Liu Ruzhi held the imperial edict with a worried expression.
He clenched his fists before stepping forward. "Princess, there is still one night left in this case. I will do my utmost to find the heart and uncover the truth of the case."
Upon hearing this, Mo Qingrui finally regained a bit of strength.
"Yes, it's not the final moment yet."
She struggled to her feet, supported by her maid.
"Thank you, Lord Liu. I am also going to look for that heart. If there is any news, please let me know."
Liu Ruzhi cupped her hands in a respectful gesture.
Mo Qingrui, holding her breath, quickly left the government office and boarded the carriage.
"Go to the Ninth Prince's residence, hurry up."
...
The mountain villa, the secret prison.
Su Weichuan, his face pale, was painstakingly drawing complex talismans. The bright red cinnabar mixed with human blood appeared even more scarlet and vivid as he put pen to paper.
An old servant rushed in from outside, bowed, and said, "Master, according to the appointed time, the black cats that were released should have returned one after another, but none of them have appeared. Could something have happened to them? Should we send someone to look for them?"
Su Weichuan did not stop.
"No need. If such a commotion were to go unnoticed by the Ninth Princess, that would be abnormal. They're just a few cats; let them catch them."
He finished the last stroke.
He raised a candle and lit it, illuminating the entire ground.
Atop the enormous yellow banner, talismans spread out, bloody yet strangely mysterious.
Su Weichuan's eyes were filled with excitement.
"Tomorrow is a big day, and no one else is allowed to disturb us. I will turn the palace, this place where dragon energy gathers, into a living altar. I will welcome her back to the Great Zhou royal family. This is what I owe her, what the Great Zhou owes her."
He was like a madman, holding a lantern and laughing wildly.
As the light and shadow flashed, hundreds or even thousands of people stood densely packed in the dark prison.
They all stood there with their eyes tightly closed, their faces pale, stiff and silent.
Some of the wounds on his chest had rotted, with the skin and flesh hanging off his body.
These were the soldiers who were killed in Xiahe Village.
The old servant looked at Su Weichuan's mad and obsessive appearance, but felt only heartache.
"Master, tomorrow the Emperor will escort the coffin out of the city, but the Ninth Prince will definitely not return. If he and the Ninth Princess sabotage the procession, you'll have to do something..."
Su Weichuan stopped laughing and turned to look at him.
His gaze was as cold and serpentine as a snake's.
“Didn’t I arrange for Jiang Zhao to join them? Given the relationship between the Ninth Prince’s Mansion and Mo Qingrui, they won’t ignore it.”
...
As night fell, at three-quarters past the hour of You (5:45 PM),
Jiang Qingwan opened the altar to seek her heart.
The talisman with the birth date and time written on it was burned in the fire.
The compass needle in the center was spinning wildly.
Everyone waited intently, while Mo Qingrui nearly tore the handkerchief in her hand to shreds.
After a long while, the clock finally stopped.
Jiang Qingwan calculated the location with her fingers, while Mo Yunhan had already brought over a map of the capital and the surrounding twenty miles.
After Jiang Qingwan determined the location and compared it with the map, she pointed to a spot with her fair fingertip.
Mo Yunhan looked at that spot and frowned slightly.
"Weishan?"
Jiang Qingwan nodded.
"Following the location guide, it's right here. Let's notify Liu Ruzhi and have him bring some people to search together. That would be more convincing."
Ye Qi then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.
"I'll go and inform them."
After saying that, he disappeared outside the courtyard wall in the blink of an eye.
Mo Qingrui breathed a long sigh of relief.
"Uncle Ninth Prince, Aunt Ninth Prince, thank you so much this time, otherwise my Jiang Zhao would have been..."
She choked up and couldn't speak.
No matter how carefree and assertive one is on a normal day, when faced with such a situation, one can't hold back their emotions.
Her father was dead, and she had no children. The closest person to her in the world was Jiang Zhao.
Mo Yunhan pursed his thin lips and said nothing more.
This Weishan is not simple.
Ye Qi returned very quickly.
Jiang Qingwan had just finished tidying up when his figure appeared in the courtyard.
After taking a few quick steps, he said, "Your Highness, Your Highness, Lord Liu is not here. He has taken all the constables to Weishan."
Jiang Qingwan was stunned.
"Why is it also from Weishan?"
Ye Qi hurriedly explained, "The clerk said that a new murder case has occurred. Someone saw traces of a suspect in Weishan. The coroner examined the bodies, and both bodies died horribly, as if their internal organs had been removed while they were still alive. Lord Liu suspects it is a serial crime. If it can be verified, it may be possible to merge it with the case of the Prince Consort, which could lead to a breakthrough."
Jiang Qingwan's expression turned serious.
She looked up at the dark sky.
He started calculating again with his fingertips.
In two more hours, it will be the time of transition between Yin and Yang.
If Su Weichuan really intends to use the Five Elements Formation to refine the demonic embryo, it will certainly be at this time.
"Mo Yunhan, you come with me to Weishan. Xiao Hua and Xiao Hong, you come with me too. Everyone else, stay at the Prince's Mansion."
Qinghui and Yeqi were both a little anxious.
"princess!"
"Your Highness!"
Mo Yunhan raised his hand to stop him.
"I will follow the Princess's orders. Ye Qi, keep an eye on the black market news."
Ye Qi was stunned.
Suddenly realizing, "Your Highness, you mean..."
Before he could finish speaking, his gaze suddenly sharpened.
"Yes, Your subordinate obeys."
Aoho had no choice but to give up.
With red eyes, Mo Qingrui grabbed Jiang Qingwan's wrist. "Auntie Jiu, be careful in everything. If there is any danger, don't force it. Just consider it Jiang Zhao's fate."
Jiang Qingwan patted her reassuringly.
"I'll try."
Song Yushu quickly pulled the person away.
Just as Zheng Qing was about to say something, Mo Yunhan suddenly said, "Uncle, come with me."
He gestured for him to go to the side.
The two spoke in hushed tones for a while before Mo Yunhan left with Jiang Qingwan.
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