His fervent affection, as scorching as the gaze he cast upon her, seemed to transform the wintry chill into waves of heat.
Shen Xihe lowered her head with a faint smile, offering no comment.
She did not know how to respond to Xiao Huayong's fiery emotions. She had already made her stance clear to him, and his actions were his own prerogative—she had no right to interfere. She understood what Xiao Huayong desired, but it was something she could not give.
Xiao Huayong's gaze fell upon her hairpin: "Youyou, have you taken stock of the coming-of-age gifts I presented to you?"
"I have reviewed the gift list," Shen Xihe admitted frankly.
She had glanced through the lists of all gifts from guests. She lacked for nothing, and aside from those given privately by her father and brother, as well as Bu Shulin and Xue Jinqiao, she had not bothered to unwrap any of them.
"Among them is a hidden-sword hairpin, carved by my own hand. Youyou, do not regift it to anyone." With the precedent of the rattan-fruit incense cup, Xiao Huayong felt compelled to mention it personally. "I had wished to present the hairpin to you privately, for adorning your hair, but I knew you would refuse. Thus, I had no choice but to include it among the coming-of-age gifts."
For those born into nobility like them, important occasions such as festivals, birthdays, and weddings inevitably brought countless congratulatory gifts. Aside from those given privately, these gifts were typically stored in personal treasuries, used as needed, bestowed upon subordinates or servants, or regifted—such practices were entirely appropriate.
However, imperial gifts were different; they could only be preserved and passed down to descendants as a mark of reverence.
"Your Highness is remarkably adept at calculating human hearts," Shen Xihe could not help but laugh softly.
He had first mentioned dealing with Wang Zheng on her behalf, accurately predicting she would decline, then tactfully shifted to the birthday gifts that must have been stored away in her treasury. It wasn't that she couldn't refuse outright, but there was no need to be so unyielding: "Your Highness, I am beginning to regret choosing you."
He was too skilled at handling people. Had she not already chosen Xiao Huayong, and were she not wary of a marriage fraught with mutual suspicion—external troubles compounded by internal strife—Shen Xihe would have preferred to be even more resolute in her detachment.
Xiao Huayong raised an eyebrow, his smile deepening rather than fading: "Youyou, it is not regret you feel—it is fear."
Fear of his advances, fear of his kindness toward her, afraid that one day she might waver, that she might unwittingly lose her heart to him.
"Does Your Highness always presume to know others so well?" Shen Xihe retorted.
"Whether I do or not, there is little use in debating it now. In time, you will understand," Xiao Huayong replied with unwavering confidence. She firmly believed her feelings toward him were merely a matter of not knowing how to respond, unaware that from this moment, she was no longer as aloof as before. "The hairpin must not be regifted."
"It will not be regifted." Since she had accepted the gift from another and received explicit instructions, it would be improper to pass it on.
It would not be regifted—but neither would it be worn.
A flicker of amusement danced in Xiao Huayong's eyes: "You will wear it. Sooner or later."
With that, Xiao Huayong rose and departed the Princess Manor, a pleased smile gracing his lips.
Long after he had gone, Shen Xihe could still hear his genuine, joyful laughter echoing in her mind. It unsettled her so much that she began to doubt herself, turning to ask Zhenzhu, "Am I truly afraid?"
Zhenzhu shook her head: "This servant does not know."
The others shook their heads in unison as well. To them, the Princess was already enigmatic enough, and now there was the equally inscrutable Crown Prince. They looked forward to the Princess marrying into the Eastern Palace, eager to see who would ultimately prevail between her and the Crown Prince.She also worried whether they would become fools after the Junzhu married into the Eastern Palace? They couldn't comprehend either of their two masters.
Shen Xihe pondered for a moment, not feeling that she was afraid, but purely thinking that Xiao Huayong was more persistent and troublesome than she had imagined.
While Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong were discussing romance, Wang Zheng being suspended again caused many people to ponder deeply.
"Fifth Brother, I feel that the recent changes among court officials have been quite significant." Xiao Changying visited Prince Xin's Residence at night to discuss his concerns with his brother. "First the Minister of Revenue, then the Minister of Justice, and now Wang Zheng..."
The Minister of Revenue was dismissed strictly because Xiao Changqing exposed the financial deficit in the ministry, while the Minister of Justice's case was accidental - who would have thought the Yang family's women would be so audacious?
Although these two incidents occurred close together, they hadn't connected them. But Wang Zheng's mistake during court assembly was clearly a setup, someone deliberately trapping him.
"Wang Zheng's matter must be the Crown Prince's doing." Xiao Changqing said with certainty. "In the palace, being so meticulous that even His Majesty's investigators can find no traces, unable to rescue Wang Zheng but having to severely punish him to give an explanation to the envoys from both countries - aside from the Crown Prince, I can't think of anyone else who could be so thorough."
"Why... why would he target Wang Zheng?" Xiao Changying actually hadn't understood since the first time Wang Zheng was dismissed for startling the Crown Prince into fainting.
If he had directly removed Wang Zheng from his position completely, it could be explained as wanting Wang Zheng's post, but this clearly wasn't the case.
"Wang Zheng isn't as easy to deal with as others. He's loyal to His Majesty, making it difficult to eliminate him." Xiao Changqing felt that dealing with Cui Zheng and Xue Heng would be better than dealing with Wang Zheng - these two had more actual power and higher prestige, but they weren't as loyal to the monarch as Wang Zheng.
Cui Zheng and Xue Heng cared more about their aristocratic families' interests, even though the families' status was already precarious.
After a pause, Xiao Changqing added: "I actually find it quite strange that His Majesty permitted the Xue family's legitimate daughter to marry the Northwest Prince Heir."
For His Majesty to be so generous about a marriage between an aristocratic family and a noble family - not only did he not create difficulties for both households, he even bestowed the marriage to complete it.
This move left everyone bewildered.
What reason could make His Majesty allow two of his most guarded enemies to form a marital alliance?
"Could it be... Xue Heng wants to retire?" Xiao Changqing felt only this reason could explain everything clearly.
"Xue Heng is just over fifty." Xiao Changying felt this wasn't right.
The dynasty's regulations stated: "All officials reaching seventy years of age, with declining energy, shall routinely retire."
"If he were retiring to fulfill Xue Qiniang's wishes, he would become the Xue family's sinner, and even Xue Qiniang wouldn't benefit from it. The Cui family would also be angered by him because of this." Xiao Changying added.
"What if he has compelling reasons to retire?" Xiao Changqing's dark eyes deepened. "Such as serious illness?"
"But Xue Heng doesn't appear to have any serious illness, and if that were the case, the Xue family couldn't possibly have no one know about it. The Xue family members show no signs of noticing anything." Xiao Changying felt this didn't make sense.
"Xue Hui has mediocre abilities - Xue Heng wouldn't pave the way for him." Xiao Changqing said firmly. "Xue Heng adopting Xue Qiniang is probably wanting to fulfill her wishes, so that in the future she can protect the Xue family. The Xue family doesn't need to be prosperous, but it cannot decline completely."
Xue Heng's move was killing two birds with one stone.After his passing, Xue Hui would inevitably lead the Xue family to pledge allegiance to Your Majesty. However, since Xue Jinqiao married Shen Yungan, regardless of which side emerged victorious, the Xue family would not face the fate of extermination.
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