THOJ Chapter 4

 Chapter 4: Hidden Murder Intent

The white silk that was more than ten feet long fluttered, and Luo Sheng stretched out her hand to hold it in the palm of her hand, staring at it thoughtfully. Hongdou's face was a bit uneasy, and she said anxiously: "Miss, this maid will just burn this bad luck thing." Luo Sheng then understood: "Is this the white silk I used to hang myself?"

"Yes, the situation at that time was chaotic. This maid didn't take care of it. I thought other maids already cleaned it up. Who would have thought that it was left here..." Hongdou explained, then reached out to grab the white silk in Luo Sheng's hand. Luo Sheng didn't let go of the white silk. While holding the white silk, her eyes lightly scanned the decorations in the room and looked at the beams of the room.

Hongdou was startled, and her expression changed greatly: "Miss, do you still think about hanging yourself?" "Am I someone who would easily end my life for a small matter?" Luo Sheng questioned calmly as her gaze fell on Hongdou's face.

"Of course not, although Su Ergongzi is handsome, you have flirted with men more handsome than him in the capital. How can you commit suicide for such a county man?" The corner of Luo Sheng's mouth twitched slightly. What kind of person is this Miss Luo? She was truly enlightened. 

"Miss, please give the white silk to me." Luo Sheng ignored Hongdou's pleading and raised her hand, allowing the white silk to fall through the beam. Hongdou had goosebumps, and she rushed over to hug Luo Sheng. Luo Sheng patted the little maid's head and ordered: "Go and move the stool I used to hang myself before."

Hongdou subconsciously let go of her hand, moved a small round stool, and placed it under the hanging white silk. After finishing all this, the little maid slapped herself: "What am I doing?" Seeing this, Luo Sheng smiles slightly. From her observation these days, although this little maid has many shortcomings, she does not hesitate to fulfill her master's orders. This obedience is what she needs the most right now.

Luo Sheng stepped onto the round stool. Hongdou was so frightened that she hugged Luo Sheng's legs, and her voice changed: "Miss, do you want to hang yourself once more?" A calm voice came from above: "Of course not. I want to confirm a suspicion. Let go." Hongdou unconsciously let go of her hand, looked up at Luo Sheng, who had already stood on the round stool, and asked blankly, "What do you want to confirm?"

Luo Sheng pinched the severed part of the white silk. This white cloth has a dead knot, obviously used when Luo Sheng hung herself. And the neatly severed section is formed when someone cuts off the dead knot to save her. Luosheng held the severed part, and the white cloth turned into a round ring again. Hongdou stared at Luo Sheng's movements in horror, always ready to save her Miss. She was the one who previously saved Miss, and now she is considered experienced.

Luo Sheng shook the white silk, and her voice became a bit colder: "Three days ago, I used this white silk and stepped on this round stool to hang myself?" "Yes." Luo Sheng leaned over, and approached the round white ring, asking Hongdou, "Do you notice something?" Hong Dou nodded cautiously, with a blank look in her eyes. She actually didn't understand what Miss wanted her to notice. Did Miss want her to watch as she hanged herself?

Luo Sheng saw the answer in the eyes of the little maid and stopped embarrassing her by pointing to the white silk ring that reached her chest and saying, "The ring is in this position. If I committed suicide like this, I would have to bend my knees and legs. Wouldn't that be too agonizing for me?" Hong Dou was taken aback and couldn't help but agree, "Yes, it would be too agonizing."

Why would her Miss wish to die in such an uncomfortable position? Furthermore, her Miss cannot endure that kind of pain. Luo Sheng got down from the round stool, letting the white silk flutter. Her eyes became darker and darker: "Hongdou, don't you understand, it's not that I want to hang myself, but someone harmed me." "Re…Really?" Hongdou's tongue was tied.

Luo Sheng looked at Hongdou helplessly: "Moreover, I don't even have the slightest intention to die." Hongdou no longer had any doubts and couldn't help but exclaim. Luo Sheng's cool fingertips touched Hongdou's lips, preventing her from exclaiming. Hongdou's eyes were full of panic and anger, and she asked, "Miss, who is trying to harm you? How dare they!"

Luo Sheng was also thinking about this question. The original Luo Sheng is Commander Luo's most beloved daughter, even Sheng Laotaitai couldn't put on the airs of an elder in front of her, yet someone could murder Luo Sheng in her boudoir.

The chilly spring wind blew through the window lattice, blowing the still-hanging white silk, and there seemed to be an invisible murderous intent surging in the house. Hongdou shivered unconsciously and became even angrier, murderously saying: "Miss, we must find out the person who harmed you and kill her!"

Luo Sheng nodded: "That's what I thought too." She had died before, so she cherished her life even more now. The person who is responsible for Luo Sheng's death must be identified.

"Sit." Luo Sheng pointed to the round stool. Hongdou didn't mind the stool, even though her Miss had used it to hang herself and sat down without hesitation. With a composed expression, Luo Sheng rested her chin on her hand and said, "Let's talk about why I hanged myself."

Hongdou was startled and looked at Luo Sheng's calm expression. She finally voiced the doubts in her heart, "Miss, you don't remember?" Luo Sheng nodded confidently: "Yes, I don't remember anything." Hongdou covered her mouth and exclaimed, "How could this happen?"

Luo Sheng smiled disapprovingly: "Perhaps because I have already passed through the gates of hell and accidentally drank a few mouthfuls of Meng Po soup [1]." "Is there really Meng Po cooking soup by the Naihe Bridge?"

Luo Sheng stared at Hongdou. Her eyes gradually turned cold, "Hongdou, you have to remember, whether I remember or not, I will always be your master." Hongdou's expression froze, and she didn't dare to ask any further questions. Instead, she continued with the story of why Luo Sheng had committed suicide.

"We arrived to Jinsha County over a month ago. You met Su Er gongzi and wanted to get to know him, but he rejected you. After getting rejected a few times, you went to Sheng Laotaitai and confessed your feelings for Su Er gongzi, hoping Laotaitai could help you—"

"When did I visit my grandmother?" Luo Sheng interrupted Hongdou. "Three days ago." Luo Sheng's eyes flickered slightly: "And then?" "Then Miss's request was rejected!" Hongdou was filled with indignation when talking about this matter, "Laotaitai is too unreasonable. Of course, you were angry and cried when you returned to our room. Then you went to rest and took a nap. After some time, this maid felt something was wrong and entered the room, only to find you hanging under the beam—"

Speaking of this, the little maid's face turned pale, obviously frightened. "How do you feel that something was wrong?" Luo Sheng consciously found a breakthrough.

Hong Dou caressed her heart: " You have a habit of napping. This maid took advantage of that time to go to the backstreet peddler to buy some gadgets, but halfway there, I realized I hadn't brought any money, so I returned. Originally this maid did not dare to disturb your nap. But I didn't hear your snoring noise from outside and thought it was strange, so I came in and took a look."

Luo Sheng looked a little stiff. In other words, the original Luo Sheng has the habit of snoring. This explains why since she woke up, she found that the other maids were all guarding outside and rarely entered her room. She, too, probably wouldn't want anyone to get close except for her closest maid if it were her.

Luo Sheng sorted her thoughts and asked, "Did anyone come before I took a nap?" "Yes!" Hong Dou counted on her fingers, "Young master (Luo Chen) has been here, Sheng Jia Yu and Sheng Jia Lan have also been here..." Sheng Jia Lan is Sheng Jia Yu's half-younger sister (concubine born).

"Tell me about the situation when they came, including what they said."

[1] Meng Po: 'Old Lady Meng' is the goddess of forgetfulness in Chinese mythology, who serves Meng Po Soup on the Bridge of Forgetfulness or Naihe Bridge. This soup wipes the memory of the person so they can reincarnate into the next life without the burdens of the previous life. (Source: Wikipedia)

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