Shen Xihe had never considered that particular chess piece to be anything special. It was merely left behind during her game with Hua Fuhai in the Apricot Grove.
Chess pieces generally came in three materials: the commonly used wooden ones among the populace, the black and white pebbles found in gentry study halls, and the jade pieces favored by noble families. That day in the Apricot Grove, which wasn't owned by Old Man with White Hair but maintained by a wealthy patron for him, the chess set was of the finest quality—jade pieces. Though proficient in chess, Shen Xihe wasn't particularly devoted to the game and thus didn't scrutinize the pieces closely. Since their size was standard, she gave it no further thought.
She had only brought it up casually to avoid getting entangled with Xiao Huayong about her maternal grandfather's family matters.
"Why was this left behind?" Xiao Huayong asked coldly.
Tianyuan's mind raced as he bowed apologetically. "It must have been an oversight by the attendants. I'll remove it immediately."
Xiao Huayong glanced at him. "Very well."
Tianyuan carefully picked up the jade piece. Though light in his palm, it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. He feared that a single tremble might damage the Crown Prince's treasure—one chip could earn him a ticket to mine pearls east of the Far East.
After Tianyuan withdrew, Xiao Huayong's expression softened as he turned to Shen Xihe. "The chess set sent by the Palace Service Department had minor flaws. I was addressing this matter before your arrival. The servants missed this piece during cleanup."
For a fleeting moment, Xiao Huayong wanted to confess everything to Shen Xihe. Yet, in that instant, fear, worry, and hesitation made concealment his first instinct.
Since returning from the hunting grounds, he had neither hidden truths from her nor deliberately misled her to suspect others. He wished for everything to unfold naturally. He didn't know how she would react upon learning everything—he never acted without certainty. He understood that prolonged concealment was unwise and that Shen Xihe already harbored vague suspicions about him, though not yet confirmed.
But he was, after all, an ordinary man—anxious and fearful in love.
He felt both regret and relief, along with underlying concern. Regret for missing the chance to come clean and continuing the deception; relief that her ignorance spared him confronting unknown fears; and concern knowing revelation was inevitable, making this self-deception temporary.
Everyone possesses the dangerous instinct to escape, and he was no exception—though in this world, the only thing he'd evade was matters concerning her.
He could bear losing everything except returning to their initial distance.
Shen Xihe suspected nothing and changed the subject. "What does Your Highness make of Yu Zao's confession implicating Prince Dai?"
"What are your thoughts, Youyou?" Xiao Huayong countered instead of answering.
"To be frank with Your Highness," Shen Xihe said, "before Zhaoning came to the capital, Father discussed the various princes with me. Since arriving, I've observed them closely. Prince Dai appears uninvolved in court affairs."
Unlike the Fourth Prince, Ding Wang, who feigned indifference to fame and fortune, Prince Dai neither traveled for leisure nor distanced himself from court. He diligently fulfilled his princely duties with singular focus.When it came to matters of sharing the Emperor's burdens, he never stepped forward; when important positions were vacant and others openly vied for them, he turned a blind eye; whenever major events occurred, the other princes were eager to get involved—either to fish in troubled waters or to muddy them further—yet he alone remained unmoved.
Openly or covertly, he was the one who truly stood alone, forming no factions, engaging in no private dealings with court officials, accepting no bribes, and secretly cultivating no influence.
"Youyou has a discerning eye. The Third Prince is a sensible man. Ever since he married Lady Li, he was destined to be cut off from the throne." Otherwise, the gradually resigned Xiliang would once again grow restless, and His Majesty would surely not tolerate him and his wife. "By acting this way, though he may not reach the pinnacle of power, whoever ultimately wins the empire will surely reserve a place for him."
Especially when a prince ascends the throne by stepping over the blood of his brothers, to appease the courtiers and demonstrate his magnanimity, or to reassure the people and showcase his benevolence, he must spare one or two brothers to prove he is not a cold-blooded, ruthless tyrant who disregards familial ties.
"So it seems it truly isn't the Prince of Dai." Shen Xihe had only speculated before. The matter was too sensitive, with both the Emperor and court officials watching closely, making it difficult for Shen Xihe to investigate directly. That was why she came to Xiao Huayong for the final answer.
If it wasn't the Prince of Dai, then who could fully represent him and make Yu Zao believe without doubt?
It could only be the Princess Consort of Dai—Li Yanyan.
In the end, she couldn't let go of her national and familial grudges. Shen Xihe felt some regret. Did she not realize that once exposed, the Emperor would have justification to exterminate the remaining Xiliang royal family?
"This scheme was meticulously planned. The Princess Consort of Dai has hidden her depths well." Xiao Huayong had never paid attention to any woman other than Shen Xihe. "I investigated thoroughly. If not for you stumbling upon this matter and Worldly Son Bu's persistent investigation bringing it to the Dali Temple, they might have succeeded in deceiving everyone."
The arrested individuals had already confessed. They originally planned to make a large profit this year and cease all operations by year's end.
At year's end, local government offices are overwhelmed with affairs. Reports of one or two disturbed graves wouldn't be immediately investigated. They had also planned to create several homicide cases across different regions to divert attention. By the time investigations resumed after the new year, they would have long vanished.
It was only because of Bu Shulin's persistence that Shen Xihe visited the silver shop. The Doujin Silver Shop has now been sealed.
Xiao Huayong proposed that local officials issue notices allowing purchasers to bring the items to government offices. Under official supervision, the original owners could redeem them at half price, treating it as an act of charity. Moreover, many people were unwilling to keep items taken from graves. If seen destroying them, they might be considered accomplices to the tomb robbery. Recovering half the loss was considered fair.
Many who had purchased the stolen goods brought them to the authorities. The government would inquire where they were bought, thus capturing as many involved parties as possible.
"Does Your Highness also believe it was the Princess Consort of Dai's doing?" Shen Xihe was somewhat surprised.
"It couldn't have been done by the Princess Consort of Dai alone." Xiao Huayong said. "She must have conspired with others to achieve such thoroughness."
The Emperor and court officials hadn't suspected the Li family, not because they lacked wisdom, but because they didn't believe that the Li woman—who appeared impulsive, quick-tempered, and openly displayed her hatred for the royal family—could be someone of such profound cunning.Li's years of deception had fooled everyone, and there was another reason: Shen Xihe and Xiao Changmin had orchestrated Yu Zao's impersonation so flawlessly that even the court officials and Your Majesty harbored no suspicions. Consequently, they were misled into believing Yu Zao was making wild accusations in his final moments.
Especially Your Majesty, who should have understood the Prince of Dai best, was even less likely to believe the Prince of Dai was behind this. Only Shen Xihe, Xiao Changmin, and Xiao Huayong were certain that Yu Zao had not lied.
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