Jian Xi was conducting a scene reconstruction, recreating the positions and postures of Fang Huai’an, Qi You, and their horses at the moment when Fang Huai’an rode past Qi You. In those positions and postures, if Fang Huai’an had wanted to throw an arrow into Qi You’s quiver, the quiver wouldn’t have been within easy reach, and he would have been blocked by Qi You’s raised arm as he rapidly drew his bow.

That would have been obvious.

And difficult to succeed.

If he had forcibly attempted to throw it, Qi You couldn’t have failed to notice, and those watching from the sidelines couldn’t have missed it either.

Jian Xi didn’t say a single word, but she had explained everything that needed explaining.

However, some people still questioned it.

The Mingquan Academy representative laughed coldly: “Your explanation is based on the positions and postures you demonstrated. But with personnel moving about constantly on the field, changing from moment to moment, even Fang Huai’an and Qi You themselves might not remember their exact positions and movements at that time. How could you, someone watching from the sidelines, remember?”

This reasoning made sense, and many people immediately agreed.

With so many people on the field, it was impossible to remember what posture or position any particular student was in at any given moment.

Jian Xi said: “I do indeed remember…”

The crowd looked skeptical, with someone mocking: “Are you trying to boast about having a photographic memory?”

The female warrior said: “What, just because you can’t do it, you assume others can’t either?”

“Then prove it!”

This couldn’t be proven. Jian Xi hung her head. Suddenly someone said: “I can prove it.”

It was that familiar voice and familiar person. Someone looked at Tie Ci and said: “You can prove everything at every turn—are you from Deer Chasing Academy?”

Tie Ci’s lips curved as she said: “You’ll know soon enough whether I’m from Deer Chasing Academy.” She turned to Jian Xi and said, “Your method of proof was effective, but you only remembered their positions. You didn’t notice the details—like the quiver he was carrying.”

Jian Xi stared at her in amazement.

Tie Ci pointed at Qi You’s back: “Doesn’t anyone see what’s different about his quiver?”

Everyone looked for a while before someone said: “I don’t see anything?”

The female warrior suddenly said: “No, wait—his quiver position is reversed!”

Qi You also realized at this point: “I’m left-handed.”

“So for convenience in drawing arrows, his quiver is positioned opposite to everyone else’s,” Tie Ci said.

A moment of silence fell.

Jian Xi’s face turned pale.

After a long pause, someone said: “So the earlier speculation…”

“Miss Jian correctly identified their positions, but she didn’t notice Qi You’s quiver position. With Qi You’s quiver in the reversed position, it would be very easy for Fang Huai’an to throw an arrow into the quiver from that position, without needing to raise his arm.”

That meant he wouldn’t have been blocked, and Jian Xi’s previous reasoning was completely overturned.

The Mingquan Academy representative was quick-tempered and immediately shouted: “What are we still babbling about? Take him away for interrogation!”

Fang Huai’an seemed to want to say something, but a crowd of people had already surged forward.

“Wait.”

Everyone had lost their patience.

The Mingquan Academy representative turned back and said irritably: “What now!”

Tie Ci smiled pleasantly and pointed at Fang Huai’an: “Brother Fang seems to have something to say.”

Fang Huai’an hesitated to speak.

Tie Ci said: “What, you’re suffering injustice but don’t even have the courage to defend yourself?”

Fang Huai’an was silent for a moment before saying: “Actually, I’m also left-handed.”

Everyone was stunned.

They looked at his back.

Someone couldn’t help but say: “Even a drowning man grasping for wood can’t just lie so blatantly. Isn’t your quiver in the normal position?”

Fang Huai’an closed his eyes and said: “My quiver position was adjusted earlier. It wasn’t like this on the field—it was in the opposite position. That’s why I felt drawing arrows was particularly smooth today, though I didn’t pay attention at the time…”

Fang Huai’an was also left-handed, but afraid of causing trouble for his companions, he had always worked hard to adjust, using his right hand in daily life even though his left hand was actually more fluid. Earlier on the field, he had felt drawing arrows was particularly smooth, but in the tense, intense atmosphere, he hadn’t noticed his quiver’s position at all.

If his quiver had also been switched like Qi You’s, then Jian Xi’s reasoning could stand again.

“Who switched your quiver position? Why would anyone switch it for no reason?”

Fang Huai’an’s expression became even more troubled, with hints of pain. After a long while, he said: “When the incident happened earlier, I wanted to come over, but my servant stopped me, saying he’d help remove my quiver, so I let him. Afterward, he said it would be better to put it back on, in case the competition wasn’t completely over. I was anxious to come see the situation and didn’t want to discuss it further with him, so I put it back on without noticing that when I put it on again, the position had been switched…”

Someone laughed: “This story sounds familiar.”

“Right, when the master is at fault, the servant takes the blame.”

“Where is this servant? I suppose he’s nowhere to be found, having fled in fear of punishment?”

“More likely he’s buried somewhere unknown—after all, dead men tell no tales, right?”

Discussion buzzed as Fang Huai’an’s face turned ashen, his lips pressed tight.

It was the expected reaction.

He knew no one would believe him; they would only think it was his excuse.

Even his fellow students from Deer Chasing Academy looked doubtful, since they had only ever seen him use his right hand in daily life.

They all thought he was desperate enough to lie about being left-handed.

The Mingquan Academy representative said once again: “Complete nonsense! Someone—”

“Wait—”

The Mingquan Academy representative exploded: “Are you never going to stop!”

“Never.” Tie Ci said, turning to look into the distance: “I’ll count to three and show you a magic trick. One, two, three… fall!”

Before she finished speaking, there was a thud.

Fang Huai’an suddenly collapsed to the ground.

People cried out in alarm and rushed forward in a swarm. After a moment, someone shouted: “He’s been poisoned!”

“How could he be poisoned out of nowhere!”

“Did he take poison out of guilt?”

The crowd gathered densely, everyone’s expressions filled with panic. Today’s events had reversed constantly, turning everyone’s minds to mush.

Instinctively, they looked at Tie Ci to see how this suddenly appearing masked person would explain it. Someone said sternly: “How did you know he would be poisoned? Could it be that you…”

Tie Ci suddenly waved toward the front.

Everyone turned to see a tall, slender man approaching in the sunlight.

He also wore a loosely fitted mask, but his bearing alone brought to mind beautiful phrases like “glorious as autumn chrysanthemums, flourishing as spring pines.”

Even his robes seemed to carry fragrance in the autumn wind.

The crowd fell silent for a moment.

Murong Yi walked toward Tie Ci. Tie Ci looked momentarily surprised: “Didn’t catch him?”

Murong Yi said simply: “Someone provided assistance.”

Tie Ci frowned.

Although Murong Yi had been a bit slow when he gave chase, for the opponent to escape with assistance while being pursued by Murong Yi meant there was more than one person hidden in the shadows—a considerable force.

Just what kind of people had infiltrated Leaping Carp Academy? Since ill-intentioned people had infiltrated, why didn’t they make a move against her?

Tie Ci felt a vague unease.

She turned to the confused crowd around them and explained: “We were watching the field the entire time. The moment the incident occurred, we kept our eyes on the students present and noticed the suspicious behavior of Fang Huai’an’s servant helping him switch his quiver. Sure enough, we soon discovered him quietly slipping away, so we gave chase, though we didn’t catch him.”

Her explanation essentially vouched for Fang Huai’an’s defense. The Deer Chasing Academy people breathed a sigh of relief, but more people were dissatisfied. Someone immediately said: “You’re not some prophetic figures—how could you notice the students on the field the moment the incident occurred? Since you claim to have chased the servant but didn’t catch him, isn’t that too convenient?”

“Right, it’s just words without proof—not credible.”

Murong Yi extended his fingers.

Each of his fingers now had a red line running from base to tip. Because his skin was so pale, the red lines were very obvious.

Murong Yi then pointed at Fang Huai’an on the ground. He had been helped up and was lying on his side against someone, revealing a red line on his neck.

“Poisoned?!”

“Yes, poisoned.” Murong Yi nodded: “That servant was skilled with poison. Before leaving, he poisoned Fang Huai’an so he would die under false accusations with no one to testify for him. When I chased him, he used the same poison on me.”

The crowd fell silent.

While they spoke, Tie Ci had been deep in thought. She felt this whole affair was very strange. The opponent clearly wanted to target this group of students who might be selected for central positions or even the imperial court. If she hadn’t spoken up, the current situation would be: Chu Xingbai injured, Bai Xingchu eliminated, Qi You bearing guilt, and Fang Huai’an dead from poison.

The most outstanding would be almost completely wiped out. The only one untouched was Li Yuncheng, who came from a powerful family that shouldn’t be provoked.

But why expend such effort just to make these students lose their opportunities? These students weren’t even in central positions yet, and even if they were truly selected to serve beside her and the Emperor, as newcomers with shallow experience, they couldn’t accomplish much. What was the point?

With this energy, why not assassinate Grand Tutor He or her increasingly numerous iron-faction officials? Why target a group of new recruits?

This wasn’t logical.

Generally speaking, when looking for a culprit, you look at who benefits most.

Tie Ci raised her gaze.

Across from her, Rong Pu had obviously thought of something too. His eyes lifted lightly and fell on Jian Xi in the crowd.

Tie Ci knew what he was thinking.

With all the seeded candidates eliminated, they would have to look for talent among those on the sidelines.

The most outstanding was undoubtedly Jian Xi.

But did this little girl have such capability?

Rong Pu’s gaze met Tie Ci’s, and he glanced lightly at the person beside Jian Xi.

Right—there was also that mysterious female warrior.

Acting boldly, brave and resourceful, suddenly appearing at Jian Xi’s side.

But last night, Tie Ci had already ordered people to investigate her background, yet found absolutely nothing.

The scene was now at an impasse. Fang Huai’an was also indirectly cleared of suspicion. Rong Pu ordered people to take him away for treatment and to pursue that servant, while strengthening security throughout the academy and searching for his accomplices.

Tie Ci looked at Murong Yi. On his lowered fingers, the red lines at the tips were gradually fading.

With Murong Yi’s current constitution, he was almost immune to all poisons.

The Mingquan Academy representative was silent for a moment before saying: “What do we do now? What exactly is going on?”

Since Fang Huai’an couldn’t have made the arrow-throwing gesture, and the others had no contact with Qi You, how did that arrow appear in Qi You’s quiver?

Tie Ci smiled and walked toward Qi You.

Everyone now instinctively watched her movements. Seeing her approach Qi You, they immediately became excited.

Could the suspicion ultimately fall on Qi You after all?