The senior maid from Fengyi Palace turned sharply to the serving eunuch who had been dragged in. “Who touched this pastry?”

The eunuch trembled violently. “This servant does not know! The pastries were prepared together. This servant only followed orders—”

“Whose orders?”

The eunuch’s eyes flickered. The third prince’s side spouse’s face drained of color.

Before the eunuch could speak, the Crown Prince Consort said calmly, “Since this matter occurred in the empress’s side garden, perhaps it should be handed to Imperial Mother for investigation. No one here should be wrongly accused, and no one guilty should escape.”

This was a proper sentence. It also prevented the matter from being buried immediately.

Bai Ruoyao glanced at her. Crown Prince Consort Liu sat upright, face composed. She did not like Shen Yuheng particularly, but she disliked chaos even more. If someone could tamper with a pastry in Fengyi Palace today, then tomorrow someone could do the same in the Crown Prince’s household.

Bai Ruoyao lowered her eyes again. In the previous life, she had learned too late that harmless things were often the most deadly.

A bowl of tofu. A kind sentence. A borrowed name. A small mistake turned into a crime.

She looked at Shen Yuheng and felt, for the first time, a faint sense of caution that was not hostility. This person understood the weight of small things.

Empress Ji arrived before the matter left the garden. The senior consorts followed, their expressions varied. When Empress Ji entered, everyone rose or knelt according to rank.

Her gaze swept across the table, the pastry, the kneeling physician, the trembling eunuch, and finally landed on Shen Yuheng.

Shen Yuheng stood calmly beside Xiao Jingyuan. There was no panic, no tears, and no dramatic grievance.

He bowed. “Imperial Mother, this spouse disturbed Fengyi Palace’s peace.”

Empress Ji looked at him. “You were nearly harmed in my palace. Why are you apologizing?”

Shen Yuheng said, “Because this spouse requested investigation before reporting to Imperial Mother, which may be considered acting first and reporting later.”

Precise. Respectful. Not weak.

Empress Ji’s eyes deepened. “And if you had not acted first?”

Shen Yuheng replied, “Then by the time Imperial Mother was informed, this spouse might already have shown symptoms, and the matter would be explained as poor health rather than harmful intent.”

The pavilion was silent.

Empress Ji’s mouth curved faintly. “Good.”

The single word made many hearts tighten.

She turned to Xiao Jingyuan. “And you? Why did you return?”

Xiao Jingyuan said, “This son felt uneasy.”

Empress Ji raised a brow. “Felt uneasy?”

Xiao Jingyuan’s expression remained steady. “Yes.”

Shen Yuheng lowered his gaze to hide a smile.

Empress Ji looked between them.

Felt uneasy. A battlefield-trained prince did not abandon an imperial summons because of ordinary unease. But he clearly had no intention of explaining further. Shen Yuheng, standing beside him, also looked far too calm for someone merely lucky.

Secrets.

Empress Ji did not dislike secrets. She disliked stupid secrets.

These two did not appear stupid.

She turned to the senior maid. “Investigate everyone who touched the pastry, from the kitchen to the pavilion. Detain the serving eunuch first. As for those who spoke too eagerly before the matter was clear…”

Her gaze moved lightly over the third prince’s side spouse.

“Copy the palace conduct rules ten times. Since your mouths are quick, let your hands learn steadiness.”

The side spouse knelt with a pale face. “This concubine accepts punishment.”

No one pleaded for her.

Consort De’s expression was ugly, but she still smiled stiffly and said, “The empress handles matters fairly.”

Empress Ji ignored the flattery. She looked again at Shen Yuheng.

“Seventh Wangfei.”

“This spouse is here.”

“You handled the matter without panic and without making false accusations. Very good.”

Shen Yuheng bowed. “Imperial Mother praises too much.”

“I do not praise too much.” Empress Ji’s voice was cool. “I praise what deserves praise.”

The weight of those words settled over the pavilion.

From that moment, the atmosphere changed.

Before today, many in the imperial household had regarded Shen Yuheng as a beautiful ger lucky enough to catch Xiao Jingyuan’s eye. Perhaps intelligent, perhaps composed, but still a new bride from a declining family.

After today, no one could think so simply.

A trap had been set. Xiao Jingyuan had returned in time. Shen Yuheng had not cried, hidden, or swallowed the grievance. He had named the proper authority, preserved the empress’s face, forced inspection, avoided direct accusation until evidence appeared, and turned a private attack into a palace discipline matter.

Beautiful people were common in imperial households. Beautiful people who understood timing, rank, evidence, and public language were not.

After leaving Fengyi Palace, Xiao Jingyuan and Shen Yuheng walked side by side through the covered corridor. Snow had begun to fall lightly over the palace roofs, making the red walls look deeper beneath the white.

Xiao Jingyuan kept his pace slightly slower than usual, matching Shen Yuheng without making it obvious.

Shen Yuheng glanced at him. “You returned quickly.”

“The system warned me.”

“How much did it tell you?”

“Danger. Consumable or environment. Near you.” Xiao Jingyuan’s jaw tightened. “Too little.”

“Enough,” Shen Yuheng said.

Xiao Jingyuan looked at him. “You were going to touch the pastry.”

“I was going to let them think I might.”

“That is different from safety.”

Shen Yuheng stopped walking, and Xiao Jingyuan stopped with him. The palace attendants behind them immediately lowered their heads and kept a careful distance.

Shen Yuheng looked up at Xiao Jingyuan. “Jingyuan, I know you want to protect me. But if we are to work together, you must believe that I can judge danger.”

Xiao Jingyuan was silent. Snow drifted between them.

After a moment, he said, “I believe you.”

“Then why are you angry?”

“At the pastry.”

Shen Yuheng’s lips curved. “At the pastry?”

“At the person behind the pastry,” Xiao Jingyuan corrected, his expression dark. “At myself for only receiving half a warning. At the palace for making you face such things on your first greeting.”

Shen Yuheng watched him for a long moment. Then, under cover of his sleeve, he reached out and lightly hooked Xiao Jingyuan’s finger.

Xiao Jingyuan froze.

The touch was small, improper enough to be hidden and intimate enough to calm him.

“I am unharmed,” Shen Yuheng said softly. “And today was useful.”

Xiao Jingyuan’s gaze lowered to their hidden hands. His anger did not vanish, but it settled.

“What was useful?”

“Now they know I am not easy to move.”

Xiao Jingyuan looked at him.

Shen Yuheng’s expression was calm, his beauty almost unreal beneath the falling snow, but his eyes held a quiet sharpness that made Xiao Jingyuan’s heart beat harder.

“They also know,” Shen Yuheng continued, “that Your Highness and I do not act separately.”

Xiao Jingyuan’s eyes warmed. “You are pleased with our first cooperation?”

“Barely acceptable.”

“Barely?”

“For a prince who almost forced a side spouse to eat palace pastry in front of everyone, yes.”

Xiao Jingyuan looked away. For the first time that morning, embarrassment touched his face.

“She deserved worse.”

“Perhaps. But palace matters require elegance.”

“I can learn.”

Shen Yuheng smiled. “You say that often.”

“Because it is true.”

They resumed walking. After a few steps, Xiao Jingyuan said, “You were impressive today.”

Shen Yuheng did not look at him. “Your Highness says this as though surprised.”

“I am not surprised.” Xiao Jingyuan’s voice was low. “I am proud.”

Shen Yuheng’s steps slowed almost imperceptibly.

He had been praised for beauty, for etiquette, for restraint, and for usefulness. In the interstellar era, he had been praised for successful command, clean calculations, and lives saved. But Xiao Jingyuan’s pride was different.

It was not the pride of ownership. It was the pride of standing beside him.

Shen Yuheng’s fingers tightened around Xiao Jingyuan’s for one breath, then released before anyone could see.

Xiao Jingyuan felt the absence immediately.

When they returned to the carriage, the palace had already begun to speak.

By sunset, the imperial household understood the lesson. The seventh prince had not married a vase.

Shen Yuheng was beautiful, yes. Beautiful enough to make princes stare, concubines envy, and servants forget rules. But beneath that immortal-like face was a mind that could read a trap before the tea cooled, borrow authority without offending it, and turn a private blade back toward the hand that held it.

And Xiao Jingyuan, who had once seemed like a solitary battle prince with no patience for inner-courtyard games, now stood beside him with open pride.

That was the truly dangerous part.

Not beauty. Not favor. But a principal spouse who could think, and a prince who was willing to let him.