The incident occurred in a side chamber.
Under the flickering firelight, Yun Zhao squinted her eyes, her face brimming with satisfaction, vividly embodying the phrase "a petty person reveling in their success."
But she was beautiful.
Her beauty was strikingly vivid, bold and domineering. Even when she acted like a petty person, she was a stunningly beautiful one.
No one could stay angry at her.
"Wen Nuannuan, she's done for!" Yun Zhao gloated maliciously. "Since it was all staged, Wen Changkong's death must be connected to her and her mother!"
She had always thought it strange—how could the "demon" have sliced Wen Changkong to pieces, yet showed mercy to Wen Nuannuan?
There had to be more to the story.
Yu Fengyun spoke in a hoarse voice, "Isn't this just you jumping to conclusions?"
Yun Zhao raised an eyebrow, "What about me?"
She was in a particularly good mood and was even more patient and tolerant with the fool.
Yu Fengyun's face turned cold, "You've always been biased against Wen Nuannuan. Even without any evidence, you've already convicted her in your heart, believing she deliberately schemed to get close to the Crown Prince."
Yun Zhao nodded emphatically, admitting freely, "Yes, that's right!"
She leaned in closer with a sinister smile, "So what?"
She had jumped to conclusions, had used the outcome to reverse-engineer the process, but so what?
Hadn’t she found evidence now?
Yu Fengyun pursed his lips, frowning, stubbornly defending Wen Nuannuan, "She’s not that kind of person."
"Tsk." Yun Zhao grimaced as if in pain, "Are you trying to say that if there’s any fault, it’s yours?"
Yu Fengyun’s body stiffened, and he suddenly turned to look at Yun Zhao, his eyes brightening, "You…"
"How did I know?" Yun Zhao sighed, looking up at the sky, "Every time I cause trouble, Yan Nantian takes the blame for me, and his expression is exactly like yours."
Yu Fengyun turned his face away, "…"
After a long pause, he spoke in a low voice, "If I were capable enough, she wouldn’t have been hurt, and she wouldn’t have needed to turn to others for help."
Yun Zhao struck a nerve, "Looks like you’re not completely clueless. She just thinks you’re useless!"
Yu Fengyun took a deep breath, wanting to argue, but there was nothing to argue. He could only let out a bitter laugh and slowly exhale.
"You’re so much like Wen Changkong!" Yun Zhao continued to needle him, "You don’t even know why Wen Changkong sought out Sister-in-law Qiu, do you? It’s because Wen Nuannuan’s mother was saving herself for someone else."
As she spoke the last sentence, she couldn’t help but grit her teeth.
After all, that "someone else" was none other than Yun Zhao’s own father.
It was utterly revolting.
Yu Fengyun’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and after a long pause, he managed to utter a phrase that had almost grown calluses, "Sister-in-law Qiu and Wen Nuannuan’s mother have never gotten along. You can’t take everything she says at face value."
Yun Zhao didn’t bother arguing with the fool. She smiled and said, "Believe what you want."
As long as she could prove that Wen Nuannuan and her mother were involved in Wen Changkong’s death, she would drag them to the market square and have them executed!
Yan Nantian had taught her that using the law to kill was the most effective strategy.
As they spoke, Yun Zhao and the others returned to the courtyard where they were staying.
As soon as they pushed the door open, the bright light of the lanterns spilled out, illuminating the area as if it were daytime.
Yan Nantian was indeed still awake, wrapped in a thick cloak, holding a hand warmer, waiting for her under the corridor.
"With all the commotion, did you find anything?" he asked her from a distance.
Yun Zhao ran up to him and announced loudly, "We found it! It was Wen Nuannuan all along!"
Yan Nantian raised an eyebrow slightly, "Oh?"
He casually handed the hand warmer to Yun Zhao. It was warm. Just coming in from the cold outside, a hot hand warmer would have been uncomfortable.
Yun Zhao held the hand warmer, completely oblivious to the thoughtful gesture.
She tilted her head happily, signaling someone else to explain.
She stood to the side, holding the warmer, swaying gently from side to side, her face beaming with pride, waiting to be praised.
"Yes!" A guard stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, in the side chamber where Miss Wen was attacked, we found traces of a fixed dagger, at the same height as the wound."
He was merely stating the facts, without any subjective judgment.
After a pause, the straightforward guard added, "All the clues were found by Miss Yun alone."
Yan Nantian took the dagger as evidence, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Yun Zhao stared at him intently, not blinking.
Well? Well?
If he dared to show even a hint of the same foolishness as Yu Fengyun, she would immediately throw the hand warmer in his face.
After a while, seeing Yan Nantian’s eyes flicker, he turned his head and calmly instructed his subordinates, "Bring Wen Nuannuan here."
"Yes!" A heavily armored guard saluted and strode down the corridor.
Yun Zhao leaned forward, trying to gauge Yan Nantian’s expression.
But he deliberately looked away, his gaze floating over her head, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He wasn’t looking at her.
Yun Zhao kept circling around, unable to meet his eyes, and finally snapped, "Yan Nantian!"
He let out a soft sigh, glancing down at her.
His eyebrow arched slightly, his tone calm but with a hint of hidden teasing, "I’ll reward you after the interrogation, what’s the rush, Detective Yun?"
Yun Zhao, "…"
Yun Zhao, "Oh."
He called her a detective, so he wasn’t a fool after all.
She glanced smugly at the courtyard below, her gaze so intense that Yu Fengyun had no choice but to look up at her.
Yun Zhao proudly lifted her chin, silently boasting: Look, look! My man is so smart! You’re the fool!
Before the silent exchange could end, the clanking of armor sounded as the guards brought Wen Nuannuan out.
Eunuch Shunde, adjusting his crooked hat, hurried alongside.
"Oh dear, what’s happened? What’s going on in the middle of the night… Oh, Your Highness—"
He rushed forward to bow.
Wen Nuannuan had only managed to throw on a robe over her nightgown. The cold wind blew, and her face turned pale, like a delicate flower struck by frost.
She walked to the courtyard, timidly looking up at Yan Nantian.
With a flick of his hand, the dagger clattered to the ground at Wen Nuannuan’s feet.
She jumped in fright.
"Kneel."
Yan Nantian’s voice was calm, even a bit weak, but Wen Nuannuan turned ashen and collapsed to the ground with a thud.
The guard grabbed her and helped her kneel properly.
"Speak!" Yun Zhao stood under the firelight, sneering, "How did you stage your own injury to deceive everyone? How did you and your mother conspire to kill Wen Changkong?"
Wen Nuannuan looked up in panic, her face pale, "I didn’t, I didn’t! I’m innocent, innocent! Brother Yan, she’s framing me—"
Yan Nantian stood tall, looking down at her, his gaze icy.
Meeting his eyes, Wen Nuannuan trembled, immediately falling silent, not daring to accuse Yun Zhao of framing her.
She shrank back, shaking her head, pleading pitifully, "I really didn’t… I really didn’t…"
Eunuch Shunde stepped forward with a laugh, trying to smooth things over, "Could there be some misunderstanding here? Even His Majesty has praised Miss Wen for her gentle and virtuous nature…"
Yan Nantian turned his head, locking eyes with Yun Zhao.
He winked at her.
Yun Zhao misunderstood, exclaiming in shock, "Your father wants to take her into the palace?!"
Yan Nantian, "…"
Eunuch Shunde, "…"
In the palace, conversations were always veiled in ambiguity. Eunuch Shunde hadn’t been hit with such a direct statement in years and was so startled that he stumbled, waving his hands, "No, no, no—"
"That’s not acceptable," Yun Zhao declared righteously, "A murderer cannot become a concubine!"
"I didn’t, I didn’t!" Wen Nuannuan shook her head in panic, "I really didn’t! Brother Yan, Brother Yu, Eunuch Shunde, please believe me, I really didn’t kill anyone!"
Others might not be convinced, but Yu Fengyun immediately believed her.
He stepped forward, pushing through the crowd, ready to speak up for Wen Nuannuan without hesitation.
Yun Zhao cut him off, tilting her head and calling out, "Yu Fengyun, what’s the rush? I said you’d get the credit, I won’t go back on my word! The case was solved so smoothly today, all thanks to you!"
Wen Nuannuan was struck as if by lightning, staring at Yu Fengyun in disbelief, "Brother Yu?"
Yu Fengyun was at a loss for words, "…"
"How could you betray me, Brother Yu?" Wen Nuannuan’s eyes filled with tears, "I always thought of you as my own brother!"
Yu Fengyun glared at Yun Zhao, "I…"
Yan Nantian’s eyes turned cold, and he raised his sleeve to shield Yun Zhao behind him.
"Speak, why did you injure yourself?" He slightly lifted his chin, looking down at Wen Nuannuan, "The evidence is clear, no one here can protect you."
His voice was soft, but each word fell like a heavy hammer.
Wen Nuannuan trembled, lowering her head.
After a moment, she forced out a weak voice, "I… I just… I was desperate to save my mother… I was so worried about her, I was willing to risk my life… to save her…"
Her quick admission took Yun Zhao by surprise.
Yun Zhao had initially thought that torture might be necessary to extract a confession.
Wen Nuannuan suddenly looked up, her voice urgent, "But I really, truly did not harm my stepfather! I didn’t go out to sea with them. Everyone can testify for me!"
Yu Fengyun stepped forward, his tone resolute, "She’s afraid of water and never goes to the sea. All the neighbors know this. The tragedy that befold Mr. Wen at sea has nothing to do with her!"
His words rang out like the clash of metal, echoing through the courtyard.
After a long pause, Eunuch Shunde glanced around at the heavy atmosphere and tried to lighten the mood, "Ah, ah, risking one’s life to save one’s mother—this is the filial heart of a dutiful child! She’s a filial girl!"
We can’t possibly torture her! The Emperor is still waiting for Wen Nuannuan to lead the way to the Loulan Sea Market!
Eunuch Shunde frantically signaled to Yan Nantian with his eyes.
Yan Nantian extended his hand from beneath his wide sleeve and gently patted Yun Zhao’s hand.
He looked at her, his gaze soothing, worried that she might lose her temper.
But Yun Zhao wasn’t angry at all. She narrowed her eyes slightly, her dark pupils shining brightly.
"It doesn’t matter," she said, handing the hand warmer back to Yan Nantian and pointing a finger at him. "Self-harm isn’t a crime. What I want is your confession! Just you wait—I’ll find the evidence soon enough and come back to chop off your head!"
Yan Nantian: "...It’s so late. Are you still going out?"
Yun Zhao nodded, "How could I possibly sleep now!"
She turned to leave but then hesitated, turning back and stretching out her hand toward him.
Yan Nantian: "You want a reward?"
Yun Zhao shook her head playfully, "Mhm."
He chuckled, "According to the Great Ji Law, Article Seven, Section Fourteen, the person who makes the first breakthrough in a case is rewarded with fifty taels of silver."
He tilted his head, and one of his subordinates stepped forward, presenting a silver ingot to Yun Zhao.
Yun Zhao: "...Yan Nantian!"
He’s dismissing her with fifty taels of silver?!
He lowered his voice to remind her, "It’s not yours."
Yun Zhao: "?"
He’s not even giving her the fifty taels of silver?!
"The first credit belongs to him," Yan Nantian said, casting a casual glance toward Yu Fengyun. "You should return the reward to him."
Yun Zhao: "..."
When it comes to delivering a killing blow, you’re still the best.