Chapter 56 Reinforcements

Yan Heru truly could not fathom where this woman had suddenly found such courage, daring to openly defy Shen Hezhi.

“You—” Shen Hezhi flung Cen Changjing aside.

Cen Changjing tumbled onto a nearby stone, grazing her arm slightly. She clutched her injured arm with her other hand and looked up at Shen Hezhi, breaking into a laugh.

“My lord, why are you so agitated now, so harsh with me? Are you eager to kill me? That way, you could bury everything you’ve done in the past!” Cen Changjing spoke these words with utter calm.

Anyone witnessing the scene would surely believe Shen Hezhi to be a man shirking responsibility; even Yan Heru herself could not help but entertain such thoughts for a moment.

But she knew Cen Changjing far too well. Cen Changjing was not just one of the Sixth Prince’s people—she had also once spread vicious rumors to frame her. A woman capable of such deeds was certainly not to be underestimated.

“Cen Changjing, you have disappointed me deeply. You dare claim this child is mine—do you have any proof?” Shen Hezhi slowly regained his composure, as if utterly disillusioned by Cen Changjing.

He now faced her as if she were a stranger, devoid of any emotion, concerned only with the matter at hand.

Cen Changjing slowly pulled herself up from the ground, dusting off her clothes, and stood before Shen Hezhi. “Of course I have proof, that’s why I dared come to you. If I had come without evidence, wouldn’t you have beaten me to death on the spot?”

“If you have proof, present it at once,” Shen Hezhi replied, his voice steady.

“Here it is, my lord—the clothes I wore that night, still stained with my blood. And that night, you left behind your intimate jade pendant. My lord, this jade pendant has never left your person, has it?” Cen Changjing smiled as she drew a jade pendant from her sleeve.

The quality of the jade was clearly exceptional. Shen Hezhi, upon seeing it, instinctively reached for his own waist. The pendant had been missing for some time; he had assumed he’d lost it during a scuffle with someone else, yet here it was, in Cen Changjing’s possession.

Shen Hezhi raised his eyes to look at Cen Changjing, and this time, the desire to kill was unmistakable in his gaze.

“Cen Changjing, this jade pendant was left to me by my mother. You have followed me for years—you cannot be ignorant of its significance. Now you’ve stolen it—you know what that means.” Shen Hezhi’s voice was icy as he slowly drew his sword.

Yan Heru had never seen Shen Hezhi draw the sword at his waist. She had always assumed it was just an ornament, that perhaps he was highly skilled in martial arts but not a swordsman. Yet now, seeing him unsheath his blade, she could sense the depth of his fury.

“My lord, if even such evidence cannot persuade you, then what would?” Cen Changjing was no longer afraid, lifting her chin to meet Shen Hezhi’s gaze.

Shen Hezhi was certain he had never touched her, so why was she so resolute? Was it all just to marry him?

He drew his sword fully and held it to Cen Changjing’s throat. The chill of the blade made her shudder.

In that instant, her mind cleared. Shen Hezhi might appear gentle and refined, but she knew he was merciless—a killer who never hesitated.

Perhaps she had some special place in his heart, but in the end, she was just another person to him.

“Cen Changjing, I’ll give you one last chance. If you do not tell the truth, I will kill you and the bastard in your belly together!”

Yan Heru had been watching the drama unfold from the sidelines, and she was shocked by Cen Changjing’s unwavering resolve.

And then…

Yan Heru looked at Shen Hezhi.

His cold indifference was equally unexpected. She could not believe that the man who had teased her so gently that very morning could now be so heartless.

Whether Cen Changjing’s claims were true or false, she had been by his side for years. Yet now, because of this, he was willing to press a blade to her throat.

If one were to give one's heart to such a man, the consequences would be dire...

Yan Heru felt a sudden ache in her heart, though she could not say why.

“Hezhi! What are you doing?”

Cen Changxiao’s sudden voice shattered the tense atmosphere. Yan Heru, glancing at him, realized that today’s confrontation would likely end unresolved.

As expected, Shen Hezhi’s expression shifted when he saw Cen Changxiao. He sheathed his sword, while Cen Changxiao hurried anxiously to his sister’s side.

“Jing’er, are you all right?” Sensing her brother’s arrival, Cen Changjing breathed a sigh of relief and immediately threw herself into his arms, bursting into tears.

“Brother, I just wanted an explanation from the prince, but he flew into a rage and tried to kill me and my unborn child...” Cen Changjing clung to Cen Changxiao’s clothes, looking very much like a bullied little girl.

Listening to her words, Cen Changxiao’s mind went blank for a moment before he raised his head to look at his good friend.

“Hezhi, is what my sister says true?” Cen Changxiao’s voice trembled.

“What do you think? Don’t you know what kind of man I am?” Shen Hezhi flicked his sleeve and sat on a nearby stone bench.

Yan Heru surveyed the scene. Realizing the issue would not be resolved today and finding it exhausting to linger, she also sat down beside Shen Hezhi.

Noting her action, Shen Hezhi merely lifted his eyelids briefly before looking away.

Cen Changxiao, having received this answer, looked from his sister to his friend on the bench, then finally returned to Cen Changjing’s side.

“Jing’er, tell your brother what really happened. When did you become pregnant, and why do you say the child is Hezhi’s? And what are you wearing?”

It was only now, after his initial concern for her safety, that Cen Changxiao noticed his sister’s attire—far more revealing than that of any courtesan.

“I...” Cen Changjing’s gaze darted away.

She could lie to anyone else without batting an eye, but in front of her brother, she found herself at a loss.

“Jing’er, I hope you’ll tell the truth. If Hezhi has wronged you, your brother will see that he takes responsibility, even if it costs me my life.” Cen Changxiao looked at her very seriously.