Beast!

Du Xing’er hated herself for not having personally dealt with that beast.

Speaking of this, the ball of fury in her chest kept rolling.

Yet she desperately restrained it.

Ji Yunshu didn’t question whether what she said was false!

Because that kind of deep-cutting pain could only be expressed by someone who had personally experienced it.

She could see the despair and hatred in Du Xing’er’s eyes!

And she herself, apart from heartache, only felt guilt: “I’m sorry, I didn’t know things were like this.”

Du Xing’er laughed coldly, wiping away the tear stains on her face, looking at her and saying: “I didn’t want to say it originally, and no one ever knew, but now you’re satisfied. The secret I’ve hidden for six years has all been forced out by you.”

“Miss Xing’er, I meant no harm! If this case hadn’t been connected to you, I wouldn’t have come to intrude. But rest assured, what you just told me, I absolutely won’t tell a third person!”

“Heh, you really… won’t tell others?”

“A gentleman’s word is his bond, naturally I won’t break my promise.”

Du Xing’er pressed her lips together, half-believing and half-doubting, but now, apart from believing, she had no other choice.

“Good! Then I hope you can keep my secret.” After speaking, she put that veil back on her face.

Her mood gradually calmed down.

Only the veins on her forehead were still there!

Then she said: “Now what you wanted to know, I’ve already told you the truth. If Young Master has nothing else, then please leave.”

Ji Yunshu saw her gradually calm down, opened her mouth, and said: “There’s one more thing.”

“What?”

“When Du Mubai came to Zuiyue Pavilion back then, was he alone? Or did he come with others? In Zuiyue Pavilion, was there anyone close to him? I hope you can tell me truthfully.”

Du Xing’er turned her body sideways, her back to her. “What I know and everything I’ve experienced, I’ve told you word for word. As for that beast’s other matters, I know nothing!”

Ji Yunshu couldn’t see her expression but heard the certainty in her tone.

“Alright, I understand!”

“Since that’s the case, Young Master, please leave.”

“Farewell!”

Ji Yunshu cupped her hands toward her and retreated from the room.

Closing the door!

When the room became quiet again, Du Xing’er’s emotions collapsed once more!

Her eyes were bloodshot red. She suddenly grabbed a vase from the cabinet and smashed it heavily to the ground.

With a sweep of her sleeves, she swept everything on the cabinet to the floor.

Just as she was about to continue venting, she saw the “Poetry Collection” that she had swept to the floor.

She suddenly panicked.

She immediately sat down on the floor, picked up the “Poetry Collection,” carefully wiped the dust off it with her sleeve, then held it in her arms.

Her gaze moistened.

Clearly, she treasured this book very much.

……

Ji Yunshu came out from inside. Jingrong, who was drinking tea, put down his teacup and walked over.

“How was it?”

She shook her head: “No leads.”

“Inside, you two…”

“You’d better not ask.”

Jingrong immediately understood: “I see.”

He didn’t ask further.

Just as the two were about to leave Zuiyue Pavilion, they called over that young servant from before.

Ji Yunshu deliberately asked: “Just now when listening to Miss Xing’er sing, she casually mentioned that she used to have a patron named… Du Mubai. Is he the Southern Shen talented scholar Du Mubai that everyone in Gaoding City now knows?”

She couldn’t directly probe for information!

To avoid the murderer becoming wary after finding out.

The young servant said: “Isn’t that right! It’s that Southern Shen talented scholar! Before, he often came to find Miss Xing’er to sing.”

“Oh? But wasn’t he born poor? Coming here to listen to a song costs quite a bit of silver. Could it be that he befriended some wealthy young masters who invited him?”

“No! He usually came alone!”

“Alone? That’s strange.”

“Now that you mention it, it is a bit strange. But I didn’t pay much attention. After all, as long as patrons coming here are willing to spend money, in our eyes they’re all masters. Who would think that much? Perhaps the silver he used to listen to songs was given by Marquis Pingyang. After all, he’s a student of Marquis Pingyang’s household.”

That wasn’t unreasonable!

It seems the lead… has broken off in a dead loop again.

The murderer, who exactly is he?

Why can he disappear so cleanly?

Not even a trace of his shadow can be caught.

This made Ji Yunshu even more curious about that clever murderer!

The moment they left Zuiyue Pavilion, Lang Bo from the teahouse upstairs spotted them at a glance.

“They’re here!”

Finally, his heart was at ease!

After they came up, Li Cheng was the first to ask: “What did you find out?”

Both had grave expressions.

“Why aren’t you speaking? What’s the situation exactly? Is there a lead? Or is there no lead?”

Ji Yunshu shook her head.

“No? Then why did you go for so long?”

Jingrong glanced at him: “To gather information, naturally you can’t just go in and ask directly. Of course, you have to listen to some songs and go through the motions.”

Li Cheng: “That’s not wrong!”

However, Ji Yunshu kept a somber face the whole time.

The reason wasn’t just because they hadn’t found any leads.

But Du Xing’er’s words.

They kept circling in her ears.

Du Mubai… was a beast!

Who would have thought that a frail scholar would be like this!

For a moment, she felt somewhat sympathetic toward Li Cheng’s sister, Li Wenshu.

That woman had been heartbroken for six years.

But what she got in return was such a cruel truth.

But—she couldn’t tell!

The truth was too cruel!

After returning to the old residence, she kept thinking about this matter, sitting alone in the corridor for a long time, her gaze fixed on the snow dancing all over the sky under the night.

Suddenly, a cloak fell on her shoulders.

Jingrong: “Don’t catch a chill.”

She nodded and smiled slightly.

At this moment—

“Um… something’s happened.”

Song Zhi?

He ran over.

Somewhat anxious.

Jingrong’s gaze tightened: “What’s wrong?”

Song Zhi: “Well, I don’t know what happened either. Just now when passing by the kitchen, I saw Bai Yin and that Young Master Lang arguing about something. I saw the situation wasn’t right, so I came to tell you.”

“Arguing?” Jingrong’s brow furrowed. He turned to Ji Yunshu and said, “I’ll go take a look first.”

With that, he strode quickly toward the back courtyard kitchen.

Ji Yunshu wrapped the cloak around herself tighter. She was also somewhat worried and said to Song Zhi: “I’ll go take a look too.”

Song Zhi: “I’ll go with you.”

Ji Yunshu said: “Young Master Song, you should go back to your room and study. The imperial examination isn’t far off. Don’t delay.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry, they’ll be fine!”

“Alright then.”

Ji Yunshu then went.

Song Zhi gazed at her retreating figure and slowly exhaled. Ever since last time when he unintentionally overheard the conversation between Bai Yin and Lian Que and learned that Ji Yunshu was a woman, his heart had been in turmoil. Even when Ji Yunshu casually glanced at him, he would panic a bit, and where that feeling came from, he was utterly unaware.