Yu Xiaodie's neck was slender, the twitching of her tendons betraying her tension and unease.
"I offer you two paths," Shen Xihe said calmly. "The path of life and the path of death."
Yu Xiaodie was startled. "You... just who are you?"
"Why be so persistent?" Shen Xihe smiled faintly, glancing at Yu Xiaodie. "I am the one who can save your life, and also the one who can take it."
The young woman before her had delicate, youthful features, yet her eyes held a stillness as if she had seen through life and death. She carried an indescribably pleasant fragrance about her. Though her expression was not cold nor her gaze sharp, the moment she drew near, Yu Xiaodie couldn't help but shiver.
Before entering the prince's residence, she had undergone training; after entering, she had seen the ways of the world. She could still distinguish between those who bluffed and were strong on the outside but weak within; those who appeared calm and composed yet could overturn clouds and rain; and those who meant what they said and were ruthless.
"What... what do you want me to do?" Yu Xiaodie asked. Over the years, she had relied on her intuition to evade danger time and again. This time, too, she trusted her instincts—she did not want to fail to walk out of this door.
"In a few days, the court will round up everyone behind the rouge case. Those of you who were meticulously trained will also be publicly exposed," Shen Xihe said unhurriedly. "By then, you will have no place to stand even in the Kang Prince's residence."
Yu Xiaodie's brow twitched at these words. She wisely remained silent and listened attentively.
"And I want the Kang Prince's residence stripped of its nobility and exiled."
Yu Xiaodie paled in fright. No one had ever dared to speak of stripping the Kang Prince's residence of its nobility and exiling it!
Behind the Kang Prince's residence was His Majesty. In recent years, the Kang Prince's residence had wholeheartedly aligned itself with His Majesty.
"What the Kang Prince has been doing these past years—someone like you, who has undergone training, must have noticed something," Shen Xihe said, her gaze light. "Whether it's enough for me to save your life depends on whether you are truly sincere."
Yu Xiaodie clutched her handkerchief, gripping it so tightly she nearly tore through the fabric. Her heart was torn by conflict.
If the rouge incident had not occurred, if the shocking rouge case that shook the court had not erupted, even if Shen Xihe had discovered her identity, she would not have easily compromised. She could have simply wept before the Kang Prince and somehow covered up the matter.
She had worked hard to become a prince's consort; even the princess consort in the residence had to yield to her. These years of luxurious living had long made her forget the name "Yu Xiaodie."
Once the Kang Prince's residence was gone, she would have nothing left...
But now His Majesty was closely watching the rouge case. She had also heard some news—the court officials had obtained ironclad evidence. Though she didn't know why, after two or three months, there had been no movement, they didn't think they had escaped unscathed.
Now that her identity was exposed, even without further investigation, the Kang Prince would not tolerate her.
Gritting her teeth, Yu Xiaodie said, "I only know that since the year before last, the Kang Prince has been secretly forging weapons."
Such crucial information she had never told anyone, for she and the Kang Prince's residence shared both glory and disgrace.
After speaking, Yu Xiaodie quickly pressed, "How will you save me?"
"Your sincerity is insufficient," Shen Xihe replied with a faint smile, gazing at Yu Xiaodie.
Yu Xiaodie stared at Shen Xihe for a long time before gambling everything: "I can go back and find out the location where the weapons are forged for you."
"Indeed, you are a clever person," Shen Xihe praised with a smile.
"How will you save me?" Yu Xiaodie cared most about her own life."It's no lie that the court intends to arrest those involved in the Rouge Case. If you wish to survive, you must execute a golden cicada shedding its shell stratagem." Shen Xihe spoke unhurriedly. "Hasn't Kang Manor been plagued by nightly rodent infestations recently? Spread a rumor that Xiao Shi is an ill omen—that these rats were drawn by her..."
Shen Xihe left the implication hanging.
Yu Xiaodie was clever enough to immediately grasp that Shen Xihe intended for her to provoke a conflict with Xiao Shi, inciting Xiao Shi to "kill" her!
This was indeed an excellent plan. Feigning illness and death would be too cumbersome and prone to exposure.
If Xiao Shi were to "kill" her, especially while Kang Wang was absent, the Princess Consort and Dowager Consort would surely scramble to cover it up. Their guilty conscience would make them vulnerable to manipulation.
By the time the Rouge Case erupted, she would already be considered dead, and certainly no one would pursue her further.
It was at this moment that Yu Xiaodie guessed the identity of the person before her: "You are..."
Shen Xihe raised an index finger and gently shook it. "Those who know too much, without the capability to handle it, seldom live long."
A chill ran down Yu Xiaodie's spine. She took a deep breath, bowed properly to Shen Xihe, and then withdrew on her own accord.
Once outside the meditation room, bathed in sunlight, Yu Xiaodie finally felt as if she had come back to life. The warmth made her quicken her pace unconsciously.
After Xiao Shi had been thrown out of the manor by Zhaoning County Princess, Kang Manor had been awaiting the outcome of the County Princess's audience with the Emperor the following day, hoping His Majesty would intervene on Xiao Shi's behalf. However, Zhaoning County Princess emerged from the palace laden with rewards.
Rumors in the palace suggested that both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager had praised Zhaoning County Princess highly. Kang Manor then understood that the Emperor would not interfere in the internal affairs of the Shen residence.
Yet Xiao Shi could not slink back in disgrace without a face-saving excuse, so she remained at the manor, cursing Shen Xihe daily.
From the tirades of Xiao Shi and the Dowager Consort, Yu Xiaodie had assumed Shen Xihe was an arrogant and domineering young girl.
Only now did she realize how wrong she was—terribly wrong!
From the moment Shen Xihe expelled Xiao Shi, Xiao Shi was doomed to spend the rest of her life in prison...
The rat-attracting incense was no mere prank. It was meant to lull the manor into complacency, provide Yu Xiaodie with a reason to visit the temple, and initiate the conflict between her and Xiao Shi, ultimately framing Xiao Shi as a murderer.
Having met Shen Xihe just once, Yu Xiaodie felt a cold dread creeping up her spine.
Shen Xihe remained in the meditation room, planning to rest briefly to avoid leaving right after Yu Xiaodie and drawing attention.
Despite her extreme caution and Mo Yuan's prior arrangements, she remained exceedingly vigilant.
Such meticulousness allowed Shen Xihe to deceive many, but she was unaware that the moment Yu Xiaodie returned to the manor, Xiao Huayong received the news.
"Your Highness, the County Princess has met with Yu Xiaodie," Tianyuan reported with a bow.
"Given Second Brother's capabilities, he will find the evidence within three days at most." Xiao Huayong rubbed a black chess piece between his fingers—the same one he had brought back from Luoyang.
He knew Shen Xihe intended to use Yu Xiaodie. She had given him the evidence but omitted Yu Xiaodie's involvement, which was why he had remained inactive.
Moreover...
"Are all the regional arrangements in place?" Xiao Huayong asked.
"Your Highness gave them two to three months—enough time for them to make the necessary preparations," Tianyuan replied softly.
The evidence had been delayed for three months without being submitted. Those involved who could escape had either fled with their wealth or feigned death, with funerals and burials already conducted.Xiao Huayong deliberately delayed matters in this way. By the time the Youning Emperor obtained the evidence and began vigorous reforms, he would discover that these individuals had either died or fled, with more than half gone missing.
Naturally, Xiao Huayong would not let these heinous criminals escape justice. He simply had his own people across various regions capture those who had faked their deaths or fled, allowing them to earn merits and receive subtle promotions without leaving any traces.
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