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Rong Ting lowered his eyes, his expression still looked soft, he waved his hand lightly, the dark guard understood his gesture, and continued to protect Jiang Rao.
Not long after the dark guard left, a figure came in from Beishen's courtyard.
Huai Qing hurriedly walked back from the outside, his clothes were blown by the night wind, and there was a bit of burnt charcoal smell.
When he knocked on the door and entered the study, Rong Ting was writing.
Huai Qing looked at the back of him sitting on the armchair, and reported in a low voice: "There are seven charred corpses in Shen's residence. The emperor is also afraid that they will fake their deaths to get off the hook, so he asked Wu Zuo to come and inspect them. There are three corpses from Shen's residence inside." The maid, the two servants, and Mrs. Shen and her daughter, can't be wrong."
When Huai Qing thought of the scene of a living person being engulfed by the fire, his feet trembled a little, and when he looked at the lamp hanging outside, his eyes were not right.
Seeing a dead person always shakes my heart.
Before the case, Rong Ting's writing hand paused slowly, but he didn't turn around, "Where are they?"
"they?"
"The seven dead bodies."
His voice is cold, because today's wind is strong and the sky is dark, draped over his shoulders, there is no slight fluctuation in his eyes, life and death, indifferent.
"Those maidservants were taken by their families." Huai Qing paused, "Mrs. Shen and Miss Shen are guilty of crimes. No one is willing to spend that money to take them back. It is said that they were directly taken over by them." The civilian husband took it to the stone forest in the west of the city for mass burial."
"Go to the farmer guarding the stone forest and ask where the mother and daughter are."
When Rong Ting asked about the whereabouts of those dead bodies, Huai Qing vaguely sensed that something was wrong, and when she heard Rong Ting's order, she finally shivered uncontrollably.
Find out where the body is and what you can do.
He didn't dare to think about it and didn't dare to ask more questions, he closed the door and went out after the matter was settled. Before closing the door, he glanced inside.
Rong Ting was still writing in front of the desk, the ink drops from the nib of the pen fell on the paper, slowly swimming and dyeing on the rice paper, his pupils were dark as if the ink had melted.
Maybe it's because he saw Rong Ting holding a knife, seeing him writing now, Huai Qing also inexplicably felt a little apprehensive.
Holding a knife is like holding a pen, and the movements are exactly the same.
Too gentle.
…
After Jiang Rao returned to the mansion, she inquired about some old nuns in the mansion and learned something about Xie Tao.
Xie Tao is not only the daughter of Prince Xiang, but also the only daughter. She doesn't have any brothers and sisters who are descended from the descendants, only a younger brother who is descended from the concubine.
Xie Tao has been in poor health since she was born, and the older she gets, the more illnesses she suffers from. A few years ago, a fortune teller said that the word "Xiang" in her name was too hard. So it was changed to the word "Xi", and he never left home. Xie Xi is now in his 28th year, which is just the time to be in his boudoir.
Xie Xi is weak and does not go out. The only time she can go out is when she goes to Guangliyuan to listen to operas with her mother Xu Xie's family, Xu Lanying, the concubine sister of Empress Jiahe.
Guangliyuan, which opens every two days, is located on the east side of the Qinhuai River, on the same side as Jiang Rao's shops.
Jiang Rao often stayed in the shop these few days, and sent informants to Guangli Garden to inquire. Once he saw Xie's family going to the Liyuan to listen to an opera, he would come to inform her so that she could go over.
She knew that she didn't have any deep plans, so she could only start from this small place, hoping to get something useful from Xie Xi and Xu Lanying.
Even if you can't get it, just go to Guangliyuan to listen to a few plays to relieve your boredom.
Not bad.
She was staying in the shop that day, and the eyeliner who had arranged for Liyuan just came with Hu Tang, so Jiang Rao went with her to Guangliyuan.
On the stage, the sound of gongs and drums gradually rose.
Hu Tang is not a character who can settle down and listen to operas.
The troupe had only performed half of the play, and her eyelids twitched, and she was shocked by the sound of gongs and drums on the stage. She shivered and regained her energy, and circled the teacup with her fingers boredly.
She looked at Jiang Rao on the opposite side, and saw that her gaze was not on the stage, but following her gaze, she seemed to be looking at a table of mothers and daughters on the west side of the second floor.
The Liyuan has three floors, a stage is set up in the hall on the first floor, and guests are sitting at the tables around the railing on the second and third floors. They are on the third floor, occupying the best place to see.
Hu Tang saw the mother and daughter sitting on the second floor.
"Isn't that Princess Xiang and Xie Tao?"
"Xie Xi." Jiang Rao corrected.
Xu Lanying, mother and daughter watched the play alone and did not talk to anyone else. Jiang Rao didn't see anything useful, so she turned back to chat with Hu Tang.
"I'm used to reading it." Hu Tang muttered, and immediately listened to Jiang Rao's words, and changed it, "Xie Xi."
Jiang Rao smiled, Hu Tang cupped his cheeks and looked at her, "Why didn't you see your brother following today?"
"He was locked in the academy and went to study."
Jiang Rao thought of Jiang Jinxing a little bit.
Her father suddenly changed his laid-back temperament, and became vigorous and resolute.
After talking with her grandfather half a month ago, her grandfather wrote an invitation letter the next day, which went to Emperor Zhaowu, asked for the golden seal of the title, and passed the title to her father.
And her younger brother became the eldest son of the uncle's mansion.
Thousands of pairs of eyes stared at his every move, and he definitely couldn't play around like usual.
Even though his younger brother was carrying a small burden these days and came to her room crying to tears, Jiang Rao still made up his mind to "see death without saving".
Knowledge is learned through hard work. If he can't bear today's hardship, he will have to suffer later.
I was lucky enough to avoid today's whip, and I was relieved for a while, but the whip thrown by life tomorrow will only come harder and more mercilessly.
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When Hu Tang heard that Jiang Jinxing was locked into the school, he straightened up in horror, "It's so pitiful."
Jiang Rao looked at her cowering look, and then thought about her reckless act of snatching Xie Xi's books, and then she could think of what she looked like in the girls' private school when she was a child. on laughing.
Hu Tang seemed to know what she was thinking, "Don't look at me like that, I also learned something in the school before, and I snatched Xie Xi's book just once, and she was afraid of me when she saw me, so she offered to give it to me. "
Jiang Rao smiled even more after Xiao Tuan Fan, and said "yes" softly.
On the stage, the actors with heavy makeup are still singing.
A pair of resentful eyes stared at the actor's colorful costume, with a gloomy face.
The seventeenth prince was wearing a blue brocade robe and a white velvet crown, sitting on the table on the second floor on the same side as Jiang Rao, just in the blind spot of Jiang Rao and Hu Tang's sight.
The person sent by the Seventeenth Prince came back and whispered in his ear, "Your Highness, I can't get close to her, someone is secretly protecting her."
The Seventeenth Prince slammed his fist on the table, shaking the tea in the cup.
According to his mother's arrangement, Rong Ting was supposed to be engaged to Chen Congyun. From then on, under their control, there will be no more wind and waves.
Who knew that in the end his father's imperial edict bestowed marriage on Jiang Rao to Rong Ting.
The prostitute's daughter of Uncle Ning'an's mansion, the granddaughter of Concubine Yun Gui's love... This kind of background, even if it is said to him, is more than enough, but it is more than enough to say it to the disabled... Why
His mother didn't know what she was afraid of, but she agreed with this matter without arguing at all!
The seventeenth prince had a gloomy face.
There was some commotion on the first floor.
The play that was being sung on the stage was "Wu Gang Conquering Gui". As soon as the actress in the disguise of Chang'e came out, she was pulled by the sleeves by a well-known dude, telling her not to dance or sing.
The eunuch next to the Seventeenth Prince glanced down, seeing the bully's behavior, his face changed, and reminded the Seventeenth Prince: "There are a lot of people here at the moment, if Your Highness can draw his sword to help, the good name will be spread to the emperor's ears." Here, you will be rewarded."
"Whose son is the person who caused the trouble?" The seventeenth prince tapped on the teacup, still thinking.
It wouldn't be worth it if he offended the people on his grandfather's side for the moment's limelight.
Just at this moment of hesitation, someone had already thrown the long whip on the tyrant bully, and his skin was ripped apart instantly.
The bully was still holding on to the sleeve of "Chang'e" on the stage. He turned around and saw a young girl, but he didn't take it seriously.
"Grandma never knows what decency is." Hu Tang raised the whip in his hand again, "Are you going to let go? If you don't let go, I'll send you to my father to feed Saibei's dogs!"
Knowing Hu Tang's identity, the man didn't dare to make trouble anymore, and walked away in despair.
The Seventeenth Prince saw that the turmoil calmed down in an instant, his eyes darkened.
The eunuch beside him saw that his gaze was fixed on Hu Tang, but before he moved away, he said, "Your Highness, don't look at her, this girl is too self-willed and has no manners. Even if her father is General Hu, I am afraid she will marry her." stay home."
The eunuch's tone was full of warnings for him to learn from. The Seventeenth Prince withdrew his gaze and lowered his eyes. In the vision blocked by the shadow, there was full envy and longing.
Jiang Rao blinked, and Hu Tang disappeared in front of her eyes, and she ran down the stairs to the second floor, Hu Tang had already cleaned up the troublesome bully, which made Jiang Rao not know whether she should go down, Or go straight back to the third floor and wait at the corner of the second floor. Hu Tang quickly came to find her, looking down at the whip in his hand with a look of dissatisfaction, and sighed, "Why is this man so ungrateful?"
Hu Tang's servant girl was so frightened that her expression changed, she frowned and said, "Girl, be careful not to cause trouble."
Hu Tang didn't take it seriously, and walked upstairs without turning his head, "Once you live, you will have fun."
Jiang Rao took some silver taels from the purse hanging on her body, and asked Ming Shao to go down to find out who the troublemaker was today, as if to clean up the mess for Hu Tang.
Then he returned to his original seat on the third floor.
When he returned, there was an indigo figure beside the table.
Jiang Rao took a look, quite surprised, "Miss Chen?"
Chen Congyun looked away, smiled at her faintly, blessed her body.
On the contrary, Hu Tang is not here anymore.
Seeing that Jiang Rao was looking for Hu Tang, Chen Congyun said, "Miss Hu was found by the owner of the Liyuan."
Jiang Rao nodded, and said pleasantly, "Why is Miss Chen here?"
"I've always loved going here to listen to operas, but this is the first time I've seen Miss Jiang."
Jiang Rao nodded again, and asked Chen Congyun to take a seat. Not long after Chen Congyun took his seat, he pointed to the second floor and said to Jiang Rao, "There are Princess Xiang and her daughter."
Jiang Rao raised his eyes, his eyes slightly wary.
Chen Congyun said: "Concubine Xiang has only one daughter, but she has no children. When she first married to Prince Xiang's mansion, she and King Xiang were inseparable. It's not easy to get married, Princess Xiang has not been doing well these years."
Jiang Rao wondered why Chen Congyun said this to her, but she listened anyway.
Chen Congyun's voice became lower and lower.
"Concubine Xiang is very disgusted that Xu Guozhang married her to Xiang Wang's mansion, but let her sister enter the palace. In recent years, the relationship with Xu Guozhang has not been good. She is angry and her health is getting worse. "
"Why did Miss Chen talk to me about this?" Jiang Rao couldn't help it.
"You helped me last time." Chen Congyun expressed gratitude.
Jiang Rao shook her head, earnestly and sincerely, "Although I am helping you, I have also benefited myself."
Chen Congyun laughed, "No wonder even someone like Hu Tang, whom no one cares about, can play with you."
She is so good that people want to have such a daughter in the future.
She smiled and said softly: "Tomorrow, I will take a rest. My mother and I will go for an outing in Xiaobanpo. Would you like to come with me? The winter jasmine blooms there the earliest, maybe we can meet."
Jiang Rao thought for a while, and was silent for a while.
Seeing Jiang Rao's hesitation, Chen Congyun lowered his eyes, "I have been tightly locked up by my family since I was a child, and I don't have any other friends."
Jiang Rao's expression turned a little guilty, "But... I have already made an appointment with Hu Tang, and I will go to Sanqing Temple to offer incense tomorrow."
Xiaobanpo and Sanqing Temple are not only two places, but they are also located in the south of the city and the north of the city, and it is impossible to go on the same road.
Hu Tang happened to come back here, and when she heard Jiang Rao's response to Chen Congyun's words, her face was surprised, and she almost blurted out "When did you agree?"
Why doesn't she know
But when he received Jiang Rao's gaze, he closed his mouth, nodded towards Chen Congyun, and stopped between Jiang Rao and Chen Congyun a little domineeringly, "That's right."
In order to thank her for saving her, the owner of Liyuan gave her a peacock feather fan used in opera. She put it on her body, and when she nodded, it looked like a male peacock with its tail spread on her head.
Chen Congyun felt a little regretful, "Then I won't bother you any more."
She took a few steps away, looked back, and sighed softly.
Jiang Rao and Rong Ting are engaged, if she can get closer to her, it may benefit the third prince, her future husband.
The last time she was in a miserable state, Jiang Rao directly brought her back to the Nuan Pavilion of Shuxiang Palace. The sympathy and kindness in her eyes that were as clear as a stream could not deceive anyone, making her think that she had a little heart Neither, would be nice to come close.
She thought that she had seen through people, so she was a little selfish and deliberately approached.
Unexpectedly, I was wrong.
Chen Congyun lowered her head regretfully. She really likes Jiang Rao's character of not hurting others but not giving others a chance to hurt herself.
After she left, Hu Tang asked Jiang Rao, "Why didn't you promise her?"
"Just don't want to."
Jiang Rao said softly.
Her impression of Chen Congyun was not bad, and she even felt sorry for her, but their identities were indeed a bit embarrassing.
She was accused of marrying Rong Ting, and Chen Congyun promised the third prince in the future. Whether Rong Ting's relationship with the third prince is far or close, their relationship will be far or near accordingly.
When she was in the academy, she never felt that the relationship between the third prince and Rong Ting was so good.
Sometimes even feel that Rong Ting's relationship with him as the third brother is not as good as with her. When she saw him, when he saw his brothers, there was always a little fear in his eyes.
Jiang Rao knew that she didn't have enough experience and scheming enough.
Since Chen Congyun said that her father used her as a pawn since she was a child, she must have been instilled with a lot of strategies since she was a child.
Asking her to compete with this kind of girl is like asking her to compete with Hu Tang in martial arts.
But Fan Chen Congyun wanted to lie to her a little bit, she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to see it.
It's better to cut off Chen Congyun's chance to lie to her.
Jiang Rao couldn't help but sigh in her heart.
It's really not easy for a person like her who is not so smart and timid.
Hu Tang laughed, "You are not married yet, but you really put yourself in the position of the Ninth Prince's wife."
Jiang Rao was drinking tea and choked slightly.
Although she never regarded marriage as a big deal, when Hu Tang mentioned it, she felt a subtle feeling.
Marry a chicken as a chicken, marry a dog as a dog
seems like it.
She herself was amused, "That's how it should be."
Hu Tang pouted his lips, "Since you used me as an excuse to block Chen Congyun, then you can't go back on your word, and accompany me to Sanqing Temple to offer incense tomorrow."
Jiang Rao couldn't help pestering her, so she had to agree.
The two went to Sanqing Temple to offer incense, and it was noon when they came out of the main hall.
Hu Tang was still holding the fan with peacock feathers that she got yesterday, it was shining by the sun, it was very beautiful.
Jiang Rao saw that the feathers on her fan were messed up by the wind, so she stretched out her hand to straighten her.
The more Hu Tang smiled, the happier he became, "Niannian, you like me so much."
Her eyes became crescent moons with a smile, "Chen Congjun, my mother kept talking about her name in my ears, saying that she was good in everything and I was inferior to her in everything, but you didn't walk with her, but you were with her." I'm coming together."
Infected by her smile, Jiang Rao laughed too. Just as she was about to say something more to her, out of the corner of her eye she saw a person in a wheelchair waiting at the bottom of the steps, and she couldn't help but look in that direction.
The person who hadn't seen her for more than a month since she got married was looking at her and Hu Tang with extremely sad eyes, even a little bit of hopelessness and slight blame.