Chapter 19: Traveling with the Grand Princess of Great Rui
“Where is the young lady headed?” Wang Chu leaned against the doorframe of the carriage and asked the young woman standing beside the horse.
The delicate and charming young lady replied, “Oh, to Ling City.”
“Ling City, huh…” Wang Chu narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself, “A cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage—looks like she’s off to see that eldest prince again.”
With that thought in mind, Wang Chu said, “I happen to be going to Ling City as well. Would you care to accompany me?”
The young lady considered for a moment, then leapt gracefully onto the carriage beside Wang Chu, her voice sweet as she said, “Thank you, young sir.”
Wang Chu was somewhat surprised; he had only intended a polite gesture and did not expect her to actually agree. After all, a Nascent Soul cultivator could reach Ling City in no time and had no real need to share a carriage with him.
“You’re too kind, miss,” Wang Chu said, flicking the reins to urge the horse forward. “Hold tight; we’re off.”
The young lady smiled sweetly. “Alright.”
As the carriage rolled along, Wang Chu asked, “What brings you to Ling City?”
“To find someone,” she answered.
Wang Chu guessed, “Are you also looking for the eldest prince?”
This piqued the young lady’s interest. “Oh? Have many people recently been coming to Ling City to seek the eldest prince?”
Wang Chu nodded. “More than many—it’s like a sea of people. The streets of Ling City have never been so lively. Just about anyone you meet is likely a powerhouse at the Nascent Soul stage or above.”
This was no exaggeration; that very morning, when he had gone out for breakfast, Wang Chu had witnessed exactly such a scene.
After hearing this, the young lady furrowed her brow. “Looks like rooting out all those pests won’t be an easy task.”
“What pests?” Wang Chu asked, puzzled.
She shook her head. “Nothing. I just mean that surpassing those people and finding the eldest prince before them will be quite difficult.”
Wang Chu feigned ignorance of her evasive tone and quickly responded, “Indeed. No one knows which lucky person will first uncover the prince’s whereabouts, or whether that person is really the eldest prince.”
The young lady looked at Wang Chu’s face. “Are you from Ling City?”
“No, I moved here from elsewhere a few years ago,” Wang Chu replied.
She touched her chin thoughtfully. “From your appearance and bearing, you seem quite fit to be the eldest prince. Could it be possible that you are the eldest prince?”
Wang Chu waved his hand dismissively. “Haha, no way. I’m just a small business owner running a shop for weddings and funerals. How could I be?”
The young lady was surprised. “You actually run a wedding and funeral business?”
Wang Chu smiled. “Doesn’t it seem so?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. I thought you were a scholar.”
Wang Chu waved again, self-mocking. “Please don’t laugh. I only look like a scholar; there’s no real knowledge inside.”
The young lady said, “There’s nothing wrong with being a shop owner.”
They chatted back and forth like this, and before long, they arrived at the city gate.
Wang Chu stopped the carriage and asked, “Do you plan to stay at an inn, or do you have relatives in the city?”
The young lady jumped down, flashing two adorable dimples. “I’m going to see relatives, so you don’t need to worry about me. Thanks for the ride.”
Wang Chu cupped his hands respectfully. “In that case, farewell. I wish you success in your quest. If you ever need paper money, coffins, lanterns, or bridal shoes, you can come to my shop.”
Her expression stiffened slightly but she nodded. “Haha, I understand… Goodbye, young sir.”
Wang Chu urged the horse away.
Once he was gone, a large group of guards suddenly surrounded the young lady, all kneeling respectfully and whispering, “Greetings, Your Highness, the Eldest Princess!”
Her face instantly turned cold and indifferent, starkly different from the warmth she had shown earlier.
She looked toward the direction Wang Chu had left and said softly, “Investigate everything about that man—immediately!”
...
“Heh, interesting. This little lady must be royalty. Why would she be out alone on a deserted road at night?”
After returning the carriage to the stable owner, Wang Chu walked home, muttering to himself. He had never met such a strange royal descendant before. Though odd, Wang Chu wasn’t inclined to ponder it too deeply. He preferred to avoid finding trouble.
Back at his shop, stepping into the bedroom, he found Liu Changqing waiting for some time already. Seeing Wang Chu enter, he came forward respectfully, “Senior Brother!”
From the moment Liu Changqing had been swallowed by the black rift, he had become a member of Beiming.
Wang Chu sat by the wooden table. “What are your plans from now on?”
Liu Changqing said, “I want to forge my own path.”
Wang Chu nodded. “I wish you success.”
A rift appeared beside Liu Changqing. “Step through this rift and begin a new life.”
Liu Changqing bowed deeply. “Senior Brother’s kindness in giving me a new life, Liu Changqing will never forget.”
After speaking, he straightened up, turned, and walked into the rift, disappearing along with it.
Once he left, Wang Chu stood and rubbed his neck. “A busy day. Time to sleep.”
...
The next morning, the rising sun bathed the white ground in golden light.
Jiang Wan sat in the pavilion of the detached courtyard, gazing at the frozen lake in winter. She spoke to the woman beside her, “Winter in Ling City is more interesting than in Qianyuan. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a frozen lake and snow-covered ground like this.”
The woman lifted her teacup. “Yes, but such weather may not be good for the fish in the pond.”
Jiang Wan said coldly, “In this world, survival belongs to the fittest and the weak perish. If they cannot survive this winter, then that is the fate of the fish.”
The woman squinted, sipping her tea. “Princess speaks truly.”
At that moment, another person entered the pavilion. It was Qiu Yeqing, who had greeted Jiang Wan at the city gate last night.
She knelt before Jiang Wan and reported, “Princess, the identity of that man has been clarified.”
Jiang Wan stood and moved to the pavilion’s edge. “Speak.”
Qiu Yeqing said, “His name is Wang Chu. He runs a wedding and funeral shop in Ling City. His hometown is within the Ling City territory, a place called Canyuan Village. The people he frequently interacts with are all ordinary folk.”
“That’s all?” Jiang Wan frowned, dissatisfied.
Qiu Yeqing lowered her head. “I deployed many people but found no evidence of anything unusual about him.”
Hearing this, Jiang Wan’s frown deepened.
Her intuition told her that the man who had accompanied her last night was definitely no ordinary person.
Jiang Wan’s intuition was always accurate and had never failed her. It was a gift she was born with and had helped her many times.
Therefore, she trusted her instincts completely.
“It seems I really must visit him in person.”
She turned around. “Anything else?”
Qiu Yeqing said gravely, “There is one more matter to report. Last night, a village near Ling City and a sect were silently wiped out.”
...