"Liang Zhaorong, may I have a word in private?" Shen Xihe intended to speak.
Liang Zhaorong was somewhat surprised. Previously, Zhaoning County Princess had never paid them any mind. Even when they encountered each other in the palace, she would merely offer a distant greeting to fulfill formalities before disregarding them and leaving. Had the sun risen from the west today?
Thinking this, Liang Zhaorong glanced up at the sun before gesturing to her attending palace maids and eunuchs.
Adjusting her draped shawl, she followed Shen Xihe to a secluded spot shaded by trees. "What matter does the County Princess wish to discuss?"
Shen Xihe raised her hand and spread her fingers, letting the incense ball hanging from her hand drop down. "Does Liang Zhaorong recognize this object?"
As the incense ball rotated in Shen Xihe's hand, Liang Zhaorong's eyes flickered when she saw the scratches on the lotus pod design. "I do not recognize it."
"Miss Liang personally told me she gifted this to Liang Zhaorong," Shen Xihe pressed. "Would you like to dispute this before His Majesty?"
Liang Zhaorong's expression shifted slightly. "Even if it were mine, what of it?"
"This object nearly cost me my life," Shen Xihe's gaze turned cold.
Liang Zhaorong snatched it away and smashed it violently on the ground. "The County Princess jests. How could an ordinary object endanger your life? You speak of attempted murder without evidence? How did you even obtain this?"
After calmly observing Liang Zhaorong's reaction, Shen Xihe suddenly stated: "Zhaoning was the last person to see Bian Dajia."
Liang Zhaorong's breath hitched, but having spent over twenty years in the deep palace, she had long mastered concealing her emotions. "County Princess, I am His Majesty's second-rank Zhaorong. How dare you slander me with baseless accusations?"
Shen Xihe swept a faint glance over her, glanced at the damaged incense ball, curled her lips slightly, and left without another word.
Only after Shen Xihe and her retinue departed did Liang Zhaorong's personal maid approach. Spotting the incense ball on the ground, she picked it up and paled upon seeing the scratches. "Your Ladyship, the County Princess she..."
"What if she knows? Can she actually move against me?" Liang Zhaorong laughed coldly with composure.
"Could the County Princess pose a threat to the Prince?" the maid worried.
Liang Zhaorong scoffed. "She's just like her mother - unbearably aloof. If not for that, why would she come question me personally?"
"Why did you admit it?" the maid felt there were many ways to dismiss the County Princess.
The County Princess's notorious deeds were each more horrifying than the last. The thought of the spy from Kang Palace being dismembered into a human pig and sent back to Kang Palace alone was enough to make one's blood run cold.
"I had no choice but to admit it," Liang Zhaorong shook her head slightly. "All of you must be more cautious."
After boarding her carriage, Biyu who hadn't accompanied Shen Xihe to confront Liang Zhaorong asked: "County Princess, was it Liang Zhaorong?"
"Yes," Shen Xihe coldly uttered a single word.
Although this object had been given to Liang Zhaorong by Liang Danpu, Shen Xihe didn't immediately move against Liang Zhaorong because whenever she acted, she left no room for survival. Someone like Xiao Changyu's fortune was won through extreme cleverness and courage.
She wouldn't permit herself to kill indiscriminately, which was why Shen Xihe had personally come to inquire. While Liang Zhaorong hadn't directly confessed, her attitude confirmed to Shen Xihe that she was responsible. Thus, Shen Xihe had no further reservations.
Did Liang Zhaorong think that being deep within the palace made her untouchable?
How utterly naive!
When Shen Xihe wanted someone's life, unless she changed her mind, that person had no path to survival!
"Your Highness, it was actually Liang Zhaorong!Tianyuan also found it unbelievable.After listening, Xiao Huayong thought carefully and suddenly nodded: "That does make sense."
"Just because the County Princess punished the Liang family's young lady?" Tianyuan felt that Liang Zhaorong wouldn't dote on the Liang girl that much.
"Of course there's more to it." Xiao Huayong knew some past events. "Before Liang Zhaorong and Youyou's birth mother Tao Shi were married, they were close friends in their boudoir days. Both had once been fond of the Northwest King."
Tianyuan's eyes lit up. He loved listening to stories, especially those involving romantic entanglements. Just as he was expecting His Highness to say more, he was met with the Crown Prince's faintly smiling yet cool gaze. He immediately shrank his neck.
What a miscalculation - he'd forgotten this romantic rumor involved the County Princess's parents.
Out of respect for the County Princess,
His Highness naturally couldn't elaborate on such matters. Tianyuan quickly changed the subject: "Liang Zhaorong is in the palace, and the County Princess is someone who clearly distinguishes gratitude from grievance. Won't Your Highness assist her?"
"This is someone who wants her life. In what capacity should I assist?" Xiao Huayong retorted.
He did want to stand up for her, to fly into a rage for his beauty's sake, even if it meant moving against his father's concubine. But dared he?
If he dared make a move, she would teach him a lesson tomorrow!
"Ah..." Xiao Huayong sighed softly. "You don't understand the heartache of having the one you admire be too intelligent."
Tianyuan: ...
Your Highness, if you didn't have such a lifted corner of your mouth, I might actually believe you're truly distressed!
Then, Xiao Huayong's smile faded somewhat, this time genuinely relieved: "Fortunately..."
What exactly was fortunate, Xiao Huayong didn't say, but Tianyuan could guess from the tasks Xiao Huayong had assigned him these past few days.
Perhaps the incident with the Second Miss Rong had left a shadow on His Highness. The Crown Prince actually feared that the County Princess's current trouble might be because of him. He had thoroughly investigated all his close associates, even making those who vaguely noticed mistakenly think there was a spy among them, leading to much mutual suspicion.
Now that the truth was revealed - it was Liang Zhaorong's doing - no wonder His Highness could finally relax.
If it had been his own trusted subordinate, how could he ever face the County Princess again?
The County Princess had already become so important to His Highness that the slightest movement from her could throw him into complete disarray.
When Shen Xihe returned to her residence, she received another basket of pomegranates from the Eastern Palace. The Eastern Palace's pomegranates were refreshingly sweet and juicy. Having Hongyu extract the juice to make pastries was particularly delicious.
This time it wasn't delivered by Cao Tianyuan, but by a eunuch from the Eastern Palace: "His Highness said that the bright red pomegranates look delightful. If the County Princess looks at them more, she might smile."
He probably knew about her incident in the palace, sending pomegranates to cheer her up and let her know that if she needed anything, she could ask him.
"Please convey my thanks to His Highness." Shen Xihe accepted them.
But the eunuch didn't leave, instead hesitantly saying: "His Highness said, if the County Princess has time, could she prepare some more wonton filling?"
The previous batch was finished. When the Eastern Palace made it, the Crown Prince said the taste wasn't right, remaining fond of the County Princess's wonton filling.
"Tell His Highness that when I enter the palace another day, I'll deliver it personally."
Shen Xihe didn't expose Xiao Huayong's little scheme. For harmless matters like this, with give and take, she was willing... well, to indulge him once or twice.
After dismissing the Eastern Palace eunuch, Shen Xihe summoned Sui Axi: "I've observed that you're quite knowledgeable about medicinal properties, particularly skilled in poison-making. Prepare for me a poison that requires entering a wound to take effect, with the slowest possible onset."
"For chronic poisons to be fatal, they require continuous administration without interruption for at least a day," Sui Axi said."No, if I am poisoned, I must die, but the onset of the poison should take three to five days," Shen Xihe demanded.
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