The brightly lit procession and dazzling bridal sedan stood in stark contrast to the dark, cramped interior where a headless bride sat serenely in her crimson wedding gown. At a glance, one might even mistake her for a living person.
Yue Jia broke into a cold sweat, a chill creeping up his spine as he stood frozen like a statue. It wasn’t until the cacophony of horrified screams and panicked chaos snapped him back to reality that he swiftly yanked the sedan curtain shut.
"What’s going on?! Did I—did I just see that?!"
The Grand Princess stared in disbelief at the closed sedan door, then at the terrified expressions around her, momentarily stunned.
Marquis Anyang Yue Qiong strode forward and flung the curtain open again. Wei Yanzhi followed closely, peering through the sedan window—only to stagger back two steps, his face draining of color as his eyes reddened.
"No… no, this can’t be—it’s impossible!"
"We spoke just this afternoon—this can’t be happening!"
The horror unfolded too abruptly. The two maids accompanying the bridal sedan rushed forward from behind, one pulling aside the window curtain—only to recoil in terror, shrieking as they stumbled back and collapsed to the ground, wailing.
"Miss! How could Miss—oh heavens, Miss…"
"Miss is dead… Our young mistress is dead, how could this be?!"
Word of the tragedy quickly spread among Duke Song’s household, and soon, most of them were kneeling in shock, weeping uncontrollably.
This was supposed to be a joyous celebration, a rare grand wedding in Jinzhou. No one had expected a death—let alone such a ghastly sight of a headless bride. Guests who had waited all day, now shaken from their shock, were desperate to flee Marquis Anyang Manor.
"Truly an ill omen—the bride dying on her wedding day!"
"Did you see it clearly? The bride had no head! Thank goodness we’re in a crowd, or this old woman would’ve died of fright. Let’s go, let’s go—this is a murder case. The authorities will be here soon, and we don’t want trouble!"
Amidst the hushed murmurs, most guests retreated toward the manor gates, though a few bold souls stole glances at the bridal sedan. Yue Qiong gave Yue Jia a firm pat on the back to steady him, then clasped his hands toward the crowd.
"Esteemed guests, our deepest apologies. Today’s wedding cannot proceed, and we’ve kept you waiting in vain. As it’s already late, this marquis will arrange for servants to escort you home immediately. Another day, I shall personally visit each of you to offer my apologies."
Hearing this, the crowd hastily murmured polite refusals. Then, a stout, well-dressed man stepped forward.
"Marquis! Should we dispatch men at once? This is a murder—how does the Marquis intend to proceed?"
The speaker was Jinzhou’s prefect, Huo Huaixin. As the official responsible for such cases, he had to consult Yue Qiong given the involvement of Marquis Anyang Manor. Yue Qiong immediately cupped his hands in acknowledgment.
"Brother Huo, this matter is grave—I must trouble you!"
The deceased was the daughter of Duke Song’s household in the capital, murdered en route to her wedding. If Duke Song’s family raised an outcry, Marquis Anyang Manor would bear the consequences. Without a thorough investigation, the manor’s reputation would be ruined.
Understanding the urgency, Huo Huaixin turned to his subordinates.
"Summon Captain Qi and his men at once!"The subordinate responded and left. Huo Huaixin immediately walked toward the bridal sedan. He was not tall, slightly plump, with an ordinary appearance, but his small eyes revealed insight and shrewdness. After lifting the sedan curtain and glancing inside, Huo Huaixin turned around calmly and said, "Marquis, while the constable hasn’t arrived yet, we should first reassure today’s guests. The bride died on the road—it has nothing to do with Marquis Anyang Manor."
At these words, Wei Yanzhi, whose eyes were already red, stepped forward immediately. "No, Marquis! Xiao Rou died in Jinzhou Prefecture, on her way to marry into Marquis Anyang Manor. You can’t ignore this matter—you must seek justice for Xiao Rou!"
Seeing that Wei Yanzhi had misunderstood, Yue Qiong quickly interjected, "Nephew, don’t be hasty. Governor Huo didn’t mean it that way. Rest assured, Marquis Anyang Manor will see this matter through to the end. With Governor Huo here, we will certainly get to the bottom of it. Nephew, you and Duke Song’s servants should stay at Marquis Anyang Manor immediately. Since you escorted the bride all the way here, your cooperation will be needed in the investigation."
Huo Huaixin nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Calm yourselves first. Later, we’ll need to question each of you."
Wei Yanzhi nodded as if his soul had been drained, his eyes filled with anguish. Meanwhile, the Grand Princess, clutching her chest, was being helped toward the inner courtyard by Yan Chi and Jiang Shi. Having fought in battles for years, Yan Chi was no stranger to death, yet this incident had shaken him deeply.
Song Rou was a bride—who would kill her in such a brutal manner?
"Aunt, please don’t grieve too much. This happened suddenly, but your health is the most important," Yan Chi said.
The Grand Princess held her chest and sighed repeatedly. "How could this happen… that girl was only seventeen, about to become my granddaughter-in-law… how could this…" She suddenly grabbed Jiang Shi’s hand. "Discuss with Yue Qiong and send someone to the capital immediately to deliver the news of her death. For us, it’s just a ruined wedding, but Duke Song’s family has lost a beloved daughter… Ah…"
Jiang Shi quickly agreed. The Grand Princess then grasped Yan Chi’s arm. "Xiao Qi, when are you leaving? The wedding is canceled, you…"
Yan Chi shook his head at once. "Aunt, don’t worry. His Majesty gave me two months—I can stay for quite some time. Since something has happened at the manor, I’ll stay and help however I can."
The Grand Princess looked at him with relief and was finally escorted to rest in the inner courtyard. Yan Chi didn’t linger and immediately headed back toward the manor gates. Tonight’s events were bizarre and horrifying—he wanted to assist the manor, but he was also driven by curiosity.
"Miss! Let’s leave quickly! How are you not scared at all? I’ll have nightmares tonight for sure… It’s too terrifying. Why did I have to squeeze in to see the bride? From now on, I’ll be terrified just looking at a bridal sedan…"
Since the bridal sedan was parked at the main gate, no one wanted to pass through there. Instead, they re-entered the manor through the flower hall to reach the west gate. Qin Guan was the last to step inside. Frowning and narrowing her eyes, she still walked at a measured pace.
How could the bride have died? And inside the bridal sedan, no less.
She wasn’t poisoned or injured—her head had been severed.
Qin Guan paused mid-step. Where was the bride’s head?
"Miss, what’s wrong? Are you frightened?"
Fuling looked at Qin Guan with concern. Qin Guan snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head.Back then, her father was merely a low-ranking official in the penal department, busy investigating a murder case involving disputes between wives and concubines. Her mother gave birth to her in a carriage while her father was on his way to examine the case.
It was said that while her father conducted corpse examinations, her mother would nurse her outside. As she grew older, she even became her father's assistant, helping to record key points of cases and the wounds on the deceased. Her father was skilled in medicine and also proficient in coroner techniques, which had many overlapping aspects. Over time, she learned her father's coroner skills as well.
Her father was open-minded and often took her along to examine corpses and solve cases.
Later, it was her mother who felt it inappropriate for a young girl to be involved in criminal investigations and coroner work. She then took her to study medicine under the Medicine King, Sun Xi, formally embarking on the path of medical practice. After her father was promoted to Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, the family settled in the capital. Though she became a sheltered young lady of an official household, the case files in her father's study remained her daily pastime.
Her father once sighed, lamenting that she was not born a boy.
Qin Guan pulled her thoughts back. "Once a person dies, they lose consciousness. Tales of ghosts and spirits are just rumors—there's no need to be afraid."
Fuling shook her head, tugging at Qin Guan to quicken their pace. "I'm still scared, miss. Let's hurry. This is a murder case—we shouldn't get involved. The Marquis Anyang Manor is likely in trouble."
Qin Guan remained unhurried. "It has nothing to do with the Marquis Anyang Manor. The bride died on the road, and she had been dead for at least two hours. No matter what, it's unrelated to the manor."
On the adjacent corridor, separated by a wall, Yan Chi paused mid-step. How did she know the bride had been dead for at least two hours?
The thought crossed his mind, and Yan Chi changed direction, heading toward the corner of the flower wall.
Not only was she unafraid of the dead, but she also knew the bride's time of death?
Yan Chi quickened his pace and soon reached the end of the flower wall.
As he stepped out from behind the wall, his gaze immediately fell upon the graceful silhouette bathed in the dim glow of lanterns not far away.
His pupils contracted slightly as his phoenix eyes narrowed.
He had encountered countless women, many of them stunning beauties beyond measure.
But this one was different—unlike any ordinary charm he had ever seen.
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