The Deposed Crown Prince had Three Lifelong Regrets - Chapter 13

Chapter 13

“Cook it slowly, with little water. The rich won’t eat it, and the poor don’t know how to cook it.”

Three or four small dishes were placed on the table. Among them, the Dongpo Pork was bright red and glossy, fatty yet not greasy, earning high praise from the few people present.

The martial artist picked up a piece, bit into it, letting the tender meat juice slide down the corner of his mouth. He then took a golden osmanthus cake to balance the richness.

Initially, the two women could have distanced themselves from this brute, using more cold and ruthless language to firmly reject him when he caught up. But Mo Xianghao played the harsh role, while Lu Fengmian chose to play the compassionate one.

“Shao Cheng, I can’t return for a while. There are indeed some matters I need to attend to,” Lu Fengmian said with a faint smile, ignoring the potential misinterpretation from the two men. “My stay will be quite long. Those bodyguards need to return to the security bureau eventually. I wonder if it’s on your route?”

“Ah, it’s not on my route,” the martial artist said without lifting his eyes, chewing loudly.

He then added, “Don’t throw this hot potato at me. I’m just here for the bounty.”

Lu Fengmian was about to persuade him further, but just as she started to speak, a loud bang was heard. Mo Xianghao had already slammed her hand on the table and stood up.

“You take kindness for granted! What did you just say?” Mo Xianghao angrily challenged. “We invited you to sit and eat, and you truly think you’re someone important.”

Shao Cheng wiped his mouth, put down his bamboo chopsticks, stood up, bowed, and turned to leave.

“Farewell.”

Mo Xianghao was caught completely off guard by this series of actions. Her eyes widened, and she couldn’t utter a single word.

Her resentful gaze shifted back to Lu Fengmian’s face. She quickly backed up and waved her hands, “Chengmei, this is truly not my fault. If others are shameless, you can’t blame me.”

The security bureau wouldn’t let this group of bodyguards go, and neither would the Song family.

Sending the people back to the capital was only a hassle. The Song family’s anger wouldn’t necessarily extend to innocent bystanders, but the whole affair was so unlucky that few people were willing to take on the task.

Normally, the bodyguards were strong and healthy, and traveling on their own wouldn’t be a problem. But the mountain was truly strange, and they were all wounded. Lu Fengmian feared they might die here before reaching the capital.

Lu Fengmian sighed, placing a hand on her forehead, “How about you send them back?”

“No way. I need to stay and investigate the corpse-parasite case with you. Poison is something our Mo family is quite adept at. If anyone is going back to the capital first, it’s you.”

“Give me that bottle where you stored the parasite. I know you secretly caught two of them.”

“No.” Lu Fengmian frowned. The parasite could cause hallucinations, and strange things had already happened at the Joyful God Inn. Since it concerned her own memory, she absolutely could not hand it over.

Night fell, and the Milky Way brought a few strands of light to the solitary, cold night. Stars, like shattered gold, filled the sky, and the shimmering light settled upon the hearts of the mortals.

Guests came and went. Finally, only Lu Fengmian and the elderly woman were left in the tent.

Knowing it was unrealistic for the heartbroken woman to fall asleep, Lu Fengmian no longer hesitated. She poured the parasite from her herb pouch into a porcelain jar. She clenched her sliced palm, allowing the blood to surge into the jar, stimulating the corpse-parasite.

The parasite became restless, and Lu Fengmian sighed in exasperation.

A rich, fragrant scent surrounded her. The woman noticed something and asked with bloodshot eyes, “What’s wrong?”

Lu Fengmian mumbled, “Mm… nothing.”

Her body gradually grew warm and feverish. Her eardrums felt like they were being rubbed, and sporadic firecracker sounds appeared. A soft, cotton-like comfort enveloped her, causing her to sink unconsciously into a dreamy trance.

She was thirteen, accompanied by a maid to watch the boat parade.

The capital then was extremely bustling, with lanterns and wine flowing day and night, like a beautiful dream that wouldn’t end.

Fire trees and silver flowers bloomed, and the fluttering white snow fell into the winding river.

Someone stood on the bridge, staring at her. Disregarding the passing pedestrians, they said impolitely, “Not bad. Prettier than the ones in the brothels.”

Although she couldn’t recall her reaction at the time, based on her childhood temperament, she most likely retorted fiercely.

Lu Fengmian jolted, abruptly waking up from the dream. She looked around, realizing she was still in the familiar tent, and breathed a sigh of relief.

A long time seemed to have passed. The woman was leaning against the table, her eyes half-closed, seemingly asleep from exhaustion.

The tent tassels clattered, making crisp sounds. Hearing someone approach, Lu Fengmian quickly closed the porcelain jar, tucked it into her sleeve, composed herself, and turned with a welcoming smile.

“Chengmei, you’re awake after all. I have a piece of news to tell you.” Mo Xianghao smiled brightly.

This was difficult for her. Ever since hearing about the tragic fate of the Bai couple, she had been gloomy.

“Your relationship with Princess Wenchang is quite good. Her house arrest will be lifted soon. You might as well pay her a visit in three months and inquire about your relationship in the years past.”

After the former crown prince was deposed, her title reverted to Wenchang.

Lu Fengmian blinked in confusion. It wasn’t that she hadn’t planned to visit, but she had been turned away two or three times and had simply lost the desire to go.

“Alright, I’ll go see her next time.” Unable to refuse a favor, she readily agreed, regardless of whether she would actually go or not.

Mo Xianghao found a comfortable place to sit.

Drowsiness surged up. Her slender fingers massaged her throbbing temples. After yawning, she naturally covered her mouth.

The lingering fragrance wrapped around her fingertips. Several fleeting images suddenly flashed in Lu Fengmian’s mind. A beautiful woman, richly dressed, sat alone on a treetop. The vision constantly shook as it drew closer. Looking down, she noticed her own pale fingertips grasping a wreath.

Illusion and reality intertwined, and the familiar face was indistinct.

It was someone she seemed to have met from childhood through her coming-of-age ceremony and up to the present.

Lu Fengmian slightly pursed her red lips. That face greatly resembled the deposed Crown Prince.

A friend?

But she refused to see me.

“It’s noisy outside. What’s going on?” Lu Fengmian forced herself to divert her attention.

The noise outside the tent was indeed considerable.

She lifted the tent flap and looked out at the green mountains.

Hidden by the mountains, a long procession of people carrying torches clustered around a donkey cart in the center.

The procession was so grand that the firelight was clearly visible even from a distance.

What kind of thing would make people rush and jostle in the dark of night?

“Are there any households in the mountain?” Lu Fengmian frowned. “Why are they heading deeper into the mountains?”

No one answered her question. After a moment, Fox Immortal came to stir the pot.

“Oh, everyone scatter. Mind your own business and live long.”

Lu Fengmian had tolerated this stinking fox following her only to make sure its master kept his promise to visit the Zhao Manor after the matter was resolved. But the creature was too annoying; she couldn’t be bothered to spare it a glance.

Squinting toward the illuminated area, she saw a sedan chair approaching rapidly through the lush vegetation. She snapped her fingers, and two blood-colored spirit butterflies materialized at her fingertips.

The butterflies, sustained by her breath, flew toward the flickering torchlight in the night.

Two hours later, the butterflies circled around obstacles and stopped at the trouser leg of a sedan chair carrier. Simultaneously, the conversation here reached the ears of the person who had performed the slight-of-hand.

Only then did Lu Fengmian realize this was a wedding procession, with red dowry covering the wilderness.

The other spirit butterfly clung close to the ground, fluttering its wings to stay airborne but not flying toward the sedan chair. As the two were about to meet, the butterfly even started to retreat.

The former advanced slowly, the latter retreated in terror.

After much hesitation, the butterfly bravely flew into the curtain.

The interior structure was clear at a glance—exquisite and luxurious decor, and a “bride” tightly bound with hemp rope. The “bride” constantly knocked against the carriage wall with her body, her cries muffled and indistinct.

The butterfly approached again, floating under the red veil.

It was a living person, a living person with an Adam’s apple on their neck. Their mouth was stuffed with rags, and their cheeks were noticeably fairer than their exposed hands. Rolling tears had smudged their heavy makeup, revealing a mesmerizing beauty beneath the streaks of pink.

Lu Fengmian, through the guidance of the spirit butterfly, clearly perceived everything through her five senses.

In her shock, the butterflies sustained by her breath slowly withered, eventually falling like two dead leaves.

Her ears rang sharply, on the verge of splitting, and her vision was filled with a blood-like red haze. Lu Fengmian immediately braced herself against the nearby tree trunk, shaking away the distracting thoughts in her mind.

It took a long time for the pain in her body and mind to subside. Almost simultaneously, she began to consider a question. To save or not to save? How to save? With what to save?

Was it necessary to save them? Would saving them benefit her goal?

The authorities were investigating the Song family, and she was dealing with the Duke of the State’s merchant family. Young Master Shang helped her gain a foothold in the Zhao family. She naturally needed to find ways to gather more useful information, but this was highly unlikely to be related to this ghost marriage.

Her leg was still cramping, but there was no time to wait for it to ease.

A decision was needed now.

Lu Fengmian had the ability to kill with borrowed hands. All she needed was a decision.

The final struggle of her conscience, a wavering over uncertain gain.

If Second Master Song couldn’t be found, she had to bring something else back. She should also try to see if there was any connection to the sedan chair. After all, they were on the same mountain, and she couldn’t find any other abnormalities to investigate.

Lu Fengmian quickly put on a disguise and ran back to the camp.

“That is Second Young Master Song! I saw him with my own eyes!” Lu Fengmian waved out seven or eight spirit butterflies, signaling that she had just received an image from that end. She yelled and shouted only to attract attention, making those present trust her without thinking.

“He is tied up in the sedan chair, possibly, possibly…” She pointed to the distant firelight, gasping for breath, eventually collapsing to the ground from exhaustion.

She hadn’t wanted to kneel. It wasn’t worth it for someone whose utility was unknown, but she truly couldn’t endure the absorption of energy from multiple spirit butterflies. She simply used the fall to her advantage.

Someone came forward to help her up, but she merely pushed them away.

“Go and save him! I’m fine, I’m just too worried.”

Lu Fengmian’s displayed concern for the Second Young Master was extraordinary. Some people panicked and rushed towards her, eager to know the details.

These people were mostly the terrified bodyguards. They seemed to have found a purpose in life, anxiously asking her for the cause and effect. In contrast, those who came for money were much more rational, even staring at her with suspicion.

“I tried my best. He is an uneducated fool. Being tied up in a sedan chair must be due to some impropriety on his part, having offended some important figure,” Lu Fengmian said, feeling annoyed and controlling her emotions.

This statement had a degree of credibility.

She ignored the inquiries of the ordinary bodyguards. After all, these people wouldn’t dare to go alone, and going would only lead to their deaths. Saying too much was useless; saying less might preserve their lives.

There are many evil spirits in the world, and I am the most wicked one among them.

Aunt, I will wait for you in this hell.

Someone crossed the ground and mounted a horse. “Miss Lu, I believe you! When I rescue Young Master Song, you must speak highly of me!” Shao Cheng yelled toward the direction where Lu Fengmian was surrounded, then whipped his horse and rode away.

Immediately after, the other Taoists stopped watching the excitement. They grabbed their gear and rushed toward the Eastern Mountain with great enthusiasm.

Almost all the healthy bodyguards were eager to try their luck, impatiently following to assist. Only three unharmed people remained behind to accompany Lu Fengmian.

One was the simpleton Fox Immortal, one was Su Wushuang, and the third was a young man who was simply too scared to go.

The young man’s face was still very tender. He felt his presence wouldn’t make a difference—one more wouldn’t add much, and one less wouldn’t subtract much. If he went, he would likely only cause trouble, so it was better to wait honestly.

Thus, he waited with a clear conscience.

Lu Fengmian also waited on the ground with a clear conscience.

Mo Xianghao remained in the shadows, never coming out. She silently watched everything, and no one could guess what she was thinking.

She thought about Lu Fengmian’s background, about her hatred. She also thought about the honor and disgrace of her own family, and the former Crown Prince under house arrest.

She was also determined to investigate the plague case from four years ago, but she wasn’t as callous as the other woman. Her birth mother was alive, and although her family was threatened, it was still standing and hadn’t been suppressed by the imperial court.

When she came back to her senses, she happened to see Lu Fengmian limping toward her with a greeting.

Mo Xianghao forced a smile, walked over, and helped her up.