What was even more infuriating was that Hua Fuman, who was usually impervious to persuasion, actually nodded upon hearing such an outrageous explanation: “That’s, that’s fine.”

Ruyi’s eyes instantly lit up. She hugged Fuman and kissed her cheek, shaking her arm coquettishly: “I knew you cared for me the most. Don’t worry, I won’t skimp on the tuition fees.”

What tuition fees were needed? Fuman shyly waved her hand.

Although both were women, when Ruyi leaned over like this, her full bosom pressed entirely against Fuman’s arm, soft and warm.

Fuman’s face instantly turned crimson: “I, I’ll go ask, ask Zhao Yanning.”

Ruyi held her back, smiling and shaking her head: “No need to ask him – that would make you owe him a favor. You teach me first, and we’ll talk when he voluntarily comes.”

Would Zhao Yanning come voluntarily? Shen Qiyuan, listening from the side, shook his head repeatedly.

The day they left the Ministry of Justice, Fuman had said nothing and simply got in the carriage and left, but Zhao Yanning had leaned against the stone lion by the door and started cursing the Ministry’s regulations to the eighteen generations of ancestors of him, the Minister. If he hadn’t stopped him quickly, that person would have cursed His Majesty as well.

With such great resentment, how could he possibly take the initiative to meddle in a case?

But Ruyi was very certain. She didn’t let Fuman act as an intermediary, only turning to him and saying: “Trouble, Sir, to lead the way – it’ll be more convenient for us to enter and leave the morgue in the future.”

The Great Qian’s morgue was established by the government. Common people could enter and exit freely, but they couldn’t handle corpses unless they had a coroner’s certificate or official documents.

Shen Qiyuan glanced at Hua Fuman and found that she didn’t seem curious at all about what case Ruyi wanted to investigate, nor did she mind him getting involved to help. She just looked at him quietly, as if certain he would nod in agreement.

Remembering what this person was good at, Shen Qiyuan lowered his eyes and simply agreed openly: “Fine.”

So Ruyi pulled the two of them along and happily went out the door.

“Where are you going?” Passing through the main hall, Zhao Yanning asked curiously.

Ruyi didn’t turn back: “Don’t worry about it. Just do your accounts properly – we’ll be back later.”

Saying this, she had Shen Qiyuan go mount his horse while she and Fuman got in the carriage.

Zhao Yanning followed them out a few steps, looking puzzledly in the direction they were going, muttering a few words.

The morgue was in the western suburbs where few people lived. Perhaps Shen Qiyuan had given word from the start – when they entered, the wet nurse’s corpse was laid out in the courtyard, already somewhat putrid.

Fuman deftly tied a face cloth on Ruyi and began circling the corpse to examine it. Ruyi took the case file that Shen Qiyuan handed over, and after just one glance, she smiled: “That cook selling braised meat on the street – you didn’t let her go?”

“This person is called Caigu. She married her husband, Liu the Butcher, at seventeen. The day you encountered her was exactly her first time setting up a stall.”

Remembering her panicked and uneasy expression, Ruyi said, “She probably just happened upon the murderer killing someone.”

There were two grass-built latrines beside the small pond where the wet nurse drowned. Nearby small vendors would go there to relieve themselves. When Caigu went there, the murderer might have been pushing the wet nurse into the pond, frightening her, which was why she was so scared.

“I asked – she indeed witnessed the murderer killing someone and should also remember the murderer’s general build.” Shen Qiyuan said, “But she refuses to say more. She’d rather stay at the Ministry of Justice than speak a single word.”

Interrogating prisoners was also a science. Previously, with Song Zhenshan there, no one could keep their mouth shut for more than three days under his hands, but now the Ministry of Justice was full of inexperienced newcomers.

Sighing lightly, Shen Qiyuan continued: “I brought her husband Liu the Butcher to the Ministry of Justice for questioning, but because there’s no conclusive evidence, he only claimed innocence, and the Ministry of Justice couldn’t detain him for more than three days.”

Ruyi suddenly remembered something: “The day I went to the Grand Preceptor’s mansion with He Zeyou, Grand Preceptor Liu harbored murderous intent toward He Zeyou.”

He Zeyou was attacked near God Worship Street. At that time, the carriage was stopped near the braised meat stall, and she had glanced at it when passing by on her way back to the wine house.

Shen Qiyuan knew what she wanted to say: “I had people search Ningyuan Marquis’s carriage. The scene left no traces, and no witnesses saw who made the move.”

Even if theoretically deducing that this braised meat stall might be Grand Preceptor Liu’s secret agent, without evidence it was all for nothing.

Ruyi clicked her tongue regretfully.

After examining the corpse, Fuman also shook her head: “I, I’m not good at examining corpses. I can only go, go collect more, more evidence.”

Ruyi nodded, smiling as she patted her shoulder: “Now we’re not at the Ministry of Justice – you don’t need to be so tense when working. If you feel it’s too hard, just tell me.”

Her heart softening, Fuman smiled at her.

Ruyi went to speak with the morgue guard. Shen Qiyuan stood beside Fuman and asked in a low voice: “What great favor is it that makes you willing to help her like this?”

She knew that all those things Ruyi spouted were made-up nonsense.

Hua Fuman’s eyes looked at Ruyi in the distance, her gaze soft and tranquil.

She gestured to Shen Qiyuan: It’s not about needing a favor to be willing to help. She cares about me, so I care about her too.

This case involves Grand Preceptor Liu. She knows she wants to investigate it, so she’ll help her investigate.

She likes to see Ruyi smile.

Shen Qiyuan made an “mm” sound, just about to sigh about how demons bewitch people, when he saw that demon in the distance do something that made the young guard’s face turn completely red.

His eyes darkening, he strode over.

Ruyi was feeling puzzled: “Why is young master blushing? It’s just your name I asked you to write.”

The guard spread his palm, looking at the three characters written in rouge, feeling his palm burning hot, the heat spreading to his heart.

Having seen plenty of dead people, where had he ever seen such a living beauty with such alluring charm? Her eyes held reproach, her temple hair was like clouds, and her jade scallion-like fingertips pressed against his palm, writing each stroke slowly and tantalizingly.

He wanted to close his hand tightly, yet felt it would be a pity.

“Liu Ruyi.” Shen Qiyuan called out angrily.

Ruyi turned back, her brow arching high: “Every time Sir calls me like this, my heart feels very frightened.”

Was there anything in this world that could frighten her?

Shen Qiyuan sneered coldly: “With official documents available, there’s no need for you to sell your beauty here.”

Ruyi was puzzled: “Sir thinks I’m doing this for the convenience of examining corpses?”

Wasn’t that the case? Getting close to people so that whatever she did, others would—

Meeting the serious look in her eyes, he was stunned, his expression slightly changing, his fingers in his sleeves tightening one by one.

No, she wasn’t doing it to make people accommodate her.

She just saw that the person was young and handsome, and her old habits kicked in.

Tilting her head to watch the changes in his expression, Ruyi suddenly burst into laughter, sighing: “Sir, don’t scare people – he’s still just a child.”

Among these mortal beings, was there anyone in her eyes who wasn’t a child?

Shen Qiyuan lowered his eyes, feeling that his emotions were very wrong and inappropriate, yet he couldn’t control them.