Do you know: I’m Xu Jiazi

Bianjing

Kaifeng government office

A large hall is dark and cold,

The winter sunshine shines in through a row of small windows on the wall,

Through the light, you can also see many corpses covered with cloths on the table and on the floor in the hall.

A veil has been lifted,

The officials in Kaifeng Mansion were describing the appearance with thin brushes.

After completing the drawing, the clerk handed the paper to the transferred colleague.

The corpse was carried on the table,

A Kaifeng man next to him covered his mouth and nose with a piece of cloth. He was wearing a cowhide apron and sleeves on his arms.

After checking it carefully he said:

"Male, about thirty years old, strong and long. His palms have thick calluses."

Not far away from this man, there was also a colleague dressed like him, talking in a normal way:

"The arrow penetrated the throat."

"Blunt weapon blow."

"Arrow wound."

"There are many horse feces on the soles of this person's shoes. He is suspected of having been to a horse market."

"He smells of incense and candles. He seems to have lived in a temple for a long time."

The Kaifeng official who was transferred endured the discomfort, let out a breath of white air, and wrote quickly on the paper with the portrait.

In the lobby of Kaifeng Mansion,

Gu Lin sat behind the table,

The queue below the hall was filled with capable police officers from Bianjing.

Soon an official walked in quickly and handed a stack of papers to Kaifeng Prefecture Yin Gu Lin.

Gu Lin looked at the description and sorted it according to the details. He nodded approvingly and started to assign.

soon,

Li Mubai looked at the portrait in his hand and left the government office.

Looking at the subordinates surrounding him, he said:

"Let's go to the painter first and let him copy a few more pictures."

There are a lot of head-hunting yamen servants who take on the job like this.

While he was talking, all the arresting officers on horseback or donkeys quickly dispersed in all directions.

Walking out of the familiar calligraphy and painting shop,

Distributing the portrait with Mo Xiang to his subordinates, Li Mubai said:

"You two, distribute the portraits to military patrol shops and well-informed helpers that you are familiar with, and ask them to post them for questioning!"

"Especially pay attention to those who went out at Yin time this morning!"

"When you are done with your work or if you have any news, come to the temple near Qingfeng Tower to find us."

"Young men, if you work hard and find out the details of a thief, you will be rewarded with a hundred dollars!"

After hearing this, everyone smiled and cupped their hands and said:

"Yes! Boss Li!"

At noon today,

The people in Bianjing felt that there were suddenly more government officials and soldiers on the streets.

Not only did we conduct a detailed inventory of the store books of some residences and guesthouses,

Neighbors who have taken in relatives or tenants are not spared, and they ask carefully about their departure time.

There are also many helpers who are no longer sleeping in the warm restaurant, but are holding portraits in their hands to ask for information about certain people.

This scene made the people of Bianjing very curious. Although they inquired a few things, they only knew that the Yongyi Hou Mansion on Quyuan Street had been robbed.

Around the end of the day (three o'clock in the afternoon),

Some dignitaries and officials from the DPRK and Central Government have returned home after completing official errands in the Yamen Office.

After arriving home, I will inevitably be questioned by the eldest lady and concubines at home.

Some people even have stewards and nuns sent by relatives to inquire about the news.

However, the only people who really know the details of Yongyihou's mansion are the people in the Imperial City Department.

In addition, there may be a very small number of high-ranking officials from the Zhou Dynasty who were responsible for negotiating with Bai Gaoguo. Most of the rest of the officials in the DPRK only heard the emperor of Zhou Dynasty talking to himself.

The first moment of Unity Hour (5 p.m.)

Pan Lou Zheng Street

Inside the Qiyun Tower connected to the Pan Tower Flying Bridge

Lu Sanlang, the Duke of Lingguo, was recuperating at home. Han Chengyun, the fifth son of the Korean Duke, together with Sha Bo, the eldest son of the Hou family of Zhongshan, and Fa Wen of the Hou family of Fu'an, held the beauty in their arms and raised their wine glasses.

Listening to the words of the young legitimate son of the Yu family opposite them: "I heard what my father and mother said, and he heard it very clearly. What your Majesty said is that you are too generous to the vassal king!"

The three children of the Xungui family looked at each other with deep thoughts in their eyes.

"There are only a few princes who are so bold that they dare to go to Yongyi Hou's house to cause trouble at this time."

Han Wulang looked at Yu Erlang, who was blushing as he was accompanied by a female musician, and said with a smile: "Erlang, do you know what kind of trouble you caused when you went to Xu's house?"

Yu Erlang shook his head, pushed away the wine glass that the female musician put to his lips and said, "Brother Han, I don't know."

Han Chengyun smiled and looked at the others and said, "I'm probably going for the Xu family's dragon colt. Prince Yong wanted to buy it with money."

The noble children of other families nodded.

Yu Erlang asked hurriedly: "Now Xuhou is using it properly. Something happened to King Yan before. How dare they dare?"

"Moreover, I heard that the dragon colt was a gift from the emperor."

Han Wulang said:

"These are members of the royal family. If they take it out on an animal, the most they can do is be reprimanded and paid for. What else can they do?"

"You know, Prince Yong has lost one arm, and Prince Jing has lost one arm."

"In Bianjing City, you must show your claws and teeth, otherwise you will be regarded as easy to bully."

Wei Faqi raised his glass and said: "Good morning, Wu Lang!"

Then Wei Faqi looked at Yu Erlang and said: "Erlang, when you were in Xiangzhou before, you didn't see the Duke of Qi and the Marquis of Xiangyang show their strength. Rong Fei's relatives were almost killed."

Yu Erlang opened his big eyes,

This unseen appearance made everyone present laugh.

"Erlang will get together with the rest of us more in the future. Don't worry, everything will be paid for by my brother."

Hearing Han Wulang's words, Yu Erlang quickly handed over his hands and thanked him.

At this time, the boy from the Yu family came in at the door and said something in Yu Erlang's ear.

After hearing what Yu Erlang said, he looked at the distinguished disciples present. After the young man finished speaking, he stood aside and said,

Yu Erlang cupped his hands and said, "Brothers, please forgive me. Grandpa knows I'm out, so he's sent someone to call me now."

"Erlang, go away!"

After Yu Erlang left the table, several of the disciples looked at each other.

"Go and call the musicians in. We won't go back until we get drunk!"

later,

A piece of news quickly spread in Bianjing:

Several princes of the royal family were arrogant and daring. They retaliated against Xu Jiawulang for fighting. They were even jealous of his possession of several dragon colts, so they sent people to cause trouble.

As a result, the Xu family's guards were alerted and they were killed as robbers.

After hearing the news, some members of wealthy households in Bianjing scoffed and asked, "Then what are the police officers on the street busy with now?"

The person who brought the news hesitated and said: "Of course I have to do something to give face to the Hou Mansion!"

"I heard this from the mouths of several yamen, how could it be wrong!"

Upon hearing this, some doubtful people gave up.

On the second day,

This news spread more and more widely, and also reached the ears of some storytellers and dramatists in Wase.

Somehow he made up the book "Xu Hou defeated the enemy general in the northern battle formation, and Bai Gao sent the party's thousand-mile horse".

When the matter was being discussed in Bianjing,

A drama notice with this name was posted,

It attracted many people from Bianjing to go and see it.

The third day

Jiying Lane

Shengjia

A Xu family carriage drove through the gate.

But there was no host like Wang Ruofu to greet him.

After the carriage stopped, Qingcao walked down alone carrying a bamboo basket.

Shouantang

The old lady sat cross-legged on the Arhat bed,

The turtle shell in her hand made a squeaking sound as she shook it.

Not far away from the old lady, Mother Cui was making soup and tea.

At this time, Fang’s mother held the handkerchief, lowered her head and walked in from the door. Looking at the old lady’s eyes as she looked over, Fang’s mother smiled and said:

"It's Brother Jing's female envoy Qing Cao who came here. She said she wanted to ask Miss Wei about her embroidery skills and came here specifically to see my slave."

The old lady stopped shaking her hands and said, "Let this girl come in. Old lady, I just have something to ask her."

Fang’s mother was stunned and hurriedly responded.

Minglan, who was practicing calligraphy in the back room, showed her head from the door.

The old lady said: "Tomorrow, continue practicing calligraphy, and you are not allowed to come out!"

Minglan pouted slightly: "Oh!"

Although she rolled her eyes and asked:

"Grandma, granddaughter, I have always wanted to ask you a question."

"Say it!"

"Grandma, are you practicing Guan Pu?"

Hearing Minglan's question, Cui's mother burst out laughing.

The old lady was stunned and looked at Xiao Xiaotao who was also looking at her curiously.

The old lady smiled and nodded at Minglan and said, "Grandma, this is a six-line divination. What's the point?"

Minglan and Xiaoxiaotao looked at each other and said, "I'll just say no."

Xiao Xiaotao didn't speak, and nodded after hesitating for a while.

At this moment,

Qingcao also followed Fang’s mother into the hall,

The old lady waved to the master and servant Minglan and signaled them to come in.

Qingcao walked to the hall, bowed and said, "I've met the old lady, the old lady is Ci'an."

The old lady waved her hand and said, "Come, come to me."

Qingcao walked up to the old lady. The old lady looked at her carefully for a few times and then raised her chin slightly.

Mother Cui stopped what she was doing and walked to stand outside the hall.

Fang’s mother brought an embroidered pier over to Qingcao.

"Qingcao girl, what happened in the Marquis' Mansion the day before yesterday?"

"My son said that the Hou Mansion was robbed?"

"Don't say it yet, you must know that your young master will never lie in front of the old lady!"

Qingcao looked down at the patterns on the old lady's clothes and pursed her lips.

The old lady continued to cross her legs, tilted her head sideways, and looked at Qingcao's lowered face:

"Um?"

The old lady straightened up and said:

"Yes, you and the other two little girls took turns accompanying Brother Jing to the racecourse in the morning. You can come to my house today. Could it be that you, the little girl, were by his side the day before yesterday?"

Qingcao looked up at the old lady in surprise, then nodded slowly.

"What happened? Is it really as said outside that the Hou Mansion was robbed?"

Qingcao pursed her lips and nodded again.

The old lady bent over, looked at the turtle shell on the table, and wondered: "Where did the thief come from, and dared to go wild on the head of the Hou Mansion!"

Qingcao whispered: "The eldest brother of the Li family who lives in the mansion said that he is from Bai Gaoguo."

The old lady was stunned, frowned and squinted at Qingcao and said: "Qingcao girl, what are you talking about? Bai Gaoguo?"

Qingcao: "Yeah."

"Hiss!!! This"

The old lady straightened up again, her face was solemn, and her eyes were full of thinking.

Then the old lady shook her head and said:

"Maybe it's not for my nephew who is leading the army in the north, but for the former Bai Gao clan who lives in the Hou Mansion?"

"How many thieves have gone?"

Qingcao shook his head and said:

"My servant didn't see it. The young master asked me to hide in the house, but I heard the young master's bow string ringing more than a dozen times! There was also the sound of weapons clashing."

The old lady sighed:

"People are indispensable! In this way, girl, tell me what you know."

Qingcao still didn't sit down and whispered beside the old lady:

"In the morning, the young master and I went to the racecourse. After we got to the warehouse to collect the things, the slave didn't go back."

After listening to Qingcao's words, the old lady let out a sigh of relief:

"It's so dangerous!"

"If something like this happened, someone must have neglected their duty!"

Qingcao nodded and said:

"Yes! I heard from Brother Qingyun next to the young master that Chief Xiao Zhao from the Imperial City Department came in person."

The old lady nodded:

"Well! Go ahead, I'll have someone take you to find Miss Wei!"

Seeing Qingcao hesitate to speak, the old lady said:

"What, do you have something to say?"

"This slave wants to invite Miss Xiao Tao."

The old lady raised her chin towards the inner room and said, "Go and call her."

"Yes, madam."

Outside Shou'an Hall,

Qingcao carried the bamboo basket and Xiaoxiaotao and followed Minglan towards Jin Anzhai.

soon,

The three of them came to the yard,

Minglan jumped up and shouted: "My dear! My dear! I'm back!"

The cotton curtain at the door was opened.

Xiaodie smiled and raised her finger to her mouth:

"Shhhh! Miss Six, Brother Mang is asleep!"

Minglan immediately covered her mouth and nodded quickly.

Xiaodie turned around and said in surprise: "Qingcao? Why are you here?"

The green grass behind him smiled and gave a blessing: "Sister Xiaodie!"

"Come in, come on, everyone, come in!"

Minglan took Xiaotao to the bedside behind the screen to see her brother.

Qingcao came to Wei Shuyi who was sitting in front of the embroidery frame and bowed: "I've seen my little lady!"

"Miss Qingcao, sit down!"

After Qingcao sat down, she looked up at the smiling Wei Shuyi, and she smiled unconsciously.

"I see you are much taller than when you were in Yangzhou!"

"Thank you for your compliment, it's been almost two years after all. I embroidered this in my house, please give me some advice."

After Wei Shu took Qing Cao's work with a smile, he looked at it carefully.

Qingcao looked around Wei Shuyi's house with a smile, looked at the plum blossoms by the window and said, "My dear, these plum blossoms have grown much taller and stronger."

Wei Shuyi raised his head and glanced at Qingcao with a smile.

Qingcao looked at the Buddhist and Confucian teachings hanging in Wei Shuyi's room, pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows.

Wei Shuyi held Qingcao's embroidery in her hand and carefully exchanged some experiences with her.

"Miss, I want to embroider a picture of the palace's horse for the young master. How do you think I should embroider it?"

When Wei Shuyi heard this, his eyes lit up and he said, "Then do you have the portrait of Li Ju?"

"Yes, yes! This was painted by Miss Anmei at home."

As he spoke, Qingcao took out a scroll from the bamboo basket, untied the tether, and displayed Liju's portrait.

As a noble daughter of the Hou family, An Mei's painting skills are not at the master level, but she has studied them for many years. In some elegant gatherings, those who competed in painting skills were also noble ladies under the guidance of famous teachers.

The Liju drawn is very good.

Wei Shuyi looked at the painting with approval, and then talked to Qingcao carefully about how to embroider:

"Perhaps we could use light-colored silk thread between the eyes of this horse."

"The butterfly in this corner can be red."

Jin'anzhai, where Wei Shuyi now lives, is generally located in the same location as Mucangzhai in Minglan later.

It's not far from Shou'an Hall, and also very close to a side entrance of Sheng's house.

When it's quiet at night, loud voices outside the door can be heard in the courtyard.

At this time, a cry came from outside the courtyard: "Silk thread! It's better than the Li family's silk thread!"

Qingcao was stunned and said: "Little girl, let me go and see if there are any threads."

Xiaodie on the side pressed her on the stool and said with a smile:

"Qingcao, what color silk thread do you want? I have all the colors here, and they are all bought from Li's sewing shop!"

Anxiety flashed through Qingcao's eyes,

Wei Shuyi looked at the green grass, and said while thinking, "Xiaodie, can you see clearly? Let me take a look, and I remember that one color is missing."

Xiaodie was also stunned: "Little girl, if we are not here, please take a look."

Wei Shuyi came to the drawer, pulled out the silk thread inside and said:

"Miss Qingcao, I am also missing some pink silk thread. Why don't you and Xiaodie go out and have a look, and buy it for me if you have any."

Qingcao immediately smiled and nodded: "Xiao Tao, let's go and have a look!"

"Sister Qingcao, are you going to see the silk thread? I'll go too!"

After hearing Minglan's words, Qingcao looked at Wei Shuyi.

Wei Shu nodded: "Get dressed!"

Minglan held Xiaodie's hand in front,

Qingcao holds Xiaotao's hand behind,

The group of four people quickly arrived at the side door of Sheng's house. Listening to the shouts outside the door,

The four girls smiled slightly.

When the boy guarding the side door saw the four people, especially Minglan and Qingcao, he hurriedly bowed:

"I've met Miss Six."

"I've seen the Green Grass Girl."

"Excuse me, please buy some hot soup."

As he spoke, Qingcao took out a string of ten copper coins tied with a red string and put it into the boy's hand.

"Thank you Miss Qingcao for your consideration."

As the boy said this, he opened the side door and stood outside.

Xiaodie and Minglan walked out first.

outside the door,

Zhaotaifeng was dressed like a salesman from Bianjing. When he saw the side door of Sheng's house opened, he tried his best to look over calmly.

Holding a black hat tightly in his hand,

However, after he looked at the beautiful Xiaodie and the fair and fat Minglan, he

He sighed slightly in his heart: No!

As a top spy, his memory is still very good!

He remembered the appearance of his daughter and son-in-law very clearly, and there was no similarity between the two girls.

However, he knew countless people, and he could tell that although this little girl was fat and fat at the moment, she would be an outstanding figure if she lost 80% of her weight in the future!

Thinking of this, Zhaotaifeng greeted: "You two girls, take a look."

Before he finished speaking, the green grass behind held Xiao Xiaotao's hand across the threshold and walked out.

Zhaotaifeng looked at Xiaotao and his eyes narrowed, and he reacted quickly and flicked his hat towards Qingcao and Xiaotao.

Qingcao saw the hat coming towards her and bounced on the ground, so she knelt down to help pick it up.

But Xiao Xiaotao beside her was trembling with fright for no reason.

Qingcao quickly looked at Xiao Xiaotao: "Xiao Tao, what's wrong? Is it cold?"

Xiao Xiaotao shook her head in confusion and said, "I don't know why, I just feel a little scared."

Zhaotaifeng looked at Xiaotao, feeling the intimacy from his bloodline, and then looked at Xiaotao's slightly protruding front teeth as he smiled at the grass to show that nothing was wrong.

He licked his own,

Thinking about what his junior brother told him about what the thief who intercepted his son-in-law had done, he already knew the answer in his heart.

Xiaotao walked closer,

Looking at the salesman's appearance, she blinked and looked again and again.

Zhaotaifeng looked at Xiaotao's chubby appearance without flinching in his eyes, and saw Minglan put a flower on Xiaotao's head.

Listening to Xiaotao discussing what to buy for his wife,

He smiled.