Outside the mourning hall, someone noticed Jingrong.

A Wei residence person stepped forward and asked: “Who are you?”

“An old friend.”

Just these two words sufficed to deflect the question.

An old friend coming to pay respects—perfectly reasonable!

Jingrong entered the mourning hall, bowed once before the memorial tablets, then reached out to touch the dazed Wei Yi.

Wei Yi raised his head to look at him. His entire face was twisted with grief, carrying a faint sobbing tone: “Big brother, my father and mother are dead.”

“I know.”

“Why did they die?”

“…”

His lips pressed into a line, forcefully holding back tears. After trembling a few times, he said: “Mother told me that if one day she left me, I must not cry. But I didn’t do it—I cried for so long. Will Mother be angry and not want me anymore?”

This Wei Yi made people feel heartbroken and pitying.

He should have been living in a greenhouse, growing up carefree.

Just like he had said—having Father, having Mother, having Shu’er!

Jingrong wasn’t someone easily moved to sentiment. But at this moment, even his hardest protective wall was demolished by this foolish boy.

He bent down on one knee, eye level with Wei Yi. Steadying his gaze, he asked: “Wei Yi, do you know about wan birds?”

He shook his head.

“Every young wan bird, before their wings are fully grown, always grows under the protection of the adult wan birds’ embrace, until they break out of the nest and fly toward the blue sky. At that time, the young wan birds must leave the adult wan birds because only without protection can they grow better, fly higher and higher, see farther and farther!”

Wei Yi just looked at him like that. His grief-wrinkled nose gradually became “smoothed out.”

He suddenly asked: “Does that mean I’ll never see my parents again?”

Though Jingrong couldn’t bear it, he didn’t want to lie, so he nodded.

“But I don’t want to leave my parents. I want to continue being a young wan bird. I want to stay by my parents’ side.” Wei Yi was distressed.

Jingrong wasn’t good at comforting people.

This was truly mental labor!

He hadn’t yet thought of the next comforting words when Wei Yi hurriedly grabbed his sleeve: “Big brother, they all say Shu’er poisoned my parents to death. It’s not true—Shu’er wouldn’t do that. Big brother, tell me, Shu’er wouldn’t do that, right?”

Wei Yi was somewhat anxious!

“Of course she wouldn’t.” Jingrong quickly asked: “Do you believe in Yunshu?”

Wei Yi nodded and wiped away a handful of tears!

Jingrong gripped his arm and lowered his voice: “Wei Yi, do you want to save Yunshu?”

“Yes.”

“Then I need to take your parents’ remains to the charity morgue.”

Wei Yi sniffled, staring at him, not understanding.

Jingrong continued: “In a moment, you send away the people in your residence. I’ll have my methods afterward.”

Wei Yi asked: “Can we really save Shu’er?”

Jingrong nodded.

Looking at his parents’ memorial tablets, Wei Yi pressed his lips and agreed.

After it was nearly dark, Wei Yi followed Jingrong’s words and said to the people in the courtyard: “You all go out. I don’t want you here.”

A Wei residence servant asked: “Young Master, we should still stay to keep you company.”

“No, you all go out. I want to stay here with these two older brothers.”

Pointing at Jingrong and Lang Bo.

The Wei residence people exchanged glances. Since it was the master’s order, they had no choice but to all withdraw from the courtyard.

As soon as the people dispersed, suddenly five or six people leaped down from the roof beams of the courtyard.

Wei Yi was startled and shrank behind Jingrong.

The several people who leaped down bowed toward Jingrong.

“Your Highness.”

Jingrong commanded solemnly: “Get to work.”

“Yes!”

So those several people rushed to the two coffins and lifted Master Wei and Madam Wei’s bodies out of the coffins with very nimble movements!

Oh my, this was stealing corpses!

Those several people, right in front of Wei Yi, leaped up to the roof beams carrying the two corpses away!

This was no longer stealing corpses—this was brazenly hauling corpses!

Watching the corpses being taken away, Wei Yi anxiously chased after them a few steps.

Jingrong pulled him back and said: “Wei Yi, you guard here. Don’t let anyone in. Wait for me to bring your parents back, understand?”

“Big brother, I don’t want to leave my parents. Can I go with you?” He choked up.

“Wei Yi, you must stay here.”

His eyes reddened, but he still obediently nodded.

Jingrong gestured to Lang Bo: “You stay here in case of unexpected incidents.”

“Yes.”

Then Jingrong also leaped away.

Under Jingrong’s arrangements, not long after Ji Yunshu was locked back in prison, she changed into a jailer’s clothes and was quietly taken away to wait at the charity morgue!

Uncle Fu saw her in jailer’s clothes but didn’t ask. He just followed his usual habit and boiled a pot of white vinegar water!

Ji Yunshu was worrying about whether Jingrong could actually bring those two corpses over when the charity morgue door was pushed open.

Several people rushed in hurriedly, carrying Master Wei and Madam Wei’s corpses. Entering the room, they set them down!

Jingrong followed behind, also entering hurriedly.

Ji Yunshu grabbed him: “How did you bring them?”

“Thanks to your little Wei Yi’s help!”

“What?”

“Don’t waste more time—quickly examine the corpses.”

With a reverse motion, he grabbed Ji Yunshu’s hand and entered the room.

Indeed, time was limited. She didn’t think about it carefully anymore. She roughly knew Jingrong had stolen the corpses—she’d probably laugh and cry about it!

Looking at the two blackened corpses lying on the cold slabs, Ji Yunshu couldn’t hold back and her eyes reddened.

Taking a deep breath, she collected her emotions, put on the gloves beside her, and walked to Madam Wei’s corpse.

Hands hanging before her chest, choking up, she said: “Aunt Wei, if your spirit is in heaven, please tell me—tell me who murdered you.”

Jingrong watched from the side without making a sound!

Ji Yunshu reached out and pressed several times on Madam Wei’s throat.

“Indeed poisoned!”

As the words fell, she picked up a sharp knife and cut toward Madam Wei’s throat!

Ji Yunshu also explained: “Zhenjiu poison is actually the poison from zhenjiu bird feathers. Though touching this feather with hands won’t kill, once it touches water and someone accidentally drinks it, death is certain!”

Jingrong’s several subordinates stood at the doorway—bodies unmoving! Spirits unmoving! Only their ears listening.

Jingrong stood to the side and asked: “So by cutting open her throat now, what do you want to verify?”

Her hand movements gradually quickened. Frowning, she said: “To verify whether they were poisoned after drinking that cup of tea or before.”

“This can be determined?”

“That depends on whether Aunt Wei and Uncle Wei… want to tell me who the murderer is.”

This statement sounded truly eerie!

The knife gradually went deeper. Those dark black blood clots also seeped out bit by bit like paste—very viscous!

Deeper! Deeper still!

Finally cutting through the outer skin of Madam Wei’s throat, revealing the black throat.

Uncle Fu brought in a basin of hot vinegar and asked: “Yunshu, do we still need to use this tonight?”

She pulled out the knife and set it aside, nodding: “Of course.”

Having said that, she took a cloth, dampened it in the hot vinegar, then wiped at Madam Wei’s throat bone.

Gradually, that section of black throat bone turned white—whiter and whiter.

Jingrong leaned in, his brow furrowing: “What does this represent?”

Like an inquiring student!

But Ji Yunshu’s expression was grave. From her mouth slowly came two words: “As expected!”

As expected what?

“Normal zhenjiu poison, if mixed in tea or water and drunk down the throat, when encountering hot vinegar, the poisoned black throat bone won’t turn white. If it transforms to white, there’s only one possibility—the zhenjiu poison was drunk together with alcohol. Only then will the black throat bone turn white when meeting vinegar.”

Jingrong seemed to understand, saying carefully: “So before drinking that cup of tea, they had already been poisoned.”

“Yes.” Ji Yunshu nodded with certainty.

“Then why was there poison in that cup of tea?”

“Zhenjiu poison is originally very potent. After entering the mouth, it will definitely remain on the lips. So when Uncle Wei and Aunt Wei drank tea, it would transfer to the tea water—very normal.” She thought more carefully: “Last night the Wei residence hosted a banquet. Uncle Wei and Aunt Wei both drank alcohol. So they must have been poisoned during the banquet.”

Jingrong’s brow slightly relaxed: “Then this case has nothing to do with you.”

Nothing to do?

She shook her head with a bitter smile: “Has Your Highness forgotten? Today the Wei residence people found zhenjiu bird feathers in the courtyard where I previously stayed. They’ve already concluded I’m the murderer. They won’t care at all about when the poison was administered.”

Speaking to this point, she took needle and thread from the side and began suturing the throat she had cut open on Madam Wei.

Jingrong’s gaze steadied as he looked at her and said: “No matter what, this prince will absolutely not let anything happen to you.”

Her hand movements paused slightly, her eyes wavering lightly.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“I don’t want your thanks.” He stepped closer to her and continued: “Because I believe you.”

Such words stirred Ji Yunshu’s heart into some panic. She could only quicken her hand movements, suturing Madam Wei’s throat, then using white cloth to wipe clean the sticky fluid that had seeped out to the side before removing her gloves.

She said: “I must also trouble Your Highness to send the two corpses back to the Wei residence.”

Yes, Ji Yunshu just didn’t want to respond to his words.

Jingrong also nodded, knowing this wasn’t the time for sentiment. It was just that sometimes he still couldn’t control himself. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The several people outside entered.

“You can carry the corpses back now.”

“Yes.”

Those several people hoisted the two corpses up again and quickly left.

Ji Yunshu didn’t forget to say: “Actually, Your Highness only needed to bring one corpse.”

Not bring!

Steal!

How would he know only one needed examining? In any case, if he could bring them, he wouldn’t leave any behind!

Jingrong smiled: “Yes, next time, only one corpse.”

There’s a next time?

“This prince also needs to go to the Wei residence. Wei Yi is still waiting.”

“Your Highness.” Her expression worried as she looked at Jingrong and said: “Wei Yi is innocent. He’s already lost his parents. I don’t want this matter to bring him more harm.”

Jingrong indicated understanding: “Don’t worry. This prince ensures he won’t be involved. Let him properly finish mourning for his parents.”

It must be said, Jingrong seemed to understand her thoughts very well.

As if her heart had been completely pried open and seen through by him completely!