At the same time,.

  He woke up with a start and heard pitter-patter sound, rain was falling from the sky.

  It's raining!

  He clutched at his chest, and it took a while for his emotions to calm down.

  These days in the British Consulate were truly a time of sleeping on one's sword for Chen Qushui - although Song Mo had lifted his house arrest, for him, not leaving the British Consulate for a single day was like being in a tiger's lair.

  He sat quietly for a while.

  The rain is getting heavier, the strong wind blows through the branches, making a crashing sound, the fragrance of the incense on the bedside table floats in the air, bringing a sense of peace and tranquility.

  Chen Qu's smile was not forced.

  When did this pine forest start burning incense for rest?

  Is he afraid of sleeping poorly?

  Song Mo sent two young servants, Song Luo and Wu Yi, who were both around 12 or 13 years old, to "serve" him. They were both named after tea. Song Luo was lively, while Wu Yi was steady, but both were very quick-witted, saying what they should say and not a word more. They took care of his daily needs with great attention to detail and even had some knowledge of literature. When flattering him, their words were always well-chosen. This made him occasionally sigh in admiration at the grandeur of the British imperial court - how could such a feat be achieved without centuries of accumulation?

  He remembered that the window in the study was not closed.

  The study is most afraid of dampness.

  Chen Quanshui shouted at the little servant on duty: "Songluo! Songluo!"

  No one answered.

  Chen Qu's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

  It was either because of the mission or the rules of the British government that two young men never left his side, but today he couldn't even call for anyone?

  He secretly felt strange, and his eyes fell on a white cloth mourning dress.

  This is a gift from Zeng Wu's family servant.

  The British duchess has passed away, and everyone in the British embassy is wearing mourning attire.

  He explained to Zeng Wu: "I am just temporarily living in this era, so I dress more simply."

  Zeng Wufen rolled his eyes and said disdainfully, "You eat at the British Consulate, drink at the British Consulate. You have to follow the rules of the British Consulate. Don't think that just because you're familiar with Mr. Yan, you can be different from others. Even if Mr. Yan comes back, he'll still have to wear heavy mourning clothes."

  Chen Qu Shui is an excuse to move in with Yan Zhao Qing because of their old relationship.

  He naturally wouldn't show off in front of Zeng Wu, and quietly accepted the mourning clothes.

  He walked out with his head held high, muttering to himself: "It's just an excuse to get familiar with Mr. Yan, fooling the young master, and coming to our house to swindle food and drink. What's so great about that? He even dares to show off in front of me. If he angers me, I'll go to Duke Guo's place to report him, and let him not get away with it!" His tone was full of disdain and contempt.

  Chen Qu Shui could only bitterly smile.

  The British Consulate did not view him as just one person.

  But this is also good, no one will notice him.

  He took a robe from the high cabinet beside him and put it on, then went to the study.

  Four latticed windows with frost patterns let in the light and air when they are open during the day, but now that they are closed, it's a bit of a nuisance.

  Chen Qu Shui was just about to put away the frame when he saw Song Luo running over with a banana leaf on his head.

  He thought of the tranquilizer in his room and hid behind the window.

  Very soon, light footsteps echoed under the eaves and walked all the way to the ear room next to the inner chamber.

  That is Songluo and Wuyi's bedroom.

  It's so late. Where did he go?

  Chen Qu walked out from behind the window, deep in thought.

  Someone is running over here in the rain.

  Chen Qu looked carefully and found it was actually Wu Yi.

  He went straight to the ear room like Song Luo.

  Chen Qu Shui felt that something was amiss.

  He thought for a moment, then tiptoed to the door of the ear house and listened to the movements inside.

  "Hurry up and change out of those wet clothes, be careful or Mr. Chen will find out."

  Wuyi's voice was small, but on such a night it could be heard very clearly.

  "What bad luck! How did I run into such a big rain!" Song Luo muttered softly.

  Wuyi asked: "Have you heard anything?"

  "Nothing was heard." Song Luo's voice sounded somewhat dejected. "Only that it was the Duke himself who instructed Wang Xi to capture someone, but as for why, no one knows. Can only wait for Young Master to return and deal with it." He said, his tone puzzled, "It's so strange, now in the manor, many of those guards I don't recognize, repeatedly checking my identity, if not for running into Xie Guard, I almost couldn't get back! In the past when there were new guards, they would be led by someone for a few days to familiarize themselves with the people in the manor before being allowed to patrol. But this time, among the four of them, I only recognized Xie Guard...

  "So I think it's not right!" Wu Yi's voice was full of worry, "Chen Tao Ge is the personal attendant of the young master, and the young master has praised him more than once for being careful and cautious, even entrusting his own private silver to Chen Tao Ge. What on earth did Chen Tao Ge do? And what about Wen Hu Wei, when the young master left, he told him in front of me that on the day the young master went to Liaodong, let him take good care of our house, and also said that if I had anything, I should go find him. But I've looked for him several times and couldn't find him, what is he doing..."

  The two fell silent at the same time.

  Chen Qu Shui hastily returned to her room and lay down.

  Before long, Song Luo walked in.

  "Mr. Chen! Mr. Chen!" He called out softly to Chen Qu Shui.

  Chen Qu Shui grumbled and turned over.

  Song Luo let out a long sigh and lay down on the large kang by the window outside the screen.

  Chen Qu Shui couldn't sleep no matter what.

  Chen Tao, as Wu Yi said, is a very meticulous young man, quiet and taciturn, and good at observing people's expressions. With his personality, it would be most suitable for him to be a personal attendant.

  What could he have done?

  How is Dou Zhao doing?

  There is Gong Yi and Chen Xiao Feng by her side, she should be safe.

  That day's event was truly terrifying, if it weren't for Miss's quick thinking, they would probably have all died at Tianzhuang.

  Unfortunately, she had to marry Wei Tingyu!

  That brainless guy didn't even think about how he and Song Mo differed greatly in age and status, so why did Song Mo condescend to befriend him?

  Should we remind Wei Ting-yu?

  The thing about Tianzhuang definitely can't be told to him, and the fact that Fourth Miss knows Song Mo will have to be made up with a new excuse. But lies are like snowballs, they'll only get bigger and thicker as they roll.

  Chen Qu's sighs accompanied by a night of rain.

  The rain let up a lot by the next morning.

  Wuyi smiled and said to him: "I have something to go find Wen Huwei. Can Mr. Chen give me a day off?"

  Chen Qushui thought of the conversation between Wu Yi and Song Luo last night, and smiled quietly: "You go! As long as I have Song Luo by my side."

  Wuyi thanked him again and again, and happily left the door.

  He didn't come back until noon. After lunch, he said he was going out again to look for Wen Houxian: "Maybe he couldn't find anyone, or maybe something came up?"

  This man was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a curly mustache, and had never been married. He lived alone in a group house on the east side of the British Consulate.

  In the afternoon, Wu Yi still couldn't find Wen Huwei.

  He held an umbrella and walked over with a tall and sturdy man.

  He introduced the man: "There are only three people in this yard. One of them is an old man, a fallen scholar who is Mr. Yan's acquaintance and was taken in by Young Master to live here. The other two are servants serving the scholar. One is called Wu Yi, originally sweeping the floor in the study of Yizhitang; the other is called Song Luo, originally taking care of flowers and plants in Yizhitang, later assigned to take care of the yard here, helping Chen Shui with food and hot water, etc., can also be used. " He said, calling Chen Qu Shui: "Hey, come over. Pay respects to Chang Huwei, he will be the guardian of Yizhitang in the future, you guys keep your eyes open."

  Chen Qu's eyes widened in shock and horror.

  When Song Mo is not around, Yi Zhi Tang actually wants to change guards?

  What's going on?

  Chen Qu rushed forward and gave a salute to the usually stern guard.

  Chang's bodyguard gave him a cold glance and turned around in the house.

  Chen Qu's mind was shocked and his spirit was shaken.

  The man's pair of big hands were like a palm fan, rough and powerful. On his thumb was worn a jade thumb ring.

  He had seen such men under Ding Guo Gong's command before.

  They were all skilled archers.

  Chang Huwei walked out of the house door, accompanied by Zeng Wu holding an umbrella and strolling around in the courtyard.

  Every place he stopped was a strategic location of the courtyard.

  If bows and crossbows were set up there, the entire courtyard would be within range.

  Chen Qu's face was covered in cold sweat, and he barely managed to maintain a normal expression.

  But as soon as the usual guard and Zeng Wuyi left, he immediately called Wu Yi over and said: "How many guards did the young master leave behind? Do you know what they've been doing these past few days?"

  Wuyi also felt something was off.

  Yizhitang replaced the guard, how could he not go through Young Master Shizi?

  Although he didn't know Chen Qu's origin, he knew that Chen Qu was being detained here.

  Being valued by Young Master Shi, he mustn't be a simple person.

  Being cautious, he didn't tell Chen Quanshui how many people Song Mo had left behind, only telling him: "I haven't seen any of the guards."

  Song Mo went to Liaodong, Song Mo's chief aide Yan Zhaoqing went to Huizhou, and the most skilled Xu Qing stayed at the Jiang family. The defense of Yizhitang was empty, Chen Tao was also detained, and other guards disappeared... By the time Song Mo returned, Yizhitang had already fallen into someone else's hands...

  Lure the tiger away from its mountain lair and remove the firewood from under the cauldron.

  It's a usual tactic of His Majesty to deal with those great generals who are in charge of guarding the border.

  Who is it that's against Song Mo?

  A figure faintly emerged in Chen Qu's mind, but he couldn't bring himself to believe it.

  Why did he want to be like this?

  What reason does he have for doing this?

  Chen Qushui suddenly felt that his head seemed to be a bit out of order.

  He turned to Wu Yi and said: "I want to write a letter back to Zhen Ding, can you help me send it out?"

  Chen Qu Shui often wrote letters to Zhen Ding, all of which were sent by Wu Yi to the post office.

  Wuyi replied "good".

  Since the young master agreed that Chen Qu Shui could send letters back at any time, those letters were all reviewed by Mr. Yan.

  This time, Mr. Yan is not here, he can also help take a look.

  Chen Qu Shui wrote about the flowers blooming in various courtyards, today the Duke's mansion welcomed a new guard, with unfamiliar faces, and it would take some time to get familiar with them, and other household trivialities.

  But Yizhitang was put under martial law, and the letter wasn't sent out. Wu Yi was repeatedly interrogated, if he hadn't been quick-witted, he would have almost not made it back.

  Chen Qu's eyes widened as he sucked in a mouthful of cool air.

  If something happens to Song Mo, he lives in Song Mo's Yizhitang, will he involve Duan Si Miss?

  She is a girl, it's already not easy for her, if she loses the favor of the elders in the Su family because of this, what can she do?

  Chen Qu Shui gritted his teeth and whispered to Song Luo: "In my experience, this rain will stop by midnight at the latest. Can you take advantage of this rainy day to slip out of the mansion? Now that the lady has passed away, didn't they send someone to inform Young Master about it? Young Master will definitely enter the city from Anding Gate. You go and wait outside Anding Gate, think of a way to intercept Young Master, and tell him everything that's happened at home!"

  Song Luo's face was tense, and she nodded heavily.

  But from outside came a burst of noise.

  "The Young Master has returned! The Young Master has returned!"

  The sound spread out in waves from the British Consulate, striking Chen Qu's body and causing his face to turn pale as he fell back into the armchair.

  ※

  Sisters and brothers, I've revised this draft n times, I've done my best, but I don't know if I've managed to convey the tense feeling.

  ~~~~(_

  It's already April Fool's Day when I looked at the clock.

  Happy April Fool's Day!

  Also thank you all for voting me with pink tickets.

  Awesome!

  O(-_-)O haha~

  Also, I need to inform everyone about the update issue.

  I still owe everyone the extra update and update on March 31st, which can only be made up for tomorrow. Everyone has also seen that for two consecutive months, I have been working overtime, and both physically and mentally, I am extremely exhausted. In April, I plan to take a break and deal with some personal matters. From the 1st to the 7th, I can only update once a day. After the 7th, I will adjust my schedule and strive to be like "The Strategy of the Illegitimate Daughter" where I work overtime during weekends when I am resting.

  Sisters and brothers, let's work hard together!

  ※