“Old Madam, First Young Master, His Highness the Crown Prince of Rui requests your presence,” announced the yamen runner. Lady Jiang’s prayer beads suddenly stopped moving in her hands. She opened her previously half-closed eyes and slowly nodded, “Very well, we’ll go right away.”

After the runner left with a nod, Madam Lin immediately helped Lady Jiang stand up. “Mother, this…”

Lady Jiang raised her hand, immediately stopping Madam Lin’s words. She then looked at Qin Chen, “Chen’er, just stick to what was said earlier, don’t worry about anything else.”

Qin Chen hesitated, “But…”

Lady Jiang pursed her lips, “There’s no ‘but.’ If we can’t hide it anymore, it’s fate.”

Qin Chen exhaled deeply and strode out. Beside them, Cai He hurried forward with Madam Lin to help Lady Jiang walk outside. Concubine Liu’s courtyard had been sealed off, and Yan Chi was conducting his questioning in another side hall.

When Lady Jiang’s group entered, Yan Chi sat in the main seat with a somber expression. Huo Huaixin stood properly to the side. If even Huo Huaixin couldn’t sit in Yan Chi’s presence, others certainly couldn’t either.

“Greetings to Your Highness and Magistrate,” the Qin family members bowed.

Huo Huaixin waved his hand, “Please rise, please rise.”

Though Huo Huaixin spoke casually, his eyes glanced at Yan Chi in the main seat. Yan Chi’s expression remained indifferent as he idly played with a small bone pendant at his waist, appearing like an uninvolved observer. Yet his presence carried an overwhelming pressure. Huo Huaixin looked away and asked, “May I ask who arrived here first?”

Qin Chen frowned slightly, while Madam Lin stepped forward first. “Magistrate Huo, it was me.”

Huo Huaixin nodded and spoke quite politely, “So it was Madam who arrived first. May I ask, when you first came to the courtyard, you saw Concubine Liu lying on the bed, strangled to death?”

Madam Lin’s eyes flickered before she nodded, “That’s correct.”

Huo Huaixin smiled and nodded, looking toward the door guards, “Go bring in the two maids who attended Concubine Liu.”

The guard acknowledged and left. Qin Chen couldn’t help asking, “Does the Magistrate have some doubts?”

Huo Huaixin maintained his Buddha-like smile, “No, no. You who came later wouldn’t know, so we won’t question you. We’ll just ask these two little maids shortly…”

Qin Chen pressed his lips together, his brows slightly furrowed.

After speaking, Huo Huaixin looked at Yan Chi again, only to see him still playing with that bone pendant, seeming not to hear others speaking. Yet his gaze was sharp – though not directed at Lady Jiang’s group, his presence couldn’t be ignored.

Huo Huaixin felt somewhat nervous. Looking at the people below again, except for Lady Jiang, both Qin Chen and Madam Lin appeared tense, while the maid standing aside was so nervous she was wringing her sleeves.

Huo Huaixin shook his head inwardly and sighed. Just then, two young maids in blue entered.

“Greetings to both lords—”

Seeing them kneel in greeting, Huo Huaixin didn’t bother introducing himself and Yan Chi’s positions, only asking, “Who stands before the court?”

“This servant is Xiu Qin—”

“This servant is Xiu Shu—”

They answered in sequence. Their names were quite refined with the characters for ‘qin’ and ‘shu’. Huo Huaixin nodded, “Which of you two first discovered Concubine Liu dead in her room this morning?”

Both were startled, instinctively lowering their gazes. Then Xiu Qin said, “It… it was this servant.”

Huo Huaixin made an “mm” sound, then asked Xiu Shu, “You, how did you see Concubine Liu?”

Xiu Shu clutched her dress hem nervously, “This servant heard Xiu Qin cry out, so I went to look. When I got there, I saw the Concubine lying on the bed without breath…”

Huo Huaixin made a long “mmm” sound, causing Xiu Qin and Xiu Shu to break out in cold sweat.

“So you’re saying you, Xiu Qin, were the first to see Concubine Liu’s death state?”

Xiu Qin nodded, large drops of sweat falling from her cheeks. Huo Huaixin coldly stared at Xiu Qin and chuckled, “Were you truly the first to see Concubine Liu’s death state?”

Xiu Qin looked up at Huo Huaixin, bit her lip, and continued nodding, “Yes, it was me.”

The smile gradually faded from Huo Huaixin’s face as his gaze suddenly turned sharp, “I’ll ask you one more time – when you first saw Concubine Liu this morning, was she already in this state?”

Xiu Qin swallowed hard, her face even paler. Hesitation showed on her face as she glanced at Madam Lin, but seeing Madam Lin lower her eyes without looking at her, she could only nod again, “Yes, my lord!”

Huo Huaixin narrowed his eyes and suddenly gave a cold laugh, “Daring to lie before His Highness and this official, truly ignorant of the law! Guards! Take her away and give her thirty strokes—”

Huo Huaixin’s voice had started very gently but now changed abruptly, filled with thunderous anger. Immediately Xiu Qin turned deathly pale, “My lord! My lord! This servant hasn’t lied… this servant truly…”

Xiu Qin’s speech became incoherent as she looked beseechingly toward Madam Lin, but Madam Lin only gripped Lady Jiang’s arm tightly without sparing her a glance. Xiu Qin’s tears fell like rain, “This servant is wronged, this servant hasn’t lied, my lord… my lord have mercy!”

After just two cries, the guards had already entered and began dragging Xiu Qin out without explanation. As a young girl, how could she match the strength of two grown men? She was immediately dragged to the door like a struggling fish. If the thirty strokes were given by Qin household people it would be one thing, but these were yamen guards – all strong men used to beating criminals. With such thirty strokes, if Xiu Qin didn’t die she would be half-crippled!

Xiu Qin struggled desperately, her miserable cries carrying far…

“Magistrate, please spare her.”

Just as Xiu Qin was about to be dragged out, Lady Jiang, holding her prayer beads, suddenly sighed and spoke up.

Huo Huaixin’s smile returned when facing Lady Jiang, “Oh? What does the Old Madam mean by this?”

Lady Jiang looked at Huo Huaixin expressionlessly, her wrinkled face showing a withered, dejected look. Only her clouded eyes still held a touch of unwavering black light. “This old woman understands the Magistrate’s meaning. Please spare her. Whatever the Magistrate wishes to know, just ask this old woman…”

Huo Huaixin’s smile remained as he waved to the guards at the door.

The guards released Xiu Qin, who sobbed violently and kowtowed to the ground.

Huo Huaixin then said, “Earlier the coroner examined Concubine Liu’s body and found she was strangled to death after the Zi hour (11 PM-1 AM). After death, Concubine Liu was lying on her side on the ground, but about an hour ago, someone moved her to lie on her back. Additionally, Concubine Liu had injuries on her hands, yet there were no signs of struggle or fighting in her room. However you look at it, it doesn’t appear she was killed in her bedchamber. This maid claims she was the first to see Concubine Liu, but this official suspects when she first saw Concubine Liu, she wasn’t in her current state. What does the Old Madam think?”

Lady Jiang listened without reaction. When Huo Huaixin finished speaking, she still didn’t respond. Just as Huo Huaixin was about to speak again thinking she wouldn’t answer, Lady Jiang said in a deep voice, “Xiu Qin, tell the truth.”

Xiu Qin’s body trembled immediately upon hearing her name, “Old Madam…”

Lady Jiang sighed, looking at Huo Huaixin as she continued, “Magistrate, the lie was told at my instruction. Only because… because Concubine Liu died in an undignified way. To preserve the Qin family’s reputation, that’s why I had her lie.”

With Lady Jiang saying this, Qin Chen and Madam Lin also sighed.

Qin Chen pressed his lips and said, “Concubine Liu was quite favored in the household, but Father has only been ill for half a month, yet she went out of her courtyard in the middle of the night…” Qin Chen’s face showed difficulty in continuing, and his voice trailed off.

Huo Huaixin raised his eyebrows, while Xiu Qin kowtowed to the ground and said, “In reply to the Magistrate, this servant… this servant got up this morning and went to check if the Concubine had risen as usual, but upon opening the door, the Concubine was nowhere to be seen. The sky had just begun to lighten, and this servant didn’t know where the Concubine had gone, so I went out to look. This servant first went toward the front courtyard, but before walking a few steps, suddenly heard two screams from the direction of the east back courtyard. This servant knew something was wrong and hurried back toward the source of the sound. Upon looking… upon looking, this servant found Concubine Liu dead under the flower trellis in the east courtyard…”

She paused, then swallowed hard again, “Moreover, moreover at that time Concubine Liu’s clothes were disheveled, looking quite frightening. The one who discovered Concubine Liu was a small servant who sweeps the grounds. At the time both this servant and she were panicked. This servant had her keep watch while I went to find the Madam. Madam then came with her people and went to inform the Old Madam. When the Old Madam came and saw Concubine Liu’s disheveled state, she worried about bad rumors spreading in the household. That’s why while having Madam send people to report to the officials, she had the Concubine’s body returned to her courtyard and changed her clothes.”

After finishing, Xiu Qin gasped for breath as she kowtowed, her whole body shaking with sobs in great fear.

Hearing this, Huo Huaixin turned to look at Yan Chi. Yan Chi, who had maintained a bored and dark expression, finally put down the bone pendant. He swept his gaze over everyone below, “So, you think Concubine Liu was killed because she was involved with someone?”

Qin Chen said in a deep voice, “In reply to Your Highness, Mother, and Grandmother described Concubine Liu’s disheveled state, and late at night, she left her courtyard alone. By any measure, this was improper behavior…”

Qin Chen’s face showed pain, “Though she was only a concubine in the household, her Father and Mother treated her very well. Now… now that she’s been murdered we certainly grieve for her, but if she was carrying on with someone else, where does that leave the Qin family’s face?”

Huo Huaixin raised his eyebrows somewhat awkwardly. These words made sense – though she was a concubine, she was still Old Master Qin’s person. If there was some scandal, it would shame Old Master Qin, and others would say the Qin family had lax moral standards.

Yan Chi narrowed his eyes, “Does the Old Madam have anything else concealed for the sake of the Qin family’s reputation?”

Lady Jiang shook her head, lowering her eyes, “We wouldn’t dare. That’s all there is. The clothes that were changed earlier, if the Magistrate needs them, I’ll have Xiu Qin bring them to the main room shortly.”

Huo Huaixin nodded with a smile, “Yes, yes. The Old Madam believes in Buddha and naturally has a compassionate heart. However, if anything is concealed, it won’t help the investigation. Regardless of why that person killed Concubine Liu, to the Old Madam, Madam, and all the Qin family masters, they are murderers. If we don’t catch them, everyone is in danger, aren’t they?”

Lady Jiang nodded, “The Magistrate speaks reasonably.”

Yan Chi, impatient with pleasantries with the Qin family, said directly, “Very well, you may all withdraw for now. Since the officials have begun investigating this case, we will certainly give the Qin family an explanation. As for the initial concealment… we’ll overlook it for now.”

Qin Chen hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed, “Thank you, Your Highness, thank you, Magistrate.”

Huo Huaixin smiled and said, “Alright, there’s nothing else for now. I understand your concerns. Quickly help the Old Madam to rest. Once we’ve questioned all the inner courtyard servants, you can return to your courtyards.”

Qin Chen bowed again to Huo Huaixin before helping Lady Jiang walk out.

As Qin Chen exited, he scanned the surroundings, looking around several times but failing to spot Qin Wan. He felt puzzled but couldn’t ask more. When he turned his head back, he faintly heard Qin Wan’s voice coming from the side hall they had just left. Qin Chen looked uncertainly at Lady Jiang, “Grandmother, Ninth Sister…”

Lady Jiang narrowed her eyes, “She doesn’t know anything either. Crown Prince Yan and Magistrate Huo value her only because of the Imperial Princess’s face. Let her be, it’s her good fortune.”

Qin Chen nodded and asked no more.

…

In the side hall, Qin Wan and Xu He emerged from an adjacent room.

Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan and asked, “Well? Does it match your deductions?”

Qin Wan nodded, “It’s quite similar. I carefully examined earlier – Concubine Liu’s palm injuries were mostly linear abrasions, with some small particles embedded in the wounds. She was undoubtedly killed outside. When we look at the clothes and shoes Xiu Qin brings over, there will be more clues. As for the autopsy, Coroner Xu should be able to handle it independently this time.”

Xu He quickly waved his hands upon hearing this, “No, no, we still need Ninth Miss to take charge…”

Qin Wan shook her head, “This examination is quite simple. You should try it yourself – you certainly can do it. You can’t always rely on me. You’re Jinzhou Prefecture’s coroner; you’ll need to handle cases independently in the future.”

Hearing this, Xu He felt warmth in his heart. He understood these principles, but with Qin Wan present, he felt examining the body in front of her would be like showing off before an expert. He was more worried about delaying the investigation, which is why he had declined. Now hearing Qin Wan’s words, he immediately straightened his back, “Alright, this humble one will try. Watching Ninth Miss perform autopsies these past times has been most educational. If there are any shortcomings this time, please guide and correct me…”

Qin Wan nodded, and then Yan Chi suddenly asked, “Where is the Qin family’s Second Young Master?”

Huo Huaixin shook his head with a smile, “This Second Young Master is also ill, and people from his courtyard testified that he didn’t leave his room all last night, so we let him stay in his courtyard.”

Yan Chi nodded. Meanwhile, Qin Wan thought about Qin Li – there seemed to be no connection with Concubine Liu, so she temporarily dismissed her suspicions of him and looked at Yan Chi, “Does Your Highness want to examine the flower trellis?”

Yan Chi stood up, “Lead the way.”

Seeing this, Huo Huaixin said, “Your Highness and Ninth Miss can go look first. This official will wait for Concubine Liu’s clothes and shoes. If there are more clues, I’ll send them to Your Highness later.”

Yan Chi nodded, looking at Qin Wan. Qin Wan turned and left, leading Yan Chi toward the flower trellis.

Leaving this side hall, they followed the corridor forward, passed by Concubine Liu’s courtyard, and then turned two corners along the corridor before the flower trellis came into view. After walking several more zhang, the entire trellis was visible.

Looking at it, Yan Chi frowned, “Why is it so messy?”

With all the inner courtyard servants being questioned, the area around the flower trellis was silent and empty. Bai Feng and Fu Ling, along with several yamen runners, followed behind Yan Chi and Qin Wan as they approached the trellis.

Yan Chi looked at the runners, “Search around for anything suspicious and find a rope to cordon off the entire trellis area. No one except those investigating may approach.”

Seeing Yan Chi act this way, Qin Wan’s eyes lit up slightly. She knew Yan Chi had fought on battlefields for twelve years but didn’t realize he also had some knowledge of criminal investigation.

The runners followed orders while Yan Chi walked under the trellis.

Qin Wan followed behind him, looking at the still messy central area, and said, “Your Highness, it’s so messy because there used to be a well here.”

Yan Chi raised his eyebrows, “A well?”

Qin Wan nodded, following Yan Chi under the trellis.

Though called a flower trellis, it was an open pavilion on all four sides. To cover the well, they had built a roof, and because the surrounding corridors and flower beds were quite elegant, they had attached wooden frames around the pavilion and grown vines on them, eventually forming what looked like a flower trellis.

Last night, the Old Madam had ordered the well-sealed. The originally dismantled well platform hadn’t been rebuilt. Moreover, after filling in the well opening, the ground had been leveled, but because it was too late last night, the well opening hadn’t been covered with bluestone slabs. With this morning’s incident, the well area in the pavilion still had exposed earth, with wooden planks, ropes, and bricks piled around, looking very messy. Why would the Eighth Concubine come here late at night?

“There used to be a well here, and these days, the Qin family has been cleaning out the silt from the well. This well was still being cleaned yesterday, but… but yesterday there was some trouble. My Sixth Sister fell into the well, and she might have been frightened – she said she saw human bones at the bottom. Later, Third Aunt sent Manager Liu down to investigate, but they found only muddy dead branches. Sixth Sister had a false alarm, but it caused quite a commotion. When the Old Madam learned of this, she invited a priest. The priest said this well was quite inauspicious and might cause more misfortune, so he had people fill it in.”

After Qin Wan explained to Yan Chi, he nodded, “I see.”

Yan Chi swept his gaze over the trellis, “At night, probably no one comes here, so it’s quite secluded. But if, as the First Young Master and Old Madam suggest, she was having an improper liaison and meeting someone here, it seems rather hasty. This place – once someone comes, they’d be seen, unless it was for a quick meeting—”

The flower trellis had entrances both front and back, with flower frames enclosing the sides. Standing behind the flower frame, Yan Chi’s figure was already slightly concealed. In the dead of night, it could almost completely hide someone.

However, as Yan Chi said, if Concubine Liu came out to meet someone secretly, why choose this location?

Thinking this, Qin Wan’s gaze suddenly fell on the distant bamboo grove. This was already the east back courtyard, only about ten zhang from the bamboo grove in the northeast. Passing through several corridors and reaching the end, going forward would lead to the bamboo grove. If it was truly an affair, choosing the bamboo grove would be better than this flower trellis, unless Concubine Liu was just coming out to briefly meet someone.

“What are you looking at?”

The bamboo grove was always the most mysterious place in the manor for Qin Wan. She would unconsciously think about that area, and as she looked, she became lost in thought. Yan Chi’s call brought her thoughts back.

“I was thinking, if it was an affair, they should have gone to a more secluded place. Though this place could serve as a hiding spot at night, it’s still not secluded enough. And for something like an affair, discovery would be a serious crime.”

Yan Chi followed Qin Wan’s gaze toward the bamboo grove, “Going to that bamboo grove would be better than here.”

Qin Wan hesitated for a moment, then said, “That bamboo grove is a forbidden area in the manor. Under normal circumstances, no one dares to go there.”

“Forbidden area?” Interest arose in Yan Chi’s eyes. Given his personality, he didn’t believe in forbidden areas. “How so? Usually, forbidden areas are connected to secrets.”

Qin Wan looked around, “Many years ago, one of the manor’s concubines hanged herself in that grove…”

Understanding showed in Yan Chi’s eyes. If people could consider a well inauspicious just because someone fell in, let alone a bamboo grove where someone died. Noble families always paid great attention to matters of fortune and misfortune, as if the prosperity of century-old families depended on such things. Though Yan Chi didn’t quite agree, he could understand. He had wanted to look at the grove, but thinking this, he shook his head and dismissed the idea.

“Master, we’ve checked the surroundings and found no suspicious traces.” Shortly after, Bai Feng came over. Around the flower trellis were only several concubines’ small courtyards, the nearest being some corridors, flower beds, and small paths in the manor. There wasn’t anywhere to hide things, and the killer would naturally have been extremely careful, so it wouldn’t be easy to find any clues.

After Bai Feng finished speaking, Qin Wan had already crouched down. The floor under the trellis was all bluestone slabs which wouldn’t easily retain marks, but the well opening had been filled with earth. Qin Wan rolled up her sleeves and brushed her hand over the earth’s surface.

“Though this place looks messy, the bluestone slabs seem to have been swept. A thin layer of dry ash has been swept onto the earth’s surface.” As she spoke, Qin Wan carefully brushed away the dry ash.

Yan Chi looked down and immediately saw Qin Wan’s delicate, scallion-like fingertips covered in dirt and ash. He frowned and also crouched down, “You don’t need to do this…”

As he finished speaking, Qin Wan didn’t even look up, “Since Your Highness trusts Qin Wan, Qin Wan naturally should put in some effort for Your Highness.”

Yan Chi frowned, “You helping with the autopsy is enough. The runners can do these things.”

Qin Wan shook her head, “I also want to find the killer quickly. Your Highness needn’t be polite. These small matters are quite detailed. If Qin Wan thinks of it, she’ll do it. It’s no trouble.”

Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan, somehow feeling her tone was heavy when saying this. But thinking again, Qin Wan seemed always like this when investigating cases and performing autopsies. He sighed inwardly but said, “I fear the Qin family’s Old Madam had people clean up. Such actions – don’t they know there are penalties in criminal law!”

Qin Wan also felt quite helpless. She understood Lady Jiang’s thoughts, but such obvious attempts at concealment full of flaws were absurd. What was more frustrating was that she had actually done it, and now many pieces of evidence and clues had been destroyed by her thoughtless actions, naturally making it much more difficult to find the truth!

“These seem to be footprints…”

With the dry ash brushed away, several marks of varying depths were revealed in the earth.

But Qin Wan frowned, “These footprints can’t be accurately judged for which was left last, because sealing the well also happened last night, and they likely stepped here when moving Concubine Liu’s body, so it’s quite confusing.”

Yan Chi then said, “Later when the Magistrate calls Xiu Qin over, we can hear her describe what she saw when she found Concubine Liu, and what they did afterward.”

Qin Wan looked again at those footprints of varying depths and nodded.

Qin Wan’s gaze swept around as she began carefully examining the flower trellis. The bluestone slabs would hardly retain marks, and even if there were any, they had been swept away. But it was different with the flower frame nearby. Qin Wan looked carefully and indeed found several small wounds of varying sizes on the vine leaves. “Your Highness, please come look—”

Yan Chi stood beside Qin Wan as she said, “The vines here have always grown very well, but look, Your Highness – these leaf wounds seem to have been made by scratching, and here, leaves are missing, and the vine is almost torn.”

Yan Chi naturally saw these marks too, “Are these traces from Concubine Liu’s struggles while being killed?”

Qin Wan nodded, “Possibly.”

Just as she finished speaking, Huo Huaixin approached from nearby with Xiu Qin, Xiu Shu, and two yamen runners.

One runner carried a small bundle, presumably Concubine Liu’s clothes from when she died.

Qin Wan narrowed her eyes and walked to the trellis entrance. Huo Huaixin strode over saying, “Here, Your Highness, Ninth Miss, these are Concubine Liu’s clothes…”

Yan Chi nodded, looking at Xiu Qin, “Describe how you first found Concubine Liu this morning.”

Xiu Qin’s face was deathly pale, her eyes still red, “Yes, when this servant ran over this morning, the sweeping maid was standing outside the trellis, her broom fallen from fright. When this servant reached the front entrance and looked, my soul nearly fled in terror… I saw I saw the Concubine lying on the left side of the trellis center, eyes wide open, neck bent back strangely, like, like this, lying on her side…”

Xiu Qin demonstrated with her hands, exactly matching Qin Wan’s description.

“Was her left shoulder on the ground?”

When Qin Wan asked, Xiu Qin nodded frantically, “Yes, exactly!”

Qin Wan beckoned to her, “Come here, tell us specifically where her head was, where her feet were.”

Xiu Qin entered the trellis, pointing at the earthen center, “The Concubine’s feet were just outside here, head toward the left, body lying sideways on the ground, and on the ground, this servant clearly remembers, there was a drag mark, from here to… here…”

Xiu Qin indicated from the filled-in well to where Concubine Liu had finally lain.

Qin Wan glanced at Yan Chi – the Qin family didn’t know she performed autopsies, so she naturally couldn’t ask too much.

Yan Chi immediately understood her meaning and asked, “Your Old Madam said her clothes were disheveled – in what way?”

Xiu Qin nervously clutched her sleeves, “Well, her skirt was somewhat scattered, and her collar was slightly torn open.”

Yan Chi frowned, “Just that?”

Xiu Qin shrank her neck and nodded, “Yes, it looked quite improper, but there wasn’t… wasn’t any half-exposed flesh.”

Nearby, Huo Huaixin said, “The Old Madam suspects your Concubine was involved with an outsider. Tell us, did your Concubine have particularly close contact with any men?”

Xiu Qin trembled, shaking her head fearfully, “No, the Concubine this servant saw never had any entanglements with other men. It’s just… just that the Concubine didn’t like us servants always attending her, so sometimes we didn’t know.”

Yan Chi then asked, “How did you clean up this place?”

Xiu Qin hung her head, “First we moved the Concubine back to her courtyard and changed her clothes, then… then the ground here was dirty, with some fallen leaves, the Old Madam had us servants clean up, so we swept away the earth and ash and leaves, nothing else.”

Yan Chi and Qin Wan exchanged glances, asking nothing more. Huo Huaixin narrowed his eyes and, seeing Yan Chi and Qin Wan had no more questions, looked at a nearby runner, “Take these two to Captain Lin for focused questioning.”

These words frightened Xiu Qin and Xiu Shu, their eyes reddening as they fearfully followed the runner.

Once they left, Qin Wan went to take the bundle from the runner’s hands. Opening it revealed a pair of shoes and a water-red dress, almost identical to what Concubine Liu had been wearing earlier.

Qin Wan first shook out the dress. As it unfurled, a heavy scent of powder wafted out. Qin Wan found it quite pungent. She looked carefully, suddenly frowning – the dress’s back, lower back, hip area, and hem all had dirt stains, and the hip area had several tears. Qin Wan pressed her lips together, then looked down at the shoes.

The toe was brand new, but looking at it now, the heel showed wear, and the shoes were covered in a layer of earth – identical to the earth by the well opening, Qin Wan noted with a glance.

Qin Wan handed the bundle to Huo Huaixin, “Now we can confirm she was killed here.”

Looking at Yan Chi, she continued, “Her cause of death was the strangulation mark on her neck, and judging from the mark’s direction, the killer must have attacked from behind. The mud and tears on her dress prove this.”

Qin Wan walked outside the trellis, “Last night, she left her courtyard and walked to the trellis entrance…”

She walked in, “After entering, she perhaps exchanged a few words with the killer, then turned right…” Qin Wan turned around, “At this moment, the killer strangled her from behind. She was dragged back two steps, and finally, unable to resist the killer, was pulled to the ground and strangled to death.”

At this point, Qin Wan’s brow twitched – the Ninth Miss had been strangled to death too.

Watching Qin Wan reenact the crime scene, Yan Chi felt somehow unsettled. But Qin Wan turned, frowning, “Who did she come to meet? By that time, she should have bathed and prepared for bed, but when she came out, she had changed into new clothes, new shoes, applied makeup, and wore heavy perfume.”

Qin Wan gave a bitter smile, “The more we say, the more it sounds like an affair…”

She turned and walked to the left side of the trellis, “At the time, the killer must have been here… and these marks also go from the entrance to the left. Oh…”

Qin Wan suddenly exclaimed, and Yan Chi came over asking, “What is it?”

Qin Wan said, “The vine marks here only cover about two chi, but here, look…” She quickly walked to the left corner of the trellis, “The leaves in this spot are strange.”

The marks Qin Wan had mentioned earlier were just torn leaves, broken vines, or scratch marks, but in this corner, the leaves showed no obvious damage, yet several had large blackened areas.

“As if something pressed against them…”

Yan Chi narrowed his eyes and suddenly stepped forward, leaning into the corner of the trellis.

As he leaned, his figure was well-concealed in the corner, but simultaneously, the leaves were pressed between him and the frame. Qin Wan’s eyes lit up, “That’s it! Though Your Highness didn’t press hard, if someone leaned like this for a long time, the leaves would be crushed and blackened!”

“Before Concubine Liu came, that person was already here.” Yan Chi straightened up, “That person stood here for a long time to hide, so these leaves were crushed.”

Qin Wan nodded, suddenly asking, “Could that person have hidden here specifically to kill Concubine Liu?”

Yan Chi looked at her and asked, “But why would Concubine Liu come to meet them?”

Just as he finished speaking, Huo Huaixin suddenly exclaimed “Ah!” Qin Wan and Yan Chi turned to look – a handkerchief had fallen from Concubine Liu’s dress. They hurried forward.

Huo Huaixin had been examining the marks on the dress, and was quite surprised when the handkerchief suddenly fell out, “This thing… seems to have been in the sleeve pocket…”

As he spoke, Huo Huaixin picked it up and was about to put it back in Concubine Liu’s sleeve pocket.

It was a white silk handkerchief with a small willow leaf embroidered in one corner, clearly identifiable as Concubine Liu’s handkerchief. But just as Huo Huaixin was about to put it in the sleeve pocket, his nose twitched.

“What’s this smell…”

Qin Wan came over, quickly taking the handkerchief and sniffing it. She frowned, “Seems to be sweat.”

Yan Chi’s phoenix eyes narrowed, “Sweat? How could it be sweat? She changed into a new dress and wore powder and perfume, yet her handkerchief would smell of sweat. Let alone meeting someone, she wouldn’t let her handkerchief smell in daily life.”

Qin Wan’s heart dropped, “This isn’t her handkerchief!”

Just as she finished speaking, Xu He suddenly appeared in the distance, “Ninth Miss…”

Xu He ran over, out of breath, “Your Highness, Magistrate, Ninth Miss…”

Huo Huaixin looked at him, “Weren’t you examining Concubine Liu’s body?”

Xu He nodded, “Yes, this humble one was examining Concubine Liu’s body, but… but now there’s a situation. I want to ask Ninth Miss to take a look, I’m afraid of making a mistake.”

Qin Wan raised her eyebrows, “What situation?”

Xu He looked around, “It’s not convenient to say now, Ninth Miss should come with me to see.”

Qin Wan’s heart sank slightly. Taking the handkerchief, she followed Xu He toward Concubine Liu’s courtyard. Meanwhile, Yan Chi and Huo Huaixin also followed. The group hurried back to Concubine Liu’s courtyard, heading straight for the main room.

“Ninth Miss, this humble one dares not be certain, you must look…”

Xu He’s face showed difficulty and embarrassment, filling Qin Wan with suspicion.

This time Concubine Liu had been strangled, the signs couldn’t be clearer. Because the cause of death was simple and not much time had passed since her death, she suggested Xu He perform the autopsy alone. But unexpectedly, Xu He still had uncertainties. Qin Wan wondered – no dissection was needed, so what could be unclear?

Qin Wan didn’t ask more, entering the main room and heading for the inner chamber. The inner chamber had been turned into a temporary autopsy room, with runners guarding outside. Inside, Concubine Liu’s clothes had been mostly removed. As Qin Wan reached the inner chamber doorway, her steps suddenly halted.

Xu He said awkwardly beside her, “Ninth Miss, look, is this…”

Qin Wan’s gaze fell on Concubine Liu’s half-exposed chest, abdomen, and thighs. At this moment, she finally understood why Concubine Liu had applied layer upon layer of powder. She had thought earlier that Concubine Liu’s thick powder was just to cover some other skin condition, but how could she have imagined this?

She slowly approached. Within her view, Concubine Liu’s skin below the neck showed large patches of red rashes and ulcers, especially severe on the chest, abdomen, and inner thighs. Qin Wan clenched her teeth, her gaze extremely cold.

Syphilis – Concubine Liu had contracted the same disease as Qin Li…