Zhuoying

The widow in prison wove buttons out of straw and strung them up one by one.Hum a tune while stringing.The guard was not an acquaintance of the former jailer, but a strange face assigned by Kong Xiangwen.The man was drinking outside the prison cell, and after listening to the tune, he was able to keep up with the shaking of his head and chant a few words.

He said: "Are you singing 'Wu Ye'er?" He tapped his finger on the wine jar and hummed, "Parting is easy, but meeting is hard. Where can I lock and carve saddles? Spring is about to go, and people haven't returned yet. During this time .Calamity and evil frowns and tears. ①"

At that time, the widow made buttons and ignored him.

The guard didn't care, stopped singing, took another sip of wine, and said: "Do you know what's going on outside?" The widow didn't need time to respond, and continued: "The old mother and orphan of Liu Wanchen, but Crying blindly, howling to the sky, as long as you pay for your life. Then howling, I am afraid that the soul will return before the first seven."

At that time, the widow tightened the button, and said coldly: "How dare he return to his soul? There is a Shura evil star here, and he dare not." Then she said: "If he can call out his soul when he wails, then he will never survive this when."

The guard drank all the wine, yelled "crime, sin" with his tongue, put his hands in his sleeves, leaned against the prison wall with his neck curled up, and fell asleep.

At that time, the widow put on the straw buttons and slept under her pillow, as if she had obtained some magic weapon, and even smiled a little.

Outside the prison, Kong Xiangwen waited for a while, and after a while, someone came out.This person has a white face and red lips, and looks extremely feminine and beautiful.

"Is it visible?" Kong Xiangwen took the lantern from the attendant at the side, and walked outside together with this person.

At this moment, the night is quiet, and the wind is moving the autumn cold.The man was wrapped in a thick shirt, his thin white fingers gathered around the neckline, and said slowly: "It's better not to see."

Kong Xiangwen smiled: "But she doesn't look as good as you want?"

"It's not just unsatisfactory." The man wrapped the hood around his face and covered his eyes, "My father and uncle were so fascinated by her that they didn't even want to kill her. I just thought she was such a beautiful woman. Seeing now , even the house sweeper is three points better than her."

Kong Xiangwen laughed and stroked his beard, and said: "Don't underestimate the widow at this time. She was already famous when she was not out of the cabinet, and countless people came to ask her to marry her. However, she came from a humble background, and those who asked her to be his wife Rarely, most of them are married as concubines, in order to get her good looks. But who would have expected that she would fall in love with Shi Tingzhou."

The two of them had already left the yamen. After waiting for a long time in the carriage, they got into the carriage.This car is still the one Kong Xiangwen took when he came, but it's not his car, but this one's.The man took off the hood after sitting down, and said: "How dare you provoke my father."

Kong Xiangwen poured wine out of a small pot, only smiled when he heard the words, shook his head and said: "If you really hate her, why wait until now? Your father is a romantic person, so you can be regarded as dying under the peony flowers, and you can be happy for ghosts and gods It's gone." He passed the wine, "Your uncle is much more pitiful."

Liu Qinghuan didn't pick up the wine, and didn't even raise his hand. He leaned against the wall with a tired look, "The old man died well, and it's too late to be happy. I helped him a while, and I haven't calculated the reward with him yet. What's the pity?" He glanced He rolled his eyes and said to Wen, "Why, Mr. Kong still has the heart of a bodhisattva, do you want to go to the mansion for him?"

Kong Xiangwen sipped the wine, and waved his hands when he heard the words, "I'm just talking, why do you take it seriously? Since Master Hou wants this case to be overturned, then I have plenty of ways to deal with the widow at this time."

"How about that Young Master Zhong?" Liu Qinghuan suddenly leaned closer to the small case between the two of them, his expression a little gloomy in the flickering candlelight, and he said, "If he wants to overturn the case, what should you do? If you make him anxious The book is passed on to the capital, and even Lord Hou will have to learn a lesson. Now that the Zhong family is in full swing, and Zhong Ziming has a protective temper, you have to be careful." There was a murderous intent in his eyes, "Don't you forget, the end of this case So what is the reason for making a fuss? If the Zhong family intervenes, in order to protect Lord Hou, you should kill yourself to atone for the crime."

The wine in Kong Xiangwen's hand splashed, he smiled happily at Liu Qing, "Just don't worry, I remember clearly."

The two looked at each other and said nothing more.

Early the next morning, Shi Yu and Su Shuo went to the Yamen.Someone came from the Liu family. Liu Wanshen has an old mother and a daughter, and a wife and three concubines relying on him to live.Now seeing the corpse, the old lady fainted several times from crying, hating the widow Shi to the bone.Da Liu grabbed the corner of Shi Yu's robe and wailed endlessly, scolding people bloody.

Zhong Xie stood on the sidelines to watch, and found that Shi Yu...he remembered Shi Yu.The eyes in the heavy rain that day were impressive, but today Shi Yu was more indifferent, standing and letting Da Liu cry and cry, without showing any expression.

Kong Xiangwen wiped the corners of his eyes with his sleeve, and said to Zhong Xie, "Do you think the murderer should be hated or not? A white-haired man sends a black-haired man. If we don't bring the murderer to justice, how can we bear the blood and tears of the old man?"

"Your Excellency is right." Zhong Xie breathed out his breath, and said: "Since we want to close the case quickly, we should invite you to do an autopsy today to determine the cause. In this way, when the widow dies, she will die convinced. I can't complain, but I can't complain." He raised his sleeves to Kong Xiangwen and saluted, "Thanks to my lord's advice yesterday, the officials tossed and turned and thought about it. Since we are an official, we should investigate the case frankly." He looked up, He smiled and said: "My lord said that 'talking about war on paper is useless' is very true. In order to avoid the clumsiness of the left and right in the future, it is better to do my best now, to close the case as soon as possible and return to the government as soon as possible. What do you think?"

Kong Xiangwen stared at him with a motionless expression, still retaining the look of compassion on the corners of his eyes and brows, and said, "Ruchen, do you know what the case is now? Are you sure that the widow's evil will be washed away by performing an autopsy? Ruchen." He supported Fu Zhongxie's arm, and said with a heavy face: "If that's the case, let's investigate."

Zhong Xie was taken aback.

Kong Xiangwen said: "I'm just afraid that you will get away with it for nothing if you focus on seeking proof. But if you insist on this, I won't say any more." After that, he raised his voice and said, "Come here, take me as a fast horse Come back, check Liu Wanchen before the sunset today."

As soon as his words came out, Mrs. Liu was the first to cry: "No way! No way! My son is only going, how can you have the heart to dissect someone's body and humiliate others? You must never do it!"

Kong Xiangwen helped the old man up, and said in a deep voice: "I don't know, the old lady does not know. Although this inspection is a rule, it is necessary to find out the reason." Then he said ashamedly: "I have offended."

The old lady lay on his arm and wailed loudly, but Kong Xiangwen didn't look annoyed.Supporting people, patiently comforting them over and over again, teaching people to sigh "good official" at a glance.

Zhong Xie tied his hands and just watched.

In the end, everyone dispersed, and when Wu Zuo came, Su Shuo and Shi Yuqin came to thank him.

Zhong Xie stood outside the threshold of the yamen, looking up at the gloomy sky, he said: "You don't have to thank me, just follow the law." Then he looked at the two of them, and said: "However, the fence is not stable after the heavy rain. Mr. Shi , Take precautions earlier."

After all, he flicked his sleeves and went down the steps, and went.

"He said that, but there is something wrong with his work?" Su Shuo said with a solemn expression, "What's going on with the judge? It seems that he wants to insist on the case. Although we have run all over the country, we have never had any ill relations with officials. Why bother to press such a case with a majestic Deputy Prosecutor for Prosecution and Procuratorate."

"Some people act according to the law, while others obey orders." Shi Yu said, "I heard that Liu Qinghuan has been away from home for many years, and he probably entered Qingping Mansion."

"Then why wait until now?" Su Shuo was puzzled, "If he wanted to take revenge, would he have spent all these years eating nothing?"

"Maybe." Shi Yu looked up at the sky and said, "Go back to the library first and tell Master."

The fast horse arrived after nightfall, and Wu Zuo got off the horse and immediately entered the mortuary. Kong Xiangwen and Zhong Xie were guarding inside, and no one else was allowed to enter.

It started to rain at this moment, Shi Yu stood under the eaves, watching the lights of Changhe Town in the dark, and was blinded by the rain again.Su Shuo squatted aside, rubbed the flint, and there were rubbing sounds.

Neither of them talked, they just waited.

Zhong Xie covered the handkerchief at the corner of the wall, folded his shoulders and stared at Wu Zuo as he raised the white cloth, revealing Liu Wanchen's face.Kong Xiangwen on the side was covered with a handkerchief, covered his eyes with his sleeve, and said to him, "It's a sin."

Zhong Xie didn't answer, and his eyes didn't leave Wu Zuo's hand.Even if the situation on the way made him turn pale and his stomach churn, he didn't dare to look away.

I'm afraid that Wu Zuo will play tricks in front of his eyes.He always felt that there must be something strange in Kong Xiangwen's re-promise to this matter.

The inspection didn't stop until midnight. After cleaning his hands and changing his clothes, he came out and said to Kong Xiangwen, "I've finished the inspection, I'm going to talk to the adults to sort it out, and submit the paper after tonight. This person has neither signs of poisoning nor long-term illness marks." , It was caused by a foreign object." He said again: "A wound on the face is the most fatal, it should be the scissors cut straight through the face, and hit the Qingming point hard. Not only the arm and left shoulder were pierced, but the back of the hand and neck were also scratched. He fell to the ground The back of his head hit the ground, and he died."

Zhong Xie couldn't help interjecting: "However, after being hit hard, he can still move, and he doesn't die immediately."

Wu Zuo said without emotion: "My lord, did you see it with your own eyes?"

Zhong Xie paused, "No."

Wu Zuo stopped answering, and only bowed to Kong Xiangwen: "If there is no other inspection, the villain will leave first."

Kong Xiangwen said: "Uncle Chen has worked hard, go to rest earlier." After the people left, he turned his head to look at Zhong Xie, without sneering or showing disdain, but said slowly: "Ruchen, I know you have an upright official ambition, but as I said, the case has already been closed. When Liu Wanchen searched for the widow at night, the widow continued in the past, but the widow refused to kill her, so why is there any controversy when the cause is clear?"

"The Shi clan came to the town for half a month, and except for Meng Guan, no one he knew before. How did Liu Wanchen find the place?" Zhong Xie didn't back down, and said, "Besides, he was so drunk at that time, so how could it be?" Turned into the courtyard? The servants are not around, who will help him find the way to climb over the wall?"

"How do you know that he has absolutely nothing to do with the widow Shi? Ruchen, you only rely on the woman's one-sided words to think that you are innocent. How can you convince people?"

"There are still doubts about this case, sir—"

"Zhong Xie." Kong Xiangwen raised his voice suddenly, "Go down the Duliang Road to patrol the fields, you have been delayed in Changhe Town for too long."

Zhong Xie clenched his fist in the sleeve, not only his words were stuck, but also a bit of his burning heart.

"Mr. Zhong has high hopes for you." Kong Xiangwen calmed down again, "The Central He family has no mainstay since He Anchang's retirement, and now is the time when Qingliu is vacant. You will be able to rise to my current level within two years after you come to Qingping. position. I understand that you want to be fair and honest, but isn’t this just severely punishing the murderer? You..."

"Farewell sir."

Zhong Xie turned around and went into the rain, and left just like that.Kong Xiangwen stopped at the same place, saw him go out, smiled lightly, and said to herself: "Since you are the son of a high family, why should you show your delusions?" He flicked his sleeves and left.

Zhong Xie went out of the yamen and went to his residence. Everyone had reached the door, and then turned back to the wine shop in the rain.

The shop only had an oil shed to keep out the rain, and he was the only customer.The clerk served him wine, and he popped the cork to drink it, knowing that most of it was mixed with water.He wasn't annoyed either, he just drank one cup at a time until he seemed drunk.

When the pot was empty, he suddenly tossed the cup and said loudly, "Serve the wine!" Then he laughed and said, "It's the wine in which the guest will relieve all worries!"

The man connected a few more jugs, and he drank them all, leaning over the table and counting the jugs, "Who will dance for me and listen to my Chu Sheng?" When I left Beijing that day, did you feel the same way at the foot of Luyi Mountain?"

He gradually buried his face, and the laughter gradually stopped.

"I don't accept this fate." He murmured in a low voice: "I must make a name for myself from here."

The rain pattered the ground, and the stone slabs were smashed unevenly.

Zhong Xie lay motionless on his stomach, as if he had fallen asleep.

The barefooted man stopped outside the shed and suddenly walked towards him.A dirty hand pushed on his shoulder, but he ignored it and continued on.

Zhong Xie let out a long sigh, leaned his head against the back of the chair, and said helplessly, "I have no money to give you today, and I have no interest in arresting you, so go away."

It turned out to be the thief who vomited his robe that day.

This kid was washed away by the rain today, and his face was much cleaner.His eyes were still black and bright, and his expression was still cold.He neither walks nor speaks.

Zhong Xie had no choice but to reach out to pick up the money bag and throw it to him, saying: "It's all my salary for this month." Then he frowned and said: "At any rate, he is a food supervisor, running around here and there, the court is really stingy when it comes to salary."

Unexpectedly, the little thief threw the money bag back to him and stared at him.

Zhong Xie looked sideways, "Isn't it enough?" He pulled out his sleeves again, took out a few copper coins and pressed them on the purse.

The little thief made a sound.

"Are you an official?"

Zhong Xie straightened up and said, "You want to report to the officials?" He drank bad wine mixed with water today, but he was different from usual.He smiled again and said, "Surrender yourself?"

"Someone killed someone."

Zhong Xie laughed, raised his eyes, and said in a deep voice, "What?"

The little thief spread his palms expressionlessly, "I know there are rewards for reporting to the officer, you give me the money, and I'll take you there."

The author has something to say:

①: Selected from "Wu Yeer Farewell" - Guan Hanqing

②: Selected from "Water Tune Getou Everlasting Regret and Everlasting Regret" - Jiaxuan

The deputy cp finally came.