This was indeed an excellent strategy.

“Will you arrange for Alin to go first or follow later?” Shen Xihe asked.

When Bu Shulin entered the palace to give thanks and bid farewell at the Eastern Palace, she would be kept there, and the body double returning to the mansion couldn’t depart that same day.

This time gap meant Bu Shulin could either depart that night, ahead of the main group or follow behind later.

Each option had its advantages and disadvantages. Going first made it easier to avoid pre-set ambushes but carried risks – not knowing where the ambushes were, they might accidentally walk into a trap.

Following later could completely avoid ambushes, but once people discovered it wasn’t the real Bu Shulin, pursuers might become more cautious and leave people waiting in ambush.

“Let her go first,” Xiao Huayong had already considered this. He turned to Shen Xihe with a gentle smile. “No one knows she’ll be switched in the Eastern Palace, so no one will guess she’s a step ahead. When everyone discovers they’re following a fake Prince Heir, they’ll assume the real one is behind or took another route with similar timing.”

Besides, even if they guessed Bu Shulin had gone ahead, they might not be able to catch up.

As for Shen Xihe’s concerns, they couldn’t be completely avoided. If they encountered trouble, they’d have to chalk it up to bad luck and act according to circumstances.

Shen Xihe nodded. Xiao Huayong’s arrangements were already extremely detailed and comprehensive. Once outside the capital, the rest would depend on Bu Shulin’s abilities.

Despite worrying about her close friend, Shen Xihe didn’t plan to get involved. First, more people would increase the risk of exposure, potentially backfiring.

Second, this matter was crucial. If Bu Shulin couldn’t overcome this hurdle she and her female identity were exposed, and any trace of their involvement would implicate them.

Currently, with His Majesty strong and the princes watching like tigers, even though Xiao Huayong didn’t fear fighting the Youning Emperor, such a battle might end in a pyrrhic victory or mutual destruction, ultimately benefiting Xiao Chang Qing or Xiao Chang Yan.

Therefore, they couldn’t give the Youning Emperor a legitimate reason to move against them.

Third, Bu Shulin needed to prove her capability to become a regional commander.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t deserve Xiao Huayong sacrificing his carefully trained guards.

Xiao Huayong could force his people to help, but if the sacrifice was too great and Bu Shulin made his followers feel she wasn’t worth it, it would damage his authority and shake their loyalty.

“Youyou, don’t worry. Though I can’t send my own trained people, don’t forget I still have Imperial Uncle as a chess piece.”

Xiao Huayong chuckled softly, comforting Shen Xihe: “What should be left alone must be left alone. Imperial Uncle is still a rebel – if he protected the Prince Heir from the start, it would be disastrous for Shunan.”

Only when Bu Shulin’s life was truly in danger could Xiao Juesong’s people intervene. Even if His Majesty noticed traces, he couldn’t label it as collaborating with rebels.

Instead, His Majesty would need to pacify quickly, seeing Xiao Juesong as opportunistic, and develop a mindset of competing with him.

The court officials also needed an explanation – if His Majesty handled it poorly, they would all feel threatened. Whoever Xiao Juesong wanted to target, he would deliberately protect. With Bu Shulin as a precedent, could His Majesty treat cases differently?

“Bei Chen, you made a brilliant move back then,” Shen Xihe couldn’t help but admire Xiao Huayong’s masterful handling of Xiao Juesong, which benefited many of his actions while perfectly concealing him.

“It was just luck, happening that Imperial Uncle’s time was short,” Xiao Huayong felt luck played a larger role.

Everything aligned perfectly – he wasn’t His Majesty’s birth son, Xiao Juesong deeply hated His Majesty, and lacking the strength to challenge His Majesty again, gave him an advantage.

“Opportunities belong to the capable,” Shen Xihe felt Xiao Huayong was being too modest.

Would Xiao Juesong give up his life-and-death struggle with His Majesty so easily? Even knowing it was futile, with death approaching, he likely wouldn’t care about the consequences.

Death ends everything – even if Xiao Huayong truly made His Majesty die unfulfilled, Xiao Juesong wouldn’t see it. With such resentment, ordinary people couldn’t persuade him.

But Xiao Huayong could – that was his capability!

Thinking carefully now, Xiao Juesong leaving people with Xiao Huayong might have been to watch him – if Xiao Huayong broke his oath, they might turn against him!

“Did you make promises to Xiao Juesong back then?” Shen Xihe asked urgently.

“I just gave him some evidence proving my identity,” Xiao Huayong reassured Shen Xihe. “He won’t easily release this evidence, counting on me to fulfill his dying wish. If I break faith, he would have to fight His Majesty to the death anyway.”

If his identity was exposed, either he would have no place in the royal family, or he would overthrow His Majesty and take power. Either way, Xiao Juesong’s wishes would be fulfilled.

His eyes gleamed with hidden brilliance as Xiao Huayong smiled cunningly: “Unfortunately, he knew little about me. He gave me people to serve me, true, but also to watch me. Whom he passed my evidence to, I’ve long since discovered…”

Originally, he hadn’t planned to act against this person, keeping them under control while avoiding affecting the loyalty of Xiao Juesong’s people.

But now…

He gazed down at Shen Xihe, gently smoothing a strand of her hair before pulling her into his embrace.

He had to act now. These people might not trust Shen Xihe after he was gone. If they chose someone else to fulfill Xiao Juesong’s wishes, they would inevitably turn on Shen Xihe.

This Bu Shulin matter provided the perfect opportunity! Against His Majesty’s elite forces, even an accident would seem reasonable, raising no suspicions.

“You…”

As Shen Xihe seemed to realize something and was about to ask, a warm slender finger pressed against her lips. Xiao Huayong said: “Let’s not discuss these things. Don’t mislead our son into becoming a little old man heavy with thoughts.”

Xiao Huayong hoped the child would be a boy. If he were to stay, he would have wished for a clever and beautiful daughter like Shen Xihe, raising her to be free-spirited.

But lacking that fortune, he hoped for a son who could replace him, providing his mother with protection, companionship, support, and… everything she wanted.

“How big is he? How could he understand what we’re discussing?” Shen Xihe gave Xiao Huayong an exasperated look.

As for having a son, she didn’t object – she also hoped for a boy. In this world, men lived with fewer constraints than women.

“He understands. Our child will surely be the most brilliant in the world!” Xiao Huayong remained confident about this, spending half an hour each night before sleep chattering to the unformed child in Shen Xihe’s womb.