City Bureau Prison.

Ji Yunshu had previously received the token Li Cheng gave her.

With this token, she could move freely anywhere within the City Bureau.

The prison was no exception!

The jailers guarding the prison also recognized her.

Seeing her arrive, they politely called out: “Mr. Ji.”

Ji Yunshu said: “We want to go in to see Fang Tong and Jiang Wen.”

“Alright, follow me.”

As they were about to enter, Jingrong turned to instruct Lang Bo: “You and Bai Yin wait outside.”

“Yes!”

They remained outside to wait!

Just upon entering the prison, they were met with a wave of damp odor.

As soon as it hit their nostrils, it made one feel nauseous and unpleasant.

Prisons everywhere in the world were the same!

Ji Yunshu and Jingrong followed the jailer inside, finally stopping outside the cell holding Fang Tong and Jiang Wen.

The two sat inside hugging their knees, their clothes filthy and dirty, even their hair disheveled and messy.

Clearly they were not faring well in here!

Inside, Bingzheng was not imprisoned.

Bingzheng, as the mastermind behind falsely accusing Du Mubai of plagiarizing poetry, had been sentenced to five years in prison.

Now, he was locked in the Ministry of Justice’s prison!

When the two curled up inside saw who had come, they immediately got up and rushed to the wooden bars.

Eyes wide, they desperately said: “Let us out! We didn’t kill anyone.”

Their voices tore through the narrow and sealed prison cell.

Making one feel it was quite grating.

The jailer glared at them fiercely, then used the large knife in his hand to heavily strike the wooden bars twice.

“Behave yourselves!”

“We really didn’t kill anyone, we’re wrongly accused!”

“Stop shouting! The case is still under investigation. Whether you’re wrongly accused or not is still unknown. If you keep yelling, I’ll let you taste the whip’s power.”

He threatened!

And just after he finished speaking, Jingrong’s eyes turned cold: “Is this how the City Bureau treats suspects?”

Extremely sarcastic!

“…This!” The jailer was at a loss for words and quickly changed his expression, saying, “Misunderstanding, misunderstanding. I was just casually frightening them. Of course I wouldn’t really make them suffer the whip.”

“Enough, you have no business here anymore.”

“Alright, alright, then I’ll go out first. If you two need anything, just call me.” The jailer withdrew.

Ji Yunshu looked at the two men before her with stubbled faces—where was even half a trace of scholarly bearing left?

Fang Tong and Jiang Wen also looked pitifully at the people before them.

Regarding them as their saviors.

Fang Tong frowned, tears in his eyes, his tone innocent as he said: “I know you suspect that Jiang Wen and I killed Du Mubai, which is why you locked us in here. But we would never kill anyone. That sort of thing is not something we could do.”

Heh.

But Ji Yunshu said indifferently: “Since you could band together to falsely accuse him of plagiarizing poetry, how could you not do something like murder?”

“Nonsense! We really didn’t.” Jiang Wen was so agitated he forcefully struck the wooden bars before him. “We were indeed jealous that he was chosen by the Marquis of Pingyang and entered the residence as a student. But at that time, after he was driven out of the Marquis of Pingyang’s residence, he already had nothing left. Moreover, his reputation was ruined and everyone looked down on him! Since that was the case, why would we kill him? And we also said that on the night Du Mubai was killed back then, we were browsing at the bookstore! The bookstore owner can testify for us. If you don’t believe it! You can go ask and find out.”

Ji Yunshu: “This point will naturally be verified by someone.”

“Then after it’s verified, can you release us?”

“We’ll see.”

“Why?”

“If the case isn’t thoroughly investigated, there will be complications.”

“…” Fang Tong and Jiang Wen truly had nothing to say. How could they have imagined that falsely accusing Du Mubai of plagiarizing poetry back then would now bring them imprisonment? Not only that, but they had also been permanently disqualified from taking the examinations. This blow was a hundred times more terrible than losing years of their lives. They had planned to leave Gaoding last night, not wanting to stay and continue being humiliated. How could they have known that just as they left the city gates, the City Bureau’s guards stopped them and threw them into this damp and disgusting prison cell!

Thinking back now, their actions back then were truly not worth it.

Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret in this world.

“Actually, we came here because we have questions for you.” Ji Yunshu made it clear.

Fang Tong and Jiang Wen exchanged glances: “At this point, we’ve already said everything we should say. What else do you want to ask?”

“You lived under the same roof as Du Mubai. Although your relationship wasn’t good, you still lived together for several months. More or less, you must have some understanding.”

“What do you want to ask?”

“Du Mubai was someone with an aloof personality who knew very few people. Normally, besides the Marquis of Pingyang’s residence and you all, he must have had dealings with other people, right? Do you know?”

Fang Tong suddenly smiled.

“What are you smiling about?”

Fang Tong retreated two steps back, crouched down to sit on the straw, crossing his legs as he said: “Someone like him—who would want to associate with him? Never mind his aloof personality, just talking about his status as a student of the Marquis of Pingyang’s residence, most people couldn’t wait to bring him down. Who would still be willing to deal with him? Besides us, no one was willing to associate with him. Except for…”

Hmm?

He immediately stopped talking, as if the last words couldn’t be said, or he didn’t dare say them.

“Except for who?”

Fang Tong’s expression changed drastically, his gaze involuntarily glancing elsewhere as he said: “No one!”

Obviously abnormal.

Even Jiang Wen’s expression wasn’t good anymore.

Ji Yunshu narrowed her eyes and pressed: “Exactly who? If you don’t say, your suspicion becomes even heavier.”

“…” Fang Tong and Jiang Wen exchanged glances.

“Still won’t say?”

After deliberating and hesitating for a long time, the two still refused to speak.

Jingrong had no patience, nor did he have Ji Yunshu’s good temper.

His gaze ice-cold, he took a step forward, reached out, and grabbed Jiang Wen’s wrist where he still stood at the wooden bars.

He squeezed forcefully!

Full of murderous intent!

“Speak? Or not speak?”

“Ah! It hurts!” Jiang Wen’s entire face twisted in pain. As the force gripping his wrist increased, his body slowly sank downward, crying out as he did: “I really don’t know anything!”

Fang Tong also panicked.

He stood up, but didn’t know how to rescue Jiang Wen.

Jingrong’s eyes were fierce, his fingers adding several degrees more pressure.

“If you still don’t speak, I’ll cripple your hand.”

“I… I’ll speak, I’ll speak!”

“Who?”

“It’s… it’s Xue He.”

Xue He again!

Ji Yunshu had suspected him before.

She just hadn’t gone to question him.

Now it seemed it was time to go ask!

However—

Thinking it over.

Back then, not long after Du Mubai had his student status revoked, Xue He was also stripped of his student status by the Marquis of Pingyang. Someone like that should logically be just as desperate as Du Mubai, so how could he possibly help Du Mubai?

Moreover, the two were in competition!

So, Du Mubai shouldn’t have gone to see him that day!

Therefore, Ji Yunshu dismissed this possibility in her heart.