A person in the back kitchen of the inn panted with a knife: "Da Hei, don't run again, if you want to blame your bad life, you can't stand on the wrong side if you are beaten by someone, you can't bite people and can't see the courtyard, as a dog, you have been abolished, and you are a black dog, if you are born white and tender, how can there be today's disaster?" I will kill you with the order of the shopkeeper, and use your blood to pour the earth on the ground, and also add some fragrant meat to the back kitchen, and I will not suffer any pain when I go down, and you will not escape. ”

The shopkeeper said with disdain: "Third Brother Luo, why are you talking so much nonsense with the beast alone?" It's over with a knife, and it's still so much tongue. You went to the hospital to see the shopkeeper, can the shopkeeper wake up? ”

Without waiting for the cook to answer, he walked over first, squatting down to take a closer look at the black dog.

The dog was very large, with sharp teeth and round eyes.

At this time, it whimpered and cried, trembling all over, it was unable to walk due to a leg injury, and it ran out of these many ways in order to survive, and it was already powerless, and a pair of eyes looked at Xie Ci, and actually shed tears.

The cook saw a handsome and unparalleled catcher blocking in front of him, and he didn't dare to cut it, so he had to twist and smile at a few catchers, and stood in the distance with his hands hanging down, not knowing what to do.

Xie Ci turned his head to look at the cook and said, "Dare to ask my brother, when was this big black dog injured?" ”

The cook replied honestly, "Yesterday night before going to bed, it was fine, I fed it some rice and went to sleep." In the confusion of the night, I heard it roar a few times, and then it was silent and did not care, and this morning, it was like this. ”

Xie Ci touched the black dog's head and reached for its injured leg, and the black dog trembled, revealing a huge knife wound on the leg.

Xie Ci turned back to Old Zhao and said, "Uncle Zhao, can you help me take a look at this dog?" ”

Old Zhao Tou rushed over when he heard the sound, looked at it carefully, and didn't speak, but just nodded to Xie Ci.

Xie Ci stood up and said to the cook: "This black dog has some credit in your family compared to before it was not injured, and the shopkeeper of your family caused the case, it was a person who killed people, not a ghost, if he killed this loyal servant in vain and angered the gods, I am afraid it will cause trouble." Besides, the front of your store may be one of the places where the crime occurred, so you can't miss any clues. Now what has not yet been clarified, you have poured a basin of dog blood, who can tell whether the blood droplets on the corner over there are human blood or dog blood? In case we miscount and arrest your shopkeeper, don't cry out at that time. ”

The cook and Xiao Er suddenly made a swing, the two looked at each other, the cook himself couldn't bear to kill the black dog, it was the shopkeeper who ordered him to do it, and now he thanked him for his intercession, and he was shaken.

He thanked him and said: "This dog is also crippled and useless, I will give you some silver here, you give it to your shopkeeper, and then go to find a dog to take care of the home, and I will take it away." ”

As he spoke, he took out a dozen copper plates from his sleeve and handed them to the cook.

Lao Zhao Tou had already found some gauze and hemostatic medicine from his own appliance box, and wrapped it in the black dog, the black dog was a fierce one, but at this time he seemed to know that the two people in front of him were trying to save his life, only shed tears and remained motionless, obediently let Lao Zhao Tou bandage.

The cook looked at the copper coin handed over by Xie Ci, and he didn't dare to ask for it, but he raised the black dog, and now he really didn't want to watch the black dog die under his own knife.

He looked at the thanks, then at the black dog, then at the copper plate, and finally gritted his teeth.

As long as the shopkeeper asked, he said that he had to buy this catch, and the shopkeeper would not go to find this catcher theory.

So the cook took the copper plates, turned and hurried out, to report to the shopkeeper in the infirmary.

Xie Ci borrowed a bamboo basket from the fellow, tied the bamboo basket firmly to the saddle, and then picked up the bandaged black dog, which was very heavy, and the blood on his legs was stained on Xie Ci's official uniform.

Xie Ci put the black dog firmly in the bamboo basket, and then walked to the other two.

Chen Ba and Li Dadao have been very worried since they knew the cause of the deceased's death, and after the four of them discussed, Xie Ci took Lao Zhao Tou back to the yamen of Yangzhou Mansion first, and reported the situation in detail.

Chen Ba and Li Dadao stood by and guarded the scene.

So Xie Ci took the old man Zhao on a horse, and the horse behind him carried a basket containing a black dog, and ran back to Yangzhou Yamen one after the other.

When he arrived at the Yamen, Xie Ci entrusted the bamboo basket to a colleague, and he and Lao Zhao went to report first, and after he reported the situation in detail, Song Zhifu, who was sitting on the Taishi chair, had already wrinkled his brows.

"So, it's a man's doing?" Governor Song looked at the thanks.

Xie Ci neither nodded nor shook his head, but only replied: "It's very similar, but it's not sure whether it was done by one person." ”

Governor Song got the report of thanks, but he only felt that the case was very tricky. He stroked his long beard, thought and thought, but still had no clue.

I had to order someone to draw the portraits of the two deceased people first, put up a notice to find someone who recognized them to identify the body, and ordered someone to put the woman and Splashy back first, telling him that the two were ready to summon at any time, and then ordered someone to pick up Chen Ba and Li Dadao, and carry the deceased to Yamen Yizhuang, while Chen Ba and Li Dadao stayed in Wuli Shop first, secretly monitoring the inn couple and Na Splashi for any changes.

After the Song prefect made arrangements, Xie Ci and Lao Zhao Tou went back to the rest place to take a breath.

Xie Ci did not go back to the rest place, but sent the black dog to the government doctor and asked the government doctor for treatment.

The Duan Mansion naturally made a fuss, and the Wu family came to the door almost every day, using the words that Xiao Su couldn't stay out of the matter to force her to find a way.

Xiao Su was already very tired, she glared at Wu directly, and the color on her face changed and changed, "Sister-in-law, don't worry, this is the good thing that the slut in the ninth room and those two little evil beasts did!" A room full of sluts! What can't climb into the old man's bed actually dares to go against the Su family! How long has it been since the ninth room went? How did those people turn against the sky! The second brother must be fine. ”

Wu piled up tears: "Sister-in-law, don't you know what your ninth aunt is capable of, and coaxed those Diao slaves to correct your second brother." She is a woman, and she is so resolute and ruthless, it is said that this is just a matter of the Duan and Su families, just make it clear behind closed doors, even if your second brother does something wrong, study the research method in private, and compensate for it, how can you sue the yamen at once? ”

Xiao Su narrowed his eyes and sneered: "Where is the Shen family's slut ruthless, I'm afraid that Duan Ling'er's little evil animal is the culprit." ”

Wu Shicai doesn't care who came up with the idea in the ninth room, what she wants is Su Lao'er's safety. Wu hurriedly grabbed Xiao Su's hand: "Sister-in-law, as the saying goes, if you break a bone, you have to connect the tendons, our two families are in-laws, and they are relatives of Zhenzhen'er, how can we do such a thing to our own people?" Sister-in-law, you must think about it

Way! I heard that the aunt in the capital is also in Yangzhou now, you go and beg her...... You go and ask her, she will definitely agree, and put pressure on the Jiufang side to withdraw the paper. If you ask in detail, let's say that it is the Shen family and they united with those Diao slaves to wronged your brother. As long as she's willing to nod, your brother will be able to release it soon. Sister-in-law, you and I and that aunt are all members of the Su family, and we can always discuss big things. ”

Xiao Su watched his sister-in-law's lips turn up and down, and the handkerchief in his hand was twisted and almost broken.

Yes, if she wants to come and go, she can only ask the eldest lady at this time, and this matter must not alarm the master.

Xiao Su stood up suddenly when he thought of this, and immediately called Lin Chun in, combed his hair, changed into more decent clothes, left Wu here, and hurriedly went to find the eldest lady.

Walking to the front of the eldest lady's courtyard, Chaeming was cleaning.

"Where's the eldest lady?" Lin Chun ran in and inquired.

Cai Ming glanced at Xiao Su standing at the door, and said, "Sixth aunt, Madam has gone to the main hall, why don't you wait here, and the slave will serve you tea." ”

Xiao Su couldn't wait for half an hour, she waved her hand, and hurried to the main hall with Linchun in a hurry.

At this time, in the main hall, the servants all lowered their heads and did not dare to come out.

Duan Ling'er quietly and neatly gave all the evidence and witness testimony to Duan Tianya and the eldest lady one by one.

The ground was in shambles, and the eldest lady's celadon cup fell into a puddle of tea on the ground, and it had broken into several pieces.

Duan Xiao was sitting quietly on the circle chair under the eldest lady, her beautiful face had no anger or any timidity, as if everything in front of her had nothing to do with her.

The housekeeper and the maid quickly cleaned up the broken porcelain pieces and tea, hanging their necks one by one, not even daring to lift their eyes.

The sun shone on everyone's faces, everyone's expressions were different, and the birdsong outside sounded a little frightening at this time.

The eldest lady was already trembling with anger, and she pointed at the account book and testimony with her finger and said, "Sister Ling, are these true? ”

Duan Ling'er sat on the circle chair opposite Duan Xiao, behind the flourishing Qiong tree outside, there was a deep green shade, and a piece of that thick shade was cast at Duan Ling'er's feet, as if there was a dark cyan bamboo mat there.

Duan Ling'er's eyes were very bright, she looked at the eldest lady and said: "Mother, every sentence in the pleadings is true, as for these ledgers and testimonies, only part of the original was copied, and all the originals are still placed in the yamen." ”

The eldest lady thought a thousand times for a moment, she thought for a moment and stared at the Shen family and said, "Since there are these things, why don't you come to tell the master and me first, but directly report to the yamen?" You act like this, not only do not meet the requirements of the family rules, but also now keep the lord in the dark and decide privately, do you still have the lord and mother of the family in your eyes? What's more, wouldn't this be a family scandal? ”

Duan Yu sat next to Duan Ling'er, and when he saw that the eldest lady was about to reprimand his mother again, he slanted over his fair and beautiful face, and took a step forward to Duan Tianya and the eldest lady: "The tenants and the good slaves are boiling with grievances, although my mother and sister and I are the masters, we also know that there will be a big problem if the people's grievances accumulate to burst, if you come to tell your parents first, those tenants and good slaves will definitely be afraid of the maintenance of the Duan Mansion and dare not come to testify, if they don't come, the second child of the Su family will have no witness for the bad things he has done over the years." ”