It was past noon when Bo Ruoyou thoroughly inspected Zhang Yu's mother's body. At this time, the officials also dug up many bones from the pine forest. These bones had been buried in the soil for more than ten years, and only a skeleton remained , Bo Ruoyou asked the Yacha to help find a felt blanket, and put together a human figure on the flat place.
Not long after, Sun Zhao came over from Wu's house and reported to Huo Weilou: "Master Hou, the others still haven't confessed. I plan to bring the main culprits back to the capital for interrogation. After the trial is over, the case will be decided directly in court."
Huo Weilou had no objection, "There are two seriously ill patients and a child, how should we deal with it?"
Sun Zhao also felt a little embarrassed when asked this way, "An old woman is seriously ill, and the girl from the Wu family is also disabled. These two people did not participate in the murder back then. The official intends to deal with it lightly. After all, they are no different from being in prison now. Later, the official will discuss with the magistrate of Qinshui County to see if this village can be classified as another village. When the time comes, let Li Zheng find someone to take care of her .”
Although the village is remote, there are houses and farmland after all. Sun Zhao had an idea: "These people are all serious offenders. It stands to reason that even their houses would be confiscated. The house is distributed to poor and weak households in other villages, and if someone is willing, he will take care of it, which is the best of both worlds, as for that child—"
Sun Zhao pondered for a while, "It would be a good idea to send him to a farm for adoption."
Huo Weilou said: "If this matter spreads, everyone will know that his blood relatives have suffered from the plague, and he is a heinous person. I'm afraid no one will adopt him, so why not send him to Xiangguo Temple."
Sun Zhao also knew about the small temple that adopted homeless children, so he immediately said, "Your Majesty is benevolent, I understand."
Huo Weilou raised his eyes and looked at Bo Ruoyou, who was bent over and busy in the distance, he was not a benevolent person, and such trivial matters were not worth his attention, but he only asked because Bo Ruoyou was concerned about the child. Just one sentence.
Sun Zhao also followed Huo Weilou to look over, seeing Bo Ruoyou squatting among a pile of bones, with serious eyes and no distractions, he also expressed his appreciation, "Little Bo has worked hard this time, next time I have such a long-distance errand , must not let Wu Xiang bring Xiao Bo out again."
This remark was originally in line with Huo Weilou's intentions, but he pondered for a while, and said: "It doesn't have to be like this, if you trust her, you don't have to try to be sympathetic."
Surprise flashed in Sun Zhao's eyes, and his eyes quickly swept across Huo Weilou. Seeing that he was not joking, he was sure, "I trust him, but I just see that Xiao Bo has worked very hard."
Of course it's hard work, it's a hard job, Huo Weilou's eyes were slightly condensed, at this moment, she saw Bo Ruoyou suddenly raised her head to wipe her sweat, she looked at him while wiping the sweat, the corners of her lips raised, lightly but Bright, a moment later she bent down to examine the bones again, that smile warmed Huo Weilou's heart like a glimpse.
Sun Zhao said from the side: "Now that the bone test is over, Xiao Bo can go back to Beijing first." He glanced at the sky, "It's still early, if we can start earlier, we will most likely be able to return to the capital after nightfall."
Huo Weilou nodded, "Very good."
Due to the large number of people in the yamen and their quick hands and feet, after noon, the entire pine forest was dug up in sevens and eighties. Back then, the places where they buried their corpses were quite concentrated, and soon a three-foot-square bone was dug up. It's just that the corpses were piled up in one place at the beginning, and now the bones are also mixed together. It will take a lot of effort for Bo Ruoyou to piece together a complete body.
After the main skeleton in the pit was patched up, the sun had already slanted westward, and there were still some messy and broken bones that could not be identified. She was in some trouble, but Huo Weilou came to her side, "determine the identity and find out the cause of death." It’s okay, these things don’t have to be pieced together to be brought back to the capital as physical evidence.”
Bo Ruoyou thought about it, and Huo Weilou said again: "Go and wash your hands, we are going back to Beijing."
Bo Ruoyou looked around, and felt that the yamen servants had no intention of leaving, and Sun Zhao hesitated before saying anything, Huo Weilou was helpless, "Sun Zhao has already said that you should go back to Beijing first, and they will gather you up." For physical evidence, we have to settle the little boy, not so fast, it is useless for you to stay, we should return to the capital before midnight."
He was waiting for her specially. Bo Ruoyou was afraid of delaying his business, so he agreed quickly, and after packing up the autopsy utensils, he went to say goodbye to Sun Zhao. Sun Zhao praised her with a smile, and said: "Both I won't send you off with Master Hou as your companion, the blocked mountain road has been cleared, we are afraid that we will not be able to return to Beijing until early tomorrow morning, you should go back early to rest, these few days have been really hard."
Sun Zhao's smile was a little creepy, but Bo Ruoyou felt that Sun Zhao must have seen it, her cheeks were slightly hot, and she greeted Wu Xiang again, and then walked to her carriage, Sun Zhao took Wu Xiang to watch in person She got into the carriage and bid farewell to Huo Weilou. When they walked away along the mountain road, Wu Xiang asked suspiciously: "My lord, so why did Master Hou come to this village for a day and a night?"
Sun Zhao turned around and looked at him with a half smile but not a smile, "When Lord Hou comes here, who do you talk to the most? And who do you spend the most time with?"
Wu Xiang knew this question, "It's with Xiaobo..."
His eyes lit up, "So Lord Hou came here for Xiao Bo?"
Sun Zhao shook his head and walked towards the pine forest again, "You have too little eyesight."
Wu Xiang took a deep breath, "So... the Hou is really selfish in treating Xiao Bo? It shouldn't be, the Hou is not a womanizer, and Xiao Bo... Xiao Bo's background is ordinary, what does the Hou mean? ? Do you want to take a concubine?"
Sun Zhao snorted, "What is the status of Lord Hou, who came here to study for two days for a concubine?" He sighed, "In the future, we should respect and love Xiao Bo. I haven't seen anyone treated by Lord Hou in these years. Put your heart into it, such a person, if he doesn't put his heart into it, he's dead, once he puts his mind to it, it's a certainty, and I've seen that Xiao Bo will not be in our yamen soon."
Wu Xiang frowned slightly, "Xiao Bo doesn't seem like someone who likes the rich and powerful?"
Sun Zhao looked like he hated iron but steel, "That's not how I see it. Don't say that Xiao Bo and Lord Hou have met for a long time, or he has just been valued by Lord Hou. As long as Lord Hou thinks about it, who in the world can reject him? "
Wu Xiang thought of Huo Weilou's status, and also thought of his young age, powerful and handsome, he really couldn't think of the possibility that Bo Ruoyou would refuse, he sighed, only thinking that Bo Ruoyou could marry It is a good thing to enter the Marquis's mansion, but the mansion government needs to lack a capable person, so he said: "It seems that we still have to hone and hone Xiaohu, he has become more and more tempered recently."
Sun Zhao smiled lightly, "He was reliable at first, why would he lose his temper after a year?"
Wu Xiang also sighed a little, "This subordinate doesn't understand either." Then he glanced at the direction of the mountain road, "No, my lord, if it's really as easy as you said, why did Lord Hou come to this village so fast? "
Sun Zhao rubbed his chin, "In this way, Master Hou seems to be a little different from the past..."
At this time the sun was already setting, Bo Ruoyou's carriage was slow, Huo Weilou rode on the horse, followed by the rare Youzai, the group descended to the foot of the mountain, the sky darkened, and when they reached the bank of the Luo River, I saw that the houses and boats on the bank of the river were all lit up, and the night was coming. They were not in a hurry when they were ready for the night journey, and it was much faster when they got on the official road.
When they got under the city gate, they saw that the city gate was closed, but there was Huo Weilou, and it was easy to enter the city. After entering the capital, Bo Ruoyou felt relieved. What they said along the way Not long, at this time Bo Ruoyou opened the curtain, "Master Hou, you go home first, I will go home by myself, and I don't need to be escorted when I enter the capital."
Huo Weilou said unhappily: "I can go to such a far place, how many steps can I go?"
Because the driver was Zhou Liang, Bo Ruoyou felt a little uncomfortable, the carriage turned onto the side road, and headed to Changxingfang first, when they arrived at Cheng Zhai, Huo Weilou did not dismount, but only said on the horseback: "Go home Just take a good rest."
His eyes were flickering, as if he wanted to say something more, but he swallowed the words again, and finally galloped away with a whip whip. Bo Ruoyou stood in front of the carriage, watching a group of people disappear at the end of the long street, He was also stunned for a while before going to call the door.
Cheng Yunzhi had already rested, and was overjoyed to see her come back. He asked about the case in the village, and was surprised to hear that there was such a thing in that mountain village, and he was even more vaguely impressed with the plague in Guzhang Village.
"It happened fifteen or sixteen years ago, right? Although the incident happened in the mountains at that time, it was close to the capital. The Qinshui county government immediately sent the news back to the capital. His Majesty already knew about it, and the capital sent a doctor to leave After a trip, but the plague is very dangerous, there is no cure at all, and even the origin of the disease is unknown, and those who go there return without success, and finally can only use the simplest method of sealing off the mountain."
Cheng Yunzhi sighed after finishing speaking, "At that time, he was still sent as an imperial doctor, the best doctor in the world."
Bo Ruoyou was eating while talking, when she heard the words, "Plague and other things should be hidden from ordinary people, right? How did the foster father know that he sent an imperial doctor?"
Cheng Yunzhi's words faltered, and he looked at Bo Ruoyou for a moment before saying, "The adoptive father has never told you about the affairs of the adoptive father's family. These years in Qingzhou, the adoptive father wanted to forget those old things. Now that he returns to Beijing, But it’s hard to forget.”
He sighed deeply and said: "Father of foster father was the director of the imperial hospital at that time, so I remember clearly what you said about the plague, because in the ten years when my father was the director, there was only one incident near Gyeonggi. plague."
Bo Ruoyou was startled when he heard that, the hospital is upright, isn't that the current official position of Ming Guilan's father
She was not in a hurry to ask, but Cheng Yunzhi recounted the Cheng family's affairs after a moment of recollection. After finishing the case of Concubine Hui, Cheng Yunzhi smiled wryly, "I'm afraid my father knew from the beginning that he couldn't be saved. He was quite cautious, but later he became a clue. He saved thousands of lives in his life, but because of this incident, he couldn't even save his own life. I didn’t want to practice medicine, but I would rather do it later.”
"Your foster mother's family is not from an official family, and because of the Cheng family's affairs, she was also implicated. Later, she simply lost contact with her family. She also practiced medicine since she was a child, so when she came to Qingzhou, she was the one who saw the doctor."
Bo Ruoyou's heart tightened when he heard this, "Is there no other way? The Cheng family has nothing wrong with it."
Cheng Yunzhi sighed, "Silly boy, there is no right or wrong in this matter, someone is responsible for it, a concubine, a prince, the lives of these two, coupled with the open and secret struggle in the harem, the Cheng family has only my father Losing my life is already a blessing in misfortune, if not for this, I would not have left Beijing to avoid disaster."
Up to this point, his voice was low, "The royal family is the most precarious place. Because I have seen a lot, I don't want you to have anything to do with Wu Zhaohou. His mother is the eldest princess, the emperor's relative." Nephew, over the years, he has been well-known both inside and outside the court, but his surname is Huo and not Zhao. But you don’t have to get involved.”
Bo Ruoyou swallowed her food, although Cheng Yunzhi seldom talked to her about court affairs, but she is a smart person, so she naturally understood what Cheng Yunzhi said, "It's really scary, but it also depends on whether Master Hou is worth it for my daughter adventure."
Cheng Yunzhi frowned, and for a moment felt that the girl was not allowed to stay. At this time, Zhou Liang, who was waiting beside him, said: "Master, this time I went to the village, and Lord Hou also went. When we come back, Lord Hou will send you all the way back. of."
Bo Ruoyou never confessed to Zhou Liang, never thought he would say such a thing, her face flushed, she took a sneak peek at Cheng Yunzhi, and she saw Cheng Yunzhi inexplicably said: "He also went to the village? What did he go to do? "
Zhou Liang glanced at Bo Ruoyou, "We are looking for Miss. This time we searched all the way there, but there was no exact place. When Lord Hou heard that Miss had gone to handle a case outside the city and hadn't returned for two days, he searched all night. After passing by, the villain watched from the sidelines, and felt that Master Hou treated Miss very carefully, from last night to today, Lord Hou has done nothing else, just stay with Miss."
Bo Ruoyou's face was red like blood, it could be seen that Zhou Liang was speaking for Huo Weilou, but he didn't want to stop him, Cheng Yunzhi's face was a little dignified after hearing this, and he put on his crutch a moment later, "This is his method!"
Bo Ruoyou almost choked on hearing this, Cheng Yunzhi looked at her and said: "Knowing that you've worked hard outside, you might encounter minor troubles, and since you haven't returned for two days and you're homesick, you rushed over to show your kindness. Youyou, you can't be soft-hearted like this, Wu Zhaohou is a man with insight into people's hearts, it's very easy to trick you little girl."
Bo Ruoyou responded vaguely, finished the meal quickly, and then went back to the room, Cheng Yunzhi knew that she was very tired, so he naturally agreed, and when he returned to the boudoir, Bo Ruoyou patted his cheek to dispel the heat on his face open.
While taking a bath, Bo Ruoyou was thinking about Cheng Yunzhi's words, if Huo Weilou wanted to use tricks, she would not be able to escape, but would Huo Weilou use so many tricks to soften her heart? She shook her head, but she didn't think so. A person like him spends all his time planning inside and outside the court, but he is the most straightforward when it comes to matters between men and women. Princess, isn't this rare
The more Bo Ruoyou thought about it, the more she felt that it made sense. Not only did Cheng Yunzhi's words not trouble her, but it made her feel that Huo Weilou was a good thing. She lay on the couch and soon fell into a deep dream.
Bo Ruoyou slept very peacefully that night. In the early morning of the second day, it was unusual for her to get up half an hour late. Because she thought that Sun Zhao and the others only came back this morning, they would probably arrive at the yamen at dusk, so she was in no hurry to go to the yamen to respond , While eating breakfast, I heard Cheng Yunzhi talk about the visit of Lin Huai and his wife. Hearing that everyone had agreed, Bo Ruoyou was also relieved.
I stayed with Cheng Yunzhi in the house for half a day. At sunset, Bo Ruoyou drove to the Yamen in a carriage. As soon as he arrived at the gate, he learned that Wu Xiang and the others had returned. At the Xiangguo Temple outside the city, she felt relieved, and was about to see Wu Xiang, when the clerk on duty at the gate said again: "Miss Bo, you just came, and someone is looking for you."
Bo Ruoyou was slightly surprised, "The arrester is looking for me?"
Yacha waved his hand, "No, the head catchers haven't asked you yet, it's a young master looking for you."
Bo Ruoyou's heart skipped a beat, wondering if Huo Weilou sent someone to look for her? Before she could settle on this thought, she first saw a familiar figure walking out of the atrium, it turned out to be Lin Zhao!
And the yamen servant saw Lin Zhao and said, "This is the young master looking for you!"
Bo Ruoyou was a little surprised, but Lin Zhao came out quickly, "Second sister! You are finally back."
Bo Ruoyou blessed her body, "Mr. Lin is looking for me?"
Lin Zhao laughed, "Why is the second younger sister such a stranger? If you are not used to addressing elder brother, you can call him by his first name."
Bo Ruoyou twitched the corners of her lips, "That's too rude, I don't know what you want from me?"
Lin Zhao seemed a little helpless, but he didn't care too much, "I wanted to visit your house the next day, but I asked someone to come to the yamen and found out that you had already left Beijing. It's good if you come back now, and I also Nothing else, just thinking that you have just returned to Beijing not long ago, I want to show you around, you have no other relatives or friends in Beijing, since I am your elder brother, I should treat you better."
Bo Ruoyou was a little surprised, she didn't expect Lin Zhao to have such thoughts, but thinking of what Huo Weilou said, she felt that she should avoid suspicion, not to mention that they only met when they were young, she couldn't remember it herself, since she didn't She also finds it very strange that the friendship that grew up together has received such kindness from him now.
"Thank you, but I have already walked around the capital. I know Mr. Lin, you are an official in the court, and you must be very busy. There is no need to make a special trip for this matter. I just want to ask this time. case, it’s inconvenient to go elsewhere.”
Lin Zhao thought for a while, nodded, "That's right, Butcher Wu is inside, just go and ask, I'll wait for you here, it's getting dark, I just sent you home, I haven't visited Uncle Cheng yet, tonight Going to visit him."
Bo Ruoyou felt that Lin Zhao was too warm-hearted, "How embarrassing, I—"
"Second sister." Lin Zhao smiled calmly, "Is it because I was abrupt? Actually, after you left that day, I asked my father more, and only then did I know that Uncle Cheng and you are very difficult. I thought, if you Growing up in the capital, we should have been very close. I said it was your elder brother's words, and I didn't mean to be polite. I wanted to visit you earlier, but I learned that you were not in the mansion. That's why people came to ask every day. Listen today. They said that Wu Xiang and the others are back, so I guessed that you were back too, so I came to take a look."
Seeing her embarrassed face, Lin Zhao thought for a moment and said, "If you find it inconvenient, then I'll just take you home later, how about it?"
At this point, Bo Ruoyou felt his lips and teeth were rough, and he didn't know how to refuse, but at this moment, Wu Xiang turned out from the back hall of the yamen, and was overjoyed when he saw Bo Ruoyou, "Xiao Bo, why are you so angry?" coming?"
Bo Ruoyou breathed a sigh of relief, and hurriedly replied, "I thought you would only arrive at the yamen in the afternoon, so come and have a look at this time."
Wu Xiang laughed, "You are too hardworking." After speaking, he glanced at Lin Zhao again, "Mr. Lin said he came to look for you? But what can't be done?"
Lin Zhao shook his head, "It's nothing serious, but Ruoyou's family and mine are family friends. I didn't know it before, but I only found out a few days ago. Today, I know that you came back from investigating the case, so I came to visit her in the yamen."
Wu Xiang didn't know about this, so he was surprised for a while, Bo Ruoyou hurriedly asked him, "What is the head catcher going to do now? Is there anything you want me to do?"
Wu Xiang waved his hand, "It's fine today, you should go home earlier."
Bo Ruoyou nodded, and seeing Lin Zhao looking at her, as if he really wanted to send her back home, she was in a bit of trouble. Just as she was hesitating, Wu Xiang glanced at the long street outside the yamen, " Huh? Are those the chariots and horses of Marquis Wuzhao’s mansion?”
The three of them looked up the long street together, and sure enough they saw a carriage with vermilion lacquer and canopy coming slowly, Bo Ruoyou recognized it at a glance, Lin Zhao was also surprised, "It is indeed the carriage and horses of the Hou's mansion, Lord Hou is here? "
It was Huo Weilou who came. He was still resting in the carriage with his eyes closed, but Lu Ke, who was on the side of the horse, let out a light snort, and then said to the carriage: "Master Bo, it's Miss Bo—"
Huo Weilou opened his eyes suddenly, before he lifted the curtains of the car, Lu Ke said again: "Young Master Lin is also there."
This remark made Huo Weilou frown, he lifted the curtain, and as expected, he saw a few people standing at the gate of the yamen, the moment he saw him, he saw some surprise in Bo Ruoyou's eyes, and looked again Glancing at Lin Zhao next to him, Huo Wei didn't show it on the floor, but there was already some displeasure in his heart.
Seeing Lu Ke accompanying him, Bo Ruoyou knew that Huo Weilou didn't come here to look for her, she wanted to go home, but now she left in no hurry, when Huo Weilou got off the carriage, she stepped forward to salute.
Huo Weilou glanced at her, then looked at Lin Zhao, "Why are you here?"
Lin Zhao smiled brightly, "Master Hou, I'm here to look for my second sister. They left Beijing for a few days to handle the case. I heard that they are coming back today. I'll come and take a look."
Huo Weilou nodded expressionlessly, without looking at Bo Ruoyou, he asked, "Then what are you going to do with her?"
Lin Zhao was unprepared, "Send her home, and then visit Uncle Cheng."
Only then did Huo Weilou regretfully say: "You can't see you off today, the Marquis has important things to do here, since she is here, she will stay and help."
Lin Zhao was startled, and his smile faded away. He glanced at Luke and the others behind him, and said helplessly, "Master Hou has a lot of people with him, why do you want to order Second Sister around?"
"I have to check the files today, so many people are not as good as her." After Huo Weilou finished speaking, he looked at Bao Ruoyou, "Do you want to go home earlier?"
Bo Ruoyou kept shaking her head, "No, I don't want to."
Lin Zhao saw in the bottom of his eyes, only felt that Huo Weilou's momentum was overwhelming, and Bo Ruoyou was too scared to resist, and when he wanted to help Bo Ruoyou out of the siege, he saw Huo Weilou looked at Wu Xiang with a serious expression, "Sun Zhao is here! ?”
His face was serious, and it seemed that he was on important business. Now Lin Zhao couldn't speak much, so he fell silent. Wu Xiang responded, and hurried in to call Sun Zhao. Lin Zhao asked from the side, "" Master Hou, can I help you?"
He is also quite good at such things as checking files, but Huo Weilou said very understandingly: "No need, I can't finish checking today, you should go back early, tomorrow morning, I have to mention Your Majesty's pen."
Lin Zhao was valued by Emperor Jianhe. Recently, besides a few old Hanlins, there was another Lin Zhao who gave lectures to Emperor Jianhe. He only felt that Huo Weilou's words were very reasonable, so he had to agree. At this time, Sun Zhao came out Before saluting, Huo Weilou said in a strict voice: "Open your inner vault, I want to find a few official documents submitted by several people in recent years."
Seeing Huo Weilou's expression, Sun Zhao knew that the matter was not trivial, so he hurriedly led the way. A group of people followed Huo Weilou and walked in. Bo Ruoyou blessed Lin Zhaofu, and hurriedly followed Huo Weilou in. Soon, only Lin Zhao was left alone, and seeing Bo Ruoyou among the men, he felt that Bo Ruoyou's body was pitiful.
This is the first time for Bo Ruoyou to come to the government yamen treasury. It is located deep in the yamen. It is a place where the doors and windows are made of iron. There are three heavy locks on the front door. Open, there are rows of cabinets and cabinets inside, and there are official documents sent from various roads under the capital, and they are classified into categories.
Huo Weilou said: "You step back, just leave someone outside and wait."
Sun Zhao knew the rules, and he knew that the matter was not easy when he saw it, so he couldn't ask at the moment, so he took Wu Xiang away quickly.
Huo Weilou gestured again, and Lu Ke immediately led a few embroidered clothes envoys behind him to the depths of the inner vault. Bo Ruoyou watched them leave and couldn't help but said, "Master Hou, what can I do?"
Huo Weilou looked at her deeply, "Tell me what's going on with Lin Zhao first?"