cold clothes

Leng Yi became interested in the Lin Qiuya incident, and Madam Hu didn't hide anything from her. Letter after letter was delivered to Leng Yi's bedroom, telling her the whole story. Of course, she wasn't the only one who knew; every courtesan knew.

Everything was meticulously planned. The Vice Minister of Rites and Lin Qiuya were placed in adjacent private rooms. The Vice Minister of Rites was drugged and seduced with suggestive words. Then, the courtesan Liu Xia appeared nearby at the perfect time. The flawless plan successfully instigated a conflict between the Wang family and the Secretariat.

Even from the black and white words on the paper, Leng Yi could feel the tension. Fengxianglou, which initially caused the conflict, had completely disappeared from the scene. The two factions gradually became locked in a fierce battle over the position of Vice Minister of Rites, while other factions were also trying to reap the benefits.

Leng Yi still had a question she didn't quite understand... What would be the benefit of doing this for Fengxianglou?

Coincidentally, the teacher asked this question in class the next day and made them write down their answers and hand them in, with punishment for incorrect answers.

Leng Yi immediately glanced at Wei Feng, who was pacing anxiously. Wei Feng was simple-minded; any question that tested her brain inevitably resulted in punishment—being locked in a dark room and forced to copy eight hundred times. At this moment, she looked pleadingly at Xia Hua, hoping she would lend her a hand.

Leng Yi was also very uneasy about this question. After all, she wasn't Hu Mama, so how could she know what Hu Mama was thinking? She also wanted to ask Xia Hua... After all, she was the future head of the Xie family whom Hu Mama valued, so she should know more about the inside story than they did.

Of course, given her relationship with Xia Hua and the others, Leng Yi couldn't bring herself to ask.

During sword practice that evening, Lengyi asked Qingyou a question, but Qingyou pretended not to see it with her eyes half-closed. Lengyi couldn't bring herself to plead with her, so she could only write something random and hand it in.

The next day, she thought she was going to be locked in a dark room for the first time, but it turned out she was the only one who wasn't locked up.

"Things must rot before insects breed."

That's all she wrote.

The riddle solver is flawless!

Of course, Mrs. Hu wouldn't let her off so easily. That very night, she asked her what the meaning of that sentence was, what rotten things were, and what insects were.

I was sweating profusely, which is like asking what the meaning of "a fish's eyes are flashing with an eerie light" is; the original author would only say, "I don't know."

Reading comprehension, let's get started!

Leng Yi racked his brains and made up a story: "What is decaying is naturally the tall and wide vermilion lintel, naturally the carved railings and jade steps of the mansion, naturally the coiled roots of dragons and snakes. Although the root system is extensive, it never sees the sun and will only decay in the soil, becoming fertilizer for hibernating insects. When the sun shines and hibernating insects, all things are in spring."

It's unclear what exactly Leng Yi flattered that pleased Madam Hu, but Madam Hu was radiant and showered Leng Yi with many pieces of jewelry and clothing, all of which were bright red. Afterwards, she even had a light sword custom-made for Leng Yi.

Upon hearing this, Warm Winter clapped her hands repeatedly and chuckled, her voice as melodious as a wind chime: "The wind responds, the seasons are renewed. The sun warms the hibernating creatures, and all things spring to life. The flutes and reed pipes play in harmony, and the sacrificial vessels are laid out in full. The delicacies are abundant, and good fortune arrives. — You little flatterer, you really know how to flatter, but it's quite apt. Now all things are in spring, and even the insects that have been dormant for so long have broken through the soil."

Leng Yi chuckled in agreement. And so the days passed one by one.

In April, Lin Qiuya passed the imperial examination with top honors, riding through the streets and enjoying flowers and a joyous banquet.

In May, the concubine of Wang Shu's second son was about to give birth, but an unexpected complication arose, and she miscarried.

In June, the Fifth Prince, who had been in a coma for half a year, finally woke up. This was a secret, known only to a few people.