Rolling green mountains and shifting tree shadows receded in their wake; the wheels turned steadily as dust settled silently.
Shen Xihe released the carriage curtain she’d been holding, letting it fall and block her view. Turning back, she found Xiao Huayong reclining in the carriage, staring at her intently for who knows how long.
“Enjoying the view?” Xiao Huayong asked softly when she finally turned back.
Nodding sincerely, Shen Xihe replied: “Along this journey, I expected to see dispirited people affected by Dengzhou’s situation.”
They weren’t far from Dengzhou now. Perhaps due to good guidance from local officials, people outside Dengzhou hadn’t lost their spirit. With autumn harvest approaching, the fields were full of abundant crops – a heartening sight.
As long as people outside Dengzhou had a good harvest, no matter how long Dengzhou’s disaster lasted, they could weather this crisis.
Xiao Huayong raised his eyebrows – so she had been looking at the fields…
He couldn’t help but laugh at himself, wondering what had come over him. Though he knew her nature, he still let his imagination run wild – truly, deep love makes one’s heart confused.
“You…” Noticing Xiao Huayong’s strange reaction, Shen Xihe realized his thoughts. She lifted the curtain again and saw Prince Xin Xiao Changqin riding alongside the carriage, their gazes meeting briefly as they nodded in acknowledgment.
Turning back, Shen Xihe didn’t know what expression to make – he had thought she was looking at Xiao Changqin!
Having his thoughts exposed by his wife, Xiao Huayong showed a rare moment of embarrassment. But the Crown Prince couldn’t allow himself to be uncomfortable, so he coughed lightly: “I worry because I care!”
Shen Xihe didn’t bother to expose him further. After being married this long, how could she not understand Xiao Huayong’s temperament?
The normally decisive and clear-headed Crown Prince had an immeasurable possessiveness toward her. He was extremely concerned about her attention being directed elsewhere, or not being directed elsewhere – as long as it wasn’t related to him, he would overthink.
Fortunately, he never let these irrational thoughts burst out uncontrolled, or Shen Xihe would likely have long since distanced herself, unable to bear being controlled and watched without a moment’s peace.
“I thought you would have Prince Xin volunteer to escort us. Having His Majesty specifically name him as an escort was unexpected,” mentioning Xiao Changqin, Shen Xihe couldn’t help but comment.
“It was within expectations,” Xiao Huayong smiled. If Shen Xihe was talking to him about others, he didn’t mind, eagerly beginning to demonstrate his strategic planning. “This mysterious stone appearing from heaven, especially involving me – neither His Majesty nor Little Eight would think I arranged it. They’d suspect others plotting against me. Few have such capability, making Fifth Brother the prime suspect.
Believing Fifth Brother responsible, they can’t guess his motives. Little Eight probably thinks Fifth Brother means to deliver me to Dengzhou, then use his hand against me – killing two birds with one stone. How could he let Fifth Brother act alone?”
If not Prince Xin went to Dengzhou as well, even if His Majesty hadn’t considered it, Prince Jing would make it happen. If Prince Jing’s prediction was wrong and Prince Xin wasn’t behind this, then whoever was hiding in the shadows was formidable enough to worry him.
Prince Jing would need a capable partner, and besides Prince Xin, he likely wouldn’t consider anyone else worthy.
Whether or not Prince Xin was behind it, getting him to Dengzhou was Prince Jing’s best option.
Even if His Majesty had doubts about Prince Xin’s involvement, Prince Jing would work behind the scenes to make it happen.
Thinking of the stone’s message, Shen Xihe realized that if she didn’t know Xiao Huayong was behind it, she wouldn’t have immediately suspected him of orchestrating such an event.
A small stone with sixteen characters – if handled carelessly, it could become evidence of treason any day. Even Emperor Youning, with this stone in hand, would have grounds to eliminate Xiao Huayong if he ever wished to.
To many, Xiao Huayong’s creating such a situation seemed to have no benefits while leaving countless hidden dangers. Thus, they wouldn’t suspect him of doing it himself.
With this understanding, they would look to others instead.
Realizing this, Shen Xihe couldn’t help but laugh briefly, her light laughter quickly dispersing in the wind.
“What amuses Youyou?” Xiao Huayong asked, puzzled.
When clever people gather, there’s one drawback – both being deep thinkers, complex as nine-turning pearls, it’s occasionally difficult to instantly grasp each other’s thoughts from mere expressions or words.
“I just think His Highness the Crown Prince excels at acting the victim while being the schemer,” Shen Xihe spoke frankly.
Thinking carefully, he always liked to trip others up this way, appearing to suffer the greatest grievance and persecution, making those caught in his trap sympathize with him, not realizing they were the true victims.
“People seek advantage and avoid harm, often acting without allowing themselves any grievance or compromise, forgetting that the inflexible breaks easily. They don’t believe someone would harm themselves to hurt others, and so are easily blinded by their narrow thinking,” Xiao Huayong sighed softly. “If one can stay above the fray while letting others do the killing, why not?”
“Your Highness’s methods are beyond ordinary people’s capabilities.”
Each time, Xiao Huayong appeared to be the victim, with others thinking he suffered great persecution and deep danger, when in fact he had set the entire trap. Not only could he control the risks he faced, but he had never truly suffered any loss – the appearance of victimhood was merely a facade to deceive.
Like this heaven-sent stone – Prince Jing would never dare act this way, because his ambition for the throne made him as skittish as a startled bird about letting others glimpse his hidden desires.
Unable to even hide it well enough, how could he dare use it as part of a scheme?
Precisely because he had such thoughts, he projected them onto others and ruled out Xiao Huayong, believing the stone was someone else’s doing.
“In dealing with people and affairs, using oneself as a measure and not doing to others what you wouldn’t want to be done to yourself – that’s a noble virtue,” Xiao Huayong said slowly. “But in observing people and situations, one must avoid using oneself as a measure, or else tunnel vision will lead to destruction – that’s utter foolishness.”
Shen Xihe nodded then shook her head: “The North Star speaks truly, but those who can truly achieve this are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.”
It was too difficult, whether in handling affairs and treating people by measuring against oneself, or going deeper in understanding people and planning – stepping outside oneself, seeing the whole picture, breaking free from habitual thinking patterns – it was all as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Many couldn’t even achieve the former, let alone the latter.
“Phoenix feathers and unicorn horns…” Xiao Huayong’s lips curled upward. “Thank you for Youyou’s praise.”
Wasn’t he exactly such a rare and exceptional being?