Back in the cabin, the servant said with some indignation: "Master, the prefect of Yangzhou did not pick up your name, but directly shook his hand and left. ”

The old man was still reading the book, and after listening to it, he stood up and walked to the window, pushed open the window and looked at the scenery on the bank of the canal, took a breath of fresh air, and said calmly: "Oh, I haven't seen you for a few years, this Liu Mingcheng is getting more and more upright." It's really impressive for the old man! ”

"Master, what should I do next? You said before that you need to rush to the capital as soon as possible because of important matters, but now it will be troublesome because the case is delayed. The servant said impatiently.

"Don't worry, just wait slowly, someone is more anxious than us." The old man waved his hand to let the servant retreat, and looked at Jiang Jing for a moment. Fifty years ago, I was still a scholar in green shirts, and I took a boat to Beijing to take the exam with a bookcase on my back. At that time, I was heroic, and my mind was full of ambition to contribute to the society, and I was full of energy. But now? The canal is still a canal, the weeping willow is still the weeping willow, the person is no longer the scholar in the green shirt, it is really a thing and a person! After more than 40 years of ups and downs in the court, he went home for a few years, and now he has to return to the court with a full head of white to fight with wolves and tigers. "Alas, it is the king's affairs in the world, and he has won the name before and after his death, and it is pitiful to happen."

Just as the old man was immersed in some sad thoughts, there was a sudden disturbance outside the door. "Get out of the way! If you hinder Lao Tzu's case again, I will take you all down and put you in prison for dinner. "Poor master, please wait a minute, my master is resting, can you come back to search later?" It's a little bit of a thing...... You guys get out of the way, don't get in the way. "Get out of the way! This is a case personally confessed by the prefect, if you delay the master's case, can you afford to be guilty? Lock them all up for me, you guys! "Ouch! If you dare to fight back, you are really going to rebel. Brothers, copy the guy for me. ”

The servant pushed the door and came in to report: "Master, the messenger of the Yangzhou Mansion has to come in to search, and the villain is afraid that he will not be able to stop it." You see......"

The old man could already see through the crack in the door that the two groups had pushed together, scuffled into a ball, waved his hand and said, "Take care of the things, let them come in and search." ”

Then the bear catcher entered the room with a few servants snorting, and commanded as if no one was around: "Keep my eyes wide open, and don't let go of anything suspicious." It's really a thief who dares to hinder my grandfather from handling the case. As he spoke, he shouted at the old man standing by the window, "Old thing, come over to me!" Don't stand there like you're nobody. ”

The old man waved his hand to stop and was about to pounce on the healthy servant who was about to teach the first person a lesson, and said with a smile: "Are you talking to the old man?" ”

Xiong Zhutou rolled his eyes and said angrily: "Do you think the master is talking to the ghost?" Let's just tell you directly, a few of your subordinates at the door have done it today, if you don't want to eat in prison, you will pay a few thousand taels of soup and medicine, and grandpa can not worry about you. Otherwise, hum hum...... From today onwards, I don't think you can even eat enough moldy rice mixed with sand! After saying that, he laughed to himself, and he was very rampant.

After hearing this, the old man's expression remained unchanged, and he said directly: "Then let's go, the old man didn't bring so much silver when he went out, and there is really no way to compensate you for the cost of thousands of taels of soup and medicine." ”

Xiong Zhutou was stunned for a moment, almost biting his tongue, he didn't expect the old man to refuse so simply. Ordinary people are most afraid of servants, and they can squeeze out oil and water in a few words, how can this happen. Of course, he is not a coward, and he said a little angrily: "Okay, good, I really haven't seen you so hard-mouthed, I hope you can continue to do this in prison." Someone came, and the head of the arrest suspected that he had something to do with last night's murder, so he took him down to me and took him to the government jail later. ”

The old man stood next to him as if watching the monkey show, and said a little jokingly, "Do you want to lock it up?" ”

Xiong Zhutou said angrily: "No, Ben Zhutou will personally escort you later, and I am not afraid that you will play tricks." ”

In the afternoon, Xiong Zhutou returned to the government office to report the case to the prefect Liu, after all, nearly ten people were put in prison, and there was no way to hide it. In fact, he never does anything that he is not sure of, and the murderer of this murder case has a clean and neat method and few clues. If the murderer can't be caught, the old man and his party will become murderers. When he came to the second hall of the mansion and saw that the prefect was handling official business, Xiong Zhutou hurriedly stepped forward to report: "Lord prefect, the villain searched the passenger ship and found a group of people who were very suspicious, and they have been taken into prison and are ready to be interrogated overnight. ”

"Oh, there's a clue so soon? It seems that Xiong Zhutou is very attentive this time! ”

When Xiong Zhutou heard the compliment, he immediately raised his eyebrows, knelt on the ground, and the corners of his mouth were about to grin on his cheeks. "Thank you for the compliment, it's the villain's business."

Prefect Liu Mingcheng first nodded approvingly, then frowned slightly, and then said, "Hmm." But there is no need to rush, this case can be investigated slowly. After all, it is a homicide case, and you must be patient and meticulous. This official will give you another half a month, don't let go of any valuable doubts and clues. ”

Xiong Zhutou was very puzzled when he heard this, this was completely different from the attitude in the morning, but he still agreed. "Don't worry, sir! The villain will definitely handle this case well. ”

Liu Mingcheng took a sip of the tea cup and took a sip of it, and then said, "Not bad!" Let's talk about it, what are the suspicious points of the group of people you arrested today? ”

Xiong Zhutou immediately came to his senses when he heard this, and hurriedly said: "Back to the prefect, when the villain was searching the passenger ship, he was surrounded by a group of people. The gang was very robust, and they looked like the Lianjia, and they prevented the villain from searching a room. Where is the villain willing to do it, he rushed into the room with the servant and found that there was only one old man inside. The old man was very arrogant, and he didn't take the villain seriously at all. The villain felt that this group of people was not simple, so he arrested them all and put them in prison. He omitted the details of the conflict, then embellished it and said it, looking a little proud.

The more the prefect Liu Mingcheng listened, the more wrong he became, he put down the teacup with a bang, and asked urgently: "Is there any person from the old man's family you arrested who came to the official with a famous assassin this morning?" ”

The bear catcher was taken aback, and said with some cringe: "Yes! That kid is quite horizontal, and he wants to rush up and hit the villain. ”

Liu Mingcheng shouted angrily: "Confused! You're in a big disaster, and your official will be killed by you. He lifted his official uniform and hurried outside, followed by a burst of chickens and dogs.

When Xiong Zhutou heard the prefect say this, he collapsed on the ground, and after reacting, he got up and staggered in the direction of the prefect.

Liu Mingcheng urged the sedan chair man all the way, and he really couldn't wait to fly over. Two quarters of an hour later, he arrived at the prison gate, sweating profusely. He took a deep breath and went into the prison, and under the guidance of the jailer, he went to the cell where the old man was, and first called softly, "Teacher, is it you?" Then he bowed deeply and said with self-reproach: "The student is stupid, and the teacher suffers, what a great sin!" ”