"What?" Zhu Dachang asked anxiously.
"It's something that touches the bottom line of the murderer." Lin Sui'an spoke with discretion as if he had seen it with his own eyes.
Meng Man stared at Lin Sui'an, his lips and teeth trembling, as if he was looking at a monster.
"The murderer was so angry that he stabbed Luo Shichuan in the left chest with a torch, and stuffed the things Luo Shichuan gave him into the furnace to burn. But at this moment, there was a sound outside the house, and the murderer hurriedly blew out the candle. Douse the furnace, and the contents of the furnace will only be half burned."
"My appearance was greatly unexpected by the murderer. In panic, the murderer could only knock me unconscious and drag me into the house. At this moment, the murderer suddenly came up with a brilliant idea to create a secret room and frame the murder charge in the house. On my body, I quickly tidied up the scene, collected the residue in the hearth of the wind stove, arranged the tea utensils, and wiped away the evidence that he had come to drink tea. I pulled out the stove on Luo Shi's chest, pulled out the leather rope from the bamboo slips, and placed it on the door and door latch. Grind the grooves up and down, go out of the house, close the door and make a secret room.”
"After the secret room was completed, the murderer found that the leather rope and torch could not be disposed of. Then he came up with another brilliant idea. He sneaked to the back of the house in Suzhou City during the heavy rain night and hid the leather rope and torch in the trash behind the window behind it. Grass, this is double insurance. If you can't prove that I am the real culprit, you can blame Su Chengxian instead."
Zhu Dachang was shocked: "What a vicious thought!"
Meng Man's face was so pale that it was almost transparent, and the ferocious and crazy look in his eyes almost swallowed up Lin Sui'an, "If it is true as you said, then everyone in Luo House is suspected, how can you prove that it is me?!"
"There are three pieces of evidence. First, when the criminal inquired about the case, you said that Luo Shichuan had asked you to invite Su Chengxian to the inner hall. The last person to see Luo Shichuan was Su Chengxian, but Su Chengxian was not at Luo's house that night. , so you lied!"
Meng Man: "I lied because I hate Su Chengxian, but that doesn't mean I will kill someone!"
"Secondly, it rained heavily that night and the osmanthus flowers were watered down by the rain. When you left in a hurry, there were a lot of osmanthus petals under your feet——"
"Do you want to say that you found osmanthus petals under the soles of my boots? It's ridiculous. After the death of the master, I passed by the inner courtyard every day. How can you prove that I stepped on them that day?"
Lin Sui sighed slightly in his heart.
This piece of evidence was meant to deceive him. Without modern high-tech identification technology, she couldn't prove it at all. I originally hoped to use a series of evidence to break his psychological defense, but unfortunately it seems that Meng Man's endurance is stronger than imagined.
Sure enough, being able to do this was the limit of a layman like her. If possible, she really didn't want to tell the last piece of evidence. It would be too cruel for both Meng Man and Luo Kou.
But in this situation, I can only gamble.
"Third, there is the weird circular blood stain at the crime scene." Lin Sui'an walked to the tea table and walked slowly along the blood stain at the crime scene according to his memory, "Luo Shichuan was stabbed into the left chest with a poker here. , fell to the ground, and then walked around several cases and walked to the door."
Zhu Dachang: "Ding Wuzuo once said that the position of Luo Shichuan's heart was different from that of ordinary people. It was born on the right side. Therefore, although the wound was more than four inches deep, he did not die on the spot, but died of excessive blood loss. If you think about it, he should Do you want to open the door and call for help?"
Mu Zhong shook his head: "If he was calling for help, the body should be facing the door or lying on the ground, but the situation at the scene was exactly the opposite. Luo Shichuan died sitting with his back against the door panel, as if he wanted to-" Mu Zhong was a little uncomfortable. Too sure, "Top door?"
Lin Sui'an walked to the door, ran his fingers over the door latch, and said softly, "I tried to create a secret room using the murderer's method. I tried ten times and failed ten times. But the murderer succeeded once. It was like a miracle." At this point, Lin Sui'an felt infinite sadness, "But he didn't know that it was not God who helped him, but the people in the house."
Zhu Da often gasped.
"The murderer didn't know that when he was dragging the door latch outside, someone in the room woke up and understood the murderer's intention, so he walked to the door and inserted the door latch, helping the murderer complete an extremely perfect secret room."
Zhu Dachang: "So Madam Lin, you and Meng Man are actually accomplices——" Before he could finish his words, Mu Zhong slapped him aside.
"It wasn't me," Lin Sui'an turned around and looked at Meng Man quietly, "it was Luo Shichuan who helped you bolt the door and create a perfect secret room."
This is the last move to break down the murderer's psychological defense. Success or failure depends on this!
There was deathly silence in the room, and everyone changed their colors in shock.
Luo Kou's lips trembled, "What...what..."
Meng Man froze in place like a stone statue. It took him a long time to hear clearly what Lin Sui'an said. He shook his head repeatedly and said, "Impossible! Impossible!!" His voice got louder and louder, and finally turned into a roar, "It's impossible not to. Probably impossible! Impossible!!”
"Obviously he was the murderer who seriously injured himself, why did he still protect him when he was about to die?" Lin Sui'an's eyes were sore as he approached Meng Man step by step, "Because the murderer is Luo Shichuan's closest relative and the child he loves most. The one he regards as his biological son——"
"Impossible! You are talking nonsense!" Meng Man pushed Lin Sui'an away fiercely, and the veins in his neck were beating wildly. "He clearly wanted to expel me at that time -" Meng Man choked suddenly, his face changed drastically, but it was already too late .
Zhu Dachang: "At that time?"
Mu Zhong sneered: "When?"
"When was that time?" Lin Sui'an's voice was as sharp as a knife, tearing apart Meng Man's last disguise, "When was it when you personally pierced the fire into Luo Shichuan's chest? His blood was hot? His blood Has it ever splashed on you? Has he ever looked into your eyes and whispered your nickname? Man'er, kill him! Kill your dearest grandpa!"
Meng Man staggered back, his eyes trembling, shaking his head wildly, and suddenly looked at Luo Kou. Luo Kou stared at him in shock, her whole body shaking like chaff, unable to say a word, and tears bursting out of her eyes uncontrollably.
"He is not my grandfather! He wants to expel me from the Luo family! Do you know what I saw? It's a divorce letter! Luo Shichuan wants to sever the father-son relationship between me and him!" Meng Man knelt on the ground and held his head in his hands. , seeming to scream and say to himself, "I am Luo's child! I can only be Luo's child. No one can drive me away from Luo! Not even Luo Shichuan!"
Zhu Dachang looked unbearable, Mu Zhong shook his head and sighed, and Luo Kou closed his eyes and cried silently.
Lin Sui'an turned to look at the tall osmanthus tree in the courtyard, and softened his voice as if he was afraid of being surprised by the fragrance of flowers in the air, "There is one last decisive piece of evidence, which is hidden under the osmanthus tree."
*
Zhu Dachang directed Li Nili to lead the bad guys to dig wildly around the osmanthus tree, hoping to find the "decisive evidence" that Lin Sui'an said. Unfortunately, there has been little progress so far.
The tied-up Meng Man was sitting on his knees in the shade of a tree, guarded by two bad guys. His expression was blank and his eyes were empty, as if all his strength had been used up from crying loudly just now.
Luo Kou stood far away on the other side, staring at the crown of the sweet-scented osmanthus tree with her red eyes. She could no longer shed tears. Suddenly, she smiled for some reason, and her smile was creepy.
"There seems to be something wrong with the young lady of the Luo family," Mu Zhong said in a low voice, "I have seen such people before when I was handling cases. The grandpa killed the grandma, and the close relatives killed the close relatives. Although the case was solved, the victim did not know what happened. If you don't accept the truth and add in the gossip from the neighbors, you will either go crazy or die."
Lin Sui'an said nothing. What Luo Kou needs now is time and a psychiatrist, and she can't help her with her half-heartedness. She can only place her hope on the memory images that Goldfinger saw. If her guess is correct, what Goldfinger saw can not only save Luo Kou, but also save Meng Man's crazy heart.
"Found it! There is a wooden box buried here!" Lin Nili shouted.
Mu Zhong gave Lin Sui'an a strange look. Zhu Da often wiped the dirt on the wooden box with his sleeves and ran over, "Hey, Mrs. Lin, you are so amazing! There is really something hidden under this tree!"
The bad guys gathered around, looking at Lin Sui'an with burning eyes, urging her to open it quickly.
Lin Sui'an called Luo Kou's name, "Madam of the Luo family, this should be something your father left for you and -" Lin Sui'an paused, "Meng Man's things."
Luo Kou was startled and opened the lid of the box with trembling fingers. There were several scrolls lying in the wooden box. Mu Zhong recognized them at a glance, "They are the land deed of the shop and the business documents of the caravan." Then he suddenly realized, "No wonder I couldn’t find it, it turned out that it was buried by the Luo family head.”
Lin Sui'an didn't pay attention to the land deed at all, and said directly, "There should be something else below."
Luo Kou seemed puzzled, but still followed the instructions and rummaged around. Sure enough, there were two white envelopes under the land deed. They were the same as what Lin Sui'an saw in the golden finger. There was still a faint scent of osmanthus. The backs of the envelopes were There are small characters written on it, "To my daughter" and "To my son".
Luo Kou's fingers shook even more violently as she opened the letter that belonged to her.
Sunlight slipped from the osmanthus leaves, flowed on the letter paper covered with writing, and poured into Luo Kou's eyes. Finally, it turned into crystal clear teardrops, and the ink on the paper was blurred drop by drop. Luo Kou hurriedly wiped it, but the more he wiped it, the more he wiped it. The more dizzy he became, his body went limp and he fell to the ground, crying hoarsely.
Mu Zhong and other rough men looked at each other in confusion. No one understood what was going on, and no one dared to dissuade them. They all looked at Lin Sui'an eagerly.
Although Lin Sui'an didn't see the content of the letter, she could probably guess what Luo Shichuan wrote. Her eyes were sore, she took a long breath, picked up the letter that belonged to Meng Man, and walked away with the osmanthus flowers on the ground. When he arrived in front of Meng Man, he lifted his robe and squatted down, "This is the last message Luo Shichuan left for you. Do you want to read it yourself or should I read it for you?"
Meng Man lowered his eyes and looked at the ground, seemingly not hearing Lin Sui'an's voice at all.
Lin Sui'an opened the envelope and took out a thin page of paper. The handwriting on the paper was vigorous and powerful, penetrating through the back of the paper, and there was a faint hint of kindness.
[My son Meng Man: After careful consideration, I have decided to sever the relationship between you and me as foster father and son, and transfer the two caravans "Wanli" and "Yangyan" to your name. From now on, you and the caravan no longer need to be bound by Roche. You have ambitions all over the world, and you should not succumb to the Luo family. With your ability, you will definitely achieve success in time. As a father, I have great expectations. 】
Meng Man slowly raised his head, and an expression gradually appeared on his dazed face. It was an expression that was difficult to describe, as if grief, regret, relief, pain, joy and other emotions turned into sharp thorns running down his chest. Pores were drilled out and his flesh was peeled off, leaving only a patch of blood dripping in the end.
He stretched out his hand tremblingly, and the moment his fingertips touched the letter, he retracted it like fire. His hands were still clean and white, but only he knew that the blood on his hands that night could no longer be washed away.
"Grandpa! Grandpa!! Grandpa - Grandpa..." Meng Man raised his head and shouted, crying blood. No one could answer him anymore. The withered osmanthus fell on his head with the wind, leaving it behind tenderly. The last touch of sweet fragrance.
*
Lin Sui'an was twenty-seven years old before she traveled through time. She was ten years younger when she came to this world. She should have been a happy seventeen-year-old, but now she is ten years older. The illusion can be expressed in one word: premature aging. ...Ah no, you will grow old before you grow old.
"The head of the Luo family is so foresight. He transferred the land deed of the shop to the name of the young lady of the Luo family long ago. Now the Luo family can only hold their noses and separate the family. I guess they will scold me even when they sleep in bed!" Zhu Dachang gave it to him with charcoal in his arms. Entering the wind furnace, I was very happy about my misfortune.
Mu Zhong sprinkled strange yellow and green spices into the tea cauldron: "The two caravans under Meng Man's name were also transferred to the Luo family. It is estimated that the Luo family leader originally wanted the two brothers and sisters to help each other. He never thought that now The lady of the Luo family has become the sole leader. Fortunately, the lady of the Luo family has made great progress after this, and the hard work of the Luo family master is not in vain, but Meng Man..."
"Meng Man seems to be crazy. He talks to himself in prison every day. I listened to it several times out of curiosity. What do you think about the divorce letter? It was not given to him by the Luo family master at all, but Meng Man had doubts in his heart. , I found it secretly. I estimate that the head of the Luo family planned to show Meng Man the letter first, and then give the divorce papers. Oops, wrong step, wrong step!" Zhu Dachang sprinkled another handful of chopped green onions, "Killing My father committed one of the ten most evil crimes, and when the case files are submitted to Dali Temple for approval, the punishment will most likely be beheading. Meng Man will have to live half-mad and half-stupid for several months, and I don’t know whether it is a blessing or a curse."
Mu Zhong: "It's so sad and unforgivable."
Zhu Dachang: "I have no choice but to turn my head in vain."
The two actually sang poems to each other.
The room was filled with an inexplicable smell of pungency and sourness, which made Lin Sui'an's temples beat wildly. "You two, if you have something to say, please speak frankly. There is no need to brew poison to kill people here."
"This is the 'smoked tea' that is popular in Yangdu," Mu Zhong leaned over to the cauldron and smelled it, "it should be ready. Come on, come on, you're welcome, give it a try."
The tea in the bowl was yellowish brown, with green onions and crushed pepper shells floating in the air. Lin Sui'an bit the bullet and closed his eyes and took a sip. Good guy, the tea was burning in his stomach and his soul was floating in his head.
The three of them were as stiff as stone, silently looking at the tea bowl for a long time, and at the same time happily made a decision.
Mr. Mu: "Tea is an elegant thing. It is not suitable for rough people like me."
Mu Zhong: "That's right."
Lin Sui'an: "..."
"Actually, I came here this time because there are still some unclear aspects of the case and I wanted to ask Mrs. Lin for advice," Mu Zhong said. "Since Meng Man wanted to frame you as the murderer, why didn't he smear blood on your hands?"
Lin Sui'an: "..."
She wasn't Meng full of roundworms, so how could she possibly know.
Although Lin Sui'an wanted to retaliate like this, but looking at Mu Zhong's admiring and expectant eyes, he swallowed his words hard.
The character of the famous detective created by her working hard from dawn to dusk cannot be broken.
Lin Sui'an wanted to drink tea strategically and pretend to be sophisticated, but as soon as his lips touched the tea, he quickly pulled back, cleared his throat and said, "Maybe Meng Man was too confused and forgot at the time, or maybe his conscience realized at the last moment, You want to leave me a way to survive." Speaking of this, I remembered what Mu Zhong said, "The most vicious people always have some abnormal minds."
Mu Zhong raised his eyebrows, stroking his beard and asked again: "Why do you have to use a torch to wear down the door latch and door panel instead of using something else?"
Lin Sui'an: "..."
You're not done yet, are you? !
"Maybe it's because he couldn't find a handy tool at the moment, maybe he wanted Luo Shichuan to die faster, maybe..." Lin Sui'an paused, "When he was working on the secret room, he planned to take Huo Ni out to marry him. The trouble lies with Mr. Su Cheng. The secret room is just a cover, pretending to be mysterious and leaving loopholes. Only when someone who is interested discovers these loopholes can they point the finger directly at Mr. Su Cheng."
Mu Zhong suddenly realized: "Ms. Lin is the flaw."
Zhu Dachang also suddenly realized: "We thought we had cracked the secret room and found the real murderer, but in fact it was all Meng Man's plan."
Mu Zhong: "The secret room is just a bait he left for us so-called smart people."
Lin Sui'an nodded calmly: "The reading comprehension skills of the two of you are truly king-level!"
"There is another question," Mu Zhong said, "How did Mrs. Lin learn that the Luo family master hid the land deed and business documents under the osmanthus tree?"
Lin Sui'an stared: Are you still coming? !
"This is what I want to ask Sister Lin." Luo Kou entered the room with her skirt up, lowered her eyes and saluted, "I was so disrespectful to Sister Lin before, Kerr is ashamed, and I hope Sister Lin will not take it to heart and help me clear up my doubts. .”
Lin Sui'an scratched his forehead.
From the moment she discovered Goldfinger, she had known that this day would come and had already thought of the whole story.
"On the day we broke off the engagement, the head of the Luo family had a long chat with me over tea. During the dinner, we mentioned something about the Luo family's wife when she was young. She said that on a full moon night in mid-autumn one year, you gave the head of the Luo family a tea cauldron."
Luo Kou's eyes were slightly red, "It was when I was seven years old. I didn't expect that my grandpa would still remember it."
"The Luo family leader specifically mentioned that your face was covered in mud at that time, so I speculate that you hid the tea cauldron under the tree in order to surprise the Luo family leader."
Luo Kou laughed, laughed and cried again, nodding desperately.
"Gong Mu mentioned that you couldn't find the land deed and business documents. At that time, I suddenly thought that the Luo family leader had specifically mentioned that he would enjoy the moon with you in the Mid-Autumn Festival, and also invited me. This must be a very important move, so I guessed that maybe the Luo family leader I want to let you dig out the treasures by yourselves just like I did back then, and give you a surprise."
"Grandpa, it's true that you are still like a child even though you are such an adult..." Luo Kou wiped away his tears, exhaled a long breath, and saluted Mu Zhong, "Luo Kou thought that the cooperation mentioned by Duke Mu before was feasible. Please also ask the Mu Clan caravan to take care of you."
Mu Zhong nodded happily. Lin Sui'an looked at Luo Kou's energetic little face and finally breathed a sigh of relief. He picked up the tea bowl and took a sip, choking until his eyes rolled back.
Emma, it tastes worse when it's cold.
