TGCFNM -Chapter 247 That Statement Isn’t Wrong

The next day.

Cheng Dian’s skeletal remains were exhumed and reassembled. His widow, Sister Song Yu, personally oversaw his reburial.

Early in the morning, after Chu Ling finished treating Xiao Er with acupuncture, Xiao Er, along with all the villagers of Yuchuan County, went to see Cheng Dian off for the last time. They watched as he was reburied, burned paper offerings, and paid their respects.

Xu Wangshui also went over and, at the same time, visited Ling Shao’s tombstone to inform her that the case from seventeen years ago had finally been resolved.

Chu Ling returned to her own room and lay quietly on the bed, silent for most of the day.

It wasn’t until the afternoon that she slowly rose, looking at the few ghosts beside her who were anxiously staring at her, and forced out, “I’m fine.”

Ghost Scholar sat at the bedside, gazing at her, then suddenly reached out and patted her head. “My lady, this was the best choice you could make.”

Chu Ling bit her lip, her eyes slightly red. “I actually guessed it. If Cheng Dian had presided over this case, Xu Wangshui probably wouldn’t have died. Because if he had, this land would once again have fallen into chaos.”

“Cheng Dian presiding did indeed lead to this result. We all know that,” Ghost Scholar said bluntly.

Chu Ling nodded.

He asked again, “When Cheng Dian left, did you notice his expression?”

Chu Ling pressed her lips together and nodded firmly. “I did.”

“Cheng Dian knew you acted for the people of Yuchuan, and he, as the magistrate of Yuchuan, also acted for the people. That’s why he said he was fortunate to have met you,” Ghost Scholar said seriously.

Chu Ling exhaled lightly. “I hope I never encounter a case like this again.”

Bai Su smiled and hugged her. “Then you won’t.”

Chu Ling nodded heavily, finally feeling some relief. “By the way, where are Wan Sanjin and the others? I feel like I haven’t seen them since breakfast.”

“They went out,” Cui Xi said. “But I’m not sure where, even Xiao Hua went with them.”

Chu Ling got out of bed, put on her shoes, and walked to the table. “They should be back by dinner, right…”

Just as Chu Ling finished speaking, the door to her room was suddenly pounded on violently.

“My lady! My lady! Open the door quickly!”

Startled, Chu Ling frowned and yanked the door open, glaring at Wan Sanjin, who was still about to knock again. “What’s going on?”

Wan Sanjin smiled and squeezed in. Behind him, Su He, Zhang Dong, and Xiao Hua also came in, all wearing excited smiles.

Chu Ling looked at them with a puzzled expression. “Did you go playing with fire again?”

Wan Sanjin shook his head immediately. “My lady, guess what we did. Guess.”

Chu Ling put on a serious face. “You didn’t play with fire, you went robbing the rich to help the poor.” Otherwise, why bring Xiao Hua along?

Wan Sanjin glanced at her disdainfully and gestured for Su He to take something out.

Su He handed over a cloth bundle, signaling Chu Ling to open it.

Chu Ling felt that the bundle wasn’t heavy. When she opened it, she found three palm-sized, umbrella-shaped objects. They were a bit hard to the touch and had no noticeable scent.

“It’s Stone Lotus!” Bai Su exclaimed in delight. “They actually found it!”

Chu Ling looked stunned as she picked one up. “This is Stone Lotus?”

Su He nodded. “It matches the illustrations in the book, no mistake. We dug up all three.”

Chu Ling couldn’t help but comment, “This doesn’t look like a lotus at all, and it doesn’t even have a scent.”

Bai Su smiled helplessly and explained, “It only resembles a lotus, that’s why it’s called Stone Lotus. It only gives off a faint, pleasant fragrance when lit.”

Wan Sanjin looked at Chu Ling. “My lady, you’ve judged the case, but you don’t seem very happy.”

Chu Ling put the Stone Lotus back and smiled. “I’m fine. I was just overthinking things. Now I’ve come to terms with it. I did the right thing.”

Wan Sanjin looked disappointed: “Ah, so you’ve thought it through… then can you return the stone lotus to me?”

“Huh?” Chu Ling was puzzled. Return it? What did that mean?

Xiao Hua spoke up to explain: “At first, seeing that you were upset, Master Wan thought of bringing us to find the stone lotus. Then you could sell it and be happy when you saw the money, and you wouldn’t be sad anymore.”

Chu Ling felt a bit touched. These people really did care about her.

“Now that you’re not sad, can you return the stone lotus to me?” Wan Sanjin asked expectantly.

Chu Ling glared: “…No, I’m very sad right now, so sad it’s driving me crazy!”

Wan Sanjin pointed at her: “You don’t look sad at all! This is clearly you trying to hog the stone lotus for yourself!”

Chu Ling continued glaring: “I’m usually meticulous and careful in my work, so naturally this item should be kept by me. And I’m doing it for your own good—what if you sleepwalk and touch it? This is our hard-earned living money.”

Su He frowned in protest: “I don’t sleepwalk. I sleep peacefully. It’s Sanjin who talks in his sleep and grinds his teeth.”

Wan Sanjin looked wronged and shouted: “Impossible! My father said I sleep very well, and my eldest brother said I sleep soundly!”

Su He looked at him seriously: “They lied to you.”

Wan Sanjin gritted his teeth: “They didn’t lie to me!”

“Sanjin, accept reality. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not an illness—it just means I’ll remember not to share a room with you,” Su He soothed him.

Wan Sanjin angrily pinched his waist.

Chu Ling quickly tied up the cloth bundle and went inside to place the stone lotus securely in the pack. Once it was safely stowed, she came back out.

“The matter with Yuchuan is settled. We’ll leave tomorrow,” Chu Ling said.

Zhang Dong asked quietly: “Master, should we not let Xu and Master Cheng treat him?”

Chu Ling waved her hand: “His sprained ankle isn’t serious. He’s just dragging it himself. I left a prescription with the innkeeper; he can use it if needed.”

Zhang Dong chuckled softly: “I knew our master was a good person.”

Chu Ling adjusted her clothes lightly—she also thought of herself as a good person.

Ghost Tutor spoke from the side: “If we don’t stop along the way next time, we should be able to go straight to Tianjian Mountain.”

Bai Su calculated the time and smiled: “That should be enough.”

At this moment, Wan Sanjin was fuming, staring at Chu Ling: “Master, I found the stone lotus by accident, so you have to help me.”

Chu Ling was momentarily stunned. Help him? Help him quarrel? She was definitely skilled at that!

“Tell Coroner Su that the corpse stitching doesn’t look good,” Chu Ling said.

Wan Sanjin smiled proudly, looking at Su He with great confidence, just about to speak, when Su He revealed his tools.

“Sanjin, if I sleepwalk, it’ll be very scary, right?” Su He threatened with a deadpan expression.

Wan Sanjin pouted and mumbled in agreement.

“So to ensure your own safety, you can’t share a room with me next time. Understand?” Su He asked.

Wan Sanjin thought carefully, clenched his teeth, closed his eyes, and said, “Normally it’s fine… but not with ghosts!”

Su He closed his eyes, teeth gritted: “You can’t see ghosts anyway!”

Wan Sanjin looked innocent: “But you’re scarier than ghosts, so being near you is safer.”

Su He: “……”

Chu Ling thought silently to herself: That’s not wrong.