HomeAfter I Bloom Hundred Flowers DieChapter 676: She Waits to Call to Account

Chapter 676: She Waits to Call to Account

Shen Xihe ignored both Xiao Changgang and Xiao Changyan, keeping her cold gaze fixed on Xiao Changfeng.

“In response to Your Highness, this prince came by imperial command to deliver secret orders to Prince Jing. I happened to pass by East Mountain when I heard explosions unlike thunder, so I went to investigate. Unexpectedly, I found Prince Jing had been ambushed, so I intervened to save him,” Xiao Changfeng lied without changing expression.

While he had indeed come by imperial command, he had no secret orders for Xiao Changyan. He had received Xiao Changyan’s letter midway, saying he’d found Xiao Juezong’s whereabouts and requesting help. He owed Xiao Changyan a life debt from years past that had to be repaid. Shen Xihe wouldn’t verify the secret orders with the Emperor.

Moreover, even if Shen Xihe sought verification, the Emperor would protect him and Xiao Changyan. At worst, he’d face private rebuke from the Emperor – better than giving Shen Xihe leverage.

As for receiving Xiao Changyan’s request for help, he absolutely couldn’t tell Shen Xihe, or he’d face charges of putting private matters before public duty.

Shen Xihe’s eyelids lowered slightly, her clear deep eyes becoming narrow as she gazed coolly at Xiao Changfeng.

Xiao Changfeng stood straight under her scrutiny, showing no signs of guilt though uncomfortable. To ease the tension, he had to ask: “Why has Your Highness come here?”

Shen Xihe should have been in Wendeng County, yet she’d come to Rongcheng County unannounced, making Xiao Changfeng suspect she’d deliberately come to catch Xiao Changyan.

“The traitor disrupted the execution ground. I sent people to search, leading here,” Shen Xihe had a reasonable explanation. “I’m surprised Prince Jing was better informed, encountering the traitor before me.”

Her words carried a deeper meaning. She had been pursuing since the execution ground incident, yet Xiao Changyan in distant Rongcheng County had confronted Xiao Juezong before her arrival. What did this suggest?

It suggested Xiao Changyan had known Xiao Juezong’s whereabouts early on. He was supposed to be distributing grain in Rongcheng County, yet instead of focusing on his duties or even just watching Wendeng County’s affairs, he had to involve himself. At best, this showed dereliction of duty; at worst, suspicious motives.

Xiao Changfeng wisely remained silent. He had repaid his debt to Prince Jing; in this war between royal siblings and in-laws, staying neutral was best. Especially since he was to marry Shen Yingruo – even with the sisters’ estrangement, he couldn’t oppose Shen Xihe lest it put Shen Yingruo in a difficult position.

Seeing Xiao Changfeng playing deaf and mute again, Shen Xihe glanced at him before entering the inner chambers. She and Xiao Huayong had arrived one after another. When Xiao Huayong, Xiao Juezong, tried to take Xiao Changyan’s life, she worried about complications and hurried over. Their overt and covert actions perfectly confused the situation, covering all traces.

Xiao Changfeng’s timely arrival had saved Xiao Changyan’s life. Perhaps Xiao Changyan had known of Xiao Changfeng’s approach and therefore risked confronting Xiao Juezong fearlessly. With reinforcements coming, he wouldn’t lose his life even in the worst case, and capturing Xiao Juezong would be a great achievement.

Those who dared enter battlefields indeed loved gambling with their lives.

When Shen Xihe reached the back courtyard, she saw basins of bloody water being carried out. Xiao Changyan had taken an arrow to his waist. She wrapped a handkerchief around the newly extracted arrow from a nearby tray, examining it thoroughly. It was ordinary, with craftsmanship and materials available from any street blacksmith. She placed it back.

Her gaze fell on the bed. After the physician had applied medicine to stop the bleeding, she asked, “How is Prince Jing?”

“Your Highness, the arrow penetrated deeply but fortunately missed vital organs. Though His Highness’s injuries are severe, if he avoids fever tonight, or if any fever subsides by tomorrow, he should recover,” the physician replied carefully.

High fever, was it?

Shen Xihe had plenty of methods, but none that wouldn’t leave traces. She couldn’t find a scapegoat quickly, and with Xiao Changfeng watching, taking action would be difficult.

Initially, she had opposed taking a prince’s life here – it would severely impact the common people and incur the Emperor’s wrath and investigation. However, with the disaster about to be contained and Xiao Juezong’s disruption of the execution ground already public, framing him for killing a prince seemed feasible.

Moreover, Xiao Juezong’s attack on the prince wasn’t her revelation but Xiao Changyan’s arrangement. She could follow circumstances naturally – the Emperor would never trace it to her.

Unfortunately, Xiao Changyan had some luck. Her gaze lingered on the lowered curtain before withdrawing.

Xiao Changfeng watched Shen Xihe. Though her expression showed nothing unusual, he sensed she had momentarily considered killing Xiao Changyan. Xiao Changgang felt the same.

Both men’s hearts were in their throats until Shen Xihe withdrew her gaze and left without a word. Xiao Changgang and Xiao Changfeng finally relaxed. Noticing each other’s eased breathing, they exchanged smiles, though tinged with bitterness.

Perhaps only Shen Xihe dared so openly contemplate killing a prince without hesitation. Yet they dared not strike first, only defend – even the Emperor wouldn’t dare.

Shen Xihe was simply too formidable. Unless one could kill her outright, she would counter-kill.

Since Shen Xihe had openly opposed the Emperor, revealing her thoughts to all, people now viewed her with complex emotions – fear, admiration, expectation, disdain…

Most watched her belly. The civil and military officials had their thoughts, but certainly, neither the Emperor nor the princes wanted her to bear an imperial grandson.

Xiao Changfeng knew more than others. The Emperor wanted to interfere in the Eastern Palace, preventing Shen Xihe’s pregnancy through various means – everything short of giving Xiao Huayong sterilization medicine. All attempts had failed; Shen Xihe controlled the Eastern Palace too tightly.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t plant people inside – she accepted all comers. But these people either never achieved their purpose or silently disappeared. Her maids were truly accomplished in both civil and military arts.

Especially notable was how she dared travel to Dengzhou with the Crown Prince right after receiving palace authority, leaving the vast rear palace to a single female official. Yet this official managed everything perfectly, slipping through the palace ladies’ provocations without giving them any leverage.

Shen Xihe stayed at the Rongcheng County office, waiting for Xiao Changyan to wake so she could call him to account.

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