When Shen Xihe returned to her manor, she found Shen Xihe waiting there. Upon seeing Shen Xihe, she came forward and bowed.

“What brings you here?” Shen Xihe asked coolly.

Shen Xihe hesitated. Under Shen Xihe’s steady gaze, she finally spoke: “Today at the horse market, I saw Elder Sister…”

Shen Xihe understood: “You’re here to ask if I was behind the incident at the horse market?”

Shen Xihe bit her lip and nodded.

The horse market wasn’t new – locals who traded with foreigners all knew basic conversational phrases. How could problems suddenly arise? If the market was so prone to trouble, how would those guards dare abandon their posts even with heaven’s blessing?

After investigating, Shen Xihe couldn’t find concrete evidence, but she suspected Shen Xihe.

“Yes, I was behind it,” Shen Xihe admitted, then looked at her. “When Prince Zhao plotted against me, why did you warn me?”

“I…” Shen Xihe was at a loss for words.

“Are you worried about me? Do you like me? Care for me?” Shen Xihe asked three questions in succession and then answered for her. “None of these. It’s because we both bear the surname Shen. Today, I won’t stand idle for any member of the Shen family, just as you sent me that warning. You needn’t feel grateful. Just as I didn’t feel grateful when you sent that warning.”

Shen Xihe’s face tensed at her words: “I know all this. I just want to know why you’re not concealing it?”

Surely others besides her had guessed by now. His Majesty had stripped so many of their positions over this – wasn’t she afraid of making too many enemies, ending up isolated and surrounded by hostility?

“Why should I conceal it?” Shen Xihe countered. “They plotted against a member of the Shen family first – they should be prepared for my retaliation. If they bear grudges over this, they would hate the Shen family regardless of how well I concealed it. Those who understand will know what’s pragmatic.”

She paused, then sneered: “I don’t fear their hatred. If dismissal from office isn’t enough, I don’t mind helping them depart early from this world that’s unsuitable for their survival.”

With that, Shen Xihe brushed past her and headed directly into the inner courtyard.

Shen Xihe stood shocked in place. She turned to watch Shen Xihe’s straight back, seemingly supported by an invisible ruler. Her steps were light and graceful, showing no strain in her strength, yet perfectly displaying her unyielding character.

She had never seen a woman like Shen Xihe – so domineering yet righteous, making it all seem perfectly natural.

Back then, wasn’t Capital’s Peony Gu Qingchi equally untouchable? Yet she was still confined by the Gu family, restrained by propriety, rules, and her identity as a woman.

But her elder sister was different. She was so unrestrained – she dared question His Majesty, dared storm into the Duke’s manor, yet somehow always emerged unscathed.

Shen Xihe left the Princess’s manor in a daze.

In the following days, His Majesty used the horse market incident as a pretext to thoroughly reorganize the capital’s security. Shen Xihe also enjoyed a rare two days of peace. Soon it was the Lantern Festival, which was even more lively in the capital than New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Only on this day were doors left unlocked, people could stay out all night, freely admiring lanterns on the streets, and officials could walk through every district under the night sky and bright moon.

Shen Xihe arrived early at the East Tower, where one could see lanterns in every household and music from every building; thousands upon thousands of lanterns clustered like trees of fire.

Graceful ladies in silk and brocade, adorned with pearls and jade, wearing perfume and powder, danced beneath the lantern wheels.

The imperial tower hosted hundreds of performances and tug-of-war contests, with thousands competing amidst deafening cheers that left foreign guests amazed.

When Shen Xihe arrived, Xiao Huayong was already waiting. Today he wore a night-purple robe with turned collars, its silver threads tracing out elegant Pingzhong leaves and auspicious cloud patterns, appearing especially noble and elegant. Shen Xihe wore a hibiscus purple shawl also embroidered with silver Pingzhong leaves.

At first glance, their outfits appeared to match.

This made Shen Xihe eye Xiao Huayong suspiciously.

Xiao Huayong smiled: “I didn’t privately inquire about Yoyo’s plans. Even if I wanted to, the maids around Yoyo guard such information strictly.”

Just because he wanted to know didn’t mean Hong Yu and the others would reveal anything.

“Yoyo and I are simply of one mind,” Xiao Huayong added tenderly.

“Your Highness invited me to view lanterns, but which lanterns are we viewing?” Shen Xihe ignored Xiao Huayong’s romantic implications.

“No rush, let’s first have some snacks together,” Xiao Huayong said as people brought over refreshments.

There were rich porridge, face cocoons, silk cages, fire moths, jade beam cakes, and other traditional Lantern Festival snacks.

Shen Xihe had guessed Xiao Huayong would prepare food – after all, just sitting and watching lanterns would be boring. She hadn’t eaten dinner beforehand, and now smelling the fragrance of freshly made dishes, she felt quite hungry.

Under the brilliant lantern light, Xiao Huayong’s features appeared especially gentle. He watched Shen Xihe – though she enjoyed the food, she never showed it, eating the same amount of each dish. Somehow seeing her like this made his heart ache with tenderness.

He used the serving chopsticks to give Shen Xihe some of her favorites: “Seeing Yoyo eating with such enjoyment, I can’t help but serve you more.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Shen Xihe graciously accepted and ate.

“Yoyo, in the future when dining with me, you needn’t be so restrained. Whether you eat more or less, I can tell what you like,” Xiao Huayong said softly.

Shen Xihe put down her chopsticks: “I’m not deliberately doing this – it’s simply habit.”

When something becomes a habit, one no longer feels it’s tiring or troublesome.

“Why have you grown so accustomed to this?” Xiao Huayong asked, puzzled.

“I lost my mother early. My father and brother had no time to teach me, so they hired tutors. My etiquette instructor was a noble lady who had been exiled to the northwest for crimes,” Shen Xihe explained.

Xiao Huayong nodded in understanding, then smiled: “It’s alright. Someone taught you to be proper and follow rules meticulously, so let me spoil you into being willful and following your heart’s desires.”

Shen Xihe thought for a moment and replied seriously: “Your Highness, I don’t feel there’s anything wrong with how I am now.”

She had never envied being willful or unrestrained.

“You’re fine now too, but I want Yoyo to experience other kinds of happiness,” Xiao Huayong’s gaze sparkled like starlight. “Yoyo, I am proposing to you.”

He took out a long sandalwood box carved with Pingzhong leaves and presented it to Shen Xihe, opening the lid.

The flashing golden light was dazzling – a golden hairpin shaped like a peony assembled from hollow Pingzhong leaves, its center adorned with tiny gemstones, appearing even more enchantingly beautiful under the swaying lantern light.

Besides the traditional six marriage gifts, earnest young men would gift a golden hairpin to their intended before marriage.

A golden hairpin – the token for a proper wife.

Behind him were countless lanterns bright as day, and his voice rang especially clear amidst the musical instruments: “To have you by my side, I wish to grow old together; I seek not grand vows of love, only to spend the seasons with you.”