Time is in a flash, and this year's Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon.

In the county office of Qingyang County, Chang'an held an invitation card in his hand, walked around three times outside the county master's study, stomped his feet and lifted the curtain and walked in.

The young adult, dressed in an official uniform at this time, was sitting at the desk reading the paperwork and case files, and when he saw Chang'an coming in, he didn't say a word, his expression was neither happy nor angry, and he looked extremely indifferent.

"My lord, this is an invitation sent by Lord Qian from the state capital just now, please take a look!"

The young adult suddenly looked up at Chang'an, immediately lowered his head again, continued to look at the Chinese scroll in his hand, and said coldly for a long time: "Can I not read it and not go?"

Chang'an frowned: "My lord, Lord Qian is your top boss, although this invitation is called the Mid-Autumn Festival Moon Appreciation, in fact, Lord Qian's own birthday has arrived, and he wants the lower-level bureaucrats to give him birthday gifts, if the Lord doesn't go, it is clear that he doesn't take Lord Zhou Mansion in his eyes, and our seven-grade sesame official is not easy to do!"

The young adult threw away the scroll in his hand in an uproar: "Chang'an, this seven-rank sesame official, I really don't want to do it." I want to open my face, my father died early when I was a child, my mother raised me alone with hard work, relying on a little family property left by my ancestors for a living, studying hard for more than ten years, the title of the gold list, and the Qingyang County Order was ordered by the grace of the imperial court, which was originally to ask for the people's life and benefit one party, but as soon as I took office, I saw that there was nowhere to apply for unjust cases, officials colluded, I was a seven-grade sesame official, I was threatened, and there was no way to appeal, what does it mean for me to be this official? simply tore his face, made a big fuss, resigned and returned to his hometown. ”

"But my lord, although Chang'an has little reading, according to my opinion, doing so is actually like a child's temper, not a manly husband. You think, that Lord Qian has long seen that you are not pleasing to the eye, I wish you had gone wrong and left, if you yourself are rash, wouldn't you hand the knife to others to be slaughtered, besides, you also said, the old lady has worked hard to raise you to adulthood, seeing that you have become a court official today, according to her old man's character, I hope you will make a difference for the people and the country, since you took office, you have become more and more self-abandoned, the old lady does not say it, and is anxious, you also have to think about the old lady, you should cheer up, even if it is against the power, You also have to resist, stay in the green mountains, don't be afraid of no firewood, as long as you have the heart to ask for the people's life, you should keep your official position, and there will always be a chance to benefit one party. ”

Chang'an's words and righteous words, Pu Kaiyan couldn't help but look at the county government official in front of him who was the same age as himself, didn't read much, but he was familiar with him at first sight, and his heart was the same, and he was in awe for a moment. He pondered for a long time and nodded: "Chang'an, what you said reminded me, it seems that Master Qian has to go to the Mid-Autumn Festival to enjoy the moon and birthday, even if we give him a needle, we have to drink him well!"

Chang'an nodded and smiled: "My lord, it's right for you to think so, when the time comes, Chang'an will accompany you, two people will drink more wine than one person, Chang'an is a well-known pot-bellied man who can eat, if you don't eat and drink his pot, I'm sorry for the grievances in your heart!"

The two looked at each other and smiled, and for the first time, the young county magistrate Pu Kaiyan's face had a smile on his face.

But in an instant, Pu Kaiyan asked again: "Chang'an, then you said that we are going to enjoy the moon and drink, what is better to give to Lord Qian, we can't really take a needle!"

Chang An scratched his head and said with a flash of inspiration: "My lord, I have a good idea, isn't the old lady a superb cook?" Especially to make moon cakes and dim sum, why don't you go and ask the old lady to make some moon cakes and longevity peaches, we don't have to spend much money, I met the Lord Qian, and specially told him that this was made by the old lady herself, no matter how unhappy Lord Qian is, he can't get angry in front of everyone, don't you say? The old lady was happy to see that you were willing to have a good relationship with your boss, didn't she, so you have an explanation on both sides, right? ”

Pu Kaiyan clapped his hands: "Chang'an, your idea is very good, I'll go and ask the old lady to make moon cakes and longevity peaches!"

Mid-Autumn Festival, flowers are full moon, and thousands of families are reunited!

Qingzhou Mansion, which is 100 miles away from Qingyang County, has been lit up three days ago, and the state capital Qian Daren released the rumors, because this year's Qingzhou wind and rain are smooth, the five grains are abundant, and it happens that the Mid-Autumn Festival is the birthday of Qian Daren, so as the parents of the state government, he should prepare a thin banquet to entertain the bureaucrats in the jurisdiction, comfort his colleagues for their hard work in public affairs for a year, and celebrate the harvest with the people.

Pu Kaiyan and Chang'an rushed to Qianfu in the afternoon of this day, when the sunset had already dropped to the top of the West Mountain. The two got off the horse in front of the mansion, Chang'an took out a big food box from behind the saddle, the master and servant looked at each other, and saw that each other's lips were chapped and dusty, and they couldn't help but smile at each other. ——The two of them went on the road before dawn in the morning, and they didn't eat a mouthful of food or drink a mouthful of water along the way, just to let Master Qian see the sincerity of their coming all the way.

The entrance of Qianfu is full of traffic at the moment, the guests are like a tide, it is time to have a banquet and admire the moon in the evening, Pu Kaiyan took Chang'an to squeeze into the guests, and came to the main hall along the main entrance of Qianfu's magnificent and luxurious main entrance. The main hall is really full of flowers at this time, the guests are full, and Lord Qian Yanzhong, who is over fifty years old, and his wife in the main room are sitting on the main hall, and there are several concubines wearing red and green standing next to them, and Pu Kaiyan feels uncomfortable for a while.

He couldn't bear the unhappiness in his heart, took advantage of the fact that the house was full of guests at this time, and Chang'an squeezed to Lord Qian, and bent down to make a big salute: "My lord, in Qingyang County, I ordered Pu to open my face, and specially came from Qingyangyang to enjoy the moon for the adult, because my mother learned that the Mid-Autumn Festival happened to be the birthday of the adult, in order to show respect for the adult, I cooked some moon cakes and longevity peaches, and brought them to the adult, please taste it, Chang'an!"

Chang'an knelt beside Pu Kaiyan, immediately unwrapped the cloth outside the food box, and opened the food box.

At this time, the guests in the hall all set their eyes on the food box brought by Pu Kaiyan. In the food box, it is Pu's mother's hand-steamed moon cake longevity peach, only to see that the moon cake face is white and snowy, which is rolled with rose silk, and the top is decorated with the shape of the zodiac, one by one, lifelike, simple and lovely, and the six longevity peaches are even more white and red, bright and eye-catching, this moon cake longevity peach not only looks good-looking, smells also a burst of fragrance, mouth-watering. The guests in the hall didn't know what was going on, just to shoot Lord Qian's ass, and they all praised this moon cake longevity peach for being good.

Qian Yanzhong looked at the moon cakes and longevity peaches in this food box, and he couldn't say anything at this time when he was unhappy, so he could only force a smile and say lightly: "Master Pu's congratulatory gift, Qian Mouxin has received it!"

When Chang'an heard this, he immediately got up and put the food box on a table in the hall that was dedicated to congratulatory gifts for guests, and turned around and walked out of the main hall with Pu Kaiyan.

On both sides of the main hall, is the corridor wing of the Qian Mansion, at this time has already been put on the banquet, there are many guests, each seated, know the unknown are all saluted and greeting, Qingzhou gentry and magnates have taken this opportunity to make friends.

Pu Kaiyan and Chang'an sat down in a place close to the flower pavilion of the east corridor of Qianfu, and found a place with rich wine and food, and it was not too noticeable, behind this position was a flower garden, both of them were cloth and long shirts, and there were few people they knew in Qingzhou Mansion, so no one came to greet them. As soon as he sat down, Chang'an, who was already hungry and red-eyed, picked up the chopsticks and ate, Pu Kaiyan was already dizzy and hungry at this time, and he couldn't care about Sven, he picked up the chopsticks and buried his head in eating and drinking, remembering that although Lord Qian was unhappy with the birthday gift he gave just now, although he was not happy with the birthday gift he gave 10,000, but he couldn't show his dissatisfaction in front of everyone.

Just when the two of them were eating, a bright moon rose, reflecting in the pavilions, flower beds, and courtyards.

"This Lord Qian's mansion is really magnanimous!" Chang'an ate and drank almost, put down the chopsticks, looked up to admire the moon, and couldn't help but sigh.

Pu Kaiyan also raised his head to admire the moon, but he didn't care about the luxury of the Qian Mansion.

Chang'an turned around, but saw Pu Kaiyan's side, I don't know when, sat a person in a brown robe, this person wore a black satin melon skin hat, two mustaches, should have a good look, but on the left cheek, there was a black mole half the size of a broad bean, and there were two mole hairs on the mole.

The man held a folding fan in his hand and shook it gently, while raising his glass to drink, looking leisurely and complacent. Pu Kaiyan looked at Chang'an with an incorrect expression, followed his eyes, and saw this person, so he raised his hand and saluted, and the man also returned the salute, still drinking and eating by himself.

Pu Kaiyan was in a good mood at this time, and couldn't help but say: "Tonight's Mid-Autumn Moon is really complete!" ”

The brown man smiled faintly: "The moon in the sky is complete, but most of the things in the world are incomplete, this Mid-Autumn Festival, that is, the rich and powerful people drink and listen to music when they are in a child's mood, ordinary people, lack of food and clothing, the mood to appreciate the moon, people in the world have joys and sorrows, so it is not complete!" ”

When Pu Kaiyan heard this, he couldn't help but take a closer look at him, although he felt that he spoke like myself, with a belly full of whining and cynicism, but he was very temperamental with himself. couldn't help but pour a glass of wine: "Brother Tai, listening to you say such things, you are also a righteous person, I will toast you a glass below!" ”

The brown-clothed man did not shirk, and raised his glass: "Master Pu looks down on the small, I am a grass people, what is just and unjust, living in this world, it is a great luck to be able to have a life of peace."

Pu Kaiyan was already a little drunk, and followed the words of the man in brown and said, "Then I wish you a safe life and all the best, come, let's do this cup!" ”

The brown-clothed man was also happy, the two of them came and went and drank a few glasses, but they were not happy, Pu Kaiyan proposed, the two of them made a fist and drank, and Chang'an supervised the battle on the side.

The three young people were so happy and speculative for a while that they forgot that this was in the Qian Mansion and at someone else's banquet.

When it is approaching, the bright moon has moved to Zhongtian, the Qian Mansion is still noisy, the banquet is very lively, in the distance, there is a Kunqu opera singing, the hole flute is whimpering, the singing is like a turn, it can be heard that it is singing a "Peony Pavilion".

Pu Kaiyan was already drunk and hazy at this time, holding a wine glass, and said to the drinking friend in front of him: "Brother Tai, I hit it off with you at first sight, and I drank this wine happily, dare to ask Brother Tai, respect the name!" ”

The brown-clothed man in front of him was also drunk, he looked at Pu Kaiyan with half-squinted eyes, and was about to open his mouth, but when he heard the direction of the middle hall, suddenly there was a commotion of people, and a person shouted loudly: "Come on, call the doctor quickly, hurry, Lord Qian, Lord Zhou is dizzy!" ”

When everyone heard the commotion, they all got up and rushed to the direction of the middle hall in a panic, Pu Kaiyan was also stunned, he didn't know what was going on, and the two people in Chang'an got up and looked around, only to see three or four people who looked like housekeepers and servants of the Qian Mansion running from the direction of the middle hall, and rushed to a sixty-year-old man who was sitting and drinking, picked up the old man and left, while shouting: "Get out of the way, let Dr. Kong go and treat Lord Qian Zhou!" ”

Pu Kaiyanjiu suddenly woke up halfway, although he didn't want to have too much entanglement with the affairs of the Qian Mansion, but out of curiosity, he also followed everyone to the direction of the main hall, and Chang'an followed closely behind him, wanting to know what happened to the Qian Mansion.

In the main hall, Dr. Kong, who arrived in a hurry, pushed away a bunch of people in a circle, Pu Kaiyan looked at Dr. Kong's back, and saw a table of wine banquets in the main hall, full of delicacies from the mountains and seas, but Lord Qian, who was sitting on the main seat, was half-leaning in the Taishi chair at this time, his body was stiff, and next to him was Lord Cheng Zhou, who was idle in Qingzhou, who was also stiff and slumped on the chair, with white foam flowing from the corners of his mouth. Looking at it again, the diners at this table turned out to be all in one posture, all slumped on the chairs, foaming at the mouth, except for Lord Qian Zhou, Lord Zhou's nephew, Qingzhou Defense Captain Zhou Tieren, as well as Lord Qian's wife and a concubine, a total of five people are in the same situation.

"My lord, this money lord and they, did they eat something in this banquet and were poisoned!" Chang'an muttered quietly next to Pu Kaiyan.

Pu Kaiyan was also shocked at this time, he sighed lightly, and Chang'an stopped talking. The two of them watched with bated breath as Dr. Kong took Lord Qian's pulse with a solemn expression, looked at his pupils again, and went to Lord Zhou to also check his pulse, and said to the servant of the Qian Mansion next to him: "Lord Qian and Lord Zhou are poisoned, and now they still have breath, so quickly carry them to the bed in the back bedroom, and quickly use emetics to induce vomiting." ”

Five or six servants hurriedly lifted the five of them up and went to the side room next to the main hall, and Dr. Kong followed behind, except for the close family members of Lord Qian, everyone was stopped outside.

"Lord Qian, Lord Zhou, this is obviously poisoned......"

"There are so many wine banquets, why are the people at this table alone poisoned......

"I'm not going to have a problem......

……

The frightened guests gathered together at this time, talking a lot, some people took advantage of the chaos, ready to go out, wanted to leave the place of right and wrong, but was stopped by a shout: "All the guests, no one is allowed to leave, wait for me to find out the truth, everyone is not too late to leave!" ”

The person who spoke loudly was Zhu Qian, the commander of Qingzhou Mansion Weiqian, and it was a coincidence that Pu Kaiyan and this Zhu Qian and Zhu Qian had dealt with each other because of business trips, and at this time, Zhu Qian's eagle-like gaze swept over everyone in the hall, and suddenly fell on Pu Kaiyan and Chang'an in an instant. He stared at Pu Kaiyan for a moment, and then walked over: "If I'm not mistaken, you should be Lord Lingpu of Qingyang County!" ”

Commander Zhu Qian is from the sixth grade, one level higher than Pu Kaiyan, Pu Kaiyan saluted: "Lord Zhu, it is Pu Kaiyan below!" ”

Commander Zhu Qian looked at Pu Kaiyan coldly, suddenly turned around, and picked up a corner of Shou Tao from the table next to him: "Master Pu, this Shou Tao was specially brought by you from Qingyang, which is hundreds of miles away, to congratulate Lord Qian on his birthday, right?" ”

Pu Kaiyan nodded: "Yes, I brought it!" ”

General Zhu Qian sneered: "That's right, Lord Qian's mansion has prepared a thin banquet to entertain all the guests tonight, and all the food and drink are cooked by the chef of his own family, but this box of longevity peach mooncakes was brought by you Lord Pu, and besides, everyone looks ......at it."

Zhu Qian always pointed to the banquet in the main hall and said to everyone: "The longevity peach brought by Master Pu has been placed there, no one has touched it, only the table of Lord Qian and Lord Zhou, Mrs. In the process of the banquet, I remembered the longevity peach brought by Lord Pu, and ordered someone to cut a piece and put it on the table, at this time, the people at this table were poisoned, so when you think about it, you will know what is going on!" Lord Qian, Lord Zhou, they must have eaten the longevity peach brought by Master Pu, so they were poisoned! ”

Everyone screamed and stared at Pu Kaiyan's body. Pu Kaiyan was also taken aback, took a look, and saw that in that table of wine banquets, there were indeed longevity peaches that he brought, and there were traces of someone breaking them.

Pu Kaiyan and Chang'an beside him glanced at each other, and there was no excuse for a while.

At this moment, a servant of the Qian Mansion in the inner room stumbled out: "Oh no, it's not good...... Lord Zhu, Lord Qian and Lord Zhou were originally foaming at the mouth, but at this time, suddenly bleeding from the seven orifices, Dr. Kong said, Lord Qian and Lord Zhou, they may ...... No way......"

After all the guests in the Qian Mansion were shocked, they were all frightened, and a few guests with relatively low status, Xu to confess their loyalty, perhaps to excuse themselves, immediately fell to the ground and cried bitterly.

Commander Zhu Qian turned around, choked on a steel knife from the waist of a guard behind him, and shouted: "There is such a big murder in Lord Qian's mansion, come here, take down the Qingyang County Ling Pu Kaiyan and the official he carried with him!" ”

Pu Kaiyan and Chang'an were immediately surrounded by several family members of the Qian Mansion, and the two ropes were tied up. Chang'an was unwilling, struggling and shouting: "No, it's not Master Pu, that longevity peach was steamed by the old lady herself, the old lady is kind, how can she think of poisoning others?" ”

Commander Zhu Qian sneered: "According to what you say, then we have to go to Qingyang County and bring Mrs. Pu to ask what happened!" ”

Pu Kaiyan glared at Chang'an, and Chang'an immediately stopped. At this time, Dr. Kong rubbed his hands and came out of the inner room, saw Pu Kaiyan who was tied up, shook his head and didn't say a word, just walked up to General Zhu Qian, saluted and said: "Lord Zhu, Lord Qian, Lord Zhou, and the two ladies, a total of five people, I have all given emetic drugs, but there is no cure, only Mrs. Qian's Ru is shallowly poisoned, and she is still in a coma, there should be a glimmer of life!" The small ones are also trying their best! ”

Several people who were crying on the ground suddenly stopped crying. Dr. Kong's words have confirmed that tonight in the Qian Mansion, there was a great murder, Lord Qian Zhou and Xiao Zhou, as ministers of the central government and officials guarding one side, suddenly died violently on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival when all the guests gathered, and four lives were killed, which is really appalling and unheard of......

Pu Kaiyan's head was also buzzing, and at the moment when he looked up, he suddenly saw a person standing in the corridor outside the hall, in the gap of the crowd, in the dim light, that person looked calm, shaking a folding fan in his hand, because before a pillar of incense, this person used to drink and fight with himself at the same table, so that look, he was very familiar, still watching from a distance, for everything that happened in front of him, he was just a spectator, and a very happy spectator.

Pu Kaiyan stared at him, and for a moment suddenly there was a feeling of the golden stone cracking in his mind, this person ...... This man, he should have seen before, yes, seen......

Where is it......!!!!

He turned his face and no longer looked at that person, but stared at Commander Zhu Qian, and said loudly: "Lord Zhu, as an official of the imperial court, I was framed by you as a poisoner for no reason, I have evidence of being suspected, I have nothing to say, but if I want to prove my innocence, I can always do it!" ”

"It's all this time, how can you prove your innocence?"

"It's very simple, since you said that the longevity peaches I brought were poisonous, then, I will eat these longevity peaches in front of everyone now, if I am poisoned, it is my guilt and deserving, even if I am executed on the spot, if I am not poisoned, then it means that the poisonous food is something else, we need to find out the real culprit!"

Chang'an echoed loudly on the side: "Master Pu is right, since I brought this box of food, then let me try it, if I am poisoned, it means that this poison is from me, and it has nothing to do with our adults!" ”

Hearing the two shouting like this, General Zhu Qian stopped talking, he glared at Pu Kaiyan: "Master Pu, you still don't admit your guilt in front of the physical evidence!" ”

Pu Kaiyan said proudly: "Lord Zhu, you forgot, although I am only a seven-rank county commander, but I am also a court official appointed by the emperor, you have tied me up indiscriminately at this time, and I am not allowed to prove my innocence, this is against the laws of the Qing Dynasty!" ”

Commander Zhu Qian snorted coldly: "Come on, loosen the ties for Master Pu and let him eat the longevity peach on this table!" ”

Pu Kaiyan was loosened from the rope on his body. He stroked his shoulder, sat down on the seat where Master Qian was sitting just now, looked at the neat wine and food in front of him, picked up a piece of longevity peach made by his mother, and was about to stuff it into his mouth and swallow it......

Then, he closed his eyes and sat quietly in his chair, silently saying in his heart, "What if...... If someone really poisoned my mother's longevity peach, then I also deserve it, my life should be like this, if not, then maybe ......, these people in the Qian Mansion may really deserve to die......"

He was shocked that he had such thoughts, and his eyes reappeared in front of him on that rainy night a few months ago, by the river, and by the silver hairpin......

At this moment, he suddenly realized that his life was wrong, he was not an official, but he broke through his head to take the fame test and entered the officialdom, so he let himself have the embarrassment and predicament he has today.

In less than a stick of incense, Pu Kaiyan closed his eyes, his thoughts were like a tide, and he suddenly figured out many things that he hadn't figured out before.

Everyone in the hall looked at the young county magistrate with bated breath, and when the hour of a stick of incense had passed, they saw him slowly open his eyes, slowly get up, and his face was as calm as autumn water. He shook his face at everyone and said, "In Xia Pu Kaiyan, there is no reason to murder Lord Qian, and there is no reason to murder Lord Qian, now Lord Zhu can believe it!" ”

Chang'an, who was still tied up on the side, immediately shouted: "Our adults are fine, our Shou Tao is not poisonous, you still don't let go of me, you don't go to find the real murderer quickly, so many lives, Lord Zhu, you don't know the case, you connived at the real murderer, and the court knows about it, and you will be held accountable for dereliction of duty." ”

Zhu Qian's face was frosty. With a wave of his hand, he ordered someone to let go of Chang'an. said: "Master Pu, since you are also the parent official of Qingyang County, tonight, Lord Qian and Lord Zhou and Lord Xiao Zhou have an accident at the same time, such a big murder will definitely shock the government and the public, since you say that you are not a suspect, then you will find out the murderer now, I think, this murderer should still be in the Qian Mansion now." - Someone, lock the front and back doors, and all the guests are invited to rest in the Qian Mansion guest room, and I want to find out about the case. - Of course, Master Pu, if you can't find the murderer, even if you eat the longevity peach on this table, then you can't avoid suspicion, because, at that time, Mrs. Qian ordered someone to take two longevity peaches to the table, how can you prove that the other longevity peach that the person at this table has eaten is not poisonous? Come on, open a guest room for Lord Qian, and ask Lord Pu and his entourage to rest inside, the murderer is not clear, and Lord Pu will not return to the house for the time being! ”

Pu Kaiyan looked at Zhu Qian's eerie slender eyes, and remembered the rumors in Qingzhou officialdom that Commander Zhu Qian and Lord Qian Zhou were friends, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart, knowing that he had fallen into a huge trouble.

He turned his head and searched the crowd again, the young man who was shaking a folding fan and drinking with him, and stood coldly watching the excitement after he was tied up.