The carriage slowly made its way through the capital's alleyways late at night. In the dimly lit interior, Yan Chi firmly held Qin Guan's hand.
Qin Guan frowned and said, "Prince Jin isn't the murderer himself, and he never admitted to it. Yet the dagger was his, and he was the first to appear at the scene. If he had killed someone, he would have had every opportunity to replace the dagger with something else or simply hide the weapon and deny everything. But he didn't do that. In the end, the dagger turned out to be his... This is truly bizarre... Granny Qian said that after the incident, Prince Jin was first seen by everyone together, then the imperial guards arrived. Once they arrived, Prince Jin was taken into custody, and later, he was sent to the Imperial Punishment Office. So he must have switched the dagger before the others arrived."
Yan Chi continued, "Song Xiwen was right beside Prince Jin at the time. There's no way he wouldn't have known if the dagger had been switched. Yet, in front of the Empress, he still said that as long as they followed the trail of the dagger, they would find out who killed Consort Jin..."
"He was reminding the Empress that the problem lay with that dagger," Qin Guan stated with certainty. "The Empress believed it at the time, but in the end, the dagger turned out to be Prince Jin's. Was Song Xiwen actually reminding the Empress to trust Prince Jin and look for a new dagger?"
Yan Chi hesitated slightly, "In that situation, if the dagger had been switched, the murder weapon must still have been at the crime scene. He couldn't have taken it away."
Qin Guan's heart skipped a beat as she suddenly thought of another person. "The second person to appear at the crime scene was the Ninth Prince!"
As these words left her mouth, Qin Guan's heart raced wildly. Could it have been Yan Sui? At the time, Yan Sui was too young, yet despite his youth, there was a steadiness in his bones that didn't match his age. Could Yan Sui know where that murder weapon was?
Qin Guan spoke urgently, "After Consort Jin's incident, because there were suspicions of an improper relationship between Consort Jin and Prince Jin, and because Consort Jin had been murdered without apparent reason, her palace was searched. After the search, many of Consort Jin's belongings were destroyed. The Emperor didn't like the Ninth Prince keeping Consort Jin's things, but the Ninth Prince still hid many small items she had given him. He concealed those forbidden objects in various places around the palace, and even entrusted a few to me to bring out of the palace."
"A dagger?" Yan Chi quickly caught on.
But Qin Guan shook her head. "No, there were things like a Longevity Lock. However, the Ninth Prince was the second to arrive at the scene. He must know what else happened at that time." Qin Guan sighed. "If only it weren't so late, I could enter the palace immediately."
Yan Chi tightened his grip on Qin Guan's hand. "Don't rush. You can enter the palace tomorrow. This matter involves significant implications. Even if you go to ask Yan Sui, you must be cautious."Qin Guan nodded earnestly. Of course she understood the need for caution. If everything before had merely been speculation, from this moment onward—from when they heard Granny Qian's explanation—they had truly touched last year's case for the first time. Once this beginning was made, they could only press forward relentlessly, no matter what awaited them ahead. The fear in Granny Qian's eyes seemed still vivid before them, and even Qin Guan felt a shadow clouding her heart. None of the previous cases had shaken her as deeply as this one—not because she was timid, but because she realized this grand scheme might truly be connected to the current Emperor...
Regardless of what role the Emperor played in this case, it was certain he didn't want the truth uncovered. Otherwise, Prince Jin wouldn't have "committed suicide out of guilt" last year, the Shen residence wouldn't have been massacred, and this year, the Emperor's attitude toward the skeletal remains case wouldn't have been so unnervingly calm.
The law only binds commoners—the imperial family exists beyond its reach, let alone the exalted Son of Heaven himself!
Qin Guan felt like a traveler lost in fog, step by step sinking into a swamp. By the time she realized it, she was already mired deep. Worse still, she couldn't tell whether what lay ahead was a deeper mire or a sheer cliff where one misstep would shatter her bones.
"Prince Jin would rather take risks and discard the strongest evidence to clear his name just to switch the dagger... He must be hiding something. What could he value so highly?" Qin Guan murmured. "Could that dagger... possibly... be connected to the Emperor?"
With difficulty, she voiced the deepest suspicion in her heart. She wasn't someone who defied convention—in her heart, she upheld the belief that all land under heaven belongs to the sovereign, and all people on it are his subjects. The Emperor was lofty, someone she would only kneel and look up to. She never imagined the day would come when her suspicions would fall upon him.
Yan Chi brushed Qin Guan's cheek. Though he saw the struggle in her eyes, he still said, "It's highly possible. Even if it's not directly related to the Emperor, it must involve someone extremely important. Prince Jin was straightforward by nature—he wouldn't admit to what he didn't do. But if he wanted to conceal something, it must have been for a greater righteousness."
Qin Guan grew perplexed, beginning to seriously consider the possibility that the Emperor had killed Consort Jin.
Since ascending the throne, the current Emperor had governed diligently and could be considered a wise ruler. Regardless of what he did to Prince Rui or how he employed the Imperial Arts, if you asked ordinary citizens, most would praise this sovereign. Especially since the Empress Dowager had said the Emperor's temperament was steady and magnanimous, refined and wise—and the Emperor she had met indeed possessed imperial dignity. Such an emperor couldn't possibly suddenly go mad and kill a favored consort without reason. And if Consort Jin had done wrong first, then even if he killed her, there would be no need for secrecy—why leave the murder weapon behind?
Qin Guan shook her head inwardly, dismissing this bold and absurd notion. Simultaneously, Yan Chi said, "The possibility of the Emperor killing Consort Jin is too slim, and there's no conclusive evidence yet..."
Qin Guan nodded. "Yes, let's wait until I enter the palace tomorrow to ask the Ninth Prince before we proceed."Yan Chi let out a low hum, simply raising his arm to hold Qin Guan closer. For a moment, neither spoke. The situation grew increasingly complex, and the more they uncovered, the more unbearable the truth became. After a moment of thought, Qin Guan added, "Prince Jin ultimately 'committed suicide out of guilt.' At the time, he was held in the Ministry of Justice's Celestial Prison—a heavily guarded facility. If someone poisoned him, that person must hold immense power."
Yan Chi nodded. "It could only be the Emperor, the Empress, the Crown Prince, or Prince Cheng. At most, we might add the Minister of Justice to the list."
Although all six ministers wielded significant authority, a place like the Celestial Prison wasn’t accessible to other ministers without leaving traces—especially when the prisoner was Prince Jin.
After a pause, Qin Guan continued, "Back then, my father discovered something and immediately decided to take us away from the capital. He must have known that staying even a moment longer would mean certain death. Yet, shortly after leaving the Shen residence, we were ambushed by imperial guards. They began slaughtering us without a word of warning. An order like that… it could only have come from one of those few individuals."
Even if Shen Yi had been confirmed as sheltering Prince Jin, standard procedure would have been arrest, imprisonment, and trial before sentencing. But what occurred was blatant execution.
Even accounting for the Shen family’s attempted escape, such extreme brutality was unusually vicious. The one who gave the order—or whoever manipulated the situation—clearly intended for Shen Yi and everyone with him to die. Qin Guan had a growing suspicion that even the Crown Prince at the time couldn’t have authorized something so ruthless.
"I’ve been looking into this matter these past few days…" Yan Chi began.
At his words, Qin Guan quickly turned to face him. Yan Chi met her gaze and explained, "The order did indeed come from the Emperor. He held a private discussion with Li Muyun—no one knows what was said, but it likely confirmed Lord Shen’s guilt. After hesitating for half a day, the Emperor issued the command. Initially, it was meant to be an arrest, but it turned into a massacre. Whether the Emperor secretly altered the order or if someone else relayed a distorted message remains unclear. The commander leading the troops was Lin Zhang."
Lin Zhang, the General of the Imperial Guards, was responsible for the entire palace’s security.
The palace was the most heavily defended location in the capital. The Emperor had trusted him for over a decade—one could say that Yuan Qing and Lin Zhang were his most trusted confidants.
To dispatch Lin Zhang for Shen Yi’s capture… the implications were unmistakable.
A chill settled deeper in Qin Guan’s heart. Yet, as she reached this realization, the fear and hesitation that had plagued her suddenly vanished.
If she regarded the Emperor as the sovereign heaven of the Great Zhou’s people, she had always felt a sense of humble reverence. But considering that the order to slaughter her entire family might have come from this very ruler, her heart turned cold and hardened. So what if he was the Emperor? Her family had committed no crime, no wrongdoing. Even an emperor had no right to arbitrarily decide their fate! The entire Shen clan—twenty-four lives—might have been insignificant in the Emperor’s eyes, but they were her entire world.
Qin Guan took a deep breath. "After I meet with the Ninth Prince tomorrow, I’ll come find you."
The weather grew colder. Outside the carriage, a bitter wind whistled through the gaps in the window curtains. Yan Chi drew Qin Guan into his embrace, silently pressing a kiss to her forehead. Before long, the carriage returned from the southern city to the Loyal Marquis Manor.Qin Guan alighted from the carriage and went straight back to Pine Breeze Courtyard. As soon as she returned, she took out the items Yan Sui had given her to examine. Yet no matter how she looked at them, they were merely small trinkets a mother would give a child, completely unrelated to the term "murder weapon." Her heart grew heavy, but she forced herself to rest.
The more perilous the situation, the more she compelled herself to remain calm.
When Yan Chi first mentioned the Emperor's Imperial Arts, she had felt uneasy. Later, when he brought it up again, she only felt a chill, yet she subconsciously dismissed any speculation linking the case to the Emperor. Today, Granny Qian's words had finally cleared away the last layer of obscurity.
Even if that person was the Emperor, she would respond with calm and restraint, revealing nothing.
After a night of light sleep, Qin Guan headed straight to the palace early the next morning.
The Longevity and Health Palace was as quiet as ever. The Empress Dowager, advanced in years, had grown increasingly averse to noise. Coupled with the fact that the palace seldom received many visitors, even the maids had cultivated a habit of quietude. Upon reaching the main hall, Qin Guan immediately asked Mammy Chen where Yan Sui was. Mammy Chen glanced at the bundle Baiying was carrying and smiled, "What fun things has the Princess bought for the Ninth Prince this time? His Highness has gone to study with his tutor today and likely won't return for another hour or so."
A flicker of disappointment passed through Qin Guan's heart, but it vanished as quickly as it came. She quickly composed herself and went to accompany the Empress Dowager.
Hearing her inquiry, the Empress Dowager chuckled, "You're the only one who cares so much about Little Nine. Now that he's attending lessons, you're still buying him all these little toys. Be careful not to distract him from his studies."
Qin Guan smiled, "I promised him this earlier. Don't worry, the Ninth Prince is very diligent."
The Empress Dowager beamed, "I know that well. Even at such a young age, he can practice calligraphy alone for hours. Even the Emperor couldn't do that in his day."
Having finished her morning meal and taken a short stroll, the Empress Dowager, now rested, felt her playful mood return and promptly asked Mammy Chen to set up the chessboard.
Qin Guan smiled wryly, "My chess skills are quite poor. You'll have to go easy on me."
The Empress Dowager teased, "I'll play a warm-up game with you. Yan Ze will be here soon. If your chess skills were half as good as your medical ones, I wouldn't be counting on Yan Ze. How about I let you start with three moves? See how you want to arrange your pieces..."
Qin Guan contentedly placed her three pieces first. Mammy Chen poured tea for them and said, "Her Majesty has improved remarkably lately. Not just the Princess, but even the Emperor admits defeat."
In the past, Qin Guan would have remained unperturbed upon hearing "the Emperor," but now her heart skipped a beat. "I remember Heir Apparent Yan mentioning that the Emperor's chess skills were once unparalleled. How is it now..." She then smiled apologetically and whispered, "That isn't disrespectful to say, is it?"
The Empress Dowager and Mammy Chen laughed together. "Not at all! The Emperor lost three consecutive games to me that day! I even asked him why his skills had declined!"
A hint of smugness crossed the Empress Dowager's face. Qin Guan's smile stiffened slightly. "What did the Emperor say?"The Empress Dowager placed a piece and sighed with a shake of her head. "His Majesty has been devoted to state affairs all these years. Since ascending the throne, he rarely plays chess anymore, and in recent years he has pursued no personal pleasures at all." It seemed the Empress Dowager wanted everyone to understand Yan Huai's diligence, so she continued, "You wouldn't know this, but even the late emperor wasn't as austere as he is. On ordinary days, he can't even be bothered to visit the rear palaces more often. Apart from reviewing memorials, he only summons ministers for discussions. While I take comfort in his diligence, it truly pains my heart."
After all, it was merely suspicion. Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Qin Guan unconsciously felt somewhat relieved. Could such a diligent ruler truly be as despicable as rumored?
Distracted, Qin Guan lost this round of chess even more quickly. The Empress Dowager teased her good-naturedly, and Qin Guan could only respond with a wry smile. Fortunately, before long, Yan Ze and Yue Ning arrived at the palace. Yan Ze wore a medicated gauze over his face, supported by Yue Ning at his side. Walking in together, they made a striking couple.
With Yan Ze's arrival, Qin Guan was effectively rescued. Upon learning that Qin Guan's chess skills had regressed rather than improved, Yue Ning joined in teasing her. When the chessboard was reset, Qin Guan stood by watching the game. Before long, however, Yue Ning remarked, "The New Year approaches soon. I wonder when His Majesty will allow my father to return."
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