivolous expression.

"What is your intention for warning the Su family?"

His words were like his eyes, which never concealed his sharp approach and direct impulsiveness, yet contained profound meaning.

Shen Miao sighed in her heart.

Xie Jing Xing was even smarter than she had imagined. One sentence from Su Ming Lang and he ended up here. Not only ending up here, he also questioned the purpose of the words. She only knew that he had a wide perspective from her past life but from what she saw today, it seemed that he was also someone with penetrating thoughts.

How did one hide one's true intentions when dealing with intelligent people? Unfortunately, she never wanted to hide.

"No other reasons. Just for self-preservation."

After finishing her words, she gave a slight greeting to Xie Jing Xing and turned around to leave without a care for anything else.

Xie Jing Xin would understand these words.

Behind her, the youth's lips hooked up as he played the short sword in his hands.

"Su Ming Lang, what is her name?"