After tapping his fingers rhythmically on the handle of the chair a few times, Fang Ling asked again: "Then what about the subordinates in the mansion at that time, weren't they all dismissed the night before? ”

Meng Zhiyuan replied: "The minister has also thought of this, but the fire burned the Rongguo Mansion to ruins, and the roster of the subordinates is naturally not found, and the matter of that year is very important, and these people are likely to have changed their names." ”

Fang Ling thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered and said, "County Chronicle!"

Everyone couldn't help but be stunned, Song Ying'er reacted quickly, and said: "That's right, the Rongguo Mansion is different from ordinary mansions, it is a family with the royal family, like this mansion, all kinds of things will be recorded in the county records, and the names of those subordinates must also be on it." ”

Fang Ling said with a smile: "Yes, although the forbidden army didn't find anything back then, but we can't let go of this clue, the county chronicle should be in charge of the county lord Bo, Brother Meng, have you been in contact with it?"

Meng Zhiyuan nodded and said: "As soon as the minister came here, he had already been in contact with the local magnates, this lord's name is Tan Duocai, he is in his 30s, he is quite high-minded, and he is very arrogant of a literati. This lord is in charge of the clerks in the county, and his status is not heavy, nor is it light, anyway, he has no real power, so there are not many people who want to open his joints. However, as far as the minister knows, this person is quite cynical about the style of officialdom bribery, and he is often ostracized by others, and I am afraid that it is not easy to think of simple bribes. ”

Fang Ling smiled slightly: "If you want to make friends with people, the first rule is to do what they like, as long as everyone is like-minded, anything is easy to talk about." Let me ask you, what's his favorite thing?"

Everyone nodded again and again, Meng Zhiyuan thought for a moment, and then said, "Painting the boat!"

"The painting boat on the lake outside? that's the place where literati and artists like to go. Fang Ling said with a smile, the so-called painting boat, refers to the lake and river on the stay of some boats, each big boat on there are some kabuki, literati and scholars, rich merchants and celebrities often like to go to the boat, while the boat to browse the riverside scenery, while drinking and composing poems, and even playing tricks for fun.

Meng Zhiyuan said: "I heard that Tan Duocai is very infatuated with the red card Sun Xiaoxiao in one of the painting boats, every time she appears, she will definitely go to her field, because the master is not much, so he also sells calligraphy and paintings and other things, although this person is not very smooth in the officialdom, but he is quite famous among the literati, so many rich children who love poetry and literature like to buy his calligraphy and paintings." ”

Fang Ling nodded and said, "Okay, then this king will go to the painting boat tonight, and I will meet this Tan Duocai for a while." ”

Song Ying'er said: "Then the concubine also has to take a look, I have been in Chu for so long, and I haven't seen the dancing skills of the women here." ”

Fang Ling turned his head to look at her, the 19-year-old Song Ying'er is already a stunning country, she grew up in the Tsing Yi Fang since she was a child, learning piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, political martial arts, which makes her have a different temperament from ordinary maids, and a kind of enchanting beauty, even if it is a lady, I am afraid that she cannot be compared with her in terms of appearance and temperament, let alone on the painting boat?

He couldn't help laughing and said, "If you go too, won't you smash other people's yards?"