The Minister of Justice quickly sent the interrogation results to the Court of Judicial Review.

Upon seeing the testimony above, Chief Justice Yu immediately went to Prince Rong’s manor again.

At this moment, Ji Yunshu had just finished taking her medicine, and Jingrong was helping her sit in the courtyard to bask in the sun.

The warmth of the sunlight slowly seeped through her skin, warm and comfortable. Yet the suffocating feeling lingering in Ji Yunshu’s chest kept reminding her how fortunate she was to have survived this brush with death, narrowly escaping the Grim Reaper. But every time she closed her eyes, she could still clearly see herself at the bottom of that lake, with endless terror bringing waves of black fog rushing toward her, completely engulfing her—so real and so terrifying.

To die and come back to life—how wonderful!

Jingrong suddenly grasped her hand and said, “Nothing like that will ever happen again.”

That look in his eyes was enough to make Ji Yunshu cast aside all her unease. As long as he was there, even death itself became insignificant.

She responded with a soft “Mm.”

She smiled slightly.

At this moment, Lang Bo came to report: “Your Highness, Chief Justice Yu has arrived. He says the interrogation results are out, but there are still some matters that haven’t been clarified, and he needs to see Your Highness.”

Haven’t figured it out?

Jingrong’s brow furrowed slightly.

But Ji Yunshu seemed to have guessed something. Her expression suddenly became solemn, then quickly concealed it again.

Jingrong turned his head to instruct her: “I’ll go and come right back.”

She nodded in agreement.

After Jingrong left, her eyes dimmed slightly, lost in thought.

At that moment, a shadow suddenly flashed down from the rooftop.

Before she could react, the shadow had already taken a seat across from her.

Shi Ziran, gasping for breath, sat down without a word and immediately grabbed the pot to pour water.

Cup after cup, he gulped it down!

As if he had just done some strenuous physical labor!

Ji Yunshu stared at him and asked, “How did the investigation go?”

Shi Ziran drank a full five cups of water before finally catching his breath.

He said, “Following your instructions, I’ve practically run all over the capital, and even secretly went to the Wenlai Pavilion to find the place you mentioned. Sure enough, everything you said was correct. Zhao Zhiwen’s death… is highly suspicious.”

Highly suspicious!

…

Chief Justice Yu was anxiously waiting in the hall.

Jingrong strode forward, his cold brow slightly furrowed, drawn toward the center, knowing this wouldn’t be good news.

Seeing him arrive, Chief Justice Yu quickly bowed and greeted, “Greetings to Your Highness.”

“Skip the formalities.” Jingrong waved his sleeve, “dismissing” his courtesy, and immediately asked, “What exactly is the matter?”

“The Ministry of Justice has finished interrogating this case, and the culprit has confessed and signed the testimony, but there’s just…” He hesitated.

Jingrong’s eyes turned stern: “Speak.”

Chief Justice Yu said, “The criminal did confess to the crimes, but she only admitted to killing Jiao Shiniang and Xing Xiyang. No matter what, she refuses to admit to killing Zhao Zhiwen, saying the murderer… is someone else.”

Someone else?

Jingrong was both surprised and puzzled: “Zhao Zhiwen wasn’t killed by her?”

“This official has confirmed with the Ministry of Justice repeatedly. No matter how they interrogated her, Mujin consistently refuses to admit that she killed Zhao Zhiwen. However…”

“However what?”

Big brother, leaving your sentences half-finished will shorten your lifespan!

Chief Justice Yu: “When the Ministry of Justice was interrogating her, Mujin said that Lord Ji knows who the murderer of Zhao Zhiwen is, and told us… to ask Lord Ji.”

Jingrong’s brow furrowed even deeper!

Yunshu knows?

Just as he was puzzling over this in his mind, suddenly—

Ji Yunshu’s voice came from outside: “Zhao Zhiwen was indeed not killed by her.”

Hearing the voice, he looked over to see Ji Yunshu walking in, supported by Zhulan.

Behind her followed Shi Ziran!

That fellow Shi Ziran hadn’t been seen for many days, and now he finally appeared.

Jingrong looked at Ji Yunshu’s calm face and asked, “Why do you say that?”

“Actually, I’ve had my suspicions for a while now. So the night before the Commerce Festival, I asked Ziran to help me investigate some matters. Now I’m even more certain—the murderer who killed Zhao Zhiwen was not Mujin.”

Absolutely certain!

…

Wenlai Pavilion.

Liu Zhinan had just returned from handling Commerce Festival matters when, at the corner of the corridor, he overheard two servants discussing something. He hid nearby and listened.

“Did you hear? The murderer has been caught.”

“Really?”

“My uncle’s nephew’s distant aunt’s brother works at the Ministry of Justice. I just ran into him on the street, and he told me personally. He said there was a public trial at the Ministry of Justice hall. Turns out the murderer is a woman. Yesterday she nearly pushed Lord Ji into the lake and drowned him. Fortunately, Prince Rong and others arrived in time, otherwise… it would have been another life lost.”

The short one shrank back and asked, “Why did the murderer kill people?”

“Said it was for fun.”

“There are such depraved people in this world?” The person’s back went cold.

The sharp-faced servant lowered his voice again and said, “But he also told me… the murderer refuses to admit to killing President Zhao no matter what. She only says she killed Jiao Shiniang and President Xing, and even says… Lord Ji knows who killed President Zhao. Now… they’ve probably already gone to find Mr. Ji. The identity of the murderer will surely be known soon.”

Huh?

The other person looked astonished, “According to what you’re saying, there really is a second murderer?”

“It’s possible!”

“I hope Lord Ji quickly arrests the second murderer. He absolutely mustn’t harm anyone else!”

…

Liu Zhinan heard every word of their conversation.

His expression grew tense as he leaned against the wall, his hands wringing together, sweating.

He immediately returned to his room!

After he left, those two servants glanced in the direction Liu Zhinan had been standing and secretly smiled.

As if they had just performed a good act.

After Liu Zhinan hurried back to his room, he summoned his man and instructed, “Immediately prepare a carriage and bring it to the back door. I need to leave the capital to handle some business.”

The man was quite surprised, “Leave the capital? But Master, the Commerce Festival isn’t over yet. Besides, it’s getting dark. Perhaps…”

“Just go and prepare like I told you.” He let out a low growl.

This outburst stunned the man for a moment.

But he quickly went to prepare the carriage.

Liu Zhinan also hurriedly began packing his things, though he didn’t take much—only money and some valuable small jade pendants and such items.

Once packed, he carried the small chest out of the courtyard and, taking advantage of the darkness, avoided people and went to the back door. The carriage was already waiting at the entrance.

Just as he was about to board, someone called out to him.

“President Liu? Where are you going?”

The speaker was Luo Mingyang.

Liu Zhinan’s heart tightened, inevitably showing a panicked expression. He immediately had the coachman lift the small chest onto the carriage, then said, “Going out to handle some business.”

“It’s already dark. Haven’t all the Commerce Festival matters already been taken care of?”

“It’s something else. I suddenly remembered a relative in the capital, so I’m going to visit them.”

Though Luo Mingyang was an honest man, his mind was quite sharp. This Liu Zhinan had always been a cunning person. Going out to visit relatives after dark, and leaving through the back door no less—who would believe that?

But in the end, he didn’t press further. “Then I won’t delay you.”

So Liu Zhinan boarded the carriage and headed straight for the city gate.