"Reporting to Princess Jingning, I once served as a coroner in Chang'an County."
Upon hearing this, Jing Ning instantly realized, "Oh, it was you!"
"Princess Jingning recognizes me?" Su Yan was somewhat surprised, as she had only met Princess Jingning once.
Jing Ning smiled and nodded, "I remember you always spent time with Brother Yao, you must be his capable assistant..."
"Um... I guess I should be..." Su Yan didn't know how to answer her question about her relationship with Shen Yao.
During the brief pause in their conversation, Shen Yao left the courtyard alone. Jing Ning wanted to follow him, but because Su Yan was present, she didn't move an inch. However, her gaze followed Shen Yao's figure until he disappeared from sight.
Su Yan didn't understand what had happened between the two, but seeing Princess Jingning's disappointed expression, she felt a little sorry for her. After all, as a princess, it was quite unbelievable that Jingning had to lower herself to beg a man like this. As a woman herself, she could understand even more how humble Jingning's love was.
"Princess, are you alright?" Su Yan asked with concern.
Jingning smiled and shook her head, "It's okay, Brother Yao hates me, I don't blame him for treating me like this... You can go now... You don't need to comfort me..."
"Su Yan, I'm worried about Brother Yao, please go and check on him for me..." Princess Jingning suddenly pleaded.
Su Yan didn't know what to say, so she could only nod. After all, it was a matter between the two of them, and as an outsider, she shouldn't interfere.
So, Su Yan glanced at Jing Ning and then chased after the place where Shen Yao had just left.
When Su Yan caught up with Shen Yao, he was punching and kicking a willow tree on the lake shore, venting his dissatisfaction.
Su Yan didn't step forward to stop him. She found a jar of wine in the kitchen and waited silently until Shen Yao had completely vented his pent-up dissatisfaction and collapsed on the ground, exhausted. Only then did she walk over and wave the wine in front of him.
Shen Yao didn't say anything. He propped himself up on one side, took the wine, and drank it down in big gulps.
Su Yan also sat down next to Shen Yao. Looking at the lake, which was frozen by snow, all she could see was white, and there was no other color in the world.
Su Yan knew he shouldn't ask too many questions, but it was the first time he had seen such a pained expression on Shen Yao's face, so he still hesitantly asked the question that had been bothering him.
"Lord Shen, are you alright?"
Su Yan was actually very curious as to why Shen Yao treated Princess Jingning this way. Judging from their behavior, it seemed to be no small matter.
Shen Yao's expression betrayed his dejection. He raised his hand to wipe the wine stains from the corner of his mouth and handed the wine back, seemingly wanting to invite Su Yan to drink with him.
Su Yan took the liquor, tilted her head back and took a sip. The strong liquor went down her throat and was very choking. Looking at the white expanse, she couldn't help but think of that snowy night three years ago.
The truth behind the massacre of the Su family was like a mountain, threatening to crush her.
"Lord Shen, do you know? I've been putting on a brave face, but I'm actually exhausted every day..."
Shen Yao turned to look at Su Yan, seeing her pained expression and a sense of shared misfortune, and replied in a deep voice, "Me too..."
"Can you be as tired as I am?" Su Yan suddenly burst out with competitive spirit. "I carried the burden of the entire Su family, and I finally found a clue, but it just died like this... I'm not reconciled, I'm really not reconciled..."
Su Yan recalled that she was only one step away from the Dark Moon Pavilion. Just when the truth was about to surface, it sank back into the sea with Zhang Lanzhen's departure.
Since returning to Chang'an, Su Yan has never stopped searching for Zhang Lanzhen's whereabouts, as well as the mysterious person who shot an arrow in the forest on the day of the cliff incident.
But so far, nothing has been found.
Today, Su Yan, emboldened by the alcohol, finally managed to lift the heavy weight off her chest and catch her breath.
Shen Yao looked at Su Yan, reached out and patted her shoulder to comfort her, "Everyone carries secrets and lives a life of quiet desperation. I understand you..."
Don't you want to know my secret?
Shen Yao shook his head, "If a secret is known to others, then it is no longer a secret..."
"But I want to know your secret, sir... what exactly is going on between you and Princess Jingning..." Su Yan asked sincerely.
"I'm not being nosy, but I feel that this dragging on isn't good for either of you... In matters of the heart, indecisiveness is sometimes the worst thing."
Shen Yao couldn't help but laugh as he looked at Su Yan's sincere anticipation for an answer.
After a long silence, Shen Yao decided to stop hiding it and told her about his grudge with Princess Jingning.
It turns out that Shen Yao and Jing Ning's first meeting was not at the hunting grounds, but on the day Shen Yao returned to Chang'an from the frontier.
On that day, Shen Yao returned in triumph on a tall horse, his clothes and spirited horse shining brightly like the blazing sun.
Jingning happened to be meeting a friend in the attic. When she saw Shen Yao wearing armor and riding a horse through the long street, she had already fallen in love with him.
A talented man and a beautiful woman falling in love at first sight is certainly a beautiful story, but fate always plays tricks on lovers. Among the group that Shen Yao returned to Chang'an with was his beloved.
Later, Jingning went to ask the Empress to grant her wish, but unexpectedly, Shen Yao refused the marriage in front of all the civil and military officials for the sake of his beloved.
Jingning became a laughing stock in the entire Liang Dynasty.
The emperor was furious and wanted to dismiss Shen Yao from his post. Later, Jing Ning went to plead for him, and the emperor, unable to bear seeing Jing Ning upset, did not punish Shen Yao. Instead, he appointed him as a general.
If it weren't for this incident, given Shen Yao's military achievements, he would probably have become the youngest general in the history of the Great Liang Dynasty long ago.
I thought this matter could end like this.
No one expected that Shen Yao's beloved would suddenly commit suicide...
No one knows why she committed suicide, not even Shen Yao himself.
Since then, a life has stood between Shen Yao and Jing Ning, which has led to their current situation.
After hearing this story of the past, Su Yan didn't know what to say to comfort Shen Yao.
Perhaps in Shen Yao's heart, the departure of his beloved is a wound that will never heal. No amount of comfort can erase the pain in his heart; only time can he leave it to time.
"Lord Shen, the deceased is gone, let's move on..."
After saying that, Su Yan stood up and left, intending to leave Shen Yao alone for a while.
Seeing his dejected look, it seemed he couldn't be of any help, so he could only sneak into the morgue by himself.
So, that night, Su Yan dressed in black and quietly sneaked into the Surveillance Bureau.
But she didn't expect that, besides her, another man in black had also infiltrated the Forensic Center, and it seemed that he was also interested in the corpses in the morgue.
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
Su Yan hid in the shadows, watching the man in black deal with the guards at the door, and then quietly followed him.
It was the middle of the night, and the morgue was pitch black. The man in black lit a candle with a tinderbox and groped his way toward the corpse.
Meanwhile, Su Yan hid in the shadows, silently watching the man in black's every move.
It seems the man in black isn't here to cause trouble, but rather to investigate a case.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com