PROOFREAD BY AFREANA

Chapter 98.3

An Ruochen couldn’t sleep well all night, thinking about Huo Mingshan. When she was in the Governor’s residence, she checked the corpse. Cao Yihan was meticulous, tidying up Huo Mingshan’s appearance in a clean and tidy manner. An Ruochen couldn’t see much in the remains. When she tossed and turned until the sky was about to brighten, she felt she should also write a letter to Big Long, saying a few words about her thoughts. The General was more clever than her. Perhaps the General could solve her doubts.

Grinding the ink and spreading the paper, An Ruochen hesitated. They hadn’t caught the spy yet, and she was skeptical if this letter would be safe. If there was a mystery in this matter, her letter should not reveal any doubt. How can she make the General understand what she means but not the spy?

An Ruochen stared at the paper and fell in contemplation when suddenly a flash of light crossed her mind. She jumped up abruptly, seemingly about to grasp the clue yet not having figured it out. An Ruochen spun around in the room, managed to hold on until dawn, and hurriedly went to the Governor’s residence to ask for an audience.

Seeing An Ruochen coming a bit early, Meng Jiayue was surprised. An Ruochen said she came to see if there was anything she could do to help. Meng Jiayue thought for a long time and said: “I am busy with the funeral arrangements. I don’t have much time to pacify Mr. Cao. If Miss An doesn’t mind, help me take care of him. I’m worried he’s overly sad and can’t think straight.”

“Does he still yell like he did yesterday?”

“No. He is only concerned about when he will be able to see General Long and return to South Qin. Every once in a while, he would call someone to ask.”

An Ruochen frowned, “Then what is the Lord Governor’s plan? I asked Mr. Zhou yesterday, and he didn’t intend to invite the General back.”

Meng Jiayue looked around and lowered her voice, “This matter involves a wide range of issues, and the Lord Governor needs to discuss and think of countermeasures before arranging for Mr. Cao, so for the time being, we haven’t set a date for him to return. In any case, let’s finish the funeral first.”

An Ruochen understood. She nodded and went with Meng Jiayue to bring breakfast to Cao Yihan. Cao Yihan was just as Meng Jiayue had said, still saying the same old things, asking to see General Long and return to South Qin as soon as possible. Meng Jiayue coaxed him with a few words, and Cao Yihan seemed to calm down and eat breakfast.

After that, Meng Jiayue went to take care of the funeral. An Ruochen stayed behind.

An Ruochen once again went to Huo Mingshan’s room, and inside, as yesterday, nothing had been moved. An Ruochen flipped through the papers on the table and looked at Huo Mingshan’s bloody clothes again. Then she went to find Cao Yihan.

“Mr. Cao, were you the one who found Mr. Huo’s body yesterday ?”

Cao Yihan nodded.

“Afterward, who moved him?”

“The coroner who examined the body.”

“Other than the suicide note and the sword, did Mr. Huo leave anything behind?”

“Nope. What else could be left behind?” An alarm appeared on Cao Yihan’s young face.

An Ruochen stared at his expression and said softly, “For example, leaving any other messages.”

Cao Yihan stared at her, “What message? What are you trying to say?” He jumped up, “Could it be that you guys are trying to find an excuse to plant something on my Master ……”

“Sit down.” An Ruochen frowned and shouted at him.

Cao Yihan froze at the sound.

An Ruochen said, “Until one reaches the point of no return, one will not seek death. And some people, even if they reach a dead end, will do their best to do something about it. Even if they shed their last drop of blood, they will fulfill their long-cherished wish. I think Mr. Huo was such a character.”

Cao Yihan glared at her and sat down, reddening his eyes. “Master was indeed such a character, but it’s a pity he’s already dead. Died in the place where he wanted to fulfill his long-cherished wish.”

“What he left unfinished, do you want to help him fulfill it?”

Cao Yihan’s tears came from his eyes and streaked down his cheeks. “I’m a humble person, just a servant. Even if I go to the capital, your Emperor will not summon me or listen to what I say.”

“So you want to see General Long?”

Cao Yihan was stunned, wiped away his tears, and yelled again, “What’s wrong with seeing General Long? If I can’t meet the Great Xiao Emperor, can I at least see General Long? It was he who forced Master to die. At the very least, I should ask for an apology from him for my Master.”

“But if you follow common sense, you should think of quickly returning to South Qin with Mr. Huo’s ashes after this incident.”

“What’s wrong with going back after seeking justice?!” Cao Yihan’s face was exasperated. “You all owe the Master justice.”

“So you must see General Long first?”

“Can’t I? Just inform General Long, and he will be willing to see me. Unless you have something to lose and are too weak-minded to let me see him.”

An Ruochen said flatly. “Based on my view, there is no good reason for you to meet the General.”

Cao Yihan laughed coldly: “I know you. You are the future General’s wife.” He deliberately chewed the word ‘future’ heavily, “I didn’t know that the future General’s wife could even be above the Lord Governor. If the Lord Governor is willing to let me meet him, can you stop me?”

An Ruochen said, “You said the opposite. In this Zhonglan city, only I am willing to help you to see General Long.”

Cao Yihan’s face stiffened, unable to smile.

“You are familiar with the official practices. I think Mr. Huo must have taught you a lot during his lifetime and trusted you enough to entrust you with a heavy responsibility. You know very well that after what happened, it’s luck that you weren’t imprisoned and held on charges. This place is Great Xiao. You are alone, and your country’s soldiers and horses are at the border, waiting to kill you on command. You don’t have anything to rely on.” An Ruochen paused, “Except for General Long.”

Cao Yihan boarded up his face and didn’t speak.

“General Long is far away at the border. Naturally, he can’t fly back to see you. If the one who spoke about seeking justice were Mr. Huo, then you would naturally have a good chance of seeing General Long. But alas, you’re just his attendant. You’re thinking clearly about the situation. That’s why you’re worried that you couldn’t meet General Long and won’t be able to return to South Qin in time. You even have to worry if you have the life to return to South Qin.”

Cao Yihan pursed his lips.

An Ruochen looked at him and continued. “I heard that when Mr. Huo gifted the sword to Madam Governor seventeen years ago, he said that if South Qin was responsible for the late Governor’s assassination case and maliciously sabotaged the peace talks, Madam Governor could use that sword to take his life.”

Cao Yihan took a deep breath and clenched his fists. He was aware of this matter.

“Now that sword took his life.” An Ruochen said.

Cao Yihan lowered his eyes and didn’t say anything.

“Mr. Huo’s suicide note was written calmly, with neat and clear handwriting, so I think he made up his mind. He carefully explained his reasons and instructed you to clean up his remains and change his clothes.” An Ruochen looked at Cao Yihan, “There was no need for him to instruct this. You would have done it. But he seemed uneasy, afraid that someone else would do it. With the suicide note, the murder weapon, the obvious fatal wound on the neck, and all the lords staring at it, I don’t think the coroner should seriously go through Mr. Huo’s belongings. After all, the cause of death is too obvious.”

Cao Yihan moved his sitting position, still lowering his eyes and not speaking.

An Ruochen, however, suddenly changed the topic and asked him, “Do you know how many new sheets of paper there are in a bundle?”

Cao Yihan waited, didn’t hear An Ruochen say anything further, and looked up suspiciously.

“Twelve.” An Ruochen waited for him to look at her before she said. “Mr. Huo used a new ink stone, ground a new ink bar, used a new brush, and unwrapped a bundle of new paper. He used one sheet of paper to write his suicide note. But there are only ten sheets of paper left.”

Cao Yihan’s mouth opened wide as he stared at An Ruochen like he had seen a ghost.

“What else did he write on the other sheet, a letter to General Long?”

Cao Yihan put away his surprised expression and pretended to be bewildered, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s a piece of paper missing. Are you telling a joke? Who knows if Mr. Huo used it before or if someone else used it when they came to his room? Or if it turned out to be only eleven sheets of paper.”

An Ruochen ignored his defense and added, “He specifically instructed to let you dispose of his corpse and change his clothes for him because he wanted you to see that letter, so that you could help him accomplish what he instructed. That’s why you asked to be sure to see General Long.”

“There was no letter. I want to see General Long because General Long asked Master to enter the capital. Master originally wanted to return to South Qin but was convinced by General Long to stay.”

An Ruochen didn’t refute him. She looked at him and said after a while, “The Lord Governor won’t hurt you, but he will keep you behind. You are an important witness. You’re not Mr. Huo, so there won’t be another two hundred guards guarding you, but there’s no way for you to break out of this Governor’s mansion on your own to see General Long. Whether you want to seek justice from General Long, talk about family matters, or convey an important message from Mr. Huo, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a long time. Wouldn’t it delay the important responsibility you’re carrying? How will you explain it to Mr. Huo in the afterlife?”

Cao Yihan clenched his teeth.

“You’re right in thinking you can rely on General Long. But I have to tell you, before meeting General Long ……,” An Ruochen paused, waiting for Cao Yihan to look into her eyes before she said, “You have to rely on me.”