Chapter 21 third chapter

Di Gong looked down at the stiff body of the drummer and remained silent.The body was placed on the reed mat on the floor of the inner room, and the street worker was inserting a silver rod into the mouth of the deceased.Tonight, Wu Zuo was also watching the boat race among the crowd. When the body was carried ashore, he had hastily inspected it once, and now he is doing a careful re-examination.Bian Jia and Ke Yuanliang waited on him with their hands down. Bian Jia glanced at Di Gong and said, "Master, why do you need to spend your own time? Dare to be emotional is a sudden heart attack. The symptoms are so clear."

"It won't be too late after the examination is over." Duke Di said coldly, looking at the muscular body of the deceased.The lower part of the body was covered with a piece of cloth, and the face was distorted by the pain of dying. The forehead was broad and square, not like a shop assistant or a coolie, but like a scholar. ——Most oarsmen for regattas are recruited from shop assistants or coolies. Wu Zuo stood up, and Di Gong asked anxiously, "How can you conclude that he was poisoned to death? Haven't you ever heard Dr. Bian say that he had a sudden heart attack?"

Wu replied: "In addition to the symptoms of heart disease, sir, there are some purple spots on his fingertips and toes. Just now I noticed that his tongue is swollen and there are purple spots on it. I am from the south. The people in the mountains can concoct a kind of slow poison, and the symptoms after the poison is released are just like this. As soon as I saw the purple star spots on his fingertips, I knew that it was this poison that killed him." Dr. Bian bent down when he heard the words, and he pried the lips of the deceased with a silver stick, telling him to look inside.Dr. Bian nodded after reading it, and said to Di Gong with a sense of understanding: "Master, what you said is very true, but I made a mistake in the diagnosis. At this moment, I recall that this kind of poison was also recorded in a certain medical book. If you take it on an empty stomach, it will be poisonous immediately, and it will take about an hour to take it after you are full."

Di Gong asked Bian Jia: "Since the dead man was the drummer on your ship, he must have been hired by you?" "I don't know what the master is. This scholar is not from this state. His name is Dong Mei. When the shop is busy, he occasionally comes to my place to do some miscellaneous work." "He never had a home here?" "This Dong Mei has not yet married. A few years ago, he lived with his parents in a house outside the city. After his father lost money in business, he ruined the family business. He sold the house and returned to his hometown in the north. Dong Mei is still staying here, earning some money to make ends meet, all she wants is to finish her Six Classics at the county school and then go back to the north to reunite with her parents. In the free time, he also practiced a set of fists and kicks with knives and sticks. The clerk in my shop had some dealings with him, and the day before yesterday he was called to be the drummer of this dragon boat in the future."

Ke Yuanliang said: "What Doctor Bian said is true. This Dong Meiduan is a talented young man. His father has a deep understanding of antique jade wares, and he himself has a good eye for identifying and appreciating them." "But how did Mr. Ke get to know him?" Duke Di asked. "He often brings me a porcelain vase or iron tile with copper seals that he bought cheaply, and the price is very fair." Di Gong hummed lightly, and asked again: "Does he have any enemies? Or has he turned against someone recently?" Bian Jia glanced at Ke Yuanliang hesitantly, and replied: "My lord, this is not very clear. But I think Dong Meicheng's day-to-day handovers are mostly people of the highest rank, and he often mixes up with idlers and rascals to practice. Fist, could it be that he had a falling out with those people, which caused this murderous disaster."

Di Gong saw that Bian Jia's face turned pale and his expression was tense, as if he was very shocked and depressed by Dong Mei's death. He turned to Ke Yuanliang, "Where does Dong Mei live now?" "I heard that he found a place on Banyue Street, but I don't know which building. But you can ask his friend Xia Guang. Xia Guang is also a scholar from other states, and he can play tricks like him. A few fists and kicks, and often do some antique calligraphy and painting business. Xia Guangtou told me that he and Dong Mei shared the upstairs of a second-hand clothes shop, and it would not be far away from here. He also promised me to participate in the dragon boat race. Time to help."

"Bring that Xia Guang to me!" Di Gong ordered. "He has gone back to the city." Bian Jia replied hastily. "I bumped into him as I came up here and slid toward the south gate. The man has a long scar on the left side of his face. I can't miss it." Seeing that Ke Yuanliang was restless, as if he was anxious to leave here, Di Gong said: "Come on, let me inquire about this case carefully. Please don't let the news out, Dong Mei's death. It is said that he has a sudden heart attack. When we go to the court tomorrow, I hope that the two of you will be there anyway. Hong Liang, send these two gentlemen down, and then call the yamen officer for me."

After Bian Jia and Ke Yuanliang left, Mr. Di said to Wu Zuo: "Thanks to the fact that you are good at this job, if you listened to Dr. Bian's diagnosis today, you would have almost missed a major event. You should go back to the Yamen to fill out the post-mortem checklist." with me." Wu Zuo complied with the promise with a face full of pride.Mr. Di folded his hands behind his back and paced back and forth, seeing Hong Canjun coming with the yamen official, he ordered: "Come with me to fetch the clothes of the deceased." The yamen official went under the desk to take out a bundle, untied it, and said, "Dong Mei's clothes are all here, trousers, belt, shoes and socks. This robe and coat were found under the big bronze drum on the boat." Di Gong reached into the wide sleeves of his gown to search, and there was only Dong Mei's household registration in the sleeves.The student status roll and a few essays in silver.He shook his head and said to Hong Liang: "Take this burden back to the yamen." Then he ordered the yamen official: "Use a thatch mat to roll up the body and transport it back to the empty prison in the yamen, and then quickly go to the place under Xia Guang." Bring him here, and I will have him interrogated tonight."

The yamen official went down to make up his yamen servants. Hong Liang waited on Di Gong to take off his official robe, and couldn't help asking: "Who would murder this poor scholar?" "Murder?" A deep voice suddenly sounded from the door, "I heard that he died of a sudden heart attack." Di Gong turned around sharply, and was about to scold him angrily, but he held back his temper when he recognized the shopkeeper Yang from the antique shop opposite the Confucian Temple.Di Gong often patronizes that shop, and he is very familiar with shopkeeper Yang.He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Shopkeeper Yang knows, don't say anything for now, don't let outsiders hear."

Shopkeeper Yang raised two thick eyebrows, showed his neat and white teeth and smiled and said: "You don't need to worry about this, but the fisherman and fisherman on the river at the head of the port are all snatched by the white lady." "How did you say that?" Duke Di asked angrily. "The people here just like the ones in the temple. If a young man dies in the dragon boat race, the fisherman and fisherman will be happy, and the white lady will be enshrined. This year, the fish will have a bright future." Digong could only shrug his shoulders. "Then how did he kill people by cannibalism?" Shopkeeper Yang glanced at the curled up corpse. "Master, why didn't you see any blood?"

Di Gong said coldly: "If you want to know the details, you can go to the court for trial tomorrow morning. Ah, shopkeeper Yang, I have something to ask you. This Dong Mei usually does some antique business. How dare you feel sorry for me?" Had a relationship with him?" Shopkeeper Yang shook his head, scratched his dark face with his hands, and replied: "I've heard of this name, but I've never met him. I'm a one-legged toad in this business. I come in the wind and go in the rain. Riding a horse all day, wandering around corpses like running for one's life, only inquiring about those who have unearthed treasures. In three days, there are also a few rare goods, and this body is also as strong as a king kong. One day..." "Dong Mei has a partner named Xia Guang, have you met him?" "No, master." Shopkeeper Yang frowned again. "That name sounds familiar, but I really can't remember it. What am I talking about? Oh, that day, that day I got an old painting in the temple market in Dongcheng, master, you may not be sure Very interested too, I dare say the price is…” "I'll go to your shop some other day, shopkeeper Yang. I'm in a rush right now, and I have to go back to the yamen soon." Shopkeeper Yang was so disappointed that he had to bow and leave. Di Gong turned to Hong Canjun and said, "This man's knowledge of antiques and treasures is unbelievable. Every time I chat with him, I benefit a lot. It's a pity that he came to sell antiques at an untimely time today. Hong Liang, it seems that we are investigating this case separately, and Tao Gan, Qiao Tai, and Ma Rong will not be able to return to the Yamen until the day after tomorrow." Hong Canjun pondered and said: "It's really a coincidence, I'm old and weak, and I'm confused and dizzy, what's the use? Qiao Tai and Ma Rong don't talk about it, Tao Gan is the master of this poisoning case .” "I'm so worried, have you underestimated yourself and me? I'm going to Baiyuqiao Town right now. It's obvious that Dong Mei was poisoned at the banquet there. I'll go and see the hotel first. Situation, you go to Confucian Temple County School to meet Ouyang Assistant Teacher and ask about Dong Mei and Xia Guang's academic conduct. The old assistant teacher is a man with deep eyes. I really want to know what he thinks of these two young people. You don't have to wait Me, after dinner tomorrow morning, you can come to the inner office to look for me alone." When they walked down the colorful platform hanging ladder, Duke Di thought of something again and said: "Ah, again, when you pass by the government office, you should ask the housekeeper to tell the family members that I will not be able to return home until very late tonight."