Chapter Sixteen: One Hundred Thousand Taels of Gold

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“I thought you cared deeply about your little consort in this new fief, but it turns out your concern was nothing more than a fleeting moment,” Shen Heye sneered, casting a mocking glance at Shen Hezhi.

Unfazed by the derision, Shen Hezhi ignored the look entirely and replied, “Sixth Brother, when have you ever seen me care for a woman? I simply don’t want to be saddled with the reputation of having my consort snatched away by my own brother.”

Shen Hezhi’s indifference was palpable—so chilling that Shen Heye, for a moment, believed every word.

After all, one’s enemy knows one best.

“If you wish to take her, then… exchange your life for hers!” No sooner had the words left his lips than Shen Heye appeared before Shen Hezhi in a flash.

Shen Hezhi remained composed, dodging Shen Heye’s attack with a mere tilt of his body. Shen Heye hadn’t truly expected to hurt him with that strike.

“If you insist on this path, Elder Brother, then don’t blame me. Just because my men can’t defeat you doesn’t mean I can’t,” Shen Hezhi said, evading Shen Heye’s fierce blows as he spoke.

At some point, Shen Heye had drawn a long sword, its tip aimed at Shen Hezhi, but neither man advanced. They stood locked in a tense standoff, neither flinching, neither betraying fear.

After a spell, Shen Hezhi broke the silence, his words inciting a surge of anger in Shen Heye: “Elder Brother, I know you won’t lay a hand on me, no matter what, so why not sit and discuss our terms calmly?”

Shen Heye glared at him, teeth clenched, the sword in his grip trembling.

He wanted to strike. He wanted to kill Shen Hezhi. With a single sweep of his blade, he could cut Shen Hezhi’s throat and finally accomplish what he had long dreamt of.

But he also knew he could not—not yet. Shen Hezhi was right. The time to choose the crown prince was drawing near. As much as he wished to eliminate Shen Hezhi, he wanted the throne more.

Shen Hezhi had come to the Sixth Prince’s mansion in broad daylight, making a spectacle of himself. If anything were to happen to him here, Shen Heye’s chances at the throne would vanish altogether.

Shen Hezhi, fully aware of this, had shouted at the gates for precisely that reason.

Seeing the confidence on Shen Hezhi’s face, Shen Heye itched to kill him on the spot. “One hundred thousand taels of gold, all at once. Give me that, and I’ll let your consort go.”

Shen Heye had compromised—but not truly. One hundred thousand taels was no small sum.

Everyone in the capital knew that, though Shen Hezhi was a prince, he was far from favored by the Emperor. Aside from his residence and a few unpopular shops, he owned nothing of worth. To him, that sum was a fortune beyond reach.

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“Very well. Here are promissory notes equivalent to a hundred thousand taels of gold.” Shen Hezhi pulled a thick bundle of notes from his sleeve and placed them on the table.

He then poured himself a cup of tea, took a seat on the stone stool, and began to savor it.

Shen Heye stared at the pile of notes in a daze, frowning as he looked at Shen Hezhi. “Where did you get so much money?” he demanded.

“That’s no concern of yours, Elder Brother. Now that you’ve accepted the notes, release my wife at once,” Shen Hezhi replied, opening his folding fan and giving it a gentle wave.

His composure was infuriating, but since Shen Heye had already accepted the notes, he couldn’t press further.

Still, he thought grimly: Once I ascend the throne in a few months, I’ll see how arrogant you can be then! I’ll make sure you and your wretched mother die miserably!

Without another word, Shen Heye turned and left.

Only after he departed did Shen Hezhi dare to breathe a sigh of relief. He had been exceedingly tense, anxious that Shen Heye might refuse to release Yan Heru.

If he truly refused, then my illness…

Shen Hezhi was deeply worried. For now, Yan Heru’s meals seemed the likeliest remedy for the cold poison in his body. Barring extraordinary circumstances, he would do all he could to protect her.

Soon after, Yan Heru was brought out by Shen Heye. Her face betrayed no fear, only utter indifference—her delicate features utterly impassive.

“My lord,” Yan Heru greeted quietly, walking toward Shen Hezhi.

“Sixth Brother, I’ve imposed long enough. Until next time,” said Shen Hezhi, taking Yan Heru’s hand and swiftly leaving the Sixth Prince’s mansion, granting Shen Heye not a moment longer than necessary.

After they left, Shen Heye’s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. “Shen Hezhi, enjoy your arrogance while it lasts. I want to see how long you can keep it up.”

Whatever thought crossed his mind, he suddenly smiled strangely. “Ye Yi.”

“Your servant is here.”

“How goes the matter I entrusted to you?” Shen Heye sat back down on the stone stool, smashing the cup Shen Hezhi had just used to the ground before pouring himself another.

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Ye Yi responded, “People have already been dispatched. If all goes well, she should arrive at the mansion tonight.”

“Tonight?” Shen Heye’s smile widened. “If she arrives tonight, have her act at once. Don’t delay the mission.”

“Yes.” With that, Ye Yi melted back into the shadows.

Shen Heye raised his teacup, turning it in his hand, eyes fixed on the painted pattern as a self-satisfied grin crept across his lips. “Shen Hezhi, let’s see how you handle the gift I’ve prepared for you this time.”

——

Shen Hezhi returned to his residence with Yan Heru. The two exchanged not a single word along the way—the silence almost unnerving.

Shen Yi spotted them at the gate and hurried to greet them. “My lord.”

“Go prepare lunch,” Shen Hezhi instructed. Shen Yi accepted the order and departed.

At that moment, Yan Heru stepped back, bowed to Shen Hezhi, and said, “Thank you, my lord, for saving my life. I still have some medicine to attend to and will eat later. Please dine without me.”

“Wait—”

Before Shen Hezhi could finish, Yan Heru had already turned away, leaving him with the distinct sense that she was angry.

But why was she angry?

In truth, Yan Heru herself didn’t know. She had been deliberately kept near the room by Shen Heye and overheard the entire conversation between the two men.

She knew she was upset by Shen Hezhi’s claim that he “never cared for any woman,” yet she couldn’t fathom why the words provoked her so. The confusion only made her more vexed.

When she reached the room where her medicine was stored, Yan Heru immediately sensed something was off and came to a halt.