The Prince of Yuliu’s tone was laden with meaning: “My royal sister has disappeared.”

Princess Yi’an was taken aback: “What do you mean, disappeared?”

The Prince of Yuliu spread his hands: “She went out early this morning and never returned. This humble prince went out to search but couldn’t find her either.”

Being scrutinized by the Prince of Yuliu’s meaningful gaze, Princess Yi’an grew secretly furious.

Could he possibly suspect that Princess Lingque’s disappearance was related to her?

How absurd!

“If that’s the case, then I’ll come visit another day and won’t delay the Prince from searching for her.”

Seeing Princess Yi’an about to leave, the Prince of Yuliu stepped forward: “Has the Princess seen my royal sister?”

Princess Yi’an’s expression immediately darkened: “What exactly is the Prince implying?”

The Prince of Yuliu smiled slightly: “Please don’t take offense, Princess. This humble prince is merely asking. Unable to find my royal sister all this time, I’m truly worried.”

“Then the Prince should hurry and search for her. I’ve been out of the palace for quite a while—the Empress Dowager will be concerned.” Having said this, Princess Yi’an walked quickly toward the imperial sedan chair stopped not far away.

The Prince of Yuliu watched Princess Yi’an’s figure disappear behind the sedan curtain, then coldly instructed his attendants: “Continue searching for the Princess.”

The attendants received their orders and departed. He hurried off to find the Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs.

“Minister Ouyang, Minister Ouyang, something’s happened!”

The Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs had the compound surname Ouyang. He was a portly old man over fifty years of age, and upon hearing the Prince of Yuliu’s repeated shouts, he felt his head beginning to ache.

What had happened now?

Ever since these Yuliu people arrived, he hadn’t had a single good night’s sleep. He’d even lost weight.

Although impatient in his heart, Minister Ouyang’s face immediately showed concern: “Prince, what has happened?”

“My royal sister has disappeared!”

Minister Ouyang was so shocked his beard quivered: “Princess Lingque has disappeared?”

“Yes, and we still haven’t found her.”

Minister Ouyang glanced at the bright sun outside, finding it hard to believe: “Could she have gone shopping?”

“She’s unfamiliar with this place. If she went shopping, she would certainly go to places you’ve mentioned. But I’ve already sent people to search all those streets, and they haven’t found her.” The Prince of Yuliu’s expression was grim. “Besides, my royal sister’s injury hasn’t healed, and she’s lost her memory. How could she possibly be in the mood for shopping?”

Hearing him put it this way, Minister Ouyang also grew nervous: “Prince, don’t panic. I’ll immediately call more people to search together.”

“That would be best. If my royal sister, already injured and suffering memory loss, were to disappear as well, I would have no way to answer to the Royal Father.”

Minister Ouyang raised his sleeve and wiped away sweat.

If Princess Lingque were to simply vanish in Great Zhou’s capital city like this, it wouldn’t just be the Prince of Yuliu who couldn’t answer to the King of Yuliu!

While chaos reigned on this side with everyone searching frantically, in front of the Shuntian Prefecture offices, a maid accompanying a young woman wearing a veiled hat stepped forward and struck the great drum.

The resonant drum sound immediately alarmed everyone inside and outside the offices.

The prefecture allowed public observation of trials, and the common people, having accumulated rich experience, immediately surged forward to claim the best positions.

The Prefect of Shuntian, hearing the drum, hurried to the court hall. Looking at the two young women below—clearly a mistress and servant pair—he slapped the gavel: “Who stands before this court—”

The young woman removed her veiled hat, revealing her true appearance.

The young woman in foreign dress possessed a devastatingly beautiful face. The gauze wrapped around her head against her palm-sized, fair complexion created a heart-stopping beauty.

Gasps rose from the crowd of onlookers, followed by buzzing discussion.

The Prefect of Shuntian’s eyes widened slightly as he recognized the young woman’s identity: “You are—the Princess of Yuliu?”

Princess Lingque nodded slightly, her voice like an oriole emerging from a valley: “They all say I am Princess Lingque.”

These words sounded strange. The Prefect of Shuntian casually asked: “They?”

“Yes. I injured my head at Fuxiang Garden and don’t remember anything. They told me I am Princess Lingque.”

Looking at the purely innocent young woman below, the Prefect of Shuntian had an ominous premonition.

He had a general feeling that major trouble was coming!

“Ahem, may I ask what brings Princess Lingque here?” The Prefect of Shuntian tried to make his voice sound gentle.

Any matter involving two nations was never simple, and if it also involved imperial family members, it was no different from digging a pit and pushing him, the Prefect of Shuntian, into it.

Princess Lingque’s beautiful eyes swept lightly left and right, carrying doubt: “Is this not Shuntian Prefecture?”

“It is.” The Prefect of Shuntian nodded.

“Then it should be the same as in Yuliu. Naturally, coming here means filing a complaint.”

The Prefect of Shuntian shifted in his seat, feeling today’s chair was somewhat uncomfortable: “Against whom does the Princess wish to file a complaint?”

Princess Lingque lifted her chin slightly and enunciated each word: “I wish to accuse your nation’s top scholar, Yang Zhe.”

The Prefect of Shuntian nearly stood up. Forcing himself to remain calm, he asked: “For what reason does the Princess accuse Scholar Yang?”

The young woman, who had just shown such resolute determination, suddenly reddened around the eyes and tears fell: “He clearly exchanged sentiments with me publicly, then turned around and denied it—abandoning me after seduction!”

“This, where does this come from?” The Prefect of Shuntian was dumbfounded.

He had only heard that Compiler Yang had suppressed the Yuliu people’s arrogant behavior by matching couplets in front of a teahouse two days ago, but he hadn’t heard about this!

Had he missed something?

Princess Lingque gently wiped her tears, appearing utterly pitiable: “That day I saw Scholar Yang’s peerless bearing and admired him in my heart. I used the first line of a couplet to test his feelings, asking him the reason for finding a mate. He gave a response, saying there was no need for a matchmaker. He publicly pledged lifelong commitment, then turned around and went back on his word. Is this not abandonment after seduction?”

“This… Princess, you misunderstand. Scholar Yang was merely matching couplets; he had no other meaning.” The Prefect of Shuntian’s head was pounding. He couldn’t help but explain on Yang Zhe’s behalf.

Wasn’t this just forcing the issue?

Princess Lingque questioned tearfully: “As the presiding official, not only do you fail to summon the accused to confront me, you even argue on behalf of the accused. Is this you officials protecting each other?”

The Prefect of Shuntian’s head felt as large as a bushel. He hastily instructed his subordinates to fetch Yang Zhe and dispatched someone to report to the Court of Colonial Affairs.

Before long, the Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs laboriously pushed through a crowd of common people excited as if injected with chicken blood, arriving first.

“Princess Lingque, you really are here! Your elder brother is searching everywhere for you!” Upon seeing Princess Lingque, the Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs first breathed a sigh of relief.

The Prefect of Shuntian coughed: “Minister Ouyang, the Prince of Yuliu didn’t come with you?”

“I had someone go report to the Prince.” The Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs inquired with his eyes what on earth was happening.

The Prefect of Shuntian briefly explained, then asked the shocked Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs: “Minister Ouyang, don’t you think this matter should be mediated by your Court of Colonial Affairs?”

The Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs immediately came to his senses and instantly deflected: “Minister Huang, the Court of Colonial Affairs doesn’t handle trials.”

“But you do handle foreign guests.”

The two men argued back and forth, finally reaching an agreement: go request His Majesty’s decision.

When the Prince of Yuliu and Yang Zhe arrived one after another, the entire group, under the reluctant gazes of the common people who had been observing the trial, proceeded in a grand procession toward the Imperial City.

The Imperial City guards, suddenly seeing a large group approaching, thought something had happened. Each placed a hand on their sword hilts in vigilance. Even after these people received permission to enter, their eyes couldn’t help but glance backward.

Emperor Tai’an never expected this matter would have a sequel. For a moment, he nearly couldn’t maintain an emperor’s composure.