Chapter 24: Searching for Her

It was during this interval that Li Youwei brought Wen Zhiyan into the palace to attend to the Emperor’s illness. Li Youwei had originally worried that her father would notice one of her attendants looked unfamiliar, but she clearly overestimated the Emperor’s familiarity with her personal staff, and so Wen Zhiyan remained in the palace with her for several days.

Because Li Youwei was a woman, the Emperor did not intentionally avoid her presence while reviewing memorials or speaking with his ministers. Li Youwei only left once she truly ran out of excuses to linger. During these few days, Wen Zhiyan took every opportunity to scan documents, hoping to find clues related to the Wen family.

After returning from the palace, Li Youwei noticed that Wen Zhiyan had become somewhat more reticent. Whenever asked, Wen Zhiyan would simply claim that she had been intimidated by the solemnity of the Imperial Palace. Li Youwei believed her; the majesty of the Son of Heaven was not something an ordinary person could easily endure, and it was normal for Wen Zhiyan to have been shaken.

One evening, several days later, Wen Zhiyan entered Li Youwei’s chamber with a grave expression. Li Youwei, having just finished bathing, affectionately took her arm and invited her to sit within the bed curtains for a private chat. However, Wen Zhiyan knelt straight down. “Princess, I believe I have uncovered some information regarding the Crown Prince.”

The romantic thoughts of poetry and moonlit winds that had been occupying Li Youwei’s mind instantly cooled. “News of the Crown Prince?”

“Please grant me permission to leave the estate for a few days, Princess. If I find anything, I will send word to you.”

“So much time has passed since the Crown Prince’s incident; my father has already investigated everything that could be investigated. I fear someone is deliberately feeding you false information.”

“That is not the case,” Wen Zhiyan insisted. “I have long suspected that the person who killed the Crown Prince and the one who ruined my father are the same—or at least belong to the same group. Even if it is false information, I must investigate.”

Cold sweat beaded on Li Youwei’s forehead. “How… how could you think that?”

Wen Zhiyan shook her head. “I do not know, perhaps it is just a dark intuition. Please allow me to leave, Princess. If you are worried, I promise to return as soon as possible.”

Given the circumstances, Li Youwei had no reason to stop her, despite her anxiety. “Very well. If you need my help, do not hesitate to ask.”

Wen Zhiyan gripped Li Youwei’s hand with gratitude. “I know you are concerned, but your people are too conspicuous. Rest assured, I have my own plans.”

For some reason, Li Youwei felt a deep sense of unease, yet she still gave her consent.

***

Li Youwei collapsed to the floor, looking at Wen Zhiyan as if she were a complete stranger. “And later, I received her letter inviting me to meet here, only to fall victim to her poison. Wen Zhiyan, you are ruthless. What is your true goal?”

Wen Zhiyan merely smiled, then turned to Li Honghui. “And you, Prince? You have listened for quite a while—do you have anything to say?”

Li Honghui’s face was twisted with bitterness. “So, this is how you recounted it to the Princess. I believed that we shared absolute trust, Yan’er.”

Li Youwei lashed out, “So, it was you who personally delivered Wen Zhiyan to me, wasn’t it?”

Li Honghui nodded, then shook his head. “Yes, and no. She merely told me she wanted to know what kind of woman the Grand Princess was, and I mentioned in passing that the Grand Princess was looking for rare brocades to offer as a birthday gift to our father.”

“Later, she told me she had accidentally made the Grand Princess’s acquaintance and found they were quite compatible, suggesting she could help me win the Grand Princess’s favor to speak well of me before our father.”

Compared to the others' anger, Li Honghui was clearly more sorrowful. “Yan’er, did you never love me?”

“Bah!” Li Youwei spat out a mouthful of blood. “Stop putting on this nauseating display. Who knows if this wasn’t a scheme you both planned together? What are you actually trying to do?”

“That is what I would like to ask,” tears welled in Li Honghui’s eyes. “Yan’er, when did I ever cross your path so deeply that you would go to such lengths to kill me?”

“Prince, when did you first order people to track down Wen Zhiyan?” Wen Zhiyan caught Li Honghui’s gaze; she could clearly see the love in his eyes, yet her tone remained icy.

“The moment the Wen family fell, I ordered my men to keep an eye out for news. It wasn’t until some time later that my scouts reported the Wen family’s women had all committed suicide on the road to exile, save for the eldest daughter, who survived and vanished.”

Li Honghui looked at Wen Zhiyan. “At that time, I only wanted to find this daughter. I felt the Crown Prince’s accident and the Wen family’s downfall might be linked, and I wanted to see if she was the key.”

***

That night, in the study of Prince Fu’s estate, Li Honghui unfolded a slip of paper. After reading the words upon it, he tossed it into a burning candle. The flames slowly consumed the three characters: “Wen Zhiyan.”

Li Honghui’s eyes grew cold and sharp. “Search! Dig three feet into the earth if you must, but find this daughter of the Wen family!”

“At once!”

Several months later, a scout brought Chang Wei before Li Honghui.

“Your Highness, this man was once under Wen Chongyi’s command. He possesses great strength and was highly valued by the General. After the military camp changed hands, he was relegated to being a cook. He saw the eldest daughter of the Wen family a few times and can produce a portrait of her.” The scout glared at Chang Wei. “Hurry and pay your respects to the Prince!”

Chang Wei knelt. “Chang Wei pays his respects to the Prince!”

Li Honghui asked, “You can draw Wen Zhiyan’s likeness?”

Cold sweat streamed down Chang Wei’s face; this was his first time facing royalty, and he was naturally nervous. “R-returning to Your Highness, I can.”

“Someone, bring paper and brush.”

The guards placed the writing implements before Chang Wei.

Li Honghui commanded, “Draw.”

“Yes.”

Chang Wei knelt and leaned over the floor, sketching the face of Wen Zhiyan, which he had traced in his mind countless times.

Li Honghui studied the portrait. “Since you are so familiar with the young lady of the Wen family, you shall be the one to find her.”

“Find her?”

Chang Wei did not understand. Had the Wen women not been exiled to the frontiers? Where was he supposed to look?

The scout kicked Chang Wei. “The Prince has given an order—do you expect him to explain himself to you?”

“This subordinate is wrong!”

“I have received intelligence that the Wen daughter, Wen Zhiyan, escaped while on the road to exile and her current whereabouts are unknown. From this moment on, you belong to me. I can arrange other positions for you, but you must find her and bring her to me. Do you understand?”

“I understand!”

“You need not go to the military camp starting tomorrow. Come to Prince Fu’s estate to take up your post.”

“Thank you, Your Highness!”

Chang Wei bowed his head heavily against the ground.

After Chang Wei left, Li Honghui’s gaze lingered on the portrait of Wen Zhiyan for a long time.

“The death of the Crown Prince, the betrayal of Wen Chongyi… what is really going on? And how did she manage to escape?”

For a long time, these became the things Li Honghui wanted to know most. But despite sending out many men, he never found a trace of her. He was nearly beginning to suspect that Wen Zhiyan had died in some forgotten corner.

But just as he was about to give up, amidst a sea of flames, a woman turned her back on the raging inferno and ran toward him.