Coroner's Diary

"There are only two days left until the New Year, I'm afraid we can't wait that long." Qin Guan frowned slightly and asked, "Are Lu Jingcheng's two personal attendants still in the estate?"

Bai Feng nodded, "Yes, they're still being held under guard. Regardless of the circumstances, they bear some responsibility for failing to protect the fourth young master properly."

Qin Guan pondered briefly, "I wonder if my aunt would allow me to meet these people."

Bai Feng and Baiying exchanged glances, "If the princess consort and madam give their consent, it should be possible."

Thinking this, Qin Guan decided to act immediately. She first sent for Huang Momo, and after explaining her intention, Huang Momo questioned doubtfully, "What does the princess consort wish to ask? This servant has already thoroughly investigated the events of that night, including whether the fourth young master had any enemies. Those people are all his trusted aides. Given what has happened, they're currently most fearful. Wouldn't it be better for this servant to question them? I believe we could get answers."

Although Huang Momo had indeed interrogated these servants before, what Qin Guan wanted to ask this time was related to the fifth branch of the family. However, she hadn't yet informed Lu You Xin about her suspicions regarding the fifth branch or the matter of the erotic manual. After a moment's consideration, Qin Guan said, "It's alright. My questions are somewhat scattered and I need to observe their reactions. If it's convenient for you, please make the arrangements. After this, you needn't concern yourself with the matter further."

Huang Momo naturally wouldn't refuse Qin Guan, only worrying that she might overexert herself. Upon hearing this, she immediately went to make arrangements. Before long, Huang Momo returned to Han Dan Courtyard and escorted Qin Guan toward the servants' quarters. Lu Jingcheng's servants were confined in a courtyard within the servants' area - a rather humble place where two young menservants were kept together and two maids separately. Having been confined for many days, these people had already lost all hope, knowing they could never remain in the Lu family!

Huang Momo brought Qin Guan to the main room of this courtyard, indicated where each person was being held, then departed. Qin Guan entered the main room with Bai Feng and the others, sitting down before saying after brief consideration, "First bring that maid over..."

Upon hearing this, Bai Feng immediately went to fetch the person. Fuling whispered, "Princess Consort, by showing yourself like this, might it cause complications?"

Qin Guan shook her head, "No. Afterwards, we'll just instruct that these people remain confined here. Before I leave White Deer Isle, they won't be able to leave."

Fuling breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, two maids were brought in first.

Having been confined for many days, the two maids who entered looked rather disheveled. Upon entering and seeing an unfamiliar young lady, they both showed surprise, exchanged glances, then hurried in and knelt on the ground. Not knowing Qin Guan's identity, they didn't know how to address her, simply kneeling with their heads bowed to the ground, not daring the slightest disrespect.

These two were Lu Jingcheng's personal maids, brought along precisely because they were highly favored by him. Though currently still just maids, they would likely have been elevated to concubines after Lu Jingcheng married. Qin Guan observed them for a moment, noticing they were indeed quite attractive with delicate features. Though currently somewhat bedraggled, their beauty remained evident. Probably terrified from days of confinement, they were already trembling before she even spoke.

Qin Guan didn't intend to speak immediately. As a new face suddenly appearing, and these two being shrewd individuals, she knew they would be weighing the situation in their minds.Qin Guan remained silent, which only deepened the unease in the two servants' hearts. Though they didn't recognize Qin Guan, her luxurious attire and stunning appearance were striking. So young, yet she sat in this room interrogating them. Having served by Lu Jingcheng's side for a long time, they had never known the Lu family to have such a young lady. They racked their brains but couldn't figure out her identity, growing increasingly unsettled until soon, both had slightly reddened eyes.

"How long have you been with Lu Jingcheng?"

After a long pause, Qin Guan finally spoke. The two servants' faces paled, their hearts sinking further.

If she were a Lu family daughter, she would never address Lu Jingcheng so directly by name—clearly, she was an outsider...

And for an outsider to be permitted by the family head Lu You Xin to sit here, her status must be extraordinary.

"We... we have served the Fourth Young Master for five years."

Qin Guan responded with a faint "Hmm," neither warm nor cold, and continued, "Describe the events of that day again in detail."

The two servant girls exchanged glances, and the one who had spoken earlier trembled as she replied, "That day, the Fourth Young Master returned injured and had a dispute with his wife. In the evening, members from the third and fourth branches came to see him. After everyone left, it was still early. The Fourth Young Master was unwell and in a foul mood, so he soon said he wished to rest. We helped him wash and then withdrew. When we left, he was feigning sleep—we couldn't tell if he was truly asleep. The Earth Dragon was still warm at the time."

"The next morning, we rose together. We didn't dare disturb the Fourth Young Master until it was time for his medicine. But when we called at the door, there was no response. Sensing something amiss, we peered through the window and realized something had happened..."

As she spoke, the servant girl began to weep. "We truly don't know what happened that night. It's the dead of winter, and we slept soundly. Neither of us got up during the night, nor did we hear the Fourth Young Master call for anyone. No one knew the Earth Dragon in his room had gone out..."

These servants had been confined all this time, with Huang Momo only questioning them without explanation, so they remained unaware that Lu Jingcheng hadn't died of cold.

"The Earth Dragon in Qingsong Courtyard went out under strange circumstances. Did the Fourth Young Master have any enemies?"

The two exchanged glances again, and the other hesitantly said, "No... none... Though the Fourth Young Master often had a temper, no servant in the entire White Deer Isle would dare defy him. If we must say... perhaps the Fifth Young Master. The Fourth Young Master offended him long ago..."

"Over what matter?" Qin Guan already knew but pressed for details.

"It was... it was several years ago. The Fourth Young Master took a liking to a young maid in the Fifth Young Master's quarters and... wanted to take her. But the Fifth Young Master refused, and that's how the grudge started..."

"In the past month or two, did Lu Jingcheng have any disputes with Lu Jingxiu?"

"No, no. Since coming to White Deer Isle, the Fourth Young Master either went to Jianzhou City or stayed within the estate. He barely crossed paths with the Fifth Young Master and certainly didn't cause any trouble."Qin Guan fell silent upon hearing this, then spoke after a moment, "About a month ago, someone saw Lu Jingcheng visiting Plum Garden late at night. Not only that, but he went again about seven or eight days later. Were you aware of this?"

At this question, the two maids who had gradually regained their composure suddenly changed expressions. They simultaneously lowered their heads, nervously clutching at their skirts.

Qin Guan narrowed her eyes, her gaze growing colder. "Lu Jingcheng's death is suspicious. If we can't find out who harmed him, then you few will have to take the blame instead."

Though Qin Guan's words were meant as intimidation, they spoke the truth. Someone had to be held accountable for Lu Jingcheng's death. If she weren't here and Lu Youxin didn't want to involve the authorities, Lu Boyong and his wife would likely not spare these servants.

"We... we don't know the full details..."

Hearing this, Qin Guan's tone softened slightly. "That's alright, just tell me what you do know."

The more talkative maid, clearly more eager to clear herself, swallowed hard and said, "The fourth young master did act... rather strangely for several days. He not only liked going to Plum Garden during the day but would also go at night. When he went, he didn't want us following him. I remember that time over a month ago because the fourth young master caught a cold after returning. He hated taking medicine the most, but the second madam doted on him immensely. If she saw him ill, she would definitely punish us. We were worried that time, but surprisingly, the fourth young master happily took his medicine. His cold got better within two days, and we felt relieved. After that... the fourth young master went several more times..."

Qin Guan frowned. "After the first time, he went more than once?"

The maid nodded. "Yes... more than once, usually around the first watch. We two are the fourth young master's personal maids and sometimes stayed in his room. But during those days, he seemed rather disinterested. I could tell that when the fourth young master went to Plum Garden, he probably wanted to meet someone. However, sometimes he would return empty-handed, and then his temper would be very bad. I remember only three times when he went out and came back happily."

Lu Suiyong said he saw Lu Jingcheng twice, meaning he happened to witness those two occasions but didn't see the other times.

A faint light sparked in Qin Guan's eyes. She should have come to question these maids earlier! Previously, she couldn't show herself openly, which had delayed things so long!

Qin Guan took a shallow breath. "Did he ever tell you why he was going out?"

The two maids glanced at each other briefly, then shook their heads. "Although we attended to the fourth young master closely, he didn't tell us everything. Especially regarding whom he might have been involved with outside, we couldn't ask."

Lu Jingcheng appeared weak and lustful, but he likely valued his pride greatly in front of his own maids.

Qin Guan looked at them and suddenly asked, "You must know about the erotic picture album kept in the high cabinet by Lu Jingcheng's bed, right?"

At this question, even in their current frightened and distressed state, both maids instantly blushed. Erotic picture albums were extremely private items. Qin Guan, who seemed quite young, could actually ask about such a thing so calmly...Not to mention these two, even Fuling instantly widened her eyes. She then looked at Baiying, whose gaze remained calm.

Fuling knew Qin Guan had retrieved two books from Lu Jingcheng’s residence but had no idea they were erotic albums…

Seeing Qin Guan’s composed demeanor, Fuling straightened her back and pretended not to care. However, a glance at Bai Feng made her cheeks flush.

“We… we know…”

Erotic albums depicted intimate affairs. Lu Jingcheng was lecherous and experienced, so it was no surprise he saw nothing shameful in such books, especially in front of these two maids—likely finding it all the more amusing.

Noticing their flushed faces, Qin Guan’s tone grew more stern. “These albums are different from ordinary ones. Do you know what was depicted at the end?”

At this, the two maids lowered their heads further, shoulders hunched, their ears turning crimson.

“Yes, we know…”

Qin Guan narrowed her eyes. “Then do you know if your master had such… inclinations?”

Though her words were vague, the maids understood.

“Fourth Young Master… indeed did…”

One maid trembled as she spoke, and the other added, “It started only this year. Fourth Young Master went out with friends and was taken to… that kind of place… After experiencing it once, he became obsessed and had someone buy these albums. He valued appearances… Once, we heard him say he had kept a young male courtesan outside…”

Hearing this, Qin Guan fell into thought. Unlike the young male servants, these personal maids would know more about private matters, while the male attendants served other purposes.

“Among the White Deer Isle, who was Fourth Young Master closer to? Aside from Fifth Young Master, between Sixth and Ninth Young Master, whom did he favor more?”

After a moment’s thought, the more talkative one replied, “If we must say… it would be Ninth Young Master. Fourth Young Master enjoyed associating with beautiful people, regardless of gender. He occasionally remarked that Ninth Young Master was growing exceptionally handsome.”

Qin Guan pressed, “How did he mention it?”

“He’d say things like… ‘Old Ninth’s looks are becoming more striking,’ or ‘Old Ninth’s appearance outshines so-and-so.’ He often compared him to renowned, handsome actors…”

Qin Guan narrowed her eyes and studied them. “Anything else to add?”

They looked up, puzzled. Qin Guan explained, “You were Lu Jingcheng’s closest attendants. His sudden death must have left you with doubts. If anything struck you as unusual, speak now. If it proves useful, it may count as a merit.”

At this, they grew visibly anxious, racking their brains. After a long pause, one said, “I recall something… though I’m not sure if it’s relevant…”Qin Guan signaled with her eyes for her to continue, and the servant girl said, "I remember the second time the Fourth Young Master went out at night, he returned quite furious and said some deliberately intimidating words... things like 'you can't escape my grasp' and 'if you anger me, I'll have your whole family buried with you.' At the time, I thought, he's been going out alone at night these days, and I don't know who he's meeting. But whoever it is, he must have taken a fancy to someone outside again, and that person likely refused him, which is why he's acting this way. I suspect it's some maid in the estate, and one with backing too, otherwise he would have just taken her by force long ago..."

Although they served under Lu Jingcheng, these two clearly knew full well how terrible his nature was.

After saying this, the other servant girl seemed afraid of being left behind. Her eyes darted rapidly for a moment before she added, "I also recall something... though, though it might not be useful..."

Seeing no discouragement in Qin Guan's expression, the servant continued, "My main duty in the household is preparing the Fourth Young Master's meals. Earlier, when it was mentioned how well the Fourth Young Master treats the Ninth Young Master, I don't really think so. Here's what happened: after arriving at White Deer Isle, because there are so many people, everyone eats from the main kitchen. The Fourth Young Master was spoiled since childhood. After coming here, he learned that the Fifth Master, for his health, drinks a bowl of ginseng soup every evening. Surprisingly, the Fourth Young Master developed the same idea. He's young and healthy, with no need for such tonics, but it seemed like he wanted to oppose the Fifth Master deliberately, insisting on snatching that very bowl of ginseng soup... This soup is brewed from century-old wild ginseng and many other precious herbs, taking an entire afternoon to prepare. If the Fourth Young Master truly wanted some, he could have requested it in advance. Instead, he never did, waiting until the last moment to send me to the kitchen to demand it. The kitchen staff wouldn't dare disobey the Fourth Young Master, so they'd always set aside a portion for him. As a result, the amount sent to Green Bamboo Courtyard was never sufficient. The Fifth Master certainly knew about this, but he's famously mild-tempered and never got angry, so the Madam still doesn't know about this matter to this day."

Qin Guan frowned immediately. "Does he ever snatch food from other households? And does he demand the ginseng soup every time?"

The servant girl shook her head. "No other household has such precious food, and the Fourth Young Master isn't particularly greedy. That's why I think he has some intention of opposing the Fifth Household. But he doesn't cause trouble every day either—it started about a month and a half ago, happening every few days..."

As she spoke, the servant's eyes suddenly widened. "That's right! I remember now—the days the Fourth Young Master demanded the ginseng soup were exactly the same days he went out alone at night! Also, on the day he got injured, he asked for the ginseng soup too. At the time, since he was injured, we didn't think much of it."

Hearing this, the other servant girl looked at her, and the two exchanged a glance, sudden understanding dawning in their eyes!

Upon hearing this, Qin Guan slowly straightened her posture. After a moment, she nodded. "Very good. What you've told me isn't without use. You may withdraw now. I'll inform the Madam of your performance today."

The two servants kowtowed repeatedly in gratitude before retreating from the room.Once the two had left, Qin Guan fell into deep thought. Fuling whispered softly, "It seems this Lu Jingcheng really has a lover, and not just once or twice! I'm afraid... I'm afraid it might even be a man..." Her tone carried a hint of disgust. Seeing Qin Guan remain silent, she didn't dare say more.

Not long after, Qin Guan said, "Bring those two attendants in as well."

Bai Feng acknowledged and left. Qin Guan sighed; these matters truly required her personal detailed questioning to unravel layer by layer. Huang Momo had initially been too simplistic in her approach. As she pondered this, Lu Jingcheng's two attendants arrived. They were decent-looking young men, one tall and one short, appearing sharp and efficient.

However, having been detained for many days, their demeanor was no different from that of the two maidservants—both disheveled and terrified. Upon entering, they immediately kowtowed deeply.

Qin Guan let them wait in suspense for a moment, just as before, until their wariness was replaced by fear. Only then did she ask a few simple questions, mainly about whether Lu Jingcheng had made any enemies. Though they were merely attendants, their answers were no different from those of the maidservants: on White Deer Isle, the only person Lu Jingcheng had openly clashed with was Lu Jingxiu. With others, he maintained a surface-level civility, and people, aware of his difficult temperament, generally avoided provoking him.

After a pause, Qin Guan asked, "Do you know about Lu Jingcheng's dealings with Hu Guangde?"

The previous questions had also been asked by Huang Momo, and the two attendants had answered fluently. But this question struck like a bolt from the blue, terrifying them so much they turned pale. Seeing this, Qin Guan gave a cold smile, her stern and icy gaze hovering over them. Within moments, cold sweat dripped from their faces.

The tall attendant wiped his face and was the first to swallow hard before speaking. "I know... I know about it..."

Qin Guan nodded faintly. "There's no need to be afraid. Hu Guangde has already been captured and brought to the estate. Just tell us everything you know."

The tall attendant trembled, while the shorter one looked even more despairing. As Lu Jingcheng's henchmen, they had been responsible for delivering messages and running errands, so they were fully aware of these matters. With over twenty lives lost in a major case and the fifth branch harmed, they understood the severity of the situation.

Hearing that Hu Guangde had also been captured, the tall attendant closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, his eyes were filled with pleading. "I... I know about this. It started about half a year ago. Once, the second master and his wife were discussing the fifth branch's mining industry. He said the revenue from Xiushan Mining was substantial and shouldn't be controlled by the fifth branch—it would be better if it returned to the main branch. But the wife spoke in defense of the fifth branch and held the ninth young master in high regard. The second master returned in a rage, saying the wife intended to choose the ninth young master as heir. This caused quite a stir in the second branch at the time, and the fourth young master, upon learning of it, was particularly resentful."

"After that, the fourth young master began plotting against the fifth branch. First, he tried to find faults with the fifth master and his wife, but after investigating for a long time, he found nothing. Later, he turned his attention to the ninth young master, looking for any misconduct..."At this point, the tall servant's eyes flickered before he continued, "But nothing was found in the end. The Fourth Young Master was deeply disappointed, which slowly led him to set his sights on the Xiushan Mine. Three months ago, the Fourth Young Master contacted Hu Guangde. The idea of creating a mine disaster was Hu Guangde's suggestion. At the time... no one expected it would escalate to such an extent, resulting in over twenty deaths. After the incident, the Fourth Young Master was initially frightened, but he relaxed upon learning that the two key supervisors had fled."

Qin Guan fixed her gaze on the tall servant. "How did your Fourth Young Master investigate the Ninth Young Master?"

This question made the tall servant break out in a cold sweat. "It was... just investigating whether the Ninth Young Master had engaged in any misconduct at the clan school. That's all..."

A faint smile tugged at Qin Guan's lips, yet it didn't reach her eyes. She stared at the tall servant for a moment before shifting her gaze to the shorter one. The latter had turned ashen upon hearing Qin Guan mention the mine disaster, and though his eyes now flickered with a glimmer of light, he shrank back, too afraid to speak.

Qin Guan looked at him. "Since he won't tell the truth, you speak. Between the two of you, surely one of you wants to live."

At her question, both the tall and short servants turned to look at her, their eyes wide with shock. The difference was that the tall one’s gaze was filled with terror, while the short one’s held a flicker of hope.

The short servant swallowed hard and spoke with difficulty, "Miss... what does Miss wish to ask? Is it about what Fourth Young Master investigated regarding Ninth Young Master?"

Qin Guan nodded, and the short servant hurriedly said, "Fourth Young Master back then—"

"Fourth Young Master investigated Ninth Young Master and uncovered his true origins. He found out that Ninth Young Master isn’t actually Fifth Master’s biological son!"

Before the short servant could finish his sentence, the tall one blurted out the truth like spilling beans. He stared nervously at Qin Guan, "Please forgive me, Miss, please forgive me! This humble one... this humble one lied earlier. From now on, I dare not deceive Miss with a single word. Please forgive me..."

As he spoke, the tall servant kowtowed twice, his forehead hitting the ground with audible thuds. The short servant stared at him in astonishment, a trace of anger flashing in his eyes.

Qin Guan found the two rather amusing, but as long as she could uncover the truth, she didn’t care who spoke it.

"When did this happen?"

"It was when Fourth Young Master made contact with Hu Guangde!"

This time, it was the short servant who answered first. The tall one glared at him, and the two ended up staring each other down right in front of Qin Guan.

Qin Guan was pleased to see it. "Since he already knew about Ninth Young Master’s origins, why go through with the mine disaster?"

The tall servant scrambled forward on his knees, eager to reply, "Because Fourth Young Master had already connected with Hu Guangde by then. He knew Hu Guangde held a grudge against the Fifth House. Besides, Madam hadn’t revealed Ninth Young Master’s true background. What if she intended to push aside all opposition and insist on choosing Ninth Young Master anyway? Fourth Young Master figured that since Hu Guangde was available, he might as well use him to ensure the Fifth House could never recover. That way, the matter would be settled once and for all! And if the plan at Xiushan failed, he still had the secret of Ninth Young Master’s origins to hold over them!"

After finishing his answer, the tall servant puffed out his chest proudly, while the short one clenched his fists in frustration.

Qin Guan nodded. "Did Second Master know about the mine disaster?"

"No—"

"No—"

This time, the two answered in unison.

Hearing their identical responses, Qin Guan knew they were telling the truth.

She glanced at them and asked another question, "After arriving at White Deer Isle, did you know that your Fourth Young Master went alone to Plum Garden at night?"

"Yes—"

"Yes—"

Qin Guan couldn’t help but laugh. "Do you know who he met there?"

"No!"

"We don’t know that—"

By now, the two were frequently competing to answer, leaving Qin Guan, Bai Feng, and the others both amused and exasperated.

Eager to prove himself, the tall servant added, "Because Fourth Young Master never allowed us to follow him. He always said he was just going for a casual stroll and then left. We were happy to relax and didn’t bother asking..."Qin Guan nodded. "After he returned from outside, did he show any unusual behavior?"

At this question, the shorter man quickly replied, "Yes! Sometimes he was happy, sometimes he came back looking furious. We didn’t know who he had met, and we didn’t dare to ask around. But from the way Fourth Young Master acted, it seemed he had taken a liking to someone in the estate."

This matched Qin Guan’s speculation and was quite similar to what the two maids had said.

Qin Guan nodded again. "I’ve heard that Lu Jingcheng has taken a performer under his patronage in Jianzhou City—is that true?"

"Yes!"

"It’s true!"

The two answered simultaneously. As their voices faded, the shorter man hurriedly added, "He patronized a lead performer from the Qinchun Garden troupe. That person is exceptionally handsome but comes from a very poor family. Fourth Young Master took a fancy to him, spent a great deal of money, and the performer, being sensible and indifferent to such matters, went along with it. However, such affairs are hardly respectable, so Fourth Young Master usually spends more time at the Flower-Full Tower when he visits Jianzhou City."

After the shorter man finished, the taller one chimed in, "That’s right. Fourth Young Master’s usual indulgence in brothels already displeases the Madam, and even Second Master finds it distasteful. If it were known that he’s also involved with a man, Second Master would likely be furious. Fourth Young Master is well aware of this, so he’s very cautious about this matter."

Qin Guan was quite satisfied with their eagerness to cooperate and asked further, "Do you know about Lu Jingcheng seizing Fifth Master’s medicinal soup?"

The two, unaware of Qin Guan’s identity, were taken aback that she knew everything and grew even more cautious.

"Yes, yes! We heard about it from Yan’er once! It’s said that Fourth Young Master seems to dislike Fifth Master and doesn’t hold him in high regard, which is why he repeatedly seizes Fifth Master’s medicinal soup."

"I know of it too, but Fifth Master never speaks up about it. Either he dismisses Fourth Young Master’s behavior as childish and pays it no mind, or he fears the Second Branch and wants to avoid further conflict over such matters. Anyway, it’s happened several times, and Fifth Master has never made a fuss about it."

A faint glimmer flashed in Qin Guan’s eyes. "Think carefully—were the days when Lu Jingcheng seized Fifth Master’s medicinal soup the same days he went out alone?"

The two looked bewildered at this question. After exchanging glances, the taller one nodded first. "It seems so. The times I heard Yan’er mention it were exactly the days Fourth Young Master went out…"

Hearing this, the shorter man also nodded. "That does seem to be the case."

With a plan forming in her mind, Qin Guan asked another question. "How does Lu Jingcheng treat Sixth Young Master and Ninth Young Master?"

"Fourth Young Master looks down on Sixth Young Master and usually ignores him. This is because Sixth Young Master always follows Fifth Young Master around, and Fourth Young Master and Fifth Young Master are on very bad terms. Naturally, he carries that dislike over to Sixth Young Master. As for Ninth Young Master, he rarely interacts with him."

After the taller man finished, the shorter one nodded. "Fourth Young Master isn’t close to any of his brothers, but he has many friends outside… He looks down on Sixth Young Master and actually has a condescending attitude toward Ninth Young Master as well. Initially, the Fifth Branch was the lowest among the main branches. After learning of Ninth Young Master’s background, it became even more so—after all, Ninth Young Master is just an adopted son…"

Qin Guan frowned. "Recently, has Lu Jingcheng paid any attention to Ninth Young Master? Or have they had any arguments after crossing paths?"The two men looked at each other with some confusion on their faces. After a moment, the shorter one suddenly said, "This humble servant remembers now! There really was such a matter! That was over a month ago—once, the Fourth Young Master suddenly asked this humble servant what the Ninth Young Master usually likes to do..."

Qin Guan narrowed her eyes. "How did you answer? What happened afterward?"

The shorter man thought for a moment and said, "The Ninth Young Master usually doesn't like going out. He's generally at Green Bamboo Courtyard attending to the sick. The only time he comes out each day is to go to the medicine hut. On very rare occasions, the Ninth Young Master would stroll to other parts of the garden, feeding the white deer in the deer park or such. Sometimes when he makes small crafts, he goes to the storage room to find some tools. Anyway, apart from the medicine hut and Green Bamboo Courtyard, the Ninth Young Master doesn't have specific places he goes. That's exactly what this humble servant told the Fourth Young Master at the time. After hearing it, the Fourth Young Master just nodded and didn't say anything more."

Hearing this, the taller man also tilted his head in thought for a moment before saying, "This humble servant recalls something too. After coming to White Deer Isle, although the Fourth Young Master didn't interact with his brothers, he would still pay attention to what everyone was doing. Since we came this time to compete for the heir position, this humble servant remembers one time when the Fourth Young Master asked what the other young masters had been doing these past few days. This humble servant said at the time that the Fifth and Sixth Young Masters had gone to Jianzhou City to meet friends, while the Ninth Young Master seemed to be making plum blossom wine."

Qin Guan's hand on the armrest suddenly clenched tightly. "Plum blossom wine? How did you know about that?"

The taller man looked completely bewildered as he replied, "Besides the servants each household brought with them, there are also people who've been in this garden for years. This humble servant inquired about it at the time. The Ninth Young Master enjoys doing this and that—back then the plum blossoms had just bloomed, and Jianzhou had its first heavy snowfall, so he was making plum blossom wine."

Lu Jinghe had always been dexterous with his hands, so making such things seemed completely normal to others. But only Qin Guan knew the unusual significance behind it—like weaving a web, section by section, grid by grid, eventually forming a complete spider's web. Thus, all the threads of the matter began to emerge.

"Plum blossom wine—" Qin Guan murmured softly, momentarily lost in thought.

Qin Guan had asked many trivial things that seemed unrelated to Lu Jingcheng's death. Now she suddenly stopped questioning and only murmured "plum blossom wine," leaving the two men utterly confused. After waiting a moment with no further words from Qin Guan, they glanced at each other, not knowing what to do.

"Everything we've said is true, we wouldn't dare deceive you by even a single word, Miss."

"Yes, yes, Miss, we beg you to put in a good word for us before the Madam. We didn't want to harm anyone, and we didn't harm the Fourth Young Master either..."

As they kowtowed repeatedly, Qin Guan came back to her senses and looked at them. "Regarding the mine disaster, were only you three and Hu Guangde aware of it?"

At this question, the two immediately nodded. The shorter man said, "We previously only corresponded with Hu Guangde by letter. No one else could have known. Both the Fourth Young Master and we servants knew this matter was of great importance and didn't dare reveal even a hint of it. After arriving in Jianzhou, we only met Hu Guangde once. The Fourth Young Master was also very cautious about it."

"What did Lu Jingcheng intend to do to the Fifth House with this matter? Did he want the Fifth Master to face imprisonment? Or just make the Fifth House lose Xiushan Mining Industry?"At this question, the tall man frowned and said, "Originally, the plan was to ruin Fifth Master's reputation, preferably by having him spend a few days in jail. But after a few days at White Deer Isle, Fourth Young Master suddenly changed his mind. At the time, he even instructed me to keep track of the whereabouts of those two runaway managers, saying they might be useful in the future."

Qin Guan frowned. "He couldn't possibly want the authorities to find those two, could he?"

The tall man quickly nodded. "Yes, Fourth Young Master wouldn't let the authorities find those two alive. But... while we dare not let the authorities find them alive, dead... dead bodies can be found."

Knowing he was in the wrong, the tall man shrank his neck as he spoke.

Qin Guan felt a chill run through her heart. Lu Jingcheng had initially wanted those two to disappear to the ends of the earth, but now he was tracking their movements. Alive, they were a risk because if caught, they could implicate him. But if they were dead and then found, the fifth branch would have a chance to clear their names.

Since Lu Jingcheng could collaborate with Hu Guangde to frame the fifth branch, why would he suddenly want to give them a way out?!

A possibility surfaced in Qin Guan's mind. Piecing together the information gathered from previous investigations with what she had heard today, a complete network of connections emerged. The depth in her eyes gradually gave way to a trace of regret. Sitting upright, she remained silent for a long time.

The longer Qin Guan stayed silent, the more frightened and tense the two men became. After what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke, "That's all for today. You may leave."

The two men hesitated, clearly wanting to beg for mercy, but Qin Guan showed them none of the leniency she had extended to the two maidservants. These two were involved in the mine disaster and served as Lu Jingcheng's lackeys. If Lu Jingcheng hadn't died, they likely would never have known what remorse felt like.

Bai Feng led the two away, and the room fell silent. As it was a temporarily prepared room, there was no stove or Earth Dragon. After questioning for so long, Qin Guan's hands and feet were long since icy cold. When she stood up, her body trembled slightly. Fuling, seeing this, quickly stepped forward to support her. "Princess Consort, are you alright?"

Qin Guan's face was heavy and somber, looking quite oppressed. She shook her head and did not allow Fuling to continue supporting her.

She stepped out the door only to find that the clear morning weather had turned overcast again. A cold wind blew fiercely, and another heavy snow was about to fall.

Qin Guan walked slowly toward Wutong Courtyard but halfway there, changed her mind and turned toward Hanhan Hall instead. Fuling, worried by her demeanor, asked, "Princess Consort, what have you realized? Even after all they said, this servant still can't figure it out."

Qin Guan sighed, her tone both sorrowful and weary. "I know who the murderer is."