So… that blood-colored mark should be an embroidery pattern on clothing, or perhaps a soft brocade item inside a pouch. Combined with the silver thread hooked on the artificial mountain, she suspected it might really be a pattern embroidered on brocade.

However, the blood-colored pattern printed on the white handkerchief before her wasn’t very clear. To restore it clearly one by one would probably be somewhat difficult, but regardless, she had to try.

As for what those black granules were? They might be something edible, or perhaps some kind of medicinal herbs. If they were medicinal herbs… she needed to find someone to identify them. There were physicians in the manor. She only needed to take them for one to look at, and perhaps she could find out what they were.

But right now, she needed to first clearly draw out that blood-colored mark and identify exactly what it was.

She fetched brush, ink, paper and inkstone, and began tracing the pattern one stroke at a time on the paper…

Outside, the weather was extremely fine. The people from the Court of Judicial Review had already begun re-investigating this case, starting with the witnesses. They summoned quite a few people for questioning—Zhao Quanzhi, Jiang Bin, and others related to Li Shiyan. Even Luo Yang, who had just closed his eyes for a moment on the bed, was called up. They said the people from the Court of Judicial Review wanted to question him, so he had to go too. Thus, everyone up and down throughout the entire manor was being questioned one by one—nothing more than whether they had seen Wang Huai and Li Shiyan get into a conflict, whether they had seen Li Shiyan personally kill someone… questions of that sort.

While Lord Huang was carefully interrogating them, he also dispatched two groups of people. One group had several coroners continue examining the corpse to see if there were any abnormalities. The other group had people search the artificial mountain and various places throughout the manor for unusual findings.

The Court of Judicial Review was truly giving face to the Marquis, Lord Li, and Su Ziluo.

Minister Wang had lost his nephew in grief. He couldn’t sleep all night, his face haggard and carrying anger. However, he had said beforehand that he would give them two days, so he sat waiting for those two days to pass. If no evidence was found to clear Li Shiyan of guilt, he would personally enter the palace to seek an audience with His Majesty and would certainly demand Li Shiyan’s life to offer sacrifice to his nephew.

For a time, the entire manor became lively.

However, Su Ziluo had Qi’er push him to the Water Moon Pavilion.

The two elite soldiers at the entrance saw him coming and immediately bowed: “General Su.”

He raised his hand and waved it lightly, signaling them to step aside.

“General Su, don’t make things difficult for us. Lord Huang has given orders—until the case is clarified, no one can go in to see the heir. Even the Marquis and Lord Li cannot enter.”

“I’m only here to bring him some food and say a few words, then I’ll leave.” As he spoke, he pointed to a food box resting on his lap.

“This…” They were in a difficult position. Although they knew Su Ziluo’s status in the capital, rules were rules. They didn’t dare break the rules; otherwise, if their superiors investigated, it could be a matter of life and death. They absolutely couldn’t be lax.

Su Ziluo wasn’t annoyed either. His expression was calm as he patted his own crippled legs: “I’m merely someone who cannot walk. What could I possibly do to make things difficult for you? If I truly intended to take the heir away from here, I wouldn’t have personally brought him before Lord Huang last night.”

Yesterday, if not for Su Ziluo, the people from the Court of Judicial Review probably could have searched all of Misty Peak without necessarily finding Li Shiyan. Since Su Ziluo had brought him before Lord Huang, naturally he wouldn’t do anything absurd like rescue him now.

Therefore, letting General Su enter seemed… acceptable!

Seeing the two of them looking at each other, Su Ziluo sighed lightly and said: “Never mind, I won’t make things difficult for you. Then please trouble you to take the refreshments I brought inside to the heir. I’ll go request permission from Lord Huang instead. I hope he’ll let me go in to see the heir.”

Uh!

After Su Ziluo finished speaking, he picked up the food box from his lap and handed it to them.

The two elite soldiers hesitated to accept it. Hearing that he would request permission from Lord Huang shortly, if Lord Huang allowed it, wouldn’t they have offended General Su? This deal really wasn’t worthwhile.

So after thinking it over carefully, the two elite soldiers still pushed back the food box handed to them. With smiling faces, they said: “Since General Su has already said this, there’s no need to request permission from Lord Huang. Please, go in.”

They stepped aside to clear the way.

The corners of Su Ziluo’s lips curved slightly upward, a trace of a smile climbing onto his face. The early morning sunlight scattered on his bright face, making him look so handsome—like willow catkins hanging in water, gently swaying and stirring up ripples in circles, slowly parting the water, warming even people’s cold hearts.

Qi’er pushed Su Ziluo inside. One elite soldier followed behind, planning to help him open the door. The other person pulled him back and said softly: “Are you sure it’s alright? If something happens, we can’t bear the responsibility. I’m feeling a bit panicked.”

“What are you afraid of? Didn’t General Su say so? He’s a crippled person—what could he possibly do? Moreover, it’s broad daylight, and there are people from our Court of Judicial Review everywhere in the manor. What could happen?”

“I’m just afraid…”

“You’re just overthinking. I’ll go open the door.”

The tall elite soldier shook off the short elite soldier and followed behind Su Ziluo, unlocking the door to the room where Li Shiyan was detained.

“General Su, we’re letting you see him, but you must be quick.”

“Don’t worry, you can watch from the doorway. I’ll go in, say a few words, and leave.”

“Yes!”

Su Ziluo had Qi’er also remain outside the door. He pushed the wheelchair in himself and saw Li Shiyan sleeping on the bed. Perhaps the sound of opening the door just now had awakened him. He was just turning over, stretching lazily, rubbing his eyes and sitting up from the bed.

“Who is it? Coming so late?” He opened his eyes and saw Su Ziluo sitting not far away. Immediately thinking he had seen wrong, he rubbed his eyes hard again. Only then did he quickly turn over and get out of bed, walking quickly before him and asking joyfully: “How did you come? Did you find evidence proving my innocence? Are you here to release me? I knew that Shu…”

The character “er” hadn’t yet left his mouth when he managed to cut off the ending in time.

He gave himself a fright!

Su Ziluo’s brows furrowed as he asked: “What do you know?”

His eyes rolled around as he quickly changed the subject, saying: “I just knew you would definitely find evidence proving my innocence, so can I go out now?”

“No!” Su Ziluo didn’t become suspicious about his words just now. He took out the food box and placed it on the table, saying: “We haven’t found evidence yet. I only came to bring you some refreshments—all things you love to eat.”

He unhurriedly took out plates of refreshments from inside and placed them on the table. They were indeed all things he liked, but he had no appetite right now. He had thought Su Ziluo was bringing good news, but instead he was bringing food. Like a deflated balloon, he sat down, casually grabbed a piece of pastry and stuffed it in his mouth, saying: “I thought I could get out. Looks like you haven’t found evidence yet. But that makes sense—it’s only been a few hours. Finding evidence isn’t that easy, and moreover, it can’t be done openly, so it takes even more time.”

He consoled himself this way, completely unaware of how strange the words he just said were.

Hearing this, Su Ziluo’s expression changed drastically. He vaguely seemed to sense something abnormal. His eyes narrowed slightly as he said in his usual calm tone: “What are you muttering about that I don’t quite understand? What do you mean ‘a few hours’? What do you mean ‘can’t be done openly’? What exactly are you talking about?”

Uh!

Li Shiyan hastily spat out the pastry he had just stuffed in his mouth. His face showed a flash of panic. He swallowed and sat up straight, forcibly maintaining an appearance of composure in crisis. Very calmly shaking his head, he said: “I didn’t say anything! What I meant is… from last night when I was locked up, the people from the Court of Judicial Review didn’t investigate because it’s hard to investigate at night, so it couldn’t be done openly. Yes, that’s what I meant!”

Did he really think everyone’s brain worked as fast as his?

Especially in front of Su Ziluo.

Su Ziluo sensed something abnormal about him but didn’t expose him. He pretended to believe his words, then said: “Alright, eat something. Otherwise, who knows how much longer you’ll be confined here. Don’t let yourself starve to death for nothing.”

Li Shiyan smiled, absent-mindedly grabbed a piece of pastry and casually stuffed it in his mouth.

To avoid being exposed, he didn’t even dare look at Su Ziluo!

After all, that man’s eyes were sharp as a hawk—he would definitely see through his lies!

And the more he avoided this way, the more Su Ziluo felt he was hiding something from him.