“She’s my person, Fourth Brother. You’ve misunderstood.” A deep, elegant voice suddenly came from behind. Yan Qi froze and turned around. Almost simultaneously, everyone looked toward the entrance of the back hall.

In their line of sight appeared an extraordinarily handsome figure. Yan Chi wore a black long robe embroidered with golden dragon patterns. His frame was like tempered iron, his features like cold jade, as he strode in on his long legs.

His appearance stunned Yan Qi, while Minister Zheng and Qin Shu widened their eyes in shock. Who could have imagined that at this crucial moment, His Highness the Crown Prince’s son would appear?

Yan Qi narrowed his eyes at Yan Chi for a moment before suddenly smiling. “Well, well, Seventh Brother has returned! The mortuary is quite lively today.”

Yan Chi’s phoenix eyes swept over Qin Wan briefly. This was his first time seeing Qin Wan in men’s clothing. His lips curved slightly, his phoenix eyes filled with starlight brilliance as he looked directly at Yan Qi and asked, “How did Fourth Brother end up here?” Then, looking at the kneeling Qin Shu and others, he added, “Why are Minister Zheng and the Marquis kneeling on the ground?”

Just then, the curtain behind him lifted as Zhan Yang entered carrying an oil lamp bowl. Seeing the situation inside, he immediately sensed something was amiss, and upon noticing Yan Qi’s presence, quickly knelt in greeting.

Yan Qi was of similar height to Yan Chi, with equally refined features. Unlike Yan Chi, he had a pair of fierce peach blossom eyes. Their upturned corners didn’t give an impression of romance, but rather an overwhelming arrogance. Standing there, he seemed to demand fear and awe from all under heaven. Surveying everyone in the room, he sneered, “What a coincidence. Today, a thief entered my residence. I followed their trail here to the mortuary. I came to catch the thief, only to find so many people here.”

Looking at Yan Chi, he asked, “Why are you here as well?”

Yan Chi’s lips curved slightly. “I returned late last night. I just reported two matters to His Majesty. Fourth Brother probably knows that I was in Jinzhou on His Majesty’s behalf and took charge of some judicial matters. Upon returning to the capital, I learned of this case.”

Glancing at Qin Wan, he continued, “This case is of great importance. I happen to have a talented person by my side, so I lent her services to Minister Zheng. Since I had to enter the palace this morning, I had Young Master Qin bring her to the mortuary.”

Yan Qi frowned deeply. “Your person? You’ve just returned to the capital and you’re already so concerned about this case?”

Yan Chi smiled faintly. “I encountered several cases along the way and developed an interest in judicial matters.” He paused briefly. “Oh, yes, today in the palace, His Majesty expressed interest in having me join the Ministry of Justice. I’ll likely take office after the New Year. As for this case, His Majesty also suggested I discuss it with Minister Zheng to solve it quickly, which aligns with my wishes.”

Yan Qi was slightly stunned. “Join the Ministry of Justice? You’re not returning to the Western Border?”

Yan Chi’s smile deepened. “Whether I return or not depends on His Majesty’s wishes. Even if I do return, it won’t be for a year or two.”

A dark glint flashed in Yan Qi’s eyes. Compared to his previous aggressive demeanor, he seemed to relax somewhat upon hearing this news. He smiled, “I see.” Then he glanced again at Qin Wan, who kept her head lowered.

The back hall wasn’t particularly bright, and Qin Wan stood by the small doorway, her face backlit. When Yan Qi looked at her, he only saw a slender, delicate figure. Though he noticed she carried herself with dignity, since Qin Wan quickly lowered her eyes in greeting, he couldn’t detect anything particularly remarkable about her among the crowd. At most, she seemed like a capable young person, and certainly not someone who would be incriminated. After considering this, Yan Qi’s heart relaxed.

“I thought some idle troublemakers were disturbing official business, but it turns out to be Seventh Brother’s person. It’s good that Seventh Brother is concerned about the capital’s murder case, though I hadn’t expected Seventh Brother to be so close to the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s household.”

These words carried significant meaning. The Loyal and Brave Marquis’s household stood with the Crown Prince, and Yan Chi’s closeness to them might indicate he had made his choice. Yan Qi studied Yan Chi, who curved his lips and said, “I traveled with Young Master Qin when returning from Jinzhou. He knows my person well, and since Young Master Qin handles matters reliably, I naturally entrusted this to him.”

Yan Qi gave a cold smile while looking at the father and son. “So you’re also here to inquire about that case?”

“Indeed. This case is rather complex, so I came to take a look.”

Yan Qi shrugged. “In that case, the case will surely be solved soon.” He made a show of looking around. “Since it seems my thief isn’t here, Seventh Brother, I’ll take my leave. Now that you’re back, come visit my residence another day. We brothers haven’t had a proper gathering in many years.”

Yan Chi nodded. “Rest assured, Fourth Brother, I’ll certainly come to impose on your hospitality.”

Yan Qi turned casually. “Well then, I’m off to search elsewhere—”

With that, he withdrew with his people like an ebbing tide. Only after Yan Qi had completely left did Yan Chi turn to Minister Zheng and the others. “Minister Zheng, Marquis, please rise—”

“How did Your Highness return?” Minister Zheng asked with slight surprise, then quickly bowed. “Greetings, Your Highness.”

Yan Chi’s lips lifted slightly. “Indeed, I returned late last night. Please rise.”

Minister Zheng and Qin Shu finally stood up. Minister Zheng didn’t know that Qin Yan had traveled with Yan Chi, but Qin Shu knew, and not only that, he knew Qin Yan had failed to win over Yan Chi. Yet now, Yan Chi had come to help them!

Minister Zheng stepped forward. “Thank you, Your Highness, for coming to our aid today.” He glanced at Qin Shu, then at Qin Wan. “How did Your Highness know we were being troubled by Prince Cheng? Could it be…”

Qin Yan finally smiled and said, “His Highness is acquainted with her.” Then he asked puzzledly, “But how did Your Highness know we were here?”

It wasn’t surprising that Yan Chi helped, but his timing was too coincidental.

Yan Chi smiled. “What I said earlier wasn’t entirely false. This morning, His Majesty did indeed want me to pay attention to this case. After leaving the palace, I was heading to the ministry when I learned Minister Zheng had come to the mortuary, so I changed course. I didn’t expect to arrive at such a moment.”

Minister Zheng’s eyes brightened. “Oh! Did His Majesty truly intend for Your Highness to jointly investigate this case with me?”

Yan Chi smiled casually. “Not exactly joint investigation. I simply have no pressing matters upon my return to the capital, so I received this instruction from His Majesty.”

Minister Zheng quickly waved his hands. “Your Highness is too modest. Your Highness went to lead the Judicial Commissioner’s office and solved several major cases for His Majesty. Now that Your Highness has returned, this capital case can surely be solved.”

Yan Chi remained noncommittal. Qin Shu also bowed and said, “Your Highness has returned and received His Majesty’s order. It’s most appropriate for you to investigate this case with Minister Zheng. With Your Highness’s help, this case will surely be solved soon.”

Yan Chi’s gaze fell on Qin Wan again. Because Minister Zheng and others crowded in front of him, Qin Wan had become the farthest person from him. Yan Chi said, “Whether this case can be solved or not, you’ve already found the best helper.”

At his glance, Minister Zheng and Qin Shu turned around, while on the other side, Zhan Yang and the two yamen runners also looked at Qin Wan.

Qin Wan came forward and curtseyed to Yan Chi. Minister Zheng said from the side, “Your Highness arrived at just the right time. We’ve just finished examining the bodies.” Then he turned to look at Qin Wan. “Young Sir, have you discovered anything?”

Yan Chi watched Qin Wan leisurely, while Qin Wan herself was somewhat dazed.

Yan Chi had returned, he had finally returned. She just hadn’t expected their reunion to be under such circumstances.

Thinking this, Qin Wan lowered her eyes and quickly composed herself. “The latter two bodies also died from suffocation, with very similar marks on their necks. Moreover, the marks on the second and third bodies indicate they were both abused after death. The second body doesn’t have the abrasion marks found on the first body, but the third body has similar marks. I suspect the killer hid the bodies in a house with stairs, and to hide them better, dragged the bodies over the stairs.”

“Additionally, the first and second bodies show no signs of struggle or fighting, but the third body has very clear bruising on the arms and shoulders. At the same time, I found something like dirt under the fingernails of the third body. Although both hands’ nails were neatly trimmed, there was dirt under the right hand’s nails but not the left. Therefore, I deduce that what’s under her nails might have been picked up somewhere, and it’s very likely it was picked up during the killer’s attack because if it had been picked up before, she would have found a way to clean it off.”

Minister Zheng and the others nodded, and then Qin Wan asked, “Are the victims’ clothes available?”

Minister Zheng smiled bitterly upon hearing this. “To be honest with you, Young Sir, the victims’ clothes were originally here, but while transporting the bodies, the third victim’s clothes were accidentally lost. Currently, we only have the clothes of the first and second victims.” He turned around. “Zhan Yang, go fetch them—”

Zhan Yang, still holding the oil lamp bowl, placed it on a nearby wooden board and walked to another small room. Soon after, he returned with a bamboo basket.

The basket contained several women’s dresses. Qin Wan took the basket and examined each piece of clothing one by one, then looked at the two pairs of shoes at the bottom. Seeing her careful examination, Minister Zheng explained, “The first victim was found by the river, her feet were submerged in water, so any traces on her shoes were washed away. The second victim was found in an abandoned house, her shoes only had some dust on them, nothing else…”

Qin Wan examined everything and indeed found nothing unusual, as Minister Zheng had said.

“How did the third victim’s clothes get lost?” Qin Wan asked helplessly. The third victim was the most recent, and if there were any clues on the clothes, they would have been the easiest to investigate. Yet, unfortunately, the clothes were lost.

Hearing this, Zhan Yang stepped forward and lowered his head. “It was my negligence—”

His tone was solemn, but Qin Wan shook her head. “I’m not blaming Captain Zhan.”

Minister Zheng sighed and waved at Zhan Yang. “Enough, now is not the time to discuss this. Many officers were on duty that day. The body was first sent to the official yamen for preliminary examination. After confirming it was the same killer, it was then sent to the mortuary. The clothes were lost during transport, and we’re still unclear how it happened.”

Minister Zheng sighed again. “Without the clothes, is there no way forward?”

Qin Wan frowned slightly. “The first two victims died too long ago. Even if there were any traces, they might be hidden by the decomposition. The third victim would have been our best breakthrough point, and the dirt under her fingernails wasn’t present in the first two victims. If we can’t recover the clothes, we might indeed miss some clues.”

Then Qin Wan’s eyes shifted. “We’ll have to look for other clues now.”

Qin Wan looked at the oil lamp bowl. She picked it up and saw only some residue remained at the bottom of what was originally an unidentified black substance. Qin Wan carefully examined it, removing her protective gloves to touch the residue with her fingers. After a moment, she frowned and said, “The third victim ate oranges and fish before death. There are undigested orange seeds and fish bones in her stomach.”

“Oranges? Fish?” Minister Zheng’s expression became serious.

Qin Wan nodded, pondering for a moment as her eyes lit up. “She lived outside the city. That day when she came into the city, did she bring food from home? Or did she eat lunch in the city?”

Minister Zheng quickly looked at Zhan Yang, who was particularly familiar with these details. He immediately stepped forward and said, “That day she only brought money into the city. Although her family lived outside the city, they weren’t poor. When she left home, she told her family she was going to the West Market to buy things—”

Qin Wan held up the oil lamp bowl. “Then let’s start investigating from the West Market. Let’s trace where these oranges and fish came from. Oranges might be sold everywhere, but fish isn’t sold by small vendors.”

Zhan Yang’s eyes brightened, and Minister Zheng was also pleased. After the case occurred, they investigated the West Market, but without specific direction, they mainly questioned the New Year goods vendors and found no leads.

“Good, Zhan Yang, go investigate now. Take that young lady’s portrait to ask around.”

Zhan Yang nodded, and Minister Zheng looked at Qin Wan. “Young Sir, is there anything else?”

Qin Wan put down the oil lamp bowl and looked at the bamboo basket again. After a moment, she said in a slightly cold voice, “Are these all the victims’ clothes?”

Minister Zheng and Zhan Yang both nodded, but Qin Wan frowned. “But I don’t see the victims’ undergarments.”

Minister Zheng was startled, as was Zhan Yang, who said with difficulty, “These are all their clothes, there were no undergarments from the beginning. Are you suggesting… the killer took them?”

Minister Zheng, Zhan Yang, and even Yan Chi and Qin Shu were all men who probably didn’t understand what undergarments meant to women. Qin Wan pointed at the basket. “These two women lived in Lin’an City. Though not from wealthy families, they weren’t poor either. One went out to buy vinegar, the other to deliver food to her brother – both public errands. Their clothing is neat and of good quality, showing they cared about their appearance. Such families would certainly provide proper undergarments for their daughters. Since they’re missing now, the killer must have taken them.”

Zhan Yang quickly said, “But when we found the bodies, all their clothes were properly worn…”

Qin Wan’s eyes turned cold. “If the killer could abuse the victims after death, why would he fear dressing them? The missing undergarments indicate the killer has a fetish for women’s undergarments. Combined with his pattern of killing and post-mortem abuse, this person must be deranged. I suspect if we find the third victim’s clothes, her undergarments will be missing too.”

Zhan Yang and Minister Zheng exchanged glances, both becoming serious.

Qin Wan removed her other protective glove. “These are all my findings and thoughts from this autopsy. I’m sure Doctor Fang has discovered other clues as well. The rest is up to Minister Zheng and Captain Zhan.”

Minister Zheng quickly nodded. “Thank you for your hard work, Young Sir—”

Qin Wan shook her head, and Qin Yan quickly took her to wash her hands. Meanwhile, Minister Zheng pointed at Zhan Yang. “Explain to His Highness in detail how the three cases were discovered—”

Yan Chi came both for Qin Wan and the case, so he had no objection to Minister Zheng’s instruction. Zhan Yang became solemn and began explaining everything in detail to Yan Chi. When Qin Wan returned after washing her hands, she heard Zhan Yang discussing the locations where bodies were found in the west and east of the city.

Seeing Qin Wan enter, Zhan Yang instinctively looked at her. Qin Wan stepped forward. “I suddenly realize I was somewhat biased earlier. The places where the murders occurred, where the bodies were abused, and where they were dumped might all be different. However, with the victims’ families located in the east and west, and the dumping sites being so different, I wonder who would be so familiar with both areas? The capital has a curfew, and dumping bodies late at night could easily be discovered, yet he left no traces.”

Qin Wan looked around and went to the Guanyin statue to take some incense. “For example, one family is here, another family is here, with such a great distance between them. The Yuwater Bridge is here, the abandoned house is here, and the dark alley is here. Usually, criminals choose familiar environments, but this range is too wide…”

Qin Wan took the incense, marking each location with a stick. When finished, the range was indeed vast. “One possibility is that the killer carefully scouted the dumping sites before the murders. If so, he likely planned the timing of the murders. If he could plan the timing, he must have been very familiar with the victims, knowing their routines and schedules to know when to kill them. But according to Captain Zhan, none of the victims disappeared while doing their regular daily activities, meaning the killer couldn’t have predicted when they would go out—”

Yan Chi’s lips curved slightly. “So you think random killing is more likely?”

Qin Wan nodded. “He might not have specific targets, just killing opportunistically. But if that’s the case, the three dumping sites deserve deeper consideration. They’re in three different directions, quite far apart. He wasn’t discovered during any of the three dumplings, which means he must be very familiar with this entire residential area.”

Listening to Qin Wan’s words, Yan Chi suddenly had an idea. He drew a circle on the wooden board, first encompassing all the areas, then drew another circle around just the first victim’s home and where her body was found. Next, he drew a second circle around the second victim’s home and where her body was discovered. Finally, he drew a third circle around the West Market and the dark alley. Though these circles weren’t solid lines, Qin Wan and Zhan Yang standing nearby understood Yan Chi’s meaning. Zhan Yang raised his hand and drew an imaginary small circle in the air, marking where the three large circles overlapped.

Qin Yan’s eyes brightened. “That’s exactly it!”

Zhan Yang’s expression relaxed. “I understand now! I know how to search.”

Minister Zheng and the others watched but didn’t understand what Yan Chi was drawing. Zhan Yang turned and said, “Sir, I’ll go investigate now and see if I can find any crucial clues.”

Minister Zheng nodded. “Go quickly, time is of the essence.”

Zhan Yang naturally knew they didn’t have much time, so he acknowledged and left immediately.

After Zhan Yang left with his orders, Qin Wan’s task for the day was complete. Although no definitive evidence had been found, the yamen at least had a new direction. Minister Zheng repeatedly expressed his thanks. Seeing it was getting late, Qin Yan suggested they take their leave. However, before they could exit the back hall, the guard responsible for the gate entered.

“Sir, Prince Cheng’s men are still waiting outside.”

Minister Zheng was startled. Qin Shu and Qin Yan exchanged glances. Though Yan Chi had helped them earlier by claiming Qin Wan was his person, if they saw Qin Wan returning to the Marquis’s mansion with Qin Yan now, it would be difficult to explain.

Yan Chi spoke calmly, “It seems we must see this pretense through. Let her come with me.”

Qin Wan stood nearby, pressing her lips together in silence. Qin Shu and Qin Yan hesitated slightly before Yan Chi added, “She can come with me first, and I’ll send her back later—”

Minister Zheng sighed. “It seems we have no choice. We’re troubling Your Highness, and… Young Sir must also be inconvenienced.”

Qin Wan smiled faintly. “Not at all, Minister is too kind.”

Seeing the situation, Qin Shu and Qin Yan had no alternative but to agree. Yan Chi said, “My carriage is outside. I’ll take her away—”

Qin Shu seemed to want to say something but instead looked at Qin Wan and said, “Very well, go with His Highness then.”

Qin Wan nodded. She initially wanted to curtsey but remembering she was in men’s clothing, she simply cupped her hands and followed Yan Chi. After they left the back hall, Qin Shu turned questioningly to Qin Yan, who said, “Father, have you forgotten her status? It’s natural for His Highness to look after her.”

Minister Zheng looked at Qin Yan puzzledly, wondering what status this young sir had.

Qin Yan’s lips curved slightly. “Jinzhou, Her Highness the Grand Princess—”

Just these few words made Minister Zheng understand immediately. Upon further thought, his eyes brightened.

He had already greatly admired Qin Wan, and news of the Grand Princess taking an adopted daughter had circulated in the capital. Now, Qin Wan’s status rose even higher in Minister Zheng’s eyes. “So it’s her! Then she’s the ninth in the Qin family?”

Qin Yan nodded, and Minister Zheng laughed happily. “Excellent, excellent!”

…

…

As soon as they entered the carriage, Yan Chi took Qin Wan’s hand in his.

Qin Wan was still holding the freshly washed deerskin gloves Yan Chi had given her. Though made of deerskin, they were damp and cold. Yan Chi tossed the gloves aside. “How did you end up helping with the autopsies?”

Qin Wan’s bright eyes studied Yan Chi. She hadn’t noticed earlier, but now up close, she could see the traces of fatigue on his face more clearly. “The case wasn’t progressing, and Third Brother wanted my help.”

A cold glint flashed in Yan Chi’s eyes. “Such dedication to helping the Crown Prince.”

Noticing her hands were still ice-cold, he lifted his robe and tucked her hands against his chest. Qin Wan’s eyes widened slightly, and Yan Chi pulled her into his embrace with his other hand.

Qin Wan instinctively felt this was improper, but as soon as she moved, Yan Chi’s hand settled on her waist. “Don’t move.”

Yan Chi’s voice was deep with satisfaction. Hearing this, Qin Wan obediently stopped moving.

Yan Chi gently stroked her back, his voice falling softly on the top of her head. “Do you know how significant this case is?”

Qin Wan made a sound of agreement. “I know the general idea, it’s related to the Crown Prince.”

“If this case isn’t solved before New Year’s Eve, His Majesty will surely be angry with the Crown Prince. The Marquis’s household had your help because they wanted to assist the Crown Prince. Prince Cheng must have received news and doesn’t want anyone helping the Crown Prince out of this predicament in these last two days, which is why he came charging in today.”

While speaking, Yan Chi continued stroking Qin Wan’s back. “The capital is different from Jinzhou.”

His warning made Qin Wan smile slightly. “I know.”

Yan Chi pulled back slightly to look at her. “Do you know?”

Qin Wan nodded. “I truly do. But since I’m in the Qin household, I naturally share their fate. Besides, helping with the autopsies can help reveal the truth sooner, so I had no choice.”

Hearing this, Yan Chi brushed her cheek. “It’s good that you understand. You must always remain vigilant.”

Then he looked at her attire today. “How could you hope to deceive anyone dressed like this?”

Qin Wan looked down at herself and smiled. “Why couldn’t I?”

“Of those present today, except for that young captain and two yamen runners, I suspect both Minister Zheng and that old coroner recognized you. It’s not wrong for Qin Yan to ask for your help, but this arrangement wasn’t well thought out.”

Qin Wan felt warmth in her heart. Qin Yan was pressed for time and didn’t see anything wrong with the arrangement, but Yan Chi considered her safety paramount, which was why he thought the arrangement inadequate.

“There wasn’t enough time, and if Prince Cheng hadn’t come, everything would have been fine.”

As she spoke, Qin Wan tried to withdraw her hands. Yan Chi loosened his grip and let her, but the next moment, he couldn’t help but cup her face. Yan Chi studied Qin Wan carefully as if checking whether she had changed during their days apart. Qin Wan’s eyes darted around, and she asked somewhat embarrassedly, “Where… where are we going?”

Yan Chi’s expression remained unchanged. “You don’t seem happy to see me?”

Hearing this, Qin Wan smiled helplessly. “How could I not be…”

“Oh?” Yan Chi suddenly leaned closer, as if to examine her eyes more carefully. “Then why don’t I see it?”

Qin Wan blinked, feeling Yan Chi’s burning breath. Just as she was about to move back, his lips pressed down on hers.

Qin Wan’s eyes widened, and Yan Chi pulled her tightly into his embrace. Qin Wan blinked, finally closing her eyes and clutching his collar. Satisfied, Yan Chi tenderly continued his conquest. After a long while, Qin Wan finally broke away, breathless. Before she could catch her breath, the carriage showed signs of stopping. Qin Wan lifted the curtain in surprise and saw the golden characters “Prince Gong’s Mansion”…