Next day after his visit to the market, Zhu Furong turned his whole room upside down in the afternoon looking for something.

"Found it?" Zhu Xingzuo asked.

"No." Zhu Furong answered while rubbing his forehead.

"Maybe it fell somewhere in the market or alleys." Zhu Xingzuo hinted.

"That's what I am worried about. If someone found it, it would become a mess. No one knows that I left the house yesterday. What would I say to grandfather if he came to know about it? What will I say, how I got out without being noticed by anyone? They all think I am a waste who can't Cultivate Martial Arts." Zhu Furong said with worry.

"Can't we forge a fake one? The materials are easy to obtain, you know." Zhu Xingzuo suggested.

"Not that easy but yes, compared to those rare metal ores we saw yesterday Imperial Jade and Red Jade is quite easy to obtain. After all, these two jades are only good for forging tokens and ornaments." "But forging a fake jade identity token of Zhu Family is our last option, for now we should try to recover the one I lost. Or at least make sure it didn't fall into someone else's hands." Zhu Furong frowned and then he put on the black hooded robe and slipped out of Zhu manor like yesterday. He went to look for the jade identity token.

Yes! Zhu Furong has lost his jade identity token. He only noticed it after his Martial Arts instructor pointed it out. 

Zhu Furong usually tucks the jade identity token's thread inside his trousers waistband and lets it hang. It's always hanging loose.

Maybe the jade identity token wouldn't have fallen off if he was wearing his white hanfu which he always wears while taking his other classes. Those private tutors are quite strict about the dress code unlike the Martial Arts instructor who only cares about easy to move clothes.

Every member of the noble or aristocratic family in the Ming Dynasty has a jade identity token which they carry all the time with them. It's kinda mandatory.

Being the Third Young Master of the Zhu Family, Zhu Furong also received a jade identity token. It's proof of him being the Young Master of the Zhu Family.

The jade identity token is like a jade slip forged of imperial jade with the family name Zhu embedded on it with red jade.

These types of tokens denote the fame and position of a noble or aristocratic family. Losing something like this is a grave sin.

Zhu Furong dashed out at a fast speed retracing the paths he had travelled through yesterday. His sharp eyes kept scanning every nook and corner. He has removed all the weights off his body, he moved so fast that he only looked like a blur in the eyes of normal people.

He searched every possible place twice and even re-visited all the stores from yesterday. Manager Wu was happy to see him again but Zhu Furong didn't have any time for chit-chat. Manager Wu could only twist his lips in regret.

Even though there was an argument between Zhu Furong and Princess Ming Lan in Manager Wu's store, it didn't affect Manager Wu much. As a merchant, he only cared about business. And the information Zhu Furong gave him before leaving, provided Manager Wu with a significant profit. He wanted more of that kind of information from Zhu Furong.

Covered in sweat and face full of hopelessness, Zhu Furong returned home just before dinner time. He took a quick bath and meditated for a bit.

Zhu Ling arrived with dinner and ate with Zhu Furong. She asked about his unusual disposition, but Zhu Furong passed it by saying he is just feeling a bit unwell.

Zhu Ling gave him a health checkup and then left after telling Zhu Furong to have a proper sleep. To her, Zhu Furong's unusual disposition seemed to be caused by lack of proper rest.

Three days passed after that. Zhu Furong went out again looking for the token in these past three days, but to no avail. Now he has almost given up and is considering to forge a fake one.

And given that no one has yet reported the missing object to his family, it seems no one has gotten their hand on it. 

'Maybe some cat or dog has picked it up? Just where the hell did my jade identity token go?' Zhu Furong thought while scratching his head.

...

Next day afternoon, Zhu Furong is doing revisions after his classes. He is preparing for the exams which his tutors will conduct for his proficiency in their subjects.

It has been three years since he started taking their classes. It's time for Zhu Furong to graduate.

Wearing a pure white hanfu with wide sleeves and his long black hair tied up into a ponytail with a white scarf, Zhu Furong is sitting cross-legged with a pearl white Zither on his lap, playing a melodious music.

His fair white skin matched with his white attire, gives the feeling of serenity.

He is sitting on a somewhat flat boulder placed under one of the peach trees in his courtyard. In front of him is a pond filled with koi fish.

The wind is flowing gently and dry yellow leaves are falling one by one in harmony with the tune Zhu Furong is playing. The scene is so beautiful that it leaves one mesmerized. It's a scene straight out of a picture.

He is so immersed in playing the zither, that Zhu Furong didn't notice the person who has entered his courtyard uninvited and is silently watching him play the zither.

Zhu Furong usually lets his guard down when he is doing activities other than Cultivation. After all, it's the Zhu manor. No stranger will just barge into one of the Young Master's courtyard without permission.

So the only people who may enter Zhu Furong's courtyard during these times are his elder sister or grandfather. His Fourth Uncle also has permission to do so, but he is usually not at home.

For Zhu Furong, these three people don't need his permission to get involved with him in any way. He cares for them as much as they care for him.

Even if they somehow find out about the secret of him being able to Cultivate, he doesn't mind explaining everything openly and clearly to them. He knows they will understand him.

Well, in the past three years, in which Zhu Furong has been performing different activities in his courtyard, no one except Zhu Ling has ever entered his courtyard uninvited. And that too only during the first one and a half years. As time passed she started giving consideration to Zhu Furong's privacy.

So even if Zhu Furong had noticed someone entering his courtyard, he would have kept playing his zither without even turning his head, thinking it must be Zhu Ling who had entered.

But... On this day, the Heavens decided to play a prank on Zhu Furong.

The uninvited guest who is enjoying Zhu Furong's music show is none other than Princess Ming Lan. The only princess of the Ming Dynasty. The hornet nest Zhu Furong had poked three days ago.

"It's him. I can't be wrong. That hand and those fingers..." Ming Lan murmured to herself while attentively watching Zhu Furong.

This little girl really has good eyes and sharp memory. She recognized Zhu Furong's hand even though she only had seen it once and that too only for a few seconds while Zhu Furong was scratching his head.

Ming Lan looked at Zhu Furong's hand several times to make sure she was right and then she shifted her attention to his face. "So beautiful, so handsome." She blurted out unknowingly. And then she blushed.

Thank-goodness her pitch was low so her voice didn't escape too far, else this princess of a country would have been embarrassed to death.

Ming Lan looked left and right to make sure no one heard her and then she breathed a sigh of relief. But...

"Isn't he? He is my brother after all." The voice of a proud girl sounded from Ming Lan's behind, making her jump in shock.

"Ah?" Ming Lan yelped and turned back. She saw a girl wearing cyan hanfu smugly smiling at her. It's Zhu Ling, Zhu Furong's elder sister.

Princess Ming Lan got so immersed in Zhu Furong's melody that she forgot she was guided here by Zhu Ling.

It is quite obvious, without Zhu Ling escorting them, no stranger will ever dare to enter the courtyard of Zhu Furong, one of the Young Masters of Zhu Family.

"Sister-in-law Zhu Ling, I was just..." Ming Lan blushed hard and started to play with her fingers with her eyes looking at her chin. She is too embarrassed to look at Zhu Ling's eyes.

'The princess of a country, making such remarks on a boy, and that too in front of his elder sister... Don't I look like a bad girl with ill intentions? How embarrassing.' Ming Lan thought. She is so embarrassed that she started looking for a hole to hide herself in.

"Pffft..." Zhu Ling couldn't help but chuckle at the behaviour of the cute little princess in front of her. She pinched Ming Lan's cheek teasing her.

Except for our brave and unfettered Zhu Ling, who else in the Ming Dynasty would dare to treat a princess like this?

Of course Zhu Ling dares, because she is not only brave but she is also the fiancee of Ming Lan's second brother. The second prince of the Ming Dynasty, Ming Zen.

While Zhu Ling is teasing Ming Lan, Zhu Furong has finished his recital. He slowly walked over to the two girls.

Zhu Furong's heart is beating as hard as a drum and his forehead is covered in sweat. He recognized Ming Lan just from her back view as she was wearing the same hanfu as she was wearing that day.

'This little princess, what is she doing here? Don't tell me she found out who I was? But how? Don't tell me... Oh god! If that's true then my peaceful days are definitely over.' Zhu Furong thought and regretted going outside that day.

'What trouble have I brought upon myself? Sigh!' Zhu Furong lamented.

"Elder Sister, what are you doing here? And this..." Rearranging his thoughts, Zhu Furong decided to play a stranger with Zhu Ling.

Who knows if the little princess really knows about his identity as the black hooded guy. Maybe she is here for something else? This is what Zhu Furong considered as a possibility.

"Little Flower are you done?" Zhu Ling greeted Zhu Furong with a warm smile.

"Elder Sister, Sister-in-law Zhu Ling, please don't call me by that name in front of others." Both Zhu Furong and Ming Lan spoke at the same time, surprising each other.

They both glimpsed at each other for a second and blushed with embarrassment. Ming Lan pouted making her look cute and adorable.

"Hahaha... Sorry, my bad. I forgot Little Sister Lan is also called by the nickname 'Little Flower' by her family, just like my Little Brother Furong. One orchid and one hibiscus, it can't be helped right? Hahaha..." Zhu Ling laughed happily without stopping.

"Sister-in-law Zhu Ling, stop laughing like that, you are such a bully." Ming Lan complained while hammering her hands on Zhu Ling in a soft manner, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Ok, ok, I am sorry, I won't laugh again, I won't laugh again." Zhu Ling complied and stopped laughing. But her body still shook from time to time because of suppressed laughter.

Zhu Ling did her best to calm herself down, she wiped her tears caused by the intense laughter. She then introduced the two 'flowers' to each other. "Little Brother, this is Princess Ming Lan. Princess, this is my little brother, Zhu Furong." Zhu Ling gestured.

Both Zhu Furong and Ming Lan looked at each other awkwardly for a second then they both saluted and bowed to each other showing their respect.

Zhu Ling then approached Zhu Furong and whispered to him. "She is the sole princess of the Ming Dynasty, out of the seven sons the Emperor has, she is his only daughter. That's why the Emperor adores her and spoils her. You better watch how you speak to her, understand?" She asked with a serious look.

Zhu Furong nodded in affirmation. But inside his head he was cursing himself millions of times. 'I have already done my best to offend her. Now all I can do is wait to be discovered by her and then reported to her loving father, the Emperor. Then after that...' Zhu Furong shook his head secretly.

"You play the zither very well. What was the music you were playing?" Suddenly Ming Lan asked Zhu Furong.

Surprised, Zhu Furong stuttered. "I-It's a self-composed p-piece of m-music called 'The Wind Of Fall'." Then composing himself, Zhu Furong explained with a serious look. "It's a melody based on the season of fall, about how every single falling leaf of a tree denotes every single passing day of a human life."

"Truly wonderful. It's a beautiful piece of music. I have heard about you from Sister-in-law Zhu Ling before, but she never mentioned about you being such a good musician." Ming Lan admired.

"You overpraise me Princess Ming Lan, anybody can compose a piece of music if they have enough knowledge and they put enough effort into it." Zhu Furong humbly answered.

"That's true, but how many really put that effort and how many pieces of such music are good to listen to? You should be proud of yourself. You created such a-" Ming Lan was praising Zhu Furong when...

"Yes I am." Zhu Furong straightforwardly answered in between, making Ming Lan choke on her next words.

"Cough! Cough!..." Ming Lan looked at Zhu Furong with an awkward face while coughing continuously.

'This Bastard is really good at being sarcastic. He was even doing it at the All Metals store a few days ago. Now I am hundred percent sure he is that guy from that day. Even if you hide your face and voice, you can't hide your nature. Humph!' Ming Lan thought while glaring at Zhu Furong.

Zhu Furong saw the glare and instantly avoided eye contact with the princess. He rushed inside his room. "Wait, I will get some water."

"This idiot, I warned him to watch how he speaks with the princess but he... I have to teach him a lesson later." Zhu Ling gritted her teeth while muttering to herself.

She approached the princess and rubbed her back while waiting for Zhu Furong to fetch water.

"Glug! Glug! Glug!..." Ming Lan drank the whole glass of water in one go. She wiped her mouth with her sleeves. "Thank you." She passed the glass to Zhu Ling.

It was Zhu Furong who brought the glass of water, but it's Zhu Ling who got thanked. For Zhu Furong, he only received the intense glare of Ming Lan. She is like a tigress who is ready to bite his flesh off.

Zhu Furong shivered. "Gulp!" He gulped a mouthful of saliva. He doesn't know how to save his own ass from this precarious situation. But lucky for him his saviour arrived. A prince on a white horse.

Ehem! I mean a prince in a white hanfu. It's the second prince of the Ming Dynasty, Ming Zen.

"Is this where your little brother lives?" He asked Zhu Ling in a gentle tone as soon as he entered the courtyard.

"Yes." Zhu Ling answered.

Ming Zen slowly walked and stood beside Zhu Ling. Ming Zen similarly has a tall frame contrary to his age just like Zhu Furong, so he is quite taller than the average sized Zhu Ling.

Ming Zen has a heroic face and is a smart, handsome boy of twelve years, the same age as Zhu Ling. Standing besides each other, Zhu Ling and Ming Zen looked like a perfect couple.

"It's an honor to meet you, your highness the Second Prince." Zhu Furong saluted and bowed respectfully.

"Ah, no need for such courtesy. We will soon be family anyway. Just call me Brother-in-law Ming Zen or just Brother Zen. Both are fine." Ming Zen rushed to Zhu Furong, raising him up with a warm smiling face. But as soon as Ming Zen touched Zhu Furong, both Zhu Furong and Ming Zen felt something inside themselves. It's a weird feeling, hard to explain.

Both Zhu Furong and Ming Zen stared at each other out of curiosity.

"Ah!" Suddenly Ming Zen yelled, surprising Zhu Furong. 

Zhu Furong took a step back and then he witnessed the play take place in front of him. His eyes went round with shock.

"What Brother-in-law? We are not married yet. Humph! Shameless." Zhu Ling blushed while pinching and twisting Ming Zen's waist from the side.

"Ah, ooh, ah, my mother, my aunt, you are gonna rip my flesh off. It hurts, it bloody hurts!" Ming Zen cried in pain with a contorted face.

"Humph!" Zhu Ling let go while puffing her nose to show her dominance.

Ming Zen started rubbing the twisted spot intensely with tears at the corners of his eyes. 

He looked towards Zhu Furong. Zhu Furong instantly turned his face towards the sky, which made Ming Zen's situation less embarrassing.

Ming Zen looked towards his little sister expecting something similar but what he got is a girl laughing her head off while holding her stomach.

Such disappointment, so embarrassing. Ming Zen cursed in his mind but he didn't dare to blurt it out.

One is his little sister and the other is his future. Most important of all, both are women. Never make an enemy out of women. The thing every man in the world has learnt the hard way.

"Are you done here? Then let's return to the palace." Ming Zen asked Ming Lan after being relieved of the pain.

"Hmm?... Ah, well..." Ming Lan looked at Zhu Furong who was still looking at the sky, then she thought about something, then she nodded. "Mm hmm, I am done."

Ming Zen nodded too. He then looked at Zhu Ling. "We will take our leave then, I have already talked with your grandfather and he agreed." He then turned towards the sky-gazing Zhu Furong. "Er... Little Brother Furong, we didn't get the chance to talk much but I will take some time off my schedule to have a nice chat with you someday. We can go out together to have some fun too. You know, the man stuff." Ming Zen smirked while Zhu Furong made an expression of helplessness.

Zhu Ling glared at him and reached her hand to twist his ear. Ming Zen quickly dodged and dashed out of the courtyard. "I am waiting at the entrance, Little Flower say your good-bye and come quickly." He is gone.

"This bastard!" Zhu Ling cursed while gritting her teeth. Then she turned towards Zhu Furong. "Don't you dare go out with him to some weird places. I warn you." She threatened.

"I have to go talk with our grandfather. You escort the princess out to the main gate." Saying this she rushed out of the courtyard as well.

"Ah, Elder Sister." Zhu Furong called from behind but to no avail.

Now alone, both Ming Lan and Zhu Furong looked at each other awkwardly and didn't know what to say. They just laughed hehe making the situation more awkward.

"Let me escort you out, your highness." Zhu Furong politely said.

"Hmm." Ming Lan nodded.

Then the pair walked out at a steady pace to the main entrance of Zhu manor, where a palanquin with guards was waiting for the princess.

On their way from the courtyard to the gate, none of the two spoke a single word.

Zhu Furong was busy avoiding the sharp hidden gazes of the other family members, such as his two older brothers. While Ming Lan was busy sneaking glimpses of Zhu Furong's face.

This little princess is definitely up to something.

After bidding farewell to the prince and princess, Zhu Furong returned to his room. He still couldn't understand the purpose of Ming Lan's visit.

Was it just to see her sister-in-law's brother? Or was it something else?

Confused, Zhu Furong scratched his head. Not able to find any solid conclusion, he started performing alchemy with his newly obtained furnace.

He is preparing pills for opening his Eight Extraordinary Meridians.