[Red Mansions] The big maid struggles daily

Zhou Rui's family was taken aback, and hurriedly asked: "How do you say this? Didn't you go there as a proper person? How did you get involved with my son-in-law?"

Her daughter was sobbing and choking, and scolded: "The man who received a thousand dollars is a proper person, your son-in-law is good to him, and he doesn't know that he is treated as a fool! The official of the yamen said that the thief only climbed onto the wall of the house. Before I went up, I was held down by the five city soldiers who were watching the night. When I took it back, this soft bone spit out and pushed everything on your son-in-law...Mom, you should save your son-in-law quickly! Then But the prison!"

Mrs. Wang was listening in the room, coughing lightly.

Zhou Rui's family hurriedly pressed the panic button, and said with a smile: "What's the big deal! Don't cry, what's going on, have you found out clearly? How did my uncle tell that man, and how did that man bite my uncle? Yes, what did my uncle say before leaving?"

Before he left, he was obviously tied up by four or five vicious guards, so he almost didn't put on the shackles!Her daughter was so wronged that she saw that Zhou Rui's family was calling her attention to where it was, so she reluctantly said: "Your son-in-law and that thief only said that the manager of Cheng's family offended him, and nothing else happened." No. How did the thief who should be killed bite? Your son-in-law stuffed two nails of silver into the official, and they only said that he bit them. I don’t know anything else! , so as not to burden me. Mom! You have to save him!"

As he spoke, he broke down and cried again.Leng Zixing had disputes with others before and was accused of going to the yamen, but because of Rongfu's face, he was sent to the yamen to have a speech and that's it. He was never taken away immediately like today.

At this time, Zhou Rui's family deeply regretted pampering their daughter so far. Not only did they not find out clearly about the past and future events, but even the man she slept with didn't understand for a long time.This Leng Zixing was not thinking of her, he was clearly threatening him and asked his family to rescue her with a post from the Rongguo Mansion.

"Idiot! Crying so much, you are so anxious because you don't know anything. What kind of place is this? You can make such a fuss! Go home and wait for me, I have my own idea."

When her daughter heard about it, that was all, and went back to her mother's house aggrieved.

All of a sudden, a member of Zhou Rui's family came in, and said with a low eyebrow, "Madam, I'll ask someone to find out first. Don't worry, Madam, my son-in-law is quite aware of the seriousness, so he will definitely not get involved in the house."

Mrs. Wang twirled her rosary, lowered her eyes and said, "That's all. The only thing is, next time, you can't make up your own mind and leave things to these little people. It's not old-fashioned after all. If something goes wrong, don't talk about it, and it will be a waste of time. You are in trouble." Find out clearly, and if it's okay, hurry up and tell Zhou Rui to settle the matter."

Zhou Rui's family responded repeatedly with apologetic smiles, and Fang withdrew.

After leaving the Rongxi Hall, go to the second gate and call Xiaoyaoer: "Go find your uncle Zhou and tell him to go home quickly."

The little boy said with a smile: "It's a bright day, why is Mrs. Zhou looking for Uncle Zhou in such a hurry?"

Zhou Rui's family cursed a few times, and they had to spend a lot of money on him, "Go buy some fruit to eat."

That little Yao'er ran out neatly.Zhou Rui's family was very angry, so they went to the house by the back door.As he walked, he scolded in his heart, his wife has become more and more impassive in the past two years, what kind of bullshit is self-assessment, when he told her earlier, he clearly liked it very much!What's more, her son-in-law has fallen into it, and she only cares about harming others...

In the big prison, Hou Qi was stubborn at first, and then the officials found a box of stolen goods from his house overnight, and several very valuable items were found from under the blue bricks in the house, and Hou Qi panicked.After being tortured again, he was not a tough guy, so he hesitated to explain what happened this time.He knew that Leng Zixing was the son-in-law of the head wife of the Rongguo Mansion, and he could only ask Leng Zixing to save him if he was involved in minor crimes.

The abacus was very good, but this time it encountered a ruthless stubble.The guy who arrested him was a Wucheng soldier, not a government servant in Shuntian Mansion.These five city soldiers are in charge of patrolling and arresting thieves in the capital, clearing streets and ditches, prisoners, fire bans, etc., but they are all responsible for law and order, rectifying the atmosphere, and picking out fraudulent matters. Pawns, check carefully, there is no skin that these Wucheng soldiers can't pick up.In just one night, they found a secret house that Leng Zixing secretly bought.

While arresting Leng Zixing, Zhan Dong personally led people to search the secret house to the bottom. Not only did they find the account books of Leng Zixing and his gang who sold stolen goods in the early years, but they also found a thick book dedicated to it. The accounting books for the sale of antiques for the Rongguo Mansion, and there are several boxes of antique toys with the marks of various houses that he kept privately.

This Leng Zixing was very cunning, he not only built a house under Du Zhong's nose, but also raised a beautiful woman in her early twenties and two children in that house.Even if this place is leaked, it is just his idea to keep the outhouse, as long as it can confuse people and drag it on for a day or two, it is enough for him to transfer those terrible things.

Deng Ji patted Hou Qi's face with an account book, with a smile that was not a smile: "He is the son-in-law of the housekeeper of the Rongguo Mansion, what are you? He handed over the account book as soon as he came, and sold you all!"

As he spoke, he turned over the account book and read a few items, remembering the date, place, sale, and distribution of the stolen goods clearly: "How much are these things worth, but if they are precious, they are not counted! Besides, they have passed through you. It was stolen by hand, and the stolen goods have passed through your hands, so you are finished. He, although he is also involved, but who asks someone to have someone to protect him, and he is willing to pay twice as much money to atone for his crime, just beat dozens of sticks, and take care of him. He is still the respectable Mr. Leng on the street."

"Tsk tsk, with this account book, the evidence is conclusive. You are either executed in prison or exiled in southern Yunnan. Even if you are exiled, your buttocks and backs are smashed. When it is hot, you will feel better. The further south you go, the more Hot, if you can't reach the south of Yunnan, the rotten meat will be full of maggots, and you will be lucky if you die immediately. But the officers who escorted the prisoners will not let you die. If you die, the officers will be responsible. So After that, you will be asked to catch the right pair, you will pick maggots from the carrion for him, and he will pick out the meat for you, just like choosing vegetables..."

Even the Wucheng soldiers guarding the prisoners couldn't take it anymore, and hurriedly withdrew. A Wucheng soldier who was on duty this year as a prison officer whispered, "Why is Deng Touzha so disgusting? I have seen prisoners interrogated before. I’m used to seeing it all, but what Deng Tou said made me, a veteran, vomit.”

When Deng Ji came out, just as he heard these words, he laughed and scolded: "Get out!" "

But it turned out that Leng Zixing really had an unknown origin.He, Hou Qi and three other people ganged up to commit crimes, Leng Zixing wanted to get it by talking, Hou Qi was good at stealing, and the other three also had some crooked means.Together, these five people not only deceived people and stole, but also dug graves and robbed graves, and even killed people.These people quit when they became wealthy. Except for Leng Zixing and Houqi who were in the capital, the other three were in Tongzhou and the other two were in Tianjinwei. Now they are all rich men like dogs.Leng Zixing was eloquent and had a good face, which made Zhou Ruixiang fall in love with him as his son-in-law.

Originally, there were only the account books in the early years, which also proved that Leng Zixing was not dead.Now that several lives are in danger, even if Jia Daishan came here, he would not be able to save Leng Zixing.

Leng Zixing thought in his heart that his wife had sent reinforcements to the Rongguo Mansion, so he felt at ease, and insisted that he had some disputes with the housekeeper of Cheng Zhai, and wanted to teach him a lesson.When Monkey Seven made his confession, Leng Zixing didn't know how many he had recruited, but he only revealed the house and antique shop where the couple lived in the middle of the capital, a house and dozens of acres of land in the suburbs of Beijing, and houses and goods in Tongzhou, Said that these can be discounted to offset the previous year's fraudulent income, just want to be punished lightly.

If he is just an ordinary antique dealer relying on his wife, these belongings are just right, and he is still obedient and volunteers to donate money.If the chief officer is changed, I'm afraid that the case will be finalized like this, and let it go lightly.From the beginning to the end, he kept the secret house well hidden.

Zhan Dong looked at the paper and was still detained in prison.He didn't believe a word Leng Zixing said in this matter.If you only have a personal enmity with the butler, why bother to climb over the wall, this monkey seven has some skills, taking advantage of the butler to go out, beating him hard is more reasonable than ordering someone to climb over the wall and enter the house.

Zhou Rui made various inquiries outside, only to find out that this time his son-in-law is not in the prison of Shuntian Mansion, but in the prison of Wucheng Bingmasi.Petty theft or provoking troubles have always been managed by the Shuntian government, even if soldiers from the five cities catch them, they will be handed over to the Shuntian government office; only those who commit serious crimes of kidnapping and murder will enter the prison of the soldiers and horses.

Don't look down on these five city soldiers, but there are 3000 people in the camp.If there is an emergency, this is the last line of defense to defend the capital, soldiers and horses guard the outer city and inner city, and the Imperial Palace guards the imperial palace.It is not easy to enter the prison of Bingmasi, and it is even more difficult to get out.

Zhou Rui's heart was aroused, and Leng Zixing went to the yamen of Bingma Sinan City early in the morning of the third day to inquire again.

Just as he was saying good things, he saw a fast horse escorting people into the yamen. Zhou Rui saw it, and he was very bluffed. He had seen the one with the scar on his right eye at the uncle's house!My uncle said that Liu Hei, a landowner in Tianjin Wei, had worked as a bodyguard before and pressed the body for him, and the goods were very safe in his hands.

The clerk who had a little affection for the Rongguo Mansion said: "It's not that I won't help you, but your son-in-law has committed a serious crime. Let alone holding Master Jia's post, it is useless even if Master Jia comes in person. Let's go around For the sake of Wan'er's relatives, I advise you to hurry up and ask your daughter to collect the family wealth, you should take your daughter home. If your daughter is divorced by him, it will be to your family's benefit."

After Zhou Rui had finished his good words, he threw dozens of taels of silver out, only to learn some inside information.

Zhou Rui arrived home in a daze, and slapped his daughter on the face: "Nie Zhan, who is Leng Zixing? Haven't you said it yet? Your mother, your brother, and the whole family will be killed by you." Tired!"

His daughter cried almost to death, Zhou Rui's family hurriedly stopped her, and said angrily: "I have already begged my wife to take the master's post, there is nothing I can do! It is just a trivial matter, why beat the girl?"

Zhou Rui fought angrily, and scolded: "You still protect her! What a trivial matter, it is not the crime of the wife's errand that you said, but the serious crime of seeking money and killing her several times! Or traveling around many places, working in partnership Life lawsuit! You women are at home, saying that the wife in the house has tired the uncle, bullshit! It is clear that he has a lot of debts, a conscience-stricken bastard, it would be better not to involve our family at this moment! "

His daughter cried: "Impossible, the yamen must have made a mistake!"

Zhou Rui's family didn't care about anything else, and hurriedly asked, "Why are we implicated?"

Zhou Rui panted heavily, "This bastard wrote a lot of stolen goods in the account book that kept the stolen goods and gave them to our family as a bride price, and it is even more useful as a filial piety." What's more, the wife has confessed a lot of wrong things over the years. This son-in-law does all the manipulative and shameful tasks.

Zhou Rui's family beat her daughter and scolded: "Sleeping on the same bed, you don't even know whether he is a human or a ghost for so many years? Or did you deliberately hide it from us!"

Seeing her daughter screaming for grievances, the couple thought together for a long time before saying: "Let's put a shield on this master's post, and we can intercede if we get involved. Quickly ask the girl to clean up the family property. There are still some goods in the shop, and even the shop is cheap." Selling it to a nearby antique shop, resigning the shopkeeper and the clerk. And the wealth of the murderer, it is serious to move into the house overnight."

But when I went to my daughter's house to look for it, I found that the house was just an empty shell. Except for the gorgeous decoration of the main room, the rest of the house did not put any important things. I didn't find it.In addition to the daily expenses of a few hundred taels of silver, Zhou Rui's daughter also has a large box of head and face jewelry, and Leng Zixing's family background is not in control.The angry Zhou Rui's family beat and scolded her daughter for being stupid.

But he said that when Leng Zixing saw Liu Hei and the others, as well as the account book and Hou Qi's confession, he knew that everything was over.He died unwillingly, counting on Zhou Ruineng to carry him out of Rongguo Mansion to save him.

Zhan Dong ordered his outer room to be brought up, and when the outer room saw Leng Zixing, it burst into tears: "Master, we girls will almost lose sight of Master!"

Leng Zixing saw that the former soft and gentle outer room was in rags, with bloodstains on his face and hands, and couldn't help being furious. Compared with Zhou Rui's daughter, this outer room looked like a serious couple who had children with him and loved each other. .

"What crime did they commit! Officials are so cruel to weak girls and children?"

The outer room cried: "It's not the officials, it's the Hedong lion in your family, who not only almost killed us, but also sold us to a dirty place. If it weren't for several officials, the three of us would have been killed Already!"

"That woman is very powerful. She said that master, you are going to die this time. If the official does not sentence you to death, their Zhou family will also kill you. You can't get rid of your hatred after you die. They will sell me and my eldest sister to a brothel , but also to sell our brother to the men's hall first, and then give it to Xiaodao Liu in the square brick alley...the ancestors of the Leng family will be humiliated, the descendants will be wiped out, and they will end up in a lonely grave with no one to worship." The room was sobbing and sobbing, it was extremely pitiful.

Leng Zixing lost his energy, and said dumbly, "Where are the eldest sister and brother?"

The outer room said: "It's just outside, I don't dare to turn my eyes away from the children, for the three of us, it's better to die innocently than let her be trampled."

Leng Zi said happily, "You go out first, I'll have a few words with the official."

The soldiers came up to take the outer room down, and Leng Zixing said, "I know that the second wife of the Rongguo Mansion hid property for others, lent money to exploit civilians, and took advantage of her power to arrange lawsuits. There are many people who killed people here, and I can testify."

Zhan Dong said: "Is there any evidence?"

Leng Zixing said: "Yes, it is stored in a box in a dry well on Zhuangzi in the suburbs of Beijing. There is also under the roots of the vines in the Yangliu Hutong house in Tianjin Wei." Madam's life-saving handle.Just looking at it now, I'm afraid that if I can't get the second wife to go, the only root seedling of my family will be killed by that poisonous woman of the Zhou family.

Leng Zixing didn't dare to threaten Zhan Dong with evidence, he just knew what he had to say, and then he made a request.

"I just ask my lord to deport the mother and son back to their hometowns." This deportation is used to escort the prisoners, and each government office along the way must send officers to take turns escorting them from station to station.Leng Zixing said this because he was afraid that Zhou Rui's family would murder their wives.As a criminal escort, the chastity of this outer room cannot be guaranteed, but Leng Zixing can't take care of it anymore, he just wants to live the lives of his children.

Zhan Dong glanced at him: "Hunan Mansion? Yes."

Leng Zi kowtowed happily, "Thank you sir." As long as the mother and son return to their hometown, there will be a way out.His hometown was hit by a disaster in the early years, and the people of the clan relied on the money he gave to tide over the difficulties.Although he didn't dare to go back these years, he didn't forget the clan. He set up a sacrificial field for the clan, and spent money to run the clan school, so that the children of the clan could have books to read and fields, which is already a great contribution to the clan.His family's old house was well repaired by the clan, and he secretly sent his cronies to hide some belongings in the cellar of the old house.Of course, the life of this confidant who straightened out the clan affairs for him was also one of the life debts borne by Leng Zixing.

The indictment and evidence of the Wang family in Rongguo Mansion were all handed over to the Shangguan, and within a short while, this thing was in the hands of the sage.Today he smiled: "The Zhen family just fell, but his family is in a hurry, not busy, not busy." Although the Wang family is bold, they all use Jia Zheng's posts and letters, but these things are not enough to bring down the entangled two Jia Gongfu.

As a witness, Leng Zixing is temporarily surviving in the prison, and Hou Qi and Liu Hei are four, and they have been executed before the autumn.

When it was time to hold the lantern, Zhan Dong went to see Leng Zixing in person: "The real reason why Monkey Seven went to Cheng's house?"

Leng Zixing was taken aback. Although this matter was an introduction, compared to the whole case, it was really a trivial matter.

Leng Zixing didn't understand how the official investigated this matter carefully, but he didn't have the heart to cover up for Mrs. Wang, so he only told Zhou Rui's family's words and his own conjectures.

Zhan Dong heard him say: "...I don't do things in the back house at all, but about the marriage between men and women, as long as you tell the man's family such fluffy gossip, this young man will definitely have a thorn in his heart. Besides, the six rituals are only after one. It's not a final decision, as long as the husband says that the horoscopes don't match up, it will be yellow."

Zhan Dong stood up, looked down at him, and said coldly, "I won't."

Leng Zixing was stunned for a while, then scrambled and scrambled onto the fence, and asked the cell boss: "Master, master! That officer just now, is there... is there an engagement?"

The prison chief glanced at him, and said inexplicably: "Why, you have a daughter in your family, can you promise to give it to Mr. Zhan? Don't think about it, our commander is already married."

"Whose house? Whose house!"

The head of the cell looked at the others, puzzled, and said, "I'm crazy, what's up with you! I heard that our commander ordered a girl from the Imperial Merchant..."

Royal merchants?Leng Zixing also had a lot of friends. Those big imperial merchants with titles had always called them titles. Only those like the Cheng family would be called the Cheng family of imperial merchants.Recently in the capital, among the so-called imperial merchants, there are also girls who are engaged, and only the Cheng family...

Leng Zixing sat on the ground, hitting his head with remorse, regretting that he acted recklessly without inquiring clearly.I only heard that the son of Chengmendan was appointed for that girl Zhu. He expected that he would not be an outstanding person. Marriage of Commander Ma Si.

It's strange that Hou Qi just climbed onto the wall and was restrained. I'm afraid there were five city soldiers secretly guarding outside Cheng's house.

In the early morning of the next day, Zhan Dong left the yamen, went to Cheng's house, and talked with Uncle Cheng in the study for a while.

This time was different from the previous visits, Uncle Cheng sent him all the way out the gate, watching Zhan Dong get on his horse before turning back.

The butler just looked at the master's face, just now he was kind and reasonable, but when he turned around, it was so cloudy that water could drip.

Uncle Cheng had a gloomy face. In the study, he wrote a note while laughing: "Wang Ren? What kind of thing is not as good as a pig or a dog? I dare to miss my daughter. If you don't chop your hand, you don't know what it is." Tiger's paw, scorpion's heart!"

The butler told the master to smile with goosebumps all over his back, while he continued to answer the words in his heart: tiger's claws and scorpion's heart - cruel and poisonous.Hiss, the master is really angry.

After Uncle Cheng finished writing, he sealed it with wax and called the housekeeper, "You go there yourself, and you must hand it over to the grandfather."

That day, the old eunuch Cheng looked at the note and laughed. The apprentice he had accepted was waiting on him, so he hurriedly asked: "Master, what's the matter? But someone outside is making trouble for senior brother? There are several senior brothers in the House of Internal Affairs, which one is it?" Shrimp, he must be taught a lesson, crying for his father and mother!"

Although the old eunuch Cheng has already half-retired, he has experienced the Queen's Palace, the House of Internal Affairs, and the Office of Respect, all of which are important places, and now several apprentices brought out have already taken their seats.What's more, he is still one of the three chief managers about the matter of the respect room, so what he said counts.This old eunuch Cheng has always been cautious and generous. What is most praised is not that he has been in a high position for decades, but that he knows people.Although he doesn't accept godsons, the apprentices he can accept are all kind and kind, and he does his best to teach and support him. These apprentices respect him like a father, and even Uncle Cheng, who has no friendship, only calls him brother.

The old eunuch Cheng smiled and said, "I'm old, but I can still bite! My two sons and daughters, now I have only such a little girl, and others will push her into the fire pit!"

As he said that, he lifted up the sleeves of the boa robe and looked at the jacket on his body. The material is light and breathable, and every stitch and thread is all made by a little girl. When she gets old, there is only such a grandchild.It's rare that this child has the same talent as himself, with ears that are smooth, he should be his own child, and he is filial, the previous clothes were all made by his daughter, and these two years were all made by this child.Looking at the fine stitching, you can tell that this child did not underestimate his family as a eunuch, and the clothes he sent were all practical and practical, unlike those flatterers who wanted to show off with gold and silver threads, lest you can't see their benefits.

He raised his head and smiled at his apprentice: "Your senior brother, you are too soft-hearted. If you beat a snake to death, you will suffer from it. But he just wants to teach you a lesson. How can this be enough?"

This apprentice is also one of the two supervisors and servants of the respect room. Except for the three chief supervisors and one supervisor and chief attendant, he is here.The respect room obeys the decree, undertakes palace affairs and etiquette, handles cases, collects money and food from external treasuries, screens and transfers internal prisons, and inspects the opening and closing of various doors and the closing of fires and candles.In the inner palace, power is not insignificant.

This Lu Zhengshi smiled and said: "Brother, it's hard to survive alone. Let's take care of the snake that the master said."

The old eunuch Cheng said with a smile: "In some mansions, when there is an empress in the family, she grows her eyes on the top of her head. The people of the tribe are so extravagant and lustful that people look at them. The emperor is frugal and diligent. I don't know how much I hate that kind of behavior. I was born in this family Thinking how gracious the empress is, she makes troubles every time she goes out, and dares to ask brothers who know personnel to live in the family-senting garden... Tsk tsk tsk, grasshopper after autumn."

Eunuch Lu smiled honestly, but his mouth was venomous: "I'm so ruthless, I don't know my real surname is fake. A widowed lady only cares about her status, so she doesn't care about them. If you talk about it, how do they know this?" What is the life of the despised master in the palace?"

The old eunuch Cheng brushed off his sleeves, squinted his eyes and said suddenly: "This alone is not enough. That Master Lin from the Jiangnan Salt Administration is going to Beijing soon?"

Eunuch Lu hurriedly said: "Yes. The Zhen family has been imprisoned, and all the family members close to the direct branch have been confiscated. The Holy One is very angry. Something happened in the south of the Yangtze River. This Master Lin is very obedient and has no control over it. The heart of Yanzheng, I invite you to return to Beijing to report on your work. Counting the days, it will be here soon."

The old eunuch Cheng smiled and said: "Master Lin is really good, but he also suffers, and his only daughter is still living in the mud nest. From the words of Xiao Xizi from Qiluan Palace, Xiluan Palace has fallen in love with his only daughter. female?"

This little Xizi was very good at flattering, old eunuch Cheng only showed a hint of attention to Qiluan Palace, and he often reported the affairs of Qiluan Palace to Eunuch Lu's godson.

Eunuch Lu said with a smile: "No, the sincerity is as high as the sky. Xiao Xizi said that the noble master specially rewarded the Lin family girl with a higher level every time, and said several times that he could be a good match. Back to that Mrs. Wang came in and had a secret discussion for a while, but Xiao Xizi couldn't hear it."

The old eunuch Cheng smiled: "It's okay, it's just an act of harming others and yourself. This Lord Lin is a jade bottle, and we have to let this jade bottle know the harm of mice when we beat mice. They have become rafts. The emperor's great affairs have nothing to do with us, and we can still get something if we move those things that don't matter."

Eunuch Lu thought about it and said with a smile: "Master, let me inquire about it. That family is like a sieve. Senior Brother Huang is in charge of the affairs of Huangzhuang. If you know everyone well, you will definitely get something."

The old eunuch Cheng was satisfied now, and said with a smile: "The inner palace is also heated up, don't make your master cold. The outside, I will leave it to you and the yellow cat."

The author has something to say:

Note: "Follow the decree, undertake the palace affairs and etiquette, handle the case, collect money and food from the external treasury, screen and transfer internal prisons, and inspect the opening and closing of each door, and the fire and candles." ——Quoted from Baidu Encyclopedia·Respect Room