PDLP Chapter 73 Who knows the mysterious guest in the ink
Chapter 73 Who knows the mysterious guest in the ink
Zhao Tinglan's expression paused slightly, and her breathing also stagnated for a moment. She tightened her grip on the fan handle and looked at the painting on the wall, or to be more precise, at the words written on the painting.
"It's very difficult to change a person's living habits. Brother Qingchuan has been dealing with drugs for many years, so there is always a faint smell of medicine on his body."
Hearing this, Qingchuan lifted his sleeve and sniffed gently, his eyes moving slightly. Having been immersed in piles of medicinal herbs for years, Qingchuan really didn't care much about these things.
However, compared to the smell of medicine on his body, the scent of the large orchid in the room was stronger.
Lin Lezhi continued, "At first, I smelled a fragrance on your body at Yaren Village, so when I smelled it on the letter later, I didn't pay much attention to it. But after so many days, the letter still has a faint orchid fragrance."
"If I remember correctly, Mother Zhao said in person that she had met Yan Jingyi several times."
"If this letter was really sent from Yan Jingyi, and the letter paper exudes a faint orchid fragrance, then there should be no other explanation except that Yan Jingyi died in Chunhua Tower."
Zhao Tinglan's eyelashes trembled slightly. After taking a deep breath, she slowly raised her eyes to look at Lin Lezhi, and said with a smile on her lips: "Jiang Guitan is really sad. Tinglan thought Jiang Guitan came to Chunhua Tower to see me, but never thought he came to arrest me."
“Eh…” Lin Lezhi quickly raised his hand to deny, “Mother Zhao, I didn’t say that.”
Lin Lezhi paused, his eyes fell on the orchid painting in front of him again, and then said: "I have said before that orchids do not fight or compete, they do not seek fame and fortune, they only grow quietly in the valley. What Mother Zhao did was just to give them a push."
Lin Lezhi looked at Zhao Tinglan and said calmly, "There is no orchid fragrance on Yan Jingyi's body, so how could he die in Chunhua Tower?"
There was no fear of being exposed in his eyes. Instead, he looked much more relaxed and jokingly said, "So Detective Jiang is trying to trick me?"
"Not really, I'm just telling the truth."
Hearing this, Zhao Tinglan smiled, stood up and walked to the orchid painting. Through the orchid painting, her slender straight fingers gently stroked a petal in the middle, and her expression seemed as if she was looking at a dusty past.
Lin Lezhi looked carefully and found that there was a petal on the orchid that was particularly dark in color, and if you looked closely, the shape of the petal was also not very similar.
Zhao Tinglan said frankly: "It is indeed very tiring to keep it in one's heart for so long."
After saying that, Zhao Tinglan looked at Lin Lezhi and said calmly: "Forget it... I can tell you everything you want to know."
"Actually, Detective Jiang was wrong about one thing."
"Really? I'd like to hear more about it." Lin Lezhi responded with a smile.
Zhao Tinglan looked at the letter in Lin Lezhi's hand and said, "In fact, the orchid fragrance does not come from the paper, but from the ink. When making the ink, essential oil extracted from orchids was deliberately mixed in, so the written words will have the fragrance of orchids. The poem in this painting was also written with this ink."
"This ink was mixed by Master Xing. I have been using it since I was young. I am used to it. In my eyes, it is no different from ordinary ink."
Zhao Tinglan looked at Lin Lezhi with admiration and said, "I didn't expect that it would become evidence that exposed me."
"Maybe it's God's will. God wants me to tell you what happened back then."
"So, you and Master Xing have known each other for a long time."
"Yes, I am very lucky to have met Manor Master Xing at a young age. If it weren't for Manor Master Xing, there would be no Zhao Tinglan today." Zhao Tinglan lowered her eyes and smiled, as if mocking herself, saying: "Maybe it's also possible to call her Wulan or Menglan."
"At that time, I refused to accept my fate and tried to escape from Chunhua Tower many times, but I was caught by human traffickers again and again and ended up in Xingjiazhuang..."
At that time, Ya Ren Zhuang was still called Xing Jia Zhuang, and the Xing family did not buy any new houses in the town.
The owner of Xing Manor, whose real name is Xing Haocang, and his wife Du Yetong have a son named Xing Tianqi.
Because the family has lived in the border area for a long time and has been trafficking people between the two countries for many years, they have always been secretive, so few people know their real names.
Moreover, Master Xing Manor seldom showed up in public. When he did, he always wore a black masked veil on his head. His wife and children also seldom came out to meet people, so when they saw him, the most they would do was call him Master Xing Manor.
He always had a jade seal hanging around his waist. There was a hole at the back end of the seal, so it was very convenient to carry.
The houses in Xingjiazhuang are very different from those in Northern Qi Dynasty. The houses for people to live in are built with a lot of wood in the air, and they do not look very stable visually.
There are many vegetables and flowers planted below.
While Zhao Tinglan was waiting for her mother from Chunhua Tower to come and pick her up, she still wanted to escape. Although she was sold out by her parents, she didn't want to just accept her fate.
Zhao Tinglan was sold to Chunhualou when she was very young. In the beginning, in order to avoid going hungry and being beaten, she worked as a tea server in Chunhualou.
Because of this, Zhao Tinglan knew how miserable the sisters in Chunhua Tower died.
If she wasn't beaten to death by the guests, she would die of illness. The best case scenario was that she would be redeemed and become a concubine in someone else's house, trapped in a cage for the rest of her life, living a miserable life.
Even if she died, she didn't want to live her life like this.
So she escaped five times, and of course she was sent back every time, where she was either starved or beaten, and faced a small dark room without light.
She was so thin that she kept twisting on the ground. On the way to being captured, Zhao Tinglan picked up a relatively sharp stone from the roadside and hid it in her sleeve.
"Stop struggling, it's useless."
Master Xing came in from outside and gave a kind reminder, but to Zhao Tinglan it did not sound like that, but rather a mockery of her struggle.
Mr. Xing's voice is very pleasant and has the power to soothe people. If you only listen to his voice, you would never know that he is doing this kind of business. He is more like an elegant young man.
After Master Xing came in, he closed the door, walked slowly to the table and sat down, took out a pen and paper, and wrote something.
"If I ask you to take care of it, you will only take human lives and make money in a dishonest way!"
Manor Master Xing smiled, and moved through the gap in the veil with ease. While painting, he talked to Zhao Tinglan, "You are right, but shouldn't you really blame your biological parents? If they hadn't sold you to Chunhua Tower, how could you appear here like this now?"
"I……"
Zhao Tinglan found that Master Xing was not looking at her. While continuing the conversation with Master Xing, she used a stone to cut the rope on her wrist.
"So what? You guys are just cannibals, disgusting!"
Manor Master Xing did not deny it and said calmly: "You are right to say so. After all, what we did is not something that can be praised."
"........."
Seeing that Zhao Tinglan didn't say anything, Master Xing turned around and took another brush from the table. While dipping it in ink, he said, "I heard from the mother in Chunhua Tower that your real name is Zhao Tinglan. I like your name very much."
"I also like orchids, they are pure and elegant." Manor Master Xing's voice sounded like a sigh: "It's a pity... neither you nor I can make decisions for ourselves. No, maybe you can..."
As he spoke, Master Xing turned his head and looked in the direction of Zhao Tinglan, but found that there was no one where there should be someone on the ground. Subconsciously, Master Xing looked in the direction of the door, but if he ran down the room, there should be some movement, and the door was still closed.
With a 'crash', the black veil on Master Xing's face was lifted up, revealing a small face full of fear and anger.
But Master Xing was not too panicked. Instead, he smiled and even praised: "You are quite amazing. Aren't you afraid that you will die after knowing what I look like?"
The appearance of Master Xing Manor was not much different from what Zhao Tinglan had imagined. He had the appearance of an elegant and noble gentleman, handsome and delicate, with a pair of clear peach blossom eyes that seemed to be able to see into people's hearts.
Zhao Tinglan threw the black veil in her hand to the ground, raised the sharp stone in her hand, and said with a character more stubborn than the stone: "Since we are going to die anyway, we might as well die like this. If you don't let me go, believe it or not, when I leave here, I will make your appearance known to everyone."
Manor Master Xing smiled and said, "Actually, I wear a hat because I'm afraid that people will think I'm losing my dignity. You dare to talk to me like this? It's really embarrassing for me as the manor master."
Manor Master Xing lowered his head, pushed the things he had just written and drawn towards Zhao Tinglan, and said with a smile, "Look."
Zhao Tinglan lowered her eyes and took a look. Her eyes widened and there was a bright color in her eyes. It was a beautiful orchid picture with a sentence written next to it, but Zhao Tinglan couldn't understand it.
As if he had seen through Zhao Tinglan's thoughts, Master Xing read out the poem.
"It does not lose its fragrance because of no one, nor does it wither because of poverty. Its spirit is like an orchid and it never changes. Its heart is like an orchid and it never moves." After reciting it, Master Xing handed the brush dipped in purple paint to Zhao Tinglan and said with a smile, "This orchid is still missing the last stroke. You can paint it."
Zhao Tinglan was a little moved, but then she turned her head away and said stubbornly, "No, I won't touch your dirty stuff."
Hearing this, Master Xing was not angry at all. He even laughed happily. Zhao Tinglan wondered if he was sick. Why wasn't he angry at all?
Manor Master Xing put down his brush and said with a smile, "Okay, then I'll keep this painting for you, and I'll leave the last stroke to you, and it's up to you to decide whether to paint or not."
"What do I need this painting for? I want you to let me go."
"It's not that I don't want to, but I can't. I also have things I need to accomplish. Besides, even if I let you go, you will still be caught and brought back here someday. It's not something I can decide. I think you should understand this yourself."
"But..." Manor Master Xing looked at Zhao Tinglan seriously and said, "There are more options in life than just running away. Staying may not be a bad thing. It all depends on what you think."
"Don't try to trick me. I won't listen to you. I...I will expose your evil deeds to everyone."
"I have never done anything evil. I have never hit you or scolded you. I am not the one who actually bought and sold you. If no one in this world is greedy, how can I have any business here?"
Xing Haocang's words were not easy to understand for Zhao Tinglan, but she could roughly understand the meaning of his words, which were what he said before.
The people who actually abandoned her were her biological parents, just in exchange for food for the winter.
Thinking of this, Zhao Tinglan put down the hand holding the sharp stone, and the stone fell to the ground with a dull sound.
When Zhao Tinglan was lost in thought, Xing Haocang looked at Zhao Tinglan and said, "Although I don't have much business sense, I know that the world is bustling and there is no place for profit. If you can master the way, you may be able to win a piece of pure land for yourself."
After saying that, Xing Haocang looked at Zhao Tinglan, his expression was a little lonely, and his smile was a little forced. He slowly said: "It's impossible for me, and I don't have the ability to help you change your identity, but... you are very stubborn, maybe the person who can save you is yourself. If you are willing, I can help you, of course you can refuse."
Zhao Tinglan asked doubtfully, "How can I believe you if you help me?"
"Xing Haocang."
"What?" Zhao Tinglan asked puzzled.
Xing Haocang repeated it patiently and gently said, "Xing Haocang, my name. Now you not only know my appearance, but also my name. My reputation is in your hands. Don't you believe it?"
"So...how can you help me?"
"I can teach you how to read and write, and impart my limited knowledge of business to you, but how far you can go in the future is entirely up to you."
Listening to Xing Haocang's words, Zhao Tinglan's heart was slightly moved, and she had a thought that she shouldn't have had. She blurted out uncontrollably, "Then can't you redeem me?"
Xing Haocang was stunned for a moment, then he took a deep breath and said, "If I could do that, I wouldn't be here, not the owner of Xing Manor, but... a wild orchid?"
After saying this, perhaps Xing Haocang himself found it funny and laughed.
At this time, the voice of the human toothbrush came from outside the door.
"Master, the mother of Chunhualou is here to pick someone up."
Hearing this, Xing Haocang quickly picked up the black veil on the ground, and the moment he picked it up, he whispered, "You can think about it for a while, I will come to find you."
Because of this, Zhao Tinglan always felt that Xing Haocang was deceiving her into going back obediently.
But unexpectedly, one month later, on Zhao Tinglan's first night, Xing Haocang really came to Chunhua Tower, and he did not cover his face with a black veil, and he had a new identity, Mo Youke.
Because Zhao Tinglan had seen Xing Haocang's appearance, she recognized Mo Youke as Xing Haocang at a glance.
Mo Youke, a man of his word, not only bought Zhao Tinglan's virginity at a high price, but also paid a large sum of money to cover Zhao Tinglan's future appearances, becoming Zhao Tinglan's financial sponsor.
But no one knew that Mo Youke came here just to teach Zhao Tinglan how to read and write, and to learn how to do business, and he did not overstep the line in any way.
In order to conceal his true intention, Mo Youke cut his finger and turned it into a streak of red on the bed. Zhao Tinglan also often sang songs to deceive other people in Chunhua Tower.
It was the song that Zhao Tinglan sang in Yaren Village. Her voice was melodious and beautiful.
Zhao Tinglan didn't understand why Xing Haocang gave herself such a name. Xing Haocang smiled and replied, "Because orchids have another name, which is Youke."