Even though she had grown up under the Youning Emperor's nose and admired many of his political maneuvers, Bu Shulin had never grasped what constituted an emperor's magnanimity. All she saw was the Youning Emperor's deep lust for power and his selfish heart.
She had never imagined that one day, she would come to understand what an emperor's magnanimity and foresight were from a young lady.
"I am not as noble as you think," Shen Xihe said with a light smile, her eyes shining brilliantly. "I understand His Majesty's position, but I do not approve of his methods, much less will I be captured without a fight because of it."
"His Majesty may be acting according to his position, but he had other options. He just had to use such a drastic method," Bu Shulin said, holding quite a bit of prejudice on the matter.
"You haven't listened to a word I just said," Shen Xihe sighed softly. "His Majesty acts for his reputation. His Majesty cannot sit by and watch powerful subjects grow stronger, so a conflict between us is inevitable. His Majesty is unwilling to choose a peaceful method not because he is overly suspicious, but because he values his reputation and achievements."
"If His Majesty were to coexist harmoniously with the Gu and Shen families as a benevolent ruler, allowing them to retreat with their honor intact, the history books would record him as a mediocre emperor who relied entirely on his subjects to gain and secure the throne. This is something His Majesty cannot tolerate."
His Majesty valued his reputation too much, both in life and after death. By eliminating the eunuchs, crushing the great clans, and pacifying the warlords to leave a prosperous and stable realm for his descendants, he would be a peerless sovereign of outstanding merit, his name famed for a hundred generations.
"Perhaps every ambitious emperor is like this," Bu Shulin sighed softly.
It was the same principle as a scholar from a humble background wanting to leap the dragon gate and be praised for all time.
"It's not just sovereigns. This is the lofty ambition of every man," Shen Xihe said in a placid tone.
Bu Shulin suddenly looked at Shen Xihe and, after a moment's hesitation, said, "The Crown Prince is also a man who will one day become emperor."
Since Shen Xihe had chosen Xiao Huayong, there were only two paths for her: either accompany him to rule the world or be shattered to pieces with him.
Throughout history, there have been idle princes who lived long lives, but there has never been a Crown Prince who survived without ascending the throne.
Shen Xihe's expression did not change as she nodded calmly. "I know."
"You..." Bu Shulin wanted to say something, but in the end, she remained silent. Nothing she could say would change Shen Xihe's fate of marrying into the imperial family.
Since Shen Xihe had made her choice, she shouldn't say anything negative to sway her. What good would it do other than add to her troubles? All she could do now was hope that the Crown Prince was different from ordinary men. At this thought, Bu Shulin couldn't help but laugh sardonically.
How could there be any man in this world not bound by fame and fortune? Only the mediocre lacked ambition. As long as a man had some ability, who wouldn't want to become the master of the world?
And after becoming the master of the world, they would then want their virtues to be praised for a thousand years, their names renowned for millennia.
"The Crown Prince was the one who saved me from my predicament this time. If he had not arrived in time, I would have been in mortal danger. This is a life-saving grace," Shen Xihe said softly.
Bu Shulin asked, "A life-saving grace, to be repaid with your hand in marriage?"
"It's not to that extent." Shen Xihe shook her head slightly. "Having incurred a life-saving debt, I can no longer be his enemy."
This debt of gratitude had to be repaid. Unless it was cleared before they drew swords on each other, she would lose the right to stand against him.
Since she could not be Xiao Huayong's enemy, she could not marry any other prince. In the imperial family, all princes were the Crown Prince's enemies, with no exceptions even for brothers born of the same mother.
"Youyou..." Bu Shulin's heart ached for Shen Xihe.
"You're a pitiful wretch yourself. What right do you have to pity me?" Shen Xihe didn't understand why Bu Shulin was pitying her.
No matter how one looked at it, her situation was better than Bu Shulin's. She didn't have to worry about her identity being exposed at any moment, nor did she have to shoulder the heavy responsibility of a family all by herself. At least she had her Brother to share the burden.
Not to mention, she was marrying Xiao Huayong and would one day be the empress, mother to the world, unlike some people who might never be able to resume their female identity in this lifetime and would have to live in hiding.
Bu Shulin was speechless.
Any attempt at sentimentality was always destroyed by this cold woman. She was truly a heartless woman!
Her sore spot having been poked, Bu Shulin snorted softly, turned over to face the wall, and refused to look at Shen Xihe anymore.
Shen Xihe pursed her lips slightly and left without a sound.
Seeing the shadow flicker and recede into the distance, Bu Shulin still said in a muffled voice, "Thank you, Youyou."
Shen Xihe had said all this to broaden her perspective, to clarify His Majesty's thoughts for her, to inform her of His Majesty's spies in Shunan, and to console her. Although her words weren't very pleasant and she hadn't scolded her once, she had practically stamped the word "idiot" on her forehead. But Bu Shulin was still grateful to Shen Xihe.
Moreover, this time, if not for the incense Shen Xihe had prepared for her and Duanming's timely arrival, she probably would not have survived.
Shen Xihe did not stop walking, but the smile on her face deepened, flowing into her eyes and making them as bright and radiant as the full moon breaking through the clouds.
Since Bu Shulin was injured, Xiao Huayong ordered a portion of the men to proceed first, allowing Bu Shulin to recuperate for a day before setting off for the capital.
Shen Xihe and Bu Shulin soon learned of the events that had transpired in the capital. The arsonist was none other than the late Xun Wang, Xiao Jue'an!
The character "Jue" was used to avoid the Youning Emperor's naming taboo. The memorial tablet of the late Qian Wang read Xiao Juechong. Xiao Jue'an was the Youning Emperor's paternal cousin.
This cousin was different from Kang Wang. Kang Wang and His Majesty shared the same grandfather, whereas Xun Wang and His Majesty shared the same great-grandfather, making their relationship much more distant than Kang Wang's.
But Xun Wang had been a man of brilliant military achievements. During the previous emperor's reign, he had fought four battles against the foreign tribes led by the Shiwei, safeguarding the peace in the northeast. He and Shen Yueshan were known as the Twin Peaks of the North.
One was as majestic as a high mountain, repelling the Turks and protecting the northwest; the other was as outstanding as a sheer cliff, resisting the Eastern Yi tribes and guarding the northeast.
Ten years ago, Xun Wang had died in the northeast, a fact lamented by countless people. The Youning Emperor had even personally supported his coffin. A man who had been dead for ten years was suddenly alive, and not only alive but had also snuck back into the palace to set fire to the ancestral temple!
This was an utterly appalling matter. The most terrifying part was that although Xiao Jue'an had not been captured, many people had seen him. It was by no means a one-sided story, leaving the court officials with no choice but to believe it.
The Youning Emperor furiously denounced it as absurd talk, insisting that someone was playing tricks and harboring ill intentions, and ordered the Imperial Clan Court to investigate thoroughly.
"The Imperial Clan Court?" Shen Xihe found this rather intriguing after hearing the news. Her gaze drifted to Bu Shulin, who was already up and about after only two days, insisting on squeezing into her carriage and currently enjoying her tea, pastries, and fruit.
"What are you looking at me for?" Bu Shulin was baffled by her stare.
Shen Xihe smiled faintly. "I'm just curious. For such a major event, why bypass the Court of Judicial Review and toss it to the Imperial Clan Court?"
Although the Youning Emperor had cited the involvement of the imperial clan as the reason for the Imperial Clan Court to take the lead, the Court of Judicial Review was clearly the most skilled in investigations. Even the court officials had objected, but His Majesty had stubbornly insisted on appointing the Imperial Clan Court.
"Didn't His Majesty say?" Bu Shulin guzzled a cup of flower tea without a care in the world. "Since it involves the imperial clan, the Imperial Clan Court is better suited for the job."
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