Now that they weren’t planning to conceal Xiao Juesong’s death, Shen Xihe and Xiao Changqin didn’t mind waiting a few more days. This gave Xiao Changqin time to make arrangements. No one knew more about Xiao Juesong’s affairs than his people, and Shen Xihe had entrusted all of them to Xiao Changqin.

Regarding these people, Shen Xihe was quite curious about how Xiao Juesong had cultivated such loyalty. They seemed to live solely to inherit his obsession – at the mere mention of opposing His Majesty, they showed no hesitation even at the cost of their lives.

His Majesty continued to claim illness. Over these years, his diligent governance had kept the Three Departments and Six Ministries running smoothly, with most matters being handled efficiently. The court was mainly concerned with speculation about His Majesty’s health and anxiety about future political changes.

“Is this all?” In the Eastern Palace, Shen Xihe closed the final volume and looked up at Difang, who stood bowing at her side.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince has never stopped investigating the events of that year, but this is all I could find,” Difang respectfully replied.

Shen Xihe’s hand rested lightly on the closed book as she gazed at the Pingzhong leaf bonsai on her desk, lost in thought.

The room was silent save for the slow drift of incense smoke.

Tianyuan, noticing his brother’s nervousness at being newly assigned to the Crown Princess, asked, “Why is the Crown Princess investigating those past events?”

Tianyuan was Xiao Huayong’s most trusted person, having had the most contact with him both before and after Shen Xihe’s marriage into the Eastern Palace. After Xiao Huayong’s departure, Shen Xihe regarded Tianyuan as a confidant, valuing him as much as Zhenzhu and others.

“Back then, both the Empress and Prince Qian’s consort were pregnant. Prince Qian’s consort gave birth to Beichen, but what about the Empress?” Shen Xihe had been pondering this since Xiao Huayong mentioned his origins.

Since it touched on Xiao Huayong’s painful past and wasn’t urgent, she hadn’t brought it up before.

“Given the circumstances then, His Majesty didn’t order a mass silencing, which suggests the Empress did successfully give birth to a male child.” Otherwise, His Majesty would certainly have silenced everyone.

However, Difang discovered that the midwife who delivered the Empress’s baby had lived until two years ago, dying of illness. His Majesty letting her live was meant to prove the Empress had truly given birth, preventing suspicions that the Crown Prince was Prince Qian’s son and avoiding suggestions that he had killed his brother to usurp the position.

The plot had targeted Prince Qian and his wife, with the Empress participating to deceive Prince Qian’s consort. This showed His Majesty trusted the Empress and initially hadn’t planned to sacrifice her.

The Empress became expendable because the Empress Dowager learned the truth and was enraged. The situation forced her to reluctantly support her younger son, but both children were dear to her. Prince Qian had spent his life in battles, leaving only Xiao Huayong as his sole descendant.

The Empress Dowager didn’t want Xiao Huayong to become Prince Qian’s orphaned heir, fearing those loyal to Prince Qian would waver in their loyalty to His Majesty and put Xiao Huayong in a difficult position. This led her to force His Majesty to exchange the children, making Xiao Huayong the Crown Prince.

How could the Empress accept this willingly?

Therefore, the Empress had to die.

The Empress and His Majesty had conspired against Prince Qian and his wife. The Empress Dowager’s disgust, combined with her anger toward His Majesty, became the Empress’s death warrant.

However, an innocent child – her grandson and son – surely wouldn’t have been killed by Empress Dowager and His Majesty just for Xiao Huayong’s sake.

They also wouldn’t have kept the child in the imperial family under the identity of Prince Qian’s posthumous son, as this would have destabilized the court.

So the child’s whereabouts became a mystery.

Shen Xihe now sought to discover the location of His Majesty’s true son.

Since learning of his origins, Xiao Huayong had been investigating too, likely hoping to use this person for his purposes.

After over a decade of investigation, even someone as capable as Xiao Huayong hadn’t found this person.

Unless…

Shen Xihe’s gaze sharpened. “Tianyuan, make preparations. Tomorrow we leave for the Imperial Tomb.”

“Crown Princess wishes to visit the Imperial Tomb?” Tianyuan was startled.

With a slight smile, Shen Xihe nodded with closed eyes. “Yes, the Imperial Tomb. His Majesty lies ill and unconscious. I am anxious and uncertain, and wish to visit the Crown Prince.”

The reason was ready-made.

Though uncertain why Shen Xihe wanted to visit the Imperial Tomb, especially being over seven months pregnant, Tianyuan looked at her swollen belly with concern but didn’t object: “Yes, Your Highness.”

After Tianyuan withdrew, Shen Xihe wrote a letter and handed it to Difang: “Send this to the Northwest by gyrfalcon.”

She then instructed Zhenzhu: “Find Gu Zexiang and see if you can locate any witnesses from that time. Be careful not to let the word spread.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Zhenzhu withdrew with her orders.

Biyu stepped forward to support Shen Xihe: “Why is Your Highness suddenly so concerned with this matter?”

There was even a hint of urgency.

“I want to test certain matters and people, and deliver a more fatal blow to His Majesty.” Shen Xihe didn’t conceal it, but her explanation revealed little, and Biyu couldn’t grasp its deeper meaning.

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but since the Crown Prince’s departure, she often seemed to see his shadow in the Crown Princess.

As her pregnancy progressed, Shen Xihe’s energy waned, and she wasn’t as patient in explaining things as before.

When she first came to the capital, her patience had been more about wanting them to grow wiser. But the depth of this matter now exceeded what they needed to understand.

Shen Xihe’s planned visit to the Imperial Tomb alarmed the Empress Dowager, who came personally to the Eastern Palace.

“You’re so far along, how can you endure such a journey?” The Empress Dowager disapproved of Shen Xihe’s plan.

Shen Xihe smiled gently, her voice soft: “Grandmother, I’ve been dreaming of Beichen lately and feel unsettled. The Imperial Physician says I’m too worried, and that continuing like this could harm both me and the child.

I couldn’t attend Beichen’s burial due to my unstable pregnancy, and perhaps that’s why it weighs on my mind.

If I don’t go in person, I fear I won’t find peace.

While I can still move about, I should resolve this burden, lest it cause complications during childbirth.”

The Empress Dowager frowned: “Very well if you can’t let it go, you should make the trip and offer incense to Qilang. I’ll accompany you.”

“Empress Dowager, with His Majesty unconscious, both civil and palace affairs need your oversight. Please don’t worry about me; I will take good care of myself,” Shen Xihe declined.

The Empress Dowager considered: “I’ll send two people with you, otherwise I won’t be at ease.”

Shen Xihe didn’t refuse.

The Empress Dowager assigned two mature, steady female officials. Shen Xihe kept them at her side, along with Biyu and Hongyu who stayed close, showing her trust in them as they departed in a grand procession for the Imperial Tomb.

It was the transition between autumn and winter, and the capital was already quite cold. The Imperial Tomb, nestled among steep mountains, was even more desolate and bitter.