"Let's talk about it, what's going on?"

  Chao Sheng stopped in her tracks, and Xiao Shun waved at her from the side. Chao Sheng held the tea tray and took two light steps forward, standing with him under the eaves.

  The people kneeling in the courtyard were chattering and gossiping, saying all sorts of things.

  It's all chaotic and you can't hear anything.

  The four princes and others all said a lot, their voices gradually getting lower and lower, until they were completely silent, before saying: "One by one."

  Guizhi knelt at the edge, was pulled up by Xiaosu, and said tremblingly: "Slave... slave heard a cry in the house, went to look, Guizhi's head and face were covered in blood, shouting that Chunmo sister wanted to kill her, then she fell down."

  Gui Zhi and Gui Yu have always lived together.

  "What about Chun Mo?" asked the fourth prince.

  "In the spring, Chun Mo's sister stood on one side, holding scissors in her hand, with blood still on the scissors, looking really scary..."

  "Is this the one?"

  "That's right, this one."

  "Is there anyone else in the house?"

  "It's gone, it's all gone..."

  "What were you doing when you heard the shout?"

  "The slave is airing clothes."

  Next was Xiao Su substituting for the Fourth Prince to ask questions, all of which were similar, asking everyone what they were doing at that time, what they heard and what they saw.

  Everyone's answers were more or less the same, Jin Hua and Jin Ye were also among them, all saying that they heard the commotion at the back and rushed over, but what they saw and heard was no different from others, and there was nothing unusual about it.

  But these people had all asked, and Chao Sheng quietly searched among the crowd, but did not see Chun Mo's figure. Xiao Su stood at the door, his cold gaze sweeping across the faces of those people one by one. There was no emotion in that gaze, and those who were seen by him dared not meet his eyes.

  He nodded slightly towards Chao Sheng, and Chao Sheng carried the tea into the house. His footsteps paused for a moment.

  It was the second time Chao Sheng had entered the study since he started reading books.

  She gently placed the tea near the Fourth Prince's hand and was about to withdraw when the Fourth Prince, without lifting his head, asked a sentence: "Are you better?"

  Chao Sheng slightly bent his knees and bowed: "Thank you, Your Highness, I'm much better now."

  The fourth prince said faintly: "Since you're timid, next time something like this happens, hide further away."

  Chao Sheng nodded and said: "Beforehand, I didn't know that slaves like us would faint at the sight of blood..."

  The fourth prince put down his pen: "You've been in the palace for quite some time now, haven't you?"

  Chao Sheng thought for a moment: "Reporting to Your Highness, it has been two years."

  It depends on who you compare it to. Two years shouldn't be considered short, but almost everyone in the Imperial Palace has been here longer than her. The longest is probably this prince right in front of us, he was born and raised in the palace, and by now, he may not have even gone outside yet.

  "How much do you know about this matter today?"

  Chao Sheng cautiously said: "The slave and Autumn Ink sister went to Songtao Pavilion, just came back and heard the little palace girl say that something happened..."

  The fourth prince smiled: "I forgot, was the painting delivered? What did second brother say?"

  "The second prince is still asleep in the afternoon, and the painting was handed over to Song Can."

  "Hmm," the fourth prince picked up his tea and lifted the lid of the teacup: "How was this tea brewed?"

  Chao Sheng said in a soft voice: "Today's weather is sultry and hot, bamboo tea can clear heat and fire, calm the mind and stabilize the spirit."

  The fourth prince took a sip, and the tea's fire was just right. A faint scent of bamboo wafted up, and the flavor was smooth and rich, without any astringency.

  The fourth prince didn't give any more orders, and Chao Sheng quietly stood by.

  The fourth prince suddenly asked: "Do you know how to grind ink?"

  The tide was somewhat unexpected, and he replied, "I know a little."

  "Give it a try."

  Chao Sheng responded with a sound, walked to the case, added water to the inkstone, and pinched the ink stick with three fingers, grinding it slowly and evenly. The inkstone was grayish-blue in color, and a thread of fresh ink color slowly spread out on the grayish-blue background.

  "Do you think this thing was Spring Ink intentionally killing someone?"

  Chao Sheng's hand paused for a moment: "Your Highness, why would you ask this? I don't understand and dare not speak rashly."

  "Just say what you think."

  This is really too much for me.

  Chao Sheng could only say: "I think it shouldn't be that serious."

  "Why?"

  I knew he would ask like this.

  Chao Sheng really wanted to roll his eyes at him.

  The fourth prince must have understood in his heart, why force her to say it?

  "When someone does something, they must have some benefit, right? But this matter... I don't see what good it would do to hurt a little palace maid for Spring Ink's sister."

  No profit no early rise, Chunmo doesn't have such motivation.

  "Perhaps it's just to vent?"

  To vent her anger, Chun Mo should have taken scissors to cut the face of Jin Hua's golden leaves, when will it be Gui Yu's turn?

  She didn't make a sound, just hung her head down, and the Fourth Prince also stopped asking: "Alright, I won't bother you."

  Chao Sheng looked up and took a glance, the Fourth Prince's mood didn't seem too bad.

  She plucked up her courage and asked: "What does Your Highness think?"

  "The fourth prince dipped his brush in ink and wrote with his head down: "I think the same as you."

  This guy is really slick.

  Chao Sheng wanted to ask another question, how would Your Highness deal with this matter, but he endured it.

  Disaster comes from the mouth.

  Superiors generally dislike people prying into and guessing their thoughts.

  If the fourth prince had intended to let it go lightly, but was instead provoked by her careless question, that would be a case of bungling things.

  Her gaze first stared at her own shoe tip, then silently counted the square bricks on the ground. When adding tea, her gaze inadvertently swept across the case.

  The handwriting of the fourth prince - hmm, it can be said that his writing is like himself, beautiful and elegant, flowing like clouds and water.

  "Have you studied before? Can you recognize characters?"

  Tide Sheng said: "I haven't read it before, and I can only recognize a few words."

  The fourth prince surprisingly asked with interest: "Which ones can you recognize?"

  What a predicament!

  "Just a few... still learning to count and recognize them when logging in - all with fewer strokes."

  Her face was slightly flushed, and sweat beads appeared on the tip of her nose, but it was unclear whether she was hot or anxious.

  The fourth prince picked up the paper and wrote two more words: "Take a look, do you recognize it?"

  "These two characters are written very squarely and correctly," said Chao Sheng in a low voice: "I recognize them."

  That's her name, how could she not recognize it?

  The fourth prince nodded, and a soft voice came from outside: "Your Highness, Autumn Ink is back."

  The fourth prince said: "Let her come in and talk."

  Chao Sheng observed his words and facial expressions, bowed and retreated, while Qiu Yan walked in.

  The two of them exchanged a glance and didn't say anything.

  She wanted to ask someone about Chunmo's current situation, but couldn't find anyone to ask. Xiaoshun must know, but who can get a word out of his mouth?

  Qiu Shan must have known, but Chao Sheng couldn't find an opportunity.

  How is she now? Where is she?

  According to the Fourth Prince's words, those related to this matter should have been taken care of first. The little palace maid who was injured has not woken up yet... It seems that Chun Mo will be safe for the time being.

  Everyone in the Huaye House was as silent as cicadas in winter, even the women in the small kitchen who usually liked to chat and laugh were all speechless. Auntie Li was still the same as usual, shouting and ordering them around.

  At the time of serving the meal, Aunt Li pinched her face hard: "You've become so thin that you have no flesh. Is it that our cooking is not good enough for your taste?"

  "Auntie, don't tease me," Chao Sheng said: "It's just too hot..."

  "Hey, it's hot outside and you still need to eat. I thought you wanted to be like those slender beauties who intentionally starve themselves." Auntie Li scooped up some more food and added two extra meatballs for her.

  Auntie Li's meatballs are unique, with a chewy texture that gets more fragrant the more you chew, and they're always in short supply.

  Chao Sheng laughed excitedly and asked in a low voice, "Auntie, do you know where Chun Mo is now?"

  The kitchen may have had someone deliver food in the past, so Chao Sheng asked this question.

  Auntie Li shook her head and said in a low voice, "Don't ask about this - anyway, it shouldn't be anything big."

  Tide can only shut his mouth.

  Even very fragrant meatballs didn't make her feel like they were particularly delicious.

  The house where two people used to live was now left with only her, suddenly feeling desolately empty.

  Chao Sheng didn't fall asleep until midnight, but woke up again at dawn.

  I'm afraid that last night at Huayeju, not many people slept well.

  Although I asked questions yesterday, the two most important people were not asked.

  That little palace maid who was injured and fainted.

  There is also Chun Mo.

  These two parties did not ask, others at most can only be regarded as witnesses.

  Whatever happened, what others say doesn't count, it's what these two said that matters most.

  Chunmo was separated, and the little palace maid had been unconscious all along.

  What was going on at that time?

  From Guizhi's words, Chunmo's situation is not good.

  At that time, there were only two people in the house, Guiyu and Chunmo. Guiyu shouted again that Chunmo wanted to kill her.

  We have witnesses now.

  There is also physical evidence, that pair of scissors with blood on them, still being held in Chunmo's hand.

  It can be said that the evidence is overwhelming.

  In such a situation, once that unconscious little palace maid wakes up, adding her words and her injuries, Chun Mo...

  ——————————————

  Dear ones, I am in Chengdu now.

  The hotel is very good, the weather is very cold, arrived at midnight, recognized the bed...

  I thought I was already very late, but unexpectedly someone arrived even later than me... It turned out that so many people arrived at midnight, not because they were supposed to arrive at midnight, but because their flight was delayed and became a midnight arrival.