Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Ten days? Too short. Over the past half-month, Prince Yu would only stay for a little while each time he came, eating and then leaving, never spending the night. To find the register, she would at least need to stay overnight in the main courtyard, wouldn’t she?

Moreover, after the contraceptive soup was discovered and she told such a lie, Prince Yu had never touched her again. What reason did she have to stay overnight in the main courtyard?

Jiang Mo shuffled closer on her knees to Duke Qingguo. “Your Grace, over the past half-month, Prince Yu never stays overnight when he returns to the manor. He only stays for two to four hours, mostly having meals at Dawn Dusk Courtyard and leaving right after. I never had a chance to go to the study.”

So stupid—did an old man like him really have to teach her that?!

Wei Chun glared at Jiang Mo. “When Prince Yu comes, can’t you say a few gentle words? Just coax him a little, cry a little, and won’t he stay?”

Jiang Mo hadn’t expected Wei Chun to say such a thing; she looked at him in surprise.

Wei Chun rolled his eyes at her impatiently and pulled a paper packet from his bosom. “Throw away the sleeping powder I gave you before—it’s lost its effect. This one is better. It will take effect slowly after an hour and cause a longer sleep, enough for you to search all night. When Prince Yu returns to the manor, find a chance to put this in his wine.”

Jiang Mo took the packet. “What if Prince Yu doesn’t return to the manor within these ten days?”

“Jiang Mo, I’m telling you, the ten-day deadline no longer counts from now on!” Such a simple matter, yet she made it so difficult. He had to put more pressure on her.

“If Prince Yu returns tomorrow, you must find the register tomorrow. If he returns the day after, you must find it the day after. Whenever Prince Yu returns, I want to see your transcribed register the very next day!”

Wei Chun said no more and left, flicking his sleeve in irritation.

At that moment, Jiang Mo suddenly wished Prince Yu would never return to the manor. If that were the case—if Prince Yu didn’t return before the third day of the fourth month—then she wouldn’t have to find the register?

But then she reconsidered. No, that wouldn’t work. Duke Qingguo was a ruthless man; he would stop at nothing. He had burned down several households just because he was worried that Red Jade’s brother had told a fellow villager about the proxy marriage. He wouldn’t hesitate to harm her father and brother if she failed to produce the register.

After thinking it over, Jiang Mo had an idea. At this point, she couldn't just sit and wait.

Jiang Mo got up and woke Lanqiu, giving her a rough account of what had happened. Then she said, “Duke Qingguo doesn’t know that you know. You must keep it hidden and never let anyone suspect, or he'll have you killed.”

Lanqiu asked, “Princess, what should we do?”

“Instead of waiting for Prince Yu to come back, I should take control myself. I remember Wei Yalan’s birthday is on the sixth day of the third month. Tomorrow, go to the Flying Cavalry Camp and tell Qiao Yun that half a month from now is my birthday, and I want Prince Yu to return to the manor and celebrate with me. Since this is the first birthday after their marriage, Prince Yu will surely come back. Even if he does come back now and then before then, that's okay—I'll write to Duke Qingguo and explain.”

Lanqiu asked, “Princess, are you really going to transcribe the register?”

Jiang Mo shook her head. “I'll never let Duke Qingguo get that register.”

From the very beginning, Prince Yu had been a great hero in her heart—one who defended the country, a wise ruler and capable minister who could pacify the realm through civil means and protect the borders through military might.

Duke Qingguo, on the other hand, was merely a treacherous minister who disregarded human life, plotting rebellion.

“Then what are you planning, Princess…?”

“Duke Qingguo probably knows a thing or two about this register. I have to hand over some book, but I can’t make it too obviously forged. I need to see the real one first before I can fake it.”

Even as she said this, Jiang Mo had zero confidence. She didn’t know if she could successfully find the register, if Duke Qingguo would see through the forgery, or what she would face after handing it over.

She touched her lower abdomen, a deep feeling of helplessness welling up in her. “Let's go back to the manor.”

As Jiang Mo rounded the corner, she spotted Lin Mei’s maid Xiao Huan pacing nervously at the gate. She quickened her pace, and Lanqiu understood, calling out, “Xiao Huan!”

Tears in her eyes, Xiao Huan hurried over to Jiang Mo. “Princess, our young mistress is missing!”

Jiang Mo was panicked. “What happened?”

Xiao Huan said urgently, “Princess Rong has chosen our young master to be her consort! The young master originally told us not to tell the young mistress, but today, after the young master went to court, the madam called the young mistress into her room for a talk. The young mistress came out looking dazed, and the moment I wasn't paying attention, she was gone.”

Jiang Mo freaked out. Lin Mei was stubborn when it came to love; she might do something stupid.

“Lanqiu, go quickly to the Flying Cavalry Camp and inform the prince. He'll definitely send the camp to look for her.”

“Xiao Huan, go quickly to the palace gate and wait for Dr. Zhu. Lin Mei must have gone somewhere meaningful to both of them. Dr. Zhu can probably find her.”

Lanqiu and Xiao Huan received their orders and hurried away.

Feeling anxious, Jiang Mo walked into Dawn Dusk Courtyard. Seeing Jiang Mo so upset and without Lanqiu, Xingchun knew something was wrong and asked, “Princess, what’s the matter?”

Jiang Mo had a headache and felt nauseous. She grabbed the railing of the bridge and threw up.

Xingchun was extremely worried. “Princess, what happened?”

Fighting back the discomfort, Jiang Mo said weakly, “Princess Rong has chosen Dr. Zhu to be her husband. Lin Mei found out and now she’s missing.”

Every time the princess visited Lin Mei, she brought Lanqiu. Xingchun had no idea the princess and Lin Mei were this close.

“Don't worry, Princess. Zhu's wife will be fine.” Seeing how worn out Jiang Mo looked, she felt sorry for her. “Princess, let me bring you a bowl of chicken soup.”

Jiang Mo quickly said no; she couldn't handle any meat since getting pregnant. “No, just make me some white fungus soup.”

Xingchun quickly brought the soup, but Jiang Mo still had no appetite. She took only one spoonful and set it aside.

“Princess, you haven’t been eating well these past few days. Shall I call the manor physician?”

Jiang Mo shook her head. “It’s nothing. I just can’t eat because I’m worried about Lin Mei.”

As she spoke, Lanqiu stumbled in, drawing the attention of Wangxia, Randong, and Xiang Tong, who were busy in the courtyard.

“Princess, the prince hasn’t been at the Flying Cavalry Camp for half a month! Guard He and Eunuch Qiao aren’t there either.”

Jiang Mo’s heart sank. So all this time, Prince Yu had been lying to her.

If he wasn’t at the camp, where was he? Could it be…?

She didn't want to find out why he had deceived her—whether he was with the woman he loved or for some other reason. It no longer mattered.

But recalling the caring words he had spoken during their meals together each time he returned, she felt a wave of nausea.

She touched her lower abdomen, her resolve hardening.

“Lanqiu, summon the Guard Captain of the manor.”

Jiang Mo had never considered using the manor’s guards before, but this time she took out the jade pendant Prince Yu had given her and said to the Guard Captain, “Go, gather all the guards in the manor and search for Dr. Zhu’s wife.”

The Guard Captain said, “Princess, it would be wise to leave some guards here to protect your safety.”

Jiang Mo looked at him and suddenly thought of something. “Do you know where the prince is? Go tell him that Dr. Zhu’s wife, Lin Mei, is missing and might be in mortal danger. Ask him to send the Flying Cavalry to search.”

The Guard Captain replied, “I obey your order, Princess. But we should still leave some people here. If anything happens to you, the prince will surely blame us.”

Jiang Mo’s heart was in turmoil, tightening with each beat. The Guard Captain’s response clearly showed he knew where Prince Yu was.

She gave a bitter smile. In the end, she wasn’t generous enough. Wei Yalan was originally a woman Prince Yu had been forced to marry. To have treated her this well was already more than she could expect. She had no right to complain.

“Then leave a few people.” Jiang Mo added, “Also, tell Prince Yu that the sixth day of the third month is my birthday. I will prepare wine and food in the main courtyard, waiting for him.”

“Yes.”

The Guard Captain was about to turn and leave when Jiang Mo called him back. "Wait."

"What other orders does the Princess have?"

Jiang Mo said in an emphatic tone, "On the sixth day of the third month, I will wait until the Prince arrives."

The Guard Captain replied, "Yes," and turned to leave.

Xingchun and the others could all see that Jiang Mo's demeanor was off, and they understood the root of the problem. It wasn't just Jiang Mo—they themselves felt unsettled too.

Everyone at the Dawn-Dusk Courtyard had assumed Prince Yu was busy with military affairs, which was why he had been absent from the residence so often over the past half-month. Now that the lie had been exposed, how could they not have misgivings?

Yet Xingchun still said, "Princess, perhaps His Majesty assigned the Prince a secret mission. Please don't overthink it."

Wangxia, who was usually quiet, suddenly spoke up. "What secret mission is it that the Guard Captain knows about but the Princess does not?"

The implication was clear: Prince Yu must have taken a mistress, which was why he needed to keep it from the Princess.

Randong, utterly guileless, blurted out without thinking, "The other day when I went out for supplies, I thought I saw Imperial Physician Xu. Wasn't he supposed to have gone to find his relatives?" A sudden thought struck her. "Could it be that someone is seriously ill, and Imperial Physician Xu went straight to treat them without returning to the residence?"

"Randong, what nonsense are you talking! Are you sure it was Imperial Physician Xu?" Xingchun gave Randong a glare, then knelt sympathetically beside Jiang Mo. "Princess, Randong must have been mistaken."

Lanqiu also stepped forward to comfort her. "Sister Xingchun is right. His Majesty must have assigned the Prince a confidential mission."

Though they said this, they all knew deep down that when Prince Yu returned to the residence, the smell of medicine on him was strong. If he wasn't sick himself, then he must have been staying day and night with someone who was seriously ill.

But if the Prince were ill, he could just be treated in the residence. Why would he go elsewhere and keep it from the Princess?

Clearly, it was the second possibility.

Jiang Mo's heart clenched painfully. Tears welled up in her eyes. She took a deep breath. "I understand. The Prince has his reasons for what he does. I won't dwell on it. What's important now is Lin Mei—we must find her."

No wonder the Prince had never asked His Majesty to approve the appointment of a Secondary Consort. It seemed that the woman he loved had been ill. Once she recovered, she would likely enter the residence.

Jiang Mo had long known that Prince Yu's heart belonged to someone else. He had never tried to hide it from her. So why was she still feeling so hurt?

She forced herself to compose herself. "All of you, leave me now. I'm tired and want to rest for a while."

They said no more and withdrew.

Jiang Mo felt extraordinarily weary, yet she had no desire to sleep. The moment she closed her eyes, all sorts of chaotic thoughts flooded her mind.

She got up and started to play the zither, but before she had even played two notes, from outside the door, she heard Xingchun announce, "Princess, Miss Su has arrived."

Without needing to think, Jiang Mo knew Su Jiying had come about Lin Mei.

"Please, let her in."

As soon as Su Jiying entered, she said urgently, "Wei Yalan, you need to get Prince Yu to plead with His Majesty to stop that Rong Kingdom's lousy princess from choosing a prince consort!"

Judging by her tone, Su Jiying clearly knew something. "Tell me, what exactly is going on?"

Su Jiying grabbed the teacup on the table and took a gulp. "It's a long story..."