Why did Li Mingzhou say he didn’t know those deceased?

What exactly had happened between them?

After hearing Zhao Huai’s words, Fang Mingsan immediately ordered, “Someone, go bring Li Mingzhou here.”

Several constables were just about to leave.

“Wait!”

Jingrong stopped them!

His face was grave. “He didn’t say anything yesterday. If you bring him here today, he still won’t say anything.”

“Then what does Your Highness suggest?”

Jingrong raised his brows and eyes, looking at Ji Yunshu, his lips parting slightly. “Didn’t Mr. Ji say that if you want to know the truth, you need to lure the snake out of its hole?”

Well, well—he’s learned to apply what he’s learned immediately.

Ji Yunshu didn’t know what he wanted to do.

She only saw him call over Lang Bo and whisper a few words.

Lang Bo nodded in understanding and went to handle the matter.

He wore a face full of confidence. “Leave this matter to this prince. Tonight, we’ll catch the turtle in the jar.”

His voice was firm and powerful!

Everyone was confused—heaven knew what scheme he was planning?

At this moment, Zhao Huai handed that piece of paper to Ji Yunshu and said, “I’ve already told you everything I know. So I wonder if Mr. Ji can tell me what I want to know?”

Hmm?

Ji Yunshu shrank back slightly, her eyes tightening.

Brother, what are you planning to do?

Jingrong quickly moved to shield her behind him, confronting Zhao Huai.

“If the head boss has any questions, you can ask me. As long as this prince knows it, I’ll tell you everything without leaving out a word.”

“What I want to ask, only Mr. Ji can answer.”

“Then that’s even more impossible.” Jingrong’s attitude was firm. “Mr. Ji is this prince’s person. He must remain within this prince’s sight. If you want to ask questions privately, it’s impossible.”

As the saying goes: once bitten by a snake, one fears the rope for ten years!

He absolutely could not let Ji Yunshu be alone with Zhao Huai. Another casualty event involving thousands of people—he couldn’t bear it again.

However—

Ji Yunshu suddenly said, “Alright. Whatever you want to ask, as long as I know it, I’ll tell you. Consider it repayment for you telling us the origin of that tattoo.”

What?

Jingrong turned to glare at her. “This prince commands you—you are not permitted to leave my sight.”

Ji Yunshu pressed her lips together and nodded.

Then she looked at Zhao Huai. “I trust the head boss won’t be as impulsive as before, right?”

“Rest assured, I won’t harm you.”

Thus—

The two finally sat down in a small pavilion in the rear courtyard of the yamen.

Meanwhile, Jingrong stood outside the pavilion, his eyes blazing with intensity, staring tightly.

Extremely vigilant!

Probably feeling somewhat uncomfortable being stared at by Jingrong’s gaze, Ji Yunshu simply turned around, leaving him with a view of her slender back.

“I wonder what the head boss wants to ask?”

Zhao Huai was silent for a moment. The words brewed in his throat for a while before he asked in a deep voice, “That jade pendant engraved with the character ‘xu’—is it yours?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Just tell me—is it or isn’t it?”

“It is.”

Zhao Huai’s hands immediately clenched into fists. Restraining a surge of excitement welling up in his heart, he continued to ask, “Then who gave you that jade?”

In his words, Ji Yunshu detected something unusual. Why would he suddenly ask about that jade?

Zhao Huai had followed her all the way from Shanhuai County to Yuzhou City. Could it be because of that jade pendant?

“Head boss, if you have something to say, you might as well speak plainly. Every sentence of yours revolves around that jade. Presumably, you’ve seen that jade before, or perhaps it holds special meaning for you.”

“I just want to know—who exactly gave you that jade?”

“I’ve had it with me since childhood.”

She lied!

Before confirming Zhao Huai’s intentions, she couldn’t drag Wei Yi into this.

When Zhao Huai heard these words, the rough man’s face immediately fell. Those eyes faintly brimmed with tears as he looked at Ji Yunshu.

His entire massive body was trembling!

Ji Yunshu asked, “What do you know?”

Zhao Huai instead asked, “You truly don’t know the origin of that jade?”

She frankly shook her head.

Zhao Huai opened his mouth but didn’t respond to her question. He only said, “That jade is very important—it’s also very important to you. No matter what happens, that jade cannot be lost. If Mr. Ji wants to know the origin of that jade, one day, someone will tell you. But not now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just remember my words: as long as the jade exists, the person exists; if the jade perishes, the person perishes.”

What did all this mean?

Ji Yunshu was confused.

But before she could continue questioning, Zhao Huai quickly left on his own.

She remained in place looking bewildered, beginning to ponder that jade in her mind.

After Zhao Huai left, Jingrong came in.

Seeing her silence, he didn’t ask anything either.

At this time, at the Li residence!

Ever since Li Mingzhou returned from the yamen yesterday, he had begun ordering servants to pack luggage, saying there was business to attend to elsewhere and planning to take his family away from Yuzhou City for a short period.

Things were almost completely packed by now. Many items and wooden boxes had already been loaded onto carts.

A young servant ran in covered in sweat and asked, “Master, everything is almost ready. We can depart. Should I go call the mistress and young lady to board the carriage?”

He nodded and waved his hand. “Hurry up.”

“Yes.”

The young servant ran to call them. Li Mingzhou stood in the hall for a while, looking at the home where he had lived for ten or twenty years, helplessly sighing, then left the residence.

Four or five carriages were all stopped outside the residence.

The steward was holding up the curtain, about to help him board.

Suddenly…

Voices came from the distance. “Did you hear? There’s been a breakthrough in that vengeful ghost murder case.”

That person was very excited!

“Really? Who’s the murderer?”

“I have a relative who works at the yamen. He said Magistrate Fang has already found evidence proving who killed those people. It seems it was verified from the dead bodies by that Mr. Ji the yamen invited. But the evidence isn’t sufficient yet. They say they’ll re-examine Master Chang’s body early tomorrow morning, and then they should be able to identify the murderer.”

“That’s wonderful! Recently things have been so chaotic—everyone’s been panicking. Once they catch the murderer, he must be beheaded.”

“We just don’t know who the murderer is. Killing three people—it’s truly too cruel.”

“In any case, before the murderer is identified, we’d better not go out at night.”

“I know. For now, we’re just hoping they quickly find the evidence.”

…

The two men discussed as they walked past the Li residence’s carriages.

By chance, Li Mingzhou heard every word they said.

The young servant beside him asked, “Master, aren’t you boarding the carriage?”

“…”

“It’s almost dark. If we don’t hurry, we won’t reach the inn outside the city.”

Li Mingzhou said gloomily, “Notify everyone—we’re not leaving today. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

The young servant scratched his head. In the end, he didn’t ask anything but simply instructed everyone to unload everything from the carriages again.

Lady Li, leading her daughter down, asked him, “Master, what’s wrong?”

He patted the back of his wife’s hand. “It’s nothing. I see the weather doesn’t look good—it might rain tonight. So let’s leave tomorrow instead.”

“But weren’t you in a hurry to go negotiate business?”

“Delaying a bit is fine. Wife, you have a delicate constitution. You should return to your room and rest first.” He then instructed his daughter, “Jin’er, help your mother inside.”

Jin’er was an obedient and sensible child. She nodded and helped Lady Li inside.

Li Mingzhou, meanwhile, was calculating something in his mind!