Coroner's Diary

"For some reason, I always feel Ninth Miss bears some resemblance to my junior sister..."

Sun Muqing suddenly spoke with profound emotion. At these words, Qin Guan's heart tightened, though her expression remained as serene and composed as ever. Qin Shuang quickly interjected, "Young Master Sun's junior sister and Ninth Sister are both rare women skilled in medicine with an interest in investigation. What a remarkable coincidence that they even share the character 'Guan' in their names! Not just you, even I find it astonishing."

Sun Muqing's lips curled into a bitter smile at Qin Shuang's words, yet his gaze toward Qin Guan softened further, as if truly seeing her as the Shen Guan of his past. A pang of bitterness rose in Qin Guan's heart as she sighed, "There is indeed some serendipity, but I'm ultimately different from Young Master Sun's junior sister. Had I not studied medicine, I wouldn't have developed this interest in the dead."

A shadow passed through Sun Muqing's eyes at her words. After a pause, he nodded slowly, "Yes... alike, yet different. Other physicians avoid corpses as taboo, but Ninth Miss is exceptional. While treating the living permits no errors in diagnosis or prescription—with no means to test remedies—your study of the dead is like the unorthodox path you showed us earlier. By walking counter to convention, you've discovered deeper truths. This has been most instructive."

Seeing Sun Muqing regain his earnest demeanor, Qin Guan understood he wouldn't impose his fraternal affection for Shen Guan upon her. Her tension eased slightly. "You flatter me, Young Master Sun. I've long admired Medicine King Valley's reputation. Should opportunity arise, I'd be grateful for your guidance in medical arts."

Qin Guan's medical knowledge indeed originated from Medicine King Valley. Though this wasn't yet apparent, prolonged exposure might eventually reveal traces. Rather than conceal it, she chose to openly seek instruction—providing plausible justification should her techniques ever draw notice.

Sun Muqing's eyes brightened visibly. "Guidance is too formal—Medicine King Valley shares knowledge freely. Ask whatever you wish. My journey to Jinzhou sought those gifted in healing arts. Discovering the Little Medicine Immortal brought me great joy. That we missed then met again by fate's design speaks to our connection."

Qin Guan displayed appropriate reverence, mirroring any physician's admiration for Medicine King Valley. "That would be ideal..."

After further exchange, they reached the western compound. Sun Muqing smiled slightly. "This case remains unresolved. Once concluded, I'd like to present you with writings."

Undoubtedly, these would be rare formulas or theories from Medicine King Valley's archives. Observing his clear, guileless gaze, Qin Guan sighed inwardly—Sun Muqing remained unchanged, his nature ill-suited for prolonged exposure to the martial world.

After expressing thanks, Qin Guan departed with Qin Shuang. Upon entering their courtyard, Qin Shuang regarded her curiously. "Ninth Sister, how did you acquire such skills? Simply through medical study?"

Qin Guan nodded. "Why? Does Sixth Sister wish to try?"Qin Shuang's face paled. "No, no, no, I don’t want to try. I just think... you’re far more formidable than I ever imagined..."

Meanwhile, Qin Yan and Zhou Huai were walking toward the courtyard. With no one else around, Qin Yan suddenly spoke in a low voice, "What do you think?"

Zhou Huai had been observing quietly earlier. Though his demeanor differed from that of an ordinary steward, he could, when he wished, become as inconspicuous as a shadow. "It makes sense now. Back in Jinzhou, both Prince Rui’s heir and Governor Huo held Ninth Miss in high regard. Even Grand Princess doted on her excessively. Aside from her medical skills, another reason must be her assistance to Governor Huo in solving cases."

After a brief pause, Zhou Huai continued, "Among the three young ladies, Fifth Miss is average in both character and appearance—merely a backup piece. Sixth Miss... speaks and acts somewhat carelessly, so the Marquis and Madam likely won’t be too pleased with her. But Ninth Miss... I must say, throughout this journey, she has surprised me time and again. Her medical skills and corpse examination abilities are secondary. What stands out most is her temperament. Among the noble ladies of the capital, none can compare to her disposition."

Qin Yan’s steps faltered slightly. "What about Yu'er?"

"Eighth Miss..." Zhou Huai hesitated briefly before answering, "Eighth Miss also seems slightly lacking."

Qin Yan frowned, while Zhou Huai remained expressionless. Qin Yan glanced back at him for a moment. "In all my years, I’ve never heard you praise someone like this. Are you suggesting Father should prioritize Qin Guan over Yu'er?"

After a moment’s thought, Zhou Huai shook his head. "No, that’s not what I meant. Ninth Miss is indeed exceptional, but her temperament means she wouldn’t prioritize the interests of the Marquis’s household. In that regard, if Eighth Miss were to enter the palace in the future, she would naturally care more about the Marquis’s safety. Ninth Miss... if used well, could be a more ingenious move than Eighth Miss. But if mishandled, she might turn against us."

Qin Yan narrowed his eyes. "On that point, I agree with you."

As they entered the room, Qin Yan added, "I don’t know why, but she’s always been gentle and quiet in the past. Yet ever since the deaths in the residence began, I’ve started to realize just how formidable this little girl is. Do you understand what I mean? The word ‘powerful’—I’ve rarely had occasion to use it even in the capital, but when I see her, that’s the feeling I get."

Zhou Huai nodded. "I understand. I felt the same way watching Ninth Miss deduce the case today."

"She’s a double-edged sword," Qin Yan said, standing by the window, his gaze fixed on the snow-layered courtyard. "Used well, she’s our finest weapon. Used poorly, she’ll wound us instead."

Zhou Huai nodded silently. Qin Yan lifted his chin slightly. "Still, at least this sword bears the Qin name. As long as we share the same surname, our fates are intertwined. From now on, her position must far surpass Qin Xiang’s."

Zhou Huai gave a quiet "Mm," then suddenly added, "By the way, Fifth Miss seems quite taken with Young Master Bai..."Qin Yan's expression turned somewhat complicated upon hearing this. Though he was only twenty years old this year and had honed extraordinary composure in the power struggles of the capital, he was still quite young at heart. Unable to help himself, he let out a light scoff at Zhou Huai's words. "The young master of the Bai family is indeed a good choice, but I feel this matter couldn't possibly be resolved so simply. Besides, Qin Xiang's family background likely wouldn't qualify her to be the young mistress of the Bai family. Or could it be that the Bai family's young master has truly taken a liking to Qin Xiang?"

Zhou Huai lowered his gaze, the corners of his lips curving slightly. "Does the heir have someone you fancy?"

The question caught Qin Yan off guard, and his smile stiffened momentarily. "Of course not."

Zhou Huai chuckled softly. "Matters of the heart are truly hard to judge. Whether the Bai family's young master is sincere or not, as long as the fifth young lady remains steady, it will be fine. The Bai family will inevitably enter the Eastern Palace. If this succeeds, it would naturally be excellent."

Qin Yan raised a brow and turned to look at Zhou Huai. "Even you can't discern Bai Feiyu's intentions?"

Zhou Huai smiled again, shaking his head. "This humble servant cannot tell. The complexities of love are something the heir has yet to understand. When the heir meets someone you fancy in the future, you will know. The Bai young master's attentions toward the fifth young lady could be genuine love at first sight, or merely polite courtesy, or perhaps just casual flirtation. In any case, for now, this servant cannot discern the truth."

Qin Yan arched an eyebrow. "Even if I were to fancy someone, wouldn't my judgment allow me to weigh priorities? If it brings no benefit to the family, I simply won't indulge. If it does, then marriage is an option."

Zhou Huai sighed, his tone softening slightly. "Matters of the heart aren't so easily controlled—you can't simply choose to love or not to love. Otherwise, why would there be so many tales of sorrow and longing in this world?"

Qin Yan pondered this and found it somewhat true. Though he rarely read frivolous books, he had heard many romantic tales in his youth. With a hint of aloof pride, he said, "Steward Zhou knows where my priorities lie."

Zhou Huai gave a wry smile. "The heir may be indifferent to romance, but... this servant still hopes you will one day meet someone you truly love."

Qin Yan scoffed, clearly uninterested, and changed the subject. "How many days until the letter from the capital arrives? We've delayed long enough—I wonder how Father is faring..."

Zhou Huai quickly reassured him, "The heir need not worry. The Marquis has everything well in hand."

......

......

Unaware that her hasty corpse examination had earned Qin Yan and Zhou Huai's admiration, Qin Guan stood by the window, gazing at the snow in the courtyard. "Has some of the snow outside melted?" she murmured.

Qin Shuang hurried to her side and peered out for a while. "No, it looks the same to me."

Fuling approached from the side. "Look, Sixth Young Lady, the ice spikes on the eaves are gone!"

Qin Shuang tilted her head and looked, her eyes brightening momentarily. "Ah, they really are gone..."

The morning had left the eaves lined with hanging ice spikes from the bitter cold, but now they had all vanished. Instead, droplets of melted snow pattered down from the eaves—clear evidence that the snow was thawing.

Qin Guan exhaled in relief. "With the snow melting, the case should soon make progress."Qin Shuang smiled brightly and said, "We'll be able to set off soon!" Then she added with a hint of distaste, "Someone died in this house. I wonder if we'll be tainted with bad luck..."

Fuling quickly glanced outside and hushed her, "Shh... Sixth Miss, we're just guests here. You shouldn't say such things."

Qin Shuang shrank her neck slightly. "I know, I didn't say it outside."

Qin Guan didn't feel it was unlucky. She only wanted to know if Song Li and Dong Shu could trace the origin of the black cotton thread. She waited anxiously for most of the day and didn't receive any news until evening, when Sun Muqing came with an update.

"Ninth Miss... we've found something..."

As soon as the door opened, Sun Muqing spoke excitedly, his eyes alight with enthusiasm and his expression brimming with youthful eagerness. "We found it. Dong Shu and Song Li discovered a black cotton-padded jacket in the possession of a male servant. The fabric matches exactly what was found on the killer. Inspector Song examined it and confirmed there are torn sections on the jacket as well."

Fuling ushered Sun Muqing inside. Standing at the doorway, he relayed all the information Qin Guan had been waiting to hear in one breath.

Both Fuling and Qin Shuang's eyes brightened slightly. Qin Shuang exclaimed, "They found it so quickly?! That's wonderful! Does this mean the case is solved?!"

Sun Muqing's excitement dimmed as he shook his head. "No, because the man denies it."

Qin Shuang's eyes widened. "How can he deny it? The evidence is right there—does he think he can lie his way out of it?"

Sun Muqing gave a bitter smile. "The jacket belongs to a coachman named Zhang Chu, who usually handles errands and odd jobs around the estate. Though the jacket was found, he insists he's not the killer. He claims the jacket is old, given to him by his mother, and says he didn't wear it after arriving at the estate in summer because by winter, the master had provided new winter clothes for everyone. He also says the frayed threads were already there before."

"Was there any blood on the jacket?" Qin Guan suddenly asked.

Sun Muqing shook his head. "I don't think so. The person who reported to me didn't mention that. They only said Inspector Song is about to interrogate Zhang Chu under torture—likely with beatings—and plans to extract a confession overnight."

Qin Guan frowned slightly. "We need to check if there's blood on the jacket. If not, we should find out whether he washed it recently. The servants all live together, and with the cold weather these days, clothes take a long time to dry. Even if he tried to dry a cotton-padded jacket by the fire, it wouldn't dry quickly. If he washed it, others would definitely know."

"But... why would there necessarily be blood on it?" Qin Shuang looked at Qin Guan in confusion.

Qin Guan sighed. "Don't you remember? Xiao Songzi's nails were caked with blood, and the cotton thread was soaked in it. How could the killer's clothes not have any bloodstains? Besides, the walls at the crime scene were splattered with blood in a spray pattern. I'm certain the killer's robe must have been stained."

Sun Muqing's brow furrowed briefly. "Then... should we go take a look?"

Sun Muqing clearly wanted Qin Guan to come along, and she naturally wouldn't refuse—the longer the delay, the harder it would be to solve the case.

Seeing Qin Guan preparing to go, Qin Shuang immediately chimed in, "I want to go too! Take me with you!"Qin Guan felt somewhat helpless, but Qin Shuang had already donned her cape before her. With a sigh, Qin Guan had no choice but to let Fuling drape the cape over her shoulders. Then, the group set off in a grand procession toward the eastern meeting hall.

"Wronged—Dong Shu—"

"Ah... Dong Shu... I'm innocent, it wasn't me..."

In the chilly meeting hall, Zhang Chu's agonized cries echoed incessantly. Song Li sat at the head of the room, his expression icy as he stared at Zhang Chu. "I've seen many criminals, but not one has ever confessed right away. Everyone only speaks after enduring dozens of lashes they can no longer bear. Zhang Chu, I advise you not to hold out. Since you'll confess eventually, why not spare yourself the pain?"

Zhang Chu lay sprawled over a long bench, pinned down by two constables while another wielded a carrying pole—since the household lacked the official paddles used in the yamen, this makeshift substitute would have to do. The pole struck Zhang Chu's back again and again, and before long, the faint metallic tang of blood filled the room.

Just as Sun Muqing arrived at the meeting hall, he heard Zhang Chu's heart-wrenching scream. Startled, he quickly turned to Dong Shu, who stood nearby. "Dong Shu, what's going on here?!"

Dong Shu sighed and glanced at Song Li. "Constable Song insists on using torture."

The Herb Garden had reported the incident to the authorities, and Song Li was the one who had come. That meant this case was indeed under his jurisdiction. Sun Muqing looked at the barely conscious Zhang Chu and hurriedly asked, "What about Zhang Chu's padded coat? Was there any blood on it? Has he washed his clothes these past few days?"

Dong Shu frowned slightly before shaking his head. "We checked earlier—no blood was found on it. But whether he's washed his clothes or not, we don't know. Constable Song, what do you think—"

Song Li snorted, then spotted Qin Guan standing outside the door. Raising his voice, he declared, "Why not ask him directly?"

"No... I haven't washed anything..." Zhang Chu's voice was thick with pain, his words barely coherent.

Sun Muqing immediately countered, "He says he hasn't washed them. You might not believe him, but you can ask the other servants if he's lying. To resort to torture without proper investigation—are you trying to force a false confession?"

Song Li's eyelids twitched. "And... what if the other servants lie as well?"

Sun Muqing's brow furrowed coldly. "One person might lie, but can everyone in the household conspire to deceive you?"

Song Li studied Sun Muqing, then his eyes flickered with calculation. "Young Master Sun makes a fair point... Very well, halt the punishment for now. Bring in those who share quarters with him for questioning."

Only then did Sun Muqing relax his tense expression slightly. Song Li issued the order, then turned to Dong Shu, who promptly instructed the servants outside to summon the relevant individuals. Rising to his feet, Song Li addressed Sun Muqing, "Everything will proceed as you suggest, Young Master Sun. Rest assured, I, Song Li, am not one to extract confessions through coercion."

Sun Muqing could sense Song Li's hostility and merely tugged at the corner of his lips, choosing not to engage further.

Qin Guan stood outside, watching coldly in silence. Qin Yan's authority did not extend to her—as a young woman, she ordinarily held no sway over official matters. Moreover, Song Li likely already knew their group was merely lodging here temporarily and would soon depart. Once they left, this case would truly be his to handle as he pleased!Soon, the male servants who shared quarters with Zhang Chu were summoned to the meeting hall.

Song Li sat at the head of the table and snorted coldly, "Have any of you seen Zhang Chu washing clothes these past few days?"

The men exchanged glances before shaking their heads in unison.

Song Li's gaze turned sharp. "You haven't? Think carefully. Withholding information makes you accomplices!"

"Constable, we truly haven't seen anything. We're simple folk who don't change and wash clothes daily. With this cold weather lately, we've been washing even less. We wouldn't dare lie to you, sir."

The faint scent of blood lingered in the room as Zhang Chu lay moaning softly on the bench. Though intimidated, the servants dared not utter a single false word. Dong Shu interjected, "Constable Song, it seems Zhang Chu really isn't the culprit."

Song Li's brow furrowed deeply. "Just because he didn't wash clothes doesn't mean he couldn't have used other methods. Lock him in a separate room tonight. Tomorrow we'll search the estate thoroughly before making any conclusions."

Dong Shu hesitated to speak further as Song Li yawned. "Too tired now. That's all for today. My men and I need rest."

With that, Song Li prepared to leave with his constables. Watching from inside, Sun Muqing frowned but found himself powerless against Song Li's decision. Only after the constables departed did Dong Shu sigh. "Zhang Chu, can you stay in Xiao Songzi's room tonight?"

After a brief hesitation, Zhang Chu nodded. Dong Shu then instructed the other servants, "Carry him out. Da Cheng, come with me to get some medicine for his wounds..."

The Herb Garden was never short of medicine. The named servant acknowledged while Dong Shu turned to Sun Muqing. "Young Master, you should rest too. We'll continue the investigation tomorrow."

Left with no alternative, Sun Muqing nodded dejectedly. "Very well, tomorrow then."

Exiting the hall, Sun Muqing looked helplessly at Qin Guan. "Encountering such constables leaves us with few options. If only this were Yizhou or Lianzhou..."

Qin Guan's eyes darkened slightly. Even Yuanzhou City would have been better than this remote Jixian County with its uncultured customs. So isolated was this place that even if Yan Chi were present, Song Li likely wouldn't comprehend his true status.

Such fearless ignorance from lack of knowledge was almost laughable.

With Song Li gone, Qin Guan found herself at a loss and could only accompany Sun Muqing back to their courtyard. Qin Shuang snorted, "That Constable Song—just looking at him irritates me. When we return to the capital, Third Brother should teach him a proper lesson!"

But returning to the capital was at least half a month away. Qin Guan's immediate concern was that even after the snow melted, if this case remained unsolved, Song Li might not let them leave, causing further delays.

The night had deepened, the darkness enveloping the sprawling old Herb Garden estate like an ink sea. Fuling carried a wind lantern that barely illuminated their path home.

"Right now I'm not thinking about those complications," Qin Guan murmured. "What worries me is knowing the murderer still hides somewhere in this estate."What Sun Muqing was thinking about was also Qin Guan's concern. Just as Qin Guan was about to speak, unexpectedly, a figure suddenly emerged from the corner ahead and bumped into Fuling, who was holding the lantern. Fuling let out a soft cry, and the person immediately retreated in panic, bowing their head and saying, "This lowly one deserves death, this lowly one deserves death..."

The lantern in Fuling's hand swayed, dimming the light further. She glared at the person, seeing it was a male servant holding a broom. Fuling wanted to scold him, but seeing he was still working so late, she suppressed her anger and said, "Walk more carefully!"

After this mild reprimand, Fuling stood still, waiting for Qin Guan and the others to catch up. The servant kept his head down, holding the broom, and with Fuling standing in front, Qin Guan couldn't clearly see his face. As the light had dimmed, Qin Guan quickened her pace. But just as she passed by Fuling, she keenly caught the scent of a sweet and pungent medicinal aroma.

Qin Guan instinctively felt a wave of relief. In the Herb Garden, it was perfectly normal to carry the scent of medicine.

"Sixth Miss, hurry up, the lamp is about to go out."

Fuling urged, causing the group behind them to quicken their pace. Once they had passed, Fuling caught up again. After a few more steps, Qin Guan turned back and saw the male servant holding a broom slowly heading east.

"What are you looking at, Miss?" Fuling asked.

Qin Guan shook her head. "Nothing. I was just wondering if this man lives with Zhang Chu. I didn’t notice him earlier..."

There weren’t many male servants in the residence, so they naturally lived together. As the man walked away, Qin Guan temporarily set the thought aside.

Hearing this, Sun Muqing also glanced back. "I didn’t pay attention to that, but if there’s any oversight, we can continue questioning tomorrow."

Qin Guan nodded. "How is Madam Sun today?"

She was still deeply concerned about Bai Feiyan’s condition. Sun Muqing, however, shook his head. "Still hasn’t woken up."

Qin Guan’s heart sank. Bai Feiyan seemed to have been asleep for many days now. Could she truly be at the end of her strength?

Though worried, Qin Guan knew that with Sun Haoyue and Sun Muqing present, it wasn’t her place to intervene. She frowned and said, "Even Divine Doctor Sun has no solution? Such prolonged unconsciousness doesn’t seem like a good sign."

"Senior Brother has been so worried his hair has turned white. Haven’t you noticed he hasn’t come out these past few days? Dong Shu has been handling all communication with Constable Song regarding the case in the residence, all because Sister-in-law’s illness has taken a turn for the worse."

After Sun Muqing spoke, Qin Guan couldn’t help but ask, "If Divine Doctor Sun has no immediate solution, what about the Medicine King..."

Sun Muqing gave a bitter smile. "Master is about to enter seclusion. Besides, Senior Brother wrote to Master earlier, and Master said at the time to follow Senior Brother’s method without question. But later, something must have changed."

"Treatment depends not only on the physician but also on the patient’s condition."

Qin Guan’s remark made Sun Muqing nod emphatically. "Exactly..."

After exchanging a few more words about Bai Feiyan’s condition, they reached the courtyard. They bid each other farewell and returned to their respective quarters. Qin Guan, disheartened by the lack of progress in the case, went to bed not long after.

She slept lightly that night and was awakened the next morning by a clamor. Before she could fully rouse herself, Fuling’s voice reached her ears. "Miss, wake up quickly! Another person has died!"

It felt as though a sharp metallic sound had pierced through a fog in her mind. Qin Guan’s eyes flew open, and she sat up abruptly.

"What?! Another death?"

Fuling’s expression was grave. "Yes, another death! Dong Shu just sent someone to inform us."

Qin Guan immediately threw off the brocade quilt and got out of bed. Qin Shuang, still groggy, blinked her eyes open. "What? Another death? Am I dreaming?"

Fuling sighed. "Sixth Miss, you’re not dreaming. It’s true—another person has died."

In moments, Qin Guan was dressed and heading out to wash up. Fuling couldn’t wait for Qin Shuang and hurried after her. Qin Guan readied herself at top speed, threw on her cape, and rushed out the door.

As soon as she stepped out of the courtyard, she saw Qin Yan and Sun Muqing approaching from the direction of Qin Yan’s quarters. Sun Muqing couldn’t enter Qin Guan’s courtyard but could visit Qin Yan’s. The two were walking together, and Qin Guan quickly went up to them. "Who died?""Da Cheng is dead," Sun Muqing answered swiftly, his expression graver than ever before. "Da Cheng's limbs were also severed."

Qin Guan froze momentarily, at a loss for words. Da Cheng was the male servant Dong Shu had called upon last night. She vaguely remembered him having an honest and simple appearance. Though wrapped in a thick cape, a chill crept up from the soles of her feet. A second victim had died, also with severed limbs. The murderer was still hiding in the Herb Garden, continuing their killing spree.

Qin Guan's brow furrowed deeply. "Where? Take me there—"

Sun Muqing quickly responded, "In the east. Dong Shu just sent someone to inform us. I haven't seen it yet. They said it's in the Small Medicine Depot. Come with me. With a second death, the situation has become extremely dangerous. I thought we should all go together to assess the situation."

Qin Guan nodded. Sun Muqing led the way, with Qin Guan and Qin Yan following closely. Before they had gone far, Qin Shuang caught up, panting heavily, her voice trembling slightly. "How could there be another death?!"

"We don't know the details yet. Let's go see first," Qin Guan said coldly. Qin Shuang wanted to ask more but was silenced by her tone.

The group hurried to the East Courtyard, where a crowd of servants had already gathered outside the Small Medicine Depot. Aunt Lin stood among them, her eyes slightly red, whispering to a woman beside her.

"The young master is here—" someone called out.

Aunt Lin turned quickly. "Young Master..."

Sun Muqing stepped forward. "What's the situation?"

Aunt Lin gestured toward the Small Medicine Depot. "Dong Shu and Constable Song are inside with some men. Da Cheng... Da Cheng died as horribly as Xiao Songzi... Young Master, perhaps it's best not to look..."

Sun Muqing shook his head to indicate it was fine and strode into the Small Medicine Depot.

Despite its name, the Small Medicine Depot was merely a large, single-story building. The scent of herbs hit them as soon as they approached the door. Following Sun Muqing inside, Qin Guan was immediately assaulted by the mingled odors of medicine and blood. Qin Shuang tried to enter but recoiled at the smell, her stomach churning with nausea. Displeased, she pursed her lips and stayed outside.

The depot was filled with rows of Chinese medicine cabinets. Da Cheng's body lay beneath a cabinet near the window at the far end.

Dim light barely illuminated the medicine storage. Da Cheng's corpse, like Xiao Songzi's, was propped against the cabinet, his limbs similarly hacked to a bloody pulp, flesh barely clinging to shattered bones.

A deep red pool of blood had formed beneath him, seeping into the gaps between the surrounding cabinets. Dong Shu and Song Li stood in an aisle nearby, while a few other constables lingered farther away.

As soon as Sun Muqing entered, he noticed Song Li's deeply furrowed brow. Realizing they were dealing with a vicious killer, Song Li's expression was equally grave—after all, he too lived in this estate, and he could be the next victim.

"Dong Shu, what happened?!" Sun Muqing asked.When Dong Shu turned around, his eyes seemed moist. Seeing Sun Muqing, Qin Guan, and the others enter, he cleared his throat before speaking solemnly, "It was Da Lin who found him. Last night, Da Cheng was the first to fetch medicine, saying Zhang Chu was in unbearable pain. Da Cheng volunteered to go again, but then he never returned. After that, Zhang Chu fell asleep, and so did everyone else. They slept through the night. It wasn’t until the next morning when they woke and realized Da Cheng hadn’t come back that they grew suspicious. At first, they thought he might have stayed with Zhang Chu, but when they checked, he wasn’t there. Zhang Chu still hadn’t recovered after a night, so Da Lin came to fetch medicine for him."

"When he arrived, he saw the door to the medicine storage was open. Thinking someone was inside, he called out twice before entering—only to find Da Cheng’s body. The storage holds many herbs, but they’re all common, so it’s usually left unlocked. There aren’t many people in the household, and no one would steal herbs without reason. If anyone feels unwell and knows what medicine to take, they can come to me and ask for ointment. This rule was set by the young master because he treats the servants like family."

As Dong Shu spoke, he glanced back at Da Cheng, his eyes moistening slightly. "No one expected something like this to happen again."

Sun Muqing narrowed his eyes, while Qin Yan, who had followed behind, studied Qin Guan from the corner of his eye. He noticed that her expression remained calm and composed as always. Moreover, her usually clear eyes now seemed deep and contemplative, as if she were pondering something intently. Qin Yan averted his gaze, his conviction growing stronger.

"What does Constable Song think?" Sun Muqing asked, turning to Song Li.

Song Li’s tone was no longer arrogant. "It’s clearly the same killer. And again, the limbs were severed. This person must have some unusual experience—otherwise, they wouldn’t choose such a method."

This time, Song Li’s words left no room for rebuttal. He scratched his head in frustration. "This case is no small matter now. In Ji County, we haven’t had anything like this in years. The killer must be hiding in the estate. Maybe he knew Da Cheng was coming for medicine and followed him here, then killed him when he least expected it."

Qin Guan had remained silent until now, when she finally stepped forward.

Her gaze fell on the window lattice beside the medicine cabinet. Unlike the previous crime scene, which was outdoors and obscured by heavy snow, this one was indoors. She could clearly see a bloody handprint on the window frame. As she studied it, Song Li also noticed it but dismissed it with a scoff. "What kind of lunatic has your family provoked? Someone who specializes in cutting off limbs! Who knows what kind of madness drives him?"

His tone carried a hint of complaint. Dong Shu smiled bitterly. "We don’t know either. Otherwise, why would we need Constable Song? Zhang Chu is injured and can’t even get out of bed—at least that proves he isn’t the killer, right?"

Song Li snorted. "Are you hiding something from me? Why would someone kill like this for no reason? What’s the motive behind these murders?"

Dong Shu was at a loss for words, but then a clear voice spoke up.

"Perhaps I know why he’s killing—"The moment the voice sounded, even Qin Guan was startled. She turned to see Sun Haoyue standing at the entrance of the medicine storage, though she hadn't noticed when he arrived. Today, he was still dressed in his flowing white robes. Standing against the light at the doorway, his face was obscured in shadow, yet his demeanor and grace retained an otherworldly elegance, captivating enough to steal one's soul.

The dim light and the scent of blood inside the room were in stark contrast to his celestial presence. He paused briefly before walking in slowly, making everyone feel that such a defiled and dark place was unfit for him. Qin Guan raised her eyebrows in surprise—wasn't Sun Haoyue completely devoted to Bai Feiyan's condition? Why had he come here? And why did he claim to know the reason behind the murder...

Doubt surged in her heart, but just then, a faintly sweet yet pungent scent reached Qin Guan's nose.