A small booklet was presented before her with both hands, the satin cover's soft glow as pristine as his rounded, neat fingertips. Just like his heart—utterly sincere and untainted.
Summer's pink lotuses stood gracefully in the pond. The sun was still early, dew clinging to the lotus leaves, much like his eyes at this moment—a pool of serene tenderness, brimming with clear light.
"Your Highness must know that I am not one to willingly remain subordinate. By entrusting these to me, are you not afraid that one day you might suffer my retaliation?" Shen Xihe asked softly.
Xiao Huayong shook his head with a smile. "What I seek is Youyou's most precious possession, so I must give my all. Youyou may not be content to stay beneath others, but neither are you someone consumed by lust for power."
"Hearts are easily changed," Shen Xihe lifted her eyelids, beneath the dense, dark lashes were eyes veiled as if by a cold mist, elusive and unclear. "Just as I believe Your Highness may change after ruling the world, my current detachment and desire only to protect those I wish to guard might simply be because I have never tasted the thrill of holding supreme power and authority."
Xiao Huayong tilted his head slightly in thought. "Over the years, I have traveled far and wide, encountering all sorts of strange people and events. I can see that women are naturally more tender-hearted and value emotions more than men. Men are born with politicians, strategists, and ambitious schemers.
But women are not. It is not that they lack these innate talents or are limited by their upbringing from birth. Rather, their desires are far fewer than men's. Even if forced by circumstances later in life, it is often after enduring too many hardships and setbacks that they lose their maidenly hearts.
Youyou was born into nobility, with wisdom and reason etched into your bones. If someone like you were to ever become greedy for power, blinded by authority, that would be the greatest failure of my life.
If I never betray or harm you, how could your nature change? If that day truly comes, and I suffer your retaliation, I would deserve it."
Word by word, his speech was heartfelt, lacking the usual frivolous charm, replaced instead by sincerity and objectivity.
Shen Xihe met his gaze for a moment, then extended her hands from her wide sleeves, grasping the other end of the register. "I am honored by Your Highness's trust. This heart and these feelings, I will not betray."
A smile crept from his lips to the corners of his eyes. Xiao Huayong slowly released his grip and bowed his head. "There is something I wish to say. If I speak it, Youyou, please do not be angry."
"Your Highness had better not say it," Shen Xihe firmly refused to hear what he was about to say.
Xiao Huayong was taken aback for a moment, then remembered how often he had lavished sweet words upon her, which she had always found frivolous and unworthy. Thinking he meant to say more of the same, he tasted the bitterness of his own past shamelessness and uncomfortably rubbed his nose. "Not those words. It's just... yesterday I wondered, after entrusting these to Youyou, whether you might suspect that I intend to have you and the Northwest charge forward for me while I remain hidden in the rear, ready to harm you and the Northwest at any time..."
By handing these forces to Shen Xihe, she would be the one to confront His Majesty directly in the future. No matter how His Majesty probes, Shen Xihe would stand in front of Xiao Huayong, obscuring the true enemy from His Majesty's sight.
"Your Highness said that if you suffer my retaliation one day, you would deserve it—because you deeply understand that all present circumstances are of your own choosing." Shen Xihe gave a faint smile. "I feel the same."Today's choices were of her own making. If she were truly to be exploited in the future due to her own carelessness, leading to calamity, she would have only herself to blame.
Since he had entrusted his entire life and family to her, she naturally responded with complete trust.
The two exchanged a smile, and the lingering displeasure from days past vanished like mist. Xiao Huayong once again became the clingy companion, even more persistent than Duanming, lingering at the Princess Manor until nearly dusk before returning to the palace.
By the flickering candlelight, Shen Xihe unfolded the name list Xiao Huayong had given her. Over the past few days, she had occasionally heard him mention court affairs and had a rough idea of his arrangements. But only after seeing the list did she truly understand: before the imperial examination fraud case, aside from Cui Jinbai and Zhao Zhenghao, Xiao Huayong had virtually no one in high-ranking positions at court.
Even minor officials numbered only a handful. It was only after the imperial examination fraud case that he had inserted a large number of people into the court—all low-level clerks whom no one would scrutinize or pay much attention to.
If these individuals progressed smoothly, it would take about ten years for them to rise to positions of real authority. Should any setbacks occur along the way, it would take even longer. Xiao Huayong had said that he would guide them into the door, but their cultivation depended on themselves. He would not deliberately promote them; how far they could go would depend on their own fortunes.
Moreover, these people had not yet become his trusted aides. Whether they could become key figures for his cultivation would depend on their abilities.
As the Crown Prince, the rightful heir to the throne, his cultivation was not merely for personal influence but more for the future pillars of the court. Thus, he strove to minimize personal bias and avoid favoritism.
After reading through the name list, Shen Xihe put it away. "What has Ye Shi been up to these past few days?"
After making the bed, Zhenzhu turned and walked over to Shen Xihe. "A few days ago, Ye Shi went to Xiangguo Temple and set up a memorial tablet for Xiao Changtai. She has been at the temple these past few days, inviting eminent monks to chant sutras, saying she will hold seven days of rites to guide his soul."
Xiao Changtai had been expelled from his clan and stripped of his name. No one dared to hold a funeral for him, as doing so would defy Your Majesty. The crimes he committed also forbade anyone from making offerings to him during festivals.
Ye Wantang, out of respect for their past marital bond, had set up a memorial tablet for him, fulfilling her duty as his wife.
Now that he was dead, she had nothing left to hold against him.
It seemed the Ye family had not informed Ye Wantang that Xiao Changtai was still alive; otherwise, she would not have moved on so quickly.
Perhaps she even felt some relief that Xiao Changtai was dead. If he were alive, she would not know how to face him. With his death, she could let go of his deceit and exploitation, returning to her former self.
Shen Xihe gazed at the flickering candle flame on the lampstand, silent for a moment before saying, "Tomorrow, we go to Xiangguo Temple."
In a few days, they would leave for the Lin You Imperial Villa to escape the summer heat. Xiao Huayong had mentioned that he had some matters to arrange and would not disturb her peace these days.
Shen Xihe wanted to meet Ye Wantang. Her intuition told her that Xiao Changtai would not miss this opportunity—when everyone was leaving the capital—to seek out Ye Wantang.
During the trip to the Lin You Imperial Villa, since Your Majesty had already decided to take action against Xiao Huayong, Shen Xihe would have to take most of her people with her. Those left behind might not be able to handle Xiao Changtai effectively. Xiao Huayong's men absolutely could not intercept Xiao Changtai at this time, or else it would reveal his schemes right before Your Majesty's eyes.Moreover, killing Xiao Changtai would be easy, but dismantling the forces behind him would not be accomplished overnight. Even if Xiao Changtai was no longer qualified to contend for the throne, it did not mean he would not assist others in opposing Xiao Huayong to the bitter end.
Since that was the case, she would change her approach and deliver a fatal blow to Xiao Changtai.
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