He took out the silk handkerchief from his arms and unfolded it, revealing the black cloth, and said: "These are the cloths I took out from the ashes. Does Madam Xiahou know that these cloths are the same as the black silk left in Xinlan's nails?" Yang Qing didn't wait for Xia Houyue's answer, and said, "May I ask my lady, what does this mean?"
Xia Houyue said calmly: "Could it be that Xinlan burned the black clothes here, so there are black threads in her nails?" Yang Qing smiled and said: "Qing also imagined this, but when I found out You won’t think so when you go through another weird place.”
"What's so strange?" Xia Houyue asked anxiously.
"I once said that there are nine seeds of the pine leaf peony. Seven are in the garden outside and one is here. As for the last one, do you know where it is?"
Xia Houyue smiled and said, "How could the slave family know?"
"Madam, do you still remember how I found out about the place where Xinlan's body is buried?"
Xia Houyue covered her mouth with her right hand and exclaimed: "Is that flower planted in the Wang family annex?" Yang Qing said: "Exactly, there is a pine leaf growing where Zhu Ba's body was originally buried. Peony." Xia Houyue turned around after hearing this, shook her head, and murmured: "This is impossible, impossible, how could it be like this, how could it be like this..."
Yang Qing sighed and said softly: "Yes, how could it be like this? Could it be that there is God's will in the dark? The two flower seeds pointed at two people, one was Zhu Ba, and the other kept the flowers on his birthday. Lady Xiahou, you are the one who planted it on me."
"Madam, you should remember that Zhu Ba left for a while after committing the murder." Yang Qing saw Xia Houyue turning her body around, and continued: "So an idea was formed in my mind. After Zhu Ba committed the murder with a stone and ran away, in fact, Xinlan was not dead, but was seriously injured. She wanted to get up and run away, but then her master appeared in black clothes. Unexpectedly, the master not only failed to save her, but also picked up the gun that Zhu Ba had used. The rocks continued to hit her. Xinlan was unable to resist. During the struggle, she not only scratched her master's clothes, but also tore the silk sac in her arms, causing a flower seed to fall on her body. After the master killed Xinlan, He hid his figure from the back door and returned to the garden of his home. When he came to the rockery cave, he took off his blood-stained coat and burned it. Unexpectedly, another flower fell out of the broken silk sac and was planted in a few days. Here comes this pine leaf peony. Madam Xiahou, do you think my guess is right?"
Xia Houyue didn't answer after hearing the words, and just looked at the pine leaf peony. After a moment, he sighed and said with a wry smile: "Yang Langjun is really able to make judgments at the slightest glance. What he guessed was almost the same as Yue'er's behavior that night." Far away, as if I saw Yue'er committing the crime from the side. I don't know whether it was right or wrong for the Nu family to ask you to help find someone? But based on the friendship between Lang Jun and Li County Lieutenant, I am afraid that Yue'er will still be involved in the case. There’s no way to escape after all.”
Yang Qing nodded and said: "Yes, I am so close, I'm afraid I can't stand by and watch. It's just that I can't figure out the motive of the lady's murder." Xia Houyue actually laughed out loud after hearing this, pursed her lips and said: "I thought you knew everything, but I didn't expect you to still be confused." Yang Qing also smiled and said, "It's a god who knows everything, but he can't understand it more than a mortal. I hope my wife can clear up my doubts."
Xia Houyue didn't answer and walked along the road to the rockery. Yang Qing had no choice but to follow. The two came to the pavilion and stood side by side. Xia Houyue looked up at the stars and said quietly: "Mr. Lang, do you know who my father is?" Also?" Yang Qing didn't understand why she mentioned his father, so he could only reply truthfully: "Qing Qing knows a thing or two, your father was once the prefect of Guanghan County, but for some reason he became an official in his prime." Xia Houyue nodded and said, "That's right. , but do you know why my father became an official?" How did Yang Qing know, so he could only shake his head.
Xia Houyue said: "When the late emperor and Cao Cao's thieves fought for Hanzhong, many people in Shu did not think highly of the late emperor. Therefore, most of these people had secret communication with Cao Cao, but the degree of secret communication was more or less serious. My father was also here. Yes, it's just not serious." After saying this, she lowered her head with a look of shame on her face. Seeing this, Yang Qing didn't feel comfortable saying anything, so he sighed lightly and waited for her to calm down. Xia Houyue adjusted quickly and added: "After the Battle of Hanzhong, the matter of my father's accession to Cao soon came out. The late emperor was magnanimous and saw that my father was not deeply involved, so he just let him serve as an official and go home. It will never be used again."
Yang Qing was silent, so it was like this. It must be because of this incident that her father closed the door at home and refused guests, and finally died of depression. It's just that Yang Qing doesn't understand how these are related to Xinlan's death.
Xia Houyue continued: "Mr. Lang, do you know how my father secretly communicated with Cao Cao?" Yang Qing was speechless. How did he know this? Why did Mrs. Xiahou have to ask before she could tell her?
Fortunately, Xia Houyue didn't really want him to answer, and said to herself: "It was Wang Pu who instigated my father to communicate with Cao Cao. Wang Pu took the lead in contacting Cao Cao's thieves, delivering news, causing mischief on military rations, etc. He just asked my father to turn a blind eye, and my father just signaled to the Cao thieves that if the late emperor was defeated, he would be willing to open the city and surrender. As for the specific matter of communicating with Cao, he was very involved. few."
This news surprised Yang Qing. It turned out that Wang Pu was also involved in the Tong Cao affair, and according to Xia Houyue, he was still the person in charge. But why was he still serving in the county without having anything to do? Woolen cloth? Thinking of this, Yang Qing asked: "Then why did the incident happen to your father but nothing happened to Wang Pu?"
Xia Houyue smiled bitterly and said: "I also asked my father about this matter. He just said that it was fate and did not give any explanation. He did not tell me the truth until he died. It turns out that when the case occurred, Wang Pu blamed a few scapegoats for everything. He also threatened him with something so that my father did not confess him. Therefore, although there was some suspicion on him, the court had no real evidence and had to transfer him away from the matter."
"Why did Wang Pu threaten your father?"
After Xia Houyue was silent for a moment, he said bluntly: "Actually, when my father passed Cao Cao, it was not that he didn't do anything extraordinary. At that time, the old hussar general Ma Chao and the old hussar general Zhang Fei fought against Cao Hong and Cao Xiu at the front line of Xiabian. Most of the grain and grass of the army were transferred from Guanghan County, so my father and Wang Pu were responsible for the transportation of military grain. At that time, Wang Pu suggested that a batch of military grain and weapons should be intercepted and hidden somewhere on the grounds of bandit robbery. Firstly, the front line would be short of supplies. Secondly, This batch of grain and grass weapons can also be used by Cao's army when they enter Shu. Under Wang Pu's coercion and inducement, my father agreed to his opinion in a confused moment. Therefore, the subsequent defeat of the two generals Ma and Zhang was also due to insufficient grain and grass, so Wang Pu threatened if If my father confesses him, he will also confess the matter, so it will not be as simple as my father being dismissed from office."
"So that's the case. Is Wang Pu still working for Cao Wei now?"
"Exactly. Wang Pu has long been a school official of Cao Wei. After he was transferred from Guanghan County, he somehow found his way into the Shu County Prefect's Mansion and worked continuously for Cao Wei." Xia Houyue said: "Yang Langjun asked why I want to kill Xinlan, and I will tell you the reason now. After my father passed away, Wang Pu threatened and lured me again, trying to drag me into the Cao Wei School Office. On the one hand, he wanted me to keep his secret, and on the other hand, he wanted me to keep his secret. On the one hand, it was to obtain something belonging to my family. That Xinlan was a school official placed beside me by Wang Pu, an old thief. Little did they know that the slave family would know Xinlan’s identity the next year."
Yang Qing finally understood Xia Houyue's motive for killing Xinlan. This Xinlan had been lurking in Xiahou Mansion for many years, conducting surveillance and spying. , it is indeed a good opportunity to use Zhu Ba to commit murder. Alas, I thought it was just a murder case motivated by sex, but who knew there was such a big secret behind it.
Xia Houyue continued: "That night Xinlan picked up Wang Pu's jade pendant. I immediately understood that Xinlan wanted to take the opportunity to meet Wang Pu. After Xinlan went out, I changed into black clothes and followed her. , firstly I want to see what the two of them are up to, and secondly I want to see if there is a chance to get rid of Xinlan this time. Who knows this is really a good opportunity..."
Under Xia Houyue's narration, the truth about Xinlan's case finally became clear. It turned out that Xiahouyue followed Xinlan all the way that night and found out that Zhu Ba wanted to kill someone and silence him after he committed evil deeds. Naturally, she was happy to have someone do it for her, so she hid in Watching secretly from the side. After she saw Zhu Ba running away, she came out to check on Xin Lan's life and death. Unexpectedly, Xin Lan was not dead but was struggling to get up. She was heartbroken, picked up the stone that Zhu Ba had committed, and continued to throw it at Xin Lan. This time she finally killed her. Smashed to death.
After the death, she hurriedly fled home and burned her scratched and bloodstained coat in the garden rockery. The next day, she followed the servants and found that Xinlan was missing and reported it to the official. As for Zhu Ba Xia Houyue subsequently returned to the scene to remove the body and bury the traces. Xia Houyue only learned about this when she followed Yang Qing and his party to investigate the case. Of course, she also quickly understood that Zhu Ba was sure that he had killed Xinlan. With such a scapegoat, Xia Houyue was Sit back and relax.
Xia Houyue sat down, sighed, and said: "How does Mr. Yang plan to deal with me? Take me to see the official now." Yang Qing said: "I haven't thought about it yet. Since Madam Xiahou knows that Wang Pu and Xinlan are Why don't you tell the court about Wei's school affairs? In this way, you can get rid of Wang Pu's entanglement and make great contributions to the country." Xia Houyue smiled at herself and said helplessly: "Why doesn't Yue'er want to do this? It's just that Wang Pu is benefiting The foundation of the state is very deep, and I have no real evidence. If I report it to the court, I am afraid that not only will he not be able to remove him, but I will harm myself. Besides, Wang Pu has my father's involvement in hiding military supplies and equipment. I can't let my father die. The reputation has been damaged again.”
Yang Qing nodded. He understood her situation. Xia Houyue could not easily touch Wang Pu, and Wang Pu could not easily touch Xia Houyue. By the way, she just said that Wang Pu also wanted to get something from her, and she didn't know if he could break the situation.
"My lady just said that you have something Wang Pu wants to get. Could you tell me what it is?"
After hearing this, Xia Houyue stood up and stared calmly into Yang Qing's eyes. After a long time, she said, "Can Yue'er believe Lang Jun?"
