Jiu’er!

She had always been a soft spot deep in both Zhao Huai’s and Zhao Qing’s hearts!

More like a thorn, viciously piercing the very tips of their hearts.

Since Jiu’er died, throughout this past year, Zhao Qing had never mentioned a single word about Jiu’er.

Now, having to pull out this soft spot from his heart that he was unwilling to touch, his face darkened, his mind filled with myriad thoughts.

Ji Yunshu could see his hesitation.

So she picked up a withered piece of straw beside her and swept it back and forth across the damp ground.

“If the Second Chief is unwilling to speak, then forget it. After all, some things are hidden in people’s hearts—they can’t be spoken of, and people don’t want to mention them.”

“You understand?”

“Why wouldn’t I understand?”

She laughed mockingly, tilting her head and lowering her gaze. In her heart, a layer of inerasable mist suddenly condensed. Though it had no weight at all, it pressed down on her so that she could barely breathe.

She said slowly, “Everyone hides things in their hearts—things that can be said, things that can’t be said—all hidden. The more they accumulate, the heavier they become, like knives cutting at one’s heart. The slightest movement causes unbearable pain.”

A sigh!

What Old General Li said about the young heir, about that tiger tally, and the real reason for Kong Yu’s suicide…

Each and every matter was hidden fiercely in her heart. How could it not be difficult?

These words, carrying a literary tone, took Zhao Qing quite a while to digest.

He furrowed his brows, the words brewing in his throat for a long time.

Only then did he slowly say, “Jiu’er grew up with us. When she was very young, my father brought her back. She grew up in the stronghold. The three of us were never separated. She was our younger sister, and even more so, she was our family. But after we grew up, I discovered that I had already fallen for Jiu’er. However, the one Jiu’er liked was Zhao Huai. I don’t know if fate was mocking us, but Zhao Huai only treated her like a younger sister.

But when my father was still alive, he had already betrothed Jiu’er to Zhao Huai. So a year ago, they married in the stronghold. That very night, Jiu’er died in the bridal chamber. Her body was covered in blood, stabbed through the chest with a sword. Zhao Huai was right there beside her, holding a bloody sword in his hand. He said he didn’t kill her, but he refused to say what actually happened. I carried Jiu’er’s body out, and from that day on, I left this place.”

Having finished these words, tears welled up in the eyes of this grown man Zhao Qing, brimming with moisture.

It was clear that he truly deeply loved Jiu’er.

At this moment, his heart was troubled. He continued, “I know better than anyone what kind of person Zhao Huai is. He wouldn’t kill someone without reason, and it’s even less possible that he would kill Jiu’er. But he just won’t say anything, only that he didn’t kill her—not a single extra word. Yet all the evidence points to him. I can’t help but believe what I saw.”

Somewhat agitated!

Ji Yunshu thought carefully about his words and asked, “At that time, were there only the two of them in the room?”

Zhao Qing shook his head. “I don’t know. Anyway, when I went in, there were only the two of them.”

His face was full of troubled confusion.

Ji Yunshu continued asking, “So Jiu’er’s corpse—did you burn it? Or bury it?”

“Buried it.”

“It’s good that the body is still there.”

“Can you help me determine the cause of Jiu’er’s death?”

“Fifty-fifty!”

Fifty-fifty?

Zhao Qing didn’t understand!

“What does that mean?”

Ji Yunshu didn’t beat around the bush with him and said directly, “I’m not omnipotent. If I could determine everything, would there still be wrongly judged cases and wrongly handled matters in this world?”

Did he really think she was a machine?

Did he really think those cases were true-or-false questions, waiting for her, this machine, to scan and determine right from wrong?

Zhao Qing was a rough man. It was widely rumored that Master Ji was extraordinarily clever—able to solve missing person cases, investigate the Linjing Case—simply omnipotent!

So he said, “Since you say fifty-fifty, how can you be certain that you can find out whose skeleton is in that urn and who the murderer is?”

Ji Yunshu pondered for a moment, looking at him.

“To be honest with the Second Chief, for a headless skeleton—if one wants to identify who it is without precise numerical calculations, without advanced high-tech machinery, relying only on these hands of mine, these eyes of mine—it’s very difficult.”

“You’re really not afraid of death, daring to boast like that.”

Even though her back was injured and any movement would cause pain, Ji Yunshu still endured the pain. Amused by his words, she laughed, her body trembling slightly.

She said with a smile, “You’re wrong. I’m afraid of death, actually.”

Her voice was mellow!

Zhao Qing frowned, staring at her.

Ji Yunshu explained, “If I didn’t say that, the Chief would have already killed me.”

“You want to stall for time, waiting for that Prince Rong to rescue you?”

Ji Yunshu shook her head. “My young master killed so many of the Chief’s subordinates. Although it was unavoidable, they were still human lives. If the young master comes to rescue me, he will surely bring people from the authorities. Then, wouldn’t blood flow like rivers again? When will this cycle of revenge end?”

“If not that, then what are your plans?”

“As long as the Chief agrees to my conditions, once I investigate the truth about that skeleton in the urn, naturally I’ll be able to resolve this matter.”

Hmm?

“Didn’t you say that skeleton has no skull and you can’t investigate it?”

Zhao Qing was completely confused by her.

Ji Yunshu said, “When did I say I couldn’t investigate it? I only said it was very difficult, but not that it was impossible.”

“Every bone in a person’s body is connected. Whether it’s the growth of the femur or the width of the shoulder bone, all 206 bones in the human body are interconnected. Although there’s no skull, one can still determine the approximate curvature of the jaw and the height of the forehead based on the size of a person’s pelvis. As for the other bones in the skull, of course they can also be determined based on the other bones in that skeleton. This way, we can reconstruct a person’s head portrait.”

What 206 bones?

What pelvis?

What nonsense!

Zhao Qing was confused by all these terms, but at least he understood the general meaning.

So he said firmly, “Good. As long as you can investigate it, I’ll do my utmost to help you. Even if I have to use my Cui Zhong Bottle as trade, I won’t hesitate. I will definitely make Zhao Huai agree to the conditions you’ve offered. But you must also promise that after this matter is over, you’ll help me investigate the cause of Jiu’er’s death.”

“Deal.”

Very straightforward!

One wanted to survive and leave this place, the other wanted to know the real cause of Jiu’er’s death.

Mutual benefit, win-win cooperation.

At this moment!

Zhao Qing pulled out a bottle of medicine from his chest and tossed it onto the haystack nearby, where it rolled onto Ji Yunshu’s robe.

“You’d better apply some medicine quickly. This medicine can ensure you won’t feel pain anymore. Otherwise, if you die, who will I find to help me? Right now I can’t get out either. Zhao Huai’s people are watching me, so I can’t go find a doctor for you. This medicine—just make do with it.”

Ji Yunshu reached out to pick up the bottle, turning it between her fair fingers.

She examined it closely!

Then she opened it and smelled it near her nose.

“This is White Oriole Balm?”