Coroner's Diary

"Sent away?" Qin Guan was slightly surprised, unaware of this detail.

Sun Muqing nodded. "Yes, because that night frightened Ninth Miss and Sixth Miss, and with heavy snow falling, the household was running low on food and supplies. So, the three patients in the residence were sent away. The delirious young man was said to be from Chibe Village to the northwest. These past two days, there have been no more patients in the house."

The tension in Qin Guan's heart eased slightly, yet the shadow looming over everyone remained. If the murderer wasn't that delirious patient, then who could it be? The thought of such a brutal killer hiding within this desolate, gloomy old residence sent a chill down Qin Guan's spine.

"Then I was mistaken. It seems we’ll have to wait for the county officials to arrive."

Noticing the heaviness in Qin Guan's tone, Sun Muqing quickly reassured her, "Ninth Miss, don’t worry. The county officials will surely arrive tonight, and we can leave it to them then."

Qin Guan gave a quiet "Mm," then gazed at the thick layers of snow outside. "I just hope it doesn’t snow again today and delay their journey..." As she spoke, she stood and began pacing restlessly, an inexplicable unease stirring within her.

Sun Muqing observed this and suggested, "If you're feeling troubled, Miss Qin, perhaps a walk outside would help? In broad daylight, stepping out for some fresh air should be safe."

Qin Guan paused mid-step, then acquiesced to Sun Muqing's advice.

Since Qin Guan was going out, Qin Shuang naturally followed. Sun Muqing accompanied the sisters as they left the courtyard. After a moment’s thought, Qin Guan headed north, deliberately avoiding the alleyway they had taken that fateful day. Along the way, Sun Muqing inquired again about Qin Guan’s medical studies, to which she replied that she had learned from Qin Yi and his wife.

Before long, they reached another courtyard, where faint voices and an odd "creak-creak" sound could be heard. Qin Guan frowned in curiosity, but Qin Shuang dashed ahead to peek inside. "Xiao Lizi, what are you doing?!" she exclaimed.

Qin Guan’s brows lifted, and she and Sun Muqing quickly approached. Inside the courtyard, they found Xiao Lizi engaged in woodwork. Perched on a simple bench setup, he stood with one foot on the seat, smoothing uneven spots on a wooden plank with a tool. When he noticed Sun Muqing and the others, he immediately came over.

"Greetings, Young Master Sun, young ladies..."

Sun Muqing, equally curious, asked, "What are you making?"

Xiao Lizi’s face still bore traces of sorrow. "There are no coffins in the residence, and there’s no time to buy one now. Besides, as servants, we don’t have the standing for such formalities. Since I know a bit of carpentry, I thought I’d make a coffin for Xiao Songzi so he can be buried properly. He... we entered the household together, always hoping to serve our masters well. Who would’ve thought..."

His voice grew hoarse. Unlike the panic he had shown the other day, now only grief remained for his companion’s tragic death. Qin Guan was moved by his sincerity, and Sun Muqing, too, was touched. "You’re a good man. He would be comforted knowing this in the afterlife."

Xiao Lizi shook his head. "It doesn’t matter. If only he hadn’t died..."The man was already dead, and Sun Muqing didn't know how to console him for the moment, only saying, "It seems Xiao Songzi had no family left?"

"Exactly, that's why he treated me like a brother. To be honest with you, Young Master, none of us here have parents or family. Who knows what good deeds we did in our past lives to be blessed with such a master in this one. But who would've thought Xiao Songzi had no fortune—just half a year in, and he met with such a tragedy."

"The departed are gone. You should focus on doing your duties well here and living your life properly. That would bring some comfort to his spirit in heaven." Qin Shuang's tone was gentle and soothing—surprisingly capable of offering comfort.

Xiao Lizi nodded vigorously. "I will, I will. I've served in many households before, but never stayed long... To be honest with you, Young Master and the two young ladies, with my condition back then, I had no chance of survival. Boys taken into households usually guarded the premises or did heavy labor, but I... It was only because of Dong Shu's kindness that I was brought back here."

Xiao Lizi's words were vague, and Qin Guan frowned slightly as she studied his complexion. "Were you ill before?"

Xiao Lizi nodded with a bitter smile. "I used to have frequent chest pains, sometimes so severe I'd faint and couldn't do anything. My previous master drove me out because of it. But Dong Shu not only took me in despite my condition, he even asked our master to provide medicine and treatment. Now my health has gradually improved a lot."

Seeing him engaged in carpentry work was proof enough of his recovery. Sun Muqing nodded encouragingly. "You have a pure heart and this skill of yours. No matter what, you'll have a good life. Don't dwell on Xiao Songzi's death for too long. Once the killer is caught, it'll be vengeance for him. Next year, during the festivals, you can offer him some incense."

At this, Xiao Lizi smiled sheepishly. "Young Master flatters me. This little skill of mine hardly counts as craftsmanship. I wasn't very good at it before, but recently I found I had a knack for this kind of work. I tried making a few things for the household, and Dong Shu actually approved, so I kept at it."

Sun Muqing was surprised and glanced again at the setup in the courtyard. The wooden strips on the ground and the already completed coffin lid were remarkably well-shaped, almost indistinguishable from those sold in coffin shops. "It seems you have an extraordinary talent for this. If you specialize in it, you might become a master craftsman someday."

Xiao Lizi scratched his head, his face flushing. "No, no, I just follow my instincts. Thank you, Young Master. I... I'll do my best..."

Sun Muqing chuckled at his bashfulness and nodded. "Alright, carry on. We'll look around elsewhere."

Xiao Lizi hurriedly bowed as Sun Muqing and the others turned to leave. As they walked away, Sun Muqing remarked curiously, "That Xiao Lizi is quite the talent. Some people are naturally gifted in certain areas—like him with carpentry..." He glanced at Qin Guan. "Ninth Miss is the same with medicine. Those who achieve mastery through self-study are exceedingly rare."Qin Guan smiled bitterly in her heart. She wasn't someone who relied on talent. While people like Sun Muqing might possess it, she certainly didn't. The reason her master had valued and accepted her as a disciple was simply because of her dedication and hard work. As for Xiao Lizi... Qin Guan shook her head, sensing something amiss but unable to pinpoint what it was.

Ninth Miss had suddenly acquired medical skills because someone else now inhabited her body. Could Xiao Lizi's sudden aptitude for carpentry mean he, too, had been replaced by another soul?

The thought sent a chill down Qin Guan's spine. She always claimed not to believe in ghosts and spirits, but how could she explain her own situation?

After pondering for a moment, Qin Guan shook her head again. When she woke up, she was Ninth Miss—she hadn't turned into a ghost, nor had she seen any heavenly buddhas, earthly deities, or underworld kings. Yet something had indeed brought her back from death, though she couldn't fathom what. All she knew was that evil in this world was man-made. Even if ghosts existed, they resided in people's hearts.

Having reflected on this and learned of Xiao Lizi's sudden carpentry skills, Qin Guan felt somewhat more at ease. Upon returning to the courtyard, she had lunch shortly after. Following the meal, everyone in the Herb Garden, including Qin Guan, waited for the county officials to arrive.

In the afternoon, Qin Shuang returned from Qin Xiang's place and said, "Fifth Sister couldn't care less about whether someone died in the manor. She thinks Young Master Bai is returning today and has been eagerly waiting since morning—utterly shameless!"

Qin Guan chuckled. "It's understandable when it's her first time liking someone."

Qin Shuang snorted dismissively, then added, "Oh, and the area where the body was found has been cordoned off. The servants are quite frightened, saying Xiao Songzi was too young when he died and might easily... you know..."

"Know what?" Qin Guan asked curiously.

Qin Shuang frowned impatiently. "How do you not know this?! When young people die, their lingering resentment can bring bad luck to the household. Don’t you remember how you—"

Her words abruptly cut off as her expression shifted. Realizing what she had said, she quickly covered her mouth. Fuling, standing nearby, paled and glared at Qin Shuang, silently cursing her. She had thought Qin Shuang had learned some tact, but clearly, she hadn't.

Qin Shuang took a step back, then another. "I... I didn’t mean it like that... Back then, we thought you were dead, so we held a ritual... But then... then I was really happy when you turned out to be alive!"

Fuling twisted the handkerchief in her hands, her eyes icy with anger. She wished she could wring Qin Shuang's thick skull like the cloth in her hands. Happy? More like happy to have someone to bully again!

Seeing Qin Guan's smile fade—though she showed no obvious anger, her demeanor had shifted—and Fuling glaring at her as if she were an enemy, Qin Shuang panicked and whined, "Why are you looking at me like that? I was just stating facts! That’s how it was back then! I wasn’t cursing her or anything..."

Fuling scoffed and turned away. Qin Guan shook her head. "With the way you speak, you’ll land yourself in trouble sooner or later."Qin Shuang had just said something inappropriate and knew she shouldn't argue back now. She just lowered her head and muttered softly, "It's just... just that I consider you all as family, so I wasn't careful. I apologize, I won't say it again."

After Qin Shuang's outburst, Fuling felt upset for a long time. It's often said that human nature is hard to change, and indeed it's true. Now that a rift had formed between her and Qin Xiang because of Qin Shuang, she clung closely to Qin Guan. If any discord arose with Qin Guan in the future, she probably wouldn't care much about sisterly bonds either. Fuling thought sadly, if only the princess could go to the capital too!

Until nightfall, Fuling remained cold toward Qin Shuang, who also seemed listless, occasionally exchanging a few words with Qin Guan, who responded tersely. Just as Qin Shuang was feeling disheartened, Sun Muqing rushed in, "Ninth Miss... the county yamen has sent people!"

At this announcement, everyone in the room perked up, instantly forgetting the afternoon's troubles.

"Where are they? How many came?"

Qin Guan asked, and Sun Muqing immediately replied, "Five people—one constable and four deputies."

Qin Guan nodded. "Good. What are they doing now?"

Sun Muqing gave a wry smile. "Dong Shu is hosting them for dinner. After arriving, they only took a quick look at Xiao Songzi in the back and haven't asked anything else yet."

Qin Guan's lips twitched as if she wanted to say something but held back. "It's still early. They'll probably start questioning after dinner."

Qin Shuang quickly asked, "Does that mean we'll be called in for questioning too?"

"Theoretically, everyone in this residence with any suspicion should be questioned."

Qin Guan said calmly, and Sun Muqing added, "Yes, everyone will be questioned. Right now, they don't know the situation here yet. Dong Shu is still explaining..."

Qin Guan felt somewhat reassured. At least people had arrived. With the county yamen involved, the case could truly begin to be investigated.

Though the snow had stopped, the weather remained bitterly cold. Not just Qin Guan and Qin Shuang, but even Sun Muqing waited for Dong Shu to summon them. However, after waiting nearly an hour in Qin Guan's quarters with no word, Sun Muqing grew impatient and decided to check the East courtyard himself. Qin Guan and the others continued waiting, but this time Sun Muqing returned in less than half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, storming into the courtyard angrily. "Ninth Miss, no need to wait. They've eaten and drunk their fill and are already asleep."

"What?! With a murder case right in front of them, they actually went to sleep? Do they even know whose residence this is?"

Qin Shuang exclaimed in disbelief. Sun Muqing sighed. "They know. The messenger Dong Shu sent to the yamen told them right away. The constable came quickly but only after taking a hefty bribe. Now they're asleep, saying they won't start questioning until tomorrow morning."

Qin Guan's brow furrowed. The county yamen was the lowest rung of the state apparatus. In remote areas with little oversight, a county magistrate could act like a petty tyrant. Though constables and deputies were no strangers to murder cases, they should at least prioritize the investigation. For them to come, feast, and then sleep without delay was clearly negligence.

"Aren't they afraid of repercussions from the Medicine King Valley?"Qin Shuang exclaimed in surprise, while Sun Muqing gave a bitter smile. "What are they afraid of? Naturally, they fear nothing. The Medicine King Valley doesn't involve itself in court affairs. As long as there's no official of higher rank present, they have no reason to be afraid."

Though Sun Muqing seldom ventured outside, he understood this principle well. Qin Guan narrowed her eyes slightly. "Tomorrow, we'll have to ask Third Brother to step in and rein them in. Otherwise, they won't cooperate efficiently."

With this said, Sun Muqing also felt it was the only way. After comforting him with a few words, Qin Guan sent him back to rest. Meanwhile, she and Qin Shuang lay down together. That night, Qin Guan slept uneasily due to the arrogant and negligent constables.

Everyone was waiting for someone to take charge and thoroughly investigate Xiao Songzi's case. However, it wasn't until noon the next day that Qin Guan and the others were summoned to the eastern meeting hall. Qin Yan led the way, followed by Qin Guan, with Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang bringing up the rear. As the group entered the room, Qin Guan overheard a sarcastic voice speaking...

"The crime occurred in your residence, so the murderer must also be within your household. As the steward of this estate, I'll tentatively assume your innocence for now. As for the others, bring them in one by one for questioning. Anyone who had quarrels or conflicts with the deceased should be interrogated thoroughly. If they refuse to talk, apply punishment. There may not be torture instruments here, but a beating with rods should suffice."

Dong Shu could only offer a wry smile at these words. "Constable Song, what if even torture fails to extract a confession?"

The sarcastic voice snorted lightly. "There's nothing I, Song Li, can't uncover. Didn't you say there are others in this residence? Bring them all in for questioning together..."

No sooner had the words fallen than Qin Yan stepped through the doorway. Having heard the exchange, his expression turned cold. "What exactly does Constable Song wish to ask?"

The room was crowded, and seated prominently at the head was a middle-aged man clad in official attire. His plump face and slouched posture matched his mocking tone perfectly, accentuated by his narrow, slitted eyes. As the newcomers entered, his gaze swept over them.

Perhaps sensing Qin Yan's distinguished bearing, the man straightened slightly, adopting a more authoritative demeanor. "Who might you be?"

Qin Yan met Song Li's gaze. "Qin Yan."

Upon hearing the name, Song Li showed no particular regard, replying casually, "Ah, Qin Yan. Where do you reside? What brings you here?"

"I reside in the capital. I came at a friend's invitation to stay here temporarily."

Noticing Qin Yan's indifferent tone, Song Li frowned. "Temporary stay? An interesting excuse. You there—take him away for questioning..."

As he spoke, two constables behind Song Li moved forward. But Qin Yan's brow furrowed, his voice turning icy. "Is this how Constable Song conducts investigations?"

Infuriated by Qin Yan's attitude, Song Li snapped, "How I investigate is none of your concern. This is official business—are you refusing to cooperate? Or do you have something to hide? What's your relationship with Xiao Songzi? Are you the murderer?"

Qin Yan let out a cold laugh. "To think Jiang Yuanzhou's subordinates are like this—truly eye-opening!"At the mention of "Jiang Yuanzhou," Song Li's expression immediately changed. Jiang Yuanzhou was the magistrate of Ji County in Yuanzhou. Song Li only dared to act so arrogantly when Jiang Yuanzhou wasn't around. If Jiang Yuanzhou were present, he would have to rise and curry favor. Yet this man before him, who not only appeared distinguished but also dared to address Magistrate Jiang by his full name in such a tone—who exactly was he?

Song Li froze for a moment. "You... you dare to address the magistrate by his name directly... How insolent!"

A cold glint flashed in Qin Yan's eyes. "Insolent? Even Jiang Yuanzhou would kneel and bow to me. What gives you the right to bark orders here?"

Qin Yan's voice was as sharp as a blade, instantly making Song Li scramble to his feet. Beside them, Dong Shu wore a complicated expression, while Sun Muqing widened his eyes at Qin Yan. Though he knew Qin Yan's surname was Qin, he had no idea he was the Crown Prince of the Loyal Marquis Manor!

Song Li, frightened into standing, eyed Qin Yan warily, unable to tell if he was bluffing. "May... may I ask who you are, young master?"

Zhou Huai stepped forward and reminded him in a gentle tone, "Before you stands the Crown Prince of the Loyal Marquis Manor."

Song Li's narrow eyes widened in shock. After staring at Qin Yan for a long moment, he finally lowered his head. "The Crown Prince... So it's the Crown Prince of the Loyal Marquis Manor. This lowly one failed to recognize your eminence. Please forgive my ignorance."

With that, he shot a glance at the four men behind him. "What are you all standing around for? Hurry and pay your respects to the Crown Prince!"

At his command, he and his men all dropped to their knees before Qin Yan.

"We greet the Crown Prince... Had we known of your arrival, Magistrate Jiang would have come personally to welcome you..."

Qin Yan swept a cold glance over Song Li. "The year-end evaluations for all levels of prefectures and counties are approaching. I wonder how Jiang Yuanzhou would feel if he knew his subordinates were slacking off and acting so recklessly? Has Ji County become his personal fiefdom where he lets his underlings run wild?"

Cold sweat poured down Song Li's back at these words. At year's end, all local officials underwent evaluations. Jiang Yuanzhou was merely a minor magistrate. Though he could lord it over Ji County, above him stood layers of higher-ranking officials—and he dreamed of climbing the ranks. If his own actions harmed Jiang Yuanzhou's performance, or if this Crown Prince's word alone cut short his path to promotion, Jiang Yuanzhou might very well kill him!

"Your Highness exaggerates, exaggerates! It was all this lowly one's momentary foolishness. My men and I traveled a full day from the county town solely to investigate the murder case thoroughly. Otherwise, we wouldn't have braved the heavy snow. Please judge fairly, Your Highness." As he spoke, Song Li began kowtowing. "I beg Your Highness to judge fairly—"

Qin Yan hadn't truly intended to punish him. Seeing this, his tone softened slightly. "If you're here to investigate, then act like it. Let people see how Ji County is governed. The master of this household is the young master of the Sun family from Medicine King Valley. Even my father wouldn't dare show them disrespect. Yet you had the audacity to put on airs before them?!"

"No, no, no! This lowly one would never dare! I was foolish—please forgive me, steward..."

Song Li bowed repeatedly toward Dong Shu, who waved him off. Qin Yan continued, "I'll give you two days. If you don't get to the bottom of this, Jiang Yuanzhou can stay in Ji County for the rest of his life!"Song Li broke into a cold sweat upon hearing these words and hurriedly nodded, "Yes, yes, this humble one will certainly spare no effort!"

Qin Yan narrowed his eyes, his gaze still icy and stern. "Get up. Let me see how you managed to become the chief constable."

Trembling, Song Li rose to his feet. Though he had attained the position of chief constable, he was truly nothing more than a useless glutton—he had absolutely no clue how or where to begin investigating this case!

Song Li stepped aside, no longer daring to sit in the main seat. He looked at Qin Yan and said, "Shizi, this humble one just examined the deceased's body. The manner of death was extremely brutal, as if someone had come seeking revenge. Therefore, I suspect the murderer is someone in the residence who previously had a grudge against the deceased..."

Dong Shu interjected from the side, "Xiao Songzi has been in the manor for half a year and never quarreled with anyone, let alone had any grudges."

Beads of sweat formed increasingly on Song Li's forehead. "Then... could it be..."

His small eyes darted around wildly, but he couldn't think of any other possibilities. Murder cases were rare in Ji County, so his experience was limited, and his reasoning was naturally simplistic. Combined with his inherent dullness, he was at a complete loss. Seeing this, Qin Guan's expression turned cold as she stepped forward. "Has Constable Song conducted a corpse examination?"

"Corpse examination?" Song Li's eyes lit up. "Ah, this humble one will go conduct a thorough examination right away..."

After speaking, he looked at Qin Guan and the other young women in confusion, then turned to Dong Shu with a pleading gaze. "And these ladies are...?"

Dong Shu glanced at Qin Guan and the others. "They are Qin Shizi's younger sisters."

Upon hearing this, Song Li didn't dare to slight them any further and immediately said, "A corpse examination—I'll go conduct one right away. My earlier inspection was too cursory. I'll go perform a proper examination now!"

With a wave of his hand, he summoned the other constables to follow him. It was clear he was the leader of this group, and after this turn of events, the constables obeyed him especially readily.

As Song Li led his men out, Dong Shu stepped forward with a bitter smile. "Thank you, Qin Shizi..."

Qin Yan quickly waved his hand. "We're already imposing by staying here. There's no need for thanks, Dong Shu."

Sun Muqing also stepped forward. "I truly had no idea Young Master Qin was a shizi. I was completely unaware—how terribly rude of me."

Qin Yan smiled. "Young Master Sun and I are friends. What need is there for such formalities between friends? It wasn't intentional to keep it from you."

Sun Muqing laughed heartily. "I understand, I understand! Neither Young Master Qin nor your sisters are the type to chase fame or reputation—you don't care about status or renown." He paused slightly before adding, "Constable Song said he was going to conduct a corpse examination. Why don't we go take a look...?"

The suggestion was met with unanimous agreement. Only Qin Xiang didn't follow the group. Instead, she approached Dong Shu and asked, "Dong Shu, do you know when the young master of the Bai family will return?"

Dong Shu looked at Qin Xiang with a gentle smile, as if he particularly liked her mild temperament. "The Fifth Young Miss is concerned about Young Master Bai? He's been away for several days now. If he doesn't return tonight, he'll likely be back tomorrow."

Qin Xiang's eyes dimmed slightly at this. She nodded, thanked him, and left the meeting hall. Instead of joining Qin Yan and the others, she returned directly to her guest quarters in the western courtyard.

Meanwhile, everyone else was preoccupied with Xiao Songzi's case, so no one noticed Qin Xiang's departure.

"The deceased's hands and feet were slashed, and the wounds on the chest and abdomen were likely the fatal injuries. The clothing on the body was relatively neat, indicating little struggle. The murderer was most likely someone the deceased knew—stabbed without any chance to defend himself..."Song Li examined the corpse while speaking, then turned to look at Qin Yan and the others. "Young Master, I still believe this case was most likely committed by someone familiar with the victim. Sometimes, even without overt conflicts, minor unintentional incidents can breed resentment, leading someone to seek revenge and kill!"

Qin Yan frowned deeply. Indeed, he lacked experience in criminal investigations. From an outsider's perspective, Song Li's reasoning seemed plausible. Seeing Qin Yan remain silent, Song Li grew even more convinced of his own theory. However, before he could continue, a cold, commanding voice cut in—

"How do you know he didn't struggle?! Just by looking at his clothes? His chest was slashed by a knife—does his clothing have to be completely torn apart for it to count as a struggle?"

Qin Guan felt a surge of anger, her tone sharper and more imposing than usual, a stark contrast to her usual demeanor.

Her words left Song Li speechless, and the others were equally stunned. Qin Shuang, who had been too afraid to look at the dead body, instinctively moved toward the back eaves upon hearing Qin Guan's outburst. When she caught sight of Xiao Songzi's face, she turned deathly pale. Fortunately, Wan Qing supported her, preventing her from collapsing to the ground.

"Then... how else should we look? There are no wounds on his face..." Song Li faltered under Qin Guan's questioning.

Qin Guan narrowed her eyes. "At the very least, you should remove his clothes to check for injuries elsewhere on his body. You should also examine his nails..."

Song Li instinctively moved to comply but hesitated, unwilling to take orders from a woman. Instead, he gestured to two constables nearby. "You two, remove his clothes!"

Hearing this, Wan Qing immediately guided Qin Shuang around the corner. Song Li assumed Qin Guan would leave once the body was undressed, freeing him from her interference.

The two constables stepped forward and swiftly removed Xiao Songzi's upper garments. As they did, his softened body slumped to the side, prompting them to lay him flat on the ground.

Once the clothes were off, Song Li turned around, dismayed to find Qin Guan still standing there, unmoved. How could a woman not only meddle in the investigation but also refuse to step aside?!

"Wipe the blood off his body—" Qin Guan had no patience for Song Li's hesitation and issued the order directly. The constables, aware of her status as the daughter of the Loyal Marquis Manor and Qin Yan's presence, glanced at Song Li's flustered expression before obeying Qin Guan's command. Using Xiao Songzi's own clothes and handfuls of snow, they quickly cleaned his upper body.

Once cleaned, several wounds on Xiao Songzi's shoulders and arms became visible. One constable vaguely recalled Qin Guan's earlier words and lifted Xiao Songzi's hand for inspection. His eyes lit up upon seeing something.

"There's a bit of cotton fabric under his nails..."

As he spoke, the constable carefully extracted a small strand of cotton from Xiao Songzi's fingernails. Qin Guan stepped closer, and the others followed suit. In the constable's palm lay a tiny shred of fabric, as if torn from someone else's clothing.

"There's also a wound on his palm...""Also the wrist, there's a bluish-purple mark on the wrist... looks like it was grabbed by someone."

"And the shoulder, the area toward the back of the shoulder appears to be abrasions."

This was an extremely simple and cursory corpse examination. In the past, Qin Guan would never have tolerated such sloppiness, but now she was only focused on identifying the most crucial clues. "Check the chest and abdomen area, then wipe the blood clean from the head and face. Some marks are cadaveric spots, others are abrasions. The bruised areas are abrasions, while the deep purple ones are cadaveric spots."

After Qin Guan gave brief instructions, the constable busied himself again. Song Li stood to the side, watching his own men obey Qin Guan's commands so readily, his face darkening with displeasure. Meanwhile, the other two constables joined in to help, leaving Song Li the only one standing stiffly like a wooden post.

"Also! There's an injury on his left cheek, and on his chest and abdomen—aside from the knife wounds, there are bruises too, like he was beaten."

Though the constable speaking didn't know how to conduct a proper corpse examination, he had seen plenty of brawls among commoners, and the injuries left behind looked just like what he was seeing now. He instinctively offered his deduction.

Qin Guan watched without refuting him. "Check his legs, then look at his shoes."

Seeing that Qin Guan didn't correct them, the constables realized they were on the right track. Earlier, after Qin Yan had berated Song Li harshly, all of them had been left uneasy and unsure of what to do. But now, following Qin Guan's guidance, they actually began to resemble proper constables. So when she gave another order, they moved even faster.

One checked the legs, another the shoes, while the others held their breaths, tacitly allowing Qin Guan to take control of the scene.

"His legs have injuries too—on the knees and the front of the shins. Bruises, like from kicks."

"His shoes... nothing stands out, except the soles are dry."

Hearing this, Qin Guan frowned slightly. "Are his pants dry?"

At this question, one of the constables shook his head. "They're wet, soaked with blood. In this weather, once clothes get wet, they won't dry—they'll just freeze..."

The constable spoke bluntly, but his words were exactly what Qin Guan wanted to hear.

After these questions, Qin Guan's frown deepened slightly. She didn't ask anything else, only stepped forward to take the black cloth the constable had retrieved from Xiao Songzi's fingernails. The cloth was also stained with blood, but with a little cleaning, they could determine its material—which would quickly narrow down the suspect pool.

"Ninth Miss, have you figured something out?"

Seeing Qin Guan deep in thought, Sun Muqing couldn't help but step forward and ask. Qin Guan lifted her head, her eyes dark with focus. "Where is Xiao Songzi's room? Take me there—"

Before Sun Muqing could respond, Song Li interjected, "What do you want with his room?"

Qin Guan didn't even glance at Song Li, instead turning to Dong Shu. "Uncle Dong, please lead the way."

Dong Shu nodded and immediately turned to walk out. As he moved, everyone else followed. He took them along the main path, winding through several turns before finally arriving at Xiao Songzi's room, located east of the crime scene.Xiao Songzi lived in the servants' quarters. Though called a courtyard, it wasn't an enclosed space but rather several rows of single-story houses forming a "compound" without walls. Qin Guan stood at the door of Xiao Songzi's room and turned left along a corridor leading westward. She remained silent as she followed the covered corridor, soon arriving in front of a storage room. There, two branching paths appeared, and Qin Guan paused. Dong Shu glanced around and couldn't help but say, "This is the storage room. The latrine isn't far behind it."

Qin Guan nodded but said nothing, choosing instead to continue along one of the covered corridors...

Her demeanor carried an air of mystery, and the large group trailing behind her made the scene even more peculiar. The onlookers exchanged uncertain glances but dared not interrupt Qin Guan—only Sun Muqing finally spoke up, "Ninth Miss, what are you doing right now? Are you searching for something?"

Hearing this, Qin Guan narrowed her eyes slightly. "I'm trying to find out where Xiao Songzi encountered the murderer."