Qin Wan’s heart skipped a beat. “A death? Someone died at the Qin mansion?”
Yan Chi nodded, “Yes, so you needn’t worry about other matters. You should return to the mansion immediately.”
A chill crept up from Qin Wan’s feet. “Who died at the Qin mansion?”
“It seems to be one of your master’s concubines,” Yan Chi said as he pulled Qin Wan toward the exit. “It was reported to the Magistrate’s Office half an hour ago, and Magistrate Huo has already headed to the Qin mansion.”
Qin Wan was still processing the information. “A concubine? There are many concubines in the mansion, I wonder which one…”
Yan Chi glanced back at her for a moment. “I don’t know either. We’ll find out when we get there.”
This sudden news left Qin Wan both shocked and suspicious. She was momentarily stunned, continuing to look at Yan Chi’s profile as she asked, “How did Your Highness come to know about this?”
Yan Chi replied in a solemn voice, “I had just returned to the Qin mansion briefly and was about to visit the Magistrate’s Office. Before I could leave, word came that the Magistrate was heading to the Qin mansion for a murder case. I was about to go directly there when I learned you were here, so I came to get you.”
Qin Wan didn’t understand why Yan Chi wanted to go to the Qin mansion after learning that Magistrate Huo had gone there. Huo went because he was the Magistrate, but why was Yan Chi going?
In Qin Wan’s confused state, this question seemed less important. He was the Crown Prince of the Rui Principality – despite being away with the military these past few days, his status meant he could go wherever he wished.
Qin Wan lowered her gaze and had no choice but to follow quickly as Yan Chi pulled her along. After a few more steps, Yan Chi looked back at Qin Wan’s billowing skirts and imperceptibly slowed his pace. Fu Ling followed behind, having to jog to keep up, and was greatly relieved when Yan Chi slowed down.
The group emerged onto the main path from the East Garden. While Qin Wan’s mind was in chaos wondering who had died at the Qin mansion, suddenly Yue Ning’s voice rang out.
“Qin Wan, are you heading back to the mansion?”
Qin Wan looked up to see Yue Ning in front, followed by Yue Qing and the Grand Princess, with Madam Jiang accompanying them.
It appeared they all knew about the situation at the Qin mansion, as their expressions were rather grave.
Qin Wan nodded, “I don’t know what happened yet, I need to go back and see.”
As she finished speaking, Qin Wan suddenly realized Yan Chi was still holding her hand. Just as she was about to pull away, Yan Chi seemed to sense her intention and released her hand. Yue Ning glanced at Yan Chi but said nothing.
Having come to the Marquis mansion, they naturally had to pay respects to the Grand Princess first. Since the Grand Princess wasn’t present earlier, Qin Wan immediately stepped forward to bow. The Grand Princess took Qin Wan’s hand, “Alright, we don’t know what exactly happened, you should go back and see. Take care of yourself.”
Qin Wan responded with a soft “Mm.” “I’ve left your medicine in your courtyard. It’s still mainly for recuperation, three times daily, the same as before. Please remember to take it on time.”
The Grand Princess patted the back of Qin Wan’s hand, “Alright, I’m much better now. You go back first, and come again tomorrow.”
Qin Wan nodded, but the Grand Princess turned to look at Yan Chi, “Little Seven, you’re going too?”
Yan Chi nodded, and the Grand Princess sighed, “Very well, go with her and see if there’s anything you can help with. You just received the imperial edict and now this happens – you can’t completely step away.”
Yan Chi nodded, “Don’t worry, Aunt. I understand.”
Qin Wan’s mind was in a fog. Though she heard the conversation between Yan Chi and the Grand Princess and felt slightly puzzled, she didn’t think too much about it. Matters like imperial edicts weren’t something she could inquire about. Therefore, Qin Wan didn’t ask anything, only wanting to return to the Qin mansion quickly to see what had happened.
Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan after finishing, “Let’s go-“
He started walking after speaking, and Qin Wan curtsied to the Grand Princess and Madam Jiang before following behind Yan Chi. Yue Ning watched and said, “There’s been a death at the Qin mansion, I wonder what happened. I’d like to go see too.”
The Grand Princess gave her a disapproving look, “When something happens in someone else’s household, what position are you in to go there? You’ll know sooner or later, there’s no rush. Going over now would be too discourteous.”
Yue Ning nodded slightly, “I was just saying so, Grandmother, don’t worry, I understand.”
The Grand Princess shook her head, “The Qin mansion… it’s not a good place even without incidents, and now there’s this trouble. Poor Wan girl has it difficult.”
At these words, both Yue Ning and Yue Qing showed worried expressions, but Madam Jiang said, “Mother, don’t worry. Wan’er is blessed with good fortune. Besides, we’re here for her – we won’t let things get too difficult for her.”
Meanwhile, Qin Wan followed Yan Chi out of the Marquis mansion to find two horses beside her carriage.
Qin Wan didn’t waste time on details and quickly climbed into her carriage. Yan Chi raised an eyebrow and mounted his horse along with Bai Feng. Qin Wan gave the order, “Quickly, back to the mansion-“
As the carriage curtain fell, the driver immediately raised his whip.
As the carriage began rolling, Fu Ling asked nervously, “Miss, how could there be a death at the mansion?”
Qin Wan shook her head, her clear eyes dark and deep.
“I don’t know. We’ll find out when we get back.”
Qin Wan didn’t even know who had died, so naturally she couldn’t draw any conclusions. However, vaguely, Qin Wan didn’t find it entirely surprising that there had been a death at the Qin mansion because, before this, there had already been one attempted murder case. It was just that at that time, the person who died had come back to life, while the murderer had completely hidden away.
Was this death case related to the previous one?
The wheels creaked as they turned, and hoofbeats clattered outside the carriage. Qin Wan lifted the curtain to look outside. Though Yan Chi could have ridden ahead quickly, he had slowed his pace because of Qin Wan’s carriage. The suspicions in Qin Wan’s heart surged up at this moment – why was Yan Chi coming along? Why was he matching pace with her carriage?
Lifting the curtain, Qin Wan looked at Yan Chi and said, “Your Highness, are you looking for Magistrate Huo on urgent business?”
Yan Chi sat on horseback, looking down at her, “What about it?”
Qin Wan then said, “My carriage is too slow. If Your Highness has urgent business, please go ahead.”
Yan Chi’s phoenix eyes narrowed as he glanced at Qin Wan before turning away. However, he didn’t increase his speed at all, still following beside Qin Wan’s carriage. Qin Wan felt that Yan Chi seemed particularly lofty and unapproachable at this moment. She frowned and let the curtain fall – she had already expressed her opinion, whether he listened or not was his business.
The light was dim inside the carriage. Qin Wan decided not to worry about Yan Chi anymore and thought about the situation at the Qin mansion instead.
Yesterday, Qin Shuang had just fallen into that well. Liu Chun said the well could be used, but in the evening, the Old Madam had it sealed up. Who had died, and could it be related to that well?
The more Qin Wan thought the graver her expression became. She only wished the carriage could fly back to the Qin mansion.
Following Qin Wan’s orders, the driver didn’t dare be careless. He wielded his whip urgently, and their speed was notably faster than usual. After less than half an hour, the carriage stopped outside the Qin mansion.
As soon as Qin Wan alighted, she saw two yamen runners guarding the side gate of the Qin mansion along with the mansion’s gatekeepers. The two men seemed to be waiting for someone, and when they saw Qin Wan’s carriage stop, they immediately walked over.
Qin Wan was somewhat startled, but the two runners looked toward Yan Chi, “Greetings to Your Highness. Your Highness, Magistrate Huo has already entered the Qin mansion. Please come with us.”
Qin Wan’s brows furrowed tightly – so Yan Chi did have urgent business with the Magistrate.
Thinking this, Yan Chi glanced at Qin Wan and said, “Aren’t you coming?”
Qin Wan had wanted to keep her distance, also because of Yan Chi’s status, letting him go first. But since Yan Chi had spoken, she naturally wanted to follow immediately. The two runners walked quickly, and Yan Chi wasn’t slow either. Qin Wan lifted her skirts and walked rapidly. As soon as they entered the gate, she saw the grave-faced gatekeepers. Going further in, she could still see several servants coming and going in the outer courtyard, but the deeper they went into the inner courtyard, the quieter it became. These two runners knew where they were going, striding ahead to lead the way. Qin Wan looked and saw they were heading east!
Qin Wan felt a surge of unease in her heart. Following the corridor straight ahead, even after passing the medicine storehouse, the two runners hadn’t stopped. Qin Wan knew then that it was a concubine who had died – they must be heading to the concubines’ quarters.
Sure enough, the two runners slowed their pace when they reached the concubines’ quarters. However, the concubines’ residences were arranged in sequence, and Qin Wan didn’t know where they were heading. She looked back at Fu Ling, who was also watching the runners’ destination with extreme nervousness. Suddenly, the two runners turned and walked directly into one of the courtyards.
Qin Wan’s brows furrowed, and Fu Ling drew in a sharp breath.
Those two runners had entered Eighth Concubine Liu’s courtyard!
Qin Wan’s hands tightly gripped her sleeves. Concubine Liu was dead?!
Concubine Liu had been to the Bamboo Grove. Was her death related to Ninth Miss’s death?
Qin Wan’s heart was pounding like a drum. Yan Chi, who was walking ahead, turned back to look at Qin Wan, his gaze heavy.
“Your Highness– Greetings to Your Highness–“
Just as they reached the courtyard gate, Magistrate Huo Huai Xin came out to welcome them, accompanied by a grave-faced Qin Chen and Old Madam Jiang. Beside Old Madam Jiang stood Cai He and Madam Lin on either side.
Magistrate Huo made a deep bow, and the others from the Qin household followed suit. When they saw Qin Wan following behind Yan Chi, their expressions all changed slightly. Yan Chi raised his chin slightly, “Rise, no need for such a ceremony.”
Old Madam Jiang was helped up by Madam Lin and Cai He. Yan Chi looked at Magistrate Huo and asked, “How is it?”
Magistrate Huo wiped the light sweat from his brow and shook his head, “Initial determination is homicide – she was strangled to death. Right now, all the servants from the inner court have been gathered in the steward’s courtyard and are being questioned one by one. Xu He is inside examining the body.”
Qin Wan’s eyebrow twitched. Yan Chi looked at Qin Chen and Old Madam Jiang’s group, frowning, “Where is Master Qin?”
Now that there had been a murder at the Qin mansion, Master Qin should have been the one handling matters, but why was he nowhere to be seen?
Magistrate Huo gave a bitter smile, “Master Qin is ill, and… it’s a very serious illness, so now Eldest Young Master Qin Chen and the Old Madam are handling things together. Your Highness, if you have any questions, they can answer them.”
As he spoke, Qin Chen stepped forward and said, “Your Highness, if you have any questions, you may ask me.”
Yan Chi nodded slowly, his expression imposing. He remained silent, and Magistrate Huo wiped another bead of sweat from his brow. As Qin Chen and the others grew nervous, not knowing what to say, Qin Chen’s gaze swept over to Qin Wan, and he said, “Ninth Sister, now that you’re back, you should return to Ting Lan Court. This matter surely has nothing to do with you, and it’s rather inauspicious for you to stay here.”
Qin Wan had left the Qin mansion early in the morning and appeared alongside Yan Chi, presumably because they were both at the Marquis mansion. At this moment, neither Qin Xiang nor Qin Shuang was present, and it was clear that Old Madam Jiang and Madam Lin didn’t want the younger generation involved in these matters. It was natural for Qin Chen to speak thus, but after he finished, Yan Chi said, “I’m afraid we’ll have to trouble Ninth Miss.”
Qin Chen was stunned, as were Qin Wan and Magistrate Huo standing to the side.
Yan Chi glanced at Qin Chen and the others, saying, “This case concerns the Qin family’s reputation. The Magistrate and I are not very familiar with your household. Since Ninth Miss is highly trusted by the Grand Princess, let her accompany us. We can ask her about anything unclear.”
Then, Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan, “How about it?”
Qin Wan raised her eyes to look at Yan Chi, understanding that he intentionally wanted her involved in this case, but still didn’t understand why Yan Chi had suddenly started presiding over it. He hadn’t shown much interest in Song Rou’s case.
“Naturally, I’ll follow Your Highness’s instructions…”
Qin Wan responded, while Qin Chen hesitantly said, “But… someone has died. Ninth Sister is still just a young lady, I fear she might be frightened. Your Highness, if you don’t mind, I could…”
Yan Chi frowned, “It’s not that I find the Eldest Young Master unsuitable, but since this case occurred in the Qin mansion, you should avoid suspicion.”
Qin Chen’s face paled slightly. Yan Chi’s cold gaze swept toward Old Madam Jiang and the others, “The case occurred in the Qin mansion, and you are all masters of the household. I don’t wish to suspect any of you, but reasonably speaking, you should all avoid suspicion.”
The Qin family was after all nobility of Jin Prefecture, and even Magistrate Huo couldn’t be so direct and rough. But Yan Chi didn’t need to be cautious at all, and once he spoke, Qin Chen and Old Madam Jiang had no room for compromise.
Qin Chen could only nod, “Yes, Your Highness speaks sensibly.”
Yan Chi nodded, showing slight satisfaction, then looked at Magistrate Huo and said, “Please escort the Old Madam and Eldest Young Master to rest aside. You can tell me about the case details. Now, take me to see the deceased’s body.”
Magistrate Huo wiped his sweat and quickly instructed a yamen runner, “Go, escort the Old Madam to the flower hall to rest.” Then he looked at Old Madam Jiang with a smile, “Old Madam, please rest first. We’ll come to you if we have any questions.”
Old Madam Jiang held a string of Buddhist beads and made a single-handed bow to Magistrate Huo, “Amitabha, I entrust this matter to you, Magistrate.” She then bowed to Yan Chi before leaving with Qin Chen and the others.
After they left, Yan Chi asked, “Where is the body?”
Magistrate Huo pointed inside, “Inside, Your Highness, please-“
Yan Chi took two steps forward then turned back, seeing Qin Wan still standing in place. He frowned, “What’s wrong? Don’t you want to see what happened to the body?”
Qin Wan straightened her back. Want to? Of course, she wanted to! Let alone it happening in the Qin mansion, even if she encountered a suspicious case on the street, her years of following her father investigating cases would make her want to explore it. But…
Qin Wan frowned at Yan Chi, “Your Highness is going to investigate this case?”
It wasn’t that Qin Wan was overstepping; she just wondered why Yan Chi wasn’t at the Yue family military camp and had come to the Qin mansion instead. She had thought he was looking for Magistrate Huo for other matters, but now it seemed he had come specifically for the Qin mansion’s case!
Something wasn’t quite right; there seemed to be something she didn’t know yet.
Although Qin Wan’s question was vague, both Yan Chi and Magistrate Huo understood her meaning. Magistrate Huo broke into a smile, “Ninth Miss is surprised that His Highness has come to investigate? Ha ha, Ninth Miss doesn’t know yet, but His Highness now bears the important position of Criminal Investigation Commissioner, equal to the Left Vice Minister of Justice. Since he’s in Jin Prefecture now, naturally he oversees the homicide cases here.”
Qin Wan’s eyes widened, “Criminal Investigation Commissioner?”
The position of Investigation Commissioner wasn’t a permanent official post, but any position with the title of Commissioner was usually directly appointed by the Emperor and the Department of State Affairs, carrying imperial authority to the prefectures for supervision and inspection duties. Moreover, they held power over official evaluations and prefectural internal affairs supervision. As Investigation Commissioner, Yan Chi might not be able to interfere in other matters, but all criminal investigation and litigation cases in Jin Prefecture fell under his jurisdiction. With him present, Magistrate Huo and the prefecture’s patrol office became his subordinates. How the Qin mansion’s case would be handled was indeed most effectively determined by him. But why had Yan Chi suddenly been given the position of Investigation Commissioner?
“Yes, Investigation Commissioner.” Magistrate Huo sighed, and seeing no outsiders around, he said, “Miss Song’s case was reported back to the capital. Given its connection to the An Yang Marquis mansion and the Song Duke’s mansion, His Majesty perhaps anticipated the Grand Princess’s fury, so he put forward His Highness. This case was quite thorny, and His Majesty didn’t know how long it would take to solve, so he wanted His Highness to lead the investigation, both preserving the faces of all families involved and bringing the culprit to justice.”
After a pause, Magistrate Huo continued with a wry smile, “But unexpectedly, before the imperial edict arrived from the capital, the case was solved with Ninth Miss’s help. The edict arrived yesterday afternoon, and I had just said that it came too late, that His Highness’s commissioner position had become an idle post. But who would have thought that right after I said that the Qin mansion would have an incident today…”
Magistrate Huo gave a helpless bitter laugh, and Qin Wan blinked. Song Rou’s case indeed had extensive implications, and the current Emperor, knowing Yan Chi’s identity and good relations with the An Yang Marquis mansion, had made a clever move in putting him forward. Moreover, with Yan Chi’s status and resolve, he wouldn’t be overly cautious in his actions and could naturally supervise the case most efficiently. However, the Emperor probably hadn’t expected the case to be solved so quickly. But was the Emperor’s edict specifically for Yan Chi to oversee Song Rou’s case, or had it confirmed his position as Investigation Commissioner? If it was the former, that would be fine, but if it was the latter, things would be much more complicated.
“However, I see that His Majesty also intends to test and train His Highness through this, and this case is perfect for His Highness to demonstrate his abilities,” Magistrate Huo said, adding, “Having His Highness here is like taking a reassurance pill for me. How this case is investigated depends entirely on His Highness’s wishes, and this official will certainly serve well as His Highness’s advance guard.”
While Magistrate Huo’s words carried some flattery, Qin Wan’s heart sank slightly.
Had Yan Chi returned from the Northwest Army not to return to the military but to enter the court?
If the Emperor truly intended for Yan Chi to gain experience in the Investigation Commissioner position, didn’t that suggest he planned to keep him in the Ministry of Justice? But once arranged this way, it would be very difficult for Yan Chi to return to the military!
Qin Wan had many thoughts in that instant, but Yan Chi’s face showed no ripples. He glanced at Qin Wan, turned, and entered the courtyard, “Magistrate, please tell me what you’ve learned from when you received the news until now?”
Yan Chi slowed his pace slightly, and Magistrate Huo hurried to follow, saying, “This official received the report from a Qin mansion servant an hour and a half ago, only saying someone had died in the mansion, nothing else. When I heard it was the Qin mansion, I had someone report to Your Highness while I came here. When I arrived, the inner court had already been secured, with no servants allowed to approach. The Qin mansion has always maintained strict discipline, as evidenced by this. Without various people around, it was quite convenient. When this official brought people in, the maid in this courtyard said that early this morning, when they opened the door, they found this concubine dead in her room. They were terrified and told Madam Lin, who had someone report to the officials-“
After a slight pause, Magistrate Huo continued, “This concubine was the Eighth Concubine of the mansion, very favored, but recently, after Master Qin fell ill, he rarely came to the inner quarters, and this concubine had also fallen ill these past few days and was taking medicine. She died in her bed. She only had two personal maids serving in this courtyard. The maids said that yesterday evening, after the concubine retired early, they closed the courtyard gate and went to sleep, only to discover she was dead when they opened the door this morning.”
Yan Chi frowned, “The door wasn’t locked?”
Magistrate Huo nodded, “No, it wasn’t locked.”
As they spoke, Yan Chi looked toward the main room ahead, “Is this her room?”
Magistrate Huo nodded, “Yes, Xu He is examining the body inside.”
Yan Chi strode toward the main room, while Qin Wan, visiting Concubine Liu’s courtyard for the first time, curiously observed the surroundings. The concubines’ courtyards weren’t as large as those of the young masters and misses, but the Qin mansion had always maintained elegant scenery. Concubine Liu’s courtyard seemed designed to match her name, with several weeping willows planted in the corners, and beneath them were clusters of peonies, as if suggesting her charm. In the central courtyard was an artificial mountain with flowing water. In spring, though small, this courtyard would certainly be elegant and pleasant.
Qin Wan swept her gaze around once, then soon entered the main door. As soon as she entered, a pungent medicinal smell made her frown. The medicine’s scent was mixed, but Qin Wan immediately recognized several of the herbs. Calculating this, she found this prescription surprisingly familiar…
“Xu He, His Highness, and Ninth Miss are here. Have you found anything?”
Magistrate Huo turned right from the main hall and entered the Eighth Concubine’s bedroom. Here, another pungent mix of powder and medicine smells arose. Qin Wan quietly observed the Eighth Concubine’s room and couldn’t help but click her tongue. While the courtyard outside looked somewhat scenic, it wasn’t much better than other courtyards, but inside was vastly different. The room’s decorative items were all jade, and the porcelain was also exquisite and high-grade. Looking at the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls, there were even several pieces by master artists from the previous dynasty. Qin Wan inwardly sighed – this Eighth Concubine was indeed extremely favored!
“Greetings to Your Highness and Ninth Miss-“
The inner chamber was particularly luxurious and elegant. Xu He stood inside wearing white robes, and after several days, his scholarly air remained undiminished. He bowed to Yan Chi and Qin Wan, then frowned and said, “Sir, please come look-“
At this, Magistrate Huo hurried over, and Qin Wan followed Yan Chi to the bedside.
In the past, Magistrate Huo and Xu He would have worried about frightening Qin Wan, but now, the three men deliberately made space for her to examine conveniently. Qin Wan stepped forward without hesitation and immediately saw Eighth Concubine Liu, who had been dead for some time.
Perhaps because Concubine Liu loved red, her bed curtains were also a bright water-red color. Now the bed curtains were completely tied back, and the brocade quilt had been moved aside. This bright and dazzling brocade couch had momentarily become Concubine Liu’s deathbed.
Concubine Liu still wore a water-red gauze dress. Xu He had only conducted basic examinations and hadn’t removed her clothing. At this moment, Liu’s figure remained graceful under the thin gauze dress, but when Qin Wan saw her face, a sense of discomfort immediately rose within her.
Liu’s eyes were closed, and her face, though lifeless, was still covered in thick white powder – even thicker than when Qin Wan first saw her. Despite this, one could see her face was somewhat purple and swollen. Combined with the grayish complexion that naturally occurs after death, Liu lay with closed eyes, her face ghastly like a fierce ghost, chilling to behold. The smooth powder covered Liu’s features, and seemingly her neck as well. Against this deathly white powder, the purple strangulation marks on her neck were particularly obvious, explaining why Magistrate Huo said Xu He had concluded Liu was strangled to death.
Qin Wan didn’t doubt this conclusion, but her brows quickly furrowed.
“Sir, Your Highness, Ninth Miss, look at this purple mark below the deceased’s throat. I’ve examined it – there are no other injuries on the body, only this strangulation mark. The mark intersects at the back of the neck, and it’s very deep and thin. Look here…”
As he spoke, Xu He turned Liu’s head. As her head tilted, the mark on her neck became particularly visible. “Look, there are small blood spots above and below the mark, showing she was strangled alive. Combined with the purple swelling of her face and slightly protruding eyeballs, this proves she was strangled to death.”
Yan Chi nodded, but turned to look at Qin Wan, “What do you think?”
Qin Wan pursed her lips slightly. Actually, she didn’t necessarily need to be involved in this case, but Yan Chi seemed to have seen through her thoughts. From the beginning, he had kept her by his side under the pretext of helping answer questions. For this reason, and by bringing up the Grand Princess, everything seemed perfectly reasonable. As someone who knew him, it was natural for him to trust and ask Qin Wan questions, and the Qin household would have no suspicions.
And Qin Wan herself wouldn’t stay uninvolved. Let alone having seen Liu visit the Bamboo Grove, even if she hadn’t, Qin Wan wouldn’t let any suspicious case in the Qin mansion go. She vaguely felt that Liu’s death must be connected to Ninth Miss’s death somehow. Perhaps by uncovering the truth about Liu’s death, they could discover the truth about Ninth Miss’s death!
With this thought settled, Qin Wan said, “She was indeed strangled to death. Besides what Coroner Xu mentioned, her tongue must be protruding beyond her teeth, and there should be other clues on her hands and feet. We can also check her eye membranes…”
Xu He raised his eyebrows and quickly turned to open Liu’s mouth. Sure enough, Liu’s tongue lay between her teeth, and it appeared her tongue tip had been bitten, showing traces of blood. Xu He then opened her eyelids to find scattered blood spots on her protruding eyeballs. He silently noted these findings and turned to ask, “Does Ninth Miss mean that all strangulation victims show these signs?”
Qin Wan nodded, then shook her head. “Not necessarily, it depends on the circumstances. For instance, whether the tongue protrudes beyond the teeth depends on the situation. When the strangling cord is here…”
Qin Wan leaned forward, pointing to the position below Liu’s throat, “When it’s below this position, the tongue will protrude. But if the cord is higher up, the tongue won’t protrude. That’s why the common saying that hanging victims always have protruding tongues is incorrect. Sometimes even after hanging, the tongue might not protrude – it’s the same principle, depending on whether the rope is positioned high or low.”
Xu He nodded, mentally noting all this information.
Magistrate Huo commented, “So hanging and strangulation are very similar.”
Qin Wan hadn’t intended to say much, but since Magistrate Huo brought it up, she continued, “Hanging victims show less bleeding in the ligature marks, while strangulation victims show marks above and below. Strangulation victims have more numerous and obvious blood spots in their eye membranes. In hanging, the ligature mark appears only on the lower part and gradually becomes shallower on the sides, while in strangulation, deep tear marks appear on the sides and back of the neck as well. Also, if you open the victim’s skull, you’ll find more blood spots under the scalp in strangulation cases, while hanging victims have almost none.”
Opening the skull… Magistrate Huo’s eye twitched as he coughed lightly, “I’ve learned much. Ninth Miss is indeed knowledgeable. Ahem, since we’ve determined the cause of death, we can confirm the murder weapon, right? A very thin rope?” He looked around the room. “Could the weapon be somewhere in this room?”
Liu’s bedroom was decorated very elegantly and luxuriously. Near the window lay an unfinished embroidered handkerchief, but they couldn’t find any thin, strong rope.
“Was the room like this when you entered?”
Suddenly, Yan Chi spoke up. Magistrate Huo started slightly and said, “Yes, it was exactly like this.”
Yan Chi frowned, looking at Magistrate Huo, “Doesn’t the Magistrate find anything odd?”
Magistrate Huo looked around the room bewilderedly. “Odd… what’s odd…” After looking around several times, he suddenly muttered, “This room… doesn’t look like a murder scene…”
With this realization, Magistrate Huo’s eyes widened. “Yes! If she was killed in her room, there should be signs of struggle. This room is too neat. Could she have been drugged?”
As he spoke, Magistrate Huo went to examine Liu’s medicine bowl.
Qin Wan said nothing, but stepped forward to feel Liu’s body, then reached for her neck. Her brows immediately furrowed. Xu He, who had been watching Qin Wan’s expressions, quickly asked, “Has Ninth Miss discovered something?”
Qin Wan looked at Liu’s neatly arranged clothes, then suddenly started undoing her front collar. She moved efficiently but didn’t completely remove Liu’s clothes, only pulling them down below the shoulders. This revealed several purple spots on Liu’s shoulder. Qin Wan narrowed her eyes and rolled up Liu’s left sleeve, revealing several purple spots on the inner side of her left arm. Qin Wan pressed her finger on these spots then released – the purple color lightened but quickly returned to its original shade. She slowly lowered Liu’s arm, her face grave.
“The body has been moved…” Qin Wan said, her gaze slowly sweeping the surroundings. “And we don’t see the shoes Liu wore yesterday. She very likely didn’t die here.”
“The body was moved?” Xu He’s eyes suddenly widened. “Could Ninth Miss explain why?”
Though Xu He had become a coroner, his skills were still lacking. Having witnessed Qin Wan’s expertise several times, he had initially tried to learn secretly, but after discovering her personality, he simply asked directly.
Qin Wan glanced at him and openly explained, “Was she like this when you arrived?”
Xu He nodded, “Yes, exactly like this.”
Qin Wan continued, “Look, she was strangled to death, and this is how you found her. The first assumption would be that she was killed in her own room, but look at her face…”
Xu He quickly looked. Qin Wan explained, “The two maids said they only left after seeing her retire for the night. So she must have died after going to bed. From the body temperature and lividity patterns, she died between 11 PM and 1 AM. But by then, she should have been in bed. If she was already in bed, why would she be wearing such thick powder? Look at her clothes – they’re too neat for someone who had gone to bed.”
Xu He stared at Qin Wan without blinking. She continued, “That’s the first point. Secondly, there are no shoes in the room. Even if she was in bed, servants wouldn’t have taken her shoes away. Did the killer take them? That’s possible, but what would shoes reveal? Shoes on feet only show where someone has been. If she hadn’t left this room that night, why would the killer bother taking the shoes? Third, look at her nails…”
Xu He quickly said, “I noticed this too – her nails are broken.”
“Not just broken. The ring finger and index finger of her left hand, and the ring finger, index finger, and middle finger of her right hand – these nails are completely broken. There are also injuries on her fingertips and palms, showing she struggled violently. She wasn’t unconscious when strangled. Look how neat this room is – the teacup on the table, the brocade quilt on the bed, the jade ornaments by the bedside – nothing is broken or damaged. How is that possible? She must have been killed elsewhere.”
Taking a deep breath, Qin Wan continued, “Most importantly, the lividity on her body. After death, when the heart stops beating, blood naturally flows downward, pooling to create lividity. Look – if she had been lying on her back like this the whole time, how could there be lividity on her shoulder and inner arm? If I’m not mistaken, there should also be lividity on her thigh and waist, proving that after death, she was lying on her side, perhaps curled up. Look at her legs – they’re bent oddly. If we want to know her position at death, we just need to examine further.”
Xu He listened intently, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Qin Wan’s face.
Whenever involved in examining corpses, Qin Wan showed a focus entirely different from her usual demeanor. This focus seemed to carry a magnetic quality that drew people to look again and again. The certainty and composure in her expression gave people the sense that she could perceive everything in the world and, through these traces, eventually leave the killer nowhere to hide.
Because of this impression, even the most august persons had to listen carefully to her words at such moments!
Perhaps because Xu He was watching too intently, Qin Wan thought he had questions and continued, “Do you know about rigor mortis?”
Xu He suddenly came to himself and quickly nodded. Qin Wan explained, “Rigor mortis begins about an hour after death, starting in the most frequently used muscles. After three hours, the whole body becomes stiff. After six to seven hours, the body is completely rigid. After a day, the rigid body begins to soften again, and after three to four days, it becomes completely soft. So after death, the body maintains its position for a time – that’s why her legs are in this strange position.”
Xu He quickly nodded, “Good, I’ve noted this down.”
While Magistrate Huo wasn’t as eager to learn as Xu He, he had been listening carefully to Qin Wan’s explanation. At this point, he quickly asked, “So, Ninth Miss believes the killer killed Liu elsewhere and then moved her here?”
Qin Wan looked at Magistrate Huo and shook her head, “The person who moved the body wasn’t the killer.”
Magistrate Huo was stunned and turned bewilderedly to Yan Chi. Yan Chi’s eyes had already grown cold, “It seems we need to question the masters of the Qin household…”