“Does Your Highness have any other instructions?” Suppressing her churning thoughts, Bu Shulin looked up at the person still facing away from her.

The black-clad figure turned around, looking solemnly at Bu Shulin: “His Highness asks if the Hereditary Prince wishes to find another place to give birth safely, or return to the Shu South Prince’s mansion to deliver?”

Slightly stunned, Bu Shulin immediately understood. She had given everything to Shen Twenty-seven. She could naturally find a quiet place to peacefully await childbirth. After the child was born, whether she could return to being the Shu South Prince would be up to Xiao Huayong to decide.

If she insisted on returning to Shu South now, Xiao Huayong naturally wouldn’t stop her, but wouldn’t help either. Even if she safely returned to the mansion, giving birth would still be a huge risk – success wasn’t guaranteed.

Moreover, her pregnancy was already disturbed, and she couldn’t withstand more strain. If she insisted on returning to the mansion, she might lose the child.

Bu Shulin’s hand pressed against her swollen belly. At five months, she could feel the vibrant life within her womb. How could she bear to…

“Please ask His Highness to shelter me, find me a peaceful place, free from worries about giving birth.” After quickly weighing the pros and cons, Bu Shulin made her decision without hesitation.

The black-clad figure clasped their fists: “Hereditary Prince, rest easy for half a day. Your wish will be granted.”

With that, the black-clad figure left.

Bu Shulin didn’t try to stop them or say more. Before losing consciousness, she had expected to wake to a fierce battle. The current situation was a thousand times better than anticipated.

Moreover, she could feel the cramping pain in her abdomen gradually subsiding, indicating she must have received either emergency treatment or good medicine while unconscious.

Since this place was safe, Bu Shulin relaxed, deciding to rest a while longer. Whatever she faced after half a day, she would face it with full energy.

The sleeping Bu Shulin didn’t know that Xiao Changmin had led his men to search the entire mountain thoroughly but found nothing. Just as he was becoming furious, they were ambushed by a fierce force.

These people were all highly skilled, leaving his men almost helpless against them.

The layers of ambushes Xiao Changmin had originally set for Bu Shulin seemed completely exposed to this group, leaving nowhere to hide. They were broken through one by one, killed until barely anyone remained.

Finally, only a few people were left protecting Xiao Changmin and Xiao Changgeng as they retreated pathetically to a valley. Above the valley, eagles circled their long cries like death knells or funeral horns, making Xiao Changmin both irritated and tense.

He didn’t know that in the shade of trees diagonally opposite, the first arrow glinted in the sunlight, aimed at him.

Just before the arrow was released, a hand stopped it: “His Highness said Prince Zhao’s life shouldn’t be taken here.”

Xiao Changmin was with Xiao Changgeng – if Xiao Changmin died and Xiao Changgeng lived, it would ruin His Highness’s later arrangements.

Cui Jinbai’s bloodshot eyes glared darkly at the person holding his bow, his jaw clenched.

“Without His Highness, neither you nor I would be here today,” Zhao Zhenghao said expressionlessly. “His Highness telling you the truth, covering for you, letting you rescue your beloved – that’s already great kindness. Zhihe, royal orders cannot be defied.”

Cui Jinbai slowly released his strength, lowering his hand: “Where is she?”

Zhao Zhenghao gave a short whistle, and an eagle swooped down before soaring high toward another direction.

Without Zhao Zhenghao saying more, Cui Jinbai ran after it.

Through the cover of branches and leaves, Zhao Zhenghao’s eyes met Xiao Changgeng’s from afar. His lips curved slightly as he made a gesture, leading the remaining people to retreat.

Xiao Changgeng hadn’t seen Zhao Zhenghao and Cui Jinbai, but he knew Xiao Huayong could train eagles. Seeing the circling eagles, he guessed these were Xiao Huayong’s people attacking them.

When the eagles suddenly flew away, it meant the assault on them was over.

After a moment of silence, Xiao Changgeng suddenly spoke: “Second Brother, should we split up to retreat?”

Xiao Changmin, disheveled and blood-stained, scrutinized Xiao Changgeng, wondering if he had other plans or simply thought that splitting up meant at least one of them might survive.

“Twelfth Brother, at this moment, we have no strength left. If we split up, we might both die. Better to stay together – we might survive this disaster,” Xiao Changmin didn’t want to separate from Xiao Changgeng at this point.

“Second Brother, I’ll go back, you go forward,” Xiao Changgeng said sincerely.

Was he offering to hold back pursuers for him?

Xiao Changmin was somewhat surprised but not moved. He and Xiao Changgeng had no brotherly affection. If Xiao Changyan hadn’t been tricked into going to Min River, he wouldn’t have ordered Xiao Changgeng to help pursue Bu Shulin.

“Whether advancing or retreating, brothers should be united,” Xiao Changmin said righteously.

“Good, Second Brother, we’ll live or die together!” Xiao Changgeng was deeply moved.

They then discussed escape routes. Xiao Changgeng said he guessed there might be a small path based on the mountain stream that could circle back. He ordered two men to continue forward, creating the illusion they were still fleeing – they would gamble on whether the path existed!

Xiao Changmin considered and accepted Xiao Changgeng’s suggestion. The two brothers took only two men on the detour.

Whether the path truly existed, Xiao Changgeng didn’t know, but he was lucky – they found one circling back to where they’d been attacked, seemingly having shaken off their pursuers.

“Second Brother, look at the marks on these bodies!” Xiao Changgeng pointed at a corpse.

In this battle, though they had lost, the other side had suffered heavy casualties too.

Xiao Changgeng was pointing at an enemy corpse. Xiao Changmin’s pupils contracted – they both recognized this mark. When Xiao Juesong had attacked the temporary palace that day, all his men had worn this mark!

Xiao Changmin immediately tore open other enemy corpses’ clothes – all bore the same mark.

“I thought… it was actually…” Xiao Changmin muttered brokenly, his tone full of disbelief!

Seeing this, Xiao Changgeng lowered his eyes, hiding the strange light within them.

Meanwhile, Cui Jinbai had found Bu Shulin in the cave.

Bu Shulin had imagined hundreds of scenarios she might wake to but never expected to see Cui Jinbai with bloodshot eyes.

She froze in place until Cui Jinbai approached step by step, kneeling on one knee before her, staring intently at her for a long while before finally locking her in his embrace!

He held her tight as if wanting to turn his arms into iron chains to bind her forever, never loosening for a moment!

News of this reached Xiao Huayong immediately. He suddenly turned to Shen Xihe and said: “A landslide in the Black Water territory revealed a mine and hundreds of skeletons. His Majesty sent people to investigate thoroughly. Zhihe is among them.”

Shen Xihe, using small scissors to trim Short Life’s fur, gave a soft acknowledgment.

“Zhihe went to Min Prefecture first and will accompany the Hereditary Prince to Black Water territory to await childbirth,” Xiao Huayong added.

Shen Xihe’s hand paused as she looked up at Xiao Huayong: “Is Your Highness giving a slap followed by a sweet date?”

Low laughter erupted from Xiao Huayong’s chest: “No, this is how I wield both carrot and stick.”