Steward Xiao had thought that when Miss Li came, he could still delay a bit more time, or perhaps get Duke Cheng’s heir to leave.

How could he know it would turn out like this!

For a moment he was shocked speechless!

“Miss Li, this entire matter I’m afraid…” Before Steward Xiao could finish speaking, Li Wenshu interrupted him again: “I know this matter is of grave importance, and it would be difficult for anyone to handle. What you’re most worried about is this, isn’t it? That’s why you sent someone to find my father. But I’ve said it—I’ll bear all the consequences. When my father returns from the palace, I’ll explain everything to him. I won’t implicate you.”

“…”

Steward Xiao was left speechless.

And when Li Cheng heard that the reason Steward Xiao had implemented his delaying tactics was because he’d gone to find his father—

His anger flared up immediately.

He said at once, “Steward Xiao, this is my Capital Administration Department’s business, my case. What do you mean by sending someone to find my father?”

Steward Xiao said, “Duke Cheng’s heir, I had no choice but to act this way, to avoid this action bringing you trouble.”

Oh my!

Such kindness.

Li Cheng threw out a line: “No need for your false benevolence and righteousness!”

“Young duke, I also acted out of helplessness.”

“Enough, I have no time to bicker with you anymore.” Li Cheng looked toward Ji Yunshu, “Master Ji, let’s go.”

Ji Yunshu nodded lightly, “All right!”

Steward Xiao knew he definitely couldn’t stop them now and could only give up.

He followed everyone to the room where Du Mubai had met his end.

At this moment, the heavy snow was falling harder and more urgently!

The Literary Office attendant opened the door, and a stale smell drifted out from inside, though it was slightly lighter than last night.

When the door opened, some people were actually afraid.

After all, someone had died inside.

Inauspicious!

Moreover, it had been closed for six years.

But while some were timid, others were excited.

Li Cheng and Li Wenshu couldn’t wait to know the truth of the matter.

They followed Ji Yunshu into the room.

Jingrong and Bai Yin, however, didn’t go in.

Bai Yin asked, “Not going in?”

Jingrong said, “Didn’t we already figure it out last night?”

“Figure it out? Figure out what?” Bai Yin was completely confused.

Although he’d gone into that room with them last night, after following them around for a look, he hadn’t understood anything at all.

How had they all figured it out?

Seeing that he genuinely didn’t understand, Jingrong said, “You might as well go listen.”

So he actually did go in to listen.

Inside the room, although it was broad daylight, it was still very dim.

Li Cheng ordered people to light three lamps, which finally brought some light into the room!

Steward Xiao asked, “This room has been sealed for six years. No one has entered in six years. Whatever it was like before is what it’s like now. You say there’s evidence inside—where is this evidence?”

This was the question everyone wanted to know.

Ji Yunshu held a lamp in her hand and moved closer to the table in the middle of the room, then looked up.

She said, “The evidence is up there.”

Everyone raised their heads one by one, directing their gazes upward.

Above, aside from cobwebs, there was nothing!

Li Cheng stared up eagerly for quite a while but couldn’t make anything out.

So he asked, “What’s up there?”

Ji Yunshu turned to look at Fang Tong and the other two at the doorway and asked, “Didn’t you say that when you entered the room at the time, you saw Du Mubai hanging himself from the beam?”

Fang Tong said, “Yes!”

“You also said that because the rope was hung so high, when you took Du Mubai down you had some difficulty reaching it, correct?”

“Correct!”

“Good!” Ji Yunshu looked toward Steward Xiao, “Sir, could you get me a rope?”

“Of course.” Steward Xiao quickly ordered someone to fetch a rope.

Ji Yunshu took the rope in her hand and weighed it a few times, then looked around at everyone, found someone, and said, “You, come here and hang the rope up.”

The person called upon was actually a young attendant from the Literary Office.

The attendant’s liver trembled.

He pointed at himself with his finger, “Me?”

“Yes.”

The attendant didn’t dare refuse.

He came forward timidly.

He took the rope, climbed onto the table, and hung the rope up.

Then Ji Yunshu asked Jiang Wen, “I recall that Du Mubai’s case file stated that the person who went up to untie the rope at the time was you.”

Jiang Wen took a step forward, “…Yes, I was the one who went up to untie the rope at the time.”

“Good, stand up there now.”

“Me?”

“You.”

Jiang Wen’s heart turned cold. Looking at that rope hanging from the beam, the scene of Du Mubai hanging himself back then was still vivid in his mind. Every time he thought of it, his heart felt numb.

Now asking him to stand up there, at the very place where someone had died—

He was somewhat hesitant after all.

Li Cheng forcefully slapped him and barked, “Get up there!”

With a commanding tone.

Jiang Wen had no choice but to walk over.

His steps were extremely difficult.

Under everyone’s gaze, he slowly stepped onto that table.

Ji Yunshu then said, “Reach out and feel that rope.”

Jiang Wen extended his hand tremblingly, not daring to look up, reaching above his head to touch it.

Ji Yunshu’s expression was solemn, “Come down.”

Jiang Wen couldn’t wait to.

He quickly came down of course.

Ji Yunshu found another person in the crowd and said, “Sir, I trouble you to hang the rope again.”

The person called upon was an old official from the Capital Administration Department.

That old official had already passed the stage of fear. He jumped up, untied the rope the young attendant had hung, and retied it.

It was somewhat higher than the height the young attendant had tied it at.

Ji Yunshu had Jiang Wen go up again to feel the rope.

He could still reach it.

Not difficult!

Finally, Ji Yunshu locked her gaze on her own brother Bai Yin and said, “Brother, I need you to hang the rope up again.”

Although Bai Yin had always opposed Ji Yunshu getting involved with this case, he couldn’t refuse to help.

He stepped onto the table and retied the rope once more.

Secured it.

Then came back down.

The entire set of movements was very smooth.

Those who didn’t know might think he did this kind of thing often.

And that hanging rope was somewhat higher than the height the old official had tied it at.

So Jiang Wen went up to feel it again.

But this time, although he could still touch the rope, because it was somewhat high, untying the rope would be somewhat difficult.

Everyone was confused, thinking that Master Ji was toying with them!

Ji Yunshu asked Jiang Wen standing above, “At the time, was the rope Du Mubai used to hang himself this high?”

Jiang Wen seemed to understand!

So Master Ji was testing the height of that hanging rope.

Jiang Wen thought back and nodded, “Indeed, the rope was this high at the time.”

“Good, you may come down.”

Jiang Wen came down.

Li Wenshu, who had been watching silently all along, spoke up, “What does this have to do with Du Mubai being murdered?”

Ji Yunshu said, “Of course it’s related.”

“Exactly…”

“Miss Li needn’t be anxious. I’ll explain slowly.”

So Li Wenshu swallowed her words back down.

Then Ji Yunshu scanned the crowd, looking at Fang Tong, “Young Master Fang, you go up.”