“Yi Wen!” When Qin Wan saw Pang Yi Wen’s face, others also recognized that the person who had fallen was Pang Yi Wen. Pang Fu Liang cried out in shock, ignoring Pang You De’s attempt to hold him back as he rushed forward.
The fire on the first floor grew increasingly intense, with tongues of flame curling upward and thick smoke billowing. Standing nearby, one could feel the scorching heat. Pang Fu Liang ran to Pang Yi Wen’s side, where flying sparks and black smoke nearly touched his body.
Seeing this, Qin Wan and Yan Chi took a few steps forward. Yan Chi positioned himself halfway in front of Qin Wan, fearing that the flying sparks might land on her. Wang Huai Yu stood stunned for a long while before coming forward with Yan Li.
“Yi Wen! How did you end up here?!” Pang Fu Liang’s voice was hoarse and trembling. Although he had often been harsh with Pang Yi Wen, disappointed that his son hadn’t lived up to expectations, Yi Wen was still his eldest son whom he had watched grow up and given much love to. If not for his later anger at his son’s failings, he wouldn’t have shifted all his affection to Pang Jia Yan. Looking at Pang Yi Wen’s blood-covered face, Pang Fu Liang’s eyes immediately reddened.
“Father—” Pang Yi Wen lay face-up. He had jumped from the third floor and crashed heavily onto the stone steps. How could a mortal body withstand such an impact? Blood gushed from his nose and mouth. He looked at Pang Fu Liang, trying to grasp his father’s hand, but his body felt as if it was being torn apart from the inside out. With each movement, more blood surged from his mouth and nose. He couldn’t speak a word, only looking at Pang Fu Liang with eyes full of pleading…
“Yi Wen—” Pang Fu Liang’s voice broke. He instinctively grabbed Pang Yi Wen’s hand and, turning to see Qin Wan, his eyes showed a last glimmer of hope. “Ninth Young Lady… Ninth Young Lady, please save him…”
Pang Fu Liang hadn’t used the word “please” in many years, but now, seeing Pang Yi Wen so grievously injured and dying, he had to save his son. When Qin Wan met Pang Fu Liang’s gaze, regardless of her previous suspicions about him or how much she despised him for what happened to the Chang family, at this moment, Pang Fu Liang was simply a father. Without saying much, Qin Wan went forward and crouched beside Pang Yi Wen. She placed one hand on his chest and the other on his wrist. However, in just an instant, her brows furrowed tightly, while blood continued to flow from Pang Yi Wen’s nose and mouth.
“Master Pang, it’s too late. His internal organs are ruptured.”
When Pang Fu Liang saw Qin Wan’s solemn expression, for a moment, his eyes almost showed hatred. Yet this hatred wasn’t directed solely at Qin Wan—he hated that his son was about to die! And Qin Wan was the one who had pronounced his son’s death sentence.
After glaring at Qin Wan, Pang Fu Liang’s hand holding Pang Yi Wen began to tremble.
Pang Yi Wen’s eyes were wide open, looking at Pang Fu Liang with pain and unwillingness. He struggled to move his mouth, wanting to beg this powerful father to save him, but immediately after, a heart-piercing pain made him cough violently. With each cough, more bloody foam spilled from his mouth and nose. Within moments, Pang Yi Wen’s wide-open eyes became still.
Pang Fu Liang seemed frozen as he stared at Pang Yi Wen, his hand gripping his son’s so tightly that the veins stood out on his knuckles.
Pang You De was also stunned, and after a while, though he wanted to console Pang Fu Liang, he didn’t know where to begin.
Wang Huai Yu couldn’t bear to watch anymore and stepped forward, asking, “Why was the Young Master in this building? Wasn’t it the Pang family’s eldest daughter who set the fire?”
Pang Fu Liang suddenly moved, slowly raising his eyes to look toward the interior of the small building, his gaze carrying the venom of arrows.
As the fire spread, a delicate figure could be seen climbing the stairs inside. Seeing that Pang Fu Liang couldn’t answer, Wang Huai Yu immediately directed the household servants and yamen runners to fight the fire…
Though the fire appeared fierce, when it reached the second floor, it seemed to be mysteriously blocked from spreading upward. Only the thick black smoke continued to rage. Servants carried buckets and basins of water continuously, and after about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, the fire on the first floor had been significantly subdued. The doors and windows of the first floor had been burned to charcoal, but the dozen or so main pillars and the staircase were less damaged. Qin Wan watched in silent amazement, while Pang Fu Liang remained crouched nearby, still clutching Pang Yi Wen’s hand as if in a daze.
While it was indeed tragic for a parent to outlive their child, looking at Pang Fu Liang, Qin Wan truly couldn’t summon much sympathy in her heart. She only wondered why Pang Yi Wen and Pang Jia Yun were both in this small building. Pang Jia Yun had set fire to the first floor, while Pang Yi Wen was on the third floor… and how had he fallen?
As Qin Wan’s mind filled with doubts, the yamen runners had already rushed into the first floor. Soon, Wang Huai Yu ran back and forth to Yan Chi’s side, reporting, “Your Highness, the fire on the first floor has been mostly extinguished.”
Yan Chi narrowed his eyes. “I’ll go up and take a look—”
Hearing this, Qin Wan instinctively moved to follow, but Yan Chi paused his steps. “It’s not safe inside. Stay here.”
Qin Wan looked at the sparks still burning on the second-floor windows and finally didn’t insist. Yan Chi gave her another deep look before walking forward, and Yan Li, smiling at Qin Wan, eagerly followed behind Yan Chi.
Although the visible flames had been extinguished, no one knew the condition of the second floor or whether there were any burned-through floorboards or beams inside. Qin Wan suppressed her anxiety as she waited outside. Looking back, she saw Madam Chang standing with Pang Jia Yan not far behind them, and behind those two were Qing Niang and one of Madam Chang’s senior maids.
The four of them stood at a distance, like outsiders watching, with a hint of fear that prevented them from coming closer. Qin Wan considered but ultimately decided not to go speak with them—Pang Fu Liang had just lost his son and might vent his anger on Madam Chang.
Inside the building, Yan Chi led Yan Li and Huo Huai Xin up the stairs. To their surprise, after burning for so long, the stairs and second-floor boards were intact. Only several windows on the second floor had been burned like those on the first floor. Though the room was unrecognizable due to the prolonged smoke exposure, they could still tell it had originally been a young woman’s private chamber.
Standing at the top of the stairs, Wang Huai Yu gave an order, and two yamen runners immediately entered the room. However, after searching around, they couldn’t find Pang Jia Yun. Yan Chi frowned and continued up the stairs to the third floor.
The fire had barely reached the third floor, and now it was completely dark.
With a “crack,” Wang Huai Yu lit a fire stick. As it illuminated, the third floor, smaller than the second, appeared before everyone’s eyes. While the second floor had two side rooms, the third floor was arranged as a single warm chamber, with a writing desk, a long couch, and tall cabinets, all neatly arranged. As Wang Huai Yu and the others focused their eyes, they saw several pieces of clothing on the long couch.
The clothes were tangled together messily—there was a man’s outer robe, a woman’s long dress, along with belts and boots. The cushions and thin blankets on the couch were scattered about. Seeing this scene, the men present immediately understood what had happened. Thinking about it, everyone’s brows furrowed—earlier, only Pang Jia Yun and Pang Yi Wen were in this building, could it be…
“Your Highness, this… could this…”
The smile disappeared from Yan Li’s face, though his eyes held a cold mockery. “Could it be that Master Wang doesn’t recognize this kind of scene?”
Yan Li’s tone was slightly cold, with an inexplicable derision. “Based on my experience frequenting the pleasure districts of the capital, this disorder certainly indicates that a man and woman were engaging in pleasure here. Could it be that Master Wang can’t see that?”
Wang Huai Yu smiled bitterly. “It’s not that I can’t see it, but that I dare not believe it. Besides, where is Pang Jia Yun?”
Yan Li’s gaze flickered. They had come to find Pang Jia Yun but indeed hadn’t seen her.
As Yan Li was wondering about this, suddenly, a soft voice spoke up.
“Little child, hide and seek, giggling behind the big door…”
“Qing Niang, come find me quickly, why haven’t you found me yet…”
The young girl’s soft, ethereal voice suddenly rang out, creating an especially eerie feeling in this recently burned building. Almost simultaneously, all the men looked toward the tall cabinet by the window—
The sound had come from there, but as Yan Li looked, his eyelid twitched.
The tall cabinet was nearly half a person’s height, but it was divided into six small compartments, top to bottom and left to right, each with its separate door. While an entire cabinet might hide a person, how could someone fit into such small compartments?
“Little child, hide and seek, giggling behind the big door…”
“Qing Niang, come find me quickly, why haven’t you found me yet…”
While Yan Li hesitated, the singing voice rang out again. The girl’s voice was soft and pure, like an innocent child unaware of worldly matters. Something stirred in Yan Li’s heart, and he stepped forward toward the tall cabinet.
Yan Chi and Wang Huai Yu also approached. Yan Li stood before the cabinet, pondering for a moment before opening the bottom left door.
As the door opened, the first thing visible was a pair of feet in embroidered peach-pink shoes, followed by a pair of thin legs. At that moment, two arms were wrapped around those legs…
Yan Li stepped back to see Pang Jia Yun’s eyes suspended behind her knees. His brows furrowed slightly—they were black eyes, but what should have been bright like obsidian was now empty and lifeless.
Pang Jia Yun was curled up in this small compartment in an eerie position, her head forcibly wedged above her knees. Upon seeing the light outside, she instinctively shrank further inside, like a small creature afraid of light. Yan Li couldn’t imagine how someone could stuff themselves into this coffin-like compartment.
Even though they could only see a pair of shoes, legs, and Pang Jia Yun’s unclear half-face, Yan Li and the others could see that the extremely thin Pang Jia Yun wore only an inner garment. Her thin silk undergarments were burned with holes large and small, clearly revealing the bruises on her legs.
Seeing her like this, Yan Li looked helplessly at Yan Chi. Yan Chi frowned, knowing they couldn’t forcibly pull out such a young girl.
“Go down and ask Ninth Young Lady to come up.”
Yan Chi had initially worried about the building’s safety, but now on the third floor, they realized the situation was much better than expected. Moreover, given these circumstances, it wouldn’t be appropriate for more people to know, and it seemed Pang Jia Yun herself didn’t want to come out.
The yamen runner at the back received the order and left, quickly reaching the ground floor.
In front of the building, Pang Fu Liang still held Pang Yi Wen’s hand tightly. The runner went straight to Qin Wan, “Ninth Young Lady, His Highness requests your presence upstairs.” He added, “Don’t worry, the fire has been extinguished.”
Qin Wan hadn’t been particularly concerned about the danger, and now that Yan Chi had sent for her, it indicated the danger was gone. Qin Wan nodded and immediately moved to enter. Fu Ling and Bai Ying quickly followed, but when Qin Shuang tried to go along, the runner stopped her. “His Highness requested only Ninth Young Lady to go up—”
Qin Shuang showed slight annoyance, snorting softly as she stood beside Qin Yan. “Third Brother, could there be another dead person up there?”
Qin Yan shook his head. “Probably not. If someone had died, the runner wouldn’t be so relaxed.”
Though Qin Shuang hadn’t noticed the runner’s expression, she believed Qin Yan’s words and asked again, “Wasn’t it said that the Pang family’s eldest daughter set the fire? How did their eldest son end up on the third floor?”
Qin Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze falling on Qin Yan’s inner robe, then shifting to Pang Yi Wen’s bare feet…
As Qin Wan followed the runner upstairs, she had already figured some things out. Pang Yi Wen had fallen from the third floor to his death, and his presence itself was strange, but his attire was even stranger.
His outer robe was missing, and his feet were bare. Qin Wan couldn’t imagine Pang Jia Yun randomly going to Pang Yi Wen’s sleeping quarters, especially since his courtyard wasn’t even there.
Their presence in the same place couldn’t be coincidental.
The more she thought about it, the heavier her heart felt. When Qin Wan reached the third floor, she saw only Yan Chi and the other two standing at the stairway entrance, and at the opened bottom compartment of the tall cabinet nearby, she could faintly see a shadow inside.
“Ninth Young Lady is here—”
Yan Li called out softly. Qin Wan stepped forward, curtsied to Yan Chi, and asked, “What is it?”
Yan Chi lifted his chin slightly. “She’s inside and won’t come out.”
As he spoke, Yan Chi swept his gaze around the room. Qin Wan looked too, her heart tightening.
Yan Chi then said, “We’ll go down first. See if you can coax her out.”
Qin Wan nodded. Wang Huai Yu handed a lit lamp to Fu Ling and turned to leave with Yan Chi and the others. Once they left, Qin Wan felt even colder seeing the room’s state. Pressing her lips together, she walked with small steps to the cabinet. “Miss Pang?”
She crouched down and called softly, but at this call, Pang Jia Yun shrank back even more nervously. Qin Wan’s eyes flickered, “Does Miss Pang want to play hide and seek with us?”
Qin Wan kept her voice as gentle as possible, and this time Pang Jia Yun quieted down.
Qin Wan continued, “Then… how about I hide, and you come to find me?”
Qin Wan made it as if to leave, but Pang Jia Yun remained motionless.
“Little… child… hide… and… seek…”
Pang Jia Yun didn’t move, but she began reciting word by word. Her tone was innocent and naive, but such soft, childlike voices coming from inside the cabinet made Qin Wan feel both disturbed and heartbroken.
“Qing… Niang… come… quick… ly… find… me…”
Qin Wan wasn’t sure what Pang Jia Yun meant, but when she heard the words “Qing Niang,” she quickly looked at Bai Ying. “Go down and ask His Highness if Madam and Qing Niang can come up.”
Bai Ying accepted the order and left. Qin Wan heard her footsteps going down, then stopping briefly before continuing down. Qin Wan sighed in relief, knowing Yan Chi had agreed.
Madam Chang and the others had appeared not far from the small building. Qin Wan wasn’t sure if they knew what had happened inside, or if they knew Pang Jia Yun had set the fire. Thinking of how they had stood at a distance earlier, unable to approach, Qin Wan felt something was strange.
Fu Ling stepped forward with the lamp, but after just two steps, Pang Jia Yun shrank back in the cabinet again. Qin Wan quickly gestured for her to stop advancing. Qin Wan looked down at the cabinet, “Qing Niang is coming soon, and your mother too. Come out, I’ll help you get dressed, and then you can play with them, alright?”
Pang Jia Yun’s large eyes remained lifeless as she stared outward. At one moment, she suddenly made a “shh” sound.
Qin Wan quickly lowered her voice, “What’s wrong?”
“Hide… hide…” Qin Wan didn’t understand, but Pang Jia Yun hugged her legs tightly. “He’s coming… he’s coming…”
Qin Wan didn’t know who “he” was, but at this point, she could only think of Pang Yi Wen.
She looked at the disheveled couch in the room, becoming more certain of her thoughts. She wanted to question Pang Jia Yun but feared disturbing her, so she only said softly, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, no one is coming, no one will ever come again…”
Just as she finished speaking, footsteps sounded from below.
Pang Jia Yun shrank back again as if startled. Qin Wan turned to look at the stairway entrance and first saw Madam Chang with reddened eyes. Madam Chang was slightly startled to see Qin Wan there, then quickly walked toward the tall cabinet. The footsteps continued, and Qin Wan stood up to move aside, seeing Qing Niang holding Pang Jia Yan’s hand coming up the stairs. Meanwhile, just as Madam Chang called out “Yun’er,” Pang Jia Yun crawled out of the cabinet. As she emerged, Qin Wan noticed her face bore a six-tenths resemblance to Madam Chang’s. Though she was thin as a stick and her expression was somewhat vacant, it couldn’t hide her delicate beauty.
Madam Chang embraced Pang Jia Yun, choking back sobs. As Qin Wan hesitated whether to take her leave, Madam Chang turned and said, “Ninth Young Lady, if you want to know anything, you can ask me now…”