A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 17: How come another person died?

Mu Qingcheng couldn't help but facepalm. The young lady was indeed the young lady; she was far too arrogant!

"Zhizhi, listen to me. I came to the capital for a reason, and what I'm about to do is more important than my life, and it might even cost me my life! So please don't cause me any trouble, okay?"

“Sister Mu, you disappeared without a word for three years. I can guess with my toes that you were up to something big. Don’t worry, I won’t cause you any trouble. I won’t buy the house. I’ll just stay at Wangjing Tower and wait for you, Sister Mu.”

Bai Zhizhi suddenly remembered something, "Oh right, didn't Sister Mu ask me why I was at the Mu residence? I arrived in the capital yesterday. To find Sister Mu, I used the Bai family's business in the capital. They found out that Sister Mu's old residence was in Yong'an Lane in the southern part of the city, so I disguised myself and went to stake it out. As a result, after dark, I saw a man enter the Mu residence..."

"A man?" Mu Qingcheng was startled. Could it be the masked man who had been following her?

Bai Zhizhi nodded, "Yes, I have a luminous pearl, I can't be mistaken. That person was about eight feet tall, dressed in black, and his lightness skill looked quite good..."

Mu Qingcheng interrupted anxiously, "What was that person doing? Did he find you?" The height didn't match, so it didn't seem to be him.

“No one can detect my invisibility except Sister Mu,” Bai Zhizhi said confidently. “I watched that person walk into the main courtyard. He seemed to be looking for something, but he left after a short while.”

"Looking for something?"

Mu Qingcheng suddenly wondered if that person was also looking for a dagger? Otherwise, were there other unknown things hidden in her mother's bedroom?

When her father left the capital, he sold everything in the house that could be sold, leaving only an empty house. Her search for the dagger tonight was nothing more than a gamble.

So, who exactly is that person? Is he related to the case of the corpse hanging at the temple gate?

"Sister Mu?" Bai Zhizhi saw that she was lost in thought and waved her hand in front of her. "What are you thinking about? Do you need my help?"

Mu Qingcheng snapped out of her thoughts and said seriously, "Zhizhi, don't go to the Mu residence anymore. I'm worried about your safety. Listen to me, wander around the capital for a few days, and then go home."

"Sister Mu, I came to Beijing this time to help you! You know my abilities. You need trusted people to perform autopsies and investigate cases, right? I'll provide money, manpower, and effort. Just give me your order, Sister Mu, and I'll go through fire and water without hesitation!"

"Zhizhi..."

"It's settled then, time for bed!"

Afraid that Mu Qingcheng would say another word of refusal, Bai Zhizhi pulled the blanket over her head and deliberately started snoring.

Mu Qingcheng was utterly helpless. She knew all too well how stubborn the little girl was. Since she couldn't persuade her, she might as well just accept it.
……

The Marquis of Huai'an's Residence.

When Lu Xun returned, he immediately removed his mask upon entering the room and threw himself heavily into the armchair.

On the double bed behind him, a person was sprawled out. Hearing the noise, the person raised their head slightly from the pillow and mumbled in a muffled voice, "Brother, you're finally back. I was so bored by myself."

Lu Xun closed his eyes slightly and remained silent. Lu Zhao got up, sat cross-legged on the bed, picked up a peanut from a small dish on the bedside table, and tossed it to Lu Xun, teasingly saying with a grin, "Why the long face? What, didn't you see Miss Mu tonight?"

Lu Xun raised his hand and accurately caught the peanut-shaped hidden weapon. He turned his head to the side, a hint of helplessness appearing in his eyes, "How old are you? Why are you still acting like a child?"

"I've been pretending to be my brother for nine years, and I've been worn down to the point of looking like an old man. I've finally been able to be myself now that my brother is back. Why should I pretend to be serious in front of him?"

Lu Zhao jumped off the bed, barefoot, without even putting on her boots, and walked up to Lu Xun. Her bright eyes were like stars, sparkling with gossip. "Brother, tell me quickly, did the Mu family girl upset you?"

The dim candlelight illuminated two identical faces; they were twins. Lu Xun, as the eldest brother and heir apparent, was raised to be upright, serious, self-disciplined, and respectful of etiquette from a young age, while his younger brother, Lu Zhao, was lively, playful, and disliked being bound by rules and etiquette.

Therefore, although the two brothers are both exceptionally handsome and talented, they have completely different temperaments. In private, they are very easy to tell apart.

Pushing away his younger brother's head that was leaning in, Lu Xun said calmly, "No, Qing'er is just wary and doesn't want to be around a stranger like me."

As twin brothers with a tacit understanding, how could Lu Zhao not sense Lu Xun's forced disappointment? So, Lu Zhao shamelessly moved closer to Lu Xun again, with a mischievous grin, "Brother, when do you plan to acknowledge the Mu family girl? You've kept it a secret for three years. If the Mu family girl knew that her sworn brother Mu Xun was not only alive, but also the heir of the Marquis of Huai'an, she would be overjoyed!"

Lu Xun frowned and said unhappily, "Qing'er is not the kind of person who covets status and wealth. You underestimate her too much!" As he said this, his mood couldn't help but drop. "Qing'er has been guarding the capital alone for three years. She must be plotting to find out the cause of my death. Now that she has entered the Jingzhao Prefecture as a coroner, she probably thinks she has found an opportunity. But I am worried that she will be in danger."

"Isn't the Prefect of the Capital Song Shuyu, the second son of the Duke's family?"

"Yes."

"Then what do you have to worry about? Lord Song and my brother have a deep friendship. As long as my brother asks, Lord Song will definitely help look after him."

"This morning there was a case of a corpse hanging from a temple gate. I wonder if Brother Song can find an opportunity to push me out! I've been faking my death and hiding for three years, and I really can't wait any longer!"

Lu Xun rose from the armchair and walked to the window, his tightly furrowed brows revealing his uncontrollable worry and longing.

……

The next day.

After leaving court, Song Shuyu originally planned to first return to the Duke's Mansion to pay his respects to his grandmother, and then go to the Jingzhao Prefecture to handle government affairs.

Unexpectedly, as soon as they left the palace, the long-waiting constable Jiang Zhan came up to them and reported with a complicated expression: "Sir, we have found Li Mu, the compiler of the Hanlin Academy!"

Song Shuyu raised an eyebrow. "Where was it found? Lord Li, you must go to the yamen today to identify the body."

“I’m afraid Lord Li won’t recognize him.” Officer Jiang leaned closer and whispered, “I took my patrol dogs and dug up the Li residence three feet deep. We finally found a… a dead body. I think it is Lord Li. Coroner Mu will have to confirm it.”

Upon hearing this, Song Shuyu was shocked. "How come another person has died? Why is it 'yuemo'? Does no one in the manor know Li Mu?"

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(End of this chapter)