Chapter 21 Chapter One

Everything is silent, and it is full of brilliance.The lotus pond in the garden is shimmering under the bright moon.There is a small pavilion in the middle of the lotus pond.A man stood by the railing of the kiosk.He looked down at the dead man on the bamboo chair, with a faint smile on his face.The hilt of the dagger stood on the chest of the dead man, and a line of bright red blood slowly flowed down his gray cloth robe.On the round table stood a tin flagon with two china cups beside it.The man picked up a porcelain cup, drank the leftover wine in one gulp, and said to the dead body proudly, "Go to the West Paradise in peace! There will be no troubles in the world anymore."

Who would come to this country garden long past midnight?The house opposite the lotus pond was quiet and dark, without any suspicious sound.The man looked at his hands, saw that there was not a little blood left, and turned out of the kiosk.Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard a sound behind him. He was taken aback. He turned around and took a closer look. It turned out to be a big frog jumping up the bluestone steps from the pool, and was staring at him with a pair of big eyes. . He breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a sneer, "It's you, little monster! Do you want to go to the government to sue me for murder?" As he spoke, he kicked fiercely, right on the frog's stomach.The frog blinked his eyes, twitched his hind legs a few times, and lay on his back without moving.

The man suddenly remembered something, turned back to the round table, picked up a porcelain cup in front of the deceased, looked at it for a while, and then carefully put it into his sleeve.He walked down the bluestone steps, and couldn't help but look at the dead frog lying on his back. "Go see your ancestors!" He kicked up again, and the dead frog fell into the lotus pond with a "plop".Suddenly, the sound of frogs "croaking" rang out.With another curse, the man hurried across a crooked plank bridge and out the garden gate. Dawn breaks in the east.Di Gong, Ma Rong and Yuan Kai rode three horses along the lake and returned to the city leisurely.The morning sun shone on their hunting attire, and the morning wind blew ripples across the lake.It's midsummer, and it's a good time to play wild mallard.However, they were unlucky today, they tossed and tossed for a long time, but got nothing.

Di Gong is now the county magistrate of Hanyuan County.Ma Rong is his personal attendant.Yuan Kai is the richest man in Hanyuan County, and he runs a big raw medicine shop in the east gate of the county seat; he is the best at hunting wild cats, so Duke Di often invites him to go hunting in the lakeside swamp. The three put on their bridles and drove together, and soon entered the west gate of the county seat built on the hillside.They got off their horses in front of the Confucius Temple and walked up the stone steps dug out of the mountain.The county government office is built on the highest point of the stone steps, which is very majestic; standing at the gate of the county government office, you can overlook the whole city and the beautiful lake outside the city.

Just as Mr. Di was about to enter the eight-character yamen, the inspector rushed to report angrily: "My lord, the poet Meng Lan was murdered! His servant boy just came here to report the bad news, saying that the body was found in his garden. in a pavilion." "Poet Meng Lan?" Di Gong frowned. "I have been in Hanyuan for a year, and I have never heard of this name." Yuan Kai interjected: "Master Di, this Meng Lan lives in an elegant farm outside the east gate. He is indifferent by nature, has no friends and travels, and doesn't want to go to the city. He thinks the city is noisy and turbid. The common people don't know much about him. But the name of his poem has already shocked the capital, and he is a famous scholar in Qingliu."

Di Gongdao: "Let's go to the scene of the crime immediately. Have Hong Liang, Tao Gan, and Qiao Tai returned to the Yamen?" The inspector replied: "No, they are still investigating in Xijie Pai Village. Master, Hong Canjun sent someone to send a report early in the morning, saying that they have not yet found any clues about the gang of strong men who robbed the government treasury." Di Gongtie grimaced, slowly stroked his long and black beard under his chin, and said to himself: "The gang of strong men stole twelve ingots of gold from the government treasury. There was a murder case." He raised his voice: "Ma Rong, do you know the way to Menglan Farm?"

Ma Rong shook his head. Yuan Kai said: "I know Mr. Meng's farm, there is a shortcut out of the east gate. If the master does not avoid suspicion, I will take you there." Yuan Kai led the way ahead, followed by Di Gong, Ma Rong, and the inspector. They went out of the east gate and rushed along the willow-shaded official road by the lake. Sound—It turns out that there is a "Yangliuwu" in Quyu, a lakeside in the eastern suburbs. Di Gong rode his horse forward and asked Yuan Kai: "Meng Lan, shopkeeper Yuan?" "My lord, in fact, I'm not very familiar with Meng Lan. I've only met him a few times. He pretends to be noble and not close to common people, but he is still humble and kind to others. He only moved in two years ago." Yangliuwu lived in seclusion in the back farm. The farm is quiet and elegant, with three or four houses scattered and bright, but there is a large garden with beautiful scenery and a lotus pond in the garden."

"How many people are there in his family?" Duke Di asked. "Not much, my lord. Mr. Meng was a widower when he moved here. His two sons have grown up and live in the capital. Last year Mr. Meng redeemed a prostitute in 'Yangliuwu', which is a continuation The woman is illiterate, and not good at singing and dancing, but she looks a little more handsome, with thin skin and fair flesh. After Mr. Meng married her, he also lost his inner pockets, and depended on others for his food and clothing. Although Meng Lan was older than that woman There are many, but the two are loving and respectful, very happy."

Di Gongdao: "Generally, all poets must marry a bosom friend as their wife, so that they can sing easily and harmoniously. Otherwise, they will be boring after a long time, and will not be happy in the end." "Master, although Mrs. Meng is illiterate, she has a kind heart. She is gentle and quiet, and she serves Mr. Meng very thoughtfully." The Liuyin official road became narrower and narrower as they walked, and the four of them forked into a small path. A swamp could be faintly seen in the thick and dense forest. The four of Di Gong dismounted in front of the bamboo gate.Duke Di pushed open the bamboo gate, and suddenly saw a quiet and elegant large garden, with a sloping bridge leading to the small pavilion in the center of the lotus pond.By the lotus pond, there are luxuriant grasses, wild flowers, waterfowl and butterflies.On the lotus pond, there is a piece of new lotus, with a faint fragrance.The breeze is blowing, the lotus leaves are fluttering, and the waves are shaking, just like in the painting.

Yuan Kai said: "Mr. Meng spends all day in this garden reciting poems and tasting tea, enjoying the evening scenery." Di Gong nodded, and walked to the small pavilion on the rickety bridge.On the upturned hexagonal eaves of the small pavilion, a copper bell hangs from each.The red paint on the pillars of the pavilion has been mottled and peeled off, and the green tiles on the roof of the pavilion are also uneven and incomplete.Opposite the lotus pond, there are a few scattered houses, most of which are covered by a towering oak tree.In the shade of the pavilion, there is only mist and mist in the morning, and there is no sound of chickens and dogs.

There are four people standing in the kiosk, it looks crowded.Di Gong carefully looked at the dead body leaning on the bamboo chair for a while, then touched the dead body's shoulders, and stretched the dead body's arms. "The body has just stiffened.——The weather is so muggy and the surroundings are so humid. It is not easy to determine the time when the deceased was killed. It should be after midnight." As Di Gong said, he pulled out the dagger that had been pierced into the left chest of the deceased, and looked at it repeatedly.The blade of the dagger gleamed, very sharp. Ma Rong said: "Master, this kind of dagger can be bought everywhere in the city, it's not uncommon." Di Gong was silent, and handed the dagger to Ma Rong.Ma Rong wrapped it in a piece of oiled paper and put it in his sleeve.Di Gong saw that Meng Lan's slender yellow face was out of shape, her mouth was crooked, her pair of cloudy black beads were peaceful and calm, and her snow-white goatee was not messy. — Apparently he was not panicked or frightened before he died. Duke Di picked up the tin jug on the round table and shook it a few times, only a little wine was left in it.He picked up the porcelain cup next to the jug and looked at it for a while, nodded, and put it into his sleeve. He ordered the inspector: "Go find a pair of door panels and try to carry the body back to the Yamen." Then he turned his face and told Yuan Kai: "Treasurer Yuan waits in this pavilion for a while, and the next officer will come after looking at the pond." .” While gesturing to Ma Rong, go with him. Di Gong and Ma Rong stepped on the wobbly little bridge to the bank of the lotus pond, and walked around the embankment to the Meng family's house at the other end of the garden. Ma Rong stepped forward and knocked on the door, after a while the door opened, and a handsome boy came out.The servant boy heard that the county magistrate came to visit and hurried into the inner room to report.Seeing that the walls of the outer room were deserted, the breeze was blowing, and the furniture was very dilapidated, Di Gong couldn't help but said to Ma Rong: "Obviously the murderer didn't commit the crime for the purpose of stealing." Ma Rong said in a low voice: "My lord, the housewife is here. - Yo, there is a motive for committing the crime: an old and aging husband, a young and beautiful wife, so-and-so, and so-and-so, it will not fall outside this set, hehe .” Di Gong looked up, and he saw a young and beautiful woman, Ping Ping Ting Ting, walking out of the inner room with light lotus steps.The woman's snow-skinned face was covered with dark clouds, and a pair of big eyes under the phoenix eyebrows were deep and translucent. A few teardrops glistened on her cheeks. Wrapped, never concealing its slim and charming attitude. The woman went up to Di Gong and Ma Rong and said her blessings deeply, then stood aside with her hands down, and waited quietly for Di Gong to ask questions. Mrs. Di Wenyan said: "Mrs. Meng, I have disturbed the officials deeply. Human life is at stake. How dare you delay? Mrs. Wanwang assisted the government to solve the case, capture the real culprit, and avenge Mr. Meng." Mrs. Meng nodded slightly, not daring to look directly at Di Gong. Di Gong asked: "When was the last time Madam saw Mr. Meng last night?" Mrs. Meng replied in a low voice: "Mr. had dinner with the little lady in this room last night. After dinner, Mr. read a book under the lamp for a while, and said that the moonlight in the garden was very quiet and beautiful, so I went to the lotus pond by myself. Drinking wine in the kiosk to watch the moon." "Mr. Meng often goes to that kiosk to drink?" "Yes. In such hot weather, he would go there to have a drink and enjoy the coolness at both ends of the three days, and recite poems to enjoy himself." "Can he meet guests in the kiosk?" "No, Mr. lives in seclusion and rarely sees visitors. Even if there are visitors, it is mostly during the daytime. He just sips a few teas in this room, says a few words, and then sees off the guests. He never goes to meet guests in that pavilion. Master loves to be quiet, but he always thinks that the world is muddy, and he is afraid that it will tarnish him." Her eye circles were slightly red, tears flashed in her eyes, her lips trembled, and she continued, choking, "I boiled a pot of hot wine with him and sent it to the pavilion. He told me to go back to my room and sleep, saying that he wanted to sleep." Sit in the small pavilion for a while longer. I went to my room to sleep peacefully, but who knows... who knows, early this morning, the servant boy came to my room to report, saying that sir, he was murdered...in that pavilion. "After speaking, tears fell like rain. Di Gong asked: "Does the servant boy in the house sleep here at night?" Mrs. Meng hurriedly replied: "No, no, the servant boy lives with his father. His father is in 'Yangliuwu' and is a gardener for a large family. He only comes here to help during the day, and he goes home by himself at night. sleep." "Madam, did you hear any unusual noises in the middle of the night?" Madam Meng frowned, pondered for a while, and replied: "I was woken up by the sound of frogs in the lotus pond in the middle of the night. Those annoying frogs never croak during the day, even if they were disturbed by going into the water to pick lotus seeds, they would not croak. But in the middle of the night, they are most afraid of being disturbed. If there is a slight sound, they will scream together for a long time. ——I suspected that it was Mr. who disturbed them when he came back from the pavilion." Di Gong nodded frequently, pondered for a while, and then said: "Mr. Meng's face was very calm when he was killed. It seems that he was killed by gangsters when he was not on guard. The murderer must be someone he knew well, so we drank together in that small pavilion. It’s just to hide it from Madam. I saw that the jug on the table is almost used up, but there is only one porcelain cup on the table. I want to ask Madam, how many porcelain cups were there in the house? Are they all there now?” Mrs. Meng replied: "There are seven porcelain cups in my family. The six green porcelain cups are a set, and the one that Mr. Wang often uses is a white porcelain cup, which is slightly larger than the green porcelain cup." Digong frowned. ——In the pavilion, he only saw a green porcelain cup on the table, but not the white porcelain cup. "Did Mr. Meng have any enemies during his lifetime?" "No, no. Mr. has nothing to do with the world, he always gives in when things happen, and never takes advantage of others. The little lady always doesn't understand..." "Then madam, have you ever offended anyone?" Mrs. Meng blushed slightly on her cheeks, bit her lips for a while, and then said: "I don't want to hide from the master, the little lady has only been out of water and fire for more than a year, but I don't know who I offended when I was in 'Yangliuwu'. At that time... At that time When there are too many people pestering you, how can you care too much? But in the end, you won't have such evil thoughts, and actually make such a murderous move..." When Di Gong saw this, he was a little savvy, and it was inconvenient to ask the details, so he sent Ma Rong to get up and say goodbye.