It was already deep into the night, and Su Ziluo’s room remained lit, still awake.

He had Qi’er prepare a pot of hot tea and poured two cups, pushing one across to the seat opposite him. Sitting across from him was a man wearing half a mask, his expression cold and stern, revealing not the slightest trace of human warmth or emotion. Those unfathomably deep eyes were filled with thoughts, making it impossible for anyone to guess what lay within. Such a person, cold as ice, yet also carried a sense of lonely desolation.

This person was none other than Jingrong!

Su Ziluo sipped his tea while asking, “How did it go?”

Jingrong lifted his eyes, his tone cold as he said, “Right now the manor is in chaos. Everyone is searching for the heir, which is precisely the best opportunity for us to make our move. However, the Wen family brothers are very cautious—the area outside their courtyard is filled with their own people, making it impossible to get close.”

“That makes sense. We’ve already alerted them earlier, so it’s only natural they’d be on guard.”

“Do you know that the Wen family brothers were also ambushed on their way back to the capital?”

Su Ziluo’s hand holding the teacup paused slightly. “What?”

Jingrong told him, “All the men I sent died in the Nansai Desert. After that, I rushed back to the capital all the way and didn’t send anyone else to pursue the Wen brothers. But when they took the water route by boat, they encountered another group of black-clad men. However, those people were not sent by me.”

Su Ziluo’s expression grew serious. “Have you investigated?”

“Those people all died on the boat—not a single survivor! Afterward, I sent people to examine their corpses. The bodies bore no identifying marks and carried no objects. There’s no way to determine who sent them.”

“So you’re saying we’re not the only ones who want the Wen brothers dead? Someone else is in the same boat as us.”

Jingrong’s expression darkened. After a brief moment of silence, he analyzed, “I’m afraid things aren’t as simple as you think. Although those people share the same target as us, they ultimately aren’t our people. I fear there’s an even larger conspiracy behind this, and it’s not as simple as being in the same boat!”

Su Ziluo understood his meaning. He let out a soft sigh, his brow furrowing slightly as he said, “You’re suggesting that someone wants to use our hands to kill the Wen family? More precisely, someone wants to use this matter to instigate a war between me and the Wen family.”

“Exactly!”

A question settled in Su Ziluo’s heart. He then rolled his wheelchair to the open window, raised his eyes to look at the hazy moon hanging outside, and pondered, “If that’s truly the case, who could it be?”

Jingrong gazed at his back. “I’ll investigate.”

Su Ziluo turned his head to look at him. “Then I’ll leave everything to you!”

In their conversation, they didn’t seem like master and servant!

Jingrong stood up and walked to his side, saying in a meaningful tone, “You saved my life back then. My life belongs to you! It’s only right that I do things for you.”

His tone remained icy cold.

Yet it was full of sincerity.

Su Ziluo looked at him and told him solemnly, “Lichuan, your life doesn’t belong to me—it’s held in your own hands! And whatever debt you owed me has been fully repaid during these three years. Neither of us owes the other anything.”

These words, however, brought a smile to Jingrong’s face. After a moment, he asked Su Ziluo, “May I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Who am I really?”

Uh!

This question—Jingrong had only asked it once before!

That was three years ago when he first woke up!

Su Ziluo’s gaze froze, though his expression remained calm. “Why are you suddenly asking this?”

“You told me that I had studied martial arts with my master on the mountain since childhood. Eight years ago I came down from the mountain, but three years ago I accidentally fell off a cliff. That’s when you saved me, and since then I’ve been following you. In my memory, I only remember what you told me—I have no other memories at all.”

Su Ziluo fell silent.

After a long while—

He finally said, “Your name is Lichuan. You’re a disciple of Master Gaohui from Longshan Temple! As for the rest, I don’t know either!”

If it had been before, Jingrong would have definitely believed him, but now he had some doubts.

Seeing the trace of skepticism flash across his face, Su Ziluo suddenly recalled the woman he had encountered in the corridor earlier. Combined with Jingrong suddenly bringing this up, he vaguely understood something in his heart, though he wasn’t certain. He only told him earnestly, “Lichuan, I’ve said it before—neither of us owes the other anything now. If one day you decide to leave, I definitely won’t keep you. You can go anywhere and do whatever you want.”

Jingrong lowered his eyes, looking at him with his sincere gaze, and said nothing more.

Suddenly—

Someone knocked on the door.

Su Ziluo immediately signaled to Jingrong with a glance.

Jingrong picked up his long sword and left through the window, closing it behind him.

Outside the door, Qi’er said, “Young Master, someone wishes to see you.”

“Come in.”

Qi’er pushed the door open and entered, with someone following behind her!

That person was none other than Li Shiyan, soaking wet from head to toe!

Li Shiyan had completely shed his former elegant young gentleman appearance. At this moment, he was in a wretched state—stubble had grown on his face, his hair was disheveled and dirty, without a trace of noble bearing. He stood there clutching his arms, shivering violently.

This appearance was something Su Ziluo had never seen before!

Li Shiyan’s weary, sunken eyes looked at Su Ziluo with hope filling them as he called out in a hoarse voice, “Ziluo.”

Su Ziluo immediately instructed Qi’er, “Go outside and keep watch. Don’t let anyone come in.”

“Understood.”

Qi’er went out, closed the door, and stood guard outside.

Su Ziluo immediately took a cloak hanging on the folding screen and draped it over Li Shiyan, urging him to sit down quickly. He asked with concern, “Heir, how did you end up in this state?”

Li Shiyan wrapped himself in the cloak, but his body still trembled violently. He furrowed his brow, all the terror in his heart covering his forehead as he said, “Ziluo, you must save me!”

“What exactly happened last night?” Su Ziluo asked.

Li Shiyan said nervously, “I… I killed someone!”

“So Wang Huai was really killed by you?”

Li Shiyan nodded, then shook his head.

Su Ziluo was confused. “Explain it clearly.”

“Yesterday… I was humiliated by Wang Huai. I couldn’t swallow that anger in my heart, so I wanted to go find Wang Huai. But when I was halfway there, I saw him. I discovered he had gone behind the artificial mountain, so I followed him. Then he appeared from behind me and verbally humiliated me again. I was so angry… I pushed him. His head hit a rock, and then I left. After that… I realized my jade pendant was missing, so I went back. But then I saw… I saw Wang Huai lying on the ground. I went up to check and found he was already dead. I was very nervous at the time, so I didn’t look for my jade pendant anymore. I… left quickly. But I never expected that when I came out, I would run into someone. That person saw my hands and clothes covered in blood. Ziluo, I really killed someone!” Li Shiyan’s voice trembled violently.

Su Ziluo gripped his arm. “Explain the details clearly to me.”

“…”

“Heir, this involves a human life. You must explain everything you know clearly.”

Li Shiyan calmed down and recalled, “I… I just pushed him once. At the time, he was completely fine and even argued with me for a bit. But… I don’t know why when I went back, he was dead. It was very dark around, I just saw him lying in a pool of blood. After I knew he was dead, I left.”

“You said that at the time you saw Wang Huai go behind the artificial mountain, so you followed him?”

“Yes.”

“Did you see anyone else?”

Li Shiyan shook his head. “I didn’t see anyone else, and it was very dark behind the artificial mountain. I really didn’t see.”

Su Ziluo sighed and told him, “We found Wang Huai’s body in an abandoned small courtyard in the back yard. Moreover, the flesh on the body had been completely gnawed clean by several dogs. The body’s clothes and shoes were all gone too.”

Hm?

Li Shiyan was shocked. “How could this be? When I left, his body was behind the artificial mountain. How could it have ended up in the back yard? And… I didn’t remove his clothes either. Ziluo, in any case, you must believe me.”

“You and I grew up together. Of course I know what kind of person you are. If you said you accidentally killed someone, I would believe it. But based on what you’ve said, combined with the unusual state of Wang Huai’s body, it indicates that someone may have used your hands to kill Wang Huai.”

“Who could it be?”

“Right now the most important thing is to clear you of suspicion. Currently everyone believes you killed Wang Huai. There’s witness testimony and physical evidence, and you fled to avoid punishment, making you even more suspicious! So if there isn’t sufficient evidence to prove your innocence, I’m afraid the Court of Judicial Review will have to proceed with the case as usual.”