“Miss, shall we follow and take a look?” Bai Ying asked softly, and Qin Wan nodded without hesitation.

Night had already enveloped the entire Qing Hui Garden. The starless and moonless sky was as dark as ink. The day had been cloudy, and by evening, the cold wind cut like knives. Qin Wan pulled her cloak’s collar tighter and hurried toward Hui Garden. Qing Niang had gone ahead of them, and they could no longer see her. Qin Wan quickened her pace, and after turning two corners, they finally caught a glimpse of Qing Niang’s shadow in the distance.

“Shh, keep it down—”

Qin Wan whispered a warning. Following Qing Niang secretly made her somewhat nervous.

Since Wang Huai Yu and Yan Chi had left Qing Hui Garden, there weren’t as many officials present as before. The master of Hui Garden had left, so there weren’t even guards at the entrance. The garden was eerily quiet in the darkness. The lanterns that usually lit the main path hadn’t been lit these past two nights. Now, in the cold night with howling winds, there was an inexplicable sense of dread.

“Miss, is there something wrong with Qing Niang?”

Fu Ling asked quietly. Qin Wan nodded but couldn’t explain everything to her.

Previously, Qin Wan hadn’t suspected Qing Niang, but after seeing the opera and acrobatic dolls in Pang Jia Yan’s box, she developed a slight wariness that couldn’t quite be called suspicion. The dolls were made with extraordinary detail—every expression, every button, and embroidery on the costumes was clear. This showed that whoever made the dolls had put in considerable effort. Qing Niang was just a servant, and even though the Shuang Qing Troupe had come to Qing Hui Garden, she couldn’t have gone specifically to inquire about their costumes. So how did she know those details so well?

This question only caused a small ripple in Qin Wan’s mind, but then another death occurred in Qing Hui Garden, and she temporarily set aside her doubts. Even when Yan Chi brought up the old case, Qin Wan hadn’t connected Qing Niang to the Shuang Qing Troupe. But then Pang Yi Wen’s incident occurred, and strangely, Qing Niang’s skirt had been burned. Qing Niang had gone upstairs later when her skirt was still intact—how could it have been burned?

There was only one possibility: Qing Niang had been in the building before the fire was extinguished.

Many questions remained unanswered in Qin Wan’s mind, but then she suddenly discovered that Pang Jia Yun could hum opera tunes.

Although Pang Jia Yun was simple-minded, she could learn things. She would only hum along after hearing something multiple times, and she had even picked up the singer’s tone and melancholic feeling. Who would teach Pang Jia Yun these things?

In the Qing Hui Garden, Pang Jia Yun only listened to Madam Chang and Qing Niang.

Madam Chang came from a wealthy background and wouldn’t have learned opera singing, which left only Qing Niang…

Once this suspicion arose, Qin Wan wanted to investigate the Shuang Qing Troupe. Coincidentally, Qing Lan was practicing “Xiang Jiang Lament” today, and she happened to see that folding fan.

The Shuang Qing Troupe had never performed “Xiang Jiang Lament” at the Pang residence—where had Qing Niang seen that fan?

The answer seemed obvious, and when Qin Wan asked what Qing Xi excelled at, Qing Lan indeed said that Qing Xi was skilled in lightness kung fu and movement techniques. What Qing Xi knew, her disciples would naturally know as well. When Qing Xi’s family met with misfortune, her disciple disappeared without a trace, and oddly, no one knew where the disciple was when Qing Xi met her fate…

If Qing Xi could handle seven-foot-tall men with her masterful techniques, her disciple could certainly deal with a thin middle-aged man. Qin Wan had always thought the marks on Liu Ren Li’s body were strange—why had the killer used rope to bind him without leaving any other injuries? Now she understood: the killer only needed a rope to subdue Liu Ren Li.

The paths between the rockeries were narrow and treacherous, but compared to Liu Ren Li, Qing Niang, who often took Pang Jia Yan to play in the mountain caves, knew them like the back of her hand. With this advantage and years of martial arts training, subduing Liu Ren Li wouldn’t have been difficult.

Qing Yun, Liu Ren Li, Pang Yi Wen…

Exceptional movement techniques could handle Liu Ren Li, while Qing Xi’s light kung fu could deal with Pang Yi Wen.

Everyone saw Pang Jia Yun setting fire on the first floor and assumed only Pang Yi Wen was on the third floor. But they didn’t know there was another person up there, who used light kung fu to descend while everyone was focused on Pang Yi Wen’s body and the fire.

Everything could be explained now, except for Qing Li’s death, which remained a mystery.

Earlier in the day, Qin Wan had wanted to explain everything to Yan Chi and then investigate Qing Li’s death further, but she hadn’t had the chance.

For now, she could only watch to see what Qing Niang was up to.

“Miss, she went inside—”

The main gate of Hui Garden was wide open, and the entire courtyard was pitch black. Hui Garden was quite large, and since Qin Wan didn’t know what Qing Niang intended to do, she followed quietly.

They saw Qing Niang following the covered corridor on the left side of the garden, quickly heading toward the small red building behind the main hall. Qin Wan had been to Hui Garden and visited Madam Chang’s quarters but had never been to the small red building. She knew it was Pang Jia Yan’s residence—what was Qing Niang doing there at this hour?

As she pondered this, Qing Niang had already reached the small red building.

She pushed open the door, closed it behind her, and disappeared from view.

Qin Wan paused, looked around, and moved behind a corner of the flower wall. “Let’s wait here.”

Qing Niang had entered the small red building, possibly to retrieve something of Pang Jia Yan’s. Rushing in and getting caught would only complicate matters. Qin Wan suppressed her curiosity and suspicions, staying behind the flower wall with Bai Ying and the others.

Through the lattice in the flower wall, Qin Wan could see the main entrance of the small red building. Whatever Qing Niang was doing, they would see her when she came out.

After waiting for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, there was still no sign of Qing Niang. Qin Wan frowned, “Why hasn’t she come out yet?”

“Miss, there’s no light in the building either.”

Qin Wan’s frown deepened. If Qing Niang had just gone in to grab something, she should have come out by now. If she were searching for something, she should have lit a lamp by now. Yet after all this time, there was neither light in the small red building nor any sign of Qing Niang emerging—

“Miss, could something have happened?” Fu Ling suddenly whispered. Qin Wan tensed at these words. There were only two possibilities: either something had happened to Qing Niang, or she was doing something secretive inside.

Qin Wan sighed, “Let’s wait a bit longer—”

She didn’t want Qing Niang to know she was following her, so she wouldn’t rashly approach. However, as time ticked by, another cup of tea’s worth of time passed, and still no sign of Qing Niang.

Qin Wan’s gaze darkened as she turned to Bai Ying, “Bai Ying, you take the lead.”

With Bai Ying’s superior martial arts skills, she could at least hear any movement from inside the small red building first.

Bai Ying acknowledged and immediately took the lead.

The small red building was a two-story structure, likely named for its vermillion lacquer exterior. While not as grand as the building where Pang Yi Wen had met his fate, it was still quite luxurious for a child-like Pang Jia Yan. The ground floor door was unlocked, and when they reached it, Bai Ying’s expression was grave.

The three crouched outside the door, and after listening quietly for a moment, Bai Ying shook her head, “Miss, I hear nothing.”

No sound?! Qin Wan frowned, instinctively feeling something was wrong.

This was her first time secretly following someone she knew. If not necessary, she had only wanted to observe what Qing Niang was up to. But now, could something have happened to Qing Niang in this building?

“Is there no one inside?” Qin Wan asked uncertainly.

Bai Ying listened carefully for a moment, then shook her head decisively, “I don’t hear any sound. It’s possible that…”

Possible that someone was there but unable to make any sound.

Qin Wan’s gaze darkened, “Let’s go in and look, quietly.”

Qing Niang had come alone, and they hadn’t seen anyone else arrive. There was no reason she should have met with any accident, but the complete silence was indeed strange. Qin Wan entered, prepared to face Qing Niang if discovered. Inside, there was indeed no sound. Bai Ying, mindful of their tracking mission, whispered, “Miss, shall we light a fire stick?”

Qin Wan shook her head. The garden was already empty; if they lit a fire stick now, it would announce their presence. She couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the thought—if they were seen now, it would be hard to explain.

As she considered this, Qin Wan could roughly make out the room’s layout in the dim light. The ground floor had three side rooms, a main hall study, and a warm room, all connected and divided by curio shelves and gauze curtains. There was no one in sight. Qin Wan’s gaze shifted to the stairs leading to the second floor—could Qing Niang be upstairs?

At this thought, Bai Ying took the lead. Her movements were light and soundless, while only Qin Wan and Fu Ling made slight rustling sounds. The three ascended the stairs, and Bai Ying paused at the second-floor landing before turning back to shake her head at Qin Wan, “Miss, no one’s here—”

Qin Wan frowned. Bai Ying went fully up to the second floor, with Qin Wan following. They saw that both front and back window lattices were open, letting in the cold wind that made the room’s curtains sway gently, but there was indeed no one inside.

Qin Wan was puzzled. Upon reaching the second floor, she saw it was one large bedroom. Besides the bed, there was a qin table and desk, with decorations and screens arranged elegantly. Near the window was a plush rug scattered with various small trinkets. Pang Jia Yan’s box sat on a tall cabinet nearby. As Qin Wan looked around, she suddenly noticed something on the low cabinet beneath the south window.

It was a half-height cabinet, and on top sat a cylindrical object. Perhaps because the windows were open, Qin Wan felt as if it had just been placed there.

Qin Wan walked curiously toward the object. As she got closer, she recognized it as the “telescope” found in Pang Jia Yan’s box earlier, though this one was larger.

Qin Wan frowned. Had this been here before, or was it just placed here?

She approached the low cabinet and picked up the telescope. She had seen such items once or twice in precious goods shops before. It was an extraordinary and expensive plaything, usually owned by wealthy young masters. True to its name “thousand-li eye,” it could clearly show objects from great distances. Qin Wan had a sudden thought and instinctively held it to her eye. The view was indeed different—though the small red building was over ten zhang away from the main hall, she could make out the window lattice patterns clearly through the telescope.

If it was this clear in darkness, how much clearer would it be in daylight?

This thought made Qin Wan frown suddenly. The telescope she had seen earlier was quite small, just a toy for Pang Jia Yan. But this one she held now was larger, a genuine instrument for viewing distant objects. Why would it be in Pang Jia Yan’s room? Had Qing Niang brought it?

The telescope in Qin Wan’s hands was as thick as an arm. Something this large couldn’t have been carried by Qing Niang, which meant it must have already been in the small red building…

An eerie feeling crept over Qin Wan. Had Pang Jia Yan used this telescope to watch what happened in the main hall?

If so, he would have been able to see Pang Fu Liang abusing Madam Chang…

Qin Wan thought of Pang Jia Yan’s extraordinary memory and his unusual quietness for a child. Inexplicably, a chill ran down her spine…

Qing Niang had cared for Pang Jia Yan since he was small; she must have known everything he did. So where did this large telescope come from? Surely Qing Niang wouldn’t keep her belongings in Pang Jia Yan’s bedroom.

Most crucially, where was Qing Niang? Where had she gone after entering the small red building?

“Miss, what’s wrong?”

The telescope was still in Qin Wan’s eye when Fu Ling asked softly. Somehow, Qin Wan’s sense of unease grew stronger. What had Qing Niang come to the small red building to do?

Between the small red building and the main hall was a waist-high flower wall. From the ground floor, the wall would block most of the view, but from the second floor, the view was completely unobstructed. With this telescope, one could see even further and more clearly. Qin Wan looked around, recalling the main hall’s layout from her visit to Madam Chang’s quarters. She slightly adjusted the telescope and realized that from here, one could see not only Madam Chang’s quarters but also Pang Fu Liang’s study…

With this thought, Qin Wan directed her gaze to the southwestern room. After a brief search, she found the window lattice—this must be Pang Fu Liang’s study. Though her previous visit had been brief, she remembered the main building’s layout. Normally, even standing here, one couldn’t see what happened inside the rooms, but with this telescope…

Before she could complete her thought, Qin Wan’s brow suddenly furrowed. Through the telescope’s cylinder, she saw a figure appear behind the study window—could it be Qing Niang?!