Chapter 73 He wanted her body, and he wanted her heart...

"My lord! You'd better not look..."

The coroner and his trusted confidant knelt down on the ground.

Wei Zhang remained calm and lifted the white cloth.

In an instant, rumbling thunder echoed across the sky, followed by flashes of lightning.

His hand trembled slightly, his gaze fixed on the corpse's face.

It can no longer be called a face.

Its flesh was a bloody mess, and white bone could be vaguely seen at the cheekbone. There were even insects crawling in and out of the flesh.

There was an unpleasant smell in the air.

The wailing housekeepers turned their heads away.

Only Wei Zhang remained unmoved, one hand behind his back and the other suspended in mid-air for a long time.

Then, he reached out and touched the bloodied face with his fingers.

"Ah!" The timid maid almost cried out in surprise.

Everyone lay prone on the ground, stifling their gasps.

Only Qingyang, bowing and waiting on Wei Zhang's right, heard his master's excessively long breaths.

Each breath felt heavy.

He glanced at his master out of the corner of his eye and saw a crimson blush spreading across the corner of his eye. As he stroked it with his fingers, the blush grew deeper and deeper.

Under the flickering light and shadow, cracks appeared in the eyes that had always been as smooth as glaciers.

Like that black jade thumb ring, the cracks slowly spread and spread, and it was about to break.

Qingyang felt nervous.

He knew that the storm would only begin after the glacier broke apart.

He held his breath and clenched his fists tightly.

Another bolt of lightning struck, and Wei Zhang's hand suddenly stopped.

At the same time, the cracks in his eyes closed, freezing again and turning into anger.

Qingyang looked at the corpse in surprise.

The master's hand was running through the corpse's temples, and as he slowly raised it, strands of hair slipped through his fingers.

Wei Zhang's fair, jade-like hand was stained with blood.

He lightly twirled his fingers together and coldly uttered two words: "Fake."

Fake?

Qingyang looked at the corpse, then at Wei Zhang's resolute expression.

Only then did they realize that, besides grieving and mourning, Wei Zhang had also been examining the body.

But……

Ying Qi couldn't hold back and spoke first, "How could it be fake? Not only are the clothes and handkerchiefs the concubine's, but I also asked the maids and servants who served the concubine to come and see for themselves. The body's physique is exactly the same as the concubine's."

"Besides, the coroner verified that the time and place of death matched perfectly; this is my aunt's..."

A beam of cold, eerie light swept over.

Qingyang quickly grabbed Yingqi and gave him a wink, "Why aren't you carrying the body downstairs and burying it!"

"But……"

"Go quickly! Throw all these wailing ghosts out too!" Qingyang slapped Yingqi on the back of the head.

The force was considerable, and Ying Qi was stunned by the blow. He opened his mouth, but seeing his brother's angry expression, he didn't dare to make a sound. He led a group of mourners to carry the body away.

The coroner, also puzzled, left.

The courtyard fell silent, with only Wei Zhang still standing beneath the black and white character "奠" (meaning "offering sacrifice"), facing the wind, silent as if deep in thought.

Qingyang understood perfectly well that if his master said the corpse was fake, then it must be fake.

However, the coroner he hired was the most experienced in the Ministry of Justice, so how could he have made a mistake in the examination?

Qingyang didn't know how his master discovered the corpse was fake.

But serving the Duke required thorough knowledge, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward with his hands clasped: "I wonder how Your Excellency discerned that this corpse was not Consort Xue? Please enlighten me."

Wei Zhang kept his eyes slightly lowered, his fingertips idly making circles.

The corpse was so badly disfigured that it was impossible to recognize it.

But his black hair is still there.

Xue Lanyi once cut off a section of her long hair from beside her ear and tied it with Wei Xuan to form a love knot.

Wei Zhang clearly remembered that Xue Lanyi's hair was now just shoulder-length.

The corpse's hair showed no signs of having been cut.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't explain.

Did he really remember how long a single strand of a woman's hair was?

He himself didn't know when he started paying attention to these trivial details.

Wei Zhang remained silent, his eyes darkening. "Those who brought back fake corpses or reported false information will be severely punished according to military law."

"This..." Qingyang looked troubled, but seeing his master's gloomy face, he cautiously replied, "This subordinate understands."

A glimpse of a dark robe swept past my eyes.

Wei Zhang turned and left.

When Yingqi finished disposing of the body and returned, he heard Wei Zhang's last instruction.

"Zhou Laosan only brought the body back overnight because he was thinking of his master. He deserves credit for his hard work, even if he didn't do anything special."

"Furthermore, even the coroner couldn't see anything unusual about the body, so how could Zhou Laosan know it was a fake? Your punishment is a bit too harsh..."

Zhou Laosan was the guard in charge of the search along the riverbank. He was a loyal man. He immediately rode back to report when he found the body and had no intention of deliberately deceiving anyone.

However, according to military strategy, if he were to receive thirty strokes of the cane, he might not even be able to get down to the ground.

It's a bit too heavy.

Qingyang was also puzzled, and sighed, "Alright, go do it. It's lucky that the master didn't immediately order his head to roll."

"This, this... no, I'll plead with my master for mercy."

"Can you just shut up for a bit?" Qingyang grabbed Yingqi's arm.

It's all Zhou Laosan's fault for running into the line of fire.

It turned out to be a false alarm.

Even a false alarm can cause ripples.

I'm afraid the ripples are far from shallow.

Qingyang watched his master's departing figure. The tall, dark figure was as composed as ever, but slightly stiff.

"You..." Qingyang patted Yingqi on the shoulder, "If you can't see through your master's thoughts, how will you take over my position in a couple of years?"

"Wh...what are you thinking?" Ying Qi scratched his head. "And...brother, what are you going to do in a couple of years?"

*

On the other side, Wei Zhang silently walked back to his study.

He gathered his sleeves, closed the door, lifted his robe, and sat down gently, his movements as slow and refined as ever.

The lights were simply not turned on.

In the cramped, dark space, the lingering scent of cold pine resin still lingered.

Wei Zhang sat upright in the grand chair, the wisps of smoke from the incense sticks obscuring his expression.

All that could be heard was the alternating sound of long exhalations and inhalations, and it took a long time for the breathing to become steady.

As the night deepened, the moon climbed above the eaves, its cold light shining through the windowpanes, piercing the thin smoke, and finally revealing the man's pale face.

His expression remained stern, his jawline taut.

When he raised his hand, he saw that the blood-stained hand was still trembling.

He tried his best to focus his energy in his dantian, but he couldn't stop the trembling.

My hands were colder than the blood in my fingertips, and they wouldn't warm up even after sitting for half an hour.

Wei Zhang had not experienced this kind of palpitation and loss of control for many years.

He knew clearly in his heart that Xue Lanyi was not dead and that he would be able to bring her back soon, but every organ in his body remembered the rotting corpse under the bright red wedding dress just now.

If that corpse is her...

If she really is dead...

Countless imaginations flooded his mind.

His head throbbed, his chest felt empty, his heart was pounding, and his hands were shaking so badly that the entire armchair was swaying.

Why is the body no longer under the control of the mind?

He hated this feeling of being unable to control himself!

He hates the feeling of being preoccupied with external affairs and things!

He doesn't want to be tied down!

Don't get swept up in it!

He suddenly pulled out a dagger from the drawer, its silvery light flashing in the darkness, the blade aimed at the trembling hand spread out on the table.

He doesn't need these unnecessary emotions.

Since it's out of control, let it hurt, let it bleed, and it will come to its senses.

Just like when he was a child, after that scroll pierced his heart and caused him great pain, he came to understand the ways of the world and how fragile and unnecessary human emotions and bonds are.

His eyes narrowed, and the tip of his knife struck the disobedient palm with steady, precise, and ruthless movements.

However, the sharp edge just barely touched a fragment of black jade inside the skin.

The strokes of the character "漪" can still be faintly discerned on the fragments.

In an instant, the girl's radiant face appeared on the fragments.

Dozens of fragments were embedded in the wound on his palm, and in that instant, they all transformed into her face in various expressions...

She, with her hair in two buns, suddenly jumped out from behind the tree, making faces to scare him.

She held a peeled longan to his lips and made an "ah" sound to signal him to open his mouth.

On the swing, her yellow dress fluttered as she descended from the sky.

She wrapped her arms around him from behind and said, "My heart is as firm as stone and cannot be changed."

She nestled in his arms, saying that from now on they would share a bed and keep each other warm.

besides……

On his birthday one year, a young girl placed a black jade thumb ring on his thumb, her slender and soft hand holding his thumb. She tilted her head and smiled, saying, "Happy birthday to our Ah Zhang! May we live to be a hundred years old together!"

Her charming beauty, her gentle nature... all irresistibly flooded his senses.

Thud—

The silver blade in his hand pierced deeply, penetrating the tabletop.

The table was wobbling, and writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were scattered all over the floor.

Bang bang bang.

Yingqi and Qingyang, who were waiting outside, glanced warily into the study.

Yingqi immediately straightened his expression and stepped forward, gripping his sword.

Qingyang pressed down on Yingqi's hand, pondered for a moment, and said, "Let's go, there are no assassins."

"this……"

Yingqi pointed to the bird-startling bell swaying precariously under the eaves.

My grandfather is a calm and steady man; surely he couldn't have caused such a commotion on his own?

Qingyang put her hand to her lips, making a shushing gesture, and pulled her younger brother toward the back door of Chong'an Hall, which was further away.

As I left, I glanced one last time at the window paper, where I saw the man leaning over the desk, panting heavily.

"Twelve years have passed, and it's time for you to re-evaluate some people and things," Qingyang sighed softly.

Twelve years ago, Wei Zhang was adopted into the Prince Qi's household.

Because everyone in the Duke's mansion knew that Wei Zhang had gone there under an assumed name and that his future days would likely be filled with misery, no servant was willing to accompany their master to the tiger's den at Prince Qi's mansion.

At that time, Qingyang and Yingqi were orphans and the lowest-ranking servants in the Duke's stables. Their lives were predictable and difficult.

They then volunteered to go with Wei Zhang, with a gambler's mentality of "if it doesn't work out, it's all over," hoping that if their master rose to power, they too could benefit.

I never imagined that I would stay with my master in the Prince Qi's mansion, enduring seven years of harsh winters and scorching summers.

In those years, the Zhou and Lu brothers often joked, "Ah Zhang has become estranged from us since he became the heir apparent of the Prince of Qi."

Actually, that's not the case. Back then, the princes and Xue Lanyi, along with the Crown Prince, cut off Prince Qi's source of wealth by implementing the reforms.

Prince Qi had many complaints, but due to the noble status of the Crown Prince and the young masters, he dared not openly vent his anger on them. So he vented all the anger he had been holding in his heart on Wei Zhang.

Wei Zhang was often covered in wounds, and fearing that his condition would affect their determination to reform, he gradually stopped participating in their bamboo grove gatherings so that they could act without any worries.

During those seven years, the grandfather's affection for the six men never wavered in the slightest.

After all, he was introverted as a child, his parents didn't love him, and he didn't like to talk. For him, the friendship of the six people was his only bond in the world, and he valued it very much.

It's more important than life itself.

Therefore, when he unexpectedly learned that Prince Qi had obtained evidence of the former Crown Prince's faction's plot to rebel and was preparing to denounce his friends.

In desperation, he decided to poison Prince Qi with the poisonous herb "heartbreak grass".

Wei Zhang hated Prince Qi to the bone, and indeed, he had been researching the "heartbreak grass" since childhood.

But he was just a child then, and even though he had poison in his hands for many years, he never dared to actually kill anyone.

It wasn't until that day, when he was in dire straits and had no other choice, that he mustered the courage to resort to this desperate measure.

Later, Wei Zhang successfully killed Prince Qi and obtained the red plum blossom painting that pointed directly to treason.

He escaped the pursuit of Prince Qi's mansion by jumping out of the window, intending to find the eldest son.

Qingyang didn't know how fierce the pursuit by the Prince's Mansion was that night, or what life-and-death experiences Wei Zhang went through.

Because when Wei Zhang committed the murder, he acted alone and did not involve the Qingyang brothers.

Qingyang only learned of Prince Qi's death when he heard loud wailing from Prince Qi's residence in the middle of the night.

Unable to find Wei Zhang, he went to wait in vain in the back alley of the Duke's mansion.

He knew that his master would return to the Duke's mansion when he was unhappy, so he secretly peeked out from the back door.

That night, he indeed saw Wei Zhang covered in blood.

Wei Zhang wanted to give the painting of red plum blossoms to the eldest son so that they would have a plan.

However, at that time, the Duke's Mansion and the Prince Qi's Mansion were two opposing factions, old and new, and could not be tolerated. The old lady, not wanting to give anyone cause for criticism, had already ordered: Wei Zhang must not enter the mansion without presenting a formal letter of introduction.

Unable to enter his own home, Wei Zhang had to disguise himself as his injured elder brother, Wei Xuan, to gain entry.

At that time, Wei Zhang had lost too much blood and was drowsy.

Qingyang helped the person lie down on the daybed in the outer room, then went out to find the eldest son and the doctor.

That night, the wind howled, the fog was thick, and a mountain rain seemed imminent.

Qingyang found a doctor late at night and returned to Shuying Hall.

The hall was filled with weeping.

Xue Lanyi, Zhou Yu, and others arrived together.

The young masters were fetching water and wiping away the blood at Wei Zhang's bedside, while Princess Zhaoyang was sobbing uncontrollably.

What a lively scene!

In those years, whether he was sick or injured, Wei Zhang would endure it all alone in the woodshed.

It was deserted and all alone.

The only sound in the room was the rustling of the wind tearing through the window paper.

I've never seen so many people running around for him, crying for him, and even saying they'd "die together."

Perhaps craving this feeling, Wei Zhang kept his eyes closed and remained motionless.

But Qingyang knew that his master was neither unconscious nor dead, because he saw that his master's blood-stained lips could not help but smile, and he was holding the blood-stained painting in his hand.

He's just a child, after all.

He must be waiting, waiting for them to cry their hearts out, thinking he's really dead.

He suddenly opened his eyes, startling them, then handed the scroll to his friends and asked, "Ha! How are you going to thank me?"

His friends must think he's amazing!

Wei Zhang's fingers trembled slightly, and his palm quietly pressed against the bed surface.

When a tear from Xue Lanyi fell onto the back of his hand, he began to exert force.

Qingyang knew that his master was about to suddenly sit up and startle them.

At this moment, the eldest son walked in carrying a bouquet of lilies.

The crying stopped abruptly, and everyone looked towards Wei Xuan at the door.

The five pairs of eyes of the boys and girls looked at each other, each one bewildered.

"Xuan-ge, are you alright?"

What could possibly be wrong with me?

"We thought you..."

The young men and women who had been gathered around the couch rushed toward the eldest young master, surrounding him and scrutinizing him closely.

Seeing that the eldest young master was safe and sound, Xue Lanyi wiped away her tears and angrily punched his chest, "You bastard, everyone else was worried to death, and you still had the mood to pick flowers!"

“Hey, hey, we’re not worried about ‘death’—the only one who’s going to commit suicide for love is Zhaoyang.”

"Zhou Yu, what nonsense are you spouting now? Anyway, Xuan-ge is alright, it was a false alarm, thank goodness!"

...

The gloomy atmosphere in the room instantly lifted with Wei Xuan's arrival.

The boys and girls surrounded him, playing and laughing.

They seemed to have forgotten that there was someone on the bed who was still bleeding profusely and was about to die.

Is it considered a stroke of luck?

Is it fortunate that it was Wei Zhang who was going to die, not Wei Xuan?

Wei Zhang opened his eyes slowly, staring at the roof beam, as if there was a glistening tear in the corner of his eye.

He used to cry when he was beaten and scolded at Prince Qi's mansion.

But that time, no tears came out.

He propped himself up on the couch and silently got up.

Passing behind the laughing and jubilant crowd, each step a drop of blood.

That night, it was Qingyang who helped Wei Zhang leave the Duke's mansion.

On the long bluestone road, the wind was strong and the rain was heavy.

They had no umbrellas, and the rain soaked them to the bone, washing away their still-warm blood.

Before the blood cooled completely, Wei Zhang did one last thing for them—poisoned Princess Qi, and from then on, no one in the world knew about the Red Plum Blossom Painting.

After that, the blood completely coagulated.

However, the wound that pierced through his lungs was truly severe. Wei Zhang burned for three days and three nights without uttering a single word.

When the weather cleared up, Wei Zhang's fever subsided, and he stared blankly at the roof of the woodshed, which was covered with cobwebs.

Amid Qingyang's repeated calls.

He finally opened his mouth and said only one sentence: "I never want to like anyone again."

Later, several young masters and ladies belatedly realized what was happening and came to visit Wei Zhang.

Wei Zhang didn't say anything more, only saying, "That night my foot slipped and I accidentally bumped my chest, but it's all better now and I won't get hurt again."

The young masters and ladies felt guilty because Wei Zhang was injured that night, and they hadn't taken good care of him.

But they were all chosen ones, and they didn't know, or could hardly understand, that the most fatal thing for Wei Zhang was that people are not equal.

When faced with life and death, he had to admit that even though he learned everything from his brother and followed the rules in everything, he could not be as likable as his brother.

A person's temperament and aura are truly predetermined by fate.

Some people are born likable and don't need to do anything special.

Some people, no matter how much they give, can't get the same kind of love.

Since we can't have them, why let them hold us back?

For many years afterward, Wei Zhang intentionally severed all ties of affection.

However, how can one sever one's seven emotions and six desires so easily?

For example, Wei Zhang's relationship with Aunt Xue.

Even if he deliberately acts cold and hurts her with his words, can he really maintain only the cold and hard relationship between a master and a concubine without having any feelings?

Qingyang knew it was impossible.

Human desires do not diminish with restraint; on the contrary, the more they are suppressed, the more wildly they grow.

Therefore, this false news of the concubine's death will most likely pierce through the fog and give the master a different kind of understanding.

Separated by a wall, in a dimly lit space.

The round moon cast its shadow on the desk, just enough to illuminate Wei Zhang's long, well-defined fingers.

The dagger ultimately failed to pierce the jade fragment, instead lodging between the fingers.

The sharp blade sliced ​​through his fingers, drawing blood.

He could no longer bring himself to shatter the memories associated with her.

He could no longer separate her from his body or his thoughts.

He wants her.

It wasn't because he needed a wife to manage the mansion.

It wasn't because his body was so perfectly suited to hers.

Rather... he felt something was missing from his heart.

He needed her to stand alive in front of him, to be with him for a long, long time, in order to fill the void in his chest.

These emotions can no longer be suppressed or ignored.

No matter what it takes, he must have her, and her heart.

He wanted her to willingly become a part of him, never to be separated.

Wei Zhang's chest rose and fell slowly for a long, long time...