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He was aware, yet pretended ignorance. He neither sought out Xiao Changyan to expose the truth, nor confronted Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong in retaliation. Even their open and covert struggles with Xiao Changyan were surely witnessed by Xiao Changqing, yet he devoted himself entirely to disaster relief, seemingly intentionally avoiding their conflicts and striving to remain uninvolved.
"If he isn't our enemy, does that mean I can't capture his men for study?" Xiao Huayong saw no contradiction—he was purely curious. Was it wrong to want to probe Xiao Changqing's hidden cards?
"Since when are you such a person?" Shen Xihe shot him a glance.
Xiao Huayong had never been one to stir up trouble or remain idle. If there was no enmity, why provoke unnecessarily? She didn't believe his reasoning at all.
"I dislike anything in this world beyond my control." His dark, brilliant eyes seemed to gather silvery light as he spoke earnestly.
Just because they weren't enemies now didn't mean they wouldn't be in the future. As long as a threat existed, regardless of enmity, one must see through others to respond with unchanging adaptability.
Shen Xihe nodded. "Your concern is justified."
"Matters here are nearly settled. I'll return to Wendeng County first and await you. Return early. Once the flood crisis is resolved, we'll head back to the capital sooner." Xiao Huayong reluctantly smoothed her long hair.
"Mm, be careful." Shen Xihe inclined her head.
After gazing deeply at her for a moment, Xiao Huayong turned and vanished behind the screen, leaving the room silently and without a trace. Shen Xihe resumed her tasks.
By daybreak, Shen Xihe had finished auditing all accounts. She handed the approved documents to the county magistrate, instructing him to coordinate with local military guards to swiftly distribute relief supplies.
The magistrate was Xiao Changyan's subordinate. With Xiao Changyan unconscious and facing the formidable Crown Princess—who even made Xun Wang and Prince Yan dare not utter a word—he could only obediently and efficiently follow orders. Thus, what Xiao Changyan failed to accomplish in several days, Shen Xihe completed in one. The people received their due supplies, their faces brightening with relief.
Rongcheng County, surrounded by sea on three sides, had less rainfall than neighboring counties and fewer hills. Aside from crop damage, casualties were minimal. With the court-distributed provisions, they no longer feared struggling through the year.
By noon, Xiao Changyan's recurring high fever finally broke completely. Shen Xihe had just finished her evening meal when Xiao Changyan awoke. By the time she went to check on him, he had eaten, lying pale and semi-reclined on his bed—clearly past the critical stage, needing only gradual recovery.
Shen Xihe consulted the doctor and received the same assessment. Without hesitation, she asked, "Prince Jing, could you tell me why you were in contact with the traitor?"
Xiao Changgeng had briefed Xiao Changyan on necessary details. Prepared, Xiao Changyan replied, "To be frank, Crown Princess, it was because Twelfth Brother was previously injured by our imperial uncle. I sought a physician to treat him and thus followed some clues in investigation. However, uncertain it was our imperial uncle, I hadn't reported it to the Crown Prince or Your Majesty."
Shen Xihe turned to Xiao Changgeng beside her. "Prince Yan, is what Prince Jing said true?"Xiao Changgeng clasped his hands: "In reply to Your Majesty, every word Eighth Brother spoke is true."
"When did Prince Yan fall victim to the plot?" Shen Xihe asked again.
Xiao Changgeng answered without hesitation: "Five days ago..."
"Was it truly five days ago?" Shen Xihe interrupted coldly.
Xiao Changgeng still didn't hesitate: "Exactly five days ago, the day Eighth Brother came to my rescue."
"Does Prince Jing say the same?" Shen Xihe pressed.
Xiao Changyan closed his eyes and gave a soft hum of affirmation.
Shen Xihe's gaze swept over the deferential Xiao Changgeng and the half-reclining Xiao Changyan who appeared to be enduring pain and exhaustion. Withdrawing her gaze, she commanded coldly: "Bring the person in."
Xiao Changyan, Xiao Changgeng, and even Xiao Changfeng standing nearby all felt a sense of foreboding. Sure enough, Mo Yuan soon brought in someone - none other than Xiao Changgeng's personal eunuch. This eunuch had supposedly fallen down a slope and died when Xiao Changgeng encountered Xiao Changyan's ambush. Xiao Changyan had even sent people to handle the aftermath and dispose of the body. No one expected he would end up in Shen Xihe's hands!
"Does Prince Yan recognize this person?" Shen Xihe asked.
Xiao Changgeng's throat seemed blocked, rendering him speechless.
"Your Highness, Your Highness! This humble servant finally gets to see you again..." The young eunuch excitedly rushed forward, kneeling before Xiao Changgeng and clutching his legs while weeping emotionally.
"I... am fine." Xiao Changgeng also felt some joy that this long-serving eunuch hadn't died.
"Prince Yan, according to Fugui's testimony, you were ambushed last month, and you've been missing for over a month. You disappeared before the Crown Prince and I even entered Dengzhou." Shen Xihe's voice turned icy. "So which is it - are Prince Yan and Prince Jing being untruthful, or is this eunuch lying to slander his master?"
Even Xiao Changfeng, as an outsider, knew it certainly wasn't the eunuch lying. This meant Xiao Changgeng had indeed been missing for over a month, while Xiao Changyan had concealed this information without reporting it. This...
The atmosphere instantly froze.
"This matter was my..."
"Your Majesty, please allow me to explain - it was I who asked Eighth Brother to conceal the truth." Just as Xiao Changyan began speaking, Xiao Changgeng interrupted him. "Eighth Brother and I discovered His Majesty's whereabouts early on. Since we couldn't confirm it but couldn't afford to be careless, we devised a plan using myself as bait. I would lure His Majesty into revealing himself. To ensure His Majesty wouldn't hold back, we didn't alert you or the Crown Prince."
Xiao Changgeng shouldered all responsibility, covering up Xiao Changyan's enormous lie. All eyes fell upon Xiao Changgeng.
After a pause, Xiao Changgeng continued: "After Eighth Brother rescued me, I didn't want to implicate him, so I claimed we had just encountered His Majesty that day."
Shen Xihe slowly shifted her gaze from Xiao Changgeng to Xiao Changyan: "Prince Jing, are the facts as Prince Yan states?"
Xiao Changyan opened his mouth, struggled for a moment, then said: "The truth is..."
"Eighth Brother need not protect me. It was my own ambition for glory that implicated Eighth Brother in danger. When we return to the capital, I will certainly plead guilty before His Majesty." Xiao Changgeng's clear, sincere gaze fixed directly on Xiao Changyan.
Xiao Changyan felt his heart swell with emotion. With difficulty, he averted his eyes: "I failed to properly care for Twelfth Brother."
This was his indirect acknowledgment of Xiao Changgeng's words.
Shen Xihe gave a cold laugh: "Therefore, you knew of the traitor's whereabouts all along, coveted the achievement, took reckless risks, refused to report it, resulting in the execution ground being raided and the Golden Guard brought by the Crown Prince from the palace suffering heavy casualties?"Xiao Changgeng bowed his head: "It is my fault. I will submit a memorial to Your Majesty to report and accept punishment." To facilitate your next reading, you can click the "Bookmark" below to record this reading session (Chapter 678: Taking Full Responsibility). The next time you open your bookshelf, you will see it!
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