Not long after Xiao Huayong left, Shen Xihe also returned to the Shen Mansion. Before entering the Nongwa Courtyard, she saw Shen Yingruo, dressed in plain clothes with red eyes, walking towards Shen Xihe. After bowing, she said to Shen Xihe, "Eldest sister, I want to set up a mourning hall for my aunt in the palace."
A concubine is not qualified to have her body kept there, nor can she be buried in the Shen family's ancestral tomb, and her spirit tablet is not qualified to be placed in the Shen family's ancestral hall.
"If she could choose again, your aunt would not want to enter the Shen family again. Don't let her die with regrets." Shen Xihe said calmly, "Let's set up a mourning hall in Prince Kang's mansion. That's where she had the happiest and most honorable days of her life."
Shen Yingruo is the daughter of the Xiao family. As a daughter, she should keep vigil for her deceased mother and take care of her affairs after her death. Shen Xihe would not stop her, but he was not tolerant enough to allow her to be an eyesore on his territory.
"Eldest sister, please allow me to hold the funeral in my yard, and A'ruo will never step out of line outside the house." Shen Ying'ruo pleaded.
Shen Xihe was about to speak when she suddenly remembered that outsiders did not know that Xiao died at her hands, but from the food box sent from Prince Kang's Mansion.
Apart from being thrown out of the Northwest Palace by her, Xiao had no further involvement with the family. Her arrest for murder had nothing to do with Shen Xihe. It would be difficult for anyone to connect Xiao's poisoning to Shen Xihe.
After all, Shen Xihe was just a little girl who had not yet reached marriageable age. She probably did not have such thoughts and means. Moreover, it was not an easy task to quietly put the poison in the food box sent to the Xiao family.
"Your yard, do whatever you want with it." Shen Xihe left this sentence and turned to go into his own yard. "Biyu, pack up. We will move to the Princess's Mansion tomorrow."
She didn't like Shen Yingruo, although she didn't see hatred or resentment towards her in Shen Yingruo's eyes. The palace was big enough, but she didn't like living under the same roof with her.
When Xiao was poisoned, there was no strict investigation and they just randomly found someone from Prince Kang's palace to take the blame and let the matter go.
In the context of the Rouge case that caused such a huge uproar, the Xiao family's affairs were really not worth mentioning. After several days of searches and arrests, the jails were almost overcrowded, making everyone in the court feel insecure.
Wei Tao and other masterminds were sentenced to immediate execution. Princess Ruyang presented tens of thousands of gold and silver that had been looted by her husband and others. Emperor Youning, mindful of her being deceived and her past contributions, and her advanced age, allowed her to divorce Wei Tao, and bestowed the title of earl on her eldest son. All her children and grandchildren moved to the earl's mansion, severing ties with the Wei family.
Taking advantage of the unrest in Kyoto, Shen Xihe took Mo Yu and others to secretly investigate the drawings sent by Yu Xiaodie several times. She actually found out where weapons were forged privately in Prince Kang's mansion.
It is located in the deep mountains outside Kyoto, and one has to climb over several mountains to reach the place. Shen Xihe did not go there in person, but according to the news brought by Mo Yuan and Mo Yu, the place is heavily guarded.
"Your Majesty has many children, all of whom are both civil and military. Prince Kang will not be so foolish as to think that he can obtain the throne." In fact, when she heard Yu Xiaodie say that Prince Kang forged weapons privately, she suspected that this was definitely not something Prince Kang would do. "It is useless to him, but he still spends time and effort, and can only serve Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty forged weapons privately?" Biyu was surprised.
As the supreme ruler of the country, he has everything under heaven. He doesn't need to rebel, so why would he need to secretly make weapons
"Weapons are for soldiers to use. If they privately make weapons, they must also privately form elite troops." Shen Xihe trimmed the branches and leaves, stroking a green leaf with his fingertips. "Whether it is used for assassination or to replace the Northwest Army, it will be of great use."