Chapter 19

Xie Xinglan was captivated by the intensity in her gaze and quickly asked, “Understand what?”

Qin Ying, however, didn’t have the time to explain. She seemed eager to verify something. Rapidly pulling out the last map she had drawn and comparing it for a moment, she led the group and said, “Follow me—”

She headed deeper into the cave, taking a highly rugged downhill path that they had explored earlier in the day. Reaching the bottom, she instructed Xie Xinglan and the others, “Wait here,” then turned to Shen Luo and said, “Bring the lantern and come with me.”

Shen Luo immediately complied. Xie Xinglan instinctively wanted to follow, but seeing that Qin Ying had only called Shen Luo, he stayed where he was.

Bai Yuan was left behind as well and, watching Qin Ying and Shen Luo disappear quickly from view, could only stand there helplessly. Nearby, Xie Jian exclaimed, “What’s wrong with the County Princess? What is she trying to do?”

Xie Xinglan remained silent, his gaze darkening as he stared at the nearby stone wall. His eyes were like sharp blades, as if he wanted to pierce through the wall. Meanwhile, the dull sound of flowing water seemed to echo from behind the stone.

At that moment, the faint sound of Qin Ying and Shen Luo talking reached them, occasionally interspersed with a few deliberate “hey-hey” shouts, seemingly meant for them to hear. Bai Yuan, hearing her voice, felt a wave of relief.

Xie Jian suddenly realized, “The County Princess is testing how far her voice can carry. She tried this earlier, but the stone walls between these paths are thick, and the winding turns make it so that within a few dozen feet, the sound becomes inaudible.”

Xie Xinglan’s gaze was dark and unreadable as Qin Ying’s voice intermittently reached his ears, always seeming to come from the direction of the cave’s exit. However, her voice, though audible, was muffled and indistinct, making it hard to discern her words.

An inexplicable sense of restlessness stirred within Xie Xinglan.

After waiting for a while, Xie Jian suddenly furrowed his brow and asked, “Why is there no sound from the County Princess?”

Bai Yuan couldn’t help but take two steps forward to listen closely. Realizing that Qin Ying had indeed gone silent, she said worriedly, “Do you think something might have happened to her?”

Xie Jian straightforwardly asked, “My lord, should we go check?”

Xie Xinglan’s sword-like brows furrowed, but recalling Qin Ying’s earlier instructions before she left, he steadied himself and said, “Let’s wait a bit longer.”

Bai Yuan widened her eyes in surprise but said nothing directly. Instead, she quietly shot a reproachful look at Xie Xinglan. She considered going to look for Qin Ying herself, but then she remembered that today was Cui Wan’s seventh-day memorial. Hesitating for a moment, she decided to stay put and called out, “County Princess—”

Her trembling voice traveled along the narrow path in the cave and bounced off the stone walls, creating a series of echoes. However, as the echoes faded, there was still no response from Qin Ying. Holding her breath in frustration, Bai Yuan shot another furtive, accusing glance at the unmoving Xie Xinglan and muttered to herself, “I don’t even know why the County Princess is pushing herself so hard. The Emperor didn’t even order her to do this…”

“This cave is so dark, even with Shen Luo accompanying her. The County Princess has been afraid of ghosts since she was a child, and today is Miss Cui’s seventh-day memorial. What if the lantern goes out and she falls into a crack in the rocks…?”

Bai Yuan grew increasingly emotional as she spoke, prompting Xie Jian to cough lightly and say, “Miss Bai Yuan, don’t worry. The County Princess has been walking through this cave all day, circling it hundreds of times. She’s not likely to fall into any cracks. They’ve probably just gone farther ahead.”

Bai Yuan was nearly in tears. “Exactly! Investigating the case isn’t even her responsibility, yet she’s been circling this cave all day, her feet nearly worn out. She’s never endured such hardship in her life!”

Her tone grew more and more resentful, and her glances at Xie Xinglan became sharper, almost accusing him of benefiting from Qin Ying’s efforts while showing no concern for her safety. Yet, despite her words, Xie Xinglan remained unmoved.

Bai Yuan had no choice but to give up, though Xie Xinglan wasn’t as indifferent as he appeared. He had seen everything Qin Ying had done, but was it truly for him? He wouldn’t let himself be provoked by a young maid, but the thought only made his restlessness grow. Still hearing no sound from Qin Ying, he finally said, “Go ahead and check.”

Both Xie Jian and Bai Yuan sighed in relief, but just then, Qin Ying’s voice echoed again. Xie Xinglan raised his eyebrows and gestured for them to stop. He decided not to go forward.

Though he didn’t go, at least they could hear Qin Ying’s movements. Bai Yuan felt slightly reassured and waited anxiously for her return.

In the vast cave, Qin Ying’s voice grew closer. After a while, she emerged from the narrow path with Shen Luo. She was breathless from walking, and Xie Xinglan’s gaze swept over her, his expression changing as he noticed the mud on the tips of her shoes.

Qin Ying asked them, “How long was my voice gone just now?”

Xie Jian hesitated before replying, “Probably just a little less than the time it takes to burn half an incense stick.”

Qin Ying’s eyes brightened instantly. She extended her hand, revealing a small, smooth pebble resting in her pale palm. “I went to the exit and also found this by the lakeside.”

Xie Jian gasped in disbelief. “How is that possible? We tested this earlier in the afternoon; the nearest place where sounds can be heard is still quite far from the exit. A round trip would take at least the time of half an incense stick. But just now, the County Princess’s voice disappeared for a much shorter duration!”

Qin Ying’s dark eyes shone brilliantly, her face radiating an aura of determination. “This time, when my voice disappeared, I was already very close to the exit. A round trip would only take half the time it would in the afternoon. To you, my voice seemed to vanish for just a moment—certainly not enough time to commit murder.”

Xie Jian and Bai Yuan stared in astonishment, while Xie Xinglan seemed to realize something, his eyes flickering with intensity. Qin Ying looked at him firmly and declared, “That’s right. I’ve figured out the killer’s deceptive technique!”

“The killer’s method works only during the specific half-hour after the first evening hour. At any other time, no matter how much effort is made to investigate, it would yield no results.”

Xie Xinglan frowned in thought. “Is this related to the artificial mountain’s hidden water channels?”

Qin Ying nodded, surprised by how quickly Xie Xinglan grasped the concept. She pointed to the stone wall behind him. “If my calculations are correct, the hidden channel runs inside this stone wall. That is why the killer’s deceptive technique works.”

Confidently, she explained, “The hidden channel begins to release water every evening at the first evening hour. It takes until the second evening hour for the channel to be fully filled. Inside the cave, the intricate paths include two low-lying trails adjacent to the hidden channel. When the channel is filled with flowing water, it causes sounds on either side to travel farther and faster. That is why, even though I had walked a great distance just now, you were still able to hear my voice.”

“On the day Fu Ling and Wu Shuyue entered the cave, they separated, with Fu Ling intentionally guiding Wu Shuyue to this particular path. That is why Wu Shuyue served as an alibi for her. Others entering the cave at different times, even if they happen to walk along this path, would not notice this characteristic. Following this route without making any missteps is extremely difficult. These factors combined have kept this peculiarity hidden despite the cave’s long existence.”

Qin Ying spoke with conviction and turned back to look at the path they had come from. “Furthermore, even if someone stumbled upon this phenomenon, they wouldn’t investigate it deeply. Only someone who has studied the blueprint thoroughly could fully understand it.”

Her explanation left everyone present stunned. Xie Xinglan furrowed his brows and asked, “Why would a filled water channel amplify sound travel?”

This time, Qin Ying hesitated, no longer as composed. “Well…”

Her discomfort was evident. Xie Xinglan kept his sharp gaze fixed on her as she thought for a while before her eyes lit up again. “You’ve probably heard of the military tactic where soldiers listen to sounds from the ground. When an army approaches, there’s no noise in the wind, but those lying down can hear faint hoofbeats in the earth. This helps them predict the arrival of troops early.”

Xie Xinglan narrowed his eyes. “This is similar?”

Qin Ying raised her brows confidently. “Exactly. When walking separately, they would move closer to the stone walls to hear the other person’s voice better. When the stone wall isn’t hollow but filled with flowing water, the sound naturally becomes clearer. I’ve demonstrated this already—you should believe it. With this, Fu Ling’s alibi falls apart. Once direct evidence is found, solving the case won’t be far off.”

Xie Xinglan could see she was avoiding further explanation. Earlier, she deduced the killer’s height from footprints with a similar evasiveness. Now, she uncovered this mystery supposedly from hearing about military tactics?

An unsettling feeling surged in Xie Xinglan’s mind, but Qin Ying undeniably cracked the puzzle. Resolute, he said, “Just to be certain, let’s test it again.”

The muffled sound of flowing water behind the stone wall continued, and the evening time for water release was nearly over—they didn’t have much time left. Qin Ying turned to Xie Jian and instructed, “Go with Shen Luo and have him guide you through. Move quickly and don’t make any mistakes. Call out at each junction.”

Xie Jian quickly agreed. Carrying the lanterns, he and Shen Luo disappeared beyond the corner.

This time, Qin Ying stood with Xie Xinglan, first hearing Xie Jian call out a few times, and then his voice faded away. Qin Ying silently calculated the time, and sure enough, after only half the time it takes to burn an incense stick, his voice sounded again.

Qin Ying turned to look at Xie Xinglan. This time, he seemed convinced, but she showed no hint of satisfaction in her expression, merely asking, “You mentioned earlier that on the night Fu Ling returned to the manor, two maids left the Fu household?”

Her expression remained calm and unreadable, which only made her more mysterious. Xie Xinglan replied with a deep gaze, “Correct. They were Fu Ling’s personal attendants. They left to summon a doctor—first going to the southern Miao Xin Hall, which was closed, and then heading to the northern He Ren Clinic. It took them a little over an hour.”

Qin Ying furrowed her brows. “Over an hour?”

Xie Xinglan nodded. “If they truly visited those two places, it would indeed take over an hour. It was already past midnight at the time, and ordinary pharmacies would have been closed. These two locations might have still been open. I’ve ordered an investigation, and if their testimony is accurate, then Fu Ling didn’t leave the Fu household that night.”

Qin Ying was deeply worried. Even though she had uncovered the deceptive technique in the artificial mountain, could it mean that someone else was responsible for Xue Ming’s murder?

While she was lost in thought, Xie Jian and Shen Luo returned. Xie Jian, looking completely unflustered, held a small pebble in his hand and said, “Lord, County Princess, did it work this time?”

Xie Xinglan ignored him and turned to leave, while Qin Ying simply nodded briefly. Xie Jian watched the two of them walk away, then glanced at Bai Yuan, saying, “Miss Bai Yuan, I must have returned faster than the County Princess, right?”

Bai Yuan scoffed, “It was still the County Princess who came up with the method!”

With that, she hurried after Qin Ying, leaving Xie Jian to shrug and follow them out.

By the time they left, it was nearly the second watch of the night. A Longyi Guard stationed outside stepped forward and said, “My lord, Earl Zhongyuan came by just now and said he’s waiting for you at Zhaomu Pavilion.”

Xie Xinglan raised an eyebrow before heading toward Zhaomu Pavilion. Not knowing what Cui Jin wanted to say, Qin Ying followed him.

When the group arrived outside the pavilion, they found that the rituals in the mourning hall were still ongoing. Cui Jin, however, was standing in the courtyard, furious. As soon as he saw Xie Xinglan, he strode forward angrily and said, “Envoy Xie, what progress have you made in the investigation? Have you clarified the Xue family’s matter? Today is Wan’er’s seventh-day memorial. You can’t leave her soul without justice!”

Xie Xinglan replied coldly, “The ten days are not yet up. What’s the rush, my lord?”

Cui Jin seemed to anticipate Xie Xinglan’s response and immediately furrowed his brows. “Must we wait until the tenth day? Seven days have already passed, and the rumors outside are intolerable. You’ve done nothing; it would have been better to hand the case over to the capital’s prefectural office.”

Seeing Cui Jin’s anger, Qin Ying felt something was amiss. Although Cui Jin had been anxious before, he hadn’t been this irrational and reckless. He should have realized the kind of person Zhao Lian from the prefectural office was, especially after Lu Roujia was wrongfully accused.

Qin Ying gestured for Shen Luo and instructed, “Ask the servants in the manor who has visited in the past half day.”

Shen Luo promptly left to investigate, while Xie Xinglan, clearly in no mood to placate Cui Jin, responded coldly, “The case has progressed, but it’s not suitable to share details with you. If you cannot understand, then let the prefectural office handle it.”

Cui Jin grew even angrier at this. “I knew you harbored ill intentions! You failed to impeach the Marquis Changqing and were rebuked by the Emperor, and now you claim to be handling Wan’er’s case, but you’re using it to settle personal scores. Poor Wan’er—her soul cannot rest in peace!”

Xie Xinglan’s gaze showed mockery. “If you and Madam had cooperated with the Longyi Guards sooner, we wouldn’t have lost so many days.”

Cui Jin was stunned. “What do you mean? Are you trying to blame us for this delay?”

Xie Xinglan replied grimly, “If you want to know what I mean, ask Madam. Rest assured, my lord, the truth will come to light by the tenth day.”

With that, Xie Xinglan turned and left, followed by Qin Ying and the others heading toward the front courtyard. Shortly after, Shen Luo caught up and reported, “County Princess, during dusk, Du Ziqin came by. He was the only one who came to pay respects today.”

Qin Ying glanced at Xie Xinglan. “No wonder Earl Zhongyuan is so angry. You’ve got two days left. If you don’t find conclusive evidence by the tenth day, it’ll be difficult to explain things.”

Xie Xinglan frowned deeply, while Xie Jian sneered, “What a move from Du Ziqin, pulling tricks at this time.”

After leaving the manor, the Marquis Linchuan’s residence was nearby, but Xie Xinglan’s family residence, the General’s Mansion, was in Anzheng District, east of Imperial Street. Mounting his horse, Xie Xinglan said before parting ways, “Let Xie Jian accompany you.”

Qin Ying had already taken her seat in the carriage but immediately lifted the curtain upon hearing this. “Why must Xie Jian accompany me? Do you still not trust me at this point? Did I mess up your plans? Or do I resemble the culprit?”

Her barrage of pointed questions left Xie Xinglan momentarily speechless. After a pause, he replied, “You only have one guard with you—it’s not enough.”

Qin Ying was taken aback, “Are you—”

Before she could finish, Xie Xinglan spurred his horse and rode off. Watching his figure disappear around the corner of the street, she turned to find Xie Jian looking at her with an amused expression. “County Princess, truth be told, at first I didn’t understand why the lord insisted on me accompanying you. But now I do. You’re a treasure. Without you, this case wouldn’t have progressed as quickly. Staying by your side is the right choice.”

Qin Ying couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time. As she dropped the curtain and settled back in, Xie Jian continued rambling, “What’s more, I’ve noticed you’re quite different from the noble ladies in other wealthy families. They’re always wary and disdainful toward the Longyi Guards, especially toward the Xie family lineage. They expect us to do their bidding, and when it’s done, they berate us for it. But you’re different.”

Qin Ying sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Fine, just come along then. I’ll take it as your goodwill.”

Once they arrived back at Marquis Linchuan’s residence, Xie Jian only left after watching Qin Ying enter the manor. Standing next to Qin Ying, Bai Yuan remarked, “I told you it’s strange. I don’t know what Envoy Xie meant by this.”

Reflecting on Xie Jian’s words, Qin Ying mused, “Maybe he thinks I’m of some use?”

Bai Yuan immediately exclaimed, “You’re not just somewhat useful—you’re immensely useful! County Princess, how did you manage to solve the mystery of the artificial mountain? Did you read some extraordinary book?”

Qin Ying felt her scalp tingle and quickly excused herself, claiming exhaustion, as she headed toward Qingwu Courtyard.

…

The next morning, just as Qin Ying got up, Bai Yuan informed her that Xie Jian was waiting outside. Already accustomed to this, Qin Ying, still drowsy, began changing her clothes. Then Bai Yuan added, “County Princess, Xie Jian said to invite you to the General’s residence shortly.”

Qin Ying snapped awake in an instant. “To the General’s residence?” She quickened her movements. “If I’m being summoned there, it must mean they discovered new leads overnight!”

And she was right. When Qin Ying left the residence and met Xie Jian, he was indeed solemn. He said, “County Princess, several updates came in last night. My lord asks you to visit the residence to discuss.”

Qin Ying boarded the carriage without hesitation and headed straight for Anzheng District.

It was still early in the morning, with the first rays of sunlight just breaking through the clouds. When Qin Ying’s carriage arrived at the General’s residence, she noted how much more desolate the place seemed than her previous visit. As she entered and followed Xie Jian toward the courtyard she’d visited previously, she couldn’t help but notice the quiet stillness of the eastern side of the residence. It seemed devoid of life, with even birdsong less frequent than in other places. She pulled her cloak tighter and thought to herself: Living in such a place every day, no wonder Xie Xinglan has a bad temper.

When Qin Ying arrived at the study, she saw Xie Xinglan’s desk covered with official documents. Upon her appearance, Xie Xinglan said, “We received new information last night. We’ve reached a critical point, and since I promised to work with you on solving the case, I’m sharing this with you.”

Qin Ying was naturally pleased. “What news did you get?”

Xie Xinglan’s expression darkened. “First, in the past two years, communication between Fu Zhongming and the Fu clan in Fenzhou has been sparse. The maids who once served Fu Zhen were sent back to Fenzhou, so Fu Ling would likely be the one most concerned about her. However, when we asked other servants, they claimed to know nothing about Fu Zhen’s current situation. I suspect Fu Zhen hasn’t been living well in Fenzhou.”

Qin Ying nodded in agreement. “If she were doing well, there’d be no need to hide good news. The household servants enjoy gossiping about their masters; they would surely have heard something.”

Xie Xinglan continued, “Second, the person investigating Fu Zhongming reported that he broke his arm about a year ago and spent two months recovering. During that time, Honglu Temple was very quiet and did not affect his official duties.”

Qin Ying furrowed her brows. “He broke his arm?”

Xie Xinglan confirmed, “Indeed. The herb that poisoned Cui Wan, the snow lotus herb, is typically used to treat swelling and bruises from injuries. In standard doses, it isn’t lethal. However, if administered over a prolonged period in larger cumulative amounts, it can be fatal.”

Qin Ying asked, “Have you identified who was responsible for preparing the medicine in their household?”

“The person preparing the medicine was Fu Ling.” Xie Xinglan’s voice turned grave. “The current Madam Fu is their stepmother, having married into the Fu family eight years ago. She bore Fu Zhongming a son and a daughter, now six and three years old, too young to be truly aware of things. Therefore, during Fu Zhongming’s recovery, it was Fu Ling who took care of him and managed his treatment.”

Qin Ying couldn’t help but sit up straight. “If Fu Ling developed the intention to kill a year ago, she could have started her preparations then. But when did she discover the truth?”

Xie Xinglan replied, “At least a year ago.”

Qin Ying fell into deep thought. The secrets of the artificial mountain in the Earl’s residence were not easily uncovered, and the murderer must have planned meticulously over a long period to execute such an intricate scheme. “Fu Ling didn’t attend that particular banquet on the boat. I’m inclined to believe Fu Zhen didn’t tell her the truth immediately, but that she found out later. As for how she learned about it, it’s difficult to speculate for now.”

She then asked, “Any leads on the person who delivered the jade pendant to Du Ziqin?”

Xie Xinglan frowned. “Not yet. However, a minor official at Honglu Temple mentioned something. The temple’s storeroom holds about twenty manuscripts by Huang Ting. Half a year ago, Huang Ting’s manuscripts and other stored items were taken out for airing. During that time, Fu Ling went to Ministry of Ceremonies to deliver Fu Zhongming’s medicine.”

Another clue surfaced, but Qin Ying shook her head. “These clues alone are not enough. We need both witnesses and concrete evidence. Otherwise, the murderer will always have an explanation. We’re still missing direct evidence.”

Xie Xinglan added, “The easiest starting point would be Fu Ling’s personal maids. If Fu Ling is the culprit, she couldn’t have done all this without her maids knowing something. On the night Cui Wan was killed, all the guests’ servants were waiting outside the hanging flower gate. When the incident occurred, everyone was tense and on edge. Among them, Zhao Yumian’s maid sent a message to Earl Weiyuan’s residence, while Fu Ling’s maid left, claiming she needed to fetch a cloak for Fu Ling to ward off the cold—”

Qin Ying didn’t immediately grasp the implication. “What’s the significance of fetching a cloak?”

Xie Xinglan said, “Xue Ming’s servant mentioned that on the way back that night, Xue Ming was perfectly fine when he got into the carriage. But by the time he got out of the carriage outside the mansion gates, his expression had completely changed. During this time, he didn’t see any outsiders. Not long after returning home, he went to Qingyang Temple. So, how did the murderer contact him?”

Qin Ying suddenly realized, “It’s highly likely that before Xue Ming got into the carriage, the murderer placed a letter summoning him inside the carriage.”

Xie Xinglan nodded. “Exactly. So—”

“Lord! Someone from the palace is here!”

Before he could finish, Xie Jian entered with a grave expression and said, “Eunuch Huang is here. He says the Emperor has summoned you.”

Xie Xinglan was slightly surprised. “For what reason?”

Xie Jian shook his head. “I don’t know. The eunuch is waiting in the front hall.”

Xie Xinglan quickly headed outside, and Qin Ying, momentarily puzzled, followed him. The eunuch in question, Huang Wanfu, was the chief eunuch serving Emperor Zhenyuan. For him to deliver a decree personally indicated the matter was of great importance.

When Xie Xinglan reached the front hall, he indeed saw Huang Wanfu standing with two junior eunuchs. As soon as he saw Xie Xinglan, Huang Wanfu smiled and said, “Envoy Xie, I am here to deliver the Emperor’s command. His Majesty summons you to the palace immediately.”

Xie Xinglan asked, “Could you disclose what this is about, Eunuch Huang?”

Huang Wanfu sighed and replied, “It’s Earl Zhongyuan. After court this morning, he went to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor to file a complaint, accusing you of dereliction of duty. His Majesty has already been displeased with you, and now you’ve further provoked him. You must tread carefully during your audience today.”

From a distance, Qin Ying grew visibly annoyed. It was already the eighth day, and yet Cui Jin had lost his patience and gone to file a complaint. Wouldn’t this only further delay the investigation? She thought angrily—it must have been Du Ziqin stirring up trouble the day before!

With Emperor Zhenyuan’s decree issued, Xie Xinglan couldn’t defy the command. He instructed Huang Wanfu to proceed ahead and then approached Qin Ying. “I need to go to the palace. You should wait here. Xie Jian will stay with you—”

Qin Ying wanted to say something but, seeing his composed expression, simply nodded. Xie Xinglan gave a few more instructions to Xie Jian before heading toward the mansion gate. Qin Ying stood there for a moment before returning to the study to wait. As she did, her gaze fell on the nearby altar with a Buddha statue.

“I never thought your lord would be a believer in Buddhism.”

Xie Jian, somewhat worried about Xie Xinglan, responded distractedly, “It started a few months ago. He never believed in such things before. I suppose it’s because some things didn’t go as he’d hoped.”

Qin Ying couldn’t help but ask, “What didn’t go as planned?”

Xie Jian sighed. “First, the case involved Marquis Changqing’s residence. The Cui family has always been known for their strict military discipline. At that time, the lord somehow caught wind of corruption and reported it in a memorial to the Emperor. Upon investigation, it turned out there was indeed embezzlement of military funds. The lord was initially very pleased, but later it was discovered that none of the culprits were directly connected to the Cui family. Not only did this fail to harm the Cui family, but it also allowed them to eliminate spies that had been planted in their ranks.”

“Then there was the matter of trying to save Nanny Yu’s life. Nanny Yu was the lord’s wet nurse during his childhood. After the late lord and lady passed, she followed him to the capital and took care of him as he grew up. She had suffered from a chronic cough for years, which was managed with medicine. This January, the lord suddenly insisted on seeking a renowned doctor for her, saying he had a nightmare where her illness would worsen by the end of February and even become life-threatening.”

“Nanny Yu didn’t believe in nightmares, but seeing how concerned he was, she agreed to see the doctor. To everyone’s surprise, the doctor diagnosed her condition as serious and said it was fortunate they caught it in time; otherwise, she wouldn’t survive February. The doctor prescribed strong medicine, and after taking it, her cough improved. The lord remained anxious through late February, but when March arrived and she appeared fine, he finally relaxed. Yet, unexpectedly, on the night of March 7th, she passed away silently in her sleep.”

Qin Ying was shocked. “So the medicine was ineffective?”

Xie Jian shook his head. “Not necessarily. The doctor said there was nothing wrong with the medication itself; it’s just that Nanny Yu’s body was too weak. Even if someone else had treated her, it wouldn’t have made a difference. The doctor also mentioned something about Nanny Yu’s lifespan being naturally limited. It was after this incident that the lord began to believe in Buddhism. There have also been several other issues recently, mostly involving court affairs. The past six months have been quite difficult for him.”

Qin Ying found Xie Xinglan’s dream peculiar. However, since it involved someone so close to him, and Nanny Yu had suffered from chronic coughing for years, it was understandable that his deep worry might have manifested in his dreams. While dreams can seem irrational, they often reflect real concerns, making them hard to dismiss. Experiencing the death of a close family member can profoundly change someone’s temperament—Qin Ying had felt that same pain herself.

Xie Xinglan, still young, had seen his loved ones pass away one by one, helplessly. Qin Ying didn’t ask further but stared out the window, wondering when Xie Xinglan would return to the mansion.

Xie Jian also waited eagerly, but after half an hour, Xie Xinglan had yet to return. Instead, Xie Yong, who had accompanied him to the palace, arrived with news.

Xie Yong’s expression was heavy as he addressed Qin Ying. “His Majesty and the Empress Dowager are very displeased. His Majesty has ordered that all individuals involved in the case be gathered at Earl Zhongyuan’s manor for a public trial early tomorrow morning. The Second and Fifth Princes will attend on behalf of His Majesty.”

Qin Ying was startled. “How could everything be ready by early tomorrow?”