“The deceased was murdered, and the killer is within Qing Hui Garden,” Qin Wan’s clear and steady voice fell, sending chills down everyone’s spine. It was indeed a murder case!
Qin Wan handed the bowl to Wang Huaiyu, who hastily accepted it. She continued, “The Datura flower is uncommon, and most people know it’s poisonous. Although mixing Datura poison with white wine causes drowsiness, the killer doesn’t necessarily put the poison in the wine jar. Master Pang and Liu Yuntong also drank the wine but showed no signs of poisoning, proving the poison wasn’t in the wine jar. Therefore, the killer most likely placed the poison on something only the victim would use.”
As Qin Wan spoke, she removed her protective gloves. Wang Huaiyu, noticing the blood stains on her hands, felt somewhat embarrassed. “Yes, yes, I’ve noted everything Ninth Lady said. Today, we’re truly fortunate to have Ninth Lady…”
Qin Wan shook her head, and Yan Chi stepped forward, “Since we’ve confirmed this is a murder case, Lord Wang, please be thorough. Continue investigating the Shuang Qing Theater group, but don’t neglect this side either. Having a calculating murderer hiding in the Pang household isn’t good at all.”
Wang Huaiyu nodded, then turned to look at Qin Yan, “I heard the Young Master Qin is leaving tomorrow?”
Qin Yan glanced at the screened area, “We were planning to leave tomorrow, but now that there’s a case, it seems we won’t be able to…”
Wang Huaiyu smiled bitterly, “According to protocol, that’s correct, however…”
He glanced at Yan Chi, “Since Ninth Lady has helped, you should be uninvolved.”
If the Qin family were connected to the murder case, why would Qin Wan help like this?
Qin Yan looked at Qin Wan, then spoke with serious eyes, “Let’s follow protocol. Lord Wang trusts us, but others might not. Better to investigate thoroughly to prevent future trouble.”
Since being delayed at Bai Cao Garden, Qin Yan was no longer in a rush to return to the capital. It was only the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, and the journey to the capital would take just a few days. Arriving before the New Year would be perfect. Moreover, the Marquis’s manor and the Pang family had old connections, and Liu Renli was someone he had won over for the Crown Prince. Now that a murder had occurred where these two were present, Qin Yan felt uneasy. In court politics, things might be fine when nothing’s wrong, but once there’s turmoil, even the smallest past incident could become fatal. Therefore, for caution’s sake, Qin Yan decided to stay and see what issues might exist between the Pang household and Liu Renli.
If both were innocent, that would be fine, but if there was any trouble, Qin Yan didn’t want to get burned. Besides, leaving now, if Wang Huaiyu ultimately couldn’t find the killer, wouldn’t they, who left early, become suspects?
After careful consideration, Qin Yan quickly made his decision—
Wang Huaiyu smiled genuinely, “That would be best, though it delays Young Master’s schedule.”
Qin Yan shook his head, and Wang Huaiyu turned to Pang Fuliang, “Master Pang, now that this is confirmed as a murder case, we can’t take it lightly. I’ll have the constable come over, and every servant in the mansion must be questioned.”
Pang Fuliang’s expression showed anxiety and gravity. He had never imagined a murder would occur in his household. After Wang Huaiyu finished speaking, he hesitated for a moment before nodding, “Good, good, I’ll trouble Lord Wang.”
Wang Huaiyu looked at Pang Fuliang, and seeing his reaction didn’t seem fake, patted his shoulder.
“Don’t worry, since we’re investigating right after the incident occurred, there’s a good chance we’ll solve it.”
Pang Fuliang smiled bitterly, “I wish we could solve it right now…”
This was his way of saying he wasn’t a suspect. Wang Huaiyu nodded, “Before the yamen officers arrive, have some people guard the courtyard entrance, then you can return to the front to wait.”
Then he looked at Qin Wan, “Ninth Lady, please go back to freshen up. We’ll need to question you later as well.”
Qin Wan nodded, and looked at Qin Yan, who said, “Let Sixth Sister accompany you back.”
Qin Wan made a sound of agreement and was about to step away when she instinctively looked back at Yan Chi, who said, “Thank you for your hard work, Ninth Lady. Please go ahead.”
Qin Wan nodded and finally left with Qin Shuang.
Once outside, Qin Shuang covered her nose and stepped aside, “You dared…”
She looked at Qin Wan with some distaste, but more shock in her eyes, “You… weren’t you afraid? Did you just cut open her stomach… you…”
The more Qin Shuang spoke, the more incredulous she felt, and thinking of the scene made her stomach turn.
Qin Wan looked at her, “Didn’t you say I would dare to cut open even living people?”
These words sent chills down Qin Shuang’s spine, and when she looked at Qin Wan again, she felt somewhat fearful.
“No wonder… no wonder you dared to pull me into the lake before…” Qin Shuang mentioned the previous incident somewhat resentfully, then looked at the Han Yue sword still in Qin Wan’s hand and added with some feeling, “Really, thank you for not using the blade on me then.”
Qin Wan found this both amusing and exasperating, as she had only wanted to teach Qin Shuang a lesson at that time.
On the cold night, the biting wind was fierce. Qin Wan had already removed her cloak and now wore only her jacket and skirt as she walked, naturally wanting to move faster. In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, they returned to their courtyard. Qin Wan first washed her hands, then changed her dress, and finally rid of the bloody smell. By the time she had changed clothes, two cups of tea’s worth of time had passed. Just as she was wondering whether to go over or wait in her room, Zhou Huairen arrived at the door.
“Ninth Lady, everyone is waiting at Deyue Tower now. The Young Master sent me to escort you over.”
Qin Wan responded, then looked in the direction of the main room, “Should Fifth Sister come along?”
Zhou Hua nodded, “Of course.” He had already gone to knock on the main room’s door.
When the door was knocked, Wan He opened it. Zhou Hua explained why he’d come, and from inside, Qin Xiang said something in surprise, then after a moment came out wearing a cloak. Qin Shuang, standing beside Qin Wan, snorted lightly, “Look at her reluctant expression. I don’t even want to bring up the last incident, yet her tail is getting higher and higher.”
Qin Wan looked at Qin Xiang, shook her head without responding, and walked out first with Qin Shuang.
When they arrived at Deyue Tower, it was brightly lit inside. The yamen officers hadn’t arrived yet, and Yan Chi, Yan Li, Qin Yan, Pang Fuliang, and others were waiting in the room. Wang Huaiyu was questioning Pang Fuliang and Wang Huaiyu when he heard movement and looked over. At that moment, Qin Wan had changed out of her earlier stained dress and now wore a smoke-blue pleated long dress with a gray-green diagonal-collared short jacket, and over it all, a snow-cyan cloud-patterned cloak.
Qin Wan wore only a single piece of jade hairpin in her hair, with no other ornaments, and her face was free of powder and rouge. The colors she typically wore were fresh and elegant, yet somehow these simple colors on her became inexplicably pleasing to the eye, making people think of warm gentle winds, sparse light clouds, the clear blue sky, and the endless green waves of a clear lake. Though very elegant, her delicate features added a touch of grace, and she needed only to stand there to naturally make people feel amazed by her beauty.
Unlike others’ heavy makeup and perfumed beauty, Qin Wan’s understated beauty carried no forceful edge, yet somehow made people feel her nobility and purity, as if her slender body contained some kind of internal powerful force, coming from deep within her bones – a clear and extraordinary beauty that neither wind nor snow could break, nor ordinary people dare to compare with.
Wang Huaiyu was stunned for a moment, and thinking of Qin Wan’s birth in the Qin family, and how the Marquis’s manor had specifically brought the three Qin sisters to the capital, the shrewd Wang Huaiyu immediately understood something. He could almost imagine what kind of attention Qin Wan would receive after entering the capital.
“Alright, I understand.” Wang Huaiyu nodded and walked over to Qin Wan’s side.
“Ninth Lady, it’s getting late. I’ll question you first, so Ninth Lady can rest earlier.”
Wang Huaiyu’s tone was warm and polite. Yan Li, sitting in the main seat, sneered and leaned closer to Yan Chi, “Impressive, in such a short time, this Lord Wang is already showing quite a submissive attitude.”
Yan Chi watched Qin Wan as she calmly answered Wang Huaiyu’s questions. Yan Li had only seen Qin Wan in Yuzhou, so his sense of amazement was naturally stronger, but Yan Chi was also surprised. Qin Wan was born in the capital, and after both parents died, she was raised in the Marquis’s manor for three years before being sent to Jinzhou.
Yet those years in Jinzhou were the most important years for a young lady. In ordinary noble families, girls would learn etiquette, arts, and any potentially useful skills and abilities from teaching maids before age ten. Whether Qin Wan had anyone to teach her in the capital’s Marquis manor was unknown, but in Jinzhou, she certainly didn’t.
During their time in Jinzhou, Yan Chi discovered that Qin Wan, despite facing cold treatment at the Qin residence, could maintain composure in any situation. Whether at the Marquis’s manor or in his presence, no matter how lofty the status, nothing could make her panic or nervous. After leaving Jinzhou for Yuzhou, which was more prosperous, she met Prince Yu and many other notable figures. Yan Chi noticed that Qin Wan’s presence seemed to grow increasingly steady and attention-drawing, which was truly remarkable.
“In that case, the three young ladies may go. It’s late, you should return to rest.”
After Wang Huaiyu finished speaking, Qin Yan said, “I’ll escort you back—”
Just like the Qin residence after the incident, the entire Qing Hui Garden must now know about Qing Yun’s death, and from top to bottom, most people would be anxious. With Wang Huaiyu still having many people to question, it was naturally better for Qin Wan and the others to return to rest.
Qin Wan agreed, curtsied, and turned to leave. Seeing them about to leave, Yan Li laughed, “Seventh Brother, now that this case has emerged, shouldn’t we stay in Yuzhou until it’s solved?”
Then Yan Li added, “You are, after all, the Criminal Investigation Commissioner.”
Yan Chi frowned slightly without speaking, and Yan Li smiled, “I never knew investigating cases could be so interesting. Seventh Brother, do you need a deputy?”
“There is indeed a vacancy,” Yan Chi finally responded, turning to look at Yan Li, “You want the position?”
Yan Li beamed with joy, “Yes, yes, Seventh Brother, let me be your deputy!”
Yan Chi nodded, “It’s not impossible—”
Yan Li’s amber eyes immediately lit up, “Good, good, then it’s settled!”
Yan Chi made a sound of agreement and raised his chin, “I heard the servants of Qing Hui Garden have gathered outside. Go question them and see if you can discover any clues.”
Yan Li assigned a task right after taking office, was naturally extremely excited!
He crisply responded “Good,” but after taking one step, he paused, “Then what about you, Seventh Brother?”
Yan Chi stood up, “I’ll investigate other areas of the mansion.”
He spoke loud enough not just for Yan Li but also for Wang Huaiyu to hear. Wang Huaiyu hurriedly agreed – Yan Chi held the highest position present, and even if he had said he was going to sleep now, that would have been fine.
Seeing Yan Chi stride out of Deyue Tower, Yan Li chuckled and headed straight for the courtyard where the servants had gathered.
…
…
It was indeed late, and although the case didn’t involve the Qin family, someone had died after all, so even Qin Shuang wasn’t in the mood for jokes. The three sisters returned to their courtyard and each retired to their rooms.
Bai Ying naturally knew about the incident at Qing Hui Garden, and seeing Qin Wan and the others return, she hurriedly got out of bed, “Young Lady has returned, how did it go?”
Qin Wan was quite tired from performing the autopsy tonight, and seeing this, Fu Ling said, “We don’t know the situation yet. The Prefecture Lord is investigating. They called us over to ask what we did all day and then let us return.”
Bai Ying looked worriedly at Qin Wan, who said, “It’s fine, let’s wash up and rest. We’ll see if there are any results tomorrow morning.”
Fu Ling hurried to make preparations. Soon after, Qin Wan lay down to rest. Fu Ling extinguished the lights and went to sleep with Bai Ying, while Qin Xiang and Qin Shuang also quickly retired after returning to their rooms. Before long, the entire guest quarters fell into darkness.
Qin Wan lay in bed, eyes wide open, waiting for a quarter-hour when there came a sound from outside the window.
Qin Wan felt a cold breeze flash past, then a figure dropped into the room.
Qin Wan propped herself up – she had removed her outer robe but was still fully dressed underneath. “Yan Chi?”
She asked hurriedly, and as soon as she spoke, a figure sat at her bedside. “Leaving your window like this, aren’t you afraid of others climbing in?”
Qin Wan lowered her voice, as did Yan Chi. She shook her head in response, “How could anyone else come?”
Yan Chi sighed, and grabbed Qin Wan’s hand in the darkness, “Are you tired?”
The room was pitch black, with only snow light filtering in from outside, barely allowing Qin Wan to see Yan Chi’s general outline and his eyes full of starlight. Though he had just come in from outside and his body carried the winter night’s chill, his palm was warm. Qin Wan felt the thick calluses on his palm, the rough warmth making her feel secure.
“A little bit,” Qin Wan paused briefly, then asked, “What do you think about this case?”
Yan Chi raised his hand to caress Qin Wan’s cheek. If not for fear of attracting her maid’s attention, he would have lit the lamp to see her current state. “Something’s strange. Did you find anything else during the autopsy?”
Qin Wan shook her head, “Just those things. The deceased had calluses on her hands, mainly on the tiger’s mouth and palm, developed from martial arts practice. Also, although she was elderly, her figure remained quite slim, without the usual joint stiffness of the elderly. Besides that, she had several scars on her body, all old wounds, so what Pang Fuliang said was probably true.”
Though Yan Chi came to see her partly out of concern, both now unanimously focused on this case.
“So Pang Fuliang spoke the truth.”
Qin Wan nodded, “Yes, but what’s strange is, if it’s as he said, they only met by chance and later became old friends and regular customers, why did Qing Yun die in Qing Hui Garden this time? With so many people in Qing Hui Garden, the killer must either have a grudge against Pang Fuliang or Qing Yun, or possibly both.”
Having witnessed Huo Huaixin handle the Headless Bride case and personally participated in the Qin family case, Yan Chi knew well the complexity of each case. The victim might not be a victim, and liars never tell complete lies. Half-truths were the most difficult to decipher. Qin Wan paused briefly, then added, “And there’s Liu Yuntong—”
“Oh?” Yan Chi questioned, “What about him?”
Qin Wan continued, “If he was just accidentally caught up in this, then he’s quite wrong, but what if he and Pang Fuliang are hiding something? Before you arrived, Pang Fuliang was reluctant to report to the authorities, at most willing to privately inform Prefect Wang, which would surely have been downplayed. It’s clear Pang Fuliang wanted Qing Yun’s death ruled as suicide, and he didn’t want to make a big deal of it, perhaps for his reputation, or perhaps for other reasons I’m not sure about, but Liu Yuntong, his feelings toward Qing Yun seemed unusual…”
“Tonight, Pang Fuliang was supposed to host a farewell dinner for us and hadn’t planned to invite Qing Yun. It was the Third Brother who said we shouldn’t neglect the household’s guests. At that time, Pang Fuliang hesitated, but Liu Yuntong was the first to say Qing Yun should come, and… after learning of Qing Yun’s situation, Liu Yuntong had the strongest reaction. He was the first to reach Qing Yun, and I saw he was very grief-stricken.”
Yan Chi had been holding Qin Wan’s hand the whole time, and hearing this, his brows furrowed, “Liu Renli?”
Qin Wan nodded, “Exactly, I was quite surprised at the time.”
Qing Yun had retired many years ago, and Liu Renli had been serving as an official elsewhere all these years, so they should have met very rarely. According to Pang Fuliang, Liu Renli only knew Qing Yun through him and could only be considered an old acquaintance. If so, why did he appear even more distressed than Pang Fuliang?
Speaking of Liu Renli, Yan Chi hesitated slightly before asking, “What did your Third Brother and Liu Renli discuss?”
Qin Wan raised an eyebrow, “I don’t know about that, they discussed court matters privately.”
Hearing her somewhat guarded response, Yan Chi sighed, “Tell your Third Brother, whatever he promised Liu Renli, after returning to the capital, it’s best not to let him get too close to the Marquis’s manor.”
Hearing this, Qin Wan knew it wasn’t simple, “What happened?”
Yan Chi lowered his voice even further, “The salt transport matter is very complicated. Earlier, several salt transport officials in the east were prosecuted for corruption, and this Liu Renli isn’t clean either!”
Qin Wan felt a chill down her spine, and quickly, a thought emerged in her mind.
“Third Brother mentioned that several salt transport officials in the east had embezzled tax silver…”
“Exactly.” Yan Chi squeezed Qin Wan’s hand, “Tax embezzlement is a serious crime, especially since deaths often occur in salt transport.”
Qin Wan spoke somewhat seriously, “Do you already know what trouble Liu Renli is in?”
Qin Wan asked this firstly because she knew Qin Yan had likely reached some agreement with Liu Renli, and if Liu Renli was already in serious trouble, she would need to warn Qin Yan. It wasn’t that she was overly protective of the Qin family, but since she occupied the position of Ninth Lady, she couldn’t help but consider things from the Qin family’s perspective. Moreover, the Qin manor would be her future residence. She didn’t seek advantages from her Qin family background, only hoping for the Qin family’s stability so she could have enough peace of mind to plan matters concerning her father. Secondly, she also wanted to understand the thought that had just occurred to her.
Hearing her question, Yan Chi understood her thoughts. He leaned slightly closer in the darkness, “Hmm… I naturally know, but your heart so obviously leans toward the Qin family, I can’t tell you for free.”
Qin Wan raised an eyebrow, “Then what do you want—”
Before she could finish saying “to do,” Yan Chi suddenly moved even closer, his burning breath falling on her face, just a fraction away from touching her lips…
Qin Wan didn’t need to ask further; she understood his meaning.
Qin Wan’s lips were tightly pressed together, and perhaps waiting too long, Yan Chi made a sound.
That soft sound carried a hint of threat, and Qin Wan closed her eyes, giving him a fleeting butterfly kiss on his lips. Though the brief contact left Yan Chi unsatisfied, he couldn’t help but laugh softly.
In the darkness, Yan Chi’s elegant laughter struck her ears, making Qin Wan’s face warm as she heard it. She gritted her teeth, “Will you tell me or not?”
Yan Chi suddenly stopped laughing and, maintaining their proximity, said, “Liu Renli’s visit to the Pang family is likely to seek money. He’s the chief salt transport official in the south, and though the position is important, its official rank has always been low. If he wants a promotion, he must give gifts to those above and below, and given his humble background, he naturally needs to spend even more in this regard. Moreover, while he appears upright in Huzhou, he secretly lives a life of extreme luxury and debauchery. The Qin family’s case of abusing young girls was later traced to Huzhou, but due to the passage of time and interference from interested parties, the investigation stalled. However, Prefect Huo and I speculated that officials in the Huzhou salt transport were also involved in such business.”
Qin Wan’s breathing immediately became lighter. Even now, thinking about the Qin family case made her feel extremely heavy. Although all crimes were wrong, seeing young children suffer such fates always made her more distressed. She hadn’t expected that the case had such far-reaching implications, even involving people in the salt transport system. No wonder he had been delayed in Jinzhou for so long.
“Because of this, his private expenses are naturally enormous, and officials in the Two Lakes region have a culture of private competition. In earlier years, Liu Yuntong had money from unknown sources and hadn’t touched the tax silver, but starting two years ago, problems began appearing with the Two Lakes’ tax silver. Nobody noticed at first, but this year the eastern region was investigated first, so he’s naturally very panicked.”
Qin Wan seemed to be deep in thought, and seeing this, Yan Chi suddenly pecked her lips. By the time Qin Wan reacted, Yan Chi had already continued speaking, “Unless he can fill the gaps in the tax silver before someone reports this matter, forget about promotion – whether he can keep his life is still unknown.”
Qin Wan disregarded Yan Chi and asked softly, “Has someone already planned to report this matter?”
Yan Chi made an affirmative sound, “That’s why I’m telling your Third Brother, Liu Renli isn’t the best choice.”
Qin Wan nodded in the darkness, feeling somewhat fearful – if Yan Chi hadn’t told her about this, the Qin family would likely have encountered trouble after returning to the capital. “I see. When you mentioned it earlier, I also thought that Liu Renli came to the Pang family seeking money…”
After a brief pause, she continued, “But usually, given how much Liu Renli needs, Pang Fuliang wouldn’t necessarily agree… Could it be that the Pang family wants to enter the official salt business?”
Yan Chi pondered, “Pang Fuliang said he met Liu Renli at a social gathering, then introduced him to the Shuang Qing Theater’s owner. Qing Yun retired before the new year, and before that, Liu Renli hadn’t yet become Salt Transport Commissioner. At that time, he was at most a Deputy Magistrate – Pang Fuliang wouldn’t necessarily have gone to the trouble of befriending him.”
Speaking thus, Yan Chi suddenly said, “Come to think of it, we only need to investigate where Liu Renli was serving as an official before the new year.”
Qin Wan nodded with a sound of agreement, “We probably also need to investigate Qing Yun’s whereabouts after her retirement, whether she really settled in Dingzhou as Pang Fuliang claimed.”
Yan Chi agreed, and with this, they discussed most aspects of the case.
The room was pitch black, with one of them on the bed and the other at its edge, still so close. Once they fell silent, everything seemed somewhat intimate. Qin Wan pressed her lips together and broke the silence first, “We’re not leaving, so what about you?”
Yan Chi curved his lips, “As the Criminal Investigation Commissioner, now that Yuzhou has a case, how could I leave now?”
Qin Wan tilted her head in thought for a moment, “That’s right, otherwise wouldn’t it seem like dereliction of duty?”
Yan Chi gave an almost inaudible laugh, as if somewhat helpless. He had been holding Qin Wan’s hand all along, but now suddenly let go. As Qin Wan wondered what he was doing, she felt him pull her over.
Yan Chi embraced her, one hand gently stroking her back. Qin Wan’s eyes darted, “Oh right, why did you come tonight?”
Before coming, Yan Chi surely didn’t know about the murder at the Pang mansion. He came with Yan Li and Wang Huaiyu – was it to see her?
“If we were to leave, I wouldn’t see you for several days as I’d be traveling behind you. So naturally, I wanted to come see you.”
Yan Chi’s voice was sincere, and Qin Wan’s heart softened further. She found a position to rest against Yan Chi’s shoulder hollow, her hands lightly encircling his waist. The room was quiet except for their breathing.
After embracing for a moment, Qin Wan suddenly said, “I… seem to be getting sleepy…”
Qin Wan was an extremely self-disciplined person who never stayed up late unless necessary. Her words carried a hint of dismissal, and given that their precious time together was cut short by her drowsiness, what was this about?
Yan Chi hugged her waist and back tightly, making Qin Wan gasp. Just as she felt something was amiss, Yan Chi made a sound and released her, “Since you’re tired, then sleep.”
Qin Wan felt somewhat embarrassed, “I…”
Yan Chi grabbed Qin Wan’s hand and bit it, neither gently nor hard, “When we return to the capital, you’ll get what’s coming to you.”
After saying this, Yan Chi pushed Qin Wan down onto the bed, pulled up the brocade quilt to cover her up to her nose, then turned to leave. With a “click,” he even closed the window for her.
Qin Wan could still feel the tingling sensation on her hand and curved her lips in the darkness.
Her drowsiness had come right on time, and with Yan Chi’s presence making her feel so secure, she naturally wanted to sleep…
Qin Wan pulled at the quilt, wanting to expose her chin, but thinking about how Yan Chi had covered her, she hesitated, withdrew her hand, and fell into dreams just like that, thoroughly covered…
When Yan Chi returned to Deyue Tower, Yan Li was still questioning the frightened servants.
In the cold, windy courtyard, Yan Li narrowed his eyes fiercely at each person passing before him.
Wang Huaiyu asked the questions while he was only responsible for “watching,” but the poor Pang household servants were so unnerved by his stare that they could only stammer their responses, making Yan Li suspicious of everyone.
Seeing Yan Chi return, Yan Li immediately said, “Seventh Brother, why do I feel all these people are suspicious?”
Yan Chi swept his gaze over everyone, “Why do you say that?”
Yan Li explained, “None of them dare meet my eyes. Just one glance from me, and they break into cold sweats, trembling as if about to flee. If that’s not guilt, what is it?”
Yan Chi frowned, “Did you reveal your identity before questioning?”
Yan Li looked at Wang Huaiyu, “Lord Wang revealed it.”
Yan Chi looked at Yan Li as if he were an idiot, “They’re just ordinary servants, and with your status as Prince Gong’s heir apparent right there, wouldn’t they naturally be nervous and tormented?”
Yan Li was speechless for a moment, “Well, that makes sense, but I remember… the people in the capital aren’t afraid of me!”
At these words, Yan Chi’s previously helpless expression darkened. After a moment, he patted Yan Li’s shoulder, “If you want to know how to investigate a case, just watch Prefect Wang…”
Yan Li glanced at Wang Huaiyu, said “How boring,” then seemed to think of something and asked, “Seventh Brother, where did you go just now?”
“Took a walk around the mansion.”
“Oh? Did Seventh Brother notice anything?”
Yan Chi’s gaze swept over the servants standing before Wang Huaiyu, his brows slightly furrowed, “Every small courtyard in this mansion is interconnected. Judging by the paths alone, anyone could have committed the crime and slipped away silently.”
Yan Li frowned, “Wouldn’t that make it difficult?”
Yan Chi didn’t respond, his gaze shifting to Pang Fuliang standing at Deyue Tower’s entrance. Looking again, Liu Renli seemed to have disappeared. Yan Li followed Yan Chi’s gaze, “Liu Yuntong was questioned and, being a guest, went to rest first.”
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow, “Has the Pang household’s mistress appeared?”
Yan Li nodded, “Yes, yes, just now, she came with the Pang family’s third young master. After Lord Wang questioned her, she left again.” Then Yan Li said, “To make a drugged woman appear to have hanged herself, it must have been a fairly strong man, right? Though Qing Yun wasn’t fat, I guess the person must have stood on a stool to lift and hang her… Someone weak couldn’t do it.”
Yan Chi frowned at these words but didn’t immediately agree. What Yan Li said made logical sense, but Yan Chi clearly remembered that he and Qin Wan were initially trapped by similar thinking in the Qin family case. Everyone thought only a strong man could move such a large demon-subduing stone, but they hadn’t initially considered that the person had used bamboo’s flexibility. And Qing Yun was much lighter than that stone a strong woman could have done it.
“Seventh Brother, am I right?”
“No.” Yan Chi mercilessly rejected Yan Li’s words, then walked to Wang Huaiyu’s side. Wang Huaiyu naturally had his method of questioning people. Yan Chi remained silent, just listening, but things weren’t as simple as he had thought.
After questioning all the servants, they still had no leads.
Wang Huaiyu temporarily dismissed all the attendants and, while entering Deyue Tower, said, “Almost everyone clearly stated what they were doing during that time, and we still haven’t found where the Datura poison was administered. From entering the mansion to meeting Master Pang, all the tea and food wasn’t exclusively for Qing Yun. Surely she couldn’t have taken the poison herself before entering the mansion?”
Wang Huaiyu rubbed his temples, and seeing how late it was, said, “Your Highnesses should return to rest. We’ll continue tomorrow. We won’t get anything else tonight.”
Yan Chi remained silent while Yan Li yawned and struggled to ask, “Prefect Wang, what did the kitchen staff say?”
The meals were all prepared in the mansion’s kitchen, so the kitchen staff were naturally crucial.
Wang Huaiyu hurriedly replied, “We questioned them all, but none confessed. The household has records of everyone’s background, and on the surface, none seem to have any grudges against Master Pang or Qing Yun.”
Yan Li threw up his hands, “So we’ve hit a dead end?”
Wang Huaiyu smiled bitterly, and Yan Chi thoughtfully said, “Let’s leave it at that for now. Dismiss.”
Wang Huaiyu naturally agreed repeatedly. After Yan Chi gave a few more instructions, he led Yan Li out first.
As Yan Chi and Yan Li left Deyue Tower heading towards Qing Hui Garden’s main gate, once outside the mansion, Yan Li suddenly looked behind them, “Hey, where’s Bai Feng? Did Seventh Brother give him a task?”
Yan Chi made no response and mounted his horse.
Seeing Yan Chi’s manner, Yan Li knew he had a plan, and also smiled as he rode away.
Wang Huaiyu, who had fallen behind, soon left the Pang mansion as well, leaving only a few yamen runners guarding Qing Yun’s body. With a murder case occurring, the entire Pang household was anxious, and all who had been questioned were uneasy, waiting until all the mansion’s lamps were extinguished before the night’s darkness partially concealed their anxious disquiet.
After confirming Wang Huaiyu’s departure, Pang Fuliang, who should have been preparing for bed, instead went to a guest quarter in the northern direction. That guest quarter had no guards, and a dim lamp lit the main room. When Pang Fuliang pushed open the door, he saw Liu Renli’s face full of deep grief and sorrow. Pang Fuliang narrowed his eyes, “I told you to put away that expression!”
With these words, Pang Fuliang closed the door…
With no outsiders present, Liu Renli was no longer so fearful of Pang Fuliang. He spoke gravely, “Tell me honestly, was it you? In your mansion, who else would dare?”
Pang Fuliang’s eyes were cold, “Come to your senses! This is no time for internal strife between us!”
Liu Renli laughed coldly, “Internal strife?! I fear you’ve become so ruthless you’ve forgotten we’re on the same side… I can’t understand at all, with her strong-willed personality all her life, how could she hang herself?! Now the investigation has revealed she was murdered. That poison – wouldn’t you have been in the best position to administer it…”
Pang Fuliang clenched his fists, grinding his teeth, “I drank all the wine, and tea, and ate the food with you all. Why wasn’t I poisoned?!”
Liu Renli’s lips twitched, “Then who else could it be…”
Pang Fuliang narrowed his eyes, seeming to recall something from long ago. Liu Renli saw his expression and changed his own, “You mean, the one who harmed her was from back then—”
“Who?!” Liu Renli suddenly shouted harshly. He turned and pushed open the door, but only heard the winter night’s cold wind in the courtyard.
Liu Renli’s words were interrupted by his shout, and he also went forward to look. Seeing no one in the courtyard, he finally relaxed, but Pang Fuliang remained alert, “I just came to check on you, go rest early.”
Without saying more, he strode out of Liu Renli’s guest quarters.
Half an hour later, Bai Feng silently entered Yan Chi’s residence at Prince Yu’s mansion.
“After Prefect Wang left, Pang Fuliang immediately went to see Liu Renli. Just as I was about to get closer, Pang Fuliang seemed to sense something and then left,” Bai Feng said, lowering his head. “It was my incompetence.”
Hearing this, Yan Chi waved his hand, “Not your fault. What else?”
Bai Feng thought for a moment, “Afterwards, he returned to his quarters, extinguished the lights, and retired. I waited for two-quarters of an hour with no movement, so I came back to report to Master. However… when I passed by a remote back courtyard on the north side of the Pang mansion, I discovered that although the courtyard was locked, there was someone inside the building…”
Yan Chi’s attention was caught, “Who?”
Bai Feng said gravely, “A… a young girl…”