At the base of the wall of the small courtyard, there was a pile of ashes.

I glanced at the courtyard, and the whole courtyard was cleaned up, but this one ash looked particularly conspicuous.

I found a small stick and pulled it a few times.

Among the ashes, there are still some corners and corners that have not been burned.

Judging from those corners, there are just burned photos, papers, and so on.

The only possible explanation is that someone had just burned something under the wall of this small courtyard, and I happened to see it before I had time to clean it up.

Someone who can burn anything in this yard......

Torrential ......

Suddenly, there was a sound of footsteps.

Accompanied by the sound of footsteps, there was a girl's voice, "Young Master, Madame just said that she was going to sit in Mr.'s study for a while." Why, Madame hasn't come back yet? ”

Then came the fat man's slightly surprised voice, "My mother went to my father's study?" Are you sure? ”

"Of course it's confirmed, Madame told me personally."

"When did you go?"

"It's been a while......"

……

When I looked up, I saw the fat man and a tall, thin girl walking in, with a vase in her hand.

"Didn't I tell you that no matter where Madame goes, you must follow Madame?" Hearing that Mrs. Ji went out alone, the fat man's face sank, and his tone was displeased, "Xiangmei, how can you let Mrs. go to the study alone?" ”

Xiangmei explained aggrievedly: "Young master, I want to follow Madame. But Madame would not let me follow, and insisted that I go to the storeroom to find a vase that she liked. Madame also said that before she returned, I must find the vase! ”

The fat man's heart was soft, and the girl's little face was deflated, so he could only sigh and hurriedly reassure: "Xiangmei, I was also worried about Mrs. just now, and my tone was a little heavier, so don't take it to heart...... Master, this is Xiangmei, she just said, my mother went to my father's study! ”

My heart suddenly moved.

Mrs. Ji went to Mr. Ji's study?

And, listening to Xiangmei, Mrs. Ji has been gone for a while?

The first time I was in Yin, Ji Yanran told me that Mr. Ji had been looking for something on the bookshelf in the study before he was killed.

Don't......

"Master."

Xiangmei bent over me, "Young Master said, do you have something to do with me?" ”

"Xiangmei, huh?"

I glanced the girl up and down.

It's white and clean, and she's neat and tidy up all over her body, and she looks like a diligent and clean girl.

Otherwise, he would not have served by Mrs. Ji's side.

"Yes!"

Xiangmei nodded respectfully.

"Xiangmei, don't be nervous." I said softly to Xiangmei: "I just ask you a few questions, and you can answer me truthfully." ”

Xiangmei subconsciously glanced at the fat man, and the fat man frowned and said, "What do you see me doing, what the master asks you, you just answer truthfully!" Xiangmei, you have to answer the master's questions honestly, otherwise something will happen to the lady, and I won't be able to spare you! ”

"Got it, young master."

Xiangmei relieved her heart and looked up at me, "Master, you ask!" ”

"Xiangmei, who burned the pile of ashes at the base of the wall?" I pointed to the ashes at the base of the courtyard wall, and my tone was as gentle as I could.

"Madame burned it." Xiangmei glanced at my fingers, and hurriedly said to the fat man, "Young master, I'll go clean up ......"

She was afraid that the fat man would hold her accountable.

I interrupted her, "Did you burn those things for Madame, or did Madame burn them herself?" ”

"Master, it was Madame who burned it herself." Xiangmei shook her head, her eyebrows frowning, "Originally, I was supposed to do all this rough work, but Mrs. had to burn it herself." My husband had just passed away, and my wife was in a bad mood, so I didn't dare to say anything. ”

I nodded and continued to ask, "Then do you see what Madame has burned?" ”

"It's just some old objects like pictures, letters, and so on. When Madame burned these things, I was busy with work, and I couldn't see what Madame had burned. Xiangmei shook her head and said, "Moreover, before Mrs. burned something, she specially sent me to be busy." ”

Mrs. Ji deliberately sent Xiangmei to be busy and burned those things herself?

Why did she burn those things?

I pondered for a moment, and then asked Xiangmei, "Xiangmei, you just said that your lady hasn't been in a good mood lately, right?" ”

"yes."

Xiangmei's face was taken for granted, "Mr. was just killed, and Madame is in a trance and depressed, isn't it normal?" ”

That's right!

If it was before the change, Mrs. Ji's reaction was normal.

But after talking to Xiangmei just now, I suddenly felt that Mrs. Ji was a little strange.

What's so strange?

I can't say for a moment.

"What unusual behaviors have you been doing lately?" I didn't seem to want to ask, "Now is the critical moment, but you must pay more attention to the lady." ”

The fat man nodded again and again, "Yes, yes, has my mother behaved abnormally lately?" Xiangmei, as long as you feel that something is wrong, you can tell me. ”

"Unusual behavior?" Xiangmei lowered her head and pondered for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up, and she looked up hurriedly and said, "I remember, Madame seems to like bathing very much recently." I had to wash for hours at a time, and I wouldn't be allowed to wait. And ......"

Xiangmei suddenly became nervous, glanced at the fat man in fear, and didn't seem to know what to say.

"What else?"

The fat man hurriedly urged, "Xiangmei, you said it!" ”

Urged by the fat man, Xiangmei muttered and said, "Also, every time Madam takes a bath, she has a lot of scars on her body, which looks terrible, is this abnormal?" ”

Scar?

After every shower?

"Did Madame slip?" The fat man thought of the most reasonable excuse for Mrs. Ji, "Have you heard any movement?" ”

Xiangmei shook her head, "Madam didn't slip, the scar wasn't ...... fall"

"How's that going?"

The fat man and I looked at each other and asked.

"Like, like ......" Xiangmei frowned slightly, as if trying to find the most suitable description, "like she was caught by something, one by one......"

One by one?

Like something you were caught in?

Inexplicably, I suddenly thought of the scars on the faces of Chaozi and Liuzi.

Something, flashed through my mind, but I couldn't grasp it at all.

"Your lady's love of bathing began after your husband was killed?" I pressed on.

I know very well that Mr. Ji has just died, and Mrs. Ji will wash it once or twice at most, and Xiangmei will not specifically bring it up.

Sure enough, Xiangmei shook her head, "No! Madame likes to bathe, and she always has wounds on her body, which began a long time ago. ”

It's exactly what I guessed.

"Mr. Xiao, take me to the study!"

I pondered for a moment, and said to the fat man hurriedly.

Lamp pen