The busiest time in Yunlai Pavilion had just passed. Men who had been drinking wine all night came out one after another. Madam Xu saw each other off at the door without showing any sign of tiredness. When she saw Su Yan, she exclaimed happily, "Rare guest, rare guest."
Yeah! It's so early in the morning..." When he discovered that there was a handsome Xu Ziya, he giggled excitedly, "Isn't this my first time to meet this guy?"
Xu Ziya was wearing a bamboo hat and a veil. He just nodded politely. Su Yan helped explain: "I am still a young man. It is my first time to come to a place like this. Don't be surprised, Madam."
Xu Niang glared at her and said: "Why don't you be offended? My Xu Niang only cares about money, as long as you have money!"
Su Yan was not in the mood to joke with him and went straight to the point: "Have any suspicious people been here recently?"
"Suspicious person? Which one are you referring to? Someone who comes to have fun behind his wife's back or someone who drinks wine without paying for it?"
"He just doesn't look like a serious person."
Xu Niang's face was almost squeezed into a ball, and she was very embarrassed: "There are many crooks, and your direction is too vague. Why don't you go and take a look yourself? I don't have the time to help you find anything crooked."
people."
"That's fine!"
"Hey!" She stretched out her arm to block the way and warned Su Yan, "Don't interrupt my way of making money, or I'll be in trouble with you!"
Su Yan smiled flatteringly, "Of course it is, of course it is."
After saying that, several people went in together. Xu Ziya passed by Xu Niang and couldn't help but look at him a few more times. Xu Niang felt uncomfortable, so she looked at him carefully, and a heavy look flashed across her eyebrows.
Yunlai Pavilion is similar to the brothels in Chu City. They both have a structure with a round sky and a square place. The pavilions are stacked one on top of the other, with a total of four floors. Each floor has six elegant rooms. A female sign with the girl's name is hung in front of the door.
Su Yan and Xu Ziya walked in slowly side by side, passed through the lobby, and stood on the second floor to look down. There were also a few male guests staying in the lobby to have morning tea and listen to music. I don't know what kind of music the geisha sang, but they said it was melodious silk and bamboo music, and the music was elegant.
, it is also a different kind in this gaudy place.
Xu Ziya finished counting the heads downstairs and then asked her: "Which one is the murderer?"
Su Yan said bitterly: "I haven't seen the murderer, how do I know? We should come back at night. If we are lucky, the murderer may be among them. If we test it again, maybe we can let him out.
"
"The trial will be held in a few days, we can't wait any longer." Xu Ziya looked at Su Yan curiously, "Mr. Su is good at helping others, but he jumped into this case without analyzing it in detail, like
Running around like a headless fly will only achieve twice the result with twice the result."
Su Yan said helplessly: "How could the Ministry of Punishment leak information about the case? What I know is mostly consistent with what is circulated in the public. It was only after I learned about Nangong Lin's character that I felt that he should not be able to kill people. I thought I would check it out.
Maybe we can find some clues?"
Xu Ziya's disgust was palpable, "I think sir is too slow. He only knows how to go to the murder scene to investigate, but he doesn't know that there are many other ways to investigate the case. It seems that I have overestimated sir!"
"I noticed that you usually don't like to talk, but once you start hurting someone, you'll talk a lot. If you have any trouble, hurry up!"
Xu Ziya smiled proudly and then said: "Although we don't have much information, there is a lot to investigate about the deceased Jia Wei."
"How do you check a dead person?"
"Dead people can still talk. Jia Chui is a young man from a wealthy family, and the people he usually associates with are the children of officials. Apart from their hobby of fighting crickets, these people also like to drink. So only Yunlai Pavilion is suitable for their status."
"Yes, we are in Yunlai Pavilion!" Su Yan looked at him in shock, thinking that he was crazy, and couldn't help but shake his head in frustration. If he had known better, he would not have brought him here, so he would have said useless words.
Xu Ziya saw that she was complaining, so he explained: "Since I came here to drink, it is impossible that there are no clues left behind about who I have contacted, what I have said, and what happened. Even a trace may be the key to overturning the case."
.”
"so?"
"So, in Yunlai Pavilion, who do you think is the person most likely to have the most contact with Jia Wei?"
Su Yan suddenly realized, "I'm really stupid. The person with the most complete information just talked to me, why should I bother to do this!" After that, he turned around and went to find Xu Niang.
Xu Ziya breathed a sigh of relief and finally connected the thread.
After listening to Su Yan's series of words, Mrs. Xu looked at her mouth that kept moving, which made her eyes hurt. She hurriedly stopped: "Wait a minute, let me drink a cup of tea to wake up."
"Don't waste time! This matter is related to the life of my student's family. I can't ignore it! You are the only one who can help at the moment. Jia Wei usually comes to your place to drink and have fun. Please note that he is...
Who are you drinking with?"
Xu Niang shook her head, a little embarrassed, "How do I remember? There are so many rich and noble people coming in and out of my place. If I remember them all, I will die from exhaustion!"
Su Yan sighed helplessly, "Yeah, the last clue is gone."
Xu Niang grabbed her handkerchief and suddenly remembered something about Jia Wei, and hurriedly told her, "I remember a few days ago, probably the night of Jia Wei's accident, when Mo Xuan went to Yin Mansion to play music, and it was me, Yun Lai Pavilion.
Li Hong was escorted there. The Shenxian Pavilion where Jia Wei and Nangong Lin quarreled happened to be the only way for them to pass. However, Mo Xuan was in a hurry to go to the Yin Mansion and did not stay. But when Nangong Lin was arrested, Li Hong
I actually quit and went home, and now that I think about it, I still find it strange."
After Su Yan listened blankly, suddenly an idea flashed and he took Xu Niang and went to find this Li Hong.
"Sir, what are we doing here?" Xu Ziya looked inside the sealed door and asked Su Yan curiously.
Su Yan stood at the fork outside the Immortal Pavilion, checked the two narrow alleys on the left and right, and asked Li Hong beside him: "You mean Nangong Lin was drunk?"
Li Hong replied diligently: "That's right. That night, after I escorted the girl to Yin Mansion, I drank in a tavern. After drinking, I met Mr. Nangong sleeping dead on the roadside. At that time, he had a wound on his head and smelled of alcohol all over his body.
, I was worried, so I guarded him for a long time, and when he woke up, I helped him go to the medicine shop in Yonghefang in the west of the city. It was the same way back, and we didn't separate until we reached the tavern."
"You still have to pick up Mo Xuan after drinking?"
"yes."
"Then how do you know when to pick him up?"
Li Hong was a little embarrassed: "I don't have much memory of time. I usually finish drinking and then go to the gambling house to play a few games. The time is just right. Every time I do this, it never goes out. I only remember that I guarded Mr. Nangong for about
Two or three quarters, by the way, you might as well ask the waiters in that tavern, maybe they can know the time when Mr. Nangong left."
Su Yan also thought of this and immediately set off to the tavern Li Hong mentioned, but...
The guy looked at Su Yan, then shifted his gaze to Li Hong. He suddenly frowned and became more vigilant: "The gentlemen from the Criminal Department have come to ask. If you want to know, go and ask yourself!"
Su Yan didn't expect a waiter to be so cautious, and wanted to get to the bottom of it, but Xu Ziya dragged him out: "The case is not over yet, so all the evidence must be kept secret. The tavern has naturally been warned, and they can't leak information to us, especially
Li Hong, who wraps himself up in such a ghostly manner, doesn't look like a good person. He might be regarded as our accomplice, so go and report the crime!"
Su Yan looked at Li Hong's ghostly appearance and couldn't help but sigh that this man really cherished his life!
Li Hongqian smiled and said: "You two, don't be surprised. There are old men above the villain, so you don't dare to act rashly."
Su Yan's head is getting bigger, and there are too few clues at present. He only knows that Jia Wei died at three o'clock in the hour. If he can't ask the time when Nangong Lin left the tavern, the case may not be investigated!
"That's not necessarily the case. Now that there is an extra Li Hong, everything will definitely turn around!" Xu Ziya rarely encouraged morale.
Su Yan said: "Now we can only treat the dead horse as a live doctor." She suddenly remembered that Xu Niang said that he ran away home as soon as the accident happened, and couldn't help but ask him: "Why don't you be a witness in Nangong Lin's case?
"
Li Hong replied awkwardly: "One more thing is worse than one less thing. Although I escorted him to the drug store that night, it was out of sympathy, but it is different now. If I testify for him, no matter whether I win or lose, I may cause trouble." !You also know that both the Jia family and the Nangong family are all officials. This..."
"So you just became a turtle?"
Li Hong was very angry when he heard Su Yan's accusation: "The Jia family has no heirs, and they are all counting on Jia Chui. Now that he dies suddenly, someone will naturally have to sacrifice his life. How can he let Nangong Lin go! If I step forward, I am seeking death!"
Xu Ziya interrupted their argument: "Let's not talk about this for now. Didn't Li Hong say that they also went to Chengxi Pharmacy? Let's go there quickly. What if we get something unexpected?"
The three of them stopped staying and went to Yonghefang Pharmacy according to the route given by Li Hong, and met the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper had a particularly deep memory of what happened that night: "That night, that night, there was only the young master and the little boy beside him in my shop.
My two guests, Mr. Nangong has a head injury, but it’s not serious. I gave him some medicine for the injury and went back after resting for a while.”
Su Yan hurriedly asked: "When did Nangong Lin come and how long did he stay?"
"Old man, I was busy making medicine, so I didn't have time to think about the time when they came. But they stayed for a while, about two seconds."
Xu Ziya leaned against the door, dubious about his words, "Two seconds, are you sure?"
"What you said, do you think I'm a liar, old man?" The shopkeeper was so angry that he blew his beard and threw the medicinal materials to go into the inner room. Su Yan hurriedly smoothed things over: "Don't be angry, old man. He is also worried about Mr. Nangong. The more accurate the evidence, the better."
good."
The shopkeeper reluctantly accepted this reason, but still had a bad face: "After I finished chatting with the young master, the medicine was ready. I strictly control the time of my medicine, otherwise the properties of the medicine will be lost! Unlike this young man, whose character is
It’s outrageously bad!”
Xu Ziya shrugged his shoulders and didn't take it seriously.
"What did he say?" Su Yan asked him.
"It's not just a quarrel between friends. I'm tired of hearing about it, old man."
"Jia Chui?"
The shopkeeper nodded, and suddenly thought of something, and added: "The Ministry of Punishment also came to ask before you, and asked the same question as you, and also asked the little brother who came with him at that time, but the little brother had a head on his head.
Wearing a gauze scarf, I can’t see anything clearly about the old man, let alone his name!”
Li Hong looked at Su Yan, who was staring at him, and explained awkwardly: "Ms. Xu is very strict. The villain was busy with work at the time. If he left for so long in private, he might be punished if he was discovered. Naturally, he couldn't
Let people remember. Fortunately, I was careful enough to disguise myself, otherwise I would have been involved in this murder case! But the villain is still afraid. If Mr. Nangong remembers my appearance, the Ministry of Punishment will search the portrait in Yunlai Pavilion.
, I was afraid it was not safe, so I went home to hide."
Su Yan knew these clues, and the Ministry of Justice also knew them, but they were not helpful to the current case. He still had to go to the tavern to find out when Nangong Lin left. Thinking of this, he was about to leave without saying a word, but he turned around and bumped into someone.
, Su Yan didn't stand firm and staggered back. The man had quick eyes and quick hands and hugged her quickly.
Su Yan's eyes lit up: "Why are you here?"
Xilou Chunfeng smiled proudly: "Seeing that you are working so hard in investigating the case, naturally I want to help you secretly." He helped her steady and said, "There is no need to go to the pub again. The guy has already told me the time when Nangong Lin left.
, it’s the fourth quarter of Zi Shi.”
"At four quarters after midnight..." Su Yan connected all the clues, "Nangong Lin left the tavern at four quarters after midnight. Li Hong stayed with him for two to three quarters to sober up, and then went to the medicine shop in Yonghefang in the west of the city to refill the medicine.
We stayed for another two moments before finally returning to Jiuxiang Street..."
"Back and forth, two drunkards, one of them is injured, I'm afraid it will take two or three minutes to travel, right?" Xu Ziya analyzed.
Su Yan nodded in agreement: "Indeed, it took some time for us to walk smoothly on that road just now, not to mention that it was dark and the road was difficult to walk... So, when Nangonglin returned to Jiuxiang Street, there was no time to commit the crime. Even so.
They walked faster, and the shopkeeper and Li Hong remembered that the time was wrong, so the difference was not too big, so the earliest time Nangong Lin could return was at two o'clock in the Chou hour."
"Then there is no time to commit the crime. How can we kill someone in just one moment, or in the back mountain?" Xu Ziya said.
"But even if the time to commit the crime is gone, what about the evidence? By the way, where did the tassel in the back mountain come from?" she asked Xu Ziya.
"I know that, although the Ministry of Punishment has kept the information under tight control, they have investigated the Jade Shop, and I think the evidence should have come from there. But don't bother, the Ministry of Punishment has already cross-examined it and identified it as Nangong Lin's."
Xilou said: "The boss just came back last night. They randomly asked a few of his subordinates, how can they count them?"
Su Yan cried out excitedly, "It's better now, there's a turning point!"
Li Hong interrupted: "Do you want me to testify?"
Su Yan spread his hands: "Otherwise I asked you to do it!"
Li Hong turned pale with fright and hurriedly begged for mercy: "The life of a small person is not important, but I have an old mother at home, so I really can't offend the powerful. You two adults, please let me go!"
Su Yan held his shoulders and said, "I know you are in trouble, but saving a life is better than building a seven-level pagoda."
Li Hong laughed: "For us poor people, living is the most important thing! Girl, I know you are brave and courageous, but I am just a handyman with only one life. I am not as lucky as you!" He looked at Su bitterly.
Yan, "I've told everything I know, and you just said it, I won't be of much use in overturning the case, so what's the point if I go or not? You can solve the case on your own with the clues I told you, why bother?"
innocent!"
"Innocent?" Xu Ziya found it funny, "How can you be innocent if you stay out of it!"
"You! Don't go too far! Whether I testify or not depends on my willingness. How can I force you?"
"Li Hong," Su Yan reassured: "If you have concerns, we will not force you to testify. Don't worry. We will investigate the rest ourselves."
Xilou asked her: "Just give up like that?"
Su Yan raised his head and stared at the sky and said, "Who said that? There is also the owner of the jade shop."
Jade Shop is the largest jade business in Ruoshui, covering the entire Central Plains continent. From the royal family to the families of officials, they all purchase jade from here. It was originally the annex of the former King of Chu, and Emperor Rong designated Ruoshui as the capital of the country.
, it was rewarded to the national master who was very popular at that time, and was sold to the current owner after several times. It is located in the south of the city, not far from Changsun's house.
The arrival of Xilou brought information about the murder case that had just been collected by the Criminal Department. It was similar to what she had guessed. Nangong Lin had indeed drank in Jiuxiang Street. The tavern owner's testimony was that he left at 4:00 a.m., and the medicine shop owner also escorted Li Hong.
Nangong Lin gave a detailed account of how he went to apply for the medicine, but so far no one has found out who it was. According to these testimonies, Nangong Lin did have enough time to kill Jia Wei.
Su Yan successfully met the owner of the shop with the academy's badge, but this... In the yard where fallen leaves were piled up, there was only an old man with gray hair cleaning the yard while the sky was gradually turning red.
Su Yan saluted respectfully and said: "Junior Su Yan, I have met the old gentleman." Seeing this, Xu Ziya also bowed his hand.
The owner of the shop didn't even raise his head and said in a deep voice: "I just returned to Beijing and heard that something happened to the Nangong family. Why are you here to join in the fun?"
Su Yan said: "You were not here when the Ministry of Punishment came to investigate. The shopkeeper here is no more experienced than you. I am worried that there are omissions in the testimony..."
The shop owner scolded: "Who do you think you are, someone who dares to question me?"
"The little girl is just a teacher in the academy, nothing..."
"Then you have no right to question me!" The shop owner was so angry that he didn't even listen to his explanation. He threw the broom and said, "You are not from the Ministry of Justice, so what right do you have to investigate the case? Get out of here!"
Su Yan was calm and composed, he cupped his hand again and said, "Old sir, I'm curious, do you recognize all the jades from the Jade Shop?"
The owner of the workshop was furious, "I am the owner of the Jade Workshop, of course I recognize it! Not to mention a small piece of jade, I will remember who he sold it to and when he came to match the tassel! Do you think I really
Have you lost your mind because of your old age? The old lady is old and has a good brain!"
Su Yan smiled happily and said: "Since the old gentleman said so, it is really difficult to convince the public if we don't prove it."
Xu Ziya on the side smiled secretly in his heart, but there was still a pool of stagnant water in front of him.
The shop owner calmed down and couldn't help but look at the little woman carefully: "You are young, but you are very thoughtful! You can investigate the case if you want, but you have to tell me, what is your relationship with the Nangong family?"
"Nangong's family?" Su Yan suddenly understood why the old gentleman was so excited at the beginning, and quickly explained, "This junior is just a teacher. There is a Miss Nangong under the sect, who is Nangong Lin's sister. Don't get me wrong, senior sir, this junior is not
The kind of person who doesn't distinguish between black and white for the sake of his friends just feels that this case is suspicious and it's really hard to ignore it."
"Doubtful? Are you saying that Nangong Lin is innocent?"
"Master Nangong has strict discipline. Although Mrs. Nangong loves her son, she does not dote on him. In such an environment, Nangong Lin's character is basically not bad. Moreover, I have a witness who can prove that Nangong Lin did not have time to commit the crime!"
The owner picked up the broom again and said, "Then you have a witness, so go to Dali Temple immediately. Why bother to come to me again?"
"To be honest, sir, this witness was worried that he would be killed and harm his family, so he didn't agree."
The shop owner looked at her, his eyes full of doubts, and asked her: "I've asked you everything the Criminal Department wants to ask, and I've told you everything I know. What else do you want to ask?"
"Ledger," Su Yan said excitedly: "You are not in Kyoto. Important items like the ledger are placed in the most hidden place. Even the Ministry of Punishment must not be able to see it. This is what I want to see!"
There was a hint of surprise in the owner's eyes, but he didn't say anything. He just waved his sleeves and motioned for them to follow him.
"Only when I came back did I learn that someone from the Ministry of Punishment had come. The jade pendant and the tassels were both from my jade shop. The jade pendants coming out of my place are similar, but the tassels are specially made. Every customer who buys a jade pendant will get one.
The unique tassel is different for everyone!"
"Don't you recognize me?"
"My servant naturally recognizes it, but the tassel that the Ministry of Punishment came to ask about is not complete. The part that can identify the owner of the tassel is missing. Although the remaining piece is made of unique material, not many pieces have been sold."
Su Yan recalled the information about the case and reasoned: "Most of the people who bought this jade pendant tassel at Yushifang are still in Ruoshui, and the rest have left Beijing long before the case. The Ministry of Punishment will keep these people still in Ruoshui.
Ruoshui's people have all checked it out, and among them only Nangong Lin's jade pendant has no tassel. But... what if someone frames it? Anyway, the tassel at the crime scene is missing the most critical part."
"Then this person must have been to the Immortal Pavilion, especially someone who has interacted with Jia Wei!" Xu Ziya added.
The owner of the shop stopped at the door of the accounting room, looked back at them, and asked a little strangely: "That witness is afraid of getting into trouble, but you are not afraid?"
Su Yan said lightly: "Of course I'm afraid, but what's the use of being afraid? What I care more about is the truth!"
The shop owner sincerely admired this brave, resourceful and upright woman. He finally showed his kind smile and led them into a two-story attic. The ground floor was empty, but the second floor was full of bookshelves. The shop owner called
The attendant came and found the account book recording Suizi's entry and exit, handed it to Yan, and said: "A total of thirty-one people were registered, including Nangong Lin."
After Su Yan looked through it, he found that the registered person 'Yin Yun' seemed to have been heard of somewhere. After thinking about it, he finally remembered that this person was one of the people in the news from the Ministry of Justice brought by Xilou.
A passing figure! The reason why Nangong Lin quarreled or even scuffled with Jia Chui was because Jia Chui and Yin Yun defrauded him of money. Su Yan closed the ledger and asked the owner: "Who is Yin Yun?"
"This man is the son of the Shaoqing of Dali Temple," Xu Ziya answered for him. "He also often goes to the Immortal Pavilion, and he and Jia Wei once played with crickets together."
Su Yan asked again: "Has Yin Yun been here to match Sui Zi recently?"
"There is no record, so naturally I have never been here."
Xu Ziya asked Su Yan doubtfully: "Do you think the murderer might have forged the evidence, but as far as I know, the items in Jade Stone Shop are rare in the world, and not everyone can forge them! I see, we were wrong from the beginning.
, Nangong Lin is a murderer! Maybe Li Hong remembered the wrong time, or maybe Nangong Lin paid for the murder. In any case, the Ministry of Punishment cannot make mistakes in judging the case. Why do you insist on overturning the case? Maybe Nangong Lin is a hypocrite, and you don’t
Get to know him!"
"I think you are very strange. You were the one who reminded me to go to Yunlai Pavilion in the first place. Why have you turned your back on me now?" Su Yan was furious, "I don't know Nangong Lin. My understanding of him is limited to Jin Jin."
Guan, but for the sake of Jin Guan, and for the modest and kind brother she said, I am willing to give it a try. But after checking, I feel more and more that Nangong Lin cannot be the murderer. If he really killed someone, he would definitely be scared.
He would have confessed under such torture! But he did not. Especially the appearance of Li Hong has overturned the possibility of the time of the crime. I must investigate further and help Jin Guan save her brother!"
The shop owner reminded them: "There is a dark market in the shop that specializes in shady business. Maybe there is what you want there."
When Su Yan heard this, he hurriedly said to the owner of the workshop: "The owner of the workshop has shown great kindness to the Nangong family. I would like to thank them first!"
"What's the rush!" The shop owner stopped them both, "It's not that easy to trap the white wolf with bare hands!"
"What the boss means is..."
"If the counterfeit tassels really come from the dark market, the murderer must have paid a lot of money to bribe the person who handled them. If you don't bring anything to deter him, how will you find him and how will you catch him?" The shop owner waved to them,
Then he staggered in the other direction and said, "I'm making something for you. Take it, it might come in handy."