After the noble lady was reborn, the whole mansion begged her for forgiveness

After washing up, Qin Suling's fingertips gently slid across the plain and elegant pajamas that seemed to be sprinkled with moonlight. The delicate embroidery on it was faintly visible in the candlelight, just like her deep yearning for a quiet night.

Just as she was about to step into the quiet and deep inner room gently embraced by the moonlight to seek a night of peace and rest for her soul, a series of rapid and harsh knocks suddenly sounded outside the door.

It was like a sudden explosion of thunder in the silent night sky, instantly shattering the surrounding peace and tranquility into pieces.

"Madam, there is something urgent that needs to be reported immediately..." Outside the door, Jinxiu's voice was a little flustered, trembling like a fallen leaf in autumn. Through the closed door, the anxious and uneasy emotions, like an undercurrent, quietly eroded the tranquility of the room. Qin Suling's heart was filled with subtle ripples. Her wise eyes seemed to be able to penetrate the door, and she keenly caught a hint of ominous breath from Jinxiu's slightly trembling tone.

She sighed softly, her voice expressing both helplessness at the disruption of peace and indifference to the unknown challenge. Then, she softly called out, "Come in." The door opened slightly, and Jinxiu walked in with hurried and flustered steps. Her usually gentle and lovely face was now pale, and her clear eyes were filled with fear, worry, and complex emotions, like the brightest star in the night sky, dimmed by the approaching storm.

"Miss, Aunt Zhao... met with misfortune." Jinxiu's voice was low and choked, and every word was like a heavy lead block, hitting Qin Suling's heart and stirring up waves. Qin Suling frowned slightly when she heard this. At first, her face was calm, but in an instant, an ominous premonition quickly enveloped her heart like a dark cloud covering the sun. "Where is she now?" Although her voice was light, it revealed a determination and urgency that could not be ignored.

Jinxiu hesitated for a moment, and finally whispered: "In Tinghe Pavilion... at night, she seemed to have accidentally fallen from the high place in the pavilion. When she was found, she was already dead and there was no way to save her."

Hearing this, Qin Suling's face turned pale as paper, and a flash of disbelief and deep sorrow flashed across her calm eyes. She murmured to herself, her voice thin as a thread, but it contained indescribable shock and pain: "You mean, she has passed away?" This sentence was like a leaf falling in autumn, gently falling, but with endless sadness and sorrow.

It is said that Aunt Zhao's body was accidentally discovered by a night watchman returning from night patrol at dawn. The scene was desolate and strange. In the morning mist, the Tinghe Pavilion stood alone, and Aunt Zhao's figure lay quietly on the cold stone steps, like a withered lotus, losing its former vitality and beauty. This discovery was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, and the entire mansion was instantly shrouded in a thick haze, and people were panicked and talking about it.

Qin Suling and Jinxiu walked out of the room side by side, only to see that the servants who were taking shelter under the corridor had lost their peace and order because of the sudden change. They were either in groups of three or five, or whispering in pairs, with terrified faces and discussions one after another. Some people whispered in a low voice, full of doubts and puzzlement: "Aunt Zhao's death was so bizarre, how could there be such a coincidence in the world?" Others speculated: "Since Madam entered the mansion, Aunt Zhao has suffered misfortunes many times. This matter is indeed quite strange." But some people stood up to clear Qin Suling's name: "This is wrong. How can you suspect Madam without reason? Do you think Madam will harm Aunt Zhao?" Some more rational people analyzed: "What's more, Madam has not stepped out of the mansion since she returned home today. How can she harm Aunt Zhao when she is unable to do anything else?"

At this time, a gust of wind blew by, and it seemed that even the wind felt the heaviness and oppression. Someone caught a glimpse of Qin Suling's figure and hurriedly stopped the discussion of others. Everyone was shocked and lowered their heads, not daring to look directly into her sharp and complicated eyes. Qin Suling walked slowly forward, and every step seemed to be at the intersection of herself and her fate. Her heart was full of doubts, grief and determination - she vowed to find out the truth, clear her name, and seek justice for Aunt Zhao.

Qin Suling, with light steps but with a dignity that could not be ignored, slowly stepped into the crowd. Her eyes were deep, like two cold pools, able to see into the darkest corners of people's hearts. Every glance made people feel cold involuntarily, but they dared not avoid it at all. Her voice was as cold as the first snow in winter. Every word and sentence was without the slightest emotional fluctuation, but it had an unquestionable power: "Aunt Zhao's trouble is a major event in the mansion. Instead of reporting to the prince quickly, you whispered here and made presumptuous speculations. Do you really think that the old lady is away, and the rules of the mansion are meaningless?" After she finished speaking, the air seemed to freeze for a moment. Everyone had different faces, and their panic was beyond words. They bowed and apologized repeatedly, like fallen leaves in the autumn wind, and scattered, leaving only silence and Qin Suling's lonely figure.

She raised her hand gently and called a servant who looked like a housekeeper. Although her tone was light, it was full of unquestionable majesty: "How should we deal with Aunt Zhao's affairs after her death?" The servant bowed hurriedly and was extremely respectful: "According to the old rules, Aunt Zhao's body has been sent to the government, waiting for you to investigate and give Aunt Zhao justice." Qin Suling nodded slightly, a complex look flashed in her eyes, and then ordered: "You stay and supervise everyone, don't let rumors start again, so as not to damage the reputation of the Marquis's mansion." After speaking, she turned and looked at Jinxiu who was standing silently beside her, and whispered softly but with a firmness that could not be refused: "Bring an umbrella, we need to go to the government in person to find out the truth."

The rain continued to fall, and the night was as dark as ink, shrouding the whole world in a hazy haze. Qin Suling and Jinxiu, under two oil-paper umbrellas, walked on the slippery bluestone road, step by step towards the government office. The raindrops slid down the edge of the umbrella and dripped onto the bluestone, making a crisp sound, which intertwined with the night to form a desolate picture.

Arriving at the government office, I saw the flickering candlelight in the autopsy room, with mottled light and shadows, adding a bit of mystery and solemnity to this cold place. The coroner was conducting the investigation meticulously, and the air was filled with a faint smell of blood and herbs, which made people feel cold. Qin Suling wanted to step forward, but was stopped by a yamen runner in a gentle but firm tone: "Madam, this is a special place for autopsy. Outsiders are not allowed to enter without permission, so as not to disturb the deceased and also to prevent you from being frightened. Madam, you can wait in the main hall, and I will report the results when they come out."

Qin Suling heard this, a trace of sadness and helplessness flashed in her eyes. She gently lifted the hem of her skirt, as if every step was carrying a thousand pounds of weight, and slowly stepped back a few steps, standing outside the door. Her back, stretched out in the dim candlelight, looked particularly lonely and tough. "She is not my blood relative, but we are like mother and daughter. How can I let her be alone and helpless in this cold autopsy room?" She whispered to herself, with an imperceptible tremor in her voice. Then, she stood still, her eyes firm, as if telling everyone, and also telling herself, that she would wait here until the truth came out. This was the last respect for Aunt Zhao, and also the redemption of her own soul.

Seeing this, the yamen runners exchanged complicated glances with each other and nodded silently, as if they saw some kind of tenacity and persistence beyond ordinary people in Qin Suling, which was a respect for life and pursuit of justice, which made people respect her. So, they chose to remain silent and respect the decision of the lady of the marquis's mansion, making this wait seem particularly solemn and sacred in this long rainy night.