Coroner's Diary

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Ninth Miss, I shall take Qing Niang back to the magistrate's office now."

Wang Huaiyu bowed slightly to Yan Chi and Qin Guan. Yan Chi nodded in response, and Wang Huaiyu followed Qing Niang out.

Soon, only the original constables and Qin Yan's group remained at the courtyard gate. Qin Shuang stared wide-eyed at Qin Yan. "Third Brother... if I heard correctly, Qing Niang is the culprit behind these cases? She also killed Qing Li?"

Qin Yan nodded, his brow deeply furrowed. Over the past few days, investigations had been conducted both inside and outside the residence, yet even he hadn't noticed Qing Niang—a mere servant. Not just Qing Niang, he hadn't even suspected Chang Shi's involvement. This sudden revelation left him somewhat stunned.

Qin Shuang looked at Qin Guan's retreating figure in astonishment, murmuring, "I've been following her everywhere these past few days. How did she know Qing Niang was the murderer? Why didn't I notice anything?"

Qin Yan frowned slightly and also turned his gaze toward Qin Guan, his eyes darkening further.

In the courtyard, Qin Guan and Yan Chi stood together, watching as Chang Shi emerged from the house with a sorrowful expression. Chang Shi stopped at the doorway, standing where Qing Niang had been moments earlier, her eyes slightly reddened, hesitating to speak.

After a brief glance at Yan Chi, Qin Guan stepped forward to approach the doorway.

"Ninth Miss..." Chang Shi's eyes glistened with unshed tears, her words trailing off.

Qin Guan entered the room, casting a glance toward the Warm Chamber before addressing Chang Shi. "What are your plans now, Madam?"

Chang Shi pressed her lips tightly together before finally shaking her head after a long pause. "I won't stay here, that's for certain."

Qin Guan's probing gaze softened slightly. "You must have known."

This wasn't a question but a statement. As soon as the words left her lips, Chang Shi's expression shifted noticeably. She clenched her sleeves nervously, turning her back to the courtyard where Yan Chi remained standing.

Qin Guan continued, "When did you find out, Madam?"

A tear rolled down Chang Shi's cheek as she choked out, "When Yun'er met her misfortune... At first, I didn't know who Qing Niang really was. But at that time, I wanted nothing more than to take Jiayan, Pang Yiwen, and Pang Fuliang with me to the grave. It was Qing Niang who stopped me. She said she could help me, but we had to wait for the right moment—to uncover the truth of what happened years ago. She said it wasn't just about taking Pang Fuliang's life but also bringing justice to her master by exposing the past. Over the years, Qing Yun visited less frequently, and Liu Renli only came twice. She never found the right opportunity... until now."

"That was when I learned the truth—that Pang Fuliang, that beast, had indeed committed murder for profit in the past. That's how he built his fortune from nothing." Chang Shi sobbed. "Ninth Miss, truly, you can't blame Qing Niang. You don't know... you don't know how utterly vile Pang Fuliang is. Not only did he commit those crimes years ago, but in recent years, he's purchased several mines in Liangzhou. Countless laborers have been worked or beaten to death for those mines—things no one else knows about. There's more... so much more that would come to light if investigated. Ninth Miss, could you... speak on Qing Niang's behalf?"

Qin Guan listened impassively before asking, "What about Chang Shi? Did Pang Fuliang have a hand in her family's downfall?"At this question, Chang Shi's face immediately showed a trace of resentment. She let out a bitter laugh, "Chang Shi... Chang Shi... Pang Fuliang owes at least half of his current power and status to the Chang family. He is nothing but a devil. If not for his own reputation and not wanting his wife's family to fall into complete ruin, he could have been even more ruthless and cruel!"

Chang Shi wiped away her tears, "For so many years, I've been enduring, always enduring. Finally, this day has come."

Qin Guan pressed her lips together slightly, "Even if you claim to have no involvement in the deaths of Qing Yun and Liu Renli, you cannot deny responsibility for Pang Yiwen's death. That day, it was you and Qing Niang who instructed the eldest young lady, then put on a show for us, wasn't it?"

Chang Shi's eyes showed no fear, though there seemed to be some wariness as she glanced back at Yan Chi in the courtyard.

"Ninth Miss, you've seen Yun'er. My Yun'er has become like that. As a mother, I wished Pang Yiwen could die a hundred deaths before my eyes. Dying like that was far too merciful for her..."

Qin Guan looked into Chang Shi's eyes and found herself momentarily speechless. Chang Shi, mistaking her silence for incomprehension, continued, "Ninth Miss, you don't understand now, but you will when you have children of your own. You just said that good follows reason while evil defies it. I am one who follows reason—the reason in my heart is that those who commit wrongs must be punished. And death is too light a punishment for those who commit such inhuman acts."

The more Chang Shi spoke, the more tears fell, yet beneath them lay bone-chilling hatred, her tone resolute and fearless. Qin Guan watched her quietly. Though her heart was in turmoil, her expression remained composed. She should have remembered her father's teachings, yet at this moment, she felt only overwhelming helplessness. She couldn't muster righteous words—there was no absolute fairness in this world. Even the laws of Great Zhou only held weight when enforced by just officials, and in the face of all-consuming hatred, the law seemed insignificant.

"I agree with everything you've said, Madam. But society needs order. If everyone resorts to private vengeance out of hatred, the world will descend into chaos. You endured for years before exacting your revenge, but what of those who suffer even more than you? Qing Niang has been taken by the authorities, and if the law were to pursue you as an accomplice, what would become of the third young master and the eldest young lady...?"

"I'm not afraid." The hatred in Chang Shi's eyes faded slightly, replaced by a sudden devoutness. "I'm not afraid. Someone had to do these things. Qing Niang has done much for us, and I can never repay her. If the authorities truly come for me, I will have no regrets. The judgment of the law I can accept as just and fair, but to remain bound to a beast forever, to let my daughter live in hell—that I could never endure, Ninth Miss. I tried being virtuous and accommodating, tried being kind to everyone in this household, but nothing changed. A good person's kindness cannot turn an evil heart, so I became evil myself."

Qin Guan sighed, "Madam—"

"Ninth Miss, you surely don't understand." A bitter smile surfaced on Chang Shi's face. "I know this world should punish evil and reward good. These teachings—I would never pass them on to Jiayan or Yun'er. But I am no child. Such words urging people toward goodness hold no power over me anymore. I only know what I have endured, and I had to fight to the death."Qin Guan felt a lump in her throat. Chang Shi's words left her with a bitter and sorrowful taste.

"Madam... how do you plan to explain Master Pang's death to the Third Young Master?"

No matter what, Pang Jiayan was indeed Pang Fuliang's biological son. Moreover, it was evident that Pang Fuliang had doted on Pang Jiayan in daily life. Though Jiayan had been mature beyond his years since childhood, he was still a child at heart and must have harbored some affection for his father. How would Chang Shi, who wished to raise Jiayan well, explain all this to him? As for Pang Jiayan, Qin Guan always felt there was something eerie about him.

Upon hearing Qin Guan's question, Chang Shi smiled—a bleak smile tinged with a hint of vengeful satisfaction. "The bond between father and son is one of the greatest moral principles in this world. I would never let Jiayan commit patricide. But does Ninth Miss know how to make a son loathe his father to the core?"

Qin Guan watched Chang Shi, who suddenly gave a fierce smile. "That is... to have the father brutally beat the son's mother right before his eyes, beating her until she is on the verge of death, and then tell the son, 'This is the consequence of your disobedience. This is your lowly mother.'" Chang Shi sneered repeatedly. "Pang Fuliang cannot even be called a human being. He understood nothing of how a husband and wife should be, nor even how a father and son should interact. He only sought to control everything in this world, yet he was nothing but a worthless wretch!"

A chill ran down Qin Guan's spine. Chang Shi had spoken at length, but it was only now that Qin Guan was truly rendered speechless. Family ties are ordained by heaven, beyond one's choice. No one knows whether those who give birth to and raise you are good or evil. Yet, the bond of blood remains the closest and most inseparable relationship in the world. In all the cases Qin Guan had witnessed before, no matter how heinous the criminals were, they either doted on their children or revered their parents. Only a rare few, those who could not even be called human—true devils—were capable of patricide or filicide, utterly devoid of humanity.

Chang Shi laughed until tears streamed down her face. She wiped them away with her hand. "Ninth Miss now knows everything. If you wish, a single word from you would bring Prefect Wang to arrest me. Rest assured, I have already made arrangements for Jiayan and Yun'er. Though the Chang family has fallen from grace, we still have a few loyal retainers. We seek not a single coin of the Pang family's wealth—let it all be as though we endured a nightmare these many years."

Having said this, Chang Shi straightened her back and exhaled deeply. "It feels so much better to have spoken it aloud."

Qin Guan felt as though something heavy were lodged in her chest. She gazed at Chang Shi, who returned her stare. Their eyes met—Qin Guan's gaze solemn, while Chang Shi's expression was now clear, as though she had purged all the dark malice from her heart.

After a long silence, Qin Guan finally spoke. "Since the case is now clear, how and what to investigate is Prefect Wang's affair. I merely assist with my medical skills in Corpse Examination." She paused, then continued sternly, "Madam's reasoning is correct—those who do wrong deserve punishment and beatings. The Eldest Young Lady and the Third Young Master are still young. Madam must not give them cause to be punished or beaten."

Chang Shi's eyes flickered with a subtle change, but Qin Guan lowered her gaze, curtsied, and turned to leave.

Chang Shi stared at Qin Guan's retreating figure for a few moments before suddenly taking two steps forward. "I understand Ninth Miss's meaning. I won't."Qin Guan's footsteps didn't pause as she walked straight to Yan Chi's side. Yan Chi glanced at her solemn expression before turning to walk alongside her. Outside, Qin Yan and Qin Shuang were waiting. Seeing Qin Guan emerge without a word, the siblings exchanged a glance before Qin Yan said, "We'll return first. Please inform us when this case reaches a conclusion."

Yan Chi nodded, and Qin Yan led Qin Shuang away. Once they'd left, Yan Chi pointed to another path. "This way."

The location was very close to their courtyard—if Yan Chi wanted to escort Qin Guan back, it would only take a few steps. By pointing to a different route, he clearly wanted to talk with her. Qin Guan obediently followed, while Fuling and Baiying trailed far behind.

"Did Chang Shi's words unsettle you?" Yan Chi suddenly asked. To him, Qin Guan seemed shrouded in a gray-black haze, as if weighed down by some invisible burden, her spirit visibly dimmed.

Qin Guan slowed her steps before shaking her head after a moment. "Taking the law into one's own hands is always wrong."

Yan Chi continued watching her, knowing she hadn't finished speaking. Sure enough, Qin Guan added, "But... what if there truly is no other way?"

As the words left her lips, they happened to pass through a shadowed area. Yan Chi's hand moved, clasping hers. From a distance, it merely looked like their robes were brushing close together.

"You've read too much of Shen Yi's writings. You must believe all things in this world should follow the law. The statutes of Great Zhou have refined the best of previous dynasties—they're quite comprehensive. In your heart, you prioritize abiding by the law as what's right for both oneself and others."

Qin Guan lowered her gaze. "Yet sometimes, it's truly unjust."

Yan Chi studied her briefly. "Shen Yi's writings were mostly for magistrates or scholars interested in jurisprudence—texts meant to educate the masses. But he never wrote about what he himself would do if faced with dire circumstances. If breaking the law meant survival while obeying it meant death, what choice would he make?"

Qin Guan paused mid-step and turned to Yan Chi. His words suddenly reminded her of past reflections.

Her father had risen from humble origins. Though he'd encountered many injustices in his career, he'd persevered diligently, eventually attaining high office where he could determine others' fates. But he'd never suffered hardships like Chang Shi's. One's true choices couldn't be known until facing life-and-death crises. If her father were in the situation Yan Chi described, what would he choose?

"That maidservant wasn't wrong—the law is merely a tool." Yan Chi's gaze was clear as he looked at Qin Guan. "The legal system you see may be more just than previous dynasties, but ultimately many of its provisions exist to maintain ruling stability. Those who draft laws consider Great Zhou first, then the people. If everything followed the law perfectly, the greatest beneficiary would be whoever sits on the throne."

He squeezed her palm gently. "That's the first point. The second—when life and death hang in the balance, what does the law matter?"

Qin Guan stopped walking to face him. "If it were you, Your Highness, what would you choose?"Yan Chi's lips curved slightly. "I'm not one to follow rules set by others. If they're my own rules, I might set an example. In this world, even the most sacred instruments of the state can be exploited for private gain. If that's the case, then such instruments of the state might as well be discarded."

Qin Guan's expression had brightened considerably, but she still tilted her head and said, "Your Highness's words seem to align with their views. This would encourage people toward wickedness, which is ultimately not good."

Yan Chi smiled. "That's why I only say this to you. Shen Yi's writings are commendable—universal truths shouldn't incite chaos. However, his methods only work against ordinary villains... True evildoers don't play by the rules. When you encounter someone unreasonable, you must be even more unreasonable than they are."