Why…

Fang Mingsan was puzzled. “Why would the murderer watch as the deceased hanged himself? Moreover, if the deceased saw the murderer while hanging, how can we say the murderer killed him? From the looks of it, the deceased committed suicide himself.”

Indeed!

Put that way, there was no murderer at all.

Everyone was curious—what kind of case was this exactly?

Ji Yunshu remained calm and explained, “What I’m saying isn’t unfounded. The reason I say the deceased saw the murderer while hanging is only one—the deceased was hanged.”

Was hanged?

This was a novel expression.

Fang Mingsan didn’t understand. “Master Ji, what do you mean?”

“If my guess is correct, the deceased was most likely carried to the base of the large tree by the murderer while completely unaware or in a deep coma, then hoisted up onto the tree. The deceased suddenly woke up during the process of being hoisted. While being strangled by the rope, he also saw the murderer before his eyes. Therefore, this explains why the deceased’s pupils would focus straight ahead with a ferocious expression, and also explains why the degree of the deceased’s finger curling would be so severe.”

After this explanation, everyone shuddered!

Felt a chill down their spines.

But—

Wen Lingyang’s hand holding the brush paused, and he said puzzledly, “But there’s no substantive evidence for any of this. If the deceased really was hanged to death, why weren’t any clues about the murderer found at the crime scene?”

Constable Zhang chimed in, “Right! Master Ji, when you put it that way, it’s as if you were at the scene at the time, but… there’s no evidence.”

“Of course there is!”

Ji Yunshu took out the boots she’d brought back and displayed the soles before everyone.

“The soles of these shoes are covered in mud. On my way through the Chang family’s rear courtyard, I passed the place where Old Master Chang was hanged to death. Because of the heavy rain, the soil around that tree was very muddy, so it wouldn’t be strange at all for Old Master Chang’s shoe soles to have mud. However, I compared these shoes to Old Master Chang’s feet—they were neither too big nor too small, just right. But the middle position of these shoes is raised. By rights, for shoes that fit so well, the middle position of the sole couldn’t possibly have more mud than the toe and heel.”

Everyone listened while looking!

Sure enough, the middle position of those shoes had more mud than the toe and heel.

Constable Zhang asked, “What does this prove?”

“It proves my earlier speculation was correct.” Ji Yunshu spoke seriously, her gaze sweeping around in a circle before continuing. “The murderer first wore the deceased’s shoes, and these shoes were one size too large for the murderer. The center of gravity was in the middle of the shoe, which is why this position has more soil than the toe. At that time, the murderer was wearing these shoes while carrying the unconscious Old Master Chang to the base of the large tree, then threw the rope that was already wrapped around Old Master Chang’s neck up onto the tree, creating the appearance of suicide. But the deceased woke up due to the suffocating sensation in his neck, his face full of terror. Combined with seeing the murderer’s appearance, his reaction was violent, resulting in his death state appearing ferocious.”

Oh!

“So that’s how it is! In other words, these three murder cases were all man-made—there’s no talk of ghosts and spirits at all!” Constable Zhang seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Fang Mingsan’s brow furrowed tightly. “Since we know it wasn’t suicide, where’s the murderer?”

“Magistrate Fang, don’t be impatient. The evidence I’ve found so far can only prove these murder cases were man-made. As for clues about the murderer, there aren’t any yet. If we want to figure out the cause of these three murder cases, we still need to investigate from the source.”

“The source?”

“That is, the common point.”

Common point?

That would be—

Wen Lingyang had a flash of inspiration. “Ghosts! Before the three people died, they all said they saw ghosts in a room on the second floor of Chang’an House.”

Ji Yunshu nodded. “Correct. Therefore, this is one clue to finding the murderer.”

Fang Mingsan quickly said, “This official has already sent people to search Chang’an House before, but didn’t obtain any clues. If we follow Master’s meaning, then tomorrow this official will bring people to Chang’an House again for another thorough search.”

“No need!” Ji Yunshu vetoed.

“No need? Then…”

Fang Mingsan didn’t understand.

Meanwhile, Ji Yunshu felt a headache coming on! She shook her head helplessly.

Although Fang Mingsan was an incorruptible official who seemed to be just a weak, poor county magistrate of the muddle-headed sort, his methods of handling matters were comparable to Constable Zhang’s.

Whatever came to mind, he’d do!

Easily impulsive.

Never thinking about what consequences it might bring.

Ji Yunshu: “If these three murder cases are all related to that guest room at Chang’an House, there must be some secret hidden inside. Generally, people in that kind of place have the tightest lips. It’s very difficult to extract anything from them. Therefore, we absolutely cannot investigate using your methods, Magistrate Fang. We must use my way instead.”

Fang Mingsan didn’t understand and was just about to open his mouth to ask…

Jingrong, who had been silently quiet all along, suddenly spoke up. “It’s already very late. Everyone disperse. Tomorrow this prince will personally go to Chang’an House with Master Ji.”

What?

Your Highness is going to a brothel?

This was huge news—comparable to a prince of some country going to a nightclub. If it got out, it would definitely be huge news!

At this moment, Ji Yunshu was too lazy to even reach for her phone.

She turned back to question him. “You’re a prince—how can you go to that kind of place?”

Jingrong looked completely indifferent, shrugged, and replied, “Since everyone can go, why can’t this prince go? That’s settled then. If you want to investigate using your method, this prince will also help you investigate using this prince’s method. Of the five-day deadline, only four days remain.”

Ji Yunshu frowned. “Today counts too?”

“Naturally.”

“You…” She glared at him.

Jingrong, however, curved his lips and dismissed everyone!

As Fang Mingsan left, he still didn’t understand Ji Yunshu’s method—what method was it exactly?

To investigate a case, wasn’t it just proper questioning and searching?

Seeing everyone had left, Muruo also lazily stood up, stretched a big lazy stretch, and said, “Alright, I’m leaving too. After rushing along the road for a day or two, I’m exhausted.”

Baby is tired to death!

He lifted his foot to leave, but Ji Yunshu picked up the clothes on the table and tossed them to him.

“Don’t forget—the stain on the clothes is waiting for you to investigate clearly.”

Muruo’s face darkened. “I know.”

He grabbed the clothes, waved his hand, and left.

Ji Yunshu also returned to her room. Jingrong followed behind, and one after the other they entered the courtyard Fang Mingsan had arranged.

Just as they entered, they saw Wei Yi sitting on a stone chair playing with marbles, his fingers flicking rapidly, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Seeing Ji Yunshu arrive, he tossed the marbles in his hand to a servant girl nearby and ran over.

“Shu’er, you’re finally back.”

“It’s so late—why aren’t you resting yet?”

“I was waiting for Shu’er.”

“Waiting for me for what?”

“Actually, it’s not me waiting for you.” He pointed to the room. “It’s Old Lady Xie waiting for you.”

Oh?

Ji Yunshu glanced toward the room and went inside.

Wei Yi was just about to follow when his back collar was grabbed by Jingrong, who pulled him back to sit on the stone chair, then waved his hand to dismiss the two servant girls nearby.

“What are you doing? Why are you holding me? I want to find Shu’er.”

“Are you a clingy bug?”

“Of course not. I’m a person, not a bug.”

Jingrong was exasperated!

He said, “I really don’t understand why Muruo brought you along. He should have left you in the capital.”