Chapter 49 - Secret

It turned out that Mo Shujun called on Shi Qingxue because she wished that Qingxue could treat the Shi Family’s relatives who had come a long way from the Shu County for her.

The little girl in front of her looked very lovely, and her big eyes were charming. She also formed the candid personality specially of the Shi Family. Shi Qingxue liked this little girl at a glance.

The little girl was named Shi Yuechu. She was the daughter of Shi Junhe’s cousin. She was born a few days later than Qingxue. After Mo Shujun’s introduction, she laughed brightly.

She grabbed Qingxue’s hand intimately and said sweetly, “I don’t have a blessing to be listed in your family in order of age, so could I call you Sixth Sister like other sisters do?”

Shi Yuechu was natural and graceful, and Shi Qingxue felt good about her and laughed, “Of course. Then I shall call you Yuechu since I’m older than you.”

The two had similar personalities and had different experiences. They talked a lot with each other and soon they built a close relationship.

Shi Qingxue was also a little surprised why she hadn’t seen these people after the death of Shi Lei in her previous life, but this did not prevent her from making a good relationship with Shi Yuechu.

Shi Yuechu was born in the Shu County, which was far away from the capital city, and she had never been to the capital city either. When she saw Shi Qingxue, she kept talking.

Qingxue was also very interested in the customs of the Shu County. The two chatted much happily and even sneaked out while the adults were not paying attention to them.

“Are you sure there won’t be any problem this time?” Zhou Ruyu looked at the back of Shi Qingxue leaving, and her expression was a little dignified.

Mammy Zhang came up and whispered, “No. Now the relatives of her grandfather have all her attention. How could she have time to mind the matter here? You just rest assured!”

Zhou Ruyu then smiled satisfactorily, and said insidiously, “That’s good! Dong Hui, I’ll see how you can escape this time!”

—-

Shi Qingxue was with Shi Yuechu, she had to bring her to the Storytelling Pavilion.

The so-called Storytelling Pavilion was a delicately decorated tea house where a storyteller was hired to describe the story of some unofficial histories and gossips to attract guests. Generally, there were two levels in the Storytelling Pavilion. The center of the lobby on the first floor was the position for the storyteller, and around him were old-fashioned square tables for eight people, while there were private rooms on the second floors.

“Sister, why is the private room upstairs so much more expensive than the seats in the lobby downstairs? Is it because of the name?” Shi Yuechu had never seen Storytelling Pavilion in the Shu County. She only heard it from her brother who studied in other places and was very curious about it. And she begged Shi Qingxue to pick the most expensive position.

But after they went into the private room, they found that the most expensive location was not sure to be the best!

Looking around, the windows and doors are closed tightly, just like the secret room, inexplicably giving people a sense of suffocation.

Shi Yuechu looked disappointed, “Sister, how do we hear the stories when we are in this room?”

Shi Qingxue shrugged and said, “Open the windows and the voice below might be heard, but…”

She laughed out teasingly, “This place is so remote, so it’s uncertain whether you can see the storyteller’s shadow from the window. Who asks you to choose the most expensive and best?”

“But you haven’t told me that the most expensive and best thing is this kind of place. How do you listen to the storyteller like this?” Shi Yuechu was confused.

Shi Qingxue pointed on her forehead with a smile and said, “Often the unofficial histories and those strange adventures are probably fake. Even if they are attracted into the tea house, how many dignified noble people do you think will come here to hear all these for its name?”

Shi Yuechu was still confused, “Since so, why are there so many private rooms? How good the position in the lobby downstairs is!”

“If that’s the case, then why do they have to invite the storyteller to the tea house? Doesn’t it have better atmosphere and cheaper prices if they tell the stories right below the bridge?”

Shi Yuechu was speechless for this question, and muttered with an upset look, “Then why is it? Sister, you are so good. Please tell me!”

Shi Qingxue had no choice but to point to the door and smiled, “Haven’t you found out that when we come inside, we come alone a single aisle and don’t meet anyone else along the way.”

Shi Yuechu nodded and said firmly, “It means that the business here is not good, and no one comes.”

Shi Qingxue, “…”

She tapped on Yuechu’s little head disappointingly and snorted, “This is the largest and most popular Storytelling Pavilion in the capital city. How could its business be not good?”

“Then why’s that?” Shi Yuechu covered her small head and was quite aggrieved.

How could she know that a Storytelling Pavilion was so mysterious?

Seeing this, Shi Qingxue didn’t keep her guessing, and revealed the answer quickly, “It’s very simple. That means the private rooms upstairs are not for listening to the storyteller below.”

“What?” Shi Yuechu opened up her eyes in surprise.

What did they do if they weren’t coming here to listen to the stories?

“Think about it. If someone wants to talk secretly and is unwilling to be noticeable, isn’t this Storytelling Pavilion which is complex and secret the best choice?”

Shi Qingxue opened the window and pointed downstairs, “First, no one doubts your purpose when you come here to listen to the stories; secondly, this place doesn’t only make you able to observe everything downstairs, but the noise downstairs attracts all people’s attention; the most important thing is that once you choose an private room, those servants will automatically avoid others’ notice and it would be hard for someone else to follow you!”

After Shi Yuechu heard it, she opened her mouth in shock and it took her a long time to get conscious, but she was still astonished, “Such a Storytelling Pavilion turns out to have so many rules. Well, it’s not right. When my brother came here, he didn’t hear of this. How could you know about it?”

The Storytelling Pavilion was an unwritten secret in the aristocratic circle in the capital city. Shi Yuechu’s brother just traveled here to study, and of course he wouldn’t know.

Shi Qingxue was trying to explain, but suddenly she heard the sound of steps at the door.

Instinctively, she paused and put on a gesture of hush to Shi Yuechu, and then walked to the door.

She heard the sound of steps from left to right, and then stopped in the room on their right. A rough male voice sounded, “This one is fine, and you can get out. Don’t bother us if there’s nothing important.”

“Yes, I’ll leave right away. Please enjoy it.” The servant answered pleasingly and until they closed the door, he ran away fast.

For the first time, Shi Qingxue met some people talking secretly in the Storytelling Pavilion. She became curious, and walked close to the wall between the two rooms and wondered whether it was possible for her to hear something, she didn’t notice that the sound of the servant’s steps paused for a moment at their gate.

“Sister, what are you doing?”

Shi Yuechu saw that Shi Qingxue seemed to try to take down the painting on the wall and overhear, she quickly stopped her, and unconsciously lowered her voice to ask, “Haven’t you said that here is for people to talk in secret? How could you succeed as long as you want to overhear it?”

Shi Qingxue smiled. How could she not know about it? But she couldn’t bear her curiosity and wouldn’t give up without trying.

But when she took the frame off, both of them were startled by the thing behind the painting, then they looked at each other.

There was a small hole on the wall, and there was light shining through the small hole.

Shi Qingxue was sure that if she popped her head through it, she could definitely see the next room.

What about the best hidden private room?

How could she be able to hear the secrets so easily?

Shi Qingxue was puzzled, but she probed without hesitation.

The next room was darker than theirs, and the light barely lighten the room. Three men were sitting around the table with solemn faces.

After sitting for a while, the tallest man asked the fat man sitting opposite him, “Are you sure that he is here?”

The fat man quickly and respectfully responded, “Yes, the Sixth saw with his own eyes that he comes in with a masked man.”

The short and thin man next to him nodded quickly and agreed, “Boss, I saw them being led in. But which room they entered…”

“Okay, I know it’s impossible for you to inquire where he goes.” The tall man waved his hand, and said solemnly, “All the spies are in the House of Princess’s Husband today, but the Crown Prince sneaked to the Storytelling Pavilion. He certainly has a hidden secret. Whatever it is, we can’t let him go back alive today! Sixth, are your men prepared?”

“They have already ambushed in the backyard. As soon as the Crown Prince appears, kill him immediately.” Sixth flattered, “Boss, you can rest assured! There is only one man by his side. They can’t escape our palm even if they have wings!”

There was a slight smile on the tall man’s face, and he patted Sixth Sister, “Good! If this assassination is successful, there will surely be a great reward if the superior is happy. Work hard!”

“Yes!”

The three discussed again and then exited the room.

“Sis, Sister, what should we do now?” Shi Yuechu shouted stuttering, looking at Shi Qingxue in a panic.

Shi Qingxue shook her head, and at this moment, she was also messy in her heart. She didn’t expect that she would hear such a shocking news when the overhearing was on the spur of the moment.

Someone wanted to assassinate the Crown Prince today!

Shi Yuechu couldn’t get the answer, she became more panicked, “Should we report to the officer?”

“No!” Shi Qingxue vetoed.

It was definitely too late to report to the officer, and they had no evidence. Who knew whether the officer would believe it or not?

If this matter was not handled well, both of them and even their families would suffer the punishment!

She lowered her head and thought for a moment and then said, “Let’s go to the backyard and see what’s going on.”

“What?” Shi Yuechu was startled, “We are just two girls. What can we do if we go there?”

Although Shi Yuechu was just a young lady, she also understood the seriousness of this matter. And this kind of thing was definitely not what two weak girls could settle.

Shi Qingxue shrugged, “We can’t settle this, but we can seek for help anyway! Or you can go outside to report to the officer, and I’ll go to have a look first.”

Shi Yuechu was even more against it. She was more afraid when she was alone!

“I’ll follow you!”

Shi Qingxue didn’t force her either. She grabbed Shi Yuechu and told her something, and then they went to the backyard. At this time, neither of them noticed that after they walked through an aisle, a short man appeared from the corner. He looked at the direction where they left and hurriedly turned away.