Liulichang is located in the west of the outer city of Yanjing between the Xuanwu Gate and the front door, the Yuan and Ming dynasties are not particularly lively, after the Manchu robbers occupied the capital, the original owner of all ethnic groups and the people all drove out of the inner city, most of the non-flag officials lived in this area, plus the local pavilion is also set up nearby, the demand for pen, ink and paper inkstone is huge, the four treasures of the Liuli factory naturally developed, and then formed a unique cultural atmosphere, becoming the largest cultural antique street in Yanjing City - so to speak, When a scholar comes to the capital and does not visit the glaze factory, he has no face to call himself a scholar.

Of course, when a scholar goes to Yan Kyoto, he wants to visit the glaze factory, but the guests who visit the glaze factory may not be people who like to dance and write ink, at least our Lu Fat Lu Daxian Ling is one. Walking on Liulichang Street, which is full of bookstalls, antique shops and calligraphy and painting shops, Lin Tianqing, who is quite famous for calligraphy, is like a fish in water, and the new master Zhu Fangdan, who is barely a scholar, is also full of interest and dizzy, but Lu Fatzi is yawning and dozing off all day, if it weren't for Lin Tianqing often pulling Lu Fatzi to talk, Lu Fatman has slept by the stove of the almost antique shop several times.

"Lord Lu, Doctor Zhu, how about you look at the old man's choice of this pair of Mi Fu Mi's calligraphy?" Walking into an antique shop, Lin Tianqing finally picked out a calligraphy post for himself, and showed off to Lu Fatzi and Zhu Fangdan with great interest: "Tiaoxi Poems, the masterpiece of our early years!" Mi Yuanzhang first learned Ou (Yang Xun) Liu (Gongquan), the strokes are tall and strong, after middle age, he learned to copy the Wei and Jin dynasties, and turned the pen into a thick and refreshing force, the old man has long heard that the palace has collected the "Elegy to the Queen Mother", "Shu Su Ti" and "Cursive Nine Posts" and other masterpieces in the later years of the Mi family, but the lack of Mi everyone's early years of vigorous work, this pair of "Tiaoxi Poems" sent up, I think the emperor will be satisfied. ”

"Yes, it's really tall and strong." Zhu Fangdan nodded and agreed: "A rare masterpiece, Lord Lin has good eyesight." ”

"Senior Lin, how much silver?" Fat Lu's question was more realistic, and he yawned again after asking.

"It's not expensive, five hundred taels." Lin Tianqing replied with a smile.

"Five hundred taels is not expensive? It is equivalent to a year's income of more than 800 acres of fertile land, and how much blood and sweat of the Han people have to be taken away by Xiao Mazi once a year? Fat Lu snorted coldly in his heart, but he shouted from the dog leg outside the door: "Erlang, take out the money and settle the account for Senior Lin." ”

"Holo." Xiao Erlang agreed, and hurriedly came in to settle the bill for Lin Tianqing. Lin Tianqing hurriedly excused himself, "Lord Lu, how can this work?" This is something that the old man bought himself, how can he make you pay for the silver? ”

"Seniors don't have to be polite, juniors usually want to honor you and don't have this opportunity, but if you meet it today, you have to let the juniors show their hearts, right?" Fat Lu continued to yawn politely.

"This ......, then the old man is embarrassed." Lin Tianqing wanted to excuse himself, but when he saw that Xiao Erlang had already stuffed the silver ticket into the shopkeeper's hand with his hands and feet, he had no choice but to thank him. At the end, Lin Tianqing took the initiative to say to Lu Fatzi: "Lord Lu, the old man will pick a pair of Dong Qichang's words for you, I heard that the emperor has recently copied Dong Xuanzai's words, send his character sticker, and the emperor will definitely like it." ”

"That's ......." Fat Lu, who didn't know anything about calligraphy and painting, wanted to agree casually, but when he thought of using the hard-earned money he earned by tying his head to the waistband of his trousers, Fat Lu felt very painful. After rolling his eyes, Fat Lu said again: "Forget it, thank you for the kindness of Senior Lin, I thought about it just now, and I think it is better to give the emperor other gifts, so I don't need to trouble Senior Lin." ”

"Lord Lu, this is no joke." Lin Tianqing was really good to Fat Lu, and hurriedly reminded him kindly: "You are now a celebrity in front of the emperor, and Huang Tangguan has arranged a good position for you that the emperor and the empress dowager will definitely be able to see you, and if the emperor asks about your gift and it is not appropriate, it is not a joke." ”

"Senior Lin, please rest assured, the lowly position will not joke with his head." Fat Lu yawned again, and was about to explain to Lin Tianqing. There was another person outside the store, wearing a thin cotton jacket with patches, his whole body was covered with snowflakes, his face was blue and white from the cold, and he rubbed his hands and shouted: "Shopkeeper, do you have Ye Xuanqing or Luo Xiaohua's ink here?" ”

"Wang Zongxian!" Lu Fatzi and Lin Tianqing exclaimed at the same time, it turned out that the person who entered the store was none other than Wang Xu, the current Imperial History of the Left Capital of the Metropolitan Procuratorate.

"Lord Lin, Lord Lu." Wang Xu also recognized Lu Fatzi and Lin Tianqing who were present, and barely squeezed out some smiles on his dark and dry thin face, and arched his hand and said, "What a coincidence, you also came to visit the glass factory, did you get any treasures?" ”

"Lin seniors found a pair of Mi Fu's booklets, and the lower officials have not picked the one they like." Fat Lu saluted and asked curiously, "Lord Wang, has there been any progress in Father Nan's case?" ”

"It's a little bit of progress." Wang Xu nodded and said casually: "The guard in the Aozhongtang Mansion found it the day before yesterday, he was torned off his neck and hid in a remote dead end near Xizhimen, and covered it with snow, it has been snowing for the past few days, and the snow buried the body tightly, so it was not found until the day before yesterday." When the body was found, the waist card and dagger on his body were also taken away, and it is certain that the waist card and dagger found on Father Minami's body belonged to him. ”

"So did you find out the time of death?" Lu Fatzi kindly suggested: "If you can estimate the approximate time of death, you can determine whether he was killed and took the dagger from his waist, or whether he was ...... again after Father Nan was killed." Speaking of this, Fat Lu made a murderous gesture.

"After being frozen in the snow for a few days, how can you find out the specific time of death?" Wang Xu frowned and replied, then waved his hand and said, "Master Lu, I know that you are very close to Priest Nan, and you want to help us find out the murderer, but after all, you are not an official of the Criminal Department, the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the Shuntian Mansion, so you should not ask and don't inquire, don't make trouble for yourself." ”

"Humble and presumptuous." Fat Lu retreated. At this time, the shopkeeper over there had already taken out two pieces of ink and said, "Lord Wang, you have all the ink you want, but the price is not cheap, Ye Xuanqing is like a Taoist who has to ask for ten taels of silver, and Luo Hanzhang's ink is even more expensive, fifteen taels." ”

"So expensive?" Wang Xu gasped, subconsciously reached into his arms, and touched his empty purse.

"Lord Wang, the little one knows that you are a Qing official, and he didn't dare to ask you for a high price." The shopkeeper said respectfully: "Don't tell you the truth, I will give you whatever price you buy at whatever price you buy, and I didn't earn you a penny." ”

"But I ......." Wang Xu pinched his purse again, and his expression became more and more embarrassed.

"Erlang, take out the silver." Fat Lu saw that Wang Xu's bag was shy, and hurriedly shouted: "I want two pieces of ink, the shopkeeper, you wrap it for Lord Wang, and I will give it to Lord Wang." ”

"That's not going to work." Wang Xu flatly refused, "Lord Lu, you and I have never known each other, how can I ask for your things?" After that, Wang Xu turned to the shopkeeper again and pleaded, "Shopkeeper, do you have any other cheaper good ink here?" Even if it's used, I just want to paint a landscape painting, and wait for the first day of the New Year to be presented in the palace to the emperor for the New Year, and it doesn't take much ink. ”

"Lord Wang, I know that you are a clean official." Lu Fatzi stopped the shopkeeper and said quite sincerely: "The humble post gave you these two pieces of ink, just to talk about your intentions, not to ask you to do anything for the humble position, what to say, and please Lord Wang, you must not refuse." ”

"Yes, Lord Wang, this is Lord Lu's heart." Lin Tianqing also echoed with a red face: "Lord Lu doesn't mean anything else, just to express my respect to you, so don't shirk." Besides, you used ink to paint the emperor for New Year's greetings, it also seems a little insincere, isn't it? ”

"It's ......." Wang Xu was a little hesitant, he wanted to accept Lu Fatzi's gift, and it was in serious conflict with his own life standards, don't accept it, even if the family doesn't eat or drink the gold trouser belt in his pocket, he can't buy half a piece of good ink, do you really want to use the leftover ink used by others to paint, and then use such a painting to give it to the emperor he is loyal to?

"Lord Wang, if you still feel reluctant, then do you think this will work?" Lu Fatzi also had a rare conscience, and said: "You suffer a big loss, and the lowly position takes a big advantage, and the lowly job gives you these two pieces of ink as a moisturizing pen, and asks you for a pair of words, this is okay, right?" ”

"Wonderful!" Lin Tianqing applauded, twisted his beard and said with a smile: "Wang Zongxian's words are hard to find, Lord Lu, you exchanged two pieces of good ink for Wang Zongxian's words, and you really took a big advantage." ”

"Then ......, then Wang is disrespectful." Wang Xu gritted his teeth and made up his mind: "Wang used a clumsy character to exchange for two pieces of good ink for Lord Lu, which can be regarded as a gift." ”

"Thank you, Mr. Wang." Fat Lu laughed and hurriedly said: "Shopkeeper, quickly bring the best paper, the best pen, the best ink and the best inkstone in your store, and ask Wang Zongxian to wave it." ”

"Wait." Wang Xu stopped and said sincerely to Lu Fatzi: "Lord Lu, the way of calligraphy lies in calming down and calming down, Wang is generously courteous to you, if you splash ink in this noisy shop where people come and go, it is too disrespectful, and the street calligraphers and painters are no different, there is a perfunctory suspicion of prevarication." Wang took the liberty and asked Lord Lu to sit at Wang's house, and after Wang cleaned his hands and changed his clothes, how about writing an inscription for Lord Lu? ”

"Hey, this guy is really serious enough, no wonder he doesn't like his colleagues so much." Lu Fatzi was happy in his heart, and hurriedly replied: "Since this is the case, then Lu also took the liberty to come to the door to disturb him, and asked Wang Zongxian to lead the way." ”

Wang Xu agreed, and Lin Tianqing over there also applauded, saying that he also wanted to visit Wang Xu's house - Wang Xu is now the Supreme Procurator General, and Lin Tianqing, who has a seriously unclean buttocks, is of course eager to have a good relationship with him. At that moment, Lu Fatzi asked Xiao Erlang to pay for the ink, wrapped two pieces of ink and Lin Tianqing's calligraphy and paintings, went out with Wang Xu and got in the car, and went all the way to Wang Xu's mansion in Zuo'anmen in the capital.

Everywhere he got to the low and dilapidated Zuo'anmen slum, Wang Xu led Lu Fatzi and others into a dilapidated alley, and said with some embarrassment while leading the way: "Lord Lin, Lord Lu, you have to be wronged, this place is dirty and messy, it's nothing to live in, it's a little inconvenient to come here for the first time." ”

"Wang Zongxian doesn't have to be polite." Lu Fatzi smiled and said: "In Dali City, the hometown of lowly duties, there are such streets, and lowly positions have long been accustomed to them. ”

"Lord Lu can get used to such an environment, and the people of Qujing are blessed." Wang Xu nodded, adding a little favor to the impression that Fat Lu was not bad. But at this moment, Wang Xu, who had just turned a corner, suddenly felt that something was wrong with the situation - why were there so many people in front of the gate of his house?

"Strange, how can there be so many people in front of my house?" Wang Xu exclaimed. Lu Fatzi, Lin Tianqing and the others took a closer look, and sure enough, they found that there were many people surrounded in front of a dilapidated mansion in the distance, and there were many officials among the people. Wang Xu felt that the situation was not good, so he hurriedly stepped forward and shouted, "What are you doing? Why did you come here with so many officials, who sent you? ”

"Lord Wang is back, back!" Most of the onlookers were neighbors of Wang Xu, and when they heard Wang Xu's familiar voice, they naturally looked back and got out of the way. Wang Xu rushed to the door of his house quickly, pointed at the officials in front of the door and shouted angrily: "You are the yamen, who sent you?" ”

"Lord Huiwang, we are from the Criminal Department and Shuntianfu." A servant replied tremblingly, "It was Ming Shangshu and Master Li who brought us here." ”

"Pearl? Li Tianyu? What are they doing at my house with such fanfare? Wang Xu was stunned. At this time, the young Mingzhu had already walked out of Wang Xu's house with Yin Li Tianyu of Shuntian Mansion swaggeringly, and there was a large group of officials behind him, Wang Xu said angrily: "Ming Zhongtang, Master Li, what do you mean by this?" Why did you come to my house with so many servants? ”

"Don't blame Lord Wang." Mingzhu said slowly: "This official received an accurate report, saying that there is a huge amount of money hidden in your family, and this official, as a bachelor of Hongwen Academy and a scholar of the Criminal Department, has to act in accordance with the law, and bring people to search, where it is rude, I hope that Wang Zongxian will forgive the crime?" ”

"I have a huge amount of money in my house?" Wang Xu was stunned at first, and then laughed again, "Ming Zhongtang, you are really joking, how am I Wang Xu an official, the world can see it, others are talking nonsense and framing out of thin air, you will actually believe it?" ”

"Of course I don't believe it." Mingzhu said unhurriedly: "But the whistleblower said that he had a nose and eyes, and the emperor also issued an edict to allow this official to lead people to search the mansion of the lord, and this official had to act according to orders." ”

"The emperor also issued an edict?" Wang Xu couldn't believe his ears, and said angrily: "Nonsense! How could the emperor believe such a false accusation? I want to go into the palace to meet the emperor and ask the emperor for an understanding in person. ”

"Absolutely." Mingzhu nodded, agreed, and said slowly: "But before that, Lord Wang, please wait a little longer, and when the detectives from the Criminal Department and Shuntian Mansion are done, let's enter the palace together." ”

"Good!" Wang Xu laughed angrily, laughed and said: "Ming Zhongtang, in the past few days, because of Father Nan's case, the lower officials and you have had a lot of disputes, and it is understandable that you want to grab the handle and clean up the lower officials." But Xia Guan wants to see how much silver you can find out from these dilapidated houses in Xia Guan! ”

"Hope I can't find it." Mingzhu smiled and said: "To be honest, when I saw the house where you live, Lord Wang, the official also felt that there would definitely be nothing to search, but since the emperor has a will, what should be searched must be searched, right?" This official must not prevaricate to the emperor perfunctorily...... ”

"My lord, there's something on the house!" Mingzhu's words were interrupted by the screams of the officials, and when he heard this voice, including Mingzhu, who had been eager to tear Wang Xu apart in recent days, he was surprised: "Is it really in stock?" Take it down and see what! ”

"Cover." In the sound of agreement, Wang Xu rushed into the room with Mingzhu and others, but saw a servant climb up the beam of the room and hold a dusty wooden box in front of Mingzhu with both hands. Wang Xu exclaimed, "How can there be such a thing on the beam of my house? How did I not know? ”

"Open." Mingzhu commanded quietly. The official obeyed the order, and used a knife to pry open the copper lock on the wooden box, and immediately revealed a dozen gold ingots and a thick stack of silver tickets!

"Gold? Silver Ticket?! Wang Xu almost couldn't believe his eyes, and shouted: "So much gold and silver tickets from my family? ”

"Lord Wang, I'm afraid you have to ask yourself, right?" Mingzhu sneered and shouted, "Count the numbers!" ”

The official acted according to the order, and quickly counted and reported, "Lord Yuzhongtang, there are two hundred taels of gold and four thousand taels of silver tickets." ”

"Lord Wang, what else do you have to say now?" Mingzhu was pleasantly surprised, turned to Wang Xu and asked with a cruel smile: "Your annual income is only one hundred and thirty taels, so much gold and silver, how many years do you have to go without eating or drinking to earn it?" ”

"Wrong......ed, wronged!" Wang Xu almost collapsed on the spot, yelling and shouting: "This is someone who planted it, someone framed it, someone deliberately hid this gold and silver in my house to frame me!" ”

"Since someone has framed them, why don't they hide the silver in my house?" Mingzhu, who had long been suspicious of Wang Xu's eyesore, sneered and shouted, "Take it!" Take it to the criminal department first, and wait for the official to enter the palace to ask for an order, and then deal with it! Also, search me again and see if there are any other places to hide the silver. ”

"Cover." The officials present agreed together, and were about to step forward to take someone. Someone outside the door shouted, "Wait! Ming Zhongtang, I have something to say! ”

"Lord Lu?" Mingzhu looked back and saw that the person who stopped him turned out to be Lu Fatzi, who had a one-sided relationship, and couldn't help but wonder: "Lord Lu, how can I see you wherever something big happens?" ”

"How do I know? Could it be that I'm the reincarnation of Conan's scourge star? "Fat Lu is also a little strange - how can he go there by himself, and there is something big and unpeaceful? Although framing Wang Xu was one of his own evil plans, how could he let himself witness and experience it with his own eyes?

Doubts are doubts, things are in front of him, Lu Fatzi quickly put aside this idea for the time being, and said to Mingzhu: "Ming Zhongtang, it is indeed an accident that the humble position appeared here, this will be explained to you later, before this, please allow the humble position to say a few words for Lord Wang, and hope that Ming Zhongtang will approve it." ”

"Say it." For the sake of the new celebrity in front of Lu Fatzi and Xiao Mazi, Mingzhu nodded and agreed to Lu Fatzi's request.

"Ming Zhongtang, I don't have much contact with Wang Zongxian, and I have only met twice so far." Lu Fatzi said with great emotion: "But the humble position still admires Wang Zongxian's personality and integrity, just like today, Wang Zongxian prepared a New Year's gift to the emperor, and he couldn't even take out a piece of silver with good ink - this is what the humble position and Lord Lin Tianqing Lin saw with their own eyes." If Ming Zhongtang doesn't believe it, he can ask Lord Lin face to face. ”

"What are you pulling me in for?" Lin Tianqing complained bitterly in his heart, but when it came to this, Lin Tianqing had no choice but to come out, nodded and said: "Yes, the old man has indeed seen it with his own eyes, and the old man also admires Wang Zongxian's clean sleeves." ”

"And what do you explain these silver tickets and gold?" The pearl refers to the gold ingots and silver tickets in the wooden box.

"Ming Zhongtang, since Wang Zongxian is so poor that he can't even afford a piece of good ink, could these gold and silver tickets be his?" Fat Lu slowed down his breath and pleaded: "So I dare to ask Ming Zhongtang, can you carefully investigate the origin of these silver tickets and gold ingots, and see if someone has framed them?" I have heard that when the silver ticket of this money bank is issued, the money bank has left a secret mark of the date of the invoice on it, and there are also records in the money bank that can be checked, and even the name and identity of the depositor can be found. ”

"Lord Lu......." Wang Xu was a little moved, he and Lu Fatzi were just a few faces, and he had never given Lu Fatzi any good looks, this would be framed by others, but he was the first to jump out and shout for himself.

- Of course, if Wang Xu knew that all this was arranged by Lu Fatzi, and even the first report letter was sent to the palace by Lu Fatzi himself, and he also suggested that Mingzhu investigate the origin of the silver ticket, but also to push himself into the pit again, he would definitely not be so moved.

"Of course." Mingzhu nodded and said, "Lord Lu, please rest assured, this official will not let go of a criminal minister, nor will he wronged a good official, and he will definitely find out about this matter." By the way, it is also a good idea to go to the money bank to investigate the origin of the silver ticket, and the official will arrange someone to check it carefully. ”

"In that case, thank you for the humble position." Lu Fatzi arched his hand, and then bowed his hand to Wang Xu and said: "Lord Wang, please rest assured, in your unjust words, your family will definitely do their best to take care of them, at least they will not be hungry and cold, cold and hungry." Moreover, the lowly silver is also left by your parents in business, and it is clean silver, and it will not tarnish your name for a lifetime. ”

"Master Lu, Lu Yao knows the horsepower, and he has seen the hearts of the people for a long time." Wang Xu's voice was choked, he bowed deeply to Fat Lu, stood up straight and said, "Okay, Ming Zhongtang, please escort the official to the Criminal Department." ”

"Take it away." Mingzhu waved his hand and shouted again: "Continue to search and see if there are any other places to hide silver!" ”

In the crying and wailing of Wang Xu's family, Wang Xu was escorted away by the criminal department with his head held high, but everyone present had their own thoughts, and Mingzhu was secretly relieved - without Wang Xu's troublemaking and restraints, Nan Huairen's case would be much easier to handle, and he, the new secretary of the criminal department, would not be ridiculed and smashed the first major case in office, and he would not be left behind in front of the emperor A poor messenger would not be left behind. Lin Tianqing and Li Tianyu secretly looked at each other, one was gloating, and said that he deserved to be unlucky, and he was about to be promoted, but he encountered this kind of bad thing, and the black gauze hat flew completely, right? The other is gritting his teeth and secretly scolding the old thing for his shit luck, and the salted fish turned over by mistake! Only Fat Lu had a solemn expression, staring at Wang Xu's back and was silent for a long time.

"Wang Xu, you are indeed a good official, but unfortunately, the more officials you have now, the greater the harm to the Chinese nation. So, I'm sorry. Alas, is it right or wrong for me to do this? ”

Secretly muttering in his heart, Fat Lu sighed, turned back to Xiao Erlang and instructed: "Erlang, take a hundred taels of silver to Lord Wang's family in a while, don't let them freeze and starve." ”

(To be continued)