Chapter 52 Escaping Calamity

"Murder! Ahhh..."
A string of urgent cries rang out, and Qin You-tian immediately let go of Hua Qin-ci, his soul seemingly fleeing as he rushed out of the room in a panic.
"Hey? Are you insane?" Hua Qin-ci hadn't prepared herself at all and fell straight to the floor. When she looked up, Qin You-tian was nowhere to be seen; all she could hear was the commotion outside. Ignoring her pain, she hurriedly climbed up and chased after him.

In the nearby room, not far away, a woman lay in a pool of blood, while a man wailed and cried out in agony.
Hua Qin-ci recognized the room—it was the one she had originally shared with Liu Bing-bing.
Because she had a bit of money in hand and had drunk a little wine, last night, half-drunk, she had opened a fine room for Qin You-tian.
Hua Qin-ci looked the couple over, puzzled as to why there were people in her old room.
She simply couldn't understand it.

"Wife, wife! Murder! Murder! Help, help!" The man dressed as a merchant cried out in despair.
"Goodness, tsk tsk tsk, how tragic," the bystanders shook their heads, watching the scene.
"Quick, quickly report to the authorities," the innkeeper glanced at the situation and hurriedly signaled to the attendant.
The attendant acknowledged and ran off to report the matter.

Hua Qin-ci tugged at Qin You-tian's sleeve and whispered, "Isn't this my room? Why are there people inside?"

She glanced at the innkeeper, whose face was clouded with worry.

"When you booked my room last night, I returned yours to save some silver," Qin You-tian confessed. He had realized Hua Qin-ci was drunk, and he wasn't comfortable letting her stay alone. Besides, during the day he had noticed several suspicious groups watching them, so when she booked her room, he decided it was safer to switch rooms.

He hadn't expected it would bring disaster upon that couple.

Watching the couple torn apart by death, Qin You-tian couldn't help but frown.

Hua Qin-ci gave him a smack, "You dare trick me so brazenly? Was it because I stuck too few needles yesterday? Should I continue tonight?"

Qin You-tian was preoccupied with figuring out who wanted to harm Hua Qin-ci.

Could it be the proprietor of Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion?

Even if the illness couldn't be cured, there was no need to go so far as to silence her with murder.

"Think about it. That room was meant for you last night."

"You mean, the person who was supposed to die... was me?" Hua Qin-ci suddenly came to her senses.

"Yes! That's what I think. But I can't understand why they want to kill you," Qin You-tian replied, leaving Hua Qin-ci puzzled. The woman lay on the bed, a dagger plunged into her heart—a single, fatal blow.

If that couple didn't have enemies, then the woman had died in Hua Qin-ci's place.

The more Hua Qin-ci thought about it, the more terrified she became.

She recalled Shang Jin-xiu's calm demeanor yesterday, and remembered she had learned of the hidden secret within the Qian household.

No wonder Shang Jin-xiu was so composed, urging her to leave.

Perhaps she had known all along—even if she didn't act, others would, in order to conceal that secret.

That's why she could so fearlessly reveal the dreadful secret of the Qian household, calling her "sister" right from the start.

Hua Qin-ci finally understood, and couldn't help but laugh bitterly—she had been set up.

Now, whether she helped Shang Jin-xiu or not, her fate was sealed.

She glanced at the woman who had died so tragically, grabbed Qin You-tian's hand, and whispered, "We need to leave now."

Hua Qin-ci wanted nothing to do with this mess, for she understood all too well the deadly rivalry between women.

The dead woman was proof enough; Hua Qin-ci had too many things left undone and a vendetta yet to avenge. She didn't want to get caught in endless conflict.

"So everyone must return to their rooms. Without permission, no one is allowed to leave Auspicious Inn."