Chapter 28 You still owe me your innocence
When the imperial edict was issued, Yan Hongchang was nearly scared out of his wits. He never imagined that a mere sixth-rank official could receive the emperor's protection.
But upon further reflection, it makes perfect sense.
Wei Qin was an official appointed by the imperial court to investigate the salt administration accounts in Yangzhou. He should have been protected by his status as an imperial envoy... This move might have been a feint by someone behind Wei Qin, a deadly strike to lull him into a false sense of security and make him underestimate this newly appointed official.
Is the person behind this the old fox Tao Qian?
Or... Jiang Song, Wei Qin's father-in-law?
Overwhelmed by the imperial edict, Yan Hongchang knelt down with a thud.
As he knelt, the Yan family's attendants followed suit.
Dark clouds gathered above the majestic mansion, the rain lingering on the clouds, just like the anxious hearts of those within.
Holding the Emperor's waist token, Lin Yu even stood up straighter than usual. Ever since Yan Hongchang took office as the Salt Transport Commissioner, he had surpassed Lin Yu in both rank and prestige, and Lin Yu had finally gotten his revenge.
"Men, seize Yan Hongchang and his family! Await your orders..."
"Wait!"
A clear female voice interrupted Lin Yu's instructions.
Yan Zhuyi stepped out of the hanging flower gate, her delicate face pale and bloodless. Even with the adornment of silk and expensive rouge, she could not hide her haggard appearance. However, facing the dark mass of people, she slightly raised her chin, exuding a dignified air, an aura honed from three years of living in luxury.
"This princess wishes to see His Highness the Crown Prince."
Standing inside the human wall, Jiang Yinyue looked at Yan Zhuyi, who suddenly seemed isolated and powerless. She thought of herself back then, when she became the target of everyone's criticism. From being the center of attention to being ridiculed by everyone, Yan Zhuyi had tasted the same bitterness as her.
Those simple four words, "I didn't see it," changed the fate of the two women. Now, the boomerang has finally struck the instigator.
No.
Jiang Yinyue rejected herself, believing that the instigator should not be the black and white pieces on the chessboard, but the person playing the game.
It's Wei Xichen.
**
Summer Solstice is a beautiful time of year: loquats ripen, lush greenery abounds, rain brings moisture, and a gentle breeze carries fragrance.
Qi Bao, who had temporarily left the post station, was sent to Jiang Yin Yue's side by Fu Zhongcai.
Qi Bao, who had just seen Jiang Yin Yue, grinned happily and jumped around the woman, her round eyes sparkling.
But amidst the anticipation and joy, there was a hint of caution.
Jiang Yinyue tenderly rubbed its head, but Wei Xichen was unwilling to grant her wish.
She sat with Qi Bao under the locust tree in front of the Yan residence, waiting for Wei Qin.
There may be a large amount of gold, silver and jade buried in the Yan family garden.
Fu Zhongcai stood beside the locust tree, holding a whisk, his face solemn.
His Highness the Crown Prince dismissed his trusted attendants, including himself, leaving Consort Yan in a small room. Apart from the guards on the first floor and two yamen runners, there wasn't a single postman left in the entire post station.
His Highness, who rarely speaks privately with others, must have made some kind of decision.
The fine rain, like silk threads, flowed down along the lattice pattern of the inn, wetting the window paper.
Wei Xichen stood in front of the half-open window, looking at the few pedestrians on the bluestone road. His light-colored eyes were veiled with mist and rain, looking cold and indifferent.
The evidence he held was enough to kill Yan Hongchang, but he didn't expose it immediately. He wanted to play the long game and uproot that rabble.
Wei Qin was in the same boat as him, which is why he remained inactive even after having irrefutable evidence, continuing to secretly gather clues and feign compliance with the salt merchants.
Yan Hongchang, driven to desperation, attempted to silence witnesses and destroy evidence, but underestimated the judge sent by the imperial court, thus trapping himself in a cage.
"So, you were unaware of it."
Kneeling weakly in the small room, Yan Zhuyi said, "I knew nothing about this."
Wei Xichen turned his gaze, a hint of coldness in his eyes, "Would you have helped Yan Hongchang frame an official without knowing the truth?"
"Your Highness is wise. It is true that Wei Qin was drunk last night and spoke rudely to me."
She lowered her eyes, her expression empty and numb, clinging to a pretentious and absurd explanation, gambling that her life-swapping scheme wasn't just a mirage, gambling that the Crown Prince had feelings for her and would give her dignity.
The chances are slim. If he had feelings for her, why wouldn't he have touched her for three years?
So what is she expecting?
Wei Qin's words proved prophetic; without a solid foundation, a single blow destroyed everything she had worked for.
If it were Jiang Song who was arrested, Jiang Yinyue would still have her elder brother to rely on, and the court would also have to consider the feelings of Jiang Song's eldest son, Jiang Taolue.
Moreover, the foundation of the Jiang family was not laid by Jiang Song and his son, but by a renowned family of officials and scholars, producing many talented individuals.
"Your Highness is wise!"
She pressed her forehead to the ground, heartbroken.
Wei Xichen's hand, which was behind his back, began to rub the jade thumb ring, the pressure increasing. "How can I possibly see the truth? Are you going to call a deer a horse and hold Wei Qin accountable?"
"It's not impossible."
"What?"
With red eyes, Yan Zhuyi crawled forward on her knees, looking up at Wei Xichen who was glancing at her sideways. At this moment, she realized that her admiration for him was unattainable, no wonder she felt powerless, like someone who was close to the water but could not see the moon.
But Jiang Yinyue is different; she has the power to reach out to, or perhaps, the Crown Prince is willing to bow down to.
"If Wei Qin's charge of disrespecting me is proven true, he will face certain death, and Jiang Yinyue will become a widow. Then Your Highness can openly and legitimately..."
"shut up."
Wei Xichen interrupted Yan Zhuyi's bold hypothesis with just two casual words.
How can a person be so shameless?
Wei Xichen felt no pain of disappointment. He had never thought she was an upright person, but her shamelessness exceeded his expectations.
"You're allowing me to take your wife?"
"Does Your Highness not want to?" Yan Zhuyi was almost swallowed by bitterness. Perhaps when a person teeters on the edge of hysteria for too long, there will eventually come a day when they vent their anger without regard for the cost. The woman, unable to see the road ahead, looked sorrowful, her eyes red-rimmed, and gritted her teeth as she spoke softly, "Outsiders see things more clearly. Your Highness has been deceiving yourself, unable to let go of Jiang Yinyue, unable to let go of your pride, unwilling to bow your head, and unable to turn back. Why is that? Because Your Highness has been the Crown Prince since childhood, and no one dares to disobey you. You are used to having things readily available, but Jiang Yinyue has become the exception, making Your Highness love her but unable to have her, restless and eager, knowing it's impossible yet unwilling to give up!"
She laughed as she spoke, and a warm tear dripped from the corner of her eye, ruining her delicate makeup.
"As long as Wei Qin is executed, Your Highness can make up for the regret."
Meeting Wei Xichen's increasingly cold gaze, her smile remained unchanged. A deal between evil forces is the most desirable, isn't it? Once the facade is torn apart, what's the point of pretense?
If you still can't see it now, then you're incredibly stupid.
The Crown Prince never trusted her; he only trusted himself and what he saw. Jiang Yinyue's escape alone was what he had witnessed, and her statement "I didn't see anything" was merely evidence that confirmed his judgment.
The conclusion that he "used his childhood sweetheart to pave the way for his beloved woman" is also the result that people see.
Often, people only believe what they see, preferring to believe the superficial "truth" rather than taking the slightest risk for the trust between them.
To put it bluntly, it's all due to suspicion.
People can't see into each other's hearts; it's hard for people to truly trust one another. Rulers, living amidst turbulent undercurrents, are even more prone to suspicion.
This is why she was able to exploit loopholes and rise rapidly in rank. However, it took her three years to realize that she was merely a pawn picked up by the crown prince to repay the woman he truly loved.
Love turned into hate.
The sea of hatred surges endlessly.
"Your Highness, in order to spite Jiang Yinyue, used me as a pawn, showing me absolutely no affection..."
Although she knew the truth in her heart, she still couldn't help but burst into tears for the three years that had passed. She had also had illusions, thinking that she would rise to the top in one day.
Large tears fell, her tearful eyes filled with disappointment.
Wei Xichen looked at her, his heart, which had been numb for three years, was not moved at all. Perhaps he overestimated his own nature. He was born cold and indifferent. "Aren't you just being hypocritical to me? What you want is wealth and glory, not me."
"For someone like me who climbed up from the bottom, talking about sincerity is too much of a luxury!"
"Then what are you fussing about?" Wei Xichen turned around, leaned against the window, blending into the gloomy rainy weather. He blinked lightly and, unusually, spoke his true feelings, "I can betray my childhood sweetheart because of suspicion, so how could I care about someone I met halfway through life?"
The once clear and lustrous jade was now clouded by a shadow, no longer clear, making Yan Zhuyi realize that some jade is cold and can never be warmed up no matter how much she tries to warm it.
She was cunning, but she also tried to warm the precious gem in front of her.
The imperial family is the most ruthless, even more callous than she realized.
The sobbing and the pattering rain outside the window created a damp and sticky atmosphere. Wei Xichen couldn't help but recall the scene of Jiang Yinyue turning away that year. There was no complaint, no crying, she resolutely withdrew, clean and refreshing, without leaving a trace.
My old chest ailment is aching faintly.
"Stop crying, what are your demands?"
Yan Zhuyi stopped sobbing. After pretending for so long, she was almost forgetting that she was a selfish person.
"I have no affection for my father's family. I beg Your Highness to have mercy and spare my life."
"Aren't you going to consider your mother?"
Yan Zhuyi, her hands trembling, grabbed Wei Xichen's sleeve, her face, distorted from crying, somewhat blank.
**
On the way back to the Yan residence by the yamen runners, Yan Zhuyi trembled uncontrollably in the post-rain breeze. Her former glamour vanished, replaced by the weight of a vertebra on the back of her neck, making it impossible for her to lift her head.
The Yan residence has been sealed off, and she will be imprisoned there to await the Crown Prince's decision.
Life or death is in the prince's hands.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
Qi Bao's cry rang out in front of the Yan residence. She looked at Jiang Yinyue beside Qi Bao.
I encountered her by chance in the mountains. She was dressed in plain clothes, but now her red skirt is flowing and radiant, her beauty unparalleled, and she remains as radiant as ever.
She lowered her head, not daring to look directly at him, afraid that she would be consumed by jealousy.
“You still owe me my innocence…” Jiang Yinyue stood up and walked up to her.
"Even if you break my teeth, I won't change my mind."
Yan Zhuyi interrupted Jiang Yinyue and walked past her with a cold face, only to hear a voice say, "I don't care that much anymore."
"What?"
"If it weren't for your interference, I would have married the Crown Prince, shared a bed with him, spent every day together, and seen through each other. I would definitely regret it."
Yan Zhuyi's swollen, red eyes drooped. "Then you should thank me."
"How could that be? I just wanted to tell you that I've been doing very well during these three years that you switched at birth."
Yan Zhuyi laughed, feeling utterly ashamed. She quickened her pace toward the mansion gate, but before she could compose herself, she saw soldiers carrying boxes upon boxes of gold, silver, and jade out of the gate.
It's all evidence of a crime.
A graceful figure walked leisurely behind, her face beautiful and her demeanor arrogant, slowly approaching Yan Zhuyi.
The prefect's daughter, Lin Xiuer, sized up the concubine of the Eastern Palace who had been bossing her around just a few days ago, and raised her hand to slap her.
"Smack!"
The constable hurriedly stopped her, "Miss, you mustn't!"
Lin Xiuer ignored her and raised her hand to slap Yan Zhuyi on the other cheek.
From childhood to adulthood, no one dared to give her a hard time; Yan Zhuyi was the first.
The petty person gains power.
But when she raised her hand again, her wrist was grabbed tightly.
Han Jian, who was not yet under house arrest, let go of Lin Xiu'er's hand and gave her a warning look.
Lin Xiuer scoffed, "If the Yan family is implicated and their entire clan is wiped out, you servants will be spared. If it were me, I would stay far away from the Yan family and protect myself."
Han Jian ignored her and watched as the yamen runners led Yan Zhuyi into the mansion.
Yan Zhuyi walked away while looking back. At this moment, she felt guilty for being so harsh on him in the past.
Only when you're at your lowest point can you see what's true and what's false.
As the night grew quiet, the once bustling Yan mansion, now brightly lit, was deserted. The family members huddled together in twos and threes, too afraid to fall asleep.
Yan Zhuyi huddled alone in bed, heartbroken and disheartened, yet still wanting to live, her only hope resting in the hands of the Crown Prince.
As the night wind swept through the window, a figure in black darted in, as if entering an empty space.
Yan Zhuyi's heart was in her throat, but a glimmer of hope arose within her; it must be that the Crown Prince had sent someone to meet her.
"Your Majesty."
It is a cold letter.
The man walked to the bedside, a bundle slung over his shoulder. "This humble servant is ordered to take Your Highness away from the city."
Yan Zhuyi felt a lump in her throat. This was the last bit of dignity the Crown Prince would give her. From now on, they would be strangers, never to meet again.
Since it was a secret order from the Crown Prince, the guards dared not stop them. They stood like wooden statues, letting the couple leave the Yan residence.
The same applies at the city gates.
Han Jian led Yan Zhuyi out of the city on horseback, and they rode for thirty miles overnight.
Yan Zhuyi sat on the horse's back, clutching Han Jian's belt as if grasping at the last straw.
Arrogance, once sharpened, is worn down in an instant after a severe blow.
"Take a break."
Upon hearing the sound, Han Jian pulled on the reins, helped the person off the horse, and handed her a paper bag.
It's her favorite shumai.
"That's thoughtful of you."
Han Jian slung the bundle from his shoulder onto the horse's back, then went to a nearby stream to fill his water bag. His darting figure caught Yan Zhuyi's eye.
"Han Jian, you should rest too."
The swordsman, who was being shown concern by his mistress for the first time, stopped in his tracks. He walked up to the woman, slowly squatted down, and handed her a bag of loose silver, which was bulging with all his savings.
Yan Zhuyi did not accept the offer immediately. The change came too suddenly. Even though her glamorous appearance had faded and she had lost her edge, she could not immediately accept Han Jian's feelings and live with him. She was even less willing to manage the trivial accounts.
"Keep it with you, you'll need it on the way."
Han Jian handed over a topographical map and pointed in a direction, saying, "This road leads to a county town. In the future, Your Highness can settle down there."
He then pointed to the grazing horses, "This horse was given to Your Highness by His Highness the Crown Prince. It can travel a thousand miles a day. When we reach the county town, Your Highness can pawn it for some silver, enough to buy a few shops and start a business."
Hearing Han Jian's words of farewell, Yan Zhuyi's heart sank. "You...aren't you coming with me?"
Han Jian stood up and stepped back, his burly figure standing tall in the night, blending into the darkness and blurring his outline.
"This humble servant bids farewell to Your Majesty. I am deeply grateful to the Yan family for taking me in years ago. From this day forward, I will repay their kindness, and we will never meet again."
Han Jian turned and left immediately. It wasn't that he was ungrateful or that he was abandoning his country when disaster struck, but rather that some people weren't worth it. He had seen through it all and was ready to let it go. In the future, he would take his two younger sisters and escape slavery to start anew.
Yan Zhuyi chased after her, calling out, "Han Jian!"
Han Jian didn't look back, striding forward like a bird released from its cage, spreading its wings.
A contract of servitude is far less secure than a cage of the heart; he broke free of it on his own, no longer lingering for unworthy people.
Exhausted, Yan Zhuyi collapsed on the stone path. Watching Han Jian walk away, she clutched the paper bag and sobbed uncontrollably, overwhelmed by loneliness and the fear of the unknown.
Not far away, a middle-aged hunchbacked man sat on a branch of a weeping willow, swinging his leg and laughing, "Some people have finally seen the light, while others are reaping what they sowed."
Another young man carrying a knife jumped down from the tree branch and headed straight for Yan Zhuyi.
The hunchbacked man cautioned, "Go easy on me."
The young man snorted, "The young master only ordered me to capture him alive; how hard I hit him is entirely up to me."
The hunchbacked man didn't say anything more. They just kept the woman imprisoned. Once the Crown Prince sent the report on the settlement of the Yangzhou salt affairs accounts to the capital, they would secretly send Yan Zhuyi to the capital.
They arrived one after the other.
When the time comes, the fact that the Crown Prince has shown leniency towards Yan Zhuyi will contradict the report in the memorial that Yan Zhuyi committed suicide. I wonder what the Emperor will think when he reads the memorial.
Will he have any complaints about the crown prince he personally groomed?
As the heir apparent, one must be decisive and not act impulsively; this was Emperor Shunren's instruction to the crown prince.
-----------------------
Author's note: The Crown Prince will find out the truth about the escape. [pat on the head]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
