The next day, Tang Father left the capital.

Tang Si cried her heart out.

Tang Father glanced at her.

As the saying goes, a daughter married off is like water spilled—

He instructed: “From now on, take good care of your husband and teach your children well. Once you have a child, come back for a visit.”

“Father…”

Her eyes brimmed with tears.

Tang Father said to Muruo, “Listen well. I’m entrusting my daughter to you, so you must take care of her for the rest of her life. If you let her suffer any grievance, I will definitely break your legs.”

Uh!

A chill ran down Muruo’s back.

“Father, rest assured. I will definitely take good care of A’Si and absolutely won’t let her suffer any grievance.”

“You better remember what you said.”

“Yes!”

He was truly respectful and deferential toward his father-in-law.

Tang Father wasn’t a sentimental person. He patted his daughter’s head, gave a few more instructions, then boarded the carriage.

With a shout, “Let’s go!”

The carriage headed toward the city gate.

Tang Si chased after it for a few steps, truly reluctant to part. In the end, she grabbed Muruo’s sleeve and continued crying…

As if she were about to cry herself breathless.

Muruo said: “Alright, stop crying. If you miss your father in the future, we’ll go to Houliao to see him.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

His word was as good as gold.

So Tang Si instantly became like nothing had happened.

Her face lit up with smiles!

At this moment, people passing by on the street saw this newly married couple and called out, “Doctor Mo, Madam Mo.”

The tone of neighbors greeting each other.

Madam Mo!

Tang Si grinned broadly, delightedly enjoying this new title of Madam Mo.

Then she pulled Muruo close, leaned near his ear, and asked in a coquettish, gentle voice, “Last night… how was it?”

“What about last night?” He looked completely confused.

“Last night!”

“Last night?” Muruo frowned and asked her back, “What about last night?”

At this question, Tang Si exploded.

She stomped her foot forcefully, then stepped hard on Muruo’s toes with her heel.

With great force!

Venting all her anger onto it.

“Ah!”

Muruo cried out in pain, clutching his leg.

“Serves you right!”

Tang Si glared at him, turned around, and entered Yuhua Pavilion.

Behind her, Muruo still couldn’t figure out what was going on.

While chasing after her, he asked, “What exactly did I do last night?”

“…”

This was eating everything clean and then refusing to acknowledge it.

Even being domestically abused, he didn’t deserve sympathy.

Serves him right!

At this time, inside the carriage leaving the capital.

From the moment Tang Father boarded the carriage, his expression had been grave, his brows tightly knit.

His hands rested on his thighs, gripping his clothing tightly, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

The warrior beside him, seeing him like this, said, “Third Master, stop worrying about A’Si. She won’t be bullied.”

Another warrior said, “That’s right. Who in this world could bully our A’Si? Third Master, you can put your heart at ease. Besides, if she suffers any grievance in Great Lin, she’ll definitely run back to Houliao. When that happens, we’ll bring people and take care of that boy.”

“That’s right—tear him apart with five horses and throw him into the mountains to feed the wolves.”

“Can’t let him die so easily. We’ll have to flay him alive.”

“Exactly!”

“…”

The two went back and forth.

Tang Father’s mind wasn’t on this—he paid them no attention.

After a while, he reached out to lift the carriage curtain and looked outside. They had already left the city.

With this departure, would he ever return?

Last night’s conversation with Ji Yinshu still echoed in his ears. He knew that Ji Yinshu was doing very well now—she was Great Lin’s only female official, highly valued by the Emperor. Not only that, but a prince by her side treasured her like a precious gem. Her future path would surely be unobstructed.

So he had made a decision!

That was to keep that secret in his heart forever.

Let everything become water under the bridge, never to be mentioned again.

He let out a stifled breath.

Xi’er, if it were you, you would make the same decision as me, wouldn’t you!

“I hope this is right!”

The faint voice echoed through the mountains stretching ahead…

Time passed quickly, and the quiet capital gradually entered the frosty cold season.

The “Linjing Case” that had captured everyone’s attention was also about to be unveiled!

Half a month later.

In the first month of the year, Great Lin’s first snow fell.

The white snow was vast, like scattered cotton fluff continuously falling down, layer upon layer blanketing the entire capital’s sky. The black roof tiles gradually disappeared, gleaming with white light, like a magnificent painting of a prosperous era.

The bone-chilling cold wind passed through streets and alleys, yet it couldn’t blow away the bustling prosperity throughout the capital’s streets!

People still came and went on the streets.

Those doing business did business!

Those calling out their wares called out!

Those shopping shopped!

…

On this day, all the portraits for the “Linjing Case” were completed.

Ji Yinshu finished the last stroke in her study!

The person in the portrait was lifelike. This was the last portrait. As long as they obtained this person’s identity and removed them from Duke Yuguo’s mansion’s roster, they would know who had gone missing from the mansion back then. They would also know… what exactly had happened at Duke Yuguo’s mansion that night?

Why had dozens of people perished in the sea of flames?

Now, her heart was both happy and somewhat apprehensive!

Happy that the portraits were completed.

Apprehensive about what the road ahead would bring.

After waiting quietly for a long time.

The ink on the portrait finally dried. She rolled it up and ordered someone to send it to the Ministry of Revenue for verification.

Immediately after, she left the study. Outside, heavy snow was falling, and the cold wind came like knives, as if instantly slicing through her clothing and drilling into her body. She immediately felt cold to her core, trembling.

Shi Zijin appeared from somewhere with a cloak.

And draped it over her!

“Thank you!”

Shi Zijin remained silent, standing at her side.

The two stood outside for quite a while before going to the main hall.

In the main hall sat the last coffin. Once the Ministry of Revenue confirmed the name, this coffin could be buried.

Originally, dozens of coffins had been placed here. Like a dream, as the portraits came out one by one, the coffins became fewer and fewer.

Her heart always felt somewhat empty.

“Steward Liang.” She called toward the doorway.

Steward Liang entered the room. “What are Great Official Ji’s orders?”

“After the Ministry of Revenue announces the name, send people to carry this last coffin for burial.”

“Very well, Great Official, please rest assured.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Steward Liang then withdrew.

Ji Yinshu stood in the room for a while before leaving. When she walked to the corridor, she asked Shi Zijin, “What has Wei Yi been doing these past days?”

“The teaching master has been teaching him academics, and he has been studying continuously.”

“What else?”

“When it snowed, he built a snowman in the courtyard—strangely shaped, without a nose or eyes.”

“Anything else?”

“Nothing more.”

Ji Yinshu didn’t ask further. She went to the study in the back courtyard but didn’t approach closely, only standing from afar.

Through the open window, she saw Wei Yi sitting inside, holding a book and reading.

So earnest!

A bitter smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. Her gaze remained fixed on Wei Yi as she said, “Sometimes, I really want to return to the past, when I had no worries and Wei Yi was carefree. But ultimately, there are no ‘what ifs’!”

Shi Zijin asked, “Why does Miss ask this?”

She shook her head.

Without speaking, she turned and walked away.