step by step

Chapter 56
Ye Fugui frowned and recalled: "A few days ago, this lock could still be opened. I don't know when it will become a new lock."

When Ye Zhaoyan heard this, a chill rose in his heart.

Could it be that Xue's family switched them?
If it is them.
Do you know something?
"Mother, has anyone else touched this warehouse key?" Ye Zhaoyan asked.

"And your grandmother." Ye Fugui thought for a moment and replied.

There are three rooms in this warehouse, one big one is used to store the valuables of the Ye family, two small ones belong to Mrs. Xue, and the other one is for Ye's mother and daughter.

Many good things in Ye Fugui's dowry were prepared for Ye Zhaoyan, so they were put together.

This small room was originally her private place, except for the accountant who was in charge of the account and the two maids who served her, no one else came here.

Ten days ago, the servants of the Minzhu Academy said that the old lady had lost a precious jade inlaid Qibao Buyao, and suspected that it had been mistakenly put into Ye Fugui's small warehouse.

Madam Xue then asked Ye Fugui to lend her the key to go in and check the latest row of cabinets.

Because it was not the first time for the old lady to borrow a key, and this small warehouse had indeed received Xue's belongings by mistake before, Ye Fugui did not doubt it at that time.

Looking at it now, I am afraid there is something tricky in it.

She was so confused.

"Mother, has anyone else touched the key?"

"In the past few days, no outsider has entered the warehouse in the inner courtyard, and I have kept the key all along, and I have never lost it." Ye Fugui hesitated.

When Ye Zhaoyan heard this, his face became more and more ugly.

Although Ye Fugui didn't know why, but seeing his daughter's expression, he knew something must have happened.

"Zhaoyan, I'm going to find your grandmother..."

Ye Zhaoyan hurriedly stopped her, "Mother, do you remember what happened that day? Grandma asked you to get the key?"

Ye Fugui frowned, and said hesitantly, "The servant girl in her yard came to get it..."

Ye Zhaoyan showed a clear smile, with a hint of sarcasm on the corner of his mouth, "If mother goes, I'm afraid grandma will just shirk it to the servants, not only that, but also scare the snake."

Ye Zhaoyan was worried that such a blatant mistake was more like a trap set by Xue, and he was waiting for Ye Fugui to find him.

Right in the arms of the opponent.

If it really doesn't work, at worst, she will quietly split the lock in the dead of night when there are few people.

The most important thing is to get the thing inside first.

Thinking of this, she reminded Ye Fugui:
"Mother, put the key away first, and don't give them anything in the future, let alone trust what they say!"

She always felt that Mrs. Xue seemed to be about to make a move, otherwise she wouldn't have replaced the key at a critical moment.

Ye Fugui nodded solemnly, "Zhaoyan don't worry."

After Ye Zhaoyan left, Ye Fugui thought about it, unable to calm down for a long time.

Is Xue Shi really plotting something?

Once this idea appeared in my mind, I couldn't shake it off.

Mrs. Xue is in charge of the backyard of the Ye Mansion, enjoying the noble status and inexhaustible wealth, what else is there to be dissatisfied with?

Why did she still make such a move?

How to take out the things in this warehouse smoothly?

Ye Fugui suddenly remembered an old incident.

Back then, when she was young, she was often attracted by the rare treasures in the warehouse, and had a great time hiding in them.

He often even pretended not to be there in silence, and waited for the people outside the warehouse to leave before coming out to play to his heart's content.

As a result, once the door was locked, she was locked up overnight and passed out in the warehouse.

Her father was terrified and would not allow her to go in again.

The mother scolded her severely, but she just cried aggrievedly and said that she didn't dare to disturb her father because he was busy with official duties, so she had to play by herself, and she also said that she envied King Hengyuan's youngest daughter to be accompanied by her father.

The father was very sad when he heard the words. Seeing her so well-behaved and sensible, and remembering that he had been fighting outside all year round, he was really ashamed of his daughter, so he poured all his love on her.

He even built a small hidden compartment at the back door of the warehouse for entering and exiting, and taught her how to use it.

Whenever she couldn't get out for fun, she would walk out of the dark cell by herself.

She was raised like this, and she developed a naive temperament.

It's just that when she grew up, she never went in again.

The secret compartment was naturally discarded.

Ye Fugui never thought that there would be a day to use it in this life.

Ye Zhaoyan's words seemed to be lingering in her ears, telling her to keep on guard against Xue Shi.

Looking at the sun that was no longer blazing outside the window, she thought for a while, and finally made up her mind to find someone.

As the venomous sun began to weaken, the golden sunshine sprinkled on Jindu, adding a bit of warmth.

On the mountain behind Zhuowang Mansion, the road surface paved with bluestone slabs was baked extremely clean, and tall pines and cypresses were planted on both sides of the road.

The trunks of pines and cypresses are thick, with luxuriant branches and leaves, which block most of the sunlight, and only a few thin rays of sunlight are projected on the ground through the gaps in the branches and leaves.

Zhuo Mingxuan walked through rows of pines and cypresses, and walked to the depths until he came to a pavilion, where a young man was sitting.

The young man was tall and straight, his temperament was dusty, and the pot of soup in front of him was emitting heat.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, he hurriedly turned around, with a morbid paleness on his delicate and handsome face.

It was Zhuo Yibai.

"Second Brother, you are finally here." Zhuo Yibai got up and went to meet him.

Zhuo Mingxuan nodded slightly, put the document in his hand on the table, and said, "How is your injury?"

"No problem." Zhuo Yibai shook his head, "It's just some skin trauma, and it will heal in a few days."

His eyes fell on the gilt paper on the table.

That is the imperial decree.

Zhuo Mingxuan followed his gaze and said: "This time I will go south with Zuo Shaoqing."

"Going south?" Zhuo Yibai was stunned, "Does Second Brother know the reason?"

"I know." Zhuo Mingxuan nodded, "It's what my father meant, this time I went to test a person."

It is inconvenient to go deeper, this is an important task entrusted to him by King Zhuo.

Zhuo Yibai is also a smart person, and he guessed the meaning immediately after hearing the words.

His status is not suitable for participating in these political struggles.

"Second brother came to see me, do you have any important orders?"

Zhuo Mingxuan took out a piece of delicate paper from the sleeve and handed it to Zhuo Yibai.

"The incident from last time has not been investigated yet. Please pay attention to the female relatives in this letter for me. If you have any clues, you must find that thing."

A few days ago, he went to Ye Mansion to explore, but he found nothing. He made some connections secretly and got the names of almost all the female family members with status in Ye Mansion, many of whom had the surname Ye.

It's just that he has to leave Jindu before he can investigate in the future.

That thing was too important, and if it was delayed for a long time, I was afraid that there would be many nights and dreams, so I had to let Zhuo Yibai, who had not recovered from his illness, run around for a while.

Zhuo Mingxuan continued to warn: "I will go south in the future, and I don't have time to take care of the affairs of the mansion, so I can only ask you to pay more attention."

Zhuo Yibai took the paper and unfolded it. More than a dozen names were written on it in small letters. The handwriting was neat and neat, showing that the person who wrote the paper was extremely serious.

He looked up at Zhuo Mingxuan, with a hint of doubt in his eyes, "Second Brother wants me to go to Ye Mansion to find that girl?"

A heroic girl appeared in his mind, with slightly raised eyebrows, and a hint of beauty and domineering in her frowns and smiles.

How could such a woman come from the backyard of such a noble family as Ye Mansion?

He didn't believe it, but seeing Zhuo Mingxuan's dignified expression, he had no choice but to believe it.

Zhuo Mingxuan nodded: "Yeah. The thing was lost from you, and the person who took it is more familiar than me. This matter is not suitable for anyone but you."

He was silent for a moment and then added, "No matter what method you use, as long as you can find that person."

This matter must be resolved as soon as possible.

"I see." Zhuo Yibai nodded and replied, looking at the letter in his hand, he felt a little cautious, "Second brother, don't worry, I will definitely do my best."

(End of this chapter)