Xiao Huayong, with his tall stature and long legs, strode swiftly in his agitated state, making it impossible for Shen Xihe to catch up.
From his hurried, slender receding figure to the corner of his robe fluttering past the turn, it seemed like within a few blinks, he had vanished from her sight.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince doesn't seem to have returned to his bedchamber," Zhenzhu closely followed Shen Xihe, glancing in the direction where Xiao Huayong had disappeared.
Instead of following Xiao Huayong's path, Shen Xihe turned toward another direction.
Though the temporary palace couldn't compare to the imperial palace, it was still quite spacious, with countless places Xiao Huayong could have gone. Yet, Shen Xihe felt an inexplicable certainty that he would be in one particular place.
At the foot of the mountain in a flat valley, there was a crystal-clear stream. Less than a hundred meters away stood a grove of ginkgo trees, a spot Xiao Huayong had discovered by chance and then mysteriously brought Shen Xihe to visit.
The mountain ridges stretched like a screen, the water flowed like a ribbon, and the blue sky mirrored a clear glass.
There were birds singing and flowers blooming, colorful butterflies fluttering gracefully; playful monkeys leaping nimbly through the treetops, and mighty eagles soaring vigorously across the vast sky...
Now, by the water's edge, a solitary figure stood with his hands behind his back, his reflection cast upon the surface.
A gentle breeze swept down from the distant mountain mist, rustling his robes and accentuating his icy, aloof demeanor that kept others at a distance.
He was angry, deeply angry.
Shen Xihe glanced sideways at Zhenzhu, who understood and stopped, standing opposite Tianyuan on either side.
Her sheer skirt gently brushed the grass as Shen Xihe walked silently to Xiao Huayong's side. Standing beside him, she shifted her gaze from the distance to the water's surface, where their reflections shimmered. She watched his image in the water.
Xiao Huayong had been waiting for Shen Xihe to speak, but after what felt like an eternity, she seemed to have nothing to say to him, merely standing quietly by his side.
The initially rigid Xiao Huayong straightened his neck, struggling to restrain his head—which never quite obeyed him around Shen Xihe—from turning toward her. Yet, his eyes involuntarily shifted in her direction.
This subtle movement was caught by Shen Xihe, who had been watching the water's surface, and she couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
Hearing her laughter, Xiao Huayong noticed how his small gesture had been completely exposed in the water's reflection. Instantly, his cheeks tightened with embarrassment, his anger turning into flustered irritation. He turned to leave in the other direction but felt a slight tug on his sleeve.
His mind warned him to break free forcefully, to leave resolutely, yet his feet halted immediately. This was a streamside—if he pulled too hard and she lost her balance, tumbling into the water, would she catch a chill? Would she get hurt? What if there happened to be a venomous snake in the water...?
Uncontrollable worries flooded him; even baseless imaginations were enough to fill him with fear. Xiao Huayong despised this part of himself, yet he couldn't change it, nor did he want to.
"It's my fault," Shen Xihe spoke softly. "Please don't be angry, alright?"
Xiao Huayong wasn't putting on an act or throwing a tantrum; he was genuinely hurt. The moment Shen Xihe suggested bringing An Zhengyi into the Eastern Palace, it felt as though a sharp sword had pierced his heart. The constricting pain made him dizzy for a moment.
How could she? How could she treat him as a bargaining chip, an object to secure the safety of the Shen family?
He knew she had married him after weighing the pros and cons. It had always been him forcing the issue, him clinging to unrequited feelings, merely hoping and begging that she might treat him a little better.In her heart, he could never compare to her dearest family. He knew all too well that if the day ever came when she had to choose between him and the Shen family, she would not hesitate to choose the latter.
That was the place where she was born and raised, the foundation of her life and affections for over a decade. He harbored no delusions of easily shaking that bond. Yet, when she unhesitatingly asked him to take Shen Yingluo as a concubine, the pain pierced him like ten thousand arrows, searing into his very bones.
After rushing out into the cold wind, a sliver of reason returned to him. He faintly suspected she might have ulterior motives for her actions, but the hurt was genuine. He had thought he could harden his heart because of it, yet the moment she spoke—without even a soft word or an apology—all his grievances and anger vanished in an instant.
Xiao Huayong, oh Xiao Huayong, you truly are something.
He sighed inwardly, a mix of bitterness and resignation.
His last shred of pride made him press his lips together in silence. Though his face remained stern, Shen Xihe could sense his softening. Gently, she tugged at his sleeve, took his hand, and slid her fingers down to hold it. He feigned resistance for a moment, but she quickly tightened her grip.
Just that simple act warmed Xiao Huayong’s heart. The tension in his cheeks eased, and he struggled to suppress the smile tugging at his lips.
Pretending not to notice his restraint, Shen Xihe lowered her head to hide her own blossoming smile. "Beichen, you once spoke of the legendary love of Pan and Yang. Though I don’t fully believe in such tales, I’ve always held a glimmer of hope for them. I know such timeless stories aren’t built by one person alone. I’m willing to strive alongside you. Whether we reach that ideal or not, I want to look back without regrets."
Yes, Shen Xihe still didn’t fully believe, but she was willing to try. To her, such tales had always been just legends—polished and idealized. She even wondered if, beneath the surface, Pan and Yang had truly remained unwavering throughout their lives. Who could know if neither had ever faltered?
Romantic love was something she had never deeply trusted or yearned for. Yet, she was human after all, and meeting someone as devoted as Xiao Huayong made her willing to try, even in her skepticism.
The drifting clouds and gentle breeze paled in comparison to the tenderness in his eyes when he looked up.
Their gazes met, her eyes smiling as she gazed deeply at him. "As for what happened earlier, I have other ways to resolve it. Even if I didn’t, I still have you. But no matter what we do, at most, it would only teach the An family a lesson."
Xiao Huayong’s mind was filled with the phrase "I still have you." He barely registered the rest, unable to hold back the curve of his lips any longer.
Shen Xihe, infected by his pure joy, smiled more deeply. "Even if the entire An family were to fall, it wouldn’t bring me satisfaction. Behind this is His Majesty. Today, we stop an An Zhengyi, but tomorrow there will be a Zhao Zhengyi, a Qian Zhengyi… I dislike being entangled in such matters. Since His Majesty has made his move, there’s no reason for me to show leniency just because he is the emperor."
Xiao Huayong, his heart now sweetly aflutter, had long forgotten his anger over Shen Xihe promising An Zhengyi’s entry into the Eastern Palace without consulting him. Now, it all seemed trivial. His eyes were filled only with his radiant wife. "What do you plan to do?"
Whatever you wish, I will follow.Shen Xihe was no stranger to being indulged without limits; since childhood, Shen Yueshan and Shen Yungan had treated her this way.
Yet Xiao Huayong's actions truly brought her heart joy: "Once Your Majesty settles your status with Lady An, I will send her to the Dragon bed. With Shu Fei before and Lady An after, I will make Your Majesty lose all face!"
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