Guo He was the most intelligent child in Teacher Yu’s teaching career!

If he had taken the imperial examinations, he would certainly have passed!

Shang Zhuo was the most well-behaved and talented child in his teaching career!

These two people were like the palm and back of his hand—both were his flesh and blood.

But now Guo He was already dead, and if the murderer was Shang Zhuo, and murder required paying with one’s life.

If both of his favorite students were gone, wouldn’t that be cutting out Teacher Yu’s heart alive?

Shang Zhuo wasn’t as agitated as Lin Shu had been when accused of being the murderer. He still maintained that scholarly, elegant temperament of his. He stepped forward to support the faintly trembling Teacher Yu and explained, “Teacher, the person wasn’t killed by this student, but that letter Guo He left behind was indeed written by this student using his left hand.”

Teacher Yu hunched over, his voice hoarse and heavy. “If you’re not the murderer, why did you write this letter? Could it be that you really pushed him into the well? And then forged this letter? Deliberately saying he had already left the academy, thus concealing his death for a whole year.”

“This student would absolutely never do such a thing.” Shang Zhuo slightly intensified his tone.

In his words, he was extremely firm.

But Teacher Yu forcefully pushed away the hand supporting him.

“What more can you argue? Now, the facts are before our eyes. In all this, it was indeed you who lied. The letter was written by you. Back then, it was also you who personally delivered this letter to me, saying that Guo He had asked you to pass it to me. But if you’re not the murderer, what was your intention?”

After speaking, his body lost support, and his feet staggered back several steps. Fortunately, he was caught by Ji Yinshu.

Ji Yinshu had something to say in her heart, but at this moment she paused. She actually wanted to hear how exactly Shang Zhuo would explain.

She saw Shang Zhuo’s previously smooth brow furrow. He let out a light, heavy breath. “This student did not lie. Although the letter was written by me, it was given to me by Guo He before he left. There is absolutely no falsehood in this. I hope Teacher will believe me.”

Hey, hey, hey, brother, your words are contradictory!

You say the letter was written by you, but how can you also say it was given to you by Guo He before he left?

A supernatural event?

Teacher Yu had been angered back and forth many times today. His heart couldn’t take it, and his health was already poor to begin with. Now, he nearly fainted.

Ji Yinshu immediately spoke up, “Teacher, please don’t get agitated. Just now, I also said that the reason I brought up the matter of the letter wasn’t to find the murderer. A single letter alone cannot prove that he killed the person.”

“Then… then what is it?”

“You should sit down first.”

So she helped him sit down!

Ji Yinshu turned to ask Shang Zhuo, “Young Master Shang, according to what you say, this letter—since it was written by you, yet you also say it was given to you by Guo He before he left? Then I’d like to know what exactly happened a year ago? Please explain in detail, because this matter has great relevance to the time of Guo He’s death.”

Shang Zhuo didn’t understand!

“This letter is truly related to Guo He’s death?”

“Perhaps!”

Although these were two uncertain words, when they came from her mouth, they clearly meant affirmation.

Shang Zhuo looked worriedly at Teacher Yu, then nodded and explained in detail, “To be honest with you, sir, all along, Guo He and I shared the same room. Our relationship was very good, and he would tell me whatever was on his mind. A year ago, for a period of time, he often told me that he was tired of studying and didn’t like being constrained by others, so he wanted to leave the academy. He had already secretly planned it out early on. Last June was the academy’s competition season, and with the autumn examinations approaching in August, everyone was diligently reviewing and reading. During that time, Teacher didn’t supervise us as strictly as usual, so Guo He planned to take this opportunity to leave. He had told me many times, and I tried my best to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen.

On the day before he left—I remember the date, it was June 12th—he suddenly handed me a written letter, saying he would leave on the 13th. At that time, he asked me to give the letter to Teacher. So after he left on the 13th, I intended to take the letter over, but I accidentally got the letter wet, and all the writing on it dissolved. Therefore, I rewrote a new one on his behalf. The real letter that Guo He left behind is still in my room now. If you don’t believe me, I can bring it for you to see. Everything I’ve said is true, with not a single false word.”

Indeed, it didn’t seem like he was lying!

Moreover, there was Guo He’s real letter as evidence.

He continued, “I should have stopped him from leaving, and I should have notified Teacher immediately. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have met with trouble.”

He blamed himself!

After Teacher Yu heard his words, his heart felt somewhat at ease.

“You truly didn’t kill anyone?”

“If this student has even a single word of falsehood, I’ll submit to whatever punishment Teacher decides.”

It was like a reassuring pill!

Teacher Yu’s breathing gradually became smoother.

Ji Yinshu pondered over Shang Zhuo’s recent words. “Young Master Shang, you’re saying that letter was given to you the day before he left?”

“That’s correct. I remember.”

“Then how can you be certain that he left on the 13th? And not on the 12th?”

Shang Zhuo recalled, “That letter—he gave it to me on the morning of the 12th. That evening when I returned to the room, I saw him drinking himself into a stupor in the room, with wine bottles all over the floor. After I advised him a few times, he went to bed to rest. He slept very deeply, and every time he got drunk, once he fell asleep he would sleep until noon the next day. I also wasn’t feeling well, so I went to bed early that day too. When I woke up the next day, it was already noon, but Guo He was nowhere to be seen. After I searched the academy, I realized he must have left. Only then did I take the letter he had given me to Teacher, except the letter had gotten wet, so I had no choice but to rewrite one.”

“That means you fundamentally cannot determine whether he left on the night of the 12th or if he left the next day.”

“But that night, he was completely drunk. There’s no way he could have left at night.”

“Impossible, but still possible.”

Her words confused Shang Zhuo. “Why does Master say this?”

Ji Yinshu pondered in her heart. Her beautiful brow slightly furrowed as she took two steps forward.

She analyzed, “If, on the night of the 12th, after you fell asleep, Guo He woke up again, and since he had long prepared to leave the academy, then that night would naturally have been a very good opportunity. So, taking advantage of still having some lucid consciousness, he secretly left. When he reached the back mountain, he unexpectedly encountered Lin Shu. The two had a violent fight, and as a result, an accident occurred. Lin Shu then threw his body and that wine bottle together into the well. If this is true, then all the evidence would be established.”

Regarding the East Chestnut Pearl, regarding the blood on the wine bottle—everything could be explained.

But—

Shang Zhuo asked, “But how can Master determine that he left on the night of the 12th?”