Chapter 439: A Lifelong Unforgettable Warning
As expected. The unease in her heart was confirmed—Shen Xihe had come for her. Yu Sangning’s heart leaped into her throat.
She recalled that day when Shen Xihe, in full view of everyone, had forced Liang Danpu to kneel on shattered porcelain until his knees bled, then sent him back to the Liang residence. Yet, no one from the Liang family dared utter a word, and Liang Zhaorong never held Shen Xihe accountable for it.
After a year in the capital, she had come to understand that within this supreme imperial city, there existed a group of people born into nobility who could act with utter caprice. Everyone had to show them respect, and even the Emperor had to extend them more tolerance than others.
Shen Xihe was one of them.
Born into the family of a non-imperial prince, with her father commanding one-third of the empire’s military power, and married to the Crown Prince of the dynasty, whatever she desired would be eagerly presented to her by countless people vying for her favor with a mere wave of her hand.
“Sangning does not know when she has offended the Junzhu. I beg the Junzhu to clarify.” Yu Sangning struggled to maintain her composure.
She sensed no murderous intent from Shen Xihe, but Shen Xihe had always been known for her erratic and unrestrained behavior. Even with Gu Qingshu as a witness, she couldn’t be certain that Shen Xihe wouldn’t kill her.
“You have not offended me,” Shen Xihe replied indifferently. “But you are far too audacious, daring to manipulate anyone and harbor ill intentions.”
Yu Sangning’s mind raced as she tried to figure out whom Shen Xihe was referring to. She had some understanding of Shen Xihe’s character—if the matter was unrelated to Shen Xihe, even if Yu Sangning were a mass murderer, Shen Xihe might not bother to intervene.
If it was someone connected to Shen Xihe, and Shen Xihe accused her of audacity, then it could only be… the Empress Dowager.
In her attempt to win the Empress Dowager’s favor, she had taken a risky and covert approach, believing it to be undetectable. Yet, Shen Xihe had still uncovered it. She was certain Shen Xihe had no evidence; otherwise, Shen Xihe would not have resorted to such methods to deal with her. But she also knew that even without proof, Shen Xihe was convinced of her guilt. At this moment, stubbornly denying it in front of Shen Xihe would only provoke her wrath.
Yet, admitting to it was absolutely out of the question. Clenching her lips, she remained silent, her wary, uneasy, and tense gaze fixed intently on Shen Xihe, not missing the slightest reaction from her.
“Junzhu, murder is a crime,” Gu Qingshu interjected, finally realizing that it was Shen Xihe who had subjected them to this heart-pounding ordeal. Her voice was grave.
Shen Xihe turned her gaze, her eyes faint and tranquil, yet exuding an intangible pressure that weighed heavily on Gu Qingshu’s heart, as if something were crushing her chest, making it hard to breathe.
This gaze, seemingly not sharp yet suffocating, seemingly not arrogant yet filled with disdain, evoked in her a frantic fear.
Her elder sister was the same—the difference being that Shen Xihe was more detached, while Gu Qingzhi carried a deeper chill.
“Killing one person, or killing two—to me, there is no difference,” Shen Xihe replied flatly to Gu Qingzhi.
With a slight lift of her eyes, she glanced at Moyu. In an instant, Moyu released her grip. The horse grew restless and began to sway, causing the carriage to lurch downward and slam violently against the bolted rear door. Yu Sangning’s nails, dug into the wooden wall, carved deep grooves into the wood. A wave of terror engulfed her.
The creaking sound of the precarious carriage was like a death warrant, torturing her heart and pushing her fear to its peak.Witnessing this, Gu Qingshu couldn't help but recoil in horror. On the other side, Zhenzhu and Biyu had already subdued all her guards and rushed to Bu Shulin's side. The three of them joined forces to attack the Shadow Guard assigned to her by Xiao Changqing.
Faced with such a disadvantage, Gu Qingshu had no choice but to swallow her resentment and remain silent, though bitterness churned within her.
"Your Highness... Your Highness, please grant me a swift death!" Yu Sangning was terrified, her eyes welling with uncontrollable tears. Yet she knew that pleading before Shen Xihe was futile—once Shen Xihe decided someone must die, nothing could change her mind.
She didn't know how she knew this; an intense intuition told her that Shen Xihe was precisely that kind of person.
"Release it." Before Shen Xihe's words could fade with the wind, the guard desperately clutching the rope let go. Instantly, the carriage plunged over the cliff.
In the night breeze, Yu Sangning's scream pierced the darkness. She was thrown from the carriage, expecting to be shattered upon impact, when a strong grip seized her hand, saving her from crashing into the thorny bushes below.
Her heart pounded violently, as if trying to leap from her throat. In that moment of falling, she had experienced a soul-shattering terror. Yu Sangning, who prided herself on never crying, broke down into loud sobs.
With a forceful tug, Moyu used the rope to haul her up and unceremoniously dropped her aside.
The pain of hitting the ground jolted Yu Sangning back to her senses. Tears and mucus streaked her face as she scrambled to kneel before Shen Xihe, kowtowing repeatedly. "Spare me, Your Highness! I... I'll never dare again, never again..."
Shen Xihe observed Yu Sangning, reduced to desperate begging by sheer terror, then glanced at the Shadow Guard still holding their own against Bu Shulin and the others. She had never intended to kill today.
Yu Sangning's methods were vile—deceiving others into taking their own lives—but it wasn't Shen Xihe's place to deliver justice.
Killing Yu Sangning would necessitate killing Gu Qingshu as well, or the situation would grow increasingly complicated. Gu Qingshu had no quarrel with her, and Shen Xihe wouldn't silence an innocent just to cover up a murder.
"Remember today. If there is a next time, you won't get the chance to beg for mercy." After this final warning, Shen Xihe turned and reentered her carriage.
Bu Shulin and the others ceased their struggle with the Shadow Guard, who likewise had no desire to prolong the fight. Each side retreated to protect their respective charges.
The carriage passed by Gu Qingshu and her companions, speeding away into the distance. Gu Qingshu stared at the wrecked carriage at the cliff's base, her defeated guards, and the vanishing figures of Shen Xihe's party, her eyes burning with cold resentment and frustration.
No one had ever been so brazen. She once thought her elder sister was the most arrogant woman in the world, but now she understood what true, all-disdaining arrogance looked like.
Shen Xihe had left them in such a state. The imperial palace was still an hour away by carriage. For two delicate noblewomen like them, walking back would likely take until dawn, forcing them to appear in public in utter disarray.
Surrounded by these mountains, even if they sent a guard to inform Xiao Changqing to fetch them, it would take two hours. In this deep wilderness, despite having a highly skilled Shadow Guard for protection, they were still terrified.
Even if they returned and claimed to Your Majesty that Shen Xihe had reduced them to this state, he wouldn't believe them. They had no proof. Furthermore, they had no prior grievances with Shen Xihe. While Shen Xihe was widely known in the capital as someone not to be trifled with, she never provoked trouble lightly.Shen Xihe had just shaken off the two of them when she stopped in a place they couldn't see. "If Your Highness doesn't show yourself now, don't blame me for lighting the knockout incense and releasing Poison Needles."
As soon as the words fell, a figure came flipping through the air, landing steadily in front of the carriage, smiling at Shen Xihe with indulgent tenderness.
(End of Chapter)
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