The black-faced head catcher also smiled obscenely: "Don't say it again." Your girl is still in the forest." If she hadn't died, she would have been asked to sleep with Lao Tzu. Hey, hey, hey.

These words caused a burst of laughter from the ruffians. Foul language is incessant. The woman hurriedly put down her daughter's body and tried to pick her up, but she couldn't move.

At that moment just now, Du Wenhao also saw the girl's snow-white waist, but his eyes fell on a few fresh scars on his waist, which seemed to be scratches, and he couldn't form them from the position. couldn't help but sigh softly, and then take a closer look, there are also some traces of black purple on the girl's arm, this kind of resistance injury is very familiar to him who is studying forensic medicine, and he is busy whispering to Lin Qingdai: "This girl's death is very strange, go and help her!" Find a way to ask how the girl died".

"I'll go!" Ke Yao ran out first, crying and shouting, "Sister! Sister, what's wrong with you? He threw himself over and knelt beside the corpse, hugged the corpse and cried.

Ke Yao lowered his head. The woman could not see her face, and for a moment did not know who it was.

The black-faced catcher quickly glanced down, and heard that the voice was a woman. Seeing that she was dressed as a man, seeing that her face was all black and gray, she couldn't tell whether it was a man or a woman, but it was very common for poor women to wear men's clothes in ancient times, and she didn't care, and said sharply: "Damn, still howling a fart?" Don't hurry up and drag the body away".

The black-faced catcher raised his foot and was about to kick Ke Yao's head. Ke Yao saw his coming, and raised his hand to grab his foot. Prepare to drop him. Heel out of gas.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the black-faced head and feet were raised, before he could kick it, he screamed and sat on the ground, holding his knees and screaming.

The onlookers were in an uproar, and no one knew what had happened, except for Du Wenhao. He also only saw Lin Qingdai's wrist hanging by his side shake, and the black-faced man fell to the ground screaming.

I only know that she shot a hidden weapon, but I don't know what it is.

The long-faced catcher next to him quickly squatted down to take a look, and saw that the black-faced catcher's legs were full of blood, so he quickly helped the black-faced catcher pull up his trouser leg to take a look, only to see that the knee of the black-faced catcher was a copper coin, and most of it had not entered!

Seeing this scene, the catchers knew that a master was coming, and they were shocked and frightened, and pulled out their waist knives and bluffed and shouted: "Who? That, "That master, why did you plot against us to catch our heads?" Come out! ”

They knew that each other's skills were afraid that all of them would not be enough to see if they were stacked together, so although they bluffed, they did not dare to speak disrespectfully, for fear of annoying the secret master, and giving themselves a money dart.

The head catcher knows better, and now he can only knock out his teeth and swallow it in his stomach, but he has to find some face in this mouth, gritted his teeth to endure the pain, and shouted: "What are you calling nonsense?" It's okay, it's okay, I'm twisting myself, help me back! Come on! ”

A few catchers hurriedly came over to help pick up the catcher, and limped away. She didn't even dare to scold her a few more times, and the woman hurriedly carried the body away, thinking that she just wanted to leave early, and made up her mind that even if she left the body for a few days and nights, she would not care.

Ke Yao had already guessed that Lin Qingdai was secretly helping, and vigorously carried the girl's body onto the cart, rubbing her eyes with her hands, and crying to the woman: "Auntie, let's go." Pushing the cart out of the city.

The woman was saddened and her daughter died tragically, seeing that Ke Yao came to help, listening to the voice was a girl, although she couldn't recognize who it was for a while, thinking that she was always an acquaintance, she was grateful, and helped push the cart out of the city. The onlookers also dispersed.

Du Wenhao threw a small amount of broken silver, and asked the hotel shopkeeper to book the banquet, saying that he was in a bit of a hurry to deal with it, and he would come back later, but the shopkeeper had no chance to agree.

The three of them followed Ke Yao and the woman from a distance. Ke Yao cried and asked, "Auntie, how did my sister die?" ”

The woman wiped her tears and said: "This morning, I was working in the field, and Brother Wang next door ran to say, Cao'er" Cao'er fell from the upper floor of a tavern next door to the embroidery workshop, fell down, and was seriously injured, I hurried "Hurriedly threw down the work in the field, ran into the city, and saw that Cao'er was out of gas, so he borrowed a cart." Pulled the grass to see the injury, but I didn't expect "my poor grass to roar"

Ke Yao followed and cried, estimating that this girl was an embroidery girl in the embroidery workshop. Then he asked, "Then, doesn't the shopkeeper of the embroidery workshop care?" ”

The woman's expression was a little nervous, she looked left and right, and said: "Shopkeeper, I haven't seen them yet" Speaking of this, the woman suddenly thought that she hadn't asked who the person was, so she wiped her tears and said, "By the way, girl, are you ,,? ”

Ke Yao had already thought of the answer, and whimpered and said: "Sister Cao'er and I are good sisters, she often takes care of me, yesterday I "I went out of the city to have something, and when I came back, I heard that my sister died,,,"

The woman did not suspect him, but thought it was a sister whom her daughter had met in the embroidery workshop in the city. Holding Ke Yao's hand, he whimpered and cried, "Thank you, girl." ”

Ke Yao cried and said, "Auntie, how are you going to take care of my sister's funeral?" ”

The woman cried and said, "What else can I do, pull it back and bury it." "Thinking of the poor Vidin at home, it sounded. I didn't make it, I used to rely on my daughter to earn some money in the embroidery workshop to support my family, but now my daughter is dead, I really don't know how to live this day and think of the sad place, crying like a tearful person.

Ke Yao said: "Why didn't my aunt go to the shopkeeper of the embroidery workshop to ask for an explanation?" I haven't figured out how my sister died. It's also a good idea to ask them to burn the silver. People are dead in theirs! Let's go, I'll accompany you to find their shopkeeper with your aunt! ”

The woman shook her hands wildly: "No, no, girl, thank you" I won't go

"Why?"

"It was the grass herself who accidentally fell from the upper floor. It's her own life, "Forget it, thank you After speaking, this woman was afraid that Ke Yao would forcibly pull her away, so she pushed the cart in a panic and left.

Ke Yao ran a few steps forward: "Auntie, don't be too sad, where is my sister in the embroidery workshop?" I'll help you find their shopkeeper! ”

The woman was even more flustered, waved her hands in a hurry, did not speak, quickened her pace, and pushed the cart away.

Ke Yao looked back and saw Du Wenhao, looking at them in the distance. Only then did he hang his head and walk over: "The shopkeeper, I only know that this girl's name is Cao'er, she is an embroidery girl in the embroidery workshop, and she fell from a restaurant next door to the embroidery workshop in the morning and was seriously injured and died." But she refused to say which embroidery workshop it was, let alone go to the shopkeeper to discuss the explanation, as if she was very afraid. ”

Du Wenhao nodded: "Let's go back to eat first." ”

The four of them returned to the restaurant, and the shopkeeper was looking at the door, and when he saw them coming back, he hurriedly greeted them: "The masters are back, the wine and food are ready, please upstairs!" ”

When he went upstairs to the private room, the shopkeeper glanced at Ke Yao several times, and finally asked carefully: "How can the girl recognize the woman's daughter when she first arrives in our county seat?" ”

Ke Yao was stunned for a moment, and he didn't know how to answer for a while.

Du Wenhao smiled: "Just now, the sister saw that the woman was pitiful. So pretending to be their sisters, they stepped forward to help. ”

The shopkeeper suddenly said: "So that's the case, alas, it's pitiful enough." ”

Ke Yao asked, "Those few, why are the officials so fierce?" People's daughters fell and came to see a doctor, and they didn't get cured and died, everyone would cry a few times, how could they force people to death fiercely? ”

"I don't know about this "hey". The shopkeeper subconsciously looked left and right, lowered his voice and said: "I see that a few of them are warm-hearted and kind-hearted, wake up, in our Jingjiang Mansion, everything has more eyes, especially don't provoke the officials, and don't inquire at will." ”

"Thanks for the reminder!" Du Wenhao arched his hand and said, "I heard that there are a lot of embroidery workshops in your county, I should also let my sister go to the school, can the shopkeeper help introduce me?" ”

The shopkeeper smiled: "The guest officer is joking, who would be willing to let my sister suffer like that?" Most of the people who learn weaving and embroidery in Lugao County are children from poor families; In order to find a bowl of rice for himself, he had to go to the embroidery workshop to learn work. ”

"Is the embroidery workshop bitter?"

The shopkeeper said: "That's not it, but it's equivalent to selling yourself to the embroidery workshop, and after you finish your studies, you have to stay in the embroidery workshop for three years." It's not easy to work tirelessly for only a few dozen dollars a month! ”

Master Shen said: "We heard that your Jingjiang Mansion has suffered a natural disaster, and many fields have been barren. The fields are all cheap, so come and have a look. If it's true. I want to buy some real estate and live here. This beautiful mountain and water is very suitable for retirement. ”

The shopkeeper smiled: "You are right, our mountains and rivers are beautiful, the scenery is pleasant, and it is indeed very suitable for the elderly." It's no problem to buy a house, but if you want to buy a field, I'm afraid you can only go to the yamen. ”

Du Wenhao and Master Shen glanced at each other: "What do you mean?" ”

"The government has issued a notice a few years ago that private purchases of land are prohibited in this prefecture and county."

"What should I do if I want to sell my land?"

"It can only be issued to the yamen, half price, for a period of one year. Interest-bearing and four-cent interest, if it is not redeemed within the time limit, it will be regarded as a sale. Handled by the Yamen. ”

"How much does the yamen sell?"

"Market price."

Du Wenhao pretended to be surprised: "That", the person who made the ceremony is too much of a loss, right? Who wants to?! ”

The shopkeeper lowered his voice: "Cornered man." Is there still a choice? Then he realized that he had said too much, and waved his hand again and again: "Okay, don't say it, a few guest officers use it slowly." "Say it. Exit and close the door.

The shopkeeper's words confirmed the fact that Dr. Xie told Du Wenhao. Coupled with the previous incident, the four of them were not in the mood to eat for a while.

Ke Yao saw Du Wenhao's gloomy face and cautiously stepped forward, and asked softly, "Brother, do we have to take care of this girl's affairs?" ”

Du Wenhao looked at Ke Yao, a pair of clear eyes were staring at him, and said, "You say Mo"

Ke Yao: "I don't think this matter is so simple, as soon as the woman heard me ask about the embroidery workshop. If you want to go to the embroidery workshop to ask for an explanation, you can push the cart and leave, which seems to be unspeakable. ”

Du Wenhao nodded: "The injuries on the dead girl's body are resistance injuries, and they are obviously newly caused, there may be something strange in them, since we have encountered it, we should find out clearly." ”

Three people in one head.

After eating, Du Wenhao and the four of them asked where the embroidery workshop was, and went downstairs to the embroidery workshop.

This street is called Embroidery Street, and the whole street is almost full of embroidery workshops, and there are finished and semi-finished embroideries hanging everywhere in front of and behind the house, making people feel like they are in a small town in the south of the Yangtze River.

Ke Yao's eyes widened, and he said, "Oh my God, there are so many embroidery workshops, how can we find them?" ”

Lin Qingdai said: "Didn't the sister-in-law say that the embroidery workshop was next to a restaurant?" Check it out.

The four of them walked the whole street, and there are now three restaurants. But only one was next to the embroidery workshop, and the other two were not, so the three of them stood in front of the door of the embroidery workshop and saw three words written on the door

"Bergamot Spring"

There was a guy standing in the door, and when he saw them, he stepped forward enthusiastically and said, "How many people want to choose embroidery?" ”

Ke Yao stabbed and said, "Well, it depends on whether you have enough goods, we want more!" ”

"We" Bergamot Spring. It is the largest embroidery workshop in the whole prefecture and county. If our embroidery is not enough. Then there is nowhere to buy it. Hehe, how much do you want for a few guest officers? ”

Ke Yao's hands were "Heng", and he said: "No, we want to call four or three hundred of the top grade and two of the middle grade." Have it? ”

When the man heard this, these people no longer looked at their clothes but did not look very good, but many rich people hid and did not reveal themselves, which is called wealth not being exposed. Seeing that they didn't seem to be joking with themselves, this was a big deal, so he hurriedly said with a smile on his face: "The number of uncles is so large, then we have to slow down, we will work overtime to rush out, and the quality will definitely satisfy you!" A few of the guest officials invited the shopkeeper to come and discuss with you. ”

Du Wenhao and others took off their robes and greeted the courtyard. Follow the fellow to the hall of the courtyard and sit down.

Du Wenhao first asked the guy to take some embroidery over to look at it, looked at it for a while, and said to the man casually: "Is there an embroidery girl named Cao'er in your embroidery workshop?" ”

The man was stunned for a moment, and then said with a smile: "Uncle asked Cao'er what to do?."

"We just heard that this embroidery girl's embroidery is good in the embroidery workshop next door, so we want to ask if it is her embroidery, how much is it. Money is not an issue. Can you ask her to come out and meet her? ”

"I'm sorry, Cao'er" Cao'er is no longer dry in our embroidery workshop. ”

Ke Yao said: "Won't it? We heard that the grass embroidery in your embroidery workshop is a must, so we came to admire it, she "She is not going out of anything?" ”

The man's face suddenly looked bad. said lightly: "If the four guest officials are doing business, they are welcome, but if they want to inquire about something, please forgive me." ”

Ke Yao was about to do it, Du Wenhao stretched out his hand and patted the back of her hand. got up and said: "It's just curious to ask casually, of course it depends on the embroidery lady to pick embroidery." Since you won't be allowed to see it, forget it. Leave! ”

The man heard that Du Wenhao was reasonable, and hurriedly chased after Qilai and said with a smile: "A few masters, the embroidery girls in the fang are very good, you can go to the back room to see that the little one is not lying to you." ”

Ke Yao snorted: "We are in business, not angry, we can't get used to your virtue just now, this business is not done!" ”

"Isn't it okay to make amends for you at a small price? That grass girl didn't work in the embroidery workshop a few days ago, and you can't find her in any embroidery workshop. It's much better than her embroidery, and a few people will know if they go in and take a look. ”

Du Wenhao arched his hand and said, "That's it." Let's take a look at them one by one, shop around, and if it's still good for you, then we'll come back. ”

The man was not reluctant, and nodded again and again: "Okay, the entire embroidery street is the most expensive monster in our country, and a few people are welcome to come back after reading it." ”

After the four of them came out, they came to the restaurant next door along Xiufang Street, and saw the plaque with three big characters "Xiaoyao Building."

The bluestone slab floor in front of the door was wet. Apparently it had just been washed, and it seemed that this was the place where the girl's incense was burned, but there was no trace of blood left.

Ke Yao said: "Let's go in and ask." ”

Du Wenhao said: "Let's look like this, if we inquire about this, I'm afraid that they won't take care of us, and it will be even more troublesome if we don't report to the official." ”

"What then?" Ke Yao frowned. Suddenly, I saw a few little beggars in ragged clothes in the small alley diagonally opposite the hotel, and suddenly had an idea, and said to Du Wenhao and them: "You go up first." I'll come later! ”

Du Wenhao saw her looking at the beggars. Guessing her thoughts, he nodded, and took Lin Qingdai and Master Shen into Xiaoyao Tower.

Ke Yao walked to a stall selling steamed buns not far away, bought a paper bag of xiaolong soup dumplings, and came to the alley.

The beggars were reclining in the corner. smelled the fragrance of buns and stared intently at the buns in her hand.

Ke Yao squatted down and sniffed the buns in the paper bag deliberately exaggerated with his nose: "Ah, this xiaolong soup bun is so fragrant!" ”

Several beggars swallowed in unison, staring at the paper bag.

Ke Yao asked, "Do you want to eat?"

A few little beggars

"Okay, my sister asks you three questions, and if the answer satisfies my sister, the buns in this paper bag will be yours."

A few little beggars were all on the same foot.

"The first. Question, are you here in the early hours of this morning? ”

A couple of little beggars.

"Okay, two questions about the curtain, one on the street a few days ago. There are no beggars, why did they all come out today, where have you gone? ”

A little beggar who was a little older this year swallowed his saliva, stared at the paper bag and said, "The official of the Yamen said that he was not allowed to ask for food during this time. Drove us all to the barracks outside the city and didn't let us out. Every day, I was only given half a bowl of gruel, and I could see the figures, and many old people and seriously ill people starved to death. We were only released in the middle of the night last night. ”

Several beggars stared at the paper bag with green eyes, and they didn't know what was dripping from their saliva.

"These brutes!" Ke Yao muttered hatefully, "Well, my sister is more satisfied with the two questions you answered, and each of you will be rewarded with one first." Answer the third most crucial question, and the buns will be yours.

With that, take out the soup packets from the paper packets. One for each person.

A few little beggars stretched out their dirty little hands to take the bun, and almost without chewing, they swallowed the soup bun whole in two bites, and stared at the paper bag with their mouths half open. The older little beggar sucked his fingers: "Sister, you go ahead and ask the third question." ”

"Okay, listen, in the early hours of this morning, a girl fell to death in the Xiaoyao Building opposite, you should have seen it, tell my sister, how did she fall to her death?"