That night, the Snow Lotus from the Tianshan Mountains was delivered into Shen Xihe’s hands by a stranger – an unremarkable-looking man, but one with sharp eyes and the sturdy build of a martial artist.
The white jade box, measuring about twenty inches square, released a cool, fragrant aroma when opened that instantly cleared the mind of anyone who smelled it.
“Wow, what an enormous snow lotus!” Ziyu exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder.
As large as a washbasin, its jade-green leaves glistened as if wet with dew, while the white petals unfurled as softly as goose down, pure white with distinct veining and a captivating luster.
Shen Xihe placed one of her small seals in the box and handed it back to the messenger, saying, “Please give this to your master.”
Shen Xihe had already mentioned the Northwestern market situation to Shen Yun’an. Since he had safely returned to the Northwest, he had presumably discussed matters with Father. When Hua Fuhai arrived with this seal, they could negotiate the profit distribution themselves.
“Princess, just breathing in this lotus’s fragrance makes this servant feel refreshed and uplifted,” Ziyu said coquettishly after the messenger left. “Could we keep just one petal?”
“This flower has traveled thousands of miles from the Tianshan Mountains, yet remains perfectly intact, even down to its roots,” Shen Xihe observed, looking at the snow lotus swaying between the ice crystals. The jade box contained a solid block of ice, with the snow lotus appearing to grow within it.
Through the transparent ice, its roots were visible. “We don’t know how much His Highness needs, nor when he might use it. We cannot damage it.”
“This servant understands,” Ziyu nodded obediently.
“Rest early, we’ll enter the palace first thing tomorrow,” Shen Xihe instructed before washing up and retiring.
Usually, when she lay in bed, her mind would be empty of thoughts, allowing her to fall asleep within moments. Tonight, however, she found herself wondering if the Crown Prince was truly him.
If he was, then this snow lotus was exactly what he needed – so why would he obtain it only to send it to her, and what sense would it make for her to send it back to the Eastern Palace?
If he wasn’t, then who was really behind Cui Jinbai and the others? Could it truly be Prince Jing, thousands of miles away?
Rarely had anything left her so uncertain and unclear. Xiao Huayong had only revealed that his condition wasn’t a strange illness or weakness, but rather a severe poison that had plagued him until now.
The Bone-Melting Pill wasn’t an antidote – it was primarily nourishing. Baitouweng had also said he hadn’t examined it carefully and didn’t know if it could counter all poisons. So it was possible that the person impersonating Hua Fuhai that day in Apricot Grove wasn’t Xiao Huayong.
Why had Xiao Huayong left the capital at this time?
Was he connected to the case of the intercepted autumn grain?
There were too many mysteries she couldn’t unravel. Although her intuition told her with eighty percent certainty that Xiao Huayong was him, she trusted but never relied solely on intuition. All decisions required rigorous reasoning.
Shen Xihe pondered for nearly half an hour before setting aside her thoughts to sleep.
Never mind, she would take it one step at a time. When the time was right, the clouds would part to reveal the truth.
The next morning, after a light breakfast, Shen Xihe entered the palace. She wasn’t sure if Xiao Huayong had returned, and the Imperial physicians had previously said the Tianshan Snow Lotus would be remarkably effective for the Crown Prince.
To avoid exposing him if Xiao Huayong hadn’t returned and couldn’t be awakened, Shen Xihe quietly met with Tianyuan and gave him the Tianshan Snow Lotus.
“This servant thanks the Princess on behalf of His Highness,” Tianyuan played his part enthusiastically, showing great excitement and joy.
He knew well that His Highness didn’t actually need the Tianshan Snow Lotus, and that His Highness had obtained it himself. He didn’t understand why His Highness wouldn’t let the Princess know, choosing instead such a roundabout approach, nor why His Highness hadn’t returned yet. He felt somewhat worried.
“Is His Highness using the Tianshan Snow Lotus as an antidote?” Shen Xihe asked softly.
Since Tianyuan had personally arranged for Gu Zexiang to inform her about the Crown Prince’s poisoning, he wasn’t surprised that Shen Xihe knew about it. “In reply to the Princess, it’s not for poison, but rather for strengthening his constitution.”
Tianyuan found himself in a difficult position. His Highness had instructed that he could conceal things in the future but must never lie, or else the Princess would hold him accountable later. To minimize future charges against himself, yet unable to reveal everything, he was truly stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“Has His Highness returned?” Shen Xihe asked again.
Tianyuan bowed and answered, “No.”
“Why did His Highness leave the capital?” Shen Xihe continued.
“For the autumn grain matter.” His Highness had instructed him about these answers before leaving.
As expected – Shen Xihe had already suspected this. The autumn grain incident was indeed connected to him.
“Did His Highness go to…” Shen Xihe asked her final question, “Chase or to hide?”
“First to chase, then to hide,” Tianyuan answered with a smile.
This meant the grain theft wasn’t planned by Xiao Huayong – he had retrieved the goods but then hidden them away to use in some scheme.
Having learned what she wanted to know, Shen Xihe prepared to leave, but Tianyuan stepped forward: “Princess, His Highness’s intent lies with the Ministry of Revenue.”
Shen Xihe raised her eyes sharply, her obsidian pupils staring directly at Tianyuan, showing a hint of surprise.
Although tax and grain matters concerned the Ministry of Revenue, that didn’t necessarily mean it was the target. Who had intercepted the grain? And for what purpose?
Shen Xihe nodded slightly and walked away.
Tianyuan watched Shen Xihe’s retreating figure, recalling His Highness’s instructions before leaving the capital: “If she asks why I left, tell her it’s for the autumn grain.”
“How should this servant respond if the Princess inquires further?” Tianyuan had no desire to play mind games with the Princess – he was no match for her. Without His Highness’s guidance, he feared one misstep would spring the Princess’s trap and expose something about His Highness.
“You may tell her everything regarding the autumn grain,” Xiao Huayong said with a smile, turning a black chess piece between his fingers. “She will think of the Ministry of Revenue after learning about the Pasturage Office from Shen Yun’an. Tell her my intentions to lie with the Ministry of Revenue, let her know-how in sync our minds are.”
Tianyuan: …
Ever since His Highness had met the Princess, Tianyuan could no longer fathom his thoughts. Because he couldn’t guess the Princess’s thoughts, but His Highness could.
Not only could His Highness guess them, but he always followed the Princess’s thinking, making Tianyuan wonder if he should get closer to the Princess’s servants to better understand her thoughts.
Perhaps that would help him maintain his position as His Highness’s primary confidant.
The reason Shen Xihe leaned toward believing Xiao Huayong was behind Cui Jinbai and the others was that when she had warned Xiao Huayong about such a person’s existence, he hadn’t taken any action at all. She suspected his current departure from the capital might be to investigate Prince Jing.
If he truly left the capital because of Prince Jing, that would confirm that the person was Prince Jing.
His inaction suggested only two possibilities: either he was that person, or he had long known of such a person’s existence.
As Shen Xihe walked slowly in her pearl-adorned upturned shoes, lost in thought, Hongyu and Biyu followed behind.
“Ahhhhh, look out—!”
Suddenly, a cry came from above as a shadow fell. Hongyu quickly pulled Shen Xihe aside while Biyu reached out to catch the falling person. The impact force sent Biyu stumbling backward into Hongyu, causing both Hongyu and Shen Xihe to fall as well.