“Several people in your Sister-in-law’s family suffered from madness…”
“Her grandmother and sister both died from madness…”
“Before the wedding, doctors had said that your Sister-in-law might also…”
Before Qin Wan’s eyes was Yao Xinlan’s sickly yet innocent smile, while in her mind echoed Qin Chen’s words.
“Yes, I did meet Fifth Sister.”
Qin Wan answered stiffly, and Yao Xinlan sighed, “That’s just Fifth Sister’s nature. Although she’s the legitimate daughter of the family… anyway, don’t take offense. She and Sixth Sister aren’t malicious people…”
A chill crept up from her feet. Qin Wan looked at Yao Xinlan’s sincere eyes and pressed her lips together. She raised her hand, placing her fingertips on Yao Xinlan’s wrist. Yao Xinlan seemed slightly surprised and smiled gently, “Ninth Sister is concerned about my health. Thank you, Ninth Sister.”
Qin Wan composed herself and carefully checked Yao Xinlan’s pulse. Perhaps because Qin Wan’s expression was too serious, concern appeared in Yao Xinlan’s eyes, “Ninth Sister, how is it?”
Qin Wan waited a moment before withdrawing her hand and shaking her head, “It’s still the previous issue. You’ll need to take the medicine I prescribed for two days before seeing improvement. Sister-in-law, you’re seven months pregnant now and shouldn’t stay in bed too long. Once you feel better, you should get up and move around to promote blood circulation. These days, avoid crying, don’t bathe, stay away from cold foods, and eat more rice porridge.”
Yao Xinlan noted everything down. After some thought, Qin Wan added, “If Sister-in-law suddenly feels anxious or frightened, accompanied by abdominal pain and a sinking sensation, have Mo Shu notify me immediately. Also, if you experience mental irritability, shortness of breath, or abdominal fullness, I need to know. The baby is now fully formed with bones, not as delicate as before. Sister-in-law can be more cheerful these days and needn’t worry excessively, as that would be counterproductive.”
She paused briefly, “Tomorrow I’ll bring Sister-in-law some calming pills.”
Gratitude showed in Yao Xinlan’s eyes, “Good, good, I’ve remembered everything.”
Qin Wan felt somewhat uneasy, “Has Sister-in-law truly remembered it all?”
Yao Xinlan laughed softly, exhaling, “Yes, yes, I’ve remembered. For my child’s sake, I should think of happier things too.” As she spoke, Yao Xinlan lovingly touched her swollen belly.
After giving a few more instructions and seeing it was getting late, Qin Wan finally rose to leave. Yao Xinlan was reluctant to let her go, but Qin Wan insisted she rest more, so she obediently took her medicine and lay down.
As Qin Wan walked out slowly, her mind was in chaos. She wasn’t sure what had caused Yao Xinlan’s vacant spell earlier, and the pulse showed no clear problem. On the contrary, her pregnancy bleeding and weak constitution could very well cause mental confusion.
She hadn’t specifically studied madness before, only reading about it in medical texts, and had never treated a mad patient. The history of madness in Yao Xinlan’s family must be true, and if Yao Xinlan truly showed signs of madness, then her words couldn’t be trusted.
But who had placed the musk and angelica?
Qin Wan shook her head, feeling that even just Lin Feng Court in the Qin household was murky waters she couldn’t fathom.
“Why did Ninth Sister take so long?”
As soon as she left the inner chamber, Qin Li’s voice rang out. Qin Wan looked up to see him still playing with the white jade pendant, while nearby Fuling clutched two pieces of silk, watching him nervously, clearly disliking him.
“Didn’t Second Brother also take a long time selecting gifts?”
Qin Wan walked out, not wanting to speak much with Qin Li, intending to leave directly. Unexpectedly, Qin Li followed, saying frankly, “It’s not that Second Brother took long selecting gifts, but that Second Brother was specifically waiting for Ninth Sister.”
Qin Wan frowned, and Fuling’s lips were pressed tight. Qin Li looked at the darkening sky and said, “It’s getting dark, Second Brother wouldn’t feel at ease letting Ninth Sister return to Ting Lan Court alone. Let Second Brother escort Ninth Sister back.”
Fuling wanted to speak but held back, after all, she was just a maid and dared not talk back to a young master of the household.
Qin Wan’s lips curved slightly, and she surprisingly agreed, “In that case, I’ll trouble Second Brother.”
Qin Li was stunned. He had expected Qin Wan to show a cold, displeased face, but unexpectedly she had accepted neither humbly nor arrogantly. His smile widened as he stepped forward to walk alongside her.
“Ninth Sister’s medical skills are astounding, truly surprising.”
“I didn’t want to reveal my skills, but I couldn’t keep hiding in the west back courtyard forever.”
Qin Wan spoke directly. Qin Li’s eyes brightened, “Did Ninth Sister have an awakening after jumping into the lake?”
Qin Wan turned to look sharply at Qin Li but saw only teasing and curiosity in his eyes, still no malice. Uncertain in her heart, Qin Wan smiled, “Having died once, naturally I don’t want to die a second time.”
These words matched Qin Wan’s state of mind so well that they unconsciously carried a desolate tone. Qin Li was stunned to hear this, the teasing on his face diminishing somewhat. However, his eyes deepened with inquiry, “Not wanting to die a second time, Ninth Sister went to the Purple Bamboo Grove?”
After a slight pause, Qin Li leaned closer to Qin Wan, “What in the Purple Bamboo Grove attracted Ninth Sister?”
Qin Wan simply stopped walking, “Then why did Second Brother follow me into the Purple Bamboo Grove?”
Qin Li straightened up, casually scratching his neck, “Of course, I was curious what Ninth Sister was up to.”
“Oh? I was merely curious what was in the Purple Bamboo Grove.”
Qin Li narrowed his eyes and suddenly said eerily, “Ninth Sister had better not be curious.” Seeing Qin Wan’s calm expression, he smiled wickedly and said softly, “What’s in the Purple Bamboo Grove? Why, ghosts of course…”
His expression was already strange, and with his deliberately horrifying tone, it inexplicably sent chills down one’s spine. Qin Wan frowned and was about to retort when he suddenly straightened up, glanced behind her, and said, “We’ve reached Ting Lan Court. Ninth Sister should go in.” After a slight pause, he continued in his sinister tone, “It’s getting dark, don’t wander around.”
With those words, he simply walked past Qin Wan and left.
Qin Wan stood frozen in place. Beside her, Fuling was also somewhat surprised and hurriedly stepped forward, “Young Miss, what did Second Young Master mean just now? What did you see in the Purple Bamboo Grove last time?”
Fuling nervously grabbed Qin Wan’s hand. Qin Wan gripped back and led her into Ting Lan Court.
“Fuling, what kind of person was Second Brother before?”
Hearing this, Fuling pressed her lips together and said angrily, “Second Young Master was idle all day, always teasing us whenever we met. He even touched this servant’s face and showed little respect for Young Miss. Second Young Master once said he wanted to take this servant away. I trembled with fear whenever I saw him, afraid he would snatch me away from Young Miss…”
Qin Wan’s eyes narrowed. She had deliberately tested Qin Li, and just when she thought he harbored no malice toward her, he had said these bizarre things. Ghosts in the Purple Bamboo Grove, don’t wander around in the dark—it seemed he didn’t want her going to the Purple Bamboo Grove…
Entering her room, Qin Wan’s hand unconsciously touched her sleeve pocket, which felt heavy with Su Wen’s Nine Needles and Han Yue that Yan Chi had given her. Through the pocket, she gripped Han Yue tightly, and her heart, disturbed by Qin Li, gradually steadied.
After so many days, the Purple Bamboo Grove might not retain any definite evidence, but Ninth Young Miss’s death must be connected to it. Ninth Young Miss was killed in the Purple Bamboo Grove—that night, why did she go there?
The doubts in Qin Wan’s heart grew wild like climbing vines. She wished she could take advantage of the darkness to visit the Purple Bamboo Grove again, but now she had changed courtyards and was further from it. If someone saw her going there, it would certainly cause ripples in the household.
“Young Miss, don’t think about what Second Young Master said. He’s always odd and improper. We should stay away from him. Come look at this.” Fuling placed the two pieces of silk on the low couch in front of Qin Wan. “Look, this is the finest Bi Luo green silk from the capital’s Jinxiu Workshop. There were only these two pieces. Fifth Young Miss and Sixth Young Miss don’t like wearing green, so I took them for you.”
Fuling’s words pulled Qin Wan from her thoughts. She turned to look and saw the two pieces of silk-like swirls of dark green mist scattered on the couch. Qin Wan slowly approached as Fuling said regretfully, “Actually, I wanted to get a piece of Xiao Hong gauze for Young Miss too. Xiao Hong gauze is extremely rare, and Young Miss doesn’t have any bright-colored clothes… Unfortunately, there was only one piece, and Fifth Young Miss took it…”
As Fuling spoke, her voice grew longing, “I heard that Xiao Hong gauze is dyed with red spruce from the northern plateau. The color is as red as fire, and the Jinxiu Workshop makes it especially for noble young ladies’ formal wear and wedding dresses. Just one set of clothes is worth a thousand gold. The matron in charge of carrying the boxes said that Xiao Hong gauze doesn’t show any stains except for pine-soot ink, which leaves a blue-black mark that can’t be removed. That’s why when they delivered it, they kept it separate from the young masters’ and master’s writing supplies…”
Qin Wan’s eyelids twitched. She looked at Fuling and asked, “You say Xiao Hong gauze is used for wedding dresses?”
Fuling, completely unaware, replied, “Yes, Young Miss, though one wedding dress requires several pieces of Xiao Hong gauze to make. Today’s only piece was taken by Fifth Young Miss…”
“In that case, was Song Rou’s wedding dress also made of Xiao Hong gauze?”
Qin Wan murmured, her eyes filled with an impenetrable darkness. That night, the marks on the headless corpse’s wedding dress weren’t moss stains, but ink marks.