A hermaphrodite corpse?

What was a hermaphrodite corpse?

Everyone was puzzled.

Jingrong was a curious soul. While worrying about whether Ji Yunshu’s back was injured, he stepped forward to ask, “A hermaphrodite corpse? What is that? Why would a corpse be buried beneath this large tree?”

Ji Yunshu crouched on the ground and explained, “As for why there’s a corpse beneath this large tree, this humble one cannot make a definitive conclusion. However, what’s called a hermaphrodite corpse is commonly known as neither male nor female. The deceased has both male organs… and female organs!”

Ugh—

What kind of thing was this?

A monster?

Everyone’s faces turned pale. This was the first time they’d heard of such a thing.

Jingrong glanced at the pile of white bones, feeling puzzled.

Just from looking once and touching a few times, she could determine the deceased was hermaphroditic.

Master Ji, you’re really quite remarkable!

“Then how did the deceased die?” Jingrong asked again.

Ji Yunshu didn’t answer for the moment. The hand wrapped in her handkerchief turned over the white bones. On the sternum, there was still silk fabric that hadn’t completely decomposed.

She gently pulled it open, revealing twenty-four complete ribs.

Gently brushing away the fine soil on top, Ji Yunshu discovered fine marks on those bones and roughly came to a conclusion in her mind.

“The deceased was about forty-some years old and was stabbed to death by someone using a sharp weapon like a knife or sword.”

“Certain?” Jingrong’s eyes narrowed.

She pointed at the skeleton and said, “The shoulder bones and ribs have no fewer than twenty scratch marks, caused by a sharp weapon penetrating the skin and stabbing into the bone. These scratch marks gradually become shallower from top to bottom. Preliminary judgment is that the killer should be a head taller than the deceased. Moreover, the deceased suffered over twenty stab wounds, each stabbing into the bone. Normally in this kind of situation, four or five stabs would kill someone. Why did the killer stab so many times? One can surmise that the killer must have had a grudge against the deceased, and in their madness stabbed so many times.”

Jingrong understood, and everyone else understood too.

Ji Yunshu removed the handkerchief, turned her head, and looked at Jingrong seriously: “Should Your Highness send someone to notify Magistrate Liu?”

A murder case—if they didn’t notify the yamen, what were they standing around for?

Jingrong was quite obedient and ordered his subordinates to go to the yamen immediately.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the county magistrate arrived with the bailiffs.

The county magistrate was just preparing to bow in salute to Jingrong when he stopped him: “No need for empty formalities. Hurry and handle the case—that’s more important.”

“Yes, yes, yes…”

Responding repeatedly, the county magistrate retreated to Ji Yunshu’s side. Looking at the skeleton beneath the tree, he asked, “Yunshu, have you determined the facts about this skeleton?”

Her expression was calm: “We should first bring this skeleton back to the yamen’s autopsy room. The specific details still require further verification.”

“When can the portrait of this skeleton be produced? This official will post it so people can come identify the body.”

“A skeletal portrait requires time. Have someone bring the skeleton back, and don’t miss even a bit. It’s best to also bring back the surrounding soil. I’ll come to the yamen again tomorrow.”

The wound on her back was hurting more and more. She endured it forcefully!

“All right, all right.”

The county magistrate was very obedient. He waved his hand and had several bailiffs take a large white cloth and begin carefully moving the skeleton bit by bit, afraid of damaging it.

This whole bustling activity kept them busy until the afternoon.

After the county magistrate had carefully packed up the skeleton piece by piece and hurried back to the yamen, Ji Yunshu was also preparing to leave.

Walking before Jingrong: “Your Highness, this large tree should probably be cordoned off. If there’s any need, this humble one will come by again.”

“Rest assured, this prince will order people to surround this entire area with barriers so no one can approach.”

He answered very readily.

“Many thanks, Your Highness.” Ji Yunshu’s lips had gradually turned pale.

Probably because the sun was setting in the west, the twilight happened to fall on her translucent face, concealing those pale, thin lips!

“As the sky grows dark, why doesn’t Master stay and have dinner? How about it?” Jingrong spoke up.

Was this an invitation?

Ji Yunshu curved her lips in a smile: “This humble one just touched those white bones. Staying for a meal would probably disturb Your Highness’s appetite. Moreover…”

Her gaze fell on Wei Yi in the distance, who was sitting on the stone steps playing with objects. That boy had been scared out of his wits earlier, but now he was carefree and relaxed.

A fool’s world was probably like this!

Withdrawing her gaze, she said, “The sky is already gradually darkening. This humble one still needs to take Wei Yi back, lest his family worry about him.”

“Master has so many excuses.”

“This humble one speaks only the truth. Please, Your Highness, don’t make things difficult for this humble one.” Ji Yunshu lowered her head slightly.

Jingrong’s expression suddenly darkened, his hands clasped behind his back: “Fine, this prince won’t make things difficult for you. But Master, don’t forget that regarding the ‘Linjing Case,’ this prince is waiting at any time for Master’s insights.”

No longer aggressive—it was really like he’d changed his skin!

As it happened, this also saved Ji Yunshu from having to decline again.

Clasping her hands together, she called Wei Yi once.

Wei Yi, clutching the object in his hands, came running over with a grin, asking, “Brother, can we go back now? This place isn’t fun.”

“Mm, we’re going back.”

Still gentle!

Ji Yunshu took Wei Yi and gradually moved away from Jingrong’s tightly fixed gaze.

Until that figure finally blurred from sight, Jingrong’s starry eyes slowly became veiled with an emotion difficult to see through.

After a long while, he called out, “Lang Bo.”

Lang Bo stepped forward: “What are Your Highness’s orders?”

“The hermaphrodite corpse Master Ji mentioned—how much do you understand?”

Lang Bo scratched his head. A rough man like him, how would he know so much?

He simply said, “It should be someone who suffers from the passion of Longyang, right?”

Hey, hey, hey, if you don’t know, don’t speak carelessly. Master Ji clearly explained it—how did you not understand?

However, the passion of Longyang!

Those four words striking Jingrong seemed just right.

Jingrong’s hands clasped behind his back clenched into fists.

Could he also be suffering from the passion of Longyang?

Impossible. He immediately became stern: “Lang Bo, didn’t this prince ask you to investigate Master Ji’s background? How’s the investigation going?”

“In reply to Your Highness, I did investigate, but…”

“But what?” His gaze was sharp.

“This Master Ji entered… the residence of Old Master Ji. He should be someone from the Ji household. This subordinate has already sent more people to verify. I believe there will be news soon.”

“Old Master Ji?” Jingrong pondered carefully, then suddenly frowned: “Is it that old fellow Ji Shuhan?”

Lang Bo’s face twitched: “Yes.”

Jingrong looked curious. His eyelids lowered as he began muttering softly, “Ji Yunshu, Ji Yunshu, Ji… In all of Jinjiang City, only Ji Shuhan’s family has that surname. This prince should have thought of it earlier.”

His own prince being so interested in Ji Yunshu truly surprised Lang Bo.

Before he could react—

Jingrong spoke: “Go investigate one more thing for this prince.”

“Yes.”

“Go investigate whether Master Ji’s back has been injured. How was the injury sustained? And who inflicted it? In detail, clearly—this prince wants to know everything.”

In his voice was a hostile air. He was extremely angry!

This prince was not raised on mere water!