Shen Shixu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Shen Shixu (沈时序)
Alias(es)	A-Xu; Lord Shen; Lord Qian’an 71 90
Species/Race	Human; reincarnated from another world with his previous-life memories 92 153
Gender	Male 88
Age	Eighteen at his introduction 1
Affiliation	Great Qian imperial court; Court of Judicial Review; Shen family; Prince Jing’s household 1 90 169
Occupation/Role	Top Scholar; Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review; investigator and teacher; Prince Jing’s principal consort 24 90
Status	Alive; married to Xiao Jinyi by Chapter 169 169 175
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Previous Life and Rebirth

Shen Shixu was admitted to the National Defense University in his former world but died before attending. While trying to earn his tuition and prepare for university, he pushed himself until he died suddenly from overwork. He was subsequently reborn as a baby in Great Qian, retaining his memories 153 154.

Shortly after his birth, a wandering Daoist warned that he did not belong in this world. When Shen developed a nearly fatal fever, the Daoist stabilized him with cinnabar talismans. He instructed the family to let Shen grow freely and not obstruct an extraordinary, loving marriage that would allow him to remain in the world permanently 92.

Shen grew up unaware of this intervention. His family supported both his childhood play and his later dedication to studying. After learning the story from Shen Zexi, he concluded that the Daoist had recognized his reincarnation and prevented the world from rejecting him 92.

The Shen Family and Minglu City

The Shen family operates businesses, including a jewelry-trade partnership with the Chen family. In Minglu City, Shen Shixu was already known as a child prodigy before becoming an official 33 117.

At fourteen, he publicly exposed the Wu family after they broke Shen Zexi’s childhood engagement in pursuit of a more advantageous match and retained the Shen family’s betrothal gifts. The scandal forced the gifts’ return, and the families severed contact 116.

Career and Titles

Position / Distinction	Chapter	Details
Top Scholar	1	Takes first place in the imperial examinations at eighteen. Gossip System 011 binds to him during the court ceremony.
Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review	6	Xiao Jinyi gives him the post while recruiting him for the missing-women investigation.
Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review	10	Solving the missing-women case secures his appointment, which Xiao Jinyi confirms personally.
Lord Qian’an; designated principal consort of Prince Jing	90	The marriage decree grants him a title, preserves his government post, and expressly forbids others from treating him with contempt.
Married into Prince Jing’s household	169	Identified as having married Xiao Jinyi the previous day.

Appearance

• Features: Softly defined, picturesque features, a high nose bridge, fair skin, and bright eyes described as clear autumn waters or clever and foxlike 5 51 132.
• Smile: Slightly upturned mouth and a small dimple at its right corner 5 8.
• Hair: Long, jet-black hair; before coming of age, he wears it tied with ribbons, including bamboo-patterned ones 5 71.
• Bearing: Initially radiant and openly youthful; official life gradually gives him a more restrained composure 1 51.
• Recognizability: His looks become well known among the capital’s noble circles. Princess Huimin and Zhou Yan identify him in a crowd despite never having met him 54.

Personality

Shen is compassionate without being passive. He intervenes against a child trafficker, protects rescued women during an attack, and restrains a drunk harassing Shaoyao when the surrounding crowd refuses to help. He also insists that captives whose crimes do not warrant death should be handed over for lawful punishment rather than killed 4 10 48 130.

His ambition develops beyond personal advancement. Initially hoping to honor his family, he comes to want no miscarriages of justice under his supervision and ultimately aspires to a Great Qian without wrongful convictions. He supports this goal through routine case review, not just spectacular investigations 46 81.

He is independent, playful, and occasionally vain. He reassures 011 that he must solve problems himself rather than depend on it for everything, enjoys gossip and public spectacles, and openly jokes about his own good looks. Comfort matters to him too: a shorter commute and an extra hour of sleep help motivate his move to a larger residence 7 34 54 71.

His attachment to family tempers his romantic choices. Although attracted to Xiao Jinyi, he initially withdraws because imperial disapproval could endanger the entire Shen household. Once their relationship becomes secure, he grows more openly affectionate while continuing to set boundaries about privacy, gifts, and rest 88 153 175.

Abilities & Skills

Gossip System 011

Shen’s bound system supplies private information about other people, including secrets and accounts of past and future events 1.

• Mental communication: Shen converses with 011 internally, but nearby people can hear both his thoughts and the system’s replies 1 26.
• Unrecognized audience: He initially believes these exchanges are private. Shen Zexi attempts to tell him otherwise but finds himself unable to speak 21.
• Expanded information access: An upgrade increases 011’s gossip-detection capabilities and gives it a virtual avatar; it chooses a panda appearance 26.
• Livestream access: A later upgrade lets 011 offer a livestream. Shen subsequently recalls seeing the Longevity Pavilion’s master through it 134 138.
• Independent investigation: Shen does not treat the system as a substitute for his own reasoning and comforts it when it cannot help with a case 7.

Investigation and Corpse Examination

Shen reconstructs events from physical evidence and checks witness claims against observable details 6 118 119.

• Infers that Qiao Ying had fellow captives from the fabric and likely purpose of her clothing 7.
• Notices that an apparently unused house has a dusty lock but a carefully cleared entrance, suggesting concealed recent activity 7.
• Sees through Jiang Miaokong’s impersonation because his lively eyes do not match Little Fang’s poor eyesight and habitual squint 72.
• Determines that a disfigured corpse probably is not Wu Qiaoyun by examining calluses, a neglected burn scar, and the absence of her ankle birthmark 118 119.
• Identifies the corpse as the maid Fen’er after comparing its burn scar with Madam Wu’s description 121.

Scholarship and Teaching

His examination success is supported by literary ability, graceful calligraphy, and an adaptable approach to instruction 1 64 169.

• Investigative training: Teaches Jiang Bin to observe details, attempt bold deductions, avoid judging by appearances, and revise theories when evidence changes 31.
• Age-appropriate lessons: Explains the Three Character Classic to An Chengyu through short stories that make its meaning engaging 63.
• Discipline: Requires handwriting practice rather than allowing affection or pleading to excuse neglected work 63 64.
• Encouragement: Demonstrates his own calligraphy to motivate An and reassures Jiang that mistakes during training need not define his future 31 64.
• Assessment: Requires Jiang to prove himself through an assignment before receiving a post at the Court of Judicial Review 24.

Painting

Shen can produce lifelike portraits from verbal descriptions, making his art useful for identifying suspects 79.

• Draws Song Zhuoyang from Jiang Miaokong’s description; a waiter recognizes a close resemblance to an inn visitor while noting differences in the eyes and a missing mole 79.
• Paints Xiao Jinyi as an armored battlefield warrior, combining remembered action with imagined silver armor and scenery 79.
• Offers to teach Jiang Miaokong painting as a constructive alternative to theft 79.

Martial Arts

Shen possesses practical combat skills despite many people assuming that he is a defenseless scholar 10 24.

• Defeats two armed attackers while guarding the rescued young women 10.
• Subdues the drunk harassing Shaoyao 48.
• Recognizes when a fight is beyond his safe involvement and stays clear rather than obstructing Xiao Jinyi 72 127.

Makeup and Undercover Work

Shen uses cosmetics and improvised cover stories to investigate without attracting unwanted attention 131 132 133.

• Makes his striking appearance look pallid and unremarkable, then similarly disguises his companions 132.
• Poses as a wealthy first-time patron at the Elegant Grace House and pays for information from its young men 132.
• Invents a plausible story about visiting secretly while returning to his ancestral home, helping sustain his cover before Liu Ying 133.
• Limit: The disguises alter perceived attractiveness rather than completely changing identity; faces remain recognizable, and Liu Ying later recognizes their builds 132 138.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Flexible gold-thread armor — An Chengyu’s apprenticeship gift. Worn inconspicuously beneath clothing and capable of resisting blades and spears; only two suits exist in Great Qian, with the other bestowed on Xiao Jinyi 24.
• Windshaker Sword — A renowned short sword selected from Duke An’s family collection as An Chengyu’s housewarming gift 34.
• Court of Judicial Review token — Establishes his official identity. He sends it to Xu Wanda as a signal to protect Shen Zexi and later shows it to Rong Hua 117 154.
• Capital residence and financial gifts — Jiang Bin gives him a prime property, several shops, banknotes exceeding one hundred thousand taels, and a famous painting. Shen later moves into the residence 24 34.
• Cloud Brocade outfit — A gift from the Girls’ School students, with blue-and-white fabric, landscape embroidery, tassels, silver chains, matching shoes, and a hair crown 115.
• White-Glazed Orchid porcelain vases — Presented by Jiang Bin, prompting Shen to remind his disciples that their company matters more than constant expensive gifts 68.

Relationships

Family and Partner

• Xiao Jinyi — Investigative partner, eventual fiancé, and husband. Shen accepts his courtship once imperial approval removes the threat to his family. Their marriage preserves Shen’s official career; both later agree that they are happy without adopting a child 88 90 146 169 175.
• Shen Zexi — Beloved elder brother. Proudly supports Shen’s career, organizes his household move, and accepts his relationship with Xiao Jinyi. Shen rushes to Minglu City when Zexi is imprisoned 16 34 92 115.
• Shen Father and Shen Mother — Loving parents whose permissive upbringing follows the Daoist’s advice. They move toward settling in the capital to be closer to him and prepare a dowry packed into 126 oversized chests 92 127 161.
• Xiao Yuanqi — Xiao Jinyi’s elder brother and Shen’s future brother-in-law. Delivers the marriage decree, supports Shen during the Minglu crisis, and asks him to use “Elder Brother” rather than a formal title 90 115 116.
• Meng Jiyao — Welcomes Shen into the imperial family as her brother-in-law and presents the Girls’ School students’ gift 115.
• Emperor Wu’an and Empress Lin — Value his investigations and system-assisted revelations. Despite initially opposing the proposed relationship, they later welcome him as part of their family 6 89 90 115.

Companions and Students

• Gossip System 011 — Bound companion whom Shen treats warmly and encourages rather than merely using as a tool. It addresses him as “Big Brother” 1 7.
• An Chengyu — First disciple, rescued by Shen from a trafficker. Formally apprenticed alongside Jiang Bin; receives scholarly lessons and firm guidance in handwriting 18 24 63 64.
• Jiang Bin — Second disciple. Seeks Shen’s instruction after Shen exposes his father, Jiang Xingbang, and trains in investigation at the Court of Judicial Review 21 24 31.
• Jiang Miaokong — Initially infiltrates Shen’s household in disguise. Later seeks help with the Song family massacre and accepts Shen’s offer to study painting 72 73 79.
• Zhuo Yang — Identified as another disciple; Shen keeps him away from Prince Changping’s residence to protect him from possible retaliation 103.
• Rong Hua — Fellow transmigrator and friend. They privately verify their shared origins through modern references; Shen offers influential backing for Rong’s business, and Rong helps secure written promises from Xiao Jinyi before the wedding 153 154 162.
• Xiao Lie and Bai Lixi — Senior companions and investigative allies. Shen cooperates with them against the Longevity Pavilion while opposing their proposed execution of captives 57 127 130.
• Xiaoshi — Personal attendant who prepares writing materials, wakes him for work, and assists with household matters 6 71.
• Zhang Ming — Investigative subordinate whose work Shen praises and later rewards alongside Jiang Bin 49 152.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arc	Shen Shixu’s involvement
Court debut and public gossip	011’s binding turns his apparently private reactions into a court-wide spectacle. Its revelations expose Sun Minghao’s abandonment of his family, and subsequent events make officials warn their households against offending Shen 1 3.
Missing young women	Investigates Qiao Ying’s death, follows neighborhood clues, and helps rescue captive women. The investigation earns him a secure judicial appointment 6 7 10.
Jiang Xingbang’s downfall	His investigation strengthens his standing at court and inspires Jiang Bin to seek apprenticeship rather than continue living as a wastrel 15 21.
Cold-case review	Solves two or three old cases from the records and discovers errors in several others, extending his work beyond newly reported crimes 46.
Princess Huimin’s protection	His overheard thoughts help Princess Jiayi discover a plot against her. The ensuing evidence leads to the Li family’s confiscation and exile 61 62.
Song family massacre	Takes up Jiang Miaokong’s request concerning 164 deaths and the accusation against Song Zhuoyang. Portrait evidence helps investigate a mysterious lookalike 73 74 79.
Imperial marriage approval	Admits his attraction but fears political consequences. Xiao Jinyi obtains the marriage decree; Shen receives official protection and responds with concern over the prince’s punishment 87 88 90 91.
Birthday-banquet confrontation	Publicly rebukes Western Di’s envoy when the delegation proposes marrying its princess to Xiao Jinyi despite his existing commitment 94 96.
Women’s opportunities	Supports the Girls’ School community’s businesses and suggests that ordinary working girls hold shares, giving them a stake in their livelihoods 115.
Shen Zexi’s imprisonment	Returns urgently to Minglu City and challenges the supposed victim’s identity. Establishes that the corpse is Fen’er rather than Wu Qiaoyun, redirecting the inquiry away from the initial accusation 115 118 119 121.
Pingcheng and the Longevity Pavilion	Leads the inquiry into missing children and murders, investigates the Elegant Grace House undercover, and coordinates with martial-world reinforcements 127 130 132 134 139.
Marriage and homecoming	Marries into Prince Jing’s residence and returns to his birth family with Xiao Jinyi, balancing his husband’s lavish generosity with practical limits 169 175.

Notable Quotes

“If I relied on you for everything, wouldn't that make me an overgrown baby?” 7

“I hope I can persevere like them in the future, too. No, I know I can keep at it.” 81

Trivia

• He and Xiao Jinyi both prefer spicy dishes and dislike sour food 16.
• He repeatedly refuses wine while working, citing the prohibition against officials drinking on duty 17 48.
• Despite his combat ability, he misses every arrow in a pitch-pot wager. Xiao Jinyi wins the next contest and gives him the fifty-tael gold prize 168.
• “Qian’an” incorporates the nation’s name—the first such title since Great Qian’s founding—and signals exceptional imperial favor 90.