Blossoms of Power

Chapter 511: A Total Loss

Xiao Changfeng had been meticulously cultivated by the Youning Emperor, and his abilities and martial prowess were in no way inferior to any of the princes. Xiao Huayong had trapped him for two hours, yet he still managed to find a way to break free and charge out.

Just as he led his men to part the mist before them, get his bearings, and charge toward the path of life, a very, very faint fragrance, so faint it was almost imperceptible in the wind, began to spread.

The scent was not strong or pungent. Amidst the mountain forest, at the turn of spring and summer, even the highly vigilant Xiao Changfeng paid it no mind. Especially after being trapped for so long, he thought about how he had been unable to contact his subordinates at the post station for the past two hours. He had no idea what new tricks Shen Xihe was playing. Anxious, his mind was completely focused on returning to the post station as quickly as possible.

The first to experience hallucinations were the subordinates behind him, who were exhausted both physically and mentally from being trapped for too long. The hallucinogenic aroma triggered their delusions and magnified the malice in their hearts. Turning to see a colleague with whom he usually had friction, unpleasant memories of that colleague instantly flooded his mind. Without hesitation, he drew his saber and, while his companion was completely unguarded, slashed at him.

This act startled the surrounding colleagues, who quickly dodged. Xiao Changfeng, who was charging at the very front, finally realized something was wrong. When he turned his head, he saw it was not just this one man who had fallen into a delusion. Some people were foaming at the mouth and collapsing, while others were releasing their deepest malice and suppressed desires, committing many shocking acts.

The more mentally resolute ones felt dizzy and light-headed, able to remain standing only by leaning on the sabers in their hands.

"Youyou's fragrances are truly fearsome," Xiao Huayong remarked. His eyesight was better than Shen Xihe's. While she could see figures moving, he could see them more clearly, and even he was somewhat shaken.

"What is fearsome is not the fragrance, but the human heart," Shen Xihe said calmly. "This fragrance is harmless. It merely causes hallucinations. Those who are displaying such disgraceful behavior are driven by the greed and malice in their own hearts."

Human nature only needed a reason to expose and indulge itself.

Those who did not behave disgracefully were not necessarily without malice; it was just that the kindness in their hearts outweighed the malice, and they were better able to control themselves. A person's good and evil were, in fact, a manifestation of their self-control.

Those who could control themselves well would not easily commit impulsive acts that they would later regret.

"To be able to stir the evil in a person's heart is already admirable," Xiao Huayong chuckled lightly.

Faced with Xiao Huayong's praise, Shen Xihe was not merely being modest but stated the facts. "The art of using fragrances is not actually that brilliant. If Your Highness had not trapped them and agitated their emotions, it would not have achieved such a remarkable effect."

Moreover, what had made them so flustered was also due to the fragrance prepared by Matron Yong being so faint as to not arouse suspicion. If it had been datura, they would have noticed long ago. Even now, Xiao Changfeng had not discovered it. The more they inhaled, the stronger the hallucinogenic effect.

As soon as Xiao Changfeng realized that the faint scent was causing the hallucinations and led his men to retreat from this place quickly, it wouldn't take long for them to recover.

Xiao Changfeng indeed did not suspect this barely-there fragrance, which was undetectable most of the time. He first knocked out the men who were deep in their delusions and noticed that his own head felt heavy, but it wasn't a major issue. Looking back, he saw that most of his men had already fallen. He could not just abandon them. He gave a look to those who were still standing and struggling to hold on, and they tacitly collapsed one after another.

After everyone had fallen, Xiao Changfeng held on for another moment before pretending to stagger and finally feigning collapse.

Although Xiao Huayong could see more clearly than Shen Xihe, he did not notice that Xiao Changfeng was faking it. However, this did not hinder his judgment. "Youyou, take a guess. Is our dear cousin truly unconscious or just pretending?"

Shen Xihe could actually only see silhouettes. The distance made it impossible for her to distinguish who was who, or even see the detailed patterns on their clothes. However, Xiao Changfeng was the most skilled martial artist, so the last one to fall must have been him. "If Prince Xun were injured, it would not be surprising for him to collapse at this time."

She had once used datura fragrance to treat the heavily injured Xiao Changying. For every fragrant spice she developed, as long as it was not fatal, Shen Xihe would have her guards test it on themselves to gauge its properties, so as to avoid misjudging an opponent and putting herself in danger.

Xiao Huayong smiled faintly. With a turn of his hand, a short flute appeared out of nowhere. He brought it to his lips, and a melodious tune drifted out.

A moment later, a figure shot straight toward Xiao Changfeng. It was a person who moved like lightning, dressed in black night-prowling clothes, his face tightly wrapped with only his eyes showing. He reached out to grab Xiao Changfeng, but before he could get a hold, Xiao Changfeng seized his hand in a counter-move.

The man in black was alarmed and immediately twisted his wrist, trying to overpower Xiao Changfeng in return. Xiao Changfeng moved in tandem with him, and the two quickly became entangled in a fight.

Shen Xihe listened to Xiao Huayong's flute music and turned her head to look at him. His eyes were smiling, and his gentle gaze enveloped her. An occasional mountain breeze blew past, making him seem like a traveler on a scenic tour with his beloved.

The tune was not very long, but Shen Xihe had become so engrossed in listening that she forgot about Xiao Changfeng fighting down the mountain. By the time she remembered to look, she found that both of them had disappeared.

Xiao Huayong was very pleased that his flute music had entranced Shen Xihe. He twirled the short flute with his fingertips. "Cousin's skills are impressive. If he hadn't been affected by your fragrance, I would have had to personally step in to subdue him. As it is now, my men will be able to capture him."

It was only a matter of time.

Shen Xihe did not press further. She turned to look again and saw that five or six people had appeared at some point. They were pushing three wooden carts, loading all the unconscious men onto them, tying them up securely with ropes, and taking them all away.

"Where is Your Highness taking these men?" Shen Xihe asked.

"These men belong to His Majesty." A hard-to-read, strange light flickered in Xiao Huayong's eyes.

But Shen Xihe understood. Xiao Huayong would not spare these men's lives. Xiao Changfeng's life was spared only because of his valuable status and the major implications involved. These men were a reprisal for His Majesty.

Shen Xihe remained silent on this. In truth, she had never intended to let these men live either.

"Let's go. I'll take you to see Father-in-law," Xiao Huayong said, holding out his hand.

"Shouldn't we wait a bit?" Xiao Changfeng had not been captured yet.

"Capturing him was not part of the plan. We can't take his life anyway, so catching him would just make arrangements difficult." Xiao Huayong shook his head slightly. "The men he brought have all been lost. That alone will make it impossible for him to answer to His Majesty. Let His Majesty punish him."

All been lost...

This meant that the men left at the post station had also been... by Xiao Huayong.

With the Crown Princess abducted, they were bound to pursue in force. It would be an exceedingly easy matter for Xiao Huayong to deliberately leave clues, leading them step by step to their deaths.