As Crown Prince, even though the bombing of the imperial tombs was terrible, he still needed to make an appearance and show his stance. While his body double could continue feigning unconsciousness in the Eastern Palace, appearing in public probably wouldn’t work – he needed to hurry back to the palace.

Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong parted ways in Liyang County, one heading straight for the capital, the other turning toward Henan Prefecture. Xiao Huayong rode alone at full speed, while Shen Xihe led a grand procession with a large contingent.

The day before she arrived in Henan Prefecture, she received a message from Bu Shulin, as playful as ever in tone. But on the day she entered the city, she heard that Bu Shulin had been caught red-handed – she was the mastermind behind the tomb-raiding case.

“What did you say?” Shen Xihe stood up abruptly.

She had just arrived at the relay station. Unlike her visit to Linchuan County with the emperor’s rewards, she was merely passing through Henan Prefecture. The prefecture governor naturally wouldn’t come to welcome her. Moreover, with Henan Prefecture in much more turmoil than Liyang County, having the governor send his attendant to receive her was already maintaining face.

Thus, she stayed at the relay station and sent Zhenzhu to inform Bu Shulin, requesting her presence. Zhenzhu returned not with Bu Shulin, but with news that Bu Shulin had met with the manager of Hehe Pawnshop at dawn, poisoned him, and been caught red-handed by the Henan Prefecture governor. She was now imprisoned in jail, awaiting the governor’s memorial to His Majesty for judgment.

“Young Master Step is on Henan Prefecture’s death row,” Zhenzhu said gravely.

“Let’s go to the governor’s mansion.” Shen Xihe took her imperially bestowed gold token, immediately requested horses from the relay station, and rode with Zhenzhu and Moyu at top speed to the governor’s mansion.

The Henan Prefecture governor’s surname was Tang, given the name Juan. A jinshi graduate from Youning’s eighth year, he had served as an official for twelve years before becoming Henan’s governor. From a humble background, he had earned His Majesty’s trust and remained a loyal minister.

When Shen Xihe arrived at the government office, her heart was pounding severely, making her very uncomfortable. Although she had recovered to normal, Shen Xihe still lacked exercise and was physically weak. She had Zhenzhu present her calling card first as a courtesy to Governor Tang.

Instead of meeting the governor, they met his clerk, who respectfully invited her in and attentively served tea and snacks: “Please forgive us, Princess. The governor is busy with the tomb-raiding case and isn’t at the office. If Princess has any matters, please instruct this humble servant.”

“I want to see Young Master Step.” Since he asked for instructions, Shen Xihe spoke directly.

The clerk’s eyes flickered: “Princess, Young Master Step is implicated in the tomb-raiding case as a suspect. With public anger rising, the governor has instructed that no one may visit Young Master Step.”

Shen Xihe raised her hand, the golden token gleaming in her palm: “I want to see Young Master Step now.”

The clerk fell to his knees with a thud, respectfully performed a great bow, and shouted “Long live the emperor,” before trembling as he got up: “This humble one will arrange it right away.”

Shen Xihe sighed in relief when she saw Bu Shulin. She had truly worried Bu Shulin would be tortured. She was lying on the prison cell’s stone bed, legs swinging, humming a tune. Hearing the cell door open, she turned to see Shen Xihe in her cloak and immediately ran over crying: “My Youyou, you finally…”

Shen Xihe dodged aside, and Bu Shulin, missing her target, turned back to look at Shen Xihe with an expression of spreading accusation.

“You seem quite comfortable,” Shen Xihe said with a cold laugh.

“I almost lost my life,” Bu Shulin said pitifully.

Zhenzhu entered, cleaned the long bench, and then went out to pay off the jailer with silver.

Shen Xihe sat down gracefully: “Tell me, what game are you playing?”

“What game?” Bu Shulin sat next to Shen Xihe, pouting as she said, “I was truly framed. If Governor Tang didn’t owe my father a life debt from years ago, you’d only be collecting my corpse now.”

“Tell me what happened,” Shen Xihe glanced at her.

“Wasn’t I here on orders? I’ve been investigating openly and secretly all this time without any leads. Just the day before yesterday, I finally discovered the Hehe Pawnshop manager was suspicious. I found their hidden stolen goods and was going to sneak into his mansion to investigate, but who knew he was waiting for me.”

Bu Shulin grew irritated just mentioning it: “He spoke to me briefly, drank his cup of tea, then fell coughing blood. I worried he was faking and was about to check his breathing when I heard a large group of people bursting in. I was caught in the act.”

In that situation, escaping would lead to capture and leave her unable to defend herself. Hiding wasn’t wise either. She could only open the door and wait for them, then reveal herself as a special investigator sent to look into this matter.

“You don’t know, Governor Tang and that Prefecture Commander nearly came to blows over who would take me. In the end, since Governor Tang is the chief administrator, it was only reasonable for him to handle such matters. He forcefully took me back, otherwise…”

If she had fallen into the Prefecture Commander’s hands, it would certainly have meant death.

“Were many unsold stolen goods found in the manager’s mansion?” Shen Xihe asked.

Bu Shulin nodded vigorously: “Caught red-handed – aren’t I pitiful?”

“Pitiful?” Shen Xihe laughed coldly. “The provincial governor hasn’t arrived yet, and I got here first – you should count yourself lucky.”

While the prefecture governor managed local administration and the prefecture commander controlled military affairs, Tang Juan might have been able to take custody of her, but when the provincial governor arrived to claim her, Tang Juan would have no choice but to hand her over to his superior – the provincial governor controlled all affairs in the province.

“I know, I know, Youyou is my lucky star,” Bu Shulin stared at Shen Xihe brightly, blinking her eyes.

“It’s only half a day’s journey from the provincial capital – calculating the time, the provincial governor will arrive soon,” Shen Xihe furrowed her brow in thought.

They couldn’t let the provincial governor take Bu Shulin away, or she wouldn’t make it back to the capital alive. But even with her imperial token, Shen Xihe couldn’t forcibly detain someone caught red-handed with solid evidence like Bu Shulin unless there was something suspicious about the case.

At this thought, Shen Xihe’s gaze steadied, and she turned a smiling look toward Bu Shulin.

“Yo…Youyou, why are you looking at me like that?” Bu Shulin felt a bit unnerved.

Shen Xihe took out a jade-colored porcelain bottle and placed it on the table: “This is poison, a type that takes several days to be fatal. As a martial artist, forcing up a mouthful of blood shouldn’t be difficult. Take this and pretend to be poisoned – the doctor will confirm you’ve been poisoned. I’ll leave you the antidote too; take it in a couple of days.”

“Won’t he say I took the poison out of guilt?” Bu Shulin worried.

“Don’t worry, as long as you’re poisoned and I’m here, he won’t get to make that conclusion,” Shen Xihe said forcefully.

Bu Shulin’s eyes shimmered with touched tears: “Why wasn’t I… To never marry Youyou in this life, I’m truly unworthy as a man!”

Shen Xihe gave a contemptuous cold laugh: “So stupid and still wanting to marry me? Unless I go blind and brain-damaged, you’re just dreaming.”

If not for considering the bond that should exist between the Northwest and Southwest regions, Shen Xihe wouldn’t even want to look at Bu Shulin.