HomeAfter I Bloom Hundred Flowers DieChapter 683: An Unexpected Development

Chapter 683: An Unexpected Development

She would not only implicate him but also make him a sinner in the eyes of the Cui family!

Shen Xihe moved her lips but ultimately swallowed her words. If Bu Shulin was truly pregnant, keeping the child would be far too risky. The nurturing of a child takes many long months, each day filled with fear. Even Shen Xihe wasn’t completely confident she could help Bu Shulin deliver safely. Since she couldn’t provide proper help, she naturally couldn’t encourage this course.

“Alright, I’ll have Beichen send Cui Shaoping away until we confirm whether you’re pregnant or not. During this time, you must be extra careful,” Shen Xihe cautioned.

“I understand. Thank you, Youyou,” Bu Shulin felt somewhat more at ease.

In such a helpless moment, she was fortunate to have Shen Xihe by her side, preventing her from feeling isolated and falling into despair.

Bu Shulin didn’t stay long in the Eastern Palace. Her visit appeared to be just a routine call on Shen Xihe, and she left after sitting for just a brief moment.

Shen Xihe saw her out of the Eastern Palace. After watching Bu Shulin’s figure disappear, she turned to ask Sui Axi: “Has the matter I instructed earlier been completed?”

“Not yet,” Sui Axi shook his head.

Shen Xihe knew it wasn’t complete even before Sui Axi reported, but she couldn’t help asking. Hearing the expected answer, she could only say, “Hurry. I fear we don’t have much time.”

“Yes,” Sui Axi responded and immediately withdrew.

Since Sui Axi had completed Lu Bing’s case and successfully sent him to Xiao Changfeng’s side, Shen Xihe hadn’t let Sui Axi rest. Her first thought was of Bu Shulin – if they could create a bone replica of Bu Shulin, perhaps it could help her escape at the right moment.

Originally, they had ample time, but with Bu Shulin’s current situation, they had to accelerate their plans.

Since it wasn’t yet complete, Shen Xihe couldn’t tell Bu Shulin, lest it fail and leave her even more desperate after raising her hopes.

She couldn’t help sighing as she turned around.

“Youyou, what’s wrong?” Xiao Huayong happened to emerge from a corner just then, hearing Shen Xihe’s sigh.

Shen Xihe turned, glanced at him, and as he approached, she took his hand and led him toward their chambers. Upon entering their courtyard, she said, “Earlier, World Son Bu came to see me…”

She told Xiao Huayong everything about Bu Shulin. Xiao Huayong suddenly thought of Cui Jinbai’s frequent distractions and preoccupation earlier that day. Now that the court had dismissed, he had probably gone to Bu Shulin to confirm what he was already ninety percent certain of.

“In this matter… if she truly is pregnant, I agree with World Son Bu’s decision to terminate,” Xiao Huayong said after some contemplation. “However, I agree she should keep it from Zhihe.”

Though young, Cui Jinbai hadn’t become the Junior Chief Justice of the Court of Judicature for nothing – he wasn’t someone who couldn’t endure separation and death. This wasn’t about Bu Shulin being heartless; truly, no one could bear the consequences if this matter came to light.

Xiao Huayong could arrange for Bu Shulin to disappear for two or three months, but pregnancy lasted ten months, plus one or two months for postpartum recovery – a full year. Even if the pregnancy wasn’t visible in the early stages, Xiao Huayong couldn’t manage to hide Bu Shulin for half a year.

She was someone the Emperor watched closely.

“I hope Alin isn’t pregnant,” Shen Xihe sighed softly.

Otherwise, it would be too cruel for both Bu Shulin and Cui Jinbai.

“This matter is up to heaven’s will,” Xiao Huayong didn’t know how to comfort Shen Xihe.

“Beichen, actually I’ve already had Axi working on bone replication, precisely because I feared Alin’s identity might be exposed someday and wanted a contingency plan. But it’s not yet complete…” Shen Xihe thought of another possibility. “What if we help Alin hide it for the first few months, and by the time she’s showing more, Axi’s work will be done? Then we can help conceal it – might we have a chance to pull off this deception?”

Looking alike wasn’t enough to avoid suspicion. Bu Shulin had grown up in the capital, and too many people knew her. It would be extremely difficult to have someone mimic her perfectly in a short time, including knowledge of her past.

If they fabricated an accident and pretended she lost her memory, it might work for others but not for Bu Shulin – she was under the Emperor’s close watch. If Bu Shulin truly claimed memory loss, the Emperor would certainly use every means to help her recover her memory.

Without looking far, just consider how Shen Xihe could use incense to confuse people, making them relax and reveal truths without knowing. Moreover, Xiao Changyan had people who knew soul-capturing techniques – who knew if the Emperor didn’t have such talented individuals?

If Bu Shulin claimed memory loss publicly, the Emperor could legitimately use various methods on her under the guise of treatment. Even if they wanted to prevent it, they would have no standing or reason, and it would backfire.

Xiao Huayong considered the feasibility of Shen Xihe’s idea and finally said, “While there’s some chance of success, the risks are significant. If exposed, even if it doesn’t implicate you directly, it might reveal that someone possesses bone replication techniques, and you would be the first suspect.”

If Bu Shulin’s female identity was exposed, people would look back at her closeness to Shen Xihe and easily guess that Shen Xihe knew all along. The only person capable of helping Bu Shulin to this extent could only be Shen Xihe.

Xiao Huayong didn’t want Shen Xihe to take this risk for Bu Shulin, but since Bu Shulin was Shen Xihe’s close friend, he couldn’t interfere with her decision. He could only express his attitude – he would respect and fully support whatever she chose.

“I’m just thinking it through for now,” Shen Xihe heard Xiao Huayong’s disapproval and expressed her thoughts, saying she hadn’t truly decided to take this step.

“Let’s wait and see what happens in the coming days.” They still weren’t certain if Bu Shulin was pregnant.

Like Shen Xihe, Xiao Huayong hoped Bu Shulin wasn’t pregnant, which would mean one less worry.

Following Shen Xihe’s request, Xiao Huayong sent Cui Jinbai on another official mission outside the capital, requiring about ten days. After ten days, they could confirm the diagnosis. Everyone hoped this was just a false alarm.

To avoid trouble, Bu Shulin deliberately got into a fight and dislocated her arm, using this as an excuse to recuperate at home. She frequently claimed illness, which Emperor Youning and the Marquis of Zhenbei had grown accustomed to, and no one thought much of it.

However, on the fifth day after Cui Jinbai left the capital, while Xiao Huayong and Shen Xihe were playing chess together, Tianyuan suddenly rushed in. After bowing to both of them, he said, “Your Highness, the people you assigned to watch World Son Bu report that others are watching him too. The Ministry of Justice investigated their identities – they’re Second Prince’s people.”

Shen Xihe looked up from the chessboard and asked Tianyuan, “Do you know when the Second Prince started having people watch World Son Bu?”

Previously, there had been no word of Xiao Changmin being interested in Bu Shulin. Shen Xihe had an ominous guess – this matter might become even more complicated.

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