When the Empress Dowager spoke of the Marquis of An Yang, she said, “Your father is leading the garrison troops in Jin Zhou. There shouldn’t be any major issues before the New Year, but I’m not sure how the Emperor has arranged things. Did you receive any letters from your father and brother today?”
Yue Ning replied, “Father and brother usually write once every month or two. Everything seems fine.”
The Empress Dowager sighed, “Never mind your father, but how is your brother faring in Shuo Xi?”
Yue Ning showed some concern, unconsciously glancing at Qin Wan, “The situation in the Shuo Xi army is quite complicated now, though brother hasn’t mentioned much else.”
Though Yue Ning’s response was brief, the Empress Dowager clearly understood. She nodded and said, “This will be a good experience for your brother. With him there, I believe it will benefit the Shuo Xi army. Didn’t the Emperor recently allocate new military rations to the Shuo Xi army? Let’s hope there won’t be any more trouble this winter.”
Winters were harsh, and the Rong people were naturally fierce and bloodthirsty, mostly unafraid of severe cold. During winter, when Shuo Xi soldiers suffered the most injuries and illnesses, the Rong people would often seize the opportunity to strike.
Yue Ning sighed, “Please don’t worry, that shouldn’t happen.”
Yan Ze suddenly asked, “I wonder how the investigation into Uncle Prince Rui’s matter is progressing?”
As everyone knew, Prince Rui was assassinated by Rong’s assassins. Yan Ze’s question touched upon the Empress Dowager’s greatest concern. Her expression changed slightly, “There hasn’t been any news yet, has there? Who were the people sent to Shuo Xi again?”
Nearby, Elder Maid Chen quickly responded, “It was Vice Minister Lin Xu Gui and Vice Minister of Revenue Yu Wen Xian.”
The Empress Dowager’s impression of these two men wasn’t deep; she even paused momentarily to recall who they were. She nodded, “Let’s wait. There will surely be definitive news.” She turned to Qin Wan, “What has Yan Chi been doing these days?”
Qin Wan hurriedly replied, “He goes to the ministry every day and hasn’t done much else. It’s the end of the year, and the Ministry of Justice has many summary tasks to complete. He’s supervising those.”
The Empress Dowager nodded, “It’s admirable that he can remain so composed. When it first happened, he wanted to go to Shuo Xi to avenge Yan Lin. Ah, I never approved of Yan Lin being stationed in Shuo Xi. Fighting in wars is ultimately too dangerous. My clan’s uncle lost his left arm on the battlefield, and two nephews died in battle. Years ago, I wanted Yan Lin to return, but after bearing such a heavy responsibility for so many years, how could he easily walk away? If I had known, I should have issued an imperial edict directly.”
If Yan Lin had returned early, the subsequent events wouldn’t have happened, but there’s no such thing as “if I had known” in this world.
Yan Ze said, “Please don’t overthink it. This matter will surely be cleared up.”
The Empress Dowager nodded and turned her attention back to the chessboard. Qin Wan sat nearby, her heart growing cold.
Prince Rui’s accident directly implicated the current Emperor, and last year’s Prince Jin case had also drawn the Emperor into it. If all this were true, what kind of terrifying person would the Emperor be? But neither she nor Yan Chi could speak of these things.
They still couldn’t confirm what was true or false, but what if they did confirm it?
That person was the Emperor of Da Zhou – how could she and Yan Chi stand against him?
Qin Wan felt very uneasy. After watching two games of chess, she heard voices outside, and soon after, Yan Sui came in with his small steps.
Returning from his studies, Yan Sui seemed to have walked rather hurriedly, his smiling face flushed red. The Empress Dowager smiled and let him come closer, hugged him, and spoke a few words, then noticed Yan Sui gazing expectantly at Qin Wan. The Empress Dowager smiled, “What did I say? He’s been thinking of you. Go on, take him out to play.”
Qin Wan nodded and led Yan Sui out by the hand.
Qin Wan felt somewhat anxious as she walked outside, but with so many servants in Shou Kang Palace, she couldn’t possibly ask questions in front of others. Even if they couldn’t hear the words, others would notice Yan Sui’s expressions. After some thought, Qin Wan still led Yan Sui to the side courtyard under the corridor. At this moment, the sky had cleared, and warm sunlight streamed down. Qin Wan took out the small toys she had bought for Yan Sui, which delighted him immensely. Qin Wan didn’t rush, and when Elder Maid Su and others saw Yan Sui happily playing with her, they naturally retreated further away.
After Yan Sui had fiddled with a small mechanical bird for a while, Qin Wan finally spoke softly, “Your Highness—”
Qin Wan’s tone carried a hint of caution, and Yan Sui sensitively looked up at her. Qin Wan said, “Your Highness, I need to ask you some things now. No matter what I ask, don’t be afraid, and don’t cry out. We can’t let others know, alright?”
From a distance, one could only see Qin Wan bending down to speak quietly with Yan Sui, appearing very close and kind.
After Qin Wan finished speaking, Yan Sui paused before nodding.
While helping him fiddle with the mechanical bird, Qin Wan softly asked, “Does Your Highness remember the day Consort Jin passed away? I know Your Highness was the first to arrive at the scene. Think carefully now – when you saw Prince Jin and Consort Jin, did Prince Jin have a dagger in his hand? Where were Prince Jin’s guards at that time?”
Yan Sui’s hands paused, and he immediately looked up at Qin Wan, but realizing what she had said, he quickly lowered his head again, pretending to be calm.
Qin Wan nodded approvingly. Although Yan Sui wasn’t as lively as ordinary children, he was certainly clever.
A trace of fear flashed across Yan Sui’s small face. Recalling the scene from that day wasn’t easy for him. After thinking for a long while, he said, “That night when I arrived, I saw Mother lying on the ground, there was so much blood… I… Prince Jin was standing beside Mother, and he was indeed holding a dagger, it was… it was silver.”
Qin Wan frowned, “It was night time, how could Your Highness be sure it was silver?”
Yan Sui furrowed his brow, “Because… because at that time, only a lamp was lit in the distant Han Guang Hall, and when I saw Mother lying on the ground, I was terrified. I just felt that the light on the dagger was very glaring… it was silver…”
Yan Sui’s brows were tightly knitted, “I went to call Mother then, and Prince Jin… Prince Jin even helped steady me. I didn’t know what was happening at the time. It wasn’t until the Empress and others arrived that someone said Prince Jin had killed Mother…”
Qin Wan frowned, “Did Prince Jin leave during this time?”
Yan Sui shook his head, “No, not long after I arrived, the imperial guards discovered the commotion, and soon after, the Empress and others all arrived. Prince Jin didn’t leave, he just stood there holding that dagger the whole time…”
“Was there blood on the dagger then? Was there blood on Prince Jin?”
Yan Sui was stunned as if his young age prevented him from remembering so many details. However, quickly, Yan Sui fixed his gaze on Qin Wan, “I forgot about the dagger, but Prince Jin’s clothes were clean, very clean.”
Qin Wan was somewhat surprised, “Are you sure?”
Yan Sui looked around and pointed at a distant maid, “Prince Jin was wearing clothes the color of that person’s dress, even lighter than that color.”
Qin Wan turned to look and saw that the maid Yan Sui was pointing to wore the light green lotus-patterned long dress that all servants in Shou Kang Palace wore. Yan Sui said Prince Jin’s clothes were even lighter than this color, meaning they must have been something like moon-white or jade-colored light robes. Such clothes would show blood stains particularly clearly, yet Prince Jin’s clothes were spotless, and he hadn’t immediately left after the incident, actually being caught by so many people – this was extremely unusual!
“What were Prince Jin’s guards doing at the time?” As soon as Qin Wan asked, Yan Sui tried harder to remember. After thinking for a while, he suddenly said, “Prince Jin’s guard was standing on the side near Han Guang Hall. He was very scared, his whole body was…” Yan Sui’s smiling face scrunched up, seemingly unable to describe Song Xi Wen’s expression, and after a while finally said, “He was trembling.”
Qin Wan began to understand. Even following one’s own master, suddenly encountering such a situation would naturally be frightening, especially since the deceased was the Emperor’s favored consort. Qin Wan sighed inwardly. According to Yan Sui, Prince Jin was holding a dagger from the beginning, and when others arrived, he certainly didn’t have time to switch it. This meant if Prince Jin wanted to switch the dagger, it must have been before this. So what implications might that dagger reveal?
This point puzzled Qin Wan no matter how she thought about it. She suddenly said, “Would you be willing to take me to Han Guang Hall to look—”
Before she could finish saying “Look,” Yan Sui suddenly straightened up and looked behind Qin Wan. Her heart jumped, and she followed his gaze. There stood Yan Ze, about ten steps away, his eyes still covered with medicinal cloth, standing silently as if unaware of Qin Wan and Yan Sui’s presence. When Yan Sui moved, the mechanical bird in his hands made a “clatter” sound, and only then did Yan Ze furrow his brows, “Who’s there?”
Qin Wan immediately relaxed and spoke up, “Your Highness, it’s me and the Ninth Prince.”
Yan Ze’s brow smoothed out, and his lips curved upward, “What are you doing? The sunlight is perfect right now. We’re going to accompany the Empress Dowager to the Imperial Garden for a walk. Would you like to join us?”
Just as he finished speaking, Yue Ning hurried up behind him, saying, “Third Brother, why did you walk off by yourself!” As she reached Yan Ze’s side, she was surprised to find Qin Wan and Yan Sui nearby. Yue Ning smiled, “So you’re here! We’re going to accompany the Empress Dowager for a walk. Would you like to join us?”
Qin Wan nodded, “Of course…”
After saying this, Qin Wan quickly gathered up the mechanical bird she had bought for Yan Sui and handed it to Elder Maid Su. Soon after, the Empress Dowager emerged, supported by Elder Maid Chen.
Meanwhile, Yue Ning was still scolding Yan Ze, “Third Brother, don’t walk around alone! You don’t have your walking stick – what if you bump into something?”
Yan Ze smiled gently, “It’s fine, I roughly remember the paths in Shou Kang Palace.”
Yue Ning sighed and still went forward to support Yan Ze, while Qin Wan supported the Empress Dowager.
As the group left Shou Kang Palace heading toward the Imperial Garden, the Empress Dowager smiled and said, “I’m not feeling as energetic now. Playing several rounds of chess this morning tired me out. I’ve been getting tired particularly quickly these past few days. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Qin Wan immediately changed her hand position to check the Empress Dowager’s pulse. The Empress Dowager noticed and smiled wryly, “I’ve been taking the medicine pills you prescribed. Don’t write any new prescriptions for now. I don’t want to drink medicine anymore. At my age, I can’t bear such bitterness anymore.”
Qin Wan checked the pulse without further discussion, though it wasn’t a proper examination and lacked detail. She didn’t say much at the moment, but her heart sank. The Empress Dowager’s pulse wasn’t very good. Though not particularly dangerous, for an elderly person, even slight Qi deficiency could be very difficult to endure.
“I understand. Then please make sure to walk more these days, and don’t wake up too early in the morning.”
The Empress Dowager smiled in agreement. The group walked north through the Imperial Garden, with the Empress Dowager engaging in intermittent conversation. As they approached Consort Jin’s palace, the Empress Dowager seemed to deliberately change direction, as if avoiding it. Qin Wan couldn’t possibly visit Han Guang Hall with so many people present and felt somewhat disappointed.
After walking around outside, they returned to Shou Kang Palace when the Empress Dowager began feeling tired. After sitting for a while, Qin Wan finally found an opportunity to take Yan Sui out. The two left without any servants or attendants, heading straight toward Han Guang Hall. Qin Wan asked quietly, “Your Highness, do you remember who investigated Consort Jin’s case?”
Yan Sui’s feet paused, “It was someone surnamed Lin…”
“Lin Zhang?” Qin Wan blurted out, and Yan Sui nodded.
“What about later? Do you remember anyone else?”
Yan Sui’s brows furrowed slightly, and after thinking for a while, he said, “I think I saw someone, an official…”
“The Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?” Qin Wan asked.
Yan Sui hesitated, “That… I’m not sure. By then I was already living in Shou Kang Palace because Mother’s palace had been completely sealed off. Once when I ran back to Han Guang Hall, I happened to see someone leading many guards there, saying they were investigating Mother’s case.”
Qin Wan’s heart stirred, almost certain that person must have been her father.
At that time, Prince Jin had been moved to the Ministry of Justice’s imperial prison, and her father had become the chief investigator of the case. Who else would bring guards to reinvestigate the crime scene? A somewhat absurd thought suddenly occurred to Qin Wan – could it be that her father was searching for something?
And could that something be precisely that dagger?!
With this thought, Qin Wan’s steps quickened, but remembering Yan Sui’s young age and slower pace, she slowed down.
After walking a few steps, Yan Sui suddenly asked, “Have you discovered anything?”
Qin Wan’s heart skipped a beat. Turning to see Yan Sui’s expectant look, she felt somewhat reluctant, “Not yet, still looking for evidence.”
Yan Sui walked while watching her, his dark eyes seeming able to see through to one’s heart. Qin Wan felt uneasy and simply took his hand, avoiding his gaze. However, after a few more steps, Yan Sui suddenly stopped. He tugged at Qin Wan’s hand, “You’ve guessed who killed my mother, haven’t you?”
Qin Wan crouched down and looked at him very seriously, “Not yet. I’ve only figured out who might be connected to your mother’s case. As for the murderer, it can’t be determined right away. It’s difficult to be certain about the culprit – it wouldn’t be good to wrongly accuse someone, right?”
Yan Sui silently looked at Qin Wan, his eyes showing something Qin Wan couldn’t quite understand. After a moment, he suddenly asked, “Does it have something to do with Father Emperor?”