Hollow Paper Doll, Amber Prisoned Light 2 (15)
Seeing the scene before her, Su Qingtang gasped sharply and instinctively took a step back. “Hiss—”
One of the patrol officers beside her quickly asked, “What’s wrong, Lady Su?”
Su Qingtang pointed at the paper effigy. “Did you see that…? The paper doll just moved!”
“Moved? No, Lady Su—it’s just an ordinary paper doll,” the man said, following her line of sight. At that moment, a curtain of white cloth fell back into place, hiding the effigy again. He thought the young lady was simply spooked and comforted her gently, “Don’t worry. We’re full of yang energy—it won’t harm us.”
Su Qingtang frowned, thoughtful. Was it showing itself to me on purpose?
Meanwhile, Gu An had already reached the bridal chamber door. “Madam Qiu? Old Master Qiu sent us.”
A gentle, clear voice called back from inside. “Coming.” The sound of a bolt sliding open followed.
Su Qingtang quickly stepped forward—she wasn’t much help with heavy investigation work, but she could at least manage this kind of small thing. “I’ll do it, Gu An.”
Understanding her intention, Gu An stepped aside. When the door opened, both froze—the woman inside was someone they knew.
Qin Qinyuan.
Su Qingtang blinked, momentarily stunned, then forced a polite smile. “Madam Qiu.”
Qin Qinyuan acted as though they were strangers, greeting them warmly. “Please, come in and have a seat.”
Gu An exchanged a quick look with Su Qingtang and told the others, “Wait outside.”
The two of them entered. The room was draped entirely in red—silks, ribbons, wedding ornaments. A pair of wedding candles still burned on the table, their melted wax pooled into thick solid lumps—clearly more than one candle had burned through the night.
After they sat, Qin Qinyuan smiled. “Old Master must have asked you to come. It’s really a small matter.” She poured two cups of tea and slid them across the table. “You see, in my hometown, we have a custom. On the wedding night, one must not only honor heaven and earth but also inform the family elders. Since my family isn’t here, I perform the rite this way.”
Gu An didn’t touch his tea. “And where is Madam Qiu’s hometown?”
That was a probing question.
Qin Qinyuan’s lips curved. “It’s far—very few people have heard of it.”
Su Qingtang couldn’t shake her unease. “Then it must’ve been fate for you and Young Master Qiu to meet.”
“Oh?” Qin Qinyuan asked lightly. “How so?”
“Well, Wang Family Village isn’t far from Yingyue City. Yet your husband ignored all the noble young ladies in town and chose you instead. Doesn’t that prove how deep his affection is?” Su Qingtang said with practiced sweetness.
Qin Qinyuan laughed softly behind her sleeve. “You flatter me. I’m from Fengyuan County, months away from here. I was simply lucky enough to meet my Qiu Lang.”
Gu An glanced around the room. “And where is Young Master Qiu now?”
At the mention of her husband, Qin Qinyuan suddenly remembered. “Oh, my husband’s inside changing.”
She turned toward the inner room. “Qiu Lang.”
Her tone changed completely—soft, tender, dripping with affection.
Heavy footsteps approached, and a tall man appeared—a handsome face, refined features, posture upright.
Su Qingtang’s eyes widened. He looked exactly like the hollow effigy she had seen earlier. He’s not human.
She turned toward Gu An, finding the same realization mirrored in his frightened eyes.
“This whole ‘midnight corpse-walking bride’ incident,” Qiu Ming explained with an easy smile, “was just a misunderstanding. My father was startled, that’s all. Sorry to trouble the City Patrol.” He took out a bundle and placed it on the table. “A small token of apology.”
Su Qingtang followed his gaze—and froze. Those weren’t silver notes. They were paper money.
Gu An immediately rose to his feet. “No problem at all. Mistakes happen. The Patrol has plenty of other matters to handle. Congratulations to you both, and may you have a long and happy marriage.”
Madam Qiu leaned affectionately against her husband. As Su Qingtang and Gu An turned to leave, Qin Qinyuan reached out and grabbed Su Qingtang’s hand. “Since you’ve come, won’t you at least take some wedding sweets? Bring a little good fortune home.”
Qiu Ming turned to fetch them. He returned with a beautifully wrapped packet and handed it to her. “I heard Lady Su, the minister’s daughter, has tasted all the finest delicacies. These are pear candies I made myself—try one?”
His wife smiled, but the expression made Su Qingtang’s skin crawl—it was far too perfect, far too empty.
【Can I even eat this? Grandpa Banyan said offerings aren’t for eating…】
Her thought slipped out before she could stop it, and Gu An’s pulse spiked. He quickly studied Qin Qinyuan’s face—but she showed no sign of hearing.
Instead, she clapped her hands, unwrapped a candy, and popped it into her mouth. “See? No poison. If you don’t trust me, you can take them back for testing.”
Her words sounded teasing—almost mocking. Su Qingtang forced a smile, taking the bag. “Thank you, Madam Qiu.”
“By the way,” Su Qingtang said casually, “could I know your given name? We’re friends now, aren’t we? I can’t keep calling you Madam Qiu forever.”
“Qin Qinyuan—like fragrance that soothes the heart, like the Peach Blossom Land,” Qiu Ming replied smoothly for her.
Su Qingtang looked at the smiling woman. “Got it—Sister Qin.”
Gu An stepped in quickly. “It’s getting late. His Highness still has duties—we’ll take our leave.”
“Of course. Qiu Lang, let’s see our guests out,” Qin Qinyuan said sweetly.
Qiu Ming smiled down at her, full of doting warmth, and even bent to kiss her cheek. She blushed and pushed him away, murmuring, “Stop it.” Then she walked beside Su Qingtang. “Come, Lady Su.”
“Oh—right.”
As they crossed the courtyard again, the eerie chill from before had vanished. Sunlight poured down, and the paper effigies now stood motionless, lifeless as true paper.
Once they were far enough from the manor, Su Qingtang whispered to Gu An, “That Qin Qinyuan’s alive—her hand was warm when she held mine! But she had wounds on her wrist.”
Gu An’s expression darkened. “She’s human, but Qiu Ming isn’t. And Qiu Ming looks exactly like Qi Ruheng. We must report this to His Highness.”
He had realized it at a glance—this was no accident. Someone had used a hollow doll as bait, orchestrated a supernatural “incident,” and lured the Patrol here deliberately.
“Don’t eat those candies,” Gu An added firmly, holding out his hand. “Give them to me.”
“Okay.” Su Qingtang handed them over. Gu An took them with one hand, slipping a few coins into her other palm. “Compensation—for buying real sweets later.”
“Deal!” Su Qingtang grinned, taking the money. She felt like she was forgetting something but shrugged it off. Turning to the others, she announced cheerfully, “Thanks to Lord Gu’s generosity, I’m treating everyone to dinner at Yipin Pavilion!”
“Thank you, Miss Su!” the officers cheered.
Su Qingtang’s official salary wasn’t much—but her parents’ allowance more than made up for it.
As dusk fell, their shadows stretched long across the road.
That night, in the Ink Pavilion.
Yin Guhuai finally returned from the palace. Seeing Gu An’s note left with Eunuch Xi, he came straight there. Inside, the candles were already lit.
“Your Highness,” Gu An greeted, rising to meet him. “You look… dusty. What happened?”
“Just helping my royal sister with her garden,” Yin Guhuai said offhandedly. “It needed fertilizing.”
He poured himself a drink. “What did you find?”
Gu An recounted everything in detail, ending with, “What should we do now, Your Highness?”
Yin Guhuai’s mind drifted briefly to his earlier conversation in Moon Azure Palace.
“Qin Qinyuan?” Princess Baoshu had repeated, lounging on her chaise as a maid fanned her lazily. “She claims Qi Ruheng is her fiancé? And that they have matching amber tokens?”
Her voice, calm but edged with frost, made the air feel colder.
“Little Huai,” she said softly, eyes narrowing, “since when do you listen to baseless rumors?”
Yin Guhuai had known then—his sister was angry.
“I just thought,” he said carefully, “that if this woman found the City Patrol, she already knows Qi Ruheng’s connection to me—and perhaps to you. When you took him in—”
“Does it matter?” she interrupted sharply.
“For years, he’s been quiet and obedient. And now, because of some sudden stranger, you’d move against your future brother-in-law?”
“Future brother-in-law…?” he echoed, thrown off by the word.
Baoshu smirked. “Yes—your sister’s prospective husband. You don’t want me to be deceived, I understand. But,” she added, admiring her nails, “I’ve heard that Miss Su is chasing you for a dragon pearl. Father even placed her in the City Patrol with you, didn’t he?”
Yin Guhuai lowered his eyes briefly, then looked up again to meet her sharp gaze. “Yes.”
“Well then, sister doesn’t want you to waste your heart either. The Guo family’s daughter is quite good. Her sister’s wedding is soon—you’ll accompany me to attend.”
She turned her head lazily toward the door as footsteps approached. “What is it?”
A servant bowed. “Nothing serious, Your Highness. Just… not enough fertilizer for the flowers.”
Baoshu nodded. “Then let my little brother meet your fellow ‘gardeners.’” She dismissed them both with a wave and shut her eyes.
Recalling it now, Yin Guhuai sighed. “We’ll pause for now. My sister knows what she’s doing. Still, send someone to Fengyuan County to investigate Qi Ruheng. He’d better be clean.”
He handed Gu An an invitation. “Do you know who Miss Guo’s sister is marrying?”
“Guo Mingjing?” Gu An thought for a moment. “Some scholar, I think. A live-in husband.”
“Good. You’ll send Gu Quan to Fengyuan, and the rest of you will come with me to the wedding.” Yin Guhuai tapped the invitation against Gu An’s chest and turned to leave.
Gu An glanced down at the card, frowning. The name looked oddly familiar.
Moments later, Gu Quan entered. Seeing the invitation in his brother’s hand, he froze. “Guo Mingjing? Isn’t her sister Guo Mingxin?”
“The same one who, before Miss Su showed up, was everyone’s bet for future Crown Princess? Practically part of His Highness’s unofficial harem?”
He rattled on rapidly. “So… does that mean His Highness isn’t interested in Lady Su anymore?”
“Well, can you blame him? Lady Su clearly doesn’t like him—she’s only after that dragon aura to stay alive!”
Meanwhile, at home, Su Qingtang sneezed hard over her storybook, hugging her blanket.
【Who’s cursing me right now? So mean!】