“The Empress Dowager has recovered well. As medicine is partially toxic, I plan to stop the prescriptions and switch to dietary supplements.”
Hearing Qin Wan’s words, the Empress Dowager’s expression relaxed. “I truly never imagined that just over a month ago, I thought I wouldn’t survive, yet after only a month, I’ve recovered so well. Little Nine, I owe it all to you.”
Qin Wan’s lips curved into a smile. “The Empress Dowager’s blessings run deep; you will surely live to be a hundred.”
As she spoke, Qin Wan wrote out a new prescription. “Follow these dietary instructions. You needn’t avoid sour, sweet, bitter, or spicy flavors. We can vary the dishes to make them more appealing to the Empress Dowager.”
Seeing this, Nurse Chen smiled happily and took the prescription to make arrangements.
The Empress Dowager stood up. “Come walk with me. Now that I have your approval, I can finally go out as normal.”
Qin Wan looked around and brought over a cloak for the Empress Dowager to wear. “Although that’s true, the Empress Dowager must still take good care of herself and absolutely must not catch a chill. Your body has only recently recovered and isn’t as robust as others – you’re still quite susceptible to illness. If you fall ill now, you’ll have to suffer again.”
The Empress Dowager carefully put on the cloak. “Very well, very well, I’ll listen to you.”
Qin Wan accompanied the Empress Dowager outside. In the courtyard, they could still see Yan Sui writing and drawing on the stone slabs. The Empress Dowager stopped at a distance and sighed. “Fortunately, I’ve recovered now and can move about, otherwise there would be no one to look after Little Nine.”
Yan Sui’s situation was quite precarious. Thinking about how this involved that case, Qin Wan remained silent for a moment.
The Empress Dowager, seemingly unconcerned about Qin Wan’s status, continued, “When Consort Jin was alive, she was quite favored by the Emperor. After her incident, those who had envied her turned their hatred toward Little Nine. If not for my protection, Little Nine’s safety would have been at risk. If he were older it would be different, but he’s not even five years old.”
Hearing this, Qin Wan consoled her, “The Empress Dowager will live to be a hundred and certainly see the Ninth Prince grow up safely.”
The Empress Dowager smiled. “You know how to comfort me. I know my own body – at this age, one knows one’s fate. Who knows when one might lie down and never rise again? My only worry is Little Nine. The others all had their mothers by their side as they grew up, and now they can protect themselves. Little Nine is just too young. Even if he reaches ten years old, I don’t know if I can hold on for five more years.”
“The Empress Dowager can do it. Your foundation is strong, and now that you’ve recovered from illness, you will naturally stay well.”
The Empress Dowager found these words very comforting. “You’re a divine doctor. If you say so, I’ll believe it. I’ll have to rely on you these next few years…”
“Please rest assured, Qin Wan will do her utmost.”
The Empress Dowager’s smile became more relaxed as she walked toward Yan Sui. Though young and quiet by nature, he still enjoyed playing. His small hands were red from the cold, yet he refused to let go of the brush. The Empress Dowager tried to see what Yan Sui was writing but couldn’t make it out even after looking for a while. She couldn’t help but ask, “Little Nine, what are you writing?”
Yan Sui looked up. “Little Nine doesn’t know.”
The Empress Dowager laughed. “If you don’t know, how can you write it?”
Yan Sui obediently said, “Mother Consort.”
At these words, the Empress Dowager’s smile froze. “Oh, your Mother Consort taught you.”
Yan Sui fell silent and lowered his head to write again. The Empress Dowager sighed and sat with Qin Wan in a nearby pavilion. They watched Yan Sui writing and drawing from afar. Qin Wan noticed that Yan Sui seemed to be writing the same two characters repeatedly, yet try as she might, she couldn’t make out what they were, leaving her quite perplexed.
In the Empress Dowager’s presence, she couldn’t investigate too closely.
“You see, how could I bear to leave this child? When his Mother Consort was alive, he was very well-behaved, enjoying visits to my palace even at such a young age. Who could have imagined…”
Qin Wan lowered her eyes for a moment, finally unable to resist asking, “Empress Dowager, I’ve heard many rumors outside…”
The Empress Dowager looked at Qin Wan for a moment, unsurprised. “That’s to be expected. Think about it – a favored consort in the palace died, and the killer turned out to be a prince. This would draw attention anywhere.”
Qin Wan nodded, then sighed, “I never imagined Prince Jin…”
Naturally, Qin Wan dared not directly ask about the case details, only letting out a light sigh to probe. After she spoke, the Empress Dowager shook her head. “Prince Jin was a good child. That incident must have been an accident.”
Even if Prince Jin was a good child, an accident shouldn’t have happened between him and Consort Jin.
Consort Jin was His Majesty’s consort – she should have been off-limits.
Qin Wan wanted to know more, but the Empress Dowager seemed to think of something and was unwilling to say more. Seeing this, Qin Wan couldn’t press further. Glancing over, she saw Yan Sui drawing again. Though the lines were crooked, looking carefully, one could make out a human figure. Qin Wan smiled and asked, “What is the Ninth Prince drawing?”
The Empress Dowager looked over. “Probably drawing Consort Jin. This child witnessed his mother’s death, and afterward barely spoke, though he likes to write and draw on the ground. We just let him be.”
“Having the Empress Dowager’s care is the Ninth Prince’s blessing.”
At Qin Wan’s words, the Empress Dowager shook her head. “He’s already pitiful enough; I fear my small blessing is useless.”
“It hasn’t been long since the incident. Things will improve with time.”
As Qin Wan spoke thus, the Empress Dowager suddenly said, “Little Nine, I see you’re quite familiar with Yan Li?”
Unsure why the Empress Dowager asked about this, Qin Wan replied, “I met the Crown Prince in Yu Zhou. The Crown Prince of Prince Rui was also there. After returning to the capital, I’ve seen him once or twice.”
The Empress Dowager smiled. “Did you meet him because of Yan Chi?”
Qin Wan nodded, and the Empress Dowager asked, “What do you think of Yan Li and Miss Peng from Duke Wei’s household?”
Qin Wan thought of Peng Huajing. In her impression, she only remembered how Peng Huajing greatly respected Yan Chi. She thought for a moment before shaking her head. “They don’t seem quite suitable. Miss Peng comes from a military family and has a natural straightforward manner. In comparison, Prince Yan Li is somewhat lazy and casual.”
The Empress Dowager’s smile deepened. “In that case, what do you think of Miss Peng and Yan Chi?”
Qin Wan’s heart suddenly tightened, her eyes quickly flickering. “That… I don’t know Miss Peng that well… On the surface, Miss Peng might be more suited to a gentle and refined young noble.”
“Oh? Coming from a military family, shouldn’t she prefer someone who commands troops…”
Qin Wan’s eyes shifted slightly. “Well, when two people live together, perhaps complementary qualities work better.”
The Empress Dowager’s smile grew even deeper. “Then what kind of person do you like? You’re quiet by nature, so should we find you someone talkative and lively?”
Qin Wan smiled uncomfortably. “Too talkative might be rather noisy.”
She quickly added, “Is the Empress Dowager considering Crown Princesses for both princes?”
The Empress Dowager let out a long sigh. “We should think about it for them, but there’s no rush. With Yan Li’s personality, he likely won’t easily accept our arrangements. As for Yan Chi, we must wait for his father to return. Besides, he’s just returned to the capital. If they both have someone they like, that would be best.”
Hearing this, Qin Wan let out a long breath of relief.
After talking a while longer, Qin Wan said the Empress Dowager’s condition now only required pulse-taking once every half month. The Empress Dowager agreed, saying Qin Wan need not enter the palace on a fixed schedule – she would send for Qin Wan when needed. Having settled this, Qin Wan took her leave, escorting the Empress Dowager back to the main hall. When she came out again, Yan Sui was still writing and drawing on the ground.
About to leave without having spoken a word to Yan Sui, Qin Wan felt somewhat regretful. She stopped beside him and asked softly, “Isn’t Your Highness’s hand cold from drawing so long?”
Yan Sui continued drawing, completely ignoring Qin Wan. She then asked, “What is this person doing?”
This time Yan Sui looked up at Qin Wan. “Lying down.”
Seeing Yan Sui finally speak, Qin Wan’s lips curved slightly. “Your Highness should go inside after drawing for a while to avoid catching a cold. The weather is still chilly.”
Yan Sui nodded and fell silent again.
Qin Wan stood and walked toward Shoukang Palace’s exit. She walked slowly, looking at the stone slabs while unconsciously wondering why Yan Sui wrote on them. Just as she was about to reach the door, her steps suddenly halted.
The Empress Dowager said Yan Sui was drawing Consort Jin.
But when she asked what Consort Jin was doing, Yan Sui answered “lying down.”
Consort Jin, lying down, stone slabs—
Consort Jin lying on the stone slabs?!
Qin Wan suddenly turned back, wanting another look at Yan Sui’s drawing, but when she reached the courtyard, the drawing Yan Sui was gone, probably having returned to the main hall. Qin Wan took a deep breath, seeing only dried water marks on the stone slabs.
Her brows furrowed tightly. Yan Sui’s fondness for writing on the stone slabs might have a reason.
And Consort Jin, being well, would never lie on stone slabs.
Only in death would she lie on the ground!
Realizing Yan Sui was likely drawing the tragic scene from the night of Consort Jin’s death, Qin Wan’s spine involuntarily chilled. She hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn’t go back inside. Having Yan Sui draw it again now would be too strange and draw too much attention.
Qin Wan turned to continue walking out, her heart tightly knotted.
Drawing was one thing, but why was he writing too?
Were these two characters taught by Consort Jin in daily life, or were they related to her death?
Yan Sui was young and somewhat disturbed after the shock. The characters he repeatedly wrote must be very important, having left a deep impression on him, which is why he kept writing them. Therefore, they were likely related to Consort Jin’s death!
Thinking of this, Qin Wan regretted telling the Empress Dowager she needn’t check her pulse daily anymore.
Firstly, it truly wasn’t necessary to enter the palace, and secondly, she didn’t enjoy it. But now she had suddenly discovered this clue and the Ninth Prince was not talkative. Without frequent interaction with him, he likely wouldn’t say anything, and she couldn’t discover other clues to solve this puzzle. She…
Qin Wan’s brows furrowed deeply. Glancing around, she noticed the palace maid escorting her out was looking at her strangely. She immediately masked any trace of her thoughts and left the palace, returning to the Marquis’s mansion.
Back at the mansion, Qin Wan waited for the Empress Dowager’s summons. However, she waited a full ten days, until the end of February and early March, with no word from the palace. Rumors said the Empress was busy with the Empress Dowager deciding the wedding dates for the two princes. During this time, no cases occurred in the capital, so Qin Wan had to stay in the Marquis’s mansion, at most inviting Meng Yao for small gatherings.
The Meng family matter had concluded. Affected by this incident, Meng Zhou’s official position indeed changed, demoted from Left Vice Minister of Revenue to Revenue Department Assistant Director. Though demoted, his duties hadn’t changed much, and future promotion was still possible. After these days, Meng Yao had also settled down, and her asthma much improved. Letters from Meng Ziyi and his wife reported their northern journey was going smoothly, putting the Meng household at ease.
In early March, the arrival of envoys from Northern Wei and Western Liang finally broke this stalemate. The Great Zhou was the eastern powerhouse of the continent. Except for frontier enemies and several barbarian tribes hostile to Zhou, other countries maintained good relations with Zhou. Northern Wei and Western Liang particularly sent annual tribute missions to Lin’an. They should have come at the end of last year, but both countries experienced internal turmoil, delaying their journey until spring this year.
On the third day of the third month, the Shangsi Festival, envoys from both countries arrived at Lin’an City. The palace held a grand banquet, which all officials of third rank and above could attend with their families. Qin Wan was naturally included, though this had little to do with her purpose. Not many could attend this banquet. Madam Hu took great care in preparing Qin Wan before entering the palace.
In the carriage to the palace, Madam Hu unprecedentedly invited Qin Wan into her and Qin Chaoyu’s carriage. Along the way, Madam Hu kept talking about how handsome and dashing the Northern Wei Crown Prince was…