A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 316 Be the one who plays the game!
Song Shuyu's eyes glistened with tears as he pressed his forehead against Mu Qingcheng's, his voice deep and hoarse, "But when I hear anyone say even a bad word about you, my heart feels like it's going to explode. Qingcheng, I know I'm sick, and I want to control myself. Now that I've seen the Empress Dowager, my emotions are quite stable, but when it comes to you, I can't do it, I really can't. But I'm afraid you'll be angry... Qingcheng, please love me, don't ignore me, don't distance yourself from me, okay?"

"it is good."

Mu Qingcheng's eyes were sore and dry, and her throat felt like it was stuck with a blade, so painful that she couldn't say anything more.

She stroked his back, slowly and gently.

Song Shuyu's restless mood gradually calmed down under her silent comfort. He raised his eyes and forced a smile, "Don't worry, with Song Li with me, he knows his limits and will persuade me to stop when the time is right."

Mu Qingcheng nodded gently, "Okay."

She also understood that healing someone is not something that can be done overnight; it takes time to fade the damage and love to influence them. She had been too hasty.

The two remained silent for a long time.

Mu Qingcheng finally had a chance to speak, "My lord, is it related to the incident involving the Song family that you have ordered the secret guards to follow me and forbade me to leave the capital?"

“Yes, but not only that.” Song Shuyu said truthfully, “The Empress Dowager has not made any moves for a long time. I guess she will definitely retaliate. I am worried that she will use you to force me to submit.”

Mu Qingcheng suddenly realized, "No wonder you reacted so strangely today. I thought you were angry that I was disrespectful to you outside."

She made a sarcastic remark, hoping he could relax a bit.

Sure enough, upon hearing her words, his eyes widened suddenly. "Angry? How could I be angry with you? I... I was thinking about the potential danger and I was nervous, so my tone was a bit harsh."

"Okay, I understand," Mu Qingcheng said with a smile.

Song Shuyu grasped her wrist, pressed her hand against his heart, and his eyes swelled with deep affection. "Qingcheng, you must remember this: apart from worrying about you and caring about you, there will never be any anger between us."

Her soft lips suddenly pressed against his.

Mu Qingcheng rarely takes the initiative and doesn't know how to kiss people. She is inexperienced and awkward, only showing affection but lacking any skill.

But Song Shuyu was overwhelmed by the immense surprise. He responded to her passionately, releasing the overwhelming longing that had surged within just a few hours of separation.

A cold spring night.

The temperature inside the room rose steadily.

Song Shuyu teetered on the edge of losing control for several rounds before finally regaining her composure and reluctantly ending the kiss.

Mu Qingcheng's rapid and disordered breathing took a while to gradually return to normal.

Song Shuyu gently wiped her swollen red lips with his fingers, his expression showing the dissatisfaction of a woman confined to her chambers, "When will I finally be able to win the heart of my beauty?"

"Cough cough."

Mu Qingcheng suppressed a laugh and decided to change the subject to divert his attention. "Before you arrived, sir, I was studying the case file of Mu Xun's death, and I discovered two problems. First, Mu Xun was assassinated before his death. The assassin was deaf, while the person who assassinated us before was mute. One deaf and one mute—there's no such coincidence in the world. It must have been done by the same master! Second, Mu Xun died suddenly on his way to court when his horse was suddenly startled, fell off the carriage, and died instantly. According to the coroner's examination, epimedium was added to the horse's feed that day. This wild herb causes livestock to become agitated and go mad after eating it."

"It seems that Lu Xun's staged death was part of someone else's scheme." Song Shuyu easily saw through the conspiracy. Mu Qingcheng rested her chin on her hand, pondered for a moment, and suddenly remembered something, "Sir, I wonder which government office keeps the case file of the 'Shuiyunjian' family massacre?"

Song Shuyu was taken aback. "How did you know about this case? Was it... did Lu Xun tell you?"

“Yes, he told me everything that had happened to him,” Mu Qingcheng replied.

Song Shuyu's eyes darted around slightly. "So you two made up? Your relationship is back to normal?"

Mu Qingcheng thought for a moment, then extended her index finger and lightly tapped Song Shuyu's nose, saying with a teasing smile, "What, feeling threatened again? Actually, I've never hated him. Since it was a misunderstanding and he had his reasons, once it was explained, I understood him. I'm the only daughter in my family. After I went to Jiangnan with my father, I cut off all ties with my relatives. Lu Xun is my only brother. No matter how much I complain or how angry I am, I still can't bear to sever ties with him."

"Oh." Song Shuyu nodded, not daring to say anything more.

Mu Qingcheng nudged him again, "Where are the case files? Are they at the Dali Temple?"

“It’s in the Ministry of Justice.” Song Shuyu said listlessly, “This is a major case involving thirty-two lives. It happened twelve and a half years ago and has not been solved to this day. Therefore, the case file is sealed in the Ministry of Justice and classified as confidential.”

Upon hearing this, Mu Qingcheng was startled. "Isn't this the time... just before my father and I left the capital?"

"Yes, at that time, your father was the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review," Song Shuyu added.

Mu Qingcheng was stunned. The two looked at each other for a moment, and then smiled at the same time.

They have kept things hidden from each other until today, and without needing to say it explicitly, they already understand each other perfectly.

Mu Qingcheng asked curiously, "Did the Dali Temple get involved in this case? Is my father aware of it?"

“I don’t know. At that time, I was young and didn’t understand these political matters.” Song Shuyu recalled the past and said, “After I recommended Lu Xun as the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Lu Xun told me about this case and his involvement in it. I tested the Empress Dowager and I suspected that it was her doing.”

Mu Qingcheng was only shocked for a moment before returning to calm. "I'm not surprised that the Empress Dowager committed the crime, but I can't understand why she would kill so many people. 'Shuiyunjian' is a brothel. What's the point of killing prostitutes and madams? Back then, she was already the Empress. If the brothel violated the laws of the court, she could have simply ordered the government to investigate. Why did she have to go all the way to Jiangnan to kill people?"

Song Shuyu's expression was solemn, and he remained silent for a long time.

If it is true that Empress Dowager Song Zi committed a crime, then perhaps the Song family is hiding some unknown secrets...

"My lord?" Mu Qingcheng waved her hand in front of him. "What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"

Song Shuyu held her hand and said thoughtfully, "Qingcheng, you need to be mentally prepared. We may have a difficult journey ahead. We may face a constant stream of assassinations, or a series of interconnected conspiracies! So, I want to make a promise with you: no matter who is in trouble, you must prioritize your own safety. As long as you are safe, I will find a way to get out of trouble unscathed!"

Mu Qingcheng instinctively refused, "No, how could I..."

"Don't let your emotions get the better of you!"

Song Shuyu was rational and insightful, and also had the ability to strategize. He said, "From tonight onwards, I will set up a game of chess and become the one who plays the pieces!"

(End of this chapter)