Li Cheng’s brow furrowed high, his face showing a solemn expression!

He looked harshly at the dumbstruck Miss Lian: “Are you satisfied now?”

“I…”

“A woman like you is truly beyond saving.”

“I…” She was at a loss for words several times.

Li Cheng had already walked to Jingrong’s side. Looking at his bleeding palm, he turned and called over the teahouse attendant, ordering: “Quickly go get the medicine box.”

The attendant was also frightened.

Looking at the blood on the ground, he nodded repeatedly and hurriedly fetched the medicine box.

Ji Yunshu carefully applied medicine and bandaged Jingrong’s wound.

Fortunately, she had hemostatic medicine on her. She quickly stopped the bleeding from Jingrong’s palm.

Miss Lian stood frozen in place for quite a while before looking at Jingrong with extreme guilt, apologizing: “Young Master, I didn’t mean it. Just now I…”

Jingrong glanced at her: “It’s a minor injury. Just please don’t make any more trouble, Miss.”

“Mm.” She nodded obediently.

How would she dare make more trouble!

If word got out, she would truly become Gaoding’s laughingstock.

The battle ceased!

The teahouse’s second floor returned to calm once more.

Only the fresh blood splattered on the ground appeared particularly striking.

Forming a vivid contrast with the vast whiteness of the heavy snow outside.

Zhao’er watched from the side, extremely worried.

The tears in her eyes swirling even more intensely.

But seeing Jingrong’s hand already bandaged, her worries lessened somewhat.

She asked with concern: “Big Brother Jing, are you alright? You should still go see a physician.”

Jingrong: “It’s no hindrance.”

“But what if…”

“Miss Zhao’er need not worry.”

She misspoke.

Her hands merely wrung tightly together.

This woman’s feelings were clear as day to bystanders.

Li Cheng suddenly asked her: “Little Zhao’er, what are you all doing here?”

Zhao’er said: “Donating books!”

“Donating books? What books?”

“Every year at this time, many people in Gaoding donate books they don’t need anymore, or old books.”

“Donate them where?”

“The Literary Society.” Zhao’er said.

Mm?

Hearing this, Ji Yunshu and Jingrong exchanged glances.

Ji Yunshu asked: “How do you donate books to the Literary Society?”

Zhao’er answered: “Just put the books in boxes, then carry them to the Literary Society.”

Boxes!

A sudden realization!

Ji Yunshu had found a clue.

So—

Li Cheng also reacted: “Oh! I understand.”

Miss Lian glared at him: “Hmph!”

Jingrong accordingly stood up, saying: “Let’s go!”

To the Literary Society.

Ji Yunshu worried: “But your hand…”

“It’s fine. The case is more important.”

Thus, several people hurriedly left the teahouse.

Miss Lian couldn’t make more trouble either, thinking she’d find Li Cheng to cause problems later.

But Zhao’er walked to the second floor railing, looking down from above at the street below. She watched their group’s departing backs, loss flowing through her gaze.

Her thoughts were all seen by those several young ladies.

One said: “Our little Zhao’er’s heart is stirring for the first time!”

What a fresh way to put it.

Zhao’er withdrew her gaze, lowering her head: “No such thing.”

“We all saw your thoughts. Why hide them?”

“I didn’t.”

A woman in red also reminded her: “But Zhao’er, that young master is indeed handsome, it’s just…”

Trailing off.

Zhao’er: “Just what?”

“Didn’t you notice just now that Young Master Jing and that gray-clothed young master beside him have an unusual relationship? The two… seem extraordinary.”

Extraordinary!

Put plainly, the preference for men!

Zhao’er felt like she had a bone stuck in her throat.

She wasn’t a fool—naturally she saw it.

When Jingrong had pushed away her hand earlier and instead had that Young Master Ji bandage his wound, she had already realized.

Previously outside the morgue at the City Department, Jingrong had actually already made his attitude clear and hinted to her. But even grasping at a thread of hope, she still wasn’t willing to let go.

But Miss Lian immediately said: “Don’t talk nonsense. I don’t think that Jing fellow is like what you’re saying at all.” She comforted Zhao’er, “Don’t overthink it.”

Zhao’er nodded.

“Besides, the men in this world need to be carefully selected. Don’t misjudge them.”

“You’re talking about yourself.” Someone said.

Miss Lian huffed.

Then she picked up her hairpin that had fallen to the ground, and went to pull out the golden hairpin Jingrong had stabbed into the table. Helplessly, her strength wasn’t enough.

She could only give up.

…

Ji Yunshu and Jingrong’s group braved the heavy snow all the way to the Literary Society.

On the road.

Jingrong quietly said a few words to Lang Bo: “This is Huyi after all. Don’t draw swords and weapons at the drop of a hat.”

“This subordinate understands. Just now seeing Your Highness injured, I couldn’t help myself for a moment. I’ll remember next time.”

“Mm!”

Lang Bo also felt some regret!

If Li Cheng hadn’t grabbed him earlier and the prince hadn’t called out to him, he might have already struck.

Fortunately he stopped in time!

Otherwise who knows what chaos the scene would have become!

Upon reaching the Literary Society, Li Cheng immediately summoned the person in charge, Official Xiao He.

“Lord Li, what is this about?”

Li Cheng glanced at Ji Yunshu, indicating she should ask.

Ji Yunshu then asked: “I want to know—is it true that every year at this time, many people donate books here?”

“That’s right. Many officials and wealthy young masters in the city donate many books to the Literary Society, which are then distributed one by one to scholars in need. It’s like this every year before the imperial examinations.”

“Then, do you remember—on the night Du Mubai was killed that year, did anyone carry boxes containing books here?”

“This…”

“No?”

Official Xiao He said: “It’s not that there weren’t any. It’s just I’d need to check the records to know.”

Ji Yunshu: “Could you check in the shortest time possible?”

“Yes, I’ll check now.”

Everyone waited in the hall.

Official Xiao He’s work efficiency wasn’t low either. After about two cups of tea’s time, he found it.

He held a record book, handing it to Ji Yunshu: “It’s right here.”

Ji Yunshu took it.

Looking at it, there were clear dates and times recorded.

As well as how many books were donated.

What could be confirmed was that on the very night Du Mubai was killed, someone had indeed carried several large boxes of books to the Literary Society.

Ji Yunshu asked: “Can you find out who donated them?”

Official Xiao He shook his head: “That I don’t know!”

“Why not?”

“Many people donate books anonymously. Moreover, they’re all old books they don’t read anymore, so they don’t bother putting their names on them.”

“Then are those books still here?”

“They’ve all been distributed.”

Ji Yunshu asked again: “Then do you remember whether one of those boxes carried in at the time was empty?”

“Empty?” Official Xiao He shook his head, then his eyes lit up as he said, “However, there was one large box that wasn’t full of books—it only had a few. I figured there just weren’t enough books, nothing unusual. But… why are you asking about this? Does it relate to Du Mubai’s case?”

Ji Yunshu closed the record book in her hands and said: “I think… it is related! This might be how the killer transported Du Mubai inside.”