Chapter 85 : Re-examining the Case, the Murderer is Someone Else
85: Re-examining the Case, the Murderer is Someone Else
Wu Shu's pitiful wails echoed in the prison corridor. Only then did Qin Wan slowly turn around.
Beside her, Yue Ning and Huo Huaixin had already turned back in disbelief. Xu He was so startled he nearly dropped the case records in his hand. Apart from Qin Wan, the other three wondered if they had misheard.
The one who had the affair with Song Rou wasn't Wei Qizhi?! Wei Qizhi willingly bore this disgrace?
Yue Ning was the first to step forward, unable to hold back. "What did you say? Your master and Miss Song never committed an improper act? Then why was his leg broken by the Duke's household?"
Wu Shu cried bitterly a few more times, wiped his tears, and stood up.
"That day, our young miss came to find my young master, saying she needed his help with something. Although my young master was angry with the Duke's household, he was very good to our young miss. My young master was willing to help. Then our young miss said she had feelings for someone else, and her aunt had discovered it. In her panic, she gave my young master's name..."
"My young master thought it was absurd, but our young miss kept crying and begging. My young master had no choice but to agree. Later, my young master asked our young miss who the man was. She only cried and wouldn't say. Not two days later, people from the Duke's household came, beat him without asking questions. My young master, proud and aloof, already disliked the Duke's household. Remembering his promise to our young miss, he didn't explain. He intended to confront our young miss, but her wedding date was approaching. Then we heard she fell seriously ill. Also, my young master needed to recuperate, so for a time, he had no chance to ask her for an explanation. Seeing our young miss leave the capital to marry, my young master wanted to get to the truth and was also worried the person our young miss was protecting was a scoundrel. That's why he followed..."
Wu Shu's voice was hoarse but filled with utmost sincerity. Tears streamed down his face as he spoke, conveying all of Wei Qizhi's grievance and injustice. Taking a deep breath, Wu Shu knelt again, raising his hand to the heavens. "Every word this lowly one speaks is true. If there is a single falsehood, may I be struck by lightning and die a wretched death."
Then, looking at Huo Huaixin with a resentful gaze, he said, "My young master has already suffered a great injustice. Who could have imagined the greatest injustice would be here in Jinzhou? Murder... my young master would never kill anyone, let alone our young miss. My young master has a backbone of steel. He even refused the Patrol Garrison position the Duke's household arranged for him. Yet he was willing to ruin his reputation for our young miss and even lost a leg. How could he follow her here now and kill her?"
Wu Shu, a grown man, now cried until his eyes were red like a rabbit's. In other circumstances, it might seem comical. But his words were firm, filled with deep resentment, making even Yue Ning's heart tremble.
"Your young master... if what you say is true, then he indeed showed great devotion to Miss Song. But... we still don't know if your words are true or false. Who can prove your young master wasn't Miss Song's beloved?"
Wu Shu was stunned, momentarily speechless. "This... how can I prove that? Go ask around. When our young miss was little, she often visited the Wei residence. Later, she visited very rarely. These past two years, it's been even harder to see her. If my young master and our young miss had feelings, why would she watch my young master fall out with the Duke's household?"
Yue Ning frowned deeply. "What you say makes sense. But you could also be making this up. Then tell me, if your young master wasn't Miss Song's beloved, who was?"
Wu Shu looked even more wronged. "How would this lowly one know? My young master didn't know our young miss well, let alone this servant." Saying this, his eyes suddenly lit up. "Ah! This servant remembers someone! Second Young Master! Second Young Master might know! Isn't Second Young Master staying at Anyang Marquis's estate as part of the bridal escort? Prefect, go ask him! He visited the Duke's household more often than my young master. His relationship with our young miss was probably closer. Prefect, why haven't you asked him?"
Huo Huaixin was about to speak when Yue Ning, blunt as ever, said, "We naturally asked. He was the one who told us why your young master's leg was broken. Some servants from the Wei and Duke's households also know about this. What else do you want us to ask?"
Despair returned to Wu Shu's eyes. "In the end, you want us to provide proof. But... why? We had nothing to do with this case from the start. Why must we prove everything!"
Huo Huaixin snorted coldly. "Because all the evidence points to your master as the prime suspect!"
Wu Shu pressed his lips together, his face a mix of grievance and humiliation. Yet he couldn't think of any compelling argument. He could only clench his fists, tears falling silently. "Although my young master is somewhat unconventional in daily life, how could he kill anyone... My young master has already lost a leg. He can never train horses again, never serve in office. If you falsely accuse him of this crime now..."
Wu Shu sobbed, muttering to himself. Huo Huaixin's eyes widened in anger. "Watch your words! What false accusation?! You cannot prove your innocence, and our evidence all points to your master..."
Wu Shu looked at Huo Huaixin, having already cursed this incompetent official a thousand times in his heart. So he turned his pleading gaze to Qin Wan and Yue Ning. "Young ladies, merciful ladies, kind-hearted ladies, please uphold justice for my young master. My master has an unconventional temperament; perhaps his reputation isn't spotless. But he was willing to bear this disgrace for our young miss. He suffered such great grievance and humiliation. Even when his leg was broken that day, he didn't betray our young miss..."
Yue Ning's heart already held doubts because of Qin Wan's earlier words. Hearing this unexpected twist, she was uncertain. Just as she was worrying, she remembered Qin Wan hadn't spoken for a while.
Yue Ning turned and nudged Qin Wan, whispering, "What's wrong? Such a good opportunity, why aren't you asking? What are you thinking?"
Qin Wan's thoughtful expression finally took on a stern cast. She looked at Wu Shu. "How many years have you served your young master?"
Wu Shu quickly replied, "This servant has been with my young master for seventeen years. I was chosen as his page boy since childhood."
Qin Wan nodded. "Does your young master use his left hand or right hand more often now?"
Wu Shu thought for a moment. "Half and half. My young master uses his right hand for swordplay, his left for writing. For everyday things like eating or other tasks, he can use either hand."
"Did your young master bring any weapons on this trip?"
Qin Wan fixed her gaze on him. Wu Shu nodded. "Yes, he brought his usual sword."
Qin Wan then turned to look at Huo Huaixin. Huo Huaixin's spirits lifted. "It's a short sword. Naturally, there's no bloodstain or such on it. But it is quite sharp."
Qin Wan raised an eyebrow, a flickering light in her eyes. "If the one who had the affair with Miss Song wasn't the Wei family's eldest young master, then the direction of this case is completely different. Prefect, you must re-examine the case."
A hint of bitterness appeared on Huo Huaixin's face. This case had already dragged on for over ten days. If there was still no result, not only would it become harder to investigate, but it would also be difficult to explain once people from the capital arrived. Now, finally catching the prime suspect, if they completely overturned the previous deductions, wouldn't they have to start from scratch?
Huo Huaixin glanced at Wu Shu. "Ninth Young Miss believes his words?"
Qin Wan also glanced at Wu Shu. Under her gaze, Wu Shu immediately looked at her with eager eyes, raising his hand as if to swear another oath. Qin Wan had no intention of hearing more. She withdrew her gaze. "This case already had many puzzling points. Now there's a new development. Naturally, we must look at it again. We identified the Wei family's eldest young master largely based on two key pieces of evidence: knowing he had an affair with Miss Song and that he is left-handed. Now, if the one who had the affair with Miss Song wasn't the Wei family's eldest young master, relying solely on being left-handed makes it difficult to determine he is the prime suspect. We still lack the most direct evidence."
Huo Huaixin stared at Qin Wan with wide eyes. Wu Shu, meanwhile, nodded vigorously beside them. He looked at Qin Wan as if seeing a savior. Up to now, even Yue Ning had questioned Wei Qizhi with a skeptical attitude. Only Qin Wan was the first to say the case should be re-examined.
"But..." Huo Huaixin's eyes darted rapidly. "But Second Young Master said... his words seem more credible..."
Qin Wan looked into Huo Huaixin's eyes. "Why?"
Huo Huaixin opened his mouth but found he couldn't actually articulate why he believed Wei Yanzhi. Qin Wan, however, smiled slightly. "Because Second Young Master was part of the bridal escort and has been cooperating with your investigation since the incident. You feel he has been very diligent. And you believe Second Young Master is definitely unrelated to this case. If he had a guilty conscience, he wouldn't be so calm and thorough. You don't think he seems like the murderer or someone with a guilty conscience. So, due to your favorable impression of him, you also trust him regarding this case."
Huo Huaixin's eyes also widened. He nodded. "Exactly so."
Qin Wan sighed. "But suspects can lie. You think they are lying. Perhaps the one lying is someone else? Or perhaps, to avoid more trouble and close the case quickly, you intend to stick with the deduction that Wei Qizhi is the murderer despite the doubts?"
Huo Huaixin's eyes flickered rapidly. "That is certainly not the case!" After a brief pause, he said, "In that case, this case may truly need to be re-evaluated. As for them, we'll keep them imprisoned for now..."
Qin Wan nodded. Wu Shu's eyes instantly lit up. He shuffled back on his knees a few steps and kowtowed repeatedly to Qin Wan and the others. "Thank you, merciful ladies! Thank you, honorable judge..."
Hearing the words "honorable judge," Huo Huaixin finally felt a bit more comfortable. But then Wu Shu added, "This young lady just said it was Second Young Master who claimed the eldest young master had an affair with our young miss? I wonder... could the honorable judge allow Second Young Master to visit our eldest young master once? Second Young Master and the eldest young master are as close as brothers. It's inconvenient for us in prison. We only hope Second Young Master can visit. If the eldest young master tells Second Young Master the truth, Second Young Master will surely help us!"
Upon hearing this, Qin Wan's eyebrow twitched.
Yes, Wei Yanzhi should know Wei Qizhi has been captured. Had he mentioned wanting to see his elder brother?
Qin Wan turned her gaze to Yue Ning. Yue Ning hesitated. "The Wei family's second young master... is still ill. I haven't seen him since leaving the estate today. I don't know what he thinks..."
Qin Wan's eyebrow twitched again. She turned to ask Wu Shu, "Are Second Young Master and your young master truly as close as brothers?"
Wu Shu nodded. "At least in the eyes of us servants... Second Young Master and my young master ate and studied together since childhood. As they grew up, Second Young Master followed my young master in everything. From childhood to adulthood, they only had a falling out over that Patrol Garrison matter. My young master knew the Duke's household looked down on the Wei family and refused their favor. But Second Young Master accepted..."
A flash of insight crossed Qin Wan's mind. "Second Young Master studied and practiced calligraphy with your young master since childhood? Then did he find it strange that your young master was left-handed as a child?"
Wu Shu stared blankly at Qin Wan, not understanding why she asked.
"It wasn't strange. When Second Young Master was little and saw my young master using his left hand for calligraphy, he also learned to use his left hand from my young master. Later... later, after that rumor spread, the master gave a strict order to the tutor to correct the young master's habit. Around seven or eight years old, my young master's habit was finally changed..."
Qin Wan's expression changed instantly. Her eyes narrowed, her brow furrowed, her face showing intense concentration. Yet a flickering light danced in her eyes, as if her mind was rapidly processing something.
Yue Ning, seeing her like this, grew curious. "What is it?"
Qin Wan suddenly lowered her gaze. She stared intently at Wu Shu. "The rumor you mentioned, is it the rumor that your young master would be cursed if he used his left hand? And he developed red patches because of it..."
Wu Shu was surprised. "How does the young lady know..."
Qin Wan's eyes lit up. She leaned forward slightly. "Does your young master dislike lacquerware?"
Wu Shu nodded, his face stunned, seemingly surprised Qin Wan knew so much.
Qin Wan straightened up instantly. She turned to look at Huo Huaixin. "Prefect, that day at the marquis's estate, where are the statements about the Wei family's eldest young master that you had the Song family guards write?"
Huo Huaixin was taken aback, then looked at Xu He. Xu He said, "That... that statement was only half-written. Later, Ninth Young Miss offered her plan, and you, Prefect, left the marquis's estate with everyone. Since the unfinished statement wasn't needed, it was left at the marquis's estate. At the moment... at the moment, I don't know where it is..."
Qin Wan frowned. Yue Ning quickly asked, "What's wrong? What do you need the statement for?"
Qin Wan lifted her chin. "I want to confirm if something I'm thinking is correct..."
Yue Ning pressed, "What thing?"
Qin Wan looked at her, eyes sparkling. "I'll tell you once I can confirm it."
Yue Ning sighed. "What if the statement is gone?"
A slight smile touched Qin Wan's lips. She suddenly strode towards the exit. "Let's go find His Highness Chi!"
Once Qin Wan left, Yue Ning naturally followed. Seeing this, Huo Huaixin also hurried after them. Wu Shu, seeing everyone about to leave, quickly cried out, "Sir! Sir! Are you going to move my young master back to his cell first..."
Huo Huaixin waved impatiently. "Xu He, go take him down."
Xu He acknowledged. Ahead, Qin Wan had already walked far. Huo Huaixin almost had to jog to catch up. "Ninth Young Miss? What are you trying to confirm? How is it related to the case?"
Qin Wan paused. "If this is confirmed, the prefect will know who the murderer is!"
She stopped briefly, turning to look at Huo Huaixin. "Prefect, did you previously suspect the Wei family's second young master?"
Huo Huaixin was startled, then nodded. "Indeed, I did suspect him." As if remembering something, he added, "Speaking of which, there's something the young lady doesn't know yet. On the night someone pretended to be a ghost to scare you, when we went to the eastern courtyard, Second Young Master said he was practicing calligraphy. Later, you told me the stain on the wedding dress was pine soot ink. Based on that, I initially suspected Second Young Master. However, Second Young Master isn't left-handed, and ink stains are very common. Moreover, after Second Young Master later told us about the eldest young master and Miss Song, I shifted suspicion to the eldest young master... Could it be..."
Qin Wan indeed hadn't known this detail. Hearing it now, her expression became even more certain. "Good, Qin Wan understands. Please wait a moment, Prefect. If my suspicion is confirmed, I will naturally come and inform you."
Huo Huaixin nodded, wanting to ask more, but Qin Wan had already turned and walked away quickly.
...
...
Exiting the yamen, Qin Wan hurried towards the carriage. Yue Ning chased after her, asking, "Where are you going?"
"To the marquis's estate! To find His Highness Chi!" Qin Wan answered crisply. Having said this, she had already ducked into the carriage. Seeing her urgency, Yue Ning didn't dare delay and quickly boarded as well.
The marquis's estate driver cracked the whip, and the carriage headed straight for the western part of the city.
There was some distance from the yamen to the western district. Yue Ning wondered, "Have you thought of something?"
Qin Wan's eyes shone. "I remembered what I missed earlier!"
Yue Ning's spirits also lifted upon seeing this. Qin Wan's discovery would surely change the course of the case. Thinking this, Yue Ning urged the driver, who increased the carriage's speed. In less than half a shichen, the carriage arrived at Anyang Marquis's estate.
As soon as the carriage stopped, Qin Wan alighted. Yue Ning stepped down behind her and followed, saying directly, "His Highness Chi must still be in Pine Garden! Follow me."
Qin Wan knew where Pine Garden was, but the path Yue Ning took was the shortest. The two took shortcuts through the estate's covered walkways. Before long, Pine Garden was right before them. Before they could get close, Bai Feng suddenly emerged from the courtyard gate. Seeing Qin Wan and Yue Ning, Bai Feng was momentarily surprised but quickly bowed. "Greetings, Princess, Ninth Young Miss..."
Yue Ning stepped forward. "Where is your master?"
Bai Feng glanced at Qin Wan. "The master is inside."
Yue Ning nodded. "We have business with him..."
Bai Feng understood. "Please come in, Princess and Ninth Young Miss. The master is writing a letter to the capital."
He stepped aside. Qin Wan nodded and followed Yue Ning inside.
Qin Wan had been to Pine Garden before. Following Yue Ning, they went straight to the main hall. Just as they reached the entrance, Yan Chi, dressed in a dark black robe, emerged from a warm chamber to the side. "What has happened?"
Since Yue Ning and Qin Wan came together, something must be amiss. As he spoke, he saw Qin Wan step forward. "Last time, Your Highness's men sent news from the capital regarding the Duke's household and the Wei family. Qin Wan came today because I recall Your Highness saying the letter contained very detailed information. I wonder if that letter is still here? May Qin Wan look at it?"
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow slightly, looked at Qin Wan for a moment, then turned. "Come in."
Qin Wan and Yue Ning exchanged a glance and followed Yan Chi into the warm chamber. Though called a warm chamber, it was a small study. Indeed, as Bai Feng said, on the desk lay an unfinished letter. Qin Wan and Yue Ning stood at the doorway as Yan Chi walked behind the desk, opened a drawer below, and quickly retrieved a letter.
Yan Chi walked over and, without asking Qin Wan why she needed it, simply handed it to her.
Qin Wan took it, feeling the substantial weight within, which reassured her. She deftly opened it and pulled out the letter inside. It was a long letter. As Yan Chi had said, it detailed the internal affairs of the Duke's household and the Song family meticulously. Qin Wan read carefully, of course, focusing most on the parts concerning Wei Qizhi and Wei Yanzhi.
Seeing Qin Wan's intense concentration, Yan Chi walked back behind the desk, added a few strokes to the unfinished letter, then stamped it with his seal, folded it, put it away, and called, "Bai Feng."
Bai Feng entered from outside. Yan Chi instructed, "Send this out with the fastest speed."
Bai Feng acknowledged and took the letter out.
Yue Ning watched leisurely. Seeing Yan Chi ask no questions, she said, "Your Highness doesn't ask why she wants to see the letter?"
Yan Chi simply sat down behind the desk. "It must be for Miss Song's case. The Wei family's eldest young master has been captured..." Yan Chi glanced at Yue Ning's short boots. "You've been to the prefectural yamen?"
Yue Ning raised an eyebrow. "How does Your Highness know?"
Yan Chi said expressionlessly, "The Princess's boots are stained with black moss. This type of black moss is most commonly found in underground prisons."
Yue Ning was slightly surprised. Qin Wan, reading the letter, also glanced at Yan Chi.
Yue Ning said with a tone of admiration, "Your Highness is observant..."
Yan Chi curved his lips slightly but said nothing. Yue Ning simply continued, "We went to the yamen, saw Wei Qizhi and his servant. Both had been tortured but refused to confess. And... Wei Qizhi's servant said the one who had the affair with Song Rou wasn't Wei Qizhi, but someone else whose name Song Rou refused to reveal. Wei Qizhi agreed to take the blame only after Song Rou begged and cried. He followed to Jinzhou to ask Song Rou who that person was. On the night Song Rou died, Wei Qizhi was at Ten Li Temple, but he didn't kill anyone."
"The one who had the affair with Song Rou wasn't Wei Qizhi?" Yan Chi seized upon this most crucial sentence, then narrowed his eyes. "In that case, this case must be re-evaluated."
Yue Ning glanced at Qin Wan, who was still reading the letter, and said, "Yes. Previously, when she performed the autopsy at the mortuary, didn't she bring back a lump of filth? Later, she discovered it was Gilded Paper."
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow. Yue Ning said, "It seems Your Highness also knows about Gilded Paper?"
Yan Chi nodded. "Small Sprinkled Gold Paper, with a distinctive fragrance..."
Hearing this, Yue Ning showed a slight smile. "Exactly so. She even knows how Gilded Paper is made. The things left in Song Rou's stomach were definitely ingested on the day she arrived at Ten Li Temple. This paper was most likely from a letter someone wrote. She read it and, finding it inconvenient to dispose of, swallowed it. Moreover, since she was killed in the birch grove, this letter must be connected to her murder."
Yan Chi narrowed his eyes, a glimmer of sharp light appearing within. He looked at Qin Wan, still absorbed in reading the letter. Her profile was serene and beautiful, a lively sparkle dancing at the corner of her eye. Yan Chi knew she must have found what she was looking for!
After speaking, Yue Ning didn't hear Yan Chi respond. Looking up, she saw Yan Chi staring intently at Qin Wan. Though inexperienced in matters of the heart, Yue Ning had seen her own parents and other married couples. She knew what the gaze of someone in love looked like. Thinking this, her brow furrowed as she looked at Yan Chi again.
"I've got it."
While Yue Ning's mind was filled with doubts, Qin Wan suddenly put the letter down. She looked up at Yue Ning and Yan Chi, her eyes filled with certainty.
Yue Ning quickly asked, "Well? What did you miss?"
Qin Wan glanced at the letter again. "I missed Wei Qizhi's preferences. For this, I must thank Your Highness Chi!"
Yan Chi made an "oh" sound. "How so?"
Qin Wan placed the letter on a nearby table, her voice calm and firm. "That day, Your Highness mentioned the news sent from the capital. But at that time, everyone had just learned that the one who had the affair with Miss Song was the Wei family's eldest young master. For a moment, we almost confirmed he was the murderer, so we didn't examine these details carefully."
Then, Qin Wan looked at Yue Ning. "The Princess knows best. What was in Song Rou's stomach was Gilded Paper."
Yue Ning nodded. Qin Wan then looked at Yan Chi. "When I discovered that paper was Gilded Paper, I felt I had missed some very important information but couldn't recall it at the time. Just now, in the yamen prison, Wei Qizhi's servant repeatedly mentioned his master's habits and preferences. That's when I suddenly remembered!"
"Remembered what! Tell us quickly!"
Yue Ning, tortured by Qin Wan's "missed something" for two days, was now somewhat impatient!
Qin Wan smiled and sped up her speech. "Previously, Your Highness told me Wei Qizhi was left-handed since childhood and only learned to use his right hand through later training. You also said that when Wei Qizhi was very young, because he was left-handed, he was even cursed, often breaking out in red patches all over his body. Thinking about it is terrifying."
After speaking, Qin Wan patted the letter beside her. "I just read it carefully again. Wei Qizhi stopped suffering from the red patches around seven or eight years old. Before that, he sought medical treatment many times without improvement. Only later did people gradually spread it as a curse. Once anyone is associated with the word 'curse,' it's considered inauspicious. I imagine this is one reason the Duke's household disliked him."
"But does a curse truly exist in this world?" The slight smile on Qin Wan's lips vanished, her expression turning serious. "When I heard Your Highness say it, I felt something was off, but without seeing all these details, I couldn't be sure. Now, looking at it, I understand the cause of Wei Qizhi's red patches. Though I haven't tested it, I've deduced it."
Yue Ning wondered, "I don't believe in curses either. But what caused his red patches?"
"Lacquer." Qin Wan's cherry lips parted, uttering the word heavily. At the same time, Yan Chi's brow furrowed, and Yue Ning's eyes also lit up slightly, as if she had thought of something.
Seeing their expressions, Qin Wan nodded. "Lacquer is practically everywhere in this world. No one considers it poisonous. But for a very few people, lacquer is toxic to them. Your Highness told me Wei Qizhi dislikes lacquerware. I read in the letter that Wei Qizhi's room contains mostly gold, silver, and jade objects, and he cannot stand the smell of lacquer. Though 'cannot stand' is vague, connecting it to Wei Qizhi's strange 'curse' made me recall two people I saw before who broke out in red patches with no cure, only to be discovered they were poisoned by lacquer. When Wei Qizhi was young, he likely couldn't distinguish what caused the red patches. But over time, he instinctively disliked lacquerware. Since he even dislikes lacquerware, why would he use Gilded Paper, which is made with added gold lacquer?"
Her voice grew firm. "The Gilded Paper in Song Rou's stomach definitely has nothing to do with Wei Qizhi."
Yan Chi's eyes narrowed. Yue Ning also couldn't help but sit up straight. Qin Wan had just explained two points. First, the 'curse' of Wei Qizhi's left-handedness and why he disliked lacquerware. Second, returning to Song Rou's case, Gilded Paper is made with gold lacquer and wood pulp and has a faint lacquer scent. Why would Wei Qizhi use it?
Yue Ning looked at Qin Wan with admiration. But then she thought, "However... how can we verify this?"
Qin Wan curved her lips. "That's extremely simple. Find some raw lacquer, bring it near or apply it to Wei Qizhi's arm, and see if any reaction occurs on his body."
Yue Ning nodded. "Even if this can show that the Gilded Paper, possibly from a letter, has nothing to do with Wei Qizhi, it still can't completely prove he had nothing to do with Song Rou's death... After all, he is left-handed."
Qin Wan shook her head. "The left-handedness came from the night someone pretended to be a ghost to scare me. The Gilded Paper is the most direct evidence left in Song Rou's body. This piece of Gilded Paper essentially witnessed the process of Song Rou's murder. In many cases, following a single key clue can open a completely new avenue, leading to the truth."
Yue Ning looked at Qin Wan. Today, she wore a jade-colored pleated long skirt with a pea-green wide-sleeved outer robe and a matching shawl over her shoulders. Already elegant and noble, at this moment, carefully deducing the case, her face held a unique radiance. Her eyes were clear and bright like a spring filled with gemstones. As she spoke, she possessed a decisiveness completely different from her usual gentle and serene demeanor. This compelling aura softened the gentle elegance about her. Looking at Qin Wan, Yue Ning suddenly felt a pang of regret. How blind she had been before to think Qin Wan was merely an ordinary wealthy young lady, delicate as a lotus in the wind...
"As for left-handedness, the letter helped me again." Qin Wan patted the letter again. "Earlier in the prison, Wei Qizhi's servant said Wei Yanzhi and Wei Qizhi were as close as brothers since childhood, studying and practicing calligraphy together. Wei Yanzhi even learned left-handedness from Wei Qizhi. But what I read in the letter differs somewhat from what the servant said."
Yue Ning frowned. "What? Did that servant lie?"
Qin Wan shook her head. "No, he didn't lie. He just beautified the matter."
Confusion filled Yue Ning's eyes. Qin Wan's gaze deepened. "In a family with two sons, one legitimate, one illegitimate. The illegitimate son excels in everything and understands brotherly respect. The legitimate son, even without bad habits, has a congenital 'flaw', yes, it can be called a flaw. Wei Qizhi's left-handedness made him the subject of gossip. Adding the later red patches, even rumors of a curse spread. The Wei master might have only felt regret, but what about the Wei mistress?"
Yue Ning was startled. "How did the Wei mistress get involved?"
Qin Wan picked up the letter and waved it. "This says Wei Qizhi's mother, that young lady from the Duke's household, when he was little, before Wei Qizhi corrected his habit, forced Wei Yanzhi to also use his left hand for writing. If Wei Yanzhi disobeyed, he would be lightly beaten or scolded, or worse, locked alone in his courtyard, forbidden to go out."
While recounting the Wei family's internal affairs, Qin Wan glanced at Yan Chi. Back then, Yan Chi said he would investigate the internal affairs of the Wei and Duke's households in the capital for the Grand Princess. But Qin Wan hadn't expected the information he obtained to be so detailed, even digging up events from over a decade ago. She couldn't help but suspect Yan Chi had placed spies in the Wei and Duke's households.
Pulling her thoughts back, Qin Wan continued, "A child, naturally left-handed, was forced to use his right hand. The other child could naturally be forced to switch from naturally right-handed to using his left hand."
Yue Ning gasped. "You mean, the Wei family's second young master can also use his left hand?"
Qin Wan nodded. "This happened over ten years ago. Moreover, the Wei mistress kept it very secret. Very few people know about it now. So no one knows Wei Yanzhi can also use his left hand... On the contrary, when mentioning left-handedness, everyone only thinks of Wei Qizhi. If the murderer left a left-handed clue, wouldn't it make people think of Wei Qizhi first?"
Yue Ning kept nodding, feeling everything Qin Wan said made perfect sense. "So, you now suspect Wei Yanzhi?"
Qin Wan put down the letter, pursing her lips slightly. "You saw Wei Qizhi's condition. Combined with these deductions, I now believe he has nothing to do with Song Rou's death. It's just that someone deliberately left these clues to lead us to Wei Qizhi. Moreover, the murderer didn't expect I would find the Gilded Paper in Song Rou's stomach and probably didn't consider this layer."
"The murderer isn't Wei Qizhi, and the one who had the affair with Song Rou isn't Wei Qizhi. You also heard what Wei Qizhi's servant said. Wei Yanzhi had closer ties with the Duke's household and more contact with Song Rou. Could it be that Wei Yanzhi had the affair with Song Rou? Song Rou was skilled at the qin. Wei Yanzhi is also very familiar with qin music. I read in this letter that although Wei Qizhi also enjoyed the qin in the past, that was six or seven years ago. After that, Wei Qizhi developed a passion for raising and training horses. In contrast, Song Rou's love for playing the qin was a constant."
"That night by Li River Lake, Wei Yanzhi said he recognized the tune because Wei Qizhi played it every day. But Wei Qizhi playing the qin daily was six or seven years ago. And that tune, 'Seagulls Forget Their Cunning,' is about a pair of lovers living a carefree, reclusive life like seagulls after retreating to the mountains and forests. To play the qin, one must understand the meaning of the tune. Since this tune is about love, six or seven years ago, Wei Qizhi was only fourteen or fifteen, probably didn't even have a sweetheart. Why would he play this tune daily? Only someone with a beloved, yearning to live a secluded, conflict-free life with them, would deeply love this tune..."
Yue Ning's eyes lit up. "So the one playing this tune was Song Rou?"
Qin Wan nodded. "That possibility is the greatest. Besides, Wei Yanzhi also had the possibility to pretend to be a ghost to scare people. He knew Song Rou had a second wedding dress. In contrast, Wei Qizhi couldn't even see Song Rou. He couldn't even visit the Duke's household during that period. How would he know Song Rou had a second wedding dress?"
"Wei Yanzhi knew. Moreover, he was familiar with the bridal escort personnel, making it much easier for him to act. Also, only he saw me perform the first autopsy. Perhaps he was afraid I would interfere in Song Rou's case and wanted to scare me so I wouldn't dare come to the marquis's estate again."
After a pause, Qin Wan continued, "Also, those rumors originally spread from the eastern courtyard, also to drive me away from the marquis's estate. Later, by Li River Lake, someone tried to harm me. I suspect it was mostly his doing. Princess, do you remember we coincidentally met Wei Yanzhi in the estate before that day? He asked how Song Rou was at the mortuary. Unprepared, I answered that Song Rou was fine. I suspect this sentence made him realize Prefect Huo had already asked me to perform an autopsy at the mortuary. Afraid I might actually discover something, he wanted to kill me by Li River Lake..."
Qin Wan smiled slightly. "As for the later burning of the mortuary..."
"That night, Wei Yanzhi was present! Only a few of us knew you were going to perform the autopsy early the next morning!" This time, Yue Ning spoke faster than Qin Wan. "He witnessed your skills, so he decided to burn the mortuary, cutting the Gordian knot!"
Qin Wan nodded. "Exactly."
Yue Ning's chest rose and fell a few times. She also felt somewhat excited. "Saying it like this, everything makes sense! Indeed, his suspicion is the greatest! Although he and Wei Qizhi appear as close as brothers on the surface, and he was raised by the legitimate mother, in reality, there's a huge gap in status between him and Wei Qizhi. If something happens to Wei Qizhi, he becomes the Wei family's only child. Only then can he truly gain the regard of the Wei master and the Duke's household."
Saying this, Yue Ning frowned again. "But this is only our speculation. Although it's logical, we still have no evidence. When he competed with me, he didn't even show any sign of being able to use martial arts with his left hand."
Qin Wan narrowed her eyes. "He probably wouldn't leave any obvious evidence. As for evidence, there's only one method..."
"What method?!" Yue Ning was even more excited than Qin Wan because, in her view, Wei Yanzhi really didn't seem like a murderer. But precisely because of that, she was eager to verify...
Qin Wan met Yue Ning's eager gaze. "Find Song Rou's head."