Great Qian's Imperial Capital, the Ji Prince's Manor.

Within a dim, deep inner chamber, a sumptuously-dressed noblewoman looked quietly at the letter in her hand, reading over the scrawled writing upon it again and again.

With the Princess Consort of Ji's standing, message-jades were well within her means.

Only, compared to a cold jade slip, she far preferred to receive a letter in her son's own hand.

Sent off at a tender age to that dull, flavorless immortal sect.

What a torment that was.

Even she herself, back then, had been unable to resist coveting the mortal world's splendor, stubbornly coming to Great Qian.

The Princess Consort of Ji carefully folded the letter.

There had once been a chance for Jinjiang to enjoy every glory in Great Qian — to grow up like a normal heir, marry and have children, and stay by her side besides.

All of it had been ruined by that woman.

Jinjiang's attitude had at last begun to shift, only for him to be so toyed with by Jiang Qiulan that he lost all appetite for food, growing even more sullen than before.

To keep his eccentricity from flaring up again and making a laughingstock of him in the Imperial Capital, she'd had no choice but to send him away.

A pity her own position was slight and her word carried little weight; after so many years in Great Qian she'd gained nothing, and could speak less and less within Xuanguang Cave.

Otherwise she'd surely have vented this grievance clean.

The Princess Consort of Ji steadied her breathing and looked toward the two guards before her. "Speak."

"Reporting to the Princess Consort, we've searched to the utmost of our ability, and still there's no word of the Prince..." a guard answered softly.

At that, there wasn't a ripple on the Princess Consort of Ji's face.

She'd long grown used to that useless man; even if the other died out there, it made no difference.

"By your instruction, we've located another young mistress scattered abroad, and one more..."

The guard didn't go on. There were countless young…