Returning to the East Courtyard, Ji Yunshu remained silent, her expression tightly drawn, leaving others unable to guess her thoughts. Jingrong followed behind her into the room. Seeing that she wouldn’t let go of the box in her hands, he asked, “What’s inside that box? It’s made you so troubled.”
“I’m not troubled, it’s just…” She shook her head. “Forget it, we’ll discuss it tomorrow.”
“If you know who the murderer is, why wait until tomorrow?”
“Has Your Highness forgotten? I said before that there are very likely two murderers. If we act now, we’ll alert them prematurely.”
“So you already know who one of the murderers is?”
She hesitated for a moment before nodding. “I suppose so.”
Jingrong smiled slightly, clasped his hands behind his back, and stepped into the room on the right. Without looking back, he said, “Then this prince shall await tomorrow’s good show.”
Creak—thud.
The door was shut.
And he didn’t even ask once who one of the murderers was?
Ji Yunshu sat in the inner hall, her slender pale hands clasped tightly around the box in her embrace. She tapped it lightly, and along with the small chain on the box, it produced an eerie, chilling sound…
Before long, she rose and went out once more, heading directly to the mourning hall where Miss Zhou’s body was being kept.
Several maids were keeping vigil in the mourning hall. When they saw Ji Yunshu arrive, they raised their eyes, performed a courtesy, and continued to obediently stand guard outside.
The coffin inside was placed in the center. The coffin lid had already been closed and covered with a black cloth, which was held down with a piece of jade!
As the ancient saying goes, the greener the jade, the better it wards off evil!
At that moment, the Zhou family’s old steward entered from outside. Bent at the waist, holding a lit candlestick in one hand and pressing the other against his abdomen, he slowly walked before Ji Yunshu and inquired.
“For the sir to come so late, is there something you need?”
Ji Yunshu shook her head slightly. “Nothing, just came to take a look.”
“If the sir needs anything, please don’t hesitate to ask. The master has instructed us not to neglect you in any way.”
“Old sir, no need to trouble yourself. I’ve always been accustomed to a simple life—a life adorned with gold and jade doesn’t suit me.” Ji Yunshu parted her lips in a smile.
The old steward bowed his head. Suddenly, a cold wind blew in from outside the door, lifting the mourning cap from the old steward’s head. His aged face was instantly exposed in the candlelight he held.
His sallow complexion, deeply wrinkled skin, and those sunken, dark eye sockets all conveyed a sense of desolation. Especially the scar on his left cheek that extended from the corner of his eye to the corner of his mouth—it appeared to have been inflicted by a knife. Because it hadn’t been carefully treated, the flesh of the wound had turned outward, forming an extremely fierce-looking red scab.
At a sudden glance, it was truly rather frightening!
Ji Yunshu’s eyes twitched slightly.
The old steward immediately lowered his head, pulling his cap back over the top of his head, bowing downward. “This old servant’s face is ugly—I fear I’ve startled the sir.”
“Old sir, please don’t misunderstand. I absolutely meant no disrespect. It’s just… seeing the wound on your face, it seems to have been there for quite a few years now.” Ji Yunshu inquired carefully.
“Yes, it was accidentally cut a few years ago. The scar has remained on my face ever since.” The old steward’s tone was flat, revealing no great emotion.
Ji Yunshu’s eyelids lowered several times. She didn’t inquire further. The old steward coughed twice and said, “It’s getting late. Why don’t I carry a lantern to escort you back to rest?”
She shook her head. “No need. There are lanterns along the path. I can walk back myself. The hour is late—you and these maids should rest early as well.”
“Very well.”
Stepping out of the mourning hall, Ji Yunshu’s seemingly calm countenance had gained a few traces of concern and regret!
This suddenly arising state of mind went unnoticed by anyone.
That night, it began to drizzle. Approaching the hour of chou, it gradually began to snow.
Jinjiang was located at the northernmost end of Beiliang County. Since the beginning of winter, there had been a light snowfall every other day. Under the white snow’s coverage, Jinjiang City appeared wrapped in a layer of pearl powder, emanating a silvery-white halo.
Yet it was also continuously divided by those winding and twisting bluestone paths, carving it into countless separate sections.