The hosta looked at the closed door in a daze, feeling a little aggrieved.

Since last night, Mademoiselle seems to be a different person. Now I don't even want her to be a personal maid when I go into the study.

Don't you want her to do such rough work as laying paper and grinding ink?

Is the young lady disgusted with her?

The hosta faintly reddened, wiped her eyes heavily with the back of her hand, and sniffed silently.

Zhao Xiyan was full of worries, and he had no time to take care of the hosta's careful thoughts. After entering the study, Zhao Xiyan first found a wooden box, and when he opened it, it was a complete set of carving knives of different sizes.

The Zhao family is a family heirloom with poetry and books, and the three brothers of the Zhao family have their own strengths. Zhao Yuanming is good at calligraphy Danqing, his second uncle Zhao Yuanyun is proficient in antique appreciation, and his eldest uncle Zhao Yuanxiu is good at carving seals.

Zhao Suxin followed her father and loved carving.

Zhao Xiyan didn't want to steal the limelight from her cousin, so she kept her mouth shut in front of people and didn't mention that she would also carve seals. When you are idle, you will have a pastime.

I really didn't expect it to come in handy today.

Zhao Xiyan sat in front of the desk, first laid the paper and studied the ink, and then chose a fine pen, the tip of the pen was soaked in ink, and the word Zhou Sui was written on the paper.

Zhou Sui is a ferocious bandit who hasn't read a few books, but he can write simply. The handwriting is coarse and ugly, and the letters are written in the vernacular.

Zhou Sui's private seal was carved by a down-and-out old showman. On carving, it's mediocre. That private seal was knocked once, and the upper left corner was knocked a little, and it became a unique pattern mark.

People who have dealt with Zhou Sui are familiar with this private seal.

Zhao Xiyan thought silently in his heart for a long time before picking up the carving knife and landing the first knife on the bloodstone.

The light in the study slowly dimmed.

Zhao Xiyan lit the candlestick with a fire fold and slowly carved it under the bright candle flame.

Time passed quickly, and the hosta outside the study finally couldn't hold it anymore and knocked on the door: "Miss, it's so late, it's time for dinner." ”

After a while, the young lady's calm voice came from inside: "Send the food in." ”

The hosta hurriedly answered, went to the kitchen, and came out with a three-layer food box. There are fragrant millet porridge, fried dumplings, and four-color side dishes in the food box.

Zhao Xiyan opened the door of the study, took the food box, and closed the door again.

The hosta had to continue to wait outside the door.

waited for the third watch.

The door to the study finally opened again. Zhao Xiyan stayed up for a few hours, there was a trace of tiredness in his expression, and he was in a good mood: "Hosta, you have been staying here, haven't you eaten dinner yet?" Hurry up and go to the kitchen to fill your stomach and go back to the house for a good night's sleep. Let the begonias watch the night. ”

Haitang is also the slave of the Zhao family, and she is fifteen years old this year.

The girls of the Zhao family generally have three or four maids to serve. In addition to the hosta and begonia, Zhao Xiyan also has two twelve or thirteen-year-old maids, one is called primrose and the other is called marigold.

The master's concern immediately soothed the small grievances in the hosta's heart.

The hosta hurriedly smiled: "Begonia won't serve, it's better to be a slave and maid on duty at night!" ”

The hosta cares very much about the authority of the first-class personal maid, and the work of personal service never lets the little maids touch their hands.

Zhao Xiyan smiled dumbly, seeing that the hosta was so insistent, he followed her.

……

This night, Zhao Xiyan did not sleep steadily. In the nightmares that followed, blood flowed and screams were repeated. The murderous face that had tormented her for years approached with a smirk from time to time.

When Zhao Xiyan woke up, his forehead was covered with cold sweat.

She didn't move, she didn't cry, she lay quietly, waited for the cold sweat to dry, closed her eyes and continued to sleep.

The time spent in a night's sleep doesn't add up to an hour.

After waking up in the morning, she went to the clean room to bathe and washed away the marks of nightmares with hot water. After breakfast, I went into the study alone.

One stay is a whole day.

In the evening, Zhao Xiyan sent someone to call Songshi over.

Songshi is eight in his Chinese New Year's Eve, shrewd and capable, and was Zhao Yuanming's book boy when he was young. Now it is Zhao Yuanming's long-term follower, and the external affairs of the Zhao family's three rooms are all taken care of by Songshi.

Zhao Yuanming privately instructed Songshi, if the young lady has any explanation, don't ask anything, go immediately.

When Zhao Xiyan took out a few letters with different handwritings, Songshi was not too surprised and said in a low voice; "Miss, where are these letters going?"

Zhao Yuanming is a master of calligraphy. Zhao Xiyan is blue, can write more than ten fonts, and has the ability to never show people. As long as he has seen it once, Zhao Xiyan can imitate this person's handwriting.

Zhao Xiyan took out a piece of paper and put it in Songshi's hand: "I wrote the addresses of these letters on paper. You send them out one by one according to the address. Don't tell anyone about this, you do it quietly alone. ”

"You change your clothes, you change your disguise, and you must not be recognized by others. Spend money to hire a few illiterate thugs to run errands. ”

"This letter is going to be sent to the Shangshu Mansion of the Military Department in the capital. Find a dart board from Beihai County and find a reliable dart master to send it. ”

"These two letters are to be sent to Zichuan County, Pingyuan County. You make a trip yourself and find someone to deliver the letter to the county warden's office. ”

"There is also this letter, which will be sent to General Li of the Jiaodong Army. You can't get into the barracks of the Jiaodong Army, and after you arrive in Jiaodong, you change your appearance and go to find a famous prostitute named Kou Shao. Give her a thousand taels of silver, and ask her to deliver the letter into the hands of General Lee. ”

Songshi held the four letters and the piece of paper with four addresses written on them, and his right hand trembled, and his heart was terrified.

These instructions are more bizarre than the other.

The young lady is pampered in the boudoir all the year round, and the number of times she goes out is only a handful. What is the military department Shangshu Mansion, what plain county guards Zichuan county guard, and General Li Da or something, how can Miss say that she even knows the address? The one named Kou Shao, where did the young lady know? Do you still know that Kou Shao is General Li's friend?

Zhao Xiyan raised his eyes and looked at Songshi: "Don't ask anything, do as I tell you." ”

"You're going to have to go on a long run, and it will take at least a month or two to get back. When he went to the account office to pay the silver, he kept five hundred taels more for the money to spend on the road. Don't say anything to anyone when you go. When someone asked when I came back, I said that my father sent you a gift to the same year. ”

"Remember, you must never let anyone know who you really are. Don't arouse anyone's suspicions. Once there is a risk of revealing your identity, burn the letter immediately. ”

The young lady did not speak loudly, nor did she raise her voice, but there was an irresistible majesty and power in her words.

Songshi's gaze was a little complicated, and he bowed his head to take orders.

As soon as the pine stone left, the hosta came with a brisk step, smiling and groaning; "Miss, the craftsman has sent the longbow that was customized a month ago. The bow was so heavy that the slave and maid asked the craftsman to carry it into the courtyard. Would you like to take a look? ”