"That man, Zhuo Fengxin, is highly skilled. Your subordinate dared not follow too closely. All I could confirm is that they left the city, but as for where they went afterward, I cannot say."
"Men from the Capital Garrison, carrying the Crown Princess's seal, retrieved a group of condemned criminals from the Ministry of Justice's prison..."
Eldest Prince frowned deeply, unable to piece together the scattered clues.
"Have their identities been confirmed?"
"Yes, all their records are here."
The spy respectfully presented a slim booklet.
Eldest Prince flipped through it, but the confusion in his expression only deepened.
These people were far too... ordinary.
Not only were they unworthy of someone like Yun Shu, they could not even compare to a middling court official. It was inconceivable that someone of Yun Shu's standing would involve herself with such insignificant figures.
"Continue investigating."
The less sense something makes, the more likely it conceals something critical.
Eldest Prince's voice turned cold and firm.
"No matter the cost, uncover the truth behind this."
His eyes narrowed.
"This prince must see what Yun Shu is scheming in the shadows, what unspeakable secrets she hides."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The spy bowed and turned to leave, but after a pause, hesitated.
"There is... one more thing, though it is only a rumor, and unverified at that."
"What rumor?"
If it were a mere passing tale, this man would not wear such a serious expression.
Eldest Prince's gaze sharpened. "Where did you hear it?"
"On the way here, Your Highness. I overheard a few commoners on the roadside. One of them claimed he heard the assassin who attacked the Crown Princess at Tian Waitian Restaurant yesterday… speak in the tongue of Bei Xiang."
Knowing the potential weight of such information, the spy dared not omit a single detail.
"But the commoner also said he only caught two words, and even then he was unsure. It may well have been a mistake."
A mistake?
Eldest Prince waved the man off.
The spy bowed and withdrew.
Left alone, Eldest Prince paced to his desk, sat down, and with a flick of his brush, wrote four characters across the paper before him: Bei Xiang assassin. Condemned criminals.
Of course, he had heard of the assassination attempt on Yun Shu.
The attack took place in broad daylight, practically on the street for all to see.
However, Yun Shu had been seated in a private box tucked deeper within the restaurant. Its windows faced the secluded Xianting Garden in the rear, not the bustling street. So while sounds of battle echoed from the rooftops, few could clearly witness what transpired.
At most, the people heard the clash of blades. Those watching from afar may have glimpsed shadows flitting across the roofs, combatants leaping skyward now and then.
But none of that could have revealed the assassins' true identities.
Moreover, during the morning court session, Imperial Father had stated plainly that the attackers were remnants of the deposed Crown Prince's faction.
But what if they were not?
What if those assassins were from Bei Xiang?
Why would Imperial Father and Yun Shu conceal such a thing?
Was it to avoid war?
But the national treasury now held ample silver. Even if a war did break out, the empire could well afford it.
Unless...
Unless they feared that if war did erupt, the military commanders—many of whom supported Eldest Prince—would rise in prominence. The gains they made might strengthen Eldest Prince's own faction further.
Or perhaps—
Eldest Prince's mind flashed to the Ninth Prince of Bei Xiang.
That pale, soft-featured man.
Could Yun Shu have fallen for his looks? Had she been swayed by charm?
Conspiracies churned endlessly through his mind.
He set the brush down with a sharp thud.
Yun Shu was nothing like the deposed Crown Prince.
The former Crown Prince had secured his position solely due to being the Empress's legitimate son. His status earned him near-unanimous support from the court, particularly from Imperial Father. It was stable, yes, but also brittle—every misstep risked shattering that foundation.
Yun Shu, by contrast, had no such backing.
When Imperial Father raised her as Crown Princess, it was a thunderclap before anyone could react. She had almost no supporters in the beginning.
Yet each of her steps since then had been deliberate, solidifying her power little by little.
Eldest Prince dared not imagine how unshakable her position would become if left unchecked.
Even now, she was already far more difficult to deal with than her predecessor.
If he could seize this chance… if he could exploit this moment…
Perhaps he truly could eliminate Yun Shu in a single stroke.
Three days later, after sacrificing several deeply embedded informants, Eldest Prince finally received news.
"According to the wife of Imperial Physician Song, the reason Yun Shu sent those physicians to the countryside manor was because the ailment they are treating is likely contagious.
She was extremely anxious about it. In her sleep, she even mumbled about falling ill herself."
"...Your Highness."
One of Eldest Prince's advisors, summoned to strategize, fell silent in thought. A moment later, a flicker of realization crossed his face.
"Could it be… smallpox?"
"Smallpox?"
Eldest Prince blinked. His eyes lit up instantly.
"Yes, of course. Word has already reached the court that a plague has broken out in Bei Xiang. A small border town was devastated, left nearly empty from the spread of smallpox.
If the assassins came from Bei Xiang, it is entirely possible they brought the disease with them.
On the day of the attack at Tian Waitian, Yun Shu's Dragon Shadow Guards fought the assassins directly. They may have been infected.
The patients on that countryside estate… they may be those very guards."
"If it were only one Dragon Shadow Guard, she would not have gone to such lengths."
The advisor's tone turned grave.
"In my view, the Crown Princess may be using this chance to search for a cure for smallpox."
"A cure for smallpox? Is that even possible?"
Eldest Prince, much like Emperor Xuanwu when he first heard of it, instinctively dismissed the idea.
"Since ancient times, countless renowned physicians have devoted their lives to curing smallpox. None succeeded.
Even if Yun Shu has devised many unheard-of inventions, medicine is a different matter altogether. Can such a cure simply appear from thin air?"
"I too find it difficult to believe," the advisor admitted, brows furrowed. "But if we are to explain His Majesty's and the Crown Princess's strange behavior… that is the only conclusion that fits."
"Your Highness."
The advisor's voice lowered.
"If the Crown Princess truly succeeds in this endeavor, then I fear…"
He did not finish the sentence.
He didn't have to.
If Yun Shu could even overcome smallpox…
Then Eldest Prince would never have another chance.