In the sprawling mansions adjacent to the Shen Mansion, the servants moved in and out in an orderly manner. Amidst the lingering scent of osmanthus, the Old Madam Shen walked along the corridor.

"What did you say?" She halted her steps, and the smile on her face gradually disappeared. She frowned at Shen Ji, and asked angrily, "Someone was captured?"

Shen Ji bowed his head, a bit annoyed, and said, "Shen Ning is agile. His martial skills aren’t high, but his ability to escape is top-notch. In the blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace. My men went after him, but midway, a group showed up... three died, and two were captured..." He was too afraid to continue, fearing his mother’s reprimand.

The Old Madam Shen’s cold gaze shot towards Shen Ji, and she scolded, "You can’t even handle this small matter!" After speaking, she suppressed her anger and asked, "Who were those people? Any leads?" Whoever dared to attack their people, capturing and killing, was clearly not a well-meaning party.

Shen Ji shook his head: "Those people moved swiftly. I’ve never seen them before. They seemed like death warriors raised by some mansion." His face was full of confusion, unable to determine the origins of these people.

The Old Madam Shen withdrew her gaze, her mind active with thoughts. Shen An and Shen Ning had only arrived in the Capital three days ago. Few would know of their arrival here. Who could have not only discovered their whereabouts but also clearly understood their intentions, catching them off guard?

A thought struck her, and she turned her eyes to Shen Ji, asking, "You said Shen An, after arriving in the Capital, visited the Governor Mansion?"

Shen Ji nodded, replying, "Didn’t see them coming out of the Governor Mansion with my own eyes, but the direction they headed seemed unmistakable." He paused and thought of Fourth Madam’s issue: "And there’s another matter. Shen Ning intercepted a carriage halfway. I didn’t pay attention at the time, but later the carriage overturned, and Fourth Master Xiao arrived. From afar, I glimpsed what looked like Fourth Madam and the two maids with her."

"What?" The Old Madam Shen was too enraged to speak: "How could you be so thoughtless!" After speaking, she glared at her son in frustration, scolding, "No need to investigate those people; they’re surely under Fourth Master Xiao. After you injured Fourth Madam, how could he easily let those people leave?"

It seems this time Fourth Master Xiao really bears a grudge against them.

This person may seem decent and honest, but when it comes to doing things, he can use any means, like a hidden leopard that one should not provoke; if provoked, he won’t relent until all is lost.

The Eldest Prince is still young, with unstable power, and she doesn’t want to tear faces with Fourth Master Xiao now; otherwise, it would be a significant trouble for them.

But now those assassins must have been captured by him, and he surely knows it was their doing. Although Fourth Madam was unintentionally hurt, the matter is still tied to them.

The Old Madam Shen tightly furrowed her brows, feeling a throbbing headache.

Shen Ji, somewhat uncertain, said: "I saw Fourth Madam was seriously injured, perhaps... a miscarriage occurred."

The Old Madam Shen was no longer angry. She rubbed her forehead and called over the waiting maid in the distance, saying weakly, "Help me back." She looked again at Shen Ji: "We’ll talk back at the residence."

"Mother." Shen Ji, uneasy, came over to support the Old Madam Shen, and the mother and son returned to the Old Madam’s room.

The Old Madam Shen drank a sip of hot tea, calming her emotions. Setting down the teacup, she spoke as if to herself, or perhaps asking Shen Ji, "Fourth Master Xiao doing this, is also to protect Shen An and Shen Ning... he can’t possibly be protecting them purely, could he..."

"What do you mean?" Shen Ji was puzzled. Back then, the Shen Family in Fujian and Marquis Xuanning were associated. The late Empress married the Emperor also through the matchmaking of Marquis Xuanning, which wasn’t explicitly expressed but was known by many. Though at the time, the political situation was unclear, Xiao Yanji was quite close to the Third Prince, so people couldn’t figure out whether Marquis Xuanning supported the Emperor or the Third Prince.

Only when the Emperor returned to the Capital and ascended the throne did the matter clear up.

"Quickly!" The Old Madam Shen looked at Shen Ji: "Go find that actor who was with Fourth Master Xiao back then, and bring her into the mansion. I want to question her myself!"

Shen Ji was stunned: "Mother, why are you bringing this up again?"

The Old Madam Shen furrowed her brows: "Fool, rather than muddling through this matter, it’s better for us to take some trouble. How do you not understand, Shen An is fleeing everywhere but specifically came to the Capital. The Emperor hasn’t inquired about them for years, and yet they still came to the Capital. Have you thought about why?"

Shen Ji was stunned, suddenly realizing: "You mean, they have a trump card, a support?"

The Old Madam Shen nodded, pondering for a moment before saying: "If they had no support, why would they come to the Capital, right under our noses, where it’s even more dangerous? Over the years, the Emperor ignored them partly because of consideration of us and the Empress, and partly because of leftover anger toward the Shen Family for their carelessness in Fujian that fell into the Third Prince’s trap. This fact we know, they must also realize, yet they still came here, that can only indicate this point."

"You’re right." Shen Ji, somewhat agitated, stood up: "I’ll go find that actor now and bring him into the mansion for you to interrogate yourself." Better to mistakenly kill than let go; that child is a descendant from the Emperor’s first wife, by then those stubborn old officials will surely support him.

Having spoken, Shen Ji dared not linger any longer and quickly turned to leave.

The Old Madam Shen watched her son’s hurried departure, and could only sigh. Her greatest regret in this life was having only one son; otherwise, if he had brothers to assist, the Eldest Prince would have more uncles to support him, and she wouldn’t have to worry so much.

Two days later, Shen Ji returned to report to the Old Madam Shen: "The place where she once lived is now empty. I’ve sent people to inquire thoroughly, but surprisingly no one knows that a woman once lived there." Having said that, his expression changed.

The situation was quite clear, it was evident that the actor had been deliberately placed there for him to investigate, and once their people left, the actor was removed?

Thinking about this, Shen Ji couldn’t help but shiver, realizing he had indeed underestimated Fourth Master Xiao.

The Old Madam Shen sighed and waved her hand, saying: "This matter needs no further investigation. I see Fourth Master Xiao clearly doesn’t want us to pursue it further, thus he staged this. However this ends, it’s already unimportant. The grudge with the Xiao Family is unresolvable even if we didn’t want it."

Shen Ji thought of the hardships he experienced with Fourth Master Xiao in Liaodong; if not for Fourth Master Xiao, he would have long been buried there. Now, the ebb and flow of events turned them into political rivals.

Somewhat defeated, he sat down.

But the Old Madam Shen said gravely: "Since it’s so, I see that child should be verified when the opportunity is appropriate." Better to mistakenly kill than leave any.

Though hard to accept, Shen Ji still nodded, saying, "I understand." He paused and looked at the Old Madam Shen: "Mother, should this be told to the Empress?"