A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 218 Headless Female Corpse (12)

Mu Qingcheng asked, "Has the lord agreed to let you return to work?"

"I just reported to the magistrate. He said that a new and tricky case has come up today, and he wants me to report to you and be at your disposal," Zhang, the registrar, replied immediately.

Seeing the spirited Zhang, the registrar, Mu Qingcheng was also infected by his excitement. She nodded and said, "Alright, you can join the headless female corpse case! Go home and rest today, and officially rejoin the team tomorrow!"

Registrar Zhang was overjoyed, "Thank you very much, Master Mu!"

As Mu Qingcheng watched Zhang Zhubu's departing figure, she felt that he had changed a lot. At first, he was old-fashioned and dull, but now he stood up straight and was full of fighting spirit.

It's truly delightful!
……

The main courtyard of the rear office.

Song Shuyu changed into a moon-white brocade robe, with a vermilion gauze overcoat, and then covered with a white fox fur cloak. He also asked Xue'er to let down his tied-up black hair, which was half draped over his shoulders.

He even shaved his face, applied perfume, and personally selected a thumb ring and waist ornaments, striving to make Mu Qingcheng infatuated with his good looks.

"Second Young Master, why are you so dressed up today?" Xue'er asked, puzzled. Even if it was to celebrate the festival with the Old Madam, there was no need to dress up so formally.

Song Shuyu was in a good mood, so she patiently replied, "I have arranged to go back to the manor with Master Mu to celebrate the festival with my grandmother. Since this is the first time I've invited a woman out, I must dress up nicely so as not to disappoint her."

Xue'er stood there stunned, her face filled with disbelief. She blurted out, "Second Young Master, are you... are you planning to take Master Mu as a concubine? She's a coroner!"

Upon hearing this, Song Shuyu's hands slowly stopped moving. He turned around, his gaze turning cold and sharp. "You dare to interfere in the master's affairs?"

"This servant wouldn't dare!" Xue'er snapped back to her senses and hurriedly knelt on the ground to beg for forgiveness.

Song Shuyu said, "If you harbor any selfish motives, get out of here immediately and don't follow me anymore!"

"It was my fault for speaking out of turn. I will never do it again. Please, Second Young Master, let me stay!" Xue'er was terrified and banged her forehead on the ground.

Song Shuyu's handsome face remained unmoved. He shifted his gaze to the doorway and ordered, "Get out and kneel for two hours to reflect on your mistakes! If you dare to disrespect Master Mu again, I'll rip out your tongue and sell you off!"

"Yes, this servant thanks the Second Young Master for his forgiveness!"

Xue'er scrambled out of the door and knelt properly at the bottom of the steps.

A moment later, Mu Qingcheng stepped into the courtyard.

Seeing this, she walked over and asked in confusion, "Miss Xue'er, what's wrong? It's so cold, why are you kneeling here?"

"This servant deserves to die! Please, Master Mu, don't do anything to me!" Xue'er shivered, her lips turning purple, but she dared not utter another word.

Mu Qingcheng frowned, thought for a moment, bent down and whispered, "Was it the adults who punished you? Tell me, what did you do wrong? I'll plead with the adults for you."

"Thank you, Master Mu. But there's no need. It was my fault. I dare not ask for your forgiveness. Please go inside quickly, Master Mu, and be careful not to catch a cold."

"Miss Xue'er..." Seeing Xue'er's stubbornness, Mu Qingcheng had no choice but to give up. He stepped up the stairs, knocked on the door, and called out, "My lord! I'm off duty and have come to ask when we should depart for the Duke's mansion?"

Song Shuyu opened the door, his eyes smiling. "Let's leave immediately." But the next moment, he frowned. "Aren't you cold? Why didn't you wear a cloak?"

Mu Qingcheng's mind raced. "Hmm, it is indeed a bit cold. How about I borrow someone from you, sir, and ask Miss Xue'er to go to the side room to help me take off my cloak?"

Upon hearing this, Xue'er was startled and subconsciously looked up at Mu Qingcheng, her eyes then reddening slightly.

How could Song Shuyu not see through Mu Qingcheng's scheme? He darkened his eyes and said, "There's no need to go to such lengths. I have a spare cloak here." After saying that, he went back to his room to get it.

However, his large hand was grabbed.

Mu Qingcheng chuckled helplessly and said, "My lord, it's getting colder outside as night falls. Kneeling for half an hour can make you freeze. Although I don't know what mistake Miss Xue'er has made, considering that today is the Winter Solstice and that you are kind-hearted, I will give her a small punishment as a warning!"

Just then, Liu Mama arrived after hearing the news. She glanced at Xue'er, her expression extremely solemn, but she knelt down and said, "Second Young Master, it's getting late. Let me help you return to your residence!"

Song Shuyu nodded slightly.

Seeing this, Mu Qingcheng couldn't bear it and was about to say something when Liu Mama winked at her and said, "Master Mu, since the Second Young Master is punishing her personally, the servant must have committed an unforgivable mistake and must be punished this time."

Mu Qingcheng's mood slowly sank, and her grip on Song Shuyu's hand gradually weakened.

She had always known that noble families were strictly hierarchical, with strict rules governing their superiors and subordinates. However, because she worked in the Jingzhao Prefecture, in a relatively relaxed atmosphere, she hadn't seen or heard much about such things and hadn't really felt it. Now, she was truly experiencing it for herself.

Suddenly, someone turned his hand over and grabbed it in their palm!
Mu Qingcheng was taken aback!
But Song Shuyu regained his gentle expression and said in a calm tone, "Xue'er, remember, it was Master Mu who saved you. Otherwise, even if you froze to death here today, you wouldn't escape punishment for even half a quarter of an hour!"

"Thank you, Second Young Master! Thank you, Master Mu!" Xue'er choked up as she turned around and kowtowed repeatedly to the two men.

Mu Qingcheng's feelings were incredibly complicated. She tried to pull her hand away without making a sound, but Song Shuyu wouldn't allow it. He led her into the room, took her to the wardrobe, took out another blue fox fur cloak, and personally draped it over her shoulders and tied the straps.

Seeing that she was absent-minded and her emotions were obviously affected, Song Shuyu gently hugged her and said, "Let's go, we'll talk in the car."

Mu Qingcheng felt a wave of hesitation, "How about..."

"Aren't you going to investigate the case?" Song Shuyu interrupted her thoughts in time. "I'm bringing Liu Mama along too. There are many old nannies and head maids in the mansion. Their relatives and fellow villagers all work in the homes of various officials. They know a lot of inside information!"

After a moment's thought, Mu Qingcheng finally nodded in agreement, "Alright, I'm willing to go anywhere for the sake of the case. But sir, we've agreed that this is only for the investigation and has nothing to do with anything else."

"Hmm." Song Shuyu responded verbally, but in her heart she was thinking that she should let her grandmother meet her first. Relationships are built over time, and if Mu Qingcheng got along well with her grandmother, she would naturally be less resistant to marrying into the Duke's mansion.

As usual, Song Li drove the carriage, while Song Shuyu and Mu Qingcheng rode in the carriage.

Unlike last time, however, there were more than ten guards on both sides of the carriage, and Liu Mama also walked beside the carriage.

Mu Qingcheng was very puzzled by this. "My lord, you're going home, are you afraid of being assassinated?"

(End of this chapter)