“The skull in the stone!”

Li Cheng reminded them.

Jingrong asked with an indifferent expression: “So what?”

So—Li Cheng’s eyes widened: “Don’t you think it’s a coincidence? This matter actually falls under my jurisdiction, but the case is strange and I have no clues at all. Because there’s only a skull, I really don’t know where to start? What’s even more coincidental is…” He shifted his gaze toward Ji Yunshu and smiled meaningfully, “Young Master Ji, you have the ability to touch bones and draw portraits, plus the capability to solve cases. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I really wouldn’t dare believe there’s such a capable person in the world. So… I want to ask you for a favor—can you help me solve this case?”

One doesn’t visit a temple without a purpose!

This saying was absolutely correct.

Ji Yunshu had a premonition from the moment he entered.

As expected!

He really wanted to ask her to help solve a case.

Before she could respond.

Jingrong immediately refused directly: “No!”

“Master Jing, don’t refuse so quickly!” Li Cheng immediately added, “Rest assured, I won’t let you work for nothing. If you help me solve this case, I will surely reward you generously.”

“I think you didn’t hear my meaning clearly. When I said no, I meant no! Even if you gave us mountains of gold and silver as a reward, we still wouldn’t agree. So, Young Master Cheng, please go back.”

“This…”

“Also, we only came to Gaoding to handle some matters. Once we’re done, we’ll leave. We won’t stay too long, so for this case, Young Master, you’ll have to find someone more capable.”

“This…” Li Cheng was left speechless.

Somewhat anxious!

Jingrong showed no consideration for feelings and pulled Ji Yunshu to turn and leave.

Li Cheng was unwilling to give up and hurriedly chased after them for a few steps. Just as he was about to grab Ji Yunshu’s shoulder, before his fingertips could even touch her, Jingrong grabbed his hand and forcefully pressed him against a pillar.

His back slammed against the solid pillar, the pain making his spine crack.

He was completely unable to move.

The guards who had entered with Li Cheng saw this scene and immediately drew their long swords to rush over.

The next moment, Li Cheng called out to stop them: “Don’t come over.”

“My lord?”

“Stand down!”

“But…”

“I said stand down!”

The several guards looked at each other with worried faces.

After all, this was the son of Marquis Pingyang. If something happened to him, they would definitely be in trouble.

But they had no choice but to obey Li Cheng’s words.

So they could only temporarily retreat to the side.

Li Cheng was being pressed down but didn’t struggle. He raised his eyes to meet Jingrong’s gaze that was cold as ice and said: “Master Jing, I have no malicious intent. I’m not carrying any weapons on me either. I just want to ask Young Master Ji for a favor. You don’t need to be so hostile toward me. After all, we’ve met before. Even if we’re not close friends, we at least have a passing acquaintance, right?”

Playing the emotional card.

Jingrong’s expression remained cold, his two sword-like brows stern as he emphasized again: “I’ll say it one more time—this case, we won’t get involved! This is your government’s business, you solve it yourselves. If you continue to be aggressive, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

“You really don’t show any consideration. After all, I’ve helped you before. Back then, Magistrate Zhuo identified you as suspects. If this young master hadn’t arrived in time, where would you have had the chance to examine those white bones? You’d probably be dead by now.”

“We will naturally remember this kindness in our hearts, but for this case, you should figure it out yourself.” Jingrong said coldly.

Li Cheng continued: “As the saying goes, a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. Back then, this young master saved you. You should at least help me once.”

“I don’t want to say it a third time.”

“You…” Li Cheng became anxious. His eyes rolled, and his heart hardened. “Fine! Since you’re so heartless, this young master will speak plainly—if you refuse to help me, don’t even think about leaving Gaoding!”

His tone carried a threat.

Jingrong became angry, and the force of his elbow against Li Cheng’s chest increased slightly.

It pressed down so Li Cheng couldn’t breathe.

His face immediately flushed bright red.

In an instant, Ji Yunshu grabbed Jingrong’s arm: “Let him go first.”

Jingrong hesitated.

But in the end, he released him.

Li Cheng pressed his aching chest and took quite a while to catch his breath before he could gather his strength.

He glared at Jingrong: “You wanted to kill me!”

“I said, if you continue being aggressive, I naturally won’t be polite to you.”

“You…”

Ji Yunshu interrupted him: “Young Master Cheng, you should go back.”

Li Cheng looked at her pleadingly: “Young Master Ji, this concerns human life! Will you really refuse to save someone?”

“First, I’m not from Huyi. Second, I’m not from your government. Whether in principle or in practice, it’s not my place to interfere in this case. Moreover, we came to Gaoding with our own matters to handle and simply have no time to concern ourselves with anything else. Please don’t make things difficult for me.”

“I’m not making things difficult for you. It’s just that only you can touch bones and draw portraits. If you don’t help, we might not even know who the deceased is. If we don’t know the deceased’s identity, this case simply can’t be investigated! If the case wasn’t truly difficult, I wouldn’t have come to bother you.”

“But…”

“You must help me!”

Ji Yunshu took a deep breath, was silent for a moment, then said to Li Cheng: “All I can tell you is that the deceased was a female around fifteen years old. The time of death should be about three years ago. Based on the characteristics of the skull, the deceased was very likely drowned! That’s all I know. For the rest, you should find a coroner to examine it again yourself.”

At the time at the city gate, she had observed that skull.

She knew a bit about it.

Li Cheng was stunned, straining his ears to listen to what she had just said.

By the time he came to his senses, Jingrong and Ji Yunshu had already left!

He wanted to chase after them, but thinking of the pain when Jingrong had pressed him against the pillar, he immediately stopped.

He could only carefully ponder Ji Yunshu’s words.

A female around fifteen?

Time of death approximately three years?

Drowned?

These three crucial pieces of information—he firmly committed them to memory.

He would verify them one by one when he returned!

Song Zhi had been standing to the side holding his book the whole time without speaking. Only after Jingrong and Ji Yunshu left did he pace over to Li Cheng’s side and call out: “Young Master Cheng?”

Li Cheng startled and turned to look at him. “How do you walk without making a sound?”

“Song’s shoes are quite light!”

“…”

“Looking at Young Master’s attire, it seems you’ve become a high official.”

Li Cheng smiled bitterly and tugged at his official robe, saying: “This isn’t really a high position—just guarding the city gate.”

“But it’s still an official position.”

“Alright, alright, I can’t get through to a bookworm like you. By the way, how did you all come to Gaoding?”

Song Zhi cupped his hands toward him and said: “Song came to participate in the imperial examinations being held in the third month.”

“Oh, so you came to take the exams to become a scholar! What about them?”

“Them?”

“Master Jing and Master Ji.”

Song Zhi had a sudden realization: “I’m not very clear about that.”