Xue Cheng, having attained the position of Chief Minister of the Dali Temple, was naturally a cautious man and immediately dispatched personnel to investigate.
Following Shen Xihe's guidance, results were quickly obtained—Sweet Basil indeed could cause horses to lose control.
He then sent people to examine the downed horse, but this proved more difficult to verify, as there was no way to confirm the presence of Sweet Basil scent on the horse.
Apart from Shen Xihe, no one else could detect it at that moment.
Xue Cheng promptly dispatched someone to question Ding Jue, the third son of the Marquis of Zhenbei who was being treated for injuries. Ding Jue, aware that his horse had gone out of control, had been furious at Shen Xihe's servant for attacking without asking for an explanation. However, upon hearing the account from the Dali Temple officials, he calmed down.
He admitted that before the horse lost control, he had indeed smelled a peculiar fragrance. He specifically compared it to the scent of Sweet Basil and found that, although it was a blended aroma, it closely resembled the natural scent of Sweet Basil.
"Therefore, Zhaoning has reason to suspect that someone, upon seeing Zhaoning at the city gate, deliberately tampered with the horse of the third son of the Marquis of Zhenbei."
Shen Xihe stood in the main hall, her tone gentle and unhurried, devoid of the anger or accusation typical of a victim. She remained composed, as if engaged in casual conversation.
"If not, why choose this particular moment to administer the drug? If the target wasn't Zhaoning at the city gate, what purpose would tampering with the third son's horse serve?"
Indeed, if it hadn't involved Shen Xihe, even if a few commoners had been trampled to death—as long as their families accepted compensation and no complaint was filed—the authorities would not have pursued the matter.
Thus, tampering with the horse of the Marquis of Zhenbei's third son would have been meaningless.
If it were merely a prank, it would have been simpler to act in the outskirts, causing the horse to throw its rider or plunge off a cliff.
The princess's reasoning is entirely logical. This official will seek evidence..."
"There is no need for Minister Xue to trouble himself with evidence. Bring a basin of clean water," Shen Xihe interrupted Xue Heng. "I have here a scented powder. When added to water, anyone who has touched Sweet Basil—even the slightest trace—will cause the water to change color upon contact."
Xue Cheng hurriedly followed Shen Xihe's instructions. Once the water was brought, Shen Xihe poured in the scented powder and produced some Sweet Basil fragrance: "Your Honor, you may demonstrate this yourself to them."
Xue Cheng was actually quite eager to try it. As someone involved in criminal justice, he had a keen interest in such curiosities.
He had the Imperial Physician verify Shen Xihe's powder, confirming it was indeed scented with Sweet Basil. Then, he dipped his finger into it and immersed his hand in the water mixed with Shen Xihe's powder. Sure enough, a faint red hue spread from his fingertips.
"Just as expected," Xue Cheng exclaimed in amazement, turning to issue an order. "Line up, each of you, and immerse your hands in the water. This is to prove your innocence. Know that attempting to harm a princess carries a penalty of ten years of penal servitude! Using the Marquis of Zhenbei's household to covertly harm the Northwest King's estate could warrant a charge of disrupting state affairs—a crime I will duly report to Your Majesty. When that time comes..."
He didn't need to elaborate on the consequences of disrupting state affairs; the group of young men and women were already pale with fear.
Those who were innocent naturally stood their ground with confidence. Shen Xihe observed the crowd and noticed one person who appeared calm but was secretly rubbing their hands nervously beneath their sleeves.
Several people had already tested the water, and none showed any abnormality. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Xihe slowly walked past the lined-up individuals, confirming that only one person carried the scent of Sweet Basil. She exchanged a meaningful glance with Moyu.Moyu stepped forward and kicked him to the ground. The sudden commotion drew everyone's attention.
"It's him," Shen Xihe said, signaling Moyu to drag him forward. She forcibly pressed the struggling young man's hands into the water basin. Just like with Xue Heng, faint traces of red spread from his fingertips.
Seeing this, the others stepped back in unison, staring at him in shock.
"It wasn't me! It wasn't me, County Princess! Lord Xue, it wasn't me!" The sixteen- or seventeen-year-old youth wept bitterly, tears and mucus streaming down his face.
"If it wasn't you, why do you have Sweet Basil scented powder on your hands?" Xue Cheng demanded.
"It was him—Ding Zhi! Ding Zhi promised me three hundred gold to sprinkle the scented powder on Ding Jue!" the youth cried, pointing at another tall, slender young man nearby.
"I broke my grandmother's Fragrant Jade Carving and took it for repairs, but no one could fix it. It had to be recarved, but the fragrant jade is extremely expensive, and hiring Master Li to carve it would cost three hundred gold... Waaah..."
"You're slandering me! When did I ever instruct you to do such a thing?" Ding Zhi, the second son of the Northern Garrison Marquis' household, remained remarkably calm.
"Did he personally hand you the scented powder?" Shen Xihe asked.
"Yes," the youth nodded vigorously, his eyes red. "It was wrapped in paper when he gave it to me."
"No matter. This scented powder is extremely fine. Anyone who handles it will inevitably get some dust on their hands." Shen Xihe called, "Moyu."
Moyu stepped forward. Ding Zhi tried to resist but was swiftly subdued by Moyu, who dragged him over and forced his hands into the water.
Everyone craned their necks to see. At first, there was nothing, but soon, a faint pinkish hue began to spread in the water.
With ironclad evidence before him, Ding Zhi didn't dare deny it. However, he stubbornly insisted it was due to his resentment toward his younger brother Ding Jue—an internal conflict within the Northern Garrison Marquis' household. He claimed he hadn't known Shen Xihe would be at the city gate and only wanted Ding Jue implicated in a death case. Even if settled privately, the Northern Garrison Marquis would come to despise this younger brother.
"Does ignorance absolve one of guilt... cough, cough, cough..."
A hoarse voice sounded from outside the hall. Everyone turned to look.
The crowd parted, and Shen Xihe turned to face the newcomer.
He wore a loose-sleeved, apricot-white casual robe with exquisitely embroidered patterns on the collar, cuffs, and hem. A white jade and pearl-inlaid dragon-patterned belt adorned his waist, and he wore black leather boots. His figure was tall and slender.
His face, stunning enough to captivate the world, was unusually pale. Beneath meticulously trimmed sword-like eyebrows were exceptionally gentle eyes, though their spark seemed faint. Below his straight nose were pale lips, giving him a somewhat sickly appearance, yet it couldn't conceal his peerless beauty.
His features weren't sharply masculine, yet they weren't effeminate either. For the first time, Shen Xihe saw in a man's face a beauty that perfectly balanced strength and softness. It was as if his face had been meticulously carved by the heavens from the finest jade in the world.
His black hair was tied up with a pearl-inlaid golden crown, around which a golden dragon coiled—a hair crown only princes were permitted to wear.
She had met all of Youning Emperor's sons, except for one...
"Pay respects to the Crown Prince!" Xue Cheng hurried forward to kneel and bow. The others followed suit respectfully.
Cough, cough, cough... Xiao Huayong seemed to be in poor health. "There's no need for such formalities..."
She had long heard this Crown Prince was frail, but Shen Xihe hadn't expected him to be even weaker than herself. Merely speaking a few words seemed to exhaust him.Supported by his attendant, Xiao Huayong walked in. A peculiarly distinctive Jade Pendant hung at his waist—half black and half white, shaped like a taiji symbol—swaying gently and gracefully with his movements.
As he drew closer, an intense and complex aroma of medicinal herbs enveloped Shen Xihe.
"Plotting to harm the Junzhu with the intent to provoke conflict between two noble houses—a crime punishable by death."
He uttered the gravest words in the softest tone.
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