Coroner's Diary

When Fuling returned with the birdcage, her face streaked with tears, Qin Guan was speaking with Qin Shuang.

Fuling strode through the doorway and knelt at the entrance of the Warm Chamber. "Young mistress! This servant is guilty! This servant deserves punishment... The sparrow is dead, this servant is guilty..."

Her continuous tears and words startled both Qin Guan and Qin Shuang.

Qin Guan rose abruptly and approached Fuling. Looking into the cage, she saw the golden sparrow lying lifeless inside. Picking up the cage, she examined it while asking, "What happened?"

Fuling sobbed, "Yesterday, young mistress said it would be better to hang the birdcage in the garden. This morning, seeing the fine weather, this servant took the cage and hung it there. The garden was empty, and this servant had other tasks, so after watching for a moment, I returned. Just now, noticing the sun growing stronger, I went to check if there was enough water and food, only to find the bird motionless in the cage..."

Fuling wept bitterly. Not only did the bird belong to the imperial prince, but she had also cared for it meticulously all these days.

Though the little creature couldn't speak, its daily chirping showed it wasn't without spirit. Now that it had suddenly died, Fuling felt a suffocating tightness in her chest—both sorrowful and terrified.

"It's all this servant's fault. I should have assigned a maid to watch the cage. Earlier, I saw the estate's craftsmen also hanging cages in the shade. The sparrow was perfectly fine, I don't know how this could..."

The more Fuling spoke, the more tears fell. "Young mistress, it's all my fault. Please punish me."

Ignoring Fuling's words, Qin Guan opened the cage and retrieved the golden sparrow's body. The tiny bird had already stiffened, lying silently in her palm. Qin Guan's frown deepened as she set down the cage to examine the sparrow. Upon inspection, she immediately noticed obvious bleeding around its eyes. Stroking the bird's feathers, her expression grew increasingly grim. "Who visited the garden today?"

Before Fuling could respond, Baiying stepped forward. "Young mistress, this servant will go inquire immediately."

Qin Guan nodded, and Baiying turned to leave. Fuling stared blankly. "Young mistress, what's wrong?"

Qin Shuang approached Qin Guan. "What is it? This sparrow is..."

"It was crushed to death by someone," Qin Guan stated, her voice turning icy cold.

Fuling gasped. "Crushed to death?! How could that be? Everyone knows this belongs to your courtyard!"

Qin Shuang's eyes shifted thoughtfully. "Not everyone in this estate respects your young mistress. Besides, without catching them in the act, they can always deny it. Ah, what a pity—this little creature's sudden absence feels strangely unsettling."

Though a bird's life couldn't compare to a human's, the deliberate act of cruelly killing a pet known to be hers ignited a simmering rage in Qin Guan that threatened to erupt.

Moreover, this sparrow belonged to the Ninth Prince. How grieved he would be upon learning of its death.

Within moments, Baiying returned to the room. "Young mistress, I've inquired. Aside from servants who necessarily pass through the garden, only the Eighth Young Lady visited..."

Hearing this, Qin Guan immediately frowned. Of course—in this entire estate, who would dare more than Qin Chaoyu?!Qin Chaoyu is the future Crown Princess. She can do whatever she pleases—what does it matter if a mere bird is crushed to death?!

Qin Shuang’s expression shifted slightly. "Could it be Eighth Sister? If so, then it really won’t be easy to hold her accountable."

Qin Guan narrowed her eyes. "Indeed, it’s not easy to hold her accountable. In her eyes, what is a mere bird worth?"

Qin Shuang pressed her lips together. "We’ll just have to swallow this loss. After all, it’s only a bird, not something else..."

"Swallow it?" Qin Guan let out a cold laugh and turned to Baiying. "Baiying, go find Granny Yu. Tell her the golden finch gifted by the Ninth Prince has been crushed to death. Summon everyone who entered the garden from this morning until noon for questioning."

Qin Shuang was taken aback. "What are you planning? They won’t confess."

Qin Guan’s face was icy. "But I cannot let this matter rest. Today, it’s my bird being killed—what will they do tomorrow?" As she spoke, she lifted her chin slightly. "I recall Eighth Sister’s maids are just like their mistress..."

Qin Shuang didn’t grasp her meaning at first, but Baiying had already left to find Granny Yu. Qin Guan placed the bird back into its cage and looked down at the kneeling Fuling. "Get up. Dry your tears. We’re going to the main courtyard."

When Qin Guan and Qin Shuang arrived at the main courtyard, Hu Shi was standing with Granny Yu. Seeing Fuling following behind with red-rimmed eyes, carrying the cage, Hu Shi stepped forward with a frown. "Guan’er, how did it die so suddenly?"

Qin Guan’s expression was cold and tinged with anxiety. "Aunt, this bird was the Ninth Prince’s beloved pet. He said the palace was too cramped, so he entrusted it to me to care for. Now that it has died for no reason, I simply cannot let this go uninvestigated."

Hu Shi quickly replied, "Of course not—"

Though the Ninth Prince was young, he was the Empress Dowager’s darling. Moreover, having lost his mother, he was pitiable, and it was rare for him to have a cherished pet. If the palace learned of the bird’s death, who knew what turmoil might ensue.

Hu Shi added, "I’ve already ordered the servants who passed through the garden today to be summoned for thorough questioning."

A cold smile touched Qin Guan’s lips. "There’s no need for questioning. Simply find whoever carries the scent of roses."

Hu Shi and Granny Yu were startled. Qin Guan took the cage, retrieved the bird’s body, and held it out. "Aunt, take a whiff and you’ll understand..."

Though initially repulsed by the dead bird, Hu Shi felt compelled to comply. She inhaled lightly and indeed detected a faint fragrance on the bird.

Seeing Hu Shi’s reaction, Qin Guan explained, "I never use rose petals or rose-scented ointments, and neither do the people in my courtyard. This bird has always been tended to by my servants. Now, it inexplicably carries the scent of roses, which clearly indicates someone else handled it. Whoever touched it is the one who crushed it to death."

Hu Shi’s heart sank. Rose-scented ointment—she knew perfectly well that Qin Chaoyu adored it!

Feeling uneasy, Hu Shi glanced at the bird’s body and said, "But... how can we prove it was crushed to death?"

Qin Guan immediately parted the bird’s feathers. "There are several purple bruises on its body, and bloodstains around its eyes. If you don’t believe me, Aunt, I can pry open its beak. Or I can dissect it—its organs are surely all crushed."Hu Shi felt her hairs stand on end—she had actually forgotten what Qin Guan excelled at...

Without further ado, Hu Shi fell silent. Just then, the steward matron from Hu Shi’s household led in over a dozen servant slaves. These servants were either sweepers from the garden or caretakers of the plants, all of whom had passed through the garden earlier that day.

Once everyone was in place, Qin Guan glanced at Baiying, who immediately stepped forward to inspect the group. After a moment, Baiying reported with disappointment, "Miss, none of them carry the scent of roses..."

Qin Guan’s gaze shifted. "Then there must be others who visited the garden whom we are unaware of. These people don’t know I’ve detected the rose fragrance and wouldn’t deliberately erase it. Baiying, who else has been to the courtyard? Continue asking."

Baiying hesitated briefly. "Miss, the Eighth Young Lady went to the garden with her attendants this morning."

Hu Shi’s expression soured slightly, but she could only force a dry laugh. "Guan’er, Chaoyu would never do such a thing. With her gentle nature, she wouldn’t even step on an ant..."

Qin Guan inwardly sneered at these words but maintained a calm facade. "Aunt, Eighth Sister is naturally kind-hearted, but the same may not hold for her maids. This matter is of great importance—we must ask Eighth Sister to come and clarify. That way, when the Ninth Prince or the Empress Dowager inquires, I can provide a proper account..."

Hu Shi’s eyes darted thoughtfully. If the Empress Dowager were to ask and Qin Guan reported that the Ninth Prince’s bird had been killed by someone in the manor, the blame would fall on the entire Marquis household. But if the culprit were identified, with a plausible excuse or by persuading Qin Guan to keep silent, the incident could be minimized or even dismissed.

Hu Shi sighed. "Very well, Yu—"

"Baiying, you go and invite the Eighth Young Lady."

Hu Shi had intended to order Granny Yu, but Qin Guan cut her off, instructing Baiying instead—clearly to prevent Granny Yu from forewarning Qin Chaoyu.

Hu Shi felt a twinge of displeasure, but Qin Guan’s status was now extraordinary; even she couldn’t openly suppress her. Besides, as the victim in this matter, Qin Guan’s urgency was understandable.

Anxiously, Hu Shi waited in the main courtyard. Since the others were not suspects, she dismissed the crowd.

Soon, Qin Chaoyu arrived with four maids. "Mother, why did you summon me?"

Qin Chaoyu was unaware of the reason, but as she spoke, she noticed the birdcage placed to the side and the lifeless goldfinch inside... clearly dead.

Hu Shi forced a bitter smile. "Your cousin was caring for the Ninth Prince’s goldfinch, but today, someone crushed it to death. The cage was hung in the garden this morning. We’ve questioned everyone who visited the garden today, and none were responsible. Then Baiying mentioned that you also went to the garden this morning, so we asked you to come and see."

Qin Chaoyu understood immediately, her face darkening. "Mother! Do you think I killed this little creature?"

Hu Shi quickly shook her head. Qin Chaoyu turned to Qin Guan. "Ninth Sister, do you suspect me?"

Qin Guan’s lips curved slightly. "I already have evidence and am merely following it to find the person responsible. I suspect everyone who set foot in the garden."

Qin Chaoyu’s brows furrowed. "What are you talking about? What evidence do you have?"Qin Guan glanced at the cage. "This sparrow carries the scent of roses. We simply need to check which of those who visited the garden bears the same fragrance..."

After speaking, she cast a look at Baiying. Baiying approached Qin Chaoyu and the others, sniffed lightly, then turned back. "Miss, both the Eighth Young Lady and Miss Mo Yi carry the rose scent."

Qin Guan narrowed her dark eyes. "Oh? Then we must ask Eighth Sister for an explanation."

As she spoke, her sharp gaze swept over Mo Yi and the others. The three other maids initially showed displeasure at these words, then exchanged accusatory glances. Only Mo Yi kept her head lowered, avoiding everyone's eyes, her hands clasped tightly before her, radiating tension.

Qin Chaoyu was the jewel of the household, and her chief maids enjoyed privileged treatment. Rose-scented balm was originally a luxury item, but Qin Chaoyu believed those serving her should be accomplished in both talent and appearance, so she often bestowed such trinkets upon them. Each of her four chief maids carried an elegant fragrance, making their mistress appear all the more peerlessly beautiful.

Normally, applying scented balm wouldn't leave a lasting fragrance, yet Qin Guan deliberately used this point to accuse Qin Chaoyu. With this observation, Qin Guan already knew who had crushed the golden sparrow to death today.

Qin Chaoyu's eyes fleetingly swept over Mo Yi. Having spent every day together, she naturally noticed Mo Yi's extreme nervousness. After visiting the garden that morning, Mo Yi had been the last to return. What she had been doing while lingering in the garden was now self-evident. However, how could her personal maid be subjected to Qin Guan's judgment?!

Qin Chaoyu lifted her chin defiantly. "So what if there's rose scent? The estate has roses, and craftsmen make rose balm. The kitchen maids prepare rose pastries, and even the young girls picking flowers carry the rose fragrance. To accuse my maid based solely on this is utterly unreasonable!"

Qin Guan had anticipated Qin Chaoyu's defense. Her smile turned cold. "In that case, Eighth Sister should ask which of them entered the garden today but failed to confess truthfully. In this vast Marquis' estate, as you say, would any random maid dare casually crush the beloved possession of the Ninth Prince?"

Qin Chaoyu frowned. "Who knew this was the Ninth Prince's treasured item?"

Qin Guan smiled with impeccable grace. "Even without knowing it belonged to the Ninth Prince, everyone in the estate should have recognized it as my pet. Are you implying that while the Ninth Prince's possessions are untouchable, mine can be freely destroyed?"

"You..." Qin Chaoyu found herself speechless. Though she privately looked down on Qin Guan, such words could never be spoken aloud—especially since Qin Guan was now the imperially appointed Yongci County Princess...

Hu Shi saw the two nearing open conflict, with Qin Guan determined not to yield, and hurried forward to intervene. "Enough, enough. This matter is indeed improper. Regardless of whose pet it was, it shouldn't have been killed this way."

She fixed her gaze on Mo Yi and the others. "Which of you accompanied the young lady to the garden this morning?"

After a trembling moment of hesitation, Mo Yi stepped forward. "Madam, it was this servant..."

Hu Shi's eyes sharpened. "Then do you know what happened?!"Mo Yi glanced up at Qin Chaoyu and quickly said, "When the young lady went to the garden this morning, she saw this sparrow. The sparrow was chirping noisily and disturbed her, so she lost interest in strolling through the garden and left shortly after. When I left, I noticed Zhen’er from the courtyard stayed behind. If it’s about... perhaps it was her..."

Qin Chaoyu frowned slightly. Zhen’er had followed them early in the morning, and the last one to return was clearly Mo Yi.

Though she knew Mo Yi was lying, as Mo Yi was her chief maid, Qin Chaoyu ultimately said nothing.

"Someone, bring Zhen’er here—"

At Hu Shi’s command, Qin Chaoyu hurriedly interjected, "Mother, wait. Zhen’er is my maid. Since this matter might involve her, I will question her myself when I return. If it was her, I will have her sold off."

With that, Qin Chaoyu cast a cold glance at Qin Guan. "Rest assured, I understand that wrongdoing must be punished. Even if it’s someone under me, I will not show favoritism. I will handle my own people. What do you think, Ninth Sister?"

Qin Guan let out a derisive laugh, her smile growing even gentler. "Eighth Sister is destined to become the Crown Princess. I naturally trust your fairness. However, Zhen’er likely did this for your sake, so selling her off seems excessive. Still... a servant is merely a servant. Even if she thought the sparrow was a nuisance, she should have reported it to you before taking action. Acting so willfully—how could she have any respect for you? If even your most trusted servant behaves this way, what about others? When you become the Crown Princess in the Eastern Palace, if you spoil your subordinates, who knows what else they might hide from you and do behind your back..."

The more Qin Guan spoke, the more nervous Mo Yi became, and a layer of anger surfaced on Qin Chaoyu’s face.

She knew Qin Guan had seen through the truth. Unwilling to let Zhen’er take the blame for someone else, Qin Guan had spoken these words to admonish her and Mo Yi. Qin Chaoyu took a deep breath. "I trust my own people. There’s no need for you to worry about me."

Qin Guan pointed at the cage, and Fuling immediately picked it up. Qin Guan then said, "Of course, I’m not worried about you. With this sparrow dead, I still have to figure out how to explain this matter..."

Hu Shi quickly added, "Guan’er, it’s best to let this matter blow over."

Qin Guan smiled faintly. "Aunt, don’t worry. I’ll suppress this for now and bring it up at a more suitable time."

Hearing the change in Qin Guan’s tone, Hu Shi breathed a sigh of relief. Qin Guan bowed slightly, took her leave of Hu Shi, and turned to leave with Qin Shuang and the others. As soon as they stepped out of the main courtyard, Qin Shuang let out a long exhale. "Heavens, you’re so bold to confront Eighth Sister like that. The way she looked—I was terrified just watching..."

Qin Chaoyu had been pampered since childhood and inevitably carried an air of self-important superiority. Once her aggressive demeanor emerged, it was indeed intimidating. Yet Qin Guan had never feared her. In the past, she had often endured her doubts and sharp remarks, but now even one of her maids dared to bully her—how could she continue to tolerate it?!

"With some people, the more you fear them, the more they believe they’ve done nothing wrong."

Qin Guan’s voice was calm. Qin Shuang swallowed hard, her gaze filled with even greater admiration for Qin Guan.

…

…

As soon as Qin Chaoyu entered her room, she turned and slapped Mo Yi across the face.Mo Yi covered her face and quickly knelt on the ground. "Miss, this servant knows she was wrong. I was thinking about how you were reprimanded by the Crown Prince last time and couldn't contain my anger, so I..."

Qin Chaoyu narrowed her eyes, fury boiling in their depths. "Because you were angry? Because of me?! How dare you! Qin Guan was absolutely right—you dared to handle this privately without even asking me?! All day today, have you once informed me about this matter?! Don't you feel ashamed watching Qin Guan hold this leverage over us?!"

Mo Yi prostrated herself on the floor. "I didn't mention it because I thought the sparrow was just a trivial matter. I thought I could quietly vent your anger for you and let it go. I would never dare to deliberately deceive you, Miss! Please don't listen to Ninth Miss's nonsense—I absolutely never..."

Qin Chaoyu let out a cold laugh. "Absolutely never?! You committed a wrongdoing and even tried to make Zhen'er take the blame for it! Today you dare to make Zhen'er bear the punishment! Tomorrow, will you be looking to betray your master?!"

Qin Chaoyu was truly furious. She never imagined Mo Yi could do something so foolish. She would never have cared about the death of a mere sparrow, but to kill a bird and instead give the opponent leverage—what substantial harm did that actually do to Qin Guan?!

"No, no, no! Miss! I wouldn't dare! I would never dare... I was just afraid... I still need to accompany you into the palace, to serve you diligently. Compared to me, what use is Zhen'er? So..."

"How splendid! You certainly think highly of yourself!" Qin Chaoyu felt a suffocating anger rising in her chest at Mo Yi's words. While there was some logic to what she said, for a servant to voice it so arrogantly was utterly presumptuous...

"Do you think I, your master, must have you accompany me into the palace? Can I not use others? Based on your private act of revenge alone, I will definitely not bring you into the palace. Get out!"

Mo Yi froze for a moment, then desperately grabbed hold of Qin Chaoyu's skirt. "Miss! I've served you for so many years and never made a mistake before. Just this once, I beg you—please don't abandon me!"

Qin Chaoyu yanked her skirt away and pointed at the other maids nearby. "What are you all standing around for?! Drag her out! From today onward, stay in your room and keep out of my sight!"

Mo Yi burst into loud sobs. "Miss, Miss... I know I was wrong, please, Miss..."

Qin Chaoyu turned and entered the inner chamber, her face as cold as ice. Mo Yi had indeed served her for many years. If Mo Yi had told her about this earlier, she wouldn't have been so angry. But learning of Mo Yi's private actions only after Qin Guan's accusation planted a thorn in her heart. Qin Guan had essentially used Mo Yi's hand to slap her in the face!

Qin Chaoyu sneered at Qin Guan's clever scheming while simultaneously resenting Mo Yi's stupidity. Thinking of Qin Guan's dignified, fake smile, she felt increasingly mocked. Qin Chaoyu took deep, continuous breaths—only this could suppress her raging hatred toward Qin Guan.

Her wedding date was approaching rapidly. At a time like this, there must be no mistakes! Absolutely none!

...

...

After burying the golden sparrow in the flowerbed of Pine Breeze Courtyard, Qin Shuang said, "What should we do now? It's just a bird—we can't really arrest a servant to atone for it..."Qin Guan sighed, "Given the Ninth Prince's temperament, it's better not to let him know about this for now. He originally intended for the sparrow to be raised outside and had no plans to take it back anyway. Let's keep it concealed for now."

Qin Shuang breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. I thought it would truly be taken back in a few days."

Qin Guan spoke ambiguously, fearing everyone would think this way—but if she hadn't phrased it like this, how could Hu Shi and Qin Chaoyu have been intimidated?

In this world, status, position, power, and wealth are truly more effective than anything else.

Fuling wept beside them, "It's too cruel, really too cruel! Such a grown person taking out their anger on a little bird... When this little one was brought back, I worried day and night, fearing it would die. After it survived, I thought we'd have a lively little creature in the courtyard, but who would have thought... it would just be crushed to death like that!"

Qin Guan saw Fuling crying pitifully and sighed inwardly, instinctively taking Fuling's hand. "Alright, if you like it, go buy two from outside to raise. This matter can't truly be brought before the Empress Dowager. Even if she pities us for being bullied, she wouldn't do much over a sparrow. Besides, if it escalates, everyone would suffer losses."

Fuling understood these principles, but the more she understood, the more heartbroken she felt.

Qin Shuang sighed, "Alright, Fuling. Seeing how furious Eighth Sister is, Mo Yi will surely be punished when she returns. In the eyes of the nobility, a servant can be casually beaten to death, let alone a sparrow. Now that this sparrow belongs to the Ninth Prince, and Ninth Sister has been granted the title of a county princess, Aunt only handled the matter this way. If it were when we first arrived in the capital, forget about a bird—even if Aunt found fault with any of you and decided to sell you off, who could have stopped her?"

Fuling, who had been grieving for the sparrow, now felt sorrow for herself. Remembering their difficult days in Jinzhou made her even more distressed. Qin Guan had once been the legitimate daughter of the second branch, a Golden Branch Jade Leaf, yet what kind of life had she led? She had nearly lost her life. Thinking of this, Fuling finally stopped crying. "Ah, this servant is being sentimental. After just a short period of good days, I'm mourning a sparrow. Back when the young lady and I were struggling, if a sparrow died, we'd probably have thought about roasting it to eat."

Qin Shuang initially felt guilty hearing Fuling mention the past, but upon hearing the last sentence, she couldn't help but chuckle. "You girl, you really dare to say such things..."

Fuling sniffled and muttered, "Back then, we hardly saw a speck of oil. If there was meat to eat, of course we'd roast it."

Qin Guan also laughed, tapping Fuling's forehead. "Craving meat? Then tonight, I'll have the kitchen prepare something good to reward you for your hard work lately!"

Fuling said sheepishly, "I was just mourning, how can I feast now?" Then she added, "But if the young lady truly wishes to reward us, this servant will go give the orders now..."

Qin Shuang laughed heartily, "Ninth Sister, look at Fuling—she's already gained weight since coming to the capital, and she's still thinking about eating!"

Baiying also smiled. Ban Xia and the others, who had been both sad and frightened by the sparrow's death, started laughing as well. Seeing everyone cheerful, Qin Guan finally exhaled softly, a slight curve forming at the corners of her lips.