Wind picked up on the mountain, making the young lady’s figure appear particularly frail.

Shao Mingyuan gently patted her shoulder: “Zhaozhao, let’s go down the mountain first.”

The tears on her face had been dried by the wind, leaving a tight, painful feeling. Qiao Zhao wiped her eyes and silently stood up.

In the strange atmosphere, several people descended the mountain.

The Qiao family compound was now nothing but scorched earth. Qiao Zhao took a deep look, as if wanting to engrave it all in her heart.

“Zhaozhao, go back and rest first. Whatever needs to be done can wait until tomorrow.”

Qiao Zhao nodded lightly. After returning to Tofu Beauty’s house, she went to wash and change clothes with Binglu and A’Zhu attending her.

Chi Can stood in the courtyard, casually kicking at weeds that hadn’t been completely cleared, and asked lazily: “Tingquan, what exactly is Li San’s relationship with the Qiao family?”

Shao Mingyuan played dumb: “Hmm?”

Chi Can raised an eyebrow: “Li San looked rather strange on the mountain—didn’t you notice?”

“Zhaozhao once told me that she practiced copying Master Qiao’s calligraphy and paintings from childhood. Though she never had the chance to meet Master Qiao, she had long admired him. Plus, my brother-in-law entrusted her to pay respects to his family on his behalf—I think she was moved by the situation.”

“She told you all this?”

Shao Mingyuan nodded.

Chi Can looked dubious and murmured: “But just now on the mountain, the way she looked, it was as if—”

The rest of his words were somewhat inauspicious, so he swallowed them back.

Shao Mingyuan smiled: “Girls have delicate minds and are sentimental—naturally, they’re different from us.”

No matter what, the matter of Zhaozhao’s soul returning to another’s body couldn’t be known to more people.

The current emperor believed in Taoism and was single-mindedly pursuing immortality. If he learned of Zhaozhao’s situation, Shao Mingyuan didn’t dare imagine what she might face.

Chi Can looked at Shao Mingyuan sideways, thinking: Li San sentimental? This excuse was rather poor. Forget it—he was worrying unnecessarily.

Seeing the atmosphere grow cold, Yang Houcheng spoke up: “Tingquan, you brought Coroner Qian here—what exactly are you planning?”

“Naturally, to open the coffins for examination and confirm the cause of the Qiao family’s deaths.” Shao Mingyuan said without hesitation.

Yang Houcheng’s eyes widened: “You’re going to open coffins for examination? Isn’t this… isn’t this rather shocking?”

Chi Can didn’t think much of this but raised another question: “Did you get Qiao Mo’s consent for this?”

People of this era emphasized letting the dead rest in peace—disturbing ancestors’ tranquility was something many filial descendants couldn’t bear.

He could understand Shao Mingyuan’s feelings toward the Qiao family, but he didn’t want his good friend to end up being despised by all.

Shao Mingyuan nodded: “My brother-in-law knows.”

“If you discover the Qiao family didn’t die in an accidental fire, do you plan to stay here and investigate the truth?” Chi Can asked again.

“Naturally. I can’t let the murderer who harmed my father-in-law’s family remain at large.”

“What about Li San?”

Shao Mingyuan was silent for a moment, then said impassively: “Of course, it depends on her plans.”

Just then, Binglu came running over: “General Shao, our young lady requests your presence.”

Shao Mingyuan nodded to Chi Can and the other: “I’ll go over first, then.”

Long after Shao Mingyuan had left, Chi Can finally withdrew his gaze from the direction he’d gone and laughed self-mockingly: “Chongshan, we’ll probably be staying in this haunted house for quite a while.”

Yang Houcheng blinked: “You already know Miss Li will choose to stay?”

“Seeing Li San’s grief on the mountain, do you think she’ll continue south?” Chi Can looked toward the distance with an indecipherable expression. “I suddenly realize that on this southern journey, gathering medicine for the Ninth Princess was secondary—clearing the Qiao family’s name was her real purpose.”

Yang Houcheng nodded: “That’s certainly possible. So what do we do?”

Chi Can snorted: “What do we do? Aren’t we here to protect Li San? Naturally, we’ll be wherever she is. Besides, investigating a case is much more interesting than gathering medicine.”

If not for Li San, he wasn’t so addled as to serve as bodyguard for someone gathering medicine for the Ninth Princess.

Yang Houcheng chuckled: “True enough. Being out here is more interesting than staying in the capital anyway. This Baiyun Village has clear mountains and beautiful waters—living here isn’t a loss. Come on, let’s go for a walk.”

The two left together.

Shao Mingyuan went to Qiao Zhao’s room. Qiao Zhao waved her hand, and Binglu and A’Zhu tactfully withdrew.

“Zhaozhao, you wanted to see me?” Shao Mingyuan carefully observed Qiao Zhao’s expression. Seeing her reddened eyes, he felt some heartache.

“When will you open the coffins for examination?” Qiao Zhao’s voice trembled slightly as she asked directly.

At this moment, she suddenly realized that having her identity exposed brought her considerable convenience. If she were still Li Zhao in Shao Mingyuan’s eyes, how could she explain all this? It would be even more impossible to rightfully join hands with him to investigate the truth.

Perhaps this was why her elder brother had secretly given Shao Mingyuan that pouch.

“I think the sooner the better. What does Zhaozhao think?”

“I think the same.”

“Then tomorrow—would that be alright?”

Qiao Zhao’s whole body trembled as she slowly nodded: “Alright.”

She spoke this word as if using all her strength, then sat motionless like a clay sculpture.

Shao Mingyuan grasped her hand and said gently, “Don’t overthink it. The temporary disturbance now is to give them lasting peace—isn’t that right?”

Qiao Zhao slowly nodded: “I know.”

Though she knew this, just thinking of such a scene still shattered her soul.

“Otherwise, tomorrow you stay here and leave everything to me—”

Qiao Zhao interrupted him: “No, I want to be present.”

“Alright, then we’ll go together.”

“Also—”

“What else?”

Qiao Zhao glanced at Shao Mingyuan and said coolly, “Don’t keep holding my hand. General Shao, have you stayed in the Northern Territories so long you’ve forgotten that men and women shouldn’t have physical contact?”

The young general looked entirely innocent and asked in a lowered voice: “But we’ve already kissed—what should we do about that?”

His voice was deep and pleasant, like a babbling spring, yet he spoke such suggestive words that the young lady’s originally pale face quickly flushed crimson.

“Zhaozhao, after we clear father-in-law and the others’ names, let’s get engaged.”

“I have no plans to get engaged.” Qiao Zhao said coolly.

Shao Mingyuan’s expression grew conflicted: “But getting married directly wouldn’t be proper…”

Of course, he didn’t care about propriety, but it was different for girls.

Qiao Zhao couldn’t help rolling her eyes: “General Shao, you’re overthinking. I have no plans to get engaged, much less to marry. I said this to Elder Brother Chi before—it wasn’t a joke.”

Shao Mingyuan was stunned, his sword-like brows furrowing: “Zhaozhao, you mean… you’re not planning to take responsibility for me?”

Qiao Zhao’s eyes widened abruptly.

Had she misheard?

“You’re saying I should take responsibility?”

Shao Mingyuan’s eyes closed slightly, looking quite melancholy: “You kissed me. I definitely won’t marry anyone else in this lifetime. If you don’t marry me, I’ll have to remain a bachelor forever.”

“You—” Miss Qiao opened her mouth, unable to resist asking: “Do you have any shame left?”

The young general smiled slightly: “I told you before—as long as I have you, I can give up my dignity.”