Just after Sixth Prince Xiao Changyu had shown the slightest hint of courting her, he immediately provoked the Crown Prince.
Shen Xihe was someone who habitually overthought everything. She believed all coincidences were carefully arranged.
The princes viewed the Eastern Palace as a fierce beast to be avoided at all costs, so why did the Sixth Prince suddenly visit? And why was it specifically this Sixth Prince, who had designs on her, who angered the Crown Prince to the point of coughing blood?
“Princess, shall we enter the palace to visit the Crown Prince?” Bi Yu asked softly.
She knew the Princess had no feelings for the Crown Prince, but if the Princess wanted to choose a husband, she seemed to currently favor the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince had helped the Princess at the Court of Justice that day, and later the Eastern Palace had sent her food. By all accounts, hearing that the Crown Prince had fallen ill with anger, the Princess should visit him.
“Go, why not?” Shen Xihe waved for Bi Yu and the others to make preparations.
The Sixth Prince courted her, the Crown Prince coughed blood in anger, and then she rushed to visit the Crown Prince. Others would surely misinterpret this as her having a deep relationship with the Crown Prince.
It would unconsciously create an illusion that she favored the Crown Prince, placing her in the Crown Prince’s camp.
That’s why her first reaction was: What a coincidence!
Of course, the simplest way to avoid creating such associations would be to not visit the Crown Prince today.
At most, rumors would spread that the Crown Prince and Sixth Prince were jealously competing for her.
But she had to make this visit. She wanted to see whether these coincidences were orchestrated by the Crown Prince himself or if there were other reasons.
As for what others might think, she didn’t particularly care.
Even if she didn’t marry the Crown Prince in the future and married someone else, she wasn’t worried this would become a thorn in his heart.
Whoever she married, it would only be a marriage of convenience, each taking what they needed.
However, in Bi Yu’s view, Shen Xihe visiting the Crown Prince at this crucial moment meant she was determined to get close to him.
As the carriage passed the palace gates, Shen Xihe’s curtain was blown open, and she saw Sixth Prince Xiao Changyu kneeling with a straight back under the scorching sun.
Seeming to hear the carriage’s sound, Xiao Changyu turned his head.
It must be said that Emperor Youning’s princes all had dragon-phoenix bearing. Xiao Changyu had sword-like eyebrows and star-bright eyes. Due to his imperial consort mother’s lineage, his features carried a slight exotic charm, his eyes particularly deep-set, his nose high-bridged, his facial proportions excellent.
Combined with his preference for martial arts, even though he was just coming of age and kneeling under the scorching sun, his whole being radiated a dazzling masculine energy.
“So… the Sixth Prince is so heroically handsome,” Zi Yu liked the tall and mighty men of the Northwest.
“Imperial sons are all magnificent,” Shen Xihe said flatly. “This capital has no shortage of talented men and beautiful women.”
She glanced at Zi Yu and Bi Yu: “In a few more years, I’ll release you. Even among commoners and lesser-born sons, there are many outstanding men.”
Her attendants would surely become proper primary wives.
“Princess, Bi Yu will never leave you for life,” Bi Yu was startled.
“Princess, Zi Yu won’t marry either. Rather than serve some stinking man, I’d rather follow the Princess for life,” Zi Yu also spoke in alarm.
Shen Xihe just smiled faintly without saying more.
Her words were sincere, and also let them know she would never give her personal maids to her future husband as concubines – concubines could only be brought in from outside.
When Shen Xihe arrived at the Eastern Palace, she saw the Empress Dowager.
She had paid respects to the Empress Dowager when she entered the palace days ago, but the Empress Dowager had caught a cold and only spoke with her through a screen.
Today the Empress Dowager still looked unwell, her face showing the ravages of time, her hair completely gray. Demoted to the Northwest in her twenties, she had endured great hardships. Even though she had lived in luxury these past twenty years, she still couldn’t erase the traces of past suffering.
However, she still looked somewhat younger than ordinary women in their sixties, perhaps due to years of vegetarian diet and Buddhist practice. She carried a calming aura of temple incense.
“Zhaoning pays respects to the Empress Dowager…”
“Rise,” The Empress Dowager personally helped Shen Xihe up before she could fully curtsy.
In the hall was not only the Empress Dowager but also Noble Consort Rong who managed the six palaces, the mother of Xiao Changqing and Xiao Changying.
Noble Consort Rong’s surname was Rong. None of the women in the rear palace had honorary titles, only ranks, so they were distinguished by their surnames matching their ranks.
A woman who could bear brothers like Xiao Changqing was naturally extremely charming. Although in her forties, her black hair was still thick, her skin fair. Her high-coiled hair was adorned with just two gold hairpins and one gorgeous peony.
It made her appear as magnificent as a peony, her eyes smiling, like an amiable elder.
“I’ve long heard Princess Zhaoning’s beauty is unmatched. Seeing you today, I truly can’t take my eyes off you,” Noble Consort Rong praised with a smile.
Although Noble Consort Rong was a noble consort, she wasn’t the proper Empress. When Shen Xihe entered the palace days ago, she had only paid respects to the Empress Dowager.
Noble Consort Rong wasn’t qualified enough.
“Your Grace flatters me,” Shen Xihe only responded according to etiquette.
Seemingly unaware of Shen Xihe’s perfunctory and distant manner, Noble Consort Rong remained dignified and refined: “I’m delighted to meet the Princess. If you feel uncomfortable in the capital, you can visit me at Hanzhang Palace. Pingling is about your age and could be good company.”
Noble Consort Rong had two sons and one daughter. Sixth Princess Pingling was exactly fourteen this year.
“Your Grace is too kind. Zhaoning is weak and shouldn’t move about much. I fear I would neglect the Princess,” Shen Xihe directly refused.
“Empress Dowager…” Before Noble Consort Rong could say more, Tian Yuan came out. “His Highness has awakened and wishes to see the Princess.”
“We’ve watched over him half the day without him waking, yet the Princess just arrives and the Crown Prince awakens. Had we known, we should have invited the Princess earlier, sparing the Empress Dowager and Emperor half a day of worry,” a stunningly beautiful consort joked.
This woman who outshone all in the rear palace was Noble Lady Qin. She had entered the palace fifteen years ago and though childless, was deeply favored by Emperor Youning.
“Young people are shy, unlike you,” the Empress Dowager teasingly scolded Noble Lady Qin before telling Shen Xihe, “Go see the Crown Prince.”
The current dynasty wasn’t strict about the separation between men and women. Young men and women could interact, with propriety maintained beyond mere superficiality.
Shen Xihe gracefully paid her respects and entered with her maids.
The medicinal smell was even stronger than last time. Shen Xihe’s keen sense of smell had its drawbacks – for instance, now, what was just a slightly strong medicine smell to others nearly made her faint.
She walked several steps without showing any reaction before gradually adapting.
When she saw Xiao Huayong, he was sitting on the edge of the bed wearing a large robe, drinking a bowl of medicine in one gulp.
After drinking, he coughed several times, then composed himself and said to Shen Xihe through the beaded curtain: “Princess, please sit.”
After speaking one sentence, he seemed to struggle for breath again and coughed violently several times. Seeing Shen Xihe seated, he said with difficulty: “Princess, Sixth Brother’s intentions are impure.”