Huo Ning walked dejectedly to the front courtyard. Looking up, he saw Huo Huai Xin watching the male servants of Marquis Manor with a dark expression, his brows furrowed deeply.
Huo Ning suddenly snapped back to his senses. He had been so angered by Qin Wan that he’d forgotten to mention he was here to investigate the case. She said he was nothing more than the son of a Prefecture Magistrate, worthless otherwise. But he would show her she was wrong! He, Huo Ning, simply chose not to do certain things – anything he truly wanted to do, he could accomplish and excel at!
“Father, how did it go?”
Huo Huai Xin turned to look at Huo Ning, “Where have you been?”
Huo Ning’s eyes flickered, “Son suspected there might be evidence left around Mei Garden, so I went to investigate again.”
Huo Huai Xin believed him, showing satisfaction in his eyes, but shook his head and said, “We couldn’t find anything. All the manor servants around six feet tall have alibis for last night, and none of them are left-handed.”
Huo Ning pressed his lips together tightly. How could they not find anything?
If it wasn’t Song family’s guards, nor the manor’s guards, then who could it be?
“Everyone has an alibi, and no one is left-handed,” Huo Ning pondered deeply. “Could the alibis be false? And what if someone is ambidextrous but only uses their right hand normally, deceiving others?”
Huo Huai Xin raised his eyebrows, “Left-handed people are rare enough, those who can use both hands…” His eyes brightened as he spoke, “But it’s not impossible!”
Seeing Huo Ning’s growing competence, Huo Huai Xin patted his shoulder approvingly, then frowned again, “Though we can speculate, these people are very careful with their words. We can’t find any holes in their stories, and we can’t keep questioning them endlessly.”
Huo Ning knew his father’s words made sense, and his heart sank. As he worried, Huo Huai Xin suddenly muttered, “Should we ask her for help…”
Huo Ning hadn’t heard clearly, “What did you say, Father?”
Huo Huai Xin was startled back to awareness, but his expression became complicated as he looked at Huo Ning. Madam Yuan had gone to the Qin Manor and heard that the Ninth Young Lady had moved to a different courtyard, but the Qin Manor’s Old Madam was still reluctant to discuss the Ninth Young Lady, treating it as a taboo subject.
“Well…” Huo Huai Xin hesitated, “Haven’t you been to the Qin Manor these past few days?”
Huo Ning’s brows furrowed. Go to the Qin Manor? What for?! Remembering Qin Wan’s repeated mockery, his face burned again. He turned his head away, his tone rather angry, “Of course not. Not just the Qin Manor, I’m not going to the Li or Zhao Manors either. Right now, I only want to help Father solve this case. Making friends can wait.”
Until this case was solved, he vowed never to go to the Qin Manor again!
Hearing Huo Ning’s words, Huo Huai Xin’s emotions surged. Nothing made him happier than seeing Huo Ning being sensible and ambitious!
But this made it awkward to mention the Ninth Young Lady…
Huo Huai Xin hesitated for a moment, thinking this wasn’t the time to decide Huo Ning’s marriage matters, so he set aside the thought and didn’t mention it. “It’s excellent that you have such ambition. While making friends is necessary, it’s ultimately superficial. Without real skills and learning, how can we plan our future?”
Hearing this, Huo Ning’s heart was pricked again.
Was he really as Qin Wan said, nothing more than the son of a Prefecture Magistrate with just his looks?
As Huo Ning struggled internally, suddenly a figure rushed into the front courtyard. Bai Feng hurried into the main hall and said something, and moments later, Madam Jiang walked out with an angry expression.
Watching this, Huo Ning asked softly, “Has something else happened in the manor?”
Huo Huai Xin shook his head, “Whatever the Madam does must be internal affairs we shouldn’t inquire about. That young man in white is a personal guard of His Highness the Crown Prince of the Rui Prince, so it must be related to His Highness.”
Huo Ning nodded and didn’t pursue the matter further.
Before Madam Jiang left the front courtyard, her orders had already been carried out. By the time she reached the west side hall, four servant women had been brought over bound and tied. Seeing Madam Jiang, they immediately knelt and begged for mercy.
Madam Jiang swept her sleeves, her usually gentle face showing a frightening coldness, “Who was gossiping?”
“Madam, it was this servant, this servant deserves death. Please forgive me!”
Since all four had been caught and their words had been overheard, rather than deny it and face heavier punishment when discovered, it was better to confess immediately. “Madam, we were only thinking of the Old Madam. We heard others talking about the Ninth Young Lady’s matters. We wrongly believed the gossip of those villains. We admit our mistakes and accept punishment. Please don’t dismiss us.”
Madam Jiang ran a strict household but only followed rules and never mistreated servants. In Jinzhou City, there were no better masters. This servant feared being driven out.
Madam Jiang’s lips curved in a cold smile, “Then let me ask you, where did you hear these words?”
The servant quickly replied, “While cleaning in the East Garden. The Song family’s servants stay in the courtyard with nothing to do and like to spread rumors. We go there daily to clean, so we heard some things.”
Madam Jiang smiled again, “The Song family’s servants just arrived in Jinzhou. How would they know rumors about the Ninth Young Lady?”
The servant immediately kowtowed, “Madam, we dare not deceive you. What we said is true. If you don’t believe us, you can summon the Song family’s servants from the East Garden and ask if they spoke of these things!”
The cold smile faded from Madam Jiang’s lips, and her eyes showed gravity as she looked at the continuously begging servant, “I believe you.”
As the servant began to show joy, Madam Jiang added, “However, I cannot keep you here.”
The servant froze, then immediately began crying and begging. Madam Jiang waved her hand unmoved, “Send her to a familiar broker.” Then she swept her gaze across the courtyard full of servants, “We dare not keep anyone who spreads rumors about noble guests of the manor.”
As her words fell, the entire courtyard fell silent in fear.
Madam Jiang exhaled in annoyance, then turned to Bai Feng, “What is your Young Master’s intention? Since the rumors came from the East Garden, it’s difficult for me to handle. Although they are the Song family’s servants, given the current situation…”
Madam Jiang could sell her own manor’s servants, but she couldn’t touch the Song family’s servants. Not only could she not touch them, but she had to take good care of them until people from the Song Duke’s Manor came, to reduce the possibility of the two families becoming enemies.
Bai Feng nodded, “His Highness shares the same view. Finding out the source is enough; leave the rest to His Highness.”
Madam Jiang shook her head apologetically, “After all, it was people from our manor who made the mistake. There’s no need for thanks. Wan’er has a gentle nature; I don’t know if she’s upset by these words. You go report to His Highness; I must go see Wan’er.”
After speaking, Madam Jiang left the west side hall, hurrying towards Princess Tai Chang’s courtyard.
Qin Wan had been utterly devoted to Princess Tai Chang and Yue Qing. Not only had she suffered a fright last night for no reason, but now she had heard such criticism. Madam Jiang’s heart was anxious, fearing that Qin Wan might become disheartened under such burdens.
Madam Jiang rushed into the courtyard, but when she reached the inner chamber’s door, she saw Qin Wan carefully wiping Princess Tai Chang’s body. She was extremely careful to avoid the wounds, her technique even more appropriate than Lu Xiu’s.
Madam Jiang’s anxious heart immediately relaxed. She exhaled, and at this moment, Qin Wan noticed something was wrong and turned around. Seeing Madam Jiang, Qin Wan’s lips curved slightly, “Has Madam handled the matter?”
Madam Jiang’s smile widened as she walked forward, “It’s handled. The Prefecture Magistrate couldn’t find anything.” Then she said carefully, “Wan’er, don’t take those things you heard earlier to heart…”
Qin Wan was wiping Princess Tai Chang’s wrist and smiled, “Don’t worry, Madam. I’ve heard plenty of such things and won’t take them to heart. You needn’t worry—”
Before she could finish saying “worry,” Qin Wan suddenly felt something was wrong. Looking down, she saw Princess Tai Chang’s hand move slightly. Qin Wan’s smile deepened, “Madam, Princess Tai Chang is waking up!”
Madam Jiang had already been deeply relieved by Qin Wan’s words, and hearing this, her eyes showed even more joy. She stepped forward to look and saw Princess Tai Chang’s fingers trembling slightly, her eyelashes also fluttering continuously. Although her eyes hadn’t opened yet, it was clear she would wake soon.
Qin Wan immediately checked Princess Tai Chang’s pulse, and after a moment, her smile widened greatly, “Her pulse has stabilized. Princess Tai Chang has passed this crisis. She will wake up within two-quarters of an hour at most!”
Madam Jiang was so moved that her eyes reddened, and she grabbed Qin Wan’s hand, speechless. She quickly turned to instruct Lu Yun, “Quickly tell the Marquis to come here as soon as he’s finished in the front courtyard. Mother is waking up. Also call the Princess and the Young Master, and the Second Young Master too.”
Madam Jiang was so happy she could barely speak coherently. Looking at Qin Wan, she wanted to embrace her, “I don’t know how those terrible rumors started spreading outside. Our Wan’er is clearly like a healing deity. If it weren’t for you this time, Mother’s illness couldn’t have been cured, and Qing’er would have faced imprisonment. Wan’er, you are…”
Before Madam Jiang could finish expressing her gratitude, Lu Yun returned, “Madam—”
Madam Jiang turned to look at her, “What is it? Didn’t I tell you to inform the Marquis?”
Lu Yun showed hesitation, glanced at Qin Wan, and said, “Madam, people have come from the Qin Manor.”
“The Qin Manor?” Madam Jiang frowned, looking at Qin Wan, “Who came? What’s the matter?”
Lu Yun quickly said, “This servant met Steward Yang on the way. Steward Yang said the Qin Manor’s Eldest Young Master came personally, saying that… saying that their Young Madam is seven months pregnant, had been ill earlier, and isn’t well now. They had no choice but to come ask the Ninth Young Lady to return to the manor…”
Qin Wan’s heart tensed slightly. Two days had passed – had she failed to protect Yao Xin Lan’s pregnancy?