Ji Yunshu felt no gratitude for his magnanimity – she simply considered it proper.

After all, a prince should have refinement! He should understand the principle of first come, first served!

“This humble one thanks Prince Rong for his understanding. I shall take my leave now.” Ji Yunshu bowed her head.

“This prince will go with you.” Jingrong stood up.

Ji Yunshu’s expression remained blank. “Prince Rong is of noble status. The Zhou family is currently holding funeral rites – I fear it might bring ill fortune upon the prince.”

“Noble status?” Jingrong’s eyelids twitched. “Has Master felt to confirm this? Or seen it yourself?”

The ambiguous, teasing words made Ji Yunshu unable to resist secretly rolling her eyes at him.

“This humble one is merely afraid…”

Jingrong interrupted her.

“No need to fear. This prince happens to be free, and besides, I’ll go discreetly. I certainly won’t interfere with Master’s investigation.”

Ji Yunshu was too lazy to argue with him endlessly. In the end, she still agreed. After all, he was Prince Rong, and she was merely a lowly artist who could only obey.

The county magistrate also brought along several constables, and the group proceeded in grand fashion to the Zhou residence.

On the way to the Zhou residence, Ji Yunshu walked in front with Jingrong following behind.

He observed that lean, delicate figure in the dark robe, walking as if carried by a gentle breeze, refined and elegant. Especially those indifferent, calm eyes that revealed a certain spiritual energy – she really didn’t seem like someone who dealt with corpses!

Gradually, the corners of Jingrong’s lips curved into an exploratory, meaningful smile.

Before long, they arrived at the gates of the Zhou family mansion. Accompanied by tragic, mournful weeping, Miss Zhou’s coffin was being carried right to the main entrance.

The county magistrate had his men stop the pallbearers. He quickly walked up to Master Zhou and said,

“Master Zhou, the burial must be delayed a bit longer.”

Master Zhou’s face darkened, his brow furrowing tightly.

“Magistrate Liu, what is the meaning of this?”

“Because…”

Before he could finish, Madam Zhou rushed forward and slapped the county magistrate hard, crying out, “My daughter died a tragic death, and you dare bring people to block our way, preventing my daughter’s burial! What are your intentions? My poor daughter – it’s your mother who has failed you!”

“Madam Zhou, it’s not like that…”

“All of you, get out of the way! My daughter suffered enough while alive – must she endure this treatment even in death?”

Madam Zhou wailed to the heavens, nearly fainting.

They say men have no way to deal with women – how true that saying was!

The county magistrate stood there awkwardly, his helpless eyes fixed on Madam Zhou, completely forgetting the purpose of this visit.

Seeing this scene, Ji Yunshu shook her head, stepped forward, and reached out to support Madam Zhou’s arm.

“Miss Zhou is indeed ill-fated, losing her life at such a young age. She loved beauty so much in life, yet her appearance was completely destroyed in death. What great hatred, what great grudge could there be, to harm her in such a manner?”

These words, neither light nor heavy, made Madam Zhou suddenly start. She grabbed Ji Yunshu’s wrist with both hands, staring at her in shock.

“What did you say? What hatred? What grudge? What harm? Was my daughter murdered?”

“This humble one will naturally explain the doubts in Madam’s heart. It would be better to have the coffin carried inside first. Blocking it at the gate is rather unseemly.”

Madam Zhou was stunned for a moment before nodding frantically and quickly ordering the coffin to be carried inside.

Master Zhou, standing to the side, approached the county magistrate and asked, “What exactly is going on?”

“This official doesn’t quite understand either. In any case, there’s great mystery involved.”

Mystery?

Master Zhou sighed, flicked his sleeve, turned, and followed the coffin into the mansion.

As the county magistrate was about to enter, Ji Yunshu pulled him back and said quietly, “Your Honor should have waited for them to carry the coffin out before stopping them. Blocking it at the gate brings bad luck.”

“Yes, yes, yes, that was improper, most improper.”

Indeed, the county magistrate now regretted it deeply.

As the saying goes: Block a coffin at the gate, and calamities will come the following year!

This county magistrate was truly muddleheaded.

Ji Yunshu said nothing more, striding into the mansion, unwilling to waste any more time.

Behind her, Jingrong’s interest was piqued. He murmured softly,

“This is getting interesting.”

The coffin was carried back to the hall in the rear courtyard. Everyone gathered around, pairs of curious eyes fixed on Ji Yunshu.

“Open the coffin.” Ji Yunshu commanded.

The servants exchanged glances, then turned their eyes in unison toward Master Zhou.

Master Zhou swallowed and asked, “Master Ji, if my daughter was indeed murdered, why didn’t you say so yesterday?”

“Yesterday I was rather tired and didn’t feel like investigating.”

How willful!

Master Zhou was momentarily speechless and could only nod at the servants.

Only then did they pry open the coffin lid.

The putrid smell of the decomposing corpse mixed with the musty odor of decaying wood wafted out, making people gag.

Everyone hastily covered their noses and frowned. Ji Yunshu, however, remained unhurried. She took out saponin powder from her waist and sprinkled it around the coffin, then peered inside.

Miss Zhou’s decayed appearance had become even more gruesome. The rotted flesh on her face had changed from bright red to a pale, purplish-blue, and the eyeball that had been hanging in its socket had now fallen onto her hair, sticky and viscous.

Probably due to the humid weather, the face had swollen and slightly burst open, flesh and bone connected, blood vessels crisscrossing.

In the next moment, Ji Yunshu reached into the coffin, grabbed Miss Zhou’s clothing, and pulled it aside, revealing her pale shoulder.

This action shocked everyone. The men instinctively lowered their heads, not daring to look.

“Master Ji, what are you doing?” Master Zhou’s face turned pale.

Ji Yunshu pinched Miss Zhou’s shoulder and nodded with satisfaction. “Fortunate, most fortunate.”

Fortunate? The person was already dead, and she still said fortunate?