As the capital of the Daliang Emperor, Jinling is naturally full of red and purple, and nobles everywhere. In order to facilitate the passage of official sedan chairs, and at the same time relieve the common people from the need to avoid the hardships, the streets are built to be extremely wide. Sitting in a sedan chair usually only takes a dozen or so entourages and walks leisurely across the street. The residents of the imperial capital are used to seeing them, and they are very skilled in their movements when they encounter them. The Minister of Punishment, Cai Quan, was born in a poor family. The mark of his second-rank official status, but as time goes by, his four-seater sedan chair with blue and white sauce noodles is gradually recognized by others. Learn to actively withdraw.
After the coronation ceremony in the East Palace, although Cai Quan was not as busy as the previous few months, his affairs were still heavy. Even on the way back from the yamen to the mansion, he would take some files and sit in the sedan chair to read.
But on this day, just as he was swaying and flipping open the document, he was brutally interrupted by an arrow.
The arrow was shot from nowhere, it was straight on the top of the sedan chair, and there was no movement after the arrow, obviously not for assassination.
After the guards of the Ministry of Punishment quickly guarded against it, they pulled out the arrow and handed it to Lord Shang Shu together with a scroll of notes tied to the arrow. Cai Quan removed the note and flattened it. There were only a few simple sentences on it.
"Meng Zhi, the commander of the Imperial Guard, took advantage of the opportunity to visit the prison to exchange the criminal Xia Dong from the prison. This is by no means a false accusation. If you don't believe me, you can go check it out in person."
Cai Quan's eyes narrowed slightly. After pondering for a moment, he slowly folded the note and said to the outside of the sedan chair: "Go to the Tianlao blue-and-white official sedan and turn a corner. Turn around and turn back to the east. After a quarter of an hour, you will arrive at the Tianlao gate. The prison officer hurriedly came out to greet him, but only heard a brief order: "Open the door of the red house of the women's prison. "
The prison officer couldn't see anything from the expression on his immediate superior's face, and he didn't dare to say more, so he quickly ordered the prisoner to take the key and accompany him in. The Zhuzihao is located slightly inward on the ground floor of the women's prison, surrounded by solid walls. There is only a high window facing west. It was also the only natural light source in the entire cell.
A woman in a prison uniform was sitting on a straw bunk. When she heard someone open the door, she turned her face slightly, and the pale strands of her long hair swayed on her cheeks. Although there are smudges on the sideburns, but at first glance, it is indeed the face of summer and winter.
Cai Quan's sharp, needle-like gaze was fixed on the female criminal's face.
"Someone! Bring her to the interrogation room for me!" The Minister of Punishment ordered sharply.
The two guards immediately promised to step forward. One left and one right dragged Gong Yu up. At this time, although Gong Yu knew that the situation was bad, it was impossible to resist. He could only hang his head and was dragged and pushed into an interrogation room outside the prison cell. Tortured on a torture rack.
Cai Quan brought a basin of cold water. He splashed his head and signaled his subordinates to scrub vigorously with a cloth towel. Gong Yu's fair and delicate skin was quickly exposed.
"Who are you? Why are you in Xia Dong's prison? Who brought you in here? Where did Xia Dong go?" Faced with the violent questioning of the minister of punishment, Gong Yu closed his eyes, as if he hadn't heard.
Cai Quan's eyes locked on all the subtle expressions on the young girl's face and made a quick judgment. In the end, he did not rush to use the punishment, but ordered someone to bring the list of people who had been in and out of the women's prison in Tianzhu for nearly two months. At a glance, Meng Zhi's name was impressive.
Xuanjing Envoy rarely has personal friends, and Xia Dong is a widow. Since she was imprisoned, except for those who came to interrogate her under the order or the order of the Ministry, basically no one came to see her. After Anshan returned to Luan, there were even fewer. Among them, Meng Zhi, who was secretly informed, came the most diligently, and was of course the most suspect.
Cai Quan has always regarded Meng Zhi as a loyal and upright minister, so she was still angry at this time. She took a step forward, grabbed Gong Yu's hair tightly, raised her face, and shot straight at her like a sharp knife. A person must be terrified under such a fierce gaze.
However, Gong Yu still closed his eyes gently, and his long eyelashes cast a shadow on his eyelids without the slightest tremor.
"Sir," a director who followed Cai Quan suddenly said, "I recognize her, she is the original music musician of Miaoyinfang, and her name is Gong Yu."
"Miaoyinfang?" Cai Quan frowned slightly. He has never been involved in the wind and moon, but he knew that Miaoyinfang was confiscated by Zhu Yue, the former official of Dali Temple, because of the name of the bandit, and he was confused for a while.
Miaoyinfang was confiscated by Zhu Yue, Zhu Yue was a native of Yuwang, Yuwang and Xuanjing Division conspired to frame King Jing and then rebelled, but after Xia Dong was rescued by Xuanjing, the person who replaced her in the cell was Miaoyinfang. A former musician…
The minister of the Ministry of Justice, who has always been known for his ability to strip the cocoon from the cocoon and miscellaneous logic, now feels that his brain is a bit insufficient in the face of such a complex relationship with twists and turns.
"Sir..." The chief next to him called out in a low voice when he saw that he was silent for a while.
Cai Quan's face sank and said, "Don't be idle either, try to get this girl to open her eyes and introduce her to take a look at the torture instruments in this room. It's best to let her know something interesting. You should say it as soon as possible. Don't trouble us."
"Yes."
Cai Quan glanced gloomily at Gong Yu again, turned around slowly, and sat down on the chair behind the trial table, closed his eyes and pondered, ignoring any other movement in the interrogation room.
Although Gong Yu was seen through and taken away, the change happened quickly and unexpectedly, but fortunately Meng Zhi had put an eyeliner in Tianpao just in case. Spread the information.
When Meng Zhi received the letter, he happened to be on duty and was resting in the mansion. Hearing that Gong Yu was exposed, his first reaction was to change into casual clothes and go straight to Su's house, but everyone rushed into the backyard, and suddenly worried about Mei Changsu's current physical condition, he hurriedly stopped.
"Sir Meng," Li Gang greeted him, "You don't look right, what happened?"
"What about General Nie and Madam Nie?"
"It's all in the south courtyard."
Meng Zhi turned around. He went straight to the south courtyard, and as soon as he entered the courtyard gate, he saw Xia Dong and Nie Feng sitting side by side on a bench. Hands clasped together, smiling at each other. The atmosphere is very warm and pleasant.
"I really don't want to disturb you," the commander of the Imperial Guard shook his head and sighed, "but this bad news has to be told."
"What's wrong?" Xia Dong stood up, "Something happened over there in the prison."
"Mrs. Nie is really sharp," Meng Zhi wiped her face. The voice said anxiously, "It was Gong Yu who was discovered by Cai Shangshu when he was patrolling the prison, and he is currently being interrogated."
"When? Today?"
This question was received very quickly, but it was not from Xia Dong, but from the corner of the east wall. Although the voice sounded light and airy and very soft, Meng Zhi was greatly taken aback.
Under the honeysuckle stand on the east wall, Mei Changsu, who was wearing a light blue gown, was almost integrated with the light green branches and leaves, and even the pale face was almost the same tone as the white petals of the honeysuckle.
"Xiaoshu..." Meng Zhi said authentically. "Why are you here
"I was already there." Mei Changsu replied lightly, and then repeated, "When was Gong Yu discovered?"
"It's today. About an hour ago. "I can't let Miss Gong suffer for me," Xia Dong said decisively. "Sir Meng. I must go back immediately. "
"It's been discovered, what's the use of you going back and throwing yourself into the net?" Meng Zhi said anxiously.
"No. Sister Dong should go back right away." Mei Changsu walked over slowly, sat down on a bamboo chair, motioned Meng Zhi and Xia Dong to approach, "Don't worry, I have already I thought about how to deal with Gong Yu in the event of an accident, and I also sketched out a few methods. Fortunately, it was only discovered by Cai Quan, and it is not the worst situation.
"Okay." Xia Dong and Meng Zhi are both people who absolutely believe in Mei Changsu. There is no doubt that they came over and listened carefully to what he said, and kept it in their hearts.
"This set of rhetoric needs to be changed by the two of you on the spot, but this is not difficult for Sister Dong." Mei Changsu looked at Nie Feng with a smile, and said, "It's just the two of you, you have to be separated again. It's been a while."
Nie Feng had already walked over with a calm demeanor. There was still a layer of white hair on his face at this time, and his facial features were still slightly twisted, but the cringe and curled posture was gone, his waist was straight, and his eyes were very bright. After he walked to Mei Changsu's side, he bent down and held his hand tightly. A few thick syllables came out from his throat. Meng Zhi guessed, but he didn't guess what he said, but Mei Changsu did not. He smiled knowingly and nodded.
"Xiaoshu, you look good today, are you healed?" Meng Zhi asked happily.
"Well, it's impossible," a lazy voice interjected, "but there is a difference between having a Mongolian doctor and not having a Mongolian doctor."
Lin Chen said, and came slowly from the other end of the side porch. Unfortunately, before he could even move his leisurely posture, he saw Dr. Yan passing by the other side of the Moon Gate, spraying a white beard and snorting a few times, his face sullen. He had no choice but to chase after him, explaining while chasing: "Old Yan, don't be angry, I didn't mean that, really not..."
Mei Changsu shook his head and laughed, supported by Meng Zhi, stood up, and said to Xia Dong: "Sister Dong is a more male-female woman, I have nothing to say, take care."
"You also take care of yourself." Xia Dong bowed his knees, gave him a blessing, then looked back at her husband deeply, and said succinctly, "Brother Feng, then I'm leaving."
Nie Feng nodded, hummed a few times, and watched the two go out. He waited until all the figures were gone, and then he looked back, and found that Mei Changsu had already sat back on the chair again, frowning, not knowing what he was thinking, then he leaned down. Leaning down, patted his shoulder lightly, and shook his head at him.
"I just thought about it casually, without any effort." Mei Changsu smiled and relieved him, "There are strange things, you don't let me think, but I feel uncomfortable."
"What's weird?" Nie Feng asked.
"Cai Quan is the Minister of Punishment, a second-rank officer. Although Tianjing is under his jurisdiction, why would he go to patrol the prison for no reason?" Mei Changsu leaned back and narrowed his eyes slightly. " If Sister Dong and the others go well, this... I should ask carefully... "