16. Eating candy
◎So this is what the young widow had in mind◎
Chapter 16
Ever since the last visit to the Duke's Mansion, Duke Anguo has fallen completely silent.
Instead, Qiu Ying repeatedly invited her to the Queen's Chrysanthemum Appreciation Banquet. This sister's scheming was written all over her face, and it was so easy to guess. This effort actually piqued Jiang Qiuye's interest, and she immediately accepted the invitation to the banquet.
After four days of heavy rain in Shengjing, the beginning of winter arrived, and people on the streets gradually began to wear thicker clothes. However, Jiang Qiuye was accustomed to still wearing a thin skirt and a white fox cloak.
She was walking on the street, having just come out of the medicine shop, recalling Snow Owl's new mission, a mission personally requested by the head of Feiyan Pavilion, to find the Golden Ghost and run to Zhi.
Speaking of Ben Zhi, I heard that he had been lurking in Shengjing for fifteen years. No one knew his identity, whether he was a man or a woman, tall or short, or where he lived.
Even the current head of Feiyan Pavilion doesn't know.
The only known previous Pavilion Master had passed away many years ago. If Ben Zhi hadn't passed on a lot of information over the years, everyone would have thought he was dead.
It’s difficult. Each task is more difficult than the last.
"The shop has just released some new dragon beard candy. It melts in your mouth and is delicious and sweet. Would you like to try some, sister?"
Jiang Qiuye stopped and looked at the small cart shop on the street. The candy seller was a little girl, only about twelve years old, with patches all over her cotton coat.
Seeing Jiang Qiuye's interest, the little girl smiled sweetly and said, "Pretty sister, try some dragon beard candy."
She stood there in a daze for a while, then smiled slightly, took a piece of dragon beard candy and put it in her mouth. It was very sweet.
"Pack some for me."
The little girl was quick to wrap the silver in oil paper and handed it to Jiang Qiuye. She took the silver but said doubtfully, "Sister, this is too much."
Jiang Qiuye ignored him and waved his hand, saying, "Seeing you suddenly reminded me of my sister. She also loves to eat this dragon beard candy."
After saying that, he left immediately, leaving behind only a faint unknown fragrance.
Jiang Qiuye was walking towards Guihong Hall. When she passed by a bulletin board, she heard people talking and her heart suddenly tightened.
"I didn't expect there would be such a ferocious beast in the suburbs of Beijing. It's really disturbing."
"Yes, it can actually tear a person into such pieces. I wonder when this beast can be caught."
She glanced at the notice board. It was a recent case: numerous body parts had been found in the suburbs of Beijing. They appeared to have been torn and ripped apart by wild animals. According to the Jingzhao Prefecture's investigation, three people were likely killed by wild animals. Therefore, a notice had been posted, warning everyone not to venture into the deserted suburbs today.
Three people, tearing at the broken limbs.
Aren’t those three ugly ones?
She clearly buried the three people, so why were they discovered?
Did Ji Ci know about this? Since he knew that three people had followed her some time ago and then disappeared, and considering the incident at Jinpin Pavilion, it was easy for him to think that the three missing people were the ones who were said to have died in the beast's mouth.
This will definitely make him suspicious of her.
Her hands under her cloak were tightly gripping the dragon beard candy wrapped in oil paper, and she squeezed too hard and accidentally crushed it.
I bought it for nothing...
…
At dinner time, Ji Ci came to Guihong Hall as usual.
Watching Ji Ci elegantly drink a large bowl of old duck soup and eat a snack.
Seeing him pick up his chopsticks and gently wipe the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief, Jiang Qiuye stood up with a smile, walked around to Ji Ci and squatted down, tying a moon-white purse around his waist.
Ji Ci suddenly froze, feeling a little lost. She dodged backward, and her hand holding the purse hung in the air.
"What are you doing?"
Jiang Qiuye raised her head, pursed her lips, and said in a delicate voice, "I'll bring it to the prince first, and then tell him, okay?"
Ji Ci didn't agree, but he didn't refuse either. He just froze in place, his Adam's apple rolling.
Seeing this, Jiang Qiuye immediately stepped forward and tied the purse to Ji Ci's belt, but skillfully did not touch his body.
Her hand passed through the hem of his drooping sleeve, and he moved his hand away somewhat unnaturally, putting it behind his back so that the sleeve would not sweep her. The hand under the sleeve involuntarily clenched into a fist.
Lowering her head slightly, the young widow still had her hair in a bun, but this time she had changed into a gilded hairpin. Perhaps it was because she had made some money, so she was not as embarrassed as she was not long ago.
Her eyelashes were thick and long, like crow feathers. It turned out that she also had a small red mole behind her right ear. He seemed to remember seeing one there the last time he saw her, but it was just barely visible.
A faint fragrance came over him again, rushing into his head. What was it? He still couldn't figure it out.
Although the young widow was careful not to touch him, her thin sleeves rested on his legs, which was a bit itchy.
Soon, Jiang Qiuye retreated and sat back in her original chair. She carefully observed Ji Ci's expression, but saw that he was not shaken at all, and remained indifferent and calm.
This made her a little discouraged.
That's all.
This wooden man.
"Open your purse and take a look." Her soft voice floated over.
Ji Ci came back to his senses, lowered his head and unzipped the smooth pouch around his waist. He was stunned for a moment and said, "...Dragon Beard Candy."
Jiang Qiuye propped up his chin with his palm and said, "Today, I saw people selling dragon beard candy on the street, and suddenly I got an idea."
Ji Ci looked up at her.
She tapped her fingers gently and said, "The dragon beard candy sold by that vendor melts in your mouth, but unfortunately I accidentally crushed it while walking. After returning to Guihong Hall, I tried to make it myself. Although I failed many times, I finally succeeded. Although I made this candy when I was young, it took a lot of effort to master the skill. I also added stomach-nourishing herbs to it. Although the dragon beard candy is sweet, I wonder if the addition of herbs will change the taste. Your Highness, would you like to try it?"
"good."
Ji Ci tore a small piece from his purse and put it in his mouth. Sure enough, it quickly dissolved without any discomfort.
The taste is a bit strange. It is sweet, but not very sweet. It is bitter, but not bitter at all.
A strange feeling, just like the young widow.
Something that both frightened and excited him.
"How is it? Will it taste weird?" Jiang Qiuye put down his hand.
Ji Ci shook his head slightly and said, "No."
She exhaled, "That's good, it seems you can eat this candy. I was thinking that the prince could eat it as a snack on weekdays. The prince must not eat snacks on weekdays, I have never seen the prince eat dessert."
"Well, I never eat it on weekdays."
Jiang Qiuye clapped his hands. "That's right. Your Highness doesn't eat much, so he sometimes gets dizzy and his eyes go dark. But if he eats this candy regularly, he won't have this problem. I think Your Highness can occasionally tear off a piece of candy and eat it while writing or reading. I'll make up for it when Your Highness finishes it."
After she finished speaking, Jiang Qiuye reached out to pour tea. Ji Ci noticed the burns on her fingers and couldn't help but ask, "Your fingers?"
Jiang Qiuye smiled, put down the teapot, and tried to cover the wound with his sleeve. He said, "I spent the whole day trying to make dragon beard candy. I was not careful when making it and got burned. It's not a big deal. I'm sorry for being so stupid, Your Highness."
Ji Ci felt warm in his heart, raised his eyebrows and said, "Then I will accept it."
Ji Ci set off.
Guessing that he was about to leave, Jiang Qiuye immediately asked, "Your Highness, would you like to try it?"
Ji Ci, who was about to stand up, sat back down, not quite understanding.
Seeing Jiang Qiuye take out the book he usually likes to read from the side, open it, and say, "Your Highness, try reading a book and eating candy at the same time."
"Well, I'll join in, too. I'll read a book and eat some fruit at the same time."
So this was the young widow's idea.
Ji Ci is always very easy to talk to when he is well fed and well-drinking.
He suppressed the smile on his lips, asked Tian to get the files from the carriage, and sat opposite her to look through them.
A novel experience.
In addition to making him excited and afraid, this experience also made him feel an inexplicable emotion, which came out naturally, but he did not feel disgusted.
At night, it was the first time that I looked at government affairs outside the study in the palace.
Jiang Qiuye lit a lot of candles. It was pitch black all around, but the view in front of him was bright.
Half an hour later, Ji Ci raised his eyes and looked at the young widow who was concentrating, her mouth full of fruit, her eyes fixed on the book.
I really watched it very carefully.
He thought again of the pine cone-eating moth.
Suddenly curious, he asked, "What book are you reading? Why are you so engrossed in it?"
Jiang Qiuye was startled, looked up, and then revealed the cover, with only a few large characters on it: "Jade Notes".
Ji Ci frowned and said, "Storybooks? Is that what you read all day long?"
Jiang Qiuye flipped through it casually and said, "It's very interesting. This book tells the love story of a powerful official and a young palace maid. The tyrannical official fell in love with the powerless palace maid, and one pursued her while the other fled."
Ji Ci's face rarely showed any emotion other than indifference, "For a palace maid to have an affair with a minister is a capital crime."
Jiang Qiuye couldn't help but roll his eyes and said nothing.
This young widow had no one to teach her in Wuzhou and her supplies were insufficient.
"Next time, you can read other books."
"Other books? Like what?"
"Although you can read, you haven't attended a private school yet, so start with the Book of Rites."
The Four Books and Five Classics? That's wrong. She didn't take the imperial examination.
Jiang Qiuye pursed her lips, said nothing, and turned her head away, away from this boring person.
At this time, Tian Qu entered Guihong Hall and reported to Ji Ci: "Your Majesty, the three people you asked to investigate are indeed missing. There is no trace of them in the entire Shengjing City."
Jiang Qiuye tensed up at those three misshapen guys and twisted two fingers together, feeling a little flustered, but she didn't show it on her face.
Ji Ci nodded and said, "Check outside the city."
"yes."
Jiang Qiuye reached out and closed the book in front of him, then picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip. He asked curiously, "What three people?"
Seeing that Ji Ci didn't stop him, Tian Qu said, "Miss Qiu, it's like this. Some time ago, three suspicious men were following you, but after that day at Jinpin Pavilion, the three men completely disappeared."
"Ah—" Jiang Qiuye raised his hand to cover his mouth, his eyes widening. "Follow? Follow me?"
Ji Ci looked at Jiang Qiuye in silence, who looked terrified. He raised the teacup in front of him, took a sip of tea, and stroked the edge with his fingers.
Jiang Qiuye frowned, bit her lip, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, this is so scary. Someone is following me. Could it be that he is related to the real murderer of the Zhang family case? He has disappeared now. Will he suddenly appear again and kill me?"
Ji Ci stopped what he was doing, lowered his eyes to think for a while, and said softly: "Don't worry, I sent someone to follow you secretly, nothing will happen."
Hearing this, Jiang Qiuye patted his chest and sighed, "That's good, then I'm relieved. Fortunately, there is the prince."
"Leave."
Ji Ci withdrew his gaze, stood up and left without saying much.
Tian Qu then took out money from his purse and handed it to Jiang Qiuye.
She took the silver and saw Ji Ci had stepped out of the porch. She smiled slightly and took the opportunity to ask, "Brother Tianqu, does the prince usually pay attention to... the case in Jingzhao Prefecture?"
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There is another chapter at noon~
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