Chapter 146 Exploring Clues
Based on Zhao Sicheng's description, Zhu Lan sketched out the general shape of the house on rice paper. He also drew out the furnishings in the house, such as the water tanks and pillars, according to what Zhao Sicheng said.
Although the painting was not very delicate, everyone could still understand it at a glance.
"In addition to the thatched hut, we can also start from another place." Zhu Lan said, "According to the information provided by passers-by, Zhao Sicheng was thrown onto the street by a carriage this morning."
Qiao Youyou: "You mean, carriage?"
"That's right." Zhu Lan nodded, "Well, Xiao Wan, You You, I will go to the south of the city to see if we can find a thatched house that fits the description.
Liang Zhou, you and Zhou Da go to that street and ask around to see if you can find any more clues about the carriage."
Liang Zhou and Zhou Da agreed, "Okay, let's go now."
Everyone began to act separately.
…
Zhu Lan and the other two came to the southwest area of Jiangzhou City. Most of the houses in this area were dilapidated, and there were many thatched houses that were leaking wind and rain.
"How can we find them with so many? And we don't know if anyone lives inside, how can we get in?" Qiao Youyou said in confusion.
Zhu Lan thought for a moment and said, "Zhao Sicheng said that the house has no windows and is very dark, which means the walls are thick and it's not a broken house that leaks wind and rain."
Xiao Wan also nodded in agreement, "Yes, otherwise the sound inside would leak out and someone might find out."
The three of them analyzed and looked around. Zhu Lan suddenly shook his head and said, "It won't be in this area. Maybe it's a little more remote."
"Why?" Qiao Youyou asked.
"I've been here before. There's a market nearby, and it's very busy in the morning. But Zhao Sicheng said he hardly heard any noise outside, so it must not be around here."
The three of them continued to walk further away. After walking for about half an incense stick of time, Qiao Youyou, who had good eyesight, suddenly pointed at the muddy ground beside him and said:
"Look, there are traces of carriages running over here!"
Zhu Lan squatted down and saw two blurry tire tracks.
"Great, the direction we are looking in should be correct!" Zhu Lan said happily.
The three of them quickened their pace and continued searching in the direction of the tire tracks. However, before they had gone far, the tire tracks disappeared into a gravel ground.
Xiao Wan tried carefully to identify the wheel marks on the pile of rubble, but to no avail.
Zhu Lan comforted him, "Don't be discouraged. At least we have narrowed down the search area. You see, the houses in this area are getting fewer and fewer, and there are only a few thatched houses. Let's look for them. Maybe the place where Zhao Sicheng is imprisoned is among them."
She looked up and counted, and found only four or five thatched huts nearby.
"But should we go in directly? What if there is someone inside?" Xiao Wan was a little worried.
"It shouldn't be." Zhu Lan touched his chin and said, "If it was really Yang Xin who kidnapped the people, he was a Tongpan who had just arrived in Jiangzhou, so he could only find a temporary place to hide people. Since Zhao Sichengdu has been sent away, there is no need to leave anyone to guard this house."
"Then let's push the doors one by one and take a look?" Qiao Youyou couldn't think of any other good idea.
Xiao Wan shook her head. "No, what if we find the wrong person? Wouldn't that be trespassing?"
While the two were hesitating, they saw Zhu Lan's gaze fall on one of the houses, and a smile suddenly appeared in his eyes.
"It should be that one, no doubt about it."
She walked over to the thatched hut, listened carefully, and after making sure there was no movement inside, she pushed open the unlocked wooden door.
Xiao Wan and Qiao Youyou rushed over and saw the pillars and water tanks in the room, which were exactly the same as Zhao Sicheng described!
Zhu Lan took out the picture he had drawn and compared it briefly, "It is indeed correct."
Qiao Youyou was happy and surprised, "Lanlan, how did you know it was here?"
Zhu Lan put away the picture and said with a smile: "Remember, Zhao Sicheng said he heard someone push the door, and when he opened his eyes, he saw light shining in and the shadow of the person coming in."
Qiao Youyou nodded, "You mean...shadow?"
"Yes. Zhao Sicheng was thrown onto the street by a carriage at noon, which means he was taken out of the house in the morning.
The sun rises from the east in the morning, and only if the door opens to the east can the shadow projected to the west be cast into the house at that angle.
If the door opens to the west, you will never see the shadow of a person. If it opens to other directions, the shadow will not fall into the room. "
Zhu Lan pointed to the door and said, "Did you notice just now? Among these rooms, only this one faces due east."
"I see." Qiao Youyou gave her a thumbs up, "Then let's look for any clues!"
"There are footprints here." Xiao Wan's voice rang out. While the two were talking, she had carefully observed every corner of the room.
The other party acted in a secretive manner and even took away the rope that tied Zhao Sicheng. The only thing left was a half-cleaned footprint on the dusty spot near the door.
Qiao Youyou said in distress: "We don't have the tools to make rubbings. How about you wait a while and I'll go back and get them?"
"It takes too long to go back and forth. I'm afraid that the night will be too long and I will have too many dreams." Zhu Lan thought for a while, took out the rice paper he had used for drawing before, and directly used a pencil to draw the footprints on the back in a one-to-one ratio.
After finishing the drawing, I put it on the footprint to compare it, and it was almost exactly the same.
Liang Zhou and Zhou Da also obtained some clues by visiting the people who witnessed Zhao Sicheng being thrown off the carriage.
After everyone gathered, Liang Zhou placed the recorded clues on the table.
"Zhu Lan is right. The carriage did come from the south of the city. Zhou Da and I wanted to track it down to see where it finally stopped.
But after the carriage dropped Zhao Sicheng off, it drove into the downtown area, where there was a lot of traffic, and the carriage did not have any distinctive features, so no one paid special attention to it. "
Seeing Zhu Lan and the other two were silent, Liang Zhou suddenly smiled and said, "But on the street where Zhao Sicheng appeared, someone noticed the driver's appearance!
Although the man was masked at the time, some people saw that there seemed to be a large red spot on the left side of his forehead, like a birthmark! "
"Birthmark!?" Xiao Wan's eyes widened suddenly. "When I met Yang Xin after the exam that day, the man following him had a birthmark on his left cheek!"
Thinking of her friend being murdered, Qiao Youyou was filled with righteous indignation and said, "Then let's go to Yang's house now, find this person, and compare the shoe prints!"
"No." Zhu Lan fell into deep thought. "There is not enough evidence now, and the Yang family is very powerful. If the other party insists on denying it or bites back, we will be passive."
Among the people present now, the one with the highest status is Liang Zhou. Although he is the son of the emperor's uncle, his family does not have a very close relationship with Concubine Liang, and it is even more impossible for him to alarm the palace about this matter.
After all, the title of uncle of the king is just an empty title. When it comes to real power, I am afraid that the uncle of the king cannot have as much influence as a fifth-rank judge in Jiangzhou.
Zhu Lan slowly raised his eyes and said, "This matter concerns the future of the students in the academy. I think it would be better to report it to Dean Ouyang and the headmaster first and let them handle it, rather than us stepping in."
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