Xin Yeheng never expected that Sima Tianhai would return so soon. His heart skipped a beat, and it felt as if it was about to leap out of his throat. However, he still pretended as if nothing had happened. "Grandpa, you're back so soon?"
"Yes, I came back as soon as I found what I needed," Sima Tianhai looked at Xin Yeheng and frowned slightly. "Why are you in my room?"
Just as he thought!
Xin Yeheng smiled gently, his face showing no sign of unease. "I came to check if you were back. Xin Zizhao and his wife are still in the main hall. They just said they wanted to go for a walk. I had to come up with an excuse that I was getting them some after - dinner snacks, so that they wouldn't come for a walk here after having the snacks."
"I see," Sima Tianhai nodded. Xin Yeheng couldn't tell if he believed him or not. "You figure out a way to keep them from coming here."
"I know what to do, Grandpa."
Hearing Xin Yeheng's reply, Sima Tianhai nodded in satisfaction. "You handle it yourself. I'm going back to my room to rest."
"Yes, Grandpa. What about dinner?"
"No need. I'm fasting today."
"Okay."
Watching Sima Tianhai finally close the door of his room, Xin Yeheng couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. His heart, which had been in his throat, finally returned to its normal place. As he walked towards the main hall, he realized that his legs were weak from fear. He leaned against the wall and took a moment to compose himself before heading back to the main hall.
Xin Yeheng went to the kitchen. "Have you finished making the snacks I asked you to prepare?"
"Your Highness, it'll be ready soon. Please wait a moment."
"Bring them to the main hall as soon as they're done."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Seeing Xin Yeheng come back empty - handed, Wei Shuxuan felt a bit strange. "Yongheng, weren't you going to get us some after - dinner snacks? Why are your hands empty?"
"The kitchen said they weren't ready yet. I waited there for a while. They'll be served soon."
Looking at Xin Yeheng's pale face, Wei Shuxuan couldn't help but ask worriedly, "Yongheng, what's wrong with you? Your face is so pale. Did something happen? If there's anything, you must tell me and Xin Zizhao. We'll help you figure it out."
"It's okay. I was just startled accidentally. Sister Xuan and Brother Emperor don't need to worry."
Seeing that Xin Yeheng refused to say anything, Wei Shuxuan didn't know what to do. She turned to look at Xin Zizhao, who shook his head, indicating that she shouldn't force Xin Yeheng to talk. Wei Shuxuan had no choice but to stop pressing him.
After having the after - dinner snacks, Wei Shuxuan and Xin Zizhao walked hand in hand on their way back to the Fenghe Palace. "Xin Zizhao, do you think something's wrong with Yeheng recently? He seems to have a lot on his mind. He didn't want to say anything when I asked him just now. I'm a bit worried about him."
"Let him be alone for a while and figure things out on his own. Pressuring him like this is not good for him."
Xin Zizhao thought that Xin Yeheng must be hiding something from them. Otherwise, he wouldn't be acting like this, which was very different from his usual self. In the past, he would never have treated Wei Shuxuan in this way.
Sima Tianhai held the imperial seal of the Yulong Kingdom that he had retrieved from the imperial study and observed it carefully. The jade used to make this seal was truly a precious gem. The more he examined it, the more he liked it. Good, good. Soon, even this country would belong to him.
The bright sunlight shone through the window, casting the shadows of the furnishings in the room. Sima Tianhai got up and accidentally bumped into the bookshelf by the window. A lifelike wooden carving rolled onto the ground. Sima Tianhai picked it up. It was a dragon, a fierce - looking dragon carving.
Sima Tianhai felt a strange sense of familiarity with this dragon carving, but he remembered that there was no such carving when he came here before. Who had placed this here? Suddenly, he thought of Xin Yeheng, who had appeared in his room that night.
He recalled Xin Yeheng's expression at that time. Although the environment was a bit dim, he vaguely remembered that Xin Yeheng's face was a bit pale, and his eyes were filled with a bit of guilt and panic.
Could it really be him who placed it? But what did he mean by placing this dragon carving in his room?
The Kula tree had a peculiar fragrance. Even when it was processed into wood products, it still had a faint smell. If you didn't smell it carefully, you wouldn't notice it. However, when the Kula tree was exposed to strong light, it would emit an even stranger fragrance, and people would inadvertently inhale it.
In the evening, Xin Yeheng came to deliver dinner to Sima Tianhai. Tonight's dinner was especially sumptuous, with chicken, fish, and shrimp. Xin Yeheng placed the tray on the table, wearing his usual kind smile. "Grandpa, come and have dinner. I've added some extra dishes for you today. See if you like them."
"Heng'er, Grandpa wants to ask you, when are you going to take action?" Sima Tianhai was actually impatient. Since they had already obtained the imperial seal of the Yulong Kingdom, why did he still have to wait?
"Grandpa, don't be impatient. It'll be soon. Wait a few more days, and I'll take action."
Xin Yeheng smiled as he prepared dinner for Sima Tianhai. However, Sima Tianhai was very dissatisfied with Xin Yeheng's attitude. He got up from the bed. "Heng'er, now, Grandpa orders you to take action tomorrow. Otherwise, don't recognize me as your grandpa!"
It was obvious that Sima Tianhai was angry. Xin Yeheng looked up at Sima Tianhai, still wearing a faint smile on his face. "Grandpa, I've already said that you don't need to be impatient. I will take action. It's just not the right time yet."
"Before, you told me that you would take action after stealing the imperial seal of the Yulong Kingdom. Now that the seal is in our hands, you still want me to wait. What do you mean?" Sima Tianhai narrowed his eyes and scanned Xin Yeheng in front of him sternly. "You're not playing me for a fool, are you?"
"Even if I had a thousand or ten thousand guts, I wouldn't dare to play you for a fool, Grandpa. I just hope to act at the right time. I have no other intentions. So, Grandpa, please calm down."
Seeing Xin Yeheng still smiling at him, Sima Tianhai's anger flared up. "Anyway, I don't care. If you don't take action, then I'll do it myself! I'll kill both the emperor and the queen!"
Hearing that Sima Tianhai wanted to kill his relatives, Xin Yeheng's look in his eyes changed. It was cold, and his smile disappeared. "You dare to touch them?"