The tea has been cold.

Although Zhou Xuan talked with Su Shi for a long time, he didn't drink much tea.

Su Shi got up and poured out the cold tea for Zhou Xuan, and then replaced it with hot tea for her.

Zhou Xuan took a sip of tea lightly, and suddenly asked rhetorically, "Do you know that your eldest brother was once the crown prince's guard?" ”

Su Shi was pouring tea for himself, and when he heard this, his hand shook, and the tea almost spilled on the table.

"Prince Guard?" He thought for a moment, then shook his head: "I don't have any impressions. ”

Zhou Xuan put it in the tea cup and said, "No wonder you don't have any impression, your eldest brother Prince Guard didn't serve for long, only half a year." ”

Su Shi had already keenly felt that the past half a year must have had a significant impact on the eldest brother, otherwise he would not have taken such a big risk to find out the cause of the prince's death.

He said quietly: "Even if it is only half a year, but I can listen to the prince's personal teachings, I think the eldest brother has also benefited a lot." ”

Zhou Xuan looked at him sideways, as if he wanted to know if this sentence was what Su Shi really thought, or if he just said it casually.

It's just that she can't see any clues from Su Shi's expression.

Although Su Shi is not very old, in terms of the depth of scheming, I am afraid that seven or eight old foxes cannot compare.

Zhou Xuan really couldn't figure out how there could be such a person in this world.

"In the past six months, Brother Prince has indeed taught Brother Su a lot, and Brother Su has great respect and admiration for Brother Prince, and Brother Prince also appreciates Brother Su's honesty and honesty."

She deliberately put the four words of honesty and honesty very seriously, but Su Shi didn't seem to hear it.

He suddenly asked, "Is this strange pattern related to the crown prince?" ”

Zhou Xuan was not surprised that Su Shi was able to deduce that the pattern was related to the prince so quickly, and it would make her strange if he couldn't guess it.

So Zhou Xuan also said lightly: "Yes." ”

Su Shi couldn't help but ask, "But it seems that you haven't seen this pattern?" ”

He remembered that Zhou Xuan had said that when she saw the strange pattern on the handkerchief, she had asked around, and it was obvious that she had never seen such a pattern before.

This is a little strange, the younger sister who is close to the prince has not seen it, but the eldest brother who has only been the prince's guard for half a year has seen it, which makes Su Shi a little puzzled.

"What's strange about this, Brother Su only saw it by chance."

"What do you mean by that?"

Zhou Xuan said slowly: "Brother Prince treats people kindly, and there has never been a distinction between respect and inferiority, especially admiring Brother Su, so Brother Su can enter and leave the East Palace at will." ”

Su Shi didn't expect the prince to be so important to his eldest brother, but he understood why the eldest brother would take such a big risk to find out the cause of the prince's death, and even after so long, he still refused to give up.

At this time, Zhou Xuan continued: "After we met in the Red Plum Pavilion that day, Brother Su saw the pattern on the handkerchief, and suddenly remembered that when he was the prince's guard, he had seen a similar pattern in the prince's study, and the pattern was drawn by the prince. ”

"Painted by the Prince?" Su Shi said: "Then big brother, has he ever asked what this pattern represents?" ”

"When Brother Su saw this strange pattern, he naturally asked."

"And what did the prince say?"

Zhou Xuan sighed: "Brother Prince said that he is creating a ciphertext that can be used for communication in case of emergency. ”

The hellish pattern was actually a kind of ciphertext, which surprised Su Shi.

But at the same time, this explanation also made Su Shi feel extremely strange, a prince does not learn to deal with political affairs, but wants to create a kind of ciphertext, no matter how Su Shi thinks, he can't figure it out.

What's more, as the prince of the East Palace, what emergency will happen? Need to create a ciphertext to convey information?

"That's what my eldest brother said?" Su Shi asked suspiciously.

"Don't you believe your big brother?" Zhou Xuan couldn't help but ask rhetorically.

Su Shi touched his nose, he naturally believed his eldest brother's words, but it was precisely because he believed that he felt incredible.

He couldn't help but sigh and said, "So as soon as my eldest brother saw the pattern on the handkerchief, he remembered the prince's words and thought that this handkerchief must be trying to convey some kind of message?" ”

Zhou Xuan said: "That's right. Although this pattern was embroidered by Hui Niang, the cipher text should have been given to her by the prince's brother. ”

At this, there was a hint of sadness on her face.

Although so much time has passed, whenever she thinks of the prince's brother, she still can't help but feel sad.

"Brother Prince said that this cipher text will only be used in emergencies, and since Brother Prince gave this cipher to Hui Niang, it means that he knows that he is in danger."

Su Shi was noncommittal about her inference.

The so-called concern is chaotic, Zhou Xuan, Su Zhou and the prince have a close relationship, the prince suddenly died of illness, and the so-called ciphertext appeared, so it is not surprising that they suspect the cause of the prince's death.

But Su Shi, as a bystander, is far calmer and more objective than them, and will not easily draw any conclusions without substantial evidence.

Because Su Shi knew that as long as he preset a conclusion in his heart, it would affect his judgment.

Zhou Xuan continued: "It's just that the prince said it so casually at that time, so Brother Su didn't care, and left the East Palace after a short time, so he didn't know what the ciphertext on it meant. ”

"Now that you already know that the peculiar pattern on the handkerchief is a kind of ciphertext, and this cipher is created by the prince, people close to the prince should know some inside information, and you should have asked about those people."

Zhou Xuan nodded, but said helplessly: "As long as I have been in contact with the prince's brother, I have asked, but the strange thing is that except for Brother Su, no one has ever seen this pattern." ”

Su Shi generally doesn't think much about things that don't have answers, so he smiled and said, "In that case, why do you bother yourself anymore, and it's been so long, it's already difficult to track it down, why don't you just let it go." ”

Zhou Xuan's face showed a rare hint of begging, and said, "We also know that our abilities are limited and not enough to solve these mysteries, so we think of asking you for help." ”

Hearing this, Su Shi couldn't help but smile bitterly: "I'm afraid that you also overestimate me, no one can understand this ciphertext, and the things left by Hui Niang have also been taken away, and the time has been long, even if the gods come, I am afraid that they will not be able to solve these mysteries." ”

Zhou Xuan suddenly looked directly at him and said slowly, "But I know you must have a way." ”

Su Shi was secretly taken aback, but there was no change on his face, and he just said lightly: "What can I do about things that even immortals can't do." ”

At this time, Zhou Xuan suddenly laughed.

When she laughed, the spring light in the courtyard lost its color.

"Isn't that ice-making technique a fairy spell? Since you can even use immortal means, I don't believe that you will be at a loss in this matter. ”