“The eastern house has ghosts, entering at the zi hour, the western house has ghosts, leaving at the mao hour, at the first watch the candlelight falls, at the second watch buried in earth, at the third watch still wandering in water.”

As she recited, Jingrong listened carefully.

Candlelight?

In earth?

First watch?

Second watch?

These keywords stood out from that tune.

After she finished speaking, Jingrong pondered, then suddenly understood.

This tune— His heart stirred slightly with shock: “Although Jiao Shiniang died before entering the capital, before we knew her body had been frozen, we calculated her time of death as the first quarter of the zi hour. At that time, there happened to be an overturned candlestick in the room. And this time, Xing Xiyang died at the second quarter of the mao hour, his body buried in earth. This tune you just mentioned… zi hour? Mao hour? First watch candlelight falls? Second watch buried in earth? It’s as if these two cases were predicted in advance. If we say it’s coincidence, that would be far too coincidental!”

Where are there so many coincidences in the world!

Those are only told to fools.

Ji Yinshu’s expression was grave, her eyes slightly sunken: “The time of their deaths and their states at the time of death do indeed match this tune, but this is definitely not coincidence!”

Certain! Following the train of thought from just now, Jingrong continued thinking, pacing back and forth in the hall several times, his sword-like brows furrowed as he analyzed: “Longfu Inn is to the east of the capital, Wenlai Pavilion is to the west of the capital—perfectly matching the two lines in the tune ‘eastern house has ghosts’ and ‘western house has ghosts.’ If… the killer is truly murdering according to this tune, then judging from the last line ‘at the third watch still wandering in water,’ the killer very likely… will continue killing. And the location and time of the next murder are also hidden in this tune. The location of the attack might be to the east or west of the capital, somewhere near water, with the time being the third quarter of the zi hour, or perhaps the third quarter of the mao hour.”

The analysis was flawless.

But would the killer really kill again?

Though the fog shrouding before their eyes had been partially cleared.

It still blocked their view, blurred and unclear!

Ji Yinshu’s heart felt as if pressed by a huge stone. She never imagined that the strange tune she’d heard on the street that day actually concealed such mysteries! She let out a heavy breath, seemingly harboring other doubts: “There are still… many suspicious points in this. When the killer impersonated Jiao Shiniang entering the capital and was blocked on the street by those three masked people, I clearly remember they didn’t know each other at all. Yet the killer’s method of murder is indeed following that tune. And those three masks—one worn on Jiao Shiniang’s face, one worn on Xing Xiyang’s face—all of this is enough to show they’re connected. Since they knew each other, why pretend not to? And why did those three people block her carriage on the main street? What was their purpose?”

Her mind full of questions.

A cold wind suddenly blew in from outside, instantly clearing her chaotic thoughts.

Ah!

Her pupils widened slightly, both shocked and startled.

“Unless…”

Her voice grew quieter.

Unless—?

Jingrong immediately understood her thoughts and completed the sentence: “Unless this is all an act.”

An act!

The man’s brief words struck at the crux of the case. Ji Yinshu: “That’s right, it’s an act—an act performed for me to see.” Her tone carried surprise, yet also revealed some excitement at understanding the truth. “The outcome of these two murder cases was actually already told to me the day she entered the capital. She knew I was in the teahouse, so she calculated the time and performed that show on the street deliberately to tell me her time, method, and location of murder! But at the time I didn’t think too much of it, which is why I’m now a step behind.”

Thinking back, it was truly terrifying upon reflection.

After a brief pause, she suddenly thought of something else: “Actually, it’s not just these things—she also told me another piece of information.”

Hmm?

She then took out brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

She drew the image of the rope bound around Xing Xiyang’s wrist.

Very lifelike.

As if one could touch it.

Jingrong didn’t understand why she suddenly brought up that rope, so he asked: “Is there something strange about this rope?”

“Do you recognize this knot?” He looked at it and shook his head: “This isn’t the ordinary dead knot commonly tied, nor does it look randomly made. It appears to have neither beginning nor end, yet it’s neat and efficient, with an orderly method. A person’s way of tying knots is actually a personal habit. Clearly the killer is very skilled at this type of knot, but so far in the Central Plains, I haven’t seen anyone use it.”

“That’s because the killer isn’t from the Central Plains at all.”

“How can you tell?” “The masks!” she said. “Among the masks those three people wore, there were ox-ghost, horse-ghost, and snake-ghost masks. Judging from the color of the materials, they belong to the category of dark ghost masks. The people most skilled at painting this type of dark ghost mask are the Mu tribe people from the far north. Combined with the fact that this rope knot tied by the killer has never been seen in the Central Plains, it’s clear that on the day of entering the city, the killer not only told me her time, method, and location of murder, but simultaneously also told me she’s not from the Central Plains!”

Such an audacious killer!

Now that the general information had emerged, Jingrong then called Lang Bo in. He ordered: “Go immediately and notify Jing Zhaoyin, the Censorate for Urban Patrol, and Commander Xiao. Inform them that during this period they must pay close attention to areas near water on both the east and west sides, especially during the third quarter of the zi hour and the third quarter of the mao hour. If there’s any abnormality, arrest whoever it is! Also, if you discover anyone from beyond the border, arrest them as well.”

Better to arrest wrongly than let them escape.

Lang Bo received the order: “This subordinate understands.”

“Also, you must remember—this matter absolutely cannot be done with great fanfare, lest the killer find out and make other plans.”

“Yes.”

Lang Bo immediately went to handle the matter.

But Ji Yinshu still wore a worried frown.

Jingrong knew what was on her mind: “You’re wondering why the killer would tell you all this?”

She nodded slightly. Now it was impossible to think about this matter using a normal person’s logic. She said: “This perhaps… is a game, a game that begins with murder.”

A murder game!

Like a psychopath!

A cold wind seemed to inadvertently seep into the hall.

She looked at Jingrong and continued: “The killer told me so much information even before the murder case began, so I’ve already been forced to participate in this game. She wants to see whether she kills faster, or I find her faster.”

Who would be so perversely bored?

A knot formed in her heart—a dead knot.

She just couldn’t understand what grievance or hatred existed between the killer and herself. Why would she want to play such a twisted game with her?

Her hands inside her sleeves twisted together chaotically, just like her current mood—unable to find relief.

Jingrong poured a cup of tea and placed it in her hands.

“Leave the remaining matters to the Court of Judicial Review to handle. If the killer is in the capital, naturally we won’t let her escape.”

In the end, she said nothing more.

At least now they had learned of the killer’s next target of action. As long as the Censorate for Urban Patrol and Commander Xiao’s people were capable, they should be able to capture the killer when she struck.