The old coroner continued asking: “Then do you know who the deceased is?”

Ji Yinshu put down the skull in her hands, carefully wrapping it with the white cloth.

She removed the gloves from her hands.

She said to the old coroner: “I don’t know yet! I need three days’ time before I can paint the deceased’s appearance. At that time, naturally we can determine the deceased’s identity based on the portrait.”

“You can truly reconstruct faces from bones?”

“It’s not so miraculous. I’ve merely studied some things about skeletal structure and life’s pulse, and can piece together the bone fragments on the deceased’s skull one by one to compose a portrait. However, the deceased has been dead for three years, and moreover drowned, so the portrait will need at least three days to complete.”

“You can truly paint the deceased’s appearance from life?” The old coroner asked again.

Ji Yinshu nodded affirmatively: “Yes!”

The old coroner was shocked.

For a moment, he couldn’t speak.

Li Cheng suddenly laughed and said to the old coroner: “I already told you before, you old fellow just wouldn’t believe it. When the portrait comes out, remember to honor what you said.”

The old coroner: “…”

Sigh!

Ji Yinshu had no time to concern herself with what promise they were discussing. Instead, holding the skull, she said to Li Cheng: “Young Master Cheng, I’ll take this skull back with me first. I also need some clay. Please trouble someone to deliver it. In three days, the portrait will be ready.”

“Good!” Li Cheng agreed, then said to the people present, “Listen up, from this moment on, Master Ji represents me. Her words are my words. Whatever she instructs you to do, you must comply. Understand?”

“Yes!”

Everyone acknowledged the order.

Ji Yinshu then stepped out of the morgue, saying as she went: “Then I’ll be leaving first.”

Li Cheng was about to follow her.

She turned back and said seriously: “Also, I don’t like being disturbed, so please, Young Master Cheng, don’t come disturb me these few days.”

Li Cheng was embarrassed.

But he still agreed.

So she carried the skull and returned with Jingrong!

Not long after returning, Li Cheng sent someone to deliver a huge pile of clay.

She was immediately embarrassed!

She didn’t need nearly this much. She didn’t even know where to put the excess!

Speechless.

After that day, Jingrong didn’t disturb her either, but continued searching for people in Gaoding City with Bai Yin.

If they could find them quickly, they wouldn’t need to continue dealing with Li Cheng.

The next day, it snowed.

Snowflakes fell in profusion. All of Gaoding was dyed white overnight.

When Ji Yinshu rested, she opened the window.

Snowflakes were blown by the wind onto the windowsill and onto her body.

She reached out to catch one.

As soon as it fell into her palm, it immediately melted!

The cold sensation slowly spread from her palm.

She shivered.

She quickly closed the window and returned to the table to continue painting.

But just as she opened the sandalwood box, preparing to take out a fine brush from inside, she discovered that brush was broken!

Probably caused by the repeated jostling along the journey.

But she only had that one fine brush!

If she used a different brush, the lines painted would be different.

Although it wouldn’t have a major impact, she, who was rather obsessive about portraiture, absolutely couldn’t accept it.

So—

She had to go out.

She had to buy a brush.

And outside, it was still snowing.

Snowflakes fell profusely, cold wind blew bleakly.

She took a slightly thicker cloak, put it on, and went out.

Because Jingrong and Bai Yin had gone out to search for people, a guard was left at the door to protect her safety.

Seeing her come out, the guard asked: “Miss Ji, where are you going?”

“I’m going out for a bit, I’ll be back shortly. If Jingrong returns, tell him not to worry.”

“That won’t do. The Prince instructed us to protect you well.”

“I’m just going out to buy a brush. I’ll be right back.”

“A brush?” The guard said, “I’ll go buy it for you.”

“Only I know clearly what kind of brush I want. I must go myself. You stay here, so Jingrong won’t worry if he returns and doesn’t see us. Also, help me watch over the things inside.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’ll go quickly and return quickly.”

Before the guard could say more, she had already left.

She had just reached the front courtyard when she saw Song Zhi returning from outside carrying two small charcoal braziers.

“Young Master Song? Where did you go? Why are you carrying braziers?”

Song Zhi hunched his neck and said: “I saw how cold it was, so I went out to buy braziers for you all to put in the rooms.”

“Thank you for the trouble.”

Song Zhi asked her again, “So where are you going?”

She said, “I’m going out to buy something.”

“Buy what?”

“A brush!”

Song Zhi thought for a moment: “The road is slippery. I’ll go with you.”

“No need, I can go myself. You should hurry and install the braziers.”

As Ji Yinshu spoke, she had already stepped away.

Song Zhi also hurried to install the braziers.

The small alley was filled with snow, but early this morning, Song Zhi had taken a shovel and shoveled the snow to both sides, clearing a path.

It was much easier to walk.

But because the snow was falling heavily, that path was quickly covered with another layer of heavy snow.

Ji Yinshu held up an umbrella, stepping through the snow step by step out of the alley.

That day when she went out, she had seen a brush and ink studio along the road.

So relying on her memory, she found that place.

That brush and ink studio was located in a not very conspicuous spot, but inside it looked very large. Looking from outside in, one could see many various kinds of brushes.

She walked to the doorway and closed her umbrella.

She shook it several times!

She placed it against a pillar by the entrance.

Just as she was stepping inside—

A child ran out from within.

And collided right into her.

When the child bumped into her, his small body stumbled back a few steps, then lost balance and sat down on the ground with a thud.

A muffled sound!

Ji Yinshu was startled. When she came to her senses, she immediately lifted the child up from the ground.

“Are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere?”

The child didn’t feel any pain at all. He was still clutching a wooden horse in his hands. He raised his small head and looked at her with watery eyes.

He shook his head and said: “It doesn’t hurt.”

His voice was very firm.

The little fellow’s appearance was extremely adorable.

Ji Yinshu crouched in front of him, patted his head, and said: “You’re so brave!”

The child said: “Father said that a true man, even if he falls, cannot cry. He must stand up. Only then is he a good child.”

Ji Yinshu smiled gently: “Your father is right. A true man cannot cry.”

“Mm.” The child nodded emphatically.

Ji Yinshu looked around inside, but there was no one—even the shopkeeper wasn’t there. So she asked the child, “Where is your father?”

“My father is inside, talking with uncle.”

“I see.”

“Big brother, are you here to buy a brush?”

“That’s right.”

“I’m also here to buy a brush. Father promised me that if I behave well, he’ll buy me the very best brush.”

So this child wasn’t the shopkeeper’s son after all!

At that moment—

A voice came from behind the curtain inside. “A’Mo!”