After Ji Yunshu rushed out of the room.

Tang Si stood by the bed holding those two boxes, looking dumbfounded. She exchanged glances with Muruo.

Confused!

At this moment, Jingrong was just returning from outside. He had barely entered the manor and hadn’t yet brushed off the snowflakes on his shoulders when he saw Ji Yunshu, dressed in thin clothing, running over hurriedly. Almost at the same instant, he quickly removed the cloak from his body. When that figure ran before him, his large hand swept out, and the cloak traced a perfect arc through the air before landing securely on Ji Yunshu’s shoulders.

He grasped both ends of the cloak and pulled forcefully forward, bringing the woman inside the cloak toward his chest.

That force carried a hint of anger!

He lowered his head to stare at Ji Yunshu in his arms, furrowing his brow, his eyes intense. “Have you lost your mind?”

Concern outweighed anger!

Ji Yunshu couldn’t care about all that. She gripped Jingrong’s clothing tightly with both hands and raised her head to speak.

“I’ve figured it out.”

“Figured what out?”

“I finally understand why, after searching for so long, we couldn’t find Zhao Huai even after issuing maritime arrest warrants.”

Huh?

“What do you mean?” Jingrong was puzzled.

He gazed at her.

Waiting quietly for the answer.

Ji Yunshu spoke seriously, with a somewhat excited tone: “Because Zhao Huai died back then. The person who went missing… wasn’t him at all.”

What?

At these words, not only was Jingrong shocked, even the servant beside them was so astonished his jaw nearly dropped to the ground.

Zhao Huai died?

The person who disappeared fifteen years ago wasn’t him?

Jingrong suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if something was lodged in his throat, unable to speak a single word.

Half an hour later.

Upon receiving the news, Qin Shiyu rushed over at once.

Equally astonished!

“If Zhao Huai died fifteen years ago and the missing person isn’t him, then why wasn’t he among all those skeletal remains? Could it be that you made a mistake, Master Ji? Mixed up the portraits?” He speculated.

“No.” Ji Yunshu spoke seriously. “The skeletal portraits cannot be wrong!”

Extremely certain!

“If you didn’t make a mistake, then where are his remains? And who is the person who really went missing?”

“Has Master Qin forgotten that Duke Yuguo’s household had seventy-three people in total, and among the seventy-two sets of skeletal remains, five belonged to Duke Yuguo and his wife and children, who were already buried in the imperial cemetery back then?”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten.” Qin Shiyu pondered. “But what does this have to do with Zhao Huai and the missing person?”

Ji Yunshu continued: “Back then, those responsible for the burial only identified Duke Yuguo and his wife and children based on their clothing and jewelry. Beyond that, no one could verify that the charred corpse was actually Duke Yuguo himself. But as I understand it, Zhao Huai’s age was not much different from Duke Yuguo’s, and even their build and height were very similar.”

Ah!

Qin Shiyu was shocked. “Master Ji, are you suggesting…”

“That’s right. If my hypothesis is correct, or rather, if my speculation is right, then when the great fire occurred, Duke Yuguo very likely exchanged clothes with Zhao Huai, along with the jewelry and jade pendants worn on their bodies. So after the fire, Zhao Huai’s corpse was mistaken for Duke Yuguo’s corpse and buried in the imperial cemetery. That’s why we can’t find a single trace of news related to him. Because the person who actually went missing was Duke Yuguo himself. He managed to escape at the time and didn’t die at all!”

Qin Shiyu couldn’t believe it!

Jingrong, who had been listening on the side, slowly rose to his feet, frowning in thought, puzzled: “If Duke Yuguo is truly still alive, then why hasn’t he shown himself all these years? Or rather, since he was able to escape at the time, why didn’t he take his family members with him? Instead, why would he exchange clothes and jewelry with Zhao Huai, making everyone believe he was dead? How do we explain all this? Or to put it another way, what was his purpose in hiding after escaping?”

Right!

Why?

Qin Shiyu was equally perplexed. “Exactly. If Duke Yuguo is truly still alive and knows we’ve been working on this case for so many years, why doesn’t he come forward and clarify what happened back then?”

To this, she shook her head: “These are all just my speculations, but they’re not without reason. Right now, only by confirming who exactly is buried in that tomb can all these doubts be explained.”

Jingrong asked her: “Then how would you prove this?”

“Exhume the coffin for examination!”

Exhume the coffin for examination?

Those four words plunged the atmosphere into dead silence.

The ancients had many rules and conducted everything according to regulations, with no room for carelessness. Matters concerning the imperial family were even more strict. Each dynasty had established ancestral rules: once imperial family members were buried in the cemetery, their coffins could not be raised even an inch. Otherwise, it would be viewed as unfilial and deeply disrespectful, punishable by beheading!

Unless one obtained an imperial edict from the Emperor.

But since ancient times, there had never been such a precedent.

Though those so-called rules meant that a few hundred years later, those buried underground would still be dug up and examined by archaeologists or tomb raiders anyway!

Qin Shiyu immediately said: “Exhuming the coffin for examination is impossible! Duke Yuguo has already been buried in the imperial cemetery. Without His Majesty’s command, no one can open the coffin.”

Ji Yunshu understood!

But—

She said: “But to know the truth, this may be the only way.”

Qin Shiyu was conflicted.

Silent for a long while.

Jingrong deliberated in his heart, then gritted his teeth: “Fine. Tomorrow I’ll enter the palace to see Father Emperor and request an imperial edict from him.”

Qin Shiyu tried to dissuade him: “But Your Highness, His Majesty has already ordered in front of all the civil and military officials not to investigate further. Our secret investigation is already risky. If you enter the palace this time to request an edict, it’s undoubtedly defying His Majesty’s order. I’m afraid at that time…”

“As long as the truth of the case is revealed to the world, what harm is there in taking this risk?”

Going all in!

A true man!

Qin Shiyu: “Then tomorrow this official will go with you.”

He refused: “No need. I’ll go alone.”

His mind was made up.

Qin Shiyu’s heart was twisted in knots.

What if…

What if…

Countless what-ifs wandered through his mind, worrying him extremely.

After Qin Shiyu left.

Ji Yunshu looked toward Jingrong, hesitating to speak.

And he completely saw through her thoughts, saying: “Master Qin has already left. Whatever else is on your mind, just say it directly.”

She pressed her lips together and took a breath. “In my heart… I have an even bolder speculation.”

“Speak.”

“It’s also related to your earlier doubts! I’m thinking that the great fire back then actually wasn’t a natural disaster at all. Otherwise, Duke Yuguo wouldn’t have needed to exchange clothes with someone and fake his death. But if it was man-made, then after Duke Yuguo escaped, he should have tried every means to seek justice for the seventy-some members of his household. But he didn’t. Unless… the person who set the fire was someone he couldn’t oppose, couldn’t suppress, or even couldn’t expose. Moreover, he knew that as long as he was alive, that person would never let him go. That’s why he had Zhao Huai take his place, while he himself went into hiding for over ten years, not daring to show his face.”

It must be said, this speculation was extremely bold!