Stepping out of Princess Yangling’s palace, as the cold wind blew, Shen Xihe pulled her cloak tighter. Though her constitution had recovered to that of a normal person, the cold still penetrated her bones, and even a slight breeze made her feel extremely chilly.

“Yes,” Zhenzhu responded, “They will come to the residence tomorrow to let the Princess select the styles.”

“Go to the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau and pass along the message that I chose Gu Zexiang’s name,” Shen Xihe instructed.

Zhenzhu immediately understood, but after careful consideration, she suggested: “Princess, we also have our people in the palace. Gu Zexiang might be the Crown Prince’s person.”

They could all see that the Crown Prince was infatuated with the Princess; however, they weren’t yet officially married, and even if they did become husband and wife, some matters still required caution. Otherwise, if they were to fall out, it would surely lead to irreversible consequences.

Zhenzhu naturally hoped for the Princess and Crown Prince to have a good relationship, but a young man’s heart could change faster than the weather in June – being careful was never wrong.

“She isn’t the Crown Prince’s person,” Shen Xihe walked a few steps, and suddenly snowflakes began falling from the sky. Zhenzhu opened the umbrella she was carrying, and Shen Xihe stretched out her hand, letting the snow flying in the cold wind brush past her fingertips. “She merely conducted one business transaction with the Crown Prince, and I can also conduct one business transaction with her.”

“This servant will go to the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau right away,” Zhenzhu handed the umbrella handle to Purple Jade.

As a servant, her duty was to help ease her master’s burdens and remind her master of things she might not have considered. Once she had given her reminder, she had fulfilled her duty, and occasional advice was already bordering on presumptuous. How the master chose to act, she would simply obey.

This was something she had slowly come to understand during the time she was separated from the Princess. The Princess in the Northwest was willing to let the Prince and Young Master make decisions for her, giving them joy in feeling needed and relied upon by the Princess, and by extension, allowing some freedom to servants like themselves.

The Princess in the capital didn’t need anyone to make decisions for her. Here, it was like walking on thin ice – one wrong step and you could drown in the frozen lake.

The next morning, the Emperor issued an edict of self-reproach, honestly acknowledging his failure as a ruler, which had led to many commoners’ ancestors being disturbed, deceased wives unable to rest in peace, and departed children unable to find peace. The edict was sent to all regions with the utmost urgency.

The Emperor decided to personally visit the imperial tombs to pay respects to the ancestors and comfort their spirits. For families whose graves had been robbed and desecrated, appropriate compensation and imperial consolation were arranged.

Among these, upon hearing that the court would provide compensation, many people with impure thoughts, declining families, and questionable morals even went to dig up their ancestral graves. However, Xiao Huayong had anticipated such possibilities when the court was discussing compensation, and during political discussions, he had proposed making early records of the genuine victims under the pretense of investigation.

Therefore, after the Emperor’s self-reproach edict was issued, those who attempted to take advantage of the situation were all caned and severely criticized by officials for their lack of filial piety. This minor episode diverted much of the common people’s attention and made the truly suffering victims feel somewhat better.

They were acknowledged victims by the court – the court knew they had been wronged, the Emperor had sent people to comfort them, and even the imperial tombs had been ruthlessly bombed by heartless criminals. The court hadn’t sheltered the perpetrators but stood with them.

Local officials everywhere conveyed this message, and the people’s dissatisfaction over the tomb-robbing case quickly dissipated.

Even Shen Xihe, upon hearing several cases of people trying to deceive the court for compensation, couldn’t help but sigh softly: “If the Crown Prince becomes ruler, it would surely be a blessing for the common people.”

He understood the people’s thoughts, could anticipate their joys and sorrows in the smallest details, and had gentle methods to soothe people’s hearts like a spring breeze and rain.

“If the Crown Prince heard these words, he would surely be joyful for an entire day,” Purple Jade smiled with curved eyes.

They had all noticed that the Crown Prince couldn’t resist the Princess’s praise. Whenever the Princess complimented him, the Crown Prince would smile so broadly that his eyes nearly disappeared.

The more they saw this, the more they liked the Crown Prince. Only someone who truly held their Princess in his heart would be so delighted by a single word from her.

Shen Xihe turned her head and swept her gaze over the four maids. Though Purple Jade had spoken, Zhenzhu, Red Jade, and Green Jade all smiled with pressed lips, clearly agreeing with the statement. “Tell me, what favors has the Crown Prince given you that makes you all biased towards him?”

Though the Princess questioned them, her maids could sense that she wasn’t angry, nor was she joking, but genuinely curious.

The maids exchanged glances, and Green Jade spoke first: “The Crown Prince has given many favors, which one would the Princess like to hear about?”

“Tell me all of them,” Shen Xihe said.

“The Crown Prince prepares food for the Princess, arranges Pingrong leaf bonsai that the Princess loves, searches for rare flowers and plants…” Purple Jade began counting on her fingers, “All according to the Princess’s preferences – we can feel his sincerity.”

“Every word the Princess speaks, even casual remarks, the Crown Prince takes to heart. Since learning that the Princess loves Pingrong leaves, he not only created Pingrong leaf tea, but I’ve noticed the Crown Prince’s clothes now all have Pingrong leaf embroidery,” Green Jade held back her laughter. Many of the Princess’s clothes also featured Pingrong leaves, and occasionally when they matched, standing together, they truly looked like a golden boy and jade girl.

Shen Xihe then looked at Red Jade, wanting to hear her thoughts.

Red Jade smiled mischievously: “What I like most is the Crown Prince’s trust in the Princess. Despite his outstanding abilities, he’s never presumptuous, and never interferes with or makes decisions for the Princess just because of his capabilities.”

This brought a slight smile to Shen Xihe’s lips. Xiao Huayong was capable but not arrogant, strong but not overbearing, elevated but not conceited, and noble but not prideful.

This was probably why Shen Xihe felt comfortable around him. Many young men were born looking down on women, and even while proclaiming their love, they often used protection and care as excuses to keep her behind them, as if she couldn’t survive without them.

Shen Xihe disliked this. It wasn’t that she thought herself omnipotent, nor was she trying to prove herself. Rather, she wanted to learn to become stronger, to experience and be tempered, to understand herself, to become the person she wanted to see herself become.

Of course, this varied from person to person. Some people didn’t like such exhaustion. She didn’t like depending on men, didn’t like placing hope in any single person. With her father and brother, it was because she couldn’t bear to see them troubled; with others, it was more about distrust.

“The Crown Prince respects the Princess from the bottom of his heart,” This was what Zhenzhu found most touching from what she had seen so far.

As long as the Crown Prince remained unchanged, she believed that given time, the Princess would surely be moved by him.

Shen Xihe said nothing in response, stroking Short Life’s back. She admitted that Xiao Huayong was excellent, perhaps no better young man could be found in this world. The better he was, the more she hoped they could maintain mutual respect.

Feelings that were just right, a lifetime of harmony and beauty, mutual comfort and support – that would be the best outcome.

The passion between men and women could harm both body and feelings.

Zhenzhu sighed softly and looked outside: “Princess, the people from the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau have arrived.”