Chapter 47: My Lady Heard She Resembles Your Beloved by Six or Seven Parts

Chapter 47: My Lady Heard She Bears a Six- or Seven-Part Resemblance to Your Beloved

Li Zhangye instinctively moved to protect Pei Yun behind him, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized the man before him. The name and face faintly rang a bell—he must have seen this person during the palace examinations years ago.

"Since Official Du serves in Zhanggu County, what brings you here in such attire..."

"I have urgent matters to report," Du Hangzhou hesitated, glancing at Pei Yun and Shu Yan before lowering his voice. "It concerns the recent disappearances over these past months..."

Li Zhangye's gaze sharpened.

Pei Yun hadn’t expected her guess to be correct—this Official Du was likely the key to cracking this thorny case.

She concealed her feigned shock and tactfully rose to her feet.

"The weather is fine today. I shall get some fresh air." With that, she left the main room with Shu Yan.

Once the door closed, Du Hangzhou quickly pulled out an object from his robes and handed it to the Crown Prince respectfully.

"In this case, over a dozen people have gone missing in Zhanggu County as well. While searching the mountains nearby, seven days ago, I happened upon a sealed bamboo tube by a riverbank. This was inside."

Li Zhangye took it and unfolded the contents, his expression darkening instantly.

It was a diagram—or rather, half of one. Though damaged, the illustrations clearly identified it as a weapons schematic.

Just this fragment depicted two weapons: a halberd and an axe.

Flipping it over revealed two crudely scrawled characters in dark red—likely blood—"Help."

Li Zhangye’s expression turned grave. His worst fears were confirmed.

Someone was mining iron in secret and forging weapons—likely plotting rebellion.

He asked sharply, "If you discovered this seven days ago, why not report it immediately to the Yuezhou Prefecture?"

"My apologies," Du Hangzhou bowed again. "But this matter is of grave importance. Though I quietly reported the disappearances and knew the court had dispatched an imperial envoy, I couldn’t risk handing over such evidence to an untrustworthy party..."

Hence, he had posed as a peddler, lingering near the prefecture office. Yet, he failed to encounter the envoy—until yesterday, when he overheard the lady mistakenly address someone as "Your Highness" and refer to him as "Third Master." His pulse raced as he realized.

Which of His Majesty’s third-born sons could it be? None other than the Crown Prince—hardworking, upright, and steadfast.

"Was it you who reported this?" Li Zhangye frowned. "As a mere county captain of Zhanggu, do you understand the consequences of going over your superiors’ heads?"

"I do," Du Hangzhou replied bitterly. "But I had no choice. I attempted several times to report the disappearances to Yuezhou Prefecture, only to be ignored entirely. In desperation, I sought help from an old friend in the capital—a man of integrity—who appealed directly to the Emperor on my behalf."

Li Zhangye took a seat on the daybed, his fingers tapping the low table, his gaze sharp as a hawk’s.

But now was not the time to punish Yuezhou’s useless officials. The priority was to locate the missing as swiftly as possible.

"Do you remember the exact location of that river?" Li Zhangye asked.

Since the bamboo tube was found there, following the river upstream could lead them to more clues.

Du Hangzhou nodded firmly. "I remember."

"Good. I’ll take a team to accompany you there tomorrow."

After waiting outside for some time, Pei Yun finally saw the Crown Prince emerge with Du Hangzhou before heading to the western chamber, where they closed the door behind them to discuss the matter further.

Until midnight, Pei Yun lay on the bed, half-dreaming, when she felt someone embrace her from behind, the man's hot breath brushing against her ear.

Perhaps sensing she wasn’t fully asleep, the Crown Prince whispered, "Early tomorrow, I must leave and may not return for several days."

Pei Yun understood—Du Hangzhou must have provided crucial leads. She made a soft sound of acknowledgment and turned to face him. "Be careful, Your Highness. Return safely."

Sleepiness made her voice thick, almost as if choked with emotion.

Li Zhangye couldn’t help but hold her tighter. She had come to Yuezhou after having nightmares and worries about him in the capital. Now, he dared not admit he was heading into danger in the mountains, fearing she would lose sleep over it.

Yet Pei Shi had always been perceptive—she likely suspected something already.

Nuzzling into her hair, he reassured her, "I’m just going to visit a few counties to investigate whether there are more missing persons. There’s no danger."

Curled in the Crown Prince’s embrace, Pei Yun made another soft sound of acknowledgment. She wasn’t worried about his safety—he had returned unharmed in her past life, and this time should be no different.

But only two months had passed. Even if her interference had allowed Du Hangzhou to meet the Crown Prince earlier, they shouldn't need the remaining two months just to search for the missing. This case was likely far more complicated than a simple disappearance.

At dawn the next day, before the sun rose, Li Zhangye headed for Zhanggu County with Du Hangzhou and two officials from the Dali Temple.

Zhang Chengzhi bid them farewell at the yamen gates. His injured arm had fully healed, and though he had volunteered to accompany the Crown Prince the day before, a stern rebuke—"Shouldn’t you be managing the vast Yuezhou Prefecture, Lord Zhang?"—had silenced him.

Bowing and scraping, he watched the Crown Prince mount his horse. But when his gaze landed on Du Hangzhou, his smile became forced.

How could he not know this Zhanggu County sheriff? For three years, the man had been nothing but trouble—filing reports and petitions, never giving him a moment’s peace. No wonder a once-promising second-rank scholar had been demoted to a lowly sheriff. He deserved it.

Yet somehow, this nuisance had chanced upon leads about the missing.

Zhang Chengzhi despised sitting idle. He couldn’t let Du Hangzhou claim all the credit and favor.

The Crown Prince was the future emperor. If he missed this chance, Zhang Chengzhi might never get another opportunity to impress him.

Once the Crown Prince’s party was out of sight, Zhang Chengzhi’s smile vanished, and he snapped at the attendant beside him, "Useless! Where is she? You said you found her over ten days ago—why hasn’t she arrived yet? If she doesn’t get here soon, His Highness will have already returned to the capital!"

"Soon, very soon," the attendant said obsequiously. "I heard the carriage broke down, and she’s too delicate to ride in an inferior one. That’s why it’s been delayed a couple of days."

"Idiot!" Zhang Chengzhi cursed. "If she pleases His Highness, she’ll have everything she could ever want. Yet she fusses over a damned carriage—utter stupidity!"

Grumbling, he strode back into the yamen but not without ordering, "The moment she arrives, send her straight to the Crown Prince’s courtyard."

"But..." The attendant hesitated. "There’s already one there. His Highness appears quite taken with her."

Zhang Chengzhi scoffed. "So what?"

That woman had grown too arrogant. Being addressed as "Madam" had gone to her head—carrying herself like the lady of the house outside. He would send this new one precisely to take her down a notch.

Six full days passed with no sign of the Crown Prince’s return. Pei Yun thought that they must have entered the mountains smoothly this time. She wondered if they would find the missing—whether they were alive or dead.

Shu Yan set a bowl of fortifying mutton soup on the table and, noticing Pei Yun’s troubled expression, assumed she was worried about the Crown Prince. "Your Ladyship, His Highness is highly skilled in martial arts and well-protected. Nothing will happen to him..."

Pei Yun couldn’t explain she wasn’t concerned for his safety, so she merely nodded. "You’re right," she said, pretending to be reassured.

"What sort of person are you? Why can’t I enter?"

A sudden commotion erupted outside. Shu Yan peeked outside, puzzled, and said she’d check it out.

Pei Yun nodded and picked up the lamb soup, taking only two sips before clearly hearing someone outside the window shout, "My lady was sent here by Prefectural Governor Zhang! What right do you lowly servants have to stop us?"

Pei Yun’s hand holding the spoon paused, her brow lifting slightly. She thought to herself, *Zhang Chengzhi’s got a death wish—knowing I’m right here, yet he dares to openly send someone to the Crown Prince.*

She put the bowl down and rose leisurely, curious to see what kind of woman Zhang Chengzhi had sent.

Stepping out of the main room, she saw Chang Lu standing at the courtyard gate, blocking the way. When he caught sight of her in his peripheral vision, his face turned ashen, and he hurriedly explained, "Madam, this is all Prefectural Governor Zhang’s doing—Third Master had no part in it!"

At the sound of "Madam," the maidservant who had been shouting arrogantly outside let out a derisive laugh, eyeing Pei Yun up and down with disdain. "So you're the so-called 'Madam.' You’re pretty, sure, but don’t get cocky just ’cause they call you 'Madam.' We’re all gifts here—seniority means nothing. What really matters is winning His Lordship’s favor..."

Shu Yan saw red and lunged, itching to throw hands. "What do you mean 'sent here'? How dare you spout such nonsense! Watch me tear your mouth apart! My lady is—"

"Shu Yan." Pei Yun yanked her back, torn between annoyance and laughter.

*Zhang Chengzhi’s a total idiot—he actually thinks I’m just another woman sent to serve the Crown Prince.* But then again, who would expect the Crown Princess to travel all the way here?

She turned her gaze to the veiled woman standing behind the maidservant and said lightly, "Since we’re both here to serve His Lordship, and I’ve already won his favor, I wonder where your confidence comes from, daring to challenge me like this?"

The woman remained silent, only lifting a delicate hand to slowly raise the veil, revealing a face like a blooming peach—stunning.

Pei Yun’s breath hitched; her smile iced over.

She glanced at Chang Lu, who wore an expression as if he’d seen a ghost, and immediately understood.

The maid sniffed, unimpressed, continuing her chatter, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "My lady’s the fairest in all Yuezhou—no rival in any neighboring prefecture! Rumor has it she even resembles His Lordship’s beloved by six or seven parts. And look at you—you’re what, twenty? Already over the hill. My lady is only sixteen this year—how could she possibly lose to you?"

"Madam, say the word and I’ll toss ’em out!"

Shu Yan was fuming, her chest rising and falling as she turned to fetch a broom, but Pei Yun calmly ordered, "Chang Lu, let them stay. Arrange for them to stay in the east wing."

"The east wing?" The maid sniffed, unimpressed. "I just saw you coming from the main room—why should my lady be put in the east wing?"

Shu Yan threw the broom down with a clatter. "Who the hell are you? The main room? Dream on."

Unlike Shu Yan’s fury, Pei Yun stayed cool as a cucumber.

"Shu Yan, move all my things to the east wing. Leave the main room for this lady."

"Madam! Shu Yan was lost—why not just put them in their place?"

Pei Yun didn’t explain, only smiling faintly at the woman.

Silent but smug, she tilted her chin up, her eyes brimming with undisguised arrogance.

No decent girl would chase concubinage. This one reeked of the brothels, exuding a seductive charm.

But charm aside, what truly mattered was her face.

The Crown Prince wouldn’t say no to a Shen Ningjia lookalike.

Since it would still be years before Shen Ningchao grew up, this stand-in would tide him over. Last time, he turned her pick down—but this one? She’d pass.

Pei Yun turned and walked toward the east wing.

Still, she hadn’t left herself without a backup plan. The higher this woman climbed today, the less confidence she would have once the truth came out—no matter how favored she became in the future. After all, the Crown Prince, deep down, was all about rules.

The more Pei Yun swallowed now, the guiltier he’d feel later. That way, her place in the Eastern Palace would stay rock-solid.