The young emperor acted resolutely, and three days after Qi Yan and Chu Anyu entered the capital, he publicly announced the crimes committed by Lord Chen and ordered him to be punished.
The Duke of Chen took advantage of the jade mine to make profits, deceived the superiors and concealed the facts, and fought against dissidents. In order to cover up his crime, he did not hesitate to assassinate the official of the imperial court.
It was exactly the same as Xia Hongxi's ending back then.
After thinking about it, Qi Yan decided to tell Xia Xun about it.
To his surprise, Xia Xun didn't respond and just asked him:
"Where is Chen Jingyin?"
Qi Yan said: "Chen Jingyin is fine. Do you still remember the young man who sent her out of Beijing? He took out a marriage certificate, saying that Chen Jingyin had a marriage contract with him a long time ago, and he was no longer counted as the Chen family. Chen Jingyin married and returned home, no further investigation."
Xia Xun thought of her elder sister Xia Yin. At that time, Xia Hongxi was convicted and the whole family was implicated, but Xia Yin was safe from the matter because she married someone else.
He asked Qi Yan: "Do you know how my eldest sister is doing? How is she... how is she doing?"
Qi Yan was slightly displeased:
"Don't call her big sister anymore, she doesn't have a brother like you in her heart, she—"
There was a sudden commotion in the courtyard, Qi Yan temporarily silenced, and the two looked out at the same time.
Outside the house, a woman in wedding dress rushed in recklessly, and the servants hurried in behind her, and no one dared to stop her.
Without looking closely, Xia Xun could guess that the only person who came was Chen Jingyin.
She was dressed in a green brocade dress, with a flower hairpin on her head, painted her eyebrows and eyes, with a smear of cinnabar on her lips, and held a round fan in her hand. She was clearly dressed for marriage.
She ran out before getting into the sedan chair, and today is her wedding day, she is as presumptuous as ever, full of confusion and questions, she must ask Qi Yan to ask them face to face.
Xia Xun got up and wanted to leave: "I'll avoid it for a while."
Qi Yan asked him to stop:
"No, I have nothing to hide from you."
Chen Jingyin has already come to the door, Qi Yan stepped forward to meet her gaze, and gave her a light salute:
"Today is Miss Chen's wedding day, please come back, so as not to miss the good time."
Chen Jingyin's eyes were red and she was about to cry. She held back her tears and tightly clutched the round fan in her hand:
"Master Qi, our Chen family has undergone tremendous changes. Although my father deserved what he deserved, but after thinking about it, I still don't understand one thing. If I can't get your lord to point it out, I'm afraid I won't be able to let it go for the rest of my life."
Qi Yan said calmly: "I will tell you everything I know."
Chen Jingyin burst into tears:
"Your Majesty said that you have made great contributions to the investigation of my father's crimes. I would like to ask you, is it your first contribution?"
Qi Yan said: "I don't dare to take the first credit. County Lord Chen has committed many injustices. Fortunately, His Majesty has made the decision. It's just... County Lord Chen has today. He has nothing to do with Miss Chen."
Chen Jingyin took a deep breath and couldn't believe it:
"... They all said that you approached me because you had other plans. I don't want to believe it. I didn't expect it, I didn't expect it...?!"
Qi Yan didn't speak, it was a tacit consent.
Chen Jingyin suddenly became excited and asked him loudly:
"Why?! Why did you do this? Why—you did this to me?!!"
Qi Yan said indifferently: "I am an official of the imperial court and work for your Majesty. Your Majesty ordered me to investigate Chen County Duke. I should do my best. As for Miss Chen's resentment... I can understand it, but I can't agree with it. Miss Chen is neither relative nor cause, so it can be said that there is no relationship at all, even if all the crimes of Mr. Chen's crimes are found out by me, Miss Chen has no reason to blame me."
Chen Jingyin turned from sadness to anger, and said angrily, hoarsely:
"Isn't it relative?! A few years ago, my father wanted to marry the eldest sister who was born to you, and even His Majesty made an order. You would rather resist the order than marry her! Since then, you have had a bad relationship with my father! But a few months ago , you rescued me in my garden, and even asked a famous embroiderer in the capital to sew silk flowers for me! No one knows that you, Qi Yan, are the most ruthless ministers in the court, and even His Majesty said, stay a little closer to you , can be frostbitten by you! But you are kind to me, tolerant every step of the way! Now you tell me that you have nothing to do with me, from the beginning to the end, I was just being self-indulgent!"
Chen Jingyin's tears finally flowed down, and the handle of the round fan was almost broken by her.
"It turns out that these are all fake! You are just using me!! Qi Yan, let me ask you, do you have a heart?! Is your heart a flesh?!"
Qi Yan's expression gradually dimmed, and after a while, he whispered:
"Miss Chen, I never open my heart to others. At this moment, I will tell you the truth. This is from my heart."
He took a deep breath and said word by word:
"In my life, I have only loved one person. I belong to him from top to bottom, from the outside to the inside, and even my whole heart. I haven't left a single bit of it for myself. How can there be any extra to share with others? "
Chen Jingyin felt as if she had been struck by lightning, her mind was blank, her face was blue, and she looked confused. She staggered back a few steps, suddenly broke off the handle of the fan, and smashed the broken round fan on the ground:
"Before I came to you, I told myself, if you say you like me and please me, then I will never marry! As long as you have me in your heart, I would rather be fined and confiscated as a slave in the palace than let you down." !Even if I die, I am willing! Who knows, who knows... "
She smiled sadly and fell to the ground:
"I was self-righteous, I didn't expect...you are still that frosty Qi Yan!"
Qi Yan remained indifferent, and ordered his servants: "Help Miss Chen up and send her home."
A voice came from outside the door: "Don't bother Mr. Qi, I will come in person!"
Everyone raised their eyes and saw that the person who came was the young man who had escorted Chen Jingyin back then. He was riding on a horse and wearing a red wedding dress. He must have rushed to look for her after getting the news.
He jumped off his horse, walked briskly into Qi Yan's mansion, and helped Chen Jingyin whose face was full of tears.
Chen Jingyin was limp all over, leaning against him, unable to speak a word.
The young man wiped away her tears and said softly, "Let's go, let's go home."
Chen Jingyin trembled her lips:
"I...do I still have a home...?"
The young man said firmly:
"From now on, my home is your home. As long as you believe in me, I will never let you down in this life."
Chen Jingyin grabbed his sleeve tightly, as if grasping the last straw.
The two leaned on each other and stepped out of the gate of Qi Mansion. The young man helped Chen Jingyin onto the horse, turned around and bowed to Qi Yan, took the reins, and led his wife who was about to pass the door to her new home.
Qi Yan closed his eyes, he felt a little regretful now, he should let Xia Xun avoid it just now.
When he returned to the room, he saw that Xia Xun's face was really ugly.
Xia Xun stood up and said coldly:
"I've always found it very strange, why do you use such cunning methods every time you need to complete a task? You are actually very happy to see others who can't love you and suffer for you? You left me, Is it just to let me see the familiar scene reappear?"
Qi Yan hesitated for a moment, walked behind him hesitantly, put his hands on his shoulders:
"If... I knew that Chen Jingyin would act like this, I would never let her in—I didn't mean to bring up the old things on purpose, but there are really too many misunderstandings between you and me. If the scars are not uncovered, the pain will last forever. If you are willing to listen, I can tell you everything that happened...you—”
Qi Yan suddenly stopped talking.
Xia Xun closed her eyes tightly, her eyelashes fluttered, her hands clenched into fists by her sides, her chest was still heaving violently.
Qi Yan could tell at a glance that Xia Xun was holding back tears.
Chen Jingyin cried like pear blossoms and rain in front of him, he was indifferent, but when he saw Xia Xun crying, his heart ached to the bottom.
He pulled Xia Xun around, made him face himself, raised his hand and gently placed it on the back of his head, comforting him in a low voice:
"It was my fault from beginning to end... Don't be sad, you didn't do anything wrong..."
The words didn't work, Qi Yan slowly bent down, wanting to press a kiss between his brows.
Xia Xun opened her eyes suddenly, and pushed hard, just right to Qi Yan's wound.
The wound on Qi Yan's heart hadn't healed yet, he felt a sudden pain, and bent down while clutching his wound.
Xia Xun said in a trance:
"You just said that you only loved one person? I don't know who you are talking about, but I know very well that that person... will never be me!"
He bypassed Qi Yan and took the road to escape.
seven years ago.
Xia Xun's injury is getting better day by day, and the pain in her left hand is getting less and less.
Qi Yan moved the bought fish tank into the room, and put it in front of Xia Xun's bed, so that he could see the koi in the tank every day.
One day, Xia Xun was half leaning on the cushion at the head of the bed, eating porridge and rice fed to him by Qi Yan, when suddenly he heard a faint cry from outside the courtyard.
He asked Qi Yan: "Why is someone crying?"
Qi Yan counted the days and told him:
"Today is Xia Xing's first seven days. It should be that Xia Mansion is holding a funeral for him."
Xia Xun was chewing the rice in the porridge, but when he heard what he said, she chewed more and more slowly.
Qi Yan scooped up a spoonful and put it to his mouth, he shook his head, expressing that he didn't want to eat it.
"I've been at your house for so long, shouldn't it be time to go back?"
Qi Yan refused to let him go:
"What does Xia Xing's funeral have to do with you? Are you going to pay his respects to him? Your injury is not fully healed yet, let's talk about it when you recover."
Xia Xun said: "No way, where is the thief who robbed me and healed my wounds with good intentions? Will they take me in and let me go home safely after my injuries are cured? That way... there is no way to lie! Besides, I can't stay in your house forever."
Qi Yan asked back: "Why not?"
He was serious, not joking at all.
Xia Xun thought for a while, and suddenly laughed:
"It's not impossible, but neither of us has any money, and we will starve to death in a short time! I used to be able to do some carpentry and earn money to support you, but now... I'm afraid I can't! So—hey?!"
Before he finished speaking, Qi Yan hugged him.
"That's what you said." He said in a low voice: "I, a poor boy, will be supported by Mr. Xia in the future, so you have to take good care of yourself and don't let me... don't let me have nothing to eat in the future." .”
Xia Xun solemnly promised him: "Leave it on me!"
Qi Yan let him go slowly: "Do you really want to go back?"
Xia Xun nodded: "You can't hide all the time, you should go back and see what's going on at home."
Qi Yan was secretly angry: "Where is Xiafu your home? It's clearly a dragon's pool and a tiger's lair, a place that eats people without blinking an eye."
Xia Xun smiled helplessly: "Even if it's a dragon's pool and a tiger's den, I have to go back. Shaobo is still here, and my dog is still here. If I don't go back, who will protect them?"
In order not to arouse suspicion, the day after Qi Yan picked up Xia Xun, he sent Shao Bo back home.
Qi Yan couldn't resist him: "If you really want to leave, then go back tomorrow."
Xia Xun asked suspiciously, "Why? What's the difference between today and tomorrow?"
Qi Yan's indignation was hard to appease: "Xia Xing's spirit has been inactive until today, and the funeral will be held later. If you go back tomorrow, you won't see his coffin."
Xia Xun didn't care: "What's the matter! I'm not afraid of him! Not to mention seeing his coffin, even if he comes to me in the form of a ghost, I can grab his head and give it to Yuzhu as a ball!"
Qi Yan pinched the tips of his ears: "I know you are brave, you are brave, but you have to listen to me on this matter, and go back tomorrow. Xia Xing is such a despicable and insidious person, he doesn't deserve to see you."
Xia Xun always listened to him and nodded obediently.
After the meal, he soon became sleepy again, and he greeted Qi Yan: "... I'll sleep for a while."
He rubbed his eyes, got into bed, and fell asleep not long after.
Qi Yan came out of the room and closed the door tightly.
Qi Hui stood outside with a heavy heart, waiting for his next instruction.
Qi Yan lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then raised his eyes, his face was determined:
"I'm going to do it."
Qi Hui asked anxiously, "My lord, have you really thought it through?"
Qi Yan said in a deep voice: "I can't wait any longer, Xia Hongxi is cruel and merciless, and now that Xia Xing is dead, he must be even more flustered, there is no guarantee that he will not make any dangerous moves towards Xia Xun, maybe he will kill Xia Xun with one knife, and take his The corpse goes to plead guilty to His Majesty."
Qi Hui was worried: "If you really do something, the young master will definitely feel resentment towards you, and then—?"
Qi Yan shook his head and rubbed his frowning brows: "Your Majesty is determined to eradicate Xia Hongxi, and he can't wait to uproot the entire Xia family. Doing so is the only way to keep Xia Xun alive... Needless to say, change your clothes and come with me." palace."