Chapter 58 Opening the coffin... this...
The first rays of morning light came in through the window lattice. The branches of flowers outside the window swayed, casting mottled light and shadows on the bed.
Shen Xingwan slowly opened her eyes, half waking up.
In a trance, she felt a very heavy arm around her waist, and behind her was a warm and strong chest.
Shen Xingwan moved slightly and suddenly realized that she was being held in Yan Jinghuan's arms.
She was so exhausted last night that she fell asleep early, smelling the calming benzoin. She didn't even know when he finished dealing with the pile of documents and came back to his room to sleep.
She sighed softly and was about to get up, but the person who was sleeping soundly behind her had already woken up and tightened his arms around her waist.
"woke up?"
Yan Jinghuan's voice was slightly hoarse, low and tender.
Shen Xingwan responded and turned around, and what came into her sight was Yan Jinghuan's cold and handsome face.
His face was close at hand, his eyes were deep, the corners of his lips were slightly raised, and his messy black hair was scattered on the pillow, making him look even more handsome and charming.
"Good morning." Shen Xingwan said softly, looking at such a face, her tone unconsciously became a little softer.
Yan Jinghuan's smile deepened. He leaned over and pecked her lightly on the lips, then kissed her on the forehead.
"Did you sleep well last night?" He stroked the scattered hair on her temples. "You slept very soundly. When I came back, you didn't even move, like a kitten."
Shen Xingwan turned her face away slightly to avoid his overly scorching gaze. "I am a little tired after traveling for days, so it is inevitable that I slept a lot. You even want to make fun of me for this."
Yan Jinghuan chuckled, and traced the outline of her eyebrows with his fingertips. "I'm not teasing you. It's rare to see you look so cute."
Shen Xingwan couldn't help but look back and glare at him.
She propped herself up and tried to get up, but Yan Jinghuan pulled her back into his arms.
"Lie down a little longer."
He leaned over and rubbed her neck, like a big, coquettish cat, "It's still early outside."
Shen Xingwan had no choice but to lean softly in his arms, letting his fingers run through her hair and gently play with it between his fingers.
The two of them hugged each other like this, talking to each other in a gentle and affectionate manner.
As the morning light grew brighter, Shen Xingwan finally got up from Yan Jinghuan's arms and pulled her clothes together.
"I should get up."
She raised her hand to tidy up her messy hair, "You should get some more sleep. I guess you were busy dealing with those documents until very late last night."
Yan Jinghuan propped himself up and looked at her intently with a smile on his lips. He did not stand up, but just leaned lazily on the cushion and looked at her.
Shen Xingwan called Feiyun, who was waiting outside, to come in and serve him.
Feiyun walked in quietly with her head down, and gently helped Shen Xingwan wash and change clothes.
Shen Xingwan finished washing up and said softly, "Tell them to prepare breakfast."
Feiyun left in response, leaving only two people in the room.
Yan Jinghuan then stood up. He was not used to having a maid. Shen Xingwan was in the room, so he was too lazy to call the servant in to serve him. He went to wash his face in the basin that Feiyun had prepared for him.
He had been pampered for so long that he was inevitably unfamiliar with doing things on his own, causing splashes of water everywhere.
Drops of water dripped down his well-defined jaw, slid across his slender neck, and disappeared into his half-open collar.
He casually picked up a cloth and wiped the water droplets on his face twice, then changed into a casual dark blue gown, and tied a green belt with Sichuan embroidery and feather patterns around his waist, looking very elegant.
He let his black hair fall on his shoulders, without tying it up into a crown. He just casually half-tied it up with a jade hairpin, which made him look even more handsome and elegant.
Shen Xingwan was stunned for a moment, then came back to his senses and blushed secretly.
Yan Jinghuan caught her gaze, raised his eyebrows and chuckled: "What are you looking at?"
Shen Xingwan turned away and said, "You look so sloppy."
Yan Jinghuan laughed even more happily when he heard this, "Why should we be so polite in front of our own wife?"
He stretched out his hand to her, softened his voice, and said coquettishly, "I don't know how to tie my hair. If you think it's sloppy, then you can comb my hair for me."
Shen Xingwan raised her eyes to look at him, and seeing a hint of expectation in his eyes, she nodded for some unknown reason.
She personally took the silver comb and walked behind Yan Jinghuan.
He sat in front of the dressing table and she stood behind him, her fingertips lightly touching his black hair, which felt soft and had a faint scent of cold pine.
Shen Xingwan gently combed his long hair, her movements gentle, as if she was stroking a kitten's fur.
Yan Jinghuan closed his eyes and leaned back in the armchair, enjoying her tenderness, with a faint smile on his lips.
The sound of birds chirping could be heard from the cherry blossom branches outside the house. The window lattices reflected the warm yellow morning light in the room, shining on the two people and giving their outlines a layer of gold.
In a trance, they were not the Regent and the Princess, but just an ordinary young couple in Jiangnan, living a simple and happy life.
Yan Jinghuan opened his eyes and stared at her focused profile in the bronze mirror for a long time, and couldn't help but raise his hand to cover her hand.
"Xingwan." He called her.
"If I can live my life in peace like this, I will die without regrets."
Shen Xingwan paused for a moment, her heart trembling, and then she continued to comb her hair as if nothing had happened, speaking in a normal tone, "Why are you dying or living for no reason? We...will naturally live our lives in peace."
Yan Jinghuan could hear the slight tremor in her voice. His eyes dimmed slightly, like a surging ink color. He stared at her through the bronze mirror, "In this life, I will definitely protect you."
Shen Xingwan lowered her eyelashes, "Yeah."
The morning light became brighter and more charming, scattering brilliance all over the room. Shen Xingwan's slender hands flew over and combed his black hair, tied it into a braid and coiled it on the top of his head, and then gently pinned a golden crown on his head.
After they were dressed, breakfast was served. Shen Xingwan and Yan Jinghuan sat opposite each other. Feiyun led the servants in and quickly arranged the meal.
Feiyun served a bowl of freshly cooked lotus seed soup, which was full of fragrance. Shen Xingwan picked up the spoon and stirred it gently, his eyes flickering slightly, and he said casually: "I want to go to the Tang Mansion to take a look."
Yan Jinghuan paused holding the chopsticks and looked up at her, "Tang Mansion? Do you mean the old house of the Tang family?"
Shen Xingwan nodded, tapping the edge of the bowl with her fingertips. "Some things require you to go and see them in person to find clues."
Yan Jinghuan put down the chopsticks in his hand and said, "I'll go with you."
"No need, I can go by myself."
"You have so many government affairs to deal with, why bother following me around?"
Yan Jinghuan's lips curled up into a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes, and he stared at her with burning eyes.
"I told you I wanted to be with you."
Shen Xingwan sighed softly, "You are the regent king, but you stick to me all day long. How can you be so disrespectful? You will be laughed at."
Yan Jinghuan lowered his eyes and smiled softly, then reached out to cover the back of her hand and gently stroked it, "In front of you, I am just your husband."
Shen Xingwan was helpless and couldn't persuade him.
"Forget it, if you insist on going, then let's go together."
The smile in Yan Jinghuan's eyes deepened, the corners of his eyes slightly raised, and he lowered his head to continue eating.
After breakfast, Shen Xingwan changed into a Xiang-colored brocade jacket and an indigo cloak, looking very low-key and homely.
The two men changed to a light carriage, left the house, and drove towards the Tang Mansion.
In Yangzhou city, the streets and alleys where the former site of the Tang Mansion is located are quiet and deserted. The willows on the roadside are swaying, but they can't hide the desolate atmosphere.
The carriage stopped in front of a dilapidated house. Shen Xingwan lifted the curtain and his eyes fell on the mottled and decayed gate. His heart tightened slightly.
The once cozy Tang Mansion is now only left with broken walls and a devastated scene.
Yan Jinghuan got out of the car, reached out to help her down, and glanced at the ruins in front of him, frowning slightly.
"It was indeed a big fire that burned thoroughly."
Shen Xingwan nodded, and her followers rushed forward, broke the padlock and pushed open the door. She walked slowly into the courtyard, her eyes scanning the ruins.
"The fire was so big that most of the walls collapsed." She whispered, "If it was really an accidental fire as the government just said, how could it burn so thoroughly?"
Yan Jinghuan followed behind her with a serious look on his face, "It's indeed strange."
The two men looked in the ruins for a long time, but found nothing special except charred broken beams and broken furniture.
Shen Xingwan stood in a collapsed corner with a frown on his face.
She pondered for a moment, then looked up at Yan Jinghuan, "Maybe we can ask a coroner to go to the Tang family's tomb and open the coffin for an autopsy."
"If the Tang family's daughter was really murdered, there must be traces on her body."
Yan Jinghuan looked at her, thoughtfully.
"Do you suspect that the Tang family's daughter did not die in the fire?"
Shen Xingwan nodded, "I suspect it was Tang Lin'er who did it."
"If you want, I can send someone to investigate." Yan Jinghuan took over her words.
Shen Xingwan took a deep breath and said, "No, I want to find the truth myself."
Yan Jinghuan hesitated for a moment and said, "The autopsy is complicated. I will send someone to arrange it."
Shen Xingwan nodded and swept his eyes across the ruins again.
The setting sun is as red as blood, shining on the broken walls, which is chilling.
Yan Jinghuan's men acted quickly. At sunset, Shen Xingwan and Yan Jinghuan, along with several coroners, entered the Tang family cemetery.
Along the way, the footsteps made a dull sound on the soft ground, which was very heavy.
The Tang family's ancestral tomb is built against the mountain and is quite majestic. Even though the family has fallen into poverty, this burial place still reveals its former glory.
Shen Xingwan stopped in front of the tombstone and glanced at the epitaph on it.
In the middle is a double tomb, with the tombstone engraved with "The Tomb of the Late Father Tang Zongming and His Wife Xu". On the left and right sides are the tombs of Tang Clan Yang and Tang family's legitimate daughter Tang Ying respectively.
"These are the ones." Shen Xingwan pointed at the tombstones.
Yan Jinghuan stood behind her, frowning slightly, "Are you sure you want to open the coffin and perform an autopsy?"
Shen Xingwan nodded, her eyes firm, "Well, I have a feeling that Miss Tang's death is definitely not simple."
She turned to the solemn-looking coroners and said in a deep voice, "Open the coffin of the Tang family's daughter first."
One of the older coroners stepped forward and said, "My Lord, Madam, it is disrespectful to open the coffin for an autopsy. Besides, Miss Tang has been buried for many years. I am afraid..."
Yan Jinghuan looked at him, and the pressure in his eyes made him silent immediately, and he dared not say anything more.
Yan Jinghuan and Shen Xingwan did not disclose their identities on this trip. Although those people did not know that the person in front of them was the powerful regent, his noble aura and the overwhelming pressure he emanated from his body still made them understand that this was a noble person they could not afford to offend.
"Just follow orders. If the truth is uncovered, it will be vindication for the deceased."
Upon hearing this, the coroners dared not say anything more. They could only step forward, take out their tools and start digging.
Shen Xingwan stood aside, quietly watching those busy figures with complicated eyes.
As the sun gradually set, the shadows in the cemetery grew longer and longer. Beads of sweat appeared on the foreheads of several coroners as they finally dug to the coffin.
"My lord, madam, we have dug it up."
Shen Xingwan nodded and motioned for them to continue.
Several coroners worked together to lift the coffin out of the pit, placed it on flat ground, and then took out tools to pry open the coffin lid.
With a "click", a crack appeared on the coffin lid.
A smell of decay immediately filled the air; several coroners held their breath and continued with their tasks.
As the coffin lid was completely opened, everyone looked inside the coffin. Suddenly, several coroners gasped at the same time, and their expressions changed drastically.
"This...this..." The older coroner pointed inside the coffin, his fingers trembling slightly, and he was unable to speak for a moment.
Shen Xingwan's heart tightened, and he quickly stepped forward and looked into the coffin.
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