Chapter 157 Prince Rui went to Funiu Mountain to search for Zishan, who had gone missing.

Prince Rui left the Imperial Study and headed towards the Empress Dowager's Cining Palace. When he arrived, the Empress Dowager looked rather unwell, but seeing the sorrowful expression on his face, she felt somewhat relieved.

"Is Your Majesty heartbroken over Jingchen's wife?" Prince Rui asked the Empress Dowager after sitting down. "I saw Jingchen at the entrance of the Imperial Study just now."

"Alas!" The Empress Dowager sighed. "Simin's life is so hard; she's so young and her health is already failing."

The Empress Dowager wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and said, "So, don't take your health for granted just because you're young. Don't stay up late anymore. If you haven't finished something, just do it the next day. No one is forcing you to finish it right away."

Prince Rui nodded obediently, "Your subject understands. You see, your subject has never been sick since childhood."

He raised his arm, gesturing to appear strong, and the Empress Dowager couldn't help but smile. Then she said, "Your elder brother said he wants to choose a princess for you during the New Year's selection of consorts. What do you think?"

Prince Rui pursed his lips. "Your subject wishes to find someone with whom you share mutual affection."

"That's what I think too," the Empress Dowager said, looking at him with affection. "Only when people are of one mind can they live a good life together."

Prince Rui smiled, clearly delighted. The Empress Dowager was also pleased and chatted with him at length. Prince Rui didn't say much, but he listened attentively. The Empress Dowager invited him to stay for lunch before letting him return home.

Prince Rui's residence was very close to the palace, so he walked back. When he reached the intersection of Yongsheng Street, he saw a large crowd standing in front of a woodworking shop. He didn't pay much attention and was about to walk over when a word reached his ears—"purple robe."

He stopped and gestured for the eunuch beside him to go and ask. The young eunuch went over, listened for a while, and then returned to report, "Your Highness, it is said that someone has discovered a century-old purple cypress on Mount Funiu. This woodworking shop is gathering people to search for it."

Prince Rui glanced up at the signboard of the woodworking shop, said nothing, and strode back to his residence. The young eunuch followed beside him, saying as they walked, "The rumors of the purple-robed one on Mount Funiu have been around for a long time, and many people have already gone to look for her. Why are you going to look for her again?"

Prince Rui hummed in agreement. "Yes, why the sudden change of heart?"

"Everyone's thinking about getting rich, but wealth isn't something that comes easily," the little eunuch said.

Prince Rui glanced at him and said, "You seem to understand things quite well."

The little eunuch chuckled, "This servant is living a good life under the Prince's wing, so I don't think about getting rich."

Prince Rui smiled, thinking about studying the data. He arrived at the palace shortly afterward and then locked himself in his study.

But after sitting down at the table, the words "purple robe" flashed through his mind again...

...

News of Princess Kang's death quickly spread throughout the capital. When Jiang Yu returned to the Duke of Chu's residence after her shift, she told the Duke, "I always felt that Princess Kang's death was sudden. When I saw her the other day, although she looked sickly and needed help to walk, she didn't seem to be nearing her end."

After a long silence, the Duke of Chu said, "Don't let your guard down. The more chaotic things get, the easier it is for something to go wrong."

Jiang Yu nodded, then looked at the Duke of Chu and asked, "Do you think it's possible that Prince Kang is keeping a private army?"

“If he has raised a private army, we must report it to the Emperor as soon as possible,” said the Duke of Chu. “If he is in a hurry to raise an army, something terrible will happen.”

Jiang Yu thought for a moment and said, "But we don't have enough evidence."

Duke of Chu: "If all else fails, inform Marquis Chengen of this matter."

Marquis Chengen commands the troops in the outer suburbs of the capital. If Prince Kang were to raise a private army, only Marquis Chengen could suppress it.

Jiang Yu remained silent. She had never dealt with the Marquis of Chengen, and the relationship between the Duke of Chu's mansion and the Marquis of Chengen was not particularly close. There was no solid interest between the two mansions, so she couldn't trust the Marquis of Chengen.

Nothing is absolute. Based on the analysis, it seems unlikely that Prince Kang and Marquis Chengen would cooperate. However, humans are complex beings, and things are ever-changing, so nothing is absolute.

"Let's take a look first," she said.

The Duke of Chu generally wouldn't object to her decisions now, so he said, "Then let's wait and see. We can inform the Marquis of Chengen after we have evidence that the Prince of Kang is raising a private army. His troops are just outside the capital, so they can be easily mobilized."

What they feared was that Prince Kang had raised a private army and might suddenly launch a coup to force the emperor to abdicate, while neither the emperor nor the Marquis of Chengen were prepared.

At this moment, Li Zhong's voice rang out from outside; the Duke of Chu had summoned him. After bowing to the two men, Li Zhong said, "King Kang shows no unusual behavior, but his close attendants and advisors have been making frequent moves..."

Jiang Yu and the Duke of Chu exchanged a glance. Both felt that Prince Kang was about to make a big move, but they didn't know what he was going to do. All they could do now was keep a close eye on the people in Prince Kang's residence and wait.

Jiang Yu had dinner with the Duke of Chu before returning to her Yunfeng Courtyard. When she arrived, she saw Lu Yifang there. Jiang Yu went over and said, "Mother, if you need anything, just have someone call me."

Lu Yifang smiled and said, "I'll take a walk to aid digestion. Was today tiring?"

“I just look at files at the government office, how could it be hard work?” Jiang Yu said.

With a look of heartache on her face, Lu Yifang said, "Thinking too much is also very taxing on your mind. You must drink the nourishing soup that Doctor Liu prescribed for you."

Jiang Yu nodded, and Lu Yifang continued, "Princess Kang has passed away, and I plan to take your sister-in-law to pay her respects..."

Now, Jiang Yu is basically in charge of the family, and Lu Yifang, as the matriarch, naturally consults with her on many matters.

After hearing her words, Jiang Yu said, "After you go to pay your respects, you and your sister-in-law should return to the manor immediately and not stay at the Kang Prince's manor for too long. You should also tell your maternal grandmother, your eldest aunt, and your second aunt not to stay at the Kang Prince's manor for too long either."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yifang's face showed panic, and she whispered, "What is Prince Kang going to do?"

Jiang Yu shook her head. "Just in case."

"Alright, I'll have someone inform your maternal grandmother and two aunts right away." Lu Yifang said as she got up and walked out. Jiang Yu saw her off at the gate of the courtyard and watched her disappear before turning back to the study.

......

The biggest news in the capital these past two days has been the passing of Princess Kang. It is said that Princess Kang's parents, Tang Boyang and his wife, rushed to the Prince Kang's residence upon hearing the news of her death. Upon seeing the deceased Princess Kang, they fainted from grief.

Princess Kang's elder brother, Tang Lingyun, and his wife were also heartbroken and unable to attend Princess Kang's funeral. The Tang family sent a son born out of wedlock to attend Princess Kang's funeral, but the funeral gifts they sent were of the highest standard.

Although the Tang family's actions were somewhat abrupt, they were still understandable. Prince Kang's deep affection was once again praised, because from the moment Princess Kang died, he remained by her side as if possessed. After Princess Kang was placed in the coffin, he stayed beside it, never leaving her side for even a moment.

Meanwhile, rumors of a century-old purple cypress tree on Mount Funiu intensified, and many people went to Mount Funiu in search of the purple cypress.

On the third day of Princess Kang's funeral, shocking news spread: Prince Rui had gone missing while searching for Zishan in the Funiu Mountains.