Ji Yunshu smiled.

Reaching out to stroke the horse’s head.

She responded, “I’m no deity, just that when those crates were smashed open earlier, with sharp eyes I happened to see several tiger pelts inside.”

“I see.” That person asked again, “But how did you know those tiger pelts had been sewn but not de-scented? Could it be that you also understand pelts?”

Ji Yunshu smiled modestly, her gaze sweeping over those people. “From everyone’s clothing and appearance, you don’t seem like people from the capital. You should be traveling merchants coming to the capital for trade, right? And those tiger pelts just now, they look like they came from the Nanlin area – authentic Gao tiger pelts. If I remember correctly, Gao tiger pelts are extremely precious. There are fewer than twenty in a year, and only wealthy merchants can afford the price. Precisely because they’re precious, those merchants hire the best craftsmen to carefully cut and tailor them. As traveling merchants, you naturally worry about ruining a good pelt, so you haven’t processed them excessively – just simply sewn them. This is why the tiger pelts still retain their original scent. Though the smell isn’t strong, horses’ hearing and sense of smell are naturally extremely sensitive. When that crate was smashed open and the scent escaped, it startled this horse.”

“It seems you’re an expert.”

“I’ve just read more books, that’s all. I can’t be called an expert. If I’ve said anything wrong, please forgive me.” She smiled slightly.

That person looked her up and down with some appreciation. This young gentleman before him was quite fair and clean, just a bit thin in build, but judging from her earlier speech and manner, she should be a scholar full of learning.

“You have a dignified appearance and considerable knowledge. At the foot of the Son of Heaven, within the capital, it truly is a fine place where talented people emerge in abundance.” That person cupped his hands and bowed. “My surname is Gao, given name Meng, a single character. I’m from Anlang. This is my first time coming to the capital to trade in tiger pelts. Just now, thanks to your help, that startled horse was calmed. If there’s an opportunity, I must certainly treat you to a cup of wine.”

“You’re too kind.”

“Since you still have important matters, I won’t delay you further.”

Ji Yunshu nodded slightly.

Gao Meng quickly had people pull the carriage aside, clearing the road.

He thanked her again.

Ji Yunshu cupped her hands in return.

Then she pulled the spectating Tang Si onto the carriage.

Inside the carriage.

Tang Si looked at her with complete admiration. “A’Ji, you truly know everything. You can draw from bones, examine corpses, solve murder cases, and even know the origins of those tiger pelts and the habits of horses. As someone from Houliao, I should be most knowledgeable about horses, but I’m still not as good as you. Honestly, if you were in our Houliao, many men would definitely line up to marry you. They’d take you home and worship you like a deity.”

Worship?

How embarrassing!

Getting no response, she leaned closer, curiously staring at Ji Yunshu’s fair and tender face. “I’ve never seen you let your hair down, nor have I seen you wear women’s clothing. A’Ji, if you went back to being a woman, you’d definitely be very beautiful.”

“Is that so?”

“Definitely. Otherwise, how could that cold prince be so devoted to you?”

Ji Yunshu turned to look at her, asking seriously, “So you think a man’s devotion is because of a woman’s appearance?”

Ugh!

Tang Si thought about it. “Probably, but – not entirely.”

Ji Yunshu fell silent.

A gentle breeze passed through the carriage wall, lifting the curtain, slowly flowing in, caressing her delicate face and… the very faint scar at the corner of her eye.

She raised her hand to touch that scar.

She smiled…

Truly loving someone means never abandoning them no matter what they become!

Returning to Bamboo Creek Garden.

The people Jingrong had previously arranged to manage this place were all outside to greet them.

“Master Ji, you’ve finally returned.” The old steward, Butler Liang, asked.

“Thank you for your hard work, Butler Liang.”

“Not hard at all.”

Butler Liang said, “Following your instructions when you left, the remaining eleven coffins are all securely sealed. We used lard to seal the openings and covered everything with licorice root. They’re all now placed in the main hall.”

Reporting the situation.

“Have you been offering incense?”

“Three sticks daily, not one less.”

She nodded.

Going inside.

She headed straight to the main hall in the back courtyard.

Tang Si was just like a tourist, looking around the courtyard.

Every so often picking up small stones to throw at the eaves, or pulling off a tree branch to spin in her hands…

This place wasn’t as large as Prince Rong Manor, and the furnishings were quite old, but the arrangement and courtyard layout were very elegant!

Butler Liang asked curiously, “Master Ji, who is this young lady?”

She said casually, “An immature friend.”

“So she’s Master Ji’s friend.”

Butler Liang quietly observed that girl. Master Ji was gentle and calm – shouldn’t the people she associated with be the same?

How is this girl…

Forget it, forget it.

Arriving at the back courtyard main hall, as soon as they entered, they saw eleven coffins arranged in two rows.

In front of each coffin was an incense burner, filled with incense sticks.

“Why are there so many coffins here?” Tang Si was shocked.

Ji Yunshu didn’t respond. She took three sticks of incense, lit them, bowed, then inserted them into one of the incense burners.

Then pointing to a coffin she had marked before leaving, she instructed Butler Liang, “The skeleton in that coffin – I already drew the portrait while on the road. You can make arrangements to have it buried as soon as possible. I’ll cross the name off the register shortly.”

“Very well, Master Ji.”

He acknowledged.

The skeleton in that coffin was the one that had been burned to death, had clothes changed by someone, and was preserved with ginger powder.

That is – Fu Bo’s son.

If not for the matter of Duke Yuguo Manor’s young heir, she truly wanted to transport that skeleton to Jinjiang and let Fu Bo personally bury it.

But she sighed and ultimately said nothing.

Tang Si came closer, asking curiously, “A’Ji, who’s in all these coffins?”

“What’s in coffins is naturally dead people.”

Ugh!

Elder sister, pretend I didn’t ask.

Ji Yunshu walked to a coffin, using her hand to touch the seal on the coffin lid. Because a layer of lard had been applied, it was oily. She rubbed it between her fingertips.

Tang Si asked, “What’s the use of sticking lard here?”

“Lard can create a seal. This way, whether air or water, both will find it very difficult to get in for a short time. The skeleton inside naturally won’t suffer much damage.”

“What about this licorice root?”

Pointing at the licorice on the ground and on the coffins.

“Licorice root is itself medicinal. Not only does it have heat-clearing and detoxifying effects, but the fragrance it emits can also repel insects and pests. Covering the coffins with it can avoid the trouble of being gnawed by insects or rats. Generally, ordinary families will spread a layer of licorice around the burial location of the coffin. If conditions are better, they’ll spread geraniums.”

Oh, Tang Si understood.

Ji Yunshu, oh Ji Yunshu, you truly are a walking encyclopedia!