When Song Tongzhi heard this, he asked in surprise: "How can you see it?" ”

Yang Qiuchi pointed to the tall beam: "Two years ago, this little maid was only twelve years old, do you think it was possible for her to hold such a heavy corpse at that time, step on the stool, and then hang the corpse up?" ”

Because people will be very heavy and weak when they just die, although Guo's weight is relatively light, it still takes a certain amount of physical strength to hold a soft corpse and step on a stool and then hang the body in a rope sleeve, and it is obviously impossible for a twelve-year-old ordinary little girl like Zhichun to complete it (except for martial arts masters like Song Yuner).

Song Tongzhi and Song Yun'er both suddenly realized and nodded in agreement.

Song Yun'er thought for a while and asked: "Then will this Zhichun be an internal response, let people in, and let others kill?" ”

Yang Qiuchi looked at Song Yun'er approvingly and nodded: "It's completely possible, that also shows that Zhichun is just an accomplice helper, and the real murderer is someone else." However," Yang Qiuchi thought for a while, "There is another possibility, that is, Zhichun and the nurse murdered together." Otherwise, it is inevitable that the nurse will not hear the sound and notice. ”

Song Tongzhi also interjected: "For example, what if you are fascinated by the wet nurse?" Then she wouldn't know. ”

Yang Qiuchi nodded again: "This possibility is very big, and the maid Zhichun also said that the nurse slept very hard at the time, and she didn't hear the child crying, under normal circumstances, the nurse would not be like this." Therefore, we still judge after interrogating the nurse Lu. ”

Speaking of this, Yang Qiuchi knew to Song Tong: "Uncle, this Lu family will be judged by you." ”

"This~!" Song Tongzhi hesitated, "To tell you the truth, virtuous nephew, I was quite confident in trying cases before, since I saw that you solved the case like a divine help, I, I didn't dare to ask the case, for fear of making a mistake." Again, it's up to you to judge. ”

Yang Qiuchi smiled slightly: "Uncle is too modest, you have been trying cases for so many years, you have eaten more salt than I have eaten rice, and you have rich experience, how can you be compared to your little nephew." ”

A few words of sycophancy, Song Tongzhi was slapped like floating in the clouds, which was very useful.

Yang Qiuchi continued: "The little nephew suspects that this wet nurse is the real murderer, and the little nephew estimates that this wet nurse will play tricks and refuse to confess, uncle, you have the best way to deal with this kind of Diao people, you will be more sure if you come to the trial in person." ”

After a few more sycophants, Song Tongzhi nodded again and again, and said with a smile: "Since that's the case, I, I'll review it." ”

The reason why Yang Qiuchi wanted Song Tong to know the trial was because there were only two suspects in this case, and Yahuan Zhichun was unlikely to be the murderer, so the suspicion of the wet nurse Lu was very big. However, he did not have any evidence to prove that Lu had committed a crime, and only used the method of elimination to reach this conclusion. He proposed that Song Tongzhi try it in person, just to see if he could use the presumption of guilt to make a breakthrough, which was legal in the Ming Dynasty anyway.

At this time, the nurse was brought in, and Goo Dong knelt down and kowtowed.

"Prisoner's name!" Song Tongzhi's first sentence gave people the surname "criminal woman", indicating that the presumption of guilt has been deeply ingrained in the hearts of Song Tongzhi and these Ming Dynasty officials.

"Folk woman Lu Shi."

"You tell me what happened that night, and if there is half a lie, beware of suffering!"

"Yes! The women did not dare. Lu Shi told the story of that night, which was similar to the little maid Zhichun's statement. There are several key plots in which the statements of the two are consistent, that is, the doors and windows were locked that night, and there was no one else in the room except the two of them, and there was no trace of outsiders sneaking in.

After Lu Shi finished speaking, Song Tongzhi said coldly: "Prisoner Lu Shi, how did you strangle your third aunt, from the truth!" ”

The nurse was startled, and hurriedly kowtowed and said, "The people are wronged, I didn't kill the third aunt." ”

"Nonsense!" Song Tongzhi shouted, "In the room, you and the little maid Zhichun, Zhichun was only twelve years old at that time, and there was absolutely no way to carry the corpse up and hang it on the rope." ”

Song Tong knew that this was now learning and selling, and looked at Lu's sturdy body: "You are a peasant woman yourself, this kind of rough work is not difficult for you, isn't it who you are?" The latter words were his own understanding. It seems that this Song Tongzhi is not only judging the board, but also paying attention to observation and analysis.

Lu Shi was even more frightened, and said: "The people are wronged, it was Zhichun who accompanied the third aunt that night, I took the little young master to sleep very early, I don't know what's going on, I slept very hard that night, and it wasn't until dawn that Zhichun woke me up." ”

"Nonsense! It is clear that you took advantage of the little maid Zhichun to fall asleep, strangled the sleeping third aunt to death, and then hung her in disguise and hanged herself. ”

"I didn't, my lord, I was wronged."

"Wronged? It's just the two of you in the room, it's either her or you! You say that you are wronged, and if you can show evidence to prove that you are wronged, this official will let you go. ”

Where could Lu Shi take it out, he just said: "I was asleep at that time, I really don't know anything." ”

"You still dare to deny it, come on, pull me out and hit the thirty boards!" Song Tongzhi shouted.

Originally, the punishment of female prisoners should be carried out with a hammer according to the law, but now there is none, and the board can only be used.

Yang Qiuchi didn't stop it, because he didn't have a better way, besides, now Song Tongzhi was trying the case, and he said that he would use his own method. Moreover, this Song Tongzhi's analysis is also very reasonable, there are only the two of them in the room, either she or you, if you don't admit your guilt, of course you can be punished according to the law of Daming.

The three guards dragged Lu Shi to the corridor, found a bench, pressed Lu Shi on the bench, and beat Lu Shi so hard that Lu Shi screamed miserably.

After the thirty boards were played, Lu Shi was lifted in and thrown to the ground.

Song Tongzhi asked, "Lu Shi, do you want to recruit now?" ”

Lu Shi's sweat came down, blood was dripping on his thighs, and he gasped and said, "My lord, the people are really wronged." ”

"Bold Diao Min, do you think you are physically tough enough to resist my board? Come on, drag me down and hit thirty more! ”

The guards carried Lu out and hit another thirty boards, and then carried them in again.

These sixty boards were knocked down, and Lu almost passed out. But there is still no recruitment.

Song Tongzhi wanted to be tortured again, but Yang Qiuchi waved his hand to stop it. I thought that if I fought again, I was afraid that I would be beaten into a trick. Couldn't it be that Lu or Zhichun did it? Who are they? It can't be a three-year-old mountain who did it.

Yang Qiuchi felt that his head was too big, this kind of old case trouble was here, time had passed, and there were no clues. Although there are only two suspects in this case, I didn't expect it to be difficult.

Song Tongzhi didn't know why Yang Qiuchi stopped him from being tortured, and asked, "Virtuous nephew,......"

Yang Qiuchi said: "It's noon, let's eat first." ”

Song Yun'er also interjected: "Yes, Dad, let this Lu family eat something first, and besides, she still has to take care of Shan'er." Break her, what should Shan'er do? ”

Yang Qiuchi thought to herself, it's too late for you to say it now, after the sixty boards are down, she can still take care of the children.

Sure enough, the Lu family couldn't even stand up, so Song Tongzhi had to order the other maids and servants to be notified to carry her down and take her into custody, she is now a key suspect, and there can be no problems.

During the meal, Mrs. Yang was on the side, and there was a murder at home, both the bitter master and the suspect, and the dual identity made Mrs. Yang very embarrassed.

Yang Qiuchi comforted Mrs. Yang and said that the scope of this case is very small, and the case will be solved quickly, and it will not even delay the New Year. Old lady Yang was a little relieved.

He was relieved, but Yang Qiuchi's heart was still heavy, Zhichun and Lu refused to admit guilt, Zhichun's physical factors ruled out the possibility of her own crime, and there was no evidence to prove that she opened the door and let others in to commit the crime, and Lu refused to admit guilt with a big punishment, the case was deadlocked, how could he be relieved.

Song Yun'er was still thinking about Shan'er, and after asking the servants, she learned that Steward Pang had arranged for the maid Zhichun to take care of Shan'er temporarily. But Song Yuner still didn't feel at ease, so she wanted to go and see it in person.

Yang Qiuchi felt that Song Yun'er was really good to children, it seems that the mother's surname is common to all female surnames, whether it is a martial arts heroine or an ordinary peasant woman.

Song Yuner saw that Yang Qiuchi was depressed, so she pulled Yang Qiuchi to watch the child to relax.

Yang Qiuchi wanted to see Old Lady Yang's son, and of course Old Lady Yang had to accompany him. Song Tongzhi had nothing to do, and also accompanied him to Zhichun's room to watch the children.

When they arrived at Zhichun's room, Zhichun was feeding Shan'er porridge.

On the day Yang Qiuchi first arrived, he had seen Shan'er in the living room, but that day Shan'er was wrapped in a thick quilt by the nurse Lu, and he couldn't really see it, but now when he looks at it, he can't help but be surprised.

This mountain is already two years old, and it stands to reason that the living conditions of a big family like Mrs. Yang are quite good, but this mountain has yellow muscles and thin muscles, and the yellow hair on his head is like an ear of corn, sparse and yellow, dry, and has no color at all. His face was yellow and black, his appetite was obviously bad, and he vomited a lot after eating half a bowl. If you cry hard, you can't persuade you.

Song Yun'er picked up Shan'er and made a grimace to tease him, Shan'er stopped crying, and stretched out her little hand to grab Song Yun'er's nose, Song Yun'er grabbed his little hand, feeling that his little hand was thin and thin, like a dry firewood stick.

Seeing this scene, Song Yun'er was angry, grabbed Shan'er's little hand, and asked Mrs. Yang angrily: "This is how you take care of the children?" Look! Yang Qiuchi and the others went up to take a look, and were taken aback again, only to see that Shan'er's small hands were rougher than the old man's hands, and there were many rashes and small red spots.

Mrs. Yang suspected that this child was not his own son because the third aunt was too nymphomaniac, and since then, he has ignored this child, so he didn't pay much attention to the child's situation.

Now after Song Yun'er asked like this, Old Lady Yang paid attention to Shan'er and asked in surprise: "Why did he lose weight like this?" What's going on? ”

Steward Pang next to him hurriedly said: "Back to the master, the little young master has been so frail and sick since he was born, and I have looked for many Lang Zhong, but I can't see it well." ”

"Useless waste!" Old lady Yang scolded.

Yang Qiuchi kept frowning and looking at Shan'er, and then said, "Let me see." With that, he took Shan'er from Song Yun'er's arms with a solemn face.

Song Yun'er was overjoyed: "Brother, do you still see a doctor?" How I don't know. ”

Yang Qiuchi didn't answer, hugged Shan'er to the bed, put Shan'er on the edge of the bed, took off Shan'er's little shoes, and lifted his little feet to see that they were as rough as his little hands, like barefoot migrant workers covered with calluses.

Song Yun'er was furious and asked Steward Pang: "What's the matter?" Look at this child, do you let him run barefoot on the rocky ground every day? ”

"Nope!" Steward Pang had never paid attention to the child's feet, and he was also anxious, squatted down and touched Shan'er's little feet, and said in fear, "I saw that the nurse Lu took care of the little master very well, very careful, I thought that the little master was just weak and sick, but I didn't expect it...... I'm going to get the poisonous woman of the Lu family, and it's clear when I ask! ”

"Don't ask!" Yang Qiuchi waved his hand, "I know what's going on." ”

Steward Pang and the others looked at Yang Qiuchi suspiciously.

Yang Qiuchi touched the child's little feet and said heavily: "Shan'er is probably poisoned!" If this continues, he won't live next summer! ”

Old lady Yang and the others were stunned. Steward Pang asked urgently, "Young Master Yang, is our young master really poisoned?" How do you know? Old Lady Yang, Song Tongzhi, Song Yun'er, and the maid Zhichun also looked at Yang Qiuchi nervously, waiting for his answer.

Yang Qiuchi said: "Although I am not sure yet, I am not far from ten. Yang Qiuchi showed Shan'er's little hands and feet to everyone, and then touched the child's arms and face, and said, "Have you ever seen a three-year-old child with such rough skin?" This is called hyperkeratosis. ”

He pointed to Shan'er's head with yellow hair: "You see Shan'er's hair falling out and yellowing, his face is yellow and thin, and his yellow is black, if my estimate is right, the skin on Shan'er's body is also yellow and black." After that, I untied Shan'er's small clothes and took a look, and sure enough, Shan'er's skinny little body was yellow and black.

Yang Qiuchi knew in his heart that this was skin pigmentation, but he couldn't tell them.

Yang Qiuchi asked Yahuan Zhichun again: "Does Shan'er vomit when you eat?" Still have frequent diarrhea? ”

The maid Zhichun nodded: "That's it, Lang Zhong prescribed antidiarrhea and antiemetic medicine didn't work." ”

"Of course it doesn't work," Yang Qiuchi said, "Shan'er is poisoned by his slow surname, and if the source of the poison is not cut off, he will continue to have diarrhea and vomit until he dies!" ”

This kind of slow surname poisoning can easily be misdiagnosed as a related digestive tract disease or skin disease, and it is not unusual for Langzhong to not be able to judge it at all.

Song Yun'er said hatefully: "It's really a loss of conscience!" Brother, what kind of poison is in the mountains? ”

"Arsenic, it is likely to be added to Shan'er's food, add a little bit every day, let Shan'er slowly poison, accumulate more and more, and eventually die of poison."

"It's vicious! Who is this man? Song Yun'er's eyes breathed fire, and she turned around and grabbed the maid Zhichun, "Isn't it you?" ”

The little maid was so frightened that she softened, trembling all over her body and shouting, "No, no, it's not me, how could I do such a poisonous thing." Not really. ”

"It's not you, who is that?" Song Yun'er glared at Yahuan Zhichun, "Could it be the nurse Lu Shi?" ”

Yang Qiuchi continued: "It is very likely that only she has the opportunity to continue poisoning every day without being discovered. If I'm right, there should still be arsenic hidden in her residence, and she was suddenly arrested today, so it shouldn't be too late to destroy the incriminating evidence. ”

Old lady Yang said angrily: "This wicked woman, the old man wants to break his body into ten thousand pieces!" Let's go, search her room! Although it is not certain whether Shan'er is his own child or not, it is unbearable for anyone with a conscience to use this method against a child.

The group came to the room of the nurse Lu, rummaged through the boxes and began to search.

The furnishings of this room were very simple, and in the end, Song Yun'er found a secret compartment at the head of Lu's bed, and found some silver ingots and a small packet of white and reddish powder from it.

The silver ingots found out are even more illustrative, the silver ingots are almost fifty or sixty taels, the nurse Lu is a rural peasant woman, it is precisely because the family is poor that she sold herself to the Yang family to be a wet nurse, and the monthly money is only two or three hundred yuan, where did you get so much money? It must be a benefit from the Lord.

Song Tongzhi ordered the nurse Lu Shi to be escorted to this room, Lu Shi limped into the house, and when he saw that the bedside quilt was lifted, the secret compartment was revealed, and the bag of powder and some silver ingots were placed next to him, and he immediately collapsed on the ground.

Song Tongzhi said coldly: "Lu family, everyone has stolen goods, and if you don't confess, do you still need to use a big punishment?" ”

Lu's face turned pale, and he said tremblingly: "My lord spared my life, I recruited it, I poisoned the young master, and the adult and the old lady spared my life." ”

Old lady Yang was so angry that her beard trembled: "You, you beast with a human face and a beast's heart~!" "I called Steward Pang to get a family law to beat this poisonous woman to death.

Steward Pang was also so angry that his eyes were red, and he shouted: "Master, don't work so hard, just let me strangle this thief woman to death!" "Roll up your sleeves and step forward.

Song Tongzhi shouted: "Wait! This, this Lu family is a wet nurse, there is no reason to poison the young master, poison the young master, there must be behind the scenes, and there is also the person who instructed him, ask clearly. ”

Yang Qiuchi secretly admired, this Song Tongzhi is really experienced, after all, after many years of judicial practice, this common sense is still there.

Old lady Yang nodded again and again, and asked, "You, you still don't tell you honestly, who is it, who instructed you?" ”

Lu Shi trembled and didn't dare to say.

Old lady Yang kicked over, hitting Lu's nose, and immediately blood flowed, and the two front teeth were also kicked off.

Old lady Yang roared: "Since she doesn't say it, hurry, go and get a knife, I will cut this poisonous woman with a knife and avenge my son!" Steward Pang agreed, and was about to look for a knife.

Old lady Yang This is not a threat, in the Ming Dynasty, according to the "Da Ming Law", the parents killed slaves and maids, and it was just "seventy rods, one and a half years of apprenticeship", and they could be redeemed and exempted, and there was nothing to do with spending some money. Therefore, it is common for parents to beat slaves to death.

(To be continued)