Fatty Wang felt that he recommended me to do the autopsy, which allowed me to show my face in front of Magistrate Xu and take credit in front of my mother. For this reason, father and daughter even had a dinner at my house.
My mother-in-law thanked me in person, but behind her back she warned me that I still had to find a job, and that I couldn’t always count on being a widower.
Of course I know. Making tofu every day is considered a profession. After delivering the tofu, I find something to do, and at the same time, I have to monitor the surroundings for strange things. Hey, one person is doing three jobs. I wonder how much money he will earn?
However, the matter of being a secret agent has not yet been revealed, so of course it is inconvenient to say it. Even if it is done, I am afraid it will have to be kept secret. Otherwise, how can it be called a secret agent?
After spending another night in a daze, I suddenly woke up and found that I was still holding Madam Mu's ice silk handkerchief tightly in my hand. Do you want to return it? Xiao Mu stole this handkerchief from under her bed. If it is returned to her,
, will she misunderstand that I stole it? Even if I explain clearly, wouldn't it mean that I have betrayed Xiao Mu? What's more, Xiao Mu still doubts her identity.
After struggling all the way, when the tofu was delivered to the inn, Mrs. Mu was not there. Uncle Fu said that she usually went back to Mu's house in the evening, but occasionally rested in the guest room.
Mu Mansion must be the residence of County Lieutenant Mu. How can I monitor her?
"Jianghu, is there anything else?" Uncle Fu asked, handing me today's money.
I came back to my senses and said, "Oh, I just wanted to ask Mrs. Mu if this inn still needs people. I've finished delivering the tofu and have nothing to do. I'm still looking for a job."
"Oh, that's true. You can earn more money while you are young." Uncle Fu nodded happily: "Then just wait a moment, my boss will be here soon."
"Then let's have a bowl of clear noodle soup." I left three copper coins and chose a table in the corner to sit down.
"Second Brother, would you like a bowl of clear noodle soup, enough for three people?" An old man walked into the shop cautiously and asked in a low voice.
"Okay. No matter the portion, it's three cents, but the noodles in our store are very light, so you have to finish them if you want them. If you have one left, you can get ten times the price." Ah Wu told the rules first.
"Well, okay." The old man smiled happily on his dry bark-like face and waved his hand outward: "Da Lang Er Lang, come in, come in."
Two young people who were looking around at the door ran in with their heads lowered and sat at the table with the old man, waiting nervously.
Looking at their ragged clothes, they looked like beggars on the street. It took courage to step into such a high-end place and sit down at the table to eat.
I used to think that I was quite poor, and I even felt inferior about it. Now when I look at them, I feel that I am very happy. At least I don’t have to worry about three meals a day, and at least I have a roof over my head.
Home. This is really not enough compared to the top, but more than enough to compare with the bottom.
"Here comes the clear soup noodles. Come on, Jiang Hu, it's yours." Ah Wu brought me a bowl, and then went to the father and son: "This is for you three, and I got you two bowls, please."
Take it easy, there is tea in the pot on the table, please help yourself."
"Thank you." The old man stood up tremblingly: "Second brother, uh... I heard that you can still work if you don't have money to pay, but is that true?"
"Yes. There is a pile of firewood waiting to be chopped in the backyard. If it's convenient for you, can you help me after you finish eating the noodles?" Ah Wu replied with a smile as before.
"Hey, these are my two sons. I'll make sure it's done soon." The old man smiled and waved to his two sons, and the three of them started to devour the food.
I looked around the entire living room. Since it was still early and I only had five tables of guests, almost all of them were noodle eaters and looked very tired.
I took out a pair of chopsticks and hesitated whether to add kimchi, but as soon as I put the chopsticks into the noodles, I was stunned. I saw oil splashes on the originally light noodle soup. I picked it up again,
A stream of meat foam jumped up from the gap in the noodles. When he turned the noodles over, oh my god, there was a fried egg hidden at the bottom of the bowl.
"What's wrong? Can't you eat it? If you can't eat it, it's thirty cents."
"Mrs. Mu."
I looked up and saw a ray of sunlight shining through the window paper, forming a beautiful halo around her. She was still wearing a pure white dress, with an extra lotus lace on the neckline compared to yesterday's dress. She
Her face is even more charming with the sun behind her, and her whole person is like a white lotus just emerging from the water in the morning light.
"I...I just ordered clear soup noodles." I didn't dare to look any further. I only felt that my ears were a little hot, and it was still spreading to my face.
Madam Mu sat down on the bench opposite me, stared at my face, and smiled softly: "You are not a monk, how can you eat plain noodles? You bring me tofu early every morning, and I will tell them to give you an extra
It's just a spoonful of minced meat and an egg. Eat it quickly, I won't charge you more."
I hesitated: "But I can't break your rules."
Mrs. Mu smiled and said: "Which rule says that I can't give things to guests? This is my inn, I can give whatever I want. Uncle Fu!"
"Oh, boss."
"Go and give a plate of fried tofu with green onions to every table of guests who came for breakfast today, except him."
"Hey." Uncle Fu nodded, glanced at me, and went straight to the kitchen.
I picked up a pair of chopsticks and said, "Thank you very much. Madam Mu, just go and get busy if you have something to do. Don't worry about me."
Madam Mu moved closer to me: "Don't you have anything to say to me?"
I didn't dare to move at all: "No."
"Okay, then use it slowly."
Seeing her walking away, I dared to take a deep breath, and then ate the bowl of noodles with special treatment. For some reason, my heartbeat suddenly accelerated just now, and I forgot to mention finding a job at the inn. But.
, even if I mention it, will she keep me?
"My boss is treating me to a treat. This dish is for free and does not count." Ah Wu shouted loudly.
There are such willful bosses in the world. No wonder she says she can’t sell all my tofu, but still asks me to deliver it every day. It turns out that it’s just a favor. Can she still make money by doing this? Then she
What is the purpose of opening this inn? Is she... really meticulous?
"Oops, there's been a death. A body has floated out of the river in the front street!" A person shouted loudly as soon as he entered the store.
I just finished drinking the noodle soup and almost dropped the whole bowl to the floor. Another murder!
"What? Who is that dead person?" Ah Wu came over and asked curiously.
Mrs. Mu also stood up from the counter.
"I don't know. County magistrate Xu and Lieutenant Xiao brought people there."
"Is Li Jianghu here?" A government servant walked into the store.
I was stunned: "Yes."
"Magistrate Xu, please go there."
"Me?" I swallowed and looked at Mrs. Mu, only to see her walking towards me.
"He is my guest. It is Magistrate Xu's business to resolve the case. What does it have to do with him?" Madam Mu asked, handing the officer a glass of water.
The yamen official waved his hands in panic and took a step back: "Oh, Madam Mu. Our county yamen only has one clerk. When it comes to human life cases, the county magistrate thinks it would be better to have one more person help with the autopsy."
"Li Jianghu is not from the county government. If he is asked to help, who will pay him?" Madam Mu asked again, playing with her hair with one hand: "I heard my brother tell the imperial envoy yesterday that Magistrate Xu ordered the people at will.
I want to help, but I can’t get any money out of it. I don’t know when the imperial envoy will decide to talk to County Magistrate Xu.”
The officer trembled: "Thank you, Madam Mu, for telling me. I will tell the county magistrate."
"Take this handkerchief and wash your hands after the inspection. I don't want my tofu to smell like dead people." Madam Mu said to my ear and took out a black cloth handkerchief with a sandwich layer.
Put it into my hand.
I nodded to her gratefully and left quickly with the yamen servant.
The body has been sent to the living room. Outside, the government officials are lined up in an orderly manner. Magistrate Xu and Lieutenant Xiao are talking.
I quickly clasped my hands and said, "Li Jianghu, I would like to pay my respects to the Mingfu, the county captain."
"Oh, Li Jianghu. Go ahead, go in and have a look." Magistrate Xu waved his hand, a little anxious. Magistrate Xiao remained silent.
"The deceased was a male, about 20 years old. There was silt in the mouth and nose, water in the lungs, and a large amount of alcohol in the stomach. The initial cause of death was that he slipped and drowned after drinking. The time of death was probably around the end of Xu last night."
Zhang Xiaoquan opened the mouth and nose of the deceased, checked it, poked various parts of his body with a needle, and then said to the people next to him.
The man wrote down the notes and then looked at me: "Are you Li Jianghu? Come and take a look."
"Yes." I put on the veil, checked it carefully, and asked them to help turn the body over, and the answer was the same.
"Is there any answer to the identity of the deceased?" Lieutenant Xiao walked to the door and asked.
"Um... After being soaked in the river water, my face is swollen, I'm afraid it's hard to recognize." Zhang Xiaoquan pulled off the veil and replied respectfully.
"Since he stumbled after drinking, maybe we can look for him from the place where he drank. Although his face is hard to identify, his clothes are intact," I added.
"Yes, that's right. Come on, please go to nearby restaurants immediately to look for clues." Magistrate Xu nodded, and a team of government officials immediately followed the order.
"Li Jianghu, it's none of your business. Go down to the forest owner and collect sixty cents, which is the reward for asking you twice. Don't be too little. Now in this city, the refugees who come every day need to be resettled.
We need to build bridges and roads, set up schools, and then renovate dilapidated buildings. Everything costs money. If anything happens in the future, I will still have to trouble you." Magistrate Xu patted me on the shoulder and his words were extremely cordial.
"Thank you Mingfu. If there is any use for Li in the future, Mingfu will give you orders."
After leaving the mortuary, I washed my hands and then took off the veil. I don't know what was packed in the mezzanine inside. It blocked the stench of the corpse very well and actually made me feel refreshed.
I followed the yamen servant to go to the forest owner Bo to collect money. Although it was only sixty cents, it was still a reward, and the ten years that Fatty Wang and I had spent together were not in vain.
However, two people died in two consecutive days. This man's life was really too fragile.
I walked around the street a few times and met them at a rice store unloading goods. I helped them and made thirty cash, and then I wandered around aimlessly.
"I found out that the person who died was a scoundrel from East Street who had caused trouble in our inn before. That person had been idle and stealing all day long. Last night he went to Wanhua Building to have some flower wine and left.
I somehow drowned when I got to the Qingchuan River, which is really retribution."
As soon as I stepped into the inn, I heard Shitou reporting to Mrs. Mu in a serious manner. Uncle Fu and Ah Wu were surrounding me, and some diners were also listening attentively.
"Oh, I got it, let's get going." Mrs. Mu waved her hand and smiled at me: "Li Jianghu, you came just in time. I have something to ask you."
I followed her to the backyard and looked at the newly piled firewood under the eaves. I thought it was the work of the father and son.
"You went to do the autopsy. Do you think the man accidentally fell into the water or was killed?" Madam Mu suddenly asked.
"Unexpected." I replied, feeling a little flustered as I didn't know what she meant.
Sure enough, she frowned and raised her lips slightly: "Accidents? Where do so many accidents come from every day? And they are all scum who come home drunk from Wanhua Tower." This chapter has been completed!
