Chapter 30

Yue Lingxiu exclaimed in shock, “Dis… dissect the body?”

Qin Ying nodded, then glanced at Dou Yu’s corpse nearby. She said somewhat helplessly, “I’m not skilled in this area, but to determine the cause of death, I have no choice but to give it a try.”

In the span of just two sentences, cold sweat covered Yue Lingxiu’s forehead. His voice trembled as he asked, “How exactly does the County Lord intend to dissect the body?”

Qin Ying’s lips moved slightly, but then she stopped, as if suddenly thinking of something. Her expression grew serious, and she scanned the rear hall cautiously, hesitating for a moment. What she was about to say was far too shocking—if others overheard, they might think ghosts or spirits possessed her. Back when she first arrived, she encountered the death of Cui Wan and didn’t have time to stand aside and observe. But now, she had to consider her next steps carefully.

Clearing her throat, she said, “Envoy Xie, please have everyone else step outside for now, including Shen Luo.”

Xie Xinglan was initially prepared to observe how she would instruct Yue Lingxiu, but he hadn’t expected her to make this arrangement. However, she hadn’t included him in her request for people to leave, which caused his eyes to glimmer faintly. He gave orders, “The rest of you, wait outside. Xie Jian and Xie Yong, guard the door.”

Zhao Lian and several other officers from the capital bureau exchanged puzzled glances, while Wang Yun and Yuan Shoucheng also looked at each other. Everyone complied and filed out. Soon, the rear hall was left with just the three of them.

Qin Ying said to Yue Lingxiu at this moment, “This method is little known in the present age. After I teach it to you, you may teach others, but there’s no need to mention that I was the one who told you. I will teach you the method, but how you learn it and apply it will depend on you. Your position in the Magistrate Capital Office may not be high, but your responsibility is significant. The Office oversees the administration of the entire capital and its surrounding counties. Every year, many cases pass through your hands—if you make one mistake, it results in a wrongful case. If you make three to five mistakes, you’re not merely serving but harming others.”

Now, feeling like he was riding a tiger and unable to dismount, Yue Lingxiu, ashamed of Qin Ying’s words, could only grit his teeth and reluctantly agree.

Qin Ying then continued, “The corpse is now at the initial stage of decomposition, but the internal organs and trachea should not have fully decayed. We need to dissect the surface of the corpse to check if there are any traces left in the body. Perhaps we can find the cause of death—and if we’re lucky, we may even discover evidence related to the perpetrator.”

Yue Lingxiu stared wide-eyed. “Dissect the internal organs of Second Young Master Dou? I used to perform autopsies with a blade, but at most, I would examine external wounds or the areas around the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. But now, you’re saying to cut open the body? The deceased’s intestines and stomach would contain nothing but filth—what can you possibly find there? Besides, respecting the dead is of utmost importance. Can we truly dissect a body?”

Qin Ying replied, “Don’t worry. Envoy Xie has already obtained permission from the Dou family; we can conduct the dissection. Don’t underestimate the importance of an autopsy. Often, when a criminal erases all evidence and traces, only an autopsy can reveal crucial clues. If the corpse’s exterior hadn’t been burned beyond recognition, I wouldn’t even attempt this step.”

She spoke solemnly, then turned to look at his chest. Seeing a pair of oil-paper gloves inside, she felt slightly reassured. “Put on the gloves; I’ll instruct you where to make the incision. For now, we can only conduct a cursory examination, but there are two crucial areas you must dissect.”

Qin Ying was not a professional forensic pathologist. Drawing on years of experience working with corpses and the few dissection classes she attended during her auxiliary studies in forensic science, she could only teach Yue Lingxiu the most basic autopsy techniques. Yet even so, what she said was already groundbreaking and shocking. Not only Yue Lingxiu, but even Xie Xinglan was stunned.

Xie Xinglan stared intently at Qin Ying, his sharp gaze seemingly piercing into her. Only now did he understand why she had dismissed everyone earlier.

Yue Lingxiu trembled, wishing he could flee immediately. But Qin Ying looked at him with seriousness, without a hint of disdain in her eyes—something exceedingly rare among aristocrats. Her earlier words somehow inspired a strange sense of courage in Yue Lingxiu. Gritting his teeth, he turned around, put on the gloves, and picked out the sharpest knife, standing ready as though preparing for a noble sacrifice.

Qin Ying gestured to his face. “You also need to wear a mask. You know that corpse fluids and odors are toxic, right?”

Yue Lingxiu, of course, knew this but had forgotten in his panic. He quickly took out a mask and put it on. Seeing that he was now fully prepared, Qin Ying covered her mouth and nose with a silk handkerchief before stepping forward. “When you examined the body on the night of the incident, you found no visible wounds?”

Yue Lingxiu nervously replied, “That’s correct. I didn’t find any external injuries.”

Qin Ying pondered briefly, saying, “First, examine his throat and trachea. Your biggest mistake during the previous autopsy was only inspecting the deceased’s mouth and nose. If the deceased died from fire or suffocation in a fire, there would not only be soot in the mouth and nose but also in the throat and trachea. For a burned corpse, soot in the mouth and nose is not unusual. However, the most critical detail is that you didn’t check the deceased’s eyelashes and the corners of their eyes.”

Qin Ying explained the method she had shared with Xie Xinglan and others that night to distinguish between a burned corpse and someone who died in a fire. She then pointed to the corpse’s neck, saying, “The trachea connects to the throat at the top and the chest cavity at the bottom, located in front of the esophagus. Feel for the position—there’s a layer of ring-shaped cartilage around the trachea, segmented. You need to cut between the third and fifth segments.”

Yue Lingxiu’s fingers trembled, but Qin Ying’s detailed instructions forced him to steady his nerves and locate the position. Despite wearing oil-paper gloves, he couldn’t clearly identify the segments. Hearing it was between the third and fifth, he chose a middle spot and made the incision.

The knife pierced the decaying corpse, releasing no blood but a stream of brownish corpse fluid. Yue Lingxiu, despite his experience with corpses, couldn’t suppress the nausea rising in his stomach. He clenched his teeth to suppress the urge to vomit.

The back hall already carried a faint stench, but the release of corpse fluid intensified the smell, making it even more pungent. Xie Xinglan, though accustomed to harsh conditions, also felt discomfort. However, in Qin Ying’s presence, he maintained a composed expression.

Outside, Bai Yuan noticed Zhao Lian and the others being asked to leave and found it odd. When she asked Shen Luo, Shen Luo’s expression turned peculiar as he said, “County Princess wants Coroner Yue to dissect the corpse. I don’t know what she intends to say, but she doesn’t want us to listen inside.”

Bai Yuan’s eyes widened in shock, exclaiming, “What?”

She walked to the small door in disbelief. Xie Jian and Xie Yong saw her but weren’t sure whether to stop her. At that moment, Bai Yuan leaned in to take a look at the back hall. With just one glance, she was so shocked she nearly fell backward. Her county princess was covering her mouth and nose, standing very close to the corpse, instructing Yue Lingxiu step by step on how to use the knife. Yue Lingxiu held a sharp dagger in his hand, slicing Dou Yu’s neck repeatedly.

Bai Yuan’s stomach churned, and she quickly retreated. Standing outside, she took deep breaths for a long time before accepting the situation. She thought bitterly that her county lord was no longer infatuated with the heir of Marquis Changqing, but she was straying further and further from the path of a proper lady.

Xie Jian and Xie Yong stood at the door. Though they didn’t look inside, they could hear faint voices from within. Their expressions were equally shocked, and their gazes toward Bai Yuan were filled with disbelief.

Xie Jian said admiringly, “I never expected your county princess to be so bold.”

Bai Yuan forced a dry laugh, but inside, she felt like crying. Forget everyone else—even the entire Marquis Linchuan household wouldn’t have imagined this.

“Right, this is the spot…”

“Hiss, slow down! Are you cutting through his esophagus?”

“Yes, yes, cut it open and take a look…”

Yue Lingxiu’s teeth chattered nervously, cold sweat sliding down his temples. Despite his years as a coroner, his hands remained steady after calming his nerves. Following Qin Ying’s instructions, he worked carefully. Only when Qin Ying leaned in to examine did he have a moment to observe his own handiwork.

One glance sent chills down his spine. His lack of experience showed—several deep cuts marred Dou Yu’s neck, releasing corpse fluid and exposing decayed flesh. The sight was nauseating and made the body appear as though it had been hacked apart.

Yue Lingxiu’s legs gave way, and he knelt. “Second Young Master, I only sought to find the culprit who harmed you. Please don’t blame me—I had no intention of ruining your appearance…”

Qin Ying looked at him helplessly. “Do you kneel every time you perform an autopsy?”

Yue Lingxiu replied bitterly, “I used to light incense and offer sacrifices. But today, Captain Zhao rushed me, and I didn’t have time to prepare.”

Qin Ying shook her head in resignation but decided to let it go, considering Yue Lingxiu’s traditional mindset. “Fine. If this brings you peace of mind, it doesn’t matter. But offering sacrifices is enough—don’t light incense. Raising the temperature in the mortuary will accelerate decomposition. Do you understand?”

Yue Lingxiu nodded repeatedly. “I understand, I understand. I always place the incense far away after lighting it.”

Qin Ying responded with a soft “Hmm” and turned to look at Xie Xinglan. But upon seeing his furrowed brows directed at her and Yue Lingxiu, she noticed his apparent dissatisfaction. She frowned slightly and said firmly, “I am correct—there is no trace of soot in his trachea, and his throat is completely clean. He could not possibly have died from being burned.”

After Qin Ying’s explanation, she instructed Yue Lingxiu to tidy up the wounds. Nervous about offending the deceased, Yue Lingxiu became more efficient, though his inexperience required Qin Ying’s constant supervision.

As Qin Ying guided him step by step, her approval of Yue Lingxiu’s improvements showed their rapport. Observing this, Xie Xinglan found himself inexplicably irritated, wondering how such a clumsy coroner could have landed a position in the capital’s yamen under Magistrate Zhou Xianchen.

Once Yue Lingxiu had cautiously cleaned up the wounds on the deceased’s neck, Qin Ying stated, “That was merely eliminating the cause of death. Now, I need you to locate the deceased’s stomach and dissect it.”

Having already cut into the deceased’s neck, Yue Lingxiu wasn’t as shocked this time. However, Xie Xinglan couldn’t help but ask, “Why dissect the stomach?”

Qin Ying said, “You should remember that the servant mentioned Dou Yu had eaten the breakfast delivered to him, but it was unclear if he had touched lunch. I’m trying to figure out when exactly he was murdered—perhaps there are clues in the stomach.”

Xie Xinglan immediately asked, “Is it to deduce the time of death?”

Qin Ying nodded but added, “If the deceased hadn’t been dead for long, this method would be very effective. However, he’s been dead for five days, and any regular food would already have been fully digested. I want to see if there’s anything else suspicious.”

Xie Xinglan frowned. “Poison?”

Qin Ying nodded again. “That’s also possible.” She then asked Yue Lingxiu, “Do you know where the stomach is located?”

Yue Lingxiu nodded. “Yes, it’s under the left rib…”

Qin Ying agreed and explained further, “The stomach is adjacent to the liver on the right and lies against the abdomen below the xiphoid process. On the left, it is bordered by the costal arch, while its back wall is close to the pancreas and intestines. Below it is the spleen…”

Yue Lingxiu listened carefully, muttering along as she spoke. Without the presence of onlookers, Qin Ying felt less constrained and shared her knowledge with greater ease, though she still chose her words carefully.

Xie Xinglan, hearing her explain the internal anatomy with such precision, felt increasingly astonished. This was far from the rumored County Princess Yunyang. Even the most experienced coroners might not know the details she was describing so clearly. Could this be knowledge only imperial physicians might possess? Who had taught Qin Ying?

“To locate the stomach, you must first open the abdominal cavity. The abdomen can be divided into four regions. The lower abdomen of this corpse is severely decayed, and there might be maggots in the internal organs—be prepared…”

Qin Ying explained carefully as Yue Lingxiu followed her instructions, making an incision in the lower left abdomen. A chilling sound of cutting echoed, and before long, a strong stench filled the air.

Xie Xinglan thought to himself, fortunately, the others had left. Even if they had stayed, no one could have endured this. He walked over to the back window, opened it, and breathed the fresh air outside. When he turned around, he saw Qin Ying covering her nose and mouth as she instructed Yue Lingxiu on the next steps. Despite sweating nervously, Yue Lingxiu obeyed her commands without betraying her trust.

After another two-quarters of an hour of effort, Qin Ying suddenly said, “Wait, something’s not right—”

Yue Lingxiu didn’t understand but was too intimidated by Qin Ying’s grave expression to move. Xie Xinglan stepped forward and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Qin Ying hesitated and replied, “The stomach doesn’t look right. If my guess is correct, the cause of death should be poisoning.”

Xie Xinglan stared at her intently as Qin Ying continued, “Certain poisons can cause gastric congestion and swelling, like [unspecified substance]. If taken in excessive amounts, it can cause immediate severe vomiting or diarrhea, leading to death within one or two hours. However, since the internal organs have already started to decay, part of this swelling is due to decomposition. And since no poison was found in the stomach, I’m only 70–80% certain. If it weren’t for the fire, there would likely have been signs of vomiting and diarrhea around the corpse when it was discovered.”

Xie Xinglan contemplated for a moment and said, “There are no external injuries on the corpse, nor any signs of damage to the bones. Either he was suffocated or poisoned, as these methods wouldn’t leave visible wounds. The murderer likely set the fire to destroy the traces you mentioned, preventing further investigation.”

Hearing this, Qin Ying’s doubts dissipated. She then said to him, “Ask someone to bring in a clean bowl.”

Xie Xinglan gave a loud order, and soon, Xie Jian entered with a porcelain bowl. Upon seeing Dou Yu’s body with the abdomen cut open, he couldn’t suppress a dry heave. Qin Ying took the bowl, and Xie Jian hurriedly fled the scene like the wind.

Xie Xinglan didn’t know what Qin Ying was planning, but he saw her instruct Yue Lingxiu to place a foul-smelling mass into the bowl. Despite the stench, Qin Ying held it carefully and walked to the back window to examine it closely.

Xie Xinglan stepped forward and asked, “What is it?”

“It was taken from Dou Yu’s stomach,” Qin Ying replied matter-of-factly, though Xie Xinglan felt a chill run down his spine. Qin Ying inspected it carefully and soon found a small hard object about the size of half a grain of rice. She then said, “Bring water.”

This time, Xie Xinglan didn’t call for anyone and personally fetched a teapot. Qin Ying poured the foul matter aside and warned Yue Lingxiu about the toxicity. She then carefully cleaned the hard object, which had been corroded by stomach acid, making it difficult to discern its original form even after cleaning.

Qin Ying said solemnly, “It seems we need to visit the Dou household and inquire about what Dou Yu ate for breakfast and lunch on the day he died.”

Since it was determined that Dou Yu was poisoned, the next step was to figure out how the poison was ingested. Xie Xinglan remarked, “The Hanguang Pavilion is usually undisturbed, and no servant tends to it. If someone went to find Dou Yu, others wouldn’t know. The culprit is most likely someone from the household. If Dou Yu hadn’t suspected them, he might have consumed food or drink brought by the murderer.”

Qin Ying nodded. “If the substance didn’t come from the meals provided by the household, then it must have been brought by the murderer.”

The autopsy conducted today was primarily to confirm the cause of death. Now that it was established, Qin Ying instructed Yue Lingxiu to tidy up the body. She then said, “Write the report yourself. There’s no need to include my name. Simply state that the cause of death is an abnormality in the stomach, suspected poisoning.”

Yue Lingxiu promptly agreed, showing great respect. Only then did Qin Ying go to wash her hands. Once they stepped outside, the others gathered around. Xie Xinglan instructed Zhao Lian, “The autopsy is complete. Once Coroner Yue finishes the report, send a copy to the Jinwu Guards. Until the case is resolved, ensure the deceased’s body is carefully guarded.”

Bowing repeatedly, Zhao Lian nodded in agreement. Xie Xinglan then left the mortuary with Qin Ying.

As soon as they left, Zhao Lian hurried into the back room. Seeing that Dou Yu’s charred body bore numerous incisions, he asked Yue Lingxiu, “What did you find? Did you actually dissect the body?”

Yue Lingshou nodded. “We found that Second Young Master Dou was poisoned, and the body was dissected.”

Frowning in confusion, Zhao Lian asked, “You really dared to perform a dissection? Did County Princess Yunyang teach you to do this?”

Recalling Qin Ying’s instructions, Yue Lingxiu lowered his eyes and replied, “It’s just an autopsy. Anyway, the cause was determined to be poisoning. I’ll finish writing the report soon and hand it to the captain.”

His words were vague, and Zhao Lian couldn’t make sense of them, so he snorted, “Write it in detail; it’ll need to be reviewed by our superior later.”

Wang Yun and Yuan Shoucheng overheard this from behind. Wang Yun was astonished that Yue Lingxiu had really damaged Dou Yu’s body, while Yuan Shoucheng wore an indecipherable expression, lost in thought. At that moment, Zhao Lian turned around, noticed the two of them idling there, and scolded irritably, “Keep an eye on the body. If the ice basins run out, go get more. Don’t think I don’t know—the Dou family has been generous and given you plenty of reward money.”

Yuan Shoucheng lowered his gaze and remained silent while Wang Yun obediently acknowledged the order.

By the time Qin Ying and Xie Xinglan returned to the Dou household, the sun was already setting. Feng Xiao, who had remained at the Dou household, had completed questioning witnesses. Seeing them return, he immediately handed over the records.

Feng Xiao said, “Everyone has been questioned, and their responses are similar to those from the morning. Among them, including Dou Rong, six or seven individuals could not provide any witnesses. Some claimed they lingered elsewhere for a while, while others were supposedly on their way to the Siljin Pavilion. However, there’s one difference from the morning—the last person to meet with Dou Yu wasn’t Dou Wenyun and his group, but his servant Zhishu.”

“On the night of the 11th, Dou Yu returned from Dou Qiguang’s place. Zhishu was tidying his study at the time. Upon reflection, Zhishu mentioned that Dou Yu seemed fatigued and burdened by his thoughts, as if he were struggling with academic problems. Not wanting to disturb Dou Yu further, he stayed at the Hanguang Pavilion for about the duration of one incense stick before leaving.”

Zhishu had been summoned late in the morning, so this point was not thoroughly addressed. Xie Xinglan nodded and said, “Bring Zhishu here; there are other matters to question him about. The cause of Dou Yu’s death has been confirmed—it was poisoning.”

Feng Xiao was amazed. “How was this discovered?”

Xie Xinglan wouldn’t go into detail but still said, “Thanks to County Princess Yunyang.”

Qin Ying clicked her tongue softly. After Feng Xiao went to summon Zhishu, she said to Xie Xinglan, “I don’t want to claim credit for this. There’s no need for you to build up my reputation.”

Xie Xinglan narrowed his eyes. “Are you afraid that Marquis Linchuan will find out?”

Qin Ying’s heart skipped a beat, but Xie Xinglan added, “Or perhaps you’re not afraid that I’ll know?”

Qin Ying said frankly, “It’s impossible to hide everything from everyone. Since Envoy Xie has already questioned me, why should I invite more trouble? It’s all for the sake of the case. I believe you weren’t someone who likes to cause unnecessary issues.”

Xie Xinglan’s gaze deepened as he said, “Even if I continue to question you, you still won’t answer. But those methods of yours—many of them are secret techniques. You don’t even know Yue Lingxiu’s character. Why are you willing to teach him everything?”

Qin Ying sighed. “These don’t count as secret techniques to me. No matter how they’re passed on, they can’t harm anyone. I only need to ensure that Coroner Yue performs his duties well. Teaching him can help prevent many wrongful convictions.”

Xie Xinglan was silent for a moment before saying, “You really have no selfish motives.”

Qin Ying raised an eyebrow and replied, “I do. Doesn’t this earn me more trust from you? Now, when I say something strange, you no longer dig too deeply into it, and our teamwork on the case becomes much smoother and more efficient.”

Her dark eyes were like polished lacquer, her brows as graceful as a painting, and a faint smile graced her bright and open lips. Xie Xinglan’s grip on his sword’s hilt tightened slightly. With a serious tone, he said, “As long as the case is solved, that’s what matters.”

Qin Ying’s smile deepened. She had anticipated that Xie Xinglan would respond this way.

In the original story, although Xie Xinglan was the main antagonist, he was a remarkably straightforward person. Every action he took had a purpose—whether for power, profit, revenge, or settling grievances. He never implicated the innocent and was never led astray by emotions. But in the end…

Thinking about Xie Xinglan’s eventual fate, the smile on Qin Ying’s face instantly faded. She had already altered the Lu Roujia and Cui Wan case storylines. Could she, before the brutal political struggle began, change Xie Xinglan’s destiny?

Xie Xinglan couldn’t understand why Qin Ying’s gaze suddenly carried a trace of pity. He was about to delve deeper when Feng Xiao returned with Zhishu.

Zhishu appeared visibly nervous, and after bowing politely, Xie Xinglan calmed himself and asked, “On the twelfth, what did you deliver for breakfast and lunch?”

Zhishu seemed a bit confused but thought for a moment before replying, “For breakfast, it was lotus seed porridge, pear rolls, chestnut cake, and a bowl of ginseng soup. For lunch, it was steamed mandarin fish, sweet and sour ribs, blanched lotus seeds, white rice, and osmanthus cake. The young master has a sweet tooth and prefers light meals—these are his usual dishes.”

Qin Ying frowned, “That hard object doesn’t look like a bone—it seems more like a fruit pit. Did you deliver any fruit at that time?”

Zhishu then recalled, “Yes, during lunch, I brought lychees. These lychees were the last batch of the season, sent from the south to the capital, and the young master likes lychees.”

However, the small object didn’t resemble a lychee pit; besides, it’s rare for anyone to swallow lychee pits.

Seeing Xie Xinglan deep in thought, Qin Ying added, “Lead us to Sijin Pavilion to take a look.”

Most testimonies indicated that people were heading to Sijin Pavilion that day. Qin Ying was keen to understand the paths that surrounded Sijin Pavilion. Zhishu complied and led the group toward the inner courtyard. Qin Ying, recalling the testimonies Feng Xiao had gathered, remarked, “That evening, aside from Dou Rong’s absence, the siblings from the Ge family arrived late, as did Dou Wenyun and his wife from the main branch, along with Dou Shuo and his wife, Madam Wu. The rest of the third and fourth branches arrived very early.”

Feng Xiao nodded. “Exactly. The third branch is of illegitimate descent; they run their own business outside and are quite disciplined within the household. The fourth branch is attentive to Vice Minister Dou but not particularly favored by him…”

Hearing this from the front, Zhishu couldn’t help but say, “Old Master only favors our young master.”

Qin Ying asked, “What about the main branch? The main branch is the eldest. Your eldest young master married early—did he ever take the imperial examinations?”

Just as she finished speaking, voices drifted over from the nearby flower garden.

“Xin’er, slow down! Be careful not to fall…”

Qin Ying stopped to look and saw Dou Shuo and his wife, Madam Wu, playing with their daughter, Dou Xin, in the garden. A servant launched a bamboo dragonfly into the air, and Dou Xin chased after it. Being young, she wasn’t watching where she was going and was about to run into a cluster of gardenia bushes.

Dou Shuo noticed and immediately chased after Dou Xin, but as he started to run, his gait showed an unnatural, unsteady swaying.

Qin Ying frowned. “His leg…”

Zhishu glanced around and whispered, “The eldest young master injured his leg as a child, leaving some disability. Usually, it’s not noticeable, but it becomes obvious when he runs. With such a condition, he couldn’t take the imperial examinations, so the old master arranged an early marriage for him. The eldest young master and his wife are deeply in love and have remained just as affectionate over the years.”

Xie Xinglan asked, “How did he get injured?”

Zhishu hesitated, seemingly wary of something. But under Xie Xinglan’s sharp, pressing gaze, he quickly confessed, “At the time, he and our young master were horseback riding at the stables. The horses were startled, and the old master could only save one person. So, he saved our young master, and the eldest young master fell from his horse and broke his leg. That was ten years ago…”

Qin Ying and Xie Xinglan exchanged glances, surprised by the revelation. Meanwhile, in the distance, Dou Shuo caught Dou Xin just before she could fall into the bushes. Smiling and panting, he said, “Good girl, running faster than your father—almost couldn’t catch you.”

Unaware of the danger, Dou Xin laughed gleefully in her father’s arms. Suddenly, Madam Wu noticed Qin Ying and the others and called out, “Husband, Envoy Xie and County Princess Yunyang are here—”

Dou Shuo turned to look, his smile vanishing instantly. He stood up, holding Dou Xin, and said, “Let’s go back.”

As he turned to leave, Dou Xin protested, “Father, I still want to see the bamboo dragonfly—the red one, the blue one…”

Dou Shuo quickly covered Dou Xin’s mouth and left the garden as though fleeing from unseen threats.