Volume 1, Chapter 5: How Could There Be No Sincerity?

Shen Xingdu felt as if she had been struck by lightning; her blood ran cold.

Had her father truly... agreed to let her become a concubine to Lu Shao?

How could this be?

Shen Xingdu felt as though her heart had been hollowed out, leaving her with nowhere to turn.

Grand Tutor Shen had been on the verge of agreeing, but after a moment of hesitation, he changed his tone: "I must discuss this matter with your aunt first. You should return and focus on your upcoming examinations."

The moment Lu Shao exited, Madam Shen emerged from behind the screen.

It was her mother!

Hope rekindled in Shen Xingdu’s heart. Although her mother had never been close to her, she prized propriety above all else and would never allow a situation where two sisters shared the same husband!

Trapped in the body of a fox and unable to regain her human form, Shen Xingdu was desperate; she would rather die than be sent to the Lu household as a concubine.

"My Lord, it is truly improper to send Xingdu into the Lu family as well! If other noble clans learn of this, they will surely disparage us behind our backs. Where will you hide your face?"

Shen Xingdu stomped her paws anxiously by the window. It was indeed improper! Of course it was! Her father must have truly lost his mind in his old age! Thank goodness her mother still possessed some reason.

Seeing his wife openly object, the Grand Tutor replied with irritation: "All you ever say is 'improper'! I had hoped to marry Xingdu to the eldest son of the Chen family, but now her reputation is ruined. In all of the capital, only Lu Shao still remembers their past ties and is willing to take her as a concubine. She is not your own flesh and blood; if she remains in this house, could you even tolerate her presence?"

She was not her mother’s biological daughter?

Shen Xingdu wondered if she had misheard. How could she not be...

She looked at her mother nervously, but her mother showed no signs of denial, instead retorting: "My Lord, who says Xingdu must marry within the capital? Since her reputation is tarnished, it is best to marry her off to some far-off place, never to cross paths again. I found a match a few days ago and received a reply today. My distant cousin’s nephew is a merchant. While he may be a bit crude and several years her senior, he is wealthy. If we send Xingdu to Quzhou, his family is willing to pay fifty taels of gold. They simply want the prestige of being connected to an official’s family in the capital to help their business."

At the mention of fifty taels of gold, Shen Xingdu saw her father’s expression visibly soften.

A mere fifty taels of gold was enough to make her father consider selling her.

Her mother continued to persuade him: "My Lord, you have always been an incorruptible official. Over the years, I have carefully managed the household funds, but we have nearly exhausted our savings preparing Yue’e’s dowry. The Lu family’s second daughter will enter the palace next month, and since the Imperial Consort Chen has enjoyed the Emperor's favor for so many years, the Lu family’s future is boundless. If our Yue’e marries into the Lu house with a generous dowry, she will be able to secure her position there, my Lord! Xingdu is already a discarded pawn. Allowing her to make one final contribution to the Shen family is the least we can do after feeding her all these years!"

"Sigh!" Her father let out a heavy breath, finally convinced. "Then let it be as you say!"

The sixteen years of familial affection crumbled in that instant!

Shen Xingdu felt like a leaf in an autumn gale, collapsing weakly onto the ground outside the study. She felt dizzy and disoriented. Fifty taels of gold—not even enough to buy a fox-fur collar for Lu Shao—was enough to make her parents decide to sell her to provide for Yue’e’s dowry.

In that moment, Shen Xingdu finally believed the words of her mentor, Nanny Li.

When she was nine, her mother had hired Nanny Li to be her governess. No one in the Shen household knew that Nanny Li had secretly taught little Xingdu how to manage ledgers and run businesses. Shen Xingdu had never been adept at literature or poetry, and her grasp of etiquette was loose, but she possessed an innate talent for business; any venture she touched turned a profit. By the age of twelve, she already controlled half the shops in the capital and two river shipping routes.

Nanny Li had once asserted that the Shen family had no true love for her. She had warned her never to reveal her business acumen or her vast secret assets. If she insisted on sending money to the Shen family, she had to hide her tracks so that no one would ever suspect her. Shen Xingdu had often thrown tantrums at Nanny Li for such warnings. Back then, she respected the nanny’s skills but refused to believe her assessment. How could her father, who doted on her so much, not have any genuine love for her?

Now, it had all come to pass...

Shen Xingdu thought of the merchant association’s seal still in her possession. She had to retrieve it!

She stumbled toward her own bedchamber.

Lu Shao had not left! He was sitting by her bedside, holding her hand.

"Xingdu, rest assured, whether you are awake or asleep, you belong to me! I will never hand you over to anyone else! I just cannot marry you right now. You are not the Grand Tutor’s biological daughter. The Shen family will not go to great lengths for you! And I need the Shen family’s support! I promise you, one day, I will surely give you the position of my principal wife. Just wait a few more years for me!"

Shen Xingdu had one paw inside the door and the other hovering in the air, staring in shock at Lu Shao’s back.

So, Lu Shao already knew she was not her father’s biological daughter! Was this why he had changed his heart?

Shen Xingdu’s blood turned to ice. Lu Shao did not seem as shameless and heartless as she had imagined, but he was certainly no longer the man she had loved.

Suddenly, a gasp came from behind her.

"Where did this fox come from? Brother Shao, why are you here?"

Shen Xingdu and Lu Shao turned simultaneously. Shen Yue’e had already reached the doorway.

Just as Shen Xingdu tried to flee, Lu Shao snatched her up.

"I entered this courtyard chasing this fox!"

*Hah, hypocrite.*

Shen Xingdu was held aloft, dangled like a trophy in front of Shen Yue’e.

"Look! I caught this for you in the woods before dawn yesterday! It’s a pity I heard it’s the beloved pet of General Yan, so I’ll have to return it to the General’s residence later. Next time, I’ll catch another beautiful one for you to make a collar~"

Shen Yue’e stared at Shen Xingdu, her eyes gleaming. She snatched the fox from Lu Shao’s grasp.

"What beloved pet of General Yan? Don't all foxes look the same? And this fox can’t even talk! Since Brother Shao caught it for me, it’s mine! I don’t believe that if I use this fur to make a collar, a mere general would dare come to my boudoir to snatch it back!"

Lu Shao recognized that this was indeed the fox he had caught the day before. It must have run away from the General’s residence again. It was the perfect cover to appease Shen Yue’e. He had originally planned to return the fox to the General and offer an apology to General Yan, hoping to use the opportunity to build a connection. Yan Nanfei was currently powerful and commanded great respect, and while many in the court sought to win him over, he remained aloof, uninvolved with any faction. It was a rare excuse to pay a visit.

But as Shen Yue’e insisted on keeping the fox, he hesitated.

Shen Xingdu seized the chance and bit down hard on Shen Yue’e’s hand. This was not the light nip she had given Yan Nanfei; she used all her strength, ensuring her sharp fangs pierced through the palm of Shen Yue’e’s hand.

As Shen Yue’e shrieked in agony, Shen Xingdu scrambled toward her own human body, grabbed a hairpin from her hair, and bolted.

Enduring the sharp pain in her injured leg, she hopped frantically through the Grand Tutor’s residence. The maids, nannies, Shen Yue’e, and Lu Shao chased after her in a chaotic frenzy.

"Catch it!"

"Don't let it get away!"

"I’ll flay its hide today!"

Shen Xingdu ran for her life on three legs, the main gate now in sight. But once again, Lu Shao grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, lifting her into the air.

"Let’s see where you can run now!"

Shen Xingdu realized with dread that her situation was dire, and she struggled and twisted wildly in the air. In that moment, she finally regretted having limped here in secret.