Chapter 24

In the morning, the guards reported that another person had died last night, and the body of the Ganzhou magistrate was found hanging on the city wall, along with another confession.

Xie Tingzhou hadn’t gotten up yet and listened to the report with his head propped up. “I remember that except for Hu Xingwang, everyone else has been detained.”

Xi Feng said, “Yes, Hu Xingwang hasn’t been detained yet because the garrison troops need to be handed over. But this matter involves a wide range of people, and many people are implicated. Magistrates like this, who are not involved in confidential matters, are usually imprisoned in the state government’s prison.”

Xie Tingzhou’s expression fluctuated. “This person is very skilled. Although the management of the state government’s prison is lax, it’s not easy to smuggle out a living person.”

Chang Heng couldn’t help but interject, “Your Highness, how do you know they smuggled out a living person? Maybe they died and were taken away? It would be much easier to take away a corpse after death.”

Xie Tingzhou glanced at him. “Since there’s a confession, could he have been tortured for a confession inside the prison?”

Chang Heng showed a look of sudden realization. “But since there’s a confession left behind, it’s not someone from the same party trying to silence them.”

“Keep an eye on Liang Jianfang. This person is crucial. No matter what, nothing can happen to him. As long as he’s left, there are plenty of people in Shengjing who will lose sleep over it.”

Xie Tingzhou got up, took the cloak handed to him by Xi Feng, and his gaze fell on the outer robe on the coat rack missing a sleeve.

He paused slightly in his movements and asked to the side, “Where’s Shen Yu?”

“Shen Yu?” Xi Feng was momentarily puzzled before realizing who Shen Yu was.

He wasn’t an important person, so Xi Feng didn’t pay much attention. He had only instructed the shadow guard to watch him, so he quickly sent someone to ask.

After a while, the shadow guard reported back, “He’s still in General Shen’s mourning tent.”

“Hasn’t left?”

“No,” the shadow guard said. “Except for entering the city and losing track yesterday, but he returned within two hours. Apart from using the toilet, he hasn’t left the mourning tent at other times.”

Xie Tingzhou seemed pensive. Chang Heng asked, “Does Your Highness suspect him?”

Xie Tingzhou didn’t say anything, but after putting on the cloak, he walked out of the tent and headed straight for the mourning tent.

The guards saw him coming and prepared to salute from afar.

Xie Tingzhou waved his hand to stop them and walked to the mourning tent, pausing for a moment before lifting the curtain and going in.

Shen Yu was kneeling in front of the coffin. She turned back when she heard footsteps. “Your Highness.”

Inside the tent, there was no fire for warmth, and the cold air was even more piercing than outside.

Xie Tingzhou took a stick of incense from Xi Feng and bowed to the coffin before looking at Shen Yu.

“Since you’re guarding General Shen’s mourning, you should also offer incense.”

Shen Yu looked up. She wasn’t anyone important, so it wasn’t her place for the close attendants of Xie Tingzhou to serve her.

After kneeling for too long, her legs felt numb. She struggled to move her legs, and her face showed a hint of pain.

After offering the incense, she knelt back down.

Xie Tingzhou stared at her for a while, then stopped at the doorway before leaving. “Chang Heng values talent. He thinks highly of your skills and wants to include you under his command. It took the doctor a lot of effort to save you. Don’t waste his goodwill.”

Shen Yu didn’t lift her head and stared at his boots. “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”

She watched Xie Tingzhou leave the tent before sitting down on the ground.

For some reason, Xie Tingzhou always gave her a sense of oppression. When those cold eyes locked onto someone, it always felt like they could easily see through a person.

Xi Feng followed Xie Tingzhou out and didn’t speak until they were far away.

“Your Highness, it seems this person isn’t suspicious.”

The incense offering was just to see Shen Yu’s reaction. All her actions were very reasonable, and her awkward movements from kneeling too long and the expression on her face when stretching were all natural.

Xie Tingzhou smirked. “Didn’t you notice his shoes?”

“Shoes?” Xi Feng hadn’t noticed.

Xie Tingzhou kept walking. “There was something on the soles of his shoes that didn’t belong to the camp.”

At this moment, Xi Feng really wanted to turn back and take a closer look. What kind of thing didn’t belong to the camp?

The next day, the guard reported that the Lu family’s people had returned the grains borrowed by Shen Zhao to Ganzhou yesterday and had already returned to their mansion.

Originally, they had mentioned wanting to see the Crown Prince, but now they had quietly left.

The bodies couldn’t be left for too long. After Shen Yu guarded them for a few days, Xie Tingzhou arranged for a team of men and horses to take the bodies to the capital.

It was Shen Zhong’an’s wish to be buried on the border, but she couldn’t stop it now.

A few days ago, a count had been made in the army, and there were about ten thousand deserters. Shen Zhong’an’s body had to be transported back to Shengjing because they had to see the body after death, otherwise it would be questioned and criticized.

The soldiers sacrificed at the border couldn’t be burdened with the stigma of desertion.

As the sun rose high, it was time for lunch.

Since Chang Heng hadn’t arranged for Shen Yu’s stay or departure, she returned to the wounded soldiers’ camp and, along with a few soldiers, was responsible for distributing meals to the wounded soldiers.

Life in the army was hard, and it was rare to have a meal with meat. Today’s meal was said to have been personally prepared by the Crown Prince to reward the soldiers.

Shen Yu and Chang Heng went neither early nor late. There were already many camp tents lined up to receive their meals.

Just as they were about to reach them, several sturdy soldiers walked over, bumped into her shoulder heavily, and then calmly pushed them back.

Shen Yu was about to speak when a soldier grabbed her arm and stopped her, whispering, “These guys are under General Chang’s command.”

Shen Yu looked up, and the person in front happened to turn around, giving her a disdainful look.

“What are you looking at, kid?” The man sized up Shen Yu.

There were all sorts of people in the military, and there were many ruffians in the camp. Shen Yu had seen many, so she ignored him.

The man turned around and asked, arms folded, “I asked you, what are you looking at? Are you deaf?”

One of his friends looked Shen Yu up and down and said, “She’s from the infirmary. Probably got her ears deafened from fighting.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

The man sneered and spat out a few words.

Shen Yu raised her head calmly and said, “Say that again.”

The man lifted his head arrogantly. “Kid, don’t act tough. When the army is defeated, you tuck your tail and behave.”

“Say that again,” Shen Yu said slowly.

The man laughed, “I said your Shen family’s troops are all useless, and we had to come all the way from Beilin to save you. If not for being useless—”

Before he could finish his sentence, the man stumbled back two steps, holding his nose.

Blood was already flowing from between his fingers.

Shen Yu retracted her fist and said calmly, “Watch your mouth.”

The man spat a mouthful of blood on the ground. “You dare to hit me.”

As he spoke, he drew the knife from his waist, and chaos erupted in an instant.