His sudden candor made Shen Xihe deeply uncomfortable, instinctively revealing a look of rejection.
"Princess, I know you are perceptive. This world is harsh on women, and only in this way can you be at ease," Xiao Huayong said softly. "I'm telling you this because I no longer wish to deceive you. Whether you see me as an ally or a husband, I believe you would prefer our relationship to be built on honesty."
Shen Xihe didn't deny this, nodding slightly.
"This is also my honesty," Xiao Huayong said with sincere eyes. "I have feelings for you now, but if one day those feelings fade, I won't pretend otherwise.
Therefore, you need not overthink my current actions. They are my own choice, and I don't demand any response from you."
"No demand for response?" Shen Xihe clearly seemed skeptical.
What kind of giving in this world requires no return?
"None," Xiao Huayong repeated earnestly. "You plan for the northwest because your heart belongs there. You care for the heir because he matters to you. Your efforts come from finding them worthwhile and fulfilling. My feelings for you now are the same."
Shen Xihe looked at Xiao Huayong as if he were some strange creature.
Her eyes were usually calm and indifferent, rarely showing emotional fluctuations, remaining composed even in crises. Seeing her genuinely puzzled expression now, Xiao Huayong actually found it quite endearing.
Were he not afraid of making her recoil, he would have very much wanted to pull her into an embrace.
His gaze softening with affection, Xiao Huayong said, "My happiness, Princess, is beyond your imagination and requires no suspicion."
"And if one day you find it no longer worthwhile?" Shen Xihe asked.
"Life is but a series of gambles. No one wins every time," Xiao Huayong replied with remarkable openness. "If someday I lose everything, I would still have no regrets about going all in."
"No regrets, and no resentment or hatred either?" Shen Xihe pressed.
She wasn't asking out of expectation or testing him, but more like seeking understanding. Though exceptionally intelligent, Xiao Huayong didn't quite grasp why she was probing this, but he answered with a smile, "Since there are no regrets, how could there be resentment?"
Shen Xihe gave an almost imperceptible nod. "I see."
"I must go," Xiao Huayong said, handing her a small token. "If you encounter any difficulties..."
"Your Highness, I can resolve any difficulty myself," Shen Xihe interrupted calmly before he could finish.
Xiao Huayong chuckled wryly at her response. "My apologies for overstepping, Princess. When I return, I'll have Tianyuan deliver a meal box to you."
"Take care, Your Highness," Shen Xihe said, casually seeing him off.
Xiao Huayong felt both annoyed and amused. How he wished she would ask where he was going, what he would be doing.
Like a common wife concerned about her husband, showing care for his whereabouts.
So this was how deep his expectations of her had grown.
Leaping out of the Princess Manor, under the nearly full bright moon, Xiao Huayong glanced back at Shen Xihe's chamber. The doors and windows were already shut, the candles extinguished.
He sighed lightly with a smile. "Someday, you'll be reluctant to see me leave. You'll keep a light burning through the long night for me, worrying about my well-being."
As if carrying grand aspirations, Xiao Huayong's figure vanished into the night.
Shen Xihe extinguished the lamp and slept until dawn. After her morning meal, she slowly began to contemplate how much information Xiao Huayong's visit last night had revealed.
First, his illness was feigned—meaning the pulse records she had obtained were likely fabricated.Second, he claimed to be genuinely unwell, but certainly not physically weak. The fact that he could conceal it so thoroughly meant either the Imperial Hospital was under his control, or he had a highly skilled physician by his side who could easily fabricate his condition to deceive the entire Imperial Hospital—or perhaps both.
Shen Xihe leaned toward the third possibility, as it would perfectly obscure all scrutiny.
Third, the Princess Manor was heavily guarded. Even Xiao Changying could only infiltrate it when she had taken most of her guards away. Yet, he came and went freely, indicating not only that he was not physically weak but also that he possessed exceptional martial skills.
This Crown Prince repeatedly defied her expectations, proving far more profound and unfathomable than she had imagined.
She had a growing suspicion that he was either the impersonator of Hua Fuhai or the mastermind behind the impersonator. If so, he truly needed the Bone Shedding Pill to save his life, meaning his body harbored some other hidden ailment.
Shen Xihe grew increasingly curious about the events of eleven years ago, though the palace servants had been silenced back then.
As she pondered these matters, Xie Yunhuai arrived—it was time to take the Bone Shedding Pill again.
As usual, Shen Xihe swallowed the pill without batting an eye, and without exception, she once again endured the torment of alternating ice and fire.
Perhaps due to habit, she could now sit steadily and withstand the dual onslaught.
Just as her face turned pale, a frantic shout came from outside: "Princess! The young master has been attacked—his condition is unknown!"
The words struck Shen Xihe like a blow, causing her to choke on her fury. She spat out a mouthful of blood, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.
"Princess!" Xie Yunhuai exclaimed in alarm. He tried to feed her a pill, but she could no longer swallow on her own. He barked at Biyu, "Hold her steady!"
Xie Yunhuai retrieved a silver needle and began acupuncture on Shen Xihe. Her pulse was frantic and chaotic—her condition was critically unstable.
"Boil a pot of hot water!" he ordered sternly.
While Shen Xihe’s situation was dire, the guard who had shouted outside was apprehended by Mo Yuan. The guard carried the Northwest King’s estate token and wore the same uniform as the guards who had left with the young master earlier. He was also wounded, so Mo Yuan and the others had no reason to doubt him.
However, they had no intention of bringing him to see Shen Xihe immediately, planning instead to report to her after she had recovered.
They never expected that this person knew Shen Xihe was undergoing treatment and had deliberately come to disrupt her peace of mind.
The rescue efforts dragged on until late at night before Xie Yunhuai, exhausted and weak with relief, finally relaxed.
"Doctor Qi, will the princess be alright?" Biyu asked, extremely worried.
"She’s stabilized for now, but we must see if she wakes tomorrow," Xie Yunhuai replied gravely.
Biyu and the others instantly teared up. Xie Yunhuai strode out of Shen Xihe’s bedchamber and asked Mo Yuan, who was guarding outside, "Who was the one who shouted?"
"We’ve verified he was not a Northwest guard, but the token on him was genuine." Otherwise, he would not have deceived them.
"Where is the man?" Xie Yunhuai’s gaze turned icy.
"He bit off his tongue and died." After shouting, he immediately bit his tongue, leaving them no chance to restrain him.
Xie Yunhuai said, "Take me to see the body."
Mo Yuan led Xie Yunhuai to the woodshed where the corpse was stored. Xie Yunhuai used a knife and axe to perform an autopsy right there in the woodshed. Inside the body, he found some remnants: "It’s Jiannanchun Wine. He came from the palace."
He turned to Mo Yuan and said, "I’m going out. I’ll return within two hours."Jiannanchun Wine is an imperial liquor exclusively reserved for the palace. This wine has an annual fixed quota, with all distributions and returns meticulously recorded. By carefully examining the records of who provided him with Jiannanchun Wine, we can uncover who intended to harm Shen Xihe.
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