"Zhiyue, what was that just now?" ChengSangJY clearly saw the sudden flash of blue light flying away.
Huazhiyue realized that in her moment of panic, she had used a spell in front of ChengSangJY without concealing it. She thought to herself, "Damn, I forgot to hide the spell."
ChengSangJY walked over to her, confused, pointing at LiLuoning's desk. "What was that just now? What happened?"
"Ah? What?" Huazhiyue quickly hid her hands behind her back, glancing nervously at the desk.
"The glowing thing that flew into your hand. I saw it." ChengSangJY insisted.
Huazhiyue quickly tucked the Sea Tree Pearl into her waistband, then waved her hands in front of ChengSangJY, saying, "What glowing thing? I didn't see anything. JY, you must be seeing things after reading for too long."
ChengSangJY looked at her empty hands but couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen a glowing string of pearls fly into her hand. He was certain of it.
"What's going on?" LiLuoning entered just then and saw the two of them arguing in the study. He approached them, asking.
"Master, it's nothing. JY must have been reading too much today and saw something that wasn't there," Huazhiyue quickly covered up. She knew she'd be in trouble if her master found out she used a spell in front of ChengSangJY. She grabbed JY's arm, trying to drag him out of the study.
"No, I clearly saw something," ChengSangJY argued.
Huazhiyue kept pushing him out, saying, "Oh, you didn't see anything. Come on, let's go."
"No, I really saw—" ChengSangJY was cut off as Huazhiyue continued to push him out of the room.
LiLuoning glanced at his desk and realized what had happened. He called out, "Wait a moment."
Huazhiyue froze, feeling caught. She slowly turned around, looking guilty. "Master..."
LiLuoning stepped forward and said, "Zhiyue, since His Highness has seen it, just show him."
Huazhiyue looked confused, then hesitant, and asked, "But Master, didn't you say—"
LiLuoning smiled, extending his hand to her back. When he withdrew it, he held not the Sea Tree Pearl, but another string of pearls, glowing softly. "Zhiyue mentioned earlier that she had received a jade bracelet from the prince and had prepared a return gift, asking me to keep it safe. Since His Highness has seen it, we might as well give it to him."
Zhiyue looked at the string of pearls in LiLuoning's hand. It was the one she had begged her master for several times, and he had always refused. Reluctantly, she pointed at the pearls, then at LiLuoning, before pouting and turning her head away in a huff.
LiLuoning glanced down at her, his eyebrow raised slightly, conveying, "This is your punishment."
ChengSangJY, although sensing that the pearls in LiLuoning's hand were different from the one he had seen, was still captivated by their glow. He asked, "What kind of stone is this? It's so unique."
"It's called 'Youpo,' a stone that absorbs daylight and glows at night. It's a treasure of the Leite Kingdom," LiLuoning explained.
"The Leite Kingdom? The one that supposedly builds houses out of beautiful stones? It really exists?" ChengSangJY exclaimed, fascinated. His love for jade and gemstones made him very familiar with the legends of Leite Kingdom, and it had always been one of his dream destinations.
"Wow, it's like wearing a string of luminous pearls," ChengSangJY marveled, unable to take his eyes off the pearls. Zhiyue, feeling jealous, puffed out her cheeks but forced a smile when he looked at her.
"These are much rarer than luminous pearls, right, Master?" Zhiyue said through gritted teeth, barely containing her jealousy.
"Zhiyue, you're amazing. You found such a rare treasure for me. Thank you," ChengSangJY said, his eyes still fixed on the pearls.
Zhiyue's jealousy was almost tangible. She felt a sudden emptiness at her waist as LiLuoning summoned the Sea Tree Pearl back to his wrist and playfully shook it in front of her.
"Zhiyue!" ChengSangJY suddenly called out.
"Huh? What is it?" Zhiyue was startled.
"Even though I only gave you an ordinary bracelet, there's no need to give me something so precious. No, I need to give you a few more things to make it fair. Come with me. You can choose anything from my study," ChengSangJY said, pulling her towards his courtyard.
"No need, really, Master, I..." Zhiyue tried to protest, but when she turned back, she saw LiLuoning standing at the study door, waving at her with a mischievous smile.
At the Lin residence,
LinMuchuan carefully pried open a corner of the memorial with a dagger, peeling away the top layer of paper. He held it up to the light, examined it closely, sniffed it, and felt it repeatedly, but found nothing unusual. Comparing it with a regular memorial, he said, "The paper does feel thicker and rougher than usual. But there's no hidden layer or visible writing under the light. I can't find anything unusual."
"Perhaps the writing on this paper holds some secret. Let's take it to XB. He's well-informed and knowledgeable, and might be able to decipher it," suggested ShangGuanCY.
Bamboo Garden
MuJinling used a wooden clip to pick up a corner of the paper, laying it flat on the tea table. He then poured a cup of water over the paper, and soon, a message appeared.
"You, ShangGuanCY, don't you ever read storybooks?" MuJinling mocked.
"What does this have to do with storybooks?" ShangGuanCY asked, puzzled.
MuJinling shook his head in exasperation, explaining, "It's invisible ink, revealed by water. Even LinHuaichu would know this. How come you're struggling with it?"
Just as ShangGuanCY was about to retort, LinMuchuan approached, picking up the still-wet paper without concern and began to read. MuJinling wanted to stop him but decided against it, shaking his head.
"The city is in danger, Red Lins are urgent. Southern forest, the prince is alone, General Lin protects the throne." The bottom right corner bore a five-foot tiger seal.
After reading the message, LinMuchuan stood there, stunned. "So, it wasn't my father acting on his own back then; it was the emperor."
"One piece of paper can't prove much. It might not even be real," MuJinling said, wiping his hands with a cloth and then leaning back with his long pipe.
LinMuchuan disagreed, pointing to the seal in the corner. "This seal was used for urgent battlefield communications. Only the leading general and his deputy would recognize it. I read about it in my father's war journals. It's genuine."
ShangGuanCY thought for a moment and said, "If that's the case, then the person behind this knows the truth and wants LinMuchuan to clear General Lin's name. If so, things could get tricky."
MuJinling turned to ShangGuanCY, seemingly surprised by his sigh.
"Why are you looking at me like that? You're smart enough to figure this out without me explaining. If the letter is fake, it means someone is trying to drive a wedge between the Lin family and the royal family. Everyone knows the Lin family has been loyal for three generations. They wouldn't be swayed by an anonymous letter. But if the letter is real, it means the emperor, who was then the crown prince, lied after the northern conquest. But no matter the truth, he's the emperor now! Do you expect LinMuchuan to confront the emperor, waving the banner of a loyal general?" ShangGuanCY took a sip of tea, explaining.
LinMuchuan didn't seem to care. He stepped closer to MuJinling, who instinctively leaned back. LinHuaichu, confused, sniffed himself, thinking he might smell, but then ignored it. Holding the letter tightly, LinMuchuan said emotionally, "If this is true, my father might not have slaughtered the city for a woman, and the death of the Red Lin cavalry might have another explanation. I have to uncover the truth. XB, can your Zuiyue Pavilion help trace the origin of this letter?"
MuJinling wiped his face with a handkerchief and said, "Tracing it isn't difficult, but what will you do if you find the truth? Confront the emperor?"
LinMuchuan was taken aback but still determined, "I can't let my father's name be stained, nor the Red Lin cavalry's sacrifice be in vain. This needs to be settled."
ShangGuanCY, knowing LinMuchuan wouldn't give up, said, "XB, please help LinMuchuan investigate this. I'll handle the court. If General Lin was wronged, we must clear his name and honor the Red Lin cavalry."
MuJinling sighed and agreed, "Alright, I'll have my people look into it. But the expenses will be on you, ShangGuanCY."
ShangGuanCY forced a smile, "You're really straightforward when it comes to money, aren't you?" Noticing MuJinling covering his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, he asked, "Are you feeling unwell today?"
MuJinling, exasperated that they hadn't figured it out, used the wooden clip to pick up the letter, explaining, "Invisible ink often uses alum or onion juice. But in the northern desert, where resources are scarce, they wouldn't use onion juice or precious alum, which is used for medicinal purposes."
LinMuchuan took the letter again, examining it in the light. "So if it's not alum or onion juice, what is it?"
MuJinling handed a cup to ShangGuanCY. "Why is this not tea?" ShangGuanCY asked.
MuJinling glanced at LinMuchuan and the letter dripping yellowish liquid. "In the arid north, soldiers would use what's available for urgent messages."
"What's available?" ShangGuanCY questioned.
"What was used to write this letter?" LinMuchuan asked, raising the letter.
"Urine."
The room fell silent. LinMuchuan stared at his hands in disbelief, then rushed to the door, barely making it outside before dry heaving.
ShangGuanCY felt nauseated, trying to cover his mouth but realizing he had touched the letter. Struggling with his disgust, he ordered, "Someone, bring water—no, prepare a bath! Quickly—ugh!"