Chapter 63 : The First Examination of the Headless Corpse
63: The First Examination of the Headless Corpse
Qin Wan stepped out of the carriage. Seeing it was Yan Chi who had lifted the curtain for her, her heart stirred faintly.
She alighted without a change in expression and curtsied to Yue Qiong and Huo Huaixin. "Greetings to the Marquis, greetings to the Prefect."
Huo Huaixin hurriedly descended the steps, his face warm and genial. "Please rise, please rise. For Ninth Young Miss to come, Huo is immensely grateful. How dare I accept your courtesies? Ninth Young Miss, rest assured, only those of us here know of this matter. Outsiders will absolutely not find out. Once this is concluded, we will send you directly to the Marquis's residence to see the Grand Princess. No word will leak."
Qin Wan nodded. Glancing upward, she was slightly surprised to see Huo Ning also present. Considering his identity, she understood the reason. Qin Wan composed her expression and asked solemnly, "Have all the necessary instruments been prepared?"
"All prepared!" Xu He stepped forward with a smile, respectfully saying, "Ninth Young Miss, rest assured. Following what was needed last time at the Marquis's residence, everything is ready for you." As he spoke, Xu He patted the large case slung at his side.
Qin Wan inclined her head and was about to ascend the steps when Huo Ning, who had been standing rigidly to the side, suddenly strode forward. "Wait!"
Qin Wan raised an eyebrow, halting her steps. Both Yan Chi and Yue Qiong frowned. Huo Huaixin's smile froze, looking at Huo Ning with full embarrassment and a trace of anger. "What are you doing?!"
Huo Ning's face was deathly pale, his hands clenched tightly into fists, as if furious with someone. "Why is it her? How could it be her? The expert Father spoke of is her?"
Huo Ning was utterly shocked. The arrival of a woman was already beyond belief for him. Yet the combination of "expert" and "woman" had filled him with anticipation. He did not look down upon women in general. If there truly was such a female expert, he would feel only excitement and exhilaration. To have the fortune to meet such an extraordinary woman would fill him with honor.
But it could have been anyone. It should not have been Qin Wan!
He did not scorn women in the world, but he knew all too well what Qin Wan had been like before. And relying on her past admiration for him, he had genuinely, from the bottom of his heart, looked down upon and despised her. Yet since their reunion at the Marquis's residence, this formerly timid, weak, and unimpressive person had changed. Not only had she mocked him repeatedly, but she also no longer regarded him at all!
Humiliated and enraged, he had thought of every way to achieve something in this case to show her. But he never, ever imagined that the expert he had been eagerly awaiting, the one who could even determine whether this case would be solved smoothly, was Qin Wan!
It couldn't be! It was impossible!
She was just an obscure orphan girl from the Qin family. What right did she have to make the Anyang Marquis and his own father lower their stance? What right did she have to be the extraordinary woman spoken of by the Anyang Marquis and his father? What right did she have for Prince Rui's heir‑apparent to fetch her? What right... to make him, after being so ambitious, discover that she was the one now beyond his reach?!
"Nonsense! Do not be disrespectful to Ninth Young Miss!" Huo Huaixin's face flushed crimson with anger. "Didn't you want to solve this case?! That's right, Ninth Young Miss is the expert who helped Second Young Master clear his name last time! This time, Ninth Young Miss is helping us out of her great righteousness. Do not cause trouble here. Step back... I should not have let you stay!"
As he spoke, Huo Huaixin hastily changed to a smiling face, looking at Qin Wan with an apologetic tone. "Ninth Young Miss, please pay him no mind. He's used to causing trouble and has never known rules!"
Yue Qiong looked at Huo Ning with slight astonishment. He was sharp with people and naturally knew Huo Ning had been spoiled rotten, but he didn't think Huo Ning had been indulged to this extent. Considering the possible reasons, Yue Qiong suddenly recalled a rumor his wife, Jiang‑shi, had mentioned once or twice.
Yue Qiong was somewhat puzzled, but Yan Chi and Yue Qing beside him, even Xu He, understood Huo Ning's thoughts all too well.
Yue Qing stepped forward, continuing with a meaningful smile. "What's the matter with Young Master Huo? Why can't it be Ninth Young Miss? Ninth Young Miss's medical skills are superb. My grandmother's illness was cured by Ninth Young Miss. The autopsy last time was witnessed personally by the Prefect. With such a major case, would my father and the Prefect act recklessly?"
Yue Qing's tone carried displeasure. Huo Huaixin's face grew even more embarrassed. "Second Young Master speaks reasonably."
Yan Chi watched Yue Qing's protective attitude toward Qin Wan, his brow lifting slightly. He glanced at Huo Huaixin and said coolly, "Time is getting late. The Prefect cannot afford delay. If we wait any longer, the mortuary may not remain peaceful."
Yan Chi's calm statement, though not showing overt anger, carried a subtle, oppressive force. Huo Huaixin instantly broke out in a cold sweat!
It was one thing for the Yue father and son to be displeased. But if they provoked this Demon King heir‑apparent, that would be truly terrifying!
Huo Huaixin nodded repeatedly in agreement, shooting Huo Ning a glare sharp as a knife before extending a hand to invite Qin Wan. "Ninth Young Miss, let us go inside. Just ignore him. Everything inside is prepared."
Huo Ning still stood rigidly in place. He knew perfectly well how foolish he appeared, yet he couldn't restrain himself from rushing forward. Once he uttered those words, he knew he had been utterly defeated. From beginning to end, Qin Wan had only glanced at him calmly. She didn't even need to say a single word. His father's roar and the looks from the others had completely cast him into hell.
Qin Wan nodded, seemingly unaffected by Huo Ning's challenge. She lifted the hem of her skirt slightly and slowly ascended the steps. Huo Huaixin guided the way at her side. Yan Chi, Yue Qiong, and the others followed behind. Even Fuling hurried inside.
Soon, only the ashen‑faced Huo Ning remained at the mortuary entrance.
Feiquan and Nanfeng were also full of astonishment. As Huo Ning's personal attendants, they were most aware of all the past dealings between Huo Ning and the Qin family's ninth young miss. Feiquan took a deep breath. "Heavens, how could it be Ninth Young Miss? She was clearly..."
"Look at how the Master treats her, how the Marquis treats her, and even Prince Rui's heir‑apparent... This is simply..." Nanfeng was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped. He murmured in a daze, "Ninth Young Miss has changed so much..."
The early autumn morning breeze was cool. A cold gust swept through, slowly reviving Huo Ning's stiffened spine. He turned his head, glared fiercely at Feiquan and Nanfeng, gritted his teeth, turned around, clenched his fists, and strode into the mortuary.
He looked as if he were going to pick a fight, but only he knew the depth of the unwillingness in his heart.
He still didn't believe it. He had to see with his own eyes. See what abilities this Qin Wan truly possessed!
Inside the mortuary in the early morning, it was dark and gloomy. The caretaker, Old Kuan, had a withered face and a hoarse voice. Dressed in coarse dark hemp clothes, he held a lantern, waiting at the door of the side hall. Seeing Huo Huaixin and the others clustered around a beautifully dressed young girl as they entered, his gaunt face remained expressionless, though a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes. He studied Qin Wan for a moment, then respectfully pushed open the side hall door.
The moment the door opened, a piercing chill accompanied by the stench of decay washed over them. Almost instantly, Qin Wan's skin prickled with goosebumps. Xu He hurried forward from behind, entering the side hall first. "Ninth Young Miss, please wait a moment. This humble one will light the dispelling incense."
Xu He had witnessed Qin Wan's autopsy last time and had already prepared the atractylodes incense to dispel the corpse odor. He opened his case and busied himself. Meanwhile, Qin Wan walked in without the slightest concern, her entire demeanor calm and composed. Yue Qing, who had followed eagerly behind, also paused at the doorway. Yet seeing Qin Wan's unperturbed back, he steeled himself and followed her in.
Next, Yue Qiong and Yan Chi entered in turn. Having experienced the bloodshed of battlefields, their expressions showed no obvious change.
Fuling stood at the very back. Peeking through the gaps between people at the scene inside the side hall, her little face instantly turned deathly pale.
In the center of the room was a long table. On it lay a headless human form. Besides ice basins placed around the room, there were also white soul‑banner streamers and colorful paper funerary objects. Combined with the scent of spirit money and incense permeating the air, it was the very picture of a bizarre and horrifying funeral hall. More terrifying still, the deceased lying on the "spirit bed" was dressed in a wedding gown as red as blood!
"Fuling, wait outside."
Qin Wan didn't turn around but seemed to know Fuling's fear, giving the soft instruction.
Fuling subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. Last time, she hadn't witnessed Qin Wan's autopsy, so this was her first time seeing such a scene. Yet seeing Qin Wan walk forward without the slightest fear, Fuling felt a twinge of hesitation along with her relief.
She was determined to learn medicine from her young lady. Did that mean in the future, when treating and saving people, she would be afraid of blood? Afraid of seeing others with broken limbs?! Thinking this, Fuling gritted her teeth and stepped across the threshold!
But with that single step, Fuling saw a scene more horrifying than any she had witnessed in her life.
Up close, vividly, she saw Song Rou's headless corpse!
The dazzlingly red wedding gown, bizarre and ghastly, draped over Song Rou's form. Her bare neck showed a hideous brownish‑black color. The hands emerging from the sleeves were ashen‑white and stiffly curled, with faint purple patches visible on the backs.
On the brown long table beneath her, beneath the neck, pooled a puddle of foul‑smelling, putrid fluid of unknown origin. Fuling's heart was seized by extreme terror, yet she seemed paralyzed, staring fixedly at the corpse. Suddenly, she noticed something moving at the severed neck. Holding her breath, she strained to see…
She saw pus oozing down from beneath the brownish‑black scab covering the severed neck. And within that hideous, rotting flesh, something was squirming, trying to crawl out. Fuling's eyes widened. At a certain moment, she saw, with horrifying clarity, a white maggot drop from Song Rou's severed neck. Looking again, the putrid fluid on the long table was actually densely covered with a layer of writhing maggots. Fuling retched, turned, and rushed out…
Fuling's commotion was not small, but no one showed surprise on their faces. Even these grown men could hardly bear it, let alone a young maid like Fuling. By comparison, Qin Wan's unchanged expression was truly remarkable.
Qin Wan sighed inwardly. She took a small sachet from her sleeve.
From it, she retrieved several medicinal pills and handed them to Yue Qing. "Have everyone hold one in their mouths."
Yue Qing had long been uncomfortable but was desperately holding back. Hearing this, he quickly took them with a smile. Last time, Lin Daxing's body had at least been fresh. This time, Song Rou was vastly different. Six days had passed. If not for the ice basins, Song Rou would likely be even more gruesome.
It was at this moment that Huo Ning walked in. He had just encountered Fuling outside and thought that no matter how capable Qin Wan was, she would surely lose her composure. Yet upon entering, he saw that apart from Yan Chi, the most composed and calm person in this room was Qin Wan!
Yan Chi was one thing, but Qin Wan not only showed no fear of the dead, she wasn't even disgusted?
Huo Ning watched, his spirit shaken to the core. At that moment, Qin Wan glanced over at him calmly. Huo Ning thought she would mock him again, but she merely gave him an indifferent look before withdrawing her gaze, utterly unperturbed.
This was even more unbearable than mockery!
Yue Qing smiled and said, "Young Master Huo, would you like one of Ninth Young Miss's pills?"
Huo Ning's expression was cold and resentful. "I don't need it."
Yue Qing raised an eyebrow and said no more. Huo Huaixin snorted angrily, also deciding to ignore him.
Meanwhile, Qin Wan placed a pill in her own mouth. She took out the protective gloves Yan Chi had given her that day from her sleeve. As she put them on, she examined the corpse. Seeing Qin Wan was ready to begin the examination, Huo Huaixin hurriedly said, "Ninth Young Miss, this time is different from the Lin Daxing case."
Qin Wan frowned. "How is it different?"
Huo Huaixin gave a bitter smile. "Miss Song's status is not ordinary. Duke Song's household representatives haven't arrived yet. Young Master Wei instructed earlier that we must not dissect the body or damage Miss Song's remains. Given that, it's truly difficult to find any substantial clues or evidence."
Qin Wan finished putting on the gloves. This time, she didn't borrow Xu He's tools but directly drew Cold Moon from her own sleeve. She stepped forward slowly, examining the headless body before her as if inspecting an object.
"Not dissecting the body does indeed present some hindrance."
Hearing this, Huo Huaixin nodded with a pained expression. "Exactly."
"However…"
Qin Wan's tone shifted. She reached toward Song Rou's collar. "It's not that no clues can be found at all."
These words lit a spark in Huo Huaixin's eyes. Qin Wan glanced at the writing brush and autopsy report placed to the side.
She had intended to signal Xu He to help her record, but unexpectedly, a large, distinctively‑boned hand picked up the brush and report. Following that hand upward, Qin Wan met Yan Chi's eyes, dark as a winter night.
Yan Chi's gaze was steady on her. "You speak. I will record."
Their eyes met for two moments. Qin Wan shifted her gaze back. Her expression was solemn and focused. After a moment, she began to speak calmly.
"Deceased female. Height approximately five chi, two cun."
She paused briefly, then added, "Due to missing head, identity cannot be determined for now."