On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the sky was clear as water, the moon bright as a mirror.
Unlike the lively celebrations of the Lantern Festival, Qingming Festival, or Double Ninth Festival, every household had hung bright lanterns—the more affluent the family, the higher their lanterns were suspended.
The entire city glowed with lantern light, as far as the eye could see, resembling a scene of glazed crystal.
Shen Xihe had chosen an excellent vantage point, offering an unobstructed view of the scenery within a ten-li radius.
Cui Jinbai and the others stood on a stone platform adorned with numerous lanterns. Surrounded by passersby, they wore plain clothes, appearing as if they had merely stopped for a casual chat during their stroll—though their pause was slightly prolonged. However, the dazzling brilliance of the city captivated everyone around, and no one paid them any mind.
Shen Xihe rested her chin on her hand, gazing intently. She had expected to see Hua Fuhai, but instead, a young man of similar stature to them approached.
This man wore a plain lanshan robe of the most ordinary fabric, his hair tied back with a long ribbon. He stood with his back to Shen Xihe.
That silhouette seemed to emerge from the darkness, draped in moonlight—tall and straight, noble and broad-shouldered.
Shen Xihe, who had been somewhat languid, immediately straightened her posture. Her cool eyes flickered slightly. She had not been mistaken: Cui Jinbai and the other two had made a move to bow upon seeing him, but he raised his folding fan to stop them.
Shen Xihe quickly stood and walked to the window of the high tower, her gaze fixed in that direction. She even shifted her position, attempting to get a clearer view of the man’s face, but at best, she could only catch a glimpse of a small part of his profile.
"Youyou, who are you looking for?" Shen Yungan, who had been admiring the vibrant scene outside, was startled by Shen Xihe’s sudden movement and immediately rose to his feet.
He followed Shen Xihe as she paced back and forth. With so many people and objects outside, he couldn’t determine exactly what she was watching.
The perceptive Zhao Zhenghao seemed to sense a gaze monitoring them. His sharp, hawk-like eyes swiftly scanned the surroundings and immediately locked onto Shen Xihe’s location.
"Incredibly sharp," murmured Shen Yungan, who had been unsure what Shen Xihe was observing. Suddenly, as if sensing something, he met Zhao Zhenghao’s direct gaze.
"He is one of His Majesty’s Embroidered Uniform Envoys," Shen Xihe said, neither avoiding nor flinching from Zhao Zhenghao’s piercing stare. Instead, under his intense scrutiny, she meaningfully shifted her gaze to the young man in the lanshan robe who still had his back to her.
Zhao Zhenghao was the first to look away. He moved his lips, uttering a few words, and both Cui Jinbai and Guo Daoyi raised their heads to glance over.
In truth, Xiao Huayong had sensed that gaze even earlier than Zhao Zhenghao, but he had paid it no mind. He was in disguise today, and since the group had merely happened upon each other on the bustling street during their off-duty hours, even a brief conversation would not arouse suspicion, even if His Majesty were to see them.
It was only when Zhao Zhenghao said, "It’s Zhaoning County Princess," that Xiao Huayong lifted his brows, a faint smile playing on his lips. He waved a hand at them and said, "Take note, then disperse."
The three gave almost imperceptible nods and departed in separate directions, leaving Xiao Huayong alone, standing in place. Only after the three had gone far enough did he turn around, hands clasped behind his back, and follow Shen Xihe’s line of sight to look back at her.
That gaze traversed the bustling, glass-like lantern lights, crossed the rising and falling clamor of the crowd, and penetrated the twilight under the hanging bright moon, meeting hers across the distance. His eyes gathered silvery radiance, profound and deep, like an abyss or an ocean.
His face was entirely unfamiliar, unremarkable in appearance, yet a smile lingered at the corners of his lips, exuding an indescribable air of effortless grace and charm.
"It’s him," Shen Xihe murmured softly.
"Who is he?" Shen Yungan scrutinized the man who, though ordinary in appearance, gave off an extraordinary presence.
"I don’t know," Shen Xihe shook her head slightly.Among the princes of Youning Emperor, she had taken the opportunity to observe them all during Ye Wantang's birthday banquet. She had seen every prince above sixteen who could freely leave the palace. Yet, she had not found those eyes on any of them.
How could such distinctive, unforgettable eyes remain hidden?
Could it be that he was not one of the princes, but an advisor serving a prince?
Xiao Huayong raised his hands in a distant salute to Shen Xihe, then tapped the folded fan rhythmically against his palm before leisurely departing.
Shen Xihe watched him disappear into the crowd before turning to meet Shen Yungan's expectant gaze. "When I was in Luoyang, I encountered..."
Shen Xihe held nothing back from Shen Yungan.
After listening, Shen Yungan's primary concern was: "Does the Bone Shedding Pill truly have miraculous effects?"
"I've started taking it, and it does show efficacy. My energy has improved recently. Before, I would be breathless after walking for less than fifteen minutes. Now I can walk for a full quarter-hour." Shen Xihe reassured him softly.
Shen Yungan's eyes brightened, having not yet witnessed Shen Xihe taking the Bone Shedding Pill: "Excellent! This trip to the capital was worth it."
The main reason for Shen Xihe's arduous journey to the capital was that her health had reached a critical state. Even without Linglong's betrayal, she might not have survived until reaching the capital. Now, obtaining this miraculous medicine gave her hope for recovery, bringing immense joy to Shen Yungan.
He wished he could immediately return to their residence and send a letter to Father. Shen Xihe's illness had been their constant worry over the years.
After the initial excitement, Shen Yungan considered other matters: "If this is true, the capital's waters run deeper than we imagined."
The princes of Youning Emperor were all formidable figures, and now this secretly lurking individual made the situation even more unpredictable.
"I promised him access to the Northwest Trading Market." Shen Xihe hadn't discussed this with Shen Yueshan and his son yet, as they hadn't obtained the Tianshan Snow Lotus. "We can proceed with normal transactions. Although the northwest has been recovering these past two years, the people still aren't prosperous due to insufficient trade. Father has been searching for trustworthy partners."
"Is he trustworthy?" Shen Yungan asked.
"That day when I obtained the Bone Shedding Pill, I used deception. The pill was equally important to him, yet he accepted his loss gracefully and never attempted to steal it back. This shows he values integrity." This was precisely why Shen Xihe allowed him into the Northwest Trading Market.
Since this was for the northwest's development, other considerations were secondary. Trustworthiness was paramount.
"Good. I'll inform Father when I return. You can have him send his representatives." Shen Yungan trusted his sister's judgment. "This will also give me a chance to keep an eye on him."
"His ambitions don't lie in the northwest." Shen Xihe felt Shen Yungan's attempt to uncover his true identity through this arrangement was unlikely to succeed.
"What makes you say that?"
"Look at his extensive connections—the Emperor's personal Embroidered Uniform Envoys, the Emperor's trusted Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, merchants renowned throughout the land, ambitious scholars... If his ambitions were in the northwest, he would have already placed people there." Shen Xihe analyzed for Shen Yungan. "Yet he showed no awareness of the Defense Map incident, indicating he hasn't extended his influence to the northwest."
She was certain that if this person had known about the Defense Map earlier, he would have informed her. After all, he was counting on Hua Fuhai making profits in the northwest.
If anything happened to the Shen family and someone else took control of the northwest, it would mean losses for him too.Shen Yungan was nodding when the door was knocked. The scholar stood at the doorway with a young lady carrying a gauze lantern.
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