Chapter 41 Quiet Night

When Qiandeng and Shangluo returned to the palace, Shi Jingning was waiting for them with a food box.

He raised the food box in his hand towards Qiandeng and smiled gently: "County Master, you haven't had a good appetite these days and you've been busy and tired. I cooked some food for you. Come and try it to see if it suits your taste."

Qiandeng went to find Shangluo without having lunch. She was really hungry at this time, so she took them to the study. Shangluo did his homework while she washed her hands and prepared to eat something.

Shi Jingning opened the lunch box and took out a warm and delicious water shield and fish ball soup, tender lotus root with water chestnut slices, boiled carp with dill sprouts, and a box of light green and tender red lotus cakes.

Seeing the fresh and bright food, Qiandeng, who had a weak appetite, also felt hungry again.

Seeing Shangluo drooling, Qiandeng handed him a lotus crisp to fill his stomach, took the chopsticks and spoon handed to him by Shi Jingning, and scooped up the white and plump fish balls floating in the soup to eat.

The fish balls were pounded until they were fluffy and soft, melting in the mouth as soon as they were taken. A rich and fragrant cream oozes out from the middle, revealing that it is filled with tender lamb. It was obvious that he had put in a lot of thought to get her to eat some meat.

The fish and mutton blended together, yet tasted fresh and sweet, without any fishy smell. The lotus root was sweet, crisp and tender, the carp was fresh and soft, and the lotus crisps were sweet and crispy. Qiandeng was delighted with everything.

When she looked up, she saw Shi Jingning looking at her gently while she ate, with a faint smile on his face. He was still the boy who carved the little rabbit for her in Qiandeng's memory, as if time had never passed.

There were two light knocks at the door. Qiandeng turned to look. Cui Fufeng stood tall and graceful, with an outstanding demeanor. He nodded at her at the door and said, "Excuse me, County Lady. I heard Shangluo is back, so I came to check on his schoolwork."

Qiandeng pointed at Shangluo who was eating lotus cakes and writing nearby. Cui Fufeng walked in and took a look behind him. Seeing that Shangluo was writing quickly, he picked up a book from the shelf and leaned against the window to read.

The four people in the study were doing their own things, and there was silence. Only the spoon occasionally hit the edge of the porcelain bowl, making a slight tinkling sound, which made Qiandeng feel a rare peace in his heart.

Looking up, she saw Cui Fufeng leaning against the window, bathed in the bright moonlight, but he was brighter than the moonlight; and Shi Jingning was sitting beside her, helping her clean up the dishes, surrounded by the gentle light, but he was gentler than the light.

Under the moonlight, with the red sleeves adding fragrance, this scene is really beautiful, but unfortunately the price is... the men gradually invaded her front yard from the backyard.

This situation was a bit too charming. Qian Deng felt a little uncomfortable. He quickly helped Shi Jingning put away the food box and hurriedly thanked him, "Thank you for taking so much trouble and working hard for me."

Shi Jingning looked at her with a smile and said softly, "It's okay. I just hope the county lady can take care of herself and stay healthy. This is my... and everyone else's deepest hope in the mansion."

Qian Deng responded: "Don't worry, I won't let you down."

Shi Jingning's heart beat slightly and his face showed embarrassment. Afraid that she would notice his emotions that he could not hide, he lowered his head, picked up the lunch box, said goodbye to her, and left in a hurry.

Cui Fufeng held the book in front of him, revealing only a pair of eyes with slightly raised corners, looking at Qiandeng with a half-smile.

Qian Deng's mind had already drifted thousands of miles away. Seeing that there were still two lotus cakes on hand, he handed one to Cui Fufeng and said, "Mr. Cui, you must also take care of yourself."

Cui Fufeng lowered his eyes to look at the lotus cake, but just smiled and said, "Eat it, or you won't let me down."

Qian Deng was completely clueless and had no idea what he was referring to. He just finished the lotus pastry in his hand while thinking about it, then motioned Cui Fufeng to go to the outer room with him to inquire about the progress of the Imperial College case.

"Have you found any conclusions about the bamboo fragments we found back then?"

Cui Fufeng said, "I was just about to tell you this. Judging from the curved shape and the binding marks on it, that bamboo piece must have fallen from a claw rake."

"Claw rake?" Qiandeng stretched out his hand and made a grabbing motion, with a puzzled look on his face.

Cui Fufeng nodded and pondered, "The alley has been filled with garbage for years, with broken bamboo, wood, and rags everywhere. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with a broken claw rake being thrown there..."

The two pondered for a long time without coming to a conclusion. Finally, Cui Fufeng said, "In short, since the murderer may have appeared in the dormitory before Meng Lanxi, then all the students who were nearby that day are suspects. The Dali Temple has already dispatched additional personnel to investigate the students who were near Zheng Junshan's dormitory. A thorough investigation will be completed soon. By then, they will screen them one by one and they will definitely find something."

Qian Deng nodded: "Let's convey this to Ling Tianshui as well. Perhaps it will help him with his thinking."

"Of course. When he comes back, I will go to discuss it with him."

Thinking of Ling Tianshui, Qian Deng pondered silently for a moment, and finally couldn't help asking, "I wonder if Cui Shaoqing can contact the King of Linhuai? Or, the Shuofang Army can also do that."

Cui Fufeng raised his eyebrows and studied her expression: "What does the county lady want to see him about?"

"I want to ask about Ling Tianshui. Regarding...his usual performance in the army. More details would be better."

Cui Fufeng's eyes showed a hint of amusement: "The county lady is interested in him?"

Qian Deng naturally couldn't bring herself to express her strange feelings towards him, and only said, "Judging from his ability to perform autopsies and track down clues, he is indeed an extraordinary person, but... I still feel that he is a bit too different from the poor little guy in Ji Linyou's memory. After all, this matter is of great importance, so I think it's better to be cautious."

"Didn't Ji Linyou say that he hadn't seen this cousin for more than ten years? From a child to an adult, who hasn't changed a lot?" Cui Fufeng said, looking at Qiandeng in front of him, thinking of the girl who was at a loss after losing her loved ones three years ago.

Times have changed, and she has changed a lot now. She has long bid farewell to her youthful and naive appearance, and is now capable of supporting the entire Changhua Palace.

Qian Deng avoided his scrutinizing eyes, brushed her hair, and said, "If it's difficult for Cui Shaoqing, I will find another way."

Seeing her like this, Cui Fufeng took the letter from the table and said, "You are just asking about a soldier under the command of King Linhuai. There is no need to trouble others. I will write the letter for you."

He wrote with ease and finished the letter as soon as he wrote it, and put it in an envelope.

Qiandeng asked his attendant to invite Cui Fufeng's attendant to come, light a candle, and help him seal the envelope with wax.

The candle flame suddenly popped, causing her hand to tremble suddenly. Her hand, which was burned by the candle wax, pinched the corner of the envelope.

Cui Fufeng quickly raised his hand to take the candle, holding her fingertips to check: "County Lady, are you okay?"

"It's so hot." Qiandeng scraped the wax off the back of his hand and blew air towards the burned area.

Her wrists were as white as jade, and her fingers were white. The burned areas were flushed under the light, making them particularly noticeable.

When Cui Fufeng wanted to look again, Qiandeng had already raised his eyes and looked at him.

The candlelight flickered, and both of them saw each other's burning eyes, in which their own faces were clearly reflected.

Too close, not polite.

Cui Fufeng released her hand, and Qiandeng retracted her hand into her sleeve. She cleared her throat awkwardly, looked at the letter in his hand, and asked for something to say: "The words on it are not smudged, right?"

Cui Fufeng took a look and saw that the envelope was slightly creased and a crescent mark was left by her fingernails on the wax seal, that was all.

"It's okay, it's intact." As he said this, he handed the envelope to the attendant who came in and told him that it was a letter to be delivered to King Linhuai.

The attendant agreed, took the envelope carefully, and asked, "Is it okay to give it to Captain Zhang, who is in charge of the Shuofang Army in Beijing?"

Cui Fufeng said, "Captain Zhang has always been prudent in his work, very good."

By the time the letter was delivered, Shangluo's homework was also done. Cui Fufeng picked it up and examined it carefully, checking for omissions with him. Qiandeng then turned and walked back to the house along the courtyard wall.

As she walked, she only felt the burning sensation on her hands where they were burned by the candle wax.