Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 185: First Update

Chapter 185: Chapter 185: First Update

Ju Nanyi suddenly saw Qi Jin coming over and was a bit puzzled.

Was the Crown Prince summoning him at this time? Ju Nanyi glanced at the poetry on the table, which was nearly organized, just as the third round of selection at Marshill was about to be decided, at this time?

Still, Ju Nanyi handed over the task he was holding to the deputy he had brought and followed Qi Jin.

Ling Ge stood at the bow personally, directing batches of guards to dive into the water in search of the person who had fallen in. Ling Ge’s expression had gone from surprised at the outset to cold on his back now.

The Crown Prince himself was present, and he didn’t even have the courage to step away from the bow.

If by now he hadn’t realized the significance of the identity of the person who had fallen, he didn’t deserve to be in his position, or rather,

His head should have moved long ago.

However, what baffled Ling Ge was, if the person was of significant status, why was there no reaction from the shore, despite his lengthy attempts to retrieve from the lake.

He had arrived at the scene as soon as the person fell into the water and had seen quite a few people with his own eyes. According to them, only two or three people had fallen into the water, but the ladies from prominent families who came were all surrounded by a dozen or more people, not to mention those few of significant status, so it was impossible that no one would notice.

Moreover, the belt that was fished out was indeed a woman’s.

Ling Ge couldn’t figure it out yet didn’t dare to ask; he could only command his subordinate guards to divide into five batches and keep diving to search for any clues.

Zheng Congyuan sat in the cabin, his face dark and silent, with that unique Kesi silk tapestry belt lying on the table in front of him, its pattern unique and its embroidery thread brighter than ordinary silk.

Zheng Congyuan even remembered the girl flaunting the belt in front of him, her squinting eyes full of smug pride.

How could this be? How could she fall into the water? Zheng Congyuan regretted deceiving her into coming out even more. She never wanted to come out and had an innate fear of water; she seldom went near the water even when she was in his study.

Yet, for his own selfish reasons, he had schemed and used the purple jade bracelet to lure her out, knowing well that she could never resist such things, selfishly endangering her life.

"Your Highness—" The summoned secret guards had assembled, now standing in a row. In all these years, except the last assassination incident with His Highness, they rarely appeared together, so everyone was unaware of the occurrence.

Yet Zheng Congyuan could not reveal anything, not even the suppressed emotion he felt to the point of breathlessness; he desperately wanted to jump into the water himself; he almost did.

"Qi Zhu, take them outside." Zheng Congyuan’s voice was hoarse as he spoke, restraining his impulses; he closed his eyes, from start to finish, selfish. His Nian Ru shouldn’t live in the shadow of others, even now, facing the danger to her life, he couldn’t appear too agitated.

Qi Zhu immediately led the men out, Qi Jin had already followed Ling Ge’s men into the water, and Ling Ge’s guards had been replaced by a new shift, Qi Jin had not yet emerged from the water, searching over and over again.

Time ticked away slowly, and even the people on Lake Heart Island seemed to feel a different atmosphere, but no one knew who had fallen into the water.

Nanmen Yuyan heard some whispers amongst the crowd, looking somewhat intriguingly at the speaking group.

The Crown Prince had also gone? Was the person who fell into the water a very important person? But, all the important ladies from prominent families had already arrived at Listening Maple Pavilion, and no one said exactly who it was that fell into the water.

"Someone fell into the water; it won’t affect the poetry gathering, will it?" a lady from a prominent family asked.

"It shouldn’t, I didn’t see anyone fall into the water?" the crowd slowly began counting the ladies from prominent families who had arrived, these ladies also tacitly organizing themselves according to their social status in Listening Maple Pavilion.

"Could it be someone from the male guests’ side?"

Nanmen Yuyan also felt it was unlikely. At that time, the drowning location was in the female guests’ area. Aside from guards, there were no men. Moreover, she had faintly seen drifting light-colored garments, which were women’s clothing.

"I heard the poems have not been all collected; the third poem hasn’t even been submitted by Heir Zong."

"Did Heir Zong also go with the Crown Prince to rescue?"

...

"Not found yet? How come they haven’t been found yet?" Zheng Haoyuan was restless, continuously looking out.

"Fourth Prince, our men have already searched the female guests’ area inside and out three times. At this moment, everyone has already arrived at Listening Maple Pavilion. We have checked everyone, and the Commandery Princess is not found," Lu Hu immediately reported, feeling an initial guess in his heart as something had been found in the lake, which even the Crown Prince himself had rushed over to see.

"So she really fell into the lake?" Zheng Haoyuan said, his eyes reddening as he grabbed Lu Hu by the collar, "What are you standing there for? Go and find her, even if it means draining Siyan Lake dry for me."

Lu Hu dared not answer back. Draining Siyan Lake was unrealistic, but joining Ling Ge’s team to search underwater could still be helpful.

"Your Highness, Fourth Prince has brought people over," Qi Zhu saw the fast-approaching boat; the presence of the Loyal Warriors of the Wen Family here would only escalate matters, but now Qi Zhu could only focus on one thought—finding the Commandery Princess. He dared not imagine what the Crown Prince would do if they couldn’t find her.

"Brother Crown Prince, Brother Crown Prince—" Zheng Haoyuan ran over, disregarding formalities as he barged into the cabin. Lu Hu didn’t need any orders, taking his men immediately to look for Ling Ge at the boat’s prow.

Seeing the people arriving, Ling Ge was even more surprised—was this... Fourth Prince’s people? Was it someone from the Wen Family that fell in?

Qi Jin had just come up, sitting at the boat’s prow. He turned around to look at Lu Hu who discreetly bowed and led his men—without needing directions, they knew what to do, collaborating smoothly with the Crown Prince’s Secret Guard to cover the areas on the water.

By then, the search area had expanded to cover a whole section of the lake, but people continuously emerged and submerged without finding any useful clues.

...

Ju Nanyi, along with the guards left by Ling Ge, searched around the Inner Lake of Lake Heart Island. Other than a few reeds showing slight traces, Ju Nanyi was essentially certain that no one had come ashore from the lake’s edge. Ju Nanyi took another look at the broad, calm lake on the opposite side—If someone really did fall into the water, it would be unlikely for them to choose the longer way to reach the shore on the opposite side, thus deeming that possibility almost nil.

Prince Duan had waited a long time and still not seen the poems from Zheng Congyuan or Heir Zong, which was unexpected. When going out to look for Ju Nanyi, he found that Ju Nanyi was also missing.

Prince Duan became restless—besides the Lake Heart Pavilion, even Zheng Congyuan was nowhere to be seen.

While walking, Prince Duan mused over the increasingly strange sights, walking ahead steadily until Zheng Congyuan and Zheng Haoyuan suddenly approached. He quickly went to meet them.

"Crown Prince, what has happened?" Zheng Congyuan looked up abruptly upon seeing Prince Duan, suddenly at a loss for words.

Yet Zheng Haoyuan suddenly burst into tears.

"Imperial Uncle, my cousin is missing. My cousin is missing." Zheng Congyuan was just about to say something but found he could not naturally express himself like Zheng Haoyuan; he was so restrained he couldn’t make a sound.

As soon as Prince Duan understood who the cousin Zheng Haoyuan was talking about, his figure swayed and he almost stumbled.

"Imperial Uncle, don’t panic. We’re still searching," Zheng Congyuan immediately supported Prince Duan, hastening to speak.