Chapter 8 chapter eight

Di Gong fixed his eyes on the person complaining, and said, "Ding Yi, when was this murder discovered and how was it discovered? Tell me!" "My lord, let Xiaosheng come here carefully. Yesterday was my father's 60th birthday. In the evening, the golden tripod in the birthday hall was decorated with auspicious dragon incense and colorful decorations, and the silver platform was decorated with phoenix candles and flowers. Our family gathered together to present birthday gifts, eat birthday noodles, and drink Birthday wine, tasting birthday peaches, everyone was happy, everyone was happy, beaming, and it was very lively. It was not until nearly midnight that my father left the seat and left the table, saying that he wanted to go to the study. Foreword. Xiaosheng personally sent him to the door of the study, and kowtowed to him good night. My father immediately closed the door and inserted the latch. Xiaosheng could hear the sound of the latch clearly outside the door. No one expected, This is actually a farewell between our loving father and filial son! Early this morning, the housekeeper went to invite my father to have a meal. He knocked on the door three times, but there was no response. He knocked again, but there was still no answer. The housekeeper panicked and called Xiaosheng to go see After all, we were worried that the old man would suddenly get sick at night, so we broke in with a big axe.

"When I entered the room, I saw my father slumped over the desk. He thought that maybe he had stayed up too late and was asleep at the desk, so he patted him on the shoulder. At this moment, Xiaosheng suddenly saw a small dagger outside his throat. Into the voice. He had already died. "Xiaosheng thought that Wu Feng must be the one who killed his father and enemy, so he rushed to the yamen to report to the officials, asking the master to see clearly and make a quick decision, and avenge the bitter family. Xiaosheng and his family hope that the master will be promoted to one rank and live a hundred years longer!"

Ding Xiucai burst into tears when he said this, and kowtowed on the ground. Di Gong frowned, pondered for a moment, and said: "Don't be too sad Ding Xiucai. The county will investigate this murder case immediately. Once the retinue is ready, the county will go to the scene of the crime. Just relax, since ancient times the sky net has been restored, and the evildoers You cannot escape the punishment you deserve!" Di Gong knocked on the table in the hall and announced his withdrawal.Get up and leave your seat, and go back to the inner office. The people watching the trial were still gathered outside the verandah under the hall, talking about the matter of the trial in the hall just now, and refused to leave.Everyone praised the newly appointed parent officer, especially the three monks who judged him wisely.The hall servant finally drove everyone out of the hall.

Ling Duizheng and the soldiers of the Second Army have also been watching the trial in the corridor.As he was leaving the gate, Ling Gang said: "In terms of his physique, this county magistrate is not comparable to our two lieutenants Qiao and Ma, but he also bows majesticly, with a majestic appearance, and he has the air of an officer. different." A soldier of the army asked Ling Gang: "The county magistrate announced in the hall today that Lanfang will no longer be under military control. In this way, the army stationed in Lanfang moved out again at night? But in the past two days, except for ourselves, there are no soldiers in the city. Not a single soldier was seen outside."

Ling Gang said angrily: "You are so ignorant. This is a military plane. How can soldiers intervene? To tell you the truth, that army is not stationed here permanently, but passing by here. Its mission is to inspect the border court to prevent Unexpectedly. This is an important strategy of a military plan, if you leak the news, I will definitely ask you to meet each other!" The soldiers didn't take it seriously when they heard the words, and still asked: "The team is upright, it's okay for them to come without a shadow, but how come they go invisible?" Ling Gang was not happy, and taught him a lesson: "You unknown pawns are so rare and strange! You must know, my master of the Tang Dynasty is like a magic soldier descending to the world, invincible, invincible, and can create any miracle! Didn't I tell you that our Qin Wangshi Dong Is there a story about crossing the Yellow River? At that time, there were no bridges or boats on the river. Our general wanted to cross the river to kill the enemy. With an order, two thousand of our warriors jumped into the river and joined hands to form two human walls. The other thousand soldiers threw their shields Raise it above your head, stand in the middle of the human wall, and the general's war horse will gallop across this human bridge!"

The soldier thought to himself that he had heard many sensational stories in his life, but something as incredible as this was really unbelievable.I was about to raise an objection, but then changed my mind, Dui Ling was short-tempered, and it was better not to make fun of himself, so he said respectfully: "Team is well-informed, and what I said made me suddenly understand:" The three of them followed the last person who left the lobby. Several spectators walked out of the county office. The green cloth official sedan chairs in the middle courtyard have already been prepared.Di Gong's black yarn, soap shoes, official robes, and jade belts swayed out of the inner office and came to the courtyard.After Hong Canjun helped him into the sedan chair, he and Tao Gan got on the horse and walked side by side.

The official sedan chair came out of the county government office, with its own gong and guard of honor. The soldiers and inspectors of the government office surrounded the front and rear, and the group marched forward to Ding's house in a mighty manner.Wherever the sedan chair battle went, the people cheered and laughed happily. It was really an unprecedented grand occasion. Hong Canjun rode on horseback on the side of the official sedan chair. Seeing this, he turned his head to the window of the sedan chair and said joyfully, "My lord, three days ago the street was deserted and lifeless, but now there are laughter everywhere, full of jubilation. It's really different!"

Duke Di smiled lightly. When I was young, the sedan chair came to the gate of Ding's house.Ding's house has high walls and courtyards, blue bricks and yellow tiles, carved beams and painted buildings, cornices and corners, so magnificent!Ding Xiucai saw Zhu Banzao covered with eight green woolen sedan chairs coming slowly from afar, and he left the gate early and stepped down to welcome him.Di Gong got off the official sedan chair in the front yard, and an old man with a silver beard stepped forward to salute.Claiming to be the shopkeeper of Hongrentang's raw medicine shop in the city, he applied to come to Ding's house to examine the deceased's injuries.

Di Gong told everyone that he wanted to go to the scene of the crime to investigate, and at the same time ordered Fang to arrest and lead six Yamen soldiers to set up a court for inspection in the hall of Ding's house.Ding Xiucai immediately asked Di Gong and his followers to go with him. Everyone followed Ding Xiucai through a corridor and came to the backyard.In the courtyard, there are strong pines and ancient cypresses, rockery and rocks, clear ponds and ripples, bright flowers and dark flowers. It is really a pleasant garden.The main entrance of the hall was already wide open, and the servants were busy moving the furniture and furnishings.

Ding Xiucai opened an ear door on the left side of the hall, and led the crowd through a dark corridor to a small square courtyard.There are high walls on three sides of the small courtyard, and there is a small door on the opposite wall, and the door panel has been tilted inward.Ding Xiucai pushed open the small door, stood aside, and invited Di Gong into the room. There was a smell of candle oil in the study.Di Gong raised his foot and stepped over the threshold, raised his eyes and glanced around the room.The study room is octagonal and very large. There are four small windows high on the wall, and the window paper is white and transparent.There are two air ducts above the windows, both of which are two feet square, and the crossing is separated by a fence.Except for the small door in the entire study, there is no entrance to the room.

In the center of the study was a large ebony carved book case. Ding Huguo was wearing a dark green brocade casual robe and lay slumped on the book case facing the study door.I saw his left arm bent, his right hand stretched out, and he was still holding a red tube of lower script Langhao in his hand.Ding Huguo leaned his head on his left arm, and a black hat fell to the ground, revealing his silver hair. There are four treasures in the study on the desk, and a blue and white porcelain vase in the upper left corner, the flowers inserted in it have withered.On each side of the deceased was a copper candle stand, on which the candles had already been burned out. Rows of bookshelves stand against the wall, as high as one person and one hand.Duke Di looked at Tao Gan and said: "Go and check the wall, there is no way to know where there is a secret entrance and exit, and then look carefully at the windows and air ducts, maybe people can get in through there. " Tao Gan took the order, took off his robe, and climbed up the bookshelf to search.Di Gong also ordered Wu Zuo to conduct an injury examination immediately. Wu Zuo touched the dead man's shoulder and arm, and then supported his head.The body was already stiff, so in order to see the face of the deceased clearly, the body had to be pulled back and lay on the back of the chair. Ding Huguo stared at the ceiling with a pair of dull eyes, and saw that he was so thin that only a bone remained, his face was like a piece of walnut shell, and he was suddenly frightened, with a thin blade protruding from his neck.The wooden handle of the small dagger is slightly thicker than the blade, no more than half a finger wide, and only about half an inch long, which is puzzling to look at. Duke Di held his long black beard in his hands, looked down at the corpse, and ordered him to say, "Pull out the dagger!" The dagger was too small to be easily grasped, but he pinched it between his two fingers and pulled it out without much effort—it turned out that the blade penetrated only two or three thirds of the way into the flesh. Wu Zuojiang wrapped the knife with a piece of oiled paper, and said: "The blood has solidified. The body is already stiff. From this point of view, he must have died late last night." Duke Di nodded, and murmured: "The deceased locked the door, sat down behind the desk, studied the ink and paste pen, and wrote the book. Not long after that, the murderer murdered him, since he just wrote two lines. The words can be read. However, the time between the murderer's appearance and the dagger being inserted into his throat was very short, and he died before he even had time to put down the pen in his hand, which is strange." Tao Gan said: "Master, I can't figure out how the murderer could enter the room from other places, let alone how he got out. This matter is even more strange!" Duke Di frowned upon hearing this. Tao Gan said again: "I checked the walls, small windows, air ducts, and checked whether there are secret panels on the door, but I didn't see a secret door or secret passage. You have to go through this door to enter and exit this room." Holding his long beard slowly, Di Gong asked Ding Xiucai, "Could the murderer sneak into the room just before or after your father entered this study?" Ding Xiucai stood at the door with blank eyes all the time. Hearing Di Gong's question, he controlled himself and replied, "Master, this is absolutely impossible! My father opened the door by himself. After a while, the butler was also standing behind Xiaosheng. Xiaosheng asked Anhua, and my father was about to close the door. No one could enter the room before or after this. My father never forgot to lock the door, and there was only one key for the lock. Take it with you at all times.” Hong Canjun whispered to Mr. Di: "Master, we can send his butler to question and listen to what he has to say. However, even if the murderer slipped into the room without anyone noticing, how could he get out again? The door is locked on the inside!" Duke Di nodded, and asked Ding Xiucai: "You think Wu Feng was the one who killed your father and enemy. What evidence do you have to prove that he has been to this study?" Ding Xiucai looked around slowly, shook his head and said, "Master, this Wu Feng is a very delicate person, he will not leave traces before and after committing a crime. However, Xiaosheng firmly believes that as long as the investigation continues, he will be able to find out who he is. evidence of crime." Di Gongdao: "We want to move the body to the hall for injury examination, Ding Xiucai can go to the hall to make some arrangements in advance."

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