Born of Worry

April thirty.

"Is Xie Yan living here?"

"Yes yes yes! My lord, please sit down, please sit down..."

It was the first time for the woman to see the eunuch who announced the decree, and it was the first time she saw the imperial decree. She was so frightened that she knelt down directly, and she was almost unable to speak.

But the eunuch waved his hand, "No need, no need, I'll leave after I announce the decree. Where's the person thanking you?"

"Uh... my concubine just asked him to go shopping, and he should be back soon. How about..."

"I don't have time to wait for him to come back, so you can take the order for him and tell him when he comes back."

"Yes……"

The eunuch cleared his throat, unfolded the edict, and read: "Holy Yu..."

"That's it!"

"Quick, quick! Surround and surround! Don't let people run away!"

He had just read a few sentences, but was interrupted by the imperial guards who suddenly broke in, and he couldn't help saying angrily: "You! What are you doing?! Didn't you see that I was reading the imperial decree?"

"Imperial decree? What imperial decree is the murderer declaring? Hurry up and arrest everyone!"

The eunuch was so angry that he couldn't speak, "You, you!"

"Kill, murderer?"

The woman was dumbfounded by the fright, and two imperial guards came up to her: "Where is your son?"

"The dog... went shopping, the adults are going to..."

The other party yelled: "Still sophistry?! He obviously killed someone in Xishi! Where did he hide?!"

"Murder?" The woman had an unbelievable expression, "No... no! It's impossible! My family says it's impossible to kill someone! You must be mistaken!"

The imperial guard snorted coldly, "Impossible? It's clear that someone saw that your Xie Yan killed someone!"

"It's impossible! It's impossible!"

"Stop talking nonsense, take it away!"

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Someone died—!"

Li Xian heard the report from the eunuch and the commander of the imperial army, Feng Lang, and found it almost inconceivable.

"Chuanlu Xieyan killed someone impulsively because of a dispute with a vendor? Are you sure, it's really just for this?"

Feng Lang was also very embarrassed, "This...Your Majesty, I don't dare to jump to conclusions in a lowly position. It needs to be verified, but the descriptions of the people present are basically the same."

Li Xian nodded, frowning and thinking about something. At this moment, the eunuch whom he sent to pass the decree stumbled back and fell at his feet. He was upset and scolded: "I let you go Pass the decree, where is the decree?!"

The eunuch was trembling: "The imperial decree... fell, fell at Chuanlu's house..."

"Trash!" Li Xian kicked him away, "Get out!"

"Yes……"

He suddenly remembered something again, and a very bad premonition came to his mind, "Wait a minute, General Feng, you just said that it was the caravan that just entered Beijing in the past two days?"

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"The caravan...has the banner?"

"No, it should be a retail merchant, but I haven't had time to verify it yet."

"Then... has the identity of the deceased been verified?"

"Verified, the surname is Luo, and the name is Luo Zhitian."

"..."

"Your Majesty? What's wrong with you, Your Majesty?! Your Majesty!"

an hour ago.

"Yan'er."

"What's wrong girl?"

"Mother heard that there is a caravan coming to Beijing in the past two days. Go and see if there are any cheap goods you can buy for your mother, such as cloth and needlework. Oh, by the way, and, go and see if there are any materials for sachets Yes, flower petals, especially epiphyllum, epiphyllum is not easy to live here, there are few sold, and the price is also expensive, I heard that the caravan is from the south, go and see if there are any cheaper ones."

"What epiphyllum to buy?" Xie Yan said angrily, "Didn't I tell you not to make this sachet? It won't make much money, and it will take a lot of effort."

The woman patted him, "You child, mother can't control you anymore? Go, don't let them sell you out."

"Who would buy that thing! Besides, you can't get any petals, why do you have to use epiphyllum?"

"My mother made it for someone else."

"to whom?"

"Why do you ask so many questions? I'll tell you when you come back, hurry up and be obedient."

Xie Yan looked sullen, counted a few copper coins from the drawer and was about to leave when the woman stopped him: "Hey, wait a minute."

"what happened again?"

The woman took out a golden tortoise from a small box, "This golden tortoise... you take it, go and see if there is anything you like, if you don't have enough money, use this to buy it."

Xie Yan snorted, "Isn't this golden tortoise very expensive? You are not willing to use it for a few months, why are you willing now?"

"Isn't it because you passed the exam, so I want you to buy something to reward yourself?"

"The exam is over, the exam is over, don't mention the exam to me again!"

"Hey..." The woman looked at her son slamming the door and leaving, and said to herself in bewilderment, "What's wrong, this is..."

one day ago.

Xie Yan was sitting alone in the tavern drinking wine.

After a while, a young eunuch came over and said, "Thank you! Why are you sitting in this place? Let's go up to the second floor."

"Without money, I can't afford to open a private room."

"Oh, you... May I ask you to go to the head office? Come on, I have something important to tell you."

Xie Yan was dragged up to the second floor by him, entered the private room, and said, "Is there anything I have to go up to talk about, can't I go down?"

"Walls have ears."

"Don't be a fool, what's the matter?"

The eunuch lowered his voice, "Did you pass the Chuanlu exam this time?"

When Xie Yan heard this, he immediately pulled his face down, took a sip of wine and said in a nonchalant manner: "Why do you all ask me about my grades one by one? Yes, yes, yes, I passed the Chuanlu exam, but I didn't pass the exam. I will embarrass the Xie family." Alright, all right?"

The eunuch waved his hand, "No, no, that's not what I meant." He seemed to hesitate for a while before saying, "This Tanhua... should belong to you."

"……how do I say this?"

"It was originally yours, but... Although your grade is No.3, but..."

"But what?"

"But because you...uh, it seems that you have a bad reputation, so I transferred you to the fourth place."

"You can't talk nonsense." Xie Yan became serious, "The imperial examination is so strict, how could such a thing happen? Yijia was hand-picked by the sage, and the sage did not know what the ministers below did? You must be too much heart."

Seeing that he didn't believe it, the eunuch couldn't help becoming anxious, and explained: "No! It's absolutely true! I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and it wasn't someone else's idea at all, it was His Majesty's idea... It was he who discussed it with Shang Shuling. of."

Xie Yan was stunned for a few seconds, "This statement...is it true?"

"Why am I lying to you? If I didn't just go in to deliver tea, I wouldn't know about it. Just because I broke in, I was almost fined."

"This kind of thing...how could the emperor let you spread the word?"

"Shh... don't tell it. If it gets out, I won't be able to keep my head! I'm telling you because our two families are relatives, and my father asked me to take care of you." of."

"Thank you, I understand..." His expression became very ugly, "Thank you very much."

Xie Yan walked on the road with the golden turtle in his arms, unable to calm down no matter what.

His Majesty the Emperor's own opinion...fairness and justice...hehe, where does fairness come from?

He doesn't want to be the No. [-] scholar, he just wants to be a No. [-] candidate, he only wants to enter the first class, and be an official to support his family. It doesn't matter even if he is a little bit younger. He also accepts a ninth-rank sesame official, but it just happens...

When I think of my mother's rough and scarred hands, I can't help but feel sad.He has no skills, can't do more to support his mother, he can only study.After finally passing the Gongshi exam and getting the third place in the exam, I thought that Tanhua was firmly in my hands, but who knew...

Entering the Hanlin Academy, he didn't know how long he would have to study, and how long it would be before he could be an official and receive a meager salary. He could wait, but what about his mother?Mother has worked hard for most of her life, when will she be able to get rid of poverty?

The capital... so what about the capital?Who said that there are no poor people in the capital, who said that entering the capital can make a fortune?It's really... ridiculous...

two years?three years?He really didn't want to wait any longer.

The excellent opportunity of the imperial examination was obviously obtained, but it was inexplicably ruined.

Hate...

He touched the golden tortoise in his arms again, his heart was in a state of confusion, and he walked to the West Market unknowingly, looking at the vendors on the side of the road and the crowds coming and going, he suddenly felt disgusted.

Maybe... If you don't take the road of studying, maybe you can live a better life than now.

Suppressing the resentment in his heart, he inquired about the merchants around him, and finally inquired about the new caravan that came to Beijing. They had quite a lot of stalls, and there were many novelties that he had never seen before. But how could he be willing to buy it? Mother was not willing to use the golden tortoise, and neither was he.

He looked back and forth between several stalls, and finally found a seller of sachet materials, and there were a lot of petals of various kinds. He asked the merchant: "Is there any epiphyllum?"

"Epiphyllum? Do you want petals? Or seeds?"

"petal."

"Yes, there are," the businessman picked up a pack of dried epiphyllum petals, "here, here I am, are they used to make sachets? Don't worry, our petals have been specially treated, and the fragrance can last longer. If the young man likes it, he can take it and give it to the girl he likes, and it will work well."

Xie Yan laughed dryly and said, "How much?"

"Twenty Wen."

"...so expensive." He frowned. He only brought fifteen copper coins in total, but he couldn't even afford this bag of petals. He felt even more depressed, "Ten coins, can you sell them?"

Seeing that he cut off half of the price at once, the merchant was a little unhappy, "No... this guest officer, twenty yuan is not expensive, and such a big bag can make a lot of sachets."

"Ten texts."

"... Definitely, let's each get half of it back, fifteen cents, fifteen cents, right?"

"Ten pennies is ten pennies, whether to sell or not?"

"What about you..." The merchant was speechless for a long while, and said, "This guest officer, let me tell you this, our caravan is not short of your few pennies at all, we just sell word of mouth when we come to the capital, don't believe it Go to other stalls and ask, is there any one that is cheaper than ours? If you can find it, we will make up the difference for you." He handed the bag of petals to Xie Yan, "Customer first, you say ten cents, Just ten coins, you take it."

Xie Yan looked at the petal, but didn't pick it up, then looked at the merchant, and suddenly said: "I don't want you any more, sell it to whoever you like, I don't want it anymore." After speaking, he turned around. just go.

"...You!" The peddler was almost pissed off by him, and couldn't help cursing, "Are you fucking sick? Are you here to mess things up?! Look at you, a poor scholar, if you can't afford it, don't buy it." Buy it! Don't waste my time!"

"How do you talk!" A fat middle-aged man walked by, "That's a guest, I haven't taught you how to talk to guests?"

"No, master, it's not that I'm being rude. You comment. This kid wants to buy something. We set the price at twenty yuan. If he insists on buying it at ten yuan, then I say ten yuan is ten yuan. Anyway, we are not short of this money." No. I gave him ten coins, but he didn’t want it anymore, so he just walked away. Do you think he really wants to buy it? I think he’s here to find fault with it!”

"Okay!" the man interrupted him, "If you don't want ten cents, just give it to him, isn't it just ten cents? What are you arguing about, do you think everyone is like us? Just be considerate of children from poor families." Let him know, see what you said just now, do you still want to do it!"

"...Master, I was wrong, I won't dare in the future."

The man picked up the bag of petals, walked up to Xie Yan, and said, "Little brother, the people in our caravan are ignorant, I will definitely teach him a lesson when I go back. He was rude to you just now, don't take it to heart, as compensation... ...I'll give this petal to you. Oh, and, if you see what else you want, I'll sell it to you at a discount."

"Heh..." Xie Yan sneered twice, then suddenly raised his hand and knocked the petals to the ground, gritting his teeth and said, "Thank you for your kindness, I, no, need, want, give, give! "

"……you!"

"Master! Look at him! It's not that I have a bad attitude, he's just here to find fault!"

There were already some onlookers nearby, and a few who couldn't see it persuaded: "Little brother, why are you bothering? It's not easy for people's caravans to come to the capital from thousands of miles away. Besides, they apologized to you and sent them away for free." I’ve given it to you, so you just accept it? Don’t you think kindness makes money?”

"Yes, yes, it's not worth getting angry about this."

The crowd's comments were buzzing in Xie Yan's ears like flies, and his anger was getting more and more intense. He approached the middle-aged man step by step, almost gnashing his teeth, "Why?"

"What, why? Little brother, what are you doing? Calm down, calm down!"

"Why are there people like you in the world!" He suddenly strode forward, grabbed the man's neck with one hand, picked up a knife from a nearby fruit stall with the other, and said angrily, "Why are there rich people like you?" ! Why do you guys have to be rich! And I want to be poor!"

"What are you doing! Put down the knife! Little brother, put down the knife!"

The crowd was also flustered, those who comforted, those who fled, those who watched the excitement, and the scene was extremely chaotic for a while.

"Why? Ah?!" Xie Yan put the knife on his neck, "I tell you, I don't need charity! Put away your disgusting sympathy! What fairness and morality are all fake! Fake If you have money, you can buy test questions, and if you have money, you can obliterate the hard work of others! I am not convinced, I am not convinced!"

He stared, his eyes were red and he was almost crazy, "Why don't you die! Why don't you die!"

"No!"

There were exclamations from the crowd, and several timid women even fainted from fright. Only then did Xie Yan realize what he had done. The knife in his hand fell to the ground, and the blade was covered with glaring blood.And the middle-aged man clutched the wound on his neck, and slowly slipped down.

"me……"

"What happened!" The guards nearby realized that the commotion had finally rushed over, and Xie Yan ran away as if he suddenly came to his senses.

"It's a murder! It's a murder! Catch the murderer! Catch the murderer and don't let him escape!"

"Stop! Don't run! Stop!"

"Closing the city gate—"

Sitting in a carriage, Xie Yan looked back and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the slowly closing city gate from a distance.

This was probably... the fastest he had ever run in his life.

There was a fishy sweetness in his throat caused by running too fast, he swallowed it, and said to the driver: "Hurry up."

"Where are you going? And...why do you still have blood on your body? Don't be..."

"Don't ask too much." Xie Yan frowned, touched the golden tortoise in his arms, and felt a sense of security, "There are enemies chasing and killing me, and the government is arresting them. Didn't you see that the city gates are closed?"

"Oh... so. With so much blood on your body, I'm afraid you are seriously injured? Do you want to see a doctor? Don't delay."

"No, let's go, I'm afraid there are still people among them, if I don't get caught and run out, I will be miserable."

"Got it. Drive!"

Luo Zhitian is dead.

Li Xian didn't know how to face his father. He really asked the imperial army to pay attention to the caravan with the name Luo, but he didn't expect...the Luo family didn't have a shop.

He still hasn't figured out why Luo Zhitian didn't come to find his father as soon as he entered Beijing, but now the indisputable fact is that Luo Zhitian is dead.

And it was Xie Yan who killed him.

Thank you, why would you kill someone?Just for a little argument?He and Luo Zhitian should have no grudges or enmities.

"Little Xian," Mo Wen put a cup of tea in front of him, "Have a cup of tea to calm your nerves, your favorite Longjing tea."

"……thanks."

Li Xian took a sip of hot tea, but couldn't calm down. After thinking for a while, he said to the eunuch beside him, "Go and send Zhang Li and Zhang Shen to me."

"Yes."

The two quickly entered the palace and knelt down in front of Li Xian. Li Xian said, "Do you know about the Xishi murder case?"

"Return to Your Majesty, the ministers have already known."

"This case... should never be as simple as it seems. I don't believe that a person who can pass the Chuanlu exam will kill someone because of a small quarrel." He paused, "There is no need for this case." Someone else, let your criminal department and Dali Temple investigate together, remember, I not only want you to catch the murderer, but also to know the whole story of the whole incident, do you understand?"

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, the ministers will surely live up to your Majesty's trust!"

As soon as Zhang Li and Zhang Shen came out of the main hall, they started arguing on the steps in front of the hall, saying: "I said elder brother, your criminal department should not interfere with this case, our Dali Temple will definitely handle it properly."

The other said: "Pull it down, you still need your Dali Temple to solve such a case, our criminal department has enough, you, you should go home and rest!"

It turned out that these two people were actually a family. Although they were not relatives, they were cousins ​​who had a good relationship. They both had extraordinary talents in criminal matters. One entered the Ministry of Punishment, and the other entered Dali Temple.

"Brother, what you said is wrong. Your Majesty has already said that this case is not easy. How can it be solved? You should leave it to my younger brother."

"No, no, why do you go to Dali Temple? I've settled the case. Give me three days. I'll catch the murderer in three days."

"Brother, you don't want to lose face. You still have three days, and I can finish it in two days at Dali Temple!"

"That's what you said, maybe you can buy me a drink for two days!"

"Please, please! Let's make a bet to see who can catch the murderer first, and the loser will get a month's drink money!"

"Bet! Neither of us will help the other this time, let's see who is faster!"

"Walking?"

"Go!"

However, neither of the two brothers expected...

This murderer... has been caught for three years.