The twenty-fourth year of Youning, the thirteenth day of the third month—a night of bloody turmoil destined to be recorded in history.
The palace was under the Empress Dowager's control. Ever since Shen Xihe had devoted herself to nurturing her pregnancy, the Empress Dowager had temporarily taken charge of palace authority. As long as she avoided Shen Xihe and the Youning Emperor's people, it was effortless for her to eliminate individuals planted by other factions and replace them with her own.
Though Shen Xihe had made arrangements after suspecting the Empress Dowager, she had to act cautiously to avoid alerting the enemy. Her intention was to lure out all of the Empress Dowager's forces in one fell swoop, leaving no future threats. Moreover, this was not her burden alone to bear—wasn't there still His Majesty?
The flames of war in the imperial city affected all the common people of the capital. They trembled with anxiety, yet dared not venture outside, huddling in their homes as they awaited the break of dawn. Only then would they learn the reason for the upheaval and who would ultimately hold power.
Unbeknownst to them, far away in Shu, the gates of the Shu Southern Royal Manor were knocked upon the moment night fell. The steward supported a soldier drenched in blood, who seemed to have only one breath left: "Your Highness, Your Highness... The Jiannan Governor seeks aid..."
The man wore the uniform of the Jiannan Governor's military headquarters and carried the Governor's token.
"The Tubo have launched an attack." Only a sudden and unexpected assault by the Tubo could compel the Jiannan Governor to seek aid from Shu. Shen Twenty-Seven's face clouded with worry as he gazed in the direction of the capital, lost in thought.
Xiao Wenxi approached silently, her gaze gentle and filled with affection as she looked at Shen Twenty-Seven. "Are you going to reinforce them?"
Shen Twenty-Seven turned to her, his expression solemn as he nodded. "They have come to our door. If I do not provide aid, the court will surely hold us accountable."
"The Tubo's sudden rebellion is suspicious. The journey is hundreds of miles—what if there is an ambush?" Xiao Wenxi's concern was evident in her expression; she clearly disapproved of his going. "It is already late at night. Whether this man came or not—isn't it all up to you to decide?"
Beneath her earnest anticipation lay calculations and probing. Shen Twenty-Seven remained unflinching. He was a man meticulously cultivated by the Crown Princess. From the day of his bone restructuring, she had told him he might one day become the true Prince of Shunan.
To become a prince of a different surname, bearing the responsibility for the peace and prosperity of the people of Shu, he naturally had to learn a great deal. During that year of bone restructuring, the Crown Princess personally taught him what it meant to be a great general, what stratagems were, and what defined a capable minister!
How could he let the Crown Princess down?
Shen Twenty-Seven placed a hand on Xiao Wenxi's shoulder. "You know my position. The Tubo's rebellion does not only concern the court—the northwest will also be affected. If I do not go personally, how will I discern their true intentions?"
"In your heart, the northwest will always be the most important," Xiao Wenxi replied with a bitter smile. "And what of me? Have you ever considered me? If you lead troops out of the city, what if someone takes the opportunity to threaten the manor..."
Shen Twenty-Seven's gaze sharpened. The hand on her shoulder loosened, then tightened, then loosened again. Finally, he sighed as if making a momentous decision and retrieved a token, solemnly handing it to Xiao Wenxi. "This is the Bu family's Patriarch Token. The leader of the Bu family's Hidden Guard is still in Shu. With this token, you can mobilize them."
This token bore a striking resemblance to the one Bu Shulin had given Shen Twenty-Seven in the cave years ago, when she had narrowly escaped death. The difference was that Bu Shulin had given him the Heir Token, while this one was the Patriarch Token Shen Twenty-Seven had inherited from the late Prince of Shunan's belongings upon his return to Shu.Xiao Wenxi's eyes flickered slightly as she received it with both hands, clutching it tightly: "You must return safely."
Shen Twenty-Seven smiled and nodded: "I will return safely."
Time was pressing, and they delayed no further. Shen Twenty-Seven quickly selected his personal guards, rode out of the city with them to the military camp, and within half an hour, gathered fifty thousand troops—all cavalry—spurring their horses at top speed toward the border between Tubo and Shu.
Xiao Wenxi sat before her mirror, applying makeup, her gaze distant as she stared at her reflection. The glossy wooden comb occasionally glided through her long hair falling to her chest. After an indeterminate amount of time, a partridge call sounded outside the window. Her hand paused, she lowered her eyes, set down the comb, and stood up.
The black silk skirt accentuated her skin, fair and smooth as congealed cream, lending her an ethereal grace.
She had dismissed all the servants in the house, and the highly skilled guards had all been taken away by Shen Twenty-Seven. Several black-clad figures flipped down and knelt before her on one knee: "Your Highness."
"There are clothes inside. Change into them, infiltrate the city gate, and await my orders," Xiao Wenxi commanded coldly.
Soon, the men changed into the uniforms of the city patrol soldiers and vanished silently from the palace. Xiao Wenxi went to the small, cozy room next to the bedchamber, where a child was sleeping soundly. Nearly one year old, the plump, fair-skinned baby looked robust and healthy.
The nursemaid on duty watched Xiao Wenxi warily.
Xiao Wenxi merely gently stroked the child's cheek with her fingertip: "Pack some belongings and take the young master away."
The child was, of course, Bu Shulin's biological son. After being weaned at six months, he had been sent back, and Xiao Wenxi, who had been feigning pregnancy, announced the birth of a son at the appropriate time.
This child was the most effective threat against Bu Shulin and Cui Jinbai.
Arriving at the side gate with the child, there was a carriage and a horse. Xiao Wenxi instructed the nursemaid to take the child into the carriage, nodded to two subordinates disguised as coachmen, and the carriage set off first. Xiao Wenxi mounted her horse, quickly caught up, overtook the carriage, and led it out of the city.
At the fork in the road outside the city gate, Xiao Wenxi watched the carriage disappear into the vast night, then turned her horse and headed in another direction.
Unbeknownst to her, less than a quarter of an hour after the carriage left her, it was intercepted in the deserted outskirts.
Several men sat tall on their horses, one leading the way with cold, handsome features and an aura as crisp as winter plum blossoms in the night breeze.
Seeing the situation, the coachman immediately reined in the horse, but it was too late to retreat. With a wave of Cui Jinbai's hand, the men behind him leaped from their horses, brandishing gleaming long swords, swiftly surrounding the carriage.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wenxi galloped all the way to the village where Zha Pu and his men had retreated. Seeing Xiao Wenxi, Zha Pu and the others were greatly surprised. With an urgent expression, Xiao Wenxi produced a token: "Sir, please join me in attacking the city. The gates are controlled by unknown enemy forces. The prince led troops to quell the rebellion hours ago, and now the city's inhabitants are in grave danger."
Zha Pu looked at the token gleaming under the moonlight, his eyes flickering: "Your Highness, please wait a moment. This subordinate will gather our men immediately."
"Thank you, sir," Xiao Wenxi said, gripping the reins and clasping her hands in salute.
Xiao Wenxi's plan was simple: seize control of the city gates, then secretly eliminate Zha Pu and his men, and quietly await the Empress Dowager's forces to enter the city.
Zha Pu did not delay, quickly assembling his men, mounting their horses, and following Xiao Wenxi toward the city gates.There were already signs of fighting at the city gate.
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