The cold wind blew, and as a mouthful of warm wine went down, Xiao Huayong felt no warmth at all. Instead, his heart grew chilly, as if he were standing stark naked in a frozen, snowy wilderness.
He wasn’t angry—just deeply unsettled. He knew Shen Xihe held no affection for him, but seeing her pass on the gift he had meticulously prepared to someone else, even if that someone was her own father, made him bitterly jealous!
The slight joy he had felt at gaining Shen Yueshan’s approval vanished completely. Without even waiting for Shen Yueshan to drive him away, he hurriedly departed early the next morning.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince seems displeased?” the deputy general wondered why, after just one night’s sleep, the Crown Prince’s attitude had changed so drastically.
Shen Yueshan let out a somewhat mocking sneer: “Ambitious as a wolf.”
Now he understood. If it were merely Youyou giving him a cup, why would the young man’s expression have soured so? He should have been envious at most. Clearly, the cup had been a gift from him to Youyou, and she had passed it on to her own father—that was the source of his frustration.
His daughter was to be married, and this man was already smitten with her. As a father, could he stand in the way? Accepting Xiao Huayong as a son-in-law didn’t mean he had to like him. Between a father-in-law and son-in-law, there was no such thing as genuine fondness.
It was merely a matter of discussing official business when necessary. When there was no business at hand, father-in-law and son-in-law were adversaries!
Seeing his adversary discomfited lifted Shen Yueshan’s spirits. He flicked his horsewhip and rode leisurely onward.
After a few steps, Shen Yueshan halted, his expression darkening. “Damn.”
“What is it, Your Highness?” His officers immediately gathered around, full of concern, some even scanning their surroundings warily.
“I forgot to ask the Crown Prince to leave behind his method for taming eagles.” Shen Yueshan felt he had missed an opportunity.
Xiao Huayong had managed to train so many obedient eagles—he had only heard of such talents among the Khitan, never in the Central Plains.
If he could train a batch of eagles for his scouts, it would be immensely beneficial for future military campaigns.
Whether for concealment, detecting enemies, or disrupting enemy forces, it would be an extraordinary tactic.
“Your Highness, don’t worry. You will be father-in-law and son-in-law,” a trusted deputy couldn’t resist teasing. “This humble officer observes that the Crown Prince is a thoughtful man. Most likely, you won’t even need to ask—he will offer it willingly.”
Shen Yueshan shot him a glance and shook his head lightly. “Let’s go.”
Regarding the matter of taming eagles, he would have to find time to discuss it privately with Xiao Huayong. Whether these two would grow old together, Shen Yueshan dared not predict. Both were strong-willed and resolute, not easily swayed.
He wondered if his precious daughter would eventually thaw like spring ice or if the Crown Prince would retreat in the face of difficulty.
When it came to something this crucial, it was better to settle accounts clearly. Shen Yueshan had no intention of taking advantage of anyone, lest it influence his daughter’s decisions. There would be no winning her over by currying favor with him.
Three days after Xiao Huayong’s departure, Shen Xihe grew anxious, worried about Shen Yueshan’s safety. Mo Yuan had also yet to return with his men.
His Majesty had been busy purging Hebei Dao, reorganizing it from top to bottom. Ultimately, the court’s flawed appointments had led to the Qi family tragedy. Although compensation was generously given to Qi Pei, Qi Jun and his wife could never be brought back to life, and Qi Pei would never walk again.Qi Pei pleaded for treatment from the physicians at the Princess Manor, and the Youning Emperor granted permission. Xie Yunhuai, Zhenzhu, and A Xi took turns treating him. With his strong will to survive, he managed to keep his life, though he would never be able to walk again and would suffer excruciating knee pain during cold seasons.
"To be able to cling to life is already enough for me," Qi Pei said with surprising equanimity.
Shen Xihe stared at him. Though he appeared calm, she could sense the complete absence of light in his eyes—a profound darkness and stillness. "Do you know why I helped you?"
Qi Pei didn't understand why Shen Xihe asked this but could only reply, "The Princess is kind-hearted."
"Kind-hearted?" Shen Xihe let out a derisive laugh. "You're wrong. I didn't save you because I'm kind-hearted, but because I already intended to deal with the Yang family before you came."
Zhenzhu and Sui Axi glanced at Shen Xihe, while Xie Yunhuai stood by with a faint smile.
Qi Pei's pupils grew even darker.
"Feeling chilled? That there's no warmth left in this world?" Shen Xihe pierced straight into his heart. "You and I are neither relatives nor friends. Why should I save you? Don't place extravagant hopes on any stranger in this world. That is the first lesson I will teach you today."
Qi Pei lowered his head and clasped his fists. "Thank you for your guidance, Princess."
Shen Xihe draped her shawl over her arms, crossing them over her chest as she slowly walked toward the window. "Right now, you must be filled with resentment—angry at the injustice of the world, hating the heavens for turning a blind eye."
Qi Pei remained silent. He didn't want to deny it, and he knew Shen Xihe could discern the truth in his words. "Shouldn't I hate?"
"You should," Shen Xihe said. "No one deserves to suffer. When others bully and humiliate you, you should fight back. But if you harm innocent people because of it, you become no different from those you resent, and you lose the right to harbor hatred."
Qi Pei abruptly lifted his head to look at Shen Xihe.
At that moment, Shen Xihe turned back and gave him a gentle smile. "Those who can endure great rises and falls, physical disability, and the loss of loved ones are no ordinary people. Since you've survived this ordeal, no future hardship will be able to trap you. But I hope you emerge like a butterfly breaking free from its cocoon, not a vicious dragon escaping its chains."
"If you resent this world, then use your strength to change it. Only cowards vent their hatred on the weak."
Qi Pei's gaze was dazed, his eyes fixed vacantly in Shen Xihe's direction.
"This is the second lesson I teach you today: it's natural to hate and resent, but do not become the very person you detest and resent."
"Do not become the person you detest and resent..." These words struck the deepest part of Qi Pei's soul, filling him with fear. He felt as though Shen Xihe had seen right through him.
"I saved you partly because you happened to help me achieve my goal, but fundamentally, it's because your family were truly wronged victims." Only then did Shen Xihe reveal this point. If she had said this earlier, it would not have resonated with Qi Pei.
As a victim, any advice to let go of resentment or to live a righteous life in the future would have fallen on deaf ears.
Shen Xihe didn't want him to merely act normal in her presence out of gratitude, only to become a madman behind her back.
"If your Qi family hadn't been wronged, or if you were connected to the Yang family, I wouldn't have lifted a finger to help," Shen Xihe stated. "The Yang family destroyed your family. The chief culprit was torn apart by five horses, the Minister of Justice was exiled three thousand li away, the magistrate of Li County was beheaded, the provincial inspector was dismissed and barred from future office, and the commandery governor was sentenced to three years of penal servitude, with his descendants barred from official posts for three generations. This is the reckoning for your elder brother and sister-in-law.""But my elder brother and sister-in-law can never come back to life." Qi Pei's eyes welled up with tears.
"The departed have passed, yet the living must carry on," Shen Xihe said softly. "Having never endured your suffering, I have no right to urge you to let go. But you've struggled so desperately to survive. I believe filling your heart with hatred would only create more pitiful souls like yourself. Rather than that, why not devote yourself to expanding the Qi family's legacy? This would honor your ancestors and bring comfort to your brother and sister-in-law in the afterlife."
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