Chapter 120: One Returns, Another Disappears

Shen Hezhi nodded. In a strict sense, the woman before him was someone he should call mother. However, given how abruptly she had appeared in his life, he found it impossible to bring himself to utter the word.

"Very well, I have said everything I intended to say. You may leave now. Anuo will escort you back to the frontier; you need not worry," Nanxing said with a faint smile.

Shen Hezhi nodded and turned to leave, but as his hand touched the door handle, he paused and turned back to look at her once more.

"Princess, I am curious—whose side is Anuo really on?" he asked.

Nanxing was slightly taken aback by the question. "She has been my person from the very beginning. It is just that over the years, many matters have required someone to gather intelligence, so she became my eyes, searching for clues everywhere."

Shen Hezhi nodded, his confusion clearing. It all made sense now—why someone who appeared to be in the Fourth Prince’s service had helped him escape the dungeon. Anuo was truly a consummate spy; even someone as shrewd as the Fourth Prince had failed to realize he had such a person in his inner circle.

As Shen Hezhi departed, Nanxing watched his retreating figure, feeling a sense of deep relief. If her daughter had a man like this to care for her, she would surely be free from worry for the rest of her life. She sighed and returned to her desk to continue reading. She did not intend to stay in this cabin for long. As she had told Shen Hezhi, her time in this world was drawing to a close. This was not due to illness or pursuit, but because she had made all the necessary preparations to strike at the heart of the Nanyang royal family.

Meanwhile, Anuo had safely escorted Shen Hezhi back to the post house. Upon his arrival, however, he found everyone looking dejected. While some were relieved to see him return, their expressions quickly soured. Their unusual behavior immediately filled him with a sense of dread. His heart tightened as he noticed the absence of his Princess Consort among the crowd.

"Where is the Princess?" he demanded, a dark premonition taking hold.

Mo Yi looked around, noticing that the others seemed reluctant to speak. Gritting her teeth, she gathered her courage and stepped forward. "The Princess went out to search for your whereabouts, Your Highness. She had returned, but then something happened, and she left again. We haven't seen her since."

Mo Yi braced herself for a reprimand, but it never came. Shen Hezhi simply stood there with a grim, silent expression. Those around him, many of whom had served under him for years, were terrified; they rarely saw the Prince this angry. The veterans among them recalled that the last time he had displayed such fury, it had been over matters concerning his mother.

"Could none of you protect one woman?" Shen Hezhi’s voice became unnervingly calm, devoid of any outward heat. "Or did you simply not care enough about her?"

This abnormal reaction left everyone unsure of his current state of mind or what he intended to do. Seeing their silence, he continued, "I expect you to find the Princess within the week."

He turned and left before anyone could respond. Lord Dongfang stood by, brow furrowed. After Shen Hezhi disappeared, Mo Yi approached the lord, asking anxiously, "Lord Dongfang, could you please help us search for the Princess?"

"Even if you had not asked, I would have done my utmost to find her," Dongfang Qing replied.

Mo Yi nodded in gratitude. Although Shen Hezhi had returned safely—a moment that should have been cause for celebration and planning for the next offensive—no one dared to approach him. Everyone kept their heads down, barely daring to breathe.

Yan Heru’s disappearance had occurred the previous night, at the very time Shen Hezhi had made his escape. When he arrived at the post house in the dead of night, he had expected quiet, but instead found the courtyard filled with people frantically holding torches, whispering, and searching. That was how he had discovered her absence.

He had returned with vital information, only to find his wife gone. In his study, he stared gloomily at the reports Lord Dongfang had provided regarding the war between the two nations. He had no heart to analyze them or plan the next move.

"Damn it! Who did this?"

He desperately wanted to interrogate those who had last seen her, but he locked himself in his study, knowing that if he faced them now, he would be unable to contain his rage and would likely lash out at them. He had to wait until his emotions were under control.

About an hour later, he opened the study door. Most of the people in the courtyard had already set out to search for Yan Heru. He looked at Mo Yi. "Were you the last one to see the Princess?"

Mo Yi was startled by his sudden appearance, but she quickly composed herself. "Yes. The Princess sent me to prepare some herbs. After I delivered them to her room, she sent me away. When I returned later to check if she was resting, I found the room empty."