Stop investigating?

For Li Mingzhou to say such words was truly unexpected.

Ji Yunshu simply assumed he was scared out of his wits.

She said, “Li Mingzhou, you must know this is a murder case. The murderer is still at large. Do you want to let Li Yuan die without clarity?”

He drew in a breath and shook his head. “I won’t let him die without clarity. No more people will die, no more people will die…”

Like someone who had lost his soul, he rose unsteadily and stumbled out.

Ji Yunshu didn’t think much of it. She lifted the white cloth, revealing Li Yuan.

His neck had been severed. The wound was covered in blood, the flesh turned outward—extremely gruesome. Fortunately, the blood had congealed.

His head and neck were connected by only half, as if with a gentle touch, it would roll to the ground.

She took out a handkerchief to wrap around her palm and gently lifted Li Yuan’s chin. As the angle of elevation increased, the blood that had been viscous and dried on the neck instantly separated, and the flesh parted as well.

Slowly revealing a section of throat bone inside!

She examined it carefully for a while, extending her finger to gently press and rub against the throat bone.

Then she withdrew her hand from beneath Li Yuan’s chin!

She examined his ten fingers. The fingers were bent and stiff, with several fine fibers under the nails.

She pulled out the fibers and rubbed them between her fingertips.

Then brought them to her nose and sniffed.

Her eyes deepened!

She had roughly formed a hypothesis in her mind.

Afterward, she covered him with the white cloth and began walking around the room.

Fang Mingsan stepped forward and asked, “Master Ji, have you discovered anything?”

No response!

“Could it be the same murderer from before? But the first three victims all had signs of impending death. Li Yuan’s death seems different.”

No response.

“Master?”

He called out.

Ji Yunshu had also finished examining the room.

At this moment, a woman appeared at the door, supported by a young woman as she came forward.

“Are you Master Ji?”

Her voice was soft and gentle.

Seeing this person dressed elegantly with a mild countenance, Ji Yunshu could tell she wasn’t an ordinary person.

She stepped forward, clasped her hands and bowed. “I am indeed. And you are, madam?”

“This common woman is Li Mingzhou’s wife.”

“So you are Madam Li.”

“Master Ji, may I speak with you alone for a few moments?”

Ji Yunshu hesitated briefly, but ultimately agreed.

Jingrong signaled to Shi Zijin in the shadows to follow.

As protection, just in case.

Madam Li invited Ji Yunshu to a pavilion and had someone light two lamps. In the pavilion under the deep night, cold wind swept through, carrying a chill.

Madam Li came from a scholarly family. Whether in bearing or temperament, she possessed more grace and magnanimity than women her age.

“What matter does Madam Li wish to discuss with me alone?” Ji Yunshu asked.

“It concerns my husband.”

“Please speak clearly, Madam.”

Madam Li said, “During this time, several people have died in Yuzhou City, and those people happened to all be my husband’s close friends from years past—all leaders of the Liu Gang. With three murder cases, my husband and I originally thought it was A’Yuan who did it, so we were terrified. We planned to take A’Yuan and leave Yuzhou City, but only learned yesterday that it wasn’t A’Yuan who killed them. I’m merely a woman and know I shouldn’t meddle in such matters, but I never expected that now even A’Yuan is dead.”

Ji Yunshu said, “Madam Li, if you have something to say, please speak directly.”

Madam Li’s eyes reddened. Her hands gripped tightly together as she said, “Master Ji, I don’t want my husband to come to harm as well. Of the original Liu Gang leaders, four people have already died.”

Her face was full of worry and fear.

“How can I help you?”

Madam Li looked alertly around her surroundings and lowered her voice. “To tell you the truth, in my husband’s study, there are two secret passages. One leads directly outside, and another leads to A’Yuan’s room.”

“And so?”

“I suspect the murderer entered the study through one of these passages, then went from the study into A’Yuan’s room and killed him.” Madam Li spoke with absolute certainty.

Ji Yunshu’s heart tightened.

Madam Li continued, “And besides my husband and myself, there’s one other person who knows about those passages.”

“That person—is it Yun Tongyang from the Longyang Escort Agency?” Ji Yunshu said.

Madam Li was astonished. “How did you know, Master?”

Ji Yunshu’s expression was calm. “Li Yuan’s corpse told me. Therefore, the person who killed Li Yuan was indeed Yun Tongyang.”

Ah!

Madam Li’s body staggered and she nearly fainted. Fortunately, Ji Yunshu supported her and helped her sit down nearby.

After she had recovered somewhat, she tightly grasped Ji Yunshu’s hand, her eyes full of tears. “It really was him! It really was him who killed! But why did he want to kill A’Yuan? Those three people who died before—did he kill them too?”

“No.” Ji Yunshu definitively denied it, her expression serious. “He only killed Li Yuan. The murderer who killed the other three people is actually someone else.”

“Someone else?”

“Madam Li, what exactly happened with the Liu Gang twenty years ago? I hope you will tell me everything you know.”

“I…”

“This concerns human lives. Please tell me.”

Madam Li lowered her eyes, hesitating for a long time!

Finally, she sighed, raised her head, and looked at the solitary moon hanging in the dark night.

“Money—it’s all because of money!”

She began to speak through her tears…

An incense stick’s time later.

The fog of confusion in Ji Yunshu’s mind was suddenly stripped away completely.

Everything was now clear!

She smiled broadly and returned to Li Yuan’s room.

Then—

She whispered a few words in Fang Mingsan’s ear.

Li Mingzhou’s face stiffened, then shook.

After being shocked for quite a while, he beckoned and called Constable Zhang out.

No one knew what she had said to Fang Mingsan.

Meanwhile, Ji Yunshu quietly observed Wen Lingyang, who was taking notes.

That refined profile, illuminated by lamplight, had distinct lines—fair with a rosy tinge, like an exquisite and translucent piece of jade. His thin lips were lightly pressed together, his straight nose bridge rose high, and his thick, fan-like eyelashes curved upward, accentuating those deep eyes.

Such a man was indeed refined and scholarly!

Among many men, he could be counted as outstanding.

Muruo at the side lightly nudged Jingrong with his elbow and whispered a reminder, “Careful your future princess consort becomes someone else’s.”

Jingrong looked and only then noticed Ji Yunshu’s gaze had been fixed on Wen Lingyang.

Jealousy arose!

He stepped forward and pulled Ji Yunshu aside.

“What did you see?”

Ji Yunshu said calmly, “Want to know?”

“Tell me.”

“Tomorrow morning, at the yamen court, everything will become clear.”

Jingrong didn’t understand.

Ji Yunshu didn’t respond further. She stepped out and snapped her fingers. Shi Zijin immediately appeared at her side.

“What are Master Ji’s instructions?”

She whispered a few words in Shi Zijin’s ear. Shi Zijin nodded and left.

How strange!

That night—

At the Longyang Escort Agency.

Li Mingzhou left the Li residence through the secret passage in the study and came here.

Yun Tongyang seemed to have known he would come and had been waiting for him in the room all along.

“At a time like this, when your Li residence is full of officials, aren’t you afraid of being discovered coming here?” Yun Tongyang sat in the seat of honor, two iron balls in his hand.

“Why?” Li Mingzhou asked.

Like a walking corpse, his body collapsed as he stood in the center of the room, his slightly disheveled hair obscuring his bloodthirsty gaze.