novelraw Chapter 119 : The Fall of the Qin Residence, A Chance Encounter
Chapter 119 : The Fall of the Qin Residence, A Chance Encounter
119: The Fall of the Qin Residence, A Chance Encounter
Inside the inner chamber, Yao Xinlan on the bed had indeed opened her eyes.
Moshu held Yao Xinlan’s hand, while the wet nurse held the baby, standing by the window. All the servant women in the room wore joyful expressions.
"Miss… Ninth Miss is here…"
Moshu whispered in Yao Xinlan’s ear. Qin Wan hurried to Yao Xinlan’s side. She first felt her pulse, then asked Moshu, "Has she been fed her medicine?"
Moshu quickly nodded. "Yes, fed a quarter of an hour ago."
Qin Wan nodded. "Good." With that, she looked at Yao Xinlan.
Yao Xinlan, who had just woken, was still deathly pale, her breathing very weak. Qin Wan moved closer and called softly, "Sister-in-law."
Yao Xinlan’s eyeballs moved, turning in Qin Wan’s direction.
Whether from a lack of strength or extreme mental exhaustion, Yao Xinlan’s gaze moved very slowly, and seeing Qin Wan caused no ripple of emotion. Qin Wan called again, "Sister-in-law, have you seen Qiqi yet?"
Yao Xinlan stared blankly at Qin Wan, not speaking.
Moshu quickly said, "She has. The miss looked as soon as she woke up." As she spoke, Moshu looked at Yao Xinlan with concern. "But the miss hasn’t said anything or shown any reaction. Do you think the pain has addled her wits?"
Qin Wan waved a hand in front of Yao Xinlan’s eyes and saw a flicker in her pupils, so she wasn’t unresponsive.
Qin Wan lowered her voice. "Sister-in-law, if you’re uncomfortable, just close your eyes and sleep more. You’re awake now, so everything will be fine. With me here, your body will recover quickly. And Qiqi, the wet nurse has arrived, so Qiqi will be all right too."
Yao Xinlan’s pupils moved, looking past Qin Wan to behind her…
"The sky is light…"
Yao Xinlan’s tone was extremely faint, but Qin Wan heard her clearly. Her light, airy tone made Qin Wan’s heart sink. Before she could say more, Yao Xinlan seemed to have taken her words to heart and closed her eyes.
Qin Wan glanced at the window. Sure enough, the inky blackness of night was slowly receding, and a sliver of grey-white was visible at the horizon.
Moshu grew nervous at this sight. "Ninth Miss."
"It’s all right. She’s just too weak, too tired. Let her sleep."
Moshu finally relaxed. Qin Wan walked to the side and wrote a new prescription. "This is a new prescription. Feed it to her in half an hour. One dose every two hours, four doses a day. Sister-in-law’s body is weak, and her lochia has not yet cleared. We must be careful these next few days. During the day, when Sister-in-law is feeling a bit stronger, help her change into clean clothes."
Moshu quickly agreed and turned to give instructions to a nearby matron. Seeing that Qin Wan herself also looked exhausted, Moshu said, "Ninth Miss, you’ve been up all night. Why don’t you go back and rest early? This servant will watch over the miss for now. Don’t you fall ill from exhaustion, Ninth Miss."
After surviving a brush with death and staying up the entire night, Qin Wan was indeed exhausted. Hearing this, she didn’t refuse but said, "Sister-in-law’s bleeding has stopped, but if you see more blood, come and tell me."
As she spoke, Qin Wan glanced at a nearby couch and said in a low voice, "Also… Eldest Brother is gone."
Moshu’s face turned pale. She also lowered her voice. "The Young Master…"
Qin Wan’s gaze was heavy as she nodded. "He went to save the Old Madam but didn’t make it out. I went to see earlier. Don’t tell Sister-in-law this yet. If she asks, wait until she is stronger before saying anything."
Moshu’s hands trembled slightly, but she understood Qin Wan’s meaning and quickly nodded in agreement.
Qin Wan looked at Moshu’s pale face and red-rimmed eyes, her own gaze reassuring. She said softly again, "From now on, the Qin residence will be like duckweed in the wind. You are the person Sister-in-law trusts most. Think more for her sake."
Moshu looked at Qin Wan, full of gratitude. "Yes, thank you, Ninth Miss. Thank you, Ninth Miss."
Qin Wan didn’t speak, only remembered to ask another thing. "Has no one come from the Mistress’s side yet?"
Moshu shook her head, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. "Not yet…"
Qin Wan didn’t know what to say for a moment and could only say, "Perhaps she just received the news about Eldest Brother."
Moshu’s heart felt blocked. "This servant understands. Ninth Miss, don’t worry. Please go back and rest. This servant will see you out. Ninth Miss, this servant truly doesn’t know how to thank you…"
"It’s nothing. Taking care of Sister-in-law is the priority now…"
As she spoke, Qin Wan and Moshu had just walked out of the inner chamber when they saw Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang, both with red-rimmed eyes, walking in. When they saw Qin Wan, the two of them froze for a moment. But with so much turmoil in the Qin residence that night, they didn’t dwell on past grudges and rushed toward Moshu.
"How is Sister-in-law? A servant came to report earlier that she gave birth to a daughter?"
Qin Xiang asked anxiously first. Moshu, thinking the two young misses had come to care for her mistress, felt her heavy heart ease slightly. "Rest assured, Fifth Young Miss. Ninth Miss saved the Young Mistress. The child was born, and the Young Mistress is now resting."
Qin Wan had intended to leave directly, but she felt there was something off about Qin Xiang’s tone. Sure enough, upon hearing Moshu’s words, the disappointment on her face was obvious. "It’s truly a daughter…"
As she said this, Qin Xiang wiped the corner of her eye and sighed. "Eldest Brother is already gone. If it had been a son, it would have been better. At least Eldest Brother would have had an heir. The Qin residence needs a direct descendant to inherit the family business. But now…"
Moshu could only give a bitter smile. "Fifth Young Miss, a daughter is also the Young Master’s bloodline."
Qin Xiang’s eyes immediately reddened. "But a daughter cannot inherit the family business." She added, "Let Sister-in-law rest well. Mother received the news from over there and is still lying in bed. I need to go back and attend to her."
With that, Qin Xiang turned and left, leaving only Qin Shuang behind.
Moshu’s face turned first green then white at Qin Xiang’s words and reaction. Although Qin Xiang hadn’t been harsh, she had always been by Madam Lin’s side, and her attitude was enough to represent Madam Lin’s attitude. Moreover, her mistress had just given birth, and Qin Xiang hadn’t thought to see Yao Xinlan or the baby, instead leaving after dropping such a comment.
Moshu clenched her sleeves, a suffocating feeling stuck in her heart.
Yao Xinlan was barely clinging to life, and the Little Miss couldn’t even talk yet, yet she was already being looked down upon…
Qin Shuang’s mood was also very low, but she, who had always been reckless and simple-minded, seemed to have had a sudden epiphany. She actually frowned at Qin Xiang’s retreating back and said, "She’s just leaving like that? Really…"
Her tone carried a hint of blame. She quickly turned and grasped Moshu’s hand. "Never mind her. Quick, take me to see Sister-in-law and my little niece."
Moshu’s heart finally eased a little. Seeing that Qin Wan was still standing, she looked at her first. Seeing that Qin Shuang had finally understood a thing or two, Qin Wan felt slightly relieved and nodded before turning to leave.
Seeing Qin Wan leave, Qin Shuang pouted. "What a temper. She leaves as soon as we arrive?"
Moshu quickly said, "No, no, Sixth Young Miss, you don’t know. Ninth Miss has been busy all night saving our miss. If it weren’t for Ninth Miss, not only might we not have the Little Miss, but our miss herself would have… everyone in this room saw it. Ninth Miss is truly the life-saving benefactor of our miss and the Little Miss…"
Moshu spoke with genuine sincerity. Qin Shuang glanced in the direction of the courtyard gate. Qin Wan had already left. The grey-white at the horizon was growing clearer. The night was finally over. Qin Shuang pressed her lips. "Fine, fine, I get it."
With that, she walked into the inner chamber. "Who doesn’t know she’s the Little Medical Immortal…"
Meanwhile, Qin Wan returned directly to her own quarters after leaving Linfeng Courtyard. The moment she entered the courtyard gate, Wanxing and the other three were still waiting in the yard. Seeing her return, the four of them came forward and curtsied.
Qin Wan waved a hand. "You’ve all waited up all night. Go and rest."
As she spoke, regardless of whether they moved or not, Qin Wan entered the main house first and closed the door behind her. She went to check on Fuling first. After so long, Fuling was still lying motionless, but her breathing was very smooth and gentle.
Qin Wan sat by Fuling’s bed for a moment, feeling a throbbing pain in her temples from the night’s mental strain. She then went to her own bedroom. After a simple wash, Qin Wan lay down. The moment her head hit the pillow, drowsiness washed over her like a tidal wave!
…
…
Just as dawn broke, Huo Huaixin, covered in sweat, entered the Qin residence. Led by the yamen runners at the gate, he went straight to the Buddha Hall. When he arrived before the hall, he saw only a vast expanse of charred ruins. Qin Li and Yan Chi stood to one side, while other officials and yamen runners were extinguishing the last embers…
"Your Highness the Heir Apparent."
Huo Huaixin called out, taking a few quick steps to Yan Chi. "Your Highness, this official has arrived late! Last night, I was chasing a suspect out of the city. I only learned about the fire at the Qin residence an hour ago!"
Huo Huaxin bowed his hands. Yan Chi said, "Prefect Huo, no need for blame. You had your own official duties. Your absence here is not an issue. How was it? Any progress last night?"
Huo Huaixin nodded. "Yes! The two managers of the pawnshop have been arrested! The men have already been taken to the prefectural yamen!"
Yan Chi nodded. Huo Huaixin then looked at the bodies covered by felt cloth. The cloth was old, and the burned, black limbs of the corpses were faintly visible. Huo Huaxin frowned, unable to bear looking for long, then said in a low voice, "Your Highness, what happened so suddenly last night? The subordinates’ reports were not very detailed… How… how did a fire suddenly start?"
Yan Chi took a couple of steps to the side, and Huo Huaixin hurriedly followed.
Yan Chi said coolly, "We never knew who poisoned Qin An. Last night, Ninth Miss figured it out. The person who poisoned him put it in his medicine pot. And that person was a maid in this Buddha Hall. Last night, I had someone interrogate her. Seeing that Madam Jiang and Caihe were both dead, the maid confessed. It was Caihe who instructed her to do it. At the time, she didn’t know what it was, but because Caihe had saved her before, she did whatever Caihe asked, regardless of what it was."
Huo Huaixin blinked. "Caihe? The maid by the Old Madam’s side?"
Yan Chi nodded. "Exactly. Previously, Ninth Miss was always trying to find a portrait of Second Concubine, thinking that finding it might reveal some clues. Last night, Ninth Miss found it. I have already had the portrait secured; it can be used as evidence later. Furthermore, this Caihe seems to suffer from an eye ailment, and Second Concubine’s former husband also had an eye ailment. This way, it can be proven that Caihe is most likely Second Concubine’s eldest daughter. As for why she didn’t die in that fire back then, it is still unknown. But she was just a young girl then, yet she escaped the fire and later entered the Qin residence. These questions can be investigated later by looking into Caihe’s past."
Huo Huaixin nodded. "We searched for the main culprit for so long, and yet she revealed herself…"
Yan Chi shook his head. "Not on her own. It should be that she knew Ninth Miss had found all the clues that could be found and didn’t want to be caught, so she used this method of mutual destruction to take her revenge."
Huo Huaixin sighed. "In the end, this matter originated from the Qin residence’s misdeeds." As he said this, he suddenly added, "There’s one more thing. Was Ninth Miss injured last night? And I heard many people say that the Qin family’s Young Master once tried to kill Ninth Miss but failed?"
Yan Chi’s eyes darkened. "That is correct. After Ninth Miss was harmed by them, she forgot about it herself, thinking she had slipped and fallen into the lake on a rainy day. If not for these later events, she wouldn’t have known about it herself."
Yan Chi explained Qin Wan’s situation in a few words. Huo Huaixin’s eyes widened in disbelief, but he didn’t press further. "So it was like that… I didn’t expect the Qin family’s Young Master to be so vicious as well…"
As he spoke, Huo Huaixin glanced at the three corpses on the ground. "This Caihe is no simple person either. Using this method saves our government the trouble…"
Huo Huaixin gave a wry smile, his tone helpless yet tinged with a hint of sarcasm, though it was unclear whether he was mocking Caihe or the Qin residence.
The grey-white at the horizon gradually brightened. A ray of golden light pierced through the clouds, spreading across the sky. It was broad daylight, and a clear day at that. Yan Chi looked at the vast mess behind him. The last embers had been extinguished, not even a wisp of smoke remained. In the clear, crisp morning light, this once most noble place in the Qin residence looked even more desolate and bleak.
"Prefect, please handle the matter of the pawnshop thoroughly. Since this has been exposed, you must ensure nothing similar happens again within Jinzhou’s borders." After a slight pause, Yan Chi looked at Qin Li beside him. "The perpetrator took her own life. As for Qin Chen, he attempted to murder Ninth Miss last night, making him a criminal as well. His body and Caihe’s will be examined by the authorities first, then handed over to the Qin family. As criminals, they are not fit for funeral rites. As for the Qin family’s Old Madam, let the Qin family prepare the ceremony themselves."
Huo Huaixin nodded. "That makes sense. In that case, Your Highness, can all the men from the yamen withdraw? And what about Qin An? In my opinion, we should take him back to the yamen directly."
Yan Chi frowned slightly. "That is acceptable."
The Qin residence could be said to have suffered a great calamity, but in the end, all these things stemmed from the trouble Qin An had caused. Qin Wan had already extended his life; he no longer deserved any further consideration or leniency from anyone.
Huo Huaixin sighed, then slowly turned and looked around, sighing again. The Qin residence of the past could be considered one of the noble families of Jinzhou. Even he had maintained a cautious friendship with them. Who could have imagined then that behind the glamorous and proper facade of the Qin residence lay such ugly secrets? The once noble and honored family was now completely fallen. In less than half a month, the more Huo Huaixin thought about it, the more he sighed. "Truly, glory and riches vanish in a flash…"
…
…
Qin Wan was in a drowsy sleep when she heard the light sound of footsteps. She opened her eyes, first blinded by the bright light. Qin Wan collected herself and threw open the bed curtains.
With the curtains open, Qin Wan immediately saw Fuling’s back. Her eyes lit up. "Fuling."
Fuling was putting away the dress Qin Wan had worn yesterday. Hearing this, she turned around and hurried to Qin Wan’s side, her voice full of concern. "Miss, how are you?"
Qin Wan rubbed her temples and sat up. "What do you mean, how am I? I should be asking how you are."
Fuling raised a hand and felt the bump on the back of her head. "This servant is fine. It’s just that this servant slept all night and didn’t get to stay with you. Miss, feel, the swelling on the back of my head has gone down."
As she spoke, Fuling lowered her head. Qin Wan reached out and felt it.
Qin Wan breathed a sigh of relief. "You were asleep last night, so I couldn’t apply medicine. Although it’s not a serious injury, we should still rub on some ointment for blood circulation and bruise reduction later."
Fuling quickly nodded. Seeing that Qin Wan was about to get up, she went to help her. "Miss, what happened afterward last night? Why did the Young Master knock me out? I was standing at the door and never thought he would suddenly strike. I couldn’t even make a sound before everything went black… Also, was it His Highness the Heir Apparent who saved us? And, and, why are some people saying it was the Young Master who harmed you back then?"
As Fuling helped her up, Qin Wan dressed while speaking. "His Highness the Heir Apparent arrived in time. As for Qin Chen… I didn’t fall into the lake myself. I was harmed by him, but when I woke up, I remembered nothing and could only assume I had fallen in by accident."
Fuling’s eyes flew open. Qin Wan was naturally more frank with Fuling. "Although I still can’t recall clearly, I most likely saw Qin Chen go into the Purple Bamboo Grove and, out of curiosity, followed him in. After I went in, I discovered it was him and Caihe having a secret affair."
Fuling froze. "So, Caihe is Second Concubine’s daughter? And she was behind everything?"
Qin Wan nodded, fastening the buttons of her collar one by one. She then walked to the side to wash up. "That’s right. I just don’t know what exactly happened back then."
Fuling was a bit dazed. "Good heavens, so it’s true. And the Young Master… he could actually bring himself to harm you? Not only was he unfaithful to the Young Mistress, but he could also bring himself to harm you?!"
As if it just dawned on her, Fuling suddenly grew angry. "And all this time I thought he was a good person, always so kind to us. But I never imagined… Miss, did I almost cause you harm?"
Qin Wan, wiping her face, gave a helpless smile. "How could that be… I had forgotten too, hadn’t I? Perhaps knowing I had forgotten, he dropped his killing intent later. As for what happened after, he knew we were going to question the gatekeeper, that we were going to investigate, and thought I had remembered, so in his haste, he tried to kill me…"
Fuming, Fuling said, "Evil begets evil! When this servant got up earlier, I had already heard about what happened last night. At the time, I just felt things had turned out this way. Now that I think about it, he deserved it!"
Qin Chen was dead, and the past events had been exposed. In her heart, Qin Wan felt she had given an account to the original Ninth Miss. "Yes, I don’t believe in ghosts and gods, but I do believe in karma. For every single thing, there is a cause and an effect."
As she spoke, Qin Wan looked at Fuling reassuringly. "That matter is in the past. Don’t worry about it anymore. People in this world wear a thousand faces; it’s normal that we can’t tell them apart."
Fuling nodded. "No wonder Miss wanted to go to the Purple Bamboo Grove. You must have discovered something. I didn’t think of it then…"
"Who would normally think of such things? Stop thinking about it." Qin Wan patted Fuling’s shoulder and asked, "Has anyone come from Linfeng Courtyard?"
Qin Wan, still concerned about Yao Xinlan, asked directly. Fuling shook her head. "No. Wantang and the others have been in the courtyard. They probably haven’t come over."
Qin Wan breathed a sigh of relief. No one coming meant Yao Xinlan’s bleeding had stopped. "That’s good. Sister-in-law gave birth to a daughter. We’ll go see them in a bit."
Fuling’s lips curved slightly. "If there’s one piece of good news in all this, this is it!"
Qin Wan’s expression also relaxed, but she couldn’t help feeling pity for Yao Xinlan. Madam Lin had lost Qin Chen and was naturally in pain, but it seemed even her love for Yao Xinlan had vanished, even to the point of despising her for not giving birth to a son to inherit the family business in the future.
"Oh, right…" Fuling suddenly remembered something. "Miss, the Third Master has been taken to the yamen by the Prefect. All the yamen runners from the residence have withdrawn. People related to the case have been taken for questioning. Now the Second Young Master is preparing the Old Madam’s funeral. The bodies of the Young Master and Caihe have also been taken away…"
Hearing this, Qin Wan walked to the window. Pushing it open, a warm, gentle breeze immediately blew in.
Judging by the height of the sun, it seemed to be afternoon already. Qin Wan stood by the window and looked out. Her small courtyard was no different from usual, but she knew clearly that the Qin residence outside this courtyard had been turned upside down. If even the Qin residence itself was so unstable, what about her?
This thought arose in Qin Wan’s heart, and she asked, "Where is His Highness the Heir Apparent?"
At this, a light glinted in Fuling’s eyes. "His Highness came an hour ago. Seeing you were resting, he didn’t say anything and left. It seemed he went back to the prefectural yamen with the Prefect. I heard the Prefect arrested many people from the pawnshop, so he must be busy."
Qin Wan felt a hollow emptiness in her heart. Suddenly, she panicked, a feeling she had never had before!
…
…
When she arrived at Linfeng Courtyard again, Qin Shuang was surprisingly still in the courtyard.
Her slightly chubby little hands gently held Qiqi’s small hand as she cooed softly to her. Hearing footsteps, she looked up. Seeing it was Qin Wan, a rare lack of disgust appeared on her face. She just calmly lowered her head and spoke to the baby.
"Ninth Miss is here." Moshu came out to greet her. "Rest assured, Ninth Miss. Our miss isn’t bleeding again."
Qin Wan nodded. "Is Sister-in-law awake?"
Moshu nodded. "Yes. She took her medicine and is asleep again."
Qin Wan followed Moshu into the inner chamber. Sure enough, Yao Xinlan slept with her eyes tightly closed. Qin Wan felt her pulse again. Seeing that it was much stronger, she finally relaxed. "The prescription remains unchanged. Although Sister-in-law came through safely, her body is still weak. After her wound heals, she will need good nourishment and care to recover."
Moshu quickly nodded, but her expression showed some hesitation. Seeing this, Qin Wan asked directly, "What is it?"
Moshu sighed. "This servant doesn’t know if she’s overthinking, but the miss woke up twice today. She took the medicine, but she didn’t say anything. She just glanced at the Little Miss a few times and didn’t hold her."
Qin Wan frowned, looking at Yao Xinlan’s sleeping face with a touch of worry. Yao Xinlan hadn’t spoken, nor had she asked a single question about Qin Chen. Since waking, it seemed she had only said three words: "The sky is light."
"Bring Qiqi to her side more often."
Yao Xinlan loved Qin Chen. Confirming that he loved another, or guessing that he was dead, was one thing, but to her, she was now a mother, and the child was the most important thing. Qin Wan could heal the physical injuries of others, but she could not heal the wounds in another’s heart. Besides having Moshu bring Qiqi to Yao Xinlan’s side, she couldn’t think of anything else for the moment.
"Okay… this servant understands." Moshu nodded repeatedly. When Qin Chen was alive, Yao Xinlan’s life wasn’t happy, but at least she was the true Young Mistress of the residence. Now that Qin Chen was gone, Yao Xinlan’s status had subtly changed. Not to mention, the Qin residence itself could barely protect itself now.
Qin Wan stood up and walked out. In the outer Warm Chamber, Qin Shuang was still playing with the baby. Qin Wan walked over. After only one night, Qiqi’s wrinkled face had already softened. In her features, one could vaguely see the delicate beauty of Yao Xinlan’s eyes and brows. Qin Wan leaned over and touched Qiqi’s little face, and the baby’s mouth twitched into a smile.
"The Little Miss is smiling at Ninth Miss!" Moshu said cheerfully.
Qin Shuang huffed softly, displeased. "I’ve been here with you all night, and you don’t smile at me. You little thing…"
Moshu quickly said, "Sixth Young Miss, what you say. They’re both your aunts. The Little Miss smiled at you just now too."
Qin Shuang huffed again. "Fine, fine. Since she’s the life-saving benefactor who delivered you, a smile is a smile."
Moshu breathed a sigh of relief. Qin Wan’s lips curved as she straightened up. "I’m going to see Second Brother."
Naturally, Qin Wan also remembered Qin Li’s illness. Since she had started treating him, she wouldn’t abandon it halfway. Hearing this, Moshu said, "This servant will see you out. The Second Young Master is probably at the Stewards’ Courtyard, preparing the Old Madam’s funeral."
Qin Wan nodded. Moshu followed Qin Wan out. After passing through the main gate, Moshu said with a low laugh, "Ninth Miss, please don’t blame the Sixth Young Miss. She really did stay here all night. She only slept for a short while this morning. She even went to talk to the miss then, but couldn’t get her to say a word. The Mistress and the Fifth Young Miss haven’t sent anyone over again. The Sixth Young Miss seems to have grown up a lot. But now that the Old Madam is gone, the Sixth Young Miss has lost her support and can only learn to be more sensible."
As she finished speaking, Moshu’s eyes darkened, naturally feeling disheartened by Madam Lin.
Qin Wan sighed. "The most important thing now is your mistress’s health. This month of confinement must be handled carefully, or it will lead to many chronic illnesses. Don’t worry about the Mistress’s side for now."
Moshu quickly nodded. "This servant understands. Everything is for the mistress’s health."
Qin Wan nodded. "Exactly."
Qin Wan took her leave from Moshu and went straight to the front courtyard. Now that Qin An had been taken away and after the chaos of last night, the Qin residence was in disarray. However, when she reached the front courtyard, it was better than she had imagined.
Although the servants looked somber, there was no outright chaos. Everyone had their own tasks and things to do. It wasn’t long before Qin Wan saw a courtyard where funeral banners were being hung. This must be the place.
Fuling immediately went to ask someone. Soon, Qin Li walked out from the courtyard.
"Ninth Sister, what brings you here?" Qin Li was still in the same clothes as last night. It was clear he hadn’t rested at all. He smoothed his clothes as he walked to Qin Wan, his complexion rather poor.
Qin Wan looked at him for a moment. "Second Brother, in your busy schedule, have you taken your medicine?"
Qin Li’s eyes dimmed, and he gave a bitter smile. "No. Last night I was fighting the fire all night. Early this morning, Father was taken away first, then I had to prepare Grandmother’s funeral, and the Buddha Hall needed to be secured. Some people were also summoned to the yamen. It’s been too busy. I couldn’t get to the medicine. It has to wait."
"Have you seen Third Uncle?" Qin Wan asked.
A flicker of fear flashed in Qin Li’s eyes. "I have…"
Since he had seen Qin An, Qin Li knew that if his illness continued to worsen, he would end up like Qin An.
Qin Wan sighed. "So I came to see if your condition has improved. The Qin residence is now depending on you. You can’t fall ill. No matter how busy you are, you can’t forget your medicine."
At this, warmth rose in Qin Li’s eyes. "Ninth Sister…"
Qin Wan’s words didn’t mean their relationship was particularly close. Seeing his moved expression, she ignored it, only looking at the few sores on his neck and having him extend his hand. After a round of examination and pulse-taking, Qin Wan’s brow was still furrowed. "The spread of the syphilitic sores seems to have slowed, even without you taking your medicine on time. But to suppress it completely is still not possible."
As she spoke, hope appeared in Qin Li’s eyes. "Then it means your medicine is working!"
Qin Wan composed herself. "Go on with your work, Second Brother. I’ll go back and think on it."
With that, Qin Wan left, heading straight for Tinglan Pavilion. In the past few days, the Qin residence’s ugly secrets had been exposed, and Qin Wan had been helping with the case and examining bones. Last night’s fire, whether it was the old case or the case of Liu-shi and Liu Chun, had reached a conclusion. Now that the yamen personnel had withdrawn, Qin Wan suddenly found herself with nothing to do. The tension vanished, leaving only a strange, hollow emptiness in its wake. Since this was the case, she would definitely cure Qin Li’s illness!
Back at Tinglan Pavilion, Qin Wan took out many of her previous prescriptions and began to study them. Last night’s fire had not disturbed her mind. Besides, having been in the Qin residence for many days, she had never completely become its Ninth Young Miss. Without emotional attachment, she naturally wouldn’t be too concerned. In comparison, fulfilling her duties as a physician felt more valuable.
Fuling had been worried Qin Wan would be affected, but seeing her like this, she was relieved.
Seeing Qin Wan flip through books and write prescriptions, Fuling ground ink at her side. Suddenly, Qin Wan looked up.
"How did His Highness the Heir Apparent find us last night?"
Fuling was taken aback. "Miss, weren’t you writing a prescription? Why are you suddenly thinking of His Highness the Heir Apparent…"
Qin Wan turned to look at Fuling. "No, it’s not that. I’m just wondering how it happened. I actually forgot to ask him. The library we were in last night was in a very remote location. How did he know?"
Fuling blinked and said with a smile, "His Highness the Heir Apparent has his own divine abilities! Won’t you know if you ask him next time?"
Hearing this, Qin Wan lowered her gaze. Her pace of flipping through the book slowed considerably. Seeing Qin Wan’s distracted state, Fuling sighed. "It was His Highness the Heir Apparent who saved you again this time. When I woke up this morning, before I even went out to ask them what happened last night, I just knew it must have been His Highness the Heir Apparent."
Qin Wan gave Fuling a suspicious look. "Aren’t you afraid of him? Why do you now think he’s a savior hero?"
Hearing this, Fuling shrank her neck. "I’m still afraid, but His Highness the Heir Apparent is the most impressive person this servant has ever seen. And he’s very good to you, miss…"
Hearing this, Qin Wan, who could normally respond casually, was suddenly at a loss for words. And her heart fluttered with panic. She subconsciously looked at a medical book, but although she recognized the words on the page, she couldn’t take in their meaning.
In this world, no man is good to a woman without reason.
Qin Chen was guilty and vicious, but she remembered this sentence he had said. Thinking of this, Qin Wan couldn’t help but think of the past. In the first case, Huo Huaixin had asked for her help. But in the second case, Yan Chi knew of her abilities and from the very beginning opened all possible doors for her. Not only did he not mind her, a young miss, performing the duties of a coroner, but he even supported and indulged her…
"Let’s go! We’re going to the medicine storage." Qin Wan grabbed the prescription she had just written and suddenly stood up.
Fuling was startled. "Miss… why are you suddenly…"
Qin Wan didn’t answer, just grabbed a cloak and left. For no other reason than she didn’t want to stay cooped up in her room overthinking.
Since Qin Wan said they were going, Fuling naturally followed. They went to the medicine storage, only to find its door tightly locked. Fuling was surprised. "What’s going on? Where is Physician Qian?"
Qin Wan thought for a moment. "Didn’t they say they were taking everyone related to the case to the yamen for questioning?"
Fuling realized. "Most likely. What do we do, miss…"
Qin Wan glanced at the prescription in her hand and lifted her chin. "We’ll go out and buy it. Let’s go."
Qin Wan hadn’t left the residence for several days. With the bright daylight today, it was fine to go out. The two of them went to the west side gate. Fortunately, the gatekeepers were there. Soon, Qin Wan boarded a small, blue-clothed carriage and headed straight for the nearest pharmacy.
The nearest pharmacy was on a corner off the main street. The carriage stopped, and Qin Wan and Fuling went directly inside. Although this pharmacy was large, there were few people inside in the afternoon. As they entered, a clerk came forward. "What can I get for you two young ladies? Are you seeing a doctor or buying medicine?"
"Buying medicine…" Qin Wan said, handing over the prescription directly.
The clerk was also very efficient. Taking the prescription, he said, "Please wait a moment" and went behind the medicine cabinets to fill the order. Qin Wan walked to the side of the cabinets, watching as the clerk placed each herb one by one onto the yellow paper. The medicinal herbs were laid out in bundles, and Qin Wan could see them very clearly. Suddenly, she thought of a new prescription.
Qin Wan frowned with a bit of uncertainty. "Should I use tufuling or yuanzhi?"
"Naturally, you should use tufuling…"
Qin Wan was muttering to herself, unsure of the prescription, but as soon as the words left her mouth, someone nearby answered.
Qin Wan turned her head, startled, toward the voice. She saw that a young man in a white robe and a feathered crown was standing beside her, having approached at some unknown time. Looking at the young man’s jade-like, handsome face, Qin Wan’s heart skipped a beat.
Qin Wan had never imagined that she would encounter an old acquaintance here in Jinzhou.