Huo Huaixin’s voice carried a hint of cold mockery. Wei Yanzhi stood frozen like a statue, unable to turn around for quite some time. Huo Huaixin stepped forward again, “This letter is the key evidence in determining who the murderer is. Second Young Master stealing it – could it be that you wanted to discover the killer’s identity before us?”
The room was swelteringly hot, and Wei Yanzhi’s face was drenched in sweat, yet a chill crept up from beneath his feet. He had anticipated this but still fell for it after a full day of hesitation. Only he knew that this was his sole chance – whether real or fake, he couldn’t risk missing it. Even knowing there was an eighty to ninety percent chance of exposure, he had to try, because once the letter’s contents came to light, he would be cast into an inescapable hell.
Wei Yanzhi clenched his teeth and looked down at the letter in his hand. Upon inspection, his pupils suddenly contracted – this medicine-scented, damp letter didn’t contain a single character; it was merely a piece of golden paper soaked in medicinal liquid.
He had fallen for it – this was a trap.
Huo Huaixin noticed his downward glance and smiled, “Why would Second Young Master assume we’d keep the real letter in the box?” His eyes narrowed slightly, his tone dripping with mockery, though only Yan Chi beside him could detect the careful calculation behind each word.
Indeed, when Wei Yanzhi turned around, he discovered his supposedly empty room was filled with people. Huo Huaixin led the group, followed by Yan Chi and Yue Qiong standing shoulder to shoulder, with Qi Lin alongside Yue Qing and Yue Jia behind them. Every single person was looking at him with contemptuous, mocking gazes.
Wei Yanzhi gripped the golden paper tightly, raising his chin slightly and letting out a cold laugh. “The Magistrate has gone to great lengths for my sake, even setting up such an elaborate trap together with Ninth Miss.”
Huo Huaixin snorted, “What else do you have to say now? Ninth Miss already knew you were the killer. This trap was merely set to make you admit it willingly. Now that we’ve caught you red-handed, can you still claim Song Rou’s death had nothing to do with you?”
Wei Yanzhi took a deep breath, his brows furrowing, “If Ninth Miss already knew the truth, why go to such lengths? Clearly, she still remembers that night when the lantern tower nearly killed her.”
With that, Wei Yanzhi suddenly threw the golden paper aside. Standing by the half-open window, as the cold wind entered, the thin sweat on his face dried. He straightened his back, and his wildly beating heart gradually calmed. His expression became fixed, and a piercing cold light appeared in his eyes. Seeing his demeanor, Huo Huaixin shook his head, “Wei Yanzhi, Song Rou had feelings for you and took the blame upon your elder brother for your sake. Your brother lost a leg because of her, yet you heartlessly killed Song Rou. Now, you show not even a hint of remorse?”
Wei Yanzhi’s lips curved slightly, his eyes blooming with a desolate smile, “Elder brother? He is the legitimate son of the Wei family; he is not my elder brother. He was born with all honor and love. For all these years, I’ve served him like a beast of burden. Just one leg? What he owes me is far more than just a leg. My mother’s life – how can he repay that?”
At this point, a flash of moisture suddenly appeared in the corner of Wei Yanzhi’s eye.
“I merely met with my mother once, but if he hadn’t been so talkative, Song Jingxi wouldn’t have punished mother to kneel in the winter cold. If not for that, how could mother have contracted a cold illness and died so suddenly?”
Song Jingxi was the name of the Wei family’s principal wife. As Wei Yanzhi spoke her name through gritted teeth, there was a bone-chilling hatred in his voice. Huo Huaixin’s brows deeply furrowed, “You hate Lady Wei, but what does that have to do with Song Rou? Your mother’s life is a life, but is Song Rou’s life, not a life as well? Moreover, she had feelings for you and even carried your child. How could you bring yourself to harm her?”
Wei Yanzhi seemed to recall something, his gaze momentarily becoming distracted. But immediately after, he spoke through clenched teeth, “I never wanted to kill her! I never wanted to kill her, but she kept pushing me…”
Wei Yanzhi stepped back, his eyes reddening, though his voice grew fierce, “She too was born a noble legitimate daughter, not knowing what I sacrificed to reach where I am today. She had such a good marriage prospect, yet she wasn’t satisfied. Being unsatisfied was one thing, but she had to drag me down with her. I didn’t want her to die, but she insisted-“
Wei Yanzhi spoke with wide eyes, then suddenly stopped. He gave Huo Huaixin a strange look, then glanced at Yan Chi and the others, suddenly breaking into an eerie smile, “You’re deceiving me-“
Huo Huaixin’s brows furrowed, “Deceiving you about what?”
Wei Yanzhi stood straight, seemingly letting out a light sigh of relief, and stated with certainty, “You don’t have that letter.”
Huo Huaixin’s eyes narrowed, “If we didn’t have the letter, how could we set this trap to catch you?”
Hearing this, Wei Yanzhi shook his head and laughed, “No… you don’t have the letter, that’s why you set the trap. If you had the letter, Magistrate would rather work hard to invite me into the trap. The letter was just a ruse; you wanted to trick me into revealing the truth about that day.”
Wei Yanzhi glanced at the golden paper thrown on the ground, “In the end, you still have no evidence.”
Wei Yanzhi proudly lifted his chin. Although he had fallen for the trap, without proof, how could Huo Huaixin determine he was the killer? He had merely stolen a letter that didn’t even exist…
Hearing this, Huo Huaixin gave a cold laugh, “Your words just now are evidence. Wei Yanzhi, you hate Wei Qizhi and Lady Wei. You instigated Song Rou to place the blame on Wei Qizhi. At Song Rou’s wedding, you sent her off, but perhaps she still wanted to entangle with you over past matters. You feared the old affairs would be exposed, so in a fit of anger, you killed her!”
Wei Yanzhi raised his chin, now showing a completely fearless attitude toward Huo Huaixin.
“The Magistrate can speculate all he wants, but you won’t find any evidence anyway.”
Huo Huaixin was provoked by Wei Yanzhi’s contemptuous attitude and waved his hand, “Take him back! Let him taste the flavor of the prison cell. We’ll see what’s harder – his stubborn mouth or the prison’s whip!”
Qi Lin responded and stepped forward to apprehend Wei Yanzhi, who stood straight and tall, wearing a cold smile, showing not a hint of fear. Qi Lin took out the shackles he had prepared beforehand. Though he intended to use force, Wei Yanzhi, seeing him approach, actually extended his hands voluntarily, though his expression still maintained that fearless “what can you do to me” look.
Qi Lin grew angry at the sight. With a “clank,” he shackled Wei Yanzhi’s hands and pushed him, “Move!”
Wei Yanzhi stumbled from Qi Lin’s push. After steadying himself, he walked out past Huo Huaixin and the others with a composed expression. Outside, the fire in the stove still roared. When Wei Yanzhi reached the door, Qi Lin threw it open to reveal Qin Wan and Yue Ning standing outside, with the Imperial Princess being supported by Lady Jiang.
It seemed everyone had come together to set the trap. Wei Yanzhi glanced at Yue Ning, then looked at Qin Wan. Their eyes met, and a deep darkness flashed in Wei Yanzhi’s eyes. Qi Lin pushed him again, and only then did Wei Yanzhi withdraw his gaze and walk past Qin Wan’s group. Outside the East Garden, constables were already waiting. Seeing Qi Lin bringing someone out, they immediately stepped forward to take custody.
In the courtyard, the Imperial Princess sighed, “Desire brings harm to people!”
Just as these words fell, Huo Huaixin and the others walked out of the room, and he shouted, “Search! Search everything! I don’t believe we won’t find anything-“
Then, pointing at the side room, “Go, take the people inside away too.”
Qin Wan stepped forward two paces. As the door was wide open, heat poured out from the room. Qin Wan frowned and said, “My Lord, look at this stove. Wei Yanzhi has been burning it for many days continuously; there must be something suspicious.”
Huo Huaixin nodded at this, and as Qi Lin happened to walk in from outside, Huo Huaixin said, “Check the stove.”
Qi Lin responded and led several yamen constables into the room. Meanwhile, Wei Yanzhi’s guards were pulled from their sleep. These two men were dragged out with bewildered faces. Upon seeing the situation in the courtyard, their legs immediately went weak. Before they could even cry out their innocence, they were dragged out of the East Garden. Huo Huaixin stood with his hands tucked in front, sighing.
“If Wei Yanzhi remains stubborn, it might be difficult to interrogate him even with torture.”
Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, “It’s certain now that he’s the killer, but we still need him to reveal the murder weapon, and Song Rou’s head hasn’t been found. The process of the crime can’t be overlooked either. If he refuses to speak even until death, it would indeed be troublesome.”
Huo Huaixin gave a light snort, “I don’t believe…”
Qin Wan and Yue Ning exchanged glances, both remaining silent. They had seen the prison; the punishment inflicted on Wei Qizhi might not have been severe enough for Huo Huaixin, but they feared Wei Yanzhi might truly be able to endure it.
“My Lord, we’ve searched the stove, there’s nothing unusual except for the charcoal!”
Just then, Qi Lin walked out from inside, and as these words fell, Huo Huaixin’s brows furrowed. Qin Wan and Yue Ning immediately entered the room. Upon entering, they saw the outer room was already in complete disarray. The stove fire had been extinguished, and all the charcoal had been removed. The stove was empty with no other objects inside, and the accumulated ash underneath had been disturbed by Qi Lin but revealed nothing. Qin Wan’s dark pupils contracted, her brows deeply furrowed.
Wei Yanzhi’s illness was suspicious, and then this room acquired a stove. If there was nothing unusual about the stove, where was the oddity?
Qin Wan turned and entered the inner chamber, where constables were already examining the items inside. Qin Wan’s gaze swept around, suddenly falling on two swords hanging on the inner chamber’s wall. The two swords, one long and one short, both bore special markings.
Yue Ning followed in from behind, “These are Wei Yanzhi’s weapons. He used this long sword when he crossed blades with me before. It’s a famous sword, and though it’s not ranked, it was forged by the Liang family of Northwest.”
“The Liang family? That sword-forging family?”
Qin Wan reacted quickly, and Yue Ning hadn’t expected Qin Wan to even know about this, so she nodded and said, “Indeed. This sword comes from the Liang family. The Liang family was executed in the previous dynasty, and now only about a hundred of their swords remain in the world. This sword is called Chengying, recorded in the Liang family’s sword manual. Wei Yanzhi once said this sword was a gift from the Duke’s mansion.”
Qin Wan stepped forward and took down the Chengying sword. She drew the sword with a “shing,” and a flash of cold light immediately made her pupils tremble. Yue Ning came forward, “How is it? Is the sword’s aura overwhelming?”
Qin Wan nodded and continued to slowly draw out the long sword. When it was fully drawn, a light sword ring sounded.
With narrowed eyes, Qin Wan’s gaze swept across the blade, and Yue Ning said, “This sword’s blade is three inches long, one of the rare dull-edged swords from the Liang family. The tip is shaped like a crescent moon, seemingly without edge, yet it contains tremendous sword energy within its subtle appearance.”
Qin Wan’s eyes lit up slightly, “If… this blade left wounds on someone’s body, we would only need to investigate three-inch dull-edged swords to know which sword it was, right?”
Yue Ning immediately understood Qin Wan’s meaning, her eyes brightening slightly.
“That’s right. Though the Liang family made more than one three-inch dull-edged sword, very few remain in circulation today. Chengying is one, and the other named swords all have known owners. A brief investigation would reveal who possesses which sword and where.”
Qin Wan’s lips curved slightly, “So this was Wei Yanzhi’s reason…”
As she spoke, she walked out carrying the Chengying sword. Outside, Magistrate Huo was talking with Yue Qiong. Seeing Qin Wan emerge with the sword, he quickly looked over. After hearing Qin Wan’s explanation, Magistrate Huo’s eyes lit up, “Indeed, it makes sense!”
Qin Wan handed the sword to Magistrate Huo, “This is for you, My Lord. It’s a pity we didn’t find other evidence.”
Magistrate Huo accepted the Chengying sword. He understood Qin Wan’s words referred to Song Rou’s head still being missing, but tonight had already yielded significant results. Though Magistrate Huo felt some anxiety, he was ultimately satisfied. Now that Wei Yanzhi was confirmed as the killer, he had ways to make him talk. In his hands, he’d never seen anyone who truly wouldn’t speak even in the face of death.
“Ninth Miss, rest assured. I haven’t begun the interrogation yet. Once I start, Wei Yanzhi will surely talk. Tonight’s trap confirmed Wei Yanzhi as the killer, which puts my mind at ease. As long as we haven’t caught the wrong person, I’m confident I can make him talk. The hour is late, please accompany the Imperial Princess back with the County Princess. When there’s news, I’ll naturally inform you.”
Looking at the Imperial Princess, he added, “It’s late, Your Highness should take care of your health.”
The Imperial Princess didn’t need to come, but having not experienced such an operation in many years, she had come on impulse. Now that there were temporary results, she didn’t need to force herself to stay. She nodded, “Very well, you and Yue Qiong handle the aftermath. I’ll head back first.”
At these words, Qin Wan and Yue Ning immediately supported the Imperial Princess. Meanwhile, Magistrate Huo turned to thank Prince Yan, “Tonight we’re greatly indebted to Your Highness for posting men here to watch. If those incompetent yamen runners had come, it would likely have spoiled everything.”
As Qin Wan walked out, she glanced back. In the bright lights of the East Garden, Bai Feng stood beside Prince Yan. Though silent, he had an unmistakable presence that couldn’t be ignored. Withdrawing her gaze, Qin Wan couldn’t help but think of Prince Yan’s actions these past days. Though his presence was imposing and eye-catching, his actions were subtle and meticulous. Such a person would be beneficial as a friend with no drawbacks, but if one carelessly became his enemy, they would surely suffer.
Leaving the East Garden, the Imperial Princess sighed, “Those in high positions are never simple people. Though the Wei boy isn’t in a high position, given his background, his current status must have been earned through a lifetime of caution and calculated obedience. His romance with Song Rou might have been either calculated or sincere – it doesn’t matter now. What matters is that Song Rou ultimately became an obstacle to him.”
The Imperial Princess sighed again, “The deepest desires often provoke the deepest hatred, even towards one’s most intimate companion… Thus, desire brings harm to people.”
‘Desire brings harm to people’ – the Imperial Princess had said this when she first spoke, and hearing it again now was enlightening. People naturally have emotions and desires, but when controlled by a particular desire, one can become grotesque.
“When the Wei boy’s mother was killed by Lady Wei, he learned then that in Lady Wei’s eyes, anyone who became an obstacle to her was worthless. With Song Rou, whether in a moment of anger or harboring resentment, when she became an obstacle, her life became worthless too. Usually, those with smooth lives rarely develop evil intentions. Often, it’s those who have endured more suffering in ordinary days who turn to harm others – this is the helplessness of worldly affairs.”
As the Imperial Princess walked and spoke, her weathered voice was tinged with the autumn night’s chill. Qin Wan felt a wave of melancholy in her heart. Everything in the world has its cause and effect; Wei Yanzhi’s murderous act certainly didn’t develop overnight.
Qin Wan had seen many cases before, unlike the Imperial Princess. Yet with her lifetime of experience, the Imperial Princess had immediately identified the cause and effect of Wei Yanzhi’s actions. Qin Wan listened silently, feeling deeply enlightened.
Yue Ning’s expression grew serious as she asked softly, “But Grandmother, everyone has choices…”
The Imperial Princess smiled, squeezing Yue Ning’s hand, “Yes, everyone has choices. If Wei Yanzhi had stepped forward when Song Rou’s pregnancy was discovered, perhaps his later life would have been miserable, but there might have been a different outcome. Or if he hadn’t harmed Song Rou at the Ten Li Temple, things would have been different too. Same circumstances, different choices – some choose good, some choose evil. This is the profound complexity of human nature. You two, no matter what you encounter in the future, must never lose your inherent kindness.”
“Yes, Grandmother, Ning understands.”
“Imperial Princess, rest assured, Wan understands.”
By then, they had reached the Imperial Princess’s courtyard. She held both Qin Wan and Yue Ning’s hands, smiling, “I couldn’t be more reassured about you two. Now, go rest yourselves.”
After bidding farewell to the Imperial Princess, Qin Wan and Yue Ning turned back.
Qin Wan curved her lips, “No wonder the An Yang Marquis Manor has maintained its glory for generations. The old Marquis who chose the Imperial Princess as his daughter-in-law was a renowned minister whose name will go down in history. Later, from the Imperial Princess to the current Marquis, the family’s values remained unwavering.”
Yue Ning’s lips lifted, “When you put it that way, I must boast – leaving the capital was Grandmother’s idea. Back then, the Yue army had just won a victory and was at its peak. With my grandfather and father having received all possible rewards, the next step would have been conferring a prince title. It was then that Grandmother wanted to leave the capital for Jin Zhou. That’s why the Emperor has never doubted our manor all these years.”
She then snorted, “But this marriage arrangement – the Emperor listened to that Lady Song Consort and used such a scandal to irritate our manor. Grandmother definitely won’t let this matter rest!”
Qin Wan nodded, “Even the poorest household, with an upright, wise, diligent, and unyielding matriarch, will never completely fall. Much less the Marquis Manor with its strict family values and the Imperial Princess’s extraordinary wisdom. The manor will naturally continue to prosper. In my view, for at least five more generations, the manor will only get better.”
Yue Ning laughed, “That’s quite the auspicious prediction-“
As they talked and walked, they soon reached Yue Ning’s courtyard gate. Before they could enter, a young maid hurriedly came out from inside, almost colliding with Qin Wan and Yue Ning.
“Lu Jing, what’s wrong with you?!”
Lu Qi let out a light rebuke, and the maid called Lu Jing immediately knelt.
“Please forgive me, Miss and Ninth Miss. This servant deserves death.”
Yue Ning frowned, “Enough, stop saying you deserve death all the time. Why were you rushing out so hurriedly? What happened?”
Lu Jing stood up, red-eyed, “Miss, the jade pendant you gave this servant last time is missing.”
Yue Ning raised an eyebrow, “Did you lose it yourself or was it stolen?”
Lu Jing quickly replied, “It was likely this servant’s carelessness. When changing clothes today, this servant removed the pendant and then took the clothes to wash. When I returned, the pendant was gone. I think it might have been wrapped in the clothes and fallen by the well. I was just going to look for it.”
Yue Ning laughed, “Alright, no need for tears. Go look for it first. If you can’t find it, I’ll give you another one.”
Lu Jing was overjoyed, quickly thanked her, and headed to the laundry area.
Qin Wan remarked, “County Princess treats her servants very well-“
Yue Ning smiled, “They’re all young women who left their mothers to serve here from childhood. It’s quite pitiful when you think about it. They serve diligently in my courtyard, so naturally, I treat them well.”
As these words fell, Lu Qi followed up, “Ninth Miss doesn’t know, the County Princess is exceptionally considerate to servants. See, even when Lu Jing lost her jade pendant, it was no problem. The County Princess is the best master this servant has ever seen.”
At this, Fu Ling objected, “My Miss is good too, Miss even teaches me medicine.”
Hearing this, Lu Qi was genuinely surprised. Usually, masters showed kindness to servants through clothing, food, or monetary rewards. But Qin Wan was different – teaching medicine was, at the very least, a skill that could allow one to establish an independent livelihood…
Yue Ning was the first to laugh, “Then I can’t compare to your mistress…”
Fu Ling looked proud, but Qin Wan suddenly stopped, her expression becoming serious.
Yue Ning was startled, “What’s wrong?”
Qin Wan looked up, “Where did that little maid say she was going to look for the jade pendant?”
Yue Ning and Lu Qi exchanged glances, Yue Ning said, “By the well in the laundry area…”
Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, murmuring, “The jade pendant was wrapped in clothes, the clothes were taken to wash by the well, the pendant fell by the well…” As she spoke, Qin Wan suddenly lifted her head, “I know!”
“Know what?!”
Yue Ning hurriedly asked, but Qin Wan was already lifting her skirts and walking quickly toward the East Garden.
“I know why we couldn’t find anything strange about the stove.”
Yue Ning was confused, “What do you mean nothing strange about the stove? Didn’t we check it?”
Qin Wan walked urgently, with Yue Ning following behind. Lu Qi and Fu Ling hurriedly followed too, hearing Qin Wan say anxiously, “Because the jade pendant was in the clothes, and the clothes were by the well…”
Yue Ning didn’t understand at first, looking back to see Fu Ling and Lu Qi equally bewildered.
Qin Wan knew they didn’t understand but had no time to explain. She practically ran to the East Garden. In the distance, Qin Wan saw the yamen runners walking this way, with Magistrate Huo and Marquis Yue at the end of the group.
“Magistrate, Marquis-“
Magistrate Huo was talking with Marquis Yue when Qin Wan suddenly appeared. Magistrate Huo frowned, “Ninth Miss? Weren’t you going to rest? Why have you returned?”
Qin Wan ran up to Magistrate Huo, panting as she said, “My Lord, I know what’s strange about the stove! The ashes, let’s check the ashes…”
Magistrate Huo blinked, “We already checked the ashes.”
Qin Wan shook her head, “No, look at the ashes outside! In the courtyard!”
Magistrate Huo was slightly stunned, but Qin Wan had already rushed toward the courtyard gate. Magistrate Huo quickly turned to follow. Just as they reached the gate, they saw Qin Wan had already run to the ash pile in the corner of the courtyard.
Behind them, Marquis Yue and Yue Ning caught up, both startled by the scene.
Meanwhile, Qin Wan rolled up her sleeves. Her eyes darted around and spotted a pair of iron tongs beside the ash pile. Disregarding the filth on them, she picked them up and began digging. From outside, Fu Ling saw this and hurried in.
“Miss, let your servant handle this…”
Qin Wan shook her head, “Just wait beside me.”
Though Fu Ling looked somewhat anxious, Qin Wan was determined to do it herself. Magistrate Huo stepped forward, “Ninth Miss, what are you-“
“Found it!”
Before Magistrate Huo could finish his question, Qin Wan’s voice rang out, calm yet excited!
Everyone looked and saw that from the ash pile, Qin Wan had unearthed a white object. The object was grayish-white, about half the size of a palm. Looking at it, Yue Ning felt inexplicably uncomfortable and asked, “What is this…”
Qin Wan placed the white object aside, her voice cool, “If I’m not mistaken, it’s Song Rou’s skull.”
“What?!” Magistrate Huo’s eyes widened, “Song Rou’s skull?!”
While continuing to dig through the ashes, Qin Wan nodded, “Yes! I always felt something was odd about Wei Yanzhi suddenly starting the stove. When we didn’t find anything on the stove earlier, it seemed strange. Then I realized Wei Yanzhi wouldn’t leave evidence so simply in the stove – he must have disposed of it. That’s when I thought of the ash pile in the corner of the courtyard!”
After a brief pause, Qin Wan continued, “These ashes would be cleared away early tomorrow morning, leaving nothing behind. Wei Yanzhi would have disposed of Song Rou’s head without anyone knowing. Then we would never have found Song Rou’s head.”
Magistrate Huo’s lips moved slightly but no words came out. Beside him, Yue Ning and Marquis Yue wore complex expressions.
Wei Yanzhi was a clever person, but he hadn’t anticipated Qin Wan would search through the ash pile. Just a little longer, and Song Rou’s head would have silently disappeared from this world.
Magistrate Huo’s chest heaved several times before he suddenly ordered the yamen runners outside, “What are you standing there for? Start digging through the ashes!”
At his command, Qi Lin immediately led people forward. Fu Ling quickly pulled Qin Wan up. Looking at the pile of ashes before her, Qin Wan asked, “Where are the ashes from this courtyard usually dumped?”
Yue Ning quickly replied, “In the flower beds to the north! The gardeners there mix the ashes with soil. All the ashes from the manor’s kitchens, both large and small, from cooking and heating water, are sent there…”
Qin Wan looked at Magistrate Huo, “My Lord, I’m afraid we won’t be getting any rest tonight.”
How many ashes would all the kitchens and hot water rooms in the manor produce in a day? The ashes from the East Garden were only a small portion, and Song Rou’s skull had been shattered. Finding skull fragments in a mountain of ashes was like searching for a needle in the sea. The task would indeed require considerable effort, but at this point, Magistrate Huo wouldn’t complain about the runners having too much work – he even wanted to search through the ash mountain himself!
“Captain Qi, take your men to the flower beds. Marquis, we’ll need help from the manor’s people. Let’s try to find all the bones we need to find tonight…”
Marquis Yue naturally agreed without hesitation. Qin Wan added, “Wei Yanzhi’s stove has been burning for nearly six days. To burn away flesh and break bones would take at least three days. We need to look through the last three days’ worth of ashes.”
Marquis Yue nodded and hurried out to instruct Steward Yang.
The commotion tonight was considerable. Yue Qing and others had gone to rest but got up again hearing the manor’s activity. Before long, even Prince Yan came to the flower beds. Glancing around, he saw Qin Wan and Yue Ning standing at the edge, while not far away in the flower beds, servants were searching through several ash piles for something. Magistrate Huo stood nearby, occasionally calling out instructions!
“Search carefully! Don’t miss even the small pieces!”
“Don’t let other things get mixed in!”
Prince Yan raised an eyebrow and walked toward Qin Wan and the others.
Meanwhile, Yue Qing asked, “So, Ninth Miss will reassemble the bones later?”
As he spoke, he glanced at the fragments of bone arranged on a nearby tray, “The bones are so shattered, how will you reassemble them?”
If a complete skull were placed before everyone, it would likely terrify them all. But now that Wei Yanzhi had burned and shattered the entire skull, looking at the bone fragments piece by piece, people felt no fear.
Prince Yan was approaching when he heard this question and slowed his steps. He too wanted to know how Qin Wan would reassemble the bones.
They heard Qin Wan say, “These bones belong to different parts. The tiniest fragments probably can’t be reassembled, but the general shape can still be put together.” Speaking thus, Qin Wan looked at Yue Qing and said, “Could I trouble Second Young Master to find some fish glue?”
Yue Ning first frowned, seeming somewhat troubled, but soon his eyes brightened slightly, “Alright, dawn is approaching. I’ll go to Bao Qin Studio in the city. Within an hour, I’ll bring back the fish glue-“
After Yue Qing finished speaking, he left. Yue Ning watched his quickly disappearing figure with confusion, “Fish glue? Isn’t that used by carpenters? Why is Second Brother going to Bao Qin Studio?”
Hearing this, Qin Wan smiled and said, “Fish glue is made from fish maw. It has excellent adhesive properties and is quite rare. Not only can it be used as glue, but when used medicinally, it can nourish the essence, benefit blood, strengthen kidneys, and fortify the foundation. As glue, it’s usually only used in making extremely fine furniture. Moreover, it’s the best choice for making musical instruments like qin, xiao, drums, sheng, and ge. Bao Qin Studio sounds like it sells qins, so there should be qin makers there, and naturally, they would have fish glue.”
Yue Ning looked at Qin Wan with some admiration, “How many books have you read? How do you know so many strange and unusual things?”
Qin Wan smiled slightly, but before she could speak, Prince Yan had walked up.
“Ninth Miss’s knowledge is vast. Some books, even I haven’t heard of.”
At these words, Qin Wan’s heart immediately skipped a beat, but when she turned her gaze, she met Prince Yan’s glittering eyes.
It was now the latter half of the night. The layered clouds at the horizon had dispersed, and a crescent moon hung obliquely in the sky. The moonlight was serene, and though no stars were visible, it gave this autumn night’s dawn a clear radiance. Prince Yan’s eyes seemed as if washed by moonlight, and the bright lights around the flower beds reflected in them, along with Qin Wan’s image.
“Qin Wan has merely read a few miscellaneous books, I don’t deserve Your Highness’s praise.” Qin Wan lowered her eyes, casually answering. Prince Yan was a person of deep thoughts, and she wasn’t sure of his meaning in those earlier words…
Prince Yan curved his lips, looking at the bone fragments that had been found and placed on the tray. He casually picked up one piece, showing no aversion to it being human bone, “Among these bones, do you know which part of the body each piece comes from?”
Qin Wan glanced at the bone in Prince Yan’s hand, about the size of half a tea saucer, and narrowed her eyes slightly, “The one in Your Highness’s hand is the mandible.”
Prince Yan raised an eyebrow, looking at this unremarkable piece of bone in his hand. Since it had been shattered, the broken edges were uneven, and Prince Yan couldn’t see how it was a human mandible no matter how he looked at it. Beside them, Yue Ning unconsciously touched her jaw, only now feeling her scalp tingle.
Prince Yan put down the bone piece and gave a light laugh, “Ninth Miss’s medical skills and forensic abilities rank among the top three I’ve ever seen. The other two were both over sixty years old, and none possessed such proficiency in both medicine and forensics simultaneously. Ninth Miss truly deserves the title of Medical Immortal; I am deeply impressed.”
This praise made Qin Wan’s heart fill with doubt – was Prince Yan testing her or being sincere?
She had thought Prince Yan would continue to challenge her, but after putting down the bone, he just stood to the side. Qin Wan’s heart pounded, and after saying “I don’t deserve such praise,” she spoke no more, only using the excuse of watching everyone search for bones to walk toward the ash piles.
As soon as Qin Wan left, Yue Ning raised her chin to look at Prince Yan, “What are Your Highness’s intentions toward her?”
Prince Yan turned his gaze to look at Yue Ning, “What does County Princess mean?”
Yue Ning gave a cold laugh, “That day in your reply to the capital, you wrote that your return date was undetermined. Has someone urged Your Highness to return to the capital quickly? Your Highness has no business in Jin Zhou, yet remains for unknown reasons?”
Prince Yan withdrew his gaze, turning instead to look at Qin Wan in the distance, “Naturally, I have my reasons.”
Yue Ning looked at Prince Yan, then at Qin Wan where his gaze rested, and immediately frowned. She felt somewhat angry inside, feeling that Prince Yan was quite perverse and harbored improper intentions toward Qin Wan. Though she wanted to say something, seeing his expression, she couldn’t get the words out. Moreover, given their respective positions, she couldn’t say anything to him.
Qin Wan knew nothing of their subtle confrontation, only watching how many bone fragments had been found. As the crescent moon sank lower and the sky grew clearer, the bones on the tray piled up into a small mountain.
At daybreak, Qin Wan counted the bones on the tray and said, “Magistrate, five teeth are missing, but everything else is mostly here. The extremely fragmented pieces that can’t be found won’t matter. Let’s go to the front courtyard.”
Magistrate Huo had stayed up all night and now had dark circles under his eyes. Hearing this, he quickly nodded, first instructing Qi Lin to continue searching, then following Qin Wan and the others to the front courtyard. Qin Wan personally carried the tray of bone fragments, but before she had taken a few steps, a large hand reached from behind and took the tray from her. Qin Wan looked up to see it was Prince Yan.
Raising an eyebrow, the suspicion in Qin Wan’s heart rose again.
As dawn’s light began to spread, the dramatic two days of Song Rou’s case were coming to an end. Everyone wanted to know how Qin Wan would reassemble these bone fragments into a human head. Just after Qin Wan entered the front courtyard, within the time it took to burn an incense stick, Yue Qing returned with the fish glue!
In the main hall of the front courtyard, Qin Wan had cleaned the bones on the table and was arranging them piece by piece.
Yue Qing watched from the side and couldn’t help asking, “How does Ninth Miss plan to reassemble them?”
“First the cranium, then the facial bones.”
Qin Wan’s expression was serious as she spoke, already selecting two of the largest bone pieces. She applied fish glue to the sides of the bones and carefully joined the two pieces together. The fish glue had excellent adhesion, and the two bones fit together perfectly without any gaps. Qin Wan lowered her head to search, and before long, she had selected another piece. In this way, joining one piece after another, soon a dome-shaped skull cap began to take shape. Prince Yan and Marquis Yue watching from the side showed amazement in their eyes, while Magistrate Huo’s eyes widened in wonder, and Yue Ning could only look on in admiration…
After completing the skull cap, she connected the frontal and occipital bones. Qin Wan’s expression was serious and meticulous. Though there were many people in the room, no one dared disturb her. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Next, she assembled the sphenoid, temporal, and ethmoid bones one by one. Then, a skull with a complete cranial cap and cavity began to take shape. Qin Wan didn’t relax at all, carefully identifying each small bone fragment. After half an hour, the facial bones showed a human appearance…
Qin Wan worked steadily, and no one in the room dared to question or rush her. She connected the cranium and facial bones, then gradually added the remaining small bone fragments from the tray. Another half hour passed, and only a few nail-sized bone fragments remained in the tray without a place. Qin Wan straightened up and let out a breath.
“Only half of the hyoid bone and inferior nasal concha remain, so I won’t add them for now. The remaining few teeth aren’t crucial to the case…” Qin Wan finished speaking softly, her gaze carefully scanning the skull she had reassembled.
Due to many missing fragments, there were still some small gaps in the skull that couldn’t be filled. To others, it looked like the entire skull was covered in wounds, but after a pause, Qin Wan said, “Below the occipital bone of the deceased, there is a crescent-shaped wound one inch long, likely caused by a weapon with a one-inch wide blade. Since the wound is on the bone, it can be directly compared with the weapon. For now, it appears to be from Wei Yanzhi’s Chengying sword.”
“This wound would have immediately paralyzed the victim but wouldn’t have been fatal.” After a slight pause, Qin Wan continued with furrowed brows, “In other words, the killer first attacked the victim from behind, then, while the victim was still conscious, decapitated her.”