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墨書 Inktalez
She followed the pattern and pulled out a few books, only to discover a hidden compartment at the back! Inside the compartment was a small wooden box, exquisitely carved, with several plum blossoms etched on its surface.
"This is..." Nangong Shuang's heart raced as she carefully took out the box. It was locked, but that posed no challenge for her. She retrieved a silver needle as fine as a cow's hair from her hairpin and gently inserted it into the keyhole. After a moment, she heard a soft click, and the lock opened.
Inside the box lay a stack of yellowed letter paper and a jade pendant. The pendant was warm to the touch, intricately carved with a plum blossom that bore a striking resemblance to the mark on her wrist!
"Could this also be the Plum Blossom Token?" Nangong Shuang was astonished. After a careful comparison, she noticed that while they were similar, there were subtle differences; they seemed to share a common origin yet each had its own unique characteristics.
She carefully placed the jade pendant back and turned her attention to the stack of letters. The paper appeared quite old, with faded handwriting that suggested they were personal correspondences. As Nangong Shuang flipped through them, she suddenly spotted the words "Nan Gong" on one page, causing her to hold her breath and read intently.
"...the medical texts of the Nan Gong Family are invaluable, particularly the Heavenly Fragrance Life-Extending Technique, which is unparalleled in the world and relates to the foundation of the nation. If one could find the complete text, it would not only resolve issues of poisoning but also unlock the mystery of the Royal Bloodline. The late emperor once said that when a true dragon appears in the world, there will surely be celestial signs. May I ask, dear brother, is it true what is rumored in town that those of the Nan Gong Family bear plum blossom birthmarks? If so, then what the late emperor said is indeed not false..."
The latter part of the letter was damaged, with only part of a signature discernible: "...Yan." Half of a character for "Xiao" had been torn away, but based on context and handwriting style, it should be signed by Xiao Zhongyan!
Nangong Shuang was taken aback; this letter explicitly mentioned the Heavenly Fragrance Life-Extending Technique and the plum blossom birthmark of the Nan Gong Family, and it was possibly signed by Xiao Zhongyan! Did Xiao Zhongyan already know these secrets? Was his approach towards her driven by ulterior motives?
Just as she was about to examine other letters, footsteps suddenly echoed from outside!
"Oh no!" Nangong Shuang quickly placed the letters back into the wooden box, locked it up, returned it to its hidden compartment, and restored the books to their original positions. The footsteps grew closer; realizing she had no time to escape, she quickly grabbed a nearby cloth and water basin, pretending to clean the bookshelf.
The door swung open, and a figure holding a lamp stepped inside. In the dim light, Nangong Shuang recognized him as Qian De, the Chief Steward of Qian Mansion—a lean old man in his fifties who held a position just below that of Qian Laoye and his wife; even Second Madam treated him with respect.
"Who’s there?" Qian De raised his lamp and frowned upon seeing Nangong Shuang. "Isn't this Second Miss's maid? What are you doing here?"
Nangong Shuang set down the cloth and respectfully bowed. "Replying to Chief Steward, I am here on Second Miss's orders to clean the study. The young lady mentioned she would come here tomorrow to read and specifically instructed me to tidy up in advance."
"Cleaning in the middle of the night?" A hint of suspicion flickered in Qian De's eyes. "Since when has Second Miss been so diligent in her studies?"
Nangong Shuang remained calm. "The young lady has been reading The Book of Songs recently and heard that there are annotated complete versions hidden in Master’s study. She became eager to see them and requested Master’s permission to come here tomorrow for her studies."
Qian De did not respond immediately but walked around the study with his lamp, checking for anything unusual. He paused briefly in front of the shelf containing the hidden compartment, his sharp gaze scanning over the spines of books before seemingly finding nothing amiss and relaxing slightly.
"Even if Master allowed it, you shouldn't come here alone at such an hour," Qian De said sternly. "The study is an important place; how can a maid come and go freely? If you weren't from such humble origins, this kind of transgression would warrant severe punishment!"
Nangong Shuang lowered her head in acknowledgment. "I understand my mistake; it's just that my young lady is impatient and I dared not disobey her. I hope Chief Steward can forgive me this once for my young lady's sake."
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