novelraw Chapter 106 : The Extra Bone
Chapter 106 : The Extra Bone
106: The Extra Bone
"They're all girls?!" Prefect Huo's eyes widened in shock.
His words had just fallen when muted shouts rose again from the bottom of the well. Huo Huaixin turned to see one of the bailiffs by the well calling out to him, "My Lord! They say down there they've dug up another human skull..."
Hearing this, a muscle twitched at the corner of Huo Huaixin's eye. A creeping numbness spread across his scalp.
Four sets of bones already lay on the ground beside the well, and now another skull had been found below. How many more skeletons were hidden down there? Huo Huaixin wiped a thin sheen of sweat from his brow and turned to look at Qin Wan and Yan Chi.
"Ninth Young Miss, can you determine the cause of death?"
Qin Wan was still holding a piece of pale white bone. After examining it carefully for a moment, she shook her head. "The bone coloration is normal. They likely didn't die from poisoning. For now, I cannot see any obvious injuries on these bones. The cause of death cannot be determined at this time."
Huo Huaixin sighed heavily. "How could so many people die in such a way..."
Over on this side, Qin Wan frowned deeply and stood up. "Keep digging. Continue digging to see exactly how many are down there. As for the cause of death, perhaps we should ask the Old Madam or ask Third Uncle."
Several conjectures were already forming in Qin Wan's heart. She never defaulted to the most sinister interpretation of others, yet her past experiences had taught her that the darkness and depravity of the world often far exceeded imagination. Her gaze swept over the skeletons, smeared with sludge, scattered haphazardly on the felt. She ran each of her emerging theories through her mind once more, and the cold hand hanging at her side began to tremble.
The night rain fell cold and desolate. The bonfire's glow illuminated the bleached bones, casting a ghastly white pallor. Yan Chi, holding an umbrella, moved a step closer to Qin Wan. "If you cannot bear to watch further, you may return for now. It is quite late. It will likely be past midnight before they are fully excavated."
Qin Wan shook her head. "It's fine. I can bear it."
Yan Chi glanced at her. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, her eyes pools of icy depth. At this moment, Qin Wan appeared even more solemn than when she was dissecting a corpse or examining bones. An aura of chilling intensity radiated from her. Beneath her gently elegant mask, a keen, sharp edge showed through, making her slender figure seem as unyielding and formidable as a sword or bamboo. Yan Chi's own gaze grew a shade more somber.
On his side, Huo Huaixin walked to the edge of the well. "Dig faster! If necessary, rotate the men down there..."
Before he could finish, another two muffled shouts came from below.
Huo Huaixin's brows furrowed. "Hold on... let me ask." He turned back towards Yan Chi. "Lord Heir, the men below report that they've dug as deep as it goes. There is no more depth to excavate, but they say there is still mud and wet sand to the south."
Yan Chi narrowed his eyes, considering briefly. "Continue digging. Be careful."
Huo Huaixin nodded and relayed the order back down the well.
Qin Wan sighed. "It seems digging everything out tonight will be difficult. Over so many years, the once-living water in that well transformed into stagnant water. We have no idea how much the terrain may have shifted underground. The bones could have been carried elsewhere."
Having said this, she turned to look towards the Flower Arbor not far away. "These two wells appear to wind around, but the actual distance between them isn't great. When Sixth Sister fell in before, she said she felt a dead person's bone. Could it be that underground currents of sand and mud carried a bone to that location? We have sufficient manpower now. Lord Heir, could you send some men to investigate there?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Yan Chi looked at Bai Feng. "Take a few men and check."
Bai Feng bowed, accepting the order, and left. Yan Chi then turned back to Qin Wan. "You should go over there as well. This grove is too cold."
Qin Wan's lips parted slightly as she initially meant to refuse. However, considering the potential for bones in that other well, she simply nodded. Yan Chi turned, holding the umbrella for her to walk ahead, then followed protectively as they made their way toward the Flower Arbor. Watching their retreating figures from behind, Huo Huaixin felt a surge of belated apprehension. He had once entertained the thought of trying to match Qin Wan with his own son, Huo Ning. Thank heavens he had only told his wife, Lady Yuan, to pay a social call to the Qin residence and had done nothing more.
Once they reached the Flower Arbor area, the surrounding covered walkways made the umbrella unnecessary. Qin Wan stood beneath the covered corridor, watching as Bai Feng and several bailiffs lifted the freshly paved bluestone floor tiles.
The tiles were removed, revealing the filling beneath. The dry earth that had recently been packed into the well opening had already changed color. Four or five men, armed with tools, quickly set to work. Qin Wan watched from the side, with Fuling attending her.
"Miss, when Head Steward Liu went down to look last time, it was just a section of dried branch. Could there really be skeletons buried down there?" Fuling asked.
Qin Wan shook her head. "I am not certain. Let's wait and see."
Fuling smoothed out Qin Wan's cloak, her expression concerned. "Miss, you feel like ice. You have been standing outside too long tonight. You might catch a chill... Your hand warmer is nearly cold. This servant will fetch a fresh one for you."
Just as Fuling finished speaking, Yan Chi, who had walked over to the Flower Arbor, approached. He looked at Qin Wan again. "You should return to your courtyard and rest. This well has also been filled in. By the time they finish digging it out, it will certainly be very late."
Qin Wan pressed her lips together, not yet responding, but Fuling eagerly chimed in at her side. "Yes, Miss. If the young miss falls ill, the Lord Heir would lose his assistant." Fuling considered this quite a bold statement to make in front of Yan Chi, and felt a sheen of sweat coat her palm after speaking.
Qin Wan thought for a moment and saw the logic. She nodded. "Alright. I will return for now."
Yan Chi did not say more, simply calling out, "Bai Feng, escort Ninth Young Miss back."
Qin Wan curtseyed slightly. As Fuling opened the umbrella, Qin Wan stepped out into the curtain of rain, Fuling by her side, with Bai Feng following a few steps behind for protection.
It was already past the Hour of the Rat. Although the entire Qin Manor was brightly lit, it was utterly quiet, bereft of all sound. Fuling followed Qin Wan past the courtyards flanking the walkway, a faint trace of fear surfacing on her face. "Miss, those skeletons... are they really all children? Little girls?"
Qin Wan nodded. "Yes..."
Fuling hunched her shoulders slightly. "All of them children... Where did they come from? Could they have been household servants of the Qin family? And... how did they die..."
Qin Wan's lips tightened, but she did not answer immediately. After a moment, she said, "That I do not know yet. We must wait for Lord Heir and the Prefect to fully excavate the bones. Then, after the necessary interrogations, we will find out."
Fuling glanced around nervously, left, right, ahead and behind. "No wonder Old Madam wanted to use a Demon-Suppressing Stone, Miss. The ghosts of children are the easiest to form after death. No wonder she was so superstitious about it. Or maybe, all her years of fasting and praying to the Buddha were also because of this?"
The drizzle continued to drift down. Qin Wan's steps felt heavy on the manor's bluestone pathways. The brightly lit manor grounds were deathly still. Here and there, at key intersections and forks, she could see guards from the prefectural yamen, but not a single Qin master or servant was in sight.
Qin Wan knew the official bailiffs had likely secured the entire manor. She glanced toward the Buddha Hall's direction. "Those little girls will not become ghosts. But Old Madam must have ghosts in her own heart. Her fasting and prayers to the Buddha... are likely because she fears the demons within herself."
Qin Wan's words sent a chill down Fuling's spine. Subconsciously pulling her collar tighter, Fuling fell silent. Bai Feng followed a few paces behind, utterly silent, naturally offering no response either.
When the three of them neared Tinglan Pavilion, they saw Chief Constable Qi Lin wandering near the courtyard gate with three bailiffs. Spotting Qin Wan, Qi Lin hurried over.
"Ninth Young Miss..."
Qin Wan looked at him, puzzled. "Chief Constable Qi, why are you here?"
Qi Lin adopted a somewhat apologetic expression. "Ninth Young Miss has helped us many times. We truly should not make things difficult for you. However... on this occasion... the Lord Prefect has ordered all manservants and maidservants to assemble and wait at the Stewards' Courtyard for questioning later. So..."
Qi Lin glanced at the gate of Tinglan Pavilion. Qin Wan instantly understood and turned to Fuling. "Go and call them out. It is merely routine questioning. If everything is alright, they can return once it is done."
Qi Lin immediately looked grateful. "Many thanks, Ninth Young Miss..."
Qin Wan shook her head. "Do you need to question me as well?"
Qi Lin hastily waved his hand. "No, no, of course not... There is no possibility the Ninth Young Miss is involved in this case."
Qin Wan's expression tightened slightly, but she said nothing. Soon, Fuling led Wantang and the other three out of the courtyard. Wantang came forward with the other three and curtsied before Qin Wan.
"Go ahead," Qin Wan said. "You may return once the questioning is over."
"Yes, Miss. Please be at ease," Wantang replied respectfully with a bow.
Qin Wan then looked at Qi Lin. "Thank you for your hard work tonight, Chief Constable Qi."
Qi Lin cupped his hands in salute. "It is my duty. In that case, I shall take my leave."
Qin Wan gave a sound of acknowledgement. Qi Lin led Wantang and the others toward the Stewards' Courtyard. Qin Wan then turned to Bai Feng. "We have arrived. White Guard, you may return to Lord Heir's side."
Bai Feng nodded. "Ninth Young Miss, please do not worry excessively. Rest early."
With those words, Bai Feng also saluted with a cupped fist, then turned and left. Qin Wan stood silently outside the courtyard gate for a moment before finally turning and entering.
"Miss, you should rest. Build up your strength. Once all the bones are excavated, you will surely be needed again," Fuling urged as soon as they were inside.
Qin Wan thought for a moment. "It seems Second Brother won't be able to come tonight."
"Indeed, all courtyards are secured. He definitely cannot get out."
Putting away the umbrella, Fuling then helped Qin Wan remove her cloak. "Miss, your cloak is half wet. If you do not rest now, you may catch a cold. Please, Miss, do not push yourself."
Once the cloak was removed, Qin Wan indeed felt a chill. Considering the bones were unlikely to be fully excavated anytime soon, she finally nodded. She went first to the side chamber to wash up, then lay down on the bed. She put on an extra robe over her clothes, thinking it would allow her to get up more quickly if Yan Chi sent for her later.
Seeing her mistress lie down fully dressed, Fuling did not protest further. She only waited until Qin Wan closed her eyes before extinguishing the lamps in the room.
The moment she lay down, weariness washed over Qin Wan. Perhaps she had indeed taken a chill. Subconsciously, she pulled the brocade quilt tighter around herself. It was already past midnight. Given Yan Chi and Huo Huaixin's pace, they would likely have dug a general outline by dawn at the latest. She needed to be awake by then. With that thought, Qin Wan gradually drifted into slumber.
In her dream, the Long Street of the Capital appeared once more. Buildings with carved beams and painted rafters, upturned eaves and bracket sets, stretched out continuously into the distance, presenting a vast, stately landscape.
Qin Wan stood once more before the compound of the Six Ministries. The gates of the Court of Judicial Review were tightly shut, the steps overgrown with weeds. This was supposed to be the highest-ranking judicial ministry of the Great Zhou Dynasty, yet in that moment, it looked like a dilapidated, deserted temple.
Where were the chief officials of the Court of Judicial Review? Where were its guards and bailiffs?
Qin Wan walked step by step up the weed-covered steps and pushed hard against the decrepit gate.
With a creak, the weather-beaten door swung open under her push. As it opened, a wisp of hazy, misty vapor drifted before her eyes. Qin Wan blinked, and the murky mist gradually dissipated.
Once the mist cleared, Qin Wan saw the courtyard filled with rampant weeds, the rafters thick with cobwebs, the main plaque hanging askew overhead. The empty compound was a scene of utter ruin, devoid of any human presence.
Puzzled, Qin Wan ventured a few more steps inside. Suddenly, in the center of the empty courtyard, an abandoned well materialized as if from thin air.
Weeds stood tall around the well's mouth, partially obscuring it. Qin Wan's heart filled with startled suspicion. The compound of the Court of Judicial Review was not a common residence. How could there be a well in the courtyard? As this thought crossed her mind, a faint glimmer of light suddenly flashed. Qin Wan watched, transfixed, as a pale, skeletal hand reached out from the mouth of the well...
Her eyes flew open. She stared fixedly at the canopy above her bed, gasping for breath.
It was a dream, but Qin Wan remained shaken by the scene. The Court of Judicial Review could not be overgrown with weeds. It certainly could not have a well from which skeletal hands emerged. The Qin Manor had wells...
A fine sweat beaded on Qin Wan's temple. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Just then, she heard footsteps outside the bed curtains. Her senses sharpened, and she quickly sat up, pushing the curtains aside. Fuling was indeed tiptoeing about the room. Seeing Qin Wan abruptly emerge, she was startled.
Placing a hand over her heart, Fuling let out a breath. "You are awake, Miss. This servant thought you were still asleep."
"What is it?" Qin Wan asked, while turning her head to look outside. Seeing that the sky outside was already bright, her expression changed. "Why didn't you wake me? It's so late..."
Fuling quickly reassured her. "Do not worry, Miss. The rain hasn't stopped. The bailiffs have rotated shifts several times now. They say they've dug to the bottom but need to dig outwards to find all the remains. The whole area has been excavated by now."
Frowning, Qin Wan had already thrown back the covers and gotten out of bed. She dressed hastily as she spoke. "Have they found any more?"
Fuling understood her question and her expression changed slightly. "Four more..."
Qin Wan's hands paused for an instant, then moved even faster. "Has Wantang and the others returned?"
"They have. They returned around dawn. Because the area needing excavation is so extensive now, the Prefect has already begun questioning. Also, Coroner Xu has arrived at the manor. He is currently collecting and arranging the bones."
Qin Wan acknowledged with an "Mmm." In a flurry of motion, she finished dressing. Fuling swiftly arranged her hair into a simple updo. After washing her face and freshening up, Qin Wan headed out toward the Purple Bamboo Grove without even eating breakfast.
Compared to the previous night, servants could now be seen coming and going in the Qin Manor. Fuling murmured quietly, "Those who entered the manor's service more recently have been released. Only those who have served the residence for more than seven years are being held for questioning."
Qin Wan nodded and hurried toward the Purple Bamboo Grove. Before she got close, she saw Xu He standing beside a long table. The table had been freshly moved there. It was now piled high with bones.
Xu He was holding a piece of bone, examining it with a puzzled expression. Lifting his gaze, he saw Qin Wan approaching and immediately waved her over. "Ninth Young Miss! You are here! Please, come look at this. What is this bone...?"
Squinting, Qin Wan walked forward. Xu He asked, baffled, "Is this a finger bone? But... why is there an extra one...?"