Chapter 464: The Perfection of Life
"Your Highness, do you realize what you're saying?" Shen Xihe rarely found herself speechless from shock, yet Xiao Huayong always managed to astonish her with his words.
Pushing forth an Emperor!
What was he planning?
Rebellion?
Killing the real Emperor? Substituting the fake for the real—using an imposter?
If he could capture or kill the Emperor, why would he need to control a fake? He might as well ascend the throne himself.
Controlling a false emperor was a precarious endeavor—one misstep could lead to utter ruin.
The Emperor's close confidants were beyond their reach. She believed Xiao Huayong could grasp Youning Emperor's temperament, but the Emperor's habits, his experiences, his imperial dignity and strategies—how could they be imitated overnight?
This was entirely different from the case of Lu Bing.
Shen Xihe's grave vigilance left Xiao Huayong somewhat helpless. "Youyou, you're overthinking it. I've never considered controlling a false Emperor."
Aside from Shen Xihe's concerns, the imperial throne was too alluring. Anyone who sat upon it, unless they were a fool, would inevitably crave genuine power. And how could a fool possibly imitate the Emperor?
"Then why does Your Highness wish to push forth an Emperor?" Shen Xihe asked, perplexed.
"No long-term scheme. I merely wished to witness the bone-pushing technique firsthand and thought it might prove useful someday," Xiao Huayong replied candidly.
Shen Xihe didn't know what expression to wear, so she slightly lifted her chin, her gaze rising to merge with the orange glow of the candlelight.
She wasn't rolling her eyes—her pupils and jawline tilted upward—yet even her dismissive demeanor retained an elegant charm. Xiao Huayong couldn't help but reveal a besotted smile once again.
Unable to endure the Crown Prince's infatuated state, Shen Xihe stood and moved to the secondary chamber. She had already discerned Xiao Huayong's subtle intentions. Moreover, the imperial physician had stated that the Crown Prince's condition was gradually stabilizing, so she no longer remained in the main bedchamber.
A few days later, news arrived that brought Shen Xihe joy: Shen Yungan and Xue Jinqiao had set their wedding date for the following May. After Shen Xihe's grand wedding, her Father would come to escort her bridal procession, while Shen Yungan would remain in the Northwest to prepare for his own marriage.
Shen Xihe understood this was meant to offer Shen Yungan some comfort. He undoubtedly wished to carry her into the bridal palanquin himself, but he and Shen Yueshan couldn't both come to the capital. Having him oversee the wedding preparations provided a plausible reason for his absence—not solely due to political circumstances—a self-deceptive consolation.
Thus, though Shen Xihe showed little outward sign these past few days, Xiao Huayong could perceive her subdued melancholy.
He recalled her spirits had dampened after receiving a letter from home, so he inquired about affairs in the Northwest. Within days, he learned there was only joyful news and no misfortunes. After some contemplation, he roughly grasped her sentiments.
"I'll accompany you to the Northwest to attend your Brother's wedding," Xiao Huayong said softly.
Shen Xihe was taken aback, doubting her ears. "Your Highness, what did you say?"
"I said, I'll accompany you to the Northwest to witness your Brother's wedding with my own eyes," Xiao Huayong repeated.
"Your Highness, the journey is arduous, and it breaches protocol," Shen Xihe responded, having never dared entertain such extravagant hopes.
Attending her cousin's wedding had only been feasible by leveraging her unspoken status as a political hostage, barely justifying her freedom of movement. Her Brother's wedding would occur after hers—how could she, as Crown Princess, act so willfully?"Rules? I have always been the one setting rules for others; I never abide by others' rules." Xiao Huayong's lips curved upward, his eyes shimmering with light. "I want you to marry me and find joy and contentment because of me. I will do everything in my power to ensure that from the day you marry me, your life is filled with fewer regrets. When we grow old and look back on our past, if you can consider marrying me as one of life's blessings, that would be the fulfillment of my existence."
Being able to attend her brother's wedding stirred even the usually calm Shen Xihe, making her heart flutter. She didn't want to be insincere, knowing that to make this happen, Xiao Huayong would have to put in considerable effort.
If she bluntly said she didn't want him to trouble himself, he would likely be upset with her. If she asked what he wanted in return, he would also be displeased. What he desired was a heart-to-heart connection with her, not a transaction weighed by pros and cons. Yet, she couldn't meet his expectations at this moment.
She could only keep his sincerity in mind and replied with a gentle smile, "Alright."
She said "alright" without adding polite and distant phrases like "I trouble Your Highness" or "Thank you, Your Highness," nor did she ask what he wanted in return. It was like a cool breeze blowing into Xiao Huayong's heart, dispersing the shadows and brightening his spirits instantly.
Their interactions became less constrained by formalities, and Shen Xihe grew more at ease with him, treating him with increasing care and attentiveness.
In truth, ever since he woke up that night and saw her slumped by his bedside, Xiao Huayong had known he was willing to go through fire and water for this woman who treated him gently and genuinely cared for him.
At the beginning of August, the Youning Emperor indeed bestowed a marriage between Yu Sangzi and Prince Zhao. In front of everyone, Shen Xihe witnessed Yu Sangzi's shock, as if struck by lightning.
As the legitimate daughter of the Pingyao Marquis household, marrying a prince as a secondary wife was not a disgrace in terms of status. However, in reality, she was in the prime of her youth—how could she willingly become a stepmother?
Moreover, she was not malicious by nature and had never considered mistreating Prince Zhao's legitimate son. What troubled her was that with an elder legitimate son already in place, even if she gave birth to a legitimate son of her own, he would not inherit the princely title. From her perspective, this was an unacceptable marriage.
She had envisioned a husband who understood her needs and cared for her warmth and cold. Prince Zhao had already had a legitimate wife, and in the future, whether in his heart or in the eyes of others, she would always be compared to his former wife. During festivals, she would even have to pay respects to his late wife's memorial tablet as if she were a concubine.
Just thinking about it made Yu Sangzi feel deeply wronged.
No one cared about Yu Sangzi's inner thoughts. Besides arranging this marriage, the Youning Emperor also planned to hold a coming-of-age ceremony for Shen Yingluo in October. Shen Yingluo was exactly ten months younger than Shen Xihe.
Many people secretly glanced at Shen Xihe, but she paid no mind. Instead, she was puzzled by another matter: "The Empress Dowager hosted the Spring Day Banquet. Not to mention relatives like Xun Wang, even Prince Xin, Prince Lie, and Jing Wang, who are stationed outside the capital, have not been granted marriages. Why is that?"
This defied logic—it was all thunder but little rain.
"News just arrived: Tubo is sending a princess for a political marriage," Xiao Huayong explained to Shen Xihe.
Earlier in the year, Tubo had sought to marry a princess, but Munuha was outmaneuvered by Shen Xihe, leading to the incident where Munuha was implicated in the death of Yangling Princess. The Youning Emperor had never been keen on political marriages and initially intended to sever ties, but it never came to that. Tubo was determined to form an alliance with the dynasty—if they couldn't marry a princess, they would send one instead.
The princess would inevitably marry into the royal family, at the very least to a relative like Xun Wang, Xiao Changfeng.
"Another storm is brewing," Shen Xihe sighed softly.Whoever marries the princess would be cut off from the imperial throne, unless it is the emperor or the Crown Prince.
The princess’s part is brief; after a short transitional segment, she will be married off—certainly this month!
(End of Chapter)
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