606 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (5)
Huangfu Hao recalled that on the day of the tribute banquet, when Princess Ming An and Shen Miao were confronting, Shen Xin, as her father, had been on Shen Miao’s side from the beginning to the end, even ignoring Emperor Wen Hui’s stern reproach. If Shen Xin wanted to avenge his daughter, it was not impossible for him to get his subordinates to do it.
“Then what about the illegitimate sons of the Xie family?” Huangfu Hao said in a low voice, “Even if Shen Xin wants to avenge Shen Miao, he won’t take two lives of the Xie family for no reason. Xie Ding is still an official in Ming Qi. Shen Xin won’t put himself in such a risk.”
Fu Xiuyi sighed and said, “Crown Prince, don’t you understand? Back then, I asked the Xie brothers to be Princess Ming An’s guides. You are Princess Ming An’s sibling, so I think you know her temper well. Shen Miao and Princess Ming An have been at odds for a long time. It’s not surprising that Princess Ming An wants to deal with Shen Miao. However, she is from the State of Qin after all, and Shen Miao is an official’s daughter. It’s not convenient for her to make a move. The Xie brothers came in handy and were tools she could use.”
Huangfu Hao was stunned and said angrily, “Are you saying…”
“Crown Prince, don’t be angry. I originally wanted to nurture the Xie brothers so that I could use them in the future, but these two are disappointing. You should understand what happened after that. Something probably happened to the Xie brothers when they were trying to harm Shen Miao, so the two of them died in the end.”
Although Huangfu Hao still did not look convinced, he already started connecting the dots. First, Shen Miao was kidnapped for no reason. At that time, Huangfu Hao even suspected that it was done by Princess Ming An. Later, when he was told that Princess Ming An never left the mansion and did not know anyone in Ming Qi, he did not think too much about it. Later, Shen Miao was suddenly sent back to the Shen mansion by Princess Rong Xin. Then, something happened to Princess Ming An and the Xie brothers.
Fu Xiuyi was right. Princess Ming An was a very vengeful person. After being humiliated by Shen Miao, she indeed wasn’t the kind of person who could take it lying down. During those days, the Xie brothers often visited her and they were indeed the pawns she could use. However, was Shen Miao really that capable? Huangfu Hao felt that something didn’t feel right. Even if Shen Xin loved his daughter and had the ability to avenge her daughter, it was not a wise move to openly go against a princess. Especially since Shen Xin had just returned to the capital… Even if he did not think for himself, he had to think for the others in the Shen family. Was Shen Xin so stupid as to risk the many lives of his family for his daughter’s dignity?
Huangfu Hao felt that what Fu Xiuyi said made sense, but he still had doubts. Seeing that Huangfu Hao was hot and bothered, Fu Xiuyi did not say anything else. After Huangfu Hao left, Pei Lang walked out.
“Your Highness,” Pei Lang asked, “Why did you lead him to suspect the Shen family?”
Fu Xiuyi glanced at Pei Lang and shook his head. “Sir, I don’t know what you think, but I vaguely felt that Shen Miao is related to Prince Rui.”
Pei Lang’s heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a calm expression and said, “Your Highness, are you still thinking about what happened at the crown prince’s banquet. Prince Rui is from the Daliang Dynasty, and Shen Miao was away from the capital for two years. It’s impossible for the two of them to know each other. It’s too far-fetched to say that they get to know each other in a matter of just a few weeks.”
“I know you think this is unbelievable.” Fu Xiuyi said, “But I have a feeling that there’s something fishy going on between Shen Miao and Prince Rui. Many coincidences have happened in a row these days. If Shen Miao and Prince Rui only got to know each other in a few weeks, that would be interesting. Prince Rui is proud and arrogant. Even my father can’t get close to him. I wonder what Shen Miao did to win him over.”