Meng Yao hadn’t expected that Meng Hui would be transferred to the Ministry of Justice prison. She instinctively looked toward Qin Wan, but saw no surprise on her face, as if she had known all along. Meng Yao wanted to ask about it, but couldn’t bring herself to do so in front of the Third Branch family members.
After the steward left, Qin Wan began examining Meng Ziyi’s tongue and mouth for any signs of illness. After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Qin Wan shakes her head with disappointment, “Third Young Master shows no signs of illness in his mouth or tongue. Third Madam, when did Third Young Master’s stuttering begin?”
At this question, Third Madam’s eyes darkened slightly, “Many years ago.”
She continued, “We need to visit the government office later. Ninth Miss, if you haven’t found anything now, let’s leave it be. If you find a solution another day, you can come back to the mansion to examine Ziyi again.”
Qin Wan nodded, “Very well, we’ll do as Third Madam says.”
After these words, Third Madam nodded slightly and instructed a nearby servant, “Go make preparations, we’ll be leaving shortly.”
The maid acknowledged and left, then Third Madam looked at Meng Yao, “You and your brother will be going too, right?”
Meng Yao quickly nodded, “We must go. Zichen is well enough to go out now.”
Then Meng Yao said, “We won’t disturb Third Aunt any longer. Ninth Miss and I will visit another day.”
Qin Wan curtsied, and Third Madam walked them out a few steps. Just as they were about to exit the courtyard, Qin Wan looked back to see a maid carrying a lotus-colored cape into the room, asking Madam Xu what cape she wanted to wear.
Today, Madam Xu had her jet-black hair styled in a falling horse bun, wearing a smoke-colored light silk long dress with a matching collar. She was naturally extremely graceful, and her clothing was elegant and refined, making her appear even more beautiful and dignified. Qin Wan turned away from the sight and looked at the flower pots throughout the courtyard, remarking, “The Young Madam truly has the grace of orchids and the heart of wisdom.”
Meng Yao nodded in agreement, “Yes since she arrived, the Third Branch has been much better off. All the flowers in this garden were planted by her. They’re not famous varieties – I can’t even name some of them – but they still bloom even in winter.”
As she spoke, Meng Yao suddenly added, “Third Brother didn’t stutter when he was young. It started after my Third Uncle passed away. He was very young then. I remember Father saying that Third Brother had to observe mourning for his father at such a young age. After that, he stopped talking much. At first, it was just reluctance to speak, and because he was so young, no one paid much attention. But later, when he needed to speak, his speech became somewhat impaired.”
Qin Wan frowned slightly upon hearing this, and Meng Yao looked at her, “Do you know about Fourth Uncle’s situation?”
Meng Yao had wanted to ask earlier. Qin Wan’s eyes darkened slightly at the question, “All the current evidence in this case points to Fourth Master. Unless new evidence emerges, he might be determined to be the murderer.”
Meng Yao instinctively shook her head, “That’s impossible. Fourth Uncle couldn’t be a killer.”
Qin Wan looked at her, “In your opinion, who in the mansion could be capable of murder?”
Meng Yao was momentarily speechless, and Qin Wan said, “You have a pure nature and have seen little of the world, so naturally you can’t imagine how unfathomable human nature can be.”
Meng Yao’s face paled slightly at these words, showing great concern.
Qin Wan comforted her, “Don’t worry, this case won’t drag on much longer.”
Then she looked at Meng Zichen, “When you go out this afternoon, make sure to wear enough clothes.”
Meng Zichen quickly nodded, “Don’t worry, Ninth Sister, I know.”
Qin Wan’s lips curved slightly, “And take good care of your sister—”
Meng Zichen nodded repeatedly at these words. As they walked out through the corridor, Qin Wan said, “Don’t think too much about it. You’re about to go out, so go take your medicine and prepare.”
Meng Yao asked, “Are you leaving now?”
“Since you’re all going out, it wouldn’t be convenient for me to stay.”
Meng Zichen quickly asked, “When will Ninth Sister come again?”
Qin Wan smiled, “I need to go to the palace tomorrow to treat the Empress Dowager, so I’ll come the day after.”
Meng Yao looked at Qin Wan, feeling that she knew more than she was letting on, but not knowing how to ask. So she gave up and simply escorted Qin Wan to the mansion gate.
After boarding the carriage, Qin Wan sighed softly. Fuling asked her, “Miss, where are we going?”
Qin Wan said quietly, “To the back gate of the Lin’an Government Office.”
The carriage proceeded forward, taking about two cups of tea worth of time to reach the back gate of the government office. Bai Feng was already waiting at the back gate, and when he saw Qin Wan’s carriage arrive, he quickly came forward, “Greetings, Ninth Miss—”
Qin Wan nodded and stepped down from the carriage, “Where is His Highness?”
“He’s inside waiting for you—”
Qin Wan followed Bai Feng inside. This was her second time here, so she was somewhat familiar with the way.
As they approached the back hall of the government office, before they got close, Qin Wan saw two figures standing in the corridor. One wore black robes and had a cold, imposing presence, while the other wore red clothes and carried a lazy, devilish charm – it was Yan Li, whom she hadn’t seen for several days!
Qin Wan hurried forward to curtsey, “Greetings to both Your Highnesses.”
When Yan Chi saw Qin Wan arrive, his lips curved slightly, but Yan Li’s smile deepened, “Ninth Miss, it’s been several days since we last met. I hear you’ve been of great help to Seventh Brother again!”
Qin Wan exchanged a glance with Yan Chi, “I only did what little I could. Why has the Crown Prince come today?”
Yan Li’s smile deepened further, “Because today, I’m also here to help Seventh Brother!”
Qin Wan blinked and looked at Yan Chi, who turned and said, “Go in and take a look.”
Qin Wan nodded and turned to the door behind them. When she pushed it open, she was surprised to see a delicate and beautiful lady standing inside.
The beautiful lady showed some discomfort upon seeing Qin Wan, lowering her eyes with a shy smile that even made Qin Wan feel sympathetic. Yan Li stepped forward and said, “Yun Yan is my most skilled beauty in the art of face-changing. Today, to help Seventh Brother, I’ve even contributed to her services. I wonder how Seventh Brother will thank me!”
Yan Li had a reputation for romance in the capital, and this beauty was naturally one of his romantic companions. Hearing Yan Li’s words, Yun Yan curtsied to Qin Wan, “Greetings to Ninth Miss—”
Qin Wan nodded slightly and praised, “Indeed worthy of being the Crown Prince’s beloved, she is truly pitiful to behold.”
Yan Li then asked, “How do you find her appearance in this disguise?”
Qin Wan nodded, “It’s similar, but the cape needs to be changed.”
After some adjustments and Qin Wan’s final approval, Yan Li was finally at ease. Yan Chi then asked, “You came from the Meng mansion, how are things there?”
At this, Qin Wan expressed some doubt, “After today’s visit, my previous thoughts have become even more certain. I examined Meng Ziyi’s hands in detail and can confirm that whether in terms of joints or meridians, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them – he should be able to exert strength, yet he can barely hold a teacup…”
Yan Li, not knowing the details of the case, raised an eyebrow, “Oh? What’s this about?”
Qin Wan explained, “I once read in an ancient medical text about a patient whose left ear had suffered severe trauma. For a long time, he couldn’t hear anything from that ear, and he suffered many social hardships because of it. Later, when a skilled doctor finally cured his ear, he still believed he couldn’t hear anything from his left ear…”
Yan Li was very surprised, “Was the doctor’s skill not good enough?”
Qin Wan shook her head, “That’s not it. The patient had been ill for so long that he developed a psychological barrier.”
“A psychological barrier? What does that mean?”
Qin Wan shook her head again, “When I first saw this in the ancient text, I was also skeptical, unsure whether it was true or false. But later, I saw similar cases elsewhere. There was one about a person who limped due to illness – he always limped during the day, but he had sleepwalking symptoms. His family reported that when he sleepwalked at night, he didn’t limp at all. It was very mysterious, and people even suggested spiritual possession, but the true cause, whether in the meridians or energy gates, remained unexplained.”
Yan Li listened with partial understanding, “Did that person’s ear eventually hear?”
Qin Wan shook her head, “The text didn’t say, and I don’t know. Sometimes, people’s subconscious minds are more powerful than we imagine. I once read about a woman who was misdiagnosed as pregnant. Although she wasn’t pregnant, in the following three months, she began experiencing nausea and dizziness – all symptoms typical of pregnancy. But after more than four months passed and her belly hadn’t grown, another doctor examined her and confirmed she had never been pregnant. All those earlier symptoms were just her imagination affecting her body.”
Yan Li listened with amazement, “Just thinking about something can make it seem real…”
Qin Wan sighed, “That’s why I’m not sure if Young Master Meng’s condition is similar. Or there might be an even more dangerous possibility.”
Yan Li quickly asked, “What more dangerous possibility?”
Yan Chi, standing nearby, couldn’t stay silent anymore, “This matter doesn’t concern you. Why ask so many questions?”
Then he asked Qin Wan himself, “If it’s truly as you suspect, how should it be handled?”
Qin Wan sighed, “If it’s really like that, I don’t know what to do… The Great Zhou Dynasty’s laws don’t specify how to judge such crimes…”
Yan Li looked between Qin Wan and Yan Chi, “Are you two the only ones who know? Is this your secret?”
Yan Chi glanced at him sideways, “So what if it is?”
When the Meng family arrived at the Lin’an Government Office, Zheng Baishi personally welcomed them at the entrance. It was already dusk, and few people were on the broad street outside the office, making it convenient for the Meng family to visit Meng Hui. Zheng Baishi led them inside, directly to the prison cells. Soon, they found Meng Hui in a relatively orderly cell. Although the cell was clean, it was still a prison, and in just a few days, Meng Hui – who had previously been energetic enough to hit and curse people – was now disheveled and dejected.
Upon seeing Meng Zhou, Meng Hui immediately stood up, “Elder Brother—”
Fourth Madam stood closest to her daughter, and after her daughter called out “Father,” Meng Hui’s eyes immediately reddened.
“Elder Brother, it wasn’t me. I didn’t kill anyone!”
Meng Zhou kept nodding, “I know, I know. Magistrate Zheng will investigate thoroughly, he will get to the truth.”
Being imprisoned for a day or two might have been bearable, but after several days with no clear answer, anyone would feel anxious about their uncertain future. Meng Zhou had his difficulties – if he weren’t a court official, even seeing Meng Hui would be impossible now. He knew Zheng Baishi’s character – allowing multiple visits was already pushing the limits, and trying to deceive under his supervision would be impossible.
“Don’t worry, if it wasn’t you, Magistrate Zheng won’t wrongly accuse you.”
Meng Hui had understood this reasoning earlier but now felt his hope slowly fading, “All the evidence points to me as the culprit. I… I can’t defend myself no matter what I say. Elder Brother, why did everyone come today?”
Hearing this, Meng Zhou realized Meng Hui didn’t know he was about to be transferred to the Ministry of Justice prison.
“We… we haven’t visited you for two days. Magistrate Zheng permitted us today, so we all came to see you.”
Meng Hui looked around and saw everyone except the Second Madam had come. He glanced at Meng Zichen, then at his young daughter, and sighed deeply, “I don’t know when this will end. If only… if only I had controlled my temper better before. Elder Brother, now the family affairs rest solely on your shoulders!”
While Meng Zhou managed the household, he previously had Meng Jin and Meng Hui’s help, with Meng Jin handling most mundane matters. Now Meng Jin was dead, and he was in prison, leaving only Meng Zhou. The family had suffered a death, Meng Zhou’s official position was uncertain, the household was full of women and children, many were ill, and the previous business troubles remained unresolved – Meng Hui worried greatly about chaos erupting in the Meng mansion.
“Don’t worry about home, everyone is fine. Zichen’s illness has improved considerably, and the servants are taking good care of everyone else. I’ve already arranged matters at the office. You’ve only endured for a few days – once the truth is revealed, everything will be fine.”
Seeing Meng Zhou’s exhausted expression, Meng Hui knew the current situation wasn’t favorable for him. Thinking of this, he smiled bitterly, “If only they could find out the truth. If they can’t, I’m afraid the crime will fall on me.”
“Don’t say such discouraging things—”
As Meng Zhou consoled him, Meng Yao and the Third Madam also offered a few words of comfort. Zheng Baishi stood nearby, discreetly observing the Third Branch family members. After the family had spoken for a while and exchanged all their greetings, they fell into silent glances at each other. Even if Meng Zhou had ten thousand ways he wished to save Meng Hui, what could he do?
Seeing that everything that needed to be said had been said, Zheng Baishi spoke up, “Brother Meng, it’s about time.”
Meng Zhou offered a few more words of comfort to Meng Hui. Meng Hui looked reluctantly at Fourth Madam and his daughter before finally waving his hand, “Alright, go home now. It’s getting late.”
Fourth Madam was in tears, and the Second Young Miss of the Meng family had also cried until her eyes were red. Zheng Baishi watched with sympathy, leading Meng Zhou and the others out while saying, “Don’t overthink things. There’s nothing we can do right now.”
Meng Zhou hurriedly asked, “Does Fourth Brother know he’s being transferred to the Ministry of Justice prison?”
Once in the Ministry of Justice prison, visits would become even more difficult, and the case would be treated with unusual gravity. If possible, Meng Zhou would rather have Meng Hui remain in the Lin’an Government Office.
“He doesn’t know yet. We haven’t told him, fearing he would worry too much.”
Zheng Baishi spoke helplessly. Meng Zhou smiled bitterly, “Brother Zheng, is there no way? Can’t he stay in the Lin’an Government Office?”
Zheng Baishi sighed, “This case involves two lives, and the Emperor already knows about it. Moreover, as you know, foreign envoys will be arriving at court soon. The Emperor has inquired several times already. There’s nothing we can do.”
Meng Zhou naturally understood this. Hearing Zheng Baishi’s words, he knew it was hopeless and grew even more troubled.
“Is there anything we can do? As long as we can solve the case quickly.”
At these words, Zheng Baishi’s steps faltered slightly. After thinking, he said, “Since that’s the case, and you’re all here today, let’s have everyone record their testimonies again.”
Hearing this, Meng Zhou naturally nodded, “Alright, we’ll give testimonies. It’s still early anyway.”
Zheng Baishi nodded and led the group out of the prison to the side rooms of the government office’s back hall. The back hall contained his regular workspace, areas for other clerks and constables to work, and many rooms storing case files. Zheng Baishi said, “Shortly, everyone will enter a room, and each person will recount what happened on those two nights.”
Meng Zhou naturally had no objections, “Fine, whatever you say, we’ll do it.”
As they spoke, Zheng Baishi ordered several constables to make preparations and then led them to a row of side rooms. “Brother Meng, please enter this room. Fourth Madam, the next one. The eldest daughter and young master can stay together. Second Young Miss, can you manage alone?”
The Fourth Branch’s young girl was barely ten years old and naturally became frightened at these words. Meng Yao said, “I’ll stay with her.”
Zheng Baishi agreed and looked at the remaining room, “Third Madam will be there.”
Then, looking at Meng Ziyi and Madam Xu, he said, “You two, come with me.”
Having used up all the rooms in this row, they naturally had to go elsewhere. Meng Ziyi glanced at Third Madam, who reassured him, “It’s nothing. Go with Magistrate Zheng and just answer whatever he asks.”
Third Madam was quite at ease – this was an official government office, and she trusted Zheng Baishi’s character.
Thus, Meng Ziyi and Madam Xu crossed a corridor to reach a small courtyard next door.
In the other courtyard, there were wing rooms on both sides. A constable came up and said, “Sir, other places are full of case files. Only the wing rooms on both sides have empty rooms.”
Zheng Baishi pointed to the right and said, “Take the Young Madam to the left. Treat her with respect.”
Hearing this, the constable respectfully escorted Madam Xu to the left side. Meng Ziyi showed some concern, but when Madam Xu glanced at him, she showed no fear. Zheng Baishi also said, “Don’t worry, after you finish, you can go get her. It’s very close.”
Although they were in different wing rooms, the western wing was visible from the eastern wing. Only then did Meng Ziyi slightly relax. Thus, the two separated. Zheng Baishi led Meng Ziyi to an empty room in the right wing, gave a few instructions, and then excused himself. The constable treated Meng Ziyi very respectfully, first inviting him to sit before asking questions one by one. Due to Meng Ziyi’s stutter, he spoke very slowly. After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he had only finished explaining a few questions. While waiting for the constable to write everything down, Meng Ziyi began to worry about Madam Xu. Just then, a woman’s terrible scream suddenly rang out!
The scream came unexpectedly, and Meng Ziyi couldn’t tell whose voice it was, but Madam Xu was the only woman in the nearby courtyards. Could something have happened to her?!
With this thought, Meng Ziyi immediately stood up. He walked out of the room in a few steps and looked toward the left wing. To his surprise, he saw that the doors of the rooms in the left wing were all closed. Meng Ziyi frowned and quickly ran toward that empty room.
During this time, several thuds came from the room, as if people were fighting inside!
Meng Ziyi’s frown deepened, and his expression changed instantly. He quickly walked to the closed door of the empty room, trying to push it open, but the door had been barred from the inside. Meng Ziyi’s left hand was weak, so he anxiously used his right hand to bang on the door while calling out Madam Xu’s name. However, no matter how much he called, there was no response from Madam Xu inside. Yet the sound of a woman’s soft crying and the rustling of torn clothes kept coming from within!
Meng Ziyi suddenly frowned, his face drained of all color. He quickly looked back but saw that the constable who had been questioning him hadn’t followed. His eyes reddened, and he immediately began pounding on the door with more force!
“Open the door— Open the door—”
After calling twice more with no response, Meng Ziyi was so anxious he was covered in sweat. Just then, the woman inside suddenly cried out in pain, and her sobbing grew louder. Meng Ziyi’s chest heaved violently, his clenched fists showing bulging veins, the anxiety on his face gradually replaced by fierce hatred. Suddenly, a vicious gleam flashed in his eyes, and the next moment, he grabbed the door rings and shook them violently. Seeing this had no effect, he simply began ramming the wooden door with his shoulder!
The door didn’t open on the first try, or the second… On the sixth impact, the door finally burst open with a crash. Meng Ziyi forced his way in with the momentum of his body. Upon entering, he immediately saw a man wearing a constable’s uniform pressing Madam Xu against a tall cabinet near the wall, taking liberties with her. Madam Xu had her back to the door, desperately trying to hold onto her clothes, but the man was too strong for her to resist. Her lotus-colored cape had been thrown to the ground, her jacket and skirt torn. Now, a stretch of her white, delicate shoulder was exposed, and the man in the constable’s uniform was kissing and caressing her shoulder—
In an instant, intense hatred filled Meng Ziyi’s eyes. He clenched his fists and rushed forward without thinking. His throat released a low growl as he swung at the uniformed man with all his might. However, whether his movement was too slow or for some other reason, when he threw his punch, the man somehow anticipated it and dodged it!
With a “crack,” Meng Ziyi’s fist smashed through the black-lacquered cabinet surface. Seeing the man dodge, the hatred in Meng Ziyi’s eyes didn’t diminish. He threw another punch with his left hand, aiming straight for the man’s chest. The man hadn’t expected him to throw another punch so quickly and couldn’t dodge in time, taking the hit directly!
The man let out a painful groan, stumbling back several steps before falling to the ground, immediately beginning to cough violently. Meng Ziyi, eyes red with hatred, didn’t forget about Madam Xu. He quickly pulled up her clothes and turned her around by her shoulders. However, when he did, Meng Ziyi’s dark pupils suddenly contracted – the woman before him had no tears on her face, and it wasn’t Madam Xu’s face at all! In an instant, Meng Ziyi realized something…
At that moment, the woman also saw the man on the ground, and her expression changed as she called out, “Crown Prince!”
Yan Li, lying on the ground and clutching his chest, cried out in pain, “Damn it, that hurts—”