Their eyes met, and for the first time, Qin Wan stripped away the word “gentle” from Yan Ze’s persona.

His gaze was deep and bright, like a cold gleam emerging from an unfathomable abyss. As he looked at her, that spine-chilling pressure became inescapable.

Qin Wan wasn’t shocked. She simply stared steadily into Yan Ze’s eyes, remaining alert to the pressure while studying his gaze.

He was born with phoenix eyes, a trait common to the Yan family’s direct line. Previously, these eyes had been dim and lifeless, like pearls covered in dust. But now, with the haze lifted, his eyes revealed their inherent sharpness and coldness, as if Yan Ze himself had removed his disguise…

His white robes billowed in the wind, but Qin Wan could no longer see the refined elegance of an orchid branch or jade tree. The depths of Yan Ze’s eyes held an unfathomable dark gleam, and his robes seemed to be woven from frost and ice. Standing before him, Qin Wan felt coldness creeping up from her feet.

“When did Your Highness’s eyes recover?” After a while, Qin Wan finally spoke.

Yan Ze replied slowly, “Before my first visit to the Shen residence.”

Qin Wan’s brow twitched suddenly. The Shen residence! Yan Ze mentioned the Shen residence!

Sun Muqing had bought and renovated that house before inviting them to visit. By their first visit, it had already become the Sun residence!

Yet Yan Ze still referred to it as the Shen residence…

Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, the sense of warning in her heart growing stronger. That was also her first visit to the Shen residence after returning to the capital.

Ordinarily, someone blind for many years would show obvious joy upon regaining sight. Yet Yan Ze had managed to keep it hidden from everyone, including Yue Ning. Such self-control revealed his immense depths. Qin Wan unconsciously stepped back half a pace. “What did Your Highness mean by that earlier statement?”

“The Rui Prince Consort and my mother were close friends in their maiden days.”

Why suddenly bring up Yan Chi’s mother?

Qin Wan had a vague guess in her heart but dared not voice it, only keeping her eyes fixed unwaveringly on Yan Ze.

Yan Ze’s eyes remained undisturbed, like a dark, cold pool of still water. “My mother died of illness, as did the Rui Prince Consort. All these years, Yan Chi couldn’t have been completely free of doubts. Uncle Rui Prince must have had his suspicions too, but he valued loyalty too highly. Otherwise, the Liang Province incident wouldn’t have happened.”

Qin Wan’s heart shook violently. Even though she had harbored such suspicions, hearing Yan Ze speak of it so directly still made her heart tighten.

If this was true, then weren’t the deaths of Yan Ze’s father and mother both connected to the Emperor?

However, considering the current situation, Qin Wan couldn’t fully trust Yan Ze’s words. “Does Your Highness have evidence?”

Hearing this, Yan Ze suddenly smiled. “If you want evidence, you can have Yan Chi exhume the Rui Prince Consort’s remains as I did. You’re the best coroner in Great Zhou – one examination from you would reveal all. The question is whether Yan Chi would dare to do so.”

Qin Wan’s brows furrowed tightly. There was nothing Yan Chi wouldn’t dare to do.

But the Yi Prince Consort’s tomb was also in the imperial mausoleum. When did Yan Ze exhume her remains? How long had they been kept in this residence?

Qin Wan looked back and suddenly noticed something strange about this courtyard. The four corners of the main building’s roof ridge had been cut off, and the vermillion-painted decorations under the eaves had all been replaced with black paint. When she first entered, she hadn’t looked up, only feeling the courtyard was desolate and oppressive. Now standing at a distance, she finally noticed these differences.

Yan Ze followed Qin Wan’s gaze. “The feng shui here is excellent, most suitable for keeping Mother’s remains.”

These words sent a chill through Qin Wan’s heart, suddenly making the building feel like a tomb.

Yan Ze said nothing more, his gaze falling lightly on the roof ridge. Qin Wan looked at him as if seeing a stranger. “So what does Your Highness plan to do?”

Yan Ze suddenly turned to look at Qin Wan. “Why don’t you ask why my mother was poisoned, and who did it?”

Qin Wan’s breath caught, unable to answer for a moment. A flash of light crossed Yan Ze’s eyes. “So you did know.”

Qin Wan’s expression grew serious. “What I know may not be as much as Your Highness knows.”

Yan Ze looked Qin Wan up and down for a moment. “Knowing too much isn’t a good thing. The former Head of the Court of Judicature, Shen Yi, and his family were eliminated because they knew too much. Your marriage to Yan Chi is imminent – it’s better not to get involved in this matter.”

A cold smile touched Qin Wan’s lips. “Your Highness tells me all this just to persuade me not to interfere with your plans?”

Yan Ze showed no trace of panic, simply saying quietly, “I just want to warn you and warn Yan Chi as well. Uncle Rui Prince died in Liang Province – Yan Chi would do best not to become the next Rui Prince.” Yan Ze withdrew his gaze. “What I can know, the Emperor might also know. If the Emperor discovers you built a cenotaph for Lord and Lady Shen if he discovers your secret communications with the Empress, do you think you might share Shen Yi’s fate?”

A chill ran up Qin Wan’s spine…

Their building of the cenotaph, the Empress arranging their meeting with Madam Qian-Yan Ze knew about all of it!

Qin Wan’s expression grew heavy, her fists unconsciously clenching within her sleeves.

Yan Ze lifted his chin slightly. “Only you and I know of today’s meeting. Go tell Yan Chi that the Emperor arranging for him to temporarily lead the Imperial Guard in searching for the Empress is no good thing. How can his movements in the Northwest escape the Emperor’s notice? When the great edifice falls, he could be one of those able to prevent catastrophe. It would be a shame if he were imprisoned.”

With that, Yan Ze walked toward the building. “Tan Xiang, escort the Princess back.”

Qin Wan had come in the carriage Tan Xiang prepared, so naturally she could only let Tan Xiang take her back.

Qin Wan turned to watch Yan Ze enter the main door, and saw his snow-white figure disappear behind it. Her lips moved slightly, but in the end, she asked nothing.

Though her heart was full of questions, when it came time to ask them, she found she could voice none. She hadn’t expected Yan Ze to so directly and openly expose his true face to her. He wasn’t afraid she would tell the Empress Dowager, wasn’t afraid she would tell Yue Ning. He knew far more than she did – even though he did not attempt to hide anything, she was the one who was constrained. Qin Wan’s heart felt heavy and cold, worried about both her and Yan Chi’s situation while deeply concerned for Yue Ning.

This person was no longer the Third Brother in her memories. This person was far from the gentle, uninvolved person he appeared to be. The revenge for a murdered mother was an unforgivable hatred, but what result did Yan Ze want? When the great edifice falls, did he want to support a new master, or did he want to become the new master himself?

Qin Wan couldn’t know. She suddenly missed Yan Chi terribly.

Before the royal family’s struggles, a marquis’s household was powerless, and she was even more like an ant.

Qin Wan slowly turned and walked to the courtyard gate. Outside, Tan Xiang was respectfully waiting by the carriage. Seeing Qin Wan emerge, she quickly asked, “Princess, where shall we go?”

Qin Wan came back to herself and said, “The Rui Prince Manor.”

Tan Xiang was somewhat surprised but quickly acknowledged.

As the carriage rattled into motion, Qin Wan’s heart was still cold. Five people had died in Ning Buyi’s case – what was the original purpose of that exorcism ritual ground? Lifting the carriage curtain, Qin Wan looked back at the strange courtyard with its cut-off flying eaves and roof corners, the doubts in her heart growing deeper.

The carriage traveled through the small alleys of the southern city for about two incense sticks’ worth of time before reaching the main road, then headed toward the Rui Prince Manor. When they arrived at the manor, Qin Wan alighted from the carriage and said, “You may return now. I’ll make my way back to the Marquis Manor later.”

Tan Xiang respectfully acknowledged and drove away.

Bai Ying stepped forward to call at the gate. Upon entering the manor, Qin Wan learned that Yan Chi hadn’t returned yet.

Qin Wan’s heart felt empty, but she still walked toward the waterside pavilion. Halfway there, however, she changed direction and headed for the study Yan Chi had taken her to before.

That was Rui Prince’s study, where a portrait of the Rui Prince Consort from when she was alive hung. For some reason, Qin Wan suddenly wanted to see that portrait.

Bai Ying followed behind, saying, “Miss, Young Master Yan Ze…”

Qin Wan shook her head. “I can’t figure him out. Let’s wait for Yan Chi to return.”

The Rui Prince Manor had no maids but many hidden guards. As Qin Wan went deeper into the manor, she encountered many guards, but none dared stop her. They simply bowed silently and withdrew. Qin Wan’s heart gradually settled. Though the manor seemed empty and desolate, the security everywhere made one feel safe.

Soon they reached the courtyard of Rui Prince’s former study. Though Yan Chi wasn’t there and Qin Wan could move freely about, she still didn’t enter the building. She stood in the courtyard for a moment, only now beginning to process Yan Ze’s words from today—

When the great edifice falls, Yan Chi could be one of those able to prevent catastrophe.

What did Yan Ze mean by this? Did “the great edifice falls” refer to the Empress and Crown Prince’s escape, or the Emperor’s identity being revealed to all under heaven?

Saying Yan Chi could prevent catastrophe meant he had other candidates in mind.

Qin Wan’s eyelid twitched. Could it be that the Empress and Crown Prince…

After standing in the courtyard for two incense sticks’ worth of time, Qin Wan left. The sun had already tilted west, the cold wind increasingly biting. When Qin Wan reached the waterside pavilion, she saw numerous letters of correspondence on Yan Chi’s desk, showing his frequent communication with the Northwest these days. Just as Yan Ze had caused mysterious turbulence in the capital without Qin Wan’s knowledge, what chaos was the Northwest experiencing now?!

Qin Wan couldn’t know. She only wanted to wait for Yan Chi to tell him about Yan Ze, but as she watched the sky gradually darken, Yan Chi still hadn’t returned.

Bai Ying went to ask the manor guards, who said Yan Chi had been returning late at night recently. Since he hadn’t returned by this hour today, he would likely return late tonight as well.

Qin Wan felt somewhat helpless and had no choice but to leave a note before returning to the Marquis Manor.

At the same time, outside the Chongzheng Palace, Lin Zhang was carrying a sealed memorial into the Emperor’s study.

“Your Majesty, an urgent memorial from eight hundred li west.”

The Emperor looked up from his desk, frowning slightly. “Has something happened in the Northwest?”

Lin Zhang shook his head to indicate he didn’t know and placed the memorial beside the Emperor. “The Northwest sent memorials just three days ago, and there seemed to be no problems. I don’t know why this memorial came so quickly – it was sent via Meng Province.”

Hearing this, the Emperor’s frown deepened. He took out a short dagger to break the seal and quickly retrieved the brief letter inside.

Opening the letter, the Emperor read through it rapidly. Soon, he slammed the letter onto the imperial desk with a “bang,” startling both Lin Zhang and Yuan Qing who were attending nearby. Lin Zhang asked uncertainly, “Your Majesty, what has happened?”

The Emperor narrowed his phoenix eyes, cold light flashing in their depths. He gave Lin Zhang a cold look that made Lin Zhang’s heart quiver.

“Half the memorials from the Northwest have been intercepted, and you didn’t know?”

Lin Zhang’s eyes widened. “What? That’s impossible! Who would dare intercept memorials meant for Your Majesty?”

The Emperor gave a cold laugh. “Do you know that Chu Feishun has already been rescued? Not only that, nearly ten thousand refugees have gathered around the Northwest, and they’ve already taken over all the outpost camps within a hundred li of the Northwest military camp?!”

Hearing this, Lin Zhang’s expression changed drastically. “What?! This— how can this be! How dare they?!”

Nearly ten thousand refugees – this could be described as rebellion. The Northwest military camp had only eighty thousand troops, and the surrounding outposts were the eyes and ears of the Northwest army. With these outposts, they could manage both internal and external defense effectively. Who would dare seize so many camps?

“This… does Chu Feishun want to rebel? Is he leading the unrest?!”

As he said this, Lin Zhang’s brow twitched as he quickly realized something was wrong. “But he couldn’t intercept Your Majesty’s memorials unless…”

Unless this person possessed greater power, able to control all memorial routes from the Northwest to the capital. And the person who could do this could only be…

Lin Zhang’s eyes suddenly widened, but at this moment the Emperor gave another cold laugh. “No wonder they requested military provisions for the Northwest at that time!”