Before A’Han left, he had helped Qing Xuzi carry Chang Rong and Wei Bo out of the estate and onto Qingyun Temple’s carriage, which was waiting outside. This way, even if the Qu family heard sounds and came out to check on things, there would be no unnecessary misunderstandings.

The Qingxin Pills had already been administered to Chang Rong and Wei Bo. The color had returned somewhat to their faces, but as to exactly when the two of them would regain consciousness, even Qing Xuzi did not know.

“That thing earlier was like a ghost yet not quite a ghost — like a demon yet not quite a demon. It arrived without a sound, without a breath — even your master nearly let himself be fooled by it. And A’Han has the Pure Yang Constitution, which is rare once in a century — his five senses are abnormally acute, and ordinary demons and evil spirits cannot normally come close to him. Yet that ghostly entity was not only able to suppress him, it was also able to control his mind and spirit. I find that truly unfathomable.”

Of all five people who had come into direct confrontation with the female ghost tonight, only Qing Xuzi had emerged unscathed. The others had all been bested by her in one way or another — but Chang Rong and Wei Bo knew no Daoist arts, and Qin Yao had been wounded, so those cases could be overlooked. But why had even A’Han, who had been on guard and prepared, failed to escape the ghost’s ambush?

Qin Yao’s brows were drawn tightly together. She tilted her head and continued to turn over in her mind the ghost’s appearance, combing mentally through every person she knew — yet she could not find a single face that resembled the ghost’s. She had always had an excellent memory; she could not have misidentified a face she had never seen before. Then where exactly had she seen those eyes?

She had been deep in thought for quite a while when she looked up and found her master watching her steadily, his gaze heavy with searching inquiry. She felt rather at a loss. “What is it, Master?”

Qing Xuzi had assumed Qin Yao was feigning ignorance, and the fire of irritation climbed swiftly within him. He jabbed a finger at the two men lying on the ground: “I’m asking you — these two are guards from the Lan Prince’s Young Lord’s household. Why would they be turning up in the middle of the night at the Qu estate?”

Qin Yao almost wanted to laugh. Her master really had been slow to catch on. He had already helped her move Chang Rong and the others from inside to outside the estate, and had sent A’Han to the palace to bring word to Lin Xiao — and only now was he thinking to ask this question.

She replied with complete composure: “I have no idea.”

Qing Xuzi, hearing Qin Yao’s answer delivered with such steady conviction, suspected he might have misread the situation, and asked with uncertainty: “Wasn’t it the Lan Prince’s Young Lord who sent them?”

Qin Yao gave him a look: “Master, I have been at home recovering from my injury these past two days. If it weren’t for that fierce ghost harassing me, I wouldn’t have had to trouble you into coming all the way from Qingyun Temple. You were involved in tonight’s events from beginning to end — is there anything I would know that you wouldn’t?”

Qing Xuzi was stumped, and was about to speak again, when the sound of hoofbeats suddenly rang out on the empty street, drawing closer and stopping before the Qu estate gate.

Qing Xuzi lifted the carriage curtain and immediately spotted Lin Xiao. Seeing him in his third-rank military officer’s uniform — distinguished in bearing, and strikingly handsome — Qing Xuzi noted that even in the dense darkness of night, the man’s hidden dragon-and-phoenix bearing could not be concealed. He could not help but give a quiet, reluctant sigh. Every man in that family had been graced with exceptional looks. Setting aside family standing, the sheer appearance of him was one in ten thousand.

Small wonder Qin Yao could remain undazzled and hold fast to her heart.

In addition to A’Han, there were several Lan Prince’s Manor guards riding behind Lin Xiao. When he reached the carriage, Lin Xiao dismounted and gave Qing Xuzi a bow: “Greetings, Daoist. Where are my two guards now? Is Miss Qu well?”

Qing Xuzi narrowed his eyes. No matter how outwardly humble and restrained this young man appeared, the core of him still bore the habits of someone long accustomed to holding power. His guards had intruded on private property in the dead of night, yet he showed not a flicker of shame, and walked right in asking openly about Qin Yao’s condition — and right in front of her master, at that. Was he truly so certain that the vast disparity in their respective stations left the Qu family no choice but to be shaped and molded by him however he wished?

“They are in the carriage. Their lives are out of danger — as for when they wake, that is for them and their own fortune to determine,” Qing Xuzi replied with cool displeasure. “There is one thing your humble Daoist does not understand. Tonight, while the three of us master and disciples were inside the estate performing a ghost-exorcism ritual, may I ask why your two guards would climb the wall and enter uninvited?”

Reassured that Chang Rong and the others were not in immediate danger, Lin Xiao noted Qing Xuzi’s tone of implied accusation and answered without a trace of embarrassment: “Recently, an important item went missing from my Lan Prince’s Manor. A local resident reported having seen a night thief in the vicinity, so I sent several manor guards to patrol the area in hopes of recovering the stolen goods sooner. I imagine my men must have been chasing a suspected thief and inadvertently entered the Qu estate in the process. Their conduct was rash, but there was no malicious intent — I ask the Daoist not to take offense.”

Qing Xuzi listened to the sincerity in his voice and nearly convinced himself that he had been wronging Lin Xiao all along. But he simply could not believe there was such coincidence in this world — why was it that every single time something happened to Qin Yao, this young lord somehow appeared at her side?

“Young lord.” Qin Yao had just stepped down from the carriage only to find Qing Xuzi wearing a sour expression. With no other option, she said politely to Lin Xiao: “Guard Chang and Guard Wei have already taken the Qingxin Pills. They haven’t regained consciousness yet, but the color in their faces has improved considerably. I still have two Three-Yang Dan pellets that restore vital energy — once they wake, have them take one each. They should be fine after that.”

As she spoke, she reached with her uninjured arm into the pouch at her waist and extracted a medicine vial, tipping the medicine out and handing it to Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao watched her every movement intently. He saw that though her face was composed, her left arm moved sluggishly — clearly not yet fully recovered. Her chin was fine and pointed, and in just two days she seemed to have grown noticeably thinner.

Something pressed heavily and dully at his heart. He said quietly: “Are you feeling better?”

Qin Yao nodded and smiled: “Much better, thank you for your concern, young lord.” She turned, preparing to lift the carriage curtain and invite Lin Xiao to settle Chang Rong and Wei Bo somewhere more comfortable.

Lin Xiao’s gaze fell upon her snow-white neck and the several dark greenish-black fingermarks printed there. He was visibly shaken. “What happened to your neck?” He stepped forward in a few quick strides and reached out to steady her shoulder, bending his head to look more closely.

Qing Xuzi blazed with fury: “Young lord, please conduct yourself with propriety!”

Qin Yao stepped back several paces, looking at Lin Xiao with an expression of bewilderment.

Lin Xiao stood motionless, deeply regretting his loss of composure. He thought of that previous time at the Wei Duke’s estate, when Qin Yao had spoken of how Xia Di had taken liberties with her — the look of disgust and contempt on her face at the memory. She clearly detested such things deeply. Now here he had, in a moment of forgetting himself, overstepped — he did not know whether she would henceforth see him as just another scoundrel.

“Young lord—” The carriage curtain suddenly opened and Chang Rong emerged from inside, his gaze unfocused, his expression thoroughly confused.

Qin Yao saw the gray, desolate look on Lin Xiao’s face and the way he seemed oblivious to Chang Rong’s words. Only then did she realize that she and her master had overreacted just now, misreading the other person’s genuine goodwill and in doing so putting him in an embarrassing position for no reason. She quickly seized on Chang Rong’s words to defuse the tension, smiling: “Awake at last — that’s good, that’s very good.”

Lin Xiao relaxed slightly.

Wei Bo followed Chang Rong out of the carriage just then. Both men’s vital energy had not yet recovered — they walked as though stepping on cotton wool.

Lin Xiao observed them and remembered Qin Yao’s words. He gave the Three-Yang Dan to Chang Rong and Wei Bo: “Take these at once.”

Chang Rong swallowed the medicine. Still lingering in fear, he said: “That female ghost tonight was genuinely terrifying.” And then he went over the whole prior sequence of events for Lin Xiao from start to finish — naturally omitting the part about Lin Xiao having sent him to protect Qin Yao, saying instead that they had been passing by and happened to run into the ghost.

Lin Xiao’s brows drew together tightly. He looked toward Qin Yao with concern: “Why would this female ghost be fixated on you like this? In recent days, have you gone somewhere you shouldn’t have?”

Qin Yao shook her head: “Since returning from Dayin Temple the day before yesterday, I haven’t gone out once. I truly don’t know where this female ghost came from.”

Qing Xuzi turned and walked back toward the estate: “In this world, every effect has a cause. That female ghost did not come after you without reason — there must be something of yours that it wants. We just don’t yet understand what it seeks. For these coming days, master and senior brother will guard you every step of the way. We will not return to Qingyun Temple until this ghost has been eliminated.”

Lin Xiao heard those words and felt somewhat reassured.

Seeing Qin Yao turn and follow Qing Xuzi back into the estate without hesitation, he shifted slightly and stepped to block her path: “Miss Qu, please wait — I have two things I would like to say to you.”

Qin Yao had no choice but to stop, and looked up toward Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao was very tall. When the two of them stood facing each other, Qin Yao only reached his chin.

Thin clouds veiled the moon, and the night was deeply dark. Most of Lin Xiao’s face was cast in half-light, half-shadow, and Qin Yao could not quite make out his expression. She only felt that his gaze was unusually bright — resting on her face, it produced a strange burning sensation that had no apparent cause.

This unfamiliar feeling unsettled her. She turned her head slightly to avoid Lin Xiao’s gaze, cleared her throat, and said with forced composure: “Young lord, please speak freely.”

But then Qing Xuzi, who had just lifted the foot he had stepped inside the Qu estate with, suddenly withdrew it, turned, descended the steps, and made straight for Qin Yao: “What are you dawdling around for? Come back inside with your master at once!”

Qin Yao was pulled stumbling by her master and was rather embarrassed on the surface, but inwardly felt as though a weight had been lifted. Without a chance to see Lin Xiao’s expression, she smoothly let herself be swept along through the gate with her master.

Lin Xiao had not seen Qin Yao in several days and had hoped to use this opportunity to look at her a little longer and say a few more words — only to have Qing Xuzi insert himself and ruin his plans entirely. He stood there for a long time in disappointed disappointment, and only once Qin Yao’s figure had completely disappeared behind the gate did he mount his horse with a darkened face and leave the Qu estate, dispirited.

Chang Rong, Wei Bo, and the others dared not breathe a word and followed along behind Lin Xiao. From time to time they exchanged knowing, wordless glances. They had always felt the Qu estate was rather modest and that Miss Qu was somewhat beneath the young lord’s station — but looking at tonight’s scene, it was entirely unclear who was looking down on whom.

For the next several days in a row, the female ghost did not appear again. Meanwhile, Qin Yao’s shoulder wound improved a little more each day.

Qing Xuzi, in order to watch over Qin Yao, set aside the affairs of Qingyun Temple and stayed at the Qu estate for more than half a month.

Now, seeing Qin Yao’s health restored and the female ghost absent, he decided to leave A’Han at the Qu estate to look after Qin Yao, and return first to Qingyun Temple to oversee things there himself.

In the meantime, Wang Yingning had sent a calling card and come to visit Qin Yao several times. Qin Yao appreciated her gracious and good-natured manner; Wang Yingning admired Qin Yao’s warm-hearted and generous spirit. After that, the two of them stayed in touch from time to time. Additionally, the Jinghai Marquis sent another wave of rare medicinal goods, along with instructions for the elderly physician to come to the Qu estate every other day to take Qin Yao’s pulse.

Strangely, Feng Boyu had not shown his face even once.

After being confined to the estate for so many days, Qin Yao was finally recovered enough to want to go out and get some air. Qu Chen Shi could not dissuade her daughter. As it happened, she needed to go out that day to buy some tonics and cosmetics, so she brought Qin Yao and A’Han along with her.

When they arrived at Yunrong Zhai, the cosmetics shop, Qin Yao had barely stepped out of the carriage when she heard someone calling her: “A’Yao, little sister!”

She turned and saw who it was, her face lighting up with a smile: “Big Brother Feng.”

Feng Boyu was somewhat thinner and darker than before, but he looked vigorous and full of energy. He walked over to the Qu family carriage and first paid his respects to Qu Chen Shi: “These past days, my mother and younger sister came to Chang’an, and I have been busy settling them in — I have not been able to call on Auntie and offer my respects. I trust Uncle is well? Is Auntie well? Is A’Yao well?”

It was then that Qin Yao noticed that not far behind Feng Boyu stood a mother and daughter, both simply and plainly dressed, looking over with warm smiles.

Both mother and daughter bore some resemblance to Feng Boyu in their features — especially the young girl leaning against her mother’s side, who looked as though she had been made from the same mold as Feng Boyu. Anyone passing by on the street would immediately recognize them as brother and sister.

Qu Chen Shi smiled so widely she could barely close her mouth: “All well! All well!” She pointed toward the mother and daughter pair and asked Feng Boyu: “Is that Madam Feng and Miss Feng over there?”

Feng Boyu confirmed it and, smiling, brought his mother and sister over to be introduced to the Qu mother and daughter.

Madam Feng appeared to be not very comfortable in social situations — she was stiff and ill at ease throughout, her every move betraying her humble origins. Miss Feng, however, was far more outgoing than her mother, and a pair of deep dimples appeared when she smiled. Sweetly, she called Qu Chen Shi “Auntie Qu” right away, and then grabbed Qin Yao’s hand to introduce herself: “My name is Chuyue.”

Qin Yao had heard her brother mention previously that Feng Boyu’s father had died young, leaving only a widowed mother and one younger sister. After his father’s death, Feng Boyu had taken charge of the household while still a young boy, not only managing the modest property his father had left behind but also working his way to Chang’an through the examinations — a genuinely remarkable achievement.

Seeing Feng Chuyue greet her with warm enthusiasm, Qin Yao quickly responded in kind with equal cheerfulness: “My name is Qin Yao.” By comparison, the two of them had been born in the same year, with Feng Chuyue being only two months older than Qin Yao.

As they talked, she learned that the family property back home that Feng Boyu had entrusted someone to sell — the fields and shops — had now found buyers. Madam Feng and her daughter had taken the proceeds from the sale and come to Chang’an to be with Feng Boyu, intending to settle in the capital for good. For the past couple of days they had been looking at houses.

“That is the best possible news,” Qu Chen Shi said warmly to Madam Feng. “Boyu is young but accomplished — appointed by the Emperor to serve at the Court of Judicial Review. If he can set up a home in Chang’an and settle you two properly, at least the family won’t be separated across two places, always worrying about each other.”

“Isn’t that right.” Madam Feng nodded repeatedly. She had nothing more in the way of polite social pleasantries to say, and could only earnestly second everything Qu Chen Shi said.

Feng Boyu stood nearby and, without drawing attention to it, smoothed over the awkwardness in his mother’s conversation with a few tactful words here and there.

Since the two families had run into one another, and Qu Chen Shi was eager to befriend Madam Feng, she suggested finding a nearby restaurant with good food and treating the Feng mother and daughter to some authentic Chang’an cuisine.

Qin Yao happily seconded the idea. She had not heard any news about the cases in Pingkang Ward for some time and had been wondering how to get a chance to ask Feng Boyu about them.

As luck would have it, there was a restaurant nearby called the Fragrant Pavilion whose roasted goose and duck were quite well regarded. Feng Boyu had eaten there several times himself and had a good impression of the place, so he smiled and proposed treating Qu Chen Shi and the others to something new at the Fragrant Pavilion.

Once inside and seated, Feng Boyu carefully ordered the food and then looked at Qin Yao: “I haven’t seen you in quite a while — how are your studies going with that old gentleman at your house?”

The Dayin Temple affair had been placed under the Emperor’s decree of silence and not a breath of news had leaked out. Feng Boyu apparently had no idea Qin Yao had been injured.

Qin Yao and her mother exchanged a subtle look and said nothing to correct the impression, only smiling: “These past days the old teacher has been unwell, and for most of the time he has had me review my lessons on my own. I haven’t practiced the flute in quite a while.”

A look of concern crossed Feng Boyu’s face: “That is rather worrying — next month you will be starting at Yunyin Academy. Can you manage to keep up with the coursework?” His tone was full of solicitude.

Before Qin Yao could answer, Feng Chuyue spoke up with curiosity from beside her: “A’Yao, little sister, you are going to study at an academy? I heard my brother mention before that there is an academy in Chang’an for young women — is that the Yunyin Academy you are going to?”

Qin Yao nodded: “That’s the one.”

Feng Chuyue seemed quite envious: “What do they teach there? The four arts — music, chess, calligraphy, and painting? Poetry, lyrics, and verse?”

Qin Yao had not expected Feng Chuyue to take such an interest in Yunyin Academy. She was momentarily surprised, then smiled: “This academy was sealed for over twenty years before recently reopening to take in students. I have no real picture of what the curriculum will look like. Maybe it will be just what you said — music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.”

Feng Chuyue paused in thought for a moment, then looked over at Feng Boyu, took his arm and pleaded: “Brother, I want to go to the academy and learn things too.”

A troubled expression came over Feng Boyu’s face. With patient composure he said to Feng Chuyue: “This Yunyin Academy is founded by the imperial family. The students it admits are exclusively daughters of officials ranked third grade and above—” — meaning: your brother hasn’t reached that rank yet.

Feng Chuyue could not conceal her disappointment. After quite a while, she sighed softly and propped her chin in her hand: “Hmm. Chang’an is fine and all, but the rules and restrictions are too much — there’s a constraint around every corner. It’s nowhere near as free as our old home in Yuanzhou.”

Qin Yao found her directness and candor rather endearing and was just about to say something to cheer her up when the sound of footsteps came from the upper floor. Someone was coming down, and when they caught sight of Qin Yao, they gave a small surprised exclamation and called out: “Miss Qu.” The voice was soft and gentle, with a hesitant, timid quality to it.

Qin Yao looked toward the sound and rose to greet the person: “Miss Qin.”

Qin Yuan still had her usual look of delicate fragility, but the color in her face was much improved compared to that time at Dayin Temple. She was wearing a deep green jacket-skirt ensemble with a matching feather-satin cape, her figure graceful and slender, surrounded by a large entourage of maidservants and attendants.

The Feng mother and daughter appeared never to have witnessed the scale of such a noble household’s young lady out on a stroll before. They rose to their feet in flustered imitation of Qin Yao, particularly Madam Feng, who seemed not to know what to do with her hands and feet.

Feng Boyu gave a quiet inward sigh, drew his mother to take her seat, and murmured a few reassuring words to her, after which Madam Feng’s expression gradually steadied.

Qin Yuan glanced at Feng Boyu and the others seated beside Qin Yao and, hesitating a moment, walked over. She reddened slightly and said to Qin Yao: “I should have come in person long ago to thank you for what happened, but after returning home I fell ill and have only been well enough to go out these past two days—” Then she glanced once more toward Feng Boyu and lowered her voice: “Are you all right now?”

A flicker of something strange passed through Qin Yao’s mind. Somehow, in just half a month, Miss Qin’s social graces had become so much more polished. How was that?

Then she remembered what her mother had said about Qin Yuan losing her mother the moment she was born — and though she had grown up amid gold and jade, her life had not been without its sorrows. Compassion stirred in Qin Yao’s heart, and she pressed the puzzlement down and answered quietly: “I’m much better. Thank you to your family for sending the physician to look after me — if anything, it is I who haven’t properly thanked you yet.”

Then she looked past Qin Yuan: “Is your father not with you today?”

Qin Yuan nodded: “He came. My father had a day’s rest from official duties today, and seeing that I hadn’t gone out in so many days, he brought me out for a bit of air.”

Her words had barely finished when, from behind her attendants, a ripple of greeting rang out: “My lord Marquis.”

A man in fine brocade robes walked in — his features clear and bright, his bearing distinguished, and though he was already past thirty, the noble, composed elegance in his manner drew the gaze of everyone in the restaurant the moment he entered.

Feng Chuyue stared blankly at the man, unable to even blink.

From behind Qin Yao, Qu Chen Shi also let out a low, startled breath: “Young Marquis Qin?!”

Hearing it, Qin Yao recalled her mother having mentioned that Qin Cheng was once the most celebrated handsome man in Chang’an. She had barely caught a glimpse of him that time at Dayin Temple. Now, seeing him properly for the first time, she found the reputation was entirely deserved.

Qin Yuan immediately took Qin Yao’s hand and walked to Qin Cheng’s side, saying softly: “Father, this is Miss Qu.” — mindful of Feng Boyu and the others nearby, she kept her voice very low.

Qin Cheng’s manner became one of serious respect. He nodded to Qin Yao: “Has your injury healed, Miss Qu?”

“Much better.” Qin Yao quickly returned the bow. “Actually, I have yet to properly thank the Marquis for sending the household physician to look after me and for all the tonics and medicines sent along. You have been too generous.”

“It was only right,” Qin Cheng said, with a look of genuine approval. “I did not expect someone so young as Miss Qu to possess such a chivalrous and courageous spirit — it is truly admirable. When I called on your family the other time and met your elder brother, he was barely past his coming-of-age yet already spoke with restraint and conducted himself with steadiness and gravity. It is evident from this that your family’s conduct is exemplary — to have raised two such outstanding children.”

Qu Chen Shi, overhearing this, smiled so widely she could not close her mouth: “You flatter them too generously, my lord.” In her heart, however, she was deeply moved. How long ago had Qin Cheng been, to her, as distant and unreachable as the moon in the sky — someone she could only gaze at from afar? She had never imagined that in this lifetime she would one day have the pleasure of a single word of praise from him.

Feng Chuyue took in the scene, then quietly stepped to Qin Yao’s side. Mimicking Qin Yao’s manner, she flushed and gave Qin Cheng a bow: “Feng Chuyue pays her respects to the Marquis.”

Feng Chuyue had a naturally fine voice — clear and sweet, and now softened with shyness, it sounded all the more like clear spring water trickling in moonlight.

Qin Cheng and his daughter both startled slightly and turned to look at Feng Chuyue.

Qu Chen Shi was struck speechless. What in the world was young Miss Feng up to this time?

Feng Boyu’s expression darkened. He stepped forward in a few quick strides, drew Feng Chuyue behind him, and gave Qin Cheng a bow: “My sister has only just arrived in Chang’an and does not yet know the proprieties. I ask the Marquis to forgive any impertinence.”

Over the years, Qin Cheng had seen no shortage of such eager young women introducing themselves uninvited and seeking to attach themselves to him. He acknowledged Feng Boyu’s words with a nod and turned his attention away from Feng Chuyue entirely, saying to the Qu mother and daughter only: “If there is ever anything where I can be of assistance, please feel free to send word to the Jinghai Marquis Manor. We have been out for some time today, and I am concerned that Yuan’er may be overtaxed — I am afraid we must be the first to take our leave.”

Knowing how much Qin Cheng doted on Qin Yuan — holding her as though afraid she would fly away if he loosened his grip, keeping her as though afraid she would melt if she stayed too long in his mouth — Qu Chen Shi and Qin Yao were not at all surprised and hurriedly said: “Miss Qin’s health comes first — please go ahead, my lord Marquis.”

Qin Yuan held onto Qin Yao’s hand, lingering: “In a few days I will host a banquet at home — you must come.”

Qin Yao agreed with a smile.

After the small commotion that Feng Chuyue had stirred up, the atmosphere at the meal was rather awkward.

A’Han, true to form, kept his head down and ate with single-minded focus, as though he barely existed.

Feng Boyu sat with a taut face and said nothing, periodically fixing his sister with a gaze sharp enough to cut.

Madam Feng swallowed her shame and embarrassment and managed half a bowl of rice before claiming she was too full to eat more.

And the culprit herself — Feng Chuyue — appeared to be completely unaware of anything amiss, heaping food into Qin Yao’s and Qu Chen Shi’s bowls with such warm-hearted enthusiasm that it was impossible to refuse.

When the meal was finished, the group came out of the Fragrant Pavilion. Feng Chuyue hooked her arm through Qu Chen Shi’s in an intimately familiar way and addressed her as “Auntie” over and over without stopping, completely setting aside her own mother.

Qin Yao kept Madam Feng company for a while in conversation, then looked over and noticed that Feng Boyu’s mood seemed rather low. Since Feng family affairs were not her place to comment on, she thought the best thing she could do was introduce a different subject to lift his spirits.

“Big Brother Feng, has there been any progress on the cases in Pingkang Ward?” She deliberately fell back a few steps so she was walking alongside him.

Feng Boyu glanced at her, and the tight knot of his brows eased somewhat. “No progress yet. After your reminder last time, I made inquiries for several days and finally tracked down the jewelry shop where that dancer from Xiaozhong Shan had ordered the earrings. The shop owner said those earrings had been designed and made on a whim by one of the shop’s craftsmen — only one pair existed, and after that dancer bought them, no other pair was ever made. Furthermore, on the night of the Wei Duke’s banquet, Xiaozhong Shan’s dance troupe was indeed invited to perform. So the woman you saw at the Wei Duke’s estate that night was most likely this dancer named Rou Qing.”

Qin Yao’s eyes lit up.

Feng Boyu understood what Qin Yao was about to say, and shook his head: “But that night there were over a hundred guests at the Wei Duke’s banquet. And Rou Qing wasn’t murdered until half a month after the banquet. Even if we confirm the identity of the man who spoke with Rou Qing that night, it’s not enough evidence to identify him as the killer.”

Fair enough. Qin Yao gave a silent nod and tried a different angle: “What about the first two victims? Have there been any leads?”

Feng Boyu’s expression immediately became rather uncomfortable: “Nothing of value has come to light. But strangely, Wen Niang — the one who hanged herself in the prison — died clearly after Lin Yao Niang and Xue Li’er, yet her body decomposed beyond recognition within just a matter of days. The mortuary room where her body is being kept now reeks so badly that the case remains open and burial cannot proceed. My colleagues at the court office avoid it like the plague — no one is willing to go near.”

A body decomposing so rapidly within just a few days?

Something flashed through Qin Yao’s mind like a streak of lightning. She furrowed her brows in thought, then suddenly said: “Big Brother Feng, could I ask you a favor?”

The new house the Feng family purchased was in the northwest corner of Chang’an City, separated from the Court of Judicial Review — where Feng Boyu worked — by nearly half the length of Chang’an. In comparison to the house Feng Boyu had previously been renting, it was considerably farther out, and commuting to and from the office each day would be far from convenient. But the remote location meant the price was less than half what houses in the more prosperous streets would cost.

The side rooms were all spacious and well-lit, with a sensible floor plan. The previous owner had evidently been a person of refined taste — the courtyard was planted here and there with tuberose, and the moment one stepped inside the gate, a subtle fragrance stirred in the air. It was an exceptionally quiet and elegant place to live.

Three days ago, after saying farewell to the Feng family, Qin Yao had been waiting at home for news from Feng Boyu.

As it happened, Feng Boyu’s business with the house purchase had come to a conclusion that same day, and for the next few days he and his mother and sister had been occupied with moving into the new residence and had had no opportunity to contact Qin Yao.

All three members of the Feng family were efficient, capable people. In under three days they had the new house taking shape. The moment things quieted down, Feng Boyu remembered the matter Qin Yao had asked him to look into, and so under the pretext of a housewarming, he invited the Qu siblings over for a gathering.

The Feng family’s old household servants had taken the overland route and were still on their way to Chang’an. The two Kunlun servants Feng Boyu had recently purchased were still too green — always breaking teacups or burning food — and Madam Feng could barely stand to watch. Unwilling to let them touch anything, she insisted on doing most of the housework herself.

As a result, the aroma of milk cakes drifting throughout the entire courtyard right now was Madam Feng’s own doing.

Qu Ziyu was in the study browsing through Feng Boyu’s book collection. Qin Yao, Feng Chuyue, and A’Han sat side by side on the steps beneath the eaves, each gnawing away at a milk cake.

“A’Yao, how did you come to know the Qin girl from the Jinghai Marquis’s household?” Feng Chuyue asked Qin Yao with an air of studied casualness.

Qin Yao paused in the motion of bringing cake to her mouth: “We’re both students at Yunyin Academy. Once, when we happened to be dining at another classmate’s home, Qin Yuan and I were seated at the same table, and that’s how we got acquainted.”

Feng Chuyue nodded and pressed on: “Qin Yuan is so lovely — her mother must have been a great beauty as well?”

Qin Yao’s heart was sharp and clear. She blinked and said vaguely: “I’ve only met Qin Yuan twice — I don’t know much about the affairs of her household.”

Feng Chuyue could not conceal her disappointment. Her eyes drifted to the tuberose in the courtyard, and for a while she said nothing.

Qin Yao inwardly knitted her brows. This Feng Chuyue appeared bright enough, yet her thoughts and conduct were decidedly unconventional. Just a few days ago at the Fragrant Pavilion, with no one to introduce her, she had walked right up and greeted the Jinghai Marquis entirely on her own initiative — bold and direct, a style of behavior completely at odds with her brother Feng Boyu’s reserved manner. And now she was probing into the Jinghai Marquis’s personal affairs through seemingly casual questions. Could she actually have developed feelings for the Jinghai Marquis?

Just as she was turning this over in her mind, Feng Boyu came hurrying into the courtyard from outside.

The three of them all rose together: “Big Brother Feng is back.”

Qu Ziyu heard the movement and came out from inside, smiling: “What’s gotten into you today — you invited all of us to your house, and you only arrive at this hour?”

Feng Boyu smiled and apologized: “Forgive me, forgive me. I had several case files that needed organizing today — I lost track of time.”

After a moment, when no one was looking, he took a paper packet from inside his robe and quietly passed it to Qin Yao: “This is hair clipped from Wen Niang’s head.”

Qin Yao could already smell a faint, rancid odor even before she opened the packet. Thinking of how Feng Boyu must have forced himself through the revulsion of clipping hair from a severely decomposed corpse, she felt a swell of gratitude and whispered: “Thank you, Big Brother Feng.”

Feng Boyu said nothing — only smiled and glanced at Qin Yao before turning and heading to the study to find Qu Ziyu.

Feng Chuyue was still in the kitchen helping her mother plate the food, so there were only Qin Yao and A’Han left in the courtyard.

Qin Yao exchanged a glance with A’Han and quickly opened the packet. Inside lay a bundle of dry, lusterless hair, jet black in color, standing in stark contrast against the white paper.

“Go ahead,” Qin Yao said.

A’Han nodded. He took out a Yin-Pointing Talisman from his robe, began to recite the incantation quietly, and moved to place the talisman paper on top of the lock of hair.

But the moment he stretched out his hand — before he had even come close to the packet — the talisman paper let out a sizzling sound and burst into flames between his fingers.

Qin Yao and A’Han both turned pale at the same time. This Yin-Pointing Talisman was not like the Fathomless Mirror — it could not detect very faint traces of ghostly energy. It would normally only ignite spontaneously when malevolent energy had accumulated to a significant level.

By the look of it, Wen Niang had not hanged herself to death at all. She had been killed by an evil spirit — and judging by the Yin-Pointing Talisman’s reaction, it was no ordinary malevolent entity. It was a monstrous vengeful wraith!

Qin Yao’s chest surged with agitation. She leapt to her feet, and said through clenched teeth: “We’ve all been deceived!”