Chapter 12: I Am Sorry, Sir

Chen Ru was brought to a halt by this shout, though she did not lower the sword in her hand.

"Second Young Master Yan, I have been observing from outside for quite some time. There are indeed many suspicious points regarding Mr. Yan's death. If you all trust my judgment, why not allow the Ministry of Justice to take over the case? We will certainly investigate the truth behind the murder of Master Yan. What say you, Master Yan?"

Yan Qingyu frowned as he looked at Chen Chuchuan. Knowing that Chen Chuchuan currently held a fine reputation at the Ministry of Justice—and that he had not been invited to today’s proceedings—he remarked, "Lord Chen, you have arrived at a most 'opportune' moment!"

"Why? Does the Second Young Master not wish for me to be here? Since there are doubts surrounding Mr. Yan's death, should you, as his younger brother, not hope for him to rest in peace?"

Seeing the mourners whispering amongst themselves and casting a glance toward Yi An, he realized he had no choice but to sacrifice the pawn to save the king. "In that case, I shall leave it to you, Lord Chen!"

Hearing this, Shen He felt a sense of relief. She looked toward Chen Chuchuan, who gave a slight nod and returned her gaze with a resolute expression.

Chen Chuchuan was the illegitimate son of General Chen Heran. Chen Heran and Shen He’s father, Shen Huaian, had been like brothers, fighting side by side on the battlefield in their youth; there was no battle they could not win when they fought in tandem. Chen Heran had two sons and one daughter. His legitimate son, Chen Chuhe, was married to Shen Yue, the eldest daughter of the Shen family’s second branch and Shen He’s cousin. Chen Heran’s legitimate daughter, Chen Suixin, was Shen He’s closest confidante, with whom she shared every secret. All three of them had been students at the Yunshan Academy.

Because he was an illegitimate son, Chen Chuchuan had been neglected and often bullied by Chen Chuhe during their childhood, only for Shen He to save him on several occasions. Later, when Shen He discovered Chen Chuhe’s affection for her cousin Shen Yue, she used the information as leverage, threatening to reveal his behavior to Shen Yue if he continued to bully Chen Chuchuan. Only then did Chen Chuhe desist. Chen Chuchuan had eventually entered the Ministry of Justice on his own merits, climbing the ranks without relying on his father—a feat truly worthy of respect.

Chen Chuchuan summoned his men from the Ministry of Justice, then turned to Shen He and whispered, "Miss Shen, early this morning, someone delivered a letter directly to me, stating that a major event would occur at the Yan residence today and insisting that I attend. Now that I think of it, that must have been you."

The corners of Shen He’s mouth lifted slightly as she nodded. "Thank you, Lord Chen, for your tireless effort in coming. Were it not for you, I fear Qingyi would have been trapped in a position of dishonor."

"I am merely curious, Miss Shen, how did you possess such foresight?"

Shen He had her response prepared. "Ever since the incident with Mr. Yan, Qingyi has not returned. I heard the Yan family was searching for him, accusing him of fratricide. I have always known Qingyi; he could never harm the Master. Therefore, someone must have been deliberately spreading rumors to facilitate his arrest. Today was the Master’s funeral, so Qingyi was bound to appear. It was the perfect opportunity for Yan Qingyu to strike."

Chen Chuchuan nodded in appreciation. "If Miss Shen were a man, you would certainly be recruited to the Ministry of Justice."

"Thank you."

Chen Chuchuan said no more, turning instead to collect testimonies and evidence from Yan Qingyu, Yan Qingyi, and the others. As the crowd dispersed, the mourning hall suddenly fell silent. Shen He slowly turned to look at the memorial tablet of Yan Qingshu; the characters carved into the brownish-red wood were cold, devoid of any warmth.

The hall was exceptionally quiet, and Shen He felt as though her heart had been hollowed out. She took a stack of rice paper from her robes, knelt, and began to burn them one by one. They were all pages of calligraphy she had practiced.

"Linglong, why can you never seem to write these characters well?"
"This character 'Yong'—write it a hundred times!"
"Linglong, I see you are not putting your heart into this! Where is your mind?"
"Is Xiao Jingren truly someone to whom you can entrust your life? You are usually so intelligent; how can you be so foolish in this matter?"
"If you insist on this path, do not call me 'Master' ever again!"

Tears fell silently, blurring into the ground, as if carving a hole in Shen He’s heart.

"Master, what should I do? Even with your personal instruction, my calligraphy has shown no improvement."
"The gentleman is buried beneath the spring, his bones turned to dust, while I remain in this world, my hair turned white with snow."
"Master, I don't understand. Since Heaven gave me a chance to start over, why, why would you not let me save you?"
"Master, I am sorry! I am sorry..."

"Sister, are you crying?" A familiar, gentle voice sounded by her ear. Shen He looked up to find Xiao Jingchi still there, standing beside her without her noticing.

Looking at Xiao Jingchi, the emotions surging in Shen He’s heart were hard to suppress. She recalled the lessons Yan Qingshu had taught her while he was alive, especially his warning about Xiao Jingren. In her previous life, she had been young and headstrong, dismissing his advice, but now she was filled with deep regret.

"I..." Shen He choked, her vision blurring with tears once more. "I miss the Master."

Xiao Jingchi did not respond for a moment. After a long while, he patted her shoulder gently and crouched beside her. "The Master misses you, too."

"The Master must blame me. He blames me for being willful, for not listening, for not trusting him. He said not to call him Master anymore... he must resent me..."

"No, he does not resent you. He is worried about you; he fears you are unhappy, he fears you might get hurt," Xiao Jingchi said softly.

Shen He did not even notice that Xiao Jingchi’s voice had lost its childish quality, becoming clean and magnetic, his emotions growing complex.

Suddenly, Shen He clutched her chest and began to wail, curling up on the prayer mat. She sobbed heart-wrenchingly, as if pierced by a sharp blade, leaving her wounded and bleeding. Xiao Jingchi remained silent, gently wrapping his arms around her, allowing her to lean against his chest. She curled into a ball in his embrace, her tears flowing like a broken dam.

"Master! Master, I am sorry... I am sorry... I am sorry..."

After crying for an unknown amount of time, Shen He’s sobs gradually quieted. Returning to her senses, she realized she was being held and that Xiao Jingchi’s robes were wrinkled and stained with her tears. She quickly pushed him away, straightening herself. "Thank you, Your Highness."

As she looked up to meet his gaze, a flash of keen inquiry crossed his eyes, only to vanish instantly, replaced by his usual simple-minded expression. "Is Sister done crying?"

"Jingchi," Shen He broke the silence. "Do you blame your sister?"

"Why would I blame Sister?" Xiao Jingchi asked, puzzled.

*Because you are so innocent, yet I must use you for my revenge. Because in my past life, you managed to avoid the fires of the succession struggle, yet now I am dragging you into this vortex...*

A wave of bitterness rose in her heart. She wiped her tears and forced a smile. "Jingchi, though you are simple-minded, you are more pure and kind than many others. At least your heart is not filled with so many twists and turns. Sometimes, I even envy you."

With that, Shen He offered a self-deprecating smile.

Just then, Yan Qingyi hurried over, presumably having finished his questioning with Chen Chuchuan. He stood before Shen He and Xiao Jingchi, bowing deeply, his voice trembling. "Thank you for your help. Without you, I would have fallen into Yan Qingyu's hands, unable to prove my innocence."

Shen He stood up and quickly reached out to support him. "Qingyi, why be so formal with me? Helping you is what I ought to do. It is the Sixth Prince you should truly thank."

Hearing this, Yan Qingyi turned his gaze toward Xiao Jingchi. Though he knew of the Prince's mental state, he knew today’s turning point was indeed thanks to him. Yan Qingyi knelt, preparing to perform a grand salute, but Xiao Jingchi stepped forward quickly, gently preventing him from kneeling.

"Brother, don't! No need to thank me!" Xiao Jingchi said with a smile, helping him up.

"A-He is right. It is fortunate the Prince was there to discover the mark on my brother's arm, which became the evidence to bring down Yi An."

Xiao Jingchi smiled but said nothing.

Shen He was also thinking that all of this had indeed gone a bit too smoothly. She had initially asked Xiao Jingchi to help open the coffin while in the carriage, hoping to examine the body, but she had not expected to find the vital clue so quickly. And then, there was the tassel that had fallen from Mr. Yan's hand...

Had Yan Qingyu really not checked before the burial? Was he too arrogant, or was there another reason?

But when she looked at Xiao Jingchi, who wore a simple, foolish smile, Shen He smiled back, telling herself that perhaps she was just overthinking.