Ever since Princess Zhaohua was confined, her residence appeared calm on the surface, but beneath it, currents swirled.
Around the manor, spies from all factions had gathered.
The Crown Prince’s men and the Third Prince’s men were especially active, each hoping to glean some clue from this seemingly sealed estate.
Steward Wang, responsible for daily purchases, left the manor every day and naturally became the focus of attention. That morning, as usual, he exited through the side gate, trailed by several shadows keeping a careful distance.
Steward Wang was well aware of them, but feigned ignorance, wandering through several markets to buy daily necessities. When he reached a quiet spice shop, he stopped and greeted the shopkeeper with practiced familiarity. His voice was pitched just right—low enough to seem casual, yet loud enough for the Third Prince’s spies pretending to browse nearby to hear clearly.
“Sigh, this job is getting harder and harder,” Steward Wang lamented, taking a piece of incense from the shopkeeper and sniffing it carefully.
The shopkeeper chuckled: “Surely you jest, Steward Wang. How could the princess’s household ever lack supplies?”
“It’s not the supplies,” Steward Wang lowered his voice, tinged with dissatisfaction. “It’s the rules. They’ve grown stricter. Some rare medicinal herbs now must be purchased specially from Youzhou.”
“Youzhou? That’s a fine place, rich in goods!” the shopkeeper replied casually.
“A fine place, yes—but also a fat assignment.” Steward Wang shook his head, muttering just loud enough for the eavesdroppers. “Purchasing herbs used to be my duty. But lately, the princess suddenly handed it over to her personal maid. You know how it is—Youzhou is far away, and the prices are whatever the buyer says they are. Now that this lucrative task has fallen to someone else, I…”
He broke off abruptly. “Forget it, forget it. Why am I telling you this? Just the usual—two taels of fine sandalwood.”
He paid, took the wrapped incense, and moved on.
Behind him, a seemingly ordinary customer’s eyes flickered. He quickly settled his bill and left.
The report soon reached the Third Prince’s study.
After hearing the spy’s detailed account, the prince sank into deep thought. His fingers tapped lightly on the table—a habit when he pondered.
“Youzhou purchases… suddenly handed to her maid…” he repeated, chewing over the words. “Would a princess personally concern herself with such trifles?”
He turned to Advisor Fang. “What do you think?”
Advisor Fang mused: “My lord, this is suspicious. For Princess Zhaohua to send her personal maid to Youzhou at such a critical moment—perhaps it is not about herbs at all, but a cover for something else.”
Li Jingyan’s eyes glinted. “Covering what?”
Advisor Fang lowered his voice: “Over the years, the Crown Prince has embezzled vast amounts of grain, sending it to Quanzhou. The military funds are enormous—surely much of that too has been stolen. Such silver must be hidden somewhere. To keep it in the capital would be too risky. But if hidden in Youzhou…”
“Youzhou… that is Princess Jianing’s fief!” the Third Prince suddenly realized.
Advisor Fang nodded. “Exactly. Princess Jianing is the Crown Prince’s full sister. If he hid the stolen silver in Youzhou, it would naturally escape the court’s notice.”
The Third Prince frowned in thought. “Could this be bait deliberately planted by Zhaohua to lure us in?”
Advisor Fang stroked his beard. “Your concern is well‑founded. Princess Zhaohua is deeply calculating. One cannot be careless. And the way this message was leaked was remarkably clever.”
Through the seemingly casual complaints of a minor steward, dropped in idle chatter, yet pointed so clearly.
The Third Prince’s expression grew grave. “Zhaohua’s mind is deep, her methods ruthless. To force the Crown Prince into panic in open court—she is no ordinary opponent.”
“This confinement—who’s to say it isn’t her shield? She deliberately lets slip this news, but for what purpose? To draw me into investigating the Crown Prince? Or to make me clash with him in Youzhou, while she reaps the spoils?”
He rose, pacing the study. “But… what if the news is true? The Crown Prince’s embezzled military funds are vast. Hidden in Jianing’s fief of Youzhou, shielded by her identity—indeed, a clever move. Now that exposure looms, his urgency to transfer or destroy the evidence makes perfect sense.”
“When truth and falsehood intertwine, falsehood may seem true,” Advisor Fang said. “My lord, better to believe it exists than to dismiss it. Yet we must tread with utmost caution—never leap blindly.”
“Agreed.” The Third Prince halted. “We cannot act rashly on a few ambiguous words. We need proof. Send our men to Youzhou to investigate. Their movements must be hidden—neither the Crown Prince nor Zhaohua must suspect. Especially Zhaohua; her manor surely has spies watching ours. Our scouts must observe in the most inconspicuous ways. Only confirm whether anything is amiss—do not approach, do not pry into details. Any sign of disturbance, report at once. No unauthorized action!”
“Yes! I will personally arrange it,” Advisor Fang replied solemnly, knowing the gravity of the matter.
The Third Prince sat back down, his gaze deep. He had chosen the safest, though slowest, path: cautious verification. He needed irrefutable evidence of the silver’s existence and location before taking the next step.
He would not become Zhaohua’s blade, nor stumble into a possible trap.
This game of chess demanded foresight and steadiness.
In the following two days, the capital seemed calm on the surface, yet currents churned beneath.
At the Princess’s manor, Baili Jun sat serenely, reading ancient texts, as though truly reflecting in seclusion. Only Qingluan’s silent nightly reports brought her news of the outside world.
Learning that the Third Prince had not rushed toward Youzhou, but instead activated hidden agents for cautious reconnaissance, Baili Jun did not grow anxious. On the contrary, she smiled faintly in approval.
A cautious opponent was worthy of the elaborate game she had set.
She was certain: once the Third Prince confirmed the truth, his strike would be all the more ruthless and precise.
Meanwhile, at the Third Prince’s manor, he waited like the most patient hunter for reports from Youzhou. Encrypted messages flowed back through secret channels.
When all intelligence was compiled before him, the last trace of doubt vanished from his eyes—replaced by cold killing intent and unshakable resolve.
“As expected! The Crown Prince is preparing to move the stolen silver—it’s at Blackwater Pool!” He slammed the table.
“My lord, we must act quickly! The Crown Prince surely has wind of this too. If he destroys it—” Advisor Fang urged anxiously.
“He won’t have time!” The Third Prince sneered. “Our men have already confirmed the transfer route and the guard strength. Send the order—execute the second plan immediately!”
“Gather the elite. Contact our most reliable ‘Water Ghosts’ in the forests near Blackwater Pool. Target the river forks. At all costs, seize the stolen silver. Capture the fleet’s leader alive. Ensure both men and silver are taken!”
His voice was ironclad, leaving no room for hesitation.