Why am I, a cook, always involved in cases?

As night fell and the dinner bells echoed in the air, Quan Wushuang walked in with a puzzling topic.

"There is a rather thorny matter that I need to discuss with you all."

There was a rare hint of hesitation in Quan Wushuang's tone, which was very different from his usual firm and decisive style, and it aroused Lin Zhiruo's curiosity.

It seems that this problem originated from the family of Quan Wushuang's friend. Although it did not cause family disputes, it was quite complicated - a jade carving master failed to pass on all his lifelong skills to his direct disciple, and his son suddenly died.

And this skill seems to involve some unspeakable secrets.

"Simply put, we just need to find out what the jade carver's secret technique is, and the problem will be solved, right?"

Lin Zhiruo opened her red lips slightly, with a hint of teasing in her tone.

"You say it so easily, why are you so interested in this matter?"

Quan Wushuang asked back, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

"is it?"

Lin Zhiruo looked up at the ceiling leisurely, a smile on her lips.

According to Quan Wushuang, the jade carving master had three sons, all of whom were skilled craftsmen.

In the past, their father was a royal craftsman. After his death, everyone speculated that one of the three sons would inherit his father's mantle.

In his will, the master left instructions for the distribution of his inheritance: the eldest son inherited the studio in addition to the main house, the second son acquired the skills of carving furniture, and the youngest son received an object called "Goldfish Red".

Apart from this, he left only one meaningful last word: "You can still have tea parties together as before."

"These last words are quite meaningful."

Lin Zhiruo whispered to herself, not knowing whether she was savoring the literal meaning or exploring the deeper meaning behind it.

"Indeed, the parties involved who heard this were also confused."

Lin Zhiruo nodded thoughtfully, with wisdom glittering in her eyes.

"Having said that, the distribution of this inheritance is quite uneven."

Lin Zhiruo continued, her eyes scanning the room.

"The main house was not divided up because my mother was still alive. But compared to the small house, furniture, and goldfish tank, it seems that the youngest son received the most meager things."

"What do those relics look like?"

Lin Zhiruo asked curiously.

"Quan Wushuang only told me their address. If you are interested, you can go and visit them yourself."

There was some depth in Quan Wushuang's answer, as if he had anticipated Lin Zhiruo's reaction.

"Then I'll trouble you to take some time to find out tomorrow."

Lin Zhiruo bowed slightly and glanced at Henghua beside her.

Henghua, the maid who was already in her twilight years, simply waved her hand gently, as if to say, "Go ahead."

But Lin Zhiruo was secretly on guard, fearing that there would be more tasks waiting for her when she returned.

The jade carver's residence is located deep in the capital's avenue, in the bustling commercial center. An ancient chestnut tree stands tall in the courtyard, and the mansion is magnificent.

On this trip, Quan Wushuang and Gao Zhongcheng did not travel together, but were accompanied by a young military officer named Liu Wu.

This person had come into contact with Lin Zhiruo when investigating the fish stew case, but he didn't seem to like her and always avoided talking to her as much as possible.

Lin Zhiruo didn't mind this. As long as it didn't hinder her investigation, everything would be fine.

"I've discussed this with my family beforehand. On the surface, I'll be the one asking the questions, and you'll be the personal maid."

Liu Wu briefly explained the task to Lin Zhiruo.

"understood."

Lin Zhiruo nodded, feeling that this arrangement was more convenient.

Following Liu Wu's guidance, Lin Zhiruo and her group knocked on the door of the jade carver's residence.

A man of about twenty years old with ordinary appearance came out to greet them.

"I have heard about this."

He politely invited everyone into the house.

The house is neat and tidy, revealing the owner's taste and style everywhere.

Small flowers are dotted around, and in a groove in the wall, there is a strange object - a stone inlaid with metal, the metal part of which is shining with a faint blue light.

Lin Zhiruo's attention was deeply attracted by it.

"Oh, that one."

The man noticed Lin Zhiruo's gaze and walked over with a smile.

"My father found it by chance while he was out shopping for raw materials. He has always had a hobby of collecting rare and precious treasures."

There was a hint of pride and joy in the man's words.

The group walked through the main house and onto the veranda.

Ahead, a place resembling a workshop came into view, where stood two other men - one tall, the other slightly fat. Their facial features were similar to the previous man, but their temperaments were different.

"Brother, I have brought them here."

The man from before said.

It turned out that he was the youngest son.

In contrast, the two brothers had a look of displeasure and helplessness on their faces, but they still reluctantly took Lin Zhiruo and the others into the workshop.

Inside the workshop, the tools are neatly arranged and spotless.

Upon inquiry, we learned that this was once the master's studio, but now it is used to store old tools and a place for craftsmen to drink tea.

“This layout is quite unique.”

Liu Wu looked at the spacious space and exclaimed in admiration.

Lin Zhiruo also nodded in agreement, feeling that every detail here revealed the craftsman's wisdom and ingenuity.

There is a chest of drawers placed in the center of the room. It seems a bit abrupt at first glance, but upon closer inspection, you can see that its surface is finely carved and has a unique shape.

Compared with the chest of drawers that Lin Zhiruo knew, it looked more unique and beautiful.

The four corners of the cabinet are polished to a smooth round shape and inlaid with exquisite metal carvings.

The top three rows of drawers and the lower middle drawer all have keyholes, and the metal used in these places is also different.

Lin Zhiruo was watching intently when the slightly plump brother came closer.

"It's okay to look, but please don't touch."

he whispered.

Lin Zhiruo nodded slightly in greeting and stepped aside.

She secretly speculated that this chest of drawers might be the legacy left by the jade carving master to his second son.

Just then, the youngest son came over holding a transparent round object.

"Can we really find out what our father left behind?"

The tall brother asked Liu Wu.

Liu Wu glanced at Lin Zhiruo, who nodded slightly, motioning him to continue.

I don’t know whether Liu Wu saw through Lin Zhiruo’s intention, but he still looked at the three brothers as if nothing had happened.

"I can't give a definitive answer until I know more details."

After saying that, Liu Wu sat down on the chair.

Lin Zhiruo stood behind him and looked at this ingenious space again.