“This is your best choice,” Shen Xihe nodded, confirming her speculation.

“Why don’t you make this choice?” Princess Yaoxi countered.

Weren’t their situations quite similar? Knowing the Crown Prince was afflicted with an unsolvable strange poison, why would she choose him?

Was it just for love?

Princess Yaoxi didn’t believe it. With her father’s poor health, she had handled many of Tubo’s state affairs on his behalf. She had seen many people, and Shen Xihe wasn’t a woman trapped by love. She possessed a proud aloofness that set her above others, a transcendence that didn’t sink into worldliness.

Shen Xihe’s flower-like soft lips lifted slightly: “I am more noble than you. I cannot choose your path.”

One-third of military power was in Shen Yueshan’s hands, controlling the Turks above and restraining Tubo below.

For Emperor Youning to marry her, he would have to open the Vermillion Bird Gate and welcome her into the back palace with the honor of Imperial Mother.

Let alone Emperor Youning’s vow to never establish another empress in this life, even without this oath, he could never make her empress.

The Imperial Mother of this dynasty, if the Emperor agreed, had the right to participate in court politics, far more complex than previous dynasties where she only managed the back palace.

Therefore, she could only marry a prince. Choosing Xiao Huayong was merely an accident of fate.

Naturally, Shen Xihe wouldn’t explain these reasons to Princess Yaoxi.

Seeing Princess Yaoxi still didn’t quite understand, Shen Xihe said: “His Majesty dares neither take me as consort nor marry me as empress.”

Taking her as consort would be trampling on Shen Yueshan’s face. Shen Yueshan would certainly refuse on grounds of impropriety, given his sworn brotherhood with His Majesty. He wouldn’t agree to her becoming empress either, but if she were willing, Shen Yueshan couldn’t stop it.

Princess Yaoxi, having handled Tubo’s political affairs, had some political sensitivity. She understood the meaning of these words and believed what Shen Xihe said.

“His Majesty won’t make me empress either,” Princess Yaoxi seriously considered Shen Xihe’s suggestion. “If I become His Majesty’s consort… if I have no children, according to your Celestial Dynasty’s rules, I would be sent to a temple.”

By then she would have neither power nor status in the Celestial Dynasty, and her brother would remain in danger.

As long as Princess Yaoxi was willing, everything could be arranged. Shen Xihe gestured for Princess Yaoxi to sit: “If the Princess is willing, we can cooperate in another way.”

“Please speak,” Princess Yaoxi sat accordingly.

Shen Xihe poured her a cup of tea: “Whether or not His Highness the Crown Prince can accompany me to the end, Princess Yaoxi should know I have no retreat. I must become the final victor. In the future, whether His Highness ascends the throne or my flesh and blood do, I can ensure you enjoy wealth and honor in the palace, preventing the Xiazha family from rash actions.”

This was double insurance – while His Majesty lived, she would be his consort; after His Majesty’s passing, she would have Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong’s support.

Compared to marrying Xiao Huayong, she could at least protect her royal brother with her power before His Majesty’s death. There was a natural risk – that Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong might not become the final winners, a risk that came with marrying any prince.

Princess Yaoxi was indeed somewhat tempted but didn’t agree immediately, because she knew once she agreed, she would become Shen Xihe’s spy beside His Majesty, perhaps even having to conspire with Shen Xihe to assassinate the emperor in the future.

“I’ve heard His Majesty hasn’t taken any consorts for many years. How would he take me into the palace?” Yaoxi asked again.

“Princess Yaoxi, let me tell you something truthful,” a faint light traced Shen Xihe’s rising smile. “His Majesty originally had no intention of marriage alliances, yet he allowed you to come to the capital, not because a princess was marrying into the Celestial Dynasty rather than the Celestial Dynasty marrying a princess to Tubo.

By my guess, His Majesty must have learned of Tubo’s current internal turmoil. He has coveted Tubo for a long but couldn’t find a righteous reason to act. If the Princess boldly expresses admiration for His Majesty, especially in public, His Majesty absolutely cannot refuse.”

His Majesty couldn’t possibly take a woman who publicly declared her feelings for him and then marry her to his son. His Majesty also couldn’t miss this marriage alliance opportunity because, with slight maneuvering, he could achieve his goal of sending troops to and annexing Tubo. This was meat delivered to his mouth – how could he not eat it?

“His Majesty intends to attack Tubo?” Princess Yaoxi’s fingers clenched as her expression darkened.

Shen Xihe glanced at her lightly: “Strong nations are always thus. When Tubo was powerful in the past, didn’t it also conquer the northwest and attack Yunnan?”

Princess Yaoxi was slightly startled by these words, then her expression relaxed, because Shen Xihe spoke truth: “Let me think about it.”

“I await the Princess’s good news,” Shen Xihe wasn’t hurried.

Telling Princess Yaoxi these things wasn’t to slander Emperor Youning – these were all facts.

Emperor Youning might well use Princess Yaoxi to gain power over Tubo, but she feared Princess Yaoxi might momentarily lose clarity and fall for his charm.

Though Emperor Youning was nearly fifty, he maintained himself well, especially focusing on health these years, looking several years younger than Shen Yueshan. He could pass for the thirties, and for such a mature sovereign ruling all under heaven, capturing an innocent young girl’s heart would be too easy.

Emperor Youning’s inner circle was impenetrable. Xiao Huayong could only arrange His Majesty’s confidants but couldn’t infiltrate His Majesty’s daily life. Even this time’s act with Xiao Juexong making His Majesty suffer poison couldn’t fully control the emperor’s every move.

But if the emperor’s bedmate, especially one the emperor wanted to use and had to stay close to, was her spy, His Majesty would find it hard to escape the net she and Xiao Huayong wove together.

Moreover, she would soon marry into the Eastern Palace, and having a consort in her camp would greatly benefit her control of the back palace.

The next day when Shen Xihe went to accompany Xiao Huayong at their appointed time in the Eastern Palace, she told him about this matter. Upon hearing it, Xiao Huayong clapped his hands: “Brilliant, truly brilliant.”

He hadn’t thought of planting Princess Yaoxi as a spy by His Majesty’s side.

His Majesty would likely suspect anyone else sent to him, but while he might suspect Princess Yaoxi, he would be less suspicious of her as a Tubo princess compared to others.

“However, having Princess Yaoxi publicly declare her feelings would indeed let her become His Majesty’s woman,” Xiao Huayong had a better idea. “But this way, Princess Yaoxi’s purpose would be too obvious, and His Majesty would likely be more cautious. Better to have Princess Yaoxi still show some thoughts of marrying me or a prince, while secretly enticing His Majesty to develop feelings for her first.”

This way, it would be His Majesty actively wanting her, with an added sense of guilt toward Princess Yaoxi.

“His Majesty isn’t moved by female beauty,” That night entertaining the envoys showed His Majesty hadn’t developed feelings for Princess Yaoxi.

“Princess Yaoxi comes from Tubo, and my aunt married into Tubo…” Xiao Huayong smiled meaningfully.

His Majesty’s birthmark should be familiar to Princess Yaoxi – they could start from there.