At the beginning of the Xu hour, I met Duan Xiao on the second floor of the library.
I carefully read the note from beginning to end, then folded it up and put it away. I looked at the respectful maid in front of me and said, "Thank you for your hard work in delivering the message. There is a reward."
"Thank you, Zhaoyi Mu." She lowered her head even lower.
I then called Xiao Cui over and whispered a few words to her. After she left, I took a sip of the digestive soup and asked, "Do you know who wrote this letter?"
She looked up at me and immediately lowered her head: "Don't worry, Zhaoyi Mu, I don't know anything."
I nodded with satisfaction: "Then I will give you more rewards."
"Thank you, Zhaoyi Mu!" There was some excitement in her voice, but before she finished speaking, she suddenly screamed.
I quickly stood up and went forward to help. Xiao Cui took a thick rope and tied the maid up from behind. I pressed down hard on her shoulders as she tried to struggle. Xiao Tao on the side took a few more ropes, added a few more circles, and tied a few tight knots.
After all the actions, I took a few breaths, and Xiaotao and Xiaocui's faces were also rosy - I didn't expect that tying someone up would be so tiring, although it was quite exciting.
I looked at the maidservant in front of me, who had been almost tied up like a dumpling by the three of us, and my brows tightened. "Tell me, who sent you here?"
Doctor Jiang and I were tricked last time. Do you think I'd fall for this trick again? Even if I haven't really experienced palace fighting, I've read some fancy palace fighting stories, okay?
Panic flashed across her eyes but she immediately calmed down: "Mu Zhaoyi you——"
"It's the Second Prince of Qixia!" She looked at me and said, "I wanted to keep it a secret for you, my lady, but I didn't expect you to treat me like this!"
He actually bit me back! If I hadn't exchanged letters with Duan Xiao after he was injured, I wouldn't be so sure now!
The handwriting on this note was completely different from that on that day, and Duan Xiao only signed it with the word "Xiao".
The maidservant in front of me seemed quite stubborn. Seeing that it was getting late, I was thinking of not going to this fake appointment. But when I thought about what would happen if Duan Xiao went to the appointment, it would not look good after all. Thinking about how he had saved me many times, I decided to let him know.
"Take her to the side room and take care of her first." I said to Xiao Cui and Xiao Tao, then headed towards the library.
As autumn approaches, the days gradually become shorter, and it is already dark before the hour of Xu. The library, with its soaring eaves and pointed corners, looks majestic and solemn.
When I went up to the second floor of the library, I didn't even see the guard. I couldn't help but sigh inwardly that the person who set up this trap was really considerate.
When I reached the stairs, I suddenly saw light in the room on the second floor.
The dim light vaguely outlined the lines of Duan Xiao's profile. He was sitting at a wooden table with a scroll of bamboo slips in his hands, his brows furrowed in concentration, unlike his usual carefree and casual self.
I took a step forward, and he quickly turned his head to look at me—
"stupid."
"stupid."
When our eyes met, we spoke in unison.
He raised his eyebrows, and I immediately raised the note in my hand: "You've fallen into a trap, you know! I'm just trying to warn you out of kindness!"
He was startled when he heard that, then he picked up a piece of paper on the table and shook it at me: "Not bad."
?
He put down the bamboo slips and said leisurely, "I didn't want to come in the first place, but I was afraid you'd fall into a trap, so I came to remind you."
This person——Why is he stealing my lines!?
The room was quiet for a few seconds, and then we smiled at each other.
I waved my hand and turned around: "As long as everything is fine, I'll go back to interrogate the person."
"Wait," he stopped me, then said slowly, "I've interrogated one before, he's quite courageous."
I turned to look at him. He had his arms crossed over his chest, a smile on his face. "Let's catch the thief together, want to?"
I raised my eyebrows, interested: "Okay."
After making sure there was no incense burning or medicine boiling around, I sat down in front of him with confidence, and the two of us waited to see what the person who set up this trap was up to.
Being idle and bored, I casually asked, "I heard that you brought two beauties to Chengqing Palace a few days ago?"
He tilted his head and said with a half-smile: "Yeah."
I wanted to hear what he had to say next, but he deliberately kept me in suspense and stopped talking, just looking at me.
I cleared my throat and said, "You're already the second prince of Qixia. Why are you only sending two beauties? If word gets out, it'll seem insincere."
"Yes," he nodded, "actually there are eight of them. I'm taking two to see His Majesty first."
I was choked again, and tried to maintain a smile: "That was my misunderstanding of the Second Prince. The Second Prince was really well prepared."
He smiled slightly and remained silent, still unwilling to reveal anything more.
I simply gave up and was about to get up to pick a book from the shelf when he suddenly said, "Are you very concerned?"
Before I could answer, he chuckled and said, "That beauty was given to me by Minister Hua."
I stopped and turned to look at him. He said calmly, "That day, I was taking a nap in the inn. When I opened my eyes, I saw eight people standing in front of me."
Thinking about that scene, I couldn't help laughing out loud. He pretended to rub his eyebrows and said, "Then I rolled out of bed."
"Puchi——" This time I didn't hide anything and burst into laughter with my mouth open.
He raised his eyebrows: "After all, I saved you, right? Are you so heartless?"
I cooperated by closing my mouth and winking at him to signal him to continue.
"Then I took two people with me to find Song Heng and 'demand punishment.'" He smiled softly.
I suddenly realized: "Did you roll off the bed on purpose?"
"Not bad," he praised me again, "I'll always find some excuse to accuse you."
"And you and His Majesty Song... sided with each other and had Minister Hua fined two months' salary?" I continued to reason.
"Mu Chenshuang, you're such a pleasant surprise," he said, his eyes showing approval. He then changed the subject: "This was quite amusing in the court. I said that someone had inexplicably stuffed someone into my inn, and it scared me so much that I fell and got hurt. Song Heng comforted me while pretending to plead for Minister Hua."
I burst out laughing again, what a playful couple these two are!
"Only you would bring up the matter of sending a beautiful woman openly," I couldn't help but tease, "I'm afraid Minister Hua must have scolded you thousands of times in private for having a mental problem."
"Heh," he said seriously, "I'm glad I didn't scold him for shoving people in for no reason."
"I just want to please you because you look like a playboy!" I continued to reply with a smile.
"Hey," he suddenly became serious, "You think of me like this?"
Seeing his expression froze, he said word by word, "I have never asked for a female attendant at a banquet."
When he mentioned "banquet", I suddenly remembered that at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, some of the royal relatives had beauties pouring wine for them, but he was sitting alone at the table.
He seemed to remember that day as well: "You saw me that day."
I nodded, and just as I was wondering what to say, he suddenly turned his eyes to the dark side of a bookshelf and whispered, "Here I am."
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