Chapter 697

The next morning, Xu Qi 'an got up in high spirits. The person beside him was no longer there, and the fragrance of a woman lingered in the brocade quilt.

He propped himself up with weak limbs, as if he had just finished a 1,000-meter running test and his muscles were sore the next morning.

"I overslept again … But, it's excusable for me to be late. I came to the Musical House to investigate a case."

Xu Qi 'an sat cross-legged to relieve the fatigue of his cells, so that his body could recover to its peak as quickly as possible.

After only two circulations, his sore muscles regained their vitality.

"Squeak ~ ~"

The door of the boudoir was pushed open, and Floating Fragrance, who was dragging her skirt, came in with her personal maid. Her black hair was tied up high, decorated with expensive jewelry, and her fair and beautiful face was slightly haggard.

Her eyes were still red and swollen, and she almost cried.

"Prince Xu, you're awake." She smiled faintly, with a distant and formal smile. "I asked the kitchen to cook duck porridge for you."

"Put it there." Xu Qi 'an took the toiletries from the maid, quickly washed his face and brushed his teeth. Then he returned to the table, picked up the bowl, and ate while thinking.

Last night, the siren was a remnant of the Myriad Demon Kingdom, which meant that this matter had nothing to do with the Northern Demon Tribe … The suspicion of the King of Zhenbei was very light … Was the target of the remnant of the Myriad Demon Kingdom the sealed object or something else?

The reason why Xu Qi 'an thought so was that if the target was the sealed object, the remnant of the Myriad Demon Kingdom should have run away with the money instead of staying in the city to stir up trouble.

… There was another possibility. The demon tribe's target was not only the sealed object, but a greater conspiracy. The sealed object was just a means to achieve the goal.

The context of the Sampo Case was almost clear. The leading forces behind the scenes: first, the traitors of the imperial court; second, the remnant of the Myriad Demon Kingdom.

Target: unknown.

Sealed object: the broken hand of an unknown strongman.

Factors, people, and forces involved: the Myriad Demon Kingdom, Count Pingyuan, the Minister of War, the Celestial Commissioner, the royal family, Princess Pingyang, Heng Hui Monk, Baihu of Golden Guards, Zhou Chixiong …

Breakthrough: the strongman with the broken hand, Heng Hui Monk, Princess Pingyang.

"If I can figure out the identity of the amputated martial artist, I can deduce the true motive of the Ten Thousand Demons Kingdom … Then, if I catch either Heng Hui or Princess Ping Yang, I can deduce the truth behind the case …" Xu Qi 'an finished his porridge and sighed in satisfaction.

At this time, he had the chance to ask Floating Fragrance, "Angry?"

Fu Xiang smiled warmly, "Young Master Xu, please don't make fun of this servant. This servant is just a prostitute, I don't have the qualifications to be angry with you."

"Alright, Mr. Xu has become Mr. Xu …" Xu Qi 'an nodded and stretched his body. "Prepare some hot water, I want to take a bath."

Floating Incense smiled and nodded. She arranged for a servant girl to help him bathe, while she and her personal servant girl went out to relax.

Xu Qi 'an comfortably soaked in a hot bath, dressed neatly, tied the gong, and hung his sword. After thinking for a while, he asked, "Prepare a brush and ink for me."

The maidservant replied softly, "Yes."

"My wife, are you too cold to Prince Xu?" Walking in the alley of the Musical House, the maid whispered.

Floating Fragrance looked ahead and shook her head slightly. Her voice was a little sad. "You don't understand. I once begged him to redeem me, but he refused."

The maid was silent for a moment, and then explained for Xu Qi 'an, "Maybe he doesn't have the money. My wife's contract is worth at least three or four thousand taels of silver. I'm afraid it will double now."

The maidservant was silent for a moment, then explained on behalf of Xu Qi 'an, "Perhaps they don't have the money. My wife's contract was worth at least three or four thousand taels of silver. I'm afraid they'll have to double that now."

Floating Incense retracted her gaze and looked at the ground, "I've saved up quite a bit of silver over the years. Actually, I can …"

Floating Fragrance withdrew her gaze and looked at the ground. "I have saved a lot of money over the years. In fact, I can …" In the past, I didn't want to believe it and deceived myself. But what happened last night made me see myself clearly. "

It was just a wishful thinking of the fallen flowers but the heartless water.

As she walked, she unconsciously came to the outside of Qingchi Courtyard, and a noise attracted her attention.

Two copper gongs in the uniform of the night watchmen led Lady Ming Yan out. The old procuress followed behind them with a terrified expression. She tried her best to explain, "Lady Ming Yan, you're the one who's responsible.

"Sir, this must be a misunderstanding. It must be a misunderstanding."

Hua Kui Ming Yan looked terrified. "Mom, I'm innocent, I'm innocent …"

She knew the two gongs. They were the two who often accompanied Prince Xu to the Yingmei Pavilion for tea. One seemed to be surnamed Song and the other was surnamed Meng … She didn't remember him because he was too quiet.

"What happened? Ming Yan was fine last night. By the way, why did Prince Xu suddenly return to her Yingmei Pavilion last night … Did Ming Yan offend Prince Xu last night? Was she punished today? "

She immediately denied this idea. Although she was disheartened by this man, she believed that Xu Qi 'an was not such a person.

Floating Fragrance frowned and greeted the night watchman. She bowed to them and said, "Sir, what crime did Lady Ming Yan commit?"

Song Tingfeng stopped and said with a smile, "Lady Ming Yan secretly colluded with the Demon Clan and provided shelter. Last night, your excellency Xu secretly investigated and found the demoness disguised as her personal maid.

"The demoness has been punished. Now we're going to take her for questioning."

The madam beat her chest and stamped her feet. "You're innocent. Ming Yan is a weak woman. How could she collude with the Demon Clan? Do you know how much effort and money I spent to train her? I'm going to the Ministry of Rites to complain. I'm going to ask the people in the Ministry of Rites to make a decision. "

Zhu Guangxiao said in a low voice, "I now suspect that you're also an accomplice of the Demon Clan."

The madam was speechless. She took a few steps back with a strong desire to live.

Song Tingfeng narrowed his eyes, nodded to Floating Fragrance, and left with his men.

Floating Fragrance stared blankly at their backs as they left. She began to think … Ming Yan colluded with the Demon Clan? Prince Xu secretly investigated yesterday?

He chose to stay in Qing Chi Courtyard last night not because he liked the new and hated the old, but because he had official business to attend to. But I pestered him endlessly and threw a tantrum.

I saw him dragging his tired body back last night. At that time, I thought he was with Ming Yan … I wronged him. This morning, I even gave him an angry look to vent my anger … But why didn't he explain? Yes, he couldn't explain because this was yamen official business. The case needed to be kept secret.

Even so, knowing that he was misunderstood and wronged, he didn't show the slightest bit of annoyance and silently bear it …

Floating Fragrance suddenly lifted her skirt and ran to the Shadow Plum Pavilion.

"Wife, where are you going? Slow down …" The maid was startled.

She ran all the way back to the Shadow Plum Pavilion. Pushing open the door and entering the bedroom, Floating Fragrance shouted, "Darling Xu …"

The room was empty. He had already left. At that moment, she suddenly felt that she had lost something precious. Her heart felt empty.

"Wife, wife …" The maidservant caught up and saw her wife leaning against the door in a daze.

"I'm a little tired. Help me," Floating Fragrance said softly.

The maid helped her to the bed, glanced at her, and sighed inwardly. Not daring to disturb her, she turned around and tidied up the room.

Seeing the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table beside the screen, she let out a soft "Huh?" and walked to the table.

"Wife, here's a poem … It may have been left by Prince Xu."

Floating Fragrance suddenly came to life. She ran to the table barefoot and snatched it from the maid's hands as if it was a treasure. She looked at it intently.

"The beauty rolls up the beaded curtain.

Sitting deep and frowning.

But I see the tear stains wet.

I don't know who she hates. "

"Darling Xu, darling Xu …" She smiled at first. As she smiled, tears fell down and fell to the ground. She held the paper to her heart, crying and smiling at the same time, like a pear blossom in the rain.

"I'm going to find him." Floating Fragrance wiped her tears, got up, and trotted to the door.

The maid was shocked and hugged her wife's soft waist. "Don't, don't, don't. You're the Top Courtesan, the most prestigious Top Courtesan in the Musical House. If this gets out, how will you live? The reputation that you've worked so hard to accumulate will be gone.

"I've never heard of any Top Courtesan as unstylish as you."

Floating Fragrance was furious. "Let me go."

"I won't let you go!"

…

Xu Qi'an bought six big meat buns on the street, sat on the horseback and ate them, and leisurely walked to the yamen.

"The Top Courtesans in the Musical House are all good-looking … Each of them has their own merits. Well, when the Sampo Case is over, I'll communicate with them one by one, and in the future, I'll write a Guide to Evaluating the Top Courtesan of Daibun.

"The only problem is that I'm short of money. I only pick up three taels of silver every day, while the Top Courtesan can get at least thirty taels of silver a night.

"Thanks to the nine years of compulsory education, I didn't learn poetry in vain … Oh, I'm really a shame for the traveler. Other people become plagiarists for their official careers, but I do it for free …

"Speaking of which, I'm about to turn twenty. Fortunately, my aunt is not my mother and won't supervise my marriage. I can make my own decisions. Caiwei is the disciple of the Supervisor, and her background is too strong. Marrying her is like marrying a princess, and I can't fool around casually …

"I'm not in a hurry to get married. In a few years, there will be 24 Top Courtesans in the Musical House. Haha, I'm daydreaming. The disciple of the Supervisor may not like me. "

Xu Baimao laughed at himself in his heart. His thoughts flew, and then he turned to the case.

Ming Yan was arrested in Song Tingfeng under his instruction. Although he confirmed that she was innocent last night, he still had things to ask, such as when did the maid enter the Musical House, who was close to her, and so on.

…

In a secluded courtyard, a willow tree hung down its branches. It was bare and looked a little desolate.

Banging sounds came from the room, as well as the man's painful growl … Suddenly, all the movements disappeared.

"Squeak ~ ~"

The door opened, and Heng Hui, in a black robe, walked out silently, and went straight to the well in the courtyard.

He stared at the deep wellhead for a few seconds, and then waved his hand. The wellhead lit up with a faint golden character "swastika", and then it broke.

After the seal was lifted, Heng Hui jumped in.

At the bottom of the dark well, the mud exuded a faint smell of water. The middle-aged monk was sitting cross-legged with his back against the wall of the well.

He looked dispirited, and his lips were chapped. It seemed that he had been seriously injured.

The middle-aged monk was tall and burly, with a light cyan chin, and his face was full of bitterness and hatred.

If Xu Qi 'an were here, he could recognize this burly monk. It was Hengy Yuan, whom he had been longing for.

"Senior Brother …" Heng Hui said in a hoarse voice.

Hengy Yuan ignored him and sat quietly with his legs crossed.

"I was seriously injured, and my broken hand backfired," Heng Hui said.

Hengy Yuan opened his eyes and said with concern, "Heng Hui, repent and you will be saved."

Heng Hui shook his head. "Senior Brother, I entered the Cyan Dragon Temple at the age of six, and then I followed you. You taught me to meditate, taught me to recite scriptures, took care of my daily life, and treated me like a brother and a father. Now I want to ask you for a favor."

Hengy Yuan sighed and nodded.

Heng Hui raised his head. Under the cloak, a pair of dark eyes without white could be seen, and he smiled ferociously. "I want to eat you, Senior Brother."