Sanshengtang.

It was just after midnight, and the afternoon sunlight penetrated the thin gauze paper of the window and cast a long slanting light and shadow on the ground.

There was no light in the study, and it was all gray.

Rong Shu looked at the wall hidden behind the bookshelf and walked over with a lantern.

The further inside, the weaker the light became. When she reached the paintings, she stepped on a footstool and looked at them inch by inch with the help of the lamp in her hand.

The three paintings were all hung on wooden citrons on the wall. Rong Shu focused on the short piece of wood in the middle. The wood had more wear marks than the other two wooden citrons, indicating that the painting in the middle was often used by people. Take it down.

Is it for viewing and playing? Or is it due to other reasons?

"Sister Luoyan, hold the lamp for me."

Handing the candle to Luoyan, Rong Shu stepped on a footstool, took down the painting in the middle, laid it flat on the table, and looked down at it.

"Sister Luoyan, look at this painting. Is there anything strange about it?"

Luoyan is a rough man, and he doesn't understand these kinds of study calligraphy. He took a closer look at it under the light and said, "I can't tell. Look. It's just a painting."

"I don't see anything strange."

Rong Shu frowned. It was when she was looking at this painting that night that Zhang's mother suddenly appeared behind her.

My uncle often took down the painting, and Zhang's mother seemed to not want her to look at the painting more. She also thought there was something wrong with the painting.

But she really couldn't see anything wrong with it.

Luo Yan is right, this is a painting.

If there is anything special about it, it is that the person who painted it has excellent painting skills, and it deserves to be praised by everyone.

Why doesn't Zhang's mother want her to see more of this painting?

Did she think too much?

Rong Shu suppressed the confusion in his heart and was about to hang the painting back, but then his eyes swept across the wall and his movements suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong, girl?" Luoyan saw her staring at the wall motionless, and looked over curiously, saying, "What's wrong with this wall?"

"Sister Luoyan, please give me the lamp."

Rong Shu Put down the painting, lift the candle, and shine the bright candlelight on a certain spot on the wall.

This is a wooden wall, made of the finest agarwood, with intertwined dark patterns in the wood.

Rong Shu's slender fingers slowly moved along a section of the wall in the light, drawing out several lines connected end to end to form a long box-shaped pattern, and said: "The color of the wood here is different from that of the other places, and the color is lighter. "

Luo Yan followed her finger and saw that the color of those lines was indeed lighter than the other places.

Luo Yan's face darkened, and he raised his fingers and tapped on the wall inch by inch. When he hit the area surrounded by thin wires, the "click" sound was obviously hollower and less diffuse.

"It's hollow. There should be a mechanism secret box in this wooden wall." Luo Yan frowned and stared at the wall, and said solemnly: "I just don't know how to activate this mechanism."

Rong Shu first looked at the paintings on the table and thought What? He raised his eyelashes and looked at the wooden citron in the middle again.

The wear marks on the wooden citron were not just left when the painting was taken.

Rong Shu's brows relaxed, his palm firmly pressed against the wooden citron, and he pressed hard.

After a small rustling sound, the dark box of the same color as the wall was slowly pushed out. Inside was a simple wooden box carved with auspicious animals holding beads.

Rong Shu and Luo Yan looked at each other, quickly took out the wooden box, and subconsciously wanted to open it.

But she searched the wooden box up and down, but couldn't find the lock at all.

This thing is like a wooden box made of four pieces of thick wood that are joined together with mortises and tenons, without even an opening.

Rong Shu put the wooden box to his ear and shook it twice, "There is something inside, this is a machine lock."

The sky was getting dark, and they could not stay in the study any longer.

Rong Shu made a decision immediately: "Take it away. If it doesn't work, I smash it!" After saying that, he picked a few books and quickly walked out of Sanshengtang with Luoyan.

Mother Zhang was preparing dinner in Yilanzhu. When she saw Rong Shu returning with a lantern, she couldn't help but frowned and said, "Where has the girl gone again? Why don't you go to the house to rest? You have been running around for more than a month, but don't do it." I'm tired and sick."

Rong Shu looked up at her.

The woman in front of her was always the gentle nanny in her mind who put her first in everything.

Every time she was sick, she was always the one taking care of her, holding her in her arms and singing little songs to her. She is said to be a wet nurse, but in Rong Shu's heart, Zhang's mother has long been no different from a relative.

It is not yet known what is contained in the wooden box.

She is still thinking to this day, is she being paranoid?

Zhang's mother urged her to leave the study that time, not because she wanted to prevent her from looking at the painting, nor because she was afraid that she would discover the mechanism behind the painting. Is it just that she is afraid that her uncle will be displeased if she breaks the painting?

After all, how could an ordinary wet nurse know the secrets in her master's study?

Unless she's not an ordinary wet nurse.

If it really wasn't the case, what could be the identity of Zhang's mother?

Rong Shu curled up the corners of his lips and said, "Aren't you a little uncomfortable with being free all of a sudden? So I simply went to Sanshengtang to pick up a few books to read."

As he said that, he showed Zhang's mother the carefully selected books as if they were offering treasures . .

These books are all local travel notes, which were brought back to Mrs. Shen when Mr. Shen went out on business.

Rong Shu, like Shen, has loved reading these miscellaneous books since he was a child.

Zhang's mother smiled and shook her head: "You can't look for too long at night, your eyes will be tired if you

look carefully." As she spoke, the maid outside had already brought the dinner in. Rong Shu took a look and saw that it was all the food she had said she wanted to eat. Several dishes.

Rong Shu cleaned his hands in the copper basin, took the handkerchief from Zhang's mother, and said while wiping his hands: "Miss Luoyan, have you sent me some food?"

Zhang's mother said with a smile, "Miss Luoyan, please." She said she was exhausted and needs to rest early today.

"Then don't disturb her, otherwise Ni Jing will say I'm being mean."

Mother Zhang stayed in the house at night. There was a steady sound of breathing on the couch. He stood up and walked towards the bookcase by the window, quietly flipping through the books Rong Shu brought back from the study.

The crescent moon is like a hook, and the sound of drums is louder.

Her figure was reflected on the window paper. After half a cup of tea, the shadow slowly disappeared.

Early the next morning, Rong Shu had just finished breakfast when someone came in and said that Miss Luoyan might have eaten too many crabs, and she had a stomachache today.

Rong Shu hurriedly asked someone to get her medicine, and then said to Zhang's mother: "I have to go out for a while. Sister Luoyan is the county owner, so we can't let her fall ill. Mom, please stay here to take care of her. Only if you are here in Yilanzhu can I feel more at ease."

The little girl's voice could not hide her trust. Mother Zhang responded quickly and said, "Where are you going, girl?"

"Didn't you borrow money from several big families before? Did you borrow some grain? The autumn harvest is coming soon. A general from the garrison department came to me specifically two days ago and said that they would pay back the grain they borrowed, but I had to pay it back in person. Mom, don’t worry. Anyway, Uncle Shi will be with you on this trip, so nothing will happen."

Zhang's mother knew about Rong Shu's borrowing of grain, and without doubting his presence, she sent someone to prepare the carriage after a few words of advice.

The carriage rattled across the stone road. As soon as Rong Shu arrived at Ciying Lane, he banged the door twice.

"Uncle Shiyi."

Lu Shiyi was making tea to entertain guests. Hearing these two sounds, he said "Hey": "Why is Zhaozhao here?"

He quickly put the copper kettle in his hand back into the small red clay stove and said to the man opposite: "Sir, please wait for a moment. I'll open a door for Zhao Zhao."

Gu Changjin said, "Just go ahead and go."

As soon as Lu Shiyi turned around, his eyes fell on the wooden door and he slowly put down his hand. of cups.

The man's fingers holding the cup were slightly red.

This was when I heard the girl's voice just now, I was so uneasy that I was burned red by the spilled tea soup.

Rong Shu entered the courtyard and found out there were visitors.

Looking up, I saw the golden morning sun, the morning glow like fire, and a few rough chairs hidden in the thick shade of pines and cypresses in a corner.

The old copper kettle was bubbling "gudu" and "gudu", and the water mist was curling up. The young man was not wearing official uniform, but was wearing a black dress and a jade crown, sitting peacefully under the tree.

Rong Shu's fingers loosened her grip on the skirt, and the frost-white skirt of Liuxian skirt slowly fell.

Today she wore a fairy-looking bun, with only a white jade begonia hairpin stuck in her crow-colored temples. She was pure and elegant, like a mysterious goddess from the Nine Heavens who came in the light of day.

Gu Changjin's throat tightened slightly, he paused, and called her "Miss Rong" unhurriedly.

After Rong Shu was stunned for a moment, he replied politely, "Master Gu."

Lu Shiyi dragged a wooden chair from one side and said to Rong Shu: "Let's have tea first. Master Gu's coming to my place today has something to do with you."

After Rong Shu sat down, he picked up the copper pot to make tea and gave it to Rong Shu. Shu poured a glass.

"Hot your hands carefully. I came here early in the morning to look for Uncle Shi Yi, but what happened?"

Rong Shu glanced at Gu Changjin, thought for a moment and said, "I came here to ask Uncle Shi Yi to get some gold flowers for me. , I went to Chunyue Tower to ask Aunt Guo for a pack of Chunfeng Powder."

Upon hearing this, Lang Jun frowned and looked at her intently.

What kind of medicine is "Chunfengsan"? Still don't know its meaning?

For a moment, her eyes were as big as copper bells, and she couldn't figure out what the girl wanted this medicine for.

Rong Shu was afraid that he would be mistaken, so he added: "Using Yangjinhua and Chunfeng Powder together can make people relax and have hallucinations. This is a medicine that Mr. Gu has used before."

Gu Changjin nodded and said: " It does have this effect. As long as it is used in the right amount, it will not harm the body."

Lu Shiyi thought for a while and frowned: "Are you doing this for Mother Zhang?"

Rong Shu nodded obediently.

Lu Shiyi knew that Rong Shu, like Shen Yizhen, was used to making big ideas, so he didn't ask too many questions. He thought about it and said, "Okay, leave this matter to me. It's a coincidence that you came here today. Mr. Gu will be here after noon." After leaving Yangzhou, you can just say goodbye to him, and there is no need for me to convey it to you."

Rong Shu was quite surprised.

September has not yet arrived, and he is about to leave Yangzhou? In his previous life, he set off back to Beijing at the end of October, and it was almost December when he arrived in Beijing.

She thought for a while and then said: "Did you find the evidence, sir?"

Gu Changjin smiled and said, "Yes."

Rong Shu was really curious about how this evidence had anything to do with what Liao Rao said before he died, but these were confidential matters after all. , no matter how curious she is, she can't ask casually.

He said: "Congratulations." Then he took a sip of tea silently.

Little did she know that Gu Changjin had seen through her thoughts long ago. She swallowed a sip of tea and heard him say again: "When the second prince recruited Liao Rao, he sent him a jade plaque. Liao Rao has been with us in the past few years. Jiang and Zhejiang accepted a lot of bribes, and most of the money from Tan Mo was sent to Shangjing. He had an account book in his hand that clearly recorded every account. The evidence was hidden in the small Buddhist hall of Liao Mansion. "

Gu. Chang Jin paused after saying this, "Mrs. Liao moved to the small Buddhist hall five years ago, and the place where Liao Rao and Mrs. Liao met for the first time was the Buddhist hall of Da Ci'en Temple."

In other words, What Mrs. Liao had been looking for, Liao Rao had already delivered right under her nose.

Mrs. Liao did know Liao Rao well. With just a few sentences, she guessed where Liao Rao hid the things.

Rong Shu sighed softly: "They... are really a pity." He

obviously liked each other so much, if the Qi family didn't recruit Liao Rao, no, if the old minister didn't recommend Liao Rao to Jiangsu and Zhejiang, even if the body of Emperor Jiayou was If things were better, they might all be able to go all the way.

Gu Changjin looked at her: "It's a pity."

After a pause, he added: "I came here today to find a way to catch the head. In addition to saying goodbye, I actually have one more thing to do."

"I know you are checking on your uncle, Zhuiyun is me. The most trustworthy person. From now on, Zhuiyun and the people in his hands will be left to you. When you need someone, go to No. 18 Pingnan Street to find him."

The leaves above my head were rustling, and the sun was shining brightly. I jumped a little further to the treetops, and in the melting sunlight, even the autumn wind passing by seemed to be tainted with a few rays of warmth.

Rong Shu squeezed the tea cup in her hand tightly, her clear eyes filled with surprise and a bit at a loss.

When a person gives you his most capable person, it is protection and trust.

Rong Shu lowered his eyelashes and said for a long time, "Thank you, sir."