“This item cannot prove anything.” Sang Yin remained highly vigilant. Though the sachet was indeed made by Shen Xihe, perhaps this person had stolen it.
“I’ll leave the sachet with Uncle Sang. You can verify my identity with Youyou later,” Xiao Huayong spoke amiably to someone Shen Xihe respected, even maintaining a junior attitude. “I came to see Uncle Sang today firstly to inform you that my father-in-law is not in danger. The current situation has other causes. Let the person responsible explain to Uncle Sang.”
Following Xiao Huayong’s gaze, Sang Yin saw another exceptionally refined young man emerge from the shadows behind him. His heart jolted – his residence had many elite soldiers, and the gatekeepers were old generals who had retired due to serious battle injuries.
Not just his residence, but all the noble houses in the Northwest were like this. These accomplished warriors whose achievements weren’t widely recognized, or disabled by war, would stay in the generals’ residences as guards. Despite their disabilities, their senses were much keener than ordinary guards.
These two young men, so young yet able to come and go freely in his residence – if they truly meant harm, everyone would be in danger.
“Uncle Sang, Wang’s condition worsened due to the medicine I prepared. Here is the method to treat the Wang, my medicine…” Xie Yunhuai unreservedly shared his invaluable prescription with Sang Yin.
They sought out Sang Yin at this time because, after today’s events, Shen Yueshan’s pulse would slow, which Sang Yin would surely notice. Additionally, they hoped for Sang Yin’s help in allowing Xiao Huayong to successfully take away the person.
“Brilliant!” After hearing Xie Yunhuai’s words, Sang Yin’s eyes lit up with admiration, followed by a sigh. “Young man, you are bold. This old man admires you.”
This was a method he had never considered – first using powerful medicine to trigger the old injury, then treating it like a new wound. It was a lengthy process but extremely effective.
At this point, Sang Yin believed Xiao Huayong and Xie Yunhuai. Xie Yunhuai described Shen Yueshan’s pulse patterns extremely accurately, which would have been impossible without taking his pulse, and only he had been treating Shen Yueshan since his return.
But since these two could infiltrate his residence, they might also infiltrate the Northwest Wang Manor. Sang Yin still needed to verify personally.
“Uncle Sang, if you trust us, please place this incense in General Geng’s bedchamber today.” Xiao Huayong offered Shen Xihe’s calming incense.
The incense box was wooden with a flat Zhongye leaf at the end, which was Shen Xihe’s habit. “The Princess’s blended incense…”
In an instant, Sang Yin recalled everything he had overlooked. If what these two said was true, why didn’t the Wang speak directly? Why did he let the Princess mislead them about Crown Prince Jiachen injuring him? Why appear to be on death’s door?
This could only be deliberate, setting a trap for certain people, and that person was actually…
Sang Yin didn’t want to believe it!
He thought anyone might betray Wang, except Geng Liangcheng. He was like a brother to the Wang, and had followed him longer than any of them! The Geng family, like the Mo family, had supported the Shen clan for generations.
“Uncle Sang, go find Youyou yourself, and you’ll know.” Xiao Huayong didn’t want to say more. As an outsider, no amount of words could make Sang Yin believe him.
So Sang Yin hurriedly returned to the Wang Manor. Given his anxiety about Shen Yueshan’s illness, no one thought much of his haste. At most, Geng Liangcheng and others assumed he had thought of another treatment to try, and they just waited for results.
When Sang Yin arrived at Shen Yueshan’s quarters, he saw Shen Xihe attending but not Shen Yun’an. Fearing others nearby, Sang Yin only showed the sachet to Shen Xihe while checking Shen Yueshan’s pulse again, giving her a questioning look.
Seeing the sachet and meeting Sang Yin’s nervous, evasive gaze, Shen Xihe nodded slowly but firmly.
Her nod nearly made Sang Yin lose his footing. Fortunately, Zhenzhu was nearby to steady him promptly.
Sang Yin had experienced countless patients and seen much bloodshed, always remaining calm and steady as a grown man. But for the first time, he couldn’t help shedding tears of bitter anguish.
Sang Yin left the Northwest Wang Manor in tears and shut himself in the Sang residence. When word spread, it convinced Geng Liangcheng that Shen Yueshan was truly beyond hope, leading him to scheme ways to remove Shen Yun’an.
Back home, Xiao Huayong remained while Xie Yunhuai had left. Xiao Huayong stayed only to retrieve his sachet, refusing to answer any of Sang Yin’s questions. Before leaving, he told Sang Yin: “Uncle Sang, if your family is captured by General Geng, don’t worry. We will protect them.”
Without giving Sang Yin a chance to respond, Xiao Huayong vanished.
Holding the calming incense, Sang Yin deeply understood Xiao Huayong’s parting words – Geng Liangcheng would use his family as leverage to make him deal with Shen Yun’an.
If anyone could quietly outmaneuver the fierce generals around Shen Yun’an, it could only be Sang Yin. Whether the old soldiers in these households or their guards, all had received kindness from Sang Yin, combined with his character and relationships with everyone.
It was too easy for Sang Yin to intervene. That night, Geng Liangcheng fell into a deep sleep from the calming incense. Xiao Huayong came with Tianyuan to take him. The battlefield-hardened general was moved without any awareness, and even his wife beside him did not react.
With everything arranged outside, Xiao Huayong silently took Geng Liangcheng away.
Geng Liangcheng woke soon after, feeling neck pain as if he’d been knocked unconscious, his body weak and powerless. Looking up, he saw someone sitting before him.
Geng Liangcheng had seen Xiao Juasong before when he accompanied Shen Yun’an to protect Prince Qian’s mother and sons to the capital.
“General Geng, it’s been a while.” Xiao Huayong, disguised as Xiao Juasong, spoke first. His voice was hoarse and weathered, actually quite different from the real Xiao Juasong’s, but Geng Liangcheng had never met the aged Xiao Juasong.
The voice matched the current age, and Geng Liangcheng coldly asked: “Why have you captured me?”
“Naturally to make a deal with General Geng.” Xiao Huayong smiled at him. “Since General Geng can serve His Majesty, why not serve me? Can His Majesty let you control the Northwest? I can make your dream come true immediately.”
“What nonsense are you speaking, don’t try to sow discord…”
“Heh.” Xiao Huayong gave a light chuckle, mockery in his eyes. “Without the Shen family, it’s only natural for His Majesty to send someone to take over the Northwest. Then you’ll have to put on a show of assisting His Majesty’s appointee. You know well, with the Shen family as a precedent, even if you contribute greatly to removing the Shen family, His Majesty won’t let you become a second Shen Yueshan.
But if I take Shen Yun’an first, and you end Shen Yueshan’s life earlier, with no leader, you can naturally step up.”
“Even so, how can I become the Northwest Wang?” Geng Liangcheng challenged. “As you said, His Majesty won’t let me become a second Northwest Wang.”
“But what if at this time, Shen Yun’an dies tragically at the hands of His Majesty’s men, say, by the distinctive killing method of the Embroidered Guard?” Xiao Juasong countered.
If Shen Yun’an died by the Embroidered Guard’s killing method at this time, they could righteously demand an explanation from the court. How important were the Shen father and son to the Northwest? Unless His Majesty wanted to force the Northwest into rebellion, he would have to explain clearly.
He could then fan the flames from within, forcing His Majesty to let him step in to pacify the situation. To let him pacify, His Majesty would have to give him authority.