Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"The plum blossoms have long withered; there's nothing left to admire." Nangong Shuang smiled lightly, gesturing for Xiao Cha to come closer. "What news do you have?"
Xiao Cha glanced around to ensure no one was listening before lowering her voice. "Sister, I've discovered something strange. Ever since Zhang Lu was dismissed, that maid named Xiao Cui has been frequently entering Lord Guo's study, always late at night, and she stays for quite a while each time."
A flicker of alertness crossed Nangong Shuang's eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely!" Xiao Cha said earnestly. "Last night, I pretended to clean and waited outside the study. I saw her sneak in and stay for a whole hour before coming out. What's even stranger is that when she left, she had a small bundle in her hands; I couldn't tell what was inside."
Nangong Shuang pondered for a moment and said softly, "It seems that Xiao Cui is indeed suspicious. She might be the new spy replacing Zhang Lu, specifically monitoring us."
"Not only that," Xiao Cha leaned in closer, lowering her voice even further, "I also noticed she often wanders alone by the old plum tree in the back garden, as if searching for something."
Nangong Shuang's heart raced! That old plum tree had been transplanted from the Nangong Family estate, and hidden within its trunk were clues to the map of the Nangong Ancestral Home's Mei Xin Pavilion. Xiao Cui's actions were clearly not those of an ordinary maid.
"What did she do to the plum tree?" Nangong Shuang asked urgently.
Xiao Cha shook her head. "She didn't do anything specific; she just walked around the tree a few times, touched the trunk, and then left. Oh, I also saw that she had a delicate fragrance pouch tied to her waist, with a pattern that looked quite unique—like a family emblem."
"What emblem?"
"I couldn't see it clearly; I only vaguely noticed it was a flower—maybe..." Xiao Cha strained to remember. "It seemed like a plum blossom but also resembled an orchid; it was definitely floral."
Nangong Shuang fell silent in thought. The plum blossom was the symbol of the Nangong Family, while the orchid was the emblem of the Xiao Family. If Xiao Cui had ties to the Xiao Family, then her true identity warranted further investigation.
"Sister, what should we do?" Xiao Cha asked.
A glint of determination flashed in Nangong Shuang's eyes. "Since she's spying on us, why not turn her own tactics against her? I have a plan that can reveal her true intentions."
"What plan?"
"Do you remember the Qi Xin Xiang we used against Zhang Lu?" Nangong Shuang smiled mysteriously. "That was just a rough version I concocted on the spot. If we can create a genuine Qi Xin Xiang, it will not only uncover someone's true feelings but also make them unknowingly reveal their thoughts."
Xiao Cha's eyes lit up. "Then sister, hurry and prepare it! This way, we can easily uncover Xiao Cui's identity!"
"It's not that simple," Nangong Shuang shook her head. "The real Qi Xin Xiang requires seven special herbs, some of which are extremely rare and hard to find in ordinary apothecaries."
"What should we do then?" Xiao Cha felt disheartened.
Nangong Shuang spoke confidently. "I remember that when I was young, my father planted those herbs in our Medicine Garden. If we can find that garden, we might still be able to locate descendants of those precious herbs."
"The Nangong Family's Medicine Garden?" Xiao Cha asked in surprise. "Do you know where it is?"
"I'm not certain. After the fall of the Nangong Family, the Medicine Garden should have fallen into disrepair as well. However, I heard from Guan Chunyi that this plum grove at Guo Residence was transplanted from the Nangong Family; perhaps the Medicine Garden is nearby." Nangong Shuang looked around with glimmering hope in her eyes. "Tonight we shall investigate."
The two discussed further details and agreed to meet at midnight in the plum grove before parting ways.
Returning to her room, Nangong Shuang took out her medicine box and began organizing the herbs she had on hand. She needed to prepare some simple medicines that would meet her daily needs while also getting ready for the actions planned for the evening.
Comment 0 Comment Count