Yan Tongshu began, “I suspected you wouldn’t take my side—not because I didn’t trust you. It was because, from the perspective of interests, peace, and the people living along the frontier, Lord Chang nearly convinced me. At the time, I wavered too. I wondered whether my persistence was truly right. In the end, I held firm because that is what my principles demanded. I couldn’t allow myself to abandon the truth.
“But I hadn’t considered the deeper issue. The two countries are separated by a thousand miles; our customs, beliefs, and ways of life are entirely different. Even if the people’s hearts are moving in the same direction, there will still be barriers between them. That is why peace requires genuine trust. Otherwise, the treaty could be torn up at any moment, and all our efforts would easily come to nothing.”
In the education she had received, the importance of honoring contracts had always been emphasized. As a result, she had always believed that once a treaty was signed on the basis of equality, free will, and legality, it ought to be honored.
She had never considered that within a political system, a treaty did not possess any inherent binding force in the eyes of those at the very top.
The corners of Qin Yi’s lips lifted. “Yan Tongshu, are you complimenting me?”
“I’m thanking you.”
“Too late.” Qin Yi straightened up with an air of wounded pride.
Yan Tongshu looked at him in confusion. “What’s too late?”
Qin Yi reminded her, “The last time Prince Ming came to negotiate with me for the sake of his son, I went to the Yan residence. There was something you said to me that you left out.”
Yan Tongshu smiled helplessly.
How childish.
So that was why Qin Yi had inexplicably gone to the Yan residence that day. Snowfluff hadn’t looked as though his lovesickness had returned, either.
He had gone there to claim credit.
Yan Tongshu asked, “Were you very disappointed at the time?”
“Someone had thrown me out, so I was too busy being angry to feel disappointed,” Qin Yi said sourly.
Yan Tongshu reached out and embraced Qin Yi, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest.
“Qin Yi,” she called softly.
“Hmm?”
Yan Tongshu smiled. “You did very well.”
The corners of Qin Yi’s mouth had just begun to rise when Yan Tongshu added, “Promise me you’ll dress more properly in the future.”
“Is that so?” Qin Yi said with a smile. “But from the way Minister Yan looks at me every night, her gaze is positively scorching. She seems quite pleased.”
“Qin Yi!” Yan Tongshu lifted her head and glared at him.
Qin Yi’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “Yan Tongshu, I told you before, didn’t I?”
“Hmm?”
“I remember every word you say.”
Yan Tongshu still didn’t understand.
“So don’t be afraid.” Qin Yi gently pressed her head back against his chest. “I will always believe in you, trust you, and be your support. I’ll give you a sense of security, and you’ll have enough freedom. The imperial palace will never become your prison, and neither will I. On the contrary, I belong to you. And there’s something else…”
Qin Yi lowered his head and whispered into Yan Tongshu’s ear, “I need to make this clear. What I truly wanted to say at the time was: marry me—or, if you take a step back, let me become your man. That means the same thing as my later proposal. You have to choose between two and three. You can’t choose one.”
Yan Tongshu gave a soft “oh.” “One, two, three… I’ll think about it for a while and see how you perform from here on out.”
“There is no one.” Qin Yi emphasized it again. “You can only choose two or three.”
Yan Tongshu let him go. “You’re the one being unreasonable. As the saying goes, one begets two, two begets three, and three begets all things. Without one, where would two and three come from?”
Qin Yi ground his teeth in anger. “You’re twisting logic.”
“You’re the one twisting logic. Who gives someone a choice, then unilaterally takes one of the options away?” Yan Tongshu protested. “When I say one, two, three, I mean one, two, three.”
“Yan Tongshu!” Qin Yi stamped his foot in frustration.
“All right.” Yan Tongshu wrapped her arms around Qin Yi once more and gently patted his back. “A hug before we part. I’m off to investigate the case.”
With that, Yan Tongshu released him and hurried away without caring what expression Qin Yi wore.
Beside them, Lu Xi cautiously raised his eyes and stole a glance at Qin Yi.
Judging by his tone, Lu Xi had thought the Emperor was angry.
To his surprise, not only was the Emperor not angry, the corners of his lips had lifted high.
Silently, Lu Xi gave Yan Tongshu a thumbs-up in his heart.
…
After leaving the palace, Yan Tongshu returned to the Capital Posthouse with Chang Zhengzhang.
The moment they entered the alley outside the posthouse, they saw a crowd gathered ahead.
The Minister of Punishments had arrived with soldiers.
Zhang Jiu had brought the constables of the Kaifeng Prefecture.
The Grand Secretary, Meng Zheng, and Duan Duo had come with the Divine Guard.
Chancellor Yelu had brought members of the diplomatic delegation.
Weapons in hand, the four sides stood locked in confrontation.
Yan Tongshu and Chang Zhengzhang climbed down from their carriage and hurried over.
Chang Zhengzhang shouted angrily, “What is going on?”
The Grand Secretary stepped out from among the Divine Guard and lowered his voice. “We don’t know who leaked the news that the Qin heir is inside the carriage. Chancellor Yelu insists on taking the Qin heir away. The Ministry of Punishments says he should be handed over to them, while Zhang Jiu maintains that he must be taken to the Kaifeng Prefecture. The Divine Guard has orders to protect the Qin heir and does not dare act rashly. So everyone has ended up at an impasse.”
“There is no need to argue any further,” Chang Zhengzhang declared. “By His Majesty’s decree, this case is to be presided over by Lord Yan of the Kaifeng Prefecture. Everyone here is to obey her orders alone.”
The Minister of Punishments said displeasedly, “This case has grave implications. How can it be entrusted solely to the Kaifeng Prefecture?”
“This is His Majesty’s decree.” Chang Zhengzhang’s sharp gaze swept over the Minister of Punishments as he drew out the imperial edict. “The imperial decree is here.”
Everyone dropped to their knees.
Chancellor Yelu, too, bowed in salute.
Chang Zhengzhang read aloud:
“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:
“The matter of Princess Xing'an concerns the relations between our two states, and weighs heavily upon Us. We therefore appoint Yan Tongshu, Acting Prefect of Kaifeng, as the presiding official, vested with full authority to investigate and try the case at the Capital Posthouse. The Divine Strategy Army and the Divine Guard shall both be at her command, to assist in the investigation.
“Minister Yan must uphold impartiality and conduct the proceedings openly, examining the matter jointly with the Northern Liao envoys. Every lead, piece of evidence, testimony, and case record must be fully and clearly documented, with nothing concealed. Once the truth has come to light and the true culprit has been brought to justice, all case files and prisoners shall be handed over to Northern Liao for their disposition, thereby demonstrating our court’s sincerity and Our resolve for peace negotiations, so that such negotiations may stand as firm as a fortress.
“Respect this.”
After reading, Chang Zhengzhang handed the edict to Yan Tongshu. Then he looked at Chancellor Yelu and asked solemnly, “Chancellor Yelu, are you satisfied with this answer?”
Chancellor Yelu placed one hand over his chest. “His Majesty the Emperor’s sincerity is most generous. We are grateful.”
“Since that is the case,” Yan Tongshu said in a steady voice, “the Qin heir will be taken back to the Kaifeng Prefecture for temporary detention under my custody. The elite forces of the Imperial Guard will protect the prefectural office in shifts, around the clock.”
Duan Duo loathed Yan Tongshu and remained standing where he was, unmoving.
Meng Zheng stepped forward. “Yes, sir. Meng Zheng accepts the order.”
Duan Duo shot Meng Zheng a resentful glare with his bull-like eyes, then stalked away in anger.
The Minister of Punishments was unwilling to let the matter go, but before the imperial edict, he had no choice but to yield.
Taking the edict, Yan Tongshu walked over to Chancellor Yelu. “Chancellor Yelu, to demonstrate sincerity and impartiality, His Majesty has ordered that I investigate this case jointly with the Northern Liao envoys. You are Princess Xing'an’s paternal uncle, the Northern Chancellor of Liao, and one of the people most trusted by the King of Liao and Empress Dowager Xiao. In my view, no one is better suited to the task than you.
“From this point onward, should there be any progress in the case, or anything you wish to know, you may come directly to me. Naturally, if you wish to see Qin Yunduan, you may do so at any time. However, someone must be present during your meeting. You may not see him in private.”
Chancellor Yelu said, “Lord Yan has considered everything thoroughly.”
Yan Tongshu asked again, “Chancellor Yelu, may Princess Xing'an’s body be temporarily placed in the custody of the Kaifeng Prefecture?”
“No!” Before Chancellor Yelu could answer, an official from Northern Liao behind him cried out, “Chancellor, Princess Xing'an is a princess of Northern Liao—of the highest status! How can she be handed over to the Wu Dynasty? It would be an insult to the princess even after her death.”
Yan Tongshu reminded him, “Chancellor Yelu, the princess met with misfortune at the Duting Posthouse.”
Only the soldiers stationed around the perimeter of the Duting Posthouse belonged to the Wu Dynasty. Everyone inside was from Northern Liao.
If the princess’s death had truly been the work of extremist followers of the Celestial God Cult, then there must be a traitor within the Northern Liao delegation.
The Northern Liao officials behind Chancellor Yelu continued chattering their objections, while Chancellor Yelu merely pressed his lips together and fell silent in thought.
He stared at Yan Tongshu for a long time, before his gaze shifted to the imperial edict in Yan Tongshu’s hand.
To be honest, this edict had exceeded all his expectations.
Lowering his eyes, he looked again toward the Duting Posthouse behind him.
Along their journey here, the delegation had suffered poisonings and assassination attempts. Each had been unnervingly precise. There was undoubtedly a problem within the delegation.
But could the Kaifeng Prefecture truly be trusted?
As the Northern Liao officials behind Chancellor Yelu argued on, they gradually fell silent.
One after another, all eyes turned to Chancellor Yelu, everyone holding their breath as they awaited his decision.
Chancellor Yelu looked once more at Yan Tongshu. “Lord Yan, even before coming to the Wu Dynasty, I had long heard of your great reputation. I hope that, after this matter is over, we may have forged a deeper trust.”
He had understood the intent behind the imperial edict—and was responding to the Wu Dynasty’s sincerity.
Yan Tongshu gave a solemn promise. “I guarantee that I will do everything in my power to track down the murderer and bring them to justice.”
Chancellor Yelu’s voice carried profound sorrow. “I leave it to you, Lord Yan.”
Yan Tongshu nodded. After instructing Zhang Jiu to select several men to remain behind and protect the crime scene, he ordered Meng Zheng to escort the carriage holding Qin Yunduan to the Kaifeng Prefecture.
Qin Yunduan was a suspect, not a convicted criminal. Therefore, Yan Tongshu did not have him thrown into the dungeon. Instead, he arranged for him to stay in the guest room in the rear courtyard of the Kaifeng Prefecture where Lady Qing had once lived, with the Imperial Guard and the prefectural constables jointly assigned to watch over him.
After finishing all this, Meng Zheng and Zhang Jiu went to Yan Tongshu’s office to await orders.
Yan Tongshu calmly told the two men what he had found in the room, then said, “Based on the evidence discovered so far, there are two suspects: one is an extremist follower of the Northern Liao Heavenly God Sect, and the other is Qin Yunduan. But if it was the Heavenly God Sect, there would have been no need to conceal the method of murder or straighten the bedclothes. For the time being, we also have no idea how they could have entered a room whose window was locked from within and whose door had been guarded around the clock, then killed the princess around the hour of the pig.
“And if it was Qin Yunduan, there are doubts there as well. Qin Yunduan knows only archery and horsemanship, and he is not particularly skilled even at those. He knows no martial arts. Everyone entering the Diplomatic Inn undergoes rigorous inspection, and every item Qin Yunduan brought in was registered. There was no bladed weapon among them. Without a weapon, how could he have cut off Princess Xing’an’s head? Moreover, the cut across the princess’s neck was exceptionally clean—clearly, her head had been severed in a single swift stroke.
“Beyond those doubts, the position of Princess Xing’an’s body was also strange. Her legs were drawn up, and her hands were clutching at her belt. Her hands in particular—if someone had smothered her, she should have struggled desperately. Why, then, were her hands gripping her belt so tightly? Neither Qin Yunduan nor an extremist follower of the Heavenly God Sect can explain that. There were wood splinters beneath Princess Xing’an’s nails. Where did they come from? Most importantly, who lit the incense?”
Yan Tongshu paused and drew a deep breath. “Given all these unanswered questions, we must proceed with the utmost caution. We cannot jump to conclusions. Therefore, no one can be overlooked. First, we cannot let up on the Heavenly God Sect. Meng Zheng, arrange for the Divine Guard Army to conduct a thorough search for extremist followers of the Heavenly God Sect throughout Bianjing.
“If Princess Xing’an’s death was truly their doing, then they must already have infiltrated Bianjing, and there is likely a traitor within the delegation. Investigate that alongside Duan Duo. And there is Mangtai, the delegation’s horse keeper. He once caused trouble in the imperial palace and has connections to the Empress Dowager and Prince Ming. We must not let our guard down. In short, keep every member of the delegation under close surveillance.”
Meng Zheng’s voice was steady. “Yes.”
“However, speaking of Mangtai...” Meng Zheng furrowed his brow. “My men have followed him for several days in a row and found that he appears to be looking for someone.”
“Who is he looking for?” Zhang Jiu asked.
Meng Zheng said, “Apparently, a midwife. She is fifty-six years old and was once quite well known in Bianjing, but she suddenly disappeared more than twenty years ago.”
Since nothing was yet clear, all they could do was continue investigating.
Yan Tongshu went on, “In addition to what we have just discussed, we need to investigate Qin Yunduan as well—his entire network of relationships, everyone he has met recently, everything he has said, and whether anyone deliberately provoked him. Also, the four people on duty that night, along with the two maidservants, A-Lian and A-Fu. All six must be investigated. Not a single one can be overlooked.”
A-Fu was especially suspicious. When the princess met with trouble, her room was right next to the princess's bedchamber, yet she arrived rather late. What was more, her shoes and the lower half of her dress were soaked with snowmelt, and there was black mud on the hem. The distance from the maids' quarters to the princess's bedchamber was not long enough for her to have gotten so dirty. So it was quite possible that she had not come from the maids' quarters at all. Zhang Jiu, you will be responsible for investigating this.”
Zhang Jiu cupped his hands. “Yes, Lord Yan.”
Yan Tongshu waved for the two of them to get to work. He then had Pearl grind the ink and began organizing all the discoveries made in the case so far.
After 7 p.m., Qin Yunduan requested an audience with Princess Xing'an. Xie Li was speaking with Princess Xing'an and left on his own.
A-Fu was then ordered to summon Qin Yunduan. A-Fu left and never returned.
Qin Yunduan entered the room and spoke with the princess.
At 8:30 p.m., the incense at the offering altar was lit.
Before 9 p.m., Amang and Shiyi were on duty.
At exactly 9 p.m., Xie Li and Penglai changed shifts, and Qin Yunduan happened to come out just then.
A short while later, Penglai saw Princess Xing'an extinguish the lamp and go to sleep.
At 7 a.m., A-Lian came to attend to the princess's morning ablutions. Xie Li entered the room and discovered Princess Xing'an dead beside the offering altar. A-Lian and Penglai rushed in and found that Princess Xing'an had been decapitated.
Five minutes later, Chancellor Yelu took control of the crime scene.
At 8:30 a.m., she entered the room to examine Princess Xing'an's body. Judging from the state of the corpse, the time of death was approximately five to six shichen earlier—ten to twelve hours.
Yan Tongshu could not help turning the matter over in his mind.
The timeline from the previous night was particularly simple.
Although Amang and Shiyi had been guarding the door and had not seen the princess, A-Fu, Qin Yunduan, and Xie Li could all corroborate that Princess Xing'an had still been alive before Qin Yunduan entered the room.
The incense indicated that Princess Xing'an had been alive at 8:30 p.m.
After the shift change at 9 p.m., Xie Li and Penglai had remained together the entire time. Even when one of them stepped away to relieve himself, the other never took his eyes off the post. They served as each other's alibis.
A-Fu had left after Qin Yunduan arrived and had never come back.
In the morning, at 7 a.m., A-Lian came to wake the princess and begin her duties.
No matter how he calculated it, on the surface, everyone seemed completely above suspicion—except Qin Yunduan.
The crucial point was that exact moment at 9 p.m. Had Princess Xing'an died before then, or afterward?
Before 9 p.m., Qin Yunduan had been alone with Princess Xing'an the entire time. His suspicion was therefore the greatest.
But if she had died afterward, then someone had tampered with the circumstances of her death, intending to frame Qin Yunduan.
Could it have been those terrorists from the Celestial God Sect? Afraid that Northern Liao would ignore their threats, had they tried to fabricate evidence and make Northern Liao believe that someone from the Martial Dynasty had killed the princess, thereby sabotaging the peace talks?
But how had they gotten inside?
Meng Zheng himself was stationed there, while the Divine Guard Army had surrounded the posthouse layer by layer. Not even a fly could have gotten in.
Whether it was the Celestial God Sect or Qin Yunduan, there was one thing neither could explain: the incense.
And then there was that strange chest.
Moreover, judging from the cotton thread found in the candle, the crumpled white paper caught in the window crack, and the missing sheets of xuan paper from Princess Xing'an’s room, it was highly likely that Qin Yunduan had used these items to make a paper figure of Princess Xing'an, something akin to a shadow puppet. He had used it to mislead Xie Li and Penglai into believing that Princess Xing'an was still alive.
To lessen suspicion against himself, he had deliberately lied, claiming that he had not seen Princess Xing'an light the incense.
Indeed, this line of reasoning was even more coherent.
Qin Yunduan had not wished to provoke a war between the two nations and bring suffering upon countless lives. Thus, in the heat of passion after killing her, he had staged the scene as a murder committed by the Cult of the Heavenly God, intending to shift the blame onto them.
When she had examined the scene earlier, she had not voiced these conclusions because there were still many unresolved doubts in the case. Moreover, the Northern Liao delegation was consumed by grief and highly agitated. If she had spoken up then, they might well have demanded Qin Yunduan’s life in their sorrow and rage.
If that happened, the case could easily have become a miscarriage of justice.
As Yan Tongshu pondered this, Li Fulin knocked and entered.
“Lord Yan,” he said with a bow. “Prince Wuyang has arrived. He wishes to see the Qin heir.”
Yan Tongshu rolled up the case files he had sorted through. “The Qin heir is not a criminal, but a suspect. He may see him—but you and I must be present, along with at least two constables.”
Li Fulin bowed, then withdrew to relay the response to Prince Wuyang.
Yan Tongshu handed the files to Pearl to organize, then went out to meet Prince Wuyang as well.
Prince Wuyang stood in the courtyard. He had brought no attendants and carried no umbrella. Snow fell in soft flurries, settling on his shoulders and hair.
Yan Tongshu had seen him before, during Qin Yunduan’s first shadow-puppet performance.
Prince Wuyang was an exceedingly stern and rigid man, always wearing a severe expression as he lectured others.
At the same time, he had always been a vigorous and spirited man.
But now, standing amid the snow, he seemed to have aged more than a decade.
After Li Fulin conveyed Yan Tongshu’s decision, Prince Wuyang acknowledged the Kaifeng Prefecture’s rules. Li Fulin then led him to Yan Tongshu.
Prince Wuyang’s bluish lips moved. He wanted to ask Yan Tongshu to clear Qin Yunduan’s name, but then felt there was no need.
He knew his own son. Though the boy was disappointing, disorderly in his ways, and had no sense of method, he was kind at heart. He would never commit murder.
Yan Tongshu and Li Fulin accompanied Prince Wuyang to Qin Yunduan’s room. Qin Yunduan was as dejected as he had been in the carriage.
His head hung low, and he did not move.
Princess Xing'an had met with disaster early that morning, and he had not eaten breakfast. Li Fulin had instructed the constables to bring him hot food, but it had long since gone cold, untouched.
Yan Tongshu and Li Fulin entered first, with Prince Wuyang following behind them.
Li Fulin said, “Qin heir, your father is here.”
Qin Yunduan’s bowed head shifted. He raised his face, and some light gradually returned to his unfocused eyes. A surge of grievance welled up inside him, and tears began to fall in heavy drops.
Then he remembered that his father hated seeing him look so pathetic. He hurriedly raised his sleeve and wiped the tears away.
He opened his mouth, his throat dry and hoarse.
“Father,” he called.
Prince Wuyang’s eyes stung with sudden tears. This foolish boy had lost his mother at birth. His grandfather and grandmother had doted on him desperately, and he had never suffered much hardship growing up. This was the first time he had faced anything so grave.
He stepped forward two paces, his heart aching for his son, but when he spoke, his words came out differently.
“Tell me—how did you manage to cause such a huge disaster when everything was fine? Couldn’t you have been more careful in what you did?”
The moment Qin Yunduan heard that, he felt even more aggrieved, and tears surged down his face once again.
Prince Wuyang found the sight painful, but there were outsiders in the room. He stiffened his face and scolded, “A real man shouldn’t be crying and sniveling all the time.”
Yan Tongshu covered her eyes.
Did Prince Wuyang seriously not know how to speak?
Just listening to him was enough to make her feel like she was having a heart attack—let alone Qin Yunduan.
Sure enough, Qin Yunduan stopped crying, but he looked even more wounded than before. Even the faint light in his eyes had gone out.
His head drooped again. It was as though all spirit had completely drained from him, his entire body seeming to radiate a deathly gloom.
Prince Wuyang took another two steps forward, stopping in front of Qin Yunduan. “Say something. Why are you sitting there with your head down?”
Qin Yunduan remained silent.
The room fell into complete stillness.
After a long while, Qin Yunduan said hoarsely, “I’m sorry, Father. I’ve disappointed you again.”
Prince Wuyang’s lips trembled. Stiffly, he said, “I’m not disappointed.”
He was worried.
So worried that, the moment he received the news, he had nearly fainted. He had rushed to the Kaifeng Prefecture Office without even stopping to take his medicine.
Qin Yunduan raised his head and looked at Prince Wuyang’s face, then lowered it again.
His expression was so awful. Of course he was disappointed.
It was always like this. He clearly did not like Qin Yunduan—clearly found him useless and despised him—yet he refused to admit it aloud.
Qin Yunduan thought that perhaps it was because he was Prince Wuyang’s son. As his father, admitting that he disliked the flesh and blood his late wife had left behind would be too humiliating.
Father and son lapsed once again into a silence where neither knew what to say.
After sitting there for a while, Prince Wuyang asked, “Is there anything you lack here? I’ll have the servants bring it over.”
Qin Yunduan looked around. The Kaifeng Prefecture Office had been very considerate; everything he needed was already provided. He shook his head. “I don’t lack anything.”
Prince Wuyang asked again, “Is there anything you want to eat?”
Qin Yunduan opened his mouth. He had wanted to say osmanthus sugar cakes, but then he remembered that Prince Wuyang thought they contained too much sugar, that he was fat, and that Prince Wuyang did not like him eating them. So he swallowed the words back down.
“No.”
After another stretch of silence, Prince Wuyang spoke awkwardly. “Stay here and behave yourself. If you need anything, have someone from the Kaifeng Prefecture Office fetch it from home. If you didn’t kill Princess Xing’an, you’ll be released sooner or later.”
Yan Tongshu stared at Prince Wuyang.
And then?
Wasn’t there supposed to be something more after “you’ll be released sooner or later”?
For example: Don’t be afraid. Your father will always believe in you.
Where was the rest of it?
Say it.
Yan Tongshu glared at Prince Wuyang as hard as she could, frantically signaling with her eyes. Prince Wuyang did not notice at all.
Yan Tongshu was helpless once more.
Prince Wuyang was about to leave.
Qin Yunduan suddenly raised his head and looked at him. “Father, you said that if I didn’t kill Princess Xing’an, I’ll be released sooner or later. But what if I really did something wrong?”
