Chapter 390: There Are No People of Mine Beside You
"Yes, we shall work together with one heart." Xiao Huayong's eyes and brows overflowed with tender affection.
Her willingness to join him in sincere effort, ensuring they wouldn't reach the point of bitter enmity, filled Xiao Huayong with a satisfaction akin to having obtained a long-coveted treasure.
Shen Xihe smiled faintly as she lowered her gaze, a subtle ripple of emotion passing through her heart.
Had she developed genuine feelings for Xiao Huayong? It couldn't be said there were none—at the very least, she cared about his emotions and accommodated his temperament. Yet it also couldn't be claimed there were full-fledged feelings—she had merely altered her approach toward him.
Transitioning from resolute determination to gentle persuasion, she remained clear-headed and rational. Compared to irrelevant individuals, she would undoubtedly protect and assist Xiao Huayong. But once her closest kin were involved, she wouldn't hesitate to oppose him.
"Will the Fourth Prince come?" Shen Xihe asked again.
A few days ago she had been uncertain, and today she remained unsure. Compared to the emotionally-driven Third Prince, Xiao Changtai clearly valued power and profit more.
"He will." Xiao Huayong spoke with complete confidence. "After Li Shi abducted Ye Shi and sent word to the Fourth Prince, she has been frequently corresponding with him these past few days. I've discovered their communication channel and intercepted her letters, replacing them with counterfeits."
Li Yanyan's original letters clearly stated that Ye Wantang was in her custody. Had Xiao Changtai known this, he wouldn't have panicked, as he remained confident in dealing with Li Yanyan.
Xiao Huayong had swapped Li Yanyan's letters for that sketchbook instead. Combined with recent events in the capital, Xiao Changtai wouldn't suspect Li Yanyan but would immediately assume Ye Wantang had fallen into Xiao Huayong's hands.
Xiao Huayong knew that if Xiao Changtai didn't come, Ye Wantang would die as silently as Munuha—this was no idle threat.
Originally, Xiao Huayong had intended to let Xiao Changtai know that Li Yanyan had intercepted Ye Wantang, making him less cautious since he believed dealing with Li Yanyan would be effortless. But upon careful consideration, he realized Xiao Changtai might find alternative methods to exchange for Ye Wantang from Li Yanyan.
Moreover, since Xiao Changtian had only vomited some foam, Li Yanyan wouldn't necessarily actually harm Ye Wantang over this. If Xiao Changtai could find some other way to apologize or placate her, perhaps even humbling himself before Li Yanyan, the matter might be resolved.
Therefore, he changed plans at the last moment, leaving Li Yanyan undisturbed while provoking Xiao Changtai instead.
"Beyond his affection for Ye Shi, there's also his confidence." Xiao Huayong stood with hands clasped behind his back, his tall figure elegant as he gazed at the competing blossoms. "He wants to truly confront me once."
Xiao Changtai was a capable, self-assured man with solid foundations. Having been pushed to this point, he would never retreat—otherwise, what qualifications would he have to contend for the throne?
This reasoning convinced Shen Xihe. For someone like Xiao Changtai to come purely for Ye Wantang—Shen Xihe didn't believe it. But if it was for masculine integrity and pride, Shen Xihe found that quite plausible.
He had never truly confronted Xiao Huayong before, so wanting to determine who was superior seemed perfectly reasonable.
"Your Highness should also be cautious. If he comes, he will surely give his all." Shen Xihe softly cautioned.
"Perfect opportunity to annihilate his entire force." A cold smile flickered across Xiao Huayong's lips.
Just as Xiao Huayong predicted, after a night of deep contemplation, Xiao Changtai decided to make the journey to the capital."Your Highness, please reconsider." The trusted aide who received the message pleaded urgently. "Our cultivated forces in the capital are insufficient, and we're under His Majesty's watchful eyes. If we act now, we'll be completely exposed."
"We won't confront him openly." Xiao Changtai's gaze turned cold. "He has captured Wanwan. If I don't go, wouldn't it make those who follow me lose heart? The Ye family would also be difficult to account to. Today he has forced me to this point. If I keep avoiding confrontation, it will only make my subordinates lose confidence."
This time, he must go.
"Your Highness..."No more persuasion." Carry out my orders as instructed." Xiao Changtai's eyes hardened with determination as he relayed the countermeasures he had contemplated all night to his trusted aide.
Xiao Changtai only returned to the capital in disguise three days later. Neither Xiao Huayong nor Shen Xihe knew about it. Xiao Huayong was monitoring Li Yanyan, and Xiao Changtai's return to the capital would certainly not escape the notice of Li Yanyan, who was conspiring with him.
As soon as Li Yanyan learned of Xiao Changtai's return to the capital, she would inevitably contact him immediately and inform him that Ye Wantang was in her hands. With Xiao Huayong's interference, Xiao Changtai wouldn't trust Li Yanyan, but he would still meet with her.
His purpose was undoubtedly to use Li Yanyan. At this time, Xiao Changtai's guard wouldn't be at its highest, making it the perfect opportunity to strike with one blow.
Indeed, as soon as Xiao Changtai entered the capital, Li Yanyan learned of it immediately. But before she could send a message to Xiao Changtai, he had already secretly met with Zhao Wang.
"He met with the Second Prince?" Xiao Huayong was at Shen Xihe's Princess Manor.
This news came from the Dai Prince's residence. After the incident involving Yangling Princess and Munuha occurred there last time, many people were implicated. To symbolically account to His Majesty and the Princess, the Dai Prince's residence had also punished a group of servants. Xiao Huayong seized the opportunity to insert one or two people among them.
Over the past few months, they had been maneuvering well within the Dai Prince's residence, managing to bribe someone who could approach Li Yanyan.
"Your Highness's spies are everywhere," Shen Xihe praised.
"Youyou, rest assured, there are no my people around you," Xiao Huayong smiled relaxedly.
Shen Xihe raised an eyebrow: "Your Highness can try to see if you can plant anyone near me."
"If I had known there would be today, that I would be deeply devoted to you, I would have planted someone by your side ten years ago," Xiao Huayong said half-seriously.
Planting someone near Shen Xihe during her childhood would have been the only possibility. But at that time, aside from those targeting Shen Yueshan, who would bother planting someone near a young girl? Even if someone had been planted, their efforts would have been directed toward Shen Yueshan or Shen Yungan.
Linglong was an exception—perhaps a twist of fate, a piece that wasn't placed near Shen Yungan and ultimately had to be used as matters stood. With Linglong's precedent, the current Shen Xihe was even less likely to let anyone easily get close to her.
The reason she hadn't considered marrying off Zhenzhu and others these past years was that she had already begun cultivating a second group of trusted aides. She was waiting for them to become capable enough to take over from Zhenzhu and the others before marrying them all off.
Shen Xihe withdrew her gaze from him, thinking about Xiao Changtai meeting Xiao Changmin: "Zhao Wang is the only person he can persuade."
With the eldest prince deceased, Zhao Wang became the eldest son. As the saying goes, succession follows primogeniture after the legitimate line—after the legitimate line comes age order.
Xiao Changtai sought out Xiao Changmin to make Zhao Wang see Xiao Huayong's true nature. Even if Zhao Wang didn't help him this time, in the future Zhao Wang would never let his guard down against Xiao Huayong.
A strategy that kills two birds with one stone."Second Brother is no fool," Xiao Huayong pondered for a moment before saying, "unless Fourth Brother can offer him benefits substantial enough to move his heart."
To put it kindly, Xiao Changmin is cautious and not impulsive; to put it bluntly, he is the type who won't release the hawk without seeing the hare.
(End of Chapter)
OpenNovel