Chapter 22: Rubbing ears and cheeks, I wonder if the bride is pretty? ...
A thousand threads lead to one needle.
Only by sorting out the complicated and intertwined clues one by one can we simplify them.
Gui Zhier looked at Luan Shuangbai confidently, blinked, and said, "I just need to borrow one thing from General Luan."
"What?" Luan Shuangbai answered simply.
He had nothing and couldn't borrow money, but if he wanted to borrow a horse... he couldn't do that with others, but he could still hesitate when it came to Miss Gui.
However, neither is true.
Gui Zhier pulled him aside and whispered in his ear, "I'd like to borrow the list of people entering the city compiled by your military."
As the hot and humid air flowed past his ears, Luan Shuangbai's ears suddenly turned red.
Guizhier's voice was always clear and pleasant. When she lowered her voice, it made his hair move slightly.
There is always a sense of tenderness when whispering in each other's ears.
"What's the use of this?" His mind was in a mess and his speech became stuttering.
Luan Shuangbai couldn't help thinking that she was a really pretty girl, with delicate eyebrows and eyes, a thin neck close to her, and an indomitable look.
Even though he knew that Gui Zhi'er was just trying to avoid being seen, he still turned his pretty face away and didn't dare to look anyone in the eye.
Upon hearing this, Guizhier pulled him away from the county government's followers and told him the story.
"Based on the knife wounds on the body, we definitely suspect the murder was committed by the Danu people."
"But the location of this well is very hidden. It would be difficult to find it without a local guide."
Guizhi bit her lip and said, "I suspect there was an insider who let the wolf in."
The woman's casual movements revealed her white, shell-like teeth, making her look full of vitality.
With a sense of confidence and a little pride.
He admired her from the bottom of his heart, but did not agree with her inference.
"The girl has seen the Danu before. They have prominent cheekbones, curly hair, and braids... Any soldier guarding the city would notice something is wrong."
Non-members of our race are strictly prohibited from entering the country.
Daliang does not trade with foreign countries.
Since the first year of the Yongjing reign, when the emperor cleared the world, pacified the Central Plains, and established his capital in Hangzhou, all four corners of the world have submitted to this great country.
However, nowadays, with the Danu invading in the north and the Japanese pirates looting in the south, the only way to maintain regional stability is to close the country.
Linghe County is an important military town with a terrain that is easy to defend but difficult to attack.
The only entrance and exit is controlled by the military, who check travel permits, household registrations, and horses carrying goods, and the security is extremely strict.
“The darkest part is the darkest part, and the loopholes are often right under our noses.”
Gui Zhier patted Luan Shuangbai's shoulder and smiled slyly: "I don't mean to accuse the military of incompetence, but it's easy to make mistakes during inspections."
"Okay." Luan Shuangbai smiled and sighed, feeling half helpless and half compromising.
Apart from anything else, the green badge given by the prefect was enough for her to investigate the case with justification.
The days are short in winter, and it was already late when we returned to the inn.
Guizhier relied on the food she still had in her own space and only ordered a bowl of mixed soup and two flatbreads.
Unexpectedly, a moment later, the waiter knocked on the door and came in again, as if he was afraid that she was not full.
A bowl of egg custard, fresh and slightly yellow, garnished with some chopped green onions.
A plate of meat slices, fragrant and delicious.
"Sir, this is a complimentary dish for you." The waiter put a white towel on his shoulders and nodded enthusiastically.
"Thank you." Guizhier happily gave the reward.
The five-coin tip made the waiter's smile more sincere.
But Guizhier had even greater doubts in her heart.
Such an inn with thoughtful service and elegant environment is not very popular.
The free dishes are more expensive than the ordered meals. How do you make a living?
In a flash, she recalled the first time Liu Shanyuan walked into Guiji Braised Food Shop, drank the vegetarian stew with cordyceps and wolfberries, and asked—
"Can the store really maintain its operations if it's willing to invest so much money?"
Guizhi'er was stunned. No wonder the prefect was so sensitive to price costs.
It turns out that the inn he arranged also has a secret.
It was just a small matter, so she kept it in mind, but was not afraid.
No matter how many secrets there are, everyone should mind their own business and not worry about other people's problems.
The candlelight flickered and Guizhier fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, he went to the Governor's Mansion again and was allowed to pass through without any hindrance thanks to the green badge and the order from the Major General.
The list of people entering the city was not confidential. There were only two soldiers listed behind Gui Zhier to monitor the situation.
"Sergeant, please help me get the list between the fifth day of the twelfth lunar month and the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, when the crime occurred." She had a clear goal.
During the slack season, farmers from surrounding areas often come to the county town to seek work.
In addition, as the New Year is approaching, some people also visit relatives and friends.
Most of them also brought a few fresh chickens, ducks and geese, which were locked in straw cages, flapping their wings in full view.
Guizhier flipped through the paper with fresh ink on it, and finally her eyes fell on two lines.
She stared in thought, her brows gradually furrowed.
On the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhang Dashan, male, registered in Linghe County.
The recorded event was a marriage, complete with a ceremonial band, sedan chair bearers, and the bride entering the house.
On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Sha Jingtian, male, registered in Longsha Town.
The reason was the burial. He had just brought back his widowed mother's coffin from Longsha Town and needed to bury her.
Comparing the two, the latter is more suspicious.
Gui Zhier called the soldier on duty and asked, "Brother Sha, since his mother married and moved to Longsha Town, why did she want to be buried in Linghe?"
"Oh, you mean the Shar Pei? He's just a poor hanger-on." The leader of the soldiers clicked his tongue.
He curled his lips with disdain on his face.
Simply put, Shamu's family was originally well-off in Linghe County.
There was only one daughter in the family, and he wanted to marry her into the family.
Unfortunately, the young lady is so love-sick that she insists on eloping with a poor boy from a remote area.
Only after marriage did I realize that love without material possessions is not only a mess, but also full of fights.
Therefore, Sha Mu's last wish was to be buried in the ancestral tomb.
"He's also a poor man." Gui Zhier nodded and turned her attention back to the suspect Zhang Dashan.
"Having a wedding before the New Year is always a bit rushed," she asked curiously, "Is the bride beautiful?"
"Oh, you're joking. The bride is avoiding people, so we can't stare at her." The leader of the soldiers slapped his thigh.
Just lift the curtain and take a quick look to make sure there are no additional Tibetans.
The red veil was made of silk, with copper coins hanging from the corners, completely covering the face.
At most, you can see the bride's embroidered shoes swaying gracefully.
On the wedding day, the groom Zhang Dashan was not stingy with candies and even gave a few copper coins in red envelopes to the soldiers guarding the city.
Everyone said "congratulations" and had a great time.
Guizhier raised her eyebrows.
During the investigation yesterday, the captain described that the two sets of blood-stained clothes discarded in the well were less than seven feet tall, and one of them was weak.
With her slim figure, she could be a woman, but it is not ruled out that she is a man dressed as a woman.
Guizhier opened the almanac and saw that the previous day was the sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, which said it was a good time for marriage, engagement, setting up beds and taking in livestock.
Looking back one day, the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month is a good day for getting together with relatives and friends, breaking ground and praying for blessings.
Why would the bride, who never shows her face, choose to enter the house on the seventh day of the New Year?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
