Still standing there, Yan Yihuan stared blankly into the narrow alley. He had his doubts about Ming Zhang’s sudden departure, yet quickly put them aside.
He knew how complicated Ming Zhang’s affairs were at present. The fact that he had been willing to stay with him for so long was already remarkable. Since Ming Zhang had promised to help him, he(MZ) wouldn’t go back on his word. It would be better to follow his advice and return to the residence first.
In a daze, Yan Yihuan turned around and walked alone toward the manor. His absentminded figure looked strikingly out of place amid the lively bustle around him.
It was not until he had gone another street over that Yan Yihuan abruptly came to a halt, as if a thought had struck him. He looked around, and only then did he realize that he was now alone, walking by himself down the busy street.
Ming Zhang did not say it outright, but his words carried a clear implication. Between the lines, he was suggesting that the Emperor was behind Xu Xinyao’s death. If that were truly the case, then running out like this in the hope of saving him was nothing but wishful thinking. And if he were to rashly seek out Du Yunsong now, he might only bring trouble upon the Du family as well.
At this thought, Yan Yihuan felt unbearably stifled. His eyes burned with soreness. If he did not force himself to hold it back, he feared he would burst into tears right there in the street.
He was not only grieving for the Xu family, but also felt a deep chill in his heart for his own Yan family, and even more so for the sudden, overwhelming pain that rose inexplicably within him.
If even a mere merchant who had become entangled with the Residence of King Yan could not be tolerated, then the current calm surrounding the Residence of King Yan was likely nothing more than a matter of timing. As for himself, he was probably nothing special either. Once the Emperor grew weary of him, these days of superficial peace would surely come to an end.
But how was one meant to break free from such a dead end?
At this moment, Yan Yihuan’s thoughts scattered wildly, like a startled rabbit crashing about in the dark. He knew that if Ming Zhang dared to leave him alone on the street, there must be hidden guards watching nearby. Even if he could not escape this invisible cage, he still had to write home to warn his family to lie low and to abandon any thoughts of defiance or reckless action while there was still time.
Now that he was outside the palace, with no one openly following him, this was the best chance he would get. Yet even if he wrote the letter, who could he entrust it to? Du Yunsong was clearly not a suitable choice.
His worries remained unresolved, and his steps grew heavier and heavier. As the number of passersby dwindled, he found that he was only one street away from his own residence.
The crescent moon hung like a hook in the sky, occasionally hiding behind thin clouds. In the shifting light and shadow, only the sounds of insects and distant birds remained. Yan Yihuan took a few more steps when a sudden chill crept up his back. His heart began to race, an uneasy sensation wrapping tightly around him.
Why had he never felt this place to be so secluded before?
Even knowing that hidden guards were protecting him, Yan Yihuan could not shake the fear rising within him. His pace quickened.
Not far away, the hidden guard’s gaze sharpened as well. He sensed the same anomaly. Without hesitation, he revealed himself and moved swiftly to Yan Yihuan’s side, speaking in a low voice,
“Grand Historian Yan. I am Ling Chen of the Youluo Jian.”
Yan Yihuan stopped short. The words Youluo Jian brought him an immediate sense of reassurance. He glanced at Ling Chen beside him, then toward the residence gate just around the bend. His heart finally began to settle.
Yet at the very moment he lifted his foot to move forward, a piercing scream tore through the vast stillness like a blade, cutting straight through his ears. Yan Yihuan went deathly pale, every hair on his body standing on end.
“Murder!!!”
Before he could react, a second scream ripped through his already scared heart. He jolted and stumbled forward, only to see a figure fleeing in the opposite direction, staggering as though their legs had gone weak with terror.
Ling Chen clearly wanted to chase after that person, but concern for Yan Yihuan’s safety forced him to halt after only a few steps. He caught Yan Yihuan by the arm and said firmly,
“Grand Historian Yan, something is amiss here. Please come with me and leave at once.”
Yan Yihuan still stood frozen, as if utterly unaware, his eyes fixed on the gate of his own residence.
At that moment, the clouds had veiled the moon, casting the doorway in deep shadow, an impenetrable blackness. He knew he should turn and run immediately, report this to the authorities, or hand it over to Youluo Jian, anything but stay.
But now, he felt nailed in place, his gaze glued to the only thing not swallowed by shadow: a single hand stretched upward.
As a breeze scattered the clouds, moonlight gradually illuminated the hand. Its skin was pale, the fingers slightly curled, and a striking piece of red coral on the thumb caught his attention.
Yan Yihuan pressed his hands over his mouth to stop the scream threatening to escape. His body shook uncontrollably. He forced his eyes upward from the hand, and although it was barely visible, he almost immediately recognized the lifeless form lying at his gate:
It was Xu Xinyao.
It felt as if the air had been ripped from his lungs. He had feared something might have happened to Xu Xinyao, but seeing it before his eyes like this nearly made Yan Yihuan lose his mind,
“It’s all my fault… it’s all because of me…”
If only he hadn’t run, if only he had been honest with Big Brother Xu, he wouldn’t have lingered in the capital waiting for him, and he wouldn’t have lost his life.
What should he do? What could he possibly do?
He heard Ling Chen urging him to leave, but the person lying there was his brother’s longtime friend, someone who had grown up with him like family. How could he simply turn his back now?
“If you dislike someone, just drive them away. Why kill? Why did they have to kill him…?”
Tears streamed down Yan Yihuan’s empty eyes without warning. He muttered to himself, filled with remorse for his avoidance these past few days, and feeling utterly ashamed to face the Xu family, his parents, and his brothers.
Ling Chen had intended to take Yan Yihuan away, but although he was absolutely terrified, his expression clearly showed his unwillingness to leave.
What should have been a simple task of escorting Yan Yihuan back to the residence was supposed to be done with only him(LC) accompanying. But seeing that he couldn’t leave Yan Yihuan’s side, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment before pulling out a signal device, one that every member of the Youluo Jian always carried.
A blinding flash of light shot up into the sky, followed by a deafening explosion that echoed through the night, shaking half of the capital.
Mingzhang’s eyelids twitched slightly at the explosion, then he lifted his gaze, eyes calm and deep like a still pool. “Looks like it’s already been discovered.”
“Lord Ming is truly prescient. Everything has fallen into place perfectly.”
“It’s not that I can predict everything. Yan Yihuan is simply too easy to read. Once you get familiar with him, he drops all defenses. So innocent that you can’t bring yourself to hurt him.” Ming Zhang sighed and shook his head. His expression was like that of someone talking about a wayward younger brother, helpless yet indulgent.
“You speak as if you care so much for Yan Yihuan, yet you still arranged for him to see Xu Xinyao’s corpse with his own eyes.”
“Since you’ve already killed him, why not make the most of it? After all, only when one sees it personally does it become impossible to let go,” Ming Zhang’s eyes glinted with a sharp light, like a blade, as he stared unflinchingly at the man before him, “Wouldn’t you agree, Your Highness[mfn]t/n: Here it’s actually 世子殿下, which means “Your Highness the Heir Apparent,” but it sounds kinda clunky, and I wanted a more dramatic finish to the chapter, so I left it as simply “Your Highness.” Hope you don’t mind!🤗 And just in case you’ve forgotten, the Heir Apparent is Li Xuanjing.[/mfn]?”
