The Deposed Crown Prince had Three Lifelong Regrets - Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The night was anxious and dark, dotted with cold crows. The capital was magnificent, but the petty merchants and peddlers were extremely stereotyped existences among the multitude.

They never existed in the eyes of the nobles. Their temperaments, appearances, and even their insignificant lives were never given much thought.

The old man by the roadside pushing a sugar candy cart had dark skin and cataracts in his eyes. He limped and sighed repeatedly.

Lu Fengmian had not been out of the residence long. She had only retraced one-third of the planned route to leave the capital when the sky took on a sleepy, dim appearance.

The Emperor was troubled by the matter of the heir. Princess Wenchang submitted a memorial proposing a reform in the taxation method, which was met with collective opposition from the ministers.

Three days ago, Yun Xi’s mother overcame numerous difficulties and struck the imperial Drum of Complaint at the palace gate. For an old woman to achieve this, it was clear that someone was secretly clearing the way and acting as a facilitator.

But who could that person be?

Wenchang told her to strike the Drum of Complaint, yet the other party clearly knew she would be placed under house arrest upon returning home. Unless this was a form of guidance, leading her to investigate this matter.

She scanned her surroundings. Scattered passersby hurried on their way. Lu Fengmian twirled the hairpin in her hand and turned into a dark alley.

“Hey, why did you bump into me? You blind old man, not saying anything, not even an apology?”

Lu Fengmian only frowned, but her steps did not stop.

“Ahhh!!!”

The agonizing scream was cut off in the throat. It was only then that she finally stopped, leaning against the wall to peek outside.

The elderly man’s spine was arched. His skin peeled off his body, revealing bronze-colored flesh beneath, with thin, delicate meridians hanging onto it.

The color of blood faded, and the meridians slid down the peeling skin onto the ground.

A ferocious Painted Skin Ghost suddenly appeared in the capital.

The night watchman closest to it was forcibly dragged over by an invisible force. In a moment, the ghost completed a series of actions—disemboweling and digging out the heart—pulling out a bloody heart, and with a playful look, examined it before stuffing it into its fangs.

The scrawny young man who had bumped into it earlier fell to the ground and crawled away on his knees. Only when he reached the middle of the alley did he react, pat his still-intact head, stand up, and run wildly.

Lu Fengmian stood motionless in the biting cold wind.

She showed no sign of joy, anger, sorrow, or sighing, acting as if the person before her was nothing.

The Painted Skin Ghost grinned, revealing sharp teeth, brazenly showing off its achievement to her.

Lu Fengmian raised an eyebrow. A patch of water light was reflected behind her. The water mist churned and rose from the source, quickly transforming into the appearance of the night watchman it had just swallowed.

The demon’s eyes widened. It looked at its wet claws, then lowered its head to look at its shrunken belly.

“Just an illusion. Excuse me.” Lu Fengmian tilted her head and smiled.

The night watchman behind her had walked through the underworld, truly dying once. Now, he was somehow revived by some secret technique, frantically touching his body, which should have been shattered, from top to bottom.

“Aww, this… Am I still alive? Am I still alive?”

Seeing that one illusion could not defeat her, the Painted Skin Ghost instantly threw the discarded skin backward. The skin came alive, tightly wrapping around Lu Fengmian’s entire arm.

Lu Fengmian was twisted and forced to retreat several steps. When she looked again, the demon had turned into a wisp of smoke, fleeing over ten meters away.

The guards lurking in the shadows of the street eaves hesitated, their hands holding the order about to be issued.

“Captain of the Guard, what about us?”

“Wait a moment,” the captain aimed his crossbow at Lu Fengmian’s head. When he pressed the trigger, he deliberately skewed it to the left. An arrow grazed her hair and shot into the wall. “Good. Now, all of you shoot at that demon.”

Hundreds of arrows flew like falling leaves and flowers toward the Painted Skin Ghost.

Lu Fengmian’s hand, which she had reached out, quickly retreated. The wind brought by the arrows unexpectedly caused a locust flower, which came from who knows where, to fall on her forehead.

The locust tree beside her shook violently, and countless petals fluttered down.

“Did I walk into a trap that was set?” Lu Fengmian wondered, muttering to herself.

“Miss Lu, I thought what I feared was the moment of parting. I never expected a reunion to be equally daunting.”

The man on the tree branch said, his tone jealous and sour, bowing with affectation.

“I have a mission to complete today, I shall catch up with the Young Lady another day…”

Lu Fengmian, mortified, retreated silently again and again.

She knew this person. A capable operative of the Six Doors.

The Six Doors only dealt with demon disturbances. The people inside each had their own backing, and none of them were idle hangers-on. Thus, their hierarchy and order were very loose, and they addressed each other casually.

Lu Fengmian’s retreating steps halted. Her eyes curved as she feigned innocence, asking curiously, “There are countless dead and injured in the capital. A batch of people has been dispatched one after another for half a month. Why can’t it be stopped?”

The person on the tree jumped down, not answering her, and chased after the guards who had rushed out of the shadows with his bayonet drawn.

Helpless, she could only jog forward to follow a few steps.

“Consider it your request to me. A noblewoman like me, born with Yin-Yang Eyes, is a rare find. You won’t find this opportunity again.”

After her trip to Camel Ridge Mountain, Lu Fengmian had somehow learned a bit of Li XX’s manner of speaking and was utterly shameless in situations where it might be useful. If given more opportunities, she might even master it to perfection.

She tailed them all the way, and before long, she was stopped. But even so, she refused to leave, clinging to the Six Doors like a persistent plaster.

The capital was surging with strange events. According to her original nature, Lu Fengmian should have stayed far away, but she couldn’t help but recall the look in Li Qinghuai’s eyes.

Eager, hopeful.

That look of gazing at an old friend, expectant yet pushing her away and isolating her.

Everything the other party did was unbearable. The past, covered by a meticulously woven spider web, had to be unraveled by her herself.

Childhood friends, her maternal grandmother’s poison, the merchant son.

She wanted to know everything. Not only what those involved knew, but she would also know many secrets unknown to others. She wanted this world to hide nothing from her.

Therefore, regardless of what the Six Doors said or how incomprehensible their discussions were, Lu Fengmian stubbornly lingered nearby.

She simply used the identity of a heartbroken noblewoman who hadn’t slept for days to try her best to join the commotion.

After rushing around for several days, the people of the Six Doors arrested an attendant in the Flower Street and Willow Lane. At the time, the man was sprawled on a tabletop, pouring wine as if mad.

He muttered incessantly, pointing at the world, “Beg me, and I’ll tell you.”

“Your grandpa here also followed a security company and traveled north and south, but now is not the time, there’s no room for your grandpa to show off his skills.”

He stood up with the wine pot, stumbled a few steps, and hooked a beautiful courtesan. His hand slid down her cheek to her chest, seemingly unintentionally squeezing it.

The beautiful courtesan let out a delicate moan, took the opportunity to embrace her patron, and pretended not to believe him, saying, “Where did Old Master Zhou escort the goods? Was it in a dream? Don’t forget to take Niao Niao with you next time.”

The drunken Zhou raised his hand to stroke the prostitute’s cheek, then rolled over and pinned her down under the table.

In plain sight, their clothes were tangled together. The woman’s body was half-pressed against the tabletop, revealing a section of fair, slender legs, curled and hanging in the air.

His rough, calloused hand pressed tightly against her skin, moving up inch by inch.

The woman was neither anxious nor annoyed, chuckling twice, “What’s the rush? Can’t you do it fiercely back in the room? Everyone is watching.”

Laughter and curses rang out all around. Someone whose mood was spoiled grabbed a cup and threw it at the adulterous man and woman.

The madam had to intervene to calm things down, “Master, come on. We’ll send a few more girls to serve you. Let’s go back to the room first.”

The man pushed away the arm that was supporting him, yelling, “Don’t hold your grandpa. Your grandpa can stand steady, very steady.”

The madam’s mouth was wide open. She secretly cursed her bad luck today, repeatedly saying “Yes” and using all her strength to try and drag the man away.

“Yes, yes, yes, please walk slowly. No need to see you out.”

The drunkard’s features crumpled together. He leaned in to look at the madam and grew angry, “What? Are you looking down on me? When I was young, I could shoot a great eagle with a bow, and no one dared to defy me. You don’t want this small broken shop anymore?”

“I am forty-seven this year, in my prime, and very good at living…”

At this point, the guest kept chattering, but the madam stopped talking. She walked straight past the man and approached the official in uniform behind her.

“Get lost! Don’t delay my business. Do you really think eating the Song family’s food makes you leap to the branches and become a master? Sick!” The madam shook off the drunkard’s grasping hand, then immediately put on a flattering smile for the person behind her, saying, “Officer, what brings you here? Why are you still wearing this uniform? It makes this old woman so scared I don’t dare to greet you.”

Yan Xiangzhi gave her a little face and smiled:

“It’s my fault for frightening the Madam by coming here. But I’m here today with good news. Are you interested in hearing it?”

The madam’s eyes darted around. While shaking her handkerchief, she said, “Look at you, saying that. Although this old woman was once a great beauty when young, I’m truly past my prime now. You should talk to the girls more and listen to some tunes. It’s good for your physical and mental health~”

Yan Xiangzhi sighed and waved his hand at the subordinates behind him, “It seems the owner doesn’t welcome us. Let’s hurry up and leave.”

The wine guests watching the show suddenly acted out in the middle of it. One stood up, spread his arms, and laughed heartily, even lifting his foot onto the tabletop.

“No, no, no, that’s not true.” The madam glanced at the corner of her eye, barely restraining herself from speaking harshly.

A cold knife was unsheathed and placed against the madam’s neck.

“Arrest him.”

The constables previously hidden among the patrons swarmed out. They pulled out their pocket mirrors, reflecting the light over the beautiful faces of the women.

“Zhou Biao, get off the person and talk.”

The drunkard was still intoxicated, lying on the beautiful courtesan. Finally, the woman couldn’t bear the embarrassment anymore and violently pushed him away, standing up.

She first covered her exposed skin, then shrank back, trying to burrow under the table.

Lu Fengmian arrived late. At a glance, she spotted the girl hiding underneath. After a long hesitation, she bent down and crawled under as well.

Inside, the girl frantically covered her private parts until the other person asked her to look up at her. Only then did the person cautiously glance a few times.

Clutching her like a life-saving straw, the beautiful courtesan quickly grabbed her, shedding a few clear tears of remorse, saying, “Young Lady, help me.”

It was chaotic outside, but there was a sense of peace inside.

“I know Young Lady is a kind person. I only ask you to help me this once. I really don’t want to go to prison…”

The madam let out a sharp, piercing shriek, turning left and right to stop the constables carrying out their duties, constantly arguing that the place was operating normally and nothing was non-compliant.

Lu Fengmian automatically ignored the chaos. She graciously took the courtesan’s hands, her eyes and attitude earnest, “I remember Bai Yunxi, so I certainly won’t forget you. Don’t be afraid. There are no unreasonable people here.”

Words were always powerless. The beautiful courtesan, with tear-filled eyes, pursed her lips and did not believe her.

Lu Fengmian couldn’t comfort her, so she had to climb out from under the table first. As soon as she left, the other constables stopped showing courtesy, swiftly locking down the entire brothel.

The constables were busy with their own tasks and no one paid her any attention. She stopped seeking trouble and quickly left.

Before leaving, she still worried about the beautiful woman. Life in prison was not easy, and she didn’t know if the Six Doors would treat these people kindly.

The following days grew harder. The Song Residence’s lights were often on late at night, and incidents of the shadow puppets coming to life occurred from time to time. They were originally prepared as burial items for the second young master but had now become restless spirits disturbing the peace.

The servants wailed and cried. A young page, frightened out of his wits, left the residence without permission and was arrested and taken to the Dali Temple for interrogation.

The Song family had no choice but to burn the shadow puppets overnight before the situation stabilized.

After Lu Fengmian disappeared from her home, she had been running around in the shadows. The gossip outside even reached the person involved.

She used the money she had to constantly bribe people, finally securing a job delivering food to the prisoners. But no matter how many times she delivered meals, there was always someone guarding her, and she could never exchange a word with the beautiful courtesan.

Having no other choice, she wrote a letter to Mo Xianghao. Before she could receive a reply, she urgently rushed to Jizhou.

She remembered Li Qinghuai telling her that there was once a pair of sisters in Jizhou: the younger sister’s name was Su Wushuang, and the older sister’s name was Song Zhe.

If she went to find the place where they grew up and described their appearances, she might find elderly people who knew the sisters.

Following this small clue, unravelling the layers, she would surely find a point that could be broken through.

As she drove out of the capital in a hired carriage, with her personal maid sobbing as she saw her off, Li Qinghuai’s plan truly began to close the net.

The sun was setting low, the residual light like blood. The carriage sped away, and clouds of smoke drifted overhead. Cong Ji clung tightly to Lu Fengmian. She had run after the carriage for a long time. Only after she twisted her ankle and fell to the ground was she allowed by her Young Lady to board and rest.

Lu Fengmian sat properly in the carriage seat, harboring distinct thoughts.

In the distance from the outskirts of the capital to the post station, she had to not only persuade her maid to return but also buy supplies and gather information. She was about to be overwhelmingly busy, without any time to catch her breath.

“You shouldn’t have come to find me. Cong Ji, who sent you? Don’t tell me it was the Eldest Madam. Don’t you have any other master?”

Cong Ji was still young, her cheeks chubby and especially childlike. She looked up blankly upon hearing this, muttering, “Young Lady is also my master, naturally. I don’t want to be separated from you. If I don’t see you for a day, I…”

A gentle breeze swept over Lu Fengmian’s heart. Her myriad tangled thoughts became even more convoluted.

As if avoiding something, she fell silent for a short while.

“Since your soul is no longer in the Zhao family, you must have some ulterior motives. Bai Yunxi’s people?” Lu Fengmian forced a casual posture, leaning against the carriage wall and fiddling with the corner of her clothes.

Sticky, hot sweat seeped into her palms. Her body, hot to the extreme, turned cold, oscillating between the two sensations.

When she first lost her memory, only Cong Ji did not abandon her, using her accumulated wealth over the years to buy medicine for her mistress. In the Zhao Residence, where silence was as tight as iron, she would always unintentionally reveal fragments of the past.

This person placed beside her rarely listened to the Eldest Madam Zhao. Then, whose orders would she follow?

“I don’t remember you,” Lu Fengmian said, unsure if she was excited or afraid. “The sister who grew up with me, whether her name was Cong Ji or Cong Xin or Cong Mei, I don’t remember.”

Cong Ji seemed not to understand why her Young Lady was acting this way. She reached out in confusion, trying to grasp her.

Lu Fengmian naturally did not believe the outward appearance. She parried the move, which seemed powerful but was actually soft, with a strength that was subtle yet effective. After only three exchanges, the other person revealed her ugly intentions, reaching straight for her neck.

She neither dodged nor avoided, allowing every hair on her body to stand on end. At this point, she surprisingly felt a sense of relief. No matter what, she could not solve the puzzle she was in, nor could she escape the fate of being manipulated like a chess piece.

She used to wait day after day for the controller to come and see her, but the person opposite always felt the time was not right, unwilling to meet her honestly.

Was there finally a place where she was useful now? It was truly something to look forward to.

Cong Ji’s clawed hand stopped two inches from her neck. At this moment, the expression on her face was completely stripped away, making her look like a puppet on strings.

“Miss Zhao, my master asks you to come with me.”

Even Lu Fengmian herself didn’t realize the profoundly relieved smile she pulled, which even contained a hint of malice.

She pushed away the bowed hand in front of her, dusted off the dirt on her clothes, and stood up properly. Her legs were still a little weak, supported entirely by her mental resolve.

“Why the change in address? Before, you at least acknowledged I was a member of the Lu family. Now…” Before she could finish her sentence, a hand chop from behind silently struck. Her last thought before losing consciousness was, It’s exactly as I expected.

Her eyelids fluttered. As her body slid down, her eye membranes seemed to be covered with a layer of mist. The colors of everything blended together, hazy and blurry.

In a daze, Lu Fengmian didn’t know if she was still conscious. She felt someone lift her onto a wooden board, followed by continuous jolting.

It felt like she was wrapped in rough cloth, and her skin was unbearably itchy.

Before long, she even forgot why she had come here, thinking she was merely having a deep, oppressive nightmare in her room.

Mud and water splashed. The carriage piled high with straw rolled over the mud, driving out of the North China region, traveling non-stop toward the south day and night.