Chapter 26: Ice and Charcoal in the Furnace
"So, where were the three of you on the night of the incident?"
"That night we went out on patrol together, but Shangluo was injured and young, so he didn't dare go any further when he reached the Crown Prince's residence. I stayed with him, and only Su Yunzhong, who was a martial artist, went to take a look ahead and returned quickly. Later, something happened to the Madam, so the three of us stayed inside. When I went to use the kitchen, Shangluo and Su Yunzhong stayed with me the entire time and never left."
"So, you lived in the same room with Shangluo and Su Yunzhong. Did you notice anything wrong with them?"
Shi Jingning thought for a moment and said, "Su Yunzhong is calm and taciturn. He hasn't had much communication with the two of us, but he's not difficult to get along with. It's just that..."
Qiandeng looked at him: "Just?"
Shi Jingning felt a little embarrassed and told him that Shangluo disliked Su Yunzhong's dirtiness and wanted to change rooms.
Seeing that it was such an insignificant matter in life, Qian Deng didn't care and asked again: "Was Su Yunzhong there when Uncle Fu got into trouble?"
"Yes... Although I once left to borrow the kitchen, Shangluo is lively and talkative. If Su Yunzhong went out alone, he would probably complain to me."
Qian Deng nodded slightly and asked, "Did you bring anything like a carving knife with you when you entered the village?"
"Of course not. I'm here to choose a husband for the County Lady. Why would I bring something like that?" Shi Jingning said this, his cheeks flushed slightly, and his head bowed as low as his voice. "When I was a child, I gave the County Lady a little rabbit, but she wasn't very satisfied. Now that I've practiced more, I'll carve a better one for you in the future."
Qian Deng was about to ask about this, but when he mentioned it, he continued, "Yes, I remember you didn't have a good carving knife when you were a kid. I even asked someone to go to the city and buy you one. I think it was from Qingyanju."
Shi Jingning replied, "Yes, but my workmanship was poor at that time and I failed to live up to the county lady's expectations."
"After you carved the rabbit for me, you didn't seem to take the carving knife away, but I don't remember where I threw it..."
It's impossible for these ten candidates to bring along old carving knives. And the people in the village are all retired veterans, so who knows how to use a carving knife?
Perhaps, the murder weapon that killed Uncle Fu was the one she bought that year.
But she was just a child at the time and had almost forgotten what happened so long ago.
Shi Jingning, however, clearly remembered every detail of their time together, as if carefully preserving one of his few treasures. He whispered, "My Lady, you forgot. You carelessly threw the carving knife into the drawer. Madam taught you not to be so careless with sharp objects, lest you cut your hand next time."
Speaking of Madam, his expression darkened, and he continued, "Madam gave you some paper to wrap it up. Do you remember?"
Just as a flash of white light suddenly flashed through Qiandeng's mind, she suddenly remembered where she had put the carving knife that summer many years ago.
Under her mother's guidance, she wrapped the carving knife thickly with paper, making it into a long paper envelope the size of a palm, and put it in her mother's drawer where she kept her needlework.
——That is, the drawer where her mother asked her to look for letters before she passed away.
She didn't find the letter in the drawer, but she also didn't see the wrapped carving knife in the drawer.
The disappeared carving knife eventually appeared in the woodshed and became the murder weapon of Uncle Fu.
And that letter... the letter that my mother said could change her life, is still missing.
Could my mother's death be related to that letter?
Did the murderer kill my mother that night and then take the letter? What exactly was in the letter?
Perhaps because he was too tired, Qiandeng's back was covered with sweat again.
She managed to calm herself down, regain her composure, and finished the biscuit in her hand.
Under Shi Jingning's earnest gaze, she closed the lunch box and returned it to him along with the three remaining snacks. She said, "Thank you very much for your concern. This cake is delicious. But after all, our status is not convenient, so you can take the rest back with you."
Shi Jingning's eyes dimmed slightly. He took it silently and said softly, "Okay."
After Shi Jingning left, Qiandeng stood in the corner for a while, thinking about the situation he was facing.
Zhuangzi was guarded by the Shuofang Army, which was like an iron barrel. No matter who the murderer was, she was not afraid of anyone escaping.
The three candidates lived in the same room, allowing them to monitor each other. If one were to take action against them, their whereabouts would not be difficult to track.
She walked back slowly, thinking about how to find out their background without making any noise, when suddenly she heard a faint sound of music.
The sound of music came from the water, it was not clear, but it was full of sadness.
This sorrowful and desolate feeling was like a veil of mist, enveloping her tightly. At this moment, the pain of losing her mother and all her loved ones surged into her heart, making her want to throw herself into someone's warm embrace and cry bitterly.
But is there anyone in this world who can hold her like that and be her unwavering support?
Qiandeng turned the corner of the house and followed the sound, and saw a lotus-colored figure leaning against a pomegranate tree.
In late summer, pomegranate flowers fell one after another on the blue lotus silk with linked bead patterns. The interweaving of such colorful colors made the music seem even more desolate and lonely.
She stopped and listened. The mournful music made her eyes burn. The figure seemed to sense someone approaching and turned to look at her.
It was Xue Xiyang, the Grand Master of Music. He was a master of music theory, and even without an instrument, he could create melodious music by whistling leaves. (Note: Whistling leaves refers to blowing on leaves.)
Seeing Qiandeng coming, he put down the poplar leaves in his hand.
"I'm sorry, did I disturb the county lady?" He asked knowingly, walking forward and gazing at her. His peach blossom eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, were covered with a thin film of tears. "It's just that I was saddened by the turmoil in Chang'an and the passing of my wife. I couldn't help but bring up the county lady's worries..."
Qian Deng shook his head and said, "It's nothing, everyone is the same. In this situation, who wouldn't worry about their friends and family?"
Seeing her red eyes, Xue Xiyang couldn't help but take a half step closer to her. His superior voice became even softer: "County Lady, I know you must be extremely sad right now, but I hope you can accept my condolences. I think if Madam knew about this, she would definitely hope that her child would live well. I hope you take good care of yourself."
These gentle words made Qiandeng's throat choke, and he was speechless. He just nodded silently and said "hmm" softly.
"Fortunately, thanks to the County Lady's steadfast character, she has single-handedly supported the entire village, giving us a place to stay amidst this chaotic situation." Xue Xiyang's voice was extremely low, and his gaze fixed on her was like the lingering spring breeze and gentle rain of the south of the Yangtze River. "County Lady, when I sang 'Su Mu Zha' the other day, I knew that you, like me, are both sensitive and easily depressed. If you don't give up, you can come to me. I'm happy to listen to your worries and concerns..."
Qian Deng didn't melt into his lingering gaze. Instead, she silently took a step back, as if to escape the lingering aura around him. "No need. You are only here because of the court's selection. It's already inappropriate for us to meet privately. It would be unreasonable for us to meet again."
Xue Xiyang lowered his thick lashes to cover his captivating peach blossom eyes: "The county lady is right, Xiyang has overstepped his bounds."
Is he so eager to get close to her because he still can't let go of that bet?
A feeling of annoyance and pain surged in his heart, but Qiandeng took a deep breath and forced it down.
Under the current circumstances, she believed that he would not do that.
She turned her head and changed the subject: "When the incident happened in the manor that day, I was worried about my mother and didn't take good care of you. I wonder where Master Xue was at the time, and if he was frightened?"
Xue Xiyang said softly, "Thank you for your concern, County Master. I was guarding the east gate with my roommates Ji Linyou and Yan Penglai. Brother Ji is a skilled warrior, and we were always with him. Plus, we had the sickle the manor gave us, which gave us peace of mind."
Xue Xiyang was a smart man. Before she asked, he confessed everything. In just a few words, he explained that he had neither the time to commit the crime nor the hatchet to chop open the door bolt.
Qiandeng nodded. His words were not difficult to verify. Once confirmed, the suspicion of the three of them could be accurately cleared.
As she turned to leave, she glanced at the poplar leaf in his hand and said, "Master Xue, please stop bragging. It makes me feel even more uncomfortable."
"Yes." He responded, looking at her leaving figure, the moisture in his eyes disappeared, and he tore off the leaf feeling bored.
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