Chapter 36: Deep Dream

Ling Tianshui said, "Send someone back to Xiliuwu and find Prince Mingjiu. Tell him there's something I'd like him to look at."

After Qiandeng told Daimao to go, he signaled her and Cui Fufeng to come to the corner of the side door of Yilan Pavilion and pointed to a mark on the brick floor.

Cui Fufeng squatted down and took a closer look. He could vaguely make out half a shoe mark with a slight trace of mud, but it had already dried up.

"Spring is damp and rainy, and these shoe prints have dried up. I think they were left a few days ago." Ling Tianshui pointed at the footprints and motioned Meng Lanxi to come over. "This corner gives you a view of the Yilan Pavilion, and it's also a good place to hide your figure. Footprints in a place like this clearly indicate someone has sneaked in."

Meng Lanxi nodded in agreement. "Yes, Ling Sijie just came over and asked me about picking poisonous mushrooms. That's why I was alarmed that there might be someone with ulterior motives in the palace's backyard. I quickly counted all the spices and medicines and found that everything else was still there, except for a bottle of 'Mengchenhan'."

Qian Deng had naturally never heard of this before: "What kind of medicine is this?"

Meng Lanxi's eyes flushed slightly as she whispered, "My mother worked very hard in her youth. She's been bedridden for years, often unable to sleep due to pain all over her body. So, I tried to make her this incense according to an ancient recipe, which contains that poisonous mushroom. The incense I gave the county lady is primarily soothing, calming, and sleep-inducing, and has mild properties. 'Dream Deep', on the other hand, has a stronger effect and can be used as an incense or taken internally. It causes a person to fall into a deep sleep when fumigated, and a person to become delirious when taken internally. However, because this poisonous mushroom looks like any other, I tried it briefly when I saw it in Qujiang Pond. Who knew someone would see me, and it led to a tragedy."

Ling Tianshui said, "I heard that he had lost this medicine, so I searched the Yilan Pavilion and found these footprints. It's obvious that someone has sneaked in."

"So, the medicine must have been stolen by the person who left the footprints?" Qiandeng lowered his head and looked at the shoe prints carefully.

Ling Tianshui nodded. "The toes of the footprints are drawn inward, and the mud marks are slightly offset. It's obvious that he was wary or hesitant at the door, observing."

Then he pointed to the concave part in the middle of the shoe and asked, "And here, why do you think it's like this?"

Qian Deng looked at the inch-wide dent that faintly ran across the sole of the boot, figuring it must have been rubbed by something. But why was it rubbed this way specifically? What had this person been stepping on?

She was still pondering when she heard Cui Fufeng beside her say, "These must be the marks left by the stirrups."

His voice was firm, and he had obviously determined who it was.

Ling Tianshui also confirmed: "People who ride horses all year round will naturally have dents left on the soles of their boots due to wear and tear from the stirrups."

As he spoke, he lifted his foot, and sure enough, there were some slight marks on the sole of his shoe.

In the backyard of the palace, apart from Ling Tianshui, the only two people who rode horses so often that their soles were left with marks were Ji Linyou and Ming Jiu.

The footprints have dried up. Judging from the mud marks, they must have been left after the rain a few days ago, when Ling Tianshui had not yet returned to Beijing.

"So, can we tell the identity of this person from the footprints?"

"Of course," Ling Tianshui said, pointing to his toes. "Although they're both leather boots, people from the Central Plains—especially those like Ji Linyou who grew up in the capital—are used to walking on flat roads, so their soles tend to be worn smoother. However, County Lady, look at the wear marks on these shoes."

Qiandeng looked carefully and saw that the wear on the toe of the shoe was indeed more obvious, so he looked at him inquiringly.

"The Huihe people lived in areas with abundant grass and water. They had been running and walking in the grass since childhood, and their toes often touched the grass roots. Therefore, according to their walking habits, the toes of their shoes were always the first to wear out."

Qian Deng looked at the footprints on the ground and asked, "So, these are the footprints left by a foreigner who often rides horses."

"It's just a guess, but if we choose one of your backyard gentlemen, the identity of the person who left the footprints will be revealed." Ling Tianshui crossed his arms and said calmly, "I think we can call the person over and compare his feet."

Mingjiu arrived quickly. Seeing the footprints on the ground, he knew they suspected him of sneaking in. He immediately glared at Meng Lanxi in anger: "What's so good about those rags of yours that I would steal?"

A smile appeared on Meng Lanxi's lips, and her dimples looked particularly charming. "To be honest, I just lost a bottle of medicine that can cause people to become unconscious and confused."

"What's the point? I could just knock her out..." At this point, Song Jiu suddenly came to his senses and screamed, "What? You suspect me? I drugged that slap princess and caused her to drown in the river?"

Seeing him raging like a lion, Meng Lanxi calmly hid two inches behind Ling Tianshui, with an innocent look on her face: "This matter is of great importance. No matter who stole the medicine, I must inform the county lady."

Mingjiu turned his gaze to Qiandeng's face and said, "County Lady, you are not the one who doubts me, are you?"

Qian Deng shook his head: "I will not protect anyone, nor do I want any innocent people to be wronged. It's just that Mr. Meng's things were stolen, and your footprints appeared here, so it seems to be related."

"It has nothing to do with it. It's completely irrelevant. Forget about closing it, it's never even been opened!" Ming Jiu flatly denied. "Maybe he stole my shoes and deliberately left footprints here?"

Thinking of the mess on Mingjiu's floor, Qiandeng felt that it would not be difficult for someone in the backyard to secretly take his shoes in the middle of the night and create some traces.

"But the ultimate beneficiary of the theft of 'Dream of the Dead' is likely Prince Mingjiu," Cui Fufeng said. "Didn't you find it strange to see the maids and guards lying all over the floor when you sneaked into the princess's mansion?"

Song Jiu blinked: "If that's the case..."

"In that case, the identity of the person who drew the map for you is very worthy of investigation."

The other party is in the princess's mansion, but he helps Mingjiu to stir up trouble. Whether he is an enemy or a friend, and what his purpose is, is worth exploring.

However, Mingjiu had acted recklessly after drinking that night, and had forgotten everything after returning from the princess's mansion. How could he still remember the details of that day, let alone the person who was hiding behind him and had never appeared? Therefore, after thinking about it for a long time, he couldn't explain it.

The only thing that can be confirmed is that the man must be someone in the mansion, so he would know that Mingjiu was going to cause trouble in the princess's mansion. Moreover, he seems to be able to come and go freely in the princess's mansion, so he can help Mingjiu clear obstacles in advance and act freely.

He is so familiar with the princess's mansion. Could he be the person who had a secret meeting with Princess Gao in Qichun Pavilion before the accident?

Mingjiu left in anger, and ultimately refused to admit that he had stolen anything. He asked Qiandeng to find the person who wronged him, otherwise he would go out and turn the backyard upside down.

Qiandeng called Ling Tianshui over, and they left Yilan Pavilion together.

Following the flowing spring and passing the flower trees, you will see the vacant Plum Garden and Liuhua Mountain House in front of you.

Looking at the lush green lawn, Qiandeng suddenly wondered how Shi Jingning's younger brother and sister-in-law were doing at their uncle's house now.

And what about Shangluo?

It was her fault. So many things had happened in the backyard, but in order to find out the truth about her mother's death, she let a young boy who had no ability to protect himself live in the midst of tigers and wolves.

If something really happened to him and he could never come back, how would she explain this to the boy and his family?