“If the Princess came to mock me, there’s no need,” Governor Yu’s expression grew fouler.

Shen Xihe lowered her head to adjust her cape and sleeves, only looking up after ensuring everything was impeccable: “I came to seek clarity from Governor Yu.”

Governor Yu stared coldly at Shen Xihe, saying nothing.

Shen Xihe’s expression remained neutral: “The tomb robbery case involves escaped convicts from the mining labor camps. Not to belittle Prince Zhao, but he has no military power behind him. If he could quietly free so many convicted deserters, he wouldn’t need to still be biding his time now.

Following this logic, Prince Zhao isn’t behind the tomb robbery. So I want to know – who forced Governor Yu to wade into these muddy waters?”

Governor Yu started, and then his gaze toward Shen Xihe changed.

Earlier his anger and resentment weren’t, as Shen Xihe had assumed, due to a lack of grace or inability to accept others outmaneuvering him. Rather, he had fundamentally underestimated Shen Xihe, resenting that he had so easily fallen into a trap set by such a young girl.

However, Shen Xihe’s current words were enough to shock him. She analyzed the key points in just a few sentences.

“Please leave, Princess,” Governor Yu spat out the four words stiffly.

Expecting this uncooperativeness, Shen Xihe continued: “Governor Yu, do you know how they plan to quickly resolve this case now that their attempt to frame Young Master Bu has failed?”

Naturally by pushing forward another scapegoat. And as for who this scapegoat would be, did that even need asking?

With Bu Shulin proven to be a victim of foul play, those who harmed him would naturally be seen as guilty.

Governor Yu closed his eyes: “Please leave, Princess.”

“As a prefect, you should understand better than I how difficult it is now to conclude the tomb robbery case,” Shen Xihe continued. “His Majesty now only seeks a swift resolution and won’t delay long for one person. Once the crime of tomb robbery is settled, it won’t be something you alone can bear.”

Having forced His Majesty to issue an edict of self-blame and aroused such public outrage, it wouldn’t be excessive for His Majesty to execute nine generations of the family.

This time the common people were genuine victims – they would only feel that executing nine generations was satisfying justice.

Perfect Yu clenched both hands, taking a deep breath and saying with extreme restraint: “Please leave, Princess!”

Shen Xihe hadn’t expected that even the threat of executing nine generations couldn’t make him reveal the mastermind. What kind of benefit had the person behind this offered him? To make him take all the blame, even willing to implicate Prince Zhao.

“Princess, why is Governor Yu so stubborn?” After leaving the prison, Zhen Zhu couldn’t understand.

“There’s only one possibility,” Shen Xihe said softly. “He’s a true participant who held an extremely important position in the tomb robbery. If investigated, he can’t clear himself – executing nine generations is unavoidable.”

“Even so, he shouldn’t let his accomplices go free,” Zhen Zhu felt human nature wouldn’t let Governor Yu watch his nine generations be executed while another went free.

“The execution of nine generations is inevitable,” Shen Xihe suggested subtly. “But what if he has an illegitimate son somewhere, able to preserve a thread of his bloodline, and this bloodline’s continuation happens to be in his accomplice’s hands?”

Zhen Zhu hadn’t considered this possibility, but thinking carefully, it made sense.

The continuation of one’s bloodline was of paramount importance. Since the execution of nine generations was unavoidable regardless, he could only choose to protect those who could be protected.

“Prince Zhao’s wife has passed away. When he remarries in the future, he naturally won’t be close to the Yu family,” Shen Xihe had completely figured out Governor Yu’s thinking. “Perfect Yu is only the late Princess Zhao’s uncle, which adds another layer of distance.”

“So Governor Yu had already turned away from Prince Zhao to serve another,” Zhen Zhu understood, then asked, “If so, isn’t Prince Zhao an innocent victim this time…”

For such a major case, executing just one Governor might not satisfy the public. Even if Prince Zhao wasn’t suspected, someone would likely force a connection. His Majesty might punish Prince Zhao severely, perhaps even ordering his death…

“Whether he’ll be ordered to die depends on the Crown Prince’s thoughts,” Shen Xihe smiled slightly at Zhen Zhu.

In the capital, before Magistrate Tang’s urgent memorial could arrive, Xiao Huayong had already learned of events here.

“Poor Second Brother, even the Yu family has abandoned him and he doesn’t know,” Xiao Huayong sighed with pity.

“Your Highness, the Princess is still in Henan Prefecture waiting for His Majesty to send someone to investigate,” Tian Yuan said.

“Send someone decisive. I miss Youyou,” Xiao Huayong handed the letter to Tian Yuan, pondered for a moment, and then revealed a somewhat malicious smile. “I think Second Brother is most suitable.”

Tian Yuan’s hand trembled.

This… this was too vicious.

To have Prince Zhao handle it personally – if he doesn’t sacrifice his relatives for justice, Governor Yu can’t be cleared; if he does sacrifice them, the ministers will see Prince Zhao as abandoning others to save himself. Moreover, if he can be so ruthless to his former in-laws, who would dare marry their daughters to Prince Zhao in the future?

“His Majesty may not agree to let the Second Prince go,” Tian Yuan said softly.

“If I want him to go, His Majesty will let him go,” Xiao Huayong said as he lowered his head and picked up a carving knife to begin crafting a sandalwood hairpin. The pin was hollow, concealing a short sword inside for Shen Xihe’s self-defense.

What was Shen Yunan’s mechanical bracelet worth?

He could give gifts too, and his were personally carved!

“Go call Little Twelve here. I don’t want Second Brother to know yet that I’m someone he can’t afford to offend. Let Little Twelve go talk to him,” Xiao Huayong instructed while carefully carving plane tree leaves on the hairpin’s end.

Twelfth Prince Xiao Changgeng had moved out of the Eastern Palace some days ago. Xiao Huayong hadn’t stopped him, treating it as a reward for his good performance at the hunting ground, though while he had moved out, His Majesty hadn’t yet granted him a noble title.

Xiao Changgeng truly didn’t want the Crown Prince to think of him, preferably forgetting his existence entirely.

He prided himself on his intelligence, thinking that with His Majesty still in his prime, in ten years or so when his wings were fully grown, he might have a chance to compete. But since meeting the Crown Prince, his ambition, like the Sixth Brother’s, had been erased. Now he only wanted to work diligently, accumulate achievements, and earn a prince title through his efforts.

However, the Crown Prince had no intention of letting him go. The Crown Prince used him as a mask, his prince status making it reasonable for him to handle many matters the Crown Prince shouldn’t appear in personally.

Such as the current task – personally persuading Prince Zhao to request permission to go to Henan Province and sacrifice his relatives for justice.

“Second Brother, here is the evidence of the Yu family’s crimes, clear and detailed. Present this to His Majesty, and he’ll naturally see you weren’t behind it. His Majesty will allow you to go to Henan Prefecture personally,” Xiao Changgeng handed the evidence Xiao Huayong had gathered to Prince Zhao, Xiao Changmin.

Xiao Changmin looked at Xiao Changgeng with a half-smile: “Twelfth Brother truly keeps his talents well hidden.”

Xiao Changgeng maintained a polite and proper smile on his face, but his heart was filled with bitterness.