Everyone knew that Mount Wei was teeming with ferocious beasts. The murderer not only shot Tuoba Hong but also left bait on his body to lure the beasts—clearly intending for the animals to devour his remains and destroy the evidence!
Such vicious scheming sent a chill down the spines of even Lin Zhang and Yan Huai.
"Ninth Miss, why are you so certain of the murderer's intentions?!"
When Lin Zhang asked, Qin Guan looked at him and replied, "Commander Lin, did you find the broken arrow shaft earlier?"
Lin Zhang shook his head. "No, we only recovered three arrows. The quiver and bow are intact."
Qin Guan continued, "Since the arrow shaft wasn't found, it's almost certainly a deliberate act. The slim possibility of coincidence—like the shaft falling somewhere hard to spot—is negligible. Moreover, Commander Lin didn't find any bait pouch near the Crown Prince, ruling out accidental spillage during his fall into the ravine. Therefore, the bait must have been deliberately applied."
"Mount Wei is full of predators. Even a living person would take great care not to get bait on themselves, let alone someone already shot. Doesn't this make the murderer's intent obvious?"
"We sent people to search that very night, but it was already dark. Rain or not, finding anything would have been difficult. The murderer counted on giving beasts enough time to consume the Crown Prince's body. What they never expected was His Highness falling into the ravine—and the heavy rain that night!"
Yan Huai frowned. "Falling into the ravine made it hard for larger beasts to reach him, and the rain washed away all the bait. That's why Crown Prince Tuoba survived until we rescued him."
Qin Guan nodded. "Exactly. So Crown Prince Tuoba was clearly targeted."
As soon as she finished speaking, commotion arose outside. Soon, Yuan Qing entered and reported, "Your Majesty, Princess Tuoba and His Highness Tuoba Rui have arrived..."
Yan Huai frowned slightly but nodded. "Let them in."
Tuoba Wu and Tuoba Rui, both changed into clean robes, entered with grave expressions. With Tuoba Hong incapacitated, Tuoba Wu, as the elder, spoke first: "Your Majesty, we've come to request a thorough investigation into what happened to our elder brother—why he was shot and how he fell into the ravine!"
Tuoba Hong's case was indeed bizarre—anyone would have questions. As his closest kin, Tuoba Wu and Tuoba Rui were naturally anxious to uncover the truth.
Having just heard Qin Guan's analysis, Yan Huai stated, "Crown Prince Tuoba was the victim of a murder plot."
Tuoba Wu's expression tightened. "Naturally. This is Great Zhou's hunting grounds, guarded by your soldiers, with only Northern Wei and Western Liang present. Northern Wei would never do this. We implore Your Majesty to impartially identify who harmed our brother."
Any murder in the camp warranted investigation, but Tuoba Hong's status made it especially critical. After a moment's thought, Yan Huai ordered Yuan Qing, "Summon Yan Chi here!"
At the mention of Yan Chi, Tuoba Wu frowned slightly, glanced at Qin Guan, but pressed her lips together without comment.Soon, Yan Chi arrived at the tent. Yan Huai said, "Li Muyun did not come this time, and you are the only senior official from the Ministry of Justice present. Now, the Crown Prince has been harmed, and his condition is unknown. It falls to you to investigate the truth of this matter."
Upon hearing this, Yan Chi immediately accepted the order and glanced at Qin Guan.
Yan Huai thought for a moment and added, "Qin Guan was the one who examined the Crown Prince's injuries. She knows his condition best. If you have any doubts, you may ask her. The Crown Prince has not yet regained consciousness. If he wakes up on his own and reveals the identity of the perpetrator, that would be ideal. But if he remains unconscious, you must act swiftly and provide an explanation to the Princess and the Fifth Prince as soon as possible."
Yan Chi responded in agreement. Although Tuoba Wu had not expected the emperor to inadvertently pair Qin Guan and Yan Chi together, she was satisfied with Yan Huai's arrangement. Moreover, by now, she naturally harbored no hostility toward Qin Guan.
As they stepped out of the main tent, Tuoba Wu's expression grew somewhat complex. The most pressing matters at hand were, first, when Tuoba Hong would wake up, and second, who had harmed him. She glanced at Yan Chi, the person she had yearned for over the past two years, who now ranked only third in her priorities. Then, looking at Qin Guan, she pushed Yan Chi down to fourth place.
"Ninth Miss, you know my elder brother's injuries. What have you discovered?"
Seeing Tuoba Wu's anxious demeanor, Qin Guan thought it over and decided to truthfully share her earlier findings. Upon hearing this, Tuoba Wu clenched her fists in fury. "Who could be so cruel? They wouldn't even spare my brother's remains!"
"Destroying the evidence could be an attempt to conceal something. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go to Wei Mountain, and with two consecutive days of heavy rain, any traces must have been washed away."
As Qin Guan spoke, Tuoba Wu found it somewhat strange. Qin Guan's tone suggested she was quite adept at analyzing cases. For now, Tuoba Wu simply felt that anything helpful to the investigation was welcome and did not dwell on it further.
Yan Chi said, "Princess, there is no need to worry. I will lead the investigation into this case. If we uncover any results, I will inform you at once."
Yan Chi's tone was no longer as cold as before, but it remained strictly polite. Steeling herself, Tuoba Wu said, "I want to join you in investigating my brother's case. I know him well, and you will need to ask about him, won't you?"
Yan Chi frowned. "When the need arises, we will seek you out, Princess."
Tuoba Wu felt a pang of frustration, knowing that once Yan Chi made a decision, there was no changing it. She did not press further. Glancing at Yan Chi and then at Qin Guan, she felt it would be awkward to stay near them and said, "I will go see the Crown Prince."
Watching Tuoba Wu leave, Qin Guan sighed. Yan Chi looked around and said, "Come with me."
Now that she had a legitimate reason, Qin Guan followed behind Yan Chi.
Yan Chi led Qin Guan straight to his own tent. Once inside, he turned and took her hand. Her hand was injured and had not yet healed; it should not have been exposed to water. However, while treating Tuoba Hong, it had come into contact with blood. The cotton bandage was now loose, and the bloodstains on it were still damp.
Yan Chi quickly instructed Bai Feng, "Fetch some water—"Yan Chi held Qin Guan's hand, removing the soiled cotton cloth. Once the cloth was taken off, he saw the wound on Qin Guan's palm had begun to heal, but it was quite deep—a vivid red line that would surely leave a scar in the future.
Seeing this wound, Yan Chi's brow furrowed once more. This was the sin of Tuoba Wu. If possible, he didn't even want to get involved in Tuoba Hong's case. Unlike Qin Guan, who was deeply influenced by Shen Yi, Yan Chi didn't take the law seriously at all!
In front of Qin Guan, Yan Chi naturally kept these thoughts to himself. Qin Guan enjoyed corpse examination and solving cases, and she valued criminal law highly. If he voiced his opinion, she would undoubtedly glare at him. Soon, Bai Feng brought water.
Yan Chi carefully wiped the blood from Qin Guan's hand, avoiding the wound as much as possible, then took a clean cotton cloth and wrapped her hand. Though he was usually rough and unrefined, he was exceptionally meticulous in these tasks. Watching him, the smile at the corner of Qin Guan's lips deepened. Once the wound was bandaged, Yan Chi asked, "What do you think of this case?"
Though lacking enthusiasm, the case still had to be investigated.
At this question, Qin Guan's expression turned serious. "The arrow was shot straight into Crown Prince Tuoba's chest. If he was on horseback at the time, then the shooter must have also been on horseback. If he had dismounted, then the shooter was on the ground as well. Additionally, the Crown Prince had many abrasions, likely from tumbling down the mountain stream. There were bruises on his shoulders, back, and waist—I can't be sure whether those were caused by human force or impact."
Qin Guan had only observed the injuries while examining the Crown Prince's body and hadn't conducted a detailed corpse examination, so she could only provide a general account. She continued, "That's the first point. Secondly, the perpetrator clearly intended to leave no traces—they also smeared bait to attract wild beasts on Crown Prince Tuoba's clothes."
"To lure wild beasts to devour Crown Prince Tuoba and destroy the evidence?" Yan Chi frowned, reacting swiftly.
Qin Guan nodded. "Exactly. The heavy rain washed away most of the bait, but I still found traces in his hair and on his clothes. There's no mistake."
Hearing this, Yan Chi's eyes darkened. "There were three to four hundred people on Mount Wei that day. Crown Prince Tuoba wouldn't have been surprised to encounter anyone, so the assailant could have struck suddenly and hit him squarely in the chest."
Qin Guan added, "But the arrow belonged to Crown Prince Tuoba—"
A faint smile touched Yan Chi's lips. "Then it must have been someone familiar."
With this in mind, Yan Chi ran through several faces in his thoughts, then ordered, "Bai Feng, gather the group that followed Crown Prince Tuoba that day outside the council tent. Question them one by one."
Even if they weren't the perpetrators, they should at least know something about the arrow.
Qin Guan nodded and stood up. As Bai Feng left, Yan Chi pulled Qin Guan back, drawing her into his arms. "You've worked hard today. If Tuoba Hong survives, your merit will be immeasurable."Qin Guan shook her head, "It wasn't me, it was himself. At the time, I also thought he couldn't be saved, but then I saw his fingers twitch. The more Tuoba Wu wept and complained, the stronger his reactions became. I realized that although he was unconscious, he could hear what was happening outside. After two days and two nights, this is extremely rare, indicating that he truly possesses extraordinary willpower and a strong desire to live. That's why I wanted to save him."
As she spoke, Qin Guan leaned against Yan Chi's chest; she was indeed utterly exhausted that day.
The two embraced in the tent for a moment before Qin Guan left first.
Yan Chi went to interrogate people, while Qin Guan returned to the Empress Dowager. After changing her clothes, she reported Tuoba Hong's condition to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager sighed, "Now you've managed the first step of saving him. I was worried that if Crown Prince Tuoba couldn't be saved, you might be blamed by Tuoba Wu again. That girl can be ruthless and reckless when she's furious."
Qin Guan chuckled, "Don't worry. The princess genuinely cares for the Crown Prince. Even if he hadn't been saved, with the Crown Prince's last wishes, she definitely wouldn't act recklessly."
The Empress Dowager shook her head and didn't say more, as the situation had turned out well. She then asked about the cause of Tuoba Hong's accident. Qin Guan briefly explained, and the Empress Dowager nodded, "With Yan Chi here, he should be able to figure it out. It's just hard to imagine who could be so cruel."
The Empress Dowager was a kind person, and the murderer, who must be deeply hidden, wouldn't be easily exposed.
After talking for a while, Qin Guan, still concerned about Tuoba Hong, went back to his tent. Approaching the tent, she noticed many additional guards and recognized two faces she had seen with Yan Chi. If Tuoba Hong woke up, he could directly identify the culprit, and the murderer might try to escape blame by targeting Tuoba Hong again.
With Yan Chi's men guarding it, the tent was quite secure.
Qin Guan felt reassured and entered the tent to continue her care.
...
In the council tent, Tuoba Rui said with reddened eyes, "It must be Liu Yun! Liu Yun was eyeing my elder brother's arrows when we left the camp, saying he wanted to use them. Only he would think of taking my brother's arrows. He's always intended to harm my brother. In the entire camp, only he would want to kill my brother in such a cruel way."
Yan Chi looked at Tuoba Rui, "How can you be sure?"
Tuoba Rui replied, "My elder sister said she overheard Liu Yun discussing with his advisor that if he couldn't marry the princess himself, he would arrange for my brother to have an accident during the hunt. Isn't that enough proof?"
Yan Chi stared expressionlessly at Tuoba Rui, "It's indeed not enough proof. Tell me what you did after separating from the others that day, how long you were apart, and where you went."
Tuoba Rui took a deep breath, "Heir Apparent Yan, I've already said this several times."
Yan Chi remained impassive, "Say it again."Tuoba Rui glanced at the expressionless guard stationed at the entrance, took a deep breath, and continued, "We only parted ways after reaching a consensus. Everyone headed in different directions because Eldest Brother was determined to take the lead in the hunt. Even so, we didn't redistribute arrows. Since my skills are lacking, I rarely had opportunities to shoot that day. We all had arrows on hand, so there was no need to exchange any. We were separated for about the time it takes two incense sticks to burn. The direction I took was completely different from Eldest Brother's. Later, I spotted a brown bear and sent up a Signal Flare—the other attendants can confirm this."
After listening, Yan Chi nodded, then fetched a sheet of paper and a brush. "Draw it. Sketch the directions each of you took that day. If your memory is unclear, draw multiple versions or several sheets."
Tuoba Rui looked exasperated. "Why must I draw?"
He was neither skilled nor fond of drawing, but faced with Yan Chi's stern expression, he had no choice but to comply. "We stopped on a mountainside back then. If we were here, Eldest Brother went this way, I went here, and the others went in these directions... roughly like this."
Tuoba Rui finished sketching quickly and held it up for Yan Chi to see.
Yan Chi examined it. "Anything else to add?"
Frowning, Tuoba Rui said, "I've said all I have to say. That's everything." Then he added, "Oh, right! You should arrest Liu Yun and interrogate him properly! Although we took different paths that day, over the entire day, we all gradually converged toward due north. It would've been easy to run into each other!"
Yan Chi nodded. "Very well. Your Highness may leave now."
Tuoba Rui stood up, deeply resentful of Yan Chi's arrogant attitude. However, he knew of Yan Chi's reputation and was intimidated by his commanding presence, so he dared not act out. Suppressing his frustration, he left.
After a moment's thought, Yan Chi ordered, "Bring in the Third Prince of Western Liang."
When Liu Yun entered the council tent, his expression was grim. This was the second time he had been summoned regarding Tuoba Hong's case. Why did they insist on suspecting him of harming Tuoba Hong?!
Noting the fading bruises on Liu Yun's face, Yan Chi posed equally sharp questions. After listening to Liu Yun's irritable yet restrained replies, Yan Chi felt the case was far more complicated than it seemed.
As time grew late, Yan Chi delegated the interrogation of the guards to others and headed to Yan Huai's main tent. After he explained the situation, Yan Huai widened his eyes in surprise. "You want to ascend Wei Mountain again?"
Yan Chi affirmed, "It's the only way to determine who could have encountered Crown Prince Tuoba during that timeframe. We also need to reinvestigate the site where Crown Prince Tuoba fell."
Yan Huai nodded. "I suppose that's necessary." Then he added, "Do you have any leads?"
Yan Chi shook his head. Just as Yan Huai's disappointment began to show, Yan Chi stated, "However, the victim is Crown Prince Tuoba. His status is unique, and this camp is filled with powerful nobles. His assassination must be connected to interests."
Yan Huai raised an eyebrow, his eyes deepening with thought.
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