As September arrived, the Double Ninth Festival was just around the corner. Shen Yungan grew increasingly despondent, for after the festival, they would have to part ways, and he would have no choice but to return to the Northwest.
"Brother, I will write to you often," Shen Xihe said with a smile, trying to comfort him.
Though she too felt reluctant, she had always viewed partings in life with detachment.
"Youyou."
Shen Yungan looked at his younger sister standing gracefully before him. Her pale cheeks had finally gained a hint of rosy color, and her lips, once so pale that she had to apply rouge, had gradually taken on a natural pink hue. She was growing healthier day by day, and for that, he should feel relieved.
"Youyou, regarding the matter of the Pasturage Commission, I still want to send someone to investigate further. Those horses were definitely not resold—they must have been diverted for other purposes." Shen Yungan was uneasy about leaving Shen Xihe alone in the capital and wanted to ensure everything was properly arranged.
If so many regions were involved in such an affair, following this trail might lead to the discovery of the troops the Emperor had concealed. It would also help gauge the scale of the army the Emperor had privately assembled, allowing them to prepare accordingly.
"Brother, His Majesty must be extremely cautious about this matter. The recent incident involving the illicit forging of weapons has already implicated us. If he learns that we are involved in other affairs as well, it could put us in a difficult position."
Shen Xihe advised, "We still don’t know how many troops His Majesty commands. Moreover, since the Crown Prince is involved in this matter, let’s trust him for now."
The Crown Prince would soon come of age, and she herself was not far from her own coming-of-age ceremony. If nothing unexpected happened, once the Crown Prince reached adulthood, the Youning Emperor would surely arrange a marriage for him. She had already...
After much contemplation, Shen Xihe finally resolved to give him a chance—to let this matter determine whether she and Xiao Huayong could unite in marriage.
"Youyou, you must understand that if he succeeds in this, his cold-heartedness toward his own father and the depth of his schemes are truly alarming." Shen Yungan’s brows furrowed with concern. "If he fails, it would mean he is either colluding with His Majesty or overestimating his own abilities."
Shen Xihe couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed that whether he succeeded or failed, it was problematic either way.
"Brother, during this time, I have observed him carefully. The Crown Prince does not strike me as a cold-blooded or heartless person. His rift with His Majesty is likely not trivial. As for his deep scheming, isn’t that preferable to foolish ignorance?" Shen Xihe reasoned. "Where else could we find someone who meets all our expectations?"
She had been observing the various princes during this period. Excluding those who already had principal wives or were otherwise committed, only a few remained. The Crown Prince was already the best choice.
"Youyou, have you truly not considered Prince Lie?" Shen Yungan asked in a low voice.
Just the day before, he had encountered Prince Xin, Xiao Changqing, who had sought him out specifically to propose a marriage alliance on behalf of Prince Lie.
"Your Highness, although my younger brother is impulsive and proud, he is a man of strong character. He has developed feelings for the Princess, which is why I have taken the liberty of seeking your consent for this marriage. He is my only full-blooded younger brother. Regarding the situation in the Northwest and the aspirations of you and the Prince, I will do everything in my power to accommodate them."
Xiao Changqing spoke with utmost sincerity: "If you and the Prince agree to this marriage, I will ensure that my brother remains faithful and takes no other consorts. With me, his elder brother, shielding him, I will bear all responsibilities. If our great endeavor succeeds, he will undoubtedly enjoy a life of wealth and ease."
Shen Yungan was tempted. From the very beginning, he and his father had favored Prince Lie. The bond between Prince Xin and Prince Lie was deep. If Prince Xin ascended the throne, Prince Lie could live a carefree life. Once everything was settled, the Shen family could confidently hand over the Northwest, and the new emperor would have no reason to distrust them.They could lay down their burdens, enjoying their twilight years in familial harmony and joy—especially since Xiao Changying had promised not to take any concubines, ensuring their sister could live with peace of mind.
Shen Yungan relayed these words directly to Shen Xihe.
Shen Xihe was momentarily taken aback. Xiao Changqing had once made the same vow to Gu Qingzhi. Gu Qingzhi never resented him for breaking it, largely because she had driven him to that point—she had never reciprocated even a hint of warmth from Xiao Changqing.
Xiao Changqing took in Lady An, Gu Qingzhi’s cousin, after Gu Qingzhi returned to her maternal home and happened to witness Lady An attempting to seduce him. Xiao Changqing had intended to refuse, but upon seeing Gu Qingzhi, he didn’t evade, allowing Lady An to approach—hoping to provoke jealousy in Gu Qingzhi.
Gu Qingzhi ignored the scene and left. Furious, Xiao Changqing sought her out for a private, heated argument.
Yes, a private argument.
Throughout their marriage, whenever conflicts arose, she would sit quietly, watching him rage from fury to helpless despair, until he finally retreated in disarray. Later, her aunt approached Gu Qingzhi, saying Lady An was threatening to starve herself and begged Gu Qingzhi to allow her into the household.
Since it was common for men to have multiple wives and concubines, Gu Qingzhi merely passed on the message. To her surprise, Xiao Changqing flew into a rage, overturning the table and hurling accusations. Gu Qingzhi found him utterly unreasonable—she was only conveying the message; whether he accepted the arrangement was his own affair.
Perhaps Gu Qingzhi’s indifference shattered the last vestiges of pride in this arrogant son of heaven. In a fit of pique, he agreed.
Gu Qingzhi relayed his consent to her aunt, and the matter was settled. On the eve of the concubine’s entry, he confronted her with feigned ferocity, gripping her hand: “Qingqing, beg me. Just one word from you, and I’ll call off the marriage immediately.Lady An came from a prominent family; for a legitimate daughter to become a secondary consort was already a humiliation, and now he wanted to break the engagement? Gu Qingzhi replied, “Your Highness, you must be drunk.”
Xiao Changqing stared at her blankly for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter—manic, yet concealing profound pain. He laughed until tears streamed down his face, still unwilling to give up: “Qingqing, I beg you. I beg you to say one word—forbid me from taking a concubine. Just say it, please?”
“Your Highness is a man of honor. How can you change your mind so capriciously? If you break the engagement now, how will Your Majesty punish you? If Lady An, in her pride, cannot bear the shame and takes her own life, how will you face the world thereafter?” Gu Qingzhi was merciless, her concerns lying entirely outside the realm of romantic affection.
The bone-deep pain in Xiao Changqing’s eyes was as searing as when Gu Qingzhi died in his arms.
Pulling her thoughts back, Shen Xihe looked at Shen Yungan with puzzlement: “Brother, I don’t care whether my husband takes concubines or not.”
She didn’t understand why one should fret over such matters or bother with whether a man took concubines.
Shen Yungan was so startled his pupils contracted: “Youyou!”
“My ambitions lie beyond the inner chambers. No matter how many women he has, I can manage them all. The more women he has, the less he’ll bother me.” Shen Xihe spoke bluntly.
Shen Yungan:
He, he—he was on the verge of collapse!
He stood gaping for a long time, countless questions swirling in his mind, but in the end, he could only ask dejectedly: “Youyou, why don’t you tell your brother—what do you care about?”
“I care about Father and Brother. I care about the northwestern skies and sands that raised me.” Shen Xihe replied.
Shen Yungan breathed a sigh of relief, then felt a pang of regret. They had sheltered Shen Xihe too well, to the point where she remained utterly indifferent to anyone or anything beyond her father, brother, and the northwest."Youyou," Shen Yungan wanted to say that your father and brothers could not accompany you for a lifetime, but in the end, he swallowed the words.
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