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“I have gone crazy,” he murmured and sat down on the wooden. His feet rested on the stair while his forearms rested on his knees.

Tianjie had found out about the official, who had made the residence for Song Jia. However, the construction was magnificent. In his eyes, a 5th-rank official could not afford that much money, so he had a doubt that someone bigger was hidden behind the official.

Tianjie recalled that Song Jia had worn a ring on her index finger which he had gifted her. “She also feels the same for me. If she had not said that our worlds are different, today she would have been with me,” he murmured and lowered his head.

Huang Xi had advised him to follow his heart. However, Tianjie could not do that.

No, he had no doubts about his abilities, but he wanted to become powerful too like the others. Politically.

His mother didn’t belong to a high-rank noble family, unlike the elder ones. The Second Prince’s mother was the King’s favorite, so he would always be in benefit.

“Forgive me, Your Highness, for intruding in. His Majesty has sent a message to see the Third Prince in his manor,” a maidservant informed Tianjie.

Tianjie got puzzled to think why his father called him at this hour. He left to see his father when Eunuch Gao Bing informed him that a proposal has come for him.

.....

Tianjie was surprised to find out about it. He was ready to marry, but he didn’t know it would happen so quickly.

He walked into the private chamber, where he was father was present.

“Greetings to the Royal Father,” Tianjie bowed and then lifted his head.

Qiu Zedong with a wide smile accepted his greetings and asked him to take the seat. Tianjie sat next to his father and looked at the minister, who had come with the marriage proposal.

“Minister of Revenue, Chen Lizhen, wants to give his daughter’s hand in marriage to Prince Tianjie,” Qiu Zedong informed Tianjie, who smiled to hear about it. He never knew that such a big minister would come to him with such a proposal. It indeed delighted him, but for some reason, his soul didn’t get that happiness.

“I am grateful to Minister Chen that he found me suitable enough for his daughter,” Tianjie asserted with a tiny smile on his lips.

“Prince Tianjie has already shown an interest to marry the daughter of Chen Lizhen. Minister Chen shall prepare for the marriage. Probably, they both marry the same day as Prince Mu,” Qiu Zedong said and started to laugh in happiness.

Chen Lizhen agreed with the King’s words and thanked him for choosing the Chen family to be one of their in-laws.

“It will be great if Prince Tianjie meets my daughter once,” Chen Lizhen expressed his desire.

Qiu Zedong looked at his son, who agreed with Chen Lizhen’s request and asked him when he should meet his daughter.

“Tomorrow morning will be fine if His Highness permits,” Chen Lizhen humbly said.

“I have no problem with that. I will accompany Minister Chen after the court session tomorrow morning,” Tianjie affirmed. After some more discussions, Tianjie took his leave while his father continued his conversation with the Minister.

~~~~~~~~~~

Lóng Wei looked at the map on which he had marked the place which was the prime suspected region in his eyes. It was a kilometer away from the capital.

He estimated the time it would take to reach that place and then looked at the sky. Not many clouds were present in the sky. It would be rain in the evening, but he would try to reach the palace before that.

He rode his horse to the location where he had a suspicion that his father could be present. He did not use the commonly used route to go there, but an isolated one that went through a deep forest. He did not want anyone to notice him.

After an hour, he reached the place called Xianshan. The place was close to his mother’s place, so there was a possibility that Qizhen used to meet her at Xianshan. The place was known for its natural lakes and dawn redwood trees.

He got off the horse and started to walk on the muddy route. “Why have they not worked on these routes?” He mumbled as his shoes were covered in mud. He saw some of the people, who appeared to be farmers to him, heading to their homes for lunch.

A few people looked at him keenly when Lóng Wei realized that he must have come in another attire. His clothes were too vibrant and new to those eyes. He wondered whom he should ask about the route where he could witness the place of ninety-nine lakes.

After walking for some distance, his eyes landed on a seller, who was selling sweet dumplings.

Lóng Wei asked him if he knew where ninety-nine lakes were.

The middle-aged man looked at him from top to bottom and asked Lóng Wei if he was a noble.

“Why do you ask?” Lóng Wei asked.

“Because the nobles hardly visit Xianshan,” the middle-aged man replied.

“Answer me the question that I wanted to know,” Lóng Wei stated. He was irked by the way the middle-aged man taking his time.

“It is merely an illusion, young man,” the middle-aged man said as he dipped the dumplings into a sugar syrup. Two young women had come to him to purchase those dumplings.

“What do you mean by illusion?” Lóng Wei asked him to explain.

“There is no such a place of ninety-nine lakes. It is only in legend, not in reality,” the middle-aged man replied and handed the two servings of sweet dumplings in an envelope to those young women. Those women handed him the four coins and walked away.

“Are you lying to me?” Lóng Wei got annoyed. His mother had mentioned it in the poem. He decided to walk ahead and ask someone else when the middle-aged man’s words stopped him.

“Whoever has gone there, he lost his life. That is why it is an illusion. Only legends have mentioned this place. You can see dawn redwood trees here, but seeing those lakes are impossible,” the middle-aged man stated while looking straight into Lóng Wei’s eyes.

“Do you mean that people try to go there?” Lóng Wei questioned him.

The middle-aged man nodded his head. “Curiosity kills people,” he asserted.

“May I know why this young man wants to explore such a place that takes away the life of the people?” The middle-aged man asked.

“I want to see what this place looks like,” Lóng Wei answered.

“Curosity?” The middle-aged man deduced.

“No,” Lóng Wei immediately responded.

“Then?” The middle-aged man asked.

“Will you take me there if I tell you? It seems you know about this place,” Lóng Wei concluded and asked for his help.

“I do not help nobles,” the middle-aged man answered. “And why did this young man think that I know about this place? You should leave as I have work to finish,” he stated and turned to the other side of the stall.

Lóng Wei decided to ask a few more people about the place of ninety-nine lakes and left from there.