Chapter 30 : Beaten to Death
30: Beaten to Death
"Marquis, Lady…"
A faint scent of blood and medicine lingered in the room. Seeing Jiang‑shi leading the others in, Qin Wan gracefully performed a slight bow. A light sweat beaded her forehead, her face pale, clearly having expended great mental effort.
"Good child, you’ve worked hard." Jiang‑shi took Qin Wan’s hand, then looked at the Grand Princess lying on the bed with closed eyes. "Mother, she…"
Qin Wan then said, "The method I used succeeded."
At these words, the atmosphere in the room instantly relaxed. Yue Qiong’s eyes even lit up with joy.
But Qin Wan’s words weren’t finished. "However, only if the Grand Princess’s wound does not fester within two days can she be considered out of danger. If it festers, the Grand Princess will still…"
The joy in Yue Qiong’s eyes froze. The others’ expressions also turned sorrowful.
This meant they wouldn’t know if the Grand Princess had been saved until two days later.
Jiang‑shi gritted her teeth. "Wan’er, you mean these two days are critical?"
Qin Wan nodded. "Correct. The Grand Princess must not be left unattended."
Jiang‑shi glanced at the sky outside. The firmament was ink-black; night had long since fallen. "Wan’er, could you stay at the marquis’s estate these two days? Surely you know best how to care for Mother?"
Qin Wan also looked out the window, then glanced back at the Grand Princess lying on the bed. Hesitation flickered across her face for a moment before her expression steadied. "Alright. Then Qin Wan will stay for two days."
After a slight pause, Qin Wan added reassuringly, "Lady and Marquis need not worry too much. Though these two days are critical, Qin Wan has done her utmost. Statistically, the chance of the Grand Princess’s wound festering is only two or three in ten."
Hearing this, Jiang‑shi indeed breathed a sigh of relief first, then instructed her senior maid, Lüyun, "Send someone to the Qin household, then tidy up the Plum Courtyard next to the Princess’s."
Lüyun hurriedly nodded in assent. Only then did Jiang‑shi and Yue Qiong step forward to examine the Grand Princess. They saw the Grand Princess’s complexion had changed from bluish-black to pale, her breathing somewhat stronger. Though she still looked frail, she wasn’t as frightening as before.
Jiang‑shi then asked, "Wan’er, what should be done tonight?"
Qin Wan replied, "Tonight, only need to feed the Grand Princess the medicinal decoction."
Jiang‑shi nodded, looking at Lüxiu. "Then let Lüxiu keep watch. Give her careful instructions."
Qin Wan nodded, first instructing Lüxiu. Turning her gaze, she saw Yan Chi standing at the back.
Yan Chi leaned elegantly against a curio cabinet, his gaze also fixed on her. The distance wasn’t close; Yan Chi’s gaze wasn’t as intense as before. But he looked directly at her without evasion.
Strangely, his direct gaze didn’t feel intrusive or rude. Instead, it held a straightforward boldness only found among military men.
Qin Wan, holding Cold Moon, walked forward. "Cold Moon has been cleaned. Thank you, Heir."
Seeing Qin Wan present Cold Moon to him with both hands, Yan Chi raised an eyebrow.
He looked down, feeling Qin Wan had exceptionally beautiful hands.
Her fingers were slender, tender, and white, like peeled scallions. Her nails bore no rouge, slightly pink and translucent, clean and neat. The ornately decorated Cold Moon lay in her palm as if resting on a piece of fine jade, particularly pleasing to the eye.
"A gentleman cannot break his word. Since I said I would give this blade to Ninth Young Miss, how could I take it back?"
Qin Wan lowered her eyes. "This item is too precious. Qin Wan dares not accept it."
The scabbard was carved with dragon patterns. Qin Wan was certain Cold Moon came from the imperial palace.
Moreover, something carved with dragon patterns, how could an ordinary commoner like her carry it around?
"If it can accompany you in healing people, then it is indeed precious. But if it is merely a plaything hanging from my person like a pendant, then it is worthless. Ninth Young Miss saved Grand Aunt. Such a debt cannot be offset by one or two objects." After a slight pause, Yan Chi added, "Unless Ninth Young Miss wishes to have someone search for a knife at the last minute the next time you need to save someone?"
Qin Wan frowned, not expecting Yan Chi to be so persuasive. And Yan Chi had indeed hit the crucial point.
After these few incidents, Qin Wan had also made up her mind. She would prepare a set of silver needles herself. As for the knife, Cold Moon was indeed very suitable. But she didn’t want to accept this heir’s gift for nothing.
"Your Highness speaks sense. However, Qin Wan will prepare her own in the future."
A slight curve touched Yan Chi’s lips. "The knife you need must be thin and sharp, its shape precise and delicate. Such a knife cannot be forged by just any craftsman’s workshop."
Seeing Qin Wan’s expression still held firm resolve, Yan Chi simply said, "Then wait until Ninth Young Miss finds a suitable knife, then return Cold Moon to me."
Yan Chi had conceded a step. Qin Wan, in turn, found it hard to insist. Just as she was in a dilemma, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded at the door.
"Reporting to the Marquis, that group is causing trouble again!"
The speaker spoke from outside the door. Yue Qiong frowned, quickly turning to go out. Jiang‑shi and Yue Jia also followed.
Qin Wan frowned slightly. Yan Chi lifted his chin slightly. "Go take a look?"
After speaking, Yan Chi stepped out first. Qin Wan looked at Cold Moon in her palm and had to put it away for now.
Stepping outside, it was the Anyang Marquis’s head steward, Yang Xi.
"Marquis, this time they’ve carried the beaten man’s body over. They came from the side gate to the main gate. Right now, many commoners are gathered watching outside the estate gates. Marquis, what should we do…"
Hearing this, Qin Wan frowned. She had come through the main gate earlier and hadn’t seen any disturbance.
Yue Qiong turned to look at Jiang‑shi. "You arrange things for Ninth Young Miss. I’ll go see."
After speaking, Yue Qiong left. Jiang‑shi sighed, her face clouded with worry. Afraid of frightening Qin Wan, she hurried over. "The household is facing troubled times. Thankfully, you treated Mother. Shall I take you to Plum Courtyard for the evening meal? You’ve been tired all day."
Qin Wan naturally nodded. But she had heard the words "beaten man." In the Great Zhou, whenever someone died without family to prove it was natural death, it fell under official jurisdiction. Because she had moved around with her father on official postings for so long, whenever there was a death, she would instinctively pay attention.
She finally couldn’t help asking, "Lady, may I ask what has happened in the household?"
Jiang‑shi felt depressed. Hearing Qin Wan ask, and with only Yue Ning and Yan Chi beside her, it was a good chance to vent. "It’s Qing’er. After last night’s incident, it spread throughout Jinzhou City overnight. This morning, on his way to the military camp, he encountered craftsmen repairing the city defenses."
Jiang‑shi sighed. "He was just passing by when he heard those craftsmen discussing the Anyang Marquis’s household, saying… saying Jia’er brings misfortune to his wives, that the Anyang Marquis’s household harms lives, and such things. Qing’er couldn’t bear it, stopped to argue with that person. Who would have thought one of them, unafraid of his status, would curse the Anyang Marquis’s household to his face. Back and forth, it came to blows."
"Qing’er has excellent martial skills. At the time, he knocked that person down and left. But not long after, that person actually died. The body was first taken to the authorities to report the case. Prefect Huo was already troubled by last night’s case. Never expecting the Anyang Marquis’s household to have another incident today, he sent someone to inform us. Mother heard this news and her illness flared up in anger."
As Jiang‑shi spoke, she looked toward the estate gates. "When Prefect Huo sent someone, that group also arrived outside the estate gates demanding an explanation. At first, they were only at the side gate. Now they’ve actually come to the main gate."
Hearing this, Qin Wan understood. Prefect Huo, due to the marquis’s household’s status, must have delayed handling the case, which led these people to carry the body directly to the marquis’s estate to cause trouble. So the marquis’s second young master had beaten someone to death…
No wonder Yue Ning hadn’t known how the Grand Princess suddenly became critically ill when she first arrived.
Jiang‑shi sighed. "Jia’er just had an incident, now Qing’er… And Qing’er refuses to admit it, says he controlled his strength very carefully. His father had someone call him back to surrender to the authorities, but he got angry and ran off. Later, the household steward went to see. The beaten man indeed was covered in injuries and died vomiting blood." Her eyes reddened slightly. "If it were just about money, that would be one thing. I’m afraid Qing’er will face imprisonment…"
Qin Wan frowned. "Covered in injuries?"
Jiang‑shi nodded. "Yes, covered in injuries. He had many fellow craftsmen with him. They all said he died vomiting blood not long after fighting with Qing’er… That man wasn’t married yet, had an elderly mother. Only a group of craftsmen are standing up for him."
Qin Wan suddenly narrowed her eyes. "Lady, no hurry returning to Plum Courtyard. Let’s also go to the estate gates to see."