Chapter 61 Ling Zixia borrows the hairpin to pass on the secret order

The atmosphere in the bedroom returned to calm after a brief moment of solemnity.

Nanny Guifang took Mo'er and Xiaoxing and skillfully cleaned up the broken porcelain pieces and water stains on the table.

Their movements were more cautious than before, and their eyes looking at Ling Zixia were filled with the deepest awe.

Ling Zixia didn't say anything more. She just sat quietly in front of the dressing table and let Qing'er take off the hairpins on her head.

Qing'er's fingers gently ran through her black hair, untying her somewhat complicated bun.

Ling Zixia looked at the calm face in the mirror, but her thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.

She knew that Zhao Wenxuan sent her the poisoned tea set not only to test her, but also to control her.

If she hadn't seen through the conspiracy, she would have turned into a pool of pus without anyone noticing in three months.

This sinister and vicious method deepened her hatred for the Zhao family.

She slowly closed her eyes and began to think about her next plan in her mind.

At this moment, a guard in charge of night patrols reported in a low voice outside the courtyard gate.

"My dear aunt, the young master has sent someone to bring you your midnight snack."

Ling Zixia's eyes slowly opened, and a cold light flashed in her eyes.

She knew that this was another comfort from Zhao Wenxuan after the test, and also a new surveillance.

She winked at Qing'er beside her, who immediately understood and turned around and walked out.

A moment later, Qing'er came in with a servant carrying a food box.

The boy served in Zhao Wenxuan's study and looked very smart.

He placed the food box on the table and bowed respectfully to Ling Zixia.

"My humble servant greets Aunt Ling. This is the blood swallow and lotus seed soup that the Master specially ordered the kitchen to stew for you. You can enjoy it while it's hot to calm your nerves."

As he spoke, he was about to step forward to open the food box and serve Ling Zixia the meal.

At this moment, Ling Zixia spoke in an extremely weak voice.

"Thank you for your help, but I really don't have much appetite right now. Please put the food down first."

As she spoke, she coughed twice softly, looking as if she was not feeling well.

When the servant heard this, he showed an embarrassment on his face. He knew that if he couldn't do the task assigned by the master, he would be punished when he returned.

"Aunt, this... this is a token of the young master's kindness. You should use some of it." He advised cautiously.

Ling Zi-" Xia showed a bitter smile on her face and shook her head gently.

"Forget it. Since it is such a kind gesture from the young master, if I don't accept it, it would seem that I am ungrateful."

As she spoke, she instructed Qing'er beside her to serve out the bird's nest soup.

Qing'er stepped forward immediately, opened the food box, and took out a bowl of steaming blood swallows.

The blood swallows were stewed into a very thick consistency, with rock sugar and lotus seeds added to it, giving off a sweet aroma.

Qing'er placed the bird's nest soup on the table, then took a clean jade bowl and filled half a bowl for Ling Zixia.

Ling Zixia did not immediately take the bowl of bird's nest. Instead, her eyes fell on the servant who delivered the meal.

She asked seemingly casually in a chatty tone.

"You look unfamiliar to me. Have you just started serving the young master?"

The servant bowed quickly and answered with an extremely respectful attitude.

"To answer your question, my name is Xiao Anzi. I was transferred from the outer courtyard to work in the Master's study a few days ago."

Ling Zixia nodded, a flicker of understanding flashing in her eyes. She knew that this must be Zhao Wenxuan's new eyeliner.

She slowly picked up the bowl of bird's nest and stirred it gently with a spoon. The curling hot steam blurred her face.

"This bird's nest is stewed very well. I think the kitchen staff put a lot of effort into it." She praised softly.

As she spoke, she scooped up a spoonful of bird's nest and slowly brought it to her lips.

Just as she was about to put it in her mouth, her wrist suddenly shook slightly, and a drop of sticky bird's nest soup slipped from the edge of the spoon.

The drop of bird's nest soup fell right onto a strand of her hair hanging in front of her chest.

This action was extremely natural, like an ordinary mistake, and no one would notice the abnormality.

And at the moment when the drop of bird's nest soup touched her hair, the power of the golden finger was activated again.

The nature of the bird's nest soup, which was originally just for nourishing the body, suddenly changed.

It became a "letter" containing special information, a "secret order" that only the chess pieces she placed could decipher.

After Ling Zixia finished this action, she put the spoonful of bird's nest into her mouth. She tasted it carefully, with a satisfied expression on her face.

"Well, it tastes really good. Thank you for your trouble, sir."

When the servant named Xiao Anzi saw that she had had her midnight snack, a heavy stone fell from his heart, and he quickly responded with a smile.

Ling Zixia took a few more symbolic bites, then put down her bowl and chopsticks. She wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief.

She raised her head and looked at the little Anzi with a gentle smile on her face.

"Xiao Anzi, thank you for your hard work today. I have to ask you to run this trip so late."

As she spoke, she took out an inconspicuous silver hairpin from her bun.

The style of the silver hairpin was very ordinary, except for a small orchid carved on the head.

She handed the silver hairpin to Xiao Anzi and spoke in a very friendly tone.

"I don't have anything good around me, so I'll give you this hairpin."

"Take it, give it to your sisters at home, or exchange it for some silver; it's up to you."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Anzi showed an expression of flattery on his face, and he quickly knelt down to express his gratitude.

"Thank you so much for the reward, Auntie! Thank you so much for the reward, Auntie!"

In a place like the Prime Minister's Mansion, it was common for the master to reward his servants, so no one thought there was anything wrong with this action.

Xiao Anzi carefully took the silver hairpin from Ling Zixia's hand and put it in his arms as if it were a treasure.

He didn't know that this seemingly ordinary silver hairpin was actually not ordinary at all.

The inside of the orchid on the hairpin is hollow, and inside is a very thin piece of paper with words written on it.

What’s more important is that the moment Ling Zixia handed him the silver hairpin, her hair stained with the “letter trigger” brushed against the back of his hand seemingly unintentionally.

That drop of transformed bird's nest soup quietly left a very faint scent on his body.

This smell will act like an invisible guide, leading him to the person who can truly decipher the secret order.

Ling Zi-Xia finished all this and waved her hand, signaling Xiao Anzi to leave.

Xiao Anzi thanked him profusely and retreated. He carried the empty lunch box and walked briskly towards Zhao Wenxuan's study.

He was still thinking that this silver hairpin could be exchanged for at least three or five taels of silver, enough for him to buy several new clothes for his mother in the countryside.

He didn't notice at all that after he left Jingsiyuan, a maid who was responsible for cleaning the courtyard followed him silently like a ghost.

The maid's figure seemed to be vague under the cover of the night and the shadows of the trees.

She was none other than the chess piece that Ling Zixia had summoned with the "letter ash" before - Xiao Cui.

Xiao Cui sniffed the air gently, and her eyes, hidden in the shadows, were fixed on the unsuspecting little eunuch in front of her.

She knew that her mission tonight was to get the latest secret order from the master from the young eunuch.