Chapter 13 Thirteen, the gap between clouds and mud
It is said that the sunset travels a thousand miles.The brilliant sunset of the previous day made the weather of the second day extremely fine. The sun had just risen, and Chang'an was already very hot.
Huang Zixia put on a middle coat, and put on a thin crimson gauze dress, feeling that she was already sweating all over.It's okay to stay still in the palace, but if you move, you'll be covered in sweat.
However, the case at the Princess Mansion is not over yet, and she still has to go out and run around.
As soon as he arrived at the gate of the palace, Zhou Ziqin had already led the horse "Xiao Xia" and was waiting for her at the gate, holding four steaming pancakes in his hands.
When he saw her, he stood up quickly, and handed the lotus leaves wrapped with steamed cakes in front of her: "Chonggu, come, two per person."
"I just ate." But because of the rush in the morning, she only ate a piece of rouge steamed cake, so she took one and ate it while walking on the horse with him.
"I knew you were perfunctory with your words yesterday. If I hadn't blocked you at the gate today, you would have gone to investigate alone!" Zhou Ziqin pouted and condemned her.
Huang Zixia comforted him casually: "How could it be, in fact, I wanted to find you."
"Really?" Zhou Ziqin believed it immediately, "Brother, show loyalty! Tell me, where are you going today? Will there be any corpses for me to show off?"
"It's better not," Huang Zixia gave him a sideways glance, "We're going to Brother Zhang's house."
"Ah!" Zhou Ziqin almost fell off his horse, "Why did you go to Brother Zhang's house?"
"Didn't you go to Dali Temple yesterday? The painting at Brother Zhang's house is gone."
"That painting? You mean the one with the three dead people on it?" Zhou Ziqin couldn't even hold the steamed cakes, and he was so excited, "Could it be that the painting is really related to what happened? What is the connection? Why is the scene in the painting so similar to the case? Will Brother Zhang be in trouble? What will Zuo Jinwuwei do? What will Dicui do if something happens to Brother Zhang?"
"Eat your cake first." Huang Zixia ended all his questions with one sentence, and raised his hand to pat the sand, urging it to quicken its pace.
After crossing half of Chang'an City from east to west, they came to Zhang Xingying's house.
It was still early, and the women in the shop were fetching water, discussing: "Hey, those people should be from the government yesterday, right? Why did so many come all of a sudden?"
"I heard that it's the second child of the Zhang family who committed another crime."
"No way, that kid looks quite honest, why has accidents happened all the time recently, he was either kicked out of King Kui's mansion, or kicked out by Zuo Jinwuwei, and now even the government is here to investigate him, this is really... before I really can’t see that he is such a person!”
Zhou Ziqin couldn't believe it, jumped off the horse and asked the man: "What? Who said that Brother Zhang was expelled by Zuo Jinwuwei? How is it possible?"
As soon as the middle-aged woman saw him get off the horse and question him, she immediately panicked: "Isn't it? People from the government went to his house to investigate thoroughly, and he didn't go out today, didn't he get driven back?"
Huang Zixia frowned and said, "Zi Qin, don't argue with these strangers."
Zhou Ziqin had no choice but to drag "Xiao Xia" to Zhang Xingying's house resentfully.Huang Zixia also got off the horse, and the two came to the door of Zhang Xingying's house, and were about to knock on the door, but saw a woman running out from inside, almost bumping into them.
Zhang Xingying's voice came from behind: "Adi! Where are you going!"
Huang Zixia immediately raised her hand, grabbed the arm of the woman who ran out, and pulled her back.
The woman's face was pale and bleak, her hair was tied up tightly by a wooden hairpin, she was wearing a green dress with narrow sleeves, and a pair of green shoes embroidered with hibiscus flowers on her feet, she was Dicui.
She was held back by Huang Zixia, unable to shake off her hand, and tremblingly called "Eunuch Yang", tears fell down.
Huang Zixia hurriedly asked: "What's the matter? Are you having trouble with Brother Zhang?"
Dicui shook her head desperately, but said nothing.
Zhang Xingying had already run out, and said helplessly, "Ah Di, don't mess around, this matter... this matter has nothing to do with you."
Huang Zixia gave Zhou Ziqin a "calm" look, then pulled Dicui back and asked softly, "What happened, can you tell us in detail? If we can help you, we will do our best." .It’s really not possible, at least there are more people who can help you with ideas, right?”
Dicui just covered her face and wept without speaking.
Zhang Xingying said helplessly: "She... well, for some reason, she stood in the yard all night last night. I saw her when I got up in the morning, and asked her what happened, but she talked nonsense, saying that I had a bright future. , it was all caused by her... by her, she said that she could not drag me down anymore, but... actually said that she was going to leave!"
Huang Zixia didn't have time to say anything, only heard Di Cui's trembling voice, saying intermittently: "Second brother Zhang, I... I am indeed an ominous person, and you being with me... is a lot of disasters! My father said it long ago , I was born to be a disaster star, I killed my mother when I was born, and then... I ended up in that kind of situation, I am no longer a person who should not live in this world..."
"Don't talk nonsense!" Zhang Xingying hurriedly interrupted her. He looked around, but fortunately there was no one there, so he quickly grabbed her arm, pulled her back into the courtyard, and closed the door.
"I... I'm not talking nonsense..." Dicui burst into tears, almost wailing and shouted at Huang Zixia and the others, "Do you know who I am? I'm Lu Dicui! It's the people in Chang'an who are laughing, That woman everyone is talking about! The whole world knows that I was insulted by Sun Manzi, and that I deserve to die in the wilderness! I shouldn't be living here, and I shouldn't be a drag on Second Brother Zhang!"
"Adi!" Zhang Xingying rushed up, hugged her tightly, covered her mouth, and stopped her from speaking.
However, despite being hugged by Zhang Xingying and being forced to stop the screams of collapse, there are still big tears rolling down in Dicui's eyes, which are full of despair, just like her whole body, it is depressing sigh.
Huang Zixia stood up, walked to Di Cui, and said in a low voice: "Miss Adi, I know that we came to investigate this matter and caused you uneasiness, but in fact we two did not have any malicious intentions, please rest assured. Zhang The second elder brother is our best friend. He has helped me a lot before. I know that he is a very upright person. He was involved in this case only because a few of the thousands of clues involved him. We just came here to ask questions as usual, you don't have to worry, we will leave after we finish the questioning."
Di Cui was still staring at her, the expression on her face showed that she didn't listen to what Huang Zixia said at all.
Huang Zixia had no choice but to sigh, and said, "Second brother Zhang, let go of Miss Adi first, we will leave after asking a few words."
Zhang Xingying supported Di Cui to sit at the table, and whispered to her: "Just wait a moment, it will be fine in a while."
Huang Zixia signaled Zhang Xingying to sit down at the stone table, and asked, "What did the people in Dali Temple say yesterday? What did the Zuojin Wuwei say?"
Zhang Xingying looked confused, rubbed his hands and said: "Yesterday afternoon, I was still at the Zuo Jinwu Guard, and suddenly people from Dali Temple came to me, saying that they wanted to borrow a painting in my house that was said to be the late emperor's imperial brush. I was very strange at the time." I thought to myself that my family has kept this painting properly and never mentioned it to others. How could people in Dali Temple know about it. But since they said so, I took them home and asked them to wait downstairs and go upstairs by themselves Go to open the cabinet where the painting has been kept... As a result, I took the key to open the cabinet and saw that the painting was gone!"
"Disappeared?" Zhou Ziqin exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes, the painting that had been safely placed in the cabinet of my house for more than ten years has disappeared! I was in a hurry, so I quickly asked my father, and my father was also in a hurry. I searched downstairs, but I couldn't find it. I had no choice but to tell the people in Dali Temple that the painting was missing. The people in Dali Temple didn't believe it. If I can't hand it over, no one can take this responsibility. I know that Dali Temple will also have to explain to the superiors, but the painting has indeed disappeared from my house. People said, I was involved in the case, and it was the two murder cases and the concubine's injury case. Do you think this matter can still make a big splash? Zuo Jinwuwei asked me to deal with this matter first, and before that, I don't need to go to Zuojinwuwei to order It's gone."
Zhou Ziqin turned his head in surprise and asked Huang Zixia: "Guess...who is that bastard who asked Dali Temple to paint by name? Could it be...Princess Tongchang?"
Huang Zixia raised her forehead, of course she knew that "that bastard" was Li Shubai, and he probably just said a word to Dali Temple, but Dali Temple mobilized people and caused such a big disturbance.
But seeing what Zhou Ziqin said, she had no choice but to say: "I think...it's unlikely, after all, how could Princess Tongchang know that there is such a painting in Brother Zhang's house?"
"Besides, what does it matter if there is such a painting? This painting was painted by the first emperor, not Zhang Erge, right?" Zhou Ziqin patted the table confidently and stood up, "No! I have to Go to Wang Yun for comment!"
Huang Zixia almost fell under his jumping thinking: "What's the matter with Wang Yun again?"
"Wang Yun wants to take care of the Zuo Jin Wuwei! Dali Temple troubles the people under him, how can he not stand up for Brother Zhang? Besides, isn't it just a lost painting? It's his own painting, and It’s not from Dali Temple, according to which law does Dali Temple force Second Brother Zhang to find out? Which law does Zuojin Wuwei allow Second Brother Zhang to find at home and then go to Yingmao?”
Huang Zixia gave him a helpless look: "When the government investigates the case, no matter whether it is a prince, minister or ordinary people, they must cooperate. The painting of Zhang Erge may be related to the case, so even if Dali Temple asks him to look for it immediately, it is reasonable."
Zhou Ziqin was immediately discouraged, and lay down on the table with a helpless expression on his face: "Actually, I also know...just to complain about Second Brother Zhang! It was so easy for Second Brother Zhang to enter the Zuo Jinwu Guard, and we haven't returned to Duanrui Hall to complain to that The arrogant old man showing off the medicine, why did this kind of shit happen again? I said Brother Zhang, do you need to go to the temple to burn incense recently, why do you always seem to be unlucky..."
Before he finished speaking, Huang Zixia gave him a hard look.Zhou Ziqin saw the tears in Dicui's eyes rolling down again at a glance, and quickly raised his hand to give himself a cheek, and stopped talking.
Huang Zixia stood up: "Let's take a look at the cabinet where your paintings are stored first."
Zhang Xingying hurriedly said, "Okay."
Several people stood up, entered the inner hall, and walked up the stairs to the second floor.
The cabinet where the paintings were placed was at the entrance of the stairs, and there was a rusty lock hanging on the cabinet. Zhang Xingying opened the cabinet next to it, and there were messy things piled up inside, including wooden boxes, grasshopper cages, dry chimneys and so on.
Zhang Xingying poured out a key from the pipe and opened the cabinet to show them.
There were also a lot of things inside, a few bolts of cloth, more than half a string of money, and some scattered medicinal materials underneath, and a long wooden box for scrolls, but there was nothing in it.
Zhang Xingying pointed to the wooden box and said, "When the people from Dali Temple came over, I opened the cabinet, and that's it."
Huang Zixia looked at the neat things, and asked again: "When was the painting stolen? Are there any other things lost?"
"I don't know. I put it away after I showed it to you that day, and I never opened the cabinet again. I didn't lose anything else in the cabinet. Even the box was covered as it was, but the picture was missing. painting."
Huang Zixia frowned, sighed, motioned for him to lock the cabinet, and said, "Second brother Zhang, I understand."
Zhang Xingying's eyes widened in astonishment, and he asked, "What? You already know where my paintings are?"
"I think, maybe in the afternoon or tomorrow, it will come back by itself." Her eyes fell on Di Cui, and when she saw that she was avoiding her gaze stiffly, she whispered again, "I think, Zhang Second brother, you are such a good person, even a woman in distress who fainted on the mountain will be taken home to help; you are honest and honest, and you don’t care about the past of the people around you; you treat everyone with heart and soul, I think, you The people around you will definitely appreciate your kindness, and God will help you and let that painting come back as soon as possible—otherwise, the person who stole the painting may lose his most precious thing, and at the same time, he will be punished by his conscience. condemn."
Zhang Xingying was puzzled, and only asked: "You mean, I don't need to look for it, and the painting will come back by itself?"
"Well, I think so."
Huang Zixia said, then turned and went downstairs, only said: "This painting will be like this first, and I will ask you about the rest."
Zhou Ziqin was in a hurry, and hurriedly asked: "Chonggu, what about the troubles on Brother Zhang's side? What about Dali Temple? On the side of Zuojin Wuwei Wang Yun, you go to say good things, or I will deal with it? Are you just going to deal with it? Is it true to see Second Brother Zhang getting into trouble like this, and Duan Ruitang is going to be exploited and squeezed?"
Huang Zixia didn't even look at him, and just said: "Ziqin, this painting is just one of our reasons for coming, in fact, I have more important things to ask Brother Zhang, take out this book first, and write it down carefully. "
"Okay..." Zhou Ziqin immediately obediently took out the pen and ink from the backpack on the horse.
"Second Brother Zhang, I currently have three cases related to the Princess Mansion." Huang Zixia got straight to the point, sat opposite him, and ignored his unease, just said: "The first case is the case of Wei Ximin, the eunuch of the princess mansion, who was burned to death in Jianfu Temple. At that time, Brother Zhang, you were in the temple, and When the candle exploded and burned Wei Ximin, you were near him." Zhang Xingying tightened her jaw and reluctantly nodded. "The second one is on the Zuo Jin Wu Guard's racecourse, the Juju competition. The son-in-law Wei Baoheng was injured when he fell off the horse, and you were on the field, competing with him." Zhang Xingying nodded again, but did not speak. "The third one is the death of Sun Laizi. It is estimated that the time of his death was around noon, and at that time, you were in Daningfang——just happened to be seen by some old women in the corner." Zhou Ziqin, who had been writing vigorously, finally stopped writing at this time, and looked at Zhang Xingying in disbelief. Zhang Xingying opened his mouth, and finally said: "I... I don't know why it's such a coincidence... In fact, I went to Daningfang, and I didn't... do anything, really! I heard people in the capital joke that Sun Laizi locked himself in an iron bucket, so I went to see Sun Laizi's house..." "You braved the midday sun and walked across the entire city of Chang'an from west to east just to catch a glimpse of Sun Laizi's joke?" Huang Zixia asked coldly. Zhang Xingying was obviously fooled by her indifferent expression, he didn't expect Huang Zixia to cross-examine him like this all of a sudden.After being stunned for a long time, he gritted his teeth and said, "I...was carrying a knife with me." Zhou Ziqin was at a loss, still holding his pen in a daze, Huang Zixia glanced at him, he quickly lowered his head, and quickly wrote down what Zhang Xingying said on the paper. "I was going to kill Sun Laizi, but when I got there at noon, I found that Sun Laizi's house was really tight, like an iron bucket, and I had no way to get in... So, I had nothing to do. Do it, come back again." "Why are you looking for Sun Laizi?" "Because, in the chaos at Jianfu Temple... When Di Cui's veiled hat was squeezed out, I protected her, and was pushed to the wall by the crowd. I raised my hands to protect her in my arms , the two of us stayed there... But at this moment, Sun Laizi, he was also in Jianfu Temple, and he was crowded beside us by the crowd..." Zhang Xingying murmured, with a twitch in his eyes. A flame that has never been seen before, at this moment, this man who has always been simple and generous, revealed the resentment hidden in his heart, making them realize that no matter how heroic and upright a person is, there are people who desperately want to kill their enemies when. Dicui's hands were tightly clenched into fists, pressed against her chest, breathing hard.She had shed too many tears and her eyes were already red and swollen. At this moment, she could only close her eyes forcefully and suppress her sobbing with the greatest strength. "Sun Laizi... saw Adi, and saw her being protected by me..." Zhang Xingying's chest rose and fell sharply, and he could hardly speak because of his anger, "He looked into Adi's eyes like a poisonous snake... ...he looked at us, and suddenly laughed, triumphantly...he said, he said..." Zhang Xingying finally couldn't continue speaking, he lowered his head, clenched his teeth, the lines on his face almost looked ferocious. "He said, Mr. Lame, there are still people who pick up my worn-out shoes and wear them." Dicui's voice was extremely low, hoarse and dry, but finally she spoke out. In her red eyes, there were bloodshots, and her eyes were so wide, as if she was standing in front of that mangy grandson, and she could not wait to pounce on him, and would only be willing to cut off his whole body piece by piece. Huang Zixia only felt that there was a scorching fire on her forehead, which made her whole body burn in this hot weather. She wished that she was in the Jianfu Temple and grabbed Sun Laizi directly and beat him to death. Step into the mud. Zhou Ziqin threw the pen on the table beside her, and cursed in a low voice: "You bastard! Look at me tearing him to pieces!" Huang Zixia took a deep breath, forced herself to suppress the anger in her heart, and reminded Zhou Ziqin in a low voice: "Ziqin, remember well, don't be distracted." Zhou Ziqin picked up the pen depressedly, and said, "Chonggu, I really admire you for being able to bear it." "When investigating a case, it's most taboo to put yourself in. Always be a bystander. Only by jumping outside can you see the situation clearly," she said, and then she said to Zhang Xingying and Di Cui, "Calm down, this grandson... is naturally a beast. I wonder how Brother Zhang reacted at that time?" Zhang Xingying gritted her teeth and said, "I wished I could go up and beat him to death! Unfortunately, the temple was chaotic and crowded, and I couldn't get close to him. I could only watch him leave with a smug smile!" Huang Zixia turned to ask Di Cui: "Brother Zhang was so angry at that time, did you feel it?" Di Cui shook her head slowly, pressed her throbbing temples hard, and said with difficulty: "At that time... I just felt that I was dead, I couldn't see anything, I couldn't hear anything, what did Brother Zhang do... I almost didn't feel anything .Later, Second Brother Zhang helped me all the way back...I don't even know how I got back all the way..." "But at that time, Brother Zhang, you already knew Adi's true identity, and what happened to her, and even more so, that her misfortune was not only due to Sun Laizi, but also because of Wei Ximin, right?" Facing Huang Zixia's question, Zhang Xingying froze for a moment, unable to speak. Zhou Ziqin hurriedly said: "Second brother Zhang told me last time that he didn't know about Dicui before, and the reason for the Princess Mansion was in it." "Second brother Zhang is lying, isn't he?" Huang Zixia got up and went to the small cage on Na Fusha's body to take out the materials of Dali Temple, took out one inside, and showed them. "Second brother Zhang, you told Ziqin that when Wei Ximin was burned to death, you didn't know that he was Wei Ximin, and you didn't see how Wei Ximin was burned at that time—right?" Zhang Xingying nodded silently and did not speak. "However, unfortunately, the people of Dali Temple happened to find out a trivial matter in the princess mansion - a few days before Jianfu Temple, the pills that the princess had been taking were almost exhausted, and the ingredients for the medicine were from the Tai Hospital. It just so happened that there was a lack of one flavor. Therefore, Wei Ximin, the smartest eunuch around the princess, went to several big pharmacies in the capital to find that herb for the princess—and when he returned home, he told others that all the pharmacies in the capital now Among them, Duanruitang can be regarded as the first, the vast medicine drying field, and the guys who turn the medicinal materials are really unmatched by other houses." Zhang Xingying sat there, motionless, even his eyes were fixed on the stone table without turning. "The great eunuch of Tongchang Princess' Mansion came to look for medicine in person, and watched you dig through the medicinal materials. Don't you remember? Don't you know who he is from the Princess Mansion if you ask, or others take the initiative to tell you?" ?” Zhou Ziqin looked at Zhang Xingying in astonishment, his face wrinkled like a sun-dried date: "Second brother Zhang, you are so honest and honest...you can lie to me?" "More than that," Huang Zixia looked at Zhang Xingying motionlessly, and said, "Second brother Zhang, you already knew that Wei Ximin was one of the instigators who caused Di Cui to be so miserable, didn't you?" "Yes... I lied to you," Zhang Xingying finally said, with a hoarse and dry voice, and said slowly and with great difficulty, "I knew Adi's true identity a long time ago. So I went to Lu's Incense Candle Shop to take a peek, thinking Do you want to tell Adi's father that his daughter is at my house now and she is not dead..." As a result, when he passed by, he found that several people had entered with rather heavy packages, among them was Wei Ximin, the eunuch of the princess mansion whom he had met once. People from the Princess Mansion have not come out for a long time. He heard a word or two mentioning "Dicui" in the corner, and finally couldn't help it. He quietly walked to the window, put his ear against the wall, and eavesdropped the words said. He first heard Wei Ximin say arrogantly: "Old man Lu, Dicui offended the princess first, so I ordered someone to beat her up. But who knew that she passed out after a few blows. It is impossible to keep people in there to recuperate, so of course they are thrown out. What does it have to do with us when we encounter that kind of thing? I will put the words here today. It’s just that your daughter’s life is not good for this kind of thing. Originally, it had nothing to do with the Princess Mansion! Now the princess and the son-in-law are only rewarding you because they feel sorry for you, lest you spread nonsense outside and ruin the reputation of the Princess Mansion, do you know that?" There was the sound of Lu Zhiyuan pulling the money in the house, and then his slow voice: "Don't worry, father-in-law, my daughter has already taken the rope I gave her, and she has gone to find a quiet place by herself, and she will never Appear in front of you again." "It's good for you to know for yourself." Wei Ximin left a sentence, turned around and walked out with a few eunuchs. Zhang Xingying huddled under the window, listening to them spurn as they walked: "This old bastard, I can't live for a few years, it's easy to take money, and I don't care if I still have life!" "That is, I don't have any sons or daughters. If I die in the future, who will I leave the money to?" "Hey, you're afraid that he won't be able to spend that little money!" Zhang Xingying was talking about the situation that day, dazed for a while, his eyes fell on Di Cui's face again, and said softly: "Adi, you are fine now, all the people who caused your misfortune are dead... From now on, you will be able to Had a great time." Dicui looked at him with open red eyes, without saying a word. Zhou Ziqin couldn't believe it, and asked in a trembling voice: "Second brother Zhang, could it be... Could it be that you are really the murderer?" Zhang Xingying shook her head, and argued: "It's not me, I really wanted to kill them, but I didn't find the opportunity." Huang Zixia looked at the two people sitting in front of him, one was a tall and upright man, the other was a delicate and capable woman, they were originally such a good couple, but who would have thought that there would be more bitter rain and wind between them, Ups and downs? She sighed, signaled Zhou Ziqin to put away the record, and said, "Second brother Zhang, I hope you didn't lie to us this time. I hope we won't continue to find evidence of your crime." Zhang Xingying stood up, lowered her head and said nothing.His tall and straight body seemed a little stooped at this moment, as if the weight on his body had overwhelmed him, and involuntarily, he could no longer be as vigorous as before. Huang Zixia's eyes fell on Dicui again, and she said as if sighing softly: "I hope that painting will appear soon. Hand it over to Dali Temple as soon as possible, and one thing will be settled."
After leaving the Zhang family, Huang Zixia remained silent.And Zhou Ziqin, who had been living happily for the past twenty years, also closed his mouth uncharacteristically. He rode Xiaoxia behind her Fusha, and walked eastward with her.When she bypassed Liquanfang and entered the West Market, he asked, "Where are we going?" Huang Zixia said: "Go to the owner of Qianji Chariot and Horse Shop, Qian Guansuo." Qianji Chariot and Horse Shop occupies a large frontage in West Market, and you can see it as soon as you enter.The bigger one is at the back of the store, with a yard and several rows of stables.The short and fat owner, Qian Guansuo, was smugly pacing among the stables, looking at this horse and patting that one, his face gleaming with joy. "Boss Qian." Huang Zixia greeted him. The light of joy faded away immediately, Qian Guansuo's face showed a kind of polite surprise mixed with embarrassment and scene: "Oh, Eunuch Yang! Eunuch Yang, you are so far behind, I really neglected you!" "Why, I didn't want to alarm Boss Qian, so I came in to see the horse without being notified." Huang Zixia said, handing his horse to the groom casually. When Qian Guansuo saw Fusha, his eyes lit up immediately, and he hurried up to feel it again and again, and said, "What a good horse, what a good horse... For so many years, none of the horses I have handled can match the horse." This horse is on par! Father-in-law, where did you get it?" "Oh... the original owner of the horse thought it was too mild-tempered, so I will ride it for now," Huang Zixia said, and then said, "Boss Qian, don't worry about the horse. I'm here today because I have something to ask you .” "Oh, don't dare to be that, don't dare to be, father-in-law, if you have something to ask me, I will know everything!" He said while still looking at the horse with envy. Zhou Ziqin held his own little Xia depressed, and tied it beside Fusha to graze together.As soon as Boss Qian saw him, he quickly bowed his hands to him: "Young Master Zhou! You are so splendid when you come to our small shop! I have admired you for a long time!" "You know me?" Zhou Ziqin asked. "You're joking, is there anyone in Chang'an who doesn't know you?" Huang Zixia looked at Zhou Ziqin's clothes today.The peacock blue silk shirt, the bright orange belt, the brown-red shoes, and the trinkets and pendants that still hang all over the body—this is the only one in Chang’an City. Zhou Ziqin bowed his hand to him: "Boss Qian, I have admired your name for a long time. I heard that you are the number one money-maker in the capital. It is a legend to have such a large net worth within ten years." "It's all thanks to everyone." He smiled and took them into the house, sat down on a thick Persian felt blanket, and ordered someone to make tea before asking, "I don't know why you two are here. Huh? Does the Kui Palace need a small service, or is there any order from the yamen of the Ministry of Punishment?" "To be honest, we have been transferred by Dali Temple at the same time, and we are investigating several cases related to the Princess Mansion." Huang Zixia said straight to the point. The fat on Qian Guansuo's face trembled, with a look of angina on his face: "Eunuch Yang, the little one has already confessed to you last time, the little one and the son-in-law have really met those three times, really! As for the princess, I swear to God, without that blessing, I never even saw her!" "I'm not here this time to ask about the son-in-law." Huang Zixia held the freshly brewed tea and looked at him through the steam, "I want to ask Boss Qian about your... daughter ten years ago .” The trembling fat on Qian Guansuo's face stopped, and he stood there for a long time before he sighed and sat down, looking like a pile of fat flowing on the carpet: "Eunuch Yang , my daughter... well, I don't know why you suddenly asked about the incident ten years ago." "I heard, Boss Qian, when you fled from your hometown with your family, you were once penniless, living on the streets and almost starved to death. And the first money you made was because of..." "It's because I sold my daughter." He interrupted her with a weak voice, "Oh, although I'm ashamed to say it, but now that my father-in-law knows it, I'll tell you about it. Ten years ago, when the Yellow River diverted, we There was a flood in my hometown, and the houses and fields were flooded. I thought there was no way to survive, so I took my wife, daughter and two sons and went to the capital. As a result, my wife fell ill and died on the way, so I could only carelessly by the side of the road Dig a hole and bury her——later, after I got rich, I went to the place where she was buried several times, but I couldn’t find where she was buried, alas..." Zhou Ziqin took out a pen and paper from his side and began to record with dedication. Seeing his record, Qian Guansuo hesitated for a moment, but continued to say: "After arriving in Chang'an, I stood on the street with my three children, and found that I had finished the calculation. Doing business? No capital; Doing hard work? Hungry along the way. I lost all my strength. So I could only take my three children to beg for food on the street. I was hungry and I was full. Seeing that this situation continued, I had to eat all the children. Until one day I dragged my children to beg for food at the street corner. , I saw an eunuch buying a court lady and eunuch, a child, with five coins! I looked at the three children and thought, if I sell one and get some money, maybe the other two children will have a way out. So I told Xing'er—my daughter——Xing'er, your two younger brothers are young, and the boy will grow up in the future, so we have to continue our family's incense, right? Or, you follow that father-in-law Let's go. Myolie was crying and hugging my leg but didn't let go. I didn't know what to do. I squatted down and hugged Myolie, and tears fell. I said, Myolie, you are a palace maid. Good clothes to wear and good food to eat, but if my younger brother enters the palace to be an eunuch, the penis below will be cut off. Tell me, can you let your younger brother suffer such a knife? You are a big sister, why are you like this? Are you ignorant?" Speaking of this, Qian Guansuo's tears also fell, a 40-year-old man whimpered, and the tears trickled down his fat face, which was indescribably funny, but neither Huang Zixia nor Zhou Ziqin laughed. , I just felt sore in my chest. "Hey, people are poor and short-sighted... Now that I think about it, I was an asshole to my daughter. In that kind of place, there are so many palace maids who die silently every year. If you throw them away and bury them on the mass grave, it's just a girl." It’s over. But at that time there was no way out, so I was counting on Xing’er to save us, so I said that, and I did that…” He lowered his head and said weakly, “I took the money from selling Xing’er, I started to sell fodder, and later I met a nobleman who told me to sell horses outside the customs. I was lucky. I started selling two or three horses, and then sold more than a dozen horses. Later, I became famous, and the court asked me to order several thousand horses at a time. I got rich suddenly, and I married a wife and a concubine again, thinking about having another daughter, but after so many years, my concubine gave me another son. I think God must be punishing I, in this life, it is impossible for me to have a daughter again..." Huang Zixia comforted him in a soft voice: "Boss Qian, at least God made it happen. You are also lucky to find your daughter in the Princess Mansion." "Yes, but Myolie still refuses to forgive me..." he lamented, "I secretly went to see her at the Princess Mansion, but she didn't want to see me, so she gave me the birthmark on her hand through the screen." Take a look, her face has never been exposed. I gave her some food, and she gave me some things in return... But she just refused to meet me, saying that she died the moment she was sold. I swear, I will never see my face again." He slumped his shoulders in frustration, shook his head and said, "In this life, if I know that my daughter is still alive and can say a few words, I will be considered lucky." Now, even Zhou Ziqin couldn't help asking: "How do you know...the person talking to you through the screen must be your daughter?" "Of course it is! The shape of the birthmark on her arm is exactly the same as the one on my daughter's arm back then, and the pink and blue color is also exactly the same! If it wasn't her, who else could it be?" Qian Guansuo resolutely Shaking his head, defending the fact that he recognized his daughter again, "Besides, what's the good of pretending to be my daughter? I just send her some food, which is worthless at all. The only time she asked me for something, she just said to me, Is there that kind of little porcelain dog in the market outside? She used to like it very much, but it was thrown away. I hurried to buy one, and gave it to her when I went to find her for the second time, and she also gave me one in return A small box. I didn't pay much attention to it, but when I opened it... Oh, it really shocked me." Qian Guansuo seemed very annoyed that they questioned his daughter, so he stood up and went to the inner room while he was speaking, and after opening and closing the lock for a long time, he took out a small box and put it in front of them with a showy look: " You see, my daughter gave it to me." This box is made of red sandalwood, with delicate flower branches carved on it, which is already extraordinary.When the box was opened, both Huang Zixia and Zhou Ziqin couldn't help being stunned. Inside is a golden toad the size of half a palm, made of pure gold, squatting on a lotus leaf of emerald jade.The small bumps on the toad's body are gemstones of various colors, and the dewdrop on the lotus leaf is a round crystal, rolling around on the green lotus leaf, very cute. Qian Guansuo said proudly: "I was shocked at the time, so I quickly returned the box to my daughter and told her, Myolie, how could you just give me such a valuable thing? Guess what my daughter said She said that there are many such things in the princess mansion, and I gave them to her because the princess didn't like them, so I can keep them as I like. Then the maid who accompanied her also said, yes, this is a gift from the princess It doesn't matter if you take what you put down." 说着，钱关索又将盒子盖好，抱在怀里感叹道：“唉，知道杏儿现在过这样的富贵日子，公主对她又这么好，我就放心了！只盼着什么时候她能真正与我见一面，能叫我一声爹就好了。” 黄梓瑕和周子秦对望一眼，说：“是啊，这可真是不错。” 钱关索抱着盒子，一脸又心酸又欣慰的模样。 黄梓瑕又说：“还有点事情，要请教钱老板。” “杨公公请尽管说。”钱关索赶紧说。 “我听说，您给公主府管膳房的菖蒲送了一些零陵香？” “哦，是有这么回事，”钱关索点头，“杏儿是菖蒲帮我找到的，我怎么也得感谢她一下，对不对？” 黄梓瑕笑道：“钱老板果然高雅，普通人只会送财帛，哪会想到送零陵香呢？” “哎，菖蒲说了，与府外人私相授受财帛可是大罪。然后我从王府出来，刚好遇上吕至元。知道我找到女儿了，他也替我高兴啊……” 黄梓瑕微微一凛，问：“您也认识吕至元？” “是啊，我前年开始，也弄了个泥瓦班，专接帮人盖房子砌砖头的活儿。很多人盖房子时要砌个放蜡烛的壁龛，或者在墙上挂蜡烛座儿之类的，所以他也与我合作过。当初他女儿遭遇不幸的时候，我还劝过他，说起我女儿的事情，让他好生珍惜，不要再那么作贱女儿，可惜这固执老头儿不听，哎……” “那么吕至元跟您说什么呢？” “他啊，他知道我要找些东西感谢菖蒲，便对我说，女人肯定都喜欢花啊香啊之类的，刚好他的香烛店里新来了一批零陵香，这可是上好的，为了荐福寺那场佛会准备的，要是我要的话，匀一点给我也行。我听他这么说，觉得也不错，就答应了。第二天我去他店里拿了六两零陵香，给了菖蒲，按吕至元说的，教她每晚睡前燃香一两左右，安眠定神。” “那后来，公主府还有没有人找你索要过零陵香？” “你怎么知道的？”钱关索大为诧异，“后来过了六七天吧，公主府一个宦官魏喜敏忽然来找我，说我与厨娘菖蒲私相授受，要是我这回不多送些给他，他就要兴师问罪呢。我头痛不已，只好带他去吕至元家中，准备再买些给他。结果一见面，魏喜敏脸色就十分难看，一个劲儿催吕至元拿香给他，说自己还有事马上就要走了。吕至元偏偏还在里面翻个没完，我看那魏喜敏不是好惹的，赶紧找个借口先走了。” 黄梓瑕问：“那是哪一天？” “我想想啊……大约是……”钱关索挠头想了许久，说，“荐福寺佛会前一天。对，就是公主府有个宦官被烧死的那一次佛会的前一天。” “当时被烧死的宦官，正是这个魏喜敏，钱老板可知道？”黄梓瑕问。 “哎哟……这可真是……”钱关索大吃一惊，本来已经耸起来的肩，顿时又塌了下去，“两位贵人，我可说实话啊！这事跟我真没关系！我就把他带去了吕至元店里，然后就走了！你看，他的店铺离我又不远，我和那个魏公公，顶多只相处了那么一刻时间……要是，要是这事有啥问题，肯定是出在吕至元身上！” “那么，大宁坊孙癞子死的时候，你也凑巧在现场啊？” 钱关索哭丧着脸，点头道：“为这事，大理寺也传唤过一次的。可我进去的时候，孙癞子千真万确已经死了！死得都快发臭了！大理寺已经查清此事跟我没有任何关系，所以放我回来了……你说，我这运气……” 钱关索翻来覆去，无非又是念叨他如何如何晦气，周子秦实在懒得写了，把自己的记录本一合，看向黄梓瑕。 黄梓瑕便站起，向他拱手行礼：“钱老板，今日多有叨扰，还望您不要介意我们占用您许多时间。” “不会不会！欢迎二位常来啊……”他苦着一张脸说，“当然，下次要是不为大理寺的事情来就更好了。”
"Second Brother Zhang, I currently have three cases related to the Princess Mansion." Huang Zixia got straight to the point, sat opposite him, and ignored his unease, just said: "The first case is the case of Wei Ximin, the eunuch of the princess mansion, who was burned to death in Jianfu Temple. At that time, Brother Zhang, you were in the temple, and When the candle exploded and burned Wei Ximin, you were near him." Zhang Xingying tightened her jaw and reluctantly nodded. "The second one is on the Zuo Jin Wu Guard's racecourse, the Juju competition. The son-in-law Wei Baoheng was injured when he fell off the horse, and you were on the field, competing with him." Zhang Xingying nodded again, but did not speak. "The third one is the death of Sun Laizi. It is estimated that the time of his death was around noon, and at that time, you were in Daningfang——just happened to be seen by some old women in the corner." Zhou Ziqin, who had been writing vigorously, finally stopped writing at this time, and looked at Zhang Xingying in disbelief. Zhang Xingying opened his mouth, and finally said: "I... I don't know why it's such a coincidence... In fact, I went to Daningfang, and I didn't... do anything, really! I heard people in the capital joke that Sun Laizi locked himself in an iron bucket, so I went to see Sun Laizi's house..." "You braved the midday sun and walked across the entire city of Chang'an from west to east just to catch a glimpse of Sun Laizi's joke?" Huang Zixia asked coldly. Zhang Xingying was obviously fooled by her indifferent expression, he didn't expect Huang Zixia to cross-examine him like this all of a sudden.After being stunned for a long time, he gritted his teeth and said, "I...was carrying a knife with me." Zhou Ziqin was at a loss, still holding his pen in a daze, Huang Zixia glanced at him, he quickly lowered his head, and quickly wrote down what Zhang Xingying said on the paper. "I was going to kill Sun Laizi, but when I got there at noon, I found that Sun Laizi's house was really tight, like an iron bucket, and I had no way to get in... So, I had nothing to do. Do it, come back again." "Why are you looking for Sun Laizi?" "Because, in the chaos at Jianfu Temple... When Di Cui's veiled hat was squeezed out, I protected her, and was pushed to the wall by the crowd. I raised my hands to protect her in my arms , the two of us stayed there... But at this moment, Sun Laizi, he was also in Jianfu Temple, and he was crowded beside us by the crowd..." Zhang Xingying murmured, with a twitch in his eyes. A flame that has never been seen before, at this moment, this man who has always been simple and generous, revealed the resentment hidden in his heart, making them realize that no matter how heroic and upright a person is, there are people who desperately want to kill their enemies when. Dicui's hands were tightly clenched into fists, pressed against her chest, breathing hard.She had shed too many tears and her eyes were already red and swollen. At this moment, she could only close her eyes forcefully and suppress her sobbing with the greatest strength. "Sun Laizi... saw Adi, and saw her being protected by me..." Zhang Xingying's chest rose and fell sharply, and he could hardly speak because of his anger, "He looked into Adi's eyes like a poisonous snake... ...he looked at us, and suddenly laughed, triumphantly...he said, he said..." Zhang Xingying finally couldn't continue speaking, he lowered his head, clenched his teeth, the lines on his face almost looked ferocious. "He said, Mr. Lame, there are still people who pick up my worn-out shoes and wear them." Dicui's voice was extremely low, hoarse and dry, but finally she spoke out. In her red eyes, there were bloodshots, and her eyes were so wide, as if she was standing in front of that mangy grandson, and she could not wait to pounce on him, and would only be willing to cut off his whole body piece by piece. Huang Zixia only felt that there was a scorching fire on her forehead, which made her whole body burn in this hot weather. She wished that she was in the Jianfu Temple and grabbed Sun Laizi directly and beat him to death. Step into the mud. Zhou Ziqin threw the pen on the table beside her, and cursed in a low voice: "You bastard! Look at me tearing him to pieces!" Huang Zixia took a deep breath, forced herself to suppress the anger in her heart, and reminded Zhou Ziqin in a low voice: "Ziqin, remember well, don't be distracted." Zhou Ziqin picked up the pen depressedly, and said, "Chonggu, I really admire you for being able to bear it." "When investigating a case, it's most taboo to put yourself in. Always be a bystander. Only by jumping outside can you see the situation clearly," she said, and then she said to Zhang Xingying and Di Cui, "Calm down, this grandson... is naturally a beast. I wonder how Brother Zhang reacted at that time?" Zhang Xingying gritted her teeth and said, "I wished I could go up and beat him to death! Unfortunately, the temple was chaotic and crowded, and I couldn't get close to him. I could only watch him leave with a smug smile!" Huang Zixia turned to ask Di Cui: "Brother Zhang was so angry at that time, did you feel it?" Di Cui shook her head slowly, pressed her throbbing temples hard, and said with difficulty: "At that time... I just felt that I was dead, I couldn't see anything, I couldn't hear anything, what did Brother Zhang do... I almost didn't feel anything .Later, Second Brother Zhang helped me all the way back...I don't even know how I got back all the way..." "But at that time, Brother Zhang, you already knew Adi's true identity, and what happened to her, and even more so, that her misfortune was not only due to Sun Laizi, but also because of Wei Ximin, right?" Facing Huang Zixia's question, Zhang Xingying froze for a moment, unable to speak. Zhou Ziqin hurriedly said: "Second brother Zhang told me last time that he didn't know about Dicui before, and the reason for the Princess Mansion was in it." "Second brother Zhang is lying, isn't he?" Huang Zixia got up and went to the small cage on Na Fusha's body to take out the materials of Dali Temple, took out one inside, and showed them. "Second brother Zhang, you told Ziqin that when Wei Ximin was burned to death, you didn't know that he was Wei Ximin, and you didn't see how Wei Ximin was burned at that time—right?" Zhang Xingying nodded silently and did not speak. "However, unfortunately, the people of Dali Temple happened to find out a trivial matter in the princess mansion - a few days before Jianfu Temple, the pills that the princess had been taking were almost exhausted, and the ingredients for the medicine were from the Tai Hospital. It just so happened that there was a lack of one flavor. Therefore, Wei Ximin, the smartest eunuch around the princess, went to several big pharmacies in the capital to find that herb for the princess—and when he returned home, he told others that all the pharmacies in the capital now Among them, Duanruitang can be regarded as the first, the vast medicine drying field, and the guys who turn the medicinal materials are really unmatched by other houses." Zhang Xingying sat there, motionless, even his eyes were fixed on the stone table without turning. "The great eunuch of Tongchang Princess' Mansion came to look for medicine in person, and watched you dig through the medicinal materials. Don't you remember? Don't you know who he is from the Princess Mansion if you ask, or others take the initiative to tell you?" ?” Zhou Ziqin looked at Zhang Xingying in astonishment, his face wrinkled like a sun-dried date: "Second brother Zhang, you are so honest and honest...you can lie to me?" "More than that," Huang Zixia looked at Zhang Xingying motionlessly, and said, "Second brother Zhang, you already knew that Wei Ximin was one of the instigators who caused Di Cui to be so miserable, didn't you?" "Yes... I lied to you," Zhang Xingying finally said, with a hoarse and dry voice, and said slowly and with great difficulty, "I knew Adi's true identity a long time ago. So I went to Lu's Incense Candle Shop to take a peek, thinking Do you want to tell Adi's father that his daughter is at my house now and she is not dead..." As a result, when he passed by, he found that several people had entered with rather heavy packages, among them was Wei Ximin, the eunuch of the princess mansion whom he had met once. People from the Princess Mansion have not come out for a long time. He heard a word or two mentioning "Dicui" in the corner, and finally couldn't help it. He quietly walked to the window, put his ear against the wall, and eavesdropped the words said. He first heard Wei Ximin say arrogantly: "Old man Lu, Dicui offended the princess first, so I ordered someone to beat her up. But who knew that she passed out after a few blows. It is impossible to keep people in there to recuperate, so of course they are thrown out. What does it have to do with us when we encounter that kind of thing? I will put the words here today. It’s just that your daughter’s life is not good for this kind of thing. Originally, it had nothing to do with the Princess Mansion! Now the princess and the son-in-law are only rewarding you because they feel sorry for you, lest you spread nonsense outside and ruin the reputation of the Princess Mansion, do you know that?" There was the sound of Lu Zhiyuan pulling the money in the house, and then his slow voice: "Don't worry, father-in-law, my daughter has already taken the rope I gave her, and she has gone to find a quiet place by herself, and she will never Appear in front of you again." "It's good for you to know for yourself." Wei Ximin left a sentence, turned around and walked out with a few eunuchs. Zhang Xingying huddled under the window, listening to them spurn as they walked: "This old bastard, I can't live for a few years, it's easy to take money, and I don't care if I still have life!" "That is, I don't have any sons or daughters. If I die in the future, who will I leave the money to?" "Hey, you're afraid that he won't be able to spend that little money!" Zhang Xingying was talking about the situation that day, dazed for a while, his eyes fell on Di Cui's face again, and said softly: "Adi, you are fine now, all the people who caused your misfortune are dead... From now on, you will be able to Had a great time." Dicui looked at him with open red eyes, without saying a word. Zhou Ziqin couldn't believe it, and asked in a trembling voice: "Second brother Zhang, could it be... Could it be that you are really the murderer?" Zhang Xingying shook her head, and argued: "It's not me, I really wanted to kill them, but I didn't find the opportunity." Huang Zixia looked at the two people sitting in front of him, one was a tall and upright man, the other was a delicate and capable woman, they were originally such a good couple, but who would have thought that there would be more bitter rain and wind between them, Ups and downs? She sighed, signaled Zhou Ziqin to put away the record, and said, "Second brother Zhang, I hope you didn't lie to us this time. I hope we won't continue to find evidence of your crime." Zhang Xingying stood up, lowered her head and said nothing.His tall and straight body seemed a little stooped at this moment, as if the weight on his body had overwhelmed him, and involuntarily, he could no longer be as vigorous as before. Huang Zixia's eyes fell on Dicui again, and she said as if sighing softly: "I hope that painting will appear soon. Hand it over to Dali Temple as soon as possible, and one thing will be settled."
After leaving the Zhang family, Huang Zixia remained silent.And Zhou Ziqin, who had been living happily for the past twenty years, also closed his mouth uncharacteristically. He rode Xiaoxia behind her Fusha, and walked eastward with her.When she bypassed Liquanfang and entered the West Market, he asked, "Where are we going?" Huang Zixia said: "Go to the owner of Qianji Chariot and Horse Shop, Qian Guansuo." Qianji Chariot and Horse Shop occupies a large frontage in West Market, and you can see it as soon as you enter.The bigger one is at the back of the store, with a yard and several rows of stables.The short and fat owner, Qian Guansuo, was smugly pacing among the stables, looking at this horse and patting that one, his face gleaming with joy. "Boss Qian." Huang Zixia greeted him. The light of joy faded away immediately, Qian Guansuo's face showed a kind of polite surprise mixed with embarrassment and scene: "Oh, Eunuch Yang! Eunuch Yang, you are so far behind, I really neglected you!" "Why, I didn't want to alarm Boss Qian, so I came in to see the horse without being notified." Huang Zixia said, handing his horse to the groom casually. When Qian Guansuo saw Fusha, his eyes lit up immediately, and he hurried up to feel it again and again, and said, "What a good horse, what a good horse... For so many years, none of the horses I have handled can match the horse." This horse is on par! Father-in-law, where did you get it?" "Oh... the original owner of the horse thought it was too mild-tempered, so I will ride it for now," Huang Zixia said, and then said, "Boss Qian, don't worry about the horse. I'm here today because I have something to ask you .” "Oh, don't dare to be that, don't dare to be, father-in-law, if you have something to ask me, I will know everything!" He said while still looking at the horse with envy. Zhou Ziqin held his own little Xia depressed, and tied it beside Fusha to graze together.As soon as Boss Qian saw him, he quickly bowed his hands to him: "Young Master Zhou! You are so splendid when you come to our small shop! I have admired you for a long time!" "You know me?" Zhou Ziqin asked. "You're joking, is there anyone in Chang'an who doesn't know you?" Huang Zixia looked at Zhou Ziqin's clothes today.The peacock blue silk shirt, the bright orange belt, the brown-red shoes, and the trinkets and pendants that still hang all over the body—this is the only one in Chang’an City. Zhou Ziqin bowed his hand to him: "Boss Qian, I have admired your name for a long time. I heard that you are the number one money-maker in the capital. It is a legend to have such a large net worth within ten years." "It's all thanks to everyone." He smiled and took them into the house, sat down on a thick Persian felt blanket, and ordered someone to make tea before asking, "I don't know why you two are here. Huh? Does the Kui Palace need a small service, or is there any order from the yamen of the Ministry of Punishment?" "To be honest, we have been transferred by Dali Temple at the same time, and we are investigating several cases related to the Princess Mansion." Huang Zixia said straight to the point. The fat on Qian Guansuo's face trembled, with a look of angina on his face: "Eunuch Yang, the little one has already confessed to you last time, the little one and the son-in-law have really met those three times, really! As for the princess, I swear to God, without that blessing, I never even saw her!" "I'm not here this time to ask about the son-in-law." Huang Zixia held the freshly brewed tea and looked at him through the steam, "I want to ask Boss Qian about your... daughter ten years ago .” The trembling fat on Qian Guansuo's face stopped, and he stood there for a long time before he sighed and sat down, looking like a pile of fat flowing on the carpet: "Eunuch Yang , my daughter... well, I don't know why you suddenly asked about the incident ten years ago." "I heard, Boss Qian, when you fled from your hometown with your family, you were once penniless, living on the streets and almost starved to death. And the first money you made was because of..." "It's because I sold my daughter." He interrupted her with a weak voice, "Oh, although I'm ashamed to say it, but now that my father-in-law knows it, I'll tell you about it. Ten years ago, when the Yellow River diverted, we There was a flood in my hometown, and the houses and fields were flooded. I thought there was no way to survive, so I took my wife, daughter and two sons and went to the capital. As a result, my wife fell ill and died on the way, so I could only carelessly by the side of the road Dig a hole and bury her——later, after I got rich, I went to the place where she was buried several times, but I couldn’t find where she was buried, alas..." Zhou Ziqin took out a pen and paper from his side and began to record with dedication. Seeing his record, Qian Guansuo hesitated for a moment, but continued to say: "After arriving in Chang'an, I stood on the street with my three children, and found that I had finished the calculation. Doing business? No capital; Doing hard work? Hungry along the way. I lost all my strength. So I could only take my three children to beg for food on the street. I was hungry and I was full. Seeing that this situation continued, I had to eat all the children. Until one day I dragged my children to beg for food at the street corner. , I saw an eunuch buying a court lady and eunuch, a child, with five coins! I looked at the three children and thought, if I sell one and get some money, maybe the other two children will have a way out. So I told Xing'er—my daughter——Xing'er, your two younger brothers are young, and the boy will grow up in the future, so we have to continue our family's incense, right? Or, you follow that father-in-law Let's go. Myolie was crying and hugging my leg but didn't let go. I didn't know what to do. I squatted down and hugged Myolie, and tears fell. I said, Myolie, you are a palace maid. Good clothes to wear and good food to eat, but if my younger brother enters the palace to be an eunuch, the penis below will be cut off. Tell me, can you let your younger brother suffer such a knife? You are a big sister, why are you like this? Are you ignorant?" Speaking of this, Qian Guansuo's tears also fell, a 40-year-old man whimpered, and the tears trickled down his fat face, which was indescribably funny, but neither Huang Zixia nor Zhou Ziqin laughed. , I just felt sore in my chest. "Hey, people are poor and short-sighted... Now that I think about it, I was an asshole to my daughter. In that kind of place, there are so many palace maids who die silently every year. If you throw them away and bury them on the mass grave, it's just a girl." It’s over. But at that time there was no way out, so I was counting on Xing’er to save us, so I said that, and I did that…” He lowered his head and said weakly, “I took the money from selling Xing’er, I started to sell fodder, and later I met a nobleman who told me to sell horses outside the customs. I was lucky. I started selling two or three horses, and then sold more than a dozen horses. Later, I became famous, and the court asked me to order several thousand horses at a time. I got rich suddenly, and I married a wife and a concubine again, thinking about having another daughter, but after so many years, my concubine gave me another son. I think God must be punishing I, in this life, it is impossible for me to have a daughter again..." Huang Zixia comforted him in a soft voice: "Boss Qian, at least God made it happen. You are also lucky to find your daughter in the Princess Mansion." "Yes, but Myolie still refuses to forgive me..." he lamented, "I secretly went to see her at the Princess Mansion, but she didn't want to see me, so she gave me the birthmark on her hand through the screen." Take a look, her face has never been exposed. I gave her some food, and she gave me some things in return... But she just refused to meet me, saying that she died the moment she was sold. I swear, I will never see my face again." He slumped his shoulders in frustration, shook his head and said, "In this life, if I know that my daughter is still alive and can say a few words, I will be considered lucky." Now, even Zhou Ziqin couldn't help asking: "How do you know...the person talking to you through the screen must be your daughter?" "Of course it is! The shape of the birthmark on her arm is exactly the same as the one on my daughter's arm back then, and the pink and blue color is also exactly the same! If it wasn't her, who else could it be?" Qian Guansuo resolutely Shaking his head, defending the fact that he recognized his daughter again, "Besides, what's the good of pretending to be my daughter? I just send her some food, which is worthless at all. The only time she asked me for something, she just said to me, Is there that kind of little porcelain dog in the market outside? She used to like it very much, but it was thrown away. I hurried to buy one, and gave it to her when I went to find her for the second time, and she also gave me one in return A small box. I didn't pay much attention to it, but when I opened it... Oh, it really shocked me." Qian Guansuo seemed very annoyed that they questioned his daughter, so he stood up and went to the inner room while he was speaking, and after opening and closing the lock for a long time, he took out a small box and put it in front of them with a showy look: " You see, my daughter gave it to me." This box is made of red sandalwood, with delicate flower branches carved on it, which is already extraordinary.When the box was opened, both Huang Zixia and Zhou Ziqin couldn't help being stunned. Inside is a golden toad the size of half a palm, made of pure gold, squatting on a lotus leaf of emerald jade.The small bumps on the toad's body are gemstones of various colors, and the dewdrop on the lotus leaf is a round crystal, rolling around on the green lotus leaf, very cute. Qian Guansuo said proudly: "I was shocked at the time, so I quickly returned the box to my daughter and told her, Myolie, how could you just give me such a valuable thing? Guess what my daughter said She said that there are many such things in the princess mansion, and I gave them to her because the princess didn't like them, so I can keep them as I like. Then the maid who accompanied her also said, yes, this is a gift from the princess It doesn't matter if you take what you put down." 说着，钱关索又将盒子盖好，抱在怀里感叹道：“唉，知道杏儿现在过这样的富贵日子，公主对她又这么好，我就放心了！只盼着什么时候她能真正与我见一面，能叫我一声爹就好了。” 黄梓瑕和周子秦对望一眼，说：“是啊，这可真是不错。” 钱关索抱着盒子，一脸又心酸又欣慰的模样。 黄梓瑕又说：“还有点事情，要请教钱老板。” “杨公公请尽管说。”钱关索赶紧说。 “我听说，您给公主府管膳房的菖蒲送了一些零陵香？” “哦，是有这么回事，”钱关索点头，“杏儿是菖蒲帮我找到的，我怎么也得感谢她一下，对不对？” 黄梓瑕笑道：“钱老板果然高雅，普通人只会送财帛，哪会想到送零陵香呢？” “哎，菖蒲说了，与府外人私相授受财帛可是大罪。然后我从王府出来，刚好遇上吕至元。知道我找到女儿了，他也替我高兴啊……” 黄梓瑕微微一凛，问：“您也认识吕至元？” “是啊，我前年开始，也弄了个泥瓦班，专接帮人盖房子砌砖头的活儿。很多人盖房子时要砌个放蜡烛的壁龛，或者在墙上挂蜡烛座儿之类的，所以他也与我合作过。当初他女儿遭遇不幸的时候，我还劝过他，说起我女儿的事情，让他好生珍惜，不要再那么作贱女儿，可惜这固执老头儿不听，哎……” “那么吕至元跟您说什么呢？” “他啊，他知道我要找些东西感谢菖蒲，便对我说，女人肯定都喜欢花啊香啊之类的，刚好他的香烛店里新来了一批零陵香，这可是上好的，为了荐福寺那场佛会准备的，要是我要的话，匀一点给我也行。我听他这么说，觉得也不错，就答应了。第二天我去他店里拿了六两零陵香，给了菖蒲，按吕至元说的，教她每晚睡前燃香一两左右，安眠定神。” “那后来，公主府还有没有人找你索要过零陵香？” “你怎么知道的？”钱关索大为诧异，“后来过了六七天吧，公主府一个宦官魏喜敏忽然来找我，说我与厨娘菖蒲私相授受，要是我这回不多送些给他，他就要兴师问罪呢。我头痛不已，只好带他去吕至元家中，准备再买些给他。结果一见面，魏喜敏脸色就十分难看，一个劲儿催吕至元拿香给他，说自己还有事马上就要走了。吕至元偏偏还在里面翻个没完，我看那魏喜敏不是好惹的，赶紧找个借口先走了。” 黄梓瑕问：“那是哪一天？” “我想想啊……大约是……”钱关索挠头想了许久，说，“荐福寺佛会前一天。对，就是公主府有个宦官被烧死的那一次佛会的前一天。” “当时被烧死的宦官，正是这个魏喜敏，钱老板可知道？”黄梓瑕问。 “哎哟……这可真是……”钱关索大吃一惊，本来已经耸起来的肩，顿时又塌了下去，“两位贵人，我可说实话啊！这事跟我真没关系！我就把他带去了吕至元店里，然后就走了！你看，他的店铺离我又不远，我和那个魏公公，顶多只相处了那么一刻时间……要是，要是这事有啥问题，肯定是出在吕至元身上！” “那么，大宁坊孙癞子死的时候，你也凑巧在现场啊？” 钱关索哭丧着脸，点头道：“为这事，大理寺也传唤过一次的。可我进去的时候，孙癞子千真万确已经死了！死得都快发臭了！大理寺已经查清此事跟我没有任何关系，所以放我回来了……你说，我这运气……” 钱关索翻来覆去，无非又是念叨他如何如何晦气，周子秦实在懒得写了，把自己的记录本一合，看向黄梓瑕。 黄梓瑕便站起，向他拱手行礼：“钱老板，今日多有叨扰，还望您不要介意我们占用您许多时间。” “不会不会！欢迎二位常来啊……”他苦着一张脸说，“当然，下次要是不为大理寺的事情来就更好了。”