“Is Your Majesty satisfied?”

Everyone present except Shen Xihe lowered their heads.

The Empress Dowager’s accusations were too obvious. Combined with Xiao Juesong’s words and the two imperial guards exposed by Yu Sangzi and Liyang County Princess, they were all subtly revealing a truth that was about to emerge.

They had never thought of it this way before, but thinking about it now – when the Crown Prince Jiachen submitted his surrender letter, His Majesty’s plot to assassinate Prince Qian and frame Crown Prince Jiachen had accomplished multiple goals at once.

Back when Prince Qian was suddenly assassinated, they didn’t dare think this way. Firstly, because Prince Qian and His Majesty had always shared deep brotherly affection, and secondly, because the Empress Dowager had testified.

Now thinking back, could brotherly affection outweigh the supreme imperial throne? In such circumstances, if the Empress Dowager hadn’t painfully supported His Majesty, what kind of fate would she have faced?

“Mother, it was my fault for not protecting Seventh Brother well enough,” His Majesty said with guilt in his low voice.

“Depose him then, let him live out his remaining few days in peace,” the Empress Dowager closed her eyes in anguish. She seemed to have used all her strength, leaning against her female official, her tone carrying a hint of pleading.

At this time, what would be the reason for deposing the Crown Prince?

Poor health? After such an incident, no matter how legitimate the reason given for deposing the Crown Prince, the fact that the Crown Prince wasn’t his flesh and blood, and his past deed of killing his brother to seize the throne would inevitably be exposed.

How would the court officials view him? And how would the common people present today spread the news?

Xiao Juesong had escaped – was he waiting for this outcome to spread rumors and seize the opportunity to usurp the throne?

There were too many factors to consider. The Crown Prince couldn’t be deposed.

“Mother, nothing will happen to Seventh Brother. As long as he lives, as long as I live, he will remain Crown Prince. He is my only legitimate son,” Emperor Youning made his promise in front of everyone.

The Empress Dowager opened her eyes, coldly staring at him for a very long time before finally letting out a cold laugh and entering the chamber.

Shen Xihe had already entered the chamber earlier. She was now sitting by the bed, watching Xiao Huayong whose face was as pale as paper. She just watched quietly, no one knowing what she was thinking.

When the Empress Dowager and Emperor Youning entered, she stood up and performed the proper courtesies, appearing respectful, but with an air of perfunctoriness and dissatisfaction that everyone could sense but couldn’t criticize.

In the bedchamber, they remained silent. Emperor Youning had countless state affairs to handle, plus Xiao Juesong’s matters to deal with. He left first. The Empress Dowager wanted to stay longer, but being advanced in age, she couldn’t endure. After several persuasions from the palace maids, she finally left.

The moon rose to the western tower, but Shen Xihe hadn’t left. She remained in the bedchamber, and only after everyone had left did she ask, “Was he poisoned again?”

“Yes,” Zhenzhu and Sui Axi lowered their heads simultaneously.

Shen Xihe didn’t speak again. She kept watching over Xiao Huayong. He woke up in the dead of night when everything was silent, only to see Shen Xihe asleep leaning on the edge of his bed. He was stunned for a moment, forcefully closed, and opened his eyes again. In the dim, scattered light, she was still lying there quietly, making him quickly sit up, carefully wanting to embrace her, but ending up startling her awake.

Meeting her sleepy gaze, before she could react, he pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her close.

Holding Shen Xihe, Xiao Huayong’s gaze was somewhat lost as he stared at one spot, initially not even noticing her struggles.

“Let go!” Shen Xihe had never been held so tightly by anyone before, as if he wanted to embed her into his bones, making it difficult for her to breathe. No matter how she struck at him, this seemingly frail person had strong bones. He didn’t feel the pain, but her hands hurt.

Suddenly coming to his senses, Xiao Huayong loosened his grip slightly but didn’t let Shen Xihe break free from his restraint. He still held her tightly: “I’m sorry, Youyou…”

His voice, like a murmur, carried deep worry and guilt.

Shen Xihe frowned, not understanding why he was suddenly acting crazy.

But he nuzzled against her, repeatedly saying those five words: “I’m sorry, Youyou…”

Shen Xihe was helpless. If it weren’t for the fact that the bracelet she wore today was full of poison needles, she would have given him one!

“If you don’t let go of me now, I guarantee you’ll never see me again,” Shen Xihe disliked being held like this, with a man’s strong, hot breath filling her nostrils, making her very uncomfortable. She could only resort to threats.

This threat was very effective. Xiao Huayong let go of her as if startled, his movement so swift he almost pushed her over. Fortunately, he reacted in time to pull her back, and then gave her a silly smile, feeling guilty.

Shen Xihe pulled away from his hand and stood up, only to find that sitting on the footstool for too long had made her legs numb and weak. Her feet gave way and she fell, but Xiao Huayong quickly caught her in his arms.

Having caught such a soft, fragrant beauty in his arms, Xiao Huayong couldn’t help but grin.

“Let go,” Shen Xihe commanded in a low voice.

Usually, he would have stubbornly held on, refusing to let go, but now sensing Shen Xihe’s anger, Xiao Huayong obediently released her. Seeing her about to leave, he quickly grabbed her wrist: “Youyou, you can be angry and upset with me, but please don’t ignore me, alright?”

What he feared most was her cold indifference. Her coldness was more terrifying and painful to him than being pierced by ten thousand arrows.

“How dare I be angry with Your Highness the Crown Prince, who plays everyone like puppets in his hands?” Shen Xihe said coldly.

“You say you’re not angry, but those words come from anger,” Xiao Huayong mumbled softly. Noticing Shen Xihe trying forcefully to break free from his grip, he said quietly, “I wasn’t trying to hide things from you, nor did I want you to play along with my act to deceive others. It’s just that… I never thought you would worry about me, personally watch over me.

If I had known I held such importance in your heart, I would have told you earlier – I was indeed poisoned, but this poison doesn’t harm me. Rather, it’s a poison that controls the strange poison in my body…”

Only Linghu Zheng and he knew about this matter, not even the Imperial Physician knew.

The strange poison in his body had improved somewhat in recent years because Linghu Zheng had found this kind of powerful poison. Every year, he would use poison to counter poison once, which could suppress the strange poison in his body. When this poison first enters the body, it creates a clash between two types of poison.

No one would think it was used to counter poison. Xiao Huayong did this to eliminate His Majesty’s last doubts about him because he had been poisoned again. His Majesty wouldn’t think he would pay such a great price just to put on an act.

In this game, there was no possibility that he was a participant anymore.

Shen Xihe stood by the bed, looking down quietly at him sitting on the bed. Though usually full of schemes and tactics, his gaze now looking at her was as bright as a child’s, his smile so radiant it put the moonlight outside the window to shame.

He blinked at Shen Xihe: “The one who was poisoned wasn’t me, but…”

The words “His Majesty” were mouthed silently, his expression occasionally showing a self-satisfied yet cold and sinister smile.