Chapter 7 When there is a suspicion, it is difficult to tell whether it is true or false (Part 1)

Author: Holding Hairpin Star

Chapter 7 When there is doubt, it is difficult to tell whether it is true or false (Part 1)

The places irrigated by rainwater are either cold or wet, which is the norm in Xiguan, but the spring breeze blowing the willows in Yongzhou has nourished a new green.

The previous dynasties were elegant, and so was the Wei Dynasty. At this time, the Flower Festival is approaching, and the market is full of pear blossoms and willow branches, decorated with colorful lanterns. The busiest one is Xihua Lane on Yongdu Street, with stalls of various sizes forming two rows along the street.

The fragrance of flower wine is everywhere.

The young man took a deep breath. Besides the smell of flowers and wine, there was a strong spicy smell of broth. The waiter across the street took out a new bowl of soybean noodles, marinated it with hot soup and spicy oil, and ate it in the clear haze after the rain.

It's fragrant and tempting. After one bowl, your mouth will be full of oily soup, and your whole body will feel warm.

The young man pursed his lips. He was really hungry. More than seven or eight days had passed since he fled from Shiping and crossed east to Yongzhou. He touched the belt and fine clothes on his body and took out a gold inlay from his sleeve pocket.

The jade bird pattern pendant is the only valuable thing on his body.

"Shopkeeper, look at this." He handed over the jade pendant, "This is Anxiang topaz from Runan. It has a color like red gold and a texture like goose greasy. Can it be worth fifty taels of silver?"

Shopkeeper Lu took it and looked at it carefully, his heart was in turmoil and goosebumps suddenly appeared. He suddenly raised his eyes, and the man in front of him was dressed in splendor, with disheveled hair and a heroic spirit, which was the same as the dandy in his impression.

Young Master and Brother are very different.

Mo Ran breathed a sigh of relief and smiled faintly: "That's natural. Master, wait a moment. I'll go back to the inner room and give him some money."

The incense on the tribute platform was like a lotus, and every strand fell into the case. Green smoke curled up in the air, and the fragrance was hazy. Suddenly, the young man's body trembled. There was drug in the incense!

The young man walked quickly outside, but he was already staggering. Before he could struggle, he was dragged into the dark room by two burly men. Hemp ropes tied his arms tightly. He became more and more out of breath, as if his whole body was being dragged.

He fell into a deep pool, his ears ringing.

The candlelight in the darkroom was dimly lit, and a middle-aged man was holding a gold hand stove and squinting at him, breathing slowly through his nose, "Did he give you the jade pendant?"

"Yes." Shopkeeper Lu stood beside the man with his hands folded, nodded and bowed, "This is the customs clearance document from the Shiping Meng family. Not everyone in the Eight Great Fangs knows about it. This person must be a fake, but... this jade pendant

Why did it fall into his hands for no reason?"

The Eight Great Fangs were the eight famous chaebol families of the previous dynasty, headed by the Anyang Shi family, and included the Pingyang Shen family, the Luoyang Liang family, the Longxi Huo family, the Jizhou Cui family, the Yanjing Guo family, the Taiyuan Li family and the Lanling Xie family.

However, a few years later, the glory faded and the grand occasion was in danger. If the situation had not changed, how could a clown like Shiping Meng be on the stage?

Pan Hongzhang raised his fingers and covered his lips in vain, coughing a few times. The Shi family and the Liang family had always been at odds with each other, and there was no reason for them to pawn their belongings in the other's pawn shop.

If Meng Shizi's jade pendant is in this person's hand, then the cause of Meng Shizi's death must be related to him.

Pan Hongzhang seemed to wake up after hearing his movements. He raised his head and looked at the young man again, "What's your name?"

The young man's forehead was soaked with sweat, his eyes were like deep dry wells, but he did not show any fear, "Qi...Qi Xiao."

"Where did you get the jade pendant?"

"Picked it up."

Pan Hongzhang wiped his lips and smiled, "How did you pick it up? What is your relationship with Mr. Meng? Why are you wearing his clothes?"

Qi Xiao closed his eyes, his chest beat rapidly, his thoughts swirled in his mind for a long time, but he still couldn't come up with an answer.

"Don't tell me that this dress is yours. It is a special tribute brocade made of Wusun rat skin. All the accounts are recorded in the book. When and where I bought it, I will know what the pattern is. You can't afford it."

"

Qi Xiao slowly raised his head, his eyes carefully falling on Pan Hongzhang's boots, "I...I fled from Shiping."

"What are you escaping from?" Pan Hongzhang leaned back in his chair and looked at the back of his hands, "I have never heard of famine, floods or droughts in Shiping in recent months."

Qi Xiao's breath was stagnant, and his fingertips were cold.

After hesitating for a long time, Qi Xiao still lowered his eyelashes and looked at the ground, "There has been no rain or snow since the beginning of winter in Chencang, and the newly planted millet buds have all died of drought. My mother and I wanted to escape to Shiping, but she became hungry halfway through.

Dead."

Qi Xiao swallowed slowly and kept moving his eyes from side to side, "I picked up the jade pendant from a dead person, and I also took off the clothes. I just rebelled at the sight of wealth and have never done anything harmful to nature!"

Pan Hongzhang continued to ask: "Where did you meet him?"

Qi Xiao replied, "Yongdukou."

Every word was correct, but because it was so perfect, it was full of loopholes. Pan Hongzhang lifted him up and slammed him against the wall, and instantly the pink and white stains on the wall fell straight down, "You set that fire... too?"

"

He held the man's jaw tightly and said, "Why did you set fire to the body? Is it to hide the crime? Or for something else? Boy, you don't really think it's easier here than the torture prison, do you? Those people with wine bags and rice bags are not even worthy of carrying our shoes.

, we have too many ways to deal with you!"

He turned around and dragged Qi Xiao violently, and kicked him to the wooden stake used for interrogation. "In the torture interrogation, no matter what method you use, you must pry open this dead duck's mouth. Just a little, and the person will not die."

The kick was so heavy and it hit his heart. Qi Xiao couldn't even endure it. He cried out with a burst of blood and his whole body rolled out, falling to the ground like a withered leaf in the autumn wind.

Shopkeeper Lu respectfully agreed and immediately asked someone to take the iron lock to the jail. At the same time, he urged the boy outside to prepare a new pot of tea, "Leave all these little things to us. Mr. Pan, please go to the flower hall and have a cup of tea. Yes."

The new Maojian from Jiangnan."

Pan Hongzhang waved his hand and walked out of the dark room in three steps. He looked at the man for a moment before leaving. After returning to the lobby, they showed their faces to each other. "This man seems to have a good background. Among those who were arrested in the past, who is not?"

Crying and begging for mercy, even if we don’t cry, we still have to ask who we are, where we are, and why we arrested him.”

As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes and thought in his mind, "This kid is so calm and terrifying. He actually has the mind to deal with me."

"By the way, don't forget to check yourself carefully. If you have any doubts, write a note and hand it to me. The eldest girl was upset about the death of Meng Shizi a month ago. Now the truth is about to be revealed. Don't make a mistake."

"I know, don't worry." The shopkeeper took advantage of the opportunity and asked, "Do you want to send a letter to Yumen Pass?"

Pan Hongzhang refused flatly, "No need, the eldest lady will go to Yongzhou tomorrow. It's better to make this matter clear." He pursed his lips and thought for a while, "There is one more thing. Remember to put the letter you just received.

Patrol the mountains and monitor the disturbances in Yongzhou, especially the Que family and the King of Zhongshan."

The orders from above were followed by those below, but when they heard the name of the target, everyone's heart was a little confused, and they were not sure what the master's idea was, but these were never things they should worry about.

What matters now is how to get the man named Qi Xiao to speak.

Looking up at the sky, a crescent moon forms a thin line.

Qi Xiao looked towards the iron bars in the confinement. There was only an oil lamp burning on the wall table, which was dimly condensed with the surroundings. After this experience, he could probably figure out that those people were staring at Meng's son. You Ming, who knows the Meng family's methods very well, will expose his secret sooner or later if the stalemate continues.

But now, he had nowhere to run. When he was awake, he had already judged that the fence and walls of this dark room were covered with steel bars and iron plates, which were no different from copper walls and iron walls. Breaking in by force was impossible and he had to wait for the opportunity.

"It's time to eat." The guard boy opened the door, brought a bowl of porridge over, and asked him to take a few sips. "What are you doing to kill Master Meng? This pot of sewage poured over the master's head. It's not too late for him to be unlucky. Why don't you come early?" If you admit it, you will suffer less pain before you die."

Qi Xiao already had old wounds on his body, and he had been whipped again. It was already difficult to move his eyelids, "Master? Who is your master?"

The room fell silent, "Don't worry, you will find out later tomorrow. Our master is a good man."

Spoiler: Remember this guy, he’s a character!
Chapter completed!