Returning to her room, Ji Yunshu’s mind was filled entirely with the scene from moments ago, the lingering warmth still faintly remaining on her lips.

Her heart at this moment also trembled faintly.

That feeling was somewhat subtle—impossible to express clearly, impossible to explain.

Deep in her heart she knew that toward Jingrong, she absolutely had no romantic feelings between man and woman. What she had was only gratitude. After all, during this period of time, Jingrong had indeed helped her greatly. If not for him, she would probably have died several times over.

And apart from that gratitude, anything else—she didn’t want to think about it, didn’t dare think about it!

Only after her emotions gradually calmed down did she let out a long breath.

The next day.

The sky had just barely brightened when Constable Zhang hurried over, also bringing news.

On the first floor, Jingrong and Lang Bo sat at one table eating. Ji Yunshu and Wei Yi sat at another table with a table separating them in between, as if they were incompatible like fire and water.

And Constable Zhang stood beside Jingrong and began his “report.”

Speaking about the general details of this murder case!

Because Ji Yunshu had already eaten in her room, at this moment she was picking up food for Wei Yi’s bowl while listening with perked ears.

She understood the general meaning.

It turned out the deceased was surnamed Yang and was also a spice merchant who had always had business dealings with spice merchants from the Minnan area. The murderer was the wife of the Minnan spice merchant boss and her husband. Because of business matters, the two sides had long harbored secret resentment. The deceased owed a large sum of money and refused to repay it, even using force to threaten the Minnan area spice merchants, forbidding them from selling goods northward—the conflict was irreconcilable.

Yesterday the parties happened to meet at the inn. Originally they wanted to sit down and discuss the matter properly to see if they could each take a step back. As a result, a verbal conflict occurred. In a fit of anger, the murderer used her silk shawl to strangle the deceased to death, then together with her husband, made it look like the deceased had hanged himself.

Finally, they fled!

And when Xiao Zhao entered the room at that time, they were indeed hiding behind the bed. Some fine spice fragments from their bodies were left behind, and that strand of hair was also left by the murderer when strangling the deceased.

Constable Zhang described it vividly on that side.

Wei Yi on this side was eating with great enthusiasm—he seemed to have forgotten yesterday’s incident completely clean!

Ji Yunshu was also busy picking up food for him and didn’t notice Constable Zhang had already turned his gaze toward her.

He said pleasantly: “Yesterday I truly must thank Miss Ji for your help. If not for you, this murder case wouldn’t have been solved so quickly.”

She raised her head and smiled faintly: “Constable Zhang, in the future if murder cases occur again, you’d best have a coroner come examine first. Don’t handle cases according to your impatient nature. Otherwise, wrongful convictions will just pile up one after another.”

“Miss teaches well. I am normally a rough fellow, handling matters by brute force and easily impulsive. In the future, I will certainly change.”

Really quite obedient!

Was this still yesterday’s impatient Constable Zhang?

Ji Yunshu nodded and responded no further.

Constable Zhang turned to Jingrong, clasping his hands together: “Prin… Young master, then I won’t delay you further. I must hurry back to the yamen on business. I take my leave.”

Jingrong waved his hand.

The group from the yamen hurriedly left the inn again!

It seemed Constable Zhang had deliberately come for this trip—quite hardworking.

At this point, Wei Yi had already eaten his fill. Holding his stomach, he took a breath, looked at Ji Yunshu, and said: “Shu’er, I’m full. Can we leave now? I don’t like it here.”

Before Ji Yunshu could speak, Jingrong stole her words.

“I don’t like it either.”

Then with a cold expression he stood up, instructing Lang Bo: “Prepare everything. Get ready to depart.”

“Yes.”

Jingrong, with a face full of sullen air, swept his sleeves and prepared to leave the inn.

Wei Yi suddenly spoke up: “Shu’er, big brother really is a sulking sack.”

Is he angry?

Is he?

These words reached Jingrong’s ears, making him involuntarily clench his fists. He really wanted to pound hard on Wei Yi’s head. Thinking about it, he endured it and went out.

Ji Yunshu naturally saw Jingrong’s small movements, her heart rolling with an inexplicable sigh.

Shaking her head, she stood up: “Wei Yi, we need to travel. Let’s go.”

“Mm.”

Wei Yi held the two paintings and cheerfully followed behind Ji Yunshu.

But before they even left the door, Ji Yunshu’s back bumped into someone.

“Oh my, so it’s you, miss!”

Li Shiyan exclaimed in surprise, deliberately displaying a very familiar expression, the folding fan in his hand waving about.

Ji Yunshu squinted at him up and down—quite a handsome young man, but in the dead of winter, waving a folding fan in his hand.

Something wrong with him!

“You are?”

He politely clasped his hands together: “I am Li Shiyan. Yesterday seeing miss solve the case was truly admirable. Moreover…”

“I recognize you.” Wei Yi suddenly pointed at Li Shiyan.

Li Shiyan smiled and didn’t deny it. Meeting Wei Yi’s gaze, he nodded: “That’s right, it’s me. So Brother Wei remembers me!”

Of course he remembers—you frightened Wei Yi so much he thought you were going to kill him.

Didn’t finish the food, then pushed him out the room door—how could he not remember you?

“I remember. You also asked me…”

Before he finished speaking, the folding fan in Li Shiyan’s hand opened, deliberately interrupting Wei Yi’s words.

Turning with a face full of smiles toward Ji Yunshu, he said: “I heard from Brother Wei that you’re going to the capital? What a coincidence—I’m also going to the capital. Why not travel together? Moreover, I greatly admire miss’s case-solving methods. I also have considerable research in this area. If we travel together, I could seek your guidance along the way.”

“Young Master Li, you misunderstand. I merely had a blind cat stumble upon a dead rat—pure coincidence.”

Li Shiyan watched the veil on her face rise and fall, his hands itching, really wanting to lift it and look. For a moment, he held back.

His smile deepened as he said: “Miss is too modest. I truly admire you. If there’s an opportunity, I’d really like to drink wine with you under the bright moon and have a thorough conversation.”

That manner—exactly like Li Bai’s pretentious affectation when drunk!

The corners of Ji Yunshu’s mouth twitched. This person wore luxurious clothing and was definitely no ordinary person. Two embroidered sachets with different patterns hung at his waist, surely gifts from two different women. Although his clothing and hairstyle were Central Plains attire, the silver clasp on his topknot was in the shape of a qiuzang, and moreover his boots had slightly upturned toes with flat, thin soles—in no way did he seem like a Central Plains person.

Besides, this person clearly had flirtatious peach blossom eyes, affected mannerisms, fake tone, yet insisted on spouting literary words—really quite enough.

Believe it or not, I’ll kick you to the heavens right now and make you stand shoulder to shoulder with the Milky Way!

However, Ji Yunshu was a refined person.

Lowering her brows with a slight smile: “Thank you for your appreciation, young master. However, at this time, we must hurry on our journey and it’s not convenient to chat more. Farewell.”

“Don’t…”

Before Li Shiyan could say anything more, Ji Yunshu had already pulled Wei Yi outside.

At the inn entrance, Lang Bo had already ordered people to prepare the carriage. After the two boarded the carriage, the group departed.

If Jingrong knew that Ji Yunshu had just been harassed by Li Shiyan, right now he’d have to dismount and flog his corpse before giving up!