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

A few days later, Lin Zhiruo received a letter and gift from Xiaohe in the quiet of the harem.

The letter told the good news of a woman's liberation, but the letter paper seemed to have been washed by drizzle, the ink was blurred, and it was difficult to see what was inside.

In the small box that came with the letter was a dazzling shawl, which was a gorgeous ornament used by prostitutes to decorate themselves on festive occasions.

Lin Zhiruo originally planned to keep the gift intact, but in the end she couldn't resist her curiosity and gently opened the lid of the box.

She walked into her simple private room, slowly opened the closet, and took out the treasures that had been hidden for a long time.

Gazing from the high walls of the harem, the lights of Red Mansion Lane were more brilliant than usual, like a dazzling galaxy of stars.

Lin Zhiruo pictured the prosperous scene there in her mind: the sound of bells was clear and pleasant, the prostitutes were draped in colorful silks, dancing lightly, wearing gorgeous clothes and waving their silks, like fairies scattering flowers.

When a beauty in the red-light district finds her home and is redeemed, the other women will dance to see her off and celebrate together.

The day of redemption is a grand celebration, with tables filled with delicious food and wine, people singing and dancing day and night, and the red-light district becomes a city that never sleeps with bright lights and laughter.

Lin Zhiruo gently draped the shawl she had received during the day over her shoulders, caressing the soft texture with her fingertips.

Although the pain in her left foot made her walk unsteadily, she didn't take it seriously.

She slowly took off her outer clothes and used the rouge given by Xiaohe to add a touch of red to her lips, just like peach blossoms under the morning glow, tender and juicy.

(It's like a game.)

Lin Zhiruo's thoughts drifted back to the past, and she remembered Princess Lianhua who was granted an official position last year. Perhaps now she was spending a good time with her childhood sweetheart, the military officer, and had long forgotten the years in the harem.

Perhaps, occasionally she would recall the days when she used to dance here every night.

At this moment, Lin Zhiruo made a similar move to what Princess Lianhua did back then.

She put on the gorgeous dress prepared for her by the ladies, and the first dance step she remembered emerged in her mind, which was the starting point of her dancing career.

Her lips were painted with rouge given by Xiaohe, and her sleeves were decorated with crisp bells, which made pleasant sounds as she moved.

A few small stones were cleverly sewn on the long skirt. Whenever Lin Zhiruo spun lightly, the skirt bloomed like a flower, forming a perfect circle.

She drew a circle with the hem of her skirt and outlined a graceful arc with her shawl. Her sleeves fluttered in the wind. Her hair, which was usually tied up, was now let loose. She only stuck a cauliflower in her ear - a small cauliflower dyed green, which gave her a unique charm.

The shawl dances in the wind, the skirt spins like flying, the sleeves flutter, and the hair flows, like a moving painting.

(I didn't expect to remember it so clearly.)

Those dances that the old woman had forced her to learn were so deeply imprinted in Lin Zhiruo's memory.

As she danced with her scarf...

"..."

Lin Zhiruo made eye contact with an unpopular person and accidentally stepped on the hem of her skirt. She stumbled and fell awkwardly to the ground, landing face down. She rolled on the ground, covering her face and losing her balance.

She nearly fell off the outer wall, but luckily she grabbed the wall in time and was pulled up by a pair of strong hands.

"You...what are you doing?"

The unexpected visitor asked breathlessly, his hair tied back in a messy pile.

"I was just about to ask you, Chief Minister Quan."

Lin Zhiruo patted her gorgeous clothes and replied,

"Why are you here?"

Quan Wushuang looked at her helplessly, and after pulling her up, he still held her wrist.

"Since someone reported that a strange woman had climbed up the wall, I naturally had to come and deal with this matter."

(I thought I could do it without anyone noticing.)

Now that I think about it, it was not surprising that I was discovered.

But then again, the guards wouldn't still believe those rumors about ghosts, would they?

"Don't make trouble for me."

Quan Wushuang patted Lin Zhiruo's head gently.

"There's no need to bother Chief Minister Quan. Can't we just ask other adults to come?"

Lin Zhiruo moved her head slightly and dodged his hand.

"It was a kind guard who recognized your face and came to ask for my instructions."

Lin Zhiruo patted her cheek gently.

"Remember, even if you think you're being secretive, others may not."

"As ordered."

Lin Zhiruo scratched her head, feeling that such behavior was really inappropriate.

"Okay, your turn. What on earth were you doing?"

"...In Redemption Lane, whenever someone is redeemed, everyone celebrates with a dance. Today's dance clothes have been delivered."

In fact, the person Lin Zhiruo really wanted to say goodbye to was the prostitute who sent her the clothes.

Xiao He accompanied Lin Zhiruo, who was not good at memorizing dance steps, until the end. She reminded her over and over again:

"When I leave, you must dance."

Quan Wushuang stared at Lin Zhiruo's face and said slowly:

"What advice does the steward have?"

"No, I just didn't expect you to be able to dance."

"That's one of the basic skills I was forced to learn, though it's not enough to embarrass myself in front of guests."

Even so, she was sometimes asked to join in the celebration of redemption.

After Lin Zhiruo finished speaking, Quan Wushuang turned his gaze to the red-light district in the distance.

"It's all over the place, saying that weirdo wants to redeem the prostitute."

"As you can imagine."

"He also submitted a leave application and seems to be planning to take a break for at least ten days."

"What a troublemaker."

Tomorrow, there will surely be more rumors.

Although it is unknown how much silver he spent, judging from the brightly lit scene, it is definitely not comparable to the redemption of any prostitute.

According to Xiao He's letter, the banquet will not only last for three days and three nights, but for seven consecutive days and seven nights.

People must have been talking about it, wondering why, besides the three concubines, there was such an outstanding prostitute in Hongxia Tower.

(He should have chosen Miss Xiaohe's.)

The seriously ill woman probably won't live long.

She had lost her memories of the past and could only sing and play chess pieces like a little girl.

The madam kept her hidden, but she was still found by the man.

(It would be great if I didn’t find it.)

In this way, the gentle lady will surely serve her husband wholeheartedly.

Xiaohe, whose beauty has not faded and who is well-mannered, will definitely become a good wife.

(What a kind-hearted lady.)

It was Xiao He who first made the madam feel disgusted with the man and let him into the room.

At first, perhaps she saw the man chasing Lin Zhiruo, so she had no choice but to let him into the room.

Even after he entered the room, he did not do anything except asking about Lin Zhiruo and the woman who gave birth to her.

The man would sit in front of the chess board from time to time, but he had never played against Xiaohe.

I heard that he just recalled the records of old chess games and then replayed the game over and over again.

These were said by Xiao He. Lin Zhiruo didn't know what the man looked like.

Maybe Xiaohe was just considering Lin Zhiruo's feelings.

Lin Zhiruo felt that it didn't matter whether it was true or not. If Xiaohe could get that man to redeem her, she would be extremely happy.

Regardless of his personality, that man is quite wealthy, so the young lady's future life will definitely not be hard.

What on earth was that man dissatisfied with such an outstanding lady?