Ci Jinzhi Chapter 79

  Chapter 79 Mid-Autumn Festival

  Duan Yunlang's eyes widened suddenly.

  What does this person want to do?

   "Did Miss Kou come out from Zhou's house?" He Qingxiao looked at Xin You and asked.

  Xin You lowered her eyes: "I heard that my friend's father passed away, so I came to visit."

   "That's quite a coincidence. Miss Kou, go slowly." After He Qingxiao finished speaking, he strode towards Zhou's house.

  Xin You resisted not looking back and walked to the street.

   "Cousin, do you still want to buy some snacks?" Duan Yunlang saw that Xinyou was in a bad mood, so he asked tentatively.

  Xin You smiled: "Buy it, it's all over here."

   "That's right, it's all here."

  The two of them bought a lot of snacks and went back to Shaoqing Mansion.

  In Ruyi hall, several grandchildren were talking with the old lady, and they all looked at the door when they heard the servant girl report that the second son and the cousin girl had arrived.

   "Grandma, I'm back." Duan Yunlang walked in front and lifted the pastries he was carrying, "My cousin and I bought you pastries."

  Xin You was slightly behind, and knelt down to the old lady: "Grandmother."

  The old lady looked at the two of them with a gentle tone: "You two are late, are you going to buy some snacks?"

   "Yes, my cousin said that this dim sum is sweet and soft, suitable for you to eat."

  Looking at Duan Yunlang with a hearty smile, Duan Yunchen frowned slightly.

  Are the second brother and the young cousin getting too close?

  Xin You noticed a gaze firmly attached to her body, glanced over, and clearly saw the sharpness in Duan Yunhua's eyes.

   It seems that during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the old lady released Duan Yunhua's restraint.

  The grandchildren in the room have their own thoughts, but the old lady looks completely unaware, looking at the two cousins ​​with a look of relief.

  After lunch at Ruyitang at noon, Xinyou went back to Wanqingju and told Xiaolian to prepare some things.

  She made an appointment with Zhou's mother tonight.

   Not long after, the third girl Duan Yunling came.

   "Did you disturb Cousin Qing's rest?"

   "The spiritual cousin sits down. I don't live here for a long time, and I don't have any good things. Don't feel bad about greeting my cousin."

  After exchanging pleasantries, Duan Yunling mentioned Duan Yunhua: "Second sister was only released yesterday, so she talked less than before."

  Xin You only came back a few times a month, and didn't care about Duan Yunhua at all, just smiled when he heard this.

   "Also, grandma seems to have plans to continue her father's life." This is what Duan Yunling wanted to say to Xin You.

  Duan Yunling lived a very relaxed life without the big mountain that weighed on her aunt's head. When she thought of having a stepmother who didn't know her temperament in the future, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

  This is also useful information for Xin You.

  Different from Duan Yunhua, being Duan Shaoqing's wife can influence many things. She promised Xiaolian to take back most of the family property for Kou Qingqing, so naturally the fewer variables the better. Fortunately, for a family like Shaoqing's Mansion, from the intentional proposal to the final decision, no matter how smooth it is, it will take until next year.

   "Ling cousin doesn't need to worry in advance, spend more time with grandma."

  The four girls in the Shaoqing Mansion, the eldest girl Duan Yunwan was sent away, and the fourth girl Duan Yunyan was still young. The only thing that the old lady needs to consider in the near future is the marriage between Duan Yunhua and Duan Yunling.

  Although Duan Yunhua took up the status of the first daughter, his reckless and willful behavior caught the eyes of the old lady. Duan Yunling should be closer to the old lady, there is no harm.

   "Well, I see."

   After chatting with Xin You, Duan Yunling became much more at ease and left with ease.

  He Qingxiao, who returned from Zhou's house to the yamen, took a sip of tea and asked his subordinates: "My impression is that Zhou Baihu only came to Beijing at the beginning of the year?"

  The subordinates thought that He Qingxiao hadn't taken over Beizhen Fusi at that time, so he answered very carefully: "Yes, Zhou Baihu was stationed in Wanyang before, and he was promoted to Baihu after entering Beijing at the beginning of the year..."

  He Qingxiao's eyes sank when he heard the word "Wanyang", and immediately thought of the encounter with Xin You on the way to Zhou's house.

   It was Wanyang again.

   It may not be a coincidence that Miss Kou became friends with the daughter of Zhou Tong from Wanyang.

  So there is another story behind Zhou Tong's death?

  He Qingxiao thought of the merciless arrow that flew from the dark that evening, and new doubts arose: If Miss Kou did it, would Zhou Tong's wife not know about it, or would she actively cooperate?

   "Go and find out who Zhou Tong got close to after entering Beijing, and the background of Zhou Tong and his wife."

  The reunion banquet was held in the Ruyi Hall, where Xinyou watched her heart, and the old lady answered any questions, and ate quietly when no one asked.

  Like Xin You, Duan Shaoqing was the one who was less talkative, so that the old lady couldn't help but glance at her son several times, thinking that his son was in some trouble.

  Receiving the gaze of the old mother, Duan Shaoqing took a mouthful of rice silently.

   It's not that he doesn't talk too much, it's that he talks too much in front of his niece and it's easy to fall into the pit, which costs money.

  After dinner, Xin You declined the moon viewing activity and returned to Wanqingju.

   "Miss going out?" Seeing Xin You changing clothes and hair, Xiao Lian asked with experience.

   "Yes, go out and do some errands, and keep Wanqingju for me."

   "But this place is no better than a bookstore, you don't have a key."

  Xin You smiled: "I think of another way."

  Xiao Lian hesitated for a moment, then whispered: "I know a place where I can go out, but I am afraid that you will dislike—"

   "Where can I go out?"

   "It's a dog's hole, the servant girl discovered it by accident."

  The courtyard walls of this kind of high-end mansion are high, so it would be better not to climb over the wall. Xin You didn't hesitate to go through the dog's hole and came to the street smoothly.

  The jade plate is in the sky, the moon is shining brightly, and the night of Mid-Autumn Festival is brighter and more lively than usual. As Xin You walked all the way, the sound of talking and laughing wafted into her ears from time to time.

  The joy of the festival was not replaced by a plain gloom until entering the alley where Zhou's family lived.

  Xin You stepped forward and meowed three times as agreed.

  According to the funeral ceremony, it is necessary to keep vigil for the deceased all night. Zhou Tong has only one daughter, and Ji Cailan's two elder brothers helped to keep watch last night. The reason why Xin You didn't knock on the door directly was because she was afraid that Zhou's mother would not be able to send the Ji family away, and it would be hard to explain if the Ji family saw her coming at the door at night.

   Not long after, the door quietly opened a crack. Mother Zhou saw Xin You with her head, and hurriedly opened the door to let her in.

  Walking beside Xin You, Zhou's mother lowered her voice and said, "The gatekeeper slept soundly. Chunya is in the west chamber, and Yue'er is watching. There is no one else."

The Ji family is here during the day, and they wanted to keep someone to help keep the spirit at night, but Mother Zhou refused on the grounds of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The cook and the servant who did rough work canceled the holiday because of an accident in the Zhou family, but at night will go home and sleep.

   This is also the reason for choosing to act on Mid-Autumn Eve.

  The mourning hall is lit with eternal lamps, filled with the strong smell of burning paper joss sticks. The pitch-black coffin quietly stopped in the middle, making the timid look terrified.

   Fortunately, neither Xinyou nor Zhou's mother are timid. The two worked together to remove the coffin lid, revealing the person lying inside.

   Zhou's mother watched as Xin You took out the bottle and brush that she carried with her and was busy. The horrific wound left by the dagger was filled little by little, and it gradually became indistinguishable from the surrounding skin color.

   "Auntie, be careful, don't let people come here."

   Mother Zhou nodded vigorously.

   She still has the confidence to do this. Even if the eldest sister has doubts in her heart, she can at most lift her clothes to take a look, and it is impossible to touch them randomly.

   "Now is not the time to talk deeply. When the storm passes, I hope to hear the secret."

   After seeing the means and courage of the girl in front of her, Zhou's mother was completely out of luck, said hello in a low voice, and sent Xin You to the gate.

  (end of this chapter)

Chapter end