Xiao Huayong had assumed that when he woke up, Shen Xihe would already be gone, or that he would wake up when she moved him. Instead, when he opened his eyes, he saw Shen Xihe quietly reading a book while leaning against the edge of the couch.

The evening lamps had just been lit, and the candlelight in the room cast a warm glow upon her, making her appear both elegant and gentle. From his angle, he could see her naturally blinking eyes past her book-holding hands. Her half-lowered eyelids partially covered her bright eyes, and those obsidian-like pupils had lost their usual detachment and haziness, replaced only by serenity and tranquility that made one yearn to linger.

He managed to see in someone’s eyes the peaceful passage of time and the tranquility of a prosperous era.

As Shen Xihe was about to turn a page while reading intently, she caught sight of a pair of dark eyes. She put down the book and said, “Your Highness, please get up.”

Xiao Huayong truly wanted to stay a while longer, but the lit candles in the room indicated that it was already dark, and Shen Xihe surely hadn’t had her evening meal yet. Just as he was about to get up, he suddenly thought of something and pretended to be too weak to rise, putting on a frail appearance: “I’m too soft from sleeping, I can’t get up.”

Shen Xihe gazed at him quietly.

Xiao Huayong brazenly stretched out his hand: “Perhaps Youyou could pull me up…”

“Bang!” Before he could finish speaking, Shen Xihe pushed him with both hands, and the unprepared Xiao Huayong rolled off, landing on the carpet below the couch.

Fortunately, the couch was only about twenty inches high, and Xiao Huayong lay face-down on the carpet, still somewhat dazed.

Shen Xihe slowly stood up, her legs slightly numb. After standing for a moment to adjust, she said, “If you’re too soft from sleeping, a roll will naturally restore your strength.”

Hearing her words, Xiao Huayong turned over to face up, lying on the carpet with one hand supporting his head, smiling as brilliantly as melting snow: “My heart is joyful.”

Shen Xihe ignored him completely, and feeling that her legs were no longer numb, she stepped forward to leave without even glancing at him.

She had barely walked around him when Xiao Huayong sprang up from behind her, embracing her from behind, his iron-like arms pinning down both her arms. Ignoring her struggles, he held her tightly and whispered tenderly in her ear: “Youyou, my heart is joyful, joyful like never before.”

“Xiao Beichen, let go,” Shen Xihe commanded in a low voice, unable to break free.

“I won’t. I just want to hold you. Let me hold you for a moment, Youyou…” Xiao Huayong’s low voice was both pleading and shameless.

For someone like Shen Xihe, who had propriety and etiquette ingrained in her bones, how could she tolerate such intimacy? Today’s moment of softness had already made her somewhat regretful, yet Xiao Huayong still wouldn’t show restraint. In her anger, she raised her foot and stomped hard on Xiao Huayong’s instep.

The pain made Xiao Huayong grimace, and his hands loosened slightly. Shen Xihe finally broke free and pushed him away forcefully: “Xiao Beichen, if there’s a next time, I’ll use poison needles!”

Her exasperation and angry embarrassment only made Xiao Huayong find her more enchanting. Even while wincing in pain, he couldn’t help but smile tenderly, appearing somewhat comical, though he didn’t mind: “What am I to do? I’ll surely cling to you constantly in the future, wishing to become one with you…”

His words were ambiguous, his tone frivolous. Shen Xihe saw a sword hanging nearby and reached out to draw it.

“Youyou, calm down, calm down. I was too forward, it was my fault. Don’t be angry, don’t be angry.” Xiao Huayong knew that his habit of disregarding minor proprieties picked up from his years wandering the martial world, had thoroughly angered the proper and refined Shen Xihe, and he hurriedly apologized.

He carefully approached Shen Xihe, took the sword from her hands, and returned it to its scabbard.

After giving Shen Xihe an ingratiating smile, he called out: “Tianyuan, prepare some food…”

“No need.” Shen Xihe coldly dropped these two words and strode away.

Watching her leave, Xiao Huayong touched his nose and didn’t try to stop her. After her figure completely disappeared from his sight, he turned and leaped onto the couch, closed his eyes, and with her cool fragrance seemingly still lingering in his nostrils, he couldn’t help but roll over while hugging the blanket.

When he rolled back, he came face to face with Tianyuan who had just entered. Tianyuan quickly lowered his head, pretending he hadn’t seen anything.

Xiao Huayong’s smile instantly vanished as he resumed his dignified and elegant demeanor, sitting up to ask: “What is it?”

“Mu Nuha has disappeared,” Tianyuan replied.

“Disappeared?” Xiao Huayong frowned.

“Yes. Today someone witnessed Mu Nuha killing Princess Yangling and was arrested by the Capital Prefecture. He was already imprisoned in the Capital Prefecture jail, but when His Majesty sent someone to interrogate him, Prefect Zhang discovered the person was gone. Strangely, no one in the Capital Prefecture knows how the person disappeared.” Tianyuan’s expression was grave.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Huayong stood up and was about to rush out, but Tianyuan firmly grabbed his leg: “Your Highness, you cannot go out, otherwise today’s situation will become self-defeating!”

“Get out of the way,” Xiao Huayong commanded sternly.

But Tianyuan refused to let go, so Xiao Huayong raised his other foot and kicked Tianyuan’s shoulder, pushing him away before rushing out. At the main door, he encountered Shen Xihe, who had returned.

Seeing her, Xiao Huayong finally relaxed the fear and worry in his eyes dissipating.

His expression was all captured in Shen Xihe’s eyes, and her previous anger towards Xiao Huayong completely vanished. His worry for her was genuine, though his frivolity was equally real.

Shen Xihe spoke softly: “Zhaoning already knows about Mu Nuha’s escape. With his wisdom, even if no one points out that Zhaoning set the trap, he can probably guess it. Your Highness need not worry, Zhaoning has his people. If he dares to come, he’ll surely be walking into a trap.”

She and Tianyuan had just passed each other, and Tianyuan had only just received the news. When she reached the door, she had also heard Zhenzhu mention this matter.

Her first reaction was that if Xiao Huayong heard this news, he would surely rush recklessly to find her, fearing that Mu Nuha might harm her.

Unknowingly, she had been influenced by Xiao Huayong to the point where she believed he would act impulsively for her sake.

At this moment, his eyes were supposedly “injured,” and running out like this, how would he explain it to His Majesty? Even if they could somehow explain it away, Emperor Youning’s suspicions of him would likely increase rather than decrease, and all their previous planning would be wasted.

After hesitating for a moment, she still turned back to comfort him personally.

Looking at Tianyuan, who had stood up with his shoulder uncomfortable, Shen Xihe instructed: “Zhenzhu, have Axi take a look at Tianyuan’s injury.”

Reminded by Shen Xihe’s words, Xiao Huayong also felt somewhat guilty. His excessive worry for Shen Xihe had momentarily made him lose his reason. He apologetically said to Tianyuan: “Just now, I…”

“Your Highness, please don’t humble yourself before your servant.” Tianyuan quickly tried to kneel but was stopped by Xiao Huayong. Tianyuan truly didn’t mind and sincerely said, “Your Highness was just worried about the Princess. Over these years, Your Highness has treated us servants like family. I only feel grateful to Your Highness.”