Xiao Huayong’s laughter spiraled above the Eastern Palace, carrying far as if wanting everyone in the palace to know how delighted he was at this moment.

Shen Xihe stood silently, watching his joy reach his eyebrows.

After having his fill of happiness, Xiao Huayong gazed deeply at Shen Xihe: “Youyou, you’ll never know how endearing your every move is to me.”

“Your Highness, such unrestrained and robust laughter is unsuitable for the Eastern Palace,” Shen Xihe couldn’t help but remind him.

Xiao Huayong immediately subdued his laughter, bringing his loosely closed fist to his mouth to cough, turning to wink at Shen Xihe: “I’ll listen to everything you say.”

Shen Xihe remained unmoved.

Xiao Huayong didn’t mind, directly taking Shen Xihe’s hand, ignoring her resistance, and leading her into the Eastern Palace.

Like a young boy, he pulled her along at a small run, leaving the palace servants far behind: “I’ve cleared out this courtyard. After our wedding, we’ll live here.”

Taking her to see their future residence, he didn’t ask Shen Xihe how she wanted to arrange it. He knew even if he asked, she wouldn’t say. He had decorated according to his preferences and his understanding of her, leading her into the empty bedchamber: “Open this window, and you can see both Pingzhong leaf trees. Here we’ll place a long couch with a table, where you can eat and read in the future, looking up to see your favorite view…”

“This area will be partitioned into a small study, and beside it, there’s a small room left for your incense chamber, with wooden implements for you to blend fragrances and play the zither. The small room has a window overlooking the flower bed – in summer when the flowers bloom, you can gather materials right here…”

“This is where our bedchambers connect. I’ve had them dig a bath pool, with a fireplace on the wall – warm in winter, cool in summer…”

He excitedly described the plans and arrangements, from major aspects like placement and color schemes to minor details like what materials to use for each piece of furniture and what patterns to carve. While speaking, his eyes clearly showed longing and anticipation.

Most of the day was spent with Xiao Huayong planning their future residence. Shen Xihe wasn’t one to shortchange herself – when Xiao Huayong asked, she offered appropriate suggestions, discussing things back and forth. Perhaps no other unwed couple in the world could achieve such a dynamic.

After the discussion, Shen Xihe sat briefly before leaving the Eastern Palace. Xiao Huayong saw her off as usual, gazing long in the direction where her figure disappeared.

Shen Xihe returned to Yong’an Hall where the Empress Dowager resided. Hearing that the Empress Dowager had granted a feast and the ladies had departed on their own, Shen Xihe still paid her respects to the Empress Dowager before leaving Yong’an Hall. Along the way, she indeed saw many young ladies – it seemed they had just dispersed.

As they walked in small groups, Shen Xihe saw Shen Xihe from afar, with two familiar ladies beside her – Yu Sangzi and Yu Sangning from the Pingyao Marquis’s household.

These sisters had been inseparable since their last dance performance, as close as twin flowers.

Shen Xihe had no intention of concerning herself with whom Shen Xihe associated. She had merely glanced up and happened to see them. Just as she was about to look away, she saw Princess Anling storming angrily from the opposite direction, heading straight for Shen Xihe.

Before anyone could react, she raised her hand and slapped Shen Xihe across the face.

Shen Xihe stopped in her tracks, narrowing her eyes.

The other ladies were also frozen in shock.

“How dare you frame me!” Princess Anling’s gaze toward Shen Xihe seemed poisonous.

She had been unable to discover Tubo’s intentions all this time, only learning today that the Tubo prince had already requested marriage from the Emperor – and the intended bride wasn’t Shen Xihe whom she had put forward, but herself!

She had specifically caught a Hanlin Academy scholar who understood the Tubo language to clarify the matter, only then learning of Shen Xihe’s machinations.

Shen Xihe had never been slapped like this in her life. Princess Anling was furious and used great force – her ears were ringing. But since the other party was a princess, her cousin, she could only endure: “Why is the Princess angry? How has Huaiyang offended the Princess?”

“Don’t you know what you’ve done?” Princess Anling said through gritted teeth.

“Huaiyang doesn’t know. Please enlighten me, Princess,” Shen Xihe asked, holding her cheek.

“You framed me to marry into Tubo – your thoughts are truly poisonous!” Princess Anling accused harshly.

“The Fifth Princess is marrying into the Turks. If Tubo requests a marriage, His Majesty surely cannot treat them differently. The Sixth Princess is already betrothed, and the Third Princess is the obvious choice for marriage – why would Huaiyang need to frame the Princess?” Shen Xihe countered with logic.

If one asked which noble lady was currently most popular in the capital, it would certainly be Princess Yanling, because thanks to her, they wouldn’t have to marry foreign rulers – their status wasn’t high enough. With Princess Yanling, a proper princess, set to marry the Turks, the one going to Tubo must also be the Emperor’s daughter; they couldn’t casually choose an official’s daughter to fool Tubo.

Therefore, Shen Xihe’s words made perfect sense.

Some clever people’s looks toward Princess Anling changed.

Princess Anling was the inevitable choice for marriage. Even if Shen Xihe hated her, she wouldn’t interfere with this fact at this time. If Shen Xihe truly had interfered, it must have been because someone forced her hand, and her cleverness had backfired.

“You…”

Princess Anling was furious with embarrassment, raising her hand to slap Shen Xihe again. She was a princess – what did it matter if she was unreasonable? She was going to be married off to Tubo anyway, so she didn’t care about her reputation anymore. She just wanted to vent her anger – she didn’t believe Shen Xihe would dare resist.

Unfortunately, this slap didn’t land. Her wrist was caught, and Princess Anling turned to look at Shen Xihe, her expression growing colder: “Zhaoning, what do you want?”

Shen Xihe smiled lightly, her gaze turning cold, and returned the slap across Princess Anling’s face. She put her full strength into it, sending Princess Anling spinning and falling to the ground.

Princess Anling’s eunuch shouted in a shrill voice: “How dare you—”

Shen Xihe ignored him, grabbing Shen Xihe’s wrist and dragging her away. Everyone thought Shen Xihe was trying to escape with Shen Xihe, and Shen Xihe thought so too. She resisted: “This matter started because of me. I’ll go ask for punishment myself.”

Shen Xihe raised her hand and gave her a slap too, though this one wasn’t very forceful: “Shut up.”

Though Shen Xihe hadn’t used much force, she had hit the same spot Princess Anling had struck, and somehow it felt even more painfully hot. Shen Xihe was stunned by the slap, tears welling in her eyes as she let Shen Xihe drag her along. By the time she came to her senses, they had already arrived at Mingzheng Hall.

She pulled Shen Xihe along without requesting the eunuchs to announce them, dropping to her knees with a thud at the entrance of Mingzheng Hall, frightening the eunuch so much that his legs went weak. He ran inside to notify Liu Sanzhi.

This ancestor was the most feared person among their eunuchs – here she comes again, and with such a grand entrance!