Shen Yunan deeply believed that if anyone tried to harm him now, Mo Yao would still protect him without regard for his safety.

But this didn’t prevent Xiao Changyan from using soul-capturing techniques – Mo Yao would unknowingly betray him. Even after betraying him, Mo Yao would remember nothing when he awoke.

Soul-capturing techniques were indeed impossible to guard against. Fortunately, Shen Xihe had known early on that Xiao Changyan wouldn’t leave such techniques unused. Rather than wait for him to use them at an unknown time and place, leaving them unprepared, it was better to let him use them according to their wishes.

The more powerful the soul-capturing technique, the more confident Xiao Changyan would be, and thus the more he would rely on it!

Concealing his thoughts, Shen Yunan timed his recovery and slowly awoke, instructing Mo Yao with feigned weakness: “Go contact General Yu again, ask why Prince Jing knew of Prince Bu’s whereabouts, and why he didn’t inform us earlier.”

“Your Highness, when you left today, I received news from General Yu about Prince Bu. It seems Prince Jing still harbors suspicions about General Yu, so the General’s message stated that Prince Bu would arrive at the ferry crossing in three days…” Mo Yao reported Yu Xiang’s message to Shen Yunan.

His memory showed no gaps – it seemed he had simply received the message and returned. However, Xiao Changyan’s advisors had already influenced his memory through soul-capturing techniques regarding when he arrived at the meeting place.

“Is that so?” Shen Yunan responded lightly. “Since Prince Jing harbors suspicions about General Yu, naturally we should let General Yu know.”

“Yes, I’ll arrange it right away.” Mo Yao understood Shen Yunan’s meaning.

The next day, through Mo Yao’s meeting with the deaf-mute messenger, the soul-captured Mo Yao was easily controlled. After just two taps of bamboo boards in the small boat, Mo Yao’s clear eyes became vacant.

Soon a small boat emerged from the reeds, and Xiao Changyan appeared before Mo Yao: “Has the Northwest Prince been poisoned?”

Xiao Changyan was certain Shen Yunan was injured – his arrow had struck the ship, and the arrowhead’s marks proved he had hit his target.

“Yes,” Mo Yao answered mechanically.

“Do you have any antidote?” Xiao Changyan asked.

“No,” Mo Yao answered truthfully.

Satisfied, Xiao Changyan made a gesture. The boat quickly rowed away, followed by two more bamboo taps. Mo Yao awoke to see the deaf-mute’s boat disappearing into the distance.

He stared pensively at the ripples on the river’s surface, feeling something was amiss but unable to identify what. He could only turn back.

Could Prince Jing have already used soul-capturing techniques on him? Why couldn’t he detect anything?

Though suspicious, Mo Yao said nothing upon returning to Shen Yunan. This was their agreement – beforehand, Shen Yunan had told him this wasn’t about using him or keeping him in the dark, but rather a show of trust and a calculated risk.

If anyone who used the technique on him asked whether he knew about soul-capturing, he would involuntarily reveal everything. But Shen Yunan was certain that Xiao Changyan, proud of his soul-capturing technique, wouldn’t suspect others knew of it. Given the time constraints, they wouldn’t dare detain him long and thus wouldn’t ask about such unexpected matters.

But once he suspected he had been captured, they couldn’t mention it again, or it would be exposed in his future contacts with Xiao Changyan’s people.

“Your Highness, I’ve delivered the message to General Yu. He says he’ll be cautious. Also, General Yu sent word that Prince Jing is detaining Prince Bu, citing unsafe roads and rampant river bandits. He requests Prince Bu wait one day while he secures the area, and tomorrow he’ll personally escort Prince Bu back to Shu.” Mo Yao handed over a scroll as he spoke.

Shen Yunan took and opened the scroll. As military men, they could all understand it – this was a simple military deployment map, subtly marking Xiao Changyan’s arrangements.

Shen Yunan smiled with satisfaction: “General Yu has truly helped greatly!”

After his joy, Shen Yunan fell into contemplation: “However, since the information about Prince Bu was wrong, this might not be accurate either.”

“Your Highness suspects Prince Jing deliberately leaked this through General Yu to us?” Mo Yao asked.

“It’s possible.” Shen Yunan nodded. “We can test whether it’s true.”

“How shall we test it?” Mo Yao pondered before continuing, “I also find it suspicious, but if it’s true, Your Highness’s probe might arouse Prince Jing’s suspicions.”

Shen Yunan remained silent for a while, his gaze falling on the scroll. According to Yu Xiang, Xiao Changyan would prepare three military vessels to escort Prince Bu.

In reality, Shen Twenty-seven wasn’t on any of the ships. To misdirect attention, Xiao Changyan forcefully made Shen Twenty-seven cooperate, dispersing most of Zhapu’s men among the three ships while he accompanied Shen Twenty-seven and Zhapu.

This scattered all of Shen Twenty-seven’s people. Against superior force, Shen Twenty-seven couldn’t resist unless he escaped when unobserved. Otherwise, he would be at Xiao Changyan’s mercy, and Xiao Changyan’s reasons were impeccable, beyond reproach.

If Shen Twenty-seven truly escaped, Xiao Changyan could openly search while secretly assassinating him, then blame it on river bandits. Since Shen Twenty-seven had distrusted him and tried to flee, even Shu South couldn’t hold him accountable.

Most critically, with Shen Twenty-seven in Xiao Changyan’s hands, if he didn’t send anyone to rescue him, Xiao Changyan would stage an assassination attempt and kill Shen Twenty-seven in the chaos.

If he did send people to rescue Shen Twenty-seven, he would naturally become the one threatening Shen Twenty-seven, giving Xiao Changyan reason to deploy troops and find an opportunity to eliminate both him and this “Prince Bu” Shen Twenty-seven!

“Create a diversion – we’ll act tonight!” Shen Yunan’s eyes fixed with determination, his bloodless lips dry and white, making his expression seem even colder. “First rescue Prince Bu. Only with Prince Bu out of his hands can we take control. Whether General Yu has betrayed us to Prince Jing, or whether Prince Jing suspects and is using General Yu to deceive us – we’ll test it and see!”

Fighting his illness, Shen Yunan forced himself to study and handed Mo Yao a letter: “Deliver this to General Yu.”

Mo Yao turned to carry out the order.

Watching Mo Yao leave, Qi Pei, sitting in his wheelchair, couldn’t help but salute Shen Yunan: “Your Highness, what brilliant strategy.”

“All of this is under the Crown Princess’s control,” Shen Yunan dared not take credit.

Shen Twenty-seven’s movements had been deliberately leaked to Xiao Changyan through Xiao Changgeng. Xiao Changyan trusted Xiao Changgeng, and indeed, Xiao Changgeng’s information hadn’t disappointed him.

He had detained Prince Bu, but his ultimate target was Shen Yunan. To make Shen Yunan fall for the trap and capture him, he needed Shen Yunan to believe Yu Xiang’s information was accurate.

To gain Shen Yunan’s trust, Xiao Changyan would certainly have Yu Xiang help Shen Yunan rescue Prince Bu this time – you can’t catch the wolf without using the child as bait.

However, there were plots within plots. Xiao Changyan thought he had calculated everything, but didn’t know that all his plans were within Shen Xihe’s calculations!