“Your Majesty, serving you is my duty – I seek no reward,” Xiao Changgeng bowed with clasped hands.

“Your loyalty is known to Us. We reward merit fairly – achievements must be rewarded.” Emperor Youning’s tone softened, “Not knowing your preferences, We thought to let you choose a reward that pleases you.”

Xiao Changgeng appeared to consider briefly: “Son has heard snake gallbladder makes excellent medicine when steeped in wine. If Your Majesty would grant me the gallbladder, just as one keeps a tiger’s pelt or wolf’s teeth as mementos, I would treasure it as a remembrance.”

“This snake died of poison, its gallbladder may be contaminated…” Emperor Youning hadn’t planned to keep any part of the snake, given its poisoned death and unknown toxicity.

“Son can have it examined at the Imperial Medical Bureau. If it proves toxic and useless, I won’t take it,” Xiao Changgeng added.

“This reward of yours…” Emperor Youning smiled, then suddenly asked, “Are you comfortable staying with the Seventh Prince?”

“The Crown Prince resides in the Eastern Palace – it is elegant and spacious, and His Highness treats others generously. How could a son be uncomfortable?” Xiao Changgeng replied.

Emperor Youning studied him for a moment before saying: “Stay with the Seventh Prince for two more months. After Consort Liang’s first hundred days of mourning, We’ll let you move into your princely residence.”

“Son thank Your Majesty for this grace,” Xiao Changgeng contained his joy.

Emperor Youning could hear his eagerness to move out, indicating at least that his relationship with the Seventh Prince was not harmonious.

Emperor Youning ordered the snake disposed of, giving only the gallbladder to Xiao Changgeng, who had Chief Physician Chen examine it. The verdict was that the gallbladder had been contaminated by poison and was unusable.

Xiao Changgeng still brought the gallbladder to Xiao Huayong, though he relayed the physician’s words honestly: “The gallbladder is unusable.”

Xiao Huayong glanced at the gallbladder in the jade box, closed it, and handed it to Tian Yuan. He smiled at Xiao Changgeng: “Congratulations, Twelfth Brother. Soon you’ll be able to move into your princely residence.”

Xiao Changgeng’s heart tightened. He had asked for the gallbladder, but it was likely ruined – the reward was essentially empty. In Emperor Youning’s view, Xiao Changgeng’s modesty might have prompted him to offer compensation by promising the move in three months.

This served both to provide a tangible reward and to test his relationship with Xiao Huayong.

At the time, only Emperor Youning, himself, and Liu Sanzhi were present. Liu Sanzhi would never betray His Majesty, and His Majesty wouldn’t have told Xiao Huayong, yet somehow he knew.

“You’re wondering how I knew, aren’t you?” Xiao Huayong smiled faintly. “I guessed.”

Xiao Changgeng lowered his eyes. Xiao Huayong was telling him that he understood the Emperor’s mind perfectly. “If Seventh Brother has no other commands, this brother will take his leave.”

“Mm,” Xiao Huayong responded carelessly.

Meanwhile, Shen Xihe was hearing about everything that had happened during her absence. After listening, she fell into silent contemplation.

How could Princess Changling have suddenly gone mad and ridden into the pool, knowing a giant snake lurked below? Only Xiao Huayong could have intervened for her so cleanly and effectively.

He had killed his half-sister for her sake. Though she would have taken Changling’s life upon returning anyway, the meaning was different.

Shen Xihe didn’t know whether to feel moved by his deep devotion or terrified by his ruthlessness.

She wouldn’t harm Shen Yingna for an outsider unless Yingna wronged her first.

He seemed the type to love so deeply he’d give life, and hate so deeply he’d give death. If one day she earned his disgust, then her fate…

She seemed to have provoked a truly frightening man.

“Princess, Young Master Bu has disappeared,” Bi Yu reported urgently as Shen Xihe pondered.

Shen Xihe stood abruptly: “How could he disappear?”

“Young Master Bu and Seventh Miss Xue have been searching for you day and night. This morning when Young Master Bu returned asking if you’d been found, we didn’t dare reveal anything, only saying you hadn’t been. He went out searching again…”

And hadn’t returned since. Shen Xihe’s expression changed: “Where is Commander Cui?”

She asked while walking out, but Bi Yu stopped her: “Commander Cui was sent by His Majesty last night to lead the Divine Crossbow Unit.”

“They sent Commander Cui?” Shen Xihe’s eyes darkened. “This is bad…”

His Majesty harbored murderous intent toward Bu Shulin. What better way to silence the King of Shu South than to have Bu Shulin die in an “accident”?

Bu Shulin went searching for Shen Xihe, who had met with misfortune – it would be seen as self-inflicted. His Majesty was busy with the snake and couldn’t attend to everything. The King of Shu South would have no grounds for complaint, except perhaps that Bu Shulin ignored warnings and insisted on searching for Shen Xihe.

If Bu Shulin truly died, not only would the Bu family have no heir, but with Bu Tuohai aging, Emperor Youning could appoint someone to take control of Shu South’s forces. Moreover, Bu Tuohai and Shen Yueshan would surely grow estranged, eliminating any worry about their cooperation.

What an excellent scheme – three birds with one stone!

“Have Mo Yuan come and stop anyone from reporting Young Master Bu’s disappearance to His Majesty!” Shen Xihe ordered immediately.

They couldn’t give His Majesty reason to send people searching for Bu Shulin. Otherwise, his men would flood in, and even if Bu Shulin wasn’t dead, being found by His Majesty’s people would mean certain death.

“A Xi, Mo Yu, take Duanming to search,” Shen Xihe retrieved a box of incense she had made for Bu Shulin and handed it to A Xi. “If Duanming loses the trail, let it smell this incense.”

Since Duanming had joined her, she had been training its sensitivity to scents. Its sense of smell was as keen as any dog’s, though it lacked tracking ability. But under Shen Xihe’s guidance, it had become especially attuned to incense.

After giving instructions, Shen Xihe took Bi Yu to find Xiao Huayong.

When she arrived, Xiao Huayong had just dismissed Xiao Changgeng. She met Xiao Changgeng face-to-face, hurriedly gave a greeting, and strode in before he could return it.

Xiao Changgeng stood outside the courtyard, watching Shen Xihe enter unimpeded, without need for announcement or facing any obstruction. This was clearly by Xiao Huayong’s specific arrangement.

“Oh my dear, what brings you here?” Xiao Huayong asked urgently, seeing Shen Xihe’s grave expression.

She glanced back and, seeing Xiao Changgeng had gone, said: “His Majesty wants to kill Young Master Bu. She went searching for me from the beginning – I can’t let her die because of this.”

Though she hadn’t asked Bu Shulin to search for her, Bu Shulin’s sincerity was genuine. She wasn’t someone without conscience – how could she ignore this? She firmly believed Duanming could track Bu Shulin by scent, but still worried they might be too late.

In terms of connections, she couldn’t match Xiao Huayong, so she could only seek his help.

“Tian Yuan!” Xiao Huayong immediately summoned him. “Send word – search for Young Master Bu with all effort.”

Bu Shulin was a woman – Xiao Huayong wouldn’t allow her death to weigh on Shen Xihe’s mind forever!