Chapter 74 The Difficulty of the Shu Road (Part 8) "Does Your Highness like Shen Wei, so..."
The iron gate slammed shut, and the room fell silent. Yan Chao finally had a chance to gaze closely at the person before him. The man had his head bowed and was struggling to move his body. Every slight movement caused the iron chains holding his limbs to clang.
Yan Chao picked up the teacup from the low table, got up and walked over, silently handing it to him.
A pair of disheveled hair trembled slightly, revealing bloodshot eyes filled with confusion, despair, and sorrow… A pair of thin, bony hands reached out and shakily took the object. Parched lips moved, but no sound came out.
He seemed to be suppressing his emotions, trying his best to calmly finish the cup of tea. He then offered the empty cup, thanking him in a hoarse voice. Yan Chao touched the iron chain on his wrist, and when his eyes fell upon the scarred forearm, his heartstrings finally tightened.
"Exploring the mysteries".
Yan Chao called out softly, almost as if in mourning.
“Your Highness,” Shen Wei was silent for a moment, as if a thousand words had sunk into the void. He lowered his head, not daring to look at her, but the first thing he said was, “Zhou Shaoyun is more useful than me. He is very meticulous in his work.”
His bluntness made Yan Chao feel a little guilty. But she still said something useless: "I told you before, you have your advantages."
Shen Wei tilted his head slightly, facing the faint sunlight, and gave a wistful smile.
"Shen Yue was aware of the rebellion in southern Sichuan but failed to report it, deceiving the emperor. It has been found that he secretly colluded with the rebel leader Yu Chufeng. Furthermore, there are letters and other evidence that he secretly communicated with the chieftain of the Duogan tribe, attempting to incite conflict among the western tribes. This constitutes treason. Since you have been in the capital for many years, Shen Yue will naturally not tell you what he has been doing in secret."
"Whether they are innocent or not is not for me to decide. Or perhaps your father knows better than you," Yan Chao looked at him with a hint of pity. "The Shen family's property has been confiscated. Before the final sentence is handed down, I will take good care of them."
“Shen Yue has served in the Censorate for many years, and you also used to work in the Ministry of Justice. You are more familiar with criminal matters than I am.”
Shen Wei buried his face in his hands, sobbing silently. His head slammed against the iron bars with a dull thud. After a long while, he murmured bitterly, "It's my fault."
His hand fell limply to his side. He closed his eyes briefly, finally sighing and giving up all hope. A dull ache throbbed somewhere in his body, and he couldn't help but open his mouth to breathe, feeling as if his entire being was being permeated and corroded by the nauseating stench.
There was also sunlight. He avoided that faint ray of sunlight, which stung his eyes, his wounds, and his heart.
He frowned, suddenly disgusted by the place.
He was the son of an official family, a family of scholars and officials, and had lived a life of luxury since childhood. Aside from the early death of his mother, his life had been smooth and carefree. He was exceptionally intelligent and learned, passing the imperial examinations on his first attempt. His official career progressed rapidly, rising from the Hanlin Academy to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, reaching the fourth rank at a young age and becoming an official in the Eastern Palace and a close advisor to the Crown Prince. His future was undeniably bright.
His father, Shen Yue, was a censor who impeached the guilty and exposed those who plotted against him. In his eyes, his father had always been a towering and upright figure. He had seen his father being flogged in court for arguing his case, and he witnessed his father's righteous indignation. Therefore, he had also resolved to become a gentleman of integrity and magnanimity.
His work never strayed from scholarship, so he assumed he wouldn't have to deal with the treacherous and corrupt world of officialdom. He could simply focus on his studies meticulously and single-mindedly, without worrying about anyone's difficulties or encountering any setbacks.
If there was any variable involved, it was probably the Crown Prince. Supporting the Crown Prince with his family was undoubtedly a gamble, but he understood that the risks associated with Yan Chao were exceptionally high. Yet, in the end, he did not choose to leave her.
All of this made it impossible for him to turn back.
This, ironically, made him even more diligent and hardworking. Day after day, he was busy with official duties, devoting himself entirely to the Crown Prince's Palace. He no longer clung to his own desires, and it almost felt like he was just "drifting through life."
However, it also seemed as if he had never planned anything for her or for Yan Chao.
Now, what I can recall is not the compilation of bibliographies and the writing that followed my entry into officialdom, but rather a moment of leisure, sitting silently beside her by the window of the Eastern Palace study, drinking a cup of tea and playing a game of chess.
Those days were as uneventful as still water. All that erudition was of no use.
Unlearned and incompetent, mediocre and unproductive.
Shen Wei suddenly chuckled and thought blankly, "If I hadn't listened to my father's arrangements and insisted on working hard in the Ministry of Justice, what would things be like now?"
“I always thought that Mr. Meng was the one who promoted you.”
Hearing Yan Chao speak, Shen Wei realized he had spoken his true feelings aloud. He was stunned for a moment, then lowered his eyes and said with a sob, "I have implicated Mr. Meng, implicated Dean Song, and failed His Highness's trust."
Tears welled up in his eyes for no apparent reason, so he raised his dirty sleeve and wiped them haphazardly. His eyes stung, and his thoughts suddenly calmed down.
"Have all the Shen family members been interrogated?"
"right."
"I have confessed everything I was supposed to."
"Know."
"So, what brings you here today? Is it only about the Broken Cloud Tower?"
"...Not entirely."
Shen Wei raised her head, stared at her for a long while, and suddenly smiled, her eyes as clear as a sheet of paper: "Shen Wei would never do anything to betray A Hu."
Yan Chao suddenly trembled, her expression seemingly moved. Ahu was her childhood name before entering the palace; for the past ten years, no one had mentioned it, no one dared to mention it.
"I first met Ahu at the Marquis of Anping's residence. She couldn't walk yet and was nestled in Chunniang's arms, basking in the sun."
Twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye. The Anping Marquis's mansion is now covered in cobwebs, Chunniang perished in the deep palace, and he, Chenwei, also met a tragic end. And what of Ahu? Ahu, may all your wishes come true!
"I know I cannot escape death this time. The interrogation these past few days has made me wish I were dead. If Your Highness can personally grant me death, I will die without regret!"
Yan Chao looked at him in surprise. He had guessed her wavering, so it wasn't too unexpected. She frowned deeply: "You don't need to seek death now; you will be executed at the execution ground in due time. Besides, I cannot kill you."
You can!
You're overthinking it.
Yan Chao felt that he had lost his mind and was so naive that it was unbelievable. She pursed her lips and said calmly, "By His Majesty's decree, I need to interrogate you again."
"good."
He heard her footsteps turn and knew she was leaving, but he still turned his back and dared not look at her.
Although it was a retrial, since the previous confession was essentially correct, it was merely an additional review process. The contents of the recent impeachment memorial against Shen Wei were also brought up, and he was specifically questioned about them. Shen Wei did not recant his confession and admitted to all the charges against him.
He didn't even offer a defense of the charge of "flattering the Crown Prince."
Yan Chao immediately stood up, stared at Shen Wei with a stern face for a long time, but ultimately did not speak.
Qiu Cong, Zhang Ji, Deng Xun, and the others standing nearby all kept their eyes down, seemingly lost in thought, and remained silent. They all assumed that the Crown Prince felt offended, which was why he had become so furious.
The crown prince left the imperial prison, and the prisoners were returned to their cells. Shen Wei, who was already weak, became even more exhausted after the interrogation and collapsed to the ground, barely alive.
The sound of the door closing was extremely jarring, and he curled up. There was a faint rustling sound from the tattered mat at his feet, as if rats or insects were scurrying about.
Suddenly, faint footsteps stopped in front of the iron gate. Shen Wei kept her eyes closed, too lazy to look, and heard Zhang Ji's voice say, "All the interrogations are over, there's no need for solitary confinement anymore. Shen Wei, would you like to see your family?"
Shen Wei remained motionless, and asked in a muffled voice, "Who is it? Is my father back?"
"Shen Yue won't be arriving in the capital for some time yet. Don't you want to see Old Madam Shen?"
As soon as I shed a tear, my body inexplicably felt hot. Then the wound on my shoulder started to ache in waves, burning like a hot iron.
He had suddenly gone mad in the courtroom and tried to approach her, but was stopped by the jailer. Although she stopped him in time, he was still severely whipped several times.
"When will the execution take place?" Shen Wei asked in a hoarse voice.
“Your father will be back soon. In ten days at most,” Zhang Ji replied.
He glanced at the disheveled, death row inmate in the corner, a flicker of pity in his eyes. Last year, the Zhang and Chen families had a falling out, the marriage was called off, and he had developed a grudge against Shen Wei. Now, things had come to this, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion; after all, she had almost become his brother-in-law.
Zhang Ji frowned deeply, casually picked up a pebble, and hit the rat in the corner. He glanced meaningfully at Shen Wei and clicked his tongue, "I thought the Crown Prince would protect you from death."
"Lord Zhang, please be careful with your words. His Highness the Crown Prince is an upright man; how could he possibly show favoritism?"
Zhang Ji pressed the embroidered spring knife at his waist, turned to leave, but stopped at the door and repeated one last time: "Are you sure you can't see your family? You only have one chance."
The figure on the ground didn't react. Zhang Ji then fell silent and turned to leave.
The crown prince's carriage did not go directly back to the palace.
On the way, they ran into Lan Huaien and invited her to the Lan residence. Judging from Lan Huaien's manner, she had obviously received prior notice and came specifically to stop them. Yan Chao had no time to argue, so she immediately changed sedan chairs to avoid being seen and left without a word.
After walking along East Chang'an Street, they turned south onto Chongwenmen Inner Street, then turned into Masheng Hutong, before finally entering a house. Yan Chao felt something was amiss, lifted the curtain to peek, and asked suspiciously, "Have we moved?"
Lan Huaien bowed slightly and nodded in agreement. As he asked him to get out of the sedan chair, he explained, "A few days ago, Grand Secretary Cao bought a courtyard next to that house. He was worried that it would be inconvenient to talk, so he invited you here. The place is a bit simple, please don't mind."
Upon entering the inner hall, Lan Huaien ordered the servants to go out and stand guard. He personally brewed tea and poured a cup for each of them. He then took a round fan and considerately fanned Yan Chao. Throughout the entire process, apart from the sounds of objects moving, not a single word was uttered.
Such quietness is unlike Lan Huaien's usual style.
Yan Chao's thoughts wandered for a long time. When he came back to his senses, he glanced at the diligent Lan Huaien beside him and said in surprise, "I've never seen you so reserved before." His eyes darkened, and he asked directly, "What's on your mind?"
"It's nothing."
"Why did you send me here if there's nothing wrong?"
Lan Huaien hesitated somewhat awkwardly, saying, "...You don't seem to be in a good mood, so I invited you over for some tea."
The air went still for a moment.
Lan Huaien thought she was displeased, and his heart sank. He hurriedly fanned her even more vigorously: "You've looked absent-minded ever since you came out of the imperial prison. You'll have to keep busy when you get back to the palace. It's not good if others notice something amiss."
Yan Chao remained silent, so Lan Huaien softened his voice and tentatively asked, "Your Highness, is the interrogation not going well? Has Shen Wei caused you any trouble?"
"No, everything went smoothly." Yan Chao lowered his head and took a sip of tea.
Lan Huaien could see that she looked tired and depressed, yet she was unwilling to confide in him. Perhaps she just wanted to be alone and quiet right now.
But he felt inexplicably unwilling and boldly asked, "Does Your Highness like Chen Wei, and that's why you're reluctant to part with him?"
Yan Chao looked up, her dazed expression vanishing, her clear gaze falling upon him. She reached out and snatched the fan, smiling gently, and asked Lan Huaien, "Like... what does 'like' mean?"
This stumped Lan Huaien. He paused, pondered for a long time, and then asked tactfully, "More than just the feelings between ruler and subject?"
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