“What?! Ninth Young Lady?!” Yan Li looked at Qin Wan with utter astonishment. “Seventh Brother wants Ninth Young Lady to help examine the corpse?”
As Yan Li finished speaking, everyone else in the room frowned. Today, Qin Wan wore a jade-colored pleated dress with a lotus-pink short jacket embroidered with orchid branches. She appeared like a snow lotus – elegant and pure. To have such a young lady examine a corpse? Everyone first thought it inappropriate, then doubtful – what could a young lady like Qin Wan possibly discover?
“Of course I can.” Just as everyone hesitated, Qin Wan suddenly stepped forward and responded.
Yan Li’s gaze shifted quickly, fixing on Qin Wan. This was only his third time meeting her, and in his view, Qin Wan was most renowned for her grace and bearing. Beyond that, he only knew that she had treated the Prince of Yu for illness. He merely thought she had studied some medicine, but never imagined she would dare to examine a corpse.
While doubt lingered in Yan Li’s eyes, Yan Chi had already turned to instruct Pang Fu Liang.
“Bring lamps to brighten the room.”
Currently, only one wind lamp lit the room. Upon hearing this, Pang Fu Liang quickly complied and went to instruct the servants.
Fu Ling hurriedly asked from beside her, “Young Lady, do you need me to bring anything?”
Qin Wan shook her head and approached Madam Qin’s body lying on the ground.
Since Madam Qin had not been dead long, and with so many people watching and waiting, Qin Wan skipped the usual protective measures. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing arms as delicate as tender lotus roots, and stopped when she reached Madam Qin’s side. Then she turned to look at Yan Chi, who nodded, “Begin—”
Qin Wan nodded, and Yan Chi looked toward Wang Huai Yu, “Get paper and brush, record everything.”
Wang Huai Yu was still in a daze. When Yan Chi first brought Qin Wan to the theater, Wang Huai Yu knew that she must hold a very high position in Yan Chi’s heart. After the second time at the magistrate’s office, Wang Huai Yu became even more careful not to underestimate this Ninth Young Lady of the Marquis’s household. However, he never imagined Yan Chi would let Qin Wan examine a corpse. Not only was Qin Wan from the Qin family, but her appearance seemed unsuited for such work. Ordinary young ladies would find it frightening, and even grown men would consider it inauspicious. Yet surprisingly, Yan Chi asked her to examine the corpse.
After a moment’s stupor, Yan Chi’s order snapped Wang Huai Yu back to attention. He looked at Pang Fu Liang and said urgently, “Quick… go find paper and brush…”
Pang Fu Liang hastily gave the order, and soon, paper and brush were in Wang Huai Yu’s hands.
When Wang Huai Yu received the writing materials, Qin Wan was using her bare hands to press from Madam Qin’s shoulder down to her calves. Then, she lifted Madam Qin’s skirt hem and pulled down her silk stockings slightly.
“The deceased is female, aged between forty-five and fifty-five years.”
After speaking, Qin Wan’s gaze fell on Madam Qin’s ankle area. Madam Qin’s skin was naturally fair, but now, from her feet to ankles, small patches of purplish-red postmortem lividity had appeared. Qin Wan continued, “The deceased shows purplish-red postmortem lividity on feet and ankles, appearing in blocks and lines. The body shows early signs of rigor mortis, with slight stiffness in the limbs.”
After saying this, Qin Wan rose and moved to Madam Qin’s head. Her hands explored through Madam Qin’s hair bun, then turned her head slightly, examining the back of her head and facial features. Frowning slightly, Qin Wan began examining Madam Qin’s neck. Madam Qin’s collar was quite high and buttoned tightly. Qin Wan undid the top four buttons, revealing the ligature marks on her neck. Qin Wan looked for a moment, then suddenly raised her eyes and glanced around…
In an instant, Yan Chi held a lamp close to her.
Qin Wan glanced at Yan Chi, then lowered her head to examine closely…
With the lamp closer, the marks on Madam Qin’s neck became clearer. “The deceased’s pale complexion is due to compression of neck vessels. Additionally, there are small petechial hemorrhages under the eyelids and linear dark red congestion along the upper edge of the ligature mark. No other external injuries are present, and there are currently no signs of poisoning. The preliminary cause of death appears to be the ligature injury to the neck.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Wang Huai Yu frowned, “Was it truly suicide by hanging?”
Without looking up, Qin Wan replied in a cold and stern voice, “Death by hanging doesn’t necessarily mean suicide.”
Wang Huai Yu pressed his lips together and said nothing more, only recording everything Qin Wan said. Qin Wan carefully examined the injuries on Madam Qin’s neck, and after a moment, pried open Madam Qin’s teeth to look inside. Then she said, “The ligature mark is deeper on the front of the neck, shallower on the sides, and disappears at the back. The mark is wide and uniform, showing a bluish-purple color, with a width similar to a belt. The silk belt is smooth, and the ligature mark shows no surface damage, which is consistent. The ligature mark is above the Adam’s apple, the tongue tip is pressed against the teeth but not protruding, and there is slight bleeding damage to the hyoid bone…”
The winter night was already frightfully cold, and Qin Wan’s calm words falling one by one made the room feel even colder. After saying this, she frowned slightly, then bent down to examine Madam Qin’s hands.
“The time of death was approximately two hours ago, between late afternoon and early evening today.” Qin Wan spoke while carefully examining Madam Qin’s hands, her frown deepening.
“Between late afternoon and early evening? That was when we had just arranged her quarters and she was about to rest.” Pang Fu Liang spoke urgently, clearly distressed that someone had died so unexpectedly.
Wang Huai Yu wrote everything down, then noticed Qin Wan’s deep frown. “Ninth Young Lady? What is it?”
Qin Wan paused, “There are no signs of struggle or fighting in the room, and no damage or external injuries on the deceased’s hands and feet.”
Hearing this, Wang Huai Yu narrowed his eyes, “So… it was suicide after all?”
Qin Wan thought for a moment before looking at Wang Huai Yu, “Magistrate Wang must have handled many cases and seen many suicide victims. Even if someone is determined to hang themselves, the pain before death won’t be any less just because it’s voluntary. All hanging victims experience extreme pain, and when in pain, they struggle… Usually, when the neck bears the entire body weight, the ligature mark will show congestion and petechial hemorrhages, even irregular skin damage. Although the deceased was strangled with a belt, if she had struggled, there would be more petechial hemorrhages and subcutaneous congestion. However, Magistrate Wang, please look—”
Qin Wan pointed to Madam Qin’s neck, “This ligature mark is remarkably clean and uniform.”
Wang Huai Yu moved to the other side of Madam Qin and looked down. Indeed, as the magistrate, he oversaw all cases in Yu Zhou City, and though not a coroner, he had seen enough to know the basics. Hearing Qin Wan’s explanation, Wang Huai Yu also became uncertain, “Then what does Ninth Young Lady think is the reason?”
Qin Wan pondered briefly, “I’m not certain yet, but there are some strange aspects.”
As she spoke, Qin Wan turned to look at the belt, which was smooth and flexible, having been removed and thrown beside Madam Qin. Qin Wan examined the belt thoroughly. Except for wrinkles and wear at the knotted part and where it had gone over the beam, the rest remained perfectly smooth. Qin Wan’s frown deepened.
By now, Wang Huai Yu no longer dared to underestimate Qin Wan and quickly asked, “What do you see?”
Qin Wan looked up at Wang Huai Yu, showing some uncertainty, “Unless Madam Qin was already unable to feel pain or discomfort when she hanged herself, this doesn’t make sense. Normally, people in pain and struggling would instinctively grab the noose, but this belt shows no finger marks. This part went over the beam, and this is where it was knotted, but there’s no damage anywhere else. This belt is made of Huzhou blue silk, which is extremely prone to wrinkling.”
Wang Huai Yu narrowed his eyes, “That seems logical, but could it be that she was determined to die?”
Qin Wan thought briefly and shook her head, “It’s very unlikely, though not impossible.”
Since it wasn’t impossible, Pang Fu Liang interjected, “Does Ninth Young Lady mean… there’s still a possibility it was suicide? Magistrate, this happened in my home, but if you suggest she was murdered, I don’t believe it. If I wanted to harm someone, why would I let them die in my own home? Wouldn’t it be safer to act after she left?”
This reasoning made some sense. Wang Huai Yu’s gaze shifted slightly as he said, “Could it be someone else?”
Pang Fu Liang gave a bitter laugh, “How could that be? I only have so many people in my household. If someone deliberately caused harm, then who? She was just an old acquaintance of mine – my eldest and second sons barely knew her, let alone my wife and third son. As for the servants, who would dare kill someone in their master’s house?”
“If cases could be solved by normal reasoning alone, there would be no mysteries in this world.” Yan Chi suddenly spoke up, his gaze sweeping across the room before settling on the desk by the window. “The teacup on the table is full. She asked for tea before her death, yet didn’t take a single sip?” As he spoke, Yan Chi glanced at the belt on the floor. “This lady appears well-groomed and cultured – how would such a person remove her belt to hang herself? This belt… seems more like something used in desperate circumstances.”
Yan Chi’s words made Qin Wan’s eyes brighten, as well as those of Qin Yan and Qin Shuang. These were exactly the words Qin Wan had spoken earlier – Yan Chi’s observations matched hers perfectly.
“Your Highness makes a valid point.” Wang Huai Yu stood up and walked directly to the teacup, examining it and lifting the teapot on the table. Then he frowned and said, “The teapot is also nearly full. It seems she truly didn’t drink any.”
Wang Huai Yu finished and turned to Pang Fu Liang, “Master Pang, who exactly was this person? What did she do after entering your residence today?”
Upon hearing this, Pang Fu Liang’s face showed a bitter smile. He glanced at Liu Ren Li and said, “Ah, I didn’t want to mention this, as it’s not a pleasant matter… but given the circumstances, I must tell the truth.”
At these words, Qin Wan also stood up. Pang Fu Liang looked at everyone in the room and said with a bitter smile, “I ask for Your Highnesses’, Magistrate’s, and Young Master Qin’s understanding. Earlier, I withheld something from you all. This lady… she was Clear Bamboo, the former master of the Twin Clarity Troupe and Clear Li’s teacher…”
At these words, not only Qin Shuang but even Yan Chi showed slight surprise.
Pang Fu Liang continued with a bitter smile, “As you all know, the Pang family is in business. Years ago, by chance, I met Clear Bamboo when she was still the troupe master. At that time, the Twin Clarity Troupe had just made their name in the north. One year, I spent some silver to book their entire troupe, which led to two successful business deals. The old troupe master knew about this. At the time, I attributed the success of these deals to the Twin Clarity Troupe, so I naturally gave them generous compensation. The troupe was happy with the payment, and I was pleased with the business’s success. Later, there were several more occasions where the Twin Clarity Troupe would only perform for me in Yu Zhou, refusing other bookings. Coming and going, we changed from patron and performer to good friends. Later, I would invite the Twin Clarity Troupe to Yu Zhou almost every holiday season. During the holidays, whether for networking or entertaining friends, the Twin Clarity Troupe certainly added prestige to the occasion. After Clear Li took over the troupe, I continued this tradition, including this year. But no one expected Clear Li would meet with misfortune…”
As he spoke, Pang Fu Liang sighed slightly, showing traces of grief in his eyes.
“When Clear Li met with misfortune, I thought Old Master Clear Bamboo would come, but I didn’t expect her to arrive so quickly, and upon arrival, she immediately questioned me about what had happened. I naturally explained thoroughly. Though they weren’t far apart in age, the master and disciple shared a deep bond. I explained multiple times with understanding, but later… later Clear Bamboo said that after Clear Li’s departure, the Twin Clarity Troupe fell into chaos, and now that the magistrate had detained two of the troupe’s main performers, she wasn’t sure if the troupe could survive. I understood her meaning. I told her the Twin Clarity Troupe could ask me for help if needed. She didn’t stand at on ceremony and made her request immediately. If it had been anything else, that would have been fine, but she specifically asked for the Ten Directions Inn here in Yu Zhou…”
Wang Huai Yu was startled. Pang Fu Liang continued, both pained and helpless, “Money would have been fine, but how could I give up the Ten Directions Inn? Especially the one in Yu Zhou… Yu Zhou is our home base, and this inn is one I carefully built up from nothing. How could I agree? At the time, I suppressed my anger and didn’t agree, only arranging quarters for her to stay first. The Twin Clarity Troupe matter hasn’t been cleared up yet, so I told her she could think of other requests and wait until the troupe’s situation was resolved. But unexpectedly…”
Pang Fu Liang let out a long sigh, “She hung herself!”
Yan Chi suddenly asked, “When did the old troupe master leave the Twin Clarity Troupe?”
No one present could recognize Clear Bamboo, indicating she hadn’t left in recent years. Pang Fu Liang thought for a moment, “It must have been eight or nine years ago. Once past forty, she couldn’t perform those special acts anymore. Even Clear Li was preparing to retire. Back then, Clear Bamboo retired after an accident on stage…”
Years ago, when Qin Yan, Yan Li, and others were still half-grown children, they wouldn’t have spent their days in entertainment quarters. As for Yan Chi, he had already gone to the battlefield early on, far away from the capital’s circle of luxury and pleasure.
“Did you maintain contact with the old troupe master after she left the Twin Clarity Troupe?”
Yan Chi asked again, and Pang Fu Liang nodded, “Over the years, we had developed quite a friendship, you could say we were old friends. She’s from Ding Zhou, which isn’t far from here, so we would still meet once or twice a year. When I invited the Twin Clarity Troupe, I would also invite her – sometimes she’d come, sometimes not. This year she originally said she wouldn’t come…”
“She arrived just one day after the incident, suggesting she wasn’t far from Yu Zhou City,” Yan Li suddenly spoke up. Though the matter was quite serious, Yan Li leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, and looking at him, he seemed to always wear a smile, yet his manner appeared casual rather than inappropriate…
Pang Fu Liang gave another bitter smile, “When she arrived today, I was wondering about that too, but she didn’t explain.”
Wang Huai Yu frowned and said, “She blamed you for Clear Li’s death? And tried to extort money from you? What exactly did she do after entering your residence today?”
Pang Fu Liang explained, “She entered the residence just before the hour of Si. Since she knew Liu Yun Tong from before, after our unproductive conversation, I called Liu Yun Tong over to dine together. After the meal and some idle chat, it was past noon. Because Liu Yun Tong was present, she couldn’t argue with me further, so she went to the quarters I had arranged. I haven’t seen her since.”
“She came alone? Without any servants?” Wang Huai Yu suddenly asked.
Pang Fu Liang nodded, “Coming from a theater troupe, though she was older, as you all can see, she still looked younger than her actual age. In her youth, she was skilled in martial arts, and though those skills had declined, she was still quite robust. She always traveled alone, unlike others who needed servants attending them front and back.”
Pang Fu Liang glanced at Clear Bamboo lying on the ground, “After retiring, she changed her surname to Qin. She had saved quite a bit of money over the years and lived comfortably. This unreasonable demand must have been for the Twin Clarity Troupe’s sake…”
Clear Bamboo’s outrageous demand was indeed infuriating, but Pang Fu Liang still spoke well of her, moving those who listened. Wang Huai Yu said, “So that’s how it was. The Twin Clarity Troupe matter has been somewhat cleared up – it was likely an accident, not the senior disciple harming her master.”
Pang Fu Liang showed slight surprise, then let out a breath, “That’s good. A disciple harming their master is always disheartening.”
Wang Huai Yu nodded and looked at Clear Bamboo on the ground, “Ninth Young Lady, if we really can’t find evidence of murder, we can only rule it as suicide. As things stand now, there’s no way to investigate. As we discussed earlier, if she was knocked unconscious before being hanged, there should be external injuries, but we don’t see any…”
Qin Wan’s expression grew serious. The Great Zhou Dynasty followed the principle of presuming innocence without evidence – murder couldn’t be declared without proof. The magistrate’s office had limited resources and couldn’t investigate based on mere suspicions, even if Yan Chi shared the same doubts.
Qin Wan remained silent for a moment, looking around the room. There was no smell of sleeping powder and the tea… Qin Wan walked to the teapot and lifted the cup to her nose, sniffing lightly. After a while, she put down the cup – it was just normal tea. Moreover, Clear Bamboo hadn’t drunk any. What else could it be? Qin Wan was momentarily stumped. Could it have been suicide without any struggle?
But how could a living person die from suffocation without any reaction?
Surely she couldn’t have just kicked away the stool and lost consciousness…
“Ninth Young Lady?” Wang Huai Yu called out.
Qin Wan turned around to find everyone looking at her. She pressed her lips together and said, “The current evidence isn’t sufficient to determine if she was murdered. If we must determine whether this was suicide or murder, there’s only one way.”
After she spoke, Wang Huai Yu quickly asked, “How?”
“An autopsy,” Qin Wan replied, her voice cold and steady as she met everyone’s gaze.
As her words fell, the room became pin-drop silent. Wang Huai Yu looked at Qin Wan hesitantly, “Au… autopsy? Ninth Young Lady, the coroner is currently in Yong County, no one can perform an autopsy…”
Qin Wan looked at Wang Huai Yu without speaking for a moment. Fu Ling, standing to the side, couldn’t help but interject, “We don’t need the magistrate’s coroner, our Young Lady can perform the autopsy herself…”
Wang Huai Yu glanced at Fu Ling, recognizing her as Qin Wan’s maid, but still couldn’t quite believe her words, “Ninth Young Lady can perform an autopsy? But an autopsy requires…”
Wang Huai Yu made a gesture – it would require cutting open the chest and abdomen…
Qin Wan nodded, “I know.”
Wang Huai Yu stared at Qin Wan with wide eyes. Seeing Qin Wan’s calm demeanor, everyone’s surprise rose to unprecedented levels. Not fearing the dead was already surprising enough, but now she dared to dissect a corpse. Just imagining such a scene made even Wang Huai Yu uncomfortable to watch…
Qin Shuang hadn’t known that Qin Wan would dare perform an autopsy, but perhaps due to their recent association, she instinctively wanted to defend Qin Wan. “Magistrate Wang, don’t doubt her. She’s Jin Zhou’s most famous Young Medical Immortal! She even cured the Princess Imperial of An Yang Marquis’s long-term illness! Never mind dissecting the dead – she can even operate on the living!”
Qin Shuang’s impulsive words were somewhat exaggerated, and she immediately felt nervous after speaking. She wasn’t sure if Qin Wan could discover anything through the autopsy. What if there were mistakes?
Nevertheless, when Wang Huai Yu looked over, Qin Shuang held her breath and tried to maintain a calm appearance.
“Young Medical Immortal?” Wang Huai Yu glanced at Qin Wan. “Ninth Young Lady truly dares to perform an autopsy?”
Qin Wan nodded. After a moment’s hesitation, Wang Huai Yu turned to look at Yan Chi. Yan Chi’s eyes were bright, with a faint smile. “I trust Ninth Young Lady. Let her perform the autopsy. Getting a definitive result will put our minds at ease.”
Wang Huai Yu immediately nodded. “Very well then. What preparations does Ninth Young Lady need?”
Qin Wan looked around the room and said, “Move the body outside, set up screens around it, and place lamps inside.”
Clear Bamboo had died only recently – performing the autopsy in the room would likely leave an indelible bloody smell. Wang Huai Yu had thought of this issue too and silently praised Qin Wan’s thoughtfulness. He looked toward Pang Fu Liang, naturally expecting him to make the preparations.
Things had reached this point, and Pang Fu Liang had no choice but to comply. He glanced at Qin Wan, inexplicably feeling that same unease again. In his many years of business, besides being quick-witted, he rarely misjudged people. This time, he hadn’t been wrong – this Ninth Young Lady from the Marquis’s household was extraordinary.
“Please wait a moment, Magistrate. I’ll have everything prepared right away.”
As Pang Fu Liang turned to give instructions, Qin Wan told Fu Ling to fetch her supplies. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Fu Ling returned to the courtyard, panting.
The small courtyard was now brightly lit with many torches. The body had been moved onto a felt mat outside, surrounded by four screens to spare others from seeing the unpleasant scene.
Seeing everything ready, Qin Wan put on the protective gloves Fu Ling had brought and had Fu Ling roll up her sleeves. Then she revealed the Cold Moon blade in her palm. When the blade appeared, Yan Li, who had been silent for a while, narrowed his eyes.
“Please join me as a witness, Magistrate Wang.”
Yan Chi had wanted to accompany Qin Wan, but space was limited inside, and Wang Huai Yu, as Yu Zhou’s magistrate, was more appropriate. After a moment’s hesitation, he didn’t follow. Qin Wan and Wang Huai Yu entered, and the screens were closed. Through the gaps, one could vaguely see Qin Wan crouching beside the body, but nothing else was visible.
Those outside waited with varying expressions. Soon, a pungent smell of blood wafted out.
Qin Shuang held her breath tightly and pulled at Fu Ling. “Has your Young Lady… done this before?”
Fu Ling’s eyes darted left and right. “Hehe, this servant doesn’t know. Didn’t Sixth Young Lady just say our Young Lady dares to operate on the living?”
“That was…” Qin Shuang’s voice rose, then quickly lowered as she glanced at Pang Fu Liang and Liu Ren Li. “That was just to help her. Are you stupid? I only knew she practiced medicine and could examine bones. I didn’t know she could do this. Ordinary young ladies wouldn’t even dare kill a chicken, yet she dares to dissect people…”
As she spoke, her voice trembled. Beside her, Qin Yan asked, “What else did Ninth Sister do in Jin Zhou?”
Qin Yan looked at Fu Ling, his tone serious. Fu Ling might dare deceive Qin Shuang, but facing Qin Yan, she felt frightened. She lowered her head and whispered barely audibly, “Just… just helped His Highness Yan Chi and Magistrate Huo…”
Qin Yan immediately frowned. Before he went to Jin Zhou, news of the case involving the An Yang Marquis’s household and the Song Duke’s household had already reached the capital. Though the crime occurred in far-off Jin Zhou, it had caused quite a stir in the capital.
The An Yang Marquis’s household needed no introduction – generations of distinguished military service, plus the presence of the Princess Imperial. The Song Duke’s household was among the capital’s premier noble families. Beyond the Duke’s title, the Song family had a daughter who was an Imperial Consort, not only holding her title but having borne the Fifth Prince Yan Yun for His Majesty. She wasn’t just powerful through her son – the future of Great Zhou’s throne was still uncertain. In a case involving these two families, many in the capital had worried for Magistrate Huo Huai Xin. Such a case, if handled well, was merely expected; if handled poorly, would be a grave offense. Usually, murder cases required time to solve, and if they dragged on too long, neither the An Yang Marquis’s household nor the Song Duke’s household would forgive him—
Yet somehow, Huo Huai Xin had identified the culprit in less than half a month.
When the news reached the capital, many discussed how Huo Huai Xin would surely receive an excellent evaluation this year and likely be promoted!
Qin Yan hadn’t known at the time, but now hearing Fu Ling’s words, it seemed Qin Wan had contributed to solving the case.
Thinking this, Qin Yan’s gaze at the slender figure behind the screen grew heavier.
Father often said she had a remarkable judgment of people at such a young age, but this time, he had been somewhat slow. He had noticed Qin Wan’s grace and bearing, comparing her only to his sister, but he had underestimated her resolve and skills. With her medical expertise, and her ability to perform autopsies – Qin Yan knew he could no longer view Qin Wan as merely a sheltered young lady.
The wait was long, but no one dared rush them. Pang Fu Liang and Pang You De stood to the side, trying to maintain composure. Liu Ren Li also stood nearby – as a proper court official, he dared not show any other emotions. The most relaxed were Yan Chi and Yan Li. The autopsy was being performed on the stone courtyard floor below the steps. Yan Chi stood on the steps, his gaze falling steadily on the screens, his eyes full of confidence and certainty. He firmly believed Qin Wan would not make a single mistake in her examination.
“The Cold Moon blade, Seventh Brother—” Suddenly, Yan Li drifted to Yan Chi’s side.
“The Cold Moon was given to you by Imperial Grandmother, yet you gave it to Ninth Young Lady…”
Just as Yan Chi was about to explain, Yan Li continued, “Ah… I misunderstood Seventh Brother…”
Not knowing what mischief Yan Li was up to, Yan Chi simply didn’t respond. Yan Li continued, “Last time, seeing how Seventh Brother paid special attention to Ninth Young Lady, even taking her to watch Magistrate Wang investigate cases, I thought Seventh Brother was attracted to Ninth Young Lady’s grace and composure. I thought Seventh Brother had feelings for her…”
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow, feeling something wasn’t quite right.
“Now I understand! So Ninth Young Lady cured Aunt’s chronic illness? So Ninth Young Lady not only has exceptional medical skills but can also use them for autopsies! Seventh Brother must be grateful to Ninth Young Lady for curing Aunt, and—values her talent! Seventh Brother was known for appreciating talent in the army, and it seems nothing has changed!”
Yan Chi’s brow furrowed deeper, feeling Yan Li had completely missed the point!
“What does Seventh Brother think Ninth Young Lady will discover?” Yan Li asked eagerly.
Yan Chi replied coldly, “We’ll know when she’s finished.”
“Then does Seventh Brother think Clear Bamboo was murdered or committed suicide?”
Yan Li asked again. Yan Chi lifted his chin slightly, “We’ll know when the examination is complete.”
Yan Li glanced sideways at Yan Chi, “Does Seventh Brother trust Ninth Young Lady so completely?”
Yan Chi remained silent, then after a moment said, “She assisted me with two cases in Jin Zhou—”
Yan Li was stunned, seeming to gain a deeper understanding of Qin Wan. After a long while, he nodded, “Indeed, indeed, quite different from other young ladies…”
His tone was full of admiration. Yan Chi turned to give him a cold look.
Yan Li felt a chill run down his neck and hunched his shoulders, saying, “I too appreciate talent.”
As Yan Chi’s expression grew colder, unwilling to speak further, suddenly a nauseating sour stench mixed with the thick smell of blood in the courtyard. Yan Li’s nostrils twitched, and the next moment, he stood frozen as if struck by a paralysis talisman, holding his breath. “What… what method is this…”
Before he finished speaking, he covered his nose and mouth, darting toward the courtyard gate like a rabbit.
Though Yan Li had grown up in Prince Gong’s mansion in the capital and appeared somewhat unrestrained, he was quite pampered and had never encountered such a smell. Standing at the courtyard gate, he held onto it while gasping for air. “How can it be worse than an outhouse! Where is this smell coming from! *cough cough cough*—”
Wasn’t Qin Wan just performing an autopsy? How did such a smell appear?!
Though puzzled, Yan Li refused to step back into the courtyard, only watching from outside. From afar, he could see Qin Wan’s figure crouched behind the screen, only her hands moving slightly. She had maintained this position for nearly half an hour. Never mind whether Qin Wan’s strength could endure, just this level of focus was rare even among men.
Yan Li narrowed his eyes, his smile reaching them. Looking up, he saw his Seventh Brother standing unmoved in his original spot. Just as Yan Li was hesitating whether to go back in, the screen suddenly opened.
It was Wang Huai Yu who emerged.
As a man from the Northwest, Wang Huai Yu was tall and imposing. After years as an official, he carried quite an air of authority. Except for being extremely respectful toward Yan Chi and Yan Li, even before Qin Yan, he maintained his bear-like commanding presence.
Before entering, Wang Huai Yu had been spirited and vigorous. Now emerging, his face was pale and covered in cold sweat, his steps somewhat unsteady. As he came out and pushed the screen, perhaps due to weakness in his hands, it didn’t close completely. Through the gap, those outside could see Qin Wan dressing the blood-covered Clear Bamboo. Her jade-colored dress was speckled with blood, and her hands were completely red. In contrast, her composed expression appeared extraordinarily calm, even to the point of making Qin Yan’s heart grow cold.
“Magistrate, what did you find?!” Pang Fu Liang was the first to step forward.
Wang Huai Yu took a slow, deep breath before saying in a low voice, “Today… during your meal, what did you eat? What did you drink?”
Pang Fu Liang was stunned. “Eat… just some home-style dishes. Since there were only three people, and we were old friends gathering, we didn’t prepare anything special, just food from the household kitchen. As for drinks, we just had some Yu Zhou Xing Hua Chun.”
Xing Hua Chun was Yu Zhou’s famous wine, fragrant and mellow, smooth to drink but with a strong aftereffect.
Wang Huai Yu stared at Pang Fu Liang with a strange look. “Let’s wait for Ninth Young Lady to come out.”
Pang Fu Liang felt a chill down his spine from Wang Huai Yu’s gaze, which clearly showed suspicion…
Just then, the screen opened again, and Qin Wan emerged carrying a bowl – the same one that had held the purifying incense earlier. Now it contained about half a bowl of an unidentifiable blackish-brown substance.
Qin Wan’s forehead was covered in a light sweat, but compared to Wang Huai Yu, she was much more composed. The protective gloves on her hands were completely blood-stained, a frightening sight. The blood spots on her dress hem looked like plum blossoms on snow – bewitching and somewhat eerie. Looking at Qin Wan, then at the still shaken Wang Huai Yu, Pang Fu Liang felt Qin Wan’s calm demeanor was almost otherworldly. He asked tremulously, “Ninth Young Lady, what is this…”
Qin Wan stepped forward, and Yan Chi descended from the steps behind her.
“This was taken from the deceased’s stomach…”
At these words, Yan Li, who was about to enter the courtyard, immediately halted.
Everyone in the courtyard except Yan Chi blanched.
Qin Wan continued, “The autopsy revealed bleeding in the deceased’s throat, with the tongue root pressed against the trachea, causing death by suffocation. This further confirms the cause of death.”
As Qin Wan finished speaking, Qin Shuang felt a chill on her neck. Did Qin Wan mean she had cut open Clear Bamboo’s throat? Just thinking about it made Qin Shuang unconsciously step back.
Meanwhile, Qin Wan continued, “However, this only confirms the cause of death. To determine whether it was suicide or murder, we rely on this bowl of contents. The food the deceased ate before noon hasn’t fully digested yet, and there’s still alcohol in this mixture.” As she spoke, she extended the bowl forward. The sour stench intensified, but indeed, there was also the smell of wine.
Pang Fu Liang instinctively stepped back. “We drank wine during the morning meal, what’s strange about that?”
Qin Wan shook her head. “The strange part isn’t the wine, but the Datura poison mixed with it.”
At these words, everyone was stunned. Datura poison? What was that?
“Datura, or what everyone knows as Mandala.”
Qin Wan added, and everyone finally understood, then frowned. Mandala was highly toxic – supposedly victims turned blue-purple with blackened nails, but Clear Bamboo showed no such symptoms…
This was exactly what Qin Wan was about to explain. “Mandala poison can be fatal in large doses, but in small amounts acts as an anesthetic. Normally, with a very small dose, victims only feel dizzy and restless, with symptoms disappearing within a day. However, when mixed with white wine, its effects change. Using three qian more than the usual anesthetic dose, it will cause the poison to take effect with the alcohol. The victim easily mistakes their dizziness for drunkenness, but ultimately falls into a deep sleep.”
She glanced back. “There was tea in the room – Clear Bamboo probably thought she was drunk and asked for tea to sober up, but before she could drink it, she fell unconscious. The killer then entered and staged the scene to look like suicide. That’s why we found almost no signs of struggle in the deceased.”
After a brief pause, Qin Wan said firmly, “The deceased was murdered, and the killer is within Clear Hui Garden.”
[Author’s Note: We’ve reached 10,000 words! My dear readers, please continue to vote! It’s the end of the month, so remember to use your review tickets – don’t waste them! Love you all!
Also recommend a lovely story: “Reborn in the 70s: The Military Wife’s Flirtation” by Xiao Xiang Baby.
[This is a one-to-one, feel-good story with bad character comeuppance and wealth building, no angst!]
The commanding officer, cold and aloof in public, is quite the beast in private.
“Dad, Dad, why am I called Six-er and my sister Nine-er?”
“Because you’re products of sixty-nine.”
“Dad, what’s sixty-nine?”
The usually cold Han Fei Shen lowered his head with a gentle smile, “My dear, that’s your mother’s favorite… position… no, knowledge!”
The twins: “(⊙o⊙)”
Song Xiang Si in the distance: “…damn!”]