After Yi Qing came back from viewing the chrysanthemums, she went to visit Jin Xiao once. At that time, his condition was quite stable. How could it have become so serious today?
Jin Xiao seemed not to expect that they would climb over the wall to get in. He hurriedly hid the blood - stained handkerchief and got up to greet them.
"The entrance to your house is too congested. We had no choice but to climb over the wall. Please forgive us," Yi Qing explained.
Jin Xiao looked apologetic. "It's my fault. The entrance is too crowded, forcing sister - in - law to do this. Please come in." He made a gesture of invitation and accompanied them inside.
"How's your injury?" Yi Qing put down her medicine box.
"It's just a flesh wound. It's nothing serious." Jin Xiao sat down and poured water for them. "There's no good tea at home. Sister - in - law, please don't be polite."
Xiao Jinghan stood there, looking straight ahead. "Don't bother. We have other things to do after taking your pulse."
Jin Xiao gave an apologetic smile and put his hand on the table.
Yi Qing took out the pulse pillow. She had had doubts before, and today she wanted to check carefully.
She first felt Jin Xiao's wrist pulse and then began to check his neck pulse.
"My illness..." Jin Xiao watched Yi Qing warily.
"Your illness is a bit strange." Yi Qing felt his wrist pulse again. "Have you taken the medicine I prescribed on time?"
"I've taken it on time," Jin Xiao said obediently.
"It seems there are no adverse reactions. Keep taking it." As Yi Qing spoke, her fingertips slowly moved on Jin Xiao's wrist pulse.
Jin Xiao looked at Yi Qing curiously while she was taking his pulse. "This is the first time I've seen someone take a pulse like this."
"It's my exclusive secret recipe," Yi Qing said with a smile. "Have you had any discomfort in your diet recently? Any signs of being unacclimatized?"
"It's okay. The capital is prosperous, and there are many things to buy. It's not much different from home."
"That's good." Yi Qing then withdrew her hand. "You should cut your nails shorter. It'll be more convenient."
Jin Xiao looked at his nails backward. "Okay."
"Then we'll leave first. If you need anything, just come to us at any time." Yi Qing said as she got up.
"Okay." Jin Xiao got up too.
"Don't see us off. Your body isn't convenient." Yi Qing stopped him.
Xiao Jinghan led Yi Qing away. Jin Xiao picked up the handkerchief and coughed violently again, his eyes full of hatred.
Yi Qing got into the carriage with a thoughtful look on her face. She was almost certain that there was something wrong with this Jin Xiao.
"What's wrong, madam?" Xiao Jinghan saw Yi Qing looking so solemn.
"Have you found out the identities of those hooligans from Dongjie Mountain?" Yi Qing asked.
"Yes. They're just some hooligans from the capital. They usually do some human - trafficking business. They probably thought Jin Xiao was good - looking and wanted to kidnap him to be a male prostitute."
"What about the bodies of those hooligans?"
"Why does madam want their bodies?"
"Hooligans are good at saving their own skins. Knowing that the Mu family was clearing the area there, how could they still take the risk?" Yi Qing analyzed.
"Madam means... someone did it on purpose?" Xiao Jinghan thought it made sense.
"Whether it was on purpose or not, we'll know by looking at the bodies."
The bodies of those hooligans had already been buried. Since Yi Qing wanted to see them, Xiao Jinghan had to lead people to dig them out.
After digging open the graves, Xiao Jinghan gasped. It hadn't been long, but the bodies of those hooligans had turned into something like mucus, and there seemed to be something moving inside.
"It's a gu worm," Yi Qing covered her nose and looked at the bodies. "Cover them with a layer of lime and bury them again."
The guards beside them were also choked by the smell. They immediately went to get lime, covered the bodies, and then buried them.
"Madam means someone deliberately sent the hooligans there?" Xiao Jinghan understood.
Yi Qing nodded. "It seems that someone is playing a big game of chess with us."
Yi Qing felt so helpless. She was so cute and obedient, but why did people always try to scheme against her?
"Duke Mu?" Xiao Jinghan guessed.
"Deng Xiao's matter must be related to Duke Mu, but this matter may not be. Those bats were gu worms, and now there are gu worms in these people's bodies. Lin Mo is in the capital. These things are probably related to him," Yi Qing analyzed.
But she didn't know why Lin Mo would do this. According to Zisu's letter, Lin Mo might have come to the Great Jin alone. Did he want to subvert the Great Jin court by himself?
This was obviously impossible, unless there was some reason she hadn't thought of.
"So you suspect it's related to Jin Xiao?" Xiao Jinghan looked at Yi Qing.
Yi Qing had suddenly wanted to see the bodies after coming out of Jin Xiao's place. She must have found something at Jin Xiao's and come here to confirm it.
"General is really smart. Jin Xiao is really ill, but... it's not the illness we've seen." Yi Qing said with a smile. "General, take a look at your nails."
Xiao Jinghan curled his hand and looked at his nails. "What's wrong?"
"Today I found that Jin Xiao's pulse was abnormal. It seemed like a woman's pulse. So I asked him to take a look at his nails. He looked at them backward." Yi Qing made a backward - looking gesture. "A woman will look at her nails backward along with her hand to see if it's beautiful, while a man will mostly curl his hand and only look at the nails."
Xiao Jinghan looked at his nails and suddenly understood. "Then let's arrest her quickly."
"He hasn't committed any crime yet. But there's one thing we need to check immediately."
"What?"
"Check the relationship between Jin Xiao and the Ping family."
Before, Yi Qing had asked Lord Ghost to check. Lord Ghost might have asked the people from Ghost Floating Mountain to do it. He himself was looking for Ping Xinian around the capital, but he still hadn't sent the news to her.
"Didn't grandfather say that Jin Xiao was a widow?" Xiao Jinghan was confused.
"If a woman has been betrayed, she might tell others in anger that her husband is dead."
Xiao Jinghan looked at Yi Qing and thought women were really cruel.
"Don't let Lord Ghost check anymore. He's unreliable. Since it's in the north of the Jin, let Tie Ying check. We must find out who Jin Xiao's father is and how he died." Yi Qing had a bad feeling.
Before, Lord Ghost had said that Ping Xinian had changed her face. They all thought she would change into a woman's face. But what if she changed into a man's face?
It sounded a bit unrealistic. The difference between men and women was not only in the face but also in the bone - structure ratio. But if the man was thin and gentle, the difference wouldn't be that big.
Moreover, Jin Xiao's pulse was obviously changed by some special method. She didn't understand some of the secret arts of this era, like the purple glass. Maybe there were some things even more mysterious than the purple glass.
"Okay, I'll arrange it right away." Xiao Jinghan felt happy when he heard that Yi Qing didn't trust Lord Ghost.
"And—" Yi Qing thought for a while. "Move Jin Xiao to another mansion and keep a close eye on him."
Thinking about Jin Xiao's abnormality and the old man in a cloak disappearing near Jin Xiao's mansion, if these were all related, then that old man was very important to Jin Xiao.
"Okay."
"I'll handle this," Yi Qing thought for a while. "I always feel that he has other intentions."