Coroner's Diary

"Someone's—someone's dead—"

"Fetch a physician—quickly, fetch a physician—"

The innkeeper slapped his thigh, crying out in both terror and anguish. Neither of these men were to be trifled with—if someone died here, he'd be in deep trouble. The two attendants at the door snapped to their senses and dashed out of the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion. Inside the main hall, the two groups who had been locked in fierce combat momentarily froze in disbelief.

"Zhang Yuan!" Zhao Jing roared, his eyes fixed venomously on Feng Zhang.

Feng Zhang frowned deeply at the blue-clad soldier called Zhang Yuan, then shifted his gaze to the "murderer."

The culprit was merely an ordinary servant, utterly unremarkable. Each of them carried a blade, but these were not meant for killing. While others used fists, they used blades—only to inflict superficial wounds and cause pain. Murder? Feng Zhang had never given such an order. Moreover, every one of them knew better than to kill a member of the Northern Garrison Army in the capital. It was unthinkable.

"No—I didn't—"

The gray-clad servant's hand still gripped the hilt of his dagger. Blood gushed like a spring from the blue-clad soldier's body, quickly drenching his hands. Muttering incoherently, he staggered backward, releasing his grip. Zhang Yuan's body swayed unsteadily, unable to remain upright.

The gray-clad servant turned deathly pale as several blue-clad soldiers rushed to support Zhang Yuan. He retreated several steps, trembling, and shakily turned to face Feng Zhang. "Heir Apparent... this humble servant... I..."

He hadn't meant to do it. In the chaos, someone had bumped into him, and before he knew it, the dagger had plunged into the man's chest. He never intended to kill anyone!

Feng Zhang's face, flushed with alcohol, turned icy cold. His eyes widened, as if he could vaporize the gray-clad servant with his glare. Suddenly, Feng Zhang swayed, and those behind him immediately steadied him. A quick-witted servant stepped forward, declaring, "The Heir Apparent is drunk! The Heir Apparent is drunk!"

Zhang Yuan collapsed into the arms of the crowd, his eyes wide open, his body convulsing in agony.

Zhao Jing's fists clenched until his knuckles cracked, his eyes burning red as he glared at Feng Zhang feigning drunkenness. "You—murderer?"

The three words hung in the air, but Feng Zhang merely looked over with a drunken expression. "You started this fight. In a brawl, injuries are inevitable. The one who harmed him is right here—deal with him as you see fit."

His shameless demeanor made it clear he intended to use a mere servant as a scapegoat. How could Zhao Jing tolerate this?

The gray-clad servant fell to his knees in terror. "Heir Apparent—"

He barely uttered the three words before Feng Zhang shot him a fierce glare. The servant paled instantly, not daring to say another word. Trembling and sweating profusely, he knelt there, then glanced at Zhang Yuan, whose chest was now soaked in blood. The servant collapsed to the ground, ashen-faced and limp.

"Sir, what should we do?"

A blue-clad man spoke up. Zhao Jing stood rigid as bamboo, his gaze growing increasingly ferocious as he stared at Feng Zhang, as if he wished to tear him apart. Just as he was about to issue an order, a voice echoed from the second-floor stairwell.

"Little General—"

Zhao Jing frowned slightly and looked up, surprised to see Qin Yan.

"How come you're here?"Qin Yan quickly descended the stairs and approached Zhao Jing. "I've brought my family here for a meal." As he spoke, Qin Yan glanced at Zhang Yuan on the floor. "Young General, please remain calm. Saving lives is the priority right now."

Zhao Jing glared at Feng Zhang with gritted teeth. "This is beyond insulting—"

Qin Yan frowned slightly as he observed Zhang Yuan bleeding profusely on the ground. He never expected that coming for a meal would lead to encountering Feng Zhang and Zhao Jing in a fight. Although his Loyal Marquis Manor had chosen to support the Crown Prince, today's situation didn't permit his interference. His mere appearance would naturally be interpreted as siding with Zhao Jing, giving Feng Zhang more grounds for spreading rumors. Moreover, he had brought Qin Guan and Qin Shuang with him today, which was why he had remained an observer without intervening. He initially thought both parties would settle with a brawl, but never anticipated it would escalate to potential loss of life. Though Zhang Yuan was the one injured, Feng Zhang was the one who caused the trouble.

"Young General, don't panic. With Zhang Yuan injured like this, reporting to the authorities should be the first course of action."

Qin Yan's reminder seemed to jolt Zhao Jing into awareness. He turned to glance at the pale-faced shopkeeper, who immediately understood and pushed a nearby waiter. The waiter, catching the hint, scrambled out of the establishment.

Feng Zhang hadn't expected to run into Qin Yan again under such circumstances. Although the Loyal Marquis Manor's stance hadn't been explicitly declared, who in the capital wasn't aware of it? Moreover, Qin Yan's immediate suggestion to report the incident clearly indicated his intention to escalate the matter.

Feng Zhang sneered coldly. "Heir Apparent Qin, what a coincidence."

Qin Yan looked at Feng Zhang. "I thought so too. I just saw you yesterday, Brother Feng."

As they spoke, Zhang Yuan on the floor suddenly began coughing violently. A man in blue immediately cried out, "Young Master, Zhang Yuan is fading..."

Both Zhao Jing and Qin Yan frowned simultaneously. They saw Zhang Yuan instinctively pressing his hand against his chest. The dagger was embedded deeply, and no one present dared to remove it, leaving them with no choice but to watch Zhang Yuan and wait for a physician.

Zhao Jing's voice deepened with urgency. "We can't wait any longer. Let's take him to find a physician. Lift him up!"

"Don't move him—"

Just as Zhao Jing gave the order, a woman's clear voice suddenly rang out.

Qin Yan was startled and quickly turned to look. Sure enough, Qin Guan had already descended from the third floor, with Qin Shuang standing uneasily behind her. Seeing Qin Yan's gaze, Qin Shuang looked at him pleadingly. They had heard the argument between the two parties clearly—mentioning the Noble Consort, the prince, the Empress, and the Crown Prince. Qin Shuang felt both sides were too influential to provoke and wondered if it was appropriate for Qin Guan to intervene now.

Sighing inwardly, Qin Yan nodded slightly without saying anything.

Qin Guan hurried down the stairs, and apart from Qin Yan, everyone else in the room stared at her as if stunned.Today, Qin Guan wore a lotus-root-colored pleated skirt embroidered with lotus patterns, paired with a lilac short jacket, and over it, she still wore the snow-white long cape from yesterday. Because the inner jacket and skirt were replaced with brighter and more elegant colors, Qin Guan appeared much gentler and more delicate than the day before. Her jet-black hair was still simply tied in a falling horse bun, adorned only with a white jade hairpin. As she descended the stairs, her slender figure and picturesque features captivated everyone in the hall. Zhao Jing pursed his lips, his clenched fist loosening slightly, and for a long moment, he couldn’t snap out of his daze.

It wasn’t until Qin Guan approached them that he finally came to. Her gaze fixed solely on Zhang Yuan, she walked straight past Zhao Jing and stood before Zhang Yuan.

Zhao Jing suddenly regained his senses. "This... this young lady, who are you?"

Qin Yan quickly replied, "Young General, this is my younger sister." After a pause, he added, "She is the ninth miss of our household and is skilled in medicine."

Zhao Jing naturally recognized Qin Chaoyu and knew this wasn’t the eighth miss of the Marquis’s household. With Qin Yan’s additional explanation, he recalled that Qin Yan had been away from the capital earlier. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Skilled in medicine?"

His tone carried a hint of uncertainty. Though not malicious, the skepticism was still unpleasant.

Qin Shuang interjected from the side, "Ninth Sister is the Little Medicine Immortal of Jinzhou. If she can’t save this person, then even the greatest immortal won’t be able to keep him alive."

Under normal circumstances, Qin Shuang wouldn’t dare contradict this young master of the Zhao family, but seeing Zhao Jing question Qin Guan, she couldn’t hold back. Zhao Jing glanced at her, and Qin Yan hurriedly explained, "Young General, this is my sixth sister."

Zhao Jing understood and turned his attention to Qin Guan. "Ninth Miss, you—"

"Lay him flat and give him some space."

Before Zhao Jing could say anything more, Qin Guan had already issued swift orders. Her voice, unlike her gentle and refined appearance, carried a colder tone with an inexplicable air of authority. Several men in blue immediately loosened their grip and laid Zhang Yuan flat on the ground. Qin Guan rolled up her sleeves and knelt down without delay.

Zhao Jing looked at Qin Yan, who nodded and said, "Don’t worry."

Zhao Jing said no more, his gaze fixed intently on Qin Guan.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Feng Zhang, who had been looking drunk, had been watching Qin Guan with bright eyes for a long time.

His eyes wide open, filled with surprise and delight, he seemed to have completely forgotten the fact that his subordinate had killed someone. He stared at Qin Guan’s face for a long time before suddenly shifting his gaze to her hands. He remembered clearly that when he encountered Qin Yan yesterday, it was when he was returning to the capital with his men. At that moment, someone in the leading carriage had secretly watched him. Though he hadn’t been able to see the person’s face clearly, he had caught a glimpse of a pair of delicate, slender hands. As he watched Qin Guan examining Zhang Yuan’s wound, he felt certain that these were the same hands. In some inexplicable way, Feng Zhang felt as though he and Qin Guan shared some kind of fate.

Feng Zhang’s meaningful gaze made Qin Guan extremely uncomfortable, but at that moment, what worried her more was Zhang Yuan’s injury.The dagger had penetrated three inches deep, precisely into the left side of the chest. With no medicinal herbs available in Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, Qin Guan dared not rashly remove the blade. Though the dagger remained embedded, Zhang Yuan was convulsing in agony, and blood gushed increasingly from his wound. Frowning, Qin Guan swiftly retrieved her needle kit from her sleeve. First, she used the thickest-edged needle to cut away the clothing around the wound, then tore open Zhang Yuan’s chest garment with a sharp rip—exposing his bare chest, the dagger still lodged in it.

Though Qin Guan’s actions were routine for a physician, her swift and decisive movements lent them a fierce intensity. Zhao Jing’s eyelid twitched as he watched her select the finest needle and deftly puncture Zhang Yuan’s chest several times. She then turned to the manager. "Proprietor, bring your strongest liquor—"

At her command, the panic-stricken manager hurried behind the counter and soon emerged with a wine jug. Qin Yan took it, crouched beside Qin Guan, and handed it over. Removing the lid, Qin Guan poured the liquor directly onto Zhang Yuan’s chest. The sudden surge of alcohol’s pungency mingled with the thick scent of blood in the room, creating an acrid, overwhelming odor.

Servants in the distance covered their noses, and Qin Shuang instinctively stepped back. Yet Qin Guan, closest to the scene, remained utterly composed. She watched as the grime and blood were washed from Zhang Yuan’s chest, the liquor seeping into the wound’s edges. The exposed, crimson flesh around the dagger appeared all the more gruesome, but Qin Guan leaned in, examining it with intensified focus. As the onlookers waited, uncertain of her next move, the half-closed door of the tavern was pushed open.

A young servant rushed in, pulling along a gray-haired old man. "The physician is here!"

The elderly man, breathless from being dragged hastily, gasped as he entered, "What’s the emergency…? Ah, is this the patient?"

Panting, he stepped inside. Though sensing the unusual tension in the room, he showed no fear. Glancing at Zhang Yuan on the floor, he expressed mild surprise and asked, "Who poured the wine?"

No one answered, but a servant pointed at Qin Guan. Zhao Jing barked, "Aren’t you going to save him?"

His tone was harsh. The old man shrank back, retreating a step. "This person… cannot be saved."

"What did you say?!" Zhao Jing’s eyes widened fiercely. "As a healer, how can you declare him unsaved without even examining him?"

Intimidated by the glare and recognizing the noble status of those present, the old man explained, "If I treat him and he dies, they’ll say I killed him. His injuries are too severe—I dare not take the risk. Please find another expert."

Zhang Yuan, who had been conscious earlier, now lay unconscious in a pool of blood. Zhao Jing glanced at him, then pointed menacingly at the old man. "Either save him, or you’ll end up just like him—"

The old man forced a bitter smile and was about to protest when Qin Guan suddenly turned to look at the medicine pouch slung over his shoulder. "Lend me your medicine pouch. Do you have hemostatic powder?"

The old man paused, then nodded. "I have it."

Qin Guan inclined her head. "Then just lend me the pouch."The old man hesitated for a moment before taking the medicine bag off his shoulder and handing it over. Qin Yan stood up to receive it and brought it to Qin Guan to open. Qin Guan examined it, noting that it contained everything from cotton cloth to ointments, then nodded and turned to look at Zhang Yuan's wound. "The dagger has penetrated three inches into the flesh. I'm not entirely confident I can save him. Should we remove the blade or not?"

After speaking, Qin Guan looked at Zhao Jing. Zhao Jing stepped forward. "Of course, remove it. Can you do it, Ninth Miss?"

Qin Guan glanced sideways. "Eighty percent certainty."

Zhao Jing's eyes lit up. "Remove it!"

Qin Guan turned around, first soaking her hands in alcohol, then took out the cotton cloth from the medicine bag. She folded the cloth, poured hemostatic powder onto it, and only after completing these preparations did she carefully grasp the hilt of the dagger.

Aside from Qin Shuang and Wan Qing, everyone present was trained in martial arts. They could all see that Zhang Yuan was likely to die from this injury. Even Feng Zhang's heart tightened as Qin Guan gripped the dagger's hilt.

Qin Guan held the hilt firmly with one hand while pressing the cloth with hemostatic powder near the wound with the other. She took a shallow breath and suddenly yanked the dagger out. Everyone heard a soft "shhh" sound, followed by a spray of blood foam. Before anyone could react, Qin Guan had already pressed the cloth onto Zhang Yuan's wound.

Pulling a blade from the chest inevitably caused heavy bleeding. In an instant, the white cotton cloth in Qin Guan's hands was completely soaked. She turned to Qin Yan and said sharply, "Press down!"

Qin Yan was stunned by Qin Guan's calm blade removal and hadn't yet regained his composure. Startled by her command, he leaned forward abruptly to press on Zhang Yuan's chest. Meanwhile, Qin Guan took out several long needles, inserting them one by one into Zhang Yuan's chest. Soon, his bare chest was covered with silver needles.

Qin Yan watched as the cloth became completely soaked, his palm even feeling the continuous flow of blood foam from the wound. Frowning, his heart tightened into a knot. He didn't know Zhang Yuan personally but could tell he was one of Zhao Jing's officers. Though it was a human life, since Zhang Yuan wasn't highly ranked in the Northern Garrison Army, his life and death weren't a matter of great consequence. Yet now, assisting Qin Guan in saving him, he felt intensely nervous. Having witnessed many accidental deaths in his life, never before had he hoped so fervently for someone to survive!

"It's still bleeding. Is it hopeless?" Qin Yan's voice was somber. He felt as if all the blood in Zhang Yuan's body was draining away.

Qin Guan shook her head without speaking, swiftly replacing the cloth with a new one and pouring more hemostatic powder onto it. She gestured, and Qin Yan took the cloth, quickly swapping out the blood-soaked one.

Qin Guan remained silent, changing the cloth again. The onlookers watched with grave expressions, and even Feng Zhang lost his usual rogue demeanor. He glanced at Zhang Yuan, then at Qin Guan, the previously lecherous glint in his eyes now replaced with clarity and respect.He knew Qin Yan was going to fetch relatives. After some inquiries last night, he learned that Qin Yan had brought back three cousins. While he had some reservations about Qin Chaoyu's status, Qin Yan's cousins came from humble origins. Yet upon seeing them today, he realized he had never encountered a woman of such striking beauty in all his years in the capital, which naturally stirred greed within him. However, after these brief moments, he realized he was mistaken. Even as a mere cousin, her composure in the face of chaos and her calmness when drawing the blade sent chills down the spine of someone like him, a notorious bully in the capital. Feng Zhang narrowed his eyes—Qin Yan actually had such a cousin...

Though everyone present had different thoughts, their gazes all fell upon Qin Guan.

After the commotion, the guests had dispersed, and the building's doors were tightly shut. In the dimly lit room, Qin Guan's slightly furrowed brows seemed to possess a deadly allure. She carried a faint glow like moonlight, cleansing the hall of the scents of alcohol and blood. Looking at her serene and elegant face, which rivaled autumn orchids and outshone frost and snow, the violence, bloodlust, and brutality in one's chest seemed to dissolve without a trace. Zhao Jing's anger subsided greatly, and he began thinking about how to thank this Ninth Miss of Qin Manor if Zhang Yuan were truly saved.

"The bleeding has stopped! The bleeding has stopped!"

Qin Yan suddenly exclaimed in a low voice. Steady as he was, his tone now carried a hint of joy and relief. Qin Guan's furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and the tension in her back eased a little.

Though she had relaxed, her hands moved without slowing. She changed to a fresh piece of cotton cloth, had Qin Yan apply pressure, and carefully used the alcohol-soaked cloth to clean the residual blood around the wound. Only then did she remove the silver needle. Finally, when the bleeding had nearly ceased, she bandaged the wound. By the time she finished, a light sweat had formed on Qin Guan's forehead, and Qin Yan felt sore all over.

Zhao Jing stepped forward, overjoyed. "He's alive? He's saved?"

Qin Guan stood up and shook her head. "He won't die from excessive blood loss, and the dagger didn't pierce his heart. However, the wound is very deep. He needs proper medical care over the next two days. If the wound festers, death won't be far off."

Zhao Jing frowned, seeming not to fully understand, but the elderly man beside him looked at Qin Guan with admiration. "This young lady is truly remarkable. When she drew the blade earlier, she was both swift and steady, and her acupuncture technique is exceptional... Young master, what she means is that the most critical hurdle has been passed. With proper care, his life is saved."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jing was overjoyed and clasped his hands in a salute to Qin Guan. "Thank you, Ninth Miss, for saving his life."

Both Qin Guan's sleeves and hands were stained with blood, as were Qin Yan's. Qin Guan took a step back at Zhao Jing's gesture and turned to look at Qin Yan. Qin Yan quickly said, "There's no need for such formalities, General. It was merely a small effort on my sister's part."

Zhao Jing then bowed to Qin Yan. "Thank you, Brother Qin, for saving his life."

Qin Yan retreated half a step and waved his hand, about to speak, when the door was pushed open. It was the waiter who had earlier wanted to report to the authorities. As soon as he entered, he said, "I ran into the Nine Gates Garrison. They'll be here shortly."

Qin Yan frowned, glancing at Qin Guan and Qin Shuang with a grave expression. Understanding his concern, Zhao Jing quickly said, "I will surely visit another day to express my gratitude for today's kindness. It would be inconvenient for you, Brother Qin, to take your two sisters from Qin Manor through this. Let the manager arrange for you to wash up and leave through the back first."As he spoke, Zhao Jing cast a wary glance at Feng Zhang.

Knowing that Feng Zhang was a scoundrel aware of the Marquis estate's support for the Crown Prince, Zhao Jing feared he might drag Qin Yan into a messy dispute. Yet to his surprise, Feng Zhang showed no signs of drunkenness and, despite hearing the exchange, made no move to cause trouble.

Relieved, Zhao Jing promptly instructed the innkeeper. Qin Yan pondered briefly, "Very well. Since my younger sister is here today, I shall not linger."

Zhao Jing gave Qin Yan's arm a firm pat. "Your departure is for the best."

Their eyes met in mutual understanding. Qin Yan then led Qin Guan and the others toward the rear courtyard of the Drunken Fragrance Inn. The trembling innkeeper guided them to a chamber, where water was swiftly brought. The siblings washed the blood from their hands, after which Qin Yan left a retainer to keep watch at the inn. Without bothering to clean the bloodstains on their clothes, they departed through the back gate.

Qin Yan, clad in a silver robe now stained with blood at the hem, found horseback riding impractical and joined Qin Guan in the carriage. Qin Shuang, sensing Qin Yan had matters to discuss, refused to leave. Thus, the three siblings rode together back to the Marquis estate.

"Third Brother, did I cause you trouble today?" Qin Guan asked as the carriage began moving.

Qin Yan smiled. "Not at all. On the contrary, you've rendered a service."

Qin Shuang and Qin Guan both opened their eyes to look at Qin Yan, who then explained, "The two men we saw earlier—that Feng Zhang is the heir apparent of the Loyal Duke, and his aunt is Consort Su in the palace. Consort Su has a son, Prince Cheng, who is the Crown Prince's greatest rival."

"What about that young general?" Qin Shuang quickly asked.

Qin Yan glanced at her. "That one is the son of the Assistant General who commands the hundred-thousand-strong Northern Garrison Army. He joined the Northern Garrison Army three years ago to assist his father and only returned as the New Year approaches. His father is stationed in the north year-round, so in the capital, he acts as the head of the Assistant General's residence. He is the Assistant General's son born in his later years. Don’t be fooled by his youth—he is the current Empress's younger brother and the Crown Prince's uncle."

Qin Shuang widened her eyes in astonishment. "Ah, I never expected to encounter so many important figures just by stepping out."

Qin Yan sighed helplessly. "They’re not exactly 'important figures.' Feng Zhang is practically a tyrant in the capital, relying on Consort Su’s favor to act lawlessly. The young general is a bit impulsive, but he doesn’t go around committing evil deeds like Feng Zhang does."

Qin Guan was not entirely unfamiliar with these names; by the time Qin Yan had spoken halfway, she had already pieced together the connections among these nobles.

Feng Zhang, arrogant and domineering, truly seemed like a ruffian and a bully. As for the young general from the Zhao family, though he possessed the fierce bravery of a soldier, he was ultimately rash and impulsive. Such a person was easily provoked and could fall into traps set by others. Judging by his attitude toward the elderly man earlier, he was clearly not someone to be trifled with...

"As long as we didn’t cause trouble, it’s fine. I hope that man survives."

Qin Guan nodded but was reluctant to dwell on the court factionalism hinted at in Qin Yan’s words. The Crown Prince had already been appointed, yet Prince Cheng and the Feng family remained unwilling to accept it. Clearly, this bustling capital was far less peaceful than it appeared on the surface.

"Don’t worry. Saving someone is a good deed, and today we even saved someone from the Northern Garrison Army."

Qin Yan offered comfort, though he was genuinely pleased. The man had been saved by Qin Guan, but he had contributed as well. Moreover, saving a member of the Northern Garrison Army was akin to aiding the Crown Prince’s faction.

Qin Shuang, listening, suddenly blinked. "Is Eighth Sister going to become the Crown Princess?"

Qin Shuang had evidently asked the young maids in her courtyard about this. At her words, Qin Yan first glanced deeply at Qin Guan and Qin Shuang before saying, "This matter... is still uncertain." He then added, "But you must not speak of this to outsiders."

Qin Shuang smiled. "Of course. We wouldn’t casually discuss it even within the residence."

Seeing that Qin Shuang understood, Qin Yan nodded and instructed further, "We must inform Father about this, but don’t worry. Just return to your own courtyards later."

Qin Guan asked anxiously, "Will there be trouble?"

Qin Yan nodded. "The Loyal Duke’s residence and the Assistant General’s residence clashed, and someone was injured. Moreover, the Nine Gates Garrison was alerted earlier. Sooner or later, this will reach the palace."

Qin Guan understood—this incident was bound to "blow up" no matter what, because the Feng family was responsible for the injury.

Qin Guan grasped the situation, and so did Qin Shuang. Seeing their alertness, Qin Yan said no more. Soon, the carriage arrived at the Marquis’s residence. Qin Yan alighted first, escorting Qin Guan and Qin Shuang back to their respective courtyards before going to find Hu Shi. No one knew what the mother and son discussed, but by dinnertime, an extra bowl of Tranquility Soup had been added to Qin Guan and Qin Shuang’s meals.Huan'er, who brought in the evening meal, said, "They say the Marquis and the heir apparent are both not in the residence. Madam is tired from reviewing the year-end accounts today, so she won't be dining together. This bowl of Tranquility Soup is something she insists you must drink."

Upon hearing this, Qin Guan instinctively wondered where Qin Yan and Qin Shu had gone. After turning these thoughts over in her mind, she dismissed them—such matters were not for her to ponder and were temporarily unrelated to her. Today's outing had two purposes: first, to help Ninth Miss pay respects to her parents, and second, to find an opportunity to visit the Shen residence. However, no such chance had arisen in the end.

With a heavy heart, Qin Guan finished her evening meal and drank the Tranquility Soup. Seeing that it was getting late, she washed up and retired for the night.

After a night of mixed dreams—both pleasant and nightmarish—Qin Guan woke to find the sky already bright.

After breakfast, just as she was considering informing Hu Shi of her wish to go out, Qin Shuang arrived at her courtyard before she could even put on her cape. Qin Shuang sighed and said, "Aunt has been overwhelmed with year-end preparations these past few days. I had hoped to go out today, but Third Brother is not here, and Aunt says she won't feel at ease letting us go out without him."

Hearing this, all of Qin Guan's plans were dashed. With no other choice, she had to remain in the courtyard.

Qin Guan ended up staying in for four days. The closer it got to New Year's Eve, the busier Hu Shi became. When Qin Guan and Qin Shuang went to pay their respects at Hu Shi's courtyard, they saw stewards of all sizes reporting to her. Qin Yan was absent from the residence all day, while Qin Chaoyu had numerous New Year's tea parties to attend. In those four days, Qin Guan only briefly crossed paths with Qin Chaoyu once in Hu Shi's courtyard and did not see Qin Shu at all. Seeing how busy Hu Shi was, Qin Guan could not bring herself to add to her troubles. She merely paid her respects and refrained from mentioning going out.

In the blink of an eye, it was the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Qin Guan had assumed she would not be able to leave the residence again before the New Year, but to her surprise, Hu Shi proactively suggested taking Qin Guan and her two sisters out. Early in the morning, Granny Yu informed them one by one, and soon, the three sisters gathered at Hu Shi's quarters.

Upon entering Hu Shi's courtyard, they found both Qin Yan and Qin Chaoyu there.

Looking at the three sisters, Hu Shi smiled and said, "Look at these three sisters—each more beautiful than the last. Today, we'll all go out shopping together. We'll buy all the rouge, powder, silks, and satins you need."

Hu Shi was in high spirits and pointed at Qin Yan, adding, "And your Third Brother will be here to escort you."

After four days apart, Qin Yan appeared refreshed and in excellent spirits. Before long, Hu Shi led the way with Qin Chaoyu, followed by Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang, while Qin Guan and Qin Yan brought up the rear. The group marched out of the courtyard gate in a grand procession.

Since Qin Guan and Qin Yan were walking at the back, Qin Guan lowered her voice and asked, "Third Brother, how did that matter turn out?"

At her question, the faint smile on Qin Yan's face faded. After a moment, he replied, "Zhang Yuan still died."

Qin Guan halted in her tracks. She had clearly saved Zhang Yuan—how could he have died?