"When My Flower Blooms, All Others Wilt"
"Your Highness!" Bu Shulin paled in alarm. Disregarding her pregnancy, she swiftly stepped forward to block Xiao Changying's path. "Your Highness, I will find people to join Yinshan in luring them away. There's no need for you to take such risks."
Although all those who had followed Yinshan here had been eliminated, their prolonged silence would inevitably arouse suspicion from Prince Zhao and even Jing Wang. Yet they had severed ties too thoroughly this time. Even if these pursuers suspected she might have discovered the reason for being tracked and was setting a trap for them, they would have no choice but to take the bait.
This strategy was freshly learned from the Crown Prince, relying on everyone's reluctance to abandon that slim possibility - what if it truly was her? If she escaped due to their hesitation, they would regret it for the rest of their lives!
As for actually falling into her trap, it would merely mean losing some personnel. For the well-established imperial family, though painful, such losses were bearable.
"Your people?" Xiao Changying let out a scornful laugh, his eyes filled with undisguised mockery. "How long could your people possibly hold them off?"
For Bu Shulin to conceal her female identity in the capital was already difficult enough. Attempting to cultivate personal forces here would be nothing but a fool's dream.
The Shu Southern Royal Manor had many skilled fighters, but would the Prince of Shunan dare send them to the capital to Bu Shulin's side? Currently, all personnel from the Shu Southern Royal Manor had been intercepted by His Majesty, completely unable to make contact with Bu Shulin. Otherwise, why would she find herself in such a dilemma?
Bu Shulin was slightly surprised. So Xiao Changying was actually buying time for her, ensuring her journey to Tibet would be more secure.
"Your Highness..."
"I have no time to dawdle with you. This matter is settled." Xiao Changying raised his hand to cut her off. "I'll only cover for you for three days. Whether you reach Tibet or not within that time, I'll withdraw.
Worldly Son Bu, take care of yourself."
With these uncompromising words, Xiao Changying strode past her, brushing aside Bu Shulin's attempt to stop him.
Turning around, Bu Shulin could only watch as the hem of Xiao Changying's retreating robes fluttered, revealing a flash of blood-red.
In the end, Bu Shulin didn't refuse Xiao Changying's goodwill. She had no standing to do so - Xiao Changying wasn't doing this for her, and she couldn't influence his decisions anyway. Rather than stubbornly opposing and creating a stalemate, it was better to accept this kindness. A clean break would mean less danger for both parties.
To demonstrate her trust in Xiao Changying and help him appear more convincing to Xiao Changyan and others, Bu Shulin handed over Jinshan, Yinshan, and all her visibly assigned subordinates to Xiao Changying.
At the secluded fork in the path, Xiao Changying viewed this with newfound respect: "With such courage, I'll grant you some of my people as well."
Mounted on his tall steed, Xiao Changying's red robes blazed like fire, resembling the rising sun in the summer morning glow - too dazzling to ignore.
He raised his hand in a signal, and a group of people emerged soundlessly from the woodland. These figures moved like ghosts, leaving no trace or sound, their speed so incredible that they seemed to materialize before Bu Shulin in the blink of an eye.
Bu Shulin was inwardly astonished. These people had appeared out of nowhere, dozens of paces away. Though she should have watched them approach from afar, looking back now, she couldn't recall their manner of movement at all.
Their speed was truly extraordinary - like storm clouds sweeping across the sky, arriving in mere moments.
"Your Highness needs these people more than I do...""I am not as destitute as you!" With a contemptuous remark, Xiao Changying turned his horse around, his restrained peripheral glance catching the subordinates he had summoned. "Protect Worldly Son Bu well."
Then he raised his whip and galloped off like an arrow released from its bow, concealing that striking flash of crimson amidst the layered peaks of the mountains.
Left standing alone, Bu Shulin faced these robust young men whose eyes lacked focus, appearing almost like puppets. She sighed almost imperceptibly and cupped her hands respectfully toward these wooden figures. "I trouble you all to escort me a distance."
As soon as she finished speaking, these men silently vanished into hiding.
Bu Shulin blinked hard and strained to sense her surroundings - she actually couldn't detect any trace of these people, yet she was certain they remained very close!
If the timing weren't so inappropriate, Bu Shulin truly wanted to know how Prince Xin had cultivated such experts in concealment!
Indeed, Bu Shulin also understood these couldn't possibly be trained by Xiao Changying, whose nature was open and straightforward with no ambition for the throne. Suppressing her inner astonishment, Bu Shulin immediately urged her horse forward to rejoin the merchant caravan continuing its journey.
However, less than an hour into her travel, she encountered one of her own people at a roadside eatery where they had stopped to rest.
This was one of her Hidden Guards specifically left with Shen Xihe. No matter where she went, as long as she lived or her remains could be found, this person would inevitably locate her.
"Worldly Son, Her Highness the Crown Princess ordered me to bring Twenty-Seven," the Hidden Guard informed Bu Shulin before presenting another person.
Twenty-Seven was the person Shen Xihe had Sui Axi identify through bone analysis as being identical to herself. This was one of Shen Xihe's private guards - personal guards specially permitted by His Majesty, all orphans adopted from the northwestern war zones, some abandoned infants, named and ranked numerically, all bearing the surname Shen.
Before leaving the capital, Twenty-Seven had been recalled by the Crown Prince. The other scattered doubles had been created through disguises arranged by the Crown Prince.
After learning of the Crown Prince's plan, Bu Shulin understood he intended to use Twenty-Seven in the Min River scheme. As long as Twenty-Seven remained present, even if she failed to arrive or encountered problems, the Min River situation wouldn't be affected in the slightest.
Now Shen Xihe, worried about her safety, had sent this person despite disrupting Xiao Huayong's plans. Bu Shulin felt a stinging sensation in her eyes.
She already knew Xiao Huayong's time was limited - that was why she had agreed to cooperate with the Crown Prince, using this opportunity to severely setback His Majesty and Jing Wang's faction. Even if the Crown Prince truly...
Through this battle, it would secure the longest possible breathing space for Shen Xihe. Someone as intelligent as Shen Xihe would undoubtedly understand how crucial the Min River campaign was.
Thus Twenty-Seven represented such a vital link, yet she had unhesitatingly abandoned this rare opportunity to weaken His Majesty and their powerful adversaries - a chance that might never come again.
Simply because she genuinely regarded Bu Shulin as a friend and couldn't bear to see her come to harm, she had sent Twenty-Seven here to help Bu Shulin resolve her current predicament.
Thinking this, Bu Shulin's gaze solidified with determination. "Set out immediately for Min River."
Since Youyou trusted and cared for her so deeply, then she would exhaust every effort to scheme for Youyou's benefit!
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