Chapter 8 Eight, why not slightly flawed
Songhuali, Fu's house.
Fu Xinruan has been well-known in the south of the Yangtze River since she was twelve years old. Various song and dance workshops competed to hire her to arrange music and choreograph, and she did not have any mothers and mothers to cut back. Therefore, after arriving in Chengdu, she bought a small courtyard in Songhuali ,living alone.
Zhou Ziqin tore off the seal on the door and took out the key to unlock it.
Huang Zixia saw another note pasted on the door, which said, "I am now at the Yunlai Inn in Zizhuli, please come."
There is no signature below, only a small paper kite is drawn.
Huang Zixia was still watching, when an old lady next to them came out and saw them, she hurried up and said to Zhou Ziqin: "Young man, this is sealed by the government, you will be sued if you tear it off!"
Zhou Ziqin tugged on his official uniform and said with a smile, "Ma'am, I belong to the government."
The aunt hurriedly asked again: "So...the case is settled?"
"That's not true, aren't we investigating?"
"Oh, hurry up and investigate! There was a homicide case in this yard, and two people died. The people around us are in panic, and we can't sleep well at night!"
"Okay, ma'am, leave it to us," Zhou Ziqin said, suddenly remembered something, and asked, "By the way, ma'am, I would like to ask you something, does that old man Wen Yang come here often?"
"How do I know? Miss Fu has a weird temper! There is only one woman who takes care of her at home, and she doesn't go out every day. We don't even see her in daily life. She has lived here for more than a year. I I've only met four or five times, let alone Uncle Wen! But don't tell me, she's really pretty, but she has a miserable face. The first time I saw her, I thought she had a bad life!" Mrs. He shook his head and looked at Zhou Ziqin again, "Hey, let me tell you, I have met a lot of people, ma'am, and I have a good eye, such as you, I saw you and a little niece of my natal family. Why don't you leave me an address, my niece will come some other day and I'll call you, do you think it's okay?"
After finally getting rid of this aunt who suddenly came up to be a matchmaker, Zhou Ziqin unlocked the door, closed it quickly as soon as he entered, leaned against the door and took a breath: "No wonder Fu Xinruan doesn't go out all day, if this neighbor arrests her Stop, isn't it the end of the day?"
Huang Zixia and Li Shubai agreed deeply, comforted him a few words, and went to check inside the house.
The front yard is a small patio with two clusters of flowers and fruits and several pots of orchids.On the altar table in the hall, there are incense burners and incense vessels, enshrining a woman.The woman was dressed in brocade clothes and looked like a fairy.
Huang Zixia's eyes fell on her hands.The sword she is holding is a dull iron sword, the blade is short and small, not like a long sword, let alone a utensil for dancing swords, but like an inconspicuous living thing Rusty Dagger.
Li Shubai's attention was also on the dagger, and he whispered, "Did you see that dagger?"
"Well, the lord knows its origin?"
"This is the dagger that Emperor Taizong gave Empress Wu to subdue the 'Lion Cong'. Later, she gave it to Aunt Gongsun and passed it on to her disciple Li Shiriniang. Seventeen years ago, the six daughters of Yunshao came to Beijing, It was this dagger that Gongsun Yuan used to dance at that time," Li Shubai said, and his eyes fell on her thoughtfully, "This dagger was originally Taizong's belonging, and it was a cold iron sent from overseas at that time. , and cast twenty-four, only this one was selected by Emperor Taizong to wear it with him. It is said that the cold iron of Haiguo will never rust, who knows that it will become the rusty appearance it is now after leaving the palace."
Huang Zixia said: "It can be seen that the rumors are not enough to be believed."
Li Shubai nodded and said: "So when the first emperor saw the dagger from Gongsun Yuan, he sighed greatly and said, the thing that Emperor Taizong loved so much back then has become like this now, time flies, it is really unforgiving."
Huang Zixia remembered that the former emperor was once called "little Taizong", and admired Taizong's elegance the most, then looked at the dagger in the woman's hand in the painting, and thought of the mood of Li Shubai's father, he couldn't help but sigh.
Behind him, Zhou Ziqin fixed the latch, and ran over to call them, "Can we start checking?"
"Let's take a look at the back first." The three of them walked to the back, and saw that the crape myrtle flowers were in full bloom in the small courtyard behind, and clusters of purple flowers bloomed layer upon layer, which was extremely gorgeous, covering the Qin Pavilion study room.
They entered the study room and saw that there were several floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, most of which were scrolls.Huang Zixia opened a few and looked at them, they were all script-like symbols.
Li Shubai took it to read, and said: "The four-string and four-phase Yanyue half-character score, this is the pipa score, which should be used by Fu Xinruan when he choreographed or composed the music. The other ones must also be music scores."
Huang Zixia went to look at it again, and she still understood a thing or two of the piano score, but she didn't understand anything about the dance score, so she had to put it down first.
Zhou Ziqin found a stack of papers in the drawer, his eyes lit up, and he said quickly, "Look at this!"
They went over to take a look, and found that it was a stack of handwritten copies, and the handwriting was exactly the same as that in Wen Yang's study.
Zhou Ziqin quickly flipped through the stack of scriptures, and found that the last page really wrote "Subhuti, the so-called Dharma is not the Dharma. Subhuti".
It just follows the word "mention" below, and it is the same handwriting.At that moment Zhou Ziqin clapped the scriptures in his hand and said: "Since the two are together, there must be something left by Wen Yang on Fu Xinruan's side, that's it."
Huang Zixia nodded, and said, "This scripture should definitely belong to Wen Yang."
"But a scripture is useless for us to investigate the case." Zhou Ziqin threw the scripture on the dusty table in frustration, and said, "We need to find other evidence to know why they died for love."
Li Shubai looked at the stack of papers and asked Huang Zixia: "Can you see the difference?"
Huang Zixia knew that the table was full of dust, and he would not take it, so he looked through it himself, nodded and said, "Well, it seems to be useful."
Zhou Ziqin quickly grabbed the stack of papers on which the Diamond Sutra was copied, and asked repeatedly, "Where is it? What's the difference?"
Huang Zixia explained: "There is a lot of blank space around the paper, and we guess it might be used to frame it as a butterfly."
Zhou Ziqin was puzzled: "What's wrong with the butterfly outfit? It's pretty pretty."
Huang Zixia could only give up, stood up and walked to her wardrobe cage, opened it and checked it carefully.There were one or two men's underwear inside, and she picked them up and handed them to Zhou Ziqin, asking him to compare them with Wen Yang's daily clothes.Looking through Fu Xinruan's daily clothes, she saw that in summer, she mostly wears gauze clothes with bright colors and soft textures, light yellow, light blue, moon white and peach red, which are indescribably lively.
Standing in front of this wardrobe of clothes, she couldn't help being moved, she couldn't help stretching out her hands to slowly brush over the various gauzes and silks, watching their light and fluffy colors blooming in front of her eyes into the colors of the whole spring and summer.
Zhou Ziqin, who was flipping through men's clothes, turned his head to look at her, and couldn't help laughing: "Chong Gu, it's fine if you look like a woman, but you still like women's clothes?"
Huang Zixia closed the cabinet door without a word, then checked Fu Xinruan's jewelry box, and said, "You can tell at a glance, you don't understand women."
Zhou Ziqin laughed at her: "Hey, it sounds like you understand it very well."
Huang Zixia ignored him and opened the jewelry box in front of him.There are many flower hairpin jewelry in the box, besides the ordinary flowers and birds, there are also unique hairpin rings of various colors such as dragonflies and grasshoppers, which are very cute.There are also several Jintiaotuo jade bracelets, all of which are pressed under the hairpin.
At the bottom of the jewelry, there is a separate rosewood box.
Huang Zixia opened the box, and found that it was an extremely shiny suet jade bracelet. Under the skylight coming in from the window, a layer of shimmer floated on the entire surface of the jade, as if shrouded in a thin layer of smoke, which was alluring.
She put the bracelet in front of her eyes and looked at it for a long time. The color of the jade seemed to flow with the changes of the sky, and countless shapes could be transformed into it.
Such a rare treasure, no wonder Fu Xinruan put it in a small box and kept it properly.
Huang Zixia put the bracelet back into the box and asked, "Has Gongsun Yuan been here before?"
Zhou Ziqin said in surprise: "Impossible? Fu Xinruan was already dead when Gongsun Yuan came, and it was sealed after the autopsy. Could it be that she can still fly in through the walls?"
"Hmm... so she must have bought the old man in Shouyi Village after Fu Xinruan's death, and went in to see Fu Xinruan?"
"It should be." Zhou Ziqin said.
Huang Zixia looked at Li Shubai thoughtfully. Li Shubai and her naturally connected with each other, and he immediately knew what she was thinking: "That bracelet."
After Fu Xinruan's death, before Gongsun Yuan entered Yizhuang, Fu Xinruan's bracelet had already appeared beside Gongsun Yuan.
How it appeared in her hands is definitely a question worth pursuing.
Li Shubai took the box in her hand, took out the shiny jade bracelet inside, and put it in front of her eyes for a closer look.
Seeing that his brows were slightly wrinkled, Huang Zixia asked him in a low voice: "Does the lord know the origin of this bracelet?"
Li Shubai turned his head to look at her, the bracelet was too translucent, the sunlight refracted on it, and then reflected on his face, making the curvature of his lips seem to show a worried and surprised expression under the reflection of the light.
He whispered: "This is an old item in the palace."
Huang Zixia was stunned.
"Moreover, it was carved out by the inner court not long before the father died that year."
He didn't say who it belonged to, but Huang Zixia knew that when the first emperor was old, the closest person around him was the mother of King E Li Run, and later the crazy Concubine Chen.
Li Shubai knew that she must have thought of it, so he nodded slightly, and said: "The things in the palace appear next to a kabuki who committed suicide for love, the reason for it must be twists and turns."
Huang Zixia nodded, and asked again: "Are you sure...it belongs to that person?"
"Well, before my father passed away, I often went to visit the sick. At that time, she always waited on him in front of the hospital bed. This bracelet was also her favorite thing, and she often wore it on her hand. The lustrous lines I have seen will last forever. will not forget."
Huang Zixia nodded and handed the bracelet back to Zhou Ziqin. Seeing that he was holding the bracelet over and over again to study it, he changed the subject and asked, "By the way, Ziqin, didn't you say that Fu Xinruan had a servant here before? Later, because of her I want to get married, so I sent her home, has this servant been found?"
"Oh, I have already asked someone to look for it. It is said that they are from Hanzhou. They are very close, and they will be found in a few days." Zhou Ziqin said, then quickly threw away the bracelet, approached her with a smile on his face, and said in a low voice , "It is said that this maid cooks good dishes, especially the pepper chicken, which is so fragrant that the whole Songhua Alley is shocked. We can ask her to cook and eat!"
After all, Zhou Ziqin still didn't eat the peppery chicken that was so fragrant that it shocked the whole Songhua Lane. That afternoon, all the policemen who went to Hanzhou to inquire about the news came back, and they reported to Zhou Ziqin disgruntledly: "That servant Tang Zhuniang fell off a cliff on the way back to Hanzhou from Chengdu and died. .” Zhou Ziqin was shocked, and immediately asked, "Is he really dead? Has the body been found?" "I found it. We went to the place where the accident happened and looked down. There was an old lady lying on the river beach, her body was covered with blood. The younger ones performed their duties and took the lead. It was their duty to tie the rope around their waists and climb down from the cliff. The body was examined." "Is it really her?" "It's true. Although her face has been smashed to pieces, acquaintances say that she has a big mole behind her ear. We have all seen it. The place one inch behind her right ear is definitely true!" Zhou Ziqin turned his head and looked at Huang Zixia in dismay: "Dead?" Huang Zixia frowned, subconsciously pulled out the hairpin from her head, and lightly drew a few lines on the table. Zhou Ziqin quickly sat down in front of her and asked, "What did you think of?" Pointing to the intersecting lines, she said, "One is the reason for the death of love. After two people have gone through all kinds of twists and turns and finally get together, why should the person die for love? The second is the few pages in the study, which should be Why did he put half of the scriptures he wrote to be recited as butterflies on Fu Xinruan's side?" Zhou Ziqin suddenly realized: "It turns out that the scriptures you mentioned earlier are wrong because of this! Then what are the third and fourth?" "The death of Tang Zhuniang and the origin of the poisonous poison." Huang Zixia said, holding the hairpin in his hand and still thinking about it, when a catcher ran in beside him, elated: "Catch the head, catch the head, something is wrong!" Zhou Ziqin rolled his eyes at him: "You still have this expression when something bad happens?" "That's right, there's a victim of the deceased who came to ask for an explanation! It seems that if we don't comfort her well today, we won't be able to escape!" Zhou Ziqin's white eyes turned into a sympathetic look of "So you are an idiot". The catcher hurriedly approached his ear and whispered, "The sufferer is a great beauty!" Zhou Ziqin suddenly realized, and hurriedly stood up and walked to the door to have a look, she was indeed a stunning beauty, dressed in green clothes standing in front of the yamen, her whole body was clean without any decorations, but standing on the ordinary street, it was like standing Among the flowers and trees in March in Yangchun, it is extremely moving. She saluted Zhou Zi Qin Yingying, with a melancholy expression: "I don't know if Catcher Zhou called me here today, did he discover something about my little sister's case?" "Oh, it turned out to be Aunt Gongsun!" He hurried out and said, "Auntie, we searched for a day today and found a lot of results. Come here, I just want to ask you something..." Before the words fell, someone next to him coughed lightly. Zhou Ziqin hurriedly turned his head to look at it, and suddenly became wilted, and quickly stood upright with his hands down: "Father." Zhou Xiang rolled his eyes at him with hatred, and said: "It really is the famous Zhou Shao who is the head arrester in Chengdu, and you have a lot of people from all walks of life. You have a lot of friends!" Zhou Ziqin drooped his shoulders, respectfully and obediently in front of his father: "Yes, what father said is true, the child will definitely live up to father's expectations, and he has a wide range of friends, and he is of all kinds..." "Huh?" Zhou Xiang glared at him. Zhou Ziqin also looked at him blankly, not knowing what was wrong with his words. Zhou Xiang walked away in a huff and said, "Nizi! You are trying to piss me off!" A person behind him quickly smiled and said: "Father-in-law, please don't be angry, Ziqin is so innocent, and he has the heart of a child, this is a good thing." As soon as Zhou Ziqin saw his father turn around and leave, he immediately stuck out his tongue, grabbed the person behind him and called him: "Brother Qi, you are here! Come quickly, come quickly, I will introduce you to two friends!" Zhou Ziqin pulled him in and saw Huang Zixia and Li Shubai talking to Gongsun Yuan, so he hurriedly said, "Brother Wang, Brother Yang, let me introduce you. This is Big Brother Qi Teng, the magistrate of the Xichuan Jiedu Envoy's Mansion. Big Brother Qi , These two are... my temporary helpers, Brother Wang Kui, this is Younger Brother Yang." Qi Teng was about thirty years old, with a very upright appearance, and his smile was even gentler. He cupped his hands and smiled at them, "I'm Qi Teng. Are the two of you here for the case in Songhuali?" Huang Zixia quickly returned the gift, while Li Shubai just nodded. Huang Zixia turned her head and saw Gongsun Yuan's eyes were lowered and flickering slightly.She followed her gaze, but only saw Qi Teng's five fingers on his left hand which were hanging down in his sleeve. Seeing her looking back at herself, Gongsun Yuan hurriedly asked: "I want to ask, now... is there any progress in my little sister's case?" "Ma'am, please take a step to speak." Huang Zixia motioned to her. Zhou Ziqin hurriedly apologized to Qi Teng, "I'm sorry, brother Qi, please sit down first, we need to ask a question." The smile on Qi Teng's face was slightly slow, and he asked: "But the case in Songhuali the day before yesterday? Didn't it say that Wen Yang died in love with a girl? Why did this old lady get involved again?" Only then did Zhou Ziqin suddenly remember, and said, "Oh, that's right, did Wen Yang and Brother Qi also know each other?" Qi Teng nodded and said: "Well, a few years ago, Chen Lunyun led the establishment of a poetry club, and we were all in it, so we sang together from time to time. But last month we had some disagreements, and he wrote me a letter later. I apologize, but I didn't expect...the yin and yang are separated." Huang Zixia listened, then looked at Qi Teng intently.Seeing him always smiling, he has a gentle temperament, but with broad shoulders and a tall stature, he looks very reliable and masculine. The judge in Jiedushi's mansion can be regarded as quite high-ranking, but he is still so young, and he doesn't have the rude habits of the army at all, which is rare. But she changed her mind, King Kui Li Shubai really led troops to suppress the rebellion back then, and Wang Yun was also a rare soldier among the children of the royal family, but they are all noble, how can there be a warrior?
Gongsun Yuan was taken to the next door by them, feeling a little uneasy, seeing their dignified looks, she hurriedly asked: "Excuse me, but is there anything wrong with this case?" "I would like to ask Mrs. Gongsun, do you really want to solve Fu Xinruan's case as soon as possible?" Gongsun Yuan's complexion changed suddenly, and Chuchen's figure froze slightly, and hesitantly asked, "Why do you all say that?" "Then why don't auntie be honest with us about some things, instead of hiding them from us?" Gongsun Yuan frowned, and turned her eyes to the outside of the court uneasily, avoiding their eyes. Huang Zixia said again: "Please tell me frankly, where did the bracelet in your hand come from when we first met?" Gongsun Yuan lowered her head and said silently, "This matter...is really hard to talk about." Huang Zixia looked at her and said softly: "Please tell me frankly, otherwise, I'm afraid we have the intention to help you, but we won't be able to do so." Gongsun Yuan hesitated to speak, Huang Zixia said again: "Don't you want to find out the truth about your little sister's death in love as soon as possible? If you can't explain the doubts for us, how can we explain the doubts for you?" Gongsun Yuan sighed, and said in a low voice: "Little brother, you are right, I shouldn't hide it from you. It's just this matter... I don't think it has anything to do with my little sister's death... Actually, I think It's not this bracelet." She actually carried the Pisces jade bracelet with her, took it out at this time, put it on the table in front of them, and said: "What I'm looking for is actually a mutton jade bracelet, without any flower decorations, very simple." Huang Zixia suddenly remembered the rare jade bracelet she found in Fu Xinruan's dowry, she hesitated for a moment, and asked tentatively, "I don't know what is so important about that bracelet?" "That bracelet was given to A Ruan by a dignitary in Chang'an. It was originally a relic of his mother, so he cherishes it very much," Gongsun Yuan sighed, "But A Ruan is much older than that person. He didn't take the other party seriously in his heart. Although he accepted the jade bracelet because of his pleading, he promised others. This time, Ah Ruan was going to get married, and he also mentioned it when he was writing a book for me. Let me give the jade bracelet Return it to the other party on behalf of him, after all, it is his mother's relic, and it cannot be paid by mistake." Huang Zixia remembered what Li Shubai had said, and couldn't help but look up at him, both of them were shocked. Although he guessed that the bracelet belonged to the mother and concubine of King E Li Run, he never thought that it was Li Run who gave it to Fu Xinruan himself, but Fu Xinruan had no intentions of him. But thinking about it carefully, Li Run is the prince of the dynasty, while Fu Xinruan is just a happy family, even if she enters the palace, she will have to watch Li Run marry the princess of a famous family in the future.Moreover, she is much older than Li Run. After the youth is gone, how many men can still remember the heartbeat and nostalgia of their youth? She abandoned the palace concubine and chose a commoner wife of a similar age. Apart from feelings, it was also a calm and natural choice. It's just that she probably didn't think that even if she wasn't greedy or ambitious, she would end up going to hell with the person she chose in the end. Gongsun Yuan raised her hand to support her face, covered the tears in her eyes with her palm, and said tremblingly: "After I came to Chengdu Mansion, I went to Songhuali to look for Ah Ruan, but I heard a commotion before I entered the alley. I hurriedly inquired, and it turned out that it was a woman from the Fu residence who died in the same room at night, and now the government officials have just carried the body away... I was shocked and mournful, and I don’t know why my little sister is here suddenly Died at the happiest moment, and could only stand there and cry bitterly, completely at a loss..." Even at this moment, when Gongsun Yuan talked about the situation that day, the sadness and bewilderment was still moving.Her breathing was unsteady, her throat choked for a long time, and then she managed to speak again: "I don't know how long I have been crying. Someone asked me why I was crying here. When I looked up, it was a woman who looked like a servant." , she said that her name was Tang Zhuniang, and she was a servant of Fu's house here. I asked her if she could go in and see where Ah Ruan lived. But she shook her head and pointed at the yamen servants who came in and out, saying that the government was about to seize Well, she was also sent home by Ah Ruan a few days ago, this time she just came back to get her own things." Zhou Ziqin quickly asked: "So you asked her to help you quietly take out that bracelet?" "Yes... I think, if all of Ah Ruan's belongings are seized, if the origin of this bracelet is investigated, the nobleman who gave the bracelet may also suffer a quarrel. Besides, Ah Ruan also asked me to return the bracelet in his letter. That man, so I gave the maid some money and asked her to help me steal a white jade bracelet from the dowry if she had the chance..." "In the end she got it back, but it was this bracelet, not the one you wanted, right?" Huang Zixia looked at the Pisces jade bracelet and sighed softly, "We have also seen your little sister's dowry, including gold and silver. There are a lot of jewelry, how will the maid know which bracelet you want?" "Yes... But at that time, the government urged the maid to leave, so I couldn't let her go back and change it, so I had to leave with the bracelet... Anyway, this is also A Ruan's relic. It is so shiny and clean, it must be what she likes to wear every day. Yes, that's why the maid gave me this bracelet." "Auntie, you can't do this. The government investigates the case, but you still bribe others without authorization and take away the deceased's things. It's really wrong." Zhou Ziqin shook his head and said. Gongsun Yuan nodded and said: "Yes, I know it's not right, but... the other party can like my little sister, this friendship has already made us feel deeply, why bother to make him be criticized by others?" Huang Zixia said slowly: "Ziqin, it's nothing like this. It must be a son of a wealthy family who gave the family heirloom to Fu Xinruan without permission. Aunt Gongsun thought about her family's style. Although it is not appropriate to return the bracelet after her death, it is also Not a big mistake." It was Zhou Ziqin's habit to listen to Yang Chonggu's words, and it was Zhou Ziqin's unshirkable responsibility to defend the beauty, so he immediately forgave Gongsun Yuan's act of taking the deceased's things without authorization, saying: "I know this, and Fu Xinruan When she died for love, Aunt Gongsun was outside the Chengdu mansion, she only entered the city the next day, I believe Aunt Gongsun had nothing to do with Fu Xinruan's death!" With his forgiveness, the matter will be considered over. Huang Zixia looked down at the jade bracelet on the table that was stolen by the maid, and subconsciously reached out to pick it up. The jade bracelet is cool and white, and the carvings are transparent.The jade stone which is not very transparent, after being hollowed out in the middle, becomes extremely translucent, shimmering like water. This painstaking carver finally created a pair of perfect little fish, holding each other's tail, making each other affectionate and entangled endlessly. She was momentarily depressed and in a trance. Li Shubai's gaze slowly moved up from the Pisces jade bracelet, and landed on Huang Zixia's body. Seeing that she finally breathed a sigh of relief, she pushed the bracelet towards Zhou Ziqin, motioned him to put it away, and said in a low voice: "This bracelet... is related to this case, so let's leave it to the yamen for safekeeping. " With just this slight movement, the things that were clogged in his heart disintegrated in an instant, and he suddenly became enlightened. He didn't even realize that there was a slight curve on the corner of his lips. Zhou Ziqin picked up the Pisces jade bracelet, glanced at it casually, and said: "This bracelet is also pretty, and it looks like the owner's favorite thing. Look, it's so well-raised—oh, this bracelet Inside the bracelet, there is a line of writing." He held the bracelet up to his eyes, turned it slowly to check the words engraved inside, and read out softly: "The length of ten thousand trees, why not have a slight flaw... What does this mean?" Huang Zixia lowered her eyes and slowly drank the tea in her cup.The tea was already cold, and a gleam of coldness went straight down the throat and pierced into the chest, a sense of bitterness. Li Shubai said calmly, "The longest tree is the catalpa tree." "Oh, Zi...Xia..." He was surprised and delighted, and asked, "Zi Xia? Huang Zixia? So, is this Huang Zixia's old thing?" Gongsun Yuan looked at him suspiciously, not knowing who Huang Zixia was. Li Shubai and Huang Zixia pretended not to hear. Zhou Ziqin was ecstatic, and regardless of whether it was related to the case, he put the bracelet in his arms and stretched out his hand to protect it, laughing up to the sky: "I never thought that the jade bracelet that Huang Zixia wore is now It’s in my hand! From today on, I will hold it to sleep every night, and no one is allowed to touch it with a finger! Whoever dares to touch it, I will fight with my life!" Gongsun Yuan pressed the tear-stained corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, and asked Huang Zixia hesitantly, "Captor Zhou...is he alright?" "Oh, it's okay," Huang Zixia said slowly, holding a cup of tea without raising his head, "If he doesn't have convulsions, he won't be called Zhou Ziqin."
Today is a good day, when Zhou Ziqin is in a good mood, it is simply a blessing for the common people. "A Zhuo! Call the few people who have been investigating the case recently, everyone has worked hard, I will treat you tonight, everyone go drink!" A group of people followed Zhou Ziqin to the street next to the yamen lively, and when they saw the jade bracelet that Zhou Ziqin was showing off, everyone exclaimed: "Yes, this is what Miss Huang wore back then, and it is Her favorite!" Behind Li Shubai, Huang Zixia, and Gongsun Yuan couldn't stand Zhou Ziqin's excited noise, and chose to lag behind them by two feet. A group of people sat down, and when they saw Gongsun Yuan, all eyes were straightened, especially a few young policemen, who felt that sitting next to her would be a face, and they almost fought for the seat. When the wine was served, Even more hurriedly came up to toast and show hospitality. After drinking their toast, Gongsun Yuan expressed her gratitude and said, "The children of my sisters are about the same age as yours, but you are much better behaved than them." The faces of the policemen were all blue, and they looked at the beauty in front of them: "Auntie Guigeng?" "Almost forty." She said without changing her face. Except for Huang Zixia and the others, everyone covered their faces in pain and turned to the side. Zhou Ziqin said with a wry smile: "Actually, Aunt Gongsun came here for her little sister. The woman you are investigating recently is her little sister." Guo Ming, a former headhunter in Chengdu, was transferred to be the captain of the cavalry team because Zhou Shao, the headhunter Zhou Ziqin, came here to do the headhunting. Although he was lowered by half a level, his salary was raised by one level, which is more affordable, so Also very happy: "Oh, that woman! Isn't she a Le Ji family? She looks so beautiful! Even if she turns blue after taking the poison, she still looks like a jade carving beauty, with that figure, that face..." Speaking of this, he glanced at Gongsun Yuan, then suddenly remembered, and quickly asked: "So, she is your... little sister?" Gongsun Yuan nodded, but tears welled up in her eyes. She stood up, turned to toast the arresters, and said, "My little sister, Ruan Qin, was young and beautiful, but she died so early. It's really pitiful. I know my little sister I have a strong character, and I have endured all hardships, so it is absolutely impossible to seek death, please brothers and sisters, please take pity on my little sister, and seek justice for her!" Guo Ming and all the arresters responded in a hurry. Guo Ming, the bearded man, was the most emotional, and even said: "Don't worry, ma'am, if your little sister was really killed by someone, we brothers will do our best! We should arrest you less now." The head also invited two helpers, brother Wang and younger brother Yang, I think with his help, the case will be solved soon!" But Ah Zhuo sighed beside him, and said in a low voice: "If Miss Huang was here, there would be no problem with this case. But now... I don't think I have any clue..." Huang Zixia bowed her head silently and ate quietly. Zhou Ziqin, who was playing with the bracelet, saw his eyes light up, and quickly put the bracelet back into his arms, and asked, "The girl Huang you are talking about should be Huang Zixia, right?" Seeing that A Zhuo was silent, Guo Ming replied for him: "Of course she is! She is the goddess Tan that everyone in Chengdu admires..." "Tell me quickly, what is Miss Huang like? How does she look? Does she look like the one on the wanted portrait? What do you like to eat? What color do you like? What kind of flowers do you like? What kind of things do you like to play with and what kind of books do you like to read?" ?" Zhou Ziqin hurriedly asked everyone. "Miss Huang is very beautiful! Although she doesn't have the grace of Aunt Gongsun, her elegant and refined face is also an outstanding beauty!" "That wanted portrait is a bit similar, and it's very beautiful," A Zhuo said, looking up at Huang Zixia, then he was stunned, and then said, "Speaking of which, Miss Huang and this Brother Yang... Yomo seems to feel like something." Huang Zixia knew that he had changed his appearance, but when he heard him say this, he turned his face silently, a little embarrassed, and didn't say a word. Li Shubai glanced at her and smiled involuntarily. Guo Ming raised his hand and gave A Zhuo a chestnut on the head: "Nonsense! Brother Yang and Ms. Huang are a man and a woman, one is a detective from Beijing, and the other is... a murderer who is currently being arrested in Kyushu. Where are you?" Will it look like it?" A Zhuo touched his forehead, shrank his neck and dared not speak. Guo Ming hurriedly apologized to Huang Zixia, then sighed, bowed his head and went to drink in silence. The atmosphere during the banquet suddenly became dull. No matter how Zhou Ziqin asked everyone to talk more about Huang Zixia's past, no one opened their mouths. No one can help but think that their Miss Huang is now a felon hunted all over the world.Her crime was poisoning her entire family. Li Shubai looked back and saw Huang Zixia bowed her head in silence, her eyelashes covered her eyes, and her pupils were dim.He took a piece of lotus root from the table and put it in a bowl for her, and said to her: "Even if you fall into the mud, everyone knows that the lotus root is as white as snow and as sweet as a pear. Wait until the mud is washed away." I will know the outcome on that day—I don’t know if you like to eat it?” Huang Zixia looked up at him, and said softly, "Yes. I... like it." When everyone heard them talking about lotus root, they didn't understand what it meant, and they just drank the wine.Only one policeman muttered in a low voice: "By the way, I saw Yuxuan yesterday." "That bastard really wasted Miss Huang's love for him!" A Zhuo, who was the youngest and admired Huang Zixia the most, cursed angrily, "Huang Shijun's family has treated him as much as a mountain, and Miss Huang has been with him for many years." Knowing each other, I didn't expect that after Shi Jun's family suffered a disaster, he was the first to suspect Miss Huang, and submitted her love letter to General Fan, the Jiedu envoy. Miss Huang caught General Fan's nephew committing crimes. You said Can the Jiedu Envoy not justify this matter!" "A Zhuo!" Guo Ming interrupted him, winking, "You didn't drink much, you're drunk first! General Fan is far-sighted, we little policemen are quick to understand, just obey and do things! " A Zhuo had no choice but to shut up, but still looked resentful. Zhou Ziqin was even angrier than A Zhuo, and he patted the table and asked, "Is this kind of person Yu Xuan? Does this bastard still have the face to hide in Chengdu?" "Him? He is very proud of himself. He was recommended to the Jingzhong Academy before. It is said that he became a school principal. But he came back recently." Zhou Ziqin was stunned for a moment, and murmured, "Is the Imperial College student Zheng Yuxuan?" "That's right, did the headhunter meet him in Beijing?" "It's more than just seeing it, it's just..." Zhou Ziqin was speechless, really unable to imagine the elegant, gentle, gentle and kind Yu Xuan whom he admired, and this dirty Yu Xuan who betrayed Huang Zixia. Huang Zixia asked, "Speaking of which, when Huang Zixia fled, she was able to escape from the net of heaven and earth. I think it was because of the help of kind people. Otherwise, you have so many arresting troops in Chengdu, how could you let her escape smoothly?" Guo Ming hurriedly said: "Absolutely not! We followed the order seriously and searched for it! Really! All the people in the yamen searched for days and nights for several days!" "Then, thinking about it, she shouldn't die." Seeing that he was trying to cover up, Huang Zixia raised his glass with a smile and said, "Anyway, I'll toast to everyone first." The atmosphere at the banquet was awkward, a group of people were eating, each with their own thoughts.In the silence, only Zhou Ziqin muttered occasionally: "I have to go to that Yuxuan to find out what's going on." Guo Ming suddenly thought of something again, and asked: "By the way, Judge Qi, after Yu Xuan was elected, the mansion allocated to him by the government seems to be next to your mansion?" Qi Teng's smile was a bit unnatural, and he held his wine glass and said: "Yes, brother Yu lives quite close to me. But...he has a lonely personality and doesn't like lively things, so we usually have less contact with each other, and it's not too much. learn." Naturally, what he said was the truth. Huang Zixia and Yu Xuan were so close before, but she didn't have any impression of this Qi Teng. If she was an acquaintance of Yu Xuan, she must have seen it. Huang Zixia smiled and toasted him with a glass of wine, and said: "There is no deputy envoy in Jiedushi's mansion, and the judge is under one person and above ten thousand. Judge Qi was entrusted with a heavy responsibility at a young age, so he must be very talented. General Fan has blue eyes." "No, it's just luck." Qi Teng said with a smile. Zhou Ziqin put his arms around Qi Teng's shoulders and said, "Brother Qi, don't be modest. Where can my father choose his son-in-law? If he is an ordinary person, my father would not be willing to marry his daughter off!" 黄梓瑕微有诧异，问：“原来齐大哥即将为使君府娇客？” “哦哦，忘了跟你们提了，我妹妹紫燕，与齐大哥商定年底成亲。”周子秦说着，又看齐腾一眼，摇头笑道，“哎呀，大哥一下子变成了妹夫，这事儿我到底是占便宜了还是亏了？” 郭明等人又赶紧起哄，一群人争着给他们敬酒，席间总算又热闹起来。
一顿饭吃完，月上中天。 周子秦与各位捕快纷纷安抚了公孙鸢，许诺必会尽早给她一个交代。 众人散了，各自回去。 周子秦送黄梓瑕、李舒白回客栈，三人踏月沿街而行。 黄梓瑕问：“子秦，那个齐腾，年纪多大了？” “将满三十了。”周子秦抓抓头发，颇有点无奈，“真是气死人，我爹初到蜀地，自然要与节度使搞好关系的。齐腾数年前曾娶过亲，但妻子过世已久，范大人知道我妹妹还在闺中，便说齐腾是他左膀右臂，正要寻一门好亲事。你想，节度使这样说，我爹还能怎么样？便叫人拿了生辰八字对一对，没想一下子就合上了，大吉大利！这亲事就这么定下来了。” 李舒白若有所思，低声说道：“太阿倒持，无可奈何。” 黄梓瑕知道他的意思，是指节度使势力太大，连使君都为之钳制。但周子秦却不解，只眨了眨眼睛，然后又笑道：“不过我妹妹也不吃亏。我妹被人退婚后，在京城那是肯定找不到良配了，所以我爹才千里迢迢带她来这里呢，还不就是为了嫁一个不明底细的人，糊里糊涂娶了她？” 黄梓瑕顿觉其中肯定有无数内幕，赶紧问：“为什么会被退婚？” 周子秦明知道此时街上空无一人，却还是要东张西望一下，看看周围确实没人，才低声凑到她的耳边，说：“她认识了教坊中一个男人，打得一手好羯鼓，被他迷得神魂颠倒，还亲手给对方做香囊，结果被人撞见，传了流言……唉，家丑不可外扬，你们可千万保密啊！” 黄梓瑕点点头，说：“那也没什么，不过一个香囊而已。” “总之我爹是差点气死了。我上头的哥哥们啊，如今个个在各大衙门任职，升迁平稳，可家中偏偏出了我和紫燕这样的不孝子女，真是家门不幸啊，哈哈哈……”
告别了周子秦，黄梓瑕和李舒白回到客栈。 天色已深，他们准备各自回房，只站在院子中略略聊了几句。 “接下来，你打算如何追查下去？” “在我们理出的几条线中，那个仆妇汤珠娘已死。殉情案发之后，我们要找她，她便立即死了，想必其中定有问题。明日应遣人立即前往汉州，寻访与她熟悉的相关人等，看看是不是能从她日常的蛛丝马迹中找出点什么，破解凶手杀害她的原因。” 李舒白点头，又说：“以前在使君府做事的人，基本都还在，但却并无异常，看来没人能从你家血案之中获利。鸩毒的来源与下毒的人，查起来范围必定又要加大，难度不小。” 黄梓瑕点头，抬头望着墨蓝色的夜空。斜月当空，银河低垂，一空星子明灿若珠。 这成都府的深夜，与她当初出逃那一夜，一模一样。 家人去世的那一日，她被诬陷为凶手，仓皇逃出成都府。那时长空星月的光华暗淡，她看不见自己的前路，唯有一意北上，希望能在京城抓住一线渺茫的机会，为家人和自己申冤。 但其实，那时她心中，是深埋着绝望的。她并不信自己真能找到愿意帮助自己的人，也曾在幽暗的山路之上茫然流离，以为自己的人生将会就此埋葬在黑暗中。 谁知如今，她竟能在身旁这个人的帮助下，再次返回成都，追寻真相。 她的目光转向李舒白，看着他沉默的侧面。微垂的睫毛覆住他的眼睛，轻抿的唇角始终勾勒冷淡的线条，然而只有黄梓瑕知道，在他这冰冷的表面之下，隐藏着的那些不为人知的东西。 不然，在她狼狈不堪地被他从马车座下拖出后，明明可以将她毫不留情驱逐出去的他，为什么会愿意接受她的交换，带她到成都追寻真相呢？ 他仿佛也感觉到了她的注视，目光微微一转，看向她这边。 两人的目光不偏不倚相接了。 黄梓瑕看见他幽深不可见底的目光，只觉得那目光直直撞入自己的胸口最深处，让胸膛中那颗心跳得急剧无比。 “早点休息吧，明日我们要寻访的范围，可能会比较大，你可要注意寝食。”李舒白轻声嘱咐她。 “嗯，王爷也是。”她点头。 两人正要各自回房之际，外面忽然传来砰砰的声音，是有人乱拍外面大门，在这样的深更半夜，几乎惊起了半条街的人。 店小二和衣睡在柜台内，正是睡梦香甜流口水的时候，被门外人打断了好睡，端了一盏油灯就要出去骂娘。谁知灯光一照到外面，他顿时什么声儿都起不来了，只讪笑着问：“客官，您住店？” 那人声音嘶哑，焦急说道：“我这朋友受伤了，你赶紧给开一间房吧！” 黄梓瑕听这声音熟悉，赶紧往外走。李舒白亦陪她走出，说：“张行英怎会带人半夜投宿这边？” 只见外面店堂一灯如豆，照在刚进门口的张行英身上。他紧搂着一个衣衫破烂的人，面色焦急，脸带血瘀。 他身材十分高大，又是这般可怕模样，难怪小二压根儿不敢阻止他，只赔着小心劝他：“这位客官，看你朋友受伤很重啊，我看你还是找医馆去吧。” “医馆……哪里有医馆？”他问。 小二还没来得及回答，李舒白已经低声叫了出来：“景毓。”
After all, Zhou Ziqin still didn't eat the peppery chicken that was so fragrant that it shocked the whole Songhua Lane. That afternoon, all the policemen who went to Hanzhou to inquire about the news came back, and they reported to Zhou Ziqin disgruntledly: "That servant Tang Zhuniang fell off a cliff on the way back to Hanzhou from Chengdu and died. .” Zhou Ziqin was shocked, and immediately asked, "Is he really dead? Has the body been found?" "I found it. We went to the place where the accident happened and looked down. There was an old lady lying on the river beach, her body was covered with blood. The younger ones performed their duties and took the lead. It was their duty to tie the rope around their waists and climb down from the cliff. The body was examined." "Is it really her?" "It's true. Although her face has been smashed to pieces, acquaintances say that she has a big mole behind her ear. We have all seen it. The place one inch behind her right ear is definitely true!" Zhou Ziqin turned his head and looked at Huang Zixia in dismay: "Dead?" Huang Zixia frowned, subconsciously pulled out the hairpin from her head, and lightly drew a few lines on the table. Zhou Ziqin quickly sat down in front of her and asked, "What did you think of?" Pointing to the intersecting lines, she said, "One is the reason for the death of love. After two people have gone through all kinds of twists and turns and finally get together, why should the person die for love? The second is the few pages in the study, which should be Why did he put half of the scriptures he wrote to be recited as butterflies on Fu Xinruan's side?" Zhou Ziqin suddenly realized: "It turns out that the scriptures you mentioned earlier are wrong because of this! Then what are the third and fourth?" "The death of Tang Zhuniang and the origin of the poisonous poison." Huang Zixia said, holding the hairpin in his hand and still thinking about it, when a catcher ran in beside him, elated: "Catch the head, catch the head, something is wrong!" Zhou Ziqin rolled his eyes at him: "You still have this expression when something bad happens?" "That's right, there's a victim of the deceased who came to ask for an explanation! It seems that if we don't comfort her well today, we won't be able to escape!" Zhou Ziqin's white eyes turned into a sympathetic look of "So you are an idiot". The catcher hurriedly approached his ear and whispered, "The sufferer is a great beauty!" Zhou Ziqin suddenly realized, and hurriedly stood up and walked to the door to have a look, she was indeed a stunning beauty, dressed in green clothes standing in front of the yamen, her whole body was clean without any decorations, but standing on the ordinary street, it was like standing Among the flowers and trees in March in Yangchun, it is extremely moving. She saluted Zhou Zi Qin Yingying, with a melancholy expression: "I don't know if Catcher Zhou called me here today, did he discover something about my little sister's case?" "Oh, it turned out to be Aunt Gongsun!" He hurried out and said, "Auntie, we searched for a day today and found a lot of results. Come here, I just want to ask you something..." Before the words fell, someone next to him coughed lightly. Zhou Ziqin hurriedly turned his head to look at it, and suddenly became wilted, and quickly stood upright with his hands down: "Father." Zhou Xiang rolled his eyes at him with hatred, and said: "It really is the famous Zhou Shao who is the head arrester in Chengdu, and you have a lot of people from all walks of life. You have a lot of friends!" Zhou Ziqin drooped his shoulders, respectfully and obediently in front of his father: "Yes, what father said is true, the child will definitely live up to father's expectations, and he has a wide range of friends, and he is of all kinds..." "Huh?" Zhou Xiang glared at him. Zhou Ziqin also looked at him blankly, not knowing what was wrong with his words. Zhou Xiang walked away in a huff and said, "Nizi! You are trying to piss me off!" A person behind him quickly smiled and said: "Father-in-law, please don't be angry, Ziqin is so innocent, and he has the heart of a child, this is a good thing." As soon as Zhou Ziqin saw his father turn around and leave, he immediately stuck out his tongue, grabbed the person behind him and called him: "Brother Qi, you are here! Come quickly, come quickly, I will introduce you to two friends!" Zhou Ziqin pulled him in and saw Huang Zixia and Li Shubai talking to Gongsun Yuan, so he hurriedly said, "Brother Wang, Brother Yang, let me introduce you. This is Big Brother Qi Teng, the magistrate of the Xichuan Jiedu Envoy's Mansion. Big Brother Qi , These two are... my temporary helpers, Brother Wang Kui, this is Younger Brother Yang." Qi Teng was about thirty years old, with a very upright appearance, and his smile was even gentler. He cupped his hands and smiled at them, "I'm Qi Teng. Are the two of you here for the case in Songhuali?" Huang Zixia quickly returned the gift, while Li Shubai just nodded. Huang Zixia turned her head and saw Gongsun Yuan's eyes were lowered and flickering slightly.She followed her gaze, but only saw Qi Teng's five fingers on his left hand which were hanging down in his sleeve. Seeing her looking back at herself, Gongsun Yuan hurriedly asked: "I want to ask, now... is there any progress in my little sister's case?" "Ma'am, please take a step to speak." Huang Zixia motioned to her. Zhou Ziqin hurriedly apologized to Qi Teng, "I'm sorry, brother Qi, please sit down first, we need to ask a question." The smile on Qi Teng's face was slightly slow, and he asked: "But the case in Songhuali the day before yesterday? Didn't it say that Wen Yang died in love with a girl? Why did this old lady get involved again?" Only then did Zhou Ziqin suddenly remember, and said, "Oh, that's right, did Wen Yang and Brother Qi also know each other?" Qi Teng nodded and said: "Well, a few years ago, Chen Lunyun led the establishment of a poetry club, and we were all in it, so we sang together from time to time. But last month we had some disagreements, and he wrote me a letter later. I apologize, but I didn't expect...the yin and yang are separated." Huang Zixia listened, then looked at Qi Teng intently.Seeing him always smiling, he has a gentle temperament, but with broad shoulders and a tall stature, he looks very reliable and masculine. The judge in Jiedushi's mansion can be regarded as quite high-ranking, but he is still so young, and he doesn't have the rude habits of the army at all, which is rare. But she changed her mind, King Kui Li Shubai really led troops to suppress the rebellion back then, and Wang Yun was also a rare soldier among the children of the royal family, but they are all noble, how can there be a warrior?
Gongsun Yuan was taken to the next door by them, feeling a little uneasy, seeing their dignified looks, she hurriedly asked: "Excuse me, but is there anything wrong with this case?" "I would like to ask Mrs. Gongsun, do you really want to solve Fu Xinruan's case as soon as possible?" Gongsun Yuan's complexion changed suddenly, and Chuchen's figure froze slightly, and hesitantly asked, "Why do you all say that?" "Then why don't auntie be honest with us about some things, instead of hiding them from us?" Gongsun Yuan frowned, and turned her eyes to the outside of the court uneasily, avoiding their eyes. Huang Zixia said again: "Please tell me frankly, where did the bracelet in your hand come from when we first met?" Gongsun Yuan lowered her head and said silently, "This matter...is really hard to talk about." Huang Zixia looked at her and said softly: "Please tell me frankly, otherwise, I'm afraid we have the intention to help you, but we won't be able to do so." Gongsun Yuan hesitated to speak, Huang Zixia said again: "Don't you want to find out the truth about your little sister's death in love as soon as possible? If you can't explain the doubts for us, how can we explain the doubts for you?" Gongsun Yuan sighed, and said in a low voice: "Little brother, you are right, I shouldn't hide it from you. It's just this matter... I don't think it has anything to do with my little sister's death... Actually, I think It's not this bracelet." She actually carried the Pisces jade bracelet with her, took it out at this time, put it on the table in front of them, and said: "What I'm looking for is actually a mutton jade bracelet, without any flower decorations, very simple." Huang Zixia suddenly remembered the rare jade bracelet she found in Fu Xinruan's dowry, she hesitated for a moment, and asked tentatively, "I don't know what is so important about that bracelet?" "That bracelet was given to A Ruan by a dignitary in Chang'an. It was originally a relic of his mother, so he cherishes it very much," Gongsun Yuan sighed, "But A Ruan is much older than that person. He didn't take the other party seriously in his heart. Although he accepted the jade bracelet because of his pleading, he promised others. This time, Ah Ruan was going to get married, and he also mentioned it when he was writing a book for me. Let me give the jade bracelet Return it to the other party on behalf of him, after all, it is his mother's relic, and it cannot be paid by mistake." Huang Zixia remembered what Li Shubai had said, and couldn't help but look up at him, both of them were shocked. Although he guessed that the bracelet belonged to the mother and concubine of King E Li Run, he never thought that it was Li Run who gave it to Fu Xinruan himself, but Fu Xinruan had no intentions of him. But thinking about it carefully, Li Run is the prince of the dynasty, while Fu Xinruan is just a happy family, even if she enters the palace, she will have to watch Li Run marry the princess of a famous family in the future.Moreover, she is much older than Li Run. After the youth is gone, how many men can still remember the heartbeat and nostalgia of their youth? She abandoned the palace concubine and chose a commoner wife of a similar age. Apart from feelings, it was also a calm and natural choice. It's just that she probably didn't think that even if she wasn't greedy or ambitious, she would end up going to hell with the person she chose in the end. Gongsun Yuan raised her hand to support her face, covered the tears in her eyes with her palm, and said tremblingly: "After I came to Chengdu Mansion, I went to Songhuali to look for Ah Ruan, but I heard a commotion before I entered the alley. I hurriedly inquired, and it turned out that it was a woman from the Fu residence who died in the same room at night, and now the government officials have just carried the body away... I was shocked and mournful, and I don’t know why my little sister is here suddenly Died at the happiest moment, and could only stand there and cry bitterly, completely at a loss..." Even at this moment, when Gongsun Yuan talked about the situation that day, the sadness and bewilderment was still moving.Her breathing was unsteady, her throat choked for a long time, and then she managed to speak again: "I don't know how long I have been crying. Someone asked me why I was crying here. When I looked up, it was a woman who looked like a servant." , she said that her name was Tang Zhuniang, and she was a servant of Fu's house here. I asked her if she could go in and see where Ah Ruan lived. But she shook her head and pointed at the yamen servants who came in and out, saying that the government was about to seize Well, she was also sent home by Ah Ruan a few days ago, this time she just came back to get her own things." Zhou Ziqin quickly asked: "So you asked her to help you quietly take out that bracelet?" "Yes... I think, if all of Ah Ruan's belongings are seized, if the origin of this bracelet is investigated, the nobleman who gave the bracelet may also suffer a quarrel. Besides, Ah Ruan also asked me to return the bracelet in his letter. That man, so I gave the maid some money and asked her to help me steal a white jade bracelet from the dowry if she had the chance..." "In the end she got it back, but it was this bracelet, not the one you wanted, right?" Huang Zixia looked at the Pisces jade bracelet and sighed softly, "We have also seen your little sister's dowry, including gold and silver. There are a lot of jewelry, how will the maid know which bracelet you want?" "Yes... But at that time, the government urged the maid to leave, so I couldn't let her go back and change it, so I had to leave with the bracelet... Anyway, this is also A Ruan's relic. It is so shiny and clean, it must be what she likes to wear every day. Yes, that's why the maid gave me this bracelet." "Auntie, you can't do this. The government investigates the case, but you still bribe others without authorization and take away the deceased's things. It's really wrong." Zhou Ziqin shook his head and said. Gongsun Yuan nodded and said: "Yes, I know it's not right, but... the other party can like my little sister, this friendship has already made us feel deeply, why bother to make him be criticized by others?" Huang Zixia said slowly: "Ziqin, it's nothing like this. It must be a son of a wealthy family who gave the family heirloom to Fu Xinruan without permission. Aunt Gongsun thought about her family's style. Although it is not appropriate to return the bracelet after her death, it is also Not a big mistake." It was Zhou Ziqin's habit to listen to Yang Chonggu's words, and it was Zhou Ziqin's unshirkable responsibility to defend the beauty, so he immediately forgave Gongsun Yuan's act of taking the deceased's things without authorization, saying: "I know this, and Fu Xinruan When she died for love, Aunt Gongsun was outside the Chengdu mansion, she only entered the city the next day, I believe Aunt Gongsun had nothing to do with Fu Xinruan's death!" With his forgiveness, the matter will be considered over. Huang Zixia looked down at the jade bracelet on the table that was stolen by the maid, and subconsciously reached out to pick it up. The jade bracelet is cool and white, and the carvings are transparent.The jade stone which is not very transparent, after being hollowed out in the middle, becomes extremely translucent, shimmering like water. This painstaking carver finally created a pair of perfect little fish, holding each other's tail, making each other affectionate and entangled endlessly. She was momentarily depressed and in a trance. Li Shubai's gaze slowly moved up from the Pisces jade bracelet, and landed on Huang Zixia's body. Seeing that she finally breathed a sigh of relief, she pushed the bracelet towards Zhou Ziqin, motioned him to put it away, and said in a low voice: "This bracelet... is related to this case, so let's leave it to the yamen for safekeeping. " With just this slight movement, the things that were clogged in his heart disintegrated in an instant, and he suddenly became enlightened. He didn't even realize that there was a slight curve on the corner of his lips. Zhou Ziqin picked up the Pisces jade bracelet, glanced at it casually, and said: "This bracelet is also pretty, and it looks like the owner's favorite thing. Look, it's so well-raised—oh, this bracelet Inside the bracelet, there is a line of writing." He held the bracelet up to his eyes, turned it slowly to check the words engraved inside, and read out softly: "The length of ten thousand trees, why not have a slight flaw... What does this mean?" Huang Zixia lowered her eyes and slowly drank the tea in her cup.The tea was already cold, and a gleam of coldness went straight down the throat and pierced into the chest, a sense of bitterness. Li Shubai said calmly, "The longest tree is the catalpa tree." "Oh, Zi...Xia..." He was surprised and delighted, and asked, "Zi Xia? Huang Zixia? So, is this Huang Zixia's old thing?" Gongsun Yuan looked at him suspiciously, not knowing who Huang Zixia was. Li Shubai and Huang Zixia pretended not to hear. Zhou Ziqin was ecstatic, and regardless of whether it was related to the case, he put the bracelet in his arms and stretched out his hand to protect it, laughing up to the sky: "I never thought that the jade bracelet that Huang Zixia wore is now It’s in my hand! From today on, I will hold it to sleep every night, and no one is allowed to touch it with a finger! Whoever dares to touch it, I will fight with my life!" Gongsun Yuan pressed the tear-stained corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, and asked Huang Zixia hesitantly, "Captor Zhou...is he alright?" "Oh, it's okay," Huang Zixia said slowly, holding a cup of tea without raising his head, "If he doesn't have convulsions, he won't be called Zhou Ziqin."
Today is a good day, when Zhou Ziqin is in a good mood, it is simply a blessing for the common people. "A Zhuo! Call the few people who have been investigating the case recently, everyone has worked hard, I will treat you tonight, everyone go drink!" A group of people followed Zhou Ziqin to the street next to the yamen lively, and when they saw the jade bracelet that Zhou Ziqin was showing off, everyone exclaimed: "Yes, this is what Miss Huang wore back then, and it is Her favorite!" Behind Li Shubai, Huang Zixia, and Gongsun Yuan couldn't stand Zhou Ziqin's excited noise, and chose to lag behind them by two feet. A group of people sat down, and when they saw Gongsun Yuan, all eyes were straightened, especially a few young policemen, who felt that sitting next to her would be a face, and they almost fought for the seat. When the wine was served, Even more hurriedly came up to toast and show hospitality. After drinking their toast, Gongsun Yuan expressed her gratitude and said, "The children of my sisters are about the same age as yours, but you are much better behaved than them." The faces of the policemen were all blue, and they looked at the beauty in front of them: "Auntie Guigeng?" "Almost forty." She said without changing her face. Except for Huang Zixia and the others, everyone covered their faces in pain and turned to the side. Zhou Ziqin said with a wry smile: "Actually, Aunt Gongsun came here for her little sister. The woman you are investigating recently is her little sister." Guo Ming, a former headhunter in Chengdu, was transferred to be the captain of the cavalry team because Zhou Shao, the headhunter Zhou Ziqin, came here to do the headhunting. Although he was lowered by half a level, his salary was raised by one level, which is more affordable, so Also very happy: "Oh, that woman! Isn't she a Le Ji family? She looks so beautiful! Even if she turns blue after taking the poison, she still looks like a jade carving beauty, with that figure, that face..." Speaking of this, he glanced at Gongsun Yuan, then suddenly remembered, and quickly asked: "So, she is your... little sister?" Gongsun Yuan nodded, but tears welled up in her eyes. She stood up, turned to toast the arresters, and said, "My little sister, Ruan Qin, was young and beautiful, but she died so early. It's really pitiful. I know my little sister I have a strong character, and I have endured all hardships, so it is absolutely impossible to seek death, please brothers and sisters, please take pity on my little sister, and seek justice for her!" Guo Ming and all the arresters responded in a hurry. Guo Ming, the bearded man, was the most emotional, and even said: "Don't worry, ma'am, if your little sister was really killed by someone, we brothers will do our best! We should arrest you less now." The head also invited two helpers, brother Wang and younger brother Yang, I think with his help, the case will be solved soon!" But Ah Zhuo sighed beside him, and said in a low voice: "If Miss Huang was here, there would be no problem with this case. But now... I don't think I have any clue..." Huang Zixia bowed her head silently and ate quietly. Zhou Ziqin, who was playing with the bracelet, saw his eyes light up, and quickly put the bracelet back into his arms, and asked, "The girl Huang you are talking about should be Huang Zixia, right?" Seeing that A Zhuo was silent, Guo Ming replied for him: "Of course she is! She is the goddess Tan that everyone in Chengdu admires..." "Tell me quickly, what is Miss Huang like? How does she look? Does she look like the one on the wanted portrait? What do you like to eat? What color do you like? What kind of flowers do you like? What kind of things do you like to play with and what kind of books do you like to read?" ?" Zhou Ziqin hurriedly asked everyone. "Miss Huang is very beautiful! Although she doesn't have the grace of Aunt Gongsun, her elegant and refined face is also an outstanding beauty!" "That wanted portrait is a bit similar, and it's very beautiful," A Zhuo said, looking up at Huang Zixia, then he was stunned, and then said, "Speaking of which, Miss Huang and this Brother Yang... Yomo seems to feel like something." Huang Zixia knew that he had changed his appearance, but when he heard him say this, he turned his face silently, a little embarrassed, and didn't say a word. Li Shubai glanced at her and smiled involuntarily. Guo Ming raised his hand and gave A Zhuo a chestnut on the head: "Nonsense! Brother Yang and Ms. Huang are a man and a woman, one is a detective from Beijing, and the other is... a murderer who is currently being arrested in Kyushu. Where are you?" Will it look like it?" A Zhuo touched his forehead, shrank his neck and dared not speak. Guo Ming hurriedly apologized to Huang Zixia, then sighed, bowed his head and went to drink in silence. The atmosphere during the banquet suddenly became dull. No matter how Zhou Ziqin asked everyone to talk more about Huang Zixia's past, no one opened their mouths. No one can help but think that their Miss Huang is now a felon hunted all over the world.Her crime was poisoning her entire family. Li Shubai looked back and saw Huang Zixia bowed her head in silence, her eyelashes covered her eyes, and her pupils were dim.He took a piece of lotus root from the table and put it in a bowl for her, and said to her: "Even if you fall into the mud, everyone knows that the lotus root is as white as snow and as sweet as a pear. Wait until the mud is washed away." I will know the outcome on that day—I don’t know if you like to eat it?” Huang Zixia looked up at him, and said softly, "Yes. I... like it." When everyone heard them talking about lotus root, they didn't understand what it meant, and they just drank the wine.Only one policeman muttered in a low voice: "By the way, I saw Yuxuan yesterday." "That bastard really wasted Miss Huang's love for him!" A Zhuo, who was the youngest and admired Huang Zixia the most, cursed angrily, "Huang Shijun's family has treated him as much as a mountain, and Miss Huang has been with him for many years." Knowing each other, I didn't expect that after Shi Jun's family suffered a disaster, he was the first to suspect Miss Huang, and submitted her love letter to General Fan, the Jiedu envoy. Miss Huang caught General Fan's nephew committing crimes. You said Can the Jiedu Envoy not justify this matter!" "A Zhuo!" Guo Ming interrupted him, winking, "You didn't drink much, you're drunk first! General Fan is far-sighted, we little policemen are quick to understand, just obey and do things! " A Zhuo had no choice but to shut up, but still looked resentful. Zhou Ziqin was even angrier than A Zhuo, and he patted the table and asked, "Is this kind of person Yu Xuan? Does this bastard still have the face to hide in Chengdu?" "Him? He is very proud of himself. He was recommended to the Jingzhong Academy before. It is said that he became a school principal. But he came back recently." Zhou Ziqin was stunned for a moment, and murmured, "Is the Imperial College student Zheng Yuxuan?" "That's right, did the headhunter meet him in Beijing?" "It's more than just seeing it, it's just..." Zhou Ziqin was speechless, really unable to imagine the elegant, gentle, gentle and kind Yu Xuan whom he admired, and this dirty Yu Xuan who betrayed Huang Zixia. Huang Zixia asked, "Speaking of which, when Huang Zixia fled, she was able to escape from the net of heaven and earth. I think it was because of the help of kind people. Otherwise, you have so many arresting troops in Chengdu, how could you let her escape smoothly?" Guo Ming hurriedly said: "Absolutely not! We followed the order seriously and searched for it! Really! All the people in the yamen searched for days and nights for several days!" "Then, thinking about it, she shouldn't die." Seeing that he was trying to cover up, Huang Zixia raised his glass with a smile and said, "Anyway, I'll toast to everyone first." The atmosphere at the banquet was awkward, a group of people were eating, each with their own thoughts.In the silence, only Zhou Ziqin muttered occasionally: "I have to go to that Yuxuan to find out what's going on." Guo Ming suddenly thought of something again, and asked: "By the way, Judge Qi, after Yu Xuan was elected, the mansion allocated to him by the government seems to be next to your mansion?" Qi Teng's smile was a bit unnatural, and he held his wine glass and said: "Yes, brother Yu lives quite close to me. But...he has a lonely personality and doesn't like lively things, so we usually have less contact with each other, and it's not too much. learn." Naturally, what he said was the truth. Huang Zixia and Yu Xuan were so close before, but she didn't have any impression of this Qi Teng. If she was an acquaintance of Yu Xuan, she must have seen it. Huang Zixia smiled and toasted him with a glass of wine, and said: "There is no deputy envoy in Jiedushi's mansion, and the judge is under one person and above ten thousand. Judge Qi was entrusted with a heavy responsibility at a young age, so he must be very talented. General Fan has blue eyes." "No, it's just luck." Qi Teng said with a smile. Zhou Ziqin put his arms around Qi Teng's shoulders and said, "Brother Qi, don't be modest. Where can my father choose his son-in-law? If he is an ordinary person, my father would not be willing to marry his daughter off!" 黄梓瑕微有诧异，问：“原来齐大哥即将为使君府娇客？” “哦哦，忘了跟你们提了，我妹妹紫燕，与齐大哥商定年底成亲。”周子秦说着，又看齐腾一眼，摇头笑道，“哎呀，大哥一下子变成了妹夫，这事儿我到底是占便宜了还是亏了？” 郭明等人又赶紧起哄，一群人争着给他们敬酒，席间总算又热闹起来。
一顿饭吃完，月上中天。 周子秦与各位捕快纷纷安抚了公孙鸢，许诺必会尽早给她一个交代。 众人散了，各自回去。 周子秦送黄梓瑕、李舒白回客栈，三人踏月沿街而行。 黄梓瑕问：“子秦，那个齐腾，年纪多大了？” “将满三十了。”周子秦抓抓头发，颇有点无奈，“真是气死人，我爹初到蜀地，自然要与节度使搞好关系的。齐腾数年前曾娶过亲，但妻子过世已久，范大人知道我妹妹还在闺中，便说齐腾是他左膀右臂，正要寻一门好亲事。你想，节度使这样说，我爹还能怎么样？便叫人拿了生辰八字对一对，没想一下子就合上了，大吉大利！这亲事就这么定下来了。” 李舒白若有所思，低声说道：“太阿倒持，无可奈何。” 黄梓瑕知道他的意思，是指节度使势力太大，连使君都为之钳制。但周子秦却不解，只眨了眨眼睛，然后又笑道：“不过我妹妹也不吃亏。我妹被人退婚后，在京城那是肯定找不到良配了，所以我爹才千里迢迢带她来这里呢，还不就是为了嫁一个不明底细的人，糊里糊涂娶了她？” 黄梓瑕顿觉其中肯定有无数内幕，赶紧问：“为什么会被退婚？” 周子秦明知道此时街上空无一人，却还是要东张西望一下，看看周围确实没人，才低声凑到她的耳边，说：“她认识了教坊中一个男人，打得一手好羯鼓，被他迷得神魂颠倒，还亲手给对方做香囊，结果被人撞见，传了流言……唉，家丑不可外扬，你们可千万保密啊！” 黄梓瑕点点头，说：“那也没什么，不过一个香囊而已。” “总之我爹是差点气死了。我上头的哥哥们啊，如今个个在各大衙门任职，升迁平稳，可家中偏偏出了我和紫燕这样的不孝子女，真是家门不幸啊，哈哈哈……”
告别了周子秦，黄梓瑕和李舒白回到客栈。 天色已深，他们准备各自回房，只站在院子中略略聊了几句。 “接下来，你打算如何追查下去？” “在我们理出的几条线中，那个仆妇汤珠娘已死。殉情案发之后，我们要找她，她便立即死了，想必其中定有问题。明日应遣人立即前往汉州，寻访与她熟悉的相关人等，看看是不是能从她日常的蛛丝马迹中找出点什么，破解凶手杀害她的原因。” 李舒白点头，又说：“以前在使君府做事的人，基本都还在，但却并无异常，看来没人能从你家血案之中获利。鸩毒的来源与下毒的人，查起来范围必定又要加大，难度不小。” 黄梓瑕点头，抬头望着墨蓝色的夜空。斜月当空，银河低垂，一空星子明灿若珠。 这成都府的深夜，与她当初出逃那一夜，一模一样。 家人去世的那一日，她被诬陷为凶手，仓皇逃出成都府。那时长空星月的光华暗淡，她看不见自己的前路，唯有一意北上，希望能在京城抓住一线渺茫的机会，为家人和自己申冤。 但其实，那时她心中，是深埋着绝望的。她并不信自己真能找到愿意帮助自己的人，也曾在幽暗的山路之上茫然流离，以为自己的人生将会就此埋葬在黑暗中。 谁知如今，她竟能在身旁这个人的帮助下，再次返回成都，追寻真相。 她的目光转向李舒白，看着他沉默的侧面。微垂的睫毛覆住他的眼睛，轻抿的唇角始终勾勒冷淡的线条，然而只有黄梓瑕知道，在他这冰冷的表面之下，隐藏着的那些不为人知的东西。 不然，在她狼狈不堪地被他从马车座下拖出后，明明可以将她毫不留情驱逐出去的他，为什么会愿意接受她的交换，带她到成都追寻真相呢？ 他仿佛也感觉到了她的注视，目光微微一转，看向她这边。 两人的目光不偏不倚相接了。 黄梓瑕看见他幽深不可见底的目光，只觉得那目光直直撞入自己的胸口最深处，让胸膛中那颗心跳得急剧无比。 “早点休息吧，明日我们要寻访的范围，可能会比较大，你可要注意寝食。”李舒白轻声嘱咐她。 “嗯，王爷也是。”她点头。 两人正要各自回房之际，外面忽然传来砰砰的声音，是有人乱拍外面大门，在这样的深更半夜，几乎惊起了半条街的人。 店小二和衣睡在柜台内，正是睡梦香甜流口水的时候，被门外人打断了好睡，端了一盏油灯就要出去骂娘。谁知灯光一照到外面，他顿时什么声儿都起不来了，只讪笑着问：“客官，您住店？” 那人声音嘶哑，焦急说道：“我这朋友受伤了，你赶紧给开一间房吧！” 黄梓瑕听这声音熟悉，赶紧往外走。李舒白亦陪她走出，说：“张行英怎会带人半夜投宿这边？” 只见外面店堂一灯如豆，照在刚进门口的张行英身上。他紧搂着一个衣衫破烂的人，面色焦急，脸带血瘀。 他身材十分高大，又是这般可怕模样，难怪小二压根儿不敢阻止他，只赔着小心劝他：“这位客官，看你朋友受伤很重啊，我看你还是找医馆去吧。” “医馆……哪里有医馆？”他问。 小二还没来得及回答，李舒白已经低声叫了出来：“景毓。”