Chapter 1553: Returning to the Capital
Editor: Henyee Translations

The impact of the revelation struck the Deputy Prefect’s wife like a lightning bolt. Her body went limp, and she slid down weakly, seated on the ground as she covered her face in tears.

It dawned on her – if she hadn’t received the news from the Fourth Prince and incessantly picked fights with Shao Yunduan and Qiao Xuan, none of this would have unfolded!

Regret consumed her. If only she hadn’t provoked them, none of this would have transpired. So, why did she provoke them? Now, in their pitiful state, even daring to mention the Fourth Prince was beyond their reckoning.

They couldn’t dare to mention him. To utter his name might hasten their demise…

A few days later, Shao Yunduan’s ‘injury’ was no longer a hindrance. He only needed to recuperate during the journey, so they set off again.

Xie Jingrong also appeared, en route to the capital, deciding to travel alongside Shao Yunduan and the others.

News of Shao Yunduan’s supposed assassination reached the capital, enraging the Crown Prince. He issued orders for magistrates to ensure Shao Yunduan’s careful escort, even echoing the Emperor’s sentiments.

With the addition of the eldest son of the Xie Family, the journey became significantly safer.

As long as the princes weren’t foolish, they wouldn’t continue their assaults after the Emperor’s proclamation. Doing so would disrespect the Emperor, and given the Emperor’s character, a thorough investigation would follow, leaving the princes with no escape.

Moreover, the Emperor required no concrete evidence; a mere suspicion sufficed to bring consequences upon the princes.

The Fourth Prince seethed with anger but had no choice but to swallow it. The proposal to appoint Shao Yunduan as the envoy wasn’t merely to send him away from the capital; it was a plan to eliminate him during his departure.

Unanticipated was his wife’s insistence on accompanying him. Nevertheless, it served his purpose – let the couple live and die together, becoming a spectral pair in the netherworld!

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On the journey, he dared not take any rash actions. If he inadvertently harmed the Prince of Qingdi and jeopardized the marriage alliance, he wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences.

Shao Yunduan and the others were well aware of this, so they took no extra precautions along the way.

The Fourth Prince, on the return trip, had anticipated eliminating Shao Yunduan and Qiao Xuan before reaching the West Pass, but he faced total defeat!

He even went to great lengths, spending considerable sums to bribe a notorious group of bandits outside the Northern Territory. Unexpectedly, General Longhu intervened, thwarting his plans at the brink of success.

Having bribed the Deputy Prefect of Yanzhou, who was under his influence, he directed the Deputy Prefect to set up a trap in collaboration with his accomplices. The aim was to bypass Shao Yunduan and seize Qiao Xuan.

Unlike Shao Yunduan, Qiao Xuan was not as heavily guarded. With meticulous planning and catching her off guard, the Fourth Prince believed success was within reach.

Once in his custody, he had no intentions of surrendering her easily. He planned to keep her under house arrest in an undisclosed location. However, he would instruct her to write periodic letters to Shao Yunduan, demonstrating her continued existence, with the Crown Prince being kept informed.

All of these machinations would be conducted in utmost secrecy, leaving no visible traces of evidence.

His goal was to test whether the Crown Prince would still place trust in Shao Yunduan and elevate him to a significant position once Qiao Xuan was in the Fourth Prince’s grasp. Unlikely!

This, to him, was the essence of revenge!