Edited by Tnyhy
Chapter 113: Indirect Kiss (Part 2)When Shen Miao brought Mo Qing into Su Ming Feng’s room, she happened to see Su Ming Lang being brought out by a servant. The snow fair glutinous rice dumpling was struggling to get out of the servant's hands, but at the end his efforts were futile. Since he saw her, his eyes brightened and waved his small short hands excitedly, “Shen Older Sister!”
Shen Miao stopped beside him and a rare smile appeared on her face as she stroke his head, “Why are you here?”
“Eldest Brother did not let me enter…” Su Ming Lang was in tears, “Shen Older Sister, are you here to see me?”
The servant at the side coughed lightly and smiled apologetically at Shen Miao, “Apologies to Young Lady Shen, Young Master is waiting for you inside.” And that covered up Su Ming Lang’s words.
Su Ming Lang was clearly dissatisfied and looked at Shen Miao with full cheeks. Shen Miao laughed, “I am here to speak to your Eldest Brother on some matters. The next time, I will look for you and bring some sweet cakes for you to eat.”
Hearing that, Su Ming Lang immediately became happy and no longer struggled. He carefully told Shen Miao not to forget the promise before leaving happily with the servant.
Mo Qing who was following at the back was somewhat surprised. Shen Miao had all along been one who was not patient or kind to strangers, but has a very good temperament with Su Ming Lang. If one did not know, one would think that Su Ming Lang was her son. Mo Qing immediately pushed down such absurd thoughts. Not to mention that there was not much difference between Shen Miao’s and Su Ming Lang’s age, Shen Miao was still a little girl so how could she be a mother.
When Shen Miao pushed open the doors and entered, there was only Su Ming Feng alone sitting in front of a small table. Seeing Shen Miao entering and bringing Mo Qing, he first paused but did not obstruct and let Shen Miao enter the room. The servant at the door quickly closed the door.
Mo Qing stood in front of the door without moving, in case anything happen.
Shen Miao walked straight to Su Ming Feng and sat down in front of him. Her entire actions looked very natural as if this was her own residence and there was no issue. But this was her first time in this residence and before this, she did not have anything to do with Su Ming Feng. To be so undaunted to a stranger made Su Ming Feng not help but cast a sidelong glance.
Shen Miao was also sizing Su Ming Feng up.
In all fairness, Su Ming Feng was a clean cut handsome youth. It was just that due to standing by the side of Xie Jing Xing, a person who lit up others’ eyes, most of the radiance was covered up. In fact Shen Miao know that Su Ming Feng was not an ordinary child of an official, and really had abilities.
Unfortunately at the end the entire Su family was destroyed due to the matter of sale of the military horses. Su Ming Feng also lost his life in that disaster and at the end, the corpses of the Su father and son were personally collected by Xie Jing Xing. The close relationship between the Su and Xie families was evident in that.
Precisely because of that, the Su family had no contact with the Shen family at all.
Su Ming Feng was somewhat uncomfortable with how Shen Miao was looking and lightly coughed, “Young Lady Shen, one do not know for what reason does one come to one’s residence?”
“My parents and Eldest Brother were summoned into the Palace by His Majesty. Does Young Master Su know why?” Shen Miao asked.
Su Ming Feng was somewhat baffled. The matter of the Shen family had spread to the entire Ding capital early in the morning, and every official family knew of the danger and since they were officials in court, once there were any changes of wind and grass movement, it could be a big event. But how did the Shen family’s mishaps got to do with his Su family?
“I do not know.” Su Ming Feng replied. He really did not know the purpose of why Shen Xin was summoned to the Palace, and everyone guessed that it was Emperor Wen Hui that wanted to fix the Shen family, but no one knew what were the charges.
“When my Father was at the Northwestern region carrying out a massacre, His Majesty ordered to withdraw from the city but my Father did not obey it.” Shen Miao said, “So one think that His Majesty would use the offense of deceiving the monarch and disobey military orders to punish my Father.”
Su Ming Feng jumped in shock. It was not because of the charges that Shen Miao said, but it was how easy Shen Miao told the matter to him. This matter could be considered a leverage in anyone’s hands and it was not too late to cover it up, but Shen Miao actually told him so straightforwardly. Even if Su Ming Feng was intelligent since childhood, he did not know how to continue the conversation, and could only laugh dryly twice and said half-heartedly, “Oh, then what can be done?”
“So I wish for the Su Heir to help.” Shen Miao said.
Su Ming Feng was once again stunned. He thought it through and could not think of any relations with Shen Miao, or what kind of relations the Shen family and the Su family had for the Su family to lend a helping hand. At the situation where he was baffled, Su Ming Feng secretly glanced towards the folding screen.
“Young Lady Shen is joking.” He quickly recovered his gaze and looked at Shen Miao before smiling gently and politely, “Just what can this one do to help? Young Lady Shen most likely overestimated this one… Actually, forgive this one for speaking rudely, this matter is complicated and if one were to casually help, one fear that one will invite trouble for oneself. I… Cannot find any reasons to act dangerously and be a good hearted person.”
Su Ming Feng said those words very skilfully. It was very polite but mercilessly rejected Shen Miao’s request. Su Ming Feng himself also saw clearly that Shen Miao standing in front of him had a straightforward character, and he abandoned his usual roundabout and tactful words and straightforward stated: No way.
Shen Miao however lightly smiled upon hearing this. When she smiled, her eyes were especially clear and there seems to be some naivety. But it was only in the twinkling of an eye before that smile cooled down as she said, “Su Heir, even though you have yet to enter officialdom, but your Esteemed Father is still in command of the military horses.”
Su Ming Feng slightly frowned, “Correct.”
“Did your esteemed father spoke to Su Heir that there seems to be a problem in the army horses?” Shen Miao said.
This time Su Ming Feng’s brow knitted even tighter as he stared closely at Shen Miao, “Why does Young Lady Shen say such words?”
Shen Miao smiled gently, “I heard that there are a few minor problems in the military horses recently, several horses were ill and there is no cure.”
Su Ming Feng gripped his cup tighter.
Shen Miao words were not false. These days Su Yu was busy and having a headache on this matter, but other than speaking about it secretly to a few subordinates and him, no one knew about it. Moreover it was not possible for people outside of the military horse department to inform Shen Miao, as if the matter spreaded out and Emperor Wen Hui put the blame down, everyone would be fired and it would be even worse.
But, how did Shen Miao know about it?
Su Ming Feng heard his dry voice, “Young Lady Shen… Where did you hear these untrue words?”
“Untrue words?” Shen Miao sighed and there was a light smile in her eyes. She got nearer to Su Ming Feng and whispered, “Could it be that Su Heir is not afraid that this horse illness will eventually become a horse plague?”
Su Ming Feng’s pupil enlarged!
Horse plague!
“With Count Ping Nan’s cautious character and also a lifetime of experience with military horses, how could one not suspect that?” Shen Miao pretended to be surprised, “Could it be that it was not told to Su Heir?”
Su Ming Feng bit his teeth and did not speak.
Su Yu did not tell him? Naturally Su Yu told him that the medication was ineffective with the horse illness, and it was a foreshadow of a horse plague. A single military horse would require a lot of money to raise and once a horse plague erupts, there will be large casualties in the military horses and money was not only impacted. If there were not enough horses in the battlefield then it was not possible for the army to fight. And when the blame flows down, the punishment would range from light, losing the official hat, to heavy, one may not even protect the head on the shoulders.
Not only that, this horse illness came strangely, and even after consulting numerous veterinarians, there was no way out. Recently they have separated the sick horses away but there were still a number of horses that intermittently died. If at the end it was not controlled and really became a horse plague… One feared that it would be a catastrophe.
“Young Lady Shen, what opinion do you have?” Su Ming Feng spoke roughly and when he was speaking, he could not help but glance towards the folding screen.
Instead of being anxious, Shen Miao picked up an empty cup on the table and poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip.
When Su Ming Feng saw this, he originally wanted to say something but after thinking for a moment, he swallowed it down and open his ears to hear.
“I have a way to resolve your horse difficulties.” Shen Miao said.
Su Ming Feng was surprised for a moment, “Is that remark real?”
“One is luckily acquainted with a veterinarian who has superior skills. One heard that he had treated the exact horse illness, and the army horses matter can be resolve if he is found.”
Su Ming Feng did not speak.
Shen Miao picked up the cup again to take a sip before speaking lightly, “Mending the pen when the sheep is lost is not considered too late. Su Heir, when the horse illness spread out widely and could not be concealed, the ones who will be suffering are not only the horses.”
Su Ming Feng bit his teeth and looked towards Shen Miao, “For Young Lady Shen to especially come over to deliver such a good strategy, one fear that there are still more words to be spoken.”
His eyes flashed, “Perhaps one think that my Su family can provide a good strategy to help the Shen family? Please do speak.”
“Very frank and straightforward.” Shen Miao praised.
Su Ming Feng laughed bitterly. How was it that he was frank and straightforward, it was clearly because Shen Miao was cunning. Previously he had already said that the Su family had no obligation to get into the muddy water and help Shen Xin, but Shen Miao directly provided the conditions for a transaction. Since she brought out the Su family most worrisome and latest matter of the army horses, one had to say that Shen Miao really know how to catch others at their soft underbelly. The matter have not been spread out, and even Su Yu and he only spoke about it privately, so he did not know how did Shen Miao knew. No matter what, after the conditions for the transaction was thrown out, he simply cannot refuse.
No wonder Shen Miao did not even fawn and spoke directly. She simply had a card up her hands. Since it is a trade, no one took advantage of the other.
“I know that the Count of Ping Nan knows a number of people in court and as compared to my parents who are based in the Northwestern region all year, the Count of Ping Nan’s influences are much bigger. I want to request the Count of Ping Nan’s and all of his colleagues' help, to unite and submit reports on my Father.”
“Submit reports?” Su Ming Feng frowned, “All to intercede for General Shen?”
Shen Miao shook her head, “No, all to fault my Father.”
Su Ming Feng was shocked.
“One think that the Count of Ping Nan will not be willing to enter this muddy water.” Shen Miao slightly smiled, “So how the Count of Ping Nan can be persuaded will be left to Su Heir. But Su Heir must not tell the Count of Ping Nan of the matter of the army horses or mention about me. Else, the entire deal will be dissolved.”
Su Ming Feng could not understand. He looked up. The Young Lady in front of him still had the appearance of a little girl, with warm and clean brows and a naivety when she smiled, but when she did not smile, the coldness in her eyes was awe-inspiring. And that kind of pressure to another, was something that even Su Yu had not even give to Su Ming Feng before.
“I cannot stay for long and will have to trouble Su Heir to send someone to my residence upon the decision. When the matter is successful, I will naturally provide the location of the veterinarian.” She stood up and slightly bowed to Su Ming Feng before saying, “Many thanks.”
Su Ming Feng quickly got up and said, “Definitely.”
Shen Miao took a glance at the folding screen and walked out of the house with Mo Qing. After Shen Miao had left, Su Ming Feng then released a sigh of relief and someone walked out from behind of the folding screen. Who was it other than Xie Jing Xing?
“You have heard it all.” Su Ming Feng said, “One cannot make out this Young Lady of the Shen family more than anyone else.”
Xie Jing Xing’s raised his brows and did not speak. Su Ming Feng’s gaze landed on the table and the teacup that Shen Miao drank from was still there. The rim of the cup was still slightly wet.
“Speaking of which, that was the cup you drank from…” Su Ming Feng said, “You…”
Xie Jing Xing impolitely and ruthlessly kicked him.