“They were sent away?” Qin Wan asked with slight surprise, as she hadn’t known about this.
Sun Muqing nodded, “Yes. After that night when Ninth Miss and Sixth Miss were frightened, and saw that the heavy snow had left the mansion low on food and supplies, the three patients were sent away. That mentally confused young man was said to be from Chihe Village in the northwest. These past two days, there have been no patients in the mansion.”
Qin Wan’s previously raised concerns subsided, but the dark cloud hanging over everyone’s hearts had yet to disperse. If the murderer wasn’t that mentally confused patient, then who could it be? Just thinking about such a ruthless killer hiding within this empty and gloomy old mansion made even Qin Wan feel a chill down her spine.
“Then I must have been wrong. It seems we’ll have to wait for the county officials to arrive.”
Seeing Qin Wan’s dejected tone, Sun Muqing quickly consoled her, “Ninth Miss, don’t worry. The county officials will surely arrive tonight. We can leave it to them then.”
Qin Wan responded with a mild “mm” and looked at the thick layers of snow outside, saying, “I just hope it doesn’t snow again today, so their journey won’t be hindered…” As she spoke, Qin Wan stood up and began pacing back and forth, feeling inexplicably anxious.
Sun Muqing noticed this and quickly suggested, “Miss Qin if you’re feeling troubled, why not go for a walk? It’s broad daylight, getting some fresh air would not harm.”
Qin Wan paused mid-step and decided to follow Sun Muqing’s suggestion.
Since Qin Wan was going out, Qin Shuang naturally had to accompany her. Sun Muqing escorted the sisters out of the courtyard. After some thought, Qin Wan chose to walk northward, avoiding the small alley they had passed through that day. Along the way, Sun Muqing asked about Qin Wan’s medical studies, and she continued to attribute her knowledge to Mr. and Mrs. Qin’s medical background.
After walking for a while, they came to a courtyard where they could hear voices talking inside. Additionally, there was a strange “crack-crack” sound. Qin Wan was curious, but Qin Shuang ran to the door first to look. Upon seeing inside, she asked, “Little Lizi, what are you doing?!”
Qin Wan raised her eyebrows and walked over with Sun Muqing. When they reached the door, they found Little Lizi working with wood in the courtyard. He had set up a simple frame using two long benches and was standing on one bench, using a tool to smooth out rough spots on a wooden board. Upon seeing Sun Muqing and the others arrive, Little Lizi immediately walked over to them.
“Greetings, Young Master Cousin, Young Ladies…”
Sun Muqing was also curious, “What are you making?”
Little Lizi’s face still held traces of sadness as he replied, “The mansion has no coffins, and there’s no time to buy one now. Besides, as a servant, I don’t have the face to ask for one. Since I know a bit of carpentry, I thought I’d make a coffin for Little Songzi for his burial. He… he came to the mansion with me, always thinking about serving the master well, but who would have thought…”
Little Lizi’s voice grew hoarse as he spoke. Unlike the panic from his shock that day, now that the fear had subsided somewhat, what remained was only grief for his companion’s brutal death. Qin Wan was moved to hear this, and Sun Muqing was also touched, saying, “You’re a good person. If he knows this in the afterlife, he would be comforted.”
Little Lizi shook his head, “That’s no use. If only he hadn’t died.”
With the person already dead, Sun Muqing didn’t know how to console him and only asked, “Did Little Songzi have no family at all?”
“That’s right, and that’s why he treated me like a brother. To be honest with Young Master Cousin, all of us here are orphans without parents or family. I don’t know what good deed we did in our past lives to have such a good master in this life, but Little Songzi wasn’t fortunate enough. It’s only been half a year, yet he met with such a tragic fate.”
“The dead are gone. You should focus on serving well here and living your own life properly from now on. That way, his spirit in heaven will be comforted,” Qin Shuang said in a gentle tone, showing she could now even console others.
Little Lizi nodded heavily, “I definitely will. I’ve served in many households before but never stayed long… To be honest with Young Master Cousin and the Young Ladies, with my previous condition, I had no prospects at all. Boys in wealthy households usually do heavy work like guarding the house, but I… It was Uncle Dong who kindly brought me back here.”
Little Lizi’s words were vague, and Qin Wan frowned slightly as she looked at his complexion, “Were you ill before?”
Little Lizi nodded with a bitter smile, “I used to have severe chest pains, sometimes fainting and unable to do anything. My previous masters drove me out because of this, but Uncle Dong not only didn’t mind my sickly condition, but he even had the master give me medicine after bringing me back. Now my health has gradually improved a lot.”
Seeing him working with wood now showed that his health was indeed better. Sun Muqing nodded encouragingly, “With your pure heart and this skill, you’ll surely have good days ahead. Don’t dwell too long on Little Songzi’s matter. Once we catch the murderer, that will be revenge enough for him. When the new year comes, you can offer incense to him.”
At this, Little Lizi smiled sheepishly, “Young Master Cousin is too kind. My small skill hardly counts as craftsmanship. I wasn’t very good at it before, but recently discovered I had a knack for this kind of work, so I tried making a few things for the mansion. Uncle Dong was surprisingly satisfied, so I continued with it.”
Sun Muqing was slightly surprised and glanced at the setup in the courtyard. He noticed that the wooden planks on the ground and the finished coffin lid were well-proportioned, almost indistinguishable from those sold in coffin shops. “Looking at this, you seem to have quite a talent for this craft. If you specialize in this field in the future, you might become a great craftsman.”
Little Lizi scratched his head, his face reddening, “No, no, I’m just following my heart and making do. Thank you, Young Master Cousin, I… I will work hard…”
Sun Muqing smiled at his embarrassment and nodded, “Alright then, carry on. We’ll go look around elsewhere.”
Little Lizi quickly bowed, and Sun Muqing’s group turned to leave. As they walked, Sun Muqing remarked curiously, “This Little Lizi is quite talented. Some people are naturally gifted in certain areas, like Little Lizi with carpentry…” He looked at Qin Wan, “Ninth Miss is the same with medicine. Those who succeed through self-study are truly rare.”
Qin Wan smiled bitterly in her heart. She wasn’t one of those naturally gifted people Sun Muqing spoke of. While such people certainly existed, she wasn’t one of them. The reason her master had valued her and taken her as a disciple was simply because of her dedication and hard work. As for Little Lizi… Qin Wan shook her head, feeling something wasn’t quite right, but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
The Ninth Miss suddenly became skilled in medicine because a different person had taken over her body. Little Lizi suddenly became proficient in carpentry – surely it couldn’t be that Little Lizi had also been replaced by someone else?
Thinking this, Qin Wan felt a chill at the back of her head. She always said she didn’t believe in supernatural things, but how could she explain her situation?
After pondering for a moment, Qin Wan shook her head again. She had awakened as the Ninth Miss, without becoming a ghost, and had never seen heavenly Buddhas, gods, or the King of Hell and his demons. While something mysterious had indeed brought her back to life, Qin Wan couldn’t figure out what it was. She only knew that worldly evils were man-made, and even if ghosts existed, they resided in people’s hearts.
After this walk and learning about Little Lizi’s suddenly acquired carpentry skills, Qin Wan’s mood improved considerably. Upon returning to the courtyard, they soon had lunch. After lunch, everyone in Baicao Garden, including Qin Wan, was waiting for the county officials to arrive. In the afternoon, Qin Shuang returned from visiting Qin Xiang and said, “Fifth Sister doesn’t care at all about whether someone died in the mansion now. She thinks Young Master Bai is returning today and has been anticipating it since early morning. She truly has no sense of propriety!”
Qin Wan laughed, “It’s understandable when encountering one’s first love.”
Qin Shuang snorted lightly, unconvinced. After a moment, she added, “Oh, and the area where the person died has all been cordoned off. The servants in the mansion are quite scared now, saying that since Little Songzi was so young when he died, it might cause that thing…”
“What thing?” Qin Wan looked at Qin Shuang curiously.
Qin Shuang frowned impatiently, “How can you not know this?! When young people die, their negative energy easily brings bad luck to the household. Don’t you remember when you initially—”
Qin Shuang spoke hurriedly, but suddenly cut herself off mid-sentence. Her expression changed several times as she realized what she had said. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Meanwhile, Fuling’s face alternated between pale and flushed as she glared at Qin Shuang, silently cursing her. She had thought Qin Shuang had improved and learned to be more considerate, but unexpectedly, she would dare to say such things!
Qin Shuang took one step back, then another, “I… I didn’t mean it that way… At that time, we thought you had died, so we arranged for religious ceremonies… Later… Later when you didn’t die, I was very happy!”
Fuling twisted the handkerchief in her hands, her eyes glinting coldly, wishing she could wring Qin Shuang’s wooden head like the handkerchief in her hands. She was happy? She was probably happy because she’d have someone to bully again!
Seeing the smile vanish from Qin Wan’s face – though there was no obvious anger, her entire demeanor had changed – and Fuling looking at her like an enemy, Qin Shuang panicked and choked out in a tearful voice, “Why are you all looking at me like that? I was just saying what happened then. I didn’t mean to curse her…”
Fuling snorted and looked away from Qin Shuang. Qin Wan shook her head, “Your habit of speaking without thinking will get you in trouble sooner or later.”
Having just said something she shouldn’t have, Qin Shuang knew she couldn’t talk back now. She lowered her head and mumbled something, “I just… I just thought of you as family, that’s why I wasn’t careful. I apologize. I’ll never say such things again.”
After Qin Shuang’s outburst, Fuling felt depressed for a long time. They say human nature is hard to change, and it was indeed true. Now that Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang had fallen out, she stayed close to Qin Wan, but if something unpleasant happened with Qin Wan later, she probably wouldn’t care much about sisterly affection. Fuling thought sadly if only the Princess could go to the capital too!
Until nightfall, Fuling maintained a cold attitude toward Qin Shuang, who remained listless, occasionally exchanging a few words with Qin Wan, who only gave brief responses. Just as Qin Shuang was feeling dejected, Sun Muqing rushed in from outside, “Ninth Miss… the county officials have arrived!”
At these words, everyone in the room perked up, instantly forgetting the afternoon’s troubles.
“Where are they? How many came?”
As soon as Qin Wan asked, Sun Muqing immediately replied, “Five people came – one county constable and four deputies.”
Qin Wan nodded, “That’s good. What are they doing now?”
Sun Muqing gave a bitter smile, “Uncle Dong is treating them to dinner. After arriving, they only took a brief look at Little Songzi in the back, and haven’t asked about anything else.”
Qin Wan’s lips twitched, wanting to say something but ultimately holding back, “It’s still early in the evening. They’ll probably start questioning after dinner.”
Qin Shuang quickly asked, “Does that mean we’ll be called for questioning too?”
“Theoretically, everyone in the mansion who’s suspicious will be called,” Qin Wan said flatly.
Sun Muqing added, “Yes, everyone will be questioned. Right now they don’t know the situation in the mansion, Uncle Dong is still explaining…”
Qin Wan felt somewhat relieved. No matter what, the officials had arrived. With the county officials here, the case could finally begin to be properly investigated.
Though the snow had stopped, the weather was bitterly cold. Not just Qin Wan and Qin Shuang, but even Sun Muqing was waiting for Uncle Dong to summon them. However, after waiting for nearly two hours in Qin Wan’s quarters without hearing from Uncle Dong, Sun Muqing couldn’t wait any longer and decided to go check the East Court himself. Qin Wan and Qin Shuang continued waiting, but Sun Muqing returned after just half a cup of tea’s time, entering the courtyard angrily, “Ninth Miss, no need to wait anymore. They’ve eaten and drunk their fill and gone to sleep.”
“What?! With a murder case right before them, they went to sleep?! Do they know whose mansion this is?”
Qin Shuang exclaimed in disbelief. Sun Muqing sighed, “They know. Uncle Dong’s messenger told them as soon as he reached the county office. Though the constable came quickly, he took quite a bit of silver. Now they’re sleeping, saying they’ll start questioning people early tomorrow morning.”
Qin Wan’s brows immediately furrowed. The county office was the lowest level of state authority, and in remote areas with little supervision, a county magistrate could act like a local despot. While constables and deputies might not be shocked by murder cases, they should at least prioritize the investigation. Those who come to eat and drink, and then go straight to sleep afterward were negligent in their duties.
“Aren’t they afraid of the Medicine Valley people investigating?”
Qin Shuang asked in surprise. Sun Muqing gave a bitter smile, “What do they have to fear? They naturally fear nothing. Medicine Valley doesn’t involve itself in court politics, and as long as there’s no higher-ranking official present, they naturally have nothing to fear.”
Though Sun Muqing didn’t often venture out, he understood this principle. Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, “Tomorrow we’ll have to have Third Brother pressure them, otherwise they won’t be efficient at all.”
At this suggestion, Sun Muqing agreed it was the only way. Qin Wan reassured Sun Muqing and told him to go rest. Meanwhile, Qin Wan and Qin Shuang also lay down to sleep, though Qin Wan slept uneasily that night because of these arrogant and lazy constables.
Everyone was waiting for someone to take charge and thoroughly investigate Little Songzi’s case, but it wasn’t until noon the next day that Qin Wan’s group was called to the East Hall for discussion. Qin Yan led the way, followed by Qin Wan, with Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang at the back. As they entered the room, Qin Wan heard an affected voice speaking…
“The case happened in your mansion, so the murderer must be in your mansion too. Since you’re the mansion’s steward, I’ll temporarily consider you innocent. As for the others, call them in one by one for questioning. Bring in anyone who had arguments or grievances with the deceased for thorough questioning. If they won’t talk, we’ll use torture. There may not be torture instruments here, but we can at least use the paddle, right?”
These words made Uncle Dong smile bitterly, “Constable Song, what if torture doesn’t get answers?”
With a light snort, that affected voice continued, “There’s nothing I, Song Li, can’t get answers to. Didn’t you say there were more people in the mansion? Call them all in for questioning…”
As the words fell, Qin Yan had already entered the hall. Having heard these words, his expression turned cold, “What does Constable Song wish to question?”
In the room full of people, a middle-aged man in official uniform sat in the main seat. This middle-aged man had a fat face and big ears, sitting askew in a manner that matched his affected tone. He had particularly narrow eyes, which swept over to look at the newcomers.
Seeming to notice Qin Yan’s distinguished bearing, he straightened up slightly and affected an air of justice, “Who might you be?”
Qin Yan looked at Song Li, “Qin Yan.”
Hearing Qin Yan give his name, Song Li showed little respect, casually saying, “Oh, Qin Yan. Where do you live? What are you doing here?”
“I live in the capital, and I’m staying here at a friend’s invitation.”
Seeing Qin Yan answer without any trace of respect, Song Li frowned, “Staying here? That’s an interesting excuse. You lot, take this one away for thorough questioning first…”
As he finished speaking, two deputies behind Song Li moved to come forward, but Qin Yan frowned, his voice turning cold, “Is this how Constable Song conducts investigations?”
Hearing Qin Yan’s tone, Song Li grew angry, “How I conduct investigations is none of your business. The county office is investigating now – are you refusing to cooperate? Or are you feeling guilty? What’s your relationship with Little Songzi? Are you the murderer?”
Qin Yan gave a cold laugh, “So this is how Jiang Yuanzhou’s subordinates behave. How eye-opening!”
At the mention of “Jiang Yuanzhou,” Song Li’s expression changed immediately. This Jiang Yuanzhou was the County Magistrate of Ji County in Yuan Prefecture. Song Li only dared to be so arrogant when Jiang Yuanzhou wasn’t present. When Jiang Yuanzhou was around, he had to get up and curry favor. And this person before him, not only did he look distinguished, but he dared to speak of County Magistrate Jiang’s name in such a tone – who exactly was he?
Song Li stuttered, “You… you dare speak the County Magistrate’s name so casually… how presumptuous!”
A cold light flashed in Qin Yan’s eyes, “Presumptuous? Jiang Yuanzhou kneels and bows to me. Who are you to be shouting orders here?”
Qin Yan’s words cut like a sword, immediately making Song Li stand up. Uncle Dong’s expression was complex, while Sun Muqing stared at Qin Yan with wide eyes. Though he knew Qin Yan’s surname was Qin, he didn’t know Qin Yan was the heir to the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s estate!
Song Li was scared to his feet, looking at Qin Yan who didn’t seem to be pretending, his heart pounding, “May I… may I ask who you are…”
Zhou Huai stepped forward, his voice warm as he reminded, “Before you stands the Young Master of the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s estate.”
Song Li’s narrow eyes suddenly widened as he stared at Qin Yan for a long moment, finally lowering his head, “Young Master… so it’s the Young Master of the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s estate. I failed to recognize such an important person, please forgive my offense.”
His eyes swept around as he called to the four people behind him, “What are you all standing around for? Quickly pay your respects to the Young Master!”
With these words, he and his followers all knelt before Qin Yan.
“We pay our respects to the Young Master… Had we known of your presence, Magistrate Jiang would surely have come to welcome you personally…”
Qin Yan cast a cold glance at Song Li, “With the year-end evaluations for all prefectures and counties approaching, I wonder what Jiang Yuanzhou would think if he knew his subordinate was so presumptuous and negligent? Has Ji County become his domain where he allows his subordinates to do as they please?!”
Cold sweat poured down Song Li’s face at these words. At year’s end, all prefecture and county officials underwent evaluation. Jiang Yuanzhou was just a minor county magistrate – though he could act like a tyrant in Ji County, looking up, there were officials at every level above him pressing down. He dreamed of promotion, but if he affected Jiang’s political achievements, or if this Young Master’s single word cut off his path to promotion, Jiang Yuanzhou might well kill him!
“Young Master’s words are too harsh, too harsh. It was all this subordinate’s momentary confusion. Our subordinates came from the county, walking for a day, truly intending to investigate the murder case thoroughly. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have come through the heavy snow. Please understand, Young Master.” As he spoke, Song Li began kowtowing, “Please show mercy, Young Master…”
Qin Yan wasn’t intending to punish them. Seeing this, his tone softened slightly, “Since you’re here to investigate, maintain some dignity, so people can see how Ji County is governed. The master of this house is the Young Master of Medicine Valley’s Sun family – even my father wouldn’t dare to be negligent here, yet you dare to put on airs before them?!”
“No, no, no, this humble one wouldn’t dare put on airs. This humble one was confused. Please forgive me, Manager…”
Song Li said, bowing again to Uncle Dong, who waved it off. Qin Yan continued, “I’ll give you two days. If you can’t solve this case thoroughly, Jiang Yuanzhou can spend the rest of his life in Ji County!”
Hearing this, cold sweat broke out along Song Li’s spine. He hurriedly nodded, “Yes, yes, yes, this humble one will spare no effort!”
Qin Yan narrowed his eyes, his gaze still stern, “Get up. Let me see how you became a constable.”
Song Li rose shakily. Though he had become a constable and wasn’t completely incompetent, he was truly just a worthless glutton. He had no idea how to investigate this case or where to start!
Song Li retreated to the side, no longer daring to sit in the main seat, and looked at Qin Yan, “Young Master, I just examined the victim’s body. The manner of death was extremely cruel, seeming like an act of revenge. Therefore, I suspect someone in the mansion who had previous grievances with the deceased killed him…”
Uncle Dong spoke from the side, “Little Songzi has been in the mansion for half a year and never had arguments with anyone, let alone grievances.”
The sweat on Song Li’s forehead increased, “Then… then could it be…”
Song Li’s small eyes darted around wildly, but he couldn’t think of other possibilities. Ji County didn’t have many murder cases, and with his limited experience, his thinking was naturally very simple. Combined with his natural stupidity, he was completely at a loss. Seeing this, Qin Wan’s expression turned cold as she stepped forward, “Has Constable Song performed an autopsy?”
Autopsy? Song Li’s eyes lit up, “Ah, this humble one will go perform a detailed autopsy right now…”
As Song Li finished speaking, he looked questioningly at Qin Wan and the other young ladies, then turned to Uncle Dong for help, “These ladies are…?”
Uncle Dong glanced at Qin Wan and the others, “These are Young Master Qin’s sisters.”
Hearing this, Song Li didn’t dare to be negligent anymore and immediately said, “Autopsy, yes, let’s do the autopsy. This subordinate’s earlier examination was too superficial. We’ll do the autopsy now!”
He waved his hand, calling the other deputies to go with him. It was clear he was the leader among the deputies, and after this turn of events, they were particularly obedient to him.
Seeing Song Li leave with his men, Uncle Dong stepped forward with a bitter smile, “Thank you, Young Master Qin…”
Qin Yan quickly waved it off, “Staying here is already quite an imposition. Please don’t mention it, Uncle Dong.”
Sun Muqing also stepped forward, “I truly didn’t expect Master Qin to be the Young Master. I had no idea – I’ve been so discourteous.”
Qin Yan smiled, “Master Sun and I are friends. What need is there for such formalities between friends? I didn’t intentionally hide it from you.”
Sun Muqing laughed heartily, “I understand, I understand! Master Qin and your sister are not the type to seek fame and reputation!” After a brief pause, Sun Muqing looked at Qin Yan and said, “Since Constable Song said he’s going to perform an autopsy, why don’t we go watch…”
This suggestion received unanimous agreement, except for Qin Xiang, who didn’t follow the group but instead walked to Uncle Dong’s side and asked, “Uncle Dong, when will Young Master Bai return?”
Uncle Dong looked at Qin Xiang with a warm smile, seemingly fond of her gentle nature, “Fifth Miss misses Young Master Bai. He’s been gone these few days – probably won’t return tonight, but should be back tomorrow.”
Qin Xiang’s eyes dimmed slightly upon hearing this. She nodded, thanked him, and left the hall, heading straight back to her guest quarters in the west rather than following Qin Yan’s group.
Meanwhile, everyone was focused on Little Songzi’s case, naturally paying no attention to Qin Xiang.
“The victim’s limbs were all cut, and the wounds on his chest and abdomen might be the fatal ones. The victim’s clothes are fairly neat, suggesting he didn’t struggle much. The killer was likely someone the victim knew, being stabbed while completely off guard…”
Song Li spoke while examining the body, then turned to look at Qin Yan and the others, “Young Master, this humble one still feels this case is most likely perpetrated by someone familiar to the victim. Sometimes, even without obvious conflicts, someone might harbor resentment over some minor matter, leading them to develop murderous thoughts of revenge!”
Qin Yan frowned deeply. He also had no experience in investigating cases, and to an observer, Song Li’s explanation seemed reasonable. Seeing Qin Yan’s silence, Song Li became increasingly convinced of his correctness. However, before he could say another word, a clear, compelling voice rang out
“How do you know he didn’t struggle?! You can tell he didn’t struggle just by looking at his clothes. His chest clothing was cut by a knife – does clothing need to be completely torn apart to count as evidence of struggle?”
Qin Wan felt somewhat angry, making her tone even more sharp and commanding, quite different from her usual demeanor.
Her words immediately left Song Li speechless. The others were also stunned by her intensity. Qin Shuang, who had been afraid to look at the dead body, instinctively walked to the back eaves to hear Qin Wan’s tone. When she saw Little Songzi’s face, she immediately turned pale, and it was fortunate that Wanqing supported her, or she might have collapsed.
“Then… how else should we look? There are no wounds on his face…”
Song Li was stuck after Qin Wan’s questioning. Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, “You should at least remove his clothes to check for any wounds on his body, at least look at his fingernails…”
Hearing this, Song Li instinctively moved to act, but as he turned, he felt reluctant to be directed by a woman, so he pointed at two deputies, “You two, remove his clothes!”
At the mention of removing clothes, Wanqing immediately led Qin Shuang around the corner. Seeing this, Song Li thought that once the clothes were removed, Qin Wan would surely leave, and then no one would be ordering him around.
The two deputies stepped forward and efficiently removed Little Songzi’s upper garments.
With this movement, Little Songzi’s now-soft body fell to one side, and the deputies simply laid him flat on the ground.
After the clothes were removed, Song Li turned around, but when he saw that Qin Wan was still standing in the distance without moving, he felt somewhat desperate. Qin Wan was just a woman – not only was she interfering in the investigation, but she didn’t even know to step away?!
“Clean off the blood stains-“
Not wanting to waste time with Song Li’s dithering, Qin Wan gave direct orders. The deputies, knowing she was a young lady from the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s estate and that Qin Yan was present, looked at Song Li’s flustered and helpless demeanor and naturally followed Qin Wan’s instructions. Using Little Songzi’s clothes, they gathered some snow and quickly cleaned his upper body.
Once cleaned, several wounds on Little Songzi’s shoulders and arms became visible. One deputy, remembering Qin Wan’s words, lifted Little Songzi’s hand for examination and his eyes lit up!
“There’s a bit of cotton fabric under his fingernails…”
As he spoke, the deputy extracted the cotton from Little Songzi’s fingernails. Qin Wan stepped forward, and others couldn’t help but move closer too. In the deputy’s palm lay a small piece of cotton fiber, appearing to have been torn from someone’s clothing.
“There’s also a wound on his palm…”
“And on his wrist – there’s a bruise… looks like it was caused by someone grabbing him.”
“The shoulder too, near the back, appears to be scrapped.”
This was a very simple and rough autopsy, something Qin Wan wouldn’t have tolerated in the past. However, now she was only focused on finding the crucial clues. “Check his chest and abdomen, and clean the blood from his face too. Some marks are lividity, others are abrasions – bruises indicate injuries, while deep purple marks are postmortem lividity.”
After Qin Wan’s brief instructions, the deputy busied himself again. Song Li stood to the side, his face darkening as he watched his men following Qin Wan’s orders so readily. The other two deputies, seeing this, also joined in to help. Soon, only Song Li remained standing uselessly like a wooden post.
“There’s more! There’s an injury on his left cheek, and on his chest and abdomen, besides the knife wounds, there are bruises that look like they’re from being beaten.”
Though the speaking deputy wasn’t trained in autopsies, he had seen many civilian fights and recognized similar injury patterns. He instinctively offered his observation.
Qin Wan watched without objection, “Check his legs, and look at his shoes too.”
Seeing that Qin Wan hadn’t dismissed their observations, the deputies realized they were on the right track. After Song Li’s earlier scolding from Qin Yan, they had all been anxious and uncertain, but now, working under Qin Wan’s direction, they began to act like proper deputies. Thus, when Qin Wan gave orders, they moved even more quickly!
One person examined the legs, another the shoes, while everyone else held their breath, tacitly accepting Qin Wan’s control of the situation.
“There are injuries on the legs too – on the knees and front of the shins. Bruises, like they’re from kicks.”
“As for his shoes, nothing notable except the soles are dry.”
Listening, Qin Wan frowned slightly, “Are his pants dry?”
At this question, the nearby deputy shook his head, “They’re wet, soaked with blood. In this weather, once clothes get wet, they won’t dry – they’ll just freeze…”
The deputy spoke frankly, saying exactly what Qin Wan wanted to hear.
After these questions, Qin Wan’s brow furrowed slightly. She asked nothing more, only stepping forward to take the black fabric the deputy had extracted from Little Songzi’s fingernails. Though the fabric was stained with blood, a simple washing would reveal its material, and knowing the material would quickly narrow down the range of suspects.
“Ninth Miss, what have you discovered?”
Seeing Qin Wan’s contemplative expression, Sun Muqing couldn’t help but ask. Qin Wan looked up, her eyes deep with thought, “Where is Little Songzi’s room? Take me there to look–“
Before Sun Muqing could speak, Song Li interjected from the side, “What’s the point of going to his room?”
Qin Wan didn’t even glance at Song Li, only looking at Uncle Dong, “Please lead the way, Uncle Dong.”
Uncle Dong nodded and immediately turned to leave. As he moved, everyone else followed. Uncle Dong led them along the main path, winding through several turns before finally reaching Little Songzi’s room east of the crime scene.
Little Songzi lived in the servants’ quarters which, despite its name, wasn’t a single courtyard but rather several rows of buildings forming an “open courtyard” without walls. Qin Wan stood at Little Songzi’s doorway, following a corridor to the west. She walked silently along the corridor until she reached a storage room. Here, the path is split in two directions. Qin Wan stopped, and Uncle Dong, looking around, couldn’t help saying, “This is the storage room, and not far behind it is the privy.”
Qin Wan nodded and wordlessly chose one of the connecting corridors to continue walking…
Her manner seemed rather mysterious, and the large group following her made the scene even more strange. Those around exchanged glances but dared not disturb Qin Wan. Only Sun Muqing couldn’t help asking, “Ninth Miss, what are you doing now? What are you looking for?”
Hearing this, Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, “I’m looking for where Little Songzi encountered his killer.”