No one spoke.

However, Li Cheng understood the meaning and said with narrowed eyes: “So the murderer is someone who had a conflict with those two and hated them thoroughly.”

Correct!

Having received this reminder, Magistrate Zhuo quickly gave orders: “Come! Immediately investigate thoroughly to find out exactly who had conflicts with Wang Jun and Zhao Zhuang’er and hated them to the bone. As soon as you discover any suspicious persons, bring them to the yamen for questioning immediately. Better to wrongly arrest one than to let one slip through.”

Full of authority!

Seven or eight constables received their orders and hurried off.

Now that the scope had narrowed, they would surely catch the murderer quickly.

Magistrate Zhuo’s heart finally relaxed.

Because once the case was solved, Heir Cheng would leave, and his heart wouldn’t have to remain constantly anxious.

“Master Ji, if this case can be solved, the credit will be largely yours. This official is clear about rewards and punishments—I certainly won’t shortchange you.”

Ji Yunshu cupped her hands: “The case hasn’t been fully investigated yet. Your Honor speaks too soon.”

“Not too soon, not at all. As long as we find those who had grudges against the deceased and investigate them one by one, we’ll definitely find the murderer.”

“If only it were that simple.”

“What do you mean?”

Ji Yunshu said: “I ask Your Honor for a convenience—I wish to see Song Zhi in the prison.”

“Hm?” Magistrate Zhuo was puzzled. “Why see him? You’ve already seen Song Zhi’s testimony. It’s all written there, not a word missing.”

“I have other matters I want to ask him personally.”

…

On the other side, at the inn.

Li Wenshu was reading in her room, with incense burning in a burner beside her.

The fragrance filled the room, refreshing and pleasant.

Making one’s spirit even more calm.

She had loved reading since childhood. Once she started, she easily became engrossed.

Unable to tolerate the slightest disturbance.

Yet sounds of sword practice kept coming from outside the window!

Disturbing her heart quite uncomfortably.

She found it increasingly impossible to continue reading.

So she simply put down her book, walked to the window, pushed it open, and looked down.

To see who this “culprit” was?

She saw a man practicing swordplay in the inn’s back courtyard.

His movements were agile, his footwork powerful. The black longsword in his hand traced several perfect arcs through the air like flowing clouds.

The white gleam on the sword’s edge gradually dissipated and faded like a meteor’s tail…

The man’s sword-dancing appearance held considerable charm.

Though not someone extraordinarily handsome, because he had wandered the jianghu for years and lived on the Western Sai grasslands for so many years, his gaze held a cold severity that warned strangers away, yet also gave people quite a sense of security.

This person was none other than Bai Yin!

Li Wenshu’s hand on the windowsill involuntarily tightened.

Her heart also skipped several beats.

Then, as if possessed, she left her room and headed toward the back courtyard.

When Bai Yin saw her approach, the movements of his hands immediately stopped. He sheathed his longsword and prepared to leave.

“Sir, please wait!” Li Wenshu called out to him.

Hearing this, Bai Yin’s steps paused. He turned to glance at her and asked: “Does Miss need something?”

“Thank you for your assistance yesterday, sir.”

“A small matter!”

“My name is Li Wenshu. May I know your distinguished name, sir?”

Bai Yin had seen her sitting with Li Cheng this morning, and Li Cheng had even called her “Elder Sister.”

Clearly those two were siblings!

He hadn’t liked Li Cheng to begin with, and by extension didn’t particularly care for Li Wenshu either.

But since the young lady had asked like this, as a grown man, if he didn’t answer, he would seem rather petty.

So he replied: “Bai Yin.”

“Bai Yin?” Li Wenshu repeated softly.

“If Miss has nothing else, I’ll take my leave first.”

“Wait.”

Bai Yin stood with his back to her.

Li Wenshu gazed at that figure, wanting to speak but hesitating.

After a long pause with no words from her, Bai Yin left.

He walked extremely quickly, disappearing around a corner.

Li Wenshu’s expression was complex, her hands tightly twisted together inside her robe.

She stood there for a very long time…

At this moment, in the prison cell.

Song Zhi sat on the straw mat in his cell, his demeanor calm.

His hands were shackled with iron chains.

He picked up a damp piece of straw and twirled it several times between his fingertips.

Then he began lightly poking at the ground with it.

Who knows what he was writing?

Since being locked up, he had been very quiet, showing no intention of struggling.

His eyes revealed no fear whatsoever!

Actually, being locked up was quite good—at least he didn’t have to worry about three meals a day. If he were at home, the cooking pot would probably already be empty.

He had even had more bizarre thoughts—if the yamen provided him with a desk and the Four Treasures of the Study, he would rather spend a lifetime writing in prison than go out.

After all, three full meals!

After some unknown time passed, he gently set down the straw in his hand.

On the ground was written a line of very elegant characters: Sorrow singing moving onward.

The corners of his mouth curved in a light smile, feeling that these seven characters he’d written were excellent!

He admired them appreciatively.

He took a deep breath and looked up at the small window above his head.

Light filtered through, falling on his handsome face.

Combined with a slight cold breeze, it felt quite comfortable.

“Confucius, Mencius, and the sages—where are you now?”

On the last word, he drew out a long tone.

He sighed deeply.

At this moment—

Light footsteps came from outside the prison.

Drawing near from far away, they stopped outside his cell.

He didn’t turn to look but asked faintly: “Has the hour arrived?”

But noon had already passed—even if there were to be a beheading, it would be tomorrow!

The person behind him responded: “This case hasn’t been decided yet. The time for your beheading hasn’t come.”

Hm?

He heard a somewhat familiar voice and slowly turned around to look, meeting Ji Yunshu’s gaze.

“It’s you?”

“If not, who did Master Song think it would be?”

Song Zhi rose from the ground and walked to the wooden posts, smiling awkwardly: “This Song thought the guard was about to take me to the execution ground.”

Scholars, really!

Ji Yunshu asked: “Are you truly not afraid of death?”

“Afraid!” he said. “But all men must die!”

Ji Yunshu found this person truly interesting.

If one could become friends with this person, it might not be a bad thing.

She said: “This humble one admires Master Song’s character.”

“You overpraise me, overpraise!” He smiled and asked: “Has the young master already learned whose bones those were?”

“We’ve already investigated clearly.”

“Is it truly Wang Jun?”

Ji Yunshu nodded and told him everything.

Song Zhi was greatly shocked!

“How can it be such a tragic story?” He sighed, feeling it was quite regrettable, then asked: “Then the young master came to the prison to…”

Ji Yunshu said: “Because I have a matter I want to ask you.”

“Please ask. Whatever I know, I will certainly tell you.”

“It’s about the play ‘The Ghost Wife Buries Her Husband’!”

“Hm?” Song Zhi was puzzled.

Ji Yunshu didn’t beat around the bush with him and said directly: “This play was written by you. When you wrote it, Wang Jun wasn’t dead yet, but this story coincidentally matches Wang Jun’s experiences extremely closely, as if it were written specifically for him.”

“Your meaning?”

“I want to know—how did you come up with the story in this script?”