Cloud of the Qing Dynasty

Mu Liuyun was stunned, and said, "You mean, you have cooperation with the government?"

"Exactly." Zhang Chi nodded, "Our shopkeeper has a good relationship with some people in the capital, and the government will open the door for convenience wherever we go. I also heard that the Dachen Jiangshan can be unified, thanks to many inquiries In it."

Zhang Chi said this specifically, and it also meant to test Mu Liuyun's attitude. It seemed that Mu Liuyun had no aversion to things like "cooperating with the government", and just said: "This kind of place is very suitable for you."

Zhang Chi felt relieved, and said with a smile: "I think so too. If someone with martial arts like me joins an ordinary gang, he is probably just a keeper of the door. Bao inquires more about brains and eyesight than martial arts." , I got the Night Owl brand in just over half a year."

Zhang Chi knows that many decent people look down on this kind of earning a living by inquiring about gossip, thinking that it is a low-level business, and most people in the rivers and lakes despise people who get along with the government, so it is actually a little bit of an identity to "inquire" The two sides were not flattering, but Mu Liuyun's words did not mean to look down on him at all, which made Zhang Chi feel even more that even if he didn't mention any kindness or kindness, he was committed to this friend.

***

After hastily eating some of Zhang Chi's cooking, they set off to find the three suspects.

The first person to be visited was Granny Gu, because according to Zhang Chi, the person who poisoned her that day was an old woman.

According to what Adamu told them, Granny Gu was also very good at poison poisoning when she was young. Later, because of some trouble in the Central Plains, she was beaten half to death and fled back to Miaojiang, and never left Wugu Village—— —At least the people in the village have never seen her leave, because Granny Gu lives in isolation and doesn't interact with people very much. If she really wants to do something secretly, it's not easy for others to find out.

Granny Gu's house is at the outskirts of the cottage, like all the homes of lonely old people, it has a dilapidated and messy atmosphere.When they visited, Granny Gu was sitting in the shadow of the house spinning, and heard their voices from afar. Before they entered the door, Granny Gu asked in an unfriendly voice, "Who is it?"

The lighting in this house is very poor. Zhang Chi walked into the darkness from the sunlight, and for a moment he saw only a shadow huddled in the corner. He said, "Grandma Gu, we started from it, and I have something to ask you."

"Central Plains? Hmph, what about the Central Plains people has nothing to do with me." Granny Gu's tone was very bad.

Zhang Chi ignored the other party's disapproval: "Seven days ago, not far from here, four people in Jianghu were poisoned to death by Duanhun Ji. Do you know about this, mother-in-law?"

Granny Gu snorted coldly: "It's clean to die."

Mu Liuyun frowned and took a step forward, his hand was already on the hilt of the sword, but Zhang Chi grabbed his wrist and shook his head at him.Now his eyes have gotten used to the darkness, and he also noticed that Granny Gu's eyes have been staring blankly at the ground in front of her. With a strange white color, he is obviously a blind person.

He continued to patiently say: "The four deceased belonged to a very large sect. If this matter is not found out, the entire Wugu village may suffer. Mother-in-law, you happened to have taken the soul-breaking thistle in those few days, and you can't escape." It's related. I don't think my mother-in-law will harm people, but I just want to ask my mother-in-law, what is the purpose of taking the soul-breaking thistle a while ago?"

Granny Gu didn't know whether she was concerned about the safety of the village or because she was afraid that they would treat her as a murderer. Although she was still stern, her tone was not so cold: "Medical rat."

"Just to poison mice?" Zhang Chi was a little surprised.

Granny Gu said unhappily: "Otherwise, what else can I use that thing for? The effect is so fast, and the medicine is good for rats, so that the poisoned rats will not be eaten by cats and dogs, and people will come to the door." scold."

"That's right, it's Granny Gu who thinks carefully." Zhang Chi asked again, "Did Granny Gu hand over this soul-destroying thistle to someone else?"

"I have used all the tricks that Dazhao gave me. As for whether Dazhao has kept some for others, how can I, a blind old woman, manage so much?"

Zhang Chi thought about it too, seeing that there was only so much information he could ask, so he took his leave.

***

After walking for a while, Mu Liuyun asked, "You don't think it's her?"

Zhang Chi shook his head: "It wouldn't be her doing it. Granny Gu has obviously been blind for a long time. I didn't pay much attention to the appearance of the old woman that day, but she was definitely not blind."

"How can you be sure, maybe she is pretending to be blind."

"No, first of all, her hearing is very good. Generally speaking, people with excellent hearing have either been blind for a long time and developed a habit, or they have very high internal strength. She is obviously the former type. Besides, the windows of her house were closed by some people. The firewood has been covered for a long time, so it is so dark. Just move the firewood a little, and the house can be brightened. How can people who are not blind be stingy with this little effort, and would rather live in such a dark place. Also, Her movement of twisting cotton yarn is also a typical blind movement, and it is impossible for ordinary people to learn it even if they want to."

Mu Liuyun nodded, and said, "Even if she wasn't the one who poisoned herself that day, it doesn't necessarily mean that she has nothing to do with this matter."

"Indeed, but right now we can't find any basis for her participation. Why don't we go and see the other two people first, maybe we can gain something."

***

Although only one morning has passed, this matter has already spread in the village. When they asked Granny Gu for questioning, it was just someone pointing from a distance. Come to watch how they investigate this case openly.

I heard that the person who died was a member of a great sect in the Central Plains. If the matter is not clear, the whole village will suffer. The villagers who are usually united to the outside world are now talking about who the murderer is.

Of the remaining two, Miss Bai Ling was obviously the more suspicious one.

Because Dazhao's purpose of picking the soul-breaking thistle was very clear, it was because Granny Gu was inconvenient to move, and he was entrusted to pick it, and Xiao Wu and other people in the village had seen it, the soul-breaking thistle he took at that time was directly with a sickle If it is cut off, it will not be able to carry it very far in that state.

But Bai Ling dug up several plants by their roots, wrapped them in cloth and brought them out of the mountain, and was bumped into by people in the village, who laughed and asked her which family's heartless person she was going to poison to death.

In such a small village, gossip always spread faster, Bai Ling probably wasn't too wary of the people in the village at the time, and now he can't blame him even if he wants to.

"I knew that someone would come to trouble me." Bai Ling started crying when Zhang Chi found her.

This girl already has a rather lovely appearance, plus her body is plump where it should be plump and thin where it should be thin. This crying is even more pear blossom with rain. I feel pity for it. It is enough to make anyone who is not hard-hearted The man couldn't bear it from the bottom of his heart: "When I left the village last time, a Han stopped me and asked me if I was from Wugu Village. I brought him a few live thistles, and he gave me ten golden leaves. I was obsessed with money for a while, so I agreed, but I didn't expect... I didn't expect..."

Zhang Chi comforted him helplessly: "Don't cry yet, so you just sold the Duanhunji to outsiders, and you didn't poison anyone?"

"I didn't. I didn't even sell it. I was deceived by them. I took the soul-destroying thistle out as agreed, but when I arrived at the agreed place, I didn't see anyone. I left the soul-destroying thistle on the side of the road and waited." After a while, for some reason, the package disappeared without anyone noticing it. Those Han people must be too cunning, they tricked me into digging thistle and brought it out, and then took the opportunity to steal it.”

"...Then when did the soul-destroying thistle you brought out get stolen?"

"Eight days ago, it was the day before the Fire Refinement Festival." Bai Ling cried again, "What I said is true, I was just obsessed with money for a while, and I didn't intend to harm anyone, let alone poison anyone in Shangqing Palace."

Zhang Chi rubbed his chin and said, "But there is one thing I don't understand. How could they know that there is a poisonous weed like thistle in Wugu Village, and how would they know that you are from Wugu Village, and you are on the way for no reason? Stop you."

Bai Ling wiped his tears and said, "I don't know either. I was obsessed with money at the time, so I didn't think about it that much. Now that I think about it, it's obviously suspicious everywhere."

"Then tell me, what does the person who wants to buy Soul Thistle from you look like?"

"I... I can't tell. It's just a Han Chinese dress. I'm in my thirties, and I don't look special."

***

There was nothing suspicious in Bai Ling's words for the time being, Mu Liuyun looked at Zhang Chi worriedly and asked, "If everything she said is true, there are so many people in this world, how are we going to find this guy who buys drugs and kills people?" What about the Han people?"

Zhang Chi frowned and fell into deep thought. After a while, he said, "There is still one person who didn't ask. Let's go and see what Dazhao has to say."

The onlookers pointed out Dazhao's residence for them, but it was already empty.

"Could it be that he heard the wind and ran away?" Zhang Chi asked Adamu who came to check the progress.

Adamu said: "There is only one way out of the village. If he goes out, someone will definitely see him. He must still be in the village. Let's search separately."

"Don't look for it, I'm here." A voice sounded from outside the crowd.

The crowd of onlookers spread out on both sides, revealing a black-faced Miao man. He said in a deep voice: "The two Han people have made the village run wild for a few days just because of such a trivial matter. Don't you want to Are you looking for the murderer who poisoned the disciples of the Shangqing Palace, don't bother, I did everything."