Qin Wan walked swiftly along the path outside the Purple Bamboo Grove. The midnight rain fell like cold needles, slashing diagonally from beside her umbrella onto her body. Her palms were ice-cold, yet she unconsciously gripped her sleeves tightly. With a deep frown and darkness in her eyes, she displayed an expression that Fu Ling, who was nearly running to keep up behind her, had never seen before.
Before they got close, they could see the Purple Bamboo Grove was brightly lit. The rain pattered continuously, and though cool winds passed through the grove, a layer of misty rain still hung in the air. The bamboo fragrance mixed with the pungent smell of wet soil assaulted Qin Wan’s senses. As she walked along the small path covered in withered branches, water had accumulated among the fallen twigs, quickly soaking her shoes, but Qin Wan had no time to care about such things.
Following the main path inward, the clamorous voices of the yamen runners grew louder. Just from the sounds alone, one could tell this was no simple well excavation – Yan Chi and Huo Huai Xin had mobilized more people.
“Your Highness, Ninth Miss has arrived!” Bai Feng took a few quick steps forward and announced softly.
Yan Chi, standing in the distance, turned around and immediately saw Qin Wan approaching with her umbrella. The rain was still falling, making the entire grove wet and dripping. Yan Chi’s gaze lowered, instantly noticing Qin Wan’s damp hem and shoes. His brows furrowed slightly as he strode forward to stand before her. Qin Wan curtsied, while Fu Ling held the umbrella behind her.
Seeing Yan Chi approach, Fu Ling quickly lowered her gaze, not daring to look directly at him. But in the next moment, the umbrella handle in her grip was suddenly taken away. Before she could react, her hand was empty.
Fu Ling looked up, somewhat bewildered at Yan Chi, who instead addressed her, saying, “Go get a hand warmer for your young miss.”
Fu Ling was stunned, and Qin Wan straightened up, also slightly startled. “Your Highness, there’s no need—”
“Who says there’s no need?” Yan Chi’s words fell decisively as he properly grasped Qin Wan’s folded hands. Though his touch was brief and entirely proper, he showed no hesitation in doing so before so many people.
“Your hands are too cold. We need you here, but we can’t let you catch a chill.”
Yan Chi’s gaze settled firmly on Fu Ling. Though his look carried no threat, Fu Ling was still shaken by that single glance. She nodded repeatedly, “Yes, this servant will go right away—”
After Fu Ling finished speaking and turned to leave, Yan Chi switched hands holding the umbrella, and turned to stand beside Qin Wan, holding it up for her.
Qin Wan stood still for a moment, lost in thought. She was indeed very cold, especially with her hands at her sides. With the slanting rain, there were still droplets on the back of her hand. When Yan Chi had unexpectedly touched her just now, his palm’s warmth had instantly spread to the back of her hand. Though their contract was extremely brief, and the warmth had almost dissipated as soon as his hand left hers, Qin Wan crossed her hands differently, her left hand covering where he had touched. Somehow, she felt the back of her hand wasn’t quite so cold anymore.
These idle thoughts dispersed like smoke in an instant. Qin Wan frowned as she looked at the large well opening in the distance. “What’s the situation down there? Bai Feng mentioned there was more than one skeleton?”
Yan Chi nodded. He held the umbrella with one hand, standing beside Qin Wan, his hand slightly behind her, ensuring the entire umbrella covered her head while half his shoulder was exposed to the rain, though he showed no concern about getting wet.
“They’re still digging below. In just this short time, they’ve already uncovered three skulls and a pile of broken bones. This time they’ve dug deeper than before. After removing the newly filled soil, they dug another two feet into the silt below, where they found some scattered bone fragments. But the complete skeletons were all found beneath those two feet of silt.”
Yan Chi spoke with a steady voice, his eyes like those of a hawk. Qin Wan turned to look at him, and from her angle, she could see his sharp profile and his stern, cold gaze. Qin Wan was naturally a very focused person, and it seemed Yan Chi was as well. She glanced at him briefly, then looked up at the bamboo umbrella above. Unlike Fu Ling, who had held it too low and unsteadily, Yan Chi held it high and stable, tilting it against the angle of the rain – not a single raindrop had fallen on her during this time.
Qin Wan felt slightly reassured. “Being separated by two feet of silt, they must have been buried very deep initially. As for the bone fragments found in the silt, they were likely carried up when the originally active well became dry, with the mud and rocks sinking while the sand rose.” After a brief pause, she continued, “Also, I just saw Third Uncle being escorted out of the Qin Manor by my eldest brother.”
Hearing this, Yan Chi’s brows didn’t even twitch. He just turned to look at her and said, “There are people stationed around the Qin Manor, you needn’t worry.” Then he couldn’t help but ask, “You went to the front courtyard earlier?”
Qin Wan’s lips pressed together slightly. “When I heard that the Old Madam had fainted but eldest brother went to the front courtyard to fetch a doctor, I felt something was amiss, so I went to check. That’s when I happened to see Third Uncle being escorted out.”
Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan. “Even within the Qin Manor, there are dangers.”
With these words, Qin Wan immediately understood his meaning. This reminded her of the Ninth Miss’s death. Indeed, besides the deaths of Liu Shi and Liu Chun, there was another death in the Qin Manor, though that person’s death had been concealed because of her. The murderous intent within the Qin Manor was far more complex and numerous than what appeared on the surface.
Qin Wan lowered her eyes. “Yes, I was too simplistic in my thinking earlier…”
Because it concerned Qin Chen, Qin Wan hadn’t associated it with murderous intent, but now thinking about it, the distance from the inner courtyard to the outer courtyard was considerable – it would have been entirely possible for someone to lie in wait and harm her.
Qin Wan was typically a meticulous person, rarely admitting to oversights in her thinking. Perhaps it was because Yan Chi’s presence was too commanding, or perhaps because Qin Wan sensed his concern was genuine, but she didn’t mind admitting her simple thinking at this moment. Seeing her slightly lowered face, Yan Chi felt an inexplicable warmth in his heart, and then, without any obvious movement, he shifted his feet slightly to the right.
This brought him even closer to Qin Wan, his presence more completely enveloping her. Perhaps it was the oppressive environment of the Purple Bamboo Grove, or perhaps it was the bitter cold of this rainy night, but Yan Chi inexplicably felt that Qin Wan appeared lonely and fragile at this moment – as if the evil spirits lurking in the Purple Bamboo Grove would devour her if he didn’t stay close.
The rain continued to drizzle, and the yamen runners above and below the well kept calling out. Huo Huai Xin stood by the well, alternately asking about discoveries below and questioning why the dispatched personnel hadn’t arrived yet. Amidst all the chaos and bustle, Qin Wan hadn’t noticed Yan Chi’s thoughts. She just stared at the dark well opening and suddenly asked, “How far is this well from the one under the flower trellis?”
This sudden question caught Yan Chi off guard. He turned to look back, estimating the distance before saying, “About twenty zhang or so. Why do you ask?”
Qin Wan frowned. “When Sixth Sister fell into that well, she also said she felt human bones. Now I wonder if there are human bones in that well too. Your Highness said they’ve already found three skulls below, and I fear there might be even more remains if they dig deeper. How could there be so many dead people in the small Qin Manor?”
Yan Chi pondered briefly. “The yamen personnel haven’t arrived yet. When Qi Lin arrives, we can investigate that well too. With so many remains, this case is no longer a simple homicide.”
Qin Wan nodded, taking a deep breath. “No wonder Third Uncle wanted to leave earlier…”
As he said this, Yan Chi turned to Bai Feng. “Go check how things are outside the manor.”
Then he looked toward Huo Huai Xin, who was wiping sweat nearby. “Perfect—”
At his call, Huo Huai Xin hurriedly walked over. Seeing Yan Chi holding an umbrella for Qin Wan, he first drew in a sharp breath, then stumbled forward.
On this cold, desolate rainy night, while Qin Wan was stiff with cold, Huo Huai Xin kept wiping away sweat. Everyone, including Qin Wan, had thought there would be at most one or two more sets of remains in the well, but unexpectedly three were found at once. For Huo Huai Xin, the Prefect of Jin Zhou, this case had suddenly transformed from a current homicide into a major historical case. With so many bodies buried in the Qin Manor, if he couldn’t provide an explanation or solve the case, his official position would likely be forfeited.
“Your Highness, what are your instructions?”
The Qin family were nobles in Jin Zhou, and with their connection to the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s Manor, Huo Huai Xin had always hoped to establish good relations with them. Even when this incident occurred, he had been quite accommodating toward Jiang Shi, Lin Shi, and Qin An. However, the law took precedence over personal relationships. By now, Huo Huai Xin knew that one wrong move could affect his official career, and he began to feel at a loss. At this moment, he was extremely grateful that the current Emperor had given Yan Chi the title of Criminal Investigation Inspector.
Yan Chi narrowed his eyes at Huo Huai Xin’s panicked expression. “At this point, the Qin Manor must be temporarily treated as a criminal household. Everyone inside and outside the manor, both masters and servants, must be kept under guard. Not one person can be allowed to escape. Once the excavation here is mostly complete, we must conduct rigorous interrogations. So many skeletal remains indicate a matter of great significance.”
Huo Huai Xin wiped his sweat again. “Yes, yes… This official understands… This official will give orders immediately.”
Huo Huai Xin nodded repeatedly and turned to summon a yamen runner to give orders. After some whispered instructions, the runner immediately left the Purple Bamboo Grove. Huo Huai Xin’s heart was filled with bitterness. Though solving Song Rou’s case had taken some time, at least he hadn’t made any mistakes throughout the process, and he could have included it in his year-end performance report. But who would have thought that before his performance could even be evaluated, the Qin Manor would fall into chaos again? He had initially thought it was just internal scheming or a murder motivated by some grudge – nothing too significant. However, he never imagined that this seemingly ordinary homicide case would uncover such an earth-shattering secret in the Qin Manor’s forbidden ground…
“Sir, we’ve found another skull below…”
Before Huo Huai Xin could recover his composure, a yamen runner by the well suddenly called out. Hearing this, Huo Huai Xin’s bitterness intensified, and a cold sweat began pouring down his forehead even more profusely.
Yan Chi and Qin Wan also heard this, their expressions darkening involuntarily.
The lighting was poor below, and the yamen runners weren’t trained in medicine. At present, they could only count skulls to determine the number of deaths. This fourth skull meant at least four people were buried at the bottom of the well. How had these people died?
The runner’s words caused the other yamen runners above ground to change expression as well. Though the Jin Zhou Prefecture’s yamen often handled cases, most were minor ones like Lin Da Xing’s. The successive deaths of Liu Shi and Liu Chun were already considered somewhat thorny murder cases. But they hadn’t expected that those deaths were just the beginning – not only had two people died in succession, but they had also unearthed Second Concubine’s remains. Before the Second Concubine’s remains could even be properly buried, they discovered this well was essentially a mass grave…
If there weren’t so many people present, these rough yamen runners would have felt their scalps tingling with fear.
“Light more torches and remove some of the silt from this area.”
Several runners lit more torches, instantly making the area around the well as bright as day. This spot had been excavated once before and then filled in by the Qin family, only to be dug up again. It was now completely in disarray, with dry soil and silt mixed, piled into hills large and small around the well opening. Some runners were watching the well while others transported the excavated silt away. With people coming and going, shouting and clamoring, even though the bamboo grove was filled with cold wind and chilling rain, it didn’t feel quite so eerily frightening anymore.
Before long, Fu Ling returned holding an umbrella and carrying a hand warmer.
“Young Miss, please take this quickly…”
Fu Ling held a small hand warmer decorated with blue and white patterns, green jade inlays, and agate. It contained agarwood incense and a piece of silver-threaded charcoal, providing just the right amount of warmth. When Fu Ling handed over the warmer, she touched Qin Wan’s hand and was shocked to find it cold as ice. Fu Ling glanced at Yan Chi, surprised that he had been even more attentive and thoughtful than herself.
Fu Ling held her umbrella and looked at Yan Chi, who showed no intention of returning the umbrella to her. She had no choice but to step back and stand aside with her umbrella. Standing behind them, out of Yan Chi’s line of sight, Fu Ling felt inexplicably relieved. As she watched, she noticed how Yan Chi kept the umbrella completely over Qin Wan, warming her heart. Looking further, she saw Yan Chi’s tall, straight figure with his commanding presence, while Qin Wan wore her cape with an elegant bearing. Standing together under one umbrella, they truly looked like a painting. Fu Ling blinked, thinking that compared to Yue Qing, this Crown Prince of the Rui Prince’s Manor indeed seemed more suitable for her young miss…
Standing at the front, Qin Wan was unaware of Fu Ling’s musings. She watched the busy activity around the well, wanting to step forward to see how the runners were working below, but as soon as she took a step, Yan Chi reached out to hold her arm.
“It’s all mud ahead. Let’s watch from here.”
Qin Wan stopped, looking down to see Yan Chi’s boots covered in mud spots.
Seeing her look, Yan Chi’s lips curved slightly. “When campaigning in the Northwest, I marched a hundred li across the cold plains at night, once using a snow wolf’s den as my bed, wearing the same military uniform for a month. How could you compare yourself to me?”
Qin Wan’s heart stirred at his words. She knew that during military campaigns, soldiers often had to wear the same uniforms for long periods while fighting and lying in ambush, but this was the first time she’d heard of someone sleeping in a snow wolf’s den. Snow wolves were fierce pack animals – to occupy their den, wouldn’t he have had to fight a terrible battle to usurp their territory?
Qin Wan thought for a moment. If she praised his bravery now, he’d probably heard such praise too often. If she commented on the hardship, the word “hardship” alone couldn’t do justice to what the Northwestern Army had endured. After brief consideration, she nodded and said, “Your Highness truly lives up to his reputation.”
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow, about to speak again when Bai Feng’s figure flashed in from outside the bamboo grove. He had left quickly and returned just as fast – Qin Wan hadn’t even seen how he entered before he was standing beside Yan Chi.
“Master, Master Qin was apprehended as soon as he left. He couldn’t escape and was sent back to the front courtyard. The guards at the manor gate have been withdrawn to outside Master Qin’s courtyard, but our people remain outside. Everything is proceeding smoothly.”
Yan Chi nodded, his gaze shifting as Qi Lin entered the Purple Bamboo Grove with more than ten yamen runners.
Seeing Qi Lin arrive, Huo Huai Xin immediately went forward to give instructions. Qi Lin nodded and led his men toward the front courtyard of the Qin Manor.
As Qi Lin left with his men, he gave orders while walking: “Gather the servants at the steward’s courtyard, find Madam Qin, and gather all the young masters and misses in one place. Where is the Old Madam?”
A runner stepped forward. “In the Buddhist hall to the east.”
Qi Lin’s expression darkened. “Good. You two, go guard it. The Prefect and His Highness will go there personally later. Remember, don’t let people move around freely now. The Qin Manor must be sealed tight as a drum!”
The runners all responded in unison as Qi Lin headed toward the front courtyard—
Meanwhile, just as the yamen runners reached the Buddhist hall’s entrance, Cai He rushed in from outside. “Old Madam, something terrible has happened! The yamen has posted guards outside our Buddhist hall. They say it’s the Prefect’s orders – no one in the manor, whether master or servant, is allowed to move about from now on. They also say they’ll come to question you later.”
Then she turned to Lin Shi, “Madam, the runners outside say they want you to gather all the young masters and misses in one place. They want to question everyone together later.”
Jiang Shi, who had been reclining on the long couch, trembled at these words, almost dropping her prayer beads.
Her face paled as her brows quivered, and she closed her eyes with a long sigh. “So be it… so be it…”
Beside her, Lin Shi’s eyes had already reddened. “Mother, what are we to do?”
Jiang Shi pressed her lips together hard. “What can we do? For so many years… I’ve often dreamed of this moment. Now, what was meant to come has finally arrived… what can we do…”
Lin Shi bit her lip. “Mother, forget about us, even the Master… but Chen’er is still young! He’s the only hope left for our Qin family. Once this matter comes out, it will surely affect Chen’er. Will this ruin the rest of his life? Mother, please think of something, save Chen’er…”
Jiang Shi’s hand holding the prayer beads trembled violently, and when she spoke again, her voice shook terribly. “This matter has reached a point where it can’t be reversed. Perhaps it’s heaven’s will – we can no longer keep it hidden…”
Lin Shi whimpered softly when suddenly, Jiang Shi pushed herself up from the couch. “No, there’s still a way!”
Lin Shi’s eyes brightened as Jiang Shi looked at her and said, “Send a message to the capital. No matter what, Chen’er is still a Qin family descendant. The Loyal and Brave Marquis’s Manor still needs the Qin family’s descendants to serve them. Quickly, I’ll write the letter myself…”
Jiang Shi moved to get up, reaching out as Cai He hurried to support her. Jiang Shi’s chest heaved with anxiety as she trembled her way to the nearby desk. After helping Jiang Shi sit down, Cai He quickly found paper and writing implements and set them on the desk. She then brought over a lamp from nearby. Jiang Shi collected herself before taking up the brush.
The room was quiet except for Lin Shi’s suppressed sobbing. Jiang Shi wrote stroke by stroke, her brows tightly furrowed into the shape of the character “川”. She wrote extremely slowly as if each character held the fate of the Qin family. Only after the time it took to drink two cups of tea did she finally complete the letter. Then she said, “Bring my seal.”
Cai He acknowledged and put down the lamp to walk to the inner room. Soon she returned carrying Jiang Shi’s seal.
Jiang Shi carefully stamped the seal at the end of the letter, waited for the ink to dry slightly, and then folded the letter. As soon as it was folded, she handed it to Lin Shi. “Go tell someone to deliver this letter to the capital immediately!”
Lin Shi knew this letter was the lifeline for saving her son, and quickly took it. “Yes, Mother, don’t worry, I’ll go right away.”
Jiang Shi nodded. “Go while the manor’s blockade isn’t yet too tight.”
Lin Shi acknowledged and walked out immediately.
After Lin Shi left, Jiang Shi sat there in a daze. Cai He watched with pain in her heart, “Old Madam, don’t worry. You’ve accumulated much merit these many years through your Buddhist devotions. Surely this crisis can be turned around.”
Jiang Shi slowly rotated her prayer beads, shaking her head bitterly. “It’s useless. The sins are too great – even Buddha cannot forgive them. This time, our Third Branch is finished. I only pray… I only pray the capital acts quickly. The sins belong to the elders; they have nothing to do with the younger generation.”
Cai He pressed her lips together, frowning as she said, “Things haven’t reached that point yet. Old Madam, don’t assume the worst.”
But Jiang Shi continued shaking her head. “You don’t understand. There’s no turning back from this.”
Cai He’s eyes flashed with confusion. “Old Madam, back then…”
But Jiang Shi closed her eyes at this point, clearly unwilling to say more. Cai He realized she shouldn’t continue asking and immediately fell silent, only moving to brighten the dim lamp nearby. As the light grew stronger, Cai He noticed that Jiang Shi, who was usually composed and steady, had a thin layer of fine sweat on her face.
Sighing, Cai He lowered her eyes.
…
…
Qin Chen stood dejectedly in the corridor. Though Qin Wan had left long ago, he remained standing there, tall and straight. The cold wind carried merciless rain that struck his body, quickly soaking patches of his robe.
His usual scholarly grace and handsome bearing had completely dissipated. Qin Chen stared with unfocused eyes into the ink-black expanse of night. The Qin Manor’s secret had been discovered, and this scandal, hidden for years, was about to be exposed. At this moment, the Qin Manor was like a sinking ship. Despite his intense unwillingness, what could he do? How could he alone turn back this tide?
As the Qin Manor’s ship sank, it would take down everyone aboard with it. Among all these people, Qin An deserved his fate, but what about the others? His sisters were still unmarried, and he had yet to realize his ambitions. But he knew that in a few days, all his ambitions and aspirations would no longer matter. The Qin family would become a criminal household, likely implicating everyone else in the manor.
Sudden hatred and anger welled up in Qin Chen’s eyes. Never had he despised being born into the Qin family more than at this moment. This was a night full of bitter wind and rain, and Qin Chen’s back curved slightly as if an invisible mountain had crushed him.
“Master, we had no choice…”
“Master Qin is too ill, it’s better to stay in his courtyard.”
“Indeed, if something were to happen after leaving the manor, we wouldn’t even be able to find a doctor on the streets outside.”
The voices grew closer, and Qin Chen stood dazed for a moment before turning around. The cold had already permeated his entire body, and only when he turned did he realize his legs had grown stiff from standing. Narrowing his eyes, Qin Chen saw two uniformed yamen runners following the servants who were carrying Qin An. Qin Chen’s body swayed – so they really couldn’t escape.
“Young Master, why are you still here? We…”
The lead servant spotted Qin Chen and was slightly startled. Qin Chen came to his senses and hurried forward, saying, “I understand. It’s nothing, just take Father back.”
The servant nodded, and Qin Chen followed them in. The two yamen runners behind exchanged glances and took up positions at the courtyard entrance. Qin Chen walked while looking back, catching this scene in his vision. His eyes darkened as he accompanied Qin An into the room. Having left in haste, Qin An had only been covered with a cape. When they entered the room and the cape was lifted, Qin An’s face was immediately revealed. The room’s lamps were still lit, and Qin Chen saw at once the purple-red chancres on Qin An’s face.
Fighting the revulsion in his heart, Qin Chen forced down the acid rising in his stomach and stepped forward. “Father, we can’t leave…”
Qin An was gravely ill and hadn’t taken effective medicine for many days. Now, shocked and weakened, his mind seemed confused. “Can’t leave? Why? Why?”
Terror showed on Qin An’s face as he instinctively looked toward the window. “Go, leave immediately, we must leave…”
As he spoke, Qin An put one foot on the ground, but before he could stand, he collapsed to the side in pain. A nearby servant hurried to support him, advising, “Master, we can’t leave. The officials have men inside and outside the manor. Weren’t we just turned back? We really can’t leave…”
Qin An waved his hand. “Useless! Go find Prefect Huo! Prefect Huo must be able to make an exception…”
Anger twisted Qin An’s face into a grotesque expression. Pain flashed in Qin Chen’s eyes at this sight, and hatred welled up again. Unwilling to say more, he only looked at the servants around him. “Watch Father carefully. Don’t let him leave this courtyard!”
The servants all noticed that Qin An was somewhat delirious and quickly nodded. Qin Chen didn’t look at Qin An again, turning to stride out. Seeing Qin Chen’s reaction, Qin An grew even more enraged and began shouting curses!
“Unfilial son! You unfilial son! Come back here—”
Qin Chen walked swiftly, deaf to the cursing behind him. After leaving the courtyard, he glanced at the two yamen runners but said nothing, heading straight for the inner courtyard. Upon entering, he saw many more yamen runners than usual. After a few steps, he caught sight of Qi Lin. Qin Chen’s footsteps faltered as Qi Lin walked slowly toward him.
“Young Master is returning from the outer courtyard? How is Master Qin?”
Qi Lin’s words carried mockery. Qin Chen’s face alternated between red and pale. “He’s fine.”
Qi Lin nodded with a smile. “That’s good. I was just going to check on Master Qin. With his serious illness, we should send more people to watch over him. Oh yes, where is Young Master heading?”
Qin Chen replied in an emotionless voice, “To see Grandmother…”
Qi Lin said with an ambiguous smile, “Better not visit the Old Madam now. Young Master should return to his courtyard. After the questioning is done, the Young Master can visit the Old Madam. The Prefect and His Highness have ordered that from a quarter-hour ago, no one in the Qin Manor is to move about freely.”
Qin Chen’s lips pressed tightly together. He felt completely frozen, his face so cold it seemed unable to show any expression of displeasure or anger. Nodding, he walked past Qi Lin, expressionless, toward his courtyard.
Qi Lin turned to watch Qin Chen’s retreating figure and ordered those nearby, “Two of you, go protect the Young Master.”
Two runners acknowledged and hurried after him.
Qi Lin sighed and shook his head before turning toward the front courtyard. The runners around him showed complex expressions, and one stepped forward to ask, “Captain, is the Qin Manor finished?”
Qi Lin snorted coldly. “Didn’t you see the white bones at the bottom of the well? With so many lives hidden in the Qin Manor, what do you think?”
The runners drew in their necks, not daring to ask more.
…
…
The Qin Manor had been like a grand official vessel sailing on the river, carrying the glory and wealth of many people. Everyone living on this ship with the surname Qin was bound to its fate, and naturally, this included Qin Wan.
In the Purple Bamboo Grove, Yan Chi had been holding the umbrella for Qin Wan for nearly half an hour. Watching the increasing pile of silt being excavated, he turned to Qin Wan and asked, “This incident will greatly impact the Qin Manor, and you won’t be entirely unaffected. What are your plans?”
Qin Wan seemed surprised by his question. She turned to look at him before curving her lips slightly. “If I say I have no plans, would Your Highness believe me?”
Yan Chi fell silent at these words, and after a moment, he pressed his lips together without saying more.
Qin Wan turned back to watch the well. “I don’t know what will happen to the Qin Manor – that depends on what’s found at the bottom of the well. Indeed, my fate is closely tied to the Qin Manor now, but this matter has nothing to do with me. I believe in the fairness of Great Zhou’s laws. Those involved will be punished, while the innocent will ultimately be unharmed.”
After a brief pause, she continued, “As for the glory and wealth… when the Qin Manor prospered, those with the Qin surname enjoyed noble status and wealth beyond ordinary people. Having enjoyed these benefits, we should also bear the consequences when things go wrong. So I truly haven’t made any plans. Let’s wait until the truth of this case emerges and conclusions are drawn.”
Yan Chi’s phoenix eyes narrowed. “Ninth Miss seems quite detached…”
Hearing this, Qin Wan merely curved her lips without saying more. She wasn’t detached – she simply lacked deep emotional ties to the Qin Manor. Though they didn’t yet know exactly how many remains lay at the bottom of the well, she could already glimpse the Qin Manor’s fate. While its downfall would certainly affect her, what did it matter? When she was first born, her father had been merely a minor judicial officer. Times had been hard then, but they’d managed. For Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang’s sake, she could endure hardship without difficulty. Besides, she had her medical skills and knowledge of examining corpses – she needn’t worry about making a living.
Qin Wan’s thoughts were crystal clear; having a solution for everything allowed her to maintain her calm composure.
Time passed slowly, and the torches above the well had been changed several times. Soon, shouts came from below. Huo Huai Xin went forward to listen, then turned and said, “Your Highness, they’ve found another skull. Should we bring the remains up?”
Yan Chi’s expression grew serious as he nodded. “Yes, bring them up.”
At Huo Huai Xin’s command, nearby runners hurriedly laid out a felt mat, just as they had that day, planning to pile the remains on it for Qin Wan to examine.
The space below was narrow. Soon, a bamboo basket was lowered down. After a moment of loading, the people above pulled up a basket full of bones. As the basket rose higher, the bones inside became increasingly visible, with a mud-covered skull at the very top.
They had encountered mud when digging the well before, not to mention how they’d dug two feet deeper. Seeing all the bones covered in mud and difficult to examine, Huo Huai Xin immediately ordered, “Bring two buckets of water!”
As runners left to follow his order, the basket was brought over, and a runner dumped all the bones onto the felt mat with several clanking sounds. As they fell, the other skulls were exposed, and both Huo Huai Xin and Yan Chi frowned at the sight – they sensed something was wrong before Qin Wan could even speak.
Huo Huai Xin stepped forward first. Not daring to touch them directly, he picked up a tree branch to prod them, then frowned and said, “Strange, these skulls look somewhat… somewhat…”
“Small!”
While Huo Huai Xin struggled to find the word, a nearby runner called it out. Huo Huai Xin’s eyes brightened. “Yes, that’s it! Small… they’re small…”
Yan Chi glanced at Qin Wan, who then stepped forward to the felt mat. Yan Chi frowned and said, “Your guess was correct.”
Qin Wan had guessed right – the well-contained children’s bones, like the bone piece she’d found, were all much smaller than adult bones. She handed her hand warmer to Fu Ling behind her, then crouched down to carefully examine the mud-covered bones. Though details were obscured by the soil, the general size of the bones was clear.
After observing intently for a moment, Qin Wan said, “Judging by the bone size and joint connections, these remains belonged to children around ten years old.” As she spoke, she too picked up a dried branch to move the bones around. “Around ten, or perhaps eleven or twelve, but not over twelve…”
As Qin Wan finished speaking in her deep voice, silence fell around them.
If the dead had been adults, one might imagine they were killed due to some grudge. But these were all children – what grievance could the grand Qin Manor have had with such young children?
Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, her gaze darker than ever before. In her years following her father from place to place, she had seen cases involving children, and such cases were usually the most oppressive and heavy.
“Can you only tell their age? Can you determine how they died?”
Huo Huai Xin asked anxiously. Qin Wan shook her head. “We’ll need to remove the mud first…”
As she spoke, the runners sent to fetch water returned with four wooden buckets. Several runners began washing the bones in the buckets and setting the cleaned ones aside. Qin Wan waited until there were both large and small cleaned bones before stepping forward to examine them carefully. Yan Chi didn’t ask anything but continued holding the umbrella beside her.
Qin Wan rolled up her sleeves and picked up the bones one by one to examine them – skulls, leg bones, ribs, even finger bones. Huo Huai Xin brought a torch closer to provide better light.
The torch lit the area like daylight as Qin Wan examined each bone with cold solemnity. Gradually, her brows furrowed deeply. The runners dared not make a sound, and even the wind in the bamboo grove seemed to be still. Only the pattern of rain could be heard. Qin Wan examined one bone after another until the pile beside her had grown into a small hill before she finally stopped.
Looking at the hill of bones, Yan Chi’s keen eyes noticed Qin Wan’s fingers trembling slightly.
His breath caught as an ominous feeling rose in his heart. He quickly asked, “What is it?”
Qin Wan pressed her lips together and swallowed hard before speaking in a hoarse voice: “Girls. They were all young girls…”