Tang riddles

Not long after, a high-ranking servant came out, and the three small servants who were whispering together immediately dispersed, and Shen Sui, who was hiding in the dark, also came out to meet the high-ranking servant.

Seeing Shen Sui, the senior servant immediately recognized him, stepped forward to salute, and said:

"Chen Si came here straight to investigate the case?"

Shen Sui nodded, this high-ranking servant surnamed Wang was the person who was in charge of guarding the servants of the Pearl Mirror Hall in the side hall, so when he came, Shen Sui appeared.

"I don't know where Xia Qi is here? I have something to ask her."

"Yes, Shen Sizhi will follow me." Wang's servant was straightforward, turned around and walked towards the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Shen Sui followed behind him, while looking at the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, while thinking about what the three young servants said just now.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs is actually not that big, compared to other palace buildings in the palace, it can be described as simple.The side hall in the front hall is the office space, there is a banquet hall in the back hall, and the three-dimensional housing in the back yard is the shift room on duty at night.In addition, there is a quite spacious cellar underground in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is used to store supplies.Just next door to the cellar is a prison cell, used to hold some servants who have committed crimes.Originally, the Ministry of Internal Affairs only managed the internal servants, and Gong'e was managed by the Shang Palace Bureau.However, because the servants of Concubine Wu Hui's case, regardless of gender, were entrusted by the sage to Gao Lishi to investigate, the maids in the Pearl Mirror Hall were also imprisoned here.

When Shen Sui entered the dungeon, he was so stimulated by the darkness and coldness that his goosebumps stood on end.It's so cold here that it feels like winter compared to the hot summer temperatures outside.

Xia Qi was imprisoned in the innermost cell, together with the other five court ladies, including Dong Ling.Shen Sui interrogated her alone, and Wang's servant arranged for them to be guarded by a cell.After the two sat down, the Wang's servant withdrew.

Shen Sui smiled and looked at the young maid in front of her who was hanging her head in silence, her hands entangled in the fabric of her clothes.After a while, he opened his mouth and said:

"Don't be nervous, I'm here to ask a few simple questions."

Xia Qi nodded, but Shen Sui could tell that she was extremely nervous and her behavior was abnormal.

"Where are you from?" Shen Sui asked.

Xia Qi seemed a little surprised, she was stunned for a moment, and then replied in a low voice: "This servant is from Wuzhou."

"Wuzhou... Ah, people from Longyou." Shen Sui laughed.

"Yeah." Xia Qi nodded nervously again.

"How long have you been in the palace?"

"Returning to the official, it's been five years."

"That's not too long. Seeing that you are not very old, you must have been very young when you entered the palace."

"Well, I was twelve years old when I entered the palace."

"Who else is at home?"

"There are all the high halls in the family, but it's just that my brother gambled and lost all the family's property, so the slaves had to enter the palace, exchanged some rewards, and sent them to the family to live." Xia Qi talked a little more about this matter, obviously She has been brooding over it.

"Where is your brother now?"

Xia Qi pursed her lips, shook her head and said, "I've been idle all day long, ignorant of learning and skills."

"It's convenient to ask where your father is employed?"

"My father...is a low-ranking officer in the Longyou Army, an unknown person, and the official would not know if he said it." Xia Qi hesitated.She was probably wondering why Shen Sui asked so many personal matters about herself.

Shen Sui suddenly smiled and said: "If you tell me the truth about what happened in the Pearl Mirror Hall the night before yesterday, I can promise to take your family out of Longyou and settle in a safe place, and I can also arrange for your elder brother to support the family. What do you think of the errand, and subsidize your family twice a month?"

Xia Qi looked at her with a pale face, and then stammered after a long while: "Servant... slave doesn't know anything... why do officials say such things?"

"If you are worried about your own safety, I can also take you out of the palace to reunite with your family. How about it?" Shen Sui did not answer her, but added instead.

"Your servant really... really doesn't know anything, officer, didn't you ask Sister Dongling about everything that happened that night?"

Shen Sui didn't speak, just looked at her with a smile.The sweat on Xia Qi's face rolled down in the cold dungeon, looking exaggerated as if someone had poured a basin of water on her head.

"It's normal if you don't believe me. After all, I made empty promises and no evidence at all. However, your family lives in the county seat of Bazi County, Wuzhou, the fifth family on the third street beside the Lanshi Bridge in the east of the city. There is also a unique small house in the family. Life is not very tight, and it does not depend on your wages and rewards in the palace. Your brother was indeed a bad gambler in the early years, but now he has changed his past and worked for the military. Zhouzhou Zhechong Mansion. Your father was originally a regimental captain in Wuzhou Zhechong Mansion. He was deeply loved. It was because your family was very difficult at that time, and now you are only a few years away from leaving the palace when you are old enough, and everything is fine at home, it is very unwise to get involved in court battles, you have to think clearly, whether to continue to work for you If your superiors do things, you should obey my words and tell me the truth."

Xia Qi seemed to have collapsed, she lost strength all over her body, and she couldn't even sit still.She trembled, and finally said in a slump:

"About three months ago, the rouge water powder used by the empress was replaced by a batch. The new batch had a different smell than before, but we still used it for the empress as usual. Although the empress was ill, she still had to make up every day. Dressing up, because the saint will come to see the empress almost every day. The empress does not want the saint to see her sickness, and always welcomes the saint with the most beautiful posture, so she uses more makeup powder than before. Since using that batch of makeup powder, The empress's health seems to be getting worse... until the night before yesterday, Dongling told me that I should not mention the sudden fragrance in the hall, and leave everything to her. If I talk too much, my parents in my hometown Both brother and I will die without a place to die. I...that's all I know...officials...please, please save my family!"

Shen Sui stepped forward to comfort her, patted her on the shoulder, flicked her sleeves, and a copper coin appeared in her palm, she put the copper coin into Xia Qi's hand, and said: "Put away this copper coin, two days later, Someone will come to pick you up from the palace. After you come out, take this copper coin to Xiude Square in the north of Chang'an City, and find a bodyguard agency called Changyun, and someone will take you to meet your family. When the time comes, who am I? It's not to lie to you, you will know."

Xia Qi picked up the copper coin and looked at it. It seemed that it was just an ordinary Kaiyuan Tongbao coin with a round square hole. She couldn't see anything special about it.But she still carefully put away the copper coins, knelt down and kowtowed to Shen Suisan.Shen Sui helped her up and said:

"Remember, within these two days, you must be careful, don't show your weakness in front of Dong Ling and the others, otherwise your life will be in danger."

Xia Qi nodded vigorously.

When Shen Sui left the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he already had a rough judgment on the case of Concubine Wu Hui.Next, she turned around and went to Yushitai. She knew in her heart that it would be very difficult to investigate Concubine Wu Hui's body, so she had to take the lead. Changing into night clothes, she wanted to explore the Daming Palace at night and examine Concubine Wu Hui's body in person.

Concubine Wu Hui's body is probably in the Zongzheng Temple right now. Since Concubine Hui's death has not yet been mourned, in order to ensure that the corpse does not rot before the burial, Zongzheng Temple may gather all the ice cellars in the city to the lingering place. Now, it is not difficult to investigate.Apart from investigating Concubine Wu Hui's body, Shen Sui also planned to go to Guangshun Gate tonight to secretly investigate the guard general of the Jinwu Guard.

While thinking about her plans for tonight, she wandered through the palace.The reason why she entered the palace in such a conspicuous attire today was not because of Yang Yuhuan's strange reason at all. The real purpose was to make people remember her presence.When Yang Bi is found, Yang Bi will change into her clothes and leave the palace with her token.This created the illusion that Shen Sui had already left the palace, and Yang Bi happened to be on duty in Yushitai tonight and would not leave the palace, which provided Shen Sui with great convenience.

Walking to the corridor outside the backyard of Yushitai, she suddenly saw two familiar figures in the small rockery in the distance.One of them is Yang Bi, and the other Shen Sui also knows, this person is Yang Sanlang of Hongnong Yang family, Yang Bi's third brother.Shen Sui stopped in his tracks and watched the conversation between the two of them in the dark.The conversation seemed to be a bit unfriendly, and the two looked unattractive to each other, especially Yang Sanlang, who was furious.Soon, the conversation was over, and Yang Sanlang left in a huff.

Yang Bi seemed to have discovered Shen Sui, turned around to look at her who was hiding in the distance, Shen Sui smiled and walked out.

"Why, did your third brother come to trouble you?"

"No, he wanted me to help him for the sake of King Shou. After all, Yang Yuhuan was recommended by him to King Shou. Now King Shou has become a joke of Quan Chang'an. Look for opportunities, at least keep Yang Yuhuan from entering the palace."

"But he asks you for help, but what can he do?" Yang Bi is really not very capable as a small servant in the palace.

"He wanted me to write an article to ridicule the matter of the saint and Yang Yuhuan, and then spread it among the public to create pressure from public opinion... Alas, he really lost his head."

Shen Sui suddenly realized that Yang Bi's writing skills can be said to be second to none in the dynasty, not much better than Zhang Shuo, who passed away a few years ago, and Zhang Jiuling, who is still out of town.It's just that this is a secret, he has been hiding his front, few outsiders know about it.He has a good relationship with Yang Sanlang, and they grew up together when they were young. Yang Sanlang actually knows his writing style very well.

"He asked you to write it, and you did it, why did you refuse to do it, and it made him so annoyed." Shen Sui laughed.While talking, she signaled Yang Bi to go to the backyard of Yushitai.

Yang Bi frowned, followed behind her and said, "Brother Bo Zhao means to stir up the conflict between King Shou and the sage in this way?"

"Shou Wang intends to take back Yang Yuhuan, which is the best thing for us." Shen Sui said, "Of course, anyone with a discerning eye can see that Shou Wang will definitely lose, but Shou Wang's move will also leave a mark on the saint." It leaves a very bad impression. I hoped to stir up the conflict between the father and son, and now the opportunity is presented to me, why not seize it?"

"Brother Bo Zhao really intends to save Yang Yuhuan in this way? It's not feasible." Yang Bi shook his head.

"No, this method is just a method of instigating, at most it can be used as a support. I have other methods to save Yang Yuhuan. Besides, someone has made a head start for me right now." Shen Sui said with a smile.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Have you heard the rumors in the palace about Princess Taiping's wronged soul?" Shen Sui said.

"I've heard about it." Yang Bi nodded, and then he reacted and smiled, "Brother Bo Zhao, this move of yours is really damaging. Use the spirit of the dead to disturb the heart of the living. If Yang Yuhuan does it again The reputation of being possessed by Princess Taiping, I am afraid that even if the saint is not taboo, it is unlikely to be included in the palace. It has been more than 20 years since the incident of Princess Taiping, and it can be used by you."

"This is also a helpless move by me, and it's only temporary. I'm afraid that some people want this matter to be dug up more than I do." Shen Sui pointed out, "The death of Concubine Wu Hui is just the beginning, and I'm afraid there will be more in the future." A chain of things happened."

"Brother Bo Zhao, what are you going to do?"

Shen Sui pondered for a moment, then sighed: "Wait and see." She couldn't stop it, and she didn't want to stop it.For some people, it's time to taste the consequences.

……

On the night of May 21st, at the gate of Fenglefang in Chang'an, the inspector of Wuhoupu, who was guarding the door, suddenly heard a rapid knock on the door, opened the door of the night shift room, and saw a sweaty boy standing outside, Hastily said:

"Lang Guan! It's not good, my Lord Lang...died suddenly!"

"Ah?" Marquis Wu, who was on duty at night, was a little confused.

"It's too strange to die, it was killed by someone!" The boy added.

"Which family are you from?" Marquis Wu asked.

"The Lu family, the Lu Bingwen family."

"Ah?! Lu Bingwen is dead?" Marquis Wu was startled, he was a big man, he hurried back to the house, picked up the hammer and rang the alarm bell.Then he took the knife and followed the boy to Lu's house.On the way, he met the other three Marquis Wu who were on duty at night.After rushing to Lu's house, he was taken directly to the study at the scene of the crime.

The Lu family was in a panic, weeping and gathering outside the study. After Marquis Wu arrived, he stepped into the house and was almost smoked out.In the middle of the beam, Lu Bingwen's body was hanging on it, and his whole body was scorched black, curled up like a shrimp, one could tell that he was burned to death, but the strange thing was that his body didn't emit the radiance that he should have. The smell of burnt corpses, on the contrary, exudes a strong aroma. The aroma is too strong, but it is very choking, making people's brains swell and dizzy.

What a smell!Even the Marquis Wu were well-informed and couldn't bear it. A young Marquis Wu was smoked and vomited as soon as he came out.

An old Marquis Wu murmured: "It's weird, it's Qixiang who killed people again, what's going on?"

The author has something to say: The serial murder case is online.