Zhao secretly investigated the murderer, and he didn't figure out the clue for five or six days, and he was worried about himself, and he heard the report from the outside that the second room and a rough envoy asked to see him, and he hurriedly ordered him to come in.

The mother-in-law came in, lying on the ground and kowtowing to the master, Zhao saw that this mother-in-law was the old woman of the rough envoy of the West Side Courtyard, and went to the house on leave, and only came back yesterday, Zhao said with a pleasant face: "If you have something, get up and say." ”

The old woman confessed and got up, "There are some things in the old slave's family, and I asked my mother to leave home for a few days, and I don't want to come back to the house There is such a big thing, and the second master is gone, I heard that on the day of the accident, the old slave also saw the second master enter the house of the Ying girl, and the old slave also said that the second master came early in the morning, what can be a serious matter, if the master has nothing to do every day, how can he get up early, that is, most of the time he gets up early because he has business outside, and he went to the ...... immediately." ”

Zhao listened to her rambling, and hurriedly interrupted her: "Mom only said that after the second master entered the West Wing, did you see anyone entering?" ”

The old woman said: "But the old slave was about to say that it didn't take much time for the second master to go in, and the old slave saw a person enter the Ying girl's house." ”

Zhao hurriedly asked, "Who is it?" Do you see it clearly? Zhao was afraid that she would ramble again, so he hurriedly interjected and asked.

"The old slave was picking up flowers and plants, picking up the yellow leaves in winter, cleaning them up, and when he looked up suddenly, he saw a person entering the west wing, why was he fierce, dazzling, and he didn't see clearly." The old woman talked for a long time, but she didn't say a meridian.

Zhao was disappointed in his heart, and said in his heart, this old woman was confused, and she only said that she saw people entering, but she didn't see who it was, isn't this in vain?

The old woman said to herself: "Why does it look like a red girl, but it's not like it, the red girl just had a miscarriage and can't get out of the house, is it Yu'er?" No, the little girl didn't grow up, and she was short. ”

Zhao reminded, "Is it Miss Chunxiao?" ”

The old woman thought about it and shook her head, Miss Chunxiao came back from outside the courtyard after a long time, and the old slave saw it really this time.

"Is that the girl who went to the room or is it ......" Zhao led her to ask, she suspected that it was Shen Wanzhen's girl for no reason.

"A few girls in the upper room, the old slave has seen them, and they don't look like them, and their walking posture is not right." Zhao suddenly realized, "You mean that the back looks like a young woman?" ”

"Yes, young lady, that's what the old slave means, far away, I only see a back, and I can't see it clearly." The old woman wiped her eyes.

"Is it looking at the wicker waist, weak and can't help the wind?" Zhao thought to Shen Wanzhen, she and Zhan Erye husband and wife are not harmonious, I heard that she is clamoring to become a nun and want to reconcile, but the second master does not agree, can it be that she can't get along, and she is ruthless, Zhao and Shen Wanzhen have a very close personal relationship, but she doesn't dare to cover up the murder.

The woman shook her head and said with certainty: "The waist is not thick, but the hips are slightly wider." ”

Zhao excluded Shen Wanzhen in her heart, and Qiaohui didn't ask at all, because Qiaohui was pregnant, and she could see it at a glance.

"You're thinking about it, isn't it the Red Paper Girl?" Zhao secretly asked Aunt Xiao Chen, and confirmed that Peony and Mai Yu'er were indeed in the big room at that time, and if you say that the hips are wide, there are only red notes.

The mother-in-law said: "The old slave didn't dare to be accurate, remembered carefully, and looked like." ”

Seeing that he couldn't ask anything anymore, the Zhao family rewarded the old woman with a few wine money and let her go.

After thinking about it, I always felt that this person must be a red note, the red note was kicked off by the second master, and the fetus was kicked out by the second master, and the miscarriage was lying in the house, but it was either unable to move around, or it was weak, but it was still possible to take medicine.

So he called someone to call the red note.

Zhao asked people in the second room, Yu'er knew that she had painted her soul in her heart these days, and she was a little suspicious of the master, Yu'er came to the door of the big room with the red note, and saw the old woman in the second room and the courtyard slowly rising out of the big room, knowing that it was not good, and then the master was called in.

The girl only let the red note go in alone, she waited outside, there was always a bad premonition in her heart, the cause of death of the second master was related to the master, she didn't dare to think about it, but she couldn't think about it, on the day of the second master's accident, she came back from outside, and saw that the front tip of the master's embroidered shoes was wet, and it rained lightly the night before, and the stone and brick floor outside were not all dry, and there were traces of water, when she went out, the master lay on the kang, and when he came back, the master's embroidered shoes were wet, and the master's face was calm, nothing abnormal, she didn't suspect anything at the time, and later, the second master was poisoned, and the murderer was found. Yu'er thought of this and was flustered.

When Yu'er was anxious, a girl came out of it and said to Yu'er: "The young lady will pass you in."

Yu'er went inside with a complicated mood, Zhao sat on it, the red note knelt aside, Yu'er stepped forward and knelt down, kowtowed, "Slave maid to see the young lady." ”

"Looking for your master and servant to come over, you can roughly guess that everyone in the second room has evidence of an alibi on the day of the accident, and your master and servant said that they didn't go out of the house, but someone can prove it."

Yu'er lowered her head and said, "The slave and maid prove that the master is not out of the woods." ”

Zhao sneered and said in a long voice: "But someone saw your master go out of the house and go to Aunt Ying's house in the West Wing, what do you say?" ”

Yu'er didn't dare to raise her head, for fear that her panicked eyes would leak out, so she still bowed her head and said: "The slave and maid master has just had a miscarriage and can't get off the ground, the slave and maid have been waiting in front of her, and the slave and maid have proved that the master has not gone out." ”

Zhao snorted, "What a loyal slave, if you don't believe it, you won't speak, someone will come." ”

"Take the family method, pull the red paper down and hit it with a big board, until you open your mouth." Mrs. Zhan instructed that if the little hooves in the second room caught a little shadow, they would rather kill by mistake than let go, at this moment, seeing this master and servant, especially seeing that Yu'er was so nervous that he didn't dare to raise his head, Zhao became more and more convinced that the red note was undoubtedly the murderer.

After Zhao finished speaking, he stared at the red note, his eyes were contemptuous, the red note sold his body and signed a death deed, life and death all depend on the master, if he is punished but he is dead, just a random reason, just cover people's eyes and ears, the more Zhao looks at it, the more he feels that the red note is the most suspicious.

But the red note did not move, there was no fear on his face, and he did not open his mouth to beg for mercy.

Yu'er panicked suddenly, kowtowed upwards and said: "Ask the young lady for mercy, my master has just had a miscarriage, and he can't be beaten." ”

Seeing Yu'er interceding for her, she straightened up and said: "The young lady doesn't need to bother, it's the poison of the concubine, the concubine didn't want to poison the second master, because she had a grudge against Miss Ying, she wanted to poison her, but she didn't think that the second master drank poisonous tea." ”

The red note knew that it was useless to ask for it, the end would not be good, and Mrs. Zhan would not be able to relieve her hatred if she didn't tear her flesh.

Yu'er said suddenly; "Young lady, it wasn't the slave and maid master who did it, it was the slave and maid, it was the slave and the maid who saw the master suffering, and she was so angry that she impulsively took poison, wanting to kill the slut and vent her anger to the master."

Zhao smiled, "What a slave who values affection and righteousness, your master and servant are not stupid, since you have recruited it, you don't need me to bother, I will intercede for you in front of Madame, as for Madame whether you will let you go, it depends on your creation." ”

Hongjian didn't expect Yu'er to take the blame for her, so she said anxiously: "Young lady, this matter has nothing to do with Yu'er, it was done by the concubine, one person does things and one person waits, and I can't afford to burden my subordinates, so how can I bear it?" ”

"Young lady, it really wasn't my master who did it, it's the slave and maid, my master is lying on the kang with a miscarriage, and it's the slave and the maid who take advantage of no one to give the drug, and this matter is hidden from the master, and even my master doesn't know what to do."

Zhao smiled: "Good, good, what a pair of loyal servants and righteous masters." ”

Say it, beckon, "Take it down first, take care of it, and then make a decision when I return to my wife." ”

Zhao finally found out the murderer, and he was able to communicate with his mother-in-law and breathe a sigh of relief.

The Zhu family watched the red note and Yu'er being taken down by the daughter-in-law of the family, approached the master, and said, "The old slave speculates that Yu'er is not the murderer, the murderer must be the red girl." ”

Zhao looked through the accounts of the banquet prepared in the big kitchen in the past few days, and said: "I admire Yu'er, this girl, I admire her loyalty, I'm thinking about it, how to get back to my mother-in-law about this matter." ”

Zhao is a little sympathetic to the red note, the red note is miserable enough, Yu'er, this girl is loyal, thought for a while, and said, "Follow me to the room." ”

Mrs. Zhan was anxious that the murderer had no clues, so Zhao came to ask for peace, and Mrs. Zhan asked when she met: "The murderer has been found?" ”

Zhao said: "A rough mother-in-law in the west side courtyard said that after seeing the second master enter Aunt Ying's room, there was another person who entered, but it was far away, the mother-in-law's eyes were not good, and she didn't see clearly, the daughter-in-law asked the people in the second room these days, and the younger siblings and Qiaohui and Peony had a few witnesses, as for the red note girl said that the miscarriage was lying in the house, no one proved it, and Aunt Ying didn't seem to be very similar, only the red note master and servant were the most suspicious, but human life was at stake, and there was no evidence, and she was afraid of being beaten into a trick. ”

Zhao's words left room for him, and he didn't put the master and servant of the red note to death, and first said that he was afraid of being beaten into a trick, so he was exempted from the responsibility of covering up.

Mrs. Zhan's face was gloomy, and she gritted her teeth and said fiercely: "Regardless of whether she is a murderer or not, it is too cheap for her to die, I want to make her life worse than death, find a tooth woman to sell in the kiln, and let this prostitute ride thousands of people to relieve the hatred in my heart." ”

"There is also the little slut of Aunt Ying, after the funeral, she will also sell it to the kiln, these unconscious people in the second room, the person who poisoned the second master can't get out of these sluts."

Madame Zhan breathed a sigh of relief, and her chest calmed down.

When Zhao came back from the upper room, he asked someone to find Mother Wu, a woman who often came to the house, and as soon as she was instructed to go down, she sat down and took a breath, when a mother-in-law on the middle door outside walked back and forth and said: "Young lady, there is a man who says that he is the cousin of the red girl and wants to see his sister-in-law." ”

"Red Notes' cousin." Zhao repeated.

That woman said; "It's a young student, and he said that he came last time, and he said that he was sealing the family letter for the red girl's family."

The Zhao family suddenly moved with compassion, mainly because there are few loyal slaves and maids in this mansion, and a maid like Yu'er can die for her master, which is rare and admirable.

Zhao said to the mother-in-law: "Let's say that her sister-in-law has made a mistake and wants to sell it in the kiln, if he wants to see his sister-in-law, just wait at the gate, and the tooth woman will lead people out, and he will be able to see it." ”

Zhao's rare little kindness is the cousin who mentions some red notes, and after a while, Ya Po will lead people out, if he really wants to save his sister, he will have a chance.

It turned out that waiting on the middle gate was the cousin Wu Tanggui of the red note, last month, Wu Tanggui's business lost money, asked the red note for money, went home, and borrowed a sum of money, poured a batch of goods, sold to the capital, quickly got rid of it, made a small profit, and came to Bofu to find the red note to return her money, and the janitor, the mother-in-law was happy to help him pass it on.

Wu Tanggui looked into the inner house, leading to the inner house is a stone road, the big mansion of the Bofu Courtyard is deep, the trees are hanging down, and the trees are faintly in the courtyard.

The figure of the woman shook in the shadow of the tree, walked towards the middle gate, and saw Wu Tanggui looking in the distance, walked a few steps, and when he arrived, he pulled him to a stout old acacia tree, and learned what Zhao said in the original form, and instructed: "If you want to see your cousin, go to the gate and wait, I am afraid that it will be too late." "There are several convenient doors in the inner house, leading to the gate, and the mother-in-law is worried that people will go out of the other door.

When Wu Tanggui heard that his cousin was going to be sold in the kiln, he was startled and asked the reason, but the mother-in-law didn't know, so he hurried to the gate and didn't dare to go away.

After waiting for an hour, I saw an old woman with a greasy face swaying out, followed by Yu'er holding the red note, the red note walked unsteadily, the body swayed, the old woman went out of the gate of the Bofu, and said impatiently backwards: "I said can you hurry up, I thought I was everyone's aunt, slowly soaring, a while to the kiln, a little eye, if you offend the guest, you will suffer." ”

Hongjian's body was weak, and the spirit was tossed for a few days, and his body bones were even worse, and he gasped and begged: "Auntie is doing well, I really don't have the strength." ”

Yu'er also whispered and said carefully: "The eldest mother is kind-hearted, my master is sick, and I am pitiful." ”

The woman just wanted to have a seizure, Wu Tanggui came over with a smile and said to the mother-in-law: "This mother, can you take a step to speak, Xiaosheng has something to discuss." ”

The Ya Po saw that she was a young offspring, dignified, and not poor and sour, so she politely called the master and servant of the red note, went to a small alley next to the Bofu, turned her back, and asked, "Is there something wrong with this son?" ”

Seeing that her cousin suddenly came out, Hongjian was surprised and didn't make a sound, she just pretended not to know, Yu'er opened her mouth, and saw Hongjian's eyes at her, and she understood, so she pretended not to have seen it.

"Dare to ask Mom, how much money do these two girls sell?"

Ya Po looked at him and rolled her eyes, "What?" Uncle wants to buy it? The master ordered me to sell it in the kiln, and if I couldn't sell it, this lord would buy it elsewhere. ”

Wu Tanggui touched it in his arms, this is the silver taels that this batch of goods got out of his hands, and he hesitated for a moment, took out a silk bag in his arms, and opened it, "Mom, I want this number of things." ”

The Ya Po's eyes widened in an instant, two envelopes of silver, two hundred taels, so greedy that he wanted to reach out and take it, his hand stretched out, and stopped, slowly withback, his eyes were still staring at the two envelopes of silver, two hundred taels, more than enough to buy four such girls.

Wu Tanggui saw that she was tempted, and said: "I am selling goods from other places into Beijing, and I want to buy two girls at home, and I like these two girls, if my mother sells these two girls to me, I will take them back to my hometown. ”

The tooth woman didn't want to agree, but she was really reluctant to spend the money in vain.

The next ruthless, took it, took it carefully, put it in his arms, handed over the deed of sale of the two of them to Wu Tanggui, and instructed uneasily: "This master, you take these two girls to leave the capital, the sooner the better, if the people of the Bofu know the way, even the old body will be blamed and affected." ”

"Mom, don't worry, I'll take her and the two of you away immediately." Wu Tanggui made a look, Yu'er supported the red note and followed him to the south road, stopped a sedan chair for the two of them to go up, and took the two back to the inn.

Back at the inn, the cousins and sisters recounted what happened after parting, of course, Hongjian and Yu'er couldn't say anything about poisoning, only that they were framed, which was relatively embarrassing.

Wu Tanggui was affectionate, and he took the two out of the capital early on the morning of the second day and rushed to his hometown in Shaanxi.

The red note was called away by the Zhao family, Qiaohui was allowed by Mrs. Zhan not to have to keep the spirit, and there were only three left in the mourning hall, Shen Wanzhen, Peony, and Aunt Ying, Aunt Ying was piled up on the ground, listless, and she was crying a few days ago, but now she doesn't even have the strength to cry, like a puddle of mud.

Thanks to the cotton knee pads sewn by Mother Yan, Shen Wanzhen's knee pain was slightly reduced, and she got up to move her muscles and bones, and suddenly said, "Lord An has arrived." ”

Just this sound, the back hall was in chaos, Uncle Zhan and Zhan Sanye just sat down to rest, listening to this sound, when they stood up in a panic, they even overturned the chair in the panic, they were busy, and they hurriedly came out without filial piety, and ordered someone to return to Uncle Zhan while walking.

The two knelt on the left side in front of the spirit to greet the king of Anyang.

As soon as King Anyang entered the mourning hall, white curtains were covered everywhere, and the eyes were all white, and people couldn't help but look cold.

Zhao Shijiao's eyes quickly swept over every corner of the mourning hall, and found that Wanzhen was kneeling behind the coffin, not seen for more than ten days, the figure had lost a lot of weight, and his thin body was covered with a wide white burlap filial piety suit, weak and weak, looking pitiful, lying motionless on the ground, Zhao Shixin's head was pricked with a needle, and he frowned in pain.

Don't look away, you can't bear to look at it.

At this time, Uncle Zhan got a report from his subordinates, and hurried out and knelt down to salute.

King Anyang helped him up, "Old man mourns." ”。

The wine was sacrificed in front of the spirit, the filial piety was mourned, and Uncle Zhan cried twice, which was regarded as a gift.

Shen Wanzhu took a step behind and followed closely behind King Anyang, and after a few bows, Zhao Shijiao's eyes fell on the weak woman behind the coffin, and he turned his head slightly and whispered to Shen Wanzhu: "You are here to accompany your sister, and this king will go back first." ”

Shen Wanzhu was reluctant in her heart, and it was inconvenient to say it, so she agreed, and sent King Anyang to the king with everyone.

Uncle Zhan clenched his fists, "Mrs. Shen, go and see your sister, I won't accompany you." ”

Shen Wanzhu was blessed, "Uncle, please." ”

Shen Wanzhu walked around the coffin, walked to Shen Wanzhen, who was still kneeling, and called softly, "Third sister." ”

Shen Wanzhen raised her head just now, her legs were numb on her knees, and she stood up a few times, "My sister is here." ”

"My sister has been reduced." Shen Wanzhu has a lively mentality, and after a closer look at Shen Wanzhen's weight loss, she is dressed in plain clothes, which makes people fresh and dusty, and her big eyes are not ordinary and sad and dull for her husband, but more transparent and watery, and she is slightly disappointed.

At this time, it happened that Xiuju secretly came to see the master, and when she heard the sister's words, she continued: "I only eat one gruel all day, and the master is not cleared." ”

Shen Wanzhu said puzzledly: "Why is the spirit not allowed to eat?" ”

"Madame, not allowed to eat." Xiuju complained.

"Do you want to keep watch at night?" Shen Wanzhu looked at the surroundings and saw that there were no beds around, and asked curiously; "Where do you sleep at night?"

Xiuju pointed to the ground next to the coffin, "Here." ”

Shen Wanzhu opened her mouth wide in surprise and looked at Shen Wanzhen, Shen Wanzhen said flatly: "It's okay, I'm fine, the air here is dirty, my sister is delicate, let's go back." ”

At this time, the door of the hall was open, and a gust of wind blew in under the hall, and the white curtain fluttered, which added to the gloomy atmosphere, which was a little crazy, and Shen Wanzhu said a few perfunctory words and left.

Zhao Shijiao returned to the palace, sitting and sleeping, Shen Wanzhen was dressed in plain clothes, and her lonely figure was always shaking in front of her eyes, lingering.

Chen Fu rubbed the soles of his shoes on the ground, came in quietly, and said softly: "Lord Wang, Mrs. Shen has returned home." ”

"Came back so soon." When he left from Bofu, he wanted Shen Wanzhu to stay with her sister for a night, and relieved Shen Wanzhen, but he didn't expect him to come back with his front foot, and she also came back with her back foot, which shows that the sister's love is as thin as white water.

Shen Wanzhu went to the palace, and Zhao Shijiao asked, "Why didn't you accompany your sister?" ”

Shen Wanzhu saw that his eyebrows were cold, and raised her eyebrows and smiled: "My sister was placed in the mourning hall at night, and the concubine stayed behind to cause trouble for my sister." ”

Zhao Shijiao was surprised when he heard this, a weak woman was guarding the mourning hall for several days, he noticed that there was nothing in the mourning hall except the coffin, where did he stay at night? Do you rest on the cold stone brick floor?

He stood up quickly, it seems that the people in Bofu are not kind, no wonder Shen Wanzhen is losing weight, and he only said that it was caused by sadness.