In Fan Jin's original thoughts, the murder of Zhou Shichen was destined to be a difficult and long-term job. The first step is to overturn the case file and point out the flaws and obvious doubts in the interrogation process, and it will take at least a few months to see the results of the search for the real culprit. In fact, even overturning the file requires someone from above to come forward.

In Zhou Shichen's case, the biggest problem in the interrogation was that the confession came from the prisoners. However, in the Ming judicial system, torture was a legal means of interrogation, and it was not possible to insist that these confessions were invalid just because they used torture instruments, which was inconsistent with the Ming Dynasty judicial system. The method that Fan Jin can use is to point out some obvious flaws in it, and then there is Zhang Juzheng's interference.

He believed that Zhang Juzheng would definitely see his letter to Zhang Shunqing and would definitely know his intentions. From his interests, Zhang Juzheng will definitely make a move, but this kind of action is at most limited to overturning the case and will not be extended to solving the case. After all, as far as Zhang Juzheng is concerned, the biggest interest is to stink the high arch, not to capture the culprit, who killed Zhou Shichen has nothing to do with Zhang Juzheng, does he care?

Among the people around him, the only one who really wants to catch the real culprit and can play a role is actually himself. Relying on the strength of a provincial jinshi to find a needle in a haystack is destined to be a time-consuming and laborious job, Fan Jin is ready to fight a protracted battle, but he doesn't want to make a breakthrough so quickly.

Just four days after she wrote a letter to Zhang Shunqing, when she came back, Qian Caiyin walked up with a smile on her face, like a virtuous wife, undressed Fan Jin, and waited for him to sit down and serve fragrant tea. Watching Fan Jin drink tea, she said on the side:

"Mother Shi sent a message that someone might find the whereabouts of the eldest sister of the Zheng family, and I am still wondering if I should notify the Zheng family and make them happy. But the old man didn't speak, and the concubine didn't dare to make her own decisions. ”

"Caiyin, you don't have to be polite, we are equal at home, and we can't talk about who is in charge. But it's right not to tell them, who knows if this person is ah, and if not, it will be empty of joy. Where are the people, let's go and find out first, are we meeting at Mother Shi's? ”

"I'm afraid it won't work out when I see it at Mother Shi's." Qian Caiyin shook her head and said: "Those who drive the house have splashes behind them, and many of the women there are actually involuntarily controlled by others, and if they want to take her away, they will either not be able to do it, or it will be more troublesome." The messenger meant that let people go to the other side of the house to have a look, recognize the person, and if it was really Sister Zheng, then find someone to talk to him, and find a way to bring people out. If you rashly go to bring someone but bring the wrong one, I am afraid that it will startle the snake, and it will be difficult to find the owner. ”

Fan Jin nodded and asked, "By the way, I heard you say yesterday that the person who helped us inquire about the news seems to be missing?" Who sent this message? Did the man pop up again? ”

"That's not it, the missing one is a woman named Liu Xiaojiao, who also drove the house, and her good friend Pan Saburo suddenly disappeared. But it's not surprising, people like them are often the ones who get into trouble with sky-high prices, they don't just gamble and borrow, they owe a lot of people money and can't pay it back, or they fight with someone and run back to the countryside for refuge. I don't know when I will disappear, and I don't know when I will appear again. A bunch of splashed dirt sticks, this is a very common thing, and it has nothing to do with us. The one who passed the news was a bald Wang San, who was also a splash on the street, and was more familiar with a nursing home in Shi's mother's courtyard, and he introduced the way. Shi's mother entrusted a lot of people this time, and it was good to have a reply to any of them. ”

Qian Caiyin has always looked down on Liu Xiaojiao, a kind of Tuchang, and there are a lot of people entrusted by Shi Po this time, more than a dozen big people go out to find people, and it is good for someone to inquire about the news, and other people's affairs will not be taken to heart. Wang San was in a hurry, saying that the splash behind Sister Zheng was a well-known cunning character on the street, and the time dragged on for a long time, so he was afraid that people would move the place, and he would take someone to meet him tonight. Qian Caiyin asked:

"Master, who do you think is better to recognize people in a while? Guan Qing, or Fan Zhigao? ”

"These two ...... It's not good. Fan Jin shook his head, "After meeting that person, I have to ask her some questions, and if it is confirmed that it is the Zheng family, I will take someone away at that time." They can't do this kind of thing, so I'd better go by myself. ”

"Huh? How does this work? Qian Caiyin was stunned for a moment, shook her head and said: "There are many fish and dragons over there, and it is not a place where scholars should go." What's more, the master is still a jinshi, and he can't go to such pickled places, which will humiliate your identity. ”

"It's nothing, it's just doing things, where is there so much attention. You can see what I wrote, and the private interview of the microservice is the basic technology of being the master of the blue sky. Do you want your man to be the master of the sky? ”

Qian Caiyin smiled and said: "The concubine only hopes that the master can prosper in the official fortune and have a lot of money, as for whether it is Qingtian or not, that is what ordinary people think, and the concubine body doesn't care." If you really want to go, bring someone as a bodyguard, and the house is open in that inferior place, and the people who come and go are very mixed, and if you are not careful, there may be conflicts, so bring yourself safer. ”

Fan Jin shook his head, "No, I'm just going to ask a question, meet someone, what danger can there be." Even if I want to tear up, I'm not afraid of them, it's just a group fight, and I've seen a lot. I didn't have any snacks, so after eating, I went to Shi Pozi and did this first. Guan Qing and they stayed to watch the house, the group of grandsons who fired the guns last time have not been caught yet, and the family can't be without men. ”

After a few mouthfuls of snacks, Fan Jin changed his clothes, hurriedly went out, and went straight to Fangsi Hutong. At this time, it was already evening, Qian Caiyin handed the lantern to Fan Jin and used it for lighting when he came back, Zheng Wan also came out to see him off, she was small, she simply squeezed between Fan Jin and Qian Caiyin, pulled Fan Jin's sleeve and said: "Big brother, you went out so late, did you go to the cultural meeting?" Are there any delicious snacks and good-looking sisters? ”

"Little ghost, it's good if you just ask if there is a good-looking sister, not to mention dim sew. My sister has it, but it's not as good-looking as you and your sister Qian. ”

Zheng Wan smiled proudly, "Of course, Sister Qian is so beautiful, how can any woman be better looking than her?" Since this is the case, Brother Fan is actually fine at home and doesn't have to go out. ”

"Adults don't understand, children don't understand, stay at home, big brother will bring you snacks back." Fan Jin patted Zheng Wan's head lightly as he spoke, waved his hand at Qian Caiyin, and walked down the steps with a lantern. The spring breeze blew over with a foul smell, Fan Jin frowned, even if he had been in the city for a long time, he still couldn't get used to the smell, and shook his head and said, "Who is littering around again, it really stinks." Then he came to the carriage, lifted the curtain and got into the carriage, and lowered the curtain at the shouting of the coachman.

The moment the curtain was lowered, Fan Jin suddenly felt a trace of vigilance in his heart. This feeling is completely unreasonable and has no reasonable explanation, it is completely an intuition cultivated on the front line when Luo Shan was running military affairs. At that time, although he did not need to be stubborn and stubborn, he occasionally had to go to the front line, and in that environment, the overall advantage, and the individual was still facing the test of life and death at all times. Someone aimed an arrow at me, or someone trying to plot against my latent consciousness, was honed in that environment. The seizures were not many, but each time they worked.

It is unlikely that someone in the capital will aim a bow at a jinshi, this is too mysterious. But Fan Jin still felt a trace of inexplicable malice at this time, like a sharp spear, stabbing towards his position. Let him put down the curtain for a moment, wanting to lift the curtain to check, the temporarily hired coachman was in a hurry, and he was already shaking the horsewhip to drive the cattle forward, Fan Jin could only shake his head, attributing all this to his own nervousness. It is said that it has been a long time since I was on the battlefield, and it is impossible to get battlefield syndrome, this situation ...... True Evil Gate.

About a few dozen steps away from the Zheng family's courtyard, under a willow tree, several men smoked cigarette pouches and chatted very casually, looking no different from ordinary homeless idlers in Beijing, and no one cared. But if there are people who are familiar with the street splashes of Jingshi closer, they will be surprised to find that these idlers are quite famous splashes in the capital, and a single person can make an ordinary person restless.

In the smoky stench, there were filthy and evil words.

"That girl is a little older, and she looks average, but how I look at her is hot, it's more energetic than looking at Liu Xiaojiao."

"Me too. I'll let her find me and call me daddy when I go in later! ”

"When will you do it?"

"It's not dark yet, and the eldest brother hasn't arrived yet, so I'll talk about it when it's darker again. Anyway, it's the meat in the bowl, and I can't run away from it. But this scholar is a trouble, and those two people don't know if they can be relied on or not. ”

"Two deserters against a literati, that's not a matter of being caught, worry about an egg! If you have to worry, you are also worried that the little girl is not in line with Feng Dashao's mind, if he doesn't protect us, this time a few heads will not be enough to cut off! ”

Mother Shi, Wang San has been waiting for a long time. This man was bare and without a single hair on his head, tall and strong, and his arms were tattooed with various patterns, which at first glance looked like a splash of skin on the street. This person's attitude is extremely respectful, and he can't help bowing to Fan Jin, and he is very cautious.

"I asked about it over there, and there was a little lady under him, who he said was also bought from human traffickers, and I don't know where she came from. Besides, when people get there, they don't like to talk about their past, in fact, even if they send them home, they may not be willing to go back. No one is clean, and no one wants to go home, so it is better to stay in the house where there is food and drink. ”

Mother Shi took a sip on the side, "You call it a bastard!" Who wants to stay in such a place, to say that my Fangsi Hutong is about the same. Wang San, whose territory do you say the house is turning? I'll inform their patrol in charge of the city first, lest Master Fan go there and they don't know, and if he offends the nobleman with his words, he will be killed. ”

"That's the land of Liu Wu, the rolling dragon, you know his person, it's best to have a face and it's not quite right with the government, if you find the Soldiers and Horses, he will definitely blame me for betraying him, and then you don't have to worry about being here, the villain will not have a good life." Besides, he also has eyes and ears in the government, and if he hides people or sells them to others, it will not be easy to find. ”

Fan Jin looked at Wang San and said, "Then if this woman is what I am looking for, how can I take someone away?" ”

"If this woman is really what Master Fan is looking for, the villain will go and talk to him and redeem the person. As long as you are willing to give money, there is a way, Liu Wu is not unreasonable, and it is easy to talk if you have money. But when the officials come forward, they only talk about the royal law and don't talk about friendship, so things will not be easy to handle. ”

Fan Jin nodded, "If you say that, then ask Wang Sanye to lead the way." Mother Shi, let's make up for it later. ”

As Wang San walked out of Fangsi Hutong, Wang San led the way and walked towards the side of the house. The places where the transfer houses are opened are all in the slums of the outer city, and the layout of the buildings is like a maze, and if you are not careful, you will lose your way. The livelihood of the people who live there is difficult, and the people become fierce, and most of the merchants who come there to have fun will bring a companion or a companion. According to Shi's mother's wishes, it is better to bring a nursing home, but Wang Sanyi should be under Fan Jin's safety, and he is a relatively famous splash on the street, so Shi's mother doesn't believe him.

Along the way, the vigilance in Fan Jin's heart has increased instead of decreasing, and the increasingly serious uneasiness has risen in his heart. As if in the shadows of darkness, countless enemies were aiming at him with bows and crossbows, ready to shoot him like a hedgehog. He couldn't figure it out, how could there be such a strange feeling in the Jingshi, the Wang San in front of him had malicious intentions towards him? Or is there really someone who is tailgating them and wants to do them badly?

Since this feeling could not be explained by science, it was impossible for him to declare it, and he only quietly made a guard, but he could not see it on the surface.

At this time, in a dilapidated grass house. On a short-legged table, there was a linoleum wrap, and on a spread out furoshiki beside it, there were a few pieces of loose silver taels, which shimmered in the light of the oil lamp. With a kind face, Zhu Guochen said to the two men with black and red skin and ordinary faces in front of him:

"Here are ten taels of silver, and if you have done it, you will have twenty taels to take. Kill a scholar, this amount of money is a lot. I have taken care of the city gate, I took the money and walked, and I opened the door and went out of the city tomorrow morning, and when I reported to the officials over there, it will be tomorrow after night, and you will leave early at that time. With this money, it is enough for you to go back to your hometown to build a house and marry a wife, and you don't have to worry about being caught by Qi Laohu and going back to eat military law. ”

The two men were loyal in appearance, with a little cowardice in their expressions, and they looked no different from those refugees who came to Beijing to find a livelihood. In each of them lay a rectangular wrap made of strips of rags, with only the handle exposed. One of the men grabbed a piece of broken silver, examined it carefully, nodded and said, "It's decided, we'll cut it when people come, and you're watching here?" ”

"No, there are some accounts elsewhere, I have to collect them, so I won't accompany the two of you. You also know Wang San, when a person comes in, he will chop it with a knife, pay attention, and ask for a head. Take the head to close the count, just like the rules on your side. ”

The two men nodded, stuffed the silver into their arms, hugged the package around them tightly, and said no more.

Zhu Guochen walked out of the room with a smile, came to the courtyard and looked up, a dark cloud was blown by the wind, blocking the moon and making it pitch black. Although I haven't read a book, I've heard people say that the moon is dark and the night kills people, and this kind of weather is just right!