Chapter 11: Shen You

The girl's lips curved into a gentle smile, and a light smile danced in her black eyes, like the gentle breeze of March.

She seemed like a lotus flower blooming slowly before one's eyes.

Shen Jia's ears turned red.

Shen You remained composed, speaking in a calm tone, "I've met Miss Shen's cousin."

Indeed, he was still the same Shen Commander who showed no interest in beauty and was indifferent to all women!

Feng Shaojun chuckled inwardly.

In her previous life, after escaping from the capital, she hid for a while and then reentered the city with a new face. To seek revenge, she joined the Yan Prince's army and became a secret agent under the Yan Prince's command.

At that time, Shen You was still a close guard by the Yan Prince's side, and they had little interaction.

Every time she appeared in public with a different identity and face, no one ever saw through her disguise. She didn't act often, but every time she did, she achieved great success. Over time, she gained the nickname "Thousand-Faced Fox."

Shen You gradually stood out by the Yan Prince's side, showing remarkable talent and becoming the Yan Prince's confidant.

Later, she secretly infiltrated the Qin Prince's residence as a eunuch and found evidence of the Qin Prince's collusion with military officials planning to rebel and force their way into the palace. She handed the evidence to the Yan Prince, who presented it to the Emperor Long'an.

Emperor Long'an, furious and distressed, fell ill and appointed the Yan Prince as the crown prince. Soon after, Emperor Long'an passed away, and the Yan Prince ascended to the throne.

Shen You became the commander of the Imperial Guards, leading the 100,000-strong Imperial Guards of Da Qi, in charge of the direct attendants, patrols, and arrests. She wielded immense power and enjoyed great prestige.

She also gained the Yan Prince's appreciation, overseeing the secret agents of the Imperial Guards and responsible for gathering intelligence. The two of them, one in the light and the other in the dark, constantly competed and clashed.

She secretly sent spies to Shen You's side. From alluring courtesans to graceful dancers and even delicate maidens in need of rescue, she tried everything. But Shen You was extremely cautious and never allowed any woman to get close to him.

She wasted her efforts and couldn't find any leverage over him. It was truly frustrating.

Later, the Qin Prince was dethroned and exiled, and the Qin Prince's consort died at the border. The Feng family also perished on their way back to their hometown.

Having avenged her great grudge, she had no more worries and soon fell seriously ill and passed away.

She died at the age of twenty-six, without a husband or children, and with no attachments.

Shen You, one year older than her, was a twenty-seven-year-old commander of the Imperial Guards, never married or had children, and didn't even have a concubine or mistress by his side. Those who tried to flatter him with gold, silver, land, or estates were accepted, but those who offered beautiful women were all turned away.

There were all sorts of rumors circulating among the people.

The most widely spread rumor was that Commander Shen had a "hidden ailment" and was unable to perform sexually. Otherwise, how could such a fine young man not be interested in women?

This rumor was spread by her in secret, saving Shen You a lot of trouble, and he didn't need to thank her for this great favor.

Heh heh!

Speaking of which, the two of them had only this "old grudge."

Now that she had returned to her youth, everything was starting anew. Shen You was still a green youth. The past grievances were better left unmentioned. However, at this moment, a thought suddenly surged in Feng Shaojun's heart when she saw Shen You's cold, sharp, and distant demeanor.

A good chess piece like this couldn't be left unused.

Good!

That's the plan!

Feng Shaojun quickly made up her mind and smiled at Shen You, "Will Cousin You also participate in the Imperial Guards' grand competition in half a month?"

Shen You nodded faintly.

Shen Jia eagerly interjected, "Of course. Don't underestimate my fourth brother. He has extraordinary martial talent, strength far surpassing ordinary people, and exquisite and profound knife skills. Even I can't last more than thirty moves against him in a sparring match. Even my father can't last a hundred moves against him."

"This time in the grand competition of the Imperial Guards, my fourth brother will surely shine!"

Need it even be said?

Shen You was known as the top expert of the Imperial Guards, and when the embroidered spring knife was drawn, blood was sure to be shed, and he was invincible. He had achieved great feats by the Yan Prince's side and was highly regarded by the Yan Prince.

Feng Shaojun's eyes revealed a perfectly timed surprise and admiration, "Is Cousin You really that amazing?"

Shen Jia looked smug, "Of course. Every year during the grand competition of the Imperial Guards, there are betting shops setting odds. I've already planned to bet all my private funds on my fourth brother winning the top spot. I'm sure to make a big profit."

Feng Shaojun smiled with a hint of sweetness, her gaze drifting to Shen You's expressionless and handsome face, "I have some private funds as well, and I'll bet them all at once. Cousin You, you must do your best and not let me lose my money."

Shen Jia enthusiastically said, "Cousin Shaojun, rest assured and place your bets! My fourth brother won't let you down!"

Feng Shaojun pursed her lips and smiled, with two small dimples forming at the corners of her mouth, sweet enough to intoxicate anyone, "Good. When I win the money, I'll be sure to thank Cousin You properly."

Shen Jia grinned, showing off her bright white teeth, "We're family, no need to be so polite."

Shen You: "..."

With just a smile, this silly cousin was completely infatuated. She almost didn't wash him clean and serve him on a plate.

Shen You twitched the corner of his mouth and glanced at Shen Jia.

Shen Jia's eyes sparkled, only seeing the charming and smiling Cousin Shaojun, completely forgetting about her cousin.

Feng Shaojun, seeing this, felt an unquenchable jealousy, bit her lip, and leaned in. Whether it was intentional or not, her shoulder bumped into Feng Shaojun's.

Feng Shaojun wouldn't overlook such a small trick.

Zheng Mama had practiced martial arts since she was young and was the martial arts servant maid of Madam Cui. She was placed by Madam Cui by her side shortly after she was born, as Madam Cui was weak and hoped for her daughter to be healthy. When she had just learned to walk, she started practicing martial arts with Zheng Mama.

Appearance is innate, and she inherited the gentle and soft look from her mother, Cui. In reality, dealing with two strong men is a piece of cake for her.

Swords and clubs attract too much attention, so she practices with light and thin throwing knives. These knives are only three inches long, thin and sharp, and never miss the mark within a hundred paces.

Few people know about her martial arts training, only her grandmother from the Cui family knows. Not even her cousin, Cui Yuanhan, knows that his sweet and gentle cousin is not someone to be trifled with.

Of course, she is not considered a top-notch master, at best, she's second-rate. When facing Shen You, she can only hold her own for about thirty to fifty moves.

Perhaps she's on par with Shen Jia.

However, dealing with someone as insignificant as Feng Shaozhu is enough for her.

Feng Shaojun's mind raced, and he caught a glimpse of the indifferent Shen You from the corner of his eye, which sparked an idea in his mind. He deliberately softened his body and ended up being bumped straight into Shen You.

Then, he exclaimed in shock and fell towards Shen You.

Shen You reacted quickly, reaching out to support Feng Shaojun's arm. "Be careful."

Feng Shaojun, looking pale and still in shock, "had no choice" but to grab Shen You's arm to steady himself. Then he looked up and thanked him, "Thank you, Cousin You, for helping me out."

Why is he still not letting go?

Shen You furrowed his brow, gave a slight tug, and pulled back his sleeve, his tone still cold, "Cousin, no need to be so polite."