A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 278 The Corpse at the Spring Banquet (9)

In the large kitchen, there was only Song Shuyu.

When Mu Qingcheng came in, he was facing away from the door, sleeves rolled up, bending over, busy at the stove. But it was unclear what he was doing; he seemed rather flustered.

"grown ups?"

Mu Qingcheng called out softly and stepped inside.

Song Shuyu subconsciously turned around, and the red dates he was holding fell into the pot of boiling water with a "plop". The boiling water splashed on his face, arms and the back of his hands, scalding him with a "hiss" and he retreated in a panic!

"grown ups!"

Mu Qingcheng was shocked and rushed over, grabbing Song Shuyu's arm and asking urgently, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Song Shuyu frowned and remained silent.

So embarrassing, he'd rather suffer the pain than tell her.

However, Mu Qingcheng didn't necessarily want him to confess. She turned her head to look at the hot pot on the stove, then at his scalded face and arms, and finally took his hand and led him to the water vat without saying a word.

She scooped up a spoonful of cold water, soaked a handkerchief in it, and applied it as a cold compress to the burned area.

Song Shuyu lowered her eyes, her tone tinged with disappointment, "Am I really that useless?"

Mu Qingcheng glanced at him, then soaked the cold handkerchief again and placed it on his face. He shuddered from the shock and dared not speak again, only staring at her pitifully with his wet eyes.

The domineering and imposing man who had dominated the Fragrant Plum Garden was now like a timid little wife who had made a mistake, obediently waiting to be scolded. This extreme contrast was hard for even Mu Qingcheng to adapt to. If outsiders saw this, who would believe that they were the same person?
"Fainting at the sight of a corpse is a matter of physiological reaction and psychological resilience, not that you're useless. Not being able to cook red date soup is not your fault either. Everyone has their own expertise. Your political abilities are outstanding. In just a few months, you have managed the capital and its surrounding areas in an orderly manner, earning praise from everyone. This is something a cook cannot do."

Mu Qingcheng's soft, gentle words stirred Song Shuyu's heart like a feather, and joy bloomed in his eyes. "You really don't mind me? I was thinking that since I couldn't do the autopsy, I was already useless, so I made you a bowl of red date and white fungus soup, which would quench your thirst and replenish your blood, but the cook wasn't here, and no one taught me how to make it..."

“My lord,” Mu Qingcheng interrupted his self-reproach, a doting smile on her face, “My lord is a man of great things, he doesn’t need to worry about these trivial matters. No one is perfect. Besides being able to perform autopsies, investigate cases, and have read a few books, I’m not good at playing the piano, dancing, or needlework. Would my lord think I’m useless because of that?”

"No!" Song Shuyu said without the slightest hesitation. "Even if you can't do anything, you're still the best Qingcheng."

Mu Qingcheng nodded with a smile, "So, my lord, you must not belittle yourself anymore."

“Hmm.” Song Shuyu agreed on the surface, but her thoughts were more complicated. She knew that even contempt had to be genuine, otherwise how could she gain her pity?
Even with Mu Qingcheng's exceptional intelligence, she would never have imagined that her master was such a master of manipulation. If she were in the inner quarters, she would undoubtedly be the number one person vying for favor and power!
"The maid Xiaodie identified the body and confirmed that it was Xu Yuying. She had been beheaded with a sharp blade."

Mu Qingcheng's words pulled Song Shuyu back to his senses. He paused, puzzled, and asked, "Why would the murderer go to the trouble of sewing the two sisters' heads and bodies back together? It's laborious, time-consuming, and increases the risk of the crime being exposed. What was his motive?"

"He had been watching Xu Yuying for several days without making a move, so why did he kill her today? I think it has something to do with what he was after."

At this point, Mu Qingcheng removed the handkerchief and examined Song Shuyu's burns. The timely cold compress meant he was likely alright. However, thinking of the potential consequences, her face hardened. "From now on, you are forbidden from entering the kitchen! What if such a beautiful face is disfigured?"

"Oh," Song Shuyu replied obediently. His good looks were indeed his greatest asset in winning the heart of a beauty, and he certainly needed to protect them.

Mu Qingcheng continued to apply cold compresses to his arms and the back of his hands, while also discussing official business, "Does my lord still remember what the man in black said that night? His head was frozen, and he guaranteed it wouldn't rot to the point of being unrecognizable! However, it's not convenient to give it to us now. When the time is right, we will bring the head back to light!"

"The Spring Banquet was an impromptu decision by the Empress Dowager, and the time was chosen randomly. The so-called opportune moment for the men in black was to find a public place to kill Xu Yuying and prove to the world that Xu Yuying was related to the female corpse in the Suhe River?" Song Shuyu frowned and analyzed the most likely possibility.

“It shouldn’t be just that.” Mu Qingcheng pursed her dry lips. “If he is Lin Jiao, his biggest goal is to find Liao Ruyi. Obviously, he didn’t get the answers he wanted from Xu Yuying. So, killing Xu Yuying to avenge his sister and forcing our Jingzhao Prefecture to find Liao Ruyi should also be his goals.”

Song Shuyu nodded, "That makes sense." After a pause, he took off the cold compress and said, "Alright, I'm fine now." Then he went back to the stove.

The white fungus hadn't been put into the pot yet, and only half a pot of red dates had been cooked, but the dates were boiling and floating on the surface of the water, and the aroma of dates was overflowing, making one's mouth water.

Song Shuyu excitedly fetched a bowl and spoon, filled half a bowl with jujube soup, placed it on the table, and called out, "Qingcheng, come here and drink it while it's hot."

"Didn't we just say that adults shouldn't do things in the kitchen?" Mu Qingcheng stared at his hands worriedly, afraid that he would burn his fingers again.

Song Shuyu smiled slyly, "You said you wouldn't be allowed in the kitchen from now on, not now."

"You're quite good at finding bargains, aren't you?"

Mu Qingcheng was both amused and annoyed. She also ladled out a bowl of soup and placed it in front of Song Shuyu, saying, "Let's drink together."

Song Shuyu's happiness shone brightly and warmed Mu Qingcheng's heart. She scooped up a spoonful of soup and put it in her mouth, her eyes sparkling with a smile. "So sweet."

She had only taken a sip when she suddenly exclaimed, "My lord, Xiaodie is still waiting outside!"

After saying that, he quickly got up and brought Xiaodie in.

When Xiaodie saw Song Shuyu, she was startled and hurriedly knelt on the ground, saying, "This servant greets Lord Song!"

Song Shuyu raised his chin slightly. "Get up and answer."

"Thank you, sir!"

Xiaodie stood up, but still kept her head down timidly.

Mu Qingcheng said, "Xiaodie, what happened before the incident? Tell me in detail."

Xiao Die curtsied and replied, "Midway through the banquet, Miss asked me to arrange a meeting with Miss Guo. To avoid attracting attention, they met at the Autumn Plum Grove. Miss and Miss Guo chatted for about fifteen minutes before parting ways to return to their seats. But we hadn't gone far when a member of the Imperial Guard came over, saying that Lord Song wanted to meet Miss in the backyard, as he had something to say to her..."

(End of this chapter)