14. Glimpsing Some Clues and Traces

Chapter 14: A Glimpse of Clues

The first light of dawn crept in, morning dew still fresh on the air. The incense burner in the inner chamber had long burned out, its cold fragrance dissipated.

Xu Hanyun lay on the canopied bed, waking first, the dull, lingering ache of his headache still throbbing at the edge of his thoughts.

He rubbed his brow, turned over, and through the hazy morning light, quietly gazed at the sleeping Gu Yuanzhi beside him.

She rested in the crook of his arm, worn out from the night's exertions, sleeping soundly. Her dark hair spilled over her jade-white shoulders like dark clouds resting on snow.

Her lashes lay softly on her delicate face, casting two gentle shadows that stirred a wave of tenderness in him.

Xu Hanyun's intense gaze traced the marks he'd left on her skin the night before.

He mulled it over, the scenes from last night flooding back. Were her words sincere, or just a ploy to clear Mei Hezhi's name?

The warmth in his eyes gradually faded, hardening back into ice. He couldn't afford to trust this woman so easily.

As if sensing something, Gu Yuanzhi's brows furrowed slightly, and she let out a soft murmur, snuggling closer to him, trying to get more comfortable.

He abruptly pulled his arm away and looked off to the side.

Perhaps the movement had disturbed Gu Yuanzhi, for she slowly opened her eyes and shifted, feeling the sticky, uncomfortable aftermath between her thighs.

Still groggy, the moment she met his dark, unreadable eyes, she remembered how relentlessly he'd taken her the night before, and how she'd finally passed out from sheer exhaustion.

Gu Yuanzhi's gaze flickered, then drifted downward. Half of her was still wrapped in his arms, their bodies tangled together in a way that made her cheeks flush.

The man beneath her had his robe hanging open at the collar, revealing the faint scratch marks her nails had left when she'd lost control last night.

She scooted back, pulling the blanket up to wrap herself tightly.

"Lord Xu..." Gu Yuanzhi's voice was hoarse from everything they'd done. She tried to sit up but, weak and sore, collapsed back onto the pillow.

"Mm." Xu Hanyun grunted in acknowledgment, pulling on his robe and straightening his sleeves as he stood.

She watched his tall, upright figure, her mind racing, unsure how much of what she'd said had actually sunk in. Maybe they were just words whispered in the heat of the moment, forgotten by morning.

"Last night, what I said," Gu Yuanzhi finally broke the silence, "does your answer still stand?"

She was asking about helping him with the case. She desperately needed a definitive answer; only with his go-ahead could she stop being a bird in a cage.

He paused mid-buckle on his jade belt, one eyebrow lifting. "Which part?"

Her lips turned down, disappointment washing over her. Just as she'd feared—just pillow talk.

"His Lordship is a busy man, so of course he wouldn't remember." She lowered her lashes, no longer looking at him.

Xu Hanyun sat down, poured himself a cup of cold tea, and said with a faint, mocking smile, "You said a lot last night—begging, crying. Which one are you talking about?"

It was clear he was just toying with her. To him, this was probably just another whim, another conquest.

"My Lord, if you're unwilling, so be it. Why do you have to mock me and torment me like this?" Gu Yuanzhi's face flushed with anger as she sat up abruptly, the silk quilt slipping off her slender shoulders, revealing marks of varying intensity scattered across her pale skin like red plum blossoms on snow.

He glanced at her briefly, then calmly picked up her clothes from the floor and handed them to her.

"When did I ever say it wouldn't count?"

"My Lord trusts me?" The sudden shift in his attitude left her momentarily speechless.

A mocking smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Your life, your death, your family's honor—all of it is in my hands. So yes, I trust you."

"So, in helping me solve this case, what do you want?" he continued.

"My parents are old, and my two brothers have families to support. Now they're sentenced to exile, and the journey is long and hard." Her voice choked slightly. "I hope you'll send someone to take care of them, at least make sure they have food, clothes, and stay safe and healthy."

As her words fell, Gu Yuanzhi, ignoring the fact that she was barely dressed, wrapped only in a thin blanket, moved to get out of bed and kneel before him. But before her knees hit the floor, a hand caught her.

"No need for that with me." His voice was flat as he pulled her up and pushed her back onto the bed, then pulled the blanket up to cover her completely.

Gu Yuanzhi was stunned for a moment, not understanding his intentions, her heart uneasy.

"Your parents—I'll naturally send someone to take care of them." He looked at her, his gaze deep. "Your father and brothers are learned men. I'll arrange for them to work as clerks at the local government school. No official rank, but it's easy work, and they won't go hungry."

She'd expected him to make things difficult or demand more, but he agreed so easily. She still wondered if he had some other agenda.

"Thank you, my Lord." Gu Yuanzhi couldn't help but feel a surge of relief, then ventured, "And what about the Mei family's sentence?"

"The crime of rebellion—the immediate family is to be executed. They're still in custody," Xu Hanyun said flatly.

Gu Yuanzhi went quiet. A whole family—her nephew was only six. How could anyone bear it... Her lips parted, but no words came out. She knew even Xu Hanyun couldn't change that, unless the case was overturned—and that was exactly what she needed to work toward.

"Get yourself cleaned up. Come to the study in an hour. The Salt Tax Office files the imperial censor sent over need to be organized."

These official documents were dense and hard to parse; a regular clerk would need at least half a month to sort through them. He was testing her skills.

"Alright." Gu Yuanzhi didn't hesitate, agreeing immediately.

In the study, two armchairs sat side by side, originally meant to be at opposite ends of the desk, leaving plenty of space.

But Xu Hanyun had pushed the files to both sides, taking up most of the desk.

So the chairs ended up right next to each other, forcing Gu Yuanzhi to sit shoulder to shoulder with him.

The smell of ink mixed with the pine resin scent from Xu Hanyun's sleeves, their breath mingling.

At first, Gu Yuanzhi sat up straight and deliberately scooted away, but soon she got absorbed in the mountain of files and gradually relaxed, her leg brushing against his.

Xu Hanyun, however, seemed completely oblivious, staying calm as he kept reading and writing without a pause.

In truth, Xu Hanyun wasn't as calm as he looked. Catching the faint scent of soap and orchid—the scented oil he'd had prepared for her—lingering at his nose, he unconsciously slowed down his writing.

He didn't usually like sweet scents, but he thought it suited Gu Yuanzhi. It smelled nice enough—maybe next time he'd try a different one, or just buy out the whole shop.

The study was quiet except for soft breathing and the occasional rustle of pages turning.

She glanced up at his profile—cold and intensely focused. Though she hated him, despised him, she had to admit the man was methodical in his work, genuinely skilled.

Gu Yuanzhi handed him a ledger. "My Lord, these are the verified salt certificate numbers."

Xu Hanyun grunted in acknowledgment, taking the neatly copied ledger, and said flatly, "Good work. As good as any clerk in this office."

In the general's household, everything Gu Yuanzhi did was taken for granted—even her talent was treated as mere decoration. So she had worth beyond just managing the household.

Gu Yuanzhi cheerfully moved on to the next file, the corners of her lips unconsciously curving up.

Gu Yuanzhi was indeed sharp. Those complicated accounts, transfer records, and letters formed a clear pattern in her mind. In just an hour, she'd found a hidden thread that was hard to spot—earning genuine admiration from Xu Hanyun.

The autumn wind drifted in through the half-open window, stirring Gu Yuanzhi's loosely coiled hair. A single loose strand floated down and happened to land on the case file beneath Xu Hanyun's hand. He paused his brush, staring at the strand of hair, lost in thought.

How had Xu Hanyun never noticed how lustrous her hair was back in prison? Perhaps it was due to the attentive care she'd received these past few days.

"Lord Xu, is something amiss?" Gu Yuanzhi looked up in confusion, following his gaze before realizing her own indiscretion. "I'm sorry for the disturbance, please forgive my rudeness."

She naturally tucked the strand behind her ear and lowered her head back to the case files.

"No harm done." Xu Hanyun's gaze lingered briefly before returning to his usual wooden, unfeeling expression.

Just as she was deeply absorbed, Gu Yuanzhi suddenly noticed something suspicious.

This corruption case at the Salt Tax Office implicated many people. The flow of silver was complex and convoluted, yet ultimately all traces seemed to faintly point toward the Imperial Observatory and several officials of the Eastern Palace.

And the timing of several large sums of money being transferred faintly overlapped with the period when Mei Hezhi was framed for treason.

The Emperor held Daoism in high regard, and the Imperial Observatory, as an office enjoying great imperial favor, had once observed the stars at night and circulated the absurd prophecy that Mei Hezhi's "war star would breach the palace and threaten the throne at the Purple Forbidden Enclosure." It was pure nonsense, yet it deepened the Emperor's suspicions and ultimately led to the severe charges being laid.

She struggled to suppress her churning thoughts, discreetly marking those pages while casting a sidelong glance at Xu Hanyun, fearful that he might have discovered something.

"Is there something particularly difficult in that file that has you so absorbed you've even forgotten to turn the pages?" Xu Hanyun suddenly asked.

Gu Yuanzhi's brow twitched, but she feigned composure.

"I was just thinking—the embezzled silver from the Salt Tax Office could sustain an army of a thousand men for over a year. It's truly alarming. Looking at these accounts, I find them shocking and lost track of time." Gu Yuanzhi's lips parted slightly, her brows raised in apparent surprise, her words filled with indignation and dismay.

"Is that so?" He asked softly, carefully weighing the truth in her words. "Which entry? Let me see it."

"Please wait a moment, my lord. There's a discrepancy in this ledger that I need to verify first." Gu Yuanzhi felt uneasy and could only brush it off.

Xu Hanyun's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then he reached out toward the file in her hands. "I'll take a look at this one myself. As for the ones in your hands, it will be enough if you finish them today."

Gu Yuanzhi's heart churned with anxiety. Xu Hanyun was meticulous and ruthless in his methods. If he were to learn that Mei Hezhi's case had other hidden angles, what would he do? Would he dig deeper to topple more political enemies, or would he erase this lead entirely?

She dared not gamble, and even less could she entrust her husband's life to this unfathomable man.