“Who exactly are you?” Though held captive in Cui Jinbai’s embrace, Shen Xihe remained calm and composed.

Cui Jinbai wouldn’t dare harm her!

“Does Your Highness truly wish to know?” Cui Jinbai lowered his head slightly, asking in an extremely gentle and ambiguous tone near her ear.

“Aren’t you curious how I saw through your identity?” Shen Xihe never allowed herself to be at a disadvantage.

He was curious, extremely curious.

Over these years, he had perfected the art of transformation to such an extent that even those closest to him couldn’t see through it, yet this Princess had guessed correctly every time.

“Your Highness is truly perceptive,” Cui Jinbai spoke languidly. “But I’m unwilling to bargain with Your Highness.”

After a moment’s pause, he drew even closer, his lips almost touching Shen Xihe’s rounded earlobe: “Only because… I’m only honest with my future wife. If Your Highness is willing… ouch…”

Before Cui Jinbai could finish his flirtatious words, a sharp pain shot through his waist and abdomen, and Shen Xihe instantly broke free.

Mo Yu flew forward with her sword drawn. Cui Jinbai flipped the tablecloth, sending objects flying toward Mo Yu. By the time she had deflected these items, Cui Jinbai had vanished.

As Mo Yu was about to give chase, Shen Xihe stopped her: “No need to pursue.”

The others who had been startled also halted their movements.

Shen Xihe touched her wrist, where she wore a white jade and gold bracelet. It was three curved pieces of white jade connected by gold, and the beautifully patterned gold joints were hollow, containing tiny needles. This was crafted by a master that Shen Yun’an had found for her protection.

However, Shen Yun’an had only coated the needles with anesthetic – it would have been better if it were poison…

“Apart from my chambers, in that appearance and wearing official robes, he is the Deputy Chief Minister of the Court of Judicature. Are we to chase and kill a government official in broad daylight?” Shen Xihe glanced at everyone. “Make preparations, we’ll enter the city immediately.”

They should have entered the city earlier, but this person had deliberately delayed them for so long.

Meanwhile, Cui Jinbai had indeed been affected by Shen Xihe’s Softening Incense but had been forcing himself to endure it. Otherwise, how could Shen Xihe’s sneak attack have succeeded so easily?

Fortunately, the incense’s effects weren’t too deep. After running out and taking several deep breaths, a few cycles of breathing exercises cleared it away. However, Shen Xihe’s needle made him increasingly weak and powerless. He barely managed to hold on until reaching the Court of Judicature, heading straight for his hall where he had a private room for handling official business.

As soon as he entered the room, his vision went black, though he managed to close the door.

“Your Highness!” The real Cui Jinbai and Tian Yuan, who had been waiting in the room, were shocked and rushed forward to support Xiao Huayong.

“Your Highness, where are you unwell? I’ll fetch Master Yu immediately…”

“It’s just anesthetic, no need to make a fuss.” Xiao Huayong stopped Tian Yuan, sitting on the bamboo couch. “Remove these official robes from me.”

The anesthetic only made Xiao Huayong’s body numb; his mind remained sharp and clear.

As Cui Jinbai put on the official robes, he heard Xiao Huayong instruct: “The Emperor is waiting for your report. Just truthfully report that Lingling was a spy sent by Prince Kang’s mansion to Princess Zhaoning’s side.”

“Yes.” Cui Jinbai bowed and withdrew – he indeed needed to enter the palace immediately to report to His Majesty.

Earlier this morning, it was the Emperor himself who had inquired about this and ordered him to investigate the matter.

After Cui Jinbai left, Tian Yuan spoke worriedly: “Your Highness, we should still have Master Yu come take a look. Could this anesthetic affect the poison in your body?”

“It’s fine.” Xiao Huayong smiled dismissively. “After all, she’s just a young girl who hasn’t come of age, pure-hearted at her core.”

Such an intricate mechanism, used for self-protection, should rightfully have been laced with deadly poison.

Tian Yuan nearly popped his round eyes out of their sockets.

Your Highness is lying here incapacitated, yet still thinks she’s pure-hearted?

Was something wrong with his brain, or was his master’s eyesight failing?

These thoughts Tian Yuan dared not voice.

He had vaguely noticed that his master treated Princess Zhaoning somewhat differently from others.

Just as he thought this, he heard Xiao Huayong, his eyes like pools of silver light fixed on the ceiling, say: “She’s truly unfathomable.”

Before dawn, he had learned about Prince Kang’s mansion’s affairs even before the one on the Dragon Throne. He knew that Lingling was given to Shen Xihe by Bu Shulin, and had remained in Shen Xihe’s service since.

The Emperor sending Cui Jinbai to investigate was also prompted by his suggestion. He had arrived early, impersonating Cui Jinbai, and as Shen Xihe had guessed, used this matter to openly learn about Shen Xihe’s preferences and temperament from her maids.

He had gotten the information, and he believed the maids hadn’t lied, but the Shen Xihe they described was completely different from the one he had encountered, imagined, and observed.

He had thought he was the only one in this world wearing layers of masks, unfathomable even to those he trusted and was close to.

Unexpectedly, today he had encountered another such person.

“I’m growing more curious, more delighted…” A gentle smile spilled from the corners of Xiao Huayong’s lips.

It’s over, his master was falling hard.

Seeing Xiao Huayong’s spring-like expression, Tian Yuan’s face creased with worry.

“Your Highness, do you really… intend to seek Princess Zhaoning’s hand in marriage?”

“Marriage?” Xiao Huayong hadn’t thought as far as marriage; his earlier comment about the love knot was just to tease Tian Yuan. But after Tian Yuan brought it up, he began to seriously consider the matter.

After careful consideration, he found the idea quite appealing: “Having her as a bride in the Eastern Palace would certainly make this imperial city extremely lively.”

“His Majesty likely won’t approve…” Tian Yuan reminded me in a low voice.

Now that their master had returned from the Taoist temple, marriage would certainly be on the agenda after his coming-of-age ceremony. Rather than being forced to accept someone unsuitable, Tian Yuan also hoped his master could marry someone he truly cared for.

Princess Zhaoning was as beautiful as a celestial maiden – probably unmatched in the entire world. She would be perfect for their master.

But Princess Zhaoning had military power behind her – how could the Emperor allow such a marriage?

“Since when did he gain the right to decide my marriage?” The smile vanished from Xiao Huayong’s face, his ocean-deep eyes turning cold and murderous.

At this time, Shen Xihe’s carriage procession had arrived at Mingde Gate. Passing through this majestic gate would mark her official entry into the capital.

“Make way for the carriage ahead, make way—”

As they stopped at the city gate for the guards to verify their documents, and as Shen Xihe lifted the carriage curtain to look at the impressive plaque of Mingde Gate, shouts and the sound of galloping horses came from behind.

The commoners lined up behind Shen Xihe’s procession scattered to make way, as if by reflex, clearly accustomed to such situations.

The capital was prosperous, and it had become commonplace for young nobles to ride fine horses, trample flowers while admiring spring, drink a thousand cups of wine, spend money extravagantly, and disregard propriety.

Shen Xihe’s escorts were elite warriors from the northwest. In their eyes, Shen Xihe was the most noble – there was no reason for her to make way for these spoiled young masters.

Seeing that the approaching rider wasn’t even pulling his reins, charging straight at them as if they were enemy troops on a battlefield, one guard leaped up and with a single punch knocked down the horse. The young nobleman atop it crashed to the ground, his head bleeding.

A large group of young lords and ladies quickly arrived behind him, and someone shouted: “How dare you!”

“I can dare even more. Would you like to see it?” Shen Xihe walked forward from behind her carriage, holding a whip.