Song Zhi wanted to help.

He looked at Jingrong with eager expectation.

But aside from writing poetry and plays, he was utterly useless at everything else!

What help could he possibly offer?

And he was so frail and weak besides!

Of course, Jingrong would never say this so directly, only remarking: “In this matter, you probably cannot help.”

“As long as Song can help even a little, that would still be helping.”

“You should just go back.”

“I…”

Jingrong then stood up and headed upstairs.

Song Zhi had wanted to follow a few steps, but Bai Yin stood before him like a wall, his face clearly conveying the two characters “stop here.”

For some reason, Song Zhi was somewhat afraid of him.

He couldn’t help but press his lips together, his footsteps halting in the distance, only able to watch Jingrong’s retreating figure as he ascended the stairs.

As Jingrong reached Ji Yinshu’s door, it opened.

Having rested all morning, Ji Yinshu’s complexion was rosy and her spirits much improved.

It was as if she knew he had come to knock on her door.

“All done?” she asked.

Jingrong’s lips curved into a slight smile, carrying a hint of small pride, as he handed her what Bai Yin had given him: “When have I ever disappointed you?”

Oh my!

Look at you being so pleased with yourself.

A smile slowly spread across Ji Yinshu’s crimson lips as she took the item.

It was a booklet!

It recorded certain things.

She took it and entered the room.

Jingrong also followed her in during the afternoon.

She concentrated on reading!

He simply sat to one side quietly drinking tea, not disturbing her.

About two cups of tea’s worth of time passed.

Ji Yinshu finished reading, then handed it to Jingrong: “You should look at it too.”

Now it was his turn to read attentively.

She drank tea on the side, making no interruption.

After Jingrong finished reading, he gently closed it, his expression tightening as he uttered a sentence: “It seems there truly is much hidden significance within this.”

Ji Yinshu said: “More than just hidden significance? This is also a tragic love story.”

Jingrong sighed and nodded.

What exactly was written in there?

Why would it elicit such sentiments from the two of them?

A moment later.

Ji Yinshu asked: “What about the other thing I requested?”

Jingrong: “Already taken care of.”

“Then let’s go.”

Just as she was about to leave, Jingrong stood up and grasped her hand, asking with concern: “There’s no rush, you can rest a while longer.”

“I’m not that fragile.”

“You misunderstand my meaning.”

“Hm?”

Jingrong tightly held her hand, his originally cold and stern eyes becoming heavier, carrying a trace of worry as he said earnestly, “I know it’s impossible to ask you to set aside this case and not worry about it, but do you realize that the more you stand out conspicuously, the more worried I become?”

With this said, Ji Yinshu understood as well.

She possessed a charisma different from others!

Skills like reconstructing faces from bones and drawing portraits were enough to attract many people’s attention, but they had come to Huyi to keep a low profile. The more capable Ji Yinshu proved to be, the more difficult their circumstances would become.

Ji Yinshu said: “I don’t understand what you’re saying at all. Don’t worry, once this case is finished, we’ll leave Yiwu immediately.”

This served as a reassurance for Jingrong.

Thus, the two of them went downstairs.

Downstairs, Song Zhi was still there.

He looked at them eagerly as they descended.

Then he approached, bowing to Ji Yinshu: “Young Master Ji.”

Ji Yinshu was not at all surprised by his presence here, saying: “Young Master Song has already been cleared of guilt, why have you come here?”

“I wanted to express my thanks to you.”

“Since the day we met, you’ve been constantly thanking us. There’s really no need to be so polite.”

“It’s necessary, it’s necessary. Song knows he has no way to repay you, but I only wish to do what I can to show my gratitude. If there’s anything I can help with, I will go through fire and water.”

“Actually, even if you hadn’t come, I was planning to find you.”

“Hm?”

What did this mean?

Ji Yinshu didn’t intend to explain too clearly: “We just happen to be going out. Young Master Song should come along too. We’ll talk about it later.”

“Excellent!” Song Zhi was very pleased that he could be of help.

Jingrong also no longer continued to obstruct Song Zhi.

The group then left the inn.

Once outside, Song Zhi curiously asked: “Where are we going now?”

“Yi Zhuang!”

Yi Zhuang?

Wasn’t that the place where dead bodies were kept?

What were they going there for?

He didn’t dare ask too many questions, only able to follow along.

Upon reaching Yi Zhuang.

Ji Yinshu, Jingrong, and Bai Yin went inside.

Song Zhi however paused at the entrance.

Only then did he follow.

Inside the building, all four of Jingrong’s guards were present.

“Young master, it has already been dug up.”

Dug up?

What had been dug up?

Looking over, he saw a large table with skeletal remains laid out on it.

Freshly excavated!

The soil clinging to it was still fresh.

Ji Yinshu turned to Bai Yin: “Are you certain these are Shui Yan’s skeletal remains?”

Bai Yin confirmed: “Indeed, there is no mistake.”

These skeletal remains belonged to Shui Yan?

Wang Jun’s wife!

Who had fallen ill five years ago!

But—

Why had Ji Yinshu dug up her skeletal remains?

She had already put on prepared gloves, planning to examine the skeleton.

Jingrong then instructed everyone to leave and not disturb them inside.

Although Song Zhi really wanted to help, facing those white bones, he was at a complete loss, only able to wait outside with everyone else.

He wondered: What help did Young Master Ji want from me?

He kept pondering this.

At this moment, Jingrong stood in the courtyard with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed on the tall tree at the entrance to Yi Zhuang.

A gentle breeze passed through, leaves falling one after another.

Winter had arrived!

The air carried a chill. He lowered his eyes slightly, his expression cold and detached.

This scene, this moment, in a foreign land, inevitably stirred some emotions.

But that gradually rising sentiment was expertly suppressed by him, as he quietly awaited Ji Yinshu’s autopsy results.

Bai Yin stood with arms crossed, leaning against a pillar to one side.

Unsmiling and stern!

Those guards also stood obediently at the entrance.

No one spoke!

Song Zhi glanced inside, just in time to see Ji Yinshu examining those skeletal remains.

Extremely focused!

His heart trembled, and he immediately withdrew his gaze. Yet he was still filled with curiosity. That Young Master Ji had such fair and delicate features, didn’t seem like someone in business, much less someone who wandered the martial world. Clearly possessing a scholarly aura, yet he was quite knowledgeable about dead bodies and skeletal remains. What exactly had he done before? How could he reconstruct faces from bones and draw portraits from just skeletal remains alone? Such abilities far surpassed those bone doctors and portrait artists.

He certainly was no ordinary person!

Although he was full of questions, he was not one to pry.

So he didn’t ask!

Inside.

Ji Yinshu was carefully and meticulously observing the “freshly unearthed” skeletal remains on the table.

The deceased’s time of death was five years ago, age approximately in her early twenties, indeed Wang Jun’s wife Shui Yan.

From all the characteristics on the white bones, it was not poisoning!

She lifted up the skull, which was covered with much wet mud.

Her pair of white gloves immediately became filthy and dirty. After conducting a series of examinations, she discovered that one of the skeleton’s ribs showed obvious contusion damage, not caused by being struck with a heavy object, but rather appearing as if someone had forcefully pushed with a palm, causing the injury. On the occipital bone at the back of the skull, there was a circular crack, evidence of having been struck and compressed by something, and with considerable force. This was most likely the direct cause of Shui Yan’s death!