Chapter 122 The Widow

After the prince's final decision, the direction of the investigation was determined. Although Ming Huazhang and Ming Huashang felt regretful, they had no choice but to cooperate with the overall situation.

The prince was too lazy to care about the arrangements for the specific tasks. He released his own people in Jingzhao Prefecture and thought that everything was under control. He felt relaxed and quickly drove back to the Eastern Palace.

Ming Huashang had expected that after the Crown Prince left, Jingzhao Yin would also leave, but she did not expect that Jingzhao Yin would return to the meeting hall and sit in the main seat, looking as if he was determined to get to the bottom of the matter.

Jingzhao Yin took a sip of tea and looked at Xie Jichuan: "Xie Sheren, how should we arrange the investigation next? I wonder if you have any suggestions?"

The prince said that Xie Jichuan would make the full decision, but Xie Jichuan was a sixth-rank official and Jingzhao Yin was a third-rank official. How could he be so stupid as to really bypass Jingzhao Yin to make the decision? Xie Jichuan smiled and said, "I dare not. I am a young man with little talent and knowledge. I still need Jingzhao Yin's guidance. How dare I take over? I hope Jingzhao Yin will give me some advice on the investigation."

Jingzhao Yin nodded and said in a hoarse voice: "Okay. According to your highness's instructions, we will focus on investigating the Feng family and the Liu family. Only Feng Liang is left in Chang'an from the Feng family, and Liu is a widow with her child in Jinxiu Tower. The whereabouts of these two people..."

As Jingzhao Yin was speaking, he started to cough violently, so violently that people on both sides stood up and said, "Jingzhao Yin..."

"I'm fine." Jingzhao Yin waved his hand, took another sip of tea, and said while holding back a cough, "Two groups of people will investigate the whereabouts of these two people. One group will investigate what Feng Liang was doing at noon yesterday, who he met during this period, and where he went; the other group will investigate Liu. The person who put the package was thin, and it is not impossible that she was a woman. Liu married Feng, the shopkeeper, at a young age. Within two years, her husband died, and she immediately took her husband's property and remarried. Now she has just given birth to a son, and her second husband has died again. The huge family property has fallen into her hands. This woman is definitely not a good person, and I'm afraid she is very good at seducing men. The investigation of her should be mainly secretive, and people should be sent to follow her all day. Don't rush for success and make a fuss. Also, let the yamen officials below be more alert and not be fooled by her pitiful appearance."

Jingzhao Yin spoke incoherently, his face was pale and yellowish, very ugly. Ming Huazhang couldn't bear it and said, "Jingzhao Yin, it's not good for you to cough like this. Do you want to go to the Imperial Medical Bureau to ask a doctor to come over?"

"No need." Jingzhao Yin refused without a second thought, "I am very good, it is not your turn to pity me. Ming Shaoyin, you go to check Feng Liang's whereabouts. Xie Sheren, please go to Jinxiu Tower to interrogate Liu. Yamen runners and Yulin Army, you each take a team and go."

The Jingzhao Yin was so tough, Ming Huazhang couldn't interfere too much in his superior's private affairs, so he could only bow and say, "Yes."

Xie Jichuan followed suit and looked at Ren Yao and Jiang Ling, still with that smiling foxy look on his face: "Two captains, who is willing to go with me?"

Ming Huashang had been deep in thought, and suddenly said, "Master Xie, I want to go to Jinxiu Tower with you."

Xie Jichuan turned around and glanced at Ming Huashang in surprise, his eyes falling on Ming Huazhang with a half-smile: "Second sister's favor, Xie is naturally very happy. I just wonder if Ming Shaoyin is willing to give up her love?"

Everyone in the palace, including Ming Huazhang, tacitly agreed that Ming Huachang would follow her brother. No one expected that she would take the initiative to ask to go to Xie Jichuan's team. Ming Huazhang's face turned cold when he heard her say she was leaving. Now that everyone was looking at him, he acted like a calm brother and said slowly, "Second Mother is already so old. Where she wants to go is of course up to her. Second Mother, have you made up your mind?"

Ming Huachang felt guilty after hearing what her brother said, but she still whispered, "I want to go to Jinxiu Tower."

Ming Huazhang's pale face remained unchanged, but his fingers unconsciously clenched. Xie Jichuan saw that Ming Huazhang was obviously unhappy but pretended not to care, and sneered.

If he was really as open-minded and generous as he said, why would he waste so much time talking? Xie Jichuan deliberately smiled and said to Ming Huashang, "I am honored to be able to accompany my second sister. Jingzhan, don't worry, I will definitely protect my second sister and will never let her get hurt."

Ren Yao saw this and said hurriedly, "I'll go too!"

Ming Huashang glanced at Ming Huazhang cautiously, not daring to look at his expression carefully. He said "Goodbye, brother", and ran to the other team.

Jiang Ling only took the time to watch the excitement before he realized that he was left alone. He looked at Ming Huazhang belatedly and was chilled by the coldness in his eyes.

Ah, actually... he also wanted to go to Jinxiulou, if for no other reason than because their boss lady was a beauty.

If he told Ming Huazhang this reason, would he believe it?

In the end, Jiang Ling was taken away by Ming Huazhang with a bitter face. Zhao Lian followed behind Shao Yin. Although he was wearing a cloak, he couldn't help rubbing his arms along the way.

I always feel that the wind today is particularly cold.

·

Ming Huashang chose the other team not to thank Jichuan, but to see Liu again. In just a month, Liu's second husband died, and the doctor who had prescribed medicine for her also died. So many people around her were killed in the same way, and Ming Huashang wanted to know Liu's current condition.

Ming Huashang believed that everything that happened would leave traces, and if Liu really killed the person, she could not hide it.

On the way, Xie Jichuan took the initiative to say, "Let's talk about it. When we get to Jinxiu Tower, what should we do?"

Ming Huashang said: "Brother Xie, you are the leader, we all listen to you."

Xie Jichuan smiled and said, "I'm afraid that I will mess up my plan if I make random arrangements. What you said just now is very interesting. If I had heard your thoughts first, I wouldn't have said it. I'm looking forward to checking Chu Ji. Maybe I can find something interesting."

Ming Huashang didn't take the polite words seriously and said with a smile, "Thank you very much for your approval, Brother Xie. The fact that the prince chose you shows that Brother Xie's plan is sound and comprehensive."

Xie Jichuan smiled, looked at the bright and vague sunlight ahead, and said lightly: "Fools like to seek stability. He had such an interesting idea, but he chose the most boring one."

Ming Huashang and Ren Yao were both startled and quickly looked around. Fortunately, the Jingzhao government officials were mixed with the Yulin Army and were at a distance from them, so they did not hear what Xie Jichuan said.

Ming Huashang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but she regretted her decision. She shouldn't have chosen Xie Jichuan's side, because this was a huge bomb, so scary.

Ren Yao didn't understand, so he asked, "If you felt bored, why did you argue with Ming Huazhang in front of the Crown Prince and Jingzhao Yin just now?"

Xie Jichuan said as a matter of course: "Because his method sounds even more boring. Checking people who buy fireworks and firecrackers and questioning them door to door is boring just thinking about it."

Ming Huashang was inexplicably unhappy when she heard this, and she said, "That's because it's the safest way to do it. He personally led people to seal the Jinxiu Tower, how could he not think that Liu was suspicious? He just didn't want anyone to be wronged for nothing."

"That's why fools seek stability." Xie Jichuan's words were still sharp and merciless, and he said coldly, "He is also a fool, and he is getting more and more stupid."

After saying that, Xie Jichuan lowered his head and glanced at Ming Huashang, then said with a smile, "You look like a rabbit, with your eyes wide open and red, just about to bite someone."

Ren Yao raised her eyebrows and stepped out to smooth things over. If she didn't change the subject, Ming Huashang would really jump up and bite her: "Second Madam, why is Jingzhao Yin coughing so badly today? Did he catch a cold?"

Ming Huashang glared at Xie Jichuan fiercely, snorted coldly and said, "I heard from the detective that it seems to be an old illness, but it is particularly serious this year."

"Where are his family members? Even though he is so seriously ill, they still won't let Ming Huazhang see a doctor. Their family members don't care?"

Ming Huashang frowned. She really didn't know this. Ming Huashang called a yamen runner from the back and asked, "Are the Jingzhao Yin's family members in Chang'an?"

The yamen runner also looked uncertain, and after thinking for a while he said, "No one has ever been to Jingzhao Yin's house, and we don't know anything about Jingzhao Yin's family affairs. We only heard that he had a daughter who seemed to have died of an epidemic."

"Ah?" Ming Huashang was surprised. "When did it happen?"

"It happened ten years ago," said the bailiff.

Ming Huashang was even more surprised: "Ten years ago? How did you know about this so early?"

"Second Madam, you don't know that Jingzhao Yin's luck has only improved in the past two years. Bukong was promoted to Shao Yin, and then to Jingzhao Yin last year. Before that, he had been a military officer in Jingzhao Prefecture for many years. I remember that he was transferred to Jingzhao Prefecture at the beginning of the first year of Tianshou, which is eleven years ago." The yamen runner said with deep emotion, "After sitting on the bench for ten years, his luck improved in one year. It's really all fate, nothing can be controlled by man."

"Eleven years..." Ming Huashang was surprised, "The Jingzhao Yin has been in Jingzhao Prefecture for so long?"

Xie Jichuan was not interested in this kind of topic. Instead, Ren Yao sneered and quietly rolled his eyes: "No wonder you are so slick and annoying, you are just an old loach."

As they were talking, they arrived at Jinxiu Tower. Everyone stopped talking and walked forward. Unexpectedly, the atmosphere in Jinxiu Tower was solemn. When they asked, they found out that Liu's son was sick and had been seeing doctors for the past two days. The smell of medicine never left Jinxiu Tower.

Ming Huashang and a few others went upstairs to see Liu. Liu stayed by her son's side and never left his side. In just a few days, she looked much more haggard, with sunken cheeks and dim eyes.

She turned around and saw them. She looked like a doll that had been exhausted. She didn't even have the strength to make a big expression. "Why are you here again, my lady?"

Ren Yao wanted to ask a question, but Ming Huashang raised her hand, held Ren Yao down, and gently shook her head. After Ren Yao left, Ming Huashang took a deep breath and walked into the inner room softly: "Madam, is the child better? What did the doctor say?"

Liu roughly relayed the doctor's words, and the two chatted back and forth for a few sentences. Ming Huashang had an idea of ​​the child's condition, and also roughly knew what Liu had been doing in the past few days.

Ming Huashang waited until Liu had covered the child with a blanket and drawn the curtains before asking, "Madam, what were you doing at noon yesterday?"

"Bao'er had a fever at night. As soon as the market opened, I took him to see a doctor." Liu glanced at Ming Huashang and asked, "What happened?"

Ming Huashang smiled, looked at the sleeping child behind the bed curtains, and said softly, "At that time, Chu Ji, the doctor of Huichun Hall, was killed by gunpowder explosion. His death was the same as that of the money manager."

Ming Huashang didn't look at Liu, but she felt that Liu's body tensed up for a moment, then quickly relaxed herself and said nonchalantly, "Oh, really? Yesterday at noon, I was carrying the child to seek medical treatment. The maid, the wet nurse, and the coachman can all testify to this."

"I know." Ming Huashang looked back and smiled into Liu's eyes, "I didn't say I doubted you, Madam. You don't need to clarify."

Liu's face was gloomy, and she put down the handkerchief in her hand heavily: "Madam, you came to Jinxiu Tower with a large group of people, and you said you didn't suspect me?"

"Tsk!" Ming Huashang glanced inwards, put her finger on her lips, and looked at Liu with a reproachful look, "Madam, why are you so anxious? Don't wake the child."

Liu pursed her lips, clenched her fingers tightly, and looked very unhappy. However, Ming Huashang stood up and said, "Since the child is fine, I am relieved. Madam, you have worked hard to take care of the child these days. Why don't you go to sleep for a while and take care of yourself? I won't bother you anymore."

Ming Huashang smiled at Liu and bowed, saying, "I'll take my leave first, Madam, and I'll be back later."

Ming Huashang went inside to ask questions. Xie Jichuan leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, looking at the paintings on the wall in boredom. Ren Yao paced in front of the door, looking inside from time to time, afraid of missing any movement.

Ren Yao couldn't help asking Xie Jichuan, "Why did she take so long? Did something happen to her?"

"No." Xie Jichuan yawned in boredom and closed his eyes to rest. "These paintings are so ugly that they hurt my eyes. Don't worry, there has been no movement for such a long time since I went in. If it was you, something must have happened, but she won't."

Ren Yao frowned, not knowing whether this was a compliment to Hua Shang or a scolding to her. Ren Yao glanced at Xie Jichuan patiently and said, "How can you be so heartless? Second Mother is not good at martial arts and has little strength. If she encounters danger... Hey, she will come out!"

Xie Jichuan opened his eyes and said, "I told you it's okay."

Ming Huashang came out, and Ren Yao immediately followed her and asked, "How is it, did you find out? Did she kill the shopkeeper Feng? Where is Chu Ji?"

“No.”

Ren Yao was stunned, almost thinking he had misheard: "Ah? Then why did you take so long?"

"I accompanied her to feed the child medicine." Ming Huashang said, "A woman who can plan murder when her child is sick will not be deceived by a few questions. If I ask her about Feng the shopkeeper and Chu Ji, she will be sure that the government has not found any evidence. It is better not to ask."

Ren Yao seemed to understand what he said, so he asked, "What should we do next?"

"Wait." Ming Huashang said, "Wait until she reveals her flaws or proves her innocence."

They came with great momentum, but left for no apparent reason, which seemed like a failure. Ren Yao rubbed his chin uncomfortably and said, "So we're leaving like this?"

Xie Jichuan had been uninterested all along, but he finally became excited after hearing this: "That's great, let's go to Huichuntang."

"The Jingzhao Yin clearly ordered us to come to Jinxiu Tower. If we leave now, can we justify it?"

"The prince told me to make the decision. I have decided to go to Huichuntang next."

As the three of them were talking, a startling cry suddenly rang out from downstairs. Ming Huashang was startled, but Xie Jichuan reached out and grabbed her in time, so she didn't fall down the stairs.

The three of them looked downstairs and saw a woman coming to the door of Jinxiu Tower, holding a tablet and crying. Her voice was high-pitched and loud, and it was very penetrating. In an instant, the whole building was filled with her crying: "Shopkeeper, why did you leave like this? What will happen to me and the baby in my belly? It's a pity that you worked hard all your life, but you were killed by someone for no reason, and after your death, your property will be passed on to outsiders!"

Before she finished crying, she was picked up by the staff and dragged away. The woman protected her belly and struggled while shouting: "She got married before the last funeral, and she will definitely remarry this time. Shopkeeper, please open your eyes and take a look..."

Ming Huashang, Xie Jichuan and Ren Yao looked at each other and guessed the identity of this woman.

Qian Yi's affair partner, now the mistress who is being forced to abdicate, is the widow Hu.

Ren Yuanyuan glanced outside and asked, "What should I do?"

"Let's go and see." Ming Huashang said, "Forget about the child's biological father. Now that Qian Yiren is gone, Jinxiu Tower is entirely under the control of Liu. How dare she, a widow with no status, offend Liu like this? She must have someone else to rely on, otherwise she wouldn't dare to make such a fuss."

Xie Jichuan had no choice but to follow because he had promised someone to protect his sister. While lying on the wall, Xie Jichuan was lost in thought.

How did he get to this point?

Xie Jichuan veiledly reminded the person beside him who was immersed in the peeping: "It is really immoral to break into a widow's house and dig up the graves of the family with no one. Second sister, although I don't care much about morality, I can't do without it."