Chapter 18

At dawn, when the morning glow spread across the emerald sky, a sudden knock resounded through Baisong Street.

Moments later, a drowsy doorman slowly drew back the door latch. With the lord stationed elsewhere for military duty, the heir away studying, and the young master unoccupied, the house had no masters going out early in the day. The doorman was indulging in some lazy naps, but who could be so thoughtless as to disturb his peaceful morning?

Rubbing his eyes, the doorman grumpily asked, “Who—”

Before he could utter the “ya” sound, his eyes widened in shock. Outside the door stood more than ten individuals dressed in stately official uniforms adorned with intricate embroidery, silver swords at their waists. The fierce, clawed silver pattern of the mythical beast Xiezhi on their robes instantly banished all traces of sleep from the doorman’s mind.

At the forefront was Xie Jian, who declared, “We are Longyi Guards investigating a case. Summon your young master to respond.”

The doorman opened his mouth to speak but then caught sight of Xie Xinglan behind Xie Jian. Recognizing him, he stammered, “Xie… Xie…”

Faced with Xie Xinglan’s grim expression, the doorman failed to finish saying “Xie.” Instead, he turned around and ran, shouting as he went, “Young master! The Imperial Envoy from the Xie family is here with the Longyi Guards!”

The shouts reached deep into the courtyard, where one of Du Ziqin’s servants vaguely heard the commotion. His face immediately turned pale, and he spun around, yelling, “Young master, bad news! Xie Xinglan has arrived with the Longyi Guards!”

Du Ziqin was deep in his dreams when he heard the shout, and his pleasant dream turned into a nightmare. He bolted upright with a start. “What? Xie Xinglan has barged into the manor? Is he here to seek revenge for blocking Xie Jian the other day?!”

The servant urged, “Young master, you must get up quickly! Xie Xinglan is storming the manor—they’ve already entered the gates!”

Still shaken, Du Ziqin glanced around his room and suddenly realized—this was his own residence, the Marquis Dingbei’s residence! He quickly grabbed his clothes, hopped out of bed, and dashed out the door without even properly putting on his shoes. “Summon everyone—”

“Gather all the guards and warriors in the courtyard and arm them with everything we’ve got!”

“Xie Xinglan has some nerve, daring to storm our manor over a mere retainer—”

Disheveled and haphazardly dressed, Du Ziqin seized a long sword from the servant’s hand and marched fiercely toward the front courtyard with his entourage. Being from a family of martial generals, it only took moments for the guards and warriors to gather—altogether, nearly thirty people were trailing behind him.

As he approached the courtyard gate, Du Ziqin raised his sword high and exclaimed with gusto, “Today, I’ll teach him what it means to lock the door and strike the dog! Attack—”

Before the word “attack” could leave his lips, Du Ziqin froze abruptly. In the front courtyard stood over ten individuals, their expressions calm and their swords still sheathed. Most notably, Xie Xinglan stood in the group disinterestedly. Beside him was a graceful and slender figure—Du Ziqin frowned deeply upon seeing her. Was it the County Princess Yunyang again?

Qin Ying glanced at him and, after sizing him up, asked, “What were you saying about locking the door and striking what?”

Du Ziqin’s hand, which had been raised high with the sword, awkwardly lowered. Tugging at his collar and struggling to maintain his bravado, he shouted, “In broad daylight, Xie Xinglan, how dare you storm into our manor and create havoc? Do you really think the people of Marquis Dingbei’s residence live on idle bread?”

Xie Xinglan’s eyes glinted with mockery. “Excluding your father and brother, you can’t exactly prove otherwise.”

Du Ziqin glared furiously, but before he could curse, Xie Xinglan’s face turned cold. “Enough. If this weren’t official business, I wouldn’t have bothered coming. Today, we’re here to investigate a case. You’d better answer every question truthfully.”

Du Ziqin sneered. “What case are you investigating? Trying to frame me like your adoptive father used to do?”

“If I wanted to frame you, why would I need to come to your door?” Xie Xinglan’s hand settled on his sword hilt. “However, if you refuse to cooperate, you might end up bearing an actual crime. At the Hairpin Banquet two years ago in June, you stole Miss Fu Zhen’s belongings and used them to tarnish her reputation. Is there any truth to this?”

Du Ziqin flew into a rage. “Nonsense! That item was clearly delivered to me by someone she sent! The Hairpin Banquet was held for noble matchmaking in the capital. She gave me such a paired pendant; wasn’t her intention obvious? As the daughter of a Minister, she wanted to marry into Marrquis Dingbei’s residence. What’s wrong if I mocked her for it? Why does everyone say I smeared her reputation?”

Du Ziqin’s poor character and fiery temper were well-known. Xie Xinglan’s accusations immediately provoked him into a heated, fervent defense, his anger evidently genuine. Seeing his reaction, Xie Xinglan found Qin Ying’s deductions increasingly plausible.

Then, Xie Xinglan solemnly said, “If you feel wronged, then clearly explain what happened that day.”

Du Ziqin was about to respond when he suddenly noticed something odd. While dismissing the guards behind him and adjusting his attire, he stepped forward and questioned, “This incident happened two years ago. Why are you asking about it now? All I know is that the Cui and Xue families faced murder cases. How is this connected to the Fu family?”

Du Ziqin was determined not to cooperate with Xie Xinglan. At this moment, Qin Ying asked, “You said Fu Zhen sent someone to deliver it to you—who was that person? Was it someone close to Fu Zhen?”

Faced with Qin Ying, Du Ziqin was no longer as arrogant. “I don’t know the person’s name, but they clarified that Fu Zhen gifted it to me. Normally, if someone is interested in you, they would simply give flowers. When I saw she had given a jade pendant, she was obviously eager to marry into the Marquisate. Why should I care who delivered the pendant?”

Qin Ying then asked, “Did you verify that the pendant indeed belonged to Fu Zhen?”

Du Ziqin raised his eyebrows. “Of course. At the time, several people were beside me, and they immediately recognized the pendant as one of Fu Zhen’s cherished possessions. Why would I need to go to her personally for confirmation?”

“And who were the people beside you?”

“Some noble ladies.” After saying this, Du Ziqin suddenly frowned. “Cui Wan was one of them. She was the first to identify the pendant as Fu Zhen’s, and the others, who were well-acquainted with Fu Zhen, confirmed it too.”

Both Qin Ying and Xie Xinglan’s expressions darkened. With so many people at the Hairpin Banquet, how did Cui Wan happen to be beside Du Ziqin then?

Qin Ying asked again, “Where was Xue Ming at that time?”

Du Ziqin thought for a moment. “I truly can’t recall; he probably wasn’t around.”

After saying this, his face turned irritated. “It’s utterly absurd. That day should never have escalated to this extent. But later, when everyone heard Fu Zhen gifted me the jade pendant, they all started gossiping. I was afraid she’d cling to me, so of course, I had to crush her hopes. Then, before long, she came to accuse me instead! What a joke. I can marry any reputable noble lady I want. Why would I settle for her?”

Xie Xinglan didn’t need to speak; Qin Ying had already asked all the critical questions. While Du Ziqin recounted his story, Xie Xinglan kept observing Qin Ying. Her quick thinking, sharp intuition, and meticulous reasoning rivaled the skills of any Longyi Guards present. She seemed like a seasoned investigator—but how could that be possible?

At this point, it was clear that someone had orchestrated a scheme to frame Fu Zhen. If Fu Zhen had lost the pendant herself, the person who found it would either greedily keep it or return it to her—not gift it to someone else and falsely claim it was from Fu Zhen to Du Ziqin.

Qin Ying asked, “Can you recall what the person who gave you the jade pendant looked like?”

Du Ziqin immediately said, “I could recognize that person even if they were reduced to ashes. After being falsely accused by Fu Zhen, I also tried to find him, but he was nowhere to be found. He was an unfamiliar servant with long eyebrows and narrow eyes, short and thin, half a head shorter than me. Also, when he handed me the jade pendant, I noticed a faint scar on the back of his left hand, as if it was from an injury he suffered in childhood…”

Qin Ying turned to look at Xie Xinglan. Xie Xinglan responded seriously, “With such a description, it shouldn’t be difficult to locate him.”

Qin Ying nodded and asked Du Ziqin, “Did anything else happen afterward?”

Du Ziqin, still annoyed, replied, “What could have happened? Besides being laughed at by everyone, of course. Oh, right, Xue Ming—after a few days, that guy openly joked in front of a crowd, asking if I planned to propose to the Fu family. I almost got into a fight with him!”

Creating chaos at the Hairpin Banquet wasn’t enough; the rumors were amplified, pressuring the Fu family to send Fu Zhen away sooner. Qin Ying felt the weight of the situation and said, “These are all the questions we needed to ask. We’ll take our leave now.”

Du Ziqin still didn’t understand why the murders of the Cui and Xue families were connected to the Fu family. As Qin Ying and Xie Xinglan were preparing to leave with their group, he shouted unwillingly, “Next time you visit, don’t expect to leave so easily.”

Xie Xinglan didn’t even glance back, but Xie Jian turned and laughed, “If the young master wants a fight, we’re ready anytime.”

Du Ziqin was trembling with anger. The servant beside him scoffed, “Young master, it seems they’re not here to cause trouble. The Emperor ordered Xie Xinglan to solve the case within ten days, or he’d be removed from his position as Imperial Envoy. There are only a few days left, so he can’t spare time to trouble us.”

Du Ziqin narrowed his eyes dangerously. “Solve the case in ten days?”

…

After leaving the Marquis Dingbei’s residence, Xie Xinglan immediately sent people to investigate the Cui and Xue families for any leads on the servant who delivered the jade pendant. He then told Qin Ying, “The Fu family’s ancestral land is far away in Fenzhou. For now, we can only start with the Fu family’s servants. Over the past two years, the Fu family must have exchanged letters with their ancestral home. However, the most critical thing is to find direct evidence of Fu Ling’s possible crime.”

Qin Ying nodded. “Indeed. Fu Ling now has a motive for committing the crime, and coupled with the inexplicable disappearance of the artificial mountain’s blueprint, her suspicion grows stronger. But without direct evidence, all other conjectures are merely investigative methods.”

She firmly concluded, “Fu Ling must have left the Fu family that night. At the rockery, she surely employed some kind of deceptive technique. She visited the artificial mountain twice in total—first with Wu Shuyue and later accompanying Zhao Yumian. Therefore, she must have committed the murder during her first visit.”

Xie Xinglan recalled Fu Ling’s testimony, “Although she and Wu Shuyue walked separately, they could hear each other’s voices. The artificial mountain is quite large, spanning considerable distances. She couldn’t possibly talk to Wu Shuyue on one side while committing murder on the other.”

Qin Ying shook her head. “There must be a way—we just haven’t thought of it yet. Is it true that Huang Ting’s blueprint cannot be found?”

Xie Xinglan replied, “After investigating last night, we found that Fu Zhongming personally promoted the registrar at Honglu Temple. If ordered by Fu Zhongming, this person is highly likely to be lying. However, Fu Zhongming’s reputation has been excellent in recent years, and he is currently working with the Ministry of Works to build the Weiyang Pool scenic area for the end-of-year Nanzhao envoy’s audience.”

Qin Ying remarked, “A good reputation doesn’t mean one wouldn’t err for their daughter’s sake.”

After an autumn rain yesterday, the chill of the morning grew stronger. Qin Ying tightened her cloak and continued pondering the peculiarities of the grotto. If Wu Shuyue were truly considered Fu Ling’s witness, their conjecture would be wrong, even if they found a motive.

As the hour grew late, Xie Xinglan said, “It’s not appropriate to search the premises now. If Fu Ling is truly the murderer, knowing our movements, she’d already be well-prepared. I’ll take my team to investigate what happened at the Fu household the night Xue Ming was murdered.”

Qin Ying responded, “I’ll head to the Earl’s manor to check.”

The two divided their forces and parted ways at the fork outside Baisong Street. Once Xie Xinglan left, Xie Jian asked Qin Ying, “County Princess, are you really going to Earl Zhongyuan’s residence?”

Qin Ying shook her head, “I’ll go to Commander Wu’s mansion first.”

The carriage headed straight to Mao’er Alley in Changxing District. When they arrived at Wu’s residence, Shen Luo announced their presence. Receiving the message, Wu Shuyue came out, surprised to see Qin Ying visiting in person.

Without hesitation, Qin Ying said, “I need you to accompany me to Earl Zhongyuan’s residence.”

Wu Shuyue looked puzzled. “Why are we going to the Earl’s residence?”

Qin Ying replied with a slightly solemn expression, “I want you to walk through the artificial mountain’s cave with me again.”

…

Due to the murder case, Wu Shuyue had been reluctant to visit Cui Wan for mourning these past few days. Since she was with Qin Ying today, they first went to Zhaomu Pavilion to offer incense to Cui Wan.

Today marked the seventh day after Emperor Zhenyuan’s decree. Based on the timing, it was the day of Cui Wan’s first seven-day memorial. In the meticulously arranged mourning hall, rituals were being performed, and Madam Lin, despite her frail condition, held Cui Han’s hand as they waited near the altar.

Since the incident, Madam Lin had decided not to conceal the truth from Cui Han any longer. She had made him kneel before Cui Wan’s memorial from the start. At this moment, Cui Han’s eyes were red, and he wore a moon-white plain robe, resembling mourning attire. The scene inexplicably struck Qin Ying as odd—Cui Han was not Madam Lin’s biological son nor Cui Wan’s true sibling. Yet, here he was, with the mother holding the hand of her illegitimate son, keeping vigil for Cui Wan together.

Qin Ying and Wu Shuyue finished offering incense together and had just stepped out when Cui Jin approached them. He asked, “County Princess, do you know how far the Longyi Guards have progressed in their investigation? Have they found the culprit behind Wan’er’s murder?”

Qin Ying shook her head. “My lord, please accept my condolences. The culprit has not yet been found.”

Though not as overcome with grief as Madam Lin, the past seven days had visibly aged Cui Jin. He gazed at Cui Wan’s casket, saying, “Today is Wan’er’s seventh-day memorial. It’s said that on this day, the departed may return as a spirit. Yet, after all this time, the Longyi Guards have made no progress. If this continues, how will they solve the case within ten days?”

Qin Ying could not reveal any details of the investigation to Cui Jin. Instead, she and Wu Shuyue offered him words of comfort. Realizing he could not press two young women for answers, Cui Jin relented. Before long, Qin Ying and Wu Shuyue arrived outside the artificial mountain.

This time, before entering the artificial mountain, Qin Ying instructed Xie Jian, “Go and bring me some ink and brushes.”

Xie Jian was slightly surprised. “What does the County Princess intend to do?”

Calmly composed, Qin Ying replied, “Since we can’t find the blueprint, I’ll draw one myself.”

The three men were visibly astonished, and Bai Yuan exclaimed, “County Princess, this artificial mountain was designed by Huang Ting. Many people have been here more than a dozen times and still can’t figure it out. How could you possibly map it out?”

Qin Ying sighed and said, “This is the only option to solve the case. No matter how tedious, it’s better than waiting idly.” She turned to Xie Jian and asked, “Don’t you want your lord to solve the case quickly?”

Xie Jian was moved and exclaimed, “I do! I’ll go get ink and brushes right away!”

Within a quarter of an hour, Xie Jian returned with the materials. The group entered the artificial mountain, and Qin Ying followed the path Wu Shuyue had taken on that fateful night. As they walked, she marked each fork with numbered signs. Her mapping method was quite novel, drawing the curious attention of Xie Jian, Wu Shuyue, and the others.

Wu Shuyue explained as they walked, “That night, we took separate paths. I could hear Fu Ling’s voice, and she could hear mine. However, the sound would fluctuate—sometimes louder, sometimes quieter—and occasionally, it would cut off, likely because we reached remote corners. But it never disappeared for more than half the time it takes to burn incense. For either of us to commit murder, the act would have taken far longer.”

While Qin Ying focused on documenting the route, she soon encountered difficulties. After marking paths and fork points for a good while, she realized many paths looped around. Inside the grotto, it was nearly impossible to discern directions. Even knowing where a path led, it was hard to determine the thickness of the walls between two passageways or the length of the bends.

Wu Shuyue only knew her own route and was unaware of Fu Ling’s whereabouts. As dusk approached, Wu Shuyue, worried about her family, excused herself to leave. Qin Ying arranged for someone to escort her out.

After Wu Shuyue’s departure, Xie Jian remarked, “Aside from Huang Ting, no one likely understands the artificial mountain’s layout. That day, when I entered with the lord to find you, the sounds seemed close, yet we ended up circling around for ages.”

Qin Ying remembered the situation inside the artificial mountain that day. “I know. This is due to the many twisting paths. It feels like we’re following the sounds, but we’re actually walking along the labyrinthine passages, circling back in the opposite direction. However, earlier, we tested something—when someone calls out at the grotto’s exit, the sound can’t be heard from a distance—”

Xie Jian noticed the pages filled with Qin Ying’s sketches and was somewhat moved. “It’s nearly dark now. Soon, it’ll be even harder to see in the cave. Perhaps you should return home and continue tomorrow?”

Qin Ying shook her head, unwilling to give up so easily. Many suspicions pointed to Fu Ling. Though her motive wasn’t necessarily fatal, she remained the prime suspect. Additionally, Wu Shuyue hadn’t seen her that night, making their mutual alibis incomplete. Yet, Qin Ying still couldn’t determine the reasoning behind it all. She stayed for more than another half hour. By the time the sky outside had gone completely dark, her efforts had yielded only a few somewhat inaccurate maps. Suddenly, a sound echoed from outside, and Xie Jian perked up with delight. “It’s the lord!”

Qin Ying didn’t allow herself even a trace of joy. When Xie Xinglan emerged from the narrow path, he was met with her expression of persistent frustration. He looked at her closely. “What’s going on? They said you’ve been inside all day.”

Eager to praise her efforts, Xie Jian said, “Look, Lord, these are all drawn by the County Princess. Since we couldn’t find the original blueprint, she insisted on creating her own. She hasn’t rested from afternoon till now.”

Xie Xinglan examined two of the maps. Though they didn’t prioritize artistry or aesthetics, they clearly and directly marked the small paths within the grotto. In just three or four hours, Qin Ying had produced over twenty maps. As he reviewed them one by one, it was evident she meticulously verified and refined each attempt. By the latest two or three maps, nearly half of the artificial mountain’s inner structure had been accurately charted.

A flicker of surprise flashed in Xie Xinglan’s eyes, though he quickly masked it. Just then, Xie Jian softly said, “The County Princess knows you only have ten days and fears you won’t solve the case in time—that’s why she insists on staying instead of returning home early…”

Xie Jian had clearly misunderstood Qin Ying’s intentions, as she was too absorbed in sketching and didn’t hear his remark.

However, Xie Xinglan did hear it, and his expression briefly softened in response. His gaze deepened as he looked at Qin Ying. The glow of the lantern light illuminated her profile, making her skin seem as flawless as jade. The intensity of her furrowed brow and her focus conveyed an unwavering determination to solve the puzzle. For a fleeting moment, Xie Xinglan felt stirred, but he quickly steeled himself, his sword-like brows tightening with clarity. For whom Qin Ying was doing this, did he need to think deeply about it?

He gathered the papers and said coolly, “It’s too late tonight. We’ll continue tomorrow.”

Qin Ying exhaled, still feeling dissatisfied. “I’ve considered everyone’s testimony. The only person with anomalies is Xue Ming, but he’s dead. Lin Qian has neither motive nor evidence pointing to him. Only Fu Ling remains, but I still can’t decipher it…”

Xie Xinglan averted his gaze, not looking at her as he continued, “Today’s investigation into the Fu household revealed that on the night of Xue Ming’s death, two maids left the house to summon a priest for Fu Ling—”

“Shh—”

Before Xie Xinglan could finish, Qin Ying abruptly motioned for silence. She turned to Xie Xinglan and Bai Yuan and asked, “Do you hear that sound?”

Bai Yuan could only hear a few eerie gusts of wind. Suddenly, she remembered that tonight was Cui Wan’s seven-day memorial, and her face paled in fear. “County Princess, could it be Miss Cui’s spirit returning?”

Qin Ying reassured her by holding her hand and urged, “Listen carefully—”

Her composed yet somewhat haunting demeanor froze Bai Yuan, who clung to her side without moving. The others instinctively held their breath as the cave fell completely silent. At last, the faint sound of rushing water echoed through the stillness.

Qin Ying focused intently, appearing almost entranced. In a moment, a spark seemed to ignite in her dim eyes, growing into a blazing flame. Her gaze burned bright and fierce as she abruptly turned to Xie Xinglan, declaring, “I understand now!”