Chapter 5 : Origins
5: Origins
Fuling had found a complete set of clothes. Turning back, she saw Qin Wan standing motionless before the mirror.
"Young Miss, what's wrong? Are you unwell?"
Qin Wan snapped out of her reverie and quickly said, "No…" Before the word 'nothing' could fully form, she abruptly changed tack. "Just a bit of a headache."
She raised a hand to rub her temple. Fuling immediately rushed over, concerned. "The Old Madam is too heartless. Though Young Miss woke up, falling into the lake is sure to make you ill. Yet she won't even call for a physician…"
Qin Wan patted Fuling's shoulder. "It's alright. It's just… I can't quite remember some things…" As she spoke these words, Qin Wan had already made a decision. Since she was here, she would settle. She would stay.
Fuling tensed instantly. "What? Did Young Miss injure your head?"
Qin Wan sat on a low couch not far from the mirror. Fuling asked questions while helping her remove her inner garments to change.
As the inner garments were taken off, Fuling let out a gasp. "Young Miss is injured! They must have been careless when pulling you from the lake and hurt you. If scars are left, what shall we do? This servant will find some salve…"
Fuling hurried off to fetch medicine. Qin Wan frowned, looking at the wounds on her palms and arms.
A moment later, she lifted her skirt hem. She saw injuries on her knees, shins, and thighs.
Qin Wan narrowed her eyes. Fuling was mistaken. These wounds were not from impact.
The wounds on her arms and legs were long, shallow scrapes, deeper at one end, shallower at the other. Soaked in water, they were particularly noticeable. They were abrasions from friction. Looking further down, Qin Wan saw faint purple‑green bruises on her ankles.
Qin Wan measured with her own hand. Sure enough, they were grab marks from a human hand.
Qin Wan examined the wounds on her body more carefully. Most were large and gaping, the edges swollen and red. Though soaked, traces of blood that hadn't been fully washed away were visible.
Her father had said: Only wounds on a living person will contract and gape open like this.
These injuries were most likely inflicted before the Ninth Young Miss's death.
Thinking this, Qin Wan touched her own throat. When she first woke, she had felt a pain in her throat but hadn't paid it mind. Now, seeing the marks, she realized it was a contusion from a powerful strangulation.
Next, Qin Wan pressed her chest and abdomen. No sensation of a foreign object.
A cold gleam flashed in her eyes. She was almost certain: this Ninth Young Miss had first been strangled to death, then thrown into the lake to create the illusion of suicide. These abrasions were left when someone grabbed her ankles and dragged her.
A chill ran down Qin Wan's spine. She had thought this Ninth Young Miss was merely unloved and pitiable within the manor. But she hadn't expected someone in the Qin Manor actually wanted to kill her?
"Young Miss, found it. This servant will apply the medicine for you."
Fuling ran back, kneeling beside Qin Wan to apply the salve. As she worked, she gritted her teeth. "To inflict so many wounds on Young Miss! They truly have no care or pity for you at all!"
Qin Wan looked at Fuling, her gaze deep and unfathomable as an abyss.
She was not the Qin Manor's Ninth Young Miss. But now, she had indeed become the Qin Manor's Ninth Young Miss. To establish herself and survive here, she naturally had to find the vicious murderer. If the first attempt failed, what if the killer struck a second time?
Moreover, she had taken over this Ninth Young Miss's body. Avenging her was only right!
With her mind made up, Qin Wan turned to another question.
"How far is it from here to the capital?"
Fuling was taken aback. "Has Young Miss changed your mind? Before, you said staying in Jinzhou was better than staying in the capital. Compared to dealing with all those people and rules at the Loyal and Valiant Marquis's household in the capital, you'd rather stay quietly in this little courtyard."
As she spoke, Fuling's nose tingled with suppressed emotion. "Does Young Miss wish to return to the capital? This servant also thinks… perhaps we should go back. The capital is under the Emperor's feet. Even if the people in that household are harsh, they wouldn't dare mistreat Young Miss too severely. Besides, after Young Miss falling into the lake this time, this servant feels this place is inauspicious and unsafe. But Young Miss, for us to return, the First Household would have to give the order."
Both master and servant had just walked through the gates of hell. The more Fuling thought about it, the more her heart ached.
"Since the master and mistress passed away seven years ago, we've been tossed around like hot potatoes. We've been in Jinzhou for four years. The Old Madam and master here have long grown impatient with us."
"Eldest Uncle… he…"
Since Qin Wan was of the Second Household, the Loyal and Valiant Marquis should be her 'eldest uncle,' right?
Hearing this, Fuling gave a soft snort. "Has Young Miss forgotten? Since Great Master inherited the title of Loyal and Valiant Marquis, his eyes have been fixed only on court politics. Earlier, I heard Great Master entered the Ministry of Revenue. Besides, Great Master's focus is entirely on the Third Young Miss, thinking of how to send her to some prince or heir‑apparent. He stopped caring about us long ago!"
Qin Wan's eyelids twitched violently. "What is the date today?"
"If this servant remembers correctly, it's the twenty‑third day of the seventh month."
The twenty‑third day of the seventh month… Her family's tragedy had occurred on the nineteenth.
Qin Wan clenched her sleeve tightly. Early in the seventh month, she had heard her father mention that Qin Shu, the Loyal and Valiant Marquis, had taken charge of the Ministry of Revenue. And that Third Young Miss of the Loyal and Valiant Marquis's household, renowned as the capital's number one talented lady. Even secluded at home, she had heard some whispers.
Her chest heaved several times. A surge of warmth flooded Qin Wan's heart. This was still Great Zhou. This Qin Family was the very Qin Family she knew. This was… this was simply a heaven‑sent opportunity!
"Young Miss? What are you thinking?"
Qin Wan gritted her teeth, taking a long while to calm herself. Her eyes were deep and dark, her gaze distant, as if looking at something far away. After a long moment, she spoke in a low, hoarse, yet firm voice. "I want to return to the capital."
At the same time, Lin‑shi was supporting Jiang‑shi back to the Buddha hall. "Mother, this matter is too strange. Several people saw her when she stopped breathing. This 'transient cessation of pulse and breath' she speaks of, do you think it's true?"
Jiang‑shi's murky eyes were dark and unreadable. "True or false, this matter cannot spread. Dismantle the mourning hall. Make sure those below keep their mouths shut. Our Qin Manor cannot become such a laughingstock. I don't care if she's some fox demon or ghost. If she can withstand the venerable monks' seven‑day ritual, then I will consider it an illness."
Lin‑shi looked worried. "Should we inform the First Household about this? After all, Qin Wan is Second Brother's only daughter…"
Jiang‑shi turned, giving Lin‑shi a sharp glance. "The First Household? The First Household has no energy to spare for her."
Lin‑shi was somewhat puzzled. She helped Jiang‑shi sit on the soft couch.
Jiang‑shi narrowed her eyes, lifting her chin to indicate an official document on the desk. "That is a transcribed court bulletin from the First Household. The Consort Jin case has reached a conclusion. The turmoil in the imperial capital has ended, the political landscape greatly changed. Everyone is busy protecting themselves openly while secretly vying for power. The First Household must also choose sides. Where would they find time for her?"
Lin‑shi was slightly surprised. "A conclusion so quickly?"
Jiang‑shi lifted her chin, her gaze meaningful. "The Prince of Jin committed suicide in the imperial prison out of guilt. With no other suspects found, Consort Jin's death was naturally pinned on the Prince of Jin." She paused briefly, then added coolly, "Besides, Shen Yi is dead."
Lin‑shi started. "Shen Yi? The Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review? How did he die?"
Jiang‑shi said impassively, "Since the incident began, this unprecedented, bizarre case within the inner palace of Great Zhou has been under his charge. It was also he who insisted the Prince of Jin's guilt was doubtful. However, five days ago, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review exposed him for deliberately exonerating the Prince of Jin and deceiving the Emperor. When his scheme was uncovered, Shen Yi tried to flee with his family. Subsequently, the entire family was executed outside the imperial city."
Lin‑shi's eyelids twitched. "The entire family was killed…"
She then frowned and sighed. "Shen Yi oversaw judicial affairs for many years. I heard not a single wrongful or false case ever occurred under his watch. From local posts to the capital, his political achievements were brilliant. His reputation among the common people was also extremely high. Otherwise, a man of humble origins wouldn't have risen to the position of Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. This time, why would he… for the Prince of Jin…"
Jiang‑shi sat cross‑legged, picking up a string of prayer beads and turning them. "Matters of the imperial family and court are not for us to comment on rashly. Besides, in the imperial capi-tal, who lives and who dies, naturally someone decides."
Lin‑shi realized something and quickly lowered her head, saying no more.
Jiang‑shi closed her eyes, reciting a few lines of sutra, then instructed slowly, "There's no need to inform the First Household about Qin Wan's matter. Keep an eye on it. And go ask Divine Physician Huang about this 'transient cessation of pulse and breath,' what this near‑death state is…"
Suddenly, Jiang‑shi opened her eyes. "I have a feeling… that girl has changed."