"The Empress Dowager leaked the news of the secret passage in the traveling palace to lure Beichen into a trap, allowing Princess Ruyang and her two companions to infiltrate Beichen's forces." As Shen Xihe spoke, a look of respect appeared in her eyes. The Empress Dowager's scheme was indeed remarkable—relying on Xiao Huayong's trust and closeness to her, she dared to take such a risky move, and it had even succeeded.
"Thinking about it this way, Bian Dajia poisoning me was not instigated by Consort Liang Zhaoyi, but by the Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager did not deny it.
"Because of Yu Xiaodie, the former side consort of Kang Wang." Shen Xihe had figured everything out. "Others don't know the list of names involved in the rouge case, but both Beichen and I have seen it. The Empress Dowager clearly also had a copy of the list. When I released Yu Xiaodie, the Empress Dowager knew that Kang Wang's fate was the result of my planning."
"The Empress Dowager could no longer gauge Beichen's depths and was even more unwilling to let him marry a woman like me, whose methods are no less formidable than any man's. With the Northwestern Army behind me, if I were to bear the legitimate eldest grandson, with Beichen's schemes, my strategies, and the Northwestern support, we would become the Empress Dowager's greatest obstacle."
The Empress Dowager: "The facts have proven this to be true."
"The poison in Beichen's body was also administered by you." Shen Xihe's calm eyes restrained turbulent waves. "Being poisoned in His Majesty's palace, everyone thought Beichen had taken a blow meant for His Majesty, but that wasn't the case. The Empress Dowager's target from the beginning was Beichen."
"Why do you think so?" The Empress Dowager seemed slightly amused.
Shen Xihe looked at the Youning Emperor, who lay peacefully on the couch, his face already ashen. "After I understood His Majesty's character, I knew the Empress Dowager had to act this way."
"His Majesty's character?" The Empress Dowager grew more intrigued.
"His Majesty may not be as devoted to sentiment as Qian Wang, but he is by no means a heartless person." Shen Xihe had actually pondered this deeply. The Youning Emperor had truly never suspected Xiao Huayong, even as incidents involving the princes occurred one after another.
Even after that year's test in the traveling palace, when Xiao Huayong implicated Xiao Juesong, did His Majesty truly cease all suspicion?
In truth, he did have doubts. But Xiao Huayong was Qian Wang's only bloodline. Sometimes, His Majesty needed to delude himself, to feign ignorance. As long as he was given a seemingly plausible reason, he would rather deceive himself this way.
Otherwise, he would have to face the fact that Xiao Huayong knew his true origins and personally kill him—the only remaining child of his eldest brother.
"Beichen once told me that when he was young, His Majesty treated him more affectionately than the other princes. Perhaps after learning his true origins, he interpreted everything as a form of 'elevating to destroy,' and he left the palace early with the Empress Dowager, never carefully discerning whether His Majesty's intentions were genuine..."
Anyone who, in their childhood, learned that the person they called father daily was their father's murderer would find it difficult to remain calm and rational. It is human nature to interpret every action of that enemy with malice.
"His Majesty must have genuinely intended to nurture Beichen, even intending to pass the throne to him to atone for the guilt he felt toward his elder brother. Seeing this, the Empress Dowager knew that if this continued, she would have no chance to scheme for the throne."
"Only by having Beichen poisoned in His Majesty's palace could the Empress Dowager logically recount the past events to Beichen, stirring the hatred in his heart. This poison would shorten Beichen's lifespan, thereby extinguishing His Majesty's intention to pass the throne to him. Only then could the situation of the princes contending for the throne emerge."
"Once they had slaughtered each other and dwindled away, it would be the Empress Dowager's time to reap the benefits."
"If a female emperor could ascend the throne at the age of sixty-seven, why couldn't the Empress Dowager wait?""Hahahahaha..." The Empress Dowager finally shed her facade of ascetic detachment. Her aged laughter remained robust and full of vigor. Well-preserved for her age, she appeared scarcely older than the Youning Emperor. "Even Qilang never suspected me. Youyou truly lives up to being someone who could stir Qilang's heart."
"Do you truly believe Beichen never doubted you?" Shen Xihe retorted coldly.
"Is that so? When did he ever suspect me?" The Empress Dowager seemed utterly confident.
Shen Xihe did not answer immediately. Instead, she said, "Xiao Wenxi is your agent. You must believe she has complete control over the Shu Southern Royal Manor. But I have long been suspicious of you. Do you truly think Xiao Wenxi can maintain stability in Shunan?"
"And Tubo," the Empress Dowager added, casting a glance at Shu Fei.
"Tubo incited rebellion. The Shu Southern Royal Manor dispatched troops. Xiao Wenxi collaborated with the Tubo Prince from within," Shen Xihe remarked lightly, raising an eyebrow.
"How did you know it was the Tubo Prince!" Shu Fei exclaimed in shock.
Why not the Tubo King!
"I told you, I have been suspicious of you. Did you think I would sit back and wait for your plans to succeed?" Shen Xihe's expression remained placid. "Xiao Wenxi even attempted to use a honey trap on one of my men. Shen Twenty-Seven was personally promoted by me. I dared to have him replace the bones and become the Prince of Shunan precisely because I follow the principle: if I doubt someone, I don't use them; if I use them, I don't doubt them. You have practitioners of the Soul-seizing Art, but unfortunately, Prince Jing Xiao Changyan fell precisely because he trusted such arcane arts too much."
The faces of both the Empress Dowager and Shu Fei darkened.
Shen Xihe pushed open the window. Torches flickered within the palace grounds, and occasional arrows could be seen streaking across the night sky. The faint clashing of swords was audible. Though the area outside the Hall of Diligent Governance remained relatively quiet, the scarcity of palace attendants made it eerily still.
"Your men must have taken control of the palace. Why not have them keep watch and see if, by the third watch, fireworks from my Northwestern Army will illuminate the night sky."
"How did you know we would act tonight!" Shu Fei grew even more panicked.
"The people you chose, Empress Dowager, are somewhat lacking in intellect," Shen Xihe said dismissively, paying no heed to Shu Fei.
"If I had a strategist like you by my side, I wouldn't have had to wait until today," the Empress Dowager remarked, without disparaging Shu Fei. After all, there were few in this world who could match wits with Shen Xihe. "Tomorrow is the day for the investiture of the Grand Heir. I will not allow His Majesty to choose another Crown Prince."
That was why she had bided her time, wearing down the Emperor. Even if the Emperor did not pass away tonight, she could not afford to wait another day.
Her gaze shifted to the composed Shen Xihe. "It seems the matter in Shunan will be difficult to accomplish."
"Not just Shunan," Shen Xihe declared, unafraid to lay her cards on the table. "There is also the Northwest. Besides Xiao Wenxi, there is also Xue Jinqiao."
The Empress Dowager's expression shifted.
Shen Xihe stared intently at the Empress Dowager, her obsidian-dark eyes exuding a stone-cold chill. "Qiao Qiao was placed under your Soul-seizing Art. When you saw that assassinating me had failed and you dared not act too overtly for fear of Beichen noticing, you had no choice but to follow the example of your pawn, Xiao Wenxi, and bring her into the open. Qiao Qiao's affection for me stems from your Soul-seizing Art."
"How did you guess!" If Shen Xihe's deduction about Xiao Huayong's poisoning had only surprised the Empress Dowager, this revelation about Xue Jinqiao made it difficult for her to maintain her composure."I was not certain at first, but considering the Empress Dowager's meticulous nature, she would never neglect any detail, even if the Northwest was beyond her immediate reach. She would not leave it unattended. The Empress Dowager excels at utilizing young women..." Shen Xihe was deeply reluctant to accept this conclusion, yet she had to face the reality. "What confirmed my suspicion was the Empress Dowager ordering Second Miss Yu to seek out Xun Wang's consort."
Yu Sangning—Shen Xihe had not killed her.
She had kept her alive precisely to uncover the Empress Dowager, the most deeply concealed player.
The Empress Dowager's rescue of Yu Sangning meant she knew of the secret passage. The Empress Dowager was the ultimate beneficiary behind the Rouge Case, with two objectives: first, to monitor court officials through pillow talk and infiltrate civil and military households via inner chambers; second, to amass wealth and cultivate power.
Princess Ruyang and her two sons were the Empress Dowager's agents. The secret passage had been granted to Xiao Huayong by Princess Ruyang's consort under the Empress Dowager's directive, so she naturally knew of its existence.
Why did the Empress Dowager rescue Yu Sangning? Yu Sangning had one purpose: to inform Shen Yingluo without arousing any suspicion that Tan Shi was arranged by Shen Xihe's mother.
Shen Yingluo relied more on Tan Shi than on Xiao Shi. Though nominally master and servant, their bond was that of mother and daughter.
If Shen Yingluo learned that Tan Shi had been planted by Tao Shi since her birth, the blow would be devastating.
With Yu Sangning fueling discord, it would not be difficult to make Shen Yingluo harbor hatred toward Shen Xihe.
Over the past year, Shen Yingluo and Xiao Changfeng had been inseparable, their affection genuine. Xiao Changfeng commanded the Emperor's Invincible Army. The Empress Dowager must have learned from Xiao Huayong that manipulating Shen Yingluo could influence Xiao Changfeng.
But the secret of Tan Shi was something even Shen Xihe only learned later from Shen Yungan. How did the Empress Dowager know?
The answer was self-evident: Shen Yungan told Xue Jinqiao, and Xue Jinqiao told the Empress Dowager.
"What profound scheming!" Though the Empress Dowager had long known of Shen Xihe's brilliance, experiencing it firsthand still left her deeply shaken. "It seems my piece in the Northwest is also useless now."
Shen Xihe had long harbored suspicions and must have already sent word to Shen Yungan. Though Shen Yungan and Xue Jinqiao were deeply in love, his trust in his sister was unshakable. He would not be easily deceived by Xue Jinqiao again and might even counter-exploit her.
"Empress Dowager, you should be grateful you used an art on Qiao Qiao." A sharp glint flashed in Shen Xihe's eyes.
Xue Jinqiao had encountered misfortune in childhood, perhaps unintentionally crossing paths with the Empress Dowager or her agents. As the legitimate daughter of the Xue family, a casually applied art could prove useful someday.
If Xue Jinqiao had been like Xiao Wenxi—not a passive victim but an active enemy spy—Shen Xihe would have made the Empress Dowager pay a grievous price.
At least once Xue Jinqiao was freed from the Soul-seizing Art, she would forget all her controlled actions. She had not truly betrayed Shen Yungan; her feelings for him and her fondness for Shen Xihe were genuine. Moreover, the art had been cast long before they ever met.
No grave mistakes had been committed. Shen Yungan would not hold it against her but would instead cherish her more, preserving their marital bond undamaged.
"Arrogant boasting." The Empress Dowager snorted coldly. "Do you think victory is assured?"
"When crossing swords with the Empress Dowager, how dare I be overconfident?" Shen Xihe remained calm and unflustered, her composure steady.
"Inside and outside the palace, even a thousand miles away—you strategize at every step. But have you considered your own flesh and blood?" The Empress Dowager's question carried profound meaning.Shen Xihe remained expressionless: "Since I gave birth, the fifteenth prince has frequently visited the Eastern Palace. The Empress Dowager must believe he was sent under your orders to lower the vigilance of both me and the balancing pivot."
"Is that not the case?" the Empress Dowager retorted coldly.
"Earlier, I mentioned to the Empress Dowager—how do you know Beichen never suspected you?" Shen Xihe smiled faintly, her expression softening at the mention of Xiao Huayong. "The Empress Dowager intended to elevate the fifteenth prince to the throne and then seize power from him. When Shu Fei schemed to gain custody of the fifteenth prince, it was ultimately Beichen who personally entrusted his upbringing to the Empress Dowager.
The fifteenth prince is Beichen's spy placed by your side. With the balancing pivot by his side, he is perfectly safe."
The Empress Dowager had only confronted Shen Xihe so boldly because she knew Xiao Changhong had succeeded. Had Xiao Changhong not yet accomplished his task, she would never have so thoroughly broken with Shen Xihe and laid everything bare.
"Impossible!" The Empress Dowager's raised voice drowned out the gradually clearing sounds of clashing weapons outside the Hall of Diligent Governance.
How could he have suspected her so early? If that were the case, why hadn't he mentioned it to Shen Xihe? Why did Shen Xihe have to draw her out step by step?
Shen Xihe understood all of the Empress Dowager's doubts. She spoke coldly: "The Empress Dowager was his closest kin, and I am his beloved. He did not wish to expose such ugly ambitions for power before me. With the fifteenth prince by your side, I believe that before the Crown Prince's passing, you had not yet instilled in him any desire to seize the throne. Thus, until then, Beichen merely suspected you—the fifteenth prince was merely a precautionary move.
After your intentions were exposed, you only tempted the fifteenth prince with ambitions of power. You never revealed any useful allies to him—he was merely a stepping stone to your own ascension.
You thought the fifteenth prince, being young, would be easily manipulated. But those born into the royal family who are truly malleable do not live long."
With Xiao Changhong by the Empress Dowager's side, Xiao Huayong did not need to prematurely share his unconfirmed suspicions with Shen Xihe. Deep down, he still clung to a futile hope and fantasy—ultimately, it was nothing more than a human longing for genuine affection.
Had the Empress Dowager posed any threat to Shen Xihe, Xiao Changhong would have alerted her immediately.
Until the very end, Xiao Huayong never verbally expressed his suspicions of the Empress Dowager.
The one who raised him from childhood, who showed him the filthiest aspects of humanity yet did not drive him to madness or consume him with hatred—perhaps it was that trace of warmth from the Empress Dowager, tainted from the very beginning by impure motives.
"Empress Dowager, the fifteenth prince has disappeared," reported one of Xiao Changhong's followers urgently from outside.
The Empress Dowager had no choice but to believe Shen Xihe's words. She stared fixedly at Shen Xihe for a long moment: "I had intended to keep you for last, but it seems that is no longer possible."
Keeping Shen Xihe for last was not out of admiration, but because the charge of forcing the emperor's abdication had to be pinned on Shen Xihe for the Empress Dowager's plans to proceed smoothly.
As soon as the Empress Dowager finished speaking, guards waiting outside rushed in with drawn blades. The consorts scattered in panic, their faces pale with fear.
Shen Xihe, however, seemed to pay them no mind. She made no move to evade them—these men never got close to her. Tianyuan and Hongyu had seized the opportunity to withdraw after she entered, while Moyu had infiltrated the Hall of Diligent Governance with the Youning Emperor's tacit approval.
The Youning Emperor's Hidden Guards were concealed within the bedchamber.
In the blink of an eye, several figures darted out—Moyu positioned herself protectively in front of Shen Xihe."Exterminate them all!" the Empress Dowager commanded, her tone chilling.
Shen Xihe was shielded as she retreated backward, a circle of people enclosing her. Those brought by the Empress Dowager were no ordinary individuals—they had likely long entered the palace through the secret passage and lain in wait within.
Your Majesty's Hidden Guard had not yet appeared. Shen Xihe stood amidst the battleground, the sharp cries of concubines ringing in her ears. Occasionally, a drop or two of blood would splatter toward her; no matter how attentively Moyu tried to block it, she couldn't prevent the stains from blooming like crimson plum blossoms on the sheer silk shawl draped over her arm.
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