Chapter 84: Prince Xian

Tian Mi brought Xu Feiyan and Chen Miaomiao to Qipan Street to shop. The primary purpose was to have a complete set of characters engraved for herself, which she could then use to create a movable type printing system.

After her performance of “Clear Song” yesterday, Tian Mi had already made an impression in various noble households. The newly titled Changfeng County Mistress, though a commoner and a widow, was now recognized as a talented and beautiful one.

Bai Mucheng had sent someone southward on horseback early in the morning to prepare the marriage contract.

Tomorrow, he and Zuo Zhengfeng were scheduled to report to the Ministry of Justice for their new assignments.

The imperial court truly was a complex place. Since the emperor had taken control of the palace, he had managed to stabilize the military forces and added a few consorts from noble families. However, this only granted him influence over the Ministry of War.

The aristocratic families were unwilling to send their daughters into the palace. After all, the emperor was already advanced in age, his princes were grown, and the crown prince was already established. Entering the palace offered little future prospects. Even the crown prince had reluctantly taken two concubines, merely to secure positions for their fathers in the Ministry of Revenue.

This stagnant pond barely rippled.

Now that Bai Mucheng was assuming his position in the Ministry of Justice, he intended to stir things up, starting with investigating cold cases.

That morning, as Bai Mucheng and his men arrived at the Ministry of Justice with a group of guards, they were greeted by raging flames within the premises.

Something was wrong. They immediately realized the archives room was under attack.

Everyone rushed to extinguish the fire, but amidst the chaos, they retrieved two charred bodies, which turned out to be the custodians of the archives. The archives themselves were reduced to ashes.

The capital officials had once again taught the newly arrived frontier commanders a harsh lesson: when the Ministry of Justice was no longer tenable, they decisively severed the branch.

Not only did they sever ties cleanly, but they also ensured no traces were left behind.

After this, those involved would need to lie low and tread cautiously.

Bai Mucheng’s face darkened to the extreme.

He hadn’t expected them to go to such ruthless lengths.

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When Tian Mi and her companions arrived at Qipan Street, it was already bustling with activity. The vibrancy of the capital was encapsulated in the lively atmosphere of the streets.

Xu Feiyan and Chen Miaomiao were excitedly browsing the shops, soaking in the lively ambiance.

However, Tian Mi’s mind was occupied with thoughts about the Jia family. The reason they had remained influential through several imperial reigns was not only due to their control of key government positions and strategic marriages but also their sterling reputation in the capital.

The Jia family was seen as paragons of integrity, a clan of scholars producing generations of accomplished individuals.

But, just because her granddaughter had uttered a few honest words, they were quick to retaliate. Tian Mi doubted such a family could truly have exemplary morals.

How could she uncover the Jia family’s dirty secrets?

Perhaps Bai Mucheng, who also had a vendetta against them, would be willing to exchange intelligence.

Meanwhile, a scheme targeting both Tian Mi and Bai Mucheng was already underway.

The first step was a scandalous tale about a beautiful widow and her amorous escapades.

Titled “The Dalliances of a Charming Widow,” the story, while not explicitly naming names, described a widow so stunning and talented that it was easy to imagine Tian Mi as the subject.

In this era, ruining a woman’s reputation was as cruel as it was effective.

As for Bai Mucheng, the attack was more subtle and indirect.

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Qipan Street was filled with shops selling all things literary—writing instruments, calligraphy tools, and paper goods. The scholarly atmosphere permeated the area, making it a favorite haunt of literati.

Tian Mi took an instant liking to the street and mused that it would be perfect to set up her bookstore here.

She strolled through various shops, marveling at the exquisite calligraphy and paintings on display. The ink colors were predominantly black, though some colorful pieces lacked vibrancy and purity.

The wide array of decorative items varied in price, with most being made of wood or jade of decent quality. The selection was dazzling.

Tian Mi concluded that her bookstore’s exterior would need to be modest, as the real profits would likely come from books rather than decor.

Not that it mattered—profit wasn’t her primary goal.

Sigh, it seems like my plan to find a suitor is falling apart. This is going to be a windfall for Xu Feiyan. Future suitors are all hers to win over.

Then again, maybe not!

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Arriving at Hui Ming Seal Engravings, she found a modest shop filled with various stones and wooden materials of all shapes and sizes. Many craftsmen were busy carving intricate designs of animals and patterns. In one corner, several artisans were collaboratively working on a large stone sculpture with meticulous precision.

Oh dear! Would carving mere characters be too trivial for them?

Tian Mi decided to visit other shops, and Xu Feiyan and Chen Miaomiao followed her closely.

Suddenly, a man came running towards them from behind, and Xu Feiyan, who was enthusiastically enjoying her shopping, noticed him. She quickly raised her leg and kicked him away.

Having learned from Tian Mi for so many years, the most memorable move she had mastered was this one—lifting her leg and delivering a swift kick.

Hehehe! It felt so satisfying!

Tian Mi watched as the man collapsed to the ground, gritting his teeth in pain. He looked familiar!

“Changfeng County Mistress, my name is Wang. I have something to discuss with you.”

Tian Mi remembered now; he was Young Master Wang from the Duke of Cheng’en’s mansion. He didn’t look like a bad person, so she hurriedly asked him to get up, feeling a bit embarrassed.

He glanced at Xu Feiyan, who was looking pleased with herself. “Where did this wild woman come from? She’s terrifying. Anyone who marries her would be out of luck for eight generations.”

Young Master Wang saw the crowd and realized this wasn’t a good place to talk. Looking slightly anxious, he lowered his voice, “Mistress, may I have a word in private?”

Tian Mi replied, “I’ll be at Piaoxiang Lou for dinner later.”

Young Master Wang breathed a sigh of relief, “I will await you there.”

After speaking, he glanced at Xu Feiyan, instinctively took a step back, and then turned to leave.

Xu Feiyan, a bit worried Tian Mi might scold her for being impulsive, cautiously said, “Tian Mi, I don’t think he’s a good person. He seems sneaky!”

Tian Mi replied, “He’s from the Duke of Cheng’en’s house, and Piaoxiang Lou is owned by his family.”

Xu Feiyan realized she had acted too quickly, and awkwardly laughed.

Seeing that Young Master Wang seemed to be in a hurry, Tian Mi took the two of them to Piaoxiang Lou and booked a private room.

As soon as they sat down, Young Master Wang came in, greeted them, and said, “Mistress, today I received word that someone is commissioning scholars to write some objectionable books, and they seem to be aimed at you.”

Although the Duke of Cheng’en’s family no longer held much power or influence in the court, their old family foundation was still intact. Their business was doing well, and since Young Master Wang was a charitable person with good relations with scholars from various academies, he had caught wind of this news early this morning. His sharp instincts told him that this plot was directed at Tian Mi.

Sigh! A widow, pitiful and alone, comes to the capital, and just for speaking the truth, she’s been targeted time and again.

It was truly infuriating! Since he had run into her, he had to warn her.

Look at this! Women shouldn’t act tough—it’s better to show weakness.

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Tian Mi, naturally grateful for his kindness, asked for more details. Young Master Wang, slightly embarrassed, spoke up, “The commission asked for a book about a widow, exceptionally beautiful, who sings charming songs. The content should be as explicit as possible, as scandalous as it can get.”

Tian Mi almost laughed! Isn’t this exactly the kind of life she had been striving for?

She thanked him, “Thank you, Young Master Wang. Changfeng is grateful.”

Young Master Wang replied, “It’s nothing. As a man, it’s right to help when I see injustice.”

Who would be behind this? Since she arrived in the capital, she had only spoken out of righteous indignation.

So, was it the Jia family or the Chen family?

Damn it, how many eyes does the Horse King have?

When it comes to spreading rumors, it’s a race to see who’s faster and more ruthless.

Tian Mi quickly returned to Qipan Street, and along the way, she overheard Xu Feiyan and Chen Miaomiao angrily cursing the people of the capital for being shameless enough to write such nasty books.

So angry that they were already thinking of finding someone to beat up.

She went to Hui Ming Seal Engraving to order ten workers to come to the county mistress’ residence the next day to do some wood carving.

It was common in this era for workers to visit homes, especially for large projects.

Then, she spent some time looking for an empty shop on Qipan Street. After a while, she found a small shop that was about to close and was available for rent.

Tian Mi immediately secured it.

Xu Feiyan, imagining herself as the future manager of a large store, now stared at the small shop with about 70-80 square feet of space and felt like crying.

She thought of her father’s prestigious restaurant, the grandest in all of Qinghe County, and compared it to this tiny place.

Her lips, like Tian Mi’s, puffed up in dismay: “Tian Mi, ah~~~”

Tian Mi quickly comforted her, saying, “Feiyan, this is just the storefront. Later, I’ll buy a house to specifically copy books. Don’t look down on this shop. All the shops on this street will be working for you in the future.”