Xiao Jin Yu didn't respond further and went straight into the bath chamber.
Chu Chu pouted. He was a prince, with so many people attending to and protecting him—he certainly didn't need her concern. If it weren't for Gu Yao, who had died naked and soaked in a pool of bloody water, looking pitiful, and if her elder brother hadn't promised to see her off once he finished this task for the prince, she wouldn't have lingered here.
She was bursting with questions she wanted to ask Mr. Dong: Where exactly was the Six Doors? What were the real names of the Nine Great Arresters? How could one truly become a coroner for the Six Doors? Once she retrieved her small floral bundle from the Royal Mansion, she would leave immediately. She had no desire to waste time in this ambiguous place.
Chu Chu secretly peeked inside. Xiao Jin Yu was leaning on his crutch, standing by the wooden tub and carefully inspecting it inside and out. Wu Jiang and Jing Yi stood behind him, speaking to him in hushed tones, yet neither stepped forward to support him. Compared to Wu Jiang and Jing Yi's tall, sturdy figures, Xiao Jin Yu's frame appeared particularly frail, even somewhat unsteady.
Chu Chu muttered to herself, aside from being deceitful, this prince wasn't actually bad. But no matter how she looked at him, he didn't seem like someone capable of solving cases.
The Nine Great Arresters could crack major and bizarre cases—they were all legendary figures with extraordinary skills that struck fear into people's hearts. As for him... at most, he was just an eccentric.
Even his deceit was peculiar. To this day, she couldn't understand why he had gone through so many convolutions to drug that seemingly honest and enthusiastic Pavilion Master Xu. Could it really have been just to strip the man's clothes off and take a look? It was just pale, bare, fleshy skin—she didn't find it particularly appealing...
As Chu Chu was lost in her disjointed thoughts, a flash of white light suddenly appeared before her eyes. Jing Yi had vanished, and Wu Jiang was carefully pushing Xiao Jin Yu's wheelchair out. Xiao Jin Yu held the corpse manifest she had just handed to Wu Jiang.
As they passed by Chu Chu, Xiao Jin Yu only asked her coldly, "Are you certain your examination was accurate?"
What kind of question was that! Chu Chu lifted her chin defiantly. "If you don't believe me, go see for yourself! If there's a single mistake, you can strike me a hundred times with the board!"
Wu Jiang's expression darkened. "Chu Chu..."
Xiao Jin Yu raised a hand to stop Wu Jiang and looked calmly at the fuming Chu Chu. "Whether there are mistakes or not, we'll know after questioning someone... Would you dare to listen along?"
"What's there to be afraid of!"
When Jing Yi returned, he brought Xu Ru Gui back with him. Xu Ru Gui's face was deathly pale, and as soon as he entered, he rushed toward Xiao Jin Yu. Wu Jiang, his hand on his sword hilt, subtly shifted from behind Xiao Jin Yu to his side. Xu Ru Gui wisely stopped five steps away.
"Wang Ye, Gu Yao, he..."
Xiao Jin Yu nodded gently.
"How... how is this possible... I beg Wang Ye to investigate clearly!"
Xiao Jin Yu looked at Xu Ru Gui with unruffled composure. "Pavilion Master Xu, rest assured, it has already been clarified... I must trouble you to invite the Pavilion Master out. I'll be brief—once I've said my piece, I'll leave promptly and restore peace to the As Returning Pavilion as soon as possible."
Chu Chu was taken aback. Wasn't the proprietor the highest authority in a tavern? What was a Pavilion Master for?
Xu Ru Gui, caught off guard, forced a stiff smile. "Wang Ye, this matter can be handled by me. There's no need to disturb the Pavilion Master, surely...""Very well, that saves considerable trouble..." Xiao Jin Yu said impassively to Jing Yi, "Jing Yi, take Shopkeeper Xu to the Ministry of Justice. Inform them this is a case I've just concluded, and your presence here counts as review by the Supreme Court. I'll compile the archives for storage. Have them schedule his execution before the New Year."
Before Jing Yi could respond, and just as Chu Chu began to comprehend the meaning behind Xiao Jin Yu's deliberate bureaucratic language, Xu Ru Gui panicked, "Wang Ye! I'm innocent! This... this is completely unfounded!"
Xiao Jin Yu maintained a calm expression but with piercing coldness in his eyes, "Either remain silent and enter the death cell, or summon your Pavilion Master to plead your innocence. The choice is yours."
"Wang Ye, you... you know the Pavilion Master is unwilling to see you..."
Xiao Jin Yu smiled coldly, "Otherwise why would I trouble Shopkeeper Xu?" Before Xu Ru Gui could speak again, Xiao Jin Yu declared sternly, "I'll wait only one ke. After that, Shopkeeper Xu may pray for his own fortune."
"Wa... Wang Ye, please calm your anger," Xu Ru Gui stammered, his forehead glistening with cold sweat as he tremblingly clasped his hands in salute, "I'll go immediately... to try."
"Jing Yi, accompany Shopkeeper Xu. Provide assistance where needed."
Xu Ru Gui hurriedly waved his hands, "No need, no need..."
Jing Yi smiled, hooking his arm around Xu Ru Gui's shoulder as they walked away, "No courtesy between us."
Xiao Jin Yu leaned back in his chair, glancing subtly at Chu Chu before closing his eyes. She had originally been standing beside him but had somehow retreated behind Wu Jiang.
Stealing a glance at the now eye-closed Xiao Jin Yu, Chu Chu tugged at Wu Jiang's sleeve, standing on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, "Big brother, does he always handle cases like this?"
Wu Jiang was taken aback. Like this? Like what?
Turning to look at Xiao Jin Yu who was resting with closed eyes, the man was clearly exhausted. In recent years, Xiao Jin Yu rarely took cases, but whenever he did, he investigated with desperate determination, always ending up in this state. As Ye Qian Qiu put it, each case he handled was like a visit to the King of Hell's palace. Wu Jiang nodded. Yes, this was how he handled cases.
Chu Chu frowned and muttered softly, "This isn't handling cases - it's reckless disregard for human life!"
Wu Jiang's expression instantly changed as he pulled Chu Chu aside, "What nonsense are you..."
Before Wu Jiang could finish his reprimand, Xiao Jin Yu's icy voice drifted over, "If it truly were reckless disregard for human life, then you would be the prime culprit."
Chu Chu looked in astonishment at the still eye-closed Xiao Jin Yu, "How can that be!"
"I reached this conclusion entirely based on your corpse examination results... If it's wrong, then it's your error."
Chu Chu stamped her foot in anger, "I guarantee I didn't make any mistakes in the examination, not a single one!"
"Then this conclusion cannot be wrong either."
"But the murderer isn't Shopkeeper Xu! You've arrested the wrong person!" Chu Chu's cheeks flushed red with indignation as she glared at Xiao Jin Yu, "Young Master Gu Yao told me everything - those people died in his bed after taking an aphrodisiac called Evening Primrose. All their injuries were voluntarily sustained during intercourse. Young Master Gu Yao said it wasn't intentional, that previous users had been fine. He already apologized and even cried about it!"
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