Chapter 743: The True Test Has Just Begun
If he did not take action, the Eastern Palace would intervene personally.
Out of regard for his deceased wife, Xiao Changqing had hoped to preserve the last trace of the Gu family's bloodline and had shown considerable leniency toward Gu Qingshu. However, this did not mean he could tolerate her leaking matters concerning Prince Xin's Residence.
Xiao Changqing did not immediately seek out Gu Qingshu, nor did he send for her. Instead, he returned to his study, his deep and cold gaze falling upon a painting hanging on the wall. It depicted a stark cliff on a cold mountain, a single red plum blossom blooming defiantly, with snow falling like goose feathers, the chill seeping into one's bones.
The inscription bore the childhood name of Gu Qingzhi. This was one of the few surviving paintings by Gu Qingzhi. Proud and aloof by nature, she was immensely talented yet seldom displayed her skills. This particular painting had only been obtained because his father-in-law had spoken up and requested it on his behalf.
Xiao Changqing stared at it for a long time before finally withdrawing his gaze. He ground the ink, picked up a brush, and began to write.
To punish Gu Qingshu, to satisfy the Eastern Palace, and to avoid alerting Zhao Wang's residence—if they acted rashly, Xiao Changgeng would inevitably be exposed.
Having sorted out his thoughts, Xiao Changqing meticulously wrote two letters and sent them out from Prince Xin's Residence.
One of them reached Xiao Huayong's hands. It contained only two words: "Understood."
Xiao Huayong, his fingers slender and distinct, unfolded and read it, then tossed it to Tianyuan. "Keep a close watch."
Tianyuan bowed and accepted it, then asked, "Your Highness, should we also monitor the movements in all directions?"
His Majesty had truly mobilized the Invincible Army this time. They had already detected anomalies. They had long wondered how such a massive army could remain so completely hidden. Only through this incident did they discover that His Majesty's Invincible Army was dispersed and divided into various locations.
Xun Wang, Xiao Changfeng, who held command authority over the Invincible Army, had already secretly left the capital. With a single order from him, he could mobilize forces from all directions.
Should they investigate where these people were hiding?
"This might very well be bait laid by His Majesty." Xiao Huayong gently shook his head, dismissing the suggestion. "Luring us into a trap is a minor concern; the greater aim is to divide our strength."
After the incidents of Prince Kang privately manufacturing weapons and the former Minister of Revenue embezzling state funds, His Majesty must suspect that someone knows about his privately nurtured elite troops. The setback the Invincible Army suffered at the temporary palace only deepened His Majesty's conviction, making him exceptionally cautious afterward.
Yet, both the Prince Kang and the former Minister of Revenue affairs were inextricably linked to Shen Xihe. Prince Kang was sent to the execution ground by Shen Xihe's own hand. Although he himself had pulled the strings behind the scenes in the former Minister's case, superficially, it still involved Shen Xihe.
Consequently, His Majesty harbors the deepest suspicions toward the Shen family.
He believes that the one who knows and has been persistently trying to uncover the Invincible Army is Shen Yueshan.
In this current scheme, regardless of whether His Majesty suspects others behind the scenes, the Shen family stands as the most prominent and apparent threat. Since Shen Yueshan wants to know about the Invincible Army, rather than continuing to hide it, why not bring it out and let him see it for himself?
Once His Majesty conceived this idea, he would inevitably create disturbances, using these movements to achieve certain objectives—be it to catch the enemy in a trap or to deliberately set up a deceptive facade.
Tianyuan felt a chill in his heart; he ultimately couldn't fathom things as deeply as His Highness. "Your Highness, what about Worldly Son Bu..."
Xiao Huayong's pitch-black pupils, deep as midnight, were veiled by his slightly lowered long eyelashes. Only his cold voice betrayed his ruthlessness. "Whether she lives or dies is her own choice to make."
Tianyuan acknowledged respectfully and withdrew.In truth, the situation had never slipped beyond His Highness's control, including the high likelihood that Prince Lie would risk everything to aid Worldly Son Bu for the sake of the Crown Princess. Should this indeed occur, the means to ensure Prince Lie's obedient return had long been delineated by the Crown Prince.
Only now was Worldly Son Bu truly isolated and without support. The Crown Prince's test permitted no one to slip through by deceit; to become someone the Crown Princess could rely upon, one must demonstrate both capability and worth.
Tianyuan stepped out of the grand hall, lifted his gaze to the clear blue sky, and could only pray inwardly: Worldly Son, be wise.
He did not wish for Bu Shulin to choose wrongly, nor for her to suffer any mishap, lest the Crown Prince lose the capable official Cui Shaoqing.
At this moment, Bu Shulin was indeed in a dire predicament. Upon entering Tubo, her whereabouts seemed to have been leaked. The border areas between Tubo and the dynasty had never been heavily guarded due to the establishment of marketplaces facilitating trade between the people of both nations, fostering friendly relations and mutual exchange.
Yet her merchant convoy had been detained at the border under various pretexts, with no permission to proceed.
"If we are not allowed passage today, we will have no choice but to force our way out," Bu Shulin instructed Jinshan.
She had already dispatched the convoy's manager with substantial funds to bribe their way through. These men had always valued money over relationships, but if even money failed to sway them, it could only mean they sought lives!
"This subordinate will make the arrangements immediately," Jinshan withdrew.
Left alone in the room, Bu Shulin, disguised as a woman with subtle alterations to her appearance that made her nearly unrecognizable, pondered who had leaked her whereabouts.
With Prince Lie's assistance, those pursuers should have been entirely diverted. Even if they realized they had been deceived, they would not have had time to set this trap for her at this critical juncture.
Stranger still, these men only barred their passage without showing any discourtesy. Were they verifying something?
Soon, the envoy sent to bribe their way returned: "Worldly Son, it is because of the Northwest Prince Heir..."
It was a twist of fate. A few days prior, Shen Yungan had openly passed through Tubo to flaunt his presence at Minjiang, blatantly challenging the Youning Emperor.
The Youning Emperor, enraged, had not anticipated Bu Shulin would follow suit through Tubo. He merely intended to cut off any retreat for Shen Yungan, preventing him from slipping back to the northwest unnoticed via Tubo.
The Emperor personally wrote to the Tubo King, urging enhanced defense and control of the border, particularly to obstruct large dynastic merchant convoys or organized groups.
As long as Shen Yungan could not use this route, even if he escaped the Minjiang conflict, the Emperor would block his return to the northwest.
Shen Yungan's ability to provocatively flaunt Imperial Authority at Minjiang was due to Shen Yueshan's cover.
If Shen Yungan delayed his return, the Emperor intended to see how long Shen Yueshan could maintain that facade.
Upon hearing the reason, Bu Shulin could only sigh at the ill timing. Had it not been for Prince Zhao and others hunting her down, she would have passed through Tubo before Shen Yungan and avoided this detention.
She held no resentment toward Shen Yungan, nor any right to it. Clearly, Shen Yungan had gone to Minjiang to aid her; otherwise, why would His Majesty be solely focused on Minjiang now?
She felt only gratitude.
"Worldly Son, shall we still force our way out tonight?" Jinshan asked.Bu Shulin shook his head: "Since our whereabouts haven't been exposed, we shouldn't confess without being pressed. Let's wait one more day. If it's not us being intercepted, then when others who need to turn back do so, we'll follow suit and retreat, then choose another route to Minjiang."
This way wouldn't arouse suspicion.
Bu Shulin's plan was extremely thorough, yet he didn't know that after Xiao Changmin received Xiao Changgeng's confirmation that it was indeed Xiao Changying who had intercepted and misled them, he immediately dispatched assassins to pursue them.
(End of Chapter)
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