Blossoms of Power

"A Lin wants to make a clean break with Cui Shaoqing." Upon hearing Xiao Huayong's words, Shen Xihe instantly understood Bu Shulin's intention.

She was returning to Shunan, where too many people needed her. She had to become the Prince of Shunan to shelter those who had once followed the Bu family. She couldn't abandon the Bu family, and naturally she didn't want Cui Jinbai to abandon the Cui family for her either.

The once powerful noble families had completely collapsed under Your Majesty's hand. The Cui family now stood as the foremost among the remaining noble houses, and among Cui Jinbai's generation, no one could rival him. He needed to stay with the Cui family for their sake and for the prosperity of the noble families.

This was his unavoidable responsibility, just as Bu Shulin couldn't escape her own duties.

Rather than letting longing become a torment, it was better to make a clean break early. Better to sever ties decisively now and let each find their own happiness.

"Youyou, everyone has their own helpless circumstances and constraints, but they also have the right to make their own choices." Xiao Huayong gently smoothed Shen Xihe's disheveled hair on her shoulders. "This is a matter between them, let them decide for themselves. Whether they are destined to meet but not be together, or can renew their former bond, depends entirely on their fate."

Just as Shen Xihe had said, every choice must be accepted along with all the joys and sorrows it brings.

Shen Xihe nodded slightly and said, "Since A Lin will be returning to Shunan soon, what about her marriage with Lady Xiao..."

"The plan remains unchanged." Xiao Huayong had also carefully considered this. "There's no leak about the Prince of Shunan's situation yet, but Xiao Changmin is clearly watching closely from the side. Once Shu Fei makes her move, Your Majesty will inevitably become suspicious. Going through with the marriage is the best approach."

"We still need to inform the Grand Princess about this." Shen Xihe reminded.

Xiao Huayong smiled gently: "Alright."

Shen Xihe was someone who deeply cared about her subordinates and followers - this applied both to her own people and Xiao Huayong's. If she were to become a ruler, she would surely be a blessing to the common people.

Xiao Changmin was also affected by the rumors spread by Bu Shulin. He suspected this was Bu Shulin trying to cover up the truth, making him more convinced there was something suspicious and increasingly looking forward to exposing Bu Shulin's female identity before everyone during the wedding ceremony.

Bu Shulin paid no mind to the various speculations outside. Her actions weren't meant to clear her name, but rather to lay the groundwork for her break with Cui Jinbai. Cui Jinbai had remained unconscious for three consecutive days, during which Bu Shulin would spend an hour each day talking to him.

Today was the fourth day.

"What are you afraid of? That I'll resent your disloyalty? That I'll abandon you because of this, so you refuse to wake up?" Bu Shulin felt somewhat helpless and frustrated. "You can rest assured, I won't hold this against you, nor will I blame you for it..."

After another hour passed, Bu Shulin stood up to leave. She needed to start making arrangements for her departure and devote substantial time to training the double Shen Xihe had sent her. Being able to spare an hour to sit with Cui Jinbai was already quite difficult.

Returning to her newly arranged bedroom, she seized the time to train her double, making sure to drill into her all her minor habits in speech and behavior. After training for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Yinshan came running: "Young Master, Cui Shaoqing has woken up!"

Bu Shulin felt a weight lift from her heart. She rushed to the doorway, one foot already stepping over the threshold when she stopped. After hesitating for a moment, she withdrew her foot and turned to her double: "You go."

"Me?" The double was stunned, finding it hard to believe.“Yes, you go.” Bu Shulin nodded. “He will surely want to verify it. You can return and switch with me later.”

The double had originally come from the Northwestern Army, where obeying orders was an instinct ingrained in his bones. Upon receiving Bu Shulin’s confirmation, he immediately followed Yinshan.

After waking, Cui Jinbai seemed somewhat dazed. He lay on the bed, his eyes vacant. His servant fed him porridge, and he opened his mouth to eat, but when spoken to, he paid no heed. It wasn’t until the sound of servants greeting someone outside the door—“Worldly Son Bu”—that Cui Jinbai abruptly turned his head, his gaze fixed intently on the outer room. He watched unblinkingly as the figure followed Yinshan across the threshold. It was that unique way of walking, the person slowly approaching from behind the screen, not entirely clear but matching in every detail the one etched into his heart.

As the figure gradually emerged from behind the screen, revealing the face he had longed for day and night, there was still no difference to be found. He didn’t know if he was deceiving himself, but he felt that this person shouldn’t be the one in his heart, yet he could find no grounds to refute it.

The double stood before Cui Jinbai, his gaze calm, devoid of the usual frivolity or the brilliance that once made Cui Jinbai’s heart flutter. He remained silent.

Cui Jinbai also stared at him intently, not looking away.

One remained unmoved, while the other seemed to want to see right through him.

After a long silence, Cui Jinbai finally couldn’t bear it. Summoning strength from somewhere, he lunged forward. Just as Bu Shulin had predicted, he grabbed the double’s lapels with both hands and tore them apart, once again revealing the chest of a man.

The double seemed to react only then, pushing Cui Jinbai away. Already weakened, Cui Jinbai fell back onto the bed. The double took half a step forward, as if to show concern, then seemed to remember something. After glancing once more at the stunned Cui Jinbai, he turned and strode away.

Cui Jinbai was stunned once again, as if his soul had been drained, leaving only an empty shell. He slumped despondently on the footrest. His servant, heartbroken, stepped forward to help him up. “Young master…”

“Leave,” Cui Jinbai avoided him, murmuring the order weakly.

The servant had been with Cui Jinbai for a long time and knew he couldn’t be disobeyed at this moment. Since it was warm and sunny, with flowers in bloom, he wasn’t worried about Cui Jinbai catching a chill, so he obeyed and silently withdrew.

At the doorway, he saw Worldly Son Bu, who had changed clothes, returning. Bu Shulin raised a hand to signal Yinshan to also stay outside, then entered the room alone.

“Didn’t I tell you to lea—” Cui Jinbai snapped with restrained anger, but when he turned and saw Bu Shulin in her changed clothes, he stopped.

She remained silent, her eyes dull and calm as she looked at him.

After standing for a moment, it was Bu Shulin who stepped forward this time. Still without speaking, she reached out to help him up, her tone concerned as she instructed, “Don’t catch a chill.”

Once seated, Cui Jinbai sensed she was about to let go and grabbed her hand instead, staring at her stubbornly, unsure of what to say.

Bu Shulin patted his hand reassuringly and sat down beside him. “I won’t leave. I want to talk to you.”

A sudden tightness gripped his chest, and Cui Jinbai instinctively wanted to avoid hearing what she would say next. “I’m not feeling well. Let’s talk another day.”

Bu Shulin glanced at him and didn’t press the matter. “Alright. We’ll talk when you’re feeling better.”Another moment of silence followed. Bu Shulin did not leave immediately but instead helped him lie down and tucked in the quilt corners. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep."