Murder

Overground Grave · Wedge

The bricks were astonishingly hot because they were thoroughly burned by the fire.

Ban Mu wiped his sweat.He knew it was a dream, but it was too hot and uncomfortable.

He was standing in a very large and extremely high brick kiln, surrounded by dense brick walls, which were so high that they almost fell towards him.

"Zhang Songbai! Liu Dali!" Ban Mu panicked, walking between the bricks and shouting, "Liu Xiaodao!"

No one responded to him, only heat waves rushed over layer by layer, wrapping him up.

Ban Mu was sweating more and more. He started to run wildly, but suddenly staggered and almost fell down.

When he looked down, he saw that the ground was somehow no longer flat, but instead full of broken pieces of red bricks.A scorched hand emerged from the debris and grabbed his pant leg.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

His face hurt at first, and then it was cold again—someone slapped him and splashed half a cup of cold tea on his face.

Ban Mu opened his eyes, he was in shock and gasping for breath.

"Get up, the shift has changed." Zhang Songbai looked him up and down, "What are you dreaming about? What's your name?"

"I, what's my name?"

Liu Xiaodao tightened his trousers, and jumped up and down like he just kicked his legs and shook his hands on the bed: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Ban Mu's complexion was not very good, he gave him a hard look, and got up from the bed to get dressed.

Zhang Songbai, Liu Dali, and Liu Xiaodao were already dressed and waiting for him.Liu Xiaodao was still carrying a small cloth bag in his hand.Ban Mu took a few glances at the bag and swallowed.

The cloth bag contained explosives, he knew it very well.

Brothers Liu Dali and Liu Xiaodao used to rob graves and dig graves, but later they said that this business was too harmful to Yin and morality. They have been married for seven or eight years, but they didn't have a seed, so they didn't dare to do it again. Turn to this side to burn bricks.Zhang Songbai is so strong that he can knock people unconscious with just a few punches.

...and me, what do I know?

Ban Mu's hands were shaking all the time, and he couldn't tie his belt properly.

"What's wrong with you?" Zhang Songbai noticed his strangeness and cursed in a low voice, "Don't shrink your neck for me at a critical moment! You are the one who will lead the way today."

"Brother Zhang, I, I was dreaming, I dreamed of them." Ban Mu's voice trembled when he opened his mouth, "I dreamed that Chen Decai was buried in bricks, and he even grabbed my feet..."

"Fuck!" Zhang Songbai spat a puddle of thick phlegm on the ground, "I can't fucking see you as a bastard. What are you afraid of, what are you afraid of? What the hell are you afraid of when everyone is dead? Qian you Didn’t take it? Didn’t you hide the money? Just do it if you do it, what kind of shameless show!”

"Is it okay if I don't do it today?" Ban Mu begged repeatedly, "I can't, I can't do it..."

His hand felt cold, it was Zhang Songbai who stuffed the knife into his palm.

"Second class, no matter what you do today, you have to stab the knife out, you will see blood." Zhang Songbai patted his face, "Killing one is killing, killing ten is killing. If you don't do it, where will you get the money? Buy a big house and marry a wife? Let me tell you, if you don’t do it today, the three of us will be you in the brothel, believe it or not?”

Ban Mu shook on the ground for a long time, and finally stood up tremblingly.

It was very quiet outside the shed, and all the night watchmen went to change shifts one after another.The road was pitch black, and only the brick kilns on the mountainside were still glowing with fire, reflecting the sky a strange blood red.

Ban Mu carried the knife in his waist, Liu Dali and Liu Xiaodao tied the explosives around their waists, Zhang Songbai had an iron ball the size of a fist in his trouser pocket, if it hit someone's head, it would be red and white.

They are on the road.They are ready to kill.

·Ground tomb

Sima Feng and Ah Si walked all the way to the Golden Mist Pond, before entering, Sima Feng was choked and coughed by a strong wind blowing in front of him.

There was a strong smell of smoke and dust in the wind, he coughed a few times, stretched out his finger to wipe the surface of his tongue, and found a coarse grain of his finger.

"Si, is Jin Yanchi building a house?"

The people who came to Jinyan Pond to seek pleasure covered their mouths and noses and walked in a hurry.There are a few who don't care much about their looks, their heads and bodies are covered with thin dust, and they are especially embarrassed under the light of the lights.

"It has nothing to do with the Golden Mist Pond, it's about Jiutou Mountain outside." Ah Si covered his mouth and nose, and hurriedly dragged Sima Feng into the Golden Mist Pond.

It was just nightfall at this time, but the number of guests in the Golden Mist Pond was much less than before, and the girls in each building did not entertain customers at the windows or downstairs as in the past, and occasionally a few walked outside with their heads and faces covered. Thick gauze, holding an umbrella in his hand, completely lacking in beauty.Confused, Sima Feng followed Ah Si into Qinshuang Courtyard.The two were led by the turtle slave to the corridor, and because the corridor was covered with thick gauze, they were finally able to take a few breaths happily.

The gauze looked quite new, but the outer side was already covered with dust.The gauze couldn't bear such a heavy dust, they fell on the flowers and plants below one after another, and the whole Qinshuang courtyard looked dusty.

"It's all the fault of those brick kilns in Jiutou Mountain." Gui Nu complained repeatedly, "Two more collapsed last night. If it hadn't been for the heavy rain today, I'm afraid it would be difficult to even go out now, and I wouldn't even dare to breathe. .”

"What happened to the brick kiln?" Sima Feng asked.

In the past two years, due to the need for reconstruction of Pengyang's city wall and the station outside the city, after surveying the topography and soil quality of several surrounding hills, Jiutou Mountain was finally selected as the firing place for bricks, and then dozens of brick kilns were built in Jiutou. It was built on the top of the mountain.Sima Feng had also heard of this matter.The soil of Jiutou Mountain is not suitable for farming, but it is very suitable for burning bricks. The bricks for the new city wall come out of Jiutou Mountain brick kilns.

But since last month, the brick kiln in Jiutou Mountain has had accidents one after another. It is said that it collapsed three times successively, and many people died.After the brick kiln collapsed, due to the dry weather and strong wind, and Jiutou Mountain was just upwind of the Jinyan Pond, smoke and dust blew over continuously.

"It collapsed three times, is there no one to take care of it?" Sima Feng asked again.

"Yes, the old man who supervised the brick kiln has been dismissed, and now a new one is in charge. No, just three days after he took office, it collapsed again." Gui Nu shook his head repeatedly, "But this brick kiln collapse is also a common occurrence, not new, It's just that I have never encountered such a strong wind before, and Jinyan Pond has never been so embarrassed."

The three talked to each other, and soon walked outside Shuanghua's room.Qinshuangyuan recently bought some fresh girls, so Shuanghua excused herself from feeling unwell and took a rest for two days.Because Princess Lu's birthday will soon be here, and she has already received the invitation from Prince Lu's mansion, so her mother didn't dare to say anything, so she let her go.

Sima Feng stepped into Shuanghua's room door, and seeing Guinu left, the first thing he said was pointing at Ah Si and saying to Shuanghua: "Shuanghua, Ah Si said he likes you very much."

Shuanghua was taken aback, Ah Si's face turned red again, wishing she could jump on Sima Feng's back and kick him: "Master!"

Seeing Shuanghua's half-smile expression, he was extremely nervous and waved his hands again and again: "Master, he's talking nonsense, he's talking nonsense."

"Then you mean, you don't like me at all?" Shuanghua asked with a frown.

Ah Si was dumbfounded, but this time she learned to be smart, she didn't say a word, and shook her head silently.When he heard Sima Feng and Shuanghua laughing, he felt even more embarrassed and kept his head down.

Sima Feng pulled him to the stool and sat down. Shuanghua poured a cup of tea and handed it to Ah Si.

"Brother Ah Si, don't take it seriously when Shuanghua is joking with you." Shuanghua laughed.

Ah Si silently took the cup of tea and drank it, then shook her head: "I don't blame it."

He just felt uncomfortable, but he couldn't blame anyone.Suppressing this strange mood, he began to explain to Shuanghua why Sima Feng came.

Shuanghua listened carefully before confirming: "Master, you want me to pay close attention to the people who appear at the private banquet?"

"Yes. Especially those with official positions and special status." Sima Feng paused, "For example, the gentleman who taught Lu Wang's son art."

"I've met all those gentlemen, and one of them even had a piano competition with me. I got some information from him." Shuanghua said in a low voice, "But I haven't heard them mention that there is a new gentleman. Come."

"Anyway, just pay attention."

"Is there anything else I should pay attention to? That's all?" Shuanghua was a little surprised, "How is this different from usual?"

"It's not different, at least it's not different now." Sima Feng pondered for a moment, before emphasizing his tone, "Shuanghua, you must always remember that you must take care of yourself in Prince Lu's mansion. If you are suspected, protect yourself first. Princess Lu It's birthday, my father also received the invitation, he will go."

"What will happen at the birthday party?"

"The king of Lu is usually laid back and low-key, and only when he and the concubine's birthdays are a little more lively. Even my father invited this banquet, so naturally the adults and generals who are close to the king of Lu will also be invited." Sima Feng said in the voice Depressed, "Whether there will be big people in the field, this is the most important thing."

"I understand." Seeing his serious expression, Shuanghua couldn't help lowering his voice, "Master is here to deal with these important people, and my task is to observe the surroundings carefully. This private banquet is mainly about the master, and I It's not particularly important."

Affected by the two of them, even Ah Si became tense, with his voice suppressed in his throat, he mumbled: "Yes."

The three of them huddled together, but they didn't say anything particularly important, and finished talking in a few sentences.Shuanghua still had to practice the piano, so Sima Feng took Ah Si to leave without disturbing her.

Before leaving, Ah Si nervously took out a paper bag from his pocket and put it on the table.

"Miss Shuanghua, I heard that it will be your birthday in a few days. I gave you this."

Shuanghua blinked, and grabbed the paper bag in his hand.Inside the paper bag was a pearl hairpin, which was extremely simple, it was just that the silver hairpin was engraved with many fine textures, and a silver-white pearl was supported on the top.But if you take a closer look, the texture on the hairpin is actually countless six-petal snowflakes, supporting the bright silver bead, which is pure and elegant.

Seeing that she took it apart, Ah Si was very shy: "It's not worth much, and it's not very good-looking..."

"It's pretty." Shuanghua whispered, slowly stroking the silver hairpin with her fingers, and carefully put the pearl hairpin on her hair.

Therefore, Ah Si was floating all the way back.

"Stand firm, stand firm! You're almost flying to the sky." Sima Feng scolded.

Ah Si laughed like a flower, completely ignoring his cynicism.Although there were not many passers-by on the road, both of them got off their horses and led them to walk. Only then did Sima Feng have time to catch him and tell him what happened along the way.When it came to the needle in Song Beiyan's head, Ah Si finally stopped floating.

When he was about to ask carefully, a greeting came from the front: "Master Sima."

The two looked up, and saw the handsome young man in front of him with a sincere smile on his face, he was the policeman of Frontier.

"Oh, Bian..." Sima Feng was about to respond, wanting to praise his new police uniform, but was immediately interrupted by Bian Jiang.

"Where's Gan Lingshi?" Bian Jiang asked.

Sima Feng blinked: "At Yingbeishe. Xiaobai was injured, and he helped decoct the medicine there."

"Is Gan Lingshi injured too!" Bian Jiang suddenly became nervous.

Sima Feng blinked again: "No... no, I don't know about this. When he comes back, you can ask him, and you can check it for him."

Bian Jiang was a little embarrassed: "I don't know medical skills."

Sima Feng: "Let Gan Lingshi teach you!"

Ah Si looked behind Bian Jiang: "Hurry Bian Jiang, who did you catch?"

Standing behind Bian Jiang was a timid old man who shook his head quickly when he heard the words.

"It's not a prisoner. I met him at the gate of the city today. I took him to report to the police." Bian Jiang said, "I saw that he was old and had no place to go, and he didn't have any money on him. I planned to take him first. Eat something and make plans."

"What case?" Sima Feng became a little interested.

Bian Jiang smiled: "Look for someone. The old man's son is missing."

"Oh..." Sima Feng's little interest suddenly disappeared.

Bian Jiang continued: "He took his son to Pengyang to find a job, but the two of them got separated at the pier and were never found again. There was nothing special about him, just a very ordinary country boy, not smart, and I didn't see him. What a world."

Sima Feng and Ah Sifei quickly looked at each other.There are no clues, no characteristics, only a name. In a place like Pengyang, the possibility of finding it is extremely slim.The old man seemed to be a stranger, and he was helpless in Pengyang.If you want to find a son, you must have a place to stay, money, and time.For this old man, he may have a place to stay and time, but money is obviously extremely scarce, otherwise he would not have asked Bian Jiang to take him to find a place to eat.

"It's not missing..." the old man suddenly said in a hoarse voice, with his head tucked into his shoulders, as if he was very afraid of Sima Feng dressed as a young master in front of him, "I was tricked into burning bricks. Someone on the pier told me about it."

Bian Jiang looked a little helpless: "He said the same thing when I saw him at the city gate. So I took him to the pier and Jiutou Mountain. The boatman on the pier couldn't explain clearly, and finally said that he was wrong Later, I went to the Jiutou Mountain Brick Kiln to ask, and there was no one who fired bricks in the brick kiln. His son."

"It's really going to burn bricks!" The old man was anxious, and chopped a few times on the ground with one foot, "Someone saw it!"

"People in the brick kiln don't necessarily know each other." Sima Feng said, "Or his son just went there, and the other workers don't know each other yet."

"Everyone who works in a brick kiln must register their name and household registration. I checked the book directly, and there is indeed no son."

Sima Feng sighed and nodded.

The old man was still talking: "Hurry up, my lord, hurry up Qingtian, someone saw me follow someone up the mountain..."

"Old man, go to eat, let's go to eat first." Bian Jiang pulled him and said, "I will check for you tomorrow."

The old man grabbed the shriveled bundle in his hand, shrunk his head and walked to the frontier.

"Does Bianjiang always find things for himself like this?" Ah Si asked.

Sima Feng whispered: "He is a good man."

The two have already heard the result from the conversation just now.Since Bian Jiang said "help you search", it means that the government will not really search for the old man's son.

The author has something to say: This case can be spoiled in advance, because the climax of the case is not the most critical part of the plot.

"Grave above the ground" refers to brick kilns. The prototype of this story is the 2014 case of defrauding compensation in a coal mine in Inner Mongolia.A further example is the movie "Blind Well".

I know that the coal mine murder case preceded "Blind Shaft", but I subconsciously searched for similar cases after watching "Blind Shaft", and found that there are really too many such incidents across the country.Art comes from life, and life itself refreshes people's worldview all the time.