“Better to fail all under heaven than to fail you.”

Such soul-stirring sentiment would have delighted any other woman, but Shen Xihe only fixed Xiao Huayong with an incomprehensible gaze.

Could someone care so deeply for another person without blood ties?

Could one truly love that much?

How was it possible to love to such an extent?

To Shen Xihe, this was inconceivable.

Her eyes held the unguarded confusion and bewilderment of a deer, yet Xiao Huayong didn’t feel the least bit frustrated. Instead, his lips curved upward: “One day, I will make you understand how willing this is, how deeply I’ve sunk, how determined I am without regret.”

A trace of a smile appeared at the corners of Shen Xihe’s lips – not mocking, but conveying a profound sense of absurdity.

Xiao Huayong remained undiscouraged. He clasped his hands behind his back, gazing at the sheer cliff faces, steep and treacherous, with winding paths through dense forests. Rolling mists swirled endlessly, mountains and waters layered upon each other, thousands of vines intertwined. A powerful desire to conquer arose within him.

The cries of the gyrfalcon intermingled with the giant snake’s hisses, transmitted intermittently through the peaks and mountain mists.

A Xi and Mo Yu began tidying things up – even though they were staying, they couldn’t leave things scattered about. Shen Xihe was still somewhat weak. She sat quietly, tilting her head back with closed eyes to enjoy the sunlight filtering through the branches.

While this spot was peaceful and undisturbed, brutal fighting raged below.

Emperor Youning had adopted Xiao Changgeng’s suggestion to poison the giant snake. However, all the poisoned chickens, ducks, and sheep they threw down were simply knocked aside by the snake. It neither bit nor swallowed them. Having ingested only a small amount of the poison Xiao Huayong had administered, it was extremely agitated.

Emerging from the deep pool, it charged about recklessly, attacking any living thing it saw. When the pain became unbearable, it would slam itself against the walls. The gyrfalcon kept its wings folded, perched on the cliff face, watching everything below.

Emperor Youning had made thorough preparations to slay the snake, secretly deploying the Divine Crossbow Unit overnight among the layered forests. These crossbows were extremely powerful with a range of several hundred paces. The strong bolts penetrated the snake’s rigid skin, embedding like nails deep in its body.

Even so, it refused to fall easily. Despite being pierced by dozens of crossbow bolts, it continued thrashing and roaring.

When the archers attacked again, it had learned to dodge. Soon the arrows were exhausted. As it charged forward with its bloody maw agape, Xiao Huayong, having led Shen Xihe to a safe position, happened to witness this scene.

He took out a bone whistle and blew softly. The gyrfalcon, still as stone on the cliff edge, finally spread its wings and swooped down.

Shen Xihe glanced sideways at the whistle in his hand, carved from large animal bone, producing a crisp, penetrating sound, lustrous as white jade.

“Would you like one?” Xiao Huayong produced another and offered it to Shen Xihe.

Shen Xihe turned her expressionless face toward the scene below, silently refusing.

Having expected her rejection, Xiao Huayong put it away. The gyrfalcon soared off, its wingspan stretching ten feet.

Shen Xihe saw it sweep past the giant snake’s neck, leaving a spray of blood droplets in the air. After one loop in mid-air, it returned, dodging the snake’s attack before raking its body, tearing away two chunks of flesh.

While an uninjured snake might have stood a chance, this one was already weakened by Xiao Huayong’s poison and grievously wounded by the crossbows. How could it match a well-fed, energetic gyrfalcon?

In moments, the snake’s massive body crashed to the ground. After a few spasms, it lay still. Yet no one dared approach until the gyrfalcon, following Xiao Huayong’s command, flew down and tore open its vulnerable belly. Only then did Liu Sanzhi dare step forward.

“Let’s return to the temporary palace,” Xiao Huayong said to Shen Xihe.

With everyone’s attention on the snake, this was the perfect moment to slip back unnoticed. Upon arrival, they separated, with Mo Yu supporting Shen Xihe toward her courtyard.

Bu Shulin and Xue Jinqiao were still searching for Shen Xihe. All the ministers and their wives who had come were waiting for news at the council hall under Emperor Youning’s leadership, with all guards concentrated there. Only Bu Shulin and Xue Jinqiao had ignored the restrictions to search for Shen Xihe.

“Hong Yu, go summon the imperial physician. Mo Yu, find Young Master Bu and Seventh Miss Xue,” Shen Xihe ordered after understanding the situation.

A Xi had inserted a needle in the back of her head, creating a large bump. She would tell the physician she had fallen, hit her head, and lost consciousness, only to be found by her servants and attendants.

When the imperial physician came to check her pulse, he could only detect blood stagnation at the back of her head, consistent with a fall injury. This way, Emperor Youning wouldn’t investigate where she had gone, nor suspect her involvement in Princess Changling’s death.

Emperor Youning had just received news of the snake’s slaying when word came that Shen Xihe had been found. Hearing she needed a physician, he immediately appointed his most trusted Imperial Physician Zhuo.

Among the three most respected figures in the Imperial Medical Bureau – Chief Physician Chen and Deputy Physicians Zhuo and Huang – only Deputy Physician Zhuo was Emperor Youning’s confidant.

After examining Shen Xihe, Deputy Physician Zhuo reported back to Emperor Youning: “Your Majesty, Princess Zhaoning has many scrapes, surely from tumbling down a slope. There’s swelling at the back of her head from a severe impact, and cold qi has stagnated in her body, likely from lying unconscious in the wilderness overnight.”

“We understand. You may withdraw,” Emperor Youning waved his hand.

He suspected Shen Xihe’s overnight absence was revenge against Changling. Emperor Youning couldn’t make sense of Changling’s sudden madness and drowning, with Shen Xihe being the most likely culprit – he had heard of her hallucinogenic incense.

However, there had been no traces of burning incense in Changling’s chambers last night. He wondered if Shen Xihe might have used other means.

Now it seemed Shen Xihe wasn’t responsible. When Changling met her fate, he immediately sent someone to inform Xiao Huayong, who was reported to be in his chambers. Neither of them could be the killer – could Changling truly have simply lost her mind?

Emperor Youning turned back and took out a scroll painting. The woman depicted bore a seventy percent resemblance to Princess Changling. She was his lifelong unrequited love. His doting on Princess Changling stemmed from her resemblance to the woman in the painting.

Changling looked like their daughter, a vessel for his emotional longing.

Now Changling was gone…

“Your Majesty, the Twelfth Prince seeks an audience,” Liu Sanzhi reported.

“Summon him,” Emperor Youning put away the painting.

As Xiao Changgeng entered, he caught a glimpse of half a woman’s portrait, though not the face. He immediately lowered his head: “Your Majesty, son feels there may be something unusual beneath the pool. The pool teems with venomous snakes and requires careful handling.”

“We have already arranged for the aftermath,” Emperor Youning had considered this as well. He asked, “You merit the highest credit for slaying this snake. What reward do you desire?”