When the first autumn rain fell, the weather grew increasingly cold. Prince Rui’s coffin had arrived in Luo Prefecture, and in three days, it would enter the capital. During this interval, Qin Wanren arrived at Prince Rui’s manor.
During her last visit, although Prince Rui’s manor was quiet and empty, it still maintained its majestic appearance and grand structure. Now, the entire manor was draped in white mourning cloth. Standing at the entrance, Qin Wan was struck by the large white funeral flowers on the door. The internal staff had temporarily left and would return when Prince Rui’s coffin arrived to complete the funeral rites. It had been seven days since she had last seen Yan Chi.
When the gate opened, the usually taciturn doorkeeper saw it was Qin Wan and immediately bowed respectfully but remained silent.
Qin Wan looked at him suspiciously as she entered. After walking a few steps, Bai Feng hurried toward her.
“Princess, the Master is waiting for you in the Water Pavilion—”
Qin Wan walked toward the Water Pavilion, surrounded by whiteness everywhere. Although Prince Rui’s coffin had not yet returned, his manor was already prepared to hold a grand funeral at any moment. Qin Wan knew Yan Chi hadn’t left the manor these past few days, and thinking of him staying alone in such a place made her heartache.
“What has His Highness been doing these days?”
Bai Feng quickly replied, “The Master has been preparing for the Prince’s funeral.”
After a slight pause, Bai Feng lowered his voice, “He’s also been meeting with some people.”
As the future Princess Consort, Qin Wan held a special place in Yan Chi’s heart. Bai Feng knew this well, and since even Fan Xin had been saved by Qin Wan, his master likely had no intention of keeping secrets from her.
Bai Feng’s additional comment immediately caught Qin Wan’s attention.
In these past days when Yan Chi had been out of sight, even neglecting his duties at the Ministry of Justice, many rumors had circulated. Some said that upon learning of Prince Rui’s death, Yan Chi first became enraged and requested to go to war to avenge him, but when permission was denied, he fell into grief and depression. Although Yan Chi was renowned, he had always been under Prince Rui’s wing. Now that Prince Rui was gone, coupled with the sensitive nature of the Shuo Xi military power, Yan Chi was like a fledgling eagle who had lost the protection of its parent, unable to take flight…
Not only unable to fly but possibly having his wings clipped.
For the Shuo Xi army and the entire northwestern defense, the era of Prince Rui’s household’s leadership had come to an end.
These rumors meant little to Qin Wan and Yan Chi; in fact, for Yan Chi now, they served as a form of invisible protection. However, their emergence increasingly proved the perilous situation Yan Chi found himself in.
The autumn rain fell continuously, and the gloomy sky seemed like a suffocating net, making it difficult to breathe. When Qin Wan reached the Water Pavilion, she immediately spotted Yan Chi’s tall figure. He sat behind his desk, writing intensely.
When he looked up and saw Qin Wan at the door, he immediately put down his brush and went to meet her.
Although only seven days had passed since they last met, Yan Chi seemed to have grown thinner. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his entire demeanor showed exhaustion. However, when he saw her, his phoenix eyes lit up with brightness.
Qin Wan let out a breath, and the corners of her lips curved slightly.
Bai Feng closed the door, and he and Bai Ying stood guard outside. The room was empty except for the two of them. Yan Chi walked to Qin Wan and immediately embraced her with his long arms. Qin Wan wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest.
Yan Chi lowered his head and took a deep breath.
Qin Wan always carried a faint, bitter medicinal fragrance, unlike any other woman’s delicate or alluring scent. The fragrance on Qin Wan was cool yet rich, lasting, and profound as if it could penetrate through the meridians and acupoints into one’s limbs and bones. Yan Chi’s heart suddenly felt fuller.
“I thought you would come the day before yesterday.”
Yan Chi spoke, his tone carrying slight dissatisfaction. Qin Wan was startled and nuzzled her face against his chest. “I knew the internal staff left that day, but there was a case at Prince Jin’s manor, and yesterday I went to the palace to examine the Empress Dowager. I wasn’t sure if it was convenient here, so I didn’t dare come unannounced…”
Yan Chi stroked her hair. “Then why did you come today?”
Qin Wan looked up at him. “Today I couldn’t resist anymore.”
Looking into Qin Wan’s eyes, Yan Chi couldn’t help but lower his head and kiss her lips.
Qin Wan’s lips were pale, and her face showed signs of fatigue. Outside, the late autumn was chilly, and his heart was filled with desolate coldness. Yan Chi desperately wanted to deepen the kiss, even wanting to do more, but the desire merely flashed through his mind before he forcefully suppressed it.
The more precarious the situation, the more calm and restrained one must be.
Yan Chi released Qin Wan and led her to sit nearby. The weather had turned cold, and Qin Wan’s hands were slightly chilled. “I already know about the case at Prince Jin’s manor. If my guess is correct, not only will the Emperor not suppress this case, but it will also cause some waves in the court.”
Qin Wan was surprised to hear this. “I’ve already helped with the autopsy. The Emperor indeed hasn’t suppressed the case, but that might just be temporary. Captain Zhan discovered that the deceased’s identity is very sensitive and might be connected to last year’s case.”
Yan Chi shook his head. “With this case, the Emperor won’t interfere, or rather, he couldn’t even if he wanted to. After Prince Jin’s suicide last year, the case was hastily closed, but you don’t know what the Emperor did in between.”
Qin Wan looked at Yan Chi questioningly, and he explained, “Prince Jin was the Emperor’s eldest son. Because of this, even though he had no desire for the Crown Prince position, he still gained considerable support in his early years. The Empress came from a military family, and earlier, the Crown Prince was particularly close to the Grand General’s faction. But Prince Jin was different. His birth mother was of humble origins, and he had no backing. Because of this, along with his gentle and kind nature, not only did the common people favor him, but many noble families in the capital were also close to him. When Prince Jin’s incident occurred last year, the Emperor used this opportunity to reclaim many hereditary titles from the noble families. The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue both changed leadership, and a large number of officials were replaced. At the time, Prince Jin was the target of public criticism. On the surface, it seemed the Crown Prince and Prince Cheng, being fellow princes, were most wary of him, but in reality, the Emperor was also consolidating power.”
After a moment’s contemplation, Yan Chi added, “It appears to be Prince Jin’s case, but it’s a power struggle.”
Qin Wan’s heart pounded. “These past few days, you…”
Yan Chi smiled and held Qin Wan’s hand. “I learned about Prince Jin’s manor case immediately. After returning to the capital, I’ve also been investigating last year’s incident. There was indeed a guard who followed Prince Jin and later disappeared.”
Yan Chi knew more than Qin Wan had imagined – she hadn’t mentioned that the deceased might be Prince Jin’s guard.
“You… weren’t you busy with Shuo Xi matters these days?”
Yan Chi’s lips twitched. “It doesn’t interfere. What do you think about Prince Jin’s manor case?”
Qin Wan felt a sourness in her heart. If not for Prince Rui’s matter, Yan Chi’s interest in Prince Jin’s manor case could be attributed partly to Prince Jin. Now, with Prince Rui’s household in danger, yet he hadn’t missed a single detail of the Prince Jin manor corpse case.
Qin Wan knew Yan Chi was doing all this for her.
Qin Wan pressed her lips together. “Prince Jin couldn’t have committed suicide out of guilt. Someone else killed Consort Jin, and this guard’s remains are the key to reopening Prince Jin’s case – it’s an opportunity! Now we need to investigate how the guard died. Once we find the killer behind this, the person who orchestrated Prince Jin’s supposed guilty suicide might also be revealed. However, these matters ultimately involve royal scandals. Last year, the Emperor closed the case so decisively, that he must have reservations this time. On the first day of the investigation, there was chaos, and Lord Zheng was injured. Later, when the case spread widely, perhaps considering these factors, the Emperor temporarily relented. Later, the Emperor might act as he did last year.”
Yan Chi shook his head. “He won’t—”
The autumn scenery outside the window was gloomy and desolate, but Yan Chi’s gaze had already taken on the coldness of deep winter. He said in a deep voice, “After Prince Jin’s departure, many changes occurred in court this year. The Emperor consolidated much power, but Prince Jin’s influence was still mostly divided between the Crown Prince and Prince Cheng. Now in court, the Emperor’s word carries less weight than a year ago.”
Not to mention the incident in Shuo Xi.
Qin Wan frowned slightly. “You mean… this time the Emperor might truly want to know what tricks are involved, and then begin a new round of power consolidation? But the Crown Prince has already been established, and the current Crown Prince isn’t aggressive, nor has he rushed to seize the Emperor’s power. If the Emperor is dissatisfied, it should be with Prince Cheng.”
Yan Chi shook his head and, after a moment’s hesitation, walked to his desk to retrieve a letter.
When Qin Wan saw it, her expression changed dramatically!
This letter wasn’t news from Shuo Xi; what was written here came from within the palace!
Two days ago, the Crown Prince was berated by the Emperor for suggesting that Zhang Qide, the Military Commissioner of Ding Xi Route, take over Shuo Xi’s military affairs!
With the Shuo Xi army leaderless, although the Emperor had sent the Left Deputy Minister of the Ministry of War, the Emperor’s words were very clear: Lin Xugui went there only to stabilize morale. Since Lin Xugui didn’t have much experience commanding troops, he temporarily couldn’t lead an army of a hundred thousand. A new commander for the Shuo Xi army had to be determined within two months.
The Crown Prince’s recommendation of Zhang Qide seemed appropriate on the surface, but the Emperor berated the Crown Prince for it.
This was a confidential letter detailing the movements in Chongzheng Hall. Qin Wan didn’t know how Yan Chi obtained this letter, but it showed he could understand the Emperor’s movements. This matter hadn’t caused a stir in morning court, indicating many in court didn’t know about it. The Emperor must have summoned the Crown Prince privately to reprimand him, yet Yan Chi knew about it.
While alarmed, Qin Wan knew Yan Chi was right.
In the royal family, the relationship between ruler and subject came before that of father and son. Even though the Crown Prince had been established, as long as the Emperor remained on the throne for one day, he would never allow anyone to challenge his imperial authority. She returned the letter to Yan Chi, who crushed it into a powder that fell silently. Qin Wan breathed a sigh of relief, not knowing what disaster might befall Yan Chi if the letter fell into other hands.
“I understand your meaning now. This case is an opportunity. If we can investigate it, I want to reopen Prince Jin’s case…”
Yan Chi wasn’t surprised and simply asked, “What do you need me to do?”
Qin Wan shook her head and gripped Yan Chi’s hand. “Your words just now were reassuring enough. Right now, I want to know what I can do for you—”
Qin Wan looked steadily at Yan Chi, her eyes filled with worry. Yan Chi touched her face and smiled faintly. His calloused fingertip moved to her eye corner. “When you look at me like this, it’s truly healing.”
Healing enough to make him want to be weak.
But he was Yan Chi, Yan Lin’s son, and his father prince had never taught him the word weakness.
He kissed her lips lightly again. “You don’t need to do anything. Having you by my side is enough to make me content.”
Qin Wan felt her heart constrict hearing this. When she had come back from death, she had been so desperate and helpless. At that time, she had thought how nice it would be to have someone who truly knew and understood her by her side. She leaned forward to embrace Yan Chi, her hand stroking his back before finally resting on the nape of his neck. This was truly a gesture of comfort and tenderness, making Yan Chi’s heartburn while also leaving him caught between laughter and tears.
When Qin Wan left Prince Rui’s manor, the rain had grown heavier. Yan Chi held a black oil-paper umbrella to escort her to her carriage. Qin Wan lifted the curtain and felt that the rain made Yan Chi’s features appear even more profound and sharp. Yan Chi smiled at her, suddenly resembling that heaven-favored young man from before. Qin Wan’s heart sank, but she finally lowered the carriage curtain and left.
Even though they hadn’t seen each other for days, and even though their meeting was brief, Qin Wan felt inexplicably at peace. Prince Rui’s household was on the verge of collapse, and she was also groping her way through thorns and darkness. He knew her aspirations, and she understood his precarious situation. The two of them walked silently forward in this late autumn chill, and no one else could understand their state of mind better than they did.
Qin Wan composed herself and, instead of returning to the Marquis’s manor, went directly to the Lin’an Prefecture Office.
At the Lin’an Prefecture Office, both Zheng Baishi and Zhan Yang happened to be present. Seeing Qin Wan arrive, Zheng Baishi hurried forward several steps. “Princess, have you come about the corpse case at Prince Jin’s manor?”
Qin Wan nodded. “Indeed—”
Zheng Baishi quickly said, “Princess, you’ve come at the perfect time. I was just about to request that you re-examine the remains.”
Qin Wan raised an eyebrow, and Zheng Baishi explained, “The deceased is very likely to be a guard from Prince Jin’s household. If so, the implications are significant. The coroner at the prefecture office has examined the body, and their findings are similar to the clues you discovered, but that alone doesn’t seem sufficient. These past two days, people in court have been discussing this case, with various opinions circulating. I need more convincing evidence.”
Qin Wan touched her sleeve pocket, where the information about that guard that Yan Chi had just given her was stored. At this point, if they couldn’t confirm that the remains belonged to Song Xiwen, then this case’s connection to last year’s case could be either significant or minor.
Qin Wan immediately said, “Of course, that’s no problem. I came to ask about the direction of this case, and since you want to confirm the identity, I just need to examine the body again. Hopefully, I can find some clues.”
Zheng Baishi felt relieved hearing this, deeply grateful for Qin Wan’s immediate assistance whenever needed. After giving instructions to someone, he soon led Qin Wan to the public mortuary. The remains were stored in the mortuary, and since they were completely skeletal, they didn’t require special preservation. When Qin Wan arrived at the mortuary, she found Li Muyun had already arrived.
Neither Zheng Baishi had expected Li Muyun to be there, nor had Li Muyun expected Zheng Baishi to come at this time.
Qin Wan looked at Li Muyun, her brows furrowing tightly.
This case hadn’t been handed over to the Court of Judicial Review yet, had it?