Madam Jiang clutched Qin Chen’s arm tightly, her composed facade cracking as shock filled her eyes. Liu Chun?! Wasn’t Liu Chun supposed to have fled? How could he be in the well…
Yan Chi looked at Madam Jiang with cold eyes. “His servant said that on the day he left, he was wearing an indigo robe. Coincidentally, the corpse in the well is still relatively fresh and is also wearing an indigo robe.”
Yan Chi stated with certainty, “The one at the bottom of the well is undoubtedly Liu Chun.”
Madam Jiang’s hand trembled slightly, and she quickly gripped her prayer beads tighter. Her shock and panic lasted only a moment before she regained her composure as if an invisible mask had been replaced on her face. She calmly said, “Perhaps he was hiding here and, knowing he would be discovered, committed suicide by jumping into the well…”
Yan Chi shifted his gaze from Madam Jiang to Prefect Huo Huaixin and said, “Prefect Huo, please make arrangements to pull the body out from below.”
Prefect Huo had first learned about the ghost fires in the Purple Bamboo Grove, then heard Madam Jiang speak of an old acquaintance buried in the well, and now discovered that Liu Chun, whom they had been searching for day and night, was in the well… This series of events left him stunned for a long while. Only after Yan Chi’s instructions did he snap back to attention, nodding repeatedly, “Yes, yes, yes, this official will handle it right away.”
Though he said this, he somewhat confusedly directed several yamen runners. Meanwhile, Yan Chi looked at Madam Jiang and asked, “Elderly Madam mentioned there was another person who died in this well. A concubine of the household?”
Madam Jiang didn’t look at Yan Chi, her gaze fixed heavily on the dark well opening in the distance.
“Yes, it was the Second Concubine of the household. She took her own life here eight years ago.”
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying authority, “Eight years ago? According to Great Zhou law, any unnatural death in a household must be reported to officials for examination. Only after a conclusion is reached can the body be prepared for burial. Did Elderly Madam witness the concubine’s jump into the well?”
Madam Jiang’s brows furrowed slightly. “I did not witness it personally.”
Yan Chi narrowed his eyes. “Then were there any eyewitnesses?”
Madam Jiang sighed, “It was Second Concubine’s maid… she witnessed Second Concubine jump into the well. When she reported it to me and we came to look, there was no sound from the well. At that time, a high monk was staying in the mansion. We immediately invited him to look, and the monk declared this was an inauspicious well. Second Concubine had become a vengeful spirit after entering the well, and it would be best to let the well be her burial place, sealed with a demon-suppressing stone. Otherwise, this inauspicious well would bring disaster to the entire Qin household.”
Yan Chi’s expression remained unchanged. “What about Second Concubine’s maid?”
Madam Jiang seemed to recall the events from eight years ago, her eyes showing a trace of sorrow. “Her maid was indeed loyal. She fell ill and died not long after. The older servants in the household all know about this.”
Since the maid was a servant of the Qin household and her death by illness was common knowledge, it made sense that the masters didn’t feel the need to report it to officials. With Madam Jiang’s explanation, she had smoothed over the deaths of both Second Concubine and her maid.
Yan Chi shook his head. “The Qin household is known for its literary cultivation and propriety, yet when a concubine dies by jumping into a well, instead of reporting to officials for proper burial, you believed a monk’s words. Elderly Madam, you certainly have an interesting way of educating the household children. No wonder the Qin household frequently holds seven-day-and-night religious ceremonies.”
Madam Jiang’s brow trembled, and nearby, Qin Wan also came to her senses.
The nightmare from earlier that day was right before her eyes. She had suspected there might be something strange in the Purple Bamboo Grove, but Qin Wan never imagined Liu Chun had truly died in its depths – her dream had become reality…
Qin Wan looked at Yan Chi, knowing his reference to the seven-day-and-night ceremony meant the religious services held when she had died and come back to life. Though she felt his visit had nothing to do with her, hearing someone point out Madam Jiang’s rigid coldness still brought a slight warmth to her heart.
Madam Jiang lowered her eyes. Though she was devoted to Buddhist practices and frequently organized ceremonies with high monks, she didn’t want Qin Chen to be left with such an impression. The Great Zhou dynasty emphasized politics and education, with benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust as its core teachings. For those aspiring to become officials, it was important to avoid associations with supernatural forces. Government officials needed to be clear-minded and upright. If court officials were seen as too superstitious, they would face criticism from the Censorate. While many officials in the capital believed in Buddhism, it was mostly their female family members who practiced openly. If word spread that someone had commissioned a golden Buddha statue for themselves in a temple, they would certainly face scrutiny from the Censorate.
As a woman over sixty, Madam Jiang naturally didn’t fear Yan Chi, regardless of his military achievements. Such matters were far removed from her concerns. However, she had to consider Qin Chen’s future.
Madam Jiang lowered her head, her voice showing some respect, “Young Lord speaks truly.”
Yan Chi lifted his chin slightly. “Though Elderly Madam didn’t report it then, reporting it today is not too late. First, let’s retrieve Liu Chun’s body, then bring out the remains of that person from the past. After an official examination, we can proceed with proper burial. Though she was only a concubine, she should have a proper grave for peace in the afterlife. Otherwise, Elderly Madam’s Buddhist prayers might be tainted with guilt.”
Madam Jiang’s form swayed slightly, but she didn’t dare object. She nodded, “Yes, we’ll follow Young Lord’s instructions.”
Yan Chi then looked at Prefect Huo, who quickly nodded in agreement.
“Very well, leave the rest to the Prefect. Elderly Madam should return to rest.”
Though Yan Chi’s words were polite, his tone was completely flat. Madam Jiang watched as Prefect Huo directed people to retrieve the bodies, nodded, and turned around with a light cough.
Qin Chen looked at Qin Wan standing nearby, wanting to say something but couldn’t find the words, then followed Madam Jiang out.
The Purple Bamboo Grove, which had been forbidden ground for the household, hadn’t welcomed so many visitors in years. To retrieve the bodies, Prefect Huo ordered more torches lit, suddenly illuminating the entire grove!
With the torches lit, much of the grove’s eeriness was dispelled, but the autumn night remained cool, and the wind carried the smell of decay and a damp feeling across people’s faces, making them quite uncomfortable. The yamen runners responsible for retrieving the bodies worked very hard, hoping to finish and leave as quickly as possible. Qin Wan stood to the side in a crow-black cloak, her expression solemn.
Soon, Yan Chi walked over. “You were right again.”
Qin Wan looked up. Yan Chi’s features showed a noble pride in the surrounding torchlight.
“You’ve read Shen Yi’s writings? Which piece?”
The name “Shen Yi” caused Qin Wan’s heart to flutter. She lowered her eyes, “I’ve forgotten which piece, but I vaguely remember it, after all, stories of ghost fires are always told with such mystery…”
Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan, “I received His Majesty’s imperial order but have little experience in criminal matters. Have you read those writings on criminal justice? Later, draft a reading list for me.”
Qin Wan looked up, and at this moment, Yan Chi’s eyes showed complete clarity and frankness.
“The Great Zhou Legal Code is essential, along with Lord Shen Yi’s writings. Beyond that, there are the previous dynasty’s legal codes and historical records of criminal cases, plus various miscellaneous writings and records.”
Yan Chi watched her, “I want a specific list of titles.”
Qin Wan met Yan Chi’s gaze briefly before lowering her eyes, “Yes, I’ll draft it for Young Lord later.”
Yan Chi stared at Qin Wan for a moment before turning toward the well.
“Careful, slowly—”
“Ready to pull, heave—”
A yamen runner had been lowered into the well, with five or six others waiting above. Yan Chi watched as the rope was pulled up bit by bit. Behind him, Qin Wan also approached, but instead of looking at the dark well opening, she examined the huge stone beside it. According to Madam Jiang, the so-called high monk had used a demon-suppressing stone to seal the well, so this boulder must be that “demon-suppressing stone.” But shouldn’t it have been covering the well? How did it end up to the side?
Qin Wan carefully examined the stone, seeing it was just a two-foot-square piece of basalt. Having been in the bamboo grove for many years, its surface was covered with a layer of black grime, and black moss had grown around it. Qin Wan walked over to take a torch and carefully examined the moss.
Liu Chun’s body hadn’t been pulled up yet when Yan Chi noticed Qin Wan’s actions and walked over. “What is it?”
Qin Wan’s eyes held confusion, “This demon-suppressing stone was originally placed over the well opening. How did it get moved to the side? Such a large stone – even an average adult man couldn’t push it.”
As she spoke, Qin Wan reached out to touch the moss growing on the side. Her white fingertips immediately became dirty, but she paid no attention to it. After a moment, she said, “Looking at how the moss has grown, it must have been moved here more than half a year ago.”
“Half a year?” Yan Chi narrowed his eyes. “This is forbidden ground in the Qin household. Who would have come to move this stone half a year ago? As you say, it would have taken a strong man to move it. What was their purpose?”
Qin Wan frowned. Half a year ago, she was still in the capital in the Shen household, still the eldest young lady of the Shen family. Who in the Qin household would have come to move this stone then?
Naturally, Qin Wan couldn’t figure it out. Moreover, the stone was huge – an ordinary man without martial arts training or of slight build could hardly move it at all. Who in the Qin household had such martial prowess and strength?
Qin Wan pondered, glancing at the well opening. Could Liu Chun have moved it himself?
“Not many in the Qin household should know about this well. I didn’t even know there was a well here before. Someone who discovered this well might have known about the past events, but moving the stone would risk exposing what happened back then. Or perhaps someone simply stumbled upon this place by accident and moved the stone out of curiosity?”
Qin Wan shook her head as she spoke, unable to make sense of this detail. Just then, a shadow was pulled up from the well.
The rope was tied firmly around Liu Chun’s body, pulling him up from the well bottom in a very strange position. As soon as Liu Chun emerged, everyone’s attention focused on him.
Qin Wan and Yan Chi walked over together. They saw that Liu Chun’s face was pale, with the same deathly gray pallor from Qin Wan’s dream. His temple hair was disheveled, and his collar was slightly disturbed. With torches illuminating the area, Qin Wan immediately noticed the purple marks around Liu Chun’s neck. Her eyes narrowed slightly as suspicion arose.
Meanwhile, Prefect Huo had already crouched down to examine the body. “Strangulation marks – these marks seem identical to those on Concubine Liu’s body. Liu Chun didn’t jump into the well; he was strangled to death!”
As he spoke, Prefect Huo looked back at Qin Wan. “Ninth Young Lady…”
With many yamen runners and Qin household servants around, Prefect Huo couldn’t speak openly, but Qin Wan understood his meaning. After brief consideration, she said quietly, “Ask the constables to guard outside.”
Prefect Huo immediately stood up. “All of you, go guard the outside. No one is to enter. This official will personally examine the body!”
With these words, the surrounding yamen runners stuck their torches in the ground and walked away. Soon, only Yan Chi and Qin Wan remained by the old well.
As soon as the yamen runners left, even though torches were scattered throughout the Purple Bamboo Grove, it suddenly felt vast and empty. The autumn wind swept through, bringing a sudden chill. Huo Xianxin inexplicably felt a shiver down his spine and quickly turned to look at Qin Wan, “Thank you for your trouble, Ninth Young Lady…”
Qin Wan’s expression was unprecedentedly grave. Liu Chun was now a suspect in Liu’s unnatural death, and the handkerchief found in Liu Chun’s chambers proved his affair with Liu. A steward and concubine engaging in an illicit relationship was indeed a serious crime. The former Ninth Young Lady had most likely been killed because she discovered their affair. But now, how did Liu Chun end up dead?
If he had jumped into the well, that would have been one thing, but he hadn’t. The strangulation marks were so obvious – he was most likely murdered.
Qin Wan rolled up her sleeves and casually took out Han Yue from within them. Upon seeing Han Yue, Yan Chi’s eyes flickered with interest.
“Bring the corpse over here…”
Qin Wan pointed to a more level area, and upon hearing this, Huo Xianxin hurriedly went over to drag Liu Chun’s body himself.
Qin Wan stepped forward, first carefully examining Liu Chun’s body before crouching down.
This well was considered dried up, but there was still a layer of sludge at the bottom. Liu Chun was discovered in the well, with his disheveled hair and robes covered in much of it. Qin Wan spoke slowly, “There’s more sludge on the deceased’s head, left shoulder, and the left side of his robes, while his back, the back of his legs, and heel areas of his shoes are mostly covered in dry soil from outside. Initial assessment suggests he was pushed into the well after death.”
As she spoke, Qin Wan’s hands explored Liu Chun’s black hair, carefully feeling his scalp, then moving down to his face and neck, closely examining the purple tear-like mark. Qin Wan then pried open Liu Chun’s tightly closed eyes for inspection, before moving down to examine his fingernails and heel areas. After checking these, Qin Wan undid Liu Chun’s outer robe…
As soon as the robe was opened, Qin Wan’s brows furrowed.
In the bright torchlight surrounding them, Qin Wan immediately spotted the blisters on Liu Chun’s neck. She narrowed her eyes, pulled the robe down further to examine the purple postmortem lividity and blisters on his left shoulder and left side, then turned him over to check his back. Sure enough, the purple postmortem lividity overlapped with the blisters, particularly severe on his chest, abdomen, and lower body.
No wonder Liu Chun had worn high-collared clothes even though autumn had just begun…
Qin Wan examined silently, taking a full two cups of tea’s worth of time before stopping.
“As we suspected, he also had syphilis, and judging by the symptoms, it started earlier than the other known cases. It’s clear he had taken medicine, but it wasn’t very effective. Given the severity of his condition, living another half year would have been difficult.”
Yan Chi and Huo Xianxin showed no surprise at these words. Since the handkerchief was found in Liu Chun’s chambers, it confirmed the affair between Liu Chun and Liu, and the source of Liu’s syphilis became clear.
Even so, when Yan Chi saw Qin Wan examining Liu Chun’s body with such composure, his eyes deepened for a moment. The corpse’s stench and decay were one thing, but even he found the syphilitic lesions on Liu Chun’s chest, abdomen, and lower body somewhat disturbing to look at. Yet Qin Wan remained calm and composed as if such nauseating sights were commonplace to her.
Qin Wan was only sixteen years old now – how had she developed such composure?
Qin Wan was unaware that Yan Chi had fixed his gaze upon her. The syphilis was expected, so she continued describing her findings from the examination, “The deceased’s face is cyanotic due to blood flow restriction from neck strangulation. The ligature mark is below the larynx, deep, with bleeding at the top and bottom. The marks intersect at the back of the neck, with similar depths front and back. Additionally, there are obvious petechiae in the deceased’s eyes, and significant abrasions on his heels with considerable dry soil from the ground, likely left from struggling during the murder outside. Also, the deceased’s hands…”
As she spoke, Qin Wan lifted Liu Chun’s hand, “The deceased has several wounds on his fingertips, with dead leaves and soil fragments in his nail beds, believed to be from struggling.”
After a pause, Qin Wan continued in a grave tone, “Though Liu Chun wasn’t particularly strong, he was still a grown man. The killer’s method was the same as with Liu’s murder. Liu was a woman and easily subdued, but Liu Chun was different. Even if Liu Chun was caught off guard, it would take someone of considerable strength to succeed in killing him. The fact that Liu Chun has no other injuries shows it was a single, fatal strike.”
“The deepest postmortem lividity roughly matches the location of the sludge and has gradually spread throughout the body, with no blanching upon pressure. Furthermore, as you should have seen when dragging him out, his body is no longer rigid, indicating peak rigor mortis has passed. Combined with his clouded eyes, I estimate his time of death to be around this time last night, around the Hour of Hai.”
By the Hour of Hai, night had long fallen. Qin Wan’s calm words in this eerie Purple Bamboo Grove somehow carried a cold, sharp edge like a blade. Both Yan Chi and Huo Xianxin frowned simultaneously.
“The Hour of Hai last night?” Huo Xianxin narrowed his eyes. “Around the Hour of Hai, last night was shortly after His Highness and I had just left the Qin Manor… So you’re saying Liu Chun was killed at that time?”
Qin Wan adjusted Liu Chun’s clothes, “That’s the initial determination. And if I remember correctly, the Magistrate searched the Purple Bamboo Grove around the Hour of Xu. At that time, either Liu Chun was hiding in the Purple Bamboo Grove and wasn’t found by the Magistrate, or he was hiding elsewhere in the manor and came to the Purple Bamboo Grove after the Magistrate left.”
After a pause, Qin Wan’s voice grew colder, “It’s very likely the killer summoned him here. We previously thought Liu was probably killed by Steward Liu, but now Steward Liu is dead and in almost the same manner as Liu. Shouldn’t we suspect that someone else from the Qin Manor killed Liu two days ago? This person first killed Liu, then killed Steward Liu…”
As she spoke, Qin Wan glanced at the boulder beside the well, “It’s also possible that this person moved this boulder.”
Huo Xianxin’s eyes lit up, “That must be it! Someone who could move this boulder! So they could easily kill Steward Liu! This explanation makes sense! But is there such a person in the Qin Manor?”
Qin Wan shook her head, “I don’t know about that. From what I know, there isn’t, but that’s not certain. A killer who could murder two people would naturally know how to conceal themselves, not just conceal, but be a master at hiding.”
As Qin Wan spoke, she looked at Liu Chun’s body again, “This is just the preliminary examination. Like with Liu, the cause of death is easy to determine, but there are fewer clues left on the body. Looking at these ligature marks, I estimate it was a thin but strong cord, with no material from the cord left in the wounds, so no definitive conclusions can be drawn at this time.”
Then Qin Wan asked, “Would Your Highness and the Magistrate like to conduct an autopsy?”
Yan Chi asked, “Would an autopsy yield significant benefits?”
Qin Wan looked at Liu Chun, “Too much time has passed, and the cause of death is already clear, so the benefits would likely be minimal. However, if Your Highness and the Magistrate wish, we can arrange it, though not here.”
Although Qin Wan had Han Yue with her, disemboweling Liu Chun here would inevitably cause an uproar throughout the Qin Manor. At this point, that wasn’t a situation Qin Wan wanted to see.
Huo Xianxin looked to Yan Chi, “I’ll leave the decision to Your Highness.”
Yan Chi then said, “Then let’s forgo the autopsy. We’ve established the cause and time of death, and the murder likely occurred here. Let’s search the surrounding area for clues, and don’t forget, there’s still someone to retrieve from the bottom of the well.”
Yan Chi’s tone sent a chill down Huo Xianxin’s spine. Whoever went into the well eight years ago would surely be nothing but bones by now, and Madam Jiang said this was an ill-fated well, though he didn’t know if that was true, it sounded frightening.
“Very well, we’ll send people down to dig shortly.”
Huo Xianxin responded quickly, and Yan Chi looked around, “We won’t dig tonight. Leave a few people here to guard, and we’ll dig tomorrow. It’s been eight years already, one more day won’t matter.”
Huo Xianxin felt immediate relief. It was too late, and everything was pitch black both above and below the well. It truly wasn’t good for working. This way, all the yamen runners wouldn’t have to stay up all night, “Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness…”
Yan Chi waved his hand, and seeing Qin Wan stand up, he said, “Alright, you should go rest now.”
It was very late, and the Purple Bamboo Grove was both eerie and damp. Qin Wan was slightly startled by his words, and Yan Chi added, “Tomorrow when we bring that person up, we’ll need you to determine if it was truly a drowning death.”
Qin Wan nodded, while Fu Ling hurriedly took out a handkerchief to help Qin Wan wipe the mud from her hands. After wiping her hands, Qin Wan said, “Very well, then I shall take my leave.”
Qin Wan nodded, and Yan Chi looked to Bai Feng nearby, “Escort Ninth Young Lady back.”
Bai Feng agreed and gestured, “Ninth Young Lady—”
Qin Wan wanted to say it wasn’t necessary, but looking at Yan Chi’s eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to say it. She curtsied before turning to leave. As Qin Wan slowly walked out of the Purple Bamboo Grove, Huo Xianxin turned and said, “Your Highness, about Liu Chun…”
After just five words, Huo Xianxin’s speech halted. Within his line of sight, Yan Chi was still watching the direction Qin Wan had left, his gaze carrying a hint of profound attention that startled Huo Xianxin.
Being somewhat shrewd, he quickly lowered his eyes and thought for a moment. When he considered the possibility, his heart began to race!
Meanwhile, Yan Chi turned around, “What about Liu Chun?”
Huo Xianxin smiled and said, “Should we arrange for Liu Chun to be placed somewhere else?”
Yan Chi looked toward the southwest, “Is there still space in the courtyard with Liu’s memorial hall? Put him there for now. This case has changed now – tell the Qin family not to bury Liu yet, wait a few more days.”
Huo Xianxin nodded repeatedly, then called to the distant yamen runners, “Come here, carry Liu Chun out… take him to that courtyard. You few, check if there are any clues or traces left around here!”
……
……
The Purple Bamboo Grove was bustling with activity, and the entire Qin Manor was alarmed. Soon, the news reached Madam Jiang!
Madam Jiang frowned, “What?! Liu Chun is dead?! And in the same manner as Liu?!”
The young servant nodded, “Yes, the Magistrate has temporarily placed Steward Liu’s body in Concubine Liu’s courtyard, and said this case is different now, neither of them can be buried yet.”
Madam Jiang’s prayer beads began turning rapidly in her hand, while Lady Lin beside her let out a long sigh, “Mother, what is happening? Wasn’t everything supposed to be fine once they caught Steward Liu? How is Steward Liu now dead? Does this mean both Steward Liu and Liu were killed by someone else, and this killer is still hiding in our manor?”
Madam Jiang slowly closed her eyes, while Qin Chen said from the side, “Mother, that’s correct.”
Lady Lin clutched her handkerchief tightly, “The Master’s illness hasn’t shown any improvement, and now in the manor… And from back then, even the matter of Second Concubine has become known to the Magistrate and the Crown Prince’s son, this…”
“What are you panicking about!” Madam Jiang’s eyes suddenly opened, a flash of sharp light in them.
“So what if they know? We only concealed it back then, we didn’t take her life. The way you’re acting, others might think we killed Second Concubine. Now they’re having officials dig up the remains, it just means one more burial ceremony.”
Lady Lin’s face paled at Madam Jiang’s scolding, but she nodded, “Yes, Mother is right, I was just panicking.”
Madam Jiang sighed and turned to look at Qin Chen, “Chen’er, how is your father’s illness?”
After being asked several times, a hint of indifference appeared in Qin Chen’s eyes, “Still the same. Qian Bai Ren is useless, not showing any effect at all.” After a pause, Qin Chen said, “Grandmother, should we ask Ninth Sister…”
Madam Jiang shook her head, “Absolutely not. Qin Wan is just a junior, it’s embarrassing enough that she knows about the elders’ shameful matters, and now you want her to treat your father’s illness? How could your father ever face anyone again!”
Qin Chen wanted to speak but held back. At this point, which was more important – life or face?
But thinking of Qin An’s lecherous and pleasure-seeking nature, the anxiety in Qin Chen’s heart suddenly faded. Let him care about his face then, life wasn’t that important…
A shadow of gloom passed through Qin Chen’s eyes, and he immediately stopped trying to persuade Madam Jiang.
After a pause, Madam Jiang said, “Go invite Divine Physician Huang. We must invite him here regardless of the cost. That illness can be fatal, we can’t delay it anymore. Tomorrow, Chen’er, go invite him tomorrow.”
Qin Chen pressed his lips together, “Yes, grandson will go tomorrow.”
Only then did Madam Jiang slowly exhale, and looking at Lady Lin and Qin Chen again, she said, “The manor is in a difficult situation now, but don’t panic. Magistrate Huo has some connection with the Qin Manor after all. He’s investigating the case, we just need to cooperate. The killer isn’t any of us anyway. Right now, I also hope the killer is found soon, to spare our manor from this daily chaos.”
Then looking at Qin Chen, she continued, “Chen’er, keep better control of the outer court these days. Select a capable steward to replace Liu Chun’s position. Whatever Magistrate Huo needs, just make sure to provide it.”
Qin Chen nodded again, and Madam Jiang narrowed her eyes, “Perhaps this is our Qin Manor’s tribulation. We will surely get through it, we must. Even if the Magistrate weren’t investigating, I would still need to root out this evil plaguing the Qin Manor…”
Hearing this, Lady Lin also sighed, “Who could it be? Both Liu and Steward Liu held some status in the manor, who would dare to do such a thing?!”
Madam Jiang sat with a dark expression without speaking, while Qin Chen looked completely puzzled, “Killing Liu is one thing, but Liu Chun dying in that well…”
At the mention of the well, both Lady Lin and Madam Jiang’s expressions changed.
Madam Jiang closed her eyes again, rapidly turning her prayer beads, “That’s an ill-fated well, a cursed well. Once we retrieve the Second Concubine’s remains, we must fill it in and seal it! Two deaths in succession, perhaps it’s that cursed well-causing trouble!”
……
……
It was late, and Qin Wan returned to her room to bathe and wash up.
Having just examined a corpse, she was especially thorough this time, even changing the water once. Qin Wan closed her eyes and leaned against the wooden tub, deep in thought. First Liu, then Liu Chun – what grudge did the person behind this have against them? And if Liu Chun was murdered, why was the Ninth Young Lady killed back then?
Qin Wan felt as if the black mist from her dream in the Purple Bamboo Grove was drifting out again, gradually spreading throughout the entire Qin Manor. She stood in the black mist, lost and unsure of her path, while unknown evil spirits lurked in all directions.
“Young Lady, be careful not to catch a cold…”
Fu Ling brought in more hot water, and seeing Qin Wan lying there with closed eyes, thought she was taking a short rest. She added the hot water, and seeing Qin Wan’s body sink slightly lower, sighed, “Young Lady must be exhausted, standing in that grove for so long. Who knows if you’ll catch something? Young Lady should soak a while longer, but don’t let your shoulders get exposed.”
Qin Wan made a sound of acknowledgment and opened her eyes to watch Fu Ling bustling about.
“Were you scared tonight?”
Suddenly, Qin Wan asked, and Fu Ling was startled, then nodded and shook her head.
“I was scared at first, but later watching Young Lady examine the corpse, this servant wasn’t so scared anymore. Every time I see Young Lady not being afraid, it’s as if I become unafraid too.”
The corner of Qin Wan’s lips twitched, and Fu Ling continued, “Young Lady, now that Steward Liu is also dead, who is the killer?”
Qin Wan sighed, “If I knew that, wouldn’t I be more capable than both the Magistrate and Prince Yan?”
Fu Ling snorted, “Whether you’re more capable than Prince Yan, this servant doesn’t know, but you’re more capable than the Magistrate. Just now in the bamboo grove, he was as scared as I was.”
Qin Wan laughed silently, but Fu Ling frowned, “Come to think of it, this killer is quite foolish.”
Qin Wan made a sound of interest, “How so?”
Fu Ling had always been lively and innocent by nature, but this was the first time Qin Wan had heard her call someone foolish.
Fu Ling raised her eyebrows, “Logically speaking, that person killed Concubine Liu, and everyone thought Steward Liu was the one who killed her. Once Steward Liu’s affair with Concubine Liu was proven, he couldn’t have cleared his name anyway. So why did the killer then go and kill Steward Liu? Wouldn’t this just reveal the existence of a third person?”
The interest in Qin Wan’s eyes solidified, replaced by gravity.
Two murders occurring in succession would normally make people think someone had a grudge against both Concubine Liu and Steward Liu. But if it was truly revenge, they only needed to frame Steward Liu for killing Concubine Liu. That would have been a perfect scheme, others wouldn’t even know about the existence of this third person. However now, everyone knows there’s still a killer hiding in the manor, which is much more dangerous for that killer…
“Young Lady, what’s wrong? Did I think incorrectly?”
Seeing Qin Wan not respond, Fu Ling asked carefully.
Qin Wan’s lips curved slightly as she shook her head, “No, you didn’t think wrong. This is one way to look at it. Now think again, why would the killer be so foolish?”
Fu Ling frowned, “Either… the killer was too stupid to think of this, only wanting revenge, or… the killer had some other purpose…”
After several corpse examinations with Qin Wan, Fu Ling had grown much braver and now enjoyed helping Qin Wan analyze cases, wanting to help figure out what was going on, “Liu died under the flower trellis, while Steward Liu died in the well in the Purple Bamboo Grove. Could it be… could it be that person wanted Second Concubine’s matter to come to light?”
Qin Wan listened to Fu Ling’s words, thinking of Madam Jiang’s explanation today.
She had only said that Second Concubine had jumped into the well that day, but at the time everyone’s attention was diverted by Liu Chun, and no one had asked why Second Concubine had jumped into the well eight years ago.
“Fu Ling, do you know why that Second Concubine jumped into the well back then?”
Fu Ling tilted her head and thought, “Seems like… seems like they said she lost her child or something… about a year before that, I think. This servant heard Old Lady Liu from the kitchen talking about it. These old matters, only the elderly in the manor would know about them now.”
Qin Wan understood this point. Madam Jiang hadn’t explained why Second Concubine jumped into the well, presumably because the reason wasn’t something that could be openly discussed. In great households like the Qin Manor, conflicts between concubines were most common. This Second Concubine’s child, could it have been harmed by someone else? And then the Second Concubine, heartbroken, jumped into the well?
And Madam Jiang’s silence might mean the person who harmed the child was someone she wanted to protect.
Qin Wan frowned. Could it be Lady Lin?
Once this thought occurred to Qin Wan, it seemed increasingly possible.
If so, it would explain why the Second Concubine had no choice but to commit suicide by jumping into the well back then, and why Madam Jiang, superstitious about spirits, wanted to protect Lady Lin, thus sealing the well to prevent the matter from coming to light.
However… who was the killer? And from what position did they want to expose the old incident to the light of day?
Qin Wan’s brows furrowed slightly. She knew too little about the old matters to make any hasty conclusions.
“This servant can’t figure it out either, just feels that with Steward Liu’s death, because of the strange place he died, it brought up the old matter, so maybe that was the killer’s other purpose?”
Fu Ling shook her head, “No, no, this servant is too stupid, can’t figure it out.”
Qin Wan exhaled, “It’s alright if you can’t figure it out. Tomorrow we’ll ask Old Lady Liu about what exactly happened back then. Bring my clothes in now, I need to get up.”
Fu Ling was slightly surprised, “Young Lady should soak a while longer…”
Qin Wan shook her head, “Someone else will be coming shortly.”
She gave Fu Ling a meaningful look as if asking, have you forgotten Qin Li is coming?
Fu Ling suddenly realized and smacked her forehead, “Look at my memory! I completely forgot! Young Lady, please wait…”
Fu Ling efficiently brought the clothes, and after Qin Wan dressed, Fu Ling helped dry her hair and put it up in a small bun before following Qin Wan to the warm pavilion. Just as they reached the pavilion door, there was a knocking sound at the back window.
Tonight, because of the Purple Bamboo Grove incident, Qin Wan had returned very late, and it seemed Qin Li had been waiting for a while.
Fu Ling opened the window and went to guard the door, while Qin Wan approached the window. Seeing Qin Wan come near, Qin Li removed his hood and asked, “Ninth Sister, you went to the Purple Bamboo Grove tonight?”
Qin Wan looked at Qin Li with focused eyes, “Second Brother knows about it?”
Qin Li’s expression suddenly changed, almost urgently saying, “Ninth Sister, have you forgotten what I told you? Don’t go to the Purple Bamboo Grove, don’t go near the well!”
His tone lowered, carrying an inexplicably eerie quality, “That’s an ill-fated well, it will bring you deadly misfortune…”
Qin Wan had just bathed and was feeling relaxed in body and mind, but at this moment, Qin Li’s words sent a chill down her spine.
She stared steadily at Qin Li, “What exactly does Second Brother know?”