The little heroine investigates a mysterious case

At night, Ma Baoguo lay in bed, unable to sleep. He recalled the first time twenty years ago when he was demoted to be the county magistrate of Heitu County in the northeastern border. During a field survey, he came under a big tree. To relieve his depression, he sat under the tree and played the piano.

After singing a song, he looked up and saw a young girl carrying a hoe. She looked at him with burning eyes. Her face was rosy from the sun and full of youthful energy. She asked him, "Sir, can you play one more song? This is the most beautiful piano music I have ever heard!"

That was the first time Ma Baoguo met Li Cuihua.

Ma Baoguo looked at his wife lying beside him and whispered, "I spent all my savings over the years to finally buy the Youlan Qin. It's for tomorrow night, our 20th wedding anniversary, so I can play a piece for you!"

But Ma Baoguo's well-intentioned confession was met with Li Cuihua's snoring sounds that gradually started to rise.

The next morning, Ma Zhenzhen vividly told her friends why she was called Ma Zhenzhen, but Zhao Xuan, who was always keen on gossip, stood alone in front of the window, staring eagerly in the direction of Concubine Xiao Shufei's bedroom.

Ma Zhenzhen quietly walked to Zhao Xuan's side and looked out the window following Zhao Xuan's gaze.

"The Fifth Prince has been ill for two days and may not be better today. How about we prepare some gifts tomorrow and invite our friends to go see him together?"

Zhao Xuan asked doubtfully, "Can't we go after class today?"

"It's inappropriate not to bring any gifts. Imagine how miserable the Fifth Prince must be when he's ill. It would be so boring for all of us to just stand there like idiots. If we bring something delicious and fun, he'll feel better playing with us. Oh, and my mother just made me a little wooden horse with a movable head and legs. I'll bring it to the Fifth Prince tomorrow! What are you bringing?"

"Let me think... Xiaowuer has played with all my toys, and my master doesn't know how to make toys..."

Ma Zhenzhen was thinking about giving her favorite toy to Gu Zhanghua, while her father Ma Baoguo was asking Zhao Cheng for his favorite piano.

Ma Baoguo spotted Zhao Cheng among the crowd of people leaving the court at a glance, and hurriedly caught up with him and pulled Zhao Cheng aside.

Ma Baoguo took a long, deep breath before saying, "As soon as I got home yesterday, I asked my wife. She pawned... pawned... pawned the Youlan Qin! And it was a dead pawn! So I seriously suspect the reason it ended up in Tianguangji was probably a way for the pawnshop to deal with dead pawns. Of course, it's a bit shady."

"I see."

"It's great that Lord Zhao can understand," Ma Baoguo looked at Zhao Cheng pitifully, "When can Lord Zhao return the zither to me?"

Zhao Cheng looked up at the sky calmly and said, "I gave it away."

"What?! You, you, you said yesterday that you would give it back to me as long as I explained it clearly!"

"I am here to send someone away."

Ma Baoguo immediately became depressed and asked, "Did His Majesty order you to send it to someone? Then you should at least tell me who it was sent to."

"I don't know. After you left yesterday, His Majesty ordered me to deliver the zither to the Imperial Study. He intended to give it to someone else, and then I followed his orders. And then, nothing happened."

Ma Baoguo stood there in a daze, not even noticing that Zhao Cheng had left.

On this day, Zhao Xiaoman was preparing to close the Wuwei Escort Agency. She ordered Guo Da to take inventory of the agency's property so that it could be distributed to everyone when the escorts were dismissed, so that they could use it as assets to find another way to make a living. Huang Shuo, after making detailed inquiries to the people who had escaped the robbed caravan, reported to Zhao Xiaoman and decided to conduct a secret investigation among the people in the nearby counties, following the clue of his lightness skills and proficiency in using a dagger.

After finishing these things, Zhao Xiaoman was in a good mood. She gave Yulan half a day off and went to the palace school to pick up Zhao Xuan after school.

But ever since she met Zhao Xuan, Zhao Xiaoman noticed that her apprentice seemed unhappy. She took Zhao Xuan's hand and walked towards the carriage, asking, "What's wrong? You look so listless?"

"Xiaowu has been sick for two days."

"Oh, you're thinking about Xiaowu. That's easy, let's go check on him and see if he's recovered!"

"Now?"

"So when do you say?"

"But I don't have any gifts for Xiaowu!"

"Isn't it enough to just meet the person? Why bother bringing a gift?"

"I also think Xiaowu will be very happy to see me, but Ma Zhenzhen said she would bring a gift."

"That's easy!" Zhao Xiaoman leaned over and picked up Zhao Xuan, then casually pulled out a dagger from her boot. "This is the dagger that Master uses most easily, and it's also Master's favorite. Why don't you give it to Xiaowu?"

Zhao Xuan held the dagger with her two chubby hands, her face beaming with joy. She then asked, "But, Master, shouldn't we find a sheath to hold it in?"

"That's right. Let's go buy a scabbard on the street first, then go back to the palace to find Xiaowu. We'll be in time for dinner!"

"Didn't we agree not to go to Xiaowu's house for free meals? His food is so disgusting!"

Zhao Xiaoman chuckled: "That would save us money compared to doing it ourselves!"

The master and disciple went to buy a scabbard jokingly, unaware that there was chaos in Qilan Palace, the bedroom of Concubine Xiao Shufei.

Emperor Xia Gu Li ordered someone to inform Concubine Xiao Shufei after the morning court session that a banquet would be held in Qilan Palace to entertain Qin Shao tonight.

After receiving the oral order, Xiao Aiyue stood up and immediately assigned tasks to the palace maids and eunuchs. First, all the chickens, cats, and birds were moved to the back garden and gathered under the care of a special person. Then they had to clean it thoroughly. At the same time, they had to arrange the menu according to Gu Li and Qin Shao's preferences, and everyone had to dress up and wait for the emperor's arrival.

Just when everything was in a state of panic, Crown Prince Gu Mingde came to visit Gu Zhanghua, and they had to assign someone to serve him. Xiao Aiyue accidentally scratched her skirt while changing into new clothes...

When Zhao Xiaoman and Zhao Xuan arrived, they saw this scene of chaos. The master and disciple looked at each other in tacit understanding and were about to turn around and leave, but Xiao Aiyue saw the master and disciple with her sharp eyes and ran towards them, waving her hands excitedly.

"Sister Xiaoman, you're here. Oh, Xuan'er, my little darling, auntie has missed you so much!"

As he said that, he leaned over and kissed the unsuspecting Zhao Xuan on the face.

"Didn't you forbid me to play with Xiaowu?"

"Nonsense! I've been looking forward to your coming every day. I was originally planning to go to your house to pick you up to play, but something urgent happened suddenly. Xiaowu is waiting for you in the room, go quickly!"

Zhao Xuan ran towards Gu Zhanghua's bedroom.

Zhao Xiaoman stared at Xiao Aiyue in confusion: "Tell me! What are you up to?"

Xiao Aiyue whispered in his ear, "Gu Pili is dead. The civet cat Xiaowu picked up has been crying for two days. I'm sure Xuan'er will be able to comfort it once she comes."

Zhao Xiaoman rolled her eyes and sneered, "You use people to help others, but not to help others. You're like a traitor, you're just a tool. Xiao Aiyue, you're really capable, but my Xuan'er is just a tool?!"

"nonsense!"

Xiao Aiyue smiled awkwardly, took Zhao Xiaoman's arm, and threw her a coquettish look.

"Come, come, let me dress you up nicely, because we're going to have guests coming soon!"