The Northwest, two months ago.

When Xiao Junzhu had just turned one month old, Shen Xihe received thoughtful gifts from her father and brother. At that time, she had begun planning the necessary strategies and sent someone to inquire about the Xue family. This person wasn’t just anyone – it was Ding Jue, the heir of Marquis Zhenbei, who was still tediously organizing documents at the Court of Judicial Review.

Ding Jue normally wouldn’t contact Shen Xihe, and the Marquis Zhenbei’s household didn’t excessively associate with any prince. Ding Jue particularly had many frivolous friends among the capital’s noble youth with Bu Shulin, all being young men who only knew how to eat, drink, and make merry.

The Xue family’s influence had weakened, with countless incompetent descendants. Ding Jue easily gathered information about the Xue family and reported it to the Eastern Palace. Only then did Shen Xihe confirm that His Majesty indeed held the Xue clan hostage to coerce Xue Heng.

She immediately sent word to Shen Yueshan and his son.

Shen Xihe, with her deep understanding of human nature, had also anticipated Xue Jinqiao’s inner turmoil and conveniently gave Shen Yunan a way to resolve it.

After reading it, Shen Yunan – an iron-willed warrior who never shed tears on the battlefield – became misty-eyed.

Before the new year, when his sister had sent word that his wife might be under a spell, Shen Yunan was shocked, anxious, and secretly worried that his wife’s feelings for them were only produced by mind control.

Whatever the outcome, he had to face it. The person they had taken from Xiao Changyan and sent to the Northwest had been imprisoned there since. His sister said to keep them alive but guarded, saying they would prove useful someday.

It was Xiao Huayong’s mention of being mind-controlled in his youth that had troubled Shen Xihe. Since Xiao Changyan had been just a confused child then, it couldn’t have been done by someone close to him. That’s why she hadn’t killed Xiao Changyan’s advisor.

Since the mind-control spell on Xue Jinqiao had been broken, she had become very melancholic. The formerly bright and cheerful young lady had grown quiet and withdrawn. Shen Yunan had put in great effort to make her appear more cheerful.

But Shen Yunan knew Xue Jinqiao carried a burden in her heart. If not for their daughter Manman, she might have left already.

He could only spend more time caring for and watching over Xue Jinqiao, hoping to soon resolve her unease and guilt.

But it had little effect.

“Sister is always my timely rain!” Shen Yunan felt warmth in his heart, his eyes full of gratitude.

Shen Yueshan glanced at his foolish son with disgust – he couldn’t even comfort his wife and needed his sister to resolve her inner turmoil.

How useless!

“Go find Qiaoqiao first, let me think this through,” Shen Yueshan hurriedly urged.

He had read the entire letter. Unlike his son whose thoughts were all on his daughter-in-law, he had already realized that in the coming battle, either he or Shen Yunan would need to pincer attack Tibet while the other stayed to face the elite troops.

His Majesty’s elite troops, mysterious and elusive, had drained the national treasury – how could he not personally test their mettle?

Knowing his son well, Shen Yueshan anticipated this unfilial child would be just as eager to face the elite troops as himself. By sending him away first and figuring things out himself, his son would have no chance to compete with him for this opportunity.

Focused entirely on his wife, Shen Yunan indeed hadn’t seen the latter part. Hearing his father’s urging, he eagerly went to find Xue Jinqiao.

Now a married woman, Xue Jinqiao’s brow had lost its former melancholy and gained a mother’s gentleness, but a thin veil of worry still shrouded her eyes. Watching the wet nurse play with their daughter Manman and hearing her clear laughter, she would occasionally smile, but more often seemed lost in thought.

This wasn’t the first time Shen Yunan had seen her like this. Since the mind-control spell had been broken, that sprite-like, mischievous, and lively young lady had vanished without a trace.

“Young Master,” the maids and wet nurse saw Shen Yunan first.

Raising his hand to let them rise, Shen Yunan first stroked his nearly one-year-old daughter’s head, and held her briefly before handing her to the wet nurse: “You may all leave, I need to speak with the Young Mistress.”

After dismissing the servants, only the couple remained. Xue Jinqiao smiled: “What is it, being so mysterious?”

She appeared no different from before the spell was broken, but Shen Yunan still noticed her forced naturalness. With an almost inaudible sigh, he stepped forward and took her hand: “Today we received a letter from Youyou.”

“Fourth Sister wrote? What did she say? Is she well? How is the Imperial Grandson…” Xue Jinqiao grabbed Shen Yunan’s arm, asking a string of questions.

Given the current tense situation, she had avoided frequently writing to Shen Xihe privately to prevent causing her unnecessary worry, but she truly missed Shen Xihe.

Leading Xue Jinqiao to sit nearby, Shen Yunan said gently: “Youyou is well, but there’s one matter I need to tell you about and need your help with.”

“What is it, tell me!” Xue Jinqiao asked eagerly.

“It’s… about Grandfather…” Since Xue Heng had adopted Xue Jinqiao, he was naturally their grandfather. Shen Yunan continued, “Youyou in the capital have noticed His Majesty controls the Xue clan members. However much Grandfather looks down on the clan members, they’re still blood relatives – how could he become responsible for the clan’s extinction?

Youyou will does your utmost to protect the clan members in the capital. As for Grandfather… I want your help to let him know you work for the Empress Dowager. We need to keep this from Grandfather to protect the Northwest and ensure Youyou stands undefeated in the capital.”

“Grandfather he…” Xue Jinqiao’s face paled, and then she gave a bitter smile, feeling even more ashamed to face Shen Yunan and Shen Xihe.

If she had merely been a victim, causing harm to the Shen family unwittingly, then Grandfather had a choice. But Grandfather chose the Xue clan members. She felt terrible because her only true connection to the Xue family was Grandfather – the rest were cold strangers.

But Grandfather was different. He had once led the Xue family and didn’t want to become their downfall.

“Qiaoqiao, both Youyou and I need you, need your help,” Shen Yunan squeezed Xue Jinqiao’s slightly cold fingertips, looking at her sincerely and expectantly.

Xue Jinqiao couldn’t blame Grandfather’s choice, but to her, those demons of the Xue family couldn’t compare in importance to her married family.

Her eyes grew determined: “Don’t worry, I know what to do.”

Those under mind control would forget their actions while enchanted before the spell was broken. But after breaking it, as long as it wasn’t forcefully broken through willpower like Xiao Huayong had done, but rather gently dissolved by someone, they could remember everything.

Xue Jinqiao still remembered how to pass messages to the Empress Dowager. Shen Yunan told her about Lady Tan’s matter.

This was when Xue Jinqiao passed Lady Tan’s secret to the Empress Dowager.

Working together with Shen Yunan, they let Xue Heng discover subtly that his granddaughter was the Empress Dowager’s agent.

When His Majesty used the Xue family to coerce him, he had somewhat hesitated. But if Xue Jinqiao was the Empress Dowager’s person, once the Shen family discovered this, she would likely have no chance of survival. This strengthened Xue Heng’s resolve to compromise with His Majesty.

But Xue Heng didn’t know this was a trap within a trap, nor did the Empress Dowager know that the letter she received was also part of Shen Xihe’s strategy against her.