Chapter 131 Mystery
The prince was tough for once and asked for the help of the Yulin Army. Ming Huazhang, Ren Yao, and Jiang Ling led people to search the city, and they were so busy that Ming Huashang and Xie Jichuan had some free time.
All Ming Huashang could do was to draw a direction in advance so that the soldiers could focus their search, but finding people still depended on the experience and intuition of the front line. Xie Jichuan was idle simply because he was lazy and didn't want to go through the pain of going out to find people, so he spent all day hanging out with Ming Huashang, a physical waste.
The two of them had nothing to do, so they turned their attention to the scene left by the murderer. They were very interested in the murderer's riddle and stayed in the gazebo all day, looking left and right, trying to find the name of the next victim left by the murderer.
Unfortunately, the two looked at every tile of the pavilion and found nothing. Xie Jichuan was puzzled: "It shouldn't be possible. The pavilion is only this big. Where can he hide? Or did he write his name outside?"
Xie Jichuan's eyes could not help but fall on the river and the forest. Ming Huashang pondered for a while, shook his head and said, "I don't think so. His first two gifts - the longevity lock and the plaque, seemed very obvious afterwards, but in the context of the situation at the time, one was a treasurer who was happy to have a son, and the other was a respected doctor. It was reasonable for them to receive such things. The murderer thought highly of himself and would not write the riddle in a very abrupt place, such as carving words on a tree or a stone. That would be too low-class. I guess the riddle must be right in front of us, where everyone can see it, but no one will pay attention to it."
Xie Jichuan looked at the pavilion and raised his eyebrows and asked, "What is the name of this pavilion?"
Ming Huashang walked outside, walked around, and said, "There is no name written, but there is a couplet here."
Xie Jichuan lifted his legs lightly, crossed the railing, and looked at the couplet outside: "The sun rises and the dawn is bright, no one cares; the moon shines and the flowing water flows wherever it pleases."
Ming Huashang touched the edge of the couplet. Even though it was blackened by smoke, he could still tell that the wood underneath was new. Ming Huashang asked, "Is this a new wooden sign?"
Xie Jichuan sent someone to ask, and the yamen runner replied: "Reporting to the Sheren and Madam Ming Er, this was changed uniformly throughout the city when the capital was moved last year in order to welcome the emperor."
It turned out to be replaced by the government... Ming Huashang and Xie Jichuan were a little disappointed. Ming Huashang asked: "Is the wooden sign you replaced at that time the same one as now?"
The bailiff took a serious look and shook his head helplessly: "Madam, these couplets are all similar. I really can't remember them clearly."
Ming Huashang thanked him and let the runner go. Xie Jichuan looked up at the couplet again and said, "It's a clue after all. Take it back and try it out. No one cares when the sun rises and the sky is bright. When the moon is bright, the water flows wherever it wants. If the name is hidden in these words, it will be hard to find it."
This couplet was ordinary, using common characters, which together could spell out half of Chang'an. Xie Jichuan was proud of his quick wit and his ability to solve puzzles, and he didn't believe that he would lose to a murderer. He stared at the couplet, folded his arms and said nothing, quickly combining words in his mind.
Ming Huashang was not good at solving riddles, so she gave up after a while. She paced in the pavilion, feeling that they seemed to have forgotten something.
She turned around several times, staring at the shape drawn by Jingzhao Mansion on the ground, and suddenly clapped her hands: "Yes, who said there was only this pavilion at the scene? There is clearly a corpse!"
Ming Huashang and Xie Jichuan copied the couplet and returned to Jingzhao Prefecture, and on the way they went to Yizhuang to see Yan Jingcheng's body. Xie Jichuan had been watching the autopsy, and now he was introducing the body to Ming Huashang, and he was familiar with it: "This is Yan Jingcheng. He was burned beyond recognition at the time, and we only recognized him by the ornaments on his body."
Ming Huashang picked up the gold ornaments and broken jade from the tray beside her and sighed sincerely: "It seems that jewelry should be made of gold, which is not afraid of being burned by fire or broken by falling."
Xie Jichuan raised his eyebrows and said, "If it was to participate in the explosion, then it is true."
Ming Huashang ignored him and checked Yan Jingcheng's accessories one by one. Xie Jichuan looked at them lazily for a while, then he exclaimed softly and asked the guard to come in: "Has anyone come in during this period? Why do I feel like something is missing?"
The guard said in fear, "No! Sir, I patrol every day and check several times at night. There is absolutely no thief coming in."
"Really?" Xie Jichuan thought, "I didn't remember it specifically, but I always felt that he had more things on him than these."
Ming Huashang put down the fragments and asked, "Xie, is there any problem?"
Xie Jichuan thought about it and shook his head slowly: "It's okay, maybe it's my illusion. Are there any clues in these things?"
Ming Huashang sighed, "No, they are just ordinary rings, belts, and fan pendants. There is nothing unusual except that they are made of a lot of gold."
Xie Jichuan knew this would happen. He looked at the sky and said, "The court is almost over. Let's go back to the city first."
The guards of Yizhuang carefully escorted them out. The inspections in Chang'an these days are much stricter than in the past. You can feel the murder when walking on the road. Ming Huashang and Xie Jichuan have the token of Jingzhao Prefecture, so they pass through the city gate smoothly and walk to Tongjifang. On the way, Xie Jichuan asked: "You are running around all day, do your family have any objections?"
"Yes." Ming Huashang said, "but I didn't listen."
Xie Jichuan chuckled softly: "The impression you give to others is completely different from your true self."
Ming Huashang has a sweet and gentle appearance, speaks in a delicate and cute voice, and looks very well-behaved. When he first met her, he thought she was another spoiled daughter. When he saw her at the murder scene with his own eyes, he realized that under her delicate and lovely appearance, she might also hide a rebellious and unruly heart.
Ming Huashang blinked innocently, his eyes were big and clear, and he didn't look like someone who would do anything bad. The two of them chatted casually, and Jingzhao Prefecture was in front of them. Ming Huashang was anxious to see Ming Huazhang, and didn't notice that he bumped into someone.
There was a skinny and short man standing in front of him. He was bumped by Ming Huashang and took two steps back as if frightened. He fell to the ground. Ming Huashang was stunned for a moment and leaned over to help him up: "Sorry, I didn't see you standing here. Where did you fall? Do you need to see a doctor?"
Although Ming Huashang felt that she did not use much strength, the other party fell down, and it was her fault in the end. Unexpectedly, the man avoided her like a snake and scorpion. He dodged Ming Huashang's hand violently, climbed up from the ground regardless of his foot injury, and limped away.
Ming Huashang paused in the air and said in surprise, "I haven't finished yet... Is it really okay?"
The man had already run far away. Xie Jichuan slowly stopped beside her, looked up at the man's back, and said, "He can still run. It seems that his foot injury is not serious. Don't worry about him. Let's go."
Ming Huashang frowned, propped up her knees and stood up, saying, "This is the first time I've seen someone get bumped into and not get angry or say anything, but instead run away without even looking back."
Xie Jichuan said leisurely: "There are all kinds of birds in the forest. Maybe he just did something shameful and feels guilty."
Ming Huashang still felt very strange. She and Xie Jichuan were talking as they walked into Jingzhao Mansion. They bumped into Ren Yao and Jiang Ling at the door. Ming Huashang saw them escorting a person in a big way and asked in surprise, "Sister Ren, what are you doing?"
Ren Yao said "oh", loosened his wrist guard, changed his hand to hold the knife, and said, "This is a witness. We have found the jewelry store that made the longevity lock for Liu's son. At the end of last year, there was indeed a man who came to their store to order a longevity lock. At that time, the other party was wearing a cloak. They didn't see his face clearly, but they recognized his figure. This is the waiter of that store. We arrested a suspicious person based on your portrait. Jingzhao Yin is interrogating him in the back. Ming Huazhang asked us to bring the waiter here to identify the person."
Jiang Ling followed behind and said, "Where have you and Xie Jichuan been going? Why did you come back so late? Ming Huazhang has been looking for you every other incense stick. It's so annoying. He said that if you come back, he will let you go to his palace to rest and wait for him to finish his trial before going home together."
Ming Huashang nodded and said, "Don't bother, I'll go find him."
Ren Yao said, "Then let's go together. I just need to go to the inner hall to see someone off."
Jiang Ling looked at the time and had a feeling that he would not be able to leave the court on time again. Seeing Xie Jichuan standing still, he pulled him over and said, "I can't leave, and no one else can leave. Let's go, let's starve together."
The court of Jingzhao Prefecture was divided into the main hall and the inner hall. The former was for the public to watch, while the latter was not open to the public. Today, Jingzhao Prefecture used the more private inner hall. The sound of the wooden door inside could be heard from a distance, and they all stepped lightly and walked into the court.
Jingzhao Yin sat at the top to interrogate the suspect, while Ming Huazhang sat at the side with his sleeves rolled up. He noticed someone coming outside, glanced at her with his peripheral vision, and only softened his gaze when he saw Ming Huazhang, and stretched out his hand to signal her to come over.
Ming Huashang tiptoed behind Ming Huazhang, who held her wrist and placed her next to him. Neither of them exchanged much words, and they listened quietly to the interrogation in front.
Ming Huachang arrived halfway and guessed after listening for a while that this person was a small vendor selling fireworks and firecrackers. He was a loner, almost 40 years old, without a wife or children. Neighbors said that they had seen him stalking decent women several times. He was sneaky and no one wanted to associate with him. The government thought this person looked very much like a criminal, so they brought him back for interrogation.
Jingzhao Yin spoke angrily, slammed the wooden pillar and said, "You wicked man He Yong, you still won't tell the truth. Did you blow up Qian Yi, Chu Ji and Yan Jingcheng?"
"Sir, I am innocent." The man kneeling in the hall was tattered, slurred, and had a sly look. He looked very gloomy and wretched. He begged for mercy, "I am just a commoner. I can't even talk to these big shopkeepers. How can I have the ability to blow them to death?"
“還敢狡辯！”京兆尹怒喝，“分明有人看到，你曾數次出現在錦繡樓附近，跟蹤柳氏的馬車。定是你觊觎柳氏美色，不滿自己窮困潦倒、孤獨一人，所以殺了她的丈夫，你認不認罪？”
男子不斷喊冤，翻來覆去卻說不出什麽內容，實在沒多少說服力。京兆尹懶得白費口舌，他肅着臉看向店小二，問：“那日來你們店裏的，是他嗎？”
店小二皺着眉，盯着跪在堂上的男子左看右看，猶豫道：“有點像。”
證人都這樣說，那就可以落實了，旁邊衙役你一言我一語道：“他肯定就是兇手。長得這麽陰沉，看着就不像好人。”
“是啊，身形瘦小，陰沉古怪，還成天和火藥打交道，沒跑了肯定是他。”
明華章飛快擰了下眉，起身對京兆尹拱手：“京兆尹，不能這樣問。指着一個人讓證人回憶，哪怕不像，證人也會覺得像的。”
京兆尹臉色不善：“明少尹，聖人命我們十日內破案，你百般阻撓為哪般？證人都說像，你竟敢質疑證人？”
“屬下不敢。”明華章微微垂下眼睛，但聲音清亮冷靜，和他表現出來的謙卑截然不同，“只是人命關天，臣更不敢武斷結案，誤害人命。”
眼看明華章和京兆尹又對上了，堂上衆人默默低頭，沒人敢觸黴頭。寂靜中，明華裳突然問堂上的男子：“你叫賀勇？”
賀勇怔了下，不明白公堂上怎麽會出現這樣漂亮的小娘子，磕巴道：“草民是。”
明華裳從袖子中拿出一張紙，展開問：“你看這是什麽？”
賀勇茫然地
望着她，搖頭道：“草民不識字，不知道娘子在說什麽。”
明華裳将寫着“日出曉色無人管，月明流水任所之”的紙面展示給衆人，說：“這是我在嚴精誠死亡現場抄下來的對聯，謝舍人懷疑下一案的死者名字就藏在這幾個字中。謝舍人出身陳郡謝氏，少有天才之名，依然沒參透謎底。賀勇一個連字都不認識的平民百姓，能想出難倒謝舍人的對聯嗎？”
謝濟川環臂站在人群之後，細微挑了挑眉，輕笑：“二妹妹，你這是在誇我還是罵我？”
“謝兄乃芝蘭玉樹之才，長安洛陽人人皆知，當然是誇你。”明華裳眼睛都不眨道，“賀勇孤僻陰沉，獨自居住，看似符合我的畫像，其實神一點都不似。兇手必然是個狂妄自大、好為人師之輩，不會是他。這幾日辛苦諸位了，明日我随各位一起出去找，勞煩各位再往遠找找。”
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天色已黑，一群人高馬大、精壯悍狠的衙役精疲力竭地走出京兆府，幾個少年人綴在最後。等人都走遠了，謝濟川似笑非笑道：“你們兄妹兩人可真厲害，一個敢當面嗆頂頭上司，另一個還煽風點火，添磚加瓦。”
明華章聲音還是冷冷的，道：“本來就當如此。人命關天，寧可多費些功夫，也不能冤枉一人。”
明華裳看着明華章氣鼓鼓還強忍着的模樣，有些好笑，親昵地搖了搖明華章手臂。明華章按住她的手，雖然不說話，但氣性平息許多。
明華裳安撫好明華章，才笑着道：“還不是知道有你們，我才敢說大話。明日我要随二兄搜查，字謎的事，就拜托謝阿兄啦！”
明華章涼絲絲道：“他算你哪門子阿兄，你怎麽什麽事都問他？”
“那正好。”謝濟川道，“謝某才疏學淺，不善猜謎，不如你來？”
任遙抱着刀走在後方，眼睛滴溜溜在前面三人身上轉，臉上若有所思。江陵跟在任遙身邊，背着手溜達。他見那兩人僵持不下，大方道：“既然你們想不出來，那就讓我來吧。給我一天時間，保準解開！”
針鋒相對的明華章、謝濟川兩人誰都沒說話，江陵頓覺大任在肩，站出來道：“果然這個隊裏不能沒有我……哎呦！”
任遙收回刀鞘，沒好氣道：“閉嘴吧，傻子。”
·
大明宮。
一個太監抱着一個箱子走進來，宮女看到，問：“鄭回事，今日的匦箱重嗎？”
宮內太監按品級分禦前太監、掌案太監、殿上太監、回事太監、通侍太監和普通太監，送箱子的太監姓鄭，在宮內已侍奉了十來年，前些年剛升為回事太監，控鶴監宮女們都習慣叫他鄭回事。
鄭回事忙停下，微彎下腰，帶着些讨好說道：“比昨日的輕些，今夜就勞煩各位姐姐了。”
鄭回事的資歷雖然比這些宮女老，但他是太監，做的是将宮外情報紙條擡到宮內，隔日再擡出去的力氣活，和在殿內坐班閱信的宮女有着天壤之別。太監雖然去了根，但到底是男人，遠不如宮女細致妥帖，所以女皇更倚重宮女，從有內宰相之名的上官婉兒到這群替女皇分析情報的宮女，全是太監得罪不起的存在。
宮女在控鶴監供職，整日接觸的是三省六部都未必知道的機密，顯然也不會把一個太監看在眼裏。宮女嘆了口氣，揮揮袖子道：“放在這裏吧，少不得又得看半夜。”
鄭回事殷勤應下，說：“姐姐您坐着，這些紙太笨重，奴替您搬。”
鄭回事将箱子裏的密信搬到案上，連地都收拾幹淨了才賠笑退下。宮女錘了捶酸痛的肩膀，認命地拿起最上面一封信，開始今日的工作。
她熟練又麻木地撕開信封上的火漆，一目十行将密信看完，有價值的就在紙上記一筆，但大部分都被她随手扔到旁邊的火盆裏，閱後即焚，付之一炬。直到撕開某一封，她啧了聲，露出今日最明顯的表情：“麻煩。”
這個雙璧怎麽回事，沒有金剛鑽別攬瓷器活，他倒好，任務是他主動接的，現在完不成，又要求控鶴監給他提供所有和火藥調配有關的書，明日卯時放到光德坊東南坊牆的大柳樹下。
控鶴監雖然臭名昭著，但其實最初，女皇設立控鶴監的名目是編書著稿，以張易之為首，率領左右控鶴各二十員，侍奉女皇筆墨，好讓二張兄弟因此能名正言順留在宮裏。雖然現在控鶴監已經成了豢養男寵、鬧宴笑樂的代名詞，但監內确實藏了不少書。
上至星宿天相，下至山川地理，控鶴監內應有盡有。雙璧和控鶴監要和火藥相關的書，還真問對了地方。
宮女心裏嫌棄了一會，但最終還是起身，去藏書閣裏找雙璧要的東西。控鶴監一舉一動都有規矩，宮女走前，當然沒忘了将案上的密信扔到火盆裏，即刻燒掉。
但她急于出門，手上準頭不好，紙片轉了個圈，搭在火盆沿上，邊緣一點點卷上黑灰。鄭回事進來添炭，瞧見這裏火快沒了，拿着鐵鉗過來撥火。
他背擋着人，輕輕擡眼，便看到了沒燒完的字。
·
第二日，明華裳靠在車廂上，困得眼睛都睜不開。明華章難得沒騎馬，陪她坐車。他瞧見她的樣子，無奈說道：“實在困就先回去睡吧，搜查本也用不着你，我去就行。”
明華裳費力扒開自己的眼睛，倔強搖頭：“不，我不困，我現在很清醒。”
明華章看着她，輕輕嘆了口氣，扶着她的頭放在自己腿上，說：“再睡一會吧，等到了京兆府我叫你。”
明華章的腿又長又直，骨肉勻停，明華裳幾乎是一沾就睡。明華章望着她睡得毫無防備的側顏，擡起手指，擋住她眼前的光，淡然對外面說：“走慢些，她睡着了。”
車夫忙放慢馬速，花了很久才走到京兆府。駛入光德坊時，明華章一手護着明華裳，另一手挑開車簾，靜靜看向外面。
毫不意外，東南那株大柳樹下，放着一個箱子。春寒料峭，晨風瑟瑟，柳條随風拂動，一切籠罩在熹微霧光中，看起來靜谧又美好。
然而明華章知道，此刻各個角落不知藏着多少雙眼睛，像潛伏的蛇一樣盯着這個箱子，等待誰會靠近。
他只是掃了一眼就收回視線，平淡地放下簾子。他輕輕推了推膝上的人，溫聲道：“裳裳，京兆府到了，該醒了。”
他的手指修長勻稱，骨節分明，天生帶着涼意。明華裳在睡夢中只覺得有一只蚊子，若有若無地在她臉上拂動，撓得人渾身發癢，實在煩人極了。明華裳忍無可忍，一把拍開那只蚊子，轉了個方向，繼續酣睡。
明華章無可奈何看着自己手上的紅痕，輕嘆一聲，不再客氣，另一只手直接探入她後脖頸，用冰意強行喚醒她：“裳裳，該起了。”
明華裳蔫巴巴走在臺階上，揉着脖子，抱怨道：“你為什麽不叫我？睡得我脖子疼。”
明華章掀衣上階，側眸默然瞥了明華裳一眼，好心給她當人形枕頭，還要被她倒打一耙。明華章振袖，沒告訴她她睡品很差，清清淡淡道：“好，今日我盡量提前散衙，你早點回家睡覺。”
The two of them walked towards the palace, one in front of the other, and bumped into Jingzhao Yin at the main hall door. Jingzhao Yin glanced at them and asked, "Where are you going to search today?"
Ming Huazhang stood straight and bowed slowly, without the embarrassment of yesterday's confrontation with his superior, nor the arrogance of looking down on his superior. He said calmly, "Reporting to the Jingzhao Yin, I should go to Yong'anfang today."
Jingzhao Yin nodded, glanced at Ming Huashang for the last time, turned around and left without saying anything more. After he walked away, Ming Huashang stuck out his tongue and quietly moved to Ming Huazhang's side: "Second brother, you offended Jingzhao Yin, he won't hate me too, right?"
"Why, are you afraid of being implicated by your brother?"
"That's not the case. I'm just worried that you'll be bullied when I'm not around."
Ming Huazhang laughed very quietly and said, "Okay, then you must follow me closely and don't let me go alone."