Chapter 11 — I am the Fourth Thien Co

I hardly slept all night. The secret order with the Ninh Vuong palace's seal was still in front of him. The lamp burned out three times. But I still stare at it. If changed to before. Perhaps we will immediately come to a conclusion. Tieu Lam Uyen is the person behind everything. But after reading Co Thanh Hoa's diary. After reading Thuong Minh Chau's letter. After learning that Ky Truong Anh was still alive. I don't dare to draw conclusions so easily. By those three people. No one really sees Tieu Lam Uyen as an enemy. Even in the last lines. They still choose to believe him more or less. But if he is not the mastermind. So why does the secret order have his seal on it? We need an answer. The next morning. I took the secret order and went straight to the study room. The guard outside the door wanted to stop. I just say one sentence.

“Related to Co Thanh Hoa.”

The other person's expression immediately changed. Then get out of the way. We pushed the door and walked in. Tieu Lam Uyen is reading the official dispatch. Heard noise. He raised his head. His eyes were calm as usual. But when I saw the secret order in my hand. His fingers paused slightly. Just a very short moment. So short that others may not notice it. But I see.

“King.”

We put the paper on the table.

“I want an explanation.”

The study room is quiet. Outside the window. The sound of birds singing in the distance came. Tieu Lam Uyen looked at the secret order. Long time no talk. He slowly opened his mouth.

“I didn't directly harm them.”

I nodded. He raised his head slightly. Perhaps I did not expect to answer like that. But we don't stop.

“I believe you did not directly harm them.”

"I also believe that you are not the one who pushed Co Thanh Hoa to the final step."

“Not the one who gave the cup of tea to Thuong Minh Chau.”

"It's not the person who cursed Ky Truong Anh."

I looked straight at him.

“But is that enough?”

First time. Tieu Lam Uyen did not answer immediately. I continue.

“Co Thanh Hoa repaired the road.”

“Do you use that road?”

He was silent.

“Thuong Minh Chau earns silver.”

“Does Tay Canh Military Food Service accept it?”

He remained silent.

“Ky Truong Anh established a military medical facility.”

“Were the soldiers under your command saved?”

The atmosphere in the study room gradually became heavy. I look at him. Each word said what had been stuck in my heart for many days.

“You did not give me the knife.”

“But he sat at the dining table.”

Tieu Lam Uyen suddenly clenched her fists. The deep eyes appeared to waver for the first time. I've never seen him like that. War god Dai Chu. Ninh Vuong's power is falling. He's always so calm it's scary. At this moment, it was like someone had exposed a wound that had been hidden for a long time. A very long time later. He just raised his voice. I stopped. Unexpectedly, he admitted. He repeated it again. Very low voice.

“I am not innocent.”

My heart was suddenly shocked. Because from the beginning until now. I'm prepared for an argument. Prepare for his denial. Prepare for him to be angry. But he didn't do that. He just admitted. Admit that you are not innocent. Admitting that I have benefited from the things they left behind.

“The path of Co Thanh Hoa.”

“The army used to pass through.”

“Silver of Thuong Minh Chau.”

“Ever saved military supplies.”

“Military medicine of Ky Truong Anh.”

“Saved many people under my command.”

He looked out the window. The voice was a little hoarse.

“I always knew.”

Beneficiary benefit from the pain of others. Just saying "I don't know" cannot be clean. That moment. I suddenly understood why those three people never completely resented him. Because he really knows. And it's also really painful. Just knowing is not enough. It's not enough to stop. I slowly ask:

“So what happened that year?”

Tieu Lam Uyen did not answer immediately. He looked at me for a long time. Then my eyes stopped on the diary that was showing a corner of my sleeve.

“Where have you read?”

“Last page torn.”

His pupils shrank slightly. First time since we met. We see the pain clearly in his eyes. Not angry. Not surprising. Which is painful. It was like there was a memory he had never forgotten. A while later. Tieu Lam Uyen said in a hoarse voice: My heart is beating strongly. He raised his head to look at me. One by one the words fell.

“I know where the last page of Gu Qinghe's diary is.”