Zhi Mi also wanted to stay and help, worrying that his senior sister might overexert herself.
However, Nanli refused, "This formation consumes a lot of energy. You won’t be able to help much."
Then she lowered her voice and added, "I’m not comfortable with leaving the residence unattended. You need to keep an eye on it for me."
Zhi Mi’s expression grew serious. His senior sister had discussed this with him before, emphasizing the importance of protecting Xiao Wanyi.
"Don’t worry, senior sister." He nodded.
The others left the study.
Xie Beihan was furious because he knew that maintaining a soul-gathering formation required immense power. The Bagua Formation would repair different parts of the soul in various positions, which would create gaps and weaknesses. As a result, Nanli would need to monitor and fill these gaps continuously. Essentially, for the next three days, she wouldn’t be able to close her eyes for even a moment.
Ye Chengyan said, "I just hope that Aunt’s efforts won’t be in vain."
"I have faith in Sister Six!" Xie Beihan declared, "But we must not let such a vicious murderer go unpunished!"
It was bad enough to harm someone, but the Soul-Seizing Charm, which devoured the soul, was a particularly cruel method. He was determined to catch the person who created such an evil charm and publicly execute them as a warning to others.
Qin Zheng had already taken his troops to the Song residence.
Song Zihan came from a humble background and only after he achieved success did he bring his parents, brother, and sister-in-law to live in the capital. They lived harmoniously in a two-courtyard house. The sudden news of Song Zihan’s grave condition, with his body still in the Heir’s Palace, uncertain if he could be saved, caused his elderly parents to faint immediately.
Following protocol, Qin Zheng arrested everyone in the Song household for questioning, including Song’s brother and sister-in-law.
However, both protested their innocence. Song’s brother wiped tears from his eyes and said, "Sir, it’s right that you are thorough in your investigation. Please, find the murderer who harmed my brother!"
His sister-in-law, though tearful and distraught, managed to ask several questions, confirming that Song Zihan was receiving treatment, and only then did she show some relief.
Qin Zheng, with his years of experience, could tell their worry and anger weren’t feigned. They weren’t the murderers.
Nonetheless, he followed procedures. The two were detained and questioned briefly without further harassment.
The primary suspects were the three servants who closely attended to Song Zihan.
Qin Zheng intended to interrogate them separately to find inconsistencies.
Unexpectedly, within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, soldiers rushed in, flustered, "Sir, someone is dead!"
Qin Zheng stood up abruptly, his face darkening, "Who’s dead?"
"Those three servants, all dead!"
Qin Zheng’s expression changed again—how could all three be dead?
Before detaining them, he had thoroughly searched them, removing anything that could be used for suicide, including poisons and charms.
Qin Zheng immediately ordered the coroner to conduct an autopsy. After a long day’s work, the coroner discovered deadly parasites in their heart veins.
The coroner wasn’t sure what these parasites were, so Qin Zheng consulted a physician knowledgeable in such matters. It was revealed to be a three-day worm, which lies dormant in the body for three days before severing the heart veins, causing death.
Three days—precisely three days!
The murderer had planned meticulously to ensure nothing went wrong!
Now, with all three servants dead and no evidence found, the case’s leads had reached a dead end.
Qin Zheng had faced difficult cases before, but such a meticulously planned crime was something he rarely encountered.
Helpless, he reported the situation truthfully.
Shuang’er couldn’t sit still and repeatedly wanted to go out to gather information.
In contrast, Xue Shengnan sat calmly by the window, slowly reading a book.
She wasn’t fully engrossed in it but had already memorized everything in it. Still, Shuang’er’s restless movements disturbed her. She turned and said, somewhat impatiently, "If you’re bored, find something else to do."
Shuang’er bit her lip and said, "Miss, aren’t you the least bit nervous or anxious?"
They had acted within their own residence before, and since the victims were merely servants, it didn’t attract the Dalisi Procuratorate’s attention. This was Xue Shengnan’s first time killing someone outside.
Xue Shengnan remained calm, "Why should I be nervous or anxious? Do you think I might have made a mistake this time?"
"But this time it’s a court official..." Shuang’er shivered, "I heard Song Zihan was close to the Fifth Young Master of the Marquis’ residence. I wonder if the Ninth Princess will get involved in this matter."
Miss Xue used charms to kill, which was exactly the Ninth Princess’s specialty.
"What if she gets involved? It takes considerable skill to draw the Soul-Seizing Charm. They’ll assume some old Taoist master did it. Besides you, who knows that I can draw charms and also master the art of Gu?" Xue Shengnan closed her book.
She had been reading an old, worn book on charms.
Since childhood, she had been extraordinarily intelligent, able to master anything at first glance. Her father had chosen her name wisely, but her biological mother had died early, and she had to hide her talents to survive under her stepmother’s watchful eye. Pretending to be ordinary didn’t mean she actually was.
Perhaps her Soul-Seizing Charm wouldn’t escape Nanli’s scrutiny, but she had anticipated this possibility and had placed the three-day worms in the three servants. They would die today, leaving nothing for her to worry about.
Shuang’er swallowed nervously, "Should I go out and check? I’m really scared..."
Xue Shengnan glared at her, "Don’t be so useless. Going out will only expose you! Wait, Father will surely come by in a day or two."
With no other choice, Shuang’er stayed in the courtyard, her mind racing like a frying pan of oil, unable to sleep all night.
Xue Shengnan, on the other hand, slept well, ate well, and was full of energy.
As she predicted, after finishing breakfast, Lord Xue arrived.
He had a grim expression and said, "Something happened to Song Zihan. I’m going to the Song residence to call off this engagement."
Xue Shengnan caught the key words and asked, "Father, what happened to Young Master Song?"
This meant Song Zihan wasn’t dead?
Lord Xue frowned deeply, "He was attacked, and his soul was devoured by some evil entity in the Heir’s Palace. Now, the Ninth Princess is using a formation to gather and nourish his soul, and the outcome is still uncertain."
Xue Shengnan’s eyes flashed with surprise.
She didn’t expect Nanli to manage to preserve his soul.
Luckily, she had been thorough and had anticipated this possibility.
She adopted a weak and affectionate demeanor, saying, "Father, with the Ninth Princess involved, Young Master Song will surely be fine. Rushing to call off the engagement would only give people something to talk about."
Lord Xue, who had been sipping tea, set his cup down heavily on the small table.
His face showed unmistakable anger as he said coldly, "I consulted a sage. Even if Song Zihan survives, his soul will be damaged, and he might become an idiot! You may not mind marrying a fool, but I certainly mind having a fool for a son-in-law!"