Detective Di Renjie Detective Legend Part VII Black Fox

Chapter 1

　　Master Ruyi sat cross-legged on the Zen bed, holding a copy of the Recitation in his hand. Secret Book. His face was dark, his eyebrows thick, and he had a jagged beard on his cheeks, revealing thick lips in the middle. The bare head is shrunk between the wide shoulders, the lion's nose, the wide mouth, and a pair of clam eyes protruding out of the eye socket. The patched, wide-sleeved robe on his body emitted a stench of sweat, mixed with the smell of cigarettes in the meditation hall.

　　(谶纬: The combined name of the Book of Sayings and the Book of Wei.) 谶 is a hidden word made up by wizards and alchemists between the Qin and Han Dynasties to indicate auspiciousness, and Wei is a type of book that superstitiously attached to the Confucian scriptures in the Han Dynasty. Proverb: Pronounce 'lining')

　　"I'm not going." He looked indifferently at Master Gao from the county court, "I'm leaving Jinhua after I entered the noon fast today." ”

　　Master Gao was in a hurry, and in his heart he really cursed the ugly monk in front of him, and it was inconvenient for him to have a seizure in his mouth. He was ordered by the county commander Luo Yingyuan to come to the Allergy Temple to invite Master Ruyi to attend the poets' gathering in the courtyard tonight—the master was a high priest admired by the county order, and he was also a well-known and elegant poet monk in the sea.

　　"If Master Father refuses to go to tonight's banquet, Old Master Luo blames him, and he can't afford to eat it under the circumstances, and the old master said, tonight in the courtyard, there is a little small, tomorrow night, it is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and you have to go to the Jade Cliff outside the city to set up a wild feast to admire the moon, saying that everyone wants to fly and make poetry, and they must disperse with joy, and they will live up to this reunion of the bright moon and the festival on earth."

　　"Why didn't Lord Luo invite the poor monk himself?" The mage muttered disapprovingly.

　　"Master Father didn't know it, and early this morning, Thorn Shi summoned the old master to the palace for discussion. The county commanders of the seven counties of Jinhua Province had arrived. Thorn Shi also set up a luncheon to entertain them, so he could not get out for a while. Master Father, tonight's banquet was really just a small gathering, and the invited were all famous poets and gentlemen. ”

　　"What other guests are there?" The mage asked rudely.

　　"Oh, one is Shao Fan Wen Shao Xuetu, who is a great poet who is now famous in the sea, and the former governor of the Chang'an Jixian Temple. There was also Zhang Lanbo in the Rebbe Lang, the two old masters who had retired from their posts today, and they arrived at The Courtyard of Old Master Luo early this morning.

　　"It turned out to be these two great masters, and their poems were like chaotic cicadas and dead willows, and the poor monk had already seen them." This banquet is not going to be done. ”

　　"Master Father, the guest is also Di RenJieDi County Ling, the main hall master of puyang county in our neighboring county." He was called by the assassin Shi and had just come to Jinhua yesterday. He promised to go to Lord Luo's banquet tonight. ”

　　The mage was secretly surprised and said, "Old Master Di Renjie of Puyang County." Why did he come to the feast? His poems are bland and not a poet. ”

　　"Well, Lord Di is our closest friend of Lord Luo, and he is also a peer of the same rank, and I heard that he is still a jinshi of the first rank." His attendance at the banquet was a matter of course. ”

　　Master Ruyi's pair of toad eyes bulged even more, and his thick lips quivered a few times, revealing two rows of uneven yellow teeth in his mouth. He looked down and said to himself, "Interesting, interesting." I heard that this Di Renjie was a bit clever, but I didn't know what he thought of the black fox. He looked up at Master Gao and said, "When he went back to tell Lord Luo, he said that the poor monk had accepted his invitation." Uh, I ask you, how did Lord Luo know that the poor monk was here? ”

　　"There was already a rumor that Master Father had arrived in Jinhua two days ago, and Lord Luo hurried down to this temple to inquire about the truth, and someone told me that Master Father was hanging tin at this Temple of Enlightenment." ①

　　(Note (1) Hanging tin: Buddhist terms.) Tin, tin staff. Hanging tin means that the monks on the foot throw themselves into the monastery to live temporarily. Also known as "pending order", "hanging tie". ）

　　"That's the way it is. I only arrived here this morning, and I don't know which good thing's mouth is like this sink of water, but it has alarmed Lord Luo and invited him. Master Gao, you can go back. ”

　　Master Gao bowed down and said, "Master please stabilize yourself," and withdrew from the meditation hall.

　　If Master Ruyi had lost something, he opened the book of secrets in his hand, pointed to the top page, and suddenly exclaimed, "Is the black fox really going to appear?" ”

　　He closed the book and stared at the temple door with a pair of large toad-like eyes.

　　-------------------------

　　Chapter II

　　A spacious double official car was being lifted towards the gate of Jinhua County. The front and back of the bamboo flag soap cover, the tooth fight is arranged, very neat. Lanterns and decorated decorations are hung on both sides of the shops. Pedestrians feel that the officials and honor guards have avoided the side.

　　Inside the car sat county commanders Luo Yingyuan and Di Renjie. The midday autumn sun was still a little hot, and the two of them had a little sweat on the brim of their black gauze hats and dark green official robes.

　　Luo Yingyuan yawned, twisted the neatly groomed moustache under his chin, and said, "Brother Di Nian, the affairs of the state capital have finally been discussed." We have to have fun. I have made detailed arrangements for these two days, and you must reward the little brother's light. On the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is a high-level friend who has come from afar, which can be regarded as a rare poet's event in Jinhua County for many years! The elder brother knew that Lord Shao Fanwen, the elder of the poetry circle in the middle of the dynasty, had also agreed to the meeting at the invitation of the younger brother. He is a great man of today's literary world, and two days before his death, he drafted the Holy Prophet's Decree for the Holy Lord. There is also Zhang Lanbo, who was also a poet of the inner court who was greatly favored by the Saint. He was this Jinhua man; this time it was time for him to return to his hometown to worship his ancestors, just in time for tonight's grand event. ——Brother, coupled with your presence, this grand event has added a lot. ”

　　Luo Xianggong was falsely praised. I have the least chance of composing poetry. Why does this poet need me to add a corpse? Moreover, the Mid-Autumn Festival was a festival of family reunion, and if it were not for lord Shi Shi's order to have an official consultation, I would have to rush back to Puyang. Besides, there is still a public case hanging there that has not yet been concluded. Luo Xianggong's hospitality, if it weren't for your poems that attracted their attention, these two adults, Shao and Zhang, would have condescended to come in vain? I've heard that they're still very picky people. ”

　　"Brother Di Nian did not know that my Jinhua Street Courtyard was once the royal palace of the Ninth Prince of the Former Emperor, and the pavilions, garden rockeries, water halls and wind pavilions, and cloisters were very spectacular, and there were many bright flowers and flowers, jiayu Ruimu surrounding decorations, which was a great place that could most attract the poet Yaxing. ----------------- ”

　　There was a gong outside the official car, and the entourage of the tooth guard stopped to wait. Luo Xian ordered the curtain to open the car and carefully lower di Gong's long sleeve to get the car.

　　Panicking at the gate, he ran up to Master Gao and an inspector, and the red wisps on the inspector's dark helmet trembled unceasingly. Four servants stood in a line in the corridor, surrounded by a group of people who dared to watch.

　　Luo Yingyuan asked in surprise, "Gao Fang, what happened?" ”

　　"Lord, half an hour ago, the tea shopkeeper Meng came to report a murder case. The man surnamed Song, who rented his backyard, was killed. The purse was stolen. I think this happened early this morning...".

　　Luo Yingyuan sighed in frustration, "Obscure! He hurriedly asked, "Are all my guests coming?" ”

　　"Lord Shao and Lord Zhang arrived in the morning. I explained to the two adults that the old man was deliberating in the palace, and obeyed the instructions of the old man to settle the residence of the two adults, and at this moment they had just entered the lunch and rested in the building. Oh, Master Ruyi of MingoJi Temple was arriving at lunchtime, and he had followed the orders of the old master to entertain him with vegetarian water and wine, and he also went to rest. Master Gao said carefully.

　　Luo Yingyuan ordered, "I will go to the Meng Treasurer's house at this moment." Gao Fang, you and the inspector take four servants on horseback to go first, protect the scene, and put down a guard. Well, did you notify the servants? ”

　　"I have already been informed, and I am already waiting in the duty room of the house at this moment." As he spoke, he respectfully presented a scroll: "Lord, this is a file file about Song Xiucai and Meng Treasurer. ”

　　"Get in the car. ——At the home of the Meng treasurer at the East Gate. Luo Yingyuan ordered.

　　Luo Yingyuan tugged at Di Gong's sleeve and said, "Brother Di Nian doesn't mind, right?" Disturb your lunch break. I have great admiration for your ability to detect and crack, and it seems that this case still needs the help of my elder brother. I was greedy for a few more drinks and seemed a little drunk. The young brother is a thousand weeks. ”

　　"Where, where." Di Gong was already excited when he heard about the murder case. Luo Xian ling's invitation was bumping into his heart, and naturally he replied: "If you can do a little for Luo Xianggong, it is also Di Mou's great wish." ”

　　Luo Yingyuan spread the case file on Di Gong's lap: "Brother Young man may wish to take a cursory look at the case file first, there is still a mile to the East Gate." Saying that, he leaned on the cushion and dozed off.

　　Di Fair Day rarely gets the chance to see how his peers hear cases. He often heard that Luo Xianling was a poet who indulged in wine. He was very rich, and it was not easy to maintain the daily expenses of the palace in Jinhua. But Luo Yingyuan didn't really care. Now Di Gong saw that Luo Xian's usual debauchery was mostly pretended, or carefully cultivated. In fact, he managed Jinhua County in a very orderly manner. Just now, he decided to go to the scene of the crime to investigate, which left a deep impression on Di Fen. Many of my peers often see this as a routine for subordinate inspectors and arrests.

　　The case file says that the deceased's name is Song Yiwen, Xiucai, twenty-three years old, unmarried. He came to the local history of Jinhua to compile the Southern Dynasty to inquire about relevant books and materials. He registered in the county court, and Master Gao approved him to go to the county school library to consult it himself. Judging from the records of the county school library, song Yiwen spent every afternoon in the library for half a month.

　　The record of Meng Shuzhai is: Meng Shuzhai ( 孟菽斋). Tea merchants. Forty years old. Wife Huang and concubine Li. The Huang family had a male and a female, the female was sixteen years old, and the male was fourteen years old. Meng Shu zhai zhi is honest with the Buddha, specializes in accumulating good deeds and merits, and helps people in distress. He is a great danyue of The Temple of Mindok.

　　(Tanyue: Buddhist term.) The honorific title given by the monks of the monastery to those who give alms to the sangha. ）

　　Di Gong closed the case file and nodded with satisfaction.

　　Chapter III

　　Meng Shuzhai's house is located in a narrow alley inside the East Gate. It took a while for the official car to be lifted to the bottom of a tall, heavily rested emerald glazed tile door. The servants drove away the crowd of onlookers, and the high roof of the palanquin swayed into the old mottled black-lacquered gate.

　　Luo Xianling and Di Gong came down from the bridge, only to see that the front yard of this house was spacious and simple, and two towering yew trees shaded half of the shade of the courtyard. It's cool and cool. A bluestone slab path between the two yew trees leads to an antique vermilion hall. Meng Shuzhai dressed neatly and hurriedly walked out of the hall to lower the steps to greet him.

　　Meng Shuzhai said in a low voice, "We have given up a major case of human life, the labor is coming in person, and the small people are late to meet them." And please ask Mr. Luo and the county ministers to use tea in the hall for convenience. ”

　　(迓: Read 'surprise', greet.) ）

　　"Meng Treasurer does not need such a cumbersome number of ceremonies, this county is the parent of the people, but in fact the people serve." Out of such a human life, dare to be careless and careless, sitting on the wrong big thing? At this moment, the troublesome treasurer guided him to the backyard Song Xiucai's house. Oh, this is my friend Di Renjie, the county commander of Puyang County. ”

　　Meng Shuzhai led Luo and Di through the moon cave gate into a large garden, along a row of bungalows with red-painted window ledges. All the way to Huamu Zhenguo, the brakes are dazzling. The inspector and the arrest followed behind, and the chain rope hanging from his waist "clicked" sounded. The maid of the inner house hurried in. At this time, Di Gong found a young and beautiful woman staring at them through the window ledge.

　　Meng Shuzhai said, "Old Master Luo, Old Master Di, Song Xiucai lives in the deepest part of the backyard. When the accident happened in the middle of the night, we didn't hear any shouts or cries for help..."

　　"Midnight last night? So why didn't you report the crime until noon today? Luo Yingyuan became suspicious.

　　"Back to the old man, we only found out that he was dead at noon today." ——Song Xiucai always goes to the street to get early in the morning, and the morning tea is also made by himself. Lunch and dinner were delivered by my maid here. When the maid delivered food at noon today, she found that he did not open the door, so she shouted several times at the head of the door, but there was no sound, worried that she was sick, and hurriedly called out to the housekeeper to knock on the door, but it was already ..."

　　"That's the way it is." Luo Xianling nodded.

　　The servant who was guarding the house saw that the old man had come, and he opened the door with a busy opening key.

　　"Lord, look at this room that has been looted by the murderer like this!" This was my mother's favorite place when she was alive, quiet and elegant. She sat at this window on weekdays to read and write. But now, you see that the ebony desk is in disarray, and the drawers are pulled out..."

　　Notes, books, letterheads, and thorns scattered all over the sandalwood desk, and a purple ox leather money box was thrown on the ground, and the box was already empty.

　　Luo Xianling couldn't help but say. "Treasurer Meng, I can see that Lord LingTang is very fond of poetry."

　　In the house, against the wall, a row of bookshelves stacked with letters in blue and blue cover. There are many silk labels between the books. Luo Yingyuan casually took a copy and was about to read it, but after a change of thought, he imported it to the same place and turned back and asked, "I think behind this curtain is Song Xiucai's bedroom, right?" ”

　　(帙: Read 'rank'. ）

　　Treasurer Meng nodded.

　　Luo Yingyuan reached out and pulled the curtain aside. See that this bedroom is larger than the study, and there is a large bed against the wall, and the futon on the bed is messily opened. The candle at the head of the bed had been lit, and a suitcase under the bed had been pulled out of the bed, and the lid of the box was open, revealing a mess of clothes. A brand-new bamboo flute hangs on the wall. There is a sturdy door on the back wall, and behind the door stands a thick latch.

　　When he saw the old man come in, he stood up and stood aside.

　　Song Xiucai's body lay on the ground.

　　Di Gong saw that Song Xiu was a young man with wide bones but thin and clear. Junxiu's face had a short beard. The bun was loose, and the hair stuck to a pool of dry, congealed blood on the ground. A black hat covered in blood fell over his head. He wears plain white linen underwear, a pair of soft felt slippers on his feet, and there are traces of dryness on the soles of his shoes. The fatal wound was a large bloody opening under the right ear.

　　He bowed deeply to Luo Xianling and said, "Lord Qi Yu, the big bloody mouth under this right ear was pierced with a machete or a large kitchen knife." Judging by the condition of the dead bodies, the time of killing should be around midnight. ”

　　Luo Xianling suddenly asked, "Treasurer Meng, I heard you also say that the deceased was killed at midnight, what is your basis?" ”

　　Meng Shuzhai replied in a low voice, "Although this Song Xiucai took off his robe, he has not yet gone to bed and lay down." We know he slept late, sometimes at midnight when his window was still lit, and I wonder if the killer attacked him just as he was about to go to bed. ”

　　Luo Xianling nodded and asked, "Then do you know how the murderer got into this room?" ”

　　Meng Shuzhai sighed, and then replied, "When the maids told me that they were delivering food, The common Xiucai sat alone at the head of the bed and meditated, rarely answering their greetings, as if there were infinite worries entangled." However, Xiucai rarely cares about money and things. Last night he forgot to bolt the door of this room, and at the same time he forgot to latch the door of the backyard garden, so he caused such an accident. The old man might as well go to the garden and have a look. ”

　　Luo Xianling and his party went out of the back door of the garden with Meng Shuzhai and saw that it was a secluded alley.

　　"Lord, this alley is quiet late at night, and there are often some tramps, beggars, and thieves. I reminded Xiu to go in and out of the garden several times not to forget to lock the door and latch, he didn't mind these things. When he was found dead today, the back door of the bedroom was half open, and the garden door was closed, but not latched. It's not hard to explain. When a gangster passed through the alley, he found that the door of the garden was half open and slipped in. When he stung into the hut, he thought that the people in the house had gone to bed early, so he boldly broke into the bedroom and bumped into Song Xiucai, so he used force. Xiu Cai was the opponent of the gangsters, and he was killed with a knife. Then the gangster searched for money, and when he found it, he pulled out his leg and ran away. ”

　　"Does Xiucai have a lot of money in this money box on weekdays?" Luo Xian ling asked carefully.

　　"Back to the old man, this little people don't know." He made an appointment for a month's room gold, at least half a month's food and clothing and the coiling of the beijing master: maybe there are jewelry in the suitcase. ”

　　"Lord, we'll be able to catch the murderer soon." The arrester said, "The gangster always has to spend a lot of money with big hands, and we can go to restaurants and casino brothels to lay down our eyes, so that this murderer will not come." ”

　　"This is a good idea, so you will send someone to act, and you may as well go to the pawnshop and the gold market to explore the wind." At this moment you have collected the dead bodies and carried them into the street. Luo Xianling turned his face and asked Meng Shuzhai again, "Do you know that Song Yiwen has those relatives and friends in Jinhua?" ”

　　"Back to the old master, this Song Xiucai has no relatives or friends in Jinhua." In the past six months, I had never seen anyone come to visit him, nor had I heard him say that he wanted to visit someone—he just went to the county every day to study and read. ”

　　"Treasurer Meng, since Song Yiwen has no relatives or friends in Jinhua, how did he know that you were renting out your backyard?" Luo Xianling asked again.

　　"Back to the old master, when Song Xiu went to Yali half a month ago to find Master Gao to register, I happened to be there. Mr. Gao knew that I was renting out the backyard, so he became a toothman in the middle. Who knew that this Song Xiucai saw that I liked it in the backyard, and said that if necessary, he was ready to extend the lease period. This show is very quiet. ”

　　Luo Xianling said, "Treasurer Meng, I don't want to disturb you more today, we will solve this case as soon as possible and capture the murderer." As soon as there is news, I will send someone to inform you. ”

　　After Meng Shuzhai left. Luo Xianling couldn't help but sigh. "Brother Di Nian, you say this is not my obscurity. I was planning a gathering of poets, and I was ruined by this talented case. At this moment I have to entertain my guests. Oh, brother, I don't know if you can see it, although this murderer is very cunning, but in the end it shows flaws, how can Xiucai's hat fall on his head? ”

　　Chapter IV

　　Di Gong's sharp eyes swept over his peers, leaning back in his chair and slowly holding his long hair.

　　"Luo Xianggong's words are in line with my intentions, and this is by no means a case of gangsters, thieves, and robbers of property. Even if Song Yiwen had forgotten to bolt the door to the back garden, and a gangster had sneaked into the backyard late at night, he would carefully spy on the movements in the house and would never rush into the room. If he saw Xiucai waiting for bed, he would be patient and wait outside the house, and wait until Xiucai was asleep before sneaking into the house to steal. Luo Xianggong, I think that most of the time Xiucai took off his hat, took off his robe and was waiting to go to bed, when he heard someone knocking on the door of the back garden, so Xiucai put on his hat again and ran out to open the door. ”

　　"Exactly." Luo Yingyuan replied. "His felt shoes are still stained with dry soil."

　　"I've paid attention to that too. The visitor is someone who is familiar to Xiucai. Xiucai pulled the latch to let the man into the backyard, and when he entered the house, he asked him to wait for a while in the outhouse study, and then he went into the bedroom to change clothes. Just as he turned and went into the bedroom, the murderer killed him. In any case, the fall of the hat on the head of the deceased was the murderer's greatest negligence. Just think, who would still wear a hat when they go to bed? This flaw shows that the murderer is premeditated to murder people and Show is not vigilant. ”

　　Luo Yingyuan nodded yes, and then said, "I think the murderer's motive was probably blackmail." ”

　　Di Gong straightened up and asked, "Blackmail?" Where did this idea come from, Luo Xianggong. ”

　　Luo Yingyuan took a book from the shelf, turned to a page with a note in it, and said: "Meng's mother is a very careful old lady, and her books are neatly arranged. But now the order of the book is completely chaotic. Moreover, every time the old lady read a good poem, she wrote her criticism on a note and clipped it to the page of the line. You see, there is exactly one such note on this page, but the criticism on this note does not match the original poem. I found that many of the notes were misplaced, apparently someone had flipped them over and re-clipped them. Of course, Xiucai may have turned over the books, but he would not rush through the notes, and the dust on the shelves behind the bookshelf was a trace of recent touch. I think the murderer messed up the room to create the illusion that a thief was looking for money, when in fact he was looking for a piece of paper, a document, or a deed. The murderer kills for such things, which shows that he intends to blackmail. ”

　　"Luo Xianggong's discernment is very sophisticated. If you look at these notes written by Xiucai himself, the first six pages are densely written all over Yu, and the next fifty pages are blank. Xiucai made up numbers on each piece of paper, which showed that he was a careful person. Now the order of the stacks was scattered, and there were dirty fingerprints on the blank paper. This clearly shows that the murderer carefully read the stack of records. Imagine a thief keeping an eye on a stack of useless notes! ”

　　Luo Yingyuan nodded frequently and sighed deeply.

　　"It seems that the murderer has found what he needs, let's go into the study and take a closer look!"

　　Once again, the two carefully examined the scattered contents of the study, and sorted them back into the drawers. Suddenly, Di Gong saw a pamphlet titled "Jade Flute Notation", and the cover was stamped with a private seal of Song Yiwen. He went through the pages from beginning to end, and there were no signs or lyrics, just lines of unintelligible symbols. Judging from the symbol sub-chapters, a total of twelve scores are recorded.

　　Luo Yingyuan narrowed his eyes and said, "Yes, I saw that there was still a flute hanging on the wall of his study." ”

　　"Has Luo Xianggong ever seen this score before?" Di Gong asked.

　　"Never seen it."

　　Luo Yingyuan went into the bedroom and took the flute from the wall and blew it to his mouth; a few strokes, the flute emitted a very harsh tone. He smiled bitterly, put down his flute, and said, "Before, I blew very clearly and loudly, but this long time of Wu did not blow out of ruin." Hey, Brother Di Nian, this flute is also a good place to hide things, the paper is tightly rolled, can it be tucked into the flute tube? ”

　　He squinted one eye at the flute pipe for half a moment and shook his head in frustration.

　　Di Gong dusted off his dust and said, "Meng Shuzhai said that this Song Xiucai did not have a relative or friend in Jinhua, and he himself rarely saw any trace of Song Xiucai. The one who knows song Xiucai best is the maid who delivers food for him. We can ask the maid who brought food to Xiucai. ”

　　"Brother Di Nian, this matter will be clean to you." I must go back to the courtyard at this moment. Lord Shao and Zhang should also get up from their lunch break, and Master Ruyi. At the same time, my wives and concubines also wanted to consult with me about the Mid-Autumn Festival. ”

　　"All right. You go back first, and I'll stay here and ask again. Luo Xianggong, the Mid-Autumn Festival procurement can not be hasty. Cough, how many sons and thousands of gold will there be at the meeting? ”

　　Luo Yingyuan grinned, "Eleven sons and six daughters." Don't hide from the younger brother, the little brother's eight-room lady is also a troublesome thing. Oh, I remembered, I had to go to sapphire workshop on my way back to pick up some kabuki maihime.

　　Fortunately, Sapphire Place is only a few streets away.

　　"It's a fireworks house, right?" Di Gong asked.

　　"No! The sapphire workshop is similar to the teaching workshop in Chang'an, and it is dedicated to kabuki Maihime. However, whenever the government has a public and private banquet, it is called to serve by name. Pin silk bullet bamboo, good at boarding gold. The most wonderful use of wine to help. I think that song Xiucai who came here is a great love of music, and maybe he will also have something to do with the good people or sisters there. Let's also inquire about it by the way. ”

　　(侑: pronounce 'young', 侑食: Persuasion.) ）

　　Di Gong nodded satisfactorily and said yes, and then ordered the housekeeper to bring the maid who usually delivered food for Song Xiucai. Luo Xianling arched his hand, said "Brother Nian stayed", then got on the palanquin, and then leaned out and said, "Brother Di Nian, after a while I will send a palanquin to pick you up." ”

　　After a while, the housekeeper brought two young women to see Di Gong. The two of them wore a long blue cloth dress, tied a black silk tassel around the waist, and a bone hairpin was inserted into the head.

　　"Back to the old master, this name is Peony, who serves lunch for Mr. Song and also does some rough things like folding beds to wash clothes; that one is named Chrysanthemum." Specially for Mr. Song to deliver dinner. ”

　　Di Gong saw that this peony had an ugly appearance and clumsy hands and feet, but the chrysanthemum was handsome and handsome, with a rosy round face, very moving, and a seductive fox charm was revealed between the eyebrows.

　　Di openly asked, "Peony, you must have been very busy when Mr. Song came to visit?" ”

　　"Ah! No. Master. Peony hurriedly replied, "I have never seen Mr. Song visit." There's not much going on here. Mr. Song treated people kindly, and he immediately gave him a reward for washing his clothes. ”

　　"He used to talk to you too, didn't he?" Di Gong asked again.

　　"No! Master. Just sometimes say hello. He was busy reading and writing, and never refused to gossip with us. ”

　　"Thank you, Peony. You can go. ”

　　The housekeeper respectfully took the peony out of the room.

　　Di Gong asked Chrysanthemum, "Peony is a girl from the countryside, and I see that you are a girl who grows up in the city, and you tell me..."

　　Chrysanthemum's eyes stared at Di Gong in horror, revealing a frightened glow. She suddenly asked, "Lord, is Mr. Song's neck really bitten through?" ”

　　Di Gong frowned doubtfully.

　　Chrysanthemum bowed her head and said in a somber tone, "Slave lady thought, Mr. Zhu must have a lover, that day I personally saw him sneaking out of the back door of the garden wearing a black suit." ”

　　"Have you met Mr. Song's lover?" Di Gong was astonished.

　　"Back to the old man, I never saw it." However, a few days ago, my husband asked me whether there were gold and silver filament hairpins for sale in the silverware shop after the Confucius Temple. It was clear that he wanted to give a gift to his lover. But the lover bit through Mr. Song's neck..."

　　Di Gong was stunned and asked urgently, "Miss Chrysanthemum, what do you mean by this?" ”

　　"Back to the old master, Mr. Song's lover is known to the slave maid as a fox, a black fox dressed as a woman. Once he really asked me if there were many foxes in this area. ”

　　Di Gong smiled contemptuously and said, "You shouldn't believe this kind of nonsensical legend about foxes." Foxes don't hurt people, they're kind and clever. ”

　　"Lord, all the slave maid said was serious. Mr. Lai was really fascinated by a black fox. He blew his flute night and night, and the strange tune was like the cry of a fox, frightening and restless. My young lady and I listened really every night, and we were very suspicious, and we often pinched a handful of sweat for Mr. Song. ”

　　"When I came here just now, I saw a beautiful young girl in the embroidery room of the inner mansion, isn't it the miss of the Meng family?"

　　"Back to the lord, it must be her." She was very beautiful and intelligent, and she treated the slaves very well, and at the age of sixteen she had already written a good poem. ”

　　"Chrysanthemum, let me ask you again, have you seen Mr. Song in any other place, such as the Tea House Tavern?"

　　"No, he never goes to that kind of place!"

　　"All right. Chrysanthemum, thank you. You can go. ”

　　The housekeeper led Di Gong out to the outside of the Meng family's gate building, and there was already a black nickname car waiting for him.

　　Di Gong took a sedan back to the county court. When I entered the building, I read the six pages of The Pen written by Song Xiucai from the sleeve. That transcript quite briefly recorded some military historical facts and the state of food in Jinhua during the past two hundred years. What puzzled Di Gong the most was that this Song Xiu had only been consulting the county school library every day for half a month, and how he had only made these six records. He suddenly remembered that Song Xiucai's inquiry into the historical archives was probably just an excuse, and that he must have come to Jinhua for another secret reason.

　　The widespread legend of the charm of the fox here and the depth of the superstition surprised Di Gong. Although the speakers in the city like to tell the story of the fox becoming beautiful and seducing young scholars, there are also records in ancient books that the fox symbolizes justice and locks in evil, so some palaces and ancient pavilions and monasteries can often see small shrines dedicated to fox immortals to drive away evil spirits or protect official seals. He remembered. There was also such a shrine in Luo Yingyuan's inner courtyard. He couldn't help but brush his beard and fall into thought.

　　Chrysanthemum's words rang in his ears again, why did the people here have a special interest in foxes?

　　Chapter V

　　Di Gong walked into Master Gao's house and saw that Master Gao was lying on the book case to approve the official documents.

　　"Oh, Lord Di, please sit down." Stay down and brew the cloud mist tea. When Master Gao saw Di Gong, he hurriedly gave gifts to receive the introduction.

　　"Mr. Gao, please be calm. At this moment, I am going to see Luo County Ling in the Inner Courtyard, and Luo County Ling has told you the results of the investigation at the scene of the crime? Di Gong asked.

　　"Mr. Luo is busy entertaining vips. He only wanted me to submit a report to the Chang'an Ceremonial Department and ask them to search for Song Yiwen's relatives. ”

　　"You'd better ask the Ceremonial Department to tell us Xiucai's family history in detail." Mr. Gao, how did you know Meng Shuzhai? ”

　　"We are old acquaintances of the chess game. Meng Shuzhai is a very strict and conservative figure. His mother was a well-known poet. Meng Shuzhai himself was a businessman, while his son was intelligent and intelligent, and he entered the county school at the age of fourteen. ”

　　"Well, the impression that Treasurer Meng gave me was also quite scholarly, like an upper-class figure. Mr. Gao, farewell. ”

　　Di Gong was just about to enter Luo Yingyuan's inner court, when he suddenly saw an official messenger hurrying to find Master Gao, asking Master Gao to lead him to see Luo Xianling. The official wore a round bronze insignia on his chest, which was a sign that the state government had sent to the Beijing Division on escort duties. Di Gong wondered in his heart what kind of important criminal was going through Jinhua to be escorted to Jingshi.

　　Di Gong was inconvenient to rush into Luo Yingyuan's business, so he strolled into the back garden. The garden is a pleasant scene of autumn colors: the sky is high and the clouds are far away, the golden wind is refreshing, the fragrance of dangui is fragrant, and the maple leaves are like fire.

　　Di Gong suddenly thought that it would be better to take advantage of this to visit Shao Fanwen and Zhang Lanbo, two adults, although they had already resigned from their posts, but the legacy was fragrant, the official Wei Shang was still blazing, as a late-entry official, it was also a matter of courtesy.

　　Di Gong inquired about Shao Fanwen's stay in the left wing of the East Courtyard Water Hall, while Zhang Lanbo lived in an independent house in the West Courtyard. Di Gong turned into the East Courtyard and came to the door of the large study hall in the left compartment of the Water Hall, and buttoned the door of the carved room with zhu lacquer with his hand, and a deep voice came out: "Come in."

　　Di Gongjin looked up at the study and saw that the university scholar was sitting on the couch and reading seriously. Kui Wei's body was dressed in an aquamarine brocade robe, and a yellow ribbon was tied around his waist, and the long ends of the ribbon were dragged on the felt carpet of the thick camel hair in the western region. Behind the bed, a large rosewood bookshelf is interspersed with antiques, books, porcelain bottles, and painting scrolls. In front of the bookshelf, a large porcelain pot is planted with ink-colored, turquoise precious chrysanthemums.

　　(Mo: Read 'mat', bamboo mat.) ）

　　Shao Fan Wenlong's jaw was plump and full of qi, his face was surrounded by a circle of beards, and a piece of jasper was embedded in the middle of a black silk square hat on his head. Two-eyed tiger tiger has a god. He saw Di Gong come in and put down the book in his hand.

　　Di Gong stepped forward and bowed his body to give a salute. Submit the post. He said, "Late-born Di Renjie met Lord Shao." ”

　　Shao Fanwen looked at the famous post and put it on his sleeve and said, "You are Di Renjie of Puyang County!" I heard that you destroyed the Buddhist temple in Puyang, sent monks and nuns, and detained a bunch of scum who corrupted the Buddhist rules, and I admired it. You sit down, this is not the imperial court, there is no need to be informal. Di Renjie – Do you also write poetry? ”

　　"Later life wrote only one poem. In the past, I also studied a little gold needle poetry assiduously, but my talent was ugly, and I never saw much progress. In the future, I will be in the county affairs, and I will have no time to write poetry. ”

　　"Di Xian Ling has not heard that many poets are boiling with a poem. Have you done a song that has been sung for eternity and is famous? I don't know what the title of your poem is. ”

　　My Lord, it is a "poem of persuasion to the peasants", with five words and a hundred rhymes, which is nothing more than pointing out that agriculture is the foundation of the country and the first of a hundred actions. ”

　　The scholar looked at Di Renjie curiously, "Why did you take this topic?" ”

　　Later life just wants to persuade the peasant to re-enact the truth in poetry, rhyming and rhythmic, ordinary people can understand, the farmer may be more happy to hear. ”

　　Tuhaha laughed out loud: "Novel truth, interesting, interesting." Although poetry must be understood, what matters is the lyricism of speech, and the rhythm of one's own pulse and breathing is transmitted in the process of proclaiming emotions. Prosody is paramount. Di Xian Ling may wish to recite your "Persuasion Poems" to the old man for a few words. ”

　　Di Gong felt a little hesitant and uneasy, and replied, "Your Honor, that poem was written more than ten years ago, and now I am afraid that I can't memorize a single sentence." If the adult must see it, he will return to Puyang to find it and present it later. ”

　　"Haha, forgive the old man for being blunt. That must have been a bad poem. If there are good sentences and warning strategies in the poem, nature will be full of light. Your poems are plain, and there are no good sentences or warnings, and you can't memorize them after a long time. Didn't the ancients say, 'The water is full of pearls and the rivers are beautiful, and the stones are jade and the mountains are radiant'? Have you read the Holy Prophet's Exhortation to the Western Army? ”

　　"My lord, this late student can recite it." Di Gong replied. "It was an inspiring edict given by Emperor Gaozong to the militaryly defeated unitary army. This oracle changed the situation of the entire Liangzhou battlefield. My Lord, the first few words are solemn and majestic, and the courage is magnificent, reminding people of the spring and autumn when King Xuan of Zhou was a teacher. ”

　　"Exactly, exactly. Di Xianling, I guess you can't forget the full text of that holy oracle. Because it is really the best text since the founding of the Tang Dynasty. Its rhythm beats together with the pulse of the soldiers who participated in the battle, making people inspired and excited, unable to help themselves, really called 'with the clouds and rain, like changing in the ghosts and gods'. I am ashamed to say that this holy oracle is the grass that the old man raised for the saint. Well, don't talk about this. Di Xian Ling can know that the position of county order is often the starting point of the ups and downs of the eunuch sea, and the old husband Sanbang was born at first only as a county order, and later promoted to Yongzhou in Lingnan Province as a thorn history, and in three years he was transferred to This Wuzhou Jinhua Province. Eighteen years ago, the Ninth Prince rebelled, and there was really chaos here for a while, and then the demon was eliminated, and it happened that the old man's several articles of discussion about literature alarmed Chen, so he was summoned as a scholar of the Jixian Hall, and then he acted as the governor of the Jixian Hall, and was in charge of the matter of the edicts and edicts of the Holy Lord. That year, I also had the honor of accompanying the attendant saint to Sichuan Shu Xuan'en, and on the way I wrote a poem "Ode to the Mountains and Rivers of Shu Zhongshan", which was very praised by the saints. I have always thought that it was the best text in the old man's life, and it was also the peak of the old man's glory. ”

　　(Yong: pronounced '庸'; 婺: pronounced 'fog', the name of the ancient state, was renamed by Wu Prefecture in the thirteenth year of the Sui Kai Emperor, and the seat of government was in present-day Jinhua County, Zhejiang Province.) ）

　　Shao Fanwen said as his eyebrows fluttered, and the green tendons on his neck were faintly squirming.

　　"Oh, Di County Order. It was a pleasure to talk to you, and the old man almost forgot about it. Well, see you in the evening. In the evening I would love to hear your young officials talk about the topic of Yali. ”

　　Di Gongchang bowed his head, went out of the study, went to the water hall, turned out of the East Courtyard and hurried to the West Courtyard to meet Lord Zhang Lanbo.

　　When Di Gong entered the West Courtyard, he saw Zhang Lanbo watching the fish in the pond, and Di Gong prayed and handed over the name sticker. The adult was offering a prayer to a dying goldfish in the pond, and after a few words of greeting with Di Gong and some words about tonight's banquet, he hurriedly sent a message to rescue the dying goldfish. Di Gong took advantage of the situation to resign, and Zhang Lanbo did not retain it.

　　Di Gong visited Bi Shao and Zhang, and only felt that his mouth was dry, but an incident that Zhang Lanbo had inadvertently revealed just now made him curious. In the evening, there will be a great poet who was once famous and then famous. He never expected that Luo Yingyuan's gourd was also buried in this flavored medicine, and the wine feast in the night was very happy. Moreover, Di Gong also had a strong interest in the Ruyi Mage who had not yet met.

　　Walking and thinking, di Gongmeng remembered that he had not yet reported to Luo Xianling the results of asking the maid at Meng Shuzhai's house.

　　Chapter VI

　　Luo Yingyuan sat on the Taishi chair in frustration, facing the pile of case files in front of him, his eyebrows were locked, and his face was gloomy. When Di Gong came into the study, he was cursing.

　　"All the bird people in Si Tiantai should be dismissed, and the almanac they issued clearly states that today is an auspicious day, but everything has been unfavorable since noon."

　　Di Gong pulled a chair and sat down, and gulled a cup of tea and drank it all. After pouring another cup to eat, Nai Chang breathed a long sigh of relief, leaned back on the chair and did not say a word, listening to Luo Yingyuan's complaints.

　　"Song Xiucai's case made me not digest my lunch well, hurried to and from time to time, and then bumped into the 'poinsettia' of sapphire mill, and the owner of the hospital only promised to send a 'little phoenix' to make up the numbers, and the rest was a team of musicians, a few singers, what is fresh? What kind of dance can the little phoenix dance? It's dry and ugly..." He looked up at Di Gong and changed the subject: "Not to mention this, is there any clue to Song Xiucai's case?" The arrester just came here to say that there are no gangsters or thieves in these three streets and six cities -- this is naturally expected. ”

　　Di Gong drank another cup of tea before he said, "A maid of the Meng family said." Song Yiwen still had a lover in Jinhua. ”

　　"Really? I'm afraid it's not a powder of three tiles and two houses, right? I described Song Yiwen to the women there at sapphire mills, and none of them had ever seen him. ”

　　"Also. I think that Song Yiwen came to Jinhua for a secret reason, and it seems that the search for historical materials is just an excuse. Di Gong said as he took Xiucai's six pens from his sleeve and handed them to Luo Yingyuan, "These are all the transcripts he made in half a month." ”

　　Luo Yingyuan read the six transcripts. He nodded.

　　Di Gong also said: "Every afternoon he went to the county school library to pretend, and only at night did he do his real business." The maid saw him sneak out of the Meng family's backyard in black pants at night, and she didn't know where he was going. By the way, the maid believed in the charm of the fox very much, and she insisted that Song Xiucai's lover was a black fox. And Xiucai was killed by the black fox. Obviously, this is by no means a case of committing murder and overstepping the goods, and it seems that the criminal's intention is not blackmail but is destroyed! ”

　　Luo Yingyuan couldn't help but sigh and said, "Xiucai has another lover." As soon as a woman is involved in a case, it is very mysterious and very troublesome. Brother Nian, no matter what, tomorrow in the Mid-Autumn Festival, Yamen will not be promoted to the board of directors as usual. We still have a day or two to catch our breath and meditate. ”

　　"Luo Xianggong, tonight's banquet in the courtyard, you and I can't get out of the house, have you already sent your subordinates to investigate?"

　　"Nothing. However, my master will also report the situation at any time. I rely on his support for the investigation of criminal suspicions here. Through his three relatives, he laid eyeliner in many parts of the city, and as soon as there was a sound of wind and rain, he knew clearly that it was very spiritual. ”

　　Di Gong nodded slowly. He knew that each county order had his own set of effective customs for cracking cases and managing punishments, and there was no need for him to ask Luo County to follow his own set of habits.

　　At this time, the inner court came on duty: "There is a young lady named Yulan who asks to see the old master."

　　Luo Yingyuan's cheeks suddenly flushed, and the yin cloud was swept away, revealing a look of joy, and said: "Yulan, Yulan her case is going to be retried - today is still an auspicious day!" ”

　　Di Gong asked doubtfully, "Luo Xianggong, who is Yulan?" ”

　　"Ah. My young brother Lord Di, thanks to your appointment as an official at the Dali Temple, there was an interrogation and punishment to break the great reputation of the gods. Don't you know the famous case of the Egret View? ”

　　Di Gong took a breath of cool air and straightened up, "Luo Xianggong is referring to the case of that Daogu flogging the maid to death!" ”

　　"It's this Daogu. Her name is Magnolia, a generation of famous tricks, a well-known poet of fragrant boudoir. Today's celebrities and bachelors are all guilty of her imprisonment, and the government also knows the depth of the case, so the county, the prefecture, and the Daoyamen all cannot close the case, blame each other, and finally move to the lobby of the Chang'an Punishment Department. At this moment, he was escorting through Jinhua. Miss Yulan not only has a wide reputation, but she and Shao Fanwen, Zhang Lanbo and other celebrity eunuchs are also old friends, and they are very familiar with each other. I asked Shao and Zhang to invite Yulan to our two-night Mid-Autumn Festival, and the two adults clapped their hands and praised them. Miss Yulan also categorically refused my invitation in her head, saying that she was carrying a sinful body and had no face to meet a group of old acquaintances. I said it didn't matter, the poetry court was no better than the officialdom, it was not bound by the set of old and ugly laws and etiquette, and it was also a private banquet set up by me personally, and the banquet only talked about friendship and poetry, and did not discuss political affairs and criminal cases. Miss Yulan turned around, rewarded the little brother's light, and agreed to attend the meeting. In this way, our gathering tonight will naturally add a lot more color. ”

　　(Minoru: Read 'forbearance', familiar.) ）

　　The door opened, and a long woman in a light sarong dress drifted into the study. Seeing her gently move the lotus step, swaying and taking shape, Lou Ting's body section has a moving abundance of its own. The delicate and self-absorbed face is not powdered but the light is clear, and there are already a few shallow wrinkles at the corners of the brow and mouth. A bunch of long, jet-black hair was coiled around the top of his head in three strands. There is no hairpin insert in the hair, and there is no jewelry such as a bracelet and jade pendant on the wrist finger earlobe.

　　As soon as Yulan saw Luo Yingyuan, she deeply said a blessing and said, "Thank you Lord Luo for your kind invitation." By the way, you can also tell the adult that the punishment department has decided to retry the concubine's case. ”

　　"In this way, the end is good. Miss Magnolia has always suffered. Lord Shao and Lord Zhang have been looking forward to seeing you, and you are all close friends of the Poetry Garden. Master Ruyi is also here. I will meet you again with a man whom you once admired—my year di Xianggong. He is now a county commander in Puyang County. ”

　　Yulan took a deep look at Di Gong and only calmly recounted the ceremony. Turning to Luo Yingyuan again, he said. "Lord Luo has added a lot of trouble, and today I am in a very comfortable mood, and I have many friends." Being in prison for more than a month is like passing away. ”

　　Luo Yingyuan smiled: "Miss Yulan, tonight is the poets' elegant meeting, our county has a little drink, everyone must disperse with joy, leaving a little charm for the Shilin Art Garden." Tomorrow night, mid-autumn, the moon is reunited, we will go to the jade cliff outside the city to line up a wild feast, chant poems and songs, and live up to this earthly festival. ”

　　Yulan said, "Oh, I forgot to tell Lord Luo that when I passed the Sapphire Workshop, Little Phoenix came with me, and she was going to come to the county court to see the dance floor first, and tonight she will perform the most charming dance song "Purple Cloud Phoenix."" ”

　　As soon as Miss Yulan clapped her hands, a slender woman of about seventeen or eighteen years old walked into the study and bowed to Luo Xianling and performed a dancing kneeling ceremony. She wears a big red gold cardigan, under the emerald blue drag mud makeup flower skirt, a big red silk ribbon tied around the waist, and gold pressed sleeves on the wrist. The chest is colorful, the skirt is ringed with Ding Dong, and the head is full of green beads, and it is a good makeup. Only for the official government to have a call, specially made this outfit to seize people's attention. It's just a pity that the appearance is not good. Her long pointed nose and pair of distinctly squinting, dull eyes were impressive. Her hair was brushed back from the smooth front forehead, tied into a small pearlescent swaying bun around the slender back of her neck.

　　Yulan patted Xiao Fenghuang's shoulder and smiled, "A young woman doesn't need to be ashamed in front of any noble person." All right, Lord Luo, Lord Di, see you at the dinner. ”

　　Yulan carried the Little Phoenix Mountain Study to see the dance floor and visited Shao and Zhang, the two distinguished guests, and Master Ruyi.

　　Luo Yingyuan sighed and said, "This woman of Yulan is not only extremely talented, beautiful in appearance, but also has a very tough personality. He opened a drawer, took out a thick stack of case files, and said, "Brother Di Nian, this is a copy of all the case files of Miss Yulan's case, and I really spent some effort searching." I think you should be deeply interested in the Egret View case. I have also added a brief explanation before the case file, so that you can understand the end of the case, and you had better take the time to read it before the night feast. ”

　　Di Gong was greatly touched and thanked him: "Luo Xianggong is so thoughtful and thoughtful, it is really a rare courtesy host. ”

　　Luo Yingyuan said, "Di Nian saw that this was a bad thing, the younger brother still had a long-cherished wish, for many years I wanted to write a note for Yulan's poetry collection, and when I opened the volume, I encountered Yulan's annoying case, so I couldn't fulfill my wish for a long time." The young brother is the most proficient in the law, skilled in the sword, I don't know if I am willing to write a defense for the Yulan case, according to the laws and regulations, - a defense for it. If her affairs are super open-minded by the Ministry of Punishment, it is not only Miss Yulan's hand, but also a great merit for Shi Yuan, and I hope that the young brother will not push back. ”

　　Di Gong looked at Luo Yingyuan with a smile and replied, "I understand." ”

　　Chapter VII

　　When Di Gong walked out of the inner ear door, he saw a round, bald-headed monk coming forward.

　　"Haha, Di Xianling, I've been to see you, and your door is locked."

　　When Di Gongdeng realized that this person was None other than Master Ruyi, he hurriedly replied, "Could it be Master Ruyi?" Long look up. Luo Xianggong mentioned your high line several times in front of the late life. Forgive the favor, and forgive the sins. ”

　　"Maybe Lord Di didn't know why Luo Xian ling invited poor monks to the table?" Ashamed, the poor monk also sneaked the name of a poet. The poor monk specializes in two lines of poetry, or right or wrong, there are not many words, and the meaning is exhausted. Lord Di's interest was in the official documents. He nodded with his finger at a case file that was tucked under Di Gong's armpit.

　　"Master, let's go down and drink tea." Di Gong politely invited.

　　"No, no. The poor monks were still a bit of a mundane affair, and they wanted to take the night feast to do it. Adults don't think, if you have a spare time, you may wish to come to my resting place to talk about it, and I live in the clean room behind the fox temple. Lord Di, you belong to the tiger, right? ”

　　Di Gong nodded and looked incomprehensibly at Master Ruyi's sudden question.

　　A mysterious smile appeared on Master Ruyi's ugly face, and a strange light appeared between the eyes of the two toads.

　　"A fox, a tiger — wonderful, wonderful. Lord Di, keep an eye on it. Last night there were people killed here, and it seems that there are still people who are going to be killed. I saw many ghosts trailing behind you, and it was because of your masculinity that you could not get close. ”

　　Di Gong couldn't help but wince.

　　"Lord Di, don't expect me to help you. Three thousand worlds, no end, the door of witty words, no obstacles. The adults themselves held the Zen lamp in their hands and touched it according to the road. Saying that, he dragged his hemp shoes and swung away.

　　Di Gong seemed to understand, but he was not good at asking questions, and he was suspicious in his heart.

　　Back at the building, Di Gong unfolded the case file and read it carefully.

　　The first twenty pages of the volume are a biography of Yulan's life written by Luo Yingyuan. The words are subtle, the pen and ink are fine. The section on the Magnolia Egret View is even more praiseworthy and negative, and the meaning is far-reaching.

　　Yulan was originally the daughter of the treasurer of a medicine shop in Chang'an, and she was able to read and read at the age of five. When she was fifteen years old, her father lost her family business and sold her to a famous courtyard in Chang'an. She stayed in the courtyard for four years and became acquainted with many celebrities and celebrities in Chang'an. The sun and the moon will be immersed in the edification, coupled with her long-cherished wisdom and enlightenment, she will make a good poem, showing her amazing literary talent. At the age of nineteen, just as she was in Shaohua Fengyun, she suddenly disappeared. The old bustard turtle sun inquired around, searched for half a year, did not see a trace, and had to give up. Two years later, she was reduced to a fireworks kiln, poor and sick, and in a difficult situation. A young prince named Wen Dongyang ransomed her and then returned to Chang'an. So the two became inseparable partners. The gentle boy was handsome, mercurial, rich and wealthy, and squandered like dirt. And with the same magnolia general poetic talent overflowing, LiZhang sentences are like spitting pearls and jade; often a hundred rhymes and a thousand words, dazzling.

　　They became the guests of the Prince of Chang'an and the celebrities and eunuchs, and the singing between them was popular in the sea, and the boudoir, monastery, travel, and pavilion were all chanted endlessly. They traveled around the famous mountains and rivers, and the poems they made along the way did not go away, and the scholars and literati could all rush to sing. However, the good times were not long, and the happiness was extremely sad. Four years later, Wen Gongzi abandoned Yulan and followed a woman who broke into the rivers and lakes and did not know the end.

　　Yulan left Jingshiliu to live in Sichuan, where she befriended the famous local Qingliu and established a poetry club. There are many great officials and rich people who come to seek poetry. Because of her purity and arrogance, she offended a local assassin. Forcing her to leave Sichuan again, Lang Jiping was stationed in the area of Huxiang Dongting. In the end, she bought a small Taoist shrine in Xin'an County, the Egret Temple. She called herself a Taoist station, chanting the Yellow Scriptures and accompanying the green lanterns, and only used a maid by her side to strictly prevent men from entering the temple. Since then, self-cultivation. Broken off from the world.

　　One day two months ago, four servants suddenly broke into the tranquil Egret Temple, and began to dig under a horse cherry tree in front of the court with a hoe and shovel, and actually dug up the body of the seventeen-year-old maid of Magnolia. He concluded that the maid had died by flogging because she was covered in whiplash marks. He arrested Yulan and accused her of deliberately killing people.

　　Yulan defended: Three days ago, the maid took a leave of absence to visit her parents in the township, and before leaving the temple, she also prepared a night meal for Yulan. Magnolia ate dinner and went for a walk on the banks of the Xin'an River. Looking back, it was nearly midnight, and she found that the back door of the Taoist temple had been pried open, and a pair of silver candlesticks in the temple were missing. She went to the court the next day to report to the officials. She said that she guessed that the maid had forgotten something and ran back to guan zhong to get it, and met the thief, who used a whip to tell her where the magnolia was hiding the money, but the maid did not know, and was whipped to death. But several witnesses confirmed to the county order that Magnolia often mistreated the maid, and that the maid's miserable screams could often be heard in the middle of the night—even though the Egret View was located in an inaccessible mountain hollow. Another vendor confirmed that late at night on the day of the accident, he was walking through the Egret View and saw no trace of thieves and tramps.

　　The county order refuted Yulan's defense, accusing her of killing the maid. She also said that she herself pried open the back door of the Taoist temple and threw the silver candlestick into a well. The county order Bi Wen had just declared the state capital, and it was precisely a gang of thieves who robbed a farm not far from the Egret Temple and killed the farmer's family. For this reason, the county order did not dare to specialize, and on the one hand sent people to track down the gang of thieves, on the other hand, it postponed the judgment on Yulan and submitted the history of shezhou assassination on the case.

　　(歙: Pronounced 'shooting', a county in southern Anhui Province, China.) Emblem ink and yan are its specialties. ）

　　Shezhou Thorn Shi admired Yulan's poetry very much and deliberately wanted to exonerate Magnolia. He conducted an in-depth investigation and learned that Xin'an County Ling had wanted to marry Yulan, but Yulan sternly refused. The county order admitted that there was indeed a matter, but this had nothing to do with the case of the murder of Magnolia. He confided that he had only received an anonymous letter of complaint before sending someone to Retret View to exhum the dead body — there was no plaintiff in this case. Secondly, the patrol had captured a thief a few days earlier, who had participated in the robbery of the farmstead, but did not admit to the robbery of the Egret Temple. However, he confessed that his leader had said that Magnolia had hidden a lot of gold and silver in the cellar of Guanzhong. This confession is in line with Magnolia's defense. Thorn Shi did not dare to specialize, so he moved the case to Ambassador Dethronement of Jiangnan Province. The case book states that it is advisable to impersonate Magnolia innocent.

　　(Deposed: Read 'Disposition', recall; 陟: Read 'Zhi', promotion.) ）

　　Many poets and celebrities in Hainei have written letters to Ambassador Dehu to intercede on behalf of Yulan. Ambassador Dethronement was awaiting Yulan's acquittal, when a man who cried out claimed to be the lover of the dead maid, who said that the maid often told him how to beat her and scold her, and flogged her to death, asking the government to make the decision for him. Furthermore, in view of the results of the autopsy confirming that the maid was still a virgin, Ambassador Dethronement became suspicious again. He believed that if the maid had been killed by thieves, there would have been no doubt that she would have been raped at the same time. Besides, the thieves didn't seem to have to carefully bury the dead bodies under the ma cherry tree. At present, the gang of thieves was nowhere to be seen, and then the person who wrote an anonymous letter to Yulan refused to show his face, and Ambassador Zhizhi was unable to leave, so he moved the text and submitted it to the lobby of the Chang'an Punishment Department.

　　Di Gong closed the case file and paced to the veranda outside the house, a cool autumn wind blew, and the bamboo baskets in the courtyard were chaotic. The cinnamon fragrance is faint, and the insects are whispering. The clouds in the sky were like silk, and a silver moon had just risen to the East Mountain.

　　Di Gong thought: It's not bad, this is a very interesting but headache case. Since Luo Yingyuan had introduced him to Yulan and showed him the manuscript of this pile of case files, this meant that it was quite clear, and he asked Di Renjie to make a judgment in a very short period of time: whether Yulan was guilty or innocent.

　　Di Gong felt an uneasy omen. He thought again of the warning that Master Ruyi had just given, and his heart tightened. He understood that he could not hold on to these materials for judgment, and he wanted to try to talk to Miss Yulan at tonight's banquet no matter what, and by the way, he also wanted to hear the views of Shao and Zhang on the case. But there is no doubt that this will greatly detract from the Yaxing of the poets' gathering.

　　Somehow, his thoughts came back to Song Xiucai's case. This case is also very strange. Although he himself conducted on-site investigations, almost all he could rely on was second-hand material. Suddenly he thought of Song Xiucai's "Jade Flute Notation". In addition to Xiucai's six records, this "Jade Flute Notation" can be regarded as the most direct relic of the deceased. I think it may have a close relationship with song Xiucai's death. He took out the flute and turned it over, and looking at the densely packed note symbols, a smile suddenly appeared on his face. He's going to give it a try, and that's one of the most likely to succeed!

　　There was still an hour before the night feast began, Di Gong quickly changed into an aquamarine cloth robe, put on a black hat, grabbed the "Jade Flute Notation" under his armpit, and walked towards the county gate.

　　Chapter VIII

　　The sun fell in the west, and the twilight gradually closed. Four large red lanterns were hung at the gate of Jinhua County, and colorful ribbons were hung from the corners of the cornices. Outside the gate, there is a bustling bustle of traffic.

　　Di Gongchang breathed a long sigh of relief, and he looked back at the palace-like courtyard, as if there was a feeling like a bird throwing into the forest, like a fish entering the water. He followed the carriage bridge through the bustling city streets. Suddenly, he found a musical instrument shop, and he broke free of the crowd and entered the store.

　　In the musical instrument store, the bells, drums, cymbals, sheng guan qinser, Qin zheng chu zhen, hu qin pipa, and so on. It was the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and there were many people who bought musical instruments, and the sound of bamboo silk was chaotic.

　　The treasurer saw that Di Gong was very official, and did not dare to be sloppy, so he rushed forward and asked, "What does Xiang Gong want to buy?" Blowing or playing? ”

　　Di Gong glanced at the treasurer, handed him the Jade Flute Score, and said, "I don't know if the treasurer can recognize this flute score?" ”

　　The treasurer took over a few pages, laughed awkwardly, and said: "Xiang Gong, this end is the ancient genealogy, not popular, and the contemptible people can't recognize it." Xiang Gong may wish to consult the divine flute Liu, let the ancient and modern Huayi flute notation, Bao Guan knows, and can play. He lived not far away, and this divine flute Liu Wu was only greedy for cups, often drunk and drunk, and the money he earned was thrown into the altar of wine. ”

　　Di Gong went to his sleeve and took out a string of copper coins and placed them on the counter.

　　"The treasurer, annoyance to appoint a guy to lead the way."

　　"Yes, yes. XiangGong just followed this little guy, and the contempt was lost. ”

　　Di Gong went out of the store with the young man and went to the street, and the guy pointed to a tavern across the street and smiled and said, "I want to invite Shendi Liu, no less than three pounds of wine." ——Xianggong did not buy a bottle of wine and put it under his nostrils, he was drunk for half a day and did not wake up, and he still came to pay attention to you? Don't you miss the great thing of justice? ”

　　Di Gong nodded yes, and went to the tavern to buy a bottle of the best "Gourd Spring". After passing through several streets and alleys, we arrived at the door of the Shendi Liu family. Di Gong gave the young man a few rewards, and the young man thanked him and left.

　　As soon as Di Gong pushed it, the door "creaked" and opened shakily.

　　The room was dark and small, lit with a smoking oil lamp, and a sour smell of inferior wine filled the room. There was almost nothing in the house except a row of flutes and piccolos hanging on the walls.

　　ShenDi Liu had just drunk the wine, and his face sprayed red. He wore a pair of dark brown loose bloomers with loose buttons and an open chest. Beside him stood the little phoenix of sapphire mill.

　　"What are you?" Vultures broke into my house? ShenDi Liu opened his mouth roughly.

　　Di Gong pretended not to see the little phoenix, and slowly sat down on a small bamboo stool, while placing the bottle of "Gourd Spring" on the table.

　　ShenDi Liu's eyes were as wide as goldfish: "My death, the 'gourd spring' of the top grade, has not been drunk in twenty years." Sir, look at your big black beard, isn't it Yan Wangye who came to invite me? Quickly open the bottle cap? ”

　　Di Gong put his hand on the bottle cap and said, "Not busy. "Casually hand him the Jade Flute Score," Mr. Yang Fu told me what kind of music it was, and it was not too late to drink it. ”

　　"What?" Shendi Liu took the score and turned it over a few times, "This is a good thing to say, let me go to the clean noodles first and then come again." He said and staggered toward the back room.

　　When Little Phoenix saw the divine flute Liu enter the back room, he trembled and said, "Lord, I was about to ask Master Liu to accompany me at the county banquet tonight, and his flute was the same as that blown by the gods in the sky." ”

　　"No! I'm not going to blow that damn Black Fox Song! The divine flute Liu staggered out of the back room with his steps and took a flute from the wall.

　　Di Gong asked The Little Phoenix in surprise, "Didn't you say you were going to jump the Purple Cloud Phoenix?" How to change it again..."

　　"Back to the old master, the slave family saw that the floor of the county painting hall was large, and there were also lord Shao, Lord Zhang and other court officials attending the table, as well as Master Ruyi. I think this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not to be missed. The old man knows that "Black Fox Song" can best judge the solution of the dance art, the steps are sharp, the rotation is urgent, the changes are unpredictable, and the weather is ever-changing. ”

　　"'Black Fox Song' is a ghost song that cannot be played. As soon as the black fox wraps around you, discipline you for your life! Shendi Liu recognized the truth, he put the "Jade Flute Score" on his lap, and said: "This first song "Yun Wants to Dress and Flowers Think of Rong" (1) everyone knows, there is no need to talk about it. The second piece..." He picked up the flute and blew a few pieces, the rhythm was brisk, and the melody was very moving. "Oh, this second piece is 'Autumn Moon Yin'. Last year it was most popular in Kyoshi. ”

　　The divine flute Liu blows one by one, and one by one tells the name of the tune. Most of the music tricks Di Gong did not understand, and he could not help but feel very disappointed in his heart. He originally thought that this "Jade Flute Score" had no music cards and no lyrics, and it was not a musical score at all, but a secret record recorded by Song Xiucai in the style of musical score. This secret record will undoubtedly solve the mystery of his coming to Jinhua. However, this is really an ancient score of flute music - this clue is broken again.

　　"Damn!" A vulgar scolding sound woke Di Gong from his contemplation.

　　"This last piece is good, but I can't recognize it."

　　The divine flute Liu said, and then brought the flute to his mouth, and the low flute sounded, and its rhythm was very slow, like crying, like complaining, like resentment, full of sorrow. The little phoenix couldn't help but be stunned when he heard it, and the two wooden eyes flashed with joy. Then the tempo picked up, with high, sharp tones mixed with odd and gloomy melodies.

　　[Note (1): While Clouds Remind Me of her Dress (Fl owersof her Face) is suspected to be one of the legendary Li Bai's three "QingPing Tones", but Li Bai's composition is a song. After the era of Di Renjie. 〉

　　This damn Black Fox Song: "The Divine Flute Liu cursed softly.

　　Little Phoenix said excitedly, "Lord, please lend me this sheet music, I can find someone who can play it." ”

　　Di Gong said, "This is not difficult." But, little phoenix, you must tell me the story of this Black Fox Song. I'm also a person who is very interested in music. ”

　　Little Phoenix said, "Lord, I don't know, this Black Fox Song is the oldest song in the area here." The current flute scores are missing records. I have a good friend Vermilion. She lives in the Black Fox Shrine in the south of the city, but she often sings this song. I asked her to write down the pieces, but she couldn't read or play. But man, this is really the most ideal dance accompaniment song. ”

　　Di Gong gave the score to Little Phoenix and said, "You have to give it back to me at tonight's banquet." ”

　　"All right, sir. I'm going to ask an accompanist to translate the score. Don't tell the guests I'm going to dance this "Black Fox Song", I'm going to surprise them and surprise them. ”

　　Di Gong nodded, turned his face to ShenDi Liu and said, "Come, take two large bowls." ”

　　Shendi Liu brought two blue thick porcelain bowls, and Di Gong opened the cap of the wine bottle and poured a bowl full for him.

　　"Good wine, good wine. You smell this scent! The divine flute Liu smacked his lips and shouted with joy. In just one breath, he poured the large bowl of wine into his stomach.

　　Di Gong poured another bowl for him and asked, "How did Mr. Liu know about this Black Fox Song?" ”

　　"I once heard the little witch of the Black Fox Temple sing, and it was very beautiful. Unfortunately, it was sung by the ghost obsessed people, and it was mostly ominous to fall into this trick. ”

　　Di Gong asked, "Who is that little witch?" ”

　　"Alas, it's a black fox spirit. No father and no mother, I don't know where to come to the Yang. A tattered old woman picked her up, but she had already lurked the demon root. Fifteen years old when he began to speak. He also often commits evil deeds. The disease comes when the eyes are spinning. He said strange things that no one understood. The old woman was too frightened to take her in, so she sold her to a brothel. Who knew that on the first day of receiving the guest, he bit off the tongue of the guest officer and immediately fled to the deserted black fox shrine outside the south gate. I still live there. The area around the Black Fox Shrine is often haunted, and even on the night of the clear wind and bright moon, you can hear the cries of ghosts chirping. Inside and outside the temple are flocks of foxes. I heard that it was the Ninth Prince who plotted to rebel and failed, and all the people who followed him cut off their heads there, so the ghosts did not disperse, and they were always doing evil. The people in the vicinity had long since moved, and the timid people often offered some fresh fruit wine and meat, but they never saw anyone to ask the gods for disaster. The little witch and the fox ate offerings together, danced together, and sang the Black Fox Song. She was the only one in Jinhua City who dared to stay there, and the foxes there were extremely intimate with her, and she was not a fox spirit, what was it? ”

　　(禳: Sacrifice name.) Pray for the removal of calamities and the removal of evil from evil. ）

　　Di Gong stood up and resigned: "Mr. Liu drink slowly, I have the right to go first." ”

　　Di Gong inquired from a street vendor about the road to the south gate of the city, so he went straight to the Min wu temple in a sedan car -- there was not much way to go to the Black Fox Temple from the min wu temple.

　　Chapter IX

　　Two sedans carrying Di Gong's small sedan through the crowd. The long temple street originally had several Buddhist temple nunneries, and the incense was very beautiful. Later, a fire destroyed most of the street, leaving only broken walls and piles of rubble. The only intact temple is at the southernmost tip of Temple Street.

　　The small car stopped at the mountain gate of the MingoJi Temple, and the car driver kept wiping the sweat on his forehead with his sleeve. Di Gong gave the car gold and asked the car driver, "How long does it take to go to the East Gate here?" ”

　　The sedan replied, "If Xianggong takes the main road in a sedan car, it will take about half an hour, and if he takes the path instead, he will be able to reach it within two miles." ”

　　Di Gong nodded. He understood that Song Xiucai's going to the Black Fox Ancestral Hall from the Meng Treasurer's house in the East Gate was very close. Di Gong instructed the sedan to wait under the wall in front of the temple, and he went to the temple for half an hour before taking the sedan back to the temple.

　　Di Gong walked into the mountain gate of the Minwu Temple, and hurried through the corridor through the hall to the back door. He wanted to get out of the back door and go straight to the Black Fox Shrine without hiding the waiting sedan outside the temple.

　　As he walked past the left room, he suddenly stopped in horror. Looking in through the window ledge, I saw Master Ruyi curled up and napping on the Zen bed. Di Gong was suspicious in his heart, and when he looked at it again, it turned out to be a pile of broken robes of Master Ruyi, and on the robes were a wooden fish and a string of prayer beads. Except for the green lantern, there are no people.

　　Di Gong came out of the half-collapsed back door of the east side of the temple, and walked dozens of steps along a stone road between the wild pine forests to see the city tower at the south gate.

　　There are many people entering and leaving the south gate, most of whom are relatives of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Many carry lanterns and mooncake fruit in their hands. In the distance, people have been lit up, and the twinkling sparkles reflect the stars in the sky.

　　Di Gong bought a wind lamp in a small shop and hurried out of the south gate. Not long after leaving the south gate, I saw two tall reclining doorposts. Di Gong saw that there were indeed several worn-out thick porcelain offering plates under the doorpost, and there were actually some fruits and wine dishes on the plates. He understood that these two pillars were the gates of the Black Fox Word. Passing through the two stone pillars was a thicket of black hazel bushes. Di Gong lifted the hem of his robe into his waist, lifted his long sleeves, and picked up a stick from the ground. With one hand, he carried the wind lamp, and with the other hand, he used a stick to pry open the bushes, and bent and bent toward the temple.

　　At this time, there was silence all around. Occasionally in the distance came a mournful chill or two. Di Gong couldn't help but admire the boldness of the little phoenix, this was also a desolate and terrifying place during the day.

　　Suddenly, there was a rattling noise in the waist-high grass in front of me, and a pair of turquoise eyes shone in the middle of the black grass. Di Gong couldn't help but squeeze the stick in his hand tighter. He lifted a stone and threw it at the eye. A sharp scream was accompanied by a commotion, and it took half a moment to calm down. Di Gong thought to himself that there were indeed foxes here. Although foxes generally do not harm people, he knows that foxes and wild dogs often suffer from mania, and if people are bitten by them, they will be infected with this madness, and finally they will die of heat and thirst, and there is no cure. At this time, he regretted that he had been so careless that he had forgotten to bring a dagger or spear, and now he could only rely on the stick in his hand as the only defensive weapon.

　　The path widened, and a wasteland appeared in front of the grass, which looked very desolate in the moonlight. A dark courtyard wall of stones appeared in front of it, and the wall was crawling with wild vines. There was a courtyard in the wall, and several parts of the courtyard wall had collapsed. Three or four red foxes and black foxes scurried around, as if alarmed by the arrival of the living people. The courtyard smelled of mold. A stone statue of a fox was erected in the corner of the courtyard, crouching high on a stone pedestal. The fox also had a long strip of red cloth around its neck — the only sign of a human presence here.

　　Di Gong walked up the broken bluestone steps, and there were clumps of weeds growing in the cracks of the stones. He knocked on the door of the temple with a stick, and no one answered. Di Gong dared to break through and saw a wooden puppet standing in front of a candle in the corner of the temple. The head of the puppet was a dead man's skeleton, and a pair of eye sockets were facing Di Gong.

　　Di Gong suddenly felt a chill behind his back, and the tip of a knife was pointing at his waist.

　　"I had to slaughter you here!" A young woman's trembling voice rang out behind him.

　　Di Gong looked back in shock, only to see that the woman was very slender and her appearance was very handsome. She wore a tight brown shirt and a patched pair of pants. A pair of wide eyes looked at Di Gong in horror, and the hand holding the sharp knife kept trembling.

　　"Oh, what a beautiful knife." Di Gong said in a gentle tone, "There is still a sparkling blue light on the edge of the knife." ”

　　The woman looked down at the blade, and Di Gong grabbed her wrist with her sharp hand: "Vermilion, Hugh has to make a fool of himself!" Little Phoenix called me to come. I also saw Song Yiwen! ”

　　"The fox was scurrying around, and I thought Mr. Song was coming. I don't know you, how do you know my name? Vermilion said doubtfully.

　　"Can't we find a place to sit?" Vermilion, I want to talk to you carefully. Di Gong said, returning the knife to Zhu Hong.

　　"You have to keep an eye on my lover!" He was a very jealous man. Vermilion put the knife into her sleeve and walked over to the wooden puppet, pulling the puppet's clothes neatly. He patted the skeleton lightly again. So she took the candle from the alcove and led Di Gong into a broken arched stone door.

　　Inside the stone gate is the inner sanctum, and there is a fishy smell everywhere. Vermilion placed the candle on the broken wooden table, and then pulled a bamboo stool and sat down, and Di Gong also sat down on a bamboo stool by the table. The walls of the temple were half collapsed, and there were wild vines crawling on it, and a group of foxes were crouching on the wall staring at them with green eyes. A cool breeze blew through, and the dead leaves of the wild vines made a sound of serene.

　　Di Gong felt a chill whizzing cold, but Vermilion was sweating profusely, and his body was like charcoal. Seeing her wipe the sweat from her head with her hands from time to time, a red strip of cloth was tied between her unkempt and dirty hair.

　　"Why didn't Mr. Song come today?" Vermilion asked as soon as she sat down.

　　"He's very busy, so he entrusted me to tell you that he won't be here tonight."

　　Vermilion nodded.

　　"I know he's busy, he's going through a lot of case files, he's looking for the man who killed his father. Eighteen years later, he wanted to avenge his father. ”

　　"Vermilion, do you know who his enemy is?"

　　"I don't know, Mr. Song doesn't know either." He'll find it. ”

　　"You're an orphan, vermilion?" Di Gong asked again.

　　"No! My father also came to visit me recently. He's a nice guy. Suddenly her voice turned sad, "He came here to keep me from seeing his face." He said he was ugly, afraid I would see him and not love him. But that day little phoenix bumped into him on the way there and said he wasn't ugly at all. Why would he hide from me? ”

　　"Vermilion, what about your mother?"

　　"Long dead."

　　"So who raised you?" Is it your father? ”

　　"No, it's not. I've given it to people since I was a kid and resold it a few times. Then I escaped, they chased them here, I threw them with dead man's skulls, they were frightened, they ran away screaming, and one of them broke his leg. Ha ha! She lost her voice and laughed.

　　Di Gong saw her shivering unceasingly, covered in cold sweat like rain.

　　"Mr. Song is going to come once every two or three days, with his flute. My fox and I both enjoyed listening to him play the flute. Sometimes he blew me and sang, and he was very happy. Mr. Song treated me very well, he said he was going to take me to a happy place, he said he would never marry me. I said I don't marry anyone either, I don't want to leave here, I have my lover and I don't want to leave him. ”

　　"Didn't your father say he was going to take you somewhere else?"

　　"I told him what Mr. Song had said, and he said it was best for me to stay here, and not to go anywhere. I should be with my lover and the fox, and he has a point. Suddenly she coughed violently, "I've had a headache lately, my throat is dry, my body is sleepy, I can't stop sweating, and I can't eat." Saying that, he caught his teeth and fought with his teeth, and his body was cold.

　　Di Gong saw that she was very ill, and decided in his heart to send someone to pick her up tomorrow.

　　"You have to watch out for foxes biting you!" Di Gong said.

　　She listened angrily: "How do you say such a thing?" My fox never bites me, we eat and sleep together, we dance together, and the fox often licks my face. ”

　　"Vermilion, listen, this fox is sick, like a man sick. They get sick and bite you, and you get sick: dry throat. Headache, cough, cold sweat. Well, Vermilion, I'll see you tomorrow. ”

　　"Oh, go back and tell Mr. Song that he will bring my lover's gold and silver hairpin tomorrow."

　　Di Gong nodded and came out of the Black Fox Temple.

　　Chapter X

　　Di Gong followed the same path through the wild pine forest and returned to The Mingo Temple through the back door. Exiting the main mountain gate of the Temple, I saw two palanquins waiting under the opposite wall. When they saw Di Gong come out, they hurriedly lifted the palanquin forward, and Di Gong got on the palanquin and ordered him to go straight back to the county gate.

　　Di Gong returned to the county court, and he hurried to the Inner Ya Shuzhai to find Luo Yingyuan. He wanted to tell Luo Yingyuan about these situations before the night feast began, and then change into his imperial clothes to attend the banquet.

　　Luo Yingyuan had already changed into a brand-new Yunlong sea green brocade official robe, jade belt soap boots, and a light winged filigree hat on his head. As soon as he saw Di Gong's servants coming, he asked in surprise, "Where did Brother Di Nian go, causing the younger brother to search for it bitterly." Why haven't you changed your clothes yet? The guests have arrived. ”

　　"Luo Xianggong, I have something to tell you -- it involves the murder of Song Xiucai."

　　Luo Yingyuan was shocked and said busily, "Say it! What happened to the matter? ”

　　Di Gong then explained how to sort out the thread from a "Black Fox Song", how to go to the Black Fox Shrine outside the South Gate alone, how to meet Zhu Hong, and figure out the purpose of Song Xiucai's coming to Jinhua, etc. -- a detailed explanation to Luo Yingyuan.

　　Luo Yingyuan listened, his face was full of joy, and said, "Wonderful." Nian Brother Duan's means were extraordinary, but it turned out that Song Xiucai had come to Jinhua for another reason. It was the man who killed his father eighteen years ago who got the wind and tracked down the Meng family to kill Song Xiucai. What he was looking for was Song Xiucai's diligent inquiry into the records of the case. It seems that the most important record has been robbed by the murderer. Brother Nian, about his father's case eighteen years ago, yes, that year was Jia Shu, and he found all the archival files of that year—a careful examination to see if there were any people involved in the Song Dynasty. ”

　　Di Gong said, "Isn't it just song?" Song Xiucai is likely to have changed his name and surname. He planned that once he found the enemy who had killed his father, he would publicly overturn the case and go to the government to formally sue him. The enemy was a thief with a weak heart, and he first poisoned him. Oh, I also want to find Vermilion's biological father, this dog-ass hearted man actually let his own daughter live in that dirty and filthy black fox shrine - she is already seriously ill. Luo Xianggong, you must ask Little Phoenix as soon as possible, she knows the inside story. She had seen vermilion's father's face with her own eyes. Find Vermilion's father and ask who Vermilion's mother is. She wanted her father to take responsibility and let the poor little witch see the light of day and be a real person. Is the little phoenix coming? ”

　　"Here it comes. She was now dressing up in the east room behind the painting hall, and Miss Yulan was also rubbing her grease. Shall we call her now and ask? ”

　　Luo Yingyuan said, and suddenly saw Shao Fanwen and Zhang Lanbo coming towards the front hall and said busily: "Brother and slow, I will go to serve and wait first." You quickly go to the museum to change your eyes, and there must be a weather. ”

　　Di Gong resigned and went to his own building to change clothes.

　　At this time, Di Gong was really fascinated by this Song Xiucai case, and he was worried that he could not keep up with the investigation of this case. The biggest mystery now is who the man who killed Song Xiucai's father eighteen years ago was. He didn't understand why Xiucai went to find Zhu Hong again, was it just that "Black Fox Song" connected these two young boys and girls? It doesn't seem so simple. In any case, Song Xiu was fascinated by this black fox essence. Hadn't he already asked Chrysanthemum to buy a gold and silver filament hairpin? And Vermilion was still waiting for him to send it.

　　When Di Gong changed his imperial clothes and swayed out, the high platform outside the painting hall was already full of guests. Python robe brocade belt, sparkling light, laughter flying sound, Xi Xi Yong Yong. Guests gather on a high platform to enjoy the night view of the garden before taking their seats in the painting hall. Pavilions and pavilions, ponds and ponds, draped in red and green are all covered with five-colored lights.

　　Di Gong picked up his robe and ascended to the high platform, and greeted the guests. Shao Fanwen's purple python robe, golden jade belt, hook solution, and black shoes are self-satisfied and fluttering. Zhang Lanbo wore a deep imperial dress, second only to Shao Fanwen in terms of the color of the official robe, but far above the green-robed Di Gong and Luo Xian Ling. Master Ruyi wore a scarlet robe, and the collar robe was embroidered with a wide satin veneer, which was also dazzling in the imperial kingdom.

　　They were already there talking about poetry. Feng Ya, Chu Sao, Su Li Wuyan, Le Fu Ge Xing, Cao Liu Ji Ruan, Pan Lu ZhangZuo, Yuan Jia Yongming, Liang Chen Guanti, have been talking about the Shen Song Lu poems today, each eyebrow flying dance, yan red ears red.

　　Shao Fanwen suddenly thought of a good stroke from Master Ruyi. He said to Luo Yingyuan, "After the night feast, Luo Xian ordered him to go to the inner circle to get a large white practice, and asked Master Ruyi to entrust Him with a pair of pairs of wine." ”

　　Luo Yingyuan listened and said excitedly, "Lord Shao has a good idea, and we have since added a rare ink treasure." Master Ruyi could not be shirked. ”

　　Only then did Di Gong remember that he had seen many gatehouses and giant plaques with large sums of money with "Ruyi Weng". Those big characters are often six feet square, and the pen is sharp and condensed, flying freely. I couldn't help but feel a layer of admiration in my heart.

　　At this time, Master Gao came to report the luo county order: everything was ready for the banquet, just waiting for the vikings to enter.

　　Luo Yingyuan smiled happily and waved to the musician. A clock drumming together, the silk pipes playing. In the music, Lord Shao, Lord Zhang and other VIPs swung into the painting hall. In the painting hall, the lights are bright and the incense is pervasive, and a three-sided high table is placed separately and early, and the water and land delicacies on the table are staggered, and the cups and tendons are mixed. At the center table sat Shao and Zhang, with Di Gong and Yulan in their right hand and Master Ruyi and Luo Yingyuan in their left hand. Two giant pillars of Nanmu hang a couplet, and the tao is:

　　Fortunately, the Holy Lord rejoiced in the Year of Peace

　　Under the painting hall lay a large Carpet of the Persian State. On both sides of the zhenguo jiamu fluttered with a fragrant burst.

　　Luo Yingyuanqing stood up and toasted, and said: "The lower official will prepare a little drink tonight, the cup of tea will be invited, and he will be favored by the light, and we will suddenly shine, and GeXian will be full of spirit." The lower official Zhicheng prayed to heaven, but prayed for three wishes: one wish for the health of the vips and a long life; the second wish for a long bright moon and a clear light; and the third wish for the prosperity of the poetry world and the eternal elegance of the style. ”

　　I wish to leave the seat and raise a glass frequently. The next faction of the whiskers began to have fun again, and the vips picked up their cups and spooned the wine and meat into their mouths.

　　Di Gong did not expect to share a table with Miss Yulan, which was clearly a deliberate arrangement of the Dongdao Luo County Order. Di Gong saw Shao Fanwen and Zhang Lanbo talking about the anecdotes and relics of his jingshi, while Luo Yingyuan and Master Ruyi were talking about the calligraphy of King Zhong and the Treasure Of Jin and Song Dynasties. Di Gong took the opportunity to whisper to Yulan, "When did Miss Yulan arrive in Jinhua?" ”

　　"Two days ago, Lord Di. I was escorted to Jingshi passing through Jinhua, but I did not care about Lord Luo's invitation, and the prisoners of the order turned into guests. ”

　　"Where is Miss Magnolia now?"

　　"A small inn in sapphire place. Did Lord Di know that there was a wonderful dance tonight? The little phoenix in sapphire mill is an ambitious woman. ”

　　"I heard that she wanted to make a splash and make a name for herself in the dance hall." Di Gong replied.

　　Yulan said coldly, "Do you men know women's liver and intestines?" ”

　　"Do you know what kind of dance music she danced tonight?" Di Gong asked.

　　Yulan was just about to answer, but saw Shao Fanwen stand up and say in a loud voice, "At this time tonight, the bright moon in the sky is like a jade wall, and all the people on earth are celebrating a festival." Luo County ordered the grace and grace, and set up a feast of great hospitality, and single feasted on the poetry garden of my generation. On the poetry of the old man Early Jiang Lang exhausted, exhausted poetry, but tonight's grand meeting can not be without poetry, a few times during the banquet eyebrows should be let skirt, the old man took the liberty, proposed miss Yulan impromptu poems, in order to zhi today's poetry garden of the old people rare gathering. That's the title of "Opposite Moon". Although the moon is the same as the past and the present, but the situation is very different every day, this poem can turn out the new meaning of the most fun, I don't know what you think? ”

　　The guests clapped their hands and praised each other, and they all said a good idea.

　　Yulan turned her face to slightly rub the moth's eyebrows, glanced deeply at Shao Fanwen with infinite feelings, and after a little thought, she said the same:

　　Ochre gaoxuan,

　　Bright Moon is also the old state.

　　Painting the church to the deceased,

　　The waning sideburns frighten the Mid-Autumn Festival.

　　Ning complains about the thin powder of fat,

　　Empty hate years of stealing.

　　What is the heart of a concubine,

　　Qingguang Fei Yu Ou.

　　During the banquet, there was a lot of praise, and there was a lot of discussion. Shao Fanwen's face was blue, and his heart was unhappy. Zhang Lanbo shook his head and groaned, extremely appreciative. Di Gong was secretly surprised, and Master Ruyi couldn't stop laughing.

　　Luo Yingyuan gave Si Le a look, and for a moment the orchestra sounded urgently. In the moving music, two beautiful people with flowers and branches turned out, and the candles in the painting hall seemed to be prostrating four heads and dancing.

　　Two beauties wore a thin layer of light silk dance skirts, one purple and one white. At the sound of brisk silk bamboo, they began to spin in shock, and when one tiptoed up, the other knelt down to cover for it. Then alternate with each other, and change over and over again. The dance posture is light and the body is strong. The beat jumps fast - this song is called "Double Swallow Spring". A moment of accompaniment abruptly stopped, a team of dancers swayed out, danced for a while, and then retreated with the "Double Swallow".

　　Then two musicians each sang a new set of songs, with a singing voice, a board and an eye.

　　One by one, the water and land eight treasures were brought from the kitchen to the banquet. After three rounds of drinking, Luo Yingyuan stood up and said to the guests: "Fireworks are about to be set off in the garden, please wait a moment to watch on the high platform of the outer hall." After the fireworks, the Little Phoenix of Sapphire Place will dance "Black Fox Song". This dance music is based on the oldest fascinating local legend and is said to have been passed down for more than a thousand years. If the little phoenix becomes famous in one fell swoop, it will be on a par with 'poinsettia'. ”

　　There was a booing of public opinion during the banquet, and then the discussion began again.

　　Shao Fanwen's eyes showed a glint of ecstasy, and he said, "I finally saw the Black Fox Song I dreamed of. ”

　　Zhang Lanbo said, "I've heard that this dance has something to do with the Black Fox Spirit, and if the Fox Immortal has a spirit, I may not be able to figure out what is wrong, and I always have an ominous omen." ”

　　Master Ruyi was terrified, and his toad-like eyes kept blinking. Miss Magnolia snickered and did not say a word.

　　The music is up again, and the drunk guests need music to help with digestion. The gentle melody gives you a leisurely thrill. The delicious dishes have lost their appeal, and the trailer for "Black Fox" has caused a lot of commotion.

　　Suddenly, there was a loud noise outside the painting hall, and suddenly the sky was colorful, shining like daylight in the painting hall. Flower stars fell from the clouds, and strings of colorful fires dragged on their tails.

　　Luo Yingyuan shouted. "Please all the VIPs go to the high platform of the outer hall!" As he turned back, he commanded Gao Fang, "Blow out all the lamps and candles!" ”

　　A sound of fireworks bombarded, and the clear autumn sky like water was filled with clouds and smoke. All the lights in the painting hall, the garden, the hall, the pavilion, the water pavilion, the curved swamp, the rockery, and the cloister were extinguished. When the moon was clear, the whole courtyard was intoxicated with the festive atmosphere.

　　A large multicolored fireball slowly rose from behind the rockery, and sparks burst out from its edges. The fireball turned faster and faster in the sound of the "crackling" whip, and finally rose to the sky and suddenly exploded, sprinkling a day of colorful and brilliant star rain, which was spectacular.

　　"Wonderful, wonderful." Shao Fanwen praised loudly and triumphantly.

　　Suddenly, a bouquet of flowers flashed in the air, and a loud bouquet of flowers suddenly turned into a group of colorful butterflies, flying wildly, dazzling, and overwhelmed.

　　Di Gong saw Luo Xianling standing in front of him and couldn't help but say, "Luo Xianggong is really bothered, in the face of this wonder on earth, there is really a sense of so-called happiness and forgetting to return, and now I am glad that I did not return to Puyang." ”

　　At this time, there was another continuous explosion, and a golden and silver and shining flower plaque hung in the sky, and the three big characters of "Fu, Lu and Shou" appeared on the flower plaque. With another loud noise, the three big characters scattered into three dazzling giant stars, swaying and flickering in the sky for half a moment before slowly disappearing.

　　On the high platform, people's heads were clustered, the black pressure was pressed, and from time to time there was a loud cheer, but no one could see whose face it was.

　　Suddenly, the lights in the garden and the painting hall burst forth. The guests on the high platform climbed the armrest and began to return to the painting hall one after another.

　　Yulan had just returned to her seat to sit down, when suddenly she thought of something, so she said to Di Gong, "Yes, I should go and see if Little Phoenix is already dressed and it is her turn to play." She can show her hand here today. After raising her reputation, Shao and Zhang would recommend her to the Sect Division of the Beijing Division. With that, XingChong walked out through a round door by the side of the painting hall.

　　At this moment, Di Gong suddenly noticed that Master Ruyi was staring at the round cave door with a pair of large eyes, and he didn't feel suspicious in his heart. He picked up the wine jug and poured himself a cup of wine, and was about to close his lips, Luo Yingyuan shouted, and Di Gong spilled all the wine on his sleeve. Luo Yingyuan was stunned. Pointing to the round door, his mouth was trembling. Di Gong turned around hurriedly, only to see Miss Yulan running into the painting hall through the round cave door; her face was dead and gray, and she was terrified, looking blankly at her bloodied hands.

　　Chapter XI

　　Di Gong rushed forward to help Yulan and asked, "Miss is injured?" ”

　　Yulan was dazed and looked at Di Gong in a daze.

　　"Little Phoenix, she... she...... She's dead. "Magnolia's voice is so light that it's almost inaudible." A big hole was opened in my neck and I got a hand of blood! ”

　　Di Gong hurriedly said in a loud voice, "Ah, Mai Ji has an accident, come, come, Miss Yulan will first go to the outside of the studio to rest, and we will help her." ”

　　When Luo Yingyuan rushed out of the painting hall, Di Gong whispered to him, "Little Phoenix was killed!" ”

　　Luo Yingyuan hurriedly instructed Master Gao: "Pass on my orders, the inside and outside of the courtyard are sent to guard, there is no order not to let one out, you are now helping Miss Yulan to rest in the ear room of the outer hall, and no one is allowed to alarm her." ”

　　Luo Yingyuan then led Di Gong along a narrow corridor, and at the end of the corridor was the east wing of the painting hall, where the little phoenix was dressed. Di Gong pushed the door to see that there was no one in the room, and the bright light shone on the body of the little phoenix lying on its back. She hadn't put on her dance dress yet, her arms outstretched, and a pair of frightened eyes were lifted upwards to look at the ceiling in shock. His slender neck and thin crumbs were covered in blood. Her snouted cheeks, long pointed nose, and those two rows of small, pointed teeth that crossed up and down were easily reminiscent of the face of a fox.

　　Luo Yingyuan suddenly said, "Brother Nian, look at the blood-stained scissors, they are probably murder weapons." He said as he bent down to pick up the scissors.

　　Di Gong said, "Little Phoenix must have been killed when she was about to wear a dance dress, you see she was still wearing underwear, and the skirt and socks for dancing were all piled up on the table." ”

　　Di Gong picked up Song Xiucai's "Jade Flute Notation" from the table and gently incorporated it into the sleeve. At this time, his eyes fell on a small door, and asked Luo Yingyuan, "Where does this small door lead?" ”

　　"Behind the big curtain that leads to the painting hall."

　　Di Gong nodded.

　　Di Gong returned to the painting hall and sat down again, and said: "Little Phoenix was accidentally punctured by a pair of scissors that fell from the table, miss Yulan was panicked when she saw the blood, and at the moment she was bandaged and was resting." Vips don't have to mind, the dance is not successful, as usual, drink. ”

　　"Fortunately, I didn't hurt Miss Magnolia, I wasn't disappointed not to see 'Black Fox Song', we are mainly gathering today to discuss the poetry of Samadhi, not to blindly watch women dancing." 」 Shao Fanwen said.

　　Zhang Lanbo said: "I have long felt that there seems to be some kind of ominousness. Fortunately, he only stabbed his foot and defeated Yaxing a little. The multitude was caused by the little phoenix's carelessness--if the fox fairy was angry, I am afraid it would not be a small matter of poking and injuring his foot! ”

　　"Oh, Master Ruyi, I heard that your poems are getting shorter and shorter, and I still hope that I will not hesitate to write two sentences on the white exercise that Luo Xianling just brought to me, so as to remember the grandeur of tonight." ——Shao Fanwen turned the topic to making poetry.

　　Master Ruyi put down the wine cup in his hand.

　　"I haven't drunk enough wine today, and I can't get interested in writing big characters. You may wish to take a piece of paper with me, and I will immediately dedicate a poem to the host, Lord Luo. ”

　　Shao Fanwen smiled: "Ruyi Master has also drunk a lot of wine, his two legs are only shivering, which can write big characters: I heard that the more shusheng drank, the more calligraphy became more and more practiced, while master drank more wine, the smaller the words became." Ha ha! Come, call the maid to take the paper, ink and pencil! ”

　　The waitress who was waiting at the side was ordered to get a pen, ink and paper. Di Gong laid a five-foot-long and two-foot-wide piece of fine-grained rice paper on the table and waited for him. Master Ruyi smiled, ink was full of ink, and immediately wrote down two lines of cursive writing, just like the long whip flickering. Di Gong saw that the handwriting dragon snake was coiled, and the spirit was flying, and Shao Fanwen blurted out:

　　Coming and going, coming and going,

　　The heart lamp is extinguished.

　　---------------------------------

　　Di Gong was surprised in his heart and said hey. The maid of ordered the note to be framed and hung in the center of the painting hall. He vaguely felt that these two poems were not without the meaning of mourning the little phoenix, and also had the meaning of skynet restoration and neglect.

　　At this time, Master Gao came to report: Miss Yulan had a headache and could not sit on the table. Old Master Luo said that he could not accompany the VIPs to drink and rejoice, but hoped that the VIPs would make up for tonight's accident on the Jade Cliff tomorrow.

　　Master Ruyi looked up at the sky and laughed, picked up his robe and went back to the Fox Shrine. Shao Fanwen and Zhang Lanbo knew that they were not interested, so they also stood up and resigned. Di Gong and Gao Fang did not retain it, and ordered the music to be sent to the guests.

　　Di Gong bid farewell to Shao and Zhang and ordered them to follow. He and Gao Fang returned to the east wing of the painting hall. Luo Yingyuan slumped on the chair, his round face elongated, his stupid eyes looked at Di Gong, and he said desperately: "Brother Nian, I'm finished!" Heaven has done evil and cannot live. It's all over, this damn Si Tiantai Imperial Calendar! ”

　　Chapter XII

　　Di Gonghuan comforted him, saying, "Xiang Gong, there was a great murder in the county court, which made people suspicious, and this matter came out of nowhere, and Xiang Gong must be very cautious in his decision." I see this little phoenix is lonely and tall. Arrogant and arrogant, he rejected many men before he died, and there were people with long-standing grievances who took advantage of tonight's banquet to poison their hands. The man entered the east compartment through the small door behind the curtain in the painting hall. ”

　　Luo Yingyuan let out a long sigh and said with a mysterious look, "Brother Di Nian still can't see the trick played by Miss Yulan." You may not know her very well, she has an interest in torturing people and has killed people with her own hands. Moreover, many poets are fanatics, and they need the ups and downs of life to be violent and vigorous; now that they have harmed me, I have drawn and signed her escort papers, and I have acquitted her as admiring her poetry title, borrowing to enhance our feast tonight. Who knew that she had done such a big thing in my court again. If he is asked by the Punishment Department, the younger brother loses his future and is small, I am afraid that this head will also be chopped off. Saying that, he couldn't help but shed two lines of tears.

　　Di Gong locked his eyebrows deeply, and he also felt that things were serious. He asked Luo Yingyuan. "Did Miss Magnolia say anything?"

　　She said that as soon as she entered the East Wing, she found the little phoenix lying in a pool of blood, and she herself was momentarily frightened. Cough, at the moment she was laughing in my wife's room, and she couldn't really go crazy. ”

　　"Have you asked Magnolia, who could have killed little phoenix?" Di Gong asked again.

　　Miss Magnolia had said at first that Little Phoenix was a chaste woman, and many vulgar men had touched her thoughts, but they were helpless. The young lady said that it was very likely that a rogue rogue had broken into the east chamber and killed the poor little phoenix. The man examined the body and said that the murder had occurred at the time of the fireworks. Gao Fang and I have already asked all the miscellaneous servants, yahuan and even the music workers and cooks who are waiting in the painting hall and all the gardens tonight, and ordered all the doors of the courtyard to be closed, thinking that this murderer really can't fly away with his wings? Besides, the fireworks were not set off for a long time, and unless the murderer was very familiar with the corridor portals in front of and behind this painting hall, he could not have done such a clean and neat job in such a short period of time, and escaped from the Hengyuan courtyard alone. Therefore, I suspect that it is Magnolia's hands and feet. When she brought the little phoenix to see me that day, I felt that there was something bad between them. ”

　　"Luo Xianggong, with all due respect, will this murderer's suspicion be among the VIPs tonight?"

　　Luo Yingyuan was shocked and jumped up: "Isn't The young brother not drunk?" ”

　　"Luo Xianggong, let's reminisce about the scene when we watched the fireworks." When we were standing on the high platform, I remembered magnolia standing between us, right? In front of it is Master Gao. Shao, Zhang, and Master Ruyi were all standing behind us. When the fireworks started, I saw Lord Shao huddled in front of me. When the fireworks cleared, I saw him at my side. Have you seen Lord Zhang and Master Ruyi? ”

　　"Mr. Zhang has been standing behind me, and I remember going back to praise the beauty of this fireworks with him from time to time. Although Master Ruyi had never seen it in real terms, he could hear his applause several times. There was no one running around the hall. The young brother suspected my VIP, it seems that it is too reckless! The truth is that all three of my VIPs were present tonight when they set off the fireworks. ”

　　Luo Xianggong judged that all the guests were present when they set off the fireworks. At that time, the adults only cared about watching the fireworks, that is, some people retreated halfway and killed people and then returned to the high platform, how do you know? The inside and outside of the studio were pitch black, and who had a precautionary heart! I would like to ask again, Luo Xianggong, what do you know about Shao, Zhang and Master Ruyi? ”

　　"Of course, the young brother knows what it's like to deal with the big people in the court. However, whether Shao and Zhang are from the rank of officials, we are talking about nothing more than the way of poetry, of course, it also involves the appreciation of piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and antique treasures. As for their true character, naturally not much is known. But the two adults are both high-ranking officials of the imperial court, both are saints and poets, and they can be murderers? It's just Master Ruyi, this person is crazy in speech, and his origins are strange and his behavior is mysterious. Originally a disciple of Shimen, he did not like to chant the scriptures, read the Buddha, do the Tao, and participate in Meditation, but he danced and inked, and he loved yin and yang, knew a lot of witchcraft and evil ways, and taught the six lessons; he often criticized the people in the three religions, and his behavior was very strange. But there was no smell of misconduct. ”

　　Luo Xianggong's words were very true. Master Ruyi also inscribed two poems at the banquet. The poetry is also mysterious, the meaning is far away, and it is not easy to see through. However, when trying criminal cases, we must not only look at the superficial scenes, but also go deep inside and probe their bone marrow, heart, and liver. In short, these VIPs can't get into the suspect. The important thing is to examine carefully what the motive for this murder is. We have to go to the Sapphire Workshop first to find out what happened to Little Phoenix, which sisters she was dealing with, and whether she had any lovers. The guests had been in Jinhua for a day or two, and it was likely that they had already had contact before they met Little Phoenix tonight, or had known each other. When returning from sapphire mill, I went to the county school library to check what materials Song Xiucai was flipping through there, and the case file about Jia Shunian had to be read again. ”

　　(窅: Read 'bite', far-reaching.) ）

　　"Oh my God! Song Xiucai - his case is not yet closed! Two murders, really a big auspicious city! "Luo Yingyuan almost cried out." Brother, I heard Gao Fang say that Meng Shuzhai was a man of knowledge and etiquette, who had never committed any misdeeds or heard of any scandals. ”

　　"I also believe that Meng Shuzhai does not kill people. I once had such a thought, that is, Song Yiwen had an affair with Meng Shuzhai's daughter, and listened to the maid talk about Meng Shuzhai's daughter who often wept sadly to hear Song Xiucai play the flute. However, I have now found out that Song Xiucai's lover is still Vermilion, the orphan girl of the Black Fox Temple. Song Yiwen has bought gifts such as gold and silver filament hairpins for her. Didn't we want Little Phoenix to talk about Vermilion's father's appearance? The two of them had met each other when they were in and out of the Black Fox Temple. Zhu Hong's father still lives in Jinhua. Tomorrow I still have to go to the Black Fox Shrine to bring Vermilion to live in the county court, and you will arrange the next secluded house first, temporarily hiding from everyone's eyes and ears. Oh, come to think of it, the Minwu Temple where Master Ruyi hung tin is not far in front of the Black Fox Temple, and the Mage's strange attitude towards foxes is very puzzling. I suspected that he had seen Little Phoenix and knew Vermilion. The two poems he inscribed at the banquet tonight could not be explained for a while, but they vaguely revealed the news: he already knew of the death of little phoenix, and foreshadowed the day when her case would be clear. By the way, Luo Xianggong, tomorrow I want to go to the Jade Cliff to hold a wild banquet, but I don't know where this Jade Cliff is? ”

　　Luo Yingyuan replied, "This jade cliff is on the Shuanglong Mountain in the north of the city, there is a large pine forest on the cliff, and there is a real ancient cave under the cliff wall." Because the mountains are high and cloudy, there are often immortals haunting, and the end is a scenic mountain. The canyon below the mountain also has several clear streams of springs. It is the Mid-Autumn Festival, the yellow flowers are blooming, the golden laurel is fragrant, and the maple leaves are dyed, and the feast of the moon is really a first-class pleasure. If it weren't for these two unfortunate murder cases, we could have really sung to the wine and drunk all night. Alas, Wei Wu's poem says: 'I have guests, drummers and trumpets.' When will it be as clear as the moon? Sorrow comes from it, and it cannot be broken. How can the thought of this not make people feel depressed and frequent! ”

　　Di Gong hurriedly used words to rip open Luo Yingyuan's uncontrollable worries: "Luo Xianggong, the hour is not early, the tree building has been beaten for two times, I want to go to bed." Luo Xianggong should also rest for a good night, cultivate his mind and deal with this dilemma again. ”

　　Di Gong bid farewell to Luo Yingyuan and returned to his own premises.

　　Chapter XIII

　　Di Gong woke up very early. Birds chirp outside the window, and a thin morning mist lingers in the garden. The flowers and leaves of bamboo are stained with dew. There are already pawns practicing in the open field behind the garden.

　　Di Gong brewed a cup of tea, sat quietly for half a moment, and then began to eat breakfast. After breakfast, he went to the county office to collect a paper signature, and then hired a car to go to the Sapphire Workshop.

　　The car stopped at the gate of Sapphire Mill. Di Gong handed over the approval stamp stamped with the official seal of Dahong County. The ying bureau in the workshop saw that it was a person from the government, and did not dare to be sloppy, so he rushed to welcome Di Gong into the inner courtyard. At the turn of the inner courtyard, a white jade stone screen is erected, on which are engraved the seven large characters on a blue background of "Hundred Flowers and Flowers Delivery Spring Chang in". Skirting around a large flower bed with flowers and green grass, we come to a quiet small house with beaded curtains on all sides. Outside Xiaoxuan, there is a curved pink wall, under the wall planting peach ancient willows, Xiaoxuan inside the incense, lacquer a few rattan chairs, the brakes are neat - the owner of the sapphire workshop often meets here.

　　When Ying Ju went to a cup of tea, a pearlescent fat woman came from the veranda Yuanna, under the long eyebrows depicted, a pair of starry eyes blinked, the loose skin and flesh drooped, and the thick lips were smeared scarlet. Two maids came up with tea trays in their hands and stood respectfully behind the fat lady.

　　"Lord, the misfortune of the little phoenix has caused a lot of trouble to Lord Luo, and the old woman is deeply sorry. Annoyed old man turned to Lord Luo, Hugh had to worry about this matter, this is all zhang Zhi of this little fox's own birth..."

　　"Can the unknown master's wife tell the subordinates about the origin of some little phoenixes?" Di Gong asked.

　　"Oh, yes. This little fox was originally the young daughter of an old garden who sold vegetables, and had four sisters on it, and was sold to the factory three years ago. She learned to sing and dance with famous teachers and talents. Due to diligence, intelligence, and dancing very well. But this little fox has a high and stubborn heart, and does not like to be welcomed, so there are many scoldings behind her sisters. Some said that she had a fox's face and a smell on her body, suspecting that she was the fetus of a fox spirit. ”

　　"Ask the owner's wife again, does this little phoenix have one or two deep friends in the workshop on weekdays, and does he already have a lover?"

　　She often went to the Black Fox Shrine at the South Gate and said that she was begging the witches there to learn dance music. I promised her too. The witch was a poor orphan girl. However, in the wilderness of the wild temple around the south gate, there are foxes infested during the day. I don't know what wild men the little phoenix has met, and this fox has caused this killing disaster. Lord, she is lonely by nature, in addition to listening to me, she rarely gets along with her sisters, and she does not see any friends in the workshop, so it is not a good ending. ”

　　"The witch of the Black Fox Temple also escaped from here?"

　　The female courtyard owner cast a reproachful glance and said, "The old master forgot that our sapphire workshop is a song and dance hall assisted by the government, no better than the fireworks courtyard with three tiles and two houses." That fox spirit has nothing to do with our Sapphire Workshop! ”

　　"I heard that the witch's biological father was originally in jinhua city?"

　　"Never heard of it. Little Phoenix said that she was the only one who had ever been to the Black Fox Temple. ”

　　"Does the owner know Miss Magnolia?" Di Gong changed the subject.

　　The fat lady was already a little impatient, and replied, "Know, know, the Daogu of the Egret View doesn't know anyone!" ”

　　Miss Magnolia was also present at the time of last night's accident, and she was particularly sad about the misfortune of little phoenix. Do you know what kind of relationship Magnolia and Little Phoenix once had? ”。

　　"Obviously, little phoenix's foxy dance skills attracted her, and I heard that Miss Magnolia is also versatile." Orangutans pity orangutans, and women's feelings are all on this point. ”

　　"Do you know that there are any officials in the imperial court who know Little Phoenix and have come to see her in the past two days?"

　　"Not really."

　　"Well, thank you lord for your hospitality. Little Phoenix's right to die is hidden from the sisters for one day, waiting for the opening of the church tomorrow. The subordinate resigned. ”’

　　Di Gong went out of the Sapphire Workshop and returned to the county court by car, and went straight to the Inner Scholar To find Luo Yingyuan.

　　As soon as Luo Yingyuan saw Di Gong, he asked urgently. "What did you get from the Sapphire Mill?"

　　"Listening to the owner of the courtyard there, no one except Magnolia has ever gone to the Sapphire Workshop to see the little phoenix privately." Luo Xianggong, how do you make arrangements for this afternoon? ”

　　"It was originally agreed to come here to meet at the study hall and comment on the little brother's poetry collection." I longed for their guidance on my poems, which was a rare opportunity, but..."

　　Di Gong said, "This big thing is not a big deal, it will be held as usual." I only ask Luo Xianggong to allocate personnel, and if your guests go out to the gate, they must send someone to secretly stare at them, and then report to me. ”

　　"All right. The left and right prospects are lost, and there are not many to avoid. This was secretly delegated by the younger brother, and the younger brother was assured. ”

　　"Also, at this moment, the arrest will be ordered to go to the South Gate to set up patrols, meticulous work, and secret vigilance." But whoever comes in and out of the Black Fox Shrine will be arrested and sent by the way when I go there myself. At this moment, I went to the county school library and asked Master Gao to arrive later. ”

　　Chapter XIV

　　Di Gong came to the county school library and saw that the shelves where the historical materials and archives were stored were neatly arranged, listed in different categories, and compiled the dry branches and months, which were very organized. I don't feel overjoyed. A long table was installed in the corner of the library, and an old librarian on the table was immersed in compiling class charts. After a while, Master Gao also arrived.

　　Master Gao said, "Old Master Di, I don't know which type of information you want to consult, but military, criminal law, food goods, Fang Yu, Ru Lin, literature, Interpretation Dao, and Fang Ji have all been compiled according to the categories, and it is very convenient to search." ”

　　"Mr. Gao, I heard that there is a backlog of unsolved cases in Jinhua Province, and I just want to see the file of that unsolved case."

　　"Old Master Di, the Ninth Prince of the Year of Jia Shu plotted rebellion, and that was the most infamous year." But I haven't heard of any unsolved backlog. Hey, old Joe, do you remember that there was a backlog of unsolved cases in the year of Jia Shu? ”

　　The two sideburned old officials turned their faces, narrowed their eyes and thought for half a moment, and said, "I have never heard of a pending case." That year, I remember that there was a general Mo Deling who followed the Ninth Prince, and later was corrected by the imperial court, and I heard that it was a bit unjust, but it was an iron case and was not hung. ”

　　Di Gong said, "General Mo Deling was involved in the rebellion and was a henchman of the Ninth Prince, where is his case file?" ”

　　"Back to the old master, the case files involving the Ninth Prince's rebellion are all in the big red box on the right side of the fifth floor of this bookshelf. The files stacked next to the boxes were other cases that occurred that same year. The old official replied.

　　"Well, Mr. Gao, let's put the big red box and the scroll next to it all on this long table." Di Gong said.

　　The old official hurriedly picked up the wooden ladder, and Master Gao climbed up and hugged the big red box and the scrolls on the side of the box one by one. When Di Gong looked at it, his heart was panicked, this long row of case files did not seem to be able to read in half a day. Di Gong suddenly remembered something, and asked the old official, "Is there a Song Xiucai who comes here every day to read the case file?" ”

　　"Well, yes. He was a very serious student. He read everything, even he was interested in the material of the rebellion of the victims here two hundred years ago, and he had also turned over these case files. I just don't know how I didn't see it in the next two days. ”

　　Di Gong nodded, then pulled a stool and sat down, specifically picking out the scroll that had Song on it. Half a day later, the case file of a criminal with the family name was found, but it was a mediocre fraud case. Di Gong couldn't help but feel anxious in his heart, it was not simple to check the surname Song in this way. Maybe that Song Yiwen is not surnamed Song at all, isn't it a waste of effort! Di Gong sighed and decided to try his luck and go all out to find out the case of Mo Deling's rebellion first. Because the Ninth Prince's rebellion was the largest case in Jia Shu Nian, which may involve many people who were wronged and sat together, there may be clues in the case files such as General Mo Deling.

　　He opened the big red box and immediately found that the documents in the box were in a disorderly order and unevenly folded, and several wooden clips were not clipped. Obviously, Song Xiucai had read it carefully recently.

　　The first general volume outlines the case of the Ninth Prince's rebellion at the end of the book, and the wording is quite deliberate. It turned out that when the Ninth Prince was in Chang'an, he was impatient and suspicious. When the former emperor died, the holy lord took the throne and sealed him to Jinhua, originally asking him to cultivate his heart and cultivate his body and study. Who knows, he has developed an ambition to rebel. In addition, his courtiers shamelessly touted him as the most popular today, and his virtues and prestige, articles and poetry were above the princes, and his princess also instigated him to kill Chang'an and seize the throne. The Ninth Crown Prince, Mo Ma Libing, was waiting to act, and someone had already secretly reported to the imperial court, and the saint was furious and guilty, and a group of royal forest troops surrounded the palace, and the imperial court sent a message to send the Ninth Prince and the princess to Chang'an.

　　The Ninth Prince, knowing that he had been defeated, drew his sword and killed the princess and killed himself. The Imperial Forest Forbidden Army entered the palace and sealed all the seals and seals, and the golden jade treasure played. Household registration account book, palace silk weapon. ——That day was the fourth day of the first month of February in Jia Shu Mengchun.

　　Chincha, who held the Sword of Shangfang and was good at it, detained a minister of culture and military affairs who should participate in the rebellion on the same day, investigated and verified the fa on the spot, and prepared a document to detail the imperial court. The Nine Princelings followed without any luck escaping. At that time, Chincha received numerous letters of accusation, and Chinchadu did a careful check, fearing that there would be people who plotted to kill him. One of the anonymous letters denounced the retired General Modling as also involved in the rebellion. It is said that the Ninth Prince has secret letters and generals, and points out the pavilion where the secret letters are hidden in the general's mansion. Qin Cha did not dare to be idle, and rushed to send troops to search, and sure enough, he found two handwritten letters from the Ninth Prince and General Mo, and immediately arrested General Mo. The general denied that there was any conspiracy, saying that he had never exchanged letters with the Ninth Prince, and that he was a traitor who forged it and killed him for personal gain. Chincha carefully examined the secret letter of the Ninth Prince, believing it to be true, and then found out that a group of rebellious ministers confessed that general Mo had slandered the imperial court when he was idle, and the bones were exposed, and the iron case was like a mountain, so he immediately sentenced General Mo and his two adult sons to beheaded. At the same time, he had no family wealth, and all his family members were admitted to the government and sold as slaves.

　　An appendix to the case file that was sold as a slave bears the surnames of General Mordling's five wives and concubines and the names of the children of whoever they were. Di Gong was surprised to find that General Mo's second concubine was surnamed Song, and Song's surname was also zhu ju. The night before the original beheading of General Mo, she committed suicide by hanging herself, leaving behind a five-year-old common son name. The Song clan beat Zhu Ju as a memory because he could not sell it.

　　(钤: Read 'former', official seal.) ）

　　Di Gong breathed a long sigh of relief and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. He suddenly thought that since this Song Yiwen had returned to Jinhua to avenge his father's wrongs, he thought that he must have evidence in his own hands that could wash away General Mo's crimes. He struggled to find the whistleblower who wrote the anonymous letter, whom he regarded as the great enemy of his father. Di Gong also saw that the only basis for General Mo's judgment was the two secret letters of the Ninth Prince, and the content of the secret letter was unknown. Moreover, the confessions of the courtiers involved in the rebellion did not mention a word about the relationship between General Mo and the Ninth Prince. Chincha believed that the Ninth Prince was cunning and jealous, and that his collusion with General Mo might not be easily revealed to other courtiers.

　　Di Gong shook his head and picked out the attachment containing the anonymous letter. It was just a copy, and the original had been sealed at the Dali Temple. Judging from the writing style of anonymous letters, Di Gong is a superb handwriting and has a very deep writing attainment. In the blank space of the letter body, there is a copy of Zhu Pi of Chincha: "This letter is from an informed minister, and the content and handwriting are immediately checked. "The name of the author of the letter is indicated after the annex. Although Chincha offered a generous reward and denounced meritorious people, no one claimed to have written this anonymous letter to receive the reward.

　　Di Gong slowly brushed his long beard and carefully scrutinized the case. The Ninth Prince stamped a private seal in the secret letter, and it was impossible to forge it. Moreover, the original Qin cha was the Dali Temple Zhengqing, the most capable and upright criminal trial authority in the imperial court, who never privately attached himself to ahfu, even the princes and nobles were afraid of him. So what strong evidence can Song Xiucai get to wash away his father's heinous sins? When all this happened, he was only five years old, and he was in exile, struggling with a life through the adoption of his distant uncle, how could he get the first-hand material involved in a great case of that year? - Besides, he himself has now been killed. It seems that in order to find out this case, it is also necessary to find the figure of Song Yiwen's mother's family.

　　Di Gong summoned the old official and asked, "Mr. Qiu, can you show me the tax book of the year of Jia Shu, I want to find out the tax situation of the family surnamed Song." ”

　　The old official led the order to go for a while, and then he took Jia Shu's tax book and handed it to Di Gong. Di Gong specifically searched for the poor family who paid little tax. Song Yiwen's mother was the second concubine of the Mo family, and her father would never be rich. Not long after, he met a head of household named Song Wenda.

　　Song Wenda's occupation column is filled with vegetable farmers, one wife and two daughters. The eldest daughter married the owner of the ceramics sales shop, the husband's family was yellow, and the second daughter sold with General Mo Deling's house and received the house. ---------------------------------- Because Song Wenda had no heirs, this household was cancelled and Zhu Ju, the two parties of the county Sihu and Sicang, were signed.

　　Di Gong asked the old official for the tax book of the Ceramics Guild, and only after turning a few pages did he find that there was a small shop owner surnamed Huang, his wife Song Shi, who lived in an alley near the East Gate. ——Di Gong felt comfortable in his heart, and his face showed joy. He took note of the address of the yellow treasurer and the name and surname of the uncle who adopted Song Yiwenjingshi, and then pulled out the anonymous letter denouncing General Mo, and then returned all the case files to the old official, thanked him, and then hired a car with Master Gao to return to ya.

　　Di Gong went to Neiya to find Luo Yingyuan and reported all the gains in the county school library.

　　"Luo Xianggong, that Song Xiucai was originally the son of General Mo Deling, born to a concubine surnamed Song. He went to Jinhua to prove that his father had been falsely accused, in an attempt to find the man who had written an anonymous letter eighteen years earlier to falsely accuse his father—he might have held evidence that would have cleared his father of his crime. This is very much in line with what Vermilion said. At present, he also has an aunt who lives in Jinhua and runs a ceramic shop. At this moment, I went to find his aunt, saw that she lived in the East Gate, and then went to the Black Fox Shrine to take Vermilion back to the county court. Luo Xianggong, maybe I can catch up with the comments of your poetry collection. ”

　　Chapter XV

　　Di Gong returned to the building to change the sea blue robe and put on a black ben hat. So he left the county Yayi Gate, turned onto the street, hired a small car and went straight to the East Gate.

　　The car stopped in front of a row of bungalows in the east. Di Gong saw that there was a silk cloth shop, so he went inside and spent two or two pieces of silver to cut a high-quality flower gold silk and two horses of Wen Ge, and then went to the fruit shop to buy two smoked ducks and a box of moon cakes, so he looked for the Huang Ji ceramics shop according to the address.

　　Half a day later, Di Gongcai saw a small ceramic shop at the end of a curved and dark alley. Outside the shop, a cloth canopy with many patches was covered, and inside the shop was a pile of coarse porcelain dishes and tea sets, and drowning pots and pans. A ragged man is sitting behind a stall.

　　Di Gong stepped forward to greet him: "I don't know if Mr. Huang is the Yellow Treasurer?" ”

　　The man was very surprised and nodded busily, "Exactly." What do you want to buy? ”

　　"My surname is Song, and I am from the house with mrs. Treasurer," passing by Jinhuat to visit his sister. ”

　　Half-convinced, huang turned back to a middle-aged woman in the room who was burying her head in needlework and shouted, "Hun family, one of your own family members has come to visit you." Your excellency invited me to sit in the shop and wait for me to brew tea. ”

　　When the woman came out to see her, she was also very surprised, she had never heard of a brother in the family. Di Gong handed the gift and said, "Sister, the third uncle wrote from Jingshi to say that both his uncle and his parents had passed away, and told me the address of your home. Just when I was passing through Jinhua from Huizhou to Collect Accounts in Beijing, I turned to recognize my sister. Give two kinds of small gifts, chat about the appreciation, and hope that the sister will smile. ”

　　When the woman saw the silk and wenge, she shouted "luck" in her stomach, and when she saw the smoked duck and the mooncake, she smiled and narrowed her eyes with joy, and where to ask about the song. He recognized this cousin he had never known.

　　"Brother Xian is so broken, how can he go for his sister's sake?" Today, the lights exploded a few times, and I suspected that someone from Ji was visiting. ”

　　The Huang treasurer said busily: "Hun family, hurry up and cut the smoked duck, and then take a large bowl and a few porcelain cups." Today's Mid-Autumn Festival, I prepared a bottle of liquor early, I did not dream of smoked duck under the wine, it is really a big auspicious city. Hun family, I don't say a word about your mother's family anymore, but it turned out to be thriving and developed for miles. ”

　　The woman frowned and said, "Brother Xian, I don't know, just for your second sister's family, no one will dare to come to see us anymore." ”

　　"I have heard a little about Sister Mo in the south, and the second sister was martyred, although it is sad, but in the end, our Song family has got rid of the Mo family's interference. Alas, I don't know - what happened to Wen Xian's nephew afterwards? ”

　　"A text? In the early years, I heard that I studied in the Beijing Division, and I already had a meritorious name for xiucai. This child's heart is high, who would think of my poor aunt! Don't mention him! Come, come, drink and talk. The smoked duck is cut and the wine is poured. ”

　　"I heard the third uncle say that the Mo family was not good to the second sister and often abused her." Di Gong took a sip of wine and picked up the conversation.

　　"No, General Mo is very important to your second sister, and the husband and wife are also very affectionate." Yiwen was even more overjoyed after he was born, but your second sister was..."

　　"She's one..." Huang interjected indignantly.

　　Song Shi busily interrupted him: "Shut your mouth! Turning her face to Di Gong again, "There is no way to say it, maybe it is my father's fault," she sighed deeply, poured a little liquor into her porcelain cup, drank it on her neck, and said: "My sister was originally a very quiet girl, likable everywhere." When she was fifteen years old, one day she went to the wild to cut rabbit grass and picked up a fox cub, and she felt amused and carried it home. My father saw that it was a very beautiful black-haired female fox, and he was so frightened that he secretly slaughtered it. My sister fell ill the next day, depressed, as if she had lost her soul, and she was completely different from her head. ”

　　The Yellow Treasurer tore open a duck leg and sent it to his mouth, and on the other hand he couldn't help but interject again: "The soul of that black fox possessed her body!" ”

　　Song Shi nodded, and then said, "Father invited a Daoist priest who would specialize in mentioning demons and fighting ghosts, dipped in fairy water, burned the runes, and read many mantras without effect, so he was very anxious." At the age of sixteen, he will have an eyebrow with the descendants. Because she was born handsome, her parents could not put their minds at ease, and they stared at her back sooner or later, afraid of accidents. Later, when he heard that General Mo wanted to be small, he entrusted a lady Ma who sold comb pollen to say goodbye. Who knows that it is also innate fate, Ma Da Niang went to really say it, and General Namo's wife also looked at her three points. The Mo family picked up a financial gift, paid the dowry, and chose an auspicious day to carry the palanquin to the palace to become a relative. After beating her and giving birth to a text, all the people in mofu did not like her, and the subordinate slaves also respected her and rushed her to call the third wife. ”

　　(Grate: Pronounce 'must', a combing tool with tight teeth.) ）

　　"It was she who destroyed herself!" The black fox spirit had finally done something ugly. Huang Zhangshi drank a lot and couldn't help but say another word.

　　Song Shi plucked a lock of white hair from her forehead, and then said: "Yi Yao, I happened to run into a yahuan in Mo Mansion on the street, and she smiled and told me that the third wife would go home to visit her parents and sister once in half a month, and we all said that the third wife had filial piety." "I was cold in my heart and knew that things were not good. Because my sister has never been home to visit once in the past year. --------------------------------- We found a lot of medicine for her to eat, but to no avail, and a girl was born early. We didn't dare to take it in, so she threw the child on the road, hoping that the kind people would pick them up. Temporarily wrap the child tightly with a large piece of red silk. Usually only the monk cuts that material for robes. ”

　　Song Shi saw the look of panic on Di Gong's face and smiled busily, "Brother Xian may not have heard of it in detail, right?" Although it is disgraceful and insulting, it is always an old thing from eighteen years ago. As soon as I mentioned the poor niece, I would be heartbroken. He said and sobbed.

　　Huang said, "Yes, Hun family." What do you do with all these old things? What day is it? Xian Nei Brother still had to shed tears to show him so far away, and defeated his wine. Alas, we only complain that we have no children ourselves, so she will cry at the mention of the poor girl. Well, to make a long story short, General Mo had not returned to the palace for a while when he was deliberating in the Ninth Prince's Palace. Can paper cover fire? Later, when General Mo returned to his home to hear about this matter, he was not jumped by the Three Corpses God, and his five viscera were soaring. He was first taken care of, and as he tried to catch the adulterer, he was going to cut off the adulterer's adulteress's head himself when the business was over. That night, my aunt stole a gap and hung a white silk on the beam, General Mo did not have time to find the adulterer, and the next day Chincha took the Imperial Forest Forbidden Legion to surround the General's Mansion, copied out the secret letter of the Ninth Prince, and was kidnapped and taken to the southern suburbs to split his head - the two sons were also tied up and killed together. Luckily, Yiwen was a child, only five years old, so he broke free of a life... Come, come, toast the inner brother with a cup. What do you mean by these old imperial calendars? Being an official is not fun, and a holy decree is full of cuts. It is not as good as our poor couple, but we are at ease. ”

　　"Does my sister know the adulterer's name?" Di Gong asked.

　　Song Shi said, "That person's name your second sister has never spit out, only that she is an official." He is a man of great manners and learned, so he has captivated your second sister's heart and done such a thing that is unconscionable and unconventional. ”

　　Di Gong hurriedly took two sips of wine and then got up to say goodbye. The Huang treasurer and his wife stayed three times. Di Gong said, "Brother Fool is going to hangzhou tonight, and he will come back to see his sister and brother-in-law later!" ”

　　Huang Shou and Song Shi accompanied him to the head of the alley, watching Di Gong swing away in the direction of the East Gate before returning to the shop. The two mouths were overjoyed, and where to delve into the origin of this virtuous brother.

　　Di Gong returned to the county and went to the Inner Ya Study to look at it, but did not see any guests coming to the party. It was still early, so I hurried back to the building to change clothes. After changing his clothes, he took out a copy of Miss Magnolia's case file from the drawer. Hurriedly turned over, turned over to an anonymous letter denouncing the magnolia egret kanma cherry tree buried the dead body of the slain maid before stopping.

　　Di Gong pulled out the anonymous letter, and then took out the anonymous letter denouncing General Mo Deling from his sleeve and placed it on the bookcase. He slowly brushed his beard and compared them carefully. The two anonymous letters are both copies, and the handwriting of the two scribes is different, and it can only be judged from the text, tone, and style whether the two anonymous letters are from an author. Di Gong looked at it for half a day, not sure, shook his head, tucked the two letters into his sleeve together, and paced towards the inner court.

　　Luo Yingyuan was flipping through his newly engraved collection of poems, preparing to choose a few poems that he was satisfied with and recite in front of his distinguished colleagues. I hope that Shao Fanwen, Zhang Lanbo, Yulan, Master Ruyi and others can sincerely make a fair evaluation and write a preface to his poetry collection.

　　Di Gong saw Luo Yingyuan and said busily, "Luo Xianggong, I have made new discoveries." Song Xiucai's mother, General Mo's second concubine, was called the third wife in the palace. Later, he committed adultery with an unknown official, gave birth to a daughter, and abandoned the girl, who was none other than Vermilion in the Black Fox Temple. ”

　　Luo Yingyuan's face showed a look of surprise.

　　Di Gong continued, "The abandoned baby was wrapped in a piece of big red silk, and when she was picked up, she took the name vermilion according to the color of the big red silk. In this way, Zhu Hong and Song Yiwen are half-siblings, which is why Xiu Cai tells Zhu Hong that he cannot marry her. At the same time, it also shows that Zhu Hong's father may be the murderer of Song Xiucai. General Mo had already discovered the adultery before he was brought to justice, and threatened to cut off the heads of the adulterers himself after he caught them. Song Yiwen's mother knew that she would inevitably die, and Hang Liang committed suicide, and General Mo was beheaded by Chincha the next day. Naturally, the adulterer was not found. Perhaps General Mo knew the name of the adulterer in his heart, but he had violated the king's law and was too late to punish him. ”

　　"Oh my God! Brother Di Nian, where do you get a lot of real information? Luo Xianling was surprised and admired.

　　Di Gong said again. "I thought that General Lai Mo had indeed been involved in jiu Taiyu's rebellion, and that his death was self-inflicted, and there was no pity for him. And the good husband must have been afraid that General Mo would expose his adulterous affair, so he took the first step, and an anonymous letter put the general's teeth to death, catching him off guard. It was precisely when Song Xiucai saw this that he tried to prove that his father was originally innocent and had been falsely accused, which could not but say that Song Xiucai's intentions were wrong, and his plan was impossible to achieve. ”

　　Luo Xianling asked, "Since General Mo was involved in the rebellion and wrote an anonymous letter denouncing him as commendable, why was he afraid of Xiucai instead of putting him to death and then hurrying up?" ”

　　Di Gong said: "The whistleblower who wrote the anonymous letter must be an insider of the rebellion and a decent official." For the sake of fame, he must not allow his adulterous affair to be revealed to the world. In addition, I think that he himself must have been involved in the conspiracy of the Ninth Prince, otherwise he would never have known that the Ninth Prince had a secret letter to General Mo, and even knew so well where the secret letter was hidden. Later, Chincha offered a reward, but he still refused to show his face to receive it. This is where his cleverness lies, and where his cunning lies. ”

　　"Oh my God! Who could this person be? ”

　　"It seems that it is still my old saying, and like the suspicion of killing the little phoenix, it is one of the guests you have invited." Of course, it wouldn't be Miss Magnolia, because the murderer was Vermilion's father. Yes, in a moment Vermilion will tell us who this mysterious man is, although he is blindfolded every time he goes back to see his illegitimate daughter, and Vermilion can identify him according to the shape of his voice. ”

　　"Brother Di Nian, Brother Rong said, I think Ruyi Master will never be." He is a lewd man, and which woman will regard him as her lover, an ugly monk? ”

　　(Lewd: Ugly and tacky.) ）

　　"Luo Xianggong, I don't dare to say this." Song Xiucai's mother was a perverse person, and his mother's family blamed the situation on the possession of the soul of a black fox. In any case, she was only seventeen years old when she entered the Mo General's Mansion, and the general was already over the age of Hua Jia. Perhaps it was the strange appearance of Ruyi Mage that attracted her attention and love. Master Ruyi has a peculiar personality and is talented and intelligent, which can often make a woman emotional. And I saw that Master Ruyi seemed to know everything very well, and he spoke with great will, but he was a very suspicious figure. The Temple of Enlightenment where he lived was so close to the Black Fox Temple, it was most convenient for him to visit Vermilion, while everyone else had to take some risks. Luo Xianggong tried to inquire when he was meeting with the guests later, eighteen years ago, that is, the year of beheading General Mo, Zhang Lanbo and Master Ruyi were not in Jinhua. Lord Shao was the assassin of this Jinhua Mansion in Wuzhou, and there was no need to ask again. Yes, you may wish to inquire again, when Miss Magnolia was arrested at the Egret Temple this year, whether these three guests were also in Xin'an at that time. ”

　　(Trance: Read 'open and dangling', vague, trance.) Wu: Pronounce 'fog', the name of the ancient state. ）

　　"How did you think of Miss Magnolia White Duck View again?" Brother Di Nian. Luo Xianling was puzzled.

　　"I have a little bit of a belief that a criminal always likes to use the same means to achieve his criminal ends repeatedly. The same method of denouncing General Mo is the same: it is also an anonymous letter that accuses Yulan of killing the maid. At that time, this man denounced General Mo in order to achieve his own despicable goals, and this year he denounced Yulan, and It is uncertain that he also has his ulterior motives. Di Renjie said.

　　At this time, Master Gao walked into the inner courtyard.

　　Di Gong continued, "Master Gao came just in time, Luo Xianggong, I have an immature idea, I want to wait for Zhu Hong's child to recover health, I will entrust it to her aunt Huang Shougang couple to lead, they are not having children." At this moment, Master Gao and I went to the Black Fox Ancestral Hall to bring Vermilion to Yali. Di Gong said and took out the two anonymous letters in his sleeve and handed them to Luo Yingyuan, "These two letters are copied copies, you can only judge whether they are the same hand from the subtle similarities and differences in writing style, please take a closer look, don't tell anyone!" ”

　　Master Gao approached and asked Luo and Di to pay tribute.

　　Luo Yingyuan said to him, "Gao Fang, you are now accompanying Di Xianling to the Black Fox Shrine outside the South Gate and bringing the little witch there to Yali." I wanted to level the wasteland and tear down the temple. ”

　　Di Gong added, "Mr. Gao, you sit in a sedan with me, and another sedan carries the doctor behind us." The witch was not lightly ill. ”

　　Master Gao took the order and went to order the service to prepare the car.

　　Di announced the resignation of the county order, and went out with Master Gao to get on the palanquin in the courtyard, and the doctor's palanquin was also waiting on the side. The two sedans left the gate and went straight to the south gate.

　　When the palanquin was carried to the mountain gate of the Temple Street, Master Gao said to Di Gong, "Yesterday morning, I came here on the orders of Master Luo to invite Master Ruyi, and it took a lot of tongues, but he just insisted that he would not come. It was only when I said that I had your old master to participate that he changed his mind and agreed to come. ”

　　When Di Gong heard this, he unconsciously straightened up and asked, "Did he say why?" ”

　　"Lord, I just said your reputation for the interrogation of suspicious cases. If I remember correctly, the mage said he would like to hear what you think of the fox. ”

　　"That's the way it is. So Did Mr. Gao ask him what this fox meant? ”

　　Master Gao shook his head. Suddenly, he felt the palanquin stop, hurriedly opened the curtain of the palanquin and asked, "What happened?" Why didn't the palanquin go? ”

　　"Back to the old master, there was a group of people blocking the road at the city gate, but it turned out that the witch of the Black Fox Temple had died of madness."

　　Di Gong heard this, hurriedly got out of the car, and saw that six pawns were using the handle of their spears to block a warning at the city gate, constantly driving the curious and lively people backwards. On the road ahead, Vermilion lay on her back on all fours, motionless. The tattered skirt was covered with dirt and mud, which was a miserable and pitiful situation. Two servants were lifting her up with a long fork—a pile of dry wood piled up outside the city was lighting a fire.

　　The inspector knelt down and said, "Lord, it is best not to come closer, this crazy disease is the most dangerous, and we are preparing to burn the dead body." ”

　　Master Gao hurriedly asked the inspector, "What is going on?" Is this woman really dead? ”

　　"It's dead. Half an hour ago, we heard a strange and terrible cry in the weeds, thinking that it was a mad dog biting people, and when we looked closely, it was this woman who was running wildly and screaming, spitting foam in her mouth, and her limbs were convulsing. The soldier stopped her with a spear and threw her to the ground. As soon as she fell, she never got up again, did not shout or hum, and when she looked up, her pulse was gone, and there was no atmosphere. ”

　　Di Gong called the doctor to come and examine it, and the doctor also said that he was dead, and asked the soldier to burn the spear, the fork and the dead body together, even the bushes in the area should be burned, leaving no grass.

　　Di Gong saw that he had no choice but to sigh a few times and nodded. He instructed the master and the doctor to stay here to deal with the affairs, and he himself went to the car and went to the original road junction.

　　Chapter XVI

　　In the courtyard, there were three large official cars, and a group of yahuan were busy adding brocade mats to the palanquins and putting tea plates and fruits. In the corner of the wall crouched twenty-four servants waiting to be lifted, a wide placket with sleeves and red-rimmed printed shirts, a big red broadband with a drooping golden tassel tied around the waist, leggings and hemp shoes, very sharp. Inside the gate, many lanterns and tooth tags for "avoidance" and "silence" have been prepared, and the lanterns are plastered with the words "Jinhua County Zhengtang" and "Jinhua County Zhengtang". The guests were already dressed and gathered in the garden to wait.

　　Luo Xian ordered that all the guests had arrived, so he ordered the soldiers to open the curtains of the car and wait for the guests to get on the car.

　　At this time, Master Ruyi stepped forward and said to Luo Xianling, "Lord Luo. I have forgotten my big red robe at Mingo-ji Temple, and I have to go to the temple first. The guests got into the car first, and the poor monk had his own feet, and then he arrived. ”

　　Luo Xianling hesitated. Master Ruyi also said, "I am very familiar with the road of Shuanglong Mountain, and one of my brothers was originally the abbot of the Jade Kettle Temple on that mountain." Lord Luo, I remember that the poor monk said more than once, never prepare a car for the poor monk. Saying that, he lifted the Zen staff and flew out of the county gate first.

　　(Abbot: The abbot of a Chinese Buddhist monastery or Taoist temple.) ）

　　"Since Master Ruyi insists on walking, then my small car can also not be used." Lord Shao and Lord Zhang went to the first car, Miss Yulan sat in the second car with Jing, and Brother Di Nian and little brother sat on the third page. Follow the ranks, and follow them on horseback, without mistakes. ”

　　The car started, the military music shouted, the two columns of the tooth battle were separated, and the three official cars swayed out of the gate of the main hall of Jinhua County. The front covers the back hugs, the mighty, the flag is rolled, and the spear is shining. The horses and horses are all draped in red and green, and the official honor guards are mighty. On the road, the people hid one after another, and did not dare to look up.

　　Jinhua County Ya went to the Shuanglong Mountain Jade Cliff there are still fifteen miles of mountain road, Di Gongwu sat down, just want to close his eyes to recuperate, Luo Yingyuan said: "The matter of the young brother please, the younger brother has already asked clearly." When General Mo was brought to justice in February, Lord Shao was the Jinhua Assassin at that time. Chincha came to Wu and stayed at the mansion of the Assassin, and the two were extremely intimate. Assassin Shi Bi knew the details of the Nine Princelings' henchmen, and with a single point, Lord Chincha effortlessly quickly cut off the rebel party and reorganized the Gangji. Lord Zhang was also in Jinhua at that time, and there were riots in several of his manors, and he was hurrying from the Beijing Division to mediate, and the young brother knew that almost half of the good fields in the area of Dongyang and Yibird near Jinhua belonged to Lord Zhang's family. Master Ruyi happened to be in Jinhua at that time, preaching in the Jade Kettle Temple he had just mentioned. As for Miss Magnolia Egret watching the incident, she did not know that the three of them were no longer in Xin'an. Brother Nian has brought the witch of the Black Fox Temple to the county court? ”

　　(跸: pronounced 'must'; : Stationing: refers to the emperor's temporary stay along the way.) ）

　　"Oh, she's dead, burning outside the South Gate. It is said that it is a disease of madness and is incurable. I guess the root of this disease is the fox, she and the fox are mixed together, how can there be no accidents? I was very ill when I saw her that day. ”

　　"But it turns out, poor little witch!" Luo Xianling was also moved by compassion.

　　Di Gong continued, "I had hoped deeply on Vermilion and pointed to her to identify her biological father, but now this road has been cut off. But I am convinced that this murderer must be among your guests. This man not only wrote an anonymous letter to denounce General Mo, but now he killed Song Yiwen and killed Xiao Fenghuang, and I even thought that the anonymous letter that assassinated Yulan was also the work of this person. Luo Xianggong might as well recall that the key point was that Little Phoenix was on his way to the Black Fox Shrine to see Vermilion and was bumping into Vermilion's father who came out of the Black Fox Shrine. At that time, Little Phoenix did not think deeply, only felt curious, and later, that is, yesterday, when Little Phoenix met the two guests in the county court, he recognized him at a glance. It was in this way that Little Phoenix suddenly thought of abandoning "Purple Cloud Phoenix" and jumping "Black Fox Song" instead. Little Phoenix wanted to use "Black Fox Song" to impress Vermilion's father and hunt for favor, and secondly, she did not have the intention of blackmailing Vermilion's father. After the dance, she would ask Zhu Hong's father to recommend her to the Chang'an Sect Division. She was originally a girl who was bent on getting ahead, and this was a good opportunity for her once in a lifetime. However, she did not know the snake and scorpion liver intestines of Vermilion's father, and she did not know that there was such a mysterious and complicated inside story behind "Black Fox Song". Outsiders only know that "Black Fox Song" is ominous, and indeed lost her life, in fact, Little Phoenix is too naïve. I also blame her for being too strange and stubborn in nature, and she can't end well. ”

　　Di Gong poured a cup of tea, took a sip and continued, "As for Song Xiucai, he was a five-year-old child when his father was beheaded, and he was taken to The Beijing Division by a distant uncle at that time. What materials he got to wash away his father's guilt, we don't know. But his mother had committed adultery, and I guess he knew a little bit about it. His distant uncle must have later told his mother the true cause of death. When he came to Jinhua, he did not dare to recognize his aunt, which showed that he was ashamed in his heart. He must have found out from some indication or rumor that Zhu Hong was his mother's illegitimate daughter, so he came to Jinhua to meet Zhu Hong to find out the truth. On the one hand, he went to the county school library to check the detailed version of the finalized case that year, found out the flaws, and prepared to overturn the case. Zhu Hong was inconvenient to talk about her father's dealings with Song Yiwen, but she told her father song Yiwen about coming to Jinhua to try to reverse the case and take revenge, and then said the address where Song Yiwen rented the Meng family's backyard. Zhu Hong's father was afraid that the ugly history of that year would be exposed, and he first set out to kill Song Yiwen. ”

　　Luo Yingyuan couldn't stop nodding his head and saying yes.

　　"There is no clue about Miss Magnolia's Egret View, how does Luo Xianggong feel about those two anonymous letters?"

　　The younger brother seems to have slight similarities in the wording style of the two letters, especially in terms of words such as Yan Yanya. And these two letters are absolutely speechless, obviously from the master of the article, whether it is indeed a person's pen, the little brother really does not dare to rush to judge. Luo Yingyuan said.

　　Di Gong said, "I really want to see the originals of these two letters, I have studied the similarities and differences in my handwriting in depth, and I am extremely confident." It's just that this still has to go to the Beijing Division, and besides, the case files that have been sealed by the Dali Temple cannot be turned over casually without the approval of the Holy One. ”

　　Luo Xianling said, "Can't the young brother put aside the anonymous letter and observe it carefully directly from the words and attitudes of the three guests?" ”

　　Luo Xianggong's words were poor, and Shao and Zhang were polite and elegant, and they were well-known in the opposition. All have clever homemade. And old and sophisticated, the official set of coping is extremely skilled. Although he is an official who has been appointed to the throne, he is just more likely to be in office. That Ruyi Mage was even more dazzling and elusive, going in and out of the Three Sects, and it was difficult to recognize its true face. Therefore, it is difficult to investigate and determine this case without relying on the ironclad evidence of the mountain. ”

　　Luo Yingyuan sighed and lowered his head, depressed.

　　Di Gong was silent for a while, and then suddenly said, "Luo Xianggong, I was at the banquet all the time last night. I looked closely at your four guests. They talk about red tape, but they act implicitly; they reminisce about old friendships, but they are very restrained. The intestines of the literati have nine curves, the city government is deep, and the words are stable. I can see that the four of them are very familiar with each other, and in recent years, they have intermittent contacts, and they are now visiting your county together, so they have shown a layer of mysterious kung fu in their appearance. It was an exception for Miss Magnolia, who was born with a fiery passion and had just been in prison for a month and a half. A grievance should be complained. I could see that there was a great pain in her heart, and in the poem she inscribed last night, I could slightly see her struggle against fate and her mockery of her negative lover. The atmosphere in the gallery was tense for a while. I can conclude that her poem "To the Moon" refers to something, and refers to one of the three distinguished guests. ”

　　"Brother Di Nian said the song "To the Moon" last night?" Implicit but not revealing, resentful but not angry, its purpose is far-reaching, its fun is difficult to find, and it is the high quality of poetry. In particular, the impromptu gift, without thinking, is even more admirable. ”

　　"Yes! Luo Xianggong, tonight at the wild feast at Jade Cliff, I want to raise the case of the Egret View with Miss Magnolia head-on, while observing the color of the speech and seeing how it reacts. Slowly, turn the conversation to the anonymous letter. I thought that the person who wrote the anonymous letter must be very jealous of Magnolia and deliberately want to put it to death. But there is no denying that he is also an old friend of Magnolia, so he knows the secret under the cherry tree of the Egret Watching Horse. ”

　　Luo Yingyuan's face flashed a shallow layer of redness, "Said: "This is really a good idea." Brother, I'm on the sidelines trying to be as convenient as possible for you. ”

　　When the red sun sank in the west, the three official caravans and horses from the people and horses all went up to the Jade Cliff. Around here, there is a patch of ancient pines in the valleys and hills, and the name of the jade cliff is due to the turquoise color of the pine trees, and there is a dangerous pavilion on the cliff a mile away, and under the pavilion is the abyss of 100 zhang. At this time, the sunset was shining, the purple mist was filled, and the crimson sunset in the western sky was jumping and moving, covering the sun's rising fall. There is really a real ancient cave under the cliff, and only monkeys climb in and out on weekdays. Some of the monks of the Mountainside Yuju Temple also had the courage to come to this cave wall to collect Ganoderma lucidum.

　　Luo Yingyuan ordered him to set up a tent on the spot, bury the stove and light the fire, while going to the winged pavilion to line up the wine table. Miscellaneous servants and others are busy, needless to say.

　　The guests came down from the official car, and when they saw this jade cliff mountain with high mountains and beautiful pine forests, the sunset was flowing for a while, and the empty valley was full of smoke, all of them applauded and praised. Moreover, the delicious food outside the tent there emits a seductive aroma.

　　(崪: Read 'clan', high, steep.) ）

　　Master Ruyi had arrived early—had changed into a scarlet silk robe—and he saw the guests get out of the car, clapping their hands together to bless them, but a pair of large toad-like eyes flashed with a look of panic and uneasiness.

　　Chapter XVII

　　Di Gong followed everyone into the ancient pavilion, entered a cup of new tea, and then followed the railing to enjoy the scenery of this cliff. The canyon under the cliff is rushing with several rushing streams, and the loud sound of "consort" is also very real in the ancient pavilion above the hundred meters. From time to time in the empty valley, the clouds and mist steam up to obscure people's vision, and as soon as the clouds fade, the farmland, small bridges, houses, and water pillars under the canyon can be clearly seen.

　　(碓: Pronounce 'pair' for removing the rice husks of the pedal-driven tilted hammer.) ）

　　Zhang Lanbo said, "I still came here when I was a teenager, and at that time there were still people who jumped off cliffs and martyred on this ancient pavilion to receive the call of my Buddha." It's so beautiful in front of me that I want to write a poem to depict the landscape here. ”

　　Shao Fanwen smiled, "The old man already had poems engraved on this pavilion. A poem written by the old man when he accompanied the prime minister on a tour here was hung on the eaves of the pavilion by the craftsmen. Everyone looked up, and sure enough, there were more than a dozen poetry plaques hanging in the pavilion, and a poem plaque engraved with ancient records on a black lacquered gold background was exactly the large seal of Shao Fanwen.

　　Shao Fanwen said triumphantly: "When the prime minister came here, the DPRK also followed a group of literary soils, and everyone wrote poems in rhyme. The prime minister said that this jade cliff is like being in the clouds, and today's victory will be called the day 'Cloud in the Society': I think our Yahui today will not reduce the weather of that year, I don't know who can write an elegant title? ”

　　"In the fog." Master Ruyi rushed out. His voice was hoarse and his expression was grim.

　　"Good!" Zhang Lanbo shouted, "Today the fog is really not small, and there is a layer of white fog floating everywhere in the pine forest and on the high cliffs." The deep valley under the ancient pavilion is even more foggy, and this 'fog meeting' is very interesting and appropriate. ”

　　"The ancients made a five-mile fog, and today there are ten miles at the end of this fog, the heels are floating in the fog, the body is lost in the fog, and what else can you expect to see clearly in your eyes?" Master Ruyi said with a sly look.

　　Di Gong saw that there was a sound in his words, afraid of missing the heavenly opportunity, and busied himself with words: "Let's wait for the bright moon to come out of the East Ridge!" ”

　　Luo Yingyuan ordered his servants to put the banquet on the table, and brought many fruits and moon cakes to prepare in the pavilion.

　　Luo Yingyuan invited Lord Shao and Lord Zhang to sit on his left and right, and let Master Ruyi and Miss Yulan sit on either side of Di Gong, and Tuan Tuan was sitting at a table. Thick brocade pads have long been placed on the stone benches in the pavilion, and the wooden piers on which the feet are rested are pressed in front of each stone bench. Wine and dishes are served, and the feast is steaming hot. From time to time, there is a cold mountain breeze blowing outside the pavilion, and sometimes you can hear the mourning of mountain birds and the long chanting of autumn insects such as crickets.

　　Master Ruyi said, "When I climbed up the mountain just now, a black-haired fox suddenly ran out of the cave and stood up and cried at me, as if full of grievances. ”

　　Yulan smiled slightly and said, "Master Ruyi, I would like to hear some interesting stories about foxes tonight." The story of the black fox you told last time in Xin'an made me creepy and I didn't dare to walk at night, but tonight I'll see what more fascinating story you can tell. ”

　　"Miss Magnolia, this fox is no ordinary beast, it is as inspired and intelligent as a human being, and it is more sensitive and intense. It will become a beautiful woman who deceives people, but its heart is good, so it is often deceived, abandoned, and slaughtered. But its ghost is not for people, and it will entrust dreams to the Qing officials to curse evil and help the righteous, and avenge it..."

　　Shao Fanwen interrupted Master Ruyi's words, "Let's talk about the unfinished poems of Luo Xianling." One of the poems in the collection of poems, "Infatuated Love Lang", is not a portrayal of Luo Xianling himself! Ha ha. ”

　　Yulan said, "Lord Luo's song "Obsessed With Love" is not true, he has loved many women. Only by always loving a person, being happy for her, being sad for her, living for her, and dying for her, is it worth calling it an 'infatuated lover'! ”

　　Luo Yingyuan's face turned pale, and his heart was unhappy.

　　Zhang Lanbo said, "Miss Yulan seems to have the intention of making a promise to herself, and she rushed into Luo Xian Ling, and Luo Xian Ling did not care." Miss Yulan has a sincere and fiery love for him, for him, for him, for him to live, and to die for him, and is not an 'infatuated woman' - here Miss Yulan is punished to make a poem "Infatuated Girl", to apologize for her sins and to sing a good sentence and Luo Xianling's "Obsessive Lang" to form a wall, forever illuminating the poetry world. The foolish men and women of the future generations were ashamed, and from then on they did not dare to indiscriminately write poems and shed tears of love. ”

　　"A good idea!" Master Ruyi loudly agreed.

　　Miss Yulan took a sip of wine, and with the help of the wine, she asked for a pen and stone, and then approached a vermilion lacquer pavilion pillar and ordered her to hold a brick and a candle. Seeing her think about it a little, she moistened the pen, picked up the smooth and scarless side of the upwards, and fluttered a masterpiece. Its words:

　　Pondering and searching for poetry under the lamp,

　　Sleepless nights for resentment.

　　Zhilang Dynasty chased new joys,

　　Send a new title "Concubine Thin Life".

　　Shao Fanwen, Zhang Lanbo, Master Ruyi, Di Gong, and Luo Yingyuan approached the pavilion pillar together, chanted softly, and sighed frequently, praising in their hearts. Luo Yingyuan ordered the servant to expand Miss Yulan's poems tomorrow to hire craftsmen to prepare two poetry plaques, and hung the poems "Obsessed Love Lang" and "Infatuated Girl" in this pavilion together, talking about the victory of the moment, and hoping to stay in the future.

　　(泐: Read 'Le', inscribed, written with a carving knife.) ）

　　When Di Gong saw Miss Yulan sitting down, he leaned in and said, "Miss Yulan, I have read a transcription of the Egret View case and think that this case is not without a mystery. Miss Unknown whether I would like to draft a statement of defence for the judgment of the Ministry of Punishment. ”

　　"Thank you Lord Di for bothering. If I think it is necessary to argue, I will choose the wording myself, without the need for labor. ”

　　Yulan obviously did not want Di Gong to meddle in her case.

　　Di Gong added, "I have carefully examined the end of this case, and I think the most puzzling thing is the anonymous letter denouncing you." How did this whistleblower know so well what was going on inside the Egret View? The maid died only three days ago, and the incident occurred, didn't the young lady think that this was very thought-provoking? Did the young lady really know nothing about the man who wrote the anonymous letter? ”

　　"If I knew, I would have told the government." She raised her glass and drank it all up, and said, "But maybe I won't tell them." ”

　　Lord Shao, Lord Zhang, and Master Ruyi returned to the wine table, and they all proposed to drink three cups of Miss Yulan's poem. The guests are massive, and no one has lost their composure. However, Miss Yulan's eyes had already shone with a frenzied light, and her spirit was stimulated by the poetry of "Infatuated Girl" when she was inscribed, and by Di Gong's provocative words, and was stimulated by this fine wine. The rise and fall of his chest, the sound of thin breathing, and the beating of his heart could be faintly heard by Di Gong. He thought that at this time, he had to tease Yulan more closely, and the last sentence of Yulan just now had implied that she knew the person who wrote the anonymous letter, but she just didn't want to say her name.

　　Di Gong asked again, "The anonymous letter that denounced you reminds me of an anonymous letter eighteen years ago denouncing General Mo Deling's rebellion." The two letters may have been written by one person. ”

　　Miss Yulan looked at Di Gong in amazement and asked, "Eighteen years ago I was only twelve years old, what does this have to do with me?" ”

　　"Indirectly, of course. In Jinhua, I met the son of a concubine of General Mo Deling surnamed Song, who was also looking for the person who wrote the anonymous letter. Di Gong said and glanced at the full guests.

　　"Are you talking about that Xiucai with the surname Song?" I heard that he was killed the day before yesterday. "Magnolia Road."

　　"Because this anonymous letter is related to Xiucai's murder, I and Luo County Ling have specifically investigated the case of General Mo Deling."

　　Shao Fanwen said: "Mo Deling followed the Ninth Prince to plot rebellion. In those years, the Holy Father sent Chincha to bring him to justice. At that time, I was the assassin of Jinhua, and I had been assisting Chincha day and night in catching the rebels, and this Case of Mo Deling could not be overturned. Moreover, he was unscrupulous and slandered the imperial court, although he had made many military achievements. ”

　　Zhang Lanbo interjected: "I have also heard about General Mo Deling's conspiracy case, but I don't know what he has to do with the death of this Song Xiucai?" ”

　　Di Gong said loudly, "I would also like to add that Song Xiucai's mother, the concubine surnamed Song of Mo Deling, was an unchaste woman who had given birth to a daughter through adultery with an adulterer. The daughter also lives in Jinhua. When Song Xiucai learned of this, she came to Jinhua to find the half-sister and wanted to find the name of her mother's adulterer from her mouth. He believed that the adulterer was the one who had written an anonymous letter to put his father General Mo to death, and the adulterer got the information and killed Song Xiucai. He was afraid that the adulterous affair eighteen years earlier would be revealed, ruining his future and reputation. ”

　　Shao Fanwen asked, "So Di Xian Ling has found this murderer?" ”

　　Di Gong continued, "By chance, I met Song Xiucai's half-sister. She was the witch of the desolate Black Fox Shrine outside the South Gate; she was ragged, half-hungry, and with the fox day and night, the scene was very miserable. ”

　　"So, Lord Di, do you know Vermilion?" Have you seen her? Master Ruyi asked in surprise. His pair of large toad-like eyes all protruded. It was covered with blood, and a large mouth that was chewing was grinning in horror.

　　Chapter XVIII

　　Master Ruyi smacked his thick lips and said thoughtfully:

　　"I've also seen the witch side of the Black Fox Temple, her name is Vermilion." She called the foxes sisters, ate and lived together, day and night. Some say she was a black fox herself. Do you know her background? She had no father and no mother, and came to earth from nowhere. She had been sold into a brothel, but on the first day of reception she bit off the tip of the guest's tongue, which was exactly how a fox behaved. That night she fled to the Black Fox Temple. Since then she has lived in it and never come out again. ”

　　"When did Master Father see her?" Di Gong asked.

　　"I saw her a year ago. This time I came to Jinhua and wanted to talk to her about the fox, but you know that there are too many ghosts and ghosts where she lives, the poor monks and Buddhas are not enough, the Zen lights are not lit, and they have been stopped by the fox hare several times and three times. alas! Lord Luo, do you know that the girl who came to dance last night is also a fox spirit! Hey, she got her foot hurt by scissors, what happened? ”

　　Di Gong nodded and gestured to Luo Yingyuan. Luo Yingyuan replied, "Don't hide from Master Father, that little phoenix is already dead—it was also murdered!" ”

　　"I already knew." Master Ruyi was not surprised. "Her dead body lay in the East Wing not far from us, while we were still drinking, chatting, and commenting on new poems in the gallery."

　　Zhang Lanbo's eyes looked at Yulan and looked very frightened: "Also killed?" Did you find out that she had been killed? Isn't it true that the fox fairy has manifested the spirit? ”

　　Magnolia nodded.

　　Shao Fanwen said angrily, "Luo Xianling, such an unfortunate thing happened last night, you should tell us in time." We have all dealt with criminal bows, have experience, and are not so easily sad. Now Lo County has you having to face two murder investigations. What clues do you have about the murderer of Little Phoenix? ”

　　Di Gong saw that Luo Yingyuan was nervous and hesitated, so he replied himself: "Lord Shao, these two cases are actually linked in one place. Song Xiucai tried to overturn the case for his father, and I looked up to the opinion of the adults, General Mo Deling had indeed committed the mortal crime of conspiracy to rebel, and the iron case was like a mountain, and no one could turn it over. But Song Xiu was right in one thing, he thought that the person who wrote the anonymous letter denouncing his father was not out of loyalty to the saint, but to cover up his own despicable adultery, and it was with this same purpose that he killed Song Xiucai, who had found out the truth. ”

　　Yulan suddenly let out a scream, "Lord Di, do you still want to continue this terrible conversation?" "Her voice was trembling and her whole body was convulsing." you...... You are using a cunning and cruel method to tighten the curse tighter and tighter... You forgot that tonight is the Mid-Autumn Festival! You forgot that all of you are famous poets! You forgot that I am a sinner and can be executed at any time! ”

　　Di Gong said, "Miss Yulan should not be alarmed, as I said just now, the anonymous letter that denounced you and the anonymous letter denouncing General Mo are from the same dirty hand." I think that alone will make you understand what is at stake in the murderer's case. ”

　　Shao Fanwen, Zhang Lanbo, and Master Ruyi looked at Di Gong in surprise.

　　Di Gong continued, "Let's talk about the little phoenix's murder." You know that there is a walkway leading to the East Wing behind the curtain in the painting hall, and the murderer only moved the killing machine when he heard that the little phoenix was going to dance the "Black Fox Song". This song reminds the murderer that he is the biological father of the witch Vermilion in the Black Fox Temple, and in fact the little phoenix has already recognized him. He was sitting at last night's banquet..."

　　Suddenly, with a loud noise, Yulan jumped up and overturned the stone bench, her eyebrows were upside down, and her apricot eyes were wide open, and she saw that her iron blue face looked at Di Gong and shouted: "Di Renjie, you cunning litigation stick, demon ambassador, I have tasted enough of your set of tricks in the past two days, and I can no longer bear your insults!" My Yulan has already put her life and death on the line, Di Renjie, I don't need to hide from you, it was I who killed the little phoenix! The little fox spirit tried to blackmail me, and even mocked me with the old story of the egret view, saying that I was not worthy to sit at the banquet and watch her dance. I couldn't help it, so I stabbed her in the throat with scissors. Haha, it's really a sin taken by yourself, that fox-like face I have seen enough. Wang Lan was in a high mood, and his words were sharp.

　　All the people at the table were stunned and looked at each other. Di Gong looked at the two clusters of anger that shot out of Yulan's eyes doubtfully, and he couldn't help but shudder.

　　Yulan gradually eased her mood and continued calmly: "Song Yiwen is my old lover, and we have been in contact with Jingshi since then. Little Phoenix somehow knew Song Yiwen, and she told me that Song Yiwen often went to the Black Fox Temple to see Vermilion. She found out my secret from Song Yiwen and tried to blackmail me. ”

　　Di Gong asked, "Miss Yulan, what secret did Song Yiwen tell Little Phoenix about?" ”

　　"Although Song Yiwen is my old lover, we broke up very early. But two months ago, he suddenly rushed to Xin'an Egret Temple to find me and asked to reconcile with me. I categorically rejected him, I was hurt by men, I hated men, and I didn't believe men's rhetoric. It was then that I found that our maid had hooked up with a pilgrim, and my eyebrows were furrowed. "I immediately threw her out of the Egret View. That night I was out for a walk, and when I turned back halfway through the heavy rain, I was bumping into the maid sneaking back into the temple and stealing my suitcase. As soon as I became angry, I closed the door and slapped her with a whip, who knew that the maid was so bitter that she was beaten to death by me! Just at this moment, Song Yiwen came to see me, and as soon as he saw this scene, he quietly helped me drag the body to the horse cherry tree in the courtyard and secretly buried it, and immediately agreed never to be silent. After he left, I myself broke the door collar behind the Taoist temple and threw the silver candlestick into the well. However, he turned his back on the agreement and wrote a secret letter to report me, causing me to go to jail, thinking that I had rejected his selfish demands.

　　"Just three days ago, I escorted Jinhua just into the East Gate and happened to have a face-to-face with Song Yiwen. He invited me to his place again with a calm face, saying that the house he rented was in the backyard of the Meng treasurer's house near the East Gate. Back at the inn, I lied to the messenger that I had just met my cousin. Ten years had passed, and I wanted to take a leave of absence at night to visit him, but the messenger trusted me so much that he agreed. In the middle of the night I found the backyard of the Meng treasurer's house in the East Gate, Song Yiwen did not know that I really came that night, I had already slept, and I heard my voice quickly climb up and open the back door of the garden to welcome me into the house. When I got back in the house, I rebuked him for writing a secret letter to tell me, and he laughed and didn't admit it, so I took him back to the bedroom to get dressed, so I killed him with a machete, a machete that I had brought with me from the inn.

　　"Now, Old Master Di Renjie and Elder Luo Yingyuan, the facts of the case have been made clear, and you don't have to run away and get busy." Concubines are full of evil and have committed many mortal sins. Even if the Ministry of Punishment intended to excuse me, the three evil spirits would not fight with me. Since then, Magnolia has said goodbye to all the old masters. ”

　　Here Magnolia is calm and self-assured, and regards death as a homecoming. The guests at the table were already frightened and confused. Di Gong was robbed of his innocence by Yulan, and he also revealed the conclusive facts of these crimes, which was reasonable, and for a while the second monk was confused.

　　Suddenly Shao Fanwen stood up, his eyelids surprisingly resolute and calm, but his hands and feet trembled. He walked over to Yulan and took a closer look at Yulan, and couldn't help but burst into tears. His proud eyes looked at the black clouds in the distant sky, calmly straightened the deep purple python robe, and then buckled the golden jade belt, shaking his lips for half a day in and out of two sentences: "Magnolia - the old man has misunderstood you!" I don't need mercy, and I don't want to ask for forgiveness..." He said and jumped up and jumped out of the railing of the ancient pavilion and jumped into the abyss!

　　"Ah! ——"Yulan let out a miserable scream, and Di Gongfang understood what was going on. Busy leaning down under the railing to see, the canyon under the abyss is like thunder, the mountains outside the ancient pavilion are rushing through, and the autumn insects are long-singing. A jade-like bright moon is rising in the middle of the sky. The mountains were covered with a layer of white light like silver frost. A wisp of light mist escaped from between the caves, and it cooperated with the clouds on the edge of the sky in mid-air.

　　(岫: Pronounce 'show', peak, mountain or summit of a mountain range.) ）

　　Miss Magnolia finally regained her composure. Said:

　　"Look! When the moon came out, none of us paid attention, how bright, how round the moon! ”

　　Only then did the guests turn around and look at Miss Magnolia's face, which was as silver as the bright moon. Di Gong poured a cup full of wine into Magnolia's porcelain cup.

　　Magnolia took a neck and poured it all down. Voice sorrowful:

　　"Shao Fanwen, Shao Fanwen, it's the concubine who mistook you!" You have said several times that you want to build an exquisite tomb in your hometown, but who knows that today you have thrown away the body! Lord Di, Lord Luo, I just wrongly blamed you two old masters, the words are blasphemous, Hugh must remember. The concubine is already a wind candle spring ice, and her life is not long. Shao Fanwen's suicide has confirmed his own sins, he is the only true sweetheart in my Yulan's life!

　　"I met him when I was nineteen, and we fell in love, and the love was entangled and inseparable. He helped me secretly escape from the brothel of Kyoshi and come to Jinhua to spend the best day of my life. But he did not dare to marry me openly, because his father resolutely opposed his marriage to me, and besides, he was the lord of this Jinhua province at that time, for fear of eating people and laughing, and later his father married him for him, that is, the daughter of the prime minister, and we had to break up. He didn't leave me a penny, so I had to go back to a fireworks house and steal my life. There he fell seriously ill again and was dying. Later, thanks to Wen Dong's anode pulling me out of the water and fire, but in my heart I still miss Shao Fanwen, remember him day and night, and listen to someone calling Jinhua to come to Beijing to interrogate Shao Fanwen's information, my heart has never forgotten Shao Fanwen for a moment. It is difficult for you men to understand the woman's heart, and once a woman is truly in love with a man, she will love him like crazy and desperate, even though the man tortures her, mocks her, and even abandons her. Just as the so-called happy for him, sad for him, born for him, and died for him, there is no second person who can replace Shao Fanwen's position in my heart.

　　"I knew that he had seduced General Mo's concubine, and when General Mo found out, he first got down and wrote an anonymous letter denouncing General Mo. Just as the Ninth Prince was plotting against him, General Mo suffered. Shao FanWenyuan was very warm with the Ninth Prince, but he saw that the Ninth Prince's boss was talented and not a great weapon, and his rebellion was doomed to fail, so he did not participate in his plot. But the Ninth Prince regarded him as his confidant. Later, Shengshang sent Down Chincha and Shao Fanwen to cater to Chincha to report all the Nine Princelings' henchmen and nett them all. He has made great achievements and is extremely trusted by Chincha. Therefore, the promoted officer went to the Capital Division, entered the Jixian Hall, became a governor, and served as a companion to the Saint Shang to draft the edict documents.

　　Because Shao Fanwen had no children, he could not bear the daughter who had an illegitimate child with the Song family, but he did not dare to openly recognize her. Whenever he went to Jinhua, he always sneaked to the Black Fox Shrine to visit Zhu Hong, but he was blindfolded for fear that Zhu Hong would recognize his face. Zhu Hong told him about Song Yiwen's coming to Jinhua to avenge his father's reversal, and he managed to kill Song Yiwen. He once went to the Black Fox Temple and happened to run into Little Phoenix, Little Phoenix did not pay much attention at that time, yesterday afternoon Little Phoenix came to the county to see him and recognized him, he was afraid that Little Phoenix would reveal his true feelings, so he sneaked into the east compartment of the painting hall to kill Little Phoenix when he set off fireworks. This county was originally the palace of the Ninth Prince, Shao Fanwen often came and went, and the portal corridor was very familiar, so it could be done clean and neatly in a short period of time, leaving no trace. Last night when I saw the little phoenix killed, I immediately thought that he had done it, and at that time I was in a very bad mood and had a headache. He also never hid from me, and as soon as he told me in detail, I would not have said this under any circumstances if he did not die today.

　　"It is also true that I flogged the maid to death, but it was not Song Yiwen but Shao Fanwen who buried the dead body with me, and it was he who later wrote an anonymous letter to denounce me." I didn't know Lai Yiwen at all, and the words I just said about Song Yiwen were all made up by concubines, just to relieve Shao Fanwen. He knew I was obsessed with him, but he did everything he could to torment me. He hated me and was worried that I would one day reveal his true feelings, so he wanted to kill me without showing a trace. However, Old Master Di and Old Master Luo had already detected his behavior, and Old Master Di's big net had already put on Shao Fanwen's head. Out of old feelings, because of my crazy love for him, I jumped out to take over everything, and I made up a nonsense in an attempt to make Old Master Di relax his push on Shao Fanwen. I think it is also a pleasure to serve hard labor for Shao Fanwen, and even to kill his head, and I hope that he will always be so angry and charming. Who knows, who knows that he is a big husband, he pushed away my love, rejected my pity, my forgiveness. He felt that he could not be insulted spiritually, and did not want to survive the martyrdom of a woman. He committed suicide by jumping off a cliff, and his crazy actions made me feel that he was taller and more perfect, and it also made me feel that the world was already bleak and that I had no meaning in living. But in order not to bother Lord Di and Lord Luo, nor to the kind official who detained me, I would rather go to the lobby of the Punishment Department to accuse Egret Guan of murder and wait for the verdict. Lord Di, Lord Luo, please accept my magnolia worship, resist the concubine's language collision just now, and the exit is not inferior. ”

　　(愆: Read 'thousands', fault; sin.) ）

　　Yulan summoned the messenger who had followed him, toasted him with a glass of wine, and asked him to put on a chain for himself and go to the hotel in the city first.

　　Watching Yulan's official car sway down the mountain, Luo Yingyuan only then recovered his soul and woke up.

　　"Brother Di Nian, this turned out to be a big dream!" It's all incredible. ”

　　"Luo Xianggong, just now Yulan's every word and demeanor, actions and demeanor have been recorded, which can enrich the small biography you wrote for her." Her life, her poems, are all over by tonight, and you who compile and interpret her poems don't have to think about magnolia after today. You and Lord Zhang, who was stunned by the poetry of this scene, also sat in a car and went back to Ya, let me and Master Ruyi enjoy the moonlight for a while, eat a few pieces of mooncake, and chat about the sky for a while. After you return to Ya, you ask Master Gao to draft a report for Shao Fanwen's cause of death in as much detail as possible. Write down these touching and compassionate content plots in the past two days, let the Punishment Department and dali temple see it, let the bachelors of the Jixian Hall look at it, let the saints see it - and let future generations read this strange and wonderful legend! ”

　　There were only two people left in the ancient pavilion, Di Gong and Master Ruyi. Di Gong ordered that the fruits of the banquet be removed and the rewards to be shared among the servants and so on. The attendants led the order to go to the pine forest tent campfire to be happy and unsettled.

　　Master Ruyi looked at Di Gong and said meaningfully, "Lord, the fog of the ten miles has receded, and the 'fog in the fog' has also dissipated, and it is still a good mountain color." You look at the round moon, as if it is close at hand, Lord Di must not forget that we are here tonight to admire the moon! ”

　　Di Gong said, "Master Ruyi, you have a lot of pity for Zhu Hong, and I can't help but regret to tell you that she is dead." ”

　　"I see. When I saw the black fox halfway up the mountain today, I knew that Vermilion was dead. Lord Di, let me ask you a word, have you really taken Shao Fanwen's conclusive evidence? ”

　　"Not ever. Magnolia is too impatient. She jumped out and blew away the ten miles of fog that covered the mystery. If she calmed down tonight, Shao Fanwen would not say a word, just drinking wine and eating mooncakes, the whole ending would change. In fact, I wasn't sure who the real murderer was—Master Ruyi, and I was suspicious of you. Finally, Shao Fanwen will taunt me a few words, or write an oil poem to me, and everyone will drink the wine that Luo Xianling brought up from ya, and happily sit in a car and return to Ya. Tomorrow, the moon will gradually bend and darken. It was precisely because of Miss Yulan's sincere and fiery love for Shao Fanwen that she undertook all the guilt, and she thought that we had all the evidence of Shao Fanwen's guilt. The noble spirit of dedication has aroused a frenzy of self-conceit and dignity of Shao Fanwen, who is unwilling to continue to live under the forgiveness and pity of others, especially a woman. ”

　　Master Ruyi smiled and said, "This may be a play that was originally choreographed." Forty years ago, the curtain was unveiled when Vermilion's mother brought back a fox cub from the wild. It seems to us that a black fox has played a role in the human legend. From the fox's point of view, it may be that a character plays a role in the fox legend. - Hahahahaha. ”

　　Outside the pavilion, the moon is bright and beautiful, the autumn mountains are picturesque, and the world of night is like day.

　　(End of full text)