These four words couldn’t help but bring a trace of disdain to the corners of Su Ziluo’s mouth.

In his eyes, a cold intent surged up as his gaze fell on a banyan tree outside the window.

He said, “Sacrificing one person in exchange for countless lives—isn’t this choice very easy to make? Furthermore, Miss Ji should understand your older brother quite well, shouldn’t you? What kind of person he is, you know best. The fact that he can obediently stay in the Ministry of Justice’s prison naturally means he’s not afraid of the Emperor convicting him, because even if convicted, I imagine in the end, he’ll still be able to escape smoothly.”

Ji Li’s ability to sit in the position of Administrator of the Metropolitan Prefecture was certainly not based on brute force alone!

Su Ziluo was right. Even if Ji Li were the one who killed the person, he would still find another way out for himself.

Otherwise, how could he obediently stay in the Ministry of Justice!

Having said this much, by all rights, Ji Yinshu should agree to his request.

On one hand, she could confirm whether Su Ziluo was actually Ji Pei!

On the other hand, the two nations would no longer go to war! No more deaths!

Qujiang only wanted to take back the two cities that belonged to them.

So simple!

But for Ji Yinshu, no matter which choice she made, she was destined to be condemned by her conscience for the rest of her life.

For a long while, seeing her hesitation and indecision, Su Ziluo was not anxious.

“It’s alright. No matter what choice you make, Miss Ji, it’s fine. I’ll wait for your decision.”

Having said this, he prepared to leave.

Ji Yinshu’s heart grew tighter and tighter. Just as Su Ziluo was about to knock on the door to signal Lie’er outside to open it, she called out to him.

“Ji Pei!”

At that instant, Su Ziluo’s hand froze in mid-air.

His body stiffened!

Ji Yinshu continued, “I don’t know if you’re him. I also don’t know, if you are him, why you haven’t sought me out for two years. I can even less imagine that the person I’ve waited two years for would say such words to me today. But I only remember that the Ji Pei I knew—his hands were meant for holding a writing brush, not for being stained with blood. I also don’t know if he’s become someone who will use any means to achieve his goals. If so… I truly wish he had died two years ago.”

As she finished speaking, tears fell.

Heartache was nothing compared to a dead heart!

Her Ji Pei was not like this.

At this moment, she truly hoped that Su Ziluo was not Ji Pei.

Even if Ji Pei had truly already died.

After a long while, Su Ziluo still didn’t respond. He curled his five fingers and gently knocked on the door once.

Hearing the sound, Lie’er outside opened the door and came in to push him out.

Before leaving, Su Ziluo turned his gaze to look at the trembling Ji Yinshu.

He said, “Everything you want to know, after you say those words, I will definitely tell you everything.”

Having said this, he left!

Ji Yinshu’s tears fell uncontrollably, drop by drop, each one large!

She stayed in the room for a long while. Her hands were still stained with sticky blood. With heavy footsteps, she left the post station in a daze.

Alone, she walked aimlessly through the streets. Her shoulders were bumped many times by passersby, but she felt no pain.

Unfortunately—

The heavens were unkind, and it began to rain as well.

Just then, an umbrella appeared over her head.

Glancing sideways, she saw Shi Zijin holding an umbrella and standing beside her, almost entirely covering her with it while her own half shoulder was soaked through by the rain.

Ji Yinshu raised her hand and pushed the umbrella toward her direction.

As she asked, “You heard everything?”

Her tone was weak, even somewhat hoarse.

Shi Zijin nodded!

“Then… if it were you, what would you do?”

She shook her head!

“You don’t know? Or are you saying you’d tell the truth?”

She shook her head again!

Ji Yinshu lowered her eyebrows. The corners of her mouth held a smile as cold and penetrating as the rainwater. Without saying anything more, she continued walking forward.

“Where are we going?” Shi Zijin asked.

“Let’s go to Yuhua Pavilion. We’ll go back after the rain stops.”

“Mm!”

When they arrived at Yuhua Pavilion, she was already soaked through.

When the young attendant saw her arrive, he hurriedly brought over several warming stoves and placed them around her, then fetched a large blanket to drape over her.

Very attentive care!

As her body gradually warmed, she looked around and surprisingly didn’t see Wei Yi’s busy figure.

Instead, Muruo was unusually energetic today. After seeing a few patients, he washed his hands and walked over.

He glanced at Ji Yinshu. “How did you become a drowned rat? Did Jingrong kick you out?”

She sat quietly without responding.

What was wrong with this woman today? Yesterday when she came over, she was sharp-tongued with endless things to say. Today she’s wilted?

So he pulled over a chair and sat across from her, asking with a teasing tone, “Come on, what’s wrong? While I’m clearheaded right now, who knows, I might be able to offer you some advice.”

After a moment of silence, Ji Yinshu raised her pallid face and asked, “If you had to go against your conscience to do something that could save countless lives, would you be willing?”

This stumped Muruo. He furrowed his brow, stroked his chin, and pondered for a moment.

“If you asked me to choose between a beauty and fine wine, I would definitely tell you to choose the wine, of course. But… conscience versus lives? This is difficult for me.”

He looked troubled.

Then his eyes brightened as he said, “I should choose lives. After all, conscience has been devoured by dogs.”

Pfft—

Ji Yinshu nearly spat blood.

She knew she had asked the wrong person.

She sighed and said nothing more.

Seeing her pallid face, Muruo shook his head, got up and went to the back courtyard. Within moments, he returned carrying a bowl of hot medicine.

“Drink it all. Not a drop left!”

She didn’t know what medicine was in that bowl, but Ji Yinshu downed it all in one gulp anyway.

Before long, the clothes on her body had dried. She left the blanket behind. Before leaving, she asked Muruo, “Where’s Wei Yi?”

Muruo simply pointed his finger at the ceiling!

“Taking a bath!”

Not very clear.

Ji Yinshu didn’t ask further.

After returning to Prince Rong’s manor, she locked herself in her room and wouldn’t let anyone in.

Jingrong didn’t come to disturb her either. Perhaps after finishing his conversation with Su Ziluo at Peach Blossom Spring, he too needed time to digest everything.

Deep into the night, the chill grew.

Ji Yinshu pushed open the window in her room. Cold wind poured in, making her involuntarily shiver.

Gazing at the ink-black starry sky, she drifted off again.

In her mind, all of Su Ziluo’s words echoed, each sentence taking root in her heart.

“Ji Pei, will you leave me?”

“No. Even if one day we truly separate, I will definitely come find you.”

The words from years ago also echoed in her mind at this moment.

Ringing out again and again.

“Just one statement from you, and I’ll tell you where Ji Pei is. Whether he’s alive or dead. Everything you want to know, I’ll tell you completely.”

These words were like tens of thousands of ants wantonly gnawing at her heart—painful and panic-inducing!

Until the next day.

She sent someone to notify the Administrator of the Metropolitan Prefecture, saying the murderer had been identified, the case report had been written, and she directly submitted it to the Administrator, who then presented it to the Emperor.

After Jingrong learned of this, he hurried over.

“You know who the murderer is?”

She nodded indifferently.

“Who is it?”

“Ji Li.”

A casual tone in her response!