Chapter 509: Husband and Wife Join Forces
"I am aware." Shen Xihe nodded in response.
Xiao Changying had been following her throughout the journey. While traveling, he maintained a distance, but whenever she checked into an inn, he would inevitably stay at the same establishment on the same floor, keeping a close watch on her.
However, even now, Xiao Changying had not reunited with Xiao Changfeng to reveal her whereabouts to him, which puzzled her. Weren't both of them tasked by His Majesty to follow her?
Bu Shulin tilted her head and observed Shen Xihe for a long moment before breaking into a mischievous grin and walking away cheerfully.
She understood now—so Prince Lie was actually a devoted romantic, escorting her across thousands of miles, possibly even leaving the capital without authorization.
Tsk, the allure of a beauty truly knows no bounds.
As for the idea that Xiao Changying was following Shen Xihe under His Majesty's orders, Bu Shulin dismissed it entirely. If that were the case, Shen Xihe would have been exposed during the attack on the ship. Why would she now need to devise a way to make Xiao Changfeng aware?
From Shen Xihe's perspective, which was driven by self-interest—especially as a married woman—she was a heartless and detached individual. Even putting herself in his shoes, she could not fathom Prince Lie traveling such a great distance and enduring hardships for the sake of his sister-in-law.
Shen Xihe could not comprehend his motives. If his goal was merely to prevent her from harm and ensure her safety, such sentimentality was beyond her rational, pragmatic nature. She would never act that way herself, so she could not imagine others doing so.
Bu Shulin's grin was utterly irritating. Shen Xihe frowned at her knowing, subtly suggestive gaze but did not dwell on it. In Shen Xihe's mind, Bu Shulin was always somewhat eccentric, so this behavior was hardly surprising.
As for Xiao Changying, Shen Xihe decided to pay him a visit. She wondered why Xiao Huayong, that jealous fool, had not yet lured him away.
Of course, the jealous Crown Prince had no intention of driving Xiao Changying away. He wanted him to stay and suffer the heartache of witnessing Shen Xihe's indifference.
Driving him off would not extinguish Xiao Changying's feelings. Why not let him experience Shen Xihe's coldness firsthand? Perhaps then he would let go.
What greater joy could there be than watching a rival retreat defeated by one's own wife?
Shen Xihe knocked on Xiao Changying's door. Though curious about her purpose, he opened it and allowed her inside.
She did not take a seat. Instead, she stood by the doorway and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear: "I am going to take action against His Majesty's men and Xun Wang. If you wish to assist them, go ahead. If you have no intention of helping, then do not let them discover your presence."
Subconsciously, Shen Xihe did not want to make an enemy of Xiao Changying. Given that he had not revealed her whereabouts earlier, it seemed he also had no desire to sever ties with her and Xiao Huayong.
"How do you plan to deal with Xun Wang?" Xiao Changying, recalling Shen Xihe's tendency to strike lethally when she acted, asked urgently.
Shen Xihe did not understand his concern and replied indifferently, "That is my affair, none of your business."
Xiao Changying's eyes dimmed. Seeing Shen Xihe about to leave, he stepped forward to block her path. "Cousin is highly skilled and the sole heir of the Xun Wang lineage. He is also heavily favored by His Majesty. If anything happens to him, His Majesty will spare no effort in investigating.Xiao Changfeng's identity was special. The slightest mishap could stir up a storm.So Xiao Changying thought she intended to kill Xiao Changfeng. Understanding his concern, Shen Xihe said, "Your Highness, rest assured. I bear no grudge against Xun Wang. Though we serve different masters, it is far from a life-and-death conflict. I will not harm him."
Had she been too ruthless before? Both Xiao Huayong and Xiao Changying seemed to believe she would resort to killing at the slightest provocation.
What dispute did she have with Xiao Changfeng? He had neither harmed her nor posed any threat. How could she be someone who took lives without cause? If differing allegiances warranted murder, how many of His Majesty’s supporters in the court would she have to indiscriminately slaughter?
With that, Shen Xihe stepped around Xiao Changying and returned to her room.
Xiao Changying watched her leave, observing as she entered her room and closed the door.
After a moment of contemplation, he decided to depart. Shen Xihe had specifically come to warn him, which meant she was already setting a trap for Xiao Changfeng. Once Xiao Changfeng noticed this place and discovered his presence here, it would spell trouble.
He wasn’t afraid of His Majesty learning he had left the capital without permission—but he could not let the emperor know he had done so for Shen Xihe’s sake. If brothers were pitted against each other, even though Shen Xihe was now the Crown Princess, His Majesty would only grow more intent on eliminating her.
Alternatively, the emperor might exploit the situation to turn him against the Crown Prince, using him as a pawn to undermine the heir. Neither scenario was desirable.
As for Shen Xihe’s plans against Xiao Changfeng, he wasn’t worried about her—he was worried for Xiao Changfeng!
But since Shen Xihe had promised not to harm him, Xiao Changying felt reassured. He would simply wait and see how things unfolded.
Xiao Changying left, and Shen Xihe soon learned of his departure. She was quite satisfied with his choice. If he had insisted on interfering, dealing with him would have inevitably dragged Xiao Changqing into the fray, making cleanup far too complicated.
Meanwhile, not long after Bu Shulin entered the inn, Xiao Changfeng received word. His men investigated the inn but found nothing conclusive. However, Xiao Changfeng had more avenues for inquiry—such as leveraging official channels—and soon obtained records of all current guests at the inn.
Shen Xihe and Xiao Changying had used false names and travel permits. Xiao Changying’s checkout went unnoticed by Xiao Changfeng, who, already suspicious, verified the details swiftly. By the next day, he knew Shen Xihe was staying at the inn.
"We act today," Shen Xihe announced to Moyu as she rose.
Moyu understood, fetching a lapel robe for Shen Xihe. After their morning meal, mistress and servant left the inn, heading straight for the outskirts of the capital.
Xiao Changfeng initially followed them alone but, seeing Shen Xihe and her companion venture farther, grew cautious. He launched a Signal Flare, summoning half his men while leaving the other half at the post station to guard the "Crown Princess."
He was never one to act rashly—always ensuring a fallback. These remaining men were his contingency, ready to rescue him if he truly fell into Shen Xihe’s trap.
Little did he know that after he led half his forces in pursuit of Shen Xihe and became lost in a forest, Xiao Huayong would openly send men to the post station to kidnap the "Crown Princess." The other half of Xiao Changfeng’s men immediately gave chase to rescue her.
"Your Highness, have we encountered a ghost wall?" one of Xiao Changfeng’s subordinates asked anxiously. They had been trapped for some time, and this marked tree was the third time they had passed it. Fear spread among the men.Shen Xihe stood on the high mountain, where a pavilion happened to offer a distant view of the moving black dots in this direction: "The Crown Prince's mastery of esoteric arts is truly admirable."
(End of Chapter)
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