Chapter 11
A muffled thunderclap sounded in my ears.
He jolted awake and nearly fell to the ground.
My heart was pounding wildly inside my chest.
He forced himself to calm down and mustered the courage to peek through the crack in the door. There were patches of scarlet blood on the ground, a clear crime scene.
There was a person lying haphazardly on the ground inside, his clothes stained with blood, most likely dead.
The servants were dumbfounded and scrambled out of the courtyard, crying and shouting as they sent someone to the Wen residence that very night.
"Bang bang bang—"
The knocking on the back door was deafening.
inside the house.
Wen Shu turned over uneasily. Outside, the rain was pouring down, pounding against the roof tiles, making her feel uneasy, just like when she met Pei Lingjun a few days ago.
A sudden sense of foreboding washed over Wen Shu, and she could no longer fall asleep. She got up and put on her clothes, just as there was a knock on the door.
Hanxiang entered, holding a lamp. Seeing her rise, she said in a flustered tone, "Miss, something terrible has happened! Someone from the medicine shop said... said the young man you brought in... he's dead..."
"What?"
As if struck on the head, it suddenly woke Wen Shu up. She immediately stood up, but the belated darkness overwhelmed her, and everything in front of her suddenly went black.
Fortunately, Hanxiang reacted quickly and steadied her. A few breaths later, the tiny candlelight fell into her pupils, revealing a dark expanse in her eyes.
"Go get the first-aid kit quickly."
Hanxiang supported her with one hand and held up the lamp with the other, her heart filled with worry. "It's too dangerous in the middle of the night. Should we call a few people to go together?"
"No, don't wake anyone." Wen Shu grabbed her wrist, her eyes, reflecting the light, were exceptionally deep, and her tone was firm and unyielding. "I'll wait for you in the carriage."
With her fear subsided, Hanxiang suddenly nodded.
Half an incense stick later, the cold rain dampened the corners of his clothes. The medicine box in his arms was square and neat, and the wear and tear on the edges was quickly noticed.
The back door opened and closed again, and no one noticed that a woman was cautiously walking out from beside the quiet courtyard.
...
"Absolutely true, how could I dare to lie?"
Wen Shu wasn't the only one whose courtyard was lit up in the dead of night; soon after, Wen Xi's courtyard also lit up.
The one kneeling on the ground, reporting the incident, was the maid who had spoken out of turn to Wenxi earlier that day. Her cheeks were swollen like steamed buns, covered with several red and purple finger marks.
Unable to get a good night's sleep, the maid immediately asked, "Did you really see Fourth Mistress leave with your own eyes?"
The maid, kneeling on the ground, trembled and stammered, "I...I saw it clearly."
Suddenly struck by Wenxi's sharp gaze, the maid hurriedly changed her tune, "No, no, it wasn't that. It was someone wearing a cloak, their face covered by a hood. I... I didn't see clearly..."
Wenxi's face darkened.
The maidservant hurriedly scrambled forward and grabbed the hem of her skirt, flustered and stammering, "But I saw with my own eyes Hanxiang carrying the medicine box and following that woman out the door! And..." She shuddered, "And that woman's figure is extremely similar to Fourth Miss's. If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't dare to disturb you so late at night, Miss!"
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