Everyone knew there were many fierce beasts on Mount Wei. The perpetrator not only shot and killed Tuoba Hong but also left bait on his body to attract wild beasts. This was intended to let the beasts devour his corpse, thus destroying all evidence!
Such ruthless intentions made even Lin Zhang and Yan Huai’s hearts tremble.
“Miss Nine, why are you so certain about the killer’s intentions?!”
When Lin Zhang asked, Qin Wan looked at him and said, “Commander Lin, did you find the broken arrow shaft earlier?”
Lin Zhang shook his head, “No, we only brought back three arrows, though the quiver and bow were there.”
Qin Wan continued, “Since the arrow shaft wasn’t found, this missing arrow can only be deliberate, not coincidental. The probability of the shaft falling somewhere hard to discover is too small. Moreover, Commander Lin didn’t find any bait pouch near the Crown Prince, so there’s no possibility that it spilled onto Tuoba Hong’s body after he fell into the ravine. Therefore, the bait must have been deliberately applied.”
“Mount Wei has many predatory birds. Even if the Crown Prince wasn’t shot first, anyone would be extremely careful not to get bait on themselves. So isn’t the killer’s intention obvious?”
“We sent people to search that night, but it was already dark. Whether it rained or not, it would have been difficult to find anything. The killer counted on this, allowing enough time for wild beasts to devour His Highness’s body. But what they never expected was that His Highness fell into the ravine, and that night, there was a heavy downpour!”
Yan Huai frowned, “Falling into the ravine meant larger beasts couldn’t easily reach him, and the rain washed away the bait on his body. That’s why we were able to rescue the Tuoba Crown Prince.”
Qin Wan nodded, “Exactly. So Tuoba Crown Prince was murdered.”
Just as Qin Wan finished speaking, another commotion arose outside. Soon, Yuan Qing entered, “Your Majesty, Princess Tuoba and Prince Tuoba have arrived…”
Yan Huai frowned slightly and nodded, “Let them in.”
Tuoba Wu and Tuoba Rui had both changed into clean clothes. When they entered, both wore grave expressions. With Tuoba Hong down, Tuoba Wu was now the eldest, so she spoke, “Your Majesty, we’ve come to request a thorough investigation into what happened to our elder brother. Why was he shot? Why did he fall into the ravine?”
The circumstances of Tuoba Hong’s case were indeed strange. Anyone would have questions. As Tuoba Hong’s closest relatives, Tuoba Wu and Tuoba Rui were naturally anxious to uncover the truth.
Having just heard Qin Wan’s analysis, Yan Huai said, “The Tuoba Crown Prince was murdered.”
Tuoba Wu’s expression intensified, “Of course. This is Da Zhou’s hunting ground, and within it are only Da Zhou’s soldiers, along with Northern Wei and Western Liang. Northern Wei certainly wouldn’t harm him. We request Your Majesty to investigate fairly and find out who harmed our brother.”
Whether it was Tuoba Hong or anyone else being murdered in the camp, an investigation would be necessary. But because it was Tuoba Hong, the matter required extra caution. Yan Huai pondered for a moment before ordering Yuan Qing, “Go summon Yan Chi!”
Upon hearing Yan Chi’s name, Tuoba Wu’s brows furrowed slightly. She glanced at Qin Wan but pressed her lips together without speaking.
Soon, Yan Chi arrived in the tent. Yan Huai said, “Li Muyun didn’t come this time, and you’re the only senior official from the Ministry of Justice. Now, the Crown Prince has been murdered and his fate is unknown. You shall investigate this matter.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Chi immediately accepted the command and glanced at Qin Wan.
Yan Huai thought for a moment and said, “Qin Wan examined the Crown Prince’s injuries, so she knows his condition best. If you have any questions, ask her. If the Crown Prince wakes up and identifies the killer himself, that would be ideal. But if he remains unconscious, you must work quickly to give the Princess and Fifth Prince an answer.”
Yan Chi repeatedly acknowledged the order. Although Tuoba Wu hadn’t expected the Emperor to inadvertently pair Qin Wan with Yan Chi, she was satisfied with Yan Huai’s arrangements. By now, she no longer held any hostility toward Qin Wan.
Upon leaving the main tent, Tuoba Wu’s expression became somewhat complex. Currently, the most important matters were first, when Tuoba Hong would wake up, and second, who had harmed him. She glanced at Yan Chi, this man she had pined for over two years, who now ranked third in her priorities. Looking at Qin Wan again, Tuoba Wu dropped Yan Chi from third place altogether.
“Miss Nine, you know about my elder brother’s injuries. Have you discovered anything?”
Seeing Tuoba Wu’s anxious expression, Qin Wan considered briefly before sharing everything she had found earlier. Upon hearing this, Tuoba Wu clenched her fists in anger, “Who could be so ruthless! They wouldn’t even leave my brother’s remains!”
“Destroying the body might also be about concealing evidence. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go up Mount Wei, and after two days of heavy rain, there’s likely nothing left to find.”
As Qin Wan spoke, Tuoba Wu found it strange that she seemed quite experienced in analyzing cases, but focused on the help this might provide rather than dwelling on it.
Yan Chi said, “Princess, don’t worry. I will investigate this case with my team. As soon as we have results, you’ll be the first to know.”
Yan Chi’s tone wasn’t as cold as usual, though it remained merely courteous. Tuoba Wu steeled herself and said, “I want to join your investigation of my brother’s case. I know him well, and you’ll need to ask about him, won’t you?”
Yan Chi’s brows furrowed, “When we need to ask questions, we will find you, Princess.”
Tuoba Wu’s heart sank, knowing Yan Chi’s decisions were irreversible. She didn’t persist, but looking at both Yan Chi and Qin Wan, she felt awkward staying near them, so she said, “I’ll go see my elder brother.”
Watching Tuoba Wu leave, Qin Wan sighed. Yan Chi looked around and said, “Come with me.”
Now that Qin Wan had an official role, she followed behind Yan Chi.
Yan Chi led Qin Wan directly to his tent. Upon entering, he turned and grabbed her hand. Her hand was injured and hadn’t healed yet. It shouldn’t have gotten wet, but while treating Tuoba Hong, it had been exposed to blood. The cotton bandage was now loose, with blood stains still wet.
Yan Chi quickly ordered Bai Feng, “Bring water—”
Holding Qin Wan’s hand, Yan Chi removed the soiled bandage. Once removed, he saw that the wound on Qin Wan’s palm was beginning to heal, but it was deep. Currently, a red line would leave a scar.
Seeing this wound, Yan Chi’s brows furrowed again. This was Tuoba Wu’s sin. If possible, he didn’t even want to touch Tuoba Hong’s case! Unlike Qin Wan, who was deeply influenced by Shen Yi, Yan Chi didn’t care much for the law!
Of course, he wouldn’t express these thoughts in front of Qin Wan. She enjoyed examining corpses and solving cases and valued the law. If he spoke his mind, she would surely glare at him. Soon, Bai Feng brought the water.
Yan Chi carefully cleaned the blood from Qin Wan’s hand, avoiding the wound, and then wrapped it with fresh cotton bandages. Though he was usually rough, he showed great care in these tasks. Watching him, Qin Wan’s smile deepened. After bandaging the wound, Yan Chi asked, “What do you think about this case?”
Though lacking enthusiasm, the case still needed investigation.
At this question, Qin Wan’s expression became serious, “The arrow entered straight into the Tuoba Crown Prince’s heart. If he was on horseback at the time, the archer must have also been mounted. If he had dismounted, the shooter would have been on the ground too. Additionally, the Crown Prince has many abrasions, likely from rolling down the ravine. There are bruises on his shoulder blade and waist – I can’t be certain if these were caused by impact or were inflicted by someone.”
Qin Wan had only examined the Crown Prince’s injuries briefly, not as thoroughly as she would during an autopsy, so she could only speak generally. She continued, “That’s just the first point. Secondly, the perpetrator wanted to ensure death, applying bait to Tuoba Crown Prince’s clothes to attract wild beasts—”
“They wanted wild beasts to devour the Tuoba Crown Prince, destroying all evidence?”
Yan Chi frowned, catching on quickly. Qin Wan nodded, “Exactly. The rain washed away most of the bait, but I still found traces in his hair and clothes. There’s no mistake.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Chi’s eyes darkened, “There were three to four hundred people on Mount Wei that day. The Crown Prince wouldn’t have been surprised to encounter any of them, so the killer could easily catch him off guard with a shot to the heart.”
Qin Wan said, “But the arrow belonged to the Tuoba Crown Prince—”
Yan Chi’s lips curved upward, “Then it must be someone familiar to him.”
With this realization, many faces flashed through Yan Chi’s mind. He ordered, “Bai Feng, gather everyone who accompanied the Tuoba Crown Prince that day outside the council tent. We’ll question them one by one.”
Even if these people weren’t the culprits, they should at least know something about the arrows.
Qin Wan nodded and stood up. As Bai Feng left, Yan Chi held Qin Wan back, pulling her into his embrace. “You’ve worked hard today. If Tuoba Hong survives, you’ll have done a great merit.”
Qin Wan shook her head, “It wasn’t me, it was him. I thought he couldn’t be saved, but then I saw his finger move. When Tuoba Wu cried, his reactions increased. That’s when I realized that although unconscious, he could hear what was happening outside. He’s been like this for two days and nights – it’s incredibly difficult. It shows his exceptional willpower and strong desire to live. That’s why I wanted to save him.”
Speaking thus, Qin Wan leaned against Yan Chi’s chest, truly exhausted from the day’s events.
After embracing for a moment in the tent, Qin Wan left first.
While Yan Chi went to question people, Qin Wan returned to the Empress Dowager. She changed her clothes before reporting Tuoba Hong’s condition. The Empress Dowager sighed upon hearing it, “You’ve managed the first step of saving him. I was worried that if you couldn’t save the Tuoba Crown Prince, Tuoba Wu might blame you again. That girl can be ruthless when she’s angry.”
Qin Wan laughed, “Don’t worry. The Princess genuinely cares for her brother. Even if we couldn’t save him, with the Crown Prince’s last wishes, she wouldn’t act recklessly.”
The Empress Dowager shook her head without saying more since the situation had turned out well. She then asked about the circumstances of Tuoba Hong’s incident. Qin Wan explained briefly, and the Empress Dowager nodded, “With Yan Chi in charge, it should be solved. But I can’t imagine who could be so cruel.”
The Empress Dowager was a kind person – how could she easily see through someone capable of such hidden malice?
After talking for a while, Qin Wan, worried about Tuoba Hong, went back to his tent. Arriving, she noticed increased guards, including two faces she’d seen with Yan Chi. If Tuoba Hong woke up, he could identify the killer directly, and the culprit might attempt to silence him to escape punishment.
With Yan Chi’s men guarding, the tent was quite secure.
Qin Wan felt reassured and entered to tend to the patient.
……
……
In the council tent, Tuoba Rui, red-eyed, declared, “It must be Liu Yun! When we left the main camp that day, Liu Yun was eyeing my brother’s arrows, saying he wanted to use them. Only he would take my brother’s arrows. He already intended to harm my brother. In the entire camp, only he would think to kill my brother so cruelly.”
Yan Chi looked at Tuoba Rui, “How can you be so sure?”
Tuoba Rui said, “Royal Sister said she heard Liu Yun discussing with his strategist that if he couldn’t win the Princess’s hand, he’d arrange an ‘accident’ for my brother at the hunting ground. Isn’t that proof enough?”
Yan Chi stared at Tuoba Rui expressionlessly, “Indeed, it’s not enough proof. Tell me what you did after separating from the group that day. How long were you apart? Where did you go?”
Tuoba Rui took a deep breath, “Young Master Yan, I’ve already explained this several times.”
Yan Chi remained impassive, “Tell me again.”
Tuoba Rui glanced at the stern guards at the door, exhaled deeply, and continued, “We separated after reaching an agreement. Everyone went in different directions because my brother wanted to excel in the hunt. Even so, we didn’t redistribute arrows. Since I’m not skilled in archery, I barely shot that day. We each had our arrows and didn’t share. We were separated for about two incense sticks’ worth of time. I went in a completely different direction from my brother. Later, I spotted a brown bear and sent a signal – other attendants can confirm this.”
After listening, Yan Chi nodded and took out paper and a brush, “Draw the directions you all took when you separated. If you’re unsure, draw several versions.”
Tuoba Rui’s face showed resignation, “Now I have to draw too?”
Though he wasn’t skilled or fond of drawing, faced with Yan Chi’s cold demeanor, he complied, “We stopped at a mountainside. If it was here, then my brother went this way, I went here, and the others went these directions… that’s roughly how it was.”
Tuoba Rui quickly finished drawing and held it up for Yan Chi to see.
Yan Chi looked at it, “Anything else to add?”
Tuoba Rui frowned, “I’ve said everything there is to say.” Then he added, “Oh right, you should arrest Liu Yun and question him thoroughly! Though we went in different directions that day, over the entire day we all gradually moved northward. It would have been easy to run into each other!”
Yan Chi nodded, “Very well. Fifth Prince, you may leave now.”
Tuoba Rui stood up, clearly dissatisfied with Yan Chi’s arrogant attitude. However, knowing Yan Chi’s reputation and being intimidated by his presence, he could only leave reluctantly.
Yan Chi thought for a moment, “Bring in the Third Prince of Western Liang.”
When Liu Yun entered the council tent, his expression was particularly unpleasant. This was the second time he’d been summoned regarding Tuoba Hong’s case – why did they insist on suspecting him?
Noting the fading bruises on Liu Yun’s face, Yan Chi questioned him just as sharply. After listening to Liu Yun’s equally agitated but restrained answers, Yan Chi felt this case was more complicated than it appeared.
Seeing it was getting late, Yan Chi delegated the questioning of the guards to others and went to Yan Huai’s tent. After hearing Yan Chi’s report, Yan Huai’s eyes widened in surprise, “You want to return to Mount Wei?”
Yan Chi nodded, “Only then can we determine who could have encountered the Tuoba Crown Prince at that time, and we need to investigate where he fell again.”
Yan Huai nodded, “I suppose that’s necessary.” Then he asked, “Do you have any leads?”
Yan Chi shook his head, but added, “However, the victim was the Tuoba Crown Prince – his status was special, and this camp is full of powerful figures. His murder must be connected to some benefit.”
Yan Huai raised his eyebrows, his eyes growing deep with thought.