The conflict between Xiao Lengqin and Xiao Lengyan at court had given Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong some peaceful days, otherwise, they wouldn’t have had the leisure to watch the drama at the Marquis of Pingyao’s household.
With the Second Prince Zhao Prince Xiao Lengmin’s wedding delayed and the capital’s summer heat unbearable, the Emperor decided to move to the temporary palace. After last year’s incident with Xiao Juesong in Linyou, the Emperor had chosen a different temporary palace this year.
In the past two years, the Emperor had encountered a giant snake during the autumn hunt and an assassination attempt at the temporary palace. This year, before departure, heeding the Imperial Astronomer’s suggestion, the Emperor planned to first offer incense at the Nation-Protecting Temple, intending to bring the Empress Dowager and princes along, publicly declaring it as praying for the people’s welfare.
“Offering incense?” When Shen Xihe heard the news, she was embroidering delicate pingzhong leaves on Xiao Huayong’s new clothes.
Previously, Xiao Huayong’s clothes had all been made by the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau. After their wedding, all of Shen Xihe’s maids except Moyu were skilled at needlework, so Xiao Huayong’s everyday clothes no longer needed the Bureau’s attention, only his ceremonial robes required their work.
“Yes, just seeking peace of mind,” Xiao Huayong stood nearby, one hand behind his back, his exquisitely embroidered apricot-colored robe accentuating his tall frame as he calmly played with Baisui.
A few days ago, when Shen Xihe wasn’t around, Xiao Huayong had let the gyrfalcon take Baisui out for a flight. Since returning, Baisui had become much more obedient, saying only what it was told, never blurting out forgotten exclamations.
“Peace of mind? If I were making His Majesty uneasy, would he still go to the temporary palace to escape the heat?” Shen Xihe paused her work, her bright eyes swimming with amusement as she looked at Xiao Huayong.
Xiao Huayong turned back, intrigued: “How do Youyou plan to make His Majesty uneasy?”
“Remember the ‘gift’ His Majesty tacitly allowed to be given to me the day after our wedding?” Shen Xihe answered with another question.
To test whether Xiao Huayong knew about his origins, Emperor Youning had arranged for Prince Qian’s memorial tablet to catch fire – Shen Xihe had kept this account with His Majesty.
“I remember you stayed in the incense room for a long time that day and spent much time there in the following days.” Regarding matters concerning her, he remembered everything well, especially something so memorable.
Shen Xihe smiled slightly and gave Zhenzhu a look. Understanding immediately, Zhenzhu withdrew and quickly returned with a box of incense. The incense looked identical to ordinary stick incense in both color and scent.
Xiao Huayong held it, examining it carefully. Perhaps because he had never closely inspected other incense before, he couldn’t detect any difference from regular incense.
“Your Highness won’t notice differences by looking – even master incense makers might not spot them. But Your Highness could try lighting one,” Shen Xihe suggested.
Tianyuan had already cleverly brought forward a fire starter. The incense was quickly lit, and Xiao Huayong held it. The scent was ordinary – without deliberate attention, one wouldn’t notice anything unusual. Even trying to distinguish it, one might only sense slight differences but couldn’t quite identify what they were.
Suddenly, the incense began spitting sparks, frightening Tianyuan who almost lunged forward. Even Xiao Huayong was startled for a moment, but his trust in Shen Xihe prevented him from throwing the incense away. After the sparks scattered briefly, the incense went out. Xiao Huayong looked it over but couldn’t determine the cause.
“This…” his heart pounded.
Though this seemed like a small trick if such an incident occurred during His Majesty’s prayers – sparks flying and the incense extinguishing during the three bows – it would be no small matter.
When Shen Xihe had performed the ancestral rites and the tablet caught fire, many had secretly spread rumors that she wasn’t accepted by the Xiao ancestors. Such matters seemed trivial, with no one pursuing them.
Yet that day when Shen Xihe argued with others, it became a major point of attack. A woman once rejected by the Xiao ancestors wasn’t legitimate – the court officials might accept Shen Xihe’s children but would never accept her.
The Emperor had planted this early danger to prevent Shen Xihe from becoming a second Empress Wu.
His Majesty knew Xiao Huayong’s physical condition intimately. Because of this, even suspecting he knew his origins, the Emperor was unwilling to openly confront him. Why face off against someone destined to die soon? Letting him waste away silently, no one could find fault.
Therefore, the Emperor had long suspected Shen Xihe’s motives for marrying him and casually created an inconspicuous weakness, enough to break through iron walls at crucial moments.
“With His Majesty’s prayers rejected by heaven, my being rejected by the Xiao ancestors seems unremarkable in comparison,” Shen Xihe had anticipated this future danger from the beginning.
Don’t underestimate such seemingly minor matters. If the Emperor played it well, to prevent Shen Xihe from gaining too much power and the Xiao imperial clan from becoming Shen puppets, he could entrust the throne on his deathbed, explaining the Shen family’s dangers. There would be no shortage of loyalists willing to die to demand Shen Xihe’s ritual suicide or surrender of power.
No matter how powerful Shen Xihe was, even if she could watch these people die without blinking, her grip on imperial power would crumble. The court would harbor various thoughts and many grievances against her. She knew she couldn’t command absolute loyalty from the entire court.
Throughout history, no one has achieved this. Even if they had, the dynasty’s decline would follow. The court needed different voices, requiring mutual checks and balances to move forward effectively.
“Give me the incense, Youyou. I’ll arrange it,” Xiao Huayong looked eager to visit the temple.
He anticipated seeing what expression would appear when such an incident occurred during the required prayers.
Shen Xihe could have quietly mixed in the incense herself and ensured the Emperor received the tampered sticks, but since Xiao Huayong wanted to participate, she handed him the incense to deepen his enjoyment.
Watching Xiao Huayong leave with light steps, his robes flying, Shen Xihe lowered her head and resumed her needlework to complete the leaf.
“Crown Princess, Noble Consort Rong has sent someone to invite you to Hanzhang Palace,” Biyu reported soon after Xiao Huayong left.
Shen Xihe raised her eyebrows, quickly finished her stitching, and stood up: “Let’s go see what games the Noble Consort is playing now.”
The last time Shen Xihe visited Hanzhang Palace, she had openly confronted Noble Consort Rong. Afterward, busy traveling to the Northwest with Xiao Huayong, she hadn’t mentioned the matter of palace authority. She had been considering choosing a day to remind Noble Consort Rong when the Noble Consort sought her out first.
When Shen Xihe arrived at Hanzhang Palace, Noble Consort Rong had prepared exquisite pastries to entertain her, as if forgetting their previous unpleasantness.