Cao Meng frowned and said, "But as far as I know, Minister Cheng doesn't like women very much. The Cheng family only has two concubines."
"Hey, it's not because I don't like the family that I went to Jiaofangsi. Besides, I heard that Mrs. Cheng is the eldest daughter of Mu Qihe in Yuzhou, and she is good at martial arts. Which man can stand this?" Jiang Ah Cai couldn't tolerate Cao Meng questioning him. information.
An Ying felt that after all, Cao Meng had stayed in Cheng Mansion for three years, and his knowledge of Minister Cheng must be more reliable than Jiang Acai's hearsay, so he asked: "By the way, do you also live in Qinghui Garden of Cheng Mansion on weekdays?"
Cao Meng nodded and said, "We usually live in the wing at the back of Qinghui Garden. We usually copy some of the ancient paintings collected by Mr. Cheng. If Mr. Cheng is free, we will compete on painting skills together."
"Then tell me specifically about Master Cheng driving you away. Which painter do you think leaked something private?"
"Actually, I still don't know what happened." Cao Meng sighed, "During that time, I was copying "The Ming King's Appreciation of Shu" by myself every day, and I didn't pay attention to other people at all."
"I don't know what the other three painters are doing."
An Ying was greatly disappointed. He originally thought that Cao Meng, who had lived in Cheng Mansion for three years, should know better.
"But when we were driven away together, a painter surnamed Li said at the door, teach the apprentice and starve the master to death. He had expected it."
"What's the meaning?"
Cao Meng thought for a moment and said, "I don't understand either. Why don't you ask him himself."
An Ying asked in surprise: "Do you know where this painter is?"
Cao Meng said a little strangely: "I know, he opened a paint shop on Dongxi Street in Beijing, Li Ji."
An Ying took out his pen and paper and took notes, deciding to ask later. This Cao Meng is probably full of pictures and is unclear about many things. Otherwise, other painters would have opened their own shops, and he would be the only one begging for leftovers at the tea shop.
Then he asked: "Do you know what happened to Duke Qi? Come, tell me and listen."
Jiang Acai had just eaten three more big meat buns, and now he was completely full. He stretched out his body and said, "Miss An, I can't finish the matter of Qi Guogong in three days and three nights."
An Ying thought the same thing. The century-old hairpin family has a prosperous population. It is indeed endless to talk about.
"Choose something you haven't heard of, or something related to Minister Cheng."
"That's true." Jiang Ahcai scratched his belly, "What kind of official was Cheng Shilang before? Anyway, he was an official of the fifth or sixth rank. You don't understand this. As an official, promotions above the fifth rank are enough. It’s difficult. Oh, by the way, our Miss An is still from the eighth grade. Look at my mouth, I’m so stupid."
An Ying smiled and shook his head: "As a humble official like me, it's not worth mentioning."
Jiang Acai continued: "How many fifth- and sixth-grade Beijing officials have wasted their time in this official position, either looking for a job, or simply establishing a career outside. Or they have found a way. I heard that Mr. Cheng found the way of Qi Guogong."
Cao Meng, who was eating meat buns with his head covered, suddenly said: "I have met Duke Qi."
An Ying almost spit out a mouthful of rice soup, this big brother always comes up with unexpected surprises.
"Qi Guo Gong's painting skills are much higher than Master Cheng. Several times Qi Guo Gong came to the Cheng Mansion to discuss his painting skills with Master Cheng. Master Cheng always asked me to accompany him." Cao Meng said, "Because Qi Guo Gong also likes to draw figures. Several other people in the Cheng Mansion There are two painters, one specializes in boundary painting, one specializes in landscape painting, and the other specializes in flowers and birds."
An Ying wrote down a lot of things in his small notebook. The idlers dispersed after eating.
At night, An Ying dug out the agate seal from the gap in the wood beside the bed.
Damocles hanging overhead.
She was still hoping that no one in the world would know that Luo Qiaoniang had given her this seal. As long as she didn't tell her, she would let it remain a secret forever.
Maybe it has no secret at all, but Luo Qiaoniang left a souvenir?
An Ying shook his head, probably not.
The things that Luo Qiaoniang spent so much effort to leave behind must have deep meaning for her.
I wonder what Mr. Chen Dong found out?
The curious cat in An Ying's mind scratched her heart, liver, spleen and lungs.
I thought about it over and over again in my mind, and finally fell into a drowsy sleep.
The next day, Su Huangzhe took An Ying and others to Zhu Yigui's place.
Zhu Yigui has been a widower for more than thirty years. His father is also a widower. Of course, his son will also be a widower.
"People with power are happy. They are happy when they are alive, and they are happy when they die." Zhu Yigui pointed to the circle of ice under the wall and said: "This was sent by the housekeeper of Cheng Mansion. I have never used anything like this in my life." So icy.”
Zhu Yigui pointed to a corpse next to him and said, "Not only have I benefited from Master Cheng, but this unknown female corpse has also benefited from it."
"Hey, it's really cold here." Yun Pan touched his arm, "Where did the unknown female corpse come from?"
"It was just delivered yesterday. He drowned in the canal outside the city. He was brought here by the river worker in the morning. It was nameless and unclaimed. If it hadn't been for Mr. Cheng's ice, I think he would have been taken to the yizhuang outside the city and buried today. ”
Zhu Yigui drank the wine and said, "Master Yun, would you like some? Haha, warm yourself up."
An Ying looked at the corpse lying on the middle table and said with some surprise: "Is this Mr. Cheng?"
"Yeah, what's wrong?" Seeing An Ying's shocked face, Yun Pan was a little confused, "Have you seen it?"
"Ah, I haven't seen him before. That day at Cheng Mansion, the person who served him said that he was very good at eating and drinking, so he thought he was a fat man."
"I heard that he practices martial arts all year round." Su Huangzhe asked, "Have you found anything wrong?"
"Mrs. Cheng asked me to check it carefully when she sent it. Her family has been on the battlefield and has no taboos." Zhu Yigui said, "Cheng Qi is forty-two years old and five feet three inches tall. There are no obvious external injuries on his body, only his feet. Slight ulceration. The face was cyanotic and the fingers were white. I tested it with acupuncture and fumigation, and there was no sign of poisoning. I cut open the body and found that the outer meridians of the heart were ruptured."
An Ying had a big head, so it was difficult for such an autopsy to explain anything.
"Then what was the reason for his death? Did a martial arts master break his heart?" Yun Pan was also confused.
"It's hard to say. Generally speaking, it will be like this when being hit hard by an external force. When he was delivered, his face was full of pain, and he covered his chest with one hand. It should be severe pain caused by a ruptured heart." Zhu Yigui said: "I turned over There are thousands of records left by my father and grandfather. There are only three cases of heart rupture, all caused by external force impact."
Zhu Yigui handed over the copied cases, and An Ying took it and took a quick look. In one case, he was pushed off the bullock cart after an argument and died suddenly; the other two cases were caused by hitting the other person's chest during the dispute, causing sudden death.
Su Huangzhe shook his head and said: "Master Cheng's own martial arts is not low, and there are guards at the door. Just shout and someone will come in. You won't be beaten to death silently. Your food and drink have been tested, and there are no sweat medicines or anything like that." "
"Then shall we bring that Xiao Tao for trial again? Only if he colludes with outsiders can we possibly complete this case. Otherwise, it is basically impossible to complete this case by bypassing him."
