When Qin Wan looked at the dagger in Sun Muqing’s package, her brows furrowed deeply.
It wasn’t an oddly shaped dagger; on the contrary, it was quite ordinary. Made of bronze, its age had rendered the engravings unclear. That day when Sun Muqing had taken Qin Wan to that house, it was filled with the Shen family’s belongings. Qin Wan had recognized everything at a glance, as each item was intimately familiar to her. However, her emotions had been too overwhelming that day for her to examine things carefully, until today when Sun Muqing brought these burial items.
Qin Wan asked so directly because while she recognized all the other items, this dagger was unfamiliar to her.
Shen Yi had been a Confucian official with no interest in collecting weapons. Their household had only kitchen knives and chopping knives in the kitchen, along with her own set of short daggers. This particular dagger was something Qin Wan had never seen before.
Upon Qin Wan’s questioning, Sun Muqing hurriedly replied, “It’s just a dagger. I don’t recognize it either, but it should be Uncle’s belongings.”
Sun Muqing saw nothing amiss and continued taking items out of the package, sorting which belonged to Master and Madam Shen and which to Shen Wan. Yan Chi, noticing Qin Wan’s significant reaction, realized the dagger might be problematic. However, when Sun Muqing brought out Shen Wan’s belongings, Yan Chi couldn’t help but look.
“What’s this?” Yan Chi pointed at a small medicine pestle.
Sun Muqing glanced at Yan Chi, knowing he must be aware of whose memorial they were establishing today, and simply said, “This is the medicine pestle my little junior sister used to use.”
Yan Chi felt stirred with emotion; he knew little about Shen Wan’s past, and seeing her belongings now felt extraordinarily meaningful.
Meanwhile, Qin Wan had grabbed the dagger, “Where did you find this?”
The dagger was covered in patina, obscuring its engravings. At her question, Sun Muqing immediately explained, “It was found in the soil while renovating the garden. We found many items there. After the residence was burned, it went unattended for a year, and many things were buried in the earth.”
Sun Muqing explained why the dagger looked weathered, but Qin Wan was carefully examining the engravings on it.
Her expression became unprecedentedly serious, causing both Yan Chi and Sun Muqing to sense something was wrong. Han Dong stood at a distance, also sensing the oddity but daring not to ask.
Yan Chi stepped forward and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Qin Wan’s thumb pressed against the dagger’s hilt, applying such force that it seemed she wanted to remove all the patina. Yan Chi, seeing her knuckles turn white from the effort, felt increasingly uneasy about the situation. “What’s wrong with this dagger?”
“Tai’e… this dagger is called Tai’e…”
The characters engraved on the dagger’s hilt indeed spelled out “Tai’e,” yet this was just a dagger.
“Tai’e was one of the ten legendary swords of antiquity, also a bronze sword. According to legend, it was a sword of authority belonging to King Wei of Chu. King Wei of Chu was known for his fierce temperament and conquered territories across the land, becoming the greatest warrior of his time. He later led the ancient Chu to unite the Central Plains, truly a pioneering figure. Tai’e was a sword, yet this dagger also bears the name Tai’e…”
Qin Wan carefully examined the dagger, then suddenly turned and handed it to Yan Chi, “Take a look.”
While Qin Wan knew little about weapons, Yan Chi was knowledgeable. He twirled the dagger in his hand and said, “This dagger isn’t very old, perhaps only ten-plus years. It’s not crafted by a master swordsmith, or rather, it’s a very ordinary piece from a sword forge. The blade’s curve is slightly off, likely made by an apprentice.”
In essence, as a weapon, this dagger was not of high quality.
Sun Muqing stood aside, looking between Qin Wan and Yan Chi, not understanding why they suddenly became so interested in this object.
Thinking about it being Shen Yi’s belongings, Sun Muqing said, “Princess, Your Highness, this dagger… shouldn’t be anything special…”
However, Qin Wan seemed to have realized something, her expression completely grave, her pupils trembling slightly. While Sun Muqing didn’t know Qin Wan well enough, Yan Chi wouldn’t miss any of her changes. Sensing something was wrong, he put his arm around her shoulders, “What is it?”
Qin Wan swallowed hard and turned to look fixedly at the dagger in Yan Chi’s hand. Her lips moved, but mindful of others present, she didn’t speak the truth. She collected herself and turned to Sun Muqing, “Doctor Sun, this dagger shouldn’t be a Shen family relic.”
Sun Muqing was surprised, “But… but I dug it up in the garden?”
Qin Wan shook her head, “You should know what kind of person he was, Doctor Sun. May I keep this dagger?”
Sun Muqing’s eyes widened, and Qin Wan continued, looking down, “You should know Prince Cheng is investigating the corpse case at Prince Jin’s mansion. This dagger might be related to that case. Please trust me with it, and from now on, forget about this dagger, alright?”
Sun Muqing naturally didn’t want to give up Shen Yi’s belongings, but he trusted Qin Wan completely. Seeing her serious expression wasn’t feigned, Sun Muqing could only say, “Well… alright… Actually, I couldn’t tell either, I just found it in the courtyard and assumed it was his.”
Qin Wan sighed in relief and cautioned, “Never mention this dagger to anyone again.”
Speaking thus, Qin Wan took out a handkerchief and wrapped the dagger’s blade, while Yan Chi, knowing its importance, took it and placed it in his sleeve pocket.
The dagger was an unexpected discovery, but Qin Wan didn’t say more. After storing it away, she accompanied Sun Muqing in burying the other relics. Though she remained unhurried, even Sun Muqing could sense her underlying coldness. She was restraining herself, forcing herself to appear calm.
Sun Muqing became somewhat distracted as well. After all the relics were buried, Han Dong invited them to walk up a path where there was a tea pavilion by the tea fields, which he had temporarily rented. So Qin Wan’s group rested there while Han Dong went to find craftsmen to seal the tomb. After the tomb was sealed, they would perform one more ceremony before returning to the capital. With only Sun Muqing present, Yan Chi held Qin Wan’s hand, only to discover it was bone-chillingly cold. Yan Chi was shocked; he could tell Qin Wan had discovered something and knew she was restraining herself from speaking, but he had never felt her hands so cold, as if she had been frightened.
Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan with concern, but she gripped his hand in return. Her clear eyes held traces of fear, unconcealed from Yan Chi’s view. Unease welled up in Yan Chi’s heart – very few things could frighten Qin Wan, so what did this dagger reveal?
Inside the tea pavilion, Sun Muqing remained silent. He could see that Qin Wan and Yan Chi seemed to know something but couldn’t tell him, as both were exercising restraint. Sun Muqing sighed; he had promised Qin Wan to forget about the dagger, and he would keep that promise. So he stood up and said, “You two sit here and wait, I’ll go for a walk.”
Yan Chi, concerned, had Bai Ying follow him. Once they left, Yan Chi immediately looked at Qin Wan.
Qin Wan met his gaze and said with a trembling voice, “I know… what Li Muyun wrote in his memorial…”
At these words, Yan Chi’s expression changed slightly. He glanced at the dagger in his sleeve, and without Qin Wan saying more, instantly understood, “So… this dagger is the weapon that killed Consort Jin?! And Master Shen met with disaster because he learned about this dagger’s whereabouts from Prince Jin?”
Shen Yi had met privately with Prince Jin several times, but no evidence remained of their conversations. Everyone wondered what Shen Yi and Prince Jin had discussed, and later when Shen Yi suddenly realized something was wrong, and Li Muyun unexpectedly submitted a memorial exposing Shen Yi, what he revealed must have been related to this dagger.
Li Muyun thought Shen Yi was protecting Prince Jin by concealing the murder weapon, but never imagined that the person who killed Consort Jin was the Emperor!
That’s why the Imperial Guard then exterminated the Shen clan.
Yan Chi frowned, “So the person who killed Consort Jin was truly His Majesty.”
Yan Chi thought Qin Wan’s fear came from confirming the murderer, but after he spoke, her face grew even paler. She shook her head, “No, there’s more… Father’s attempt to escape, the Shen family’s extinction, Prince Jin and Consort Jin’s deaths, all happened because… because they discovered an even bigger… secret…”
Qin Wan’s voice trembled, her palms drenched in cold sweat. She took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on Yan Chi, “There are many things we haven’t understood. Why was Yan Li made Prince Gong, why did the Fu family’s child survive, why did injuries that couldn’t heal suddenly recover, why the Emperor insisted on deposing the Crown Prince… all these questions… are just…”
Qin Wan’s words broke off as if she still dared not speak the secret aloud.
She gripped Yan Chi’s hand tightly, “Do you remember when you took me to meet Princess Gong, and the hairpin she gave me?”
Yan Chi nodded; he had only taken Qin Wan to Prince Gong’s mansion once, naturally remembering that occasion.
Qin Wan said hoarsely, “The engraving on that hairpin is identical to the one on this dagger.”
Yan Chi didn’t react at first, but soon his pupils trembled violently. His lips moved but no words came out. A chilling sensation crept up from his feet. He finally understood why fear filled Qin Wan’s eyes.
…
…
When Sun Muqing returned from his walk, he found the atmosphere in the small tea pavilion even more frigid.
Sun Muqing looked at Qin Wan, then at Yan Chi, and seeing neither intended to speak, could only feel the heavy weight in his heart without saying more.
However, he knew everything stemmed from that dagger.
If the dagger wasn’t Uncle Shen’s possession, why was it in the Shen residence?
Sun Muqing couldn’t understand but vaguely felt things weren’t simple. However, Qin Wan had reminded him many times that the capital wasn’t as straightforward as he thought.
The three remained lost in their thoughts until, an hour later, Han Dong returned to summon them. At the burial site, they saw the tomb had indeed been sealed. The craftsmen’s work was excellent, and Han Dong had prepared the ceremonial offerings. Sun Muqing naturally paid respects first, and when it came to Qin Wan and Yan Chi’s turn, he was surprised to see them both perform full ceremonial bows and kowtow three times. Sun Muqing felt extremely embarrassed.
After they finished their respects, Sun Muqing said, “I’m truly grateful to you, Princess. Uncle and Aunt’s spirits in heaven must deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness.”
As Sun Muqing spoke, he was deeply moved. Ordinary friends wouldn’t perform such formal ceremonies, let alone someone of Qin Wan and Yan Chi’s noble status. Qin Wan had shown extraordinary care for his affairs!
By now it was getting late, and with matters weighing on their minds, Qin Wan and Yan Chi naturally wanted to return to the capital quickly. Qin Wan said nothing more, just instructed Han Dong about the aftermath, and then led Sun Muqing down the mountain. However, halfway down, snow suddenly began to fall!
Sun Muqing exclaimed joyfully, “This is the first snow of the year!”
As the fog of truth cleared, Qin Wan suddenly understood her father’s terror from the previous year. Now her entire body felt cold, and she suddenly knew why her father had made such an absurd decision. The Emperor killing someone was already earth-shattering enough, but hidden behind this murder case was a secret that could tear the Great Zhou Dynasty apart!
Even her father lacked the courage to expose it and chose to flee, so what about her?
Watching the snowflakes flutter down, Qin Wan’s heart filled with bitter sorrow. As a daughter, she couldn’t even erect a tombstone with her parents’ names. After a year, she finally learned the truth, but this truth left her helpless. Waves of despair washed over Qin Wan, mixed with guilt and unwillingness.
Yan Chi held Qin Wan’s hand and helped her into the carriage. His grip was strong, silently giving Qin Wan strength. The group returned to the city through the snow and wind. Perhaps because of the snow, darkness fell unusually early this day, with night falling when they were still dozens of li from the capital.
With the snow falling and darkness descending, while Yan Chi and the others on horseback managed fine, Qin Wan’s carriage journey became quite bumpy. Yan Chi ordered the carriage to slow down, taking this time to sort through his thoughts. In the carriage, Qin Wan was also organizing her thoughts, but after considering everything multiple times, she finally confirmed her conclusion.
The truth was unavoidable, yet cruel and fantastic. Who would believe such a thing if told? Would the Empress Dowager believe it? Would the Crown Prince believe it?
Qin Wan suddenly thought of the Empress, that eternally proud and dignified woman high above all others.
The truth lay behind complex, heavy curtains, with the imperial family’s splendor and wealth blinding many eyes. Among all these people, the Empress was the first to discover the secret. She remained alone in Kunning Palace, single-mindedly wanting Yan Che to ascend. Now, all the peculiarities had their explanation.
Qin Wan suddenly felt immense respect for the mistress of Kunning Palace.
After another half hour of travel, they reached the outskirts of the capital. By now it was well into the night, and while the capital’s gates would normally be closed for curfew, Yan Chi and Qin Wan’s status and engagement would usually guarantee them entry. However, as they approached the city gate, Yan Chi suddenly reined in his horse.
Qin Wan lifted the carriage curtain, and Yan Chi said in a deep voice, “Something’s wrong—”
Qin Wan looked up to see the city gates tightly closed, the gate towers pitch black. Listening carefully, she couldn’t hear any human sounds. Qin Wan narrowed her eyes; the capital shouldn’t be like this at night. What had happened?!