For Emperor Youning, Shen Yun’an going to Minjiang to help Bu Shulin was an irresistible trap.

The Northwest had always been Emperor Youning’s greatest concern. As long as the Shen family remained in the Northwest, his empire would never be complete. After decades of campaigns north and south, he had pieced together, rebuilt, and unified the scattered territories, allowing them to cultivate and restore the dynasty’s prosperity.

Only the Northwest remained. The Shen father and son were too cunning – all these years he hadn’t found any handle against them. He didn’t believe Shen Yueshan and Shen Yun’an were law-abiding citizens, as proven by Shen Yun’an’s current unauthorized departure from the Northwest to lurk in Minjiang.

It was just that Shen Yueshan had covered it up well, preventing him from finding evidence.

Once he captured Shen Yun’an in Minjiang, he would confront Shen Yueshan with his son’s corpse!

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Liu Sanzhi responded, knowing the Emperor was truly taking action this time. This was probably the confrontation the Emperor had long yearned for, yet he felt compelled to add a reminder: “Your Majesty, the news comes suspiciously easily.”

Liu Sanzhi wasn’t doubting his intelligence’s accuracy – he was certain Shen Yun’an had indeed gone to Minjiang. But having managed intelligence for so many years, just by asking about the process, he could tell this news had come too smoothly as if someone had deliberately placed it in his hands.

And being placed in his hands meant it was intentionally meant for the Emperor to know.

Liu Sanzhi wasn’t sure who deliberately let the Emperor know – whether it was the princes not wanting to expose their strength and uncertain if it was Shen Yun’an, thus preferring to forgo the credit rather than risk reporting directly to the Emperor and becoming a scapegoat for the Northwestern Prince’s questioning later.

Or whether it was the Shen family’s doing.

The former wasn’t worth worrying about, but if it was the latter, it was a blatant challenge to the Emperor, showing the Shen family’s arrogance. Yet they had to be wary – such obvious exposure must be part of a trap set for the Emperor.

Liu Sanzhi didn’t involve himself in politics, but following Emperor Youning, who didn’t hide state affairs from him and occasionally shared thoughts regardless of his understanding, had developed some instincts. He vaguely felt this was Shen Yun’an deliberately exposing himself.

Otherwise, how could Shen Yun’an travel from the Northwest, silently passing through Tibet to reach Minjiang, remaining elusive throughout, only to expose himself upon safely reaching Minjiang? It was too perfectly timed.

Now Shen Yun’an was like a fish in the river – trying to find his trail would be like searching for a needle in the ocean.

“Heh.” The Emperor gave a cold laugh. “They’ve calculated that I would engage no matter what – let me see what they’re capable of!”

They?

Liu Sanzhi keenly caught these particular words, but Emperor Youning merely glanced at him without explaining, instead asking: “Has the Shunan Prince’s Heir’s whereabouts been discovered?”

Liu Sanzhi lowered his head: “Your servant is incompetent.”

Emperor Youning didn’t anger, instead saying: “They’ve hidden him well – neither Second Prince, Eighth Prince nor my people have managed to dig him out.”

Suddenly, Liu Sanzhi had a thought: “Your Majesty, your servant’s men following the Second Prince’s people have disappeared in Minzhou.”

It was perhaps premature to say “disappeared” – they had merely not sent news for two or three days. Trackers sometimes entered deep mountains and forests where they couldn’t send messages for days, which wasn’t unusual. But Liu Sanzhi had a gut feeling these men had likely met with misfortune.

They were tracking Bu Shulin and wouldn’t normally conflict with other forces, avoiding what could be avoided. Only Bu Shulin or those secretly protecting her would kill them.

The sudden killing meant Bu Shulin herself was indeed in Minzhou.

“Second Prince has truly surprised me somewhat.” Emperor Youning had never expected that casting a wide net and having people follow Xiao Changmin’s men would track down Bu Shulin’s whereabouts. “Send more people to follow.”

Being able to deal with Bu Shulin before Minjiang would certainly crush the Shen family’s spirit.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Spread the news of Shen Yun’an entering Minjiang.” Emperor Youning continued ordering. “Let me see their capabilities well.”

The Emperor mentioned “they” again. Liu Sanzhi couldn’t figure out exactly who he meant, and after a moment of silence with no further orders, he bowed and silently withdrew.

The “they” Emperor Youning referred to were the three Shen fathers and sons and another person. If Xiao Changying could see the confusion, how could Emperor Youning not? This operation’s style differed greatly from both the Shen father and sons and Shen Xihe.

He just wasn’t sure whether this person was Xiao Jueson or Xiao Huayong.

Previous traces suggested Xiao Jueson was more likely, but from Emperor Youning’s understanding of Shen Yueshan, he would never ally with someone like Xiao Jueson.

But Shen Yueshan must be allied with someone else. Thinking it through, the only person in the world who could suddenly gain Shen Yueshan’s trust and even control this entire situation could be Xiao Huayong.

If Xiao Huayong was opposing him as Emperor and father, it certainly wouldn’t be for the throne. Emperor Youning asked himself – in all these years, he had never mistreated Xiao Huayong. Though he had doubts and tests, he never harbored thoughts of suspicion or elimination.

The palace test two years ago wasn’t meant to take his life but was disrupted by Xiao Jueson’s sudden interference, which diverted his attention. Thinking carefully now, he felt he had overlooked something.

If it was Xiao Huayong, then this child must have learned about his background…

The silent Emperor fell into deep thought. The vast palace was solemn and quiet as he stood with hands behind his back, watching the curling incense smoke from the censers, his deep gaze seeming to brew something inscrutable and unfathomable.

Soon the news of Shen Yun’an’s infiltration of Minjiang spread in small circles. Several princes received the news. Xiao Changmin merely praised Shen Yun’an’s courage. He knew the news was spread by the Emperor’s people and was certainly true, but he didn’t plan to get involved – capturing Bu Shulin alone would be a great achievement.

Xiao Changyan shared similar thoughts with Xiao Changmin. Xiao Changyan’s power base was in Annan, with only Shunan able to contain him. The Northwestern Prince wasn’t yet his major concern, and he didn’t want to expose too much strength – wasn’t it better to reap the benefits from the sidelines?

Both men almost simultaneously received news of their people disappearing in Minzhou. Even if they were just out of contact, they vaguely sensed something unusual and immediately increased their manpower heading to Minzhou.

Xiao Changmin was confident in his assets and sent people with a flying moth to follow, while Xiao Changyan and Emperor Youning’s people followed closely behind.

South of Minzhou, Xiao Changying and his group including Yinshan faced fierce ambushes and pursuit, while Bu Shulin had just started westward from Minzhou, stepping into Tibetan territory.