Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: Qjanji Building
In the kitchen, Yu Niaoniao added water to the glutinous rice noodles and kneaded the paste into a fair and fat glutinous rice ball.
She then divided it into several small medicines, rubbed them, spread them out, and wrapped them in white sugar filling, before crushing them.
A small glutinous rice cake was made.
Lo Pingsha stood watching unblinkingly.
Yu Niaoniao gave him a small piece of dough and asked him to try it too.
Lo Pingsha rolled up his sleeves, washed his hands, and imitated Yu Niaoniao. He pressed the dough into a thin skin with a rolling pin. Then, he added the white sugar filling, squeezed the glutinous rice skin tightly, and gently pressed it with his palm. It was done.
Yu Niaoniao praised, “You’re quite talented. You learned it immediately.”
Lo Pingsha said, “This sugar cake is easy, to begin with. If it were anyone else, they should be able to learn it in an instant.”
Yu Niaoniao recalled the tragic scene when Dang Gui learned to make sugar cookies and could not help but feel a lingering fear.
“If it were anyone else, the ending might be very terrifying.”
Lo Pingsha was puzzled. “Aren’t we making sugar cookies? What can there be to be afraid of?”
Yu Niaoniao said earnestly.
“It’s because we don’t know what we’ll produce at the end that’s the scariest.”
Lo Pingsha said nothing.
Although he did not understand, he felt inexplicably powerful.
He took another small piece of dough and continued to focus on making the sugar cake.
Yu Niaoniao suddenly asked.
“Do you know why the Eagle Guards went to Bashu County three years ago?”
Lo Pingsha stopped pinching the sugar cake.
He looked up at Yu Niaoniao and asked in surprise.
“Why are you asking?”
Yu Niaoniao said vaguely, “I was also in Bashu County three years ago. I was a little curious. I want to know what you did in Bashu County at that time.” Lo Pingsha said solemnly.
“That’s confidential. We can’t tell anyone without the emperor’s permission.”
Unless the emperor relented, no one could tell her the truth.
In other words, it was useless even if she asked Xiao Juan.
Yu Niaoniao completely gave up on asking Xiao Juan about it and said resentfully.
“Okay, forget I asked.”
They put the finished sugar pancakes into the oil pot and fried them slowly on low heat.
It would be ready when it was fried until both sides were golden.
Lo Pingsha eagerly tried one. It was hot in his mouth, but he still couldn’t bear to spit it out. The glutinous rice skin was soft. When he bit into it, the syrup inside overflowed, and the sweetness bloomed on the tip of his tongue.
He gave her a thumbs-up. “Delicious!”
Yu Niaoniao made a few other desserts and even got someone to take a pot of bamboo green leaves from the cellar and put them into a food box.
Lo Pingsha thanked Yu Niaoniao and went out happily with the food box.
Tonight, Yu Niaoniao had carefully prepared a table of good dishes, all of which were Xiao Juan’s favorites.
Yu Niaoniao solicitously picked up some food for him.
“Try it and see if it’s delicious.”
Xiao Juan did not move his chopsticks.
He looked at Yu Niaoniao steadily and asked.
“Do you need my help with something?”
Yu Niaoniao smiled guiltily. “How can that be? I just want you to have a good meal. Don’t think too much.”
Xiao Juan said, “I’ll count to three. If you still don’t tell the truth, don’t ask for it anymore.”
With that, he really began to count.
“One, two, three…
Yu Niaoniao hurriedly interrupted him.
“Okay, I’ll tell you! I do have a favor to ask of you.”
Xiao Juan looked at her calmly. “Tell me, what is it?”
Yu Niaoniao looked at him eagerly, clasped her hands together, and begged.
“Baby, can you let me into the Qianji Building?”
The Qianji Building was where the Justice Department stored the dossiers. One had to get Xiao Juan’s approval in order to enter the Qianji Building.
Xiao Juan asked, “Why are you going there?”
Yu Niaoniao said, “I want to see the dossier of the Feng family’s destruction back then.”
Xiao Juan knew that she was still brooding over the Feng family’s annihilation. There was no harm in letting her read the dossier back then, so he nodded in agreement.
“Sure.”
Yu Niaoniao was overjoyed. “Thank you, Your Highness!”
Xiao Juan took a bite of the food and said unhurriedly.
“Don’t get your hopes up. Even if you read the dossier on the Feng family’s extermination, you won’t find any useful clues.”
The case of the Feng family being wiped out back then was classified as an accident. After the dossier was sent to the Justice Department, Xiao Juan also read it and did not see anything unusual.
Yu Niaoniao nodded. “I understand. I just want to see and understand more about the details of the case back then.”
She scooped a bowl of soup and placed it beside Xiao Juan’s hand, looking very eager.
“Tomorrow is the day of the funeral of the Sixth Prince and Noble Consort Shu.
You must go. I’ll go to the Qianji Building alone.”
Xiao Juan looked at her. “Can you do it alone?”
Yu Niaoniao said confidently.
“It can definitely work. If it really doesn’t work, I can still consult Little Lo and Little Meng.”
Xiao Juan nodded slightly in agreement.
The next morning, Xiao Juan woke up early.
He changed into the ceremonial robe that represented his status as a duke. Because he was going to mourn, he had to wear a white linen robe over the ceremonial robe and wrap a hemp rope around his waist.
Yu Niaoniao sent him out.
Before leaving, Xiao Juan did not forget to remind her.
“The dossier on the Feng family’s extermination case is on the first floor of the
Qianji Building. You just have to stay on the first floor. Don’t go upstairs.”
Yu Niaoniao asked curiously, “Why?”
Xiao Juan said, “Everything upstairs is confidential. Unless the emperor approves, no one can touch it.”
Yu Niaoniao understood. “I know.”
She stood at the door and watched Xiao Juan ride away.
Then, she excitedly rode the donkey to the Justice Department.
The Eagle Guard guarding the door was quite surprised to see her alone.
‘Why don’t I see His Highness today?”
Yu Niaoniao explained, “Today is the day of the Sixth Prince and Noble Consort Shu l s funeral. All the royal relatives in the capital have gone, and Duke Lang is naturally no exception.”
She stepped into the Justice Department and could not wait to find Meng Xizhou.
“Take me to the Qianji Building quickly. His Highness has agreed to let me in.” Meng Xizhou did not doubt what Yu Niaoniao said.
Firstly, she was the apple of Duke Lang’s eye. It was expected that Duke Lang would agree to let her enter the Qianji Building. Secondly, she had been in the Justice Department for so long. Be it her character or ability, she had been unanimously recognized by everyone. It would not feel inappropriate to let her enter the Qianji Building.
“Come with me.”
Yu Niaoniao followed behind Meng Xizhou and quickly saw the legendary Qianji Building.
The building was four stories tall and square. The doors and windows were all locked. There were also two Eagle Guards standing guard at the door. Were there more patrolling Eagle Guards passing by? The security measures were quite thorough.
Meng Xizhou greeted the Eagle Guards guarding the door who quickly let them in.
The door of the Qianji Building was opened, but because there were no lights on inside, it was dark at a glance.
Meng Xizhou led the way with the lantern. Yu Niaoniao followed him over the threshold and into the Qianji Building..