Fan Changyu had witnessed Xie Zheng's stubbornness before, but she knew little about Wei Yan. Everything she had heard about this powerful chancellor was mere hearsay, and their only encounter had been on the night of the palace coup.
Whether the uncle and nephew resembled each other in temperament, she couldn’t say.
Wei Yan’s first impression on her, however, perfectly matched the rumors circulating about him—ruthless, cold-blooded, and willing to go to any lengths to achieve his goals.
Unlike Grand Tutor Li, whose scholarly demeanor exuded the austere elegance of an ancient pine, Wei Yan was as cold and unyielding as a blade or a boulder, seemingly without any vulnerabilities.
Sitting upright on the bamboo mat, Fan Changyu hesitated before asking, “May I ask, Father, whether Wei Yan and the late Shu Fei… had any past connection?”
Grand Tutor Tao lifted his eyelids to study her anew. “Why do you ask?”
Fan Changyu recounted the confession of the Cold Palace maid and Qi Min’s accusations.
Setting down his teacup, Grand Tutor Tao rubbed the rim with his wrinkled hand, his eyes reflecting the weariness of time. “I wasn’t in the capital back then, so I don’t know much about what happened in the palace. But if it involved the Qi family’s girl, even with Wei Yan’s merciless nature, I doubt he would have set fire to Qinghe Palace.”
Seeing her puzzled expression, he continued, “Shu Fei was originally a daughter of the Qi family. She and that brat’s mother were close friends even before they married. At the time, the Xie family hadn’t yet risen to prominence—it was Old General Qi who upheld Great Yin. Both Wei Yan and Linshan trained under him. After the general passed, Linshan shouldered the defense of the northwest, while Wei Yan abandoned the military for politics. The Qi girl entered the palace around then.”
Fan Changyu frowned slightly. According to Grand Tutor Tao, Wei Yan and Shu Fei must have known each other since youth, and their families had been quite close.
Given this connection, it made even less sense that Wei Yan would later massacre the palace and burn Shu Fei alive.
She mentally calculated Shu Fei’s age. Shu Fei would have been of the same generation as her own parents, as was Chengde Crown Prince. By that logic, the emperor would have been old enough to be Shu Fei’s father.
Though she knew wealthy old men often took young, beautiful concubines, realizing this still made her grimace. “If Wei Yan had feelings for Shu Fei, why didn’t he seek her hand before she entered the palace?”
Grand Tutor Tao sighed deeply. “Do you know who Chengde Crown Prince’s birth mother was?”
Fan Changyu shook her head.
“Empress Dowager Qi, posthumously honored as ‘Xiaozhong Suci,’ was Old General Qi’s younger sister—Shu Fei’s paternal aunt.”
Fan Changyu was stunned. So Shu Fei and Chengde Crown Prince were cousins?
While it wasn’t unheard of in history for aunts and nieces to share a husband, given Chengde Crown Prince and Old General Qi’s standing, she doubted Empress Qi—whose son was already Crown Prince—would have needed her niece to enter the palace to secure her position.
Perhaps her thoughts were written plainly on her face, for Grand Tutor Tao continued, “The court today is a murky pond, but it wasn’t much clearer back then. The empire’s ailments accumulate generation after generation. Even when the old ones are purged, new ones fester with time—there’s never been a true cleansing…”Grand Tutor Tao sighed softly again, seemingly filled with deep emotion. "Since you've already traced the clues to the maidservant by Jia Guifei's side, you must also know how favored she was back then. Nearly half the court officials might as well have borne the Jia surname. In earlier years, with Old General Qi—the pillar of the state—still supporting the Crown Prince, the Sixteenth Prince's favor couldn't shake his position in the Eastern Palace. But once Old General Qi passed, the Empress lost her backing, and the Crown Prince's path became fraught with difficulty."
"The common folk cursed the Guifei for bewitching the emperor and allowing her relatives to meddle in state affairs. After Old General Qi's death, the Empress fell gravely ill, fearing that her own demise would leave the Crown Prince without any support in the palace. So, under the pretext of needing care, she brought the Qi family's young girl into the palace. I met that girl once—bright as ice and snow from childhood, well-read, and breathtakingly beautiful. That 'care' lasted a year. A year later, Empress Qi passed away, and not long after returning home, the girl entered the palace as a selected beauty and was enfeoffed as a consort."
Fan Changyu listened in silence.
The reason for Shu Fei's entry into the palace was far heavier than she had imagined.
The factional struggles among the princes were bloody and deadly. If Crown Prince Chengde had failed, the fate of the Qi family line would have been uncertain.
With the lives of an entire family resting on her shoulders, what choice did Shu Fei truly have?
A thought flashed through Changyu's mind, and she suddenly looked up. "Father, both Wei Yan and General Xie received Old General Qi's mentorship in the army and later supported Crown Prince Chengde. In the palace, Shu Fei also helped the Crown Prince counterbalance Jia Guifei and her son. Viewed this way, both Shu Fei's death and the charge of adultery pinned on Wei Yan seem highly suspicious!"
Grand Tutor Tao nodded. "If all this was indeed the Jia family's doing, then when Wei Yan monopolized power later and purged all court officials surnamed Jia, it wasn't solely to cleanse the court."
He sighed quietly. "When that brat first concluded that Wei Yan was the mastermind behind the Jinzhou Massacre, I suspected there might be more to it. That's why I came to the capital myself to seek Wei Yan out. The man is heartless now, but back at Mount Lin, he was a brother who'd risk his life on the battlefield. Otherwise, he wouldn't have betrothed his beloved sister to Lin."
Changyu recalled Xie Zheng mentioning how Wei Yan used to take him alone to pay respects at the Xie family cemetery every year, forbidding servants to follow. Her heart grew heavy with conflicting emotions.
She asked, "Did you hear any rumors about these events in the palace afterward?"
A bitter tinge colored Grand Tutor Tao's usually mild and serene smile. "Child, do you know how long the Great Yin dynasty was thrown into chaos after Jinzhou fell and the Northern Jue invaded south? The Crown Prince died, generals perished, the emperor passed. Those barbarians sought to seize the capital in the upheaval. Bones buried the green hills, rivers ran with blood, and nine out of ten homes stood empty..."
"The frontlines holding back the Northern Jue's advance were a scene of such devastation—a moment of national survival. Against that backdrop, the deaths of a few consorts in the palace were but specks of dust lost in the bloodied tides of a turbulent era. My own son and daughter also perished in the war. It was only thanks to Jing Yuan collecting their remains that they received thin coffins and graves."
Changyu's throat tightened with sorrow, and she bowed her head in shame. "Forgive me, Father. I..."Grand Tutor Tao waved his hand and said, "It's all in the past now. After the fall of Jinzhou, Great Yin and the Northern Turks fought intermittently for another three years. The national treasury was depleted, civilians displaced by war abandoned their farmlands, and military provisions could no longer be levied from the populace... If the war had continued, the foreign invaders might not have reached the capital, but Great Yin would have collapsed into chaos. It was then that Wei Yan stepped forward, single-handedly negotiating the cession of the twelve prefectures of Liaodong in exchange for twenty years of peace for Great Yin."
"At the time, I told him that future historians would surely condemn this decision, branding him a traitor. He replied that a power-hungry minister who led his country to ruin would also be reviled by posterity. Since he would be cursed either way, he might as well take advantage of the fact that the barbarians beyond the frontier had also exhausted their resources after years of war. By ceding territory for twenty years, he was gambling on the future."
Having risen to the rank of general and experienced the hardships of military life, Fan Changyu could fully grasp the gravity of the situation as described by Grand Tutor Tao.
After the fall of Jinzhou, Great Yin, like a centipede that refuses to die even when cut in half, stubbornly held out against the Northern Turks for three more years. During those three years, countless loyal patriots like General Xie and Grand Tutor Tao must have stood firm on the front lines to sustain the fight for so long.
But the Northern Turks, also exhausted and uncertain how much longer Great Yin could last, agreed to Wei Yan's proposal to cede the twelve prefectures of Liaodong in exchange for twenty years of peace to recuperate.
Perhaps the Northern Turks never imagined that within those twenty years, Jinzhou would be reclaimed by the descendants of the Xie family who had once died there in battle, and the twelve prefectures of Liaodong would also be retaken.
Reflecting on Wei Yan's harsh treatment of Xie Zheng and his decision to appoint Grand Tutor Tao as Xie Zheng's teacher, Fan Changyu felt increasingly unable to fathom Wei Yan's true motives. Was his action meant to preserve Great Yin, or was it simply to maintain his own power?
Yet he had undeniably tarnished her grandfather's legacy with an eternal stigma and had her parents killed.
Fan Changyu pursed her lips tightly and asked, "Foster Father, is Wei Yan... ultimately a good man or an evil one?"
Grand Tutor Tao gazed at her with a profound and magnanimous expression, as if capable of embracing all things, and simply said, "People of the time act according to the circumstances of their time. Let future generations judge the rights and wrongs, merits and faults."
Fan Changyu gave a faint acknowledgment and lowered her eyes to the chessboard before her, holding a piece in her hand for a long while without speaking.
After leaving Grand Tutor Tao's residence, Fan Changyu took Changning and Bao'er to Aunt Zhao and her husband. Considering that Qi Min had also been captured along with Grand Tutor Li, she thought finding Yu Qianqian shouldn't be too difficult.
Xie Wu had been injured while protecting Aunt Zhao and her husband, so Fan Changyu summoned Xie Qi and instructed him to arrange a search for Yu Qianqian. Xie Qi informed her that Gongsun Yin had already sent people to locate Yu Qianqian. However, for reasons unknown, Qi Min had not brought her to the capital but instead confined her in a provincial estate. It would take another day or two for the team sent to retrieve her to return.
Regardless, knowing that Yu Qianqian was safe brought Fan Changyu some relief.
She had never forgotten the kindness Yu Qianqian showed her during her humble beginnings. Even when war broke out in Qingping County and Yu Qianqian fled south with Yu Bao'er to save their lives, she had still thought to take Fan Changyu and Changning along. How could Fan Changyu not remember her kindness?
She inquired with Xie Qi about the current situation and learned that Grand Tutor Li was thoroughly dead, while Qi Min, though struck by an arrow, still clung to life. Gongsun Yin was uncertain how Xie Zheng would handle the descendant of the Chengde Crown Prince, so he had ordered the imperial physicians to keep him barely alive for the time being.The young emperor was also found at Wei Yan's residence, but he was acting delirious—whether genuinely mad or feigning it remained unclear.
The remarks about "disrupted dragon veins and illegitimate ascension" that Qi Min and Grand Tutor Li had the Imperial Astronomers spread before their coup attempt now ironically paved the way for Bao'er.
With all court officials now looking to Xie Zheng for leadership, they only needed an opportune moment to elevate Yu Bao'er to the throne.
Fan Changyu felt a suffocating weight in her chest as she thought about the still-murky truth behind the Jinzhou Massacre. Deciding to practice some swordplay to calm her mind, she turned to leave.
But in her distraction, she accidentally collided with Xie Zhong, who was limping toward Xie Zheng's study with an armful of items.
The box in Xie Zhong's hands fell to the ground, scattering its contents.
"My apologies, uncle," Fan Changyu said guiltily. Seeing his difficulty in moving, she quickly knelt to help gather the fallen items.
Xie Zhong's initially stern expression softened upon recognizing her. "This old servant noticed the general deep in thought and dared not disturb you. My legs are slow, so I couldn't avoid the collision in time..."
Fan Changyu had intended to console the old man, but her expression changed abruptly when she saw that among the scattered letters were three tiger tallies.
All three bore the small seal script characters of Chongzhou—clearly, they were all Chongzhou tiger tallies.
But why were there three?
Weren't tiger tallies supposed to come in pairs? The left tally was given to the commanding general, while the right remained with the emperor.
Fan Changyu's breathing grew rapid. Her hands trembled slightly as she tried fitting the three tallies together.
The left and right halves matched perfectly, their inscribed characters aligning seamlessly.
The extra one was a left tally!
And her father had been tasked with delivering the right tally given by the emperor.
The Su family's steward had claimed that Changxin Wang had attempted to fit the tally her father delivered in front of his subordinate generals—and they didn't match!
So it wasn't that her father had delivered a fake tally, but that the Su family had produced a counterfeit one!
This realization sent Fan Changyu's blood boiling. She looked up sharply at Xie Zhong. "Where did these come from?"
Seeing her pale face and white-knuckled grip on the tallies, Xie Zhong hurriedly answered, "The advisor whom the Court of Revision initially accused Wei Yan later recanted and implicated the Li family. He also revealed where the Su family hid their correspondence with the Lis. The Marquis ordered these pieces of evidence retrieved, and they were just rushed back from Chongzhou today."
Without further explanation, Fan Changyu began sifting through the letters. "Uncle, I need to find something. I'll explain everything to Xie Zheng later."
To her surprise, Xie Zhong remained calm. "The general may search freely for whatever she needs. The Marquis has long instructed that everything in this residence is at the general's disposal."
The urgency of uncovering the truth about the seventeen-year-old Jinzhou Massacre overshadowed the faint unease Fan Changyu felt at these words.
Unfortunately, none of the letters contained correspondence between the Wei and Su families.
After staring at the three tiger tallies for a moment, Fan Changyu stood. "Uncle, I'll borrow these tallies for now."
Xie Zhong simply said, "The general may take whatever she needs."
Clutching the three tiger tallies, Fan Changyu went straight to find Grand Tutor Tao.The door was kicked open just as Grand Tutor Tao had poured himself a cup of tea. The loud "bang" startled him, causing his hand to tremble and spill tea all over his robe. He couldn't help but chide, "You girl, didn't you just leave? What's the matter that you've come rushing back in such a hurry..."
Fan Changyu revealed three Tiger Tallies: "Godfather, take a look. Are these Tiger Tallies real or fake?"
Grand Tutor Tao's drooping eyelids lifted abruptly, his scolding cut short as his expression immediately turned grave. "Let me see them."
Fan Changyu handed over the Tiger Tallies. Grand Tutor Tao held them up to the light streaming through the window, examining them carefully before saying, "These are indeed the Chongzhou Tiger Tallies. No mistake about it."
Fan Changyu clenched her fists tightly at her sides, her head slightly lowered. Her calm voice struggled to suppress something: "Back then, my father sent the real Tiger Tallies. It was the Sui family who harbored ulterior motives!"
Grand Tutor Tao's wrinkled brow furrowed deeply. "The Sui family is truly baffling. When they were needed to send troops to turn the tide, they refused. Yet after Jinzhou fell, they stepped in promptly. If the loss of Jinzhou was entirely the Sui family's fault, why did that old fox Wei Yan cover for them?"
Fan Changyu turned and strode out: "The Crown Prince's eldest grandson... the Crown Prince's eldest grandson is still alive. He loathes the Sui family—perhaps he knows something!"
Grand Tutor Tao watched Fan Changyu's hurried departure, then turned his gaze to the unfinished game on the chessboard with a soft sigh. "Old fox, you stubborn old fox. What secret could be so important that you'd take it to your grave?"
In the dimly lit prison, the only light came from a narrow shaft above, through which fine snowflakes drifted lazily, dusting the ground below with a thin white layer.
At the far end of the prison, the clanking of chains echoed as a pair of embroidered boots stepped slowly along the brick corridor. The visitor stopped before the innermost cell, his cold eyes fixed on the upright old man sitting cross-legged inside, saying nothing.
The prison was bitterly cold—even the snowflakes clinging to his cloak showed no sign of melting.
Wei Yan lifted his stern phoenix eyes to gaze at the young man standing outside the cell, the future pillar of Great Yin, and spoke flatly: "The victor is king, the vanquished, a bandit. Since you've defeated me, I doubt you've come today just to see how I'm faring."
Xie Zheng merely looked at him quietly, his expression cold and indifferent. "The Prime Minister guessed correctly. This Marquis came today simply to see what a man who spent his entire life scheming for power looks like once that power is stripped away."
Wei Yan smirked. "It seems I've disappointed you."
Xie Zheng tilted his head slightly. His hair was impeccably tied with a golden crown, and the distant light from the shaft illuminated his profile, deepening the contours of his features. His eyes held a bone-chilling coldness, though something deeper lurked within, too elusive to discern. "Disappointed? Not quite. A viper for a heart, a wolf by nature—the Prime Minister probably doesn't even remember what it means to be human. Why should this Marquis bother with something less than human?"
A flash of cold fury flickered in Wei Yan's eyes—not mere anger, but the stern reproach of an elder toward a junior.
Xie Zheng looked down at him with half-lidded eyes, his voice icy. "Angry? What right do you have to be angry? Or is the Prime Minister trying to tell this Marquis that there was some noble reason for killing your own sister and brother-in-law?"
Wei Yan's facial muscles tensed. He closed his eyes and refused to respond.Xie Zheng continued lazily, "The wife you brought into your household over twenty years ago came to beg me—to spare your life. Only then did I realize your indifference toward Wei Xuan's death was because he wasn't your blood. Were you just as indifferent when you killed my parents?"
He slowly raised his eyes, a mocking smile at the corners of his lips, yet his voice dripped with icy scorn. "Or was my mother not your real sister either? Once she stood in your way, she deserved to be eliminated?"
His words were razor-sharp, and within those coldly derisive phoenix eyes lurked a faint trace of crimson.
"Enough!" Wei Yan suddenly snapped, a fleeting shadow of anguish passing through his own phoenix eyes, so similar to Xie Zheng's.
Xie Zheng lunged forward, violently seizing Wei Yan by the collar and slamming him against the prison bars, the weight of his shackles dragging him down. The hatred he had forcibly suppressed shattered the last thread of his rationality, twisting his features into something almost feral as he roared at Wei Yan, "Then tell me! Why did you kill my parents? For over twenty years, I called you uncle—did you even deserve that?"
Wei Yan's wrists were bound in iron cuffs, and the force of Xie Zheng's grip sent his temples crashing against the wooden bars, drawing blood. Yet his gaze only hardened further as he said, "You're right. They stood in my way. So they had to die."
The last two words were uttered with crushing weight.
Xie Zheng's jaw clenched so tightly it ached, his eyes reddening. The hand gripping Wei Yan bulged with veins as he flung him away and staggered to his feet, spitting out through gritted teeth, "You're lying!"
Wei Yan collapsed back onto the straw, breathing heavily, offering no further response.
Xie Zheng slammed his palm against the solid prison bar, his eyes burning with hatred. "You disown your own kin, obsessed with power—now even that's gone. Who are you still protecting? What truth are you hiding?"
Wei Yan remained silent.
Finally, Xie Zheng stormed off in fury. The prison door at the end of the corridor was flung open and then slammed shut with a deafening crash, the chains rattling violently—proof of the rage behind it.
The jailer dared not speak or question, merely fiddling with the chains before securing the lock once more.
Outside, the snow still fell, drifting slowly through the narrow shaft of light from the prison courtyard, pure and out of place in the gloom of the cell.
Wei Yan lay in the straw, watching the snowflakes weave through the dim light, too clean for a place like this.
He closed his eyes.
His path of retreat had been sealed seventeen years ago.
Even if history would revile him, even if he deserved a thousand cuts—he alone would bear it.
That person, pure as spring snow, should depart untainted, leaving no disgraceful mark in the annals of history.
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