Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Jiang Mo had just finished her breakfast when Hui Qing entered the room with a food box, dismissed the attendants, closed the door, and confronted her. "Don't forget that Duke Qingguo asked you to find the roster. You need to make Prince Yu trust you, so you have a chance to find it. What did you say to the Prince that night? Why did he leave the Morning Sunset Court and hasn't come for days? And why don't you take the initiative to see him?"

What a headache. The Prince had thrown out all suspicious people from the manor, but what about this one by her side?

Hui Qing continued, "Did you throw a tantrum that day and anger the Prince? Don't think you can do as you please just because the Prince values you. He treats you like our family's legitimate daughter. Remember your identity. Go make amends with the Prince today. Don't forget the three-month agreement you made with Duke Qingguo."

Jiang Mo looked coldly at her. Hui Qing truly didn't understand her. Wei Yalan might dare to throw a tantrum, but how could she?

Hui Qing glanced at the gold bracelet on her hand. "I've prepared pastries and herbal dishes for you. Take them to the Prince and say you wish to bear him a son as soon as possible. Stay by his side today and find a way to spend the night in the main yard. And after the Prince falls asleep, don't just sleep. Search the room for the roster."

The musk in the gold bracelet had long been removed by Jiang Mo. She needed to quickly find a way to get some contraceptive medicine. She looked at Hui Qing and saw this as a good opportunity.

"I understand. But I need to wear this bracelet for a few more days for it to work. Grind the contraceptive medicine you brought into powder for me. If I stay in the main yard tonight, you won't be able to deliver the medicine easily."

Hui Qing said, "Don't worry about that. The next morning, after you return to the Morning Sunset Court, I'll brew it for you."

Jiang Mo immediately said, "That won't work. I plan to stay in the main yard for a few days to find the roster as soon as possible."

Fine, she would go. At worst, she would have to endure some cold words from the Prince. Whether she could stay wasn't up to Hui Qing. Getting the contraceptive medicine was the priority.

Hui Qing thought for a moment and said, "True, the roster won't be easy to find; it will take some time. In that case, I'll use the excuse of going out to purchase supplies to make some medicine powder for you."

Jiang Mo purposely looked approving. "I need to search both the bedroom and the study. Two or three days won't be enough. Grind more."

"Got it." Hui Qing opened the door and left. Lanqiu entered the room and looked at the food box on the table, hesitating before speaking.

Seeing Lanqiu, Jiang Mo relaxed. Among Xingchun, Lanqiu, Randong, and Wangxia, she only felt at ease with Lanqiu and Randong.

In the past few days, she had carefully observed the four of them.

She admired Xingchun's sharpness and ability to read people, but the Empress had a debt of gratitude to Xingchun. She knew that no matter how sincerely she treated her, it would be hard to make Xingchun her own.

Wangxia was taciturn and deep. No matter how much Jiang Mo said, she only got a few words back. Jiang Mo couldn't see through her and stopped trying to engage.

Lanqiu was a kind woman. Though not as sharp as Xingchun, she was steady and meticulous. Jiang Mo felt that Lanqiu not only saw her as someone to obey but also genuinely cared for her.

As for Randong, she was only seventeen, the youngest of the four. She was a bit greedy and playful, and easily satisfied. A single candy could make her happy for half a day.

"I asked Hui Qing to prepare some pastries. I want to send them to the Prince. Lanqiu, come with me."

Lanqiu did not reply. She bit her lip and stood still, her brows furrowed together.

Jiang Mo walked over to her, reached up, and stroked her brow. "Look at you, so troubled. Just say it."

Lanqiu went to the table, opened the food box, and pointed at a plate of osmanthus cakes. "After Auntie Hui Qing made the pastries, I saw her sprinkle a packet of medicine powder on top."

Jiang Mo picked up the top osmanthus cake, examined it closely, and sniffed it. There was a strange, faint smell.

"Lanqiu, first have Randong prepare some new pastries." She took out a token and handed it to Lanqiu. "Then take this plate of osmanthus cakes to a pharmacy and find out what Hui Qing put on them."

Entry and exit from the Prince Yu Manor was strict. Except for Qiao Yun and He Ji, everyone needed a token to leave. The Prince had only given two tokens for the Morning Sunset Court.

Five days ago, when Qiao Yun brought the tokens, Hui Qing was there. As soon as Qiao Yun left, she took one.

Just as Lanqiu was about to leave with the food box, Jiang Mo called her back and looked at her seriously. "Don't tell anyone else."

Lanqiu gripped the food box tightly, mustered her courage, and stared back at Jiang Mo. "Your Highness, for the past ten days, I've been conflicted, uneasy, and restless. But just now, my heart suddenly calmed."

She set down the food box and solemnly performed a kneeling bow. "From now on, I, Lanqiu, will have only one mistress—Her Highness."

Jiang Mo's eyes welled up. This was Lanqiu declaring her loyalty.

Indeed, in recent days, she had deliberately tried to gain the trust of the four, learning their preferences, giving them appropriate gifts, and having heart-to-heart talks with each.

Xingchun and Wangxia kept their hearts shut; she could do nothing.

Randong liked sweets and trinkets, so Jiang Mo personally cooked, using taste-testing as an excuse to let Randong eat her fill. She'd also weave dragonflies and grasshoppers for Randong to play with and bought malt candy, giving her one piece daily as a small reward.

From Randong, she learned about the Empress's kindness to Xingchun and that Wangxia had always been silent and reserved with everyone.

Through this time together, she felt Randong growing closer to her.

As for Lanqiu, she had been noticeably troubled since returning from Duke Qingguo's residence. Jiang Mo had tentatively asked, but Lanqiu didn't answer, so she stopped pressing and simply treated her even better. After public rewards, she'd secretly give extra. When in the mood, she would play the zither for Lanqiu. Lanqiu said she was not very literate and wanted to learn. On nights when Lanqiu was on duty, Jiang Mo would invite her in to teach her to read and write.

Sometimes, she would tell Lanqiu and Randong stories from storybooks, making them laugh and cry.

It was deliberate courting, but also genuine kindness.

Now she knew what had been troubling Lanqiu, and a surge of pity washed over her. She helped Lanqiu up, looked at this woman whose eyes resembled Luo Li's, and thought that fate hadn't been too cruel to her.

"I've never seen you as a servant. Lanqiu, in this manor, you are the only one I can trust and rely on."

Seeing the doubt in Lanqiu's eyes, Jiang Mo said, "Hui Qing is not on my side."

Lanqiu still looked confused. Jiang Mo patted her hand. "Go handle the errand first. We'll talk later."

Since she trusted Lanqiu, she would need to tell her about being a substitute.

Just as Lanqiu opened the door, she saw He Ji running into the Morning Sunset Court.

She turned back to report, "Your Highness, Guard He—"

Before she could finish, He Ji strode in, cupped his fists, and said, "Your Highness, the Prince is missing."

Jiang Mo was shocked. The manor's guards were all experts personally selected by He Ji. As far as she knew, the Prince hadn't practiced techniques blindfolded. Even if he had high martial arts skills, how could a blind man evade so many guards and leave?

Seeing the situation, Xingchun and the others also came into the room.

Just as she was about to ask, Qiao Yun burst in, panting. "Your Highness, I think the Prince is still in the manor, but I don't know where. I'm afraid he might be like before, disappearing for days, and when they found him, he was nearly..."

He finished what he started to say.

"Don't say such unlucky stuff!" He Ji turned and said harshly. It had only been a few days after they returned from the Zhuoyang battlefield. There had been one such incident before: the Prince had gone missing without food or water for days, and when they found him three days later, he was barely alive.

He Ji bowed and made a fist salute again. "Does Your Highness know where the Prince might have gone?"

Jiang Mo pondered. Judging by their panic, the Prince had been missing for some time, and they had searched everywhere they could.

She remembered the nightmare night. The Prince had deliberately avoided anything about the Flying Cavalry Camp, proving that it was what he cared about most. He didn't bring it up, so no one else dared. Qiao Yun and He Ji would also deliberately ignore it.

Deliberately avoiding it meant extreme restraint. But when he could no longer hold back, what would he do?

"Is there any place in the manor that stores things related to the Flying Cavalry Camp?"

Qiao Yun was confused. "Do you mean the Prince went to the library or the armory?"

He Ji immediately said, "Impossible! Since returning from the battlefield, the Prince told me to throw away even his sword. I couldn't bear to, so I put it in the armory. The Prince has never asked about it."

Qiao Yun continued, "Yes, Your Highness also ordered me to burn all the military books and scrolls related to the camp in the study. I didn't dare to burn them; I stored them in the library, and His Highness never asked about them."

Jiang Mo said, "Since we can't find them anywhere else, we might as well look in these two places."

She glanced at Lanqiu, signaling her to attend to her own matters, then grabbed the cloak from the rack and said to Qiao Yun, "Lead the way. I'll search with you both."

Xingchun followed behind Jiang Mo, "Your Highness, let me come along too."

Jiang Mo looked at Xingchun, seeing her genuine concern, and nodded in agreement.

Qiao Yun led the way to the library, but no one was there.

He Ji led the way to the armory. Just as he was about to open the door, Jiang Mo stopped him.

Pointing at the unlocked door and the slightly ajar door, she said, "I think His Highness is inside. Let's not go in yet."

He Ji clasped his hands, his expression anxious, "Why not go in?"

Qiao Yun said urgently, "Your Highness, this place is full of swords, knives, spears, and crossbows. I fear His Highness might hurt himself."

Jiang Mo said with great certainty, "Your worry is clouding your judgment. Don't forget that your prince was once a young general who made enemies tremble, and also the Ninth Prince who championed the people's interests at court. He would never harm himself. He is just momentarily trapped in his thoughts, not forever. The fact that he came to the armory today shows he is willing to step out of his predicament. What we need to do is give him enough time and trust."

As if struck by a sudden realization, He Ji and Qiao Yun both calmed down.

They had been with the prince for a long time, accustomed to following orders and acting based on experience. Qiao Yun was skilled at handling matters in the palace, while He Ji was adept at battle tactics and protecting the mansion. Even without being told what to do, they knew what to do. But the events of these days were something they had never experienced before. Their familiar prince had changed, their familiar daily life had changed. These past three months or more, they had lived in fear and anxiety. Therefore, when the prince disappeared, they panicked and lost their usual good judgment.

Xingchun looked at Jiang Mo with admiration. In her eyes, Jiang Mo had already taken on the demeanor of the mistress of the mansion.

Jiang Mo instructed, "Xingchun, go fetch my guqin and place it in this courtyard."

On a winter afternoon in the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, the breeze was light and the sky was clear. The faint scent of plum blossoms wafted through the garden. The melodious and serene sound of the guqin slipped through the door crack and through the window lattice, and reached Chen Yingchou's ears.

He held the sword that had accompanied him for many years, caressing the patterns on the hilt, remembering what it used to look like.

This sword had once been his uncle's. After his uncle passed away, it became his sword. Chen Yingchou treasured it immensely and never let it grow dusty.

But now, his hands were covered in dust, and as he drew the blade from the scabbard, it was full of rust.

Since he first picked up a wooden sword as a child to his triumphant return from the Zhuoyang campaign, he had never missed a day of practicing swordsmanship and martial arts.

His heart constricted. Remembering the hardships of his childhood, his uncle's voice and likeness, and the joy of the soldiers' feast, he gripped the sword tighter and tighter.

An intense longing drove him to tighten his grip on the hilt and swing the sword across his chest, creating a cold arc of light.

In the end, due to lack of practice, the force of this swing was much weaker than before.

Chen Yingchou gave a self-deprecating sigh and was about to put down the sword.

Suddenly, the melodious, serene, expansive and free-spirited sound of the guqin entered his ears.

This was a tune he had never heard before—a surging drive to forge ahead, a calm waiting, a firm encouragement.

It made him reluctant to put down the sword in his hand.

Author's note:

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