Chapter 2 Missing
On the sixth day of the seventh month of the twelfth year of Jianyang, the early morning light shone on the busy city of Jiankang.
A carriage drove out of the Prince of Yuzhang's Mansion and slowly headed towards the palace.
The carriage was draped in white, and the accompanying servants and guards were all in mourning, signifying a recent death in the family of their master. Everyone on the road knew that the deceased was Sima Liang, Prince of Yuzhang.
"Oh, it's been a long time since I saw the carriage from Prince Yuzhang's Palace." The soup noodle shop was next to the market entrance. If there were any carriages coming in or out of Prince Yuzhang's Palace, a mile away, it would definitely catch the shopkeeper's attention.
After hearing this, many diners poked their heads out.
Someone asked, "Is that the prince in the car? He's the only son the Prince of Yuzhang has. Now that Prince of Yuzhang is gone, he's living alone in this huge palace. I wonder if it's creepy. Wouldn't it be nice if you could give me a corner of it?"
"You're dreaming!" someone laughed. "The Prince of Yuzhang, what a formidable figure he is! He joined the army at ten, captured the enemy's leader at fourteen, commanded troops at sixteen, was appointed General of the Wuwei Army at seventeen, and defeated Zhao Que of Yizhou at eighteen. Upon his triumphant return, the Emperor even put down his magic gourd, emerged from his cultivation hall, and praised his nephew, 'Good nephew.'"
"What a privilege it was then! Seeing His Majesty was no easy feat." Someone else covered their mouth and sneered, "I heard the last time the Crown Prince went to Wujun to handle a major case, he returned to a deserted palace and didn't even get to see His Majesty."
"Shh!" The person next to him quickly whispered, "Is that something you can say?"
The shopkeeper quickly changed the subject: "You just said that the Prince of Yuzhang's mansion was big, but no matter how big it was, what good was it? The old Prince of Yuzhang was famous for his love of beauties. There were so many beauties in the mansion, and there used to be revelry every night. Not to mention how lively it was, how could you have stayed there?"
Someone quickly chimed in, "That's right. I heard that Prince Yuzhang went on a long journey this time and unfortunately lost his life. Apparently, it was for a beautiful woman, too?"
The shopkeeper swiftly scooped up the soup noodles and divided them into bowls. "Another bowl? I'll tell you after you finish it."
Everyone laughed and scolded him, urging him not to beat around the bush.
The shopkeeper laughed and said, "It was for the beauty, but it was just a formal marriage to a second wife. I heard that he would return after the bride was brought back, and he boarded a boat in Cangwu County. Suddenly, a heavy rain fell, and the boat capsized, leaving no one alive."
"Is it so dangerous?" the diner asked in surprise. "What kind of place is this Cangwu County? I've never heard of it."
"You're not the only one who hasn't heard of it. Many people haven't either. But I've asked around." The shopkeeper chuckled proudly. "Do you know Guangzhou? It's just west along the waterway."
Everyone looked at each other.
"Such an out-of-the-way place? If the old Prince of Yuzhang went to such a place to marry, wouldn't the woman be as beautiful as a fairy?"
"You don't know this. That woman is truly extraordinary. Her father is Lu Ming, a renowned Yin-Yang master in Nanling. It's said that Lu Ming could predict future events and life and death, and he once saved the life of Prince Yuzhang. His daughter, Lu Xian, also inherited his skills. Now, do you understand? The woman the old Prince Yuzhang married wasn't just a beauty; she was a living immortal."
Some people shook their heads and said, "He's already a prince, and he's asking too much to marry a living immortal. But this living immortal doesn't seem to be very powerful, otherwise how could he have caused the Prince of Yuzhang to lose his life?"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Rumors in the market, like the wind before a summer rain, spread through the streets and alleys, providing people with entertainment after dinner.
The palace was also not at peace.
"I haven't seen you for a while. I guess you've been quite busy lately?"
The prince flipped through the bamboo slips and asked Sima Jun, who had just sat down.
Sima Jun was dressed in heavy mourning clothes, and his tall figure looked even more desolate, which was out of tune with the magnificent decoration of the palace.
"I was busy with my father's funeral a while ago. Now that it's over, I feel better." Sima Jun didn't want to talk about it anymore. He asked, "Your Highness summoned me to the palace. I wonder why?"
"There is something I want to tell you." The prince paused, but seemed a little hesitant.
"Your Highness, please feel free to speak up," Sima Jun said.
"I just found out too." The prince put down the bamboo slips and said, "Your father's concubine, Lu, has been found."
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