Tianyuan certainly wouldn't blame the Crown Prince. If not for His Highness, he and his brother would have long perished with their parents in the desolate rocky hills, nor would they have had the opportunity to study martial arts and literature to achieve what they have today. Having followed the Crown Prince for over a decade, their relationship was less that of master and servant and more akin to closest kin.
At this moment, he naturally had to speak up for the Crown Prince, so that the Princess would understand just how important she was to His Highness.
"Go quickly and check on the injuries," Shen Xihe said, as if she hadn't caught Tianyuan's hint.
Tianyuan had no choice but to follow Zhenzhu to find Sui Axi. The room was once again left with only Xiao Huayong and Shen Xihe. Shen Xihe said, "Your Highness's Heart of Zhaoning, Zhaoning understands. However, I ask that in your concern, you do not look down upon Zhaoning."
After a moment of silence, Xiao Huayong replied, "I was too impatient."
He knew that Shen Xihe's immediate return upon receiving the news was her way of acknowledging his feelings, not intentionally provoking him. She simply disliked his earlier impulsiveness, which had disrupted their plans and harmed a loyal servant.
She was rational, and thus she disliked those who lacked rationality. She hoped he wouldn't become deranged and unrecognizable because of love.
Shen Xihe did indeed have some minor criticisms of Xiao Huayong's earlier actions. Zhenzhu and the others who served by her side enjoyed living standards no less than those of noble ladies, and she would never lightly punish them. As long as they didn't make mistakes, she indulged them in their whims and mischief.
She disliked those who readily punished their subordinates or could easily lay hands on their trusted aides.
But remembering Tianyuan's words, and considering that it was all for her sake, Shen Xihe softened her attitude. "Would Your Highness care to dine together?"
Xiao Huayong's eyes lit up. Earlier, he had invited her to share a meal, but she had refused. "Yes, yes! I've just started to feel hungry."
Xiao Huayong had been injured during the competition. To receive prompt treatment, it was naturally impossible to carry him back to the palace. They were now in the resting pavilion by the competition grounds. Because of the incident with Yangling Princess, everyone's attention had shifted to her and Munuha.
Only Wang Zheng was anxiously trying to send people to keep an eye on Xiao Huayong. However, with both Shen Xihe's and Xiao Huayong's people outside, his men couldn't get close. Shen Xihe ordered Moyu to fetch a food box from the Princess Manor.
"Your Highness, do you know who released Munuha?" While waiting, Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong sat by the low table, and Shen Xihe asked.
"Tianyuan will surely investigate thoroughly," Xiao Huayong said. The fact that Tianyuan hadn't reported yet meant they still didn't know who it was.
"I suspect Wang Gong is the most likely culprit," Shen Xihe voiced her suspicion. "At this moment, what the Wang family needs most is to divert His Majesty's attention, so that he focuses entirely on the matter of Yangling Princess and Munuha. This would buy them more time to unravel Your Highness's scheme."
After a pause, Shen Xihe added, "Your Highness and I are already betrothed. If Munuha is set free and he learns that his current predicament was caused by me, he will surely seek revenge. Your Highness would definitely not stand by idly. If handled well, they could even turn the tables on Your Highness."
Xiao Huayong listened and remained silent for a moment. "Youyou's reasoning is sound, and Wang Zheng certainly has the capability. But how could Wang Zheng be so sure that Yangling Princess and Munuha were framed, and framed by Youyou at that?"Wang Zheng certainly had no usable contacts within the palace. Even if he knew about the few conflicts between Shen Xihe and Yangling Princess, he wouldn't have thought that far ahead. He didn't know what Yangling Princess had done to Shen Xihe, nor was he familiar with Shen Xihe's temperament. In his mind, Shen Xihe had no motive to eliminate Yangling.
Moreover, if he truly believed Shen Xihe to be narrow-minded or that Shen Xihe deliberately wanted to oppose Your Majesty by killing Yangling, it still wouldn't make sense to use Munuha. The incident of Munuha ambushing Shen Yueshan was known only to him and Shen Xihe in the entire capital.
The Turks were beyond the northwest. If Shen Xihe were to do such a thing, wouldn't it provoke a major war for her father and brother? It defied both reason and logic.
"There's no need for him to know it was my scheme," Shen Xihe said. "As long as his goal is the Crown Prince, he can make Munuha suspicious of me."
"That is indeed possible," Xiao Huayong agreed, though he still had reservations. "But I'm more concerned about the person behind Yangling who rescued Munuha with the aim of targeting you. Munuha is not easily deceived. Even if Wang Zheng rescued him, he wouldn't have sufficient evidence."
"If Wang Zheng rescued him, it's more likely he would directly frame me as the one who set the trap for Munuha."
Shen Xihe smiled at this. "Because men in this world tend to underestimate women."
Even if it were pinned on Xiao Huayong, Munuha would have difficulty finding the Crown Prince residing in the Eastern Palace. Shifting the blame to her, however, could make Xiao Huayong anxious. But Wang Zheng wouldn't do that—not because he was particularly noble, but simply because in his eyes, Shen Xihe couldn't possibly achieve such a feat. If he didn't believe it himself, how could he convince Munuha just to deal with Xiao Huayong?
"Underestimating women is their shortsightedness," Xiao Huayong remarked calmly.
He had traveled to many places, met many people, and experienced numerous events. He had long understood one truth: women who appeared conventional, devoted to their husbands and children, seemingly submissive and always prioritizing their spouses, often proved to be the most formidable schemers—capable of leaving men with nowhere to be buried.
Shen Xihe had never doubted Xiao Huayong's recognition and respect for women, but she hadn't expected him to place women on equal footing with men. Few men in this world held such a view.
"Therefore, there are two suspicious individuals now: Wang Zheng and the person behind Yangling," Shen Xihe summarized.
If the Capital Prefecture investigation yielded no clues, they would have to trace back through these two leads. Wang Zheng was relatively easy to investigate, but the person behind Yangling remained elusive and mysterious. She still couldn't understand why Yangling, who valued her life so much, refused to speak up despite knowing Shen Xihe was not to be trifled with.
How terrifying must this person be for Yangling to fear him more than she feared Shen Xihe, who had killed Liang Zhaorong?
Xiao Huayong suddenly chuckled softly.
His low laughter made Shen Xihe look up at him, puzzled by what had amused him so. The starlight in his eyes seemed to swirl, as if all the stars in the sky had gathered within them.
Meeting Shen Xihe's confused gaze, Xiao Huayong reined in his smile slightly and said, "I worry it's the person behind Yangling because I'm concerned for Youyou. If Youyou worries it's Wang Zheng, does that mean Youyou's heart mirrors mine—that your foremost concern is me?"
This realization made Xiao Huayong feel as if he had drunk a jar of honey, sweet from his lips to his heart.
Shen Xihe simply watched him calmly, neither refuting nor elaborating. Her serene expression convincingly conveyed her stance."I think so." Xiao Huayong didn't care—he simply thought it was so.
Shen Xihe gave a slight nod, wearing an indifferent expression that seemed to say "if you say so," and couldn't be bothered to waste words arguing with him.
Just then, Moyu brought the food box, and Shen Xihe stayed in the room to share the meal with Xiao Huayong.
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