The small kitchen within the Governor’s Mansion was situated in a corner of the rear courtyard, not far from the side courtyard where He Yuanzhou was confined. This was likely arranged so that the guards wouldn't have to travel far for their meals, allowing them to rush back quickly if any trouble arose.
Though it was called a dining area, it was merely a set of simple wooden tables and chairs arranged in the small yard outside the kitchen.
The table was clearly custom-made, much longer than those found in ordinary households. It was long enough to seat over a dozen people in a single row if they sat close together. Upon closer inspection, the craftsmanship was quite crude; the tabletop was a patchwork of several planks, and the legs were of uneven lengths, with half a green stone brick wedged under the shortest one to keep it steady.
Lu Zican had already set out the bowls and chopsticks. He turned to gesture for Qin Jiuye and Li Qiao to take their seats.
"Miss Qin, come sit over here. If you dally any longer, those rascals will arrive and you'll be forced to sit on the stove."
Qin Jiuye didn't stand on ceremony. She chose a relatively spacious spot and sat down, then waved Li Qiao over.
"Come here."
The youth had been standing quietly and obediently to the side. Hearing her call, he walked over and sat down right next to her.
Lu Zican pretended to fiddle with the tableware, but his small eyes were constantly stealing glances. Seeing Li Qiao so submissive and soft-spoken, he couldn't help but grumble inwardly: *Is this truly the same person who broke into the mansion alone, arrogant and overbearing, striking with such ruthless power? Is there something wrong with my memory, or is there something wrong with this brat’s head? Does he naturally have two faces?*
As he was thinking, four young soldiers walked into the courtyard, arms around each other's shoulders, laughing and chatting. They froze when they saw Qin Jiuye at the table, and froze even harder when they saw Li Qiao beside her.
These four were the very ones Li Qiao had sent flying in all directions that day. Their expressions soured instantly.
Seeing this, Lu Zican gave a light cough and pointed at Qin Jiuye to explain. "This is Miss Qin Jiuye, the new Consultant invited by the Governor. She’ll be assisting with the case. We’re having a meal together today so everyone can get acquainted."
His explanation was a bit odd; he introduced Qin Jiuye but didn't mention Li Qiao at all.
Qin Jiuye also felt something was off as she listened, though she couldn't quite put her finger on what. Thus, she added, "This is my younger brother. He helps me with my work. You can just ignore him."
*Ignore him? Is she serious?*
The expressions of the four young soldiers became even more complex, and a brief, dead silence fell over the courtyard.
After a moment, a loud stomach growl broke the silence. Qin Jiuye’s belly had rumbled at a most inopportune time.
The atmosphere finally eased slightly. The four young soldiers took their seats, though none of them were willing to sit on the side near Li Qiao.
Steaming bowls of shredded pork spicy noodles were brought to the table. Though the dish was simple, the portions were generous. Everyone busied themselves with filling their stomachs, and soon, no one paid much attention to the youth sitting in the corner.
Lu Zican finished two bowls before setting his down. He glanced at the untouched food box on the kitchen counter and frowned.
"Old Zheng, is the Su family’s Old Matriarch still refusing to eat?"
"Isn't that the truth?" Zheng Peiyu replied. "It comes out exactly as it goes in. Even adding an extra chicken drumstick didn't help." He lowered his head to finish half a bowl of soup. He had a long face and was quite tall, but he spoke as if his mouth had been scalded—softly and quickly. "I’m also worried the Governor might offend people. Anyone can see the Su family has backers, and that Old Matriarch is the person Su Lin prizes most. Locking her in our courtyard with iron chains before she’s even been convicted... if word gets out, it won't sound good."
Beside him, a dark-skinned man with short hair tied back by a headband, Zhang Min, gave a cold snort. He was clearly disdainful of this explanation, and his voice was rough.
"She’s just a murderer. Which of the others we’ve brought in got to eat chicken drumsticks? Why should the Su family get special treatment? Besides, you’ve all seen the state of that old woman. She can hardly be called human anymore. How can you deal with her using ordinary methods?"
Du Shaoheng, the enthusiastic and hardworking young officer who was currently serving soup to Qin Jiuye, asked curiously, "Not human? Then what is she?"
Duan Xiaozhou, a round-faced soldier who had been buried in his food, looked up. A piece of green onion was stuck to his youthful face. He licked the onion into his mouth and squeezed out a few words after a long pause.
"G-ghost... ghost possession?"
As soon as he said it, everyone present burst into laughter, except for the woman and the youth beside her.
There are many strange occurrences in this world, but because few people bother to get to the bottom of things or seek the source, most simply dismiss them with a comment like "how strange" or "how absurd."
But Qin Jiuye was different. She was a physician, a seeker of healing and medicine. She had to observe all things under heaven, contemplate their patterns, and then apply those patterns where appropriate. As such, she could not merely glance at things in passing; she had to truly settle her heart and spend months, years, or even decades to crack the secrets within.
Though for many physicians, there were riddles they could not solve in a lifetime, this did not diminish the courage they had when they first chose to seek the truth.
The thin woman gently set down her chopsticks and finally joined the conversation.
"It isn't ghost possession. She is simply afflicted with a disease."
The surroundings fell quiet for a moment. Zhang Min was the first to speak. "What kind of disease can turn a person into that? I’ve never seen it."
Qin Jiuye heard the disbelief in his tone but was not provoked. She continued calmly, "You are not a physician, sir, so naturally you haven't seen as many patients as I have. Once, when I was visiting villages in Lou County, I encountered patients who had been bitten by mad dogs or rabid raccoons. The way they acted when the illness struck was somewhat similar to He Yuanzhou, though they didn't have nearly as much energy. They passed away after a few days of struggling."
Hearing this, Duan Xiaozhou breathed a sigh of relief. "You mean, even if we can't do anything about her, she might just suddenly succumb to the illness in a few days and that'll be the end of it?"
Before he could finish, Zheng Peiyu slapped him on the back of the head. "If she dies, won't this become a cold case? How is our Governor supposed to report back? People will start making up all sorts of stories about us then."
Duan Xiaozhou fell silent. Qin Jiuye shook her head.
"Judging by the Su family's previous actions, He Yuanzhou's symptoms haven't just appeared in a day or two. It’s been at least ten days to a fortnight, perhaps even over a month. After so long, her body shows no signs of weakening. I suspect this illness isn't as simple as the mad dog disease."
The moment Qin Jiuye finished speaking, a terrifying possibility occurred to her.
Once the mad dog disease manifests, it can often be transmitted from person to person. Could this "madman" disease also be contagious?
Thinking of this, she quickly turned to Lu Zican and warned him again, "Those guarding He Yuanzhou must be extra careful. Do not let her injure you. If anyone is hurt, you must tell me immediately. I will find a way."
"You already cautioned us about that," Lu Zican said. Seeing how tense she looked, he offered some comfort. "Don't worry. After what happened today, I’ll have them wear thick gloves before approaching the cage. I’ll also send men to the Su residence to investigate if anyone there has been injured."
"It’s not just bites; you must watch out for scratches and grazes too." Qin Jiuye recalled the scene from earlier and felt a lingering fear. "I noticed her fingernails are very long. It would be very dangerous to be accidentally scratched."
Du Shaoheng looked worried upon hearing this and murmured, "If we get scratched, will we become like her?"
Qin Jiuye shook her head. "I’m not certain. However, with the mad dog disease, it’s not only bites that cause infection; even being scratched by a front paw carries a risk. That is because dogs have a habit of licking their paws, and the source of the disease is hidden in their saliva. We don't yet know the specifics of He Yuanzhou's condition, so we cannot be too careful."
The men looked at each other. Though they were still somewhat skeptical, they were no longer as careless as they had been.
After all, they had all seen He Yuanzhou in her frenzied state. They were men who had been to the battlefield; they would rather die by an enemy's blade than turn into such a monstrous thing.
"There is one more thing." Qin Jiuye remembered something and confirmed it once more with the youth beside her. "You said that during Su Lin’s birthday banquet, Su Muhe did indeed admit to having an injury on her hand, right?"
Li Qiao nodded and said truthfully, "Yes. She said she hurt it while trimming candle wicks."
Qin Jiuye pondered for a moment, then spoke to Lu Zican with determination. "When are you going to the Su residence for questioning, Adjutant Lu? I’ll go with you. There are things I won't feel at ease about until I’ve confirmed them."
Lu Zican raised an eyebrow, his expression surprised. "Aren't you afraid..."
He wanted to say: *Aren't you afraid the Su family will insult you again, openly or secretly?* After all, Su Muzhi hadn't given her any face at the docks. But he didn't say the second half of the sentence. After the ordeal in that room earlier, he suddenly felt that compared to the person in that iron cage, a mere Su Muzhi was nothing in front of this woman.
Changing his tone, Lu Zican spoke with a hint of teasing. "Miss Qin is so dedicated. Could it be you’re still thinking about increasing your consultation fee?"
They had discussed the fee privately before, and being mentioned in public caught Qin Jiuye off guard. However, she didn't feel embarrassed. After a moment, she nodded honestly.
"I am indeed keeping the fee in mind. Does Adjutant Lu think I’m an obstinate money-grubber who is unworthy of working for your upright and incorruptible Governor?"
As soon as she spoke, the surroundings suddenly went quiet.
However, in the next moment, Lu Zican’s booming voice rang out in the small courtyard.
"How did you know?"
Lu Zican paused with feigned surprise, then burst into a hearty laugh.
When he laughed, he didn't seem at all like the rough man his appearance suggested; upon closer look, there was even a hint of bashfulness.
"But that was before. Now, I don't think that way at all."
Qin Jiuye paused, instinctively asking, "Oh? And what do you think now?"
Lu Zican thought for a moment and said word for word, "I think that you, Miss Qin, are a person of courage and wisdom, neither humble nor arrogant. Not only do you have your own ways of making a living, but you can also save your friends and family from peril in times of crisis. Though you often act alone, you have never shown cowardice or retreated. You are stronger than many soldiers I have met. It is truly admirable."
Qin Jiuye’s chopsticks froze. It took a long moment before she slowly returned them to her bowl. She poked at her spicy noodles and said in a muffled voice without looking up, "You certainly know how to say nice things."
"I may be a bit talkative, but I was raised in the Governor’s camp. I never say anything against my heart."
Qin Jiuye glanced at Lu Zican. The latter was blinking his small eyes, looking at her with total sincerity. She lowered her head again and teased with a grin, "What use is it if I’m good? Your Governor is still the one who holds your heart."
Lu Zican nodded vigorously. "The Governor is, of course, exceptional. Don't you think so, Miss Qin?"
Qin Jiuye stopped talking. But because she was silent, the gazes from all around suddenly converged on her.
Only then did Qin Jiuye realize that these rough-looking martial men were actually more fond of "watching a show" than anyone else.
Before she could respond with some trivial remark, the youth who had been silent the whole time suddenly slammed his bowl onto the table.
"The sun has its shadows, the moon has its phases, and no man is perfect. I think Adjutant Lu had better not speak so absolutely."
Everyone’s gaze instantly shifted to the youth. In each of their hearts, a little voice was screaming: *That’s the one! This is the wolf cub who broke into the mansion and wreaked havoc that day! That obedient dog-like act earlier was indeed just a disguise!*
However, before the youth’s aura could fully "unfold," the woman beside him raised her hand and slapped him on the back of the head without hesitation. She scolded in a low voice, "Phases of the moon, my foot! Don't be so rude. Shut up and eat your food!"
Li Qiao looked at her, then lowered his head without a word, returning to his previous quiet state.
The onlookers were speechless at this series of transformations, but Lu Zican was beginning to understand the subtle dynamic between the two.
So this was the legendary "every master has a master"? Seeing the youth’s ability to yield and his flexible posture, and then thinking of his own stubborn, cold, and unyielding Governor, Lu Zican’s mind was filled with a mess of thoughts and another wave of worry.
The others had finished eating and drinking. They each took their bowls and chopsticks to the side to wash them. Lu Zican also stood up.
"It’s getting late. I’ll be heading to the Su residence for questioning soon. However, we’ll be traveling by horse. I’m not sure if Miss Qin..."
The distance from the mansion to the Su residence was significant. Walking would take nearly an hour, which would indeed delay matters. But she truly didn't know how to ride a horse, and she worried that arriving late might cause her to miss important information.
As Qin Jiuye was thinking this over with some difficulty, she heard Li Qiao’s voice beside her.
"I can ride. I’ll take Sister there."
Riding together on one horse wouldn't normally be an issue if they were siblings. But for some reason, there was an indescribable sense of oddity about it.
Lu Zican opened his mouth, but for a long time, he couldn't think of a reason to object. He couldn't very well take Qin Jiuye on his own horse either, so he could only say through gritted teeth, "I suppose that’s fine. However, the Su residence is currently a crime scene. Miss Qin is going on official business, but you can only wait at the entrance. You cannot go inside."
"It doesn't matter." The youth seemed to know what he was thinking and gave him a silent smile. "I have to wait for her so we can go home together anyway. Waiting anywhere is the same."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
郑沛余 | Zheng Peiyu | A tall soldier with a long face.
张闵 | Zhang Min | A dark-skinned soldier with a rough voice.
杜少衡 | Du Shaoheng | An enthusiastic young officer.
段小洲 | Duan Xiaozhou | A round-faced, youthful soldier.
瘈狗之症 | Mad dog disease | Rabies.
参佐 | Consultant | An unofficial or semi-official aide/assistant title.
肉丝辣子面 | Shredded pork spicy noodles | The meal served in the kitchen.
