The little heroine investigates a mysterious case

Chapter 412 The Unknown Allergens

"Of course I still wear it. I haven't worn it since Miss's accident. I'll show it to you in a bit, and you can wear it if you like. Consider it a little gift from Aunt Lan."

Wu Yulan wiped away her tears and smiled as she spoke to Zhao Xuan.

After Zhao Xuan finished showering, Qin Chuyun had already made the bed and crawled into bed to wait.

After tidying everything up, Wu Yulan took out the hairpin she had treasured for many years from her jewelry box and got into bed. The two girls positioned themselves one inside and one outside, allowing Wu Yulan to sleep in the middle.

Wu Yulan leaned against the headboard, handed the hairpin to Zhao Xuan, and embraced the two girls with one in each hand, her face full of satisfaction.

Zhao Xuan held the hairpin and saw that the jade inlaid on it was a vibrant, emerald green.

"My master has a good eye."

Suppressing the bitterness welling up from the bottom of her heart, Zhao Xuan gently stroked the jade hairpin and said.

Seeing this, Wu Yulan knew that Zhao Xuan liked the hairpin, so she went along with it and said:

“Keep it. I noticed you don’t like wearing elaborate or ornate jewelry, but since you’re going to the Song Dynasty as a special envoy, it wouldn’t be appropriate for your headdress to be too plain. This jade hairpin is just right, elegant yet tasteful.”

Zhao Xuan did not refuse and placed the jade hairpin under her pillow.

The Qingfeng Courtyard of yesteryear has now been renovated by Qin Shao and looks brand new.

After the house was ransacked and more than ten years of ups and downs, very few of the old items remained. Zhao Xuan didn't have any of Zhao Xiaoman's old belongings with her. This hairpin was extremely precious to Zhao Xuan.

Zhao Xuan leaned against Wu Yulan's chest, sniffing here and there on Wu Yulan's body, and finally let out a satisfied sigh.

Seeing Zhao Xuan's strange appearance, Qin Chuyun punched Zhao Xuan with her little fist and couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.

"Sister, why are you sniffing around like a little puppy?"

"Because Aunt Lan's scent is very similar to Master's!"

As Zhao Xuan spoke, she leaned against Wu Yulan's chest and closed her eyes in enjoyment.

"This child..."

Wu Yulan knew that Zhao Xuan missed Zhao Xiaoman, and so did she.

Back then, Miss was her everything. If Miss hadn't suddenly disappeared, why would she have traveled thousands of miles to Fengcheng to seek refuge with Qin Shao?

But if she hadn't gone to Fengcheng, she wouldn't have become Qin Shao's concubine, and now the wife of the Grand General.

But is she happy?

Her happiest days were spent by her mistress's side, leisurely living in Qingfeng Courtyard. But now, she doesn't want to set foot in Qingfeng Courtyard at all, for fear of being reminded of those painful memories.

What a trick of fate.

Wu Yulan gently stroked Zhao Xuan's hair and sighed deeply.

Qin Chuyun was immediately displeased and frowned almost imperceptibly.

We agreed that the three of us, mother and daughters, would have a good talk, so why is the youngest daughter suddenly in a low mood?

Qin Chuyun's precious time with Zhao Xuan was ruined by Wu Yulan's sentimentality, and he then asked Zhao Xuan with a smile.

"Sister, where did you and your husband go the other day? Was it fun?"

"We're not going out to play, we're going to take care of important business..." Zhao Xuan said, then looked at Wu Yulan, "Aunt Lan, Xiao Wu and I are going to investigate the attack on the mission..."

Wu Yulan asked in surprise, "Wasn't the case already closed?"

“Aunt Lan, the bandits of Jigong Mountain were indeed after my master, but they only set up roadblocks on the route the delegation was about to take…”

Zhao Xuan couldn't tell Wu Yulan the whole truth about the case, because she had promised Gu Jiancheng that she would keep Yang Liuming's crimes buried deep in her heart.

But she had to speak her mind at that moment, so she could only give vague answers.

"I always felt that my master's death was like a series of causes and effects intertwined, and then suddenly erupted one day by some strange twist of fate..."

Wu Yulan hugged Zhao Xuan tightly, gently stroking her back, and comforted her:

"Okay, okay, I don't want to think about it anymore..."

"Aunt Lan, do you know..."

Nestled in Wu Yulan's warm embrace, inhaling her familiar scent, Zhao Xuan was overcome with sorrow.

"If my master hadn't swapped carriages with His Highness the Crown Prince because of his allergies, perhaps... my master wouldn't have died..."

"What?! Allergies?!"

Wu Yulan suddenly looked at Zhao Xuan with a look of horror, sat up straight, and her whole body trembled.

"Miss, she caught an allergy on the way? What exactly happened? Tell me in detail!"

Zhao Xuan was quite surprised by Wu Yulan's inexplicable emotional fluctuations, but she still wanted to tell Wu Yulan the details of what happened back then.

As long as it doesn't involve the secrets of Yang Liuming and his wife, Zhao Xuan felt that talking about this with Wu Yulan would be harmless and just a casual chat.

Being able to reminisce about her master with Aunt Lan was a comfort to Zhao Xuan.

So, Zhao Xuan suppressed her grief and began to tell the story from the very beginning.

"Xiao Wu and I secretly hid in a box containing medicinal herbs and followed the delegation. Halfway there, we were both thirsty and hungry, so we had to run out of the box. When my master and His Highness the Crown Prince saw us, they were furious!"

What were you two like back then?

Qin Chuyun asked curiously.

“Your brother-in-law was wearing my red dress, his face was covered in mud, and my hair was a mess, we looked like two little beggars!”

Wu Yulan, however, was impatient and urged Zhao Xuan with a look of anxiety on her face.

"Go on, what's wrong with your master's allergies?"

"Is such that……"

Zhao Xuan recalled the past and said in a deep voice:

"Shortly after the meeting, the delegation rested in Qi County. That night, Master was in unbearable pain and itching all over his body. According to the medical officer of the delegation, he must have accidentally eaten some food and developed an allergic reaction. After a whole night of suffering, Master finally managed to suppress it with his internal energy."

His Highness the Crown Prince originally intended to wait until my master had recovered better before setting off, but my master did not want to delay the journey and insisted on departing as planned. His Highness the Crown Prince felt sorry for my master and insisted on switching carriages with him…

Zhao Xuan wanted to continue, but Wu Yulan seemed to be focused on the issue of "allergies." She interrupted Zhao Xuan loudly, her voice sounding somewhat shrill.

"Do you know what the young lady accidentally ingested that caused her allergic reaction?"

"do not know……"

Zhao Xuan answered honestly that she still didn't know what food caused her master's allergies.

Wu Yulan was closest to her master, serving as both his personal maid and his best friend. Perhaps the answer could be found in Wu Yulan.

So, Zhao Xuan, with a try-it-out mentality, asked Wu Yulan.

"Aunt Lan, you've been by my master's side since he was little. Do you remember if my master had any dietary restrictions?"

Wu Yulan frowned as she recalled the events, her face gradually turning pale as she murmured to herself.

"But...but there's someone...no, that's not right..."

In an instant, Wu Yulan's face turned pale and strange, as if she had suddenly understood something, or as if she had suddenly fallen into a self-contradictory paradox.

Her gaze towards Zhao Xuan became uncertain, and she asked a question with some trepidation.

"Miss...did she eat any pastries?"