“Since the Crown Princess trusts World Son, this humble official trusts that the Crown Princess won’t show favoritism and cover-up,” Cui Jinbai stepped back. “However, to prevent such incidents from happening again, and to ensure World Son doesn’t betray the Crown Princess’s trust, World Son must promise not to visit the Imperial Music Bureau or brothels again.”

Bu Shulin took a deep breath. She loved watching beautiful people dance – what right did this person have to deprive her of such pleasure!

However, at this moment, she felt Cui Jinbai seemed somewhat dangerous. If she stubbornly refused, she feared Cui Jinbai might do something chilling. Therefore, she could only make faces at Shen Xihe.

Shen Xihe glanced at her and nodded with a smile: “From today onwards, you are not allowed to visit the Imperial Music Bureau or brothels. This is my order.”

Bu Shulin immediately deflated, her eyes darkening. In Cui Jinbai’s eyes, this reaction made his expression even more gloomy.

“Let’s return to the manor, you must be tired,” Xiao Huayong said to Shen Xihe, then took her hand as they left together.

Cui Jinbai was already at the edge of his self-control, but Bu Shulin remained oblivious. She had provoked a long-suppressed hungry wolf who was hanging by a thread – once that thread snapped, who knew what the normally proper and courteous Young Lord Cui might do.

Shen Xihe was perceptive of people’s hearts; she was trying her best to protect Bu Shulin. Otherwise, given her personality, she definitely wouldn’t have intervened for Bu Shulin. As long as Cui Jinbai maintained some rationality, she would have let Bu Shulin be tormented by him to learn a lesson.

But Bu Shulin hadn’t noticed this. Xiao Huayong felt his wife had shown enough loyalty – others’ affairs should be left for them to resolve.

Without Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong as buffers, Bu Shulin faced Cui Jinbai. Even with five or six steps between them, she sensed deep danger and ran after Shen Xihe: “Crown Princess, wait for your subordinate! I must protect the Crown Princess’s safety!”

At the crucial moment, instinct saved Bu Shulin’s life.

Watching Bu Shulin chase after Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong, Cui Jinbai still had matters to attend to, as he was responsible for escorting the bride.

The marriage between Shen Yun’an and Xue Jinqiao was imperially bestowed. The Western Region affairs had indeed greatly angered Emperor Youning, but things had reached this point with no way to reverse course. The surface work still needed to be done, so naturally someone had to be sent to escort Xue Jinqiao with a proper ceremony on behalf of the court. Emperor Youning had openly raised this matter in court.

Perhaps because His Majesty had specifically mentioned it, and since officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital had all heard something about the Western Region affairs, they wondered if this was His Majesty’s test. Whether their hearts were loyal to His Majesty or not, at this critical moment none were willing to actively lean toward the Western Region, lest His Majesty make note of it.

This conveniently left an opening for Cui Jinbai. As Emperor Youning’s expression grew increasingly dark and he was about to assign someone, Cui volunteered.

Before Xue Jinqiao and Shen Yun’an’s wedding could proceed smoothly, he still had many important matters to attend to.

Only after feeling Cui Jinbai’s heavy gaze disappear did Bu Shulin finally exhale deeply. She complained pitifully to Shen Xihe: “You…”

Before she could utter her nickname, she met the Crown Prince’s piercing gaze, which forced Bu Shulin to swallow her words and say instead: “Crown Princess, you’re taking my life here. You know how much I love songs and dance…”

“If you enjoy these things, you don’t have to specifically go to the Imperial Music Bureau. You can invite people to your lodgings and do as you please,” Shen Xihe said lightly.

Bu Shulin’s eyes lit up as she clapped and smiled: “Brilliant! I’ll go rent a large mansion right away…”

They were accompanying guards, all staying in the courtyard arranged by Shen Yun’an. Considering they would remain for over a month, they hadn’t stayed at the post station, as that would cause many inconveniences.

But sharing one courtyard, even though Shen Yun’an had given her a separate room because she was the World Son, the room wasn’t spacious enough for dancing and singing. She didn’t want to spend money benefiting others, so she might as well find her courtyard to enjoy alone.

“If you don’t want to drive Young Lord Cui mad, go ahead,” Shen Xihe dropped a cool remark.

She thought that with so many people in the courtyard, her brother arranged, if Bu Shulin invited these official courtesans for entertainment, with so many people present they wouldn’t act inappropriately and would maintain propriety. Even if Cui Jinbai was displeased, he wouldn’t act out. But Bu Shulin still wanted to play with fire.

Getting a separate courtyard would just make it convenient for Young Lord Cui to find her and do as he pleased, wouldn’t it?

Cui Jinbai was already suspicious about whether she was a woman, yet she still wouldn’t exercise restraint. Cui Jinbai might not have cared whether she was a woman or not, but if truly provoked, Shen Xihe felt Cui Jinbai would even consider drugging Bu Shulin – regardless of gender, he would claim her for himself first.

Bu Shulin immediately shuddered and lowered her head, becoming as docile as a quail.

Xiao Huayong had enjoyed watching this good show, but the next moment, his smile froze on his lips because a figure came flying over, heading straight for his wife. Since Long Feng was also standing nearby, Xiao Huayong suppressed his instinct to fight, pulled Shen Xihe aside, and spun to dodge this figure’s impact.

Although the person came rushing over quickly, Xiao Huayong still saw clearly that it wasn’t anyone else but Shen Yun’an’s bride-to-be.

“Sister, Sister, I’ve missed you so much!” Xue Jinqiao threw herself into an embrace, hugging Shen Xihe tightly.

Bu Shulin felt uncomfortable – she had wanted to hug Shen Xihe, this flower-like beauty, for so long. But she was disguised as a man, and Shen Xihe despised her. She couldn’t do it privately, much less publicly, yet this little girl got to do it so easily!

Bu Shulin pulled Xue Jinqiao away: “This is the Crown Princess. You are the Young Lady of the Xue family – how dare you not pay proper respects to the Crown Prince first! You show no regard for rank!”

Xue Jinqiao stared heavily at Bu Shulin for a moment before being forced to greet Xiao Huayong first: “This Xue pays respects to Your Highness. Your Highness, ten thousand blessings.”

“Mmm.” Xiao Huayong responded faintly, then took Shen Xihe’s hand and left.

Shen Xihe knew Xiao Huayong was unhappy again. His possessiveness of her sometimes resembled a child’s – completely irrational and boundless. She could only turn back and smile at the pouting Xue Jinqiao.

They returned to the manor. Xue Jinqiao couldn’t meet Shen Yun’an before the wedding, and just around the corner was the prince’s manor. Coming this far was already Xue Jinqiao’s limit; she could only watch helplessly as Shen Xihe was led away by Xiao Huayong.

Seeing Xue Jinqiao’s frustration, Bu Shulin was pleased and followed along humming a tune with her hands behind her back.

Xue Jinqiao gave Bu Shulin an unfriendly look, then turned to Xiao Longfeng who had escorted her: “Prince Xun, this humble woman has some matters requiring World Son Bu’s assistance. Would Prince Xun be so kind as to allow it?”

Both Xiao Longfeng and Bu Shulin were escorting Shen Xihe, but Xiao Longfeng was the commander.

“There’s no inconvenience. World Son Bu, please go with Lady Xue,” Xiao Longfeng didn’t think much of it.

Xue Jinqiao knew Bu Shulin feared Cui Jinbai and the place she needed to return to was exactly where Cui Jinbai was stationed. If she couldn’t see her sister, she wouldn’t let Bu Shulin have an easy time either!