Xiao Changqing couldn’t avoid looking directly at Shen Xihe, momentarily at a loss for words.

Every step of their path had been extremely dangerous, naturally requiring deep contemplation. While they couldn’t be certain of maintaining stability, they at least needed to minimize the possibility of destruction.

Yet today, Shen Xihe acted like a gambler betting everything on a single throw. Without any evidence, without a shred of rationality, she relied purely on intuition, stubbornly and resolutely making a move that could lead to irreversible consequences.

“Crown Princess, have you thought it through?” Xiao Changqing gripped his jade pendant tightly. “No regrets?”

Shen Xihe lowered her head to look at her protruding belly. A gentle smile spread across her elegant face as she softly caressed her abdomen where the little one was playing and moving its limbs. “No regrets.”

Since Shen Xihe was so determined, Xiao Changqing stopped trying to persuade her. He stood up, gave her a formal bow with cupped hands, and silently left.

The cool wind of late autumn rose, sending golden ginkgo leaves flying like butterflies.

A ginkgo leaf fluttered down like a butterfly in the wind, and Shen Xihe caught it, her bright eyes distant. “Another deep autumn has arrived, but this year there’s no one to appreciate it with me. Beichen, are you well?”

At the same moment, thousands of miles away on the deep island, Xiao Huayong also caught a ginkgo leaf, gently stroking it.

His complexion was pale, his eyes heavy with exhaustion, his lips as transparent as glass.

“Your Highness, take your medicine,” Xie Yunhuai brought over a bowl of medicine.

Xiao Huayong was too weak even to lift the bowl. He slowly sipped the medicine with Xie Yunhuai’s help.

He had to drink three bowls of this medicine daily, and Xiao Huayong had lost his sense of taste, his entire body permeated with the strong medicinal scent.

“Ruogu, you should go back,” Xiao Huayong said after finishing the medicine, seeming somewhat more energetic. “Master Linghu is here, and I’ve learned the local language. Master Linghu also understands my condition well now. Go back and watch over her for me.”

Xie Yunhuai remained silent, unsure what to say.

In fact, during the half year since they’d arrived, Xiao Huayong’s health had steadily deteriorated. Though the sword wound was staged and avoided vital areas, it had penetrated deep into his body. The subsequent turbulent sea journey and storms they encountered would have killed them if not for the experienced Qu family helmsman.

Xiao Huayong needed to recover and adjust to this place. When they first arrived, it was cold and damp. The urgent need for detoxification, combined with these conditions, led Xie Yunhuai to believe several times that Xiao Huayong wouldn’t survive. Yet he pulled through each time, tightly gripping the black piece tied to his wrist with five-colored thread, saying it was his faith.

Now, though Xiao Huayong remained weak, his sword wound had healed. The elderly Master Linghu Zheng, who had come with them, was a brilliant physician who understood the poison in Xiao Huayong’s body thoroughly.

“Your Highness, if I return, how should I face the Crown Princess?” Xie Yunhuai asked.

He was willing to return, as he had unfinished business, and Xiao Huayong didn’t truly need him here.

Hearing this, Xiao Huayong’s tired eyes fell on the ginkgo leaf in his palm, his voice gentle but firm: “She won’t ask.”

Xie Yunhuai was briefly startled, then lowered his head. After a moment, he silently bowed to Shen Xihe.

The next day, he set sail back to the capital.

The capital was particularly gloomy that day, with dark clouds pressing low and cold winds howling, yet no rain fell.

Emperor Youning had run out of patience. He ordered Liu Sanzhi to personally go to the Imperial Tomb and secretly open the coffin to verify if Xiao Huayong was truly dead.

Just as Liu Sanzhi left the palace gates, he received news of possibly discovering Xiao Juesong’s whereabouts and immediately returned to report.

Emperor Youning remained silent after hearing this.

Subconsciously, Emperor Youning didn’t want to believe Xiao Huayong had faked his death.

Some things only remain unclear until doubt begins. Once suspicion takes root, everything becomes apparent.

Xiao Huayong couldn’t have faked his death. Dying so tragically in public meant he could never return as Crown Prince, unlike when the Fourth Prince set fire to the Imperial Tomb and passed off false remains.

The fire could be explained as a coincidence, the remains were mistakenly identified during collection.

But dying while saving the emperor and being buried in the Imperial Tomb left Crown Prince Xiao Huayong no possibility of resurrection.

To others, if he were truly ambitious for the throne, he wouldn’t have made such a move that cut off his path forward.

Emperor Youning once thought the same, but after suspecting Xiao Juesong was Xiao Huayong’s elaborate deception, many small details became terrifying upon reflection.

Xiao Huayong would only act this way for one reason: he had discovered his true identity!

Having learned of his origins, he no longer needed to return as Crown Prince. He could hide in the shadows, throwing the entire imperial family and capital into chaos, then return as the son of Prince Chen!

If by then the imperial family was gone and Shen Xihe controlled the court, whether she bore a son wouldn’t matter. Her husband would completely expose the events of the past, and without him as emperor, his princes would be at the mercy of Xiao Huayong and Shen Xihe.

With the Northwestern Army, his brother’s remaining influence, and the revelation of fratricide for the throne, he could still legitimately ascend to the throne.

As for deceiving the emperor by faking his death, it would no longer be a stain but merely a tactic to avenge his father, beyond even the Censorate’s criticism.

“Since he’s here, let’s take a look first,” the emperor’s voice was hoarse when he finally spoke.

Let’s see.

Over the next few days, under Xiao Changqing’s arrangements, the last group of Xiao Juesong’s men became active outside the capital, seemingly trying every method to infiltrate the palace without success.

Emperor Youning observed for five days, waiting until Liu Sanzhi captured one man and verified the mark on his chest before telling Liu Sanzhi: “Go personally to Xiangguo Temple and find Master Xiqing…”

When Shen Xihe heard about the palace holding a Buddhist ceremony, she smiled: “His Majesty has finally grown impatient.”

“Your Highness, should you avoid it?” Tianyuan worried somewhat about Shen Xihe’s pregnancy.

“Avoid it?” Shen Xihe’s smile became meaningful. “His Majesty will not allow me to avoid it.”

Suspecting Xiao Huayong and her, he would use this to test her.

This was His Majesty’s prayer ceremony – if she made excuses to avoid it, some might link her hopes for His Majesty’s early death to the Northwestern Prince’s disloyalty. These were annoying enough, but more importantly, she deeply believed that even if she fell ill today and truly needed bed rest, Emperor Youning would counter her move and force her attendance.

Why go through the trouble and appear guilty?

“But Your Highness, you…” Tianyuan worried anxiously.

But Shen Xihe remained exceptionally calm. She retrieved a string of snow-white Buddhist prayer beads and handed them to Tianyuan: “Give these to Difang and have him visit Xiangguo Temple. These were gifted by Master Xiqing years ago.”