When Shen Xihe and the others arrived at Shen Yunan’s chamber, there wasn’t a single trace to be found – as if he had vanished into thin air.
“Has the Young Master not awakened?” Xiao Changfeng, feeling something was amiss, questioned the servants guarding the door.
The servants responded with the utmost respect: “We servants have been stationed outside the room, constantly waiting for the Young Master to awaken and give instructions. We haven’t heard even the slightest sound. Since General Mo’s earlier visit, no one has opened the door.”
“Search the entire premises – every inch of the mansion,” Shen Xihe commanded, her face cold.
After contemplating for a moment, Xiao Changfeng stepped forward and bowed to Shen Xihe: “Your Highness Princess Consort, there are numerous matters requiring attention in the Prince’s mansion now, and this humble prince cannot be of help with other affairs. Might I be permitted to offer my modest assistance in searching for the Young Master?”
“We thank Prince Xun for your effort,” Shen Xihe readily agreed.
Having received Shen Xihe’s permission, Xiao Changfeng joined the mansion’s servants in their search, not even sparing Shen Xihe’s courtyard. Yet such a grown person could not be found anywhere – there wasn’t even the slightest trace of his presence.
After they had completed their search, Geng Liangcheng and the others appeared, seemingly having heard the news.
“How could the Young Master disappear without any reason?”
“I too do not know why my brother has disappeared,” Shen Xihe replied, her voice tinged with worry and anxiety.
“The Young Master was perfectly fine before – how did he suddenly vanish?” Meng Hu, being the most emotional among them, cast suspicious glances at Xiao Changfeng and Pei Zhan, unable to contain his feelings.
His suspicion was glaringly obvious.
“General Meng, what exactly are you implying?” Pei Zhan questioned.
“What could this humble general possibly imply?” Meng Hu let out a cold laugh. “At this critical moment, whoever benefits most from the Young Master’s disappearance naturally bears the most suspicion.”
“And who exactly would benefit from the Young Master’s disappearance?” Xiao Changfeng countered.
“Whoever doesn’t want the Young Master to inherit our Prince’s title naturally benefits.” Meng Hu was practically naming Emperor Youning directly. Since Emperor Youning couldn’t possibly act personally from thousands of miles away, that left only his envoys – Pei Zhan and Xiao Changfeng.
Especially since Shen Yunan had disappeared right after Pei Zhan’s arrival, it was impossible for anyone not to be suspicious.
“General Meng truly overestimates me,” Pei Zhan replied with a mix of mockery and sarcasm. “This is my first time in the Northwest, and my first visit to the Prince’s mansion, yet you suggest I could make the Young Master vanish under everyone’s watchful eyes. If I possessed such abilities, my Pei family wouldn’t have suffered such a devastating defeat in Annan City, nearly resulting in our entire clan’s extinction.”
“The Young Master stands eight chi tall. Even unconscious, he couldn’t be easily moved,” Xiao Changfeng naturally came to Pei Zhan’s defense. “With people constantly coming and going in the mansion, yet not a single person saw anything, unless…”
“Unless what?” Geng Liangcheng pressed.
Xiao Changfeng glanced at Shen Xihe: “Unless the Young Master awoke and left of his own accord, concealing it from everyone. Otherwise, it would have to be someone intimately familiar with the mansion’s layout who could easily avoid the patrol guards.”
By any calculation, it shouldn’t have been something they could accomplish.
“Ridiculous! The Prince hasn’t even been gone seven days – how could the Young Master wake up and quietly leave?” Meng Hu laughed angrily. “Is Prince Xun suggesting that if the Young Master didn’t leave on his own, he must have been taken by those who know the mansion like the back of their hand?”
“This humble prince was merely making a logical deduction, not accusing the generals of harboring ill intentions,” Xiao Changfeng demonstrated his eloquence. “However, General Meng’s earlier words have reminded me of something.”
Meng Hu glared fiercely at Xiao Changfeng.
Xiao Changfeng’s gaze swept across Meng Hu and the others: “The Northwest Prince has passed away, and the Young Master should have inherited the title. Now the Young Master’s whereabouts are unknown. When this news spreads, it will surely cause unrest among the common people, and the Northwest will inevitably fall into chaos. At such a time, even though this humble prince and Minister Pei bear His Majesty’s imperial edict, we may not be able to win the hearts of the Northwest people. Someone will have to step forward to take control of the situation…”
Xiao Changfeng paused meaningfully at this point: “Who truly benefits remains to be seen.”
“You… you’re the thief crying ‘stop thief’…”
“Which thief is General Meng referring to?” Xiao Changfeng’s face turned cold.
Shen Xihe suddenly swept her sleeves and strode away. Geng Liangcheng and the others called out “Princess Consort” and followed after her. Meng Hu also clenched his fists threateningly: “It better not be your doing, or I’ll sacrifice my life to ensure you never leave the Northwest!”
After issuing his threat, Meng Hu also gave chase.
“Use Father’s funeral arrangements as a reason to seal the city gates. No one is to leave the city for three days,” Shen Xihe instructed Mo Yao. “Post an announcement stating that my brother, distraught over Father’s passing, has left the mansion in a state of confusion. I am worried for him. If anyone sees my brother, please inform the Prince’s mansion.”
Xiao Changfeng and Pei Zhan arrived just in time to hear Shen Xihe’s words.
After giving her instructions, Shen Xihe turned to address the two men: “There isn’t a soul in the city who doesn’t recognize my brother. If he left the mansion of his own accord, unless he could leap across rooftops, it would be impossible for him not to be seen by anyone.”
If no one came to the mansion with information, it meant Shen Yunan definitely hadn’t left on his own but was being held somewhere, hidden from sight.
“Are you satisfied now?” Xiao Huayong asked with a stern face.
Though seemingly directed at both Xiao Changfeng and Pei Zhan as well as Meng Hu and the others, his displeasure was aimed at Xiao Changfeng and Pei Zhan.
One must bow their head when under another’s roof, especially before the Crown Prince. Xiao Changfeng cupped his hands and bowed: “Your Highness, please calm your anger. It was Changfeng who spoke without restraint and offended the generals.”
Shen Xihe glanced at Xiao Changfeng. This young man truly lived up to His Majesty’s careful nurturing – he was not only accomplished in both civil and military affairs, brave and resourceful, but also knew when to advance and retreat, and most remarkably, could be both unyielding and flexible.
“Your Highness, my brother’s sudden disappearance has everyone confused. Some suspicion is inevitable, and the words spoken were without malice,” Shen Xihe persuaded Xiao Huayong.
“Let’s focus on finding the Young Master then,” Xiao Huayong took the opportunity to let the matter drop.
Could they find Shen Yunan?
Of course not – Shen Yunan had already been sent to a secret location by Xiao Huayong. Because the Northwest Prince’s mansion had secret passages, which Shen Xihe had told Xiao Huayong about, the person who escorted Shen Yunan back to his room had already been arranged by Shen Xihe. The one who entered the room wasn’t Shen Yunan but Mo Yao. With Mo Yao’s martial skills and familiarity with the mansion, it was easy to leave the room and walk out openly, perfectly executing the deception.
Shen Yunan’s disappearance left the Northwest Prince’s mansion in a state of anxiety, with everyone harboring their thoughts.
By evening, more bad news arrived – an urgent report from Tingzhou stated that the Turks had already attacked the Northern Protectorate General’s Office.
This news left everyone’s expressions grave. With Shen Yueshan gone and Shen Yunan missing, the Northwest had no commander – who would give orders?
Everyone turned to look at Xiao Huayong. The Crown Prince held the highest status here, and as Shen Xihe’s husband, though a member of the royal family, he had Shen Yueshan’s previous good words and the gift of the falconry methods in his favor. Except for Geng Liangcheng, the others at least acknowledged Xiao Huayong.
“I know little of the Northwest. With war imminent, perhaps the generals should discuss first, while I listen from the side,” Xiao Huayong didn’t directly seize power, but humbly yielded the right of decision, showing sufficient respect to the Northwest generals.