"Good, good, what a splendid Shen Xihe!" Xiao Changying turned his head and commanded in a low voice, "Prepare my horse!"
"Your Highness, it's not advisable for you to ride at the moment..." The subordinate who wished to dissuade him, feeling the sharp gaze Xiao Changying cast his way, quickly changed his tone, "The County Princess has just set off. If I prepare a carriage, we will surely catch up with her."
Just as Shen Xihe's carriage had reached the main road, she instructed Mo Yuan: "Prince Lie will undoubtedly pursue us. Even without concrete evidence, he will find some pretext to harass us endlessly. Take the others and continue forward. Have Zhenzhu and Moyu accompany me on a detour. We'll regroup outside the capital's outskirts."
"County Princess..."
"Mo Yuan, I only need obedient followers." Without allowing any rebuttal, Shen Xihe softly delivered this statement.
Mo Yuan promptly complied and led the rest away.
"County Princess, are we truly taking the small path?" Watching Mo Yuan, who dared not contradict Shen Xihe, lead the main contingent onto the main road, Zhenzhu sensed that this familiar yet unfamiliar County Princess seemed intentionally excluding Mo Yuan for some reason.
Adjusting the cloak draped over her shoulders, Shen Xihe's voice was gentle and melodious: "Zhenzhu, tell me, with this frail body of mine, how many years do I have left to live?"
"County Princess, please don't entertain such gloomy thoughts. Your constitution is only slightly weaker than average. I've heard that the noble ladies in the capital all prize delicate health as a mark of beauty." Zhenzhu urgently tried to comfort Shen Xihe.
Shen Xihe had been prone to melancholy since childhood, owing to her innate weakness present from birth.
"Don't panic. I know my own body best."
At that moment, a breeze swept through the bamboo grove, causing Shen Xihe's silk skirt and cloak to flutter in the wind. Even her simply tied-up black hair swayed, releasing a faint fragrance. Despite her seemingly frail and slender frame, she stood firm, like bamboo rooted deeply in the earth—resilient and unyielding.
"We'll go to Luoyang first." Shen Xihe took a calm breath, as if the fresh air carried by the bamboo grove's wind brought her comfort.
"Why are we going to Luoyang?" Zhenzhu was puzzled. Although it was somewhat on the way, their original route bypassed Luoyang, heading straight to the capital.
"You'll understand when we get there."
Shen Xihe had no desire to elaborate, and Zhenzhu didn't dare press further. The County Princess currently had no patience for those who probed too deeply.
Shen Xihe's health was poor, and despite Zhenzhu's care, it took half a month to reach Luoyang.
Arriving in Yiyang County of Luoyang Prefecture, they settled in the finest inn, only to coincidentally encounter Bu Shulin.
"County Princess, are you satisfied with what I gifted you?" Bu Shulin walked directly into Shen Xihe's private room and familiarly sat down beside her.
Shen Xihe rose expressionlessly, nearly causing Bu Shulin to lose her balance. Fortunately, Bu Shulin's martial skills were exceptional, allowing her to steady herself.
Observing Shen Xihe, who had moved to the other side, Bu Shulin propped one foot on the opposite end of the long bench: "County Princess, you truly are cold and ungrateful."
"If it weren't for me, you'd likely be facing charges of plotting to assassinate a prince."
Bu Shulin's reference to repaying a favor pertained to the evidence Xiao Changying had painstakingly obtained. Bu Shulin had followed Xiao Changying to Changsha Commandery.
Her goal was to prevent that evidence from falling into Xiao Changying's hands. As for the deeper implications, Shen Xihe had no interest in probing.
That day, Bu Shulin had appeared without any followers, rashly rescuing Xiao Changying. It was impossible for her not to be exposed, especially with multiple factions involved.
Shen Xihe's arrival, accompanied by a troop of elite soldiers from the northwest, had forced these parties to stand down.
Had it been Bu Shulin alone, she would have faced certain death!After casting a glance at the stunned Bu Shulin, Shen Xihe said unhurriedly, "Therefore, it's not that you repaid my kindness, but that I saved your life and did you a favor at the same time. By this calculation, you owe me two favors and one life."
Bu Shulin, who had done nothing yet ended up owing two favors and a life: ...
"Have a drink of water to calm your nerves." Shen Xihe handed a cup of water to Bu Shulin.
Still dazed by Shen Xihe's bandit logic, Bu Shulin took it and drank it all in one gulp.
"There's poison in the water."
Bu Shulin, holding the empty cup: ...
Swallowing hard, Bu Shulin asked half-believingly, "Don't joke..."
Shen Xihe poured another cup of water and pushed it toward her: "Antidote."
Bu Shulin hastily picked it up and drank it. Before she could even put the cup down, Shen Xihe's voice drifted over faintly, "The cup is poisoned."
Bu Shulin: ...
Her heart couldn't quite take it. This exquisitely beautiful girl before her, smiling and chatting amiably, was more terrifying than a ferocious demon.
Noticing a flicker of fear in Bu Shulin's eyes, Shen Xihe poured another cup of water: "Still the antidote."
This time, Bu Shulin stared at the slightly rippling tea, hesitating to move.
"It's just the antidote."
Bu Shulin stared at Shen Xihe for a moment before silently picking up the cup, closing her eyes, and drinking it!
Only after she slammed the cup heavily on the table did Shen Xihe ask softly, "Do you feel any weakness in your limbs?"
Bu Shulin, who had just tried to circulate her energy, widened her eyes in shock. Weakly raising a finger to point vaguely at Shen Xihe: "..."
Shen Xihe's eyes shifted, sparkling with a radiant glow, her gaze falling on the incense burner beside them, from which white smoke curled gently.
The bean-shaped, bronze-inlaid glass incense burner with nipple patterns was lustrous, refined, and exquisite—such a luxurious item could not possibly be provided by an inn.
Looking at the dazed Bu Shulin, Shen Xihe's voice was clear and gentle: "I told you long ago about the Tuberose Maiden Fragrance, yet you stubbornly refused to change it. Did you think I was putting on a mysterious act that day because I already knew? Ordinary people indeed can't smell it, but I am no ordinary person. When you approach me, I can smell it—the closer you get, the stronger it becomes. As soon as I sensed you approaching, I changed the fragrant spices."
Drunken Flower is an extremely beautiful blossom with a sweet fragrance, but any living creature that inhales it will inevitably become drowsy.
She and Zhenzhu carried other scented sachets to refresh themselves and counteract the Drunken Flower's scent, so they remained unaffected.
With a thud, Bu Shulin collapsed onto the table, but she didn't close her eyes, instead staring at Shen Xihe with bleary-eyed resentment.
"Zhenzhu," Shen Xihe called.
Zhenzhu took the scented sachet from her waist and held it under Bu Shulin's nose, then extinguished the incense in the burner.
A cool, refreshing scent wafted from the sachet. Bu Shulin inhaled with all her might, the faint strands of fragrance piercing into her brain, gradually restoring her clarity and strength.
"The rumored delicate and pure-hearted Zhaoning County Princess has truly broadened my horizons," Bu Shulin said after a long while, having recovered. She immediately sat down opposite Shen Xihe, a hint of wariness in her demeanor.
"Likewise, likewise." Shen Xihe had no desire to engage in idle chatter with her. "Speak. Why have you come?"
"Zhaoning County Princess, you truly wound me," Bu Shulin said, clutching her chest in a show of heartbreak. "I came to you with nothing but sincerity."
Shen Xihe's obsidian-like eyes shifted, her calm, unreadable gaze locking onto Bu Shulin.
Bu Shulin's brow twitched, and she quickly raised her hands. "No, no, no... I came to deliver a gift, a gift..."
With that, she clapped her hands twice. The window was pushed open, and a person was thrown inside, tumbling once before their face was revealed beneath the disheveled hair.Zhenzhu's gaze turned icy: "Linglong!"
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