Qin Guan stepped out of the carriage, her heart fluttering slightly when she saw Yan Chi holding up the curtain for her.
She alighted calmly and curtsied to Yue Qiong and Huo Huaixin. "Greetings, Marquis. Greetings, Prefect."
Huo Huaixin hurried down the steps, his face warm and welcoming. "Please rise, please rise! I am endlessly grateful that Ninth Miss has come. How could I dare accept your courtesy? Rest assured, only a few of us know of this matter—no outsiders will learn of it. Once it's resolved, we'll escort you directly to the Marquis's estate to see the Grand Princess. There will be no leaks."
Qin Guan nodded, then glanced up and was slightly surprised to see Huo Ning present as well. Considering his status, she quickly understood the reason. Composing herself, she asked solemnly, "Are all the necessary tools prepared?"
"Ready!" Xu He stepped forward with a smile, bowing respectfully. "Ninth Miss need not worry. Everything has been prepared according to what was needed at the Marquis's estate." As he spoke, he patted the large case slung over his shoulder.
Qin Guan acknowledged this with a nod and was about to ascend the steps when Huo Ning, who had been standing rigidly to the side, suddenly strode forward. "Wait!"
Qin Guan raised a brow and paused. Yan Chi and Yue Qiong both frowned, while Huo Huaixin's smile froze, his expression turning awkward and slightly angry as he glared at Huo Ning. "What are you doing?!"
Huo Ning's face was deathly pale, his fists clenched so tightly they trembled, as if he were furious beyond words. "Why her? How could it be her? The 'master' Father spoke of—is her?"
Huo Ning was utterly shocked. The fact that the visitor was a woman had already been hard to believe, but the combination of "master" and "woman" had filled him with excitement. He did not look down on women—if such a female master truly existed, he would have been inspired and honored to meet her.
But it could have been anyone—anyone except Qin Guan!
He did not scorn women in general, but he knew all too well what Qin Guan had been like in the past. Moreover, he had taken advantage of her admiration for him, secretly looking down on her with genuine disdain. Yet ever since their reunion at the Marquis's estate, this timid, awkward girl had changed—not only mocking him repeatedly but also acting as if he were beneath her notice!
Humiliated and furious, he had thrown himself into this case, determined to prove his worth to her. But never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the long-awaited master—the one who might decide whether this case could be solved—was Qin Guan!
No! Impossible!
She was just an obscure orphan from Qin Manor. How could she make the Anyang Marquis and his father lower their heads? How could she be the extraordinary woman they praised? How could she warrant Prince Rui's heir personally fetching her? How—how could she, of all people, make him realize that she was now the one beyond his reach?!
"Nonsense! Do not disrespect Ninth Miss!" Huo Huaixin's face flushed red with anger. "Didn’t you want this case solved? Yes, Ninth Miss is the master who helped clear Second Young Master’s name last time! That she has come to assist us now is an act of great generosity on her part. Stop making a scene and step back—I never should have let you stay!"
Then, forcing a smile, he turned apologetically to Qin Guan. "Ninth Miss, please pay him no mind. He’s always been unruly and prone to causing trouble."Yue Qiong looked at Huo Ning with slight surprise. His keen perception told him that Huo Ning had been spoiled, but he hadn’t imagined it had gone this far. As he pondered the reason, Yue Qiong suddenly recalled a rumor Jiang Shi had mentioned in passing.
Yue Qiong was somewhat puzzled, but Yan Chi, Yue Qing, and even Xu He beside him understood Huo Ning’s thoughts all too well.
Yue Qing stepped forward and continued with a faintly mocking smile, “What’s the matter, Young Master Huo? Why can’t it be Ninth Miss? Her medical skills are exceptional—she cured my grandmother’s illness. Even the Prefect witnessed her corpse examination last time. Do you think my father and the Prefect would act recklessly in such a major case?”
Yue Qing’s tone carried displeasure, and Huo Huaixin’s face darkened further. “Second Young Master speaks wisely.”
Yan Chi’s brows lifted slightly as he observed Yue Qing’s protective stance toward Qin Guan. With a cool glance at Huo Huaixin, he remarked, “Time is pressing. The Prefect cannot afford delays. If we wait any longer, the Mortuary Temple may not remain undisturbed.”
Though Yan Chi’s words were calm, they carried an undercurrent of quiet authority. Huo Huaixin instantly broke into a cold sweat!
Displeasure from Yue Qiong and his son was one thing, but provoking this Demon King—Prince Rui’s heir—was truly terrifying!
Huo Huaixin nodded repeatedly in agreement, then shot Huo Ning a sharp glare before gesturing respectfully to Qin Guan. “Ninth Miss, let us proceed inside. Pay him no mind—everything inside is prepared.”
Huo Ning remained frozen in place, fully aware of how foolish he appeared yet unable to restrain himself. His outburst had sealed his defeat. From start to finish, Qin Guan had merely glanced at him with serene composure—she hadn’t even needed to utter a word. His father’s scolding and the disdainful looks from the others had already plunged him into utter humiliation.
Qin Guan nodded, entirely unaffected by Huo Ning’s challenge. Lifting the hem of her skirt slightly, she ascended the steps unhurriedly. Huo Huaixin led the way, followed by Yan Chi, Yue Qiong, and the others, with even Fuling quickly stepping inside.
Soon, only Huo Ning remained at the entrance of the Mortuary Temple, his face ashen.
Fei Quan and Nan Feng exchanged stunned glances. As Huo Ning’s personal attendants, they knew all too well about his past with Qin Manor’s Ninth Miss. Fei Quan inhaled sharply. “Heavens… how can it be Ninth Miss? She was clearly—”
“Look at how the Prefect treats her, how the Marquis treats her, and even Prince Rui’s heir! This is simply…” Nan Feng’s jaw nearly dropped in disbelief. “Ninth Miss has changed so much…”
The crisp autumn morning breeze swept past, gradually thawing Huo Ning’s rigid posture. He turned and glared fiercely at Fei Quan and Nan Feng before clenching his teeth, fists tightening, and striding into the Mortuary Temple.
His demeanor suggested he was ready for a fight, but only he knew the depth of his unwillingness.
He still refused to believe it—he had to see for himself what Qin Guan was truly capable of!
Inside the dim and eerie Mortuary Temple, the caretaker, Uncle Kuan—a gaunt, hoarse-voiced man clad in coarse black hemp—stood waiting at the side hall’s entrance with a lantern in hand. As Huo Huaixin and the others escorted a beautifully dressed young woman inside, his withered face remained expressionless, though a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes. After scrutinizing Qin Guan briefly, he respectfully pushed open the side hall’s door.The door opened, and a chilling gust of air mixed with the stench of decay hit them instantly, sending goosebumps all over Qin Guan's body. Xu He quickly stepped forward, entering the side hall first. "Ninth Miss, please wait a moment. I'll light the Aversion Incense right away."
Having witnessed Qin Guan's corpse examination before, Xu He had already prepared wormwood incense to mask the odor. He busied himself opening his case, while Qin Guan walked in without hesitation, composed and unbothered. Yue Qing, who had been eagerly following behind, paused at the doorway, but seeing Qin Guan's calm demeanor, he steeled himself and entered as well.
Yue Qiong and Yan Chi followed shortly after. Having experienced the brutality of the battlefield, their expressions remained unchanged.
Fuling stood at the back, peering through the gaps between the others. The sight inside the side hall turned her face deathly pale in an instant.
A long table stood in the center, bearing a headless figure. Around the room, aside from ice basins, white spirit banners and colorful paper effigies were placed, filling the air with the scent of joss paper and incense. It was a macabre and eerie ancestral hall—made even more horrifying by the fact that the deceased lying on the "spirit bed" was clad in a Wedding Gown as red as blood.
"Fuling, wait outside."
Qin Guan didn’t turn around but seemed to sense Fuling's fear, issuing the order calmly.
Fuling exhaled in relief. She hadn’t witnessed Qin Guan’s previous corpse examination, so this was her first time seeing such a scene. Yet, watching Qin Guan stride forward fearlessly, Fuling hesitated despite her relief.
She had resolved to learn medicine from her mistress—would she cower at the sight of blood or broken limbs in the future? With that thought, Fuling gritted her teeth and stepped inside.
But that single step brought her face-to-face with the most terrifying sight she had ever seen.
Up close, vividly, she saw Song Rou’s headless corpse.
The dazzling red Wedding Gown draped grotesquely over Song Rou’s body. Her bare neck was a ghastly shade of brown-black, and her exposed hands were ashen and stiff, faint purple patches visible on the backs. Beneath her, on the brown table, a pool of foul, putrid liquid had gathered below the neck. Overwhelmed by terror, Fuling stood frozen, her eyes fixed on the corpse. Suddenly, she noticed movement at the severed neck. Holding her breath, she strained to see—
Pus oozed from beneath the dark brown scab covering the neck, and within the rotting flesh, something squirmed, struggling to crawl out. Fuling’s eyes widened. Then, with horrifying clarity, she saw a white maggot drop from Song Rou’s neck. Looking closer, the putrid liquid on the table was teeming with a writhing layer of larvae. Fuling gagged and bolted outside.
No one was surprised by Fuling’s reaction. Even these grown men could barely stomach the sight, let alone a young girl like her. In comparison, Qin Guan’s unflinching composure was truly remarkable.
Qin Guan sighed inwardly and took out a sachet from her sleeve.
She retrieved a few medicinal pills and handed them to Yue Qing. "Have everyone hold these in their mouths."Yue Qing had long been feeling unwell but was trying his best to endure it. Hearing the suggestion, he quickly accepted with a smile. The last time they dealt with Lin Daxing's corpse, it was at least fresh. This time, however, Song Rou's body was vastly different—six days had passed. If not for the ice basin, her condition would have been even more gruesome.
It was at this moment that Huo Ning walked in. He had just encountered Fuling and assumed that even someone as composed as Qin Guan would be unsettled. Yet, upon entering, he found that apart from Yan Chi, Qin Guan was the most composed person in the room!
Yan Chi was one thing, but Qin Guan not only showed no fear of the dead—she wasn’t even disgusted?
Huo Ning was utterly stunned. Just then, Qin Guan glanced over indifferently. He expected her to mock him again, but she merely gave him a calm look before turning away as if nothing had happened.
This was somehow worse than being mocked!
Meanwhile, Yue Qing smiled and asked, "Young Master Huo, would you like one of Ninth Miss's pills?"
Huo Ning replied coldly and resentfully, "I don’t need it."
Yue Qing raised an eyebrow but said nothing more. Huo Huaixin snorted in annoyance, also choosing to ignore him.
On the other side, Qin Guan placed a pill in her own mouth. She took out the gauntlet Yan Chi had given her from her sleeve and put it on while examining the corpse. Seeing that Qin Guan was preparing for the corpse examination, Huo Huaixin quickly interjected, "Ninth Miss, this time is different from the Lin Daxing case."
Qin Guan frowned. "How so?"
Huo Huaixin sighed. "Miss Song comes from a distinguished family. The Duke's household hasn’t arrived yet, and Young Master Wei previously instructed that we must not perform an autopsy to preserve Miss Song’s appearance. Under these circumstances, it’s truly difficult to uncover any substantial evidence."
Qin Guan finished adjusting her gauntlet. This time, she didn’t borrow Xu He’s tools but instead drew Cold Moon directly from her sleeve. She stepped forward slowly, scrutinizing the headless corpse as if it were an object.
"Not performing an autopsy is indeed a hindrance."
Hearing this, Huo Huaixin nodded with a pained expression. "Exactly."
"However—"
Qin Guan’s tone shifted as she reached toward Song Rou’s collar. "It doesn’t mean we can’t find any clues at all."
This statement made Huo Huaixin’s eyes light up. Qin Guan glanced at the examination report and writing tools placed nearby.
She had originally intended for Xu He to record her findings, but with just a look, a pair of well-defined hands picked up the report instead. Following those hands, Qin Guan met Yan Chi’s dark, night-like gaze.
Yan Chi looked at her steadily. "You speak, I’ll record."
Their eyes locked for a moment before Qin Guan turned away. Her expression was solemn and focused, and after a brief pause, she spoke calmly.
"Female victim, approximately five feet two inches in height."
After a slight pause, she added, "Due to the absence of the head, identity cannot be confirmed at this time."
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