Chapter 10

“Lord, there’s a discovery in the rear hall.” Xie Jian called out, prompting Xie Xinglan and Qin Ying to enter through a side door into the back hall quickly. There, they saw Xie Jian pointing behind the statue of the Primordial Lord. “Here, there is a mark that has been scorched by smoke and fire and a hole leading to the front hall. If someone burned intoxicating incense here, the smoke could easily drift to the front.”

Qin Ying, having only heard of such incense, hesitated. “Can intoxicating incense really render someone unconscious?”

Xie Xinglan glanced at her from the side. “You are well-versed in arcane techniques, yet you do not know this?” He withdrew his gaze and rubbed at the scorched area. “Intoxicating incense is usually made with datura and azalea. An ordinary person exposed to it would lose consciousness in less than fifteen minutes. Furthermore, this place is damp and filthy, which would help conceal the scent of the incense.”

Qin Ying was astonished. After briefly contemplating, she remarked, “Last night, Xue Ming left his residence shortly after returning home. However, the killer arrived at this location even earlier. That means the murderer left Earl Zhongyuan’s residence and, just like Xue Ming, departed shortly after arriving home.”

Xie Xinglan turned and walked outside. Once through the door, his gaze settled on Pei Shuo and the other two men. “After returning home last night, did any of you leave your residence again?”

Pei Shuo shook his head helplessly. “I never went out.”

Cui Muzhi added, “I stayed at the Earl’s residence for two extra moments last night to discuss the funeral arrangements for Wan’er before leaving on my own. After returning home, I never went out again.”

Lin Qian looked skeptical. “I also went straight home and never left.”

Xue Suqing stood stiffly, his face alternating between pale and flushed. Xie Xinglan fixed his eyes on him. “The murderer deliberately plotted Xue Ming’s death, and yet, to cover up the contents of his suicide note, you haven’t even bothered to investigate who killed him? Are you truly going to dismiss this as an accident?”

“Of course, we must investigate—”

Just as Xie Xinglan finished speaking, another hoarse yet firm voice rang out from beyond the temple gate. Xue Suqing’s expression shifted, and he quickly turned to greet the newcomer. “Father, why are you here?”

The man who had arrived was none other than Xue Xianzhi, the Grand Academician of the Imperial Academy. He was over fifty years old, with hair and beard entirely white. Supported by his steward, he walked in slowly but steadily, his sharp gaze fixed on Xie Xinglan. Then, from his sleeve, he pulled out a letter. “We must investigate, and not just Xue Ming’s case—we must also investigate Miss Cui’s murder!”

Xue Suqing couldn’t help but protest, “Father, please reconsider—”

Xue Xianzhi shot him a sharp look. “Reconsider what? Ming’er did not write this suicide note! Someone killed him and then tried to pin Miss Cui’s murder on him. Ming’er was an upright man—what reason is there not to investigate?”

He handed the note to the steward, who carried it over to Xie Xinglan. Meanwhile, Xue Suqing anxiously added, “But rumors spread like wildfire. If word gets out, who knows what will be said? Even if Ming’er is innocent, how will we clear his name? In the noble families of the capital, cases like this are hardly uncommon.”

Xue Xianzhi stood straight-backed and stubbornly said, “Even so, we cannot just bear this crime for nothing—wouldn’t that make things even harder to explain?”

Xue Suqing was momentarily speechless. Xie Xinglan had already finished reading the letter in his hand and asked Xue Xianzhi, “Why does Lord Xue say that Xue Ming did not write this letter?”

Xue Xianzhi let out a cold snort. “The handwriting does resemble Ming’er’s, but I taught him how to write, and I know his habits better than anyone. This letter is clearly an imitation and rather sloppy at that.”

Xie Xinglan frowned. “To forge handwriting, one must be very familiar with the original style. Lord Xue, do you know who might be familiar with Xue Ming’s handwriting?”

Xue Xianzhi was slightly stunned.

Xue Suqing, beside him, spoke up: “My father once taught many students calligraphy—Lord Lin, Lord Pei, and even Heir Cui all studied at our house. Many young ladies from noble families also attended, some for just half a year, others for three to five years. During that time, Ming’er studied alongside them. Additionally, Ming’er’s classmates at the Imperial Academy are also well-acquainted with his handwriting…”

Xue Suqing spoke at length, but the scope of the investigation wasn’t as broad as it seemed. Xie Xinglan directly asked, “Aside from those three, among Zhao Yumian from Earl Weiyuan’s residence, Jian Fangfei from the Ministry of Personnel, Wu Shuyue from the Patrol Camp Commander’s family, Fu Ling from the Minister of Ceremonies’ family, and Lu Roujia from the Imperial Physician’s family—who have you taught?”

Xue Xianzhi thought for a moment before replying, “Only the young lady from the Imperial Physician’s family has never studied under me…”

The noble families in the capital placed great emphasis on passing down literary traditions. Regardless of gender, children began formal education at four, with esteemed teachers guiding their learning. Men studied to enter the Imperial Academy and pursue official ranks, while women were trained in both talent and virtue to prepare for marriage. Lord Xue was highly respected, so noble sons and daughters naturally flocked to him. With this in mind, aside from ruling out Lu Roujia, four individuals still needed to be investigated.

Xie Xinglan made a swift decision. “You may take Xue Ming’s body back but do not bury it until the case is fully investigated. As for what is written in this letter, we will verify it ourselves.”

Xue Suqing looked as if he had something to say but hesitated. Meanwhile, Xue Xianzhi was absolutely certain that the letter’s contents were false. At this moment, Xie Xinglan spoke again, “Where is Xue Ming’s personal servant?”

“I am here—”

“I am Cheng Yan, at your service, my lord.”

Xie Xinglan beckoned him forward. “Yesterday, your master attended the banquet at the Earl’s residence. Did anything seem unusual?”

Cheng Yan shook his head. “No, yesterday my master was with Heir Cui the entire time. There was nothing out of the ordinary.”

Xie Xinglan then turned to look at Cui Muzhi. “Did Xue Ming stay with you the whole time?”

Cui Muzhi frowned. “For most of the day, yes. During the banquet, he drank quite a lot and had to excuse himself several times to use the restroom. There were moments when he left his seat.”

Xie Xinglan asked Cheng Yan again, “After the incident last night, when your master left the garden and returned home, did anything strange happen along the way?”

Cheng Yan pressed his lips together and said, “When I picked up my master, his complexion didn’t look good. When we learned that Miss Cui had an accident, I wasn’t surprised. He remained somewhat shaken until he got into the carriage. I drove him home, but upon arriving outside the residence, he was drenched in cold sweat. He stood still for a moment before entering. At the time, the master and second master had already retired for the night, so he went to see the madam. However, she had just fallen asleep. He wandered around the courtyard for a while without saying anything and then left again—he wouldn’t even let me follow him.”

“No one spoke with him privately during that time?”

Cheng Yan shook his head again. “No, apart from saying a few words of farewell to Lord Pei and the others when leaving.”

Xie Xinglan asked no further questions. He went inside to examine Xue Ming’s body once more, and after confirming there were no additional clues, he decided to head to Earl Weiyuan’s residence.

Upon hearing this, Qin Ying quickly said, “I’ll go too.”

Xie Xinglan stared at her. “You really don’t spare yourself any trouble.”

Qin Ying gave a slight smile. “Since we’ve started, we should see it through to the end.”

Xie Xinglan’s gaze was enigmatic, and he did not intervene. As they left Qingyang Temple, Cui Muzhi and the others watched in surprise as Qin Ying followed him, all puzzled by the current situation. Lin Qian hesitated and asked, “What’s going on with Qin Ying? Is she going to become Xie Xinglan’s shadow?”

Cui Muzhi remained silent, his eyes deep in thought. Pei Shuo shook his head and said, “Solving the case in ten days was already difficult. Now that County Princess Yunyang is meddling, Xie Xinglan must have quite a headache.”

On horseback, Xie Xinglan was not troubled at all. Instead, he was invigorated like a drowning man spotting a life-saving straw. A thought that made his blood surge had already surfaced, though he forcibly suppressed it with an impassive expression.

With that in mind, he glanced back at the carriage behind him and instructed Xie Jian, “Personally lead a team to investigate the whereabouts of Cui Muzhi, Lin Qian, and Pei Shuo last night. Also, find some servants from the Xue family and inquire about Xue Ming’s relationship with these people.”

Xie Jian acknowledged the order and departed.

Inside the carriage, Qin Ying carefully pondered Xue Ming’s death. Although the Xue family refused to acknowledge the will, what was written in it might not be false. And if Cui Wan and Xue Ming had indeed shared a secret affair, who would know about it?

Four years ago, all of Cui Wan’s personal maids were replaced, and her marriage to the Prince of Huaiyang’s residence was delayed due to a severe illness. Could this secret romance have occurred four or five years ago? Cui Wan loved Xue Ming and had no desire to marry the heir of the Huaiyang royal family?

Qin Ying narrowed her eyes. If that were the case, then the Lin family must surely know.

When the carriage stopped outside Earl Weiyuan’s residence, two incense sticks’ worth of time had passed. Xie Xinglan sent someone ahead to knock on the door, but as soon as they entered, a composed and dignified middle-aged man blocked their path.

“Envoy Xie, I deeply apologize. Our young lady fell ill upon returning last night. She was supposed to enter the palace early this morning to pay her respects to the Empress, but due to her illness, she even refused the palace servant who came to fetch her. She is truly unable to meet anyone right now.”

Xie Xinglan glanced toward the inner courtyard. “Are the Earl and his wife not home either?”

The speaker, the steward of Earl Weiyuan’s residence, responded, “The Earl has gone to the palace and has not yet returned. The lady is taking care of the young miss, and the heir has gone to the Shence Army. Envoy Xie, if you wish to inquire about something, shall I call out the young lady’s maids?”

Xie Xinglan’s long, narrow eyes narrowed slightly, but he quickly said, “That won’t be necessary. I will return another day.”

Without hesitation, Xie Xinglan turned and left. Qin Ying watched in astonishment, then hurried to catch up, asking, “Are you really not going to ask about Zhao Yumian?”

Xie Xinglan mounted his horse and said, “Today, the Empress is hosting a banquet to choose a consort for the Second Prince. Earl Weiyuan’s household has always supported the Zheng lineage and greatly hopes Zhao Yumian will marry the Second Prince. But she has claimed illness to avoid attending—most likely, she is not faking.”

After saying this, Xie Xinglan, to ensure caution, instructed his guards to seek out the imperial physician who frequently visited the Earl of Weiyuan’s residence for further investigation. Then, he turned his horse and rode straight toward the Minister of Personnel’s residence.

Qin Ying rode in a carriage, following behind, but upon arriving at the Minister of Personnel’s residence, she was still met with a closed door.

“What an unfortunate coincidence. Our lady was summoned to the palace by the Empress two hours ago and has yet to return. Her two maids accompanied her as well. If the Longyi Guards wish to inquire, they will have to wait until later.”

Xie Xinglan was somewhat surprised. “Did your lady leave after returning to the mansion yesterday?”

“She did not. Our lady was frightened last night and stayed with the madam to rest.”

Xie Xinglan glanced at the plaque of the Jian residence but did not dwell on it. He was naturally less suspicious of women, especially since these two families had Empress Zheng as their shield. However, when he turned around, he noticed that Qin Ying was momentarily dazed.

Qin Ying was recalling the original storyline. In the original text, Empress Zheng had initially set her sights on Zhao Yumian, but today, Zhao Yumian was absent due to illness, and instead, Jian Fangfei was taken into the palace. Was this the butterfly effect at play?

Xie Xinglan assumed she was frustrated and said, “Investigations are always this tedious. Many times, there is no progress for days. It’s already late; County Princess, you should return to your residence earlier.”

Qin Ying shook her head. “How about going to the Fu family instead?”

The noblewomen of the capital harbored various prejudices against Qin Ying. However, because the Fu family had some old ties with the Marquis of Linchuan’s household, Fu Ling had never been openly hostile toward Qin Ying. Qin Ying felt that since she needed to ask about sensitive matters, it would be easier to start with someone she had a closer acquaintance with.

Xie Xinglan had been contemplating something similar, and they were in agreement without needing further discussion.

Although the Minister of Ceremonies was the head of an official department, the Fu family had long since declined among the nobility. When Xie Xinglan and Qin Ying arrived at the Fu residence, the estate seemed eerily quiet. Upon hearing of their arrival, Madam Fu and Fu Ling both came out to greet them.

Upon learning that they had come because of Cui Wan’s murder case, Madam Fu’s expression darkened. “Ling’er returned to the residence last night and fell ill. The servants were busy tending to her for half a day before she finally rested. She couldn’t have gone out at night.”

Fu Ling replied, “Mother’s health isn’t great either. Perhaps you should go back and rest. If the County Princess and Envoy Xie have any questions, I can answer them myself to avoid disturbing your peace.”

Madam Fu gave a thin, insincere smile. “Then you had better speak quickly. If the neighbors see government officials lingering at our residence, they might think you’ve committed some wrongdoing. If word gets out, it won’t sound good.”

With that, she indeed left Qin Ying and Xie Xinglan behind. Fu Ling saw her off for a few steps and returned with an apologetic smile. “My mother has been feeling unwell these past few days. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Of course, Qin Ying wouldn’t mind. Madam Fu was actually Fu Ling’s stepmother. As for Fu Ling’s elder sister—her full-blooded sibling—she had been sent back to the ancestral land two years ago by this very stepmother to marry. Later, she was married off to Yanzhou, another calculated move by the stepmother.

Qin Ying said, “Ling’er, you don’t know yet—Xue Ming also died this morning.”

Fu Ling was so startled that the teacup in her hand trembled. “What?”

Qin Ying recounted the events, and Fu Ling listened, her complexion turning pale. Qin Ying asked her, “Compared to me, you were closer to Cui Wan and the others. Do you know if there was any past relationship between Cui Wan and Xue Ming?”

Fu Ling glanced at the two of them before suddenly lowering her gaze. The teacup lid clashed against the rim, producing a sharp, grating sound. “Why would you say that? Wan’er was already betrothed long ago, and the Xue family is known for its integrity in the capital. How could there be any secret affair?”

Xie Xinglan’s gaze darkened slightly. Qin Ying also noticed Fu Ling’s unusual nervousness. She dismissed the attendants and said, “Two lives have already been lost, yet the authorities still don’t know the killer’s motive. If you know anything, please don’t hide it from us. What you say will only be known to me and Envoy Xie—no one else will know what you’ve told us.”

Fu Ling pressed her lips together tightly. “Actually, I don’t really know. It’s just that… when I visited Earl Zhongyuan’s residence in the first month of the year, I overheard Concubine Zhang causing a commotion outside. In her words, she mentioned that the Earl’s wife had sold off Wan’er’s personal maid back then because Wan’er had some unspeakable matter. And she also said… she also said Wan’er had been feigning illness and found it exhausting…”

She seemed afraid of saying something wrong. “That time, no one mentioned the Xue family at all, but in the past one or two years, the only odd thing I can recall is that incident. As for Xue Ming, he was outstanding in both appearance and character, and I’ve never heard of him being particularly close to anyone in private.”

She regretted saying so much. “Compared to me, Wan’er was much closer to Yumian and Fangfei. If there were any secret affairs, they would be the ones to know. Ying Ying, please promise me not to tell anyone about what I said today.”

Qin Ying naturally agreed.

By the time they left the Fu residence, the sun had already set, and the golden sunset spread across the sky. Qin Ying told Xie Xinglan, “What Ling’er overheard might be true, but Concubine Zhang most likely doesn’t know the full story. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have just hinted at it indirectly. Now, it seems that only Madam Lin knows the real reason behind Cui Wan’s illness back then.”

“It couldn’t have been as simple as feigning illness to avoid marriage,” Xie Xinglan said in a deep voice. “If she were merely pretending to be sick, why would she and her mother go as far as Sanqing Mountain?”