No one expected to find a skeleton laid out on the arhat bed in the room. Even Bai Ying drew in a sharp breath.

The black ebony bed gleamed like new, without any embroidered cushions, making the white bones appear even more ghastly against it. The room was dimly lit and cold. While ordinary people might have been terrified at suddenly seeing a skeleton, Qin Wan quickly regained her composure after the initial shock.

Her gaze methodically examined the skeleton before her, quickly determining it was female. Several thoughts flashed through her mind like lightning, causing her pupils to tremble in disbelief. Could this be…

A light suddenly appeared behind her. Qin Wan turned to see Tan Xiang approaching with a lamp.

Qin Wan looked at Tan Xiang, who met her gaze openly. This frankness further confirmed Qin Wan’s suspicions.

Without asking a single question, Qin Wan followed her instincts, or rather her certainty about Yan Ze’s intentions, and bent down to examine the remains—

The skull was smooth with indistinct muscle attachments, small and thin. The pelvis was wide and short, with thin smooth walls, straight shallow sides, and a short wide cylindrical pelvic cavity. The sacrum was short and wide, with a low pubic surface. Upon careful examination, there were signs of childbirth scarring on the posterior surface. This was a female skeleton, one who had given birth. Qin Wan leaned in closer, noting the partially absorbed pubic symphysis, distinct ridge grooves, prominent superior nodules about half an inch visible, and everted posterior edge. Qin Wan narrowed her eyes – the skeleton’s owner had died in her early twenties. After calculating in her mind, Qin Wan concluded.

The skeleton was well-preserved, likely due to being kept in a coffin, showing a dull yellowish-gray color. The flesh had long since decomposed, leaving only a thin layer of grayish residue on the bones. These remains were from someone who died even longer ago than the corpse found in the Prince of Jin’s rear courtyard. Though the residue had become very thin, it adhered firmly to the bones. Qin Wan carefully examined every inch from the skull downward but found no signs of injury.

If the skeleton’s owner had died from injury, the bones would bear permanent marks. But if there were no injuries, had she truly died from illness?

If so, what was the purpose of her visit today?

Qin Wan looked back at Tan Xiang, “Do you have examination tools?”

Tan Xiang quickly nodded and walked to a curio shelf. Only then did Qin Wan notice a small box in the lamplight.

The box had been placed there earlier. Tan Xiang brought it to Qin Wan, who opened it to find standard coroner’s tools used by government offices. Qin Wan selected an extremely thin knife and a thoracic vertebra and then began carefully scraping away the residue.

As the layer of residue came off, the bone’s natural grayish-white color was revealed, but Qin Wan felt the bone color was too dark.

Frowning, Qin Wan asked, “How did Princess Consort Yi die back then?”

Holding the lamp, Tan Xiang respectfully replied, “It was when His Majesty had just ascended the throne. The previous emperor had passed away, and His Majesty was still recovering from illness. That night, after returning from examining patients in the palace, the Princess Consort first felt chest pain, then lost her sight, and soon after her hearing as well. She passed away that very night. It happened so quickly that neither the Prince nor the Young Master had time to react. The Prince called for doctors, but they couldn’t find any signs of poisoning.”

Tan Xiang stopped there, having told Qin Wan what she needed to know.

Flickering lights danced in Qin Wan’s eyes as something occurred to her, a brief gleam flashing across her gaze.

She took a silver needle from her sleeve, pricked her fingertip, and let a drop of bright red blood fall onto the thoracic vertebra.

The blood, which should have rolled off the bone, instead merged into it, seeping into the bone tissue. Soon, Qin Wan’s expression changed again as the previously bright red blood slowly turned black—

Qin Wan froze, finally understanding why the skeleton showed no marks.

The deceased had died of poison – how could there be injury marks on the bones?

Qin Wan stared intently at the vertebra, her brows furrowed deeply for a long while. Countless thoughts raced through her mind before she finally placed the bone back down and returned the knife to the box. She felt a heaviness in her chest that made it hard to breathe. The house was cold and dark, the darkness seeming to swallow even the light from Tan Xiang’s lamp.

“Where is His Highness…”

Tan Xiang put the box back in its place and said quietly, “His Highness is waiting for you outside.”

Qin Wan straightened her back and turned around, seeing through the door’s gap a white-robed figure in the courtyard.

It was now the twelfth lunar month, and Yan Ze stood like an immortal in flowing white robes with wide sleeves. He faced away from the main door, his chin slightly raised as if gazing at the clear sky above. Qin Wan picked up the white cloth from the ground, covered the skeleton, and then turned to walk outside.

The courtyard gate was closed. Yan Ze stood alone near the vat of withered lotus plants, his whole being emanating a desolate air.

Tan Xiang closed the main door and retreated outside the courtyard gate. Seeing this, Bai Ying also stepped back. After watching Yan Ze for a moment, Qin Wan slowly approached, “I understand, Young Master.”

Yan Ze suddenly spoke in a clear voice, “Princess Consort Yi and my mother were close friends in their maiden days.”

The statement seemed abrupt, and Qin Wan didn’t immediately react. But soon, her mind caught a cruel piece of information, causing her to hold her breath. Just then, Yan Ze slowly turned around. Today he wore no medicinal cloth over his eyes, appearing extraordinarily handsome. What left Qin Wan even more speechless was his pair of eyes, black as deep pools, looking at her with a startling brightness…