“Lord, Lady—”
A faint smell of blood and medicine lingered in the room. Seeing Lady Jiang enter with the others, Qin Wan gracefully bowed. Her forehead was covered in light sweat, her face pale, clearly having exerted tremendous effort.
“Good child, you’ve worked hard.” Lady Jiang grabbed Qin Wan’s hand, and then looked at the Imperial Princess lying with closed eyes on the bed. “Mother, she—”
Qin Wan replied, “My method succeeded.”
At these words, the room’s atmosphere immediately lightened, with joy appearing in Yue Qiong’s eyes.
But Qin Wan hadn’t finished speaking. “However, only if the Imperial Princess’s wound doesn’t become infected within two days can we consider her fully recovered. If it becomes infected, the Imperial Princess will still—”
The joy in Yue Qiong’s eyes froze, and sorrow filled everyone’s eyes.
This meant they wouldn’t know if the Imperial Princess had been saved until two days later.
Lady Jiang bit her lip. “Wan’er, you mean these two days are crucial?”
Qin Wan nodded. “Yes, someone must stay with the Imperial Princess at all times.”
Lady Jiang glanced outside—the sky was pitch black, well into the night. “Wan’er, could you stay at the mansion these two days? Surely you know best how to care for Mother?”
Qin Wan also looked out the window, then back at the Imperial Princess lying on the bed. After a moment’s hesitation, she set her resolve. “Very well, I’ll stay for two days.”
After a brief pause, Qin Wan added reassuringly, “Lord and Lady needn’t worry too much. Though these two days are critical, I’ve done everything possible. The chance of infection is only two or three in ten.”
Hearing this, Lady Jiang immediately relaxed and instructed her head maid Green Cloud, “Send someone to inform the Qin residence, and prepare the Plum Courtyard next to the Princess’s quarters.”
Green Cloud quickly agreed. Only then did Lady Jiang and Yue Qiong approach to examine the Imperial Princess. Her complexion had changed from bluish-black to pale, her breathing slightly stronger. Though still looking frail, she wasn’t as frightening as before.
Lady Jiang asked, “Wan’er, what should we do tonight?”
Qin Wan replied, “Tonight we only need to give the Imperial Princess her medicine.”
Lady Jiang nodded, looking at Green Sleeve. “Then let Green Sleeve keep watch. Give her proper instructions.”
Qin Wan agreed and began instructing Green Sleeve. Turning, she noticed Yan Chi standing at the back.
Yan Chi was leaning nobly against the treasure cabinet, his gaze fixed on her. Though not as intense as before, he watched her steadily without wavering.
Yet his direct gaze didn’t feel offensive. Instead, it carried the forthright heroism unique to military men.
Qin Wan walked forward with Han Yue. “Han Yue has been cleaned. Thank you, Young Lord.”
Seeing Qin Wan offer Han Yue with both hands, Yan Chi’s eyebrows lifted slightly.
Looking down, he noticed her exceptionally beautiful hands.
Her fingers were long and delicate like jade scallions, nails unpainted but naturally pink and transparent, clean and neat. The ornate Han Yue lay in her palms as if resting on luminous jade, particularly pleasing to the eye.
“A gentleman keeps his word. Having said I would give this blade to Miss Qin, how could I take it back?”
Qin Wan lowered her gaze. “This is too precious—I dare not accept.”
The scabbard bore dragon patterns; Qin Wan was certain Han Yue came from the imperial palace.
Moreover, how could a commoner like her carry something decorated with dragons?
“If it can help you treat patients, then indeed it’s precious. But if it’s merely an ornament on my person, it’s worthless. Miss Qin saved Aunt—such kindness cannot be repaid with mere objects.” After a pause, Yan Chi continued, “Does Miss Qin want to scramble for a blade again next time she needs to save someone?”
Qin Wan frowned, surprised by Yan Chi’s persuasiveness. He had indeed struck at the heart of the matter.
After these experiences, Qin Wan had made up her mind to prepare her own set of silver needles. As for a blade, while Han Yue was indeed perfect, she didn’t want to accept it freely from His Highness.
“Your Highness makes sense, but I will prepare my own in the future.”
Yan Chi’s lips curved slightly. “The blade you need must be thin yet sharp, with an exquisite design. Not just any craftsman can forge such a blade.”
Seeing Qin Wan’s persistent expression, Yan Chi simply said, “Then return Han Yue to me once you find a suitable blade.”
With Yan Chi compromising, Qin Wan couldn’t persist. Just as she was caught in this dilemma, footsteps suddenly approached from the doorway.
“Reporting to My Lord, that group has come to make trouble again—”
Someone spoke from outside. Yue Qiong frowned and hurried out, with Lady Jiang and Yue Jia following.
Qin Wan frowned slightly. Yan Chi raised his chin. “Shall we take a look?”
After speaking, Yan Chi went first. Qin Wan looked at Han Yue in her palm and had to put it away first.
Outside was Yang Xi, the Peaceful Marquis’s head steward.
“My Lord, this time they’ve brought the beaten man’s body. They came from the side gate to the main gate. Now many commoners have gathered at the mansion gate to watch. My Lord, what should we do…”
Qin Wan frowned upon hearing this. When she arrived earlier through the main gate, she hadn’t noticed anything unusual.
Yue Qiong turned to Lady Jiang. “Take care of Miss Qin. I’ll go look.”
After Yue Qiong left, Lady Jiang sighed, her face clouded with worry. But fearing to frighten Qin Wan, she quickly came over. “Our household is going through troubled times. Fortunately, you’re here to treat Mother. Shall I escort you to Plum Courtyard for dinner? You must be exhausted after a full day.”
Qin Wan nodded, but she had caught the words “beaten man.” In Great Zhou, any death without family members confirming natural causes fell under official jurisdiction. Having traveled with her father on his official duties, she instinctively paid attention whenever there was a death.
She couldn’t help asking, “Lady, what happened at the mansion?”
Lady Jiang, feeling dejected and with only Yue Ning and Yan Chi present, decided to confide in her. “It’s about Qing’er. After last night’s incident, by morning the whole of Jinzhou City knew about it. This morning, when he was heading to the military camp, he encountered some craftsmen working on the city defenses.”
Lady Jiang sighed. “He was just passing by when he heard those craftsmen discussing the Peaceful Marquis’s mansion, saying… saying Jia’er brings death to his wives, and that our household takes lives. Qing’er couldn’t bear it and stopped to argue. Who knew one of them would disregard his status and curse our household to his face? One thing led to another, and they came to blows.”
“Qing’er’s martial arts are excellent. He knocked the man down and left, but shortly after, the man died. The body was first taken to the officials to report the case. Magistrate Huo was already troubled by last night’s case, never expecting our household to have another incident today. He sent someone to inform us, and Mother fell ill upon hearing this news.”
Lady Jiang looked toward the main gate. “When Magistrate Huo’s people came, that group also arrived at our gate demanding justice. They started at the side gate, but now they’ve moved to the main gate.”
Qin Wan understood: surely Magistrate Huo was delaying the case out of consideration for the marquis’s household, causing these people to bring the body directly to make trouble. So the Second Young Master had beaten someone to death…
No wonder when she first arrived, even Yue Ning didn’t know how the Imperial Princess had suddenly fallen so ill.
Lady Jiang sighed. “Just after Jia’er’s incident, now Qing’er… What’s worse, Qing’er denies it, saying he controlled his strength carefully. His father had people call him back to turn himself into the officials, but he ran away in anger. Later, the household steward went to look—the beaten man indeed died coughing blood, covered in injuries.” Her eyes reddened. “If it were just a matter of money, that would be fine, but I fear Qing’er faces imprisonment…”
Qin Wan frowned. “Covered in injuries?”
Lady Jiang nodded. “Yes, covered in injuries. Several craftsmen with him also said he coughed blood and died shortly after fighting with Qing’er… The man wasn’t married and had an elderly mother. Only his fellow craftsmen are speaking up for him.”
Qin Wan suddenly narrowed her eyes. “Lady, no need to hurry back to Plum Courtyard. Let’s go to the main gate and take a look.”