Daming's Bizarre Story: Painted Skin

The silver-haired old man Zhao Xiangli was the first to enter through the door, followed by a cook, who supported a thin young woman with her head down, followed by a scribe, followed by two porters, and finally A handsome young servant.

Zhao Zhongbo pointed to the cook and the young woman and said: "This is Xiuying and her mother Wu Shi, one of them is the embroiderer of the Zhao family, and the other is a servant in the kitchen."

Mrs. Wu pulled Xiuying and hurriedly gave her a blessing: "Minnv has met your lord."

Zhaoran glanced back and forth between Wu and Xiuying, and knew in his heart that this timid and thin woman was probably the victim, probably because she was humiliated three years ago and she still couldn't hold her head up.

Zhao Zhongbo pointed to the scribe behind her and said: "This is Zhao Yingwen, the accountant on our pier. He sometimes comes up to check the accounts with the patriarch, and he happens to be here today."

This scribe was dressed in a blue straight suit, and his appearance was gentle and polite. When he heard Zhao Zhongbo mentioning himself, he stepped forward and bowed: "Young people have met adults."

Zhao Zhongbo pointed to the young servant again and said: "His name is Ah Kuan, and he is the junior steward of the Lower Court."

Na Ah Kuan stepped forward with a smile on his face and said, "I have seen the lord, I have seen the old lady."

"Then the remaining two are the concierges of our house, Ada on the left and Agui on the right." Zhao Zhongbo waved his hand after the introduction, "Master Yang is here to investigate Zhao Jing's affairs. Tell me everything you know, do you understand?"

Xiuying's body shook, as if she couldn't even stand still, she covered her face and sobbed in a low voice, Wu quickly hugged her and comforted her softly: "Xiuying, it's all over, it's all over."

Just as he finished speaking, there was another commotion outside the hall, and Zhao Tianci asked a few maids to help him in.

Zhao Zhongbo said: "Tianci, how did you come out? You have to tell your father about it, and you will be punished." When he said the last sentence, his voice was obviously lowered.

Zhao Tianci sat down in the chair, and said nonchalantly, "I'm so bored in the room. I heard that there will be questions ahead, so I came to watch the excitement."

Zhao Ran waved his hands and said with a smile: "Since Eldest Young Master likes to watch the excitement, let him stay."

Zhao Zhongbo was helpless, Yang Xueshi glanced at Zhao Ran and said: "Which one of you saw Zhao Jing committing crimes first."

"It's me." Zhao Yingwen responded, "That day I went into the mansion to check the accounts with the patriarch, and stayed in the East Wing when it was getting late. I still remember that the weather was a bit stuffy that day, so I took a walk in the garden. Then I suddenly heard a short woman's scream coming from the sedan courtyard by the partition wall, so I climbed the wall and looked, and found that Zhao Jing was in the upside-down house on the opposite side, and was..." He said and looked at Xiuying. Going on, he paused before saying, "At that time, I was so shocked that I twisted my feet in a hurry to climb the wall, and then I could only shout for someone. Zhao Jing rushed out of the room and ran out the door."

Zhao Ran asked: "Is the East Wing the same as the East Wing behind the screen wall?"

"Returning to the old lady, that's right." Zhao Yingwen said politely, "There is a small garden across from the sedan chair courtyard."

"And then?" Yang Xueshi asked.

Wu squatted down and said: "That night when I delivered the young master's supper, I happened to see Xiuying walking outside, because Xiuying's expression was not right for a few days, so I hurriedly followed after delivering the young master's supper. I looked for Xiuying along the road and walked to the Chuihua Gate. Suddenly I heard Xiuying’s voice yelling. I felt something was wrong, and then I heard Zhao’s accountant yelling. At the Yuanyue Gate, Zhao Jing rushed out from inside in disheveled clothes."

When Wu said this, she seemed to be gnashing her teeth, took two deep breaths and said: "Xiuying told me many times that Zhao Jing is entangled with her. I think we are in the same village, and the incident will damage my daughter's reputation, so I have been persuading her She was patient and patient, but how could she have hurt Xiuying instead..."

Xiuying couldn't help but burst into tears, Zhao Tianci knocked on the table and said impatiently: "Shut up, didn't you see that the adults are asking about the case!"

Wu quickly pulled La Xiuying and whispered, "Don't cry."

Yang Xueshi looked at Zhao Xiangli and the others and said, "What about you?"

Zhao Xiangli stepped forward and said: "Farmers harvest in autumn. As fishermen here, the fishing season peaks from the rainy season to the summer solstice. The summer harvest is very important, so there are gifts from the gentry and officials every day. I was here that night. In the side hall, I packed up the gift list and left late. When I heard the shouting, I walked out of the house, and I happened to see Zhao Jing rushing out in disheveled clothes, and wrestled with Mrs. Wu."

The two concierges also nodded again and again, Agui said: "That day on Ada's birthday, I closed the door with him and had a few drinks, and suddenly heard noises outside, so the two of us rushed out of the upside-down room. Seeing Zhao Jing pushing Wu to the ground and fleeing outside the door, the two of us stepped forward to arrest him, but Zhao Jing was very fierce and almost made him escape. It happened that Ah Kuan was outside the door, and the three of us arrested him Living."

Ah Kuan continued: "My home is in the village, because every night I go home to rest after finishing work at the patriarch's place. That night, by coincidence, I suddenly found that my purse was missing on the way back, so I bent down to look for it. , I happened to see Zhao Jing walking towards the mansion from the steps. Later, because I couldn't find the purse, I decided to go back to the mansion and look for it again. I didn't know that I saw Ada and Agui chasing Zhao Jing as soon as I walked to the door. When he came out, I stepped forward and helped to hold him back."

Zhao Ran asked, "Have you found your purse at last?"

A Kuan said neatly: "Of course I found it. It turned out that I was left at the door, and A Gui picked it up in the end."

Zhao Zhongbo smiled shallowly: "Although our Yudang Village is a village, we don't pick up lost things on the road, and the folk customs are simple. If you lose something, you can't find it back."

Yang Xueshi glanced at Zhaoran again: "Is there anything else?"

Wu said with red eyes: "I shouldn't have said it, but I was afraid that my lord would misbelieve Zhao Min'er's one-sided words. Then Zhao Jing pushed me to the ground, and because I was worried about Xiuying, I didn't chase him and ran away quickly After entering the sedan chair courtyard, I saw Xiuying fainted in the cover room, her clothes ripped open, she was already... raped."

Zhao Tianci interrupted again impatiently: "Is there anything new to say? Haven't you heard all of this before? Think again, where was her clothes pulled and what was her posture like?"

Yang Xueshi took a look at him, and felt that this man was handsome, but he didn't have the slightest sympathy, which was really disgusting.

Wu hurriedly lowered her head, swallowed her tears and answered "Yes", and said in a panic, "I'll think about it again, think about it again."

Yang Xueshi looked at Xiuying and said, "Xiuying, why did you go to that room that day?"

Xiuying slowly put down her hand, and it was clear that they realized that she was quite delicate, and now the tears were streaming down like pear blossoms with rain, she said: "Zhao Jing's younger sister, Zhao Min'er, is also the embroiderer of the family. That day, she told me that her brother had already bought the dowry and wanted to propose marriage to my mother. Miner and I were handkerchief friends, and we were very close on weekdays, but I didn't want to marry Zhao Jing as his wife, but what I said It's inconvenient to say it in front of Min'er, so I told her, let her brother come to the sedan chair yard at night, I have something to say to him. Originally, I wanted to reject Zhao Jing in person, and I expressed my intention and took care of me. Sisterhood with Min'er. That night I opened the side door of the sedan chair and let Zhao Jing in. He was very happy at first, but after I explained what I meant, he started to touch me and waited for me to refuse. As for him, he suddenly raged and strangled my neck, and then I didn't know anything..."

Zhao Tianci originally listened with great interest, but he seemed a bit disappointed when he heard her last sentence, and said, "Then he is not wronged, why are there ghosts in the mansion?"

Someone from below hastily ran up and whispered something in Zhao Zhongbo's ear, Zhao Zhongbo frowned immediately, and clearly heard the three words Zhao Min'er and said quickly: "Did Zhao Jing's sister come, let her in, let her in .”

After a while, two servants came in pushing a petite woman.

Zhao Min'er got rid of the two people behind her, turned her eyes around among them, and knelt down in front of Yang Xueshi with a "plop": "My lord, please also avenge my brother's grievance."

Zhao Ran gritted his teeth and gave a "tsk" in his heart, thinking that kneeling was really accurate.

She pointed at Zhao Tianci next to her with red eyes angrily: "My brother was tortured to death by this beast with a human face!"

Zhao Tianci let out a "sneer" and spit out four words: "Nonsense!"

Yang Xueshi made a move to stop Zhao Min'er from getting violent, and said: "It's good that you are here, we just have something to ask you, this Xiuying girl said, it was you who told her that day that your brother had prepared the dowry to ask her." This girl proposed marriage, and then Miss Xiuying asked you to call your brother, is there such a thing?"

Zhao Min'er seemed to be biting all the silver teeth in his mouth before saying: "Not bad."

Xiuying looked at Zhao Min'er and murmured, "Min'er."

Zhao Min'er said angrily: "Don't call me, you don't intend to marry my elder brother at all, but you pretend to like my elder brother on purpose, in fact, everything you do is a trap, for this beast, you deceived my elder brother Entered the Zhao Mansion!"

Xiuying cried: "Min'er, it's about my reputation, how could I just talk about it, not to mention my injuries were all vividly remembered at that time, how can I fake it?"

Zhao Zhongbo said: "That's enough, you all know what kind of person the patriarch is. Min'er, as I said, as long as you can prove that your brother is innocent, if the people from the Zhao family did the murder, the people from the Zhao family Let him be cut and cut, and never break his promise! But before that, no one can just make false accusations without evidence!"

When he mentioned the patriarch Zhao Yongbo, it seemed that even Zhao Min'er had nothing to refute.

----

Zhao Ran dropped the bone in his hand and asked: "My lord has finished asking, so it's my old lady's turn."

Seeing that he had finished eating a large plate of pork knuckles, Yang Xueshi finally made a movement, so he couldn't help asking, "Why, what does Lingma want to ask?"

Zhao Ran wiped his oily lips and said, "My old lady is going to practice for a while."

Yang Xueshi couldn't help being speechless, and saw Zhaoran pointing to the opposite side and said: "The place where the rape happened is in the sedan chair, right?"

"Exactly." Zhao Zhongbo said.

Clearly said: "Then go there and practice the law."

As he said that, he walked towards the opposite side, and everyone hurriedly followed, passed through the gate of the full moon, Ji Niang and some bearers were sitting on the steps of the lower courtyard, seeing them coming in, she quickly got up.

Zhao Ran stretched out his hand and said, "Go pick a wicker root and bring some clean water."

Zhao Zhongbo asked: "May the old lady prepare an incense stand, an incense burner and other magical instruments?"

Zhao Ran waved his hand: "I worship the Great Master Guanshiyin, I don't need such vulgar things."

Zhao Zhongbo hastily turned around and said, "Go get ready."

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhao Ran walked up to Ji Niang: "I have one thing I want you to do? If it is done, I will pay enough money for you to leave here and cure the child's illness, but I don't know Do you have the guts?"

Ji Niang grabbed her dress with both hands and said, "I don't know what the old lady wants the villain to do?"

With a clear smile: "Don't be nervous, it's not about murder and arson."

He leaned close to Ji Niang's ear and whispered a few words, Ji Niang showed surprise on her face, but hesitated for a while and said: "I will do it."

Zhao Ran smiled slightly: "Then I'll wait for you."

----

Soon the people below prepared willow sticks and brought clean water.

Zhaoran took the willow, dipped it in some water and pumped it around, the water droplets splashed, and everyone couldn't help stepping back a few steps to make room for him.

He said "Mimi Mama" in his mouth, and picked the summer flowers from his forehead. While turning the flowers, he danced with willow sticks for a while. Yang Xueshi couldn't help but took a deep breath, turned his head Going to the side, Zhao Ran stopped and opened his eyes and said, "That's not right..."

"What's wrong?" Zhao Zhongbo couldn't help asking.

Zhao Ran's eyes were half-closed and half-opened: "Although my old lady couldn't see the situation at that time, she felt that something was wrong."

Agui said: "Old madam, you said that what we said was not true without seeing anything, it's not unavoidable..."

Zhao Ran said annoyedly: "I'm exhausted on the road, and my magic power is a little lacking, so I can't see clearly, how about it, why don't you go back to the position at that time and repeat the process again, maybe I can see more clearly. "

Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, Zhao Zhongbo said: "I will follow what the old lady wants."

Clearly said: "It's still the old rule, you don't act until you hear the screams."

Xiuying glanced at the room behind him and whispered, "Then...do I... want to stay in this room?"

Zhao Ran looked at her pitifully and said: "You and Miss Min'er can rest in the side hall with Mr. Zhao, you are not needed here for the time being."

Xiuying nodded, turned around and left with small steps, Min'er stiffened her neck and said, "I won't go!"

Zhao Ran frowned and said: "You are closely related to Zhao Jing, if you are here, you will mess up my way, and then your brother will patronize you, but he will not be able to talk to me."

Zhao Min'er's eyes were filled with tears, and then she turned around and walked away.

Everyone also left, but after a while Zhao Zhongbo saw that Zhaoran was still resting with his eyes closed, he couldn't help asking in a low voice: "Madam, can we start?"

Zhaoran opened his eyes and said, "We still have to wait for someone." Just as he finished speaking, someone knocked on the door a few times, Zhaoran walked over to open the door and looked at Ji Niang who was outside, smiling, "Here we come."

----

Standing by the hanging flower door, Mrs. Wu's neck almost grows out of her neck, and Agui, who is on the opposite side, sticks out her head and asks, "Why isn't it healed yet?"

"That's right, I don't know what to do?" Wu Shi sighed.

Suddenly, they heard a scream from inside the sedan chair, but Agui didn't hear anything clearly, and Wu rushed into the gate of the Yuanyue Cave as if flying.

I saw Zhaoran in the sedan chair courtyard holding a one-year-old child in one hand, and whipping his little buttocks with a willow stick in the other.

Wu's complexion changed drastically, she ran up and snatched the child from Zhao Ran's hand, hugged her in her arms and said angrily, "You, why did you hit my grandson?!"

Holding willow sticks in his hand, Zhao Ran said, "Does your heart hurt? Of course. You don't have to wait for him to call grandma. I think you will feel it when he calls for the first time. The feeling of being connected by flesh and blood is undeniable. The flesh and blood are screaming, he is in danger, even if there is a sea of ​​ice and fire ahead, I am afraid it will not be able to stop your footsteps."

He glanced at Zhao Yingwen's strenuous face that was only exposed on the fence and asked: "But it was the same flesh and blood that screamed back then, but why did you walk so slowly? If you run around casually, it's impossible to arrive later than Zhao's accountant, right?"

Mrs. Wu tightly hugged the child in her arms, while Zhaoran smiled and handed him the willow stick in his hand: "That's a good cry, grandma, I will keep my promise and give you this willow stick. Hit someone obediently."

The child immediately wept with joy and pulled the wicker over, held it in his hand and played with it.

Zhao Zhongbo's face turned black and he said: "Mr. Wu, what's going on?"

Wu was so frightened that she knelt down: "Second Master, Second Master, the villain didn't hear clearly at first, I really didn't hear clearly. That's my daughter, if I heard clearly, why didn't I save her?!" She As he spoke, he sat on the ground with his grandson in his arms and began to cry.

Zhao Ran turned around and saw that Zhao Yingwen's head had slipped down, so he stood under the wall and waved to Yang Xueshi, who came over and said, "What do you want?"

"Hold me up!"

"I hug you?"

Zhao Ran said: "Then why don't you bend down and I'll step on your back. Hurry up, this matter is urgent!"

Yang Xueshi had no choice but to half-squat down and hug Zhaoran's two legs, and hugged him vigorously.

Zhaoran asked him to hug him like this, and suddenly felt like ants had penetrated into all his bones, and his limbs felt weak from the itching. Looking at the top of Yang Xueshi's black hair below, he had seventeen or eight thoughts in his heart, and none of them were good.

Yang Xueshi's face was flushed red, and he said with difficulty: "Hurry up!"

Only then did Zhao Ran take a look at the next wall, and saw a moss-covered stone underneath. Zhao Yingwen was rubbing his ankles and was about to step on it to climb up again, when he suddenly looked up and saw Zhao Ran's face and was startled. One jump: "Old lady!"

"Is your foot not sprained?" Zhao Ran asked with concern in a friendly way.

"Thank you, old lady, it's okay, I'm about to climb up again."

Zhao Ran leaned on the wall and said, "So you weren't on the wall all the time that night, right?"

Zhao Yingwen's breath stagnated slightly, and he still said: "Although so, I did see Zhao Jing."

"Oh." Zhao Ran replied lightly.

Yang Xueshi below said with difficulty: "You, what do you have to say, can you come down and ask?"

He said that as soon as he lost his strength, he and Zhaoran fell to the ground together.

Zhaoran pressed Yang Xueshi's body, looked at Yang Xuejun's handsome face from top to bottom, and suddenly figured out what he wanted all the time in his mind.

Yes, that's it!Jiuru is too powerful, he can't get close, but this Jiuru can't even hug a scrawny old lady, and he has no strength to restrain a chicken, so can he do whatever he wants?

It doesn't matter, it's just a dream anyway.

Zhao Ran thought to himself, Zhao Zhongbo over there hastily came over to help them: "My lord, old lady, are you all right?"

Yang Xueshi clearly hurt his back from the fall, but he gritted his teeth and said stiffly: "It's okay."

He just moved two steps forward, but he didn't know that Zhao Ran said again: "There is one more thing."

"What else are you going to do?" Yang Xueshi held back his breath.

"Go to the room and talk." Zhao Ran pointed to the upside-down house in the sedan chair courtyard.

Yang Xueshi had no choice but to follow him into the inverted room, and lowered his voice, "What's the matter?"

Zhao Ran pointed to the clothes on his body: "Take it off."

The author has something to say:

Pink is the back cover house where Xiuniang lives.

Red is the inverted house where the crime happened.

No. [-] is where Zhao Yingwen is located

No. [-] is where Mrs. Wu is located

No. [-]/[-] is where the two concierges Agui/Ada are located

No. [-] is the side hall where Zhao Xiangli stayed

No. [-] is the position of Kuan

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