Chapter 173: Scheming Couple

Shen Shuangning naturally understood, giving a slight nod and saying, "I will discuss it with her; if she is unwilling to take this risk, then forget it."

Xiao Jingyuan said nothing more, while steadily holding Shen Shuangning in his arms and, with the other hand, gripping his brush, focusing on writing something.

He wrote with a strong, vigorous hand, powerful like a drawn bow storing force; even casually written characters had backbone.

Shen Shuangning glanced over, not really paying attention to the content, just watching him write.

She couldn't help recalling long ago, around when she was ten, when she had unintentionally found an essay in her elder brother's study; the characters on it were quite distinctive.

Because at that time she was studying calligraphy with her tutor, upon seeing the handwriting on that essay she was immediately drawn to it.

That was obviously not her elder brother's handwriting.

She naturally couldn't recall what was written, but it was said that when this essay circulated, it caused quite a stir among literary circles.

The "Golden Jade Chapter," each word like pearls and jade, almost everyone had a copy; even her brother, whose learning was top-notch, had to read it once or twice.

Originally thought to be the work of some impoverished talented scholar, later they learned that this essay was actually written by Xiao Jingyuan, the heir of the Prince of Yan's mansion; at that time he was still young, not residing in the capital, yet his fame had already spread.

They say handwriting reflects the person; Shen Shuangning first came to know Xiao Jingyuan through his calligraphy, leaving a faint impression in her heart at that time.

"I'll go sit over there so I don't disturb your work," Shen Shuangning withdrew her gaze, intending to get off his lap.

"No problem."

His arm was strong, his warm palm resting against her waist, holding her like holding a cat—soothing, and he refused to let go.

Shen Shuangning stayed still, curious: "What are you writing?"

Xiao Jingyuan happened to set down his brush and handed it to her to look at.

Shen Shuangning took it, glanced over it front and back, first showing surprise, then realization.

The entire piece praised Prince Rui's repeated achievements in the south, filled with phrases like "prestige growing daily" and "the people's hearts turned toward him," almost lifting Prince Rui to the heavens.

It also especially emphasized that Prince Rui was innocent, absolutely impossible to have any connection with the Holy Heaven Sect, urging the court to discern loyalty from treason.

This article seemed to be helping Prince Rui pledge loyalty to the court, but in fact it was clearly putting him on a fire to roast.

Prince Rui is now implicated in the Holy Heaven Sect rebellion case; if he wants to clear his suspicions, staying low-key is the best strategy.

Best if no one in the court dares to intercede for him, creating a scene of "loyal officials and capable generals isolated and helpless," thereby dispelling the emperor's suspicions.

The empress's faction, well versed in this, is sparing no effort to block every channel for speaking up for Prince Rui; at court, there is no longer any voice pleading for him.

Yet the empress's party can silence the officials' mouths, but cannot silence the murmurs of the world; since ancient times, the populace can carry a boat or capsize it, and what emperors care most about is still the people's hearts.

Those uneducated common folk have simple minds and are easily led.

Shen Shuangning saw through Xiao Jingyuan's plan and couldn't help praising: "A brilliant move of borrowing a knife to kill and draining the cauldron's fire. Once this article spreads among the populace, Prince Rui will find it hard to stay low-profile."

Xiao Jingyuan said: "Prince Rui has expanded his power in the south too rapidly these past few years, his ambitions blatant; the emperor has long been wary of him—I am merely going with the flow."

The two exchanged a glance, tacitly understanding each other.

Although the collusion between Prince Rui and the Holy Heaven Sect has not yet been fully exposed to the world, they both know it; but for now the timing is not right, acting rashly would only scare the snake in the grass.

"Since we want this fire to start, we might as well let it blaze even higher..."

Shen Shuangning thought for a moment, the corner of her mouth curling into a sly smile: "After this article gets out, we could also have a joint petition from the gentry, saying they are willing to stake a hundred lives to guarantee Prince Rui's innocence—what do you think?"

A prince actually able to make the common people willingly protect him with their lives—just how great is his prestige? If he truly harbored rebellious intentions, a single call to arms would surely shake the foundations of the state.

Xiao Jingyuan nodded: "Good idea."

Shen Shuangning added: "But you need to play the 'villain'—first have Prince Rui arrested and thrown into prison; only after the matter blows up will you 'have no choice' but to release him."

Xiao Jingyuan naturally understood her meaning.

"Your mind is becoming more and more like a little fox's," Xiao Jingyuan pinched her cheek, his tone full of indulgence.

Shen Shuangning let out a light hum: "Learned from you."

Although knowing he is a cautious person, Shen Shuangning still reminded: "Your handwriting is too distinctive; don't let this essay get out—have someone else copy it."

"I've got it; this is just a rough draft, casually written. When the final version is ready, I will have someone copy it in the most ordinary library hand."

Xiao Jingyuan appreciated her concern immensely, not finding it the slightest bit nagging.

Shen Shuangning then asked about the progress of the trial.

Xiao Jingyuan gave a cold snort: "Prince Rui won't sit and wait for death; once Huang Fei ran into trouble, he immediately thought of an excuse, claiming Huang Fei had defected months ago and that he knew nothing of what Huang Fei did in Jiangting County."

Shen Shuangning's face turned frosty: "He's basically washing his hands clean of the whole affair."

Xiao Jingyuan said: "His reaction is exactly as I expected; the Investigations Office won't be so easily fooled—rest assured."

Soon after, someone knocked at the door outside, saying they had business with him.

Xiao Jingyuan furrowed his brows, showing displeasure at being disturbed, yet still responded.

He then turned his head to look at Shen Shuangning, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing her hair ends: "If you're not in a hurry to go back, wait here for me; after I finish my official duties, we'll return together."

Though phrased as a question, the depths of his eyes clearly held anticipation.

Shen Shuangning happened to want to sort her thoughts; hearing this, she agreed.

Seeing her assent, Xiao Jingyuan immediately smiled, the sharpness in his brows easing somewhat: "The third shelf of the bookcase holds storybooks; if you feel bored, you can use them to pass the time."

Those storybooks were purchased by Xiao Jingyuan especially for Shen Shuangning; he himself has never read them.

"Understood, go attend to your business," Shen Shuangning swiftly slipped off his lap.

After Xiao Jingyuan left, she walked to the bookshelf, her gaze sweeping over row after row of volumes, then reached out and took down a blue-covered volume from the third shelf.

The cover was plain, only the edges gilt with a silver thread; looking at it, it seemed like a serious travelogue.

But as soon as she opened it, a flush rose to her face, and she almost reflexively snapped it shut.

This was hardly a storybook; it was clearly a Spring Palace Illustration.

"What on earth is this guy constantly thinking about..." Shen Shuangning, both angry and embarrassed, bit her lower lip, suspecting he had done it on purpose.

Just as she was about to put it back, she changed her mind, angrily clutching the volume and walking to the desk, where she slapped it down with a bang.

As she was about to turn and leave, her elbow accidentally knocked the desk corner, causing a volume bound with red cord to tumble to the floor.

The red cord came loose, the volume scattered, its yellowed pages spreading across the floor; the ink stains were old, yet they exuded a heavy, oppressive feeling.

Shen Shuangning did not intend to peek, but once her gaze fell, she could not look away.

She crouched on the ground, picking up the scattered documents page by page, her fingertips trembling slightly from the effort.

This document concerns the old case of Medicine King Valley.

When this incident occurred, Shen Shuangning had not yet been born; having grown up so far, she had never even heard of it.

At a glance, she was so shocked that she could not stop being startled.

In her heart, Xuanwen Di had always been a diligent and benevolent ruler who welcomed advice.

Yet under his rule, such a shocking event had actually occurred, completely overturning Shen Shuangning's understanding.

The ink stains on the document had blurred from the erosion of time, except for those few lines in the middle, as if they had been repeatedly traced in vermilion, each character striking the eye.

It read: An evil daoist offered sorcery, claiming that if the blood of close kin were refined into elixirs, it could aid the emperor in attaining the realm of longevity. The Son of Heaven angrily rebuked him, saying that even a tiger does not eat its own offspring, and thus expelled the evil daoist from the hall.

The evil daoist broke free of his restraints, let his hair down, raised his arms and shouted: All the people under heaven are but ants beneath the emperor's feet; those who achieve great deeds ought naturally to do what ordinary people cannot and break what ordinary people dare not; if one is bound by petty morality, how can one speak of reaching the supreme realm?

The emperor did not agree.

But the next line made Shen Shuangning's heart pound with fear.

【Within a month, Lady Li of the Storing Excellence Palace was three months pregnant with the dragon heir; the empress's whereabouts were unknown, and all palace personnel avoided speaking of this.】