Chapter 128: The Promise

The Promise

That was a woman!

Although it was only a brief moment, Nie Jinxuan couldn't see the person's face clearly, but Nie Jinxuan could be certain that it was a woman!

At this moment, being shrouded by the black shadow before her, Nie Jinxuan immediately lifted her head, and then instantly met a pair of familiar eyes, but at this very moment they were unusually icy and merciless.

"Mm… you…"

Instantly, Nie Jinxuan let out a painful groan, and at this moment, upon seeing that the person before her was actually Nie Jinxuan, Yin Fengzhan was also startled, and involuntarily loosened his grip.

"How could it be you?"

Yin Fengzhan asked in a low voice, and while speaking, he momentarily glanced sideways at the pavilion behind, then seeing that the pavilion was already empty, he directly looked at Nie Jinxuan before him…… At this moment, although Nie Jinxuan coughed violently and refreshingly due to the sudden influx of air, she still saw his action.

In an instant, Nie Jinxuan felt an indescribable feeling rise in her heart, and after calming herself a bit, she directly asked:

"Who is she?"

Facing Yin Fengzhan, Nie Jinxuan didn't beat around the bush. Upon hearing this, Yin Fengzhan slightly pursed his lips, then spoke in a low voice:

"No one……"

"Who is nobody?"

Having regained her composure, Nie Jinxuan widened her eyes, and at the same time pointed at the pavilion not far behind Yin Fengzhan and said:

"I clearly saw a woman there just now, yet you say there's nobody? Yin Fengzhan, even if you're lying, could you at least draft a story?!"

Nie Jinxuan inexplicably felt furious. After all, if this were normal it would be fine, but just now Yin Fengzhan was trying to kill her! Nie Jinxuan won't mistake it—he really was trying to kill her! And why would he be so murderous? It's nothing but to cover up the woman he was speaking with!

And if it were just that, it would be fine. But now he's actually lying… So, at this moment, Nie Jinxuan became angry! And this time, Yin Fengzhan didn't just brush her off with 'Don't worry about it' as before; instead, after staring at her for a while, he couldn't help but speak in a low voice:

"Just a friend handling some private matters, that's all."

It wasn't much of an explanation, but Yin Fengzhan did simply state the matter. So, upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan, who had been fuming, couldn't help but frown, then gave him a sideways glance for a while, and then deliberately lowered her voice to ask again:

"Really?"

"Mm!"

He nodded on his own, looking serious. Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan then slightly pursed her lips.

"Since you were talking to a friend, why did you run out to the outskirts? And why be so secretive?"

"Secret."

"You… forget it! I can't be bothered to talk to you!"

She lifted her head again and gave Yin Fengzhan a white-eyed look, then Nie Jinxuan turned and walked back…… And it was precisely because of this that Nie Jinxuan didn't notice that, at the moment she turned, Yin Fengzhan behind her even noticed himself letting out a breath, then turned his head to glance, and only then stepped forward to follow……

Unexpectedly running into Yin Fengzhan in the outskirts, the two then rode together in a carriage back to the city. After getting on the carriage, Nie Jinxuan first glanced at Yin Fengzhan's injured leg, then spoke in a low voice:

"You must have heard, the matter of the divorce has spread."

"What does that mean?"

Obviously, Yin Fengzhan didn't know about this. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan was first startled, then briefly related what had happened when she returned home today. Of course, Nie Jinxuan didn't mention her open and covert struggles with the several women in the rear courtyard, and after finishing, she then spoke in a low voice:

"And now, I have already had Gu Zongguan send people to investigate the teahouse, wanting to see who is behind the mischief! After all, few people know about your and my divorce, so even without airtight walls, the fact that just a few days after returning from Zuixiashanzhuang the city is in an uproar certainly means someone is manipulating things from the shadows! But for now, I still can't guess who would do such a thing, nor what their ultimate goal would be!"

Nie Jinxuan voiced her considerations, and then Yin Fengzhan also slightly nodded, but didn't say anything.

For a moment, the small carriage fell into silence; the lifted curtain let in the red glow of the setting sun, faintly giving the surroundings a dreamy hue…… At this moment, through that glow, Yin Fengzhan suddenly lifted his head to look at Nie Jinxuan before him, then spoke in a low voice:

"Going to Zhang Manor?"

"Mm."

"Why?"

Yin Fengzhan didn't understand why Nie Jinxuan would go to Zhang Manor again. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan slightly shook her head.

"Nothing much, just wanted to take a look……"

She spoke in a low voice, but upon reaching this point, Nie Jinxuan's eyebrows suddenly rose.

"But guess who I met today?"

"Huh?"

"Zhang Yuan!"

"Male?"

"Nonsense, from the name you can tell it's not a female."

"What does he do?"

"Someone who left Zhang Manor five years ago and knew Bi Yao……"

Squinting his eyes and speaking softly, Nie Jinxuan then recounted her trip to Zhang Manor today and her encounter with Zhang Yuan in full! Upon hearing this, Yin Fengzhan fell silent for a moment, then said:

"Mm, it should be a lead. However, a woman with a scar on her left eyebrow is not easy to find. Moreover, we can't yet confirm whether she is in the capital!"

"Don't you suspect that Zhang Yuan was sent by the killer?"

Yin Fengzhan had no suspicion whatsoever about Zhang Yuan, which made Nie Jinxuan find it somewhat unbelievable. But upon hearing this, Yin Fengzhan lifted his eyes and glanced at her.

"Shouldn't be!"

"Why?"

"Because how would the killer know you would go to Zhang Manor again?"

"Um……"

Yes! Today her going to Zhang Manor was indeed completely coincidental. Not to mention the killer, even she herself hadn't anticipated it. So how could the killer predict her actions and make preparations in advance?!

"So… does that mean we don't need to send someone to watch Zhang Yuan?"

"No!"

After pursing his lips in response to Nie Jinxuan's words, Yin Fengzhan's eyes instantly flashed.

"Better safe than sorry! Besides, even if Zhang Yuan's identity is genuine, if the killer finds out about him, he will surely not let him go easily, so it's also good to protect him at a critical moment!"

"Mm!"

Nodding in agreement with Yin Fengzhan's suggestion, Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan then talked a bit more about the case, and without realizing it, they returned to Chen Wangfu.

……

When Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan returned to Chen Wangfu, the sky had already darkened. After the daytime bustle faded, the entire Wangfu was immersed in tranquility.

Nie Jinxuan, who had intended to go straight back to her room after returning to the Wangfu, stepped out of the carriage and saw Gu Hong hurrying up to meet her.

"Prince, Princess Consort, Prince Qin has arrived."

Gu Hong lowered his head and spoke respectfully. Upon hearing this, not only Nie Jinxuan, but even Yin Fengzhan, who had already stepped down from the carriage, couldn't help but furrow his brow.

"What's the matter?"

"I don't know the specifics, old servant, but Prince Qin said he wishes to see the Princess Consort to discuss an important matter. He has been waiting in the front hall for a while."

Gu Hong continued speaking calmly, but as soon as he finished, he couldn't help but quickly glance up at Yin Fengzhan before him.

But at that moment, upon hearing that Prince Qin Yin Fenglian had come to see Nie Jinxuan, Yin Fengzhan's face instantly darkened, and without thinking he said directly:

"No time! Send him back!"

Having said that, Yin Fengzhan strode toward the Wangfu, but Nie Jinxuan suddenly grabbed him, stepped forward, leaned in, and whispered in his ear:

"Yin Fengzhan, what temper are you throwing again?"

Because Gu Hong and Zhongli were also present, Nie Jinxuan lowered her voice suspiciously. After speaking, she glared at him, then regardless of his willingness, she directly instructed Gu Hong beside her:

"Alright, I understand. I'll go see for myself."

Having said that, Nie Jinxuan walked straight past him into the Wangfu and headed straight for the front hall…… At that moment, standing at the gate, watching Nie Jinxuan's receding figure, Yin Fengzhan's face darkened worse than a pot's bottom. Not only the gate guards, but even Gu Hong and Zhongli beside him couldn't help breaking into a cold sweat. Yet after a while, Yin Fengzhan still slightly pursed his lips and then followed Nie Jinxuan to the front hall.

At that moment, as Nie Jinxuan entered the front hall first, she indeed saw Prince Qin Yin Fengzhan sitting in a chair drinking tea, and she immediately spoke softly:

"Prince Qin, I've kept you waiting."

Nie Jinxuan's voice was gentle, her expression mild. Hearing the sound, Yin Fenglian then lifted her head and smiled at Nie Jinxuan.

"Not at all, Fourth Imperial Sister-in-law, you're being polite~!"

Yin Fenglian smiled as brightly as ever. But as soon as her words fell, Yin Fengzhan, who had followed her in, entered. Upon seeing him arrive, Nie Jinxuan's brow twitched, while Yin Fenglian instantly raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"Hehe~, Fourth Imperial Brother has also come~!"

"What's the matter?"

Yin Fengzhan got straight to the point, his icy tone making one's heart chill. Thus, upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan, who had still been gentle-faced, was momentarily stunned, then shot him a glare, while Yin Fenglian merely smiled.

"How so? Fourth Imperial Brother doesn't welcome me?"

"It's late."

"Heh... It seems Fourth Imperial Brother is issuing me a dismissal order~! But before the dismissal, doesn't Fourth Imperial Brother want to know what matter I came today to discuss with Fourth Imperial Sister-in-law?"

"Gu Hong, see the guest out!"

"Uh... okay, okay, I'll go! Fourth Imperial Brother, you really... sigh, but actually I came today to see Fourth Imperial Sister-in-law not for any major matter; I just wanted to ask a few things about autopsy procedures. But since you say so, let's postpone it~! After all, it's really getting late today~!"

Yin Fenglian managed to smooth things over; upon finishing, she rose and headed straight for the door, but just as she reached the threshold she suddenly stopped, then, as if recalling something, she suddenly exclaimed:

"Oh, right, Fourth Imperial Brother, about our previous appointment at Zuixiashanzhuang…… You haven't forgotten, have you~?!"