In the transition between autumn and winter, the howling cold wind rattled the doors of the relay station without ceasing, mirroring the stubbornness of the man before her.
Though his gaze was gentle and his smile amiable, giving the impression of approachability, Shen Xihe knew he was unyielding in this matter, offering her only two choices.
Shen Xihe placed the bone whistle into a box: "I accept it. May Your Highness return to the capital soon."
"I shall stay to guard you tonight and depart tomorrow morning," Xiao Huayong declared, leaving no room for refusal. "It is unseemly for me to linger here, lest it tarnish Youyou's reputation."
Under this pretext, Xiao Huayong performed a full ceremonial bow to Shen Xihe before withdrawing.
Whether by Xiao Huayong's arrangement or the escort commander's deliberate attempt to curry favor with Shen Xihe, he was assigned to stand guard outside her door that night. The relentless cold wind persisted, and Shen Xihe had long observed his susceptibility to chill—evident from his constant wearing of a cloak. This was why she had gifted him cold-repelling incense. Even after learning his condition resulted not from frailty but poisoning, she noted his inherently cold constitution.
"Withdraw. I dislike strangers keeping night watch," Shen Xihe personally instructed upon stepping out. She then summoned Mo Yuan.
Mo Yuan arrived and escorted Xiao Huayong away. Xiao Huayong seemed about to speak but met Shen Xihe's cool, detached eyes and wisely swallowed his words, rubbing his nose in resignation.
No sooner had he turned than Shen Xihe directed Zhenzhu: "Inform Guard Captain Wei that Teng Jing has received my orders to leave the team and should be permitted passage."
Xiao Huayong sighed softly. She was determined to send him away. With a resigned smile, he resolved to comply, though not without teasing her one last time: "I know Youyou pities me."
Having dismissed Xiao Huayong, Shen Xihe slept soundly through the night. The next day, as she boarded the carriage, the figure before her had changed. Shen Xihe marveled at Xiao Huayong's audacity—he hadn't even altered his appearance, merely keeping his head bowed submissively, yet no one questioned it. Could it be that none among the guards recognized the Crown Prince? Or were they all his agents? These fifty guards were drawn from different units—if all were loyal to him, he would not have needed to inform her of whom to trust.
Unbeknownst to Shen Xihe, Xiao Huayong had infiltrated their ranks midway during a rest stop. After resuming the journey, he had trailed the carriage continuously. With no incidents occurring, who would scrutinize who sat on the carriage shaft? When she inquired his name, he followed her into the relay station, then seized the opportunity to hide while unwatched. He swapped places with the real Teng Jing, who had arrived earlier and mingled with colleagues. By the time Xiao Huayong was assigned to guard her, he reappeared—a clever substitution to deceive observers.
Though bold and risking unforeseen complications, he had contingency plans should anyone abruptly address him.
"Your Highness, let us return," the local official accompanying Xiao Huayong suggested as they stood on the hilltop, watching Shen Xihe's convoy fade into the distance. He breathed a sigh of relief, having feared the Crown Prince might suddenly decide to follow personally.
Xiao Huayong did wish to accompany her—not due to concerns over his subordinates' dissent or potential mishaps in the Eastern Palace, but because he knew Shen Xihe disapproved of such actions. Thus, he could only regretfully see her off this far.
"Are all regional arrangements in order?" Xiao Huayong asked quietly."Your Highness, rest assured. I have already issued the orders. The route the Junzhu takes will be thoroughly inspected before her arrival, ensuring no malevolent spirits disturb her presence. We will guarantee her safe and smooth passage both ways," the local official replied with a solemn expression.
Inwardly, he sighed: My superior said the Junzhu is His Highness’s cherished one, the apple of his eye, and warned us to be vigilant. Previously, I didn’t understand what it truly meant to be ‘cherished,’ but now I see—escorting her over a thousand li, forcefully clearing every place she passes through.
"I still cannot fully set my mind at ease," Xiao Huayong murmured softly. As long as she was not within his sight, not within his reach, no matter how meticulously he arranged things, a sense of unease always lingered in his heart.
The local official:
He had ultimately underestimated the weight of what it meant to be ‘cherished’!
Just as he held his breath, fearing Xiao Huayong would chase after her, Xiao Huayong finally turned his horse around and rode back to the capital.
Shen Xihe had prepared herself to deal with all sorts of petty troublemakers along the way, but the journey was so smooth it felt unbelievable. Not only were there no individuals with ill intentions toward her, but there wasn’t even a single instance of bullying or injustice requiring her intervention.
Originally, it would have taken her fifteen or sixteen days to reach Linchuan, but due to the lack of delays, she arrived in just twelve days. She had come bearing rewards from His Majesty, and her maternal uncle, Tao Cheng, taking advantage of his official position for personal favor, donned his official robes and personally greeted her at the city gate.
The south was warm, with rare snowfall, but Linchuan had been overcast and rainy these past two days. Unlike her previous visit, this time the entire city knew of her arrival. The prominent families of Linchuan competed to pay their respects, submit name cards, and offer gifts, but Shen Xihe refused them all at her doorstep.
She was somewhat worried about Bu Shulin. She had already instructed Bu Shulin to send a letter to Linchuan. Bu Shulin had left the capital four or five days earlier than her, heading to Henan Prefecture in the Duji Circuit near the capital. By all reasoning, she should have settled in by now.
Unfortunately, her itinerary was arranged by His Majesty. After leaving the capital, she traveled from Ezhou straight to Linchuan, taking the shortest route. She could only wait until her return journey to find an excuse to detour through Liyang Commandery before reaching Henan Prefecture in the Duji Circuit.
However, her concern for Bu Shulin eventually led her to take out the bone whistle and use Xiao Huayong’s Haidongqing to send a message. But the Haidongqing, by default, delivered everything to Xiao Huayong, so the letter first reached his hands. After reading it, Xiao Huayong’s expression turned sour.
Bu Shulin had left the capital just before Shen Xihe followed. Although she was genuinely sincere in congratulating her elder brother on his wedding, Xiao Huayong didn’t believe for a moment that she hadn’t intended to assist Bu Shulin in any way. Yet, even after confirming it, he couldn’t suppress the sour feeling in his heart.
"Find some extra work for Cui Jinbai. Let him come up with some foolish ideas to keep himself occupied," Xiao Huayong handed over the letter, instructing his connections to ensure it reached Bu Shulin promptly.
He felt nothing but irritation toward Cui Jinbai. Why did he have to choose now, of all times, to follow His Majesty’s orders and show loyalty by making things difficult for Bu Shulin? In his view, Cui Jinbai had likely known all along that Shen Xihe was going to Linchuan and had chosen this opportune moment deliberately.
He was simply too idle.
Tianyuan silently recited an "Amitabha" for Cui Jinbai, not daring to utter a single word in his defense. He hurried out to make the arrangements, afraid that if he moved too slowly, His Highness would think he, too, was idle!
If Worldly Son Bu weren’t a woman, Tianyuan felt that she wouldn’t even need His Majesty to take action—His Highness would personally send her on her final journey.Bu Shulin was naturally not in danger, but she had discovered that she was being watched the moment she entered Henan Prefecture. This was why she dared not rashly send a letter to Linchuan, fearing she might implicate Shen Xihe. When she unexpectedly received Shen Xihe’s letter, her initial joy was immediately followed by suspicion: “Could this be someone impersonating Youyou?”
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