Coroner's Diary

Qin Shuang felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this. "What? They actually died? How?"

Wei Changfu sighed again. "Just as I mentioned earlier, about half a year ago, several people in the village died one after another, including Zhang family's girl. Their family's craft was passed down from her father to her, and her father had already passed away from illness several years prior. Now that she's gone, their household no longer makes Tea Cakes."

The delicate fragrance of Tea Cakes still lingered in Qin Shuang's mouth, and she sighed. "What a shame. I wonder what illness she actually had."

Wei Changfu coughed lightly. "There are all sorts of rumors about that, but I'm not sure what it really was." After a pause, he added, "I thought I'd never smell their Tea Cakes again, but unexpectedly, Divine Doctor Sun's side managed to make them. He must be quite the expert at it, no?"

Qin Shuang shook her head. "Not exactly..."

She didn’t outright say that Aunt Lin had never made Tea Cakes before.

Wei Changfu, however, smiled and shook his head. "Miss Qin, don’t underestimate this pastry. It’s a specialty of Cloud Mist Mountain and the banks of Wild Goose River. Everyone makes it, but few can match the Zhang family’s skill. The moment your Tea Cakes were brought out, I recognized the aroma—it was exactly like the Zhang family’s. Achieving that level of mastery isn’t easy."

Qin Shuang was surprised by Wei Changfu’s words. Had Aunt Lin accidentally recreated the legendary Tea Cakes of Cloud Mist Mountain?

Lost in her astonishment, Qin Shuang didn’t notice the slight frown on Qin Guan’s face.

Qin Guan was preoccupied with another thought: she hadn’t had the chance to ask in detail what illnesses the patients in Sanyuan Village had suffered from. And it seemed Sun Muqing didn’t know either. Her eyes flickered thoughtfully. "Later, Divine Doctor Sun appeared and saved those people?"

Wei Changfu nodded, then shook his head. "Well, not exactly. Not all of them were saved—some who were severely ill still died. But seeing that some survived, people finally realized it was an illness, not some ghostly curse or plague."

Qin Guan pressed her lips together. "Do you really not know why those people died half a year ago?"

Wei Changfu wore a bitter smile. "This... Although I’ve lived here for many years, my earlier business success made others envious. Later, when trouble arose, they resented me for housing outsiders. Over time, I stopped bothering with them. So, I’m not very familiar with village affairs..."

Wei Changfu was originally an outsider. When he first arrived to set up his business, the influx of visitors made his inn thrive. Seeing a newcomer profit so much, the less enlightened villagers of Sanyuan Village naturally grew resentful. Later, when incidents occurred in the village, Wei Changfu still dared to take in outsiders, making him seem like an "accomplice." Qin Guan remembered the day the Village Chief came—the villagers’ hostility was palpable.

"Why are you so curious about this?" Qin Shuang asked Qin Guan between bites of Tea Cake.

Qin Guan shook her head, but her suspicions only deepened. She glanced at Zhou Huai, who wore an equally grave expression. "Steward Zhou, what should we do now?"Zhou Huai frowned. Apart from the path Qin Yan had taken, the only exit from the Herb Garden led to Sanyuan Village. The quickest route from Sanyuan Village to Yuanzhou City passed through Guanyin Town, and there was only one main road through the village. While it was possible to bypass the village by taking the wild trails outside, those were rugged paths unsuitable for carriages. Zhou Huai doubted Qin Xiang would dare to venture there alone.

"Most likely... she didn't take this road."

Seeing Qin Guan and Zhou Huai deep in conversation, Wei Changfu tactfully took the teapot and retreated into the back room behind the counter.

Zhou Huai lowered his voice and spoke directly, "Either she went to the Young Master's side, or she's hiding somewhere, or... something has happened to her..." He paused before adding, "What does Ninth Miss think?"

Compared to Qin Shuang, who was happily munching on Tea Cakes beside them, Qin Guan appeared exceptionally composed. After a brief hesitation, Zhou Huai sought her opinion. Qin Guan narrowed her eyes slightly. "Third Brother moves at least three times faster than us, yet he still hasn't caught up. It's likely he hasn't found her either. I suspect Fifth Sister might still be somewhere behind us."

Zhou Huai's expression darkened, momentarily at a loss. Qin Yan had split off from them, and if Zhou Huai changed plans now, they might miss each other. But if he didn't change course and Qin Yan did, the two groups would again be separated.

Qin Guan could tell from Zhou Huai's expression that he was deeply conflicted. Meanwhile, Qin Shuang had finished her Tea Cakes and, noticing Qin Guan hadn't touched hers, urged, "We still have a long way to go. You should eat something."

Qin Guan shook her head, her mind too preoccupied for food.

Just then, Wei Changfu emerged with a freshly filled teapot, followed by a waiter carrying two plates of dried fruit. "I'm afraid I don't have much to offer here. In a few days, I'll be closing shop and returning to my hometown for the New Year. I probably won't reopen next year—these past six months have been a huge loss."

As the waiter set down the dried fruit and turned to leave, Wei Changfu suddenly called out, "Wait a moment, Li Cai. You know how the Zhang family's girl and the others died recently, don't you? Tell us about it."

Li Cai was the same honest-faced waiter Qin Guan and the others had seen earlier. Fidgeting nervously, he replied, "I... I was in the shop at the time and didn't see it myself. But... later, I heard people say the Zhang family's girl died in the tea plantation, covered in blood with her eyes wide open..."

Noticing the frowns on Qin Guan and the others' faces, Li Cai hurriedly added, "None of them saw it firsthand either. There are all sorts of rumors—some say she was strangled by someone from another village, others claim the Zhang family's tea plantation was built on a graveyard and she was haunted to death. Some even say it's the heart-eating mountain demons that emerge around the New Year, or that it's a plague..."

Qin Guan's brow furrowed. "What did you say?"

Li Cai, afraid of misspeaking in front of the esteemed guests, had simply repeated everything he'd heard. Startled by Qin Guan's sudden question, his heart skipped a beat. "They said... it was a plague..."

Qin Guan stood abruptly. "No, the sentence before that."

Li Cai's eyes darted. "Just that around the New Year, the mountain demons that specialize in eating hearts come out."

Qin Guan's frown deepened. "Demons are demons—why specify heart-eating demons?"Li Cai shrank his neck slightly. "Because the Zhang family said their daughter had injuries on her chest when she died, with a lot of blood loss."

Qin Guan's eyes flickered with several emotions at once, but Li Cai quickly added, "However... as the matter grew more serious, the Village Chief forbade everyone from spreading rumors. Even when people went to ask again, the Zhang family refused to speak further. After that, all sorts of wild tales about plagues and ghosts started circulating."

Qin Guan pressed her lips tightly together. Even so, among the many rumors, the one about a heart-eating monster remained the most credible—after all, the Zhang family had mentioned it themselves. Yet, how could such a monster exist in this world?

Seeing Qin Guan's dark expression and that she had stopped questioning, Li Cai glanced at Wei Changfu. Only after receiving a nod from Wei did he leave.

Wei Changfu also sensed Qin Guan's unusual interest in the matter and hesitantly said, "Miss Qin..."

Qin Guan shook her head. "It's nothing. Just idle curiosity."

Wei Changfu refilled tea for them before stepping out to attend to the Qin Manor guards and coachmen outside. Once he was gone, Zhou Huai looked at Qin Guan and asked, "Ninth Miss, do you think there's something unusual about the deaths in Sanyuan Village?"

Qin Guan nodded, but Zhou Huai said, "Even if it's strange, we can't interfere now. Our priority is to find Fifth Miss."

Qin Guan knew this, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that the bizarre incidents in Sanyuan Village were more complicated than they seemed.

"Ninth Miss, let's head to Guanyin Town first. We must reach there before nightfall to ensure we meet up with the Young Master. If there's still no news by then, this servant and the Young Master can return to search again. Otherwise, your safety and Sixth Miss's cannot be guaranteed."

They were only making a brief stop at Changfu Inn. Who knew what the villagers might do if they saw them still lingering by nightfall? With no better alternative, Qin Guan decided to follow Zhou Huai's suggestion.

"Alright, let's hurry then—"

As soon as Qin Guan spoke, Qin Shuang, sensing the urgency, stood up and instructed the servants to pack. After storing the food boxes back in the carriage, the group stepped out of the courtyard to resume their journey.

Wei Changfu courteously escorted them to the gate, but just as they stepped outside, they saw several villagers with hoes hurrying toward them along the main road. At the sight, Qin Shuang instinctively hid behind Qin Guan. "They're coming again—"

Qin Guan was startled by Qin Shuang's reaction, but she soon realized the villagers weren't heading their way. Wei Changfu also sighed in relief. "No need to worry, Miss Qin. It's nothing to do with you."

As he spoke, the villagers turned toward the back eaves of a house across the road, talking urgently among themselves. Qin Guan could faintly catch their words.

"Another outsider?!"

"Exactly! And they say he's a raving lunatic!"

"Hmph, let's capture him first. Who knows—he might be behind what happened earlier!"

Qin Guan frowned and turned to Zhou Huai. "Steward Zhou..."

Zhou Huai had also overheard, but he hesitated—this matter had nothing to do with them. Yet, meeting Qin Guan's solemn gaze, he finally relented. "Very well. This servant will accompany both young ladies to take a look."Qin Guan gave a soft "Mm" in acknowledgment and immediately headed in the direction where the villagers had disappeared. After walking no more than twenty paces, she heard a clamor of voices. Frowning, she followed a narrow path along the side of a house toward the back.

As soon as she turned the corner, she was met with a chaotic scene.

Behind the village houses was a pile of haystacks, and at that moment, over a dozen villagers armed with hoes and sickles had surrounded a ragged figure. The man wore only a thin, mud-caked garment, its original color indiscernible beneath the grime. His dark hair was wildly disheveled, obscuring even his eyes and brows. Faced with the villagers' menacing encirclement, he braced one hand against the haystack while wildly brandishing a wooden stick with the other, growling fierce warnings from his throat—truly resembling a madman.

"Just a lunatic, nothing worth seeing. Let's go—"

Qin Shuang, who had caught up from behind, lost all interest upon confirming it was indeed a madman. She tugged at Qin Guan's sleeve, but Qin Guan remained still, her voice low and grave. "Don’t you think he looks familiar?"

Qin Shuang paused, then turned to scrutinize the "madman." Tilting her head, she studied him for a moment before her eyes suddenly widened in realization. "This person... he looks a lot like that patient we saw in the Herb Garden that day..."

As soon as she spoke, Fuling stepped forward and added, "Miss, he really does resemble him!"

Qin Guan nodded. Though the darkness of that night had obscured his face, the ghoul-like figure that had suddenly appeared had left a lasting impression. Madmen came in all forms, but the man standing by the haystack was unmistakably the same one from the Herb Garden that night.

"Who knows where this lunatic came from? He was sleeping in the haystack and nearly scared my old mother to death!"

"Anyway, he’s an outsider. Let’s tie him up first and see if he’s done anything wrong. If not, we’ll throw him out. If he has, we’ll deal with him according to our village’s rules..."

Wei Changfu, who had followed Qin Guan and the others, immediately chimed in, "In Sanyuan Village, outsiders caught stealing get their limbs broken."

Qin Guan’s brow furrowed slightly. Sensing the villagers' hostility, the madman began swinging his stick even more wildly. Despite being surrounded by over a dozen people, the speed and ferocity of his movements kept them at bay.

Qin Shuang remarked, "Didn’t Young Master Sun say all the patients from the Herb Garden were sent back to their homes? Wasn’t this man originally from... Chishui Village? Manager Wei, where is Chishui Village?"

Wei Changfu quickly replied, "Chishui Village lies south of Goddess Peak, the opposite direction from here."

Qin Shuang exclaimed in surprise, "Did he run away after being sent back?"

"No." Qin Guan’s expression darkened as she turned to Zhou Huai.

"Steward Zhou, look at the way he’s wielding that stick. It doesn’t seem entirely without technique..."

Though Qin Guan had no martial skills herself, she had watched others practice. At her words, Zhou Huai focused intently and soon confirmed, "Ninth Miss, you’re right. He does seem to know some martial arts. It’s just unclear why, despite being driven to such a pitiful state, he hasn’t used his skills."

"Because he’s insane, obviously," Qin Shuang interjected.Qin Guan shook her head. "No, I noticed his steps were unsteady, his breathing uneven, and although he swung his wrist quickly, he didn’t execute any agile moves. It seemed his body was too weak. Look at his eyes..."

The "madman's" ink-black hair was disheveled, covering most of his face, leaving only glimpses of his eyes visible through the strands.

Qin Shuang observed for a few moments before whispering, "He seems to be in pain..."

The "madman's" brows were tightly furrowed, his sharp, cold gaze tinged with torment, as if he were enduring some agony. Qin Guan frowned slightly and turned to Zhou Huai. "Steward Zhou, do you have a way to save him?"

Zhou Huai hesitated. "Ninth Miss..."

Qin Guan interrupted him. "His condition is unusual. I’ll examine him briefly. If he’s truly just a troublemaking madman, I won’t interfere. But if not, I fear he might be connected to Fifth Sister’s disappearance."

Zhou Huai’s thoughts churned, and his gaze swept over the crowd. Spotting the homeowner who had spoken earlier, he stepped forward. "Good sir."

Zhou Huai cupped his hands in greeting, then pulled five taels of silver from his sleeve. "This man resembles a patient we once treated. Since the attending physician is an old friend of our master, we’d appreciate it if you’d allow us to take him away. It’ll save you the trouble, and prevent any harm to anyone here."

The villagers had only captured the madman with great effort, intending to teach him a lesson. But now, with Zhou Huai offering silver, they stood to gain without lifting a finger.

The man who had spoken earlier quickly made his decision. He snatched the silver. "Take him if you must, but he’d better not cause trouble again, or we’ll catch him once more. And don’t expect us to help—you’ll have to handle him yourselves!"

With that, he signaled to the others, and the villagers dispersed, laughing and teasing the man about treating them to a meal.

Soon, only the "madman" and Qin Guan’s group remained by the chaotic haystack.

As soon as the crowd left, the madman’s wooden club clattered to the ground. At the same time, he collapsed as if all strength had left him. Yet his eyes, peering through his hair, watched Qin Guan and the others with heightened wariness.

Qin Guan stepped toward the madman. Fuling immediately warned, "Be careful, Miss—"

Zhou Huai was also concerned, but seeing Qin Guan advance slowly and deliberately, he realized she had a plan.

"Do you remember us?"

Qin Guan’s voice was gentle. She stopped about four or five steps away and crouched down to his level. "That night, in the Herb Garden, you startled us."

The madman’s eyes flickered before he lowered his gaze.

Seeing this, Qin Guan grew even more certain she hadn’t mistaken his identity.

"Don’t be afraid. We were the ones staying at the Herb Garden a few days ago—friends of Divine Doctor Sun. Didn’t he send you all home? Why are you here? Are you still unwell?"

Qin Guan posed these questions softly, but the madman remained silent, head bowed.Zhou Huai and Qin Shuang both stepped forward a few paces. The madman immediately raised his eyes to look at them. Qin Guan, being closer, caught an instant of an extremely chilling light flickering in the depths of the madman's gaze—a look so imposing it was startling.

Qin Guan's heart stirred slightly. Someone who knew martial arts and had such a gaze—could he truly be just a villager from this remote backwater?

With this thought, Qin Guan began to examine his clothes and boots.

It was unclear how far he had traveled, but his garments were covered in grayish-white grime, and his boots were caked with mud.

Narrowing her eyes, Qin Guan suddenly asked, "Who exactly are you?"

The madman's hand, braced against the ground, instantly clenched into a fist, and his gaze turned icy as it fixed on Qin Guan.

That look alone was enough to make even Qin Guan tense involuntarily. Sensing something amiss, Zhou Huai moved to shield her, but Qin Guan waved him off. "No need to worry, Steward Zhou—"

Her voice carried a hint of authority, startling Zhou Huai and making the madman's pupils contract.

Despite the intimidating glare, Qin Guan remained unfazed. She continued to regard the madman steadily. "Though your clothes are filthy, they're made of fine Huzhou silk. And the silver embroidery on your boots—you're no villager from Chishui River. Who are you? Why did Dong Shu claim you were a patient staying at the Herb Garden?"

Her voice was low, her gaze tinged with concern. At this point, she trusted only what her own eyes revealed.

The first time they had met, this man had tried to flee. Later, they had watched as he was captured and dragged back. Back then, they had believed whatever Dong Shu told them. But now, Qin Guan was almost certain—Dong Shu had lied to them.

"Don't be afraid. Are you seriously ill? Were you taken to the Herb Garden by your family? Or... were you imprisoned by Divine Doctor Sun?"

She probed carefully. The first two questions elicited no reaction, but at the word "imprisoned," the man's eyes flickered slightly. Qin Guan's pulse quickened. "Why would they imprison you for no reason? So you weren't sent away—you escaped?"

The madman stared at Qin Guan, his expression now unreadable.

Qin Guan took a shallow breath. "We're acquainted with one of Divine Doctor Sun's junior brothers. We're merely lodging at his Herb Garden and had no idea people were being held there. If you're in trouble, tell us. We can help."

As she spoke, she studied him closely. If he wasn't seriously ill, where did his weakness come from?

A thought struck her. "Were you drugged? Don't be afraid—I know medicine..."

Slowly, she took a step forward, urgency and confusion mingling in her mind. Her concern was now unmistakable in her clear, limpid eyes, like a mountain stream. For some reason, the man no longer resisted. Qin Guan closed the distance and placed her fingertips on his wrist.

Watching the space between Qin Guan and the "madman," Zhou Huai's heart leaped into his throat. Fuling was equally tense, and even Qin Shuang couldn't suppress her worry. "Hey, be careful—he might hurt you!" she called out.

Qin Guan's back remained motionless, her focus entirely on taking his pulse. But when she lifted her gaze, she met the man's fathomless dark eyes.At this sight, Qin Guan felt a chill in her heart. No wonder she had always sensed something cold and sinister in the man's gaze. Apart from his inherent nature, she was astonished to discover that his pupils were nearly transparent, as if harboring a river of ice spikes within. At this moment, he was staring at her with indifference and detachment, unmoved even by her evident goodwill.

Soon, Qin Guan withdrew her hand. She no longer looked at the man, instead standing up to address Zhou Huai. "He's been drugged, likely with something akin to Tendon Weakening Powder or Dreamland Drug. It causes breath stagnation and physical weakness."

As she spoke, she glanced back at the man's neck. "His throat must have been sealed as well."

Qin Guan crouched down under Zhou Huai's astonished gaze, her heart chilled and tense. She knew she had inadvertently uncovered the secret of Sun Haoyue's Herb Garden—because no residence of a miracle doctor who healed the sick would ever imprison a normal person, much less drug them...

"Look up—" Qin Guan commanded as she drew a needle kit from her sleeve.

Her words were not a request but an order. Yet when she pulled out a long needle, the man remained motionless, his frosty gaze fixed on her. Qin Guan met his eyes for a moment before suddenly gripping his chin and forcing it upward. The man's pupils contracted as he instinctively tried to wrench her hand away, but the drugs in his system slowed his reflexes. Just as his fingers brushed her arm, a sharp pain lanced through his throat.

Qin Guan's needle struck fast and mercilessly, making his body shudder.

In the next instant, she withdrew both hand and needle, stepping back to stand calmly before him. The man hunched over from the pain, but Qin Guan merely watched, waiting. Soon, he straightened as the agony eased, then coughed lightly twice.

The sound seemed to startle him—he could make noise again.

"Your voice was sealed with needle therapy. Someone silenced you, then drugged you with an aphrodisiac—all to keep you imprisoned. Who are you? Was it Divine Doctor Sun who did this to you?"

Unease swelled in Qin Guan's chest. This man's sudden appearance had abruptly reminded her of the many oddities within the Herb Garden: the dogs drugged mute, the mutilated cat corpses, the killers' words in those two murder cases, and the empty drawers in the Small Medicine Depot. Sanqi stopped bleeding. Bletilla striata also stopped bleeding. So did callicarpa...

And mugwort, cattail pollen, field thistle, sanguisorba, cogongrass rhizome...

Despite the time that had passed, Qin Guan remembered every detail of what she'd seen that day.

These herbs had varied uses, but their common trait was exceptional hemostatic properties.

Why were most of the emptied drawers once stocked with hemostatics?

What condition had Sun Haoyue treated recently that required so much hemostatic medicine?

Qin Guan suddenly recalled the scattered cat corpses...

Cats were disposable—no need for hemostatics to kill them. But humans were different.

A chill crept up from Qin Guan's feet as she thought of the Herb Garden's residents: Aunt Lin had fallen ill, Xiao Lizi had fallen ill, even the deceased Da Cheng had fallen ill...

After recovering, Aunt Lin could make the Zhang family's famed Tea Cakes. Xiao Lizi gained woodworking skills post-illness...

What medicine could Sun Haoyue have used to bestow new talents?

Qin Guan's gaze trailed down the man's neck. In this weather, he wore only thin garments—likely dressed hastily during escape—yet showed no signs of cold. Even in disarray, his robust physique remained evident.

No missing limbs. Sun Haoyue had wanted him imprisoned unharmed.

"You don't have to tell us who you are. But you could make a deal with us instead."Qin Guan suddenly spoke up, and the man raised his head at her words. She continued, "We can take you wherever you wish to go, but you must help us with something..."

The man remained silent, only the pressure in his gaze growing heavier.

Yet Qin Guan neither retreated nor avoided his stare. "My sister is missing."

As these words left her lips, she clearly saw a faint glimmer flash in the man's eyes. She pressed on, "She disappeared. We all thought she was heading east to Yizhou, but we’ve followed the trail this far and found no sign of her."

"Yi...zhou?" The man finally spoke, but only uttered these two icy words.

Qin Guan frowned slightly. "My sister was invited by Bai Feiyu, the young master of the Bai family, to go to Yizhou."

Unaware of the man’s identity, Qin Guan naturally couldn’t reveal that Qin Xiang had taken it upon herself to seek out Bai Feiyu in Yizhou. The word "invited" made the statement vague yet dignified. She noticed the man’s brows furrow tightly, but soon, he lowered his head again.

Seeing his utterly uncooperative attitude, a cold glint flashed in Qin Guan’s eyes, while Zhou Huai behind her grew visibly anxious.

After observing the man for a moment longer, Qin Guan said, "It seems you’re unwilling to make this trade."

The man still didn’t move. Qin Guan narrowed her eyes. Even though she had discovered another anomaly in the Herb Garden, without the man’s cooperation, she still couldn’t uncover its secrets. She fixed him with a sharp gaze, then suddenly reached into her sleeve and pulled out a Medicine Sachet, placing it on the haystack beside him before turning to walk toward Zhou Huai.

"Let’s go. We shouldn’t waste any more time."

Zhou Huai had expected Qin Guan to persist, but to his surprise, she was decisive and swift.

Once she finished speaking, Qin Guan strode toward the exit. Only after rounding the corner did Zhou Huai catch up and ask, "Ninth Miss, what should we do now?"

Qin Guan pressed her lips together, then turned to face him. "Steward Zhou, what if we return to the Herb Garden?"

Zhou Huai was taken aback, and even Fuling stared at Qin Guan in disbelief. "Miss, why go back to the Herb Garden?"

Ignoring Fuling, Qin Guan kept her eyes on Zhou Huai. "There’s something strange about the Herb Garden. I have a feeling Fifth Sister is either on her way here from there or still inside it..."

"Still in the Herb Garden?" Qin Shuang’s face paled with fear. "Was that man imprisoned there? Ninth Sister, you don’t mean to say... Fifth Sister is being held in the Herb Garden, do you?"

Qin Guan shook her head. "I don’t know yet. But by any calculation, Fifth Sister couldn’t have gotten this far. If we go back, we might meet her on the way. If not, we’ll return to the Herb Garden and investigate."

Qin Shuang disagreed. "But why go back? No one even knew Fifth Sister was chasing after Young Master Bai. If they find out and it turns out to have nothing to do with them, won’t this just become an embarrassing spectacle?"

Qin Guan lowered her gaze. She didn’t care whether this matter would cause a scene or tarnish the Marquis’s reputation. The truth was, she lacked concrete evidence and couldn’t persuade Qin Shuang or Zhou Huai."Ninth Miss, even if we go back to search, there's no saying we should all return together. How about this—I'll go back alone. I might either run into Fifth Miss or the Young Master, while you and Sixth Miss wait here." As Zhou Huai spoke, he glanced around their surroundings. "This time, they aren’t as hostile toward us as they were that day. If all else fails, we can stay here overnight. I’ll leave some men behind. If anyone comes looking for trouble, we can just pay them off."

Earlier, the homeowner had been placated by Zhou Huai’s money. Even though the villagers were fierce in temperament, they still understood the value of silver.

Qin Guan hesitated. "Steward Zhou..."

Zhou Huai sighed. "Ninth Miss, returning to the Herb Garden like this is truly unwise. Let’s proceed as I’ve suggested."

Qin Guan gave a helpless, bitter smile. After all, she couldn’t command the coachmen or guards, nor could she venture back to the Herb Garden alone. "Alright... we’ll do as you say. Steward Zhou, please hurry back."

Zhou Huai nodded and turned to give instructions at Changfu Inn. Qin Guan stood still for a moment before suddenly heading toward the spot where the haystack had been piled earlier. Her steps were quick, but when she rounded the corner, the man was nowhere to be seen!

Qin Shuang caught up and, seeing this, huffed in frustration. "He ran off so fast! You saved him, and he didn’t even thank you!"

Qin Guan’s heart grew heavier. By the time they returned to Changfu Inn, Steward Zhou was already mounted on his horse. He hadn’t taken any attendants with him, leaving them all behind to protect Qin Guan and Qin Shuang. After a few brief words, he rode off.

Wei Changfu, who must have received a generous sum from Zhou Huai, was even more enthusiastic as he invited Qin Guan and Qin Shuang inside. "After you ladies left, the rooms were kept reserved. Why don’t you rest in them? The main hall is too cold, and you could use the time to recuperate. Steward Zhou mentioned you’d be traveling through the night."

Traveling overnight wasn’t an issue as long as it didn’t snow. Before Qin Guan could respond, Qin Shuang nodded. "Fine. Bring us a charcoal brazier."

"Of course, right away. Please, ladies—"

Uneasy, Qin Guan had no desire to linger in the main hall with Wei Changfu and his men. She followed Qin Shuang to the room, pacing restlessly. Their group was now split into three. If they could find Qin Xiang smoothly, all would be well. If not, further complications were sure to arise.

Their wait stretched into the afternoon. As the sky darkened, Qin Shuang grew anxious.

"What’s going on? Why hasn’t Third Brother returned either..."

"Even if he didn’t run into Third Brother, Steward Zhou should have been back by now."

Qin Guan sat by the bed while Qin Shuang paced. "Why did you insist on going back to the Herb Garden earlier? Just because that man was drugged? Maybe he was taken there for treatment—some shameful illness, which is why Dong Shu lied to us that night. Or perhaps he has episodes of madness..."

Qin Shuang’s theory wasn’t entirely implausible, but Qin Guan’s instincts told her the danger in the Herb Garden lurked in the shadows. They had left without truly uncovering it, but Qin Xiang might not have been so fortunate.

Just as she was lost in thought, a sharp "ding" sounded—something pierced through the window paper and flew inside!

"What was that? Is someone outside?"Qin Shuang jumped in fright and quickly hid behind Qin Guan. Qin Guan looked and saw it was just a crumpled piece of paper. She hastily picked it up and unfolded it, revealing a few crookedly written charcoal characters on the paper—

With just one glance, Qin Guan's face instantly paled.

"What's wrong?" Qin Shuang asked, utterly confused. "Who gave this?"

Qin Guan handed the paper to Qin Shuang, who read it and exclaimed in surprise, "Return to the Herb Garden? Who sent this to us? Why are they also telling us to go back to the Herb Garden?!"

Qin Guan's expression grew unprecedentedly grave. She strode to the window to look outside, but the courtyard was empty—there was no one in sight.

"We must return to the Herb Garden," Qin Guan said, her eyes turning icy. "If we delay, it'll be too late!"

Both Qin Shuang and Fuling were startled by Qin Guan's cold, solemn demeanor. Qin Guan shook her head again. "Just us going back isn't enough. We need others..."

Qin Shuang timidly said, "We don’t know when Steward Zhou will return."

"Steward Zhou’s return won’t help. Given the current situation, we’ll need officials present." Qin Guan’s gaze sharpened, and she suddenly seemed to remember something. She pulled an item from her sleeve and said, "Take this—take this to the Jixian County Magistrate’s Office—"