Половины жизни, посвященной музыке и макияжу

Глава 68

As he spoke, he put down his teacup and took out a silk handkerchief wrapped around something from his pocket. Zuo Xin quickly gathered the things on the table and placed them on the windowsill. Xiao Changqing then strode over and bolted the door. Zhao Ting happened to be standing by the window and glanced at the newly closed window. Everyone gathered around the table, watching Duan Chen's movements.

Duan Chen untied the handkerchief and placed it on the table, revealing three exquisite jade sheng (a type of reed pipe), their colors being, in order, pure white, light yellow, and emerald green. Duan Chen picked up the emerald green one and gently twirled the longest pipe. The top of the pipe gradually loosened, and in a short while, a section was twisted off, about half the original length of the pipe.

Everyone watched with bated breath. Duan Chen then gently placed the half of the sheng pipe that had been unscrewed onto the shortest sheng pipe. With a crisp "snap," a small hole appeared under that sheng pipe, and a slightly yellow paper roll slid out from it.

Everyone was startled. Zhao Ting raised his hand halfway, then looked up at Duan Chen. Seeing her nod slightly, confirming that everything was alright, he picked up the scroll from the table and carefully unfolded it. Zhan Yun noticed her pale face and softened his voice, asking, "You spent the whole night last night studying this?"

Duan Chen nodded, picked up his teacup, and took a sip of hot tea. He picked up the pale yellow jade sheng, and, following the same pattern, unscrewed the longest pipe and placed it on top of the shortest one; another roll of paper fell out. Finally, Duan Chen picked up the white one and handed it to Xiao Changqing, who had been eagerly waiting to try it out.

Xiao Changqing was overjoyed, but after twisting it for a long time without any movement, he looked at Duan Chen with a pitiful expression. Duan Chen smiled lightly, pressed his temples, and said with his phoenix eyes half-lowered, "It's none of your business. I studied this jade flute for almost an hour last night, but I still couldn't find the mechanism."

Zhao Ting and Zuo Xin had each unfolded a scroll, revealing a map with undulating lines and patterns. "This..." Xiao Changqing gasped, and seeing everyone looking at him, he rubbed the jade flute in his hand and explained, "I always thought it was just a rumor, something my father told me when he was alive. None of the family records about the Seven Flutes Cult included this, because my father thought it was too absurd."

"What is it?" Zhou Yufei's peach blossom eyes sparkled, her heart itching with curiosity after being teased by Xiao Changqing's words.

Xiao Changqing blinked: "Actually, it's nothing much. It's just that, according to legend, the leader of the Seven Sheng Sect possesses a treasure map from the founding of our Great Song Dynasty by Emperor Taizu." Seeing the crowd's expressions instantly shift from curiosity and anticipation to scoffing, Xiao Changqing's eyes widened, looking somewhat aggrieved: "I already said it's absurd! And it wasn't me who spread the rumor..."

Duan Chen slowly curled the corners of his lips: "It's not necessarily that absurd."

Zhao Tingjian raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"

Duan Chen's voice remained cold and aloof, but his words sent a chill down everyone's spine: "Have you forgotten the Seven Victories Blade that went missing from Wanliu Manor?"

"The Seven Victories Blade?" Zhan Yun and Zhao Ting exclaimed almost simultaneously, "The Seven Victories Blade used by General Shi Shouxin during his southern campaign!"

Zuo Xin raised one eyebrow high and glanced at Xiao Changqing with a half-smile: "I always thought that was just a legend."

Zhan Yun shook his head and chuckled: "Now it seems the legends have all come true."

Zhou Yufei was still thinking about Duan Chen's words: "You just said that the Seven Sheng Sect didn't need to do this. What does that have to do with the secret in the Jade Sheng?"

Before Duan Chen could speak, Zhan Yun spoke up first to explain: "Chen'er means that the biggest secret of the Seven Sheng Sect is in this jade flute. If they return, the first thing they should do is target this jade flute. But now, this person seems more obsessed with digging out people's hearts..." As he spoke, he added some hot tea to Duan Chen's cup.

Zhou Yufei gave a look of sudden realization, while gently nudging Zhao Ting's arm with his elbow, his eyes filled with unspoken meaning as he looked at his good friend. Zhao Ting completely ignored him, but his dark eyes grew even colder, as he watched Zhan Yun in his sky-blue robe, standing beside Duan Chen serving tea and water with practiced ease. His face was even darker than the old elm table in the inn room.

Duan Chen took the white jade flute from Xiao Changqing's hand and continued, "Also, I suspect that this jade flute is fake."

Xiao Changqing, who was still somewhat reluctant to part with it, widened his eyes upon hearing this: "You mean... this thing was switched by that guy surnamed Bai?"

Duan Chen nodded: "It's very likely." As he spoke, he picked up the jade sheng and held it up to the window, gesturing for everyone to look closely: "Although the jade is very translucent, the shortest pipe is clearly solid."

Duan Chen then picked up the green one and compared it with the white one: "I looked at it for a long time by the oil lamp last night, and I felt like there was something inside the sheng pipes, so I started to study them one by one." Everyone looked closely at the spot she pointed to, and sure enough, the two jade sheng pipes were somewhat different.

Xiao Changqing stroked his chin and nodded: "In that case, it's even less likely that it was done by the Seven Life Sect. That guy surnamed Bai is so powerful, and he's already escaped. Even if there are still some remnants left, there's no need for him to confront so many of us head-on."

Duan Chen nodded, that's exactly what he meant. Xiao Changqing proudly raised his chin, then casually gave Zhou Yufei a disdainful look. The latter blinked his captivating eyes, looking quite aggrieved, as if to say, "So you guys have been here for all these days..."

"Chen'er, so you mean, who deliberately imitated the Seven Life Sect to make this?" Zhao Ting stared intently at Duan Chen, the gentleness in his deep voice sending a chill down Zhou Yufei's spine.

Duan Chen didn't answer immediately this time. After pondering for a moment, he said softly, "I can't be sure. But it's obvious that this person wants to convey a message." As he spoke, he took the note from his sleeve and placed it on the table.

Duan Chen picked up his teacup, a cold glint flashing in his half-closed phoenix eyes: "Since he's so blatant, I think someone will come knocking on our door soon."

"Duan Chen, do you know who did this?" Zhou Yufei was both surprised and delighted. Doesn't that mean they can set off for Bianjing immediately?

Even Zuo Xin couldn't hold back this time. He sighed and said, "What Xiao Duan means is that if hearts are sent here, someone in town is bound to die. The Seven Sheng Sect incident just happened a couple of days ago. In such a small place, it won't be long before elders and the like come knocking on our door asking for our help."

Just as Zhou Yufei was about to defend himself, Duan Chen spoke first: "There's no rush." As he spoke, he put the pipes on the two jade flutes back in their original positions.

Zhao Ting and Zhan Yun exchanged a glance, but before they could speak, Duan Chen had already picked up three jade flutes and handed them over. Zhao Ting was taken aback, somewhat confused by Duan Chen's actions, while Zhan Yun's expression changed, and he tightened his grip on his folding fan.

Duan Chen didn't even lift his eyelids, and said softly, "Your family's affairs are naturally up to you to decide."

Zhao Ting glanced quickly at Zhan Yun, who gave a silent, bitter smile and shook her head gently—"It's not just me saying this, this girl is too smart."

Zuo Xin raised an eyebrow, pretending not to hear anything, and walked over to pull Xiao Changqing out, saying, "Let Xiao Duan get some rest. I have something I need to settle with you about..."

Seeing the expressions on Zhao Ting and Zhan Yun's faces, Zhou Yufei knew something was amiss. He quickly took Yu Sheng from Zhao Ting and shoved her into his arms. He then picked up two small maps from the table and pushed Yu Sheng out, saying, "Right, right, Duan Chen, you didn't sleep well last night. Get some rest. We'll call you when it's time to eat."

Zhan Yun picked up the package from the windowsill, glanced apologetically at Duan Chen, and said in a low voice, "Chen'er, about that matter..."

Duan Chen stood by the table, holding a cup of tea, his phoenix eyes half-closed, his expression indifferent: "No need to tell me. I only know how to solve cases; I can't concern myself with royal affairs."

Author's Note: There will be an update tomorrow at 9 AM.

~~~~(>_<)~~~~ You guys are all ignoring me. I finished reading the book and came up to find my notebook completely empty.

I'm not happy about not getting any of your loving comments! Waaah, I want loving words! I want lip prints!

Touch my chin, or I won't let you see tomorrow's story. There's a confession from Zhanzhan, and half a chapter is full of romance!

65

Chapter Twelve: The Way is Ruthless, Yet Full of Compassion...

Zhan Yun carefully wrapped the pale yellow jade flute and put it in her bosom. Just then, she heard a few knocks on the door. When she opened the door, she saw Duan Chen holding a snow-white silk handkerchief with clean gauze and several small porcelain bottles on it. His face was calm and composed, showing no sign of embarrassment.

Because the injury was located slightly behind his right shoulder, making it difficult for him to treat himself, Duan Chen had come over every night to change his dressings and clean the wound. Zhan Yun turned to the side, his handsome face flushed slightly: "Thank you for your trouble, Chen'er."

Duan Chen nodded slightly, placed the items on the table, and turned to pour hot water. Zhan Yun tucked his folding fan into his sleeve, sat down at the table, and deftly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his right shoulder.

With a deft movement, he untied the bandage, revealing reddish-brown bloodstains seeping through the gauze, some even spreading to the edges. Duan Chen frowned slightly, took a cloth, dampened it with hot water, and dripped a few drops onto the edges of the gauze to prevent the dried blood from tearing the wound. Gently touching the gauze, now soft again from the hot water, Duan Chen then carefully began to peel back the layers of gauze.

Zhan Yun noticed the thoughtfulness of the person beside her, and a faint smile appeared in her crescent-shaped eyes as she softly said, "It's alright, it won't hurt."

Duan Chen removed the gauze and saw that the wound had slightly reopened. Recalling the man's actions of serving him tea and water during the day, his expression darkened slightly: "If you don't want your wound to heal quickly, then just ignore it!" The situation was urgent that day, and she had been a bit too rough, so the wound was quite deep. In addition, it was located slightly behind the shoulder, making it easy to aggravate with the slightest movement. If he continued to be so indifferent, even with daily dressing changes, it wouldn't heal for another ten days or half a month.