After a good night’s sleep, Qin Wan rose early the next morning. Upon leaving her courtyard, she noticed that Qing Hui Garden was unusually quiet and solemn, with notably more yamen runners present than the previous day.

Qin Wan stood at the courtyard entrance for a moment before taking the small path to the left that led to Qin Yan’s courtyard. For the past few days, the siblings had been having breakfast there together. When Qin Wan arrived, neither Qin Shuang nor Qin Xiang had arrived, and Qin Yan was also absent from the courtyard.

After waiting for a while, she finally saw Qin Yan returning from the east. “Third Brother—”

Qin Yan seemed surprised to see her there. “Why are you up so early?”

Qin Wan merely smiled without saying much, following Qin Yan into the main room. The charcoal fire inside made the winter cold dissipate slightly. Qin Wan asked, “Third Brother, you came from the east? How are things over there?”

Qin Yan shook his head. “His Highness the Crown Prince and Magistrate Wang are still conducting the investigation, but Master Pang has fallen ill.”

Qin Wan raised her eyebrows. “Master Pang has fallen ill?”

Qin Yan nodded. “He watched Pang Yi Wen fall to his death right before his eyes yesterday evening. Naturally, he’s not taking it well. They say he became unwell after returning home last night. Now the household is in chaos, with only the Second Young Master in charge.”

Qin Wan understood that the successive deaths had already made everyone anxious. With Pang Fu Liang falling ill at this time, the household was naturally thrown into disorder. Seeing Qin Wan lost in thought, Qin Yan asked, “Is the Pang family also involved in Liu Yun Tong’s case?”

Qin Wan was momentarily surprised. “Why does Third Brother ask this?”

Qin Yan stood up and looked at the gray sky outside. “The number of yamen runners in the compound increased overnight—this isn’t typical for a simple homicide case. Although Liu Yun Tong’s death was already serious enough, this feels different. Moreover, Prince Chi’s sudden intense interest in the Pang household affairs is unusual…”

Having grown up in the capital, Qin Yan was particularly sensitive to any subtle changes.

Qin Wan vaguely replied, “Indeed, it’s not just about the murders, though I’m not entirely clear about the exact reason. Perhaps it’s related to Official Liu’s case.”

Few people would have made the connection to the case from years ago, and since nothing was confirmed yet, Qin Wan naturally couldn’t speak of it freely.

Qin Yan gave her a long, deep look and was about to speak when Zhou Huai suddenly exclaimed, “Oh!” Qin Wan looked over and saw him gazing toward the courtyard entrance. Following his gaze, she immediately spotted Bai Feng.

Qin Wan instinctively walked to the entrance, and Qin Yan said, “It seems he’s looking for you. Go ahead.”

Qin Wan nodded and headed toward the courtyard entrance with Fu Ling and Bai Ying.

Seeing her leave with Bai Feng after exchanging a few words, Qin Yan’s expression became somewhat complex.

Zhou Huai stepped forward and said, “Young Lord, judging from Prince Chi and Magistrate Wang’s actions, this seems to be no small matter.”

Qin Yan nodded. “I haven’t yet figured out exactly why, but it must be related to Liu Ren Li.” After a brief pause, Qin Yan added through gritted teeth, “We should never have agreed to Pang Fu Liang’s request.”

Zhou Huai sighed. “At that time, we only knew that Official Liu was being ‘implicated,’ and we believed his one-sided account.”

Qin Yan had hoped to recruit Liu Ren Li under the Marquis’s banner and eventually make him an arm of the Crown Prince, so he naturally paid special attention to Liu Ren Li. Pang Fu Liang seemed to have anticipated this point early on, and when he first arranged the meeting between Qin Yan and Liu Ren Li, he intended to use both Qin Yan and the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s household. During their first meeting, Pang Fu Liang had been frank, directly stating that Liu Ren Li’s office had become embroiled in a corruption scandal and might be implicated. At the time, Qin Yan was dissatisfied—he had wanted someone with a clean background who could serve the Crown Prince without bringing trouble, but Liu Ren Li wasn’t as perfect as he had imagined.

At that time, Qin Yan had only thought Liu Ren Li was truly being implicated, and not wanting to miss the opportunity to win over Liu Ren Li, he had agreed, thinking that by showing favor, Liu Ren Li would surely loyally join the Marquis’s household. If not for Qing Yun’s death, he might have returned to the capital now, preparing to protect Liu Ren Li when he was impeached…

Fortunately, Qing Yun’s death came suddenly, and fortunately, Qin Wan had given him a warning.

“At the time, we only thought Liu Ren Li alone was in trouble, and Pang Fu Liang was just an intermediary. Now it seems the Pang family isn’t clean either. Prince Chi originally only meant to make a simple inquiry, but last night he didn’t rest at all. The situation is more serious than we imagined.”

Qin Yan’s voice carried hints of anxiety. He had come to Yu Province for the birthday celebration but ended up staying in the Qing Hui Garden. Once they stepped into this place, not only did the Pang family have past dealings with the Marquis’s businesses and some old connections, but even without these past associations, their presence at the scene of the crime was enough for those with ulterior motives to make a big issue of it. Moreover, now it wasn’t just about deaths but likely involved a major corruption case in the imperial court. The more Qin Yan thought about it, the more his heart sank. The current Marquis’s household could not afford even the slightest disturbance.

Zhou Huai’s expression was also grave. “Young Lord’s letter has already been sent out. The Marquis will surely be on guard in the capital. As long as we keep ourselves clean here, even if people with ulterior motives want to say something when we return to the capital, they won’t be able to.”

Qin Yan sighed. “The Emperor’s mind is hard to fathom. Never mind the Emperor—even the Crown Prince isn’t easy to deal with. Although the Marquis’s household has already chosen to support the Crown Prince, who knows what the Crown Prince is thinking? If the Marquis’s household falls into disrepute, how will the Crown Prince choose?”

Zhou Huai pressed his lips together for a long while. “What about Prince Chi then? Young Lord had a pleasant conversation with him before. If Prince Chi chooses to support the Crown Prince due to Young Lord’s prompting, wouldn’t that be a great achievement for the Marquis’s household?”

Qin Yan narrowed his eyes. “Has Manager Zhou not noticed either?”

Zhou Huai was startled. “What does Young Lord mean?”

Qin Yan was silent for a moment. “Prince Chi’s attitude that day was indeed much better than imagined, but would you believe that I still couldn’t understand his true intentions?”

Zhou Huai was shocked. That day he had been guarding outside, only hearing the conversation and game of chess inside, but unable to see Yan Chi’s expression. After that, they traveled together, and this legendary “demon king” didn’t seem as unapproachable as rumored. “But… but after coming to Yu Province together, I haven’t seen any indication that he wants to distance himself from us.”

It was no longer a secret in the capital that the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s household was friendly with the Crown Prince. Since Yan Chi wasn’t distancing himself from them, once they returned to the capital, people would assume he also leaned toward the Crown Prince. He could have refused to travel together, but he hadn’t.

Qin Yan shook his head. “At first I thought so too… but later I realized he simply acts without restraint. Even if the entire capital thinks he supports the Crown Prince, he doesn’t care.”

Qin Yan raised his chin slightly. “His title of ‘demon king’ isn’t for nothing. Speaking of being hard to fathom, this young man might surpass even the Crown Prince. Most importantly, he didn’t grow up in the capital’s power circles, so no one knows what he’s thinking. Although everyone in the capital wants to establish connections with the Rui Prince’s mansion, who dares to act rashly?”

“Young Lord speaks truly.” Zhou Huai nodded.

Qin Yan sighed, his tone unusually dejected. “Our actions this time were somewhat improper. We can only hope it won’t bring too much trouble to the family. For now, we can only observe and help where we can, to avoid future mistakes.”

Zhou Huai nodded deeply, his expression showing no sign of relaxation.

Outside the courtyard, Bai Feng was leading Qin Wan toward an isolated courtyard in the southwest direction.

“My master stayed up all night. When he heard you were up, he asked for you to come over.”

Bai Feng spoke respectfully. Qin Wan thought to herself that she had only been up for such a short time, yet Yan Chi already knew.

Soon, Bai Feng led Qin Wan to the courtyard entrance. The courtyard was quiet in the early morning, with no guards inside or outside. Entering the courtyard, they saw the main room’s door half-closed. Bai Feng led Qin Wan to the door and gestured with his hand. “Ninth Young Lady, please enter.”

Qin Wan nodded and pushed open the door, while Fu Ling and Bai Ying remained outside.

The room was also quiet, and it was apparent that it was a temporarily arranged empty room. Qin Wan gently closed the door, first looking to the left wing, then turning to look at the right wing. While she was hesitating, a figure flashed out from the right wing’s doorway—it was Yan Chi. Seeing her hesitating at the door, Yan Chi came over and took her hand. “Come in.”

Qin Wan was pulled inside, entering directly into a warm chamber. Currently, there was a small table placed on the heated platform by the window, with simple porridge and two small dishes on it. A brazier was placed in the corner of the room, its charcoal fire almost extinguished.

“Magistrate Wang prepared this. I wasn’t going to use it, but suddenly I wanted to have breakfast with you, so I came here to rest for a moment.”

Yan Chi pulled Qin Wan to sit comfortably on the heated platform and then sat down across from her. He had known as soon as she woke up and naturally knew she hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. Qin Wan observed Yan Chi for a moment, noticing that apart from some stubble on his chin showing a bluish tinge, he seemed to be in good spirits, which put her mind at ease.

“Is staying up all night a common occurrence for you?”

There were two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table, and Qin Wan began ladling porridge for Yan Chi.

Though they had eaten together at the Marquis’s mansion multiple times, it had always been with a large group. This was their first time dining alone together. Seeing Qin Wan serve him porridge, Yan Chi’s eyes notably brightened.

“When campaigning in the field, there’s naturally no distinction between day and night.”

Qin Wan passed him the porridge, which Yan Chi accepted with a smile. After watching him take a few bites, she asked, “How did last night go?”

Yan Chi’s smile faded slightly. “Pang You De has been with Pang Fu Liang for fourteen years. He only knows that Pang Fu Liang suddenly came into money at that time, but doesn’t know where it came from. He doesn’t know about what happened fifteen years ago, however…”

Yan Chi’s tone became serious. “However, he knows every detail about the money transfers between Qing Yun and Liu Ren Li over these years, even more precisely than Madam Chang described. Every year, Pang Fu Liang would give large sums of money to Qing Yun and Liu Ren Li, and he was especially generous with the Shuang Qing Troupe. Most of this money was given in bank notes. In the years when Qing Yun didn’t come, it was handed to Qing Li instead.”

“Moreover, Qing Yun and Liu Ren Li’s appetites have grown larger over the years, and Pang Fu Liang had begun to feel dissatisfied. This time, Qing Li’s death made Qing Yun very angry, and she did indeed demand the inn when she came to the mansion.”

Qin Wan frowned. “Pang You De is Pang Fu Liang’s most trusted person. Didn’t he mention anything about what happened back then? Doesn’t he know why they were giving money to Qing Yun and Liu Ren Li?”

Yan Chi nodded. “He said Pang Fu Liang explained it to him once. When Pang Fu Liang was first starting his business, Qing Yun and Liu Ren Li had invested money, so the annual payments were their share of the profits.”

While this explanation seemed reasonable, how could it be so simple?

“If they invested, how much did they invest? How were the annual profits calculated? Are there detailed accounts?” Qin Wan sighed. “Pang Fu Liang didn’t even tell Pang You De. I wonder how he managed to keep this secret for so many years.”

“He said he had his suspicions, but Pang Fu Liang was extremely paranoid—even the slightest disloyalty would make him suspicious. So he didn’t do anything, especially since he lived very well following Pang Fu Liang all these years.”

Qin Wan nodded. “So for now, we can’t find any evidence linking Pang Fu Liang to what happened back then?”

Yan Chi sighed softly. “Indeed. The dead can’t testify, and it’s impossible to find any illicit goods now.”

“That’s not necessarily true.” Qin Wan looked at Yan Chi with bright eyes. “What do you think of Pang Fu Liang as a person?”

Hearing this, Yan Chi narrowed his phoenix eyes. “Whether or not Pang Fu Liang started from nothing, he had no background. From being a commoner to becoming the wealthiest man in the Northwest today, both his ambition and methods are extraordinary. Yesterday, when Pang Yi Wen died in front of him, although he was stunned and dazed for a moment, he didn’t lose his composure excessively, which shows his exceptional character.”

Yan Chi pondered for a moment. “Last night he was restrained and controlled, and his way of dealing with people is thorough and appropriate, showing his sophistication. Lastly, he’s probably ruthless. Regardless of whether he’s connected to the old case, for the Pang family business to grow so large, his hands aren’t clean.”

Qin Wan nodded. “You don’t know yet, but he also has a violent side.”

Yan Chi looked at her, and Qin Wan told him about Madam Chang’s suffering. Yan Chi frowned deeply. “A man hitting a woman? In that case, I guess that despite his restraint and control, he harbors frustration and inferiority. Otherwise, he wouldn’t raise his hand against women.”

“Exactly.” Qin Wan put down her chopsticks, her tone becoming more serious. “Normally, proper men who know etiquette wouldn’t hit women. Apart from chivalry, most men would consider it beneath them to hit women. If a man habitually beats his wife, it shows he psychologically despises women and has an extreme need for control, while being very insecure about himself. This insecurity makes him particularly impulsive and angry when facing those weaker than himself, thereby achieving his purpose of venting his emotions.”

Qin Wan continued, “He’s the wealthy Northwest tycoon with a vast fortune, seemingly glorious on the surface, with even officials and nobles addressing him as Master Pang, yet he treats his wife like this in private. He’s very insecure, possibly because of past events, but more importantly because of his inherent inferiority complex, perhaps due to his background, or perhaps something else.”

“In any case, people like this are less likely to completely erase traces of past events, because those are their ‘great achievements.’ He might even feel pleasure when seeing old objects related to that incident. The fact that he hasn’t eliminated the hidden dangers of Qing Yun and Liu Ren Li over all these years probably has something to do with this too. Extremely self-deprecating yet also extremely arrogant, and judging by how he treats Madam Pang, he’s not completely calm and composed. If we keep searching, we’ll find clues about what happened back then…”

Yan Chi watched Qin Wan, his eyes brightening for a moment. After questioning through the night without results, Wang Huai Yu was extremely disappointed, and even he doubted they could find solid evidence after so many years. But Qin Wan had determined from Pang Fu Liang’s personality that he wasn’t a perfect criminal. Her reasoning was logical and convincing. “If what you say is true, what would he do first when he realizes we’re investigating in the wrong direction?”

Qin Wan’s eyes flickered briefly before she said gravely, “He would destroy the remaining evidence!”

Yan Chi’s heart stirred. “I understand.”

Qin Wan looked at him questioningly, but Yan Chi just smiled and said, “Alright, let’s leave it at that. The porridge is getting cold.”

Qin Wan looked down at her bowl of porridge and curved her lips into a smile before picking up her chopsticks again.

Though they were eloquent when discussing serious matters, neither was particularly talkative otherwise. As they ate, the room grew quiet. The morning light shone through the window, falling brightly on Qin Wan’s profile, making her skin appear even more delicate like porcelain. Looking at Qin Wan, Yan Chi felt his heart fill with warmth and softness as if stuffed with cotton clouds.

Sensing Yan Chi’s gaze, Qin Wan paused with her chopsticks and looked at him. “What is it?”

Seeing her put down her chopsticks, Yan Chi smiled. “Are you done eating?”

“Mm, I’m full.” Qin Wan sat up straight, truly unable to eat anymore.

Meanwhile, Yan Chi’s gaze fell on the corner of her lips. Qin Wan was startled and instinctively raised her hand to wipe it. “Is there…”

“Don’t move.” Yan Chi suddenly spoke, instantly leaning across the small table between them. Qin Wan thought she had some porridge in the corner of her mouth, but as she raised her hand, Yan Chi caught it. The next moment, his lips pressed against hers, and she felt him gently lick the corner of her mouth. Immediately, her cheeks began to burn like fire.