Chapter 174: The Crown Prince's Consort Agreed

Li was a palace maid by origin.

The file contained only a few brief notes about her, saying she "had a gentle nature and had never done anything wrong."

Shen Shuangning continued reading, and it was the destruction of Medicine King Valley that triggered a series of incidents, after which the Holy Heaven Sect quickly grew stronger.

Moreover, no further mention was made of what happened to that pregnant palace maid.

Shen Shuangning dared not dwell on it, and hastily tidied up the files.

After finishing all that, she slowly exhaled a breath of foul air, but the tightness in her chest did not lessen in the slightest.

Xiao Jingyuan had the files on his desk, obviously a pressing matter he had been investigating recently.

She had originally wondered why he would dig up a case from over twenty years ago, but upon seeing its connection to the Holy Heaven Sect, she understood.

The Investigations Office was originally established to eradicate rebels, so Xiao Jingyuan's investigation into its origins was quite reasonable, and thus she didn't think much of it.

Shen Shuangning felt several degrees heavier in heart; thinking of the person on the Dragon Throne only filled her with icy dread.

Three hundred wronged souls lie buried in Medicine King Valley, and they indirectly gave rise to the present turmoil of the Holy Heaven Sect; the monarch praised by the world as sage also has such a dark side.

Is this layered darkness what Xiao Jingyuan faces every day?

She suddenly understood somewhat why he was so skilled at scheming.

Beneath the surface of an apparently prosperous age lie too many unknown wounds; a moment's carelessness, a misstep, and it is eternal ruin.

When Xiao Jingyuan returned, Shen Shuangning had already left, and the room was empty.

Learning that she had not waited for him to return together, he couldn't help feeling a sense of loss.

At that moment, he noticed a blue-covered book placed on the desk, and he casually flipped it open.

Upon seeing its contents, he was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood why Shen Shuangning had not waited for him, and couldn't help but chuckle.

But he was truly wronged; when he had asked Qing Feng to buy storybooks, it seems he misunderstood his intention, and so bought this sort of obscene volume.

However, Qing Feng had already been punished by him and sent elsewhere, and is not presently in Jingcheng.

Xiao Jingyuan did not immediately put the booklet away, but sat down and flipped through it casually.

This type of booklet was something he had never seen before; at first he felt a little disdain, but as he read on, his expression gradually turned serious and he began to think.

Shen Shuangning is now not very willing to be close to him, perhaps because she harbors some dissatisfaction; he must find ways to make her happy.

Thus, even if she still decides to leave him two years later, when she meets other men in the future, having a comparison will show that he is the best.

Thinking thus, Xiao Jingyuan began to read the booklet seriously from the start, his face showing a hint of humble eagerness to learn, and he even had the mind to pick up a pen and annotate in the margin.

His gaze held no lewd thoughts at all.

If an outsider were present, seeing his demeanor, they would still think he was reviewing memorials.

Not long after, Xiao Jingyuan finally reached the end and closed the entire booklet.

He was already somewhat impatient, wanting to go back and try it out with Shen Shuangning.

Just as he was about to take the booklet away, his peripheral vision suddenly caught something; his gaze fell on a corner of the desk and narrowed.

He reached out and picked up that file, and a long brow slowly furrowed.

The red cord on it was obviously tampered with.

Shen Shuangning must have looked at it.

Xiao Jingyuan's face darkened a bit, but since the file didn't mention anything else, she wouldn't have associated it with his identity, otherwise she wouldn't have just walked away.

Thinking of this, Xiao Jingyuan secretly let out a sigh of relief. After putting the file away elsewhere, he then left the Investigations Office.

Meanwhile, Shen Shuangning was in the main hall chatting with the Princess Consort of Yan.

Nowadays, the Princess Consort of Yan treats Shen Shuangning far more warmly than in her previous life, even showing extra earnestness, which actually makes her feel a bit uneasy.

Shen Shuangning knew the reason for the princess consort's kindness toward her, and she bluntly said: "The Heir Apparent has always put the greater good first; he would not abandon the prince's mansion's interests just because he is an adopted son. If you truly treat him well, he will notice."

Shen Shuangning is not clear about the past affairs of the Yan Prince's Mansion; she instinctively thought the princess consort was worried that Xiao Jingyuan might act on impulse, abandon the Yan Prince's Mansion, turn to seek his birth parents, and never return.

The Princess Consort of Yan blinked at her words, "He even told you about this?"

Shen Shuangning gave a slight nod.

The Princess Consort of Yan really hadn't expected that Xiao Jingyuan would also tell Shen Shuangning about this; it seems he truly values her.

After a moment of silence, the Princess Consort of Yan sighed and frankly told Shen Shuangning about her past harsh treatment of Xiao Jingyuan.

"... I used to treat him poorly, and that really was bad." The Princess Consort of Yan wore a look of regret.

Shen Shuangning listened quietly, and suddenly her chest felt as if something were blocking it.

As husband and wife in two lifetimes, Xiao Jingyuan had never mentioned his past to her.

Shen Shuangning had imagined the Heir Apparent of the Yan Prince's Mansion to have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, dressed in fine clothes and jade food, enjoying myriad affections all at once.

Yet she never considered that if he had truly been happy in the prince's mansion, he would hardly give up wealth and glory to go suffer in a desert barracks.

If he had truly been raised pampered in the palm of one's hand, how could he have developed such a cold, restrained temperament, to the point that showing even a hint of softness toward others would be difficult?

That night, Xiao Jingyuan discovered that Shen Shuangning was being especially gentle toward him, and he felt somewhat overwhelmed by the favor.

Thus, unable to restrain himself, he pushed his advantage and bullied her all night long.

The next morning, Shen Shuangning awoke feeling sore all over, as if her body had fallen apart, with her waist especially aching and numb.

Meanwhile, his side was already empty of any presence.

Knowing she would wake up and demand an accounting, he actually slipped away earlier than anyone else at dawn!

Her chest still hurt a bit, likely from being knocked by his teeth.

She herself glanced and could see with the naked eye the red swelling at the tip.

Shen Shuangning pressed her lips, recalling the moves he used last night; half ashamed, half annoyed, she silently cursed him in her heart.

Knowing his nature nowadays—give him a little color and he'll open a dye shop—she shouldn't give him a pleasant face!

That day, Shen Shuangning again took Mu Yu to the Eastern Palace, hoping the detestable Crown Prince would not be there.

When Gongsun Yu learned that Mu Yu could cure his stubborn ailment, she still thought Shen Shuangning was just coaxing her.

Only after Muyu gave her a round of acupuncture did she clearly feel a bit better, and only then did she half-believe, half-doubt.

Since her miscarriage, Gongsun Yu has not taken a drop of water; coupled with depleted qi and blood, she has grown so thin she no longer resembles a person.

But just now she said she was hungry; the grandmother hurriedly had food sent, specifically instructing the kitchen to prepare light millet porridge and refreshing pickles.

When a bowl of warm porridge was brought before her, Gongsun Yu hesitated, then scooped a spoonful and brought it to her mouth.

Previously, even a little food would cause unbearable bloating, but today the porridge slid down her throat, leaving her feeling only warm, moist, and comfortable, and her appetite inexplicably improved.

She unknowingly drank about half a bowl of porridge and also took two bites of the crisp, tender pickles; when she set down the spoon, she could hardly believe it: "I... I actually managed to eat all this?"

The old grandmother standing nearby saw this, and her eye rims instantly turned red.

The several attendants in the hall also reddened their eye sockets, gazing at each other; the Crown Princess's illness had dragged on too long, so long that they were almost losing hope, but now they finally saw a glimmer of light.

Gongsun Yu watched the crowd weeping with joy, then touched her abdomen, which indeed felt much more comfortable, looked up at Muyu, and smiled softly: "You're so young, yet you possess such medical skill; your future will be extraordinary."

Muyu humbly clasped his hands: "Crown Princess, you overpraise me; for now it's only a temporary improvement, and further treatment according to the regimen is needed—about a year to achieve full recovery."

Next, Shen Shuangning had everyone else withdraw; when only she and Gongsun Yu remained in the hall, she then brought up today's main matter.

"You want me to fake my death and flee the Eastern Palace?" Gongsun Yu exclaimed, blurting it out instinctively.

Shen Shuangning nodded: "If not this way, you cannot leave."

"But... doing this would be deceiving the sovereign." Gongsun Yu wavered.

Her engagement to Zhai Yu was personally granted by His Majesty; as the Crown Princess, if she faked her death and fled, it would be an open deception of the emperor.

Deceiving the sovereign is a grave crime punishable by extermination of nine clans.

Shen Shuangning understood her concerns, did not press further, and said solemnly: "If you make up your mind, I and Xiao Jingyuan will help you; we will arrange everything flawlessly, ensuring no leaks, so that you may hide your name and never return."

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yu was moved, and lifted her gaze to the woman before her.

She had merely mentioned it in passing before her, yet the other took it to heart and even planned to risk helping her; but her family and her bedmate instead wounded her heart in that way.

Gongsun Yu could not help but tear up.

She recalled yesterday, when the Crown Prince stormed up to her, threatening that if she dared to divorce, he would bury the entire Gongsun family with her.

She also remembered her mother; upon learning she wanted to separate from the Crown Prince, her mother's formerly warm expression turned cold instantly, saying she had gone mad.

They said she had merely lost a child, the Crown Prince had not done it intentionally, there was no need to make such a fuss, and she should swallow her anger and continue as Crown Princess.

Gongsun Yu clutched the brocade quilt around her, her heart torn in an inner struggle.

Shen Shuangning said: "Crown Princess, if you remain here, you will die."

After roughly the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, Gongsun Yu finally relented.

"I will follow your lead," Gongsun Yu said bitterly, "I don't care for the Crown Princess's position; I have fulfilled my duty to the Gongsun family—let it be as such."