Chapter 442: Your Majesty Finally Makes a Move
This man was truly audacious. Knowing she had no choice but to marry him, he grew increasingly unrestrained.
Yet he always knew exactly how far to push—making her feel uneasy but unable to sharply reprimand him. He was also remarkably eloquent, capable of arguing his way out of even the most unreasonable situations.
Truth be told, Xiao Huayong rather enjoyed seeing Shen Xihe visibly displeased yet unable to do anything about him. It gave him a peculiar sense of delight—a delight born from her silent indulgence toward him.
Thus, he continually tested her boundaries step by step. Even when aware she might be upset, he couldn't resist behaving this way.
"I've had the kitchen prepare some food. Shall I join Youyou for the meal?" Xiao Huayong knew when to stop, offering Shen Xihe a way out.
Shen Xihe had no desire to continue bickering with him either. Without a word, she turned and left the room, with Xiao Huayong following cheerfully behind.
The days that followed remained peaceful. Shen Xihe lived each day contentedly—though it would have been perfect if Xiao Huayong irritated her a little less. After July ended, the retreat palace welcomed early autumn. Here, early autumn was chillier than in the capital—pleasant for daytime outings but rather cold at night.
Shen Xihe continued her tranquil, happy life, while the court also enjoyed rare harmony, unlike the constant misfortunes of the previous year.
The Emperor was in particularly high spirits. With autumn prey plump and delicious, the Youning Emperor went out early and returned late, hunting with his princes and ministers. When the hunt was bountiful, open-air banquets were held at night. Ministers gathered around bonfires, roasting their own game while song and dance performances entertained them.
During the busy farming season, the Youning Emperor rested for two days. Dressed as commoners, he took Xiao Huayong and the princes away from the retreat palace to the nearest village to experience harvesting.
This dynasty had always valued agriculture. The Emperor was no stranger to farming—personally tilling the land was a virtue passed down from his ancestors.
Though several generations had abandoned this practice, and the previous emperor had scorned it, the Youning Emperor revived it. This was because he had spent his childhood in the northwest with the Empress Dowager and Qian Wang, farming and mining as punishment from the previous emperor.
Not seeing Xiao Huayong for several days initially brought Shen Xihe relief—finally, some peace and quiet without anyone bothering her.
But after two days, she found herself distracted while reading, feeling as if something was missing each day. Such was the tyranny of habit.
Through his persistent, unwavering presence, he had made her grow accustomed to him. His sudden absence left her feeling a void.
"Your Highness, Lady Xie is with child," Zhenzhu reported, noticing Shen Xihe's lack of enthusiasm and striving to share something that might interest her.
Lazily leaning against the railing while staring blankly into space, Shen Xihe raised an eyebrow. "Hasn't Duke Xie been here with His Majesty for over two months already?"
It was now August. They had arrived at the retreat palace in June. Xie Ji had accompanied the imperial procession but hadn't brought his family because Yuan Shi was unwell.
Shen Xihe had overheard this during casual conversations between Ziyu and Zhenzhu.
"The Duchess is three months pregnant," Zhenzhu nodded. "The happy news just arrived. Everyone is congratulating Duke Xie, who is beaming with joy. He has already sought His Majesty's permission to leave early and return to the capital."Duke Xie was already past forty, with only Xie Yunhuai as his sole heir. Being the only son himself, the Xie family's direct lineage was sparse. To ensure the continuation of the bloodline, Duke Xie had taken a concubine earlier in the year. Now that Yuan Shi was pregnant, regardless of the child's gender, the pressure from the Xie clan would lessen considerably.
"Pass this information to Doctor Qi," Shen Xihe instructed.
She wasn't sure how Xie Yunhuai had arranged matters regarding Duke Xie's estate. He had sought justice for his mother, yet the matter seemed only half-resolved before he departed to find the antidote for her and Xiao Huayong—a move that clearly put him at a disadvantage.
If Yuan Shi remained childless, the Xie clan would pressure Xie Ji to relent and recognize Xie Yunhuai as the legitimate heir, as only he could inherit the title. But if Yuan Shi bore a son, and with Xie Yunhuai having severed ties, her son could also succeed to the dukedom.
Thinking this, Shen Xihe added to Zhenzhu, "Have someone keep an eye on Duke Xie's residence... No, wait until we hear back from Doctor Qi before deciding."
She didn't want her and Xiao Huayong's affairs to hinder Xie Yunhuai's own plans, which is why she considered intervening—otherwise, she would feel uneasy. But then it occurred to her: Xie Yunhuai was meticulous and might have already made arrangements. If she rashly assumed he needed help, she might expose his plans and disrupt them instead. So she changed her mind.
Just then, Tianyuan rushed in and reported to Shen Xihe, "My Lady, His Highness has gone missing."
Shen Xihe shot to her feet, her face tense. "What did you say?"
"The Crown Prince is missing..." Tianyuan anxiously relayed the entire sequence of events to Shen Xihe.
Recently, the Youning Emperor had frequently taken the princes down the mountain to experience farming. He brought no guards, only Hidden Guards following covertly, and the princes were likewise forbidden from bringing their own guards—a large entourage would disturb rather than connect with the common people.
Since the Emperor's Hidden Guards were present, neither Xiao Huayong nor Xiao Changqing could bring their own without risking exposure. Everything had been uneventful until this afternoon, when the Emperor, on a whim, took the princes hunting in the mountains and they were ambushed.
The exact details were still unclear, but all the princes were injured. The assailants were of unknown origin, numerous, and highly skilled. The first to fall was the "utterly defenseless" Crown Prince.
Prince Xin, Prince Zhao, and the Third Prince protected the Emperor while his Hidden Guards swiftly appeared. The princes sustained serious injuries.
The Crown Prince was abducted, and Prince Lie pursued relentlessly. Both were now missing.
"The Emperor has made his move," Shen Xihe realized with dread.
How could such a large force suddenly appear at the foot of the imperial retreat? Even if they could deceive the Youning Emperor, how could they escape the notice of Xiao Changqing and Xiao Huayong? Had they truly detected nothing...
Perhaps Xiao Huayong had anticipated it, but this confrontation was unavoidable, so he went along with it—only he hadn't informed Shen Xihe in advance.
In an assassination attempt, as a crown prince with no martial skills, falling early would minimize both injury and scrutiny.
The Emperor wouldn't actually kill him. Seeing him fall, he wouldn't readily believe it either, so he had Xiao Huayong abducted, waiting for someone to rescue him.
Even knowing the full story, could Shen Xihe not go to his rescue?
Of course not!Youning Emperor would indeed not kill Xiao Huayong, but he would certainly ensure absolute control by tampering with Xiao Huayong—both to test him and to ensure he could never escape the emperor's grasp.
Allowing Xiao Huayong to remain in Your Majesty's hands for too long was definitely not a good thing.
"Where is the location?" Shen Xihe asked.
Tianyuan replied, "The location is just outside the temporary palace."
"Have him bring his men to replace my guards, then seek out His Highness under my orders."
Xiao Huayong's men couldn't be moved, but hers could!
Alright, alright, it's beginning now. The first volume will conclude in about seventy to eighty thousand words, then the second volume—the marital life arc—will commence! Mwah mwah.
(End of Chapter)
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