Yan Tongshu continued, pointing: "His fracture sequence is: foot bones, femoral neck, pelvis, coccyx, lumbar spine, cervical spine, ribs, sternum. In particular, multiple rib fractures caused by the chest striking the front of the thigh with great force are typical injuries from suicide.
Of course, if the landing location had complex terrain and the body struck multiple surfaces before coming to rest, the fracture sequence would also differ. The injuries on Bao Qiang's body fit the characteristics of suicide. It seems he also feared pain—the spot he chose for his death had straightforward terrain."
Wu Suowei listened, then sighed: "So there's a sequence. My mentor once told me that injuries from suicide and accidents differ, but even he was vague about it, let alone ever mentioning the fracture order."
Yan Tongshu thought for a moment: "It's fine. From now on, we'll hold regular study sessions. We'll gather all the coroners in the yamen, share our experiences and knowledge, and together improve our autopsy skills."
The moment Wu Suowei heard there'd be a chance to learn, he grew excited: "Really, Lord Yan? You'll teach us as well, right?"
Yan Tongshu nodded.
Sharing knowledge was far more interesting than sitting in a study dealing with paperwork.
All those documents—taxes, population, public security—made her head spin.
Having resolved Bao Qiang's suicide, Yan Tongshu left with her people.
Bai Qinglan tugged at Wu Suowei's sleeve: "Sister Wu, Lord Yan is amazing. Who was her mentor?"
Wu Suowei shook his head: "I don't know, but surely a true master of great wisdom."
After the inspection, back at the Kaifeng office, Yan Tongshu threw herself back into the maze of paperwork.
Soon, the day of the Dingsheng troupe's performance arrived. Yan Tongshu left work early, had Pearl and Jinbao carry an armful of snacks, and dashed toward the North Field.
The doors opened for ticket checking at the seventh double-hour sharp, and the warm-up show began at a quarter past.
Yan Tongshu sat in the front row while Pearl and Jinbao hurriedly unpacked melon seeds, candied winter melon strips, and small twisted dough twists, spreading oil paper across their laps and piling snacks high.
The three cracked sunflower seeds as they waited for the show to begin.
They were enjoying themselves when Yan Tongshu spotted Yan Liangyu in the distance, also in the front row—though Yan Tongshu was on the even-numbered side and Yan Liangyu on the odd, separated by the aisle.
Yan Tongshu waved from afar and called out loudly: "Liangyu! Want to switch seats and sit next to me?"
Yan Liangyu shook her head, pointing at the man beside her through the crowd.
He was holding a pouch of sugar-frosted beans, and he had the sharp, handsome looks of a noble—somehow familiar, as if she'd seen him somewhere before.
He first laid a cloth over the chair, and only then let Yan Liangyu sit down.
Yan Tongshu saw how intimate they were, her brows curving upward into a knowing smile.
That little girl—there was something going on.
Since Yan Liangyu had finally decided to move past the mess with Zhou Zhengxun, Yan Tongshu was more than happy to see it. She didn't want to interrupt their sweet little date, so she grabbed another handful of seeds and kept cracking.
Before long, the gong rang and the warm-up acts began.
Three big men, one hand wielding a broadsword and the other a torch, danced to the rhythm of the drums. Then, one of them touched the flame to the ground— boom! A searing snake of fire coiled along the floor.
Next, two colored lions leapt into the blaze, their bodies nimble, and amid the circling flames they climbed onto benches, striking all sorts of impossible, breathtakingly perilous poses.
"Bravo!"
The twin lions flipped in midair, and Yan Tongshu clapped with all her might alongside the rest of the audience.
Lions dancing in fire—blazing, fierce, spectacular.
And this was only the opening act. Yan Tongshu wondered—if this was just the warm-up, how magnificent would the main performance be?
Midway through the warm-up, Qin Yi entered with Lu Xi. As soon as he sat down, he looked up and spotted Yan Tongshu at once.
Hah.
Every time she wasn't at morning court in his presence, Yan Tongshu was full of vibrant energy like this.
Qin Yi gave Lu Xi a meaningful glance, and Lu Xi understood at once. He tapped the shoulder of the person seated behind Yan Tongshu in the second row and handed him ten taels of silver.
The man snorted: "Little Lord here, I've got money to burn."
Lu Xi pulled out a hundred-tael note instead.
The man shoved the note into his pocket, immediately sprang up, swept both hands invitingly, and bowed politely: "Please, sir."
Qin Yi sat down behind Yan Tongshu.
Yan Tongshu was munching on her twisted dough twists and watching the show when, out of nowhere, a hand reached in from beside her. With both eyes glued to the performance, she assumed it was Pearl and poured a few dough twists into that hand.
Qin Yi picked up one dough twist, inspecting it with mild disdain. It was coated in white sesame seeds and looked utterly plain.
He seriously doubted this thing could taste good.
He popped one into his mouth. Fragrant, crispy, delicious.
This kid really did know her snacks.
Lu Xi whispered: "Young Master, shall I step out and buy some more?"
Qin Yi: "No need."
With that, he reached out to Yan Tongshu again, and she poured some melon seeds into his hand.
Qin Yi lifted the seeds to his nose and sniffed. Green tea fragrance.
An odd combination.
He hesitated, then picked up one, broke the shell, and placed the kernel in his mouth.
Ha. The kid definitely had an extraordinary touch when it came to food.
Halfway through the performance, Yan Tongshu felt something strange. Pearl clearly had her own snacks—why did she keep asking Yan Tongshu for food?
She nudged Pearl with her elbow: "Pearl, eat your own. Stop coming to me."
The performance was too riveting—Pearl couldn't tear her eyes away from the stage, and she said while staring straight ahead: "Young Master, I didn't ask you for anything."
Yan Tongshu: "You clearly just asked..."
Before she could finish, the acrobat troupe's drums erupted in a thunderous roll—the signal for everyone to quiet down. What came next was a vocal mimicry act, and any noise would disrupt it.
So Yan Tongshu swallowed her question and devoted herself to the show.
Two chairs were carried onto the center of the stage, and a man and a woman walked in and sat down.
The man, Bai Qingmu, was twenty-seven or twenty-eight, over seven chi tall, single-lidded eyes, sharp and spirited, the troupe's leader. Earlier, he'd performed the tightrope walk with his troupe brothers.
But the tightrope was up in the air at a distance, so Yan Tongshu couldn't make out his features clearly.
The woman, Feng Lai, was in her thirties, hair coiled in a married woman's bun, big double-lidded eyes.
Both bore the weathered, sun-beaten marks of wandering the roads as performers.
Once they took their seats, the troupe carried in a folding screen and placed it in front of them, hiding both figures behind it, leaving only blurred shadows.
First came the sound of a child giggling and playing.
Judging by the shadow, it must have been the man's ventriloquism.
Then came howling growls—hoofbeats like an army crashing in. Raids, beheadings, wails, pleads—waves of sound piling atop one another.
A woman's hoarse voice begged for mercy, yet someone cut her head off with one stroke.
The head rolled twice across the ground, making a chilling, blood-curdling sound.
Only two people were there, nothing else around, but if you shut your eyes, it felt like you were there yourself.
A baby's cry rang out. A wet nurse covered his mouth.
He was the only bloodline left of the household.
Suddenly, a servant shrieked: "Fire—!"
The infant, silenced under the wet nurse's hand, was carried away in a desperate flight. A perilous escape, through twist after turn, until they'd finally gotten out—but the baby's cry had fallen silent.
The wet nurse's husband touched the infant: "It's over, no breath."
The wet nurse wailed: "Nonsense, there must be breath."
The wet nurse pressed her mouth to the infant's, passing breath into it. Finally, with a cry, the child woke up.
"Oh heavens! Thank goodness."
A choked sob rippled through the audience.
After the baby awoke, it was a revenge-fueled growth arc. He studied, trained in martial arts, entered the capital, built achievements, established a career, and at last cleared his family's wrongful case—great vengeance achieved.
Yan Tongshu was deeply moved too.
It was like watching a movie.
Except this was a movie without visuals, without costumes or sets—just two people performing an audio drama.
"Bravo!"
"Fantastic!"
After a brief silence, the viewing area burst into enthusiastic applause.
Immediately after, tips flew toward the stage like snowflakes.
This was the custom after every performance: if the audience enjoyed it, they could throw silver, banknotes, copper coins, fruits and vegetables, chickens and ducks, fish and meat—whatever they liked. The more they threw, the more they adored it.
Caught up in the atmosphere, Yan Tongshu tossed every copper coin she had up onto the stage.
Bai Qinglan, as the senior senior sister of the troupe, led her junior brothers and sisters onstage to give thanks and gathered all the tips into one pile, to be counted after all performances had ended.
The next performance was an animal act—dogs playing football, leaping through fire hoops, and so on.
Yan Tongshu wasn't very interested. She pulled a bamboo tube of double-skin milk from her sling bag.
The double-skin milk was stored in a specially made lightweight bamboo tube, topped with honeyed red beans and raisins, eaten with a wooden spoon.
Yan Tongshu had just taken two spoonfuls, squinting her eyes in bliss, when a fair hand reached over.
Pearl! Eat your own!
Yan Tongshu turned with a huff—huh?
As white as jade, with a broad palm.
It was a man's hand.
Who's this?
Someone who'd tricked her out of so much of her food!
Yan Tongshu whirled around fiercely, glaring—and her pupils shrank.
The Emperor?
Yan Tongshu's mouth fell slightly open.
Qin Yi's lips curved faintly: "Is it good?"
Yan Tongshu closed her mouth and nodded woodenly, without making any move to share.
Qin Yi spoke again: "Very good?"
Yan Tongshu nodded again, still showing no sign of sharing.
Qin Yi's gaze drifted downward, stopping on Yan Tongshu's unsealed cloth bag. Inside was another bamboo tube, identical to the one in her hand—surely the same creamy, soft delicacy.
Yan Tongshu instinctively clutched her bag close.
Qin Yi gave a slight smile and reached out directly. "Hand it over."
The hint hadn't worked, so he was resorting to sheer robbery.
Yan Tongshu exhaled heavily through her nose, clearly unwilling. But the imperial will could not be defied, so she handed the double-skin milk to Qin Yi, cursing silently in her heart: That dog of an emperor.
Qin Yi took the double-skin milk, lifted the bamboo lid, elegantly picked up the spoon, and ate it slowly.
The milk was rich and fragrant, sweet and refreshing, without the slightest cloying heaviness.
After finishing, Qin Yi let out a leisurely sigh: "Not bad."
Yan Tongshu clenched her fists. He eats my food and can't even be bothered to say it's delicious. Dog emperor.
Yan Tongshu turned around and went back to sulkily eating her own double-skin milk.
A quarter of an hour later, as the acrobatics show came to an end, Yan Tongshu stood up and pulled Pearl and Jinbao, ready to bolt.
Qin Yi watched her with an enigmatic smile and let fall two weightless words: "Stop."
Yan Tongshu's already-raised foot froze mid-step.
She turned around to face Qin Yi, waited until the crowd around them had dispersed, then lowered her voice: "Your Majesty, aren't you going back to the palace?"
Qin Yi's thin lips parted: "Today I'm on a private inspection, observing the people's lives. No hurry."
Yan Tongshu: "Your Majesty—"
Qin Yi: "Call me Master."
Yan Tongshu squeezed out a polite smile: "Well then... I won't disturb Master's inspection. I'll be heading back now."
Qin Yi rose to his feet: "Follow me."
Yan Tongshu flipped him off behind his back.
Can't this dog emperor understand human speech? She said she was going home.
Qin Yi suddenly turned around.
Yan Tongshu's middle finger was too late to pull back, frozen mid-air.
Qin Yi raised an eyebrow: "What is this supposed to mean?"
Yan Tongshu smiled stiffly: "This... it's a custom of a certain ethnic minority. Raising the middle finger means gratitude. I meant to thank you for your boundless grace, Master."
Qin Yi: "Is that so?"
Yan Tongshu nodded vigorously to show that her words were utterly reliable.
Qin Yi stared at her calmly, then slowly raised his own slender, jade-like hand, aimed it steadily at Yan Tongshu, and put up a perfectly straight middle finger.
Yan Tongshu: "..."
Dog emperor.
Qin Yi walked on, and Yan Tongshu had no choice but to tell Pearl and Jinbao to wait at the carriage parked at the mouth of the alley, while she and Lu Xi followed Qin Yi out of the theater.
Yan Tongshu drifted along at the back, bored out of her mind. Eventually, the three of them emerged from the north exit and turned into the most bustling night market of Bianjing.
Qin Yi stopped, turned around, and looked at Yan Tongshu: "Come here."
Yan Tongshu kept her head down, unwilling in her heart but outwardly deferential as she shuffled over.
What does he want now?
Qin Yi pointed at a baked flatbread on a stall: "How about this one?"
Huh?
Yan Tongshu looked at him, bewildered.
Qin Yi spoke again: "Is it good?"
Yan Tongshu shook her head honestly: "This stall's flavor is inconsistent—sometimes too salty, sometimes not salty enough. The one ahead is better. They have both sweet and savory kinds: brown sugar and sesame flatbread, and crispy salty lard flatbread. Both are insanely good."
"Mhm."
Qin Yi acknowledged softly, then walked toward the stall up ahead and bought one of each flatbread.
Seeing Qin Yi take the flatbreads, Lu Xi promptly paid.
Qin Yi took a bite of the brown sugar and sesame one. Mm, sweet, fragrant, and crisp—truly good. But something seemed to be missing.
He pondered for a moment, then turned to the stall owner: "One more order."
The owner smiled: "One of each?"
Qin Yi pointed at Yan Tongshu: "Yes, for her."
The owner glanced at Yan Tongshu and replied cheerfully: "Coming right up."
Then two flatbreads, twice the size of Qin Yi's, were made, and the owner handed them to Yan Tongshu: "Lord Yan, here you go. Your favorite—extra big."
Yan Tongshu quickly accepted: "Thanks, boss."
Qin Yi looked at his own "small" two flatbreads, then at Yan Tongshu's "huge" two flatbreads. His brow twitched slightly, and he asked the owner: "Same price?"
The owner nodded: "Of course. Why would it be anything else?"
Qin Yi frowned and looked at Yan Tongshu: "You two know each other?"
Yan Tongshu cradled the "huge" flatbreads, blowing away the steam, and said: "Of course. I know every delicious snack stall owner on this whole street."
Then she took a bite. Absolutely delicious.
"Foodie." Qin Yi spat out two words of ambiguous meaning, then turned and kept walking.
Yan Tongshu was pissed. You're not a foodie yourself? You're not a foodie and you're keeping me here just to find you good food?
She took a huge angry bite of her flatbread and quickened her pace to catch up.
Lu Xi, however, stayed put, looking at the two receding figures—one ahead, one behind. After a moment of silence, he pulled out some copper coins and paid the flatbread bill for Yan Tongshu's portion as well.
After a while, Qin Yi stopped again: "This one?"
Yan Tongshu shook her head, pointing ahead. Qin Yi walked on, bought two portions of dragon's whiskers candy.
This repeated a few times—Qin Yi always ordering two portions, one for himself and one for Yan Tongshu, with Lu Xi paying afterward.
Gradually, Yan Tongshu began to catch on.
She always got the large portions and only took a bite or two of each, unable to finish them. That way, she could mooch off Qin Yi’s spending and buy all the snacks she wanted in one go, then save them to eat slowly over the coming days—her way of getting back at him for nibbling at her treats.
Before long, Yan Tongshu was holding a huge armful of snacks, beaming from ear to ear.
Qin Yi’s purchases, meanwhile, were all packed away by Lu Xi.
Qin Yi stopped at a stall. “This one?”
Yan Tongshu shook her head and tugged him toward the stall she always went to. “Their lotus root cake is the best.”
The lotus root cake vendor spotted Yan Tongshu and her face broke into a smile. “Lord Yan, back again?”
Yan Tongshu held up two fingers. “Yes, two servings.”
The vendor: “Coming right up.”
The vendor lifted the lid of the steamer, and a fragrant steam wafted out.
She handed Yan Tongshu one large and one small lotus root cake. Yan Tongshu gave the small one to Qin Yi.
Qin Yi looked at the big one, then at the small one, and reached out—taking the big one.
Yan Tongshu was stunned.
The big one was meant for her from the vendor.
Besides, Qin Yi couldn’t even finish it all. Why did he have to grab hers? It made no sense.
Probably reading her thoughts from her utterly transparent expression, Qin Yi said, “I’m the one paying.”
Fine, you’re paying, whatever.
She was playing tour guide on top of it all. If anything, the treat was her tip for the job.
Yan Tongshu took a bite of the lotus root cake. Mmm, soft, sweet, and fragrant.
The moment good food hit her stomach, her mood improved, and she immediately decided not to hold a grudge against Qin Yi.
From one end of the street to the other, Yan Tongshu’s arms were nearly overflowing with treats when Qin Yi finally took pity on her and let her go.
Yan Tongshu silently thanked heaven and earth in her heart, then turned back toward the alley entrance.
“Pearl! Jinbao! Come quick, so much food—we won’t have to worry about snacks for days.”
Yan Tongshu called out as she walked. Pearl and Jinbao were stunned at the sight of all that food, then excitedly reached out to take it.
The three of them huddled together on the carriage like little hamsters, sorting through Yan Tongshu’s haul.
As she was counting, Yan Tongshu suddenly gasped. “Oh! I remember now.”
Pearl and Jinbao both shot her puzzled looks.
Yan Tongshu said, “I know who the man beside Liangyu is now. It’s that little shadow. The one who used to tag along after Liangyu as a kid and wouldn’t leave no matter what—the grandson of the Vice Minister of Revenue, Pei Jin’an.”
The moment Yan Tongshu mentioned it, Pearl slapped her thigh. “You mean that silly young gentleman who always called Second Miss ‘big sister’ and followed her everywhere she went?”
Yan Tongshu nodded.
Pearl blinked. “Wow, he’s been away for a few years and now he’s come back from the south—and he turned handsome.”
Yan Tongshu and Pearl chatted away enthusiastically, but Jinbao was completely lost.
He was thirteen this year, and Pei Jin’an had left the capital three years ago, before Jinbao ever entered the household, so of course he knew nothing.
Pearl had to give Jinbao a quick rundown on Pei Jin’an’s story.
Back when the Pei family hadn’t yet risen in prominence, they lived next door to the Yan family, just separated by one wall. Naturally, Pei Jin’an had grown familiar with Yan Liangyu.
Pei Jin’an was a year younger than Yan Liangyu and always called her “big sister.” As a child, Pei Jin’an was timid and prone to tears, often getting bullied. Yan Liangyu would drag Zhou Zhengxun along to protect him, and before long, he became her little sidekick—calling out “sister, sister” every day, trailing after her wherever she went.
Whatever Yan Liangyu bought, he bought. Whatever color she liked to wear, he wore the same color.
Then, three years ago, Pei Jin’an’s grandfather was promoted to Vice Minister of Revenue, and his father was sent out to the provinces by the late emperor for experience before being called back for an important post. Naturally, Pei Jin’an left the capital with his parents.
Yan Tongshu stroked her chin as she recalled. That little shadow was now handsome and striking, with a distinguished bearing. She just didn’t know what his temperament was like after all those years of honing himself outside.
If he was a good match, it wouldn’t be bad at all for Liangyu to end up with that little shadow.
The Pei family had always had clean conduct and a fine reputation, a generous and kind household. Wasn’t that far better than the snobbish Zhou family?
Yan Tongshu silently prayed that Yan Liangyu would hurry up and forget Zhou Zhengxun.
After Yan Liangyu and Pei Jin’an reunited, they spent several days watching acrobatics, boating on the lake, and admiring the autumn chrysanthemums.
Eventually, the rumor that Yan Liangyu was dating another man reached the ears of the Zhou family.
Now that Yan Tongshu was a genuine, full-third-rank magistrate of Kaifeng Prefecture and a favorite of the emperor, the Yan family was soaring to the heavens. Meanwhile, Master Zhou had been stuck at the fourth rank for years without an inch of progress. A comparison made the gap all too obvious.
Master Zhou and Lady Zhou immediately grew restless.
Lady Zhou quickly calculated in her head: Yan Liangyu was deeply cherished by the Yan family, and Yan Tongshu thought the world of this younger sister. She also had a wealthy stepfather who doted on her mother, and the Qian Ji silk shop’s business was booming with signs of further expansion.
This, this, this—was practically a golden duck ready-roasted, and it was about to fly away.
Lady Zhou hastily ordered someone to summon Zhou Zhengxun to her room. After dismissing the servants, she asked, “Have you seen Liangyu these past few days?”
Zhou Zhengxun’s career and love life were both stagnant. He looked haggard, with sunken eyes. “Mother, you’ve forgotten. Last time, when Lord Yan clashed with the Princess’s household, my appointment was snatched away by someone else right before it was officially given. You stormed over to the Yan residence and made a scene, which triggered Lady Yan’s headaches. Ever since then, Liangyu has refused to see me altogether. I think this time she’s truly angry.”
The moment she heard that, Lady Zhou grew even more anxious. “Wasn’t I just worried sick about your future back then? I lost my cool in a moment of panic! But look at you and Liangyu—after all these years of feelings, can you really let it go? Can she?”
At that, Zhou Zhengxun’s eyes reddened at the corners. He pressed his lips together, looking utterly stricken.
Lady Zhou tugged at his sleeve. “You silly boy, you always keep things bottled up inside. Say something!”
Zhou Zhengxun’s voice caught in his throat. “She won’t see me. She’s avoiding me. I don’t know what to do.”
Lady Zhou: “So do you still want to marry Liangyu?”
Zhou Zhengxun nodded.
Lady Zhou: “Then fine. I’ll go to the Yan residence and make peace. The betrothal gifts and dowry—we’ll stick to what was agreed last time. I won’t add any more. I’ll just let you two young ones be together.”
“Really?” Zhou Zhengxun was overjoyed in an instant. He grabbed Lady Zhou’s hands. “Mother, are you serious? You really mean it? What about Father? Does he agree too?”
Lady Zhou smiled. “Your father loves you deeply. Of course he’s pleased to see it happen.”
Zhou Zhengxun’s eyes welled up. “Mother… you’re wonderful.”
Lady Zhou: “Silly boy. All my scheming and calculating—it’s all for you.”
Once she confirmed that Zhou Zhengxun and Yan Liangyu still had feelings for each other, Lady Zhou immediately had the servants help her change into proper attire and went to the Yan residence to request an audience with Lady Yan.
Lady Yan couldn’t stand the sight of her and simply sent someone to turn her away.
Lady Zhou was turned away at the door, fuming inwardly, but she didn’t dare say a word aloud. After thinking it over, she asked to see Yan Liangyu instead—but Yan Liangyu wasn’t home.
With no other options, she had to find another way.
Previously, it had always been Lady Yan who sought every opportunity to corner the Zhou family, trying to secure the betrothal between the two households. Now the tables had turned, and Lady Zhou was the one running around looking for chances to corner Lady Yan.
Unfortunately, Lady Yan rarely left the house, so no matter which way she turned, Lady Zhou couldn't manage to catch her.
She then tried to corner Yan Tongshu instead, but Yan Tongshu was no longer who he used to be—he wasn't someone she could simply see whenever she pleased.
So Lady Zhou went to the Zheng residence to find Yan Liangrong.
Just then, Yan Liangrong was heading out to accompany Bai Qinglan on a charity medical outreach. Catching sight of her, she lazily raised an eyelid and said, "Well, if it isn't Lady Zhou? What ill wind blows you here? Our Zheng family's home is but a humble temple—surely it can't hold a grand Buddha like yourself?"
The Zhou family had been pressing the Yan family step by step, and Yan Liangrong had endured it. But the last time Zhou Zhengxun's official post was blocked, Lady Zhou had come over to make a scene, and in the process, she'd made Lady Yan fall ill.
Lady Yan was Yan Liangrong's own mother—the woman who bore her, raised her, and cherished her. Who did the Zhou family think they were? How dared they act so insolent in front of her mother?
From that moment on, Yan Liangrong had harbored a deep hatred for the entire Zhou family.
