As Xu Xiangren departed, Jing Lin also tactfully withdrew from their sight.
At this moment, Shen Du noticed that the hairpin he had given Zhu Yan yesterday was not in her hair.
For some inexplicable reason, he felt a pang in his heart, and his tone turned cold, “Where’s the hairpin I gave you yesterday?”
“Huh?” Zhu Yan, completely immersed in the case, was caught off guard by Shen Du’s sudden question, leaving her startled and at a loss.
Shen Du silently gazed at her, his eyes filled with unspoken accusations that sent chills down Zhu Yan’s spine.
“That hairpin… I put it away.”
“Why aren’t you wearing it?”
“…” Zhu Yan was puzzled but hurried to explain, “It’s too precious. Besides, with the case being so demanding right now, I was worried that I might accidentally bump or scratch it, and end up damaging it.”
“If it gets damaged, I’ll buy you another one,” Shen Du said, rising to his feet. His cold words carried a hint of softening. “It’s rare for me to give you something, and you don’t even know how to cherish it. I don’t understand what you’re thinking about all day.”
With that, he turned and left.
Zhu Yan was bewildered. Was he scolding her?
The hairpin was very valuable, and she had kept it safe. How was that wrong?
Zhu Yan couldn’t comprehend it, but since the buyer had spoken, she decided she didn’t need to treasure it so carefully anymore.
Late that night.
After washing up, Zhu Yan tied her hair into a bun and inserted the hairpin.
Looking at the reflection in the mirror, she saw a lotus-like beauty adorned with the red jade and proud plum blossom hairpin. She had to admit, it was truly beautiful.
This scene was fully captured by Shen Du, who had just walked in from outside.
With her wearing it, she looked exactly as beautiful as he had imagined.
A light gauze draped over her body, accentuating her graceful figure. She was truly stunning…
A rush of heat surged through Shen Du’s body. He swallowed hard and turned to leave.
Seemingly hearing a noise, Zhu Yan quickly turned around. “It’s so late, where are you going?”
Zhu Yan thought Shen Du was going to work on the case, so she inquired.
However, Shen Du’s answer left her feeling as if dark clouds were looming over her.
“Moon-gazing.”
It was the beginning of the lunar month, and the weather had been gloomy and overcast all day. There was no moon to be seen.
Zhu Yan decided not to dwell on it further. She adjusted the hairpin in front of the bronze mirror once more before going to bed.
The next morning.
As Shen Du was preparing to attend court, a servant suddenly came to report, “Madam, the Prime Minister has arrived.”
Zhu Yan’s heart skipped a beat. The Prime Minister, coming neither early nor late, but precisely when Shen Du was heading to court, must surely be here to see her. But Zhu Yan never inquired about court matters and knew nothing about them. What could Prime Minister Zhang want from her? Could it be about the case?
Prime Minister Zhang Xingwei was the leader of the Li faction. While appearing loyal to the Empress, he was dissatisfied with her and wanted to support Crown Prince Li’s ascension to the throne.
Moreover, he was also her father Zhu Kuo’s direct superior. She couldn’t refuse to see him, so she had to steel herself and go.
“This humble official greets the Prime Minister,” Zhu Yan said, bowing to Zhang Xingwei.
At this moment, Zhang Xingwei was dressed in a dark earthen-colored brocade casual attire. With his leopard-like head and piercing eyes, his snow-white hair added to his imposing presence without appearing overly stern.
“Madam Shen, there’s no need for such formalities.”
“Thank you, Prime Minister.”
After the exchange of courtesies, Zhu Yan and Zhang Xingwei took their seats.
Tea was served, and Zhu Yan dismissed the servants.
“The Grand Coordinator is not at home. May I ask the reason for the Prime Minister’s esteemed visit?”
“I’m here to see you,” Zhang Xingwei said straightforwardly. “You’ve been investigating the case with Shen Du for many days now. Has there been any progress?”
Zhu Yan’s heart sank. Her guess had been correct after all.
“Prime Minister,” Zhu Yan stood up and bowed, “Although the serial killings in the city are somewhat tricky, the investigation is progressing smoothly. Thank you for your concern.”
“That’s good to hear,” Zhang Xingwei casually agreed. “If the case can be solved quickly, the people will be at ease. You should still try to speed things up.”
“This humble official will heed the Prime Minister’s advice and assist my husband in identifying the culprit as soon as possible.”
Hearing this, a dark shadow fell over Zhang Xingwei’s stern expression.
“I have served in the court alongside your father, and we have a good relationship. Are you aware of this?”
Surprised by Zhang Xingwei’s sudden mention of her father, Zhu Yan felt a sinking feeling in her heart. She clasped her hands and said, “This humble official doesn’t understand the Prime Minister’s meaning.”
“Haha…” Zhang Xingwei stood up, laughing heartily. “How could the clever sixth daughter of the Zhu family not understand the meaning behind my words?”
Zhu Yan felt a chill run down her spine, her back already drenched in sweat. “Please, Prime Minister, speak plainly.”
Hearing Zhu Yan’s request, Zhang Xingwei felt displeased. He wasn’t sure if the woman before him was feigning ignorance or truly didn’t understand, insisting that he spell things out.
Since that was the case, Zhang Xingwei decided to drop all pretense. “Marrying you to Shen Du was an important move in my strategy. You must understand the position of your Zhu family, and more importantly, consider your father’s future. Use this case to drag Shen Du down. This way, the Empress will lose one of her core supporters. Do you understand my meaning now?”
Upon hearing these words, Zhu Yan’s heart trembled. She immediately understood Zhang Xingwei’s intentions.
“Prime Minister,” Zhu Yan straightened her back and looked at Zhang Xingwei with righteous indignation. “As a married woman, this humble official should honor her husband. My involvement in the investigation is solely to seek justice for innocent victims. As for court matters, this humble official is but a woman who neither understands nor wishes to be involved. Moreover, the Grand Coordinator has only given this humble official three months to live, which shows he doesn’t trust me. This humble official is not up to such a great task. I beg the Prime Minister to spare me, and I hope that after my death, the Prime Minister will also spare my family.”
Seeing that Zhu Yan was not taking the hint, Zhang Xingwei’s face darkened, his cold smile tinged with mockery. “Madam Shen is truly naive. Having stepped into the court and involved yourself in this case, how can you hope to remain uninvolved? There’s no such good fortune in this world. Since you fail to recognize the opportunity given to you, don’t blame this Prime Minister for not having offered you a chance.”
His words carried a clear threat, but given the gravity of the matter, Zhu Yan dared not say more.
It wasn’t until long after Zhang Xingwei had left that the servant came in again to report, and Zhu Yan finally came back to her senses.
“Madam, Official Lu has arrived.”
Official Lu? Lu Chuichui…
Suddenly, she realized that it had been a long time since she had seen Lu Chuichui. She wondered how her friend had been doing these days.
“Sixth Sister!” Lu Chuichui burst into the Shen residence, carrying a bag of documents. “Guess what I’ve found out?”
Judging from the documents in Lu Chuichui’s hands and the excitement on her face, Zhu Yan knew she must have discovered something significant.
“If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t beat around the bush with me,” Zhu Yan said, eager to know what Lu Chuichui had uncovered.
“No way,” Lu Chuichui replied with a smug look. “You haven’t been helping at the Ministry of Justice these days. I’ve been organizing all those documents by myself, nearly working myself to death. Without some incentive, don’t even think about getting the clues from me.”
Lu Chuichui’s childlike demeanor made Zhu Yan chuckle.
It was rare to see Lu Chuichui still maintain this innocence. She didn’t know that this case already involved many people they couldn’t afford to offend.
“Alright, alright. Tell me the clues, and whatever reward you want, just ask.”
Satisfied with Zhu Yan’s promise, Lu Chuichui nodded. “I want you to treat me to tea for a month and take me to see three days of grand performances.”
Hearing this, Zhu Yan’s facial muscles twitched.
Was Lu Chuichui trying to bleed her dry?
A Clerk’s salary was meager, and a month of tea plus three days of grand performances would practically empty her pockets.
“How about… half a month of tea?” Zhu Yan attempted to negotiate.
“Deal!” Lu Chuichui agreed immediately, making Zhu Yan realize she had been too hasty.