Who is it?

The guard truly had a hard time explaining.

Couldn’t possibly say it’s just a small captain from the Nanliang Military Camp, right?

Such an identity, even if a hundred of them were added together, wouldn’t be worthy of Prince Beimo.

The guard’s heart moved, and he said, "The messenger said that after the Prince sees the painting, he will definitely guess his identity."

Prince Beimo inspected the painting carefully but found nothing peculiar.

Instead, there was a piece of paper in the brocade box with a single character: North.

However, the brocade box had three characters written on it: Unity Gu.

Not many in the world know about Unity Gu.

The guard had just asked him if he was Prince Beimo, indicating he was not Beimo.

"Were you sent by Princess Consort Zhenbei?" Prince Beimo asked.

"... ."

The guard was stunned.

It’s one thing to mistake a Nanliang person for a Daqi person.

But mistaking a man for a woman...

This mistake was way too outrageous!

The guard didn’t deny it, letting Prince Beimo misunderstand was just as well.

Prince Beimo was puzzled as to why Princess Consort Zhenbei would send such a painting to him.

He looked at it from all angles but found nothing amiss.

Yet, since it was sent deliberately, it must carry deep meaning.

Unable to comprehend, Prince Beimo took the painting to King Beimo.

The King immediately saw through the purpose of sending the painting, his face darkened.

Prince Beimo noticed the King’s expression and knew it wasn’t good news. He asked, "Father, this painting... ."

"It’s Prince Cheng’s original work," King Beimo said.

Prince Beimo’s eyes suddenly widened.

Prince Cheng?

Isn’t he supposed to be dead?!

This painting not only had an inscription but also a timestamp, painted just twenty days ago.

Could Princess Consort Zhenbei be hinting that Prince Cheng is still alive by sending this painting to him?

The King feared it was mistaken, so he summoned Prince Cheng’s past submissions, comparing them, and confirmed it was unmistakably Prince Cheng’s handwriting.

Upon confirmation, King Beimo grew angrier.

Prince Cheng deceived him by pretending to save him while seizing power. If not for Marquis Dongxiang, who released him considering the greater picture, the state of Beimo would be unknown today.

Thinking Prince Cheng dead, the grudge was thought settled; unexpectedly, he was still alive!

"Do you know where Prince Cheng is now?" King Beimo asked.

Prince Beimo shook his head.

He had no idea the painting was Prince Cheng’s original work, let alone his whereabouts.

The items delivered only included a brocade box, knowing it involved Prince Cheng, he scrutinized every clue on the box.

Prince Cheng colluded with Nanliang; his greatest likelihood is in Nanliang, as evidenced by the unique Nanliang embossing on the brocade box.

Moreover, if Prince Cheng were in Daqi, Princess Consort Zhenbei wouldn’t have sent such a painting to Beimo but directly captured him and delivered him.

What a Prince Cheng!

Managed to deceive everyone thoroughly!

Prince Beimo looked at King Beimo, asking, "Could Imperial Sister’s disappearance be related to Prince Cheng?"

King Beimo had the same suspicion; his face cold, "If he dares harm Jing Shan, I will never forgive him!"

Taking deep breaths, King Beimo subdued his anger.

Previously believing Prince Cheng dead, having gone to Daqi to save him resulting in his death—the man dying like a lamp extinguished—even knowing Prince Cheng’s rescue was insincere, King Beimo did nothing to Prince Cheng’s family.

He had to consider public opinion, not only refraining from harming Prince Cheng’s family but also treating them well.

Now aware Prince Cheng lived and hid in Nanliang, like a dormant snake waiting to leap and bite him harshly—would King Beimo still tolerate him?

Even considering appearances, he would not be helpless regarding Prince Cheng’s family.

King Beimo immediately granted Prince Cheng’s family a grand mansion, moving them into the Capital, while promoting Prince Cheng’s son to higher ranks...

In essence, under the guise of caring for Prince Cheng’s family, he placed them under close watch, the Yan Family surveilling them.

The guard delivered the painting and left the palace, not resting a night in Beimo, hurriedly departing.

Prince Cheng could never have imagined that Xie Jingchen discovered he still lived, crafting a meticulous pit for him, effortlessly revealing his continued existence to King Beimo with merely a painting.

On the seventh day after the guard’s departure, news reached King Beimo that Princess Jing Shan went to Nanliang to visit her maternal aunt, Princess Consort Mo.

Although he had suspected this related to Prince Cheng, hearing the news outraged King Beimo.

Fear turmoil.

Fear that Nanliang and Prince Cheng might repeat history.

Once, Prince Cheng went to Nanliang to celebrate, took his daughter, whom the Emperor of Nanliang favored, becoming a cherished concubine.

Had King Beimo been informed earlier, he would never have agreed.

Now Princess Jing Shan, held by Nanliang, was claimed to have gone willingly, falsely labeled as her own decision!

Slandering King Beimo not enough, even granting him a reputation for gratitude, enraging him intensely.

King Beimo feared Nanliang would declare his daughter enamored with someone in Nanliang, intending marriage.

When Princess Jing Shan disappeared, she was accompanied only by a palace maid, now in Nanliang’s hands, with them free to act at their will.

King Beimo regretted deeply.

He should never have let his daughter decide her own marriage.

Had he not consented, she wouldn’t have left the palace, wouldn’t have been kidnapped.

But there’s no remedy for regret, too late now.

Prince Beimo wanted to go to Nanliang to bring Princess Jing Shan back. King Beimo gazed at him, saying, "If you go, besides becoming another hostage for Nanliang to extort Beimo, what good will it do?"

Beimo Empress learned of Princess Jing Shan’s situation in Nanliang, weeping, begged King Beimo, "Quickly bring our daughter back."

King Beimo was even more troubled.

After comforting Beimo Empress, King Beimo dispatched a minister to fetch Princess Jing Shan, saying, "Inform them that I’ve chosen a husband for Princess Jing Shan, bringing her back to marry."

The Beimo minister’s heart was heavy.

Intuition told him this Nanliang trip would not be smooth, though diplomats between nations aren’t harmed...

Without delay, the Beimo minister embarked for Nanliang.

No matter how fast the carriage ran, it felt too slow, fearing arrival might mean Princess plucked like a blossom by then.

These affairs, Xie Jingchen was unaware of; had he known Princess Jing Shan hadn’t asked Zhao Xu to escort her back to Beimo, he might have hinted a message in the painting.

The reason he asked Zhao Xu to rescue Princess Jing Shan was that he couldn’t act directly, also to grant Zhao Xu the merit.

Saving Princess Jing Shan, escorting her back to Beimo, for Beimo a significant favor.

In future warfare, needing Beimo’s aid, Beimo couldn’t easily refuse.

Who knew Princess Jing Shan was so problematic? Such merit, despite being thrust upon Zhao Xu, unwilling to accept, causing King Beimo to go gray in anguish.