Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

The person who described even the ingredients as "evil"—Qin Ji casually asked, "What do you mean?"

Tangyuan was assigned to Liu Zhiwei's side, under the pretext that he was entrusted by Liu Qinghong to help his classmate and temporarily signed a contract to take care of her.

When Liu Zhiwei asked where Liu Qinghong had gone, Tangyuan simply denied knowing.

Liu Zhiwei then suggested sending a letter to Liu Qinghong's classmate to inquire about it.

Tangyuan agreed and "delivered the message" for her. After delivering it, she handed the "classmate's reply" to Liu Zhiwei.

"Is there a problem with this letter?" Qin Ji asked.

Hongdou shook her head. "The classmate identity used is indeed real, and the handwriting is exactly the same."

"What about the content?"

The content states: Wang Siyue of the Imperial Academy saw that Liu Qinghong, despite his poor family background, had exceptional talent and introduced him to a temporary job: calculating the year-end accounts for a wealthy man from the outskirts of the capital.

Because of the tight schedule and the signed secret contract, they needed to work at the landlord's estate for ten days, and wouldn't be able to go home until the 27th of the lunar year.

Liu Qinghong initially wanted to refuse, considering his younger sister at home, but the opportunity was too good to pass up and the pay was too high. So he asked his classmate to find a clever and reliable maid and signed a monthly contract to take care of her.

It's one thing that this explanation didn't fool Liu Zhiwei, but how did this girl come to the conclusion that it involved the Provincial Governor of Western Sichuan?

That's interesting.

Qin Ji, who originally had little interest in the trivial matters of a student at the Imperial Academy, became interested. He closed the folding book in his hand, put it aside, rubbed his temples, leaned back in his chair, and said, "Tell me where the evil lies."

Hongdou said, "The girl didn't say anything after receiving the reply. On the first day, she stayed in her room reading books and fiddling with counting rods. In the evening, she asked Tangyuan to push her out to the yard, saying she wanted to look at the stars."

Qin Ji picked up on the key phrase, "Push?"

Hongdou quickly added, "Your Majesty may not know, but Liu Zhiwei has had a foot ailment since birth, making it difficult for her to walk. She is also in poor health and relies on a wooden wheelchair specially made by craftsmen at Liu Qinghong's request to get around."

"Why would someone in poor health look at the stars in the dead of winter?"

A strange look appeared on Hongdou's face. "I'm not sure if we were just looking at the stars."

Qin Ji: "?"

Hongdou's Adam's apple bobbed, and she looked somewhat awe-inspiring. "Maybe it's... observing the night sky? Divination by star charts."

Qin Ji: "..."

You're kidding me.

Isn't it just some kind of shamanistic ritual? How can you believe that?

I can also divine.

I observed the stars last night and discovered that you, you piece of trash, are about to die, believe it or not?

Hongdou knew that His Majesty had never believed in such divination and astronomical phenomena. Seeing Qin Ji's displeased expression, she quickly added before His Majesty could get angry: "The next day, Liu Zhiwei was still reading in the morning, but in the afternoon she took the initiative to tell Tangyuan that her abacus was old and she wanted to go to the market to buy a new one."

Tangyuan accompanied her, and they only bought a set of counting rods. After they returned home, Liu Zhiwei asked Tangyuan if she wanted to have her fortune told.

Tangyuan pretended to be curious and agreed, then casually made up a birth chart for her.

Liu Zhiwei laid out her counting rods, and after she finished, she said to Tangyuan, "Ren water born in the month of Mao has a rooted official star, and wealth can generate official power. It is an excellent fate, but it is not Tangyuan's."

Tangyuan was startled and gave her her real birth date and time.

After Liu Zhiwei finished her divination, she almost stripped Tangyuan's underwear completely.

He is skilled in martial arts and adept at stealth, has no living relatives, works for a certain "master," and recently suffered a serious injury, so he has retired to do something else.

Hongdou finished speaking in one breath, omitting Tangyuan's "rebellious" remarks in the latter half.

Tangyuan went to him that very night to complain. Her exact words were:

You have no idea how wicked Miss Liu is. She made me break out in a cold sweat, then turned around and looked at me calmly, saying as if nothing had happened, "Maybe the new counting rods haven't been broken in yet, so the divination isn't accurate."

She joked that if that were true, it would be incredibly legendary, as her brother's classmate could casually ask for help and end up with a "sweeping monk."

I was terrified, I didn't find it funny at all!

If we expose the secret guards, will His Majesty execute her or me?

She's so good at divination, it can't be her, right?

I was forced to step down due to injury and am no longer of any use.

It must be me, my brain, boohoo.

I need to request a replacement; this job is completely unmanageable.

After Qin Ji heard Hongdou's words, the radar activated.

He didn't believe in divination.

"Skilled in martial arts, adept at stealth, and has suffered serious injuries."

It's not that it can't be seen through careful observation.

"He has no relatives left, and works for some 'master'."

A person skilled in martial arts and adept at stealth was placed under a contract as a "maid" to take care of her.

It's hard not to wonder if there's some ulterior motive behind this, or if someone instructed them to do so.

Such individuals, whether Deadpool or assassins, are mostly chosen from orphans without relatives.

Leaving aside the superstitious and mystical aspects...

These insights were gleaned from just two days of contact.

This guy is really talented!

She was physically disabled and limited by her female body.

He seems to have a good understanding of the I Ching, and he is also very observant and intelligent.

With a few words, they use divination and exploit most people's awe of heaven to bluff and fool even the ingredients.

Qin Ji analyzed Liu Zhiwei's strengths and weaknesses, pondering how to use this person, "Continue, how did you get involved with the Sichuan Provincial Governor this time?"

Hongdou said, "On the third day, Miss Liu found Tangyuan and said that she observed the stars at night and used counting rods to deduce that her brother was in some dangerous situation, which was related to the Governor of Sichuan."

She initially thought the counting rods were worn out, so she begged Tangyuan to take her to the market to buy a new set. However, after another calculation, the result was the same as the first day: something had happened to her brother.

She asked Tangyuan to help her make a connection, as she wanted to meet the Governor of Western Sichuan.

Tangyuan declined, saying that as a maid, how could she possibly contact the Sichuan Provincial Governor, and asked Liu Zhiwei if she was still asleep.

Liu Zhiwei made the divination three times in front of her.

The hexagrams are exactly the same.

The only way she could get news of her brother was through those who had recently come to her side.

Qin Ji tapped his fingers lightly on the imperial desk, then suddenly leaned forward from the backrest and picked up a memorial. "Let's do it this afternoon. I'll give her a chance to meet the 'Provincial Governor of Western Sichuan'."

...

Liu Zhiwei is unable to walk properly, so Tangyuan has been bringing her meals to her room for the past two days.

Tangyuan stood outside Liu Zhiwei's door, holding a freshly cooked braised fish, raising her hand and then lowering it again.

She felt a chill run down her spine whenever she saw Liu Zhiwei's calm eyes.

Although His Majesty did not pursue the matter, his head was temporarily spared.

But she was genuinely afraid that her underwear would be pulled down again...

If her penchant for erotic art and pornography is exposed, she'll lose all face and might as well just kill herself.

I spent ages mentally preparing myself but still didn't dare knock on the door.

A clear voice came from inside the door.

"Is this Sister Tangyuan? Come in."

Tangyuan's hand trembled, almost spilling the fish. She pushed open the door with a fake smile, "It's braised, miss, see if you like it."

Liu Zhiwei looked up from her desk, closed her book, pushed her wheelchair to the table, and said with a smile, "I like braised dishes the most, thank you, Sister Tangyuan."

Tangyuan set out the bowls and chopsticks, ladled rice for her, and racked his brains trying to figure out how to connect her, a mere maid, with the "Provincial Governor of Western Sichuan" in a way that would be conveniently overlooked.

Liu Zhiwei picked up her chopsticks, subtly observing Tangyuan's expression, then picked up a piece of fish and said casually, "I had my fortune told today..."

Tangyuan's hand trembled, and she almost dropped the rice bowl. She put the bowl of rice in front of Liu Zhiwei and said, "Stop divining, stop divining, the Provincial Governor of Sichuan wants to see you."

Liu Zhiwei swallowed the fish in her mouth, her obsidian-like eyes calmly looking at Tangyuan, and said with a slightly innocent expression, "Fish die more worthwhile when they're braised."

sweet dumpling:"……"

...

This is the first update. I had a bit of a lag today, so it's a little late. The second update should be around midnight.

The activity continues. We're still 200 points short of generating electricity with love today. Just a few clicks from everyone, and a second update tomorrow is definitely within reach!