White Jade Crossbow (1)
After Qu Xiang finished tidying up the things in his hands, he gently blew on the ink on the paper, then looked closer to make sure it was correct before putting it away.
"Why did Master Su come to my place?" Qu Xiang stood up to replace the candles. "Let alone passing by, why would one of the Black and White Devils of Anfeng come to see a female doctor for no reason?"
Su Zhan sealed his lips, "You know I can't tell you."
Qu Xiang packed up and prepared to rest. The night mist quietly overflowed and gently wrapped the wooden house and courtyard. The fireflies that took off in groups at first had now disappeared.
"Aren't you leaving yet? I want to rest." Qu Xiang cut the candle wick. It was pitch dark in the room, with only the moonlight shining through the leaves, casting mottled shadows.
Half of Su Zhanfeng's face was submerged in the night, while the other half illuminated the broken black shadow.
He stared at the woman's bright eyes for a while, then used a tinder to light the candle again. He took something out of his pocket and said, "When I'm not around, use this to protect yourself."
Since the Qu family was wiped out, Su Zhanfeng came to see Qu Xiang from time to time. After thinking about it, he realized that he could not be with her most of the time, so he made a secret box.
There is a word "Xiang" engraved on the surface of the sandalwood box. The lines are very fine, and it can be seen that the carver put a lot of effort into it.
"There's a fine needle inside. I know Miss Qu is well versed in acupuncture points and meridians. If you're in danger, push this button and the fine needle will fly out, saving you from danger."
Su Zhanfeng pointed the sandalwood box at the straw figure, aimed at the acupuncture point, and pierced the needle through the straw and into the wall.
Qu Xiang took it and tried it, "What if there are no more needles?"
The man paused, thinking for a moment, "Every time you use the needle, if you can get it back, do so. If you really can't, forget it. Just send me a message in advance and I'll bring it to you."
The corners of Qu Xiang's lips rippled, but he suppressed it again, "Yeah, okay."
"Thank you very much."
Su Zhanfeng didn't know what to say next. He looked away and nodded woodenly, "Yeah."
"I'm leaving. Send a message whenever you need me."
He turned around, climbed out the window and left, leaping into the darkness.
Xu Ning got up to go to the bathroom and saw that the light was still on in Qu Xiang's room. As she rubbed her eyes, she saw a dark figure flash by. "Sister Qu, was there someone coming home just now?"
Qu Xiang took off his outer robe and hung it up. "No, a little wild monkey came in and asked for food."
"Oh." Xu Ning didn't take it to heart and poured a cup of tea to moisten his throat.
"You should go and rest soon, you get up early every day."
Qu Xiang didn't want her to notice anything unusual, so he urged her.
Xu Ning didn't think much about it. His head was dizzy and he staggered back to the house.
…
One day, when Xu Ning came back from practicing sword, Qu Yi was pacing back and forth in front of her door.
"I've been thinking about it these past few days, and what you said makes sense."
Xu Ning raised his eyebrows and called Tang Xixu and Qu Xiang over. It was dinner time, so the four of them sat together.
"Most of the people who came to pay their respects at the funeral were people with whom my father had business dealings. There were very few people from the underworld. The only other person was that eunuch Wen Liang."
Xu Ning frowned, tapping the tabletop lightly with her index finger. Tang Xixu put down his bowl and chopsticks and asked, "Master Qu, do you have a list of the people who came to pay their respects the other day?"
Qu Yi revealed a trace of sadness and pulled up the corners of his lips. "My sister and I are the only ones left in the Qu family. Why would anyone write a list? Those people are lucky enough not to see that the Qu family is in such a state of decline and come to take advantage of it."
Xu Ning pursed his lips, but eventually swallowed the words back.
Tang Xixu placed a boneless pork chop in Xu Ning's bowl and said what Xu Ning wanted to say, "Mr. Qu, please write down who you can think of."
Qu Yi laughed angrily and looked up at the two of them. One of them was busy eating, while the other was picking up vegetables from her bowl, smiling: "Eat slowly."
These two people are really a couple.
After dinner, Qu Yi wrote a list and one name caught Xu Ning's attention.
"Han Li. Why is he here?"
"Han Li is the eldest son of the Nanyang Marquisate. He won the third place in the imperial examination last year and is currently a compiler in the Hanlin Academy." This is what Tang Xixu knew for the time being.
Qu Yi added, "He is also a student of Fang Ji, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy."
"Fang, Ji." This was the first time Xu Ning heard the names.
"Is there any connection between Hanli and the Qu family?"
Qu Xiang, who had been silent the whole time, said, "One day before I got married, I happened to see in my father's account book a record of 'On the ninth day of the first lunar month in the twenty-third year of Zhenning, Handi bought a pair of white jade crossbows.'"
"White jade?" Xu Ning was surprised that someone could use such a crisp material to make weapons. "Bow and crossbow?"
"Yes. This kind of crossbow is not for use, but as a decoration." Qu Yi added.
"Can you draw a picture of this crossbow?"
Qu Xiang roughly drew the shape of a crossbow. Xu Ning held up the drawing and looked at it from left to right, feeling that it looked familiar. He searched his mind for a long time but couldn't find the answer.
Tang Xixu glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, and his eyes under the mask sank to the bottom of the sea, his smile disappeared, and there was a bit of coldness reflected in the candlelight.
After the two of them finished their walk, Xu Ning went back first. When they reached the door, he smiled and said goodbye: "Have a good night. Good night."
The fine lines on the dark blue robe flickered, and the young man curled his lips in a faint smile, "Good night."
After walking a few steps, he suddenly remembered something and turned back.
"If you're hungry at night, come to me and I'll cook for you. Don't try to steal the leftovers from dinner; it's bad for your health."
Xu Ning's pupils were slightly stunned. How did he know that I went out to eat secretly at night?
The woman put her hands behind her back, looked down at her shadow, and rubbed one foot repeatedly on the branches on the ground.
I have the illusion that when I was a child, I was caught eating spicy strips outside by my parents.
Xu Ning lowered his head and whispered, "I understand." His voice was so soft that no one could hear it unless they moved closer.
"What?"
The young man's eyes were fixed on the top of the woman's head, and his voice was gentle.
Xu Ning raised his head and bumped into Mo Tong, "I know."
A smile spread across his handsome face, his eyes deep, "Okay."
Is it very hot today? Xu Ning looked up at the sky.
Why did her face feel a little hot and her heart pounding? After Tang Xixu left, Xu Ning breathed a sigh of relief and forced herself to calm down.
He is just a little bit better looking, okay, just a little bit better looking than ordinary people.
Xu Ning patted her face to sober herself up. Xu Ning, oh Xu Ning, why are you so disappointing? He just smiled, why are you blushing?
…
Pei Yuanchi wiped his fan, a large dice placed in the center of his bedroom. Old Master Pei forbad his grandson to do such things, but Pei Yuanchi had secured a leisurely official position that kept him from attending court, spending most of his time in Buhuo City.
The Hua family has been in turmoil lately. Hua Mingru, the Left Censor-in-Chief, has accused the imperial concubines of interfering in state affairs and disregarding the safety of their family. The emperor is now struggling to figure out how to rectify the situation. Hua's mother wrote to Hua Xing a few days ago and returned home a few days ago.
Pei Yuanchi's residence was not as small as Tang Xixu's, but it was much brighter, with a hint of orange and red in the dark yellow.
The iron rod slammed against the ground, splashing sparks of fire. Liu Han leaned forward and kicked sideways, his eyes moving slightly, and hit the iron pillar with the rod. The iron pillar with golden patterns had several black rod marks and was smoking.
Suddenly, a gust of wind pushed open the main door, and a cold light flashed in the woman's pupils. Liu Han jumped in front of the door and swung out her stick to meet the attack, but the intruder dodged sideways and hit her chest with a palm. The force was not strong enough to cause any internal injuries.
The woman fell to the ground. Pei Yuanchi glanced sideways and threw out the fan that Fang had been wiping. It lightly brushed against the woman's hair, and the next second, the broken hair fell to the ground.
A dark blue figure appeared in front of the door, took the folding fan and fanned it a few times, perhaps because he was getting warm from doing it just now.
"It's you?" Pei Yuanchi curled his lips and smiled lightly, "What's the matter with the Lord of Feng Buhuo City?"
Tang Xixu narrowed his eyes, put away his fan, sat down on the stool, and poured himself a cup of tea.
"I came to see you for something important." The young man said in a deep voice.
"What important matter requires you to come here in person?" Pei Yuanchi walked over, fanning himself. Liu Han straightened her clothes and stood beside Pei Yuanchi.
Tang Xixu took out a piece of paper and put it on the table, then continued drinking tea.
Pei Yuanchi took a look and said, "Isn't this just a crossbow? What's so suspicious about it?"
"This is made of white jade."
Something flashed in Liu Han's eyes for a moment, and a needle pierced his heart.
Pei Yuanchi glanced coldly at the person behind him.
"White jade crossbow, in Youzhou this is the way for men to express their love to women." Tang Xixu raised his eyes and looked at the dazed Liu Han.
This white jade crossbow is placed in the main hall and can be seen by any visitor entering the house.
Liu Han knelt down quickly and said, "City Lord, I really don't know the meaning of this crossbow. Last year, on my birthday, I was out of town doing some shopping when a flower boy suddenly came up to me and put the box in my arms."
"And there's a letter."
Liu Han went into the room and searched for a while before taking it out of the dressing table.
The handwriting is restrained, yet it hides a sharp edge.
It's just some congratulatory words, no useful information.
"In the first month of the twenty-third year of Zhenning, the prince of Nanyang Marquisate, Han Li, ordered an identical pair."
"Miss Liu, don't tell me this is a coincidence." Tang Xixu's eyes were sharp, but there was still an elegant smile on his face.
After a few seconds of silence, Pei Yuanchi was the first to speak and break the awkwardness, "Is there anything else going on?"
Tang Xixu poured a cup of tea and presented it to Liu Han, "Miss Liu, you must think clearly about how Princess Huayu died. Don't forget it."
Liu Han knelt on one leg, leaned forward and clasped her fists. The courtyard was cool and a breeze blew. The woman's eyes were fixed on the orange tea. The surface of the water swayed, and the half-hidden full moon swayed with it.
"Yes, City Lord. Liu Han has never forgotten the dirty things that the Nanyang Marquisate did to my sister." The woman raised her eyes with a firm look, took the tea, drank it in one gulp, and "Ding!" The teacup fell on the bluestone table.
Tang Xixu lowered his head, the corners of his lips slightly raised, and a hint of pride appeared in the corners of his eyes.
"This white jade crossbow was indeed given to my subordinate by Handi."
"Since that incident, I have rarely interacted with him."
"How much do you know about the Handan family?" Tang Xixu closed his eyes and rubbed the cup.
Liu Han thought for a moment and said something that Tang Xixu might not know, "Although Han Li is the heir of the Nanyang Marquisate, he is not the son of the current Marquis' wife. The current one was raised from his concubine."
"Speaking of the Nanyang Marquis's wife, Madam Wen, she is the current Empress Dowager's cousin. Madam Wen is kind and amiable, and treats people with generosity. She would not be harsh even if a servant made a mistake."
"And the current one was originally the daughter of a merchant. The Marquis of Nanyang met her while serving outside the capital and took her home. About two or three years after this concubine married, Madam Wen died of illness."
Tang Xixu tapped the stone table with his index finger and asked softly, "How did he die of illness?"
"I don't know about that. I often mentioned this to Han Li in previous years, but he always avoided talking about it."
"Okay, go down."
Liu Han clasped his fists, bowed and left.
Tang Xixu glanced sideways with a sharp look, pinched the teacup between two fingers and threw it horizontally.
"who!"
The teacup fell on his palm, and it was a little painful. "It's me, it's me." Xu Ning shook his hand that was about to catch the cup, and his palm turned red in pain.
Tang Xixu's eyes and eyebrows were gentle, turning into two water lilies, "It's so late, Ningning, why don't you rest?"
Then he realized something and asked tentatively, "Are you hungry?"
With outsiders around, Xu Ning's face was filled with embarrassment. "What are you talking about? Am I the kind of person who can eat a lot?"
The young man narrowed his eyes into slits and smiled without saying a word.
Xu Ning didn't shy away from the question and said directly, "I heard the second half. What do you think?"
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