"Thank you, Ninth Sister."
Qin Chen saw Qin Guan out. She turned back for a glance—Yao Xinlan lay on the bed with half-lidded eyes, speaking even less than yesterday. Withdrawing her gaze, Qin Guan walked out slowly.
At the main gate, Qin Chen paused and added, "Xinlan has a weak constitution and often gets lost in thoughts. Ninth Sister, come keep her company when you're free. She likes your temperament—in this household, you're the only one she enjoys speaking with."
Qin Guan nodded in agreement. "Then I'll return this afternoon."
Qin Chen smiled warmly. "That would be excellent. With many messages arriving from the capital these days, I've been spending more time in the outer courtyard. Your afternoon visit would be most welcome."
Qin Guan's eyes flickered. "Is Eldest Brother preparing to go to the capital?"
While Qin An idled in Jinzhou with his sinecure, Qin Chen was different. As the eldest son of the third branch, the Qin family needed him—the third branch needed him. His journey to the capital for opportunities was inevitable.
Assuming Qin Guan wouldn't understand, Qin Chen replied plainly, "The capital's situation remains unclear. Even if I go, it won't be until next spring. By then, everything will be clearer."
Qin Guan pondered his words carefully, immediately thinking of the term "succession."
Without further comment, she turned and left Windward Courtyard.
Fuling followed beside her, sighing wistfully. "The young master's devotion to the young mistress is truly enviable. I only hope Miss will marry someone as good someday—"
As she walked, Qin Guan's expression darkened. Even in relationships others admired, there were secrets too delicate to voice—let alone ordinary marriages. How many in this world could be like Father and Mother, meeting in obscurity and accompanying each other till death?
Lost in thought, she soon heard clamoring voices. Looking up, she saw Liu Chun leading seven or eight servants carrying hoes and baskets eastward in a grand procession. "What are they doing?"
Fuling laughed. "Miss doesn't know? After spring and summer, the mansion's wells need their silt cleared. Aunt Liu from the kitchen complained about a muddy taste in the water lately, so the Old Madam ordered the wells cleaned."
Qin Guan's gaze deepened. "There's a well in the east?"
Fuling nodded. "There's one outside Purple Bamboo Forest, for the concubines' use."
The concubines' quarters were indeed in the eastern inner compound. A thought struck Qin Guan, and she suddenly seemed interested in the well-cleaning. Tipping her chin up, she said, "Come, let's follow and watch."
Fuling blinked in surprise but followed as Qin Guan strode ahead.
"Miss, why this sudden interest? Those wells are full of silt—foul-smelling! See those baskets? They'll haul the muck out. Best keep your distance—"
"Shh." Qin Guan silenced her with a gesture. Passing through winding corridors and skirting Crescent Lake's eastern shore, they soon reached the concubines' residences—small yet exquisite pavilions standing proudly, showcasing the mansion's opulence and Qin An's romantic indulgences. Qin Guan had no intention of peering into the concubines' affairs and simply followed the outer gallery.Soon, the group led by Liu Chun came to a halt. The well was located beneath a flower shed near the concubine's quarters, just outside the Purple Bamboo Forest but still some distance away. Upon arrival, Liu Chun directed the workers—some to draw water, others to tie ropes—quickly creating a clamor. Fuling sighed helplessly, "Miss, there's really nothing much to see here. To clean the sludge, they must first drain the well, which will likely take many days. This well won't be usable for nearly half a month."
Qin Guan frowned slightly. Naturally, she wasn’t interested in watching others clean sludge. She had only been intrigued because she’d heard the well was close to the Purple Bamboo Forest. But the scene before her held little appeal, so she resolved to find another opportunity.
After watching for a while longer, Qin Guan sighed. "I’ve seen enough. Let’s go back."
As she spoke, she turned to leave—but halfway through her turn, her brows suddenly twitched. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Liu Chun stepping out from the flower shed and heading straight toward the Purple Bamboo Forest!
Qin Guan’s frown deepened. What was Liu Chun going to the Purple Bamboo Forest for?
"Miss, aren’t we leaving?"
Fuling had already taken a few steps forward when she turned back and saw Qin Guan frozen in place, her gaze fixed intently on the direction of the Purple Bamboo Forest, her expression unusually grave.
"Miss, what’s wrong?"
Qin Guan’s heart pounded fiercely. An urge to follow Liu Chong and see what he was up to in the Purple Bamboo Forest nearly propelled her forward. But to do so would require passing the flower shed, inevitably causing a stir...
"Miss?" Fuling grew increasingly worried. Qin Guan’s previous visit to the Purple Bamboo Forest still hadn’t been explained, and now she was staring at it again—it was truly eerie. Rumors spoke of ghosts lurking within the forest. She prayed her mistress hadn’t been ensnared by some malevolent spirit!
"Miss! Don’t look anymore! There are unclean things in that Purple Bamboo Forest—"
Fuling tugged at Qin Guan’s sleeve, but the gesture only strengthened Qin Guan’s resolve to investigate. Shaking off Fuling’s hand, she took a step toward the forest—
"Finally found Ninth Miss!"
Just as Qin Guan moved, a clear, lively voice rang out not far behind her.
Turning, Qin Guan saw Cai He, panting heavily as she approached with two young maids in green. All three were drenched in sweat. Qin Guan raised a brow. "What’s happened?"
Cai He caught her breath. "Ninth Miss, you must come to the front courtyard at once."
The front courtyard? Given Cai He’s urgency, Qin Guan had assumed something had happened to Yao Xinlan or Jiang Shi...
"Why the front courtyard?"
Wiping sweat from her face, Cai He explained, "A distinguished guest has arrived and wishes to see you. The eldest and second young masters have already gone to greet them." She gasped again, exasperated. "Why did you come all the way out here? We searched Orchid Isle Courtyard and Windward Courtyard—we nearly had to check the western rear courtyard! Hurry, we mustn’t keep the guest waiting."
Qin Guan wanted to ask who the guest was, but Fuling interjected helplessly, "Sister Cai He doesn’t know—Miss wanted to watch them clean the sludge from the well..."
Cai He blinked in surprise, glancing toward the flower shed with a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Ninth Miss, really..." She stepped forward, urging, "Please, Miss, leave such menial tasks to the servants. You must hurry to the front courtyard."Cai He was genuinely anxious, almost to the point of wanting to pull Qin Guan along. Seeing this, Qin Guan reluctantly glanced back in the direction of the Purple Bamboo Forest before turning to walk toward the front courtyard. "Who is this distinguished guest?" she asked.
Cai He shook her head. "I don’t know. But the young master’s attendant has come to urge us several times already. The maids from Windward Courtyard have also been looking for you. Who would’ve thought you’d come this way…"
Qin Guan pressed her lips together, forcing herself not to look back. She only needed to remember. Everyone said the Purple Bamboo Forest was haunted, a forbidden place in the estate—so why had Manager Liu gone there just now? He hadn’t noticed her, and the other male servants had been blocked from view by the flower shed. What was he doing there in secret at this moment? Or who was he meeting?
Qin Guan felt as if a hundred claws were scratching at her heart. A perfect opportunity had been ruined. She pursed her lips, already feeling a twinge of resentment toward this so-called "distinguished guest." Why did they have to come now, of all times?!
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