Qin Wan never doubted Yan Chi’s perceptiveness, but she hadn’t expected him to probe so deeply.
What happened on the evening of July twenty-first?
In the capital, the Shen family was surrounded and executed by the Imperial Guard. In Jin Zhou, the Qin family’s Ninth Miss was nearly murdered by an unknown assailant. And she—Shen Wan, the cherished daughter of the Minister of Justice Shen Yi—had been reborn in the body of Ninth Miss Qin Wan of the Loyal and Brave Marquis Manor.
No one knew that beneath the identical appearance lay a different soul.
And this was destined to remain a secret buried in Qin Wan’s heart for life.
“On the evening of July twenty-first, there was a heavy rain in Jin Zhou. Qin Wan slipped and fell into the manor’s inner lake. That’s all there was to it.”
Qin Wan’s eyes were clear as she frowned, “Why does Your Highness ask this?”
Yan Chi gazed at her penetratingly, finally curving his lips slightly, “Ninth Miss always carries an air of mystery about her, as if hiding some secret that unconsciously sparks curiosity.”
Yan Chi’s tone was harmless and sincere. Qin Wan looked at him quietly, “As humans, we all must hide many secrets to live our lives skillfully. Similarly, what secrets does Your Highness hide?”
Yan Chi’s eyes deepened slightly. Qin Wan glanced at his shoulder, “Have Your Highness’s shoulder and back injuries improved?”
Yan Chi clearly understood that Qin Wan was reminding him that while Yue Qing had caused his shoulder injury, his back injury came from elsewhere. His phoenix eyes narrowed as he looked at the slender Qin Wan before him, his lips curving slightly, “Ninth Miss is quite brave.”
Qin Wan also curved her lips, a shallow dimple appearing on her left cheek, “If I were timid, how could I dare treat the Grand Princess’s illness? If I were timid, I certainly wouldn’t have dared to perform an autopsy.”
Yan Chi gave her an ambiguous smile, then suddenly raised his hand to gesture forward.
Both were heading to the Grand Princess’s quarters, so naturally, they could walk together. Qin Wan turned, and Yan Chi stepped forward, the two walking side by side along the corridor in the morning light.
“Last night’s investigation of the Song family’s guards yielded no results. What does Ninth Miss think?”
Yan Chi’s words confirmed Qin Wan’s speculation. Her brows furrowed, “There are two key points. First, who could have obtained Miss Song’s wedding clothes? Second, why did that person come to Mei Garden?”
Yan Chi lifted his chin slightly, “Miss Song’s maid and close guards all knew she had prepared wedding clothes. Anyone with ill intent could have stolen them without much difficulty. As for why they came to Mei Garden, it was likely to frighten Ninth Miss.”
Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, “What purpose would frightening me serve? Did they want to use me to make this matter public?”
Yan Chi shook his head, “I’m afraid it’s not that simple…”
With last night’s events fresh in their minds and the manor in chaos because of it, neither Yan Chi nor Qin Wan could determine the true reason. They both fell into contemplation. This bizarre case had nothing to do with either of them, yet they found themselves walking along its edges, seemingly about to be pulled in at any moment. Who had killed Song Rou?
“What a sin, they’ve all been taken to the front courtyard for questioning!”
The sudden voices brought Qin Wan back to her senses. She looked up to see several cleaning maids gathered in a nearby courtyard, their backs turned to her and Yan Chi, unaware of their presence.
“Who knows what happened? I heard there was an incident in Mei Garden last night.”
“Mei Garden? Isn’t that where Ninth Miss Qin is staying?”
“Yes, her. She’s only been here two days and already there’s trouble. Have you heard? She died once before—was cold and everything, with the funeral hall all setup—but strangely came back to life. And they say she caused her parents’ deaths. The Loyal and Brave Marquis Manor in the capital sent her to the Qin family because they feared her ill fate. Rumor has it that wherever she goes, evil follows…”
Qin Wan stopped in her tracks. She had thought they were just discussing manor affairs, but unexpectedly, she had become their target. She raised an eyebrow and listened with composure. Yan Chi stopped with her, his phoenix eyes narrowing sharply.
“Ah, could this chaos in our manor be because of her?”
“Who’s to say it isn’t! The Madam even let her stay for two nights! And dared to let her treat the Old Madam. This is…”
“Don’t say that—Ninth Miss was invited by Madam because of her excellent medical skills!”
“What’s so excellent? She’s only been here two days and the manor’s in chaos again. Last night, why did something happen in Mei Garden of all places? I heard she moved to the Princess’s quarters to rest…”
“When you put it that way, I’m a bit scared. But the Madam invited her, what can we do?”
“Indeed, we can’t exactly ask Madam to drive her—”
Before the word “out” could be spoken, the speaking maid turned and saw Qin Wan and Yan Chi. Her eyes widened suddenly, her face turning pale as she froze. The other maids noticed something wrong and turned around, also instantly becoming ashen-faced!
With a “thud,” they all knelt simultaneously.
“Ninth Miss, Your—Your Highness, please spare us, Ninth Miss please spare us—”
“Your Highness spare us, Ninth Miss spare us—”
They kowtowed one after another, begging for mercy. Qin Wan looked at them coldly without speaking.
Yan Chi lazily darkened his expression, “Bai Feng—”
As soon as he spoke, Bai Feng, who had been following at a distance, immediately came forward, “Your Highness?”
Yan Chi spoke emotionlessly, “Go inform the Madam.”
Hearing this, the maids immediately collapsed in terror, still begging for mercy, but Qin Wan had already withdrawn her gaze and continued walking along the corridor, looking straight ahead.
Yan Chi walked beside her, his gaze drifting over casually, “I helped you, yet you don’t thank me?”
Qin Wan stopped and looked at Yan Chi, “Even if Your Highness hadn’t told the Madam, I would have. The result would have been the same—Your Highness just acted first.”
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow, looking at Fu Ling who was cowering behind them, trying to stay as far away as possible, then at the completely composed Qin Wan. He found their difference striking—her maid feared him like the King of Hell, yet she dared to say anything.
This realization brought him some pleasure, “You would have told the Madam? You’re a guest in the Marquis Manor. Telling the Madam directly might suggest she’s lax in managing the household. Most others would have endured it.”
“Enduring breeds resentment. Perhaps they were hoping I would become resentful and never return to the Qin Manor.” After a slight pause, Qin Wan continued, “Moreover, hearing such words at this time makes me think of other possibilities.”
Her serious tone drew Yan Chi’s focused attention, “What possibilities?”
Qin Wan pressed her lips together, also looking at Yan Chi, “I feel that both last night’s headless female corpse and this morning’s gossip are attempts to drive me out of the Marquis Manor…”
“Drive you out of the Marquis Manor?”
Yan Chi frowned, and then his eyes suddenly brightened, “You think today’s gossip didn’t arise from nothing?”
Qin Wan nodded slightly, “The Madam runs a strict household. Unless someone deliberately stirred things up, such reckless talk wouldn’t happen. By ordinary logic, once these words spread, even if the Madam didn’t believe them, I would become uncomfortable and leave.”
She paused, then continued, “And last night, that headless female corpse was strange and terrifying. Fu Ling was scared out of her wits. By ordinary logic, I too would have been frightened enough to want to leave.”
Yan Chi’s bright eyes focused on Qin Wan, “But you are no ordinary woman.”
Qin Wan shook her head and continued, “I’m not certain, because thinking it through, my staying at the Marquis Manor shouldn’t interfere with anyone. Why would someone behind the scenes want me to leave?”
Yan Chi’s pupils contracted slightly. Suddenly, as if thinking of something, his expression brightened, “Could it be they don’t want you involved in Miss Song’s case?” After some thought, Yan Chi found this speculation increasingly reasonable, “Last time you helped Yue Qing, many people knew about it. Could the person behind this fear that you might help solve Miss Song’s case and find the murderer?”
Their eyes met, and Qin Wan’s heart tightened, “While that’s possible, I’m not from the magistrate’s office. How could I freely interfere with Miss Song’s case? If the person behind this truly thinks so, they’re worrying needlessly.”
But Yan Chi’s gaze grew certain, “Whatever the reason, I believe we’ll know in two days.” After a pause, he suddenly said, “Be careful these next few days.”
Yan Chi’s expression was serious, his eyes filled with deep concern.
Qin Wan felt a warmth in her heart, surprised that she could feel cared for at this moment. She stared at Yan Chi as if trying to determine if the concern in his eyes was genuine. After a while, her lips curved as she said, “Thank you, Your Highness.”
The seriousness on Yan Chi’s face dispersed at her “Thank you.” He couldn’t help but smile, “I thought you wouldn’t thank me.”
Qin Wan shook her head, “I’m not thanking Your Highness for the warning.”
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow, “Oh? Then what are you thanking me for?”
Qin Wan’s smile widened further, the polite distance in her manner fading. Her hand discreetly touched the needle case in her sleeve as she said warmly, “Thank you for Your Highness’s medical consultation fee.”