Xiao Changmin didn’t realize that while he knew the Liangzhou traces were deliberate and those involved might not be Bu Shulin herself, he worried that Bu Shulin had separated from her confidant and was actually in Liangzhou. Thus, he sent men but didn’t truly act, arousing suspicion in Xiao Huayong, who knew his usual methods well.

Yet his men, tracking with the gu insects, couldn’t find Yinshan, which greatly surprised him. Holding the latest message scroll, he fell into deep thought. After a long while, remembering his wife’s words, he suddenly understood: “Prince Bu must have departed early. The assassination attempt outside the capital was merely a diversion. The Crown Princess indeed has skill—I wonder how she managed to give Bu Shulin such a head start!”

Yu Sangning sat under a tree, dappled sunlight warming her through the branches. She enjoyed this gentle embrace of warmth without responding to Xiao Changmin. Clever as she was, she knew he shared these thoughts hoping she would solve his puzzles.

Bu Shulin’s early departure explained why they hadn’t caught up. He wanted to know how the Eastern Palace had managed such a switch under everyone’s watchful eyes, including His Majesty’s, allowing Bu Shulin to leave so early that Xiao Changmin’s men still hadn’t caught up.

Though Xiao Changmin wanted answers, and she was curious too, she wouldn’t speak regardless of her guesses.

After a moment of silence, Xiao Changmin turned to Yu Sangning. With eyes half-closed enjoying the sunlight, she looked like a lazy cat, possessing an inexplicable charm: “Is there a reason you don’t want me involved in this?”

Yu Sangning slowly opened her eyes, gazing forward before turning to Xiao Changmin: “If Your Highness won’t withdraw, stating a thousand reasons would be futile.”

Xiao Changmin’s sharp brows lifted. He had to admit, when it came to reading people, the woman before him was exceptional: “You fear the Crown Princess, thinking I’m digging my own grave.”

His words fell with his shadowed gaze.

Yu Sangning thought his involvement would anger Shen Xihe, and even if successful, would invite her fierce retaliation. This understanding displeased him—it suggested he was inferior to Shen Xihe and should yield to her.

Though knowing Xiao Changmin was angry, Yu Sangning didn’t soothe him but added fuel to the fire: “Your Highness, one should know one’s limitations.”

“How dare you!” Xiao Changmin raged, his hand raised. Facing Yu Sangning’s stubborn, unflinching face, he didn’t strike but snorted coldly, storming away. Upon leaving the courtyard, he ordered her confined.

Yu Sangning’s trusted maid worried: “Princess, you’re so clever, why deliberately anger the Prince?”

Lowering her gaze, her slender white hand resting on her belly, Yu Sangning’s eyes deepened, leaving the maid’s question unanswered.

She did respect the Crown Princess, but not to the point of diminishing herself. She thought Xiao Changmin was courting death, not just by involving himself in Bu Shulin’s matter, but by overestimating himself, misunderstanding his position, being arrogant yet incompetent, and refusing advice.

If Xiao Changmin had valued her words more, and shared some power with her, she would have exhausted herself helping him. But since he dismissed her counsel entirely, why waste effort? Better to plan for her future instead.

His confinement of her was unnecessarily petty. She wouldn’t betray him despite her lack of faith, and wouldn’t use his ability to track Bu Shulin to bargain with others—such actions would only earn contempt.

“Second Brother somehow knew the Jialing River was a decoy,” Xiao Huayong said, watching the various forces gathering there, attracted by his arranged doubles.

Xiao Changmin’s men appeared to fall for the trap, but compared to others, he was just going through the motions.

Hearing this, Shen Xihe stopped writing and looked up: “Others haven’t doubted, yet he alone is different. Only one thing could make him so certain—he knows Alin’s true whereabouts.”

Among so many people—His Majesty’s men, Prince Jing’s men, and the mysterious group—none were easily fooled. Didn’t they have doubts? Of course, they did, but without other leads, they had to err on the side of action.

If by the slimmest chance, the person fleeing to the Jialing River was the real Bu Shulin, their hesitation would let her escape across the river straight to Shu Zhong.

Though they could attempt another assassination before she entered the city, that would be Bu family territory with slim chances of success. Who would pass up an earlier opportunity to deal with Bu Shulin? They’d spare no expense, even at great cost.

Since Xiao Changmin was involved, he should have shared this thinking, but his halfhearted response to the Jialing River news suggested he had more accurate information about Bu Shulin’s whereabouts.

“I’ve sent word. Whether it reaches them depends on Prince Bu’s luck,” Xiao Huayong nodded, his thoughts aligning with Shen Xihe’s.

He hadn’t actively tracked Bu Shulin’s route, so message delivery would be slow. Combined with uncertainty about how far Xiao Changmin had tracked, everything was left to fate.

On the Jialing River, gentle winds blew under the bright sun, the grey-blue waters rippling like a mother’s cradle, infinitely tender.

A large ship capable of holding hundreds docked at the pier, gradually taking on several groups of passengers. The seasoned sailors noticed something odd—these people, though well-disguised, clearly had unusual origins. One couldn’t help but report to the boss.

The Qu family merchant ship’s leader was Qu Hongying, a woman of twenty-five or twenty-six. Hearing the report, she only said, “Be careful and keep watch.”

After dismissing him, from the cabin’s shadows emerged a wheelchair carrying a handsome young man—Qi Pei: “Boss shouldn’t have come personally.”

“I’ve never missed a Qu family ship’s journey. If I hadn’t come today, those you’re trying to lure might have grown suspicious.” Qu Hongying’s gaze fell on the slim, elegant Qi Pei. “Given today’s situation, my ship will likely sink, damaging the Qu family’s shipping reputation. The benefits you promised earlier seem increasingly disadvantageous to me.”

“Is Boss making excessive demands?” Qi Pei asked, unfazed.

“You’re right,” Qu Hongying grinned, her white teeth showing both cheerfulness and roguish spirit. “The arrow is nocked and must be released. If I sound the warning gong, everyone must disembark.”

“What does Boss want?”

Qu Hongying stepped forward, gripping the wheelchair’s armrests, her face suddenly closed: “I want you to marry me.”