The death of the Prince of Kang had been suspicious from the start, but it involved His Majesty’s secret weapon manufacturing. Coincidentally, it was revealed by Shen Xihe, who had just arrived in the capital. Even with Shen Yueshan, His Majesty was confident that he couldn’t have discovered the secretly maintained army. Therefore, His Majesty never suspected that Shen Xihe had guessed anything.

Everything could only be attributed to the Prince of Kang’s carelessness, which allowed Shen Xihe to notice his movements and set up a trap to bring about his death.

In this matter, His Majesty couldn’t protect the Prince of Kang – the case couldn’t withstand deep investigation. The crime of secretly manufacturing weapons with intent to rebel couldn’t be washed away from the Prince of Kang!

They all knew Shen Xihe, who personally tore open this wound, had set up a scheme, but they couldn’t guess exactly how the scheme was executed.

However, now Yu Xiang knew every detail clearly – every nuance, every calculation. Even when it happened, Shen Xihe had anticipated that His Majesty would send the Imperial Investigators to try to save the Prince of Kang. Thus, she had early on planted fire stones, drawing villagers and local officials from all directions, making it impossible for the Imperial Investigators to silence witnesses and turn the situation around.

All this was in the letter Shen Xihe wrote to Yu Sangning, which Yu Sangning had passed to Yu Xiang, written in meticulous detail. Now Shen Yun’an was using this to warn him.

It was to make him understand that Shen Xihe wouldn’t spare the Yu family. If today the Yu family didn’t cooperate with the Shen family, they would be choosing to become enemies of the Shen clan. The fate of the Shen clan’s enemies could be seen in the example of the Prince of Kang.

The cold night was silent, the moonlight hiding its edge.

Yu Xiang stared fixedly at the confident Shen Yun’an, his tightly clenched fists creaking, his bloodshot eyes seeming to tremble slightly. Finally, unable to endure anymore, he shouted: “This is too much!”

Before the sound faded, his fist cut through the night wind toward Shen Yun’an like a tiger.

Smile vanishing, feet planted firmly, Shen Yun’an stood like a deeply rooted pine tree. He shifted his body to dodge. Yu Xiang followed through with a sweeping arm strike, but Shen Yun’an seemed to have anticipated this. He leaned back and twisted his waist, avoiding Yu Xiang’s sweeping arm with an almost impossible arc, swift as the wind.

Simultaneously, his hand struck like lightning, grabbing Yu Xiang’s wrist. With a powerful pull, the huge force lifted Yu Xiang off the ground. Following the direction of the force, Shen Yun’an threw Yu Xiang away.

Yu Xiang flew through the air, barely managing to twist his body in a flip before hitting the ground. He staggered several steps before stabilizing himself.

Shen Yun’an clasped his hands behind his back, calmly watching Yu Xiang from the side: “General Yu, you are no match for me, and I don’t wish for us to completely fall out with each other.”

Yu Xiang’s wrist still held a slight pain where Shen Yun’an had gripped it. His gaze fell on Shen Yun’an’s feet, which hadn’t moved half a step from beginning to end, demonstrating his exceptional martial arts skills.

Gritting his teeth, seemingly struggling with himself, Yu Xiang remained silent for a while before asking gruffly: “Young Master, how do you want me to help? After this matter, how will the Crown Princess treat my Yu family?”

Shen Yun’an raised his eyebrows slightly, his black eyes flickering with a faint light: “General Yu seems to have misunderstood my meaning. Her Highness the Crown Princess has no intention of recruiting the Yu family. This is merely giving General Yu a choice – either risk being executed along with your entire family by His Majesty, following in the footsteps of the Prince of Kang’s household in loyal death to His Majesty, or show wisdom in knowing when to advance and retreat, being flexible with us for a chance at survival.”

Seeing Yu Xiang’s iron-grey face, Shen Yun’an leisurely added: “Of course, after this matter, as long as the Yu family doesn’t oppose the Crown Princess, she naturally won’t harm the innocent without reason.”

The meaning was obvious – the Shen family and Eastern Palace didn’t need the Yu family’s allegiance! They were merely giving Yu Xiang a choice: either offend Shen Xihe or play both sides. Considering Yu Xiang’s cooperation in playing deaf and dumb this time, helping her trap His Majesty, Shen Xihe wouldn’t trouble the Yu family in the future.

Shen Yun’an’s tone wasn’t arrogant at all, but every word revealed their contempt for the Yu family. Yu Xiang was so angry his chest hurt, but he swallowed this anger: “Young Master speaks with such confidence, are you certain you can return alive from here? If you’re so sure of victory, why bother pulling me in?”

“Heh.” Shen Yun’an gave a light laugh, slowly taking steps as he turned to face Yu Xiang, wearing a faint smile. “Whether I can leave here alive has no connection to the Yu family’s safety.

While I’m here, who among you can capture me? If you can’t capture me, who dares say they saw me here? Who would lightly bear the crime of deliberately inciting discord between the Northwest and His Majesty?”

He spoke with extreme insolence, his expression full of disdain: “Even if General Yu and the Eighth Prince force me to death here, as long as the Northwest can produce another Young Master, even if I fall into your hands, as long as the Northwest army remains strong, the false can become true, and the true can become false. I would become evidence of General Yu and Prince Jing’s deliberate harm to the King of Northwest!”

Shen Yun’an’s words made Yu Xiang’s heart sink. Why had His Majesty been unable to deal with Shen Yueshan all these years despite wracking his brains? For an emperor, pinning a false crime on someone was extremely easy, but Shen Yueshan’s roots in the Northwest ran deep. Even if they successfully lured the Shen father and son to the capital and killed them, it would instantly throw the Northwest into chaos.

Not only would there be public outrage, but also the self-preservation instincts and revenge of the Northwest commanders, as well as the enemy forces along the Northwest border, primarily the Turks and Khitans, who would seize the opportunity!

One wrong move in killing Shen Yueshan would destroy half the Northwest frontier, making His Majesty a sinner for all history!

As long as the Northwest remained strong and viewed the King of the Northwest as divine, His Majesty couldn’t move against Shen Yueshan without evidence. Just like years ago when His Majesty merely wanted the Xiao family to marry Shen Yueshan – the moment he imprisoned Shen Yueshan, the Turks and Khitans joined forces to invade. The Northwest army used the excuse of having no commander to fight passively, forcing His Majesty to lose face by pinning all crimes on the Xiao family and personally releasing Shen Yueshan.

How much face was lost, and how many benefits had to be promised to get Shen Yueshan to return to guard the Northwest?

It didn’t work then, and it was even more impossible now. Just as Shen Yun’an said, even if he fell into their hands, as long as the Northwest could produce another Young Master – one recognized by all of the Northwest – they couldn’t convict the Shen clan of any crime, couldn’t implicate the Eastern Palace, couldn’t shake the Crown Princess in the slightest.

Then the Yu family would have to bear the Crown Princess’s wrath!

Seeming to have weighed the advantages and disadvantages, Yu Xiang finally compromised: “How does Young Master want me to facilitate?”

Shen Yun’an smiled with satisfaction: “Don’t rush, General Yu. I will notify you later on how to proceed. I won’t put General Yu in a difficult position or expose any flaws.”

Yu Xiang maintained a tense expression: “Young Master and the Crown Princess can turn clouds and rain with a flip of your hands. How do I know I won’t become a scapegoat?”

If Shen Yun’an won and an investigation followed, it would be his fault. Shen Xihe might not trouble the Yu family, but would His Majesty spare them?

Death awaited either way, so why should he become a traitor?