Chapter 3 - One inch of gold 03
The maidservant who found the old lady’s body was soon heard.
It was freezing cold, and in the mourning hall, the maidservant named Mo Xiang knelt on the ground and shivered.
“When the old lady was reciting the Buddha, she never let the servants and maidservants wait at the door. Usually, they stayed at the door. But that night was the 30th of the New Year, the old lady ordered the servants to go back to her room to spend the new year with the sisters. I went to wait on the second day of the morning, so the servants left halfway through the night of the day. The servants first arrived at the Buddhist hall the next morning. When the time came, the door of the temple was closed and the house was very quiet. The servants thought at the time. , Did the old lady also rest on the couch in the Buddhist hall, and gently opened the door…”
As if recalling the situation on that day, Mo Xiang’s voice was unsteady, “When…the old lady was lying on the cushion in front of the altar, sleeping together, looking like she was asleep, and the servant still thought of the old man. Why did people fall asleep on the ground, they went forward and pushed the old lady, but with this push, the old lady was already stiff…”
Huo Weilou asked: “In the past three months, does the old lady have pain in her back?”
Mo Xiang was a little dazed at first, and quickly reacted: “Yes, the old lady said that her back was a bit sore after praying to the Buddha several times. Became sitting and copying scriptures.”
Sure enough, as Bo Ruoyou said, the old lady’s abnormality was ignored.
Huo Weilou asked again: “That night, did the old lady copy the scriptures?”
Mo Xiang nodded, “I copied it. The slave and maid had already copied a page when they left. Later, when the slave and maid gathered the old lady’s relics, she found that the old lady had copied two pages that night. Now the scriptures are still in the old lady’s warm pavilion. middle.”
Huo Weilou looked at Zheng Wenyan, “Bring the scripture copied that night.”
Zheng Wenyan hurriedly sent someone to pick it up, and Huo Weilou asked again, “How long does it take for the old lady to copy a page of scripture on weekdays?”
Mo Xiang said hurriedly: “The old lady probably won’t stop when she reads it, but she writes very slowly. It takes at least an hour and a half to write a full page of scripture.”
Huo Weilou didn’t ask any more, and soon he got down to get the scriptures, and Huo Weilou asked Mo Xiang again, “Look, this old lady that night copied it?”
Mo Xiang glanced, “Yes, it was the old lady who copied it that night.”
The scriptures are written on top of the well-prepared scriptures, which are very graceful regular scripts, but the strokes of the script are powerful and powerful. Huo Weilou took a closer look, “The scriptures have not changed before and after the pen and ink, and they are neat and continuous. You leave Shihai is halfway through, and an hour and a half later is the ugly time. That is to say, the old lady will not see the second person in the Buddhist hall until at least the ugly time.”
Huo Weilou handed the scriptures to Zheng Wenyan and asked him, “You insist that your second brother killed the old lady. Then where are the others after the ugly night?”
Zheng Wenyan hurriedly said: “The second brother said that he lived alone in the study that night, and that he hadn’t left the study all night, but that night I sent someone to the study to deliver wine and food to the second brother. His study was dark and no one answered. , No one was there at all, and asked him after the incident the next day, but he said he was drunk and asleep. How can I believe this? I suspected that he had gone to his mother again at the time!”
“Why did you give him wine and food in the middle of the night? Why did he live alone?”
Zheng Wenyan said: “That night, the family used to eat New Year’s dinner with He Lele, but at the dinner table, the second brother and mother quarreled. It was very unpleasant at the time. Mother went to the Buddhist hall without eating. As soon as the mother left, the others Naturally, it’s not easy to keep the meal, so that night, it means that everyone failed to eat the last year’s meal. In the past two years, my mother in Fuzhong took charge of the family. The second elder brother lived alone, because after he went back that day, he and the second sister-in-law also had a dispute, and even started to go to the study later…”
Zheng Wenyan paused and added: “The meal in the second brother’s study was prepared separately at the end, so the delivery time was the latest. It was already half past the hour, and the second brother was no longer in the house at that time.”
Huo Weilou listened with his eyes condensed, and then asked, “Why is your second brother arguing with the old lady?”
Zheng Wenyan sighed, “It’s for the title of eldest brother.”
“The Lord Hou should know that the eldest brother died of illness three years ago, and there is only one female Yunni under his knees. Therefore, the title of the Anqing Marquis can only be renewed by a few of our brothers. The second brother thinks that he is ranked behind the eldest brother, so it should be him. Chengjue, but his mother has not made up his mind. According to the theory of elders and children, it is indeed the second brother Chengjue, but the second brother is grumpy, does not have the patience to take care of the housework, and the business has not been done, not to mention his fame. , So my mother looks down on my second brother.”
“The eldest brother’s filial piety period had not passed before, so this title was only discussed last year, because my mother did not agree to let the second brother take over the title. The second brother quarreled with his mother for a whole year, and the angry mother almost fell ill several times. On the evening of the 30th, the second brother brought up the matter again, saying that taking advantage of the New Year’s New Year to pass the post of congratulations to the palace, he asked his mother to pass the renewal memorial together, and because his mother scolded him, the second brother got into trouble. .”
Huo Weilou’s eyes were dark, and he didn’t ask any more. He knew a little about Anqing Hou Mansion, especially Dafang’s line. However, there are many disputes arising from the title of the Marquis family. Zheng Wenchen has a violent temper, and only half an hour before the ugly time. If Zheng Wenchen can’t figure it out, he will go to the old lady to make trouble, so that the old lady died of illness. It is not impossible.
And if he hates the old lady, and sees that the old lady is sick but is not saved, it makes sense.
Huo Weilou’s narrow eyes, even if the death of the old lady is related to Zheng Wenchen, how did Zheng Wenchen die? Ghost killing is purely nonsense. If the old lady’s death can be used to kill Zheng Wenchen, the murderer must be a man in the house.
Huo Weilou’s sharp gaze swept across the Zheng Wenyan brothers, and suddenly said: “Lead the way, go and see Zheng Wenchen’s body.”
The night was getting dark, and the cold wind was crying outside the hall. Zheng Wenyan glanced at the sky outside and couldn’t help but said: “Master Hou came here today, and the hotel has already prepared guest rooms. Why don’t you stop and watch tomorrow?”
Huo Weilou did not say a word, and Father Fu smiled beside him: “Don’t worry about Master Hou, Master Hou has always worked **** his tolerance. Besides, there are many suspicious points in this murder case. It’s better to look at the corpse earlier to prevent Master Hou from worrying about it.”
Zheng Wenyan knew that Huo Weilou’s intention could not be violated, and said hurriedly: “Okay, please come here, Lord Hou—”
Zheng Wenyan walked out first, Huo Weilou lifted up, and after walking out of the threshold, he suddenly turned his eyes to look inside the hall, beside the coffin bed, Bo Ruoyouwu stood still.
Huo Weilou frowned, and He Cheng hurriedly said, “Xiao Bo, don’t you keep up? Don’t you want to examine the second master’s body in daylight?”
Bo Ruoyou reacted and hurriedly responded, “Yes.”
The complexion of Zheng Wenyan and others changed slightly, they all cast strange eyes at Bo Ruoyou. Everyone knew that Huo Weilou didn’t even have a maidservant by his side, but now that she was asked to follow the post-mortem, Zheng Wenyan was busy accepting contempt. , Be cautious.
The cold wind was piercing, and the night was even more splashed with ink. Zheng Wenyan personally lit a lantern to lead the way for Huo Wei Tower.
“After the second brother went, because everyone saw that he fell off a tall building and died, he set up a mourning hall in the west courtyard. It was not easy to do funerals, so he planned to stop the spirit for seven or forty-nine days.”
After leaving the courtyard, heading west along the Fuzhong Trail, I saw a brightly lit Anqing Houfu.
Zheng Wenyan said: “Because of Lord Hou’s arrival, the lights are lit all night. These days, we all rest early in the evening.”
The mansion was haunted by ghosts and killings, and everyone was afraid. Huo Weilou glanced across the surrounding pavilions and asked: “Is everything ready for marriage?”
Bo Ruoyou, who was walking behind, raised his head when he heard this.
He Cheng said in a timely manner: “Ms. Hou Mansion and the second majesty have made a marriage. The saint officially gave the marriage last year, and the date is set for the seventh day of March this year. It’s a pity that the old lady can instinctively see her granddaughter go out of the court to marry the royal family. .”
Miss Hou Mansion was Yun Ni mentioned by Zheng Wenyan just now. Bo Ruoyou did not expect that there was such a reason. She looked at the tall and straight back of the Huo Wei Building. So, it is not surprising that Wu Zhaohou came here. NS.
Zheng Wenyan said: “Everything is ready. The dowry was sent to Beijing before the Chinese New Year. The house in Beijing was also packed. If the mother is not involved, she will leave for Beijing at the beginning of next month. Fortunately, your majesty refers to the marriage, otherwise you are now filial During the period, I don’t know how long this marriage will be delayed.”
Bo Ruoyou sighed at this, but Huo Weilou did not ask again.
Huo Weilou did not ask, and Zheng Wenyan did not dare to say anything. He had not dealt with Huo Weilou, but after only half a day’s effort, he had understood that what was circulated outside was true, so he held his breath and only led the way.
The West Yard is also a remote place. It didn’t take long for everyone to arrive at the gate of the courtyard. Compared to the place where the old lady’s spirits stopped, this place is quite unusual. The courtyard is also full of simple spiritual flags. Then, casting a desolate shadow, but soon Zheng Wenyan, who was walking in front, paused.
There are people in the mourning hall!
The pitch-black coffin was placed in the center of the mourning hall, and simple sacrifices were placed in front of the coffin. Two black shadows knelt in front of the coffin and were burning paper money in a porcelain basin. Zheng Wenyan clenched his hand on his side, “Second sister-in-law, Xiao’er, why are you still here so late?”
As soon as the sound came out, the two of them turned around in horror.
Both of them are plain. The young master is only seven or eight years old. He has a panic face at the moment. The woman next to him has a slap-sized, goose-egg face. There is still beauty between the eyebrows and eyes, but at this moment, the whole face is only withered. The remaining layer of skin is pasted on the cheekbones, and his eyes are bloodshot, and his eyes are black and blue, and it looks a little scary in the light of the dark money.
“Three… Third Brother…”
Seeing Zheng Wenyan, fear flashed from the woman’s eyes, she grabbed the children around her and stood up nervously.
Zheng Wenyan seemed to be restraining his anger, “Master Hou and Master He are here to examine the body of the second brother. It’s so late, so second sister-in-law and Xiaoer should go back and rest earlier, so as not to delay the yamen’s tolerance.”
“Okay… let’s go now.”
The second lady of the Hou Mansion was hoarse, and walked out with her arms around Zheng Xiao. When she passed by Zheng Wenyan, her head was lowered, but the little boy next to him looked at everyone in a little surprise. When she passed by Bo Ruoyou, she especially stared at her with wide eyes. .
Soon, the two disappeared in the cold wind.
This small accident made Zheng Wenyan’s back a little stiff. When he turned around, he said as soon as nothing happened: “Please, please, my second brother has already pretended to be wrapped up, and he has done rituals the past two days.” See Huo Weilou Looking at the porcelain basin still burning the money, Zheng Wenyan had no choice but to say, “I was the only son of my second sister-in-law and my second brother. They, I am a little angry.”
Huo Wei Building stepped into the mourning hall. There were no paper-struck people here. Although there were sacrifices, the whole mourning hall was full of simplistic meaning. If an outsider looked at it, I am afraid that no one would believe that there was Lord Hou Men lying inside the coffin.
Huo Weilou pointed to the coffin, “bring it out.”
People have already installed the coffin, since it is inconvenient for the autopsy, the voice is settled. Two embroidered clothes ambassadors stepped forward, leaned forward and fished the corpse out of the coffin. Zheng Wenchen only died for six days. In addition to the severe cold weather, this mourning hall was also There was no long burning incense, and the corpse was still well preserved. Judging from the head and face exposed in the mourning clothes, there was no swelling.
The corpse was placed on a felt blanket, Huo Weilou turned his head, and Bo Ruo walked forward holding the wooden box containing the autopsy utensils.
Shi Cai looked at the female corpse, but now it was the male corpse. However, Bo Ruoyou looked calm and began to untie the corpse’s mourning clothes after a short inspection. Zheng Wenyan hesitated for a moment, and this time turned around and went outside without Huo Weilou’s order.
Only the rustling sound of Bo Ruoyou peeling off the shroud of the corpse was left in the quiet room. He Cheng was not surprised, Huo Weilou was calm, but Father Fu squatted beside Bo Ruoyou enthusiastically and watched, “Girl, how old are you? Now? Where did you learn this craft?”
Father Fu followed the Huo Wei Tower, and did not fear the Huo Wei Tower like ordinary people. It shows that its status is not low. He said: “This winter will be eighteen. The autopsy is learned from the adoptive father. The adoptive father is Qingshan. The county government office.”
Father Fu asked again: “Then how can your parents bear to let you do this?”
Bo Ruoyou moved his hand and said in a low voice, “My father and mother have passed away for many years.”
Father Fu was dumb for a while, and couldn’t ask the rest of the words, but Bo Ruoyou only stagnated for that moment, and the following movements were smooth and smooth, and quickly, the corpse was revealed.
Although the corpse did not see obvious decay, the skin was covered with bruises and purple corpses, and it was still a bit shocking. Several obvious injuries were distributed on the right shoulder and forehead, and a few were not obvious bruises, thin and thick. After checking it, he took out the white vinegar prepared in the wooden box and applied it to the suspected bruises very quickly. After a while, the scars hidden under the skin of the corpse were revealed.
It is not difficult to examine a corpse with an obvious cause of death. Bo Ruoyou quickly said: “The corpse had impact injuries on the right shoulder and right forehead, and bruises and abrasions of various sizes on the right arm and right hip. These injuries are all deceased. The person who fell from the Yueyue Pavilion was fatally wounded on the right forehead, where the skull was sunken and shattered, and because it was so close to the temple, it was almost killed on the spot.”
Speaking of Bo Ruoyou raised his head, “It’s all injuries during his lifetime.”
The meaning of injury during his lifetime was caused when he was still alive. In other words, Zheng Wenchen was pushed down to invite Yuege to die while he was alive.
“Zheng Wenyan said that Zheng Wenchen did not shout or scream when Ying Yuege was pushed down to rule out the possibility of ghost killing. How did the murderer make Zheng Wenchen walk up to the third floor platform obediently, and how did he get pushed downstairs without struggling? ?”
Huo Weilou’s voice was serious, but without the gloomy coldness he had previously, his voice was a bit low and sweet. Bo Ruoyou understood the meaning of Huoweilou when he heard the words. The bamboo stick with cotton cloth was put into Zheng Wenchen’s nasal cavity, and when it was taken out again, it was stained with a little dirt.
Bo Ruoyou leaned him by the lamp and looked at it for a long while, then his voice sank: “It’s a mandala.”
Huo Weilou’s complexion also changed slightly, and Father Fu asked, “What is a mandala?”
Huo Wei said: “It’s a drug. In the army, it is also used as a sesame powder.”
Bo Ruoyou re-examined again, this time focusing on the heels, the back of the legs, and the back and other places. People dragged.”
There are drugs and traces of dragging, and the truth is about to come out.
He Chengdao: “So, someone was inviting Your Excellency to be drugged. After the second master was stunned, the murderer pushed him downstairs while others had just arrived, pretending to be the ghost of the old lady? “
Bo Ruoyou nodded, “Initially, this is indeed the case.”
He Cheng frowned, “When the old lady died, there was a second person by her side. Zheng Wenchen was stunned by the drug and pushed down the Yueyue Pavilion. There were two dead. What about the murderer? The two people died in different ways, too. I don’t see the commonality. Someone killed the old lady before seeing the death, and then another person used this to murder Zheng Erye, the person in the temple, and the person who killed Zheng Erye. the same person?”
If he can answer He Cheng’s question, then the case can be solved. Bo Ruoyou hesitated for a moment, “There is another question. The murderer can use Mixiang in the Yueyue Pavilion, but Erye Zheng must go by himself first.”
Huo Weilou glanced at Bo Ruoyou, “This suspect needs to visit Yaoyue Pavilion.”
Bo Ruo thought for a while, and then said, “The second master’s body needs an autopsy? Although the cause of death has been found, it is only six days before the incident. Maybe something can be found.”
Bo Ruoyoushi dissected the old lady’s body, and it took a long time to bend down. Now her slender fingers were flushed red from the cold, and she might be poisoned by the corpse water. Father Fu couldn’t bear to look at it, so he looked at Huo. A few glances at the dangerous building.
Finally, Huo Weilou said quietly, “It’s too late, come here first tonight.”
The case was delayed for a long time, and it took only half a day for Huo Weilou to arrive. The cause of death of the two deceased has been cleared, and it can be said that progress has been made. However, the night is getting dark and many things are quite inconvenient. Adapt to current conditions.
After Huo Weilou finished speaking, he turned and walked towards the door. Zheng Wenyan shivered outside and hurriedly greeted him.
Huo Weilou instructed, “From now on, the Hou Mansion is taken over by the Embroidery Envoy and the Prefect Yamen Yamen. Everyone, including you, is not allowed to move around in the Hou Mansion at will.”
Zheng Wenyan moved his lips, “Then an autopsy tonight…”
Huo Wei Road: “Assemble everyone in the mansion tomorrow morning, and I will tell you the cause of death of the old lady and Zheng Wenchen. Tonight, everyone will stay in the mansion temporarily. You will arrange the residence, he Zhifu—”
He Cheng hurriedly stepped forward, Huo Wei said in the corridor: “You will arrange yamen to guard the entrances everywhere.”
He set up an immediate response, turned around and ordered the ya chase, and Zheng Wenyan said: “Don’t worry, Hou Ye, your yard is already ready, and Zhifu He and others also have a guest house for rest. As for Bo Yazuo—”
Zheng Wenyan looked at Bo Ruoyou, but his eyes always paid attention to Huo Weilou. Seeing that his expression remained unchanged, he knew that Huo Weilou would also let Bo Ruoyou stay. Everyone else was a man, and Bo Ruoyou alone was a woman. Zheng Wenyan He hesitated for a moment, “Let Bo Yao live in the yard next to Yunni, just not far from Lord Hou.”
Huo Wei Building was noncommittal, Zheng Wenyan hurriedly summoned the butler to give instructions, and quickly returned to Huo Wei Building, “Master Hou, I will take you to rest.”
When Father Fu heard this, he hurriedly said, “Boy girl, do you want to walk with us?”
Bo Ruoyou was still examining the corpse, raising his eyes upon hearing this, and hesitating, Zheng Wenyan said, “Don’t worry, father-in-law, I specially arranged for someone to bring him back.”
As soon as these words fell, Huo Weilou had already taken a step forward, Father Fu showed dissatisfaction, waved embarrassedly at Bo Ruoyou, and followed up.
Bo Ruoyou shook his head and didn’t care about it. She still stared at Zheng Wenchen’s body in a daze. She wanted to see what Zheng Wenchen’s robes looked like when he died, but since Huo Weilou said that this is the end of the day, she will go ahead. Suppressed this idea.
To bid farewell to He Cheng, Bo Ruoyou left the west courtyard with the guard who led the way.
“Boy girl, your yard is on the northwest side of Missy’s yard. It is very well furnished. At this moment, all the food and hot water have been delivered. If you have other orders, there will be a maidservant in the yard to serve you, just open your mouth. That’s it.”
The guarding ceremony was complete, and Bo Ruoyou thanked him and stopped speaking.
At this moment, she was walking alone on the corridor of the Hou Mansion. Because the mansion was luxurious and brightly lit, she didn’t feel so gloomy and terrible. At this moment, she noticed that the lanterns on the corridor were a little different. , I want to come to prepare for the wedding of Miss Hou Mansion.
The happy event was approaching, but there was a funeral.
Passing around the two flower garden terraces, the guard pointed to the straight corridor in front, “Boy girl, the yard is at the end of the corridor. The place where the lights are on is that you are pleased to do it yourself, and the villain will leave first.”
Bo Ruoyou thanked him again, and when the guard had left, he turned and walked forward.
This corridor was straight and looked very close. Bo Ruoyou walked thinking about Zheng Wenchen’s death. On the eaves of the corridor, the lantern was swayed by the cold wind, and the shadow of the lamp was also bright and dark. Coming out, he grabbed her wrist.
This sudden hand frightened Bo Ruoyou, and Bo Ruoyou quickly turned around, but it was a childish face in his eyes.
It was Zheng Xiao!
Zheng Xiao was completely plain, and suddenly appeared somewhat horrible, Bo Ruo took a deep breath and calmed down, “Little son?”
Huo Weilou has ordered martial law in the mansion, how could Zheng Xiao run out?
“My sister is so beautiful.”
Zheng Xiao said this flattering sentence. He grabbed Bo Ruoyou’s hand and continued with some childishness: “Is my sister coming with Wu’anhou? Is my sister Hou Ye’s wife?”
Bo Ruoyou couldn’t laugh or cry when he heard this, “I’m not, I’m just helping the yamen… What are you doing here? It’s getting late, you should go back and rest.”
Zheng Xiao sniffed her nose, seeming to be very cold. Seeing that Bo Ruoyou hadn’t thrown her hand away, she looked at Bo Ruoyou with wide eyes, and when she looked at it, she suddenly cried. Come out, “Sister, sister, please help us, my father did not harm grandmother, the worst person in this house is the third uncle!”
Bo Ruoyou frowned, and Zheng Xiao cried: “After my father died, my third uncle forced my mother to hand over the zhezi that my grandmother sent into the capital, but my mother and I have never seen any zhezi. It must be the third uncle. Uncle knew that grandmother wanted his father to bear the title, so he killed grandmother and father…”
Hand over the paper? Is it the zipper, please seal it?
Bo Ruoyou only felt that Zheng Xiao’s words revealed many things that Zheng Wenyan deliberately concealed. When he had to ask carefully, Zheng Xiao continued to cry and begged, “Mother said, Wu Zhaohou never brought a woman by his side. You followed Wu Zhaohou, you must be Her wife, sister, please tell Wu Zhaohou, my father is not a bad person, he was killed…”
Zheng Xiao’s face was full of tears and it was distressing to cry. He seemed stubbornly thinking that it must be his wife who followed Huo Weilou.
Bo Ruoyou sighed helplessly, squatted down, and said in the most important way: “Little son, I will take you to see Wu Zhaohou, and tell Master Hou what you just said in detail, okay?”
Zheng Xiao couldn’t help but nodded, “Sister, you also have to help me speak, you are so good-looking, Wu Zhaohou will definitely listen to you…”
Bo Ruoyou was a little uncomfortable when she was about to explain it to him seriously. Suddenly she felt something was wrong. She lifted her eyes intuitively. The next moment, Bo Ruoyou froze as if struck by lightning.
At the fork in the road not far away, Huo Weilou was standing under a bright red lantern, looking at her with dark eyes, and judging from his expression, Bo Ruoyou was sure that he heard the two words behind Zheng Xiao.
But her negation is in the previous sentence.
Bo Ruoyou thought to himself, this time is over, she is so bold that she dared to admit to herself as Mrs. Wu Zhaohou!