Chapter 10: The Portrait

Chapter 10: The Portrait

"My father did not lie."

Xie Erli stepped forward to Yan Sanhe, his words sincere and earnest. "Miss Yan, please believe him."

"Why should I believe him?"

"Because our family also has a child who is ill."

The atmosphere in the study was tense, but Xie Erli tried to keep his tone as gentle as possible.

"Our youngest brother was born with an ailment. Countless silver coins have been spent and numerous renowned doctors consulted, all of whom said he wouldn't live long."

Yan Sanhe responded, "And so?"

"Put yourself in my father's shoes. No matter how much he may hate your grandfather or the Yan family, he would not harm a sick child."

Xie Erli furrowed his brow. "Perhaps there has been some misunderstanding here?"

Indeed, a fine example of putting oneself in another's shoes!

Yan Sanhe stared at him, trying hard to detect any hint of deceit on his face. "So, where lies the misunderstanding?"

Xie Erli picked up the letter and quickly scanned its contents. "Miss, do you recall in which year they came to the capital seeking medical treatment?"

Yan Sanhe replied, "The eighth year of Yonghe."

Xie Erli's heart skipped a beat. He abruptly turned to Xie Daozhi, who had already blurted out, "Which month? On what day did they arrive in the capital?"

Yan Sanhe answered, "I don't know the exact day they arrived, but he returned home in winter."

"Winter?"

Xie Daozhi pondered for a moment before suddenly turning to Xie Erli, his gaze lowering slightly.

Yan Sanhe couldn't decipher the hidden meaning in his eyes, but Xie Erli's mind was as clear as a mirror.

Pausing for a moment, he asked, "Miss Yan, is this the only reason you came to the Xie residence? Is there nothing else?"

Yan Sanhe, with the objective of his visit in mind, had no choice but to be straightforward. "If I were to say there's nothing else, I'd be lying to you; but if this matter isn't clarified, everything else loses its significance."

"What are you implying?" Xie Erli's gaze sharpened instantly.

Yan Sanhe's eyes darkened. "Give me the truth, and we can discuss the rest."

There was more...

Then this situation was far from simple!

Xie Erli glanced at Xie Daozhi, seeking guidance through their unspoken communication.

Xie Daozhi fell into a long silence.

Regardless of what this woman's intentions were, the blame for the three lives lost could not be unjustly pinned on him. It needed to be investigated thoroughly.

"Eldest Brother, you must immediately visit the prisons of both the Five Cities Military Commission and the Imperial Guards Bureau."

"On my way," Xie Erli replied promptly.

"Supervisor Xie."

Supervisor Xie pushed the door open and entered. "Master."

Xie Daozhi said, "Summon all the gatekeepers for me."

"Yes!"

"Yan Sanhe."

Xie Daozhi's voice turned grim. "You demand an explanation from me, and I'll give you one. But if it turns out that I wasn't behind this, what then?"

Yan Sanhe lifted his chin slightly, forming a proud curve on his neck. "If it wasn't you, I shall kneel before you and admit my guilt."

"Very well!"

Xie Daozhi roared loudly.

...

"Master, all the gatekeepers from our residence are here."

Xie Daozhi's expression turned solemn, and everyone present bowed their heads in fear.

In the household, the major and minor affairs were managed by the First Lady and the steward indoors, while the Master never interfered.

But today, Master was personally questioning them and had summoned them to the courtyard of his study...

Something significant must have occurred!

"The back door and the side gatekeepers need not be questioned. They made their first visit and carried a letter, so they wouldn't have used those two entrances."

Xie Daozhi glanced at Yan Sanhe with a hint of surprise. "Those from the side and back gates, you may withdraw."

Some servants, relieved, hurriedly exited, while the remaining seven or eight stood there with pounding hearts.

"In the summer of the Eighth Year of Yonghe, did any of you encounter..."

Halfway through his sentence, Xie Daozhi realized he could not continue.

At the Xie Estate, dozens of visitors came and went each day. It was hard enough to remember who had visited just a month ago, let alone nine years prior.

"Xie Daozhi, I need to borrow your desk for a moment."

Without waiting for his response, Yan Sanhe turned and entered the study.

The chief steward, Mr. Xie, felt a chill run down his spine. He hurriedly followed, "Sir's desk holds great significance; you... "

"Grind the ink!"

"..."

Mr. Xie: I'll endure this!

With the ink prepared, Yan Sanhe dipped his brush into it with one hand and picked up a piece of xuan paper from the desk with the other...

In the blink of an eye, the portrait of a middle-aged man materialized on the paper.

Xie Daozhi received the sketch with a shock, instinctively clenching his back teeth.

Ink flows like wandering clouds and rushing water across the parchment, a style evidently taught by Yan Xing stroke by stroke.

"Why is there only one? What about your brother?"

Yan Sanhe's gaze flickered slightly. "He has been gone for nine years. I have long forgotten what he looked like."