Xie Jingyan's steady voice echoed in the imperial study.

The expressions on the faces of the people on the boat were all different.

Eunuch Yuan was trying not to laugh.

The emperor's lips twitched.

The eldest prince was surprised and ashamed.

Xie Jingyin's forehead veins bulged.

Xie Jingyin clenched his fists.

I have never seen someone repeatedly refuse the Emperor's order to investigate the Xizhou Dam case, yet prepare countless copies of related evidence!

What exactly does Prince Ling want to do?!

However, he dared not ask this question in the Imperial Study, in front of the Emperor.

After the design drawings and accounts of the Xizhou Dam were destroyed, the Emperor guessed that Xie Jingyan would be on guard, but he did not expect that his son would be so cautious.

"It's good that there's still evidence," the Emperor said. "Since you still have the design drawings and account books, can you check them?"

Xie Jingyan said, "There's no one available, so we can't investigate."

To determine the materials used in the design drawings and ledgers, no one but the Ministry of Works is qualified.

If he asks the Ministry of Works to investigate, wouldn't that alert Xie Jingyin and let him get himself into trouble?

As long as the evidence is preserved, it's not too late to investigate the case after the Xizhou Dam is actually washed away by the flood.

The eldest prince said, "The evidence that Prince Ling gave me last time was burned because I didn't take good care of it. Without the evidence, the case can't be investigated further. Please give me another copy."

Xie Jingyan ignored his matter-of-fact tone.

He has more than one piece of evidence, but that doesn't mean he will give it to the eldest prince just because he wants it.

Xie Jingyan looked only at the Emperor, his eyes resolute.

The Emperor's face darkened considerably; it seemed he was trying to negotiate with his father.

Last time, when they tried to negotiate terms, he didn't agree. He then had Eunuch Yuan give the eldest prince a hint, and the eldest prince went to Xie Jingyan to get the evidence. Xie Jingyan, considering the Empress Dowager's support for Yun Qi and knowing that the eldest prince couldn't protect the evidence, reluctantly gave it to him.

This time it won't be so easy.

He exposed the Xizhou Dam incident so early not only to help Yun Qi obtain a pardon to propose marriage and save the Prince of Yanping, but also for this very day.

Xie Jingyan had an expression that left no room for negotiation. If the Emperor hadn't been holding back, he really would have ordered someone to drag him out and flog him. The Emperor's face darkened as he asked, "What are your conditions?"

A trace of sorrow flashed in Xie Jingyan's eyes as he said, "The sixteenth of next month is the anniversary of my mother's death. I want to go to her grave in person to pay my respects. I want to know where she is buried!"

Swish.

Almost instantly.

The emperor's face turned so gloomy it seemed to drip water.

Eunuch Yuan's heart trembled violently.

Why did Prince Ling have to bring up Consort Chen in front of the Emperor? Ever since Consort Chen's accident, no one has dared to mention those two words in front of the Emperor anymore.

Considering that Prince Ling, as a son, wanted to pay respects at his birth mother's grave, it was not unreasonable.

The Emperor was furious, shouting, "Who gave you permission to mention her?!"

Xie Jingyan's face showed suppressed anger. "Father can choose not to accept the evidence regarding the Xizhou Dam."

He was the only one who dared to bargain with the Emperor when he was in a fit of anger.

The Emperor, enraged, reached for the paperweight. Upon seeing this, Eunuch Yuan quickly snatched the paperweight from the Emperor's hand, saying, "Your Majesty, please calm down. A paperweight thrown at someone can kill them."

Last time, the Emperor regretted it after smashing the Prince Ling's head. He also regretted not stopping the Emperor. Such a thing must not be allowed to happen again.

Eunuch Yuan hid the paperweight behind his back and said to Prince Ling, "His Majesty does not know the burial place of Consort Chen. It's no use for Prince Ling to find His Majesty."

Xie Jingyan's body stiffened, his face was extremely pale, and he almost used all his strength to ask, "Who buried my mother back then?"

Eunuch Yuan replied, "Back then, it was the Empress Dowager who ordered Consort Chen to be taken out of the palace and buried."

Xie Jingyan's eyes were red.

He stared intently at the Emperor, his hands clenched tightly. Just when everyone thought he was about to explode, Xie Jingyan didn't say a word and turned away.

The Emperor's face behind them was extremely ugly. Neither the First Prince nor Xie Jingyin dared to speak and quietly withdrew.

Eunuch Yuan dared not advise the Emperor, and cautiously suggested, "May I go and ask the Empress Dowager?"

"Get out of my sight!"

...

As for Shen Wan, after Xie Jingyan entered the palace, Shen Wan went back to her room and embroidered for a while. When she got tired, she walked around the room and stood in front of the window to watch the clouds drift by.

Hearing the familiar footsteps, Shen Wan turned her head to look, and then froze.

Xie Jingyan's eyes were red, and he looked just like a wounded deer in the forest, so pained and helpless.

She had never seen him like this before.

The Emperor summoned him to the palace, wasn't it about the Xizhou Dam? Why did he seem to have suffered a huge blow?

Shen Wan was about to ask him what was wrong, but before she could speak, Xie Jingyan came over and hugged her tightly, as if he wanted to meld her into his body, making Shen Wan almost unable to breathe.

Shen Wan asked anxiously, "What's wrong with you?"

"Don't speak, let me hold you for a while," she said in a hoarse voice, almost pleading.

Shen Wan dared not say anything more, and simply hugged him tightly.

When Consort Chen was banished to the Cold Palace after her incident, Xie Jingyan wanted to visit her there. However, the Emperor demoted him to guard the Imperial Mausoleum. Xie Jingyan knew that the Emperor hated Consort Chen to the bone and did not bury her in the Imperial Mausoleum. But he never imagined that his mother's burial was arranged by the Empress Dowager. The thought that his beloved mother might have been thrown into a mass grave broke his heart.

Shen Wan didn't know what had happened to Xie Jingyan, so she let him hug her for a long time. When her back was numb from standing, Xie Jingyan finally let go of her.

Looking at his face again, all her pain and helplessness had vanished, as if it were just her imagination.

Shen Wan didn't dare ask Xie Jingyan. He had finally managed to suppress his emotions, and her question would only stir them up again. She asked Chen Feng for information, and Chen Feng said, "I was guarding outside the Imperial Study and couldn't hear very clearly, but it seems to be related to the Prince's mother, Consort Chen..."

No wonder.

Normally, Xie Jingyan and the Emperor never speak in a calm and peaceful manner. When Consort Chen is mentioned, the scene... Shen Wan doesn't even dare to imagine it.

Xie Jingyan only allowed himself to be vulnerable for a short while, and seemed no different from usual. But Shen Wan had been with him day and night for so long, how could she not sense that he was in a bad mood? Having tasted the sweetness, he tormented her every night. For the first time ever, he only held her, holding her tightly, as if afraid of losing her too.

The incident involving Consort Chen back then left him with considerable psychological trauma.

I usually dare not touch it, but once I peel back this scar, it's covered in blood.

The next day, Xie Jingyan was in a much better mood. After breakfast, he went to his study, and Shen Wan followed him to grind ink for him.

Just as the ink was ground to a thick consistency, Dong'er came in and said, "Your Highness, Eunuch Yuan and Granny Zhao from the Empress Dowager's side have arrived."

It's one thing for Eunuch Yuan to come, but why is Granny Zhao also at the Ling Prince's residence?

Shen Wan felt strangely tense.

Chen Feng quickly went out to greet them.

Before long, Eunuch Yuan and Granny Zhao came in.

Eunuch Yuan bowed to Xie Jingyan and said, "Back then, Consort Chen was buried outside the palace by Granny Zhao. This old servant was afraid of getting the place wrong, so I asked Granny Zhao to personally guide Prince Ling."