At daybreak, the men the emperor had sent to find Xiao Yingzi returned, but they brought back his body.
Xiao Yingzi's body was soaking in the river, his skin tightly wrinkled and slightly white. A chill emanated from his body; the river in Mulan Hunting Ground was icy cold at night.
Fukang'an took a few quick steps, his tall figure blocking Yan Ning's path. She wasn't frightened by the gruesome sight of Xiao Yingzi's corpse, but rather by another fear within her.
The Emperor decreed that Xiao Yingzi had neglected his duties and had committed suicide out of fear of punishment, and ordered the execution of Xiao Yingzi's entire family.
Xiao Yingzi knew the matter wasn't that serious, so why would he "commit suicide" to atone for his sins? The other servants of the Eighth Prince were only flogged and had their monthly salaries deducted. Here, if a servant "committed suicide" out of fear of punishment, his family would also be implicated. How could he abandon his own family?
Recalling what Heshen had told her last night, Yan Ning suspected that Heshen was responsible for Xiao Yingzi's death. However, she couldn't speak up in front of the Emperor and Fukang'an, as she herself would also be implicated. Moreover, Heshen was guilty of murder and would have to pay with his life; without him, Yan Ning could not return to her original era.
Yan Ning didn't know how many people were in Xiao Yingzi's family, but she felt that if she hadn't stood by and watched yesterday, he wouldn't have been implicated.
After stabilizing the Eighth Prince's condition, the imperial physician informed the Emperor that the Eighth Prince's foot might develop a chronic ailment. Whether this ailment was minor or serious would only be known after the Eighth Prince had fully recovered.
The Emperor's aged face was etched with sorrow. He knew the imperial physicians dared not tell him the truth: the Eighth Prince's leg was likely ruined. He lowered his eyes and waved his hand. Those before him bowed their heads and withdrew.
Yan Ning was much calmer than Fu Kang'an. While he was inspecting the Eight Banners guards, Yan Ning arrived at Heshen's yurt. "Did you kill Xiao Yingzi? Did you?"
The yurt was filled with the delicate fragrance of lilies, its aroma refreshing and soothing. Yet, Yan Ning felt as if she were being suffocated by a poisonous fog.
Heshen was fiddling with the incense burner on the table, a few specks of incense powder flying onto his pearl-white sleeve. He closed the lid of the incense burner and flicked the powder off his sleeve. His eyes narrowed into almond shapes as he looked at Yan Ning. "This matter has nothing to do with you or me. If you don't want to put Fukang'an in a difficult position, you'd better keep this matter firmly in mind!" His voice was firm and intimidating.
Yan Ning clenched the embroidered handkerchief in her hands, and did not ask any further questions. He Shen had already given her the answer.
As soon as she left Heshen's yurt, she ran for her life, her mind filled with the image of Xiao Yingzi's anxious, innocent face as he searched for Heshen the day before. Sadly, he was just a servant; he had done his duty, yet he was to die for someone else's sins, and his own family would also be implicated.
Xiao Yingzi was different from the Chen father and son; they were assassins, and they deserved their fate. But what about Xiao Yingzi? He died because of his own inaction. What would have happened if he had told the Emperor the truth just now?
Yan Ning dared not look at her own hands, as if those were the very hands that had pushed Xiao Yingzi into the river.
Yan Ning stopped in her tracks, for before her lay a winding river. The river murmured softly, like Xiao Yingzi's sobs. Startled, she crouched down on the ground, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at the shimmering surface of the river.
A pair of hands helped Yan Ning up. She turned around, tears clinging to her long, curled eyelashes. He Shen gently wiped away her tears.
She flung Heshen away and shouted excitedly, "I'm going to tell the Emperor that it was your dereliction of duty that caused the Eighth Prince to be injured! It was my inaction that led to Xiao Yingzi's death! You and I are the culprits!"
Yan Ning turned and ran back, ignoring the vines and branches she was tangling in.
"And what about Fukang'an? Don't you care about his life or death?" Heshen threw his folding fan to the ground, his almond-shaped eyes slightly glazed. He was furious that he held no place in Yan Ning's heart. "You are now Fukang'an's betrothed. Your every move is connected to him! Your sins are his sins!"
Upon hearing Fukang'an's name, Yan Ning squatted down, hugging her shoulders. Tears streamed down her face like broken beads, glistening on the grass. Heshen was right; in the Emperor's heart, she and Fukang'an were already inseparable. The Emperor would surely misunderstand that Fukang'an had intentionally abandoned the Eighth Prince. Moreover, the Empress Dowager already suspected that Fukang'an harbored ambitions to seize the throne. In this way, the father-son relationship that had just thawed between the Emperor and Fukang'an would once again be fortified with formidable barriers.
Seeing Yan Ning's frail figure, Heshen's anger vanished instantly. He took a few quick steps, embraced the tearful Yan Ning, and comforted her, "Don't worry, only you and I know about this!"
"I'd like to know what secret only you know?"
Fukang'an's voice fell from above, startling Yan Ning so much that tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at him. He yanked Yan Ning away from Heshen's arms, and with a swift movement, swept Heshen to the ground.
Heshen's martial arts skills were only at the self-defense level; he was no match for Fukang'an. He stood up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his pearl-white sleeve. His eyes, like crescent moons, were full of smiles. "Since it's a secret, it naturally cannot be told to General Fukang'an!"
Yan Ning was held in Fukang'an's arms, but his sudden tightening of his grip made her wince. She looked at Fukang'an, whose face was filled with anger and coldness, and explained, "Nothing's wrong! I was just terrified by the sight of Xiao Yingzi's gruesome death!"
Fukang'an drew his sword, pointed it at Heshen, and said sharply, "Lord Heshen seems to have forgotten who Yan Ning is?"
The sword's cold gleam was even more captivating when reflected by the sunlight. Yan Ning grasped Fu Kang'an's hand holding the sword, trying to persuade him, but he forcefully shook her off. Yan Ning tripped over a vine and fell to the ground.
When Heshen saw Yan Ning fall, he instinctively took a step forward, and Fukang'an immediately unbuttoned the vest on Heshen's body.
"Lord He!" he shouted angrily.
Heshen took a step back, glanced at Yan Ning, then tore off his robe and left. He knew that if he didn't leave, Fukang'an's anger would only intensify, and Yan Ning would be even more heartbroken.
Fukang'an sheathed his sword and turned to look at Yan Ning.
Some withered vines, like sharp arrowheads, pierced Yan Ning's hand, which she carefully pulled out. Fu Kang'an felt a pang of heartache, which was quickly replaced by anger.
Fukang'an crouched down, pinched Yan Ning's chin, and she had to support herself with her hands on the ground to keep her balance. Her hands were covered with dry vines, but they were not as hurtful as the cold glint in Fukang'an's eyes.
He said, word by word, "Remember! You are my woman, Fukang'an's woman!" With that, he put one hand behind his back and strode away. In Yan Ning's tear-filled eyes, he became a deep crimson blur.
She couldn't tell Fukang'an that Xiao Yingzi's death was related to Heshen, because he would definitely inform the Emperor and deal with Heshen impartially. However, her inaction regarding the disappearance of the Eighth Prince would only arouse the Emperor's suspicion towards Fukang'an.
Faced with this difficult choice, she could only remain silent, protecting Heshen and Fukang'an, while enduring the pangs of conscience.
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