The latter half of the night in the capital city of Kyoto passed calmly. After the criminal was arrested, no more women were murdered without cause.
When the dawn light shone upon Kyoto, the people who had spent a nerve - wracking night all heaved a sigh of relief. As soon as it was daybreak, the yamen runners of the government office walked onto the street with bronze gongs, announcing that the criminal had been arrested and that the curfew in Kyoto would be lifted from that day on. Their announcement was greeted with cheers from many people.
When Ji Lingchuan went to the Pine and Crane Courtyard to pay respects to the Princess of Ning, the princess had also heard the news of the criminal's arrest from her servants.
"It must have been quite a thrilling experience to catch the criminal last night, right?" the Princess of Ning asked with great concern. "Did you get injured anywhere?"
Ji Lingchuan replied, "Mother, please rest assured. I'm safe and sound."
The Princess of Ning twirled the Buddhist beads in her hand and casually said, "I heard that there was a girl with you when you caught the criminal."
Ji Lingchuan was startled inwardly and replied, "That's true. She was a helper the government office found from the common people. She contributed a great deal to our successful capture of the criminal this time."
"I didn't expect there to be such a smart girl among the common people. She really deserves admiration," the Princess of Ning said with a smile. "What's her name? Where does she live? And how old is she now?"
Ji Lingchuan looked directly at the Princess of Ning and said indifferently, "Mother, I didn't ask."
The Princess of Ning didn't say anything more but said, "Since the criminal has been arrested, if you have some free time today, go to the Changyue Nunnery in person to pick up the Crown Princess. This time, you were able to successfully capture the criminal, and it's also thanks to her praying for you."
Ji Lingchuan held his temper, stood up, and said, "Yes, Mother."
After leaving the Pine and Crane Courtyard, Ji Lingchuan planned to go out and head to the government office to participate in the interrogation of the criminals. When he went out, he glanced in the direction of the Tinglan Courtyard and then strode away.
Not long after Ji Lingchuan mounted his horse and left, Song Yihuan also walked out of the alley. She lifted the veil in front of her hat and watched Ji Lingchuan's figure gradually disappear at the street corner before moving forward.
In Yongning Alley, Song Yihuan lifted her skirt to avoid the puddles on the ground and walked to the outside of Qi Lei's house. She raised her hand and knocked on the door.
After a while, someone came to answer the door. When Qi Lei saw it was her, he quickly pulled her in. "Miss Huan, you're here. Come in quickly. Let Uncle Qi take a look. You went with them to catch the criminal last night. Were you in any danger? Did you get hurt?"
Song Yihuan raised her hand and twirled it in front of him, smiling. "Uncle Qi, look. I'm fine. With Lord Ling around, no one could hurt me. It's just..."
She rubbed her arm and looked a bit embarrassed. "I held Lord Ling's sword for a while last night, and my arm is still sore. I'm afraid I won't be able to copy books for a few days."
"What does that matter? You helped the government office solve the case. They will surely reward you handsomely. The silver you'll get will be enough for what you could earn by copying books for ten years."
The two walked together to the vine trellis in the yard. Qi Lei poured a bowl of water for Song Yihuan and asked with concern, "You came so early. Have you had breakfast? Are you still hungry? Uncle Qi will cook a bowl of noodles for you."
Song Yihuan shook her head and said, "Don't bother, Uncle Qi. I've already had breakfast with Xuan'er. You should also sit down and rest."
Qi Lei sat down opposite her and said with a smile, "Tell Uncle Qi quickly what happened last night. How on earth did you catch the criminal? And why did Lord Ling let you touch his sword?"
Song Yihuan then cupped her face and described what had happened yesterday to Qi Lei.
Qi Lei was greatly shocked to learn that there were not one but five criminals, who were the dwarfs once summoned by the Ministry of Works to build the water canal. Moreover, those dwarfs had dug a cellar under the City God Temple and had been hiding there all these years.
"So, they didn't die at all, nor did they leave Kyoto. Instead, they hid. But why did they kill those five women? What enmity did those women have with them?"
Song Yihuan was lost in a daze.
At this moment, Ji Lingchuan should be interrogating the five criminals in the government office, right?
Only he might know the answers to these questions.
But after last night, she and he were no longer Lord Ling and Miss Rou. They couldn't contact each other privately anymore. If she wanted to know why those people had killed, she could only wait until the government office posted the charges.
"Alright, let's not talk about this case. Miss Huan, I've found some clues about the matter you asked me to investigate," Qi Lei said. He took out a piece of paper from his bosom and handed it to Song Yihuan.
"This is the list of people who went to the Changyue Nunnery on the fifteenth day of March that I asked someone to inquire about."
Song Yihuan was greatly delighted. She unfolded the paper and scanned it quickly with her eyes.
But the more she looked, the tighter her eyebrows frowned.
All the people on this list were noble ladies in Kyoto that she knew. There wasn't a single man.
But according to the timeline, if her elder sister had had an affair and was pregnant, she must have gone out. After she married into the Prince of Ning's Mansion, this was the only time she had gone on a long - distance trip. And there were only nuns in the Changyue Nunnery, no male monks. How did her elder sister get pregnant?
Seeing Song Yihuan frowning tightly, Qi Lei asked, "Well? Did you find the clues you were looking for?"
Song Yihuan folded the paper and shook her head. "No."
"Miss Huan, why are you investigating the Changyue Nunnery? And this matter is related to your elder sister. Has something happened that I don't know about? Is this matter unfavorable to you and Xuan'er?"
Song Yihuan couldn't help but admire Qi Lei's acuteness. She didn't expect he could see through it.
As if knowing what Song Yihuan was thinking, Qi Lei said, "I know you best. You're not the kind of person who meddles in other people's business. Uncle Qi has seen how you treat the Marquis of Ding'an's Mansion."
"Miss Huan, I regard you as my own daughter. If you're really in trouble, don't bear it alone. Tell Uncle Qi, and Uncle Qi will help you figure out a way together."
Song Yihuan felt a lump in her throat. She didn't know how to tell Qi Lei about her experience. This situation was too similar to her mother's back then. Once Uncle Qi knew about it, he might be reminded of the sad events of that year.
But she also knew that Uncle Qi was the person who cared about her most in the world besides Xuan'er. If she wanted to get out of the predicament, she needed help.
She closed her eyes tightly and whispered to Qi Lei everything about how she had been framed by Song Nanxin and lost her virginity, and how she was being blackmailed with Song Yixuan's heart disease.
After Qi Lei learned everything, he was so angry that his eyes were blood - red and his whole body trembled. He immediately grabbed the firewood - cutting knife in the corner and was about to rush out.
"I don't care who that so - called crown prince is. I'll kill him today!"
"Don't!" Song Yihuan quickly grabbed the hem of Qi Lei's clothes, and tears fell. "Uncle Qi, don't. Don't be impulsive. He... he was also deceived by my elder sister. He always thought I was my elder sister. He didn't do it on purpose."
Qi Lei stopped in his tracks. Recalling his own experience with Concubine Rou back then, he let out a long breath.
He turned around, looked at Song Yihuan, who was in tears and looked so much like Concubine Rou, and asked in a deep voice,
"Miss Huan, you're not falling in love with him, are you?"