Zhang Youwei said as he took out a booklet and handed it over, "This is Liu Wengui's whereabouts within two months that the official has summarized according to the replies of the people below, and there is indeed nothing abnormal." ”

Xu Chu raised his eyes and glanced at Xiao Qinglang, but he didn't expect that he had already made arrangements. But it was really just right, she had guessed before, but she didn't want people to investigate deeply, she just wanted to investigate it herself.

That is, after working with Xiao Qinglang to investigate the case for a long time, she realized that her so-called thoughtfulness and thoughtfulness were still not as thoughtful as him. Just like now, even though he has hidden the identity of the prince and has not used the secret guards and palace guards to investigate the case, he can still be one step ahead of himself.

As soon as Zhang Youwei finished speaking, Wei Guang came in from outside the door, walked to Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu and said, "Son, Aunt Chu has already checked the gastric juice taken out of the corpse by the girl and confirmed that there is no poison reaction in it. ”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Youwei, who was just about to drink the soup, shook his hand, and the spoon hit the edge of the bowl. Inexplicably, he looked at the milky white soup on his hands and sprinkled with a layer of coriander leaves, and it was a little difficult to swallow.

Xiao Mingzhu didn't see Xu Chu inspect the carrion corpse, so he didn't feel anything. Therefore, not only did she not have a nausea, but she also wanted to continue to listen to Xu Chu's analysis with great interest.

Sure enough, after Xu Chu heard this, she frowned unconsciously, and after thinking for a while, she resummarized the case.

"The deceased is not Liu Zhen's, and now it seems that the biggest possibility should be Taohong. Whether Liu Wengui knew about this matter or not, he also hid it from us. ”

"First of all, it is already a strange thing for Peach to flee without any signs and shadows, not to mention that a person who wants to flee the Liu family with a huge amount of property, how can he be in the mood to ask someone to watch needlework for a few days? Moreover, Taohong and Zhu'er, who are both official slaves, are completely two kinds of people in the eyes of the Liu family, one has strong eyesight and excellent temperament, and the other is rough and irrational and very lonely. Not to mention Liu Zhen's feelings for Taohong, it is extremely unreasonable to say that after Taohong, he promoted the rough subordinate Zhu'er in the name of remembering the old love. And a lady who treats the rude pearl so well, and doesn't dislike her for not being able to serve properly, can I guess that there is a cat in it? Xu Chu gestured his fingers twice on the table to straighten out his thoughts. It was really this wind chill that made her exhausted, and she always felt very depressed.

"And the crime was not for robbery at the beginning, otherwise the clothes on the deceased would not be worth any money. Taking a step back, even if the murderer was worried that the clothes and shoes would be difficult to get into trouble, then why did he still leave the gold ring, bracelets, jade buttons, pearls and other objects inlaid on the shoes on the hands of the deceased? ”

"On this premise, what we need to continue to verify is why the murderer took great pains to cut off the body of the deceased and hide it in the car, and changed into Liu Zhen's clothes without three hundred taels of silver here. What is the significance of faking death and escaping for Liu Zhen's? ”

If it is said that Liu Zhen intends to find a concubine to elope, and has already hidden his belongings to put the charge on Taohong, then why is there no rumor or trace at all? Liu Zhen is an orphan, so there is no such thing as coming into contact with a foreign man when he returned to his parents' home, and then he had immoral feelings. In the Liu family, she never sees foreign men easily, and mostly gathers with official families or merchants' wives. When I went out of the house, I was also delivered by car, and someone was waiting by my side.

Under such conditions, she really couldn't suspect that Liu Zhen had an outside heart.

Leaving aside this suspicion, she continued: "Now that it has been verified, the carriage itinerary that day should be to send Liu Wengui to rest overnight on the outskirts of the city on the Zhuangzi the day before. Early the next morning, he went back to his home to pick up Liu Zhen and Zhu'er, and was robbed halfway. Then the coachman was knocked unconscious, and the old man pulling the cart pulled the unconscious coachman and a headless female corpse back to Liu's house. ”

Xu Chu recounted the news he got from the coachman, and then paused for a moment and said, "I have checked the coachman's wounds, and they are indeed extremely serious, if it weren't for the deviation of the person who did it, I am afraid it would have killed him for half of his life." ”

By implication, she didn't think the coachman was lying. What's more, under the gaze of himself and Xiao Qinglang at that time, although the coachman was restrained in his words and nervous, he had no traces of lying and expression.

"How did Pink's body get into the carriage? Where was the beheaded? Were Liu Zhen and Zhu'er taken away, or did they have another place to stay? On the way to the temple, it shouldn't be possible that there is no one without it, if Liu Zhen gets off the car, isn't he afraid of being discovered? The more Xiao Mingzhu listened, the more she felt that there was a cloud in the clouds, as if there was a bunch of mysteries covering her eyes, making her unable to guess and full of curiosity.

Xu Chu didn't rush to answer, after all, even if she had connected everything together, she had guessed the whole story. But until she got the evidence to solve the mystery, all this was just speculation on her part.

Zhang Youwei also wanted to ask these questions, but before he could open his mouth, he was asked by Miss Chu and the girl brought back by Zhou Gongzi. So, he could only quietly shut his mouth in displeasure.

Even if he doesn't like to flatter and act with people's eyes, he also understands that Miss Chu probably attaches great importance to this girl with a detached temperament. He didn't want to see the scene of Si Chen, but he also knew that now the case still had to rely on Miss Chu's help, so even if he disliked it in his heart, he didn't say anything unpleasant.

"So the key is in the suburbs of the city." Xiao Qinglang saw that Xu Chu finished speaking, so he pondered for a moment and said, "Besides, I don't know if Lord Zhang can get back the accounts of the Liu family's business?" ”

"Hey, the official has already taken it back, although it took some twists and turns, but in the end it was also obtained. It's just that the official asked the master to look through it, and he didn't find any shady business for Liu Wengui. Childe's family is in business, and I also know that many merchants will prepare two sets of accounts for the government's use. When he mentioned this, Zhang Youwei couldn't help but sigh. He really didn't understand what this Zhou Gongzi wanted to do with a pile of accounts that he knew were fake.

Generally speaking, ledgers are merchant secrets and are rarely read. Even if it is taken out, it is probably a modified account. He knew this, and others should know about it.

Xiao Qinglang got what he wanted to hear, so he didn't say much, but changed the topic and asked, "My lord, I don't know if there are any spare rooms in the yamen?" ”

Without waiting for Zhang Youwei to speak, he saw that Xiao Mingzhu had already raised his head in protest, "I haven't seen Sister Chu for a long time, so naturally I want to sleep with her." ”

"But your sister Chu has a cold, so she has to rest." Xiao Qinglang is still quite patient with his niece. Of course, it is unknown whether it is the reason for Xu Chu.

Xiao Qinglang's expression remained unchanged, and it seemed to be still as usual, but his breath was inexplicably cold. He put away the dishes and chopsticks that had not moved much, and then looked at Xiao Mingzhu with a smile and said: "Yesterday, the two brothers just came with letters, and both of them are very concerned about your whereabouts, and I hope that as a daughter, you can be at home safely......

His words made Zhang Youwei particularly agree, and they joined it together again and again. As a county magistrate, he naturally hopes that the people under his jurisdiction will be in order, and there will be differences between men and women inside and outside, and women should be virtuous and virtuous. As for Miss Chu and the like, they were naturally an exception and were not within his scope of consideration.

Xiao Mingzhu was squeezed by two big men, and she was instantly unhappy, but it was her third uncle who took the lead, even if she was depressed, she didn't dare to attack. So, she was pretty and bright, so she could only pout her lips and poke the dried vegetables in the bowl a few times as if she were deflated.

Xu Chu only felt funny when he saw her appearance, such a proud girl of heaven who obviously likes to be coquettish, but she is never rude and willful. On the contrary, it is delicate and clear, which makes her heart soft. So, Xu Chu, who was not used to resting in the same bed with others, made an exception again and said: "Since Mingzhu is willing to live with me, then you have to get up early tomorrow." ”

Xiao Mingzhu didn't expect to turn around, and suddenly felt happy, squinted his eyes and gave his third uncle a smug look, and then nodded with a smile, "Okay, I'll go out with you tomorrow." ”

Zhang Youwei looked stunned, and said thoughtfully: "Son, girl, we will go to the outskirts of the city tomorrow because of something important, and human life should not be taken lightly." Is there something wrong with letting this girl follow? ”

Xiao Qinglang calmly tightened his sleeves, and then got up to leave. And Xu Chu said patiently: "It's okay, Mingzhu has a pure heart, and he can be regarded as half of my apprentice, maybe he can be better than the blue in the future." Adults don't have to worry, I will teach her well, and she won't cause trouble. ”

With her explanations and assurances, even if Zhang Youwei is still unsteady, he is not good at what to say.

After the three of them left the flower hall where the back government had dinner, they went all the way across the courtyard. It had only been an hour since they entered the house, and the first thin snow had already spread a thin layer on the ground. The illumination of the colorful lights makes the quiet and quiet of the snowy night a little warmer.

The halo of water fell on Xiao Qinglang, who was walking in front, in a trance and nothingness, making Xu Chu feel like he was in a dream for a while. She had a sentence with Xiao Mingzhu beside her, unconsciously looking at the broad and solid back in front of her, and unconsciously became a little distracted.

In fact, she is not conscious now, as if she is casually walking the path he has walked, just seeking a moment of steadiness.

"Hey, Sister Chu, why do you always walk in the footprints of the third uncle?" Xiao Mingzhu, who was particularly excited on Twitter, suddenly said as if she wanted to find something strange as she walked. made Xu Chu's temples jump suddenly, and then his whole face became a little hot.

She looked down and saw that her petite feet were indeed in a huge footprint. In a trance, she seemed to feel several pairs of eyes passing over at the same time, as well as the deep but smiling eyes of the leader.

She gathered her clothes, didn't look at others, and only forced herself to calm down: "The road is slippery in snowy days, and it's not easy to fall down when you step on your footprints!" ”

After speaking, Xu Chu, who was already red-skinned, waved his hand and said, "Since I have arrived, then I won't delay Childe's time again, and Childe will rest early tonight." ”