Chapter 97 No Doubt

Ming Huashang was startled for a moment, glanced at the Imperial College's chief priest, bowed his head and greeted Xie Jichuan, "Thank you, Mr. Xie."

Xie Jichuan sighed softly and walked slowly towards Ming Huashang: "Second sister, we haven't seen each other for just a few days, and you are already so unfamiliar with me?"

Xie Jichuan's words sounded like dissatisfaction and complaints, but his tone was like a coquettish one, making it difficult for people to get angry. How could he still be distant and cold as usual? No one in the Huang family had expected that Xie Jichuan was so familiar with Ming Huashang, and they were all stunned.

Huang Jijiu was a little slow to react. He considered himself a celebrity and had very high standards. He had to associate with famous people. Xie Jichuan was born in the Xie family of Chen County. He was talented and unrestrained. After the news spread that he failed to answer the questions and won the third place in the imperial examination, it did not affect his reputation. Instead, he became a good story in the literary circle. Now Xie Jichuan was drafting the edict for the prince in the East Palace. It can be said that he met Huang Jijiu's requirements for making friends in all aspects.

Huang Jijiu was very happy to have Xie Jichuan as his guest today. However, he heard his wife bringing in outsiders and opening the courtyard of the unfilial daughter. Huang Jijiu was furious. The people from Jingzhao Prefecture had been pestering him for a long time, and now they had even barged into his house. It was extremely rude! Huang Jijiu immediately had the uninvited guest driven out. Unexpectedly, Xie Jichuan was very interested after hearing this. He insisted on following and even greeted the woman as if no one was around.

Huang Jijiu looked at them in surprise and asked, "Mr. Xie, you..."

Xie Jichuan turned around with a smile and said, "I saw an old friend and got carried away for a moment. I'm sorry to make the chief priest laugh. This is the second lady of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. I'm even good friends with her brother Jingzhan. She is like my own sister."

Huang Jijiu moved his lips. After Xie Jichuan's words came to this, he couldn't pursue the matter any further for Ming Huashang's intrusion into the Huang family, otherwise he would be giving no face to the Xie family or even the Eastern Palace.

Huang Jijiu couldn't help but glance at Xie Jichuan. There were so many families in the capital, and if you counted them carefully, many of them were relatives. Xie Jichuan was indifferent to his real cousins, so why did he care so much about a friend's sister?

There was a hint of protest in what he said just now, and it was more than just helping his friend's sister to support her waist.

Huang Jijiu gave a false smile and said, "It's Madam Ming. This courtyard of the Huang family has been abandoned for a long time and should have been cleaned up long ago. How can we entertain distinguished guests in such a place? Thank you, Mr. Sheren and Madam Ming, for coming over here."

Xie Jichuan waved his hands and said, "No, I just like staying in this abandoned place. Second sister, what are you doing here?"

Ming Huashang silently rolled up the portrait in her hand and said, "My second brother wanted to visit the chief priest, but unfortunately he was not available. However, the murder case in Chang'an cannot be delayed any longer, so I bravely asked Madam Huang to take me to the mansion to see if anyone knows the news of the murderer."

Huang Jijiu hated to have his "stain" mentioned, but Ming Huashang insisted on exposing it to his face. Madam Huang and the maidservant held their handkerchiefs tightly, looking at Huang Jijiu's face in fear.

Huang Jijiu's expression was indeed very unhappy, but Ming Huashang was not afraid. She was an outsider, and Huang Jijiu could not do anything to her, but after sending her away, Madam Huang and the maid would definitely be punished.

The incident was caused by her, Ming Huachang should take the blame for her own actions, and she cannot push the price onto Madam Huang. She wanted to expose Huang Jijiu's hypocrisy in person and put such a big hat on him for delaying the case to see if he dared to act. If he didn't dare to take such a big crime, there would be no reason to punish Madam Huang.

Sure enough, after she finished speaking, Huang Jijiu's face darkened, but he didn't dare to get angry like before. Xie Jichuan glanced at Ming Huashang calmly, still smiling, "Did you ask, sister?"

“Still asking.”

"I'll accompany my sister." After Xie Jichuan finished speaking, Huang Jijiu frowned fiercely. He was about to interrupt, but Xie Jichuan said lightly, "Your Majesty has ordered the Crown Prince to supervise this case. If the case is not solved before the end of the year, not only Jingzhao Prefecture, but also the Eastern Palace, the Ministry of Justice, and the Dali Temple will all be implicated. As the Crown Prince's attendant, I should share the worry for Your Highness."

Xie Jichuan's words stopped all Huang Jijiu's objections. No matter how arrogant he was, he was just a Jijiu of the Imperial Academy with no power. How could he dare to offend half of the powerful officials in the court? Huang Jijiu could only hold back his displeasure and pretended to say, "Of course, it is our duty as a subject to share the king's worries. Madam..."

Madam Huang was stunned for a moment and asked, "What do you want, sir?"

"Call everyone here for me to question. Please cooperate with me in whatever I need or want to ask."

Madam Huang glanced at him silently, lowered her eyes and replied meekly, "Yes."

With the approval of Huang Jijiu, the head of the family, Ming Huashang finally didn't have to hide her identity anymore. She asked several maids to sketch out Yuyan's appearance bit by bit.

Yuyan was Huang Caiwei's personal maid. Four years ago, she followed Huang Caiwei to Qingshan Temple to burn incense and was killed by the murderer. Huang Caiwei was the daughter of the Imperial College's chief priest, and Yuyan was just a little maid. Everyone, including the Jingzhao Prefecture, was indifferent to her death. The whole case was named the Huang Caiwei case, and the relevant files were as many as six volumes, but the part about Yuyan was less than one page.

It was only from the words of the servants in the Huang mansion that Ming Huashang vaguely glimpsed the fifteen-year-old girl who was just as young and lovely but was overshadowed by the aura of the young lady because of her difference in social status.

Ming Huachang spent a long time revising her drawings, but she was still not satisfied with them. She threw away another page of scraps and sighed, "Drawing is so difficult."

Xie Jichuan stood beside him with his arms folded, and asked coldly, "Really? You call that a painting?"

When it comes to ridiculing people, no one can beat Xie Jichuan. Ming Huashang glared at him unhappily and said, "If you can do it, then come on?"

Xie Jichuan sneered and walked over seriously: "Get out of the way."

Ming Huachang clenched his fists, but thinking that he could go home earlier if he finished the work earlier, he still forced a smile, put the stool in place attentively, and handed the pen to Xie Jichuan: "Thank you, brother."

When Ming Huashang asked the question, Xie Jichuan was listening beside her. In addition, he was forced to look at several horrible "drafts", and his mind had already sketched out the composition unconsciously. Ming Huashang thought that Xie Jichuan, who was so obsessed with cleanliness, would definitely disdain to use her pen, but he took it without saying a word and sketched out a soft and tender face with just two strokes.

He painted very quickly, and the outline of a woman quickly appeared on the paper. Ming Huashang stood by and watched, and had to admit that Xie Jichuan had the capital to be arrogant, because the portrait he painted completely matched the image of Swift in her mind.

In a flash, the portrait of the swift was finished. Xie Jichuan put down his pen, and although he didn't say a word, his every move showed "look how awesome I am".

Ming Huashang was the best at dealing with this kind of people. She immediately smiled sweetly and praised him: "Xie Axiong, you are amazing. You are worthy of being a Jinshi who can pass the exam without finishing the test paper. You are good at learning, writing, and even playing chess, calligraphy and painting. Is there anything in the world that you can't do? Here is another picture, but I can't draw it well. Can you help me correct it?"

Xie Jichuan, who usually looked down upon public painting and never left his mark on the world, inexplicably picked up his brush and repainted the portrait of Huang Caiwei that Ming Huashang had painted. This time, not only was the portrait similar in spirit, but its appearance was also almost lifelike.

Mrs. Huang couldn't believe it when she saw it. Ming Huashang saw that Mrs. Huang was staring at the portrait, so she said, "Madam, please accept my condolences. I will send this picture to you after the case is over. It will be a keepsake for you."

Mrs. Huang's eyes moistened and she almost cried: "Thank you."

Xie Jichuan raised his eyebrows and pulled Ming Huashang's sleeve with a cold face. Ming Huashang looked back and glared at him secretly, still comforting Madam Huang in a soft voice: "Madam, don't worry, we will definitely catch the murderer and bring justice to Caiwei and Yuyan."

Mrs. Huang thanked him repeatedly and personally escorted them to the second gate. After they came out, Xie Jichuan endured all the way and finally said quietly: "That's my painting. Who told you to give it away?"

"Mrs. Huang lost her beloved daughter, so let's leave it to her as a memory." Ming Huashang's tone was sincere, but in fact, she was praising him without any intention, "Who told you to paint so well? You know the universe is so vast, and you still pity the green grass and trees. I believe Mr. Xie must have such a broad mind."

Xie Jichuan paused in his objection, and actually thought that it was no big deal to accidentally leave a painting outside. He paused for a moment, sneered, and said, "Why, now that you've used it up, you're calling it an official title?"

Ming Huashang was speechless, and smiled patiently: "Isn't this to show my admiration for you? If Brother Xie doesn't like it, then I will change it back."

Xie Jichuan and Ming Huashang were talking when they reached the gate of Huang's mansion. In order to conceal her identity, Ming Huashang came here in Madam Huang's carriage. Now she had to wait for the driver to drive her carriage over from the East Market.

Ming Huashang was just about to say goodbye to Xie Jichuan. She was waiting for a bus here with Zhaocai. Suddenly, a long wind blew by, and the withered yellow leaves were blown into the air, fluttering like thousands of butterflies. Ming Huashang stepped out of the door and instinctively looked up, just in time to bump into the oncoming person.

He was wearing a crimson round-necked robe and a black cloak, and he walked up the stairs. At this moment, the sky seemed to be twilight, and the twilight seemed to have painted a layer of cold tones on him, cold and heavy, charming and solemn.

He raised his eyes, not a moment too early, not a moment too late, and met the gaze of Ming Huashang and Xie Jichuan.

The three of them were stunned for a moment. Ming Huazhang stopped walking. At this time, the attendant behind him caught up with him and said, "Second Master, wait a minute. The Second Lady left a letter. It should be fine. If you break into the residence of the chief priest, you may be impeached..."

He ran closer and saw the figure on the steps clearly. He almost bit his tongue: "Second... Second Madam?"

The wind on the street seemed to have been stopped. Ming Huashang was surprised for a moment, but she was the first to move. She ran down the stairs in surprise: "Second brother, why are you here?"

明華章從大氅下伸手，手指映襯着濃郁的黑，顯得尤其修長漂亮。他接住明華裳，無聲朝謝濟川望了眼，淡淡說：“我回府後得知你不在，立刻派人找你。你還真是能折騰，我先去了東市，問那裏的掌櫃，才知道你來了祭酒府上。”

明華裳自知理虧，心虛地笑了笑。她沒預料到會待這麽晚，也沒想到明華章今日竟然早回府了。可惜，只要再晚半個時辰，她就能将一切遮掩過去了。

她心裏想着一會回府要怎麽狡辯……啊不是，解釋，一邊滿不在意說：“我今日在東市偶遇黃夫人，聊的投緣，便來黃府做客，正巧謝阿兄也在。多虧謝阿兄幫我畫像，要不然，我還要苦惱許久呢。”

謝濟川和明華章四目相對，似乎有什麽在空中竄過。明華章笑了笑，握緊明華裳的手，說：“原來如此，多謝。”

謝濟川也笑了，說：“給二妹妹幫忙，是我應做的。二妹妹，你之前說發現了很重要的事情，到底是什麽？”

明華裳一時沒想到自己什麽時候說過這種話，下意識問：“說過的話太多了，我記不清了。你指的是哪件事？”

謝濟川帶着笑，委婉道：“你忘了，就是兇手的事。”

明華裳覺得明華章的手掌有些用力，圈在她手腕上涼涼的。明華裳掙了掙，非但沒甩開，桎梏好像更緊了。明華裳默默縮了縮肩膀，說：“一時半會說不清楚，這裏有點冷，不如我們回府說？”

兩人都察覺到明華裳冷，還不等謝濟川說話，明華章已解下大氅，罩在明華裳身上。明華裳只覺得肩上一重，整個人都落入冷冽沉穩的松柏香中。

是明華章慣用的香氣。一如他這個人，溫柔強勢，看似低調，卻長松落落，寒不改容。

明華裳怔松的工夫，明華章已從容開口：“今日多謝你照應她。正好，我有些事要禀報太子，不如來鎮國公府談？”

謝濟川同樣怡然微笑，一如故友相見：“好啊，自從來了長安，我還沒去過你的住所呢，正好今日去看看。”

明華裳左右看看，默默拉緊衣帶。是她錯覺嗎，她怎麽覺得氣氛怪怪的？

明華章來時将明華裳的馬車帶過來了，明華裳上車，明華章和謝濟川騎馬，一前一後跟在她馬車側。明華裳在車上坐好後才意識到她還披着明華章的大氅，忙從車窗探出頭：“二兄，等等，你的衣服！”

明華章掃了眼，本能說：“不用，你穿着就好，小心着涼。”

“那怎麽行，我在馬車裏，哪能着涼？”明華裳才不管他，示意車夫将車往前些，一把将大氅披在他身上。

車廂和明華章的馬有些距離，明華裳為了系帶，不得不探出半個身體。明華章見狀只能馭着馬靠近，任由她在自己脖子上折騰。

謝濟川先上馬，駿馬熟悉主人的習慣，立刻撒蹄小跑。但他并沒聽到後面的馬蹄聲，謝濟川勒缰繩回身，正看到明華裳給明華章系衣服。

她上半身幾乎都探在窗外，認真地給明華章系帶。明華章面色似縱容似無奈，單手握着缰繩，另一手虛虛扶住她的腰，助她支撐身形。

他們兩人離得那麽近，可是，似乎沒一個人注意到，連兩邊的仆從都是一副見怪不怪的模樣。

明華裳結結實實給明華章的大氅系了兩個結，确保大氅絕不會中途被吹下來，才心滿意足收手。明華章扶着她坐回車廂，不動聲色松了松有些勒喉嚨的系帶，才說：“坐好，我們回家。”

夜色蕭蕭，深秋肅殺，這句話卻仿佛帶着別樣的溫暖。明華裳露出笑意，雙眸碎星點點：“好。”

鎮國公府，下人對二郎君晚歸不稀奇，二娘子同行也能接受，卻着實沒想到都這麽晚了，郎君竟還帶了客人回來。一陣人仰馬翻後，三人坐在清輝院。謝濟川輕輕抿了口沉香飲，望着清澈的湯水若有所思：“這飲子的口感似乎和世面上不太一樣。”

“是不一樣。”明華裳說，“這是我買回方子後自己改的，二兄他不喜歡肉桂的味道，我特意去了肉桂，加了草本香。”

明華章神情自若，悠悠喝着沉香飲。謝濟川看着他，不知為何沒忍住，說道：“景瞻，你以前可是最恪己修身，凡事淺嘗辄止，絕不沉迷，更不會縱容自己貪婪口腹之欲。如今怎麽連飲子都要喝特制的？”

明華裳噎了下，不敢置信地看向明華章，天吶，二兄竟然對自己這麽狠的嗎？

明華章在兩人視線中從容地放下杯盞，拿起帕子擦手，清清淡淡說：“人的想法是會變的，我現在覺得，有些底線不容侵犯，而有些線，則無需為難自己。”

明華章和謝濟川視線相接，似乎有複雜的意味流轉，而明華裳的目光不由自主落向他的手。

修長勻稱，骨節分明，真好看。

明華裳低頭的動作太明顯，明華章和謝濟川都注意到了。明華章意識到她在看自己的手，突然想起以前不少人說過，他的手長得很好看。

明華章自然是不在意的。臉和手乃父母所賜，天生注定，無須執着，德行才是君子應當追求的，在乎區區外表實在太膚淺了。可是此刻他莫名擦了很久的手，久到謝濟川在對面輕輕哼了一聲。

明華裳意識到她竟然一直盯着自家兄長的手看，她深感慚愧，忙端水道：“二兄說得對，說白了人還是活給自己，怎麽舒服怎麽來。謝兄的手也好看，剛才畫畫的時候我就想說了，執筆尤其漂亮。”

是的，謝濟川也有一雙漂亮的手，明華裳這個“也”字，就很靈性。

謝濟川沒忍住輕輕一笑，果然看到對面的明華章臉色冷了。謝濟川懷着某種惡意心思，故意問：“二妹妹，那你覺得你見過的人中，誰的手最好看？”

明華裳一愣，顯然沒想到謝濟川竟然如此攀比。她餘光瞥向端正靜坐似乎毫不在意的兄長，又看向對面笑意盈盈外白內黑的謝濟川，大腦飛速運轉，最後靈光一閃：“任姐姐的手好看，對了，蘇姐姐的手也長得好。”

屋內氣氛似乎微微一滞，明華章默然将帕子疊好，收回，顯然，完全不想繼續這個話題了。明華章問：“今日你們在黃府發現了什麽？”

明華裳暗暗松了口氣，終于可以自由說話了。明華裳立刻竄起來，跑到書案後取出畫像，又噠噠噠跑回來，一一攤在明華章和謝濟川面前：“二兄，謝兄，你們看到了什麽？”

那兩人各自坐着，明華章筆直如松，謝濟川閑閑散散支着下巴，都沉默了。明華裳期待地等了一會，最後發現，他們的目光好像并不在畫像上。

準确說，并不在畫像所繪之人上。

謝濟川似笑非笑道：“景瞻的筆力又精進了，這副畫像栩栩如生，悉如真人。”

明華章也說：“你的畫風也不錯，難怪裳裳說你執筆時好看。”

明華裳低頭，才意識到有參照物對比，由她所繪的那副肖像畫醜得十分突出，而明華章和謝濟川的畫則美得各有千秋。

明華裳默了默，放棄讓他們猜測，直接公布結論：“這四幅畫像中，黃采薇張揚，楚君嬌媚，唯有黃采薇的婢女雨燕，和剛遇害的成國公府三娘子程思月是一個類型的長相。她們長相都柔和乖巧，是一種很無害、很沒有攻擊力的漂亮，而且，給人的感覺比她們實際年齡小。”

明華章一直認真看着她，謝濟川也不知不覺坐直了。明華裳将雨燕、程思月的畫像并排放置，黃采薇的半壓在下方，唯獨楚君的畫像被撥到一邊。

明華裳将畫像分類後，繼續說道：“所以我猜測，黃采薇案中，兇手的下手對象根本不是黃采薇，而是雨燕，只不過雨燕身為婢女，行蹤不自由，兇手為了保守秘密，不得不殺了黃采薇而已。黃采薇被家人嬌慣，性情微有些張揚驕橫，楚君就更不用說了，和兇手所喜愛的乖巧小女孩相差甚遠。因此，我懷疑楚君是有人模仿作案，并不是連環殺手所為。”

明華章沉着眸子不說話，謝濟川思忖片刻，問：“你的意思是，楚君案和連環殺人案并無關系，兇手也并非同謀、合作，甚至這兩案的兇手可能是完全不認識的？”

“對。”明華裳斬釘截鐵道，“我們至少要尋找兩個兇手。”

這個結論可以說非常嚴重，現在命案已經驚動女皇，東宮、刑部、大理寺、禦史臺、京兆府，一整條線的官員都在盯着這個案子。萬一判斷錯誤，導致查案方向偏差，耽誤了時間，這會連累所有官員被女皇斥責，明華章更是可能止步仕途。

Ming Huashang also knew that her words carried a heavy responsibility. Her unfounded words affected the promotion and demotion of countless people. But she still insisted on finishing her judgment: "Now I will draw preliminary portraits of the murderers in the two cases. I will start with the simple one, the Chu Jun case."

"The murderer is a man, aged between 25 and 40, with a brutal temperament and violent behavior. He has never been to school or served in the army. He has been a troublemaker since he was young and may have been in prison, leaving a criminal record with the government. He is unmarried and often hangs out in red-light districts. He is very mobile and unstable, a desperate criminal. In other words, he may have committed a crime in another place and fled to Chang'an."

Ming Huazhang and Xie Jichuan did not say anything, and they were more in agreement with this judgment. Since they had no objection, Ming Huachang continued, "Serial murder cases are more complicated. Now there is no record of the initial female beggar case, so it is difficult for me to judge. I can only draw a most general range. This murderer is the opposite of the Chu Jun case. He is well educated, gentle and refined, and he should be living a good life now. Because I don't know the situation of the first case, I dare not hastily judge his age, but I can be sure that he likes girls between the ages of fourteen and sixteen. The weaker and more harmless, the better. He knew the four dead people, the female beggar, Huang Caiwei, Yuyan, and Cheng Siyue, and even had a good relationship with them. It's hard to say what the female beggar's personality is, but Cheng Siyue and Yuyan are both good girls, especially Yuyan, she is a maid, and only acquaintances who often come and go can come into contact with her, so the murderer must be someone who comes and goes with the Huang Mansion and the Chengguo Mansion. He lived near the Pudu Temple four years ago, and now lives in Chang'an City. "

Ming Huazhang raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, "How did you come up with the last point?"

"Because I found that his killing mark changed from taking tibia bones to taking finger bones. I still don't know what he did with the bones, but peeling off finger bones requires a much smaller area than tibia bones, and it won't bleed so much. So I It is suspected that he lives in Chang'an and cannot pour out a large amount of blood without attracting attention, so he can only do the next best thing and replace the tibia with the phalanx. "

If Ming Huashang's judgment is true, this range can help them eliminate a lot of useless work. However, is this portrait accurate?

Xie Jichuan leaned against the table and said nothing. He went to the Huang Mansion today at the invitation of Huang Jijiu, but he also wanted to warn Huang Jijiu on behalf of the crown prince. Ming Huazhang was involved, and even the crown prince was forced to bear the responsibility of supervision. If Ming Huazhang did not solve the case, the Li family's power, which had been hard to rise, would be pulled down again.

So after seeing Ming Huashang in Huang's house, Xie Jichuan took the opportunity to speak for her. But it seems that Ming Huashang doesn't need it. Xie Jichuan dares to say that even if he is not there today, she can still get away unscathed and get the clue.

There were no suspects in the previous Tianxianglou case, but this time there are too many suspects. When choosing between Yuqiong and the madam, Xie Jichuan made the wrong choice, while Ming Huashang was right. Can she be right this time?

The lights popped and no one in the room spoke, waiting for Ming Huazhang's decision.

Ming Huazhang concentrated on thinking for a while, and when he spoke, his voice was calm and steady: "According to the portrait, starting from tomorrow, the troops will be divided into two groups. One group will investigate the Chu Jun case. I will send people to monitor outside the brothel and check the guests that Chu Jun has contacted. Although she is a brothel girl, I was able to let her leave without conflict outside the city. At least she has seen her, or even she is her guest. The other group will investigate the real serial murder case. Although there are many suspects along the way, there are not many who meet all of Shang Shang's portraits at the same time."

Ming Huachang breathed a sigh of relief, finally feeling relieved. These days, it seemed like an invisible weight was weighing on her shoulders. Ming Huachang had no appetite, could not sleep at night, and thought about the murderer all day. Now that the preliminary portrait was completed, she had nothing to do next. After Ming Huazhang found new clues, she would complete the portrait.

Xie Jichuan glanced at Ming Huazhang and asked, "Have you thought it through? His Majesty wants to see the result before the end of the year. What if there is something wrong with this portrait and the real murderer is missed?"

Ming Huazhang certainly understood, no one knew the risks better than him. However, he still sat upright, his eyes were bright, and he said, "Don't employ someone if you doubt him, and don't doubt someone if you employ him. I believe her."