Shen Xihe received the news of Shen Yingluo falling into the water a quarter of an hour later. She exchanged a glance with Shen Yueshan, who had also been informed, from a distance. Coincidentally, the banquet was nearly over, so Shen Yueshan and Shen Xihe bid farewell to the guests and went together to the hall where the Youning Emperor had summoned them.
Although the banquet was held in the palace today, the Youning Emperor had only made a symbolic appearance before leaving to attend to state affairs. Thus, he arrived earlier than Shen Xihe and her father.
Shen Yingluo had changed her clothes, and her hair, freshly dried, hung loosely around her. Kneeling beside her was Zhao Wang, Xiao Changmin.
"Chong'a, just now, A'luo fell into the water, and it was Erlang who rescued her," the Youning Emperor said succinctly, his words laden with implications.
This dynasty was lenient toward women—widows could remarry, unmarried young ladies could ride horses and enjoy outings with young men, and gatherings of three or five were all acceptable. However, it was not so lenient as to disregard physical contact between men and women.
"Has a physician been summoned?" Shen Yueshan asked.
Shen Yingluo was slightly taken aback. She had expected Shen Yueshan's first words to be a reprimand for why she had left the banquet, or why she had gone alone to the lakeside, or even why she had fallen into the water.
She bowed her head and replied, "The physician said I am unharmed."
Having been rescued promptly, she only needed to drink some warming herbal decoction and take care not to catch a chill at night. If she did not wake up with a sore throat, dizziness, or heaviness in the head the next morning, she would be fine.
Shen Yueshan nodded. "Why did you fall into the water?"
"I felt a bit stifled and went to the lakeside for some air. A stray cat startled me, and that's how I fell in," Shen Yingluo answered truthfully.
Upon hearing this, Shen Yueshan turned to Zhao Wang Xiao Changmin, who had also changed his clothes. "Your Highness, why were you so coincidentally present to witness my daughter falling into the water?"
Xiao Changmin replied candidly, "When the County Lord was studying in the empress's palace, we became close. Today, when I saw the County Lord leave the banquet alone, I thought to present her with some small trinkets I brought from Henan Prefecture in private."
A eunuch stood nearby holding a tray with a Bian embroidery fan. Since Shen Yingluo was skilled in embroidery, this gift was not considered inappropriate.
"How could there be a stray cat in the palace?" Shen Xihe turned and asked. "Where are the clothes the County Lord changed out of?"
"I have already sent Liu Sanzhi to the Stables Office to investigate thoroughly," the Youning Emperor said, naturally aware that stray cats could not exist in the palace.
A palace maid brought the clothes Shen Yingluo had changed out of, mainly her cloak and outer robe. Shen Xihe picked up the cloak, seemingly examining it carefully while subtly moving closer to it. Though the scents were faint due to the soaking, Shen Xihe still detected an unusual cool fragrance, reminiscent of catnip.
The scent of catnip is irresistible to cats. Any cat that caught its scent would pounce immediately, which explained why the cat had charged straight at Shen Yingluo.
Setting the clothes aside, Shen Xihe asked Shen Yingluo, "Did anyone bump into you today or touch your dress?"
Shen Yingluo had an excellent memory. "When I entered the palace, I encountered two palace maids who nearly stumbled. I reached out to steady them."
The palace maids were descending the stairs, carrying utensils and unable to see the steps underfoot. It seemed they had forgotten about the stairs. Shen Yingluo, worried they might fall and break the items they carried—which could cost them their lives—had reached out to support them.
Little did she expect that someone had tampered with her cloak at that very moment!
"I remember what the palace maids looked like," Shen Yingluo added.
"This matter will be thoroughly investigated," the Youning Emperor said. "But Chong'a, what are your thoughts regarding A'luo and Erlang?""Your Majesty need not ask your humble servant. In the northwest where I served, customs differ greatly from the capital. Saving a life is inherently an act of goodwill, yet to be forced into marriage because of it turns compassion into resentment. I have always believed such practices should not be encouraged."
Shen Yueshan spoke with righteous conviction: "If this becomes commonplace, how many young men would hesitate to rescue others? How many would exploit such situations for personal schemes? How is this different from disheartening those who have rendered meritorious service? Had this capital custom not run rampant, no one would have schemed against my daughter today."
He cared not for such trivial formalities—being a plain man himself, he never paid them any mind.
The Youning Emperor was rendered speechless by his retort. After all, Shen Yingluo was the one who had suffered in this affair. Considering Shen Yueshan's apparent indifference toward her and his disregard for whether she might face public scorn, the Emperor thought that had it been Shen Xihe instead, Shen Yueshan would have drawn his sword long ago. "A'Luo, what are your thoughts?" the Emperor asked gently.
Shen Yingluo bit her lip. Had Shen Yueshan not first asked whether she had summoned the imperial physician, she too would have believed he cared nothing for her—that his words were only spoken because she was not Shen Xihe.
But because of that initial concern, she chose to believe his words came from genuine principle, regardless of who the victim was.
"A'Luo thanks His Highness Prince Zhao for saving my life," Shen Yingluo steadied herself and replied. "Though I was close to His Highness in childhood, it was because he had saved me once before. I regard him as an elder brother—I cannot repay kindness with enmity by imposing myself upon him."
"A'Luo..." Xiao Changmin looked at her in disbelief. Growing anxious, he kowtowed to the Emperor and pleaded, "Your Majesty, your son wishes to marry A'Luo. I only hope she would not feel wronged becoming my secondary wife."
"Being a secondary wife matters little—Prince Zhao is a royal prince, his status noble," Shen Yueshan remarked mildly. "But my daughter is young and may struggle to be a good stepmother."
Being a secondary wife was one thing, but becoming a stepmother was another. While his words praised Xiao Changmin's status, their true intent was criticism through apparent praise.
Xiao Changmin found himself unable to respond further.
The Emperor also opposed having two imperial princesses from the Shen family. Moreover, he had already decided to grant Shen Xihe to the Crown Prince—having even bestowed a style name, awaiting only the formal decree. He merely wished to see if anyone would dare scheme for Shen Xihe under these circumstances, to gauge the ambitions of his sons.
"Then let this matter rest. I shall issue a palace decree to prevent rumors," the Emperor declared. "Regarding A'Luo's incident, I will investigate its origins."
"Your Majesty..."
Xiao Changmin attempted to speak further, but meeting the Emperor's sharp gaze, he lowered his head and fell silent.
Thus the matter was temporarily settled. Since it occurred within the palace, neither Shen Xihe nor Shen Yueshan could easily intervene—especially with the Emperor's promise of resolution.
The father and two daughters left the palace. Shen Xihe and Shen Yingluo shared a carriage while Shen Yueshan rode ahead on horseback. After seeing Shen Yingluo escorted to the Shen residence and helped inside, she finally turned back as he prepared to depart and asked: "Father, if it had been Elder Sister who fell into the lake today, would you also claim not to care about reputation?"
However this matter spread, it would inevitably tarnish her name. While none would dare comment openly, private gossip was certain. Though she seldom cared about others' opinions, her heart was still made of flesh—how could it remain unaffected?"No." Shen Yueshan answered decisively.
Shen Yingluo stared at Shen Yueshan in astonishment.
Shen Xihe lifted the carriage curtain: "Father means I won't be outsmarted."
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