HomeAfter I Bloom Hundred Flowers DieChapter 539: A Ray of Hope

Chapter 539: A Ray of Hope

Shen Yunan’s words were reasonable. Shen Xihe turned to look at him – his sunken eye sockets dark with shadows, his haggard features sharp as if carved by a knife in the flickering candlelight. The once-undrawn precious sword now revealed its full brilliance.

Seeming to feel Shen Xihe’s gaze, Shen Yunan looked back, forcing a reassuring smile for her.

Shen Xihe quickly lowered her head, feeling guilty and remorseful.

After discussion, the generals decided to take turns keeping vigil for Shen Yueshan, with Geng Liangcheng volunteering for the first night. No one contested this.

“Bring another set of plain clothes,” Xiao Huayong instructed Tianyuan.

Tianyuan immediately complied, soon returning with suitable plain clothes for Xiao Huayong, helping him change and don the hemp mourning garments.

“Your Highness, this action does not accord with proper etiquette,” Xiao Changfeng hurriedly objected when he saw Xiao Huayong about to kneel beside Shen Xihe.

Xiao Huayong was the Crown Prince – even when alive, the Northwestern Prince had been his subject. He certainly couldn’t kneel for him in death, let alone wear mourning clothes.

“There is no Crown Prince here now, only a son-in-law of the Shen family,” Xiao Huayong stated, kneeling straight-backed. “As a son-in-law, wearing mourning for one’s father-in-law is natural and right.”

Shen Yunan couldn’t help glancing at Xiao Huayong. He didn’t know how the Crown Prince had persuaded his father, but ever since his father’s trip to the capital, he had agreed to the marriage between the Crown Prince and Youyou. His father had remarked more than once that the Crown Prince was extraordinary.

If he truly devoted himself wholeheartedly to Youyou, it would be her lifelong blessing.

Although his father couldn’t be completely certain of the depth of the Crown Prince’s sincerity, his father’s praise for the Crown Prince was something Shen Yunan had never witnessed before. Now, rushing to Youyou’s side when she needed him most, setting aside his dignity as Crown Prince to wear mourning clothes for Father as a son-in-law – this alone made him superior to countless other men.

Kneeling until late into the night, Shen Yunan worried for Shen Xihe: “Youyou, go rest for a while. Father won’t blame you.”

Shen Xihe shook her head slightly, looking toward Xiao Huayong. With Xiao Changfeng present, Xiao Huayong had to occasionally cough. Because both Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong were there, Xiao Changfeng dared not leave even though he wasn’t keeping vigil – if anything happened to these two, he needn’t bother returning to the capital.

Unable to dismiss Xiao Changfeng, this was very difficult for Xiao Huayong. Even Shen Yunan couldn’t help but urge him twice, but Xiao Huayong persisted until he finally couldn’t maintain it any longer and fainted, conveniently falling into Shen Xihe’s arms.

This immediately caused a commotion, and Shen Yunan took the opportunity to send Shen Xihe to look after Xiao Huayong.

Xiao Huayong was carried to Shen Xihe’s room. After she dismissed everyone, Xiao Huayong opened his eyes, his silver pupils bright and spirited, showing no trace of weakness.

Shen Xihe naturally knew he had been pretending. She sat silently beside him, knowing he had feigned fainting to give her a legitimate reason to stay and care for him. After all, he was the Crown Prince – any mishap would be difficult to explain to the court. This way, she wouldn’t have to continue the act outside and suffer.

“Why so troubled?” Xiao Huayong asked, drawing her close.

“I feel guilty… I don’t know how to face Brother in the future…” Shen Xihe had never deceived Shen Yunan in her life – this was the first time.

“This was Father-in-law’s decision. Don’t worry. Tomorrow when His Majesty’s envoys enter the city, I’ll take your brother away so he won’t need to keep vigil. I’ll also explain everything to him.” Afterward, Shen Yunan would only need to secretly contact his confidants and keep watch over Geng Liangcheng’s every move.

Shen Xihe glanced at him, still silent, not knowing what to say.

Her melancholy affected Xiao Huayong as well, dampening his spirits: “Let me tell you some good news.”

“What is it?” Shen Xihe asked.

“Doctor Qi said he heard of a similar illness to mine in the Western Regions, though it was several decades ago. He needs to investigate further in secret. If we can uncover this past case, perhaps we can determine what poison is in my body.” Shen Xihe called Xie Yunhuai “Doctor Qi,” and Xiao Huayong followed suit.

“Really?” Shen Xihe’s eyes brightened. This was indeed good news – nothing concerned her more than the poison in Xiao Huayong’s body, since if an antidote wasn’t found within three to five years, his body would no longer be able to endure.

Even though it wasn’t a violent poison, having been buried in his body for so long, even with divine doctors exhausting every method to protect him, Xiao Huayong’s internal organs were still being continuously eroded by the toxin.

“Yes.” Seeing her undisguised joy, the worry in her brow instantly clearing, Xiao Huayong’s heartfelt sweet as honey.

She didn’t want him to die early – this meant she was willing to grow old together with him.

So he dared not tell her that Xie Yunhuai had only mentioned hearing of this case, involving a secret of an ancient Western Region kingdom that had vanished without trace one night over twenty years ago. Investigating it would be like searching for a needle in the sea.

But wasn’t it still a ray of hope?

With this good news as a buffer, Shen Xihe finally had the mood to talk with Xiao Huayong: “You’re not planning to ambush His Majesty’s envoys on the road?”

Shen Xihe had originally thought Xiao Huayong wouldn’t let Pei Zhan’s men reach the Northwestern Prince’s city, and that he would deal with them en route.

“With Father-in-law’s death, who do you think is most delighted?” Xiao Huayong asked in return.

Shen Xihe’s first thought was Emperor Youning, but upon careful consideration, it wasn’t him: “The Turks.”

Since Shen Yueshan had made his name on the battlefield at fifteen, he had been an insurmountable mountain to the Turks. Over thirty years, countless wars had been fought, especially during those years when Emperor Youning was caught up in the eunuch rebellion – they had been particularly fierce then.

Without Shen Yueshan, Emperor Youning truly wouldn’t have been able to secure his throne.

Finally, Shen Yueshan was gone. The Turks were likely celebrating nationwide at this moment, probably already lying in wait, preparing for war, ready to launch a major offensive while the Northwest’s morale was low following Shen Yueshan’s loss, to avenge years of suppression under him.

“You want Pei Zhan to go to war.” Shen Xihe instantly understood Xiao Huayong’s plan.

“His Majesty knows I’ve come to the Northwest. He sent Pei Zhan to guard against me. If I make any suspicious moves and something happens to Pei Zhan, Prince Jing will become my mortal enemy, allowing His Majesty to watch from the sidelines.” Although Xiao Huayong was destined to fight with Xiao Changyan, he hadn’t planned to break ties this early, and certainly wouldn’t play into His Majesty’s hands.

His Majesty had Zhang Liang’s strategy, but he had his cloud ladder.

“Moreover, when I entered the city today, what I saw…” Xiao Huayong had another concern, “The Northwestern people are so grief-stricken. Without a reasonable explanation, we risk alienating their hearts.”

Simply revealing that Geng Liangcheng had turned to His Majesty, without evidence, or even producing evidence of secret collusion with Crown Prince Jiachen, wouldn’t soothe the people’s sense of betrayal. But if Geng Liangcheng was found to be conspiring with the Turks, the people would surely understand and praise Shen Yueshan’s fake death.

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