This little commotion was something she could easily avoid. After all, what happened in an instant to others’ eyes was ten times slower in hers. She only needed to step aside and slide back five inches, and the boiling water and hot coals wouldn’t even touch the embroidered flowers on her dress hem.

However, in the instant before trying to dodge, Ruyi stopped her movement and stood straight, waiting for the flames to rush toward her.

At the critical moment, someone arrived instantly. Strong, powerful arms wrapped around her waist, swiftly carrying her to safety.

The soup splashed onto his crimson purple official robes, steaming with heat. He looked up, the shallow mole under his eye hazy as mist.

Ruyi finally smiled with satisfaction, looking up at him: “Thank you, my lord.”

Shen Qiyuan carried her to the nearby steps, avoiding the water flowing on the ground, and said quietly: “Testing me?”

She should have dodged, but didn’t, just to force him to act.

The person before him showed no guilt on her face, instead righteously lifting her chin: “So what?”

Was testing not allowed?

Shen Qiyuan was stunned, darkened his face, released her, and went to check on the cook’s condition.

The cook stood across from them, uninjured but frightened. Seeing his official robes, she collapsed to the ground: “Spare my life, my lord! I didn’t kill anyone!”

Shen Qiyuan was astonished.

He had already searched around the pond and was worrying about the lack of clues, yet a witness had just delivered herself to their door.

Ruyi stood on the steps, casually examining her embroidered shoes. A bright pearl was sewn on perfectly, quite pleasing to her.

Shen Qiyuan was questioning the cook: “What did you see just now?”

The cook stammered, unable to answer clearly for a long time.

Ruyi looked at her dress hem instead – yes, the golden thread embroidery was also beautiful, shimmering under the firelight.

“Miss Liu.” Shen Qiyuan called to her. “It’s late, and I cannot escort her to the magistrate’s office alone. Please accompany us.”

Ruyi continued examining the jade bracelet on her hand, and couldn’t help clicking her tongue: “How did this get cracked?”

She turned the bracelet toward the light for a long time, looking utterly melancholy, as if she hadn’t heard him speak at all.

Shen Qiyuan remained silent, his gaze sweeping over her slightly mocking eyes, and said helplessly: “Tomorrow I’ll compensate you with a fine jade bracelet.”

“Excellent.” Now she heard him, generously clapping her hands. “Let’s go, I’ll accompany you to the magistrate’s office.”

Her steps were even more decisive than his.

Shen Qiyuan followed with the cook, both annoyed and amused.

With so many shops in her possession, she still coveted one bracelet from him.

The Lin’an magistrate’s office had already dismissed for the day, with only a few night patrol constables remaining. Shen Qiyuan arranged for them to retrieve the corpse from the small pond, settled the cook in the magistrate’s office backyard with two female clerks as guards, then roughly examined the body. After all this bustle, the sky had already turned fish-belly white.

When he turned around, he saw Ruyi had already fallen asleep leaning against the grand master’s chair, her small face flushed red, still seeming to have some residual fever.

This person was accustomed to an invulnerable life and paid no attention to physical ailments.

Pursing his lips, he approached, reached out to feel her forehead, then stuffed a pill into her mouth.

Ruyi suddenly opened her eyes.

She pressed the pill against the base of her tongue, saying irritably: “Stuffing such a large thing into someone’s mouth while they sleep – is my lord trying to murder me for money?”

Shen Qiyuan quickly withdrew his hand, saying somewhat uncomfortably: “Your fever hasn’t subsided.”

“According to the rules my lord mentioned, even if this young lady were dying of illness, my lord should only have maidservants feed medicine and water, not handle it personally.” She swallowed the pill, speaking sarcastically.

Not only petty, but also vindictive.

Shen Qiyuan stiffly changed the subject: “Do you know who the corpse floating in that pond is?”

Ruyi found it curious: “Don’t tell me I know them again?”

“The deceased is female, over thirty years old, wearing coarse hemp servant clothes from Grand Preceptor Liu’s manor, with a black mole by her right lip and missing one front tooth.”

Such distinctive facial features were too obvious. After thinking briefly, she pressed her temples: “I do know her.”

This person was Liu Ruyi’s wet nurse, but she had always done menial work in the back courtyard. She wasn’t close to Liu Ruyi, only occasionally encountering her coming and going.

“Does my lord find her death suspicious?”

“Grand Preceptor Liu has served as an official for over twenty years without a single moral failing. Everyone inside and outside the court respects and admires him.” Shen Qiyuan said. “Even this deceased person died far from the Grand Preceptor’s manor, appearing as if she committed suicide.”

“Appearing as if?” She raised an eyebrow.

Talking with smart people was indeed convenient.

Shen Qiyuan produced a small bundle of hemp rope: “Those who drown themselves often tie their own hands to prevent surviving the suicide attempt. I did indeed find rope for binding her hands on her body.”

However, if tied by oneself, the marks should slant toward the body, since one would need to use their mouth to tie the knots. But the rope marks on the deceased’s hands were straight up, even outward-facing.

“According to the Great Qian law, masters killing slaves is not illegal.” He said. “Yet the Grand Preceptor’s manor used such a concealed method, which instead seems guilty.”

Ruyi’s fingertips moved slightly, as if remembering something.

But before she could speak, someone rushed in from outside.

“My lord, why are you still here?” Zhou Tingchuan wiped sweat from his forehead, unable to hide his anxiety: “Quickly return to the Ministry of Justice to look – Yanning, Fuman, and the others have already packed their trunks into carriages to return to their hometowns!”

Shen Qiyuan’s expression changed. He raised his hand to rub his brow, but didn’t move.

“My lord?” Zhou Tingchuan’s eyes widened. “Won’t you try to keep them? They’ve followed you for over five years, solved so many strange cases at the Ministry of Justice…”

“Cannot keep them.” Shen Qiyuan wearily interrupted him. “Three years of painstaking effort, yet evidence was burned by the emperor, letting criminals go free – in such circumstances, why should they stay?”

Zhou Tingchuan couldn’t believe it: “Those case files, His Majesty… burned them all?”

Shen Qiyuan closed his eyes.

Shaking with anger, Zhou Tingchuan’s curses rose to his throat, but then he noticed Ruyi leaning nearby with curiosity.

“Miss Liu.” He suppressed his anger and reluctantly greeted her.

Ruyi asked him gently: “Feeling wronged?”

Better if she hadn’t asked – once she did, Zhou Tingchuan couldn’t hold back. His eyes turned red as he choked up: “For the black market case, Yanning’s mother was killed, and Fuman’s husband was also brutally murdered by bandits. They’ve been swallowing their hearts and blood to persevere until today, never thinking they’d encounter such an unreasonable official!”

“Tingchuan.” Shen Qiyuan frowned. “Watch your words.”

Ruyi glared at him and beckoned Zhou Tingchuan over: “Just curse away, I’m listening. How can evildoers go unpunished while speaking truth becomes a grave crime?”

Zhou Tingchuan crouched pitifully beside her like a large, fluffy dog: “Those are all pillars of talent. If they leave Lin’an, who knows when enemies might find them and take their lives. I can’t bear to see them die.”

His nose tip was red, contrasting with his pink, tender little face, quite pleasing to Ruyi’s eyes.