C85 Part2

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"What was unusual about Master Li's words and deeds recently?"

Murong Ci asked.

"Master Li was as usual.

He'd go out to work in the morning and come back in the afternoon, sometimes later,"

Madam Li replied.

"Master Li could eat and sleep normally, and there was no difference,"

the Concubine in her early thirties replied.

"If you think about it carefully, Master Li's behaviors had been a bit unusual for more than half a month."

The youngest Concubine tilted her head slightly and recalled,

"Master Li stopped eating too much of his favorite fresh fruit given by this Concubine.

It's been a long time since he has even looked at it...

Also Master's complexion was not as good as before, and he yawned all day long.

He wouldn't come to sleep, and go to the Study Room instead."

"People always change.

What's so strange about this?"

The Concubine in her early thirties rolled her eyes contemptuously, and said bitterly,

"When the freshness is over, it's natural to get bored of it."

These words were meant as a pun, referring to the youngest Concubine.

When she heard these words, her small face immediately turned red, followed by a burst of blue and white, and finally turned pale.

Shen Zhiyan asked again:

"Other than that, what was unusual?"

The butler shook his head and suddenly remembered something, and said:

"Master would usually go out to visit the shop, and wouldn't come back home for dinner.

This has been the case for more than ten years.

However, in the past half month, the Master had been returning home for dinner almost every day.

He'd just stay in the Study Room after the meal, so this servant wouldn't disturb him."

Murong Ci and Shen Zhiyan looked at each other.

'So it can be concluded that Master Li had been secretly taking Opium Poppy for more than half a month in the Study Room.'

After asking a few more questions, they left the Li Family mansion.

....

Back at the Dali Temple, they immediately arraigned Li's servant.

"How many times did Master Li ask you to go to the Qingyang Alley?"

Shen Zhiyan asked.

"Three times, this servant remembers three times."

The servant was an honest man.

He had already panicked when he was caught by the Dali Temple.

'How could he dare to conceal anything?'

"In addition to visiting shops, where would Master Li go to have fun?

For example, which tea house did he like to go to drink tea, or which shop did he like to go to see jade, calligraphy, painting, etc."

Murong Ci asked coldly.

The servant thought for a while and replied:

"Master liked tea, but he didn't like going to the teahouse.

Master was fond of art, so he liked to buy some calligraphy and painting, at the Cuiwei Pavilion, but recently he wouldn't go there anymore.

Oh, right, Master was interested in Jade recently and bought several valuable Jade articles."

She seemed to think of something and asked:

"Which Jade shop did he buy the Jade at?"

He scratched his head,

"Mmhh, let me think about it...I think I remember it was called the Linglong Pavilion."

Murong Ci was shocked and looked at Shen Zhiyan.

'It was Linglong Pavilion once again.

Was it a coincidence, or...?'

"How long would it usually take Master Li to buy Jade in the Linglong Pavilion?"

She asked.

Shen Zhiyan didn't know why she would ask such a question.

"It's strange to say this, but once Master said that he would go to the Linglong Pavilion to see Jade, he wouldn't come back for two hours,"

the servant said.

Shen Zhiyan and Murong Ci came out of the cell and came to the backyard porch, both looking thoughtful.

At this moment, she had a lot of thoughts and wanted to sort them out but she couldn't make sense of them.

"No matter how you think about it, the Linglong Pavilion looks like a Jade shop that is not worthy of fun, but it's also full of weirdness.

For Master Li to really be watching Jade in the Linglong Pavilion for two hours...

Isn't that weird?"

"Does the Linglong Pavilion have anything to do with the sale of Opium Poppy?"

He touched his chin in thought, with his brows frowned into two hills.

"It seems necessary to go again to the Linglong Pavilion."

Murong Ci decided not to reveal yet the inextricably relationship between the Linglong Pavilion and the Military Supervisor Facility.

"Your Highness, if the Linglong Pavilion is really related to this matter, then it may be the Tiger's Den, and you can't go to it recklessly."

Shen Zhiyan suddenly raised his eyebrows and said excitedly,

"By the way, I'll go to Lord Zhuang and Gan's house to ask whether they had been to the Linglong Pavilion before.

Your Highness, please go back to the East Palace first, and wait for my news."

It sounded okay to verify before acting so she left and returned to the East Palace, but met Qin Ruo who was looking for her on the way.

Qin Ruo whispered:

"Your Royal Highness, Young Master Rong has news."

Murong Ci was surprised and happy, and rushed to the bamboo Shuyu Pavilion.

....

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END of CHAPTER 85 PART 2

.....................to be continued