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 Duke 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 wife 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 inexlicable 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. 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.
After Su Yuji left, the maid appeared at the end of the alley, but now she stood up straight and looked cold, and she certainly didn't look like the loyal and obedient servant she was before. She stared coldly at Su Yuji's back, blew a whistle to call a pigeon, and quickly wrote on the letter: "Reporting to Your Highness, the fish has been hooked, but there is still doubt, so we need to give a heavy bait."
·
It was another busy and ordinary day in Jingzhao Prefecture. The constables straightened their swords and went out to patrol the streets. The Gongcao Army was scolding the soldiers with a stern face. The Silu Army hurriedly walked through the corridor holding a bag of medicine. He stopped in front of the Shaoyin Palace, straightened his clothes, and said loudly: "Shaoyin, I found what you wanted."
A faint voice came from inside: "Bring it in."
The registrar pushed the door open and was stunned when he saw the situation inside. He lowered his eyes and saluted Ming Huazhang obediently: "Ming Shaoyin."
Ming Huazhang's eyes stayed on the file, and he pointed to the table beside him and said, "Put it here."
The registrar couldn't help but raise his eyes and glanced at the woman beside Ming Huazhang, who was leisurely holding a plate of cakes and flipping through documents without hesitation. He wanted to say something but stopped, and finally felt that his official hat was more important, so he swallowed the humiliation and turned his eyes away: "Yes."
After the registrar left, Ming Huazhang, who was sitting in a gentlemanly manner, glanced at Ming Huachang unhappily and said in a slightly heavier voice, "Sit down."
Ming Huachang hummed, without moving. Ming Huazhang waited for a long while, and was very sure that he could not outlast his sister, so he could only sigh and resigned himself to his fate, adjusted the file and moved it in front of her, collected the fallen cake crumbs, and stuffed a pillow behind her waist to prevent her from sitting crookedly and causing her bones to become crooked.
Ming Huazhang opened the medicine bag brought by Silu Canjun and identified the papers beside it one by one. After returning from Jinxiu Tower, he immediately asked someone to find the files of the tenth year of Tianshou to find the record of the death of Feng, the manager of Jinxiu Tower. The chief of Jingzhao Prefecture at that time believed that Feng died of illness and did not write much about it. He simply recorded how Jingzhao Prefecture went to work and how it handled the work after receiving the report, and then ended it.
It was Ming Huazhang who finally pulled out the pieces and asked someone to investigate Huichuntang, the hospital that prescribed medicine for Liu. The investigation revealed that Huichuntang was a well-known hospital with a history of a century. There were many old medical clinics in Chang'an, but Huichuntang was able to survive to this day because they had a unique secret medicine that was very effective in treating heart disease. It was passed down from generation to generation to only men and not women, and only to sons and not to apprentices. It was very mysterious. The people believed in their ancestral craftsmanship, and they would go to Huichuntang for any headaches or fevers. Even high-ranking officials and dignitaries often came to see the doctor.
The heir of Huichuntang this generation is called Chu Ji. It is said that this doctor Chu has inherited the true teachings of his ancestors and his medical skills are better than his ancestors. He is quite famous in the south of the city. It is this man who was invited by Liu to treat Feng the shopkeeper at a high price.
Huichuntang's secret recipe for heart disease was the most famous, so it was reasonable for Liu to find him. What happened next was just as the cook said. Chu Ji went to Feng's house to diagnose him and prescribed medicine, but the prescription was kept secret, so he could only go to Huichuntang with the sign to get it.
Ming Huazhang sent someone to Huichuntang to ask. It turned out that Liu had come here often three years ago. She had also come here the day before Feng the Cabinet died. Huichuntang sold the prepared herbs to Liu as usual. Liu only needed to boil them once when she returned. Huichuntang also did not know why Feng the Cabinet died suddenly of an acute illness.
Ming Huazhang naturally did not dare to question the prescription of the old doctor. He asked the yamen runners to get the same medicine for treating heart pain and took it back to Jingzhao Prefecture for research. However, Ming Huazhang's medical knowledge was limited and he could not recognize many of the medicines. So he went to the Imperial Medical Bureau to ask a doctor to help reverse the prescription.
This morning the doctor sent me the medicine package and prescription, but he also wrote something on paper to make it clear that when it comes to medicine, a slight mistake can lead to a huge mistake. Different clinics have completely different ways of preparing herbs. Even if you know the type and dosage of the herbs, if you don't know the preparation sequence, the prescription you deduce may not save people, and may even kill them.
Ming Huazhang had no intention of stealing other people's secret recipes, but the doctor's words reminded him that even if the same medicinal ingredients were used, the difference between poisoning people and saving lives could be just a matter of seconds.
Ming Huazhang held a brown piece between his slender fingers, looked at it carefully, and asked Ming Huachang: "I remember that aconite is poisonous, right?"
Ming Huashang had just finished reading the testimony. She stretched her back and leaned on Ming Huazhang's back naturally: "Yes. The teacher who taught poisoning in Zhongnan Mountain mentioned that the whole body of the blackhead is poisonous. The root is called aconite after being used as medicine. If the dosage of aconite is too large, the boiling time is not enough, or the processing quality is poor, it will cause poisoning after taking it."
Ming Huashang and Ming Huazhang both remembered what the cook said. The cook said that the day before Shopkeeper Feng died, someone saw Qian Yi secretly giving something to Liu. What if that was the poisonous aconite?
Ming Huazhang looked back and glanced at Ming Huachang who was leaning against him and flipping through the files. This time, he didn't care about Ming Huachang's improper sitting posture. Ming Huazhang put the aconite back into the medicine bag and sighed, "If Manager Feng really died of aconite poisoning, then it's no wonder that the silver needle couldn't detect the toxicity. Aconite poisoning will not leave obvious external signs, and it looks like death from illness. Manager Feng himself had heart pain, and laymen could easily be fooled. Liu hurriedly buried Manager Feng, but now three years have passed, and the body has decayed, and there is no evidence at all."
"So, even if Liu and Qian Yi's behavior is suspicious, they can't be convicted?"
“It’s difficult.”
Ming Huashang sighed deeply, looked at the testimony in her hand, and said, "Then I think the explosion at Jinxiu Building was a long-planned revenge killing. Recently, Jinxiu Building has been very busy."
Thankfully, apart from the incident on the Lantern Festival, there were no more explosions in Chang'an, and the three-day revelry finally came to an end. The lights on Chang'an Avenue were removed one by one, and everyone in Jingzhao Prefecture, including Ming Huashang, breathed a sigh of relief.
As time went by, new Hu girls came to the West Market, and new taverns were opened. People flocked to the taverns. Amid the sound of Hu drums, the explosions of the Lantern Festival gradually faded away. Only the relatives and the Jingzhao Prefecture remembered that a murder had occurred in Jinxiu Tower.
Jinxiulou has been extremely busy these past few days. First, Feng Liang, the nephew of the shopkeeper Feng, came to the door and said that Jinxiulou was originally the family property of Feng, and now that Qian Yi was dead, the restaurant should be returned to the Feng family. Then Qian Yi's younger brother Qian Yue stood up and said that it was only natural for the son to inherit the father's property, and that Jinxiulou belonged to Baoer, but his nephew was young, so his uncle was willing to take care of him. Finally, the widow Hu from the same neighborhood ran to Jinxiulou and cried, saying that Liu was a fickle woman and the son she gave birth to was not Qian Yi's flesh and blood, and that the baby in her belly was Qian Yi's posthumous child, and she demanded an equal share of the family property.
Wow, this small Jinxiu Building is really full of hidden talents. Looking around, there is not a single good person among them.
Ming Huashang sighed, "Qian Yi married his master's wife right after his master died, but within two years, he hooked up with his neighbor, Widow Hu, and even had a child. As expected, you should never expect a cheating man to turn back. I wonder if Liu will regret it if she knows about his affair with Widow Hu."
Ming Huazhang couldn't understand and said in astonishment: "He has already married Liu, has a wife and children, and lives a stable life. Why does he still want to have affairs and ruin his life? Does he have nothing to do?"
Ming Huashang leaned on Ming Huazhang's shoulder, glanced at him with a half-smile, and said, "Maybe some men like to have affairs under their noses and enjoy the pleasure of committing sins."
Ming Huachang waited for her brother, who was like a saint and a gentleman, to refute her. She really wanted to hear how Ming Huazhang would quote scriptures and classics to denounce such immoral things. However, she waited for a long time, but the person behind her did not respond.
Ming Huashang stood up in surprise and tilted his head to look at Ming Huazhang: "Second brother, why don't you say anything?"
Ming Huazhang sat upright, his posture as dignified as a jade statue, and said calmly: "How can I understand the thoughts of those men?"
Ming Huashang was silent, and murmured and nodded: "That's right, second brother is upright and honest, a gentleman, how could he look down on his apprentice marrying his master's wife, which is against morality. The three biggest beneficiaries of this case, Feng Liang, Qian Yue, and Widow Hu, have all seen the Centennial Lantern. Theoretically, they all have the opportunity to tamper with the lantern. Among them, Feng Liang may have wanted to avenge the shopkeeper Feng, and blew up Qian Yi and collected the money. Back to Jinxiulou; Qian Yue may have been jealous of his brother's money. If his brother was gone, he could justifiably embezzle the property in the name of his nephew. Among them, Widow Hu had the least reason to kill Qian Yi. If Qian the shopkeeper was dead, who would prove the baby in her belly? Now she didn't even know whether the baby was a boy or a girl. She still needed Qian Yi as a money tree and shouldn't have killed him. "
Ming Huazhang listened quietly, his demeanor was bright and clear, but his fingers were secretly clenched, and he rubbed his knuckles slowly. Qian Yi and Liu were apprentices and mistresses with no blood relationship, and she despised them like this, then he...
Ming Huazhang suppressed his shame and said in his usual cold voice, "Widow Hu had no motive to kill, but Liu did."
Ming Huachang's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands and said, "Yes, how could I forget her. She took the inheritance and remarried Qian Yi, but Qian Yi was out there flirting with other women and having an affair with a neighboring widow. If Widow Hu gave birth to a son, it would directly threaten her position, and at the very least she could take away half of the family property. With her concern for her son, she could definitely kill Qian Yi to protect her son's property. The lamp is placed in Jinxiu Tower, and as the boss's wife, it is much easier for her to do something with the lamp than for the other people."
"But these are just guesses." Ming Huazhang opened the scroll, trying to find a new breakthrough. "The most fearful thing in solving a case is to assume malicious intent. Once you have a bias, you will unconsciously find evidence for the murderer in your mind. If an innocent person is wrongly accused, we are the murderer. Whether Manager Feng died of natural causes or was murdered is related to the motive of the murderer in this case and cannot be ambiguous. If Manager Feng really died of illness in the middle of the night, Liu cannot be wrongly accused for this."
Ming Huashang thought it made sense, so she let her brother handle this difficult problem. She leaned on Ming Huazhang's shoulder with peace of mind. After a while, Ming Huazhang heard the breathing beside him gradually become calmer. He looked back and saw Ming Huashang with her eyes closed, asleep.
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."
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