Bone Painting Coroner

Translator: Choufleur

The maid answered, "But Prince Yi seemed to be here to ask about that. This servant was outside then and couldn't hear very clearly."

"Did he say when he would be back then?"

"I don't know."

"Why do you not know anything at all?" How boring! Miss Huang wasn't one to??be to attentive to details, and didn't press for answers after giving her a glare.

After that, she yawned and stretched her arms. "I had wanted Caifeng to go out with me to get a few bolts of cloth. Since she isn't around, you can accompany me instead." Miss Huang said.

"Yes."

They cleaned up, headed to the shopping street, and found a silk shop. When they entered, the manager hurriedly took out all his high quality wares. "Miss Huang, it's been a long while since you've last been here. We recently had a large batch of top quality cloth come in. Take a look, have a feel. I guarantee that you'll be satisfied."

She stroked the cloth. "Alright, bring out all the new stock you have in the shop for me to examine."

"Of course, of course." They're going to make a big sale! The manager had his assistant bring out the top quality cloth, and personally attended to her.

As Miss Huang selected the cloth, she complained, "It would have been better if Caifeng were here. She can tell which bolts are good or bad material with a single touch. I don't know what that Prince Yi is up to either. Isn't it simply a dagger? If it's lost, it's lost; why is there a need to question Caifeng and even take her away?

"Besides, that dagger isn't some rare or precious item either. I merely felt that it was cool, and had someone forge that four-inch dagger during my travels to use in self-defence. If Prince Yi wanted it, he could simply say so and I'll just have that blacksmith forge another."

The maid hurriedly warned, "Miss, Old Master had instructed that we are not to reveal that."

"Why can't I say that? I can't talk just because Prince Yi took my maid away? What kind of logic is that?" So what if he's a prince? She voice several more complaints.

They couldn't have imagined that on the other side, Ji Wanxin had heard their entire conversation and blanked out for a moment. The maid beside her asked, "Second Miss, what's wrong with you?"

"Eh?" She gathered her wits back together. "Nothing."

"Are you feeling unwell?"

"I'm fine." She put down the bolt of cloth that she was examining and tugged the maid out behind her.

"Second Miss, where are we going?"

"Go back home first. Don't worry about me."

"This…"

"I'll be back within two hours." The maid stuttered in indecision for a moment but couldn't do anything but return home.

Ji Wanxin headed to the Rong Estate alone.

When she arrived, the doorman hurried to the backyard to report the news. Just then, Ji Yunshu and Jing Rong were having breakfast. "There's a lady at the door who's looking for Teacher Ji."

"A lady?"

"She said she is the Second Miss Ji of the General's estate."

Ji Wanxin! Ji Yunshu was silent for a moment before she replied, "Let her in."

The doorman headed out and Ji Wanxin arrived soon after. Like always, she took delicate little steps and looked calmly elegant. She curtsied as she entered, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Without looking at her, Jing Rong continued to drink his tea leisurely. "No need for formality, Second Miss Ji." He had seen through the affectations of this lady long ago; he had held back from exposing her, since she is Ji Yunshu's 2nd sister.

Ji Yunshu didn't invite her to sit either, and merely asked, "Why are you here?"

"I have something to tell you."

"Speak, then."

She lifted her chin and said lightly, "Just now, I heard someone say that… Prince Yi had gone to the Huang Estate in the capital, looked for a maid, asked her about a four-inch dagger, then brought her away and forbade anyone from revealing the fact. I know that Prince Yi and Prince Rong have been investigating the Case of the Dried Well recently, so I wondered if Prince Yi's sudden visit to the Huang Estate could have anything to do with this case. That's why… I came here to inform you." Straight to the point!

Jing Rong and Ji Yunshu exchanged a glance full of doubt.

"Yunshu, what I said is all the truth."

"Why would you tell me then?"

"Yunshu, I wanted to help you."

Bah! Who knows what bad intentions you might have?! Ji Yunshu remained cool and calm. "Whether or not what you said was true, I still thank you. However, you'd better return quickly. Right now, there can not be a hint of any link between the General's Estate and the Rong Estate."

Her words heavily implied that this guest was no longer welcome.

Ji Wanxin wasn't shameless enough to continue staying either, and could only reply, "I'll leave first then." She raised her limpid eyes to look beseechingly at Jing Rong, then slowly made her way out.

But just after she exited, Ji Yunshu chased after her. "Wait a minute."

"Yunshu," Ji Wanxin grabbed her hand, "I know that I had made mistakes, but I've changed now. Could you forgive me?"

Ji Yunshu drew her hand back and replied coldly, "I don't want to hear you say these things. I've stopped bothering about what you had done, but that doesn't mean that I've forgotten that it had happened. I only wanted to say that Prince Rong and I owe you a 'thank you' for delivering that item previously."

"It was merely what I ought to do. Yunshu, I want to make it up to you. Previously…"

"Enough, let's not bring up the past again. You better return quickly."

"Yunshu…"

Ji Yunshu turned around resolutely and went back in. Ji Wanxin stood there looking after her, eyes brimming with tears and biting her lip firmly. She dabbed her tears with a handkerchief before finally leaving.

Inside, Jing Rong was still savoring his tea. When Ji Yunshu came back in, he asked indifferently, "Has she left?"

"Mn."

"What do you think?"

"About Prince Ji going to the Huang Estate to ask about that dagger?"

Jing Rong frowned contemplatively, "Looks like Prince Yi has found a clue." Meaning that they're one step behind.

……

In the palace, Fuyang Hall.

The Qizhen Emperor had just finished reading through some memorial reports. He rubbed his temples, intending to take a short break.

An eunuch presented a bowl of ginseng soup from the Imperial Kitchens and put it down before him. "Your Majesty, please rest for a moment."

He rubbed his eyes and waved him away. "Take it away."

"Your Majesty…"

"Take it away!" He emphasized.

This was an extremely timid, low-ranked eunuch, so he hurriedly took the ginseng soup away. But as he left, he bumped into the old eunuch Zhang Quan. "Zhang-gonggong."

"His Majesty refuses to drink it?"

He nodded.

Zhang Quan took the ginseng soup from him. "You're dismissed."

"Yes." He left.

Zhang Quan entered the hall, went to the Qizhen Emperor's side, and put the bowl of soup down again. "Your Majesty, please rest for a moment. The Imperial Physician has said that Your Majesty should rest properly and shouldn't overwork. The memorials may be important, but not at the risk of your health."

The Qizhen Emperor raised his head and sighed. "Forget it." He flipped the memorial booklets closed and took a sip of the ginseng soup. "Tell me, how are Jing Yi and Jing Rong doing?"

"Replying Your Majesty; Prince Yi and Prince Rong had both brought people to the Ministry of Justice to examine the bodies, and must have both found some clues. They produced portraits of the deceased the next day, and the Ministry of Justice have verified the list of victims based on the portraits, and are still inquiring after them individually. There should soon be some results from that. Additionally, both princes went to that derelict temple yesterday, but had to stay overnight because of a rainstorm. I heard that somebody even lost their life that night; that murder case has already been reported to the Court of Judicial Review by the Capital Magistrate."