Consort of a Thousand Faces

“Prince Hao, this servant doesn’t know how to analyse lake water, and won’t be able to draw any conclusions from looking at it.” Su Xi-er told him as she walked over to him.

 

“This Prince is not here to make you look at the lake water. Come and raise your head.” He signalled for her tilt her head up as he knelt down and squatted down to scoop up some more lake water.

 

Once he got up, his brows quickly furrowed when he saw that Su Xi-er was still staring blankly ahead. Stretching out his other hand, he raised her chin and splashed some water onto her face.

 

Pei Qianhao stepped closer to her when her cheeks touched the cold lake water, as if he wanted to see something on her face.

 

She saw the solemnity and confusion in his eyes before he raised his hand and wiped the water off.

 

“This Prince can see that this lake water is not bad; it’s pure.”

 

Su Xi-er smiled. “Impure water wouldn’t grow so many flowers and plants, and Moon County wouldn’t have been so famous in Nanzhao.”

 

“That is indeed so.” Pei Qianhao muttered. The look in his eyes became even deeper as he returned to looking at the surface of the lake.

 

Silence ensued and the only sound that could be heard was the wind blowing across the surface of the lake.

 

After a long while, the silence was broken by a large splashing noise as a slim young woman jumped into the lake.

 

Pei Qianhao pretended like he didn’t even see the woman. Su Xi-er couldn’t help but call to the imperial guard. “Hurry and save them; a person just jumped into the lake!”

 

The imperial guard didn’t move and waited for Prince Hao’s instructions.

 

Pei Qianhao chuckled, “You want to poke your nose into someone else’s business again?’

 

Before Su Xi-er could even reply, the shrill yell of an old woman came from the edge of the lake. “My poor daughter, why did you commit suicide!” The old woman cried out. When she glanced around, she saw Pei Qianhao and kowtowed immediately. “Nobleman, I beg you to save my daughter! I don’t know how to swim.”

 

“Well, this Prince will just meddle just this once. After all, jumping into the Moon Lake will affect this pure water.” He gave a meaningful glance to the imperial guard as he spoke.

 

The imperial guard understood and took off the sword from his waist immediately jumping into the Moon Lake to save the woman. When the old woman saw this, she immediately kowtowed at Pei Qianhao a few more times. “Thank you nobleman, thank you nobleman!”

 

After that, the old woman nervously watched the lake and hoped that it wasn’t too late for her daughter.

 

Imperial guards from the Prince Hao Residence had all received strict training, and could swim well. Some were even selected especially from Beimin’s coastal towns, and only became guards at the Prince Hao Residence after experiencing many tribulations.

 

Although the imperial guard who came to Nanzhao with Prince Hao was a bit slow-witted, his skills spoke for themselves.

 

It wasn’t long before some ripples appeared on the surface of the lake. Soon after, Su Xi-er saw the imperial guard surface with the young woman in his arms.

 

The old woman couldn’t help but be anxious, and immediately ran over to meet the imperial guard as he swam ashore.

 

Su Xi-er looked at the woman. She was clad in coarse clothes and had a pretty face. She is in the prime of her youth.

 

To force someone like this to death at such a young age, it must be… love. Love hurts the most. Some people run from the pain through death, others wallow in their suffering for a lifetime, and yet others will rise from the ashes.

 

Suddenly, she felt that the woman was similar to herself. But this woman didn’t die; she just fainted from choking on all the water.

 

“Daughter, daughter!” The old woman shook her daughter violently, hoping that the latter would wake up.

 

Su Xi-er opened her mouth and said, “Auntie, don’t worry. She has just fainted, and will be fine after we force the water out of her chest.”