Ji Yunshu remained silent, her expression indifferent.

If she truly told Luo Yang about how she and Li Shiyan first met in Da Lin back then, it would be equivalent to revealing her identity.

Therefore, she could not speak of it!

“I don’t deliberately want to help the heir apparent. I just feel this case is somewhat strange, so I want to investigate it clearly. Perhaps there are other hidden circumstances involved that cannot be mentioned.”

“Other hidden circumstances?” Luo Yang stared at her, emphasizing, “Let me tell you first—this murder case has absolutely nothing to do with you. I don’t care what your reasons are; in any case, you should stay far away from it. Don’t stick your foot into everything. In the end, you’ll be the one who suffers. If something really happens, I won’t be able to save you.”

She tried her utmost to dissuade her!

But Ji Yunshu never changed her mind once she decided on something.

Moreover, Li Shiyan had shown her kindness—she could not just stand by and do nothing!

She said, “Luo Yang, if you don’t want to help, I won’t force you. But don’t stop me. In short, I must investigate this matter to the end.”

“You…”

“In a few more hours, it will be dawn. I must go see the heir apparent and ask him clearly. Otherwise, once it’s light, it will be inconvenient to investigate.”

After all, she was neither from the Court of Judicial Review nor from the manor. To interfere in this case would be extremely difficult.

She could only handle things under cover of darkness!

Luo Yang didn’t want to get involved in this matter, but seeing Ji Yunshu’s resolute attitude, knowing he definitely couldn’t persuade her, he flicked his sleeves and stepped aside, saying, “Fine! Since you want to investigate, then go investigate by yourself. I’m not going anyway, to avoid bringing trouble upon myself.”

Ji Yunshu didn’t like forcing others. Since that was the case, she could only rely on herself.

“Then I’ll investigate on my own.”

With that, she carried her lantern and walked forward.

Luo Yang stood in place watching her receding figure. His heart felt as if insects were constantly gnawing at it—very uncomfortable.

Watching Ji Yunshu walk farther and farther away…

Finally—

Unable to care about those considerations of advantages and disadvantages anymore, he gritted his teeth and, throwing caution to the wind, ran after her with all his might, catching up with her at the covered corridor.

Out of breath, he said, “To hell with it! This young master will risk it all with you. At worst, it’s just one life. Anyway, if I die, you’ll be buried with me as company. What’s there to be afraid of?”

Ji Yunshu saw that he had suddenly changed his mind. Her heart was very grateful, and she asked again to confirm, “Have you really thought this through?”

“I’ve thought it through!” Luo Yang puffed out his chest. “If you really want to investigate, I’ll investigate together with you.”

“Thank you, Luo Yang.”

“Thank me for what? If even you, a young woman, aren’t afraid of causing trouble, what does a grown man like me have to fear? Besides, I’m already implicated in this anyway. After all, I was the one who saw the heir apparent come out from behind the artificial hill. If we really want to count it, I was the one who exposed him! Now it’s just sticking one more foot in. Life or death is decided—to hell with everything, let’s just do it!”

What a bold and heroic appearance!

He was indeed an upstanding man.

Afterward, the two of them went to the South Courtyard.

Ji Yunshu learned from the servants at the manor that the heir apparent was being held in Water Moon Pavilion in the South Courtyard, guarded by elite soldiers from the Court of Judicial Review. No one could enter, and no one could leave.

They had just entered the South Courtyard when they ran head-on into a group of the manor’s patrolling servants.

They immediately blocked their path.

Ji Yunshu and Luo Yang had no choice but to forcefully lower their heads. Fortunately, it was dark, and the faint light from their lanterns was insufficient—if one didn’t look closely, it was impossible to make out their features.

Among that group of patrolling servants, one slightly older in years asked, “Why are you two here? There are already enough people on this side; we don’t need anyone to come over.”

Ji Yunshu’s tone was somewhat deep: “Just now, I saw a figure come this way, so I chased after it here.”

She lied without her face flushing or heart racing.

Luo Yang tilted his head slightly and glanced at her. This woman’s mind and tongue were truly formidable.

When the old steward heard that there was a figure coming this way, he immediately became vigilant: “A figure?”

“Yes, heading this direction.”

That was no small matter!

The steward quickly instructed those behind him, “What are you all standing around for? Go search everywhere.”

“Yes!”

The group then carried their lanterns to search everywhere for the so-called “figure.”

The old steward waved his hand toward Ji Yunshu and Luo Yang, instructing, “You two go search over there.”

“Yes!”

Thus, Ji Yunshu and Luo Yang naturally headed in the direction of Water Moon Pavilion.

The two took the opportunity to slip into a narrow passageway.

This direction happened to offer a view of Water Moon Pavilion’s main entrance.

Outside the door stood two elite soldiers from the Court of Judicial Review keeping guard. To try to enter would be difficult.

Luo Yang craned his neck to look, saying, “Are you sure you want to go in now? Look at those two people standing outside—they’re like door gods. With our current attire, it’s simply impossible for us to get in.”

There was a hint of reminder in his words!

Ji Yunshu’s eyes narrowed slightly, and her hand holding the lantern also tightened a few times.

She said, “Just now I said a figure came this way, so we might as well make the situation bigger.”

“Make it bigger? If you make it bigger, soon everyone in the entire manor will know.”

“It won’t come to that.”

Luo Yang didn’t understand her meaning and asked, “Then what do you say we should do now?”

“That depends on what you do.” Ji Yunshu looked at him and instructed, “You go over now and say you saw a figure come this way. Those two elite soldiers will definitely worry something has happened to the heir apparent, so they’ll certainly go in to check. At that time, I’ll slip in! After they check and see the heir apparent is unharmed, they’ll come out, and you should leave quickly too.”

“What about after? How will you get out?”

“I have my own way to leave.”

“What way?” Luo Yang was worried. If something went wrong in the process, Ji Yunshu might end up bearing some charge.

Ji Yunshu’s pair of bright, clear eyes gazed at Water Moon Pavilion. Her lips parted slightly as she said, “When the time comes, the heir apparent will help me get out.”

Hm?

This made Luo Yang puzzled.

He wanted to ask more, but Ji Yunshu grabbed his arm and said, “Hurry over. Don’t waste any more time.”

Luo Yang nodded emphatically—throwing caution to the wind!

He took a deep breath, then hurriedly ran over. Ji Yunshu also took the opportunity to blow out the lantern in her hand and placed it in the corner of the passageway.

As Luo Yang ran toward that direction, he shouted, “Thief! There’s a thief!”

The two imposing guards originally standing outside Water Moon Pavilion, upon seeing him run over while shouting such words, immediately drew the long swords from their waists and looked around in all directions.

“You must not intrude here!”

Luo Yang played his part fully. Worried that his appearance would be recognized by those two elite soldiers, he let his head droop down and said with great difficulty, “Just now… I was patrolling over there and saw a shadow heading this way. It seemed… it seemed…”

“Seemed what?”

He pointed at the inside of Water Moon Pavilion: “It seemed that shadow went inside.”

Uh!

That was serious!

The elite soldiers were responsible for guarding the heir apparent. But if there really was some thief who went in and harmed the heir apparent, they wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences.

They immediately went in with swords drawn to investigate. As they entered, they instructed Luo Yang, “You stay here and watch. Don’t let anyone in.”

“Yes!” Luo Yang had succeeded and bowed at the waist.

Watching the elite soldiers go in!

Taking this opportunity, Ji Yunshu immediately came over from the passageway.

Luo Yang grabbed her arm and said, “Be careful. I’ll wait for you outside.”

She hummed in acknowledgment and went in.

Water Moon Pavilion was neither large nor small. Upon entering, a screen wall separated the space. In the courtyard, an artificial hill was built, and several trees were planted surrounding it. It was also arranged ingeniously—a very elegant small courtyard.

Ji Yunshu quietly hid behind an artificial hill, watching the two elite soldiers search around inside, then walk to the door of the room where the heir apparent was being held. They reached out and knocked on the door, calling, “Heir Apparent? Heir Apparent?”

No lamp was lit inside the room—it was pitch black.

For a long while, no one responded.

The two elite soldiers looked at each other, then knocked on the door again: “Heir Apparent? Are you there?”

Could something really have happened?

Just as one of them was about to take out the key to enter, from inside the door came a cold voice: “What is it?”

Good—the person was inside!

“Nothing. We just needed to know the heir apparent is safe inside.”

“If you haven’t come to clear my name, then don’t come disturbing me.”

“…Yes!”

The two elite soldiers then withdrew. As they walked past the artificial hill, they didn’t notice the person inside at all and went straight out.