Chapter 127 Flower Dynasty

A skinny man was shaking his legs. He didn't look like he was in a government prison. He shouted impatiently, "I advise you to be tactful and let me go. Otherwise, you will be in trouble later."

Ming Huazhang stood outside the door, slowly scanned the cells, and said calmly, "Are you Black Tiger? You have been reselling medicinal herbs and smuggling poisonous herbs in the West Market over the years. Do you plead guilty?"

Hei Hu sneered and said with disdain: "Someone is willing to buy it, I just fulfilled their wish, what crime have I committed? Don't try to scare me, you dare not touch me."

"Are you so sure that someone will come to protect you?" Ming Huazhang paced and walked slowly towards Hei Hu across the fence. "You can't take out those medicines. Tell me, who is behind you? Who are you working for? It's not too late to confess now."

Hei Hu sneered, not even looking at Ming Hua Zhang, looking down on him. Ren Yao was watching from behind, his hands itching: "Do you want to be beaten?"

Ming Huazhang raised his hand to stop Ren Yao. He was not angry at all, and his tone was still calm and he sighed with some regret: "It seems that you are unwilling to cooperate. Then stay in the prison and talk when you think it through."

Ming Huazhang said this, then turned around, put his hands behind his back, signaled the guards to lock the prison door, and walked out. His clothes swept across the ground like a fire in the dark night, burning quietly in the abyss. Ming Huachang glanced at the people inside and quickly chased after them: "Second brother, wait for me."

Hei Hu guessed that this group of people were just trying to scare him, so he sneered and said that they were not afraid at all. As expected, Ming Huazhang stopped not long after he walked.

Outside the corridor, Ming Huazhang stopped not because of the black tiger, but because he ran into another group of people. Ming Huazhang saw Jingzhao Yin surrounded by the crowd, lowered his eyes and bowed gently: "I have met Jingzhao Yin."

Jing Zhao Yin looked at the scene in front of him, frowned and asked: "What are you doing?"

Ming Huazhang explained: "I have caught the drug dealer who provided Qian Yi with poisonous aconite and am interrogating him. There are two more things I want to report to Jingzhao Yin. The Feng Zhanggui case three years ago and the Song Yanbai case six years ago were wrongly judged. They did not die of natural causes, but were killed by Qian Yi and Chu Ji respectively. We have found new evidence and ask Jingzhao Yin to reopen these two cases and overturn the verdicts for the deceased."

The more Jingzhao Yin listened, the tighter his brows knitted together: "Didn't I ask you to investigate the bombing case? Why are you investigating an old case from so many years ago?"

Ming Huazhang replied calmly, "Reporting to the Jingzhao Yin, I think it is no accident that the murderer chose Qian Yi and Chu Ji. Both of them have committed murders, but they have enjoyed fame and fortune and lived a happy life in recent years. The murderer may have had other reasons for blowing them up."

Jingzhao Yin waved his hand impatiently, interrupting Ming Huazhang's words: "I don't want to know what they are thinking or what they are hiding. The most important thing now is to catch the unruly people who set off the bombs in the city. Your Majesty will go to Furong Garden on February 15th to enjoy the flowers, light the flower god lanterns, and have fun with the people. If there is any accident in Chang'an again, and it disturbs the emperor, who can bear the responsibility?"

When Ming Huazhang heard that the empress was planning to leave the palace for the festival, he immediately said, "This is not a good idea. When the common people hear that Your Majesty is going to Furong Garden to light the Flower God Lantern, they will definitely flock there. If the murderer takes advantage of the chaos to rush into Furong Garden and place explosives there, then there will be water in Furong Garden and it will be dark. Once panic occurs, the crowd will push people into the water, and the consequences will be disastrous."

"So I told you to solve the case quickly and not waste time on irrelevant matters." Jingzhao Yin said coldly, "The palace has sent someone to urge you again, ordering Jingzhao Prefecture to catch the murderer before the Flower Festival to stabilize the people's hearts. If the murderer is not found within ten days, the palace will have to cancel the Flower Festival itinerary. If His Majesty's interest in traveling is ruined by then, your and my positions as officials will be over!"

Jingzhao Yin thought his words were clear enough, but Ming Huazhang said sullenly, "These are two different things. Whether the murderer can be found or not, Your Majesty should not take risks with such a thing. It's not that I'm trying to shirk responsibility, but I sincerely believe that I should report to the court and advise Your Majesty to cancel the Flower Festival. If Your Majesty really wants to celebrate the Flower Festival, just hold a family banquet in Daming Palace."

Jingzhao Yin laughed when he heard this. He snorted twice and said coldly, "You can talk to the King of Wei about this. The King of Wei agreed to this matter last October. He wanted to repair the lantern tower in Furong Garden. Duke Heng and Duke Ye personally designed the lanterns. It took so long to prepare and cost so much money. You just say no and it's over?"

Duke Heng and Duke Ye were the two Zhang brothers, Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong. Ming Huazhang was not surprised at all when he heard that they were the ones who pushed for this matter.

Over the years, the empress has grown older and weaker. She is no longer as diligent and vigorous as she was when she first ascended the throne, but has gradually indulged in pleasure. She has become more and more fond of the two Zhang brothers, almost to the point of being obedient to them. The King of Wei caters to their preferences and often holds various banquets for the two Zhangs to enjoy. During this period, the King of Wei has been frustrated and reprimanded by the saint several times. He urgently needs something to win back the saint's heart. I think he will not miss the opportunity to "show up" at the Flower Festival.

With the presence of the Prince of Wei and the two Zhang brothers, Ming Huazhang knew that the Empress would inevitably leave the palace on February 15. He stopped wasting words and said, "Yes. I will find the person who set the explosives within ten days."

The Jingzhao Yin finally glanced at the prison, said "take care of yourself", and left.

After Jingzhao Yin left, Ming Huashang asked, "Second brother, we don't even have any clues now, how can we find someone within ten days?"

"We have to look for it even if we can't find it." Ming Huazhang sighed, "It's useless to complain now, let's think of a solution first. This is not the place to talk, let's go out and discuss it."

Ming Huashang nodded, she turned around and looked at Hei Hu and asked, "What should he do?"

Ming Huazhang glanced at him casually and said, "We are looking for him only to prove that Qian Yi had bought poisonous aconite from him. Now that Liu has pleaded guilty, it doesn't matter whether he has any testimony or not. Let's lock him up first and let him think about it slowly to see if he is guilty or not."

When Hei Hu saw the group of people who came to arrest him stopped halfway, he thought that they were the ones who came to bail him out of prison, so he felt quite confident. But he didn't expect that the group of people stopped in the aisle to talk for a while, and then continued to walk.

Hei Hu panicked and rushed to the prison door, shouting, "Where are you going? Do you know who is behind me? The government wrongly accuses innocent people. Is there any justice in the world?"

However, no one paid any attention to him. Hei Hu shouted for a long time but to no avail. He angrily smashed the railing.

He cursed the official in his heart for a long time, and finally he felt relieved. He leaned against the railing, looked at the dark prison ceiling, sighed, and said to himself: "Why do I feel that the man just now looks familiar? Have I seen him somewhere before?"

·

In the Shaoyin Palace, Ming Huazhang was holding a cup of tea, quietly listening to the other people's arguments. His face was fair and clear, with a jade-like luster, and his eyes were dark and calm. The light in his eyes could not hide his bright spirit, and it was impossible to tell that he had not slept last night.

Although Ming Huashang's face was not very good, his eyes were full of energy and he said, "There are so many people in Chang'an, but how many of them committed murders, and how many escaped the punishment of the government? Qian Yi and Chu Ji were two of them. What a coincidence, they were the two who were killed in the explosion. I think this is definitely not a coincidence. There must be some kind of pattern in the people who set off the bombs, but we haven't discovered it yet."

Xie Jichuan nodded. It was rare to see him agree with someone. "I think so too. As I said before, Qian Yi and Chu Ji must have something in common."

Ren Yao was puzzled and said, "Then it can only be Liu."

"I once thought it was her." Xie Jichuan raised his eyebrows, and was a little unsure, "But, what is Liu's purpose in doing this?"

Jiang Ling tried to ask: "Kill the betrayed man?"

Xie Jichuan shook his head slowly and said, "Given her emotional nature, she can't make such a careful calculation."

Ming Huashang also agreed: "I also think it wasn't her. If she did it, she would have said it last night when she admitted to killing Feng the shopkeeper. The criminal can only deny it or confess everything. How can she tell half of it and hide the other half?"

"What if she was trying to protect someone?"

"From what I know about her, the only person she would risk her life to protect is her child," Ming Huashang said, "but her son is still in his infancy. It's impossible that the baby killed someone, right?"

Ren Yao sighed, feeling a headache. "It's not Liu, it's not Feng Liang. The two suspects in the painting have been ruled out. Who else could it be? It can't be the dead ghost who is seeking revenge, right?"

Ren Yao said this to ridicule himself, but Ming Huashang nodded and said seriously, "I think it's possible. If Qian Yi and Chu Ji hadn't been killed in the explosion, and Jingzhao Prefecture hadn't investigated their lives in detail, who would have thought that these two well-known figures were actually extremely despicable villains? I have a hunch that today's events are related to the old case."

"But Song Yanbai's parents are not in Chang'an, and Feng's relatives either had witnesses or were out of town at the time of the crime, so they had no chance to commit the crime. Apart from siblings and close relatives, who else would be obsessed with the crime for so many years just to avenge the wronged soul?"

Ming Huashang couldn't say anything about this either, and held her chin up in thought. Jiang Ling put one hand on the table and sighed deeply: "We are like headless flies now. It seems that we know a lot, but in fact, we have found out nothing, and there is not even a suspect. Finding someone in Chang'an is like looking for a needle in a haystack. After ten days, where can we find a murderer?"

Ming Huazhang listened quietly for a long while, and stopped everyone's suspicion. He said in a deep voice: "Then continue to investigate the Song Yanbai case six years ago. The more clues you dig, the more clues you will find. Don't be suspicious, just move forward."

Ming Huashang hesitated: "But, this is an old case after all. Even if it is solved, it has nothing to do with the present. Jingzhao Yin clearly told us to focus on this case..."

“案子只分破沒破，還分高低貴賤嗎？”明華章面容冷靜，聲音沉着，道，“既然有線索，安心往下查就是，剩下的事有我，你們不必擔心。”

明華章的話像定海神針，無形撫平所有人的情緒，仿佛只要有他在，天塌下來也有解決辦法。明華裳因為要限時破案而變得焦躁的情緒得到極大舒緩，她站起身，說：“我再去回春堂看看。”

任遙、江陵也各自帶人去巡街，挨個去問街上的人。這個辦法雖然笨，但卻是現在他們唯一能做的了。

謝濟川看着他們強打精神的模樣，嘆口氣，難得主動攬過和他無關的事：“我去東宮問問太子殿下。如果能取消花朝節觀燈，最好不過。”

明華章雖然不抱希望，但還是認真向謝濟川道謝：“多謝。”

謝濟川輕輕搖頭，他看着明華章，欲言又止，最後道：“差不多就去休息吧。案子若實在破不了，也不是什麽大事，保全自己最重要。”

明華裳、任遙和江陵已經往外走了，明華章擡頭，望入謝濟川寒潭般的眼睛。兩人對視瞬息，明華章笑了笑，平靜道：“我知道。”

謝濟川極輕地笑了聲，斂袖轉身，悠悠說：“你不知道。算了，我走了，随便你。”

·

十日之期傳開後，京兆府的氣氛凝重得像壓了塊鐵，所有人都行色匆匆，毫無笑意。雖然沒人交談，但大家心裏都清楚，若是這個案子破不了，京兆府的天大概又要換了吧。

可惜了，難得來了一個有能力的少尹，卻還是打不破京兆府魔咒。明華章初來時清冷疏離、高不可攀，但這幾個月相處下來，衆人發現他雖然話少性冷，為人處世卻細致穩妥，擔事又擔責，跟着他幹會讓人覺得未來充滿奔頭。哪怕京兆尹才是他們名義上的長官，明華章只是副手，但現在無論大家有什麽事，都喜歡去找明華章。

衆官吏私心裏很不願意看明華章被撤職，但命由天定，實在由不得人。只能怪明華章運氣不好，剛上任就接連撞上大事。

衙役們在心裏暗暗惋惜，明華裳比他們更清楚這一案的影響，連覺都睡不好了。要不是明華章強行把她帶回去，她都想繼續宿在京兆府了。

第二日才開坊門，明華裳就和明華章來到京兆府，然而他們兄妹剛進衙門，便收到一個噩耗。

黑虎死了。

明華章站在大牢裏，臉色十分難看。看守大牢的獄卒小心翼翼道：“少尹，小的看他不招供還對大人不敬，實在見不得他那個張狂樣，就對他用了刑。明明不是多重的刑，昨夜走時他還好好的，誰能知道他這麽不中用，居然沒熬過去……”

牢中陰冷，充斥着一股難聞的味道，一只帶缺口的空碗滾落在地上。牆角靠着一個人，他頭不自然地耷拉着，身上還穿着昨日那身衣服，但已被鞭子抽的破破爛爛，不成樣子。

明華章聲音極冷，但沒有發脾氣，而是近乎冷酷地問：“昨日你何時離開？”

“亥時。”獄卒忙道，“少尹，小的敢發誓，那時他好好的，絕不像要死的樣子。”

明華章掃過地上的血跡，懶得和他做這種口舌之争，問：“昨夜還有誰來過大牢？”

獄卒越發心虛，戰戰兢兢道：“就下午時您和明二娘子、謝舍人等人來過，後來正常換班，也沒什麽別的。”

明華章問換班細節，明華裳在外面翻看證詞。她看到什麽，擡高聲音道：“二兄你過來看，黑虎招供了。”

獄卒忙不疊邀功：“是啊少尹，對付這種人就不能心慈，你跟他們好聲好氣，他們反而蹬鼻子上臉，只要上刑，老老實實都說了。小的也是為了盡快破案，為大人分憂吶。”

明華章全程聲音冷靜，情緒平穩，等問完後，獄卒都以為沒事了，卻聽明華章說：“私自行動，濫用酷刑，杖四十，自己去領罰。”

獄卒一聽忙求饒：“少尹饒命！以前審問犯人都是這樣，小的只是按慣例行事，絕沒有貳心！”

“以前是以前，我是我。”明華章不為所動，平靜道，“再求饒，加二十。”

獄卒看着明華章清冷雪白、不怒自威的側臉，被狠狠駭住，不敢再說。

他算是知道了，這位少尹看着好說話，從不發脾氣，但脾性一點都不軟。于無聲處聽驚雷，這可比那些大呼小叫、擺派頭逞官威的“青天老爺”不好惹多了。

把獄卒處理好後，明華章才走到明華裳身邊，他音線清冷柔和，聽不出一點端倪：“怎麽了？”

明華裳擡眸飛快望了他一眼，勾住他的手：“二兄，別生氣啦。官府陋習如此，這不是你的錯。”

明華章反握住她的手，淡淡說：“我沒生氣。”

明華裳看着他的臉色，沒說話，而是突然伸手去擡他的嘴角：“我是看着你長大的，你生沒生氣我還不知道嗎？別生氣啦……”

明華章後退一步，捉住她的手，無奈道：“誰看着誰長大？你可別忘了，你比我小。”

“好好，是你看着我長大。”明華裳哼了聲，喃喃道，“你現在會裝腔作勢了，也不知道是誰，小時候被我按着打。”

明華章剛才哪怕處置獄卒都面如平湖，現在卻露出明顯的波瀾，忍無可忍挑眉：“哪有？”

“你說沒有就沒有喽。”

明華章緊緊抿唇，接過證詞看字，不再說話了。明華裳湊到他面前，賤兮兮問：“生氣啦？”

“沒有。”

“那就好。打不過就打不過嘛，要是還不敢承認，那就太玩不起了。”

明華章冷着臉把證詞扔到明華裳懷裏，轉身就走。明華裳笑着追上去，說：“你看，你這樣就可愛多了。剛才你不喜不怒的樣子，我都怕你憋出病來。”

明華章微不可見嘆了一口氣，知道她插科打诨都是怕他情緒傷身，無奈道：“你呀……你剛剛說發現什麽了？”

“哦，二兄你看這裏。”明華裳遞過去，指着上面的名字說，“上刑後，黑虎招供說，他是替盛德商行嚴掌櫃倒賣殘次、老舊草藥，做一些黑市生意。盛德商行是什麽來路？”

明華章和明華裳雖生在長安，但卻在洛陽長大，對長安的關系網并不熟悉。明華章回到殿中，叫人來詢問。

本地老衙役一聽這個名字就了然道：“少尹是問嚴掌櫃的盛德商行呀？嚴掌櫃可了不得，他本是錦官城裏一個地痞混混，十多年前在青城山游玩時進入一個山洞，誤入阆苑仙境，他在仙境中住了三年，等出來後發現站在終南山，而且時間只過了三天。這時候他再回頭尋仙境已不得，只能留在長安。長安權貴聽到他的經歷後大為驚異，紛紛請他去做客，他在宴席上說得頭頭是道，還能用仙人傳授的修煉術煉制駐顏秘藥，頗得那些高門貴婦、千金小姐看重。尤其是十年前，長安爆發一場瘟疫，關鍵的草藥卻沒了，所有人都束手無策，嚴掌櫃卻在夢中進入仙境，一夜帶出許多救命仙草，高門大戶争相搶奪。從此後嚴掌櫃一戰成名，成了各王孫貴戚的座上賓，醫館藥鋪都找他買藥，後來他又做起奇珍異寶、駐顏養生、益壽延年等生意，神氣的很。”

老衙役像是說書一樣，講得抑揚頓挫，連嚴掌櫃在仙境中的奇遇都說得活靈活現，仿佛親眼所見。明華裳聽完，卻道：“我怎麽覺得，他像是招搖撞騙，故意囤積草藥，高價倒賣？”

“二娘子，這話可不敢說。”老衙役忙道，“嚴掌櫃如今生意遍布長安，幾乎包攬周邊所有藥田，擡擡手就能決定一味藥的定價。你以為僅憑他一人，能吃下這麽大的場子？他的背後，有高人撐腰呢。”

藥行不同其他，衣服、首飾可以拖到手頭寬裕的時候買，但生病了，卻一定要吃藥。糧草是朝廷命脈，不好插手，但若是壟斷藥材市場，靠低買高賣炒作擡價，能掙的錢，可不比糧草少。

而且盛德商行吃相太難看，向上給高門貴婦獻駐顏丹藥，向下壟斷全長安的藥材生意，不允許別人進場，還一手操控黑市，連已經受潮的、發黴的草藥也要倒一手賣出去。媚上欺下，橫行霸道，如此行徑，難怪黑虎被抓進來時那麽嚣張。

明華章深深擰着眉，女皇為了鞏固政權，登基後就遷都洛陽，另起爐竈。長安這個舊都無人監管卻又有着百萬人口，自然成了許多蛀蟲的溫床。

可是，這明明是大唐的心髒，凝結無數人心血的明珠長安啊，怎麽會變成這副樣子？明華章沉着臉問：“盛德商行掌櫃叫什麽，怎麽敢如此猖狂？”

The yamen runner shrugged and said, "His name is Yan Jingcheng, but now no one in Chang'an dares to call him by his name. No matter who they are, they have to politely call him Yan Jingcheng. Shao Yin, the palace only wants to solve the case. It's enough for us to find the murderer. There's no need to get involved in other things."

Ming Huazhang stood up and said calmly, "I want to see how powerful he is and whether he can control me, the Junior Yin of Jingzhao."

As he spoke, he walked out with big strides. The bailiff was startled and hurriedly chased after him: "Shao Yin, what are you going to do?"

"Check the accounts." Ming Huazhang had already walked down the stairs and said with big strides, "Check his black market accounts to see if he sold a large amount of aconite to Qian Yi three years ago even though he knew it was poisonous."

The yamen runner was almost scared to death when he heard this: "Shao Yin, no, don't act on impulse! Second Lady, go and persuade Shao Yin."

Ming Huachang picked up her skirt and went out. Hearing this, she said: "You go and bury Heihu's body. After all, he was killed in the government. Even if he did many evil things, there should be an explanation. I will go after the second brother. Don't worry. , I will help him."

After she finished speaking, she stroked her chin and said to herself, "Strange, why does this name sound so familiar to me?"