Coroner's Diary

"Take Steward Pang back for questioning."

Pang Youde was stunned upon hearing this, never expecting Yan Chi's focus to be on him.

He looked at Yan Chi in bewilderment, then instinctively turned to Pang Fuliang, who was also taken aback. "Your Highness, why...?"

Yan Chi gazed at Pang Fuliang, lips pressed together in silence.

In an instant, Pang Fuliang found himself unable to voice the rest of his question.

Though Pang Fuliang was past forty and had weathered countless storms in his lifetime, he still felt the oppressive weight of Yan Chi's presence.

Yan Chi narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly. "Master Pang, do you know why your eldest son appeared here in disheveled clothing?"

Pang Fuliang met Yan Chi's gaze, his throat tightening as if gripped by an invisible hand. Seeing his silence, Yan Chi curved his lips. "In that case, we’ll have to ask Steward Pang instead."

Though Yan Chi's lips curled, there was not a trace of warmth in his eyes.

He turned to Wang Huaiyu, who was also momentarily stunned. Wang Huaiyu quickly waved to the nearby constables. "Take Steward Pang back to the yamen—"

The constables wasted no time, stepping forward to seize Pang Youde by the arms.

Pang Youde dared not protest to Yan Chi, only hesitantly calling out, "Master—"

Pang Fuliang stood rooted to the spot, with Pang Yiwen’s bloodied corpse lying beside him and Pang Youde being dragged away in the distance. His lips twitched, but for a moment, he couldn’t find the words to speak.

As Pang Youde was taken away, Pang Fuliang turned his head and saw Qin Guan emerging from the building, followed by Chang Shi and Pang Jiayan. Pang Jiayun was draped in a cape, its hood covering her head and face, her small frame as frail as a child’s. When they reached the entrance of the first floor, Chang Shi paused, glancing at Pang Yiwen’s blood-streaked face. Then, gripping Pang Jiayun and Pang Jiayan by the hands, she followed Qin Guan down.

Pang Fuliang narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp as an arrow piercing Chang Shi’s back.

Ignoring him, Chang Shi quietly trailed behind Qin Guan. Yan Chi then ordered, "Prepare another courtyard and assign guards to watch over Madam Pang, Miss Pang, and the third young master—"

At this command, Pang Fuliang’s brow furrowed.

Wang Huaiyu’s eyes flickered. "Understood. I’ll arrange it at once."

Yan Chi finally looked down at Pang Yiwen’s body. "Master Pang, how do you think he died?"

Pang Fuliang’s gaze darkened as he stared at the cooling corpse. "It couldn’t have been an accident—"

"Then who is the murderer?"

Pang Fuliang’s voice was low and venomous, laced with barely suppressed fury. Yan Chi, however, remained composed. Pang Fuliang’s lips moved, but he had no answer. Under the eyes of all present, Pang Jiayun had been on the first floor while Pang Yiwen had inexplicably fallen from the third. Yet how could Pang Fuliang believe his son had died from an accidental fall?

"I don’t know. That should be Prefect Wang’s duty to investigate."

Though his tone was subdued, there was an edge to his words. Yan Chi turned to Wang Huaiyu. "Very well. Then let Prefect Wang handle it."

Wang Huaiyu seemed to grasp Yan Chi’s implication and stepped forward. "Master Pang, rest assured, any unnatural death will be thoroughly examined. For now, please accept our condolences. Someone, move the body of the eldest young master and place it with Liu Yuntong’s."Upon hearing the orders, several constables immediately sprang into action. Watching Pang Yiwen's corpse being roughly carried away by the officers, Pang Fuliang felt his tightly restrained temper on the verge of eruption.

Yan Chi sighed and said, "Master Pang, please accept our condolences."

He then turned to Wang Huaiyu and added, "Continue investigating Liu Yuntong's death."

Wang Huaiyu promptly responded, "Understood. Rest assured, Your Highness."

Yan Li, who had been waiting nearby, stepped forward and asked, "What's going on? Why keep an eye on Madam Pang? Is this case related to them? I thought the eldest young master died accidentally—or rather, not exactly an accident. We need to find out why he came here."

Yan Chi nodded. "Miss Pang is unwell. We'll need to wait until Madam Pang has tended to her before we can ask some questions."

Yan Li's eyes flickered with understanding. "Ah, right. Miss Pang only speaks with Madam Pang."

These words caused Pang Fuliang's expression to shift several times. Wang Huaiyu cut straight to the point, "Madam Pang is more familiar with this garden than I am. Please choose a secluded courtyard for yourself. For the next few days, I must ask you to refrain from moving about freely."

Though it sounded like house arrest, it was actually protection.

Chang Shi nodded. "There are two guest courtyards to the west."

The western courtyards happened to be adjacent to the ones where Qin Guan and the others were staying. Wang Huaiyu seemed satisfied and instructed a few men, "You, accompany Madam Pang there. Just guard the courtyard entrance."

The constables acknowledged the order and promptly "escorted" Chang Shi and her entourage away from the building.

With everyone who needed to leave now gone, the acrid smell of smoke mixed with the metallic tang of blood was nauseating. Though the fire had been extinguished, the small building lay in ruins. The servants of Qinghui Garden stood scattered in the distance, at a loss. The estate had suffered consecutive deaths, and now even the eldest young master was gone...

Wang Huaiyu looked at Pang Fuliang, who stood rigidly silent, and said, "Master Pang, with one incident after another in Qinghui Garden, I'm afraid the entire estate will have to be sealed off. I won't be returning tonight and will dispatch more men later to investigate your son's death."

Pang Fuliang had nothing to say. Wang Huaiyu continued, "Master Pang, you must be grieving the loss of your beloved son. You may retire and rest for now."

Pang Fuliang nodded stiffly and turned away.

Pang Yiwu had approached earlier, but as he had never been favored, he now hesitated timidly. Seeing Pang Fuliang's unsteady steps, he finally stepped forward to support him. For once, Pang Fuliang did not glare at him coldly as usual. Instead, he extended a hand, and Pang Yiwu quickly moved to steady him.

As the father and son slowly walked away, supporting each other, Yan Chi narrowed his eyes.

"When did this steward of the Pang family start serving Pang Fuliang?" Yan Chi asked.

Wang Huaiyu hesitated. "I truly don't know, Your Highness."

"Interrogate this steward and have someone keep an eye on Pang Fuliang."

Wang Huaiyu nodded, though still puzzled. Qin Guan had only shared her findings with Yan Chi, so Wang Huaiyu remained unaware. Yan Chi lowered his voice. "It's highly possible this is connected to the old case."

Wang Huaiyu's eyes lit up. "Then wouldn't that mean—"

Yan Chi shook his head. "It's not that simple. Unless this steward was also an accomplice back then, we have no evidence to hold him accountable."Wang Huaiyu now understood what Yan Chi meant by instructing him to keep an eye on Pang Fuliang. "Very well, this official will make the arrangements immediately. We'll interrogate the Pang steward tonight without delay..."

Yan Chi nodded. "This matter should be handled swiftly rather than delayed. I will join you in the interrogation."

Hearing this, Qin Guan was reminded of the rumors about Yan Chi employing dozens of cruel tortures against Rongdi spies in the western regions. She glanced at Yan Chi for a moment, unable to picture him using such brutal methods on people.

As dusk fell, Yan Chi turned to Qin Guan. "You should go back and rest first."

Qin Guan curtsied slightly, nodded to Wang Huaiyu, and then departed.

Qin Yan and Qin Shuang had been waiting not far away. As Qin Guan approached, Qin Shuang immediately stepped forward. "How did it go? Why were the Pang family's young lady and Pang Yiwen involved in this?"

Qin Guan shook her head, signaling that this wasn't the place to discuss it. Qin Shuang refrained from further questions, while Qin Yan, observing the situation, already had an inkling of what had transpired.

Qin Shuang looked toward the west. "Why were Madam Pang and the Pang girls taken over there?"

"The case involving Pang Yiwen requires questioning the Pang young lady, and the young lady needs Madam Pang's care," Qin Guan explained, echoing Yan Chi's words. Qin Shuang still looked somewhat puzzled but glanced back and remarked, "Speaking of which, that small building is rather odd. How did the fire rage so fiercely on the first floor while the second remained largely intact?"

Qin Guan frowned momentarily, but Qin Yan interjected, "In the cold plains of the northwest, there grows a type of thorn oak tree. Its wood is exceptionally hard—so much so that arrows supposedly cannot pierce it—and it is highly resistant to burning. This tree was discovered about fifty or sixty years ago and was later extensively transported to various northwestern prefectures, fetching exorbitant prices. Given that Qinghui Garden was once the residence of a former prince, I suspect that building might have been constructed using this very wood. Otherwise, under normal circumstances, the entire structure would have been consumed by the flames."

Such a type of wood existed? Both Qin Guan and Qin Shuang were astonished.

The siblings continued westward, eventually arriving at a secluded courtyard illuminated by lanterns, not far from Qin Guan's guest quarters. Recalling Chang Shi's plea from that day, Qin Guan felt a sudden urge to check on Pang Jiayun's condition.

"I'll go see Madam Pang," she said.

Qin Yan glanced at the distant courtyard. "Don't linger too long."

Qin Guan nodded, and the siblings parted ways there. Qin Shuang, however, tugged at Qin Guan's sleeve. "No, I'm coming too."

Qin Shuang was purely driven by curiosity and a desire to join in. Qin Guan hesitated, remembering Chang Shi's reluctance to discuss the cause of Pang Jiayun's madness. But Qin Shuang immediately raised her hand in a vow. "I promise I won't ask or say anything about it."

Though Qin Guan was initially skeptical, Qin Shuang's earnest gaze made it hard to refuse.

"Alright then, let's go take a look. Though I'm not sure if the yamen guards will let us through."

Qin Shuang nodded eagerly, and Qin Guan led the way toward the guest courtyard further west. At the entrance, the guards stationed there indeed blocked their path—until one of them, the same man who had earlier escorted Qin Guan downstairs, recognized her. After a glance into the courtyard, he stepped aside. "This is the Ninth Miss of Loyal Marquis Manor, who assisted the Prefect with the corpse examination. No need to stop her."

The other three guards exchanged glances but ultimately relented.

Qin Guan nodded her thanks to the man and entered the courtyard. As soon as she stepped inside, she heard Pang Jiayan's light laughter. "A-jie, isn't this pretty?"The main house door was wide open. Pang Jiayan had somehow produced a small mask and put it on his face—it was a Monkey King mask. He began mimicking the monkey's cheek-scratching antics to amuse Pang Jiayun. Pang Jiayun stared blankly at Pang Jiayan while Chang Shi sighed beside her, "Yun'er, your little brother is trying to cheer you up. Try to be happy, won't you…"

After a dazed moment, Pang Jiayun suddenly curved her lips slightly, making Pang Jiayan laugh even more joyfully.

"Big sister smiled! Big sister smiled!"

Qing Niang watched with reddened eyes. When she turned her gaze, she noticed Qin Guan standing at the courtyard gate. She quickly informed Chang Shi, and both women stood up together. Qin Guan had Baiying and the others wait outside, entering only with Qin Shuang.

"Ninth Miss is here—"

Chang Shi came forward to greet her. Qin Guan curtsied slightly at the doorway.

"Coming at this hour disturbs you, Madam."

Chang Shi felt nothing but gratitude toward Qin Guan. She had prepared herself to face Pang Fuliang's wrath upon returning to Hui Garden tonight, but Yan Chi had unexpectedly shielded them for the time being. "Not at all! We haven't even thanked you properly yet."

Qin Guan shook her head and looked toward Pang Jiayun, who stood motionless inside. "The other day, Madam mentioned wanting me to examine Miss Pang. Was that sincere?"

Chang Shi froze, then her eyes brightened with hope. She hadn't imagined Qin Guan would come for this purpose. "Of course! Absolutely sincere… Ninth Miss, if you could cure Yun'er, I would—"

Qin Guan raised a hand to stop her. "Please don't speak of a cure yet. My medical skills are limited, and treating Miss Pang's condition will be difficult. Even if improvement is possible, it won't happen overnight. I came tonight because I noticed how frail and thin Miss Pang appears, which worries me about her physical health."

Chang Shi grew even more grateful. "I understand, I understand. Such illnesses are rarely cured among common folk. Your kindness leaves me at a loss for how to repay you. Please come in—if Yun'er's health can improve, I would be overjoyed. Sometimes I think it might be best if she simply lives like this, without memories or awareness."

Her words carried melancholy. Nearby, Qing Niang, moved, approached Pang Jiayun. "Miss, come sit at the table. This lady can help treat you."

Pang Jiayun's expression remained blank, but at Qing Niang's words, she obediently walked to the table and sat down.

Qin Guan was surprised. Based on Pang Jiayun's current behavior, one could hardly tell she was ill.

Chang Shi explained, "She only listens to me and Qing Niang. No one else."

Having seen Pang Jiayun curled up in the cabinet earlier, Qin Guan knew this was true. She sat beside Pang Jiayun and spoke softly, "Jiayun, give me your wrist…"

As expected, Pang Jiayun didn't move. Qing Niang then said, "Miss, extend your hand."

Pang Jiayun lifted her arm, holding it straight out toward Qin Guan. Qin Guan adjusted her position, cradling the wrist with one hand while checking the pulse with the other. After a moment, her brows furrowed slightly, her expression solemn. She paused thoughtfully before switching to the other wrist. Soon, Qin Guan spoke, "Do you have paper and ink here? I'll write a prescription to regulate Miss Pang's health—she'll need both medicinal and dietary supplements. As for her condition here…" She didn't mention Pang Jiayun's mental ailment, only lightly tapped her own chest. "It's too soon to decide on a treatment method."Chang Shi shook her head, "We haven't had time to prepare paper and ink here, but Ninth Miss can tell Jiayan. Jiayan has a good memory."

Qin Guan was slightly surprised. Her prescription contained at least ten different herbs, along with the precise quantities for each. Remembering everything without a single mistake would be quite difficult. However, Qin Guan didn't rush to question it. She simply recited each herb one by one. When she finished, Pang Jiayan's smiling face turned serious as he thought for a moment before nodding, "I've remembered."

Qin Guan was somewhat taken aback, so Pang Jiayan recited it back as if to prove himself.

After Pang Jiayan finished reciting, both Qin Guan and Qin Shuang were astonished.

"Third Young Master is truly remarkable. His memory is so impressive."

Pang Jiayan's expression showed none of a child's innocence. He merely glanced at Qin Shuang and said nothing more.

Chang Shi smiled bitterly, "Yun'er used to have a good memory too, but..."

As she spoke, Pang Jiayun remained completely unresponsive. Qing Niang simply said, "It's late. Would the young lady like to rest now?"

Pang Jiayun didn't react, so Qing Niang continued, "Then how about the young lady takes Third Young Master's mask and lies down inside first?"

Without a word, Pang Jiayun stood up, took the mask belonging to Pang Jiayan from the table, and turned to walk into the inner chamber. Qin Guan was surprised—Pang Jiayun could not only complete actions like "walking over and sitting down" but also "picking up the mask and entering the inner chamber." Qing Niang didn't follow her, suggesting she could lie down on her own.

Qin Guan already knew Pang Jiayun was mentally impaired, but her condition was strikingly different from that of ordinary people. Watching Pang Jiayun's retreating figure, Qin Guan fell into deep thought before remarking, "Miss Pang listens very well to Qing Niang."

Chang Shi gave Qing Niang a grateful look. "Qing Niang entered the household just after Jiayan was born. She practically raised both siblings."

Qin Guan nodded, then turned her gaze to Pang Jiayan. Yan Chi was right—without evidence, there was no way to hold Pang Fuliang accountable for this matter. After so many years, the events of the past were practically impossible to prove.

After some thought, Qin Guan asked Chang Shi, "Madam, do you know if Master Pang has any particularly secret places? Or if he has any other trusted aides?"

Chang Shi frowned. "His study? He always meets important guests there. Otherwise, there's a storeroom in the estate, but he keeps the key himself. Beyond that, I don't know. As for trusted people... there's only Steward Pang. I'm unaware of his outside business dealings..."

As someone confined to the inner quarters, Chang Shi indeed had little opportunity to know much. Qin Guan turned to Pang Jiayan. "Third Young Master, do you know?"

Pang Jiayan blinked. "No. Before, when that lady and Official Liu came, Father never allowed me to be present. This was the first time, and I only overheard a few words..."

Pang Fuliang must have been extremely cautious, and Pang Jiayan had been too young before. Qin Guan sighed inwardly and instinctively looked at Qing Niang. "What about you, Qing Niang? You've always taken care of Third Young Master."

Qing Niang replied somewhat awkwardly, "That day, this servant wasn't feeling well and wasn't by Third Young Master's side."

Qin Guan nodded, committing the storeroom Chang Shi mentioned to memory.Seeing that it was getting late, Qin Guan didn't say much and took her leave. As she stepped out of the courtyard gate, she instinctively glanced back at the hems of Baiying and Fuling's skirts, then at her own. Noticing this, Fuling quickly asked, "What's wrong, miss?"

Qin Guan shook her head, "Nothing, I was just checking if our skirts got scorched."

Fuling laughed, "No, no, I've been keeping an eye on it for you. There wasn't a single open flame left in that building."

Qin Guan's footsteps paused slightly as she walked forward. How then had Qing Niang's skirt gotten burned?