Ever since hearing about Qin Xianyue and Old Master Lu from his mother, Madam Wei, Gu Yanchi felt as if a heavy stone had settled in his heart.
That jade pendant and his mother's words, while not entirely convincing him, had nonetheless unsettled him greatly.
He grew more eager to find Qin Xianyue and ask her for a clear explanation in person.
However, in the vast sea of people, Qin Xianyue seemed to have vanished into thin air.
The only clue was the suspect's portrait in the Eastern Palace, whose brushstrokes were strikingly similar to hers.
But his previous attempt to probe had been met with the Crown Prince's impenetrable attitude, laced with a warning, and he dared not directly inquire about the Hua Shi again.
He heard that the Crown Prince had personally visited the Jingzhao Prefecture and was having someone draw a new suspect portrait for a recent theft case.
Gu Yanchi saw this as an opportunity and hurried to the Jingzhao Prefecture.
Inside the main hall of the prefecture, the atmosphere was solemn.
After being announced, Gu Yanchi was led in to see Crown Prince Xie Jinyuan seated at the head seat, with the Prefect of Jingzhao and several subordinate officials seated below, in discussion.
Seeing him enter, Xie Jinyuan raised his hand and said lightly.
“Minister Gu, you’ve arrived at a good time. We need to hear the Zhenfu Division’s opinion on this matter as well.”
Then he addressed the others.
“You may all wait outside under the corridor for now.”
The officials, along with the attending Chai Yi and a young man holding a scroll who was about to leave, all bowed and exited as instructed.
Gu Yanchi brushed past the young man holding the portrait, glancing at the half-unrolled scroll painting in his hand. The sliver of hope that had just risen in his heart instantly cooled by half.
So, the Hua Shi assisting the Eastern Palace in handling cases was actually a man.
“Commander Gu.”
Xie Jinyuan’s voice pulled him back to reality.
His phoenix eyes slightly raised, with a hint of scrutiny.
“What urgent official duties are so pressing that you couldn’t wait to report them tomorrow and had to come to the Jingzhao Prefecture to find me?”
Gu Yanchi’s heart tightened, knowing his arrival was abrupt and likely displeased the Crown Prince.
Although he was confident of being highly regarded by the Eastern Palace, this Highness’s temper was notoriously capricious and unpredictable.
To avoid any suspicion, he quickly composed himself and presented the excuse he had prepared.
“Reporting to Your Highness, I do indeed have an urgent matter to report. It concerns the case of impeachment against the Ministry of Revenue for corruption and embezzlement of funds and grain, where the opinions of the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court of Justice differ on several key sentencing points. Furthermore, it involves His Highness Prince Jin… I dare not act on my own and have come to seek Your Highness’s guidance.”
Xie Jinyuan listened without comment, instead delving into a detailed discussion with him about the case's intricacies and the interests of all parties involved.
After the official matters were settled, Gu Yanchi took his leave.
As he walked out of the main hall, he happened to glimpse the young Hua Shi standing under the corridor, speaking in low tones with an yamen runner.
His steps paused slightly, and he casually walked closer, asking in a gentle tone.
“Is this the Hua Shi responsible for drawing the portrait of the suspect in the theft case?”
The young man, suspecting nothing, quickly bowed.
“Replying to sir, it is indeed I.”
The last shred of hope was extinguished.
He nodded, said no more, turned, and strode out of the Jingzhao Prefecture.
After sending Gu Yanchi away, Xie Jinyuan did not summon officials to discuss matters but instead went to the back hall to find Qin Xianyue.
Upon entering the back hall, he saw Qin Xianyue sitting alone by the window, her complexion much paler than usual, her brow furrowed. One hand was unconsciously pressed to her lower abdomen, and she appeared somewhat weak, not even noticing his entrance immediately.
Xie Jinyuan quickly stepped forward, his brow furrowed.
“Why do you look so unwell? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
Qin Xianyue looked up at the sound, forcing a weak smile, and shook her head.
“It’s nothing, Elder Brother. I’ve just… been sitting for too long and feel a bit tired.”
Although she tried her best to hide it, Xie Jinyuan could still tell something was wrong.
He reached out to feel her forehead and found that in this chilly spring weather, she was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat. His expression immediately darkened, and he became serious.
“What exactly is going on? Did you eat something unclean in the back hall?”
He had always been meticulous about what went into his mouth. If he had known this would happen, he would have spoken to her more about the implications during lunch, so she wouldn't have to suffer in his stead.
“I’m really fine,” Qin Xianyue insisted, even trying to stand up. “It’s getting late, and we need to return to the palace as soon as possible…”
However, before she could finish speaking, her body swayed, and her legs clearly felt weak and unsteady.
Xie Jinyuan’s expression turned grim. No longer allowing her to protest, he stepped forward and scooped her up, carrying her towards the outer room.
Qin Xianyue let out a soft cry, caught off guard as she fell into his strong, warm embrace, her cheeks instantly flushing red.
“Elder Brother! Put me down quickly!”
Just then, two Chai Yi carrying documents turned the corner from the corridor and ran into this scene. Their eyes widened in shock, and they hastily lowered their heads, sticking close to the wall as they quickly slipped away.
Qin Xianyue was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear, burying her entire face in the dark patterns of Xie Jinyuan’s black robe.
Xie Jinyuan, however, was unconcerned and carried her towards the backyard.
The Jingzhao Prefecture had a duty room for officials to rest during their shifts, and one was quickly prepared.
Xie Jinyuan carefully placed Qin Xianyue on the couch covered with clean bedding. Seeing her still curled up, her face pale, and fine cold sweat beading on her forehead, his worry deepened.
“Rest here, I will go and summon an Imperial Physician…”
Seeing him turn to leave.
Qin Xianyue grabbed the corner of his sleeve, her voice filled with embarrassment and panic.
“Elder Brother… don’t go, I’m just… my menstruation has arrived suddenly… and I have some abdominal pain…”
Xie Jinyuan turned back to look at her, then suddenly understood.
She hadn't wanted to say it when there were many people in the main hall, and now, fearing he would actually call for an Imperial Physician, she had no choice but to tell the truth.
Although Xie Jinyuan was the Crown Prince, he was not ignorant of matters between men and women, but he knew little about the specific suffering of a woman’s menstruation.
If imperial consorts in the palace had such discomfort, they had female medical officials to attend to them; no one would ever bother him with such a "minor matter."
Seeing her face pale and covered in cold sweat from the pain, he knew this "menstruation" was by no means easy.
He returned to the couch, his tone softening.
“If that’s the case, how can you feel more comfortable?”
Although Qin Xianyue couldn't remember how she had spent these days in the past, a voice seemed to tell her that menstruation was a private matter for women, and it was extremely improper and shameless to bother a man with it.
“It’s alright, Elder Brother,” her voice was weak but firm. “I’ll be fine after resting for a while. Elder Brother’s official duties are important; you mustn’t be delayed for me.”
Seeing her resolute attitude and the embarrassment on her face, Xie Jinyuan knew that girls were sensitive about their reputation, and it was not appropriate for him to interfere too much.
There were no maids in the prefecture, so he summoned an officer and found a meticulous and steady cook from the kitchen to attend to her. Only then did he turn and return to the main hall to continue handling his unfinished official duties.
By the time the moon hung high above the willows, the discussions in the prefecture finally concluded.
Xie Jinyuan returned to his duty room and saw that Qin Xianyue had fallen asleep, but her complexion was still not good. Her brow was slightly furrowed even in her sleep.
The cook was sitting on a small stool by the couch. Seeing Xie Jinyuan enter, she quickly got up to bow.
Xie Jinyuan waved his hand and asked in a low voice.
“How is she?”
The cook replied respectfully.
“Replying to Your Highness, the young lady just drank a bowl of brown sugar and ginger tea and took some calming medicinal soup. Women are like this every month; she’ll be fine after sleeping.”
Xie Jinyuan couldn't help but feel troubled upon hearing this.
“Does she hurt this much every month?”
Men generally avoided women during their menstruation, considering them unclean.
For a husband who occasionally felt pity for his wife, avoiding intimacy during those few days was already considered considerate.
After all, every woman experienced menstruation and childbirth; everyone went through it, and there was nothing to be overly sensitive about.
The cook likely hadn't expected that the Crown Prince’s concern wasn't about her monthly cycle, but about her suffering for several days each month.
She couldn't help but scratch her head, carefully choosing her words:
“The young lady is unmarried, and her body is still delicate. After she… marries and gains experience, this symptom will naturally improve gradually.”
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