Jiaochu

Chapter 118 Birthday Celebrations Upstairs ([-])
As soon as he finished speaking, Lingdang hurried in and said, "Princess, Wu'er came back from outside just now and said that a palace maid committed suicide. She was from the imperial concubine's palace." Ye Lingxi's expression changed slightly, and Lingdang paused, as if what he said next was not quite right. It's convenient to say it in front of Yan Fei. "Brother Yan is not an outsider, you can tell me." "Wu'er said that the palace maid who committed suicide was named Cui'er. Yesterday she also followed Concubine Xiao to the Zhaixing Tower. Eunuch De wanted to ask questions this morning, but Cui'er didn't come, so Eunuch De asked I went to the imperial concubine's palace to look for someone, and found that Cui'er had committed suicide in her own room. I heard that she had taken poison, and there were rumors that this Cui'er had committed suicide out of fear of guilt."

Ye Lingxi thought for a moment. The coincidence of the incident made people suspicious that it was a frame-up. It is not ruled out that the other party did the opposite. However, judging from Xiao Guifei's past methods, she was low-key and meticulous, like boiling a frog in warm water, not now. It is so eye-catching, but it may also be a deception. There may be a bigger hole dug later to bury people. After thinking quickly, Ye Lingxi asked Lingdang to inquire again. Shortly after Lingdang left, Xiao Anzi took A young eunuch came over and told Yanfei that the carriage was ready, and asked the young eunuch to take Yanfei out of the palace.

After the others left, Xiao Anzi and Ye Lingxi revealed the news that Cui'er in Concubine Xiao's palace had committed suicide by taking poison, and a blood letter was also found.

"What's written on it?"

"This servant doesn't know. If the princess wants to know, I will try to think of something."

"Right now, there are rumors outside that this Cui'er committed suicide out of fear of crime. Normally, everyone praises the Imperial Concubine for being virtuous and virtuous. But now that a murder has occurred, I can see that the reputation that the Imperial Concubine has accumulated over the years has been completely destroyed in one fell swoop."

"Do you think someone is setting up a frame-up or a thief calling for a thief?"

"It's the princess who has thought carefully. The servant has not thought of this level. Since the princess has asked, the servant will dare to tell you. According to the servant, it is the imperial concubine who is calling for a thief. Princess, think about it, who in this palace has the ability to hide the truth from the sea and instruct others to catch the thief?" The railings were sawed open without anyone noticing. Who is the most jealous of Concubine Lan? I should not say this. If the princess had really fallen last night, Concubine Lan would have lost most of her life. "

When Xiao Anzi left, Ye Lingxi stopped him and asked, "Have you ever studied?" Xiao Anzi was stunned for a moment, then returned to his usual diligent self and replied, "When I was young, my family was poor and I never went to school. ." Ye Lingxi asked again, "Can you write your own name?" Xiao Anzi replied, "I can recognize a few characters, but I'm not good at writing." He lowered his head, rolled his eyes, and said to please, " If you don’t mind the trouble, princess, can you write down a name for the slave and I can take it back and practice according to it.”

Ye Lingxi thought for a while, then asked Hehe to bring a pen and paper over, and asked Xiao Anzi to write a word for her to read. Xiao Anzi said that his handwriting was ugly, and it turned out to be ugly, crooked and crooked, like an earthworm. Ye Lingxi He wrote the word "安" on another piece of paper and handed it to Xiao Anzi, and asked Hehe to bring him a piece of small regular script. Xiao Anzi carefully folded the paper and put it in his sleeve, and left with the copybook. Weiyang Palace.

At almost noon, Xiao Quanzi came over, and it happened that the bell also came back from outside. Xiao Quanzi brought a wooden box, which he held with both hands very carefully. When he put it on the table, he moved It is also extremely light, for fear of breaking the contents inside.

After opening the lid, Ye Lingxi couldn't help but be stunned. Hehe and Lingdang also widened their eyes in surprise, and Lingdang even exclaimed.

Inside the box is a set of ingenious wood carvings, with a fenced courtyard, a simple house, and a large leafy tree. The flowers, birds, fish and insects are all lifelike, light and delicate, as if they will come to life in the blink of an eye. There is no sloppy detail, and even the most delicate brushstrokes of the painter can hardly achieve such extreme meticulousness.

"His Highness took more than half a year to carve this. I have never seen it even a few times." Xiao Quanzi said.Ye Lingxi felt very flattered and a little embarrassed to accept such a time-consuming and labor-intensive gift. "Big brother gave me such an expensive gift. I will keep it well and make sure there are not many leaves on the tree."

Afterwards, Xiao Quanzi also returned to Changle Palace with a box.Ye Qingran sat under the ancient pine tree in the yard and read a book. When Xiao Quanzi came over, he raised his head and glanced at it. His eyes paused for a moment on the box in Xiao Quanzi's hand and then returned to the book in front of him. His tone He asked indifferently, "Are you okay?"

Xiao Quanzi replied happily, "Your Highness, don't worry, the princess is fine. The servant delivered the things to the princess. The princess said that they should be kept well so that there are not many leaves on the tree. The princess also sent things to your highness." "As he spoke, Xiao Quanzi opened the box. Inside was a stone that looked like a gem or glass, the size of a pebble, ice blue and translucent, mysterious and fresh.

Xiao Quanzi didn't open it and didn't know whether it was a stone or something else. There was a bit of confusion on his beaming face, and he muttered strangely, "Didn't the princess say that she has been collecting treasures since she was a child? Why does she look like this?" Is it a stone?”

Ye Qingran took a look inside the box, reached out and picked up the icy blue round stone, and looked at the light. It looked like water waves flowing inside. After a few seconds, she put the stone back into the box and let Xiao Quanzi Take it in and put it away.Xiao Quanzi happily took the box and left, thinking that the princess really knew His Highness, and His Highness wouldn't even look at something he didn't like~
After Xiao Quanzi left on the other side, Lingdang reported what he had learned to Ye Lingxi.After Cui Er was found to have committed suicide, Eunuch De asked two young eunuchs to carry her away. He also had people search Cui Er's house carefully and found a medicine bottle on the ground. After that, Concubine Xiao followed Eunuch De to the royal study. , went to the Queen's Palace again after coming out, and then didn't go out again.

In the afternoon, Ye Xingye came over again and told Ye Lingxi that he couldn't find Commander Wu's people. They seemed to be interrogating prisoners at the Yeting Division. He didn't dare to go there. After all, it was said that the place was even more spooky and terrifying than the prison of the Ministry of Punishment. Everyone in the palace was talking about it, and there were rumors of it being haunted. The cries of women and children would come from there in the middle of the night. Just hearing the name would send shivers down one's spine.

Ye Xingye briefly mentioned that place, and then the topic turned to Cui'er who committed suicide, "I heard that the palace maid committed suicide out of fear of crime. She seemed to have brought the snake in. How did she bring it in? Could it be that it was hidden on her body? , Aren't you afraid of being bitten by a snake?" Thinking of that scene, he shuddered suddenly, "Oh, let's not talk about this anymore. Did the second brother come just now? I seemed to see the second brother when I came, and turned around to see others. Just disappeared.”

Ye Lingxi looked at Hehe and Lingdang, who shook their heads and replied that they didn't see His Highness coming. She thought to herself that it would be fine if he didn't come, but she didn't want to see him now if he did.

"I must have seen it wrong."

Ye Xingye didn't pay much attention, and went back after staying for about half an hour.

(End of this chapter)