Jingrong protected Ji Yunshu with one hand while blocking that person’s palm strike with the other, then kicked toward that person’s chest.

That person was kicked to the ground and coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood!

Before the mourning hall, chaos erupted.

Ji Yunshu was firmly protected behind Jingrong. On the ground lay Suyun and the man Jingrong had kicked down.

“Lin Duan.”

Suyun suddenly cried out, crawling to the man’s side. Seeing him cough up blood, Suyun immediately began to cry.

The man’s chest throbbed with severe pain, but when he saw Suyun, he smiled tenderly and reached out to caress her face.

“Yun’er, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

“It’s all my fault. I’ve harmed you.”

“Don’t say that, Yun’er. For you, I’m willing to do anything.”

“Lin Duan, I’ve implicated you.”

A pair of ill-fated lovebirds embraced each other—the scene was truly touching!

However, Jingrong wore an expression of fury. His gaze rolled toward Ji Yunshu like a ball of fire, questioning with a restrained tone.

“This is your method for drawing out the second murderer?”

Ji Yunshu merely nodded indifferently.

“This method should truly be forbidden!” Jingrong said angrily.

Why was this venerable one so prone to sudden fury? She wasn’t even afraid of death—what was he afraid of?

Too lazy to guess further, Ji Yunshu stepped aside, creating distance between herself and Jingrong. After all, two “grown men” standing too close together would inevitably invite gossip!

Looking again at the ill-fated pair on the ground, Ji Yunshu truly couldn’t bear to separate them.

But now was not the time for sympathy.

“It seems you are Suyun’s lover, the murderer who helped her create the illusion of Miss Zhou falling from the tower. The reason Qiao Xin didn’t see anyone on the tower at the time was because you were hiding at the top of the tower. When Qiao Xin reached the bottom of the tower, you pushed Miss Zhou down without anyone knowing.”

At this point, Lin Duan had absolutely no intention of denying it. Instead, his face was full of hatred as he gritted his teeth.

“She deserved to die! She had already tortured Yun’er to a state worse than death, yet she still refused to stop. She actually harmed our innocent child—she deserved to die! She got what she deserved.”

“Lin Duan, don’t say anymore.” Suyun had cried herself into exhaustion.

Ji Yunshu truly didn’t know what to say anymore.

Madam Zhou nearly fainted. Seeing the pair on the ground, she clenched her fists in hatred.

“What a pair of despicable adulterers! Our Zhou family treated you well, yet you conspired to kill my daughter.”

“Madam, since the murderers are now known, I will notify Magistrate Liu. Take care of your health and don’t harm yourself further.” Master Zhou sighed and waved to the servants. “Take them to the magistrate’s office and hand them over to Magistrate Liu.”

“Yes.”

Several servants stepped forward and lifted the two from the ground, but they still held hands and refused to let go no matter what.

“Yun’er, you should have listened to me. We should have left this place last night.” Lin Duan cried out in anguished regret.

Suyun’s face was already covered in tears from crying.

“Did you think you could have left last night?” Ji Yunshu spoke up.

Lin Duan laughed coldly. “Why couldn’t we leave? If Yun’er had been willing to leave with me last night, today we wouldn’t have fallen into your hands.”

Such confidence—who knew where it came from?

Ji Yunshu said lightly, “If last night you had truly fled the Zhou residence, then countless sharp arrows outside would have pierced through your flesh and shot toward your hearts.”

“What?”

Just as these words were spoken, a flurry of hurried footsteps approached from far to near.

More than ten bailiffs quickly and efficiently surrounded the area. The county magistrate arrived immediately afterward, with Lang Bo also coming along.

Lang Bo silently walked to his prince’s side and stood obediently.

The county magistrate, departing from his usual timid demeanor, displayed the bearing of a county magistrate and gave the order.

“Arrest them and lock them in the prison. After this official memorializes the Ministry of Justice, we’ll determine their punishment.”

“Yes.”

The bailiffs took Suyun and Lin Duan from the Zhou household servants and put iron shackles on their hands.

Lin Duan asked Ji Yunshu in shock, “You knew all along? You had already arranged for people outside?”

Ji Yunshu only said, “You’re mistaken. When I asked Magistrate Liu to set up outside the Zhou residence, I still didn’t know who the murderers were. However, if you had hastily left with Suyun last night, you would have revealed yourselves without being forced!”

“I thought everything was absolutely foolproof. I never imagined I’d fall into your hands.”

These words actually carried a few traces of admiration!

The county magistrate waved his hand. “Quickly take them away.”

The bailiffs escorted the prisoners away. When Suyun walked before Ji Yunshu, she stopped, looked at her, and asked.

“How did you know my foot was injured and that I’d been pregnant?”

Ji Yunshu answered her with a serious expression. “Last night I deliberately tripped you, so naturally I knew your ankle bone had been fractured. As for how I knew about the pregnancy, of course I also noticed your pelvis. People who have been pregnant and miscarried have noticeably contracted pelvises.”

Suyun was amazed.

“Master Ji, you’re very clever. Not only that, but from just one glance at my handkerchief, you had already told my story clearly. But I don’t regret it. That night, when I saw the young miss lying on the ground after being poisoned, with darkness all around at that moment, I felt liberated—I would no longer have to suffer torture. If I could choose again, I would still do the same thing.”

Ji Yunshu’s chest felt extremely uncomfortable from her words. She rubbed the handkerchief in her hand and returned it to Suyun.

“Returning it to its rightful owner.”

“Thank you.” Suyun took the handkerchief and smiled calmly.

In the end, Suyun and Lin Duan were taken and locked in prison, and the entire Zhou household once again fell into grief.

Madam Zhou ultimately couldn’t withstand it and still fainted. Master Zhou also seemed to have turned white-haired in an instant, aging considerably.

His own daughter had been ill and had done such things to the maids around her. If word got out, the entire Zhou family would likely have no place to stand in Jinjiang.

Ji Yunshu said, “Master Zhou, please accept my condolences.”

“Master Ji, thank you for finding the murderer who harmed my daughter. It’s just that I, as her father, am truly ashamed for not even noticing my own daughter’s illness.”

“This matter can’t be blamed on anyone. As I said just now, this illness cannot be detected—it’s not strange.”

Master Zhou sighed continuously…

Having not returned to the Ji family all night, Ji Yunshu was truly worried about being discovered by her wolf-like father. With the case already solved, she didn’t linger any longer.

The county magistrate was busy returning to the magistrate’s office to write a memorial to the Ministry of Justice and left with his people first.

Heavy snow fell from the sky. Ji Yunshu held an umbrella and left the Zhou household shortly after.

But she had barely taken a few steps out of the Zhou residence when Jingrong caught up and walked alongside her.

Deep and shallow footprints sank into the snow. With snow filling the sky, the two each held umbrellas as they walked—it had a unique flavor.

However, Lang Bo only followed from a distance behind.

Jingrong glanced at Ji Yunshu and saw her brows slightly lowered. Having clearly solved the case, why would she look this way?

“You have something on your mind.”

She nodded. “I just find it strange.”

“Strange? What’s strange?”

Ji Yunshu paused slightly, stopped walking, and turned to meet Jingrong’s puzzled gaze.

“I’m thinking about that candlestick studded with crystals!”