Minhu wanted to hire me as his personal physician and assistant in solving crimes. The salary was quite high, more than Zhao Wu's annual salary, on par with many high-ranking officials' staff, and I didn't have to work. Besides the court ladies, was I the first professional woman in the Daimyo Dynasty to be hired by a high-ranking official? And it was such an exciting profession.
Xu Lanyin was very willing to do it, not only for the money, but also because she was a working woman and was willing to have a job. The most important reason was that she wanted to maintain a closer relationship with the Minhu and use her "mind listening skills" to help them distinguish between true friends and enemies.
Zhao Wu only knew that the Fujian households gave Xu Lanyin a reward, but he didn't expect that they would also ask her to be a "female advisor."
He was reluctant and said, "You can cure Lord Min's insomnia, but don't agree to help solve the case. Solving a case is always dangerous. Those criminals are extremely vicious. I don't want to put my sister in danger."
Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "I want to do it. He said he would keep it confidential and not let outsiders know. However, I still have to explain to him that not every case is suitable for hypnosis."
She can "listen to people's hearts" and help solve every case, but she cannot use this special ability, so she can only help solve cases that are suitable for hypnosis or psychological counseling.
Zhao Wu always listened to Xu Lanyin's words. Seeing that she was determined to do it, she had no choice but to say, "Sister, remember this. If I ask you to participate in solving the case, the prerequisite is that I must stay by your side."
Xu Lanyin agreed, "Okay."
She also values her life, so of course she hopes to have Zhao Wu as her bodyguard.
Afterward, Zhao Wu recounted his secret conversation with Min Hu. That day, he had gone to the Criminal Investigation Department to find Min Hu and briefly explained the suspicious circumstances surrounding the Yi Ju Restaurant. Min Hu, sensing the gravity of the situation, immediately took Zhao Wu to the Min Mansion's outer study for a private discussion.
Zhao Wu further explained, "The current Ancashi, Lord Xiao, is old and in poor health. He also seems to have political disagreements with Lord Min and the Minister of Min. Lord Min doesn't want him to know and says that the matter must be kept under control until the truth is revealed..."
"Lord Min is incredibly astute. Before I could even remind him, he'd already connected the Yiju Restaurant to the attack on Minister Zhou two years prior and the assassination of the late Crown Prince seven years prior. These two major cases remain unsolved to this day. One occurred within Hebei Province, the other on the border between Hebei and Xiangnan... Lord Min suggested this might be due to deeper factors. Min Xihuan isn't the most powerful official behind the scenes; his influence isn't sufficient. Nor can we be certain that the current Crown Prince colluded with the enemy to secure the throne. The late Crown Prince's murder benefited more than just the current one... We can't alert the Yiju Restaurant or the various forces within the capital, especially those affiliated with the current Crown Prince and the Third Prince. We need to play the long game to lure the bigger fish..."
He told me to keep an eye on the Yiju Restaurant and County Magistrate Wang, as well as the military camp. He would also monitor the movements in the capital. He also wrote a secret letter to Brother Hong, asking him to destroy it immediately after reading it. Lord Min would send someone to assist me, and would gradually place one person each at the Xu family shop, the county government office, and the Hong family...
I told her it was my sister who reminded me of this. Lord Min praised her for her intelligence and called her a heroine. He also said this case was different from other criminal cases, and for her safety, he tried not to bother her as much as possible. The people who helped me didn't know she was involved..."
Zhao Wu had previously discussed the secret code for the meeting with Hong Zhen. Zhao Wu had already gone to the vicinity of the military camp and handed the letter to him. After reading it, he ate it directly.
Things are going very smoothly.
Xu Lanyin thought to himself that Minhu was really wise. He didn't trust either the current crown prince or the third prince, and this was for the best.
The book does not mention that Minister Zhou was attacked, nor does it mention the specific year in which the late Crown Prince Liu Zhaoyin was assassinated.
Suddenly, a hypothesis appeared in Xu Lanyin's mind, so much so that she was frightened by it.
Xu Qingyan, who worked in the secret business, was abruptly called away seven years ago and never returned. What if he was killed for his involvement in this secret? It would be fine if he was a soldier protecting the prince, but if he was an assassin on the prince's side...
"Sister, what's wrong with you? Don't be afraid. Someone has already helped me. Sister, don't get involved. You don't know anything. You just need to get that person into the Xu family shop in a few days." Zhao Wu said. He thought Xu Lanyin was scared.
Xu Lanyin said "Oh" and told herself in her heart that Xu Qingyan was such a righteous man, it was impossible for him to betray his country and assassinate the former crown prince.
Then he asked, "When did the late Crown Prince get assassinated seven years ago?"
Zhao Wudao said, "That incident was a big deal. It seemed to be in the fall, after the Mid-Autumn Festival."
Xu Lanyin remembered that Xu Qingyan was called away in early September.
Xu Lanyin calmed down and washed the dishes, preparing the ingredients for tomorrow's snacks. The government gave Zhao Wu two days off, and he would go to Daxiang Temple tomorrow. Now, Zhao Wu practiced martial arts more diligently.
It was already late in the evening when Xu Lanyin finished her work and returned to her bedroom. The major case that year, Xu Qingyan's disappearance, and the inexplicable sense of amiss kept Xu Lanyin restless.
She opened the kang cabinet and took out a small brocade box. Inside was 1,100 taels of silver notes, a dozen taels of silver ingots, and the 290 taels of silver notes given by the Fujian residents, totaling over 1,300 taels of silver. Now, she had become a moderately wealthy woman. If she saved a little more, she could rent a small building in the provincial capital and open a nice tea shop.
Thinking of the tea shop, she felt a little more relaxed.
It rained that night, the sound of the pattering rain waking Xu Lanyin from her sweet dream. She recalled what Zhao Wu had said, and a hypothesis flooded her mind. The prince's maternal family was surnamed Zhou, and Dr. Zhang had saved the prince's life. Could the small wooden plaque have been given to the old Dr. Zhang by the prince's maternal family? And could the Zhou family be the owner of Baicaotang?
The book states that the Zhou family's ancestors assisted Emperor Taizu in establishing his empire. The first and most virtuous empress of the Daming Dynasty was a daughter of the Zhou family. The Zhou family held an exceptional position in the Daming Dynasty, highly regarded by successive emperors, and never participated in disputes among the princes...
Xu Lanyin was excited. If the small wooden sign really came from the Zhou family, it would be of great use.
The heavy rain hadn't stopped by morning, but Xu Lanyin still woke up with panda eyes. She knocked on Zhao Wu's window and asked if he was still going to Daxiang Temple. Zhao Wu said, "Yes."
Xu Lanyin started making snowballs and butter-baked steamed buns, and soon Zhao Wu came to help.
After breakfast, Zhao Wu left wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat.
Xu Lanyin began drawing patterns on a large piece of paper. She kept revising and revising, not even going out to cook lunch. Qin made a pot of noodles, and after eating outside, she returned to her room to continue drawing.
It was not until the evening that Xu Lanzhou returned home, and Xu Lanyin had not finished her painting, so she had to put down her pen and go to the kitchen to cook.
Xu Lanzhou went home once every ten days, and whenever he came home, the old couple would come to the second house for dinner.
The rain has stopped, but raindrops are still dripping from the eaves and leaves.
Xu Lanzhou smiled and said, "Sister, guess what I brought you?"
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