The situation in the Qin Mansion changed suddenly, and at the post station thirty miles away, Yan Shu was so focused on investigating the case that he didn't know anything about what happened in the Qin Mansion.
Yan Shu left Qin's mansion lightly in the early morning. After arriving at the post station, he first checked around.
Surrounding the post station is an uninhabited bamboo forest. In the early winter days, the bamboo leaves on the treetops are slightly yellow. Looking from a distance, it is quiet and peaceful.
Yan Shu wandered around the bamboo forest and saw nothing unusual, so at noon, he went to the post station.
The post station is not simple but not luxurious either. There are dozens of bamboo houses in a huge courtyard, and there are horses for passing servants and officials to replace in the courtyard.
There are two guards in the station, one old and one young, father and son.
Seeing Yan Shu coming with a horse, the old guard came up to meet him. Yan Shu took out his waist card and handed it to the old guard. The old guard was stunned for a moment, and then bowed in reverence and respect: "My lord."
Yan Shu put away his badge and asked, "Excuse me, Mr. Xu, the servant of the Ministry of War, did you stay here two months ago?"
"Yes, there are." The old guard replied respectfully, "Along with us, there are thirty or so adults of Jin Yiwei. The villain remembers them very clearly, but these adults came and went in a hurry, and did not stay overnight."
"Where did Master Xu rest at that time?" Yan Shu asked, "Please take me to have a look."
"Okay, adults come with the children." The old guard led Yan Shu to a guest room, and stretched out his hand to open the door.
Yan Shu went into the house, rummaged around, found nothing unusual, and turned to ask the elderly guard: "May I ask what happened when Master Xu settled here, please tell me in detail."
The old guard frowned, and said while thinking: "I remember at that time, Mr. Xu and his party arrived at the post station early in the morning. They were still guarding several large wooden carts, and they didn't know what was inside, because the carts It was too big, so it could only be put in the courtyard at that time, watched by more than a dozen Jinyiwei adults. After Master Xu arrived at the post station, he has been resting in the house, and the lunch was delivered by the villain... "
Yan Shu interrupted the old guard: "Did Mr. Xu behave unusually when delivering the meal?"
The old guard thought for a while, then shook his head: "No, but Mr. Xu looks very tired."
"Go on."
"In the afternoon, Shuofang Jiedu sent Mr. Qin to hear the news that Mr. Xu was staying here. He came to meet Mr. Xu. The two talked in the room for about half an hour. At dusk, Mr. Xu knew After one station, I left with a group of people."
After listening to the old guard's words, Yan Shu frowned and began to think.
After a while, Yan Shu raised his head and asked the old guard: "Why did Mr. Xu leave after hearing that there was a post station twenty miles away? Is there anything in that post station, don't you have it?"
The old guard suddenly remembered something, and said: "Ah, after you reminded me, my lord, I remembered. Yes, that's right. I can't send a letter to the imperial court without official mail!"
"Send a message?" Yan Shu looked at the old guard, "Is Mr. Xu reporting something to the court?"
The old guard nodded: "Yes."
Yan Shu was silent.
Mr. Xu finally settled in this inn. It was all the news that came out of the investigation, and there was no news from the group of people after that.
The imperial court did not receive the letter from Mr. Xu at all.
This matter is getting more and more confusing.
"Excuse me, old man, where is the other station?" Yan Shu asked.
The old guard replied: "My lord, go straight east along the official road, and you will be able to see it."
Yan Shu thanked him and left, and hurried to the next station.
When Yan Shu found another post station, the moon and stars were thin, and there was only one young guard in the post. Knowing that Yan Shu came to inquire about what happened two months ago, the guard showed a embarrassed expression.
"My lord, the younger one was just transferred over a week ago, so I don't know about it." The young guard was submissive, for fear of provoking Yan Shu's anger.
Yan Shu asked, "Where is the postman who worked here?"
"Going to visit relatives, but don't worry, my lord, he will be back tomorrow morning!"
At this point, Yan Shu could only choose to wait, and as it was getting late, he stayed at this inn for one night.
The next day Yan Shu saw the postman who was here before. After knowing Yan Shu's identity, the guard did not dare to neglect, and carefully recalled the situation when Master Xu settled here.
"Yes, Mr. Xu wrote a letter and sent it to the capital."
Yan Shu quickly asked: "Do you know what is in the letter?"
The guard smiled and said, "My lord, how does this little one know?"
Yan Shu frowned slightly, and asked again: "This letter was indeed sent out, right?"
"It must have been sent out!" The guard widened his eyes and said hastily, for fear that Yan Shu would think that he was not doing well.
Then why did this letter disappear together with Mr. Xu
Seeing Yan Shu's pensive expression, the guard suddenly remembered something and said, "By the way, my lord, I remember something."
"Um?"
"When I was delivering food to Master Xu, I heard several Jin Yiwei adults talk to him, saying that many of them had strange diseases."
"Strange disease?" Yan Shu asked, "What kind of strange disease?"
The guard shook his head: "I don't know, but I saw that some of those adults were indeed pale, and they kept covering their lips and coughing. I wonder if Master Xu is planning to report this matter to the court."
Yan Shu paused, remembering what Qin Jueming said before, that some people in the brocade guards who were traveling with him were mentally decadent, like walking corpses.
I don't know how many of the thirty-three Jinyi guards are sick. If there are many people who are sick, it is really impossible to send silver taels, and they should report to the court.
Things seemed to be at a loss. Yan Shu was thinking about whether to track down the whereabouts of the letter, when suddenly the sound of horseshoes came from outside the station.
Then a person walked into the station, he looked around, as if he was looking for someone.
When Yan Shu saw the person coming, he was stunned: "Uncle Zhao?"
Uncle Zhao yelled "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" a few times, and handed Yanshu a letter.
Yan Shu opened it, and saw that it was written by Qin Jueming himself.
After reading the letter, Yan Shu's expression changed suddenly, and he hurried out: "Uncle Zhao, let's go back."
-
At this time, the courtyard of the Qin Mansion was deep and moss invaded the steps. It seemed peaceful as usual, but deep in the hall and cabinet, there was a dark room with three walls and no light.
In the dark room, there is a disgusting smell of blood, telling the experience of many years here.
Li Changtian was kneeling in the middle of the dark room, his hands bound by an iron chain, and the other end of the iron chain was embedded in the stone walls on both sides, hanging his hands up.
The candlelight flickered slightly in the dark room, and Li Changtian coughed violently. The corners of his mouth were bleeding, the corners of his eyes were bruised, and there were shocking welts under his tattered clothes.
On the other side of the dark room, the timid-looking cook stood expressionlessly in front of a wall covered with horrific torture instruments, thinking about what kind of torture instruments should be changed next, so as to pry Li Changtian's mouth open.