Either the local horse supervisors were lining their own pockets—falsely reporting numbers, exaggerating deaths, concealing breeding figures, and privately selling the hidden horses—or the discrepancies in numbers were being used for other purposes.

The Minister of the Imperial Stud, Jiang Bashi, was a war orphan from the Northwest whom Emperor Youning had saved. He inherited a set of horse-training skills and rose alongside Emperor Youning, advancing from a horse servant to become one of the current Nine Ministers as the Minister of the Imperial Stud, remaining deeply loyal to Emperor Youning.

“Brother, could we send someone capable of investigating the various horse supervisors, ideally to gather evidence…” As she spoke, Shen Xihe smiled, “No, we don’t need to send anyone—I’ll go to the Eastern Palace.”

“You want to make use of the Crown Prince?” Shen Yun’an was slightly surprised.

“How is that making use of him?” Shen Xihe corrected with a clever smile. “I’m simply passing information to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

The horse supervisors were all established in areas with fierce local customs. To deal with someone there, they wouldn’t even need to act personally. Setting any kind of trap would cause the local people to rise in attack. How could they use their people for such a thankless and dangerous task?

Moreover, if their identities were exposed due to the slightest carelessness, it would give others leverage against them and be detrimental to the Northwest.

“Will the Crown Prince go?” Shen Yun’an felt it was somewhat uncertain.

“He will.” Shen Xihe’s cherry blossom-pink lips curved slightly upward. “If others tell him, he won’t; if I tell him, he will.”

If others told him, he would worry it was a trap and be concerned about the dangers involved.

But it was different when it came to Shen Xihe—they both knew they needed to ally. The prerequisite for an alliance was that they needed to have common enemies. If Shen Xihe told him something, it certainly wouldn’t be false information.

On the other hand, it also gave him a chance to prove that as the Emperor’s legitimate son, he would truly be of one mind with them, dispelling their doubts that he might have been sent by the Emperor to spy on Shen Xihe and the others.

This was an opportunity for both sides to show their sincerity.

Shen Xihe’s sincerity was in not passing false information to harm him; his sincerity was in trusting Shen Xihe and giving her reassurance.

Shen Xihe noticed that every time she visited the Eastern Palace, she could eat fresh and exquisite foods. Today, Xiao Huayong again prepared snacks such as Small Heaven Pastries, Golden Milk Pastries, and Folded Flower Goose Cakes.

“I’m very pleased that the Princess could come to see me.” Xiao Huayong’s eyes were gentle. Today he wore a moon-white round-collared robe with delicate Flat Bamboo Leaf embroidery on the collar and cuffs, draped with a sable-collared sea-blue cape, making him appear elegant and graceful.

“Your Highness, Zhaoning wouldn’t come to the Three Treasures Palace without reason.” Shen Xihe directly took out the folded apricot-colored letter paper, pressed it on the table, and pushed it toward Xiao Huayong with two fingers. “This matter must be personally told to Your Highness.”

Xiao Huayong picked up the letter paper, and when he opened it there was a faint fresh fragrance. The paper also had Flat Bamboo Leaf patterns. After scanning the contents of the letter, his thoughts were elsewhere: “The Princess’s letter paper is unique.”

“I like to experiment with things when I have nothing to do; this is my original creation,” Shen Xihe’s gaze fell on the paper. “I used Flat Bamboo trees and infused them with the fragrance of Flat Bamboo leaves.”

“Clear and lustrous as jade, smooth and delicate.” Xiao Huayong gently stroked it. “Might I ask the Princess for some?”

“Tomorrow, Zhaoning will have some sent to Your Highness.” Shen Xihe was very generous.

Satisfied, Xiao Huayong smiled and carefully handed the letter to Tianyuan behind him: “Princess, rest assured, I will certainly take this matter to heart and give you a satisfactory answer soon.”

“I await Your Highness’s good news.” Shen Xihe lifted her teacup, toasting Xiao Huayong with tea instead of wine, and after finishing her tea, she stood up. “My brother is still waiting at the mansion, so I won’t disturb Your Highness further.”

Xiao Huayong didn’t know whether to laugh or cry—she was always like this, straightforward, getting right to the point, and leaving as soon as she was done.

Since Shen Xihe brought up Shen Yun’an, he had no reason to make her stay, and could only say: “My Eastern Palace is quite lonely. I only hope the Princess could come often to talk with me, to add a touch of liveliness to the Eastern Palace.”

Shen Xihe directly refused: “Your Highness may not know, but those who know me all say I am an otherworldly person. If I come often, it would instead make the Eastern Palace less lively.”

This was the first time Xiao Huayong had been left speechless by someone, but he inexplicably felt delighted. Looking at Shen Xihe with increasingly starry eyes, he said nothing more and personally escorted her out of the Eastern Palace.

“Your Highness, the Princess is testing you. Why did you accept?” Tianyuan looked at the letter: There were discrepancies in the horse administration.

“If I hadn’t accepted, she probably would never set foot in the Eastern Palace again.” Xiao Huayong’s lips held a smile as he took the letter from Tianyuan’s hand. “The Imperial Stud… she has indeed given me a pleasant surprise.”

Jiang Bashi controlled the Imperial Stud very strictly. Despite Xiao Huayong’s extensive network, there were still places beyond his reach. The Imperial Stud, not being particularly crucial, was one place where he hadn’t yet managed to plant his people. If this opportunity could be well utilized…

“Your Highness, the various horse supervisors are not ordinary places.” Tianyuan was still worried.

There were too many places where His Highness needed to establish control. Once they had the resources, Tianyuan wouldn’t worry, but now that they had taken on this matter and had to prioritize it, it would disrupt many of His Highness’s plans.

“Then we’ll send an extraordinary person.” Xiao Huayong was calm and composed. “Have Hua Fuhai go personally.”

Tianyuan: !!

“Your Highness, if you send Hua Taoyi and the Princess finds out, you…” You’ll be exposed!

“She won’t send anyone to investigate.” Xiao Huayong was certain. “By informing me about the horse administration matter, she wants me to trust her. Therefore, she won’t do anything to show distrust in me. She will only wait for my results, to see how capable I am and whether I have truly grown distant from His Majesty.”

His Majesty was very wary of the Northwest. She wouldn’t choose a husband who wasn’t decisive enough or who maintained filial devotion to His Majesty.

She worried that even if they won the empire after all their planning, her husband might still harm the Shen family of the Northwest because of the Emperor’s dying wishes.

He needed to dispel all her doubts and make her completely trust that he would be of one mind with her.

“Yes.” Tianyuan sighed softly, not knowing where His Highness’s confidence came from. If the Princess had even a bit more suspicion and set up a trap within a trap regarding the secret investigation of the horse supervisors, His Highness would expose much of himself!

This was quite risky.

Xiao Huayong cast a mild glance at the worried-looking Tianyuan: “I remember there’s still a piece of Agarwood wood in the storehouse.”

“I’ll go check.” Xiao Huayong had too many things, and Tianyuan couldn’t remember them all.

“Bring it here.” Xiao Huayong ordered.

“What does Your Highness plan to use it for?” Tianyuan asked casually.

Xiao Huayong’s gaze fell on the letter paper, his smile gentle and profound: “Since Youyou has given me a gift, I naturally should give one in return. I’ll have it carved into a pair of bracelets to give back to her.”

“Your Highness, if I may be so bold, the Princess likely won’t accept them.” Bracelets were too intimate a gift.

“As a coming-of-age gift, how could she not accept?” A flash of cunning gleamed briefly in Xiao Huayong’s silver-bright eyes.

Agarwood was his most treasured thing, and one’s most treasured thing should be given to one’s most treasured person.