Liu Zhang took the inkstone and saw that the pattern on it was similar to that of the engraved measuring ruler. There was flowing gold on the warm jade color, and the workmanship was very exquisite.

"Is this a gift from you to me?"

A Rao pursed her lips, nodded, and explained, "I'm sorry, I really don't know which store to find that item, so I had to look for one with a similar pattern."

Liu Zhang smiled gently and praised, "This inkstone is very exquisitely made. I like it very much."

When A Rao heard him say that he liked it, a satisfied smile appeared on her face. "Well, consider it as compensation for that thing."

He put the inkstone into the inner pocket of his robe, but said, "Miss Jiang, there is no need to spend money on it. It is already an old thing.

By the way, young lady, are you free to accompany me for tea and a boat ride? It just so happens that there aren’t many cases at the Dali Temple recently.”

“But I don’t really understand that.”

"It's okay, just stay with me."

A Rao lowered her head and hesitated for a moment before refusing, "I'm afraid it won't be possible in the near future."

Liu Zhang was slightly disappointed. Xu Wanrong often rejected him by saying she was busy, but he still insisted and asked, "When is Miss Jiang free?"

"It's the eighth day of the first lunar month. I'll treat you to tea and snacks on the eighth day of the first lunar

"good."

"My mother is calling me. Sir Liu, see you in two days."

"Yeah." Liu Zhang nodded and watched the goose yellow figure holding up her skirt as she walked into the drugstore. He lowered his head and was about to return to the carriage, but saw a straight figure wearing a light gauze hat standing at the entrance of the alley.

Ye Fan stood in the dark. Seeing Liu Zhang saw him, he said, "Master Liu, can you please excuse me for a moment?"

Liu Zhang walked over slowly and said, "General Ye, isn't today your father's funeral? What are you doing here?"

Ye Fan leaned against the wall with a serious expression and asked coldly, "How did my father die?"

"I've already shown you the Dali Temple's case report. He died of poisoning," Liu Zhang patiently explained. "If General Ye has any doubts, we can have another coroner from another government office conduct a new autopsy."

"How can we detect it if you guys have tampered with it?" Ye Fan frowned and spoke in a very bad tone.

"General Ye, everything must be based on evidence."

Liu Zhang didn't indulge him and pointed out directly: "If there is evidence, the crimes of Commander Ye and the young general for assassinating the crown prince are both serious."

Ye Fan was dissatisfied and said, "But you are also the mastermind!"

"General Ye, go back and bury your father properly. Before anything else, try to mend your ways." Liu Zhang stepped forward, gently patted his shoulder, and whispered, "Don't make a big deal out of this. Otherwise, no one will be happy."

Ye Fan snorted lightly and said angrily, "You guys completely washed your hands of it, leaving my father as the scapegoat, and now you're pretending to be so sincere!"

Liu Zhang replied coldly, "If it weren't for Master Shen's leniency, do you think you could still be here safely, speaking to me in this way?"

Ye Fan gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead. He lowered his voice and said, "It was your Liu family who deliberately sent someone to poison my father."

Liu Zhang's tone remained calm: "General Ye, please don't make random guesses."

"He was poisoned to death in the Dali Temple's prison. You were definitely involved!"

"I was on leave at the time and was not aware of the incident. However, the coroner's report states that your father committed suicide by poisoning. As for why he did so, I truly do not know."

"The Dali Temple is full of your people! My father is dead, and your Liu family can't deny your involvement!"

Liu Zhang was also annoyed and pushed him away impatiently, wanting to leave. "General Ye, please stop being so unreasonable."

Ye Fan glared and gnashed his teeth, saying, "He lost his life in your Dali Temple. You are definitely responsible. I want you to pay with your life!"

Before he finished speaking, Ye Fan pulled out a dagger from his waist and stabbed it fiercely into Liu Zhang's chest.

Liu Zhang reacted quickly and quickly grabbed the blade that was stabbing at his chest with both hands. Blood flowed out from between his fingers.

"General Ye, don't be impulsive!" He gripped the blade in fear, shouted for help, and called the guards.

Ye Fan's martial arts skills were excellent. He kicked Wu Shuang, who was running towards him in a hurry, and forced Liu Zhang to the wall with his knife tightly gripped.

"Stop, General Ye... Please consider the general's mansion..." Liu Zhang tried hard to hold the knife to prevent him from stabbing into his chest, but he was no match for a military general after all.

Liu Zhang felt a heat in his chest and looked down to see the knife had already stabbed him. Blood quickly gushed out of the wound, staining his smoky grey gown red.

Ye Fan wanted to pull out the knife and stab him a few more times, but Wushuang quickly got up from the ground and started fighting with him.

Liu Zhang's body tilted and he sat down on the ground exhausted.

A Rao just came out of the pharmacy. When she heard the noise, she hurried over.

Seeing that everyone was attracted over, Ye Fan quickly dropped his knife and ran deeper into the alley.

"Master Liu, Master Liu!" A Rao saw a knife stuck in Liu Zhang's chest, blood gushing out of the wound. She stood up helplessly and tried to leave. "Hold on, I'll go get Mother to save you!"

"Don't go... Miss Jiang Rao... stay with me..." Liu Zhang said weakly, grabbing her skirt with his bloody hands, blood constantly flowing out of his chest with his disordered breathing.

"Lord Liu, you need treatment. Please hold on for a while. I'll go call my mother." She knelt beside him and tried to block the wound on his chest with her hands, but the blood kept flowing out from between her fingers, quickly staining her hands red.

"Miss Jiang Rao...if I accidentally...hurt your young master...will you hate me..." Liu Zhang frowned in extreme pain and spoke intermittently. He felt his body getting colder and colder, and the feeling of suffocation caused by blood loss made him breathe heavily.

A Rao shook her head vigorously. She wanted to help him stand up and take him to the nearby pharmacy. Her voice trembled with fear. "Lord Liu, please don't speak. My mother can save you."

"I'm sorry, Miss Jiang Rao... It was me who stabbed... the prince... I was so envious of him... I was so jealous of him.

Miss Jiang Rao…if I die…will you feel sad for me…” Liu Zhang’s face had lost its color, and beads of sweat broke out from her forehead, dripping onto the back of her hand.

"Lord Liu, please don't die. I don't blame you. Please don't die..." A Rao frowned and looked at Liu Zhang's gradually weakening breath. Tears could no longer be controlled and burst out from her eyes.

"Really?... I'm so happy. I'm sorry..." Liu Zhang pulled the corners of his mouth with difficulty, closed his eyes tiredly, and slowly let the hand that he was holding tightly to A Rao fall down.

A Rao cried and shook his arm. She called out to him, crying until she was hoarse, "Master Liu, you promised me... We still have to protect the prince together, and you also said you would marry me, please don't die...

I have already fallen in love with you!