The Deposed Crown Prince had Three Lifelong Regrets - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The last vestiges of guilt vanished. The shameful act of sending someone to spy was now confirmed, yet Lu Fengmian lowered her head as if utterly mortified, gazing at the tips of her shoes and letting her thoughts wander.

In contrast, her friend Mo Xianghao’s expression darkened. Feigning intense enthusiasm, as if she hadn’t caught the underlying meaning, she stepped forward, grabbed Li Qinghuai’s hand, and said:

“Looking at our attire, you can likely tell we aren’t people greedy for money. The Mo family is not short on funds. We have other important business this trip. Song Xuanxuan has been missing for half a month. By the time he’s found, he’ll likely be a corpse. It’s highly unlikely we’ll see a living, bouncing person.”

Li Qinghuai was not here to make money, but that didn’t stop her from slightly lifting her chin and giving a practical analysis.

“If he’s alive, we must see the person; if he’s dead, we must see the corpse.”

“If the person is alive, I’ll naturally make a fortune. If he’s dead, I can still complete the task, making this trip worthwhile.”

Both of their clasped hands were exerting hidden strength, determined to give the other a piece of their mind.

Just as Mo Xianghao was furiously thinking of a way to mock her, Lu Fengmian suddenly looked up. “I didn’t know there was such a person among the escorts before, and I’m not here for money. Since you allowed him to follow us, why don’t we all travel together? The credit and the hardship will all go to you.”

“I won’t take a single share.”

Her final syllable was drawn out. While others might not notice, it made the Fox Half-Immortal feel utterly agitated. It immediately tossed its head, transforming from the face of a delicate beauty to a rough man’s face, a change more expressive than a Beijing opera mask change.

Li Qinghuai raised an eyebrow, waiting for her companion’s opinion.

Mo Xianghao was initially concerned that Lu Fengmian had been manipulated, but now that she knew the truth, how could she not distance herself but instead offer a gift? Where was the logic in that?

The meaning of Lu Fengmian’s words clearly indicated a willingness to associate with this contemptible person, a complete change from her earlier resistance. Mo Xianghao instinctively felt the other had an ulterior motive and dared not rush to agree.

Although confused, she eventually agreed. Li Qinghuai, however, took advantage of the situation and acted modest, her thin lips pursed into a line, her expression unreadable.

Lu Fengmian smiled sweetly and naturally stepped forward to embrace Li Qinghuai.

“I’m truly sorry; I was just reminded of some unpleasant memories,” Lu Fengmian lied without blinking.

Since birth, her soul had been damaged, and people and events in her memory were vague.

In her childhood, she returned to her mother’s hometown only to encounter bandits and consequently wandered outside for years because she couldn’t remember things. Had it not been for a fortunate coincidence that led her into the Daoist sect, she would likely have died on the streets long ago.

During her years as a young Daoist nun, cultivating her mind and nature helped her soul recover significantly, but another complication arose midway, causing the people and events of those years to be forgotten or lost.

Although the symptoms were under control, and there was a high probability that large new memory gaps would not appear for the rest of her life, the past remained shrouded in layers of mountain mist, forever unclear, and needing to be filled in by the descriptions of others.

The soul would naturally heal itself, and then the clouds would part to reveal the sun, but it would take at least twenty more years to fully recover. Even if her seven souls and six spirits were intact by then, how many people or events would she still remember?

Li Qinghuai was caught off guard by the touch. Her entire body suddenly stiffened like hard iron; she dared not move. Only after Lu Fengmian let go did she recover, letting out a long sigh. She was now absolutely certain that the other had an agenda. Though she didn’t know what it was yet, she would eventually find out.

She then recalled that whether in childhood or now, this person’s tactics for familiarity and cleverness were the same; it was just that the other didn’t recognize her now.

“I had heard of Miss Lu’s reputation while training elsewhere. We both follow Maoshan teachings. If I address you as ‘Senior Sister,’ you wouldn’t refuse, would you?” Li Qinghuai shed her former gloom and quickly followed the lead.

Lu Fengmian was probably rendered speechless, but she had to see through the hole she had dug. She smoothly replied, “You can call me anything you like. If you’re willing to call me Senior Sister, like those on the mountain, there’s no problem.”

With that single sentence, she drew a clear line between them. Since hundreds of Maoshan disciples could call her Senior Sister, there was no special closeness between the two.

In the end, Lu Fengmian’s calculation was shrewd.

The Fox Half-Immortal had stirred up some subconscious resistance deep within her memory. She vaguely felt that this person gave her a familiar feeling but couldn’t place who it was, so she decided to temporarily build a relationship, secure their companionship, and take the opportunity to investigate her background.

Yet, deep down, she didn’t want to get close to Li Qinghuai. She would offer a carrot one moment to lure her in and act aloof and push her away the next, all while maintaining a facade of frankness. In just a few short sentences, she had perfectly executed the strategy of “crossing the river and demolishing the bridge.”

Li Qinghuai had a clever mind; how could she not understand the meaning of this push and pull? They both maintained a knowing distance.

Only the innocent Mo Xianghao, who pondered for a long time without guessing the reason, gradually overturned her earlier conspiracy theories, believing the situation had become harmonious and perfect. Extremely disdainful of this nonexistent charitable kindness, she sternly patted both their shoulders and began to plan the itinerary for their next move.

Several hours later, the group of escorts were bustling toward the foot of the mountain.

Upon rejoining the group, Pan’er was entangled in a long session of catching up. The Fox Half-Immortal, to accumulate merit, voluntarily stayed on the mountain but refused to travel with the group, stubbornly changing back to its human form and trailing at the end of the procession.

The mist had retreated after noon, and the mountain scenery was no longer obscured, becoming much clearer. However, the early spring vegetation was half gray and half green, one side lush and the other withered, making for a less-than-pleasing sight.

Weaving through the flickering shadows of the trees, she felt unlucky because shortly after leaving, a heavy rain suddenly began, soaking everyone halfway through their journey.

But by nightfall, she felt lucky again. As the residual sun was about to set dimly, the group unexpectedly spotted a village and town nestled at the foot of the mountain.

This area had not completely separated from the deep mountains; logically, there shouldn’t have been a large concentration of households. Yet, there was a group of hunters who lived off the mountain, gathering and settling near the mountain, and through generations of reproduction, they had formed this large town.

The rain had long stopped. Several people in the group had started to develop fevers, including Li Qinghuai. She was dizzy and could barely walk steadily.

The few remaining horses also whinnied uneasily.