Chapter 300 — Exposed
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Chen Jia was stunned.
Since Song Yan was willing to see him again, it was clear he was deeply interested in what he had to say. But this was his ace in the hole, his one guarantee of survival, and he hoped to sell it for a good price. His original plan had been to force Song Yan to speak first, so that he would hold the initiative and could then negotiate terms with Song Yan.
He had never expected Song Chusheng to give no warning at all and turn hostile on the spot.
Could it be that Song Yan truly did not care about the news he had brought?
Chen Jia did not believe it.
He looked into Song Zhi's eyes.
Song Zhi's eyes were black and lustrous, like stars in the night sky—bright, yet cold, without a trace of warmth, like frost a thousand years old, giving off a piercing chill that let a man feel his ruthlessness and his heartlessness.
Chen Jia's heart quailed.
Perhaps Song Yan was merely putting on an act—but could he afford to gamble on it?
The estate granted by imperial decree in Daxing was Song's territory, the place where Song Yan kept his retainers.
If he willed it, he could tear Chen Jia to pieces at any moment!
It was as though Chen Jia had swallowed bile; a bitter taste spread through his heart.
The situation allowed him no hesitation.
He dropped to his knees before Song Zhi with a thud. "Young Master, it is not that I am putting on airs—it is only that the matter is of grave importance, and for a moment I was so frightened and uncertain I did not know what to do." Here he no longer dared delay, and hurried on: "Four years ago, my adoptive father Chen Zuxun and I were ordered to escort the Duke of Dingguo back to the capital from Fujian. We had only just left Fujian when Zhong Qiao—then commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Northern Depot—suddenly brought a few men and interrogated the Duke of Dingguo alone. My adoptive father and I both assumed he was acting on orders; we were heartsick over it, but the imperial command could not be defied, and we could only sigh over it in private. I even discussed it with my adoptive father—we quietly got hold of some fine medicine for wounds, meaning to slip it to the Duke of Dingguo in secret while on duty. But as it turned out, on the whole journey my adoptive father and I never once had the chance to stand guard over the Duke of Dingguo. My adoptive father said then that there was something strange about the whole business."
As he spoke, Chen Jia paused slightly, as though recalling certain things from those years, and nervously licked his lips.
Song Zhi's heart leapt into his throat, though outwardly he looked utterly unmoved; he picked up his teacup and took a gentle sip.
Seeing this, Chen He quickly and shrewdly withdrew, carefully closing the door behind him.
Song Yan and the Duke of Dingguo were as close as father and son.
Behind the screen, Dou Yan greatly admired Song Zhi's composure.
She watched Chen Jia without blinking.
"And then something happened to the Duke of Dingguo." Chen Jia lowered his eyelids. "By rights, if they were acting on orders, Zhong Qiao and his men ought to have been perfectly at ease. But Zhong Qiao and the others seemed very flustered—not only did they forbid us to mention the matter, they also secretly sent word to someone, as though they were discussing something. My adoptive father and I could not help but grow suspicious. And once we entered the capital, we were immediately thrown into confinement by men of the Eastern Depot."
So there was such a thing as this.
The knuckles of Song Yan's hand as he held the teacup had gone somewhat white.
He had always assumed the matter had been the Emperor's will, and had never dared probe deeper.
And on whose orders had Wang Yuan pursued the cause of his elder brother's death?