Everyone suddenly understood that Master Cheng had found the gunman.
On the side, Yan Kuan, the eldest son of Duke Qi, slapped his hands and said: "No wonder Master Cheng's painting style has changed too much. He is good at flowers, birds, landscapes and figures, and can even draw boundary paintings, and his level fluctuates."
"But someone left my name in the secret place of my "Jinling Map"." Shopkeeper Chen looked around the crowd and said, "Master Cheng was furious when he found out and drove us all away."
An Ying added: "In the 20th year of Yongkang, all the painters in the Cheng Mansion were driven away. But later on, Lord Cheng has been exchanging paintings with Duke Qi, so who painted the paintings at this time?"
Mrs. Cheng looked at Qing Niang who was kneeling on the ground, "Is it Qing Niang?"
"Yes." An Ying said, "When the four painters were in the Cheng Mansion, Butler Jiao often arranged for Qing Niang to study with them."
An Ying brought up another man, "This is Master Wang. Cao Meng remembered that when you were driven away, you once said, teach the apprentice and starve the master to death. Your apprentice refers to Qing Niang, right?"
Painter Wang nodded.
An Ying continued: "When I investigated, I found that Qing Niang seemed to be favored, but her situation in the mansion was very delicate. She is different from the other concubine. Her body contract is not with the mistress, but with Master Cheng. .”
Mrs. Cheng nodded, "Indeed. I thought she was bought by the master for leisure and painting, and he never asked for a deed. But what does it matter? The master has always treated her well. I have never had anything against her. move."
Qing Niang lowered her head and said nothing.
An Ying said: "But Qingniang didn't know that she was bought to be a gunman. She used money and tried every means to drive away the four painters, just to gain favor."
Shopkeeper Chen and Cao Meng both looked at her. An Ying nodded and said: "Shopkeeper Chen, Cao Meng, the person who attacked you was not Mr. Cheng. His character must have attacked her on the spot, and he would not retaliate in such a dark way afterwards. . This method must be just to cut off your way back to Cheng Mansion."
An Ying continued: "Butler Jiao doesn't know Mr. Cheng's specific condition. He often accompanies Mr. Cheng to the Jiaofang Division. Seeing that the female prostitutes ordered by Mr. Cheng in the Jiaofang Division are all good at painting, he is probably the one who encouraged Qing Niang. Use paintings to gain Master Cheng’s attention.”
Mrs. Cheng said at this time: "Steward Jiao should know about Lao Cheng's condition. He is also familiar with Dr. Chen, who is always used in the house. This..."
An Ying shook his head, took out some other papers, and said, "Mrs. Cheng, Mr. Cheng actually goes to Jiaofangsi every month not for fun, but to see a doctor."
"See a doctor?" Mrs. Cheng didn't understand at all. Even Xiao Tao, who was following behind, and Butler Jiao and Qing Niang who were kneeling on the ground, raised their heads.
"Actually, Mr. Cheng's illness is much more serious than what Dr. Chen thinks. Every time he goes to Jiaofangsi, he always goes to the Liang family's medical shop in the back to see a doctor. I think he kept this from you because he probably just didn't want you to worry. Because he Life is short."
"This, this." Mrs. Cheng held the pieces of paper as if they weighed a thousand pounds. Xiao Tao next to her had already burst into tears. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have given the master an ice drink. I was the one who killed him." master."
Mrs. Cheng wiped her tears and asked tremblingly: "What are Qing Niang and Butler Jiao doing? What are Qing Niang doing in the study?"
"Personal deed." An Ying said: "The personal belongings in Mr. Cheng's study were all sorted by Butler Jiao. Butler Jiao said nothing was lost. But our punishment department checked the list and found that there is no Qingniang's deed."
Mrs. Cheng puzzled and said: "Qing Niang, if you want to be generous with your body, I will give it to you. Why do you need to do this? A concubine who has no children and is so young. We are not that kind of harsh family. Naturally. .....”
At this time, Mrs. Cheng suddenly closed her mouth. She pointed at Qingniang and said, "Qingniang, you, you."
An Ying said to everyone: "Yes, Qing Niang is pregnant."
"It's not difficult to guess who the child's father is. In order for her to enter the study and find a bond, all the guards in the house were specially transferred. It is Butler Jiao."
"Master Cheng has passed away. If she can get her body deed at this time, she can fly away. If she waits, it will be too late if she gets pregnant." An Ying said
Mrs. Cheng pointed at the two people kneeling on the ground, trembling and speechless.
An Ying gently comforted Mrs. Cheng's back and said, "It's not your fault. Butler Jiao is Mr. Cheng's confidant. Many things are beyond your reach."
Qing Niang, who had been silent until now, suddenly raised her head and said: "Madam, when I was bought by the master, I thought that I would have a son and a half daughters to rely on in the future. I never thought about competing for favor. However, the master only Let me draw and draw and draw. But I just want a baby."
An Ying sighed, "Qi Bei doesn't have any children either."
"But she is the wife's maid. I, if I don't have children, what will I do in the future?" Qing Niang slumped on the ground and muttered to herself.
Mrs. Cheng stood up slowly and said: "If you don't have children, if you are willing to stay in the Cheng Mansion, I will not miss a meal or drink for you. You are still young and are willing to go out, I will definitely return your contract, and your painting skills have surpassed Cheng's house." The government is not worried about making a living. Why are you so confused!"
Qing Niang lowered her head and said nothing. She caressed her belly as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.
An Ying turned around and said seriously: "So the first case was actually not complicated at first. Mr. Cheng passed away due to illness. Qing Niang and Butler Jiao just wanted to take advantage of the chaos to get Qing Niang's body deed and leave Cheng before her stomach became obvious. Home."
"So far, the truth of the first case has been revealed."
Everyone in the hall was talking a lot. Mrs. Qi Guogong looked at the tall and straight An Ying and kept nodding her head: "Xiao An is really good. What about my old man's case?"
An Ying nodded and said: "I am about to talk about the next case. That is the case of Qi Guogong."
"But before that, I still have something to say."
Xiao Yi came up with a pile of scrolls. Yan Kuan took one look at it and said, "Isn't this the paintings I gave you last time? Why are there really important clues?" He then turned back and proudly said to Mrs. Qi Guogong: "Mother, I just said there’s something fishy about these things.”
An Ying took out a volume and opened it and said, "Actually, Duke Qi should have known about Mr. Cheng's hiring a ghostwriter for a long time."
Mrs. Qi Guogong asked: "How did you know?"
"I don't know how to paint. This is what we Yun Pingshi and Mr. Su said after seeing it." An Ying said: "These are the paintings that Qi Guogong took out and inscribed alone. But the level of these paintings is obviously not high, and other There is a huge gap in comparison. But among the other better paintings, Qi Guogong doesn’t have a single word of title."
Mrs. Cheng opened her mouth and said, "Are you saying that the Duke recognized it and singled it out specifically?"
Mrs. Qi Guogong also came over and took a look, "Hey, the old man really didn't tell me earlier." He then grabbed Mrs. Cheng's hand and said, "Aqi, please relax. What Mr. Cheng did in the Ministry of Rites is obvious to all, and we The old man has long said that he was looking for Mr. Zhongcheng’s ability back then.”
"Think about it, it's not easy for a military general in his thirties to learn the Four Books and Five Classics from scratch, as well as play chess, calligraphy and painting. And he has made many achievements in the Ministry of Rites, so you can safely take care of his future generations."
The tears that Mrs. Cheng had been holding back for a long time finally came down. She lay in the arms of Mrs. Qi Guogong and burst into tears, "Old Cheng, why should he be like this? He just lives too hard."
