Chapter 398: What Is There to Fear?!

“Xiao Er, go fetch some hot water for your Grandmaster,” Magistrate Tian said to Yan Yu.

Yan Yu knew her Grandmaster was intentionally sending her away because he had something to say. She hopped off the heated kangs, picked up the teapot, and headed toward the kitchen.

Magistrate Tian spoke slowly. “A few days ago, Banner Commander Xue sent something to me.

It was a piece of paper.

To be precise, it was a stained scrap of a note.

He said it was the very object used to deceive the Border Army into opening the pass.

Unfortunately, this piece of evidence was not only torn and incomplete but also heavily stained with blood. Very few words remain legible.

The parties involved are already dead, and dead men tell no tales. This ambiguous scrap of paper can hardly prove anything anymore.”

Magistrate Tian paused for a few breaths before saying, “I handed it over to the Prince.”

At that moment, Yan Lao’er noticed his teacher’s eyes were extremely complex. There was exhaustion, the weariness of age, and certain unspeakable emotions that made him desperately want to know what was actually written on that note.

“Teacher, what were the legible words?”

Magistrate Tian looked at him, then at Yan Huaiwen. His voice was so soft it was almost a whisper. “There was half a seal impression… it bears a striking resemblance to the seal used by the Prince’s Manor…”

A sharp glint flashed through Yan Huaiwen’s eyes, though it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Striking resemblance…

Magistrate Tian had chosen that phrase exceptionally well.

Yan Lao’er was dumbstruck.

His jaw nearly hit the floor.

What on earth?

Don’t think he didn’t catch the subtle implications in his teacher’s words.

What “striking resemblance”? It couldn’t be… it couldn’t be that it just was the seal, right?!

Guanzhou was Prince Ying’s fief.

The thought flashed through Yan Lao’er’s mind instantly.

A sense of absurdity filled his brain.

“That can’t be right, how is that possible? It couldn’t be…” Yan Lao’er didn’t want to believe it in his heart.

His mind was scrambled into a mess of confusion.

The Heir Apparent was a good man, and Prince Ying’s good reputation in Guanzhou was something he heard everywhere he went. How could it be?!

Could it be that everyone had been fooled by the Prince? Was he a hypocrite, just pretending to be a good man?

But that didn’t make sense!

What benefit would he get from this? Wouldn’t the Prince be better off the better Guanzhou fared?

Yan Huaiwen saw his younger brother’s inner conflict and spoke up. “It is the seal of the Prince’s Manor, not the personal seal of the Prince himself. There are many people who could have access to such a seal.

The human heart is unpredictable. It is not impossible that the Northern Rong secretly bribed someone. There is also another possibility: someone forged the seal…”

Yan Lao’er immediately perked up. “Right! It must be the Northern Rong faking it. Those bastards are truly treacherous, always scheming with these underhanded methods.”

Yan Huaiwen and Magistrate Tian exchanged a look, sharing a silent understanding.

The possibility of a forged seal was slim; it was far more likely that someone within the Prince’s Manor had been bribed.

If it were the former, word would have spread long ago, and they would be investigating which craftsman the fake seal came from.

Judging by Magistrate Tian’s current reaction, one could tell that this note was definitely inseparable from the Prince’s Manor.

That was why Magistrate Tian was being so secretive.

Prince Ying would not cut off his own foundation, so it must be that someone within the Manor had turned.

Only a few people could touch that seal. One could judge many things simply by observing whether the Prince’s Manor took any action in the aftermath.

“This matter concerns the reputation of the Prince’s Manor. Banner Commander Xue has already issued a gag order, and we must also remain silent,” Magistrate Tian said, glancing at his student.

Yan Lao’er promised, “I definitely won’t say a word to anyone outside.”

Yan Huaiwen nodded slightly.

He was thinking further ahead. Why didn’t Banner Commander Xue hand the note to the Prince himself, but instead let it pass through Magistrate Tian’s hands?

For every extra person who knew of this matter, the risk of a leak increased. Banner Commander Xue couldn’t be unaware of this.

He had concerns, and those concerns likely stemmed from his identity.

The Heir Apparent had to call Banner Commander Xue “Cousin Uncle”…

A glimmer of realization appeared in Yan Huaiwen’s eyes.

…

“Brother Pengshu, why are you here?” Yan Yu heard the sound of horse hooves and looked out from the courtyard. Seeing a figure approaching on horseback, the closer he got, the more familiar he looked. She ran out to investigate.

It really was Pengshu, the attendant by the Heir Apparent’s side.

“Xiao Er, is Magistrate Tian at your house?”

Pengshu looked a bit disheveled. His hair was messy, and his cheeks were flushed red from the wind.

“He is!”

Pengshu let out a breath and flipped off his horse.

“I went to the Huju Government Office, and they said Magistrate Tian hadn’t returned yet. I thought he might be here, and sure enough…” Pengshu said as he walked.

Yan Yu hurried inside to inform her Grandmaster.

By the time the three men inside had gotten off the kang, put on their shoes, and tidied themselves to step out of the room, they saw the young man waiting quietly in the courtyard, holding his horse’s reins.

After bowing, he presented a wooden box to Magistrate Tian.

“Magistrate Tian, this is from my Heir Apparent.”

Magistrate Tian took the box, which looked very similar to the one given by the Prince. His mind whirled with thoughts as he asked, “Does the Heir Apparent have any words for me?”

Pengshu shook his head at first, then suddenly remembered something. “The Heir Apparent said that once this is given to Magistrate Tian, you will naturally know what to do.”

Pengshu left as soon as the delivery was made. Even though Yan Yu called out for him to stay for a meal, he didn’t stay.

He arrived suddenly and left swiftly.

“Teacher, inside is…” Yan Lao’er looked at the similar box and felt that it was likely banknotes again.

“Let’s talk inside.” Magistrate Tian was the first to turn around, feeling the chill standing at the door.

Once the three of them were seated back in their previous positions, Magistrate Tian opened the wooden box.

Sure enough, several banknotes lay quietly inside.

Yan Lao’er reached out to check.

“Two one-hundred-tael notes, four fifty-tael notes… four hundred taels!” He found his previous ledger and properly wrote the words “Heir Apparent” below “Prince,” followed by—Banknotes: four hundred taels.

“The Heir Apparent… is very thoughtful,” Magistrate Tian sighed.

“Xiao Er!” Yan Huaiwen called out.

“Coming, Uncle!” Yan Yu shouted from the courtyard.

Brisk footsteps moved toward the door. It opened, revealing a lively little face.

With eyes curved like crescents, she asked softly, “Uncle, did you call for me?”

Yan Huaiwen beckoned her over. Yan Yu squeezed inside and closed the door behind her.

She trotted over to her uncle’s side and looked up at him.

“Did Pengshu just say that he went to Huju first before coming to the village?” Yan Huaiwen asked.

Yan Yu nodded. “Yes! That’s what Brother Pengshu said.”

Yan Huaiwen looked toward Magistrate Tian and said softly, “Sir, he set out last night under the cover of darkness.”

Magistrate Tian understood. He instructed, “Tianyou, do not tell anyone about the Heir Apparent sending money. Keep this ledger for your own eyes. Make another one for public view and do not record this entry from the Heir Apparent.”

Yan Lao’er also understood and couldn’t help but remark, “The Heir Apparent is truly a good person.”

He then thought of those boxes in the river and unconsciously looked toward his brother.

“Brother…”

Yan Huaiwen looked at his younger brother; it was as if his thoughts were written on his face, plain and simple.

“Sir, there is one matter I have been unsure how to broach with you.” Yan Huaiwen’s expression was solemn, and his furrowed brow betrayed his inner hesitation.

This version of Yan Huaiwen was somewhat unfamiliar, piquing Magistrate Tian’s immense curiosity.

“Huaiwen, please speak freely.”

Yan Huaiwen glanced at his brother and niece, seeing both of them looking at him with expectant eyes.

He thought to himself: So be it. Since I am already involved, I will take whatever comes. What is there to fear?!

(End of Chapter)