Not long after Xiao Huayong left, Shen Xihe also returned to the Shen residence. Before she could enter the Nongwa Courtyard, she saw Shen Yingluo approaching in plain white garments, her eyes red-rimmed. After paying respects, Shen Yingluo said to Shen Xihe, "Elder Sister, I wish to set up a mourning hall for my mother at the manor."
A concubine was not entitled to have her coffin laid in state, nor could she be buried in the Shen family ancestral graves. Her spirit tablet was also ineligible for placement in the Shen family ancestral hall.
"I believe that if given a choice, your mother would not wish to remain part of the Shen family. Do not let her depart with grievances on her final journey," Shen Xihe said calmly. "Set up the mourning hall at the Kang Manor instead. That is where she experienced the happiest and most dignified days of her life."
Shen Yingluo was Xiao Shi's daughter. As a child, it was her duty to keep vigil for her deceased birth mother and handle the funeral arrangements. Shen Xihe would not obstruct her, but neither was she magnanimous enough to permit such an eyesore on her own grounds.
"Elder Sister, please allow me to set up the mourning hall within the residence, in my own courtyard. I will not step beyond the manor gates," Shen Yingluo pleaded.
Just as Shen Xihe was about to respond, she suddenly recalled that outsiders were unaware Xiao Shi had died by her hand—they believed her death was caused by a food box sent from the Kang Manor.
Apart from being cast out of the Northwest King's residence, Xiao Shi had no further connections to Shen Xihe. Her arrest for murder had nothing to do with Shen Xihe either, making it difficult for anyone to link Xiao Shi's poisoning to Shen Xihe.
After all, Shen Xihe was merely a young girl who had not yet come of age. It was unlikely she possessed such cunning and means. Moreover, secretly poisoning a food box intended for Xiao Shi was no simple feat.
"Do as you please in your own courtyard," Shen Xihe said before turning to enter her own quarters. "Biyu, pack our belongings. We shall move to the Princess Manor tomorrow."
She disliked Shen Yingluo. Though she saw no hatred or resentment in Shen Yingluo's eyes, the manor was spacious enough, yet she still disliked sharing the same roof with her.
The investigation into Xiao Shi's poisoning was hastily concluded, with a scapegoat from the Kang Manor hastily assigned to take the blame before the matter was swept aside.
Amid the tumultuous Rouge Case that had stirred massive waves, Xiao Shi's affair was deemed trivial. After several days of searches and arrests, the prisons were nearly overflowing, casting a pall of fear over the entire court.
Wei Tao and other principal conspirators were sentenced to immediate execution. Princess Ruyang surrendered the tens of thousands in gold amassed by her consort and others. The Youning Emperor, considering her past merits, advanced age, and the fact that she had been deceived, permitted her to divorce Wei Tao. He also bestowed a baronetcy upon her eldest son. Her children and grandchildren all relocated to the Baron's residence, severing ties with the Wei family.
Taking advantage of the tense atmosphere in the capital, Shen Xihe, accompanied by Moyu and others, secretly investigated the maps provided by Yu Xiaodie several times. To her surprise, she discovered the location where the Kang Manor was privately forging weapons.
It was deep in the mountains outside the capital, requiring traversal over several ridges to reach. Shen Xihe's health prevented her from going personally, but according to messages from Mo Yuan and Moyu, the site was heavily guarded.
"His Majesty has numerous heirs, each accomplished in both civil and military arts. The Kang Prince would not be delusional enough to believe he could claim the throne," Shen Xihe mused. In truth, when Yu Xiaodie mentioned the Kang Prince's private weapon forging, she had suspected it was not something he would undertake on his own. "If it serves no purpose for him, yet he expends such effort, it must be done in service to His Majesty."
"Is His Majesty secretly forging weapons?" Biyu exclaimed in astonishment.
As the Supreme One who ruled over all under heaven, was there anything that did not belong to him? Since he had no need to rebel, why would he need to covertly manufacture weapons?"Weapons are made for soldiers. Privately forging weapons surely means privately training elite troops." Shen Xihe trimmed the branches, her fingertips brushing against a green leaf. "Whether for assassination or replacing the Northwestern Army, they serve significant purposes."
"Replacing the Northwestern Army!" In the hearts of Biyu and others, the Northwestern Army was irreplaceable.
They were all from the northwest, with generations rooted there, deeply aware that the Northwestern Army was the region's stabilizing pillar and the faith of its people.
It wasn't mere bravery in battle that allowed the northwestern people to live in peace and prosperity. For generations, the Shen family leaders had valiantly repelled the Turks externally while prioritizing agriculture and caring for the people internally.
"His Majesty will not tolerate the northwestern people having eyes only for Father." Shen Xihe let out a brief laugh. "This is a challenge to imperial authority. Father doesn't want to end up like the Gu family, nor can he easily hand over the northwest to civil officials who know nothing about it, allowing them to dictate terms. Over the years, the relationship between sovereign and subject has become as incompatible as fire and water because of the northwest's governance."
Shen Yueshan was not a power-hungry man. If possible, he would rather be a carefree knight-errant roaming the martial world. But he was the Shen family heir, shouldering the heavy responsibility of the northwest that his family had painstakingly built.
Ten years ago, Shen Yueshan had given Youning Emperor an opportunity. The then military governor and Qingzhou's provincial governor nearly reduced Qingzhou to utter destitution.
When he saw these court-appointed officials deliberately provoking conflicts between ethnic minorities and northwestern locals, excluding the minorities while failing to provide livelihoods for Qingzhou's people—even poisoning beggars to maintain a false peace—he knew that relinquishing his power would mean abandoning the northwestern people to fend for themselves.
Therefore, Shen Yueshan hoped she could carefully select an emperor with a tolerant heart.
They needed to strive to avoid an open break with Youning Emperor over the northwest before the new sovereign ascended the throne.
However, Shen Xihe was not a woman who placed her hopes in others. Human hearts were fickle—who could guarantee that someone wouldn't change after becoming emperor?
She preferred to take matters into her own hands. When she became Empress Dowager, wouldn't it be more reliable to personally nurture a wise ruler?
If the heir proved unfilial or unvirtuous, she could simply depose him and adopt another.
Not long after Shen Xihe moved into the Princess Manor, the Rouge Case concluded. Reportedly, some fugitive principals from various regions had been captured by local officials. This efficiency finally pleased Youning Emperor.
In his delight, he lavishly rewarded those with merits, with the highest-ranked official reportedly promoted three grades consecutively.
Shen Xihe believed this was Youning Emperor seizing the opportunity to further suppress powerful families.
Affected by the Rouge Case, most civil and military officials were still apprehensive. To console them, Youning Emperor had Noble Consort Rong host a chrysanthemum appreciation banquet in Hibiscus Garden, widely inviting women from noble families. The invitation reached Shen Xihe promptly.
"Xihe sister, you must save me." Originally not planning to attend, Shen Xihe was pestered by Bu Shulin. "They call it a chrysanthemum appreciation banquet, but it's actually a matchmaking event. I heard Consort Li intends to request His Majesty grant a marriage during the banquet, making me wed Princess Anling!"
"Can you escape the fate of wedding a princess?" Shen Xihe asked.
Just as she couldn't escape marrying a prince, as the sole son of the Prince of Shunan, Bu Shulin was destined to wed a princess.
"That's why I came to seek your advice, Xihe sister. If I wed the princess, how can I avoid arousing His Majesty's suspicion?" Bu Shulin clung to Shen Xihe.
"What does that have to do with me?" Shen Xihe remained indifferent.
"Xihe sister, my heart belongs to you..."Before Bu Shulin could finish speaking, she met Shen Xihe's profound gaze and promptly closed her mouth, understanding the implicit message.
"I don't care for sentimental ties, only tangible interests." Shen Xihe appreciated her quick-witted compliance. "Let's talk specifics."
"If you can rid me of this Princess Anling, I'll deliver three thousand sets of Fine Armor to the Northwestern Army!" Bu Shulin declared through gritted teeth.
The Shu Southern Royal Manor possessed unique armor-forging techniques that produced lightweight yet sturdy armor—something Shen Yueshan had long coveted.
Shen Xihe smiled. "Since you seek my help so sincerely, how could I possibly refuse?"
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