Chapter 282: Did You Kill Them?

It was not until the next morning that Gu Rongjin returned.

Mu Yuanzhi: "Where did you go all night? Did you find anything?"

Gu Rongjin sat down and drank an entire pot of tea before his throat eased, then he said: "I first went to the Office of Reverent Affairs to investigate that fake eunuch, discovered his file was gone—probably moved by him himself—and then sneaked into the mortuary of the yamen."

He took another sip of tea and continued: "These corpses were all kept in the icehouse, not sent back for families to bury, so I easily conducted a second autopsy; indeed, it matched our earlier intelligence—these people were all killed with a single strike, blood sealing the throat."

Mu Yuanzhi listened while refilling Gu Rongjin's tea, waiting for him to continue.

"When I went to the evidence room to look for the case's evidence—the silver needles—guess what I found?" Gu Rongjin kept them in suspense.

Qi Shihuai: "What?"

"I wasn't asking you, so why are you answering?" Gu Rongjin glared at Qi Shihuai angrily.

It's ruining their marital fun!

Gu Rongjin had to say: "I found these silver needles different from the ones that killed our guards—that is, they're not the same as Nine Thousand Years'."

Mu Yuanzhi doubted: "In that case, this Nine Thousand Years is the copycat?"

Qi Shihuai: "Could he be deliberately using two kinds of silver needles?"

Gu Rongjin shook his finger: "Impossible; I've studied this kind of serial killer before—they're obsessed with their weapon and method, so they wouldn't easily change."

Pei Di: "What you say makes sense; Nine Thousand Years doesn't seem like the type to deliberately change his weapon."

"Anyway, I had time, so I looked through the case files; superficially, these victims have no connection to Nine Thousand Years, and I can't find a motive for him." Gu Rongjin said.

Mu Yuanzhi: "Based on these connections, Nine Thousand Years indeed doesn't seem like the earlier perpetrator, but why would he imitate? It doesn't feel like his style."

Pei Di nodded in agreement: "Indeed, it feels beneath him to do such a thing."

Gu Rongjin: "I now want to know more about who he really is. Xiao Di, what do you know about him?"

"Not much; I've known him since I was young—he's always been in the palace, and I feel he hasn't aged at all over these sixteen years… I'm not close to him, and I've never heard anyone mention where he's from." Pei Di could be said to know nothing at all; after speaking, he turned to his mother: "Mother Consort, do you know?"

Lady Pei also shook her head: "When I married your father the emperor, Nine Thousand Years was already in the palace; back then he already had some authority, and of course he became the dreaded Nine Thousand Years six years ago."

She pondered: "Perhaps your father the emperor would know?"

"……" Pei Di remained silent, clearly reluctant to discuss this with his own father the emperor.

Qi Shihuai then said: "Fine, this lowly officer will write a letter to His Majesty to ask him, though the round trip may take considerable time—this is a backup plan; we still need to investigate ourselves."

Mu Yuanzhi: "We currently don't know what Nine Thousand Years and the Infant Void Heavenly Son want; in any case, them keeping us in the Imperial City surely has a reason."

Pei Di: "Either they're detaining us to threaten Father the Emperor, or they want to improve relations and become friendly neighbors—but I keep thinking it's the former."

"Shh, someone's coming." Gu Rongjin made a hushing gesture.

Soon, a palace servant came to knock on the door, saying Nine Thousand Years had arrived.

Mu Yuanzhi: "Again? He's so idle just to keep an eye on us?"

Gu Rongjin: "No way around it—we're a big piece of meat, so we have to be watched closely."

He yawned, having originally wanted to catch a bit more sleep.

"Just say we're not free." Pei Di said.

The palace servant looked embarrassed.

"Not free? Where are you honored guests headed today?" Nine Thousand Years had already strutted in, moving about as if he were the protagonist of this place.

After scanning everyone present, Nine Thousand Years' gaze landed on Gu Rongjin's face, and he jeered: "Young Master Jin, why do you look so exhausted? Did you go thieving last night?"

Gu Rongjin thought, "Could this guy already know where I went last night? His information is indeed swift!"

"Insomnia, an old ailment—I'm lying awake thinking about the wicked." Gu Rongjin glanced back with a smile.

Nine Thousand Years laughed: "Insomnia? But I've heard Princess Consort is a top-notch healer, yet she couldn't cure her husband's old ailment?"

He seemed not to catch the hidden meaning in Gu Rongjin's words, laughing as he asked Mu Yuanzhi.

Mu Yuanzhi: "To get rid of this symptom, you have to eliminate the wicked."

"Ah, I see." Nine Thousand Years adopted an attentive expression and said: "Lately, a vicious evildoer has appeared in Jingcheng as well—a serial murder case that's put everyone on edge; you honored guests must be careful when going out and bring extra guards."

Pei Di: "Attendant Yao, any leads? Jingcheng is in such a sorry state; His Majesty must be worried too."

"I, too, have hardly any clues."

"Actually, I do have some leads." Pei Di looked at Nine Thousand Years and said: "The other day, three guards at our mountain villa were killed by bandits; their cause of death and method match the earlier serial murders, and coincidentally, the weapon is exactly the same as the one you use, Attendant Yao."

Xiao Di really dares to say that!

Everyone thought the same.

Is this a showdown?

Nine Thousand Years' expression didn't change much; he was startled for a moment, seemingly not expecting Pei Di to ask directly, yet Mu Yuanzhi saw no sign of panic or guilt in his eyes—either he has a clear conscience, or he is extraordinarily deep‑cunning.

Nine Thousand Years chuckled: "What do you mean by that, Young Master? Are you doubting me?"

"Yes." Pei Di admitted.

One who dares to ask, one who dares to answer!

Mu Yuanzhi really felt a bit of sweat for Pei Di—has this kid always been so bold in the Infant Void Kingdom, or is it only because he's now the Crown Prince of Great Zhou that he dares to act this way?

Otherwise, it would be a miracle for him to have grown up this big in the Infant Void Kingdom.

Nine Thousand Years nodded: "I indeed should be suspected."

"So, are you the one who killed them, Attendant Yao?" Pei Di asked.

"No, do you believe me when I say this, Young Master?" Nine Thousand Years stared into Pei Di's eyes.

Pei Di also stared at Nine Thousand Years' eyes, "not believing him at all."

"It seems in your eyes I'm utterly wicked, Young Master." Nine Thousand Years raised his brows, "but I've said all I have to say; if you don't believe me, there's nothing to be done, and if you insist on wasting time on me, you'll only let the real killer go free."

He glanced at everyone, then continued with a smile: "It looks like you honored guests don't want to tour the palace gates with me today?"