“Oh!” Almost instinctively, the visibly pregnant Bu Shulin acted startled by Xiao Changmin’s group, clutching her belly and bending backward two steps.

The person dressed as her attendant hurriedly stepped forward to support her. Bu Shulin, using her skirts as cover, signaled to the people behind her to remain calm.

Confronting Xiao Changmin head-on at this moment would offer no chance of victory and would only arouse his suspicions.

Xiao Changmin wasn’t bloodthirsty. Before discovering her identity, he wouldn’t harm them, especially since she was genuinely pregnant.

The reason for capturing them was simple: first, to prevent them from fleeing and alerting local authorities, making the situation more complicated.

Second, if necessary, they could be used to threaten the person they believed to be Young Master Bu-Shen Twenty-seven.

Better to follow along and fall into Xiao Changmin’s hands, than take advantage when his guard was down to possibly turn the tables.

“What… what are you going to do?” Bu Shulin feigned panic and fear, her voice trembling continuously.

Xiao Changmin merely glanced at Bu Shulin. Seeing his subordinates herding them over, he remained silent and rode ahead.

By now, Jin Shan and Xiao Changgeng’s men had gathered where Shen Twenty-seven and Xiao Changgeng were fighting, the two locked in what appeared to be an evenly matched battle.

However, Xiao Changgeng’s expression had grown serious. This gravity wasn’t because he couldn’t handle Shen Twenty-seven Shen Twenty-seven wasn’t his match, and if he hadn’t been holding back, Shen Twenty-seven would already be severely wounded.

His concern stemmed from realizing through their combat that the person before him wasn’t Bu Shulin!

Every martial art style has its principles. Bu Shulin’s style should have leaned toward South Shu military techniques. Even growing up in the capital pretending to be an incompetent noble, Bu Shulin must have had trusted mentors arranged by the South Shu King to teach martial arts privately.

Even if the South Shu King hadn’t arranged military martial arts masters but rather hidden knights-errant, the style definitely couldn’t have come from the Northwestern Army’s Shen family!

Yes, Xiao Changgeng recognized that many of Shen Twenty-seven’s emergency moves came from the Northwestern Army’s martial lineage!

He knew the Northwestern Army’s martial arts because he had joined Xiao Changyan, who recruited former soldiers from various regions who had left military service for various reasons. One of them had served in the Northwestern Army.

Though this person was now crippled, Xiao Changyan still treated him as an honored guest because he had learned some Northwestern Army martial arts and military law.

Xiao Changgeng’s sword traced a flowery pattern, moving as quickly as an unfolding fan, dazzling Shen Twenty-seven’s eyes. He dodged sideways but couldn’t track where the sword would fall. When Xiao Changgeng’s sword flew from his hand and his other hand swiftly gripped the hilt to strike, it was too late to dodge.

The sword rested against Shen Twenty-seven’s neck. Shen Twenty-seven was secretly alarmed, not expecting the young Prince Yan to possess such extraordinary swordsmanship.

“You’re Seventh Sister-in-law’s person!” Xiao Changgeng’s gaze was intense as he spoke quietly to Shen Twenty-seven.

Shen Twenty-seven’s expression changed, but before he could speak, Xiao Changgeng suddenly loosened his wrist, letting his sword drop: “Take me hostage!”

Shen Twenty-seven kicked up the iron sword, grabbed the hilt, and with a spin held the unresisting Xiao Changgeng hostage.

The change happened in an instant. Xiao Changgeng’s men, all entangled with Jin Shan’s group, hadn’t seen how Xiao Changgeng fell into Shen Twenty-seven’s hands.

“Everyone stop!” Shen Twenty-seven’s cold shout halted the fighting on both sides.

At that moment, the sound of horse hooves approached, and almost instantly, Xiao Changmin appeared before them with a large force, trailing clouds of dust.

“Second Brother, save me!” Xiao Changgeng called for help as soon as he saw Xiao Changmin.

Xiao Changmin’s brows furrowed, his face dark and silent, his gloomy gaze falling on Shen Twenty-seven.

Shen Twenty-seven and Jin Shan’s group also saw Bu Shulin and the others trapped among Xiao Changmin’s troops.

Both sides were internally anxious and worried.

“Young Master Bu, His Majesty learned of your attack and specially commanded this prince to escort you back to South Shu,” Xiao Changmin announced formally.

“Where is the imperial edict?” Shen Twenty-seven asked.

Xiao Changmin replied: “His Majesty’s verbal command.”

Shen Twenty-seven stepped back while holding Xiao Changgeng: “Prince Yan just told me the same thing, and now Prince Zhao also claims imperial orders. Forgive me for not daring to trust easily. If His Majesty wishes to punish me for disobeying orders another day, I’ll accept his punishment then!”

Hearing this, Xiao Changmin shot a quick, sharp glance at Xiao Changgeng: “This prince comes by imperial command and would never falsely claim royal orders. With imperial orders, this prince cannot allow Young Master Bu to travel alone. If Young Master Bu won’t cooperate, don’t blame this prince for being discourteous.”

While Xiao Changmin continued speaking with Shen Twenty-seven, Bu Shulin at the rear saw two people beside Xiao Changmin whose bearings were distinctly different, poised like tigers ready to strike their prey.

One wore a cloak, and even through it, Bu Shulin noticed he had hidden weapons ready to launch at any moment.

Bu Shulin had never encountered Imperial Embroidered Guards. Everyone knew of their existence, but only His Majesty himself had seen the true face of each Guard. Though Bu Shulin didn’t know these two were Imperial Embroidered Guards, she keenly sensed the danger.

“Ah!” She suddenly showed signs of pain, clutching her belly and falling against her guard’s side, moaning, “My belly, it hurts so much!”

Perhaps because Xiao Changmin didn’t consider them threatening, he only had them watched without restraints, though their luggage was confiscated.

“My lady is having pregnancy complications. Give us our luggage, there’s medicine for protecting the fetus!” The guard who caught Bu Shulin called out hoarsely and urgently.

This interruption broke the tense atmosphere between Xiao Changmin and Shen Twenty-seven, drawing everyone’s attention.

Bu Shulin appeared to be in severe pain, fine sweat beading on her forehead, her hand seemingly grasping randomly in the air. Only Jin Shan could recognize it as a secret hand signal, and after understanding, his expression changed dramatically.

He inconspicuously moved closer to Shen Twenty-seven, warning him to beware of those two men.

“Imperial Embroidered Guards.” Taking advantage of this moment and sensing Shen Twenty-seven’s subtle change behind him, Xiao Changgeng warned in a voice only Shen Twenty-seven could hear.

The Crown Prince hadn’t sent word to Bu Shulin but had informed him that Xiao Changmin brought two Imperial Embroidered Guards. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have moved first today to disrupt Xiao Changmin’s arrangements, giving Bu Shulin’s group a chance to breathe.

“Give them their luggage,” Xiao Changmin ordered.

The luggage had been checked and contained no weapons.

But Xiao Changmin didn’t know that while there were no weapons, it contained something far more terrifying.