Oh, by the way, there is also a wooden hairpin between the skull of this skeleton against the wall. As Officer Cao spoke, he looked back and took out the preserved hairpin and handed it to Xu Chu.

Xu Chu took it and took a look, this hairpin is not brilliant, I don't know what kind of wood it is, there is an auspicious cloud map on it, and it looks like a fairy cloud, which is very unworldly. She reassembled the hairpin and returned it to Cao Inspector, and she was not good at tracing the history of the lines on the hairpin and speculating on the identity of the deceased.

After all, the ruler is long and the inch is short, and this kind of thing that requires profound knowledge and vision is more suitable for Xiao Qinglang.

Thinking of this, Xu Chu no longer bothered about the wooden hairpin. She looked back at the guards who had just come out of the dark room together and said, "Trouble one of the two, go to the place where the skeleton was found, and retrieve some of the dirt from the wall where it was leaning or sitting. ”

With that, she handed the guard who was close to her two oil-paper packets.

"Remember, it must be the place where the corpse has touched. If there is any remnants of cloth nearby, bring them back with you. ”

The guard was originally the person next to Xiao Qinglang, and he often followed Xiao Qinglang to investigate the case, so he didn't have much taboo about what Xu Chu said. He gave up, took the oiled paper bag, and walked quickly down to the dark room.

Such an unhesitating attitude made Xu Chu's mood better.

"The bones showed no signs of damage and no other excessive features. The only thing that is known is that the person suffers from dwarfism. ”

The autopsy was carried out all day, and even at noon, Xu Chu never stopped to rest.

After examining the body, she followed Xiao Qinglang to the room on the north side of the same courtyard. According to Tang Qiaozheng's reply, he found the clothes worn by the Taoist priest in that room. And the incense burner and tea cup in the room are readily available. According to Tang Qiaozheng's account, the incense burner in the room was still warm, the fragrance was misty, and the bedding was messy, and someone was obviously staying in the room overnight.

On the way to the north room, Tang Qiao was concisely informing Xiao Qinglang of the news he had found.

"There is a courtyard in the other courtyard, just because Dong Ruiyang has already ordered the people below, if it is not for the Taoist people's orders, they must not approach his courtyard. Therefore, the nursing homes generally rarely go this way, even if Dong Ruiyang brings his subordinates to live temporarily, they will also send the nursing homes and maids and servants far away. ”

"That's why they just hesitated and didn't come near here after hearing the screams last night. Even if it collapsed, they only watched from a distance for a long time, until a villager came to check on and help."

"Most of the nurses were in the prime of life in the village, so when they found out that something was wrong, they went straight home. It also caused a huge courtyard, and there was no one to guard the courtyard for the Dong family. Only the steward here is left, and he goes to the city to report the news. ”

Xiao Qinglang frowned and listened, "That is, no one saw any suspicious people approaching the Danfang?" ”

Tang Qiaozheng nodded.

"Who takes care of the food, clothing, housing and transportation of that person in ordinary times?"

Most of his meals are delivered regularly by the Beijing Restaurant. As for the clothes and bedding, when Dong Ruiyang came, he sent the people below to prepare them. As for the medicinal powder and the like, it seems that a Taoist disciple from his fellow sect sent it, but because of taboos, the nurses have not seen the true face of that person. It's just that someone has touched the back of him leaving, and it is speculated that the man is about six feet long, and the rest is unknown."

Taoist

Xiao Qinglang pondered for a moment and said, "Later, you send someone nearby to inquire, if that so-called Taoist disciple really sends him the medicinal stones used in alchemy from time to time, there will always be people nearby who have encountered them." After a pause, he advised, "If the farmers in the neighborhood can't ask about the situation, then go to the village and find some women and old women who like to talk about the rights and wrongs of others, and lure them with money."

There is no shortage of curious people anywhere, especially for peasant women who have no pastime, and the greatest pleasure is probably to talk about rare things when they get together to do needlework.

If you talk about the rarity of this village, in addition to the needle and thread, it is the other courtyard that is mysterious and can be related to the royal family. Therefore, Xiao Qinglang guessed that there must be some women who want to be top-notch and pay attention to this side from time to time.

Tang Qiaozheng nodded in response, and secretly sorted out the prince's thoughts, and sure enough, Jiang was still old and spicy.

As they spoke, they arrived at the main house on the north side, which was obviously inhabited.

The room is divided into inner and outer rooms, and there are beaded curtains and screens to separate, and the gold and silver utensils are intertwined where the eye enters, and there are jade embellishments. In the enamel glazed vase with a height of more than one person on the side, there are several peacock feathers inserted crookedly, revealing a royal blue luster, which shows its preciousness.

On the wall, there is a large landscape map, and there is also a Danding faction alchemy ascension map. Coupled with the beautiful aroma, it looks really a bit extravagant. If it weren't for the traces of some messy struggles on the ground, I was afraid that Xu Chu would mistakenly think that he had entered the realm of illusion.

Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu glanced at each other, and went back and forth to the inner room. But I saw that the inner room was covered with dark red carpets with woven flowers, and when I stepped on it, I only felt soft and light, and I enjoyed it very much.

Xu Chu raised his eyebrows and sighed, he didn't expect that a Taoist would enjoy it better than Xiao Qinglang, a prince. Or in other words, the Dong family really made a lot of money when they built this courtyard.

Inexplicably, she remembered that when she watched Dream of Red Mansions, she returned to her home to save her feelings after Yuanchun became a concubine. In order to welcome the imperial concubine, Jiafu built a lot of construction, and it is said that every stitch and thread is extremely extravagant.

Probably all the wealthy families of all dynasties have similar experiences, such as Jiafu, or the Dong family, which is only a generation of power.

Just when she sighed, Xiao Qinglang still walked to the bedside.

"There are Taoist clothes hanging on the hanger, and wooden hairpins and hair bands are placed on the desk, which is enough to infer that the person resting here should be a Taoist." Xiao Qinglang casually flipped through the Dao robe, and after a while, raised his eyebrows and said, "Xuanyang Daoist." ”

Xu Chu's eyes swept over, and sure enough, on the collar of the Dao robe under his fingers, he found the Dao number of the Xuanyang Daoist.

"The bed is messy, there are obvious traces of trampling on it, and there are traces of short blade piercing on the pillow, which shows that someone suddenly appeared and attacked the Xuanyang Dao people."

There were traces of such a violent fight and struggle, but the table next to the bed did not fall. Based on this, it is not difficult to deduce that the person who attacked did not leave a chance for the Xuanyang Daoist to escape at all, and only held him hostage in bed.

Judging by the degree to which the blade pierced the pillow, it was obvious that the comer had murderous intent. However, there was no blood on the bed, that is, the Xuanyang Dao people were not injured, or someone came to replace the bedding.

Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu squatted down together to check the traces on the bed.

"The gold silk embroidered quilt is a good silk inside, which is not something that ordinary people can buy. Even if someone can raise the silver, I am afraid that it will take some time to weave such a brocade quilt. And there are messy knife marks and dead drag marks on it, so you can basically confirm that the thing has not been replaced. ”

Compared with Xu Chu, Xiao Qinglang is more familiar with these things. Since he said so, the preciousness of this thing is something that non-powerful people can consume.

And Xuanyang Daoist, I am afraid that it is also stained with the light of Dong Ruiyang's desire to reshape the man and the root, so that Dong Ruiyang is willing to hand over all resources to him.

The gold wire on the back looms under the light and shadow, and it is very beautiful with a bit of streamer. Xu Chu couldn't help but take a few more looks, she always felt that something was wrong.

Xiao Qinglang saw that she was deep in thought, and did not interrupt her thoughts, but just glanced at the broken gold thread with a blank look, and then cast his gaze to the side.

The doors and windows in the house have not been damaged, and it can be basically inferred that the person who came must be someone who is extremely familiar with the layout of the other courtyard or the room where the Xuanyang Dao people live. Even, it is very likely that he is a person who is familiar with Xuanyang Dao, so that he entered the door without letting Xuanyang Dao people be vigilant.

And among the people who know now, the only person who can be called a familiar person of Xuanyang Dao, except for Dong Ruiyang, I am afraid that only the mysterious Taoist disciple is left.

Just when he cleared his mind, he heard Xu Chu's voice suddenly in his ears.

"There is a different color in the fracture of this gold wire."

As soon as she opened her mouth like this, the corners of Xiao Qinglang's mouth were slightly hooked. At the same time, it also made Tang Qiaozheng look over, maybe the gold wire was too thin, so if he didn't look carefully, he was afraid that it would be difficult to detect.

"Isn't this a fake gold thread?" Tang Qiao was frowning, what he said was not impossible. Because gold wire is extremely rare, not to mention the requirements for embroiderers, there are often people on the market who replace gold wire with silk threads of similar color.

Moreover, some embroiderers will also cut corners and mix side objects in the gold wire to replace them in order to steal the gold of the master's house.

Xiao Qinglang shook his head, stood around his chest and said, "It's real gold, no doubt." ”

After getting his confirmation, Xu Chu suddenly said with a clear mind, "Then there is an explanation, maybe the person who wants to take the life of the Xuanyang Daoist is the Taoist disciple who sent him the medicine stone."

"How is this possible?" Tang Qiaozheng subconsciously retorted, after all, Daoists should be attached to Xuanyang Dao people. If something happens to the Xuanyang Daoist, then the Daoist will no longer have a good background, and even the most basic livelihood will be difficult to sustain.

Xiao Qinglang glanced at him, squinted his eyes and said, "There is nothing impossible in the world. ”

Xu Chu saw that Tang Qiaozheng was still a little hesitant, so he explained, "If the golden thread is true, then this section of the golden thread that turned white should have been corroded by something." Normally, gold changes color when it encounters mercury. And mercury is a common thing used by Taoist priests in alchemy."

"Then it could also be carried by the Xuanyang Dao people themselves?"

"If it was brought back by the Xuanyang Dao people, it would be impossible for the gold wire on the quilt to change color only at the fracture."

Tang Qiaozheng looked at the gold thread embroidered on his face again, and finally had to admit that what Xu Chu said was very reasonable.

Later, several people checked the marks on the carpet. Because the carpet is soft, it does not leave a useful footprint. However, Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu still obviously collected some different things, like the crushed stone of ore and the ash stained with soil

When the sun sets, a group of people can complete the scene investigation.

Don't talk about Xu Chu, it's Ning Subai, who has been following Xiao Qinglang to ask questions and help record, is tired enough.

Therefore, when he saw Xiao Qinglang inviting Xu Chu to get into the carriage, he climbed up without saying a word, even though Xiao Mingzhu dragged him down with a cold face, he never let him move for half a minute.

Ning Subai saw that Xiao Mingzhu was about to whip, and hurriedly pulled the fur of the soft canopy on the carriage bench, and said with his neck bent, "I'm tired to death, I've been writing all day long, and my arm is going to be broken." Anyway, you're just going to kill me, and you don't think I'll follow you back to the city on horseback. ”

Xiao Mingzhu was angry and annoyed, tugging on his sleeve and saying angrily, "You are still not a man, you only wrote a few words, and you chirped crookedly and shouted tired." Sister Chu and I have examined the corpse for a whole day."

Ning Subai cried and mourned, buried his head in the snow-white fur in pain, and shouted, "Lao Tzu is not a man yet, Lao Tzu is now a child!" ”

Xiao Mingzhu heard that he actually said such high-sounding and unashamed words in order to rub the carriage, and immediately turned pale, and muttered indignantly, "Be kind as a donkey's liver and lungs, wait for the third uncle to teach you a lesson." ”

After speaking, she didn't care about Ning Subai anymore, and jumped out of the carriage directly. As soon as she got out of the carriage, she saw Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu who wanted to get on the carriage, she stuck out her tongue and said, "Third uncle, I can't help you, the one inside is cheating." ”

With that, she jumped and ran to her own horse.

In fact, according to the normal situation, Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu should also ride back to the city at this time. It was only because Xu Chu had been a corpse for a whole day and had not entered the water, so Xiao Qinglang was worried that she was physically exhausted, so he ordered someone to find a carriage.

After getting into the carriage, Xiao Qinglang's gaze swept slightly, making Ning Subai, who was still holding his neck just now, not afraid, shrink his neck in an instant.

He put down the fur in his hand, rubbed his butt reluctantly, and finally moved from the comfortable and fluffy seat to the somewhat narrow bench beside him.

Xu Chu saw that he was in the carriage, so he gestured slightly to Xiao Qinglang, and then avoided the main seat and sat on the bench opposite Ning Subai.

Xiao Qinglang's expression froze, and he took a deep breath and sat down. It was only after the carriage had slowly moved that he leaned in and took out a food box from under the desk.

"There are some refreshments here, which I bought when the carriage came, and it should still be warm at this time, so you can fill your stomach first. Later, I'm afraid that I will have to go to the Three Law Divisions to sort out today's case files before I can go to dinner. ”

Without waiting for Xiao Qinglang to take out a plate of dim sum with a smile in his eyes, he saw Ning Subai clapping his hands excitedly and said, "Oh, Lord Wang, I used to think that you were an inhuman Hades, but I didn't expect you to treat your subordinates so intimately, it seems that I really blame you." ”

As he spoke, he directly picked up the food box and opened it.

"Hey, it's still Zhou Ji's chestnut cake and jujube flower cake," he said to Xu Chu with a smile, "Lord Xu is blessed this time, these two pastries are extremely difficult to buy, if it weren't for Zhou Ji's dim sum to order, I'm afraid that people would have to line up from Zhou Ji to the city gate." ”

As soon as the words fell, he directly held the food box in one hand and put the snack plate on the table with the other, urging with great interest, "Lord Xu, Lord Xu, hurry up and eat, otherwise I will reach the Three Law Division in a while, I am afraid that such a good thing will not be enough." ”

Xu Chu looked at Ning Subai, who was familiar with him, a little stunned, and then looked at him with a happy look, and couldn't help but have a deeper understanding of the heart of this prince of the Protector's Mansion.

Well, he is not good at observing words and colors, and it can even be said that he has no eyes, no city, and is simple.

is comparable to the pearl when they first met, no wonder it makes Xiao Qinglang happy and hateful.

Such a person, if he is well taught, is a weapon of God. It can be impartial and selfless, not afraid of power, but also tactful, or wise and foolish.

Thinking so, Xu Chu glanced at Xiao Qinglang, whose face was faintly dark, and then took a piece of jujube cake and chewed it carefully.

In just an instant, the unique sweetness of jujube cake spreads all over the mouth, and then makes people feel a kind of timidity. It's as if this sweet taste has the power to dispel the solemn aura of the autopsy.

"Hey, this taste is different from ordinary jujube cake." Xu Chu took two bites, and then looked at Xiao Qinglang with some doubts.

Xiao Qinglang took a deep breath and said with a smile, "Well, I asked people to bring the materials to Zhou Ji to find the dim sum master." The jujube paste is made of the best jujube paste in the imperial dining room, and the honey is also a tribute, and some food is added to ward off the cold and evil spirits, so the taste is not so sweet but with a slight fragrance. ”

He has always paid attention to Xu Chu's food, but anything that can be beneficial to her body will be added without hesitation. If it weren't for the sudden big supplement, it would hurt the root, but I was afraid that he would be able to beg the imperial brother to feed all the precious supplements in his private treasury to Xu Chu.

Xu Chu didn't know that he had worked hard for his body, as early as when he was in Jinzhou City, Aunt Chu had made fun of her about it. At that time, she suddenly knew the inside story, and her heart was more than touched to describe it?

She never knew that there was a person who would be so concerned about the not very serious corpse poison in her body. Even the snacks were replaced by ginger candy and other things that he used to ward off the cold.

In fact, as a servant, especially in the Great Zhou Dynasty, where the conditions for protection and self-protection were not good, it was not a big deal to be contaminated with evil qi and corpse poison. Even she herself was accustomed to the occasional corpse fluid corroding her skin when examining a rotting corpse.

But even this risk was also remembered by him, so that he specially created a silk glove for her.

Just when she met Xiao Qinglang's faint and tender gaze, she heard Ning Subai stunned and said, "Lord Wang, it's just a plate of snacks, and it's worth your trouble." ”

As he spoke, he looked at the plate of dim sum and muttered, "Oh, this is worth a thousand gold." The ingredients used by the emperor are all excellent, and this son can eat two more bites."

As a result, the charming atmosphere dissipated in his muttering words, and was replaced by Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu's expressions of crying and laughing.

Xu Chu felt that if it weren't for Xiao Qinglang's good quality, he was afraid that he would be able to see his handsome face twitching.

After returning to the Three Law Division, Cao Xianguan directly took the official to put a dry corpse into the morgue of the Three Law Division.

Tang Qiaozheng and Sikong Han gathered in the main hall of the Three Law Divisions to discuss the case with Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu.

"Xia Guan has found out that the courtyard is owned by the eldest master of the Dong family, and he does often look for people from all walks of life to enter the mansion in the capital. Xia Guan secretly checked people's teeth and learned that every time he went to the Dong Mansion, the eldest man of the Dong family would choose some young girls with good faces to buy. Sikong Han replied, and after he warned the villagers who went to Jingzhao Yin to report to the official according to Xiao Qinglang's meaning, he privately investigated in the city. Moreover, according to the reports of the people planted by the Three Law Divisions in various gangs, it is said that in the past year, Master Dong has also bought young girls who are five or six years old from all walks of life. At that time, many people rumored that he had a hobby of love and childhood."

Xiao Qinglang looked at the record he handed over, his brows furrowed tightly, and his expression was very ugly. It can be seen that he has a very poor sense of Dong Ruiyang, the old man of Dong.

In addition, Xia Guan also found out that Dong Ruiyang has six wives and concubines, and he lingers in Fengyue places all year round. Among them, he especially pampered a charming woman named Feng Niang, it is said that Feng Niang is very good at room and is a rare stunner on the Fengyue field. Sikong Han tried his best to reorganize the news he found and tell it, in fact, the rumors in the flower building outside were even more unbearable, "And after Dong Ruiyang became her guest of the scene, he ransomed her and placed her in a house in the west of the city. ”

Tang Qiao was seeing him finish speaking, so he arched his hand and said, "The lower official arranged for people to dig in the collapsed house, and no other dead or injured people were found. However, under a rubble, Xia Guan found traces of gunpowder. ”

In other words, the collapse of the house was not a natural disaster or accident, but a man-made disaster.

Originally, they speculated that someone was refining the Dan, and the idea that the Dan furnace explosion caused and then harmed the house could not be established.