“Greetings, Young Lord!” Qin Wan hurriedly curtsied gracefully upon seeing Yan Chi emerge.
Sun Muqing was startled, quickly turning around to first curiously glance at Yan Chi before cupping his hands in greeting. Qin Li didn’t dare be careless either, and the two yamen runners with Sun Muqing all respectfully bowed as well.
Yan Chi walked out, first looking at Qin Wan, and said, “Rise.”
His gaze shifted as he swept over Sun Muqing and then looked at the two yamen runners behind him. “What’s going on here?”
One yamen runner quickly reported, “Reporting to Your Highness, this is the physician summoned for Master Qin.”
At these words, Qin Li let out a sigh of relief – Huo Huaixin surely didn’t want Qin An to die so quickly.
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow, “Which physician is this…”
The two yamen runners looked troubled. Sun Muqing hastily cupped his hands and said, “Reporting to Young Lord, I am Sun Muqing, a native of Lian Province. I was traveling through here, and today I was seeing patients at Renxin Medical Hall in the south of the city. When these two officers came, the other two physicians at the hall were occupied with patients, so I volunteered to come.”
As Sun Muqing spoke, he secretly glanced up at Yan Chi. That glance immediately met Yan Chi’s deep gaze. Sun Muqing was startled by Yan Chi’s expression and lowered his head, thinking to himself: Young Lord… I wonder which Young Lord this is. In Jin Prefecture, there seems to be only one noble house of Marquis rank – could he be the Young Lord of the An Yang Marquis Manor?
Sun Muqing’s mind stirred slightly. He wanted to ask Yan Chi but found his gaze too intimidating. He pressed his lips together and ultimately didn’t ask.
“Lian Province? Surname Sun? What is your relationship with Medicine Valley?”
Yan Chi’s tone was slightly cold, his presence imposing. Sun Muqing’s expression changed slightly, and a ripple flashed through Qin Wan’s eyes.
Medicine Valley was located within Lian Province east of Da Zhou, and the entire clan was of the Sun surname. While many people knew this, Yan Chi was the first to make the connection so quickly.
Sun Muqing’s lips curved upward, “Your Highness has good insight. I am the nineteenth generation disciple of Medicine Valley.”
At these words, Qin Li let out a soft gasp.
The Sun clan of Medicine Valley represented the pinnacle of medical arts in Da Zhou. Though their medical skills were exceptional, they were not bound by political power. Even if the current Emperor needed them, he would have to make multiple requests before a Sun clan member would see him. Moreover, Medicine Valley opened its doors every five years to accept disciples, taking only thirty-six disciples of other surnames each time. Every disciple who entered had to pass tests, and most of these thirty-six disciples could only study in the valley for one year. Only a very small number who caught the Medicine King’s eye would be officially accepted into Medicine Valley to continue their studies. The current Medicine King was named Sun Xi, and rumors said he was extremely strict in accepting disciples. In the past twenty years, he had kept fewer than ten disciples as permanent students.
Qin Li looked at Sun Muqing, his eyes bright and clear. Medicine Valley had strict rules, and very few who practiced medicine outside actually claimed to be from Medicine Valley. Disciples who came from Medicine Valley either became Imperial Physicians or famous doctors in high demand. Jin Prefecture had never heard of a physician from Medicine Valley coming here before.
Since he was from Medicine Valley, could this person cure venereal disease?
Survival was instinct. Standing in front, Qin Wan didn’t know what Qin Li was thinking, but even if she did, she wouldn’t have been surprised or concerned.
“So you’re a direct disciple of Medicine Valley.”
Yan Chi knew more than others. Hearing him say this, Sun Muqing bowed again with cupped hands. He still wore pure white robes, as pristine as snow. “Your Highness is astute.”
Yan Chi looked Sun Muqing up and down, then looked at the two yamen runners. “Take him inside.”
The two yamen runners nodded, and one of them quickly gestured, “Doctor Sun, please—”
Sun Muqing nodded, then turned to look at Qin Wan, “Ninth Young Lady, I’ll return after taking a look.”
Sun Muqing looked very intently at Qin Wan before following the two yamen runners inside. Yan Chi glanced at Qin Li, then said to the other yamen runner, “Take the Second Young Master inside.”
Although Sun Muqing was there, this might be the last time to see Qin Wan. Hearing Yan Chi’s order, Qin Li looked at Qin Wan for a moment. Seeing that Yan Chi hadn’t given any further orders, he followed the yamen runner inside.
After everyone left, only Qin Wan and Fu Ling remained standing there. Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan and asked, “Did you know that person from before?”
Qin Wan shook her head, “I don’t know him. I only met him a few days ago when I went out to buy medicine. He saw that my prescription was for treating venereal disease and offered some advice. I didn’t know then that he was from Medicine Valley.”
Yan Chi’s deep gaze finally relaxed slightly. He looked toward the prison again, “Do you want to go in and take a look?”
Qin Wan pondered briefly, “Since we’re here, we might as well look.”
If nothing else, Sun Muqing was inside. Although her status was now different and they could only pretend not to know each other when meeting, thinking of past events, Qin Wan ultimately couldn’t treat it as a chance encounter. Why would Sun Muqing come to Jin Prefecture for no reason?
After Qin Wan said this, Yan Chi stepped aside with a gesture, seemingly inviting her to walk alongside him.
Qin Wan stepped forward, and Yan Chi walked with her toward the prison door. This wasn’t Qin Wan’s first visit, so she naturally knew the way, but Yan Chi still accompanied her the whole way. Though she felt nothing obvious in her heart, her expression relaxed somewhat.
As they walked, Yan Chi said, “The people who went to Hu Province have returned. They also brought back files from the local government offices there. Ten years ago, in several counties northwest of Hu Province, more than ten children between eight and twelve years old went missing consecutively. It caused quite an uproar at the time, but later investigations led nowhere and it became a cold case.”
Qin Wan frowned slightly. There were cases of missing children everywhere. Such cases were usually the work of kidnappers, and because kidnappers moved around constantly, the investigations were quite troublesome. Half of these cases remained unsolved.
Qin Wan understood deeply, “Were they able to contact the children’s families?”
Yan Chi shook his head, “They only contacted one or two households. The others had either moved away or had no one left. Some files were incomplete or missing, so they couldn’t find valid addresses immediately. Prefect Huo plans to review the files, and if they can identify the remains, they’ll have them sent to Hu Province. If not, the matter will have to be left unresolved.”
Qin Wan nodded, and Yan Chi continued, “The people from Yang County have also returned. They’ve cleared up Cai He’s situation.”
Qin Wan’s steps faltered, and she turned to look at Yan Chi. He continued, “They found a household with only a widowed woman. Her husband and son had both died from an epidemic over a decade ago. This woman was the elder cousin of the Second Concubine. Ten years ago, after the fire at Cai He’s home, Cai He fled to her alone seeking shelter.”
“According to her, when Cai He arrived, she said she had been out delivering silk that day, but when she returned home, she found the house on fire. The fire was already beyond saving, and just as she was feeling desperate, she saw several suspicious people. Cai He, though young, had helped with family matters and had some wisdom and knowledge. She followed these people and overheard their conversation. That’s when Cai He learned that her missing mother and younger sister had been kidnapped, and those who set the fire were from a prominent family in Jin Prefecture.”
“Cai He begged the woman to take her in but left six years ago. Before leaving, she bought servants for the woman and afterward sent money there every year to ensure the woman’s livelihood. The woman hasn’t seen Cai He for many years and didn’t know she had come for revenge.”
As Yan Chi finished speaking in a slightly deep voice, Qin Wan’s heart sank slightly. A young girl witnessed the evil of wrongdoers, and afterward, her life was left with only the word “revenge.” She was the only one left in her family, and her enemies were powerful and unreachable. Apart from careful planning, she had no other options.
As Qin Wan thought about Cai He’s years of hidden planning and calculations, she felt quite amazed. Thinking of Cai He made her think of herself – when family members all die at the hands of evil people, how should one proceed step by step to seek justice and revenge?
Qin Wan’s lips were pressed tightly together. Although she had previously followed her father through his official postings and deeply understood that law was greater than human sentiment, and later studied medicine to cultivate a compassionate heart, these things didn’t mean she would let go of her hatred.
Moreover, she deeply knew that many evils in this world were hidden in places the law couldn’t reach. To deal with such evil, one’s own hands might have to be stained with blood. Cai He was the best example. Compared to Cai He, at least Qin Wan had the status of Ninth Young Lady of the Qin family, but Qin Wan knew this wasn’t enough.
If Cai He had to use such extreme measures, even sacrificing herself, to deal with just the Qin family, what would it take to deal with that black hand hidden behind the supreme glory of the capital?
To deal with that black hand, having the suicidal determination of a moth flying into flames wasn’t enough. She must maintain composure and calmness. She must plan carefully. Most importantly, she needed to grasp power, and even if she couldn’t hold power directly, she had to become someone who could drive and utilize those who held power.
As Qin Wan thought of all these things in an instant, combined with walking into the dark and damp prison corridor, she suddenly felt unable to breathe, as if the air was trapped in her chest. Just as her mind was becoming somewhat distant and heavy, her hand was suddenly grasped.
“Careful—”
Qin Wan felt warmth in her hand as Yan Chi grabbed it firmly. She immediately came back to her senses and looked down to see an unexpected puddle of water in front of her feet, unclear whether it was from the carelessness of the guards or damage to the prison.
Qin Wan exhaled and stepped around the puddle.
Only then did Yan Chi release her hand. “What were you thinking about?”
Qin Wan had already pulled herself out of those heavy emotions. She didn’t speak immediately, only feeling the lingering warmth of Yan Chi’s palm on the back of her hand. She unconsciously drew her hand into her sleeve before saying, “I was thinking that if Cai He hadn’t experienced all this, with her clever nature, she surely would have had a brilliant life.”
Yan Chi’s eyes darkened as he followed. “The servants of the Qin Manor have all been sent back. That girl Huan’er – Prefect Huo intends to give her a light sentence. On this point, he shows mercy. Qin An has been speaking intermittently these past few days, though not completely. Seeing he was in danger today, we made an exception to call a physician from outside. Once he finishes his confession, this case will be clear. As for Cai He’s remains, I plan to have them buried together with the Second Concubine and her young daughter.”
Qin Wan felt warmth in her heart and turned to look at Yan Chi. “Young Lord also has a gentle heart.”
Yan Chi met Qin Wan’s bright eyes and curved his lips. “I find it strange too. In the past, I wouldn’t have cared about such minor details.”
Qin Wan blinked and then said, “Since Young Lord needed a physician, why not simply let me come?”
Hearing this, Yan Chi let out a light snort. “There’s no need for you to treat him, especially in a place like this.”
Qin Wan felt a hint of sweetness in her heart at these words, as if a crystalline snowflake was melting warmly, pure and refreshing to the heart. Before she could speak, the voices of Huo Huaixin and Sun Muqing came from ahead.
They both unconsciously slowed their steps, but clearly, this path was still too short.
“No hope? Truly no hope?”
Huo Huaixin sounded somewhat anxious. Sun Muqing maintained his clear and polite tone, “Indeed. If I use a medicine, it will extend his life by three days at most. After three days, he likely won’t even be able to speak. You can prepare for the aftermath.”
Huo Huaixin nodded at this. “Very well, three days then. Write the prescription.”
Just as he finished speaking, Sun Muqing looked past Huo Huaixin and said jubilantly, “Lady Qin is here too?”
Hearing this, Huo Huaixin quickly turned around and saw Qin Wan and Yan Chi approaching together. “Ninth Young Lady is here! Oh, didn’t Young Lord say you were going out of the city—”
Halfway through his words, Huo Huaixin understood. Despite whatever plans Yan Chi had, now that Qin Wan was here, all those plans meant nothing. Huo Huaixin coughed lightly and changed the subject, “Well, Your Highness, Master Sun says he can give medicine to extend Qin An’s life by three days, after which we won’t be able to question him further.”
Yan Chi nodded. “Then let’s make the most of these final three days for questioning.”
Huo Huaixin nodded, then suddenly seemed to remember something. “Right, how does Master Sun know Ninth Young Lady?”
Sun Muqing’s smile didn’t diminish, and he spoke rather enthusiastically, “It was a chance encounter. That day, I happened to meet Lady Qin at the medicine shop. Upon seeing her, I was struck by her extraordinary beauty, though I didn’t know which family’s young lady she was. Later, I saw Lady Qin at the Qin family’s funeral ceremony and learned she was from the Qin family.”
Sun Muqing made no effort to hide his admiration for Qin Wan. Qin Li’s lips twitched hearing this, while Huo Huaixin glanced at Yan Chi, whose smile was gradually fading, and coughed twice more. “I see, I see. Please write the prescription, Master Sun.”
Paper and brush were readily available. Sun Muqing responded with a smile and turned to write the prescription.
Qin Wan was long accustomed to Sun Muqing’s style of speaking and wasn’t concerned. Her gaze swept into the prison cell, where she saw Qin An lying barely breathing on the wooden bed. Though the cell was crude, at least it had a bed. After not seeing him for several days, Qin An looked even more unsightly – even from this distance, Qin Wan could see the syphilitic sores on his face.
“It’s done… here’s the prescription.”
Sun Muqing quickly finished writing and handed it to Huo Huaixin, who immediately took it. As soon as the prescription left his hand, Sun Muqing looked at Qin Wan. His eyes were bright, and though he didn’t speak, the affection in his eyes was unmistakable.
Yan Chi’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze falling on Sun Muqing.
Though Sun Muqing’s words were somewhat direct and unrestrained, he wasn’t foolish. Soon, he felt as if a cold wind was cutting across his face like a knife. He turned to look at Yan Chi and saw in his eyes an unreadable indifference. Yet it was precisely this indifference that seemed to form a layer of frost around him. Sun Muqing stepped back, shrinking his neck and straightening his spine, though his eyes showed some confusion – why did the Young Lord of An Yang Marquis Manor seem to dislike him?
Thinking this, Sun Muqing gathered his courage to look at Yan Chi again. “May I ask Young Lord, do you know who the Little Medical Immortal is who cured the Old Madam of your manor?”
At this question, everyone’s expressions changed…
Huo Huaixin seemed to want to speak but held back. Qin Li looked at Qin Wan, then at Sun Muqing, somewhat bewildered. As for Yan Chi, his expression hadn’t changed at all, but perhaps because of this, his tone when he spoke was frighteningly cold.
“Why does Doctor Sun ask this?”
Sun Muqing’s lips curved. “It’s like this – this year, Medicine Valley didn’t keep any new disciples. Master said the quality of disciples entering the valley has been declining these past few years. He believes there must be many talented individuals in the common world who haven’t gone to Medicine Valley to study medicine, so Master plans to suspend the five-yearly selection and instead have Medicine Valley disciples who travel around to keep an eye out in secret.”
Speaking further, Sun Muqing’s smile brightened. “I’ve been traveling and practicing medicine along the way until I arrived here. As soon as I entered the city, I heard about a Little Medical Immortal in Jin Prefecture. They say this person was even acclaimed by the most famous doctor in Jin Prefecture’s history. So I wanted to make their acquaintance. That day, I heard people say the Little Medical Immortal had cured the Old Madam of the Marquis Manor, so I thought surely Young Lord would know this Little Medical Immortal.”
As Sun Muqing finished speaking with his warm smile, Huo Huaixin frowned, as did Qin Li. They both looked at him as if he were a fool, while Qin Wan’s brows were slightly furrowed, showing some helplessness.
Yan Chi looked at Sun Muqing. “Indeed, this Little Medical Immortal’s medical skills are excellent. However, while Doctor Sun wishes to make their acquaintance, they do not wish to make yours. Doctor Sun’s traveling and practicing medicine is admirable – better focus on that.”
Qin Li and Huo Huaixin’s expressions became solemn. Now that Yan Chi had made his position clear, they wouldn’t dare let slip even a hint.
Hearing these words, Sun Muqing showed some disappointment and let out a dejected “Oh.” “Is that so… Well… alright then. Indeed, I was too forward. It’s just that hearing how this Little Medical Immortal was so skilled at such a young age made me somewhat interested. Well… I suppose it’s fate. Thank you, Your Highness…”
Though Yan Chi had rejected him, Sun Muqing seemed not to notice and still bowed respectfully. Yan Chi frowned at him for a moment, then turned to look at Qin Wan, seeing her watching Sun Muqing with deep eyes and a complex expression, though she didn’t speak up to expose him.
Huo Huaixin coughed. “Very well, now that the prescription is written, let’s go outside. This isn’t a suitable place for conversation.”
As the Prefect, when Huo Huaixin spoke thus, Sun Muqing immediately nodded repeatedly and walked toward the exit. Qin Li followed, and Qin Wan and Yan Chi also turned to leave together. The group walked out of the prison door in silence, with only Sun Muqing frequently glancing at Qin Wan. Outside, Huo Huaixin smiled at Sun Muqing and said, “Thank you for your trouble, Doctor Sun. Please collect your consultation fee outside.”
Hearing this, Sun Muqing quickly waved his hands. “No need, no need. I’ve been providing free consultations all along my journey. No consultation fee is necessary.”
Huo Huaixin laughed and didn’t insist. “Doctor Sun truly has a benevolent heart. Well then… I’ll have the yamen runners escort you out…”
Hearing this, Sun Muqing’s first reaction was to look at Qin Wan, but seeming to feel the situation wasn’t appropriate for more words, he could only bow very politely to Qin Wan, Yan Chi, and the others. “Very well, then I shall take my leave.”
Huo Huaixin nodded with a smile, and only then did Sun Muqing follow the yamen runners toward the exit. As he walked, he turned back to glance at Qin Wan once more. Though his attire was refined and his appearance handsome, with every gesture showing the bearing of someone well-bred from a noble family, his demeanor, temperament, and way of speaking revealed many instances of naive simplicity. To put it simply… he seemed somewhat foolish.
“Ahem, this Doctor Sun is quite interesting indeed. As expected of someone from Medicine Valley…”
Huo Huaixin’s eyes darted around, and only after seeing no change in Yan Chi’s expression did he relax. “Is Young Lord still planning to leave the city?”
Yan Chi shook his head and looked at Qin Wan. “You haven’t been to the Marquis Manor for many days, have you?”
Qin Wan quickly smiled apologetically. “Indeed, I haven’t gone for several days. I was just telling Fu Ling earlier that I wondered how Grand Princess was doing. Now that things at the Qin Manor are temporarily settled, I’ll go tomorrow—”
“Why wait until tomorrow? Go today,” Yan Chi decided firmly, then turned to look at Qin Li. “Second Young Master, you may return to the manor first.”
Qin Li had already sensed something wasn’t quite right. How could he dare to go against Yan Chi now? Without any hesitation, he cupped his hands in farewell, leaving so quickly that he didn’t even glance at Qin Wan as if they hadn’t come together at all.
Seeing this, Huo Huaixin continued smiling. “Well then… let Young Lord escort Ninth Young Lady there…”
Yan Chi seriously responded with an “Mm” and turned to walk outside. Qin Wan felt these developments were happening rather quickly and glanced at Yan Chi’s back, finding him somewhat difficult to read—
“Ninth Young Lady, hurry and catch up—”
Huo Huaixin reminded her from the side. Qin Wan turned her gaze and immediately met Huo Huaixin’s eyes full of mirth. Qin Wan felt there was something strange about his smile, but since Yan Chi had already left, she could only follow.
Huo Huaixin stood in place for a moment, waiting until Yan Chi and Qin Wan’s figures had completely disappeared before sighing and walking out. He handed the prescription to a yamen runner and raised his hand to massage his sore neck. Leaving through the yamen’s side door, he turned toward the connected rear residence. His face showed traces of mixed feelings, but after walking just a few steps, he saw Huo Ning lingering at the courtyard gate.
This courtyard gate wasn’t far from the side door leading to the yamen. As soon as Huo Huaixin saw him, he went forward. “Ning’er, what are you doing here!”
Huo Ning’s face was full of hesitation. Hearing this, he looked toward the yamen. “Father, has she left?”
Hearing these words, Huo Huaixin knew Huo Ning was aware of Qin Wan’s visit. He snorted disapprovingly, “Yes, she’s gone!”
As he spoke, his eyes swept around and sure enough, saw Fei Quan and Nan Feng waiting submissively not far away.
Huo Huaixin looked at Huo Ning and said, “Weren’t you reading in your room? What are you doing out here?”
Huo Ning scratched his head and coughed lightly. “With such events at the Qin Manor, shouldn’t I go visit them? Last time I borrowed some books from the Qin family’s Eldest Young Master, and haven’t returned them yet. Though he’s gone now, the books should still be returned.”
Hearing this, Huo Huaixin’s eyes immediately widened. “What Eldest Young Master! The Qin family’s Eldest Young Master wasn’t a good person! Stop acting as if you were close to him. Just have servants return the books – you are not to appear at the Qin Manor!”
Huo Huaixin spoke while walking deeper into the residence. Huo Ning looked reluctantly toward the yamen one more time before following his father. “Why is that? Father, I can understand not appearing close to the Eldest Young Master, but why can’t I return the books myself? Didn’t you want me to visit the Qin Manor more often before?”
It would have been better not to bring this up – once mentioned, Huo Huaixin became furious!
He stopped in his tracks, put his hands on his hips, and began lecturing Huo Ning. “What? Now you regret it? Back then, when I told you to visit the Qin Manor more often and talk more with the Ninth Young Lady, you showed nothing but disdain. And now? Now you want to appear before her? Children, many opportunities only come once. Once you miss them, don’t think about trying to get them back.”
Huo Ning’s face reddened. “I… I just… just felt that we had some friendship with the Qin family before. With such events happening, other families surely wouldn’t dare visit, but we shouldn’t be like that, Father…”
Huo Huaixin glared hard at Huo Ning. “You still want to hide it from me? Don’t I know what you’re thinking?! Before, everyone said Ninth Young Lady admired you, but you looked down on her. Now you regret it! But there’s no medicine for regret in this world!” Speaking thus, Huo Huaixin looked at Huo Ning with extreme doubt. “Moreover, I truly suspect you might have misunderstood before. How could Ninth Young Lady have liked you?”
After speaking, Huo Huaixin flicked his sleeve and walked inside with his hands behind his back. Huo Ning was already embarrassed at being seen through by his father, and hearing these words made him angry. He hurriedly followed, saying, “What do Father’s words mean?! Father… do you think so little of your son? Before… before, the way she looked at me clearly…”
Huo Huaixin snorted coldly. “How did she look at you? I have raised you to be too arrogant! When Ninth Young Lady stands there, you, as a man, don’t even have half her presence, yet you tell me she was fond of you before?!”
Huo Ning was so anxious he stamped his foot. “Father doesn’t believe me! You can ask Fei Quan and Nan Feng—”
Huo Ning turned to look at Fei Quan and Nan Feng. They exchanged glances before both lowering their heads. Huo Ning looked exasperatedly at the two who were almost bowing their heads to the ground, then turned back. “Father, why won’t you believe me? Even the other two young ladies of the Qin family knew about this. Father… if you don’t believe me, I’ll go to the Qin Manor right now. She may have changed after falling in the lake, but I don’t believe she’s completely different…”
Huo Huaixin suddenly stopped and raised his hand to strike Huo Ning. Huo Ning quickly raised his arm to shield his face, but Huo Huaixin’s hand didn’t come down. Huo Ning peeked out from behind his arm and saw Huo Huaixin trembling with anger, pointing at him. “You better settle down. From now on, you’re not allowed to hover around Ninth Young Lady, nor go to the Qin Manor. In short, you can’t go anywhere Ninth Young Lady might be, and no one can know that you’re thinking about her!”
Huo Ning’s face was completely red, but since things had come to this point, he didn’t mind his father seeing through him. Still unwilling to give up, he said, “Where is Father coming from with these words?! Why can’t I go? Father wasn’t like this before…”
Huo Huaixin raised his foot to kick at Huo Ning. “Before! You dare mention it before! If you had shown some promise! How would things have turned out like this? In any case, you’re not allowed to go! You may not care about your future, but your father still cares about his official position!”
With that, Huo Huaixin snorted coldly and stormed off with a flick of his sleeve—
Huo Ning stood there, somewhat bewildered. How had this suddenly become about official positions? What did this have to do with official positions? After thinking for a moment, Huo Ning turned to look at Nan Feng and Fei Quan in the distance.
“You two, come here—”
Fei Quan and Nan Feng exchanged glances and continued shuffling over to Huo Ning with lowered heads. Huo Ning looked at the two and gave a cold laugh, then kicked them both. Fei Quan and Nan Feng took the hits and instinctively cried out in pain. Huo Ning laughed coldly again. “Tell me, what did Father mean by what he said just now!”
Fei Quan and Nan Feng stopped their wailing and became serious. Fei Quan coughed lightly and said, “Ninth Young Lady is different now from before. She’s highly favored by both the Marquis Manor and the Grand Princess. This servant guesses that Master means if Young Master were to displease Ninth Young Lady too much, it might incur the Grand Princess’s displeasure, which would naturally affect Master’s career prospects.”
Nan Feng quickly nodded. “Exactly, exactly. This servant thinks so too.”
Huo Ning frowned, but his mind was clearer now. “But when she first gained the Marquis Manor’s favor, Father seemed quite approving. He even had Mother visit the Qin Manor then.”
Fei Quan looked troubled at these words. Nan Feng thought for a moment. “At that time, the Grand Princess hadn’t thought so much about it. Now… could it be that the Grand Princess is thinking of matching Ninth Young Lady with someone else?”
At these words, Huo Ning’s eyes brightened slightly. Of course! The Marquis Manor already had the Young Lord and Yue Qing, and now there was also the Crown Prince of the Rui Prince Manor. The Grand Princess might consider any of these three!
Thinking this, Huo Ning shook his head again. “It can’t be the Crown Prince of the Rui Prince Manor, it must be Yue Qing or Yue Jia… Yue Jia’s wedding was just ruined, so it must be Yue Qing… Yue Qing… hmph…”
As Huo Ning thought this, his eyes narrowed slightly. He and Yue Qing didn’t get along, and Yue Qing probably had intentions toward her too…
At this thought, Huo Ning’s expression changed. This wouldn’t do – she had liked him before! He couldn’t let Yue Qing have this advantage!
……
……
“Achoo!” Just as she got into the carriage, Qin Wan couldn’t help but sneeze.
Yan Chi frowned. “What’s wrong? Caught a cold?”
Qin Wan shook her head, also somewhat puzzled. “No, I don’t know why—”
Before she could finish saying “happened,” Yan Chi’s hand was already on her forehead. Qin Wan froze, her body suddenly still as she stared at Yan Chi. He seriously touched her forehead, then touched his own.
After a moment, Yan Chi concluded, “You don’t have a fever.”
As he withdrew his hand, Qin Wan said helplessly, “I’m a physician myself, Your Highness need not worry.”
“Doctors can’t treat themselves. These past few days there’s been much happening at the Qin Manor, perhaps you’ve neglected yourself.” Saying this, Yan Chi changed the subject, “That Sun Muqing earlier, though he claims to be from Medicine Valley, can’t be verified. Be careful in the future.”
Qin Wan’s eyes widened slightly as she looked at Yan Chi. “Speaking of which, how did Your Highness know I didn’t want to associate with him?”
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow. “He only met you once, yet he seems to value you greatly. And by claiming to be from Medicine Valley, he’s already gained an advantage. What if he has ulterior motives?”
Qin Wan thought for a moment after hearing this. “Your Highness makes a good point. It is indeed quite coincidental.”
Yan Chi straightened his back seriously. “Precisely.”
Qin Wan stared at Yan Chi for a moment, and suddenly a strange thought arose in her heart. She glanced around the carriage. “This carriage is cramped. Is Your Highness comfortable?”
This was a yamen carriage, not as luxurious as those of the Qin Manor or Marquis Manor. Yan Chi usually rode horseback, yet now he chose to take the carriage. At her question, Yan Chi’s expression became firm. “When campaigning, I’ve stayed in ice caves smaller than this. What’s this in comparison?”
Military campaigns were one thing – there was no choice then. But now was different.
He had a fine horse he could ride, yet he chose to squeeze into this narrow, cramped carriage compartment. Qin Wan watched his long legs unable to stretch out and suddenly frowned slightly.
Men in this world would never be kind to a woman without reason.
Qin Cen’s words surfaced again in Qin Wan’s mind. She could still feel the lingering warmth on her forehead, and her hand still retained some warmth. How could such a man who had spent years campaigning in the military develop such delicate thoughtfulness?
Qin Wan’s gaze shifted slightly. “Has Your Highness finished reading the books from the reading list?”
At this question, Yan Chi’s expression became solemn. “I’ve finished Lord Shen’s ‘Corrected Washing Away of Wrongs’ from the Department of Justice. As for the other works, except for two that were hard to find, I’ve finished them all.”
Qin Wan’s eyes brightened slightly. “Your Highness read Lord Shen’s work first?”
At this, Yan Chi was completely open. “Seeing Ninth Young Lady’s high regard for Lord Shen’s works, I felt compelled to read them.”
“What did Your Highness think after reading it?”
Qin Wan looked steadily at Yan Chi. His eyes were deep as he said, “Previously, while campaigning, I didn’t know how criminal cases were handled in the capital, and comparatively, I thought civil officials were inferior to military officers. After reading Lord Shen’s work, I realized that being a capable official is also a blessing for the common people.” He paused slightly, and his voice truly deepened. “It’s such a pity. If not for the previous suspicious case, Lord Shen would surely have left his name in history. Now, with everything settled in the capital, the truth of that case is hard to know.”
These words struck Qin Wan’s heart, and she sensitively caught the meaning in Yan Chi’s words. “Hard to know the truth… Your Highness came from the capital, surely you know that case is common knowledge in every street and alley. Does Your Highness have doubts?”
“You mean about Lord Shen showing favoritism to Prince Jin and helping him escape punishment?”
Qin Wan nodded, and doubt appeared in Yan Chi’s expression. “These days, besides reading Lord Shen’s works, I’ve learned many anecdotes about him. Regardless of how upright Lord Shen’s character was, he had no previous connection with Prince Jin. Why would he risk helping him escape punishment?”
Qin Wan’s spirit suddenly stirred. “Then what does Your Highness think?”
Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan for a moment, his voice suddenly dropping. “This case has already been decided by heaven, it shouldn’t be discussed like this, but… but speaking with you about it should be fine—”
Qin Wan felt warmth in her heart hearing these words. Yan Chi continued, “There are two possibilities in this case. The first possibility is that Lord Shen was indeed helping Prince Jin, but not to escape punishment – rather, he knew Prince Jin was wronged.”
Qin Wan’s pupils contracted slightly. Yan Chi continued, “The second possibility is that Prince Jin wasn’t wronged, and Lord Shen didn’t help him escape punishment. Someone else helped Prince Jin escape punishment, and Lord Shen was framed.”
Qin Wan’s emotions surged. “So, this matter and Consort Jin’s case…”
“Are deeply connected,” Yan Chi added these four words, his bright eyes looking at Qin Wan. Seeing her eyes also brighten slightly, clearly agreeing with his words, Yan Chi suddenly asked, “Lord Shen had a daughter, have you met her?”