Chapter 57

Chapter 57

When Shen Si saw Xie Yuheng again, it was still in Tuisi Hall at the Censorate.

This time, however, Xie Yuheng looked entirely different from his usual neat and refined self.

The Xie Family was a prestigious scholarly clan. One of their ancestors had served as a Grand Secretary, and the elders of the family were Palace Graduates as well. The younger members of Xie Yuheng’s generation were generally diligent, unlike some of the wayward young masters in the capital. All in all, the Xie Family had a respectable tradition.

But when it came to Xie Yuheng, that tradition had gone awry.

His improper entanglement with a younger female cousin had certainly opened Shen Si’s eyes.

Then Shen Si recalled the drug that had been slipped to Xie Yuheng. Leaning back in his chair, he regarded the dejected man with faint mockery. Now that he thought about it, this was no more than Xie Yuheng deserved.

Shen Si had not exposed the matter to the Xie Family because he wanted Xie Yuheng to take a few more doses of that drug.

He gave Xie Yuheng another dispassionate glance before having him bring over the case files he had reexamined.

The New Year was only two days away. Xie Yuheng had clearly delayed this until he could put it off no longer.

An attendant stepped forward to receive the files. Shen Si did not open them immediately. Instead, his phoenix eyes slanted toward the man standing before him, who looked as if he might collapse at any moment. A layer of dark stubble covered his chin. This once jade-like young master apparently had not even found the time to make himself presentable.

Shen Si arched a brow. “It seems Court Director Xie has truly worked himself to the bone checking these case files.”

Xie Yuheng stiffened slightly, catching the hint of mockery in his words. Forcing himself to rally, he hurriedly replied, “My lord is too generous with his praise. This is merely part of this humble official’s duty.”

Perhaps it was only his imagination, but Xie Yuheng always felt that Marquis Shen looked at him with intense dislike. Yet no matter how long he searched his memory, he could not recall ever offending Marquis Shen in the past.

Shen Si studied him for another moment before turning his attention back to the files.

There were not many cases left, but Shen Si examined every one in detail, questioning Xie Yuheng from time to time. Xie Yuheng had no choice but to keep forcing himself to remain alert.

He stood there for most of the morning.

For the past several nights, he had barely been able to sleep. Because of Ji Hanyi, he had not even gone to see Mingrou once. He could neither understand what had happened nor let it go. After standing for so long, he was already swaying on his feet.

Shen Si found four or five mistakes. Yet as Xie Yuheng listened to his reprimands, his entire body remained numb and his mind clouded.

Even the aide standing behind Shen Si broke into a nervous sweat on Xie Yuheng’s behalf. Lord Censor-in-Chief certainly had a poor temper and was famously exacting, but few people were ever rebuked this severely by Lord Censor-in-Chief. Presumably, some parts of the case files truly had not been checked properly.

Such a reprimand was no trivial matter. The Censor-in-Chief served close to His Majesty the Emperor and had direct access to the throne. If word reached the Presiding Official at the Court of Judicial Review, or even His Majesty the Emperor himself, that Xie Yuheng had been derelict in his duties, his official career would likely become a difficult one.

Yet Xie Yuheng merely stood there with a wooden expression, as though none of it concerned him.

Perhaps the scolding had left him dazed.

In the end, Shen Si ordered Xie Yuheng to take the case files back, put them in order, and only then present them to His Majesty the Emperor.

It was not until the files were placed back in his hands that Xie Yuheng seemed to finally realize where he was.

He raised his head, intending to explain the errors, but at the sight of Lord Censor-in-Chief’s cold expression, every word of excuse lodged in his throat.

Only then did panic begin to rise in his chest.

The attendants in the hall ushered him outside, and he stumbled away in a daze.

A cold gust struck him, making him shudder. Resentment toward Shen Si welled up inside him. Those were nothing more than a few minor mistakes. The man had clearly been finding fault with him on purpose.

But what could he say? He could only grit his teeth and endure it. Clutching the case files tightly, he left, still seething with indignation.

Shen Si leaned back in his chair and watched Xie Yuheng’s retreating figure before glancing at a subordinate standing in the corner.

The subordinate understood at once and followed Xie Yuheng.

By noon, the information he had gathered was quickly reported to Shen Si.

As it turned out, Xie Yuheng had not returned to the Xie Residence for the past several days. He had been staying in his duty room every night.

The subordinate bent slightly and lowered his voice. “I heard Court Director Xie drank himself into a stupor last night. It seems he was troubled by affairs in his inner household.”

Shen Si leisurely rolled the bodhi beads in his palm, his gaze resting on the light filtering through the window. His eyes narrowed, and a rare trace of languor entered his voice. “Oh? His inner household?”

The Censorate had no shortage of informants throughout the capital. It had planted people in the Eastern Office, the Military Patrol Office, the Street Administration Office, and the Jinyiwei. If it wished to investigate Xie Yuheng’s private affairs in detail, it would hardly be difficult.

Besides, the Censorate kept numerous clerks and runners in its employ, with intelligence posts spread everywhere. Together, they formed an impenetrable web across the capital. How else could the Censorate monitor every official in the court?

The subordinate recounted everything in exhaustive detail. “Court Director Xie rarely drinks, but last night he was so drunk that he spouted all sorts of nonsense. It seems he had some sort of falling-out with his wife. He even called out her name while drunk, though no one could make out exactly what he said. By this morning, everyone at the Court of Judicial Review was saying that Court Director Xie is deeply devoted to his wife.”

At those words, Shen Si’s finely cut eyes and brows went a shade colder, and a derisive smile touched his lips.
The subordinate studied Shen Si’s expression, then added, “However, according to our spies, Court Director Xie has been so despondent because his wife seems to be demanding a divorce.”

“They only learned of it because Court Director Xie went to a close friend for advice.”

Shen Si paused.

When Ji Hanyi arrived at Baoshan Tower that afternoon with a painting in her arms, she unexpectedly found Shen Si sitting in Mr. Zhang’s room.

The moment she entered, his cool, aristocratic eyes lifted and met hers, making her heart tighten slightly.

He sat quietly in the seat of honor while Mr. Zhang unfurled one painting after another before him. Mr. Zhang’s manner was deferential to the point of servility, and his voice dripped with flattery.

In Ji Hanyi’s eyes, Mr. Zhang had always possessed both integrity and talent. Yet for some reason, he seemed to have lost something of his former bearing at that moment.

Still, it was only natural. Who could remain perfectly calm beneath the pressure of Shen Si’s aloof, noble presence?

Realizing she had come at a bad time, she intended to slip away unnoticed. But Mr. Zhang spotted her and hurriedly called out with a smile, “There you are, Madam. Come in.”

He then turned back to Shen Si and said ingratiatingly, “Marquis, the paintings you used to favor most were by Shi–”

He had only gotten halfway through when Shen Si cast him a mild glance, abruptly cutting off the rest of his words.

There was no discernible emotion in that gaze, yet Mr. Zhang immediately understood that he should say no more.

He closed his mouth sheepishly. Then Shen Si’s usual cool, emotionless voice sounded. “See to your business first, Mr. Zhang. I can wait.”

His measured tone left Mr. Zhang at a loss for a moment. He quickly nodded, set down the painting in his hands, and went over to Ji Hanyi.

He took the painting from her and placed it on the table, then retrieved a pouch of silver from a drawer. Returning to her side, he said, “This past month has been rather busy, so I haven’t had a chance to send the silver to your residence.”

He set the silver beside her. “The last painting sold at auction for nine hundred taels. There are five hundred and sixty taels here. Please count it, Madam.”

Ji Hanyi wore a veiled hat, and Mr. Zhang was careful not to address her in a way that would expose her identity.

After all, she was a married woman, and one who had married into a family as prestigious as the Xie Family. No matter how one looked at it, selling paintings on her own could invite unpleasant gossip.

Ji Hanyi accepted the silver without counting it. She had come to trust Mr. Zhang over the past two years. “Thank you for going to the trouble,” she said softly.

Mr. Zhang shook his head. “It’s no trouble at all. I was more worried that you wouldn’t bring me another painting.”

He then asked, “Why have you brought another one when it hasn’t even been a month? Are you short on silver?”

Mr. Zhang had good reason to ask.

When he had first found Ji Hanyi, she had been at her most desperate for money. Only costly medicinal ingredients could keep her mother’s treatment going, and Ji Hanyi had even asked him for an advance that time.

In the past, she had only visited once every two or three months. Since less than a month had passed this time, Mr. Zhang naturally asked out of concern. Lowering his voice, he added, “If you’re short on silver, Madam, I can give you another advance now.”

Had Ji Hanyi and Shen Si been complete strangers, she would not have thought much of it. Unfortunately, all her financial difficulties were now being laid bare before him, leaving her deeply embarrassed.

She knew Mr. Zhang was only looking out for her. He had been the one to help her find a shop willing to buy her paintings in the first place, and she was grateful to him.

She shook her head. “I have enough for now. It’s only that the New Year is approaching, and there will soon be more matters to attend to in the household. I’m afraid I won’t have much free time.”

Mr. Zhang nodded in understanding, then smiled and said quietly, “If you ever need silver, Madam, just paint a few more.”

As he spoke, he secretly made a gesture at her, trying to tell her that plenty of people wanted her paintings. No matter how many she produced, there would always be buyers.

Ji Hanyi failed to understand his gesture and asked in confusion, “What do you mean, Mr. Zhang?”

Mr. Zhang waggled his eyebrows and tried several more signals, but Ji Hanyi still did not understand. He sighed and gave up.

After all, the powerful, fabulously wealthy man who specialized in collecting Master Shilan’s paintings was sitting right behind him. Mr. Zhang could hardly say in front of the man, “Paint as many as you can. He has more silver than he knows what to do with anyway.”

If he did, he could forget about keeping his position here.

Mr. Zhang was about to see Ji Hanyi out when she hesitated and glanced at Shen Si, who had remained seated in the place of honor.

He had helped her last time. Now that they had run into each other again, she could hardly pretend not to know him and simply walk away.

Shen Si sat with effortless elegance, his distinguished features still bearing that forbidding air that warned strangers to keep their distance. His gaze rested on the scroll upon the table, and he did not look at her.

Ji Hanyi’s heart clenched again and again. Still, after quietly saying something to Mr. Zhang, she summoned her courage and took several steps toward Shen Si.

The moment Shen Si raised his eyes to her, Ji Hanyi stopped, not daring to go any closer.

Shen Si arched a brow, his cool gaze settling on Ji Hanyi as she stood more than five feet away, as though he were some terrifying beast in her eyes.

Yet the last time she had stared at him with reddened, tear-filled eyes and begged for his help, she had not seemed nearly so afraid of having anything to do with him.