The bundle wasn’t found?

That’s impossible!

Song Zhi clearly remembered that he was worried Wang Jun wouldn’t see it, so he specifically moved it from under the table to on top of the table.

He said: “My lord, I definitely placed that bundle on Wang Jun’s table. How could it not be seen? Could someone have taken it?”

“This official has already ordered people to question everyone in the theater troupe one by one. They all said they never saw that bundle.”

“Then someone must have lied!” Song Zhi said this.

The implication was that his county magistrate’s subordinates were incompetent—they couldn’t even detect when someone was lying?

Magistrate Zhuo was furious. He originally wanted to grab the gavel beside him and strike it down, but reason stopped him from this action. He raised his hand pointing at Song Zhi kneeling on the ground: “This official’s people questioned them over and over many times. Could it be that the entire theater troupe, top to bottom, all lied?”

“That’s not what this Song means.”

“Then what do you mean?”

Song Zhi raised his eyes and said seriously: “When this Song entered and left the backstage of the theater troupe, everyone was busy. Almost no one noticed I went into Wang Jun’s small room. So if someone also quietly slipped in and deliberately stole that bundle, it’s possible. But afterward, fearing being pursued by my lord, they lied.”

Magistrate Zhuo said: “The bundle only contained a few sets of clothing. Who would obstruct the yamen’s investigation for those ragged clothes? Wouldn’t that be committing a crime more serious than theft?”

“While that may be so, once a person does something bad, they’ll naturally feel guilty. Lying in the moment is inevitable.” Song Zhi stated with certainty.

Well, this scholar wasn’t stupid after all!

Ever since learning this morning that “Ghost Lady Buries Her Husband” was written by Song Zhi, Ji Yunshu had developed some admiration for him in her heart, so she paid him a bit more attention.

That Song Zhi looked like a frail scholar, simple and honest!

But the person was actually quite clever. When he spoke, his words were concise and well-organized.

Although Magistrate Zhuo was choked back by his words, he had no time to listen to him say so much, so he said: “Stop quibbling. This is a court hall, not a theater house for you to perform.”

“My lord, this Song has not lied. Wang Jun was not killed by me. Yesterday I truly went to return the gifts.”

“Stop talking nonsense! Now all the evidence and witness testimony point to you. The murderer is clearly you!”

“Ugh!” Song Zhi had nothing to say.

When he looked at Magistrate Zhuo, he showed a helpless expression as if saying “youth cannot be taught.”

It seemed that county magistrate had made up his mind to convict him!

He also knew that no matter how he defended himself, it couldn’t change Magistrate Zhuo’s view that he was the “murderer.”

Seeing he no longer resisted, Magistrate Zhuo said: “Song Zhi, now you have no defense. This means you’ve tacitly admitted you’re the murderer. According to Huyi law, a life for a life. This official will now imprison you in the jail. Later…”

“Wait!”

The one who spoke was Ji Yunshu.

She walked out from behind Jingrong, stepped forward and bowed to Magistrate Zhuo, saying: “My lord, this case is full of suspicious points. How can it be closed like this?”

Just as she finished speaking, Bai Yin prepared to step forward and pull her back, but was stopped by Jingrong.

Bai Yin turned his head and asked quietly: “You’re really letting her get involved?”

Jingrong didn’t speak, but had already tacitly agreed.

Bai Yin could only retreat a few steps, but thought to himself that if Ji Yunshu got her hands into this case, their journey to Gaoding would definitely be delayed.

Magistrate Zhuo looked at Ji Yunshu and only now discovered there was a young scholar with refined features in the court hall. She had been hiding behind Jingrong the whole time without making a sound. If she hadn’t spoken up now, he wouldn’t have noticed her at all.

“Who are you?”

“This humble one’s surname is Ji.”

“What did you just say?”

“This humble one said this case is full of suspicious points.”

“Full of suspicious points?” Magistrate Zhuo was slightly surprised, pointing at her. “Are you trying to exonerate Song Zhi?”

She didn’t have that kind of free time!

“My lord, we and this Young Master Song only met once in passing. We would never talk nonsense because of this or risk speaking on his behalf.”

“Then what do you mean by your words?” Magistrate Zhuo glared at her.

Everyone in the court hall looked at her.

Even Song Zhi turned to look at her, his eyes full of gratitude. After all, at this moment, no one wanted to have any connection with him, yet this young gentleman stepped forward to speak for him.

But he didn’t want to bring trouble to innocent people.

He said quietly: “Young gentleman, this matter has nothing to do with you. This Song doesn’t want to implicate you.”

Ji Yunshu glanced at him: “This humble one simply cannot tolerate a wrongly decided case.”

“This…”

Ji Yunshu straightened her expression, looked at Magistrate Zhuo, clasped her hands together again, and said: “In response to my lord, what this humble one meant just now is that the skeletal remains in that yellow earth… actually come from two different people!”

Ugh!

The entire court hall erupted in commotion.

Clearly the white bones dug out from the yellow earth were only one set!

However, Jingrong, Bai Yin, and the others weren’t surprised. If Ji Yunshu could say such words, it naturally wasn’t groundless speculation.

Magistrate Zhuo was startled, then immediately filled with angry expression, slamming the table: “You dare speak nonsense!”

“Every word this humble one speaks is true.”

“Those white bones are clearly only one set. Where would two sets come from?”

“My lord seems not to have understood clearly. What this humble one said is that seemingly complete set of skeletal remains is actually pieced together from the bones of two people.”

“Two people? You’re saying… there are two deceased?”

“Exactly!”

Magistrate Zhuo looked completely unconvinced and said: “This is getting more and more absurd! You, a little scholar, speak wildly. The coroner has already examined them. That skeleton is Wang Jun. Where would two dead people come from? Moreover, this official hasn’t sent people to verify what you said earlier, so you are still suspects! Why should this official believe what a suspect says? You have neither evidence nor witnesses.”

Ji Yunshu was unhurried: “If my lord doesn’t believe it, you can bring that skeleton up to the court hall. This humble one has a way to prove it.”

“Enough! This official doesn’t have much patience to talk so much with you. If you dare obstruct this official’s work again, I’ll charge you all with conspiracy.”

Ji Yunshu was about to speak—

Jingrong spoke first: “Magistrate Zhuo.”

Magistrate Zhuo looked at him.

Jingrong stepped forward, raising an eyebrow slightly: “Everyone says Huyi law is strict and clear. From provinces down to villages, layer upon layer, the system is strict and orderly. Local cases, whether large or small, are all thoroughly investigated before being closed. But seeing Magistrate Zhuo handle cases today has really opened this humble one’s eyes. It seems Huyi law hasn’t been universally implemented after all!”

The words were full of sarcasm.

Magistrate Zhuo’s face turned from green to black. He swallowed and opened and closed his mouth for a long while before saying: “This case has solid evidence. Does this official’s judgment still need to consult you?”

“Just now this young gentleman already said those white bones have a problem. If there’s a problem but you won’t investigate it, is this what my lord calls solid evidence?”

The young gentleman referred to Ji Yunshu.

Magistrate Zhuo’s face turned green again: “Who exactly are you people? Why should this official bring up the white bones related to the case for you to defile?”

Tell me!

On what basis?

Suddenly—

A voice came from outside the yamen’s court hall.

“On this heir apparent’s authority!”