His eyes swept around the Buddhist hall, and suddenly, his eyes fixed on the Guanyin Buddha statue.
"Zhang Dong, has Di Si Cheng checked the Guanyin Buddha statue?" Wu Chengsi asked anxiously.
"No, no." Zhang Dong said in surprise.
Wu Chengsi's eyes lit up and he loudly ordered: "Take a few people to check the Buddha statue immediately to see if there is any mechanism!"
Zhang Dong was surprised: "My lord, do you suspect that there are people hiding in the Buddha statues?"
"Isn't it possible?" Wu Chengsi glanced at him sideways.
Although Zhang Dong didn't believe it, Wu Chengsi was his superior after all, so he had to call a few officials and let them inspect the Buddha statue.
The officials first put their hands together to complain to the Buddha statue, and then carefully inspected it. After the inspection, they reported back: "Master, Zhang Sizhi, there is no mechanism in the Buddha statue!"
Wu Chengsi refused to give up and asked again: "How far away is the Buddha statue from the wall? Is it possible to hide from people?"
"It's less than one foot away from the wall, so it's impossible to hide from someone!" the officer replied.
Wu Chengsi frowned and stood quietly for a moment, thinking that since he couldn't figure out the cause of this woman's death, he might as well let it go and start from other places.
Thinking of this, I strode out of the Buddhist hall.
When I came to the courtyard, I suddenly noticed two officials standing in the corridor opposite the courtyard.
Wu Chengsi remembered that when he first entered the courtyard, the two people were standing there. He felt a little strange, so he walked over and asked, "What are you doing here?"
One of the officials raised his hands and said, "My lord, it was Di Si Cheng who ordered us and me to guard this place."
Wu Chengsi looked between the two of them and saw a pile of soil on the ground. He knelt down and took a closer look, and saw a flower in the soil. There were fragments of earthen jars around the soil.
It seemed that someone passed by holding a flower pot and accidentally broke it.
Wu Chengsi held his chin and thought for a moment, shook his head, returned to the courtyard, and sat down on the stone steps. He put his fists on his chin and frowned in thought.
Let’s not think about the cause of Wang Xiuyun’s death for now, then where else can be a breakthrough in the case?
Suddenly, he jumped up and ran away outside Baiyun Nunnery. Han Cheng and other guards hurriedly chased after him.
Outside the nunnery, Wu Chengsi got on his horse and rode towards the city!
He suddenly thought of a key point. The main purpose of this case was to frame Wu Chengsi. So the question is why did Wu Chengsi go to Baiyun Nunnery?
Wu Chengsi's memory shows that it was Cao Qi, the deputy steward of the Duke's Mansion, who persuaded him to go to Baiyun Nunnery, so there must be something wrong with him!
Wu Chengsi returned to the Duke's Mansion anxiously. After entering the outer hall, he asked Han Cheng to call Cao Qi over.
"Master, you, you called me?" Cao Qi entered the hall timidly.
Seeing his expression, Wu Chengsi felt even more suspicious. She grabbed his collar and asked, "Is it your kid who is harming me? Tell me now!"
"My lord, even if you give me ten courages, I won't dare to harm you!" Cao Qi's legs softened and she knelt down. Wu Chengsi was dragged along by him and almost fell on top of him.
He froze his body and asked: "Then why did you encourage me to go to Baiyun Temple?"
Cao Qi said: "This... this..."
"If you don't say anything else, we will deal with it according to the family law!"
The family law in the Duke's mansion was very cruel. Cao Qi was immediately frightened and said hurriedly: "My lord, it's a villain who was drinking with Cai Jin, Zhang Hua and Huang Gui when they heard that there was a beautiful girl in Baiyun Nunnery.
Little lady, that’s why… I really didn’t know that something like that would happen in the nunnery!”
Cai Jin, Zhang Hua and Huang Gui were all butlers in the house of several children of the Wu family. They were in the same circle of butlers, so it was normal for them to drink and chat together.
Could it be just a coincidence? Wu Cheng thought for a moment and then asked: "Who said this!"
"It's Huang Gui!"
Wu Chengsi was stunned. Huang Gui was the housekeeper of Wu Xixuan's family in Pingyang Bo. Logically speaking, although Wu Xixuan had the best relationship with Wu Sansi, he also had a good relationship with Wu Chengsi, so there was no reason to harm him.
Is it really a coincidence?
At this moment, Wen Rong took a few steps forward and whispered: "My lord, can we still hold the banquet tomorrow night?"
The children of the Wu family would gather together for a banquet every month to keep in touch with each other. Wu Chengsi had to be sent to Lingnan, so how could he think of having a banquet? He waved his hand and said: "No!"
He left the Duke's Mansion and headed all the way to Dali Temple. Two clues were broken and he had to find a new breakthrough!
As soon as he entered Dali Temple, he met Zhugenan in the corridor. His face was ashen. As soon as he saw Wu Chengsi, he punched him. Han Cheng stepped forward and stretched out his hand to fight off.
Zhuge Nan took two steps back and turned his gaze to Han Cheng.
Seeing that he was about to take action, Wu Chengsi said angrily: "Zhugenan, you are a little too long-term, so you act recklessly! I don't care what you hear from the three daughters of the Zheng family, at least listen to what I have to say first, and then judge.
Right or wrong?"
Zhuge Nan snorted angrily: "If nothing else, when the two daughters of the Zheng family went to Jingzhao Mansion to file a complaint, you ordered Jing Zhaoyin to beat her twenty times with a stick and then throw her out of the government office. This can't be wrong, right?
"
Wu Chengsi was secretly shocked. The two daughters of the Zheng family actually went to Jingzhao Mansion? And they were beaten twenty times with a stick?
As the saying goes, officials protect each other. With his status as Duke of Zhou, even if he didn't go to the hospital, the governor of Jingzhao would probably do such a thing in order not to offend him.
It was useless to argue at this time. Wu Chengsi grabbed Zhugenan's arm and said, "What's going on? How about you and I go to Jingzhao Mansion to find out clearly?"
"Just go, who is afraid of whom?"
…
Jingzhao Mansion is located in Guangde Square next to the West Market of Chang'an City, not too far from Dali Temple in the northwest corner. Wu Chengsi and Zhuge Nan passed through the West Market and rushed to Jingzhao Mansion, but they immediately hit a snag.
.
"The Ming Mansion is hearing a case, please wait a moment." Judge Zhao Guanghan of the Jingzhao Mansion welcomed the two into the side hall and answered with a smile.
"Zhang Fuyin is questioning the case in Shengtang?" Wu Chengsi asked.
"That's not true, Mingfu is handling a case in the second hall." Zhao Guanghan replied.
Generally, only major cases will go to court, while smaller cases will be investigated and sorted out in the second court.
"We are waiting for a major case, please tell Zhang Fuyin and ask him to come over immediately!" Zhugenan said impatiently.
Zhao Guanghan was secretly angry. Zhugenan's rank was not as high as his, but he spoke so indifferently, which made him very unhappy.
However, he was worried that Wu Chengsi was here, so he had to endure his temper and said with cupped hands: "You two, please wait a moment, I will tell you here."
Not long after, Zhang Chang, the Yin of Jingzhao Prefecture, and Judge Zhao Guanghan came to the side hall together. Zhang Chang was an official in his forties, with a broad forehead, a straight nose, and a rather calm and authoritative expression.
After seeing Wu Chengsi, he took two steps forward, cupped his hands and said, "I didn't know that the Duke of Zhou was coming, but my subordinates were far away to greet him."
Wu Chengsi stood up, returned the salute, and said: "Zhang Fuyin doesn't need to be polite. I came here this time because I want to ask Zhang Fuyin something, and I hope to tell you."
Zhang Chang made a gesture to please sit down, and after Wu Chengsi sat down at the top, he sat down next to him, while Zhao Guanghan sat down with him.
Only Zhugenan stood with his arms folded, looking very impatient.
"Excuse me, sir." Although Zhang Chang's words were polite, his expression was meticulous.
"Did your Jingzhao Mansion receive a complaint a month ago, and the target of the complaint was Zhou Guogong?" Before Wu Chengsi could speak, Zhugenan rushed to ask.
Zhang Chang and Zhao Guanghan looked at each other, nodded and said, "It is true!"
"Then why didn't you accept the complaint? You beat the complainant and threw him out of the government office!" Zhugenan asked loudly.
"No, our Jingzhao Yin accepted the complaint from the two daughters of the Zheng family. However, after trial, it was found that the two daughters of the Zheng family falsely accused the Duke of Zhou. According to the law, it is a serious crime to falsely accuse the Duke of the current dynasty. The Ming Dynasty saw the two daughters of the Zheng family
She is a lonely woman, so she was kicked out of the government office with only twenty strokes of the cane!" Zhao Guanghan said loudly.
Not only Zhugenan was stunned by these words, but Wu Chengsi was also taken aback.
He only knew that Wu Chengsi did not instruct anyone to go to Jingzhao Mansion, and he thought it was Jingzhao Yin who was confusing right and wrong in order to curry favor with Wu Chengsi!
Zhuge Nan retorted: "Impossible. The three daughters of the Zheng family said that they had witnesses who could prove that Duke Zhou killed the Zheng family's daughters. How could it be a false accusation?"
Zhao Guanghan said proudly: "That's the witness who testified against the two daughters of the Zheng family in court, saying that she bribed him with money to testify against Duke Zhou!"
Zhuge Nan glared at Wu Chengsi fiercely. He never believed that the Zheng family would bribe others to give false testimony. It must have been Wu Chengsi who threatened the witness, so that the other party betrayed him in court.
Not only him, but even Wu Chengsi didn't believe that the Zheng family would use money to bribe others. He looked at Zhang Chang and said in a deep voice: "Isn't it strange for Zhang Fuyin? The Zheng family has no enmity with me, so why should they bribe others?
Testify against me?"
"Xiaoguan had previously speculated that the Zheng family made this move because their eldest daughter was murdered by the Duke's government. In fact, Xiaguan was also about to ask the Duke if the disappearance of the Zheng family's eldest daughter was a cause of death.
Is it really related to the Duke's Mansion?" Zhang Chang's burning gaze shot towards Wu Chengsi.
"No!" Wu Chengsi said angrily.
Zhang Chang withdrew his gaze and said calmly: "I wonder if the Duke has anything else to ask?"
Wu Cheng thought for a moment: "Last question, who is the witness?"
Zhang Chang glanced at Wu Chengsi in surprise and said, "This person is your servant, Wang Liu, don't you know?"