At the next day’s court session, the newly-titled Twelfth Prince dropped a thunderbolt by exposing the leaf speculation scandal in Yuhang along the Jiangnan East Circuit. The court was shocked. Emperor Youning rose in anger after reviewing the evidence Xiao Changgeng submitted.

Silkworms were vital to the nation. Each year, even the emperor would organize ceremonies to worship the Silkworm God, hoping for abundant silkworm harvests and prosperous silk production to enrich both people and the nation. The silkworm industry’s importance was evident. How could Emperor Youning not be furious that someone had schemed to exploit it, harming prosperous Yuhang?

Due to this incident, Emperor Youning postponed the summer palace retreat. Under the scorching sun, stored ice wouldn’t last long. Many complained about the Yuhang affair, hoping to resolve it quickly and escape to Linyou Summer Palace. With numerous parties involved, the situation became chaotic.

“Why is His Majesty dragging this out? Won’t this let people fish in troubled waters?” Zhenzhu fanned Shen Xihe, speaking up when she saw her put down her book.

Shen Xihe smiled slightly: “Do you know how far-reaching this matter is? Officials colluding with merchants to deceive leaf traders and exploit silkworm farmers is just the beginning. After all this turmoil, silk will certainly be scarce this year, setting the stage for silk merchants. They’ll inflate silk prices claiming scarcity, profiting handsomely. The chain reaction could shake all of Jiangnan. How could His Majesty allow Jiangnan to be destabilized?”

This was intentional – letting chaos reign so people would tactfully withdraw. For the greater good, His Majesty wouldn’t completely uproot everyone involved in the leaf price case. The silk merchants wouldn’t get their chance – the matter would end here. The governors of Yuhang and Jiaxing couldn’t be saved, and the involved merchants wouldn’t escape punishment. But after making examples, things would stop there.

“They’re getting off too easy,” Biyu said indignantly. These people had committed terrible crimes yet would escape justice.

“The law doesn’t punish everyone when too many are involved, as it would cause greater damage,” Shen Xihe glanced at them calmly. “His Majesty is His Majesty – he can’t act on temporary emotions. His Majesty must consider the whole realm. This is why not everyone can become emperor, and not everyone who becomes emperor can be a wise ruler.”

“Princess…”

“Princess, my respects!” A falsely sweet voice interrupted Biyu.

They turned to see Xiao Huayong approaching under the sun, carrying a white-crested parrot. The bird was snow-white except for pale yellow on its belly and crown, and kept repeating: “Princess, my respects.”

“Meow!” Short Life, lounging lazily on the railing, suddenly leaped onto the table, glaring hostilely at the approaching parrot.

“The leaf price case will take days to resolve. I know you enjoy quiet, but staying confined in the residence alone for too long isn’t good. I specially found this parrot to keep you company,” Xiao Huayong placed the parrot’s perch before Shen Xihe. “You can play with it when you’re free.”

“Meow—” As soon as Xiao Huayong finished speaking, Short Life pounced. Fortunately, Xiao Huayong quickly grabbed its neck, seeing its claws extended: “Youyou, we should trim its claws lest it hurt you.”

“I don’t usually keep pets. It chose to follow me, so I kept it, but I didn’t want it confined. For over half the month, it must hunt in the mountains and forests itself.” Shen Xihe rarely fed Short Life.

She had trained it to be extremely alert and increasingly perceptive to different auras, treating it not as a mere possession.

“This parrot was a tribute from Southern Tianzhu earlier this year. It’s unique. I’ve raised it for months and taught it some words, finding it amusing, so I brought it to entertain you,” Xiao Huayong explained.

Seeing he had put effort into training the parrot, Shen Xihe didn’t refuse: “Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Youyou deer calls, hearts forever entwined… Ow!”

The white parrot suddenly began swaying as if reciting poetry, but Xiao Huayong subtly interrupted it with his sleeve while maintaining a proper smile at Shen Xihe.

He had only said those words once casually, yet this cursed parrot remembered them, while other phrases he’d taught it hadn’t been learned nearly as quickly.

Shen Xihe suddenly felt her face warm. It was one thing for Xiao Huayong to speak frivolously in front of her, but behind her back too…

“Youyou deer calls, hearts forever entwined; qin and se in harmony, phoenix pair singing!” The white parrot, now perched aside, called out again.

Xiao Huayong coughed lightly: “I… only said it once in front of it.”

He truly hadn’t been constantly speaking sweet words. Such words could only be said to someone he admired. That day Shen Xihe had given him a handkerchief, and back at the Eastern Palace he couldn’t help taking it out to look at it. As he looked, he spoke aloud, forgetting to guard against the bird.

“Youyou has feelings for me… Ow!” The white parrot’s cry was cut short as Xiao Huayong grabbed it. He immediately picked up the perch: “Ahem, this bird isn’t fully trained yet, I’ll take it back for more training…”

“I think it’s perfect,” Shen Xihe said, suppressing her laughter.

This bird was presented as tribute early in the year, so it had been with Xiao Huayong for about half a year. For easier training, he likely kept it close, probably not guarding many secrets from it. Shen Xihe looked forward to learning some of Xiao Huayong’s secrets from this bird.

Xiao Huayong coldly glared at the white parrot, feeling the embarrassment of having slapped himself. He shouldn’t have brought this bird – it hadn’t said any of these things in the past six months, only speaking up upon meeting Shen Xihe.

It must have been triggered when he called Shen Xihe “Youyou,” awakening something in this foolish bird.

“Youyou deer calls, my heart yearns…”

Xiao Huayong’s hands clenched behind his back. He feared losing control and wringing the bird’s neck.

Shen Xihe had never seen Xiao Huayong embarrassed before. Finding it novel, she pulled the perch closer, restraining the ready-to-pounce Short Life, and bent to examine the parrot carefully.

The parrot blinked at Shen Xihe, tilting its head: “Princess, my respects, Princess, my respects.”

The usually quiet-loving Shen Xihe suddenly found the chattering parrot quite adorable, feeling a spark of joy: “I accept Your Highness’s gift. It’s mine now.”

“Youyou is mine!” the parrot followed up on Shen Xihe’s words.

Shen Xihe couldn’t help looking at Xiao Huayong, who maintained a resigned expression with a forced smile.

Poking the parrot, Shen Xihe couldn’t resist teasing Xiao Huayong: “I didn’t know Your Highness was such a dreamer.”

She had feelings for him? She was his?

When had this happened?