Just as she lifted the hair on top of Shasi’s head, she discovered a silver needle inserted into his fontanel.

The silver needle hadn’t been completely driven in—a small section protruded out.

Under the candlelight, it glinted.

Jingrong also saw it. “Presumably, this is what caused his death.”

Ji Yinshu thought for a moment and nodded.

Then, she pulled out the silver needle bit by bit.

The needle was stained with blood.

“Do you have a small box?”

Jingrong immediately responded, “Yes!”

Lang Bo was someone who understood his master well. Upon hearing this, he somehow procured an exquisite small box from somewhere and hurriedly handed it over.

The silver needle was placed inside.

Ji Yinshu stood up and said, “What caused Shasi’s death was indeed this silver needle. The needle entered his skull, causing him to bleed from all seven orifices.”

Everyone found it extremely eerie.

They all felt as if the back of their heads had been lifted open with cold wind blowing in.

Their entire bodies trembled.

“Could it be… the murderer is among us?” Someone exclaimed in shock.

This caused everyone to become even more panicked.

The timid huddled together.

The bold stared wide-eyed.

And those afraid of death clamored, “If the murderer is really still here, then… what are we still doing here? We should run quickly!”

After speaking, several people afraid of death prepared to rush out of the ancestral hall.

The next moment—

Jingrong gave a look, and two guards immediately blocked the front and closed the main door.

“None of you can leave. Now that someone has died, the murderer is very likely among you,” Jingrong said.

The village chief trembled as he came forward. “But Your Highness, what if another person dies? What do we do then?”

“That’s precisely why everyone must stay—to find the murderer and bring them to justice.”

“But… who is the murderer?”

Jingrong couldn’t answer this, so he could only turn his gaze to Ji Yinshu, whose expression was grave.

With an inquiring look.

He saw her holding the exquisite box, looking at the silver needle inside, her brow slightly furrowed.

Deep in thought!

From the crowd, someone shouted loudly, “It’s Zhang Shoucai! It must be him who killed Shasi.”

Hmm?

This drew attention.

Everyone turned their eyes to the young man called Zhang Shoucai.

“Earlier, Shasi threw stones at his house, and he threatened to kill him and feed him to the pigs. I think it must be him.”

Zhang Shoucai immediately became the focus of the entire scene.

“No… it wasn’t me. I didn’t kill anyone. I was just speaking casually—how could I actually kill someone?”

He was truly wronged!

His originally terrified eyes widened even more, so tense that his face twisted, sweat streaming down.

Someone directly accused him: “Just now you were sitting next to me, but when the candles went out, I tried to grab you, but you had disappeared to who knows where?”

“I got scared and dove under the table. Everything I’m saying is true.”

“I think it’s you.”

In an instant, everyone kept their distance from him.

Zhang Shoucai had been frightened upon seeing the dead person earlier, but now he was truly afraid. What if they really considered him the murderer and threw him in jail to pay with his life? What would he do?

Just as all accusations were directed at him—

Ji Yinshu spoke up, saying, “He is not the murderer.”

Uproar!

Not Zhang Shoucai?

Pairs of round eyes stared at her.

Waiting for her to continue.

She analyzed: “Before the lights went out, Shasi was huddled motionless in this corner. When he died, he was still sitting in his original position. In the darkness, we all pushed in the direction opposite to Shasi, and around Shasi, there were no traces of footsteps either. This shows that the killer murdered Shasi from a distance. Therefore, everyone present could potentially be the murderer.”

Just as she finished speaking, someone cut in at the end: “Then why did you say Zhang Shoucai isn’t the murderer?”

“I haven’t finished speaking yet.” She raised the brocade box in her hand and continued with clear reasoning: “A person’s fontanel is relatively soft during childhood because it hasn’t completely closed. As one ages, it becomes increasingly solid. The murder weapon is a silver needle, not some sharp knife or blade. To insert it into a young person’s fontanel would certainly not be easy unless the murderer had sufficient strength, or… was a martial artist. But most importantly, the murderer was able to accurately pierce the silver needle precisely into Shasi’s fontanel from a distance away from the victim. Clearly, the murderer is someone with considerable martial arts skills. However, this person called Zhang Shoucai—I see he has a weak physique and unsteady limbs. How could he be a martial artist? He’s more like a medicine jar.”

Oh!

So—

The murderer is someone who knows martial arts.

Everyone looked at each other.

Zhang Shoucai finally breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling as if he had just taken a trip to the gates of hell.

However, Village Chief Zhang quickly said, “But young master, the few people in our village with great strength aren’t here, and we have no one who knows martial arts. The murderer definitely isn’t from our village. Rather…” He looked meaningfully at those who had come from the capital.

After all, the ones who knew martial arts were them.

Jingrong reacted quickly and directly said, “Village Chief, this prince’s people would never do such a thing.”

At this statement, Jing Yi exploded.

He slammed the table and demanded, “According to what you’re saying, it was my people who did it?”

With a fierce tone.

Jingrong replied, “Whether it was or not, I don’t know. I can only guarantee that my people didn’t do it.”

“You really dare to say that.” Jing Yi laughed coldly and walked over. With one hand extended, he pointed at each of Jingrong’s people in turn. “You can guarantee your people aren’t the murderer, and I can guarantee mine aren’t either. But in my view, every person under your command is suspicious, including you.”

He poked his finger at Jingrong’s chest!

With harsh force.

The next moment, Jingrong grabbed his wrist and flung it away forcefully.

Without courtesy.

His stern voice dropped as he said, “Jing Yi, if your people are truly innocent, a few words from me wouldn’t make them murderers. But if the deceased was truly killed by someone under your command, I also guarantee that the Ministry of Justice’s prison is waiting for them.”

“You…”

The two confronted each other again!

Neither willing to yield.

Seeing this, Jing Zhaoyin quickly stepped forward to mediate. “Your Highnesses, please calm down, calm down…”

In truth, he was terrified!

What if their anger turned on him? What would he do?

He quickly added, “Why should Your Highnesses come to blows over this matter? This official will naturally report this murder case to the Court of Judicial Review and have them send someone to take over.”

Smoothing things over!

Jingrong and Jing Yi each temporarily yielded a step.

They both knew that continuing to argue would lead nowhere.

Then, Jing Zhaoyin ran to Ji Yinshu’s side and inquired, “Sir, you continue investigating the dry well case, and this murder case can be handed over to the Court of Judicial Review. What do you think?”

“Mm.”

She nodded!

But—

Jing Zhaoyin opened his mouth, thinking, “However, sir, this official has one matter he doesn’t understand.”