The Soothsayer

Missing

The next morning, the clouds became gloomy and rain started to pour.

"Princess, how about we stay at the Peony Palace and wait for the 2nd prince. It is raining very hard, the maids were talking about how --"

"No. I'm going to meet him personally."

"Yes."

Arriving at her destination, Chen Xi sat on a stool and waited for the 2nd prince to arrive. But after hours of waiting, he didn't show up. Lan'er fell asleep while waiting so Chen Xi took off her coat and put it on Lan'er. She then took an umbrella and walked to the palace exit. As she was about to exit, a guard stopped her and asked: "Who are you, where are you going?"

"I am Consort Xi's personal maid." Chen Xi said to the guard.

The guards snickered and said: " Consort Xi. I heard that the old lady waited the whole day for her dear brother but never showed up."

"What do you mean?" Chen Xi asked.

"The 2nd prince delayed his arrival because of the weather, I guessed no one told her. As expected, I heard she is still innocent.." the guard continued.

"SHUT UP!" Chen Xi shouted.

"What's your problem, oh I forgot your one of her people. I apologize on my knees." the guard said sarcastically.

Chen Xi was shocked that she let go of the umbrella she was holding and asked: "Can I go now?"

The guards allowed her to leave and she walked out of the palace. Chen Xi continued to walk to the city gate as the rain started to pour harder. As the rain started to pour harder, Lan'er woke up realizing that Consort Xi went missing. Lan'er ran around asking the palace maids if they saw where Consort Xi went but none of them would reply. Lan'er bit her lip and said to herself: "I guess I can only rely on him now."

Lan'er ran to the Dragon Palace, the place where the Emperor rested.

"Let me in, I have something to ask of the Emperor!" Lan'er shouted.

But the guards outside of the Palace didn't let her in and said: "The Emperor is taking a rest, he shall not be bothered."

"If my princess dies, will you take responsibility! The second prince is coming soon, what if he finds out all of this, your treaty will go down the drain!" Lan'er said as she started to get drenched.

"Orders are orders. You are currently in the Long Empire, your princess's life is inferior to our Emperor's life. Besides, the doctor has already checked on her yesterday and said she was recovering well." General Wang, one of the guards said.

"That was yesterday, my princess she is --"

"Let her in General Wang." the Emperor said.

"If the Emperor falls sick, I will hold you accountable." General Wang said as he stared into Lan'er's eyes.

Lan'er walked into the Emperor's resting area and kneeled down.

"Get up. I'll have one of the palace maids get you a new set of clothes." the Emperor said.

"No need, that is not important. My princess is missing, it is all my fault I fell asleep and when I woke up I didn't see her."

"Missing?"

Lan'er nodded her head yes and said: "We were waiting for the second prince but he never showed up."

"Second prince, he delayed his arrival because of the weather. I thought I sent someone to notify Consort Xi about this?"

"What do you mean, this morning the maids were talking about how the Xi Empire is a curse to the Long Empire. There was nothing about the second prince."

"General Wang!" the Emperor shouted.

General Wang walked in the room.

"Go find the whereabouts of Consort Xi."

"Yes." General Wang said as he exited the room.

"You are very loyal to Consort Xi." the Emperor said.

"I owe her my life, if it wasn't for her I wouldn't be living the life I am. All I hope is for your Emperor to treat my princess better, after all she is very different from what your people say she is."

The Emperor nodded his head and said: "If I have any news, I will find you."

"Lan'er thanks your majesty." Lan'er said as she kneeled down and bowed.

Lan'er walked back to the place where Consort Xi waited for the second prince.

"It's all my fault for falling asleep, it's all my fault." Lan'er said as she cried.

Meanwhile, Chen Xi sat on a stool from a noodle shop waiting for her brother to come.

"Even with my powers, I'm useless."

"Lady, do you need an umbrella?" a villager asked.

"Thank you for your kindness but I don't need one."

The villager looked sad and walked away.

"Wait a second, why are you selling the only umbrella you have?"

"I have a family to feed for, my family is not well off. We were supposed to sell our crops today but the weather ruined our plans."

Chen Xi dug into her pocket and pulled out a sack of silver coins and gave it to the villager.

"Here take this, it is all I have for now."

The villager thanked and even keeled before her.

'You will get sick without an umbrella, take it." the villager said.

"I'm lucky this stall has a roof." Chen Xi said as she pointed to the noodle stall's roof.

"You should get going before it rains harder. It is not safe for a lady to be waiting in the rain."

"I will take your advice." Chen Xi said smiling.

The villager walked away.

After a few minutes, General Wang walked into the Emperor's room and said: "The guard guarding the palace exit said that he allowed Consort Xi's maid to go out."

"Consort Xi's maid?" the Emperor asked.

"Yes but wasn't she the one who went to find you? I was thinking that Consort Xi told the guard that she was her maid."

"If she met the guard at the palace exit that means she went outside the palace. Get the guards and search outside of the palace."

"Yes."