Chapter 48

At the first hour of Si (around 9 AM), the sky brightened, and the autumn sun broke through the clouds, scattering a radiant glow across the horizon.

Qin Ying’s carriage slowly entered Changqing District on Fuqin Street and stopped outside Prince Xuanping’s residence. Lifting the curtain to look out, she saw that the residence’s main gate had not yet been adorned with mourning banners. The quiet morning light enveloped the closed gate, and no sound came from within.

Letting the curtain fall, Qin Ying stepped down from the carriage. Shen Luo knocked on the gate, and soon, a middle-aged servant opened it.

Qin Ying stepped forward, introduced herself, and said, “I’m here to pay my respects to Miss Li and to ask the princess consort a question. Please convey my message.”

The servant promptly welcomed her inside, instructing a nearby gatekeeper to inform the inner courtyard. Qin Ying examined the residence’s decor as she walked along the corridors toward the front courtyard. Prince Xuanping’s household was spacious and exquisite, with white lanterns hanging along the way. A large black character, “奠” (signifying mourning), struck her as particularly somber.

Qin Ying asked, “Where is Miss Li’s mourning hall? I noticed there were no mourning banners outside when I arrived—was her funeral not held yesterday?”

The servant looked uncomfortable and explained, “Because the circumstances of the young lady’s death are unclear, the Prince decided to hold a ritual first and postpone the funeral. However, Princess Consort feels that her seventh-day memorial has likely passed, and with the rumors already circulating throughout the city, not holding the funeral has sparked further gossip. There’s been no final decision, so for now, arrangements have been made within the household, and Miss Li’s mourning hall is set in the northwest water pavilion.”

Qin Ying nodded slightly. Soon, the gatekeeper who had gone to inform returned quickly and respectfully said, “The Princess Consort has requested to escort the County Princess directly to the eldest young lady’s mourning hall.”

The servant gestured politely, inviting Qin Ying to follow. She walked toward the northwest, passing two pavilions and flower gardens until a lakeside pavilion appeared. The Princess Consort, Madam Liu, was already waiting outside the pavilion. Dressed in simple, moon-white mourning clothes without any ornaments, she looked even more haggard than when Qin Ying last saw her.

The lakeside pavilion was solemnly arranged. Mourning banners surrounded the black coffin, and incense wafted in the air. Behind the coffin stood a few brightly colored paper effigies with hollow, dark eyes and talismans affixed to their foreheads. Along the walls were ice-filled basins, creating a chill that Qin Ying felt the moment she reached the entrance of the mourning hall.

Madam Liu softly said, “I didn’t expect the County Princess to come—”

Qin Ying glanced at the mourning hall. “I’ll light some incense first.”

A servant of the Prince’s residence handed her incense sticks. Qin Ying solemnly bowed and paid her respects to the deceased. Once the ritual was completed, she turned to Madam Liu and said, “I came today not only to mourn Miss Li but also to ask for your assistance. Could I trouble you to fetch one of Miss Li’s frequently worn dresses?”

Madam Liu frowned in confusion. “Why does the County Princess need Fangrui’s dress?”

Qin Ying replied, “It’s for the investigation.”

Madam Liu observed Qin Ying for a moment and asked, puzzled, “You’re not an official investigator; this case is not your responsibility. Why take on such a burdensome task?”

Qin Ying sighed. “Seeing Miss Li murdered must feel like a knife to the heart for you, Madam Liu. With one more person helping in this investigation, there’s a greater chance of uncovering the truth sooner, wouldn’t you agree?”

Madam Liu asked skeptically, “Is that truly the reason?”

Qin Ying said firmly, “What else could it be? Do you think His Majesty will reward me with high-ranking positions just because I’m investigating a case?”

In the Great Zhou dynasty, there was no precedent for women to hold official positions, so naturally, Madam Liu thought it was impossible. Though she was reluctant to hand over her daughter’s belongings to an outsider, after much consideration, she figured that Qin Ying had no reason to make a fuss over this matter. Besides, it was rumored among noble families that Qin Ying indeed had a talent for solving cases. Thus, Madam Liu instructed her maidservant, “Go fetch a dress that the young lady has worn.”

After the maidservant left, Qin Ying continued, “When the Princess Consort retrieved Miss Li’s body that day, did she also bring back the dress she was wearing at the time?”

Madam Liu felt heartbroken at the thought and shook her head, saying, “That red dress was so filthy and unrecognizable that, naturally, it wasn’t kept. We went to retrieve her body late at night with the coffin and dressed her in burial clothes at the time.”

Qin Ying nodded, appearing pensive. Not long after, the maidservant returned with the garment—a water-red dress embroidered with a pattern of hibiscus flowers. Qin Ying took it in her hands and noted that it was made of fine silk, light and flexible to the touch, and vibrant in color. After examining it closely, she instructed Bai Yuan to put it away and then prepared to take her leave.

After taking just a few steps, Madam Liu called out to her, still doubtful, “What exactly do you plan to do?”

Qin Ying replied, “Rest assured, Princess Consort. If we use Miss Li’s belongings, we will return them promptly and without any damage.”

Madam Liu pursed her lips but said nothing more. Qin Ying then left with Bai Yuan and Shen Luo, heading toward the main gate. They hadn’t walked far when someone came from the direction of the inner courtyard—it was Li Yunqi, who had rushed over after hearing the news. He scrutinized Qin Ying and then noticed the dress Bai Yuan was holding. Frowning, he asked, “What are you doing with that?”

Qin Ying calmly replied, “To investigate the case, I need to borrow your sister’s belongings.”

Li Yunqi narrowed his eyes and said, “In such a critical murder case, the Jinwu Guards and the capital’s prefectural office are actually letting you investigate? What are the officials who draw salaries from the government doing at this time?”

Qin Ying responded nonchalantly, “This case is complex, and everyone has their own tasks. If the heir finds it curious, you may visit the capital’s prefectural office yourself.”

Li Yunqi glanced again at Li Fangrui’s red dress and asked, “Have you discovered something?”

Qin Ying shook her head. “Nothing to disclose at the moment. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”

She bypassed Li Yunqi and walked toward the main gate. Li Yunqi hesitated briefly but ultimately said nothing more. As he noticed the commotion near the waterside pavilion in the distance, he quickly headed toward Madam Liu.

Leaving Prince Xuanping’s residence, Qin Ying instructed Shen Luo to “Head to the public mortuary in the southern part of the city.”

Bai Yuan’s expression was somewhat stiff. “County Princess, what do you want Miss Li’s dress for?”

Bai Yuan, not as sharp-minded as Qin Ying, naturally felt a chill down her spine at the thought of Li Fangrui’s death and how the red dress in her hand was very similar to the one the deceased had worn. She found the dress to be eerie, ominous, and inauspicious. Once on the carriage, she hurriedly set the dress aside and, still uneasy, moved farther away from it.

Qin Ying, however, showed no such hesitation. She picked up the dress and examined it from all angles, even holding it up to herself as if to compare. Bai Yuan was startled beyond words. “County lord, this is Miss Li’s belonging! Miss Li’s body has only just been laid to rest. Such belongings are considered extremely inauspicious—how can you be so unbothered?”

Qin Ying shook her head. “There’s nothing inauspicious about it. Look—how do you think this dress suits me?”

Bai Yuan felt a chill in her heart and, suppressing her fear, said, “It seems… it seems suitable. Miss Li’s figure should be similar to yours.”

Qin Ying nodded slightly, holding the red dress and falling into deep thought.

Bai Yuan hesitated and asked, “What exactly are you trying to do? You’ve seen the dress Miss Li was wearing when she was harmed, haven’t you? These two dresses are almost identical except for the difference in texture.”

Qin Ying nodded, “That’s what I think too.”

Bai Yuan sighed helplessly, “You’re saying this as if you’re not saying anything at all…”

Qin Ying didn’t respond. Seeing her solemn expression, Bai Yuan didn’t dare to interrupt. When the carriage headed south and arrived at the mortuary, Qin Ying finally took a deep breath and snapped out of her thoughts. But as soon as the carriage stopped, Qin Ying heard crying.

“My poor son, your father came too late. If I had known, I wouldn’t have let you go into the city to buy medicine for me…”

Jumping off the carriage, Qin Ying saw an elderly man, over fifty years old, accompanied by two young men in coarse clothing, carrying a corpse. It was a severely decomposed male corpse, wrapped in a straw mat, being lifted onto a wooden ox cart. Seeing the arrival of distinguished guests, the three men handling the corpse moved more swiftly, but the elderly man still wore a sorrowful expression.

Wang Yun stood at the door watching the scene. When he saw Qin Ying arrive, he quickly greeted her.

Qin Ying asked, “What’s going on here?”

Wang Yun replied, “Does the County Princess remember the male corpse that was previously stored in the mortuary?”

Upon seeing Qin Ying nod, Wang Yun continued, “The deceased’s family finally arrived. They live in a mountain village outside the city. The deceased had planned to enter the capital to buy medicine for his father, but he had been missing for ten days. His father grew impatient and called upon two nephews yesterday to report the case to the authorities. They then heard that the mortuary housed unidentified bodies and came to identify him. Though the body was barely recognizable, they matched the deceased’s clothing, thereby confirming his identity. Today, they brought an ox cart to retrieve the remains.”

Not far away, the three men had finished preparing the corpse, which was wrapped in a straw mat. Despite the cover, the corpse’s feet were faintly visible—swollen and discolored, eerily similar to those of Li Fangrui’s corpse. As the ox cart was pulled toward the city gates, Wang Yun added, “It’s said there’s a river outside their village. There was a flood there several days ago, and the bridge was unstable. The son likely fell into the river under such conditions. The body ought to be removed now. Otherwise, if we don’t handle it soon, I’ll have to discuss with Brother Yuan whether we should bury the corpse. Today, Brother Yuan is on leave. If he returns tomorrow, we might decide to dispose of it then; otherwise, clearing it would become too challenging.”

Qin Ying glanced into the mortuary and saw that it was empty, with no sign of Yuan Shoucheng. As she walked inside, she asked, “Is identifying a corpse always done by describing the clothing alone?”

Wang Yun replied, “Not always. If the corpse is intact, they’ll describe the features and other characteristics, too. But if the appearance is unrecognizable, there’s no other choice. For example, a few days ago, the grandparents of a female deceased described her general appearance. Beyond that, there’s no other method. We ensure they sign off with fingerprints; if an error arises, we can trace it back to them.”

Qin Ying nodded in agreement. In such times, there were no better alternatives. The mortuary often stored unidentified bodies, and long-term preservation was highly challenging.

Qin Ying then asked, “Two days ago, when the Prince’s residence retrieved Miss Li’s body, was the clothing she wore taken off? Were those garments kept?”

Wang Yun immediately said, “They’ve all been kept, stored in the rear hall. These are all pieces of evidence, and until the authorities conclude the case, neither Brother Yuan nor I dare to discard them. Although those things are indeed quite disgusting.”

This response satisfied Qin Ying. She headed straight to the rear hall and instinctively covered her nose and mouth as soon as she entered.

The wooden beds in the rear hall were all empty. However, the bed that had previously held the male corpse still bore a damp stain. Upon closer inspection, maggots wriggled on it, and flies buzzed around. Wang Yun hurriedly said, “Please wait a moment, County Princess. Allow me to tidy this up.”

Wang Yun went out to fetch a broom, swiftly cleaned up the maggots, and brought a basin of water to rinse the wooden bed. Although the bed looked much cleaner, the flies couldn’t be removed immediately. Qin Ying waved her hand, “It doesn’t matter; I’ll go check the previously stored evidence.”

The bed that had held Li Fangrui’s body had also been cleaned. Her garments were haphazardly piled on it. Upon close inspection, flies also circled those garments. Using two sheets of straw paper as a cover, Qin Ying carefully lifted the dirty red dress for a closer look. Before long, she compared it with the red dress from the Prince’s residence.

The onlookers had no idea what she was doing but noticed Qin Ying’s expression growing increasingly serious. At this point, Qin Ying noticed the flies landing on another empty wooden bed.

Wang Yun followed her gaze, thinking she found it dirty, and explained, “There were previously two bodies placed here. When they were first brought in, it didn’t smell this bad. Later, when Miss Li’s body arrived, it was so decomposed that flies emerged immediately. But afterward, the Prince’s residence sent over ice basins, which calmed the flies for a few days. Two days ago, when Miss Li’s body was taken away, and there were no more ice basins, it quickly became uncontrollable…”

Qin Ying approached the empty wooden bed where flies had gathered. Although the bed had been rinsed, it still bore a few stains, and the flies were concentrated at the foot of the bed as if the stains there were more severe. She stepped forward to wave the flies away, her brows furrowing immediately. At the foot of the bed, a protruding iron nail caught her attention. Beneath the nail, in the crevice, was a stain resembling dried blood, which had attracted the flies.

Qin Ying asked, “When was the last time a corpse was placed on this bed?”

Wang Yun, unaware of the nail, replied, “It was the female corpse I mentioned earlier, the one taken away by an elderly couple. When the body was first brought in, I could tell it seemed to be a death caused by illness, and the elderly father said the same.”

Qin Ying questioned, “How could you tell it was an illness?”

“That young woman didn’t seem very old. She was brought in on the 22nd, and it looked like she had been dead for one or two days. The people who brought her in found her along the official road two miles outside the city. Her body had severe purplish-red marks, especially on her arms. Her mouth and nose had dried white foam, and her mouth seemed to be blocked with debris. Her clothing was tightly fitted, showing no signs of assault. Additionally, there were stains on her chest, as if she had vomited, and her clothes were covered in dust.”

The purplish-red marks were postmortem lividity, and the description of her death reminded Qin Ying of a seizure, possibly leading to suffocation from vomit. She couldn’t help but ask, “Was her face cyanotic?”

Wang Yun recalled, “It should have been. When she was found, her face was down, and the white foam from her mouth and nose was mixed with dirt. Her face also had some stains, and the purplish marks obscured her original appearance. At a glance, it did appear purple.”

At this point, Wang Yun spoke softly, “Although this mortuary often accommodates the deceased, there are still many taboos. The elders often say that if you encounter a dead body, you must not stare at its face. If you look at it, its wandering spirit will also look at you and might visit you at midnight. Therefore, I dared not examine her closely.”

Hearing this, Bai Yuan shuddered. Qin Ying didn’t believe in such superstitions and instead asked, “What was she wearing at the time?”

Wang Yun recalled, “She was wearing a lotus-colored ruqun (a traditional Chinese dress) and a matching lotus-colored long robe outside. One of her shoes was missing, leaving only one… I’ve forgotten its color. Her hair bun didn’t have any adornments.”

Qin Ying nodded. Then she asked, “Did Captain Zhao or anyone else come by yesterday?”

Wang Yun quickly shook his head, “No, yesterday it was just me and Brother Yuan working here, and nothing happened.”

Qin Ying nodded slightly, “Bring some straw paper to wrap this red dress. I need to take it to the capital prefecture’s government office.”

Wang Yun hesitated for a moment before quickly agreeing. He turned and left, soon returning with several large sheets of mulberry paper. After skillfully wrapping the clothing and handing it to Shen Luo, Qin Ying finally headed outside. Upon reaching the outer hall, Wang Yun said, “County Princess, if you’re taking this item, I need to make a record. Please help by signing.”

Qin Ying nodded, and Wang Yun moved to a desk against the eastern wall. On the desk were writing materials and records. Wang Yun opened a page and began writing. Qin Ying walked over to him and saw that he wrote each character carefully, though the strokes were awkwardly uneven and strained. Her eyes couldn’t help but fall on the previous page that was flipped open.

The writing on the previous page was neat and bold, recording the matter of Li Fangrui’s body being taken away by the Prince’s residence. Qin Ying asked suspiciously, “Did Yuan Shoucheng write that?”

Wang Yun nodded, then said, embarrassed, “Brother Yuan’s handwriting is excellent. If he were here, he’d handle all these records. Forgive me for the poor writing.”

Qin Ying then asked, “His handwriting is indeed impressive. Is he a scholar? Why is he working as a mortuary guard?”

Wang Yun looked slightly perplexed and replied, “This humble servant does not know the details. Brother Yuan has been with the government for six or seven years. Initially, he worked as a constable, but he made a mistake and was demoted to the mortuary nearly five years ago. People in this role are either here due to mistakes or, like me, are too poor to have any other prospects. Though the work is tough, we at least receive a small monthly salary. If we work diligently, we might even have the chance to return to proper government duties.”

While speaking, Wang Yun finished recording the transfer of evidence by Qin Ying and then handed the brush to her. Qin Ying signed her name, and after completing it, she couldn’t help but feel more impressed with Yuan Shoucheng’s beautiful handwriting as she glanced through the earlier entries. As Wang Yun had mentioned, most of the records were indeed written by Yuan Shoucheng. At that moment, she noticed the record for the 23rd. She asked, “Were you on duty the day the female corpse was claimed?”

Wang Yun nodded, “Yes. When there are no cases or tasks, Brother Yuan and I alternate on daily shifts when family matters arise. When that female corpse was brought in, the Dou family’s case had just concluded, so both Brother Yuan and I were present. The following day, Brother Yuan mentioned he had personal matters, so I allowed him to take the day off.”

Qin Ying read aloud, “Xiao Ying’er of Baihe Town, Xiao Zhengqiang.”

Wang Yun confirmed, “That’s correct. The deceased was named Xiao Ying’er, and Xiao Zhengqiang was her grandfather. On that day, they brought an ox cart as well. The elderly couple said they had already inquired outside the city about their granddaughter’s death, which led them directly to the mortuary. They mentioned their granddaughter had epilepsy and likely died from an episode while on the road. They were tenant farmers of a wealthy family, and this girl had gone to work at another tenant’s house. However, she disappeared for five days…”

A flicker of doubt crossed Qin Ying’s eyes. After putting the record book down, her expression grew thoughtful. She then asked, “Where does Yuan Shoucheng live?”

Wang Yun replied, “This humble servant does not know the exact address, only that he lives in Le’an District in the west of the city. Brother Yuan is an honest person, but he is not very friendly and has never invited me to his home. Perhaps his temperament changed after being demoted here back then.”

Qin Ying nodded, “Nothing important, just asking casually.”

Qin Ying bid farewell to Wang Yun, carried two red dresses onto the carriage, and instructed Shen Luo: “Head to the Jingji Yamen.”

As the carriage rumbled along, Bai Yuan stared at the mulberry paper package with an increasingly peculiar expression. Covering her nose and mouth, she said, “It’s one thing for the County Princess to take clean clothes from others, but why take clothes from a corpse? Can you smell it? The stench is overwhelming! Soon, flies will fill our carriage.”

Qin Ying naturally noticed the smell but replied, “For a reason. I need this evidence to speak with Envoy Xie. I’m not sure if he’s at the Jingji Yamen today.”

Hearing this, Bai Yuan could only endure it. She lifted the curtain, turning her whole body outward to breathe fresh air.

The journey to the Jingji Yamen was torturous for both women inside the carriage. When the carriage stopped in front of the Yamen, Bai Yuan and Qin Ying immediately jumped out. Inside the Yamen, Qin Ying saw no royal guards. Her heart sank slightly, and she first sought out Zhou Xianchen, who was busy with other tasks. Hearing of her arrival, he quickly came to greet her.

Qin Ying asked, “Did Envoy Xie not come to the Yamen today?”

Zhou Xianchen replied, “I haven’t seen him yet today. Is the County Princess inquiring about the case?”

Frowning, Qin Ying thought to herself that since Xie Xinglan was investigating Li Fangrui’s whereabouts, he was likely to coordinate with the Yamen officials. Yet, he hadn’t appeared at all today. Could he be at the Jinwu Guards Office instead?

Qin Ying hesitated briefly but maintained a calm expression. “Just wanted to ask about the progress,” she said.

Looking at Zhou Xianchen, Qin Ying did not fully trust him for some reason. She concealed her true purpose for being there and instead asked, “Did Captain Zhao find anything yesterday?”

Zhou Xianchen replied, “I haven’t seen Zhao Lian either. Today, I first visited the palace to meet the emperor and arrived at Yamen around noon. I heard from the staff that Zhao Lian hasn’t been here either—he’s likely leading a team to the southern part of the city to search for evidence. Last night, Lord Cui came to the Yamen, and when Zhao Lian reported, he mentioned that he still hadn’t found the blue cloth carriage or the old horse. Both Lord Cui and I agreed to continue the investigation today, so the manpower was arranged last night. At this moment, most of the Yamen staff is out.”

Qin Ying nodded slightly and then suddenly asked, “Does Lord Zhou know Yuan Shoucheng from the mortuary?”

Zhou Xianchen was puzzled, “Yuan Shoucheng? He started working as a guard at the mortuary before I arrived here. I heard he was originally a Yamen staff member. Why does the County Princess ask about him?”

Qin Ying said, “Today, I noticed that his handwriting is exceptionally elegant and wanted to inquire.”

Zhou Xianchen chuckled and said, “Indeed, his handwriting is excellent. However, Zhao Lian mentioned that he made a grave mistake before, apparently losing some important records. At that time, Captain Guo was extremely furious and sent him to the mortuary. Over the years, Yuan Shoucheng has been rather resentful, often showing displeasure on his face, yet he hasn’t mentioned returning to the Yamen.”

Qin Ying nodded slightly. Seeing that Zhou Xianchen was busy and there were few officers in the Yamen, she promptly excused herself. Once back in the carriage, Qin Ying looked at the two red dresses with a calm but somber expression.

From outside, Shen Luo asked, “County Princess, are we heading to the Jinwu Guards Office?”

Qin Ying lifted the curtain and glanced at the sky. Seeing the sun still hanging high, she resolutely replied, “No, we’re not going to the Jinwu Guards. We’re heading out of the city to Baihe Town.”

Baihe Town, located twenty miles outside the city by the Bai River, would take an hour to reach by carriage. Departing now would allow them to return before nightfall. Shen Luo responded, urged the horses onward, and the carriage headed straight for the city gates.

Bai Yuan lifted the curtain to breathe fresh air while Qin Ying leaned against the carriage wall, lost in silent thought. As their carriage began moving, a tall and lean figure emerged from a corner not far from the Yamen.

The man’s gloomy eyes fixated on Qin Ying’s carriage. As he saw the carriage about to leave the long street, he brought out an old horse, mounted it with agility, and quietly followed behind.