She was so tolerant and magnanimous, calm and rational.
Yet Xiao Huayong disliked this composure and tolerance, for it meant she remained clear-headed at all times. Only someone devoid of emotion could maintain such clarity.
She clearly defined their relationship as collaborators advancing hand in hand, requiring mutual trust and shared risks.
Though his life spanned only twenty brief years, since he was eight years old, nothing and no one had ever made him feel powerless except the poison in his body—until Shen Xihe became the exception.
Yet he had no right to blame her. Falling for her was his own choice and right. Though she didn't need his affection, she never stopped him, knowing she had no authority to prevent it—just as he had no right to demand she develop feelings for him. Choosing not to love was equally her prerogative.
But he wasn't anxious. One day, he would surely make her lose her rationality and shatter this impregnable composure.
"We'll do as Youyou says." Xiao Huayong smiled as he packed the food container. "I look forward to tasting your culinary skills again next time."
Xiao Huayong didn't know if it was bias, but Shen Xihe's soups were truly exquisite.
"There will be opportunities," Shen Xihe replied with a faint smile.
After they married, she would become a qualified Crown Princess. Occasionally preparing meals for the Crown Prince would be a natural duty.
Shen Xihe obtained a bottle of medicine from Xiao Huayong as desired. Without taking it out of the palace, she directly had palace personnel deliver it to her people. There was no rush to plant it in Yangling Princess's chambers—it would be better to act after Yangling Princess's pregnancy was exposed.
They had ample time to plan how to execute this without leaving traces.
After Shen Xihe boarded the carriage, Zhenzhu reported, "Recently, the Third Princess has been constantly clashing with the Fifth Princess."
This was gathered intelligence. Zhenzhu didn't know if it would be useful to Shen Xihe but informed her regardless.
Shen Xihe smiled understandingly. "That's to be expected."
Tibet had originally expressed intentions to seek a marriage alliance, which His Majesty wanted to reject—though few knew this. Now, with the incident between Munuha and Yangling Princess emerging, since those married to the Turks were the Emperor's own daughters, His Majesty couldn't show favoritism and would naturally have to send another biological princess.
His Majesty currently only had three princesses. With Yangling Princess promised to Munuha, only the Third and Sixth Princesses remained. The Sixth Princess was Noble Consort Rong's daughter, had two princely brothers, and was already betrothed—she could never be the candidate. How could the Third Princess not resent Yangling Princess?
"The Third Princess left the palace today—they say she went to find the Second Young Lady," Zhenzhu couldn't resist adding.
Shen Xihe's brows slightly furrowed before she let out a cold laugh: "These princesses truly enjoy bullying the women of our Shen family.""
First, Yangling Princess incited Changling Princess to target her, and now, when forced into a marriage alliance, the Third Princess began setting her sights on Shen Yingluo.
"Your Highness, should we..." Zhenzhu tentatively asked, "help the Second Young Lady?"
"No need," Shen Xihe replied calmly.
Shen Yingluo wasn't foolish—she would understand the Third Princess's sudden friendliness. After the previous palace incident, Shen Yingluo should be more vigilant. Even if the Third Princess succeeded in her schemes and Tibet actually sought to marry Shen Yingluo, it wouldn't matter. The marriage alliance matter would conclude with Yangling Princess's death.
"Cui Shitou, stop right there—" At that moment, Bu Shulin's loud shout erupted outside the carriage.Shen Xihe lifted the carriage window curtain and saw Cui Jinbai riding past her carriage on horseback. Surprisingly, Bu Shulin was chasing after him on foot. It was likely that Cui Jinbai dismounted at the palace gate, strode inside, leaving Bu Shulin waiting outside.
"Cui Shaoqing looks like an abandoned husband—his heart is as cold as iron, never looking back," Ziyu murmured softly at the sight.
Zhenzhu shot her a disapproving glance and turned her head away. "Stop reading so many romance novels."
Ziyu's greatest passion was devouring romantic tales, and it was she who had introduced Shen Xihe to them. However, the mistress and maid approached these stories differently from others—they didn't focus on beautiful romances but instead criticized the female characters for their foolish infatuations and the male leads for their passivity.
For instance, when reading about noble ladies eloping with impoverished scholars, they both agreed the ladies lacked virtue by abandoning loving parents and siblings for outsiders; the scholars showed no responsibility by failing to earn the families' respect through hard work, instead persuading the ladies to elope without proper marriage arrangements...
The difference was that Shen Xihe lost interest after a few volumes, while Ziyu remained an avid reader, cursing the protagonists while flipping through pages.
Cui Jinbai wasn't actually abandoned—he had been spending this time trying to correct his misguided feelings and awaken himself to reality earlier.
He had even visited Xiangguo Temple to calm his mind. Were it not for His Majesty's summons, he would still be on leave.
He thought he had truly suppressed his inner demons, but the moment he returned to the city and encountered Bu Shulin, seeing her first glance made him fear losing control of his emotions, so he fled into the palace in panic.
He deliberately lingered in the palace until nearly nightfall. When he finally emerged, the biting wind cut like knives, but to his surprise, Bu Shulin was actually waiting for him at the palace gate.
"Hey, Cui Shitou, you're as petty-minded as a woman with such strong vindictiveness," Bu Shulin complained the moment she saw Cui Jinbai. "You deliberately waited until the curfew was approaching to come out—I'm frozen to death!"
Cui Jinbai led his horse without acknowledging her.
Bu Shulin blew on her hands. "I know I offended you when I was drunk that day—drunken words and actions. Don't take them to heart..."
Cui Jinbai suddenly halted. In the fading light, he turned and fixed his gaze intently on Bu Shulin.
Bu Shulin felt unnerved by his stare, sensing her explanation had only angered him further. After mentally reviewing her words, she couldn't pinpoint any mistakes and assumed her apology lacked sincerity. So she humbled herself further, giving Cui Jinbai a deep bow. "It's all my fault for talking nonsense while drunk. Just tell me—what must I do for you to forgive me this once? I'll definitely do it."
All this time, he had been tormented by confusion, emotional turmoil, and self-loathing because of her actions. Yet it turned out he had been wishfully thinking—she merely dismissed it as drunken ramblings, never giving it a second thought.
How pathetic did Cui Jinbai suddenly feel?
"Cui Shitou, why are you looking at me like that?" Bu Shulin felt his gaze was colder than the winter sky. "I know I behaved inappropriately with you that day, but I truly didn't mean it. If I were drunk and confused, I'd have acted the same with anyone else—"
"Enough!" Cui Jinbai snapped sharply, his face darkening, his pitch-black eyes devoid of warmth. "From today onward, cease pestering me. Otherwise..."Cui Jinbai drew the sword from beside the horse, snapped it in two, and threw it before Bu Shulin: "Let this be your fate!"
Shulin stood frozen in place, watching Cui Jinbai stride away. A cold wind swept past, bringing an icy chill. When she raised her hand to wipe her face, she found it streaked with moisture she hadn't realized had fallen...
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