Chapter 451: No Trace of the Crown Prince
Was Shen Xihe merely going through the motions?
Naturally.
As Xiao Huayong's fiancée, and with the two of them always seen together, who in the capital didn't believe they were deeply devoted to each other?
Now that Xiao Huayong and Xiao Changying had disappeared, and Xiao Changying had returned—clearly indicating they had been kidnapped together—it would be utterly unreasonable for her not to inquire about the circumstances.
Upon entering the room, she found Xiao Changqing there as well. It was only natural for an elder brother to visit and stay by his younger brother's side after such an ordeal. Shen Xihe exchanged greetings with them, and Xiao Changqing tactfully took his leave.
Left alone in the room with Xiao Changying, Shen Xihe had Pearl and Ziyu by her side, and the door remained wide open. Withdrawing her gaze from the bright blue sky outside, she politely asked, "Your Highness, are you injured?"
"Thank you for your concern. I am unharmed," Xiao Changying replied stiffly, his expression grim.
Shen Xihe knew she had not offended him and had no intention of becoming his emotional outlet. With a slight nod, she turned to leave.
"Is that all you have to say?" Xiao Changying abruptly rose to his feet, his voice raised as she made to depart.
Shen Xihe paused and turned back to face him. "Did Zhaoning not just ask you a question?"
Xiao Changying choked back his anger. "Did the princess come merely to express concern for me?""
"Of course not," Shen Xihe replied candidly. "But I have nothing more to say to Your Highness."
She was only putting on a show for others, especially for His Majesty. Shen Xihe saw no need for pretense—her presence alone was sufficient.
"You seem to have everything figured out, yet even your act is so perfunctory. Aren't you afraid there might be His Majesty's spies in this courtyard? Your attitude might betray you without any interrogation," Xiao Changying pressed, his dark eyes fixed intently on her.
"Prince Xin was here earlier," Shen Xihe replied with a faint smile.
Xiao Changying: "??"
"Since Your Highness was with Prince Xin, I assume you brothers speak candidly with each other. The conversation must have touched upon recent events, and Prince Xin would certainly have asked about the day you disappeared," Shen Xihe explained calmly. "If both of you could speak openly and without restraint, then this must be the safest moment."
That was precisely why Shen Xihe saw no need to prolong the act. She was certain that when Xiao Changqing and Xiao Changying were together, they would discuss politics, Xiao Huayong, and the current situation—topics they would not want His Majesty to overhear.
Even if there were His Majesty's agents in the courtyard, they would not be lurking nearby at that moment.
Seeing Xiao Changying's stunned expression, Shen Xihe added, "If there were truly eavesdroppers, Your Highness would not have asked me that question."
Her intelligence, her sharp perception, and her composed calmness enveloped her like the golden glow of the midday sun, endowing her with the breadth of mind and dignity of a nobleman.
At that moment, Xiao Changying had to admit he was unworthy of her. Standing before her, he felt ashamed. Their thoughts, concerns, and perspectives existed on entirely different planes—he could only look up to her.
Suddenly, he did not wish to see her anymore. As a prince, he was accomplished in both civil and military arts, and people had always bowed and scraped before him. This was the first time he truly felt he could not stand as her equal.
A dense, piercing ache in his heart made him turn away in discomfort. "Put your mind at ease."These four words must have been brought to her by Xiao Huayong through Xiao Changying. Shen Xihe's expression softened slightly: "Thank you."
She waited a moment longer, but Xiao Changying said nothing more. Only then did Shen Xihe turn and leave.
His mind was completely captivated by the sound of her receding footsteps. It wasn't until he could no longer hear even the faintest trace of her presence, nor catch her scent in the cool breeze no matter how he concentrated, that he slumped down in despair.
Why couldn't he let go?
Clearly there was no possibility between them anymore. Clearly she had never shown him even a hint of tenderness. Yet why couldn't he erase her image from his heart?
He wished he could return to a year ago. If they had never met, would he have avoided this overwhelming affection today?
The moment Shen Xihe left Xiao Changying's courtyard, the news reached the Youning Emperor's ears. The Emperor's expression remained cold and stern: "What do you think?"
The Emperor was asking Liu Sanzhi, who no longer dared to be evasive. Bowing respectfully with a serious expression, he replied: "Your Majesty, I personally investigated the mountains and examined all the fallen soldiers of the Invincible Army.
There were no signs of the Crown Prince having fought in the mountains. The blade marks on the deceased all indicate they were killed by the same group of people, with no evidence of any special individual's involvement."
Xiao Changying had never understood why Xiao Huayong continued to pretend he couldn't fight even after escaping surveillance. This was because any use of martial arts would leave traces, and Liu Sanzhi was not only a martial arts expert but also someone capable of detecting the slightest clues.
The causes of these deaths would be investigated thoroughly. The strength and angles of their wounds could reveal who was responsible.
Only one person had been killed by Xiao Huayong, but it was done with a thrown dagger - something many could accomplish. Xiao Huayong had later erased the evidence, and the causes of death matched those of another group that had been dragged back.
The battle situation that night could be largely reconstructed, leading to the conclusion that no other exceptionally skilled individual had intervened.
Additionally, after Xiao Huayong's disappearance, Liu Sanzhi had been closely monitoring Shen Xihe. Her various reactions confirmed that she had no prior knowledge of the events.
"Are you saying the Third Prince's appearance was purely coincidental?" The Third Prince the Emperor referred to was the Jiachen Crown Prince, Xiao Juesong.
Liu Sanzhi lowered his head and thought carefully before responding: "Your Majesty, the Jiachen Crown Prince has been missing for over twenty years. If he had been conspiring with the Crown Prince all along, the Crown Prince would never have exposed him today."
Keeping him hidden would have been more advantageous for future plans. The people Xiao Juesong had trained were no ordinary individuals. Although suppressed by the palace guards, they had suffered heavy losses. With no one knowing Xiao Juesong's whereabouts, if he continued to lie low, he would inevitably become a serious threat in the future.
If the Crown Prince truly possessed such profound cunning, he would certainly understand this.
While Liu Sanzhi couldn't determine whether today's events were coincidental, he was certain that the Crown Prince and Xiao Juesong were not allies. Xiao Juesong's capture of the Crown Prince was probably...
The Youning Emperor rotated the jade ring on his thumb. He believed that Xiao Huayong and Xiao Juesong were not conspirators. However, whether today's situation resulted from Xiao Huayong's luck in coincidentally encountering the waiting Xiao Juesong, or whether Xiao Huayong played a key role in it, he couldn't hastily conclude. The difference between these two possibilities was immense.Xiao Juesong had been missing for twenty years, and he had practically considered him dead. He had dispatched numerous people to search for him, but there were no traces at all. Suddenly emerging like this disrupted his entire plan and caused him such immense losses. At this moment, he wished he could immediately capture Xiao Juesong and have him executed by dismemberment!
(End of Chapter)
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