“What’s wrong? What are you looking at?”

Seeing Qin Wan staring intently at Tuoba Hong’s injuries, Tuoba Wu asked quietly. Qin Wan responded softly, “These past few days, you haven’t applied any medicine to your brother, have you?”

“Of course not,” Tuoba Wu replied. “I didn’t dare apply any medicine on my own.”

Qin Wan nodded, her frown deepening. “Something isn’t right.”

Tuoba Wu didn’t understand what had happened – how could something be wrong just from applying medicine?

“What’s wrong? My brother…”

“The wounds on your brother’s back are lighter now, as several days have passed. Except for the infected wounds, other areas have started healing. Even the bruises have faded considerably. However, the injury on your brother’s waist appears darker in comparison. This doesn’t make sense – being exposed, it should have healed faster.”

Tuoba Wu frowned. “Perhaps the external injury was more severe to begin with?”

Qin Wan pondered this without responding immediately. Tuoba Wu’s suggestion wasn’t impossible, but unfortunately, when Tuoba Hong was first brought back, she wasn’t been able to examine his back injuries immediately, making it impossible to compare them from the start.

Qin Wan sighed, leaning forward to check Tuoba Hong’s eyelids and pulse. She remarked with concern, “He should have awakened by now. If he doesn’t wake soon, there could be problems.”

In just a few days, Tuoba Hong had noticeably lost weight. He couldn’t eat or drink, surviving only on medicinal broths. If he remained unconscious, he wouldn’t last much longer. Hearing this, Tuoba Wu’s heart clenched. “Right now, I just want my brother to wake up. I don’t even care about catching the culprit anymore. If my brother could wake up, they could let the perpetrator go free.”

Qin Wan shook her head. “The culprit will certainly be caught, don’t worry.”

Tuoba Wu snorted lightly. “I know Crown Prince Yan made a military pledge before the Da Zhou Emperor, promising to catch Fu Desheng’s attacker within three days. Liu Yun losing his general is indeed pitiful, but I haven’t pressured you all!”

Qin Wan couldn’t agree with this sentiment – given Tuoba Wu’s temperament, if anything happened to Tuoba Hong, he would likely be a hundred times worse than Liu Yun. “Da Zhou bears responsibility for General Fu’s death, and the Third Prince’s state of mind is understandable. A day and a half have passed now – we must catch the culprit before early morning the day after tomorrow.”

Tuoba Wu asked, “Is that possible? Are there any leads now?”

Qin Wan shook her head without responding. Both emotionally and rationally, she knew she couldn’t freely share information with Tuoba Wu.

After staying in the tent a while longer, as Qin Wan was leaving, she asked Xu Chang, “Deputy Commander Xu, how often do you rotate guard shifts?”

Xu Chang quickly replied, “Usually every three hours, though it can vary.”

Qin Wan nodded, appearing lost in thought. Xu Chang asked, “Why does Ninth Young Lady ask?”

After a moment’s consideration, Qin Wan said, “No particular reason. Deputy Commander, please take care, and don’t let anyone else enter.”

Xu Chang repeatedly assured her, and only then did Qin Wan head toward the Empress Dowager’s tent.

Upon her return to the Empress Dowager’s tent, the Empress Dowager immediately pulled Qin Wan close. “Ninth Girl, come here quickly. You’ve been so busy these past two days, there hasn’t been a chance to hear the details of what happened before. You haven’t told me yet – where did you learn your forensic skills?”

Qin Wan smiled and explained, “As a child, I first learned medicine from my parents. Later, I read various books. Once, I was reading what I thought was a medical text, but unexpectedly, it turned to forensic techniques. Though that book was mostly nonsense, it sparked my interest. After that, I paid more attention to such topics. Combined with my love for reading ancient strange tales and legends, I gradually became interested in learning how those upright officials solved cases…”

The Empress Dowager smiled. “Indeed! Earlier when the Empress brought your Eighth Sister to pay respects, she mentioned that your father and mother were very interested in medical principles in their early years, which is why they taught you. You showed exceptional talent, mastering it without a formal teacher. Not only that, but you also achieved great skill in forensics by following medical principles. Tell me, how did you solve the case at Princess Taizhang’s residence in Jin Zhou?”

In Jin Zhou, Qin Wan helped Huo Huaixin solve two cases. Since one case involved the Song Duke’s mansion and the An Yang Marquis’s household, the Emperor hadn’t mentioned it that day, but the Empress Dowager had learned of it later.

Qin Wan sat down and recounted the details, omitting the more frightening aspects, sharing only what was suitable for the ears. Even so, the Empress Dowager listened with trepidation. “Heavens! I thought I was brave in my youth, but you – this is true courage! How did you dare? Ninth Girl, your determination puts me to shame!”

Qin Wan replied, “Actually, once you understand it, it’s not so terrible. Besides, I conduct myself properly, so I have nothing to fear.” She smiled and added, “Actually, I don’t mind these things – usually it’s others who are more concerned.”

The Empress Dowager knew Qin Wan was referring to others’ gossip and snorted lightly. “Those who achieve great things don’t get caught up in minor details, nor do they fear rumors. I know you’re doing the right thing, Ninth Girl. This time, help Yan Chi well. Once this case is solved, I’ll make sure the Emperor rewards you generously! How about that?”

Qin Wan’s face lit up with enthusiasm, her smile broadening. “That would be wonderful—”

Yan Chi’s military pledge to solve the case within three days before Yan Huai and Liu Yun quickly spread throughout the camp. The Da Zhou people were tense, while Northern Wei and Western Liang waited expectantly. The Northern Wei and Western Liang cases might be separate or possibly unrelated. With Liu Yun’s actions, if Yan Chi failed to solve the case, Northern Wei wouldn’t have waited indefinitely, and if he succeeded, Northern Wei would have even more reason to apply pressure.

As evening approached, Yan Chi hadn’t conducted any more large-scale investigations. He had only arranged for people to watch the two tall Northern Wei warriors. Whether these two were guarding, patrolling, or staying in their tent, people watched them without movement. This scene, however, caught Xu Chang’s attention.

These two tall men, one named Wei Chan and one named Xiao Yu, were elite Northern Wei warriors chosen for this mission. Like Xu Chang, they served in Northern Wei’s Imperial Guard. Xu Chang was the Deputy Instructor of the Imperial Guard; the Head Instructor had remained in Northern Wei to protect the imperial city, while Xu Chang was chosen to lead the close protection detail for Tuoba Hong and his companions. Among the nearly hundred guards Tuoba Hong had brought, about thirty could serve nearby. Xu Chang knew each of these men well, and both Wei Chan and Xiao Yu had been chosen to follow Tuoba Hong up the mountain during the hunt—

When Tuoba Wu selected guards for the main tent, he naturally chose those whom Tuoba Hong already trusted. Xu Chang was one, and most other guards were those who had gone up the mountain that day. Xu Chang left the Northern Wei warriors’ tent three times, and each time he saw people watching from a junction not far away. Previously, there had been no patrol post there. At first, Xu Chang didn’t understand why, until he saw these guards secretly following Wei Chan when he left the tent. Then he understood.

Thinking through the connections, Xu Chang figured it out. Qin Wan had asked about his visit to the medicine storehouse, and he had answered that he’d heard about it from one of his men. The guards on duty at that time were Wei Chan and Xiao Yu. Thus, they were now suspicious of anyone who knew when the medicine apprentice would leave the pharmacy.

After much consideration, when night fell, Xu Chang couldn’t help but keep Wei Chan and Xiao Yu in the tent.

Wei Chan and Xiao Yu were confused, with Wei Chan asking, “Brother Xu, what’s happening?”

With only the two of them in the tent, Xu Chang had something important to say.

Xu Chang stared coldly at Wei Chan and Xiao Yu for a moment before speaking. “You two were also on the mountain that day. Are you involved in what happened to the Crown Prince? Are you connected to what happened to General Fu from Western Liang?”

Wei Chan and Xiao Yu were startled. Xiao Yu exclaimed, “Brother Xu, what are you saying?! Don’t you know who we are? We’re Imperial Guards who’ve protected the Eastern Palace in Northern Wei, with a long-standing loyalty to the Crown Prince. How could we harm him? And as for General Fu, we have no grievances with him – why would we harm him?”

Wei Chan added, “Exactly, why would you suddenly say such things about us?”