The next day, Qin Guan returned from the palace around the beginning of the Hour of the Monkey. As soon as she entered the mansion gate, Granny Yu was waiting there and greeted her with a smile, "Ninth Miss, Miss Meng and Young Master Meng have been waiting for you for a while!"
Qin Guan's eyes lit up, "Where are they? Take me to them!"
Granny Yu replied cheerfully, "Miss Meng took Young Master Meng to stroll in the garden. We originally wanted them to rest indoors where it's warm, but Miss Meng said the young master hadn't been out for a long time, and since the marquis' estate has such lovely scenery, she brought him out for a walk. Sixth Miss is accompanying them."
Upon hearing this, Qin Guan hurriedly followed Granny Yu toward the estate's garden.
Following the winding corridors of the mansion, it wasn't long before Qin Guan spotted several figures in the garden. Meng Yao wore a pale blue pleated dress with a lake-blue lotus-patterned satin cape over it. Beside her stood the young master Meng Zichen, now dressed in fine robes that highlighted his clear, handsome features. Qin Shuang stood nearby, chatting and laughing with them.
"Ah, Ninth Sister is back—"
Qin Shuang was the first to notice Qin Guan and called out immediately. Meng Zichen and Meng Yao both turned around, their eyes brightening at the sight. Qin Guan quickly stepped forward with a warm smile, "I'm back late. You've been waiting long."
Meng Yao performed a slight curtsey in greeting, while Meng Zichen respectfully clasped his hands and bowed to Qin Guan.
"Ninth Sister—"
Qin Guan's smile widened, "How are you feeling today, Young Master?"
Meng Zichen gazed at Qin Guan with his strikingly beautiful eyes, beaming, "I've improved a lot since taking Ninth Sister's prescription, so my sister brought me out today."
"Really much better?"
Qin Guan asked, turning to Meng Yao for confirmation—she would only believe it if Meng Yao said so.
Meng Yao nodded with relief, "Zichen is telling the truth. Otherwise, I wouldn't have brought him out. It's still quite cold these days; in the past, I would only take him to warm places."
Convinced, Qin Guan looked back at Meng Zichen and said, "In that case, you must have been taking your medicine obediently. You're doing wonderfully, Young Master!"
Meng Zichen's smile grew even brighter. Though he was frailer and more composed than most children, he was still a child at heart—and what child doesn't love being praised?
"How long have you been strolling? Are you tired, Young Master?"
Meng Zichen instinctively shook his head, but Qin Guan noticed his slightly hurried breathing. She smiled and suggested, "Shall we continue later? Let's go to my place first and sit for a while. I'll check your pulse."
Meng Zichen nodded immediately. Meng Yao laughed, "He listens to you more now."
Qin Guan curved her lips, "That's because I'm the physician. If he doesn't listen, I'll prescribe bitter medicine for him—"
But Meng Zichen showed no fear, "Even if it's bitter, I'll drink any medicine Ninth Sister prescribes."
Qin Shuang teased Meng Zichen for his sweet talk and followed Qin Guan's group to Pine Breeze Courtyard. Once inside, Fuling and Baiying served tea. Qin Guan guided the Meng siblings to sit by the window couch, while Qin Shuang sat beside her. Watching Qin Guan check Meng Zichen's pulse, she soon relaxed and said, "There is some improvement, but this illness requires gradual nurturing and dietary restrictions. I'll prepare a new prescription for the Young Master—"Qin Guan spoke as she wrote a new prescription. After finishing the prescription, she took Meng Yao's pulse again, but this time her brows furrowed slightly. "Have you been sleeping poorly these past two days?"
Meng Yao smiled bitterly. "As expected, you detected it immediately with just one examination."
Hearing this, Qin Guan immediately knew something had happened again in the Meng residence. "What occurred?"
Meng Yao sighed softly. "Prince Rui's heir came to the Meng residence yesterday with his men. He summoned my third aunt, third brother, and third sister-in-law, questioned each of them separately, and even tested whether third brother knew martial arts."
A shadow of gravity flashed in Qin Guan's eyes. She wanted to say something but ultimately restrained herself. "And then?"
Meng Yao smiled bitterly. "Naturally, nothing was revealed. How would third brother know martial arts? If second brother hadn't died, it might be plausible to say he knew some, but third brother's health is so frail—how could he practice martial arts?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Guan understood that Yan Chi must have found clues from the painting, leading him to suspect the third branch of the family. Noticing Meng Zichen present, Qin Guan hesitated to speak further. There were things she couldn't even say to Meng Yao, let alone Meng Zichen.
"The Crown Prince likely has reasons for acting this way. With the murder case still unsolved, he naturally wants to verify all possibilities. Since third young master has been tested and doesn't know martial arts, it should help eliminate him as a suspect."
Meng Yao sighed. "That's true. This case relies on the Ministry of Justice and the Lin'an Prefecture Office for investigation."
"Is that why you haven't been sleeping well?"
Meng Yao smiled bitterly. "Yes. The prefecture suspects the third branch, and I've also come to realize that second uncle and eldest brother's deaths were most likely committed by someone within the residence. Thinking about this makes me feel suffocated."
Qin Guan looked at her and sighed. "Your health is weak—this can't continue. You should find other activities to distract yourself, lest the medicine becomes ineffective."
Qin Shuang chimed in, "Yes, yes, Miss Meng, you should engage in other pastimes." Then, as if remembering something, she added, "I've collected many flower seeds recently and plan to start gardening. Have you ever grown flowers, Miss Meng?"
Meng Yao had an excellent temperament, and Qin Shuang was quite lively. Since arriving in the capital, Qin Shuang hadn't made many friends, so she was particularly enthusiastic toward Meng Yao. Hearing Qin Shuang's suggestion, Meng Yao felt somewhat tempted and found it hard to refuse. "I've never grown flowers myself. What kind of flowers are you planning to plant, Sixth Miss?"
Qin Shuang immediately began enthusiastically introducing various flowers to Meng Yao. When Meng Yao mentioned buying seeds, Qin Shuang promptly said, "No need for you to buy any—I have plenty! Come, I'll give you some."
Having sat indoors for a while, Meng Yao glanced at Qin Guan, who smiled and said, "Let's go, I'll join you."
Then, looking at Meng Zichen, who quickly stood up, "I'll come too!"
Thus, the group left Pine Breeze Courtyard and headed toward Qin Shuang's Jiangyue Courtyard. Qin Shuang and Meng Yao walked ahead, with Qin Shuang chattering away as she shared all her gardening knowledge. Meng Yao, unwilling to refuse, listened patiently. Behind them, Qin Guan and Meng Zichen walked side by side. After just a few steps, Meng Zichen suddenly spoke.
"Ninth Sister—"
Qin Guan glanced at him. "What is it?"
Meng Zichen lowered his voice. "Third brother sometimes acts a bit strange."
Qin Guan paused mid-step, her eyes deepening. "How do you know?"Meng Zichen tilted his head and thought for a moment. "It seems it was last year before the Mid-Autumn Festival, when I hadn't fallen seriously ill yet. That was the last time I went to the third branch's residence to play with Third Brother. At that time, Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law were enjoying the cool in the courtyard. After I arrived, Third Aunt brought some pastries to entertain me in the yard. We chatted for a while in the courtyard, and later I told Third Brother I wanted to paint, so we went inside together to get paper and brushes. When we came out, I saw Second Uncle and Eldest Brother outside the courtyard. Third Sister-in-law seemed somewhat flustered at that moment, standing up and lowering her head as if frightened, and... and I saw with my own eyes Third Brother snap the brush in his hand..."
Qin Guan frowned. "Which hand?"
"Left hand." Meng Zichen was very certain, his brow tightly furrowed, his young face full of confusion. "It was a thick wolf-hair brush, and the shaft broke. I saw Third Brother's hand had been pierced red, almost bleeding. I said something about it, but Third Brother paid no attention. I was startled because since childhood I've known Third Brother's left hand lacks strength. Yet at that moment he actually snapped the brush."
Many possibilities flashed through Qin Guan's mind. "Then what happened?"
Meng Zichen pursed his lips. "I was somewhat frightened at that time because Third Brother's expression wasn't good, and Third Sister-in-law was acting strangely too. So I went back home, and afterwards I fell ill and never went to play with them again."
After a moment's thought, Qin Guan looked into Meng Zichen's clear black-and-white eyes and asked softly, "Then why are you telling me this?"
Meng Zichen stole a glance at Meng Yao's back. "Because... because I told my sister about this matter at the time, but she didn't believe me at all... My sister knows better than I do that Third Brother's hand was left disabled after an injury. Usually during meals, Third Brother's left hand trembles even when holding a teacup lid, let alone other things. That day when we went to get the paper and brushes, he was carrying a scroll of paper in his right hand and only holding one brush in his left hand. If someone else had told me, I wouldn't have believed it either, but I saw it with my own eyes."
Qin Guan frowned and also turned to look at Meng Yao. When Meng Zichen first mentioned it, Meng Yao naturally didn't believe him. But when Yan Chi took people to investigate the third branch's family, Meng Yao recalled what Meng Zichen had said, which is why she felt unsettled and couldn't sleep.
Qin Guan sighed inwardly. This matter had likely become Meng Yao's heartache. Although Yan Chi hadn't found anything, she would still speculate about it. Yet she had no reason to verify it, unnecessarily giving herself many worries.
Seeing Qin Guan silent, Meng Zichen said anxiously, "Ninth Sister, don't you believe me either?"
"I believe you." Qin Guan looked at Meng Zichen. "But you don't need to think too much about this matter, understand? And as for your sister, she has a simple mind - it's normal that she didn't believe you."
Meng Zichen nodded repeatedly. "I still remember Third Brother had a very fierce look in his eyes at that time. I'd never seen him like that before. He was staring fixedly at Second Uncle and Eldest Brother, and I didn't understand why. I only know Fourth Uncle and Second Uncle have conflicts..."
Qin Guan couldn't help but recall Meng Ziyi in the courtroom that day. Although he was holding Xu Shi's hand, his face was full of tension, hunched shoulders making him appear somewhat introverted and timid.
Could such a person really have had the fierce look that frightened Meng Zichen?Qin Guan's heart was filled with questions. Meng Zichen tugged at her sleeve and asked, "Ninth Sister, is what happened in the mansion related to Third Brother?"
Qin Guan smiled reassuringly. "I don’t know either, but you did the right thing telling me this. Let’s wait a little longer—the authorities will investigate and find out the truth. Once that happens, you’ll understand. You’re still just a child, so after sharing these things, try not to dwell on them, alright?"
Meng Zichen nodded. Qin Guan then asked, "What did you think of your Third Brother before?"
"Third Brother was timid and didn’t like to talk—maybe because he stuttered. Even I, with my asthma, find it uncomfortable and avoid people, let alone him. But he was always very kind to me and my sister. Third Aunt and Third Sister-in-law were also good to us. That was the only time I ever saw him angry."
Meng Ziyi wasn’t incapable of anger—he just rarely reached that point.
As Qin Guan pondered this, Meng Yao turned around ahead and asked, "What are you two talking about?"
To converse privately, Qin Guan and Meng Zichen had stopped walking and fallen behind. Hearing this, Qin Guan took the boy’s hand and hurried forward. "I was asking the young master if he could plant flowers." She added, "You can plant flowers, but be careful in spring not to be exposed to pollen. It might make you uncomfortable."
Meng Yao nodded, glanced at Meng Zichen for a moment, and only relaxed when she saw nothing unusual about him.
Qin Shuang led the group to Jiangyue Courtyard and generously shared flower seeds with Meng Yao. The whole party ended up staying there a while longer. Qin Guan steered the conversation to other topics, allowing Meng Zichen and Meng Yao to temporarily forget the affairs of the Meng residence. When they noticed how late it had gotten, Meng Yao took Meng Zichen and left.
After the two had gone, Qin Guan returned to Pine Breeze Courtyard. She went to the writing desk and took the brushes out of the brush holder one by one. Meng Zichen was Meng Zhou’s son, and both he and Meng Yao had been raised with excellent upbringing. Because of this, he wouldn’t mistake fine wolf hair brushes for coarse ones. Qin Guan picked out the brushes that could barely be considered coarse wolf hair and tested them one by one. She found that even when using all her strength, she could only snap the finest of the coarse brushes.
She then handed the brushes to Fuling, who tested them one by one with similar results. Next, Qin Guan gave them to Baiying. As someone trained in martial arts, Baiying was quite strong, and in her hands, every brush handle broke.
Fuling and Baiying were both puzzled by Qin Guan’s actions. Qin Guan only asked Baiying, "Did it take much effort?"
Baiying nodded. "The better brush handles are made of sturdy green bamboo, and the coarse wolf hair brushes have particularly thick handles. Just now, if I hadn’t used some internal strength, I wouldn’t have been able to break them either."
Hearing this, Qin Guan’s doubts became clearer. If Meng Ziyi were a normal adult man—like Yan Chi or Qin Yan—breaking a brush might not be remarkable, given that men are generally stronger than women. But for Meng Ziyi, it was very strange. Moreover, everyone in the Meng residence knew that Meng Ziyi’s left hand had been injured. It was weak, to the point where even holding a teacup was somewhat difficult, let alone snapping a brush handle barehanded.
If that were the case, where did the problem lie?
Meng Zichen had said that at the time, Meng Wei and his son were standing outside the third branch’s courtyard, and Xu shi had been very tense.Qin Guan frowned in thought for a moment, and combined with what she had seen in the painting, became increasingly certain that the relationship between the second and third branches of the family was not as simple as it seemed. Yet how could such a private matter be verified?
"Baiying, prepare to send a letter to the Crown Prince—"
After speaking, Qin Guan promptly wrote a brief note and handed it to Baiying. Baiying summoned a messenger hawk, and the letter was swiftly dispatched. After waiting about an hour, the hawk returned to the rear hall of Pine Breeze Courtyard. Baiying retrieved the letter and passed it to Qin Guan, who unfolded it and read its contents. A glint of shrewdness flashed in her eyes. "Tomorrow, we shall pay a visit to the Meng residence."
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