Chapter 38 Unhappy

Chapter 38: A Heavy Heart

After being locked in the dark for so long, even a sliver of sunlight stabbed at his eyes.

Ni Lishen raised a hand to shield them, peeking cautiously through his fingers at the window.

Such warm light—it felt like an eternity since he'd last seen it.

Now, faced with it again, it felt almost foreign, yet looking back, it had only been two months.

The harsh winter had passed, and spring was on its way.

Ni Lishen was still in a daze when footsteps approached from behind. He turned toward the sound and, upon seeing the visitor, immediately dropped to his knees with a thud.

"Your Majesty..."

Xiao Yan didn't speak, merely gazing down at him. After a long while, he finally uttered, "Have you come to your senses?"

"This subject... this guilty subject has come to his senses. This guilty subject will hold nothing back and tell you everything!"

"Hmm."

Xiao Yan responded indifferently, his face a blank mask, showing no sign of pleasure at Ni Lishen's apparent change of heart.

Ni Lishen, who had thought he might redeem himself through meritorious service, now felt a chill run down his spine. This wasn't going as he'd planned.

Had the Emperor already learned about the poison?

Did that mean his final bargaining chip was... gone?

Panic flashed across Ni Lishen's face, his last shred of confidence vanishing. His words and demeanor grew even more earnest.

He pressed his palms to the floor, forehead touching the back of his hands, in a posture of utter submission.

"Your Majesty, I... you see..."

Should he speak? Or remain silent?

"Speak."

Xiao Yan found a chair and sat down, his tone still cold.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Ni Lishen poured out everything he knew. "Vice Minister Zhang once spoke with this guilty subject. He mentioned hiding the poison under a blue brick in the southwest corner of his residence's garden. But as for which specific brick, this subject never saw it."

Vice Minister Zhang?

Xiao Yan lifted his downcast eyes, glancing at Ni Lishen prostrate on the floor.

Such an unfamiliar title.

Of course. Ni Lishen had been imprisoned for months, completely cut off from the outside world. He still thought everything was as it had been when he was first jailed, naturally unaware that Zhang Songyun and his entire family had long perished in a fire, leaving not even bones behind.

And that garden brick was likely buried somewhere in the ruins, all trace of it lost.

No matter how difficult it might be to find, he would still send people to search. Even if they had to dig three feet deep, he wouldn't give up the slightest clue.

But now, there was no guarantee that someone from behind the scenes wasn't watching those ruins. If people were seen digging openly there, it would surely arouse suspicion.

This matter required a different approach.

As Xiao Yan pondered, Ni Lishen felt as though ten thousand ants were gnawing at his heart with anxiety.

Logically, having revealed the poison's location, the Emperor's reaction shouldn't be so indifferent.

Ni Lishen's heart tightened bit by bit. Just as he was about to suffocate from tension, that aloof voice finally came from above.

"Did Zhang Songyun have any conflicts with others?"

"He... likely had no conflicts."

Ni Lishen's movements paused. He didn't quite understand the Emperor's intention with this question but didn't dare look up.

Zhang Songyun was relatively honest, a widely acknowledged "nice guy." Could he possibly quarrel with anyone?

To be honest, Ni Lishen couldn't even imagine Zhang Songyun angry.

Xiao Yan let out a light chuckle. As expected, no useful clues had emerged.

The mastermind behind all this was hidden so deeply that even someone of Ni Lishen's level knew very little about him. It seemed the path to uncovering him would be long and arduous.

However, Ni Lishen seemed to misinterpret the meaning of Xiao Yan's chuckle, thinking the Emperor was expressing dissatisfaction with him.

He grew even more panicked, fearing Xiao Yan might send him to the executioner's block in a fit of displeasure. He began to babble uncontrollably.

"Your Majesty, I speak the truth, not a single false word! Zhang Songyun was even courteous to a mere guard in his household—how could he have conflicts with others!"

Hmm?

A guard?

For a civil official like Zhang Songyun, being polite to others was normal. But being not just polite but exceptionally courteous to a lowly guard seemed somewhat inconsistent with his status.

Xiao Yan keenly detected the information in Ni Lishen's words. "Elaborate."

"Yes. When this guilty subject previously visited Zhang Songyun, I happened to see him bowing to a servant dressed as a guard. At the time, although I found it strange, I didn't think much of it. Now, upon reflection, it was indeed improper..."

"What did that guard look like?"

"I only saw him from the side. The guard was tall, with a robust build and a full beard."

A full beard?

This characteristic was like a lit match, instantly illuminating Xiao Yan's thoughts.

He seemed to have a vague impression. He began recalling the scene he witnessed in that inconspicuous alley on the day of the fire.

Fierce flames seemed intent on lighting up the night, mingled with sounds of panic and weeping. Everywhere were people covered in dust, their clothes in tatters.

He remembered that shortly after his arrival, a sturdy man with a full beard did leave the fire scene, and this man happened to pass by Jiang Wang.

His attention at the time had been entirely on Jiang Wang, who was crouched on the ground crying, so he hadn't noticed anything else unusual about that person.

Now it seemed this person could be the link between the mastermind and Zhang Songyun, or perhaps even the arsonist who set the Zhang residence ablaze, causing Zhang Songyun's death...

Meanwhile, Ni Lishen, who had been prostrate on the ground, finally caught up with Xiao Yan's train of thought. As if realizing something, he abruptly raised his head.

"Your Majesty, send me! I am willing to go and coax information from Zhang Songyun to uncover the guard's true identity. Please grant this subject a chance to atone for his crimes through meritorious service!"

Xiao Yan looked down at Ni Lishen's display of loyalty and found it merely amusing.

When he was first seized, if he had just opened his mouth a little, he could have prevented a tragedy. But now, so many vibrant lives vanished in that fire, and the tragedy was already irreversible.

Xiao Yan said two words airily, "Too late."

These simple two words knocked Ni Lishen for a loop.

Too late? What was too late?

Had the Emperor already uncovered the guard's true identity? Did he still have a chance to redeem himself through merit?

"Zhang Songyun is dead," Xiao Yan looked into Ni Lishen's eyes, his calm gaze faintly tinged with killing intent. "He perished in the fire, his body reduced to ashes."

Ni Lishen seemed nailed to the spot, the color draining from his face instantly. His mouth opened slightly, and a dry, raspy voice squeezed out from his throat.

"How... how is that possible? How could Zhang Songyun die..."

He knew that both he and Zhang Songyun were in the employ of a mysterious person, who promised them immense wealth and a bright future, but neither had ever seen that person's true face.

He merely carried out that person's instructions, which were delivered by carrier pigeons. That person never told him the purpose behind these tasks.

Yet he didn't care. He had boarded that person's crooked path for money, and by the time he wanted to get off, he found there was no shore in sight. He was bound to that person, drifting farther and farther away with the ship.

But he never imagined Zhang Songyun would die, and in such a cruel way.

Just thinking about the bone-deep pain of flames devouring every inch of skin made him break out in a cold sweat. What immense torment had Zhang Songyun endured before his death...

If he hadn't been imprisoned, would he have met the same fate as Zhang Songyun?

Once this thought crossed his mind, a cold snake seemed to slither up his spine, slowly creeping upward until it reached his brain.

Ni Lishen broke out in goosebumps all over, unsure whether it was clarity or lingering fear.

He stared blankly at Xiao Yan, at a loss for words.

Perhaps, compared to being burned alive, ending up dead by Xiao Yan's hand... might be a better end.

Xiao Yan waved his hand, and Ling Hai, receiving the order, propped up the limp Ni Lishen and took him back to that cramped, dark, hidden space.

Once Ni Lishen disappeared around the corner, Xiao Yan took out paper and brush, writing down a few words.

Southwest corner, gray bricks, bearded man.

These were the clues he had obtained from Ni Lishen. Though not much, they were still useful.

As for the first two, he would find a way to investigate.

As for the third, Xiao Yan drew a circle around it.

Bearded man...

Xiao Yan pondered, his brush lingering in one spot until the ink soaked through the paper.

No surprise, this beard was likely a disguise.

A bushy beard hid his features, making it impossible for others to recognize who he really was.

If even his appearance could be faked, what was real anymore?

Xiao Yan repeatedly recalled what Ni Lishen had just said.

Suddenly, two more words popped into his head.

Tall stature, robust build.

Appearance could be concealed, but physical traits were harder to hide. Moreover, a strapping physique better fit the identity of a "guard."

Xiao Yan pulled his thoughts together, wrote a note, and handed it to Ling Hai. "Investigate."

Check opera costume shops or small street-side novelty stores—anywhere that might sell fake beards.

"Yes."

Ling Hai took Xiao Yan's written instructions and headed out, only to bump into Fang Fengshi, who was just entering.

They exchanged no words, merely locking eyes for a moment, understanding each other's meaning—the interrogation had yielded limited results.

Fang Fengshi gave a slight nod and walked into the room.

Passing through the main hall and entering the bedchamber, behind the screen was Xiao Yan's upright silhouette.

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, casting his shadow long.

At this moment, only that shadow kept him company.

As the emperor, he possessed everything, yet he appeared lonely and desolate.

Fang Fengshi sighed imperceptibly. In the blink of an eye, the concern in his eyes was buried deep in his heart, replaced by his familiar, devil-may-care attitude.

He deliberately quieted his footsteps, intending to startle Xiao Yan, but when he was just two steps away, Xiao Yan caught him.

Xiao Yan's voice drifted from ahead, "Your stealth skills are far worse than Ling Hai's."

"Shut up!"

Fang Fengshi bristled instantly.

He was born into a martial arts family; he'd been into martial arts since he was a kid. Old General Fang personally trained him, and he spent more time practicing than sleeping.

He could accept others calling him a spoiled young master, a good-for-nothing, or even saying he was ugly—but he could not tolerate anyone saying his martial arts skills were inferior.

"Oh, so you're taking out all your bad mood from these past few days on me?" Fang Fengshi retorted, unwilling to back down. "Me, the honorable Young General Fang, your childhood friend, have become your punching bag?"

He felt his sympathy was unnecessary. Xiao Yan's heart was as hard as iron; he clearly didn't need anyone's concern and could still subtly "stab" you in return.

Fang Fengshi mimicked Xiao Yan's tone, speaking softly.

"It's just that Jiang Wang has been giving you the cold shoulder these past few days. Is it really that serious?"

Author's Note:

Xiao Yan: Oh no, my wife is ignoring me...