Upon leaving the courtyard, Qin Wan’s face still carried a hint of warmth. She walked rather quickly, and when she reached the entrance to her courtyard, she glanced toward the western compound where Madam Chang and the others were staying.
After a night had passed, four yamen runners still stood guard at the courtyard gate. Qin Wan thought for a moment, then walked over. At the gate, the same runner from last night bowed to her. Qin Wan glanced inside the courtyard and asked, “Has Madam risen yet?”
The runner nodded, “Yes, the wet nurse went out to fetch some food.”
Qin Wan acknowledged this with a nod, “Then I’ll go in to check on them—”
The runner, who hadn’t stopped Qin Wan the previous night, was even less inclined to do so now. He gestured for her to enter, and Qin Wan walked in.
The courtyard was completely silent. Qin Wan unconsciously slowed her steps as she entered. The winter morning was bitterly cold, and the sweet-bitter air remained a gloomy gray, with another heavy snowfall seemingly imminent.
Reaching the steps under the eaves, Qin Wan called out softly, “Madam, are you awake?”
The door was half-closed. After Qin Wan’s words, footsteps could be heard from within. A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing Madam Chang’s gentle face. Seeing it was Qin Wan, Madam Chang quickly smiled, “Ninth Young Lady is here!”
Qin Wan nodded, “I came to check on Madam.”
Madam Chang opened the door wide and gestured, “Please come in, Ninth Young Lady. It’s very cold outside.”
Upon entering, Qin Wan felt the warmth of the room. Looking around, she noticed that Pang Jiayan and Pang Jiayu were nowhere to be seen. Noticing her glance, Madam Chang explained with a smile, “Yu’er is resting with me in the east wing, and Jiayan is with Wet Nurse Qing in the west wing. They’ve both just woken up. I was just doing Yu’er’s hair, and I was about to wake Jiayan to get dressed and wash up.”
Qin Wan smiled, “May I go see Miss Pang?”
Madam Chang quickly nodded, “Of course, of course. Yu’er hasn’t seen many people. It would be good for Ninth Young Lady to talk with her.”
Just then, a sound came from the west wing. Madam Chang looked in that direction with some concern. Qin Wan quickly said, “Madam, please go attend to the Third Young Master. I’ll go see how Miss Pang is doing.”
Madam Chang trusted Qin Wan completely and nodded before heading to the west wing.
Qin Wan turned and walked toward the east wing’s door. As she reached it, she saw Pang Jiayu sitting motionless on the bed. Madam Chang had already done her hair and dressed her, but she still hadn’t put on her shoes. Pang Jiayu sat at the edge of the bed, staring blankly, not moving even though her shoes were right in front of her.
Qin Wan stood still for a moment, watching the seemingly otherworldly Pang Jiayu, afraid of startling her.
In Qin Wan’s experience, mentally ill patients were usually hysterical, but Pang Jiayu’s docile and obedient behavior was extremely rare. While she seemed mentally ill, she could understand Wet Nurse Qing and Madam Chang’s words and follow complex instructions. Yet if she wasn’t ill, her mental capacity was not that of a normal person. Qin Wan observed Pang Jiayu while pondering this, but couldn’t come to any conclusions. After watching for a while, Qin Wan noticed that Pang Jiayu was wearing only cloud socks and worried she might catch a cold sitting there. She frowned and instinctively moved to help Pang Jiayu put on her shoes, but just then, a faint singing voice could be heard.
The singing came from the north side of the residence, filtering through the window lattice into the room. Qin Wan listened carefully, finding the voice somewhat familiar. Since the Shuangqing Troupe was still staying in Qinghui Garden, specifically in the northwest section, Qin Wan wasn’t particularly puzzled. However, as she stepped forward, Pang Jiayu, who had been as still as a statue, suddenly began to move.
Her head swayed slightly, and her lips moved with barely audible sounds that somehow harmonized with the singing coming from outside. Qin Wan held her breath and listened—it was a passage from an opera she somewhat recognized. What shocked Qin Wan more was that Pang Jiayu’s usually soft voice had transformed, taking on a desolate and ancient quality…
Pang Jiayu was fourteen or fifteen years old and should have had a young girl’s voice, but when she usually spoke, she sounded like a naive seven or eight-year-old child. Qin Wan had grown accustomed to this, but now Pang Jiayu was singing in a completely different voice. What sent chills down Qin Wan’s spine was that this sorrowful voice was identical to the one she had heard on her first night at Qinghui Garden!
Could that night’s singer have been Pang Jiayu?!
“Ninth Young Lady—”
Qin Wan’s brows were furrowed, her heart full of shock and unease, but before she could make sense of it, Madam Chang’s voice rang out. Qin Wan turned to see Madam Chang leading Pang Jiayan by the hand. Pang Jiayan’s face still showed traces of sleepiness, and he showed little reaction to seeing Qin Wan there…
Thinking of Pang Jiayan’s extraordinary memory, Qin Wan looked back at Pang Jiayu, wondering if she too possessed an exceptional memory. How else could she know this song?
“Madam, Miss Pang is sitting quietly. I was afraid of disturbing her.”
Qin Wan explained why she was standing at the door. Madam Chang came over, “Ninth Young Lady is so considerate. Don’t worry, the maids won’t startle her. She only becomes unstable when she sees men.”
As Madam Chang walked over, Qin Wan noticed that Pang Jiayu had become quiet again, even though the distant singing could still be heard. Qin Wan frowned slightly. Madam Chang also heard the song and paused, “The ladies from Shuangqing Troupe are practicing—it sounds like Miss Qinglan’s voice—”
Qin Wan had thought the voice familiar, and Madam Chang’s words confirmed it was indeed Qinglan.
As Madam Chang helped Pang Jiayu put on her shoes, Qin Wan hesitated before asking, “Madam, the Third Young Master has an excellent memory. What about the Young Lady?”
At this, Madam Chang looked at Pang Jiayu with pity, “Yu’er’s memory is poor.”
Qin Wan thought of the previous night and continued, “But last night when Wet Nurse Qing told Young Lady to rest, she followed the instruction immediately.”
Having finished putting on Pang Jiayu’s shoes, Madam Chang stood up and shook her head, “She was taught before. Yu’er is like a small child, afraid of strangers and only listens to me and Wet Nurse Qing. Sometimes her memory isn’t good.”
Qin Wan wanted to say more. If this was true, who had taught Pang Jiayu the opera she was singing?
“Is something wrong, Ninth Young Lady?”
Seeing Qin Wan’s unusual expression, Madam Chang quickly asked. Qin Wan looked between Pang Jiayu and Madam Chang before finally saying, “Does the Young Lady… know how to sing opera?”
Madam Chang was slightly taken aback. She looked at Pang Jiayu and smiled bitterly, “Of course not…”
Qin Wan’s lips tightened slightly, “The first time, first time I met the Young Lady, she was muttering something—the same nursery rhyme as the Third Young Master. That nursery rhyme was…”
“You mean the hide-and-seek rhyme?” Pang Jiayan quickly interjected.
Qin Wan nodded, “Yes, that’s it.”
Pang Jiayan explained, “Sister does know that rhyme. Wet Nurse Qing taught it to us. After Sister became ill, she couldn’t play other games, so Wet Nurse Qing taught us some common folk games. Later, Wet Nurse Qing said that we could not only hide while playing but also hide when we encountered danger.”
Madam Chang nodded naturally, “That’s right. With Yu’er’s condition, sometimes she wouldn’t even cry out, so we could only teach her these things. Later she learned to hide whenever she saw strangers.”
Qin Wan had witnessed this herself and had no reason to doubt it. But how did Pang Jiayu know how to sing opera?
Qin Wan’s eyes shifted slightly, “By the way, how long does the Shuangqing Troupe usually stay when they visit the mansion?”
Madam Chang thought for a moment, “Sometimes three or four days, sometimes five or six, at most seven or eight days. They usually come at the end of the year and can’t stay long.”
Qin Wan nodded. At that moment, the singing from behind suddenly stopped. Qin Wan said, “After these recent events, things will be difficult for the Shuangqing Troupe.”
Madam Chang nodded at this, but given the Shuangqing Troupe’s close relationship with Pang Fuliang, there was little sympathy in her eyes.
Just then, footsteps echoed in the courtyard. Qin Wan took two steps out and saw Wet Nurse Qing entering with a food box. Seeing Qin Wan there, Wet Nurse Qing quickly curtsied, “Ninth Young Lady is here—”
Qin Wan nodded, looking at Madam Chang and the others, “I just came to check on everyone. I won’t disturb your meal. I’ll take my leave now.”
Wet Nurse Qing quickly said, “Why rush off, Ninth Young Lady? Why not join us for the meal?”
Qin Wan smiled, “I’ve already eaten. Please, enjoy your meal.”
With that, she bid farewell to Madam Chang and left. Madam Chang saw her at the door and only returned inside after Qin Wan had gone.
Inside, Wet Nurse Qing smiled at Pang Jiayu, “Young Lady, did Ninth Young Lady come to see you?”
Pang Jiayu remained blank-faced, so Pang Jiayan spoke up, “She came to see Sister and asked how Sister knew that nursery rhyme…”
Wet Nurse Qing’s hand paused as she was taking out the food, “How did Third Young Master answer?”
Hungry Pang Jiayan stared at the food box by Wet Nurse Qing’s hand and replied directly, “Naturally, I said you taught it to us.” After a brief pause, he added, “Oh right, Ninth Young Lady also asked if Sister could sing opera. How could Sister possibly know how to sing opera?”
Wet Nurse Qing froze for a moment before continuing to set the food on the table, her expression unchanged.
Outside the courtyard, Qin Wan walked very slowly with furrowed brows. Fuling and Baiying exchanged glances behind her, neither daring to ask questions. After a moment, Qin Wan suddenly paused and asked, “The Shuangqing Troupe’s quarters are just behind here, aren’t they?”
Fuling quickly responded, “Yes, just opposite the flower garden back there.”
Qin Wan nodded, “Good, let’s go take a look—”
Though Fuling and Baiying didn’t understand Qin Wan’s intentions, they naturally followed her decision. The three walked along the mansion’s small path heading north, soon reaching a flower garden. In the winter cold, the garden held nothing but green grass, all other flowers and branches withered, with occasional spots of remaining snow scattered about.
Qin Wan walked slowly past the garden path, soon reaching an open building without a courtyard gate.
The lack of a gate clearly showed this wasn’t a guest quarters. Though the Shuangqing Troupe had some reputation, except for the troupe leader and a few main performers, the others were treated no differently from servants. The troupe always brought many people, and Qinghui Garden couldn’t possibly accommodate everyone in the mansion’s guest quarters. Before getting too close, Qin Wan noticed many stage-building materials piled in the yard but saw no one moving about outside, and even the buildings seemed eerily quiet.
“Miss, Qingxian and the deputy troupe leader haven’t returned yet, and the others can’t leave because of the deaths in the mansion. They must all be very anxious.”
Qin Wan nodded, “With the troupe leader gone, the old troupe leader in trouble, and the deputy leader and Qingxian detained, naturally everyone is panicking.”
Fuling then asked, “What did Miss come to see?”
Qin Wan’s gaze swept across the row of buildings nearby but didn’t answer immediately. She couldn’t explain exactly what she had come to see, but by now, she felt these matters must have some significant connection to the Shuangqing Troupe.
As Qin Wan hesitated, suddenly, the door at the far northwest corner opened, and Qinglan emerged carrying a basin of water. She dumped it outside with a splash and was about to turn back when she spotted Qin Wan standing there.
She froze, then looked over questioningly.
Qin Wan was pleased to see Qinglan and walked over with a slight smile.
Qinglan set down the water basin, smoothed her dress, and curtsied to Qin Wan.
“Ninth Young Lady.”
Qin Wan looked Qinglan up and down briefly. At this moment, Qinglan wasn’t in her usual attire but wore an opera costume, with long water sleeves rolled up at her wrists. Her face had water droplets as if she had just washed it, and Qin Wan noticed a trace of rouge still at the corner of her lips. Understanding dawned, and she asked, “Is this a convenient time, Miss Qinglan?”
Qinglan hesitated briefly, then stepped aside, “Please come in and sit, Ninth Young Lady.”
Qin Wan nodded and entered. Inside, she saw various jars and bottles of rouge and powder arranged on a long couch by the window. Qinglan carried the water basin in and, noticing Qin Wan looking at the items, explained, “I was practicing my vocals this morning, and realized I hadn’t sung ‘Lament of the Xiang River’ for a long time, so I put on some makeup.”
Ordinary people might wear costumes to practice at home, but Qinglan even put on makeup. Qin Wan observed her for a moment as Qinglan efficiently removed her opera costume and gathered up all the bottles and jars from the couch. She then brewed a pot of tea, “Please sit, Ninth Young Lady. It’s just simple tea, please don’t mind.”
“How could I? Does Miss Qinglan always practice like this?”
Qin Wan sat down and asked curiously. Qinglan smiled, “Of course not. It’s just so dull here in the mansion, and rather than sit here worrying, I might as well practice properly.”
Qin Wan’s eyes brightened at this response. While natural talent was important in opera, practice was essential, and this dedication alone increased her good opinion of Qinglan.
“What are your plans for the future, Miss?”
Qin Wan’s question showed genuine concern. Qinglan smiled bitterly, “The Shuangqing Troupe will certainly disband. I’ll probably go south…”
Qin Wan looked puzzled, and Qinglan explained, “I’m originally from Yongzhou and joined the Shuangqing Troupe because I love southern opera. But in recent years, the troupe has increasingly incorporated northern opera elements. If nothing had happened, I would have stayed, but given the current situation, I might as well return south to Yongzhou, even if it means performing in a teahouse.”
Performing small pieces in a teahouse was very different from being a lead performer in a major opera troupe. Qin Wan sighed, “Why not stay in the capital? With your skills, it would be a waste to perform in teahouses.”
Qinglan shook her head, “After years of hard practice, I’m not afraid to go anywhere with my skills. Of course, it would be best to find a lively troupe, but if that’s not possible, performing simply and easily in a teahouse isn’t bad either.”
Qinglan spoke seriously, not joking. After observing her for a moment, Qin Wan realized her free-spirited and independent nature was genuine, explaining her manner when they first met. Qin Wan nodded, “Your unrestrained spirit shows the makings of a remarkable woman. You’re sure to have a bright future.”
“I appreciate your kind words, Ninth Young Lady. For the sake of making a living, I’ll certainly be happy if things go well.”
Qin Wan pondered for a moment before asking, “How many times has Miss Qinglan visited Qinghui Garden in previous years?”
At this question, Qinglan realized Qin Wan had come with a purpose. She answered frankly, “The Magistrate asked this question too. I only started coming to Qinghui Garden after my Master took me as a personal disciple. Before that, when Masters took jobs elsewhere, they would leave the apprentices in the capital to watch the place and practice. I first came to Qinghui Garden about six years ago, and have visited six times in total. From that first visit, I knew Master Pang was very fond of the Shuangqing Troupe.”
Qin Wan nodded, “Then… does Miss Qinglan know if anyone in the Pang household can sing opera?”
Qinglan raised an eyebrow and shook her head, “Most families consider opera singing beneath them and wouldn’t let their household members learn it.”
Qin Wan knew this, which made Pang Jiayu’s ability to sing along with Qinglan even more bizarre. After a moment’s thought, she asked, “Were you just singing ‘Lament of the Xiang River’? Have you performed this opera at the Pang mansion before?”
Qinglan shook her head again, “No, never. It’s an old southern opera.”
Qin Wan looked confused. Though her mother had loved opera, during her father’s early years of traveling, and even after returning to the capital when they had more opportunities, her mother wasn’t one to indulge in entertainment, only attending three or four performances a year, choosing only her favorites. Thus, she wasn’t familiar with the distinctions between southern and northern operas, or old and new pieces.
Qinglan noticed this and explained, “This opera is one of the representative works of southern opera, but because it’s too sorrowful, it gradually fell out of favor with common people, especially in the north. Moreover… as far as I know, this was the signature piece of that grandmaster, so later, fewer and fewer people in the troupe performed it. When I sing it, it’s usually just in private, except for those couple of times I performed it when we went south…”
Qinxi’s signature piece? Qin Wan frowned slightly.
If even Qinglan only sang it in private, Qingli would have performed it even less. So where had Pang Jiayu heard it?
The tune seemed familiar to her, though she couldn’t recall the opera’s name at the moment. Madam Chang had mentioned that Pang Jiayu didn’t learn things quickly, yet she could sing along, suggesting she must have heard this piece more than once or twice. Who had sung it for her?
With this thought, a face flashed through Qin Wan’s mind. Her fist clenched in her lap as her heart suddenly lifted.
Seeing Qin Wan lost in thought, Qinglan asked curiously, “What’s wrong? Does Ninth Young Lady have concerns about this piece?”
Qin Wan came back to herself, shaking her head. As she looked up, her gaze moved past Qinglan’s shoulder to a large folding fan in the corner of the couch. The fan wasn’t completely closed, and Qin Wan could see embroidered Xiang Princess bamboo on it, with spots like teardrops, reminiscent of the tears of E Huang and Nü Ying in “Lament of the Xiang River”…
“This is used when performing ‘Lament of the Xiang River’.” Seeing Qin Wan’s interest, Qinglan picked it up and opened it, revealing not only the Xiang Princess bamboo but also several lines of poetry.
“Fallen flowers and leaves scatter in disarray, All day I think of you but you’re away. Heartbreaking, breaking until it breaks, Tears upon tears, new marks upon old makes.”
Qin Wan stared at the fan, her brows tightly knitted.
She had seen this fan before, not at the opera houses where she accompanied her mother, but in Pang Jiayan’s box of trinkets, among those lifelike opera and acrobatic figurines.
Most of those figurines were acrobats with weapons and poles, but Qin Wan clearly remembered that some held fans. Some held round fans, others folding fans, and one figurine wearing a white opera costume held a folding fan that had the same Xiang Princess bamboo pattern. Though the figurine was only palm-sized and the fan merely thumbnail-sized, Wet Nurse Qing had meticulously embroidered the bamboo pattern on that tiny fan.
Because of this, Qin Wan deeply admired Wet Nurse Qing’s embroidery skills.
“Where did Miss get the pattern for this fan?”
Qinglan hadn’t expected Qin Wan to be so interested in a fan. She looked down at it and said, “The fan has been like this since I first learned this opera in the troupe. I don’t know who painted the design, but I can say for certain this fan is unique to the Shuangqing Troupe.”
Qin Wan frowned slightly, “Have you ever performed ‘Lament of the Xiang River’ at the Pang mansion?”
Qinglan shook her head quickly, her tone certain, “No, never. Master Pang’s business involves much entertaining, and during festivals and celebrations, no one wants to hear such a sorrowful and mournful opera. They prefer lively performances.”
Qin Wan’s heart grew heavier. Something occurred to her, and she suddenly asked, “Did your grandmother have a disciple?”
Qinglan nodded, “Yes if that grandmother hadn’t left, she would have been co-leader with Master. But when the Grand-master left, she had a falling out with the Great-master, and that disciple left with the Grand-master. After Grand-master met with misfortune, the disciple’s whereabouts became unknown.”
After a pause, Qinglan asked, “Why does the Ninth Young Lady ask about this?”
Qin Wan’s heart was pounding, “Your grandmother, besides ‘Lament of the Xiang River’ being her signature piece, what other skills did she have? What else was she good at?”
Qinglan thought for a moment, “I never met that grand-master, but… according to the troupe’s elders, the Grand-master’s best skill was her lightness technique, and that disciple was very quick in movement.”
Qin Wan frowned, “How so?”
Speaking about her expertise, Qinglan’s tone became serious, “Regarding the lightness technique, Young Lady must have seen ‘Mulian Saves His Mother’ that day. The final scene of Spirit Mountain’s Flying Shadow requires someone with excellent lightness skills. Master can move between hanging iron chains, but needs to use footwork techniques. I heard that Grandmaster didn’t need the iron chain under her feet at all. When she performed, she truly looked like a kite flying over Spirit Mountain.”
“As for quick movements…” Qinglan paused, “There’s an opera called ‘Seven Captures of Meng Jie’, about a general from over two hundred years ago who used strategy to capture an enemy general seven times. In the third capture, the general used just one rope to catch the enemy. How did he do it? Besides intricate binding techniques, the movements had to be lightning-fast…”
“Binding?” Qin Wan suddenly interrupted Qinglan, “You mean tying someone up?”
Qinglan nodded, “Exactly. The enemy general was seven feet tall, while our general was just a frail scholar. It all depended on quick movements and clever techniques, otherwise it would have been impossible to capture him…”
Qin Wan’s expression darkened, and she suddenly froze.
Seeing Qin Wan’s strange expression, Qinglan stopped speaking. After a moment, Qin Wan asked, “You’ve visited Qinghui Garden many times, you must be very familiar with the masters here…”
Qinglan thought for a moment, “I know Master Pang, Madam Pang, and the three young masters.”
Which meant she didn’t have a strong impression of Pang Jiayu. Qin Wan understood—Pang Jiayu had gone mad five years ago, and even before that, daughters had fewer opportunities to meet outside guests than the men of the household. Whenever the Shuangqing Troupe performed, there were usually outside guests present.
“Then, do you remember the wet nurse by the Third Young Master’s side?”
Qinglan frowned at this question, “Wet nurse? I can’t recall…”
Qin Wan’s eyes narrowed slightly. After a moment, she nodded, “Alright, I understand. Thank you.”
Qin Wan stood up to leave, but after a moment turned back, “By the way, your grand-master also knew ‘Mulian Saves His Mother’, did she know about the archery mechanism?”
Qinglan stood and nodded, “Of course, that’s one of the Shuangqing Troupe’s traditions.”
Qin Wan nodded, said another “thank you” and walked out. Qinglan accompanied her to the door and couldn’t help asking, “Ninth Young Lady, those questions you asked earlier…”
Qin Wan paused briefly, then said, “Don’t worry, Miss. The matters in this mansion will be resolved soon.”
Though confusion showed on Qinglan’s face, Qin Wan said no more and walked south.
Fuling and Baiying exchanged glances, and Fuling couldn’t help asking, “Miss, why did you ask so many questions about the Shuangqing Troupe?”
“Naturally, it’s for the case.”
“Has Miss figured it all out?”
Qin Wan nodded, then shook her head, “There’s still one thing I haven’t figured out.”
Fuling looked troubled, “Then what should we do? Should Miss go find His Highness?”
Qin Wan nodded, her expression suddenly becoming serious as she quickened her pace.
Not knowing where Yan Chi was, Qin Wan instinctively walked toward the courtyard where they had met that morning. However, when she reached the gate, it was empty. Qin Wan hesitated, then hurried toward Deyue Tower. Soon, she saw Wang Huaiyu walking hurriedly, and she called out anxiously, “Magistrate Wang, what has happened?”
Wang Huaiyu seemed to be heading out of the mansion. Hearing her call, he paused, and seeing it was Qin Wan, he gestured to the yamen runners behind him, then walked quickly toward her, “Ninth Young Lady.”
Seeing Wang Huaiyu’s urgent expression and the thin sweat on his forehead, Qin Wan quickly asked, “Has something happened in the mansion?”
Wang Huaiyu glanced at Fuling and Baiying, who immediately stepped back discreetly.
Wang Huaiyu then said in a low voice, “Pang Fuliang has disappeared.”
Qin Wan frowned, “Disappeared? Wasn’t he ill?”
Wang Huaiyu nodded, “Yes, he was ill. I checked on him this morning. Later, he had Pang Yiwu fetch the doctor who usually visits the mansion. It was early, and we didn’t want to trouble Ninth Young Lady, so we didn’t ask you to look in. We just had someone fetch the doctor. The doctor came and left quickly, which seemed normal, but just now our people noticed something odd about Pang Yiwu’s expression. When we entered Hui Garden, we discovered Pang Fuliang was gone, with only the doctor who had come that morning still in the room.”
Qin Wan frowned, “Pang Fuliang disguised himself as the doctor and escaped?”
Wang Huaiyu nodded, “Yes, though we don’t know how he left. Oddly, none of the guards saw Pang Fuliang. His Highness has already gone to investigate. I just finished questioning Pang Youde and Pang Yiwu, and now have a preliminary direction. I’m about to go pursue Pang Fuliang.”
Hearing this, Qin Wan naturally didn’t dare delay Wang Huaiyu, and immediately nodded, “Alright, please hurry, Magistrate Wang.”
Wang Huaiyu nodded and left with his men. Watching Wang Huaiyu’s retreating figure, Qin Wan’s brows furrowed. She had already made some deductions, but with Yan Chi absent, she instinctively didn’t share them with Wang Huaiyu.
That Pang Fuliang chose to flee showed that Yan Chi’s strategy had worked.
Qin Wan’s heart was beating rather fast. It was excellent that Pang Fuliang had been forced to reveal his weakness. With both Yan Chi and Wang Huaiyu pursuing, capturing Pang Fuliang wouldn’t be difficult. She could tell Yan Chi her findings after Pang Fuliang was captured.
With this thought, Qin Wan had no choice but to turn back. After walking a few steps, she looked at Baiying and said, “Baiying, can I entrust you with a task?”
This was the first time Qin Wan had addressed her this way, and Baiying immediately became serious, “Please instruct me, Miss.”
Qin Wan glanced toward the northwest, “Keep a close watch on the movements around Madam Pang, especially Wet Nurse Qing’s movements. As soon as she leaves, tell me…”
Though Baiying didn’t understand, seeing Qin Wan’s instructions, she knew Wet Nurse Qing must be involved in something. She became serious and agreed, then returned to the guest quarters with Qin Wan and Fuling. Qin Wan and Fuling entered the courtyard while Baiying kept watch outside.
By now it was quite late. Qin Wan returned to her room and waited half a day. Others in the mansion still didn’t know about Pang Fuliang’s disappearance. In the afternoon, Qin Wan and her siblings had lunch together. Afterward, Qin Wan returned to her room as usual. She waited until nightfall, past the second half of the Dog Hour when Baiying suddenly entered the room.
“Miss, Wet Nurse Qing has left.”
Qin Wan’s expression sharpened, and she quickly grabbed her cloak and went outside. Leaving the courtyard, Baiying pointed toward Hui Garden, “Wet Nurse Qing went toward Hui Garden…”
Qin Wan frowned deeply. So late at night, what was Wet Nurse Qing doing going to Hui Garden?