This indicated her intention to pledge allegiance to Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong.

“I don’t want to be your enemy, and you’re the only one who can help me emerge unscathed,” Bu Shulin wanted to trust only Shen Xihe. Even if others ascended to the throne, they could easily use this to threaten and manipulate her. “Since you’ve chosen him, I’ll stand with you.”

Shen Xihe, already bearing the weight of the Northwest and her father and brothers, now had Bu Shulin and the South of Shu added to her burden. She knew Bu Shulin wouldn’t say such things without Bu Tuohai’s permission, and she felt the burden on her shoulders grow heavier: “Alin, what if I’ve chosen wrong?”

Once, Shen Xihe had been fearless, so confident that even if she and Xiao Huayong eventually opposed each other, her chances of victory would be fifty-fifty. Now she no longer had that confidence.

“What happened?” Bu Shulin keenly noticed Shen Xihe’s changed attitude toward Xiao Huayong, no longer as composed as before. “What has His Highness the Crown Prince done to wrong you?”

Her intuition told her that Xiao Huayong must have wronged Shen Xihe to make her so serious.

“His Highness hasn’t done anything against me,” Shen Xihe said after careful consideration. “I just increasingly feel that His Highness the Crown Prince is unfathomable. If we end up in opposition in the future, my chances aren’t great.”

“Why must you oppose him?” Bu Shulin frowned. “Xihe, are you unaware of your beauty? Have you never thought of conquering him, making him madly in love with you for life?”

“You want me to serve him with my looks?” Shen Xihe’s expression darkened.

She hated using beauty to serve others the most. Why must women rely on selling their beauty to get what they want?

“You misunderstand… ow!” Bu Shulin hurried to explain, accidentally pulling at her wound, her face turning pale. “That’s not what I meant. Besides, for someone like His Highness the Crown Prince who commands heaven and earth, beauty holds no appeal. If His Highness likes you, it must be because there’s something about you that he’s captivated by. Just play to your strengths.”

“And then spend the rest of my life studying how to become a woman men can’t bear to leave?” Shen Xihe sneered. “Alin, you’ve started thinking like a man. I won’t change myself to please a man, nor will I live for one. I’d rather face him in an open battle of life and death than survive through such humiliation.”

“Xihe, that’s not what I meant either.” Bu Shulin was flustered, not knowing how to express her thoughts. “I just feel that since His Highness has feelings for you, you could respond in kind. Stand together as true divine lovers. Make him someone like your father and brothers, and let him view you as equally important. Then he’ll always put you first and won’t do anything to harm you.”

Shen Xihe’s expression softened slightly: “Alin, in my view, feelings should flow naturally, coming when the time is right. If they’re there, they’re there; if not, then not. One shouldn’t pretend to have deep feelings just to gain something. Whether it’s sincere or false, nobody’s a fool.”

Initially, she had wanted to attract Xiao Huayong to achieve her goal of marrying into the Eastern Palace. But this attraction didn’t include pretending to love him, only showing him her strengths and conveying her intentions, making him, like her, see that she was the most suitable choice.

“I’m not asking you to pretend…”

“But I have no feelings for him,” Shen Xihe cut off Bu Shulin’s words.

Bu Shulin was shocked: “No feelings? Then why marry him?”

“In this world, how many marry for love?” Shen Xihe countered.

Bu Shulin fell silent.

Indeed, marriages were arranged by parents and matchmakers. Understanding families might allow one look, generous ones might permit conversation before marriage, letting siblings arrange outings to see each other occasionally – that was the best one could hope for.

In strict families, one wouldn’t even know if their lifelong partner was beautiful or ugly, fat or thin until the wedding veil was lifted.

For noble ladies like them, love was especially forbidden in marriage. One moment of unclear thinking falling into love could lead to the destruction of an entire clan.

“Xihe, does His Highness the Crown Prince know about this?” Bu Shulin worried.

“He knows. I haven’t hidden anything from him,” Shen Xihe nodded.

Bu Shulin’s eyes widened: “He knows and still wants to marry you? What if he becomes resentful later? What if love turns to hate? What will you do then?”

“How is that my concern?” Shen Xihe was completely unconcerned. “Can I stop him? I originally wanted to maintain a respectful distance, but he wouldn’t have it. If he insists on pursuing what can’t be had, whether he accepts defeat gracefully or shows his ugly side will depend on his character.

I’m telling you this today so you can reconsider your choice, as it concerns the life and death of your Bu family.

If you still choose to stand with me, how to handle relations with His Highness the Crown Prince in the future will be up to your judgment.”

She had to make things clear, otherwise Bu Shulin might mistakenly think she and Xiao Huayong were deeply in love and let her guard down around him. If this led to harm coming to South Shu and the Bu family, she would feel guilty for life.

“You think…” After hearing Shen Xihe’s words, Bu Shulin grew more worried, “His Highness the Crown Prince’s purpose in marrying you isn’t pure, that he’s using you to bring the Northwest into his camp before seizing the throne, removing a major concern so he can focus on court affairs.”

“We can’t jump to that conclusion,” Shen Xihe felt this was unfair to Xiao Huayong. “When His Majesty was in trouble in the Northwest years ago, I believe he was truly grateful to my grandfather and father.”

Bu Shulin understood: “People’s hearts change easily. His Highness the Crown Prince might be sincere now, but who can predict the future? When he ascends the throne, no longer Crown Prince but Emperor, his thoughts might change with his position.”

This was common. When Emperor Youning was still a prince in trouble, he was grateful to the Shen family for helping him despite the risk of the previous emperor’s resentment. After becoming emperor, his considerations changed. One couldn’t say he was ungrateful – after all, he had bestowed glory upon the Shen family for twenty years after his ascension. In an emperor’s view, that probably settled the debt of gratitude.

He was no longer a prince in trouble – he wanted to be an emperor who unified the realm!

“Xihe, thank you for enlightening me.” Without Shen Xihe’s guidance, she might not have thought so deeply about it.

“Take care of your wounds,” Shen Xihe said, then added, “You and Young Lord Cui should speak clearly. This endless entanglement isn’t good for either of you.”

Shen Xihe had a decisive personality and disliked such avoidance and inability to make clean breaks. However, this was between Bu Shulin and Cui Jinbai, so she just casually offered her opinion, respecting whatever Bu Shulin decided.

Bu Shulin was willing to take Shen Xihe’s advice: “Alright when he comes tomorrow, I’ll see him and make things clear.”

Seeing Shen Xihe stand to leave, she hastily added with hesitation: “Xihe, you’re showing favoritism – when His Highness was injured, you made him food.”

Shen Xihe looked her over a few times: “He will soon be the one sharing my pillow – what right do you have to compare yourself with him?”