Just then, Xiao Changyu gripped his sword hilt and scraped it against the base of Xiao Changyan’s blade, creating blinding sparks. He severed the sword handle and slashed toward Xiao Changyan’s sword-wielding hand. Xiao Changyan tried to switch hands but found his strength completely suppressed by Xiao Changyu.

Seeing his hand about to be cut off, he had no choice but to abandon his sword and flip away to dodge.

However, in the instant Xiao Changyan abandoned his sword, Xiao Changyu twisted his wrist, flicking Xiao Changyan’s sword into the air. He released his sword and, as he turned to face Xiao Changyan, the blade had already transferred from his dominant right hand to his left.

Using his left hand seemed to have no impact on his dexterity as he thrust the sword at Xiao Changyan’s heart.

Xiao Changyan froze, staring at the sword hilt pressed against his chest. Xiao Changyu had reversed his grip on the sword with such speed that Xiao Changyan couldn’t react.

“He doesn’t want to take my life!” This was Xiao Changyan’s first thought.

In the moment Xiao Changyan was frozen, Xiao Changyu sealed his pressure points. “You’ve lost.”

“Sixth Brother has excellent skills…” Xiao Changyan praised, though his eyes were filled with dejection.

Xiao Changyu withdrew his sword. He had dueled with Xiao Changyan for a long time, trying his best not to leave marks on Xiao Changyan’s body. Because of this, he had sustained numerous sword wounds himself, including a sword that had pierced through his shoulder blade.

With the outcome decided, Xiao Changyu said: “My martial arts are inferior to Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Leaving these words behind, Xiao Changyu strode away.

Xiao Huayong hadn’t intended for Xiao Changyu to personally arrest Xiao Changyan, only to lure him out. Tomorrow would be when His Majesty implemented his grand plan, and at this time Xiao Changyan was especially cautious.

Besides Xiao Changyu, probably no one could have made Xiao Changyan come along to a meeting without alerting others.

But Xiao Changyu wanted to handle it personally, and Xiao Huayong had also ordered the local authorities not to interfere between the two.

These half-brothers had some matters that needed resolution.

Xiao Changyu vanished without a trace, and Xiao Changyan was taken away by the local authorities.

The whole thing took less than half an hour. Prince Jing had left his mansion and returned, and no one knew or noticed that Prince Jing had been replaced.

Everything was made possible thanks to the victory at Minjiang River, where Xiao Changyan’s shadow guards were almost all buried in the river, and his trusted advisors were also removed. Otherwise, neither meeting alone nor returning to the mansion would have been possible.

Shen Xihe and Xiao Changfeng’s wedding was grand, second only to the Eastern Palace’s, even surpassing the recent wedding of Prince Lie.

His Majesty announced publicly that this was due to the great merits of Shen Yueshan and his sons, and no one dared to question it.

After all, Shen Yueshan only had this one child left to marry, and she was marrying the first among royal relatives, the hereditary Prince Xun.

The wedding was extremely lively, and the Crown Princess, who hadn’t appeared in public for a long time and hadn’t received any noble ladies since announcing her pregnancy, was the center of attention.

The men, because of the Minjiang River incident and the prosperity in the Northwest, were observed subtly. The women didn’t know about these matters and only felt that the previously aloof and distant Crown Princess, who had kept everyone at arm’s length, had perhaps become gentler and more approachable due to impending motherhood.

Naturally, someone who was already exceptionally beautiful now added an air of noble grace.

However, Shen Xihe paid no attention to others, keeping her eyes fixed on Xiao Huayong almost constantly. Fortunately, the Crown Prince didn’t need to cater to others.

Those who wanted to come forward with flattery were stopped by Tianyuan, and dismissed with a simple explanation that His Highness was unwell.

Shen Yun’an had arrived early, and many people gathered around him. He didn’t put on airs – finally able to drink openly to his heart’s content, he naturally wouldn’t miss the chance and welcomed all who came.

Shen Yueshan arrived with Emperor Youning, who had summoned him – this was deliberately done to give face to Shen Yueshan.

After the complicated wedding ceremony was complete, Shen Xihe was sent back to Prince Xun’s mansion.

When Shen Xihe heard this, she felt that Emperor Youning truly had some genuine affection for Shen Xihe.

The Furong Garden banquet was a trap, but he had let Shen Xihe stay away from this smoke of battle, leaving only Xiao Changfeng, the groom, to remain here entertaining guests and toasting with everyone.

After three rounds of drinks, just as His Majesty was giving sufficient face and preparing to leave, a poisoned needle shot toward His Majesty from the shadows. Fortunately, an Imperial Guard appeared in time, knocking His Majesty down. The poisoned needle struck this Imperial Guard instead, who immediately fell unconscious.

“Guards! There are assassins! Protect His Majesty!” Liu Sanzhi’s shrill cry rang out first.

This shout sent civil officials scrambling to flee while martial officials all turned to gather around His Majesty.

Almost simultaneously, some guards holding swords rushed in. They initially headed toward His Majesty, but no one expected these unfamiliar guards to be assassins in disguise, drawing their swords to strike at His Majesty when they got close.

His Majesty’s arm was cut once, but fortunately, being agile, he quickly dodged and was once again protected outside the circle of fighting.