The delicate warmth and fragrance of the young lady rushed into her embrace. Tan Shi’s body stiffened as she recalled the first time she held Shen Yingluo, still in swaddling clothes, all those years ago. That same soft warmth had made her reluctant to let go from the very first touch.
How could she not understand the child she had raised?
Shen Yingluo was not a shallow-minded person, nor would she resort to schemes with those close to her. She wasn’t testing Tan Shi or acting on rumors and manipulation. She must have had some suspicions of her own to ask such a question.
Gently pushing Shen Yingluo away, Tan Shi guided her to sit on the chaise lounge, then slowly knelt before her, holding her hands. "This servant has never deceived you, my lady."
Though past forty, Tan Shi had lived comfortably by Shen Yingluo’s side, retaining the grace of a woman in her thirties. Her eyes were clear and honest.
She had never deceived Shen Yingluo. It was true that she had been sent by the lady to serve Shen Yingluo, but her care and devotion were genuine—not out of duty to the lady’s orders, but because she cherished this young mistress from the bottom of her heart.
The wet nurse’s hands were somewhat rough. Shen Yingluo gazed at the burn marks scattered across the back of Tan Shi’s hands—all left from personally preparing soups and meals for her. Over the years, Tan Shi had never harmed her, nor had she ever sown discord between her and her birth mother or even His Majesty. She had never urged her to ingratiate herself with her elder sister or brother.
She had never manipulated her, teaching her only the proper principles of conduct. She had never used her, nor monitored her every move.
"Wet nurse, you…"
Shen Yingluo opened her mouth to ask if she had been sent by the legal wife but then felt it unnecessary to press further. The answer was already self-evident. Hadn’t she said she had never deceived her? Wasn’t that enough?
"Will you deceive me in the future?" Shen Yingluo changed her question.
Tan Shi smiled gently and shook her head. "The Crown Princess has already sent word to this servant. The debt of gratitude I owed the lady has been repaid. If you are still willing to keep me, this servant will remain by your side for the rest of my life, until the day I return to the earth. If you hold any reservations, it is only natural. This servant will accept any decision you make."
Shen Yingluo had been unwilling to lay everything bare, but Tan Shi did not want a thorn to fester in her heart.
She had confessed!
Perhaps because she had already guessed the answer, Shen Yingluo felt no sorrow upon hearing Tan Shi’s words. Instead, she felt a sense of relief. As for whether Tan Shi, sent by the legal wife, was still deceiving her at this very moment, Shen Yingluo believed she could judge for herself.
Especially given the attitudes of Shen Xihe and Shen Yungan toward her, she knew deeply that they truly disdained to harm her.
Gradually calming her emotions, Shen Yingluo helped Tan Shi to her feet. "Wet nurse, how could I ever be without you?"
After so many years, some people had become a habit—impossible to part with or let go.
Tears glistened in Tan Shi’s eyes as she smiled and nodded. "This servant will stay with you for a lifetime."
The two, as close as mother and daughter, shared a smile, letting the past drift away like the wind.
Now that she had found peace, Shen Yingluo told Tan Shi about Yu Sangning’s matter. "Should I… hand her over to my elder sister?"
She understood clearly that Shen Xihe did not need her involvement in the affairs of the Eastern Palace and imperial power.
Tan Shi shook her head. "My lady, the Crown Princess has her own plans. Your kind intention to assist might inadvertently complicate matters. Since the Crown Princess has asked you to wait and observe, it would be best to stay out of it for now. Keep the person until the situation is settled, then hand her over to the Crown Princess."Though Tan Shi did not side with Shen Xihe, Shen Yingluo felt that Tan Shi deeply admired and trusted Shen Xihe. Privately, she herself revered her elder sister, sometimes thinking that if she were merely the illegitimate daughter of an ordinary family, her elder sister might treat her more affectionately.
After hearing Tan Shi's words, Shen Yingluo decided to do nothing. However, as the situation grew increasingly tense, she vaguely sensed that Xiao Changfeng could no longer extricate himself. In truth, she had known from the very beginning that Xiao Changfeng was loyal to His Majesty.
They had married due to her pregnancy, without any grand romance or mutual admiration before the wedding. Yet after marriage, she believed she had fulfilled all the duties of a wife, and Xiao Changfeng treated her with tenderness and consideration, never probing her about the Northwest or the Eastern Palace.
She, in turn, never inquired about Xiao Changfeng's affairs outside the home. The inner quarters of Xun Wang's residence remained impeccably orderly, and her married life was exceptionally peaceful and content.
Tonight, however, she had been restless. The tense atmosphere from the palace had finally seeped out, yet Xiao Changfeng did not act immediately. He remained in his study, and Shen Yingluo did not seek him out.
Only when the funeral bell for His Majesty rang did she believe His Majesty had truly passed away. In that moment, tears burst forth uncontrollably, her heart heavy with complex and pent-up emotions. But just then, Xiao Changfeng opened the study door. He glanced at her, returned to the bedroom, changed his clothes, and took up his sword.
In his calm expression, Shen Yingluo glimpsed a possibility—that His Majesty had not truly died. Yet outside, news had already arrived that Prince Xin, Prince Lie, and Prince Yan were attacking the city gates.
Shen Yingluo initially thought this was a contest between her elder sister and His Majesty, and that Xiao Changfeng had no intention of taking part. For a moment, she felt somewhat relieved. But now, her heart sank like ice—it was not so.
Her elder sister was now contending with others, while His Majesty waited for the snipe and clam to fight each other. Watching Xiao Changfeng return to the bedroom, she paused in thought before saying to Tan Shi, "Nanny, please prepare two cups of wine for me."
Xiao Changfeng, fully equipped and ready to depart, had timed his exit from Xun Wang's residence precisely. But as he reached the moon gate of the inner courtyard, he saw Shen Yingluo. Due to the emperor's funeral bell, she had dressed in mourning attire, a white silk flower pinned in her dark hair.
Her face was bare, her dark eyes serene. She turned and met his gaze across the moon gate, asking, "Must you go?"
"Imperial commands cannot be defied," Xiao Changfeng replied.
Shen Yingluo lowered her gaze and remained silent for a moment. Then, she took two filled wine cups from the tray Tan Shi was holding. "One of these cups contains poison; the other does not.
As husband and wife, we should not resort to fierce conflict. But if you go, regardless of success or failure, our marital ties will be severed. It is better to make a decision now."
If His Majesty won, she was a daughter of the Shen family; if His Majesty lost, how could her elder sister spare him?
Rather than letting others later accuse her elder sister of ruthlessness, it was better to sever this ill-fated bond with her own hands now.
Xiao Changfeng had not expected Shen Yingluo to resolutely choose Shen Xihe. She clearly knew His Majesty's intention in marrying her to him—as long as she did not interfere, she could enjoy a life of luxury regardless of which side won.
"Why must you do this?" Xiao Changfeng's breath hitched, a sudden heaviness pressing on his chest.
"I do not want you to be executed by my elder sister."
Shen Yingluo firmly believed that victory would belong to the Eastern Palace. If Xiao Changfeng went, it would mean certain death.
"For the Crown Princess's reputation?" Xiao Changfeng laughed for some reason, though his smile was bitter.
As if oblivious to his despondency, Shen Yingluo said, "You can choose not to go."Snatching both cups of wine from Shen Yingluo's hands, Xiao Changfeng overturned them before her eyes, pouring out the contents. His gaze cleared: "The House of Xun Wang only pledges loyalty to the sovereign. I bear you no grudge, just as you advised me not to go, yet I must. I urged you not to side with the Eastern Palace, yet you still chose it. Whether I return or not... you must take good care of yourself."
Having spoken, Xiao Changfeng strode past Shen Yingluo. She rushed after him, embracing him from behind: "I am with child."
Xiao Changfeng froze in place.
She held him tightly: "There was no poison in the wine, only a sedative. I too have selfish motives—I cannot bear to see my dearest kin and beloved draw swords against each other..."
The cool breeze of the late spring night felt as if it blew from the depths of winter. Xiao Changfeng's limbs stiffened as if beyond his control.
Yet his heart burned like a raging fire.
"Will you still go?" Sensing his hesitation, Shen Yingluo whispered.
Xiao Changfeng clenched his fists. For generations, the House of Xun Wang had remained loyal to the throne. If he betrayed His Majesty today, no matter who ascended as the new ruler, the legacy of loyalty and righteousness built by his ancestors would shatter in his hands. The iron will of his forebears could not be destroyed by his actions.
"Ah Nuo, forgive me..." Before he could finish, a sharp pain pierced his neck.
In his moment of guilt and turmoil, Shen Yingluo had swiftly inserted a silver needle into his neck. The sedative on the needle took immediate effect—he barely managed to turn around before collapsing.
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