“Your skills aren’t good enough, don’t leave any traces behind,” Bi Yu snatched away the incense.
The Kang Prince Manor still didn’t know why the mice were running into their residence, thinking someone had maliciously released them. They had specifically added extra guards outside.
Zi Yu lowered her head dejectedly, then heard someone announce from outside: “Princess, the Eastern Palace has sent a food box.”
Shen Xihe, who had just finished applying her flower-shaped makeup, paused. She rose and put on a shawl before walking to the outer courtyard, where she saw Tian Yuan standing there.
“Princess, His Highness asked me to deliver this food box to you,” Tian Yuan smiled eagerly. “His Highness usually enjoys experimenting with food but rarely finds someone to share with. It’s nothing precious, please don’t decline.”
Even if Xiao Huayong was willing to send food boxes from the Eastern Palace, no one dared accept them.
The princes worried about poison, while the meritorious officials worried about the Crown Prince’s ulterior motives.
The princesses would have been more suitable recipients, but the Eastern Palace was so desolate that the princesses probably considered the Crown Prince a useless person not worth pleasing.
Who would eventually rule the empire was still unknown – wouldn’t currying favor with the Crown Prince now offend the future ruler’s eyes?
Indeed it wasn’t anything precious, and since it came from the Eastern Palace, it counted as a reward. Shen Xihe had no reason to decline.
“Thank you for your trouble, Guard Cao,” Shen Xihe gestured for Bi Yu to accept it. “Please convey my gratitude to His Highness.”
Xiao Huayong had two chief guards in the Eastern Palace, a pair of brothers named Cao Tian Yuan and Cao Di Fang.
“I wouldn’t dare,” Tian Yuan bowed humbly. “Inside there’s a Royal Marrow Soup that should still be hot. Please enjoy it while it’s warm.”
After speaking, Tian Yuan bowed and took his leave.
Since it came from the Eastern Palace, Shen Xihe couldn’t very well eat it. The moment she opened the food box, the fragrance wafted out, instantly arousing her appetite despite not being very hungry.
Royal Marrow Soup was a porridge made with beef marrow, japonica rice, white rice, and sesame, simmered in bone broth. It was smooth and richly fragrant when eaten. With no outsiders present, Shen Xihe finished an entire bowl and still wanted more.
There were also Imperial Consort Pastries, round as the full moon and milky white, with a melt-in-your-mouth crust and lingering fragrance.
Pine-scented, soft, and glutinous Flower-Folded Goose Cakes.
And beautifully shaped, maple-leaf red Mian Guo Zi pastries.
“Princess, please reward me with a taste!” Zi Yu watched dazzled and quickly begged to try some – only by tasting could she figure out how to make them.
Shen Xihe had a small appetite, and one bowl of soup had already satisfied her. She tried a small piece of each of the others and gave the rest to Zi Yu and the others.
Content after breakfast, Shen Xihe took Zi Yu and Mo Yu to visit the Tao residence – her maternal grandparents’ home.
Her maternal grandfather held the third-rank position of Imperial Censor, a serious old man. Her grandmother had passed away, and of her two uncles, one served as an official away from the capital while the other was a merchant. She had five older male cousins and two younger male cousins, but no female cousins.
Therefore, she received an enthusiastic welcome upon arriving at the Tao residence. Her eldest aunt-in-law, Lady Zhang, was extremely warm and gentle toward her, showing pure affection without any hint of ulterior motives.
Grandfather had gone to the Censorate and hadn’t returned yet. Three of her older cousins were at school, with only five-year-old younger cousin Tao Xun present. Her eldest uncle Tao Yuan had specially rushed back from outside.
“If Father knew you were coming to visit today, he would certainly have claimed illness to take leave,” Tao Yuan couldn’t help but say with a smile.
“That’s precisely why I came secretly,” Shen Xihe smiled gently.
Censor Tao was someone who gave even Emperor Youning headaches. All officials, civil and military, viewed him as a latrine stone – both foul and hard.
But this old-fashioned man, whom the world saw as upright, unyielding, and humorless, was just a doting grandfather without principles when it came to Shen Xihe.
“The Xiao family – how do you plan to deal with them?” After some casual conversation, seeing that Shen Xihe wasn’t distant from them, Lady Zhang asked at Tao Yuan’s prompting.
“Oh? Did they appeal to Eldest Uncle?” Shen Xihe knew they wouldn’t bring this up without reason.
“They did seek me out for reconciliation,” Tao Yuan laughed coldly. “They may have forgotten about my sister’s life, but I haven’t.”
“My lord…” Lady Zhang called out softly in disapproval.
They shouldn’t mention such things in front of the child, lest it saddens her.
“Eldest Uncle, Youyou thanks you on Mother’s behalf,” Shen Xihe stood and formally bowed to Tao Yuan.
Youyou was Shen Xihe’s childhood name, chosen before Lady Tao had given birth.
Tao Yuan had originally passed the imperial examinations, but his sister’s death led him to abandon his scholarly pursuits for commerce. The Kang Prince Manor’s people weren’t accomplished in either literary or martial arts, yet they were adaptable in business. Over the years, Tao Yuan had competed with them, indirectly reducing many of the Kang Prince Manor’s sources of income.
“What are you doing, Youyou?” Tao Yuan pretended to be angry. “Your mother was my dear sister.”
“Eldest Uncle, Youyou hopes you will think more of Aunt and my cousins in the future,” Shen Xihe said seriously. “Youyou has grown up now, and it’s right that I should collect the debts they owe.”
“Youyou, so many eyes are watching you, you mustn’t act rashly,” Tao Yuan worried for his niece.
“Let them watch,” Shen Xihe was completely unconcerned. “No matter how domineering I am, as long as Father and Big Brother are here for one day, they’ll have to endure it.”
With the Northwestern King present, no one dared criticize her willfulness.
Without the Northwestern King, no one would show her mercy no matter how cautious she was.
Tao Yuan gazed deeply at his flower-like niece: “Your Second Uncle was right, Youyou is the most intelligent woman in the world.”
Hearing this, Shen Xihe uncomfortably dabbed her lips with her handkerchief.
Second Uncle Tao Cheng was purely blinded by love.
Shen Xihe’s life was envied by many. Her father held her in the palm of his hand. If not for Emperor Youning promising precious medicines only available in the palace, and Shen Xihe being truly beyond help, Shen Yueshan would never have let her come to the capital.
Shen Yun’an had always been devoted to his sister, finding endless ways to make her happy. No matter what Shen Xihe did wrong, he would joke about it and help her smooth things over.
Her maternal family cherished her beyond measure. If she weren’t Shen Yueshan’s daughter, marrying into the Tao family would have meant a life of being pampered.
Shen Xihe hadn’t planned to stay overnight at the Tao residence – too many eyes were watching her. After dinner, Censor Tao still hadn’t returned.
She could only take her leave, but unexpectedly when leaving, her third cousin Tao Qin returned home, accompanied by Sixth Prince Xiao Changyu.
Shen Xihe acted as if she hadn’t heard the greetings and had the carriage leave without stopping.
Yesterday at the Eastern Palace, Xiao Changyu had used polo as an excuse to try to see her. Today, even though she had thrown Ninth Prince Xiao Changying back to the prince’s residence, Sixth Prince Xiao Changyu was still persistent.
However, Shen Xihe hadn’t expected that early the next morning, news would come from the palace that Sixth Prince Xiao Changyu had been punished by Emperor Youning to kneel at the palace gates.
“The reason?”
“Early this morning, the Sixth Prince went to the Eastern Palace for some unknown reason and angered the Crown Prince until he coughed up blood. The Crown Prince is still unconscious,” Bi Yu reported truthfully.
Shen Xihe’s first reaction was: What a coincidence!