The spring water flowing down from Zuiyuntang, after passing through the bamboo forest of Qingpingtang, turned into several tributaries, followed the channels deep into the Zen Jingyuan, and finally reached the backyard, slowly converging towards the South Lake. The lake water seemed calm, but
In fact, it was a hidden turmoil. There was a reckless person who took the plunge and never thought that he would never be found again. It took several months before the corpse was found in the slow stream between the two peaks of the summer resort.
Because the stream is located in the summer resort, no one in the academy dares to step on it, and since there are corpses, no one dares to approach it. It has become the most hidden place.
Under the bridge in the backyard, Yansheng pulled the bridge toward the river to explore things. Suddenly he touched a human hand covered with fish scales. He hurriedly searched for it, and finally fished out a pack of oilcloth, shook off the water stains, and stuffed it into his sleeve.
Before leaving, he seemed to remember something and kicked the fresh fish meat from the bridge into the river. The water suddenly splashed on the river, as if thousands of fish were competing for fish food. Yansheng looked at it with lingering fear for a while, and then did not dare to stay.
.
Zuo Qing burned the letter, blew away the remaining ashes, and said, "Su Yan asked Madam Xu to investigate the Liang Mansion. She has long suspected Liang Luan and has been standing still. She is waiting for the best opportunity."
The young man standing at the door turned around, his gentle and delicate face full of vigilance. He asked: "The academy is closed. How did you receive the letter?"
Zuo Qing smiled lightly, stood up, walked to him, and said to him: "The academy is isolated from the world. There is only one road leading to the outside world. Once it is closed, there will be no way in or out. But there is a naturally formed mountain gate at the foot of the mountain peak of the Summer Resort.
The waterfall and shrubs obscure it, so most people will not discover this place, let alone notice that there is a stream passing through the mountain gate. Yunlai Pavilion is built on the riverside. Xu Niang raised a slave who was born with fish scales and could swim in the water.
Come and go freely, he is the bridge between us."
"Stream? How could I not know?"
"Of course you don't know that even I noticed that place because I remembered the battle of Ruoshui more than sixty years ago."
"The Battle of Ruoshui?" Xilou seemed to smell a huge secret and hurriedly asked: "What do you know?"
"The reason why the late emperor was able to break Ruoshui back then was not at all a result of a forceful attack, nor was it a chance of good timing. It was Prince Zheng who discovered the mountain gate. He led a group of dead soldiers to attack the capital at night and opened the city gate!" Zuo Qing!
Pointing in the direction of the mountain gate, he said: "Back then, my father was traveling with Prince Zheng, and they discovered it together. However, the late emperor asked everyone to keep the secret. Now, there are probably only a few people in the world who know this secret."
"There is such a secret! Xilou recalled the stories he heard at the knees of Emperor Rong when he was young about the late emperor's attack on the capital of Chu. All the images depicted were of the late emperor being brave and good at fighting. In his imagination, the late emperor should be able to fight with the enemy.
A hero who fights head-on, not someone who needs to rely on the opportunism of his subordinates to defeat him as Zuo Qing said.
But, so what, the world will not know about the past. A hundred years from now, a thousand years from now, the world will only praise Emperor Rong.
"How much more are you hiding from me?"
"I'm really not hiding this from you. Madam Xu only took in that slave recently. This is the first time we have him deliver a message."
Xilou thought thoughtfully: "How could there be such a strange person in the world?"
"The world is so big and full of wonders, and there are still many things you don't know. Speaking of which, Madam Xu listened to Su Yan's words and went to investigate, and the results really came out." Zuo Qing opened another letter, which was a wordless one.
He skillfully placed it on the candlelight and moved it slowly. Writing appeared on the silk cloth, "There is evidence that Liang Luan did something scandalous to Liang Qiluo in the ancestral grave of the Liang Mansion."
The two of them looked up at each other, feeling something strange.
Dali Temple, the old place, Changsun Yue squatted in the corner and shivered, his uneasy eyes rolled in his eyes, but he didn't shed a single tear.
‘Da-da-’
Changsun Yue hugged his knees even tighter and stared at the cell door with wide eyes. A pair of official boots came into view. Liang Luan ordered someone to open the cell door, and the warder brought in a desk with papers, pens and papers neatly placed on it.
food.
Liang Luan sat at the corner of the desk and asked in a soft voice: "Are you hungry?"
No response.
Liang Luan was very patient. He picked up the full rice bowl and handed it over: "Eat."
Changsun stepped back further: "Students don't dare."
"It's just a bowl of rice. Why don't you dare? After eating it, you can sign a pledge here. The case will be over and you can go back."
The eldest son Yue did not dare to take the bowl, and was still cowering in the corner like a frightened bird. Liang Luan placed the bowl on the case and took out a piece of paper from the pile of papers: "The Linglong Tower case has desecrated the majesty of the Heavenly Family. Your Majesty ordered me to be thorough."
Investigate and solve the case within three days. Now the case is clear, but I can't bear to kill you."
"Although the student has never seen how prisoners are interrogated in Dali Temple, he knows a little bit about it. The testimony you have in your hand is for me to plead guilty. Once the student is put in custody, won't he become a scapegoat?"
"This is something to save you. It's not a testimony, but your complaint." Changsun Yue was stunned and couldn't believe it. Liang Luan approached her cautiously and showed her the complaint: "Look carefully, but
Want to harm you?"
Changsun Yue took the paper and read every word clearly. It was indeed a complaint, clearly stating the events of that day and requesting His Majesty to review it.
Liang Luan said kindly: "Son, your father and I are colleagues, how could he harm you? As long as you sign the bond, the complaint will take effect. I will immediately submit the case to Your Majesty and ask Your Majesty for a few more days of grace.
Exonerate you."
The eldest grandson burst out crying loudly, hugged Liang Luan's calf and started to cry, calling her uncle Shibo, complaining every word. Liang Luan patted her head lovingly, bent down and said to her: "Good child, don't worry.
, Shibo will definitely rescue you."
After leaving the cell in Dali Temple, Liang Luan gently tore the complaint into two parts. The thin paper shone in the sunlight, and the bright red handprint was crookedly printed on the testimony, like a drop of blood.
Mo Fei admired the two thin pieces of paper on the case. One was the complaint that Chang Sun Yue saw, and the other was the confession immediately below the complaint. One was to save people, and the other was to kill!
Mo Fei laughed: "Wonderful, wonderful! If you look at the entire Rong Kingdom, I'm afraid you won't be able to find a craftsman who can make paper so thin and light. It's really amazing!"
Liang Luan said proudly: "It's just a small skill, and I'm not going to praise it enough."
"Send this accusation to Changsun Wuzheng's house and let him see clearly whether there is any chance of improvement or there is no way out."
"Then...how should I leave a message?"
Mo Fei narrowed his fox-like eyes: "No need to say too many polite words, give him two ways, first: let him fend for himself; second: see the situation clearly and don't stay neutral anymore."
"What if he remains stubborn?"
"No, the eldest grandson is the only one he has with that woman. He is the future heir of the eldest grandson's family. Even if he is cruel for the sake of his superiority, the eldest grandson's family will not agree. Anyway, the eldest grandson's husband doesn't mind being with me again.
The Mo family joins forces!"
Liang Luan suddenly understood, leaned over and cupped his hands and said: "Your Excellency is wise."
"Why does my uncle insist on winning over Changsun Wuzheng? He is just a pedantic person who is used to being neutral. How could he be willing to take risks?" Ge Yiyan walked into the study and said dissatisfied, "It would be better to cultivate a few confidants, why bother sending money to others?"
Look to him."
Mo Fei leaned on the desk and brushed the dark green brocade robe on his knees with his rough hands. The light hit the brocade robe, and the dazzling light flickered, reflecting each other with the emerald lampshade on the short desk. He said: "Ministry of Rites, Officials
The Ministry, the Ministry of War, Dali Temple and you, demoted and exiled, if I continue to remain unmoved, I am afraid that these six departments will become the world of enemies." He hissed, "This person actually has such a plan, can he
They have defeated my people one after another, and all the new ministers have no flaws."
"Zuo Qing!" Ge Yiyan opened his eyes wide and said excitedly: "Who else could be there besides him? Since he came back from Zhao, in just a few months, three provinces, six ministries and four of Dali Temple have fallen in a row.
Even I...Also, the Duan Yunxuan incident caused your uncle to lose the academy. Although Zuo Qing took over naturally, he held a grand succession ceremony in the name of the elders. Wasn't he just taking the opportunity to tell those wavering officials that he should take over the academy?
They chose a good tree to live in, letting them know that you have fallen out of favor with His Majesty! There are also tournaments, and every incident has proven that he has had different intentions for a long time! Uncle, stop blindly trusting me."
Mo Fei was silent for a long time, then turned to look out the window at the scenery. He only saw a willow tree in the yard, which had become lush without knowing it. The willow branches were swaying slightly in the spring breeze, but there was no grass growing around it.
He found him from the city gate. At that time, he was still a child, but he was already able to compete with the conspirators without any panic. His thinking was clear and strange. Even though Murphy stood so far away, there was still a trace of emotion in his heart.
A touch of coolness.
At that time, he resolutely decided to adopt him and treat him as his own son.
Mo Fei looked away, but the willow tree could no longer disappear in his heart.
"Zuo Qing, he is the pearl I discovered. I tried my best to cultivate him and gave him honor and rights..." Mo Fei's eyes suddenly turned cold: "He shouldn't betray me."
Ge Yiyan found that Mo Fei finally believed his words, and finally breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Uncle, how should we proceed to the next step?"
"Stand still for now and deal with Changsun Wu Zheng first."
"Zuo Qing should get rid of it as soon as possible, and then everything will be solved! Why does uncle have to take a long way around? Don't you still believe me?!"
Mo Fei smiled disdainfully: "Whether it's true or not, I will investigate. If I don't move him now, it's not because I believe him. Before I have evidence, why should I go out and make trouble for myself? Yan'er, you have to be calm in everything.
, can’t be too hasty.”
"Yes, yes, what my uncle taught you is that... Changsun Wuzheng may not be able to submit to you."
"Changsun Wuzheng is arrogant and arrogant, and he disdains to associate with us, but this man is also a villain, how is he different from us? Now that he does not submit, it is not that he is upright, but there are different types of evil people, and I and him
, tsk tsk tsk, not the same kind of evil person.”
Ge Yiyan was puzzled: "Is this still classified?"
Mo Fei smiled and said: "People who think they are upright are not really upright. Maybe they have done a lot of things secretly that cannot be brought to light. Changsun Wuzheng? Ha! He is just a hypocrite!"
"Uncle is saying that he has been pretending?" Ge Yiyan said: "Since he is evil at heart, why bother to pretend? This is not the first time that uncle has shown kindness to him. He is not... a bitch setting up a memorial arch!"
Mo Fei breathed a sigh of relief: "This arch has been standing for long enough, it's time to tear it down."
Yunlai Pavilion, wing room.
Xu Niang opened the bag and revealed the white human bones, which were spread out on the table. Yansheng was so frightened that he jumped three feet high. Zuo Qing put the lid on the tea and said: "This is the important evidence dug out from the tomb of the ancestors of the Liang family.
Bones?"
Xu Niang dusted off the mud on her hands, her beautiful face covered with indifference: "I sent people to investigate and found some bad news, do you want to listen?"
"listen."
She raised her head slightly, looked at him, and said: "The people sent there found out that there was a strange thing about Liang Mansion. That is, Liang Luan never went to the ancestral graves to worship, and he did not allow anyone in the manor to mention it. He seemed to be very afraid of it.
.”
Zuo Qing's index and middle fingers gently scratched the porcelain cup, and his thin lips pursed slightly.
"After I heard the news, I asked that person to go to the Liang family's ancestral grave to have a look. It was raining heavily for days at that time. After the rain washed away, a layer of mud was washed away from the hillside, revealing this white skeleton in the southwest corner. It is still alive today.
, he should be the same age as Ayan." She was feeling sad when something suddenly occurred to her and she hurriedly added, "Oh, it's a girl."
His fingers suddenly stopped, his palms pressed against the porcelain cup, and he slowly picked it up.
The heat filled the air, both of them were silent, and the room suddenly became deathly silent. Until Yansheng said: "Sir, who do you think this white bone belongs to? What does it have to do with Master Liang?" Yansheng said.
The questions continued endlessly, "I found it in the ancestral grave of the Liang family. It must be a member of the Liang family, but why is it in the southwest corner? Isn't this a waste! Oh, by the way, when has the Liang family, except Liang Qiluo, ever had any
Is it possible that heir is not the Liang family?"
Xu Niang looked at the bones carefully, pondered for a moment, and said: "If it is said to be a servant's, it will not be buried in the Liang family's land... Hiss, could it be that Liang Luan killed someone and deliberately hid it in his own cemetery to hide it from the public?
"
The man sitting on the other side of her raised his lips: "You guessed it."
ah?
Xu Niang went to see the bones again, and now she felt more and more that the bones had too much past waiting for them to discover.
Zuo Qing pushed aside the soil covering the bones, picked out a rib, and rubbed it in the palm of his hand. The moment he closed his eyes, he seemed to see the scene before the little girl died: the dim sky, the silent hillside, and the burning candle.
ancestral grave... She was beaten by him almost like a demon. She screamed and begged for mercy, but the person in front of her became more excited and crazier... until he tortured her to death.
Zuo Qing opened his eyes and painfully looked at the horrifying wound on the other side of the rib. "This rib has traces of being scratched by a sharp instrument, from right to left, from deep to shallow. The sharp instrument should be a machete or something like that."
Zuo Qing began to study the bones, "Not only the ribs, but also other bones. The same weapon, the same wounds, but the technique was messy, and the wounds were crisscrossed."
When Xu Niang heard what she had discovered, she hurriedly looked over and sighed: "The poor little girl died in such a way. This abominable perpetrator should be cut into pieces by a thousand cuts!" She suddenly had a flash of inspiration,
"Good guy, it can't really be cut to pieces, can it?"
Zuo Qing put the bone back, then rubbed it back and forth on the corner of Yansheng's clothes, and said, "It should be, otherwise, the bone would not be injured like this."
"How many cuts will it take?" Yansheng asked, holding back his nausea.
Zuo Qing went to dig through the bones, and after a while, he replied: "I guess fifty or sixty cuts... If the murder weapon was a dagger, the wound shouldn't be so deep, but it is indeed a dagger. From this point of view, the murderer kills in two steps. First,
Remove the meat and scrape the bones...yes."
Yansheng felt nauseous after taking a beating. He couldn't bear it anymore and rushed out of the side room to vomit.
Xu Niang hurriedly wrapped the baggage again, but her face was calm. She just said distressedly: "Poor child, what kind of sin has he done to deserve to be punished! Do you think it is Liang Luan?"
"Who else can it be besides him?" He thought for a moment and then replied: "Help me check one more thing. If it is confirmed, then this matter should be over."