Seeking Truth with a Sword

Chapter 445 - 396 Heir Prince

The Mo Si Clone, An Xuehai, asked, "Is that the Prince Jia of Zhou, the one who claimed he would wander the seas for a lifetime?"

The receptionist coughed. By not denying it, he essentially admitted it.

The story of Xia Yuanjia was very famous, even in the Yu Country.

His father was the Prince of Zhou. Of his two legitimate older brothers, one died of illness in childhood, and the other was paralyzed after a fall from a horse in his youth, leaving him able to move only his head.

According to the order of succession, he became the Heir Prince, eligible to inherit the title of Prince.

The death or severe injury of an heir was a common occurrence, even in the Yu Country. In an environment with underdeveloped medical care, even a minor external wound could have serious consequences.

Logically, Xia Yuanjia should have gladly accepted the title of Heir Prince and calmly awaited his future inheritance of the Prince’s title.

But he refused.

He had heard some wild prophecies from a Feng Shui Master, leading him to believe that both his brothers were cursed and that if he remained in the Zhou Kingdom, he too would suffer an unnatural death.

Thus, he proclaimed he was going to the Overseas Immortal Island to find a cure for his paralyzed elder brother.

This search lasted for ten years.

During those ten years, he stayed continuously on different ships, sailing everywhere, never setting foot on land.

He ignored a perfectly good princely title to wander the seas.

Xia Yuanjia’s strange actions were always a topic of conversation at the dinner tables of the common folk in the Zhou Kingdom.

Two rooms away, the argument was still clearly audible.

A steady male voice said, "Fourth Son, the Prince Manor truly needs you. The Prince’s health is declining. Er Lang died young, Third Son remains bedridden and requires constant care, and now Eldest Son has also fallen from his horse and is confined to bed."

Xia Yuanjia exclaimed in shock, "Ah? How is my older brother? I read in the letter that he fell from his horse during the spring hunt, but I didn’t know how serious it was."

Another solemn male voice said, "He has been recuperating in bed for some time and is much better. However, the Doctor said there’s still a risk his legs will be unbalanced, and he may need to rely on crutches to walk in the future. Fourth Son, you must return now. The Prince Xiang Manor cannot be without you."

"..."

Xia Yuanjia was silent for a long time. "Fifteen days."

The steady voice asked, "What?"

"Give me another fifteen days. When I left home, I swore I would find an Immortal Elixir to cure Third Brother’s paralysis. In fifteen days, it will mark exactly ten years since that vow."

Xia Yuanjia stated, "After fifteen days, when the SS Sea Charm returns from its voyage, I will return to the Zhou Kingdom with you."

The solemn voice said, "But..."

Xia Yuanjia suddenly raised his voice, "No buts! This is my decision. Please, gentlemen, you may leave."

A Prince of the Zhou Kingdom, a curse, the right of succession... These words, when put together, easily conjured thoughts of conspiracy.

The Mo Si Clone, An Xuehai, stood still, pretending to have heard nothing. The receptionist looked slightly embarrassed—after all, it was unseemly for distinguished guests to have a conflict onboard.

"Here is your key."

The receptionist took a brass key from the key rack and handed it to An Xuehai, saying, "Dinner will start in half an hour. You may dine in the main hall, or have a servant bring your meal here. I will be at the reception desk at the end of the hallway. If you have any further questions, you can find me there."

"Alright. Thank you."

An Xuehai nodded and escorted the receptionist out of the room.

Once the door closed, the two Mo Si Clones exchanged a glance. They didn’t disintegrate immediately. Instead, acting like normal people, they opened their luggage, arranged their personal items, and, feigning nonchalance, pressed a spot on the wall.

With that press, a few ink-colored Mo Si threads silently infiltrated the wall.

This was Room Thirteen. To the left, Su Xinghuo occupied Room Eleven. The shouting heard earlier had come from Xia Yuanjia in Room Nine, two doors down.

The ink-colored Mo Si threads penetrated the wall between Room Thirteen and Room Eleven, carefully probing forward.

Then they saw a black cat demon sprawled on the double bed in Room Eleven.

Since Su Xinghuo was currently in Room Nine, the door to Room Eleven was tightly locked, and the room was empty. The black cat demon lay on the silk sheets, flipping through books and magazines as a person would.

They could go no further.

A vague premonition made Li Ang stop the Mo Si from delving any deeper, thus avoiding testing the cat demon’s detection range.

Was Prince Jia of Zhou, Xia Yuanjia, a close friend of Su Xinghuo? And was Su Xinghuo on this ship because of him?

The Mo Si continued to monitor the cat demon while Li Ang also focused on trying to overhear the faint conversation from Room Nine.

SIGH...

Xia Yuanjia sighed deeply, his handsome face etched with fatigue. He flopped into a chair, covering his forehead with both hands.

"Prince Jia?"

The round-faced young man, Su Xinghuo, looked with concern at his dejected friend.

"Just call me Yuan Jia. We’re friends, and besides, I’m not the Heir Prince of your Yu Country."

Xia Yuanjia paused for a moment, then asked, "Xinghuo, we are friends, right?"

"Of course!"

Su Xinghuo’s expression turned serious. "Prince Jia... AHEM, Yuan Jia, you recognized my worth and supported me. Without you, I might not have been able to reclaim the remaining Su Family inheritance."

"And the same goes for you. If it weren’t for you, back when you were just a ship’s doctor, I would have died from poisoning at sea three years ago."

Xia Yuanjia managed a wry smile. "Xinghuo, the world sees me as a madman for rejecting the Prince’s title, but I’m not lying. What happened to my two legitimate elder brothers was no accident. I can feel it, as if unseen hands are manipulating our destinies, gradually tightening the noose around my neck. I’m afraid of dying, especially of dying an obscure death.

"So much so that I’ve been willing to drift at sea for ten years, just to endure the period the Feng Shui Master warned me about. I even had my cabin constructed as a sealed chamber. The windows in your rooms can open outward, but mine are specially made, integrated with the wall, and cannot be opened. There’s no gap under the door. The door itself has three unique locks, making it almost impossible to pick. Any attempt to forcibly break it open or pick the locks will trigger an Alarm Talisman.

"Furthermore, there are Alarm Talismans set against Aliens, Telekinesis, and Magic. Any anomalous fluctuation of Spiritual Energy within the room will also trigger an alarm. I trust no one—not the crew of this ship, nor those two men the Prince Manor sent to escort me back to the Zhou Kingdom. I only trust you."

Xia Yuanjia paused, then looked earnestly at Su Xinghuo. "If something happens to me on this ship, can you save me, just like you did three years ago?"

Facing his friend’s plea, Su Xinghuo nodded emphatically. "Absolutely."

"Hearing you say that gives me peace of mind."

A smile finally appeared on Xia Yuanjia’s face. He said gently, "In another fifteen days, once the period of the curse the Feng Shui Master spoke of has passed, I can return to the Zhou Kingdom, marry, have children, and inherit my title."