Coroner's Diary

"Yiwen!"

Qin Guan clearly saw Pang Yiwen's face, and in an instant, everyone else recognized that the person who had fallen was Pang Yiwen. Pang Fuliang cried out in shock, disregarding Pang Youde's attempts to hold him back as he rushed forward.

The fire on the first floor grew fiercer, flames licking upward and thick smoke billowing. Standing too close brought an unbearable heat. Pang Fuliang reached Pang Yiwen's side, sparks and black smoke nearly scorching him.

Seeing this, Qin Guan and Yan Chi also stepped forward, with Yan Chi shielding half of Qin Guan's body, afraid the flying embers might land on her. Wang Huaiyu stood stunned for a long moment before finally joining Yan Li at the scene.

"Yiwen! How did you end up here?!"

Pang Fuliang's voice was hoarse and trembling. Though he had often scolded Pang Yiwen in frustration, Pang Yiwen was still his eldest son, raised from childhood with much affection. It was only later, out of disappointment, that he had shifted all his favor to Pang Jiayan. Seeing Pang Yiwen's bloodied face, Pang Fuliang's eyes reddened instantly.

"Fa—"

Pang Yiwen lay on his back. He had jumped from the third floor, crashing heavily onto the stone steps. How could a mortal body withstand such an impact? Blood gushed from his mouth and nose. He looked at Pang Fuliang, his hand weakly reaching out, but the pain tearing through his body made even the slightest movement unbearable. More blood spilled from his lips, rendering him unable to speak. His eyes, filled with desperation, locked onto Pang Fuliang.

"Yiwen—" Pang Fuliang's voice broke. He instinctively grabbed Pang Yiwen's hand, then turned to Qin Guan with a final glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Ninth Miss… Ninth Miss, I beg you, save him…"

Pang Fuliang hadn't used the word "beg" in years, but now, with Pang Yiwen so grievously injured and on the verge of death, he had to try. Qin Guan met his gaze. No matter her previous suspicions about him or her disgust over Chang Shi's suffering, at this moment, Pang Fuliang was simply a father. Without a word, she stepped forward and knelt beside Pang Yiwen. One hand pressed against his chest, the other on his wrist—but in an instant, her brow furrowed tightly. Meanwhile, blood continued to pour from Pang Yiwen's mouth and nose.

"Master Pang, there's no saving him. His organs are ruptured."

Pang Fuliang stared at Qin Guan's calm expression, and for a moment, a flash of resentment flickered in his eyes—though not directed solely at her. He hated that his son was dying, and Qin Guan was the one delivering the verdict.

Glaring at her fiercely, Pang Fuliang's grip on Pang Yiwen's hand trembled violently.

Pang Yiwen's eyes were wide open, filled with agony and unwillingness as he gazed at Pang Fuliang. He struggled to move his lips, silently pleading for his powerful father to save him. But then, a searing pain wracked his body, triggering violent coughs. With each cough, more blood foamed from his mouth and nose. Within moments, Pang Yiwen's wide eyes went still.

Pang Fuliang seemed frozen, staring at Pang Yiwen, his grip on his son's hand so tight that veins bulged across his knuckles.

Pang Youde stood dumbfounded, wanting to console Pang Fuliang but at a loss for words.Wang Huaiyu couldn't stand it any longer and stepped forward, asking, "Why is the young master in this building? Wasn't it the eldest daughter of the Pang family who set the fire inside?"

Pang Fuliang suddenly stirred. He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze like poisoned arrows directed toward the small building.

The fire spread, yet a delicate figure inside the building was ascending the stairs. Seeing that Pang Fuliang couldn't provide an answer at the moment, Wang Huaiyu immediately directed the household servants and the yamen runners to fight the fire...

The flames appeared fierce, but when they reached the second floor, they inexplicably stopped spreading upward, though thick black smoke still billowed. Servants continuously carried water in basins and buckets, and after the time it took to drink two cups of tea, much of the fire on the first floor had been extinguished. The doors and windows on the first floor were charred to cinders, but the dozen or so large pillars and the staircase leading upstairs were relatively unscathed. Qin Guan watched in silent amazement. Meanwhile, Pang Fuliang remained crouched to the side, clutching Pang Yiwen's hand as if in a daze.

It was indeed a sorrowful thing for a parent to bury their child, but as Qin Guan looked at Pang Fuliang, she found it hard to muster much sympathy. She was only puzzled—why were Pang Yiwen and Pang Jiayun both in this small building?

Pang Jiayun had set the fire on the first floor, while Pang Yiwen had been on the third floor... and how had he fallen?

Qin Guan's suspicions ran deep. Meanwhile, the yamen runners had already rushed into the first floor. Soon, Wang Huaiyu ran back and forth to Yan Chi's side. "Your Highness, the fire on the first floor is mostly under control."

Yan Chi narrowed his eyes. "I'll go up and take a look—"

Hearing this, Qin Guan instinctively moved to follow, but Yan Chi paused. "It's not safe inside. Stay here."

Qin Guan glanced at the still-burning embers on the second-floor windows and didn't insist. Yan Chi gave her a long look before proceeding forward. Yan Li smiled at Qin Guan and eagerly followed Yan Chi.

Though the flames had been extinguished, no one knew what condition the second floor was in or whether the floors and beams inside had been burned through. Suppressing her anxiety, Qin Guan remained outside. Turning around, she noticed Chang Shi standing not far behind them with Pang Jiayan. Behind them were Qing Niang and one of Chang Shi's maids.

The four stood at a distance, watching like outsiders, yet with a hint of fear that kept them from approaching. Qin Guan considered speaking to them but decided against it. Pang Fuliang had just lost his son, and she wasn't sure if he might vent his anger on Chang Shi.

Inside the building, Yan Chi, Yan Li, and Huo Huaixin ascended the stairs. To their surprise, despite the fire, the staircase and the second-floor floorboards remained intact. Only the windows on the second floor, like those on the first, had been burned. The thick smoke had obscured much of the second floor, but it was still discernible that this had once been a lady's bedchamber.

Standing at the top of the stairs, Wang Huaiyu gave an order, and two yamen runners entered the room. After searching, they returned without finding Pang Jiayun. Frowning, Yan Chi continued up to the third floor.

The fire had barely touched the third floor, which now lay in complete darkness.With a "snap," Wang Huaiyu lit the fire starter. As the flame flickered to life, the third floor—even narrower than the second—was revealed before everyone's eyes. While the second floor had two side rooms, the third was arranged like a single Warm Chamber, neatly furnished with a writing desk, a long couch, and tall cabinets. As Wang Huaiyu and the others focused their gaze, they clearly saw several pieces of clothing strewn across the long couch.

The garments were tangled together in disarray—a man's outer robe, a woman's gown, belts, and boots. The cushions and thin blankets on the couch were also haphazardly scattered. The scene was unmistakable to the men present, and their brows furrowed at the implication. Earlier, only Pang Jiayun and Pang Yiwen had been in this building. Could it be...?

"Your Highness, this... could this mean..."

The smile faded from Yan Li's face, replaced by a cold glint in his eyes. "Magistrate Wang, surely you recognize what this scene implies?"

His tone was icy, laced with a hint of mockery. "Given my extensive experience in the pleasure quarters of the capital, this mess undoubtedly indicates a tryst between a man and a woman. Or do you fail to see it?"

Wang Huaiyu gave a bitter smile. "It's not that I fail to see it—it's that I can't believe it. Besides, where is Pang Jiayun?"

Yan Li's eyes darted around. They had come looking for Pang Jiayun, yet she was nowhere in sight.

Just as Yan Li found this strange, a soft, murmuring voice suddenly drifted through the air.

"Little child, hide and seek, giggling behind the door..."

"Qing Niang, come find me quick, why can't you find me yet..."

The girl's voice, sweet and ethereal, rang out abruptly, sending an eerie chill through the fire-scorched attic. Almost simultaneously, the men turned their attention to the tall cabinet by the window—the source of the sound. But as Yan Li looked, his eyelids twitched.

The cabinet was nearly as tall as a person, yet it was divided into six small compartments, each with its own door. While a whole cabinet might conceal a person, how could such tiny compartments hide anyone?

"Little child, hide and seek, giggling behind the door..."

"Qing Niang, come find me quick, why can't you find me yet..."

As Yan Li hesitated, the singing resumed—soft, innocent, like a child untouched by the world. A strange feeling stirred in his chest, and he stepped forward toward the cabinet.

Yan Chi and Wang Huaiyu followed. Standing before the cabinet, Yan Li paused briefly before opening the lower-left compartment.

As the door swung open, the first thing that met his eyes was a pair of feet clad in peach-red embroidered shoes, followed by thin, withered calves. Two arms were wrapped tightly around them...

Yan Li took a step back before he could see Pang Jiayun's eyes, peering over her knees. His brow furrowed. Those eyes were pitch black, yet the usual brilliance of onyx was absent—they were hollow, devoid of light.

Pang Jiayun was curled into an unnatural position inside the tiny compartment, her head wedged unnaturally above her knees. Seeing the light from outside, she instinctively shrank further back, like a creature afraid of exposure. Yan Li couldn't fathom how a person could contort themselves into such a coffin-like space.Even though they could only see a pair of shoes, slender legs, and the blurred half of Pang Jiayun's face, Yan Li and the others could clearly discern that the extremely thin Pang Jiayun was only wearing a thin undergarment. The sheer silk trousers on her legs were riddled with large and small burn holes, starkly revealing the bruises on her skin.

Seeing her in such a state, Yan Li looked helplessly at Yan Chi, who frowned. He couldn't bring himself to forcibly drag out such a young girl.

"Go down and ask Ninth Miss to come up."

Yan Chi had initially been worried about the danger inside the building, but upon reaching the third floor, they realized the situation was much better than expected. Moreover, given the circumstances, it was inappropriate for more people to know, and it seemed Pang Jiayun herself didn’t want to come out.

The constable at the rear obeyed the order and soon reached the ground floor.

Outside the building, Pang Fuliang still held Pang Yiwen’s hand tightly. The constable hurried straight to Qin Guan. "Ninth Miss, His Highness requests your presence upstairs." He added, "Don’t worry, the fire has been put out."

Qin Guan wasn’t particularly concerned about the danger. Since Yan Chi had sent for her, it meant the threat had been neutralized. She nodded and prepared to enter, with Fuling and Baiying quickly following. Qin Shuang wanted to join, but the constable stopped her. "His Highness only asked for Ninth Miss to go up—"

Qin Shuang pouted slightly and stood beside Qin Yan. "Third Brother, could there be another dead person upstairs?"

Qin Yan shook his head. "Probably not. If someone had died, the constable wouldn’t have been so calm."

Qin Shuang hadn’t noticed the constable’s expression, but she trusted Qin Yan’s judgment. She then asked, "Wasn’t it said that the eldest Miss Pang set the fire? Why was the eldest Young Master Pang on the third floor?"

Qin Yan narrowed his eyes, his gaze lingering on Qin Yan’s inner robe, then shifting to Pang Yiwen’s bare feet...

As Qin Guan followed the constable upstairs, she had already pieced things together. Pang Yiwen had fallen to his death from the third floor—his presence there was strange enough, and his attire even stranger.

His outer robe was missing, and his feet were bare. Qin Guan couldn’t fathom why Pang Jiayun would have gone to Pang Yiwen’s sleeping quarters, especially since his courtyard wasn’t even in this location. Their simultaneous presence here was no coincidence.

The more she thought, the heavier her heart grew. When she reached the third floor, she saw Yan Chi and the others standing at the stairway entrance. In the distance, the bottom compartment of a tall cabinet was open, and Qin Guan could faintly make out a figure inside.

"Ninth Miss is here—"

Yan Li called softly. Qin Guan stepped forward, curtsied, and looked at Yan Chi. "What’s the matter?"

Yan Chi tilted his chin slightly. "She’s inside and refuses to come out."

He then glanced around the room. Qin Guan’s heart clenched as she took in the scene.

Yan Chi said, "We’ll go down first. See if you can coax her out."

Qin Guan nodded. Wang Huaiyu handed a lit lantern to Fuling, then turned and descended with Yan Chi and the others. Once they left, Qin Guan felt an even deeper chill at the sight of the room. Pressing her lips together, she approached the cabinet. "Miss Pang?"

She crouched down and called gently, but Pang Jiayun only shrank further back in response. Qin Guan’s eyes flickered. "Miss Pang, are you playing hide-and-seek with us?"Qin Guan spoke as gently as possible, and Pang Jiayun finally quieted down.

Qin Guan then continued, "Then... how about I hide, and you come find me?"

As she spoke, Qin Guan pretended to leave, but Pang Jiayun still didn’t move.

"Li...ttle... kid... hide... and... seek..."

Pang Jiayun remained motionless, but she began reciting the words one by one. Her tone was naive and innocent, yet hearing such a soft, childlike voice emerge from inside the cabinet made Qin Guan feel both eerie and heartbroken.

"Qing... Niang... come... find... me... quickly..."

For a moment, Qin Guan didn’t understand what Pang Jiayun meant. When Pang Jiayun repeated the phrase, Qin Guan immediately looked at Baiying upon hearing the name "Qing Niang." "Go downstairs and ask His Highness if Madam and Qing Niang can be summoned here."

Baiying obeyed and left. Qin Guan listened as her footsteps descended the stairs, paused briefly, then resumed descending after a short while. Qin Guan sighed in relief—she knew Yan Chi had agreed.

Chang Shi and the others appeared not far from the small building. Qin Guan wondered if they knew what had happened inside or if they knew Pang Jiayun was the one who had set the fire. Recalling how they had stood at a distance earlier, too afraid to approach, Qin Guan found it somewhat strange.

Fuling stepped forward with a lamp, but as soon as she took two steps closer, Pang Jiayun shrank back into the cabinet. Qin Guan quickly gestured for Fuling to stop and leaned down to look inside. "Qing Niang will be here soon, and your mother is coming too. Come out, and I’ll help you get dressed so you can play with them later, alright?"

Pang Jiayun’s large, vacant eyes stared blankly outside. Suddenly, she let out a soft "shh."

Qin Guan immediately lowered her voice. "What’s wrong?"

"Hide... hide..." Confused, Qin Guan watched as Pang Jiayun hugged her legs tightly. "He’s coming... he’s coming..."

Qin Guan didn’t know who "he" referred to, but the only person she could think of at the moment was Pang Yiwen.

Her gaze fell on the disheveled couch in the room, further confirming her suspicions. She wanted to ask Pang Jiayun but feared startling her, so she only whispered, "Don’t be afraid, no one is coming. No one will ever come again..."

Just as she finished speaking, footsteps echoed from downstairs.

Pang Jiayun flinched again in fright. Qin Guan turned toward the staircase and saw Chang Shi first, her eyes red-rimmed. Chang Shi seemed momentarily surprised to see Qin Guan there but quickly strode toward the tall cabinet. The footsteps continued, and Qin Guan stood aside as Qing Niang appeared, leading Pang Jiayan by the hand up the stairs. Meanwhile, Chang Shi called out, "Yun'er," and Pang Jiayun immediately crawled out of the cabinet.

Now that she was out, Qin Guan could see that Pang Jiayun bore a striking resemblance to Chang Shi, sharing about sixty percent of her features. Though she was emaciated and her expression somewhat vacant, her delicate beauty was still evident.

Chang Shi embraced Pang Jiayun, choking back sobs. Qin Guan hesitated, unsure whether to excuse herself, but Chang Shi turned and said, "Ninth Miss, if there’s anything you wish to know, you may ask me now..."