A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 101 The Mysterious Study (5)

"Sister Mu!"

Bai Zhizhi was born in Jiangnan and was pampered by the beautiful waters and immense wealth of the region. Her appearance was stunning, but unlike the delicate and graceful beauties of Jiangnan, she was not frail and delicate. She was clever and insightful, and had a free and enthusiastic personality, like the rising sun, always giving warmth and making people feel that everything in the world was radiant.

At least, this applies to Mu Qingcheng.

At that moment, she burst into Mu Qingcheng's arms like a flame, passionately expressing her longing, "Sister Mu, you finally remembered Zhizhi! It's so sad that Zhizhi isn't with you..."

"Zhizhi." Mu Qingcheng gently stroked Bai Zhizhi's head with affection, her eyes filled with obvious doting. "I'm sorry, I've been too busy with official duties and neglected you."

"It's okay, I know Sister Mu is busy with the case, I won't be angry with her." Bai Zhizhi tilted her head slightly, her smile radiant. "But Sister Mu has to make it up to me, how about staying at Wangjing Tower with me tonight? I'll warm your bed for you..."

"Cough cough!"

Song Shuyu, having endured it for so long, finally couldn't help but interrupt, saying, "Miss Bai, Coroner Mu is a man of my Jingzhao Prefecture. To ensure his safety, he is not allowed to stay overnight elsewhere."

Bai Zhizhi was furious and questioned loudly, "Why? My sister Mu didn't sell herself to the Jingzhao Prefecture. Why should the officials care where my sister Mu lives after her shift? If it's just for safety reasons, I, Bai Zhizhi, swear on my life that as long as I'm here, I will never allow anyone to harm a single hair on my sister Mu's head!"

"Just because I'm an official!" Song Shuyu was so angry he almost laughed. He suddenly reached out and pulled Mu Qingcheng to his side, a cold smile playing on his lips. "My people don't need anyone else's protection!"

Bai Zhizhi stomped her feet in anger, pointed her slender finger at Song Shuyu, and angrily denounced, "You...you're a corrupt official!"

Mu Qingcheng couldn't understand why these two people would argue the moment they met. It was as if they were natural enemies; after only two meetings, they had completely blew her mind!

To prevent Song Shuyu from dragging Bai Zhizhi out and beating her in a fit of anger, Mu Qingcheng advised her while giving her a meaningful look, "Zhizhi, you mustn't offend the lord, quickly apologize to him!"

After saying that, she quickly comforted Song Shuyu, "My lord, Zhizhi is young and ignorant. She offended you with her words. Please forgive her!"

Song Shuyu's handsome face was blatantly threatening. "If you want me to show leniency, Counselor Mu will have to obey my orders and stay in the yamen at night!"

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhizhi's anger, which she had just suppressed, surged up again. "Sister Mu, look at this! How can an adult threaten his subordinates like this? It's simply unreasonable!"

Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Mu Qingcheng covered Bai Zhizhi's mouth with a hand and said awkwardly with a smile, "My lord, let's get down to business first!"

After saying that, without waiting for Song Shuyu's reply, she pulled Bai Zhizhi to the abacus and said earnestly, "Zhizhi, Sister Mu invited you here hoping to get your help. I believe you won't refuse, right?"

Bai Zhizhi pouted, "Of course, if Sister Mu needs anything, Zhizhi will do her best."

To appease the young girl, Mu Qingcheng turned her back to Song Shuyu, squeezed Bai Zhizhi's soft fingers, and whispered, "The master has a spoiled young master's illness, don't pay attention to him. I'll come to Wangjing Tower to find you after I'm done with my work, the master can't keep an eye on me."

Bai Zhizhi was overjoyed. "Then let's get to work quickly. I don't want to see that corrupt official even once more!"

Mu Qingcheng was both amused and exasperated: "Zhizhi, you can't..."

"Okay, okay, I won't say it in front of you again."

"..." Song Shuyu stood with his hands behind his back, staring at Bai Zhizhi's dark eyes with a rather ambiguous expression.

Jiang Zhan and Zhang Zhubu had just witnessed a spectacle, their expressions quite fascinating. Unable to contain their burning curiosity, they exchanged knowing glances: Is Counselor Mu really that popular? Even young girls are attracted to him? Why do I have this vague feeling that the adults are jealous?
Mu Qingcheng got down to business and briefly explained the situation: "Li Mu is proficient in mathematics and has collected twelve abacuses. After Captain Jiang triggered the mechanism, the abacus beads, which were originally set to zero, began to jump automatically and finally displayed these twelve sets of numbers."

"What we can confirm at present is that the Lü Dongbin abacus represents Li Mu's expertise in pharmacology, the Pipa abacus represents Li Yunyao's expertise in the pipa, and the lotus leaf abacus symbolizes the health and longevity of Li Mu's wife."

"In the inner room of the study, there was a chessboard with a game of chess in progress. The adult used the red chess piece to trigger a mechanism, which caused the Four Sheep Square Zun without eyeballs to appear on the floor of the outer room."

"Zhizhi, what do you think is the best way to solve this complex mechanism?"

Bai Zhizhi is usually a willful little girl who never grows up, but when she gets down to business, she becomes a completely different person. She carefully reviewed the twelve sets of numbers, then went into the inner room to examine the chessboard, and finally studied the Four-Sheep Square Zun for a while.

"Sister Mu, I can solve this complex mechanism."

Bai Zhizhi's eyes showed seriousness. "However, it may take quite a while."

Everyone was overjoyed.

Mu Qingcheng smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, as long as it can be solved, it doesn't matter how long it takes."

Bai Zhizhi walked to the compartment where the Luban lock was placed, reached out to take it, but couldn't lift it. Instead, she smiled knowingly: "The person who designed this interlocking mechanism can be said to have exhausted all his tricks and used all his knowledge. However, using the Nine Palaces Calculation to control the chess moves, and then to control the Luban lock, and finally obtain the contents hidden inside the Luban lock, is not his original idea. Rather, it is borrowed from the secret chamber mechanism technique of the great Confucian scholar Murong Wei of Jiangnan."

"Luban Lock!"

Mu Qingcheng was surprised, regretful and self-reproachful. They had studied the abacus, chessboard, paintings, calligraphy and bronzes, but they had overlooked the small and inconspicuous Luban lock!

Song Shuyu said, "Miss Bai, you actually know about the great Confucian scholar Murong Wei from Jiangnan?"

His suspicious expression angered Bai Zhizhi again. "Mr. Murong Wei is my master. How could I not know?"

Mu Qingcheng quickly smoothed things over, "My lord, Zhizhi comes from the Bai family, the richest family in Jiangnan, and she is the only legitimate daughter of the patriarch, Master Bai. Master Bai has hired many famous teachers for her, so..."

"Hmm, a great teacher produces a great student. I underestimated Miss Bai!"

After saying this, Song Shuyu clasped his hands in a fist and bowed respectfully to Bai Zhizhi, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Miss Bai!"

Registrar Zhang clicked his tongue and sighed softly, "Our master's vision is truly..."

"What is it?" Jiang Zhan couldn't hear the rest of the story and felt a little itchy.

Registrar Zhang leaned close and said jokingly, "You could say he has a grand vision, or you could say he's flexible and adaptable, both soft and hard."

Unexpectedly, Song Shuyu, with sharp hearing and keen eyesight, slowly looked at the two of them, a half-smile on his face, "Merits and demerits cancel each other out, no reward or punishment!"

(End of this chapter)