Chapter 3 Side Hall (1)

When the night practice ended at around midnight, the night fog around the pavilion was slightly dispersed by the cool breeze. Meng Ying'er sighed deeply, looked back at the solemn and dignified piano hall, and patted her chest in hope that nothing had happened.

"That was a close call..." The girl hadn't expected the master to forgive so easily. Her eyes curved like a crescent moon, and her admiration deepened. "I've only been here for half a day. If I had been scolded, I would have been humiliated..."

As if thinking of something, Meng Ying'er carefully took out another cake wrapped in oil paper and gently handed it to the woman: "But the osmanthus cake made by my mother is really delicious. I saved a piece for you. You can go back to your room and taste it."

Chu Qingluo's eyes dropped slightly as she stared at the cake in her palm, feeling particularly uncomfortable.

She came to the Music Bureau not to learn the piano, nor to gain Mr. Qu's favor. She didn't like to have anything to do with others, and she just wanted to put an end to her deep hatred.

As for the so-called sisterly love and open-heartedness, she didn't care and had no intention of trying to please them.

Handing the cake back indifferently, she seemed oblivious to everything else and replied calmly, "No need, keep it for yourself. The qindao is very difficult to understand, and I will have to spend more time reading it."

"It seems that Qingluo, you really like to learn the piano..." Meng Ying'er suddenly sighed, as if she had really met a studious person. She buried her head even lower in shame, and her face flushed unconsciously.

"Unlike me, who only came to see the master..."

She didn't know what it was about Mr. Qu that had captured the hearts of these young ladies. She frowned slightly, lost in thought, and then expressed her intention to study hard: "Just now, Madam said that if your piano skills don't improve, Mr. Qu will not keep you."

"That's true..." The girl nodded in agreement, but never took the osmanthus cake back. She winked at him lightly and ran towards the attic in the distance without looking back.

"The cakes are still warm. I'm going back to my room first. I can't let you outdo me!"

The scene of the chance encounter on the back mountain was still lingering in her mind. This famous court music master was even younger than she had thought. Judging from his appearance, he seemed only a few years older than her.

To have such a reputation at such a young age, Mr. Qu must have something extraordinary about him...

Most people have only heard of Mr. Qu's name, and think that he is highly respected and incorruptible, and should be a little older, even she is no exception.

However, few people knew that the world-renowned Mr. Si Yuefu was still in his early twenties. Only those who had seen Mr. Si's true face, such as Meng Ying'er, and who had stayed in the boudoir for many years, would remember him until now.

Recalling the ethereal, graceful, lonely and otherworldly figure she had seen in the woods, she understood that once he showed up, the ladies in the mansion would probably find it difficult to hide their delight.

Chu Qingluo pondered for a while, and when she came to her senses, she had already stepped into the boudoir.

She closed the doors and windows silently, pulled the curtains on the windowsill tightly, then lit a red candle and looked towards the corner of the wall in the dim light of the candle.

A figure suddenly appeared in a corner of the room. It was a woman in tight clothes, full of heroic spirit, standing with a sword in her arms. Although she had an unruly air, she was respectful in front of her.

The woman bowed her head and obeyed. After a long moment of silence, she considered the matter and asked in a serious tone, "Master, Feng Yi is dead. What should we do next?"

She leisurely fiddled with the flickering candlelight with a silver needle, thinking silently for a few moments, her eyes slightly fixed.

"Investigate Shuxue Tower. Rumor has it that the owner is a member of the royal family. Go and find out who is behind this."

"Yes." The woman responded respectfully as if she understood. She wanted to leave quietly but was stopped by the woman in front of the candle.

"Wait a minute," Chu Qingluo straightened her slightly bent posture. She frowned and gave the following instruction, "I'm afraid someone will notice what's going on during the day, so I threw the assassination dagger in the back mountain. I don't want Mr. Qu to see it."

"Go and search a few times. If you find it, help me destroy it."

After saying the word "erase", she blew out the red candle. The room suddenly became cold and silent, and everything seemed to fall into darkness.

"yes."

A reply came from the darkness, and then there was no movement, as if the woman had disappeared into the night, leaving no trace.

She naturally drew aside the curtains, the moonlight shone into the tent, and weariness gradually spread with the dark light.

She inadvertently glanced at the piece of cake that had just been brought back. The maid named Meng Ying'er was kind-hearted and could be won over. She thought for a while and finally tasted the osmanthus cake given by the maid.

She saw the open and covert fighting in the hall during night study. If she wanted to gain a foothold here, she would probably attract attention for no reason if she walked alone.

It’s good to walk with others and help each other.

Looking up at the full moon in the sky, she felt even more sleepy. She thought that the mansion was guarded by palace guards, so her life would not be in danger. No one in the mansion knew her identity, so she could sleep peacefully.

Thinking of this, she leisurely lay on the soft couch, and soon after closing her eyes, she fell asleep.

At the beginning of the next morning, morning clouds covered the dark tent, orioles were singing by the window, and the sky was very clear.

A faint fragrance floats in the air in the courtyard, and hundreds of flowers are soaked in morning dew.

I should be able to see Mr. Qu in class this morning, but the girls in the attic are wandering in groups of three or five in the corridor of the mansion.

Chu Qingluo walked out of the elegant room, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

Because the dormitory was close, she could see Meng Ying'er leaning on the railing and gazing into the distance, seemingly enjoying the spring scenery.

It's clearly daytime class time, but why hasn't anyone gone to the piano room to listen? Instead, they're all relaxed and at ease...

Confused, she approached the self-satisfied girl and asked, "Why don't you go to the hall to take lessons from Mr. Zhong?"

Seeing that it was her, Meng Ying'er hurriedly took her aside and lowered her voice, "Qingluo, you don't know. Nanny just came to report that someone from the government office has come and said that a murder occurred in the south of the city. The victim was a palace shadow guard, and the prefect is questioning Mr. Qu."

"Today's class will be postponed."

As if revealing a slight regret, the girl curled her lips helplessly and her eyes fell on an elegant room next to the main hall.

Only then did she realize that Meng Ying'er wasn't there to enjoy the scenery. The place she was looking at was Mr. Qu's reception area, and Meng Ying'er was worried about his situation.

The assassination attempt on Feng Yi yesterday was clearly in the south of the city, so why would the investigators come to the Ministry of Music?

Could it be that she walked too fast and was followed without knowing it? Chu Qingluo couldn't help but tremble, but only for a moment, and then she calmed down.

Now it is still unknown whether her face was seen clearly, but the action of throwing away the dagger was clearly seen by that person. If the gentleman tells the truth and speaks frankly, she may not be able to resist the capture of the soldiers.

Deeply suspicious, she leaned against the railing and watched, feigning composure as she said, "The south of the city is quite far from here. How could the government have found their way here?"

Meng Ying'er was terrified by this and whispered to her, covering her lips with her hands, "It's said that someone saw the murderer enter the Siyue Mansion. The prefect concluded that the murderer is hiding among the students who have just entered the mansion."

"If something happened to an ordinary citizen, it wouldn't alarm the government office," the maid paused, fearing that saying too much would cause trouble, so she explained vaguely, "But the one who died was the imperial guard from earlier..."

"Such disrespect for the imperial authority, the prefect is afraid that the person is targeting the imperial family..."

Chu Qingluo looked at the elegant hall from afar. From where she was, the door to the hall was tightly shut. She couldn't make out what was going on, so she pursed her lips and asked again, "Ying'er, do you know how long the master has been gone?"

"It's about two hours now," Meng Ying'er calculated the time when the master entered the hall. Suddenly startled, her eyebrows knitted together, she asked hurriedly, "Do you think the master is in danger?"

"If you are so worried, I can go with you to take a look." Without moving her eyes, she was silent for a moment, and suddenly opened her lips.

The meaning of what the beautiful figure beside her said couldn't be clearer. The girl was stunned when she heard it. Although the house rules forbade entering the side halls and elegant rooms, but...

But the person who came was the prefect, and he was investigating a murder case in the south of the city, which concerned the safety of the gentleman.

No matter what punishment she would receive, she wanted to make up her mind. Meng Ying'er hesitated and looked at the woman beside her who was as gentle as a lotus in the distant mountains.

I guess what she thinks is exactly the same as mine...

The girl sighed lightly and whispered tentatively, "I'm afraid the master will blame me for going to the side hall without permission..."

The drunkard's real intention was indeed not to drink. The gentleman's actions were unpredictable, and she must have taken this opportunity to find out something.

Chu Qingluo feigned worry, her face dimmed and her brows furrowed slightly, seeming even more worried than the pretty figure before her: "We are concerned for your safety. If we are discovered, you will understand if we explain our purpose."

"Qingluo's words make sense. I know a small path that leads directly to the side hall. Follow me."

If there were someone else accompanying her, the master would feel that the situation was excusable and perhaps not punish her. Without further ado, Meng Ying'er lightly waved her sleeves as she descended the staircase and tiptoed into the hall.

The side hall is not as spacious and bright as the piano hall in the main hall, with clean windows and desks, but it has a more elegant style. It is surrounded by green bamboos. The narrow courtyard is lush with branches and leaves, and the green scenery is even more long-lasting in the secluded windows of the elegant room.

After several twists and turns, they arrived at the hall window. Chu Qingluo had no time to appreciate the scenery of the courtyard. She squatted beside Meng Yatou and listened quietly to the conversation inside the window.

In the hall, there was the crisp sound of tea being poured into cups. After a long silence, clear voices were heard from the elegant room.

The clear voice was as cold as jade, which was quite shocking to the listener.

She had heard this voice once before, when she happened to hear it in the clouds and mist on the back mountain the day before yesterday. It was as ethereal as the snow in the sky and so cold that it made people feel uneasy.

Tapping the table in front of him lightly with his fingertips, Qu Hanjin moved the cup filled with tea to the other side of the table and said seriously, "I still say the same thing. If a murder occurs, you will firmly believe that the murderer is from my Siyuefu. Magistrate Li must produce solid evidence."

"Mr. Qu, you're joking. I'm coming here to search because I haven't found any evidence yet." Li Yunmao had already heard the hidden meaning in his words. Without moving his teacup, he tried to persuade him kindly, "Mr. Qu, you've got the cause and effect wrong."

Upon hearing this, the young master sat upright and elegantly, and replied politely and skillfully, "Qu, please ask Magistrate Li whether the Music Bureau was established by Your Majesty?"

"That's right." Not knowing what this person had to refute, Li Yunmao looked at him in confusion, and after thinking about it, he couldn't help but ask back.

"What's so controversial about that?"