The continuation of lineage was of paramount importance to Shen Xihe, yet her mindset had undergone a dramatic shift between the past and present.
Previously, she had entertained the idea of eliminating the father to keep the child. Although she wouldn’t actively seek Xiao Huayong’s life if he didn’t oppose her, she genuinely wished him ill.
Now, she hoped they could have descendants to tie him down with more attachments and make him more reluctant to let go.
Xiao Huayong was stunned. As a vigorous young man who had survived countless life-and-death situations, he had never shed tears, but at this moment, his eyes tingled slightly. He pressed his fingers to the corners of his eyes, forcing back this sudden, bewildering vulnerability.
“Youyou, the timing isn’t right yet.” Xiao Huayong held Shen Xihe’s hand. “We will have children, but not now.”
“Are you worried that if I become pregnant, Your Majesty will show no mercy?” Shen Xihe’s luminous eyes fixed on him, reflecting his figure like obsidian, deeply locking him in her gaze.
Xiao Huayong nodded. “Not only that. If the Eastern Palace has an heir, we will be pushed to the forefront of the storm.”
The reason the Eastern Palace hadn’t become a target was that everyone believed the prophecy of his early demise. Once the Eastern Palace had a successor, it would become the target of public criticism. Throughout history, the legitimate line has always been the primary inheritors.
Even if he were gone, the existence of a legitimate eldest son would grant higher succession rights than any uncles born of concubines. Shen Xihe, being a daughter of the Northwest Shen clan, represented military prestige and power. Many would likely flock to the Eastern Palace, which was not advantageous for them.
Moreover, Shen Xihe had just acquired the Power of the Imperial Harem. If she didn’t fully consolidate control, pregnancy would place her in constant peril.
During his years at the Taoist temple, to avoid arousing Your Majesty’s suspicions, Xiao Huayong had only secured the Eastern Palace’s immediate domain. In truth, the Imperial Harem was a den of monsters and demons.
Pacifying the Imperial Harem, dealing with Your Majesty, the court officials, and the various princes—none were easy opponents.
Xiao Huayong did not want his child to be born into such a perilous environment, surrounded by wolves and tigers.
As for children, Shen Xihe was determined to have one. Even for the sake of the Shen clan, she must bear a son—one qualified to inherit the throne. But this was not her child alone. She held respect for Xiao Huayong as well. Since he had made this decision, she conceded with a nod. “Then we shall wait another two years.”
In two years, Xiao Huayong would be twenty-three, nearing the age of his prophesied early demise. Regardless of whether the Unique Poison in his body was cured, she would definitely become pregnant.
Hearing this, Xiao Huayong chuckled softly. “Aren’t you afraid it might be a daughter?”
“If it’s a daughter…” Shen Xihe’s eyes suddenly frosted over. “I will have to toil harder…”
As long as she had an heir, she could establish her footing within the Xiao clan. The absence of a legitimate eldest son didn’t matter—this dynasty had precedents of female emperors. As long as she cleared the obstacles ahead and wielded sufficient power over life and death, she could still stand above all others.
For the Northwest, for her family, for her father and brothers, she would fight with all her might!
He understood her deeply. With just a determined glint and a flash of cold sharpness in her eyes, he could grasp her thoughts. An inexplicable pain struck his heart, and he gripped her hand tighter, unable to restrain his intensity. “Youyou, I will not let you fight alone!”His wife was resourceful and shrewd, yet she was no qualified politician—nor should she ever become one.
He had no intention of turning her into a caged bird, confined to the inner quarters with her wings clipped. Yet neither did he wish to see her battling wolves and tigers alone. The mere thought of her, without his presence, inevitably revealing her sharp edges and exhausting herself to protect all she held dear—it felt like a steel blade piercing his bones, agony akin to shattered bones spreading throughout his body.
Such an outcome, he would never allow!
"I do not expect someone to rely on, nor do I yearn for someone to protect me," Shen Xihe spoke slowly, enunciating each word with clarity. "I hope for someone to mutually support with."
She needed neither reliance nor protection, but she did need a partner to stand with her through thick and thin.
Xiao Huayong felt a warmth in his chest and responded with conviction, "Good."
Neither of them was particularly sentimental, and the earlier melancholy vanished in an instant. Zhenzhu, having finished packing, came to inform them that they could depart. They followed the Youning Emperor to the Sweet Spring Imperial Villa.
The Lin You Imperial Villa offered respite from summer's scorching heat with its rolling hills, ravines, and lush green landscapes. In contrast, the Sweet Spring Imperial Villa was nestled among four towering mountains with spectacular peaks and cliffs, where sweet springs cascaded into flying waterfalls. The Black Water Valley stretched nearly forty li, a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight.
Here also stood the famous Immortals' Tour Temple. The villa itself was more spacious than Lin You Imperial Villa. Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong had their own elegant courtyard, where besides dense, secluded bamboos, three eucommia trees grew.
Even in the sweltering heat of June and July, the eucommia leaves remained vibrant green. When the gentle breeze stirred, their subtle fragrance wafted through the air.
Shen Xihe greatly adored this place. Moreover, now that she held palace authority, all transactions of the Palace Service Department had to be submitted for her review. The eunuchs became especially attentive and cautious, fearing she might make an example of them as a new official asserting authority. Regardless of their true loyalties, their diligent conduct pleased her immensely, leaving her temporarily free from worries.
"How does Youyou plan to purge the Imperial Harem?" The couple chatted leisurely beneath the eucommia trees.
Away from the palace, Shen Xihe had no means to assert her authority immediately, nor could she audit the palace accounts right away. The fact that His Majesty had sent Rong Zhaoyi back early might well have been intended to give her time to cover her tracks.
"I've heard that the Dengzhou region hasn't seen rain since May?" Shen Xihe avoided answering Xiao Huayong directly, instead bringing up an unrelated matter.
Xiao Huayong assumed she preferred not to discuss harem affairs and was more concerned about the people. He nodded solemnly, "The prefects of Dengzhou, Laizhou, Mizhou, and other regions have reported no rainfall to date. Agricultural work has been delayed, and they urge the court to prepare early."
This had become a matter of utmost importance. The Youning Emperor was deeply concerned, having convened numerous meetings. Although the national treasury had been replenished with private funds donated by the Grand Princess after the Rouge Case, a large-scale drought could still drain it completely.
"My father knows an extraordinary man with some skill in predicting weather by observing the stars. I've asked Father to seek him out and request his calculation on when rain might fall in Dengzhou and other areas." Shen Xihe was not one to believe in Buddhism or Daoism, but she trusted those with genuine abilities.
"I've also heard of such remarkable individuals but have never managed to find one," Xiao Huayong's eyes brightened with interest.
Indeed, the Imperial Observatory had many capable astrologers, but they weren't always accurate in their predictions."The gentleman my father knows has never made an erroneous prediction to this day." Shen Xihe trusted this person deeply. "Once the gentleman calculates the drought, firstly, we can prepare early and utilize Xiao Changtai's seized assets to alleviate the people's suffering. Secondly..."
A faint smile touched her lips as brilliance flashed from the corners of her eyes to her brows. Shen Xihe declared: "I shall use this opportunity to persuade His Majesty to issue a general pardon and release palace maidens of marriageable age."
Shen Xihe never hesitated - she would resolve everything at once, uprooting every single obstacle regardless of whose influence it represented!
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