The things were still inside the inn?

Everyone looked at Ji Yinshu as she emerged from the crowd.

This scholarly-looking man had an extremely refined appearance, but those unfathomably deep eyes clearly radiated a mysterious aura that was impossible to read.

If you looked too long, it gave you chills.

Hearing this, the troupe master stepped forward and asked, “Young master, are you saying the things aren’t lost? Then where are they?”

He was extremely anxious.

Ji Yinshu glanced at him. “Didn’t I just say? The things are right here in the inn.”

“In the inn?” The troupe master was first stunned upon hearing this, then looked menacingly at San Niang, pointing at her. “If the things are still in the inn, then you people must have stolen them. You’re running a black inn! Hand over our things right now.”

“Hand them over!”

“Otherwise we’ll report you to the authorities.”

Those rough fellows from the troupe all rolled up their sleeves, ready for a fight.

San Niang put away her previous charming demeanor. She snapped her fan closed, tucked it into her waist, raised her chin, and flicked her phoenix eyes upward.

Then—

She looked at Ji Yinshu, her red lips parting slightly. “Young master, you say the things are still in our inn. What basis do you have for this claim? Our inn is a famous old establishment known throughout the region. Everyone working here is clean. Don’t speak nonsense. If this goes to court, I can file charges against you.”

“Be my guest.”

Ji Yinshu calmly replied with two words, then ignored San Niang’s rigid stare and walked over to the stacked boxes.

The boxes were all painted with red lacquer, but most of it had already peeled off.

She touched one of the boxes, and instantly, a bit of flaked red lacquer stuck to her fingertips.

The corners of her mouth curved upward.

Then—

She looked at the waiter who had bumped into her on the second floor. The waiter was still slightly out of breath, with faint traces of sweat still visible on his forehead, glistening in the surrounding firelight.

She slowly walked over and said, “This fellow seems very tired?”

The waiter’s body jerked. He choked, then raised his sleeve to wipe away some sweat.

He casually said, “The weather’s hot.”

“Oh? But the weather is clearly still quite cool.”

“There are many guests in the inn. I’ve made several trips, so naturally I’m sweating.”

“But from what I can see, it doesn’t seem to be that way.”

Hmm?

“You… what do you mean?”

“Your cheeks are flushed red, your cheekbones are slightly protruding, and the angles of your jaw on both sides have also slightly protruded. Even the redness and swelling in your neck haven’t subsided. All this indicates that within the past quarter hour, you exerted all your strength moving something. Because when a person overexerts themselves, the facial muscles stretch accordingly, the skin tightens, and that’s why the cheekbones and jaw angles protrude so obviously under these circumstances.”

Her tone was extremely calm!

The waiter’s eyes darted around as he took a step back. “So what if I moved things around? I’m weak, so naturally I have to exert myself when carrying food.”

“You’re lying.”

“Huh?”

Everyone’s hearts tightened. No one made a sound. Pairs of eyes stared, pairs of ears listened intently.

Ji Yinshu’s eyes narrowed as she pointed at the waiter’s sleeve.

She said, “The dust staining your sleeve—you must have gotten it dirty not long ago, right? And at the bottom of your garment, there’s also red lacquer. I just touched the lacquer on those boxes—it’s the same type as what’s on your clothes.”

At this statement, the waiter’s body swayed, his eyes panicked. He quickly hugged his wrist, hiding the sleeve stained with red lacquer between his arms.

His voice trembling, he argued, “I didn’t touch those boxes. Don’t talk nonsense.”

“I didn’t say you touched those boxes. You just admitted it yourself.”

“I… I didn’t admit anything. Don’t make false accusations. The lacquer on my clothes was left when I wiped tables. It’s not from the boxes at all. If you have evidence, produce it. If you don’t have evidence, then you’re falsely accusing me.”

He was very agitated and very frightened.

“I’m not falsely accusing you. You told me yourself.”

“I told you?”

Ji Yinshu nodded, pulled his hand, and pried open his tightly clenched fist.

On his palm was a two-inch-long wound. The blood wasn’t dry yet, and because it hadn’t been properly treated, the wound was still very dirty.

Ji Yinshu said, “This wound—you got it when moving the boxes, cut by wood splinters on the bottom of a box, right?”

It wasn’t a question. It was certainty!

The waiter immediately pulled his hand back.

“I…”

He stammered, his eyes shifty.

Ji Yinshu smiled. “You needn’t argue. Since I can say it, naturally I can also produce evidence.”

With that, she walked to the side of one box and pointed at a spot. “This box has a bloodstain, appearing as a straight line. The reason is very simple. When you lifted one of the boxes, because your hand was cut, the blood from your wound got on the edge of the box’s base. Your palm hurt, and you stacked the box you’d lifted on top of this box. When the two boxes were stacked together, the blood-stained spot on the bottom of the upper box pressed right here. That’s why this straight line bloodstain was left. It’s very faint. If you don’t look carefully, you won’t notice it at all.”

It was as if she had witnessed it herself.

After hearing all this, the troupe master understood.

So—

He rushed forward and grabbed the waiter by the collar, demanding, “You thief! I’m taking you to see the magistrate right now. Let’s go.”

With that, he forcibly dragged him to see the authorities.

But he was stopped by Jingrong, who had been an observer all this time.

He coldly uttered one sentence: “The old troupe master doesn’t want his boxes anymore?”

The troupe master came to his senses. “Of course I do.” The hand gripping the man’s collar tightened. “Quickly hand over my boxes.”

“I… I didn’t take them.” The waiter trembled as he shouted, then shoved the old troupe master away and ran to San Niang’s side, his eyes full of pleading as he looked at her. “San Niang, I really… really didn’t take them.”

He looked so innocent!

San Niang actually already had a good idea!

She estimated in her heart that they must have acted on their own behind her back.

Therefore, she couldn’t not handle this.

She stepped to the front and said to Ji Yinshu, “Young master, to catch a thief you need the stolen goods. Your words are empty claims. Just saying these things proves nothing at all.”

Ji Yinshu wasn’t annoyed!

Nor was she anxious!

She was very calm and composed!

But those people from the troupe didn’t have such a good temper.

“You people stole the things. If you don’t hand them over, we’re going to report you to the authorities right now.”

“Right, report to the authorities now. You’re running a black inn.”

“A black inn.”

…

The noise grew louder!

San Niang had seen this kind of scene many times before.

So—

She raised her voice and shouted, “What’s all this racket? This is Du San Niang’s territory. Anyone who dares cause trouble, I won’t let them off easy. Never mind you reporting to the authorities—even if the Jade Emperor himself came, I, Du San Niang, wouldn’t be afraid.”

Her imposing manner was strong.

It indeed controlled the scene!

The people from the troupe stood frozen in place, not making a sound.

San Niang said with a stern face to Ji Yinshu, “A scalded pig doesn’t fear boiling water. If you can find those boxes, I, Du San Niang, guarantee that whatever the contents of those three boxes are worth, I’ll offer double in silver as compensation. But if you can’t produce evidence and can’t find those three boxes, then you’re causing trouble on Du San Niang’s territory, and I won’t let you off easily either.”

At this statement, the people from the troupe lost their nerve.