Uncle You originally wanted to hold on, but he didn't expect the whip to hurt so much on his body.

After the third hit, he couldn't stand it anymore, and cried: "It's the same examiner Qi who is looking for this township exam." ”

In order to avoid a stir in the matter, the five candidates did not call those officials involved in the autumn festival for questioning before interrogating them, after all, there were too many people involved in the triennial township examination from the organization to the successful conclusion.

As soon as Uncle You confessed, Lin Xiao immediately took someone to the Hanlin Academy.

"Lord Qi? I didn't see him. ”

When I went to ask Qi Shuqiang again, Shangfeng said: "At noon, he took leave, saying that there was something at home." ”

Lin Xiao asked Qi Shuqiang's address and hurried there.

"Sir?" It was Qi Shuqiang's wife who replied, "When the master came back, he said that he was tired and went to the study to rest." Wait a minute, the lord has already sent someone to shout. ”

As soon as Qi's wife's words fell, a little servant ran in: "Madam, it's not good, master, master, he-"

"What's wrong with the master?" Qi's wife looked eager.

"The old man committed suicide!" The little guy pinched his thigh hard, and finally said it.

"What?" Qi's wife shook her body, pulled her legs and ran out.

Lin Xiao frowned and silently followed.

A group of people hula followed.

The door of the study was wide open, and a man in a green robe hung from the beam, swaying with the cool breeze pouring in.

"Sir!" Qi's wife let out a terrible cry and stumbled inward.

But she was so stimulated by this scene that she opened her legs and fell to the ground.

Some of the subordinates of the Qi family who came over helped Qi's wife, and some went to save Qi Shuqiang, and for a while, they turned on their backs.

Lin Xiao strode over, and only glanced at Qi Shuqiang, who was relieved, and knew that the person was dead.

There was the earth-shattering cry of his wife and children in his ears, and Lin Xiao had no choice but to ask the person who looked like a steward: "When did your master come back?" ”

The steward also looked frightened, and he could still reply: "It's probably the beginning of the Shen Dynasty." ”

Lin Xiao twisted his eyebrows.

The Hanlin Academy said that Qi Shuqiang would go home on leave at noon, and the housekeeper of the Qi family said so, where did Qi Shuqiang go in the middle of the hour?

"Did your master come out after he entered the study?"

This stopped the steward.

He is in charge, and he is not responsible for guarding the master's study.

The steward hurriedly called a servant over: "My lord, he is responsible for managing the master's study, usually when the master enters the study, he will wait under the porch." ”

Lin Xiao glanced at the little guy.

The little guy trembled and said, "Back to my lord, the master has never come out of the study since he entered the study." ”

"Then you didn't ask your master if he wanted tea?"

"When the master is in the study, he is never allowed to disturb the small, and only the small ones can go in when the master calls people."

Lin Xiao asked a few more questions, and turned his gaze to Qi's wife, who was crying incessantly: "Mrs. Qi, is there anything abnormal about Lord Qi these days?" ”

Qi's wife finally stopped crying and shook her head blankly: "My lord just hasn't had much appetite for the past two days, and there is nothing else." ”

"The person that Lord Qi has seen recently, does Mrs. Qi know?"

Qi's wife wiped away her tears: "I am a woman who never cares about outside affairs, how do I know who the master has seen." ”

Lin Xiao didn't ask anything, and instructed a subordinate: "Go back and report the matter of Lord Qi to the adult, and bring the work." ”

The subordinates took the order and left.

Lin Xiao walked in the study with a calm face, looked at the mountains and inkstones, and the shelves were full of poetry and books, and suddenly stopped.

There is a pot of kumquat on the windowsill, and the small tree is full of golden fruits, which looks very pleasant.

Lin Xiao stretched out his hand.

"That's a bonsai that the old man likes very much." Qi's wife thought that Lin Xiao was going to move the pot of kumquats, and choked up.

Lin Xiao glanced at his wife, his hand fell, and he grabbed a bit of dirt.

He looked down and sniffed, then picked up the middle of the pot, and soon saw the black ash in the soil.

Lin Xiao guessed what black ash was when he saw it.

When Qi Shuqiang was in the study today, he must have burned the paper.

"Fetch a flower shovel." Lin Xiao instructed the Qi family to take care of things.

The steward hesitated and looked at his wife.

Lin Xiao's face sank: "Do you think that your master died in vain?" ”

When the steward heard this, he only wanted to slander him.

The old man's suicide is obviously a matter of inaction, and if these people investigate, maybe the result will be worse.

But Lin Xiao said this in public, of course he didn't dare to refuse.

Lin Xiao has a flower shovel, and it is easier to dig up the soil of the flower pot.

Until the whole little orange tree was dug up, and the dirt was turned over inch by inch, and only a few small pieces of unburned paper were found except for the black ash.

The piece of paper was so small that only one had the word "shoot" written on it, and the rest was blank.

Perhaps it was precisely because of this that Qi Shuqiang didn't care that they didn't completely burn into ashes.

Lin Xiao carefully put away a few small pieces of paper, and waited for the servants who came to check them and ask about the situation.

"The deceased should have committed suicide." Foolishness.

Qi's wife cried loudly: "Master, why can't you think about it!" ”

As soon as the wife cried, several children cried even louder.

"Lord Qi goes out on weekdays, who follows?"

Qi's wife couldn't help but say: "My lord, our lord is gone, are you interrogating us?" ”

Lin Xiao didn't seem to see Qi's wife's red eyes, and said calmly: "Lord Qi is involved in the imperial examination fraud case, this case is a thorough investigation by the emperor's order, Lin is acting on orders, and I hope that Mrs. Qi will cooperate." ”

As soon as she heard that Qi Shuqiang was involved in the imperial examination fraud case, Qi's wife's face turned snow-white: "Impossible, how could our master be involved in the imperial examination fraud case——"

Lin Xiao didn't seem to know what sympathy was, and said lightly: "That's why we appeared in your mansion." ”

Qi's wife was shocked, and she held the maid and staggered.

"Please tell Mrs. Qi who the next person is with Master Qi at ordinary times."

The person who will follow Qi Shuqiang in and out must be his confidant.

Qi's wife named a person.

Lin Xiao looked at the manservant standing in front of him, and said in a calm tone: "Come with us to the yamen." ”

It is inconvenient for the women and children of the Qi family to be brought to the yamen for interrogation for the time being, and it is no problem to interrogate a servant.

Lin Xiao took people back to the yamen and saw Lu Xuan waiting there.

Lu Xuan looked at the manservant: "This is-"

"Lord Qi's servant." Facing Lu Xuan, Lin Xiao was serious when he went to investigate the case, "Why did Brother Lu come over?" ”

Lu Xuan chuckled: "I am also a member of the Criminal Department, but there are few cases in the scriptures, of course I have to participate more and study hard." ”

The corners of Lin Xiao's mouth twitched slightly.

It's like the real thing.

"Let's go in first." In front of so many people, of course Lin Xiao would not make fun of his friends.

Lu Xuan walked beside Lin Xiao and lowered his voice: "I heard that Lord Qi committed suicide?" ”

Lin Xiao nodded slightly.

"Why did Brother Lin bring this subordinate?"

"This subordinate is Lord Qi's confidant, if you want to find out Lord Qi's whereabouts in the past few days, you have to ask him."

Lu Xuan glanced at the manservant deeply: "Brother Lin, as far as I know, Lord Qi's most trusted servant is not this. ”