“Be careful? Of what?” Xiao Huayong lightly stroked his wide sleeve with one hand while his fingertips gently touched the flowers extending over the railing. His eyes, deep as an ocean, gleamed with an intense darkness. “Does he think he still has a chance to make a comeback?”

Shen Xihe had never seen Xiao Huayong like this. His entire being seemed shrouded in a thick aura of killing intent. Short Ming, who had been lying on the beauty rest, cried and jumped down, quickly leaving the pavilion.

“Your Highness, you…” Shen Xihe couldn’t quite understand what Xiao Huayong planned to do.

“I will make his life more painful than death. I will ensure he remains a rat in the gutter, never to see the light of day again.” With a snap, he broke off a peony flower.

Xiao Huayong walked to Shen Xihe’s front, rolling the flower stem between his fingers. He reached out to pin it in her hair, then stepped back two paces to admire it with a smile: “Even the peony cannot compare to my Youyou.”

Smiling at Shen Xihe, Xiao Huayong continued: “I’ll return to the palace first. As for the rest, Youyou just watch.”

Before Shen Xihe, he retracted all his sharp edges and intensity, becoming much gentler and peaceful. But when Shen Xihe turned to watch his departing figure, bathed in the bright sunlight, he was like a precious sword – its blade frost-like, capable of cutting gold and jade.

“Your Highness was truly intimidating earlier. This servant couldn’t help but hold her breath,” Hong Yu exhaled deeply, having felt suffocated.

Just then, for that moment, she felt that if her breathing had disturbed the Crown Prince, she would have died instantly.

Zhenzhu also sensed indescribable pressure: “Princess, should we send people to the Shen residence?”

“No need. Since His Highness said she would return safely, she certainly will,” Shen Xihe showed complete trust in Xiao Huayong.

Undeniably, considering Ye Wantang, Xiao Changtai wouldn’t harm Shen Yingruo.

“Your Highness, there’s no concrete evidence that the Fourth Prince was the mastermind behind the tomb robbery. News from the Imperial Tomb reports that the burned corpse wore the Fourth Prince’s jade pendant,” Tianyuan reported immediately after Xiao Huayong returned to the palace.

It was a jade pendant symbolizing princely status, identical to the one Xiao Changying threw away when first meeting Shen Xihe, except for the character changing from ‘Ying’ to ‘Tai’. Every prince had one, though Xiao Huayong’s coiled dragon pattern differed from theirs.

“The skull still has an indentation,” Xiao Huayong added.

Tianyuan lowered his head and responded: “Yes.”

Xiao Changtai had suffered a head injury in childhood, nearly not surviving. The Imperial Physician had said there would be a depression in his posterior skull, hidden by hair, not affecting his appearance.

These two pieces of evidence were essentially ironclad, proving that the person burned to death in the Imperial Tomb was “Xiao Changtai.”

If Xiao Changtai were captured alive, His Majesty would certainly execute him, with evidence of unauthorized departure from the Imperial Tomb.

Now that Xiao Changtai had “died” in the Imperial Tomb, even if His Majesty suspected he masterminded the tomb robbery, he couldn’t convict without proof.

“His Majesty needs a righteous ladder to pin the blame on Xiao Changtai. I must help ease His Majesty’s burden.” Xiao Huayong walked around the table, found a box, and handed it to Tianyuan. “Give this to Cui Jinbai, he’ll know what to do.”

“Yes,” Tianyuan respectfully accepted and withdrew from the hall.

Meanwhile, Xiao Changtai was fished out by subordinates waiting where the Wei River meets the Yellow River. He remained conscious, with an arrow in his chest. His subordinates quickly retreated to a prepared location where a physician was waiting.

Xiao Changtai maintained his vigilance, refusing to fall unconscious. His confidant asked: “Your Highness, how should we handle County Princess Huaiyang?”

“Send her to Prince Zhao’s manor,” Xiao Changtai said with closed eyes, yet fully alert.

“Your Highness, County Princess Huaiyang is a Shen family lady. If we…” the confidant suggested, “The Shen family will surely develop resentment toward the Crown Prince.”

It was the Crown Prince who lured their master into the capital. The fourth Prince only kidnapped the Second Miss Shen for self-preservation. If Second Miss Shen died tragically, wouldn’t the Shen family harbor some hatred?

Xiao Changtai suddenly opened his eyes: “My wife is still in the capital!”

Whether Shen Yingruo lived or died wasn’t important to him, but if she died, Xiao Huayong would surely make Ye Wantang join her in death. Thus, he would offend not only Xiao Huayong but also Xiao Changmin, making future alliances in the capital impossible!

“This servant spoke out of turn. I’ll send the signal right away,” the confidant hurriedly withdrew.

The room returned to silence. Xiao Changtai stared at the ceiling, contemplating how Xiao Huayong would maximize the strike against him now. This escape route shouldn’t have been used at this time.

It should have been executed gradually, used for true concealment.

Without using Munuha, he couldn’t see Xiao Huayong’s forces. Even if he hid, it would only be hidden from others’ eyes – his movements would still be under Xiao Huayong’s control. Using Munuha led to the current situation.

In the end, he was still one step behind Xiao Huayong.

All these years, he had schemed painstakingly, carefully robbing tombs to amass wealth and cultivate his current position.

Xiao Huayong, with money from unknown sources, hid in a Taoist temple feigning serious illness, openly strengthening his forces while watching their overt and covert struggles. He was only eight when he left the palace, yet at eight he had already planned for the situation over a decade later.

Thinking of this, Xiao Changtai took a deep breath. He had an ominous feeling that Xiao Huayong would deliver a fatal blow.

But Xiao Huayong hadn’t acted yet, and he couldn’t anticipate how Xiao Huayong would counterattack, leaving him unable to prepare countermeasures in advance.

After reviewing his actions in his mind, confirming no oversights, exhaustion forced him to rest briefly.

Shen Yingruo had been inexplicably kidnapped, waking up blindfolded, with both hands and feet bound. After enduring hunger for two days, she was sent away. When the blindfold was removed, she saw Xiao Changmin.

“Aruo, are you alright?” Xiao Changmin worriedly stepped forward, grasping her arms.

Shen Yingruo pushed him away, stepping back: “Clothes.”

These past two days she had been bound hand and foot, not only were her limbs stiff, but her captors completely ignored her, she…

Thinking of this, she felt murderous.

“Take County Princess below,” Xiao Changmin instructed the maids.

Hot bath water and clothes had been prepared. Shen Yingruo, her face sallow, dismissed everyone, and scrubbed herself thoroughly, ensuring no filth remained on her body. Thinking of these past days, her eyes grew ice-cold.

“Who kidnapped me?” After washing and redressing, Shen Yingruo, without eating, dragged her weakened body before Xiao Changmin to demand answers.

Why was she kidnapped, and why was she sent to Prince Zhao’s manor? Was Prince Zhao responsible for her troubles?

Her thoughts weren’t hidden, making Xiao Changmin’s throat tighten: “It was Fourth Brother, to deal with the Crown Prince.”