“Your Highness, please forgive me. I was foolish and jealous of my third brother receiving father’s favor, which led to this grave mistake.” Ding Zhi fell to his knees with a thud, repeatedly begging, “Please spare me, Your Highness.”

With his fan-like long eyelashes slightly lowered, Xiao Huayong shifted his gaze, glancing at the person kneeling and pleading before him: “Heh… I am not the wronged party.”

Understanding immediately, Ding Zhi turned to face Shen Xihe and knelt, bowing his head in supplication: “This worthless one was blind to not recognize you. Please show mercy, Princess.”

Shen Xihe raised her eyes, her clear pupils looking toward Xiao Huayong. She hadn’t noticed earlier, but now she saw that near the corner of his left eye, close to the edge, there was a tiny black mole, which added a touch of lazy nobility to his appearance.

“The Princess is the wronged party, so it’s up to her to decide,” Xiao Huayong smiled gently.

Like a gentleman of jade, gentle and lustrous.

When he smiled softly, there was an innate elegance that showed through without ostentation.

Shen Xihe was equally direct. After giving Xiao Huayong a slight curtsy to show her thanks, she turned to face Ding Zhi: “I am not one to press my advantage when in the right, but neither am I a fool. If Second Young Master Ding wants my mercy, you must at least speak the truth.”

Ding Zhi’s body stiffened, and he suddenly raised his head to meet her eyes through the screen. They were beautiful, like black obsidian, yet seemed covered by a layer of cold mist, somewhat cold and somewhat unclear.

For some reason, as soon as Ding Zhi met her eyes, he felt as though she could see right through him.

“Princess, every word I speak is true…”

“Ding Zhi.” As Ding Zhi lowered his head and was about to speak through gritted teeth, an attendant beside Xiao Huayong interrupted him, “Think carefully. Your concubine mother and your sisters – without you, and with your attack on the Third Young Master preceding this, how will the Madam of the Marquis treat them?”

One sentence struck at his vital point.

Shen Xihe glanced at this attendant, noting that he didn’t appear to be a eunuch, but rather likely a guard.

Ding Zhi immediately panicked. After a moment of stupefaction, he collapsed to the ground: “This worthless one was presumptuous and offended the Princess.”

Seeing him begin to yield, Shen Xihe’s thoughts turned, and she asked: “Did you know it was me at the city gate?”

Ding Zhi lowered his head: “Yes, I knew.”

“Who informed you?” Shen Xihe asked again.

Ding Zhi was somewhat surprised that Shen Xihe understood his difficult position. He quickly answered truthfully: “It was Chen Jing, Chen Jing from the Xuanping Marquis Manor.”

The Xuanping Marquis Manor.

It was just as she had thought.

The Xuanping Marquis Manor was the maternal family of the Xiao clan. The current Marquis of Xuanping should be the Xiao clan’s cousin, and the Old Madam of the Prince Kang Manor came from the Xuanping Marquis Manor.

“This…” Xue Heng looked toward Shen Xihe with difficulty.

If Ding Zhi said Chen Jing told him about Shen Xihe entering the city today, it implied instigation or helping Ding Zhi plot against Ding Jue, but there would certainly be no evidence. If Chen Jing denied it, there would be no recourse.

“Considering you didn’t succeed in causing great harm, fifty strokes of the rod as a warning – do you accept this punishment?” Shen Xihe asked Ding Zhi.

Ding Zhi immediately straightened his kneeling posture and bowed deeply to Shen Xihe: “This worthless one accepts wholeheartedly and thanks the Princess for the mercy of sparing my life.”

“Minister Xue, is this acceptable?” Shen Xihe turned to ask Xue Heng.

Xue Heng carefully glanced at Xiao Huayong before saying: “The Princess shows kindness in her heart.”

Shen Xihe curtsied to Xiao Huayong: “Zhaoning thanks Your Highness for upholding justice.”

Xiao Huayong extended his long-fingered hand to support Shen Xihe’s delicate one, though while touching her, it seemed more like a gesture of support: “How could we let the Princess, who has traveled a thousand li from the Northwest, suffer any grievance and cool the hearts of the Northwestern soldiers?”

From a certain perspective, Shen Xihe represented the hundred thousand troops of the Northwest, so Xiao Huayong’s words were not excessive.

“The journey has been long and tiring. Please allow Zhaoning to return to the manor first, and I will pay my respects to Your Highness at the Eastern Palace tomorrow,” Shen Xihe spoke gracefully.

“In that case, I shall await the Princess at the Eastern Palace,” Xiao Huayong naturally responded.

Shen Xihe was slightly startled. She had merely spoken politely, yet this prince, despite having an intelligent face, seemed unable to read people’s expressions.

The surprise lasted only a moment. Shen Xihe maintained a peaceful expression without responding, and after curtsying with Biyu and the others, she gracefully departed.

“Princess, His Highness the Crown Prince seems somewhat… attentive to you,” Biyu carefully chose her words after they boarded the carriage.

Somewhat?

Biyu was being subtle. This Crown Prince had publicly supported her, spoken with her, being both gentle and careful.

The way he looked at her, she could see the joy and tenderness in his eyes.

“Meeting for the first time and already acting this way, he must be a lecher,” Ziyu felt that no man in the world was worthy of her Princess!

“Perhaps it’s reciprocation for the earlier evidence?” Hongyu hadn’t seen any lustful intentions in Xiao Huayong’s eyes.

Moyu never participated in such discussions. She sat straight, holding her sword, only responsible for Shen Xihe’s safety.

Shen Xihe didn’t answer them, letting them debate.

“Your Highness, just now…” Tianyuan was anxious to death, “What if the Princess misunderstands you as a frivolous person?”

Tianyuan also felt his master had been too eager, which might make Princess Zhaoning averse, achieving the opposite of what was intended.

Even if one was delighted, one should proceed slowly, letting Princess Zhaoning see clearly what an imposing and brilliant person his master was.

“In the future, don’t be too clever in front of her,” Xiao Huayong instructed in a low voice.

Like the earlier threat to Ding Zhi, Tianyuan shouldn’t have spoken up.

“Ah?” Sensing Xiao Huayong’s warning, Tianyuan was completely unsure where he had erred.

Xiao Huayong smiled gently, raising his sword-like eyebrows: “She doesn’t like people who are too clever.”

Especially for someone to whom she might entrust her life – being too clever would make her feel difficult to deal with, keeping her distance out of respect.

Shen Xihe was unaware that her thoughts had been seen through so clearly by Xiao Huayong. After leaving the Ministry of Justice, she led her grand procession back to the Prince’s Manor.

The Northwestern Prince’s Manor was located in Heshan Ward, directly facing the Vermillion Bird Gate of the Imperial City.

Delayed by the fake Cui Jinbai and the Ministry of Justice, when Shen Xihe’s carriage stopped before the deep courtyard gates of the Northwestern Prince’s Manor, it was already noon.

The manor gates opened, with maids and servants forming two humble rows. The steward led all the household managers to welcome her, drawing many onlookers.

“This old servant greets the Princess,” Steward Shen Qing, over fifty years old with grey-streaked hair, was extremely excited and respectful upon seeing Shen Xihe.

“Uncle Qing, these years have been hard on you,” Shen Xihe comforted Shen Qing.

“Not at all, not at all. This old servant’s duties at the foot of the Imperial City cannot compare to the hardships faced by the Princess, the Prince, and the Young Master in the Northwest,” Shen Qing repeatedly shook his head.

“Paying respects to Elder Sister,” a voice as clear as an oriole’s suddenly sounded beside her.

Shen Xihe saw Shen Yingruo for the first time.

She wore an elegant hanging bun, adorned with two exquisitely carved pure gold hairpins and two light pink hair ribbons, with wisps of hair floating in the breeze at her forehead, appearing refined and otherworldly.

A golden flower ornament between her brows added a touch of nobility and beauty.

Her peach-colored long dress was paired with a light blue silk shawl, delicate and graceful.

Her skin was like congealed cream, and her eyes were bright and beautiful.