Qin Guan frowned deeply at the dagger in Sun Muqing's bundle.
It wasn't an oddly-shaped dagger—quite the opposite, it appeared utterly ordinary. However, being bronze-cast and aged, the inscriptions on it had faded. That day, Sun Muqing had taken Qin Guan to the house filled with the Shen family's belongings. At a glance, every item felt intensely familiar to Qin Guan, yet her emotions had been too overwhelming to examine them closely. It wasn't until today, when Sun Muqing brought the burial items, that she noticed this dagger.
Qin Guan's direct question arose because she recognized everything else—only this dagger was unfamiliar.
Shen Yi was a scholar-official with no interest in collecting weapons. Apart from kitchen knives and firewood knives, the only blades in their residence were her set of short blades. This dagger was something Qin Guan had never seen before.
At her question, Sun Muqing hurriedly explained, "It's just a dagger. I don't recognize it either, but it should belong to your uncle."
Sun Muqing saw nothing unusual and continued unpacking the bundle item by item—identifying which belonged to Shen Yi and his wife, and which to Shen Wan. Noticing Qin Guan's strong reaction, Yan Chi sensed the dagger might be significant. Yet when Sun Muqing produced Shen Wan's belongings, Yan Chi couldn't help but look.
"What is this?" Yan Chi pointed at a small medicine pestle.
Sun Muqing glanced at Yan Chi, realizing he likely knew whose cenotaph they were erecting today, and simply said, "This was my junior sister's medicine pestle."
Yan Chi felt a stir in his heart. He knew little about the former Shen Wan, and encountering her relics now evoked profound emotions.
Meanwhile, Qin Guan picked up the dagger. "Where did you find this?"
Patina had obscured the inscriptions on the bronze dagger. Sun Muqing replied promptly, "It was dug up from the soil when we repaired the garden. Many items were uncovered—after the mansion burned down, it was left unattended for a year, and numerous things were buried in the earth."
Sun Muqing explained the dagger appeared weathered, but Qin Guan was scrutinizing the faint characters on it.
Her unusually grave expression immediately alerted both Yan Chi and Sun Muqing. Han Dong stood at a distance, sensing something amiss but not daring to ask.
Yan Chi stepped closer and asked quietly, "What's wrong?"
Qin Guan's thumb pressed against the dagger's hilt, her force so great her knuckles turned white, as if trying to wipe away all the patina. Yan Chi, disturbed by her intensity, pressed, "What about this dagger?"
"Tai'e... This dagger is called Tai'e..."
The characters engraved on the hilt indeed read "Tai'e," yet this was clearly a dagger.
"Tai'e is one of the ten legendary swords of antiquity, a bronze treasure sword. It's said to be a sword of the Path of Might, once owned by King Wei of the ancient Chu State. King Wei was fierce and ambitious, conquering realms as a peerless warrior of his time. He later unified the Central Plains under ancient Chu, an unprecedented feat. Tai'e was a sword—but now this dagger bears the same name..."
Qin Guan examined the dagger closely, then suddenly turned and handed it to Yan Chi. "Take a look."Qin Guan knew nothing of weapons, but Yan Chi did. He twirled the dagger deftly in his hand and remarked, "This dagger isn't very old—perhaps only a decade or so. It wasn't crafted by a master swordsmith either; it's rather an ordinary piece from a common workshop. The curvature of the blade is slightly off, likely the work of an apprentice."
In short, as a weapon, this dagger was far from superior.
Sun Muqing stood to the side, glancing between Qin Guan and Yan Chi, puzzled as to why they had suddenly taken an interest in the object.
Recalling that it was Shen Yi's relic, Sun Muqing couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, Your Grace, this dagger... doesn't seem particularly special..."
But Qin Guan, lost in thought, grew somber, her pupils trembling faintly. While Sun Muqing didn't know her well, Yan Chi never missed even the slightest change in her demeanor. Sensing something amiss, he reached out and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "What's wrong?"
Qin Guan swallowed hard, her gaze fixed intently on the dagger in Yan Chi's hand. Her lips parted slightly, but clearly mindful of the others present, she held back the truth. Steadying herself, she turned to Sun Muqing. "Divine Doctor Sun, this dagger likely isn't one of Shen Yi's relics."
Sun Muqing looked surprised. "But... but I dug it up in the garden myself?"
Qin Guan shook her head. "You know what kind of man he was, Divine Doctor Sun. May I take this dagger?"
Sun Muqing's eyes widened. Qin Guan lowered her gaze and explained, "You must be aware that Prince Cheng is investigating the skeletal remains case at Prince Jin Manor. This dagger might be connected to that incident. If you entrust it to me, could you promise to forget about it from now on?"
Naturally, Sun Muqing was reluctant to part with any relic of Shen Yi, but he trusted Qin Guan deeply. Seeing her grave expression, which showed no pretense, he reluctantly agreed, "Well... alright... Truth be told, I can't be certain either. I just assumed it was his since I found it in the courtyard."
Qin Guan breathed a sigh of relief and urged, "Never speak of this dagger to anyone again."
As she spoke, she took out a handkerchief and wrapped the blade. Understanding its importance, Yan Chi took it and tucked it into his sleeve.
The dagger was an unexpected discovery, but Qin Guan offered no further explanation. After securing it, she assisted Sun Muqing in interring the relics he had brought. Though she remained composed, even Sun Muqing could sense the chill emanating from her—she was restraining herself, forcing an appearance of calm.
Sun Muqing, too, grew distracted. Once all the relics were buried, Han Dong led them further up the path to a tea shack by the tea fields, which he had temporarily rented. The group rested there while Han Dong went to find a stonemason to seal the tomb. They planned to offer prayers once the tomb was closed before returning to the capital.
With only Sun Muqing nearby, Yan Chi took Qin Guan's hand. The moment he did, he was startled to find her hands icy cold. He had noticed her discovery and understood her need for restraint, but he had never felt her hands so frigid—as if she had been frightened.Yan Chi gazed at Qin Guan with concern, but Qin Guan grasped his hand in return. The stark fear hidden deep within her dark pupils was unmistakably visible to Yan Chi, stirring unease in his own heart. There were very few things that could frighten Qin Guan—what could this dagger signify?
Upon entering the teahouse, Sun Muqing fell into a sullen silence. He could tell Qin Guan and Yan Chi seemed to know something, yet they appeared reluctant to share it with him, both choosing restraint. Sun Muqing sighed; he had promised Qin Guan to forget about the dagger, and he intended to keep his word. Rising to his feet, he said, "You two wait here. I’ll take a stroll outside."
Worried, Yan Chi instructed Baiying to accompany him. As soon as they left, Yan Chi turned his attention to Qin Guan.
Qin Guan lifted her eyes to meet his, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke, "I know... what Li Muyun wrote in his memorial..."
At her words, Yan Chi’s expression shifted abruptly. He glanced at the dagger in his sleeve and, without needing further explanation, understood instantly. "So... this dagger is the murder weapon that killed Consort Jin?! And Lord Shen brought disaster upon himself because he learned of its whereabouts from Prince Jin?"
Shen Yi had met privately with Prince Jin several times, yet no evidence of their discussions remained. Everyone had wondered what they spoke of. Later, when Shen Yi suddenly sensed something amiss and Li Muyun submitted a memorial accusing him, the accusation must have been related to this dagger.
Li Muyun believed Shen Yi intended to shield Prince Jin by concealing the murder weapon, never imagining that the true murderer of Consort Jin was the Emperor himself!
Hence, the imperial guards later exterminated the Shen clan.
Frowning, Yan Chi said, "So the one who killed Consort Jin truly was the Emperor."
He thought Qin Guan’s fear stemmed from confirming the killer’s identity, but after his question, her face grew even paler. She shook her head, "No, it’s more than that... My father tried to flee, the Shen family was massacred, the deaths of Prince Jin and Consort Jin—all of it happened because... they uncovered a greater... secret..."
Qin Guan’s voice quivered, her palms slick with cold sweat. She took a deep breath, her gaze fixed intently on Yan Chi. "There are so many things we haven’t figured out—why Yan Li was enfeoffed as Prince Gong, why the Fu Clan’s child survived, why an incurable wound healed, why the Emperor was determined to depose the Crown Prince... So many questions... they all boil down to..."
Qin Guan’s words trailed off, as if she still dared not voice the secret aloud.
She tightened her grip on Yan Chi’s hand. "Do you remember when you took me to see Princess Consort Gong, and she gave me that hairpin?"
Yan Chi nodded; he had only taken Qin Guan to the royal residence once and remembered the occasion clearly.
In a hoarse voice, Qin Guan revealed, "The inscription on that hairpin is identical to the one on this dagger."
For a moment, Yan Chi didn’t grasp her meaning, but soon his eyes widened in shock. His lips parted, yet no words emerged. A chilling dread crept up from the soles of his feet, and he finally understood the terror reflected in Qin Guan’s eyes.
……
……
When Sun Muqing returned from his stroll, he noticed the atmosphere in the small teahouse had grown even more tense and icy.Sun Muqing glanced at Qin Guan, then at Yan Chi. Seeing that neither intended to speak, he too remained silent with a heavy heart.
Yet he knew everything had been triggered by that dagger.
Wasn't that dagger Uncle Shen's possession? If it didn't belong to Uncle Shen, how could it have been in the Shen residence?
Sun Muqing couldn't make sense of it, but vaguely felt the matter wasn't simple. However, Qin Guan had reminded him many times that the capital wasn't as straightforward as he imagined.
Each lost in their own thoughts, the three waited for an hour until Han Dong came to summon them again. Arriving at the cemetery, they saw the burial chambers had been sealed, the craftsmen's work exquisite. The sacrificial offerings Han Dong had prepared earlier were brought out, and Sun Muqing naturally stepped forward first to pay respects. When it came to Qin Guan and Yan Chi's turn, he was astonished to see both perform grand bows, kowtowing three times each. Sun Muqing immediately felt deeply embarrassed.
After they completed the rites, Sun Muqing said, "We are immensely grateful to you, County Princess. My uncle and aunt's spirits in heaven would surely be deeply moved to see you going to such lengths."
As he spoke, Sun Muqing was visibly affected. Even ordinary friends wouldn't necessarily perform such formal rituals when helping, let alone someone of Qin Guan and Yan Chi's noble status. Qin Guan had truly shown extraordinary dedication to his affairs!
By now, the hour was growing late. With matters weighing on their minds, both Qin Guan and Yan Chi naturally wished to return to the capital quickly. Without further words, Qin Guan instructed Han Dong to handle the remaining arrangements before leading Sun Muqing down the mountain. But halfway down, snow began to fall from the sky!
Sun Muqing exclaimed in delight, "This is the first snow of the year!"
As the mist of truth cleared, Qin Guan suddenly understood the source of her father's terror from last year. A chill ran through her entire body as she realized why her father had made such an absurd decision. The emperor committing murder was shocking enough, but behind this homicide lay a secret that could make the Great Zhou dynasty collapse!
Even her father lacked the courage to expose it and chose to flee instead. So what about her?
Watching the snowflakes swirling down, Qin Guan felt waves of sorrow. As a daughter, she couldn't even erect a tombstone bearing her father's name. After a year, she had finally uncovered the truth, yet this truth left her helpless. Despair washed over her in waves, mingled with guilt and resentment.
Yan Chi grasped Qin Guan's hand and helped her into the carriage. The strength in his grip silently infused her with courage. The party hurried back to the city through the wind and snow. Whether due to the snowfall or not, darkness fell exceptionally early that day, with dozens of li still remaining to the capital when the sky darkened.
With snow falling and dim light, Yan Chi and the others managing the horses fared better, but Qin Guan's carriage ride grew bumpy. Yan Chi ordered the carriage to slow down, using the moment to collect his thoughts. Inside the carriage, Qin Guan was similarly organizing her reflections. After turning everything over in her mind repeatedly, she ultimately confirmed her conclusion.
The truth was unavoidable, yet cruel and fantastical. Who would believe such a thing if spoken aloud?! Would the Empress Dowager believe it? Would the Crown Prince believe it?
Qin Guan suddenly thought of the Empress—that lofty, eternally proud and dignified woman.The truth lay hidden behind intricate and heavy drapes, the dazzling opulence of the imperial family had blinded many, and among them, the Empress was clearly the first to uncover the secret. Alone, she guarded the Kunning Palace, single-mindedly striving to secure the throne for Yan Che. Now, all the eerie mysteries had found their explanation.
Qin Guan suddenly felt immense admiration for the mistress of the Kunning Palace.
After traveling for over half a shichen, they finally reached the outskirts of the capital. By then, night had long fallen, and the city gates would normally be under curfew. However, Yan Chi and Qin Guan were of exceptional status, and with their betrothal, Yan Chi could easily secure their entry. Yet, as the party approached the gates, Yan Chi abruptly reined in his horse.
Qin Guan lifted the carriage curtain, and Yan Chi said in a low voice, "Something's wrong—"
Qin Guan looked up and saw the gates tightly shut, the watchtower above pitch-black. Straining to listen, she could detect no human sounds. Squinting her eyes, she thought the capital in the night shouldn't appear like this—what in the world had happened?!
OpenNovel