Old Qiao’s heart released a long breath of relief.

Li Cheng, however, frowned and said to Jingrong, “What’s wrong with you? What theft crime? What deception crime? He’s obviously the murderer!”

Jingrong asked him back, “Young Master Cheng, how can you tell that he’s the murderer?”

“He stole the clothes.”

“So what?”

“So…” Li Cheng was at a loss for words.

So what?

Just because he stole the clothes means he’s the murderer?

That was far too hasty.

Jingrong didn’t want to explain too much to him, and said to Old Qiao again, “Why don’t you hurry to the yamen? Are you waiting to be charged with murder?”

“Yes, yes, yes…”

Old Qiao quickly picked up the clothes from the ground.

He turned and left immediately!

Li Cheng wanted to call out, but Old Qiao walked incredibly fast and disappeared in a flash.

“Why did you just let him go like that? What if he doesn’t go to the yamen?” he asked worriedly.

Jingrong said with certainty, “He wouldn’t dare not go.”

“Why not?” Li Cheng blinked at him.

“Since he thought to come return the clothes, naturally he won’t avoid going to the yamen, because he fears death. If someone who fears death truly fled, it would make him look guilty, which would naturally be a confession without torture, and how could the yamen let him go? So, he can only survive by going to the yamen.”

I see!

Li Cheng nodded his head.

That made sense indeed!

Then he asked Jingrong, “By the way, where is that Young Master Ji? Why are you alone?”

Jingrong didn’t respond to him, but said to the troupe members, “Please take me to find that Young Master Ji.”

“Alright!”

They led the two men over.

At this moment, in Xiao Qu’s room.

The doctor had just left, and the troupe members were worried, so they hadn’t all dispersed yet.

Ji Yinshu asked Xiao Qu, “Miss Xiao Qu, may I ask a question?”

Xiao Qu was feeling much better and said, “Go ahead.”

“What caused the red dots on your wrist?”

“My wrist?” Xiao Qu was somewhat surprised and rolled up her sleeve. Her eyes widened in shock. “Hm? When did I come into contact with Purple Night Flowers?”

Purple Night Flowers?

Ji Yinshu asked, “What are Purple Night Flowers?”

Xiao Qu explained, “They’re a type of tree leaf that usually grows in places with heavy moisture. Whenever I touch them, red dots appear on my wrists, and it takes a long time for them to disappear. But… I haven’t been in contact with Purple Night Flowers recently at all, so why did I develop red dots?”

She herself was quite puzzled.

Then she asked the maid by her bedside, “Did you see me touch any? Or did you pick Purple Night Flowers and bring them back?”

The maid shrank back, “Miss Xiao Qu, don’t joke around. Those flowers are death flowers—they grow beside grave mounds, and they only bloom at night. Who would dare go to grave mounds late at night to pick them? I wouldn’t even want to touch them—they’re so inauspicious. Besides, Miss Xiao Qu, I didn’t see you touch any either!”

Flowers that grow in places with heavy yin energy, beside grave mounds, and only bloom at night!

Indeed, no one would want to touch them.

Ji Yinshu didn’t continue questioning further, only instructed Miss Xiao Qu to rest well, then went outside.

Outside, Jingrong and Li Cheng were waiting for her.

“Young Master,” Zhang Xiaobai called out to her.

Ji Yinshu glanced at him.

Jingrong then told her about what had just happened.

After listening, she said, “So that means Song Zhi isn’t the murderer?”

“Most likely not!”

Her expression grew grave, and she said to Jingrong, “I need to go to another place.”

“Where?”

“The cemetery!”

…

Old Qiao, clutching the pile of clothes, stumbled his way to the yamen and told Lord Zhuo what he had done.

Lord Zhuo slammed the table on the spot and ordered him thrown into prison.

“My lord, I didn’t kill anyone—why are you locking me up?”

“You may not have killed anyone, but you committed the crimes of deception and theft. This official will have you locked in prison, and once you’ve served your time, I’ll have you beaten with several strokes of the rod.”

What?

He would be beaten too?

Old Qiao cried out to heaven and earth, but in the end was still dragged away.

In the prison.

Zhang Xiaobai had been locked up since this morning—it had been a full day.

Having nothing to do, he began singing opera tunes.

One phrase after another.

Song Zhi sat across from him, occasionally closing his eyes slightly, occasionally watching Zhang Xiaobai across from him with interest, quietly listening to him sing.

It must be said that Zhang Xiaobai’s singing was actually much better than Wang Jun’s.

If it weren’t for Boss Zhao’s influence back then, Zhang Xiaobai would already be playing leading male roles now.

Song Zhi said, “Actually, you sing quite well.”

Zhang Xiaobai replied, “Do you even need to say that?”

“Once you get out, you’ll be a leading male role.”

“Do you even need to say that?”

“Although I’ve never heard Wang Jun sing, your tunes are my favorite.”

“Do you even need to say that?” Zhang Xiaobai lifted his head proudly, then stared at the figure across from him and asked seriously, “Do you really like my singing?”

Song Zhi nodded earnestly, “Yes, I’m serious.”

“Then shall I sing a few more verses?”

Song Zhi thought for a moment, “You’d better not sing anymore. You’ve already sung all afternoon. Look, it’s dark outside now. We should sleep early.”

These words sounded terribly awkward! Zhang Xiaobai sighed and looked through the small window above his head, lamenting, “Tell me, why is this world so chaotic? Those who shouldn’t die have died, and those who should die haven’t died at all. I was supposed to become a leading male role, but instead became an understudy. I should have replaced Wang Jun, but now I’m locked up here. The way of the world—why is it so chaotic?”

The way of the world!

Why is it so chaotic!

Zhang Xiaobai’s words sounded as if he were singing opera.

They seemed extremely tragic.

After listening, Song Zhi also looked at that small window, his eyes darkening slightly as he said, “Yes, why is the way of the world so chaotic?”

Zhang Xiaobai could understand his own words, but never understood Song Zhi’s words.

He even felt that he and Song Zhi weren’t from the same world at all.

The two of them sighed and lamented like this for quite a while…

Suddenly—

A jailer escorted someone in.

Old Qiao was very obedient, neither making noise nor causing trouble.

He allowed the jailer to bring him to the outside of Song Zhi’s cell.

Thus, Song Zhi and Zhang Xiaobai both stood up.

They walked to the wooden posts.

Zhang Xiaobai, as if he had a good relationship with that jailer, immediately asked, “Big brother, did this person also commit murder?”

The jailer said lazily, “No, he committed theft.”

“Theft? Stole from whom?”

“He stole Wang Jun’s clothes.”

“What?” Zhang Xiaobai was somewhat surprised.

The jailer didn’t respond to him further, but opened Song Zhi’s cell, then said to him inside, “Song Zhi, you can leave now.”

Song Zhi was shocked, “I can leave?”

“That’s right. This person stole the bundle you returned to Song Zhi. He came to turn himself in, and the lord says you can go. Don’t occupy the cell anymore—leave it for someone else.”

The jailer then pushed Old Qiao inside.

After Old Qiao went in, he grabbed Song Zhi’s hand and said, “Song Zhi, I’ve wronged you. I caused you to sit through several days of unjust imprisonment. I was possessed by greed for a moment, which is why I stole the items.”

Song Zhi didn’t seem to blame him. Instead, he nodded and said, “It’s good that you returned the items.”