Chapter 8 : Leaving the Manor
8: Leaving the Manor
"A purple bamboo grove?!" Fuling's eyes widened. "Why does Young Miss ask about a purple bamboo grove?"
Seeing Fuling's strange expression, Qin Wan's gaze shifted, and she said hesitantly, "I vaguely remember there is a purple bamboo grove somewhere in the manor… but I can't recall where…"
Fuling said nervously, "There is indeed a purple bamboo grove in the manor, in the northeast corner of the inner courtyard. But that place is forbidden. Young Miss must not go there."
Qin Wan raised an eyebrow. "Forbidden? What do you mean?"
Fuling glanced out the window and lowered her voice. "Young Miss should know our master here is romantic and fickle, with an unusually large number of concubines. It's said the Second Concubine in our manor hanged herself in that purple bamboo grove eight years ago. Before that, the grove was a scenic spot in the manor. But since then, it's become forbidden. Some even say the place is haunted."
Fuling shuddered. "Now, not to mention the masters, even the servants won't go there."
A few days earlier, Fuling had mentioned that Qin An, head of the Third Household of the Loyal and Valiant Marquis's family, was by nature romantic and had taken many concubines. Currently, there were four concubines in the manor. Hearing this, Qin Wan frowned, then suddenly couldn't help but sneeze.
Seeing this, Fuling quickly pulled Qin Wan. "Young Miss, come in quickly and change out of those wet clothes. Your body can't withstand this now. The Fifth Young Miss and Sixth Young Miss are truly vicious. Knowing you just fell into the lake, they could still play such a cruel trick on you today!"
Qin Wan obediently went into the inner chamber to change clothes, but her thoughts didn't stop.
That bamboo twig was fresh and green, its break rough and jagged, the stem with purple spots. It was undoubtedly purple bamboo.
Fuling said the purple bamboo grove was in the northeast corner of the inner courtyard. From the northeast corner to Half‑Moon Lake was quite a distance. A purple bamboo twig couldn't appear at the bottom of the lake for no reason. It was highly likely the Ninth Young Miss's body had carried it there…
Could it be the Ninth Young Miss was killed in that purple bamboo grove?
The Ninth Young Miss was timid. Why would she run to a forbidden place rumored to be haunted?
Doubts swarmed Qin Wan's mind, but she couldn't immediately go investigate the purple bamboo grove.
First, she had just been released from confinement. Going to Half‑Moon Lake was one thing, but going to the purple bamboo grove… if the Ninth Young Miss was indeed killed there, such a trip would surely arouse the murderer's suspicion. Second, Fuling wouldn't let her go.
"These past few days, has anyone been spying on us outside the courtyard?"
After changing clothes, Qin Wan leaned against the low couch by the window and asked.
Fuling was brewing tea. Hearing this, she gave a soft snort. "Many! A few days ago, before the rites were finished, when this servant went to the courtyard gate to fetch food, Auntie Liu from the kitchen even asked how you were doing. I saw clearly; a whole group of people were behind her…"
Qin Wan coughed lightly twice. "How did you answer?"
Fuling sighed. "To be honest, Auntie Liu is one of the few in this manor who treats us decently. So I told the truth. I said after this ordeal, though Young Miss escaped death, it seems you injured your head and can't remember things clearly."
Qin Wan understood. No wonder the murderer had been quiet these days. It was because of this. The murderer probably also thought she couldn't remember clearly and had thus relaxed their guard.
This actually gave her more time.
"Cough, cough, cough." As she thought, Qin Wan couldn't help coughing again. She silently thought, *This is bad. I'm probably catching a chill.*
"Young Miss has coughed many times just in this short while. Young Miss must be ill."
Fuling grew anxious. "This servant will go beg Auntie Liu right now, ask her to help us get some medicine from the manor's pharmacy. Only… only asking the manor for medicine is really expensive. The things the mistress left… there aren't many left…"
Hearing this, Qin Wan frowned. Was this how the manor's servants squeezed money from them, master and servant?
"Can't we go out to buy some?"
Fuling smiled bitterly. "The personal maidservants of the Fifth Young Miss and Sixth Young Miss can leave the manor. But when this servant and Young Miss tried to go out, we were stopped. That was two years ago. Since then, Young Miss never mentioned leaving the manor again. We truly are worse off than servants."
Qin Wan's eyes darkened. "They won't even let us leave the manor gate?"
Fuling spoke with indignation on Qin Wan's behalf. "In the years Young Miss has been in the Qin Manor, the number of times you've left can be counted on one hand. The first two years, during festivals, ancestral worship, or temple visits, the Old Madam still took Young Miss along. These past two years, it's as if she's forgotten Young Miss…"
Qin Wan stood up and began tying up her own hair.
Fuling stared blankly at Qin Wan. "Young Miss is going to…"
"Go out to buy medicine."
Not to mention going out to buy medicine, after being awake for so many days, she should also go see this Jinzhou City.
Fuling hadn't expected Qin Wan to act so decisively. By the time she regained her senses, Qin Wan had already put on her cloak and was walking out. Fuling hurried to follow. Though somewhat apprehensive, seeing Qin Wan's straight back, the unease in her heart dissipated, replaced by a flicker of excitement.
Leaving the courtyard gate, they headed south, then turned west, reaching the western side gate used by the Qin Manor family members and servants.
Before they even got close, the gatekeepers looked up in surprise.
The incident of pushing the Sixth Young Miss into the lake at Half‑Moon Lake had just spread. They never expected the Ninth Young Miss would want to leave the manor. Instinctively, they blocked Qin Wan's path.
"Ninth Young Miss, without the Mistress's order, you are not permitted to leave the manor."
"The Old Madam has already lifted my confinement. Yet you dare to stop me?"
Qin Wan wore a pale moon‑white gauze dress, over it a cloak of the same color embroidered with orchid branches and kingfisher feathers. She lifted her chin slightly, her gaze somber as she looked at the young gatekeeper. Her voice wasn't loud, but each word fell heavily on the gatekeeper's heart.
He knew the Old Madam had lifted the confinement of the western back courtyard. But this Ninth Young Miss had always been obedient, staying quietly in her own courtyard. He couldn't quite gauge the Old Madam's intention.
The gatekeeper hesitated. Looking at Qin Wan again, he saw her slender figure standing straight as bamboo, her presence imposing. It seemed if he blocked her one more time, he would be defying the Old Madam's order!
The gatekeeper grew nervous, momentarily at a loss.
Seeing them like this, Qin Wan walked forward with dignified steps. The two gatekeepers exchanged a glance. Neither dared to step forward and stop her.
As Qin Wan walked out the manor gate, one man reacted. "Quick, go report to the Old Madam!"
Having said this, the gatekeeper wiped a thin layer of sweat from his forehead and looked in the direction Qin Wan had left.
Was… was this the same Ninth Young Miss who was timid as a mouse?
Walking onto the main street outside the Qin Manor, Fuling couldn't contain her excitement. "Young Miss was so imposing just now. You scared them so they didn't dare talk back. Young Miss wasn't like this before. Young Miss, how did you…"
"After dying once, one can't remain as useless as before."
Qin Wan replied. Fuling's eyes reddened as she nodded. "It's wonderful Young Miss thinks this way. Young Miss is a proper mistress. But Young Miss didn't like being like this before. Today…"
Today, Qin Wan had already done two things. First, pulled Qin Shuang into the lake. Second, forced her way out of the manor.
Both actions were vastly different from the kind, timid Qin Wan of the past.
"That's how people are. Knowing you are kind, they will take advantage. Knowing you are fierce, they will instead fear and retreat." As she spoke, Qin Wan's gaze swept over Jinzhou City under the warm sun.
Jinzhou was in the south of Great Zhou. Even by fast horse, it took a month to reach the capital, placing it among the border cities. Despite this, Jinzhou was a major southern stronghold, its city walls imposing, its agriculture and commerce prosperous. The eastern part of the city where the Qin Manor was located was the most bustling area of Jinzhou. Looking out, an unbroken line of soaring eaves and bracket sets displayed Jinzhou City's grand, majestic atmosphere.
Walking along the main street outside the western gate, they soon reached an extremely lively market district. Qin Wan had no interest in the bustle, looking directly for any medicine shops along the street. Looking around, she only saw ornately decorated restaurants and teahouses.
Just as she was thinking she should try another street, Qin Wan suddenly noticed a large crowd gathered on the street about ten *zhang* ahead.
"Young Miss! What happened over there?!"
Fuling was lively by nature. Added to not having left the manor for nearly two years, she was now extremely interested in anything novel outside.
Seeing her full of curiosity, Qin Wan walked over.
As soon as she approached, a young girl's anxious crying came from the crowd. "My Old Madam's illness has struck! Please, is there any kind soul who can help fetch a physician!"
Qin Wan's brows drew together. She stepped into the crowd.