Chapter 144: Tolerance

Ming Huashang had another nightmare. In the dream, Zhaocai was holding a bag of pine nuts and complaining that they were too overcooked. Then, Zhaocai was lying in a pool of blood, with a big hole in his abdomen. He was covered in blood and blood. Ming Huashang wanted to pull Zhaocai up, but as soon as she touched his body, Zhaocai turned into a fierce ghost and said sinisterly, "It's all your fault that I was killed. Why didn't you die?"

Yes, why wasn't she the one who died?

Ming Huashang felt as if someone was choking her throat. She took deep breaths but still couldn't breathe. She grabbed at something in vain while suffocating. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her tightly and hugged her tightly: "Shangshang, don't be afraid, I'm here."

The evil spirit was laughing strangely in her ear. Ming Huashang wanted to run, but her body couldn't move at all. The pair of warm hands kept holding her, patting her back gently, and whispering in her ear: "I'm here."

I'm here.

These words seemed like an oracle that could drive away evil spirits. The dark shadows that had been haunting her in her dream gradually dissipated. Ming Huashang's body gradually relaxed, she tilted her head, and finally fell asleep peacefully.

Ming Huazhang waited until her breathing became even before carefully putting her back on the bed. Unexpectedly, Ming Huachang was like drowning. As soon as she touched the bed, her breathing became rapid and her mood became unstable. Ming Huazhang could only hold her hand tightly and stay with her: "Don't be afraid, I'm here, I won't leave."

Madam Ming frowned when she saw this scene: "Did she get into something dirty? How about asking a monk to exorcise the evil spirit?"

The Duke of Zhenguo was a little hesitant when he heard this. Ming Huashang had never suffered any hardship since she was a child. She was so angry that she refused to continue learning needlework even when her fingertips were pierced by needles. Suddenly, she saw the death of the people around her. She must have been terrified. The Duke of Zhenguo couldn't help but ask, "Which monk is the most effective in exorcising evil spirits?"

"No need." Ming Huazhang carefully wiped the sweat off Ming Huashang's forehead and said without turning his head, "She is very brave. She is not afraid of seeing a corpse. How could she be scared? Besides, even if there are ghosts in the world, they are Zhaocai. Zhaocai is the closest to Shangshang. He must stay by her side to protect her. What evil can be driven away?"

Madam Ming frowned: "If it wasn't a ghost, then why did she become like this?"

Ming Huazhang looked at her frowning brows even in her sleep, held her hand tightly, and said, "She just feels guilty. She thinks she killed Zhaocai. Shangshang, Zhaocai won't hurt you, nor will he blame you. You have to get better soon, so Zhaocai won't worry."

Old Madam Ming saw Ming Huazhang and Ming Huashang being too intimate and frowned, saying, "If she has to hold someone else's hand to fall asleep, then let the maids watch over her. Erlang also has other things to do and can't stay here all the time."

"It doesn't matter." Ming Huazhang whispered, "Nothing is more important than her. I am willing to accompany her."

Madam Ming's face became even more irritated. She turned to look at Duke Zhenguo with a very clear look in her eyes.

To keep your son in check, do you really have to create a scandal that will be known to everyone?

Duke Zhenguo came last night, so he could clearly feel that after Ming Huazhang came back, Ming Huashang was much more stable, and no longer had nightmares like last night. He looked at Ming Huazhang and Ming Huashang's clasped hands, and finally couldn't bear it, so he said, "Shangshang had nightmares all night, and it's rare that she slept well. Let her rest for a while. Mother, you are tired too, I will take you back."

When Madam Ming heard what the Duke of Zhenguo said, she was so angry that she was fuming. She shook her sleeves and said angrily, "Okay, I'm old and my words are useless. You can just leave your children alone. I want to see what kind of trouble you are going to cause to the Ming family."

After saying that, Madam Ming stormed out. Duke Zhenguo looked at Ming Huazhang apologetically and chased after the old lady.

Inside the house, the maids seemed to sense something was wrong, so they put down their things and left. They were the only two people left in the inner room. Ming Huazhang looked at Ming Huachang, who was close at hand, and gently wiped the sweat from her nose. He said in a low voice, "Why should you feel guilty? It's me who keeps bringing disaster to those around me."

Ming Huazhang stayed with Ming Huachang the whole day, feeding her medicine and water by hand, and was absolutely inseparable from her. The sun was setting in the west, and while Ming Huazhang was taking care of Ming Huachang, he couldn't help but stare at the light spots on the ground to distract himself.

He is busy today and cannot go to Jingzhao Prefecture. The ten-day deadline is about to arrive. He wonders how the investigation is going.

Speak of the devil, here comes the devil. Just as he finished this thought, the maid came to report that the prince's servant Xie Langjun, the captain of the Yulin Army Ren Yao, and Jiang Ling, the Marquis of Jiang'an, came to visit the second lady.

Ming Huazhang was a little surprised. It was not surprising for these three people to come to visit Ming Huashang. Ming Huazhang would have beaten them if they didn't come. But, so early?

It's not time to adjourn yet, and the last day should be very busy. How did they get away?

Ming Huazhang sensed that something had changed, and immediately asked the maid to invite the three people in. He did not dare to stay too far away from Ming Huachang, so he asked the maid to lead them directly to Ming Huachang's courtyard.

As soon as Jiang Ling entered the room, he said happily: "Ming Huazhang, great news, the murderer has been caught!"

A screen separated the inner and outer halls. Ming Huazhang's figure was hidden behind the screen, and his shadow was unclear, like a slender and misty ink mark. But Jiang Ling clearly felt that Ming Huazhang looked back and gave him a cold look, and the icy edge in his eyes seemed to have substance.

Jiang Ling's words got stuck in his throat, and he forgot what he was going to say. At this time, Ren Yao caught up with him, kicked him hard from behind, and scolded him: "Second Mother is still sick, can you speak?"

Jiang Ling scratched his head and said angrily, "I'm not saying that Hua Chang's illness is a happy event, I'm saying that the murderer has been caught."

Ming Huazhang stood behind the screen, untied the jade hook, and let down the bed curtains and draperies before walking out calmly and saying, "She's asleep. Keep your voice down and go talk outside."

Jiang Ling had never thought that he would not even be allowed to sit down, but had to stand in the corridor to talk. Ming Huazhang went out first, and Jiang Ling followed with a sigh, muttering, "You didn't even give me a drink of water, how stingy."

Ming Huazhang turned a deaf ear to him. When he went out, he ran into Xie Jichuan head-on. The two looked at each other, and both of them had calm expressions, as if they were not the ones who had confronted each other in the morning.

Xie Jichuan glanced into the room. The curtains behind the screen were hanging down like a cage of smoke, so he couldn't see the face clearly, but he knew that there was a person lying there.

After Ming Huashang fainted yesterday, Xie Jichuan brought her back. I wonder if she is feeling better today?

Ming Huazhang stood by the pillar. He saw Xie Jichuan standing in front of the door, staring into the room without moving. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Xie Jichuan, what are you looking at?"

There was a hint of intimidation in Ming Huazhang's voice. Xie Jichuan rolled his eyes, his long sleeves fluttering, and turned slowly: "Of course I'm looking at my second sister. How is she?"

Ming Huazhang said expressionlessly, "She finally fell asleep, don't disturb her. Ren Yao can go in to see her, but you two can't. Also, call her Second Lady."

When the others in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion heard that Xie Jichuan and others had arrived, they all rushed over to see them. When the Duke of Zhenguo entered the house and heard Ming Huazhang's words, he said, "Erlang, you must not be rude to Master Xie. How can you let the guests stand? Please come inside and take a seat."

"No problem." Xie Jichuan still smiled, not caring about Ming Huazhang's neglect at all, and acted easygoing and polite, "The guest should follow the host's wishes. We came here today, firstly to visit my second sister, and secondly to inform the Duke and the old lady that the murderer who killed Zhaocai last night has been found."

Duke Zhenguo had been upset the whole day, and he couldn't help but be excited when he heard this: "Did they catch him?"

"Yes." Xie Jichuan said, "Speaking of which, my second sister and I have seen that man. One time, she and I were coming back from outside the city and we bumped into a man near Jingzhao Prefecture. The man was crazy and ran away when he saw us. I should have thought at the time, if he wasn't guilty, why would he run? If I had known that he would harm my second sister, I should have caught him that day."

Ming Huazhang's eyebrows were slightly furrowed, but he didn't reveal anything. He asked, "How did you catch him?"

Ren Yao looked guilty and said, "It was all our fault yesterday that Zhaocai got into trouble right under our noses. Today, Jiang Ling and I followed Xie Jichuan to search for a whole day. Xie Jichuan found a bloody shirt in the drainage ditch. When we asked people around, they said it looked like Yang Bandian's shirt. We immediately went to search Yang Bandian's house and found a bloody knife in his house. The length and shape of the blade were exactly the same as Zhaocai's wound. We also found bloodstained clothes, saltpeter and sulfur for making gunpowder, strange symbols, and a notebook full of names. We asked what these names were, and he said they were the people he wanted to kill."

Jiang Ling took over the conversation and said: "We originally just went to his house to question him, but he ran away when he saw the Yulin Army. After being caught, he kept talking nonsense. One moment he said he was going to kill all of us, and the next moment he held his head and cried, saying that the court was monitoring him and that a big shot wanted to kill him. We asked him if he was responsible for the previous bombings, and he admitted it. He also said that there were bombs buried under Chang'an, and that in three days, the Buddha would come to pick him up."

Jiang Ling rolled his eyes and said, "He is just a weirdo. He is just an ordinary person with nothing. Who wants to harm him? We don't want to listen to his nonsense, so we hurried over from Jingzhao Prefecture to tell you the good news of solving the case."

Xie Jichuan sighed: "I really didn't expect that the person who caused so much trouble in Chang'an and fooled half of the court was actually a madman."

Ming Huazhang asked slowly, "Is Yang Banfeng the murderer's name?"

"It's a nickname." Ren Yao said, "No one knows his real name. We only know that his last name is Yang. He is normal half of the time and crazy the other half. He always yells that people want to kill him, so everyone calls him Yang Banfeng."

Ming Huazhang asked: "Why does he think others want to kill him?"

"I don't know." Ren Yao said, "Otherwise why do you say he is half crazy?"

“那他為何要殺招財？”明華章怔了下，道，“不，若按他的字謎，他要殺的人應當是‘明’。我也姓明，還是朝廷命官，他為什麽不選擇殺我？”

“他這個人不正常，不能以常理度之。”謝濟川道，“他疑神疑鬼，明明只是很正常的風吹草動，他卻覺得是別人要害他，興許二妹妹無意做了什麽，他誤認為二妹妹要害他，出于自保便要殺掉二妹妹。只是那日留在外面的是招財，陰差陽錯替二妹妹擋了一劫。他屋裏的血衣、刀具，都和招財屍體對得上。”

明華章眉心攏着，說道：“他一個半瘋之人，他說有人要殺他是假的，那怎麽能确定他說的殺人就是真的？他這樣的人，真的做得出威力那麽大的火藥嗎？”

“這件事我也想過。”謝濟川淡淡接腔，“我在羊半瘋家周圍調查過，他們坊裏一個老人說，別看羊半瘋現在瘋瘋癫癫的，其實他曾經是個進士，登過金銮殿，雁塔題過名，只是後來仕途不順，慢慢就瘋了。我其實懷疑他在裝瘋賣傻，他若能考中進士，配得出火藥也不足為奇。喜歡在殺人時留謎藏名，亦符合他酸腐文人的身份。”

江陵攬上謝濟川的肩膀，道：“難得吧，謝濟川竟然出門了。今日是他親自盯着仵作給招財驗屍，又親自去長壽坊搜查，我們能這麽快找到兇手，多虧他。”

謝濟川感受到江陵搭在自己身上的手，像沾了瘟疫一樣，嫌棄地推開：“你的手那麽髒，別碰我。”

江陵啧了聲，嫌棄道：“不識好歹，我誇你呢。”

明老夫人、二房、三房等人陸陸續續來了。明老夫人聽完謝濟川的話，念了句佛號，道：“阿彌陀佛，抓到了就好。這世上總有些人，自己不得志卻怪別人害他，真是作孽。”

院中衆人交頭接耳，議論紛紛，明華章卻意外的安靜。他沉默一會，問：“那羊半瘋現在在哪裏？”

“在京兆府大牢，雖然還沒判，但多半是秋後問斬。”江陵道，“京兆尹進宮去述職了，好險，剛好趕在截止時間前破案，再晚一點就來不及了。”

明華章問：“那聖人怎麽說？”

“能怎麽說？”江陵大咧咧道，“自然是論功行賞。放心，雖然你今天不在，但前幾日你出了大力，等花朝節結束，不說頭功，怎麽也能評個次等功。”

明老夫人聽到這裏心裏就安穩了，嘴裏連連念菩薩慈悲。任遙見衆人高高興興的，有些猶豫要不要說，明華章看出她心裏有話，主動問：“任遙，怎麽了？”

任遙有些尴尬，支支吾吾問：“那個，招財的屍體，你們看如何處理？”

所有意外死亡的人，無論什麽身份，必須經過官府驗屍後才能讓家人領走，沒有家人的便由官府統一埋葬。招財是奴籍，她的喪事要由主家鎮國公府決定，若鎮國公府願意安葬她，那屍體就會送回明家，若鎮國公府不願意，那就只能一卷涼席丢到亂葬崗了。

剛才還歡欣高漲的氣氛一下子凝滞住了，明三夫人笑容微斂，隐晦地瞟了任遙一眼。

真是晦氣，平南侯老夫人是如何教養晚輩的，怎麽連這點眼力勁都沒有？一個任遙一個明華裳，果然，喪婦長女不娶是有道理的。

明華章眼神微肅，說道：“招財和裳裳情同姐妹，自然要接回鎮國公府安葬。她的屍首在哪裏，我去接她。”

任遙微微松了口氣，說：“不必，我就知你們會問她，來時順便将招財的屍體帶來了，就在外面車上。二娘為這個案子付出這麽多，最後還搭上了招財，要不要知會她一聲，好歹讓她去送招財最後一面。”

一個丫鬟沒什麽停靈可言，以鎮國公府的財力，估計今日就能置辦好壽衣棺材，等棺釘一釘，再相見就是下輩子的事了。

雖然任遙也覺得親眼看到熟人的死狀很殘忍，但至少要告訴明華裳一聲，見不見，由她自己選擇。

明老夫人重重咳了一聲。院子衆人一齊看向老夫人，明老夫人沉着臉，說：“一個丫鬟，能替主子擋劫是盡忠，多撥些錢好好安置她的後事，也算明家沒白養她。至于二娘，她要養病，這些小事就不要拿來打擾她了。”

“怎麽能是小事呢？”任遙說，“畢竟是她相處了十來年的丫鬟……”

“一個丫鬟而已。”明老夫人面容嚴肅，獨斷道，“先前二娘年紀小，家裏多縱着她，但眼看她一天天大了，不能再像以前一樣無狀。等二娘病好後要專心準備嫁妝，外面的事，就別拿來找她了。”

明老夫人的話說得很不客氣，任遙和江陵對視一眼，聽出了明老夫人的言外之意。

明老夫人不同意明華裳繼續摻和破案，連他們，也最好不要再來打擾明華裳了。

“是啊。”明三夫人在旁邊說，“二娘本身就被吓到了，還讓她聽這些，不利于休養。我看二娘的症狀有點像失魂，要不找個高僧來，給她招招魂？”

“不妥。”明二夫人連忙道，“這段時間長安裏死了這麽多人，貿然招魂……招來什麽不幹淨的東西怎麽辦？”

明二夫人不敢直說，但昨天邵王、魏王世子才被打死在丹鳳門前，永泰郡主驚懼流産，出血而死。這些人一個比一個陰煞，哪能招惹到鎮國公府來？

鎮國公聽到這些話皺眉，飛快看了明華章一眼，正要呵斥明二夫人言行無狀，被明華章止住。

明華章平靜聽着堂兄堂姐被人說成“不幹淨的東西”，神情平靜得酷烈。他像一臺精密的儀器，無論外界風霜雨雪，依然能理智地做出最合适的取舍：“多謝你們将招財的屍身送來，只是裳裳現在的狀況不适合聽這些事。冬青，你去尋一個陰涼避光的屋子，将招財暫時安置在裏面，命人去地窖鑿冰，放在屋子四角，每隔一個時辰換一次，其餘時間都鎖好房門，除非有我陪同，不然不得放任何人進來。管家，你從公府賬本上支一百貫，再從我私賬上支一百貫，親自去東市為招財置辦棺椁白紙，務必選最好的。另外，試着找一找招財的父母兄弟，若她還有親人在世，就請他們來送招財一程吧。”

明老夫人越聽眉頭皺得越緊，忍無可忍道：“看來我剛才那些話你是一點都沒聽進去，要不是她任性，成天往外跑，能沾染這些事嗎？一個丫鬟而已，有什麽可看的，趕快将人下葬，屍體放在府裏多晦氣。以後少讓二娘出門，讓她在家裏安心備嫁，你再慣着她，遲早要害死了她。”

任遙本是好意，沒想到挑起了明家争吵，一時非常尴尬。然而明華章站得筆直，一點都不因為還有外人在就順着明老夫人，冷淡強勢地反駁道：“這又不是她的錯。你們不怪那個揮刀向弱者的混賬，反而怪明華裳引起了對方注意，怪一個忠心護主的丫鬟沒有自保之力？”

謝濟川挑眉，有些意外。明華章竟然罵出了“混賬”，這可是謝濟川認識明華章以來，他說過的最粗俗、最不君子的字眼了。

看來，這回明華章是真的氣狠了，要不然但凡他能呼吸，就不會用這麽失儀的詞。

明老夫人被明華章當衆頂撞，氣得臉都青了。明三夫人握着帕子，幽幽道：“二郎君，你這話可冤枉老夫人了。老夫人這是心疼二娘，哪個好姑娘家成日和屍體打交道？”

明華章眸光冰冷，如出鞘的寒刃，居高臨下看向明三夫人：“她在我心裏就是最好的姑娘，她想待在內宅繡花就繡花，想出門破案就破案，不該被任何人指點。她心懷正義，為民伸冤，乃是一等一的善事，三嬸母憑什麽如此說她？”

明三夫人被駁得沒臉，笑了下，道：“不過一家人閑話，二郎怎麽上綱上線的？”

明華章對着明華裳總是溫柔細心，然而面對其他人時，他收斂了笑意，眉眼才顯出原本的冰冷鋒銳。

他負手立于階上，色若冰雪，容光凜然，聲音和他的容貌一樣，冷清得刺人：“我這個人說話直，不像裳裳一樣處處為別人着想，時時給親人留面子，有些話若不中聽，勞煩各位擔待一二。裳裳她從來不是一個軟弱糊塗的人，很多事她心裏清楚，只是不想讓父親難做，所以從來不說罷了。她不怕鬼神，也不怕惡人，她只是太善良了，總能先人一步體察到別人的痛苦。若祖母覺得這叫慣壞，那就是吧，以後她若想繼續破案就繼續，若她不想了就回家，我慣着她一輩子，不勞煩諸位出一米一粟，所以以後無論她做什麽，請幾位不要再來指點她。祖母、二嬸、三嬸，你們若沒有其他事，便請離開吧，郎中說了，裳裳需要靜養。”

The second and third wives came to visit the patient today. Besides pretending to be there, they also had the intention of taking pleasure in the misfortune. They did not expect to be scolded by a 17-year-old junior. Mrs. Ming San blushed and said, "Erlang's words are so unreasonable. There are so many ladies in Chang'an. Why don't we talk about others, but come to talk about her? Isn't it for her own good?"

"What she needs most right now is peace and quiet, not 'for her own good'. If you stay here, it will be bad for her." Ming Huazhang's face was not smiling at all, and his voice was clear and cold, "Please go out."

Jiang Ling initially wondered whether he should say something to smooth things over, but later on he just put his hands down silently and listened to Ming Huazhang cursing.

Ming Huazhang is truly a brave man who dares to scold his superior to his face. No matter who you are, if you provoke him, he will not give you any face.

Jiang Ling watched with great interest. Ming Huazhang even used the word "please". How gentle and polite, how humble and gentlemanly he was.

Perhaps Ming Huashang was the only one who felt that he was gentle and considerate.

When had Old Lady Ming ever been so angry? She looked at the Duke of Zhenguo angrily, but the Duke of Zhenguo stood far away and asked the maid a question, as if he had not heard Ming Huazhang's unfilial words. Old Lady Ming saw what she didn't understand. No matter how dear a mother is, she can't compare to her own children. After all, they are family. Old Lady Ming said "good" twice and walked away angrily.

Ming Huazhang didn't even give face to Madam Ming, let alone the second and third wives. Madam Ming's second and third wives were so embarrassed that they left like rats.

The courtyard was suddenly half empty. Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief and felt that even the air had become clean. At this time, Ming Huazhang looked at Xie Jichuan, Ren Yao, and Jiang Ling and said, "Aren't you human beings? Get out too."

Jiang Ling: “…”

You see, even the passing dogs are kicked.

Footsteps sounded one after another, and the few remaining people were also driven out, and the small courtyard returned to silence. After a while, there was a slight sound of a door being pushed open, the afterglow was golden, the curtains were like smoke, Ming Huazhang walked through the screen, lifted the soft veil in front of the bed, and it was like stirring a room of gold powder, and the brilliant golden light surrounded him.

He lowered his eyes to look at Ming Huashang, who was lying on her side in the brocade quilt with her eyes closed, seemingly in deep sleep. Ming Huazhang sighed softly, leaned over, and pulled up the quilt for her.

"Shang Shang, I'm going to be out for a while. Just go to sleep as long as you want. I'll be here."