Xi Ying had long known that Fukang'an would arrest and interrogate the shaman, but he wouldn't let the shaman take the blame for Yan Ning. Therefore, Yan Ning's life was in the shaman's hands. The life and death of the shaman's family, however, were in E Lan's hands.
Despite repeated questioning, the shaman remained steadfast in his belief that Yan Ning was a demon. Fukang'an instructed Zhao Xing to prepare a carriage so that Yan Ning could be taken out of the city and hidden away that night.
That night, Zhu Xiang went to see Yan Ning and relayed He Shen's reply verbatim. Yan Ning, preoccupied with the portrait in her sleeve, couldn't find any joy. "Zhu Xiang," she said, "have you ever heard of a woman in the Fucha family who looked just like me?"
Zhu Xiang shook her head. "In the old general's mansion, only Consort Li is Han Chinese, that is, Fourth Master's mother! Of the masters in the mansion, only you and Consort Lian are Han Chinese. Fourth Master has never married, and his concubines are all kept in other residences! The eldest master's wife was a Mongolian princess; after he passed away, she followed him. As for the second master's princess residence, this servant knows nothing about it!" She then added, "Madam's beauty is unparalleled!"
“The portrait was painted by Consort Fang before her death, so it couldn’t be someone from the younger generation of the Fucha family. This person should be around the same age as the old lady and the others!” Yan Ning thought to herself.
"This servant greets the General!" Zhu Xiang's greeting roused Yan Ning. Before Yan Ning could react, Fu Kang'an had already sat down beside her. Zhu Xiang bowed her head and withdrew, closing the door behind her.
“When it gets a little later, go out through the side gate of the west courtyard. Zhao Xing is waiting for you outside; he will take care of everything for you. I will bring you back after this storm has passed!” Fukang’an said, embracing Yan Ning.
The dim candlelight, mingled with smoke and dust, separated the two like murky river water, obscuring Yan Ning's expression. She gently touched Fukang'an's furrowed brows. "How will you explain this to the Old Madam? If this matter becomes an obstacle in the future, how will you bring me back?"
Fukang'an stood up, his hands clasped behind his back, his back to Yan Ning. "Just follow my arrangements!" How could Fukang'an not know that once Yan Ning left, she would never be able to return to the capital? But he couldn't just watch her die. The reason the old lady hadn't publicized the matter was because she feared he would be too lenient; that would become a handle for the officials, leading to a memorial impeaching him before the emperor. But if he couldn't make a decision, the old lady would surely uphold justice even at the cost of family ties.
Yan Ning shook her head. She had finally made it to the capital; how could she leave again? "I won't leave! I can't leave the capital. If I leave, I won't be able to go home!"
Fukang'an grabbed Yan Ning's wrist and said, word by word, "I am your husband! What are you hiding from me?" Yan Ning's hand ached from Fukang'an's grip, and she said with difficulty, "I didn't. I told you I have amnesia! Those people kidnapped me from the capital. I had no choice but to stay in the capital!"
“I have already investigated, and in the three years since I left the capital, there has been no case of any daughter of a noble family being abducted! Judging from the jade pendant you are carrying, you are even less likely to be the daughter of an ordinary family! If those people had abducted you, it would have been for money or beauty, but you have neither!”
Fukang'an's words left Yan Ning speechless, but she dared not tell him the truth. Her expression turned cold. "I am not a demon! Believe it or not, if you don't believe me, you can kill me with your own hands!"
Fukang'an grabbed Yan Ning, pinched her chin tightly, and said in a tone that was neither angry nor sad, "You know very well that I would never let anything happen to you!"
Yan Ning knew that Fukang'an was also in a difficult situation, so she hugged him tightly. "Believe me, I am not a demon, and I will not harm anyone! I just have my reasons for not being able to leave the capital!" Yan Ning clutched the portrait in her sleeve. Now that she had this portrait, she was even more determined not to leave the capital.
But Yan Ning dared not take out the portrait at this time, otherwise the old lady would either regard her as a demon or lock her up like Fang Tai's madwoman.
Fukang'an's expression softened somewhat, and he embraced Yan Ning in his arms, saying, "I'll send someone to bring your parents over tomorrow!"
Yan Ning released Fu Kang'an and asked, "My parents?"
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