Chapter 280 Lure the snake out of its hole
In August, osmanthus flowers are blooming everywhere.
A faint sweet osmanthus fragrance wafts from the wealthy alleys near the imperial city. On breezy afternoons, girls and boys use bamboo poles to knock on the osmanthus flowers, catch the scattered osmanthus flowers in cloth bags, and dry them in the sun, or mix them with honey to make osmanthus wine, or use them to make cakes, or use them to make tea. People sit under the corridors and enjoy the tranquility.
The Xie family used to be just an ordinary minor official in the capital. Because their daughter became a princess, they were promoted from a sixth-rank minor official to a fourth-rank official. But even so, this fourth-rank official was just a nominal official (a kind of official rank, with an official title and treatment, but no actual duties). To put it bluntly, it was similar to the viscount among the five ranks, with a fixed salary every year, which was equivalent to becoming a small middle-class person without having to work.
For ordinary people, such days are like those in heaven, but for the upper class, they can't even reach the edge. The Xie family is in such an embarrassing position. Even if the son-in-law of the Xie family is the Prince of Yan, such days don't improve much. In fact, because they can't provide much help to the Prince of Yan, the Xie family has to keep a low profile.
Xie Qingyu was sitting in the corridor reading a book when she heard the sound of maids beating osmanthus flowers. The osmanthus flowers fell so neatly and in large numbers that the maids could not help but exclaim.
The bursts of laughter distracted her and she didn't turn the page for a long time.
The eldest maid came close to her master and said, "Yu Niang, otherwise, we won't let them fight in the yard."
Xie Qingyu waved his hand and asked, "What time is it?"
"Shin Shi-jeong."
"Then it will be evening in two hours."
"Yes, Yu Niang." The maid felt her master's tone and said, "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something to fill your stomach first?"
Xie Qingyu looked up at the sky. It was almost dusk. It was the second day of the poison attack...
Suddenly, she asked, "Where is Cuigu?"
"Yu Niang wants to see her now?"
"Hmm..." After thinking for a while, Xie Qingyu said, "Forget it." Even if it was a eunuch in the palace, so what? They didn't have the antidote anyway. She just had to wait patiently.
Slowly, the sun moved westward. Xie Yuqing ate a piece of freshly made osmanthus cake, drank a few sips of tea, stood up, and asked the maid to clean up. She took the book and walked towards the room while admiring the scenery.
Suddenly, a maid came hurriedly.
The eldest girl looked and said, "It's Cui Gu."
Xie Qingyu stopped.
Cui Gu quickly walked to her master, knelt down and saluted, "Madam Yu."
Whenever Cui Gu came, the eldest maid would send away the maids and servants around them, and would walk aside to prevent anyone from getting close.
When Cui Gu saw that everyone had left, she said softly, "Madam, that man went to Wangchunmen Restaurant again."
Xie Qingyu was delighted and reached out to fix her hair and clothes. Halfway through, she suddenly stopped and asked, "Shouldn't he be in the West Mountain of Weizhou now?"
Cui Gu agreed, "Yes, madam, that's why I hesitated for a long time before coming over after seeing you."
"Half a day?" Xie Qingyu frowned. "Do you mean that he didn't go to the West Mountain of Weizhou with the eunuchs in the palace today, or did Eunuch Tu not go either?"
"This... this slave doesn't know, I just listen to you, my lady. As long as that person goes to the Wangchunmen Restaurant, I will come and tell you."
Xie Qingyu, who was just happy, stopped in his tracks and said, "Impossible..."
Everyone in the capital knew how good Zhao Lan was to his teacher's daughter. He had long been determined to marry her. Knowing that she was poisoned and her life was in danger, he still had the leisure to go to the restaurant?
"What was he doing when you came?"
"My lady, it seems that several groups of people were received, but you did not tell me who they were, and I did not inquire."
Yes, she just took a few secret glances every time and never asked who that person was associated with, but today she especially wanted to know.
"Go and find out who he met."
Cui Gu hesitated and dared not move, because he was a nobleman of the rank of a prince.
Xie Qingyu's face turned cold, "Give her the silver."
The eldest maid took out a Jiaozi from her sleeve pocket. Cui Gu took a look and found that it was twenty taels. She was delighted. As expected, whenever it came to Prince Zhao, Lady Yu seemed particularly generous.
It’s no wonder that a man as handsome as a flower is willing to spend money on even the stingy young lady.
If Zhao Lan knew that he was only worth twenty taels, I wonder what he would feel.
It was getting dark. After having dinner with her family, Xie Qingyu returned to her yard. "Is Cuigu not here yet?"
"My lady, he hasn't come yet."
"What about Hong Gu?"
"He hasn't come either." Seeing her master looking anxious, the eldest maid said, "Madam, Hong Gu is in charge of information. Maybe it would be faster to ask her to find out why that person is not in Weizhou."
Looking at the dim oil lamp, Xie Qingyu suppressed her anxiety, slowly became calm, and once again became a steady and dignified young lady.
It's late at night and everyone is asleep.
After a day's work, Prince Wei came to Wensheng Restaurant.
This restaurant is near Wangchun Gate and used to belong to Xu Ma, the housekeeper of Princess Jin. Later, when the Xu family got into trouble, the restaurant became Zhao Lan's asset and was renamed Wensheng Restaurant.
The restaurant opened by Zhao Lan at Dongshan Academy was called Dongsheng Restaurant. Most of the restaurants he opened had the word "sheng" at the end of their names.
When Prince Wei arrived, someone was sitting in a private room reserved for him. The window was open, facing the long street. It was the end of the hour of Xu, and there were not many people on the street. Only the lanterns hanging high in front of restaurants and shops were dotted with stars, adding bright colors to the night.
Prince Wei frowned. It was late August and the evening breeze was quite chilly. This man was so sad that he didn't even know to close the window. He walked over and asked the servants to close the window.
The servants dare not.
Prince Wei looked at the man sitting at the table like a rock, and couldn't help asking, "Are you trying to 'alert the enemy' by using this window?"
Zhao Lan leaned on the table with both hands, his eyes wandering, as if he had lost his soul, and it seemed that he did not hear what Prince Wei was asking him.
Prince Wei looked at Shuangrui again.
Shuangrui sighed and glanced at the food on the table. From yesterday till now, his master had not eaten a single grain of rice except for a few glasses of water.
Prince Wei also sighed along with Shuangrui. Knowing that Zhao Lan was in no mood, he said to Shuangrui, "I went to several places Zijin mentioned today, but found nothing." Then he sat down opposite Zhao Lan.
Shuang Rui bowed and said, "Thank you, my lord. I will thank you again after my master survives this disaster."
Prince Wei waved his hand and said, "We are all brothers, so let's not talk about this anymore," and sat with Zhao Lan.
After an unknown amount of time, Santai came in from outside and whispered in Zhao Lan's ear, "The woman I followed yesterday went to Lord Xie's mansion again."
Zhao Lan raised his eyes suddenly, like thunder and lightning, with such ruthless force that it seemed as if he could tear everything apart with one hand.
Santai subconsciously took a step back.
If the current master could kill people, hundreds of people would probably fall. I don't know if this trick of 'luring the snake out of the hole' will work. If the 'snake' doesn't come out of the hole, what should Madam Su do?
At the side door of Duke Xie's mansion, Hong Gu quietly entered the boudoir of the Xie family's eldest daughter again, with a nervous and fearful look on her face, "Madam, three groups of people approached that alley today, and one of them even pretended to be an official to inquire about the tenant's identity."
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