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Shen Xihe paid no attention to Xiao Changgeng and Xiao Changyan either, instead casting a detached gaze upon Xiao Changfeng.
"Reporting to the Crown Princess, I was ordered to deliver a secret decree to Prince Jing and happened to pass by Dongshan. Hearing an earth-shattering explosion unlike thunder, I went to investigate. Unexpectedly, I discovered Prince Jing had been ambushed, so I intervened to save him," Xiao Changfeng lied without changing his expression.
It was true he had come on imperial orders, but he had no secret decree for Xiao Changyan. He had merely received a message from Xiao Changyan midway, claiming to have discovered Xiao Juesong’s whereabouts and requesting his assistance. Having once owed Xiao Changyan a life-saving debt, he felt compelled to repay it regardless. Shen Xihe would not seek confirmation from His Majesty about the existence of a secret decree.
Even if she did investigate, His Majesty would protect both him and Xiao Changyan. At worst, he would face a private reprimand from the emperor—still preferable to leaving evidence in Shen Xihe’s hands.
As for Xiao Changyan’s plea for help, he could never reveal it to Shen Xihe. Otherwise, he would be accused of neglecting public duty for private favors.
Shen Xihe’s eyelids lowered slightly, her clear, profound eyes narrowing instantly. She regarded Xiao Changfeng coolly.
Xiao Changfeng stood straight, allowing Shen Xihe to scrutinize him without a trace of guilt, though he felt somewhat uneasy. To ease the tension, he had no choice but to ask proactively, "Why has the Crown Princess come here?"
Shen Xihe should have been in Wendeng County at this time, yet she had arrived in Rongcheng County unnoticed, making Xiao Changfeng suspect she had come deliberately to catch Xiao Changyan.
"Traitors raided the execution ground. I dispatched people to search, and the trail led here," Shen Xihe provided a perfectly reasonable explanation. "I had no idea Prince Jing was even more well-informed than I, encountering the traitor before I did."
Her words carried implied meaning: Shen Xihe had been pursuing the case since the execution ground raid, yet Xiao Changyan, stationed far away in Rongcheng County, had confronted Xiao Juesong before she caught up. What did this signify?
It meant Xiao Changyan had long been aware of Xiao Juesong’s movements. As someone assigned to distribute supplies in Rongcheng County, instead of focusing on his duties, he not only monitored affairs in Wendeng County but also meddled further. At best, this indicated negligence; at worst, it suggested treacherous intentions.
Xiao Changfeng wisely chose silence. He had already repaid his debt to Prince Jing moments earlier. In the conflicts among these siblings and in-laws, maintaining neutrality was ideal—especially since he was set to marry Shen Yingluo. Even if Shen Xihe and Shen Yingluo shared no affection, they were still sisters. Thus, he could not assist Shen Xihe, but neither could he oppose her, lest he make things difficult for Shen Yingluo.
Noting Xiao Changfeng’s resumed pretense of deafness and muteness, Shen Xihe glanced at him briefly before rising and entering the inner chamber. She and Xiao Huayong had arrived separately—Xiao Huayong intended to end Xiao Changyan’s life under Xiao Juesong’s guise here. Worried about mishaps, she had hurried over. Operating overtly and covertly allowed them to create confusion and cover their tracks seamlessly.
Xiao Changfeng’s timely arrival had saved Xiao Changyan’s life. Perhaps Xiao Changyan had known all along that Xiao Changfeng was coming, hence his fearless decision to risk confronting Xiao Juesong. With reinforcements, he might suffer but wouldn’t lose his life—and capturing Xiao Juesong would be a monumental achievement.
Those daring enough to step onto the battlefield truly favored gambling with their lives.When Shen Xihe walked into the backyard, she saw basins of bloody water being carried out. Xiao Changyan had been struck by an arrow in his waist and abdomen, which had just been extracted. Shen Xihe wrapped her handkerchief around the arrow she picked up from the nearby tray, examining it thoroughly from top to bottom. It was an ordinary arrow, with craftsmanship and materials that could be easily purchased from any blacksmith shop on the street. She then placed it back.
Her gaze fell upon the bed. Only after the doctor had applied medicine and stopped Xiao Changyan's bleeding did she ask, "How is Prince Jing?"
"Reporting to the Crown Princess, the arrow penetrated deeply. Fortunately, it did not damage the spleen or stomach. However, His Highness is severely injured. If he does not develop a high fever tonight, or if the fever subsides by tomorrow, he will be out of danger," the doctor replied cautiously.
A persistent high fever?
Shen Xihe had plenty of methods to deal with it, but none could be executed without leaving traces. Moreover, she could not find a scapegoat in such a short time, and with Xiao Changfeng watching closely, it was even more difficult to act.
Initially, she had opposed taking the life of a prince here, as it would have a severely negative impact on the common people and provoke the Youning Emperor's wrath, leading to a thorough investigation. However, now that the disaster was nearly under control and Xiao Juesong's disruption of the execution ground had already occurred, framing him for the murder of a prince seemed almost trivial.
Besides, Xiao Juesong's attack on the prince was not her doing—it was the result of Xiao Changyan's own arrangements. She was merely capitalizing on the situation. No matter how thoroughly the Youning Emperor investigated, he would never trace it back to her.
It was just a pity that Xiao Changyan had some luck on his side. Her gaze lingered on the drawn bed curtains for a long moment before she finally withdrew it.
Xiao Changfeng watched Shen Xihe. Her expression showed no signs of abnormality, but he felt that, for a moment, she had contemplated killing Xiao Changyan. Not only did he think so, but Xiao Changgeng shared the same suspicion.
For some reason, both of their hearts leaped into their throats. Only when Shen Xihe withdrew her gaze and turned to leave without a word did Xiao Changgeng and Xiao Changfeng finally relax. Noticing each other's eased breaths, they exchanged a wry smile.
In this world, only Shen Xihe would dare to so blatantly and fearlessly harbor murderous intent toward a prince. Yet, all they could do was remain vigilant, not daring to take the initiative to strike. Not just them—even His Majesty did not dare.
The truth was, Shen Xihe was too formidable an opponent. If one attacked and failed to eliminate her, they would inevitably face retaliation.
Since Shen Xihe openly confronted His Majesty and revealed her ambitions to the world, everyone who saw her now regarded her with complex emotions—fear, admiration, anticipation, disdain...
Most of all, they watched her belly. The civil and military officials did not know what to think, but in any case, His Majesty and the princes did not wish for her to bear an imperial grandson.
Xiao Changfeng knew more than others. His Majesty had tried every means to interfere in the Eastern Palace and prevent Shen Xihe from conceiving, stopping just short of administering sterilization drugs to Xiao Huayong. Yet all attempts had failed. Shen Xihe maintained an iron grip over the Eastern Palace.
It was not that they could not plant people there—she accepted everyone sent—but these individuals either remained useless or vanished without a trace the moment they made a move. Shen Xihe's maids could truly be described as accomplished in both literary and martial arts.Especially since she had just obtained palace authority, she dared to follow the Crown Prince to Dengzhou, entrusting the vast Imperial Harem to a single female official. Yet this female official managed everything in perfect order, deftly evading several provocations from palace consorts without leaving any handle for criticism.
Shen Xihe settled in the magistrate's office of Rongcheng County, waiting for Xiao Changyan to awaken so she could demand an explanation. For your convenience in future readings, you can click the "Bookmark" below to save this chapter (Chapter 676: She Awaits to Demand an Explanation) – it will appear on your bookshelf when reopened!
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