“Because of you!”

As she spoke, Ji Yinshu’s crimson eyes were streaked with blood vessels, staring at Su Ziluo before her with a cold and unfamiliar gaze.

She continued, “General Yuchi’s death was part of your plan from the very beginning. You had him invite Ji Li to the post station to continue drinking, then had him poison his own wine and willingly go to his death, framing Ji Li for the deed. You just didn’t expect that Kong Yu would come that night, nor did you anticipate at all that she would use the curved blade she carried with her to slash Yuchi Lin’s neck. Your plan was completely disrupted at that moment. However, fortunately for you, you improvised and continued with the plan.”

“And then?” Su Ziluo asked casually.

He didn’t deny her words!

He remained very composed!

Ji Yinshu took a deep breath, scrutinizing him as she spoke.

“You first had Kong Yu leave the post station and made her keep silent about what happened that night, because you promised her that she wouldn’t have to go to Qujiang. As for the traces of her presence in the room, you erased almost all of them. I imagine you burned that handkerchief, didn’t you? In the end, only that half footprint remained…”

But the plan still had to proceed, and it had to proceed that very night. So, taking advantage of Ji Li being drunk at the time, you drew his sword and, at the same location where Kong Yu had slashed General Yuchi’s neck, you struck down with one sword blow.

When General Yuchi was slashed by Kong Yu, because of the pain, his muscles and tendons tensed. That’s why after you severed his head with one sword strike, his ten fingers showed a struggling, curved state.

Afterward, you placed that blood-stained sword in Ji Li’s hands, making everyone believe that he had killed someone while drunk.

Without dragging it out, her words were clear!

While the smell of decay flowed through the room, it seemed to be mixed with a bitter, sorrowful odor as well.

Su Ziluo met her gaze.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, as if he had torn off the mask he’d been wearing, feeling utterly relaxed.

He only asked, “You’re saying I killed someone? Where’s the evidence?”

“All of this is just my speculation, but if you want evidence, I can give it to you. I presume that murder weapon, the sword, should still be at the Ministry of Justice. As long as I go examine it, I can determine whether your fingerprints are on that sword, Master Su. Someone as clever as you should know that each person’s fingerprints are different.”

Hearing this, the smile at the corners of Su Ziluo’s mouth grew even more pronounced. He raised his eyebrows and said, “Hasn’t Miss Ji noticed that her own words are full of holes? If I truly killed the person, yesterday I wouldn’t have let you come in to examine the corpse. I could have simply burned the body clean. Moreover, regarding that footprint Kong Yu left behind—why would I only take away that handkerchief while overlooking such an obvious other half of the footprint? Furthermore, the murder weapon is itself the key to solving the case. When gripping the sword to kill someone, wouldn’t I wipe the fingerprints clean from the sword hilt?”

“You wouldn’t do those things.”

“Why not?”

“Because you actually wanted me to find the evidence to prove that you were the one who killed him.”

Ji Yinshu’s words were serious and certain.

Su Ziluo raised his eyebrows slightly. “Oh? Would there be such a foolish murderer in this world?”

His composure was like a mass of black mist swirling around him, giving people a sense of oppression.

Ji Yinshu clenched both hands tightly at her sides and demanded, “Stop equivocating and stop hiding. Tell me, what exactly do you want me to help you do?”

Eh!

This suddenly posed question finally made Su Ziluo’s eyes flicker momentarily.

He glanced at the corpse on the bed, then looked at Ji Yinshu before finally speaking candidly and slowly, “Miss Ji is indeed a clever person. Not even the slightest bit of evidence can escape your eyes.”

“What exactly do you want?”

She asked again!

“What I want is merely one statement from you!”

“What?”

“The murderer is Ji Li!”

Ji Yinshu laughed coldly. “You killed him.”

As if reminding him.

Su Ziluo only said, “Yes, I did indeed kill him, just as you said. Actually, from the very beginning, I wanted you to know. However, I need you to say these words.”

“What makes you think I would help you?”

No matter how confused she might be, she wouldn’t joke about a murder case.

Su Ziluo was the one who killed the person. She had no reason to let him off.

However—

The next moment, Su Ziluo took out that tassel pendant again, dangling it from his fingertips.

Upon seeing that pendant, Ji Yinshu’s emotions became uncontrollable again.

She wanted to reach out and grab it but was still a step slower than Su Ziluo.

“If you want to know Ji Pei’s whereabouts, you must help me say these words.” Su Ziluo spoke with a conditional tone.

This was a transaction!

Ji Yinshu’s eyes reddened, and she shook her head slightly. “No, I can’t do it.”

“You certainly can!” He looked at her. “Because in your heart, nothing can compare to Ji Pei.”

“No…”

“Just one statement from you, and I’ll tell you where Ji Pei is. Whether he’s alive or dead. Everything you want to know, I’ll tell you completely.”

“…”

Ji Yinshu’s mind went blank. Her legs weakly retreated a few steps. The surging, acidic pain in her chest nearly cost her half her life.

Su Ziluo tucked that pendant back into his sleeve and moved his wheelchair to the window, reaching out to push open the tightly closed window with one motion.

The light reflecting in from outside fell on his plain-colored robe, bringing with it a sense of tranquility.

Gazing into the distance, he said, “One statement from you can prevent countless common people from being displaced, and can even save the lives of countless soldiers!”

Ji Yinshu only looked at him.

“My side’s thirty thousand soldiers are equivalent to your Great Lin’s one hundred thousand mediocre troops. If you insist on telling the truth, the two nations will inevitably go to war. At that time, blood will flow like rivers, countless will be killed and injured, and in the end, who wins and who loses will still be an unknown.”

As he spoke, he turned his head to look at Ji Yinshu. The light struck his sharply defined profile—he looked extremely handsome!

He continued, “All I want are those two cities that Great Lin once took from my Qujiang. From then on, Qujiang will withdraw its troops, and the two nations will have no more warfare. This should be what you want, and what the common people of the world want. Between these two choices, it’s easy to choose.”

Between two choices?

Easy to choose?

But for Ji Yinshu, it was too difficult!

Her swaying body nearly couldn’t support itself and was about to collapse. She could only prop herself against the corner of the nearby table to keep herself standing straight, so as not to lose her bearing in front of Su Ziluo.

After a long while, her pale red lips parted slightly. “If I help you, it means I’m condemning Ji Li to death. From then on, I’ll also be condemned by my conscience. For the rest of my life, I’ll never have peace of mind.”

“Is that so?” He laughed coldly. “From what I know, he wants to kill you. An older brother who could kill you at any time or place—you actually still sympathize with him?”

Yes, he knew Ji Li was her older brother!

It seemed Su Ziluo knew her family background like the back of his hand.

“Human life is of utmost importance!”

Ji Yinshu firmly replied with these four words!