After Cao Ran and Mama Li received the punishment together, they supported each other and walked on the narrow and cool cobblestone path.

There will be a pain in the buttocks with every step, and looking at Mama Li, who is limping like herself, she said apologetically: "Today I have caused Mama to be burdened, and Mama has been beaten by the board." ”

Mama Li didn't mean to blame, but endured the pain and comforted her, saying: "It's not your fault, many things are not as simple as they seem on the surface, and they are not something we can expect and control." Today, you can carefully observe and defend yourself, so that you and I can avoid greater grievances, and you have done a good job. These few boards are nothing. ”

Cao Ran was ashamed to look away from Mama Li, looking at the scenery along the way aimlessly, and the two of them walked silently for a while. "I don't think I did a good job today." Cao Ran broke the silence and said suddenly.

Mama Li paused, as if she didn't hear clearly, and paused for two seconds and asked, "Why?" ”

The sky was already dark, and a light breeze blew to bring a faint fragrance of pear blossoms, Cao Ran looked around, and was close to Cuizhuyuan, and there was no one around. She said gloomily: "Today I just want to prove my grievances, and I didn't expect to implicate the things behind Lan Zhu." Although Lan Zhu was at fault in the first place, her experience is also very sympathetic. Although what happened today has nothing to do with her, her heart is very congested, and along the way, she always imagines the tragic situation of Lan Zhu being exiled to the bitter cold land with her tongue cut out.

"Lan Zhu is pitiful, but isn't Xiao Shizi pitiful? How could he bear these grievances when he was so young? You are too young to understand the dangers of the human heart, and you must know that this poor person must also have her hate. Mama Li spoke very calmly, as if she was neutral about the grievances and grievances, and she neither pity anyone nor blame anyone.

Cao Ran was silent, Xiao Shizi is also the most innocent victim, so who should be the executioner of this matter? Princess? She has never been a mother, and she doesn't know if this behavior has gone beyond the scope of maternal love.

After walking a few steps, it was already the gate of Cuizhuyuan, and Mama Li stood outside the gate and said to Cao Ran, who was still a little dazed: "No matter what you think of today's matter, don't say such things to anyone." Having good intentions is only good when you can protect yourself, and if it is a hundred boards that hit you, I am afraid that you will only have half a life left to pity others. ”

She understood that Mama Li's words were very reasonable, but after all, it was the palace that was worthy of the first, and Xiao Shizi was out of danger, she still felt that Lan Zhu had lost all her loved ones and should not accept such a cruel punishment again. Cao Ran bowed slightly, saw that Mama closed the courtyard door and locked it outside the courtyard gate, so she took the night light in her hand, turned around and walked back to her room, and suddenly felt that she didn't know what she stepped on under her feet, and picked it up and took a closer look at it It was a sachet embroidered with two lotus flowers.

The sachet is made of mint and has a cool mint scent. The lilac fabric is still brand new, and the fine stitches and embroidery must have been very careful by the people who made it. Cao Ran hung it in front of the window, thinking that it must have been dropped by someone who came to repair the courtyard gate, and such a careful thing must have come to look for it.

The next day, Mama Li faltered to deliver the meal, and also brought an unfortunate news, "Xiaoquanzi is dead." ”

Cao Ran's eyes widened, and the thick eyelashes of the instigator were slightly stunned. She didn't know Xiao Quanzi, so naturally she was not sad for Xiao Quanzi, but surprised that Yue Yue actually killed someone. When she first entered the house, she also rescued a little civet cat, and the tanuki still occasionally came over to eat and drink, and I couldn't believe that Tsuki would be so cruel.

"But yesterday, I heard the doctor who treated Xiao Quanzi say that although he was seriously injured, they were all external injuries, and the most serious part was only a few pieces of flesh that were bitten, so it would not be fatal. How could he not have died! Cao Ran said in disbelief.

Mama Li sighed, "This doctor is not without a bad practice, this morning Mr. Zhang went to visit Xiaoquanzi's residence, and found that the people were already cold, and they must have died at night." ”

"Then how to solve this matter, the moon bite someone to death, will the people in the government arrest it?" Cao Ran asked worriedly.

"There is just a house slave who died of illness in the palace, where will it be the turn of the government to intervene. Give his family some more bereavement, no one will dare to talk more. Mama Li's words are so sparse and ordinary, it can be seen that this method is not the first time in the palace. Cao Ran thought about it carefully, it was indeed that he was too worried, wasn't Lan Zhu's little brother also sacrificed by blood in the palace, and he didn't do it quietly. It's just a subordinate of the palace, no one will pay attention, and no one will dare to go against King Qi.

"You also like mint-flavored sachets?" Mama Li had already stepped out of the door with half a foot, stretched half of her body and glanced at the mint sachet hanging in front of the window, but did not look carefully.

"Yes, the mint smell is refreshing, and I hung it up." Cao Ran explained.

"Pure Liangdi's Lan Xin also likes to use mint as a sachet, it's about to be the Zhengyang Festival, and the sachets made by others are filled with realgar, mugwort leaves, lemongrass and other incense, she likes to use pure mint as a spice, saying that if you add others, you won't have the freshness of mint. A few days ago, I saw her make two identical lotus sachets, one for each of Xiaoquanzi. Speaking of Xiaoquanzi, Mama Li's voice became a little low.

Cao Ran's mind suddenly appeared that she was sitting silently in an inconspicuous position in the princess's courtyard yesterday, and suddenly interrupted her when she was explaining, saying that she was the delicate and feminine woman who shirked her responsibility. She remembered that Yu Wenqiao called her Chun Liangdi at that time.

"Does Lan Xin have anything to do with Xiao Quanzi?" Cao Ran asked with some confusion.

Mama Li's lower body pain was not healed and she couldn't stand anymore, so she withdrew the foot she stepped out of and changed to a more comfortable position. said slowly: "They are brother and sister, poor Lan Xin lost the brother who loves her the most." ”

Cao Ran thought for a moment, suddenly realized something, stepped forward to support Mama Li, and said eagerly: "Mama has been standing here for a long time, I'm afraid I'm tired, do you want me to go to the kettle for tea, you sit down and talk slowly." ”

Mama Li was planning to leave, but she said more because she smelled the mint fragrance, and Cao Ran's invitation reminded her. Wanyan refused Cao Ran, and then left.

Cao Ran stared at the sachet in front of the window, the stitches and threads of embroidered green lotus became more eye-catching, and the fragrance of mint made her mind more sober. Putting away the sachet, she had a terrible conjecture.