Chapter 49: Goading

She did not move—eyes fixed on him.
She had warned Xie Jingxing; she had expected him on the stage—just not quite like this. Amusement and helplessness mixed. It looked like rescue—it was not.
Xie Changwu had not expected his brother to burst in either. Today he meant to please the Cai house: Shen Miao had already offended them—humiliate her, teach her a lesson for the Cais, goodwill would follow. Her foot archery looked sharp—but strength between man and woman differed; Cai Lin failed from contempt first.
Changwu did not despise foes. If he could, he would tamper subtly with the shafts—she rarely trained; she would never know.
Fine plan—until the heir cut in halfway.
Not only the half-brothers froze—the whole hall. If the Lin'an Marquis were here, he too would have gone still. Year after year Xie Jingxing never joined review—yet all knew his civil and martial scores were strong, martial especially. A few campaigns had made men stare. Too bright a star drew royal fear—on the field his name rivaled veterans of decades.
He skipped review not to soothe the throne. He was loose, rebellious, or spiting his father—he looked down on performance for show. Because he stayed away, eyes fell on the two bastards—Changwu and Changchao drilled hard, often took first ranks.
This year—the house's wildest heir against its polished half-brothers—who won?
Fame traveled—but people trust what they see. In Dingjing Xie Jingxing never displayed talent. Wives heard scraps from husbands—legend, doubt.
Boys envied his freedom—and hated it. Now maybe his edge would blunt; many were pleased. The half-brothers were smooth; friends were many—youths sided with Changwu and Changchao.
Girls had long blushed at his face—bearing unlike the soft dandies of the capital, ice with blood under it, smile always crooked—charm doubled. Maidens backed the heir.
Shen Miao read every face. Most thought he challenged his brothers on whim—noble temper. She smiled slight. Xie Jingxing was not easy. Once on the review stage he would not let both bastards walk off whole. Difference: she acted wild with method, slow steps to aim. He seemed to fear nothing behind the Lin'an name.
Was that all behind him?
While she thought, Changwu spoke below: "Elder Brother—this… is hardly proper."
"What is not?" Xie glanced at Shen Miao, then Changwu, and laughed. "Or do you think Miss Shen is more worth challenging than this marquis heir?"
Laughter rolled the hall.
He looked Shen Miao over with mock severity: "No inner force, no martial art—yet you pick foot archery against her. You train bow—you pick a girl who cannot bind a chicken. I do not understand." Lip curl, voice low and magnetic: "Still—pretty face. If you chose by looks, fair enough."
Corner-tight boys broke into grins; some cast bold looks at Shen Miao. The fool mask gone, her features seemed lit—always comely, sweet against deep calm—contrast that held the eye. Old labels died hard; one sentence from Xie tore the paper—suddenly she was a rare little beauty.
Girls soured. He had praised Shen Miao's looks. Shen Yue and Shen Qing paled—they favored Fu Xiuyi, yet handsome men were not one prince alone. Xie Jingxing stood alone in Dingjing, in Ming Qi—and he praised the "fool." Pride burned in Yue and Qing.
Yi Peilan frowned. "Is Young Marquis blind—how is Shen Miao pretty?"
"She bewitched him somehow," Bai Wei bit her lip, eyes nailed to the stage boy. "Shameless—clung to Prince Ding before, now clings to Young Marquis."
Shen Miao did not hear—would only smile if she had. She knew his words were not tease or shield for her. They were a door the half-brothers could not refuse—forcing them up.
Honestly they would not face their brother. Win or lose—Xie Ding favored the legitimate son; bastards dueling the heir on review day read as discord. Partial father would blame them.
So they would dodge—Xie would not push; he goaded.
Changwu would challenge a helpless girl but not his brother? Greed showed plain—climb the Cai house through her shame.
To kill that story, to prove no craven plot against the Cais, Changwu had to mount the stage against Xie. Forced—and his use of Shen Miao to please the Cais died with it. He had already lost.
He rose stiff. "Since Elder Brother commands—how could a younger refuse?"
Xie gave no room for complaint. On a battlefield whom he marked to lose lost without mercy.
"One is not enough." Brow lift. "Third Brother—both of you."