Chapter 9 Chapter 9 There is a kind of pitiful beauty that is down and out...
An hour later, Xu Lizhu and Xu Songlan returned to the front hall under the guidance of the yamen runners.
Their eyes were red, tears still welling up in them. As soon as they saw Zhu Song, they knelt down and pleaded, "Sir, it's been thirteen years since I learned that my sister's family was murdered. Thirteen years ago, I couldn't save them. Thirteen years later, I will do my utmost to help you find out the truth. Please let us stay and do our little bit to help."
It was difficult to investigate what happened thirteen years ago. Even if they hadn't mentioned it, Zhu Song hadn't intended to let them go. But since they had mentioned it, Zhu Song naturally went along with it. He stepped forward and gave Xu Lizhu a light support. "It's my duty to find out the truth, but I also understand your sincere intentions. Stay if you want."
Xu Lizhu stood up and said, "Thank you, sir."
"Sit down," Zhu Song motioned for them to sit down, then told the yamen runner, "Serve the tea."
Xu Lizhu thanked him again and sat down in the hall with Xu Songlan.
Zhu Song didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "Is Wang Shichang still in Qingzhou?"
Xu Lizhu replied, "Yes, he has been in Qingzhou. Sir, is he related to this case?"
Zhu Song said, "It's been a long time, and Lin Feng knows very little about the situation. We are still investigating each one."
Xu Lizhu nodded to show that he understood and began to talk about the past.
"Wang Shichang was the match that my father had arranged for Wan Yin when he was still alive. The Wang family had been in the medicinal materials business for generations and had close ties with our family. At that time, Wang Shichang was the next head of the Wang family, but my father was not only impressed by his ability, but also by his character. At such a young age, he was elegant and polite, without any ulterior motives. However, Wang Shichang had been influenced by the family's rules since he was a child, and his behavior was too old-fashioned, which did not please girls.
He and Wan Yin grew up together and had been together for nearly ten years. The relationship between them was even colder than that of ordinary friends, and there was no trace of love between them until the summer when Wan Yin was eighteen years old and went boating on the lake.
She arrived late that day and all the flower boats were rented out. Wan Yin was disappointed when she was seen by Lin Sicheng, who was on a flower boat, and he invited her to join him for a tour.
From that day on, Wan Yin and Lin Sicheng became good friends and had close contact. Half a year later, Wan Yin told her mother that she wanted to cancel the marriage with the Wang family. Her father was furious and refused to agree to cancel the engagement no matter what.
After being scolded by her father, Wan Yin started a hunger strike in protest. After three days of hunger strike, she was only left with one breath. Her mother could not bear it any longer and cried for help from her father, but her father still disagreed. The mother had no choice but to go to the Wang family to break off the engagement for the sake of her daughter's life without telling her father.
When we went to cancel the engagement, Wang Shichang knew that we had fallen in love with someone else. Although he looked dejected, he did not make things difficult for us and tore up the marriage certificate with his own hands.
When my father found out about this, he became angry and fell ill. He sternly told Wan Yin that if she insisted on doing what she wanted, then our Xu family would no longer acknowledge her as their daughter.
That day, my father broke off relations with Wan Yin. Three months later, Wan Yin got married from the other courtyard. My mother prepared a dowry for her without telling my father and personally sent her off to marry.
Her father died of illness three months after Wanyin got married. Her mother thought she had helped Wanyin to be happy, but fate dealt her a heavy blow.
Back then, Lin Sicheng got a piece of top-quality red coral and made a big fuss about it in Beijing. I once went to see it among the crowd, but it was just a coral of slightly better quality, just to fool laymen. As a businessman, I naturally knew that he just wanted to drive up the price and sell it for a good price.
In order to create momentum, he even asked Wanyin to introduce himself to the audience. He brought a pair of children who were not even ten years old to the business world. I couldn't stand it and tried to persuade Wanyin privately, but Wanyin didn't listen to me.
Later, when I was about to leave Beijing, I learned that Wang Shichang had come to Beijing. Although the engagement was cancelled, the business of the Wang and Xu families was not affected. It was just that Wang Shichang no longer came to discuss business with us in person, and he sent his servants to connect with us, so I didn't pay too much attention to him. Later, I heard that Wang Shichang had made an appointment with Wan Yin to meet privately.
But the situation at that time was such that even if there was something going on between the two of them, it was impossible, so I just listened to it and let it go. I didn't expect that less than a month after this incident, a fire broke out in Shuyun Villa.
I was completely immersed in sadness and had no time to think about those things.
However, Wang Shichang is still unmarried and has no children. Now that I think about it, he does have a special feeling for Wan Yin. But if he were to kill someone for this, I..."
Xu Lizhu didn't finish his words, but his meaning was very clear. Zhu Song also saw it. He didn't think Wang Shichang would kill anyone. It seemed that Wang Shichang had a good reputation.
Zhu Song nodded and continued to ask: "Where has Lin Feng been these years?"
Xu Lizhu replied honestly: "He didn't say that, he just said he was saved by a benefactor."
Zhu Song understood everything he wanted to know, so he let the two of them go down first.
As soon as the two of them left, the yamen runner who had gone out to gather information returned, "Your Excellency, I have found out that Lin Feng has been living in the Bamboo Green Courtyard on the outskirts of the city for many years, but I cannot find the owner of the Bamboo Green Courtyard."
Zhu Song frowned slightly. The owner of a courtyard couldn’t even be found in the Dali Temple?
He looked at the yamen runner and said, "Report this to Lord Gu."
The Dali Temple couldn't find it, so the Jingzhao Prefecture's land deed registration manager asked Gu Huaiyu to go find Qu Zhoubai, who would definitely be able to find it.
"yes."
As soon as the yamen runner left, another one came in and said, "Sir, Wang Shichang is here."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Song was a little surprised, "Isn't Wang Shichang in Qingzhou? How could he have arrived in the capital so soon?"
The bailiff said, "Wang Shichang has arrived in Beijing today. He came on his own. Our men are already on their way to Qingzhou. Do we need to send someone to bring them back?"
Zhu Song said, "No need. They are fast and they won't be able to catch up even if they go to Qingzhou. It would be better to let them go to Qingzhou to inquire about the situation."
"yes."
"Bring Wang Shichang in."
The bailiff bowed and walked out. Soon a white-haired man came in. He was wearing a black gown, looked haggard, and his eyes were filled with deep sadness. He was only fifty-three, but looked like he was over seventy.
He has a handsome appearance and his temperament, apart from being a little melancholy, is indeed elegant. Zhu Song had a pretty good first impression of him.
Wang Shichang lifted his coat and was about to kneel, but Zhu Song raised his hand to stop him, "No need to be so polite, sit down and talk."
Wang Shichang whispered, "Thank you, sir."
Zhu Song made an invitation, and Wang Shichang sat down at the table and began to speak. "I am Wang Shichang. Two days ago, I suddenly heard about the tragedy at Shuyun Villa. I am deeply troubled. Remembering that I had known the mistress of Shuyun Villa many years ago, and thinking that Your Excellency might have something to ask me, I came here in the middle of the night."
It was obvious that his expression was so sad that he was about to die, but his tone was extremely calm and his words were very measured. Zhu Song couldn't help but think of Xu Lizhu's words. He was indeed an old-fashioned person.
Zhu Song said, "I do have something I want to know."
Wang Shichang said, "Please ask me, my lord. I will tell you everything I know."
Zhu Song was naturally not polite. "Thirteen years ago, someone saw you meeting Xu Wanyin privately. What was the matter?"
Wang Shichang's calm gaze tinged with nostalgia as he recalled the past. "At that time, Lin Sicheng obtained a red coral and exhibited it publicly in the capital, accompanied by Madam Lin. I heard some people saying some bad things about it in private, so I made an appointment to meet Madam Lin and presented her with a cloak and a headdress, but she refused to accept them and instead scolded me."
Zhu Song asked, "What happened next?"
Wang Shichang said, "I knew I couldn't speak, so I didn't bother anyone. After watching three exhibitions, I left Beijing and returned to Qingzhou."
Zhu Song asked, "After the fire at Shuyun Villa, did you return to Beijing?"
Wang Shichang shook his head. "During that time, my mother had been arranging blind dates for me and kept a close eye on me. Furthermore, I figured that Madam Lin didn't want to see me when she was alive, and she certainly wouldn't want to see me after she died, so I just paid my respects from afar as a token of my gratitude and didn't come to the capital."
Zhu Song looked at Wang Shichang and fell into deep thought, "You haven't married yet?"
Wang Shichang nodded and met Zhu Song's gaze calmly. "I know what you're trying to say, sir. If I had the guts to hire someone to kill someone, I wouldn't have agreed to the Xu family's request to break off the engagement. Madam Lin may have a strong temper, but she's actually very pure. But if I had insisted on not breaking off the engagement, she wouldn't have married Lin Sicheng either."
Wang Shichang spoke tactfully, but Zhu Song understood what he meant. Xu Wanyin could go on a hunger strike and sever ties with her father, but she would not elope with anyone.
Zhu Song nodded. "That's it for today. Until this case is concluded, I hope you will remain in the capital and cooperate with the Dali Temple's inquiries at any time."
Wang Shichang stood up and bowed, saying, "I will definitely cooperate."
Zhu Song called a yamen runner to escort Wang Shichang out.
After a busy day, Zhu Song didn't see Gu Huaiyu while having lunch, so he asked the yamen runner next to him, "Where is Lord Gu?"
The yamen runner replied, "Master Gu has gone to Jingzhao Prefecture and hasn't returned yet."
"Oh." Zhu Song was so busy that he forgot about it.
After eating a few mouthfuls of rice, Zhu Song went to the prison. The cell in the Dali Temple was not big. There were three people imprisoned there. The other two were death row prisoners and would be executed in the autumn. So when they saw Zhu Song, they ignored him and just focused on eating.
Zhu Song came to the cell where Lin Feng was imprisoned. Lin Feng was also eating with a bowl in his hand. He ate very slowly, chewing each bite carefully. A strand of hair hung down naturally, giving him a kind of pitiful and downtrodden beauty.
When Lin Feng heard the voice, he looked up and saw Zhu Song. He quickly put down the bowl and called out, "Sir."
Zhu Song had the bailiff open the cell door, walked in, and casually exchanged greetings: "Is the food to your liking?"
Lin Feng nodded, and Zhu Song asked the prison boss standing at the door, "When will the meal be served today?"
The jailer replied, "It was released a quarter of an hour ago."
Zhu Song saw that there was still a large bowl of food left in Lin Feng's bowl, and it was obvious that he hadn't eaten much. He said to the prison boss, "The food doesn't suit his taste. Tell the kitchen to make a good meal and send it over."
The jailer was a little surprised, but still did as he was told.
Not only the jailer was surprised, Lin Feng was also surprised, "Sir, there is no need to make an exception for me."
Zhu Song smiled slightly, reached out and patted his shoulder, releasing enough kindness, "Eat well."
The moment he took the photo, Zhu Song clearly felt Lin Feng shudder, but he did not say anything and turned around and left the cell.
Zhu Song spent the whole afternoon reading the files. When it was almost dark, Gu Huaiyu came back and said as soon as he entered the room, "Pour me a glass of water."
Zhu Song poured him a glass of water and asked, "Where are you going? Why don't you have any water to drink?"
Gu Huaiyu took the water cup and drank it in one breath, then put the cup back on the table. "It's in Jingzhao Prefecture. I don't like his drink."
Gu Huaiyu and Qu Zhoubai's relationship was sometimes good and sometimes bad. When it was bad, it was like a quarrel between children, very childish. Zhu Song was used to it, so he didn't say much. He just asked, "How is the investigation of Zhuqingyuan going?"
Gu Huaiyu's expression turned serious when he spoke of serious matters. "There's indeed something fishy about Zhuqingyuan. The land deed registered in Jingzhao Prefecture is listed as belonging to a man named Li Mingsi, and there's no other information. We spent the entire afternoon searching, and the only person in the entire capital named Li Mingsi is an eighty-year-old widower from Xiliu Village. Qu Zhoubai has already taken people to look for him."
After Gu Huaiyu finished speaking, he asked, "How are things on your side?"
Zhu Song briefly recounted what happened today, focusing on Lin Feng. "Today I asked the kitchen to make lunch for him, and I discovered something very interesting."
"oh?"
Gu Huaiyu looked curious and waited for his next words.
Zhu Song said, "I asked the kitchen to prepare all the expensive dishes, but guess what, he didn't eat any of the fish lips, scallops, or duck breast, but he did eat the shark fin."
Gu Huaiyu frowned slightly, "Where did you get the shark fin?"
Zhu Song pursed his lips and looked up at the sky guiltily, "You put it in the kitchen."
Gu Huaiyu's face darkened. "Didn't I specifically tell the kitchen not to move?"
Zhu Song comforted him and said, "It just moved a little bit."
Hearing that Gu Huaiyu was also involved, his expression softened and he got back to business. "So?"
Zhu Song said, "So, either he's tired of eating fish lips, scallops, and duck breast, or he doesn't know what shark fin is."
Gu Huaiyu understood what he meant, but he only felt more helpless. "You don't know where Zhuqingyuan is, do you?"
Zhu Song truly didn't know. Gu Huaiyu continued, "Although it's in the suburbs, the scenery is stunning. Only the families of high-ranking officials would live there. There's no need for you to test him this way. Besides, I was going to give that shark fin to you... Never mind, you were going to use it yourself anyway."
Zhu Song had been trying to solve the case for the past few days and had been getting a bit stuck in a rut. After hearing what Gu Huaiyu said, he realized that his idea was a bit foolish. "Let's just bring Lin Feng to trial directly."
Gu Huaiyu stopped him and said, "Wait for a moment, Qu Zhoubai should be back soon."
Zhu Song nodded, "Okay."
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