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墨書 Inktalez
Qin Fenghua flipped through the account books, her fingers moving slowly yet methodically.
She compared the entries against the documents on the table, occasionally pausing with a slight furrow in her brow.
After a while, she suddenly stopped, her fingertip lightly tapping on a particular entry, a glimmer of insight flashing in her eyes.
It was the purchasing records from just before the spring examinations. The amount of silver was consistent with previous years, but upon closer inspection, she found a purchase of "Ling Luo" that matched an unsolved piece of evidence from an old case.
"Ling Luo... how could it be linked to the relics from the Tai Fu Mansion case?" Qin Fenghua murmured, a chill creeping into her heart.
She closed her eyes and focused, memories of past cases flashing through her mind—behind each scandal involving the powerful, it seemed there was an invisible hand manipulating the world.
Suddenly, faint footsteps broke the silence. Qin Fenghua did not turn around but said, "Man Rou, come in."
Man Rou entered wearing a light pink jacket, her steps light as she knelt and greeted softly, "Miss, it's late. Aren't you going to rest?"
Qin Fenghua turned to her, her gaze softening slightly. "The case files are still unclear; I find it hard to settle my mind."
She gestured for Man Rou to come closer and handed her the account book. "Take a look here. Do you see anything unusual?"
Man Rou took the book and frowned. "The amount for 'Ling Luo' is indeed very similar to the missing items from the old case.
Could it be that someone is using purchasing as a cover to secretly transfer embezzled goods?"
"Exactly," Qin Fenghua nodded solemnly. "What’s more curious is that all these accounts originate from the Ministry of Rites, overseen by none other than the current high official—Zhao Xiang."
Upon hearing this, Man Rou's expression changed dramatically. She whispered urgently, "Miss, Zhao Xiang wields immense power. The emperor trusts him greatly now; if we act recklessly, we might bring disaster upon ourselves."
Qin Fenghua's eyes sharpened, but a cold smile tugged at her lips. "Precisely because of this, we must uncover the truth.
If we allow him to manipulate court affairs unchecked, how many innocent lives will be lost? Moreover, my mother's old case is also tied to him."
Seeing her determination, though worried in her heart, Man Rou nodded in agreement. "What do you wish to do then?"
Qin Fenghua pondered for a moment before speaking softly. "Tomorrow is Gu Yu; there will be a flower-viewing banquet in the palace. I plan to invite several key officials. During the feast—through poetry and wine—we may glean some insights. Man Rou, discreetly inform our contacts to gather Zhao Xiang's correspondence and account books; they must be thorough."
Man Rou responded, her voice trembling slightly, "Miss, please be careful."
The next afternoon, in the imperial garden, begonia and magnolia vied for spring, their fragrances wafting through the air.
A flower-viewing banquet was set up between the painted corridors, with crimson silk curtains gently swaying in the breeze, candlelight flickering like red shadows.
The female officials moved gracefully with golden and jade wine vessels, while several high-ranking ministers and concubines sat at separate tables, their smiles concealing the undercurrents of tension.
Qin Fenghua wore a pomegranate red cloud-patterned long skirt today, her black hair elegantly styled high and adorned with a jade hairpin. She exuded both grace and a hint of heroism.
Raising her cup to invite the moon, she scanned the officials present with a glimmer in her eyes. During the gathering, she took out a piece of cicada-wing rice paper and recited aloud:
"Spring comes to dye the affairs of old years; the wind stirs the curtains, quietly changing people."
Upon hearing this, some praised her eloquence while others echoed her sentiments. Only Zhao Xiang—the deep-eyed power minister clad in a dark blue python robe—paused imperceptibly at the mention of "quietly changing people," his hand gripping the cup faltering slightly, his lips twitching as a fleeting panic crossed his gaze.
A sharp glint crossed Qin Fenghua's eyes as she smiled lightly and raised her cup. "Zhao Da Ren finds amusement in poetry; do you have any reflections?"
Zhao Xiang steadied himself and smiled faintly. "Princess Fenghua is quick-witted; how could this old minister dare to show off? I merely lament how fleeting spring is and how unpredictable life can be."
"Fleeting spring and unpredictable life indeed provoke thought," Qin Fenghua replied softly, her lingering tone hiding an edge.
After the banquet, Qin Fenghua used flower appreciation as an excuse to instruct Man Rou to secretly search Zhao Xiang's correspondence and account books. As night fell and palace lanterns dimmed, silence enveloped the side hall, only the night wind brushing against the window remained.
Alone, Qin Fenghua examined the recently gathered account books spread across her desk, several letters laid open revealing faint traces of "Shui Dong" and "Ling Luo," aligning perfectly with her investigation.
As she focused intently, she suddenly sensed an unusual sound behind her. Qin Fenghua's expression shifted slightly as she quietly rose and leaned against an intricately carved screen.
The candlelight cast a shadow revealing a figure—a Black-Clothed Assassin wielding a glinting dagger—stealthily approaching with restrained breath and cat-like steps. Qin Fenghua held her breath, her gaze fixed on a hidden mechanism beneath the screen.
The assassin scanned the empty room cautiously but was unaware that Qin Fenghua had already hooked one corner of the screen with a commonly used palace maid's hook and was subtly pulling it.
With a soft click, a hidden compartment behind the screen opened, causing a vase to tumble and emit a crisp sound.
The assassin was momentarily stunned, allowing Qin Fenghua to take the opportunity to leap over the stone steps and slip into the corridor. The night wind lifted her garments, and her skirt fluttered like flames.
The assassin quickly gave chase, the blade glinting as it slashed toward her back.
Qin Fenghua deftly sidestepped, using the stone pillars of the corridor for cover. She quietly pulled out a copper hairpin embedded in the wall and threw it backhandedly.
The hairpin struck the assassin's wrist, causing the knife to clatter to the ground. In that instant, a patrolling palace maid outside heard the noise and rushed over. Seeing that things had gone awry, the assassin twisted away and vanished into the night.
Qin Fenghua slowly straightened up, cold sweat beading on her forehead, yet her expression remained calm as ever. She gazed into the darkness, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Since someone is so eager, it means I am not far from the truth."
Man Rou hurried over, and upon seeing Qin Fenghua unharmed, nearly burst into tears. "Miss, are you alright? I’ve sent someone to investigate urgently, but unfortunately, the assassin has escaped."
Qin Fenghua waved her hand, her voice slightly hoarse yet resolute. "There's no need to panic. This matter must not be made public; it only indicates that the mastermind is aware of my investigation's progress and we need to expedite our actions."
Man Rou bit her lip and couldn't help but say, "Miss, why are you so determined? If you continue to investigate, your life may be in danger!"
Qin Fenghua fell silent for a moment before speaking in a low and firm voice. "Regarding my father's case, he has suffered great injustice. If I back down today, who will seek justice for the innocent in this world? Even if it means facing mountains of knives and seas of fire, I will uncover the truth!"
As she flipped through the case files, a thin piece of paper slipped out from between them. Qin Fenghua picked it up and saw that it bore a fragment of a poem:
"The peach blossom river flows away unseen; the bright moon casts a lonely shadow on the returning person."
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