Chapter 727: I Want You to Repay Me with Your Body
Xiao Changmin remained unaware that while he recognized the traces in Liangzhou were deliberately left, and the person in Liangzhou might not be Bu Shulin herself, he still feared that Bu Shulin and her confidant had split up, with Bu Shulin herself being in Liangzhou. Thus, he sent people there but did not actually take action, which had already aroused the suspicions of Xiao Huayong, who was thoroughly familiar with his methods.
However, his men, tracking with the gu insects, had somehow failed to catch up to Yinshan, leaving him greatly astonished. Clutching the latest message scroll, he fell into deep thought. After a long while, recalling his wife's words from that day, he suddenly understood: "Worldly Son Bu must have set out earlier. The ambush outside the capital was merely a diversion. The Crown Princess is quite skilled—I wonder how she managed to have Bu Shulin leave so far ahead of time!"
Yu Sangning sat beneath a tree, dappled sunlight filtering through the branches with a warm glow. She basked in this enveloping warmth and did not respond to Xiao Changmin's words. As intelligent as she was, she knew that Xiao Changmin shared this with her in the hope that she could provide him with answers.
Bu Shulin had left earlier, which was why he had failed to catch up to her. How had the Eastern Palace managed to help Bu Shulin substitute herself under the watchful eyes of everyone and under Your Majesty's nose, leaving so far ahead that Xiao Changmin's men still hadn't caught up?
Xiao Changmin wanted to know the reason, and so did she. But whether she could guess it or not, she had no intention of speaking up.
After waiting a moment and receiving no reply, Xiao Changmin turned to look at Yu Sangning. She was squinting, enjoying the embrace of the warm sunlight, like a lazy civet cat, exuding an indescribable charm that evoked pity and affection. "You don’t want me involved in this matter—is there a reason?"
Yu Sangning slowly opened her eyes. She gazed ahead for a moment before turning to look at Xiao Changmin. "If Your Highness has no intention of stopping, even if I give you a thousand reasons, it would be futile."
Xiao Changmin's sharp eyebrows lifted slightly. He had to admit that when it came to reading people, this woman was exceptionally skilled. "You fear the Crown Princess and think I’m digging my own grave."
His words were accompanied by a shadowy gaze.
Yu Sangning believed that his involvement would anger Shen Xihe, and even if he succeeded, he would face her fierce retaliation. This realization displeased him greatly, as it implied he was no match for Shen Xihe and should yield to her.
Though she clearly knew Xiao Changmin was angry, Yu Sangning made no attempt to placate him. Instead, she added fuel to the fire: "Your Highness, it is wise to know one's limits."
"How dare you!" Xiao Changmin erupted in fury, his hand raised as if to strike. But facing Yu Sangning's stubborn, unyielding expression, he did not bring it down. Instead, he snorted coldly, turned, and strode away. Once outside the courtyard, he ordered Yu Sangning placed under house arrest.
Yu Sangning's confidante maid anxiously asked, "My Lady, with your clever mind, why deliberately provoke the Prince?"
Lowering her gaze, Yu Sangning rested her slender, pale hand on her abdomen. Her eyes grew profound, but she did not answer her confidante's question.
She did indeed hold the Crown Princess in awe, but not to the extent of boosting others' morale at the expense of her own. She believed Xiao Changmin was courting death—not just by insisting on meddling in Bu Shulin's affairs this time, but because he failed to recognize his own capabilities, overestimated his position, and refused to heed advice despite his incompetence.If only Xiao Changmin had valued her more and shared a bit of authority with her, she would have exhausted all her efforts to maneuver for him. But since Xiao Changmin never took her words seriously, why should she continue to toil in vain? Rather than wasting such futile energy, it was better to make early preparations and plan an escape route.
Xiao Changmin had placed her under house arrest, but there was no need for such petty suspicion. She would not, just because she disapproved of him, pledge allegiance to others or use the information about tracking Bu Shulin to seek personal gain. Such actions, no matter who she exchanged them with, would only invite contempt.
"Somehow, the second prince has discovered that the Jialing River is a decoy." With the operation imminent, Xiao Huayong was closely monitoring the various forces converging toward the Jialing River, drawn by the decoys he had arranged.
Xiao Changmin's men were also pretending to fall into the trap, but compared to others, Xiao Changmin was clearly just going through the motions.
Hearing this, Shen Xihe set down her brush and looked up. "None of the others have raised suspicions. Under these circumstances, his being the only exception can only mean one thing: he already knows A Lin's true whereabouts."
So many people—Your Majesty's men, Jing Wang's men, and those of unclear origins—were not easily fooled. Did they not have doubts? Of course, they did. But without any other leads, they had no choice but to act on the possibility rather than let it slip.
If there was even the slightest chance that the person fleeing to the Jialing River was the real Bu Shulin, and they hesitated out of fear, they would only watch helplessly as Bu Shulin crossed the Jialing River and reached Shu Zhong.
Although there was still one last chance to intercept and kill her before she entered the city, that was already within the Shu family's territory, and the odds of success were slim. Who would willingly let such an opportunity slip? Even if it came at a great cost, they would spare no expense.
Since Xiao Changmin was involved in this matter, he should have shared the same mindset. But now, his half-hearted response to the Jialing River news could only mean he had more accurate information about Bu Shulin's whereabouts.
"I've already sent a message. Whether it reaches him or not depends on Worldly Son Bu's luck." Xiao Huayong nodded, his thoughts aligning perfectly with Shen Xihe's.
However, he had not deliberately tracked Bu Shulin's route, so the message transmission would undoubtedly be slow. Moreover, there was no way to know how far Xiao Changmin had pursued her. Everything was left to fate.
On the Jialing River, a gentle breeze blew, and the bright sun shone over the vast expanse. The gray-blue waters rippled with the wind, like a cradle in a mother's hands, tender and serene.
A large ship capable of holding hundreds of people was docked at the pier. Several groups of people had boarded one after another. Seasoned sailors, accustomed to traveling far and wide, sensed something amiss. Though these people seemed well-disguised, each of them appeared to be of no ordinary background. Unable to ignore his unease, one sailor went to report to the ship's captain.
The leader of the Qu family's merchant ship was Qu Hongying, a woman in her mid-twenties. After hearing the report, she simply said, "Be cautious and keep an eye on them."
She dismissed the sailor. After he left, a wheelchair emerged from the shadows of the cabin. Seated in it was a young man with refined features—Qi Pei. "The captain should not have come along personally."
"I have never missed a single voyage of the Qu family's large ships. If I hadn't come today, it might have raised suspicions among those you're luring," Qu Hongying said, her gaze resting on the slender and elegant Qi Pei. "Given the current situation, it seems my ship is destined to sink, and the reputation of the Qu family's water routes will suffer. The benefits you promised me earlier now seem like a poor deal for me.""You want to drive a hard bargain, Chief?" Qi Pei asked without changing his expression.
"You got that right." Qu Hongying grinned, her white teeth gleaming with a roguish charm beneath her cheerful demeanor. "The arrow is already on the bowstring and must be released. If I sound the alarm gong, everyone will have to abandon ship."
"What do you want, Chief?"
Qu Hongying stepped forward, gripping the armrests of the wheelchair, and suddenly leaned in close: "I want you to offer yourself to me."
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