"Both the master and mistress were well-read individuals, and the mistress particularly enjoyed making scent pills and medicinal pills. In the past, our home never had any mosquitoes or flies during summer thanks to the mistress's mosquito repellent pills. Who would have thought the young miss would remember all of this..."
"The young miss should have shown her skills earlier. With such remarkable medical knowledge, we wouldn’t have been looked down upon by others."
Two days had passed since they left the manor, yet Fuling was still marveling at Qin Guan’s medical skills.
Qin Guan had lost both parents at the age of nine and later moved from the capital to Jinzhou. Given her pitiable circumstances during that time, there was no way she could have learned medicine. The only possibility was that she had already been taught before turning nine. After much thought, Qin Guan attributed this to the late Qin Yi and his wife.
Fuling had mentioned earlier that Qin Yi and his wife were both highly learned individuals. If that was the case, it made sense that they had read medical texts and passed on their knowledge to the young Qin Guan. Fuling trusted Qin Guan wholeheartedly, and even if she sensed something amiss, she still believed this explanation.
The morning breeze was gentle as Qin Guan and Fuling walked along the path near the western backyard, arriving once again by the lotus pond.
Fuling glanced toward the front courtyard. "It’s been two days, yet Old Madam hasn’t made a move?"
The masters of the household must have known they left the manor, but after two days, there had been no reaction.
Qin Guan narrowed her eyes. "Since Old Madam doesn’t care about us, she truly doesn’t. As long as we don’t do anything to tarnish Qin Manor’s reputation, why would she spare us a second glance?"
This was Qin Guan’s speculation—Jiang Shi simply couldn’t be bothered to expend any effort on her.
Fuling found this reasoning quite sound. "Well, that’s fine. We can enjoy the peace. But the young miss’s health hasn’t fully recovered yet. Coming to this lotus pond every day isn’t good. It’s near the water and quite chilly."
Qin Guan shook her head, then turned her gaze toward the northeast.
On that day, Ninth Miss had arrived at the lotus pond first. How had she made her way to the Purple Bamboo Forest?
Though the lotus pond was secluded, it was still early evening, and servants might have been passing by. It was impossible for Ninth Miss to have been forcibly taken there—the only explanation was that she went on her own.
But Ninth Miss was timid. Knowing the Purple Bamboo Forest was haunted, why would she have gone there?
Qin Guan frowned deeply when suddenly, Fuling pointed toward the opposite side of the pond. "Young miss, look—"
Qin Guan turned and saw several servants carrying two large boxes toward the front courtyard, obscured by the rockery. The boxes were draped with red curtains, giving off a festive air.
Fuling murmured, "It looks like they’re preparing gifts for someone’s wedding."
Though Qin Manor was only the third branch of the Loyal Marquis Manor, its name alone made it one of the most prestigious households in Jinzhou. Whose wedding would require such an extravagant gift from them?
The thought flashed through her mind, but Qin Guan didn’t dwell on it. She patted Fuling’s arm. "Go fetch a blanket."
It was indeed chilly by the water. Hearing this, Fuling turned to leave but hesitated after a few steps, looking back uneasily. "Young miss, please wait here for Fuling. Don’t wander off."
Qin Guan smiled faintly. "Alright. While you’re at it, check if the morning medicated tea is ready."
Fuling nodded and hurried off. The smile on Qin Guan’s lips faded.
She hadn’t prepared any medicated tea at all. Fuling wouldn’t find it and would naturally be delayed.
Qin Guan took a shallow breath and followed the lakeside path toward the northeast.The northern part of Qin Manor was entirely overgrown and desolate. Leaving the lotus pond behind, Qin Guan followed a path strewn with withered leaves. Before long, the crisp fragrance of bamboo reached her nose, and her eyes brightened as she quickened her pace.
She had observed for two days. As Fuling had said, the Purple Bamboo Forest was indeed a forbidden area of the manor. The paths leading in this direction showed no traces of people all day. Since that was the case, she would investigate during daylight.
After a while longer, Qin Guan arrived at the entrance of the Purple Bamboo Forest.
In early autumn, the bamboo grove remained lush and green. Yet, having become a forbidden area, the paths within were untended, covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves. As Qin Guan stepped on them, they crunched softly beneath her feet.
Following the path inward, the warm sunlight was blocked by the dense bamboo canopy above, and a chilling coolness rose from the ground. The forest was eerily quiet, devoid even of birdsong. Combined with the years of decaying leaves, the entire Purple Bamboo Forest exuded a damp, sinister aura.
Not just at night—even in broad daylight, it felt unsettling.
What had lured Ninth Miss here?
Or had she seen something strange—a person or an event—and followed it?
Lost in thought, Qin Guan turned to look back. On the leaf-covered path, her footprints were faint. Moreover, heavy rain had fallen on the night of the twenty-first of July, and so much time had passed since then. Finding any traces would be difficult.
Ninth Miss had abrasions on her calves and thighs, finger marks on her ankles, and strangulation marks on her neck. Later, it was discovered there were also bleeding points on her scalp. Qin Guan walked to the center of the bamboo forest, paused, and slowly closed her eyes.
If Ninth Miss had been dragged by the ankles while unconscious, the wounds would have been neat. Yet her injuries were irregular—though abrasions, they were uneven. She must have struggled violently while being dragged.
And since the abrasions were on the front of her legs, she had been dragged face-down.
Under what circumstances would Ninth Miss have been grabbed by the ankles while face-down?
Qin Guan took a step forward and suddenly stepped on a broken bamboo branch. The cylindrical shape of bamboo made it easy to slip. Holding her breath, she realized—Ninth Miss must have fallen, then been grabbed. Which meant she must have been running away at first...
Qin Guan's brows furrowed as her mind vividly replayed a murder.
Running, falling, being caught, dragged deep into the bamboo forest, her hair seized to flip her over, and then—hands tightening around her neck—
Qin Guan shuddered violently. The killer was a man!
Only a man would have had the strength for this!
Ninth Miss was a member of the Qin family. Even if people disliked or resented her, no one would have truly wanted her dead—otherwise, how could she have lived safely in Qin Manor for four years? And from the moment she entered the Purple Bamboo Forest to her escape and subsequent murder...
Qin Guan's eyes snapped open—she must have seen something she shouldn't have!
The moment this thought struck, her heart pounded wildly. Instinctively, she turned, scanning the surroundings for more evidence. But as she turned, amidst the deep forest and verdant bamboo, a man stood silently, watching her.
In the dim, eerie light, the man smiled, his eyes fixed on her.
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