Chapter 700 - Kong Qu

The crow flew into the distance, as though it had dived straight into the inky, black night sky and instantly merged with it. However the eye strained, not a single trace of it could be seen.

Ji Yunshu tilted her head back slightly and heaved a long sigh.

The weather lately was already not as hot as before. The start of autumn heralded the slow change to colder weather. The breeze brushed gently past her face, creating a comfortable sensation. Her icy hands were tucked into her sleeves. She kneaded her palms several times and sighed again.

Ji Yunshu stood in the little courtyard for a while as she went over everything she knew about the haunting of Marquis Kang’s mansion from the start to the end.

The bloody handprint on the signboard?

The entangled trees in the courtyard just inside the doors of the mansion?

The boulders of the rock garden that had deliberately been toppled?

Additionally, was Cai Da’s suicide really because of guilt that he had killed his own mother through others’ hands?

And the sound of that child; if it really were someone playing tricks, there was no reason why Jing Rong couldn’t detect anything even though he was in the ancestral hall at that time!

From another perspective, how many people in the household were involved in this?

When she was done thinking through all these incidents, Ji Yunshu called out into the air. “Zijin.”

Shi Zijin’s figure quickly landed by her side. “Teacher, what are your instructions?”

Even though she knew that Ji Yunshu was a woman, she still addressed her habitually by ‘teacher’.

Ji Yunshu told her sternly, “Later, look around the Marquis’s mansion secretly to see if there are any suspicious people or events. Once something happens, inform me immediately.”

“Yes.” She nodded.

Just as she was about to depart, Ji Yunshu called her again. “Zijin.”

“Does Teacher have other instructions?”

“Actually, you don’t need to be by my side every single moment. If there isn’t anything else, you should take care to rest properly too.”

“Teacher, please don’t worry about me. It’s already a great honor for me that His Highness commanded me to protect Teacher. Besides, His Highness said that the Marquis’s mansion is not peaceful and must stay beside Teacher at all times as protection.” She was extremely serious about it.

Ji Yunshu told her, “This is the Marquis’s mansion. There are estate troops looking after it so nothing will happen. What if you fall sick from overwork by doing this too frequently?”

“But His Highness’s orders cannot be disobeyed. In comparison, Teacher’s safety is more important.”

“Why did I never realise that you were so stubborn before?” Ji Yunshu teased her. Martial artists were just so inflexible, let alone the reticent and taciturn Shi Zijin.

Shi Zijin didn’t protest her words, but just kept silent.

Her face was clearly a woman’s but it lacked a sweet temperament and instead held an air of cold-bloodedness. She was perennially cold and disliked talking or smiling. In particular, those eyes of hers would carry a thick killing intent once they grew cold, making others afraid to meet her gaze. Perhaps it was because from young, she had lived in a complicated environment where she had to fight for her life, suffering wounds all over her body, developing into her resolute and loyal personality. How could Ji Yunshu not admire someone like that?

However, like Jing Rong, she was rather more stubborn than most. Just like an obstinate little wolf.

Ji Yunshu sighed and could only concede. “Alright, go investigate then.”

“Yes.” Shi Zijin cupped her hands in greeting and disappeared. Just like that crow from before, no trace of her could be found.

“Iron lady.” Ji Yunshu spoke into thin air, a wry smile on her lips as she went back into the room.

Meanwhile, Jing Rong had just returned to his own courtyard.

Lang Po solemnly passed him a letter. “It’s from Yi City.”

“When did it arrive?”

“Just now.”

Jing Rong hurriedly took the letter and entered the room before he opened it. The page was crammed full of words written in a hand that was a little rough, obviously not from a scholarly person.

As he read, Lang Po reported, “Since the death of Empress Xuanshu, the Kong family had practically all left the capital. Kong Qu, the vanguard of the Yuanlin Army, had gone to the distant Northwest city of Yicheng. Although it’s far from the capital, it is a crucial stronghold for trade with the Huyi. Now that Kong Qu is the city master, he can live peacefully in the Northwest. Back then when Kong Qu was in the capital,