The fine-leaf winter jasmine had been mentioned that day when discussing the Crown Prince’s illness. He had carelessly mentioned that although the Crown Prince often feigned his cough, his lungs were actually in poor condition, being one of the areas most severely damaged by poison.
Fine-leaf winter jasmine could both detoxify and nourish the lungs, greatly benefiting the Crown Prince. However, it was extremely rare, and the jasmine bloomed only for an instant, making it difficult to collect. If harvested before fully blooming, its efficacy would sharply decrease, and the same was true if it had begun to wither – this balance was very difficult to achieve.
No one in the world understood the habits of flowers better than Shen Xihe, not even the Crown Prince. Though the Eastern Palace had many rare flowers and herbs, they were mostly grasses and trees. Moreover, now that the Crown Prince had come of age, things were different from before – he couldn’t just hide in the Eastern Palace.
Even though many matters were clearly beyond the Crown Prince’s energy and ability to handle, the Eastern Palace officials still had to run everything by him. This was protocol; otherwise, the censors would be watching, and no one dared to act on their authority.
This resulted in Xiao Huayong having to meet with officials responsible for various matters almost daily. The Crown Prince could rarely leave the palace, so Shen Xihe had never let Sui Axi inform him about this matter.
Though Sui Axi knew of this flower, he had never handled it himself. Moreover, he had to enter the palace every few days to treat the Crown Prince’s eyes. Recently, the Crown Prince’s vision had improved somewhat – though he still saw things in five colors, he could see more clearly.
Two days later, Emperor Youning indeed issued a secret decree for Bu Shulin to leave the capital to investigate the tomb robbery case. Officially, she had fallen ill and received His Majesty’s gracious permission to recuperate at the Bu residence. The imperial physicians would, as per His Majesty’s instructions, make perfunctory daily visits right on schedule.
Shen Xihe waited until three days after Bu Shulin had left the capital before entering the palace. This time, she didn’t first pay respects to the Empress Dowager but rather sought an audience with His Majesty. Upon hearing that Shen Xihe sought an audience, Emperor Youning’s eyelid twitched.
Apart from her second day in the capital when she came to pay respects, this girl never sought an audience unless there was trouble.
“What difficulty has Zhao Ning encountered today?” Emperor Youning decided to ask directly.
“Your Majesty, Zhao Ning wishes to request permission to travel to Linchuan. Zhao Ning’s cousin is getting married, and when I was in Linchuan, my cousin saved my life. Zhao Ning had promised to personally attend the ceremony,” Shen Xihe explained unhurriedly.
This wasn’t an excuse – her second cousin was indeed getting married. This had been decided last year, and when Shen Xihe was at her younger uncle’s home in Linchuan, she had indeed promised to stay for the ceremony. Who could have known Emperor Youning would suddenly issue an imperial decree requiring her to enter the capital?
Upon hearing this, Emperor Youning furrowed his brow: “From here to Linchuan, even traveling without impediment would take half a month to arrive. Your round trip would take no less than a month. You come of age before the new year, and I promised your father to hold a grand coming-of-age ceremony for you in the capital.”
“Zhao Ning thanks Your Majesty for your care. Zhao Ning still has a month and a half before coming of age, and will certainly return within a month,” Shen Xihe’s tone carried a hint of stubbornness.
“Zhao Ning, winter is coming with its severe cold and snow. You’re physically frail. I’ll send a palace servant to Linchuan with your congratulatory gifts and personally bestow some rewards on the newlyweds. We can say you requested these for them,” Emperor Youning didn’t want Shen Xihe to leave the capital, especially at this crucial time.
“Your Majesty’s bestowment would indeed be the highest honor, but Zhao Ning going in person is to fulfill a promise. Zhao Ning does not wish to become someone who breaks their word,” Shen Xihe insisted. “If Your Majesty won’t permit it, Zhao Ning will have no choice but to run away in secret.”
“You—” Emperor Youning was both amused and angered by her brazen declaration about running away.
But if she did run away, he truly had no recourse. She hadn’t come to the capital as a hostage – though that was the implied meaning, it hadn’t been made explicit. She was a free person, unlike Bu Shulin who held an official position and could be charged with dereliction of duty for running away.
“You truly must go?” Emperor Youning asked gravely.
Shen Xihe nodded firmly: “Must go.”
“There’s no alternative?” Emperor Youning asked again.
“There is no alternative,” Shen Xihe answered with certainty.
Emperor Youning looked at her for a long while. Seeing she wouldn’t budge an inch, and fearing she might run away, he finally sighed lightly: “Very well, I permit you to go. However, I will arrange the personnel who will accompany and protect you.”
“Zhao Ning kowtows in gratitude to Your Majesty,” Shen Xihe agreed joyfully.
Emperor Youning truly felt he wasn’t even this lenient with his daughters. It wasn’t that he particularly liked Shen Xihe, but rather that her temperament genuinely gave him a headache – he didn’t know how to handle her, unable to be either strict or lenient.
Better to marry her off quickly once she comes of age.
With this thought, Emperor Youning said: “Zhao Ning, since you’ve come to the capital, your father has entrusted your marriage to me, asking me to find you a good match. Do you have any young man you fancy? After you come of age, I will arrange an imperial marriage for you.”
Shen Xihe thought of how ladies in the Northwest would act upon seeing her brother, and mimicked a shy expression: “Father says Your Majesty’s princes are all accomplished in both talent and appearance. He says Zhao Ning is the most precious lady and should marry the most noble young man. Zhao Ning’s heart yearns for the Crown Prince, and wishes to marry him.”
Though her face showed bashfulness, Shen Xihe felt awkward from head to toe, and even more uncomfortable inside. At this moment, she rather admired Xiao Huayong’s ability to act in any role naturally.
Since entering the capital, Shen Xihe had never shown a friendly face to any other prince, only frequently visiting the Eastern Palace. Not only Emperor Youning, but all the civil and military officials could see that Shen Xihe was pursuing Xiao Huayong.
Though this answer was expected, Emperor Youning’s face showed neither joy nor anger: “The Crown Prince is indeed excellent, but Zhao Ning, do you know about the Crown Prince’s health… Why have you come to yearn for the Crown Prince?”
“To be honest with Your Majesty,” Shen Xihe said softly, “Zhao Ning’s heart yearns for the Crown Prince precisely because of his weak health.”
“Oh?” Emperor Youning was somewhat surprised – she was truly straightforward.
“We share the same fate,” Shen Xihe’s tone carried sadness. “Zhao Ning is also physically frail, also predicted not to live past twenty. Zhao Ning understands the Crown Prince’s helplessness and resignation. The Crown Prince and I are perhaps destined souls. In our remaining time, we can share our life stories. I need not be wary of his physical condition, and the Crown Prince need not worry about my future.
Perhaps… perhaps we may not have been born on the same day in the same year, but we could die on the same day in the same year. Speaking of this, in the future, when descendants speak of the Crown Prince and me, it might become an eternal romantic tale.”
Two people with similarly short lifespans, carving out a bloody path on this treacherous road of imperial power, ultimately reaching the supreme position – wouldn’t that indeed be an eternal romantic tale?
Emperor Youning didn’t know Shen Xihe’s inner thoughts, but her words did seem sincere.
So it was because of their shared illness that she had chosen Xiao Huayong from the start. Emperor Youning naturally knew about her saving the Fierce Prince in Changsha Commandery.
From this, Emperor Youning could also see that Shen Yueshan had hoped for Shen Xihe to marry the Fierce Prince, but the girl herself was unwilling.
In that case, the Crown Prince wasn’t Shen Yueshan’s choice, but the girl’s own choice.