Once stripped of his royal status, he lost all chance of ascending the throne. Among his followers, there were inevitably those whose loyalty wavered, yet since they hadn't actively deserted him or sought other prospects, he couldn't openly purge them without destabilizing the remaining supporters.
However, such individuals couldn't remain by his side indefinitely. Once their resolve to betray solidified, they would incite others to follow. How to eliminate these disloyal elements without alienating his faithful followers was likely one reason Xiao Changtai went to such lengths to seek out Ye Wantang.
Had these followers shown no signs of wavering, Xiao Changtai, despite his deep affection for Ye Wantang, wouldn't have risked retrieving her while injured. He would have waited until he secured his position, then found an opportunity to sneak back—not only to take Ye Wantang but also to accomplish other objectives.
"I hadn't considered that possibility," Shen Xihe chuckled wryly. "The minds of princes are truly unfathomable."
"That's because Youyou is upright and underestimated his vileness," Xiao Huayong remarked, not to flatter but genuinely believing that Shen Xihe would never scheme to abandon those who had pledged their lives to her.
Xiao Changtai had anticipated peril upon entering the capital. Whether it was him, the Xiao Changqing brothers he sought help from, or others—all wanted him dead. Even if they hadn't acted, he would have staged a dramatic scenario himself, allowing those followers who thought they were merely on a routine protection mission to die honorably, thus preserving a final master-servant bond.
"This yields three benefits," Xiao Huayong analyzed for Shen Xihe. "First, he eliminates disloyal followers; second, such a heroic sacrifice inspires unwavering loyalty among those who never considered betrayal, stabilizing morale when it wavers; third..."
He scoffed lightly, a mocking smile forming. "In Ye Shi's eyes, his immense sacrifice for her would appear profoundly devoted, erasing any previous estrangement."
Shen Xihe nodded in agreement, then looked at Xiao Huayong with a faint, meaningful smile. "Your Highness, see how tragic and terrifying it is for a woman to fall for a man so scheming and impure?"
Was Xiao Changtai insincere toward Ye Wantang?
He was sincere, yet he knowingly restrained her despite her fears, unwilling to relinquish his ambitions. For his own gain, he trapped her in the name of love.
Rare treasures are easy to find, but a devoted lover is hard to come by.
In this world, men who remain wholeheartedly faithful to one woman are exceedingly rare. Ye Wantang found one, so even though she knew this deep affection was like snatching chestnuts from the fire, she couldn't let go and chose to rush into the flames like a moth.
"It is indeed tragic and terrifying," Xiao Huayong concurred. "In truth, Youyou should realize that I and Xiao Changtai are cut from the same cloth—we desire both the empire and the beauty. The difference lies in the fact that Ye Shi and Youyou are not the same."
Ye Shi sought peace and stability, yearning for conjugal harmony—a typical traditional woman. Had she met someone like Xiao Changyu, they would have been a harmonious couple, and she would have been a virtuous wife and mother.
Shen Xihe was different. She had no ambition for power, yet she didn't shy away from its pursuit. Forced onto this path of contention, she lacked the choice to embrace mediocrity.As long as he could remain faithful and never harm her, she would bear no resentment or suffer injury in this life, regardless of success or failure.
In success, she would accompany him to rule the realm; in failure, she would follow him to the underworld.
Surveying his brothers: the Second Prince’s principal wife died young, leaving him yearning for what he could never regain; the Third Prince married his beloved but was destined for a loveless union; the Fourth Prince also wed as he wished, yet their aspirations diverged.
The Fifth Prince, tormented by unrequited love, had become a shadow of his former self.
The Sixth Prince’s union came at a great cost—clandestine and unrecognized, without even a proper wedding.
Though he had yet to win Shen Xihe’s heart, their efforts were aligned. Given her nature, if he remained steadfast, they would surely share a pillow in life and a grave in death.
How fortunate he was to have met a kindred spirit worthy of his wholehearted devotion!
“Thus, between men and women, mutual affection alone does not guarantee growing old together,” Shen Xihe said with a faint smile. “Passion and love are unimportant.”
“They are important,” Xiao Huayong insisted. “To me, meeting you is fortune; staying with you is a blessing; growing old with you is grace; and sharing mutual love with you would leave no regrets.”
Fortune, blessing, grace, no regrets—he piled life’s most beautiful words upon her. Unable to resist, she lowered her head and smiled. “Thank you for Your Highness’s deep affection.”
Yet no life is without regrets. Shen Xihe never made promises about distant futures.
He understood her temperament thoroughly. Her heartfelt smile showed she was pleased, but extracting sweet nothings from her was nearly impossible. Xiao Huayong felt content. “How did Youyou learn of the Fifth Prince’s route to send away Xiao Changtai?”
Shen Xihe fell silent for a moment before lifting her head, her obsidian eyes clear and luminous. “I do not wish to say.”
She did not want to deceive him, nor reveal the truth—thus, she chose silence.
Xiao Huayong froze briefly, his gaze dimming like dusk, lonely and bleak. But he soon grasped her meaning, and a smile gradually returned to his lips, reaching his eyes. It was as if vitality surged back, making his pupils shimmer brighter than stars.
“I hope Youyou and I will never deceive each other henceforth.” She need not speak, but let there be no lies.
Everyone deserves their secrets, just as he had deliberated long over revealing his origins—only because it might bring him closer to Shen Xihe did he find the courage to confess.
Tenderness welled in Shen Xihe’s eyes, softening her ethereal beauty. “This promise, I can grant.”
Never deceiving each other—this was the sincerity they offered before marriage.
Though Xiao Huayong had never held reservations toward Shen Xihe before these words were spoken, afterward, they seemed closer—not in action or speech, but in spirit, an indescribable, invisible intimacy.
The resort was bustling. While the Spring Day Banquet served as a matchmaking event for princes, the summer retreat at the resort essentially finalized consort selections. Noble ladies participated eagerly, as women of this dynasty prized candor over reserve. Thus, the princes received daily tokens of admiration—even Xiao Huayong was no exception.Since the Crown Prince had a Crown Princess but no concubines yet, and Xiao Huayong's gentle attentiveness toward Shen Xihe after their marriage had been decreed, many young ladies grew envious.
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