"Sister-in-law, Big Brother hasn't left his room for days. Second Aunt is very worried, and with Third Brother away, I can only come to you."
Shen Yueyue felt a bit ashamed. There were many things she couldn't do well, so she could only seek her sister-in-law's help.
She knew that Miss Ning An was her sister-in-law now, but she wasn't sure about the future. She truly hoped to have this sister-in-law.
"Take me there. I'll go and see," Xue Zi Ning said.
Shen Yun Xuan placed great importance on his elder brother, and the Shen family also held this eldest son of the Shen family in high regard. Xue Zi Ning thought that after things were settled, she would give Shen Yun Lan a chance to meet the Emperor, and if possible, grant him an official post.
Upon arriving at Shen Yun Lan's room, Shen Yueyue stepped forward and knocked. "Big Brother, are you there?"
No one answered.
Shen Yueyue raised her voice again. "Big Brother, Sister-in-law and I are here to see you."
Still, there was no answer.
Shen Yueyue was about to knock again when Xue Zi Ning stepped forward and reached for the door, but it wouldn't budge.
"The door is locked," Xue Zi Ning stated.
Shen Yueyue was taken aback. "That's impossible. The servants said Big Brother has never left this room."
"It's simple," Xue Zi Ning said.
Shen Yueyue looked at her, confused. Xue Zi Ning then said, "Guards, break down the door."
Two servants from the estate began to batter the door. After more than ten attempts, the door still wouldn't open. Xue Zi Ning grew impatient. "Step aside."
The servants moved away, and she stepped forward, kicking the door. It burst open.
Shen Yueyue watched with astonishment, her speech stuttering. "Sis... Sister-in-law, you're so strong."
"They've already weakened it considerably. I didn't use much force," Xue Zi Ning explained.
Seeing Shen Yueyue still staring at the door, which was now split in half, Xue Zi Ning twitched her lips. "Yueyue, let's go in."
Shen Yueyue looked up and followed her into Shen Yun Lan's room.
The room was empty. Shen Yueyue was bewildered. "How can no one be here?"
She quickly asked the servants, "Are you sure Big Brother hasn't left this room these past few days?"
The servants nodded affirmatively. "No, Eldest Young Master has never set foot outside his room."
"Then where is he?" Shen Yueyue said, annoyed.
The servants, terrified, immediately knelt on the ground. "Fifth Miss, we truly did not see Eldest Young Master leave. We wouldn't dare to lie."
"Yueyue, he's not lying. Eldest Young Master must have jumped out the window," Xue Zi Ning said, looking at the dust on the windowsill, deducing that Shen Yun Lan had left through the window.
Shen Yueyue stepped forward, confused. "With a door available, why would Big Brother do this?"
Xue Zi Ning turned and walked towards the inner chamber, with Shen Yueyue hurrying to follow. The bed was neat, the quilt tidily placed, as if no one had slept there.
"Big Brother didn't sleep here," she said.
Shen Yueyue was surprised. "Where did Big Brother go?"
Xue Zi Ning approached a painting hanging on the wall, a landscape. She reached out to touch it when a voice from behind spoke, "Yueyue, why are you here?"
Xue Zi Ning turned and saw Shen Yun Lan walking towards them. Shen Yueyue stepped forward. "Big Brother, where did you go? Second Aunt was worried because you hadn't left your room, so she asked me and Sister-in-law to come and check. You didn't answer when we knocked, so I had someone break down the door."
Shen Yun Lan then noticed Miss Ning An. He stepped forward. "I apologize for causing Yueyue and Miss Ning An to worry. I simply did not wish to see anyone from the estate."
Shen Yueyue heard this and said, "Big Brother, Second Aunt is very worried about you."
"I know. Thank you for your concern, Yueyue and Miss Ning An. I am fine," Shen Yun Lan said.
Shen Yueyue added, "Big Brother, if you could go and see Second Aunt, she's really worried about you."
"I understand," Shen Yun Lan replied verbally.
"Sister-in-law, let's go!" Shen Yueyue went to pull Xue Zi Ning's arm.
Shen Yun Lan suddenly said, "Miss Ning An, thank you for what you did before."
"Eldest Young Master is too kind. We are all members of the Shen family; prosperity and decline are shared. Does Eldest Young Master understand this principle?" Xue Zi Ning looked up at Shen Yun Lan and said indifferently.
Shen Yun Lan smiled and nodded. "Naturally, I understand."
"Yueyue, let's go." Xue Zi Ning walked outside, and Shen Yueyue followed.
Shen Yun Lan watched the departing back, his gaze gradually darkening.
Outside the door, Shen Yueyue said somewhat sheepishly, "Sister-in-law, I'm sorry to have made you run here for nothing. I thought Big Brother might do something rash."
"You call me sister-in-law, so it's only right for me to do this," Xue Zi Ning patted Shen Yueyue's hand.
"Sister-in-law, why is there ink on your hand?" Shen Yueyue exclaimed.
Xue Zi Ning looked down. Indeed, there was some ink on her little finger. She hadn't touched an inkstone, but suddenly she recalled the landscape painting hanging in Shen Yun Lan's room.
The ink wasn't even dry, which indicated the painting was done that day.
"Sister-in-law, what's wrong?" Shen Yueyue asked as she noticed Xue Zi Ning fall silent.
"Perhaps I accidentally touched the inkstone," Xue Zi Ning said.
Shen Yueyue sighed. "In the past, Big Brother loved calligraphy and painting the most. He would even paint a landscape when he was happy."
"Painted when happy?" Xue Zi Ning frowned and asked.
Shen Yueyue nodded. "Yes. We juniors all know that seeing Big Brother paint means he's very happy, and he'll agree to any requests we make."
Painted when happy? That meant the painting in Shen Yun Lan's room was created in a state of happiness? But wasn't he very sad about Wei Li He? How could he be happy?
For some reason, she felt a chill down her spine. Was Shen Yun Lan not as he appeared on the surface?
In the evening, Shen Yun Xuan returned, bringing news that perhaps the entire Zhaoping was filled with Han Xi Chen's people.
"Yun Xuan, does Shen Eldest Young Master paint when he's happy?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Shen Yun Xuan was taken aback, not understanding why the Empress would ask this, but he nodded. "Yes, he does. When he's particularly happy, he even paints landscapes."
Xue Zi Ning's gaze sharpened. She sat down. Shen Yun Xuan, seeing this, stepped forward and asked, "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"
She looked up at Shen Yun Xuan and said, "Today, Yueyue came to find me, saying that Shen Eldest Young Master hadn't left his room for several days. Shen Second Madam was worried and asked her to find me for ideas. When Yueyue and I arrived, the door was locked. Later, the door was opened, and the room was empty. In the inner chamber, I saw a landscape painting on the wall. Shen Eldest Young Master returned later. After we came out, Yueyue noticed ink on my hand. I remember only touching that landscape painting."
She saw Shen Yun Xuan's expression change. "Are you sure?"
She held out her hand; there was still ink on her little finger.
After a long pause, Shen Yun Xuan said, "Your Majesty, are you suggesting that my Big Brother is not what he seems..."
He couldn't finish. His elder brother was the most valued descendant of the Shen family, the one who would bring glory to the Shen family. If...
He dared not imagine further.
"Wei Shi's seventh-day mourning has just passed, and Shen Eldest Young Master can happily paint. I cannot help but suspect," Xue Zi Ning said.
Shen Yun Xuan wanted to refute, but he couldn't find any words. Did his elder brother have another facet?
Thinking of this, his heart turned cold as ice.
"Yun Xuan, I know this might be difficult for you to accept, but at times like these, the Shen family must be united. Otherwise..."
"Your Majesty, I understand. If Big Brother has done anything unforgivable, please do not implicate the other Shen family members."
"Perhaps it's not as bad as you think," Xue Zi Ning said slowly.