Chapter 74: The Enigmatic Fox

Chapter 74: The Enigmatic Fox

For an imperial prince to personally visit the capital's magistracy over a courtesan's disappearance was indeed unbecoming, so under the advisement of his advisors, Yuan Ya eventually refrained from going himself. However, he still instructed his subordinates to deliver a message, ordering the capital's magistracy to thoroughly investigate the matter.

The capital's magistracy received this request somewhat helplessly. In the eyes of local officials, it was merely a petty case of a patron and a rival vying for the affections of a courtesan, a common occurrence on the city's gilded streets that could often be resolved by the brothels' own guards without involving the authorities. But since this patron happened to have crossed paths with an imperial prince over the same courtesan, they had no choice but to investigate as ordered.

Initially, based on the third prince's description, the woman in question was said to possess unparalleled beauty, with rare mismatched eyes of red and green, and was accompanied by a madam with a southern accent. She had been mysteriously abducted one night. It seemed like a straightforward case to solve. However, upon investigation, there were no leads at all.

Firstly, the owner of the house turned out to be an agent who had rented it out on behalf of someone else. When questioned, the agent revealed that the one who had leased the property was the madam, who claimed to have come to the capital to seek refuge with relatives, bringing her daughter along. The daughter had fallen ill, but the agent had never actually seen the daughter's face.

We had, however, reported our travel permit to the local chief, who had only registered a mother and daughter coming from Fuzhou: Mother Lu Sanmei and her daughter Yan Xiaoyan. Most likely, these were pseudonyms, but such was a common scenario among covert prostitutes in the capital. Many households in the capital were inhabited by people from other regions who had entered the city under assumed names, working in the pleasure industry for a few years to earn their living, before returning home, transformed, to marry into reputable families with clean backgrounds.

The official-sponsored music academy did have genuine names but was not allowed to operate outside the capital. The mother and daughter had been in the city for less than a week, so naturally, they weren't official courtesans. However, examining their travel permits, there were no records of them leaving the city.

Upon closer inspection of the scene, it was even more perplexing. The door bolt had been chopped off, and both the courtesan and her madam had been dragged away. With such a commotion in a narrow alleyway, in the midst of the bustling and crowded Pleasure Lane, how could all the neighbors claim to have heard or seen nothing?

The experienced judge, however, suspected a scam known as "immortal jumping," and believed that the mother and daughter had left of their own accord. However, all the valuables and money were still present. The attendants and bodyguards of the third prince testified that they had to pay a hundred taels of silver as compensation for breaking a lamp belonging to the foreign woman. The hundred taels of silver and the dowry were still there, along with several other valuable items such as a jeweled makeup box, a jade bonsai, and several pieces of calligraphy and paintings, all of which were verified to be authentic and quite valuable. They could be pawned for several thousand taels of silver, but it was not easy to sell them in a hurry. The fact that these valuable items were still in the room and had not been moved suggested that money was not the motive, which was against common sense. If the mother and daughter had left voluntarily, and the situation was arranged like this, then who was the scam of "immortal jumping" intended to deceive?

The investigation officers from the Jingzhao Prefecture exchanged glances, but they were at a loss. The veteran bailiff had questioned the neighborhood headman on Golden Powder Street, the well-informed matchmakers who wandered from village to village, and other madams, all of whom claimed that the mother and daughter had simply fallen ill upon their arrival and kept to themselves. No one had heard of them offending any malicious clients.

The entire capital was scoured, and three days passed. Not to mention finding a courtesan with yin-yang eyes, not even a cat with such eyes could be spotted.

The Metropolitan Governor slammed the gavel onto the table with a resounding thud. "Pseudonyms and false identities, you claim that the intruder is also fictitious. So, who reported to Prince San? What could that mother and daughter possibly have been after, if not his wealth?"

The clerks and constables were speechless in the courtroom. After a while, the clerk said, "But, Your Excellency, it's clear that Prince San is determined to find this courtesan. He won't be satisfied if we can't locate her. It would be better to insist that this mother and daughter came to the capital to devise a deceitful scheme. Upon learning of Prince San's identity, they were frightened and fled in the middle of the night."

The magistrate irritably stroked his beard. "They fled in the middle of the night, leaving behind their wealth, books, and paintings. Can you believe it? They even pawned their jade lantern for money. And they say she was incredibly beautiful. How could she be willing to part with all this wealth? Could it be that they encountered some sort of ghostly encounter?"

At this moment, a servant mustered his courage and suggested, "Why not honestly explain the situation to Third Prince and then say that you've previously heard rumors of fox spirits haunting Golden Powder Street? Perhaps Third Prince encountered one, and being intimidated by the imperial aura, she didn't dare to cause trouble and thus fled?"

The prefect gazed at him speechlessly. "A wise child does not speak of supernatural phenomena. Do you really think the Third Prince is naive? Can he be so easily deceived? Quickly, search again! I refuse to believe that such a meticulously crafted scheme would end without consequence."

The servants and bailiffs exchanged helpless glances, but they could only bow in agreement. After seeing the magistrate off, one of them grumbled, "He doesn't dare to report to Prince Three directly, so why take his frustration out on us?"

"I find the conjecture plausible. Those two women initially intended to devise a scheme to swindle money, but upon arriving in the capital, they likely encountered an imperial prince and, out of fear, fled without even gathering their belongings."

"What use is there in discussing such trivial matters? They consume our days, forcing us to search endlessly. Even if we were to capture a vixen with yin-yang eyes, it would suffice as a temporary distraction."

"Haha, that calico cat is worth more than you or me, let alone a woman favored by an imperial prince. Go ahead and search."

"I believe there's a strong possibility in what Prince Sixth mentioned about the fox spirit. Why don't we spread the rumor? Perhaps Third Prince himself will fall for it. That way, he won't vent his anger on us."

"In such a vast city, one must be inspected when leaving through the gates. I suspect she's still hiding somewhere within the city. We should search more diligently."

"Haha, if you want to look, then go ahead. These past few days, I've been employing local ruffians to help in the search, spending quite a fortune on food and drink! A woman as captivating as that, even with a veil, wouldn't escape the notice of street urchins. Since she hasn't been found among common folk, it seems she's hidden away just as Third Prince suggested, in the deep courtyards of some influential noble family."

"That's even more absurd. If she were in my household, with all this uproar in the city, I'd rather kill her than risk offending Third Prince. Killing a Hu woman is no different from slaughtering a chicken."

"In my opinion, if we stop searching, the woman might still have a chance at life. But if we persist, she's as good as dead."

For a moment, all the bailiffs fell silent. After a while, someone whispered, "Forget it. To the royal family, these people aren't even considered human. Let's search."

===

Rumors had begun to circulate along Golden Powder Street of a mystical fox spirit with dual-colored eyes causing mischief. The tales were vividly recounted, with some courtesans even claiming to have witnessed the creature, one eye fiery red and the other a vivid green, stealing offerings before leaping up into the trees.

"It's also said that it's the mischief of Yellow Emperor Immortal."

Zheng Changyuan sipped his steaming tea with a gentle smile, while Yuan Jun, sitting across from him, expressionlessly picked up a red date and consumed it slowly. The girl's health had been severely compromised; even a slight stroll would leave her breathless, lightheaded, and seeing stars. Filled with guilt, he had made sure to nourish and care for her diligently over the past few days.

Zheng Changyuan asked, "What are your plans for the future?"

Yuan Jun said nonchalantly, " Stoke the flames and spread the legend of the Mandarin Duck-Eyed Fox Girl as much as possible. Try to let Yuan Zhen or the Luo family know about it."

Zheng Changyu's heart stirred. "What will they do?"

Yuan Jun replied coldly, "Whatever action they take, in the eyes of the emperor, it can only prove their guilt."

Zheng Changyu smiled. "Young Master's plan is brilliant. In this way, when the incident occurs, the emperor's attention will be diverted. However, Young Master should also prepare yourself. Even if the emperor suspects Empress Luo, he probably still won't release Prince Yuan. More plans will be needed."

Yuan Jun said indifferently, "He won't release him. That so-called prophecy of the divine courtesan is just an excuse for him. Unless he truly encounters divine destiny, he won't give up the power in this world."

Zheng Changyu sighed. "But the prince can't continue being ill like this." Tyrants were suspicious, and ministers governed passively, seeking only to avoid blame. With corrupt governance, what was to be done?

Yuan Jun didn't comment, but slightly turned his head to look out the window at the bustling streets of the capital. He had been imprisoned for too long, and being in the midst of this busy city made him feel somewhat uncomfortable. But this rare freedom was precious, and he gazed thoughtfully at the street, asking Zheng Changyu, "How's Elder Minister Ge doing?"

Zheng Changyu replied, "I've already asked someone to take care of him. The three boards have initially discussed the matter, concluding that it was a wicked servant who deceived both above and below. Minister Ge didn't discipline his subordinates strictly enough. A fine has been imposed, and I've heard that the results have been reported to the cabinet."

Yuan Jun looked back at Zheng Changyu. "Thank you for your efforts, Lord Zheng."

Zheng Changyu shook his head. "I merely did some trivial things. It's Young Master who led troops into battle, strategized with great wisdom... Zheng feels ashamed, not knowing what more I can do for Prince Yuan in the future."

Yuan Jun shook his head. "In a few days, it will be the anniversary of the late Empress's passing. Let's wait until then; there will be a plan in place."

"Miss Rong," Zheng Changyuan suddenly addressed her differently, no longer using the term for Young Master Rong. Instead, he asked with solemnity, "I am nearly thirty years old. My family married me to a wife in my youth, but unfortunately, she passed away before I could take the imperial examination. Since then, I have not remarried. Now, I admire your talents, and I wonder if there might be a chance for us to unite in a lifelong bond? Normally, I would ask a matchmaker to convey such intentions discreetly, but given Miss Rong's unique circumstances and her independence from her father or brother's decision, I dared to ask directly."

Yuan Jun was taken aback. He hadn't expected the charming Zheng Tanhua to propose marriage so unexpectedly, leaving him at a loss for a response.

Zheng Changyuan, sensing Yuan Jun's discomfort, reassured him, "If you decline, it won't affect our future collaboration. I will continue to treat Young Master Rong with respect. This matter will remain between us, known to no one else."

Yuan Jun felt even more awkward, as he was indeed that third person. Regardless, Zheng Changyuan was an excellent match, and he had been assisting them and their sister. If Rong Bi wished to marry him, they should not stand in the way. However, he couldn't answer on Rong Bi's behalf, as she was more than just a servant to them. Moreover, with their current situation of soul swapping unresolved, it would be an awkward predicament for either Rong Bi to marry or for him, as the prince, to take a princess consort.

Zheng Changyuan observed the young maiden's somber expression and spoke in a gentle tone, "If you're worried about Princess and Prince Yuan, I'll personally ask for their hand in marriage on your behalf. I won't put you in a difficult position."

Yuan Jun shook his head and replied slowly, "Marriage is a significant matter in life. Please allow me some time to consider it before giving you an answer, Your Excellency."

Zheng Changyuan's eyes brightened slightly, and he smiled, "Not declining means there's still a chance for me. I have patience, so there's no need for you to rush into a decision."

Yuan Jun studied Zheng Changyuan's face and, after a moment of silence, couldn't resist asking, "Lord Zheng, previously, you seemed to have no particular affection for Miss Rong Bi. Why such sudden and bold action today?"

Zheng Changyuan answered candidly, "I come from a family of merchants, accustomed to weighing the pros and cons in every action. Miss Rong might find my ways calculative."

"The Zheng family is wealthy and has numerous relatives with intricate relationships. As I am in public service, I often have to navigate the political arena. Hence, I have always been on the lookout for a wife who can handle both domestic and external affairs. Miss, you possess loyalty, courage, wisdom, and remarkable beauty. You are gentle on the outside but strong within, with an esteemed character. Therefore, I believe you would make an excellent matriarch of the Zheng family."

"As for affection, after marriage, I promise to treat you with respect and love, nurturing our children together. Over time, we will surely develop a deep bond as husband and wife."

"In addition, both the Princess and the Crown Prince hold you in high esteem. By marrying you, it would strengthen our ties with the royal family, which is the best choice for the Zheng family's interests. Initially, I was worried that if you had feelings for the Crown Prince, I wouldn't dare to compete. But now, it seems there is no romantic connection between you two. Furthermore, the Crown Prince will eventually take a Crown Princess, and with your accomplishments, it would be a demotion for you to be beneath an ordinary person in the palace. Miss, with your exceptional intelligence, you must understand that the palace is not a place to seek happiness."

"As I won't be of much use to Miss in the future, we might not see each other for a while. Hence, I seize this opportunity, under the witness of heaven and earth, to inquire about your plans for the future, so as not to waste your precious years. Of course, if you aspire to become the Empress, I trust that with your wit, it wouldn't be a difficult task. However, as you've seen, the royal family is plagued by schemes among spouses, suspicions between fathers and sons, and conflicts among siblings. Trapped within those palace walls, how much talent has been wasted? It's regrettable! Life in the Zheng family would offer more freedom."

"At least, you'll have no worries about food and clothing, and our wealth would allow you to do whatever you desire, go wherever you wish. Even embarking on a sea voyage to witness the magnificent landscapes of the Nine Provinces and Four Seas, I would be more than willing to accompany you."

Zheng Changyuan's eyes sparkled as he spoke eloquently.

Yuan Jun: "…" Is marrying into the royal family that unbearable?

After some thought, he realized that... it indeed could be—yet Zheng Changyuan's description of the four seas' splendor and the carefree life appealed to him, despite having grown up confined within the palace walls.