Huo Ning stared at Qin Wan with a reddened face.
Didn’t she like him? How dare she be so presumptuous!
He was ignorant? Stupid? Just a pretty face with the title of Prefect’s son?
Huo Ning’s fists clenched tightly. He had never suffered such humiliation, and when this humiliation came from a woman, especially one who had once admired him, his anger and shame reached their peak!
Huo Ning glared at Qin Wan with fury, but before he could act, Qin Shuang stepped forward in shock, raising her hand to strike Qin Wan. “You little harlot, how dare you treat Brother Huo with such dis—”
Before “respect” could leave her lips, Qin Shuang’s hand was caught in Qin Wan’s grip.
Qin Wan held Qin Shuang’s wrist firmly, making her eyes redden with pain. Qin Shuang struggled hard but somehow couldn’t break free from the seemingly delicate Qin Wan’s hold.
Qin Shuang suddenly remembered Qin Wan’s fierce strength when pulling her into the lake, and fear flashed in her eyes. She immediately regretted her actions.
“You… what are you doing…”
Qin Wan remained silent, just watching Qin Shuang with dark eyes.
Her usually spring-clear eyes had become as dark as an abyss. Qin Shuang felt chills down her spine as fear gradually accumulated in her heart, quickly overwhelming her plump frame. “I, I didn’t mean to… I…”
As Qin Shuang spoke and struggled, Qin Wan suddenly released her.
Caught off guard, Qin Shuang lost her balance, stumbled back two steps, and fell. Her eyes moistened, tears rolling down, yet she dared not cry loudly, looking both pathetic and ridiculous.
Qin Wan brushed her sleeve and walked past Huo Ning toward the west gate. “Young Master Huo needn’t believe those ridiculous rumors. I think Young Master Huo and my Sixth Sister are quite well-matched in both learning and character.”
As she spoke, Qin Wan turned to look at the bewildered Fu Ling. “Fu Ling, don’t you agree?”
Fu Ling started, then suddenly burst out laughing, “Yes, yes, yes, Young Master Huo and Sixth Young Lady are perfectly matched!”
Huo Ning’s brows furrowed deeper. He whirled around, trembling with anger as he watched Qin Wan’s retreating figure.
Looking down, he saw Qin Shuang gazing at him lovingly through tears. His teeth clenched, feeling that being called “well-matched” was even more insulting than being told he only had looks and a title!
By the flower wall in the distance, Yan Chi smiled silently. His phoenix eyes narrowed as he watched Qin Wan’s figure disappear.
“Bai Feng, is this Miss Qin from the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s household in Jinzhou?”
At Yan Chi’s question, a figure silently appeared from the darkness behind him. Bai Feng bowed his head and said, “She’s the orphaned daughter from the second branch of the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s household. Seven years ago, her parents died in an accident. After staying at the main household in the capital for three years, she was sent to Jinzhou.”
After a pause, Bai Feng continued, “Half a month ago, she drowned in the lake, supposedly because of the Prefect’s son, but came back to life after being dead for a day and night. She even saved her maid who had hanged herself. This caused quite a stir in the Qin household but was hushed up. Three days ago, she saved the Imperial Princess who was critically ill, and today was honored as a distinguished guest by the Imperial Princess.”
Yan Chi’s eyes narrowed further, the sparkle in them gradually replaced by something deeper.
“Qin Wan…” Yan Chi murmured.
Bai Feng’s eyes flashed with surprise. His master had never shown interest in women, yet now he seemed intrigued by this Miss Qin whom he’d just met.
“Master, what about this Miss Qin?”
Yan Chi didn’t answer, instead slowly turning his gaze to the still-standing Huo Ning.
His smile faded as his eyes grew even more somber, “Investigate why Miss Qin fell into the lake.”
Bai Feng started, “Wasn’t it because of Huo—”
“Him? Really?” Yan Chi cut off Bai Feng with a cold laugh, withdrawing his gaze and striding toward the manor gate.
When Qin Wan reached the west gate, Qin Shuang followed with reddened eyes. Madam Jiang, already in her carriage, looked out the window, “Shuang’er, what’s wrong?”
Qin Wan was getting into her carriage when she heard this and turned to look at Qin Shuang.
Qin Shuang trembled instinctively under her gaze and quickly shook her head, “Nothing, nothing.” She hurriedly escaped into her carriage. Qin Wan withdrew her gaze and unhurriedly entered her carriage compartment.
As the wheels turned, Qin Wan’s mind drifted to the image of Young Lady Song. Her servants and escorts hadn’t noticed anything wrong – how had she been killed in that small bridal sedan?
And how had the killer silently taken her head?
At this thought, Qin Wan suddenly came to her senses. Things were different now – she could barely maintain her position in the Qin household, and the chief investigator wasn’t her father. Why was she thinking about these things?
“Young Lady, how did you dare speak to Young Master Huo like that?” Though saying this, Fu Ling’s eyes showed admiration for Qin Wan. “You used to be too nervous to even speak loudly in Young Master Huo’s presence.”
Qin Wan tilted her head to look at Fu Ling. “Did I like Young Master Huo before?”
Fu Ling frowned, hesitantly nodding, “Young Lady stared at Young Master Huo for a long time when you first saw him. You said privately that you admired his proud and confident bearing.”
Qin Wan sighed helplessly, “Perhaps I had seen too little of the world then. Now my feelings have changed.”
Fu Ling nodded quickly, “Yes, yes, yes, Young Lady had seen too few young masters before. Not to mention others, just today’s Prince Rui’s heir apparent has a bearing that Young Master Huo can’t hope to match. Your servant has never seen such a god of war!”
Qin Wan’s eyes narrowed as the scene of her first meeting with Yan Chi appeared in her mind again.
Yan Chi had joined the army in his youth, achieving brilliant military exploits on the battlefield. His noble pride transcended his status as heir apparent – it was forged in the fires of protecting the homeland, tempered in the blood and corpses of conquered cities.
As for Huo Ning, when Yan Chi was bathing in blood on the battlefield, he was probably still studying the Four Books and Five Classics under his governess’s care.
How could he compare to Yan Chi?
“Young Lady, but Young Master Huo is still the Prefect’s son. You…”
Fu Ling was somewhat worried, after all, in Jinzhou, Prefect Huo was a high-ranking official.
Qin Wan raised her chin, saying seriously, “What I did was for his good. If I didn’t wake him up, he’d think he was peerless under heaven.”
Fu Ling couldn’t help but laugh at this, “Young Lady, you don’t sound like a young girl at all.”
Qin Wan smiled without responding. She had moved around with her father since childhood, understanding more of the world than her peers. Additionally, having lived two lives, her outlook was indeed weathered. The things she had experienced were beyond what ordinary people could imagine.
The night was as thick as ink. As Qin Wan thought of the past, her heart ached again. The carriage slowly passed through Jinzhou’s Brocade Street, taking almost half an hour before stopping at the Qin manor’s west gate.
As soon as the carriage stopped, a servant who had been waiting rushed forward.
“Old Madam! Something terrible has happened!”