Inside the carriage, Yan Chi helped straighten Qin Wan’s slightly disheveled black hair. Qin Wan shot Yan Chi a coquettish glare before gracefully alighting from the carriage. By now, dusk had fallen. After stepping down and steadying herself, Qin Wan expressed her thanks before turning to enter the gates of Qing Hui Garden. Outside, Yan Chi waited a while longer, only ordering departure after Qin Wan’s figure had completely disappeared from view.
Fu Ling looked back, appearing somewhat hesitant, “Young Miss, this servant feels His Highness treats you very well.”
Qin Wan responded with a mere “Mm.” Fu Ling, observing her mistress’s profile, tentatively continued, “Young Miss, have you ever thought… well… it seems no one treats Young Miss better than His Highness…”
Qin Wan’s heart stirred slightly. She turned to look at Fu Ling but hesitated. Fu Ling was simple-natured – if she learned of this matter, it would be fine while they were away, but once they returned to the capital and entered the Marquis’s mansion, she might let something slip.
Pressing her lips together, Qin Wan said indifferently, “The Princess Royal, the County Princess, and my adoptive parents all treat me well.”
At this, Fu Ling nodded, “That seems true…”
Seeing this topic successfully deflected, Qin Wan shook her head and said no more. By now, dusk had completely fallen, and the Qing Hui Garden presented a different kind of beauty in the dim light. The snow on the garden paths had been swept clean, though a pristine white blanket still covered the flower beds and the roofs of the pavilions. Qin Wan swept her gaze across the scene, feeling particularly strongly about the transition from south to north. As her eyes fell on the bundle in Fu Ling’s hands, her heart ached once again.
Qin Wan strode back to her guest quarters and entered her room. The room was even darker than outside. Qin Wan instructed Fu Ling, “Light the lamps.”
Fu Ling acknowledged the order. Bai Ying also rose from her bed to attend, but Qin Wan glanced at her and said, “Your wounds haven’t fully healed. Go back to bed.”
Bai Ying shook her head, “As long as I don’t engage in martial arts, I’m fine. Don’t worry, Young Miss.”
Hearing this, Qin Wan didn’t press further. Once Fu Ling lit the lamps, she took out several handwritten notebooks to read. Under the yellow lamplight, the writing appeared somewhat blurred. Qin Wan’s fingers trembled slightly as she touched the pages, her eyes growing moist.
Her father’s calligraphy had great character, and he had personally taught her writing. Perhaps because she had no particular talent for calligraphy, she could only manage to write in a delicate small regular script. Her mother had said this was perfectly suitable for a young lady.
These notebooks were written by her father ten years ago. Opening them, Qin Wan saw they detailed a case of robbery and murder. The murderer had killed a father and son after failing to borrow money and was ultimately sentenced to execution after autumn. Her father had been the verifying official, and the notebooks meticulously detailed the case’s cause and effect, as well as the key points of the autopsy.
Before encountering her father’s belongings, she hadn’t felt such profound grief. Now, holding her father’s notebooks, the sorrow became almost unbearable. Just then, footsteps sounded in the courtyard, followed by Qin Shuang’s voice, “Why did you return so late?”
As the words fell, she had already pushed open the door. Qin Wan’s grief was interrupted, and she hurriedly put down the notebooks, trying to compose herself.
“What were you doing at the Prince’s mansion? Were you helping with the investigation?” Qin Shuang walked directly to Qin Wan’s side, her tone quite casual.
Qin Wan suppressed the sorrow in her chest and replied calmly, “No, the Old Prince’s illness took a turn for the worse, so I went to check on him.”
Indeed, before returning, Qin Wan had gone to see Prince Yu again.
Qin Shuang made an “Oh” sound, then her eyes fell on the books in Qin Wan’s hands. “What are these?”
“Some books about autopsy procedures.”
Qin Shuang had intended to take a look, but upon hearing this, she immediately drew back, showing some disgust, “You want to pursue this path? As a young lady, wouldn’t it be better to just focus on healing and saving people?”
Qin Wan smiled, “Reading these helps with medical knowledge as well.”
Qin Shuang waved her hand dismissively, “Whatever you say. Speaking of which, how’s that case going? Did Qing Li die?”
Qin Wan nodded, “Yes, she’s dead.”
Qin Shuang sighed, “What a shame. The Shuang Qing Troupe members haven’t returned yet. It seems Master Pang won’t be able to entertain his guests as planned. Have they found the murderer?”
“Not yet, but they have a suspect.”
“Who is it?” Qin Shuang’s eyes widened with excitement.
Qin Wan gathered the notebooks together and wrapped them up, speaking slowly, “One of Qing Li’s disciples, the one who played the cowherd in the second act.”
Qin Shuang drew in a sharp breath, “A disciple killed their master? Why?”
Qin Wan shook her head, “The Yu Prefecture Magistrate hasn’t questioned her yet, so I don’t know. Perhaps… it wasn’t her…”
Qin Wan recalled Qing Lan’s appearance – her straight back, her stubborn gaze. For a moment, Qin Wan had wanted to believe her, but the key had been found in her possession. Between a look in someone’s eyes and physical evidence, Qin Wan trusted the evidence more.
Qin Shuang frowned slightly, “This is truly… there must be a reason… The Shuang Qing Troupe is finished now. With the troupe leader gone, plus this disciple – I heard Qing Li only had these two disciples?”
Qin Wan wasn’t clear about these details, so she shook her head without answering. Just then, footsteps sounded outside again, followed by Pang You De’s voice, “Ninth Miss, are you there?”
The room was lit, clearly indicating someone was present.
Qin Wan glanced at Fu Ling, who immediately responded, “Yes, she is.”
As she spoke, she went to open the door. Sure enough, Pang You De stood outside. “Ninth Miss, it’s good you’ve returned. It’s like this – the Young Master hasn’t been well since he returned. Would you mind taking a look at him?”
Qin Wan’s brows immediately furrowed, “Haven’t you called for a doctor?”
Pang You De hurriedly replied, “Yes, yes, we did. We called one when he returned in the afternoon. The doctor said it wasn’t serious and left medicine and ointment. But just now, the Young Master suddenly seemed unwell. The Master went to check on him, and the Young Master seemed somewhat confused. We’re not sure if it’s from pain or if there’s an issue with the medicine. That’s why we’d like you to examine him. We know you’re a guest, and it’s not appropriate to ask you to treat the Young Master, but all the surrounding homes are residential, and it would take too long to fetch another doctor.”
After a slight pause, Pang You De added, “Young Master Qin and the Master are there as well.”
Qin Wan was reluctant, but considering Qin Yan was present, Pang You De’s request likely had Qin Yan’s approval. If she refused, it would embarrass Qin Yan. Moreover, looking at the harmonious atmosphere in the room, she had no excuse to decline. She nodded, “Very well, I’ll go.”
Qin Shuang’s eyes darted about, “I’ll come too…”
Pang You De smiled warmly, “That would be excellent.”
Fu Ling brought Qin Wan her cloak, and the group left the courtyard.
Qin Wan’s party was staying in the west, while Pang Yi Wen’s quarters were in the east. The group followed the main path eastward through the manor. By now, Qing Hui Garden was lit with bright lamps, and the last traces of twilight had been consumed by the night.
Qin Wan wasn’t familiar with the manor’s layout and simply followed behind Pang You De toward the east. The night was ink-dark, with cold lamps burning brightly, giving Qing Hui Garden an inexplicably desolate feeling. Qin Shuang took a few quick steps to catch up with Qin Wan and whispered, “The Shuang Qing Troupe members still haven’t returned.”
Qin Shuang’s voice was very low, but given the surrounding silence, Pang You De heard her. He turned back and said, “Sixth Miss need not worry. The Master has already sent people to inquire. The Magistrate said everyone needs to be questioned today, and they’ll return early tomorrow morning.”
Qin Shuang smiled sheepishly, “That’s good, that’s good…”
Pang You De nodded with a smile, turned, and continued leading the way. Soon, the group arrived at a courtyard.
“Sixth Miss, Ninth Miss, we’re here.”
Pang You De led Qin Wan and Qin Shuang inside, with Wan Qing and Fu Ling following behind, both taking in the surroundings. This courtyard was naturally much more spacious than where they were staying, with trees and flowers creating shade, and the main hall brightly lit.
Pang You De quickened his pace, and upon reaching the door announced, “Master, Ninth Miss, and Sixth Miss have arrived.”
“Please come in quickly—” Pang You De said anxiously.
Qin Wan and Qin Shuang entered one after another, both somewhat surprised to find the room full of people.
By the door stood four beautiful maids, presumably Pang Yi Wen’s attendants. Further inside, besides Pang You De and Qin Yan, Pang Yi Wu was present, which wasn’t surprising, but unexpectedly, Pang Jia Yan was there too, still clutching his beloved toy carriage. Beside him stood a beautiful middle-aged woman.
The woman was around thirty, slender with picturesque features, wearing a luxurious jacket and skirt that gleamed like dawn snow. However, something struck Qin Wan as odd – while she had guessed the woman’s identity, her demeanor seemed somewhat reserved.
“Third Brother, Master Pang…”
Qin Wan and Qin Shuang curtsied, then turned to look at the elegantly dressed woman.
Qin Yan hurriedly said, “This is Madam Pang—”
Madam Pang, who had been keeping her head down, quickly raised her eyes to glance at Qin Wan before lowering them again after a slight nod.
Qin Wan curtsied again, “Madam—”
This was what Qin Wan found strange. Pang Fu Liang held an extremely high status and was over forty, with his eldest and second sons already coming of age, yet Madam Pang was only around thirty.
Her age was one issue; the second was that Madam Pang seemed somewhat timid.
As the wife of the man Yu Prefecture people called “Lord Pang,” even if she wasn’t from a prestigious background, she should at least carry herself with some authority as the lady of the house…
“Sister Ninth, please examine the Young Master quickly.”
Qin Wan nodded and walked to the bed where Pang Yi Wen lay.
As soon as she approached, her brows furrowed. She had seen Pang Yi Wen’s injuries earlier that day and had examined him then. At that time, his injuries weren’t severe, just some external bruising. He had been sent back afterward and a doctor had been called, so logically, his condition should have improved by now. However, looking at Pang Yi Wen now, Qin Wan was puzzled. His face was severely swollen, the bruises around his lips and eyes hadn’t faded at all, and there were several scratch marks on his face as if he had clawed at himself.
“How did this happen? Didn’t a doctor come this afternoon?”
Pang Yi Wen lay there with his eyes half-closed, breathing irregularly. His gaze swept over her but seemed not to see her. Qin Wan frowned and stepped forward to check his pulse.
At her question, Pang You De quickly replied, “Yes, a doctor came and prescribed medicine, which the Young Master took.”
He turned to look at the maids standing in the distance, “Which of you can explain?”
The most attractive of the four maids stepped forward and said, “In response to Miss, the Master did take his medicine, but his wounds kept hurting severely. Later in the evening, he became confused and wouldn’t respond when we called…”
Qin Wan’s brows remained furrowed. Pang Yi Wen’s unusual condition had made her forget her distaste for him, as she discovered his pulse was very strange. After a moment, she turned to Pang You De, “Would Manager Pang please show me the doctor’s prescription?”
Pang You De immediately went to a side room and quickly returned with a prescription paper.
Qin Wan took it and studied it for a moment before frowning, “The prescription is correct.”
Pang You De, Pang Fu Liang, and Qin Yan all looked at her, unsure of her meaning.
Qin Yan felt somewhat tense. Since Pang Fu Liang had been so warm to their family, he naturally wanted to reciprocate by letting Qin Wan demonstrate her medical skills. But if Qin Wan couldn’t identify the problem, it would reflect poorly on him.
“What does Ninth Miss mean?” Pang Fu Liang finally spoke.
Qin Wan looked at Pang Fu Liang, “The Young Master’s pulse is unusual as if he took the wrong medicine, yet the prescription is correct.”
Pang Fu Liang frowned, while Qin Wan’s sharp eyes caught the nearby maids exchanging nervous glances after her words. She narrowed her eyes, “Did your Young Master consume anything besides his medicine?”
The maids’ faces paled with obvious tension, and Pang Fu Liang also noticed something amiss, his brows furrowing as he looked their way.
The maids immediately knelt, and the one who had spoken before said, “The Master just… just took a few Qian Jin Chen Meng Pills…”
“Qian Jin Chen Meng Pills?” Pang Fu Liang asked puzzledly. Qin Wan also frowned, “What is that?”
The lead maid continued, “It’s… it’s a sort of immortal medicine that Master spent quite a bit of silver to buy. It’s said to make one feel like an immortal after taking it. This afternoon, after taking his medicine and seeing no effect, Master was hurting all over, so he took one pill. Perhaps because of his injuries, the pill didn’t seem to work… then, Master took two more pills. After taking these two, Master immediately felt much better, but, but Master began acting strangely…”
“What kind of strange behavior? Did he inflict those new wounds on his face himself?”
Qin Wan’s voice was stern. At these words, Pang Fu Liang and the others were startled – they hadn’t noticed any new injuries on Pang Yi Wen’s face…
“Yes, Master became… somewhat frenzied this afternoon…”
The lead maid spoke softly, fear showing on her face.
Pang You De frowned, “Why didn’t you say something earlier?”
Hearing this, all four maids prostrated themselves, trembling, and the same maid replied, “Because… because Master forbade us from mentioning the Qian Jin Chen Meng Pills…”
Pang Fu Liang’s face darkened as he glanced at Pang Yi Wen’s bed, clearly disappointed in his son.
Qin Wan frowned slightly. A drug that caused a frenzy, which these maids called an “immortal medicine” – wasn’t this similar to the symptoms when Qin An was poisoned?
But these maids clearly stated that Pang Yi Wen had obtained the drug himself; it wasn’t a case of poisoning.
Thinking this, Qin Wan inwardly sneered. Pang Yi Wen, in the prime of his life, had entertained thoughts of “achieving immortality.” She wondered what Pang Fu Liang would think of this…
Pang Fu Liang’s face alternated between pale and flushed. When the words “immortal medicine” were mentioned, he immediately understood what his son had bought at such a high price. He gave Qin Yan a bitter smile and said, “My apologies for letting Young Master Qin witness this. Yi Wen has been helping me with business these past years and has met many people outside. Among them are some wealthy individuals who don’t apply themselves properly, and he’s been taken in by those fake Taoist priests. It’s all due to my lack of strict discipline…”
Qin Yan felt somewhat embarrassed; he hadn’t expected Pang Yi Wen to have such a habit. In Great Zhou, many practiced Taoism – some genuinely seeking enlightenment, others idly dreaming of immortality. As Pang Fu Liang mentioned, many fake Taoist priests used cultivation as a pretext to create pills, producing various “Immortality Pills” and “Three Purities Divine Power Pills.” Some of these drugs induced hallucinations of immortality, while others gave the appearance of vitality while internally damaging the body. In short, no respectable family would allow their children to dabble in such things.
“As the Young Master manages such a vast business for Lord Pang, it’s inevitable that he’d encounter some unsavory characters.”
Qin Yan spoke casually, neither overly comforting nor showing surprise. Meanwhile, Qin Wan asked, “Are there any of those pills left?”
Qin Wan wanted to examine what kind of “immortal pill” it was before prescribing an antidote.
Pang Yi Wen’s injuries were now secondary. Unlike when she examined Qin An, Qin Wan wasn’t as certain about the specific poison this time; she suspected it might be some pill she’d never encountered before.
“In response to Miss, there are none left. The Young Master consumed them all.”
Qin Wan frowned, while Pang Fu Liang gave another cold snort before turning to Madam Pang, “To think Yi Wen has such a habit – how have you been raising him as his mother?”
Though his voice wasn’t loud and didn’t show much anger, Madam Pang’s face paled at his words. She kept her head down, pressing her lips together without saying a word. At this point, Pang Jia Yan stepped forward and said in his soft voice, “Father, only you can control what Big Brother does… Mother can’t control him…”
Pang Fu Liang frowned, seemingly surprised that Pang Jia Yan would say such a thing. He stared at Pang Jia Yan for a moment but didn’t rebuke him for his defiance. Seeing Pang Fu Liang’s reaction, Pang Jia Yan became even more frightened and grabbed Madam Pang’s hand.
“Without those pills, can Ninth Miss treat him?”
Pang Fu Liang looked at Qin Wan, asking coolly. Qin Wan nodded, “There is a universal antidote formula, though its effects are somewhat slower.”
“That’s fine. It will do him good to suffer for a few days.”
Hearing this, Qin Wan began writing the prescription, quickly handing it to Pang You De.
“Take three times daily with cold water.”
Qin Wan instructed, and Pang You De nodded repeatedly. She then turned to the maids, “Better tie his hands and feet. Only untie him after he takes the medicine and can speak normally. We don’t know when he might become frenzied again.”
The maids hurriedly nodded, and Qin Wan turned to Pang Fu Liang, “After taking this medicine, he should show improvement tomorrow, but it will take at least ten days to completely detoxify.”
Pang Yi Wen didn’t look too haggard, suggesting he hadn’t been taking these pills for long. Ten days of treatment should suffice.
Pang Fu Liang nodded, “Many thanks, Ninth Miss. It’s late now, please go back and rest well.”
Qin Wan nodded and looked at Qin Yan, who smiled and said, “You all go back and rest first. I still have matters to discuss with Lord Pang.”
Qin Wan and Qin Shuang exchanged glances, then together took their leave from Qin Yan and Pang Fu Liang. As they walked out, they heard Pang Fu Liang instructing Pang You De to investigate who had given Pang Yi Wen the Qian Jin Chen Meng Pills…
Qin Shuang’s group quickly left the courtyard. Since they now knew the way back, they didn’t need an escort. Once they were far enough, Qin Shuang said in a low voice, “The Pang family is a great household in Yu Prefecture, even the wealthiest in the west. How could Pang Yi Wen believe such nonsense? It’s truly embarrassing.”
Qin Wan was also surprised, but thinking of how Pang Yi Wen looked at her, she could understand. Pang Yi Wen had a somewhat crooked nature; these unorthodox practices might hold some strange appeal for him…
“If he hadn’t been beaten, this matter might have remained hidden. It’s a blessing in disguise.”
Qin Wan spoke slowly. Though the poison in those “immortal pills” wasn’t immediately apparent, over time it could drain even a vigorous young man to death. Being discovered now was good for Pang Yi Wen. Moreover, with him bedridden these days, the sisters would be free from his harassment. Qin Wan’s eyes turned cold – if pushed, she had ways to make Pang Yi Wen’s illness even worse.
“Don’t you think this Pang Yi Wen is lecherous?”
Qin Shuang suddenly said, “Especially when he looks at you – one glance tells you he’s no good.”
Qin Shuang’s tone held anger, “After all, they’re just merchant folk, lacking proper upbringing.”
Qin Wan sighed lightly. While this statement was somewhat biased, it was accurate regarding Pang Yi Wen.
The sisters walked back while quietly discussing Pang Yi Wen. The Pang mansion, being the western region’s greatest fortune, had lanterns lighting the main paths one after another. Even the seemingly deserted areas near flower beds and rockeries were lit, as if oil cost nothing. Qin Shuang looked around a few times, showing hints of envy, and the conversation turned to the history of the Pang family’s rise to wealth.
The story of how the Pang family had built their fortune from nothing was well-known, and Qin Shuang naturally knew it. As they were talking, suddenly there was a soft “thud” – Qin Shuang looked down to see a small stone had been thrown near their feet.
They were at an intersection, and the stone’s appearance was quite sudden, though thrown deliberately.
Qin Shuang halted her steps, “Who’s there?”
The main path was lit, but the sisters stood at a junction where a small path led to an area of rocks and short bamboo – the direction from which the stone had come.
Qin Shuang and Qin Wan exchanged glances. Was someone hiding behind those rocks and bamboo, playing tricks on them?
“Who’s there?” Qin Wan also called out.
After her words, there was no answer, but another stone flew out.
Qin Shuang frowned, “Who dares to be so discourteous?!”
She asked angrily, but still received no response. Qin Shuang stamped her foot and pulled Qin Wan toward the small path. While Qin Shuang’s temper had been provoked, Qin Wan found it strange – all the Pang family masters were in Pang Yi Wen’s courtyard, so who would dare to play tricks on them here? As she pondered this, they had already reached the rocks.
Almost as soon as they stopped, a girl’s soft laugh rang out.
The sudden laughter made all four of them pale. Before they could retreat, that voice broke into an eerie sing-song: “Baby, hide and seek, behind the rocks with giggles sweet…”