Concubine Wan simply counted her prayer beads, saying nothing, while Zhuang Qin’s eyes flashed with worry before lowering her head.

In the broken-into inner chamber, a faint smell of blood lingered. Though masked by fragrance, traces still leaked through.

The moment Madam Zhou smelled this, she was certain Han Yan was connected to the assassin. She immediately shrieked: “Fourth Young Miss, are you alright?”

But with dawn not yet broken and no electric lights, the room was pitch black, nothing visible. Zhuang Yu Shan quickly ordered nearby maids to light lamps. As light flooded in, everything in the room became visible.

On the cold floor, Han Yan wore a plain white jacket with a light-colored robe over it, her face paper-white as she sat collapsed by the bed, her hair somewhat disheveled.

“Ah!” Zhuang Yu Shan cried out: “Fourth Sister, what happened?”

Hearing her voice, Han Yan seemed to regain consciousness, weakly glancing at her before shaking her head. Ji Lan hurriedly helped her back onto the bed.

The officers searched the room but found nothing. Madam Zhou, unsatisfied, looked worriedly at Han Yan: “Fourth Young Miss, has anyone entered this room?”

Zhuang Han Ming glared at Madam Zhou. Such words implied Han Yan was hiding someone – if word spread outside, the rumors would be unbearable.

Han Yan shook her head.

Elder Madam Zhou pointed at blood stains near the bed’s foot, exclaiming: “Why is there blood here?”

The officers, already suspicious of Han Yan’s strange behavior but frustrated at finding no assassin, immediately gathered around. Seeing fresh, still-wet blood by the bed, they looked at Han Yan sharply: “We request Young Miss Zhuang explain this to us.”

Han Yan appeared weak, waving her hand without speaking.

Zhuang Yu Shan spoke as if suddenly realizing: “Could Fourth Sister have just fought with someone who then escaped…”

A young lady fighting an assassin at night was suggestive enough. Zhuang Han Ming exploded: “Silence!” He went to Han Yan’s side, wanting to comfort her but not knowing how. Though curious about what happened, he feared Zhuang Yu Shan’s words might be true, which would only hurt Han Yan more.

During this standoff, Shu Hong hurriedly entered with a bowl of medicine, saying: “Finally finished brewing it.” Ji Lan took the bowl and helped Han Yan drink.

“What medicine is this?” Zhuang Han Ming asked, never having seen Han Yan take such medicine.

Shu Hong replied: “Young Master, Miss has always been weak. The doctor prescribed this to nourish her blood and qi. She usually takes it every morning after waking. Without it, she gets dizzy. The officers came so suddenly today, we hadn’t brewed it yet. The Miss likely had an attack, leaving her weak and unable to respond, even falling to the ground.”

This explanation clarified why she collapsed and delayed opening the door. It was because Han Yan hadn’t taken her medicine, leading to an attack that left her too weak to answer Madam Zhou’s questions.

But Madam Zhou remained unsatisfied, asking Han Yan: “Then where did this blood come from? It couldn’t appear from nowhere?”

Facing such aggressive questioning and the officers’ suspicious looks, Han Yan, having finished the medicine and regained some color, rested briefly before finding the strength to answer: “I apologize to the officers. Earlier when I tried to get up to open the door, I suddenly felt dizzy and lost consciousness, not knowing what happened. When Aunt entered, I had no strength to speak.”

Looking at the blood stains, she smiled somewhat embarrassedly: “Some days ago, the maids caught a thrush outside. It was clever and lovable, and I quite liked it.” Zhuang Yu Shan interrupted: “Why is Fourth Sister talking about this? Are you trying to change the subject? We’re wondering about the blood stains.”

Han Yan looked at Zhuang Yu Shan, noting her triumphant expression as if certain Han Yan couldn’t cover this up, and smiled calmly: “This is exactly what I’m explaining.” She looked at the lead officer: “I was careless in my play and accidentally let the thrush escape. As it flew around the room, I chased after it slipped, and hurt my hand, which bled.”

Elder Madam Zhou stepped forward: “But this blood is fresh. Yan’er, if you were injured days ago, why isn’t the blood dry?”

The officer, catching the Zhou sisters’ implications, looked at Han Yan pressingly. Han Yan continued smiling easily: “True, that wound had healed, but today when I got dizzy and fell, it reopened.”

Before the officer could speak, Zhuang Yu Shan said: “Would Fourth Sister let us see this wound?”

Han Yan smiled silently.

Seeing the matter nearly resolved but Zhuang Yu Shan persisting, Zhuang Han Ming angrily said: “Why should she show you!” This clearly showed distrust in Han Yan’s words, demanding proof. Zhuang Yu Shan was truly despicable to push someone this far!

Elder Madam Zhou smiled: “Yan’er needn’t be nervous. Yu’er isn’t doubting you, but with an assassin in the mansion, we can’t be careless. Besides,” she looked at Han Yan with an indecipherable expression, “if you’re truly injured, wouldn’t it be better if the Lord called a doctor to examine you?”

The officer agreed: “Please, Young Miss Zhuang, let us see the wound.”

Han Yan neither agreed nor refused, just smiled at Elder Madam Zhou until everyone felt unnerved. Finally, she spoke slowly: “Aunt’s words are wrong – it’s not ‘if’ I’m injured, but that I am truly injured. Father and Aunt just didn’t know when it happened.” Her tone turned mocking: “Actually, I should thank this assassin. Otherwise, I fear I wouldn’t get to see a doctor for this wound and would have to let it heal on its own.”

This pointed out the Zhou sisters’ pretense while highlighting Han Yan’s lowly status in the Zhuang household – injured but ignored until an assassin’s presence forced them to examine her wound.

“Fourth Sister can say anything now,” Zhuang Yu Shan’s smile turned grotesque, “but you must show us the wound.”

“The wound?” Han Yan smiled: “So today you must see my wound?”

Madam Zhou’s smile carried unrelenting malice: “Fourth Young Miss, this is for the mansion’s good.”

They were all certain Han Yan had no wound, that everything was just a cover-up. If Han Yan had no injury, all her words were lies, unable to explain the blood’s source, proving she harbored the assassin. Then, even the Emperor couldn’t save her!