Taste

Chongde Marquis Mansion.

"I exchanged pleasantries with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince after the court session yesterday." Marquis Chongde sat upright in the main seat in the hall, stroking his long beard, with a solemn expression: "He must be interested in Wan'er."

He had never expected that his own daughter would be so ambitious, but after meeting the prince a few times, he fell in love with her.

"Really?" Upon hearing this, Xu's face was filled with joy.

She originally planned to discuss with the palace to arrange the marriage between Mu An Ning and Gu Huaizhi to Mu Wan'er, but now it seems unnecessary.

Chongde Hou nodded deeply, and suddenly changed the subject: "It's time to bring An Ning back home."

Xu's joyful expression paused, and her tone was a little unnatural: "But she treated Wan'er like this before..."

Although she knew that her husband did not make this plan because he loved Mu An Ning, she was still worried about Mu Wan'er falling into the water.

Even though Mu Wan'er later explained in person that it was just an accident, she still refused to believe it.

She had never been able to get close to this adopted daughter in the first place, and now that she had recognized her as her biological daughter, she could no longer accept her existence.

This girl has enjoyed wealth and luxury for more than ten years on behalf of Wan'er. She now cannot bear to see her own daughter suffer any more injustice.

"It's settled now." The tone of the Chongde Marquis was unquestionable, his eyes were stern, "Why do you think I agreed to let Wan'er go to Wutong City?"

Xu's lips moved slightly, but she didn't dare to say anything.

Of course she understood his intention. He just wanted the two of them to return home together and take advantage of the situation to put Mu An Ning's marriage with the Anqing Palace on the agenda.

In this turbulent time full of uncertainties, the Marquis' Mansion has no real power, so it must maintain good relations with the royal family, but cannot easily give up the opportunity to make friends with the Anqing Palace, which holds military power.

But it is easy to think about it, but it is quite difficult to implement it in practice.

Originally, the two planned to use Mu Wan'er's coming-of-age ceremony to make her real daughter's identity public.

But the current situation is complicated and I am afraid I have to think long and hard. If I want to send Mu An Ning to the palace, I have to hide the fact that she is from the countryside.

*

Wutong City.

"Master Mu, this is the evidence I have collected these days." The county magistrate respectfully handed the rice paper to Mu Guiling: "Please take a look."

Mu Guiling, dressed in black, reached out to take it, and his deep eyes swept over the words on it solemnly.

Zhixian hesitated for a moment and said, "I'm afraid this Zuiyuelou is not immune to this, but the shopkeeper Qiu Yueying..."

He swallowed his words back halfway through his sentence and glanced around vigilantly, fearing that someone might be eavesdropping.

This woman has only been in Furong City for a year, but she already owns so many properties. The power behind her is obviously not to be underestimated.

So even though so many lives had been lost, he did not dare to touch her easily.

In addition, there are rumors that she is a fox demon. If she dislikes a man, she will directly suck his essence and turn him into a living corpse.

Although such rumors were groundless, he was still afraid of retaliation if he continued to deal with her.

Now that the Dali Temple has sent someone to handle the case, he is truly relieved.

Mu Guiling heard the hidden meaning in his words and was about to speak, but was beaten to the punch by the follower in green cloth behind him: "Sir, sir!" The follower stared at the rice paper in his hand and said: "Let me see it too."

Mu Guiling's serious face revealed a hint of helplessness as he handed the paper to "him".

The little follower immediately took it with a smile, and began to read it with great interest, sighing from time to time.

I originally thought that what was written on the paper would be something related to the case, but it turned out to be some true and false things collected by the victims' families in order to convict Qiu Yueying.

Even the gossip that she had dated countless men was used as evidence of her penchant for murdering young men.

[Help! This Qiu Yueying is even more exciting than described in the book. She is truly a role model for our generation!!!]

[Who wouldn't want to change a man every day? ]

Yes, this follower dressed as a man is Mu Wan'er.

Ever since she was kidnapped last time, Xu ordered her tearfully not to step out of the mansion for the time being.

Some days passed like this, and when she begged to go to Wutong City with Mu Guiling to investigate the case, Marquis Chongde ignored Xu's dissuasion and agreed without hesitation.

She was quite surprised at her stepfather's frankness, because she just brought it up casually because she was really bored staying in the Marquis' Mansion.

After all, in the original novel, Mu An Ning was driven out of the mansion a month later, and during this period no one in the mansion ever visited her, which seemed to mean that she was left to fend for herself.

Later, when the Marquis's mansion fell into trouble and needed her again, Marquis Chongde remembered this adopted daughter they had abandoned.

What surprised Mu Wan'er even more was that the system did not prevent her from coming to Wutong City. This was something she had never experienced in her previous two experiences in the book.

But doesn't it mean the bug has been fixed?

"Ahem." Mu Guiling felt a little uncomfortable under Zhixian's probing gaze. He pressed his thin lips into a straight line and said stiffly to Mu Wan'er, "Give it back to me when you've seen enough."

He was troubled by his sister's erratic personality and didn't know how to get along with her. In comparison, it was easier to get along with Mu An Ning. At least... he wouldn't feel annoyed.

Mu Wan'er came back to her senses and chuckled twice, feeling a little embarrassed. The strand of beard on her philtrum also moved.

Seeing that there was no difference between the two of them, the county magistrate looked at them meaningfully for several times.

I have heard for a long time that this Junior Official of the Dali Temple is already 22 years old, but has never married, and he doesn't even have a maid or a concubine.

I'm afraid there is some unspeakable secret, such as...the habit of cutting off sleeves.

Mu Guiling regained his icy demeanor and said to Zhixian in a cold tone, "Bring Qiu Yueying to see me."

The county chief shuddered and looked embarrassed.

*

"Miss Anning."

"Sister An Ning!"

As soon as Mu An Ning opened the door, two voices, one big and one small, were heard.

"Brother Qiao, Ziweng, why are you here?" She was a little surprised to see the brothers Qiao Qingsheng and Fang Ziweng carrying a lot of things in their hands.

"I'm thinking about the Black and White Impermanence!" Fang Ziweng spoke first, blinking his two big, shiny black eyes.

"Black and White Impermanence?" Mu An Ning didn't react for a moment, and was slightly stunned. Then he remembered the two cats, one black and one white. He hadn't seen them in the past few days.

Before she could say anything, Fang Ziweng poked his head through the door and said, "Sister An Ning, can I go in and take a look at them first?"

Mu An Ning laughed and quickly stepped aside: "Come in quickly."

As soon as she finished speaking, Fang Ziweng ran straight to the courtyard impatiently, leaving Mu Anning and Qiao Qingsheng alone.

Obviously, he was more familiar with the house than its owner.

"This child..." Qiao Qingsheng showed a trace of helplessness on his face.

This morning, Fang Ziweng had been talking about wanting to go play with Sister An Ning. But now it seemed that he wasn't looking for her, but was clearly thinking about the two cats.

But it's just as well, he can take this opportunity to come and visit without seeming out of place.

As he walked, Qiao Qingsheng looked at the house calmly. It no longer looked dilapidated, and flowers and plants were planted in the courtyard.

The family had moved to Willow Street more than a year ago, but had never seen anyone enter or leave this huge abandoned house.

I heard from neighbors that this was the house where the powerful people in the capital once lived, but now two girls are living there, which makes people feel strange.

While they were thinking, they arrived at the main hall.

"Brother Qiao, please sit down." Mu Anning poured him a cup of tea.

Qiao Qingsheng took the teacup with a smile and said, "I wanted to come and visit you a few days ago, but my aunt caught a cold, so I had to take care of her at home."

Mu An Ning thought of the easy-going woman and frowned slightly: "How is Madam Fang now?"

"Much better. If she wasn't afraid that the remaining illness would be passed on to the girl, she would have wanted to come today." Qiao Qingsheng smiled faintly and lowered his eyes slightly.

Although his aunt didn't say it, he could see what she was worried about.

Being the cook of Zuiyuelou was originally a perfect job, with a good salary and a manager who would not make things difficult for her. But now even people from the Dali Temple have been called in to take part in the case, and it is feared that the situation will be more dangerous than safe.

He could only secretly make up his mind to get a good ranking in the palace examination and be among the top class so that his aunt could enjoy a happy life in the future.

He hesitated for a moment, then handed the wooden box to Mu An Ning: "My aunt and I have selected some hairpins as a gift for our neighbors. I hope you will accept them."

He looked a little nervous. This was the first time he gave a gift to a young girl other than his sister.

Mu An Ning's pupils shrank slightly, and he looked at the box at a loss: "This..."

It's not that she was awkward, but hairpins were something that, apart from family members, were usually only given to one's loved ones, so it was difficult for her to accept them.

Qiao Qingsheng picked up a food box and continued, "There are also some snacks made by my aunt."

Mu An Ning raised the corner of her mouth: "I will accept the snack, but this hairpin..."

Seeing her embarrassment, Qiao Qingsheng explained, "To be honest, young lady, I came here to ask for a favor."

Mu An Ning showed a hint of doubt and nodded to signal him to continue.

"Zi Weng doesn't like studying..." He paused, his ears slightly red. "Originally, with my encouragement, he would complete his homework after school, but now that the palace examination is approaching, I'm afraid I can't take care of both."

"Can you please supervise him for the next half month?" He added, "I have discussed with my aunt and will pay you for being a teacher."

Mu An Ning was a little surprised: "Brother Qiao, why don't you just find a teacher?" She smiled and said, "Although I have studied, I am afraid that I will not be able to teach."

Qiao Qingsheng shook his head, looking serious: "Miss, you are too modest. I can see that you are a person who studies poetry." He shook his head: "Besides, our two families live close to each other. If you are willing, it will be more convenient than teaching."

What he didn't say was that he and his aunt both hit it off with her at first sight and inexplicably wanted to be closer to her.

The two men thought that she had not yet found a way to make a living, so they came up with this idea of ​​killing two birds with one stone.

Seeing that he insisted, Mu An Ning smiled and did not refuse: "I can give it a try, but there is no need to pay. Brother Qiao has already brought so many gifts." With a smile in her eyes, she stretched out her hand to take the box and the food box together: "Then I would like to thank Brother Qiao and Aunt Fang."

She liked the child quite a bit, and he was her neighbor, but she was only teaching him for half a month, so it was a bit strange for her to ask for payment.

But she could see that if she refused to accept anything, Qiao Qingsheng would probably not give in.

Qiao Qingsheng was about to reply when a male voice with an unfriendly tone came from the door: "Hey, when did you get a brother?"