Xiao Huayong was tall with long legs, and in his anger, his swift strides were impossible for Shen Xihe to catch up to.
From his hurried tall silhouette to the flutter of his robe around the corner, he vanished from her sight in what seemed like just a few blinks.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince doesn’t appear to have returned to his chambers,” Zhenzhu, following closely behind Shen Xihe, looked in the direction where Xiao Huayong had disappeared.
Instead of following Xiao Huayong’s path, Shen Xihe turned in another direction.
Though the temporary palace couldn’t compare to the imperial palace, it was still vast, with countless places where Xiao Huayong might go. Yet Shen Xihe had an inexplicable certainty about where he would be.
At the foot of the mountain in a flat valley, there was a crystal-clear stream. Less than a hundred meters from the stream was a grove of flat-growing trees that Xiao Huayong had discovered by chance and later mysteriously shown to Shen Xihe.
Mountains stretched like a screen, water flowed like a ribbon, and the blue sky reflected like a mirror.
There were bird songs and fragrant flowers, colorful butterflies dancing; monkeys nimbly leaping through branches, and great birds soaring majestically across the sky…
Now, reflected in the water was a solitary figure standing with hands clasped behind his back.
A breeze from the distant mountains stirred his robes, emphasizing his cold aloofness that seemed to keep people thousands of miles away.
He was angry, very angry.
Shen Xihe glanced sideways at Zhenzhu, who understood and stopped, standing opposite Tianyuan.
Her gauze skirt brushing the grass, Shen Xihe silently walked to Xiao Huayong’s front, standing beside him. Her gaze moved from far to near, lowering to their reflections in the water, watching him on the water’s surface.
Xiao Huayong had been waiting for Shen Xihe to speak, but after waiting for who knows how long, she seemed to have nothing to say to him, just quietly standing by his side.
Originally maintaining his composure, Xiao Huayong straightened his neck, trying hard to control his head which never seemed to obey him when it came to Shen Xihe, but his eyes still couldn’t help turning toward her.
This scene was caught by Shen Xihe, who was watching the water’s surface, and she couldn’t help letting out a light laugh.
Hearing her laugh, Xiao Huayong finally noticed his small movements completely exposed in the water’s reflection. His cheeks hollowed immediately, his anger turning to embarrassed fury. He turned to leave but felt resistance on his sleeve.
Though his heart told him to forcefully break free and leave decisively, his feet instantly stopped. This was beside the stream – if he used force and she couldn’t steady herself, would she fall headfirst into the water? Would she catch a cold? Would she get hurt? Would she happen to encounter a poisonous snake in the water…
These unstoppable worries, even if imaginary, were enough to make him anxious. Xiao Huayong despised himself for being this way, but he couldn’t change it, nor did he want to.
“It was my fault,” Shen Xihe spoke softly. “Please don’t be angry?”
Xiao Huayong wasn’t pretending or throwing a tantrum – he was truly hurt. The moment Shen Xihe suggested letting An Zhengyi enter the Eastern Palace, it felt like a sharp sword had pierced his heart, the constricting pain making him dizzy for a moment.
How could she? How could she use him as a bargaining chip, as an object to protect the Shen family?
He knew she had married him after weighing the pros and cons. All along, he had been the one pursuing, the one being willful, just hoping and begging for her to treat him a little better.
In her heart, he naturally couldn’t compare to her closest family. He knew deeply that if one day she had to choose between him and the Shen family, she would choose the Shen family without hesitation.
That was where she was raised, where she had over a decade of dependence and emotional roots. He wasn’t foolish enough to think he could easily shake that. But her unhesitating decision to have him take a concubine for Shen Yingruo’s sake still pierced his heart like thousands of arrows.
After running wildly all the way here, the cold wind passing brought some rationality. He vaguely guessed she might have other intentions in doing this, but the heartache was real. He had thought he could be a bit colder because of it, but with just one soft word from her, not even an apology, all his grievances and anger instantly vanished.
Xiao Huayong, oh Xiao Huayong, you are something.
With a bitter and helpless sigh in his heart, Xiao Huayong’s last pride could only make him press his lips together in silence.
Though he still maintained a stern face, Shen Xihe could sense his softening. She gradually took hold of his sleeve, pulling his hand, sliding down along his sleeve to hold his hand. When he made a pretense of pulling away, Shen Xihe quickly followed, holding on tighter.
Just this simple action warmed Xiao Huayong’s heart. His tense cheeks felt somewhat sore as he tried hard to control his rising smile.
Shen Xihe pretended not to notice his restraint, lowering her head to also hide her blooming smile: “Beichen, you once spoke of the friendship between Pan and Yang. Though I don’t fully believe it, I do dream of such a thing. I know such an eternal beautiful story can’t be created by one person alone. I’m willing to work together with you. Whether or not we can reach that point, when we look back in the future, we’ll have no regrets.”
Yes, Shen Xihe still didn’t believe, but she was willing to try. Before, it had been just a legend to her. Legends are always part of promoting beauty, and Shen Xihe even thought that while Pan and Yang appeared to remain constant until the end of their lives, who could know the process? Had no one ever wavered?
She had never deeply believed in love between men and women, nor had she ever yearned for it. However, she was after all a living person, and having met someone like Xiao Huayong who cared so much, even if she didn’t believe, she was willing to try.
The drifting clouds and fragrant breeze couldn’t compare to his utterly gentle gaze as he looked up.
Their eyes met, hers containing a smile as she gazed deeply at him: “About what happened earlier, I have other ways to resolve it, and even if I didn’t, I still have you. But no matter what we do, at most, we can only teach the An family a lesson.”
Xiao Huayong’s mind was full of the phrase “I still have you,” barely hearing anything else, his smile no longer containable.
Shen Xihe was also infected by his pure joy, her smile deepening: “Even if the entire An family were to fall, it wouldn’t be satisfying enough for me. Behind this matter is His Majesty. Today we block An Zhengyi, tomorrow there will be Zhao Zhengyi, Qian Zhengyi…
I don’t like getting entangled in one matter with people. Since His Majesty has made his move, there’s no reason to show favoritism just because he is His Majesty.”
Sweet-hearted Xiao Huayong had completely forgotten his anger at Shen Xihe for promising to let An Zhengyi enter the Eastern Palace without his consent. Now he felt it wasn’t a big deal at all, his heart and eyes full of his radiant wife: “What do you want to do?”
Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you.
Shen Xihe didn’t lack people who indulged her without limits – since childhood, both Shen Yueshan and Shen Yun’an had treated her this way.
But Xiao Huayong’s way truly made her heart joyful: “Once His Majesty establishes your relationship with Lady An, I’ll send Lady An to the dragon bed. First Consort Shu, now Lady An – I’ll make His Majesty lose all face!”