After the Peach Blossom Banquet, everything went back to the way it was before. Lu Zheng finally got the news from You Xiaowu, but it was not good news.

You Xiaowu shook his head with a look of regret: "…Princess Shanyang is too powerful. She has made this inner house like an iron barrel. I have tried every trick but could not find out any news."

Lu Zheng frowned and glanced at Jian Yu beside him. Jian

Yu pondered for a while and asked, "Is there anything unusual in the princess's mansion?"

You Xiaowu thought for a while and said, "If you say unusual... there are some mute servants in the mansion. Generally, noble families would not employ such servants with defects. And from the clothes I saw on the mute servants, they don't look like they do rough work, but rather like they serve in the inner court."

Lu Zheng and Jian Yu looked at each other. This information was very valuable. If You Xiaowu hadn't been careful, it would have been overlooked.

You Xiaowu sighed, "Besides that, the guards of the princess's mansion are too alert. I was almost caught several times. If I wasn't smart, I would have been caught in the dungeon of the princess's mansion."

Tiedan sneered, "What do you mean by smart? If it weren't for the help of an expert, would you have escaped?"

"Expert?"

"Ahem..." You Xiaowu glared at Tiedan and coughed awkwardly twice, "Yes... I was almost discovered once, and the guard chased me for several blocks. If it weren't for the expert who secretly injured the guard, I’m afraid…”

Tiedan said rudely: “My two lords, after this incident, the guards of the princess’s mansion will only be stricter. I’ll return the silver to you. I don’t have the ability to do it. You’d better find someone else!”

You Xiaowu jumped up and hit Tiedan on the head: “What nonsense!” It was as painful as cutting his flesh to spit out the money that had already entered his pocket.

Tiedan’s face flushed, but he still handed the two silver bills from his pocket to Lu Zheng.

Lu Zheng did not take it. He pushed Tiedan's hand back and said, "You have also suffered hardships and been frightened. It is not your fault that we cannot get any information. I did not consider it carefully."

"That's right!" You Xiaowu quickly snatched the two banknotes and said, "Master Lu is right. Even if there is no merit, there is still hard work!" He glared at Tiedan again and said, "You are a scoundrel. I will never let you manage money again!"

After leaving Shilipo, Lu Zheng sighed helplessly, "It seems that we can only think of other ways."

Jian Yu said, "Otherwise, I will go to the princess's mansion to check at night."

"Don't." Lu Zheng hurriedly stopped him. "The Princess's Mansion is heavily guarded. You Xiaowu is outside to gather information, so it's still like this. You should focus on your own safety, and..." He frowned, "I am very concerned about that so-called expert... Who is he? Could it be that another force is also gathering information about the Princess's Mansion, helping us because they are afraid that we will make a fuss?"

Jian Yu could guess who sent the so-called expert, and he shook his head and said, " Don't worry about him, he doesn't have bad intentions after all."

Lu Zheng looked at him suspiciously: "How do you know?"

Jian Yu chuckled: "I have my own channels."

Lu Zheng glanced at him: "Forget it, as long as there is no danger." He thought of something and asked, "Lord Luo is dead, have you, the Red Armor Guards, been punished?" Jian Yu

shook his head: "We, the Red Armor Guards, have been guarding the Dali Temple Prison. The trial officials have their own guards, and it is not our responsibility."

"That's good." Lu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief. After knowing that Luo Hong was dead that day, he had been a little worried, but he didn't dare to ask his elder brother. He finally heard from Jian Yu that everything was fine, and he could rest assured.

Jian Yu looked at Lu Zheng's serious expression, and his originally cold and hard facial lines gradually softened. He put his hand on Lu Zheng's shoulder: "You still care about me... I'm happy..."

If it were in the past, Lu Zheng would definitely slap him back carelessly, good brothers should be loyal! But after experiencing Rong Zhen's shock, he became extremely sensitive to the contact of his same-sex friends. He hurriedly took a few quick steps and deliberately said loudly: "Hey... It's really cold recently, ahahaha..."

Jian Yu looked at his empty palm, slowly retracted it, clenched it at his side, and then followed Lu Zheng's steps.

The two men walked side by side on the road. Jian Yu did not make any unnecessary movements. The awkwardness in Lu Zheng's heart gradually faded away. He could not help but despise himself. Once bitten by a snake, one is afraid of the rope for ten years. After all, he and Jian Yu were good brothers who had shared hardships. How could he have such feelings for him? It was all the King of Chu's fault!

Thinking this way, his mind calmed down, and he couldn't help asking: "What do you think about Lord Luo's case?"

Jian Yu thought for a while and said: "The murderer must have a purpose. Who will benefit the most after Luo Hong's death?" He analyzed, "Lan Jingyi has been Luo Hong's deputy for many years. After Luo Hong's death, he was the most likely to take over as the Dali Temple Minister. However, in order to avoid suspicion, the Lan family has closed the door to visitors recently, and Lan Jingyi even took sick leave. From this point of view, it is unlikely that it is Lan Jingyi."

Lu Zheng nodded: "I I thought so too, but apart from his position, are there any other possibilities?"

Jian Yu said: "We have also secretly investigated the cases that Luo Hong was originally trying, and we have long understood the case. Although the three courts will try the case, it is just a formality. It is unlikely that they..."

Before he finished speaking, he saw Ah Fu, who was anxious at the city gate. He turned his head and asked Lu Zheng: "That person looks like your servant?"

Lu Zheng followed his gaze and looked over, and happened to see Ah Fu. Ah Fu hurried over: "Young Master! Something big happened!"

"What happened?"

"Lord Lan is dead too!"

Lan Jingyi was found dead by his own pond. He was wearing a white pajamas, barefoot, face down with his entire upper body immersed in the pond water.

After examining the body, Shihu shook his head and said, "He didn't die from drowning, but from a sharp weapon."

Lan Jingyi's body had been brought ashore, lying on his back with his eyes wide open. It was clear that there was a clear scar on his neck, but unlike Luo Hong, this wound was flat.

Shihu said, "Lord Lan must have fought with the murderer. The murderer forced Lord Lan to the edge of the pool, then pressed Lord Lan's back with his feet, strangled Lord Lan's neck with a thin rope, and cut his neck to death."

Two constables turned Lan Jingyi's body over. Shihu looked carefully at the half-footprint on Lan Jingyi's back, and then slowly frowned. The edge of the pool was paved with pebbles, so there were no obvious footprints left, but there was half a footprint on the white nightgown that Lan Jingyi was wearing, but it was not very clear.

Lu Zheng arrived at this time. Tang Min had already questioned the servants of the Lan family. Lan Jingyi had a mysophobia and didn't like people to serve him closely on weekdays. No one knew when Lan Jingyi had an accident.

At this time, Shi Hu brought the footprint to Tang Min and said, "Master Tang, there is something wrong with this footprint."

Although only half of the footprint was left, it was still clear that the footprint was narrow and should not be long. Shi Hu said, "This footprint is relatively small, and the murderer should be light in weight. I think the murderer is most likely a woman."

"Woman?!"

Shi Hu gestured at the footprint and said, "The soles are not ordinary straw sandals or cloth shoes. They should be made of leather."

Tang Min frowned and said, "To be able to use leather as soles, this woman must be from a wealthy family..."

He didn't finish his words, and Lu Che slowly walked over and said, "It is impossible for the embroidered shoes of women in the Central Plains to use leather as soles. Only foreigners have such a habit..." And the only woman in Yanjing who meets the requirements recently is Princess Dai'er.

Tang Min and Lu Che looked at each other and both felt the difficulty of the case. Even if Dai'er committed the crime, as a princess of the Jie people, they could not do anything to Dai'er without clear evidence.

Tang Min cupped his hands and said, "I'm afraid that Lord Lu will have to report to His Majesty for a decision."

Lu Che's face darkened and he said with a fake smile, "This case is handled by Lord Tang. I'm afraid that I will have to report to His Majesty together with Lord Tang."

Neither of them wanted to take on this mess. First it was Luo Hong, then Lan Jingyi. This was different from the previous skinning case where the people who died were all unimportant civilians. Two court officials died in such an unclear way, and the case also involved the Jie people. It is conceivable how angry Emperor Yongning would be.

At this moment, Lu Zheng shouted, "Brother, we found something!"

Lu Che hurried over, and Tang Min was not to be outdone. The two of them walked to Lu Zheng and Shi Hu. Shi Hu was holding Lan Jingyi's right hand. The gaps between his right fingers were covered with mud, but if you looked closely, you could still see the dark red color inside.

Shihu said, "Lord Lan, there are small pieces of flesh in the seams of his fingers, which may be from the murderer."

Lu Che nodded, "Since he fought with the murderer, it is very likely that the murderer was injured."

Tang Min's eyes lit up, "If there are injuries on his body, then the murderer will have a hard time explaining himself!"

Lu Che said coldly, "Lord Tang, you have to think it over. If you make a wrong judgment, His Majesty will have a hard time."

Tang Min was hesitant again, and Shihu only said it was possible. But in this situation, he would be punished if he stuck his head out, and he would be punished if he retracted his head. He gritted his teeth and said, "No matter what, His Majesty will punish me. I would rather die clearly than be a turtle with its head retracted."

"That's exactly what I mean." Lu Che also said calmly, "I will assist in handling this case, and naturally, everything will be in the hands of Lord Tang."

The two of them were arguing with each other, neither of them giving in.

Lu Zheng suddenly interrupted, "I think... I have probably figured out Lord Luo's case."