Coroner's Diary

"Miss, what are you thinking about?"

On the way back to Orchid Isle Courtyard, Qin Guan hadn't spoken a word. Fuling, feeling curious, asked suspiciously.

Qin Guan snapped out of her thoughts, paused her steps, then turned to look in the direction of the concubines' quarters. Seeing this, both Fuling and Wan Xing followed her gaze. Fuling asked again, "What is Miss looking at?"

Qin Guan shook her head and turned back to continue walking. "Nothing. I just saw Eighth Concubine's prescription earlier and found it somewhat strange."

Fuling quickly asked, "Strange? What's strange about it?"

Qin Guan took a shallow breath. "The dosages of several herbs in her prescription are incorrect."

Fuling made a sound of acknowledgment, and Qin Guan sighed. "You're not yet at the stage where you can prescribe medicine for others, so you wouldn't understand what I mean. Essentially, every prescription has fixed dosages for each herb. Look at the prescription I just gave you—the amount of smilax glabra is only five qian because if there's too much of this herb, it will overpower the effects of the others. Sometimes, an excessive amount of a particular herb can even harm the patient."

Fuling nodded somewhat blankly. "I suppose... the physician who prescribed for Eighth Concubine isn't skilled enough and made a mistake. Then, Miss, could her prescription harm her?"

Qin Guan shook her head. "No, it won't. It just renders the prescription ineffective."

Fuling snorted lightly. "Then forget it. We don't need to go out of our way to mention it. I still remember how Eighth Concubine spoke to Miss before—her tone was neither kind nor respectful." Lowering her voice, she added, "Third Uncle used to dote on her greatly. Though she didn’t dare do anything to the madam, she was extremely arrogant and domineering toward the other concubines. She was also cruel to the servants in the household. I heard one of her maids had her arm broken from being beaten and was later sold off because of it. Who knows if she’s even alive now?"

In wealthy households, who would buy a servant with disabilities? Such people were invariably sold to the lowest and most wretched places. Just thinking about it made it clear that the maid’s fate couldn’t have been good.

Fuling sighed. "Now that the master is ill and the madam has tightened discipline in the inner courtyard, her arrogance has been suppressed. But who knows what will happen once Third Uncle recovers?"

Fuling, being a servant herself, always felt particularly sorrowful whenever she heard about such tragedies befalling other servants. Qin Guan turned to give her a comforting look. "Don’t worry. The illness she has isn’t a good one. Because of this alone, Third Uncle won’t dote on her as much as before."

Qin Guan had seen the prescription. Eighth Concubine suffered from persistent lochia. While the illness itself might not sound terrifying, many men in the Great Zhou dynasty considered menstruation in women to be inauspicious. In many noble households, even if the mistress was menstruating, the master would avoid her quarters for a few days. Let alone Eighth Concubine, who was merely a concubine—and she had an illness causing continuous lochia.

Fuling blinked and snorted lightly. "Indeed, heaven sees everything. Miss has done so many good deeds—she’ll surely enjoy health and prosperity. The madam used to say that doing good deeds was like accumulating blessings for oneself. For years, I thought she was wrong, but now I’m starting to believe it."After the passing of Qin Yi and his wife, Qin Guan and Fuling had endured a life of constant displacement and hardship, whether in the capital or Jinzhou. Where was the so-called "blessing" that the Second Madam Qin had spoken of?

Fuling had once been deeply skeptical, but now, seeing their lives gradually improve, she had come to believe it.

Qin Guan exhaled softly. "Indeed, doing good deeds is never wrong."

As they spoke, the three of them arrived back at Orchid Isle Courtyard. In the yard, Wan Tang was directing Wan Tao in sweeping the courtyard, while Wan Li was still nowhere to be seen. Qin Guan swept her gaze over the scene impassively before heading straight into the house. Turning back, she noticed Wan Tang had already begun ordering Wan Xing to clean.

Qin Guan then asked Fuling, who had followed her inside, "Is Wan Li still refusing to come out?"

Fuling snorted lightly. "Miss, you really ought to discipline Wan Li. Her behavior is utterly unacceptable. Since arriving in our courtyard, she’s barely done any work. From time to time, she even takes the stationery meant for bookkeeping in the side room and practices calligraphy like a young lady. I went to look—though her handwriting isn’t bad, she’s here to be a servant, not a mistress!"

Fuling huffed as she set the medicine packets aside. Qin Guan fetched a tray, placed the two packets on it, and carefully opened them. She then meticulously picked out a few specific herbs. Watching from the side, Fuling frowned. "Miss, this medicine... what are these selected herbs for? Are the others not needed?"

Qin Guan shook her head and set the chosen herbs aside.

"No, these are the useful ones. Store the rest separately."

Fuling’s eyes widened as realization dawned. "Ah, so that’s what you meant..."

Qin Guan gave a quiet hum. Though she intended to save Qin Li, she didn’t want to implicate herself. Moreover, the herbs she needed couldn’t be purchased openly by Fuling, as that would draw unwanted attention. Thus, she had divided the necessary ingredients for Qin Li’s treatment between two prescriptions. Out of the two formulas, only seven or eight herbs were actually useful to her. This way, it would go unnoticed, and with the Grand Princess as a pretext, no one would suspect she was treating Qin Li—making the whole affair far more discreet.

Fuling smiled. "Miss, you’re truly clever." Then she added, "Last night, you said you weren’t confident, but now that you’ve settled on the prescription, does that mean you’ve found a solution?"

Qin Guan sighed. "Syphilis is an incurable disease. It might be easier to treat in its early stages, but his case is already advanced. If I wanted, I could prescribe ten different formulas, but truly effective ones are few and far between."

As she sorted the herbs, her expression darkened. Qin Li’s illness was a hot potato, but since she had taken it on, she would devote all her effort to it. While instructing Fuling to fetch the mortar, she added, "Keep an eye on the others as usual. As for fetching the medicine, make sure Wan Xing handles it."

Fuling glanced at her. "Miss, do you trust Wan Xing that much?"

Qin Guan paused briefly in her task. "I wouldn’t say absolute trust, but I do find her somewhat special—at the very least, she harbors no ill will toward me. Since obtaining the medicine is crucial, let her handle it. As for the others, we can observe them further."

Fuling agreed cheerfully, while Qin Guan began grinding the herbs and reading a book.

She continued reading well into the afternoon. By mid-Shen hour, Mo Shu, who had been absent for days, arrived at Orchid Isle Courtyard."Greetings, Ninth Miss. Our young mistress isn't feeling well again. Could you please come take a look?"

Qin Guan raised an eyebrow—was Yao Xinlan unwell again?

Though suspicious, Qin Guan stood up. "What seems to be the trouble?"

At this question, Mo Shu's eyes reddened instantly. Lowering her head, she said, "You'll understand when you see for yourself."

Qin Guan's heart pounded. Yao Xinlan hadn't specifically asked for her medical attention these past few days. Why now? Had something else gone wrong?

Setting down the medicine pestle and book, Qin Guan tidied up briefly before heading out.

Upon arriving at Windward Courtyard, Qin Guan sensed an unusually oppressive atmosphere the moment she stepped inside. All the servants were gathered outside, holding their breath in fearful silence.

Mo Shu led Qin Guan and Fuling straight into the main chamber and then directly to the inner room. Just as Qin Guan reached the doorway, voices from inside became audible.

"Stop crying. What do you want me to say? It was just a dream!"

"Is a dream worth all this? Lan'er, don't you know what kind of person I am?"

"Lan'er, you've only just recovered. For the sake of our child, please don't dwell on this anymore, alright? You're the only one in my heart. You're the sole mistress of Windward Courtyard—have I ever spared a glance for anyone else?"

Qin Guan halted in her steps, while Fuling lowered her head, her expression shifting slightly.

The speaker was unmistakably Eldest Young Master Qin Chen, and the content of the conversation seemed highly inappropriate for outsiders to overhear. No wonder Mo Shu had been evasive earlier when questioned by her mistress—it turned out the young mistress and the young master were quarreling. Had Mo Shu sought Qin Guan's help out of concern that the argument might harm the young mistress's health?

Fuling sighed inwardly. Even the most loving couples couldn't avoid occasional disputes.

But... the young mistress's words hinted at something more. Could the young master have taken an interest in another woman?

"Young Master, Ninth Miss is here..."

Mo Shu's announcement was met with silence. Soon, Qin Chen responded, "Invite Ninth Sister in."

Turning to Qin Guan, Mo Shu pleaded with her eyes. "Ninth Miss, please come in."

Qin Guan stepped forward. At the entrance to the inner chamber, she spotted a shattered medicine bowl on the floor. Qin Chen stood by Yao Xinlan's bedside, while Yao Xinlan lay with her face streaked with tears, eyes tightly shut. Only the slight rise and fall of her chest betrayed her agitated state.

Qin Chen turned around, forcing a smile. "Ninth Sister, you're here. Please come in."

Qin Guan nodded at Qin Chen. "Eldest Brother..." Then she glanced at Yao Xinlan. "Eldest Brother's Wife..."

Qin Chen exhaled deeply. "Your sister-in-law isn't well. Please examine her and keep her company for a while."

Yao Xinlan remained motionless, but Qin Guan noticed her tears falling even faster now. Her delicate, doll-like face was drenched, her eyes red from crying, making her resemble a fragile porcelain figure on the verge of shattering.

"Very well, I'll examine Eldest Brother's Wife first," Qin Guan had no choice but to comply.

Qin Chen nodded, casting one last look at Yao Xinlan. "Good. I'll leave her in your care while I go to the study in the front courtyard. I'll return later."

Without further delay, Qin Chen departed.Qin Chen's footsteps were swift, and soon they faded into the distance. Listening to them, Qin Guan couldn't help but feel as though he had been eager to escape the Windward Courtyard from the start—the moment she arrived, he couldn't wait to leave.

If Qin Guan felt this way, Yao Xinlan felt it even more keenly.

She still didn't speak or open her eyes, lying motionless like a puppet. Yet Qin Guan could see the glistening tears rolling down her cheeks onto the pillow, which was already soaked through.

As a fellow woman, and one who was pregnant at that, Qin Guan couldn't hold back any longer. She stepped forward and said, "Eldest Brother's Wife, let me take a look at you."

Even after she spoke, Yao Xinlan remained still. Meanwhile, Mo Shu silently cleaned up the shattered medicine bowl from the floor, picking up the broken pieces while tears streamed down her face. Qin Guan and Fuling stood awkwardly, watching the tears of both mistress and maid. The atmosphere in the room seemed even more desolate and oppressive than before. Qin Guan sighed softly.

Sitting on the high stool by the bed, she spoke gently, "Eldest Brother's Wife, I know you're grieving, but if you keep crying like this, you'll harm both the child and yourself."

Yao Xinlan's lips pressed tightly together before she gritted her teeth and replied hoarsely, "You're worried about the child, aren't you? After all, you're also from the Qin Manor. This child belongs to the Qin family—that's what matters most, isn't it?"

Qin Guan blinked. "What kind of talk is that? Without the mother, where would the child come from? To speak bluntly, when I saved you that day, I wasn't thinking about rescuing an unborn child. I was thinking of saving you—a living, breathing person right before my eyes..." Her tone grew heavier. "Eldest Brother's Wife, whether you're a mother or not, the most important thing is to cherish yourself. Just a few days ago, I was happy to see you regaining your spirit. Why have you let yourself fall back into this state?"

Yao Xinlan's tears suddenly flowed even more fiercely, but she finally opened her reddened eyes. She gazed at Qin Guan with utter despair and sorrow. "I know you must think me pathetic in your heart, Ninth Sister. But you don't understand the pain of pouring all your love into a man who doesn't love you back."

Qin Guan felt as though something had pricked a tender spot in her heart. Yet, looking into Yao Xinlan's bloodshot eyes, she couldn't fully comprehend her suffering. "I've never devoted all my heart to another person, so I don't know the hardship and grief you're enduring. But Eldest Brother's Wife, why should a person live their life entirely for someone else? Even in love, one must first love oneself." She paused briefly before suddenly asking, "Eldest Brother's Wife, have you heard of a flower called dodder?"

Yao Xinlan was momentarily taken aback, unsure why Qin Guan had shifted the topic.

Qin Guan didn't wait for an answer and continued, "This flower is a medicinal herb used to treat kidney deficiency and fatigue. But you might not know that it often parasitizes large trees. The tragedy of this flower is that if it dies, the tree remains vibrant and alive. But if the tree dies, the flower withers and perishes with it."

As Qin Guan finished speaking, Yao Xinlan seemed to freeze in place, her tears halting mid-stream. After a few moments, the despair in her eyes gradually gave way to a flicker of life.She sniffled, her eyes fixed on the canopy above. "Do you know? I had a dream. I dreamed he had another woman—a woman in a peach-red dress, her silhouette breathtakingly beautiful. He held her so carefully, his eyes full of tenderness. Do you know? The dream felt so real. I saw the look in his eyes—he's never looked at me that way before."

As Yao Xinlan spoke, tears fell again. "I know I shouldn't dwell on a mere dream like this, but it's as if I'm bewitched. The dream lingers in my heart, and I just can't forget it."

Qin Guan frowned. "A dream? When did you have it?"

Yao Xinlan sniffled. "Last night. I dreamed I woke from a nap and wanted to take a walk. I followed the corridor by the side door and went outside. Near Crescent Lake, in that small grove, I saw them."

Qin Guan sighed inwardly. Earlier, when Qin Chen had mentioned it, she had felt some doubt. But now, hearing Yao Xinlan say it aloud, she couldn't help but confirm Qin Chen's words with resignation—it really was just because of a dream. Qin Guan shook her head with a wry smile. "Eldest Brother's Wife, dreams are often just reflections of our thoughts during the day. Sometimes, they don't even have any cause or meaning. Has Eldest Brother been too busy lately, making you suspicious? Maybe that's why you had this dream?"

Yao Xinlan pressed her lips together. "I... I'm not..."

Qin Guan glanced at Fuling, who wore the same expression as her. Clearly, getting so upset over a dream was making a mountain out of a molehill. Fuling inwardly felt Qin Chen was terribly wronged.

After a moment's thought, Qin Guan added, "Do you feel the dream was so real that it must mean something? Then think about it—has Eldest Brother been caring toward you these days? Has anything been different from usual?"

Yao Xinlan indeed fell into thought for a moment. Qin Guan then turned to Mo Shu. "Mo Shu, tell me—has the young master been acting strangely lately?"

Mo Shu shook her head. "Not at all. The young master rests here every night. When he leaves in the morning or afternoon, he always tells the young mistress where he's going and what he'll do. He returns exactly when he says he will. There's nothing amiss."

Qin Guan looked back at Yao Xinlan. "Did you hear that? You've been haunted by this nightmare, but those around you see things clearly."

At this, Yao Xinlan froze. Mo Shu was her personal maid, brought from the Yao household—there was no chance she would deceive her. Yao Xinlan stared blankly at Mo Shu. "Is what you said true?"

Mo Shu's eyes reddened. "Of course it's true. The young mistress is carrying the young master's child and has been exhausted. The recent upheavals have frightened her, so she's been unsettled lately. Seeing the young mistress quarrel with the young master over this worries me terribly. The young mistress and the young master are husband and wife—he is her support in this household, the one she should trust most. If they grow distant, it won't be good. If the young master were at fault, that would be one thing, but from what I've seen, he hasn't done anything wrong."

Yao Xinlan remained dazed. After a while, she wiped the corners of her eyes. "Alright, since you've said so, I'll let it go. I don't know what's come over me—I keep thinking these things and can't control my temper..."Yao Xinlan continued speaking to herself, then looked at Qin Guan and said, "Ninth Miss, could you prescribe me a calming and soothing formula?"

Qin Guan naturally nodded. "Eldest Brother's Wife, the crisis from before has passed. Now you just need ordinary nourishment. I'll prepare the formula you requested, and it can even be made into pills. Please don't overthink things."

Yao Xinlan immediately nodded. "Good, that's wonderful."

After saying this, Yao Xinlan lay straight and still. Mo Shu stepped forward to cover her with a thin blanket and said to Qin Guan, "Please examine our young mistress's pulse, Ninth Miss."

Qin Guan observed Yao Xinlan and noticed she looked somewhat fatigued. She nodded and began taking her pulse. After finishing, she wrote a new prescription. By the time she finished writing, Yao Xinlan had already closed her eyes and was breathing deeply in sleep.

Mo Shu carefully stored the prescription and escorted Qin Guan out, her eyes still red and swollen.

Fuling, standing nearby, asked, "Sister Mo Shu, why are you still upset? Hasn't the young mistress recovered? After taking the medicine our miss prescribed, she’ll only get better from now on."

Mo Shu looked at Qin Guan, hesitating as if she wanted to say something. "Ninth Miss..."

Qin Guan raised an eyebrow, while Fuling grew impatient. "Sister Mo Shu, just say it directly! You’re worrying us to death."

At these words, Mo Shu’s tears immediately fell, and she sobbed, "Ninth Miss, I fear our young mistress isn’t doing well at all."

"What do you mean?" Qin Guan frowned. "Just now when I examined her pulse, she only showed signs of weak qi and excessive worry."

Mo Shu shook her head. "Ninth Miss, these past few days, our young mistress has been forgetting many things. The day before yesterday, she had already taken her medicine but insisted she hadn’t, nearly taking a second dose. There was also a time when she had already gone for a walk but couldn’t remember and wanted to go out again late at night. And last night, she went to bed early but mistook her dreams for reality, saying she had gotten up and gone out while asleep..."

Mo Shu’s tears fell incessantly. "The young mistress isn’t herself, yet you couldn’t detect anything from her pulse. It’s just like... just like her maternal aunt who died of madness. Back then, many skilled physicians were called in, but none could diagnose anything from her pulse—yet she still went mad..."

Mo Shu couldn’t continue, but Qin Guan understood her meaning. Qin Chen had previously mentioned that someone in Yao Xinlan’s family had suffered from madness, and this condition had a high likelihood of affecting their descendants or other relatives. Mo Shu, witnessing Yao Xinlan’s strange behavior, feared she might be developing the same affliction.

Qin Guan’s brows knitted tightly together. No wonder—no wonder Yao Xinlan had quarreled with Qin Chen over a dream. It turned out she had already experienced so many memory lapses!

But what was the cause? Were these the early signs of madness?

Watching Mo Shu’s tears, Qin Guan suddenly felt a wave of helplessness. She had always believed her medical skills were strong—that as long as there was a chance to save someone, she could do it. But now, first with Qin Li and then with Yao Xinlan, both were afflicted with such bizarre and rare illnesses. Whether it was venereal disease or madness, even Medicine King Sun Xi couldn’t guarantee a cure, let alone her. For the first time, Qin Guan felt powerless.

"Don’t jump to conclusions yet. Eldest Brother told me that in your young mistress’s family..."Qin Guan stopped there, noticing the deep worry on Mo Shu's face, and continued, "It's normal for someone with a weak constitution to experience memory lapses during pregnancy. Don't be afraid—not everyone develops madness."

Mo Shu wiped away her tears, "This servant is just worried. If the young mistress continues like this, even if she doesn't harm herself, she might lose the master's heart eventually, and then..."

Mo Shu's concerns were indeed reasonable. Although Qin Guan's words to Yao Xinlan earlier were sincere, she herself understood how the world worked. Those words only applied to herself—for others, once married, their husbands became their sole hope and their entire lives.

For a moment, Qin Guan didn't know how to comfort her. After some thought, she could only say, "With you by her side to remind her, your young mistress won't be unaware of what's important. The way two people get along matters greatly, and Eldest Brother isn't such a heartless person either."

Mo Shu pressed her lips together, her expression turning somewhat sorrowful, though she didn't speak ill of Qin Chen. She merely said, "The young master is only human, and he will... This servant will naturally advise the young mistress. In fact, I've already said those words many times before, but the young mistress never takes them to heart. Sometimes she simply forgets them as soon as she hears them. I'm afraid..."

Qin Guan exhaled softly, "Actually, Eldest Brother's Wife is already carrying Eldest Brother's child. No matter what, she still has the child."

Qin Guan wasn't trying to paint the situation as hopeless. If nothing else, Lin Shi was the best example. Qin An was a philanderer, yet Lin Shi was still doing well. Regardless of right or wrong, it was never wrong for a person to strive to live well under any circumstances.

Mo Shu wiped her eyes again, "Yes, this servant understands. I will naturally counsel the young mistress more. She... was doted on by the master and mistress since childhood, and seeing how deeply they loved each other, she always imagined her future husband would cherish her the same way. When she met the young master, he adored her, and she adored him in return, so she threw herself wholeheartedly into him. But over time, some imperfections inevitably arose, and the young mistress is stubborn—she can't tolerate even the smallest flaw in her heart."

Qin Guan understood Yao Xinlan's feelings well, but these matters were beyond her control. She simply pitied Yao Xinlan, who had married into Qin Manor alone, was kind-hearted, and was now pregnant. "Do your best to console Eldest Brother's Wife. A broad mind is what matters most."

Mo Shu nodded, expressing her gratitude profusely before taking her leave. Qin Guan then headed to Orchid Isle Courtyard with Fuling.

Fuling sighed, "Everyone envies the young mistress, but seeing her like this earlier was truly heartbreaking. It's so strange—why would someone who found a husband like the young master still have such sorrowful moments?"

Qin Guan lifted her gaze, "Perhaps... because there's no such thing as perfect love in this world. No matter how deep the love, in the end, it's about living day to day—and in life, how can everything go smoothly?"

Fuling nodded, "That's exactly right."

The autumn chill grew heavier. Qin Guan tightened her collar, but the image of Yao Xinlan's tear-streaked face surfaced in her mind. She still remembered how Yao Xinlan looked when she smiled—exquisite and radiant, her eyes bright as polished lacquer. Combined with her gentle nature, she was truly a delight to behold. Perhaps that was why Qin Guan had taken such special care in treating her illness. Yet, compared to her smiling face, what Qin Guan had seen most often were Yao Xinlan's tearful or blank, lifeless expressions.

Yao Xinlan had once said that for a woman, meeting the one she loves marks the beginning of tears.But if love only turns one into a weeping, resentful woman, then why should one indulge in it at all?

Qin Guan wondered if her mother had ever said such words. In her memories, her mother and father had their share of quarrels, yet her mother never voiced such thoughts. The only thing her mother had said was that no matter which path a woman chose, she would suffer.

Though Qin Guan had never experienced love herself, her heart seemed dampened by Yao Xinlan's tears, suddenly feeling heavy. Lost in thought, she walked with her head lowered until a burst of noise caught her attention. Looking up, she saw the steward Liu Chun leading several male servants toward the inner courtyard, carrying hoes and ropes. Qin Guan frowned—the scene felt eerily familiar.

Fuling quickly explained, "They're going to clean the well. A few days ago, the mistress ordered all such tasks in the inner courtyard to be halted during the reorganization. Now that it's over, the work has resumed. Didn’t you notice the ginseng soup tasted a bit odd these past few days?"

Qin Guan shook her head. Fuling continued, "Aunt Liu from the kitchen said the well water has become harder to use. The water used for the masters' meals is now brought in from outside."

Fuling was always eager to nourish Qin Guan's health, and Qin Guan usually drank the soup in one gulp, never paying attention to its taste. Besides, cooking could vary greatly from person to person, so minor changes in flavor never concerned her.

Liu Chun and his group soon disappeared into the distance. Watching his retreating figure, Qin Guan felt the urge to follow him again.

Would Liu Chun take this opportunity to visit the Purple Bamboo Forest under the guise of cleaning the well?

The thought had barely formed when Fuling suddenly exclaimed, "Huh, who’s that…?"

Qin Guan snapped out of her reverie and followed Fuling's gaze. Her frown deepened instantly.

From the direction of the front courtyard, Qin Chen was walking alongside a man dressed in silver robes. Upon closer inspection, the man was none other than Huo Ning.

A flicker of surprise crossed Qin Guan's mind—what was Huo Ning doing at Qin Manor?

The thought was reflexive. Qin Guan had no desire to entangle herself with Young Master Huo again, lest he mistake her intentions once more. That would be utterly unjust.

She turned on her heel and strode briskly toward Orchid Isle Courtyard—

"Ninth Sister…"

Before she could take two steps, Qin Chen's voice rang out. Qin Guan felt two pairs of eyes boring into her back. She halted and reluctantly turned around. "Eldest Brother—"

Qin Chen beckoned her over. "Come here."

Qin Guan arched a brow. Though puzzled by Qin Chen's request, she maintained her composure and walked over gracefully.

"Eldest Brother, Eldest Brother's Wife has already gone to sleep. I prescribed her a calming tonic, so there’s no need to worry. Just spend some time with her when you return later," Qin Guan said as she approached, assuming Qin Chen wanted an update on Yao Xinlan.

Qin Chen seemed relieved and smiled. "That’s wonderful." He then glanced at Huo Ning beside him. "You know Brother Huo. He’s here to borrow a few books from our library. I need to search the inner storeroom—could you show Brother Huo around the courtyard in my stead?"

Qin Chen's expression was open and sincere, yet Qin Guan frowned.

Qin Chen must have known about Ninth Miss's past infatuation with Huo Ning. So why would he ask her to accompany him?Seeing Qin Guan hesitate to respond, Qin Chen stepped forward directly and patted her arm, then said in a low voice, "Ninth Miss, don’t be afraid. This matter won’t spread. Take Young Master Huo for a walk around Crescent Lake. I’ll join you shortly."

As he spoke, Qin Chen’s eyes held a hint of encouragement. Before Qin Guan could even reply, he walked past her. She turned around, stunned, watching Qin Chen stride farther away. Could it be that Qin Chen still thought she was as infatuated with Huo Ning as before and was trying to create an opportunity for her?!

Qin Guan was utterly exasperated. In the past, Ninth Miss would have been grateful beyond words, but now—she was no longer the same Ninth Miss. She didn’t need this kind of opportunity...

She glanced up and noticed that Huo Ning seemed slightly thinner than when she last saw him. His handsome features appeared even more sharply defined, though dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his brows were slightly furrowed, as if troubled by something. Yet the faint weariness did nothing to diminish his arrogance—he still held his chin high, his gaze sweeping past Qin Guan with detached indifference.

At this moment, Qin Guan could only hope Qin Shuang hadn’t been confined to the Buddhist shrine.

Qin Chen left quickly, and neither he nor Huo Ning had brought any attendants. In an instant, only Huo Ning and Qin Guan remained standing there. When Fuling saw that the visitor was Huo Ning, her expression flickered with complexity before she stepped aside and stood silently in attendance.

Qin Guan looked at Huo Ning without a trace of shyness or nervousness—so composed it bordered on indifference. She could very well turn and leave now, but she suspected this Young Master Huo would only conjure up some strange assumption if she did.

With that thought, she steeled herself. Why overthink it? Since her conscience was clear, treating him with the most ordinary attitude would suffice. A guest with whom she’d crossed paths a few times had come to Qin Manor, and Qin Chen had asked her to show him around Crescent Lake—there was nothing unusual about that.

Resolved, Qin Guan glanced at Huo Ning. "Young Master Huo, shall we?"

Huo Ning stood stiffly, fully prepared for Qin Guan to ignore him and walk away. To his surprise, she actually listened to Qin Chen and agreed to accompany him. Watching her already moving ahead, Huo Ning paused briefly before following.

The distance wasn’t far, so after just a few steps, the rockeries and pavilions by Crescent Lake came faintly into view. Qin Guan realized she hadn’t visited the lake in several days either—the last time she’d been here was the day Qin Shuang had pushed her in.

That was also the day she had discovered the secret that she might have been murdered in the Purple Bamboo Forest.

"Hey, why are you walking so fast?!"

Lost in thoughts of the case, Qin Guan’s mind had wandered elsewhere. Huo Ning’s shout snapped her back, and she halted, turning to see him striding over, chin raised. "I don’t want to go to Crescent Lake anymore. Take me somewhere else."

Qin Guan frowned. "There’s a patch of autumn chrysanthemums in the western garden. Would Young Master Huo care to see them?"

Huo Ning snorted through his nose. "Fine, let’s take a look."

With that, he turned. Having visited Qin Manor many times, he naturally knew where the western garden was. But after taking four or five steps, he suddenly sensed something amiss. Wheeling around, his eyes widened in disbelief.

Not only had Qin Guan not followed him—she had already walked all the way to the edge of Crescent Lake!"Hey, your elder brother told you to show me around Qin Manor! What are you doing?"

Qin Guan didn't even turn her head. "My elder brother told me to show you around Crescent Lake, not the gardens."

Qin Guan walked along the lakeshore and soon reached the massive Black Tortoise Stone. Fuling followed closely behind, afraid she might fall into the water again. Meanwhile, Huo Ning clenched his fists and strode toward the lake.

"I don't want to tour this place. Why aren't you leading the way?"

Qin Guan didn't even glance up. "If you don't want to be here, then leave. Is anyone stopping Young Master Huo? Go straight from here, then east—that's the steward's courtyard in the outer estate. Any steward there can take you to the western garden to admire the chrysanthemums."

As she spoke, Qin Guan frowned. This Huo Ning still hadn't learned to rein in his temper after all these encounters!

Huo Ning, watching Qin Guan crouch by the water, was furious. He stood on the opposite shore, teeth gritted. Qin Guan would only need to lift her gaze to see him, yet she seemed to ignore him once more!

Was it arrogance or indifference? Huo Ning glared at Qin Guan viciously. Suddenly, he shouted, "I don't want to tour here because I know you fell into this lake that day! Aren't you afraid to come back?"

Qin Guan was gazing at the water. The autumn clarity of Crescent Lake revealed its deepest emerald hues. Best of all, there was no wind—the surroundings were utterly still, the lake's surface like a mirror, reflecting her and Fuling with perfect clarity. The tranquility of the water calmed her heart, and so she heard Huo Ning's words distinctly.

She hadn't expected Huo Ning to say such a thing...

Seeing Qin Guan stare at him expressionlessly, Huo Ning stiffened his neck and blurted, "It's because you fell in back then for my sa—"

Before he could finish the word "sake," Qin Guan abruptly stood up. Across the lake, Huo Ning was so startled he choked on his words. As he tried to continue, Qin Guan said to Fuling, "Do you see that over there?"

Fuling looked up. "Where, Miss? Ah... there's something..."

Before she could finish, Qin Guan was already walking toward Huo Ning. He stood frozen, inexplicably tense as she approached with unstoppable momentum. Just as he grew frantic, unsure what she might do, Qin Guan suddenly bypassed him and went to the lakeshore beside him...

Huo Ning felt his entire body go cold. Meanwhile, Qin Guan rolled up her sleeve and retrieved a Jade Token from the water.

Fuling said, "Was this the shiny thing we saw from the other shore?"

Qin Guan examined the exquisitely crafted token in her hand. "Not shiny—reflective. This is—"

Her words cut off the moment she turned the token over.

On its back was clearly engraved the character "Yao."