HomeAfter I Bloom Hundred Flowers DieChapter 610: Death Countdown

Chapter 610: Death Countdown

Shen Xihe smiled lightly at such petty tactics, feeling it would be a waste of energy to engage with them.

With a gentle lift of her water sleeve and an indifferent expression, Shen Xihe stood behind the long table, head slightly bowed as she gently stirred the ink she was grinding. This was a new type of fragrant ink she had created, producing a refined and mind-clearing aroma when ground.

“Your Highness… don’t you plan to deal with her?” Ziyu watched the composed Shen Xihe, who appeared utterly calm without even furrowing her brow. Yet Ziyu sensed a kind of disdain emanating from her very bones.

Complete disdain for An Zhengyi.

Having prepared the ink, Shen Xihe picked up her brush. The soft tip rolled once in the thick, fragrant ink. She gently scraped off the excess before writing a character on the prepared white paper in one fluid motion.

As if not hearing Ziyu’s words, Shen Xihe examined her writing and commented: “The ink is good.”

Shen Xihe had researched fragrant ink for a long time and had previous products, but none had met her standards. The ordinary fragrant ink sold at Duhuo Tower wasn’t what she would use herself. This time, the fragrant ink finally met her requirements.

Now she could proceed with the next phase of research.

Xie Yunhuai had obtained a strange flower in the Western Regions. Its fragrance could refresh the mind, yet many who grew it died of poisoning after years of exposure.

Though these people all died of poisoning, because they weren’t in the same location and the flower wasn’t toxic when ingested, no one had thought deeply about the fragrance. Only when Xie Yunhuai visited several places and heard similar stories, all involving households with this flower, did he realize the fragrance might be responsible?

Such an extraordinary method of invisible killing particularly pleased Shen Xihe. She wanted to find a way to incorporate the flower’s fragrance into the ink, but first needed a superior ink that people would cherish.

Whether the deaths were caused by the flower’s fragrance was still being verified. Shen Xihe wasn’t in a hurry. She would first sell this harmless premium fragrant ink at Duhuo Tower.

She handed the formula to Hongyu: “Make a batch and put it in Duhuo Tower.”

First, establish the fragrant ink’s reputation. If the flower’s unique fragrance truly existed and could be incorporated into ink, when Shen Xihe needed to use it, she would have proof that it wasn’t related to her fragrant ink. As for making the poisonous and non-poisonous versions indistinguishable, she would figure that out after obtaining the flower.

“Your Highness…” Ziyu couldn’t help calling out, unable to bear seeing anyone bully Shen Xihe.

Knowing Ziyu’s desire to right this wrong on her behalf, Shen Xihe looked down at the character she had written: “Can you recognize it?”

Ziyu craned her neck to look, frowning: “Endure?”

“No, not endure.” Zhenzhu also looked, noticing a missing dot, and quickly realized, “It’s ‘unbearable.'”

“With a knife hanging over Your Highness’s heart, how can you endure her?” Biyu immediately understood Shen Xihe’s meaning.

An Zhengyi wanting to marry into the Eastern Palace and having designs on the Crown Prince – impure designs at that – wasn’t this like stabbing a knife into Shen Xihe’s heart?

Ziyu’s eyes lit up upon hearing this: “Your Highness, how shall we get revenge?”

Shen Xihe had already picked up her teacup. After taking a small sip and setting it down, she spoke casually: “No need to actively trip her up. Having created this situation, she surely isn’t just trying to prevent me from easily dealing with her.”

“Hmm?” Ziyu didn’t understand.

Zhenzhu furrowed her brow in thought before saying: “Her goal is to marry into the Eastern Palace. The Crown Prince won’t agree, and you and the Crown Prince are still newlyweds. Neither His Majesty nor the Empress Dowager would arbitrarily add someone to the Eastern Palace. She only has one way to enter.”

“What way?” Ziyu grew more confused.

Biyu suddenly understood: “Make the Eastern Palace… no, make Her Highness feel guilty toward her!”

“Make Her Highness feel guilty toward her?” Ziyu thought this was delusional. “Has she gone mad?”

Zhenzhu glanced at her, then said to Shen Xihe: “This servant will go watch her.”

Though there was no evidence of what Shen Xihe had done to Consort Xiu, everyone knew about it – an inerasable show of dominance.

An Zhengyi was using this to position herself as the vulnerable party. Next, she would just need to find an opportunity to harm herself severely, frame Shen Xihe, and make everyone believe Shen Xihe was behind it, just like Consort Xiu. Though no evidence could be found, everyone would know Shen Xihe was responsible.

This way, His Majesty would have to appease the An family. With the previous Consort Xiu incident, Shen Xihe’s domineering behavior could anger His Majesty enough to forcibly marry the victim An Zhengyi into the Eastern Palace.

“Watch her closely. If necessary…” Shen Xihe slowly raised her downcast eyelids, her obsidian-like deep black eyes meeting Zhenzhu’s gaze. Though without any killing intent, they were like a bottomless abyss that struck terror in one’s heart.

“This servant understands.” Zhenzhu departed immediately.

If An Zhengyi truly had a next step, waiting until her groundwork was laid to plan self-harm and frame Shen Xihe, then let her be caught in her web – turn self-harm into suicide!

Once dead, she would have no more inappropriate thoughts. This would also serve as both a warning and counterattack against His Majesty.

As for whether Shen Xihe was the killer, everything required evidence. Without evidence, they couldn’t rashly charge the Crown Princess with murder.

Zhenzhu had barely left when she returned, looking troubled: “Your Highness, Miss An has fallen from the rockery. It’s said Second Young Lady pushed her.”

Shen Xihe’s gaze sharpened.

An Zhengyi moved quickly. Shen Xihe had thought An Zhengyi spread those rumors to target her, but unexpectedly she was quite clever, luring Shen Yingruo over to be her scapegoat.

Shen Xihe had underestimated An Zhengyi. After the Western incident, His Majesty had already begun to fear her, and adding someone to the Eastern Palace was his preferred solution. His Majesty had informed his trusted ministers, and An Zhengyi was the first to step forward and accept the mission.

An Zhengyi had learned from His Majesty exactly how capable Shen Xihe was, so she wouldn’t directly confront her.

Yesterday at the banquet, she deliberately expressed admiration for the Crown Prince, expecting the Crown Prince and Shen Xihe would refuse her entry to the Eastern Palace. She then used the Consort Xiu incident to paint herself as pitiful.

She knew that when these rumors reached Shen Xihe’s ears, Shen Xihe would surely guess she might gradually force the Eastern Palace to accept her. In a confrontation with Shen Xihe, her chances of winning were slim.

Therefore, she had early on sent word to Shen Yingruo, letting her know it was she who deliberately spread the rumors. Unexpectedly, Shen Yingruo remained calm upon hearing this and didn’t seek her out for questioning, forcing her to use Liu Sanzhi’s spy network to arrange a “chance encounter” with Shen Yingruo.

Choosing the right moment, she deliberately provoked Shen Yingruo. Shen Yingruo’s composure again surprised her by not retaliating, only trying to leave. An Zhengyi took advantage of the moment when Shen Yingruo brushed past her to fall from the rockery.

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