Chapter 455: New Autopsy Results, the Source of Familiarity

Night.

The hour of the Ox.

Shi Mansion.

In the courtyard's center, a coffin rested silently, its surface reflecting fragmented moonlight, like a block of ice submerged in ink-colored darkness.

Around, only the rustling of Lao Huai Shu's leaves stirred by the night wind mingled with the drowsiness of three night‑watch servants, spreading everywhere.

Two little servants slumped on the corridor columns, nodding off point by point, their lanterns already flickering a dim red glow.

Another old servant leaned on the stone bench beside the coffin, eyes half‑closed, his breathing so deep it seemed to merge with the night.

Suddenly, three "swoosh" sounds sliced through the air, as fine as mosquitoes yet swift as fireflies, striking precisely at the back‑neck and flank acupoints of the three.

The sound was as light as leaves brushing a sleeve; the servants barely had time to open their eyes before their bodies went limp: the dozing servant slipped off the column, the lantern "clanged" onto the Blue Bricks, its flame flickering twice before extinguishing.

The old servant fell forward rigidly, his forehead striking the coffin with a muffled thud, then fell completely still.

Two black silhouettes suddenly swooped down from the wall's edge, their cloaks fluttering, producing only a faint rustle of wind.

It was Zhu Yi and Yun Xi, both clad in night‑walking robes.

Zhu Yi placed his toe on the ground as steadily as a rock, his right hand still gripping Yun Xi's arm; after she steadied herself, he was the first to stride toward the coffin at the courtyard's center.

His steps were light and swift, each step avoiding the debris in the cracks of the Blue Bricks, even his shadow on the ground clung to the wall base, fearing to disturb the deep‑night silence.

Yun Xi followed closely, the night‑walking robe's hood covering most of her face, leaving only a pair of eyes fixed on the coffin.

The two halted before the coffin; Zhu Yi first tilted his ear to listen to the surroundings, and after confirming no abnormality, gently pushed open a corner of the lid.

Moonlight seeped through the gap, illuminating the corpse's face inside the coffin.

He leaned in for a moment, then straightened, turned his head to Yun Xi and lowered his voice, his tone bearing a hint of certainty: "Miss Yun, this is the corpse in the coffin…".

Hearing him, Yun Xi let out a light, crisp "Good" from beneath her hood.

As the syllable faded, she bent her knees into a half‑crouch, her right hand swiftly reaching toward her waist.

There hung a palm‑sized ebony case, its corners wrapped in wear‑resistant deer leather, her portable toolbox.

When her fingertip lifted the hidden clasp, the case "clacked" softly, revealing neatly arranged silver probes and a blade as thin as a cicada wing, glinting coldly in the moonlight.

"Miss Yun, you examine first; I'll go ventilate…".

Zhu Yi's voice dropped even lower, his gaze flicking rapidly over the courtyard's side doors and treetops.

Seeing Yun Xi raise her hand to acknowledge, he hunched his waist and retreated toward the old locust tree on the courtyard's east side, disappearing into its shade in a blink, leaving only a pair of sharp eyes watching the surroundings vigilantly.

Yun Xi lifted her hand to press the hood down further, blocking more light, then leaned toward the coffin, first placing two gloved fingers on Shi Qingwen's neck side.

She felt from the jawbone to behind the ear, then turned to examine the victim's nail seams, her fingertips gently stroking.

After a moment, she retrieved the silver probe from the toolbox, pinching its tip, lightly piercing the victim's gum, then placed it under the nose and gave a gentle sniff…

After a incense stick burned.

Yun Xi returned the item to the toolbox, stood, and called lightly toward the old locust tree: "Brother Zhu, I'm done examining…".

"We can go back now!"

From the tree's shade, Zhu Yi appeared instantly, his steps light as he swept back to the courtyard's center, nodding gravely, "Alright!".

Before the words finished, he already bent down, hoisted the little servant under the column, then bent again to drag the other servant and the old servant one by one to the coffin's side.

He even adjusted their postures deliberately, having them lean against the coffin or the stone bench, making them look as if they had simply fallen asleep while on watch.

At this moment, Yun Xi fished a delicate blue‑glazed porcelain bottle from her bosom, uncorked it, and a faint, bitter medicinal scent drifted out silently.

She held the bottle and waved it under each of the three's noses; after the scent permeated, she slipped it back into her bosom.

Immediately after, the two black silhouettes vanished swiftly into the night.

About half a quarter‑hour later, the old servant in the courtyard twitched his fingers, let out a low hum from his throat, and slowly opened his eyes: "Why does my head feel so dizzy?".

Then, spotting the two little servants sleeping nearby, he shouted: "Mu Xiaozi, Zhu Xiaozi, why are you both asleep? Wake up!".

Night.

Duke of Wei's Mansion.

Study.

Candlelight flickered on the paper windows, stretching the room's silence even further.

Hongye, fully armed, stood at the doorway.

Chen Yan stood with his hands behind his back by the wall, his gaze falling on the several hanging portraits.

In the leftmost painting, the woman's brows and eyes were gentle, her robes plain and elegant.

He recalled information about her, his voice low as he muttered: "Wei Lanxi, Shi Qingwen's third official wife, married two years, childless!".

He paused, then a meaningful sigh escaped his throat: "Hmm, a widow's innate saintly body…".

"Boss Cao still says it well: when you don't know how to pick fruit, just take the ones already selected in someone else's bag."

Chen Yan slowly turned his gaze to the second portrait on the right.

As the candle flame danced, the young man's face in the painting was clear.

Between his brows and eyes, Shi Qingwen's features could be faintly discerned.

Chen Yan examined, thoughtful, as if sorting something out, murmuring: "Shi Wo Yu, Shi Qingwen's legitimate second son, born of his second official wife…".

At that moment, a voice from the doorway announced, "Young Master, Miss Yun and Zhu Yi have returned!".

Hearing the voice, Chen Yan gathered his thoughts, turned toward the doorway, and gave a slow nod: "Hmm."

"Brother A Yan!"

A black silhouette entered with the cool dampness of night, it was the newly returned Yun Xi.

"Returning is rather nice, isn't it!"

Chen Yan looked at the unmistakable sparkle in her eyes, a faint smile curving his mouth, his tone teasing: "How's it going?".

Yun Xi, hearing that, stepped forward two paces, her excitement growing, tilting her small face upward as she asked eagerly: "Brother A Yan, guess what I discovered inside Shi's courtyard!"

Those beautiful eyes sparkled, like they held stars from the deep night.

Chen Yan blinked, the curve of his mouth deepening a bit more, without any hesitation, almost blurted out, "A kind of drug that makes a person lose their mind, go mad, and can be controlled by others!"

Yun Xi heard that, her head immediately thumped, the crisp "Right!" just spoken, she suddenly halted, her brows furrowing sharply, as if she just realized something was wrong—"Eh, wait!"

She instinctively stepped forward half a pace, her face full of astonishment and doubt, scanning Chen Yan from head to toe, then, full of confusion, asked, "A Yan brother, how did you know?"

Wasn't it said that the county coroner found nothing during today's autopsy?

That's way too accurate!

Chen Yan took in the changes of that pretty face's expression with his eyes, gave a calm smile, and said, "Look at your reaction…"

He paused, gestured vaguely at the girl's face, his smile deepening, "My answer is probably eight or nine out of ten!"

"Right!"

Yun Xi nodded, her tone instantly dropping, "Shi Yuanwai's self‑mutilation, and the final suicide, were both controlled by that drug…"

Speaking, she recalled the wounds seen during the autopsy and let out a soft sigh.

The sigh was full of regret; she lowered her eyes to the ground, her voice a little softer, bearing an unmasked anguish: "I saw those wounds; I can't imagine how much it hurt him before he died!"

Those scars, just imagining them on oneself, makes one ache just thinking about it…

I don't even know what grudge or resentment, that they have to use such means to kill!

Hongye's brows twitched slightly, her eyes full of doubt, her gaze landing on Chen Yan, she asked puzzled, "Young Master, how do you know this so clearly?"

She was also on the scene then, yet didn't make such an accurate discovery…

Chen Yan pressed his lips together, shedding the earlier light smile, gaining a deeper calm, and said, "That kind of drug, Yun Xi once helped me concoct…"

As the words fell, he glanced at Yun Xi beside him, a faint glimmer of memory flashing in his eyes: "It was when we were scheming against Ding Xiang Hou and You Xiaosima!"

That's the source of the familiarity…

I, Chen, have been plagiarized!

"Right, oh!"

Yun Xi heard that, her beautiful eyes lit up instantly, as if a key had been struck, she clapped loudly, "Indeed it is!"

He paused, his tone full of sudden realization, "Back then we did the same, letting You Chenghuai kill Chang Wei, thereby provoking their fathers to kill each other!"

Hongye gave a slight nod, her eyes gaining a weightier look, unable to help but comment, "That guy who put Shi Yuanwai in a dead end does have some skill and ability!"

I don't know which deity Shi Qingwen offended…

Zhu Yi, who had been silent since entering, could no longer hold back, stepped forward two paces, his face full of doubt, and in a coarse voice said, "Young Master, I have an unresolved question…"

Chen Yan glanced, calmly uttered a single word, "Speak!"

Zhu Yi raised his hand, scratched the back of his head, his brows twisted, and asked puzzled, "I don't understand why we don't just openly re‑examine, and have to do it so covertly?"