Unyielding Spring Mountains - Chapter 17: Clues

Qi Yan got out of bed and relit a candle.

As the firelight entered her vision, Wei Zhen instinctively squinted her eyes. She picked up her outer robe and draped it over herself, while Qi Yan had already dressed, covering his exposed upper body.

Wei Zhen’s gaze unintentionally fell on the young man’s waist. The sensation of her left hand brushing over the muscles there still lingered, causing her fingers to curl slightly.

The young man turned around, and the candlelight illuminated his pale face. His eyes were faintly bloodshot, looking utterly exhausted. The only thing unchanged was the brilliance of his obsidian-like pupils.

Qi Yan walked over. “I didn’t explain it clearly earlier. The Qi family is safe. These past few days, I’ve been traveling between the capital and the Chu Kingdom’s border, gathering evidence. To prevent any leaks, I didn’t let anyone inform you. Now that everything is settled, I came to tell you.”

Wei Zhen asked, “So the traitor in the Qi family was really your uncle?”

“Yes.” His tone was eerily calm.

But being betrayed by someone so close—how could it be easy to bear? Wei Zhen understood his feelings. That was, after all, an uncle who had grown up alongside him, bound by blood.

Qi Yan continued, “Qi Xun and the Crown Prince planned to use the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet to accuse the Qi family of treason. Their goal was to execute my father and me on the spot. The charges claimed that the Qi family had colluded with enemy states, but in truth, everything was orchestrated by Qi Xun. He secretly transported the Qi family’s weapons and provisions at the border to the Wei Kingdom.”

Wei Zhen gasped. “The Wei Kingdom and Chu have been at war for generations—they are mortal enemies.”

If such an accusation had been made, it wasn’t that the Qi family couldn’t refute it; rather, the Crown Prince would have moved so swiftly that they wouldn’t even have a chance to prove their innocence.

Qi Yan said, “Qi Xun sent a physician to the Empress Dowager in my name, intending to use this as a cover. If the Empress Dowager were to suddenly die, there would be no one left in the court to speak for the Qi family, and they wouldn’t even consider a retrial.”

Wei Zhen murmured, “Why must he force you onto a dead-end path…”

Qi Yan let out a cold laugh. “I don’t understand either. My father never treated my uncle poorly. When the Qi family was exiled by the King of Chu, my father risked his life to protect him and rebuilt our family from the ground up. And yet now, my father’s own brother has betrayed him for power and handed him over.”

The young man stood quietly. The flickering candlelight cast a soft glow on his slender figure. His thick lashes contrasted starkly against his pale complexion. His hand, hanging at his side, trembled slightly as he suppressed his emotions.

Wei Zhen said, “He spent years beneath you and the General, growing resentful, coveting power, blinded by greed. That’s why he conspired with the Crown Prince.”

She didn’t know how to comfort him. After all, she had experienced betrayal at the hands of someone she once called brother. No outsider could interfere in matters like these—most of the time, one had to endure and process them alone.

“What do you plan to do next, Young General?”

The Crown Prince’s scheme against the Qi family—who knew if the King of Chu was behind it? But one thing was certain: the royal family’s hostility toward the Qi family was now laid bare.

He replied, “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll return and discuss it thoroughly with my father.”

Through the thin blue curtain, Wei Zhen could see the young man leaning against the bedpost, his body slowly sliding down as if he could no longer support himself.

Qi Yan propped himself up, trying to rise, but after days of travel, he had been running on sheer willpower. He had already reached his limit. If not for that, he wouldn’t have collapsed onto her earlier upon entering the hall.

Sitting at the edge of the bed, he took shallow breaths. “Apologies, I’m truly exhausted.”

“It’s fine. The rain outside is still heavy—you can leave when it eases.”

The storm raged outside, yet within the palace chamber, everything was eerily quiet.

Outside the canopy, only the sound of rain remained. Even he had gone silent.

Wei Zhen carefully got out of bed, making as little noise as possible. She opened the cabinet, but there were no extra blankets, so she gathered a few of her outer robes and gently placed them over him.

She stared at his sleeping face for a moment before returning to bed.

The bedding still carried his scent—a faint sandalwood fragrance that wrapped around her, trapping her within this small, enclosed world.

Her consciousness drifted into the depths of a dream. The events of this very night from her past life replayed in full clarity…

In her past life, she had risked much to shelter him. That night, he had rested just like this, leaning against the bedside. But Wei Zhen had lain awake, listening anxiously to the movements outside—it had been torment, like a blade slowly carving into flesh.

He, too, had remained awake all night. With several arrow wounds on his body, he had curled up in pain multiple times.

By dawn, she was startled awake by his movements.

Before leaving, he had given her a jade pendant—a high-quality Kunshan jade, carved into the shape of a mythical beast. Stained with blood, it lay silently in his palm.

His voice was hoarse. “Thank you, Miss Wei, for saving my life. If we ever meet again, present this jade, and I will do anything you ask, without question.”

Wei Zhen had shaken her head, knowing the jade’s value and unwilling to accept it. But he had pressed it into her hand and disappeared into the darkness.

Yet the torrential rain, the dangers lurking in the palace—where could he possibly have gone? She had no idea how he had managed to escape.

And in her dream, the next day, the bells of mourning tolled throughout the palace—the Empress Dowager had passed away.

Not long after, she saw herself marrying into the Eastern Palace. The wedding was grand, the Crown Prince leading her by the hand as they sat high upon the ceremonial carriage. Along the streets, the citizens knelt and chanted their blessings.

Meanwhile, Qi Yan had vanished without a trace. No one knew where he had gone, as if he had been a mere speck of dust swallowed by the vast lake, never to be seen again.

Yet, in her dream, a voice whispered to Wei Zhen that that night in the palace was not their final meeting.

It seemed that long after, when she had become the Queen of Chu, she had seen him once more.

And it was that meeting that had caused an irreversible rift between her and Jing Heng.

—

The rustling of movement stirred her from sleep. Wei Zhen awoke to see Qi Yan rising from the bed.

“You’re leaving? It’s still raining outside.”

“Dawn is near.” Qi Yan turned, softening his voice upon seeing her newly awakened state.

She pushed aside the canopy and stepped down barefoot. Her long, dark hair draped over her shoulders, her eyes still drowsy with sleep, adding an unintentional touch of laziness and charm.

Qi Yan said, “I must go. If not for your warning, the Qi family wouldn’t have survived this disaster. I owe you a great debt.”

Wei Zhen shook her head. “No need to thank me—you’ve helped me before, too.”

Qi Yan untied a jade pendant from his waist and handed it to her. “If you ever find yourself in trouble, present this, and the Qi family will help you with everything we have, without hesitation.”

She flinched slightly at the sight of the jade pendant, her eyelashes quivering. He asked, “What’s wrong?”

Wei Zhen smiled. “Nothing. It’s just… this jade is too precious. I can’t accept it.”

He repeated almost the exact same words as in her past life. The jade in his palm felt heavy, as though it carried the weight of fate itself, making it difficult for her to breathe.

She said, “I only mentioned the letter in the Crown Prince’s hall in passing. I never imagined it would help you so much. I feel uneasy accepting such gratitude.”

Qi Yan said, “But I still owe you a favor—how should I repay it?”

Wei Zhen had helped change his fate, but in truth, she had only wanted to return the favor from when he had saved her in the woods.

Qi Yan said, “If you ever need anything, just ask.”

Under the pale moonlight, his figure was tranquil, like water flowing quietly through the room.

After a long pause, Qi Yan moved toward the door, but a hand caught his wrist.

She asked, “You’ll help me with anything?”

“Yes. If you can’t think of anything now, you may ask later.”

Wei Zhen said, “I do have one difficult request.”

“I want to annul my engagement with the Crown Prince.”

Qi Yan hesitated. “You want to break off the betrothal?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

After a brief silence, he said, “Alright.”

Just one word—so light, yet it lifted the heavy stone in her heart. She smiled. “Truly?”

Qi Yan nodded. “I’ll give you an answer in three days.”

Wei Zhen said, “Alright.”

She turned her head to look at the night outside the window screen. The rain showed no sign of letting up. If he were to leave like this and be seen by someone, it would be even worse.

Wei Zhen walked to the palace doors and gently pushed them open a crack.

The latter half of the night had passed, and the guards who had been taken away by Wei Ling the previous night had now returned to their posts. Among them, some were leaning against the pillars under the eaves, dozing off. Wei Zhen called one of them over and instructed him to take the other guards away for now and to summon Wei Ling.

The clear and misty moonlight fell into her eyes, resembling a river of shattered stars.

With the door and windows half open, a cool breeze drifted in. Wei Zhen turned back to meet his gaze and asked, “What is it?”

Qi Yan silently averted his eyes and replied in a calm voice, “Nothing.”

Not long after, Wei Ling came in from the courtyard outside. The young man had just been roused from his blankets by his subordinates, and he was in a foul mood. But upon entering the hall and seeing Qi Yan there, his sleepiness vanished at once, and he fully woke up.

“What are you doing in my sister’s room?” Wei Ling asked.

There was no way for Wei Zhen to explain everything to him, so she simply stepped forward and said, “Take Qi Yan away. Don’t let anyone see him.”

Wei Ling frowned tightly and looked toward Qi Yan, pushing his shoulder. “No, seriously, what are you doing here?”

Wei Zhen saw that his fist landed right on Qi Yan’s wound and quickly intervened. “Don’t hit him.”

This attitude made it impossible for Wei Ling not to suspect something. “Sister, what exactly were you two doing? Why was he in your boudoir?”

“I…” Qi Yan was about to speak when Wei Zhen interrupted, “He originally came to find you. Last night, when you led the troops to assist, he was grateful and came specifically to thank you. But he accidentally entered the wrong room.”

Wei Ling’s suspicious gaze swept over Qi Yan. “Really?”

Qi Yan said, “Really. Thank you for yesterday.”

Seeing that Qi Yan was sincere and didn’t seem to be lying, Wei Ling turned to Wei Zhen and nodded. “I have offended Miss Wei. I will come to apologize another day.”

After saying this, he took his leave, and Wei Ling, remembering his sister’s instructions, hurriedly followed.

Outside, the rain misted against their faces. Even as they walked, Wei Ling still felt something was off. “Qi Yan, tell me the truth. I don’t believe you would mistake the wrong room.”

Qi Yan seemed helpless. “Other than that, what other reason would I have to be in your sister’s room? I really just remembered incorrectly.”

And as he said, Wei Ling couldn’t think of another explanation.

But the more he thought about it, the more wrong it seemed—

His sister wasn’t a warmhearted person. She was always cold and indifferent to everyone. Yet just now, when Wei Ling had merely pushed Qi Yan, she had immediately stepped in to stop him. What made Qi Yan so special that his sister would care so much?

And besides, those guards outside her hall had returned in the latter half of the night. If Qi Yan had openly entered his sister’s bedroom, the guards would have reported it to Wei Ling. Yet Qi Yan was still wearing yesterday’s clothes. That could only mean… he had entered her room before the guards came back and had spent the entire night in her boudoir!

“Qi Yan!” Wei Ling realized this and shouted angrily, but Qi Yan had already snatched the umbrella from his hands and strode off into the rain, not giving him a chance to catch up.

**

After a night of rain, the sun filtered through the windows, illuminating the dust floating in the air. Qi Yan had returned to his residence to rest.

In the main hall of Zhanghua Palace, pearl curtains swayed, separating the inner and outer halls.

Behind the curtains, Empress Dowager Chu stood watching the young man sitting on the bed, wrapped in a blanket. She sighed softly.

The old eunuch beside her supported her. “Your Majesty, be careful.”

The Empress Dowager thought about how Qi Yan had delivered evidence of the Crown Prince’s scheme against the Qi family to her the previous day. When she saw it, she had been unable to suppress her fury.

“Why does the Crown Prince insist on driving them to destruction? Years ago, his father purged the Qi family, and now he follows in his footsteps, striking at them again. Is he determined to force the Qi family to ruin?”

The Empress Dowager clenched the pearl curtain before her. The old eunuch placed a hand on her back, urging her to calm down.

She lowered her voice. “It is not that I favor Ah Yan, but this child is truly pitiful. His mother died when he was two, and afterward, he was sent to the palace. The King of Chu claimed he was taking him in for education, but in reality, he was forcing the Qi family to send him as a hostage.”

“Do you still remember when he was five? The Queen poisoned the food boxes meant for him and the Crown Prince, but he noticed in time and avoided it. The child was truly clever from a young age. If not for that, I wouldn’t have taken him to Zhanghua Palace to raise him myself. Later, when he grew up and returned to his father’s side, entering the military and proving himself, I was finally able to rest easy. But now, after a year of recovering in the capital, he has still drawn their attention…”

Because she had personally raised him, she had grown attached to him and treated him like her own grandson.

The Empress Dowager’s face was lined with the deep wrinkles of decades of hardship.

“This morning, I went to see the King and questioned him about yesterday’s events. He said he knew nothing of the Crown Prince’s plans, that the Crown Prince acted behind his back, and he would ensure the Qi family received justice. But whether that is true or not, I can no longer tell.”

The old eunuch listened to her hoarse voice and lowered his gaze.

“Your Majesty, the ginseng soup will get cold.”

“Let’s go inside.”

Supported by the eunuch, the Empress Dowager slowly entered the hall. The person on the bed heard the movement and lifted his head.

“Are you feeling better? The physician said you caught a cold from the rain and need to rest properly. Drink this ginseng soup, then lie down.”

Qi Yan sat up in his blanket, his voice hoarse. “I’m fine.”

While he drank the soup, the Empress Dowager stood by the incense burner, lifting the lid and adding calming incense.

“The Crown Prince cannot tolerate you. If he ascends the throne in the future, the Qi family’s days will only grow more difficult. If Chu cannot accommodate you, Ah Yan, you should go to Jin.”

The Empress Dowager leaned on her cane. “Go find your grandfather. Your grandfather is the King of Jin, the hegemon of the Central Plains. Even Chu submits to him. With his protection, the King of Chu will have to be cautious.”

Qi Yan replied, “Grandfather does not like me.”

The Empress Dowager said, “It has been nearly twenty years. Surely he has let go of his resentment.”

Years ago, Qi Yan’s father had sought refuge in Jin and was taken in by the royal family, only to elope with the Jin King’s daughter. The Jin King had never forgiven him. When his daughter died young, his resentment toward Qi Yan’s father only deepened, believing he had used her to gain Jin’s support.

Three years ago, when the Jin Queen Mother passed away, Qi Yan had traveled there to pay his respects. He still remembered the cold hatred in the Jin King’s eyes.

The Empress Dowager tried to persuade him. “My old friend is harsh in words but soft-hearted. He has only been holding on to his pride all these years. Ah Yan, you look so much like he did in his youth. You are his most beloved daughter’s only child. How could he not care for you?”

Qi Yan lowered his eyes. The brown ginseng soup reflected his blurred image. “But Grandmother also knows the kind of ruler Grandfather is.”

The hegemon of the Central Plains was not an easy title to bear. To make the surrounding states submit, he had walked a path of thorns and blood. A man like that might not tolerate his existence. Both of them knew this well.

“I already sent Father back last night. The longer he stays in the capital, the greater the danger. He must return to stabilize the army—that is more urgent. As for me, I will not remain in the capital either. I will consider my path later.”

Qi Yan put down the bowl of medicine and smiled. “Let’s not talk about this. I haven’t been in the palace these past few days. Has anything interesting happened? Grandmother, tell me something.”

Over the years, he had dropped the formal address, calling her simply Grandmother.

The Empress Dowager saw how quickly he changed the subject, seemingly lighthearted, though she knew the dangers behind his words.

She leaned on her fingertips. “Nothing major. Just a few days ago, there was a scandal—the Crown Prince was caught in a tryst with the second Miss Wei by Wei Hou and Wei Ling.”

Qi Yan asked, “A tryst?”

The Empress Dowager nodded, not expecting her usually disinterested grandson to take an interest in such matters.

Qi Yan seemed thoughtful. After a moment, he said, “Grandmother, I have a request.”

The Empress Dowager said, “Speak freely.”

“Could you meet with the King of Chu and ask him, in your name, to annul the engagement of the eldest Miss Wei? If you intervene, it should not be difficult.”

The Empress Dowager was surprised. “Why do you want to annul her engagement?”

Qi Yan replied, “Since the Crown Prince already has a private relationship with Wei Yao, why should he ruin another girl’s life? Didn’t you say that you found Miss Wei quite agreeable?”

He spoke casually while flipping through a military bamboo scroll, as if he didn’t particularly care. Whether she agreed or not seemed to make no difference to him.

Yet the Empress Dowager sensed something was amiss. She had raised Qi Yan herself—he was warm-hearted but not to the extent of interfering in another woman’s marriage for no reason.

“Ah Yan, I have watched you grow up.”

The young man looked up, his pale face framed by sharp features, his eyes like brilliant stars, clear and piercing.

“I know you too well. If something does not concern you, you would never ask about it. Tell me, why do you care about Miss Wei? What is your relationship with her?”

“Nothing much,” Qi Yan replied, flipping through his scroll.

He said it lightly, as if it were nothing.

The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes, unconvinced, but she had no direct evidence. She couldn’t make a judgment based on instinct alone.

The old eunuch beside her, who had served her for decades and was as shrewd as they came, shifted slightly, as if to whisper something to her.

Qi Yan spoke first. “Zhang Yan—”

He called the old eunuch’s name.

The old eunuch hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “This morning, I attended to the young general while he changed clothes. He carried the scent of a woman’s fragrance. The young general has never had such a scent on him before.”

A person’s scent is distinct. If it lingers, it can only mean close contact.

The Empress Dowager was taken aback. “The guards said you returned to Zhanghua Palace last night, but you did not come to see me. So… you spent the entire night in Miss Wei’s room?”

Qi Yan slowly closed the bamboo scroll in his hands.