Tearing the Prince's Clothes after Withdrawing Marriage
Chapter 425 - 424 What if we haven’t found it yet?

Chapter 425: Chapter 424 What if we haven’t found it yet?

Chu Qianli always felt that what Feng Yexuan told her on the carriage, that the road was long, had some underlying meaning.

But right now, she was truly heartbroken, so heartbroken that she didn’t have the energy to ponder that problem.

The mourning hall was simple; the old Marquess had never liked extravagance or bustle when he was alive.

In his life, he really didn’t have any true friends to speak of.

However, many of his peers and juniors in the court respected him.

So, after the news of the old Marquess’s passing was sent out, lots of people came to pay their respects uninvited.

Long Feifan was kneeling in front of the mourning hall; although he didn’t seem too disheveled, Chu Qianli knew that her uncle was indeed grieving.

Perhaps Feng Yexuan’s words were unintentional, but they stated the reality.

After the old Marquess passed away, the uncle had no relatives left in the world.

She, his niece, was nothing more than a title.

Feng Yexuan arrived, and many people immediately went to greet him. The butler of the Marquess Residence also hurried over, busy arranging the details for Yexuan to offer incense.

Long Feifan was still kneeling in front of the mourning hall, and when he lifted his head and saw Feng Yexuan and Chu Qianli coming together, his face was gloomy, but he still solemnly paid his respects.

"Uncle," said Chu Qianli after she offered the incense, kneeling beside him.

Long Feifan said in a hoarse voice, "Little Lili, you are married now; there’s no need for this."

What mattered most was that she was a princess of Longteng Country, his father’s sovereign.

A sovereign doesn’t need to kneel before her subjects.

But Chu Qianli still knelt by his side, looking at the casket and said softly, "I don’t understand the proper etiquette; all I know is that I’m kneeling before my grandfather."

Long Feifan felt a warmth in his heart, his emotions choking him.

After a long while, he spoke softly, "You needn’t be sad. Father passed peacefully, without much suffering."

"The only thing he was worried about was you. As long as you are well, father can rest in peace."

A wave of sorrow surged in Chu Qianli’s eyes.

She looked up at him.

Long Feifan nodded gently, "As long as you are happy."

...That day, Chu Qianli stayed in the mourning hall all day, keeping vigil with Long Feifan.

In the yard outside, the sounds of liveliness continued even into the middle of the night.

There was a common belief that the more people who accompanied the family during the night of keeping the vigil, the easier the path of the deceased would be, and the next life would be more auspicious and bright.

But the old Marquess had indeed not been fond of making friends during his life, preferring seclusion, so why were there more and more people coming to accompany the vigil?

The butler was too busy entertaining guests to spend much time communicating with the family.

It wasn’t until the third day, when the old Marquess was to be entombed.

At the funeral, the crowd of people was still surging.

However, neither Long Feifan nor Chu Qianli cared much about these matters. After the funeral procession, Chu Qianli finally had the chance to speak with Long Feifan alone.

"The Token of Princess Xiyue?" Long Feifan took the token from Chu Qianli’s hand and studied it closely.

He was still a youth at that time, and because he stayed in Beiming Country for too long, his impressions of the affairs of Longteng Country were all given by his father.

However, he did recognize many of his father’s old friends.

"What else was in that cave? Was there... were there the..."

He didn’t want to say the words "remains."

Even though he hadn’t spent much time with Long Xiyue, Princess Xiyue had treated him truly like a younger brother.

Long Feifan felt not only respect for Long Xiyue but also a sibling’s affection in his heart.

Chu Qianli shook her head, "Yexuan said there’s a lone grave in there with a coffin, and inside that coffin was this token."

Long Feifan frowned, "Then it seems that Consort Yu only used this token as a representation of Princess Xiyue to pay homage, but it’s still unclear what relationship Consort Yu had with the princess."

"It’s this point that puzzles me now. I heard that before Consort Yu entered the palace, she was a figure from the martial arts world. However, once she entered the palace, she devoted herself to Buddhism, praying for Wuya, and this devotion has lasted over a decade."

One could imagine that seeing her own son so weak, even a prophet had predicted that he wouldn’t live past twenty-five.

Consort Yu only had this one son, and if he were to die, nothing else would have any meaning for her.

So, what significance did worldly affairs hold for her anymore?

Praying for Buddha’s blessing for her son was the most important.

Long Feifan said indifferently, "Leave this matter to me to investigate, but the priority is to first find the Jade Seal."

"That cave has already been searched by the Imperial Guards, so the Jade Seal is likely not there anymore," Chu Qianli shook her head.

The Imperial Guards would surely have turned the cave inside out.

However, the emperor sending so many guards to search for Consort Yu was somewhat beyond Chu Qianli’s expectations.

A common consort going missing and not returning would typically be declared dead from illness by the Imperial Family, to save face.

Deploying so many guards for an investigation, weren’t they afraid of the news leaking?

"What different meaning does Consort Yu have for the emperor?" Chu Qianli pondered carefully, biting her fingertip.

But at this moment, the butler hurried over.

"Second Young Master, Miss Lili, the... the guests have not left yet, this..."

"They haven’t left?" Long Feifan and Chu Qianli exchanged glances.

Everyone had been interred, the funeral service was over, why were they still here?

The butler looked troubled: "Because the Prince is still here. As long as the Prince does not leave, the other guests dare not depart."

"What?" Chu Qianli was visibly shocked.

Feng Yexuan was still here?

"When did he come today?" She had been keeping vigil by her grandfather’s memorial hall these past few days and had not paid attention to the situation outside.

The butler glanced at her and then at Long Feifan: "The Prince never left. After he brought the young lady over that day, he has been staying in the courtyard. I think he wants to wait for the young lady and go back with her."

After all, they came here together from Prince Yexuan’s Residence.

Although it was unclear what the relationship between Chu Qianli and Prince Yexuan was, the fact that they came together was... not shallow.

"Ali, you can’t neglect the members of the Imperial Family. You should accompany Prince Yexuan back first," said Long Feifan, squeezing her shoulders, with some force.

"Don’t worry, your uncle will come to find you soon."

"Alright."

Chu Qianli couldn’t help but look back at him as she was leaving.

"Uncle, you are not without relatives in this world, you still have me. Remember that!"

Warmth flickered through Long Feifan’s heart as he looked at her solemnly and nodded: "As long as you still call me uncle, I will be your uncle for a lifetime!"

"Alright!" Chu Qianli nodded as well.

Then she followed the butler to the courtyard and approached the man.

He was dressed in dark clothes, clearly wearing the same set he had arrived in two days prior.

This man, he had truly kept watch here for two whole days and nights.

...Once Prince Yexuan left, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief and felt free to leave.

On the way back, she rode in the same carriage she had arrived in.

However, Chu Qianli’s mood was clearly different from when she had arrived.

Now, at least she wasn’t so dejected and oppressed.

Life always has its journeys, one only hopes that in this lifetime, there are not too many regrets.

She looked outside the window, watching the hustle and bustle, the passing pedestrians and vehicles.

The old Marquess still had regrets, after all, he could not wait for Xiyue to come back, could not witness her return to Longteng Country, and reclaim everything that belonged to Princess Xiyue.

She should return to Longteng Country.

But the Jade Seal had not yet been found; what to do?