Upon returning from the Marquis of Wu'an's residence, Hu Shi went to speak with Qin Shu with great satisfaction. Seeing this, Qin Xiang knew there was no turning back the situation. Though Qin Shuang had wanted to pull her along to stroll the garden and tease her a bit, Qin Xiang instead returned to her own courtyard on her own.
Before Qin Guan could even reach Pine Breeze Courtyard, a servant came to report that Han Laobo had arrived.
Hearing this, Qin Guan immediately knew that Han Laobo had finished preparing the western residence. When she reached the front courtyard, sure enough, Han Laobo had come to deliver the good news. After exchanging a few words, Qin Guan noticed it was still early and decided to leave the estate for a while.
Before heading out, she had Baiying send a message to Yan Chi.
Although Qin Ye was responsible for escorting Qin Guan into the palace to treat the Empress Dowager, starting today, Qin Guan would only enter the palace every other day. Thus, she hadn't seen Qin Ye all day, which happened to work out perfectly.
After informing Hu Shi, Qin Guan left the estate with Fuling, Baiying, and Han Laobo.
The carriage headed west and arrived at the Qin residence in the Eternal Joy Quarter after the time it takes to drink two cups of tea.
At the entrance, the once dust-covered gate was now completely renewed—freshly painted and fitted with brand-new, rust-free locks. A boy of about thirteen or fourteen stood guard at the door.
Han Laobo explained, "Miss, this child is from a farming family on the estate. Two years ago, both his parents fell ill and passed away, so I had him work on the estate as a young servant. He's a well-behaved lad. When I returned to the city this time, I didn't bring anyone else, only him. The residence isn't large, so the two of us are enough to handle the tasks you've assigned."
Then, turning to the boy, he said, "Erbao, kowtow to the young miss."
At his words, Erbao knelt and kowtowed to Qin Guan.
Since the residence was entrusted to Han Laobo's care, Qin Guan naturally didn't interfere with personnel matters. Moreover, Han Laobo seemed to understand her concerns and hadn't brought any dubious or idle individuals.
"Rise. It's good that you're here to keep Han Bo company and take care of him in daily life."
Erbao stood up and repeatedly agreed. Han Bo, understanding Qin Guan's thoughtful intentions, was visibly moved.
Entering the residence, Qin Guan saw that the place was indeed as elegant as Han Bo had described. Though not large, both corners of the courtyard upon entry were lined with serene bamboo groves. A tall spirit wall bore an exquisitely refined poem. Passing around the spirit wall, they came upon a central hall flanked by four side rooms, with a Moon Cave Gate on each side. Beyond the hall lay a spacious central courtyard.
In the depths of winter, the lotus pond in the center held only a few withered stems, but green bamboo and several blooming red plum trees adorned the courtyard walls. As they walked, Han Bo explained, "We've only just cleared the courtyard over the past couple of days. Since no one lived here before, weeds were overgrown everywhere. After clearing them out, we made some repairs. I took the liberty of making a list at the shop and purchased some new furniture so you'll be comfortable when you stay here in the future."
He continued, "The main room at the back is for you, Miss. The side courtyards—the left wing will temporarily serve as a storeroom, while the right wing is more than enough for Erbao and me. The kitchen is also in the right annex."Qin Guan listened and felt this arrangement was acceptable, so she said nothing more. Upon entering the room, she noticed half the furniture was new while the other half showed signs of age. The room had been meticulously cleaned, with new curtains hung on all sides. Though it lacked the elegance and refinement of Pine Breeze Courtyard, it resembled a proper residence for a young lady. Qin Guan recognized Han Bo's thoughtful efforts.
After inspecting the main quarters, Qin Guan visited the two side courtyards. Once finished, she said, "Han Bo, you may begin staying here tonight. I may not come daily, so please make yourselves comfortable."
Han Bo promptly nodded. "This old servant understands your meaning. Rest assured, I will always be here whenever you visit."
His words warmed Qin Guan's heart. Having served as steward for the second branch for half his life, Han Bo knew Qin Guan was living under someone else's roof at the marquis manor and worried she might face hardships there.
After completing her rounds, Qin Guan fell silent. Soon, Baiying, who had been waiting outside the courtyard, entered the inner compound.
"Young lady, the Crown Prince has arrived—"
"Please invite His Highness in," Qin Guan responded promptly.
Han Bo showed a flicker of surprise, and Erbao standing nearby also looked startled.
Crown Prince? Though the Loyal Marquis Manor was an aristocratic household, Han Bo still hadn't fully processed the title. Qin Guan explained, "I need to discuss some matters with His Highness here. There's no need for you to attend to us—you may retire and rest."
Han Bo hesitated momentarily. "Erbao, go prepare tea—"
Treating Yan Chi as an ordinary guest, Han Bo seemed concerned about Qin Guan breaching etiquette. Qin Guan chuckled softly. "It's alright, Han Bo. Fuling can handle these tasks."
Only then did Han Bo withdraw with Erbao. Shortly after, Yan Chi entered the inner courtyard.
Fuling and Baiying performed courtesy bows as Qin Guan led Yan Chi into the room.
Yan Chi scanned the courtyard briefly. "You've settled in so quickly?"
Qin Guan nodded, getting straight to the point. "Has there been any new developments in the Meng residence these past two days?"
Yan Chi's gaze deepened. "Meng Hui remains the prime suspect. His wife is his only alibi for both nights, but as they're married, her testimony isn't wholly reliable. He's also the only family member trained in martial arts."
He continued, "Not only was the waxberry tree located near the third and fourth branches' quarters, but traces by the lakeside also led toward their residences. After murdering Meng Wei on the fourth night, the killer left through the lake, leaving evidence on the opposite shore. All clues point to the third and fourth branches, but the third branch consists of elderly and infirm individuals. In terms of capability, only Meng Hui fits. Lord Zheng has already detained Meng Hui in Lin'an Prefecture's prison pending trial."
Qin Guan pressed her lips together slightly. Her primary duty was corpse examination; offering investigative theories was merely supplementary. That the Lin'an Prefecture and Ministry of Justice had reached conclusions based on gathered evidence was perfectly normal.
She sighed. "There's one matter I feel might be connected to the Meng case—something that occurred to me while attending the Marquess of Wu'an's banquet today."
Yan Chi's expression sharpened. He'd known her summons meant important business. "Tell me.""Today when we attended the banquet at the Marquis of Wu'an's residence, Old Madam Song also invited a painter to create portraits. At that time, we were at the Moon Gazing Pavilion, evaluating potential husbands for my fifth sister. The painter was working on the east side, while my fifth sister's future husband approached from the west. Ultimately, the painter's work only captured the plum grove and our group at the Moon Gazing Pavilion because he never saw the person arriving from the west."
Yan Chi narrowed his eyes slightly. "Because his view was blocked by the plum grove?"
Qin Guan nodded. "Exactly. When he saw us looking downstairs, he assumed we were admiring the scenery, unaware that we were actually watching a person."
Yan Chi frowned slightly, still unclear about what Qin Guan was implying.
Qin Guan continued, "On the day I went to treat Meng Yao and her siblings, I saw the portraits Ning Buyi had made of them all on Laba Festival. You should know about this. At that time, I noticed one painting depicting the three Meng brothers at the Illuminating Virtue Pavilion in their residence. Meng Zhou and Meng Hui were chatting and laughing while gazing into the distance, but Meng Jin was looking downward. When I first saw the painting, I thought the painter had simply captured a fleeting moment from memory. I even thought Meng Jin couldn't join in Meng Zhou and Meng Hui's cheerful conversation, revealing internal conflicts within the Meng household. But today I realized these were secondary details - Meng Jin was actually looking down at someone below the pavilion. Meng Yao mentioned that during the painting session, they strolled around casually. If the painter had a composition in mind, they would pause briefly for him to sketch. When being painted, everyone presents their best self. Meng Zhou and Meng Hui were demonstrating brotherly affection, but Meng Jin was distracted by something else? Who was this person that captured his attention?"
As Yan Chi listened, his frown deepened. Qin Guan added, "We've long speculated that the struggle over the Meng family's inheritance might not be the direct cause behind the tragedy of Meng Wei and his son. Perhaps there are other circumstances we're unaware of."
Yan Chi nodded. "So you think this could be our chance to uncover other underlying factors?"
Qin Guan affirmed, "Those paintings are still at the Meng residence, and every scene was painted according to the actual layout of the estate. If we gather all the garden excursion paintings now and compare them with the surroundings of the Illuminating Virtue Pavilion, or inquire with the painting studio's artists, we could determine who Meng Jin might have been looking at from his downward angle... We might discover something."
Yan Chi's eyes brightened with understanding. He hadn't expected Qin Guan to gain such insights from attending a banquet, nor that she would notice such subtle details in the paintings.
"I understand what you mean. I'll go to the Meng residence immediately."
Yan Chi's deep eyes gleamed with clarity. "Will you accompany me?"
Qin Guan shook her head with a faint smile. "My presence would raise questions. You go ahead. Even if we find nothing, it doesn't matter."
Yan Chi's voice lowered slightly. "Did you summon me here only for this matter? Will you be coming here frequently in the future?"
Qin Guan nodded then shook her head. "The matter is urgent, and I didn't want to waste time. I won't come often in the future since I can't stay overnight here. However, if anything important arises, I'll likely send you a message to meet here."
Understanding her meaning, Yan Chi stepped forward and embraced her briefly before departing quickly.
...
...In the Meng residence, Meng Yao was quite surprised upon learning that Prince Rui's heir had arrived with guards to inspect the Laba Festival paintings, yet she calmly ordered all the scrolls to be brought out.
In the main hall of the Meng family's central courtyard, Yan Chi sat imposingly with an air of authority, while Meng Zhou stood nervously nearby.
"Crown Prince, why would you suddenly wish to see the Laba Festival paintings?"
The murder case hadn't occurred during the Laba Festival, so no matter what, those paintings couldn't be related to the crime.
A faint smile played on Yan Chi's lips, though it clearly didn't reach his eyes. Instead of appearing approachable, he seemed dangerously inscrutable. "That's not for you to concern yourself with, Lord Meng."
With this single statement, he silenced Meng Zhou's further questions. Not daring to inquire further, Meng Zhou waited until several of Meng Yao's mommas delivered the painting scrolls to the main hall.
Yan Chi stood up and, recalling Qin Guan's words, began unrolling each painting one by one.
Soon, Yan Chi found the painting depicting the three brothers ascending the tower.
After examining it carefully for a moment, Yan Chi set this painting aside and proceeded to gather all the garden excursion paintings that included human figures. He instructed Bai Feng and others to hold the selected paintings, then commanded Meng Zhou to lead him to the Illuminating Virtue Pavilion.
"Tell me, where were the different artists positioned when they created these paintings that day?"
Though uncertain why Yan Chi wanted to examine the paintings and visit the Illuminating Virtue Pavilion, Meng Zhou didn't dare disobey. The two proceeded along the Path toward the pavilion, soon arriving at a small pavilion.
Meng Zhou explained, "Master Ning was painting right here in this pavilion at the time. This spot provides a clear view of the Illuminating Virtue Pavilion."
Yan Chi narrowed his eyes, observing that the pavilion stood within a flower garden, with a latticed floral wall not far away, beyond which the Illuminating Virtue Pavilion rose. The distance was indeed considerable, but any closer vantage point would have offered too narrow a perspective for painting. Nodding in understanding, Yan Chi pointed to locations shown in other paintings. "Take me to these other spots."
Though confused, Meng Zhou promptly led Yan Chi to the various locations. They discovered that the other paintings had been completed at various garden pavilions and terraces surrounding the Illuminating Virtue Pavilion. Yan Chi then asked, "Were all these paintings completed simultaneously?"
To this question, Meng Zhou nodded again. "Exactly, they were all done around the same time. The individual portraits were created during one session, with subjects seated in the main courtyard. As for the other garden excursion paintings, we first gathered west of the Illuminating Virtue Pavilion to form a group composition. Then one master followed us brothers, while the other two masters accompanied the younger children and our sisters-in-law respectively."
Yan Chi acknowledged this with a nod, methodically visiting each location depicted in the paintings and committing them to memory. Finally, he chose to ascend the Illuminating Virtue Pavilion. Standing where Meng Jin would have stood, he looked down from the tower and immediately furrowed his brow.
To verify his observation, he reopened several painting scrolls for comparison. Ultimately, he selected one particular painting.
This painting depicted the third branch's Meng Ziyi and his wife Xu shi standing beneath a covered corridor. Their artist had positioned himself at the opposite end of the corridor, capturing the couple admiring plum blossoms in the distance like a perfect pair in the painting.
From Meng Jin's viewpoint, the only people visible would have been Meng Ziyi and Xu shi. Since Meng Zhou confirmed the paintings were created simultaneously, when Meng Jin was in the Illuminating Virtue Pavilion, Meng Ziyi and Xu shi must have been standing under that corridor.Meng Jin couldn't possibly be looking at his own frail and sickly nephew. The only explanation was that he was looking at the graceful and beautiful daughter-in-law, Xu shi, standing beside Meng Ziyi. Could it be that Meng Jin had feelings for Xu shi...
Yan Chi's frown deepened, almost to the point of disbelief. The third branch's Meng Ziyi suffered from a stutter and had been injured in the past. Moreover, he was short in stature, frail, and frequently ill. How could someone like him possibly have killed Meng Wei and Meng Jin?
"Take these paintings back. This matter stays between you and me—do not let anyone else know."
After giving this order, Yan Chi instructed Bai Feng, "Go to the Lin'an Prefecture office and invite Lord Zheng and Zhan Butou over."
Bai Feng accepted the command and left. Meng Jin looked at Yan Chi nervously and asked, "Your Highness, what has happened?"
Yan Chi pressed his lips together slightly. "The case concerning Meng Jin and his son is not without its variables. At the moment, I suspect that someone in your residence is feigning illness. In a moment, in the presence of Lord Zheng and Zhan Butou, I intend to thoroughly test this theory."
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