Shen Xihe smiled slightly: “That’s just an excuse. I think His Majesty believed that you and Cui Shaoqing…”
“Pfft—”
Before Shen Xihe could finish, Bu Shulin sprayed out another mouthful of tea, looking at the water stains all over the table and floor. She raised her face with a forced smile, meeting Shen Xihe’s narrowed eyes.
“I… I’ll clean it up.” Bu Shulin hurriedly wiped the table with her sleeve, then added, “I’ll have someone thoroughly clean the carpet when we get back. If you’re disgusted by it, I’ll give you a new identical one!”
Shen Xihe took a deep breath, casually picked up her book, and began reading with a cold expression.
Given her love for cleanliness, not throwing Bu Shulin out immediately showed remarkable restraint.
If not for Bu Shulin’s unhealed serious injuries, Shen Xihe would have truly wanted to throw her out.
“You can’t blame me,” Bu Shulin mumbled pitifully. “Who told you to say such shocking things?”
His Majesty believed that she and Cui Shaoqing were truly romantic partners.
“Why wouldn’t he believe it?” Shen Xihe gave Bu Shulin a sidelong glance. “Are you unaware of what you’ve done?”
Bu Shulin stroked her chin: “Perhaps I was too convincing?”
Maybe she should have shown more restraint. Now even His Majesty believed it, worried that Cui Stone Head might seek revenge for her after being manipulated.
“But that’s not right. Even if His Majesty believes Cui Stone Head and I are real,” Bu Shulin couldn’t figure it out. “What could Cui Stone Head do for me? Would he defy imperial orders for me?”
Even real spouses couldn’t do that, let alone their pretense of male companionship.
“He might not defy imperial orders, but what if His Majesty has secrets he doesn’t want you to know, and thus takes extra care to keep them from Cui Shaoqing?” Shen Xihe said.
“What does this have to do with His Majesty? Could it be that His Majesty ordered someone to set fire to the ancestral temple?” Bu Shulin frowned.
Shen Xihe sighed lightly and continued reading her book.
Bu Shulin was deeply wounded by Shen Xihe’s attitude of treating her like a frog in a well unable to comprehend the ocean, or a summer insect unable to understand ice. She snatched the book: “Fine, I admit it! I’m not as clever as you, not as capable of seeing the whole picture from a glimpse, but you don’t have to look down on me like this!”
Shen Xihe grabbed her book back: “Prince Xun didn’t die.”
“What—ouch…” Bu Shulin was so shocked she pulled her wound, clutching her hand. “Prince Xun faked his death? This is His Majesty’s secret?”
Shen Xihe nodded: “His Majesty’s special forces needed someone to command and train them. Prince Xun was the perfect choice.”
Shen Xihe finally understood why Xiao Huayong wanted to burn the ancestral temple. Perhaps Prince Xun was hiding in the temple, or his residence was nearby. If the temple caught fire, as a descendant, Prince Xun would surely not stand idly by.
The temple fire was meant to draw out Prince Xun. Xiao Huayong had confirmed that Prince Xun was leading troops for His Majesty – he was trying to cut off His Majesty’s arm!
Compared to Prince Kang, Prince Xun was His Majesty’s core strength. Prince Xun was someone willing to become a dead man for His Majesty!
Such loyalty was unmatched!
“Prince Xun is truly loyal to his emperor,” Bu Shulin was shocked. “He was the King of the Northeast!”
His prestige in the Northeast was no less than Shen Yueshan’s in the Northwest. When he reportedly died from a recurring illness in the Northeast, people for ten li came to send him off, every household hanging white silk. Even now, people still talk about it with great interest.
“He’s not afraid of His Majesty discarding him after using him. He’s already died once – even if His Majesty kills him now, no one would know,” Bu Shulin firmly believed her father could never go to such lengths.
Shen Xihe looked at her quietly: “Does the Shunan King have any strategists?”
Not understanding why Shen Xihe suddenly changed topics, Bu Shulin nodded truthfully: “Yes, my adoptive father.”
“That explains it.” Shen Xihe expressed understanding.
“No, no, what do you mean by that?” Bu Shulin vaguely felt she was being looked down upon by Shen Xihe again, and she refused to accept it.
“Without strategists, I would somewhat doubt how the Shunan Prince’s mansion has avoided falling,” Shen Xihe elegantly picked up her flower tea and took a sip.
“Youyou, I warn you, you can bully me, order me around, ignore me, but you cannot insult my intelligence!” Bu Shulin fumed.
“Intelligence?” Shen Xihe looked her up and down, shaking her head regretfully. “You have none.”
“You… I…” Bu Shulin was so angry she patted her chest.
Shen Xihe put down her teacup: “If you insist you have intelligence, fine. Then tell me why Prince Xun gave up being the respected King of the Northeast to fake his death and secretly build a private army for His Majesty?”
“Prince Xun is a subject, His Majesty is the ruler. Prince Xun’s wife and children are all in the capital – how could he escape His Majesty’s control?” Bu Shulin said righteously.
Hearing this, Shen Xihe showed a trace of disdain: “You’re wrong. Once His Majesty entrusted the task of building a private army to Prince Xun, he only had two paths: serve His Majesty’s purpose or truly die knowing the secret.”
Bu Shulin nodded: “Yes if he died, it would anger His Majesty, who would surely take action against Prince Xun’s household.”
Rubbing her temples, Shen Xihe said: “Prince Xun’s achievements benefited the nation. If he chose to die maintaining his dignity, how could His Majesty move against his wife and children? How would he explain it to Prince Xun’s guards? How would the people of the Northeast view him?”
“Uh…” Bu Shulin immediately deflated. “Then isn’t it just loyalty to the emperor?”
“Why did His Majesty build a private army?” After being tortured by Bu Shulin’s slowness, Shen Xihe finally understood why she found conversations with Xie Yunhuai and Xiao Huayong so pleasant. Bu Shulin was like a wooden block to her – talking to her was truly exhausting.
“Building a private army firstly ensures the troops aren’t controlled by others, secondly allows for surprise attacks against us, and thirdly intimidates the regional military governors, letting all military groups know that if they don’t obey, His Majesty can replace them at any time.” Bu Shulin had figured out this much.
“If so, Prince Xun’s fate was destined to be death. His Majesty wouldn’t let him become the pillar of the new army. The day His Majesty takes over the new army would be his death day,” Shen Xihe said. “If death was inevitable, why didn’t he maintain his dignity back then, instead of letting His Majesty use him up?”
“His Majesty must have had serious leverage over him!” Bu Shulin realized.
Shen Xihe shook her head slightly: “No, His Majesty had no leverage, and it wasn’t out of loyalty to the emperor. He wanted to defeat my father.”
Bu Shulin’s pupils dilated, and after thinking, she suddenly understood: “I remember now, Father often said Prince Xun never lost in external battles, but internally he was defeated three times by the Northwestern King.”
When the previous emperor was still alive and Prince Xun was still the heir, he was loyal to the royal family. Northwestern King Shen Yueshan supported Prince Qian and the current Emperor Youning. Fighting for different masters, they clashed several times, with Prince Xun always losing to Shen Yueshan, leading to Prince Qian and His Majesty’s march into the capital.