Xin Long met the Dowager Madam Xiao’s gaze and froze for a moment.
What piercing eyes!
They were like two razor-sharp blades of ice, cutting straight into her heart.
The Dowager Madam had once been a legendary female general whose military achievements were renowned throughout the realm. Brilliant in strategy and unmatched on the battlefield, she had shared a deep and loving marriage with the late General Xiao and borne him seven sons.
Now seventy-six years old and approaching eighty, she still possessed the keen eyes of a hawk. Even without saying a word, she exuded an imposing authority.
Under that penetrating stare, Xin Long’s heart tightened, as though every secret she harbored had already been seen through.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself, stepped forward, and respectfully greeted her.
“Mother.”
She then recounted everything exactly as Xiao Jinghe had told her—how he had rushed home to warn that the Emperor would confiscate the Xiao family’s property the following day, and how he had instructed everyone to gather their valuables and hide them in his quarters.
“Jinghe truly said all that?” the Dowager Madam asked, fixing her with a scrutinizing gaze.
Xin Long nodded solemnly.
“He must have learned something important, otherwise he wouldn’t have said it.”
After a brief pause, she continued with even greater conviction.
“He… has never lied to me. I believe him.”
Although, in truth, she had no idea whether Xiao Jinghe was actually the sort of man who never lied.
The eldest sister-in-law, Chu Xiangyue, hesitated before speaking.
“Mother, should we follow Long’er’s suggestion?”
The other sisters-in-law quickly echoed her.
Seeing how confident Xin Long appeared, much of their earlier doubt had faded.
If Xiao Jinghe had truly given such instructions, then he must have received reliable intelligence.
The Dowager Madam frowned deeply and fell into thought.
Just then, a crisp female voice shattered the heavy silence in the hall.
“Aunt, don’t believe her!”
A graceful figure walked into the reception hall, interrupting the Dowager Madam’s thoughts.
Xin Long looked up to see a young woman dressed in flowing white.
She wore a plain white gown, her long jet-black hair cascading like a waterfall behind her, secured only by a simple white jade hairpin. Her snow-white complexion and cool, elegant bearing made her seem almost otherworldly.
Her delicate features were as beautiful as a painting. With red lips, white teeth, and a faint trace of melancholy between her brows, she resembled a celestial fairy descended from heaven.
It was Xiao Jinghe’s cousin, Yunshang.
As the saying went, a woman is prettiest when dressed in mourning. Her all-white attire gave her the ethereal beauty of an immortal.
With light, graceful steps, Yunshang came to the Dowager Madam’s side.
“Aunt,” she said softly, “if Brother Jinghe really said such things, then why didn’t he come tell us personally? Why would he only tell her?”
Her eyes shifted to Xin Long, filled with unmistakable hostility.
“She is His Majesty’s own sister. If the Emperor is planning something, wouldn’t she know about it?”
“I think she has ulterior motives. We should wait until Brother Jinghe returns and hear what he has to say.”
“Yunshang, why are you here?”
Seeing her, the Dowager Madam’s tense expression softened. She took Yunshang’s cold hands into hers, her eyes full of concern.
“The night air is damp and chilly. Your cold hasn’t fully recovered. Don’t make it worse.”
The night was bitterly cold, yet Yunshang wore only a thin white cloak, making her look even more frail.
Supporting the Dowager Madam’s arm, Yunshang smiled gently.
“I’m almost recovered, Aunt.”
A faint fragrance of plum blossoms drifted from her, fresh and elegant, perfectly matching her aloof temperament.
“I heard Brother Jinghe had returned, so I came to see him.”
She turned toward Xin Long, her eyes carrying a barely concealed hostility.
“I never expected to hear the Princess Royal saying such things.”
“Your Highness, I wasn’t deliberately targeting you just now. It’s simply that your words are highly suspicious.”
“You’ve never been willing to get along with the women of the Xiao family. Yet now you’re asking us to move all of our valuables into your residence. What exactly are you planning?”
She stared directly into Xin Long’s eyes, her tone sharp and aggressive.
Searching through the original princess’s memories, Xin Long immediately recognized the woman.
Yunshang was Xiao Jinghe’s cousin—and his childhood sweetheart.
The Dowager Madam had originally intended to arrange their marriage.
Unfortunately, the Emperor had personally destroyed that match.
No wonder she was overflowing with jealousy and hostility.
She might be beautiful…
But who here wasn’t?
Xin Long had no intention of indulging her. Calmly, she replied,
“You don’t have to believe me.”
“But Jinghe definitely won’t be coming back tonight.”
She already knew that Xiao Jinghe’s trip was fraught with danger.
Yunshang’s expression changed slightly, and her suspicions only deepened.
“Did you conspire with His Majesty to do something to Brother Jinghe?”
The moment those words left her mouth, the entire hall fell deathly silent.
Everyone stared at Yunshang in shock.
How could she dare say something like that?
Accusing a member of the imperial family of conspiring against a loyal minister was a crime that could bring execution upon nine generations of one’s clan.
Seeing Yunshang drag her into some wild conspiracy, Xin Long couldn’t help rolling her eyes.
Then she smiled faintly.
“What exactly do you mean by that?”
“Explain yourself properly.”
“What do you mean by ‘conspiring with His Majesty’?”
Realizing she had spoken recklessly, Yunshang’s face turned pale.
If those words spread outside this hall, she’d probably lose her head.
She lowered her head and hurried behind the Dowager Madam, clutching her sleeve tightly as she whispered,
“Aunt… didn’t the Princess Royal enter the palace today?”
“If something really happened to Brother Jinghe… she certainly wouldn’t be innocent.”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was just enough for everyone in the hall to hear.
“I don’t know.”
Xin Long allowed everyone’s eyes to settle on her. She stood calmly and gracefully, her expression sincere.
“When I entered the palace today, my imperial brother treated me exactly as he always has. There was nothing unusual.”
She paused, a trace of worry appearing between her brows.
“If my husband hadn’t insisted so firmly… I truly wouldn’t want to believe my imperial brother could do such a thing.”
As she spoke, her eyes gradually reddened, shimmering with tears.
Crystal-clear teardrops trembled on the verge of falling, sparkling beneath the flickering candlelight in a way that stirred sympathy.
Her dark teal dress contrasted beautifully with her fair skin, making her look all the more delicate.
“But…”
“I choose to believe Jinghe.”
She sniffled, her voice choked with emotion.
“My husband would never lie to me.”
“Serving an emperor is like living beside a tiger. Perhaps… perhaps my imperial brother is no longer the brother I once knew…”
At last, two clear tears rolled down her cheeks, leaving glistening trails behind.
She quietly sobbed, looking all the more fragile and pitiful.
Seeing this, several of the sisters-in-law hurried over to comfort her.
They gently patted her back, offering soft words of reassurance.
With her head lowered, Xin Long secretly glanced sideways at Yunshang.
Yunshang’s face had turned green with anger.
Her lips were tightly pressed together as she stood rigidly to one side, her expression utterly blank.
Xin Long sneered inwardly.
“Playing the innocent little white lotus?”
“Please… anyone can do that.”