Chapter 6 : Assault
6: Assault
On the morning of the seventh day, Qin Wan and Fuling emerged from the western back courtyard. Qin Manor servants hiding not far away watched them with a mixture of curiosity and a newfound reverence.
"The rites lasted seven days, and the Ninth Young Miss is still perfectly fine. So she really is alive?"
"Exactly. If she were truly possessed by some evil fox spirit, the venerable monks would have exorcised her long ago!"
"I think it wasn't an evil spirit possessing her, but a Bodhisattva. Fuling was brought back to life by the Ninth Young Miss!"
Whispers continued unabated. Fuling gave a soft snort. "Young Miss clearly wasn't dead, but they insisted she was. When she woke up, they wanted to use the 'evil fox spirit' story to slander her. Good thing now the rites are finished; they should shut up."
After seven days of confinement, Qin Wan had finally accepted the identity of the Qin Manor's Ninth Young Miss and settled her mind.
The most pressing matter was naturally to find out how this Ninth Young Miss had died. What puzzled her was that during these seven days, not a single person had come to question her. Didn't the murderer fear she would wake up and reveal the truth?
Today, Qin Wan wore a pale moon‑white gown with wide sleeves. Her waterfall‑like black hair was simply tied up with a plain hairpin. Bathed in the morning light, her aura was pure and elegant, her features as clear and bright as the full moon. She didn't speak much, only saying softly, "Tell me again what happened that day."
Fuling felt a pang of heartache. Her young lady truly couldn't remember the past clearly.
"That day, after lunch, Young Miss napped for half a shichen. In the afternoon, when we heard Young Master Huo had entered the manor, Young Miss seemed a bit unsettled. But Young Master Huo only came to speak with the Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master. He wouldn't have invited us."[ TN: Shichen (时辰): Traditional Chinese time measurement (approx. 2 hours) ]
"Young Miss was feeling melancholic at the time and didn't eat much for dinner. After dinner, Young Miss suddenly said she wanted to go for a walk."
Fuling's voice filled with self‑reproach. "It's also this servant's fault. When I accompanied Young Miss out, I forgot to bring a cloak. That night, after dark, it grew a bit chilly. I was with Young Miss by the lotus pond when the wind suddenly picked up, making it even colder."
"I wanted Young Miss to go back, but she wished to stay by the pond a little longer. So I told Young Miss to wait while I went back to fetch the cloak. I was gone less than half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. But when I returned to the pond, Young Miss was gone!"
As she spoke, Fuling's nose tingled again. "This servant was frantic. Young Miss is timid. At night, by the pond, she could easily have fallen in. I hurriedly searched around the pond but couldn't find her. Afraid she might have returned to the courtyard on her own, I went back to check, but she wasn't there either…"
"This servant searched half the night. In the later part of the night, it began to rain. Having no other choice, I went to find the Chief Steward. But when I reached his courtyard, I was stopped outside. I was so desperate I knelt outside the Chief Steward's courtyard. I knelt for over half a shichen."
Fuling was by nature kind and lively, but speaking of this, she gritted her teeth. "The Chief Steward never showed his face. When dawn was almost breaking, someone suddenly came and said Young Miss had jumped into the lake…"
Eight days had passed, but Fuling's eyes still reddened as she recounted it. "At that moment, I felt the sky had fallen."
Qin Wan patted her hand comfortingly. "Then I was fished out and quickly taken to the mourning hall?"
"Mhm!" Fuling sniffled. "The Old Madam said it was inauspicious. They invited the monks to perform rites for a day, planning to take Young Miss out for burial early the next morning."
Qin Wan narrowed her eyes in thought for a moment, then suddenly looked up. "Is the lotus pond you mentioned this one?"
They had been walking south and had reached a lotus pond about ten zhang square.
It was late summer, early autumn. The pond was full of graceful lotus leaves. A gentle breeze carried the fragrance of lotus blossoms.
Pavilions and towers stood around the pond. In the very center, a covered bridge led to a pavilion on the opposite side.
"Right. Young Miss was standing right by the covered bridge then."
This lotus pond had only a wooden walkway surrounding it on the north side. The towers and waterside pavilions were all on the south side. Qin Wan had come from the north and now stood at the northern end of the covered bridge. "Where is Half‑Moon Lake?" Qin Wan suddenly asked.
Fuling looked puzzled. "Half‑Moon Lake is further south. When I heard Young Miss had jumped into the lake, I wondered how she had walked all the way there. With our status, and Young Miss disliking trouble, she usually only walked as far as the lotus pond."
Because she hadn't walked there herself.
Qin Wan silently added this thought. "Take me to see."
The two crossed the pond via the covered bridge. A rockery came into view, with a pavilion beside it. Beyond the pavilion stood two more buildings with soaring eaves. Walking along, Qin Wan saw clearly that although this was the Third Household of the Qin Family, far in Jinzhou, it was still luxurious. This mansion had a scenic view every ten steps, a building every five, elegant, spacious, thoughtfully laid out, clearly displaying the owner's noble status.
They walked for another half‑cup‑of‑tea's time before reaching Half‑Moon Lake.
True to its name, it was crescent‑shaped. The banks were lush with flowers and trees, and two small lakeside lodges stood quietly. At the moment, no one was by the lake. The occasional servant they saw would steal a glance and hurry away.
Clearly, the shock of Qin Wan's return from the dead still lingered.
"Young Miss, do you remember? Further south from here, on the left are the residences of the young masters and young ladies, on the right are the concubines' quarters. The Old Madam is in the Buddha hall to the east. The master and mistress are in the main residence at the very front…"
Fuling pointed briefly. Qin Wan looked but didn't respond, only asking, "Where exactly was I fished out that day?"
Fuling quickly walked forward more than ten paces. "Here, right here…"
It was a large, natural piece of basalt, half on the shore, half in the water. Standing on the rock afforded an open view of the entire lake. Qin Wan walked toward the stone.
"Young Miss, don't go over there…"
Fuling still felt lingering fear. But Qin Wan shook her head. Though she didn't speak, an aura of undeniable authority surrounded her. Fuling froze, suddenly not daring to dissuade her further.
Watching Qin Wan step forward, Fuling felt a flicker of confusion.
Her young lady was so different from before!
Gazing at the sparkling lake surface before her, Qin Wan frowned slightly. The water here was very deep, certainly capable of drowning someone. But Qin Wan hadn't drowned; she had been dumped here. For dumping a body, this basalt rock was rather conspicuous.
This Ninth Young Miss had likely been killed on the night of the twenty‑first day of the seventh month, then dumped into the lake in the later part of the night.
From this, it could be determined the murderer was someone within the Qin Manor. However, even in the middle of the night, with many servants in the manor, there was no guarantee they wouldn't be seen. Naturally, the murderer would choose a concealed spot for disposal.
Qin Wan crouched down, dipping her hand into the water, carefully sensing its flow.
Half‑Moon Lake was not stagnant. Though it appeared calm, there must be underwater currents. A body would drift.
A moment later, Qin Wan looked toward a grove of hibiscus trees along the lake shore, about seven or eight zhang upstream from the basalt rock.
It was a hibiscus grove. This season, its flowering period had passed, leaving only lush greenery. Qin Wan stood up and walked slowly over. Fuling started to follow, but after two steps, Qin Wan said, "Wait here."
When pondering a case, Qin Wan disliked being disturbed, even by footsteps.
The Ninth Young Miss's situation was pitiable, her personality timid, yet she was someone who avoided trouble. Why was she killed? Where was she killed? Could it be this hibiscus grove before her? Her clothes had been changed and burned. With only her injuries to go on, it was still hard to form a clear picture. Those abrasions could have been caused on any rough ground.
Qin Wan stared at the emerald lake, her gaze intense.
This was where the body was discovered. There had to be clues!
The sky was fully bright now, the sun climbing over the horizon. Qin Wan walked to the lakeside by the flower grove, her eyes scanning like arrows. At first glance, nothing seemed amiss. Unconvinced, Qin Wan leaned forward, peering into the lakebed.
Qin Wan was searching with intense focus when a shadow suddenly fell over her from behind.
Thinking it was Fuling, Qin Wan instinctively turned to speak. But the moment she turned, a pair of hands shoved her violently forward!