“Lured over here?” Yan Li frowned slightly.

Qin Wan nodded and walked past Yan Li toward where the oil lamp had fallen. The lamp had dropped to the ground, its oil completely spilled, though the lampshade remained intact. As Qin Wan tried to move closer, she unexpectedly stepped on a protruding sharp rock. Her foot slipped, causing her body to tilt. Just as she was about to stumble, a hand steadied her waist.

Qin Wan regained her balance and looked back to find Yan Chi had somehow appeared behind her. In the dim light of the passage, no one else noticed Yan Chi’s movement. While Yan Li stood to the side, intending to walk further ahead, Qin Wan steadied herself. As Yan Chi withdrew his hand, Wang Huai Yu’s voice came from outside the passage.

“Did you find anything? We haven’t started searching this area yet…”

With a “crack” sound, Wang Huai Yu entered carrying a torch. Upon seeing Qin Wan, Yan Chi, and Yan Li inside, his expression immediately turned respectful. Yan Chi raised his chin slightly, “Liu Yun Tong’s bundle had the scent of lamp oil. When we tracked it here, we indeed found this lamp. We should ask the servants if this lamp belongs to Liu Yun Tong’s room. What about your end? Did you find anything?”

Wang Huai Yu shook his head, “We searched but found nothing. The bundle was thrown outside the courtyard wall in a corner, but we didn’t discover any strange marks. Also, Master Pang spent last night in the East Wing of Hui Garden. According to the servants, he slept well and was only awakened when the incident occurred at dawn.”

Yan Li raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean by East Wing?”

Wang Huai Yu cleared his throat lightly, “Master Pang and Madam Pang were not sleeping in the same place.”

Qin Wan frowned, “There were no signs of struggle in Liu Yun Tong’s room, and the courtyard was normal, indicating Liu Yun Tong left on his own, likely carrying the lamp. If he intended to leave Qing Hui Garden, why would he take the lamp?”

Wang Huai Yu narrowed his eyes, “So Liu Yun Tong carrying the lamp here had a reason?”

Qin Wan nodded, “If the lamp indeed belongs to Liu Yun Tong, that would be sufficient proof.”

Yan Li squinted, “If Liu Yun Tong came out on his own, what was the reason? Even if he discovered someone or something late at night, he wouldn’t have followed this far.”

Yan Li looked between Yan Chi and Qin Wan, finally raising a question no one could answer at the moment.

As a long-serving government official, Liu Yun Tong naturally approached matters with careful consideration. In the dead of night, it wouldn’t have been any ordinary disturbance that led him to the lotus pond. The person who lured Liu Ren Li here likely intended for him to drown in the lotus pond. Qin Wan frowned, “Is this the only lotus pond in the manor? Are there any inner lakes?”

Wang Huai Yu shook his head, “There’s no inner lake, just two lotus ponds and several stream pavilions. This lotus pond is the deepest; the others are merely for decoration.”

Qin Wan understood, “Perhaps the killer had planned for Liu Yun Tong to die this way.”

Wang Huai Yu pondered for a moment, “The killer must certainly be someone from Qing Hui Garden.” Then he suddenly said, “Could it be someone Liu Yun Tong knew? Or perhaps… perhaps the killer did something that forced Liu Yun Tong to come out?”

Someone Liu Yun Tong knew?

Yan Chi contemplated briefly, “That’s possible, but Liu Yun Tong had been in the manor for many days. If he knew the person, he should have recognized them earlier. There’s no reason to only recognize them now…”

Both Wang Huai Yu and Qin Wan understood Yan Chi was referring to the old case. Analyzing it this way made the connection to the previous case seem increasingly intricate. Wang Huai Yu said worriedly, “If it’s someone from the manor, it might be difficult to find them. The incident occurred late at night when everyone was sound asleep. If it was indeed someone from the manor, they would naturally know how to avoid detection.”

What Wang Huai Yu said was true. He furrowed his brow and asked, “Are there any other clues on the body?”

Earlier, Qin Wan had only confirmed the cause of death without conducting a detailed examination or autopsy. Hearing this, she said, “Very well, I’ll go back and check. If necessary, I’ll perform an autopsy.”

Wang Huai Yu was deeply grateful. The coroner from the magistrate’s office hadn’t returned yet, and without Qin Wan, these cases would be difficult to solve.

After Qin Wan finished speaking, Yan Chi said, “I’ll go with you.”

Wang Huai Yu glanced at Yan Chi with slight surprise. Though he had known Yan Chi for a short time, he seemed to notice Yan Chi’s attentiveness toward Qin Wan. He had wanted to go along as well, but something made him hesitate, and he swallowed his words, “Very well, thank you for your trouble, Your Highness. I’ll have people investigate this area.”

Yan Chi nodded. Just as he was accompanying Qin Wan out of the rockery passage, Bai Feng, who had left earlier, approached them.

“Master, Ninth Miss…”

Bai Feng first gave a bow, then said, “I just asked the manor’s servants. They said that since Miss Qing Qin’s case, Liu Yun Tong’s room often had a lamp burning until late at night. Also, the servants responsible for that guest wing said that the candles in Liu Yun Tong’s room were indeed replaced daily, and he had an oil lamp in addition to the candles.”

Qin Wan and Yan Chi exchanged glances, and Yan Chi nodded without saying anything.

Seeing Qin Wan going to examine the body again, Qin Shuang was unsure whether to follow. Seeing that Qin Yan hadn’t moved either, Qin Shuang moved closer to him, “Third Brother, she’s quite remarkable…”

Qin Shuang’s tone was complex, mixing admiration with a slight trace of sourness, “How can a young lady investigate cases like a man? And she examines bodies repeatedly, aren’t you afraid she’ll be tainted by unclean things?”

Qin Yan stood still, watching Qin Wan and Yan Chi walk side by side toward the empty room where Liu Ren Li’s body lay.

Qin Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly, “His Highness the Crown Prince treats her well.”

Qin Shuang blinked, “Indeed he does. After all, she’s the recognized granddaughter of the Grand Princess, and she helped His Highness investigate cases in Jin Zhou…”

Qin Yan watched as Qin Wan and Yan Chi walked further away, his eyes narrowing even more.

Meanwhile, Qin Wan said, “I remember when Qing Qin died, Liu Yun Tong’s reaction was extreme, even showing unusual grief. His sleepless nights these past few days must be related to Qing Qin’s death.”

“I’ve already had people thoroughly investigate their backgrounds to see if there’s any connection to the old Gold Robbery Case.”

Qin Wan responded with a sound of acknowledgment. Looking up, they had reached the empty room where Liu Ren Li’s body lay. The guards at the door immediately bowed upon seeing Yan Chi approach. Yan Chi nodded and pushed open the door. Inside, Liu Ren Li’s body was covered with his robe.

Qin Wan rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward, first removing Liu Ren Li’s robe. She examined it carefully twice, finally discovering a particularly dark stain in the corner of the hem.

Liu Ren Li’s robe was lake blue in color, which turned ink blue when wet. Having been soaked in water, even if there were any scents on the robe, they couldn’t be detected. Qin Wan noticed that this small stain appeared to be from lamp oil.

“The scent is gone, but this looks like a lamp oil stain.”

As she said this, Qin Wan discovered several more marks on Liu Ren Li’s robe. These marks were distributed across the front chest and back of Liu Ren Li’s robe, and although the marks were now damaged, one could still see that they had originally been circular.

Qin Wan frowned slightly, carefully feeling the impressions on Liu Ren Li’s robe…

“What is it?” Yan Chi was examining the old wound marks on Liu Ren Li’s shoulder blade when he turned and noticed Qin Wan’s serious expression.

Qin Wan came back to her senses and suddenly asked, “Your Highness, have you ever seen an underwater escape trick?”

Yan Chi raised an eyebrow and shook his head, “That, I haven’t.”

Having spent years on the battlefield, Yan Chi rarely went to places of entertainment. Qin Wan continued, “I remember seeing one when I was young, seemingly at some gathering. It was a northern theater troupe. Besides being able to perform grand illusions, they could also perform death-defying tricks. They would use hemp rope strong enough to pull a carriage to tie someone up and throw them into a large water vat, seeing if they could escape from the tightly knotted rope’s restraints and emerge. If they couldn’t, they would drown.”

Yan Chi’s eyes focused intently, “What’s the secret?”

Qin Wan’s lips curved slightly; Yan Chi’s reaction was indeed quick.

Yan Chi noticed the source of her smile and said, “Every such trick has its secret.”

Qin Wan nodded and explained, “They use different ropes. With ordinary hemp rope binding someone, how could they break free? But if they use a rope that loses strength when wet, it’s entirely different.”

Yan Chi watched Qin Wan as she continued, “During their performance, they first use the rope to pull a cart or huge stone to prove its strength. They even let commoners from the audience tie up the performer and check for hidden blades. Only then are they satisfied. But the audience doesn’t know that it’s not hemp rope…”

“Not hemp rope?” Yan Chi showed slight surprise.

Qin Wan nodded, “It’s made of paper. Not writing paper, but a special coarse yellow paper mixed with fine hemp fibers. Unless someone from the audience cuts the rope to examine it closely, it appears normal to the naked eye. Hemp rope maintains its strength in water and takes a long to deteriorate, but the paper is different. When paper absorbs water and swells, the rope loses strength. If someone can hold their breath and has enough strength, breaking free from such rope becomes much simpler.”

Yan Chi glanced at Liu Ren Li, “So…”

Qin Wan handed over the robe before her, “Look, I found ligature marks on his hands and neck earlier but couldn’t understand why. Now seeing the marks on his robe, I realized this possibility. Using hemp rope to bind someone before throwing them in would be too obvious, but using the rope I described would deceive others. I suspect if we dredge the lotus pond now, we might find something, though later we might not.”

As she spoke, Qin Wan frowned, “Usually only theater troupe members would know this.”

“The Shuang Qing Troupe?” Yan Chi raised his eyebrow.

Qin Wan shook her head, “If it were the Shuang Qing Troupe, how do we explain Qing Qin’s death?”

“So you’re saying someone in this manor has theater troupe connections?”

Qin Wan nodded, “Even if not directly from a troupe, they must be closely connected. Otherwise, they wouldn’t know this trick.”

Yan Chi nodded and went to the door to give some instructions. When he returned, he saw Qin Wan deep in thought. “What are you thinking about?”

Qin Wan looked up at Yan Chi, “On my first night at Qing Hui Garden, I heard someone singing opera at midnight.”

Yan Chi frowned, “The first night? Was it the Shuang Qing Troupe?”

Qin Wan shook her head, “It didn’t seem like it. The singing voice had a mournful, eerie quality… it didn’t sound like normal singing. I found it strange and asked Bai Ying and Fu Ling, but they said they hadn’t heard anything.”

They all said they hadn’t heard…

Yan Chi looked at Liu Ren Li’s robe, “You think it was that person?”

Shaking her head, Qin Wan walked to Liu Ren Li’s body, “I’m not sure. I only heard the voice, but I feel that in this manor, there must be someone very familiar with theater troupes. If nothing else, Master Pang inviting the Shuang Qing Troupe every year means many servants would be familiar with them.”

Qin Wan examined Liu Ren Li’s old wounds, “These wounds are at least ten years old.”

“What kind of wounds?” The scar on Liu Ren Li’s shoulder was no longer grotesque, but rather than being a typical linear healing scar, it was an irregular oval shape.

Qin Wan examined it carefully, “It looks like an arrow wound, but larger than typical arrow wounds. It appears… like a spear wound.”

At the mention of spears, Yan Chi immediately narrowed his eyes and after a while said, “Indeed it does.”

As Yan Chi also wielded spears, he naturally understood what Qin Wan meant. However, since Liu Ren Li’s scars had healed over many years and he wasn’t a physician, he couldn’t deduce the original wound’s appearance. During the first examination, Qin Wan had noticed the old scars but hadn’t investigated them thoroughly. Now as they analyzed them, both Qin Wan and Yan Chi simultaneously thought of the old case.

“We’ll need to investigate if Liu Yun Tong faced any dangers in his early years.”

Though investigation was necessary, given the time passed, even Yan Chi wasn’t confident.

Qin Wan continued examining Liu Ren Li’s entire body, discovering several minor abrasions on his heel and calf. She noted these down and had Fu Ling fetch the Qu Hui incense to prepare for the autopsy.

Since Qin Wan had determined drowning as the cause of death, she didn’t perform a full autopsy, focusing only on the chest and abdomen. Half an hour later, while washing blood from her hands, she reported, “White foam in the airways and nasal passages, along with traces of mud in the trachea. The lungs are enlarged, and moist on the surface with blood spots, confirming drowning. No signs of poisoning or drugs. The stomach contains mostly fluid, confirming he was thrown into the lotus pond and drowned alive.”

Yan Chi focused intently, “It seems this case is inseparable from the theater troupe.”

Qin Wan nodded. Outside, Fu Ling brought in another basin of water. Qin Wan washed multiple times to clean up, but her sleeve still had some blood stains. Yan Chi frowned slightly, “Stained again.”

Qin Wan smiled, “It’s fine, just a little. I’ll wash it off when I return.”

Yan Chi said nothing, noticing her ears reddened from the cold, “Alright, I’ll escort you back. It’s too cold outside. When Wang Magistrate has news, I’ll come find you.”

Qin Shuang and Qin Yan were gone. Qin Wan thought for a moment and nodded, “No need to escort me, I can return by myself.”

Yan Chi’s lips turned down slightly, showing some displeasure, but meeting Qin Wan’s clear eyes, he didn’t say anything.

“Very well, go ahead.”

Yan Chi saw Qin Wan at the door but didn’t move further, watching until she disappeared before heading toward the lotus pond.

Meanwhile, Fu Ling sighed, “Miss used to hide it, but now everyone knows you can examine corpses.”

Qin Wan smiled wryly. When she first awoke in Jin Zhou, her status was low, and Madam Jiang of the Qin family was quite superstitious, so hiding it was natural to avoid complications. But here, firstly, circumstances didn’t allow for concealment; secondly, she no longer had that confused, helpless, self-preserving mindset. Whether medical skills or forensic examination, the former saved lives while the latter brought peace to the deceased – why hide when necessary? Thirdly, and most importantly, this time Yan Chi was by her side. She felt that not only did he not mind her forensic skills, but he trusted only her, and seemed to want her to demonstrate a woman’s expertise in this field. To Qin Wan, this feeling carried an indescribable sense of indulgence and doting.

Thus, she went along with this recognition. If anyone thought her examining corpses made her inauspicious, or that as a daughter of the Qin family she was debasing herself with menial work, she had nothing to say to them. Summer insects cannot discuss ice.

“What’s wrong with people knowing? I can do what others cannot excel where others don’t, and I’m not harming anyone. I can uncover the truth to bring peace to the deceased. What’s there to hide?”

Qin Wan spoke firmly. Fu Ling smiled bitterly, “That’s true, but this servant worries about your future marriage…”

“That…” Qin Wan’s smile faded slightly, “Don’t worry about it.”

Fu Ling still looked worried. Qin Wan looked up and saw Madam Chang with Pang Jia Yan standing at the intersection ahead. Qin Wan was startled to see that Madam Chang’s eye injury had healed, and with her makeup today, the wound was barely visible.

“Madam.” Qin Wan approached and curtsied.

Madam Chang returned the courtesy with a slight bow, smiling, “Ninth Miss helped examine another body today?”

As she spoke, Madam Chang glanced at the bloodstains on her sleeve. Qin Wan nodded, “Yes, Liu Yun Tong has died.”

Madam Chang nodded slightly, “I know. I wasn’t planning to come out today but with another incident in the manor…”

Qin Wan consoled her, “Don’t worry, Madam. Magistrate Wang will solve this.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about.” Madam Chang’s tone was distant, lacking the grave urgency of Pang Fu Liang. Though Liu Ren Li was Pang Fu Liang’s old friend, Madam Chang showed no sympathy or regret for his death.

“In this manor, something was bound to happen sooner or later.”

Madam Chang spoke with a faint smile, and Qin Wan was startled, “What do you mean by that, Madam?”

Madam Chang didn’t explain, instead asking, “Has Ninth Miss met Jia Yun?”

Qin Wan was surprised, immediately thinking of that night’s incident. She shook her head, “I may have encountered Miss Pang one night, but we didn’t meet face to face.”

The smile faded from Madam Chang’s face, her beautiful eyes reflecting deep sorrow.

“If possible, I wish Ninth Miss could examine Jia Yun.”

Moved by Madam Chang’s sadness, Qin Wan quickly replied, “Of course I can—”

Madam Chang showed gratitude, but thinking of something, her eyes reddened. She shook her head, tightly gripping Pang Jia Yan’s hand, “Not now. Ninth Miss doesn’t know, but since marrying into this family, I’ve been merely an empty shell. I can’t do as I wish. I’m powerless, unable to protect my daughter…”

As Madam Chang’s voice choked with emotion, Pang Jia Yan tugged at her arm, “Mother…”

His soft voice carried traces of worry.

Madam Chang stopped speaking, “Fortunately, Qing Niang helped. When I married, Jia Yun was only three. Both siblings were raised with Qing Niang’s help.”

Qin Wan recalled the doll Qing Niang made for Pang Jia Yan and instinctively asked, “Does Qing Niang know opera?”

Madam Chang looked at Qin Wan with slight surprise, then said, “Qing Niang can’t sing, but she loves watching. Every time the Shuang Qing Troupe comes, she watches with us.”

Qin Wan responded with an “Oh,” somehow feeling relieved. Seeing the lingering sorrow in Madam Chang’s eyes, Qin Wan hesitantly asked, “Miss Pang’s illness, how exactly…”

Pang Jia Yun was mad—this had been confirmed by Yan Chi’s words. She had found it strange, and now that Madam Chang expressed wanting her to examine Pang Jia Yun, she naturally wanted to ask more.

Hearing this, Madam Chang lowered her eyes. This time her silence lasted longer, as if something rose and sank within her. Just when Qin Wan was feeling apologetic for asking something inappropriate and thought Madam Chang wouldn’t answer, she suddenly looked up and said, “When the time comes, Ninth Miss will know.”

Then Madam Chang glanced at Qin Wan’s sleeve again, “Ninth Miss should go change your clothes. Someone like you shouldn’t be dealing with such bloody matters.”

Qin Wan looked at her sleeve, “As a medical practitioner, seeing such things is unavoidable. It’s fine.”

She curtsied, “Then I’ll take my leave.”

Madam Chang pulled Pang Jia Yan aside to make way. Qin Wan gave Madam Chang a long look before heading back to her guest quarters with Fu Ling.

Madam Chang and Pang Jia Yan stood watching Qin Wan leave. After a while, Pang Jia Yan asked softly, “Mother, will things get better?”

Madam Chang nodded with a sound of agreement, “Yes, of course they will.”

…

…

“Miss, what did Madam Pang mean? What did she mean by not being able to protect her daughter?”

Fu Ling’s question echoed what Qin Wan was thinking. After frowning for a while, Qin Wan shook her head, “I don’t know, but Pang Jia Yun’s madness must have a reason, there must be a cause…”

Fu Ling rubbed her arm, “This manor has so many strange things happening, but unfortunately, we can’t leave now.”

Qin Wan’s expression grew serious, “Three people have died already. It should end soon.”

As Qin Wan said this, Fu Ling felt another chill down her spine and quickly pulled Qin Wan back to their courtyard.

Back in their quarters, Qin Wan naturally cleaned up and changed clothes first. However, while doing so, her mind kept returning to Madam Chang’s image—her reddened eyes, her sorrowful and desperate gaze. It made her feel that the Pang Manor held more than one secret. Besides Madam Chang’s frequent beatings by Pang Fu Liang, there must be other secrets.

After changing clothes, Qin Wan stayed in the courtyard rather than going out. According to Yan Chi, he would come to find her when the investigation yielded results. Qin Wan waited, but by afternoon there was still no sign of Yan Chi. The investigation had hit some difficulties.

Investigating cases wasn’t a matter of a day or two, so Qin Wan wasn’t anxious. But by nightfall, after dinner, she became restless. A whole day couldn’t have passed without discovering anything, and regardless of what was found, she wanted to know sooner.

Qin Wan sat by the window, feeling uneasy, when suddenly Fu Ling pointed outside, “Miss, look at that…”

Qin Wan came to her senses and looked where Fu Ling was pointing. She saw that the entire northwest direction of Qing Hui Garden had somehow lit up with flames, accompanied by thick black smoke rising—

Qin Wan’s body tensed, her dark pupils trembling!

Fire! The fourth method of death!

Qin Wan immediately stood up, “Let’s go see!”

Her heart clenched as she rushed out, moving so quickly she forgot her cloak. Seeing this, Fu Ling grabbed the cloak and followed with Bai Ying behind Qin Wan as they ran out. The commotion from Qin Wan’s side alarmed Qin Shuang, who upon coming out also saw the flames and didn’t hesitate to follow Qin Wan.

“How could a fire start so suddenly?!”

Qin Shuang feared fire, her voice trembling. The last great fire at the Qin residence had taken the lives of Madam Jiang and Qin Chen, and she still felt lingering fear thinking about it.

Qin Wan didn’t answer Qin Shuang’s question, her heart pounding!

Yan Chi was right—the cases at Pang Manor must be connected to the old Gold Robbery Case. There had already been three coincidences, and this fourth one further proved Yan Chi’s theory. But who started the fire?

If they could catch the arsonist, they would catch the killer!

Qin Wan’s heart thundered. Both Wang Huai Yu and Yan Chi were in the manor, and Yan Chi had warned Wang Huai Yu, who must have been on guard. Setting a fire under such vigilance was like walking into a trap!

Shortly after Qin Wan left the courtyard, Qin Yan followed. The manor’s servants had been alarmed by the fire, all heading northwest. Soon, Qin Wan saw a three-story building. The small tower was in the northwest of Qing Hui Garden, somewhat secluded but close to their guest quarters. As she had thought, Wang Huai Yu had indeed been vigilant, because when she ran near the building, she saw many people surrounding it.

Yan Chi, Yan Li, Wang Huai Yu, along with yamen officers and Qing Hui Garden servants were all there.

The yamen officers and servants had been ordered to fight the fire, while Yan Chi and Wang Huai Yu intently watched the building’s interior with grave expressions. Qin Wan ran directly to Yan Chi’s side, “What happened? Is the arsonist still inside?”

Seeing Qin Wan run over, Yan Chi instinctively stepped back, trying to keep her at a safer distance, and nodded, “Inside—”

Qin Wan’s dark pupils contracted as she quickly looked toward the fire. The flames were spreading upward from the first floor, now fiercely licking at the second-floor windows. Following Yan Chi’s words, Qin Wan strained to see through the thick smoke and spotted a small figure.

Qin Wan frowned, “Is that—”

Wang Huai Yu spoke with a complex tone, “It’s the Pang family’s eldest daughter. Half an hour ago, someone said Miss Pang had run out. I had the officers help look for her, and soon after, this fire started. We just arrived.” He sighed with frustration, “How could it be her? She’s mad and so young, how could she possibly…”

Qin Wan’s eyes widened slightly. She never imagined the arsonist would be Pang Jia Yun!

According to their deductions, if the killer was connected to the old case, the fourth method of killing would appear—arson. Now the fire had indeed appeared, but Pang Jia Yun had set it… Was Pang Jia Yun the killer?!

Qin Wan’s frown deepened. If Pang Jia Yun was the killer, who was the victim?

“Where is Master Pang?” Qin Wan asked immediately.

Just as she spoke, footsteps sounded behind the crowd. Qin Wan turned to see Pang You De following Pang Fu Liang approaching. Her doubts immediately deepened. Based on Yan Chi and her deductions, the old matter should have involved Qing Qin, Liu Ren Li, and Pang Fu Liang, but now, with the fire set, Pang Fu Liang was outside.

Was Pang Jia Yun’s fire-setting just a coincidence?!

Just as this thought settled, a terrifying scream suddenly rang out above everyone’s heads.

Qin Wan was startled, instinctively looking up. She saw a figure fall from the third floor of the small tower. Everyone who saw the shadow instinctively stepped back, followed by a loud “bang” as something heavy crashed onto the steps before them.

The events happened too quickly for even Yan Chi to react.

In the glaring firelight, Qin Wan saw Pang Yi Wen’s blood-covered face.