Li Shiyan stared hard at Xiao Luzi twice, then turned to look at Ji Yunshu.

Pressing his lips together, his eyes carrying reluctance, he said warmly: “Shu’er, then I’m really leaving?”

“Yes!”

He continued: “I know you don’t like me and don’t want to deal with me. However, fortunately, just getting to know you is enough.”

Smiling slightly, more serious than ever before!

In truth, the time they’d spent together wasn’t long. The most they’d talked was about cases at Liangshan.

So, they couldn’t really be called close friends!

But Ji Yunshu no longer felt the same aversion toward him as before.

She lowered her body slightly: “Be careful on the road.”

“Yes!”

He nodded vigorously!

Then he opened the folding fan in his hand and waved it as he fanned himself.

That appearance was exactly the same as when she’d first seen him at the Yuzhou inn!

His feet shuffled, and he left with three backward glances.

Even from far away, she could still hear his voice scolding and beating Xiao Luzi…

Poor Xiao Luzi!

The surroundings became quiet again, and Ji Yunshu’s heart also settled.

She circled among those coffins, reaching out to touch the coffin lids. The fresh earth stuck to her clean fingernails, and the coolness of the soil spread from her fingertips throughout her entire body.

She murmured softly: “Fourteen years ago, what exactly happened to cause the entire household to die so tragically?”

Just as Ji Huan had said, this matter must have something suspicious about it. It was just that investigating it—wouldn’t it be too difficult?

If it truly involved the imperial family, who would it be connected to?

And for this enormous project, she’d probably need to think of methods to speed up the process.

Otherwise, spending one to two years making clay models every day, then assembling them one by one to draw portraits—without eating or drinking, it would truly work someone to death.

Before long, Lang Bo arrived with some servants and maids.

Upon entering, without a word, they began bustling about the courtyard—those who swept swept the floor, those who washed washed things. Broken items were carried out, and items that needed to be purchased were brought in, not one missing.

In short, good things were kept!

Bad things were thrown away and replaced with new ones!

Rich people were indeed rich people. Clearly a chair looked perfectly intact, but just because the edges and corners had worn down a tiny bit—

The result—

Thrown away!

Ji Yunshu sighed at life!

Though it wasn’t her own money being spent, throwing things away like this couldn’t withstand such extravagance!

“Brother Lang!”

She finally couldn’t help calling out to Lang Bo.

Lang Bo immediately came over and asked: “Does Master Ji have any instructions?”

She asked: “Is Prince Rong’s manor moving here?”

“No! His Highness didn’t say he was moving. Besides, His Highness’s manor can’t be easily relocated.”

He answered very seriously!

Ji Yunshu sighed, her brow furrowing high. She looked around and said seriously: “Since His Highness isn’t moving, why are you leading people to tear apart this garden?”

Upon hearing this, Lang Bo quickly denied it, saying: “What are you saying, Master? I haven’t had people tear apart the garden. It’s just that some things are worn and old, so we’re throwing them away.”

Such wealth and arrogance!

Especially when these words rolled out of Lang Bo’s rough voice, it sounded even more like a nouveau riche.

Shaking her head, Ji Yunshu said: “If things aren’t broken beyond repair, there’s no need to replace them. I won’t be living in this garden for long. If you renovate everything once, you’ll spend a lot of silver. This government silver, at the end of the day, also comes from the common people. How can you waste it like this? Quickly have people carry back the items that were moved out. Just wipe them clean and that’ll be fine.”

“Master…”

“That’s settled. If you won’t listen, then hurry back to Prince Rong’s manor. I’m not used to having many people around.”

Having said this, she turned and went into the small gap between the sixty-seven coffins.

Lang Bo’s face showed conflict. He had only thought this place was too dusty and the furniture too old, so he wanted to renovate it a bit, didn’t he?

Who would have thought it would make Ji Yunshu unhappy?

That wouldn’t do!

So—

He vigorously ordered people to carry the furniture that had been moved out back in, only throwing away some things that were truly beyond repair.

After bustling about all morning, things were finally tidied up properly.

Ji Yunshu kept circling around the coffins. Only after the paper on the coffin openings had completely dried did she have several servants lift the lid off one of the coffins.

As expected—

What assaulted the nose was an unbearably foul smell!

Nauseating!

Fortunately, only a pile of white bones remained with no decayed flesh, otherwise it would have been even more disgusting!

However, the bones of this skeleton were black.

After pondering carefully for a while, she quickly asked Lang Bo who was standing by on duty: “Is the Ministry of Finance’s registry available?”

“Yes! Jing Zhaoyin has a copy.”

“Good. Go fetch it. Then ask if anyone in Duke Yuguo’s manor had been ill?”

“Yes!”

Lang Bo flew to Jing Zhaoyin’s place and returned in no more than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

While handing her the registry, he said: “I asked around. They said there was one person in the manor named Zhang Kui who indeed contracted an illness. Duke Yuguo treated him very well and even had imperial physicians from the palace come to examine him, but that illness was incurable—he wouldn’t live long.”

Explained clearly!

“Only this one person contracted an illness?”

“That’s what’s written in the records.”

Ji Yunshu nodded and made a sound of acknowledgment, saying: “Since in Duke Yuguo’s entire household, only this Zhang Kui contracted an illness, then there’s no need to mold clay and draw a portrait. This skeleton is Zhang Kui.”

The conclusion was drawn on the spot!

Lang Bo was puzzled: “Why are you so certain?”

While flipping through the household registry in her hands, Ji Yunshu turned to the page with Zhang Kui’s record and lightly scratched the name with her fingernail.

This counted as eliminating this person!

Five or six days of time saved.

And she also explained to Lang Bo.

“Because only those who were poisoned during life or had cancer will have bones that appear black after death.”

“Cancer?”

“That’s what you commonly call an incurable illness!”

Lang Bo seemed to understand, yet also seemed not to understand.

Shortly after, Ji Yunshu closed the registry and ordered people to open another coffin.

The white bones inside were intact with no abnormalities.

Even using the elimination method based on the skeleton’s height and build, it was impossible to determine details.

She could only reconstruct the face from the bones.

So—

Ji Yunshu put on gloves, lifted out the skeleton’s skull, and placed it on the coffin lid.

While instructing: “I must trouble Brother Lang for another trip. Return to Prince Rong’s manor and fetch my two sandalwood boxes, and also bring some clay.”

“Yes!”

The servile nature at work!

Lang Bo’s efficiency in handling matters was extremely high!

Again in just a short while, he brought everything over completely.

Ji Yunshu, holding the skull in her hands, ordered people to close the coffin lid, then entered the garden’s study.

To concentrate on reconstructing the portrait!

Lang Bo stood guard outside, not letting anyone enter to disturb her.

After placing the skull on the desk, Ji Yunshu softly called out into the air, “Zijin.”

A figure instantly appeared at her side.

Shi Zijin still had that cold demeanor.

Awaiting orders.

Ji Yunshu glanced warily toward outside the room.

She said: “Leave the capital for a trip and help me with something!”