Denghuaxiao

Chapter 80 The palace commander catches the murderer

This day has been extremely painful.

Perhaps there was something on her mind, and Xia Rongrong had been restless all day. Du Changqing came to care about her several times, but Xia Rongrong just said that she was tired and just rested.

 At night, Du Changqing and Acheng went home, and they were the only ones left in the shop with Master and Servant Lu. Vanilla lit the candle and closed the door. When she turned around, she saw Xia Rongrong huddled on the couch, holding a pair of silver scissors tightly in her hand.

 “Miss, you don’t have to be so nervous.”

"She lives next door," Xia Rongrong lowered her voice, "I feel scared when I see her face today. Vanilla, what if she suspects that we discovered what she did and silences us?"

Vanilla is helpless.

My young lady is good at everything, but she is too timid and frightens herself whenever there is any disturbance. She deliberately wanted to change the topic so that Xia Rongrong could divert her attention, so she pointed at the jade bracelet on Xia Rongrong's wrist and smiled.

"Miss, don't worry. Shopkeeper Bai told you that everything will be fine. Look at the jade bracelet that Mrs. Bai gave you. It's of clear color. It only costs a hundred taels of silver. Such a generous offer shows that they are determined to make a deal." I won’t leave you alone.”

Hearing this, Xia Rongrong complained: "Forget it. If I had known this, I should have moved out of the hospital with you early this morning. I shouldn't have gone to Bai Shouyi, and I shouldn't have allowed him to keep an eye on Lu Zhuo."

Having said that, her fingertips touched the bracelet on her wrist. The jade material was cold and warm, and glowed softly under the lamp, making her reluctant to turn her eyes away.

 The decision to cooperate with Bai Shouyi to drive away Lu Zhu was made some time ago.

 Speaking of which, it is also related to Lu Zhuo.

One night before, Xia Rongrong went to the kitchen to look for water and accidentally saw Lu Zhen staring at a dead rabbit in a daze. Although Lu Zhen said at the time that the rabbit accidentally ate poisonous weeds, Xia Rongrong always felt that Lu Zhen poisoned the rabbit intentionally.

Thinking that Du Changqing trusted Lu Huo, he might not believe what his cousin said. Xia Rongrong, at Vanilla's suggestion, wrote a letter to inform Bai Shouyi, the shopkeeper of Xinglin Hall, about the matter.

 Unexpectedly, Bai Shouyi asked Wenyou to send her a message.

Wenyou said that Bai Shouyi already knew about this, but poisoning a rabbit was not a serious crime. However, he could fully understand Xia Rongrong's shock and fear at that time. Bai Shouyi asked Xia Rongrong not to tell Du Changqing about the matter for the time being, so as not to alert the enemy. It's better to observe for a few more days. If you find any other suspicious behavior in Lu Yan, you can still go to Bai's house and ask someone to give him a message. He will be happy to help.

After Wenyou finished speaking, he stuffed another banknote to Xia Rongrong.

Thanks to the one hundred taels of silver note, when Xia Rongrong saw Lu Zhuo covered in blood last night, she hurriedly found someone to go to Xinglin Hall to talk to him.

Xia Rongrong originally wanted to tell Bai Shouyi about the matter, so she moved out of the hospital as soon as possible and hid for a few days. She never thought that this time, Bai Shouyi would find her in person.

Bai Shouyi stood in front of her with kind eyes and kind eyes, arranging the colorful silk ribbon around his waist with one hand. His tone was rare and solemn, "Miss Xia, you suspect that Dr. Lu committed murder, do you have any evidence?"

“That **** dress and her going out in the middle of the night, can’t that be used as evidence?”

 “It’s okay, but it’s not enough.”

 “Not enough?”

Bai Shouyi pondered: "Miss Xia, Bai has a heartfelt request, and I hope you can help."

She pursed her lips: "What?"

Bai Shouyi asked her to stay in the hospital.

"If Lu Zhu really kills someone, he will definitely leave clues. Du Changqing goes home every evening. Only Miss Xia can keep an eye on her in the hospital. Can Miss Xia stay in the hospital? Once she feels something is wrong, immediately tell her Send someone to tell Mr. Bai. By then there will be witnesses and material evidence, and things will be much easier to handle."

Xia Rongrong instinctively wanted to refuse: "I can't..."

Bai Shouyi took her hand and shocked Xia Rongrong. Then, he put a mutton-fat jade bracelet on Xia Rongrong's wrist.

"Miss Xia," he sighed deeply, "this is not only for Bai's own selfish reasons, but also for the sake of the young master of the Du family. You can't just watch the young master of the Du family hide a murderer beside you, right?"

Xia Rongrong’s eyes were fixed on the beautiful jade bracelet, and she couldn’t say any words of rejection.

 The lights in the room flickered, and the cold texture of the jade bracelet brought the woman's thoughts back.

Xia Rongrong rubbed her forehead. To be honest, she was not obsessed with Du Changqing's Renxin Medical Center or Bai Shouyi's sweet words, but because of this beautiful and expensive bracelet.

Vanilla put the candle in front of the small table and said, "Miss, please rest. It's almost midnight."

 “Aren’t you going to stare at the next door?”

Vanilla chuckled: "Then Miss, you can't sleep, right? Besides, Doctor Lu really has something to do, so he can't go out every night. Just rest, I'll keep watch over here. If there is any movement, I'll wake you up." "

Her tone of voice was relaxed, perhaps because she had not seen it with her own eyes, whether it was Lu Zhen poisoning the rabbit or Lu Zhen taking off his **** clothes in the middle of the night, so she had no fear. She always felt that Xia Rongrong was exaggerating.

Seeing her calm expression, Xia Rongrong felt more at ease. She took off her shoes and went to the couch and lay down.

Now that she has agreed to Bai Shouyi, she doesn't want to go back on her promise midway. Just the thought that there might be a murderer living next door is terrifying. She wanted to tell Du Changqing about this, but she was worried that Du Changqing wouldn't believe her. But if he didn't say it, he was afraid that one day Du Changqing would become the soul of Lu Zhuo.

 After all, Du Changqing is her cousin, and he treats her well.

While thinking hesitantly, a wave of sleepiness came over her eyes, and before she knew it, Xia Rongrong gradually fell asleep.

I don’t know how long it took, but there was a muffled sound in the courtyard. Xia Rongrong was startled and opened her eyes.

The room was dark, the lights had been turned off, and only the moonlight shined faintly through the window.

 She stood up and called in a low voice: "Herb?"

 “My servant is here.” The maid climbed over gropingly and held her hand on the couch.

 “Did you hear anything just now?”

"I heard it, miss, please don't say anything. I'll go take a look." After saying that, Vanilla groped towards the window on her own.

Vanilla has always been bold, so Xia Rongrong was not worried and just watched as the maid touched the window in the room little by little.

Vanilla didn't dare to light a lamp, for fear of being discovered, she even held her breath. She put her face to the window and looked out through the crack of the window, leaving only Xia Rongrong's back.

 There seemed to be a dull sound coming from the courtyard. The sound was very slight, but in the dead silence of the night, it was like a drawn-out clapper, with a somewhat eerie and long sound.

Xia Rongrong waited for a long time but did not receive a response from Vanilla. She was very anxious and did not dare to make a sound. After thinking about it, she simply got off the bed and groped her way to the window like a servant.

When she got closer, she could see clearly that Vanilla's eyes were pressed tightly against the crack of the window. Her usually nonchalant expression was now inexplicably shocked. Big drops of sweat rolled down her forehead, making her look like she was in pieces. Melting statue.

Xia Rongrong's heart was beating loudly. She gritted her teeth, held her breath, and put her eyes against the window slit, trying to see clearly what Vanilla had seen.

 Then she saw—

The moon was obscured by clouds, leaving only a gray shadow. Under the next door window, under the rugged plum tree, someone was bending down to dig the soil under the tree.

Xia Rongrong was startled.

This is really a weird picture.

 Why dig trees at such a late night?

 What’s under the tree?

 She probed forward again, trying to see the movements of the person under the tree more clearly. I saw that a square and deep pit had been dug beside the plum tree, and the pit was also dark. Two women with vague faces were holding shovels in their hands, and they were calmly digging the hole more completely bit by bit.

Xia Rongrong vaguely saw something vague not far away from the other party.

 Are they trying to bury something?

The muffled sound of the shovel hitting the soil was chaotic and desolate in the night. Xia Rongrong was thinking suspiciously when a strong wind suddenly started blowing outside. The wind blew the branches askew and blew away the billowing clouds.

In an instant, the moonlight appeared in the sky again, illuminating the night and the dark shadows in the courtyard and in front of the pit.

 A bag half as long as a person.

The bag lay quietly under the tree in the small courtyard. It was unknown what was inside the bulging bag. However, the pale moonlight was too bright, and the traces of blood seeping out of the bag were clearly illuminated.

Xia Rongrong's pupils shrank, she took a step back suddenly, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

She trembled her lips and called silently: "Vanilla."

Vanilla turned around and met her with frightened eyes.

The blood-stained cloth bag was wrinkled into a ball, and a vague outline was faintly outlined.

 —Vaguely a human form.

 The strange knocking sounds in the courtyard stopped.

Someone stood in front of the dug pit and kicked the **** bag. The bag rolled into the pit with a muffled sound.

The woman picked up the shovel slowly and filled the pit with soil one shovel after another.

There seemed to be the sound of some utensil falling in the distance, but it soon fell silent again.

Someone beside me asked in a low voice: "Girl, was there any noise just now?"

 The woman raised her eyes and looked into the depths of the dark courtyard.

The doors and windows of the small house in front of the stone steps were closed, there was no light, only the sound of the strong wind.

 She looked away and said, "It's nothing."

 …

 Autumn in Shengjing is always magnificent.

A scholar died in the Gongyuan Court, an official from the Ministry of Rites was investigated, and Fan Qingtian of the Court of Punishment turned out to be a shameless and greedy dog ​​official... These ordinary things are just a few words in the mouths of ordinary people and become the talk after dinner, but they cannot be delayed. Ordinary daily life cannot delay the enthusiasm of the people to welcome the Mid-Autumn Festival.

 The Mid-Autumn Festival is three days away.

The wine shop on West Street has new wine, and there is an endless stream of customers drinking. Du Changqing went to the fish market early in the morning to pick out crabs.

You should choose large crabs, the back of the shell is preferably black and green and shiny. Such crabs have thick meat, and in August and September, female crabs are more beautiful than male crabs. Du Changqing was always perfunctory about other things, but he paid special attention to eating, drinking and having fun.

Lu Zhen was also called up and prepared the Mid-Autumn Festival moon group with Yin Zheng Acheng.

At this time, every family is busy preparing for the moon-viewing group banquet, and very few people come to the medical clinic to see a doctor or buy medicine. Lu Zhen's cooking skills were mediocre, so the job of preparing the stuffing fell to Yin Zheng and Xia Rongrong. Knowing that Lu Zong likes sweetness, Yin Zheng put more honey and syrup into the filling.

When Du Changqing came back from buying crabs in the afternoon, several people from the medical clinic were still making mooncakes in the shop.

 He ​​put the two baskets of crabs aside and walked sideways in. He saw Lu Shu stuffing a big moon ball into the mold. His movements were so rough and his behavior was so clumsy that it was hard not to take a second look.

He stood behind Lu Zhen and said quietly: "Doctor Lu, are you slapping mud?"

Lu Zhen didn't say anything, and pressed the mold hard into the round dough.

Acheng and Yinzheng picked out the mold together. It is painted with the shape of a toad and rabbit in the moon palace, which means family reunion. After Lu Yan pressed it, he peeled off the excess dough and the complete pattern was printed on the moon dough.

Du Changqing was speechless, and finally turned his attention to Xia Rongrong on the other side, and sighed: "It's really hard for my cousin."

Xia Rongrong didn't avoid Lu Zong today, but her face didn't look very good. I wonder if it was because of the cold weather in the past few days, and she looked restless.

Du Changqing wondered if she was feeling unwell, so after asking a few more questions, Xia Rongrong stood up, picked up the already prepared birthday cake, lowered her head and said, "I'll take it to the kitchen and bake it first." He called her up again. Vanilla followed, opened the felt curtain and went to the inner room. Du Changqing looked at her back and touched his chin: "Why do you feel that she has been acting weird recently?" He asked Lu Zhu and others, "Do you feel this way?"

 Everyone shook their heads.

He said to himself: "Am I too worried?" Then he patted his head again: "Forget it, let's get down to business first." He picked up an empty basket from the side and grabbed some oranges and chestnuts from the fruit bowl. , and threw in a few crabs with their legs tied, and finally put a small jar of osmanthus wine on it, making the empty basket look heavy.

Du Changqing cut a piece of red cloth from the flag at the door of the store, tied it to the handle of the basket, and tied it in a beautiful knot, making the basket a little more colorful.

He put the decorated basket on the table and called Acheng: "Come, come with me to Lao Hu's house. It's August 15th soon, and the Christmas gifts haven't been given yet."

After Mr. Du's death, every Mid-Autumn Festival, Du Changqing would give Mr. Hu some cheap gifts to repay him for taking care of his business.

This year the hospital has made money, so the holiday gifts are much richer. In previous years, there would not be such a big crab for him.

Acheng scratched his head: "My boss, Mr. Hu is not at home tonight."

"Huh? Why? He dares to stay up late at night at such an old age?"

"Didn't he say that yesterday? Brother Wu's body has been returned. He and the people from the poetry club are at Wu's house, helping with the funeral arrangements!"

 …

 “Where is Wu Youcai’s body now?”

 “Sent back to Wu’s house in the evening.”

Some people in the front office of the palace are also talking about this lawsuit.

Autumn has arrived, and the sweet-scented osmanthus trees in the yard are in bloom. The swaying shadows of the trees are reflected on the bamboo curtains, and the autumn colors are also dyed with a cold fragrance.

Someone was sitting in front of the carved window. The full moon half-way through the window shed bursts of clear light, casting a layer of cold color on the young man's delicate brows. The smile in his eyes was not as genuine as before, and he stared at the scroll in his hand without saying a word, his eyes a little complicated.

Opposite him, Xiao Zhufeng, the deputy commander of the Front Office Department, said in a deep voice, "The Prison Department has taken care of everything. Your Majesty is conducting a thorough investigation of the court affairs this time, and everyone in the Ministry of Rites has been implicated. Our people are just in time to take over. What else do you have?" Doubtful?"

  The Gongju case went smoothly than everyone expected.

On the surface it was fraud in the imperial examinations, but in reality the emperor used it to thoroughly investigate the practice of recruiting power for bribes and selling off official positions in recent years. Moreover, the fate of all parties involved was that the Minister of Rites belonged to the prince's faction. Now the prince and the third prince were fighting openly and secretly. How could the third prince let go of this opportunity? All the people involved in the case cannot be treated lightly.

 For them, it was a fisherman's profit, but Pei Yunying didn't look at all relaxed.

Pei Yunying put down the scroll in his hand, looked at the lamps and candles on the table, and said, "Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence?"

 “What’s the coincidence?”

"In the tribute examination, a scholar committed suicide in his dormitory. The commotion caused a stir and spread outside the hospital. In a short period of time, not only the Privy Council, but also the three yamen of the Military and Horse Department, Penal and Prison Department, got the news. The officials involved in the case from the Ministry of Rites were investigated, and the Trial Court Officials went to the deceased's home to cause trouble, which aroused conflicts between scholars and the government. Immediately afterwards, scholars blocked the sedan chair, the imperial censor reported to the court, and the court of punishment was investigated..."

 He picked up the candle on the table and stared at the dancing flames, with a hint of deep meaning in his eyes.

“A scholar died, but the situation could not have reached this level anyway. Every step of the way seemed to have someone behind it, otherwise the matter should have been suppressed by the Ministry of Rites at the very beginning of the death in Gongyuan.”

Xiao Zhufeng frowned: "Do you suspect that the third prince is behind this?"

Pei Yunying shook his head: "The third prince is arrogant by nature and will not put his safety on the body of an ordinary person."

Duan Xiaoyan happened to come in with embroidered clothes at this time. Hearing the words, he interrupted: "It's all thanks to the wife of Taifu Temple Minister. If she hadn't thought that the poisoned person was her precious son, she met the examiner at the gate of Gongyuan Pulling, and calling my brother-in-law who is on duty in the Army and Horses Department out of anger, the people in Gongyuan didn’t even have a chance to cover up, how could there be a series of big dramas that followed?”

 He said it casually, but Pei Yunying's eyebrows moved.

He thought for a moment, glanced at Duan Xiaoyan, and asked, "How much do you know about the dead scholar?"

Duan Xiaoyan likes to remember these trivial things most on weekdays. Hearing this, he immediately talked endlessly: "You mean that Wu Xiucai? He is also a poor man. He and his mother depend on each other. On weekdays, he kills fish in the West Street Fresh Fish Shop to make a living. I heard that he was originally the seedling who took the first prize in the examination..."

He was talking to himself so much that he was spitting, but was unexpectedly interrupted by Pei Yunying.

 “West Street?”

“Yes, West Street.” Duan Xiaoyan said, “What’s wrong with West Street?”

On the other hand, Xiao Zhufeng, who was on the other side, seemed to have some realization after seeing the situation. He looked at Pei Yunying and said, "The Renxin Medical Center where the female doctor is staying is on West Street."

 Duan Xiaoyan was stunned for a moment: "What does this have to do with Doctor Lu?"

Pei Yunying said nothing.

 For a moment, the clueless ball of thread seemed to have found its thread, and everything that was blurry became clear.

Wu Xiucai, a Confucian scholar who died, was a scholar who killed fish at the West Street Fresh Fish Shop.

Mrs. Dong, the minister of Taifu Temple, who caused a big fuss over the Jianggongyuan suicide case, once asked Lu Zhuo to treat her son's lung disease.

Fan Zhenglian, the officer of the trial of Jun Dang, was interrupted. Not long ago, Lu Yan went to Fanfan for her wife.

 At every linked node, Lu Huan’s shadow appeared exactly at the right time.

The flame in the candle flickered slightly, lengthening the person's shadow leisurely. The young man looked at it quietly for a long time and smiled suddenly.

"I see."

 It turns out that this is why she went around in such a big circle.

What "Xianxian" and what medicinal tea, she got closer to Zhao Feiyan step by step, and even rescued Dong Lin at Wan'en Temple earlier. Perhaps from the beginning, the people involved had unknowingly stepped into her situation.

So patient and cautious.

 Duan Xiaoyan's voice came from the side: "Do you suspect that the case at the tribute court is related to Dr. Lu?"

 “Not doubt.”

Pei Yunying put down the candle in her hand and sneered slightly: "This matter must have something to do with her."

As soon as he finished speaking, the voice of guard Qing Feng came from outside: "Master."

"speak."

Qingfeng hesitated for a moment and said: "The military patrol just received news that someone had reported murder and burial in Renxin Medical Center on West Street. The infantry patrol is taking people to West Street to pick up the person."

As soon as these words came out, the three people in the room were stunned.

 I mentioned earlier that the tribute case was related to Lu Zhuo, and now I received news that the inspection team was going to the hospital to pick up someone.

 Duan Xiaoyan opened his mouth: "Isn't it really Doctor Lu who did it?"

Pei Yunying pondered for a moment and asked: "Who made the complaint?"

“Bai Shouyi, the shopkeeper of Xinglin Hall on West Street.”

Bai Shouyi?

 He raised his eyebrows slightly and understood in an instant.

 Xiao Zhufeng looked at him: "Do you want me to go?"

In fact, the public security patrol police in the city is actually handed over to the military patrol house, but it is related to the Renxin Medical Museum, maybe it is related to the case of Gongju, which is inevitable.

Pei Yunying smiled, stood up, picked up the long knife on the table and strapped it tightly, and said calmly: "I'll go."

 …

 The sky became dark.

 In autumn, as soon as the evening passes, the lanterns along the West Street light up one by one.

West Street is not as lively as the south of the city. The moon is clear tonight and the moonlight is bright, shining brightly on the old city wall.

Du Changqing and Acheng were standing at the door of the hospital, about to close the door and go home, when they suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves coming from the end of the street.

The sound of horse hooves is rapid, like a rapid drum in the quiet autumn night, which makes people's hearts beat with fear. Du Changqing subconsciously turned around and saw a group of inspection soldiers in soap clothes running from far and near, and stopped at the door of the medical center with a "control" sound.

The leader was a hat-wearing inspector with a fierce look. He ignored Du Changqing and Acheng who were still standing in front of him, dismounted his horse and walked to the door of the hospital, pushed the door open -

“Hey, hey, what are you doing, sir?” Du Changqing was at a loss and did not forget to smile. “If you want to buy medicine this late at night, just let me know. You don’t have to do the work yourself...”

The inspection officer pushed him away and shouted: "The inspection department is handling the case, and anyone not involved should stay away for the time being!"

Du Changqing was stunned: "Handling the case?"

At this time, the hospital was lit with lamps and candles, and Lu Zhuo walked out with the lamp and the silver zheng. He seemed to be disturbed by the movement outside, and stood at the door, looking at everyone suspiciously.

"This is…."

The two young women who came out were two young women. Cha Tou's expression was a little gentler than before, but his tone was still cold. He only said: "Someone has accused your hospital of killing people and burying corpses. The inspection department has been ordered to investigate and handle the case!" He raised his hand and said, The soldiers behind him swarmed up and surrounded everyone.

Du Changqing composed himself: "This must be a mistake. We are a medical clinic. How can we kill people and bury corpses..."

 His words were interrupted by Lu Yan.

Lu Yan stood at the door of the medical center, looked at the leading official, and said calmly: "Since we have been ordered to handle the case, Renxin Medical Center should cooperate. However, we are also a naturalized serious shop. Sir, you want to handle the case. Can you let us take a look? Inspection warrant?”

 The application for the military patrol house was delayed.

 When he received the news, he immediately led people to West Street, without having time to get the warrant. Now after the Shengjing Gongju case, the DPRK is in shock. If he can solve a beautiful case at this time, his promotion will be just around the corner.

 Normally, when handling a case, ordinary people would not specifically ask about the warrant. Who knew that this woman would suddenly mention it?

While they were in a stalemate, suddenly a voice came from behind: "Here."

The sound came suddenly, and everyone looked back following the sound.

The fragrance of cinnamon branches is fragrant, the bright moon is slanting above the branches, and someone is riding a horse on a long, bright night.

The young man reined up his horse at the gate of West Street, dismounted and walked toward the hospital. The soldiers around him gradually moved out of the way. The dim lights under the eaves illuminated his crimson robes, and also illuminated his handsome eyebrows.

Shen Yingfeng was stunned for a moment, and then he was ecstatic: "Master Pei!"

 Lu Zong's heart sank.

 It’s the lingering Pei Yunying again.

Pei Yunying stood in front of Lu Zhu, took off the token from her waist, waved it in front of her, and then smiled and said: "Doctor Lu's "Liang Dynasty Laws" is indeed memorized very well."

 After a brief silence, Lu Yan raised his eyes and looked at the young man in front of him.

 “Pei Dianshuai.”

 (End of this chapter)