The soft, fragrant embrace of the young woman made Tan’s body stiffen. She remembered the first time she came to Shen Xihe’s side, holding her as an infant, feeling that same softness that made her never want to let go.

How could she not understand the child she had raised?

Yingruo wasn’t someone of shallow thoughts, nor would she use schemes against those close to her. She wasn’t trying to trap Tan, nor had she been swayed by rumors. She must have already formed certain suspicions to ask such a question.

Tan gently pushed Shen Xihe away, leading her to sit on the noble consort’s couch, then slowly knelt before her, holding both her hands: “This servant has never deceived the Princess.”

Over forty years old, Tan had lived well serving Shen Xihe, appearing no more than thirty, with clear, honest eyes full of transparency.

She hadn’t deceived Shen Xihe. She was indeed sent by the Madam to Shen Xihe’s side, but her care and devotion were genuine, not because of the Madam’s instructions, but because she truly cherished this young mistress from the bottom of her heart.

The wet nurse’s hands were somewhat rough. Shen Xihe looked at the burn marks scattered across Tan’s hands, marks left from personally preparing soups for her. Over these many years, Tan had never harmed her, never stirred up trouble between her and her birth mother or His Majesty, and never encouraged her to curry favor with her elder sister and brother.

She hadn’t bewitched her, teaching her only proper principles for conducting oneself in life, and hadn’t used her while monitoring her every move.

“Nanny, you…”

Shen Xihe opened her mouth to ask if she was sent by her stepmother but felt it unnecessary to pursue the question. The answer was already implicit—wasn’t it enough that she said she had never deceived her?

“Will you deceive me in the future?” Shen Xihe changed her question.

Tan smiled gently and shook her head: “The Crown Princess has already sent word to this servant. The debt of gratitude I owed to the Madam has been fully repaid. If the Princess is still willing to keep me, this servant will stay by the Princess’s side for life, until the day I’m buried. If the Princess has misgivings, that’s only natural—this servant will accept whatever the Princess decides.”

Though Shen Xihe was unwilling to speak plainly, Tan didn’t want her to harbor any thorns in her heart.

She had confessed!

Perhaps because she had already guessed the answer in her heart, hearing Tan’s words didn’t sadden Shen Xihe. Instead, she felt relieved. As for whether Tan, this person sent by her stepmother, was still deceiving her even now, Shen Xihe felt she could judge for herself.

Especially given Shen Xihe and Shen Yunan’s attitude toward her, which made her deeply aware that they disdained to work against her.

As her emotions gradually settled, Shen Xihe helped Tan up: “Nanny, how could I be without you?”

Over so many years, some people have become habits, impossible to leave or let go.

Tears glistened in Tan’s eyes as she smiled and nodded: “This servant will accompany the Princess for life.”

The two, as close as mother and daughter, smiled at each other, letting the past scatter with the wind.

Having made peace with it, Shen Xihe told Tan about Yu Sangning: “Should I… hand her over to Elder Sister?”

She understood clearly that Shen Xihe didn’t need her involvement in matters between the Eastern Palace and imperial power.

Tan shook her head: “Princess, the Crown Princess has her plans. Though the Princess wishes to help with good intentions, it might backfire. Since the Crown Princess wants the Princess to observe quietly, perhaps it’s better to stay uninvolved and hand the person over to the Crown Princess after everything is settled.”

Though Tan didn’t side with Shen Xihe, Shen Xihe felt Tan admired and trusted her. Privately, she also looked up to her elder sister, sometimes thinking that if she were just an ordinary concubine’s daughter, perhaps her elder sister would treat her more intimately.

After hearing Tan’s words, Shen Xihe decided to do nothing. But as the situation grew tenser, she vaguely sensed that Xiao Changfeng could no longer extricate himself. Actually, from the beginning, she knew Xiao Changfeng was loyal to His Majesty.

They had married due to pregnancy, without any grand romance or mutual admiration beforehand, but after marriage, she believed she had fulfilled all a wife’s duties. Xiao Changfeng treated her with gentle consideration, never probing about the Northwest or Eastern Palace.

She also never questioned Xiao Changfeng’s affairs outside, keeping Prince Xun’s household clean and proper, her married life particularly peaceful and comfortable.

Tonight she had been restless, as the palace’s tense atmosphere had finally spread. Yet Xiao Changfeng hadn’t acted immediately, remaining in his study while she didn’t seek him out.

When His Majesty’s death knell sounded, she thought he had truly passed away. At that moment, tears flooded forth, her complex emotions difficult to resolve. But just then, Xiao Changfeng opened his study door, glanced at her, returned to their bedroom, changed clothes, and took up his sword.

Beneath his calm expression, Shen Xihe saw a possibility—His Majesty hadn’t truly passed away, but outside came news that Prince Xin, Prince Lie, and Prince Yan were attacking the city gates.

Shen Xihe thought this was a contest between her elder sister and His Majesty, and felt somewhat relieved that Xiao Changfeng didn’t plan to participate. But now she felt as if plunged into an ice cellar—it wasn’t like that.

Her elder sister was now contending with others while His Majesty waited for them to fight amongst themselves. She watched Xiao Changfeng return to their bedroom, then after a moment told Tan: “Nanny, please prepare two cups of wine for me.”

Xiao Changfeng was fully dressed and ready, timing his departure from Prince Xun’s mansion, but at the hanging flower gate of the inner courtyard, he saw Shen Xihe. Understanding why the emperor’s death knell had sounded, she had called for mourning clothes and placed white silk flowers in her black hair.

With a bare face and dark, serene eyes, she turned to face him across the hanging flower gate, their eyes meeting. She asked, “Must you go?”

“Imperial orders cannot be defied,” Xiao Changfeng replied.

Shen Xihe lowered her eyes, silent for a moment, then took two full cups of wine from the tray Tan held: “Of these two cups of wine, one is poisoned, the other is not.”

“As husband and wife, we shouldn’t come to blows. But once you leave, regardless of success or failure, our marriage ends. Better to make a decision now.”

If His Majesty won, she was still a Shen daughter; if His Majesty lost, how could her elder sister spare him?

Rather than let others later attack her elder sister for being cruel and ruthless, better to let her sever this ill-fated bond herself.

Xiao Changfeng hadn’t expected Shen Xihe to firmly choose Shen Xihe. She knew His Majesty’s intention in marrying her to him—if she just stayed uninvolved, she could live in glory regardless of who won or lost.

“Why do this to yourself?” Xiao Changfeng’s breath caught, his chest suddenly tight.

“I don’t want Elder Sister to order your death.”

Shen Xihe firmly believed victory would belong to the Eastern Palace. Once Xiao Changfeng left, it would be a death sentence.

“For the Crown Princess’s reputation?” Xiao Changfeng smiled for some reason, though the smile was bitter.

As if not seeing his desolation, Shen Xihe said: “You can choose not to go.”

Taking both cups from Shen Xihe’s hands, he turned and poured out the wine before her. Xiao Changfeng regained his clarity: “Prince Xun’s house is loyal only to the emperor. I cannot blame you, just as you cannot stop me from going. I advise you not to side with the Eastern Palace, yet you still choose them. Whether or not I return, you… take good care of yourself.”

After speaking, Xiao Changfeng strode past Shen Xihe, who ran after him and embraced him from behind: “I’m with child.”

Xiao Changfeng froze in place.

She held him tightly: “There was no poison in the wine, only sleeping medicine. I too have selfish desires—I don’t want my closest kin and my beloved to meet in armed conflict…”

The cool spring night wind seemed to blow in from the depths of winter. Xiao Changfeng’s limbs were stiff as if beyond his control.

Yet his heart seemed to burn like a raging fire.

“Will you still go?” Feeling his resolve weakening, Shen Xihe asked softly.

Xiao Changfeng’s hands clenched into fists. Prince Xun’s house had been loyal for generations. If he betrayed His Majesty today, regardless of who became the new emperor, the house’s reputation for loyalty would be shattered in his hands. He couldn’t let the iron-willed spirit of his heroic ancestors be destroyed by him.

“Aruo, I’m sorry…” Before he could finish speaking, his neck stung.

Shen Xihe had taken advantage of his guilt and turmoil to pierce his neck with a silver needle coated with sleeping medicine. The drug took effect quickly—he only managed to turn around before collapsing.