"Be careful? Careful of what?" Xiao Huayong gently smoothed his wide sleeve with one hand while his other fingertips lightly brushed against the flowers stretching up beyond the railing. His deep, abyssal eyes shimmered with an intense dark glow. "Does he think he still has a chance to make a comeback?"
Shen Xihe had never seen Xiao Huayong like this before. He seemed enveloped in a dense, murderous aura. Duanming, who had been lying on the reclining couch, let out a cry and jumped down, quickly fleeing the pavilion.
"Your Highness, you..." For a moment, Shen Xihe couldn't comprehend what Xiao Huayong intended to do.
"I want him to suffer more alive than dead. I want him to remain a rat in the sewers forever, never to see the light of day again." With a snap, he broke off a peony blossom.
Xiao Huayong twirled the flower stem between his fingers as he approached Shen Xihe. Reaching out, he tucked the flower into her hair before stepping back two paces to admire it with a smile. "Even a peony cannot compare to my Youyou."
Smiling at Shen Xihe, he continued, "I shall return to the palace first. As for the remaining matters, Youyou need only watch."
In Shen Xihe's presence, he had retracted all his sharp edges and intensity, becoming much gentler and calmer. Yet when Shen Xihe turned to watch his retreating figure under the blazing sun, he appeared bathed in radiant light—like a precious sword with a blade cold as autumn frost, capable of cutting through gold and jade.
"Your Highness was so imposing earlier that this maid couldn't help but hold her breath." Hongyu exhaled heavily, having been stifled.
For that brief moment, she felt that if her breathing had disturbed the Crown Prince, she would have been struck dead instantly.
Zhenzhu also sensed that indescribable pressure. "Your Highness, should we send someone to the Shen residence?"
"No need. Since His Highness said she would return safely, she naturally will." Shen Xihe trusted Xiao Huayong completely.
It had to be said that for Ye Wantang's sake, Xiao Changtai wouldn't dare harm Shen Yingluo.
"Your Highness, there is no conclusive evidence that the Fourth Prince masterminded the tomb robbery. However, word from the imperial mausoleum indicates the charred corpse was found with the Fourth Prince's jade pendant." Tianyuan reported immediately upon Xiao Huayong's return to the palace.
It was a jade pendant symbolizing imperial princes—identical to the one Xiao Changying had thrown at Shen Xihe during their first meeting, except the carved character changed from 'Ying' to 'Tai'. Every prince possessed one, though Xiao Huayong's coiling dragon pattern differed from theirs.
"The skull also bears a depression," Xiao Huayong added.
Tianyuan bowed his head in acknowledgment. "Yes."
Xiao Changtai had suffered a childhood injury to the back of his head that nearly killed him. The imperial physician had said it would leave a hidden depression in his hairline, though it wouldn't affect his appearance.
With these two pieces of evidence, it was practically conclusive proof that the person burned to death in the imperial mausoleum was "Xiao Changtai."
Had Xiao Changtai been captured alive, His Majesty would have undoubtedly executed him based on the evidence of his unauthorized escape to the imperial mausoleum.
Now that Xiao Changtai was "dead" in the imperial mausoleum, even if His Majesty suspected him of orchestrating the tomb robbery, he couldn't convict him without proof.
"His Majesty needs a proper ladder to publicly pin the blame on Xiao Changtai. I must share His Majesty's burden." Xiao Huayong walked around the desk, retrieved a box, and handed it to Tianyuan. "Give this to Cui Jinbai. He will know what to do."
"As you command." Tianyuan accepted it respectfully and withdrew from the hall.On the other side, Xiao Changtai was rescued by his subordinates stationed at the confluence of the Wei River and the Yellow River. He remained conscious despite an arrow embedded in his chest. After being pulled ashore, they swiftly retreated to a prearranged location where a doctor was already waiting.
Xiao Changtai maintained vigilance, refusing to succumb to unconsciousness. His confidant asked, "Your Highness, how should we handle County Lord Huaiyang?"
"Deliver her to Prince Zhao’s residence," Xiao Changtai replied with closed eyes but full awareness.
"Your Highness, County Lord Huaiyang is a daughter of the Shen family. If we were to..." the confidant suggested, "it would surely create a rift between the Shen family and the Crown Prince."
It was the Crown Prince who had lured their lord into the capital. The Fourth Prince had only kidnapped the Second Miss Shen in self-defense. If she were to die unjustly, would the Shen family harbor no resentment at all?
Xiao Changtai abruptly opened his eyes: "My wife is still in the capital!"
Whether Shen Yingluo lived or died mattered little to him. But if she died, Xiao Huayong would inevitably demand Ye Wantang to accompany her in death. This would not only alienate Xiao Huayong but also Xiao Changmin, making future alliances in the capital utterly impossible!
"This subordinate spoke out of turn. I shall immediately release the signal flare," the confidant hastily withdrew.
The room fell silent again. Xiao Changtai stared at the ceiling, pondering how Xiao Huayong might maximize the blow against him. This escape route shouldn't have been used for fleeing at such a time.
It should have been reserved for gradual, true concealment.
Without utilizing Munuha, he couldn't discern Xiao Huayong's influence. Even in hiding, he'd only be concealed in others' eyes—his movements would still be under Xiao Huayong's surveillance. By using Munuha, he now faced this predicament.
In the end, he had been outmaneuvered by Xiao Huayong.
All these years, he had exhausted every scheme, cautiously even resorting to tomb raiding to amass wealth and cultivate his current status.
Xiao Huayong, with unknown sources of funds, had feigned serious illness while hiding in a Taoist temple—openly strengthening his forces while watching their overt and covert struggles. He had left the palace at just eight years old, yet already envisioned the situation over a decade later.
At this thought, Xiao Changtai took a deep breath. A foreboding feeling seized him: Xiao Huayong would undoubtedly deal him a fatal blow.
But since Xiao Huayong hadn't acted yet, he couldn't pinpoint how the counterattack would come, leaving him unable to prepare countermeasures in advance.
Running through his actions in his mind and confirming no oversights, exhaustion forced him to rest briefly.
Shen Yingluo had been inexplicably abducted. When she awoke, her eyes were covered with black cloth, her hands and feet bound. After enduring hunger for two days, she was finally moved. When the blindfold was removed, she saw Xiao Changmin.
"A-Luo, are you alright?" Xiao Changmin approached worriedly, grasping her arms.
Shen Yingluo shoved him away and stepped back abruptly: "Clothes."
For two days, she had been bound hand and foot—not only were her limbs stiff, but her captors had completely ignored her needs. She...
The mere memory filled her with murderous rage.
"Escort the County Lord to her chambers," Xiao Changmin instructed the maids.
A scented bath and fresh clothes had long been prepared. Shen Yingluo, pale and sallow, dismissed everyone and scrubbed herself fiercely, ensuring no trace of filth remained. Recalling the past two days, her eyes turned icy.
"Who abducted me?" After bathing and redoing her attire, Shen Yingluo refused food and dragged her weakened body before Xiao Changmin to demand answers."Why was she kidnapped, and why was she sent to Prince Zhao's residence? Was it because Prince Zhao had implicated her?"
Her thoughts were unconcealed, making Xiao Changmin's throat tighten: "It was the Fourth Prince, targeting the Crown Prince."
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