Emperor Youning never imagined they would utilize Xue Heng this way. Xue Heng likely still didn’t realize he was being manipulated. It was precisely because of this that Emperor Youning believed Xue Heng and Wang Zheng’s Divine Warrior Army would deeply trust him as well.
These people entering Northwestern Prince’s city would be walking into a trap and the result…
Emperor Youning closed his eyes briefly, suddenly seized by another violent fit of coughing. Liu Sanzhi offered a handkerchief, but Emperor Youning didn’t take it. He quickly suppressed the coughing, his face, which had seemingly regained some color, rapidly turning ashen gray. He stared at the increasingly disadvantageous position on the board, forcing down another piece. How similar was this desperate maintenance of the game to his body’s current struggle?
“In terms of meticulous planning, perhaps no one in the world can match you.” Emperor Youning slowly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on Shen Xihe. “What you just told Mother about Yu confirming that Mother’s spy in the Northwest was from the Xue family—that was meant for my ears.”
The truth was she had long confirmed Xue Jinqiao was the Empress Dowager’s spy and had broken Xue Jinqiao’s technique even before Xue Jinqiao sent messages to the Empress Dowager. She had even directed Xue Jinqiao to tell the Empress Dowager about Tan’s secret.
This was to bait Xue Heng, forcing him to completely side with His Majesty to protect Xue Jinqiao.
“In my contest with the Empress Dowager, victory remains undecided. How could I dare show my hand before Your Majesty?” Shen Xihe didn’t deny it; the answer was obvious. “The Northwest and the Three Northern Departments were beyond Your Majesty’s reach. If Your Majesty had known earlier that everything was my scheme, I fear the Divine Warrior Army under Prince Xun wouldn’t have attacked the palace gates.”
Having come this far, how could she allow any fish to slip through the net?
If His Majesty had known the truth earlier, he would have had time to change plans, ordering Xiao Changfeng to take the Divine Warrior Army far from the capital, constantly lurking somewhere, watching her.
Shen Xihe had no intention of overthrowing the dynasty, but if Xiao Changfeng led his men into hiding, they would have to live their entire lives in anonymity. Perhaps influenced by Xiao Huayong, Shen Xihe disliked the feeling of anything escaping her control.
Emperor Youning pondered—if Shen Xihe had revealed to the Empress Dowager earlier that everything was orchestrated by her, what would his choice have been? Perhaps he still would have risked everything, or perhaps, as Shen Xihe predicted, he would have ordered them to retreat in time.
Since the situation was decided and he had no power to stop Shen Xihe, why not keep a watchful eye on her?
But Shen Xihe wanted to cut off even this possibility, cleanly and decisively.
Setting aside his identity as emperor, Shen Xihe was a Shen family daughter, and Emperor Youning had to admit that perhaps if Shen Xihe were to rule, it would be a blessing for the common people.
“In that case, Prince Xun has no chance of victory either? Who was it? Aruo?” Emperor Youning’s hand trembled slightly as he placed his piece.
He could feel his body’s strength gradually weakening. His time must be near.
Shaking her head slightly, Shen Xihe said: “I have never been false to Prince Xun’s wife.”
She had treated Shen Yingruo as someone dispensable, so naturally wouldn’t seek her help at this crucial moment under the banner of blood ties. However, Shen Yingruo’s choice did make her feelings somewhat complicated…
After Yu Sangning was rescued by the Empress Dowager, she went to sow discord between Shen Yingruo and Shen Xihe. If Shen Yingruo could be made to hate Shen Xihe because of this, it might give the Empress Dowager unexpected joy.
Besides Yu Sangning, the Empress Dowager had few options.
At this sensitive time, with the Imperial Grandson’s investiture imminent, Shen Yingruo would be wary of anyone connected to the various forces in the capital, suspecting attempts to drive a wedge between them. Even if seeds of doubt were planted in her heart, she absolutely wouldn’t dig deeper before the situation became clear.
Shen Yingruo had this sense of propriety, and the Empress Dowager knew it.
Yu Sangning was different. She had nothing left to rely on, and there was another advantage: if something happened to Yu Sangning and Shen Yingruo brought her before His Majesty, it would be difficult to trace it back to the Empress Dowager.
Just like when they used Yu Sangzhi’s matter—the Empress Dowager had never appeared before Yu Sangning. Even now, Yu Sangning didn’t know who had threatened her or who had rescued her through the secret passage.
Using anyone else would inevitably cause complications.
After the prayer ceremony, the Empress Dowager must have also sensed that His Majesty was subtly suspicious of her. She wouldn’t dare act rashly or find others to make this move. Even though this move, even if Shen Xihe hadn’t suspected her before, would make people suspect Princess Imperial Ruyang when someone was rescued through the secret passage, the Empress Dowager couldn’t care about so much.
His Majesty’s Divine Warrior Army was in Xiao Changfeng’s hands. If Yu Sangning could bewitch Shen Yingruo, she could not only use Shen Yingruo against Shen Xihe but also Xiao Changfeng—killing two birds with one stone. The benefits outweighed the risks, so the Empress Dowager chose to make this move.
She even sent people skilled in soul-controlling techniques. If provocation failed, they would try to hypnotize Shen Yingruo.
But heaven didn’t cooperate with human plans.
The day Yu Sangning approached Shen Yingruo, Shen Yingruo had just discovered she was pregnant…
She listened to Yu Sangning’s words expressionlessly. For the sake of the child in her womb, she struggled to control her emotions. Earlier, due to the increasingly tense situation in the capital, unable to see her elder sister, and knowing her elder sister didn’t welcome her or need her meddling, she had suppressed her anxiety, leading to signs of potential miscarriage.
The physician had just advised her to avoid agitation and anger.
After Yu Sangning’s emotional revelation about Tan’s first marriage, Shen Yingruo asked with extreme coldness: “Are you finished?”
Both Yu Sangning and the palace servant sent by the Empress Dowager were stunned.
Shen Yingruo showed no anger at being deceived or manipulated, remaining as calm as if hearing about someone else’s tragedy.
This left them unable to employ their various tactics, and because Shen Yingruo had just learned of her pregnancy, even when Yu Sangning mentioned it concerned her birth mother Xiao and that there were spies around her, Shen Yingruo wouldn’t meet with the two alone.
No matter how powerful the soul-controlling technique, it required vulnerability to work, and it couldn’t handle two people at once. Besides, Shen Yingruo had strong guards standing beside her.
“Lock these two up. Don’t let news of my meeting with them reach the Prince’s ears!” After giving these orders, Shen Yingruo rose and slowly left.
Though she appeared unaffected with each step, her nails were digging into her flesh, one hand pressed against her lower abdomen, constantly breathing in and out to maintain her outward calm.
Returning to her courtyard, Tan prepared pregnancy-protecting medicine and brought it to Shen Yingruo. Shen Yingruo’s eyes glazed with tears as she quietly looked at Tan.
This woman in her life who had warmed her protected her, comforted her, always stood by her side, and given her everything that should have come from a mother—was her stepmother, placed at her side from the beginning to monitor her.
Did she hate her? Was she hurt? Was she in despair?
Yes, all of these, but somehow when she saw her, she couldn’t express any of these emotions.
She was even pathetically afraid to expose the truth, not wanting her to leave.
“Princess, what’s wrong? Where are you uncomfortable? Quickly tell this servant.” Tan rushed forward with concern upon seeing her pale face and tearful eyes.
Shen Yingruo hugged her tightly: “Nanny, have you ever lied to me?”