The suspect showed his whereabouts and killed the witness
Before Gu Yanzhou and Shen Shaobai entered the mansion, they heard a lot of noise inside. When Shen Shaobai saw Shen Er, he asked, "What is going on in the mansion that makes such a noise?"
"Master, you are finally back. Something big happened in the mansion. Did you know that all the taxes paid by the officials who came to the capital to report on their work have disappeared? I am currently discussing the corresponding measures with Jin Cao and others." Shen Er said worriedly
"Don't panic. Yan Zhou and I are here for this matter. We will definitely find a way to resolve this crisis." Shen Shaobai said
After a while, the three of them came to the hall. "Father, has the tax silver issue been settled?" Shen Shaobai asked.
"Bai'er is back. Have you had lunch yet?" asked Chen Xiang.
"Not having eaten is a small matter. Dad, I want to ask you how to deal with this matter. Do you have any solutions?" Shen Shaobai said
"I have my own way of dealing with this matter, so don't worry."
"Since Dad has promised this, then this matter is naturally foolproof. After listening to Dad, I am really a little hungry now. Do you have any delicious food at home today?" Shen Shaobai said
"You little greedy cat, as long as you have food and drink, everything will be fine. Chen Er, tell the kitchen to serve the meal." Chen Xiang said with a smile, "That's all for today. You all should do your job and don't lose your composure. Let's discuss everything again after we have some clues."
"Then we'll take our leave. If Chen Xiangru has any questions, just let him know." Jin Cao said
Suddenly, a man stood up like a towering tree, blocking out the sky and the sun, and it seemed as if he was going to poke a hole in the roof. Looking closely, this man was about seven feet tall, with eyes like peach pits, arms hanging down past his crotch, and legs as thick and strong as pillars.
Gu Yanzhou and Shen Shaobai looked at each other. Just as Shen Shaobai was about to speak, Gu Yanzhou's eyes reminded him. He then suppressed his doubts and drank tea to cover up. Jin Cao and others left.
Gu Yanzhou then said, "Prime Minister Chen Wan'an, I am here precisely for the case. I hope you will forgive me for disturbing you."
"Nothing, just tell me the whole story of the case."
Gu Yanzhou recounted the details of the case in detail. "In other words, the murderer in the poisoning case was Chunhua, and the murderer in the drowning case was Xiahe. The deceased had a grudge against both of them, and the brothel owner was also involved. However, the tribute silver that the deceased was escorted to pay is nowhere to be found, and the hanging case remains unsolved. This is the truth." Chen Xiang said
"That's indeed the case. I've failed to perform my duties well, and I hope Prime Minister Shen will punish me." Gu Yanzhou said
"I was the one who forced you to take on this case. You're already very capable and have made great contributions to solving two cases in one day. Don't worry. We can discuss the rest after dinner." Shen Xiang said
"Dad, Yan Zhou, the world is big, but eating is the most important thing. Stop talking about business and come eat. This is Yan Zhou's first time eating in the Prime Minister's Residence, so you must eat well." Shen Shaobai said
"Then I will respectfully obey your order and taste the delicacies of the Xiangfu." Gu Yanzhou said
Soon, each long table was filled with a variety of delicacies and pastries, especially the piece of smoked cold water yarn, its surface floating with a fairy aura as bright as moonlight, with drops of jade beads hanging from the edge. The fish sashimi in the clear water on the plate was a rich and bright red. He picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. The fish fat was as smooth and delicate as tofu, melting in his mouth, cooling him to the bone. The moment he opened his mouth, mist overflowed from his lips. Gu Yanzhou was amazed. This taste was something he had never experienced before, this dish was something he had never seen before.
"Yanhan Shuisha uses deep-sea snapper. It is sealed in ice all the way after being salvaged from the shore. It is rushed for 800 miles. The plate is chilled again before being served, making it taste delicious, melt in the mouth, and leave an endless aftertaste." Shen Shaobai said
"So that's how it is. Ice is used to ensure the best taste and keep it fresh." Gu Yanzhou said, "May I ask, Minister Chen, what is the character of Jin Cao in the palace?"
"Zhao Yang, he was originally rescued by me ten years ago when I was serving as the governor of Qi. At that time, he said that his newlywed wife was kidnapped by criminals. He fell off a cliff on his way to find his wife and was saved by me by chance. I saw that he was smart and capable, so I kept him by my side to handle financial and tax matters for me. Yan Zhou, do you feel there is anything wrong with this?" asked Chen Xiang.
"In the hanging case, the suspect who kidnapped the Langya prefect that night was also a tall and burly man. The hanging beam was nine feet off the ground. I see that Zhao Jincao is only seven feet tall, so I have some doubts. That's why I ask this question. Was he in the room between the hours of the first and the second today? Are there any witnesses?" Gu Yanzhou asked.
"From Chou to Yin? I can't be sure for the moment, let me ask the housekeeper." Chen Xiang said
"Master, when I got up last night, I happened to see Yang Zoucao and Zhao Jincao drinking and singing, strolling around at night with candlelight. They even came up to me and said hello. It was three quarters past midnight." Shen Erdao
"If this is true, then he does have a perfect alibi," Gu Yanzhou said.
"Yanzhou, you suspect Zhao Jincao is the murderer of the hanging case, but there are two questions. First, what is his feud with the Langya prefect? Why did he kill him? Second, how could he appear in the mansion and the post station at the same time? It takes an hour to ride to both places. Unless he has supernatural powers, he really can't be in two places at the same time." Shen Shaobai said
"This is exactly what I can't figure out." Gu Yanzhou said
Everyone fell into deep thought for a moment, and Pei Linyan and Feng Liunian happened to arrive at this time. "Why are you so worried and depressed that you didn't even eat much of this delicious food." Pei Linyan said
"I just want to focus on the hanging case, but there are still two doubts that cannot be solved." Gu Yanzhou said
"It's okay. Things will work out in the end. You shouldn't worry too much about things that haven't happened yet." Pei Linyan comforted
"Okay, I'll listen to you. You should sit down and have your meal too. After all, you've been tired all day and even a strong body can't stand it." After Gu Yanzhou said this, he served the dishes to Pei Linyan.
"Prime Minister Chen, I am Feng Liunian. I came here uninvited without any prior notice. I am deeply sorry for disturbing you. I hope Prime Minister Chen will forgive me. I am here to greet you." Feng Liunian said
Shen Shaobai and the others had never seen Feng Liunian so serious before, so they were all trying to hold back their laughter. Shen Shaobai spit out his rice with a chuckle, and rolled over with laughter until his stomach hurt. He then burrowed into Shen Xiang's arms. Pei Linyan and Gu Yanzhou looked at each other. Gu Yanzhou leaned on Pei Linyan's shoulder, and Pei Linyan stroked the corner of his mouth with his right hand. Shen Er stood with his head down, trying to hold back his laughter. His shoulders kept shaking, and he moved up and down like a tumbler. Feng Liunian blushed at this, and he and Shen Xiang exchanged a look of bewilderment. Then Feng Liunian sat down and had dinner with everyone.
After dinner, everyone sat in the hall drinking tea. "Did you find anything new at the post station?" Gu Yanzhou asked.
"It's just as you expected, nothing was found." Pei Linyan said
"I have a question, but I don't know if I should talk about it." Feng Liunian said
"What new discoveries have you made? Tell me quickly." Shen Shaobai said
"Brother Shaobai, do you remember this morning when you entered the post station and went to the Langya prefect's room on the left, you started complaining of being cold. I thought you were wearing thin clothes and were afraid of the cold, but when I went to the room on the right just now, I felt a huge difference in temperature between the two rooms. There was also a pool of water in the left room, and the water was half a basin full. Can you explain why this happened for no reason?" Feng Liunian said.
"So that's how it is. I already know the key to this. As for who the murderer is and how to escape and create an alibi, I already understand it. Let's return to Huaichun Tower immediately. Chen Er, you go and give a message to Yang Zoucao and Zhao Jincao, saying that Prime Minister Chen invites them to Huaichun Tower for a chat." After Gu Yanzhou finished speaking, a group of people headed towards Huaichun Tower in a mighty manner.
When they arrived at Huaichun Tower, Gu Yanzhou said to the soldiers, "Gather all the remaining guards." They looked as helpless as chicks.
"I now know who murdered the Langya governor. Your accomplice has confessed and is facing execution. I am willing to show some mercy. If you step forward and explain the situation clearly, I will grant you a lighter sentence. If no one confesses, don't blame me for executing Zhao Jincao on the spot. Don't regret it. Since no one has stepped forward, don't blame me. I will execute Zhao Jincao by slow slicing."
"Wait, I hope you can spare his life." Qiuyue said
"You are finally willing to stand up, then tell me in detail what happened that day." Gu Yanzhou said
"Okay, ten years ago, I was kidnapped by villains, separated from Zhao Yang, and sold to Huaichun Tower. Three days ago, I met Zhao Yang by chance in Huaichun Tower. He was going to redeem me, but my mother refused. However, as long as we agreed to help him get rid of Langya Taishou, he would let my husband and I go. My mother told us that at 11:00 PM, Chunhua would make everyone faint, and we only had to wait until 2:00 PM. When the time came, Zhao Yang would disguise himself as a male servant and secretly take Langya Taishou back to the post station. He would strangle him to death at 11:00 PM and then pretend to commit suicide. However, we knew that Gu Tingyuan was an expert in solving cases, so in order to create an alibi, we stole ice from the Prime Minister's Mansion and placed it indoors, letting the body rot slowly, disrupting the autopsy, and making him mistakenly judge the original time of death from 11:00 PM to 1:00 PM. After we went back, he pretended to drink with others, and I pretended to play mahjong with my sisters, so that people would testify for us, and we would have an alibi for the time of the crime." Qiuyue said
"Zhao Yang is a high-ranking official in the Prime Minister's Mansion, but he is helpless against the madam of Huaichunlou. This is unbelievable. Is there any unknown secret?" Gu Yanzhou said
"I have no idea what secrets are involved. I hope that Master Gu Tingyuan will show mercy and give us, the lowly people, a way out." Qiuyue said
It happened that when Zhao Jincao and Yang Zoucao came in, they had already heard Qiuyue's words. "Yue'er, why are you making things difficult for yourself? If you just stood by and watched, both you and I could survive." Zhao Yang said
"I dare not gamble, especially when it comes to you. I am extremely worried. You and I have missed ten years together. I am afraid that if we are separated by the Yin and Yang, it will be a lifelong regret. It is better for me to share the hardships with you and accompany you through life and death." Qiuyue said
"It's hateful! Heaven is blind. If there is karma, why do my husband and I have to suffer so much? After going through so many hardships and dangers, the ending is like this. I hate it. I hate why I don't have power over the government and cannot protect the one I love; I hate why I don't have a large army and cannot kill all the people who deserve to die; I hate why I was not born into wealth and cannot save the people of the world." Zhao Yang knelt down and shouted.
"Zhao Yang, let me ask you, who dares to threaten you?" Gu Yanzhou said
"Master Gu, I know you are a good official who serves the country and the people, but you alone cannot hold up the Qingtian of the Han Dynasty, save the people of the world, and eliminate all the corrupt officials in the court. I advise you to let go of this person. You cannot deal with this person." Zhao Yang said
"As long as I, Gu Yanzhou, am still alive, I will fight them to the end. No matter if they are corrupt officials or nobles, as long as they break the law, I will take them down. I am willing to be a candle, burning away all the things that are black and white and abuse power for personal gain, eliminating all the sinful and filthy things, and judging all the corrupt officials who are committing corruption and abuse of power for personal gain." Gu Yanzhou said
"Okay, because of Lord Gu's integrity and love for the people, I will tell you that person is..." Before Zhao Yang could finish his words, he was killed by a dart outside the door. Seeing that he had died, Qiuyue burst into tears and was heartbroken. She had thoughts of suicide and committed suicide before anyone could react.
"Zhao Yang... Zhao Yang, why is he like the leader of the Changsheng Sect, and wants to know the person behind the scenes, but they were all silenced. Damn it, we almost caught him." Gu Yanzhou said angrily
"There's a long way to go. One day we'll catch him and finally uncover his true face. Don't worry about getting angry and hurting yourself." Pei Linyan comforted her.
Under the setting sun, everyone reflected each other's thoughts, and the red afterglow sparkled in everyone's eyes.
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