Chapter 732: The Crown Prince's Extremely Arrogant Confidence
Bu Shulin was certain that regardless of whether she could reach the Min River in time, the second phase would not fail, and the Crown Prince's third phase was inevitable.
That day, the Crown Princess had sent a double who looked almost identical to him. After staying by her side for so long and receiving her meticulous guidance, this double could already pass for the real one. Even if she couldn't make it in time, this person alone would be enough to lure His Majesty and others, forcing them to risk everything even if they knew the Min River might be a point of no return.
The Crown Prince was igniting a fire—stoking His Majesty's fury. From the Jialing River to the Min River, if His Majesty suffered heavy losses at the Min River, his rage might strip him of his usual composure and shrewdness. Then, by the third phase outside Shunan City, His Majesty would understand what a true crushing blow felt like.
"The closest dock to the Min River is in Maozhou. The journey from Minzhou to Maozhou is long, and whether by water or land, you cannot avoid the Jialing River. Do you know that the Jialing River is stained with blood for miles? His Majesty is furious and has tightened security, determined to get to the bottom of this. If you appear near the Jialing River, even in your current disguise, it will be difficult to escape," Xiao Changying said gravely.
Bu Shulin's bright lips curved slightly. "Your Highness is mistaken. The closest place to the Min River is not Maozhou, but..." She pulled a parchment from her sleeve, unfolded it before Xiao Changying, and pointed with her slender finger. "Here!"
Xiao Changying's pupils contracted, his expression turning grim. "You truly intend to borrow the path through Tubo!"
The Min River separated Tubo's Jinchuan from the dynasty's Hanzhou, serving as the border between the two nations.
"Do you know what this place is?" Xiao Changying's sword tip landed just below Bu Shulin's finger, closer to Tubo.
"The Jiannan Governor's Commandery," Bu Shulin replied. How could she not know?
The Min River was indeed a strategic location—with Tubo, His Majesty's Governor's Commandery, and the Shu Southern Royal Manor forming a triangular balance of power.
"His Majesty has already ordered General Yu Xiang of the Xiaoqi Guard to lead troops in investigating the Jialing River incident and has commanded the Jiannan Governor to assist," Xiao Changying informed Bu Shulin of the court's affairs. "This order authorizes Yu Xiang to mobilize the troops of the Jiannan Governor's Commandery. If you dare to borrow the path through Tubo to enter the Min River, it would be no different from walking into a trap.
His Majesty may have already guessed your next move. Why not send a message to the Eastern Palace..."
He suggested sending a message to the Eastern Palace because he was uncertain whether Shen Xihe was pulling the strings behind the scenes or if it was all part of Xiao Huayong's grand scheme.
"Thank you for your concern, Prince Lie," Bu Shulin said dismissively. "As Your Highness said, His Majesty may indeed have anticipated our next move. But I am confident that whatever His Majesty foresees is only what my master allows him to foresee."
The Crown Prince had always been a master strategist. If he hadn't intentionally led His Majesty to think of the Min River, he wouldn't have exposed the Minnan Qu family at the Jialing River. Finding a ship to carry out plans at the Jialing River wasn't difficult.
Clearly, last year's incident involving the shipment of supplies from Dengzhou had drawn significant attention, making the Qu family's shipping enterprise, already highly reputed among the people, famous throughout the land. The one who persuaded the Qu family to provide the ship was none other than Qi Pei, known to everyone in the capital.The Crown Princess had once saved Qi Pei's life and even brought down a third-rank minister for his sake. With such a relationship, who could doubt that the Qu Clan's shipping business was loyal to the Crown Princess?
After the devastating lesson of the Jialing River, it seemed only natural that the Eastern Palace would set the next trap at the Min River with the Qu Clan's assistance.
Even though everyone knew, the Crown Prince still did not disappoint. He wanted to make it clear to His Majesty and those with ambitions for the throne that even if he revealed everything to them and gave them ample time to prepare, the final outcome would still be their crushing defeat.
"Is your master... her or... Seventh Brother?" Xiao Changying asked.
In truth, he did not know Shen Xihe particularly well. Shen Xihe's actions showed no mercy toward His Majesty or the royal family. With her intelligence, laying such a trap would not be difficult for her.
Yet an intuition told Xiao Changying that this was not Shen Xihe's style. Shen Xihe was restrained by nature. Though she had every reason to be arrogantly proud, arrogance was not rooted in her bones. She was more like an heir meticulously cultivated by a great noble family—steady, profound, wise, and unreadable.
This deliberate exposure of her next move was not a feint to mislead the enemy but an extreme display of confidence that bordered on audacity. It reminded Xiao Changying unmistakably of Xiao Huayong.
His Crown Prince brother, who had deceived the world, was just as openly contemptuous as he had been every time Xiao Changying saw him with his own brother.
Bu Shulin raised an eyebrow. Everyone said Prince Lie was as fiery as his temper, but no one expected him to be so perceptive. In the current situation, even His Majesty firmly believed that he was contending with the Crown Princess and that Bu Shulin had aligned herself with the Crown Princess.
Yet, in just a few words, Xiao Changying had guessed that the true mastermind behind the scheme was Xiao Huayong...
This truly made Bu Shulin view him in a new light.
Bu Shulin's gaze slightly irritated Xiao Changying, but he silently acknowledged the accuracy of his deduction.
For a moment, a bitter ache filled his chest. The true master of the game was Xiao Huayong, yet he had placed Shen Xihe at the forefront. With Shen Xihe's intelligence, if she had not consented, Xiao Huayong would have ended up hurting himself.
Shen Xihe would never tolerate being used—unless she was willing.
The current tranquility in the Eastern Palace indicated that this was a joint plan by the couple. Shen Xihe was willing to bear everything for Xiao Huayong.
Whether for gain or for love, it showed that in Shen Xihe's eyes, Xiao Huayong was ultimately different from others.
The sharp, blade-like Prince Lie was suddenly enveloped in a somber, sorrowful aura. Bu Shulin could roughly guess his thoughts and could not help but say, "Prince Lie, my master is the Eastern Palace. The Crown Prince and Princess are one, their hearts united without doubt."
Perhaps because the Crown Prince appeared frail and sickly to the outside world, and Shen Xihe was aloof and difficult to approach, few had private interactions with the couple. Bu Shulin was fortunate to be one of the few who had, and from this, she knew the Crown Prince's profound devotion to the Crown Princess—a love for which he would risk his life.
The Crown Princess might have been unmoved at first, but recently, Bu Shulin had sensed a change in Shen Xihe. The way she looked at the Crown Prince now held a gentle, fragmented light—an emotion that, for someone as composed and dignified as her, was enough to prove she had fallen in love."‘Husband and wife are one, with hearts united and free of doubt… Ha…’ Xiao Changying laughed, his tone filled with indescribable self-mockery and desolation. He closed his eyes briefly, and when they reopened, clarity had returned to his gaze. ‘Set off immediately. I will take your subordinate along another route to divert their attention. The passage through Tubo is fraught with peril—take care.’
Good night. Today is the thirteenth. Wait two more days—I’ll bring you an enormous surprise."
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