Chapter 119 Loyal Servant

Su Yuji was completely confused when she heard someone behind her calling her "Miss". She stared at the person warily and asked, "Who are you?"

The visitor was a woman in her forties, with kind eyes and a gloomy face, and her body was full of traces of time. She saw Su Yuji crying and said sadly: "Madam, I have fulfilled my mission and finally found the young lady. You can rest in peace in the underworld!"

Su Yuji didn't want to pay attention to this person at first. Someone suddenly appeared on the street and cried to her. Was he a liar? However, the woman mentioned "Madam".

Su Yuji was about to leave, but when he heard this word, he couldn't help but stop.

Su's mother died of illness when she was four years old. In her memory, her mother was always weak and indifferent, lying in a room filled with the heavy smell of medicine, looking at her coldly. Su Yuji sometimes even felt that Su's mother hated her.

But why?

The young Su Yuji did not understand until her mother passed away and her family members came to the funeral to discuss the matter secretly. Su Yuji then learned from her aunts' complaints that she was not her mother's biological daughter, but was picked up by her grandmother on the street.

From then on, Su Yuji became extra sensible. She was afraid that her grandmother would change her mind and no longer want her, and that her father would sell her out in order to earn back the money he had invested over the years. She had no choice but to be strong in everything, hoping that if she did well, her grandmother would not regret taking her back.

Fortunately, there was Su Xingzhi, who had raised her since she was a child and was like a brother, a father, and a mother in her life. After Su's father died, Su Xingzhi became the head of the family and treated her well as always. Su Yuji then slowly put her mind at ease and stopped worrying about gains and losses.

After so many years, she no longer missed her biological family. What else could she find when her parents abandoned her? The Su family was her home.

But today, someone suddenly told her that her mother had been looking for her all these years. Su Yuji knew she shouldn't believe it, but her desire for maternal love gripped her like a vine, and she couldn't help but have delusions in her heart.

Maybe, she also has her own family, and her parents did not abandon her, but some accidents happened, leaving them apart?

Su Yuji couldn't help but turn around and looked at the maid without leaving any trace. He asked, "Who are you? Why do you know me?"

The maid wiped her tears vigorously, and said with tears and laughter: "I am an old servant of Madam Wang, the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo. Seventeen years ago, Madam Wang was about to give birth in Zhongnan Mountain in the suburbs. She had a hemorrhage and fell into a coma. At that time, I was busy taking care of Madam Wang and had no time to be distracted. The young man and the young lady were taken care of by Madam Wang's wet nurse, Madam Su. Who would have thought that Madam Su would have such a vicious mind to switch you with her granddaughter."

When Su Yuji heard her grandmother's name, her heart skipped a beat and she felt as if she were in a dream. "What?"

"Young lady's grandmother, Su, once served Lady Wang, the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo. Young lady, you should know that, right? But did you know that her daughter-in-law was also running a shop for Lady Wang in Chang'an that year, and gave birth to a girl at about the same time. No matter how much wealth the Su family had accumulated in the shop, it could not compare to the wealth of the Duke's mansion. The old woman had evil thoughts and took the risk. While the villa was in chaos, she took her granddaughter to the villa and replaced the young lady's identity. She then took the young lady back to her hometown and told others that the young lady was a member of the Su family. In this way, the young lady of the Duke's mansion and the weeds from the countryside were replaced."

Su Yuji was completely stunned when she heard these words. She thought of her mother's inexplicable hatred for her and the complicated look in her grandmother's eyes when she looked at her. Suddenly, she understood the things that she couldn't understand before.

But Su Yuji still didn't completely believe what the maid said. If she was replaced, the one who came to see her should be her blood relative. Why would it be a maid she had never met? Who knew whether what she said was true or false?

Su Yuji asked suspiciously, "Such a secret matter, even the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion didn't find out, how did you know about it?"

The maid said angrily, "How could it not be discovered? Duke Zhenguo had doubted the authenticity of the dragon and phoenix twins for several times. In the third year of Chuigong and the second year of Tianshou, he went to the Su family to inquire about the truth. Nanny Su secretly met with Duke Zhenguo and deceived him with her sweet words. Later, the dragon and phoenix twins grew up gradually. Duke Zhenguo doted on his only daughter very much and was unwilling to suspect that she was fake. Gradually, he stopped pursuing her. Investigate this matter. Only the old slave felt sorry for the lady who died of dystocia and whose bloodline was replaced after death. Over the years, the old slave kept looking for the truth and finally found the young lady. Young lady, you were originally the daughter of a noble family, and the reputation of a dragon and phoenix twin, which symbolizes auspiciousness, should have been yours! Now you have been replaced by a farm girl like her. Just thinking about it, the old slave feels sad for the young lady and the lady. "

Su Yuji's head was buzzing. Originally, she only believed it three-tenths. But after the maid said the third year of Chuigong and the second year of Tianshou, the balance in her heart swung violently, and the three-tenths belief became five-tenths.

When she was seven years old, she did run into a man at Su's house. The man was dressed in ordinary clothes, but he had an indescribable noble air. The man looked at her very strangely. Later, Su Yuji asked her grandmother who the man was, but her grandmother was shocked and changed the subject.

In the end, Su Yuji didn't know the man's identity until two days ago, when she ran into Duke Zhenguo taking Ming Huazhang and Ming Huashang home on the street. She was suddenly shocked to realize that the man she ran into when she was seven years old was actually Duke Zhenguo.

Why would the Duke of Zhen appear in a little-known village outside Taiyuan? The Duke's arrival is a good thing, so why would my grandmother want to hide it?

Things that Su Yuji had never thought about were suddenly revealed to her in an extremely tragic way. It turned out that her grandmother had lied to her, and it turned out that her life experience, which made her sad and unable to let go, was a drama made up by the Su family.

Was all this for that woman? Su Yuji saw Ming Huashang's clear and shining eyes. She was indeed the most beloved person in the world. Not only did the Duke of Zhenguo love her, her brother loved her, but even the elders of the Su family loved her.

Su Yuji suddenly had a very scary thought. His grandmother knew about it, but did Su Xingzhi know about it?

Su Yuji pinched her palm hard, forced herself to calm down, raised her eyes and asked: "What do you want to do by telling me this?"

The maid looked indignant and said, "Miss, I just can't bear to see someone occupying your place, and I want to make things right. The splendor and wealth of the mansion, the love of your brother, should have been yours, but now you have been deceived by a lowly peasant girl. Why? Miss, I heard that the mansion of the Duke of Zhenguo is already arranging a marriage for that fake girl. If she gets a good marriage and marries into a noble family in the future, what justice will there be? Miss, you must go back quickly to expose her true colors, and don't let her get what she wants!"

Su Yuji looked at the maid coldly and said, "I grew up in a farm, are you saying I'm lowly?"

The maid was stunned for a moment, but immediately gave Su Yuji a gift. Su Yuji looked at the maid's rolling eyes, and there seemed to be a fire burning in his heart, both angry and indifferent.

Her words were indeed very provocative, but she was too hasty. Did she really think Su Yuji couldn't understand that this maid was provoking Su Yuji and trying to persuade her to go to the Duke of Zhen's mansion to cause trouble?

If she really suffered injustice, she would never swallow her anger, but if someone wanted to use her as a pawn, Su Yuji would not let the person behind it do so.

The maid claimed to be an old servant of the Wang family and kept saying that she was doing it for Madam Wang's good, but Su Yuji didn't quite believe it. She thought that she was a servant of a certain house of the Duke of Zhenguo, who had found her for some reason and wanted to use her to cause trouble. She didn't know whether it was true that she and Ming Huashang were swapped, but someone who instigated her to go to the house to make trouble would definitely not be doing it for her good.

After apologizing, the maid stared at Su Yuji's expression and asked, "Miss, regarding the mistaken exchange, what do you think..."

Su Yuji said calmly, "There is no evidence for this matter. If I go there without hesitation, I might be blamed. I will come back when I have collected enough evidence."

The maid was stunned for a moment, then immediately smiled and said, "Young lady, you are very thoughtful. It was me who was rash. Young lady, what evidence do you need? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Su Yuji's black and white eyes stared at her, which was frightening. The maid froze and asked in confusion, "Miss?"

Su Yuji retracted his gaze and said coldly: "This matter still needs to be considered in the long run. I have my own ideas."

The maid responded attentively, saying, "If you have any instructions, please leave a message for me here. This is the residence of my son. I know everything about it and can guarantee its safety."

Su Yuji took the note from the maid and scanned it. She said nothing and accepted it calmly. The maid observed her expression and said, "I will not bother you anymore. If you have thought it through, you can come to me anytime."

Su Yuji spoke harshly and mercilessly to the maid who came from nowhere. After the maid left, she held the note in her hand, her heart pounding, not as calm as she appeared.

Ming Huashang was the one who took her place? Ming Huazhang was her biological brother? Su Xingzhi was the kidnapper's son?

These words were too shocking to Su Yuji's cognition. She was in a trance and staggered. She had to squat down with the help of the wall. Her body seemed to be split in two. One half was screaming wildly, asking why they treated her like this, and the other half was whispering to her, Ming Huashang was not that kind of person. Could there be a misunderstanding?

It was precisely because she knew the protagonists Ming Huazhang and Ming Huashang in the story that she was able to detect the distortion of the facts in the maid's words when she provoked her. If Su Yuji had not met Ming Huashang and worked with her several times, she would have been blinded by anger and hatred and rushed to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to question her.

Su Yuji's mind was in a mess, and she didn't know what to do. She squatted for a while, slapped her face hard, and stood up by holding the wall.

In her current mental state, she obviously can't go to the West Market to buy things, so she should go back and calm down first.

蘇雨霁走後，方才的仆婦出現在巷尾，只不過現在她脊梁挺直，滿臉冷漠，一定都看不出先前忠誠恭順的奴仆模樣。她冷冷盯着蘇雨霁的背影，吹哨喚來一只鴿子，在信箋上飛快寫道：“回禀殿下，魚已上鈎，但尚有遲疑，需下重餌。”

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京兆府內，又是忙碌而尋常的一天，捕快整了整刀去街上巡邏，功曹參軍板着臉訓話兵士，司錄參軍抱着包藥急匆匆從廊上走過，他停在少尹宮殿前，整了整衣冠，朗聲道：“少尹，您要的東西找來了。”

裏面傳來淺淡的應聲：“拿進來吧。”

司錄參軍推門而入，看清裏面的情形時愣了下，垂下眼睛，老老實實對明華章行禮：“明少尹。”

明華章眼睛停留在卷宗上，指了指旁邊的桌案，說：“放在這裏吧。”

司錄參軍忍不住擡眸，掃了眼明華章身旁輕松閑适，端着盤糕點，正毫不避諱翻看文書的女子，欲言又止，止言又欲，最後覺得還是自己的官帽重要，忍辱負重別開眼睛：“是。”

司錄參軍走後，光風霁月、君子端坐的明華章沒好氣掃了明華裳一眼，微微加重聲音：“坐好。”

明華裳嗯了聲，身體紋絲不動。明華章等了半晌，很确定他是耗不過他的妹妹的，只能認命地嘆氣，将卷宗調好角度挪到她眼前，把掉落的糕點渣收起來，還給她腰後塞了個引枕，省得她坐得歪歪扭扭，長歪了骨頭。

明華章拆開司錄參軍帶來的藥包，對着旁邊的紙張，一樣樣辨認。他從錦繡樓回來後，立刻讓人找出天授十年的卷宗，尋找錦繡樓馮掌櫃亡故的記錄。那時的京兆府長官認為馮掌櫃是病逝，并未着墨許多，只簡單記載了京兆府接到報案後如何出勤，如何辦差，然後就結束了。

還是明華章抽絲剝繭，讓人去調查給柳氏開藥的回春堂。這一查才知，回春堂來頭可不小，乃是百年老字號了。長安老牌的醫館不少，但回春堂能屹立至今，乃是因為他們家有一門獨門秘藥，對治療心疾有奇效，歷代只傳男不傳女，只傳子不傳徒，神秘的很。百姓相信他們家祖傳手藝，平時有什麽頭疼腦熱都去回春堂看，就連達官權貴也多有上門。

回春堂這一代的傳人叫楚骥，聽說這位楚郎中深得先祖真傳，醫術青出于藍而勝于藍，在城南頗有名氣。被柳氏高價請去給馮掌櫃看病的，正是此人。

回春堂的心疾秘方最為出名，柳氏找上他，也算合情合理。之後的事情如廚娘所說，楚骥上門給馮掌櫃診脈，開了藥，但藥方保密，只能拿着牌子去回春堂抓。

明華章遣人去回春堂問過，三年前柳氏确實時常來此，馮掌櫃死前一天柳氏也來過，回春堂照例将已經調配好的草藥賣給柳氏，柳氏只需要回去後煎一遍就可。回春堂也不知，馮掌櫃為何會突發急病死亡。

明華章自然不敢質疑老字號神醫的方子有問題，他讓衙役同樣抓了副治厥心痛的藥，帶回京兆府研究。但明華章醫理有限，很多藥他也認不出來，便去太醫署請了位醫正，幫忙逆推藥方。

今早醫正将藥包和方子一起送過來，但特意在紙上言明，藥之一事失之毫厘謬以千裏，不同醫館炮制藥材的手法截然不同，就算知道了草藥品種、份量，不知炮制順序，反推出來的方子未必能救人，說不定反會殺人。

明華章并沒有偷盜人家秘方的想法，不過醫正的話提醒他了，哪怕同樣的藥材，毒人和救人，可能就在分毫之別。

明華章修長的手指夾着一塊褐片，仔細看了看，問明華裳：“我記得附子是有毒的吧？”

明華裳剛看完證詞，她伸了個懶腰，自然而然靠在明華章背上：“嗯。終南山教下毒的夫子提起過，烏頭全身有毒，子根入藥後名附子，如果附子劑量過大、水煮時間不夠或炮制質量差，服用後會中毒。”

明華裳和明華章都想起廚娘的話，廚娘說，馮掌櫃死前一天曾有人看到錢益偷偷給了柳氏什麽東西，如果那就是有毒的附子呢？

明華章回眸，瞥了眼靠在他身上翻卷宗的明華裳，這回卻沒再計較明華裳坐姿不端正。明華章将附子放回藥包中，嘆道：“如果馮掌櫃真死于附子中毒，那難怪銀針測不出毒性。烏頭中毒者不會留下明顯外征，看起來像疾病而死，馮掌櫃本身就有厥心痛，外行人很容易被糊弄住。柳氏又急忙給馮掌櫃下葬，如今過了三年，屍體都腐爛了，根本死無對證。”

“所以，就算柳氏和錢益的行跡很可疑，也沒法判罪？”

“很難。”

明華裳長長嘆了口氣，看着手中的證詞，說：“那我更覺得錦繡樓爆炸是蓄謀已久的仇殺了。最近，錦繡樓可熱鬧。”

謝天謝地，除了上元節那日出了岔子，之後長安再無爆炸發生，三日狂歡總算平平穩穩落幕了。長安街上的燈逐個拆下，京兆府衆人，包括明華裳都松了口氣。

時間一日日過去，西市又來了新的胡姬，開了新的酒肆，百姓蜂擁而至，胡旋鼓聲中，上元的爆炸聲逐漸遠去，只餘親人和京兆府記得錦繡樓發生了命案。

這幾日錦繡樓可謂熱鬧極了，先是馮掌櫃的侄兒馮梁上門，說錦繡樓原本就是馮掌櫃的家産，現在錢益死了，酒樓理應歸還馮家；之後時錢益的弟弟錢躍站出來，說父死子繼天經地義，錦繡樓是寶兒的，只不過侄兒年幼，他這個叔叔願意代為照看；最後同坊裏的寡婦胡氏跑到錦繡樓前哭，說柳氏水性楊花，生下的兒子并非錢益骨肉，她肚子裏的才是錢益的遺腹子，要求平分家産。

嚯，小小錦繡樓可真是藏龍卧虎，這一圈看下來，沒一個好人。

明華裳啧啧感嘆：“錢益在師父剛死後就娶了師娘，結果沒兩年，他又和鄰居胡寡婦勾搭在一起，甚至孩子都有了。果然啊，會偷情的男人，永遠不要指望他會浪子回頭，不知道柳氏知道他和胡寡婦的事，會不會後悔。”

明華章理解不了，詫異說：“他已經娶了柳氏，有妻有子，生活安穩，為什麽還要拈花惹草，破壞自己的生活？他閑的沒事幹嗎？”

明華裳靠在明華章肩上，似笑非笑睨了他一眼，說：“可能有些男人，就喜歡眼皮子底下偷歡，享受背德的快感呢。”

明華裳等着她那聖人君子一樣的兄長反駁她，她還挺想聽明華章是如何引經據典斥責這等不倫之事的。然而她等了許久，身後人竟然沒反應。

明華裳驚訝地直起身，歪頭去看明華章：“二兄，你怎麽不說話？”

明華章筆直坐着，姿态高潔如玉像，淡然道：“那些男人的心思，我如何懂。”

明華裳啞然，喃喃點頭：“也是，二兄光明坦蕩，正人君子，怎麽看得上徒弟娶師娘這等逆悖倫常之事。此案最大的三個獲益者，馮梁、錢躍、胡寡婦都去看過百歲燈，理論上都有對燈動手腳的機會。其中馮梁可能是為了給馮掌櫃報仇，炸死錢益後收回錦繡樓；錢躍可能是眼紅兄長的錢財，如果兄長不在了，他就能借侄兒的名義名正言順侵吞財産；其中胡寡婦是最沒有理由殺錢益的，錢掌櫃死了，誰證明她肚子裏的孩子呢？如今連孩子是男是女都不知道，她還需要錢益這顆搖錢樹，不應當殺他。”

明華章靜靜聽着，儀态光風霁月，手指卻暗暗攥緊了，緩慢摩挲指節。錢益和柳氏是沒有血緣的徒弟師娘，她便這樣鄙夷，那他……

明華章壓住心裏的慚愧，用一如往常的清冷聲線，說：“胡寡婦沒有殺人動機，可是柳氏有。”

明華裳眼睛一亮，撫掌道：“對哦，我怎麽忘了她。她攜遺産改嫁錢益，錢益卻在外面招蜂引蝶，和鄰居寡婦不幹不淨。如果胡寡婦生下一個兒子，那将直接威脅她的地位，最不濟都能分走一半家産。以她對兒子的在意，完全做得出為保兒子財産而殺了錢益。燈就放在錦繡樓，她作為老板娘，想對燈做些手腳，遠比另外幾人便利多了。”

“但這些只是猜測。”明華章翻開卷軸，試圖尋找新的突破點，“破案最怕預設惡意，一旦有了偏向，那就會無意識給心目中的兇手尋找證據。如果冤枉了無辜者，我們就是兇手。馮掌櫃到底是自然死亡還是被謀殺，關系着此案兇手的動機，不能含糊。若馮掌櫃當真是半夜病死，也不能因此冤枉了柳氏。”

明華裳覺得很有道理，所以這種難題交給兄長做吧。她心安理得靠在明華章肩上，過了一會，明華章聽到身邊鼻息漸平，他回眸一看，明華裳閉着眼睛，都睡着了。

He originally wanted to wake her up and let her go to sleep on the couch, but when he raised his hand, he was reluctant to wake her up for a long time.

In the past few days, she followed him closely, going out with him in the morning and waiting for him to return home after work at night. She stayed with Ming Huazhang as long as he stayed in the government office, and she would not give up even if she was so sleepy that she could not open her eyes.

Ming Huazhang told her several times to leave first, but she shook her head, saying that time will never come back and she wants to live every day to the fullest. Ming Huazhang knew that she wanted to solve the case quickly, so he had to bear it no matter how distressed he was.

Ming Huazhang lowered his head and looked at her profile for a long time. Her eyes were very beautiful, usually like a clear spring, always so cheerful and lively, never quiet. At this moment, she closed her eyes, like a sleeping crabapple in spring, a red plum blossom in the snow, with a kind of untainted worldly, blooming gorgeous elegance.

It turned out that before anyone knew it, the little girl with gaping teeth and shedding tears had grown into a graceful young lady. She had a beautiful face full of femininity, her own opinions and persistence, and admirers.

Ming Huazhang stared at her, as if bewitched, and his cheeks moved closer unconsciously. His lips were almost touching Ming Huachang's forehead, when suddenly heavy footsteps came from outside: "Shao Yin, something bad has happened, Chengnan..."

The yamen runner received the report and found that it was a familiar place, so he ran over to report to the Shao Yin. He pushed open the door with a bang and saw their Shao Yin covering the ears of the girl on his shoulder with his palms, his eyes shooting at him like cold swords.

The yamen runner stuttered and forgot what he was saying. The girl had been woken up by then and opened her eyes drowsily: "How did I fall asleep... Second brother, is there something wrong?"

Ming Huazhang glanced at the yamen runner coldly, and when he looked at her, his voice was still as gentle as the wind: "It's nothing, just a small matter, you can continue to sleep."

Ming Huashang saw someone at the door and quickly fixed her hair and sat down. The yamen runner dared to enter the door at this time and said with a tearful face: "Shao Yin, this is not a small matter, it's a big thing!"

"What is it?"

"The miraculous doctor Chu Ji, whom you asked us to keep an eye on, was killed in an explosion in his own clinic this morning."