Huo Huaixin looked at Qin Guan, never having known that Marquis Anyang Manor had another young lady.
Moreover, this young girl possessed a quiet elegance like an orchid and a radiant beauty like the moon, far from the ordinary demeanor of a typical noble daughter. Recalling that many distinguished guests from the capital had arrived for the manor’s joyous occasion, Huo Huaixin frowned slightly. Could she be some noble lady from the capital?
"Lord Huo, this is Ninth Miss of Qin Manor."
Huo Huaixin’s brows twitched. Qin Manor… Ninth Miss…
He knew of Qin Manor and was quite familiar with its master, Qin An. However, he had only ever met the Fifth and Sixth Misses of Qin Manor. This Ninth Miss, the orphaned daughter of the second branch who had come to reside in Jinzhou’s Qin Manor, was someone he had never encountered before…
Wait… Huo Huaixin narrowed his eyes slightly.
This Ninth Miss—could she be the one who had been prepared for the ancestral hall over half a month ago, only to return from death?!
As one of the few noble households in Jinzhou, such private matters often spread. Though he paid little attention to the affairs of inner households, this particular incident had been brought to his attention by his wife, Yuanshi.
For no other reason than Yuanshi’s claim that this Ninth Miss was an Ill-fated star who had brought death upon her parents. She also asserted that the cause of that bizarre incident was the girl’s infatuation with their son, Huo Ning, who had no interest in her—leading her to throw herself into the lake.
This Ninth Miss was an overlooked presence in Loyal Marquis Manor. Yuanshi not only scorned her orphaned status but also detested her ominous fate. At the time, she had even worried that the scandal might tarnish Huo Ning’s reputation.
Back then, he had asked a few more questions, to which Yuanshi replied that this Ninth Miss had no talent, virtue, or beauty, was timid and cowardly, utterly lacking the grace of a noble lady. At such a young age, she had no sense of shame and had even jumped into a lake over a trivial matter of romance. Such a person, unfit for refined society, dared to dream of becoming the daughter-in-law of the Prefect’s household—what sheer delusion!
Huo Huaixin’s heart gradually tightened. Yuanshi had been wrong—utterly wrong.
"So this is Ninth Miss of Qin Manor—"
After a slight pause, Huo Huaixin straightened his back. For some reason, recalling Yuanshi’s claim that this Ninth Miss had jumped into the lake for Huo Ning, he felt an inexplicable flicker of smug satisfaction. At the thought, his brows furrowed again. During yesterday’s banquet at the marquis’ manor, he seemed to have heard that the Grand Princess had summoned a young girl to accompany her the entire day…
Huo Huaixin’s eyes filled with confusion. "Ninth Miss, why are you here?"
Despite her grief, Jiang Shi remembered to speak up for Qin Guan. "Prefect, you must know that a few days ago, when my mother went out, she suddenly fell ill and fainted by the roadside. It was Ninth Miss who saved her then. Today, with this tragedy unfolding and my mother critically ill, it was also Ninth Miss who came to the manor to assist in her treatment. Her condition is not something that can be resolved in a day, so Ninth Miss will be staying with us for two nights."
A bright light flashed in Huo Huaixin’s eyes. As matters of the inner household were separate, he had indeed heard in passing that the Grand Princess had been saved by someone while attending to official duties—but he hadn’t known it was Qin Guan!
Huo Huaixin softened his tone, adopting the approving manner of an elder toward a favored junior. "So, the Little Medicine Immortal everyone has been talking about these past few days is Ninth Miss? Truly unexpected that someone so young has already achieved such mastery…"
Yan Chi frowned slightly. This Governor Huo had a decent record in governance and was known for his fairness and strictness. But the rapid shifts in his expression just now convinced Yan Chi—he definitely knew about the rumors of Qin Guan jumping into the lake for Huo Ning.
Narrowing his eyes, Yan Chi saw through Huo Huaixin’s thoughts in an instant…This man had navigated the official circles for many years and was most adept at weighing pros and cons. His gaze at Qin Guan was already filled with satisfaction and admiration. Coupled with Qin Guan's current ties to the Marquis Anyang Manor, it was only natural for him to have some plans in mind.
"Indeed, Ninth Miss Qin is a distinguished guest of the Marquis Manor. She saved our elder lady and is thus a benefactor to both the Marquis Manor and the Yan clan."
As soon as Yan Chi spoke, Huo Huaixin felt a twinge of apprehension.
Being a benefactor to the Marquis Manor was one thing, but the Yan clan represented the entire imperial family. Although the Grand Princess held an undeniably noble status, how could the heir of Prince Rui casually elevate Ninth Miss Qin to such a lofty position?
Huo Huaixin hesitated, but Yan Chi didn’t give him a chance to speak. "Governor Huo, you still haven’t answered Ninth Miss’s question. Why are you so certain that the second young master beat the victim to death when the cause of death hasn’t even been determined?"
Huo Huaixin immediately composed himself. He hadn’t forgotten that this Ninth Miss Qin was challenging his verdict.
Clearing his throat, Huo Huaixin spoke gently, "Ninth Miss, you may not be aware, but the coroner from the yamen has already conducted the corpse examination. The deceased, Lin Daxing, was indeed beaten to death. As for why he vomited blood only after the second young master left—that’s because Lin Daxing suffered internal injuries. Broken ribs piercing internal organs are a common occurrence."
Pausing briefly, Huo Huaixin added with exaggerated concern, "These details might frighten you, Ninth Miss. It’s best not to dwell on them."
Jiang Shi and Yue Ning, standing nearby, raised their eyebrows. The Prefect was sorely underestimating Qin Guan!
Huo Huaixin wore an amiable expression, but Qin Guan took a step forward. "Without dissecting the body, how can you prove the victim died from pierced organs? Among the five viscera—heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys—which one was pierced in Lin Daxing’s case?"
The warm smile on Huo Huaixin’s face froze. Under Qin Guan’s sharp gaze, he found himself at a loss for words.
How could he possibly know which organ was pierced when the internal organs weren’t even visible?
"Ninth Miss, regardless of which organ was pierced, it was all caused by the second young master’s beating. Is there really a need to delve deeper?"
Qin Guan frowned, her expression turning stern. "Miscarriages of justice often stem from errors at the outset. If the Prefect neglects thorough investigation, it can lead to biased judgments and wrongful convictions—"
Huo Huaixin winced as if struck on a sore spot. "Ninth Miss, you’re young and unfamiliar with criminal proceedings. Under my watch, there has never been a wrongful conviction. This case has both witnesses and material evidence, and even the second young master has confessed. What further investigation is needed?"
For officials, reputation was paramount. If Huo Huaixin wished to climb higher, he couldn’t afford to be associated with wrongful convictions.
Qin Guan’s frown deepened. Dark clouds seemed to swirl in her eyes, and she pressed her lips tightly before speaking. "In the third month of the 235th year of the Great Zhou calendar, Lord Shen Yi, then Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, compiled The Great Prison Revised Record of Wrongful Accusations . The book states: 'No legal matter is graver than capital punishment; no capital punishment is graver than the initial facts; no initial facts are graver than thorough examination.' When officials adjudicate cases, they cannot hastily conclude based on a single testimony. This case has numerous unclear details, and even the victim’s cause of death—a crucial clue—remains undetermined. How can you, sir, rush to a verdict?"
Qin Guan stood straight as a sword, her words ringing with authority. This version of her was vastly different from her usual composed, gentle demeanor. Her edge was fully exposed, her presence overwhelming. Even Huo Huaixin was forced to take a step back under her relentless questioning."You—" Huo Huaixin's face flushed red, unable to refute, he could only retort, "Don't you dare bring up Shen Yi! As the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Shen Yi shielded wrongdoers, deceived the emperor, and caused the death of his entire family. It's laughable that you take his words as gospel!"
Qin Guan's gaze sharpened instantly. Her fists clenched tightly, and under Huo Huaixin's visibly guilty expression, her throat felt as if blocked by a lump of iron—because she knew her father was wronged, yet she couldn't cry out for justice.
A surge of tears rushed to her nose, but Qin Guan gritted her teeth and held them back.
No, she mustn't cry. Her father was watching her. These people... these people were merely ignorant fools. The case in the capital had already been concluded, involving the imperial court. She couldn't openly defend her father.
From the moment she returned from death, she knew this was a dark path she must walk alone. The words in her heart, the fury and hatred—no matter when or where, she could never speak them aloud.
Taking a deep breath, Qin Guan, her face deathly pale, said, "I, Qin Guan, am but a common woman. I don't know whether Shen Yi shielded wrongdoers or deceived the emperor. I only know that this Record of Wrongfully Accused Cases Corrected by the Court of Revision was Shen Yi's painstaking work, a legal text worthy of being immortalized in history. Back then, this text was printed by the Imperial Academy and distributed to prefectural offices across the land. I refuse to believe the Prefect has never read it."
Huo Huaixin was still speechless. He stared at Qin Guan, dumbfounded, never expecting a young girl like her to know so much.
Yes, he had read it—not only read it but studied and memorized it.
Back then, he had just been promoted to Prefect, filled with fervor to serve justice for the people. But now, things were different.
Huo Huaixin, both ashamed and furious, turned and vented his anger on the coroner Xu He, who stood behind him. "Xu He, what's wrong with you?! Why didn't you examine the corpse properly?!"
Xu He had heard the entire dispute. Now, with a thud , he knelt. "My lord, my experience is still shallow. I've never dissected a corpse before... Besides, my lord has never ordered me to perform an autopsy..."
Huo Huaixin kicked Xu He. "Don't spout nonsense! What are you kept in the prefecture for if you can't even handle such a simple task?!"
Huo Huaixin had lost all composure. Qin Guan, observing the coroner Xu He—who appeared no older than thirty—shook her head inwardly.
In the field of coroners, Xu He was still too young. The accuracy of an autopsy depended entirely on experience and practice. Moreover, dissection was inherently difficult. Without proper guidance or opportunities to practice, how could he dare to proceed?
Qin Guan gave a faint smile at Huo Huaixin's flustered state. "Prefect, please calm down. All I've said is because I believe you've been too hasty in concluding this case." She paused briefly before continuing, "If I can prove this case isn't as simple as it seems, what will you do then?"
Huo Huaixin turned, his eyes widening as he stared at Qin Guan. "You? How could you prove it?"
Qin Guan's smile remained faint. "First, Prefect, tell me—if I can prove it, what will you do?"
Huo Huaixin puffed out his chest. Despite his age, Qin Guan had provoked his temper. "Fine! Whatever you say goes. Let's see what skills Ninth Miss here has!"Qin Guan's smile remained faint, her clear and bright eyes reflecting the brilliant lights of the mansion like a deep spring filled with stars. "I wouldn't dare ask the Prefect to do anything too demanding. How about copying The Great Prison Revised Record of Wrongful Accusations ten times?"
Copying a book?! And not just any book—Shen Yi's The Great Prison Revised Record of Wrongful Accusations , which he had just mocked?!
Huo Huaixin's face burned with humiliation, but his words had already been spoken. How could he possibly take them back now?
"Fine! As you wish! But how do you intend to prove yourself?!"
Qin Guan's smile faded, her gaze suddenly turning somber.
She looked at Huo Huaixin, her voice sharp as a blade. "I will perform a Corpse Examination."
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