Shen Xihe neither avoided his gaze nor expressed disbelief, but rather smiled and nodded in acknowledgment before asking: “Should I take Mu Nuha, or will you?”

Xiao Huayong’s fingers caressed the five-colored thread on his other hand: “I’ll take him.”

Not knowing if Mu Nuha had other conspirators, he wasn’t comfortable leaving him with Shen Xihe.

Shen Xihe raised no objections to this. As she had just spoken about trust, letting him take Mu Nuha demonstrated her trust in Xiao Huayong.

They parted ways only after returning to the Princess’s mansion, and she didn’t ask where he would take the prisoner.

When Xiao Huayong’s carriage entered the palace and reached the Eastern Palace, Tianyuan moved to help him. As befitting a frail Crown Prince, Xiao Huayong habitually extended his hand, but upon noticing the five-colored thread, quickly switched hands.

Tianyuan had to move to the other side to assist. Then others brought down a box, supposedly a Dragon Boat Festival gift from Princess Zhaoning to His Highness. No one knew its contents – which was Mu Nuha.

There was a secret chamber beneath the Eastern Palace that Xiao Huayong hadn’t known about for over ten years until he obtained the palace’s secret passage map from Prince Consort Wei. It was perfect for holding Mu Nuha.

Despite Lüling’s severe torture, Mu Nuha remained extremely tight-lipped, not uttering a single word.

After hearing this, Xiao Huayong asked: “Have the three tigers from the provinces been captured?”

Lüling answered: “They were all captured just yesterday.”

“Watch them carefully, don’t let them die,” Xiao Huayong didn’t want them dying too easily.

“Your Highness, should we…”

“No need,” Xiao Huayong cut off Lüling’s words.

Though Mu Nuha was of noble birth, his martial skills must have come through great suffering. Being naturally tough, and having endured recent catastrophic changes and constant pursuit, he remained clear-headed and showed his unquestionable resilience. Further torture would yield nothing.

The next day, after handling state affairs, Xiao Huayong planned to leave the palace to see Shen Xihe, but Emperor Youning intercepted him first: “With Mu Nuha at large targeting Seventh Son, you shouldn’t leave the palace for now.”

“Your Majesty, I’m actually… worried about Princess Zhaoning being harmed because of me,” Xiao Huayong insisted. “If I stay in the palace, I’ll be restless. Besides, my Third Brother was poisoned yesterday because of me, and I want to visit his residence.

My leaving the palace might draw Mu Nuha out – that wouldn’t be a bad thing.”

“Mu Nuha must have accomplices,” Emperor Youning couldn’t believe Mu Nuha alone could tamper with the Dragon Boat Festival food. Despite heavy guards in the small kitchen, they found nothing except one unconscious eunuch in the privy.

This aligned with Xiao Huayong’s secondary purpose – letting Emperor Youning know about Mu Nuha’s accomplices would prevent him from suspecting Xiao Huayong’s involvement in the kitchen incident.

Xiao Huayong feigned ignorance: “Perhaps it was whoever helped him escape from the Capital Prefecture.”

Emperor Youning turned to look at Xiao Huayong: “I heard you and Zhaoning were attacked by fierce tigers recently?”

“How did Your Majesty learn of this?” Xiao Huayong asked in surprise, though he had arranged for this information to reach the Emperor.

“Such a major incident, yet you kept it from me? Had I known someone meant you harm, how could I have left you unprotected?” Emperor Youning reproached.

Xiao Huayong coughed lightly before respectfully bowing: “I truly thought it was just an accident.”

“An accident?” Emperor Youning said gravely. “Tigers naturally move alone. Two together have been seen, but three is unheard of. Without deliberate means to lure them, how could three tigers attack you?”

“I was careless in not thinking it through,” Xiao Huayong lowered his head in admission.

To protect Shen Xihe, details about the beast-luring incense and the gyrfalcon were naturally kept from Emperor Youning. The Emperor even believed they had encountered the three tigers as a group, not just the two of them alone.

Those accompanying Xiao Huayong and Shen Xihe were trusted confidants – there was no fear of information leaking.

Despite Emperor Youning’s persuasion, he couldn’t dissuade Xiao Huayong from leaving the palace. When he suggested sending guards, Xiao Huayong argued that using himself as bait to draw out Mu Nuha wouldn’t work with too many obvious guards – Mu Nuha wouldn’t dare appear.

Finally yielding to Xiao Huayong, the Emperor let him leave. Xiao Huayong first visited Prince Dai’s mansion to see Xiao Changtai, who was only somewhat weak with no serious issues. After a brotherly exchange, Xiao Huayong left for the Princess’s mansion.

“Youyou can make clothes too…” Xiao Huayong commented upon arriving to find Shen Xihe sewing.

In their dynasty, women held high status, and noble families rarely taught ladies such skills. Rather than needlework, ladies preferred horseback riding and ball games.

“In my youth, I couldn’t move much, so I learned sedentary crafts,” Shen Xihe answered with a gentle smile.

While not many capital ladies excelled at needlework, it wasn’t rare either. The dynasty didn’t require ladies to be demure and gentle – they were taught everything, with personal interests determining what they pursued.

“Who is Youyou making clothes for?” Xiao Huayong craned his neck to ask.

“For my brother.”

“Hasn’t the Heir already been betrothed? Is it proper for Youyou to still make his clothes?” Xiao Huayong suggested tactfully.

Shen Xihe kept her head down, needle flying: Now treating Xiao Huayong as an insider, she didn’t pause her work to entertain him: “Qiaoqiao isn’t skilled at needlework, and she won’t mind.”

Qiaoqiao would only be jealous.

Thinking this, Shen Xihe looked up at Xiao Huayong, seeing his jealous expression matching Xue Jinqiao’s.

She dispelled his thoughts: “I don’t make clothes for men outside my family.”

Far from discouraged, Xiao Huayong’s eyes sparkled: “Is Youyou saying you’ll make them for me after we’re married?”

Being an outsider now didn’t matter – that would change after marriage.

Shen Xihe smiled gently and lowered her head to continue working: “Marriage matters can wait until after marriage.”

Whether she would make clothes or not could wait until then. She hadn’t even figured out how to get along with him after marriage and was too lazy to plan. Xiao Huayong was life’s biggest surprise – any plans made with him would be disrupted.

Better to go with the flow, one step at a time.

“Why has Your Highness come today?” Shen Xihe changed the topic from clothes.

“Mu Nuha won’t reveal his accomplices,” Xiao Huayong said seriously.

Shen Xihe nodded: “I expected this. He knows well that confessing won’t spare his life. He’s content letting an unknown enemy threaten us from the shadows – that’s his revenge.”

Thinking of someone as tough as Mu Nuha, she knew she couldn’t make him talk either, which was why she so decisively let Xiao Huayong take him.