Henan Prefecture was close to the capital, and Prince Zhao, not daring to delay, arrived in a dusty rush within a day and a half, bearing the Emperor's decree.
Shen Xihe granted him just enough time to wash and change clothes before requesting an audience.
Xiao Changmin had seen Shen Xihe before—at Noble Consort Rong's chrysanthemum banquet and the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration. Undoubtedly, Shen Xihe was a beauty, but the aloofness and solitary pride she exuded, as if she stood alone between heaven and earth, displeased him.
"If the Junzhu has come regarding Yu Zao's tomb-raiding case, I have already gathered evidence and will handle it impartially," Xiao Changmin stated first.
Shen Xihe smiled faintly. She picked up her tea and took a leisurely sip before responding, "Your Highness, this crime implicates nine clans, and you are among them. His Majesty will not show leniency for your sake. Such actions must be severely punished to serve as a deterrent.
Thus, His Majesty will order you to divorce your wife. Your legitimate son, His Majesty's eldest grandson, will then be reduced to the lowest status. Even if he retains the title of 'eldest,' he will never again catch His Majesty's eye."
The Youning Emperor had many adult sons, most of whom were married, but only Xiao Changmin had a son—regarded as the Emperor's eldest grandson. The Emperor occasionally summoned the boy to show favor.
"Has the Junzhu come to mock me?" Xiao Changmin's expression darkened.
He had long been aware of all this. From the moment he learned of the disgraceful deeds Yu Zao had committed, he knew the situation was irredeemable. But how could he sacrifice his legitimate son just to preserve him, letting the boy be buried along with the Yu family?
Shen Xihe gazed ahead, seemingly oblivious to Xiao Changmin's suppressed displeasure. "For the crime of tomb-raiding, unless you kill your son, the people who suffered the desecration of their graves will never forget that your eldest son is a descendant of the Yu family. This stain will follow you for the rest of your life.
But if you truly allow your eldest son to die young, what will the civil and military officials, even His Majesty, think of you?"
Shen Xihe slowly turned her head, her obsidian-dark eyes fixed on Xiao Changmin.
"What exactly does the Junzhu mean?" Xiao Changmin's hand tightened on the armrest, veins bulging on the back, his face stern and cold.
"I came to offer a solution to reverse your predicament," Shen Xihe said softly. "But it carries some risk. It depends on whether you dare to take it."
Xiao Changmin narrowed his eyes, studying Shen Xihe skeptically. He did not believe she would be so kind-hearted.
" Naturally, I am not doing this for you. I stand to benefit from it," Shen Xihe stated frankly, unafraid that he would learn everything. If he went to see Yu Zao, he would uncover the full story. "This way, we each get what we need, and you will also learn who is behind the plot to harm you."
"Each get what we need?" Xiao Changmin laughed coldly after hearing her out. "The Junzhu reaps all the benefits, while I bear all the risks and leave a handle in your hands. Do you take me for a fool to be trifled with?"
"Reap all the benefits?" Shen Xihe let out a short laugh. "I merely wish to know the mastermind behind this. Whether I learn the truth or not makes little difference to me for now. For you, however, it means clearing your name and achieving merit.
If this succeeds, you will have accomplished a great deed—preserving your reputation, saving the Yu family, and avenging your grievances. The advantages are too numerous to list. By reason and sentiment, you should be the one to take charge."
With that, Shen Xihe stood. "The choice is yours to make. I will not influence you."
She bowed silently and left as swiftly as she had arrived.
"Junzhu, will Prince Zhao agree?" Zhenzhu asked uncertainly. "It is far too dangerous.""Fortune favors the bold. Life is a constant stream of choices, and some risks are worth taking when the benefits outweigh the drawbacks." Shen Xihe's eyes shimmered with amusement, their captivating glow stirring one's heartstrings. "As long as he harbors even a sliver of discontent or ambition, he will agree."
Zhenzhu watched Shen Xihe walking ahead, descending the steps with measured grace. The princess had always been clever, but she had never previously devoted much thought to deciphering people's hearts. Perhaps prolonged exposure to the Crown Prince had influenced her—after all, one takes on the color of their company. When it came to scheming, both the princess and the Crown Prince shared the same calm composure and unshakable confidence.
No sooner had Shen Xihe returned to the relay station than Mo Yuan hurried over to report: "Princess, the Commandant is highly skilled—he nearly escaped several times." His commotion drew attention, so we swiftly relocated him."
"Where?" Shen Xihe asked.
Mo Yuan replied, "We found an abandoned temple and posted guards."
"Let's go see." Shen Xihe turned and boarded the carriage.
Shortly after their carriage departed the relay station, Mo Yuan detected followers. Shen Xihe lifted the carriage curtain and instructed him, "Go inform them that anyone who continues to follow me will be deemed a malicious intruder and executed on sight."
Her threat proved highly effective—soon, no one dared to trail them. She followed Mo Yuan to the desolate temple, where the bound Commandant sat, his mouth firmly gagged.
At Shen Xihe's glance, the gag was removed. The Commandant glared at her ferociously: "Princess, you have unlawfully detained a court-appointed official!" Do you not know the penalty ranges from eighty cane strikes to ten years of imprisonment?"
"Your knowledge of legal statutes is impressive—unusual for a military officer." Shen Xihe offered genuine praise.
In contrast, both Shen Yungan and Shen Yueshan could recite military codes backwards but would doze off reading legal texts—the father and son were cut from the same cloth.
The Commandant continued to glare defiantly.
Shen Xihe spoke with a tinge of regret: "As the Commandant overseeing a prefecture's military, you must have assisted the Prefect in handling numerous abduction cases. Surely you understand what it means when a victim lays eyes on the mastermind behind their kidnapping?"
The Commandant stared at her in disbelief: "You wouldn't dare—"
How could she dare—how could she dare kill him!
"I am not one who delights in bloodshed," Shen Xihe sighed softly. "Had you been more compliant and avoided this predicament, I might have handed you over to His Majesty for interrogation. But since you seem eager to die, I can hardly deny you this... fulfillment."
As her words faded, Mo Yuan drew his gleaming blade.
Seeing the sword and Mo Yuan's resolute, icy expression, the Commandant finally felt a flicker of fear: "You cannot kill me! I am a court-appointed fourth-grade Commandant! Killing me is a capital offense!"
Shen Xihe observed him calmly. Her personal visit was intended to extract some useful information from him. Torture might not yield results, but faced with death, humans instinctively fight for survival.
The Commandant was no fool—he ought to know what she wanted to hear. Yet he remained silent, revealing his disbelief that she would actually kill him.
"Ensure the weapon, method, and body disposal are handled discreetly," Shen Xihe instructed flatly before turning to leave.
Even as Mo Yuan raised his blade, the Commandant refused to speak. Shen Xihe couldn't help but admire their mastermind—their operations were both meticulous and unyielding. Neither the Inspector nor this Commandant would easily betray their master."What an interesting opponent." Shen Xihe looked forward to crossing swords with him. After boarding the carriage, she instructed Zhenzhu, "Pack our belongings and prepare Worldly Son Bu for departure."
The remaining matters were Zhao Wang's responsibility.
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