Chapter 62: Living Together

In the room, a wooden barrel is placed behind a screen, white mist rises, and the bird on the screen seems to be swimming. For the sake of interest, Tianxiang Tower specially made the screen translucent, so that when the person inside is bathing, the outside can see the hazy figure, which has a kind of beauty like holding a pipa with half the face covered.

Of course, even if this screen is completely light-proof, Jiang Ling would not use it.

The water was misty and the spring night was short. On such a beautiful day, the people in the house held hands and looked at each other, their eyes meeting, full of affection.

However, in fact, the three of them looked at each other, and no one said anything. Finally, Jiang Ling couldn't hold it anymore, and with a hint of grievance in his embarrassment, he said: "Well, let's discuss what to do next?"

"You can wash it if you want." Ming Huashang said, "I won't see it anyway."

Ren Yao yawned and said, "Yeah, hurry up. You're a grown man, why are you taking so long to take a shower?"

Jiang Ling inexplicably felt a sense of crisis that his innocence was at risk, and silently pulled his collar tightly: "There's no need to take a shower, but what should we do tonight?"

"You should have said so earlier." Ren Yao stood up and walked towards the bed, moving his arms. "Wash if you want to, then don't. I've never seen someone as procrastinating as you. What else can you do if you don't sleep at night? I've been working hard all day, and I'm already sleepy."

Jiang Ling watched Ren Yao walk towards the only bed in the room, and his mentality exploded: "Wait, stop!"

Ren Yao paused and looked back at him, his eyes clearly saying "You'd better be in trouble". Jiang Ling hesitated for a long time and said, "There's another couch here."

"I want to sleep on this couch." Ming Huashang reminded him softly, "Jiang Ling, don't worry. Don't worry, Sister Ren and I have discussed this. We trust you. You don't have to worry about the separation of men and women."

"I care!" Jiang Ling felt sick at the thought of sleeping in the same bed with Ren Yao. "No, she is a woman after all. How can she sleep in the same bed with me? If the news gets out, I will have to marry her!"

"Shut up!" Ren Yao blushed and picked up the pillow, throwing it at Jiang Ling's face, "Who wants to sleep in the same bed with you?"

Jiang Ling was caught off guard and was knocked to the ground by a pillow. Jiang Ling pushed the pillow away angrily, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Ming Huashang looking down at him with caring eyes, saying: "What are you thinking? I mean, Sister Ren sleeps on the bed, I sleep on the couch, and you sleep on the floor."

Jiang Ling was stunned for a moment, and became even angrier: "On what basis?"

He grew up to be a dandy, but he was also a dandy who was spoiled. When he drank soup, someone would blow it cool and bring it to his mouth. When had he ever been treated so harshly?

Ming Huashang said, "There is only one bed and one couch in the room, so someone will sleep on the floor. As the only man, you wouldn't want us two weak women to sleep on the floor, right?"

At this time, they remembered that they were weak women. Jiang Ling was so angry that he blew his beard and glared. Ming Huashang saw that the situation was almost over, so he stopped laughing and said, "Okay, I'm just kidding you. Sister Ren and I will squeeze into the bed, and you can sleep on the couch."

That was about right. Jiang Ling got up from the ground holding the pillow. Ming Huashang reached out to help him out of camaraderie. Just as Jiang Ling was about to hold Ming Huashang's fingers, there was a knock on the door behind him.

"Sir, the water is getting cold. Are you done with your bath?"

This is Ming Huazhang's voice! Ming Huachang was delighted and reflexively withdrew his hand. Jiang Ling was caught off guard and hit the air hard, falling to the ground with a thud.

However, Ming Huashang didn't even look at the person on the ground. She ran past Jiang Ling and ran towards the door excitedly: "I'm coming, I'm coming."

Ming Huashang opened the door and saw a servant standing outside. He lowered his eyes and said quietly, "The madam was afraid that the water would get cold, so she sent me to ask the guest if he had any other requests."

Ming Huashang said, "We are done washing, please come in and carry the water."

we?

Ming Huazhang frowned slightly, responded calmly, and entered the box as expected.

Jiang Ling and Ren Yao looked at the door in surprise. How did Ming Huashang let someone in? But this person looked familiar.

Jiang Ling rubbed his buttocks in pain and asked hesitantly: "Darling, what is this..."

Ming Huazhang raised his head suddenly, his eyes flashing coldly: "What did you call her?"

Well, now Jiang Ling has confirmed that this person is indeed familiar. Jiang Ling scanned Ming Huazhang's face and was horrified: "How did you become like this?"

Ming Huazhang was unmoved and said, "I asked you to come to the brothel to investigate the case, but I didn't ask you to spend your time drinking and partying. What are you doing?"

Ming Huashang looked into the room. At that moment, red candles were shining brightly and the air was filled with mist. Jiang Ling was lying on the ground in dishevel, holding a pillow in his arms and rubbing his buttocks in an indecent manner. He did not look very serious.

Ming Huashang quickly explained: "Second brother, don't misunderstand. Jiang Ling slipped and fell to the ground accidentally. It has nothing to do with us."

Jiang Ling's eyes widened. Before he could accuse Ming Huachang of being the first to complain, he heard Ming Huazhang say, "I'm not talking about you. I'm asking him. What did you call her just now?"

Jiang Ling blinked and finally understood. It turned out that the officials and the bandits were one family. Jiang Ling snorted and lay on the ground without hesitation, waving one leg and shaking his legs: "My dear. They are my favorite maids. If I don't call them my dear, then I can call them my concubines?"

This was simply stepping on Ming Huazhang's minefield. Ming Huazhang said coldly: "You can just give them a pseudonym. You have studied for so many years, can't you remember two random characters?"

"The more pseudonyms there are, the easier it is to make mistakes. What if I call her the wrong name in a hurry? Why not just call her 'Darling'?" Jiang Ling glanced at Ming Huazhang and said, "We've been calling her like this for a whole day. You're just her brother, not her husband, and she doesn't care. Why are you unhappy?"

Ming Huazhang looked at Jiang Ling steadily, and his fingers seemed to move. Ming Huachang tried to smooth things over, "Second brother, forget it, it's just a title, I don't mind."

Ming Huazhang glanced back at her, and Ming Huachang felt a chill on her back. Ming Huachang scratched her hands, completely confused.

She felt that she was quite understanding and concerned about the overall situation, so why was her brother unhappy?

Ren Yao noticed that Ming Huazhang looked unhappy. She pulled out another pillow, slapped Jiang Ling unhappily, and said, "Sit down. You came at the right time. We found out something and wanted to tell you."

Jiang Ling reluctantly crossed his legs and sat down. Ming Huazhang sat in the seat that Ming Huachang had just taken. Even though his face was cold, it did not affect his state. He asked calmly, "What's the matter?"

Ming Huashang sat next to Ming Huazhang obediently. She raised her hand to pour tea for Ming Huazhang, but Ming Huazhang held her hand and said, "Don't pour it. Three people are using four teacups. It will be seen as a flaw by outsiders."

Ming Huashang was stunned: "Then how do you drink water?"

Ming Huazhang said calmly: "I'll just use yours."

Ming Huazhang's voice was as soft as spring breeze and falling snow. Jiang Ling and Ren Yao didn't hear it at all. Even if they heard it, they wouldn't care. It was common for brothers and sisters in the same family to use the same cups and plates.

Ming Huashang was stunned after hearing this.

Use the same cup? She subconsciously looked at her tea set. The edge of the dark green porcelain cup seemed to be imprinted with water. Ming Huashang's ears suddenly became hot. She told herself that it was normal for siblings to do this, while she endured the discomfort and filled the teacup.

The cyan Yue porcelain teacup was placed in front of Ming Huazhang, but Ming Huazhang seemed to be concentrating on listening to Ren Yao's words and did not move. Ren Yao picked up the important things and said, "After Ming Huachang left today, we talked to the madam in the private room and got a rather unexpected piece of news, but I don't know if it's important or not. Yuqiong turned out to be a daughter of an official. When she was four years old, her family was involved in a court struggle, and that's how she fell into disgrace."

Ming Huazhang asked calmly, "What is her father's name?"

"I don't know that, but I heard that her surname was Zhao, and her father was once a pillar of integrity in the court. But sixteen years ago, when Crown Prince Zhang Huai was plotting a rebellion, her father was found to be an accomplice and was sentenced to a heavy sentence. Her father and brothers were beheaded, and the other males were exiled 3,000 miles away, and the females were sent to the Jiaofang. Her mother and sister died shortly after entering the Jiaofang Division, and she is the only one in the family who is still alive today."

When Ming Huashang heard about the tragic end of Yuqiong's family, she couldn't help but sigh, and didn't notice that Ming Huazhang's fingers beside her suddenly tightened.

Ming Huazhang asked: "Her father is actually a close confidant of Prince Zhang Huai?"

"Maybe." Ren Yao shrugged. "Sixteen years ago, it was during the Yonghui period. Emperor Gaozong was seriously ill, and the court was in turmoil. Many people were dragged into the struggle every day. Who knows what their family is like?"

Ming Huashang also sighed: "Yes, we were just born sixteen years ago."

"You guys?" Jiang Ling didn't know why he always focused on these useless points. "You are only sixteen this year?"

"Yes." Ming Huashang pointed at Ming Huazhang, "You may not believe it, but my brother is the second youngest in our group."

Jiang Ling, Ren Yao, and Xie Jichuan are all seventeen years old. Ming Huazhang and Ming Huashang are twin brother and sister, and they are only sixteen this year.

Jiang Ling and Ren Yao looked at Ming Huazhang as if they had seen a ghost. It was no wonder they were surprised. Ming Huazhang seemed too stable and reliable. Ming Huashang kept talking about his brother all day, which made Jiang Ling and Ren Yao unconsciously regard Ming Huazhang as their brother. But Ming Huazhang was actually one year younger than them?

Jiang Ling suddenly felt so useless, and Ren Yao was also filled with a sense of urgency. Ming Huazhang coughed lightly and said, "Don't interrupt, continue talking about the courtesan."

Ren Yao continued, "Actually, there's nothing much to say. The madam said that Yuqiong was gifted and had studied hard in the music school, and had already mastered it at the age of thirteen. She was good at both music and painting, and her water rubbing technique was unique, which even Master Yan's disciples couldn't master. But Yuqiong was aloof, saying that everyone could listen to pipa music, but not everyone could understand paintings. So she only performed her painting skills for people who understood painting, and she wouldn't paint water rubbing techniques no matter how high the price was, if it didn't suit her temperament. The only time she did water rubbing recently was probably to show it to Zhang Ziyun, no wonder Zhang Ziyun was so happy that he gave up his body and his soul entered the painting."

Ming Huashang was amazed as he listened, while Ming Huazhang lowered his eyelashes and remained silent. Jiang Ling said, "Actually, I've wanted to ask this for a long time. What is water rubbing?"

Ren Yao's eyelashes fluttered rapidly, and he was stunned for a moment. Ming Huashang shook her head honestly: "Don't look at me, I'm not good at music, chess, calligraphy and painting, I don't understand."

Jiang Ling sighed slowly, "I thought I was the only one who didn't understand. It turns out that you guys don't know either? Then why are you all saying it's amazing?"

Ren Yaozhang blushed: "What do you care?"

Ming Huazhang came back to his senses and said, "This is a painting technique, painting on water, and then using rice paper to absorb the ink. I don't understand the details, I will ask Xie Jichuan to show you another day."

Every feature on Jiang Ling's face was not in the right place, and he felt very strange: "He even understands this?"

"If he doesn't know how to do it, let him learn." Ming Huazhang said the scary words calmly, "I'm not sure whether Shancha's accident is related to the murderer, but to be on the safe side, you all should stay awake tonight and keep a close eye on Fengqing Siyuan. I suspect that the murderer will go to the scene tonight. No matter how he created the illusion of a secret room, we only need to keep an eye on Fengqing Siyuan and we can wait for him."

Ming Huashang and Ren Yao both agreed. Ming Huashang secretly reflected on herself, why didn't she think of this trick of waiting for the rabbit? Then, she heard Ming Huazhang say: "The three of you are squeezed into one room, and the angle is too limited. You can't monitor Fengqing Siyuan properly. So, it's better to separate them into two rooms and let Ming Huashang live in Huadui Jinyuan opposite."

Everyone in the room was stunned. Ming Huashang was the first to react and said in panic, "Brother, this is not possible. Huadui Jinyuan is next to the murder scene!"

"I know." Ming Huazhang glanced at her calmly, "The perpetrator is a human, not a demon or ghost. Are you afraid to stay here?"

Ming Huashang was dumbfounded and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Although she firmly believed that a person of integrity has nothing to fear and that there were no ghosts in the world, only people who did evil, she was indeed not brave enough to live next door to a haunted house.

Ming Huashang tried to save the situation: "Actually, I can..."

Living with Jiang Ling, Ren Yao and others, she really doesn't care about the difference between men and women.

Before she finished, Ming Huazhang suddenly interrupted: "If you are really scared, I will live with you."