If it is truly as Marshal Baowei just said, then this Eighth Princess...

To be safe, the Great Commander did not delay further and immediately went in person.

Dong Huiying paced in place, calculating as she spoke.

"I had this feeling before, until I realized that all her behaviors were too ’normal’. She acted too much like a failed person exposed, but there’s one problem..."

"Such a big event happened in the Capital where she’s been operating for years, how could she really know nothing about it? Even if she didn’t get the news immediately, so much time has passed, she should have noticed something by now. How could she genuinely have heard nothing at all?"

"Although Zhi Chen ordered a lockdown, I believe there are always oversights. Not to mention whether there are secret passages in the city; just... carrier pigeons, for example. The city gates can block people, but not those little animals flying over the sky."

"Moreover, she has always given us the impression of being quite stupid, but if she were truly stupid, how did she manage to harm the Ninth Princess like this in the beginning?"

"She must be very shrewd, as cunning and means are two different things. I always feel there are too many whys about this person..."

"And if it’s really as I suspect, then why did she act like this today? Is she trying to confuse us? Also... she actually had a chance to escape, like before the Great Commander sent someone to catch her, or on the way to Dongdi, I don’t believe she didn’t prepare at all, nor do I believe she has no backup plans."

"Now that I think about it, there are a lot of doubts."

The Empress pondered, "You’re right. It seems... I am, indeed, useless."

Though she said ’useless’ verbally, her expression gradually darkened.

On the Phoenix Throne, being capable of sitting in this position requires learning that Emperor’s Art.

Yet today, the Empress was outsmarted by her own daughter.

...

At the same time, in the small woods.

...

The forest wind rustled.

Shu Yu looked like an Immortal, dressed in white like snow, cold and exceptional, with even a faint expression that carried a sense of ethereal detachment.

However, there was a small bruise on the corner of his lips, a touch of darkness around his eyes, and the white clothes he wore were... covered with large footprints.

Not long ago, he was violently attacked by his brothers, and this ethereal and aloof Immortal was kicked around by his own brothers.

Though Shu Yu had a bruised face, the others did not fare any better. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

The goblin-like Shujun stood to the side holding her waist, gritting her teeth.

Yue Ning, although dimwitted, was now violently rubbing his own cheek.

Lao Er Haoming kept a straight face without any expression, but walking as if limping.

Even the eldest brother, Big Brother Liang Zhichen, was... sigh!

Don’t mention it.

In short, even though Shu Yu was bruised, none of the brothers were left unscathed, almost all of them were injured.

Second Master Shu Yu fought against four, clearly outnumbered by his brothers, but in the end, it was still a mutual defeat, failing to overpower them.

"Little Liu is too cunning."

Shujun, dressed in red, sucked her teeth and pulled out a small mirror from her bosom. Seeing her gums bleeding, she got even angrier.

"He’s as sly as a monkey, ran off the moment a fight was about to start, claiming grandly that he was off to Your Majesty to fetch a bride master. I reckon he calculated that even if we joined forces, we’d definitely not beat Lao Er."