The person who had been fetching food for Wei Yi heard the voice and went out, saying to the old man with displeasure.

“What time is it now? You’re half a shichen late.”

“I’m truly sorry, sir. The road wasn’t good today, and my eyes are getting dim. I walked more slowly. It won’t happen next time.”

“Forget it, forget it. Hurry up and bring the things inside.”

“Yes.”

The old man responded and quickly began unloading basket after basket of vegetables from the cart.

Actually, it wasn’t unusual for him to deliver vegetables at this time. Gaoshan Stronghold had regulations—firewood and vegetables had to be delivered at night.

The kitchen man and Little Fish stood to one side, watching eagerly as the old man moved things inside by himself.

Wei Yi’s brain turned for a moment, then he rolled up his sleeves. With the smile of a big child on his face, he eagerly went to help unload, working hard to carry things inside.

He didn’t forget to say, “Grandfather, let me help you.”

The old man seemed startled and quickly pulled at Wei Yi, saying, “Sir, let me do it instead.”

“It’s fine. I have great strength. You just rest.”

His fawning manner as he competed to do the work.

Little Fish snorted and pulled the bandit from the kitchen, saying, “A fool is a fool—competing to do this kind of work.”

So the two of them watched with eager eyes as Wei Yi moved things with sweat pouring down his head.

Whew—

Finally finished!

“Thank you so much, sir, thank you so much…” The old man bowed deeply in gratitude.

Wei Yi supported his hand. “I’m not a sir. My name is Wei Yi. Wei from ‘position,’ Yi from ‘one person.'”

Huh?

The old man was illiterate, but at least he heard it with his ears.

Little Fish and that bandit crossed their arms, casting a disdainful glance.

They didn’t forget to mutter quietly, “Scholars love to show off, always spouting fancy words.”

Pfft—

Confucius and Mencius spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Just as Wei Yi finished moving things and was putting the empty baskets back on the cart one by one, inadvertently, he quietly tucked the items from his sleeve into the bottom of a basket.

Without anyone knowing!

No one noticed at all.

Even the old man didn’t detect it, then pushed the cart away.

Wei Yi scratched his head, turned around, and asked Little Fish, “Brother Little Fish, why didn’t you pay him? The old grandfather delivered vegetables to you—it’s very hard work.”

“Pay him?”

What a novel concept!

Little Fish laughed shamelessly. “Delivering vegetables to our Gaoshan Stronghold is that old fellow’s good fortune. He still wants money? Dream on.”

“But…”

“No more ‘buts.’ Hurry up and take your food and get lost.”

He casually stuffed several steamed buns into Wei Yi’s arms, then pushed him toward the firewood storage where they were being held.

And at this moment, inside the firewood storage!

Ji Yunshu leaned against the haystack behind her. Her body was getting colder and colder, her chest heavier and heavier.

Her gaze kept watching outside.

Then she heard someone outside the door call out “Second Chief.”

No matter what, Zhao Qing was the second-in-command of Gaoshan Stronghold, the chief’s own younger brother. Although people were monitoring him, that didn’t mean he was under house arrest.

“Open the door,” he said coldly.

“This…”

“Open the door.”

He barked the command.

That person swallowed and ingloriously opened the door.

The light—a fusion of moonlight and lantern light—suddenly shone in, stabbing Ji Yunshu’s eyes.

She instinctively closed her eyes, then slowly adjusted. Looking up, in her line of sight was Zhao Qing’s tall, upright figure entering from outside the door, pressing toward her like dark clouds overhead.

The door behind him was shut.

Zhao Qing looked down at her. Although that face was hidden in the darkness, he could still clearly see her pale face, almost like a sheet of white paper.

“You’re really not afraid of death,” Zhao Qing spoke.

Ji Yunshu forced a smile. “Isn’t the Second Chief the same? Coming here alone on a solitary horse to rescue people.”

“You think I came to rescue you?”

“Of course not,” Ji Yunshu said. “After the Second Chief and the Chief fell out, you haven’t come here for a year. How could you come here to rescue me?”

“You are indeed a clever person.” As Zhao Qing spoke, he simply knelt on one knee, bringing his line of sight level with hers.

Those deep eyes were like a pool of clear spring water, yet also carried a kind of penetrating purity.

So much so that for an instant, Zhao Qing was deeply drawn in!

He quickly blinked his eyes. His gaze grew slightly cold, and that face covered with stubble became solemn.

He said, “Since you’re a clever person, why don’t you tell me why I would break in here?”

“This one doesn’t know.”

“Oh? Master Ji, famous throughout the capital in all four directions, actually has things he can’t guess?”

Eh?

The hand Ji Yunshu had resting on her knee trembled.

A trace of surprise couldn’t help but show in her eyes.

“How did you know?”

“As long as one investigates a bit, one can generally find out. Actually, before this, I was just betting with myself. But seeing your reaction, I believe I bet correctly.”

Ji Yunshu knitted her brows. “Since you went to such lengths to investigate my identity, you probably also know the identity of the young master traveling with me?”

This rough man Zhao Qing was rarely calm and composed as he said slowly, “Recently, a major incident occurred in the capital. I heard that Prince Rong was ordered to leave the capital and go to Yufu County to investigate some matter about disaster relief silver. For an imperial prince to leave the capital under orders makes quite a commotion. Moreover, this time when Prince Rong left the capital, he was traveling together with that famous Master Ji. And who else but Prince Rong could have the ability to kill thirty or forty of Zhao Huai’s subordinates?”

Not a question mark, but certainty!

Ji Yunshu stared at him. This man was actually somewhat frightening.

He was different from Zhao Huai. He seemed like a rough person, but his thoughts were extremely meticulous and careful.

Especially those sharp eyes—they completely didn’t match his current persona at all.

Ji Yunshu smiled. “Since you’ve guessed everything, why don’t I guess something too?”

“…”

“You want me to help investigate the cause of Jiu’er’s death.”

“Uh!”

Zhao Qing was completely taken by surprise!

His body very obviously paused for a moment, then trembled several times before slowly settling down. His palm pressed against his knee as he stood up supporting himself.

In his eyes, a trace of sadness flowed.

He lowered his gaze, looking at the top of Ji Yunshu’s head. After a long while, he said softly, “When Jiu’er died, I wasn’t by her side. She lay on the ground covered in blood. Beside her was Zhao Huai. At that time, he was holding a sword in his hand. It was that very sword that stabbed Jiu’er to death.”

“Since you already know how Jiu’er died, why do you still want me to help you investigate?”

“I just have doubts.”

“Doubts about what?”

“Doubts that… the murderer is someone else.”

After hearing this, Ji Yunshu slowly raised her head, her eyes focused intently as she continued to ask, “Why would you have such doubts?”

Zhao Qing paused. “Zhao Huai is my older brother. I know his temperament. If he killed someone, he wouldn’t deny it. But he’s unwilling to admit that he killed Jiu’er. I don’t know whether I should believe him or believe what I saw with my own eyes.”

Hesitant!

Conflicted!

That knot had been buried in his heart for a year.

But Ji Yunshu asked another question. “Then can you tell me who exactly this person called Jiu’er is?”