The matter of the boxes was set aside for now.

From the current situation, they could only confirm that after the waiter went in to deliver tea at the xu hour, Shiniang never went out again, nor did anyone go in, which proved that she was still in the room at that time. The assistant said he saw two shadows in the room at the hai hour, so the deceased should have been taken out of the room between the hai hour and zi hour.

The murderer was an expert!

And entered by leaping through the window!

Jingrong said, “Right now, the most important thing is to find the first crime scene based on those sand particles. Recently, because of the capital’s merchant association, the Patrol Censor’s people have also been patrolling everywhere.” He turned to instruct Jing Zhaoyin, “Jing Zhaoyin, go ask the Patrol Censor’s people if they’ve discovered any suspicious places. Also send more people to ask the nearby common people—did they see any suspicious people appear that night? Or ask the night watchmen in this area. Don’t miss any location.”

“This official understands. Then this corpse?”

What should they do with it?

“Move the corpse to the Ministry of Justice’s morgue first. Perhaps Official Ji will need to examine the corpse again later.”

“Yes.”

Jing Zhaoyin immediately dispatched people to notify the Ministry of Justice to come quickly and move the corpse.

Meanwhile, Ji Yunshu looked at the ox-demon mask placed on the ground, her eyes suddenly tightening.

Earlier she had felt that mask was very familiar, but until now she simply couldn’t recall where. But now she remembered.

She remembered that yesterday when Jiao Shiniang entered the capital, she was suddenly stopped on the road by three people wearing masks. The mask on Jiao Shiniang’s face was exactly one of the ox-demon masks those three people wore.

Exactly the same!

“I remember now.” She suddenly spoke.

Jingrong and Jing Zhaoyin were startled and looked at her.

“Official Ji, what did you think of?”

“Yesterday when Jiao Shiniang entered the capital, she was stopped by three masked men blocking her carriage. I remember that one person at the time wore a mask that was exactly the same as the one Shiniang is wearing—exactly the same. They were all ox-demon masks.”

When she said this, the two assistants also remembered.

One of them stepped forward and said, “Right, that’s correct! At the time, there really were three people wearing masks who stopped our carriage. No matter what we said, they refused to leave, standing there in a daze. I’m certain they killed Shiniang, absolutely certain.”

The other assistant also hurriedly added, “But Shiniang had no grievances with them—why would they kill her?”

“After we entered the capital, we only encountered those three people on the street. It must be them! Walking around the street wearing such terrifying masks—clearly they’re psychologically perverted people. Esteemed officials, you must find the murderers and bring them to justice, give Shiniang her due!”

Very agitated!

Jing Zhaoyin inquired of Ji Yunshu, “Official Ji, could those three people really be the murderers?”

“I dare not confirm it!” Ji Yunshu said. “Send people to search the capital for those three masked men. Once found, you must bring them in for questioning.”

“Yes.”

Jing Zhaoyin didn’t dare delay and quickly gave the order.

Search the entire city.

Then Ji Yunshu asked the two still-agitated assistants, “I ask you, did Jiao Shiniang have any sisters?”

Ah?

Why ask about this out of the blue?

The two assistants looked even more bewildered.

“No, Shiniang was alone.”

“Are you certain?”

“Official, why do you suddenly ask this? Shiniang started leading us in the spice business when she was in her teens. Counting it up, we’ve followed her for over ten years. Her parents died very early. Only she remained in her family. We all know this. Everyone in Lingnan who knows Shiniang also knows she has no siblings.”

The assistant said earnestly.

Ji Yunshu nodded.

But in her heart arose a very large doubt. She opened her mouth, wanting to speak but stopping herself.

Jingrong found it strange and wanted to ask her, but she suddenly bent down to pick up the mask from the ground and said to Jing Zhaoyin, “I’ll take this mask back with me first. If you find the first crime scene and those three masked people, notify me immediately.”

“Rest assured, this official will definitely intensify the search.”

Coming out of the inn, there were still a large number of common people gathered outside watching.

Seeing them emerge, everyone became even more excited, practically wanting to rush up and ask what exactly was the situation inside.

Among the crowd also came some murmuring discussions.

“Did someone really die?”

“Definitely. Didn’t you see that even Official Ji came?”

“How inauspicious! The merchant association is only a few days away, and something like this happens.”

“Alright, stop talking nonsense. It’s not certain yet.”

…

The carriage was already waiting outside. Ji Yunshu was about to board when she suddenly caught a faint fragrance—that scent was exactly the smell she had detected in Jiao Shiniang’s room.

Jasmine and cream!

She searched through the crowd once. There were too many people, so she didn’t know where that fragrance came from.

Jingrong asked, “What’s wrong?”

She shook her head lightly and boarded the carriage.

On the way back, her expression was grave.

She didn’t say a word.

Seeing this, Jingrong asked, “Is there something else you haven’t said?”

Ji Yunshu replied, “You understand me best.”

“There are only the two of us here. Speak.”

“That pair of hands!”

“Hands?” Jingrong frowned.

She nodded. “When I saw Jiao Shiniang on the street yesterday, I remember very clearly that her hands were extremely slender and fair, and her fingernails were painted with red henna—very refined. Those hands were beautiful. But… the deceased’s hands were somewhat rough, the finger joints protruding, and the fingernails had no henna painted on them.”

Oh!

Jingrong suddenly understood. “No wonder you asked that assistant whether Jiao Shiniang had any sisters. It’s because you suspect that the one who died is not the one you saw on the street yesterday.”

“Correct.” Ji Yunshu’s expression was grave. “Because a person’s hands cannot deceive. Even if only one day had passed, a pair of originally slender and delicate hands cannot become another pair. But… the deceased’s appearance is definitely that of the Jiao Shiniang I saw—there’s no mistake about that! Unless there really is someone who looks exactly like her. But to find someone who looks exactly the same, the two must have a blood relationship. Yet her assistant said Jiao Shiniang has no siblings.”

“Even if there really was one, when the fake Jiao Shiniang entered the capital, where was the real Jiao Shiniang?”

“That’s why I dare not be certain. Just now at the inn, I didn’t say it aloud either. Based solely on a pair of hands, I cannot confirm my speculation.”

She let out a light sigh.

Every time she encountered a case, her heart felt especially heavy, as if she had wrapped herself in a large cloth and was desperately trying to break through it to gain release!

Jingrong held her hand. “Cases must always be taken slowly. For now, wait for news from Jing Zhaoyin’s side. Don’t think too much—I’ll worry about you.”

She obediently nodded.

Right now, they could only wait for news!