In the afternoon, another heavy rain poured down, saturating the cells of the Dali Temple with a damp atmosphere.

Shen Yanzhi walked slowly to a cell and stopped.

His official robe was soaked by the rain, his face as pale as snow, looking fragile as if it could break at a touch.

The boots he wore left a long trail of footprints behind him, now darkened by the light from the torches on the walls, as if he had walked through muddy ground, the mud forever sticking to his feet, impossible to clean.

Inside the cell, a man sat with his back against the wall, his head tilted to the side.

His face was pale with a tinge of green, and his jaw was surrounded by a faint stubble.

He looked thin, with hollow cheeks and disheveled hair hanging in strands, far from the image of the former “young master Qin,” who used to hold a fan and smile lightly, composing poems by the hundreds.

A guard whispered to Shen Yanzhi, “Since young master Qin was brought here three days ago, he hasn’t eaten or drunk anything. The meals brought to him every day remain untouched.”

Qin Jian had been transferred to the Dali Temple cell after the decree for his execution was issued three days ago.

Shen Yanzhi silently observed Qin Jian for a moment, his eyes numb. “Open the cell door and send young master Qin home,” he said hoarsely.

The silk fabric of his official robe dripped water, forming a small puddle beneath him.

In the torchlight, he seemed forever trapped within the dark circle of water stains.

The guard obeyed and opened the cell door, calling out to Qin Jian, who remained in the same seated position, unmoving.

As the guard hesitated, about to go in and shake him, Shen Yanzhi walked into the cell, causing the guard to stay put at the doorway.

Approaching Qin Jian, Shen Yanzhi crouched down in front of him. “Your father has been escorted back by the Qin family’s procession. His affairs require your attention.”

Only then did the lifeless Qin Jian turn his head, his eyes bloodshot, veins bulging on his neck.

Unexpectedly, he lunged at Shen Yanzhi, wrapping the iron chain of his shackles around Shen Yanzhi’s neck.

“Prince!” the guard at the door exclaimed in shock, rushing forward to pull Qin Jian away.

Despite appearing frail, Qin Jian displayed astonishing strength, requiring several guards to pry him off.

Shen Yanzhi, struggling to catch his breath, coughed incessantly, a stark red mark visible where the iron chain had pressed against his neck.

His once pale face now tinged with a thin layer of red.

As Qin Jian was restrained by the guards, a fierce hatred burned in his eyes. “Shen Yanzhi, you deserve to die!”

After regaining his composure, Shen Yanzhi instructed the guards, “Arrange for someone to escort young master Qin back to his residence.”

Seeing Shen Yanzhi’s lack of retaliation against Qin Jian, the guards escorted Qin Jian out.

Qin Jian sneered and cursed, “The cat weeps false pity for the mouse!”

Shen Yanzhi remained silent, only lifting his head to gaze at the gloomy ceiling of the cell after Qin Jian was escorted away by the guards, his expression empty of anxiety.

After a while, his attendant finally found him and whispered, “My lord, return home to change your clothes. You’ll have to report to the palace soon.”

Shen Yanzhi replied dryly, “Go to the Qin residence.”

The attendant looked surprised but didn’t ask further.

---

The rain poured down heavily, and white lanterns were hung outside the gates of the Qin residence, with white silk flowers adorning the door plaque, glaringly visible.

Inside the mourning hall, cries of grief filled the air.

The white banners in the courtyard, soaked by the rain, stuck to the bamboo poles, unmoving even in the wind.

A servant rushed into the backyard, stumbling. “Madam, the eldest young master has returned!”

Upon hearing that her eldest son had returned, the Duchess of Qin, wearing a plain linen robe, struggled to rise from beside the coffin.

Supported by her youngest daughter and a loyal maid, she made her way outside.

Before she could leave the mourning hall, Qin Jian had already arrived.

Returning from the prison, he had changed back into the cloud-patterned silk robe he wore when he was arrested.

However, his once slender figure had become too thin, struggling to fill out the clothes.

Seeing her eldest son in such a worn state, tears immediately welled up in the eyes of the Duchess. “My child, you’ve suffered…”

Qin Jian knelt before his mother, forcing a smile, intending to say he hadn’t suffered much, not wanting her to worry excessively.

But when he saw the coffin behind her, his eyes reddened uncontrollably, his voice choked with emotion. “Not suffering, it’s my incompetence, failing to protect father.”

The Duchess, also tearful, shook her head. “Under a collapsed nest, how can there be unbroken eggs? Your father had this temperament. This was the path he chose for himself, and I understand.”

She gently touched her son’s head. “My child, go bow before your father’s spirit and tell him you’ve returned.”

This seemingly gentle woman possessed an underlying toughness.

Since her husband’s imprisonment, she had dismissed many servants from the household, leaving only a dozen loyal ones.

When her husband was sentenced to death, she escorted him all the way, and when her eldest son was detained at the Dali Temple, she sent a procession to bring her deceased husband home.

Despite her frail appearance, her spine remained straight.

It was her steadfastness that provided direction for the Qin household, ensuring that even at this moment, the funeral of the Duke of Qin was conducted with orderliness rather than descending into chaos.

Qin Jian knocked three times on the coffin of Qin Guogong and said, “Father, I’m home.”

Looking at the large character (to offer sacrifices) on the coffin, even though he was a six-foot-tall man, Qin Jian couldn’t help but cry out loud.

Madame Qin restrained her tears and tied a mourning cloth on his head, saying, “My child, don’t be sad. Your father’s greatest concern before he passed away was for A Zheng. Now that he’s gone, A Zheng has fled with the crown prince and is missing. You must pull yourself together. When you find A Zheng in the future, your father can rest in peace.”

Qin’s youngest daughter, Qin Sheng, couldn’t help but cry when she heard this, “It’s all my fault. If I had been willing to marry into the Eastern Palace, and my sister had married Shen Shizi, perhaps none of this would have happened…”

The appearance of the Qin siblings was not bad.

Compared to Qin Zheng, Qin Sheng’s appearance was more like Madame Qin’s.

If Qin Zheng was like a stunning beauty in the midnight, unforgettable at first sight, then Qin Sheng was like pear blossoms in the rain, graceful and pitiful.

Originally, when the crown prince sought to marry Qin Zheng, Qin Guogong refused on the grounds that Qin Zheng was already betrothed.

Unexpectedly, the crown prince then said he wanted to marry Qin’s youngest daughter, Qin Sheng.

Qin Sheng had no engagement, and Qin Guogong had refused the crown prince once because of Qin Zheng.

If he refused again, it would be a slap in the face of the royal family.

Qin Guogong couldn’t sleep at night because of his worries.

The crown prince had a bad reputation, and during that time, Qin Sheng cried day and night, wishing she could cut her hair and become a nun.

Qin Zheng knew that her younger sister was suffering because of her, so how could she ruin her life like this?

She resolutely broke off the engagement with the Shen family, voluntarily married into the Eastern Palace.

Unexpectedly, when Qin Jian heard her mention Shen Yanzhi, a look of hatred filled his eyes, “Don’t mention that lackey! It’s a good thing A Zheng didn’t marry him.

The Shen family had long had other intentions. Using A Zheng as a cover? After the battle of Qixiang Pass, what did A Zheng become?

Father was honest all his life, only that one time in the court he made people tremble. At General Luo’s funeral, Old Lady Luo pointed at father and said, ‘Our Qin family has raised a good daughter!'”

As he spoke, Qin Jian’s voice was clearly unstable, choking up, “The grievance A Zheng suffered from marrying the crown prince is not even one-tenth of what Shen Yanzhi gave her!”

Qin Sheng was yelled at by her older brother, biting her lip and not daring to make a sound, tears streaming down her face.

Bringing up these past events again, Madame Qin’s heart felt like it was being cut by a knife, she took a deep breath, “Jian’er, let’s not mention the past.”

There was a time when the Qin family resented the crown prince and felt guilty towards the Shen family, but now that the Shen family had sided with the queen dowager, it was all in vain.

Madame Qin patted her youngest daughter’s head, “These things are not your fault, Sheng’er. This is the fate of the country. Your father went with the Great Chu.”

After this speech, the siblings’ eyes were red again, and Qin Sheng directly threw herself into Madame Qin’s arms, crying loudly, “Mother…”

Outside the mourning hall, a servant reported, “Madame, Shen Shizi is outside, saying he has come to offer incense to Guogong.”

Qin Jian gritted his teeth and got up to go out, “He still has the face to come?”

Madame Qin stopped him, “Jian’er, don’t be impulsive.”

Qin Jian stopped in his tracks, his eyes red and teary.

Madame Qin then said to the servant who had come to report, “Tell Shen Shizi to return. Say there are inconveniences in the house.”

The servant hurriedly went down to deliver the message.

Madame Qin looked at her eldest son and said, “Jian’er, your father is gone. From now on, this family will rely on you. Think carefully before you act, think of A Zheng and Sheng’er. If you make another mistake, who can they rely on for the rest of their lives?”

Tears stung Qin Jian’s eyes, and he said hoarsely, “I’ll remember, mother.”

Outside the door, after the servant conveyed Madame Qin’s message, he closed the gate of the Qin residence.

The rain poured down heavily, and even with an umbrella, the water vapor kept hitting his cheeks.

Shen Yanzhi looked at the tall and imposing gate of the Qin residence in the rain curtain, suddenly feeling an unreachable sense of superiority.

The attendant advised, “Please return, Sir. If you delay further, you’ll be late for the palace.”

Shen Yanzhi didn’t say anything, just lifted the corner of his robe and knelt in front of the Qin residence’s gate, where the accumulated water was about an inch deep, and knocked heavily three times.

After the final knock, he kept his head against the ground, reluctant to get up.

The rain poured down on him, and droplets ran disorderly across his cheeks, whether there were tears mixed in, it was hard to tell.

His phoenix eyes were red, piercing to the heart.

Shen Yanzhi entered the palace at Shen hour (3-5pm), and proper decorum was required.

He changed into an official robe when he returned home, twisted his wet hair half-dry and tied it up.

However, his face looked paler than usual, and his upturned phoenix eyes were cold and gloomy, as if he was looking at lifeless objects.

The young attendant cautiously led him into the inner hall and then bowed and withdrew.

The new emperor, Li Xin, was reviewing memorials in front of the dragon case.

The incense burning in the censer was extremely heavy, making one feel dizzy.

The sky was gloomy, and over a hundred tall-necked palace lamps inside the hall were already lit, shining as bright as daylight.

Shen Yanzhi concealed all the sharpness and bone-chilling coldness in his eyes, and saluted, “This official pays respects to Your Majesty.”

Only then did Li Xin raise his head from the memorials, “Minister Shen, you’ve come. Please, rise quickly.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Li Xin looked at him with a smile that wasn’t a smile, “Minister Shen, you executed the old and stubborn of the Qin and Lu families. I have heard the report. In your opinion, how should the remaining members of the Qin and Lu families be dealt with?”

Shen Yanzhi’s five fingers hidden under his sleeve had already torn his palms, but there was a cold smirk on his lips, “Duke Qin and Grand Preceptor Lu are already dead. The old ministers of Chu have lost their leaders.

If Your Majesty wants to win their hearts, you should compensate the Qin and Lu families to demonstrate generosity and virtue.

This is the best strategy.

Detaining them in the capital and secretly monitoring them is the middle strategy. If you were to confiscate their property and exile them… I’m afraid it would chill the hearts of the old ministers of Chu, which would be the worst strategy.”

“Minister Shen’s words are reasonable.” Li Xin put down his pen, “Then, send someone to the homes of the Qin and Lu families to reward and console them.”

Shen Yanzhi’s lips always carried that touch of coldness, “Your Majesty is wise.”

Seeing him like this, Li Xin’s eyes flashed with a hint of gloom, “Minister Shen, you are truly my right-hand man.

Recently, the banditry in Qingzhou has become serious. A batch of weapons sent by the court to Minzhou was actually robbed by river bandits.

The governor of Qingzhou repeatedly submitted memorials asking the court to send troops to suppress the bandits. Minister Shen, you devised a plan to defeat 50,000 enemies at the Qinxiang Pass, showing both wisdom and courage. Regarding the suppression of bandits in Qingzhou, after much thought, I still trust you to go. I can rest assured only if it’s you.”

The words “Qinxiang Pass” were like a thorn in Shen Yanzhi’s ears, extremely grating.

He had torn his palms with his five fingers, and his tongue was bitten, tasting rusty.

Shen Yanzhi still maintained that mask-like fake smile on his face, “This official will not fail Your Majesty’s trust.”

The Shen family was still the most powerful weapon in Li Xin’s hands.

Before the situation in Bianjing stabilized, he still had to rely on him.

Today, he was ordered to supervise the execution, undoubtedly embarrassing him, but it also completely blocked the Shen family and the old ministers of Chu from reconciling.

His Shen family was destined to be just a dog of the Li family in the future.

Even though there was still resentment about Shen Yanzhi killing his own younger brother, Li Xin still have to give him face.

“A spy from Yingzhou reported that someone from the Lu family in Yingzhou recently went to Qingzhou.

It is likely that they have made contact with the former prince of the previous dynasty.

This matter is of great importance. On the surface, I will send you to Qingzhou to suppress the bandits, but secretly, investigate the whereabouts of the former prince.”

The former prince was in Qingzhou, and wasn’t the prince’s consort also there?

The blood that had turned cold seemed to have warmth again at this moment.

Shen Yanzhi bowed, “This official obeys Your Majesty’s command.”