The temple bells pierce through dreams, with three thousand Buddhist chants; birds sing on blue stones, while cranes call from golden pavilions.

Though Shen Xihe didn’t believe in Buddhism, the majestic and solemn Xiangguo Temple still filled her with delight when she arrived. The elegant tranquility seemed to possess a magical power that made one forget worldly troubles.

When she saw Ye Wantang, the latter was no longer wearing her beloved magnolia-patterned silk dress, though a magnolia flower still adorned her hair. It was deliberately crafted as a plain white silk flower, pressed against her jet-black hair bun, making her appear even more haggard and plain.

“Princess,” Ye Wantang stepped forward and gave a graceful curtsy.

With Xiao Changtai’s name stripped and neither the title of Prince Ding nor Fourth Prince remaining, she was no longer an imperial daughter-in-law, but merely a widowed daughter of the Ye family. Naturally, she had to bow to Shen Xihe.

Shen Xihe treated her as before, returning a peer’s courtesy: “Second Lady Ye.”

Ye Wantang ranked second among the Ye family’s daughters, with a half-sister preceding her.

“Princess, did you come specifically to find me?” Ye Wantang invited Shen Xihe to sit under a bodhi tree nearby, personally lifting the teapot to pour tea for Shen Xihe.

“What makes you think so?” Shen Xihe asked.

“Princess, in the entire year since your return to the capital, you’ve only visited temples once or twice. You’re not a Buddhist believer,” Ye Wantang passed the teacup to Shen Xihe with both hands. “Since summer began, you’ve rarely left your residence, even neglecting visits to the Eastern Palace, as you suffer in the summer heat.”

She looked up at the harsh sunlight filtering through the branches: “Princess, you neither believe in Buddha nor enjoy summer, yet you came to Xiangguo Temple under the scorching sun. You must have a purpose. Princess has always been decisive in her actions. Coming directly to me means this matter must be related to me.”

Ye Wantang was once one of the capital’s Nine Perfections. Each of the Nine Perfections not only possessed an unmatched skill that other noble ladies couldn’t hope to match, but they were also well-read and brilliant women.

Unfortunately, a maiden’s love is always poetic, and she is ultimately blinded by her love for Xiao Changtai.

For a moment, Shen Xihe felt reluctant to reveal such a cruel truth to her, genuinely wishing to let her forget the past and start anew.

However, even if she pitied Ye Wantang and didn’t plan to use her against Xiao Changtai, would Xiao Changtai spare her?

Taking the teacup from Ye Wantang’s hands, Shen Xihe took a small sip before setting it down. She then took out a sachet from her chest and silently handed it to Ye Wantang.

Ye Wantang appeared confused. She accepted it and opened it to find a small bamboo tube like a fire starter and a jade pendant shaped like a Pingzhong leaf. “Princess, what is the meaning of this…”

“A token and a distress flare,” Shen Xihe said.

“Why are you giving these to me?” Ye Wantang was even more puzzled.

Eyes like black obsidian, calm yet profound, reflecting Ye Wantang’s face, Shen Xihe paused before saying: “Xiao Changtai isn’t dead.”

Ye Wantang’s expression changed. She froze in place, her lips instantly losing all color. Her inner turmoil must have been tremendous, as she had to support herself against the stone table to keep from collapsing.

This news struck Ye Wantang like a bolt from the blue. He wasn’t dead?

How could he not be dead? If he wasn’t dead, where had he gone? And how did Shen Xihe know about this?

Her gaze flickered with shock and complex suspicions toward Shen Xihe, all of which Shen Xihe noticed. She remained composed: “Since he set that fire himself, after sharing a bed with him for so many years, didn’t you ever suspect he might have faked his death?”

Something shattered within, draining all strength from Ye Wantang’s body, making her seem ready to collapse even while seated.

Had she suspected?

She had, but as layer after layer of ugliness was revealed, she’d rather believe he was dead, dead before she discovered his hideous face, so she’d calmly accepted this fact.

“His Majesty will travel to Linyou Palace, and when the civil and military officials follow, it will be the perfect opportunity for him to secretly return and elope with you,” Shen Xihe continued in her calm tone.

Ye Wantang suddenly looked at Shen Xihe: “Why would I leave with him?”

“You will,” Shen Xihe met her gaze steadily. “You still harbor love for him in your heart. Though he failed to meet your expectations, and his feelings weren’t as pure as you imagined, throughout these years he never truly wronged you as a person.

Though his feelings may not have matched his grand promises to you, they were genuine.”

Xiao Changtai wasn’t indifferent to fame and fortune, but he never had other women. This point alone was enough to help Ye Wantang step over the hurdle. There were countless men worse than Xiao Changtai in this world, and as a prince, his ambition was only natural.

Ye Wantang could be heartbroken about this, but she had no grounds to reproach him. As for the Ye family, given Ye Wantang’s intelligence, she should have realized that from the moment Ye Qiyun agreed to the marriage, they never intended to stay uninvolved. The Ye family wasn’t dragged down by Xiao Changtai; they had their desires for power and happened to align with Xiao Changtai.

Those eyes, though calm and unruffled, penetrated to the heart; her words, neither heavy nor light, were full of sharp edges.

Ye Wantang’s thoughts lay bare before Shen Xihe. She turned her face away, avoiding Shen Xihe’s gaze: “Princess if you’re so certain I still can’t let him go and will leave with him, why go to such lengths? How could I possibly help you harm him?”

With a slight curl of her lips, Shen Xihe said: “You will leave with him because you still have hope for him in your heart. But let me tell you, this hope of yours will ultimately prove to be nothing but an illusion. I’m giving you these things not to use you against him, but to leave you an escape route. One day, you will be utterly disappointed in him and have nowhere to turn for help. Remember, there is still someone in this world who can lend you aid.”

Ye Wantang’s fingers tightened on her sleeves, her eyelashes trembling: “Princess tells me all this, yet if I believe you, how could I still leave with him? If I don’t believe you, why would I accept your gifts?”

“You will believe my words, but you’ll still maintain a thread of hope, hoping that now that he has fallen to this state with no chance at the throne, perhaps he can truly let go of his desire for power,” Shen Xihe said softly. “But you’ve been disappointed too many times, so you remain half-believing, half-doubting, both toward me and him.”

With that, Shen Xihe stood up: “You will accept them, and if possible, I hope you never need to use what I’ve given you.”

This way, it wasn’t that Ye Wantang was blindly devoted to Xiao Changtai, but rather that her dream came true, with Xiao Changtai truly letting go of everything, living in conjugal bliss like Xiao Changyu and Bian Xianyi.

Without waiting for Ye Wantang’s response, Shen Xihe turned to leave. A green bodhi leaf fell, landing on Shen Xihe’s arm. She paused to look at it for a moment before saying: “Second Lady is a wise and courageous person, not worth withering away for a man. In matters of love, a good beginning and end is already a luxury, how many can even hope for a good beginning? Though it may end, at least you once possessed it, just as in Buddhism’s trials, understanding leads to great achievement.”