Chapter 40: Affair

Ming Huashang and the other two looked at each other, all of them shuddering. Jiang Ling couldn't help but mutter, "You dare to bury the imperial guards with me? Don't you want to live?"

If such a thing were to be discovered, it would not just be the killing, but the entire family would be implicated.

Ren Yao frowned and asked, "Should we continue investigating?"

She thought it was just a murder case, and the motive for the murder was nothing more than love, money or revenge. Who could have thought that it would lead to such a terrible clue.

They are not too deeply involved now, and they still have time to withdraw. If they continue to investigate and find that someone has overstepped their authority, will they report it or not?

Not reporting is tolerating traitors, which is the same crime as rebellion; reporting will cause the court, which has finally settled down, to become turbulent again.

Ren Yao still vividly remembered the chaos of the cruel officials who framed people for rebellion. She was still young at the time and hated those people who spread rumors. She really didn't want to become that kind of person.

Ming Huashang was silent for a long time, then said, "It's getting late now, and it's not convenient to investigate. Let's stop here today and go home to think about it. If you still want to continue investigating, we'll meet at the old place tomorrow. If you don't want to get involved in this mess, then you don't have to come tomorrow. Let's just pretend that what happened in the past few days never happened. I believe in each other's character, and no one will tell anyone."

Jiang Ling and Ren Yao didn't respond, so Ming Huashang took it as their agreement. Ming Huashang took a deep breath and followed the crowd out: "Then I'll leave first. See you again if we're lucky."

Ming Huashang really had the idea of ​​giving up when she said this. She just wanted to find a stable job to work for the rest of her life, and there was no need to risk her life for it.

She should have thought of this long ago. The Wei family was considered a wealthy family among ordinary people, but it was not even worth a grain of sand in Luoyang. How could the haunting in their house alarm the Xuanxiao Guards who were directly under the Queen?

Ming Huashang was too lazy to think about the intentions behind it. The more she knew, the faster she would die. She just wanted to live her life well. She decided not to care about it anymore. Ming Huazhang didn't agree with her getting involved in these things. Maybe if she was eliminated, it would be a satisfactory ending for everyone.

After returning to the concubine's room, Zhaocai Jinbao complained as usual about why she had been out for the whole day. Today, Mingyu and Mingshuo were both in front of Old Madam Ming, but Ming Huashang was not there. Although the old madam didn't say anything, she looked unhappy.

Zhaocai advised her earnestly: "My wife, you must not be so idle in the future. You are already sixteen years old and will soon be married. You are out shopping and eating all day. If your future mother-in-law knew, she would be unhappy. You'd better calm down and learn needlework."

Ming Huashang was quiet for a long time, then said, "I am a living person, not an embroiderer. Could it be that I married into the family just to do needlework for them?"

"My lady, you are joking again." Zhao Cai said with a smile, "You are the daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo, the apple of the Duke's eye. Who would dare to let you do needlework? But things embroidered by yourself have a different feeling. The gentlemen and ladies of other mansions will think you are virtuous and kind. Isn't marriage a possibility?"

"Yes." Jinbao also said, "If you are too lazy to do it, just thread two needles to make a pattern, and I will embroider it for you. But you must stay in the room, otherwise it will be unacceptable."

Ming Huashang nodded slowly: "You are right."

Yes, how could she compare herself with an embroiderer? The embroiderer used her labor and skills to exchange for money, while she was just a beautiful decoration.

How can she compare to Xiu Niang?

Zhao Cai Jin Bao saw Ming Hua Shang nod, and thought she had heard him, so he asked hurriedly, "Madam, should I tell the Madam that I will take you with me to do needlework tomorrow?"

Ming Huashang didn't move, and suddenly asked, "Where's the second brother?"

"You're asking about Erlang?" Jinbao was confused and said, "Erlang hasn't come back yet. He seems to be very busy these days, always leaving early and returning late. Why are you asking this?"

Ming Huachang suddenly recalled that night, when Ming Huazhang was walking in the rain with an umbrella, with a handsome figure and the wind blowing back the snow. He asked her why she wanted to join Xuanxiaowei, and she said so many great truths, but after only two days, did she give up?

If that was the case, how could she have the qualifications to tell Ming Huazhang that day that she didn't want to follow the family's arrangements, didn't want her lifelong mission to be a good wife and a good mother, but wanted to be herself?

Zhaocai saw Ming Huashang remained motionless for a long time, and called out, "Madam, what are you in a daze about? The eldest lady is still awake, so it should be in time for her to send a message. Ruyi..."

"No need to see me off." Ming Huashang suddenly spoke up, interrupting Zhaocai's words, "I promised my second brother that I will go out tomorrow."

Ming Huashang appeared in Chongyefang again in the morning light. She thought that after yesterday's conversation, the team they had formed for only three days was tacitly disbanded, but she didn't expect that after arriving at the place, she found Ren Yao and Jiang Ling were there.

Ren Yao and Jiang Ling looked awkward, as if they wanted to twist their necks. Ming Huashang was surprised for a moment, then smiled and ran over briskly: "Sorry, I'm late. The sun is rising from the west, why did you come so early?"

Jiang Ling snorted and said arrogantly: "You are too lazy. I am the first one to come."

"Bullshit." Ren Yao ruthlessly exposed him, "I was here a long time ago, waiting behind the tree. You are blind and didn't see it, don't assume that everyone else is blind."

"Okay, okay, being lazy is just empty talk. Eating is the important thing." Ming Huashang asked, "Have you had breakfast?"

"No." Jiang Ling said impatiently, "Whoever comes late will be invited."

"Why?" Ming Huashang perked up when she heard about the treat and argued, "I don't agree. Sister Ren, do you agree?"

Ren Yao said slowly, "I think the person who came in the middle should be invited."

Ming Huashang agreed immediately, and Jiang Ling was so angry that he jumped up and down: "Yesterday you said that those who came late would be invited, but today it has become those in the middle. Do you still have the law?"

"The law is what the majority agrees on." Ming Huashang made the decision with one stroke, "Stop dawdling. I'm hungry. Let's go eat."

Ming Huashang did not mention what happened yesterday, and neither did Jiang Ling and Ren Yao. The three of them walked noisily down the street, the rising sun shining through the thin clouds, casting a golden glow behind them.

After Ming Huashang and the other two finished their breakfast, they bought a few more Hu cakes as usual and gave them to the little beggars to eat, asking them to keep an eye on the Wei family. The three of them continued to look for clues along the information from yesterday. At 5 pm, a little beggar suddenly came over and said that someone had come down from the locust tree and wanted to exchange the information for a reward.

The bounty of 100 coins for one piece of information still exists, and if the information provided is valuable, the bounty will be increased. It just so happens that there is no progress here, so after discussing it, the three of them decided to let Ming Huashang and Jiang Ling go back to listen to the new information, and Ren Yao continued to explore.

Ming Huashang followed the beggar into a secluded, shady alley. There was a middle-aged man with a scarf covering his face, pacing in the shadows. When he saw them, he said quickly, "You're finally here. Is this where we can exchange information for money?"

Ming Huashang saw the man's exposed triangular eyes and tensed up: "It's here. Why are you covering your face?"

Ming Huashang regretted bringing Jiang Ling with her. She should have asked Ren Yao to accompany her. However, Jiang Ling was a young man full of vigor and vitality, and he should be very intimidating to outsiders. If Ming Huashang was alone, she would not dare to come to such a place.

The man exuded a sense of vulgarity from head to toe. Although Ming Huashang could not see his expression, she could feel that he was smirking. "Don't be offended, my lady. After all, I still have to make a living in the Wei family. I'm afraid that if people find out, it will be too late. I heard that your master wants to make up a legend? You've found the right person. I know a lot of things. I guarantee that it will be hot and sexy after I make it up, and it will be well received and popular."

Fragrant? Ming Huashang frowned, already feeling that this was another scammer: "I don't have time to listen to your nonsense. Since there's nothing else, let's go."

"Hey, wait!" The man hurried forward to pull Ming Huashang, Jiang Ling pushed his shoulder and raised his eyebrows, "What are you doing? If you have something to say, just talk, don't do anything."

Thanks to Jiang Ling, Ming Huashang dodged the man's hand, her expression was very patient. The man realized that these two were not easy to mess with, rubbed his hands and said, "I'm not kidding, I saw it with my own eyes. The second lady said she was the second apprentice, but in fact she was just like a prostitute. She served the master first, and then she was going to marry the eldest apprentice. It's really a good thing that the fat water doesn't flow to outsiders."

Ming Huashang and Jiang Ling were both stunned. Ming Huashang knew from the man's appearance that he could not say anything nice, but she did not expect to hear such a thing.

After reacting, Ming Huachang's face had turned completely cold, and even Jiang Ling said angrily: "For such a few dollars, you actually made up such nonsense. What do you think of us?"

"I didn't make it up!" The man looked wronged. He was afraid of losing the reward money, so he didn't care about exposing his identity. He said, "I patrol the Wei family at night. No one knows the private affairs of the Wei family better than me. The storekeeper Wei said that he was a strict master and was very strict in disciplining his disciples. He often taught at night. Oh, if you ask me, it is true that he taught at night, but it is hard to say whether he taught in the house."

Ming Huashang frowned and said, "Although our master wants to compile a legend, he is also a gentleman. You are making up stories about the master family. Even if our master offends others, he will tell the shopkeeper Wei about your words."

"Oh, don't!" The man panicked and said quickly, "Everything I said is true! They are a master and a disciple who share a woman. If they have something to hide, they will definitely not dare to admit it."

"You're still talking nonsense!"

Jiang Ling held Ming Huashang's shoulders and stared at the man: "Can you swear that everything you said is true?"

The man raised his hand, looking terrified and trying to please, "It's true! Oh, I'm so unlucky. I just wanted to make some extra money, but how did I end up in this trouble?"

Jiang Ling clenched his fingers. He had been wandering around the world for many years and had met many people. He could tell the truth from lies. Although this man's words contained malicious speculation, exaggeration and slander, he did not lie.

These things really happened.

Ming Huashang pursed her lips tightly, her face looked very ugly. Only Jiang Ling could ask such questions. He calmed down and asked, "You just said that the master and apprentice of the Wei family shared a daughter. That means that only Wei Baixuan was raped by his master... Wei Zhuyan did not encounter such a thing?"

"Yes." The man didn't know what he was thinking, and there was a lewd look in his eyes. "The third young lady is pretty and smart. She was raised to be the eldest young master's wife since she was a child. Of course, she is different from a plaything. The second young lady looks ordinary and dull. With her looks, no one would even look at her if she walked on the street. If she couldn't make a puppet, how could she be the legal wife?"

Ming Huashang took over the topic coldly: "What do you mean?"

The man said, "I once heard Shopkeeper Wei say to his eldest disciple that the second daughter had learned the unique skills of the Wei family. If she was allowed to marry, she would definitely take the puppet-making skills to someone else's family, so the eldest son had to marry her. But Shopkeeper Wei would not stop him and the third daughter. After the wedding, the eldest son could keep the third daughter by his side as a concubine. Except for the status, all other treatments would be the same as the wife. The eldest son is really lucky. He only needs to wear a green hat and marry a woman used by his master, and he will have beauty, property, and reputation. I am willing to do that even if you let me go..."

Ming Huachang hated the man's dirty talk, but what he said was coherent and Ming Huachang had to accept it no matter how disgusted she was. Most of what he said was true.

Ming Huashang suppressed her discomfort and asked, "When did you hear these words?"

The man thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "It should be February 13th. I remember there was no moon that day, and the road was very difficult to walk on. When I was patrolling the main courtyard, I heard the shopkeeper Wei talking to the eldest son alone."

Ming Huashang asked: "What did Wei Moyuan answer?"

"I didn't hear it." The man said, "I was listening when I bumped into Hua Nu. I was so scared that I thought I saw a ghost and didn't pay attention to what was said afterwards."

Ming Huashang asked: "The shopkeeper Wei intends to make Wei Baixuan his wife and Wei Zhuyan his concubine. Does Wei Zhuyan know about this?"

The man shrugged, "I'm just a patrolman, how can I know what the Third Miss is thinking? But she should know what's going on. She has a good relationship with the eldest son, and the shopkeeper Wei dotes on her. If it weren't for the second son's puppet craftsmanship, how could the shopkeeper Wei be willing to let her suffer? If she stays, she doesn't have to work, and doesn't have to worry about the Wei family's business. She can just enjoy a peaceful life. Even if she has to bear the title of a concubine, why would she be unwilling?"

Ming Huashang looked at Jiang Ling, took out the money and threw it to the man, and asked: "This information is very useful, this is for you. In addition to the private affair, do you know anything else? For example, what kind of puppet did Wei Baixuan make before his death?"

The man saw Qian Xi's face and smiled, and took it greedily. He counted the copper plates on it, and after confirming that it was correct, he said with a flattering smile: "Thank you, my lady and husband. I often have to walk at night, and I am very afraid of the puppets of the Wei family. I always walk around them, especially those made by the second lady, which are so scary. However, the puppets made by the second lady before her death seem to be very important. On the fourteenth day, when I passed by the main courtyard, I heard the second lady and the shopkeeper Wei quarreling, shouting something like 'It's either me or her. If you want the drawings, you must drive Wei Zhuyan out.' Later, the housekeeper came to drive them away and close the door. I didn't hear the rest."

Ming Huashang raised her eyebrows and asked, "What drawing?"

"It seems to be a blueprint for making a puppet." The man said, "I didn't hear it clearly before, but I know it's a puppet made for a certain important person. It's very important. Currently, only the second lady can make it. If there is a blueprint, we can all make it together."

"Where are the drawings?"

The man held up his hands: "How should I know that?"

Jiang Ling gave the man another string of money. The man greedily took it, but Jiang Ling did not let go. His eyes showed a warning: "If you dare to tell others about what happened today..."

"How dare I." The man nodded and bowed, "I will have to rely on the Wei family for food in the future, how dare I tell this to others? My husband and wife can rest assured."

After the night watchman left, Jiang Ling looked at Ming Huashang and asked, "What do you think of what he just said?"

Ming Huashang pursed her lips, her face very serious: "I hope he is lying, but he described the time and place very accurately, so it is probably true."

The two looked at each other in silence. In the silence, Ren Yao's voice came from outside the alley: "Second Mother, Jiang Ling, why did you hide here? It's so hard for me to find you. The people who went to Beidu are back, you..."

Ren Yao noticed that their expressions were not right, so he raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's wrong?"

In the private room, after listening to Ming Huashang's retelling, Ren Yao clenched his fists in anger: "This hypocritical fellow, I'm going to beat him to death right now..."

"Sister Ren, calm down and don't make any trouble." Ming Huashang held Ren Yao and said, "Let's talk about Beidu first."

The troops sent by Pingnan Marquis's Mansion to Taiyuan Prefecture came back. Ren Yao was still immersed in anger, and his tone was hard: "Many years ago, there was indeed a Wu family puppet troupe, which was very popular in Beidu. The mainstay was Wei Yanqing. But at that time he was not called this name, but Yuqing. No one remembers the name of Yuqing's master. Everyone called him the old troupe owner Wu. The old troupe owner's puppet show was not popular, but he raised a good son and accepted a good apprentice.

"The old troupe owner's son Wu Kong was very talented in puppetry. Later, the old troupe owner handed over the family business to his son. Wu Kong and his junior fellow apprentice Yuqing quickly became famous in Taiyuan Prefecture, especially Yuqing's silk-pulling opera "Rebirth", which became an instant hit. Even the aristocratic families invited him to perform in their mansions. Unfortunately, with fame came controversy. There were frequent rumors of Wu Kong and Yuqing's discord in the troupe. Later, Yuqing's voice was damaged and he left Taiyuan Prefecture, and the dispute finally stopped."

Ming Huashang asked: "Yuqing makes a living with his voice, so he should pay more attention to maintaining it. Why did his voice get damaged?"

"I don't know." Ren Yao said, "But there are rumors that Wu Kong was jealous of his junior fellow apprentice and used drugs to make Yuqing's throat mute."

"What happened next?"

"Later, Yuqing's voice became hoarse and he could no longer sing puppet shows. He left Taiyuan Prefecture in disgrace and came to Luoyang. He changed his surname back to Wei and named himself Yanqing. What happened next was the same as what the Wei family had heard. Although he could no longer sing puppet shows, he became a full-time puppeteer. His family business grew bigger and bigger, and he established the Wei Mansion today."

Jiang Ling said, "He has experienced two ups and downs, but he can still find a way out. He is a man of talent. If his voice was really made dumb by the poison, would he not express anything? Is he really willing to live like this?"

"This is also what I find strange." Ren Yao said, "The person who inquired about the news told me that not long after Yuqing left Taiyuan Prefecture, Wu Kong's daughter was kidnapped by human traffickers. She was only six years old when she went missing. Wu Kong was devastated after losing his daughter. He searched everywhere for his beloved daughter and even ignored the opera troupe. The Wu family puppet troupe was soon replaced by a new troupe, and Wu Kong's whereabouts were unknown."

Ming Huashang asked: "In which year did Wu Kong's daughter go missing?"

"Twelve years ago."

"That is to say, if Wu Kong's daughter is still alive now, she should be eighteen years old this year." Ming Huashang looked at the other two people, with a dark look in her eyes, "Wei Baixuan is exactly eighteen years old this year."

Jiang Ling was incredulous and said, "You mean, Wei Baixuan is Wu Kong's daughter? Wu Kong's daughter got lost, and Wei Yanqing happened to adopt his senior brother's daughter. How could such a coincidence happen in the world?"

"Yeah, how could such a coincidence happen in the world?" Ming Huashang murmured, the light in his eyes gradually brightened, almost scorching, "Unless, this is not a coincidence at all."

Ming Huazhang once again returned home on the edge of curfew. As soon as he pushed the door open, he felt something was wrong.

He looked up and saw a guest in the room. Ming Huashang stared at him with burning eyes and asked, "Second brother, you might as well tell me the truth. Is your mission really to find out the truth about the ghost?"