Chapter 29: Yu Rong (Part 1) (4)

Seeing Di Renjie's expression was not kind, Xu Quan stammered, "This... the young ones were all heard from the young master. Lord Fa Cao would like to talk to my young master." At this moment, the group had already arrived at the door of Xu's house. Xu Quan led Di Renjie into the main hall, but only saw a few servants wandering around like headless flies, and there was no figure of Xu Yanping, the eldest son of the Xu family. When they saw Xu Quan, the group of people rushed forward and talked. Xu Quan showed the style of a housekeeper and asked questions. Only then did they figure it out that the young master Xu Yanping and the young lady Xu Jingzhi were making a big fuss in the backyard for Yu Rong's affairs, and the Xu Mansion was completely in chaos.

Xu Quan looked at Di Renjie awkwardly: "Master Fa Cao, look at this..." Di Renjie asked calmly: "Where is the master's body now?" "It is still parked in his bedroom." "Well, then you can first lead me and coroner to inspect, and then send someone to notify your young master and lady." "Yes!"

There were many families outside Xu Sihan's bedroom, all of whom looked confused and panicked, but there was no sadness. Di Renjie observed coldly and knew that this master was not loved by his servants. The middle door of the main room with three rooms was wide open, and several women pretending to be beautiful were sitting around the table and crying loudly. It seemed that they were Xu Sihan's concubines. Di Renjie ignored those women and walked directly into Xu Sihan's bedroom.

This is the bedroom of a wealthy and solemn official family. The furnishings are rich and solemn, and it looks a little dull. There is a large carved couch of rosewood under the east wall. The head is lying straight on the top. It is Xu Sihan's body. Di Renjie walked to the couch to observe and saw Xu Sihan's eyes wide open, his face was twisted and black, and there were black blood stains everywhere in his eyes, ears, noses and mouths, all of which were condensed. Di Renjie asked the coroner to carefully observe the body, and he paced in the bedroom.

The tables and chairs in the house were tilted, and it was messy. Di Renjie greeted Xu Quan who was guarding the door: "Who has come in this room?" Xu Quan hurriedly replied: "Oh, when Miss Yu Rong shouted in the morning, there were a bunch of servants and maids, but when the young master saw the master, he ordered not to enter this room again. The concubines could only cry in the outer room. No one had touched the things in the room." Di Renjie nodded, his eyes were like a torch, and he swept across all corners of the house one by one. The footprints on the blue brick floor were messy, and there were vomit and blood in front of the couch.

There were also some sticky black stains at the base of the wall beside the couch, which looked very dirty. Di Renjie reached out to stick some of the hands to look carefully. It turned out to be the dead ant corpse. Xu Quan looked at Di Renjie's frown and said in the early days: "Master Fa Cao, my young master ordered everything to remain the same and not be cleaned." Di Renjie nodded without comment. Back to the couch, the coroner had tested the body. As expected, Xu Sihan had no obvious scars on his body, but his orifices were covered with blood, and his teeth and nails were black. It can basically be considered that he died of poisoning.

After hearing the coroner's statement, Di Renjie turned around and asked Xu Quan: "You said that the master died after using porridge. Where is the bowl of the porridge?" Xu Quan hurriedly said, "Young Master told the young man to put it away and lock it in the cabinet to prevent someone from wiping." As he said that, he took out a key from his waist and opened the door on the high cabinet next to him. Di Renjie said, "I'll take it myself." Xu Quan retreated, Di Renjie took out a small blue and white porcelain bowl from the cabinet, and there was a porcelain spoon of the same color in the bowl. There was a very small amount of porridge residue left at the bottom of the bowl. Di Renjie leaned closer to smell it, and handed the porridge bowl to his entourage, and ordered him to hold it carefully.

"Apart from this bowl of porridge, have you used any other food in the morning?" Xu Quan scratched his head: "Go back to Fa Cao, my master has often suffered from abdominal pain and vomiting since he fell ill, and can't eat anything, so he can only drink some white porridge every day, not even side dishes." Di Renjie's eyes flashed: "Since your master is sick, don't you take the medicine?" Before Xu Quan spoke, someone at the door responded: "The decoctions used by my father need to be taken after meals. Before the decoctions today have been taken, my father..."

Di Renjie looked out and saw a man standing in front of the door. He had a mediocre body, thin eyes, wide mouth, and a sparse beard under his jaw. His appearance was quite similar to Xu Sihan. His clothes were very luxurious and luxurious. When Xu Quan saw this person, he hurried over and said, "Young Master, this is Master Fa Cao." Xu Yanping glanced at Di Renjie and bowed roughly: "Mr. Fa Cao." "Mr. Xu." Di Renjie also greeted him lightly.

Xu Yanping quickly swept the scene inside the house and asked in a loud voice: "How is the investigation of the case of Lord Fa Cao?" Di Renjie said calmly: "I just arrived and I still need to check many details, and I don't have too many eyebrows for the time being." "What?!" Xu Yanping raised his eyebrows and raised his voice slightly, "Isn't this an obvious thing? What details do Lord Fa Cao need to check? I heard that you are quite famous for investigating the case. How come you are so indecisive when you see you today?! My father died too miserably, Lord Fa Cao must find out the murderer as soon as possible to comfort my father's dead soul!" At the end of his words, he felt sad from his heart and his throat choked.

Di Renjie comforted, "Mr. Xu, no one can be resurrected, so please forgive me. As for the cause of Lord Changshi's death, I came here today to find out the truth. I heard from Mr. Xu just now, I seemed to have a lot of insights into the case. I wonder if I can explain it to me?" Xu Yanping lifted up his sleeves and wiped his eyes, and snorted, "My father drank the porridge made by Yu Rong this morning and was over. Isn't this matter obvious? Master Fa Cao, Xu thinks you can arrest Yu Rong first and examine it strictly.

Asked, if she didn't believe it, she would not confess." Di Renjie was thinking to himself, and someone at the door responded: "Xu Yanping! What are you talking nonsense? Since you have invited Lord Fa Cao, let someone decide the case. Why did you bit Yu Rong to death and arrest him in the yamen for punishment? Do you want to betray him?" The female voice was clear and clear. Di Renjie heard it well. When he looked up, he saw a young lady in her twenties standing at the door, with a thin waist and narrow shoulders and a picturesque eyebrows. Di Renjie immediately recognized that she was Xu Sihan's daughter, Xu Jingzhi, the fiancée of Li Wei, the prince of Runan County.

Xu Jingzhi's eyes were red, and the tears on her pretty face were clearly visible. She quickly walked to Di Renjie, bowed to him slowly, and said loudly: "Little woman Xu Jingzhi, has seen Lord Fa Cao." Although she had just experienced the pain of losing her father, the sadness and hustle and bustle did not damage her noble character. Di Renjie returned the favor solemnly, and lamented in her heart that the siblings were so different from her temperament, but on the surface he did not want to favor one or the other, especially he did not want to make people aware that he and Xu Jingzhi and Yu Rong met in advance.

When Xu Yanping saw Xu Jingzhi, his expression became even more gloomy. He said to Di Renjie in a deep voice: "Master Fa Cao please make clear, how do you plan to investigate this case? We also need to bury your father." Di Renjie nodded: "The coroner has examined the body. After the officer has investigated the scene, he can bury Xu Changshi." Xu Yanping asked: "What about the suspect Yu Rong? Should I take him to the yamen?" Xu Jingzhi was so anxious that he raised his eyebrows. Di Renjie waved his hand at her and said calmly: "Before the official's case, everyone in Xu's house is suspected, including Mr. Xu and Miss Xu. Therefore, please pay attention to your actions and do not leave Bianzhou without permission before the case is decided, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble. In addition, since Yu Rong is one of the important witnesses in this case, we should take care of your mansion first, and the official will send a servant to stay."

"Send the officers to my house? I'm afraid it's not right?" Before Xu Yanping finished speaking, Xu Jingzhi immediately responded to the tit-for-tat: "Okay! Master Fa Cao's arrangement is very appropriate. My father died inexplicably, and I feel more at ease with the official servants at home. Why, what are you afraid of? Can you have a ghost in your heart?" Xu Yanping was robbed of this, and his forehead was so angry that his blue veins burst out, and he said angrily: "Hmph, I'm not afraid! But I tell you, no matter how much you protect Yu Rong, it's useless! She has always been dissatisfied with her father and holds a grudge. This time, the evidence is conclusive! Master Fa Cao, you check slowly and carefully, and you will know if I'm right!"

Di Renjie replied calmly: "Please Mr. Xu, Miss Xu, don't worry, I will do my best and will give Xu Changshi a fair." After a pause, he said: "I am investigating the scene. Please avoid it first. If I have any questions, I will send someone to invite you." Xu Jingzhi nodded: "Please ask for advice. Yu Rong was frightened and kept crying. I want to accompany her. Well, Lord Fa Cao can send a servant to accompany me.

Go so as not to make people talk." As she said, she did not forget to give Xu Yanping a contemptuous look. "Okay, thank you Miss Xu." Di Renjie winked, and a messenger followed Xu Jingzhi out of the house. Turning his face, Di Renjie bowed politely to Xu Yanping, "I will ask Xu Quan some more, please ask Mr. Xu to invite several aunts and grandmas first, so as not to disturb the inner family."

Xu Yanping snorted angrily, turned his head and walked out with big strides. The crying concubines and servants followed him out of Xu Sihan's bedroom, and the room finally became quiet. Di Renjie turned around and smiled at Xu Quan who was stunned: "Okay, it's time for you to answer my question now." "What, what question?" Xu Quan made a bitter face. "About taking medicine." "Oh!" Xu Quan was about to speak, but Di Renjie raised his hand: "Speak slowly, start with your master getting sick, and tell me the whole situation in detail."

Xu Quan scratched his head, thinking and talking. Di Renjie listened and asked, and finally understood the whole process. It turned out that after the night banquet that day, Xu Sihan returned home angrily and fearfully, and beat Yu Rong up overnight. Although he spoke out, after all, a young man, after all, had a fever in his brain and weak body the next day after such trouble, and could not lie down. At first, he had a headache and fatigue, so he invited the best doctor in the city to take his pulse and prescribe the prescription, but he was not sure that his illness was in the future after taking the medicine.

It did not improve, but it became heavier day by day. A few days later, it was aggravated with abdominal pain and vomiting. It was sometimes better and sometimes worse, and it was unstable, which tortured Xu Sihan into pain and became more and more withered. Miss Jingzhi was so anxious that she blamed the aunts and maids for not being able to handle the master's diet. In fact, Xu Sihan's diet was served by Yu Rong, but this time she was beaten and bruised and could not get up. So Miss Jingzhi had to go into battle in person.

"Oh? Then, Xu Sihan's diet and medicine are all Xu Jingzhi's food and medicine these days?" Di Renjie asked with a burning look. Xu Quan nodded, "Yes." Di Renjie asked again, "When did it be changed to Miss Yu Rong again?" Xu Quan scratched his head: "Return to Master Fa Cao, until yesterday, the master's three meals of porridge a day plus two decoctions in the morning and evening were all served by Miss Jingzhi himself. Why did he suddenly become Miss Yu Rong again this morning? I really don't know." He pointed to a small stove in the outer room again: "Look, Miss Jingzhi thinks that the things prepared by the people are not clean. The porridge she cooks for the master alone on this small stove every day, and the decoctions are also hot here. She never let others handle it."

Di Renjie frowned and came to the stove, and saw a casserole on it, with a cold half of the pot of porridge inside. Xu Quan snorted: "This is the rest of the porridge that Miss Yu Rong cooked this morning." Di Renjie bent down and looked carefully, signaling his followers to put the casserole together. There was an open medicine bag on the small table next to the stove. It seemed that Yu Rong was planning to give Xu Sihan a hot medicine, but something happened. Di Renjie felt a little nervous. No wonder Xu Yanping bit so hard. Judging from this situation, if it was confirmed that Xu Sihan was indeed harmed by the poison in the porridge, then

Yu Rong is very difficult to get rid of suspicion. Yu Rong, killing someone?... He shook his head and ordered himself to calm down. After thinking about it, Di Renjie asked again: "Then these days, oh, before today, is Miss Jingzhi alone taking care of your master day and night?" "Not that. Miss Jingzhi only serves during the day, and there are two personal maids taking turns to watch at night. Does Master Fa Cao want to summon them?" "No need. You take care of the two maids first. They are not allowed to leave the house these days. I may interrogate them at any time." "I understand."

Di Renjie walked around the house again and carefully looked at each item. On the Duobao grid in front of the north wall, he found a rectangular box wrapped in silk. When he opened it, it was empty inside. He took it under his nose to smell it, and there was a smell of sweet and bitterness. Di Renjie was already thinking about it and sent the box to Xu Quan: "What was the original in this box?" Xu Quan replied without hesitation: "This is the box for Yangrong Mi Pills." Di Renjie asked: "Your master still accepts this?" Xu Quan rolled his eyes: "Yes. My master took Yangrong Pills all year round, and there were all

It's been seven or eight years." "Do you still take it these days when you are sick?" "Well, the doctor said it's good, so he continues to take it. One pill every day." Xu Quan pointed to the box: "Didn't you just finished taking this box last night?" "Is it also Miss Jingzhi taking it?" "Oh, these honey pills are usually taken before going to bed, and they are taken by the maid who is guarding the night." Di Renjie nodded, put the box into his sleeve, sorted out his robes and clothes, and said: "Xu Quan, I will investigate this on the spot first. Go and inform your young master, Miss, that you can clean the master."

Before he knew it, the lunch card had passed, and Di Renjie hurried back to the governor's mansion. Although he knew that Lord Qi was waiting for his report, Di Renjie bypassed the main hall and went directly to the East Court where the Fa Cao's office. Since he served as the magistrate, he has handled quite a few cases, but he has never been as nervous and nervous as he is today. As soon as he stepped into the yard, Di Renjie saw the entourage who had taken the porridge bowl at a glance. He just asked quietly that the entourage left to check the porridge residue. "How is it?" Di Renjie asked anxiously. The entourage bowed: "Sir, I ate the remaining porridge residue for the wild cat. The animal bleeded and died of his mouth and nose not long after, and the smell was like garlic. It is certain that this porridge contains arsenic."

"It's like this." Di Renjie took a deep breath. While he was pondering, someone was shouting: "Huaiying, what's the situation?" It turned out that Lord Qi Sheng couldn't wait and found him. Di Renjie had no choice but to tell him about the case before and after the investigation of the case in Xu's house. The porridge was poisonous and reported to the truth. Qi Sheng listened with all his attention and sighed: "No wonder that it is often said that 'the body is like a peach, plum, heart, snake and scorpion'. Yu Rong was regarded as a noble person, but was regarded as a toy by Xu Changshi. He was hated and poisoned Xu Changshi, which made people feel sorry for him. Huaiying, the facts are clear, please close the case quickly." Di Renjie hesitated for a moment and bowed deeply to Qi Sheng: "Lord Qi, there are still many suspicious points in this case, and the official cannot decide the case at present."

Qi Sheng was surprised: "What else is there to doubt?" Di Renjie said frankly: "First of all, although there is arsenic in the porridge slag, many people have entered Xu Changshi's bedroom, family, servants, including Mr. Xu and Miss Xu, who may have poisoned the porridge bowl while the chaos is in trouble. This is a doubt. Secondly, the ones who took care of Xu Changshi today were Miss Jingzhi. Today, the reason was suddenly changed to Yu Rong for unknown reasons, and something happened immediately. Even if Yu Rong wanted to poison Lord Changshi, such actions would be too obvious. Is she not worried about being arrested? This is doubtful point two; last and most important point, although Xu Changshi was poisoned to death, whether it must be caused by the poison in the porridge is still to be determined." After a pause, he concluded: "The origin of this case is not clear yet, and the officials still need to interrogate the relevant people one by one before they can make a final judgment."
Chapter completed!