"Your Majesty wishes to slay the serpent. If we attack it head-on, we will surely face complete annihilation. You must stop Your Majesty and propose poisoning the serpent instead." Xiao Huayong was quite satisfied with Xiao Changgeng's obedience.
"Yes." Xiao Changgeng responded decisively.
Xiao Huayong turned his head and gently stroked Haidongqing's wing: "Aren't you going to ask why I want to poison the serpent?"
"Please enlighten me, Seventh Brother." Xiao Changgeng had no desire to speculate, for no one could ever guess Xiao Huayong's thoughts.
"If you want a noble-sounding reason, it would be that I am benevolent and virtuous, unwilling to see innocent sacrifices, unwilling to watch brave young men who should be defending our country meet untimely deaths." Xiao Huayong's lips slowly curved upward. "If you want the real reason, it is that I want Changling to die in the giant serpent's belly."
Xiao Changgeng suddenly looked up, his pupils contracting.
Changling had bullied him since childhood. Xiao Changgeng had never liked her and had even wanted to teach her a lesson, but he had never imagined her dying in such a manner.
"You must be curious why I need you to carry out the poisoning when the giant serpent could simply bite Changling to death." Ignoring Xiao Changgeng's reaction, Xiao Huayong continued, "This kind of giant serpent has developed armor-like scales. Ordinary poisons may not harm it. The only poison that can truly kill it is the one in my possession."
Xiao Huayong didn't want to expose himself and feared they might fail in their attempt—not only failing to poison the giant serpent but enraging it instead, which would inevitably lead to a bloody battle with countless casualties.
Every step was meticulously calculated, leaving no traces or loopholes.
Just as Xiao Changgeng's heart was pounding with fear, Xiao Huayong's smile took on a sinister edge: "Most importantly, this poison is sealed in a wax pill and administered into Changling's body. Before she dies, she will experience pain as if pierced by ten thousand arrows yet remain unable to die. Only then can my hatred be vented."
Xiao Changgeng was so frightened he stumbled backward several steps, his face pale as he struggled to speak: "Is... is it because she harmed Zhaoning County Princess?"
"Hmm." Xiao Huayong responded lazily, then added carelessly, "Anyone in this world who dares to set their sights on her will meet the same fate."
In that moment, Xiao Changgeng understood—he understood why Xiao Huayong had brought him to the Eastern Palace, why he had shown him his true nature.
It was a warning—a warning to mind his boundaries and not entertain any thoughts about Zhaoning County Princess.
His limbs felt as heavy as if filled with lead, but he still straightened up and managed a difficult salute to Xiao Huayong: "Twelfth Brother thanks Seventh Brother for the guidance."
Xiao Huayong turned his head upon hearing this: "What have I taught you?"
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Changgeng replied: "Seventh Brother has taught by precept and example how to act without being personally involved, and how to make others willingly serve you."
In this matter, Xiao Huayong had masterminded everything, yet no one would suspect his involvement—he remained completely detached from the affair.
Xiao Changgeng would follow Xiao Huayong's arrangements not out of fear, but because he couldn't resist the temptations Xiao Huayong offered.
By advising His Majesty to poison the serpent, he would both demonstrate his intelligence before the Emperor and earn the goodwill of all the guards.
This was the opportunity to distinguish himself and win people's hearts—exactly what he most desired at present.
"Clever." Xiao Huayong had always known that personally cultivating someone to place in the open was an entertaining endeavor.
"Might Twelfth Brother ask what services he can perform for his elder brother?" Xiao Changgeng inquired further.Xiao Huayong had given him such a great advantage. He could have easily found someone else to make the proposal—it would have been a meritorious deed regardless. There must have been a reason why it was more convenient for him to handle it himself.
"If His Majesty asks what reward you desire, request the serpent's gall. I want the serpent's gall," Xiao Huayong instructed.
He could not personally step forward to demand the gall, nor could he coincidentally fall ill and require a century-old serpent's gall. Doing so would only arouse suspicion in the paranoid Emperor, especially since Changling had just caused Shen Xihe to fall into the water. Given that he had never concealed his affection for Shen Xihe, the Emperor would inevitably suspect that Changling's sudden dive was his doing.
Even without evidence, it would put the Emperor on guard. Before locating the Emperor's secretly trained private army, he had no intention of confronting him directly.
"Twelfth Brother understands," Xiao Changgeng bowed deeply.
Xiao Huayong left with Haidongqing. Shortly after, news spread of a fire in the storeroom, followed by Changling's piercing scream and her frantic cries of "Ghost!" as she seized a horse, galloped to the pond, and leaped into the water.
Xiao Changgeng's inner terror ran deeper than what the giant serpent had evoked.
"Twelfth Brother, how would you propose to administer the poison?" The Youning Emperor's question pulled him back to the present.
Xiao Changgeng immediately collected himself and replied respectfully, "Fill the bellies of chickens and ducks with potent poison and drop them from a height."
Whether the giant serpent would eat them was irrelevant. Judging by the earlier situation, by the time they deployed the poison, the Crown Prince would surely summon Haidongqing again to provoke the serpent. In its rage, the serpent would inevitably tear into anything dropped from above.
It had already been poisoned after devouring Changling; the poisoned poultry they were deploying now was merely a decoy.
"This method is feasible," Second Prince Zhao Wang, Xiao Changmin, agreed.
No one else objected, so the Youning Emperor nodded. "Proceed accordingly."
When the Youning Emperor returned to the temporary palace, Crown Prince Xiao Huayong, pale and walking with difficulty, slowly approached with his entourage. Seeing this, the Emperor comforted him at length. Upon learning of Changling's fate, Xiao Huayong's eyes reddened.
Watching from the side, Xiao Changgeng thought to himself that no one could match the Crown Prince's skill in feigning emotions.
Back at the Eastern Palace, Xiao Huayong shed his previous demeanor and even boldly departed in front of Xiao Changgeng.
By the time he returned to the mountain, the moon was high in the sky. Shen Xihe had just awakened. After suffering from a chill, she felt listless and unwell. Having finished a bowl of porridge, she had no desire to sleep and sat at the cliff's edge, gazing blankly into the boundless night.
Unaware of her thoughts, Xiao Huayong approached and stood beside her, yet she showed no reaction.
"Your Highness, why did you specifically come to save me?" Shen Xihe had long detected the scent of medicine unique to Xiao Huayong carried on the night breeze.
Xiao Huayong slowly settled beside her, countering with a question of his own, "Why would I not save you?"
Shen Xihe turned her head gently, her somewhat vacant eyes meeting his gentle gaze. "Your Highness, do you know what kind of person Zhaoning is?"
"A person of cold emotions," Xiao Huayong replied earnestly, without a trace of jest.
Shen Xihe lowered her eyes slightly, the corners of her lips relaxing. She nodded, then shook her head. "Your Highness, Zhaoning is indeed a person of cold emotions. Zhaoning does not believe in romantic love between men and women. But Zhaoning is not cold-blooded. I will remember Your Highness's life-saving grace today. If the day comes when I can lay down my life for you, Zhaoning will not hesitate in the slightest."
Xiao Huayong's heart felt pierced once again.
So her sleepless night and distant gaze—she had been pondering what motives lay behind his decision to save her.She possessed every kind of affection—familial love for her father and brothers, friendship for her companions, and gratitude for those who aided her.
Yet, toward young men, she felt no romantic sentiment, nor did she deign to need or desire such feelings.
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