Coroner's Diary

"The prince met with misfortune on the tenth day of the seventh month."

"Yet twenty days prior, Jiang Heying, the Regional Commander of Qianzhou, had already departed from the Qianzhou garrison camp. His whereabouts remain unknown. He left alongside the elite White Tiger Battalion he had reestablished in Qianzhou—this battalion functions much like our Divine Strategy Battalion, composed entirely of top fighters from the Qianzhou garrison, trained for years, with elites capable of taking on ten men each!"

"The Emperor dispatched Yu Wenxian, the Left Vice Minister of Revenue, to Liangzhou. Yu Wenxian is over fifty and has always been rather inconspicuous in the Ministry of Revenue—it was said he was preparing to retire. Yet for investigating the case there, the Emperor didn’t assign anyone from the Ministry of Justice or Ministry of War but instead sent him from the Ministry of Revenue. While officials from the Ministry of Revenue understand provisions and funds, military provisions are fundamentally different from the Garrison Granary."

"Xiao Cheng is safe now, and General Chu has been rescued. The most endangered at present is General Huo. With Zheng Xincheng and Lin Xugui there, the slightest disturbance could lead to immediate execution without question. Once these few fall, if others stir up trouble, they’ll all face certain death..."

Bai Feng had followed Yan Chi for many years. Though in the capital he appeared merely as a guard of Prince Rui’s residence, in the Northwest, he was capable of leading troops himself. Reciting these familiar names, Bai Feng felt waves of anguish. It had been less than a year since they parted, yet now separated by thousands of miles, knowing they were suffering but unable to reach them—it was utterly frustrating!

Bai Feng sorted the letters into categories and neatly arranged them. Turning his head, he saw Yan Chi’s gaze fixed on the map of the Northwest Plateau beside him—the very place Yan Chi had described to Yan Qi as a mere speck of land.

This small territory had consumed Yan Lin’s entire life’s efforts and filled ten years of his own.

Even if Yan Lin hadn’t fallen there, he would never willingly let it go.

Yan Chi had studied that map countless times. Ink lines traced its contours, interspersed with numerous annotations he had personally added. He narrowed his eyes, studying it for a moment, then suddenly picked up the imperial brush and began writing a letter.

With a glance, Bai Feng recognized it as a military operations dispatch. Though separated by vast distances, Yan Chi was still orchestrating strategies for victory!

This letter was longer than any previous one. After finishing it, Yan Chi started a second. One was addressed to Qi Yu, the other to Yu Qi—these two now oversaw the vast Northwest Plateau on his behalf.

After completing both letters, Yan Chi reviewed them from start to finish before instructing Bai Feng to seal them with wax and dispatch them via express courier. Just as the letters were sent, Qin Guan arrived.

The two letters had drained much of Yan Chi’s energy. Seeing Qin Guan, the tension in his heart eased slightly.

Qin Guan immediately noticed the envelopes on the desk. "Any news from the Northwest?"

Yan Chi nodded. "Our earlier assumptions were largely correct."

Qin Guan’s heartbeat quickened abruptly. Though Yan Chi spoke with calm composure, the implications were immense!

"What do you plan to do?"

"Step by step." Yan Chi guided Qin Guan to sit. "With Master Qi and Yu Qi there, I have a grasp of the situation. Rushing won’t help. I’ve already issued orders—the priority now is to rescue them!"The Northwest Frontier Army was far too distant for Qin Guan, and military camps were unfamiliar territory to her. Unable to inquire further or offer counsel, she simply nodded and said, "I came from Prince Yi's residence."

Yan Chi asked, "How is Third Brother now?"

Qin Guan sighed. "I thought he would show improvement these past few days, but his vision hasn't returned. Divine Doctor Sun says he needs a catalyst—perhaps he's right." After a slight pause, she added, "Yue Ning has feelings for Eminent Son Yan Ze, and the Grand Princess already knows."

Yan Chi's eyebrows didn't even twitch. "I noticed it as soon as Third Brother returned. They would be a good match."

Qin Guan smiled wryly. "I originally thought Wei Qizhi was quite suitable..."

As if reading her thoughts, Yan Chi shook his head. "Yue Ning has inherited Anyang Marquis's temperament deep down. Third Brother saved her back then—that debt of gratitude weighs heavier than heaven. Beyond that, he's always been gentle and courteous, the model for our generation since childhood. She likely admires him deeply. Unless someone else captures her heart later, they truly are well-suited."

"What kind of person do you think His Highness Yan Ze is?"

Qin Guan didn't know why she asked—perhaps out of excessive concern for Yue Ning.

Yan Chi collected his thoughts. "Third Brother... has always been unhurried since childhood. In our youth, he was the most dedicated to studies among our peers. When Yan Li and I got into fights, he was the one who made us kneel in punishment together..."

His tone remained calm, revealing some fraternal affection for Yan Ze from their past. But then his words shifted, "However, I haven't seen him for ten years. The current him appears unchanged from childhood, except... he's more composed now. Even blindness cannot undermine that composure."

Qin Guan caught his meaning. "Yes, I feel the same."

Noticing her deep contemplation, Yan Chi tapped her nose. "Yue Ning has the Grand Princess, along with her parents and brothers. You needn't worry."

This reminded Qin Guan, "The heir apparent of Anyang Marquis is with the Northwest Frontier Army—can you contact him?"

Yan Chi frowned and quickly shook his head. "At this time, no one can be trusted unless they're absolutely reliable. It's not that Yue Jia is unreliable, but it's inappropriate to involve him. Anyang Marquis sent him there for training—dragging him into these matters would be improper."

Understanding this, Qin Guan considered mentioning Yan Ze's nightmares but held back, thinking of Yue Ning's guilt. Instead, she asked, "Is Wang Han willing to help us?"

Handing Wang Han over to Yan Qi was extremely dangerous, yet Yan Chi claimed he would arrange it properly, and Qin Guan trusted him completely.

Sure enough, Yan Chi said, "Everything is arranged. If anything goes wrong, the fault is mine."

Qin Guan raised an eyebrow slightly. "I trust you—I just want to know how you arranged it..."

Yan Chi smiled and looked at Bai Feng. "Bring him for the princess to see.""Bai Feng acknowledged the order and turned to leave. Qin Guan felt somewhat suspicious and waited for a moment. Soon, Bai Feng returned with Wang Han in tow. Qin Guan had only seen Wang Han once before, and that time he had been blindfolded. Seeing him in person now, she couldn’t help but feel slightly surprised. Wang Han appeared far more composed than she had imagined. Following behind Bai Feng, he showed no trace of timidity. Though his eyes were lowered, his entire demeanor was remarkably steady—nothing like a prisoner at all. Could it be that Yan Chi had reached some sort of agreement with him?!

As Qin Guan pondered this, Wang Han knelt and saluted.

“Greetings, Your Highness, greetings, Princess—”

—No!

Qin Guan’s brows furrowed instantly. This person’s voice was wrong!

Although she hadn’t seen Wang Han’s full face before, she had heard his voice. The voice of the man before her was completely different from the one she had heard that day…

Startled, Qin Guan looked toward Yan Chi. Seeing her expression, Yan Chi smiled and gestured with his chin toward the newcomer. “The Princess has noticed. You’ve failed—”

The kneeling man looked up in astonishment, his face showing signs of panic.

Yan Chi signaled to Qin Guan. “The Princess has met Wang Han and heard his voice. Your voice is far too flawed!”

At this point, Qin Guan understood—the person before her was not Wang Han at all!

“Is this…disguise artistry?”

Yan Chi nodded. “Yes, it’s disguise artistry. I couldn’t trust sending the real Wang Han, so I sent one of my own instead.”

Qin Guan’s eyes widened in surprise as she suddenly realized that Yan Qi might very well end up losing both his wife and his army in this scheme!

“Hmm…the appearance is quite similar. At least, someone who hasn’t spent day and night with him wouldn’t recognize the difference. I consider myself quite observant, and I didn’t notice anything particularly strange earlier. Aside from the voice being off, there’s one more thing: Wang Han has been hunted and imprisoned for days, so his psyche has long since crumbled. You’re far too calm and composed—that’s nothing like him. His eyes certainly wouldn’t be as bright and piercing as yours.”

Qin Guan didn’t know who this young man was, but he appeared to be in his early twenties, likely one of Yan Chi’s covert guards. His build was similar to Wang Han’s, clearly that of a trained elite. His appearance and attire showed no flaws, except for his strikingly bright eyes. While this was usually an asset, it was entirely unsuitable for someone impersonating Wang Han!

Wang Han, guilty and fearful of death, tormented by days of pursuit and imprisonment, would never possess such resolute and luminous eyes. The kneeling young man naturally understood this. He hadn’t fully immersed himself in the role today, and Qin Guan’s words felt almost like praise to him. He quickly glanced at her, his expression suddenly tinged with an awkward shyness.

Yan Chi watched his subordinate, displeased that a few words from Qin Guan could evoke such a reaction. Narrowing his eyes, his voice deepened abruptly. “Did you hear that? What the Princess said—fix all of it.”

“Yes, this subordinate will remember—”

Feeling a sharp gaze fixed upon him, the young man’s heart trembled as he suddenly realized he had been somewhat improper moments earlier!

Anxiously, he recalled his master’s temperament, which they all knew well…

Yan Chi grunted in acknowledgment. “Dismissed!”

Tense and relieved by the reprieve, the young man rose and swiftly withdrew.

Unaware of the underlying tension, Qin Guan only expressed her amazement. “You actually have such extraordinary talents among your subordinates!”Qin Guan's eyes sparkled brightly, full of admiration for the disguise skills of the man from earlier. Yan Chi's inner discontent grew stronger. He glanced at Bai Feng, who understood the cue, turned, and exited, closing the door behind him.

Qin Guan looked at Bai Feng, then at the suddenly closed door, wondering if she had said anything that Bai Feng shouldn’t have heard.

As she pondered, Yan Chi swept her into his arms. "Don’t you think you praised him a bit too much just now?"

His gaze certainly isn’t as bright and captivating as yours.

These were Qin Guan’s exact words. If spoken about someone of equal standing whom Qin Guan knew, it might have been genuine praise. But earlier, Qin Guan had merely been stating a fact with utmost seriousness.

Qin Guan blinked. "What... what did I say that was too praiseworthy? I only called him a remarkable talent after he left!"

She was utterly confused. "Did I say he was steady and resolute? That his eyes were bright?"

A hint of helplessness crept into her voice. "Isn’t that just the truth?"

Her words only made Yan Chi narrow his eyes further. He thought to himself, You’ve praised my soldier to the point of embarrassment. A grown man suddenly acting like a shy maiden—isn’t that excessive praise?

Qin Guan frowned at Yan Chi, her eyes filled with confusion, innocence, and sincerity. The more Yan Chi saw her like this, the tighter his own frown became.

When leading troops, he never showed leniency to those around him. Moreover, disguising as that man was merely standard performance, hardly deserving of praise—especially when that soldier had actually...

A strange discomfort churned in Yan Chi’s heart. Although that soldier wouldn’t dare entertain any thoughts about Qin Guan, that brief moment felt like his treasure had been glimpsed by another—not just seen, but almost smelled. His treasure should be hidden away, untouched by anyone’s eyes or senses, completely isolated from the world.

In that instant, Yan Chi understood what others meant when they said that treasuring someone too much made you afraid to hold them too tightly for fear of smothering them, or to hold them too loosely for fear of losing them. He felt exactly that way about Qin Guan.

Once again, he felt that their wedding date had been set far too late!

Yan Chi remained silent, his expression shifting unpredictably—one moment intense enough to unsettle Qin Guan, the next burning with fervor. After several rounds of this, Qin Guan finally couldn’t hold back and whispered, "Could it be... you’re... jealous because of what I said?"

She enunciated each word carefully. The moment she finished, Yan Chi choked on his breath, unable to respond. Jealous? How could he be jealous of one of his own subordinates? But if not, what else could this discomfort be called?

As Yan Chi wrestled with his thoughts, Qin Guan suddenly couldn’t help but laugh. "You really are..."

Her laughter prompted Yan Chi to tighten his embrace and lean in to kiss her. Qin Guan let out a soft "ah," and the rest of her words were swallowed by Yan Chi’s lips. Feeling both helpless and amused, Qin Guan noticed Yan Chi’s arms tightening even more. She sensed the kiss growing increasingly heated and inwardly panicked. With a firm push, she broke free, gasping for breath. "You... you can’t do this... I didn’t just now..."

Yan Chi narrowed his eyes, his gaze full of unsatisfied desire. "You think I’m jealous?"Yan Chi's voice carried a dangerous undertone. Qin Guan instinctively leaned back. "I, I think..."

Yan Chi hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her back. "I'm not jealous. I just think you're particularly captivating when you praise someone. Those words of yours aren't meant for ordinary people. So, do you understand?"

Qin Guan's eyes sparkled with mischief. "So I can't casually compliment people?"

Yan Chi raised an eyebrow. "Naturally, that's not it either..."

Qin Guan watched Yan Chi, waiting for him to continue his twisted logic. Yan Chi said, "Even if you're captivating, you can only captivate me. As for those words of yours, who else besides me is worthy?"

Qin Guan burst out laughing. Since their wedding date had been set and he had begun emerging from the shadow of Prince Rui's passing, he had become increasingly unrestrained. Now he was even getting possessive about his own subordinates.

Though Qin Guan secretly complained in her heart, she felt as if fine, warm powdered sugar was sprinkling through the air. Gazing into Yan Chi's eyes, she suddenly reached up and cupped his face. "I remember saying that your eyes are the most beautiful."

Qin Guan was still smiling. Her words, along with her slightly curved eyes, crept into Yan Chi's heart, tickling and tingling the very tip of his heart. "I don't recall you saying that?"

Qin Guan's eyes widened in surprise. Yan Chi pulled her closer. "Since I don't remember, you'll have to say it again."

Qin Guan initially didn't want to indulge him, but he held her so tightly, his scorching breath falling on her face and the tip of her nose, making her feel somewhat distracted and flustered. Qin Guan pressed her lips together. "I did say it... I said I've never seen any man's eyes so beautiful... The beacon fires of Shuoxi, the starry river on cold nights, the lanterns of Jinzhou's Autumn Festival—they're all in your eyes. Of course, that's provided you're not angry..."

A wave of tenderness, so intense it felt suffocating, surged in Yan Chi's heart. He glanced at Qin Guan's crimson lips, which had just been fiercely kissed by him and were now moist and bright red. His throat moved, and he was about to lean in again when suddenly, the closed door was abruptly knocked. "Master! Prince Cheng is here!"

Their lips were nearly touching. Hearing this, Yan Chi stiffened. Qin Guan's pupils dilated, and she immediately tried to push him away. Hesitating for a moment between continuing or not, Yan Chi instead pulled her tightly into his embrace, kissing her deeply, heavily, and slowly until she was breathless. By the time Qin Guan felt dizzy and short of breath, Yan Chi lifted her up, turned around, and placed her on the bed in the inner chamber. Before Qin Guan could react, Yan Chi had already left.

Outside, Yan Chi opened the door with a composed demeanor and said coldly, "Where is he?"

Bai Feng glanced inside the room and, seeing Qin Guan wasn't in the outer chamber, quickly replied, "In the main courtyard. I didn't dare bring him here."

Yan Chi snorted, as if to say, "Smart move," then instructed Baiying before heading toward the main courtyard. He had said when Yan Qi left the royal residence that there would be news within two days!In the inner chamber, Qin Guan gasped for a while before regaining her composure. A thin quilt was draped over her. Glancing at it, she found it somewhat amusing. After a moment, she sat up, her collar slightly disheveled. She hastily straightened it, then noticed a faint burning sensation on her lips. Subconsciously, she stepped down to look for a mirror, but after scanning the room, she realized Yan Chi’s quarters didn’t have one at all!

Qin Guan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. After a moment’s thought, she walked forward and pushed open the window overlooking the water. Leaning out with her hands on the windowsill, she saw her reflection appear instantly on the water’s surface. In that glimpse, she saw her lips flushed crimson as blood, and her usually pale, makeup-free face unexpectedly carried a hint of alluring charm. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly straightened up, shutting the window with a firm pull.

Her heart stirred with both restlessness and resignation. After a pause, she raised a hand to gently touch the corner of her lips and smiled faintly.

…

…

Meanwhile, Yan Chi arrived at the main courtyard, displeased at having his intimate moment interrupted.

As soon as Yan Qi turned around, he noticed Yan Chi’s expression was even colder and more severe than that night. He raised an eyebrow, feeling that suffocating pressure return. Wasn’t Yan Chi so confident he would come back that he dared to disregard him so openly?

“Fourth Brother coming in broad daylight shows you’ve already made up your mind.” Yan Qi’s daytime visit clearly indicated he wasn’t afraid of the Crown Prince finding out, suggesting what he wanted from him was more than just Wang Han.

Yan Qi smirked ambiguously. “Seventh Brother, your demands are considerable. If I remain restrained, wouldn’t I be at a great disadvantage?”

Yan Chi lifted his chin, signaling Yan Qi to take a seat, then settled into the host’s chair opposite. Unhurriedly, he drew a list from his sleeve. “These men were Father’s favored generals. They’re either advanced in years or afflicted with serious illnesses—all in difficult circumstances. Zheng Xincheng’s matter is straightforward. I’ll trouble Fourth Brother to handle it.”

Yan Qi narrowed his eyes, stepped forward to examine the list, and immediately furrowed his brow.

Before he could speak, Yan Chi preempted him. “To be frank, Fourth Brother, the Crown Prince and Empress now believe Wang Han is surely lost. If I leak even a hint of information, even if you acquire Wang Han, his usefulness would be limited. In matters of betrayal, speed and decisiveness are essential. If the other side prepares in advance, wouldn’t that spoil everything?”

Yan Qi gritted his teeth. “What do you mean by that?! Are you going back on our agreement?”

Yan Chi smiled. Though his expression wasn’t overtly menacing, his entire demeanor exuded an intimidating aura that made it impossible to relax. “Fourth Brother won’t renege, and I naturally keep my promises. But if Fourth Brother were to go back on his word, of course, I’d have to secure a fallback.”

Yan Qi sneered. “These names aren’t just veteran generals, are they? These younger ones are rising stars in the Northwest Frontier Army, with limitless futures ahead. By keeping them, aren’t you planning to take command of the army again someday?”

Yan Chi looked steadily at Yan Qi. “Didn’t Fourth Brother say just the other day that it’s impossible for me to return? What are you worried about?”

Yan Qi chuckled dryly. “I can protect these men temporarily, not forever. The future of the Northwest Frontier Army remains uncertain…”

“Then Fourth Brother should act quickly,” Yan Chi said lightly. “The sooner Fourth Brother succeeds, the fewer constraints you’ll face.”Yan Chi naturally didn't need to say this for Yan Qi to understand, but by saying it aloud, Yan Chi inadvertently imposed a sense of pressure on Yan Qi—as if Yan Chi had no reservations and wasn't the least bit afraid Yan Qi would go back on his word!

Yan Chi knew far too much, while Yan Qi, aside from Yan Chi's reputation in the Northwest Frontier Army, had no idea what else Yan Chi had been cultivating all these years. Knowing yourself and your enemy ensures victory in every battle—Yan Chi understood him thoroughly, yet Yan Qi was completely in the dark about Yan Chi. The feeling was utterly wretched. But since things had come to this, what else could he do besides taking Wang Han under his control?!

"Where is he?! I want to see—"

Hearing this, Yan Chi knew the temporary deal was sealed and ordered, "Bai Feng, bring him in!"

Yan Qi didn't sit down but stood waiting with a gloomy expression. Moments later, a young man with a fearful, cowering demeanor, covered in bruises and purple marks, entered. At the sight of Yan Qi, the man's face instantly shifted.

Yan Qi had long seen Wang Han's portrait. He looked the man up and down, then smiled in satisfaction.