She unfolded the note!

On it were densely written elegant ink characters!

Ji Yunshu first looked at the signature at the bottom. There, unexpectedly, was Mei Xiang’er’s name!

Eh?

Her heart tightened. Could it be that Mei Xiang’er had slipped it into her clothes?

She carefully spread out the note. Written clearly on it were these words:

Miss Ji, if you can see this letter, it means Heaven has let you live, while I am probably already dead. I want to say I’m sorry to you.

And this letter, please help me pass it on to another person.

…

Ji Yunshu read every single word on it carefully.

By the time she reached the last word, her hand trembled and the note nearly fell to the ground.

That uneasy feeling from the thatched cottage surged up again in an instant.

The maid, seeing her shocked expression, asked cautiously, “Master Ji, are you alright?”

“…”

“Master Ji?”

Ji Yunshu clutched the note tightly in her hand and immediately rushed outside, preparing to find Jingrong.

But just as she reached the courtyard gate, she ran right into Lang Bo, who was hurrying along.

She seemed to sense something and immediately asked Lang Bo, “Has something happened?”

“How did you know, Master?”

“Has it?”

Lang Bo immediately nodded. “Miss Ruan has disappeared—just last night.”

As expected!

“His Highness sent me to notify you, Master.”

“Quick, immediately take people to that thatched cottage. Miss Ruan should be there.”

“How do you know, Master?”

“Don’t ask so many questions.”

Lang Bo was stunned for a moment, half understanding. He could only nod and prepare to report to Jingrong and Jing Zhaoyin.

The next moment, Ji Yunshu grabbed him and said urgently, “I’m going too.”

“Master, you’d better not go. His Highness said…”

“I must go.” Ji Yunshu was very firm.

Though Lang Bo hesitated, he also knew he couldn’t argue with her. He could only take her along, while having someone prepare a carriage and going to notify Jingrong.

The carriage was prepared. Just as Ji Yunshu boarded, Jingrong also got on.

He ordered outside, “Depart!”

Immediately, the carriage began moving.

Ji Yunshu’s large eyes looked at him. Seeing him still covered in wounds, she grew concerned. “Your Highness, your injuries haven’t healed. You should…”

“Do you think I’m some delicate young lady? Can’t handle falls? Can’t handle bumps?”

“But…”

“Enough with the ‘buts.’ It seems this case is truly like peeling a cocoon—layer after layer, completely unexpected.” Jingrong’s brow was tightly furrowed. He asked again, “Lang Bo told me that before he even informed you about Miss Ruan’s disappearance, you had already rushed out and even sensed something had happened. Have you discovered something?”

Ji Yunshu nodded. “Actually, after I woke up, I felt something was strange about this matter. You should still remember—I mentioned that the white cloth that fell on Liangshan had a fragrance, right?”

“I remember!”

“At that time outside the thatched cottage, someone covered my mouth. I smelled that fragrance again. When I woke up, Mei Xiang’er was beside me. I thought that fragrance must have been coming from her body. But after getting close to her several times, I only smelled it that once. It was really strange.”

“Not only that—the other person who died in the fire was Mei Xiang’er’s older brother. I had grabbed his hand. His bones were broken in sections, and he had severe osteoporosis. Someone with this condition couldn’t possibly exert heavy force with their hands. Yet the deceased’s hands were both severed with a single blade stroke. So it couldn’t have been her brother. I then thought the killer must be Mei Xiang’er.”

“And then? What did you think?”

She pondered for a moment, then immediately continued, “When my mouth was covered outside the thatched cottage, I felt something was strange. At that moment, the back of my head was pressed against that person’s chest. This shows that person’s height must have been taller than me. But Mei Xiang’er was about the same height as me. Combined with that fragrance, it made me think the real culprit might be someone else. But since Mei Xiang’er and her brother were already dead, I worried I was overthinking it. But when I saw this letter…”

As she spoke, she pulled the note from her sleeve and handed it to Jingrong.

Jingrong took it with questions in mind and read through it once.

After finishing, his expression matched Ji Yunshu’s earlier one exactly.

Beyond shock, there was a trace of sympathy.

Even anger!

For a moment, both their hearts sank.

After about half the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, they finally arrived at the thatched cottage.

Because it had been burned by the great fire for several hours, the entire area around the thatched cottage was like ruins—charcoal everywhere, pitch black.

The air still carried the choking, unpleasant smell of charred wood!

After getting off the carriage, Ji Yunshu discovered that Jing Zhaoyin and others had also followed.

Even Master Ruan and Madam Ruan had come. The two wore luxurious clothing, adorned with gold and silver jewelry that was dazzlingly bright.

The couple supported each other, tears streaming down their faces.

Madam Ruan grabbed Jing Zhaoyin and began crying, “Your Honor, you must save my daughter! She absolutely cannot come to harm.”

Though Jing Zhaoyin wasn’t an iron-blooded man, seeing someone cry inevitably made him feel helpless.

He sighed and could only comfort her, “Rest assured, this official will definitely find Miss Ruan.”

“Wasn’t it said that the killer had already been caught? Why was my daughter still taken by someone?”

Madam Ruan suddenly shifted from worried weeping to sharp questioning.

“This…”

Jing Zhaoyin couldn’t answer.

The next moment, Madam Ruan turned her attack toward Ji Yunshu, stepping forward both angry and anxious. “You’re that Master Ji, aren’t you? Wasn’t it said this case was already closed? That the killer was already dead? Why has another killer appeared? Why? If something really happens to my daughter, will you compensate me with a daughter?”

She was filled with righteous indignation!

Ji Yunshu was also at a loss for words!

Fortunately, Master Ruan was relatively rational and pulled Madam Ruan back.

Jingrong stood to the side, his expression obviously sour. His woman had helped them investigate the case and been injured, yet they turned around and blamed her. This truly infuriated him.

His brow furrowed. He was about to say something when Ji Yunshu pulled him back.

She shook her head at him and said softly, “Forget it!”

Jingrong grunted in frustration but had to let it go.

At this moment, Jing Zhaoyin stepped forward and cupped his hands toward Ji Yunshu. “Master, why are you certain Miss Ruan is here?”

Ji Yunshu looked toward the ruins and saw many chaotic footprints on the charcoal. Her heart became even more certain that the killer had brought Miss Ruan and was definitely hiding in that underground chamber.

“Jing Zhaoyin, have your people guard outside. Don’t follow me in. I’ll go alone.”

“Ah?”

While Jing Zhaoyin was bewildered, Jingrong took a step and blocked her path.

His face ice-cold, filled with deep anger, he commanded in the tone befitting a prince.

“Ji Yunshu, from this moment I command you—from now on when acting, if I’m not by your side, you absolutely may not act alone. Otherwise, I will not be lenient.”

The meaning in his words seemed to be saying, “If you dare act alone again, I’ll throw you onto the bed without mercy.”

Meeting Jingrong’s cold, stern eyes, Ji Yunshu flinched and could only nod.

The next moment, Jingrong ordered everyone, “All of you wait outside. I will enter together with Master Ji.”

“Yes!”

He grabbed her slender wrist and walked into that ruined area.

At this time, in the dark underground chamber!

A person wearing a cloak and hat stood beside the elevated wooden board, holding a sharp butcher’s knife in their hand.

And on the board, bound and tied, was the Ruan family’s young miss, Ruan Ya’er.

Because her mouth was stuffed with something, she could only widen her eyes and struggle with all her might.

Her entire expression and eyes showed endless terror!