Zhu Yao asked the manor servants and learned where Li Shiyan’s courtyard was, then hurried over.

That courtyard was very spacious and clean. In the middle grew a towering tree that bloomed extremely well in the summer season and could provide shade—very cool. Living here were all people of wealth and nobility, all young masters of noble families of similar age.

Fortunately, the manor’s steward was rather sensible and knew Li Shiyan and Wang Huai didn’t get along, so he hadn’t arranged for them to stay together.

Yet today, for some reason, neither of these two had appeared.

Wang Huai was one thing, but why hadn’t Li Shiyan come either?

Most unusual!

Cai’er looked around, then pointed at a room, saying, “Miss, that’s the young master’s room. The young master is probably still sleeping. I heard that at last night’s banquet, the young master drank a lot of wine—his hangover probably hasn’t passed yet.”

The farce that had occurred at last night’s banquet was being discussed throughout the entire manor.

Zhu Yao was very surprised after hearing this, her beautiful eyes slightly frozen. “What did you say? The young master drank too much at last night’s banquet?”

“This…”

“What ‘this’? Speak!”

Cai’er originally didn’t want to tell her, but realizing she’d let it slip, her brows knitted as she stammered, “I only heard about it. The young master somehow drank a lot of wine last night and had an argument with that Young Master Wang from yesterday at the banquet. But fortunately nothing major happened, so Miss, you don’t need to worry.”

But the more Zhu Yao heard, the more worried she became.

Immediately after, she hurried to knock on Li Shiyan’s door.

“Shiyan? Shiyan?”

No one answered inside, and the door didn’t seem to be locked.

With just a slight push, the door opened!

A creaking sound.

Zhu Yao pushed the door and entered—there was no one inside. Even that bed looked like no one had touched it. The quilt was still neatly folded, not looking like anyone had slept in it.

But Li Shiyan’s belongings were all here!

“Shiyan isn’t here? Where could he have gone?”

“Miss, don’t worry. The young master is probably somewhere else.”

“Then let’s keep looking. If he really is hiding somewhere drinking, that would be serious. We can’t let anything happen.” Zhu Yao felt somewhat uneasy in her heart, always feeling like something was going to happen.

But she couldn’t put her finger on it!

Her hands could only clasp tightly together!

The bad premonition grew stronger and stronger…

On the other side.

After learning that mutton-fat jade thumb ring belonged to Wang Huai, Lord Li quickly had the steward send people to search the manor for Wang Huai first, lest this be a false alarm.

The steward led people hurrying to Wang Huai’s room. Before they even entered, they smelled a strange odor emanating from inside.

Like… the smell of blood!

But not very strong.

The steward pushed the door open and was immediately dumbstruck.

His body retreated several steps, his eyes staring wide!

Because… hanging from the room’s beam was a rope, and below the rope was tied a bloody heart.

On the ground was a pool of blood!

“Ugh!”

Soon, everyone in the entire manor knew.

Everyone was panicked.

No one expected such a terrifying incident to occur here.

At present, everyone gathered in the hall. While discussing among themselves, they also waited for the people from the Court of Judicial Review to arrive at the manor.

Someone said, “Lord Li, what should we do about such an incident? Could the murderer still be in the manor?”

Someone chimed in, “Yes! What do we do now?”

“Could those white bones really be Wang Huai?”

“Wang Huai is the Minister of Works’ nephew. Shouldn’t we send someone to notify Minister Wang?”

But someone immediately stopped this, “We still don’t know if that’s really Wang Huai. What if we’re wrong?”

Wang Huai’s friend Jiang Bin said, “But that mutton-fat jade thumb ring was his—worn on his finger, there can’t be any mistake.”

Everyone in the capital knew Wang Huai loved jade most, and loved that mutton-fat jade thumb ring most. At the time, to obtain that thumb ring, he had spent considerable effort and a large sum of money. It was said that Li Shiyan had also taken a fancy to that rare mutton-fat jade thumb ring, but in the end Wang Huai had snatched it away. This matter was brought up every time at the young masters’ gatherings, so Wang Huai always loved showing off his thumb ring, telling everyone he met!

Each time it made Li Shiyan unable to save face, grinding his teeth in anger.

Jiang Bin continued, “Moreover, Wang Huai is now missing, and a bloody heart was found in his room. It must be him!”

This was almost a fact everyone had accepted!

Lord Li, who had been silent all along, coughed once, his expression grave, his tone deep as he said, “Even with the mutton-fat jade thumb ring, we can’t say it’s definitely Young Master Wang. Everything must wait until the people from the Court of Judicial Review arrive before we can be certain!”

Going up and down the mountain, in and out of the city—even if the Court of Judicial Review people rushed here at full gallop, they wouldn’t arrive until noon!

At this time, Zhu Yao hurried in from outside, worry in her eyes, and said to Lord Li, “Lord Li, Shiyan is also missing. I’m worried something may have happened to him. Please quickly send people to search for him.”

That’s right—Li Shiyan was also missing!

Everyone’s minds had been on Wang Huai’s murder, in a state of panic, seemingly also overlooking the fact that Li Shiyan had disappeared.

Lord Li naturally also worried about his troublesome nephew. Frowning, he asked the steward, “Have you seen Shiyan?”

The steward shook his head, saying, “I haven’t seen the young master. I also asked the people who helped the young master back to his room last night. They said the young master vomited for a long time, then went to sleep and didn’t want anyone attending nearby. Moreover, the only way down the mountain is that suspension bridge, but I asked the several people guarding by the bridge, and they all said they didn’t see the young master leave. I presume… the young master should still be somewhere in the manor.”

“Then why aren’t you quickly sending people to search!”

“Yes!”

So the manor servants began searching everywhere.

Though Li Shiyan was frivolous and unlearned, Lord Li had always been disappointed in this useless nephew and hated that iron wouldn’t become steel. Every time Li Shiyan came to see him, he couldn’t help but scold him thoroughly. Yet that brat simply wouldn’t listen at all—the next time he came, he’d still be the same!

Luo Yang, hidden in the crowd watching the excitement, started feeling uneasy when he learned Li Shiyan was also missing. Thinking back to last night… he had clearly seen Li Shiyan. How could he have disappeared by early morning?

“Strange, I saw him yesterday!”

Shu Tian stood beside him and heard him muttering something, so he asked with a dark expression, “What did you say?”

“I said last night I…” He almost blurted it out, then quickly swallowed his words back. “Nothing. Did I say something just now? You must have heard wrong. Once we’re down the mountain, you should quickly go see a physician.”

Shu Tian: “…”

Somewhat speechless.

Luo Yang didn’t want to be involved in this matter now, lest he bring trouble upon himself!

Su Ziluo sat quietly in the most inconspicuous position in the crowd, never having said a word. His expression was calm, his gaze peaceful, completely unaffected by this incident in the slightest.

This demeanor of his seemed rather cold and detached!

But his worry for Li Shiyan in his heart was understood only by Qi’er behind him.

At this moment, Wen Che’s gaze had been fixed on him from behind. After a long while, he finally withdrew it, then turned to instruct Shu Tian, saying, “Go inform Miss Ji, lest she be frightened when she suddenly learns of this matter. Tell her to be careful.”

“Yes.”

Shu Tian left the hall and headed toward the courtyard where Ji Yunshu was staying.

…

With such a major murder case occurring at Ning’an Manor, the guests who had come to celebrate the birthday were almost all on edge. Just thinking about the murderer’s cruel killing methods and those bloody white bones made everyone’s scalps tingle and hearts panic.

But at this moment, Ji Yunshu paid no attention at all to what was happening outside.

She kept watch by the bedside, waiting for Jingrong to wake up.

Time passed bit by bit, until Shu Tian came to inform her about the murder case at the manor.

She stood at the doorway. Hearing that someone had died at the manor, her brows furrowed slightly, a trace of surprise passing through, but she wasn’t afraid. Afterward, she said, “Thank you. Don’t worry, I understand.”

“That’s good. The young master is very worried about you. You should also be careful.”

“Mm.”

“Miss Ji, are you not feeling well?”

“Yes, my head feels a bit uncomfortable. I want to rest.”

“Oh, then I won’t disturb you.”

Ji Yunshu nodded slightly. Once he left, she closed the door and returned to the room.

By this time, Jingrong had already awakened. He pressed his forehead and struggled to sit up from the bed, his face wrinkled together, the pain evident.