Chapter 49

Baihe Town is located twenty miles southeast of the capital city. Traveling along the official road for ten miles, then turning east and following the rapidly flowing north bank of Bai River downstream, it only takes half an hour to reach the town.

Baihe Town is one of the busiest settlements outside the capital city. As Qin Ying entered the town, her gaze took in a picturesque scene: pink walls and red doors scattered like stars, lush green elms and willows everywhere, and narrow stone-paved paths winding through the town. With the rumble of the carriage as a backdrop, the town appeared extraordinarily tranquil and serene.

Shen Luo slowed the carriage, heading first to a lively main street and asking at various shops about the residence of the Xiao family. However, after asking at seven or eight places, no one had heard of Xiao Zhengqiang’s home. Qin Ying pondered briefly and instructed Shen Luo to inquire about the location of the village head’s residence.

By the time they found the village head’s house, it was already two-quarters past the hour of Shen (afternoon).

The golden sun dipped westward, its warm autumn rays illuminating a three-winged house with white walls and gray tiles. Shen Luo stepped forward to knock on the door and announced Qin Ying’s identity, startling the servant of the village head.

Not long after, the village head, a man nearly fifty years old, came out to greet them warmly and politely. He offered to invite Qin Ying inside for tea, but she, fearing a delay, declined with courtesy and asked, “I’m here looking for a family with the surname Xiao. The head of the household is named Xiao Zhengqiang. About seven or eight days ago, this family lost a granddaughter, who later was found deceased by the roadside due to illness. They likely held a funeral in recent days.”

The village head, his wrinkled face full of surprise, replied, “Forgive me, County Princess, I’ve served as the village head for ten years, and I know every family’s name and address here. Yet I’ve never heard of anyone named Xiao Zhengqiang. What’s the name of the deceased granddaughter?”

Qin Ying said, “Her name is Xiao Ying’er.”

The village head shook his head. “I haven’t heard of her either. There are three or five households with the surname Xiao in this town, but none have that name. Of those with granddaughters, there are only two households, but the girls are only seven or eight years old—still young children. As for funerals due to the passing of a granddaughter, there’s no such case. This town isn’t large, and whenever a family experiences a funeral, others pitch in to help. It’s impossible for me not to know about it.”

Qin Ying felt her heart sink slightly. “What about the surrounding villages?”

The village head thought for a moment. “There are two nearby villages, each with a few dozen households. People in the villages interact less frequently, so I’m not certain. But I happen to have the household registry books for the villages here. Please wait a moment while I fetch them.”

The village head left to retrieve the registry while Qin Ying stood in the foyer, lost in thought. Shen Luo, standing beside her, said, “County Princess, could it be that those who took the girl’s body provided false names and addresses?”

Bai Yuan shivered. “But why would they give false information? They also described the girl’s appearance, so they must have known her. Could it be they weren’t her biological grandparents and took the body for some other reason? I’ve heard rumors about people buying the bodies of deceased girls for ghost marriages. Could this be the reason?”

Qin Ying replied, “If that’s the case, then there are many possibilities. Let’s wait and see.”

When the village head returned, he did indeed have a household registry book in hand. Flipping through it, he said, “In these two villages, most people in one are surnamed Wang, while the other has mixed surnames. However, I see only two households with the surname Xiao, and neither has a young granddaughter. The heads of these households are not named Xiao Zhengqiang, either. One head is in his thirties and lost his father early, while the other is over forty and has a son who’s only just over twenty.”

With this, the last possibility was ruled out. Qin Ying asked, “Has there been any news of a young girl in town dying unexpectedly recently?”

The village head shook his head. “I haven’t heard of any incidents.”

Qin Ying sighed and hurried back onto the carriage after thanking the village head. “Return to the capital.”

Shen Luo responded, steering the carriage out of the narrow stone-paved alley and onto the dirt road leading away from the town. The journey back would take an hour, just as it had on the way there. Inside the carriage, Qin Ying’s gaze fell on the red dresses wrapped in mulberry paper, her eyes filled with a cold light.

Bai Yuan couldn’t hold back and asked, “County Princess, what are you thinking about? Where did that elderly couple take the girl’s remains? If they aren’t her biological grandparents, so many days have passed—surely the girl hasn’t been properly buried.”

Qin Ying narrowed her eyes slightly. “Indeed, she hasn’t been properly buried.”

Bai Yuan didn’t know what Qin Ying had realized, but her expression was graver than ever. She became increasingly worried and, disregarding her earlier complaints about the unpleasant smell of the dresses, kept glancing outside to see where the carriage had arrived.

By the time they returned to the capital, the sun had set, and the city was bathed in twilight. As the carriage passed through the gate and entered the city, Shen Luo turned back and asked, “County Princess, where should we go now?”

After a brief moment of thought, Qin Ying replied, “First, to the Jingji Yamen.”

The Jingji Yamen was not far from the city gates, and Qin Ying was certain that Xie Xinglan would have visited the Yamen at some point during the day. She had an eerie suspicion and felt it crucial to discuss the matter with him first.

The carriage sped northwest, and after crossing two long streets, it stopped before the Yamen. Qin Ying jumped off the carriage and, as she approached the entrance, asked the officer on duty, “Is Envoy Xie inside?”

The officer on duty quickly replied, “Envoy Xie is not here. We haven’t seen him all day, though Lord Cui just arrived.”

Qin Ying was greatly surprised. Glancing at the evening clouds, she couldn’t understand what Xie Xinglan had been doing that day. She patiently asked again, “Has Captain Zhao returned?”

The officer shook his head once more. “No, only a few brothers who went to the southern part of the city to conduct inquiries have returned.”

Hearing this, Qin Ying immediately stepped inside. As she reached the steps leading to the main hall, she noticed several people gathered in the side hall. Zhou Xianchen, standing by the window, spotted her at once and said, “The County Princess has arrived—”

Qin Ying strode into the hall, where she found Cui Muzhi and Zhou Xianchen listening to reports from several officers. Seeing her, Cui Muzhi stood up and said, “You went to the Prince’s residence today? And asked for one of Miss Li’s dresses?”

Qin Ying nodded. Without waiting for Cui Muzhi to press further, she questioned the officers about their findings. Zhou Xianchen responded, “They found three blue cloth carriages, but all of them had witnesses proving they didn’t go out late at night on the 25th. As such, these suspects have been ruled out.”

Qin Ying said, “We might need to expand the search area and investigate the western part of the city.”

Zhou Xianchen was puzzled. “Why is that?”

Qin Ying took a shallow breath and said, “If the culprit who discarded the body knew how the Yamen conducts its investigations, they might have intentionally taken a detour that night, leading us to believe they were scared and would take the shortest, most direct route. Wouldn’t that be falling into their trap?”

Zhou Xianchen hesitated and said, “Could that… really be possible? Disposing of a body is already risky—would they dare take a detour?”

Qin Ying said solemnly, “It’s certainly possible. If the killer is clever and understands how the Yamen conducts investigations, this would be the most basic counter-surveillance technique. They would deliberately leave flaws to mislead the Yamen.”

Zhou Xianchen let out a light sigh, and at that moment, Cui Muzhi said, “Have you discovered something? How did you come to this conclusion?”

“I just thought of it,” Qin Ying replied briefly. She then turned to Zhou Xianchen and asked, “Why haven’t Captain Zhao and Envoy Xie come to the Yamen today?”

Zhou Xianchen smiled wryly. “I don’t know either. Envoy Xie might have his own arrangements, but as for Zhao Lian, I don’t know why he hasn’t returned to report yet. He has been quite invested in this case lately.”

After a brief pause, Zhou Xianchen continued, “The County Princess came looking for Envoy Xie earlier this morning and now again. Is there something urgent that he must investigate?”

Upon hearing that Qin Ying had sought out Xie Xinglan twice, Cui Muzhi furrowed his brows deeply. Qin Ying replied, “I simply wanted to know what he has discovered.”

Zhou Xianchen added, “Perhaps he’s found some clues about the red dress. He previously sent people to investigate Miss Li’s whereabouts outside the city. There might be some progress.”

Already weighed down with concern, Qin Ying felt a flicker of hope upon hearing this. She thought that Xie Xinglan wouldn’t idle away his time. If there weren’t some lead from the Jinwu Guards, how could he remain absent all day?

With a faint smile, Qin Ying said, “Lord Zhou makes a fair point. In that case, I’ll wait here for Envoy Xie to return.”

Noticing her insistence on waiting, Zhou Xianchen’s expression grew thoughtful. Unable to hold back, Cui Muzhi interjected, “So, why did you take Miss Li Fangrui’s dress?”

This was Cui Muzhi’s first question, and Qin Ying had initially decided not to delve into it. However, now she asked, “How do you know about this?”

Cui Muzhi replied, “After completing tasks at the Ministry of Justice in the afternoon, I went to the Prince’s residence before coming to the Yamen. Princess Consort and the heir said you had been there and took Miss Li’s belongings. The Princess Consort asked me to pass on a message. They plan to send Miss Li’s body to the incense hall behind Xiangguo Temple tonight for forty-nine days of ritual prayers before burying her outside the city. They’ll be sorting through all of her belongings over the next couple of days, so you’d better return the dress soon.”

Qin Ying had just sat down when she suddenly stood up in surprise and said, “They’re taking Miss Li’s body to Xiangguo Temple?”

Cui Muzhi nodded. “Because of the tragic nature of Miss Li’s death, they invited a monk from Xiangguo Temple. The temple staff said that in such circumstances, the deceased’s spirit is likely filled with resentment and attachment. It’s best to perform rituals at Xiangguo Temple, where they have a hall specially prepared for ceremonies for the dead. Moreover, since the case hasn’t been resolved, it’s not appropriate to keep the body in the mansion for too long. Therefore, the Prince and Princess Consort agreed.”

Qin Ying’s expression immediately changed. Seeing the sky outside grow darker, she quickly said to Zhou Xianchen, “I need to make a trip to the Prince’s residence. If Envoy Xie returns, tell him I need to speak with him about an urgent matter.”

Without waiting for a response, Qin Ying turned and left. Zhou Xianchen was stunned, while Cui Muzhi instinctively followed her out, asking, “Why are you going to the Prince’s residence?”

Without looking back, Qin Ying replied, “They cannot take the deceased out of the city.”

Cui Muzhi was shocked. “Why not?”

He paused briefly, but Qin Ying kept walking, unwilling to elaborate. In just moments, she had left the Yamen and boarded her carriage. Watching Qin Ying prepare to depart, Cui Muzhi suddenly realized she must have discovered something. Otherwise, there would be no reason for her to interfere with the Prince’s residence’s arrangements for Li Fangrui’s funeral. Her silence on the matter likely stemmed from her lack of trust in him and Zhou Xianchen.

It was clear that Qin Ying spent the morning and evening looking for Xie Xinglan, indicating her intent to share her findings only with him. Cui Muzhi pressed his lips tightly together and, after a brief hesitation, called for his personal guard, “Cui Yang, bring my horse!”

Cui Yang responded promptly but asked suspiciously, “Where does the heir intend to go?”

Outside the Yamen, Qin Ying’s carriage had already vanished into the evening haze. Cui Muzhi strode out, his voice cool as he said, “We’ll head to the Prince’s residence as well.”

On the bustling Imperial Street, Qin Ying lifted the carriage curtain and urged, “Faster.”

Night was beginning to fall, and the marketplaces and streets were at their liveliest. The long street was packed with people, and despite Shen Luo’s skillful driving, he didn’t dare recklessly force his way through the crowd. Hearing Qin Ying’s urgency, he quickly diverted to a quieter side path.

Although the path was narrow, it was sparsely populated. Shen Luo drove the carriage while occasionally shouting warnings, and within half an hour, they maneuvered through alleys and streets, arriving outside the Prince’s residence. Just as their carriage came to a halt, the sound of hooves approached from behind. As Qin Ying stepped out of the carriage, she saw Cui Muzhi arriving on horseback with several personal guards. She frowned briefly, wasting no time on Cui Muzhi and heading directly for the gates of the Prince’s residence.

Cui Muzhi had assumed they would catch up to Qin Ying halfway there by riding on horseback, but despite their haste, they only managed to meet her at the mansion gates. Seeing her in such a hurry to enter, he followed closely behind.

The gates of the Prince’s residence were wide open, and two attendants, dressed in mourning attire, stood guard at the entrance. From their appearance, it was clear preparations were being made to send Li Fangrui’s coffin out of the city. Recognizing Qin Ying, one attendant guided her while the other hurried off to announce her arrival.

Qin Ying instructed the attendant, “Take me to see the Prince and the Princess Consort. Where are they?”

The attendant said, “The Prince and the Princess Consort are at the young lady’s mourning hall. It’s almost time to escort her coffin out. They are preparing and will leave as soon as the auspicious hour arrives.”

Qin Ying unconsciously quickened her pace, with Cui Muzhi following behind, still looking puzzled. He leaned forward and asked in a low voice, “What are you doing? How the Prince’s residence conducts rituals for Miss Li is none of our business. Are you planning to stop them?”

Qin Ying replied coldly, “You’re correct.”

They walked west along the path Qin Ying had taken earlier in the morning. Pale lanterns cast a dim and eerie glow, and all the servants were dressed in mourning attire. The women had white flowers in their hair, and the attendants wore white sashes around their waists. Before they reached the waterside pavilion, they could see from a distance that a crowd had already gathered outside the hall.

Apart from the members of the Prince’s family, a few familiar faces were present as well—Princess Zhaohua, Xiao Mei; the heir of the Duke of Xin, Zheng Qin; and the heir of the Marquis of Dingbei, Du Zimian, whom she had met yesterday at Minister Jian’s residence.

Everyone stood outside, while at the entrance of the mourning hall, a monk holding a wooden fish led the way. Inside the hall, ten strong attendants carefully lifted the black coffin and carried it step by step toward the outside.

Princess Consort, Madam Liu, supported by Xiao Mei, had reddened eyes as she said, “I cherished Fangrui as my most precious treasure, watching her grow into such an elegant young woman. I never imagined she’d leave home in this condition…”

Prince Xuanping Li Ao said hoarsely, “Taking her to Xiangguo Temple is to help her cleanse her karmic burdens. I only hope she reincarnates into a better life, one filled with peace and joy, free from suffering.”

Hearing this, Madam Liu tried to stifle her sobs, covering her mouth in grief. At that moment, an attendant standing nearby announced, “Your Highness, the County Princess Yunyang has arrived—”

Madam Liu’s sobbing paused as she turned to look down the path leading to the waterside pavilion. She spotted Qin Ying and Cui Muzhi arriving together. Her brows furrowed slightly while Prince Xuanping, Li Ao, standing nearby, asked in confusion, “Why is Heir Cui here as well?”

Zheng Qin and Du Zimian also turned to look at the approaching pair. Seeing them together, Zheng Qin let out a brief, cold laugh.

Qin Ying walked up to the group, glancing toward the mourning hall before straightforwardly stating, “Your Highness, could you delay the escort of the coffin to Xiangguo Temple?”

Madam Liu, utterly surprised by Qin Ying’s request, responded unhappily, “I thought the County Princess came to return Fangrui’s belongings. I didn’t expect you to interfere with where Fangrui is to find peace. Who knows how long it will take for the Yamen to solve this case? Should we just let Fangrui lie here, cold and lifeless, while her appearance deteriorates further?”

Standing nearby, Xiao Mei interjected, “Ying Ying, you’re being completely unreasonable. I told you last time not to meddle in Yamen affairs, yet you refuse to listen to me at all. If the Empress Dowager hears about this, she’ll be worried about you again. Today, we are sending Fangrui out of the city, and we, who have come to pay our respects, are already filled with sorrow. Why would you come to disrupt this?”

Qin Ying fixed her cold, piercing gaze so sharply that Xiao Mei instinctively stepped back. Taken aback by Qin Ying’s reaction, Xiao Mei couldn’t comprehend the commanding and untouchable aura Qin Ying exuded. Biting her lip, she quickly feigned a look of grievance, especially as others began to show astonishment at the unfolding scene.

She wanted to say more, but Qin Ying turned to Madam Liu and Prince Xuanping and said, “Your Highness, I am not here to cause trouble. It is simply that the case remains unresolved, with many lingering doubts. Sending the deceased to Xiangguo Temple at this time would be highly inappropriate.”

Madam Liu’s displeasure grew more apparent as she raised her brows and said, “County Princess, I’ve already explained that we don’t know how long it will take to solve this case. Besides, you’ve seen it yourself—Fangrui’s body is no longer in good condition. She died unjustly, her soul unable to rest in peace. If her body remains in the coffin like this, should I, as her mother, stand by and watch her be devoured by filth?”

Madam Liu choked back sobs as she spoke, and beside her, Li Ao added, “County Princess, Princess Zhaohua is right. You are still a young girl and need not interfere in such matters. Besides, the Yamen hasn’t raised any objections, so what gives you the right to demand this of us?”

As Qin Ying was younger, Li Ao restrained his tone. Upon hearing his words, Xiao Mei’s previously aggrieved expression brightened slightly, and she lifted her chin toward Qin Ying. At that moment, the monk striking the wooden fish reached the central courtyard, and the black coffin from the mourning hall was carried out.

Li Yunqi, who had been waiting, took the spirit banner handed to him by a servant to guide his sister’s soul. The attendants in mourning attire, holding paper money and incense, prepared to lead the procession. The solemn group, numbering dozens, was ready to head toward the city gates.

Faced with no other way to stop the procession, Qin Ying took a deep breath and, with resolve, declared, “Your Highness, if it is truly Li Fangrui lying in the coffin, then I have no reason to intervene. But what if the one in the coffin is not Li Fangrui at all?”

Her piercing gaze and resolute words were so impactful that even the monk striking the wooden fish paused. Among the nearly one hundred servants and masters gathered in the hall, everyone was stunned by her statement.

Li Ao was the first to react. His voice was filled with disbelief as he asked, “What did you just say? The one in the coffin isn’t Fangrui?”

Qin Ying nodded firmly. “That’s correct. It isn’t Li Fangrui.”

Madam Liu was overwhelmed with shock, her voice trembling with tears as she asked, “How could it not be Fangrui? She left home, and we searched for her for days without finding her. The mole beneath her eye, the calluses on her hand, the pattern on the dress—every detail matches her. How dare you say it’s not her?”

Madam Liu, who had painfully accepted the loss of her beloved daughter, found solace in the evidence that seemed to confirm it was indeed Fangrui. Though difficult, she prepared to give her daughter a proper and grand ritual. But now, Qin Ying was telling her that the body in the coffin wasn’t Fangrui at all—leaving Liu questioning who she had been mourning all this time.

Qin Ying explained, “Many women have moles beneath their eyes. The body was swollen and decayed, and with the face disfigured, the position of the mole beneath the eyelid couldn’t be confirmed. As for the calluses on the hands, they had dried and flaked off—making it hard to determine whether they were from wielding a sword or doing manual labor…”

Madam Liu urgently said, “But what about the tangdi pattern on the red dress? That’s Fangrui’s favorite embroidery!”

“Skilled artisans can embroider tangdi patterns in just one or two days,” Qin Ying replied firmly, her voice sinking slightly. “Even if Fangrui liked tangdi patterns and red dresses, would she wear oversized, ill-fitting clothing?”

Qin Ying systematically answered Madam Liu’s questions, but this inquiry left Madam Liu perplexed and uncertain. She asked, “Ill-fitting clothing? Fangrui has always been pampered and dignified, wearing only the finest garments since childhood. Why would she choose clothes that don’t fit her?”

Qin Ying turned to look, and Shen Luo immediately stepped forward, holding the mulberry paper package. Bai Yuan, meanwhile, held the red dress taken from the mansion earlier that morning. Qin Ying then said, “You are absolutely right—no matter how much Fangrui wanted to disguise herself while fleeing home, she would never pick an ill-fitting red dress to wear.”

Pointing to the two red dresses behind her, Qin Ying explained, “This one is familiar to you—it’s the one I took earlier this morning. I wanted to compare it with the dress worn by the deceased, and upon comparison, I indeed found something peculiar.”

“When I visited the mortuary, the deceased’s body was already severely decayed, swollen in the torso and limbs. The dirty red dress barely fit over the corpse, which proves the dress was already loose. However, this clean red dress here is wrinkled and shrunk from being soaked. This morning, I compared the two garments and found the dress of the deceased to be even wider than Fangrui’s clean dress. This indicates that, before shrinking, the red dress worn by the deceased was even less suited to Fangrui’s figure!”

The more perceptive individuals in attendance realized something was amiss upon hearing this. Madam Liu hesitated, looking at the clean, elegant red dress but unsure how to refute Qin Ying’s logic.

Xiao Mei interjected, “You’re claiming that based on one dress, the deceased couldn’t possibly be Fangrui? If not Fangrui, then who? The Jingji Yamen hasn’t identified the deceased as anyone else.”

Qin Ying had not intended to reveal her suspicions solely based on a single red dress; she had planned to wait for Xie Xinglan to investigate further. However, the Prince’s residence’s decision to send the deceased to Xiangguo Temple compelled her to act. Such an action would publicly announce Li Fangrui’s death and bring harm to the Prince’s residence, as well as unfairness to the true deceased lying in the coffin. Unable to persuade them to reconsider, Qin Ying had no choice but to disclose the truth.

Qin Ying declared, “The deceased’s identity is yet to be confirmed, but I can definitively say it is not Li Fangrui.”

Li Yunqi, gripping the spirit banner tightly, felt his hand burning as he said with difficulty, “You mean the deceased isn’t Fangrui but another murdered girl? Yet you mentioned earlier that the dress barely fit over the swollen corpse, and it had shrunk and wrinkled. Doesn’t this suggest the red dress wasn’t the original garment of the deceased? Wouldn’t this contradict your claim?”

Li Yunqi’s keen insight left Qin Ying hesitant to reveal more of her reasoning, leading the group to question her further.

Madam Liu chimed in, “Exactly, County Princess, your statements are contradictory. Furthermore, if the deceased isn’t Fangrui, then where is she now? We’ve searched for her for days without any trace. If she knew we thought she was dead and arranged for a grand funeral, surely she would show up—even if angry with us. No one wishes for her safety more than we do.”

Prince Xuanping, Li Ao, added, “Of course, we hope she’s alive. But if the murdered girl is truly Fangrui, and you’re here exaggerating matters, then delaying the rituals for Fangrui’s soul is a grave responsibility. How would the County Princess account for it?”

Li Ao’s gaze was piercing, and the others also stared intently at Qin Ying. Seeing her hesitation, Li Ao resolutely said, “Since everything has been arranged, it’s best to proceed with sending the coffin to Xiangguo Temple as planned. We must not miss the auspicious hour.”

Qin Ying wrestled with her thoughts, conflicted. Seeing this, she finally said, “It’s not that my words contradict each other—it’s that I cannot fully explain. The red dress on the corpse was deliberately—”

“Ah! A ghost—!”

Before she could finish speaking, a terrified scream rang out from the direction of the waterside pavilion. Everyone was startled and instinctively turned to look. In the dim light, they saw a servant dressed in mourning attire scrambling and crawling toward them, glancing back repeatedly as if being chased by a vengeful ghost.

The group furrowed their brows in unison. With the coffin nearby, an eerie chill crept up everyone’s spine. Aside from the attendants carrying the coffin, the others instinctively stepped back, fearing that something might emerge from the coffin.

Qin Ying, however, stood her ground. She spotted a tall, imposing figure walking up the path from the waterside pavilion. It was Xie Xinglan, clad in a dark official robe with a cold and commanding expression. The golden mythical beast pattern on his robe seemed to shimmer as if it were alive, lending him an almost divine aura. He walked with purpose, and Qin Ying faintly noticed several people following him. Assuming they were Xie Jian and other royal guards, she wasn’t alone in her assumption. Meanwhile, attention turned to the terrified servant, and even Qin Ying wondered why the servant was so frightened of Xie Xinglan that they mistook him for a ghost and cried out.

Seeing that it was Xie Xinglan, Xiao Mei called out before he even approached, “Envoy Xie, you’ve come just in time! Qin Ying has been spreading nonsense, claiming that the deceased in the coffin is not Fangrui. As the Envoy of the Longyi Guards, you can’t allow her to cause such chaos!”

Hearing this, Xie Xinglan’s dark eyes suddenly brightened. He glanced at Qin Ying, then cast a cold, piercing gaze at Xiao Mei, Prince Xuanping, and his wife. His voice rang out firmly, “County Princess Yunyang is correct. The deceased in the coffin is indeed not Li Fangrui.”

After saying this, he stepped forward. Amid the shocked stares of the crowd, he moved aside slightly. As his tall figure shifted, a slim, delicate figure appeared in the dimly lit path. The person’s refined features were now marked with an expression of guilt.

Upon seeing her face clearly, a wave of shocked exclamations erupted.

“The young lady has returned from the dead!”

“A ghost—a ghost!”