“Your Highness!” Bu Shulin exclaimed in shock, disregarding her pregnancy as she rushed forward to block Xiao Changying. “Your Highness, I will find people to lead them away with Yinshan. You needn’t risk yourself.”

Although all those who had followed Yinshan had been killed, their prolonged silence would certainly raise suspicions from Prince Zhao and Prince Jing. But they had been too thorough this time. Even if these people suspected she might have known about being followed and had dug a trap for them to walk into, they would still have to spring it.

This strategy she had just learned from the Crown Prince relied on the fact that no one would be willing to let go of that slim chance – if it was her, and she escaped because they hesitated, they would regret it for life!

As for truly falling into her trap, it would only cost them some men – a painful but affordable loss for the well-established imperial family.

“Your people?” Xiao Changying let out a derisive laugh, with undisguised mockery in his eyes. “How long could your people hold them off?”

It was already remarkable that Bu Shulin could conceal her female identity in the capital. Trying to cultivate her forces would be nothing but a pipe dream.

The Shunan Prince’s mansion did have many capable people, but would the Prince of Shunan dare send them to Bu Shulin in the capital? Currently, all the Shunan Prince’s people were being intercepted by His Majesty, completely unable to connect with Bu Shulin – otherwise, how could she be in such a predicament?

Bu Shulin was slightly startled, realizing that Xiao Changying was trying to buy her time to make her journey to Tibet more secure.

“Your Highness…”

“This prince has no time to waste with your dithering. This matter is settled.” Xiao Changying raised his hand to cut off Bu Shulin. “This prince will only buy you three days. After three days, regardless of whether you’ve reached Tibet or not, this prince will withdraw. World Heir Bu, take care of yourself.”

With these irrefutable words, Xiao Changying strode away, circumventing Bu Shulin.

Bu Shulin could only watch as Xiao Changying’s departing robes fluttered with a blood-red hue.

Bu Shulin ultimately didn’t refuse Xiao Changying’s kindness. She had no standing in this matter – Xiao Changying wasn’t doing this for her, and she could not influence him. Rather than stubbornly persisting, it was better to accept this kindness directly, reducing the danger for both parties.

To show her trust in Xiao Changying and help make his act more convincing to Xiao Changyan and others, Bu Shulin handed over Jinshan, Yinshan, and all other openly accompanying subordinates to Xiao Changying.

At a quiet crossroads, Xiao Changying gave Bu Shulin an appraising look upon seeing this: “Since you show such courage, I’ll send you some people as well.”

Mounted on his tall steed, Xiao Changying’s crimson robes blazed like fire, as dazzling as the rising sun in the summer morning, impossible to ignore.

He raised his hand in a gesture, and a group of people emerged silently from the woods like ghosts, moving without sound or shadow, so fast that they seemed to materialize before Bu Shulin in the blink of an eye.

Bu Shulin was secretly alarmed. These people had appeared out of nowhere, dozens of steps away from her. Though she should have seen them approaching from afar, trying to recall now, she couldn’t remember how they had moved.

Their speed was incredible, like storm clouds on the horizon, arriving in the mere blink of an eye.

“Your Highness needs people by your side more than I do…”

“This prince isn’t as destitute as you!” Throwing down these disdainful words, Xiao Changying turned his horse, his deep sidelong glance falling on the subordinates he had summoned. “Protect World Heir Bu well.”

Then he raised his whip and shot off like an arrow, concealing that brilliant red among the layered peaks of mountains.

Left standing there, Bu Shulin faced these unfocused, puppet-like sturdy young men and sighed almost inaudibly. She cupped her hands toward these doll-like people: “Thank you all for accompanying me.”

As soon as she finished speaking, these people vanished silently again.

Bu Shulin blinked hard, then tried to sense her surroundings. She couldn’t detect these people’s presence, but she was certain they were very close!

If the timing weren’t so critical, Bu Shulin would have wanted to know how Prince Xin had trained such masters of concealment!

Yes, Bu Shulin also knew these people couldn’t have been trained by the free-spirited, throne-indifferent Xiao Changying. Suppressing her inner shock, Bu Shulin immediately rode to rejoin the traveling merchant group.

However, she hadn’t traveled for even an hour when she met her people at a rest stop.

This person was one of her secret guards whom she had specifically left with Shen Xihe. No matter where she went, as long as she was alive or her remains could be found, this person would be able to find her.

“World Heir, the Crown Prince Consort ordered me to bring Twenty-seven,” the secret guard said to Bu Shulin after speaking with her and brought another person forward.

Twenty-seven was one of the people identical to her whom Shen Xihe had sent out with Axi for bone manipulation. This person was one of Shen Xihe’s private guards, specially permitted by His Majesty, all orphans adopted from the northwestern wars, some abandoned infants, numbered and named in sequence, all surnamed Shen.

Before she left the capital, Twenty-seven had been taken back by the Crown Prince, and the other scattered doubles were all people the Crown Prince had ordered to undergo facial transformation.

After learning of the Crown Prince’s plan, Bu Shulin understood that the Crown Prince intended to use Twenty-seven in the Minjiang situation. As long as Twenty-seven was there, even if she didn’t arrive or something went wrong, the Minjiang situation would not be affected in the slightest.

Now Shen Xihe, worried about her safety, had sacrificed Xiao Huayong’s plan to send this person to her. Bu Shulin’s eyes grew moist.

Xiao Huayong’s days were numbered, she already knew this, which was why she was willing to work with the Crown Prince, using this opportunity to deal a heavy blow to His Majesty and Prince Jing’s faction. Even if the Crown Prince…

After this campaign, it would at least give Shen Xihe the longest possible breathing space. Someone as intelligent as Shen Xihe would surely understand this, she should understand how important the Battle of Minjiang was.

Therefore, Twenty-seven was an equally important link. Yet she had unhesitatingly given up this rare, perhaps unique opportunity to strike and weaken His Majesty and powerful enemies.

Simply because she truly viewed Bu Shulin as a friend and couldn’t bear to see her meet with disaster, she had sent Twenty-seven here, letting her use Twenty-seven to resolve the current crisis.

Thinking of this, Bu Shulin’s gaze grew determined: “Set out immediately for Minjiang.”

Since Youyou trusted and cared for her so much, she would also have to give her all, for Youyou’s sake!