Mu Mingtang hadn't recovered from the shock of the dead, and couldn't understand what Xie Xuanchen was saying: "What's the result?"
Xie Xuanchen gestured to the aroma ball in his hand, and asked, "Who did you tell about this aroma ball?"
Mu Mingtang shook her head: "Apart from you, there is none." After she finished speaking, she paused and frowned slowly: "However, when I found it at noon, it seemed like a maid saw it."
Xie Xuanchen nodded, obviously expecting this for a long time: "They must have discovered it, so they hurried to silence. The spices inside don't need to be checked, there must be something wrong."
"Who moved the hand?"
"Go and see and you'll know."
Xie Xuanchen said that he tapped his finger lightly, and the copper ball was suddenly opened from the middle. Xie Xuanchen said: "This aroma ball can't be kept any longer. You can find a box and put away the spices."
Mu Mingtang seemed to understand, but he immediately stood up and looked for the box. Even if Mu Mingtang had never experienced this kind of battle, he knew that a box that was too conspicuous could not be used. However, all of her jewelry boxes were exquisite, and Mu Mingtang couldn't find anything that wasn't eye-catching.
Xie Xuanchen was very puzzled when he saw what Mu Mingtang brought: "What are you doing with red paper?"
"I can't compare to you in terms of mind and eye, but you're not as good as me when you hide things." Mu Mingtang quickly opened the interlayer of the earring box, and slowly scraped the spices in the aroma ball with paper. Xie Xuanchen probably understood what Mu Mingtang wanted to do. He was not good at this kind of meticulous work, so he could only remind him in a low voice: "Don't pour too much, leave a little in the aroma ball."
"I understand." Mu Mingtang nodded, a thin layer of incense was spread on the red paper, Mu Mingtang folded the paper into a thin and thin paper bag, put it in a small earring box, but covered it Interlayer, restore the earrings to their original state. If you don't take the initiative to remind them, you won't be able to see that there is something hidden underneath.
When Mu Mingtang hid the incense embers, Xie Xuanchen had already restored the incense ball. At this time, the maid who reported the letter was already approaching, and she was about to come in soon after hearing the voice. Mu Mingtang lowered his voice and asked anxiously, "What about the aroma balls?"
"You can find any drawer to put it in." Xie Xuanchen suddenly remembered that Mu Mingtang just took it out of the cabinet, and said, "Just put it back in the cabinet just now."
Put it back in the closet just now? Mu Mingtang frowned and said quickly, "Although I deliberately avoided people when I hid the incense balls at noon, it may not be discovered by those who care. What if someone took advantage of us to go out and changed the incense balls?"
"Just let them change." Xie Xuanchen said, "Anyway, the only thing that is useful is the spice, it's enough for us to get the sample, and the rest is left to them to destroy the corpse."
"Okay." Mu Mingtang responded hastily, and quickly stood up to put the earring box and sachet. She had just restored the two things to their original state, when the maid who reported the letter ran in out of breath: "Princess, something is bad."
She ran in only to find that Xie Xuanchen was also awake, and the maid immediately fell to her knees with a plop, and kowtowed: "This servant has seen the prince and the princess."
"Get up." Xie Xuanchen's expression has returned to his characteristic dignified and indifferent look, and he said lightly, "What's going on outside?"
Facing Xie Xuanchen, the maid was obviously a lot nervous. She yelled and yelled all the way just now, but now she can't even utter a complete sentence: "Hui... Back to the lord, Bi He accidentally fell into the water, and waited for the servants who guarded the garden to find her. By the time she was drowned."
Mu Mingtang and Xie Xuanchen looked at each other, and Mu Mingtang asked, "Where did you find it? Why did you fall into the water?"
"It was in the lake in the garden, and it was seen by the servant who was salvaging the aquatic plants. As for the reason for falling into the water... the servant does not know."
It's already November, and the grass and trees by the lake are bleak. Why did the little servant go to salvage water plants today? Mu Mingtang didn't ask anymore, she looked at Xie Xuanchen inquiringly: "Your Highness?"
"I'll go to the garden to see." Xie Xuanchen said and stood up, perhaps because he got up too hard, his body shook when he stood up, causing a cough.
Mu Mingtang quickly stepped forward to support him, and asked the maid to fetch water for him. Xie Xuanchen finally coughed, and after this consumption, his face was pale and his lips were white.
For a while, Mu Mingtang couldn't tell whether Xie Xuanchen was acting or was really coughing. Because she didn't know whether it was true or not, the worry on her face was not false: "My lord..."
"It's okay." Xie Xuanchen waved his hand slightly and said, "Life is at stake, and such a big thing happened in the palace, we can't ignore it. My body is fine, lead the way."
Mu Mingtang could only sigh deeply and said to the maid, "You go to inform the people in the garden to wait. The lord is weak and can't stand the wind. You must be well dressed before going out."
The maid did not suspect him, so she kowtowed and went out. Mu Mingtang helped Xie Xuanchen to go behind the screen to change his clothes. Seeing that Xie Xuanchen was about to shake twice every step, Mu Mingtang's heart became tighter and tighter.
After waiting for the screen, Mu Mingtang lowered his voice and asked, "Are you really uncomfortable? Otherwise, you can stay in the room and I'll take a look."
"I lied to them." Xie Xuanchen didn't move his lips, but a muffled voice came. Although his voice was low, it sounded full of breath, and it didn't look like he was going to collapse.
Only then did Mu Mingtang relax and let out a sigh of relief. She found that Xie Xuanchen was really good at pretending to be sick. Whether it was pretending to be comatose or coughing, she was able to catch him.
Just after Mu Mingtang finished thinking, Xie Xuanchen started coughing again. This cough seemed to be very laborious, Xie Xuanchen had to lean over slightly and clenched his fists to stop the cough. Mu Mingtang was tidying up Xie Xuanchen's ties, but after he leaned over like this, he almost wrapped Mu Mingtang in front of him. Mu Mingtang subconsciously wanted to step back, but suddenly a hand was placed on his waist, exerting a little force.
"Don't move." Xie Xuanchen hugged her and whispered in her ear, "It's tiring to pretend to be coughing, you cooperate."
Mu Mingtang could only "cooperate" with half of his body rigid. This position is very convenient for Xie Xuanchen, Xie Xuanchen leaned on Mu Mingtang's temple and whispered: "After we go out for a while, most of the incense balls left in the cabinet will be replaced. When you come back, you just don't know, keep calling When the imperial physician comes in to see, don't just call the imperial physician Zhang, and send the imperial physician over separately, three are almost the same."
"Okay." Mu Mingtang nodded. She didn't dare to move at the moment, but fortunately, half of her body was already covered by Xie Xuanchen at the moment, so she didn't have to worry about being seen, otherwise Mu Mingtang felt that she would be exposed.
Mu Mingtang's cheek faintly touched Xie Xuanchen's chin, she could only try to keep the distance, but her waist was stopped by Xie Xuanchen, and if she moved a little, it would be tightened by Xie Xuanchen, and the distance between the two was getting closer and closer.
Mu Mingtang could only try to divert his attention by saying serious things: "What should I do when I go out for a while?"
"Just do what you want. It's right if you have doubts. Be careful to question the identity of the dead person, and if possible, stay at the scene for as long as possible."
"Yeah." Mu Mingtang nodded in understanding, she hesitated, and asked, "Does your body matter?"
"I'm fine." Xie Xuanchen finally stood up straight, his lips were pale, and his eyes were cold, "I know it."
Mu Mingtang snorted, and after a while, he couldn't help turning him with his elbow: "Since you've finished speaking, let it go."
Only then did Xie Xuanchen realize that he was still holding Mu Mingtang's waist. He suddenly showed a weak posture and leaned on Mu Mingtang's body: "I am weak now and need someone to help me walk."
When Mu Mingtang and Xie Xuanchen walked to the garden, there were already many people standing inside.
After the death of Prince An's mansion, Xie Xuanji and Jiang Mingwei rushed over again. Jiang Mingwei was standing far away in the attic wrapped in a cloak, with disgust on her face, for fear of accidentally being smeared by the dead.
If it weren't for the fame, Jiang Mingwei didn't want to come here at all. He just drowned someone, which is too bad. Jiang Mingwei wrapped her cloak tightly again and sneezed lightly in the wind. When the maid saw it, she whispered to please: "Princess, the water is windy, you should pay attention to the wind and cold. Or, the servants will let them boil a bowl of ginger soup?"
"No need, I can go back in a long time, don't bother." Jiang Mingwei felt that it was not just that she drowned someone, so she could just walk through the scene, but she didn't want to stay here for a long time, let alone drink ginger tea at the scene of the dead. Jiang Mingwei wanted to sneeze again. She covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief and complained, "I didn't feel the wind at home before, but today I came to their garden to find out that the place was empty and the wind was so cold."
After Jiang Mingwei complained, she heard noises coming from not far away, Jiang Mingwei raised her neck and looked at it, and said, "They are here."
Jiang Mingwei couldn't care less about the cold, and hurriedly came out with a cloak. The movement just now was indeed the arrival of Xie Xuanchen and Mu Mingtang. When Jiang Mingwei came over, he saw Mu Mingtang and Xie Xuanchen supporting each other and slowly coming from the corridor. The clothes on Mu Mingtang and Xie Xuanchen were made of the same material. They looked delicate and heavy, and there was a faint soft light on the clothes. Mu Mingtang wears a red cape outside, Xie Xuanchen's is blue, and the cape and the clothes of the same material have a strange sense of echo.
When Jiang Mingwei saw it for the first time, it was dazzling, but when she saw it again, wasn't this the brocade of flowers that Mu Mingtang had cut off her beard? The fire in Jiang Mingwei's heart suddenly ignited a prairie prairie. Mu Mingtang, a villain, Jiang Mingwei has lived in the official palace for so many years, and he has never seen such arrogance! Mu Mingtang deliberately mocked her with green brocade, but now, she is still wearing another brocade to show off to her
Jiang Mingwei comforted herself not to care about an uninformed commoner, but in a blink of an eye, she saw that Xie Xuanchen was also the same, and she was still angry.
Xie Xuanji also came over, and bowed slightly to Xie Xuanchen and Mu Mingtang: "Second brother, sister-in-law."
Jiang Mingwei also quickly restrained her expression and said hello: "An Wang Wan'an, sister-in-law Wan'an."
Jiang Mingwei tried her best to tell herself not to compete with the villain, but she turned around and saw that her clothes were completely different from Xie Xuanji's. Xie Xuanji has his own personal maid, and clothes and accessories never let Jiang Mingwei intervene. Jiang Mingwei just wanted to argue with Mu Mingtang, but it couldn't influence Xie Xuanji's decision.
Jiang Mingwei couldn't help feeling frustrated.
Xie Xuanchen nodded slightly and asked, "Where are the people?"
"Over there, it has been salvaged from the water." Xie Xuanji turned away and pointed to the back, with a hesitant expression, "The drowned man looks scary, and dare not let his brother and sister-in-law worry about it. It's windy outside, second brother. Let's go back with the second sister-in-law to rest for a while, and after I check all this, I will send someone to report to the second brother."
Xie Xuanchen shook his head and said, "It's okay, it's not that I haven't seen dead people. Although I'm not in good health, I won't be buried in the ground after standing for a while. Let's go and have a look."
Xie Xuanji frowned and glanced at Mu Mingtang: "Second brother, I'm afraid this is not suitable for female relatives."
When Mu Mingtang heard it, he immediately said, "I have seen many dead people, and I have buried them with my own hands. I am not afraid anyway. If King Jin is afraid of corpses, then I will accompany my husband over there."
What are these words, Xie Xuanji looked ugly for a moment, and said, "sister-in-law is joking. Sister-in-law is not allowed to be a man. On the contrary, I misunderstood my sister-in-law. Please don't blame my sister-in-law."
After speaking, Xie Xuanji gave way, stretched out his hand and said, "Second brother, second sister-in-law, please."
Mu Mingtang and Xie Xuanchen walked forward together. Sure enough, the body had been salvaged and was lying on the shore, surrounded by footprints and mud. Mu Mingtang originally wanted to look closer, but everyone on both sides stared at her, and her clothes were not suitable for these things, so she could only give up.
It was a woman, seventeen or eighteen years old, wearing the uniform of the maid in the palace. Someone at the side explained to Mu Mingtang: "Prince, princess, her name is Bi He, and she is also serving in Yulin Hall."
"She is serving at Yulintang?" Mu Mingtang asked, "Why don't I remember it?"
"She has thick hands and feet, and usually manages trivial chores in the back, and doesn't serve in front of others, so the princess looks at her with anger."
This is inevitable. There are so many servants in the palace, and there are nearly a hundred servants in Yulintang alone. It is impossible for Mu Mingtang to recognize them all. Only those who look like Zhou Zheng and have a bright temperament can appear in front of Mu Mingtang and Xie Xuanchen, and more maids are drowning in the shadows, working all day, and no one can recognize them.
Mu Mingtang nodded and asked again, "So, what does she care about?"
The person who answered seemed to pause, then lowered his head and said, "She is from the incense room. She is responsible for grinding the spices on weekdays, then drying and storing them."
It's for spices. Neither Mu Mingtang nor Xie Xuanchen moved, but they both understood what the other was thinking.
Mu Mingtang's thoughts gradually became clear, and he probably figured out what happened today. She wasn't sure at first, but now, looking at the series of coincidences outside, Mu Mingtang can basically conclude that there is something wrong with the spices in the incense ball.
What's the problem? Mu Mingtang doesn't know yet, but at least the people behind it don't want to be noticed by Xie Xuanchen. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence? Yesterday, she almost went out, and it happened that Xie Xuanchen suddenly fell ill at the time she was scheduled to go out; today she just found the aroma ball, and was going to call someone to see it in the afternoon, when the maid who made spices drowned in the garden .
Mu Mingtang suspects very darkly that this is the person behind the silence.
In fact, these people's movements are a bit abrupt, and the drowning in the winter is very far-fetched. It seems that they are also anxious.
Why the hurry
Mu Mingtang thought about the maid at noon today. Yesterday, Mu Mingtang temporarily changed his plan and did not go out. As a result, he happened to run into Xie Xuanchen's illness. After that, she also stayed in Yulin Hall. At that time, there were so many people with different eyes, and the people behind did not find the opportunity to take the aroma ball out. They could only wait all night. Today, they probably planned to come and take the things, but they didn't expect that they would be turned out by Mu Mingtang first.
When Mu Mingtang was looking for something, someone must have seen it. After the informant passed the message to the top, someone stumbled and fell into the water.
Mu Mingtang felt shudder just thinking about it. If she hadn't temporarily declined the invitation yesterday, if she hadn't had time to clean up the cabinets today, who would have known the existence of this aroma ball? It must have come and gone without a trace, and no one would link the fragrance to Xie Xuanchen's illness.
Mu Mingtang was silent for a while, thinking that the woman who died inexplicably was very suspicious. Even Mu Mingtang suspected that she was the one who handled the spices in the incense ball.
Mu Mingtang did not hide his doubts at all, and asked: "Since she is a person from the incense room, why is she drowning in the garden? Now that winter has entered, the flowers that can be used for spices have already withered, so what is she doing in the garden alone? ?"
This... The people around can't tell, Xie Xuanji stood next to him for a while, and when he heard Mu Mingtang's words, he continued: "Everyone has their own habits, the incense room is dull all day long, she may be here. The garden is ventilated, and I accidentally fell into the water. Of course, this is just my guess. Dead people can't speak. If my sister-in-law wants to know, she might as well ask people around her to come and ask. "
Mu Mingtang nodded and said, "Yes, dead people can't speak, but they can do it. Human life is at stake, and I am definitely not a place where people's lives are taken care of, and I must not end sloppily. Come on, go to Dali Temple and ask for a monk to come over. I would like to ask how this maid died."