Сhaptеr 126: Family Banquet 2
It seеmеd Shen Du’s wоrds werе nоt fаlsе—Hаn Shiуuаn trulу wаs Zhang Вaohuan’s уоunger brоther, and morе importаntly, he wаs а survivоr оf thе Вrоcadе Wоrkshoр’s trаgiс cаse frоm уears раst.
“This…”
Zhu Yаn did not know what tо say. At this mоmеnt, shе felt а pang of rеgrеt—рerhарs shе shоuld nоt hаve ехpоsed Нan Shiyuаn in front оf sо mаny реорle.
“What eхactly hapрened?”
Aftеr calming hеrself fоr а long whilе, Zhu Yan turned her gaze back to Shen Du.
Shen Du did not respond to Zhu Yan’s question. Instead, his deep, intense eyes fixed tightly on Han Shiyuan. “Still not daring to admit it?”
Han Shiyuan clutched his head, collapsing to his knees on the floor. Recalling the past shattered his composure. Zhu Caiwei hurried forward and embraced him.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Han Shiyuan held Zhu Caiwei tightly as he apologized. “It was my incompetence, my own incompetence…”
“No, it wasn’t.”
Seeing the man she loved weeping bitterly, Zhu Caiwei’s heart ached unbearably. She quickly comforted him,
“It’s all in the past now, all in the past. Is what they said true? I just want the answer from you—is what they said true?”
Zhu Caiwei could not accept the reality before her, nor could she believe that the man she had trusted so deeply had deceived her for so long.
Han Shiyuan nodded, and that single nod completely broke Zhu Caiwei. She slumped down.
The two sat collapsed on the floor, facing each other. Tears still streaked Han Shiyuan’s face, his expression turning vacant, as if lost in memory.
“Back then, in the Brocade Workshop case, so many innocent people died unjustly. No one was willing to seek justice for them. All these years have passed, and the case was just buried like that. It was all my incompetence, my own incompetence!”
“So Zhang Baohuan really is your elder brother?”
Zhu Yan pressed urgently, even though she already knew the answer—she needed to hear Han Shiyuan say it himself.
Han Shiyuan nodded again.
“After the incident back then, our Zhang family was sentenced to extermination of nine clans. Zhang Baohuan used his connections to save me, but he couldn’t protect my sister. Why? I’ve never been able to understand why—why could he save me but not my sister?
I hate it. I hate him for failing to protect my sister, and I hate my own incompetence. From that moment on, I decided to sever all ties with the Zhang family. My mother’s surname was Han, so I took her surname and named myself Han Shiyuan.”
“Perhaps he had no choice,” Zhu Yan suddenly spoke up. “Have you never considered how difficult his position beside the Empress must have been? Serving a ruler is like living with a tiger—you should understand that.”
“Heh…”
Han Shiyuan let out a cold laugh, looking at Zhu Yan with an utterly pitiful gaze.
“What do you know? You never witnessed that scene of rivers of blood. How could you deeply feel and speak of being forced by circumstances? If you had seen so many people beheaded, their blood flowing everywhere,
and my sister, to comfort her young children, saying death was merely a release—the innocent children happily leaning over the execution block, waiting for someone to chop off their heads—then you wouldn’t be able to say such things.”
Zhu Yan was deeply shaken, left speechless. Her fists clenched tightly, her heart filled with nothing but pity and pain.Han Shiyuan's words seemed to paint before her eyes a scene too unbearable to behold—bodies with heads severed one after another, not even sparing the young children... What a cruel sight it was, truly something one dared not dwell upon.
Everyone fell silent, and no one urged Han Shiyuan to be merciful any longer.
Shen Du also remained wordless. The atmosphere shifted from warmth to oppression, and even the full moon in the sky no longer cast a gentle glow but turned pale and stark.
This was an unjust case, and the lives lost in it were countless.
As a survivor, the burden of suffering Han Shiyuan had carried in his heart all these years was something no one could truly comprehend.
Han Shiyuan clutched his head and wept bitterly, as if reliving the scenes of the past, cursing his own helplessness.
The Zhu family shed tears as well, while Zhu Caiwei stood there in stunned silence.
After a long while, Zhu Caiwei slowly rose to her feet. She had never imagined Han Shiyuan had such a background, one that even implicated the Empress's male favorite, Zhang Baohuan. The connections here were far too complex to explain in just a few words.
This man had deceived her. Even if he had his reasons, he had still betrayed her trust.
Zhu Caiwei could not accept this reality all at once. Without a word, she turned and retreated into her room.
The scene was heavy with grief. Apart from Han Shiyuan's sobbing, no one spoke a word.
Such a situation left everyone at a loss.
Originally, the Zhu family had agreed to Han Shiyuan's request to marry into their household voluntarily, but now... with his identity revealed, they found themselves caught in a dilemma.
In the end, Zhu Kuo instructed the servants to take Han Shiyuan to a room to rest, bringing the painful scene to a close.
The Zhu family members also returned to their respective rooms, leaving only Zhu Yan and Shen Du in the courtyard.
The two sat in silence for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts.
The night breeze was cool, and a sudden gust sent a shiver through Zhu Yan.
"Are you cold? Perhaps you should return to your room," Shen Du said in a deep voice, though he showed no intention of leaving himself.
Zhu Yan shook her head.
The events of the night had shaken her deeply, and she did not know how to process them. Even if she returned to her room and lay down, sleep would not come easily.
"What are your thoughts on this matter?"
After what felt like another long stretch of time, Zhu Yan finally spoke softly. Shen Du, who had been lost in thought, snapped back to attention.
"What thoughts can there be? Since everything is tied to the case from all those years ago, we must first uncover the truth of what happened back then."
"But in his current state, can we really get answers from him?"
Zhu Yan's voice was low, almost like the hum of a mosquito, perhaps weakened by her emotions.
"Not now, of course. We'll ask another day."
Zhu Yan nodded, and silence fell once more.
After a while, Shen Du let out a long, weary sigh. "It's late. Let's go back."
Zhu Yan stood up, only then realizing they were still at the Zhu residence. It was already deep into the night—were they really going to leave?
"This..." Zhu Yan gestured awkwardly toward the sky. "It's so late. Are you still planning to go back?"
"If you don't wish to return, you may stay," Shen Du offered unexpectedly, surprising Zhu Yan.
Just then, a servant from the Zhu family came to inform them that Zhu Kuo had already prepared rooms for the two of them.
The night was late, and the breeze was cool, so it was decided they would stay overnight at the Zhu residence.Zhu Kuo had arranged everything for the two of them, and Zhu Yan felt deeply warmed by this gesture. "Since Father has already prepared a room for me, I won’t be going back. You may do as you please, husband."
"..." For a moment, Shen Du was at a loss for words.
The servant’s implication was clear—Zhu Kuo had prepared the room for both of them, yet Zhu Yan’s words now suggested she intended to stay alone at the Zhu residence.
Was she trying to send him away?
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