“Through the gentle flow of years, may I spend them with you; along life’s endless path, I’m fortunate to walk beside you.”

Beneath his long, thick eyelashes lay eyes that seemed to gather moonlight. His voice was like mountain winds caressing hair and moonlight spilling across the night, tenderly seeping into one’s bones.

His hand cut through the sunlight, fingertips dancing with silver rays as he slowly reached toward her.

Shen Xihe’s gaze fell on his hand with its long fingers in the sunlight and broad palm. Her fingertips twitched but ultimately didn’t reach out: “Wait until our wedding day, Your Highness, then extend your hand to me.”

To hold hands in marriage, to grow old together; a pledge of white hair, a romance sealed with red leaves.

It shouldn’t be used at other times.

Although rejected once again, at least she hadn’t coldly refused him and had given him a way to save face.

Xiao Huayong slowly withdrew his hand: “It’s still half a year away…”

It felt like such a long time that he wished he could blink and it would already be March of next year, when spring flowers bloom.

Shen Xihe’s bright eyes sparkled with flowing light as she looked at him with a smile, saying nothing.

Xiao Huayong could only heave a deep sigh and turn away dejectedly. As he walked to the stone steps, Shen Xihe called out to him: “Your Highness.”

Turning his head, Xiao Huayong was curious and saw Shen Xihe take out a dark embroidered handkerchief folded into a small square. The deep blue fabric was embroidered with two intersecting Pingzhong leaves with their stems: “That handkerchief hasn’t been hemmed.”

The handkerchief embroidered with the immortal’s sash was done casually, and Shen Xihe hadn’t hemmed it, so it couldn’t be used.

The handkerchief extended before he caught the sunlight slanting down from the eaves, making the Pingzhong leaves appear as lifelike as butterflies about to take flight.

Xiao Huayong stared blankly for a moment, looking at Shen Xihe, then at the handkerchief held out to him. The corners of his lips couldn’t help but turn upward in a smile that was somewhat shy, somewhat delighted, and somewhat cautiously dreamlike as if it wasn’t real.

Shen Xihe just held it out, showing neither embarrassment nor any intention to withdraw it, demonstrating her sincere intentions.

After quite a while, Xiao Huayong finally accepted it with both hands. Only when his fingertips touched the soft fabric did it feel real: “I will cherish it.”

“It’s not worth such treatment,” Shen Xihe said with a gentle smile. “Things should be used as intended. Only when it’s old and worn can I make you a new one.”

“I… I will use it often.” The Crown Prince’s words became somewhat incoherent, the joy coming too suddenly.

Shen Xihe’s smile deepened: “I won’t keep Your Highness any longer.”

“Ah, oh, alright.” Holding the handkerchief, Xiao Huayong smiled somewhat foolishly, nodding as he stepped backward, completely forgetting he was beside the stone steps. His foot missed the step and he began to fall backward.

Fortunately, his reactions were quick and his martial skills excellent. With only three steps behind him, he managed several awkward maneuvers that looked somewhat comical but prevented him from falling completely.

Since there were no other servants present, and to avoid making Xiao Huayong feel embarrassed, Shen Xihe gracefully suppressed the widening of her smile, though the laughter in her eyes couldn’t be hidden from Xiao Huayong.

He remained composed, showing no sign of embarrassment: “If it can make Youyou smile, even taking a tumble is worth it.”

Shen Xihe shook her head helplessly and turned back into the pavilion.

Xiao Huayong carefully tucked the handkerchief against his heart before turning away contentedly.

Only after Xiao Huayong left did Zhenzhu and the others return to attend to Shen Xihe. Zhenzhu reported the news she had just received: “Miss, Madam Ye has been staying in her family compound these past few days. The Ye household says she hasn’t spoken a word each day.”

Since Xiao Changtai had been stripped of his title and was no longer the Fourth Prince, Ye Wantang naturally could no longer be called the Fourth Prince’s Consort.

Emperor Youning hadn’t punished the Ye clan at all, as if the Ye clan had known nothing. Li Yanyan remained imprisoned, and Xiao Changzhen knelt in the Mingzheng Hall until he fainted, but Emperor Youning wouldn’t relent.

Even now, Emperor Youning hadn’t passed judgment on Li Yanyan.

The matter of Xiao Changtai being the mastermind of the tomb robbery hadn’t been revealed, so Li Yanyan’s role as an accomplice couldn’t be established. But Li Yanyan’s offense against His Majesty was a fact – whether the punishment would be severe or light rested entirely on the emperor’s whim.

“I suppose… she’s come to understand that she’s been kept in the dark all along,” Shen Xihe sighed softly.

If Ye Wantang’s state was due to grief over Xiao Changtai’s death, it couldn’t possibly have reached this extent. After all, besides being a wife, she was also a daughter living in her parents’ home – how could she let her parents worry so much about her?

The only thing that could reduce Ye Wantang to this state was realizing that Xiao Changtai had never given up fighting for the throne, that she had been foolishly used all along, and worse… that her father and brothers had been deceiving her along with her husband.

The Ye father and sons might have wanted to protect their daughter’s innocence, understanding her nature and not wanting her to worry daily.

But Xiao Changtai had always valued using her and the benefits she brought over genuine feelings, which made it hard for her to accept that everything had been false, that everyone had been weaving lies while watching her live each day in foolish ignorance.

This double betrayal by both her closest family and her beloved was enough to make her lose her will to live.

“Keep watching her, Xiao Changtai will certainly seek her out,” Shen Xihe had people monitoring Ye Wantang specifically to catch Xiao Changtai.

Though Xiao Changtai might be briefly demoralized after being stripped of his titles and clan membership, someone like him would never easily lose his fighting spirit. He was born competitive, the type to fight until his last breath.

He would quickly accept the fact that he could no longer attain the throne, and would pile all his hatred onto Xiao Huayong. He would seek countless ways to ruin Xiao Huayong’s path to the throne.

“Many people are watching the Ye family. It won’t be easy for Xiao Changtai to take the bait,” Zhenzhu said.

Xiao Changtai wasn’t stupid – he naturally knew that Ye Wantang was the only bait that could draw him out. Especially at such a critical time, Xiao Changtai wouldn’t possibly come seeking Ye Wantang.

“Not for now, but he will come.” They just had to wait for the right moment.

No matter how long Xiao Changtai made them wait for this moment, they couldn’t relax. They had to catch him when he appeared.

Another five days passed like this. Emperor Youning still kept Li Yanyan imprisoned, and Prince Dai Xiao Changzhen no longer knelt in supplication. He went to the Imperial Clan Court every day, and though the Director had orders not to allow visitors, Xiao Changzhen would stand at the court’s main gate from sunrise to sunset each day.

This aroused the curiosity of common people, and discussions in the capital grew louder. But whether it was censors advising or officials memorializing, Emperor Youning ignored it all.

“His Majesty suspects Your Highness,” Shen Xihe reminded when Xiao Huayong came to visit her that day.

“If he didn’t suspect me after all this commotion, he wouldn’t be the Emperor,” Xiao Huayong said carelessly. “His suspicion doesn’t matter – without evidence, he can do nothing to me.”

Emperor Youning’s attitude toward Li Yanyan wasn’t about making her suffer or getting her to confess about Xiao Changtai – it was to make her explain why Xiao Changtai had come to the capital.