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墨書 Inktalez
Investigating cases like this, entering the dragon's lair or tiger's den, naturally involves the two big men, Gao Feng and Qin Wenyuan, along with Bai Yunsheng, who is seriously ill but refuses to stay in bed. Qin Yaru's main task is simply to protect herself, take care of Xiu and Da Lang, and wait peacefully.
Although Zhan Yu's death is a significant event, neither Qin Yaru nor Qin Wenyuan has chosen to tell Xiu the details. Xiu is still young and does not know Zhan Yu at all; there is no need for her to worry about this matter.
Gao Feng and Qin Wenyuan have since disappeared from sight. If it weren't for the occasional delivery of snacks or letters with jokes to amuse the beauty, Qin Yaru might think these two men had sacrificed themselves in some remote corner.
In the blink of an eye, summer arrived.
Kaifeng City is different from Junzhou Chen Family Village. In Chen Family Village, Qin Yaru had to fetch her own water and was constantly worried about hidden poisonous snakes in the grass. In Kaifeng, drinking water and bathing water are sold by vendors; otherwise, the Proud People of Kaifeng would not become increasingly lazy, so much so that they are reluctant even to cook.
After living here for several months, even Qin Yaru began to feel lazy and was not keen on cooking herself; it was all left to the Cook.
No wonder Tokyo people, except for those wealthy families who can afford to employ Ladies-in-Waiting and servants, are very unwilling to live in the countryside. Life here is convenient and full of entertainment; residents of Kaifeng are arguably the happiest people in the world.
The snacks made by the Cook are delicious, and the meals are also quite good, fully satisfying Qin Yaru's already picky palate. She became increasingly lazy. It was probably only when Gao Feng and Qin Wenyuan came that she would occasionally be encouraged to make a few special stir-fried dishes to change things up; even Xiu found it unfair.
On this day, the wind was gentle and the sunlight warm, but it was still summer, making it somewhat hot.
Qin Yaru bought a bunch of fruits, diced them up, and chilled them with ice specially sent by Gao Feng. She brought them to Nangyun Study for Xiu and Da Lang, as well as their teacher Zhao Gongzi, to quench their thirst and cool off.
However, when she ran over to check, she found only Da Lang sitting quietly in the room tracing red characters. The other two were nowhere to be seen. Of the box of fruits, aside from Da Lang enjoying a couple of pieces, the rest were taken by a group of Scholars gathered in Nangyun Study who were critiquing each other's writings.
This group now came over spending a few coins for a pot of tea and would sit for a long time—not just to read but more so for discussion; they generally came together as classmates and friends.
Qin Yaru sat in Nangyun Study for half an hour before she saw Qin Xiu bouncing in with a sugar-coated hawthorn stick in hand, her mouth still smeared with some rock candy syrup. Her face was flushed red and incredibly cute.
At this moment, Xiu was clearly no longer the girl from Brothel Management Office who lived in luxury yet felt oppressed and uncertain about her future; instead, she radiated freedom and vitality as a young woman full of life.
"Big sister, do you think it's pretty? Mr. Zhao wrote it!"
On fine Xue Tao Paper was written in beautiful cursive: "The morning plows reveal dew on grass; at night the boards echo against stone by the stream. Not meeting anyone on my travels; I sing long songs under the blue sky."
The handwriting was excellent, but there was a hint of resentment in the poem. It was unclear whether Mr. Zhao wrote it casually or if he truly felt something. Qin Yaru sighed and couldn't help but smile—how could a husband of such age, born into wealth, have any grievances?
Watching Xiu happily put away the Xue Tao Paper with a joyful expression, she suddenly felt a bit worried. However, she couldn't bear to say anything to her sister, who had been so melancholic and had finally found some relief. "You'd better not get too close to Mr. Zhao; his status is too high, and I fear you might get hurt."
In truth, Qin Yaru understood that their family’s Xiu was quite clever and had her own thoughts. Since she was aware of Zhao Zichang's identity, even if Qin Yaru had already hinted at it, Zhao Gongzi's chaotic disguise wouldn't fool anyone. Even if she understood, she still willingly kept close to him, which naturally meant she had thought it through and was sure she could handle it.
This child’s life had already been difficult enough; why add more pressure?
A little freedom and happiness were what Qin Yaru could give and was willing to give to Xiu.
Due to the heat, Zhan Yu's body could not be kept for long. Although the case had not yet reached a conclusion, everything that needed to be examined had been examined; they couldn't let Zhan Yu's body remain unburied for too long.
As the heat intensified, the officials announced that Zhan Yu could be laid to rest.
On the day of the funeral, many young ladies from Kaifeng City came to pay their respects, and white chrysanthemums filled the grave.
Qin Yaru also took Xiu, who looked bewildered, under an umbrella to see him off. Despite the sunny weather, it felt desolate as they watched the simple coffin being lowered into the ground. Bai Yunsheng stood pale-faced in front of the grave, staring blankly with empty black eyes.
Suddenly, a muffled sobbing sound reached her ears.
Turning around, Qin Yaru recognized someone familiar. Although she was dressed quite differently than before, this woman was hard to forget.
The plain dress couldn't hide the elegance brought by good fabric; without makeup and looking haggard, she still exuded beauty. It was Yan Yan, the wife whom Zhan Yu had once helped.
She cried in a suppressed manner, her face severely reddened. Qin Yaru felt a pang of discomfort in her heart; she could roughly guess this girl's feelings were different from those of other women—she seemed genuinely deeply attached but remained unaware of her specific identity.
Zhan Yu's funeral wasn't extravagant; even the chosen coffin was quite ordinary. Once it was over, it was over. No matter how many people liked this warm-hearted man, he was just an ordinary official. Apart from those truly close to him, no one would take his death too much to heart.
After sending off Commander Zhan, Qin Yaru felt suffocated all day and tossed and turned at night without being able to sleep well.
Until the third watch of the night, she felt a bit drowsy. After sleeping for a while, the curtain suddenly moved, and Qin Yaru jolted awake. She instinctively reached under her pillow for her surgical knife, but her delicate hand was grasped by a pair of somewhat rough large hands.
Qin Yaru froze for a moment, then paused and said with a bitter smile, "Even if you want to steal a kiss, at least be discreet about it. If my brother finds out, he might take it as an offense and kill you."
The lights flickered on, casting a dim glow. Outside the door, Wancui saw the light and called out loudly, "Wife? Do you need something?"
Fortunately, Qin Yaru did not like having her lady-in-waiting attend to her while she slept; otherwise, it would have caused quite a stir.
"Just rest; I'm only getting up to sit for a bit."
Sighing, Qin Yaru put on her clothes and sat up, leaning against the headboard. She looked at Gao Feng's gloomy yet oddly joyful face and helplessly asked, "What news is so urgent that you wanted to see me?"
Gao Feng raised an eyebrow and handed over a stack of yellowed papers.
Qin Yaru was taken aback but took them without thinking much. However, as she read through them, her expression grew increasingly grim. She read carefully, word by word, and her beautiful eyes began to redden.
The handwriting was very familiar; although it was messy, Qin Yaru would never fail to recognize her father's letters. The letter was addressed to Qin Yizhi's mentor and clearly recorded the promises made by Xiangyang Wang when he tried to win him over. It also mentioned that Xiangyang Wang had hidden a gold mine and hoarded a large number of bows and crossbows—powerful ones that were strictly prohibited for private ownership by the court.
The letter did not clarify how Qin Yizhi came by this information, but it included times, locations, and names of people involved, along with detailed witness accounts that seemed credible.
At the very least, Qin Yaru would never believe that her father would write unfounded claims in a letter to send to his mentor.
"I should thank that bunch of bastards from the Pang Family. Although they are usually cautious, they are more suspicious than anyone else. They didn't even destroy such dangerous items but allowed someone to steal them."
Gao Feng's expression darkened. "You must understand that Ouyang Yue possesses such dangerous items. I absolutely cannot let Zhan Yu get involved in this; no wonder Xiangyang Wang is acting like he's gone mad—this is practically a ticking time bomb."
Qin Yaru fell silent for a long time before asking, "How did you get this? Is there any danger?"
What had started as an investigation into the so-called 'private possession of the Dragon Robe' by the Qin Family had unexpectedly turned into something far beyond what one family could handle.
Now, the Qin Family's exoneration is not a difficult task; the challenge lies in whether they will be dragged into an even more terrifying torrent afterward.
Gao Feng exhaled and smiled, "As long as you have a plan in mind, that's good. Be careful lately. I caught the guy who bought the Dragon Robe from the theater troupe back then. He can clearly describe the patterns and materials of that Dragon Robe. Even if there are some differences in details, it's enough for the Qin Family to overturn their case. Just wait and prepare to continue being the innocent Qin Family heiress. That bastard Chen Wenyue won't have it easy either."
Afterward, Gao Feng tucked in the blanket for Qin Yaru, comforting the woman who was filled with mixed emotions and anxiety. He stayed until dawn. When Qin Yaru woke up, although she didn't see him, she could still feel the warmth beside her and found a note next to her pillow.
As usual, it was Gao Feng's handwriting, which could hardly be called good but was clearer than a dog's paw print.
"Within two months, there will be a resolution. Await good news."
Just these simple twelve words calmed Qin Yaru's heart instantly. She slowly got up and tidied herself.
She had always believed in Gao Feng; from a long time ago, she believed that man could do anything.
In the early morning, a gentle breeze blew.
Qin Xiu slowly drank a bowl of goat milk, feeling that her elder sister looked strange today, with a mix of joy and excitement in her eyes, yet unable to hide her worries.
After finishing her goat milk, she inexplicably heard her elder sister say, "Xiu, go buy a few sets of silk clothes. You haven't worn proper clothes in quite some time."
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