"Cough, cough... Why is the Junzhu looking at me like that?" Xiao Huayong cast a puzzled glance.
Shen Xihe spoke frankly: "I was born with early wisdom. Though I have not met many people, I have never encountered anyone I could not see through. Your Highness, you are the first. I want to see what kind of person you are."
Xiao Huayong coughed lightly twice before meeting her gaze with clear eyes: "Junzhu need not probe what kind of person I am. Just believe that I am someone who will never harm you."
Such deeply affectionate words, yet they did not move Shen Xihe's hardened heart in the slightest. She even found the statement somewhat laughable and offered no response.
"Junzhu need not believe these words now." Seeing through Shen Xihe's thoughts, Xiao Huayong's voice grew soft and weak. "Just remember them, and let time bear witness."
Such a resolute tone, such a confident voice, such an arrogant attitude.
This man's promises were different from others. He did not swear by the heavens, nor was he impatient for results. He remained calm and composed, with the world in his grasp.
Afterward, Xiao Huayong did not dwell on the topic further. Their conversation turned to casual chatter, during which Shen Xihe accompanied Xiao Huayong in having some rice porridge.
Xiao Huayong was a man of extensive learning. No matter the subject, he could converse delightfully with Shen Xihe. Unnoticed, the sun set in the west, and Shen Xihe rose to take her leave.
"Junzhu, the Crown Prince is truly erudite and talented. I have never seen anyone chat with you so effortlessly." Once the carriage had passed through the palace gates, Ziyu, who had been holding back for a long time, finally spoke with animated excitement.
Shen Xihe was frail in health. To keep herself from idle thoughts, she had read many books. Shen Yungan, aside from military texts, grew drowsy at the sight of any other books, and Shen Yueshan was not one fond of reading either.
It was precisely for this reason that her maternal Tao family, known for their literary heritage, held Shen Xihe in such special regard.
"If only the Crown Prince's health were a bit stronger." After praising Xiao Huayong, Ziyu sighed.
In her view, the Crown Prince was truly exceptional—possessing unparalleled looks, immense talent, and, moreover, he understood their Junzhu particularly well.
Every gift he sent touched the Junzhu's heart, and he even planned to have the Shizi come to the capital to accompany the Junzhu during the Duanzheng Festival.
Biyu glanced at Ziyu. Only this fool failed to grasp the meaning behind the Junzhu naming the dog Duanming.
If the Crown Prince's health were stronger, their Junzhu would undoubtedly treat him with the same attitude as she did Prince Lie.
However, the fact that the Crown Prince had sought an Imperial Edict to allow the Shizi to enter the capital to accompany the Junzhu during the Duanzheng Festival also moved Biyu deeply, prompting her to speak favorably of the Crown Prince: "The Crown Prince has truly put his heart into caring for the Junzhu."
Regardless of affection or purpose, the Crown Prince had genuinely devoted effort to the Junzhu.
Shen Xihe smiled faintly and said nothing.
Tianyuan, however, was deeply troubled: "Your Highness, if you seek an Imperial Edict to allow Shen Shizi to enter the capital, I fear some may grow restless..."
He worried that this might backfire. While Xiao Huayong assisting Shen Yungan's entry into the capital posed little threat from the various princes and factions, what he feared was His Majesty taking action. If anything were to happen to Shen Yungan, how could they explain it to the Junzhu?
"Shen Yungan is no fool, and Shen Yueshan is no reckless brute." Xiao Huayong shed his sickly demeanor. "Tianyuan, I intend to marry her—both her person and her heart."
He not only wanted Shen Xihe to know that he was not marrying her merely for gain but also wanted Shen Yueshan and his son to understand.
If he sought to win her heart, their marriage could not, from the very beginning, be labeled as a union of convenience.
"I am planning for the future..."He could not conceal his true self from Shen Xihe forever. Sooner or later, she would discover his real face. When the time was ripe, he would shed all pretense before her, only hoping to win her over a little more before that day came.
Since she held Shen Yueshan and his son in such high regard, the more effort he devoted to her, the more pleased Shen Yueshan and his son would likely be.
When that day arrived, if she resented him for his current deception, he could at least count on someone to speak on his behalf.
Tianyuan felt that his master had truly exhausted all his ingenuity for the princess. Over the years, his master had orchestrated court affairs with effortless ease and composure, never having to rack his brains like this.
He was somewhat reluctant to deliver the newly received news to His Highness, yet he dared not conceal it: "Your Highness, there is news of the Tianshan Snow Lotus."
"Speak."
"A wandering warrior has spotted it at the summit of Tianshan—a supreme-grade Tianshan Snow Lotus," Tianyuan reported respectfully. "We dispatched our own men and also posted a bounty in the Hunter's Guild. Many skilled individuals took on the task, but none could scale the peak."
The mountain summit was bitterly cold, with thin air that made breathing difficult. Even highly skilled martial artists had perished below the peak. Despite the generous rewards offered, everyone now hesitated to attempt the climb.
After a moment of contemplation, Xiao Huayong said, "I shall go myself."
Tianyuan dropped to his knees with a thud. "Your Highness, even without the Tianshan Snow Lotus, the princess will at most suffer some hardship when taking her medicine. She can endure it. You must not risk going to Tianshan!"
The summit's climate was treacherous, with frequent blizzards and avalanches, along with fierce beasts and birds of prey. Countless had ventured there never to return. Upon receiving the news, Tianyuan had feared that Xiao Huayong would personally take the risk.
Xiao Huayong fixed a cold gaze on Tianyuan.
Tianyuan knelt upright, head bowed in silence.
After a long while, Xiao Huayong sighed softly. "Her constitution is weak. Each time she takes the medicine, it is like walking through the gates of hell."
This was no exaggeration. After meeting Xie Yunhuai, he had written to Old Man with White Hair and learned that surviving the ordeal was a matter of luck. If one failed to endure, a single breath could be cut off, leading to immediate demise.
Xie Yunhuai and Shen Xihe likely assumed that the pain and suffering would diminish as she took the medicine more frequently, but that was not the case.
They had underestimated the ferocity of the Bone Shedding Pill.
"Set your mind at ease. Would I lightly take such a risk without at least a fifty percent chance of success?" Xiao Huayong reassured Tianyuan. "I have been to the summit of Tianshan before."
Over the years, in his search for an antidote to the strange poison in his body, what lofty mountains and perilous peaks had Xiao Huayong not traversed?
"Your Highness..." Tianyuan's eyes reddened.
"Tianshan is also home to Golden Eagles. Perhaps traces of a century-old Golden Eagle can be found atop the snowy peaks. Even if it were not for the Tianshan Snow Lotus, I would eventually have to journey to the summit of Tianshan for my own sake," Xiao Huayong added.
Tianyuan gritted his teeth. He knew that since Xiao Huayong had spoken to him so gently and at such length, his mind would not be changed. Wiping the corner of his eye, Tianyuan asked, "When does Your Highness plan to depart?"
"Naturally, I shall leave after the Double Ninth Festival," Xiao Huayong replied, a smile spreading from the corners of his eyes to the mole at the outer edge, radiating boundless elegance.
This was, after all, his first outing with her—it must not go awry.
"Hmm, and I might as well find someone to trouble along the way..." He was still smiling, but this smile carried a chill that had not been there before.
If he were to leave, his illness would need to worsen, leaving him lying unconscious in the Eastern Palace while a double took his place.
Such a perfect opportunity would be a waste if not exploited.
"Who has Your Highness set his sights on?" Tianyuan had a faint suspicion in his heart."What about Wang Zheng?" Xiao Huayong gave an inscrutable smile.
Let the Fifth Prince handle the Wang family's foundations. Before that, he would give Wang Zheng a starting point.
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