Chapter 24. The Letter of Divorce.

This sudden turn of events triggered screams and threw the private room into chaos. The more unexpected the fall of the Grand Princess, the more terrifying it was.

Ji Hu Hou cried out for his mother with all his might and rushed out like the wind. All the men present also came out, and shouts and cries could be heard from all directions.

The ladies in the private room stood there, stunned. The wife of the Tiger Guard General, who had been sitting closest to the window, had witnessed the Grand Princess fall beside her. Overwhelmed by the shock, she sobbed in disbelief, "I was so oblivious. If I had noticed sooner and reached out to grab her... maybe she wouldn't have fallen..."

After all, Shi Mi was the host, and since Lu Min was handling things outside, it was naturally her turn to comfort the frightened ladies here.

Lady Hu Kui spoke while weeping, her face deathly pale. The astute man grasped her hand and gently comforted her, "Madam, don't blame yourself. It happened so suddenly; no one could have reacted in time. I'm actually glad you didn't pull her away, otherwise you might have been dragged down too." He then apologized to the assembled ladies, "Today I hosted this banquet, but I never expected such a thing to happen. I am truly sorry. Ladies, please calm yourselves down, or perhaps return to your residences first. I will apologize to you all later. I wonder how the Grand Princess is doing; I must go see her. I will have to stay a little longer. Please excuse me."

She said this, and since the general's wives were not pampered ladies from the inner quarters, they immediately responded, "We are also worried, let's go together."

Without delay, the group hurried down the covered walkway, but the height of Fuyao in the east was the highest in Zhongdu, and it would take quite a while to walk from top to bottom. Shimi only understood the background of the Grand Princess by listening to the ladies' fragmented conversations along the way.

Princess Taichang was Emperor Shengyuan's aunt. When the Yan Dynasty was conquering all sides, her husband died in the line of duty while transporting grain. She was greatly affected and became depressed. Later, she stopped leaving the house. After the Yan Dynasty was unified, her son was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Jihu and ordered to assist the Grand Tutor in building Zhongdu. She then came here with her son and established her residence.

The Grand Princess had a rather peculiar temperament. She rarely interacted with the outside world, and if you greeted her, she would only offer a perfunctory response. There was never any talk of her being close to anyone. Although she was not good at socializing, she lived a very peaceful life. Last year, she married a daughter-in-law, and this year she welcomed a grandson. Moreover, given her noble status, she would not suffer any grievances at home. There was absolutely no reason for her to choose the day of the Grand Tutor and his wife's banquet to jump off the altar in front of everyone.

"Could it be that he's possessed by an evil spirit?" someone said. "This Chong'an City is filled with yin energy. So many Yu people were massacred outside the city. In this foggy weather, who knows if his soul will return?"

These supernatural events suddenly became particularly frightening because of the Grand Princess's fall. The wife of the Silver Forest Guard General glanced in the direction of the battlefield, "The ancient battlefield where people were buried before always has strange phenomena before any change in the weather. People living under the city walls always hear crying outside the city... After all, so many people died, and a few of them have become powerful. Seeing that the Grand Princess is His Majesty's aunt, they might have been possessed."

Among the many wives, the wife of the General of the Double Bow Guards was the oldest. Seeing them making wild guesses, especially in front of the Grand Tutor's wife, she quickly stopped them, saying, "Don't talk nonsense! What would the Lady of the County think if she heard that! Those are all defeated men. The people who executed them are still here. How dare they cause trouble!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Mi's gaze swept across her face. Victors always possess an air of arrogance, portraying the bloody massacre as something glorious. At first, she had thought this general's wife was a decent person, but it turned out she was only kind to those in power.

I quickened my pace, sensing that the Grand Princess's condition was not optimistic. Falling from a height of tens of feet, it was fortunate that she didn't hit anyone passing by below; the rest would likely be mangled beyond recognition, a truly gruesome sight.

However, something strange happened again. When they arrived at the bottom of the covered walkway, the ground was clean, without a single drop of blood, let alone a corpse.

Those who arrived first had already searched the entire surrounding area for hundreds of feet, but to no avail. Everyone was bewildered. Even Ji Hu Hou forgot to cry, grinding his millstone in circles, wailing mournfully, "Mother... Mother, where are you..."

Those who jumped were, after all, members of the royal family; their status was undeniable, so this was no small matter. Lu Min looked up; the thick fog overhead remained, and there wasn't a breath of wind. Logically, she should have fallen vertically. But the Grand Princess seemed to have vanished into thin air. Had she jumped to the heavens?

He had no choice but to order: "Dispatch the military officers and garrison troops in the city to search every inch of the city, inside and outside Zhongdu, and find the Grand Princess."

The Six Guards General and the Marquis of Wu received their orders and busied themselves with troop deployment. The women stood bewildered to the side, some murmuring, "Could we have seen wrong...? I wasn't seeing things either, everyone saw her jump."

The unsolved mystery sparked much discussion among the crowd. Standing in the crowd, Shi Mi suddenly felt someone looking at her. Turning her head, she saw Lu Min staring at her coldly and suspiciously, saying nothing, but his gaze was so sharp it seemed to pierce through her.

What, is this resentment directed at her? Shi Mi felt completely innocent; what did the Grand Princess's fall have to do with her? Countless guards were dispatched from the city, everyone believing that there would be an outcome, good or bad, but half an hour passed, and there was still no news. The Grand Princess had vanished without a trace, weaving a terrible nightmare in everyone's hearts. No one dared to speculate on the cause and effect or her whereabouts; they could only wait for the Grand Tutor's next move. After all, he was the ruler of Zhongdu, and today was his family's banquet; if the Grand Princess had an accident, he should be held responsible.

The burden on Lu Min's shoulders was undeniably heavy. The fact that the scouts were not bringing back any new information made him even more determined to order: "Keep searching. Dig three feet into the ground and find her. The Grand Princess's accident was my fault for not taking good care of her, and I will submit a memorial to the throne to admit my guilt. But right now, the most important thing is to find her. No matter what, we must give the Lord an explanation."

As the situation deteriorated, the officials in charge of the trial had to do their utmost to protect the Grand Tutor.

Cen Yilou, the chief advisor, took the lead, saying, "This matter is highly unusual. So much manpower has been invested, yet not a single trace has been found. There must be something fishy going on. Your Majesty is anxious, the Grand Tutor is anxious, and the Marquis of Wu and the garrison searching outside are even more anxious, but the failure to find the person cannot be blamed on the Grand Tutor." He then subtly pressured the Marquis of Jihu, forcing him to make an immediate statement, "The Grand Tutor is the backbone of Zhongdu, bearing heavy responsibilities. There is no need for him to submit a memorial to admit guilt. What does Your Majesty think?"

Marquis Jihu was extremely anxious, but he knew that if he angered the Grand Tutor because of this, both his personal relationships and his career would be ruined.

He could only swallow his bitterness and calm himself down, saying, "How can this matter be blamed on the Grand Tutor? It must be that I, as his son, have failed in some way, which has caused my mother to... If anyone is to beg for forgiveness, it is I who should submit the petition. The Grand Tutor has already done everything he could. The rest is up to fate. I don't want anything else now, I just want to find my mother... I lost my father at the age of fifteen and have been living with my mother ever since. If my mother's whereabouts are still unknown... I will truly feel ashamed before my father and ashamed before my own conscience."

After he finished speaking, he burst into tears, but everyone present breathed a sigh of relief. Shi Mi watched from afar and saw boundless sorrow: his mother had fallen from the building, her fate unknown, yet her son had been forced to take all the blame upon himself.

Lu Min was never a kind person. He was pleased with what Ji Hu Hou said, but he had to hide it well. With a heavy heart, he comforted Ji Hu Hou: "Don't worry, even if I turn Zhongdu upside down, I will find the whereabouts of the Princess."

Marquis Jihu was extremely grateful, and the other members of the guild urged him to wait in a teahouse by the street. Everyone was filled with anxiety. The small teahouse was packed, but after waiting for half an hour, until the fog dissipated and the sunlight shone brightly, there was still no new news.

Everyone was disheartened and whispered among themselves. Cen Yilou knew that this wouldn't work and that he would have to step in to mediate. So he said to Lu Min, "There are a lot of official matters piled up in the council hall. We need to ask the Grand Tutor to make a decision. Sitting here waiting is not a solution." He then bowed to Shi Mi and the others, "Ladies, you have all been frightened. Please return to your residences. The search in the city will not stop, and we will have news sooner or later."

One by one, everyone stood up, not knowing what to say. They looked longingly at Ji Hu Hou, sighed, and left the teahouse.

"Where could this person be going? Could he have been guided by a deity?" The ladies continued their discussions as they walked towards their respective carriages. "Why couldn't he be more open-minded? What was troubling him that made him so resolute in jumping off the cliff?"

Lady Hu Kui grew increasingly frightened as she listened, touching her forehead and saying, "I feel feverish all over and extremely uncomfortable. I'm afraid I'll have to call back my soul when I get back."

Shi Mi personally escorted her to her carriage, saying kindly, "Madam Cheng is kind-hearted, but don't blame yourself too much. Go back and rest well. If I find out the whereabouts of the Princess, I will immediately send someone to inform you."

Lady Hu Kui nodded, then squeezed Shi Mi's hand tightly again. "Madam and the Grand Tutor's banquet was well-intentioned, and no one expected this to happen. In any case, no one will blame the couple; it was all ordained by Heaven."

Shi Mi nodded, watched her carriage drive away, bid farewell to the other ladies, and then got into his own carriage.

Looking back on this incident, it was truly bizarre. He fell from the building in front of everyone, yet they couldn't find a single limb or drop of blood even after searching every inch of the ground. What could be the reason? She didn't really believe in ghosts or gods. If there were really ghosts in the world, those who slaughtered the soldiers of the Yu Dynasty would have been devoured alive long ago. How could they still be alive and well now?

The truth is unlikely to be revealed anytime soon; without the body, it remains a headless unsolved case. Completely baffled, she returned to her loft and sat on the veranda, pondering aimlessly, much to the bewilderment of Ran Dian and the others. "The scenery of Zhongdu is so magnificent; after seeing it, Ami was completely captivated."

If you tell them the truth, they will find that the simple-minded Yan people cannot piece together the shocking truth.

Ali Dao wagged a finger, a sudden inspiration striking him. "I know! It must be because the princess's shoe fell off, and she lunged to save it."

Even Ran Dian and Yan Dian felt that it was Ali Dao who was possessed by a demon to make such a deduction.

Ran Dian said, "It's better for the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to be at odds, or for the mother and son to kill each other. With the mother jumping off the building, the son will be burdened with debt and will never be able to hold his head up high again."

Shi Mi was surprised, "How did you suddenly learn so much about human relationships and social interactions?"

Ran Dian proudly said, "I heard this while wandering around the market. There were so many stories from those women. For example, a mother had a child through surrogacy, was kicked out of her home after raising her son, and even had her son arrange to marry her off to a widower as a second wife."

The three of them immediately scorned her, saying, "What kind of nonsense do you listen to every day? Even storybooks wouldn't dare to write such things."

Ran Dian was indignant. "Then tell me, why would a princess attempt suicide? Was it because her son mistreated her, or because she missed her husband who had been dead for many years?"

That's hard to say; maybe they're just tired of living.

Yan Dian asked, "Does true love, even unto death, really exist in this world? I don't believe it!"

Even those who are knowledgeable in superstitions wouldn't believe it. "It must be something made up by men who can't find wives. Women live longer than men, and these men are about to die, so they're making up stories to trick women into committing suicide for love. Their intentions are sinister and outrageous."

After a few people started discussing it, the topic veered off course and almost didn't return to where it started.

Shi Mi's purpose today was to befriend those women, and he did achieve his goal. However, the unexpected death of the Grand Princess was truly regrettable. Even now, the image of her twisting her ankle and falling out of the window still sends shivers down his spine. Furthermore, her whereabouts remain a mystery for now, and he can only continue to await news of the city's search.

With nothing to do, she decided to go upstairs. She instructed Ali Dao and the others to guard the gate, and just as she was about to turn around, she saw Lu Min enter from outside. His steps were full of gusts of wind and thunder, showing that he had exhausted his patience after wasting half a day in the council hall.

Those two meaningful glances from before showed she hadn't misunderstood after all. Their hurried arrival must mean they were there to confront her.

What crime did she commit? Was she blamed for hosting a banquet that led to the Grand Princess's fall? If that were the case, she would kick her without hesitation—she was no pushover!

But she seemed to have misjudged the situation. He walked up to her, his words carrying a hint of reproach, "The body of the Grand Princess has still not been found. Does the young lady have nothing to say to me?"

Shi Mi sighed, "How are we going to explain this to Marquis Ji Hu..."

He frowned, his voice growing deeper, "At this juncture, the young lady is not concerned about herself, but is worried about not being able to explain to Marquis Jihu. She is far too reckless."

His words were loaded with meaning. Shi Mi was already unhappy, and seeing his attitude, she immediately became furious. "Instead of investigating the case, you come here spouting nonsense. What, do you think you can bully someone just because you married them?"

Lu Min's face darkened further. His icy gaze lingered on her for a long time before he suddenly shouted, "All irrelevant people, step back!"

This shout silenced the three of them, who looked at Shimi in fear. Shimi knew that a great battle was inevitable, so he turned and ordered, "You should leave for now. Do not come out unless I call you."

Ali Dao was the most efficient; without saying a word, he dragged Ran Dian and Yan Dian away and slammed the door shut.

Now that only the two of them remained in the courtyard, Shi Mifang said, "You've been being sarcastic for so long. I couldn't confront you in front of others, but since you've come to me, don't blame me for being impolite. May I ask what you meant by glaring at me like that in front of the altar? What did I do wrong that displeased the Grand Tutor?"

Lu Min was the type to become more restrained the angrier he got. He simply looked at her as if trying to see through her skin, and said, word by word, "The Grand Princess jumped off the altar, and her remains have not been found to this day. Don't you find this strange, young lady? If I remember correctly, on the day of the Umbrella Festival, generals of the Yu Dynasty who died in battle were seen on the streets. They were cut down by swords, but there was no flesh or blood left, only a pile of glue and fine wood. Now the Grand Princess has jumped from a height of several dozen feet, so why can't we find a single drop of blood within a ten-mile radius? Is this the work of the Puppet Master, who is plotting to do something earth-shattering?"

Shi Mi then realized, "You think the Grand Princess is a puppet? Her public fall was orchestrated by us?"

"Isn't that so?" He approached step by step. "There wasn't a breath of wind today. If someone had fallen to the ground, they would have been splattered with blood. How could we not even find a body? The only explanation is that the limbs were torn to pieces, shattered into dirt and wood chips, making them indistinguishable. Afterwards, all we need to do is pick up a set of clothes. There's no need for the puppeteer to come out in person. A three-year-old child could do it. What's wrong with my guess?"

Shi Mi was so angry he laughed. "You're really smart, but you can't solve the mystery yourself, so you blame the Puppeteer. Are you just taking advantage of his good manners and the fact that he won't scold you like I do?"

He didn't want to get entangled with her, but kept pressing her for answers: "Where is the Puppet Master now? Just ask him to come forward and clarify things. I already have a history with him, so there's no need for him to hide it from me. Why won't you meet him?"

“It’s not that he refuses to see me, it’s just that I don’t know where he went,” Shi Mi said coldly. “Today I hosted a banquet for guests, and the Puppet Master used the Puppet Men to cause trouble at the banquet, making the target of our anger. What benefit does he gain from doing this?”

His arrogant expression reappeared, and he said disdainfully, "Our marriage was arranged by Yan Shi. You know in your heart whether you're marrying me to live a normal life with me. I know you have ulterior motives, but to reveal your true intentions on the third day of your marriage is a bit too hasty."

When it comes to eloquence, Shimi is naturally no match for him. What's infuriating is that when he suspects you, he makes accusations that seem very reasonable and well-founded.

Shimi wasn't one to dwell on trivial matters. Since he couldn't defend himself, he decided to offer a gentle rebuttal: "Anyway, it wasn't us. You've been one of us for a long time. You can just tell me directly if there's anything, why beat around the bush?"

But he still didn't believe it, staring at her intently, "How many half-creatures and how many real creatures are there in this city? You want to turn Zhongdu into a world of fake people, is that it?"

Shimi gently retorted, "No, that's all your conjecture. No matter how high the Grand Princess's status is, she's just a woman confined to her home. Whether she lives or dies has no impact on anyone."

"Where did the corpse go?" he pressed. "The men we sent out searched every inch of the land, but they couldn't find a single hair. If it wasn't the work of the puppeteer, then is there another puppeteer in this city?"

Shi Mi was speechless, realizing he couldn't prove his innocence, and turned away, saying, "I'm not going to talk to you anymore, it's none of our business anyway."

She tried to leave, but he grabbed her wrist. "Just tell me where the puppeteer is."

Shi Mi angrily shook him off, pointing a finger at his nose and saying, "You've come to question me under the guise of being the Grand Princess, but your real intention is to find the Puppeteer and detain him. Let me tell you, don't think that just because someone is in your hands, you can do whatever you want with them. If you were to figure out the intricacies of this situation, how could anyone guard against you! So give up on that idea, and behave yourself; it'll benefit everyone."

People have different perspectives and their understanding of the situation varies greatly. It would be a lie to say that he didn't have this thought, but the uncontrollable nature of the puppet master did indeed make him deeply worried.

He fell silent and said in a cold voice, "Nothing in the world is harder to control than the mind, and nothing is easier to corrupt than desire. People must be restrained to avoid disrupting the social order and causing harm to the world. I only hope that Yanshi will remain quiet and inactive, and I have never thought of detaining him."

Shi Mi chuckled. "Do you even believe those words yourself? Grand Tutor Lu, I've known for a long time that you're no benevolent person. We're wary of you just as you're wary of us. Some things are left unsaid for the sake of future dealings. Now you've tried to take advantage of me, and I, with my bad temper, truly can't tolerate it." As he spoke, he called out to the servants upstairs, "Come down, all of you, and return to Li Ren Fang. You've wasted three days of my time, Lu Min. Just wait for my letter of divorce!"