As soon as they entered the side gate, Fu Ling scrutinized Qin Wan up and down, “Young Miss, are you alright?”

Qin Wan curved her lips in a smile, “Aren’t I looking perfectly fine?”

Fu Ling let out a long sigh of relief and instructed the little maid Huan Er who was following them, “Quick, go to the main gate and tell your Sister Bai Ying that our Young Miss has returned…”

As Huan Er left to follow the order, Fu Ling glanced toward the gate again, “Young Miss, has the Young Master returned?”

Qin Wan nodded, “Why are you here?”

Fu Ling quickly explained, “The Young Master was here earlier, but when someone from the palace arrived, he went to the main courtyard. He said you would be brought back later, so this servant waited here while Bai Ying waited at the main gate, as we weren’t sure which entrance you’d use.”

Qin Wan responded with an “Oh.” Qin Yan had indeed thought everything through, knowing they might use the side gate.

“Very well, did Third Brother say what I should do after returning?”

Fu Ling shook her head, “He didn’t say. We should send someone to inform the main courtyard later. The people from the palace haven’t left yet.”

Qin Wan nodded. She wasn’t sure why palace officials had come, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to go near them.

As they headed toward Pine Breeze Court, Bai Ying, and Huan Er were already waiting at the intersection not far from it. Seeing Qin Wan appear, they quickly came forward to bow. Fu Ling then instructed Huan Er to go to the main courtyard to report.

After Huan Er left, Bai Ying hurriedly asked, “Is Young Miss well?”

Qin Wan nodded, “His Highness returned. There was a small issue today, but His Highness helped resolve it.”

Bai Ying’s eyes brightened slightly as she sighed in relief, “That’s good, that’s good.”

Qin Wan said no more and headed straight to Pine Breeze Court. The sky had been gloomy since she left in the morning, and now gray clouds were piling up on the horizon with the cold wind growing increasingly fierce. Qin Wan felt it would likely snow tonight, so she tightened her collar and quickened her pace. Upon returning to Pine Breeze Court, Qin Wan first went to the inner chamber to change her dress. Just as she finished changing, Qin Shuang arrived at her courtyard.

“Where did you go early this morning?”

Qin Shuang stared at Qin Wan with wide eyes, unwilling to miss even the slightest expression on her face. Hearing the question, Qin Wan cast a somewhat mysterious glance at her, “I went to help the magistrate’s office with a corpse examination—”

Qin Shuang was startled, immediately widening her eyes, “What? Corpse examination?! Didn’t Third Brother take you out?!”

Qin Wan nodded, “Yes, Third Brother did take me out.”

Qin Shuang was confused, “But didn’t Third Brother say… he wouldn’t let you do such things? Besides, this is the capital, aren’t there coroners in the capital? Why would they let you go…”

“I went to help,” Qin Wan said simply while drinking tea. Qin Shuang knew about her ability to examine corpses, so she hadn’t particularly tried to hide this from her.

From the side, Fu Ling said, “Sixth Young Miss, isn’t it obvious? It must be that others can’t examine corpses as well as our Young Miss.”

Qin Shuang thought for a moment and found Fu Ling’s words reasonable. Her eyes darted as she seemed to recall something, “Is it that case? The one that recently happened in the capital…”

Qin Wan nodded, “Indeed, that’s the case.”

Hearing this, Qin Shuang became more interested, “What did you find? Can they catch the culprit?”

Qin Wan shook her head, “I was only responsible for examining the corpses. The other clues need to be found by the yamen runners. I just determined how the victims died and if there were any traces of the killer.”

Qin Shuang continued, “Then how did they die? Come to think of it, I don’t even know what kind of case this is.”

Qin Wan looked at Qin Shuang for a moment and shook her head, “It’s better if you don’t know.”

Qin Shuang was slightly surprised, “Why? Is it a very cruel case?”

Qin Wan nodded, “And all the victims were women.”

Qin Shuang instinctively clutched her collar tighter, “Then alright, alright, perhaps it’s better if I don’t know.”

The room was warm and cozy, far more comfortable than the morning’s running around. As Qin Wan drank her hot tea, she felt some soreness in her back, but when she thought of Yan Chi again, the physical discomfort seemed to dissipate somewhat. Qin Shuang observed Qin Wan for a moment, “Why do I feel something different about your eyes? Have you found crucial evidence?”

Qin Wan looked at Qin Shuang in confusion, not understanding what difference she meant. Qin Shuang explained, “There’s a smile in your expression, and your whole person seems very relaxed and gentle. Hmph, quite different from your usually serious demeanor.”

Qin Wan’s heart skipped a beat at Qin Shuang’s words, but she quickly responded, “Indeed, we found some clues. If the yamen runners search effectively, they should be able to find more useful evidence.”

Qin Shuang made an “oh” sound, then suddenly said, “Did you know? People from the palace came earlier.”

Qin Wan smiled, “Yes, I heard about that. What happened?”

Qin Shuang spoke with some excitement, “What do you mean what happened? Those were people from the imperial palace! I never imagined I’d be this close to the palace one day. What do you think they came to the Marquis Manor for?”

Qin Wan casually said, “Perhaps it’s related to the New Year’s grand banquet.”

Qin Shuang quickly fixed her gaze on Qin Wan, “What New Year’s grand banquet? How do you know?”

Qin Wan felt her heart tighten at Qin Shuang’s question, realizing she had been somewhat careless. Given the Ninth Miss’s personality, she probably wouldn’t know about these things, but… the Ninth Miss had grown up in the capital after all.

“Every year during New Year’s, Uncle and Aunt have to enter the palace, apparently for a banquet.”

Qin Shuang didn’t show any doubt and exclaimed in surprise, “They eat New Year’s Eve dinner in the palace? Heavens, I wish I could go someday…”

Qin Wan smiled. While officials could indeed bring family members, they usually only brought their wives and their children. She and Qin Shuang would never be able to enter the palace. Thinking this, Qin Wan’s mind drifted to her previous experience entering the palace, remembering the tall palace walls and the long, deep palace corridors. She was certain Qin Shuang wouldn’t like that place.

“The palace has countless etiquette rules, not to mention other things. You wouldn’t like it.”

Qin Shuang let out a light snort, “But it’s still the imperial palace! It would be nice just to see the excitement.”

Qin Wan smiled faintly without speaking. After exchanging a few more words with Qin Shuang, Madam Hu suddenly arrived at Pine Breeze Court with others. Madam Hu brought Rain Nanny, who was followed by several maids carrying food boxes—they had come to bring Qin Wan lunch. Madam Hu wore a smiling expression as if wanting to reward Qin Wan, “Wan’er, your Third Brother mentioned that you had a tiring day today. These dishes were specially prepared by the kitchen after hearing of your return, and this soup has been simmering since morning. Shuang’er is here too, why don’t you sisters eat together?”

Qin Wan found Madam Hu extremely enthusiastic, while Qin Shuang looked at Qin Wan with thoughtful eyes. Madam Hu was generally good to them, but her sudden warmth toward Qin Wan must mean Qin Wan had done something…

Qin Wan and Qin Shuang took their seats as Madam Hu watched the servants arrange the meal with delight. “Wan’er, you must eat well, and you too, Shuang’er. Your Uncle’s wife still needs to prepare tomorrow’s New Year’s feast, so I’ll take my leave now.”

Qin Wan and Qin Shuang rose to express their gratitude, and Madam Hu left, looking back three times as she went.

As soon as Madam Hu left, Qin Shuang stared at Qin Wan with wide eyes. “What’s going on?”

Having only eaten breakfast earlier, Qin Wan felt quite hungry now, so she simply sat down and picked up her chopsticks. “It’s as I told you earlier, perhaps because I helped a bit today.”

Qin Shuang looked at Qin Wan for a few moments, then suddenly changed positions to sit beside her. While serving dishes to Qin Wan with her chopsticks, she fawned, “I knew it, following you is never wrong.”

…

…

In Prince Cheng’s Manor, Yan Qi frowned deeply as he looked at his most trusted advisor, Zhong Yuan. “You’re saying they entered Prince Gong’s Manor and didn’t come out? And then Prince Gong’s heir also left?”

Zhong Yuan nodded, “That’s what our men reported. Shortly after they went in, that guard came out driving the carriage. Our men saw clearly that the guard was alone. Then after about half an hour, Prince Gong’s heir left with two people on horseback. They never saw Prince Rui’s heir or that person in white.”

Yan Qi’s brows furrowed severely. “How is that possible?! Seventh Brother must have gone to the manor to see Eighth Brother. Eighth Brother left, but where did he go? He couldn’t possibly be listening to Princess Gong’s Buddhist teachings?”

Zhong Yuan hesitated for a moment. “Your Highness, actually… that’s not impossible.”

Yan Qi raised his foot and kicked Zhong Yuan. “Buddhist teachings?! Has your mind gone bad? The seventh Brother is a demon who kills without blinking! You’re telling me about Buddhist teachings—are you trying to joke with me?!”

Yan Qi’s anger boiled over, and Zhong Yuan didn’t dare argue, but said with a bitter expression, “But where did Prince Rui’s heir go? After Prince Gong’s heir left, our men waited for another two hours, but no one came out.”

Yan Qi’s brows remained tightly knitted. “Seventh Brother must have left early, you useless lot!” He cursed harshly, then let out a light laugh. “Seventh Brother probably deliberately shook them off. Heh, he’s hidden that person well, but I can tell that person’s identity must be unusual.”

Zhong Yuan, who had accompanied Yan Qi to the mortuary, narrowed his eyes. “What’s unusual about them?”

Yan Qi looked at Zhong Yuan. “Didn’t you notice anything strange about that young person?”

Zhong Yuan thought for a moment and shook his head. “This servant stood at the back and couldn’t see their face.”

Yan Qi’s eyes grew cold. He hadn’t seen Qin Wan’s face either, but thinking back to her silhouette in the dim light, something felt off. “That person gave me the impression of an underdeveloped man, looking very young, with a strong feminine air about them. Very strange, very strange indeed…”

Zhong Yuan’s expression shifted. “Then Your Highness, should we continue to have men watch the two heirs?”

Yan Qi narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “Seventh Brother just returned, and I heard he completed his task well. As for Eighth Brother’s situation, he’s an unpredictable one. If we’re not careful and things get out of hand, Father Emperor might discover my involvement.” He paused briefly. “Leave Seventh and Eighth Brother alone for now. Just watch the magistrate’s office, see what they’re doing these days. I refuse to believe that just a half-grown child could help the Crown Prince turn the tide?”

He let out a cold laugh. “Watch them closely! Also, look into any connections between the Loyal and Brave Marquis Manor and the Eastern Palace. I never expected Seventh Brother to be connected to the Marquis Manor.”

Hearing this, Zhong Yuan hurriedly said, “Your Highness, since we failed earlier, could Prince Rui’s heir possibly…”

Yan Qi shook his head. “He can’t possibly know. I’ve figured it out—even if his life isn’t in danger, Father Emperor wants to keep him in the capital. This way, Zheng Zhixin will have a chance with the Northwest Army.”

Mentioning this, Yan Qi finally showed a faint smile.

…

…

Night had fallen, and a figure hurriedly entered the side hall of the Eastern Palace.

“Paying respects to Crown Prince.”

Zheng Baishi knelt and gave a deep bow. Not far in front of him, Yan Che sat behind his desk, the dim lamp on the table casting flickering shadows across his face. “Rise quickly, Minister Zheng.”

Yan Che’s voice was warm and rich. As Zheng Baishi rose, a slight smile appeared on his face. Seeing this, Yan Che’s eyes brightened slightly. “Minister Zheng comes at night—perhaps there’s progress with the case?”

Zheng Baishi immediately nodded. “This humble official came precisely to inform Your Highness that this morning, the case found a direction. This afternoon, Captain Zhan led his men in a thorough search, and just now, they found where the third victim had appeared before her death. Now, we have obtained quite a few clues about the third victim’s whereabouts. We just need to continue investigating to know where she went that day.”

Hearing this, Yan Che’s eyes brightened. “Oh? Progress at this time?”

There was much delight in Yan Che’s words. Zheng Baishi quickly nodded. “Indeed. This humble official came to put Your Highness’s mind at ease. Although His Majesty said to solve the case before New Year’s Eve, now that we have progress, we can determine the killer’s range of activity before tomorrow. The day we solve this case is near.”

Yan Che stood up and walked out from behind his desk. “That’s exactly right. Minister Zheng, how did you find these new clues?”

At this question, a ripple passed through Zheng Baishi’s eyes. “This… we must thank the Loyal and Brave Marquis for his help.”

“The Loyal and Brave Marquis?” Yan Che was slightly surprised. “What happened? Tell me quickly.”

Zheng Baishi’s smile deepened. “It’s like this: the Marquis has a remarkable person by his side, not only skilled in medicine but also in examining corpses. This morning, this person re-examined the victims’ bodies and obtained new clues. Because of these clues, Captain Zhan was able to lead his men to find where the victim had eaten before her death. When we showed her portrait around, people indeed remembered her…”

Yan Che raised his eyebrows. “A remarkable person by the Marquis’s side?”

Zheng Baishi nodded but didn’t elaborate further. He and the Crown Prince were ruler and subject, as were the Loyal and Brave Marquis and the Crown Prince. Although Zheng Baishi believed the Marquis’s household wouldn’t hide anything from the Crown Prince, since the Crown Prince didn’t know yet, he should let the Marquis himself reveal the truth. Thinking of this, Zheng Baishi’s smile deepened. “Indeed. If Your Highness has questions, you can ask the Marquis directly.”

Yan Che understood Zheng Baishi’s meaning and didn’t press further. Besides, he had many matters to attend to—he only cared whether the case had progressed, not the specific details of how it progressed. However, to receive hope at this crucial moment still excited him somewhat. “I didn’t know he had such a remarkable person by his side.” Then Yan Che added, “Had I known earlier, I would have asked him sooner. Why did we have to wait until now?”

Since Qin Shu didn’t handle criminal matters, Yan Che naturally couldn’t blame him for recommending someone too late. Hearing this, Zheng Baishi smiled and said, “Your Highness doesn’t know, but this remarkable person just arrived in the capital recently. Even if you had asked the Marquis earlier, I’m afraid he wouldn’t have been able to help.”

Originally, Yan Che’s curiosity wasn’t strong, but Zheng Baishi’s words piqued his interest. “What do you mean by this, Minister Zheng? This person was just recently taken in by the Loyal and Brave Marquis?”

Zheng Baishi thought of Qin Wan’s appearance but kept the mystery alive. “Your Highness’s words are close enough. Don’t worry, Your Highness—this person, you will meet them sooner or later—”