The Powerful and Favored Coroner Imperial Concubine

Chapter 71 : Examining Wounds in the Carriage, a Major Misunderstanding

71: Examining Wounds in the Carriage, a Major Misunderstanding

It was clearly agreed that Yue Ning would come to fetch her. Why was it Yan Chi again?

Qin Wan hesitated inwardly, but her steps carried her toward Yan Chi.

"Greetings to Your Highness."

Yan Chi wore a striking black robe, its faint golden patterns shimmering with a noble luster under the warm autumn sun. He stood idly, yet his imposing aura alone was enough to make the Qin residence gatekeepers hold their breath. Seeing Qin Wan emerge, Yan Chi's indifferent gaze swept over her. He was scrutinizing her...

Under his dark gaze, Qin Wan immediately felt somewhat guilty.

She certainly hadn't forgotten that day when she and Yue Ning suspected Yan Chi. Their departure had been utterly undignified!

"Let's go." After looking at Qin Wan for a moment, Yan Chi suddenly spoke.

Qin Wan breathed a sigh of relief, then looked up and saw there was still only one carriage today. In that case, wouldn't she have to share the carriage with Yan Chi again?

Sharing a carriage wasn't frightening. What was frightening was that Yan Chi's aura today was especially intense.

Summoning her courage, Qin Wan boarded the carriage!

As the carriage curtain fell, the interior darkened.

Yan Chi was dressed in black, his face also seemingly dark, making him even more profound and unfathomable. Yet at the same time, Qin Wan was looking at Yan Chi's hands. Why did Yan Chi use his left hand?

"What are you looking at?"

Yan Chi's question carried a hint of danger. Qin Wan immediately lifted her gaze.

Yan Chi raised his left hand, frowning slightly. "What's wrong with my hand?"

Qin Wan pressed her lips together, meeting Yan Chi's deep, dark eyes. Suddenly, she said, "Your Highness can write with your left hand?"

Yan Chi's dark pupils focused. For a moment, understanding flashed in his eyes. The corners of his lips curved slightly, but there was no smile in his eyes. "The left hand can not only write but also wield a blade..."

Qin Wan couldn't tell if he was joking or serious. Her brow furrowed.

"Your Highness knows the entire Marquis's residence is looking for a left‑handed person?"

Yan Chi nodded. "So what?"

Qin Wan couldn't help feeling secretly anxious. "Currently, Your Highness is the only left‑handed person."

The carriage began to move. As it was the Mid‑Autumn Festival celebration, the entire Jinzhou City was many times livelier than usual today. The clamor of crowds filtered through the window lattice into the carriage, yet Qin Wan felt the air inside the carriage had frozen.

"You suspect me?" Yan Chi's question was even more dangerous, as if she nodded, he would finish her off right there in the carriage.

Qin Wan's eyes shifted. "Can't exactly say suspect. But Your Highness can indeed use your left hand, can't you?"

A faint, ambiguous smile touched Yan Chi's lips. "In your heart, I could be the murderer?"

Inwardly, Qin Wan shook her head, but she hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Suspecting Your Highness is the murderer... the evidence is insufficient."

Yan Chi nodded. "You still remember the evidence is insufficient."

Qin Wan's voice was soft, somewhat lacking in confidence. To say she suspected Yan Chi truly relied only on his left‑handedness. And Qin Wan herself felt such suspicion was somewhat hasty. She gave a forced smile. "Naturally. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise, you would have already reported me?"

Exposed, Qin Wan felt even more awkward. "Your Highness, rest assured. The truth is Prefect Huo's responsibility. Qin Wan will not interfere." As she spoke, Qin Wan hurriedly changed the subject. "How is Your Highness's injury?"

Yan Chi snorted lightly. "Seems not to have improved."

Qin Wan was taken aback. "How has it not improved? Did Your Highness engage in martial arts again or ride a horse again?"

Yan Chi lifted his chin slightly. "Did nothing. Only the wound area is extremely uncomfortable."

Qin Wan's heart sank. Could it be that using a potent prescription was actually wrong?

Yan Chi's injury could be considered extremely severe. If her prescription wasn't suitable, not only might it not accelerate healing, it could likely worsen the wound's ulceration. Though Qin Wan had always been confident in her medical skills, Yan Chi's life was more important by comparison. So, under Yan Chi's firm tone, she actually doubted herself once.

Qin Wan lifted the carriage curtain. Seeing they were heading toward the southern part of the city, she said, "Your Highness, perhaps have the carriage go to the Marquis's residence? Qin Wan can examine Your Highness's injury. If the prescription is unsuitable, it should be changed."

Yan Chi raised an eyebrow, seemingly not expecting Qin Wan to immediately want to examine his wound. Meeting Qin Wan's clear, shallow, bright eyes, a mischievous thought suddenly arose in Yan Chi's heart.

"Today, the Grand Princess has also come out. She is waiting for you now. Let's not return." Yan Chi's tone was indifferent, carrying a compelling coolness. After a pause, he added, "Besides, my injury is not worth mentioning."

Qin Wan's expression turned serious. "Your Highness's injury is severe. If it worsens, it could endanger your life. At best, it could leave lasting complications. Your Highness is still young now. In a few years, Your Highness might very well begin to suffer constant ailments. How will you go to the battlefield then?"

When Qin Wan spoke of serious matters, she always had a meticulous, cold solemnity. And this cold solemnity fascinated Yan Chi most. He pondered for a moment, then reluctantly said, "In that case, you may examine it in the carriage."

Qin Wan raised an eyebrow. In the carriage? The light inside the carriage was dim. But if they truly couldn't return to the Marquis's residence, it was possible. After all, once they reached Li River Lake, it would be even more impossible to examine his injury in front of the Anyang Marquis's family.

Qin Wan was entirely focused, completely unaware of the strange, shimmering light in Yan Chi's eyes.

"Alright then. Please, Your Highness, loosen your garments."

Qin Wan made a concession, but Yan Chi moved leisurely, as if very unwilling to have his injury examined in the carriage. Seeing this, Qin Wan didn't urge him. For some reason, ever since suspecting Yan Chi last time, she had felt somewhat guilty in front of him.

As Yan Chi undressed, the carriage galloped on. Qin Wan calculated the time. It would take nearly half an hour to reach Li River Lake. Before that, she would definitely have finished examining Yan Chi's injury. There would even be time to change the dressing!

Qin Wan's mind settled. Yan Chi had already leisurely removed his outer robe and inner garment down to his chest.

Once they were removed, Qin Wan suddenly felt something was amiss.

The carriage compartment was cramped and narrow, and Yan Chi was essentially half‑naked before her. If it were in a room at the Marquis's residence, it wouldn't be much, but here, it was somewhat... face‑warming. Qin Wan was a physician; though the feeling wasn't that strong, there was still a hint of ambiguity. She steadied herself. "Please turn around, Your Highness..."

Yan Chi obligingly turned sideways. With this turn, Qin Wan found the situation wasn't as bad as she thought.

When Yan Chi said the wound hadn't improved, he probably meant it hadn't healed. But with such a severe injury, naturally it wouldn't heal overnight. Yet why did he say the wound was extremely uncomfortable? Qin Wan looked closely, her fingertips lifting a corner of the well‑bandaged wound. Qin Wan lifted a corner of the window curtain to see. There was no bleeding, no further ulceration. Even the wound edges had grown a layer of light pink new flesh. The medicine she used was clearly quite effective...

Qin Wan focused her gaze. "What does Your Highness mean by the wound being uncomfortable?"

Yan Chi remained turned sideways. After a pause, he said, "Intensely itchy."

Qin Wan's eyes widened slightly. "Your Highness has long been on the battlefield; this isn't your first injury. How can you not know wounds itch when healing?"

Yan Chi said solemnly, "This itch is different from before."

Qin Wan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "That's because Qin Wan's medicine is different from others."

As she spoke, Qin Wan felt the galloping carriage slow down. The streets were crowded with people today. Qin Wan didn't pay much attention to the slowing. Seeing Yan Chi's injury showed signs of improvement, her heart settled. She lowered the curtain and moved back herself. "Your Highness's injury is not serious. You can rest assured. Today, I brought new medicine. It will be even better than this."

She retreated. Meanwhile, Yan Chi turned and continued dressing leisurely.

At that moment, the carriage suddenly stopped.

Qin Wan raised an eyebrow. What was wrong? They couldn't possibly have reached Li River Lake so quickly.

This thought had just formed when Qin Wan suddenly heard footsteps approaching the carriage. Qin Wan thought Yan Chi had some other arrangement along the way. Before the thought fully settled, the carriage curtain was suddenly yanked wide open!

"Ninth Young Miss, come…"

The word "here" didn't come out. Yue Qing stood frozen like a wooden puppet outside the carriage.

He clearly saw Yan Chi inside the carriage fastening his undone garments. His outer robe and inner garment were completely open. Though his face remained as arrogantly imposing as usual, this scene appearing in a carriage with Qin Wan was highly suggestive. And Qin Wan sat to the side, her expression calm as if nothing was amiss. Yue Qing stood rigid, the curtain still held high by him. Thus, not only he saw, but the Grand Princess and all the Anyang Marquis's family members standing ten feet behind him also witnessed this scene.

Qin Wan looked at Yan Chi, then at the expressions of the Yue family members. Suddenly, she felt the misunderstanding was rather significant.