SWHCBB 46

Chapter 46: [Transition Chapter / MVP Summary] One Crisis Ends, Another Begins

Everything unfolded exactly as Zhiyu had planned. A constable discovered a family heirloom jade pendant stolen from a wealthy merchant on Prince Yi’s wife’s younger brother. The matter was immediately reported to the court.

The young man tried to argue that someone had lost the pendant to him as a gambling debt, but when they searched his estate, they found the rest of the stolen gold and jewels.

That changed everything. The princess’s brother was instantly thrown into prison, and Prince Yi came under imperial suspicion for collusion with bandits, confined to his residence under house arrest, forbidden to leave without summons.

Unexpectedly, this gave the Xiang family an opportunity. Xiang Tingxuan led a successful campaign against the bandits, wiping them out completely. His fame soared. Although the Emperor did not lift the confinement on the Empress and the Sixth Prince, his attitude visibly softened, the rest of the Xiang family felt relieved.

The bandit case officially closed one month later.

At Princess Chenyu’s residence, the garden was in full bloom. Flowers lined the winding streams, paving a path to a lake. In the lake stood a pavilion, nestled in blossoms, where two elegantly dressed women sat, each attended by maids, their hairstyles simple yet exuding wealth and status.

All other servants waited outside on the stone paths, ready to serve. Only one guard stood at the entrance of the pavilion, gaze cold and sharp like a poised leopard, ready to strike any intruder.

“If we had followed Your Highness’s suggestion and pushed that fool into leading the campaign, then killed him in the chaos, we’d be done with all this mess.” The “fool” she referred to was the Sixth Prince. The woman spoke slowly, idly toying with a flowerpot as she smiled. Anyone not listening might’ve thought she was just admiring the blossoms.

Luring the Sixth Prince into fighting the bandits and killing him in the chaos would have pinned everything on Prince Yi, two birds with one stone. Better than sitting idle and letting the Xiang family steal all the glory.

The Sixth Prince was an idiot. Once punished by the Emperor, he’d be so rattled he couldn’t even sleep. Dangle the slightest bait and he’d rush to take it.

Wen Yan clipped away a stray branch and glanced at the woman across from her. “Ah-He, this wasn’t our battlefield to begin with. Why be impatient? Move too fast, and we’ll slip. If it traces back to Zhiyu, it’ll all backfire.”

The woman was Gongsun He, eldest daughter of the current Prime Minister and Wen Yan’s close confidante. Few knew she was also one of Wen Yan’s strategists.

Gongsun He smiled with her eyes lowered. “Your Highness is wise. Still, although Prince Yi – or rather, the Third Prince – has now lost his title and is confined to his manor, it’s frustrating to see the Xiang family bask in triumph. I wonder… was this change of plan Your Highness’s idea, or Prince Jin’s?”

Wen Yan sighed. “Nothing gets past you. Fine, since you already guessed, I won’t hide it. Zhiyu didn’t want to go that far. Killing a few officials is one thing, killing a prince is another. He’s afraid Father would investigate and implicate the one he treasures most.”

Gongsun He let out a sigh. What a pity to waste such a perfect opportunity. But it was also amusing. She had long expected that Prince Jin would lose himself in the game, how could he not get personally involved?

“So be it, then. We’ll follow his lead. It’s been a while since I last saw Prince Jin, how is he now?”

“Not well,” Wen Yan said with deep concern. A few days ago, she had visited the general’s estate and found Zhiyu weak and drowsy, barely conscious. Even Jiang Chuang looked haggard from taking care of him. “But he’s hiding something from me again. He refuses to let me leave anyone to treat him, keeps saying he’ll recover, though I don’t know when.”

There was nothing she could do. Unable to argue with him, she had crates of tonic and medicine sent to the general’s estate. When the Emperor heard Prince Jin was gravely ill, he sent generous amounts as well. The storeroom now reeked of medicinal herbs.

“Prince Jin has always had his own mind. If he says he’ll get better, he must believe it. Your Highness, be patient and wait,” Gongsun He consoled her, then raised a new concern. “Before the scandal broke, the Third Prince sent quite a few invitations to the general’s estate, trying to enlist General Jiang’s help. But he received no reply.”

“You mean…” Wen Yan didn’t need her to finish. Her face darkened. “He’s going to target Zhiyu.”

“Hard to say. Right now he’s tied up, but if given the chance, I doubt he’d hesitate to kill Prince Jin.” Gongsun He spoke bluntly. Her guesses were rarely wrong. Though her father seemed neutral in court, in truth, he was loyal to Prince Yi, meaning many of Prince Yi’s moves were within her grasp.

Before Prince Jin entered the estate, Jiang Chuang had never rejected the Third Prince’s friendly overtures and had even helped him a few times. But once Prince Jin moved in, everything changed. If the Third Prince still didn’t realize who the problem was, he’d have to be a fool.

Given his cunning, he might already suspect Wen Yan’s plans.

They only had the advantage of being underestimated, posing as weak and harmless so their enemies tore each other apart, never realizing they were the oriole watching the mantis stalking the cicada.

But once their true aim was exposed, both the Third and Sixth Princes could move against them easily.

Wen Yan grew even more anxious. “This…”

Gongsun He had already prepared for this. “Your Highness, Xige still shows no signs of ending the war. General Jiang will have to return to the border eventually. Why not send Prince Jin with him? Far from the capital, far from the power struggle, it’s the safest option.”

“But the border’s harsh. How is that good for Zhiyu’s recovery? Why make him suffer?” Wen Yan immediately opposed it, as Gongsun He had expected.

She knew Wen Yan understood everything, she only needed a nudge.

“Prince Jin is brilliant, no doubt. But his health is poor. Staying in the capital, not only will he be unable to help us, even protecting himself will be difficult. General Jiang can protect him, yes, but in the capital he has no command. He’s just one man. How long can he hold out? Besides, Your Highness. Do you really think letting him stay in the capital, caught up in schemes and worry, will help him heal? The border may be dangerous, but is it more dangerous than the capital?”

There were cities at the border. Zhiyu wouldn’t need to be on the front lines, just staying in town would be enough, far from the battlefield, and relatively safe. The only downside was that life would be rougher than in the capital.

Wen Yan sighed. “You’re right. No matter what, I have to keep Zhiyu safe. If I succeed, I’ll bring him back in glory. If I fall, at least he’ll survive.”

Gongsun He smiled in satisfaction. Jiang Chuang’s deep affection for Zhiyu was the best outcome, it gave Zhiyu a greater chance to survive.