"Is the Crown Prince in danger?" What danger could the Crown Prince possibly face?
Shen Xihe stood in the courtyard, gazing toward Tingzhou: "Father is critically ill. Xun Wang summoned every doctor in the city, and not a single one failed to declare Father on the brink of death. This successfully deceived Xun Wang, who then sent word to His Majesty. Once Father returns, His Majesty will inevitably learn that there is an exceptionally skilled physician by my side."
"Whether these people are truly my allies or belong to Beichen will give His Majesty cause for suspicion. If they are from Beichen, has his illness and the potent poison within him been cured over these years? If so, why conceal it from His Majesty? It will only make His Majesty certain that he knows of his own origins."
Xiao Huayong had once said that the Youning Emperor was a peculiar man. He cared only for his own achievements and legacy; his sole concern was how his reputation and accomplishments would be celebrated for generations to come. As for who would succeed the throne, although he had taken measures to cultivate heirs, he still adhered to the principle of survival of the fittest—likely because he himself had seized the throne through similar means, he showed no qualms about fratricidal strife.
Thus, His Majesty would not care whether Xiao Huayong had been cured of the poison. What would concern him was why Xiao Huayong, having been cured, would choose to conceal it.
The Youning Emperor would never allow Xiao Huayong to learn the truth of his origins.
"My words today will inevitably reach His Majesty once Pei Zhan dies in Tingzhou and Xun Wang reports it. Since the capital has been thrown into chaos only after my arrival, including the death of Prince Kang, His Majesty will regard me as the primary suspect."
Shen Xihe was using herself as a shield, placing herself between Xiao Huayong and the Youning Emperor.
Knowing that Shen Xihe was such a formidable and cunning woman, her choice of Xiao Huayong could not possibly stem from genuine affection—it must be driven by ulterior motives. His Majesty would easily deduce her true intentions in marrying Xiao Huayong.
It was essential to confirm that the exceptionally skilled physician was by her side. The more this was emphasized, the more it would prove that Xiao Huayong was living on borrowed time, and that Shen Xihe's goal was to raise a legitimate heir and resolve the crisis facing the Shen family.
"Crown Princess, if His Highness finds out..." Zhenzhu expressed concern.
Shen Xihe had harbored such intentions from the start and had revealed them early on, but the Crown Prince had forbidden it, leading to arguments between them. As a close attendant, Zhenzhu had no choice but to overhear—separated only by a wall, she stood guard at the door.
"It's fine. Once he finds out, a single word from me will be enough to persuade him," Shen Xihe replied with a faint smile.
Zhenzhu pondered this and realized that the Crown Prince did seem unusually easy to placate when it came to the Crown Princess.
Meanwhile, Xiao Huayong, who had just arrived in Tingzhou, could not help but sneeze. According to folk belief, this meant someone was thinking of him. The Crown Prince, convinced it was his Crown Princess who missed him, felt his heart sweeten as if coated in honey.
However, the sneeze caused him to stumble and collapse. Fortunately, Tianyuan reacted swiftly and caught him. The Crown Prince had fainted from exhaustion after the long journey, and they promptly brought him to the Tingzhou Protectorate Headquarters.
At that moment, Geng Liangcheng had made his decision. Upon seeing Xiao Changtai again, he called out, "Fourth Young Master!"
Xiao Changtai had been disowned, so addressing him as "Fourth Highness" was no longer appropriate. In his urgency to make Xiao Changtai aware that he knew his identity, Geng Liangcheng could only use this form of address.
Xiao Changtai halted and looked down at the battered Geng Liangcheng. He gently removed his mask and asked, "How did you recognize me?"
"I had guidance from a master," Geng Liangcheng replied without evasion.This made Xiao Changtai’s gaze turn cold. Geng Liangcheng had either been captured intentionally, but if that were the case, he should have called out to him yesterday. The fact that he only called out today meant he had learned of his identity last night or this morning—which meant there must be a spy who had infiltrated the Turkic military camp!
"I was ordered to facilitate a deal between the Fourth Young Master and a master," Geng Liangcheng said.
"Ordered?" Xiao Changtai savored the word with amusement.
"Yes, I acted under orders."
"By whom?"
"Fourth Young Master, I must speak with you privately." Geng Liangcheng glanced around.
Xiao Changtai also looked around and ordered, "Take him to my tent."
Although Xiao Changtai was an honored guest among the Turks, he had no authority to take away a prisoner. In the end, Xiao Changtai personally went to seek out the Turkic Khan before he could bring Geng Liangcheng away.
"Speak," Xiao Changtai commanded from his elevated seat, looking down at Geng Liangcheng, who lay on the ground.
"Fourth Young Master, do you know who was responsible for the assassination of the Prince?" Geng Liangcheng posed the question mysteriously.
Xiao Changtai narrowed his slender eyes.
"It was Jiachen Crown Prince," Geng Liangcheng quickly added.
Xiao Changtai, who had been somewhat indifferent, immediately straightened up. "Who did you say?"
"Jiachen Crown Prince. I’ve met him. He ordered me to..." Geng Liangcheng recounted the entire sequence of events to Xiao Changtai.
After listening, Xiao Changtai fell into deep thought. Everything seemed so logical, yet he felt it was almost too perfectly aligned. The name Jiachen Crown Prince was now known to all—someone who could attack the Emperor’s retreat and escape unscathed was clearly no ordinary individual.
"When did the Crown Prince arrive in the northwest?" Xiao Changtai asked.
Geng Liangcheng was somewhat bewildered, puzzled as to why Xiao Changtai would suddenly inquire about the sickly Crown Prince, who coughed incessantly at the slightest breeze and fainted after kneeling for just an hour. "Seven days ago."
"Tell me in detail everything that has happened since the Crown Prince arrived in the northwest," Xiao Changtai pressed.
"In short, the day after His Highness arrived, I led troops to reinforce Tingzhou," Geng Liangcheng replied.
"When did you see Jiachen Crown Prince?" Xiao Changtai asked again.
Geng Liangcheng didn’t understand the purpose of these questions but answered each one truthfully.
Xiao Changtai asked many more questions, and Geng Liangcheng answered honestly. After hearing everything, Xiao Changtai simply said, "Allow me to think it over..."
At that moment, Xiao Juesong arrived. Xiao Juesong wanted to collaborate with him—it was like being handed a pillow just as one was about to fall asleep.
Xiao Changtai had never believed in such coincidences in this world. One thing was particularly suspicious: recently, no one could infiltrate the Turkic Khan’s tent. Xiao Juesong’s people must have been lying in wait for a long time. If they had already infiltrated the Turkic Khan’s tent, they should have known of his presence long ago. Why wait until after Geng Liangcheng was captured and use him as a bridge?
"Master, the mistress wishes to see you," a subordinate reported just as Xiao Changtai was pondering.
Xiao Changtai’s heart skipped a beat. He had disguised himself and stationed Ye Wantang outside Tingzhou, in a place safe from the conflict, visiting the Khan’s tent daily under the pretext of gathering intelligence. Ye Wantang wouldn’t seek him out without reason.
With a sense of foreboding, Xiao Changtai returned to the village where they were staying. There, he saw Ye Wantang sitting before a mirror, styling her hair. She wore a simple cotton dress, her hair tied up with a wooden hairpin, a far cry from her former opulence. Yet, seated there, her elegance remained undiminished.
"Wanwan, you were looking for me?" Xiao Changtai had changed into ordinary men’s clothing.
Ye Wantang, who had been combing her hair with downcast eyes, paused her hand. She remained silent.
Xiao Changtai stepped forward, his expression natural as he embraced her. "What did you need me for?"Ye Wantang gently brushed his hand away, her eyes cold: "The Turkic forces marching on Tingzhou—that was your doing."
OpenNovel