Full House Spring

Chapter 51 Confusing
Xiangru lowered her brows slightly, and walked forward with small steps, saying:

"What Sister Chan Yi said is true. I witnessed the two of them arguing with my own eyes. Zhao Xiaohui did have the intention to harm others."

Madam Lu said in grief, "She is already dead, so you can just throw dirty water on her. Even if she really did it, I don't believe she is so bold. There must be someone behind the scenes. Please find out the truth, old lady."

Madam Lu has been doing her job conscientiously over the past few years. Even if she has no credit, she has worked hard. It is a bit unreasonable for the old lady to want to make a big thing into a small one.

She turned to look at Xia Li and said in a gentle voice, "Xia Li girl, you are the victim, tell me how to deal with it more appropriately."

Aunt Xie patted Xia Li's hand, signaling her to speak her mind boldly. Xia Li bowed to the old lady, then said in a gentle tone:
"I think this matter must be thoroughly investigated. If there are fish that slip through the net, won't every maid in the mansion be in danger?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone nodded unconsciously. This matter concerned their lives and property and could not be taken lightly. Xia Li was smart and courageous, so she was able to escape from the tiger's mouth. The other maids were weak and powerless, and could only be slaughtered.

Shi Mi said with worry in her eyes: "The person behind this is so cruel and ruthless. He killed two people so easily. I will not be able to sleep or eat well if I don't find him."

The other maids quickly agreed, and Xiangru also joined in with righteous indignation, with no sign of anything wrong on her face.

Lu Lingchuan stroked the jade pendant on his waist and glanced at Xia Li. Seeing that she looked calm, he said in a deep voice:

"Grandma, let me investigate this matter. Xia Li should not suffer this crime in vain."

The old lady was a little exhausted. She nodded slightly and said, "I'll leave this matter to you to investigate. Do it quietly in private. The New Year is almost here. Don't make a scene."

Lu Lingchuan hurriedly bowed and agreed. Seeing the old lady yawning, everyone left on their own accord.

Madam Lu struggled to stand up with the help of Qiaohe. She looked at Xia Li hesitantly as if she wanted to say something. This was not the time to speak. Thinking of Qiaohe's closeness to Xia Li, it would be the same to talk to her.

Coming out of the front hall, Qiao He supported Madam Lu and walked to her room. Madam Lu said softly, "I can't work these few days, so I'll have to trouble you in the kitchen."

The master and the apprentice have been together for a long time, and their relationship is naturally special. After Madam Lu accepted Qiaohe as her apprentice, she did her best to teach her cooking skills. It was because of her generosity that she won Qiaohe's respect.

Qiao He said calmly, "Master, just take care of the household affairs. I can take charge of the kitchen. I know the old lady's tastes very well. Just don't be too sad. The dead cannot be resurrected."

Madam Lu really treated Zhao Xiaohui as her own daughter, but she died in such an unclear manner. Madam Lu felt as if she was suffering from a heart-wrenching pain.

Seeing that no one was following her, she lowered her voice and said, "Take some time to tell Xia Li that Xiao Hui is definitely not the mastermind. She once told me that someone wanted to conspire with her to do something. She looked anxious at the time. I reminded her to behave herself and give up the idea. She was obviously wavering at that time..."

Although Qiao He respected Madam Lu very much, she had no good feelings towards Zhao Xiao Hui. She also secretly preferred Xia Li and said in a cold tone:

"If she had really given up the idea, Xia Li wouldn't have suffered this disaster today. Master, Zhao Xiaohui is not as obedient as you think."

Madam Lu said in a hoarse voice: "I know you have a problem with Xiao Hui, but from what I know about her, she can't think of such a sinister scheme. There must be someone else behind this. If you still think of me as your master, please pass on a message to Xia Li for me."

Qiao He was more angry than anyone else about Xia Li's injury, but she couldn't ignore the kindness that Lady Lu had shown her, so she could only reluctantly say:
"Don't worry, I'll agree. As for whether Xia Li believes it or not, that's not for me to decide."

Mrs. Lu's mood gradually stabilized. She said calmly: "It's up to you what you said, and let the rest take its course..."

At the same time, Aunt Xie was also accompanying Xia Li back to the house. She would never let Xia Li stay alone. She felt heartbroken just thinking about what kind of situation the little girl, who was like a flower bud, would be forced into to draw a knife against the villain.

After the grandparents and grandchildren entered the house, Aunt Xie looked at Xia Li and hesitated to speak. Xia Li knew what she was worried about, so he leaned on her shoulder and said in a low voice:
"Grandma, Zhu Da didn't touch me at all. He died under my sword before he could do anything. Do you think I am cruel?"

Madam Xie frowned and said, "How could I think so? I'm just glad that you have the courage to fight back. This way, I can feel more at ease when I leave in the future. But since this is your first time seeing blood, you will definitely have nightmares at night. I will stay and sleep with you tonight."

In the past, when Aunt Xie had a headache or fever, Xia Li would sleep with her at night. They slept in their own beds, so it didn't have much impact.

Xia Li wanted to say that she didn't need his company, as she was used to overcoming problems alone. But the image of Zhu Da lying in a pool of blood with his eyes open would appear in her mind whenever she closed her eyes.

She turned to meet grandma's concerned eyes, and finally couldn't bear to refuse, so she smiled and said, "It's great to have grandma accompany you. Don't worry, I will adjust quickly."

Aunt Xie didn't believe in ghosts and gods before, but when it came to Xia Li, she didn't want her to make any mistakes. She pondered and said:

"Tomorrow the old lady will go to Guangji Temple to burn incense. You can go with her. Let's kowtow to the Buddha and chant sutras to get rid of the bad luck on our bodies."

Xia Li sat up straight and said in surprise, "Why do you suddenly want to go to Guangji Temple? I haven't heard of this before."

Aunt Xie said calmly, "It has just been decided. It's okay to tell you. We are going to Guangji Temple to let the prince meet the eldest daughter of Prime Minister Gao."

Xia Li's eyes lit up slightly, and he said in a brisk voice, "That Miss Gao is Gao Mingyu, who is known as the talented woman in Kyoto? If this marriage is successful, it will be a perfect match for the two families."

Madam Xie nodded slightly and said with a faint smile: "The old lady thinks so too, so she attaches great importance to it. Just follow me tomorrow and don't run around."

Xia Li said in a cheerful tone: "Don't worry, I won't go anywhere except to kowtow and burn incense."

Seeing that she was not unhappy at all, Madam Xie said in a gentle tone, "I see that the young master protects you in everything. Do you really have no feelings towards him at all?"

Xia Li said with a smile: "The prince and I are completely different, how could I have any thoughts about him? Being a concubine is not as happy as living a carefree life outside."

Aunt Xie said with relief in her eyes: "You are very wise to think so. I am afraid that you are young and full of energy, and you are blinded by wealth and fame. As long as you don't get involved in this muddy water, our life will be good."

Xia Li lay on the bed with a relaxed expression, and said indifferently:

"Grandma, the prince's affairs have nothing to do with me. It's getting late. Let's rest." Grandma Xie nodded gently. If it weren't for this sudden incident, she would have fallen asleep. Seeing Xia Li looking tired, she turned around and took out the bedding from the closet, and then spread it on the outside of the bed.

Xia Li was exhausted after suffering a double blow both physically and mentally. She closed her eyes and fell asleep soon. Aunt Xie lay beside her, listening to her even breathing, and fell asleep at ease...

However, in the dead of night, Xia Li was awakened by a nightmare. Fear made her tremble all over, and her heart beat wildly as if it was about to jump out of her chest.

She made a loud noise when she stood up. Aunt Xie, who was a light sleeper, also woke up. Sensing Xia Li's fear, she quickly took her into her arms and said in a hoarse voice, "It's all over. Zhu Da's self-destruction has nothing to do with you."

Xia Li leaned tremblingly in the arms of Aunt Xie. She was panting and sweating. She smelled the familiar breath of her grandmother and finally calmed down her fear. She said apologetically, "Grandma, I'm sorry to disturb your sleep..."

Madam Xie stroked her back and said in a soothing voice, "It's okay. Go back to sleep when you're better. I'll stay here with you."

Xia Li opened her mouth but didn't say no. She leaned in Nanny Xie's arms and closed her eyes, trying not to think about Zhu Da's death. She began to wonder why Zhao Xiaohui died.

Before the accident, she had only had contact with Xiangru and Qiaohe. Qiaohe would never harm her. No matter how reasonable Xiangru's explanation was or how natural her behavior was, Xia Li could never dispel her suspicion of her. Even without evidence, she just had this intuition.

Zhao Xiaohui's death was too accidental. Who did she offend? Besides the people who conspired with her, was it possible that someone else wanted her dead?
Although Xiangru was taller than Zhao Xiaohui, she was not strong enough to strangle Zhao Xiaohui to death and then hang her back on the beam. If she was an adult male, it would be possible.

The more Xia Li thought about it, the more she felt that there was something fishy. The old lady handed the matter over to the young master to investigate, and she had no objection. With the young master's ability, he would surely be able to find out something, and he would not cover up for the murderer.

The more Xia Li thought about it, the more complicated the matter seemed to her. It might not be easy to figure out. She thought about it for a while but couldn't figure it out. She fell asleep again unknowingly and didn't wake up until dawn.

Nanny Xie went to see the old lady early in the morning. A lot of things had to be taken with her when leaving the house to go to Guangji Temple. Without her in charge, there would inevitably be omissions.

Three big maids and Chan Yi accompanied them on this trip. Now that the old lady couldn't be without someone by her side, the maids could take turns serving her so that they could be more relaxed. They set out from the mansion after breakfast.

When Lu Lingchuan saw Xia Li helping the old lady get on the carriage in front of the mansion, his face suddenly turned as dark as the bottom of a pot. The eldest wife saw that her son was unhappy, so she stepped forward and lowered her voice and said:

"Why are you like this? Your father and I take this meeting very seriously. If you can marry the girl from Prime Minister Gao's family, our family will be more stable. Don't let your emotions get the better of you."

His eyes were clearly looking at Xia Li just now, so how could the eldest wife be wrong? Lu Lingchuan's breath was slightly heavy, and he said expressionlessly: "Mother, you are worrying too much. I was thinking about what happened last night."

The eldest wife thought that the death of two servants last night was related to Xia Li, and she couldn't help feeling taboo. She said with a complicated expression:
"Although Xia Li killed people to protect herself, her character is a bit too strong. If she were a concubine, I'm afraid she would not obey me."

Lu Lingchuan frowned slightly and said impatiently, "Mother, don't think that this is just one thing. I have my own ideas about this matter. Please get on the carriage quickly. Grandmother is urging us."

The eldest wife came to her senses and said, "It's time to go. It would be bad if we miss the time."

Lu Lingchuan helped the eldest wife onto the carriage, and then rode a horse in front to lead the way.

Guangji Temple is not the largest temple in Kyoto, nor is it the most popular, but it is a very quiet and elegant place. It is located between the mountains, surrounded by lush trees, and is lush and green everywhere. The carriage took about half an hour to arrive there.

As soon as you enter the temple, you can feel peaceful, as if you are isolated from the noisy world. After listening to Aunt Xie's story about Xia Li's nightmare, the old lady said to her gently: "You don't have to stay with me. Go to the Buddha statue and kneel down devoutly. The Buddha will protect you."

After Xia Li had the experience of traveling through time, she developed a reverent attitude towards gods and Buddhas. It was a great thing to be able to find inner peace in front of the Buddha. She said with gratitude, "Thank you very much, old lady, for your concern. I will come to you after I finish kneeling and chanting the sutras."

The old lady nodded in agreement, and then took the eldest wife and others to the east.

Before leaving, Lu Lingchuan glanced at Xia Li with a complicated expression and saw that her face was calm without a trace of disturbance. The calmness and composure she showed when looking at him did not seem fake. Lu Lingchuan showed a wry smile and finally turned around and left without saying a word.

Xia Li felt neither sad nor happy. She stepped onto the steps and walked steadily to the Buddha statue. Then she knelt on her knees, clasped her hands together, and prayed for the Buddha's protection.

Pilgrims who come to Guangji Temple prefer to worship in front of the big Buddha statue on the east side, so no one disturbed her while she was kneeling devoutly.

She didn't care about the result of Lu Lingchuan's interview. Whether it succeeded or not was none of her business. She stayed alone in front of the Buddha for a long time. When she finished chanting sutras and reciting Buddha's name, things on the other side seemed to be done.

The old lady and the first wife were obviously delighted. They thought that this marriage would be successful in all likelihood. However, they could not see any clues from the young master. They did not know whether he liked Miss Gao. Xia Li did his duty and did not go to find out.

Perhaps because of praying to Buddha during the day, Xia Li no longer had nightmares at night. She slept well all night and felt completely different.

It was thought that the prince could find some clues about Xiao Hui's death. After all, he was the heir to the mansion, and there was no place he could not investigate or visit. However, after waiting for three days, he finally showed up in Leshou Hall.

Lu Lingchuan saw that she had lost some weight. After greeting the old lady, he accompanied her for dinner, and then called Xia Li to the front hall to talk to her in detail.

Xiangru was also serving in the house. Looking at the two people leaving together, her eyes were very deep and complicated.

After the two arrived at the front hall, Xia Li served tea to the prince first. She behaved properly and said in a calm voice, "I don't know what the prince has found out. Please tell me the truth."

Lu Lingchuan sighed softly and said helplessly, "I haven't found any useful clues. Zhao Xiaohui went out once after the lights were turned on. After she came back, she didn't step out of the room, and no one saw anyone looking for her."

Xia Li narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a dissatisfied tone: "Could it be that the prince thinks she committed suicide?"

Lu Lingchuan shook his head and said, "There are claw marks on Zhao Xiaohui's neck, and they are not purple but light white. Her tongue is not sticking out and not touching her teeth. It is obvious that she was hung from the beam after death."

　There is a hidden line here, the murderer will appear later...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)