Although Qin Wan didn’t recognize these former servants of Qin Yi, she had prepared herself for meeting the steward today. While she might not remember, Fu Ling did. In a few words, Fu Ling recounted all the former personnel details.
Qin Wan spoke softly, “Uncle Han, please rise quickly. How could I not remember you?”
The elderly man Uncle Han was named Han Li, who had been the former butler of Qin Yi’s household. After Qin Yi’s death, Han Li, due to poor health, lived on Qin Yi’s estate while also managing the estate’s tenants.
Qin Wan leaned forward to help Han Li up personally. Han Li’s eyes were red with emotion as he looked her up and down for several moments before turning around, “Quick, come pay respects to Young Miss—”
Behind him were three men in their thirties. The leading figure was tall and handsome with gentle features, bearing some resemblance to Han Li upon closer inspection. He stepped forward with the other two and said, “Han Dong pays respects to Young Miss.”
The other two followed with their greetings. Han Li then said, “Does Young Miss remember? This is my son.”
Qin Wan nodded at Han Dong, “Of course, I haven’t forgotten. After several years apart, how have you and Manager Han been?”
Han Dong quickly replied, “Father fell ill before the new year but has recovered now. I have been well.”
Madam Hu stepped forward and said, “Your father’s estate is managed by Old Uncle Han, while Han Dong manages those few shops. These two help Han Dong manage the shops, and as for those residences, they also oversee them daily. At year’s end, your Second Brother’s assets are reported to the Marquis Manor, and after everything is cleared, the money is deposited in the bank under your Second Brother’s name.”
Qin Wan nodded, “Thank you, Uncle and Aunt, for your care.”
Madam Hu was unconcerned about financial matters and simply said, “What’s there to care about? Now that you’re back, these are all left to you by your father. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask Old Uncle Han and Han Dong directly.”
Qin Wan quickly agreed and then said, “Aunt, I would like to go out later to see the shops and residences Father left behind, so I can have a better understanding.”
With no one else in the Qin family’s second branch, Qin Wan was now the master, and it was only natural for her to inspect the shops.
Madam Hu quickly said, “Of course that’s fine. Let Yan’er accompany you.”
Qin Wan shook her head, “Fourth Brother said earlier he would accompany me. Third Brother likely has matters to attend to, so there’s no need to trouble him.”
Madam Hu smiled and didn’t insist, “That’s fine then.”
Qin Wan nodded and looked at the stack of ledgers placed on the main table. Han Dong quickly stepped forward and said, “Young Miss, these are the accounts from the past two years. If you want to see earlier ones, we have those too, but I feared we couldn’t finish reviewing them today, so I only brought the most recent two years. The rent from the estate and income from all the shops are recorded here.”
Qin Wan nodded. Since she had asked to meet the stewards, she naturally needed to review the accounts. Moreover, now that these people viewed her as their master, she couldn’t neglect the second branch’s assets.
Qin Wan looked at Madam Hu and said, “Aunt, you need not watch over this. You and Third Brother can attend to your matters.”
If she were to truly examine these accounts, it would take quite some time.
Madam Hu nodded, “Very well then. You stay here and review while I go check if the New Year’s gifts for the various manors in the city have been prepared.”
Qin Yan also said, “Then I’ll go to the study. Send someone to fetch me if anything comes up.”
Qin Wan agreed and first saw the two off before looking at the accounts. Though she had never reviewed account books before, her quick wit allowed her to grasp their organization after a brief examination. Upon review, she discovered that while the second branch’s properties weren’t numerous, under the management of Han Li and his son, the annual income was considerable.
Qin Wan wasn’t truly checking for errors in the accounts and only took roughly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to review them generally.
Seeing Qin Wan’s approach, Han Dong and his father felt relieved.
Though Qin Wan was young, and while her recent fame as the Divine Doctor had spread throughout the capital, medical skill didn’t necessarily translate to competence in other areas. However, it was now clear that Qin Wan possessed a calm and steady demeanor. Her composure alone set her apart from typical sixteen or seventeen-year-old girls. Moreover, she didn’t scrutinize the account details, showing her trust in the father and son.
“That should do it.” Qin Wan put down the ledgers and stood up. “The two managers may return now. Uncle Han and Manager Han, please stay and accompany me to inspect the shops and residences.”
After the other two managers left on orders, Qin Wan asked Uncle Han, “Uncle Han, have you been living on the estate these past few years?”
Han Li nodded, “Yes, I’ve been living on the estate.”
Qin Wan then looked at Han Li, “And Manager Han?”
Han Li’s lips curved slightly, “He usually stays at the shops. Earlier, we bought a residence in the south of the city, but because it’s too far, he rarely returns there. Only my wife and children live there.”
Qin Wan nodded, “That’s good then. It’s getting late today, so I’ll just look at the shops and residences in the western part of the city. Uncle Han, do you need to return to the estate?”
Han Li looked at Qin Wan with fatherly affection, “I won’t return today. I’ll stay in the city. Having finally seen Young Miss, this old servant must accompany Young Miss to inspect the shops.”
Han Li had served the second branch for half his life, and then his son also became the second branch’s manager. This loyalty moved Qin Wan.
Qin Wan nodded, “That’s good then—”
As she was about to walk out, suddenly, Qin Yan strode in from outside.
Qin Wan was slightly startled, but Qin Yan had already said sternly, “Ninth Sister, put aside the matter of shops and residences for now. Come with me to the study first.”
Qin Yan had left only moments ago, and his quick return made Qin Wan’s heart skip a beat. She instinctively felt this wasn’t simple. She quickly looked at Han Dong and the other, “Then please wait a moment.”
With that, she walked toward the study with Qin Yan. As soon as they left the front hall, Qin Wan asked, “What happened?”
Qin Yan said, “Prince Chi and Official Li have arrived.”
Yan Chi? Qin Wan’s heart warmed slightly, but she quickly frowned, “Official Li? Which Official Li?”
Qin Yan curved his lips, “Chief Minister Li Mu Yun of the Court of Judicial Review. They’ve come about the Meng Manor case and have been here for a while. With the Left Vice Minister of Revenue being a third-rank official, this case has already caught the Emperor’s attention. Now the Lin’an Prefecture has taken a secondary role, and the main investigation has been transferred to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review.”
Given that it involved a third-rank official of the court and occurred in the capital, the small Lin’an Prefecture naturally wasn’t qualified to lead the investigation. Qin Wan nodded, but her heart tightened slightly. She hadn’t expected Li Mu Yun to come as well.
They quickly reached the study. Upon entering, she indeed saw Yan Chi and Li Mu Yun. Qin Wan first gave her greetings, then Qin Shu said, “Ninth Girl, put aside your matters for now. Prince Chi and Official Li have come seeking your help.”
Qin Wan looked at Yan Chi, then at Li Mu Yun, showing a puzzled expression.
Li Mu Yun looked at Qin Wan with a gaze that was three parts scrutiny and three parts appreciation, “The previous case was solved with Ninth Miss’s help. You must have heard about this case at the Meng Manor by now. This case is quite complex, so we’d like to request Ninth Miss’s assistance once again.”
Qin Wan instinctively looked at Yan Chi, who said, “On the way back to the capital, I witnessed Ninth Miss examine a corpse. This case at Minister Meng’s manor is also shrouded in mystery, and the Emperor is pressing for results, so I thought of Ninth Miss. Would this be difficult for you?”
Qin Wan shook her head, “If I can help, that would be good.” Since they came seeking her help, it must be for examining a corpse, so she asked, “When would Your Highness and Official Li like me to help examine the corpse?”
Li Mu Yun looked at Yan Chi, who said, “Now would be best.”
He then asked, “I heard you were planning to go out to look at the properties left by your father?”
Qin Wan nodded, and Yan Chi smiled, “You want to familiarize yourself with them? That’s not difficult. After you come with us to examine the corpse, I’ll accompany you to look around. That way, your matters won’t be delayed either. How does that sound?”
Given Yan Chi’s status, when he asked for Qin Wan’s help, she naturally couldn’t refuse. But when Yan Chi voluntarily offered to accompany her afterward, it showed his special consideration for her. Qin Wan pressed her lips together, still somewhat hesitant, “This matter isn’t urgent. I can go with Your Highness now, and we can discuss the property viewing another time.”
Yan Chi had already stood up, “It’s settled then. First, come with me, then I’ll escort you to familiarize yourself with the properties.”
In the room, Yan Chi held the most noble status and was the chief investigator of the case. Once he made the decision, not only could Qin Wan not refuse, but even Li Mu Yun and Qin Shu didn’t dare remain seated. Qin Wan gave a wry smile, “Very well, then I’ll trouble Your Highness.”
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow, “It’s a small matter. Since I promised the Grand Princess to look after you, you can speak frankly with me if you need anything.”
By mentioning the Grand Princess in front of everyone, Yan Chi preemptively addressed any potential suspicions about his future care for Qin Wan. Sure enough, Qin Shu smiled and said, “Your Highness need not worry. Wan’er is usually fine, it was just unfortunate timing the other day.”
Overnight, the news of Yan Chi severely beating Feng Zhang spread throughout the capital. Even in front of Li Mu Yun, Qin Shu didn’t avoid the topic. Li Mu Yun wore a faint smile, seemingly unbothered.
Yan Chi curved his lips, “On the way back to the capital, I traveled with Brother Qin Yan and naturally know how well the Marquis Manor cares for Ninth Miss.”
Then Yan Chi proceeded to bid farewell, “The case takes priority, so I won’t stay longer.”
Li Mu Yun also said, “Marquis, we’ll take our leave.”
Qin Shu nodded, and Qin Wan tugged at her cloak as she turned to leave, “Are we going to the Meng Manor? Let me and Fu Ling get some things first. Please wait briefly at the gate.”
Yan Chi and Li Mu Yun had no objections. The group separated, and after the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Qin Wan arrived at the manor gate with Fu Ling. Outside the gate were the two carriages she had seen earlier when returning home.
Qin Wan suddenly realized that Yan Chi and Li Mu Yun had already arrived when she returned home.
Yan Chi and Li Mu Yun stood by the carriages, and Qin Yan was there too. True to his word about escorting her out, he was quite proactive. However, Yan Chi glanced at Qin Yan and said, “You need to maintain secrecy for this journey. Everything has been arranged on the other end. It’s better if you ride in my carriage, and I’ll send you back later.”
Hearing this, Qin Yan smiled, “In that case, I’ll trouble Your Highness.”
Qin Wan nodded and boarded Yan Chi’s carriage.
Once inside, Yan Chi lifted the curtain and looked outside. Qin Yan stood at the manor gate, watching them leave.
Yan Chi asked, “What do you think of your Fourth Brother?”
Qin Wan also turned to look for a moment, waiting until the carriage started moving before withdrawing her gaze.
“He voluntarily offered to escort me to the palace, worried about my safety. Earlier when I wanted to go see Father’s shops, he also volunteered to accompany me. He seems quite attentive.”
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow, “From what I know, he just returned recently—”
Qin Wan nodded, “Yes, so I also find his kindness somewhat puzzling. But then again, Uncle shows great concern for my safety, and he seems to align well with Uncle’s thoughts, so it makes sense.”
Yan Chi said, “The Loyal and Brave Marquis has grand ambitions. Now that your position brings much benefit to the Marquis Manor, he naturally won’t let anything happen to you. As for your Fourth Brother, as long as he can protect you even a little, that counts for something good.”
With just the two of them in the carriage, Qin Wan’s expression relaxed slightly. Hearing Yan Chi’s tone, she curved her lips, “After all, we’re family now, so they naturally want the best for me.”
Then, her expression turned serious as she asked, “How’s the case?”
Yan Chi’s eyes narrowed slightly, “We haven’t found any key clues yet. We can’t even determine if the deceased was murdered. The area where he fell into the lake was disturbed—by the time we arrived, we couldn’t find any footprints or similar evidence. There were no obvious injuries on his body either, making it look like an accident or suicide. However, the Meng family’s young master insists his father would never commit suicide.”
Qin Wan quickly asked, “What about the Fourth Master of the Meng family? I heard he’s been pushing for family separation, and there seems to be some friction between the fourth and second branches.”
Yan Chi curved his lips, “You’re well-informed—”
Qin Wan explained, “Today I treated the Old Madam of the Peaceful Military Marquis, who knows much about the Meng family. The aunt also cared about this matter, so I overheard when she asked. I also know that the deceased Second Master was previously cheated in business.”
Yan Chi nodded, “Yes, the fourth branch indeed has conflicts with the second branch. However, we’ve already investigated—on the night of the incident, the Fourth Master was completely drunk and couldn’t get up all night.”
Qin Wan frowned, “If that’s the case, why does the Meng family’s young master insist his father wouldn’t commit suicide?”
At this, Yan Chi’s eyes narrowed, “That young master…” he began meaningfully, his tone somewhat disapproving, seemingly holding a poor opinion of the young master, “He says his father had weathered many storms, and although there were business setbacks and blame from the fourth branch, his father still had a decent New Year. We questioned the servants, who said the deceased showed no unusual behavior in recent days, still going out for social engagements and meetings as usual, and even gave out the usual New Year bonuses.”
Qin Wan’s expression grew serious, “Then is it not possible he fell in by accident?”
Yan Chi’s brow furrowed slightly, “Indeed impossible because the young master said his father couldn’t swim and had a fear of water since falling in as a child. Although the manor has a lake for scenery, his father always took the corridor path along the shore and never cut across near the lake.”
Qin Wan raised her eyebrows, “Wasn’t it a New Year’s feast? If he was drunk, it’s not impossible.”
Yan Chi nodded, “Yes, this is why we’re uncertain whether it was murder. Although the deceased’s first wife is still alive, their relationship wasn’t good. The deceased usually lived alone in his courtyard. He had two concubines and spent most nights in their quarters.
That night, he first dined with the entire family including the first, third, and fourth branches in the main courtyard, but because he drank and had an argument with the fourth branch, the meal wasn’t pleasant.
Later, he returned to the second branch’s courtyard and had another table set for himself and his son. Both father and son became quite drunk. The young master was helped back to his chambers, but the deceased said he wanted to take a walk alone. He never returned.”
Having learned much about the Meng family’s internal affairs from Qin Shu and Old Madam Song, and now hearing Yan Chi’s detailed account of the case, Qin Wan also felt a veil of mystery descending, “Just hearing this, there indeed seems to be no clear direction. However, everything that happens must leave traces—”
Yan Chi curved his lips, “This is why I came to the Marquis Manor to find you. This case has drawn attention from both the court and the commons. I shouldn’t have involved you, but without determining whether it was murder, the case remains stalled. It’s still a human life at stake, and if anyone in the capital can break through this impasse, in my heart, it could only be you.”
Yan Chi’s gaze was bright as if he could see straight into Qin Wan’s heart.
Qin Wan’s heart beat faster for two beats. No matter when or where Yan Chi always seemed to be the one who believed in her most.
And she had said before, that as long as one person believed in her, she wouldn’t let that person down.
Especially when that person was Yan Chi.
Qin Wan curved her lips, her smile becoming warm, “Did the Lin’an Prefecture conduct an autopsy? What did they say?”
Yan Chi’s smile faded slightly, “The coroner from the prefecture said the deceased accidentally fell into the lake and found no traces of murder.”
Hearing this, Qin Wan drew in a light breath, her eyes growing solemn.