Jingrong and Muruo showed the same shocked expressions.

“The murderer has been caught? Who is it?”

“Yun Tongyang!”

Huh?

“It was Magistrate Fang who personally went to arrest him. Right now, both Yun Tongyang and Li Mingzhou have been brought back to the yamen and are being tried in the public court.”

“Explain it more clearly.”

“As it turns out, there were two secret passages in Li Mingzhou’s study—one leading outside the mansion, and one leading to Li Yuan’s room. Yun Tongyang entered the study from outside, then went through to Li Yuan’s room to kill him. Li Mingzhou knew this in his heart, which is why he quietly left through the secret passage and ran to Dragon Yang Escort Agency to question Yun Tongyang. Magistrate Fang led people to follow him, and personally heard Yun Tongyang admit to the killing, which is how he arrested both of them.”

Muruo stroked his chin. “When did Fang Mingsan become so clever?”

Shi Ziran said, “That muddle-headed official isn’t clever at all—it was Young Master Ji’s idea.”

Mm-hmm?

Muruo turned his head and looked once more at the room where Ji Yinshu was staying.

Suddenly it all made sense!

“Oh, so the matter Young Master Ji quietly told Fang Mingsan about was this!” Then, puzzled, “But how did she know that Li Mingzhou would go find Yun Tongyang, and how did she know that Yun Tongyang was the murderer?”

Shi Ziran shrugged his shoulders—he didn’t know either.

So both of them turned their gazes toward Jingrong, wanting to know the reason.

Who would have known that Jingrong would shake his head and say indifferently, “I don’t know either.”

Tch!

Muruo flicked his sleeves.

Soon, a junior constable came over, saying that Magistrate Fang was inviting Young Master Ji to come, and was about to go into the room to call for him.

But he was stopped by Jingrong.

“Don’t disturb Young Master Ji. When he’s stayed in there long enough, he’ll naturally come out.”

“But in the public court…” everyone is assembled.

“Tell your Magistrate Fang to judge what he should judge and do what he should do.”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

The junior constable could only bow and leave!

Inside the room, Young Master Ji heard the sounds from outside.

Good that the person has been caught!

She closed the case file in her hand, stood up and placed it on the shelf, then walked behind the desk, picked up a brush, and quickly wrote four sentences on paper. After the ink dried, she folded the paper neatly and tucked it into her sleeve.

Only then did she leave the room.

…

In the public court!

Yun Tongyang and Li Mingzhou were both kneeling.

One maintained his imposing bearing throughout, showing no fear whatsoever.

The other kept his head lowered, his heart filled with both regret and sorrow.

Bang—

The gavel struck down heavily.

Echoing through the public court, somewhat harsh on the ears.

Fang Mingsan became stern, glaring at the two people below.

Demanding, “Yun Tongyang, confess truthfully—exactly how did you kill the deceased?”

Yun Tongyang was very calm, neither nervous nor panicked.

Instead, he asked, “Magistrate Fang, have you made a mistake? How could this Yun have killed anyone? I am a law-abiding citizen.”

Bah!

Shameless!

“At this moment you’re still arguing. What you and Li Mingzhou said in that room, this official heard clearly from outside. You personally admitted to killing Li Yuan—don’t try to deny it.”

“That was all nonsense this Yun was spouting. Your Honor shouldn’t take it seriously.”

“Yun Tongyang, this official knows your capabilities and also knows the influence of your Dragon Yang Escort Agency, but don’t forget—within Yuzhou City is under this official’s jurisdiction. You cannot run rampant here. If you killed someone, you must pay with your life.” Fang Mingsan raised his tone.

In truth, commoners overpowering officials was not an uncommon phenomenon in various prefectures and states!

To put it more seriously, in some regions, officials even had to rely on wealthy people for support. As long as they saw silver, the government would help with matters, even to the point of obeying every command.

Disgusting!

Fortunately, Fang Mingsan could still be considered an upright official!

Yun Tongyang laughed once, raising those innocent-looking eyes. “Your Honor, you say I’m the killer without any evidence, solely relying on a few empty words you heard to determine that this Yun is the murderer. If you say this publicly, the people of Yuzhou City won’t believe it either, unless Your Honor can produce evidence.”

Arrogant and haughty!

Not intimidated in the slightest!

Fang Mingsan became somewhat agitated, lifting the gavel and striking it again.

Bang!

“This official’s two ears are the evidence. Everyone heard Li Mingzhou question you, and you also admitted it. The person was killed by you.”

“Oh? So if I said I killed the current Emperor, would Your Honor believe that too?”

Uh!

Clearly exploiting loopholes.

“Yun Tongyang, don’t make this official resort to harsh interrogation methods with you—it won’t end well for you.”

“So this is how the yamen makes people confess?”

Fang Mingsan’s face turned pale!

He was actually being counteraccused!

He became somewhat at a loss. Clearly he and everyone else had personally heard him admit to the killing, but indeed, there was currently no evidence.

Young Master Ji, oh Young Master Ji, please appear quickly.

This official can barely hold on any longer.

At this moment, Yun Tongyang had already pulled Li Mingzhou to stand up, and even smoothed out his own clothing.

He raised his extremely arrogant chin, looked down at Fang Mingsan on the high bench, and said, “Magistrate Fang, you should be clear about what kind of person this Yun is in Yuzhou City. I’ve always dared to act and take responsibility. If something was done by me, I would never shirk it, but if something wasn’t done by me, no one can pin it on this Yun’s head.”

His voice was authoritative!

Intimidating!

Even more formidable than the county magistrate.

“It’s almost dawn. If Your Honor still cannot produce evidence, then this Yun will take his leave first. When Your Honor finds evidence, you can invite this Yun again.”

Having finished speaking, he domineeringly pulled the stunned and silent Li Mingzhou away.

Fang Mingsan’s bottom rose from his chair. He had intended to order people to stop the two, but he was choked by what Yun Tongyang had just said.

Indeed, there was no evidence!

What did hearing it with one’s ears count for?

So he couldn’t bring himself to shout out.

Watching as the two were about to leave…

Fortunately, just as their feet crossed the threshold, they were stopped.

Ji Yinshu, Jingrong, and Muruo blocked their path.

Yun Tongyang’s steps halted, his eyes flickering slightly, clearly sensing something.

Ji Yinshu’s expression was calm as she asked lightly, “Is Escort Leader Yun leaving?”

He said nothing.

“You want evidence? Fine, I’ll give you evidence and make you accept your imprisonment wholeheartedly.”

Then she stepped into the public court.

As soon as Ji Yinshu said this, Fang Mingsan instantly gained courage. With a wave of his hand, he ordered the constables, “Bring them in.”

The constables stepped forward and escorted Yun Tongyang and Li Mingzhou back inside.

Jingrong and Muruo stood quietly to the side.

Waiting to watch the show!

Ji Yinshu: “Escort Leader Yun, you should still recognize me, right? When you led people rushing back to Yuzhou City, charging wildly through the streets and nearly killing someone—remember that?”

“I remember. So you’re that Young Master Ji. What a coincidence that we meet again.”

“I have no affinity with you, only with cases. To be more precise, I only have affinity with corpses and murderers.”

Uh!

The corner of Yun Tongyang’s mouth twitched, but he still maintained his previous imposing bearing.

Ji Yinshu walked closer to him, her eyes cold and severe.

With a solemn and upright expression, she raised her hand, her palm gently pointing forward.

The next moment, receiving the signal, two servants carried in Li Yuan’s corpse and placed it in the public court, then obediently retreated to the side.

Ji Yinshu crouched down and pulled off the white cloth in one motion!

Revealing the already-dead Li Yuan.

His face was pale with a tinge of green, his eyeballs slightly protruding, and the corners of his mouth had begun to sink.

Upon seeing him, the stunned Li Mingzhou immediately threw himself forward.

“A’Yuan.” He cried out miserably.

His body trembling, he began to sob.

Ji Yinshu then gestured for people to pull him away so he wouldn’t interfere with her investigation.