Zhuxiyuan

Ji Yunshu had already been here for a full day. From last night until now, including the night at Linshan, she hadn’t closed her eyes for two days.

In one night’s time, she had already drawn the complete structure from the cranium to the mandible of that skull.

On the paper, it was divided into different regional sections!

This made it convenient for assembly!

She also had someone move the skeletal remains of this skull into the study.

She studied it for a while.

The pelvis of the skeleton was relatively smooth and thin, with the upper opening being round and oval-shaped, wide and shallow, with a short and low pubic bone that was quite elastic.

Combined with the smaller bone frame and sloping shoulders tilting downward.

She could determine it was a female corpse!

After determining the gender, Ji Yunshu began molding with clay bit by bit according to the complete skull diagram she had drawn.

Her eyes were rather dry, and when they encountered even a slight breeze, they stung painfully.

Tears involuntarily flowed out.

Just as she was about to raise her sleeve to wipe them away, a handkerchief was handed to her.

She looked up and saw Wei Yi’s face adorned with a smile.

Not having seen him for several days, this silly young man seemed to have become much fairer, and looked quite a bit more spirited.

Sunlight scattered on his shoulders and the side of his face, just like a feathered fan gently caressing his body.

Carrying a lazy yet comfortable feeling!

It must be said that Wei Yi was indeed like a tender sprout in early spring—clean and full of vitality!

No dusty or worn phrases could be applied to him.

Ji Yunshu smiled faintly, “How did you get here?”

Wei Yi grinned, squatted down, and while gently wiping away the tears from the corner of her eyes with his handkerchief, said, “Brother Muruo said that I’ve been very well-behaved these past days, so he agreed to let me come see you.”

“Then how did you find this place?”

“Brother Muruo brought me here.”

“Oh!”

Although Muruo stayed at Yuhua Pavilion, those two ears of his were quite sharp.

Naturally, he couldn’t hide the fact that she had moved into Zhuxiyuan from him.

Ji Yunshu looked toward the gate outside the courtyard and asked again, “Then where is he?”

“I don’t know. He said he was going to see an old friend. When he comes back, he’ll come pick me up.”

An old friend?

Jingrong?

Ji Yunshu smiled and said nothing more.

Wei Yi, on the other hand, not having seen Ji Yunshu for two or three days, naturally had endless things to say. He squatted by her side and, like a child, began talking about what happened during his days at Yuhua Pavilion.

“Shu’er, do you know? Brother Muruo is so strange. These past few days, he keeps making me soak in wooden tubs and forces me to drink really awful-tasting medicine. And every day he uses needles to poke me. Shu’er, what’s wrong with Brother Muruo? Does he not like me? Is he going to kill me?”

Pfft—

Ji Yunshu nearly laughed out loud.

This child always let his imagination run wild.

She wanted to pat his head, but her hands were covered in clay, so she could only say to him gently, “Wei Yi, he won’t kill you. He wants to treat you well. Do you understand?”

He shook his head!

“In any case, you must obediently listen to him. One day, you’ll understand.”

“Understand what?”

“Well…” She didn’t know how to explain it either. Her eyes lowered, and she asked seriously, “Wei Yi, if one day you understood everything, would you be happy?”

“Understand everything?” He murmured, scratched his head, and immediately raised a bright smile, nodding vigorously, “Of course I’d be happy! If I were as smart as you, Shu’er, then I could marry you as my wife.”

He was so happy!

He was practically about to jump up and bounce around!

A smile slowly spread across Ji Yunshu’s lips.

She remained silent!

Wei Yi grabbed her slender arm and said again, “When I become smart, I’ll be able to protect Shu’er from now on. Shu’er won’t have to worry about getting hurt anymore, and won’t have to worry about anyone capturing you.”

It seemed he still remembered being captured and taken to the underground chamber.

“Thank you, Wei Yi.”

He shook his head, “Mother said that a true man must protect the one he loves. Shu’er is the person I love most, so of course I have to protect you and not let anyone bully you for the rest of your life.”

His expression was resolute!

He raised his head and straightened his back!

Ji Yunshu didn’t know what to say. Perhaps she simply didn’t want to hurt Wei Yi.

Taking a breath, she asked him again, “Then if you really do become smart, you must promise me that no matter what happens, you can’t do anything that goes against heaven and reason, and you can’t harm others for your own benefit, alright?”

“Alright!”

He agreed extremely readily.

Ji Yunshu believed him!

Wei Yi’s nature wasn’t bad. She believed he wouldn’t be like Ji Yuanzhi or Ji Li, and even believed he wouldn’t be like Jing Yi!

In an instant, Wei Yi noticed the clay in Ji Yunshu’s hands and immediately became interested. He rubbed his hands on his clothes.

He said, “Shu’er, are you molding clay figures? Let me help you too. I used to do this often.”

Without waiting for Ji Yunshu to refuse, he had already rolled up his sleeves and gotten to work.

Naturally, he also ruined a piece that Ji Yunshu had already molded properly. Fortunately, it was only a semi-finished piece.

The two happily began working together. Wei Yi molded a little pig one moment, then a little monkey the next. In total, he molded many small animals, each one lifelike.

He didn’t forget to place them in the sunlight to dry.

A dozen or twenty small animals stood in a row under the sunlight.

Sunbathing!

…

After Muruo delivered Wei Yi to Zhuxiyuan, he went to the imperial palace.

He arrived at Jing Xian’s Tongren Hall!

Muruo had just entered carrying a bundle of medicinal herbs when he smelled a burning odor.

He wrinkled his nose, and looking carefully, he saw Jing Xian sitting in a rocking chair, holding paper over a brazier and burning it.

“What are you burning?”

Muruo walked over and asked.

Jing Xian wasn’t startled. He merely glanced at him sideways, and with a slight release of his fingertips, that sheet of paper fell into the brazier and burned to nothing.

He replied, “Nothing, just some documents from daily affairs that aren’t needed anymore.”

“But you didn’t need to burn them!”

“They’re not needed anyway. Burning them is good—it saves them from being damaged by insects, which would require cleaning up.”

Muruo glanced into the brazier and didn’t ask any more questions. He placed the medicinal materials he’d brought on the side, sat down, and said to Jing Xian, “Remember to grind these herbs and soak them in water to use for washing your body.”

Jing Xian glanced at them, his eyes dim, “I already told you, you don’t need to bother with these things. I know my own body’s condition.”

“Don’t be so defeatist. As long as I’m alive, you’ll be fine.” His voice was stern as he frowned, then his tone became gentler, “Your complexion looks quite good. Before long, you should be able to leave the palace.”

“From your tone, it seems you’ve been planning this for a while?”

Muruo didn’t hide it from him and nodded, saying, “That Master Ji—you’ve probably heard about him?”

Jing Xian narrowed his eyes, his lips parting slightly, “I know!”

Good that he knows!

“When the time is right, I’ll ask her to find a way to get His Majesty to agree to let you leave the palace. I believe she’ll definitely be able to do it.”

But upon hearing this, Jing Xian looked puzzled, “How can you be so certain she’ll help me?”

“Because I promised to help her cure a patient, so she still owes me a favor!”