novelraw Chapter 70 : Yan Chi Personally Comes to Fetch
Chapter 70 : Yan Chi Personally Comes to Fetch
70: Yan Chi Personally Comes to Fetch
On the return carriage ride, Qin Wan was still thinking about what she had just seen.
She couldn't have been mistaken. The ulcerated swelling on Qin Li's neck indeed resembled that disease. But how could Qin Li, the esteemed Second Young Master of the household, have...
Qin Wan frowned deeply, her thoughts drifting back to the Purple Bamboo Grove. After Liu Chun, Eighth Concubine had also gone there. Could there be some connection between Liu Chun and Eighth Concubine?
Qin Wan was utterly puzzled. Qin Li, Liu Chun, Eighth Concubine, Yao Xinlan, Qin Chen... these were all highly suspicious people within the Qin residence. Yet a heavy fog still clouded Qin Wan's vision, unclear and intangible. She felt like someone walking on the edge of a cliff, not knowing when she might misstep and fall.
By the time they returned to the Qin residence, the sky was already dark. When Qin Wan returned to Tinglan Pavilion, the four "Wan" were all standing at the chamber door waiting for her.
"Greetings, Young Miss."
Qin Wan's gaze swept over each of their faces one by one, pausing slightly when she reached Wanxing.
Qin Wan nodded. "There's little work in my courtyard. You may rest."
The others curtsied, but Wantang looked up. "Young Miss, all the festival supplies for our courtyard have been received. When would you like us to start decorating?"
The corners of Qin Wan's lips curved slightly. "Tomorrow." She paused slightly, then added, "This matter is entrusted to you and Wantao."
Wantang was steady; Wantao was lively. These two could pair well.
Wantang's eyes brightened slightly. Wantao's face lit up with joy. Among the four, now only she and Wantang had received instructions, clearly showing Qin Wan's regard. "Yes. Please rest assured, Young Miss. We will arrange everything properly."
Qin Wan nodded, then entered the main chamber.
Fuling helped her remove her outer robe, saying, "Wantang really seems reliable. Will Young Miss rely on her in the future?"
Qin Wan glanced at Fuling. "If I rely on her, what about you?"
Fuling was momentarily stunned, as if she had only just thought of this issue. She smiled sheepishly. "Even if you rely on Wantang, she doesn't have the bond this servant shares with Young Miss. Besides, this servant knows her own worth. Young Miss always needs several capable people around."
Fuling had followed Qin Wan for many years. She wasn't a household‑born servant of the Jinzhou Qin residence. If she left Qin Wan, she would lose her only support. Yet she wasn't the least bit worried about her position.
"It's not about reliance or not. Having someone to handle these matters is good."
Qin Wan walked inside as she casually asked, "You mentioned Wanli's background earlier. What about the others?"
Fuling hurried forward. "Wantang was trained early on. Originally, she was also to be sent to Sixth Young Miss's place, but later she was pushed aside. Though she's also household‑born, her parents didn't become stewards. She couldn't even become a maid for a concubine‑born young lady. That Wantao is similar to Wantang. I heard her parents are gone, only a brother works as an errand boy in the outer courtyard. As for Wanxing... Wantang said she doesn't know Wanxing. Said she might have been bought from outside and trained as a household‑born servant..."
She sighed. "If bought from outside, she has no support in the residence and doesn't know the household's ways. But the good point is, Young Miss would be her only support. Perhaps she'll be more loyal."
Qin Wan sat on the long couch. Wanxing's performance this afternoon, was it a display of loyalty?
Among the several, Wanxing was the most inconspicuous. Yet beneath her dull, clumsy exterior, she must harbor a clever heart. Otherwise, how could she have helped her this afternoon? Even Qin Wan herself hadn't known Physician Qian had also gone to the outer courtyard.
In such a short time, Wanxing had known that.
"Young Miss, what dress should be worn tomorrow for Li River Lake?"
Qin Wan was pulled from her thoughts by Fuling's voice. Turning to look, she saw Fuling holding two sets of exquisite, elegant dresses. One was gifted by Jiang‑shi earlier; the other was sent by Lady Lin.
Qin Wan shook her head. "Either set is fine."
Seeing Qin Wan's demeanor, Fuling sighed. Her young lady currently had no intention of dressing up. Tomorrow at the garden fair, there would be the Marquis's two young masters, and they'd likely encounter other noble young gentlemen. If it were any other young lady, she would have long been pondering how to stand out among tomorrow's blossoming beauties.
Fuling sighed again and again, going aside to plan what Qin Wan should wear tomorrow.
Master and servant each had their own thoughts. When they lay down late at night, Qin Wan only remembered to instruct Fuling, "Tomorrow, remember to remind me to bring the medicine for His Highness Yan Chi. This second batch of medicine is different."
Fuling quickly agreed in a crisp voice. "Understood, Young Miss. You've put immense effort into these medicines these past days. This servant wouldn't dare forget."
Only then did Qin Wan settle her mind, exhaled, and closed her eyes.
In her dream was a lush, verdant Purple Bamboo Grove.
Qin Wan lifted her skirt, running until she was out of breath. Looking back, the black figure was closing in. Qin Wan gritted her teeth, a surge of tears rushing to the corners of her eyes, but she forcefully held them back.
She exerted every ounce of strength, but suddenly, she stepped on something, and her body lunged forward.
Struck by the dull pain in her knees, Qin Wan couldn't get up immediately. In that instant, a pair of large hands grabbed her ankle. Qin Wan whimpered, but those hands dragged her relentlessly deeper into the bamboo grove. Bamboo branches and leaves on the ground were dragged into a long trail by her body. She waved her arms helplessly, trying to grab something, but her palms only clutched futilely at withered branches and yellow leaves. Qin Wan was terrified. Cold sweat dripped down her cheeks. She wanted to scream, but when she opened her mouth, no sound came out. Soon, the person grabbed her hair and flipped her over.
Intense pain darkened Qin Wan's vision. Then, hands choked her neck. Qin Wan's throat was constricted; her whole body struggled like a fish. But those hands were immensely strong; she couldn't break free at all.
Tears welled in Qin Wan's eyes. She could only widen her eyes to see the face above her.
Through the mist in her eyes, Qin Wan only saw the blurred outline of a man's face. She strained to open her eyes wider, trying to see that face before dying. Gradually, the man's chin became visible, then his facial features slowly clarified: mouth, nose, ears, eyebrows... Among the features, only the eyes remained...
Qin Wan grew frantic with anxiety. Suddenly, the man's eyes also took shape...
"Young Miss! Wake up..."
Qin Wan's eyes snapped open. She stared wide‑eyed at the canopy above, Fuling's worried voice in her ears.
Qin Wan gasped for breath, her hands tightly clutching the brocade quilt beneath her.
"Young Miss, did you have a nightmare?"
Fuling's voice softened, as if afraid of startling Qin Wan. Qin Wan took a few more breaths, then blinked, turning to look. Fuling's eyes were already glistening with anxious tears. Qin Wan's tense spine relaxed slightly as she exhaled.
"Yes, a nightmare."
Her voice was extremely hoarse. Fuling hurried to fetch water for her.
"Young Miss usually wakes at dawn, but today was a bit late. This servant came in to check and heard Young Miss whimpering softly. Lifting the bed curtain, I saw Young Miss clutching the quilt, as if having a nightmare."
Fuling helped Qin Wan sit up and handed her the water cup. "This servant heard nightmares can steal a person's soul. I was truly afraid Young Miss's soul was gone..."
Qin Wan's half‑dream, half‑real tension dissipated considerably at Fuling's words. After drinking a few sips of water, Qin Wan gradually calmed down. It was because she had been thinking too much about this case these past days that she had this dream. But whose face had finally appeared?
Qin Wan wiped the sweat from her face, then touched her own neck. Fortunately, it was just a dream.
Just dreaming had terrified her so. How much more terrified must the former Ninth Young Miss have been when she died?
That prolonged torture of being strangled was even more painful than her own arrow‑pierced heart.
Qin Wan's eyes gradually darkened. Turning to look, she saw the sky was already bright.
"Get up. We have to go out today."
Qin Wan was best at adjusting her mood. She got up, washed, ate a meal that was either lunch or breakfast, then sat by the window to practice calligraphy. She had written less than half a page when she heard noise in the courtyard. Looking out, she saw Wantang and Wantao decorating the courtyard. This courtyard had been unoccupied before, so there were only two wind lanterns under the eaves. Now, for the Mid‑Autumn Festival, Wantang had brought new lanterns. Once hung, the courtyard immediately gained a more festive atmosphere.
In the courtyard, Wantang directed while Wantao climbed the brought ladder. Finding they were short‑handed, Wantao went into the side chamber. Not long after, Wanxing followed out silently and woodenly. A faint smile touched Qin Wan's lips. It seemed Wanli couldn't be persuaded.
With one more person in the courtyard, Wantao worked even more energetically. It became her and Wantang directing, while the heavy lifting tasks naturally fell to Wanxing. Qin Wan narrowed her eyes. Indeed, there were politics everywhere.
Qin Wan watched with interest. At a certain moment, her brow suddenly lifted.
Wanxing looked thin and weak, but when moving those heavy objects that would strain most girls, she was remarkably agile. Tasks like climbing ladders, which carried some danger, she also performed smoothly. Watching Wanxing climb to the top of the ladder, her body bending in a flexible arc to reach for a wind lantern, Qin Wan's eyes suddenly grew profound.
She had initially thought Wanxing was merely hiding her intelligence and playing dumb. But now it seemed there was more to it.
Apart from her wooden demeanor, she not only had a clever mind but also exceptionally nimble and agile movements. Her posture and movements instantly reminded Qin Wan of Yue Ning.
Past experiences made Qin Wan pay extra attention to details. Without deliberately scrutinizing others, she could remember each person's habits and demeanor. Many of Yue Ning's habits stemmed from her martial arts training, giving her a brisk efficiency lacking in delicate femininity.
Yue Ning... Wanxing... Two such different people, yet they gave Qin Wan a similar impression.
Qin Wan's eyes narrowed. Could it be... Wanxing knew martial arts?!
Once this thought arose, Qin Wan couldn't help but scrutinize Wanxing.
As she watched, knocking sounded at the courtyard gate. Wantang quickly walked to the entrance. Not long after, she came toward the main chamber.
Fuling was outside. Wantang whispered something to Fuling, then Fuling turned and entered the room. "Young Miss, someone from the Marquis's residence has come to fetch you. We must go..."
Qin Wan looked at the sky outside. Why had Yue Ning come half an hour early?
Though thinking this, Qin Wan still instructed Fuling to get ready to leave. After the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, Qin Wan and Fuling arrived at the Qin residence's western side gate. Before getting close, Qin Wan saw Yan Chi in his striking black brocade robe standing outside the residence gate.