Chapter 30: Master Pei Is Ill and Needs Treatment!

Amidst Jusi Fu’s immense anticipation, Qianchun’s response was nothing short of a bucket of cold water: "I did hear her whisper something into the tiger’s ear."

Jusi Fu cocked his ear to listen.

"I just didn't understand what it was."

Jusi Fu remarked, "Listening to you is like listening to nothing at all."

The Devouring Tiger let out a long roar toward the sky. The dark clouds that had previously churned like spilled ink parted, revealing moonlight as bright as day. The hostility that had once threatened them vanished. Before departing, the massive beast cast a gaze at Song Ruozhao, a look interwoven with gratitude and restraint.

"A-Mang, go now—"

With a sincerity akin to old friends reuniting during the season of falling flowers, Song Ruozhao waved goodbye to it.

A-Mang left without looking back. Had it been a moment later, the wolf pack that had been stalking it for so long would surely have torn its cub to shreds.

Two pairs of eyes, still concealed in the thicket, met amidst the lush branches in silent bewilderment.

"Wait, you even learned the tiger's name?"

Jusi Fu leaped down from the bushes.

The lady, ignoring him, used her delicate fingers to dig into the earth, her lips pressed tightly together in silence.

Jusi Fu slowly clutched his chest, feeling the profound sorrow emanating from her.

He watched as she made the small, messy pit left by the tiger more rounded and neat.

Song Ruozhao gently placed the severed head into the hole. "There, now the pit is rounder, so you can lie more comfortably."

"..."

Her tone was as casual as if she were lamenting that the night was unforgettable.

Jusi Fu could not help but ask, "Seeing a face identical to your own lying there, are you not afraid?"

"If the murderer isn't afraid to look at me, why should I be?"

"That is a fair point."

"It is only that the murderer is still shrouded in mist."

As she spoke, those wise and luminous eyes, often seen navigating the depths of mysterious cases, surfaced in Song Ruozhao’s mind. Regardless of the true nature of their sisterly bond, facing a crime committed against one’s own flesh and blood was, in the end, too cruel. It was also likely to invite disaster upon herself.

She was about to speak, but Jusi Fu was faster. He said softly, "Let this matter be forgotten here. Once we enter the capital, do not mention it to anyone."

As if their thoughts were shared, his words matched exactly what she had left unsaid.

In the distance, footsteps rustled against the fallen leaves, and a hunched, gaunt shadow swayed beneath the trees.

Qianchun drew her blade to stand guard, but Song Ruozhao gestured for her to stop.

"It is Old Man Chai!"

As the old man approached, Song Ruozhao knew he was not deaf. Just as she was about to ask, he spoke slowly.

"I have finally waited for your arrival."

It turned out he was not mute either.

Song Ruozhao asked curiously, "Then why did you pretend to be deaf and mute?"

"To stay alive—"

He slowly pulled out a fish-shaped tally bag, from which a silver tally slid out. "I cannot judge whether the owner of this fish tally is the true culprit, but he is certainly an accomplice."

The tally was made of silver, with the character "Tong" (Together/Accomplice) inlaid in the center. It was a symbol for palace officials, and because the owner had recently been promoted, the tally was brand new and gleaming.

"May I ask where you found this?"

"I remember clearly. It was after Qingming. The rain was incessant, and the mountain paths were muddy. The owner was busy digging a hole to bury a head and was caught off guard, causing this to fall out."

"The mountain rain was thick, and he was wearing a mask, so I could not see his true face. Later, men came back searching for this item."

The old man’s voice was raspy, but every word was solemn and grave.

Song Ruozhao nodded. "You said you feigned being deaf and mute to survive. Was someone trying to kill you to silence you?"

Old Man Chai’s face, etched with wrinkles, revealed the regret of a man whose curiosity had nearly killed him. "I am a crude mountain dweller. At the time, I naturally did not know what the masked man was burying, so I intended to investigate once he left."

"Who would have thought I would dig up a human head? And just then, a group of children came to pick mushrooms. They thought I had found precious wild fungi and crowded around to take a look—"

"Only to be met with a pair of eyes that refused to close in death. With this fish tally in hand, I knew I had courted disaster. I had no choice but to feign profound shock and have lived as a deaf-mute ever since."

The fish tally was exquisitely detailed; the scales and fins were lifelike. A small line of text was engraved on the edge: *Attendant to the Crown Prince*.

Seeing the detail, Jusi Fu understood immediately. "This fish tally belongs to Xiao Wu."

"His sister is the Crown Princess, who used her influence to secure him the position of Attendant to the Crown Prince. This man spends his time chasing pleasure; he is a dissolute playboy of the highest order."

The memory of Pingkang Ward flooded back, and Song Ruozhao suddenly realized, "The same Xiao Wu?"

"Yes," Jusi Fu said, finding a moment for humor, "the very same Xiao Wu who shares your affection for the same 'cut-sleeve' pursuits!"

"..."

The shocking remark caused Old Man Chai to look at Song Ruozhao with a changed expression. After handing the evidence to the righteous pair, he patted her back with his calloused palm.

"In that case, it is better for you to keep wearing your gentleman’s attire. Take care of yourself!"

"Hahaha—"

A sudden, unfamiliar laughter erupted in the air, and the crows in the trees took flight in a panic.

Song Ruozhao looked up to see Gouya.

Gouya’s eyes, full of intrigue, darted between his master and Song Ruozhao.

In fact, along the way, he had been just as subtle and earnest as Old Man Chai in trying to advise his master—only for his master to pretend not to understand, instead scolding him for being a chatterbox and talking nonsense, often threatening him with a beating.

"How did you manage to find this place?" Song Ruozhao smiled, taking the opportunity to divert attention and quietly tucking the fish tally into her sleeve.

Jusi Fu watched silently, saying nothing.

The third sister approached, dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. She said in a faint tone, "To still be alive, you can count yourself lucky..."

"...but there will be consequences," she added, her tone shifting sharply.

Liu Wenxu pointed at the large bird perched in the trees and praised, "Thanks to it, otherwise we would have searched the entire Qinling range and never found you. You left without a word and came to this deep mountain forest; it is truly terrifying to think about."

Though it sounded like a simple greeting, to Gouya’s ears, it lost its innocence.

Gouya wore an expression of someone watching a scandal unfold, his eyes signaling to Old Man Chai, who had been just as earnest in his advice.

Old Man Chai looked enlightened, shaking his head helplessly. "Young people these days, I fear they are beyond saving..."

Everyone present, except for Gouya, was left wondering: ???

Inside the Metropolitan Prefecture, Liu Wenxu sat in the courtroom.

Below the bench stood two faces that appeared to be strangers, yet were clearly partners in crime.

The gavel slammed, startling the two men into trembling. When they looked up and saw Song Ruozhao dressed as a woman, the courage they once possessed had already been thrown into the Qujiang River to feed the fish.

However, the last person to be thrown into the Qujiang River was Song Ruozhao herself.

Xiao Wu could not utter a single word.

"How are you still alive?"

Chen Yan, however, was bolder. "I've seen a ghost. I’ve truly seen a ghost—"