"Your Highness..."
Just as Shen Xihe was about to say something, a light cough came from outside, indicating someone's arrival. She immediately closed her eyes.
Xiao Huayong understood and stood up, walking out with Sui Axi. As soon as they stepped out of the inner chamber, they encountered the Youning Emperor and naturally exchanged greetings once more.
"How is Zhaoning?" the Youning Emperor asked.
Xiao Huayong glanced at Sui Axi, who quickly bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, the princess is fine." The poison has been neutralized, and she will recover fully after a few days of rest."
The Youning Emperor nodded, taking a medicine bottle from Liu Sanzhi's hands. "Was this the poison Zhaoning was exposed to?"
Sui Axi remained deferential, his eyes lowered. "Your Majesty, the poison affecting the princess is strychnine." This humble one does not know what poison is in the medicine bottle."
The Youning Emperor handed the bottle to Sui Axi. Before entering, he had encountered the imperial physician who treated Shen Xihe. The physician also suspected it was strychnine, and indeed, the bottle contained strychnine poison.
Sui Axi received it respectfully with both hands, opened the bottle, and carefully examined it. "The bottle does indeed contain strychnine."
"Was this medicine dropped by a palace maid from Princess Anling's residence?" the Youning Emperor inquired.
"This son... did not see..." Xiao Huayong answered truthfully. At the time, he had rushed to Shen Xihe's side, and many people had gathered behind him.
"Your Majesty, it was your subject's daughter who witnessed it," Xue Jinqiao stepped forward and bowed. "Your subject's daughter saw the princess fall and a palace maid assisting her. The medicine bottle dropped during the incident, and the dent on it was caused by that. Not only did your subject's daughter see it, but the second young lady of the Pingyao Marquis residence also witnessed it."
Yu Sangning had handed the medicine bottle to Princess Anling's maid. Yu Sangning was sociable and adept at navigating social circles. Since gaining Yu Sangzi's favor, she had been taken along everywhere. Yu Sangning had also mingled with noble young ladies of the capital, but the highest status she could befriend were daughters of ducal and marquis households. She had no access to titled young ladies such as princesses or county princesses.
Seizing this rare opportunity, she never imagined the bottle contained poison, assuming it was perfume or cooling medicine carried by the princess's maid. Thus, she proactively handed it over.
When summoned by the Emperor for questioning, she could only say: "Your Majesty, your subject's daughter only saw the medicine bottle rolling from the direction of Princess Anling's palace maid and mistakenly assumed it belonged to the princess's attendant. I did not personally witness it falling from the maid's person."
This explanation both justified why she directly handed over the bottle and avoided offending Princess Anling.
Shen Xihe had never intended to target Princess Anling in the first place. Whatever they said or how the Emperor ruled was inconsequential to her. The more the Emperor protected Anling, the better—it would further support her argument that she dared not attempt to kill the princess.
Sure enough, after questioning everyone, the Youning Emperor hastily concluded the matter on the grounds that the origin of the item was doubtful and it couldn't be rashly attributed to Princess Anling. Everyone expected the usually assertive Shen Xihe to protest—after all, she had been forceful when confronting Changling Princess and Yangling Princess before, and had even slapped Princess Anling previously.
Princess Anling, protected by the Emperor, lifted her chin triumphantly.
Then, Xiao Huayong stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this matter... could it be entrusted to this son to investigate... The princess was indeed poisoned... We cannot neglect it simply due to insufficient evidence."
Hearing this, Princess Anling looked at Xiao Huayong warily, fearing she might be framed again.
The Youning Emperor pondered for a moment and said, "This matter shall be handed over to the Crown Prince for thorough investigation."An Ling seemed hesitant to speak but was ultimately taken away by the Youning Emperor. With the poisoning incident occurring, the Spring Day Banquet naturally couldn't continue. Fortunately, the banquet was already nearing its end, and all essential activities had been completed. The guests departed with high expectations.
Xiao Huayong personally escorted Shen Xihe back to the Princess Manor and, using the pretext of caring for her, lingered there.
"Your Highness, how long do you intend to stay?" Shen Xihe watched as Xiao Huayong, the moment he entered her residence, made himself at home like the master of the house. He found her banana-leaf armchair and reclined comfortably, exuding an air of leisure and laziness.
"Youyou was poisoned. Everyone knows how deeply I care for Youyou. If I don't stay until sunset, how can I demonstrate the depth of my affection?" Xiao Huayong wore a smile that made Shen Xihe want to hit him.
"Didn't Your Highness take on the task of investigating the poisoner for me?" Shen Xihe was practically issuing a direct order for him to leave. "At the very least, Your Highness should put on a show of effort."
"I will, of course, put on a show, but there's no rush." Xiao Huayong spoke leisurely. "Youyou should at least offer me a meal as a gesture of hospitality."
Shen Xihe: "Do you have any awareness of being a guest?"
"Of course... not." Xiao Huayong's smile grew even more provoking, his gaze turning suggestive. "I want to be the master here."
"Then go hungry." With those words, Shen Xihe turned and returned to her room.
Xiao Huayong followed shortly after. Shen Xihe ignored him, and he wandered around for a while. Just as Shen Xihe thought he was about to resort to his usual pestering, he unexpectedly changed his tune: "Ah, since Youyou doesn't want me here, I'll leave."
Shen Xihe eyed him suspiciously. He had said he would stay until sunset, and she didn't think he was joking. His sudden change of mind for no apparent reason made her wary.
Xiao Huayong looked dejected. "I'll visit Youyou another day."
Watching him leave, Shen Xihe waited for a moment, but there was no sign of him returning. She walked to the door and asked Zhenzhu, who was standing guard: "Did he really leave?"
Zhenzhu immediately went to check with the front courtyard and confirmed that Xiao Huayong had indeed exited the Princess Manor's gates. "He really left."
Shen Xihe felt something was off. "Why is he so... normal today?"
The princess's choice of adjective made Zhenzhu lower her head to suppress a laugh. So, in the princess's eyes, the Crown Prince was usually abnormal.
Shen Xihe pondered for a while, convinced that unusual behavior must have an ulterior motive. Xiao Huayong was surely plotting something again.
She waited for a long time, but even by dinnertime, Xiao Huayong had not returned. Moreover, news came from the palace that he had truly gone back to the Eastern Palace.
"Could it be that I've been judging a gentleman with the heart of a petty person?" Shen Xihe couldn't help but doubt herself.
This doubt was completely shattered when she glanced at her sewing basket while preparing for bed after washing up.
She strode over to it and rummaged through, only to find a handkerchief missing—the one embroidered with the Fairy Ribbon was gone!
It was something she had casually made to pass the time with Zhenzhu and the others. After embroidering, washing, drying, and scenting it, she had left it there. She hadn't planned to use it and had simply kept it there. She saw it every day, but today it was missing!
She already had a sneaking suspicion but was reluctant to think of the esteemed Crown Prince as a petty thief.
"Hongyu, when was the last time you saw the handkerchief embroidered with the Fairy Ribbon in my room?" Hongyu was responsible for Shen Xihe's quarters, so Shen Xihe called her over directly to inquire."Just before the young mistress went out to Hibiscus Garden today, this servant still saw it." Hongyu remembered clearly, as she saw it every day. "Has it gone missing? No one would dare break into the young mistress' room. Could it be that Duanming took it away?"
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