“How can there be… so many…” Fu Ling’s face turned pale. Qin Shuang was retching bile beside her. Qin Wan looked at the snarling black cat, then at the cat corpses strewn across the ground, her brows tightly furrowed. After a moment, she stepped forward.
The piercing stench of decay mixed with the biting cold wind as it blew against her. She tightened her cloak and began examining the cat corpses up close. The bodies were both old and new – the fresh ones still bloody, while the older ones had rotted and discolored. Qin Wan only examined the fresh ones, discovering that the wounds were remarkably clean as if cut by a knife…
Qin Wan’s eyes darkened slightly. Looking closer, she saw that the newest corpse had been cut open at the abdomen, its internal organs barely visible in a bloody mess. These cat corpses had been dragged here from somewhere unknown, with blood and filth mixed in a horrifying sight.
“Young Miss, what should we do? There are at least ten cat corpses here…”
Fu Ling approached, wanting to pull Qin Wan away. Meanwhile, Qin Shuang, unsteady from retching, stumbled toward the alley entrance holding Wan Qing and Xiu Yun’s hands. Wan Qing supported Qin Shuang sympathetically, looking back only to see Qin Wan’s rigid silhouette.
As Qin Wan stood closer, the already snarling black cat became even more enraged, baring its teeth at her like a mother protecting its young. Seeing the cat’s ears pulled back and all four paws gripping the ground as if ready to pounce, Fu Ling and Wan Xing both moved to protect Qin Wan. Just as Qin Wan was about to say it was fine, the black cat retreated two steps, turned around, and fled. The intersecting alleyways branched in all directions, and the black shadow vanished in an instant. Fu Ling finally let out a deep breath, “That scared me to death. I thought it was going to attack.”
“Young Miss, what should we do?” Fu Ling looked at Qin Wan. These cat corpses seemed to have been piling up here for more than a day or two, and apparently, the servants inside the residence hadn’t noticed. Should they tell Uncle Dong and the others?
Qin Wan stepped back, turned around, and walked toward the alley exit. “Let’s leave this place first.”
At the alley entrance, Qin Shuang was still gasping for breath, her face pale. Seeing Qin Wan emerge, she immediately said with some trepidation, “Why… why are there so many dead cats? Why would they be piled up there?”
Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, “They must have been brought there by that black cat from somewhere else.”
Qin Shuang’s eyelid twitched, “Somewhere else? Where exactly?”
“I don’t know. The snow has covered all the traces,” Qin Wan shook her head. “But it must be somewhere within this residence.”
Qin Shuang’s eyes widened, “Within this residence? Could there be someone here who enjoys torturing cats?”
Although Qin Shuang didn’t like pets, the scene she had just witnessed still frightened her deeply. While disliking pets was one thing, for someone to kill so many cats so cruelly, they must be a deranged psychopath.
“Not necessarily. It could be for other reasons,” Qin Wan’s eyes held a thoughtful look, but she didn’t elaborate.
“What should we do now?” Fear flickered in Qin Shuang’s eyes. “Should we tell Uncle Dong and the others?”
Qin Wan nodded, “Of course we should, but Sixth Sister needn’t worry. I’ll handle it. You should go back first, and don’t spread the word of this yet…”
Qin Shuang, already quite frightened, felt relieved at these words. “Alright then, I’ll… I’ll go rest first.”
After Qin Shuang left with Wan Qing and Xiu Yun following, Fu Ling anxiously looked at Qin Wan, “Young Miss, what should we do now?”
Qin Wan looked toward the east, “Let’s go around that way to look—”
Fu Ling blinked, unsure of Qin Wan’s plan but followed nonetheless. The three of them deliberately walked east, and after a short while, they encountered two male servants sweeping the snow. While other parts of the residence didn’t require clearing, the east side where the master lived couldn’t be neglected. The two servants immediately stopped their work and bowed upon seeing Qin Wan.
Qin Wan nodded without addressing them and continued east. After a few steps, Uncle Dong approached. Seeing Qin Wan, he quickly smiled and said, “Why has Miss Qin come here? Are you looking for the young master?”
Qin Wan hurriedly waved her hand, smiling, “No, no, I just finished eating and came out for a walk to aid digestion. I was planning to go where we went this morning, but when I went there just now, I noticed a strange smell. I’m not sure what it was.”
Uncle Dong’s brows furrowed slightly, “A smell? What kind of smell?”
Qin Wan replied with an innocent expression, “It seemed like the smell of small animals. This morning, Uncle Dong mentioned there were dogs kept in that courtyard, but I hadn’t even reached there yet. Are there other animals kept in other courtyards?”
A flash of confusion crossed Uncle Dong’s eyes but quickly disappeared. “Oh, I’ll send someone to check right away.”
Qin Wan nodded, “I might have been mistaken.” Looking ahead, she continued, “We’re almost at Renxin Court. I shouldn’t disturb the Divine Physician. We’ll head back now. Please carry on with your work, Uncle Dong.”
Uncle Dong nodded with a smile, and Qin Wan led Fu Ling and Wan Xing back.
This time, Qin Wan didn’t go anywhere else but returned directly to her courtyard. As soon as they entered the gate, Qin Wan turned to Wan Xing and said, “Wan Xing, go out and find a way to see how they handle it.”
Wan Xing nodded and left without asking questions.
Fu Ling looked at Qin Wan with slight surprise, “Young Miss, what is Wan Xing watching for?”
Qin Wan sighed, “I want to know who did this.”
Hearing this, Fu Ling’s face also showed signs of deep thought. “Young Miss said those cat corpses were likely brought there by the black cat, which means there might be more elsewhere. Who in this residence would have such a hobby?”
Qin Wan pressed her lips together without speaking and seeing her dark expression, Fu Ling didn’t ask further.
The two entered the room and sat down. After about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Wan Xing returned quietly, “Young Miss, Uncle Dong took two male servants there. They shoveled away all the cat corpses and took them out of the residence. I couldn’t tell where exactly they were taken, but they were probably buried outside. Uncle Dong didn’t seem surprised, acting as if he just wanted to cover up the matter.”
Qin Wan’s heart sank further upon hearing this, “I understand…”
Fu Ling looked at Wan Xing, then at Qin Wan who had stopped speaking and didn’t ask any more questions.
Qin Wan stood up and walked to the window. The sky was gradually darkening as night approached. However, in this single day, besides the matter of the medicine thief, they had discovered the courtyard with strange sounds and then the pile of cat corpses. Uncle Dong had mentioned that the dogs in the courtyard had been drugged mute. Could those dogs have met the same fate as the cats?
Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, suddenly remembering the few mice she had once kept. Not knowing if the drug proportions were correct or if they would trigger toxicity, she tested the drugs on mice. Later, those mice did indeed die from the drugs. Since then, she had rarely touched those sinister prescriptions and never tested drugs on other living beings again. While testing on small pets wasn’t illegal, but so many cats…
Qin Wan felt waves of coldness rising from the depths of her heart…
“Young Miss?” Fu Ling, seeing Qin Wan’s cold demeanor, called out in concern.
Qin Wan sighed lightly, “This matter… let’s leave it for now…”
Fu Ling seemed to want to say something but held back, “This isn’t like Young Miss’s usual character.”
Qin Wan smiled bitterly, “What should my character be like? Sometimes, I too am powerless.”
The sky gradually darkened. Although it hadn’t snowed during the day, there had been no sun either. As evening approached, cold winds began to rise, growing stronger and making the ancient willows in the courtyard rustle. Soon, Fu Ling exclaimed in surprise, “Young Miss, it’s snowing again…”
Qin Wan’s heart skipped a beat. Originally, they only needed to wait one day for the snow to melt somewhat before leaving, but unexpectedly it was snowing again. This snowfall would only add another layer to the snow that hadn’t begun to melt, further delaying their departure!
Just as she was thinking this, the door of the opposite wing opened, and Qin Shuang, wearing a cloak, ran over to Qin Wan’s room. She burst in saying, “It’s snowing again, what are we going to do? With this snow, won’t we have to delay our departure even longer?”
Fu Ling poured tea for Qin Shuang while saying, “Didn’t Sixth Young Miss used to love snow? Why are you worried now?”
Qin Shuang shot Fu Ling a resentful look and snorted lightly, “I just want to leave early. I’ve been scared since Three Yuan Village, and when we came to this residence, I thought things would be better, but… anyway, I find this place very strange too and want to leave soon.”
Qin Shuang was referring to the cat corpses they had seen in the afternoon. She looked at Qin Wan, “How did that matter turn out?”
Qin Wan walked to Qin Shuang’s side, “I mentioned it to Uncle Dong, and he’s already had people clean it up.”
“Just like that?” Qin Shuang suddenly stood up, “You’ve always followed His Highness the Crown Prince and the Prefect, and I thought you were someone who hated evil. How can we let this matter go just like that? We need to investigate! We need to find out who in this residence is so wicked!”
“And then what?” Qin Wan looked at Qin Shuang, “Then report it to the authorities?”
Qin Shuang paused, “For something like this… would the authorities even handle it…”
Qin Wan shook her head, and Qin Shuang’s eyes widened slightly, seeming to understand. If this matter had no legal standing, they were just temporary guests in someone else’s residence – how could they interfere?
“So… we’re just letting this go?”
Qin Wan frowned slightly, “We don’t know the full story behind this matter, so we have no way to handle it even if we wanted to.”
As she spoke, Qin Wan lowered her eyes. Others might not notice, but she could tell that those fresh cat corpses had clean, knife-like cuts, and their internal organs were still somewhat visible. Who in this residence would have such skill?
While this wasn’t definitive proof, just this suspicion alone made Qin Wan realize she couldn’t intervene in this matter.
Hearing this, Qin Shuang hung her head, “I’ll go tell Third Brother. Let’s find a way to leave early.”
With that, Qin Shuang ran out. Fu Ling watched her leave and sighed, “Sixth Young Miss must have been frightened.”
Fu Ling naturally knew that Qin Wan wasn’t afraid – her Young Miss was skilled at dissecting corpses and examining bones; a few cat corpses were nothing to her.
They thought Qin Shuang wouldn’t return after leaving, but before long, she came running back, fuming. As soon as she entered, she exclaimed, “Heavens, do you know what I just saw at Fifth Sister’s place?”
Qin Wan played along, “What did you see?”
Qin Shuang frowned, “She has a new pair of jade butterflies—”
Qin Wan didn’t immediately understand, “What jade butterflies?”
Taking a deep breath, Qin Shuang explained, “A pair of butterflies made of jade, very exquisite – something any young lady would love. She didn’t have them before; someone gave them to her. Can you guess who?”
Now Qin Wan was somewhat surprised. There weren’t any friends of Qin Xiang in this residence. She thought for a moment, “Third Brother?”
Qin Shuang stamped her foot, “Not Third Brother! It was Young Master Bai!”
Qin Wan took a moment to process this, then smiled slightly, “Young Master Bai…”
She just sighed once and said no more, which didn’t satisfy Qin Shuang at all. Qin Shuang snorted, “You know what? They were sent to her this afternoon. They said Young Master Bai had gone out but had instructed someone to deliver them to her before leaving. You should have seen Fifth Sister – she was delighted. Her eyes were practically sparkling when she talked about Young Master Bai!”
Qin Wan understood now. Qin Xiang had met Young Master Bai during the day, and later he had sent her a gift, naturally making her overjoyed. She found it quite normal – Qin Ran had said that Young Master Bai was quite outstanding, and at Qin Xiang’s age, it was natural to develop feelings for an exceptional young man, especially when he showed her favor.
“If Fifth Sister has feelings for Young Master Bai, what’s wrong with that?”
Qin Wan was unconcerned, but Qin Shuang protested, “But think about it – the Bai family! We’re talking about the Bai family! There are so many noble families close to them, how could it possibly be Fifth Sister’s turn? Besides, he just sent a pair of jade butterflies, but she’s acting as if he values her greatly. He may be just being courteous – giving a small gift to a young lady upon first meeting…”
Qin Wan wasn’t particularly concerned about the private affairs of the Qin sisters, but seeing how seriously Qin Shuang took it, she thought for a moment and said, “Your thinking is reasonable. If you feel she’s taking it too seriously, you could remind her, so she doesn’t get too invested while Young Master Bai might just have casual intentions. That way she won’t end up heartbroken. If she truly likes Young Master Bai, she can observe and get to know him better first.”
Qin Shuang stamped her foot again, “I did tell her! I just told her, but she wouldn’t listen!”
Qin Wan became somewhat hesitant. She could tell that Qin Xiang wasn’t particularly friendly toward her, so she thought for a moment and said, “Then you could tell Third Brother, let him give her some advice from the side.”
Hearing this, Qin Shuang became uncertain, “Is it appropriate to tell Third Brother about such things? She told me not to tell anyone…”
A young lady’s private thoughts indeed shouldn’t be shared with men, but Qin Wan couldn’t very well warn Qin Xiang herself – that would only anger her. Qin Wan sighed, “This is just the beginning. Naturally, she won’t listen to you when she’s just developed feelings for Young Master Bai. We’re only staying here for a few days – as long as she doesn’t do anything improper, it’s fine. Of course, if Young Master Bai truly develops feelings for her and it becomes a marriage match, wouldn’t that be even better?”
Qin Shuang snorted lightly and glanced at Qin Wan, “I don’t think Young Master Bai would fall for her just like that. She doesn’t have outstanding beauty, and her character and temperament are quite ordinary. If Young Master Bai is truly a noble young master of refined character, how could he take a liking to her and show favor so casually?”
Qin Wan had always thought Qin Shuang was impulsive, illogical, and sometimes unreasonably willful, but these words made her somewhat agree. Qin Wan frowned slightly, “Indeed, sending a gift immediately after their first meeting – if it’s truly to show favor, it seems a bit frivolous.”
“Exactly!” Qin Shuang snorted, “Moreover, Fifth Sister thinks too highly of herself. I think she’s not clear-headed right now. If Young Master Bai is a playboy, I’m afraid Fifth Sister will only end up with a broken heart.”
“In that case, keep an eye on her. Fortunately, Young Master Bai isn’t in the residence right now, so even if she has feelings, she won’t be able to do anything immediately…”
Qin Shuang nodded, “That’s true, she still has some sense of propriety.”
After being reassured by Qin Wan and chatting a bit more, Qin Shuang saw it was getting late and returned to her room. In just this short while, outside in the night, howling wind and snow created a piercing cold. Qin Wan worried about the weather while Fu Ling added charcoal to the brazier, saying, “Sixth Young Miss has changed lately – we can even hear the word ‘propriety’ from her mouth now.”
Qin Wan smiled at this, “Yes, the change is indeed significant.”
As Qin Wan said this, she could no longer connect the current Qin Shuang – who ran back and forth and, despite her mockery, still worried about Qin Xiang – with the Qin Shuang who had ordered her servants to push Qin Wan into Half Moon Lake while laughing…
In just three short months, Qin Shuang seemed to have undergone a complete transformation.
Fu Ling continued talking, mostly listing how “vicious” Qin Shuang had been in bullying them before. Qin Wan just smiled without speaking. Seeing it was late, she prepared to sleep. Having not slept well the previous night, Qin Wan didn’t sleep well this night either.
The window lattices were tightly closed, yet they couldn’t block out the howling of wind and snow outside. Qin Wan felt that this night’s snow was much heavier than the night at Chang Fu Inn, and even she felt uneasy at the howling wind in the vast darkness.
Not just Qin Wan, but Fu Ling and Wan Xing also had trouble sleeping. The three of them tossed and turned in bed for half the night before finally falling into a light sleep. Early the next morning, Qin Wan was awakened by the sound of someone pounding on the door.
“Ninth Sister—”
“Ninth Sister, quick, open the door!”
“Ninth Sister! Something’s happened!”
Qin Wan suddenly opened her eyes, focusing for a moment to confirm it was indeed Qin Shuang knocking. Outside, Wan Xing had already gotten up to open the door. As soon as the door opened, Qin Shuang saw Fu Ling still drowsy and Qin Wan not even up yet, but she rushed in anyway. Their quarters were divided into outer and inner rooms, and Qin Shuang rushed straight into the inner room, saying, “Something’s happened! The thief has escaped!”
Qin Wan had just sat up, but hearing these words, she immediately became fully alert, “Escaped?”
Qin Shuang nodded vigorously, “Yes when Young Master Sun went to check on him this morning, the room was empty. The courtyard gate was open too. This residence is so large, and we don’t even know that thief’s name. Third Brother said we should stay in our courtyards and not go out alone to avoid any trouble…”
Qin Wan hurriedly got up and dressed. Qin Shuang frowned and muttered, “You usually don’t sleep this late…”
Qin Wan gave a bitter smile without saying much. After dressing and a quick wash, she went out with Qin Shuang.
When they opened the door, fine snow was falling densely outside, and sure enough, another thick layer had accumulated on the ground. The ancient willows in the corner of the courtyard were heavily laden with snow, and two withered branches had broken off under their weight.
Qin Wan knew without asking Qin Ran that they wouldn’t be able to leave today either…
She walked quickly, and when they reached Sun Muqing’s courtyard, they found Qin Ran and Qin Xiang already there, with Uncle Dong speaking—
“The west back gate was open. It seems the thief knew he’d been caught stealing medicine. Though he was conscious yesterday, he kept pretending to be unconscious. Then, fearing punishment, he escaped in the middle of the night after waking up.”
Sun Muqing smiled wryly, “With such heavy snow last night, his escape must have been quite dangerous.”
Uncle Dong sighed helplessly, “If he was just stealing medicine, it was only a small amount. We wouldn’t have punished him severely, just given him a warning. Now that he’s run away, who knows how far his home is? If he collapses on the road, it could be dangerous.”
Sun Muqing nodded, thinking briefly before saying, “When I noticed something was wrong, I checked everything. He hadn’t disturbed much in the room or taken anything else, just put on his original clothes. When I came out, I noticed there were no footprints in the courtyard – the new snow had already covered them, so I estimate he left before the fifth watch (3-5 AM).”
Uncle Dong’s eyes lit up slightly, “Young Master Sun is so meticulous!”
Qin Ran also smiled and said, “Indeed, others might not think to check for footprints…”
Hearing this, Sun Muqing chuckled awkwardly, “I wouldn’t have known to do this before either. Later, someone taught me many techniques. She’s naturally very detailed and meticulous. She notices many details I usually miss, and she reacts the quickest and judges most accurately in many situations. She especially loves reading those strange case-solving novels. If she were here, she’d probably notice even more details than me and could even figure out the escape route. I naturally picked up some of these habits after spending time with her.”
Qin Ran’s eyes brightened, “Oh? The person Young Master Sun speaks of sounds well-suited for solving cases and catching criminals…”
Sun Muqing’s smile deepened, “I’ve said the same thing before, Master Qin. She had such aspirations, but unfortunately, being a woman, she couldn’t become a constable or official in the yamen. I used to find this quite regrettable, but her personality and nature are naturally detail-oriented, and she reacts quickly – traits that are very useful in ordinary life too. Not to mention, in studying medicine, she learns faster than others and thinks more comprehensively. When researching difficult cases, she can be even more dedicated than I am.”
Sun Muqing spoke more and more, clearly very familiar with and admiring of this person. Qin Shuang listened and immediately asked, “Is this person the Junior Sister you mentioned before, Young Master Sun?”
Sun Muqing’s smile faded slightly, but he still nodded, “Yes, I’m surprised Miss Qin figured it out.”
Qin Shuang said, “I guessed because Young Master Sun’s expression and look in your eyes when talking about this lady were identical to when you mentioned your Junior Sister before, so I figured it must be her…”
Sun Muqing replied, “Miss Liu is very observant too…”
Sun Muqing seemed unwilling to discuss this topic further and turned to Uncle Dong, “Since that person has fled, let’s leave it at that. Perhaps send someone to check the surroundings, though I think since he’s run away, he won’t stay nearby. If he freezes to death on the road, there’s nothing we can do…”
Uncle Dong nodded at this, “Exactly so, Young Master doesn’t need to worry. Orders have already been given.”
Sun Muqing nodded, looked at the still-falling fine snow, and sighed, “With this new layer of snow, Master Qin will probably have to stay two more days. I wonder if Master Qin has any urgent business in the capital?”
Qin Wan quickly shook her head, “There’s no urgent business, Young Master Sun needn’t worry. We feel very safe staying here, though we feel guilty about imposing on Divine Physician Sun for additional days…”
Uncle Dong hunched over and coughed lightly, “Not at all. The residence feels more lively with Master Qin and his siblings here. It’s just that with the heavy snow, our food stores are running low, so meals might be quite simple these few days. I hope Master Qin won’t mind. Things will improve once Young Master Bai returns from Yuan Prefecture.”
Qin Ran hurriedly said, “How could we mind? The meals these past few days have been much better than what we had on the road. We’re incredibly grateful. My sisters and I aren’t pampered people – please don’t trouble yourself, Uncle Dong.”
After a few more words, Uncle Dong left. Seeing everyone standing in the wing room, Sun Muqing invited them to the main hall where it would be warmer. Qin Xiang and Qin Shuang walk at the back, and after a few steps, they hear Qin Xiang say, “With such heavy snow, I wonder if Young Master Bai is safe on his journey, and where he might be now. The village roads below must be difficult to traverse.”
Hearing this, Qin Shuang couldn’t help but say, “Fifth Sister, he only sent you a pair of jade butterflies, why are you so concerned? The jade butterflies might just be a courtesy gift. Don’t read too much into it, or you’ll end up hurt.”
Qin Xiang frowned, “If it were just courtesy, he could have sent something else. Why a pair of jade butterflies? It’s a pair, mind you, and the jade is of superior quality, even better than what Mother gave me. If there wasn’t some meaning behind it, it would be too extravagant.”
Qin Shuang pressed her lips together, wanting to say something harsher, but remembering how she used to follow Qin Xiang, she felt somewhat constrained by habit and couldn’t bring herself to say it. Instead, she said, “Fifth Sister, be sensible. Even if he truly has some intentions, you should still show more restraint, lest people say the daughters of the Qin family don’t know proper conduct…”
Qin Shuang left after speaking. Qin Xiang paused, her expression changing slightly. Wan He, who had heard everything, quickly consoled in a low voice, “Young Miss, don’t be angry. Sixth Young Miss means well.”
“Good intentions?! What good intentions?!” Qin Xiang was furious, clutching her sleeves so tightly her nails nearly tore through them. “Look at her! She was already disrespectful to me back at the estate, and now she’s always hanging around Qin Wan. Now she even dares to speak to me like this! She’s just jealous, jealous that Young Master Bai showed me favor while she hasn’t even met him! And that Qin Wan, she just can’t stand seeing me well off. I used to be above her, but after she got to know the Imperial Princess’s family, she thought she could surpass me in everything. But now Young Master Bai is completely out of her reach, and she can’t accept that!”
Wan He wanted to say more but didn’t dare see Qin Xiang’s anger. Seeing everyone enter the room without paying attention to her, Qin Xiang turned and walked back to her courtyard…
“This heavy snow is good – I’ll wait for Young Master Bai to return!”
Inside the room, Qin Ran was looking at the weather outside. Though anxious inside, he said, “We thought we’d only stay for two days, but unexpectedly the snow has lasted so long. We’ve imposed for too long this time. Divine Physician Sun came here seeking peace to care for his wife, yet we’ve disturbed that. We truly apologize…”
Sun Muqing said lightly, “Master Qin needn’t worry. You’re all staying in the west side and haven’t even gone to the east side – how could that be considered a disturbance? Uncle Dong and the others are just taking a bit more trouble. I was worried that my Master’s personality might make you and the young ladies feel neglected—”
“Not at all. Divine Physician Sun lives up to his title – such noble aloofness is fitting,” Qin Ran naturally had only praise. He continued, “Young Master Sun has helped us greatly this time. Without this help, we truly wouldn’t have known what to do.”
As Qin Ran and Sun Muqing exchanged concerns and gratitude, Qin Wan and Qin Shuang just listened from the side. Soon, Aunt Lin’s voice came from the courtyard entrance, “Young Master? Is Master Qin here?”
Everyone hurried out to look and saw Aunt Lin standing at the door with food boxes, “Young Master and the guests are all here? Should I set up breakfast in this courtyard?”
Sun Muqing looked at Qin Ran, who immediately smiled and said, “Anywhere is fine.”
At these words, Aunt Lin smiled and came in. She had a round face that looked very kind. Having personally delivered meals several times these past two days, she had become familiar with Qin Wan and the others. Seeing Aunt Lin enter, Qin Shuang stepped forward smiling, “Aunt Lin, do you have tea cookies today? Your tea cookies are the best in the South – even the finest teahouses can’t compare!”
Hearing this, Aunt Lin’s face immediately lit up, “Yes, yes! Sixth Young Miss can have as many as she wants. We collected plenty of new tea from the tea garden earlier, but since the young master doesn’t like tea, I kept it all. I planned to make it all into tea cookies. Usually, the young master doesn’t like these, and the madam often sleeps, so my tea cookies all end up with Old Dong and the others. It’s fortunate Sixth Young Miss is here.”
This made everyone laugh. Aunt Lin brought the food boxes in and opened them to reveal several exquisite side dishes. She continued, “The residence only buys fresh vegetables once every half month. With this snow, it will be delayed some days, so the meals will be simpler these few days. I hope Young Master and the guests won’t mind.”
Uncle Dong had said the same thing earlier, so Qin Ran repeated his previous response. After Aunt Lin set out the side dishes, they noticed the main dish was missing. Aunt Lin explained, “Little Chestnut still has the porridge. I was worried Young Master and the guests would wait too long, so I came ahead. He should be on his way after filling the bowls.”
No one was in a hurry, so Qin Shuang asked Aunt Lin about her tea cookie recipe. Seeing how much Qin Shuang liked her cooking, Aunt Lin naturally shared everything. Qin Shuang called for Wan Qing to write it down quickly, then asked, “How did Aunt Lin learn to make these tea cookies? Aren’t you from Yizhou? Is this common there?”
Aunt Lin smiled, “Not in Yizhou. It’s quite strange actually – I learned after recovering from a serious illness. I just tried it once, and somehow everyone said they were delicious.”
“That’s amazing! It must be Aunt Lin’s superior skill!”
Qin Shuang, who never used to give compliments, now spoke them easily. Aunt Lin smiled warmly. After waiting a while without seeing Little Chestnut arrive with the porridge, Aunt Lin frowned, “What’s wrong with that child? Did he spill it on the way?”
Sun Muqing hurriedly said, “Don’t worry, Aunt Lin. The snow is heavy today, and it’s a long way from the kitchen. He might have spilled it!”
Aunt Lin sighed, “Today is strange. Usually, Little Pine, who’s about Little Chestnut’s age, helps in the kitchen, but early this morning Little Pine disappeared somewhere. Little Chestnut isn’t familiar with these kitchen errands and meal deliveries. I was worried when I gave him instructions before coming.”
Aunt Lin stood at the door waiting. Despite Sun Muqing’s reassurance, she was still anxious. Sun Muqing was family, but Qin Ran and the others were guests – it wasn’t right to keep guests waiting.
After waiting a bit longer with still no sign of Little Chestnut, Aunt Lin sighed, “That child must have messed up. Please wait a moment while I go check. We need Little Pine for this…”
As she spoke, Aunt Lin walked toward the courtyard gate. Sun Muqing wanted to stop her but seeing her genuine concern, he didn’t. However, just as Aunt Lin was about to leave the courtyard, a figure suddenly ran to the gate. Everyone inside relaxed – Little Chestnut had arrived—
Aunt Lin, at the gate, said, “Why are you only coming now?!”
Before she finished speaking, she noticed Little Chestnut’s hands were empty. Frowning, she demanded, “Why are you empty-handed? Where’s the porridge? The porridge I told you to bring!”
Little Chestnut seemed to have run all the way there. At the gate, he supported himself with one hand, panting heavily. After Aunt Lin finished scolding him, he finally said hoarsely, “Some… something’s happened, Aunt Lin…”
Aunt Lin frowned, “What happened? Did you spill the porridge?”
Little Chestnut immediately shook his head, “No… it’s… it’s Little Pine! He’s dead!”
“What!” Aunt Lin exclaimed sharply. In an instant, everyone inside the room widened their eyes!
Little Pine was dead?! Had they heard correctly—
Qin Wan and Sun Muqing stood up simultaneously and walked out, with Qin Ran and Qin Shuang hurrying after them!
At the courtyard gate, Aunt Lin seemed about to collapse. She naturally forgot about the porridge, “What happened?! How could Little Pine die so suddenly?! Where is he? Where did you see him…”
Little Chestnut’s face was pale, his forehead covered in sweat. “I didn’t find him. Uncle Zhang did. Uncle Zhang wanted to find Uncle Dong, but Uncle Dong had gone with others to chase the medicine thief. Then he went to the kitchen to find you, but you’d already left. Uncle Zhang told me to tell you that Little Pine… Little Pine was found dead in the drainage ditch behind a storage yard not far from Renxin Court!”
Aunt Lin’s face turned completely white, her lips trembling but unable to speak. With reddening eyes, she stood there not knowing what to do. Sun Muqing stepped forward, “Where is he?! Take us to see!”
Aunt Lin snapped back to reality at his shout, hurriedly saying, “Young Master! Young Master shouldn’t see such things. I’ll go, I’ll go…”
Sun Muqing grabbed Aunt Lin’s trembling arm, “A death is too serious to dismiss. I know some methods for examining bodies. Let me take a look – surely Little Pine didn’t commit suicide!”
“Not suicide, not suicide…” Little Chestnut beside them widened his eyes, his voice filled with terror. “Uncle Zhang said… all of Little Pine’s limbs had been chopped off…”