Li Yanyan was a pampered lady who possessed minor cleverness but lacked true wisdom. Upon receiving this news, her first reaction certainly wouldn’t be to help Xiao Changyan through Xiao Changzhen. Although she hated His Majesty to death, she wasn’t naive enough to believe His Majesty would so easily let Prince Jing succeed.

Rather than foolishly conspiring with Prince Jing and ending up charged with conspiracy, it would be better to earn merit by saving the emperor.

In these years, His Majesty’s princes had fallen one after another – some dead, some deposed. Even Prince Jing was at his wit’s end, with no chance of recovery, so desperate that he would attempt usurpation. Wasn’t this timing a heaven-sent opportunity for Xiao Changzhen’s revival?

The Crown Prince had been reporting illness for two months now. When last seen from afar, he appeared to be near death.

Once the Crown Prince passed, His Majesty was still in his prime – couldn’t he establish a new Crown Prince?

So who would it be?

The still-young Xiao Changgeng? Xiao Changqing who aroused His Majesty’s suspicions and opposed him at every opportunity? Neither was possible!

Only Xiao Changzhen and Xiao Changying remained!

If Xiao Changzhen earned merit by saving the emperor, his chances would exceed Xiao Changying’s. Thus Li Yanyan unhesitatingly chose to save the emperor. For the sake of this merit, she would also prevent Xiao Changzhen from telling His Majesty too early – after all, what if Prince Jing’s rebellion didn’t materialize?

This was Li Yanyan’s minor cleverness!

Li Yanyan forgot that she was from the Liang state – Xiao Changzhen’s marriage to her disqualified him from becoming emperor unless all of His Majesty’s sons and grandsons perished.

So upon receiving the news, without even questioning whether it was true or false, she eagerly hoped it was true. With burning passion, she gathered her strength to push Xiao Changzhen toward their desired goal!

This was Li Yanyan’s lack of true wisdom!

Events unfolded exactly as Shen Xihe had anticipated. Even Xiao Huayong admired her understanding of human nature.

For Xiao Changfeng and Shen Xihe’s wedding, His Majesty had decreed a grand feast. Li Yanyan naturally had to attend. Furongyuan was less strict than the palace, and His Majesty had personally arranged for the imperial guards there to give Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong convenient access.

Passing the message to Li Yanyan required no complexity to achieve complete secrecy…

Li Yanyan clutched the note passed to her by an unknown person, overcome with excitement. The paper contained only a few brief words: “Tonight Prince Jing assassinates the emperor.”

She stood up abruptly, her first thought to seek out Xiao Changzhen. After taking a few hurried steps, she stopped, restraining herself. She endured two hours that felt like years. Watching the sunset, she finally feigned illness and sent someone to inform Xiao Changzhen in the front courtyard while she returned to their residence first.

Xiao Changzhen worried about her. Learning of her illness, he made his apologies and personally bid farewell to the groom Xiao Changfeng before returning home.

Arriving at their chambers, he found Li Yanyan sitting properly, having consumed a bowl of bird’s nest soup. Her complexion was rosy and even showed traces of joy at her brows – how was this like someone who had fallen ill?

“What exactly are you up to?” Xiao Changzhen was displeased that she had feigned illness without good reason, using her health as an excuse.

His tone was harsh, clearly angry. Li Yanyan, preoccupied with other matters, didn’t argue with him: “Look what I received earlier.”

Xiao Changzhen looked at the note. The handwriting could only be called neat, and the paper was ordinary, clearly meant to avoid leaving any traces.

He furrowed his brows: “Who would dare spread such nonsense!”

“Eighth Brother left before the hour of Shen (3 PM) today. I had people investigate – he left the city!” Li Yanyan believed Xiao Changyan would rebel tonight. “He’s always been close to Prince Xun, yet on Prince Xun’s wedding day, he left without reason – isn’t that suspicious?”

Xiao Changzhen gazed deeply at Li Yanyan’s bright eyes. He understood her perhaps better than she knew herself. He could see clearly what she was thinking, and felt a slight pain in his heart: “Didn’t we agree to live a peaceful life?”

Last time, he had drunk the “fake” poisoned wine His Majesty offered her. At the time, wracked with abdominal pain, he truly believed his end was near. Perhaps knowing she was about to lose him had allowed husband and wife to finally understand each other’s hearts.

Afterward, he was stripped of his title and position. For these two years, they had stayed out of worldly affairs and focused on living their quiet life. He thought they could grow old together this way!

Now he realized he had been too naive! She had only chosen to live quietly with him because she had no other choice. Her heart still harbored resentment and hatred. Given any opportunity, she wouldn’t let it pass.

Even others could see clearly that her hatred couldn’t withstand the slightest provocation – why else would this message be delivered specifically to her? Yet he had been deceiving himself all along!

Xiao Changzhen’s lips curved in self-mockery: “Have you considered why this message was delivered only to you?”

Li Yanyan’s expression froze slightly. Perhaps she knew but didn’t want to examine it deeply, or perhaps she truly didn’t know. She avoided the main point: “Regardless of the reason, can you sit idly by while His Majesty faces assassination?”

“I can!” Xiao Changzhen answered with absolute certainty.

He did feel respect and filial admiration for His Majesty, but these years caught between parents, country, and wife had truly exhausted Xiao Changzhen. He had always been choosing Li Yanyan, but Li Yanyan’s love and hatred for him were too complex.

She loved him yet couldn’t forget he was of the Xiao imperial family; she hated him yet kept him in her heart…

This was how they loved each other, yet could never truly open their hearts due to too many barriers between them.

He would not commit acts of filial impiety or great treason, but he could take his characteristic indifference to extremes.

He could pretend not to know His Majesty faced assassination, that his brother planned rebellion. He could do nothing at all, wanting only to be Li Yanyan’s husband, if only she would give him that chance.

“The Crown Prince’s life is nearly over. Have you thought about the future?” Li Yanyan asked coldly.

Xiao Changzhen closed his eyes, suppressing the tumultuous emotions in his heart. He couldn’t tell whether disappointment or pain ran deeper, and perhaps there was also a thread of deeply hidden despair: “Our future can have everything except the throne!”

“Why can’t we have that too?” Li Yanyan screamed.

Husband and wife faced each other with reddened eyes again. Xiao Changzhen’s eyes held deep grief and defeat; Li Yanyan’s were full of stubborn defiance.

Neither wanting to yield, they remained at an impasse for a long while before Xiao Changzhen’s eyes dimmed: “You insist on drawing me into these matters?”

Li Yanyan’s heart clenched, but she said: “I only hope we can live better in the future.”

“Better… heh heh heh heh…” Xiao Changzhen laughed softly, a laugh desolate and deeply grieved. After a long while, he raised his eyes, their corners still tinged with blood, but his gaze so cold it seemed foreign to Li Yanyan. “Fine, as you wish!”

Having spoken, Xiao Changzhen’s lips still held that heart-wrenching smile as he backed away. He stared deeply at Li Yanyan until his heel touched the threshold. He paused briefly, fixing his gaze on her for a good while, then resolutely turned and strode away.