Chapter 38 Dream
The gently swaying branches seemed to be constantly shaking and swaying in his heart, allowing him to vaguely see the half-profile figure inside through the gauze curtain.
It was like an illusion, and suddenly the scene flashed before his eyes to last August. When he first came to the palace and was exposed by the county lord for doing evil to Jin Tang, he also saw this graceful and hazy figure.
At that time, the sunlight shone obliquely from behind her, casting a layer of brilliant light on her behind the gauze curtain, shimmeringly embracing her slender shoulders and waist, outlining blurred lines.
The sudden pounding in his heart at that moment has not dissipated to this day.
Qiandeng in the tent slowly finished a cup of tea and handed the teacup out of the tent.
At this moment, there was a loud thunder, and the turbulent gauze curtains fluttered like water waves, and were suddenly split by a lightning, leaving the room dark.
Amidst the lingering fragrance and hazy sleepiness, the sleepy Qiandeng saw through the gap in the gauze curtain the corners of the man's lips outside that were slightly pursed. A pair of deep dimples looked particularly hazy and intoxicating under the swaying light.
Just like that night when she saw the dimples on Ling Tianshui's cheeks under the flickering torchlight in the forest.
The impression at that moment was so deep. There were obviously other people who showed their smiles in front of her more often, but there was only that person in her heart and dreams. It was natural to think that the dimples that appeared here late at night should belong to him.
"Why are you here?" She felt dizzy and confused by the fragrance, and lay down again safely. Because of her complete trust in him, she forgot to be on guard in her dream.
Meng Lanxi listened to her murmurs without any intention of blaming her, and even seemed to think that such closeness between them was normal.
Unspeakable joy welled up in his heart, and he called her softly in a low voice, "County Lady..."
Qian Deng, still half-asleep in a sweet dream, subconsciously murmured, "Can't you call me Deng Deng?"
Meng Lanxi seemed to be lost in a dream as well. In a dizzy happiness that she had never dared to imagine, she called out softly, "Deng Deng..."
When Qian Deng heard the sound, even though the room was filled with hypnotic incense, he finally woke up and realized that the person outside the curtain who also had dimples was not Ling Tianshui.
She felt remorseful, and her voice became cold and sober: "Mr. Meng, you shouldn't come here to listen to my sleep talk in the middle of the night."
"Yes, Lanxi has overstepped his authority." Meng Lanxi immediately stood up and stepped back.
Liuli, who was awakened by the thunder, hurried in to check if the county lady was asleep. She was surprised to see Meng Lanxi inside.
"The county lady is thirsty. I saw that you were still asleep, so I entered without permission." Meng Lanxi hurriedly put the cup back on the table and quickly walked out of the inner hall.
The maid who was waiting outside for the night came hurriedly, cast a condemning look at him for his presumptuous behavior, and hurriedly checked whether the county lady was frightened.
He felt like he was sitting on a thorn in his back, holding up his umbrella and walking on the road.
When he reached the gate of the courtyard in the heavy rain as he had come in, the cold raindrops hit his cheeks, causing a flash of thought to flash through his mind, and he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
He slowly turned around and looked at the courtyard shrouded in soft rain.
The flower branches that were swaying like water waves, the bare hands that stretched out from the branches, and the figure with blurred lines, were just within his reach, but now they were far away and beyond his reach.
In the backyard of this palace, there is a person who can be called Dengdeng.
Not him.
Ever since the incident involving Princess Xiao Fuyu of Changyi, Qiandeng had not taken the initiative to request an audience with the Crown Prince. However, after careful consideration, he submitted a letter to the Eastern Palace.
Although the prince was busy with his western tour, he would never neglect her, and this time was no exception.
Before she reached the palace, she saw the prince coming out of the inner hall. The moment he saw her, a smile appeared in his eyes and his steps towards her became lighter.
"Lingling, last time you said you wanted to go with me to the northwest. I was discussing this matter at the Ministry of War today. I wonder how many people you have here, and whether you want to join forces with the imperial army?"
Seeing that he was still distracted from his busy schedule, Qian Deng was moved and thanked him: "Thank you, Your Highness. However, some things have happened in my mansion. I still want to think about going to the northwest and returning to Kucha."
The prince did not blame her. He just sat down in front of her with concern and asked, "What's wrong? I heard that another young man in your house is in trouble?"
"Yes, and we still have no clue about the body found on the canal." The Crown Prince was well-informed, so Qian Deng naturally did not hide it from him. "I came to see Your Highness today because of this matter."
"The young man who was murdered this time was the youngest son of the Jin family, the richest family in Chang'an, right? I heard his killer was a clerk in the Imperial Guards named Ji Linyou."
Her marriage is now the biggest topic of conversation in Chang'an City. Moreover, the prince cares about her very much, so he naturally knows the inside story.
"I heard the case was extremely complex, the method used was bizarre and ingenious, but Lingling, you are incredibly intelligent. Not only did you thoroughly investigate the method in a single day and night, but you also provided irrefutable evidence and solid reasoning. Not only have the judicial officials applauded you, but now the entire city is talking about your murder."
Despite his high praise, Qian Deng lowered his eyes sadly, shook his head and said, "I requested to see Your Highness today because of this matter."
The prince asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
"Ji Linyou is indeed a major suspect in this case. All clues seem to point to him. Based on all the evidence so far, he could only have committed the crime... However, I feel there are too many suspicious points in this case, and there is still a lot that needs to be verified, which makes me feel uneasy." Qian Deng said hesitantly, "However, both the murderer and the victim are candidates for the position of Prince of our mansion. The facts of this case are so clear. If I add any complications, I am worried that the Jin family will be heartbroken and suffer, which will only add to their grief."
"Hmm, is that so?" The prince sighed silently and said in relief, "In that case, I'll tell the Imperial Guards not to rush into dealing with Ji Linyou until you've thoroughly investigated the matter. As for this case, the courts will also have to conduct a comprehensive investigation, so it's reasonable that it will take some time."
Qiandeng thanked him deeply and was about to talk about what happened next when it was almost noon and the kitchen had already delivered the meal.
She was about to get up and say goodbye, but the prince urged her to stay, saying, "I have something else to tell you. Please stay and have dinner with me."
Qian Deng hesitated for a moment: "I'm afraid this... is against etiquette?"
"How could that be? You just hosted a banquet for me a few days ago. Today, this is just a casual meal. It's not even a return invitation. What's the etiquette?"
Having lunch with the prince was certainly not a good job. The palace maids who came and went presented exquisite but boring dishes. Although the imperial chef's skills were not bad, cooking for the royal family was limited in many ways, and the dishes were all the same and tasteless.
"From now on, I'll go to your house and eat for free." The prince joked with her, "Of course, I'll go there quietly and eat the same daily meals as you. Don't make the house too busy, otherwise Aunt Xuanji will get tired again."
"Aunt Xuanji has been recuperating for a few days and is now much better," Qiandeng replied. "To receive such praise from the Crown Prince, I will definitely reward the cooks and maids at the mansion when I return. Actually, this is also my first time learning how to entertain distinguished guests at the mansion. I was so flustered that I almost couldn't handle such a large occasion."
"Don't be so modest. I see that your house is well-maintained, and the sacrificial offerings were excellent. Apart from anything else, the banquets you hold are as impressive as those held by great families like Cui, Lu, Wang, and Xie."
Qian Deng pursed her lips and smiled. "It was Cui Shaoqing, his savvy, who carefully arranged this with Aunt Xuanji. Before this, although I knew the banquet would include dishes, spices, pan-fried dishes, and fancy decorations, I'd never really paid much attention to them, and the people in the mansion rarely prepared them. It wasn't until Cui Shaoqing brought the patterns from home that we learned the complete set of seventy-two 'Steamed Vegetables' dishes, a popular dish among the wealthy families in Chang'an. The cooks then invited Xue Langjun, a skilled painter, to provide guidance, and Jintang hired a skilled pastry craftsman to teach and assist. The other Langjuns also contributed, and we were finally able to put together a decent banquet."
"Actually, what we eat may not be important. What's important is..." The prince said halfway, looking at her expression when she mentioned the gentlemen, and then changed the subject. "I heard that your potential husbands now often dine with you. Is that true?"
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