松鼠症仓库

But it was already too late… Liu Quan had breathed his last breath!

The final thing placed in her hands was a memento from him—a box of peony-scented balm from Western Mountain Villa.

From that day on, Liu Shimei no longer liked peonies!

Thinking of peonies, Liu Shimei could not help but think of Mu Jiangli— the Medicine Lord, whose dark robes were embroidered with peony flowers, said to match his name.

Then she thought again about Mu Jiangli’s attitude towards her, and she still could not understand why.

But if there was any connection between these thoughts, it seemed unlikely, and resurrection was impossible. Liu Shimei remembered it very clearly. At that time, the original owner refused to believe her brother’s death. Liu Fuyun also doubted the cause of Liu Quan’s death, so they agreed to the original owner’s request to have a forensic examination to confirm it was indeed Young Master Liu!

There was also a birthmark on that body that belonged to Liu Quan!

“Miss, what are you thinking about?” Mo’er came over to inquire.

Everything was in order, just a matter of dusting off the dirt, so it did not take long to tidy up.

Liu Shimei snapped back to reality, collected her thoughts, and said, “Nothing, let’s head back now.”

Back at Leihua Courtyard, Mo’er began to read the book they had found. She carefully examined the introductory chapter on the cover and furrowed her brows. “Eldest Miss, this is a… story about usurping the heirship!”

“Usurping the heirship?” Liu Shimei was puzzled.

Mo’er opened the table of contents and pointed to it. “Eldest Miss, take a look at this. Eldest son, second son. And here…” Mo’er pointed to another section and said, “Look, the main wife, the second wife… Based on my experience with so many books, this is definitely a story of usurping the heirship in a noble family!”

Liu Shimei fell silent for a moment, but even without Mo’er’s explanation, she already understood!

In ancient times, what we now call novels were referred to as ‘hua ben’. Although she did not have much experience reading novels, she had heard quite a bit about these dramas of aristocratic families vying for property and the position of the heir.

“Show it to me,” she decided to set aside her medical textbooks and dive into the world of hua ben tonight!

Mo’er also wanted to see, but when the Young Miss wanted to see something, she could not refuse. She had to give way. However, she did not forget to remind, “Eldest Young Miss, don’t forget, we have to get up early tomorrow to visit the tomb!”

“I won’t forget,” Liu Shimei replied as she opened the hua ben. Under the usual candlelight for reading medical books, she flipped through the pages one by one.

She read at a fairly rapid pace. This ancient hua ben was not very long; it was a simple story of a struggle for inheritance. As for the details and dialogues, she could nooot be bothered to read them all.

When the candle gradually burned down, she had a rough understanding of the story.

“Eh, Young Miss, have you finished reading?” Mo’er came in with the washing water and saw her put the book aside, so she hurriedly asked.

But Liu Shimei looked serious. “Mo’er, I think this story of inheriting the family line might be related to the people around us.”

Mo’er was taken aback.

Liu Shimei reached out and pointed to the hua ben. “This story takes place in a high-ranking Yang family. The eldest son is the legitimate heir, born of the deceased wife. The second son is the second-born, born of a concubine.”

“Isn’t that the same as the Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master?” Mo’er widened her eyes and blurted out, “Why do I feel like… it’s alluding to something?”

Liu Shimei nodded and continued, “The eldest son dies later.”

Mo’er, someone who had read countless hua ben, immediately thought of a common plotline. “Did the second son from that side resort to underhanded means to seize the heir position?”

“Yes,” Liu Shimei furrowed her brows. “Why would such a book be in my brother’s study? And it’s a new one!”

Mo’er stared at her wide-eyed and asked, “Eldest Miss, what do you suspect?”

Liu Shimei bit her lip and said, “I suspect that someone is guiding me to investigate my brother’s cause of death!”