After leaving the Zichen Palace, Wu Chengsi walked south along the Palace Avenue. Suddenly, he saw several palace maids walking surrounded by a well-dressed woman under the eaves of a palace in the distance.
The woman was dressed in a phoenix crown and had a graceful figure. She was Helan Minrou, the wife of the State of Wei.
Looking at the direction, he should be heading to the harem, probably to the Jinluan Villa to stay with Emperor Li Zhi.
Wu Chengsi looked at He Lanmin's graceful back and felt a little emotional.
Helan Minrou is Wu Zetian's niece. She is very beautiful, but she is not smart enough.
To put it simply, it is a vase.
A woman like her who has only beauty but no scheming will generally not end well if she goes deep into the harem. Right now, because she is Wu Mei's niece, Wu Mei has not yet attacked her.
But the Queen is not a merciful person. When her patience runs out, or when she feels that Helan Minrou poses a threat to her, doom and gloom awaits her.
In history, many scholars speculated that Helan Minrou was poisoned by Wu Zetian. Maybe it won't be long before they can witness this scene with their own eyes.
After leaving the palace, Wu Chengsi first went to Dali Temple. Di Renjie was still missing, but Zhugenan came back with excitement on his face.
"Wu Shaoqing, where have you been? Why did you come back?" Zhugenan complained, his face rosy.
"I went to the palace, what happened? Did you find anything?"
Zhugenan crossed his arms and said very proudly: "I know you and your adoptive father always think that I am not as good as Di Renjie, Nie Ziyun and the others, but this time, Di Renjie lost to me!"
"Did you find out the truth? Who killed that woman?" Wu Chengsi said in surprise.
Zhugenan scratched his head, smiled awkwardly and said, "That's not true, but I found an important piece of evidence!"
"What evidence?" Wu Chengsi frowned.
Zhuge Nan smiled slightly, took out a string of Buddhist beads from his sleeve, and said, "I found this among the flowers in the courtyard!"
Wu Chengsi glanced at it and said, "Is there anything strange about finding a string of Buddhist beads in a nunnery?"
"Take a closer look!" Zhugenan leaned closer.
Wu Chengsi lowered his head and checked again, and finally discovered something. This string of beads is made of the most precious agarwood, which is not available to ordinary people.
Zhuge Nan continued: "This Buddha bead was found inside the flowers. It is impossible for others to pass by there. How could the Buddha beads fall in?"
"Then what is your conclusion?" Wu Chengsi raised his head and asked.
Zhuge Nan said firmly: "The Buddha beads must have accidentally fallen into the flowers when someone jumped over them!"
Wu Chengsi recalled the location of the flowers and remembered that they were located on the east and west sides of the courtyard. After some thought, he said, "Even if this is the case, what does it mean?"
Zhuge Nan smiled mysteriously: "Wu Shaoqing, have you noticed that there are some dirt and jar fragments on the ground in the corridor from the east courtyard to the outer hall?"
"Of course I remember, it was Di Sicheng who discovered it, and he asked two people to guard it and not allow others to move."
"I can also find such obvious clues." Zhugenan snorted and said, "If you connect the location where the Buddha beads were found with the soil and extend it in a line, do you know where it will lead?"
Wu Chengsi was slightly startled and shook his head.
"The door of the Buddhist hall where Wang Xiuyun died!" Zhuge Nan said one word at a time.
Wu Cheng Sizhong was stunned for a while, then quickly reacted and said in surprise: "Are you telling me that someone stood in the corridor, jumped directly to the door of the Buddhist hall, and during the leap, the beads fell into the flowers?"
Zhugenan crossed his arms and said with a smile: "That's it. Do you know who the owner of the beads is?"
Wu Chengsi's heart moved and he blurted out: "Could it be Monk Puhai?"
Zhuge Nan was surprised: "How did you know?"
"I heard the master of the nunnery mentioned that Pu Hai was also in the nunnery on the day of the incident." Wu Chengsi replied while thinking.
He once heard other Wu family disciples mention that Puhai was not only proficient in Buddhism, but also had extraordinary martial arts skills. This was also an important reason.
Zhuge Nan nodded and said: "After I found the Buddhist beads, I asked the nun in the nunnery and found out that they were the monk's Buddhist beads. I immediately went to Guangyi Temple and asked him. Guess who I met there?"
"Di Renjie?" Wu Chengsi blurted out.
"Haha, that's right. Although he found Puhai one step ahead of me, it was just because he investigated for one day longer than me. I should be considered the winner this time!"
While they were talking, the two walked to Shaoqing's Yamen. Wu Chengsi ordered his staff to make a pot of good Longjing tea for Zhugenan and asked, "Did you find anything out from him?"
In the entire Dali Temple, Wu Chengsi's Yamen had the most varieties of tea and was also the most valuable. Seeing that Wu Chengsi did not put on airs like before, Zhuge Nan respected him very much and was very satisfied in his heart. He smiled and said:
"I asked him about the Buddhist beads, and he only said that he accidentally fell into the flowers. But as soon as I saw what he said, I knew he was lying. Wu Shaoqing doesn't need to worry. I think this matter may have something to do with him. Di Si Chengzheng day and night
You should be able to gain something by monitoring him."
Wu Chengsi frowned and said nothing. He could not prove anything with just a string of Buddhist beads.
Zhuge Nan consoled him: "I see that Di Si Cheng has also discovered something. Although he refuses to tell me, it can be seen from his words that his suspicion of you has been reduced a lot."
Wu Chengsi cupped his hands and said, "I'll have to help Brother Zhuge later."
Zhugenan laughed loudly, drank the tea in his hand, stood up and said: "Wu Shaoqing, please don't worry, I will leave the matter of Puhai to Di Renjie. I will go to Shangzhou to investigate the Zheng family murder case."
"Shangzhou? Why go there to investigate?" Wu Chengsi asked doubtfully.
"I just went to Dilao to ask the third daughter of the Zheng family, and learned that her family suffered a disaster after they left Chang'an and entered Shangzhou. I want to check the scene of the accident, maybe I can find something."
Han Cheng, who was listening quietly on the side, suddenly flashed his eyes.
Wu Chengsi nodded and said: "Okay, then I'll thank you for the hard work."
After Zhuge Nan left, Wu Chengsi couldn't sit still.
Although no conclusive evidence has been found yet, Di Renjie and Zhuge Nan already believe in themselves. There are still two days left, so they should be able to do it in time.
The most important clue at the moment was Puhai in Guangyi Temple, but with Di Renjie watching, there was no need for him to go there. After thinking about it, Wu Chengsi decided to go to Baiyun Temple again.
Although it was getting late, Wu Chengsi was eager to solve the case and thought of staying at Baiyun Nunnery tonight.
However, just after leaving Dali Temple, a servant from the Duke's Mansion came to report that Wu Youji and Princess Taiping were visiting, so Wu Chengsi had to go back home.
The inner hall of the Duke's Mansion.
Wu Chengsi and Wu You were together, and Princess Taiping sat down separately. After the servants served the fragrant tea, Princess Taiping put the tea cup aside and said with a smile: "Second cousin, I am holding a literary and wine party in the mansion tonight, and I have invited you here.
The most famous talents in Chang'an City will be hosted by Yan Huihui, please come over and help me suppress the situation."
"How can my few poems and essays hold up?" Wu Chengsi waved his hands repeatedly. It was not because he was modest, but Wu Chengsi did not have any literary talent, let alone himself.
Princess Taiping covered her mouth and smiled: "I don't really want you to write poems. You and the fifth cousin can just sit down. If any of them is impressed by their literary talents, you and the fifth cousin will help you in your official career from now on."
It's convenient for them, so these scholars will be more motivated, right?"
Wu Chengsi looked embarrassed. He really didn't have the time to do such a thing now!
Princess Taiping said angrily: "Do you still remember that you said you wanted to thank me yesterday? You can't forget it in the blink of an eye!"
Wu Chengsi looked at Wu Youji and saw him spreading his hands with a sympathetic expression. He had to smile bitterly and said: "Okay, okay, but why don't you go to your brothers for this kind of thing?"
Princess Taiping hummed and said: "The eldest brother is busy with government affairs every day and ignores me when I talk to him. The third brother and the fourth brother only know about cockfighting. I won't talk to them."
Li Zhi had eight sons and four daughters. Half of them were born to Wu Zetian.
The eldest brother in Princess Taiping's mouth is Prince Li Hong, who was originally Li Zhi's fifth son. However, Princess Taiping only wanted to call his half-brother brother, so she always called him the eldest brother.
"Okay, then I'll accompany you for a while." Wu Chengsi said helplessly.
The three of them left the mansion together, Princess Taiping rode in a carriage, Wu Chengsi and Wu Youji rode horses, and headed all the way to the princess' mansion.
Han Cheng ordered other guards to protect him, but he did not follow him. Instead, he went all the way to the most famous brothel in Pingkangfang, "Ye Yuqiu".