Chapter 64 Dumb Slave

Being in a brothel with a murder scene right next door, Ming Huashang thought she would not be able to sleep, but facts proved that she was overthinking.

She soon fell asleep like a dead pig, and had no dreams all night until dawn. When she closed her eyes, birds were chirping outside the window. Ming Huashang was in a trance and couldn't tell whether she was in Zhongnan Mountain or in the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.

"Are you awake?"

A cold voice came from behind the screen. I don't know if it was because he was afraid of waking her up or because he was tired after staying up all night. His voice was a little hoarse, and the tail end of the voice seemed to swirl, touching people's hearts.

Ming Huashang came back to his senses in an instant, remembering that this was Tianxianglou, and they were still investigating the case! Ming Huashang sat up quickly: "Second brother..."

She rolled on the pillow all night, her hair was rubbed into a mess, and the hair on top of her head stood up like a cat with its fur frizzed out. Ming Huashang had no idea what she looked like, so she rubbed her face quietly, praying that there were no saliva marks on it.

Ming Huazhang sat outside the screen and slowly poured a cup of tea: "Come and have a cup of tea when you wake up to refresh yourself. I will be out soon and won't be able to watch you. You'd better stay awake and don't fall asleep again."

Ming Huachang's confused mind finally cleared up. Should she say that her second brother really understood her? She did have the intention of going back to sleep just now.

Ming Huashang slept with her clothes on yesterday. She quickly straightened her clothes, walked out from behind the screen, and asked, "Second brother, where are you going?"

Out of courtesy, Ming Huazhang had been facing away from the bed when Ming Huachang was sleeping, and had not looked inside. He looked up when he heard the voice, and saw Ming Huachang's fuzzy, messy hair.

It seems that I should have let her hair dry completely before going to bed last night. Ming Huazhang smiled unconsciously. I had never noticed before that her hair was so densely curled.

Ming Huazhang felt a sense of disappointment in her heart. She had always been like a child who had never grown up, but now her hair had grown so long.

Ming Huazhang collected his thoughts and said, "No one came last night, as expected. It seems that we can't rely on shortcuts to catch the murderer. I plan to go to Yizhuang to check Zhang Ziyun's body. I can't be back until noon at the earliest. I can't accompany you this morning. You try your best to find Jiang Ling and Ren Yao. If not, blow the signal to ask Xie Jichuan to come out. Don't act alone."

Ming Huashang agreed. No wonder Ming Huazhang had prepared a disguise, but his face was different from yesterday. Ming Huashang asked, "Second brother, is Yizhuang in danger?"

Ming Huazhang chuckled: "How dangerous can it be in a place where dead people are kept? Don't worry, I have a plan."

The Yizhuang was a place where corpses were stored. It was built in a remote place in the suburbs and guarded by the government. It was not difficult to sneak into such a place, but it was also difficult to hide. Since Ming Huazhang said he had a plan, Ming Huashang felt relieved and earnestly instructed: "Second brother, you have to be careful."

"You should be careful." Ming Huazhang stood up, unable to hold back, and reached out to touch the particularly stubborn and lovely hair on her head, saying, "I'm leaving first. If you're tired, stay in the room, but don't fall asleep; if you want to go out to look for evidence, ask someone to accompany you."

Ming Huashang nodded and watched Ming Huazhang open the window. His figure was as light and nimble as a swan. After a few rises and falls, he disappeared in the dim morning light.

Ming Huashang leaned against the window and looked out for a long time, until he could no longer find Ming Huazhang. The climate in Chang'an was different from that in Luoyang, and it was quite chilly in the early morning. Ming Huashang rubbed his arms and looked at the empty streets, feeling a little lost.

Qinlou and Chuguan are different from ordinary business places. They are quiet during the day and become busy at night. Ming Huachang woke up at a relatively early time. Ordinary neighbors may have started a busy day, but for Pingkangfang, this time is too early. Looking around, no one is walking around. Many flower buildings are silent, as if they are still asleep.

Tianxiang Tower was also very quiet, not even a single person was talking. Ming Huashang was bored and just stared at the birds on the tree. Ming Huazhang would not be back until noon, what was she going to do in such a long time?

She sighed softly, touched her stomach, and felt hungry.

Ming Huashang herself couldn't help feeling embarrassed. She ate and then fell asleep, and when she woke up she wanted to eat again. She must be the reincarnation of a pig.

After Ming Huashang complained in her heart, she still followed her heart and packed up her clothes, planning to go out to buy food. However, when she sat in front of the dressing table, she was shocked.

She just spoke to Ming Huazhang in such a dignified manner? Oh my god, no wonder Ming Huazhang smiled!

Ming Huachang's hair is naturally slightly curly, which is not noticeable when it grows longer. But if she goes to bed without taking care of it right after washing, like last night, her hair will become as curly as it is today.

Ming Huashang struggled with the problem for a long time before finally getting herself dressed to her satisfaction and leaving the house feeling satisfied.

Ming Huashang's steps quickened at the thought of going to buy something to eat. She skipped towards the stairs. When she turned the corner, she suddenly saw a dark shadow and was startled.

Ming Huashang took a step back, and her hand involuntarily pressed on the dagger: "Who is it?"

The shadow inside didn't say anything, but turned and ran. Ming Huashang hurriedly chased after him, taking two steps at a time and grabbing his shoulder: "Stop, why are you running?"

The two of them were fighting on the stairs, and the noise startled the madam upstairs. The madam, with her hair loose, peeked from the third floor and saw Ming Huashang fighting with a dark figure. She raised her eyebrows and said, "Silly slave, you are so bold that you don't even mop the floor properly and disturb the distinguished guest?"

Ming Huashang paused when she heard the madam's voice, and her hand loosened. The person in front of her took the opportunity to break free, babbling and gesticulating.

He turned out to be dumb, no wonder he didn't speak after seeing her. Ming Huashang now had the heart to take a closer look at the person in front of him. He was short and thick, with rough and deformed fingers, and it was obvious that he was used to doing heavy work. His facial features were quite regular, but his eyes were timid and shrinking, and his shoulders were habitually hunched inward. He was only in his thirties, but he looked like he was in his forties or fifties.

The madam ran over with one foot deep and one foot shallow. She was so anxious that she almost sprained her ankle on the stairs. She cried out in pain. Ming Huashang saw it and said, "Madam, please go slowly. Repair the stairs another day. Otherwise, Tianxianglou is so magnificent, but the girl and the madam sprained their ankles on the stairs. It would be a joke if it got out."

The madam smiled awkwardly, pulled Ming Huashang's arm, and said flatteringly, "You're right. Why did you get up so early today?"

Ming Huashang showed off her own personality, looked up at people with her nose raised, and said proudly: "Why should I report to you about what I am going to do?"

The madam said she didn't dare. She glared at the dumb slave and said, "Get out of here. Look at your ugly face. Don't pollute the noble's eyes."

The dumb slave was a little anxious when he saw the madam almost fall down, but when the madam scolded him, he lowered his head and seemed to accept it. The dumb slave turned around and was about to leave. Ming Huashang said, "Wait a minute," and said in a long tone, "Madam, you and this dumb slave, don't you have any relationship? Are you deliberately protecting him? He was hiding here just now, I don't know if he was peeking or trying to scare people, and you just let him go?"

"No way." The madam smiled apologetically, her expression a little stiff, "You are joking, my lord. He is just a servant, how can I look up to him? You have just arrived in Chang'an and don't know Pingkangfang. In our line of work, the girls won't get up until the sun is at noon. I thought he was free in the morning, so I asked him to clean the lobby and wipe the seats when there were few people. Just now, he should have been cleaning the stairs. Don't you think so?"

The madam said the last words to the dumb slave, who half-closed his eyes, not knowing whether he understood or not, and only nodded. The madam smiled charmingly at Ming Huashang again: "Sir, he is a rough man, and he would not dare to peek at you even if he had a hundred thousand guts. Please be magnanimous and forgive him this time."

Ming Huashang didn't think that the mute slave was peeking at her, but it was hard to say whether he was peeking at the murder scene. Ming Huashang knew their purpose and couldn't make a move before the situation became clear. So she didn't continue to act up and pretended to be arrogant and said, "Even if you don't dare. Get out of the way. I have to go buy food for the prince."

The madam hurriedly agreed and moved aside. When Ming Huachang went downstairs, she took the opportunity to pick up her clothes and glanced over. She saw the madam scolding the dumb slave and then told him to clean the floor with a frown and cold eyes.

Ming Huashang stepped into the bright and magnificent lobby, thinking deeply. If she remembered correctly, it was the bar that was given to Zhang Ziyun by the mute slave before his death?

Could it be that Zhang Ziyun's death was also related to Mu Nu? Otherwise, why would Mu Nu sneak up to the scene?

Ming Huashang walked through the lobby and into the morning light, pondering her thoughts. She was originally worried about the murder case, but her attention was soon diverted by the novel and magnificent scenery of Chang'an.

This was her first time to really go shopping in Chang'an, and she was full of novelty, especially the food in Chang'an. As for Ming Huazhang's warning not to let her go out alone... when it comes to food, even the king of heaven would be useless, and she had long forgotten Ming Huazhang's words.

Pingkangfang is in a really good location, with East Market just across the street. Ming Huachang ate as he walked along the way, and reluctantly returned when he could not eat anymore. He also brought some for Jiangling, Renyao, and Xie Jichuan.

Yesterday, Brother Xie was the only one living alone. Although Ming Huashang felt that Xie Jichuan didn't need it, she still brought some food to comfort him.

When Ming Huachang returned, she bumped into the mute slave scrubbing the stage. However, he seemed distracted. He stared at the seal on the second floor of the east building, holding the rag in his hand, without moving for a long time.

Ming Huashang did not conceal her footsteps. When the dumb slave turned around and saw her, he quickly lowered his head and continued washing the floor silently, as if he was very afraid of her.

Ming Huashang, upholding the character of a pampered maid with high aspirations, walked past with her head held high and chest puffed out without even glancing at him. She walked up to the second floor on the west side and knocked on the door of Guanghan Yueyuan: "My dear, are you awake?"

Soon, the door opened, revealing a face that looked hopeless and listless. Jiang Ling was seriously sleep deprived and had no energy to do anything, but when he saw the paper bag in Ming Huashang's hand, he suddenly woke up: "What is this?"

Ming Huashang shook the things in her hands and said with a smile, "I bought you some food. Let's talk inside."

江陵掃過大堂中的人影，勉強端着世子的架子，矜持點頭。等一關門，他的霸道貴氣就碎的渣都不剩，眼巴巴問：“你買了什麽？”

明華裳将大包小包放到案幾上，一邊收拾一邊道：“我對長安不熟，不知道哪些攤子好吃，這是我去東市邊逛邊買的。放心，我都嘗過，保證味道不錯。”

江陵已坐到桌案對面，像條等待投食的狗狗一樣，雙眼發光。明華裳将粥端出來放好，瞪了江陵一眼：“還有任姐姐呢，去叫任姐姐起來。”

江陵不情不願爬起來，走到床前，叫喚道：“男人婆，醒醒，吃東西了。”

任遙盯了半宿，剛剛睡下，太陽穴一抽一抽地痛。不知道什麽蟲子在她耳邊聒噪，任遙不耐煩地蒙頭轉身，那只蟲子還緊追不舍。任遙忍無可忍，扼住蟲子的咽喉，狠狠将其掴到地上。

明華裳正在擺茶果子，忽然身後傳來轟隆一聲，江陵嬌弱地“啊”了聲又戛然而止，随後傳來掙紮聲和嗚嗚聲。

明華裳木然回頭，只見任遙殺氣騰騰跨坐在床上，下方江陵被捂着嘴，拼命扭動掙紮。

明華裳眨眨眼，不确定接下來的畫面她能不能看：“那個，你們還吃飯嗎？”

江陵和任遙坐到桌邊，兩人都面無表情。明華裳左右看看，替他們尴尬：“粥是我從東市現買的，聽說用骨頭熬了一夜，放涼了就不好喝了。我們一邊吃，一邊說？”

任遙看都不看江陵，拿起勺子喝粥。江陵冷哼一聲，夾起一個環餅，咔嚓一聲咬斷。

聽他咬牙切齒的咀嚼聲，仿佛在咬什麽人的骨頭。明華裳唇角抽了抽，繼續笑着說：“昨夜盯梢怎麽樣，你們有什麽收獲？”

如明華章所說，任遙沮喪道：“沒什麽收獲，昨夜沒人接近二樓現場。”

明華裳已有預期，并不覺得失望，問：“那有人出門嗎？”

任遙想了想，說：“我醒來的時候是後半夜，老鸨出去起夜，在外面待了很長時間才回來。”

“山茶也出門了。”江陵說，“她在樓梯裏走了很久，不知道在裏面做什麽。”

竟然是她們倆？明華裳驚訝，忙問：“玉瓊呢？”

任遙嘆氣：“尤其盯着她呢，但她沒有出門，一晚上房門都沒開。”

這個結果出乎意料，最懷疑的人沒有出門，反而是兩個沒嫌疑的人闖入視線。難道是他們冤枉人了？

明華裳默了片刻，緩緩道：“或許，還要再加一個人。”

“誰？”

“啞奴。”明華裳說，“今日卯時，我下樓的時候，在二樓樓梯口撞見他了。”

“他？”江陵挑眉，有些意外，“這麽一說我想起來了，早上我見她困的厲害，就讓她先去睡覺，我繼續盯着。我确實看到一個奴仆在大堂裏灑掃，我沒在意，倒沒注意到他什麽時候上樓的。”

“所以現在有三個人很可疑。”明華裳手指沾了茶水，在案上比劃，“老鸨，啞奴，和山茶。”

“山茶？”江陵不可置信，“她傷了腿，而且那天她一直在跳舞，不可能作案的吧。說不定昨夜她只是起夜，但腿腳不好，在樓梯上走的慢。”

“但也不能因此忽略她。”和山茶關系最好的明華裳此刻卻出奇冷酷，一點都沒有因為山茶可憐就打消對她的懷疑。明華裳說：“還有玉瓊，我總覺得她身上的巧合太多了。”

任遙道：“昨夜沒有人靠近風情思苑，僅因為這些人出門就将他們列為疑似兇手，是不是太武斷了？”

明華裳慢慢搖頭：“不，要緊的是看他們各人的反應，進沒進門反倒是其次。殺人手段有很多，但殺人後的心理都是類似的。本以為已經過去的事又被翻出來，誰坐不住，誰就脫不了幹系。前夜戌時許多人都看到張子雲鬧，可以确定戌時之前，張子雲還活着。那大概能夠推斷，張子雲死亡時間在前日戌時和亥時之間。前晚戌時到亥時和風情思苑有接觸的人，與昨夜出門的人交疊起來，兩者都滿足的人，是兇手的可能性就很大。”

明華裳思路清晰，任遙不由跟着想下去：“前日戌時老鸨讓啞奴給張子雲送酒，山茶在準備舞蹈，玉瓊被叫去西二樓陪客；亥時山茶回房歇息，老鸨最先發現張子雲死亡，玉瓊還在陪客。而出門的人是老鸨、啞奴、山茶，重合的只有老鸨、啞奴。”

任遙說着，頗為不可思議：“竟然是他們？”

“無論看起來多麽不可能，事實才能證明一切。”明華裳說，“而且我聽山茶說，那天給張子雲的酒是老鸨指定，然後由啞奴搬上樓的。”

江陵問：“你什麽意思？”

“我在想，我們一直盯着密室，是不是被自己的思路迷惑了。”明華裳慢慢道，“或許我們應該抛去花裏胡哨的外在，回歸本質。無論密室再複雜，目的無非兩個，殺人，竊畫。從張子雲的角度想，他剛殺了自己的好友衛檀，偷走了女皇要求的大明宮圖，朝廷密探無論明的暗的都在找他，這種時候他定然如驚弓之鳥，戒心極重，不可能被人偷襲而不反抗。但是外面沒有聽到任何動靜，所以我懷疑昨日戌時之後，張子雲被迷暈，或者幹脆被毒死了。”

任遙試圖理清明華裳的思路：“你是說，密室确實是密室，張子雲死時只有他一個人？”

“只能這樣解釋。”明華裳說，“要不然就算敵我力量懸殊，張子雲也不可能不奮力反抗，再不濟他還能将畫毀掉。他沒有道理引頸就戮，除非那時他已經失去意識。”

江陵問：“所以你覺得，酒裏有東西？”

“對。”明華裳說，“可能是老鸨提前将藥下在酒裏，然後讓啞奴搬上去，也可能是啞奴在運送途中下藥。還有一點，房門是老鸨開的，不排除她賊喊捉賊。”

江陵想了想，思路說得通，但有些地方他還是感覺不對。明華裳也總覺得別扭，似乎她忽略了很重要的一點。

明華裳越想越繞，說：“現在不知道屍體狀況，一切只能空猜。等我二兄回來，帶回确定的死因，兇手畫像就更清晰了。你們在樓裏繼續盯着，我去給謝阿兄送早食。”

江陵這才想起還有另一個人：“不用管他吧，他可是世家子，不會虧待自己的。”

“那不一樣。”明華裳說，“他食不厭精是他會照顧自己，我去送飯是我的心意。我先走了。”

任遙見狀欲起身：“我陪你去。”

“不用。”明華裳攔住任遙，“任姐姐，我昨晚睡了一夜，這種小事我去就好。反倒是你守了半夜，急需補眠。你快去休息吧，你養足精神，接下來才能好好完成任務。”

任遙心想送飯而已，能有什麽危險，便沒再堅持。明華裳抱着紙包走出天香樓，她想着得找個僻靜的地方吹口哨，好把謝濟川釣出來。她有意往偏僻的地方走，忽然，她身形一頓，忙閃身藏在牆後。

明華裳小心翼翼探頭看，前面，似乎是老鸨和啞奴。

老鸨罵罵咧咧說着什麽，啞奴還是那副忍氣吞聲的樣子。明華裳壯着膽子伸出耳朵，凝神聽老鸨的話。

老鸨情緒很激動，似乎在說：“……你可真是個廢物，我是怎麽和你說的，藥你下了多少？”

藥？什麽藥？

明華裳探出身體，越發努力地聽。啞奴咿咿呀呀比劃了什麽，老鸨臉色稍緩，說：“你确定放的是疊夢散吧？”

明華裳偷聽太入神，沒留意手裏的紙包撞到牆上，發出悶悶的一聲響。明華裳身體霎間收回，不斷祈禱前面的人沒聽到。然而老鸨的耳力出奇得好，她回頭，警惕地掃向牆角：“誰？”

明華裳屏住呼吸，盡力放輕腳步，小心往後撤。老鸨在風月場裏打滾這麽多年，已感覺到不對，大步朝這邊走來：“是誰在後面？”

老鸨的腳步聲越來越近，明華裳心生絕望，就在她想扯什麽借口蒙混過關時，身後忽然伸來一雙冰涼的手，捂住她嘴唇。

明華裳瞪大眼睛，身後的人在她耳邊噓了一聲，用氣音說：“別說話，跟我來。”

他身上帶着一股淡淡的苦味，明華裳也是這時候才知道，原來謝濟川不笑的時候，聲音是這樣寡淡薄情。