Qin Wan’s conferment as a Princess was naturally a significant event that quickly spread throughout the camp. Besides the royal family members, the camp gathered almost all of Beijing’s noble circles, naturally sparking widespread discussion. While Qin Wan didn’t need to deal with others, she still had to greet the Qin family members.
As soon as she entered the Qin family’s main tent, Qin Shu stood up, saying, “Our Princess has returned!”
Qin Shu spoke with a smile, and Madam Hu even curtsied to Qin Wan, “Greetings, Princess.”
Seeing this, Qin Wan hurried forward to help her up, “Aunt, please don’t do this. The imperial edict hasn’t been issued yet, and besides, we’re family—there’s no need for such formalities.”
Although Qin Shu inherited the title of Loyal and Brave Marquis, his rank didn’t match that of a Princess. Madam Hu only held a second-rank title, which was also below Qin Wan. Thus, Qin Wan became the highest-ranking person in the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s household.
While Qin Shu and Madam Hu showed great enthusiasm, Qin Xiang and Qin Shuang watched with bright eyes. When Qin Wan looked their way, they quickly curtsied. Only Qin Chaoyu remained motionless, observing Qin Wan leisurely with an appraising look in her eyes. Qin Wan noticed but showed no anger, simply smiling as she helped Madam Hu to her seat.
“Although the imperial edict hasn’t been issued, your title has been decided. It’s just a matter of days—His Majesty is waiting to return to the capital to present the edict and rewards together,” Madam Hu said.
Qin Shu added, “In Great Zhou’s two hundred years of history, less than three commoner women have been granted royal Princess titles. Wan’er, you’ll be recorded in the history books.”
Qin Wan smiled modestly, “Uncle, you make me feel ashamed. I don’t deserve to be in the history books—it was just fortunate timing.”
Although Qin Shu had mixed feelings inside, he genuinely admired Qin Wan, “How could it be mere fortune? You helped solve the Gold Heist case, didn’t you? Then you cured the Empress Dowager, solved two cases in Lin’an City, and now during this hunt, if not for you, the Tuoba Crown Prince would be dead, and who knows what trouble the Third Prince of Western Liang would have caused. The current peaceful situation owes much to you—your contributions cannot be understated. You deserve this Princess title.”
Qin Wan felt greatly comforted. Being acknowledged was always more pleasant than being questioned. As for Qin Chaoyu… Qin Wan somewhat understood her thoughts. Previously, when people mentioned the Loyal and Brave Marquis household, everyone knew of Qin Chaoyu as the capital’s premier talented lady. But now that she would become a Princess, her reputation would likely overshadow Qin Chaoyu’s, which probably explained Qin Chaoyu’s displeasure.
People were strange like that. When someone far from you rises high or gains fame, you feel nothing. But when someone close suddenly becomes distinguished, you often feel discontent. Some people are naturally narrow-minded, some fear looking inferior by comparison, and only a few can genuinely appreciate others’ success.
Qin Wan didn’t expect everyone to acknowledge her, but understanding this made her more composed.
“Since the Third Prince of Western Liang revealed my involvement in examining corpses, the Marquis’s household might face criticism. When His Majesty asked about rewards, I requested these two things myself. I hope Uncle won’t mind.”
Although imperial rewards were significant matters, Qin Wan was being polite. Her achievements didn’t rely on the household’s name, and her Princess title brought glory to the household. However, Qin Shu might not have approved of her request for a corpse examination.
Qin Shu laughed heartily, “I think you did very well. Besides, you earned this through your merit—how could I blame you? Our household now has a Princess—I couldn’t be happier!”
Qin Shu’s joy was genuine, and Qin Wan could see it, warming her heart.
After a few more words, Qin Wan mentioned needing to check on Tuoba Hong’s condition and took her leave. Qin Shuang happily escorted her out, more excited than Qin Wan herself. Back in the Qin family tent, Qin Chaoyu frowned, “Father, don’t you find this very strange…”
Qin Shu raised his eyebrows, “What’s strange about it?”
Qin Chaoyu pressed her lips together, “Qin Wan just becoming a Princess like this!”
Qin Shu understood Qin Chaoyu’s thoughts and shook his head with a smile, “She earned this herself, and it’s good for our household. You’re to be the Crown Princess—don’t overthink it.”
Qin Chaoyu kept her lips pressed together. Though logic echoed Qin Shu’s words, she still felt stifled.
Qin Wan had accomplished what she couldn’t, and even helped the Crown Prince significantly!
Thinking of this, Qin Chaoyu felt both frustrated and angry! Why couldn’t she have been the one to help the Crown Prince?
In the evening, Qin Chaoyu accompanied the Empress to pay respects to the Empress Dowager. Despite her discontent, the Empress’s summons delighted her. At the Empress Dowager’s quarters, the Empress said, “The Tuoba Crown Prince waking today is wonderful news. I’ve been so worried these past days, I couldn’t even sleep properly.”
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager smiled, “Why didn’t you say so earlier?” She instructed Chen Mama, “Go brew a cup of Ninth Miss’s sleep-aiding tea for Her Majesty.”
Chen Mama agreed with a smile and asked Qin Chaoyu, “Would Eighth Miss like to try some too?”
Since it was offered to the Empress, Qin Chaoyu couldn’t refuse, so she smiled, “I’d love to try it, to see if it tastes the same as Ninth Sister’s tea from home…”
The Empress Dowager smiled, “Ninth girl makes it at home too?”
Though Qin Chaoyu wasn’t close to Qin Wan at home and wouldn’t have drunk her tea, she couldn’t say so before the Empress Dowager, “Yes, Ninth Sister likes making medicinal ointments and pills too. Whenever someone feels unwell, she offers them. When we came to Mount Wei, she gave out many bruise-healing ointments…”
This was true, and the Empress Dowager’s gaze grew more loving, “She does enjoy these things. The ointments and teas here are all her handiwork. Throughout this journey with me, I haven’t felt the slightest discomfort. When I first arrived and couldn’t sleep well, she knew some acupoint massage technique that cured most of my troubles.”
The Empress could see how much the Empress Dowager cherished Qin Wan, “Now that she’s Princess Yongci, you should keep her by your side more, Your Grace. I can see how happy she makes you.”
The Empress Dowager nodded, “We’re kindred spirits—it must be fate between us.”
As they spoke, the tea arrived. Qin Chaoyu had been sitting with a smile, but when the tea came, she detected a somewhat familiar scent. When the cup reached her hands, she recognized the smell. Qin Chaoyu found it extremely familiar, though she had never drunk Qin Wan’s tea!
Suddenly, Qin Chaoyu’s heart jolted as she remembered!
The last time she’d encountered this scent was in the Crown Prince’s tent when she went to deliver that pair of azure birds but was met with his displeasure, leaving her dejected for some time. Wasn’t this the same scent she’d noticed in the Crown Prince’s main tent that day?!
Qin Chaoyu took a small sip, tasting the tea’s pure fragrance mixed with some medicinal bitterness. The blend of tea and medicine created an unexpectedly pleasant aftertaste with a unique sweetness—it wasn’t as unpalatable as she’d imagined!
But how could Qin Wan’s medicinal tea be in the Crown Prince’s quarters?!
“Oh, I’ve never tasted this flavor before—Ninth Sister never gave me any to try!” Qin Chaoyu spoke vivaciously, with a hint of playful reproach.
The Empress Dowager laughed, “The tea is mild and needs long-term consumption to take effect. My health wasn’t good, so she devised this method to help me. She made several varieties for this trip but probably hasn’t had time to share with everyone yet. She gave the Empress some warming tea packets a few days ago—have you tried them, Empress?”
Zhao Shuhua had long forgotten about those tea packets but said, “Of course I did, and it indeed brought warmth throughout my body.”
Qin Chaoyu’s heart tightened. So only the Empress Dowager and Empress had received the tea. How did it end up in the Crown Prince’s quarters? Could the Empress have given it to him?
But she shook her head at the thought. From what she knew of the Empress, while she might drink this tea in front of the Empress Dowager, she would never touch such things in private. Qin Wan’s tea wasn’t made through official channels, and the Empress wouldn’t consume it casually. If the Empress wouldn’t drink it herself, how could she give it to the Crown Prince?
Indeed, Zhao Shuhua took one sip and set the cup aside. The Empress Dowager didn’t notice anything amiss and smiled, “She added aged tangerine peel this time, making it slightly sweet—almost the same as last time, very palatable.”
As the Empress Dowager spoke, Qin Chaoyu became more certain that the scent in the Crown Prince’s tent must have been Qin Wan’s tea. Given the Crown Prince’s temperament, his servants wouldn’t dare defy him. Unless he actively requested it, no one would dare serve him tea. Moreover, she remembered that day—when she entered, the tea lid was half-covered, clearly indicating he had been drinking it before her arrival!
Suddenly, Qin Chaoyu found the tea difficult to swallow.
Last time when she schemed to test Qin Wan, Qin Wan had angered the Crown Prince. At that time, seeing Qin Wan had no such intentions, she had felt relieved. But now, Qin Wan was secretly sending tea to the Crown Prince?!
She didn’t know if Qin Wan had met the Crown Prince since then, but Qin Wan frequently visited the palace. Perhaps other things had happened that she knew nothing about… What exactly had transpired?!
She barely heard what the Empress Dowager and Empress discussed afterward, her mind consumed by this matter. When the Empress was about to leave, she looked at Qin Chaoyu with concern, “What’s wrong? You don’t look well?”
Her internal turmoil hadn’t escaped Zhao Shuhua’s notice.
Qin Chaoyu gave a bitter smile and asked, “Was Ninth Sister’s warming tea that she gave you delicious, Your Majesty?”
Zhao Shuhua smiled, “I left it untouched. I only said that to avoid disappointing the Empress Dowager. You know how cautious I am about what I consume.”
Zhao Shuhua had grown quite close to Qin Chaoyu and didn’t hide such things from her.
Qin Chaoyu felt somewhat relieved hearing this, but the thought that Yan Che and Qin Wan had private interactions she knew nothing about made her feel as if hundreds of ants were crawling and biting at her heart.
Tuoba Hong slept for another full day, only waking again at nightfall.
This time when he awoke, his eyes appeared much clearer, and he could speak brief words, “That… Xu… Chang… it was him…”
Tuoba Wu hurriedly said, “Crown Prince Brother, don’t speak. We know everything. Xu Chang was caught in the act, and he committed suicide out of guilt when we captured him.”
Tuoba Hong didn’t seem surprised. His lips moved slightly as if wanting to say more, but Tuoba Wu continued, “Crown Prince Brother, he’s already dead, and we’ve found everything there was to find. Don’t think too much about it now—you mustn’t strain yourself.”
Since Tuoba Hong had awakened once before, Qin Wan didn’t need to keep constant watch. However, hearing he had awakened again, she came to check his pulse. After a moment, she said, “Your Highness, please rest assured. You needn’t worry about other matters right now. You’ve just awakened and need to eat and take medicine first. Your spirit will be much better tomorrow, and then we can discuss everything else.”
Qin Wan spoke with calm authority. As the one who had saved Tuoba Hong’s life, no one would oppose her words now.
Tuoba Hong’s gaze fell on Qin Wan, and after a moment, he relaxed.
Tuoba Wu personally fed Tuoba Hong some thick soup and medicine, and soon he fell into a deep sleep again.
This second awakening further proved he was out of danger. Both Tuoba Wu and Tuoba Rui were deeply grateful to Qin Wan. Tuoba Rui said, “It seemed like Elder Brother wanted to say something earlier.”
Tuoba Wu replied, “He must have been talking about Xu Chang. Elder Brother’s arrow wound wasn’t immediately fatal, so he knew who harmed him. He probably just wanted to know where Xu Chang is now.”
Given the severity of his injuries, Tuoba Hong didn’t lose consciousness immediately. Xu Chang had attempted to kill him and then smeared bait on him—the wounded Tuoba Hong likely knew everything.
If Tuoba Hong had awakened earlier, it might have mattered, but now that he woke up later, his identification wasn’t crucial. The fact that he mentioned Xu Chang first proved they hadn’t wrongly accused him.
Qin Wan said, “Princess and Your Highness need not worry. By tomorrow night at this time, the Crown Prince should be able to speak without difficulty. Then you can tell him all the subsequent details.”
Tuoba Wu quickly agreed, and Qin Wan changed Tuoba Hong’s medicine dressing before leaving.
As soon as she left the tent, she heard military drums from the plaza ahead. Now that Xu Chang had committed suicide and Tuoba Hong had awakened, except for Liu Yun and others’ displeasure over Fu Desheng’s death, the camp had cleared up like sky after rain. People were running horses and drilling soldiers in the plaza, creating the usual bustle of a hunting expedition.
Qin Wan didn’t linger to watch but returned to the Empress Dowager’s main tent.
Another night passed, and early the next morning, the camp held a rather solemn farewell ceremony. Liu Yun wanted to take Fu Desheng’s remains back to Western Liang. Taking advantage of the cool weather, he planned to have Fu Desheng’s body sent ahead first, while he would stay in Great Zhou until the hunt ended and everything was properly settled before returning.
After the ceremony, the camp held two archery competitions, naturally stirring up enthusiasm among the young nobles. While the excitement continued outside, Yan Li came to the Empress Dowager’s tent and stayed.
During the days when Qin Wan was busy with Tuoba Hong’s illness, Yan Li often visited the Empress Dowager, though they rarely crossed paths. Now that Tuoba Hong had recovered and Qin Wan had returned to the Empress Dowager’s side, they could meet when Yan Li visited.
“What characters are you writing?” Yan Li was coaxing Yan Sui. Though Yan Sui was usually close to Yan Li, at this moment, he remained silent.
Yan Sui was intently writing on the table with a water-dipped brush. He wrote with careful strokes, showing proper form, but Yan Li couldn’t make out what character it was.
Watching from the side, Qin Wan’s heart stirred. Yan Sui liked to write and draw on the stone slabs in Shoukang Palace, but he used water instead of ink. His writing was already obscure, and the watermarks dried quickly. Neither Qin Wan nor Yan Li could make out what he wrote when trying to decipher it—
“Little Nine, what are you writing?”
Qin Wan walked over, focusing on Yan Sui’s brush movements rather than the chaotic water marks on the table.
After watching for a moment, Qin Wan noticed that while Yan Sui’s strokes seemed random, including horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines, he wrote characters like drawing pictures, not following the proper stroke order. The more she watched, the more confused she became, but soon she noticed that Yan Sui would always make several distinct horizontal and vertical strokes—three horizontal and one vertical. What character had three horizontal and one vertical stroke?
Qin Wan’s eyes brightened. Wang! Wasn’t ‘Wang’ three horizontal strokes and one vertical…
Yan Li was merely curious, and seeing that Yan Sui truly didn’t want to tell, didn’t force the issue. Besides, he had no particular reason to figure out what Yan Sui was writing—what could a child possibly write that mattered?
Meanwhile, Qin Wan dared not overlook any detail. She had already thought that the characters Yan Sui persistently wrote must be related to Consort Jin’s death. She hadn’t had the chance to figure out what he was writing before, and though she’d hoped for more opportunities to observe during their time in camp, the Tuoba Hong incident had occurred.
Wang… Cheng Wang? Jin Wang? Or the Crown Prince’s former title, Yong Wang?