“Chief Steward, tell me everything that happened today, starting from the morning. Don’t leave out a single detail.”

During Chief Steward Qin’s narration, Qin Kaiyu’s expression changed repeatedly.

After a long while, Qin Kaiyu asked, “Where is the letter that Qin Shuying sent?”

“It’s right here in the study.”

Qin Kaiyu and Chief Steward Qin immediately began searching, but after looking for a long time, they found no letter. The items were locked in a box, and only Qin Yongtao and Zhou Qin had seen the letter – no one else had even glimpsed what it looked like.

Chief Steward Qin called the young servant and had him repeat everything related to the box over and over again, but the two men still found nothing regarding that letter.

They did see the scattered items on the floor – brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were there, along with small booklets, including the calligraphy Qin Yongtao had practiced that afternoon, all strewn across the ground.

Neither Chief Steward Qin nor Qin Kaiyu understood why the floor was in such disarray.

In any case, at the time only Zhou Qin and Qin Yongtao had been in the study. Now, with one dead and one unconscious, what exactly had happened?

This matter couldn’t be concealed, especially with Lianpin crying and wailing outside Emperor Delong’s study, begging the emperor to investigate the killer responsible for Qin Yongtao’s sudden death and Zhou Qin’s unconsciousness.

Not just Lianpin – even ordinary people found it too suspicious.

Therefore, early the next morning, officials from the Court of Judicial Review entered both the Sixth Prince’s mansion and the Qin family residence.

After several days of investigation, they reached a conclusion about Qin Yongtao’s death: he had been too excessive with the maid, and being advanced in age, the extreme pleasure turned to sorrow – he couldn’t hold on and ascended to paradise.

There were many witnesses to this matter – the maid herself was one, the young servant was another, and all the people serving Qin Yongtao knew he had been enjoying himself in the study that day.

Upon hearing this news, Lianpin immediately fainted.

As for how Zhou Qin had fallen into unconsciousness and remained so for three days, they couldn’t determine the cause at all.

However, some people spread rumors that Zhou Qin had gone angrily to question Qin Yongtao, and because Qin Yongtao had been excessively indulgent with the maid, he was so startled by Zhou Qin that he immediately collapsed.

When Zhou Qin discovered he had driven his grandfather to the brink of death, he feared criticism and was overcome with rage, so he fainted after returning.

Others said that since Zhou Qin was a prince after all, he couldn’t possibly have been frightened unconscious by such a small matter. He must have consumed something inappropriate at Qin Yongtao’s place – probably something Qin Yongtao used for enhancement that Zhou Qin accidentally ingested…

In any case, all sorts of wild theories circulated.

When Zhou Qin fell into unconsciousness, Liang Zhe finally woke up.

Qin Shuying’s taut nerves relaxed, and as she tried to speak, she felt a sweet metallic taste in her throat, then collapsed.

When she woke again, three days had passed.

During these three days, while officials investigated Qin Yongtao’s death, they had sent people to ask Qin Shuying what letter she had sent to Qin Yongtao, but since she was unconscious, Ziteng had gone in her place.

The weather at the end of June was very hot, but the house she lived in was built high with green trees providing shade outside, completely dispelling the summer heat without any sense of warmth.

When Liang Zhen saw her wake up, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Shuying, you scared me to death!”

Qin Shuying moved her lips slightly. Ziteng knew what she was thinking and quickly said, “Madam, the master has awakened. The young mistress gave him medicine, and he’s sleeping now.”

Only then did Qin Shuying show a trace of a smile.

Liang Zhen felt heartbroken watching this. She personally helped her sit up, fed her some warm water, and had someone bring porridge. “Shuying, you’re carrying a child. Please lie down. Don’t worry – with me here, everything at home is fine. When Ziyu woke up and saw you had fainted, he was extremely anxious. I was afraid his wound might reopen, so I had the physician prepare calming medicine and coaxed him into drinking it. These past few days, he occasionally wakes up, but mostly he sleeps. You two really don’t give anyone peace of mind.”

Hearing Liang Zhen say this, Qin Shuying’s lips curved slightly upward. Seeing this, Liang Zhen wiped her eyes and gave her a reproachful look. “Fortunately, the child in your belly is fine, otherwise how would I explain to Ziyu?”

Qin Shuying unconsciously touched her belly. This child was truly strong, actually accompanying her through these most tense and intense days.

When this child is born, would it be a super bad little rascal?

What its parents had done these past days was… not a single good deed…

Hong Juan brought over the porridge, and Liang Zhen personally fed Qin Shuying. “The physician said this child is blessed. Please set your mind at ease and take good care of your health.”

Qin Shuying nodded. After eating something and feeling a bit of strength return to her body, she said, “Elder Sister, I want to see Ziyu.”

Liang Zhen was helpless. “At least rest a bit more. I’ll have someone help you go in a while.”

“Elder Sister, seeing Ziyu wake up is what made my heart relax so much that I fainted. Now knowing that both he and the child are fine, my body feels light and refreshed. What illness could I possibly have? Ziteng, all of you quickly help me bathe and groom myself.”

Liang Zhen was helpless and could only let Qin Shuying have her way.

Qin Shuying had always paid attention to physical exercise in this lifetime. It was only because she had endured so much these past days that she fainted. Now, after sleeping for several days with her mind relaxed and having consumed some porridge, although her feet still felt soft, her spirits were quite good.

After bathing and grooming, Liang Zhen forced her to drink some soup before she was supported by Hui Yun and Bai Yun to see Liang Zhe.

Liang Zhe was indeed lying there peacefully. Qin Shuying carefully examined his wound area and discovered that Liang Zhen was right – Liang Zhe was much better. Suddenly tears began to fall.

Liang Zhen pointed at Qin Shuying and said to Nanny Fu and the others, “Look at her – she cries when happy and cries when worried. It’s truly impossible to deal with.”

Nanny Fu, Ziteng, Lu Ye, and Hong Juan had all endured these past days, their faces haggard with exhaustion. Hearing Liang Zhen’s words, they all began to laugh. As they laughed, tears also appeared in their eyes.

How difficult the path had been for their young mistress to find such a husband.

If Liang Zhe had died, how would their young mistress manage in the future?

Fortunately, Liang Zhe hadn’t died.

Moreover, their young mistress was carrying a child.

How difficult it had been to reach this point. These close servants didn’t know how many times they had walked on knife’s edge.

Seeing everyone crying and laughing, Qin Shuying felt somewhat embarrassed. She wiped her eyes and said to Nanny Fu and the others, “Nanny, all of you have been awake for several days. Please go rest.”

Ziteng and the other head maids refused, and only after Qin Shuying lost her temper did they go to rest. With Liang Zhen at the Liang residence, Nanny Fu and the others felt at ease.

The next morning at dawn, Liang Zhe woke up.

After three or four days, Liang Zhe could walk on his feet.

At this time, Zhou Qin also slowly regained consciousness.

When he learned that his grandfather had died suddenly and he himself had been unconscious for many days, many doubts flashed through his mind.

At the time, to investigate the truth of Qin Yongtao’s death and prevent his corpse from rotting, they had used large amounts of ice to preserve Qin Yongtao’s body. After all, it was the height of summer, and they dared not keep it long. Qin Kaiyu had consulted a fortune-teller about the timing and decided to hold the funeral tomorrow morning.

As the grandson-in-law, despite being a prince, Zhou Qin would need to go to the Qin residence tomorrow.