The next day, near the evening, Congxi, Yunxian, Lan Chu, Congran, and Yu Zhuo came to Chen Xing's house, the Chen family of four was there, several people sat down at the table and stool in the courtyard, Chen's mother and Chen Ying poured tea and water, warmly entertained, and brought out a lot of fried horn snacks, Chen Xing stood next to him, still bowed his head and said little, looking at Chen Xing and said: "Brother Chen, have you purchased all the materials for making lanterns?" ”

Chen Xing said in a low voice: "It's almost." Chen Xing glanced at Yu Zhuo, who was wearing a historical costume, and said, "What are you here for today?" ”

Congxi said: "Brother Chen, don't be nervous, Yun Xian and I are here to see you, Yu Zhuo is on business, I want to ask you a few words, we met outside, and we came to your house together." Brother Chen, yesterday Yun Xian and I disturbed the court to prevent the government from executing Xiao Yuan, you have heard, Yu Zhuo is responsible for re-investigating this case. ”

Chen Xing lowered his eyebrows and said: "Isn't Xiao Yuan's matter already finalized by the official mansion, you and Yun Gongzi blocked the execution of the official mansion because they think Xiao Yuan was wronged?" ”

Congxi: "We are not sure, yesterday Xiao Yuan's sister Xiao Lu came to me and swore with her three-year-old son's gambling curse, saying that Xiao Yuan did not kill anyone, I thought that a mother dared to swear with her son's gambling curse, maybe she didn't lie, in case Xiao Yuan was really wronged, wouldn't the government unjustly kill a good person, so we thought of stirring up the execution ground, and let the government re-investigate the case, if Xiao Yuan was really wronged, it would be good to return his innocence, if the results were verified again, it was still proved that Xiao Yuan killed someone, and it would not be too late for him to pay for his life." ”

Chen Xing: "Oh, what do you want to ask me?" ”

Yu Zhuo: "Remember the last time I went to your house to check if there were any scars on your body, right?" At that time, other people were also examined, and it turned out that except for Xiao Yuan, there were no new injuries on the others. So this time, Lord Prefect, ordered us to thoroughly investigate when Li Rongrong, the daughter of the Li Mansion, was killed, where were the people of the Li Mansion and your craftsman team, and whether there were any witnesses? I probably asked the people from your craftsman team today, and they said that on the day Li Rongrong was killed, Uncle Chen went to attend a relative's happy event and didn't go to Li's house to work, right? Yu Zhuo looked at Father Chen and said.

Father Chen nodded: "Yes, I didn't go that day." ”

Yu Zhuo looked at Chen Xing again: "Others say that Chen Gongzi left the Li Mansion in the middle of the unitary time, right?" ”

Chen Xing nodded: "Yes." ”

Yu Zhuo: "I met a man named Yu Qiang at the entrance of the alley just now, he said that he lived next door to your house, on the second day after the Lantern Festival, that is, on the seventeenth day of the first month, he happened to repair the house on the roof, and saw you go home, but at that time, it was already more than half an hour, and it should only take half an hour to return to your house from the Li Mansion, Chen Gongzi, where did you go for the remaining half an hour, what did you do, I want to verify it?" ”

Chen Xing clenched his hands tightly, bowed his head and was silent, as if he was thinking, Yu Zhuo said again: "Chen Gongzi, don't think about it, it's not that you are suspected of killing people, everyone in the Li family, as well as the people in your craftsman team, I have to verify Li Rongrong's behavior when she was killed, and tell Lord Fu." ”

Chen Xing nodded and was silent for a moment and said: "I remember, I was not in a good mood that day, when I passed by the Jinqiao, I went down the bridge to the shore and sat for a while, but I was the only one and had no witness." ”

Yu Zhuo: "You came home from the Li Mansion, did you cross the Jinqiao, or did you not cross the Jinqiao?" ”

Chen Xing: "I didn't cross the Jinqiao. ”

Yu Zhuo: "It's the north bank of the Jinqiao Bridge, were you sitting on the west or east side of the Jinqiao Bridge?" ”

Chen Xing was stunned for a moment: "Westward." ”

Yu Zhuo: "There are restaurants and tea shops on both sides of the Jinqiao, what kind of shops are there before and after the place where you stay, remember?" ”

Chen Xing shook his head: "I was in a trance at that time, I don't remember." ”

Yu Zhuo: "Why was Chen Gongzi unhappy at that time?" ”

Chen Xing lowered his head and was silent for a while before saying: "Or because they call me 'prodigy Xiucai', especially that day, I am like this, aren't those four words a great ridicule for me?" ”

Congxi looked at Yu Zhuo and said, "Is it impossible to prove Brother Chen's innocence?" ”

Yu Zhuo said: "It doesn't matter, there is a tofu seller on the north bank of Jinqiao named Bai San, two baskets of tofu are sold on the north bank every day, he has a very good memory, it can be said that he will never forget, I have asked him, half a year ago the situation on the shore of Jinqiao, he can say clearly, Chen Gongzi has only been three months, and the day of the incident is the second day after the Lantern Festival, good memories, just now I also mentioned the second day after the Lantern Festival, the man named Yu Qiang recalled, he saw Chen Gongzi that day, I will ask the other people in the craftsman team later, Confirm with Bai San tomorrow, if Chen Gongzi really sat by the Jinqiao Bridge for half an hour that day, Bai San must remember Chen Gongzi, and he can prove Chen Gongzi's innocence. ”

Congxi nodded and said, "That's good." ”

Yu Zhuo: "Gongzi Chen, Uncle Chen, I don't have anything to ask, I'm going to inquire about the other people in the craftsman team, and I'll leave first, I hope to check all the people who should be asked today." ”

Father Chen and Chen Xing were stunned for a moment, and Father Chen hurriedly said, "Okay, I'll send Yu Yu quickly." ”

Yu Zhuo nodded to Congxi and walked away.

Congxi turned his head to look at Chen Xingdao: "I am also relieved to see that Brother Chen is fine." Xiao Yuan's case was re-investigated by me and Yun Xian, and we also want to make some efforts in the past few days, and after a while, this case will be investigated clearly, and Yun Xian is free, so I will come to your house to continue to teach you how to make lanterns, Brother Chen, okay? ”

Chen Xing nodded and said, "Okay, I'm sorry to trouble Yun Gongzi." ”

Yun Xian said: "It's not troublesome, it's just to make lanterns, it's the same wherever you make it, but you can take two more trips, and you can eat it after dinner." ”

Congxi: "It's getting dark, it's nothing, let's go back first." ”

Mother Chen hurriedly said: "Cong girl, Yun Gongzi, it's time for dinner, let's go after dinner at our house, although the family is poor and cold, but I have learned a few authentic side dishes before, I will make it for Cong girl and Yun Gongzi to taste, right?" ”

Congxi said: "Thank you Aunt Chen for your kindness, but not today, I still have to go to prison to deliver food to my husband, you should have heard that I sent my husband to prison before the government re-investigated Xiao Yuan's case." ”

Mother Chen smiled awkwardly: "Okay, I won't leave the girl today." ”

Not long after Congxi and Yunxian left, Chen Xing knocked on the door of his neighbor Yu Qiang's house, it happened to be the door opened by Yu Qiang, Chen Xing looked at Yu Qiang and said: "Brother Yu, my wooden barrel for carrying water is broken, and it can't be repaired for a while, can you borrow your bucket?" ”

Yu Qiang said refreshingly: "Okay, my water tank has just been filled with water, and I can't use the bucket for the time being, you come with me, and I'll give it to you." ”

Chen Xing followed Yu Qiang into the courtyard, and Chen Xing pretended to be casual and said, "Brother Chen, did an official ask you today, what time did I go home one day three months ago?" ”

Yu Qiang said: "Yes, he said that on the second day after the Lantern Festival, on the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, I remembered that I was repairing the roof that day, and I saw you coming back halfway through the hour, what's wrong, are you okay?" The official said that you were fine, and he routinely asked about the situation of all the people in your craftsman team? ”

Chen Xing: "Did he tell you this?" ”

Yu Qiang: "I asked, I asked him what he was doing, did something happen to you?" He saw that I was curious, so he explained it to me. ”

Chen Xing: "Oh, it's okay, he's really just verifying everyone's situation. ”

Yu Qiang handed the wooden barrel to Chen Xing, and asked again with curiosity: "Is it because of Xiao Yuan's matter, I heard about the execution ground, did he really not kill anyone, then who killed the daughter of the Li family, do you know?" What did that official tell you? ”

Chen Xing said perfunctorily: "I don't know, the official didn't tell me anything, Brother Chen, I'm leaving." ”

Chen Xing quickly left Yu Qiang's house.

In the evening, on the north bank of the Jinqiao Bridge, a young man in his twenties shouldered two baskets of tofu, selling along the coast, this young man is Bai San, Bai San went back and forth, shouting and selling on the north bank of the Jinqiao, seeing that more than half of the time, no one should buy tofu again, so he carried the remaining tofu home, walked to a sparsely populated remote place, a man suddenly appeared in front of Bai San, Bai San was startled, took a few steps back, the burden on his shoulders shook badly, almost landed, Bai San grabbed half a sound, the burden was stable, Bai San raised his head vigilantly and looked at the young man in front of him, looked at it for a moment and said, "Are you Gongzi Chen?" ”

Chen Xing was surprised: "Do you recognize me?" ”

Bai San: "In the past few months, Chen Gongzi walked on the Jinqiao almost every day, and others have mentioned Chen Gongzi, I will remember you, Chen Gongzi, are you going to visit the Jinqiao Night Market, this time is lively, you should go quickly." ”

Bai San was about to take a step to leave, Chen Xing took a step forward and blocked in front of Bai San, Bai San was surprised: "Chen Gongzi, who are you?" ”

Chen Xing's face seemed to be a little panicked: "May I ask if you are the third brother Bai?" ”

Bai San nodded: "I am, and Chen Gongzi also knows me?" ”

Chen Xingwei asked rhetorically: "I heard that the three Bai brothers have a very good memory, I want to ask the three Bai brothers about something, five months ago, a friend of mine was on the north bank to enjoy the river scenery, was pushed into the river, he didn't see who pushed him into the water, and after checking for a long time, he didn't find out the person, can the three Bai brothers see the situation at that time?" ”

Bai San: "I think about it, five months ago, there was a man in the water, it was a middle-aged man in his thirties, with a short beard on his face, a slightly chubby body, and a blue dress, I didn't see him when he fell into the water, I heard his screams before looking back, two young men in their twenties rescued him, the middle-aged man later said that he wanted to pick up a handkerchief that fell into the river before falling into the water, is he your friend, how was he pushed into the water?" ”

Chen Xing's face turned pale and said: "The third brother Bai has such a good memory, my friend didn't dare to say that others pushed him into the water at that time, for fear that others would retaliate against him." Brother Bai, let me ask one more thing, three months ago, when I was sitting on the north bank looking at the river view, the money bag accidentally fell, I don't know that the three brothers Bai can see the person who picked up my money bag? ”

Bai San thought for a moment and said: "Three months ago, I don't remember seeing Chen Gongzi sitting on the shore, is it that day Chen Gongzi remembers, let me think about it?" ”

Chen Xing: "On the second day after the Lantern Festival, the seventeenth day of the first month. ”

Bai San lowered his eyebrows and recalled: "Oh, that day, that day, the shopkeeper of Yixianglou ordered tofu for me for half a year, I am happy, I think about it, I didn't see Chen Gongzi that day, Chen Gongzi, when did you sit on the shore, how long did you sit, I only walked around the north shore for two hours, and I was not there at other times." ”

Chen Xing: "I sit on the west side of the north bank from six to two o'clock. ”

Bai San muttered while reminiscing: "At that time, there were more and more pedestrians on the Jinqiao Bridge, but there were not many people sitting on the bank to watch the river view, I remember that day there were six people on the west side of the north bank, two men sat in one place as if talking about business, a couple of men and women sat together like husband and wife, a middle-aged man sat alone and drank, and an old woman seemed to be resting, no Chen Gongzi?" ”

Chen Xing: "They are sitting on the river, can you see their faces?" ”

Bai San: "Haven't I been walking around, walking to the left bank and seeing half of my face, walking to the right bank and seeing half of my face, don't you see it all." ”

Chen Xing: "It's already a little dark around the time, can you see their faces clearly?" ”

Bai San: "There are big restaurants and tea shops on both sides of this Jinqiao Bridge, and they light lanterns when the sky is dark, no more than the day, Chen Gongzi, you ask what these are?" ”

Chen Xing hesitated for a moment and said: "Third Brother Bai, I want to discuss something with you, if the government asks you tomorrow, whether I am on the north bank of the Jinqiao Bridge from the sixth quarter of the seventeenth hour of the first lunar month to the second quarter of the first month, can you tell them that I did sit on the north bank and watch the river scenery at that time." ”

Bai San immediately said in shock: "How can you lie to the government?" When they found out, they didn't want to fill me up in the army, and they wanted to pull me to play the board, I didn't dare. ”

Chen Xing: "As long as you don't say it yourself, they will never find out that you are lying, just say a word, how about I give you thirty taels of silver?" Brother Bai, don't worry, I didn't do anything evil about killing people and setting fires, but the government wanted to verify where I and our craftsmen were when one of their cases occurred. Don't hide it from the three Bai brothers, I went to the Qinglou to relieve my worries and boredom, you also heard that I used to be a scholar, and it would be a shame if I didn't get admitted to the Jinshi, many people secretly laughed at me, if I let others know that I went to the Qinglou, I would have no face to see people, so I wanted to ask the three Bai brothers to help cover up, Chen Xing must be grateful. ”

Bai San stared at Chen Xing and said, "Gongzi Chen, I really can't help with this favor." They won't say yes either. ”

Chen Xing was surprised: "Who are they talking about?" ”

At this time, a few torches suddenly lit up around the area, and with the light of the torches, Chen Xing saw Li Zhifu, Congxi, Yun Xian, Lan Chu, Yu Zhuo and others approaching them, Chen Xing was surprised for a moment, and suddenly understood.