There was a sudden buzz of discussion among the customers in the teahouse.
Gao Chongjiu raised his hand, stopped Zeng Juan, and continued to ask: "Since he disappeared, why didn't he look for it? Why didn't he come to the police station to report the case?"
"How dare you bother the government with trivial matters at home? The store is so busy that I don't care about it."
Gao Chongjiu smiled and said to the people around him: "Listen, this is his daughter, and after running away for two days, she actually said 'not interested'?"
The crowd in the teahouse suddenly remembered a burst of disdainful comments. Cao Xuegang felt as if he was in an oven, deeply regretting that he had listened to his mother-in-law and sold Ming Nu to others as a maid.
In these days, it was not uncommon for children and wives to be sold into slavery, but most of them were from poor families at the bottom of the class, or were forced to do so due to sudden disasters. The business of the Cao family's tea house is not bad, and it has not encountered any misfortune. It would be very unpleasant if word spread about such an unprovoked betrayal of their daughter.
So Cao Xuegang hurriedly said: "Yes, yes, I'm confused, go report it now."
When Cao Huang heard that she was going to report the case, she couldn't help but become anxious. From her perspective, it was a serious matter to alarm the government. Not only would it cost money, but it would also lead to physical and mental suffering - in the yamen, it has always been "forty things that are justified and forty that are unreasonable". He couldn't help but interjected: "It's common for her to go out to play and not come back for a few days. When this girl grows up, she will no longer be controlled by her family. Maybe she was deceived by that libertine and ran away with someone!" How dare you labor the government?"
Zeng Juan was furious, pointed at his nose and cursed: "You shrew! My niece is only ten years old, how dare you slander her name and ruin someone's reputation!" After saying that, he rolled up his sleeves and was about to go up.
Li Ziyu quickly stopped him, but Cao Huangshi still insisted: "She runs out every two days and doesn't listen to calls to come back. What is she if she doesn't have a wild man?!"
The tea guests knew about the Cao family's situation and shook their heads. Someone then chimed in and said: "Police boss, you have to have a conscience when speaking out."
Boss Cao was very embarrassed. He knew that if this quarrel continued, he would not only get involved in lawsuits, but also have a very bad impact on the business of Tea House. He quickly scolded his wife and said: "It's true that Ming Nu has disappeared. As for why she disappeared, The younger one doesn’t know either. Maybe he was abducted by the flower photographer, so the younger one will report it to the official.”
"So, is it true that you told Zeng Juan this morning that he might have been abducted by the 'flower photographer'?" Gao Chongjiu asked.
"Yes, yes, it's true, it's true." Boss Cao nodded quickly.
"There is no need to report it to the police. Brother Zeng has already reported it today. Look at you! Parents are not as concerned as uncles!"
"Yes, yes, yes" Zeng Juan's brother-in-law could only nod and bow frequently. Mrs. Zhang glared at Zeng Juan for a few times and lowered her head unwillingly.
A few idle teagoers shouted, "Master Jiu said it well! Uncle Ajuan did it right!"
Seeing that he had finished talking, Gao Chongjiu said a few more words: "Find someone quickly, don't be busy doing business all day long" and "Take good care of the other two children!" Then he took Li Ziyu and Zeng Roll it out.
After coming out of the store, Gao Chongjiu took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and took out one. Li Ziyu quickly struck a match and lit it for him: "Master Jiu, look."
Gao Chongjiu took a sip: "Yes, the child was sold to this couple. However, they refuse to admit it now, and we can't provide evidence, so we can only stop here."
Zeng Juan was a little anxious: "What should we do?! This woman is a wicked shrew. If she doesn't suffer some pain, she won't tell the truth. As long as they are arrested and tortured, they will be able to find out their whereabouts." Come."
Li Ziyu quickly shook his head and said, "No, no, no."
Gao Chongjiu blew out a smoke ring and said: "When I was on duty in the Ming Dynasty, just because she was involved in the case, a chain was pulled to the squad room and asked her to kneel on the toilet. She couldn't help but tell the truth. But now it's the Song Dynasty. In this world, you can’t do this.”
Li Ziyu explained: "It is not my way of handling cases in the Song Dynasty. It is against discipline to do so."
"Then what should we do?" Zeng Juan originally thought that when the police came to the tea house, Ming Nu's whereabouts would be easy to find.
"We don't need Mingguo's methods. It's not difficult to force him to hand over his birth certificate and reveal Mingnu's whereabouts today," Gao Chongjiu said leisurely, "But Ajuan, what if he didn't sell Mingnu to someone else as a maid?" Woolen cloth?"
In the city of Guangzhou, there are two types of people who buy girls, besides those from wealthy families buying maids. One is "Qima" similar to Yangzhou's "raising thin horses".
This is actually a business of cultivating concubines and marrying them to rich people. Qi Ma is usually a concubine who is expelled from the house by her mistress due to old age or the death of her master. There are also concubines who have changed careers from brothel madams or "liaokou sister-in-law". In fact, the process is the same as training high-end prostitutes in the brothel: they also look for the daughters of poor families when they are young, buy them at low prices, and raise them as foster mothers, agents, and coaches, according to the standards of concubines from wealthy families. Cultivate talents, etiquette, speech and behavior, etc. They are usually served by maids, so compared to ordinary high-end prostitutes, they are no less generous in sex, sex, and art, but they are also "innocent", which is in line with the moral obsessiveness of some poetic and ritual families.
Another option is to be bought by a brothel and trained by a "Liaokou Sister-in-law", preparing to become a "Pipa Boy"
From Gao Ju's point of view, it would be fine if she was sold to be a maid or bought by a "Qi Ma". The worst fear is that it will be bought by a brothel.
Zeng Juan lost his voice and said: "This, this, they won't sell Mingnu to a brothel! How can you say that my brother-in-law is also her biological father!"
"It's hard to say." Gao Chongjiu said leisurely, "If he was really sold to others as a maid, why would your brother-in-law do this? I think he not only has a dark ghost in his heart, but this ghost is not young at all."
"What if I really want to sell it to a brothel?!" Zeng Juanqi became at a loss. Although he had no contact with the brothel, he had heard that not only was the place harboring filth, but the old madam and turtle slaves were even more evil. Even if a young master from a wealthy and powerful family wanted to redeem himself from a prostitute, he would have to be extorted from them for a large sum of money.
"Human, it's not difficult to come back. But if we ask questions in public today, your brother-in-law's tea house probably won't be able to continue. You and him have completely broken up, not to mention, those three children Are you prepared to take her back to support you?" Gao Chongjiu's cigarette butt was lit. "It would not be nice to spread the news that my daughter had been caught in a firework. I advise you to leave some room for it. This is also for the sake of the three children. .”
Zeng Juan knew that what he said made sense, but he was still a little frustrated because he didn't know Ming Nu's whereabouts.
Seeing that he was dejected, Li Ziyu persuaded him: "Master Jiu is right. After all, Shopkeeper Cao is the biological father of your three nephews. How can he survive if his reputation is ruined?"
Gao Chongjiu said: "Don't worry, your niece must have been sold - it doesn't matter if it's not a case of kidnapping. Whether it's a maid bought by a wealthy family or by a Qi mother, there must be someone as a mediator. If you ask, You know. If it was bought by a brothel, all the brothels in Guangzhou are also well-established. I have sent people to inquire about it early this morning, and there will be news soon. "
"Then we have Mr. Lao Jiu and Brother Yu." Zeng Juan knew that he owed a huge favor to Gao Chongjiu and Li Ziyu today. As a small owner of a scented wax shop, it was naturally impossible for him to repay them. Thinking about it, I can only take the civil service examination and report back if I have anything to do in the future. The pressure on my body couldn't help but become a little heavier.
"However, we also gained something today." Gao Chongjiu chuckled and turned to ask Li Ziyu, "I guess Ayu already knows about it."
Li Ziyu was confused at first, but after thinking about it again, he immediately understood: they opened the case as a "kidnapping case", based on nothing more than a sentence of Cao Huang's quoted by Zeng Juan. It was untenable upon serious investigation - this was what he had always worried about. Australians were very strict about discipline. What if they were punished for this matter or worse, lost their jobs?
However, today's conversation with the Cao couple in the tea house has made them admit in public that Ming Nu's disappearance may be related to the "flower photographer" - these words came from the mouth of the "guardian", But it's much more useful than Zeng Juan's narration. The problem of "forged confessions" that Li Ziyu was most worried about no longer existed.
This Gao Chongjiu really took every step and established his feet first. Li Ziyu thought to himself, secretly admiring him.
"It's still early, let's go to the shops on this street and ask anyone who has seen Ming Nu." Li Ziyu said
According to Gao Chongjiu's opinion, this investigation is actually unnecessary. But after thinking about it again, I realized that Li Ziyu also had intentions. Since the case is filed as a "kidnapping case", it is natural to follow the procedures of a kidnapping case. Whether it is useful or not, you have to go through the procedures.
"A man who understands," he thought.
The three of them distributed Ming Nu's portraits along Liurong Street. Several store clerks expressed their impressions of Ming Nu but could not provide any more useful clues. Of course, there were no clues in the first place, either Gao Chongjiu or Gao Chongjiu. , Li Ziyu, all were doing routine things, leaving only Zeng Juan, who was full of suspicion, following him.
Soon Li Ziyu entered the shop owned by Miss Dong.
"I know this little girl. She often stands in front of my shop and drools while looking at the food. But her parents are very mean to her and never buy her food. I feel sorry for her and even give her a few in private. Here’s the second cake.” Dong Mingxuan said after taking the portrait and looking at it for a while.
"Oh? Have you seen her during this time?"
"Speaking of it, I haven't seen her for several days. Is Officer Li looking for her?"
"She is missing now. We suspect that she has been abducted. If you see her, you must contact us in time."
"My maid and my mother were also kidnapped from Shandong. My maid understands the plight of being alone without any control. As long as I can help, I will do my best."
After walking around, Gao Chongjiu asked Zeng Juanqie to go back and listen to the news. He and Li Ziyu still had to go back to the bureau - they had to go through some paperwork.
