Wu Xiang and Liu Yan left, but Bo Ruoyou still wanted to stay in Liu Yao's boudoir for a while.
Liu Yao was pregnant last year. Later, she was found pregnant, and she was sent to Shuiyue Temple after giving birth. After such a long time, it is really difficult to find direct tokens or evidence, but Bo Ruoyou didn't want to give up easily, looking at the dusty house, thinking that Liu Yao would never come back, she wanted to know what kind of person Liu Yao was.
Liu Yao seldom shows up in the mansion on weekdays. This small courtyard is her world. She has spent most of her nineteen years in these rooms wandering around in these rooms, practicing calligraphy, reading books, playing chess, and being a female celebrity. These are the three things she most often spends time with. Bo Ruoyou found a few embroideries on the bed in her bedroom. These embroidery patterns are complicated and bright, with fine and neat stitches. My embroiderer is not as good as her embroiderer.
Bo Ruoyou went to look at her chessboard again. The black and white chess pieces were as warm and moist as jade, and the texture was high-grade. The wood grain on the corners of the chessboard had a warm old look left by the master's years of playing with it. It is conceivable that Liu Yao would not go out on those days when she couldn't go out. It is also a pleasure to play chess here.
She went to look at Liu Yao's desk and bookcase.
The posts she came across were neatly placed on the cabinet cabinet, including elegant lowercase script and broad-minded running script, and more than a hundred books on the side were even more clear and varied. Literature can support people, and a person's reading habits show her preferences and connotations to a great extent.
Bo Ruoyouzai carefully read the books that Liu Yao had read, and inexplicably felt that the one Liu Yao liked would definitely not be a rough servant, but if Liu Yao really had an affair with his cousin, then what Who is the one
Bo Ruoyou squatted on the ground, before Liu Yan's maidservant, looking through Liu Yao's relics brought back from Shuiyue Nunnery.
She checked these things when she was in Shuiyue Nunnery, but she was looking for clues at that time, so she didn't look carefully. Now, looking at these small things in the house where Liu Yao has lived for more than ten years, she is in a different state of mind .
Liu Yao's life in Shuiyue Nunnery was very lonely and desolate, but Bo Ruoyou still found her writing at the end of February. She wrote a piece of travel notes of the former scholar sage. All articles are dated and signed. From the beginning to the end of writing, it took almost a month of work. Later, I only wrote poems silently. Occasionally, I also wrote one or two poems. The words are full of sadness, just like what Liu Yan said, She really had the idea of being world-weary and committing suicide, but she didn't hurt herself in the end.
Bo Ruoyou noticed that during these two months, Liu Yao's handwriting became sharper and more chaotic as the time passed. She seemed to think of Liu Yao being imprisoned in a nunnery, and anxiously hoped that no one would come to pick her up after two months.
But it's only been two months, how will she spend the next four months, no wonder she started messing around.
Looking back, Bo Ruoyou unexpectedly found two stacks of identical manuscripts, the same travel notes. When she saw the second manuscript, Bo Ruoyou was a little surprised.
Her handwriting has returned to its graceful and gentle style. It was written in early April, which is quite different from the poems written silently at the end of March.
In a hurry, she searched for May's manuscript in a pile of miscellaneous things. After spending a long time, she found two pages of excerpts from the storybook. The inscription was already at the end of May. The excerpted passages are all the words of the hero and heroine in the play, but the handwriting has changed from lower case to regular, and the style of writing has begun to be scribbled.
Bo Ruoyou was amazed from the bottom of her heart, and went to read the third manuscript. This one was written in the middle of June. The strange thing is that her manuscript at this moment has become elegant and beautiful again. The place of eloquent rhetoric seems to be full of tenderness. Bo Ruoyou's heart moved slightly, and she searched again. This time, she turned out the manuscripts from the end of June to the entire July.
After writing the travel notes, Liu Yao didn't see her writing again for five or six days, or the manuscript was discarded by her during the period, and in the middle of July, Liu Yao's mood suddenly became more anxious than ever. In addition to the post, she also made two que words, the words are sad and sad, lamenting that the spring is fleeting, lamenting that the bleak autumn is coming, and comparing herself to the wild wormwood, she is as humble as a dust, until the last wildfire burns out , will disappear from this world.
Holding the cool paper, Bo Ruoyou felt a chill run up her spine.
At first, she was sent to Shuiyue Nunnery, she was afraid that she still had hope in her heart, but after being locked up for a longer period of time, she naturally became more and more frightened, and Bo Ruoyou went to read the drama scripts in her hand, she seemed to read a lot of them , the corners of the pages have been turned up, and most of the pages are stories of gifted scholars and beauties. Bo Ruoyou looked through a few of them, and found that they all had happy endings. She was imprisoned in Shuiyue Nunnery. I am comforting myself with the happy ending in the book.
It is said that Liu Yao is dull, timid and cowardly, but she experienced having a child out of wedlock, was forced by her family, was kicked out of the house, and never said the person's name, which shows that she is not really weak and useless, but she likes to read and practice calligraphy, and has a good relationship with others. Personal relationship has not been revealed yet, he can be regarded as a contented and cautious person who enjoys himself in this small courtyard.
She spoke suicidal words, but did not commit any self-inflicted acts. Although she lost her temper, she still wanted to return home. However, the manuscript she wrote still showed her volatile fear and despair these days.
Even though she was used to being ignored in the Liu Mansion and used to never leaving the hospital, the nunnery was a strange place and quite poor, and when she left the Liu Mansion and the person who had an affair at that time, she must be in every possible way. suffering…
It would make sense if she was depressed after being imprisoned for two months, and then she thought about it, but the second time she suppressed the fear and agitation in her heart, it was a bit strange.
At that time, she had been imprisoned for four months. If there was no external force, how could she comfort herself
Bo Ruoyou couldn't help but straightened up, took another look at the Nuan Pavilion, and turned to look for Wu Xiang.
Following the maidservants to the flower hall, Wu Xiang was questioning the servants with several yamen servants, Bo Ruoyou went up to whisper a few words to Wu Xiang, Wu Xiang nodded after a little thought, then turned back and continued to question.
Liu Yan sat and waited at the side, a little dazed, Bo Ruoyou saw that Wu Xiang was busy, so he walked up to Liu Yan, "Have you ever played chess with Miss Seven?"
Liu Yan was slightly surprised, "No, is this related to the case?"
Bo Ruoyou shook her head, "It's all just a question, the third son doesn't know what post Seventh Miss likes to post?"
Liu Yan was still hesitant, obviously not knowing, Bo Ruoyou asked again, "In the past six months, has the third son visited Miss Seven?"
Liu Yan looked distressed, "I've been there once, at the beginning of April this year."
Bo Ruoyou frowned, "Just this once?"
Liu Yan nodded, and it was fine to be questioned by the yamen, but when Bo Ruoyou asked, Liu Yan felt a little guilty for some reason. At this moment, footsteps suddenly came from outside the flower hall. Young master Liu Xi walked in.
Seeing Liu Xi coming, Liu Yan said, "Fifth Brother visits Seventh Sister more often, Miss Bo can ask Fifth Brother."
Liu Xi frowned slightly, stepped forward and looked at Bo Ruoyou puzzled, "Let me see if I can help."
Bo Ruoyou then asked, "When did the Fifth Young Master visit Miss Seven?"
Liu Xi said with a gloomy expression: "I have visited her several times, but it was not very pleasant every time. She was sent away in February, and I went there in the middle of March. You all know what I am going to do. , I want to ask who killed her, she is in such a situation, saying that a new marriage is impossible, unless the person who caused her is found out, or the two get married, or we can hold that person accountable, otherwise If she procrastinates like this, I'm afraid she will be locked up in the nunnery for a year or so, and it will be herself who will be delayed."
"That's why I went to see her in mid-March, and then I went again in early April. When I went, I saw that she was not in good spirits, but I didn't force her to ask. After this time, I was busy buying a house, and it was not until the end of May. I went to visit her. At that time, she was already so thin that she lost her appearance, and the people in the nunnery were not very dedicated. For this reason, I scolded them. The last time I saw her was in the middle of last month. It was still to ask her That matter, but she still doesn't say anything."
Liu Xi's eyes showed pain: "I quarreled with her and left. On the fifth day of August, the people in the nunnery said that she didn't eat anymore, so I wanted to visit her, but the next day, Uncle I suddenly said that I wanted to see her, so I suppressed my thoughts, thinking that I would go with Uncle San, she must be even more frightened, it was impossible to say anything, and then the next day, Second Brother would go again, I originally wanted to go with Uncle The second elder brother was walking with her, but thinking of the unhappiness before, she thought that the second elder brother might be able to appease her, because it was really good for the second elder brother to take her when she was young, but the third elder brother came back that day and said that no one had seen her , I just want to go by myself."
Bo Ruoyou's beautiful eyes were slightly deep, and her knuckles tucked in her sleeves moved slightly, as if she was thinking about something. After a while, her face became more serious, and she asked the two people in front of her, "Is there any young master or elder, Visited her in early April, late March and early June?"
Liu Xi and Liu Yan looked at each other, they both shook their heads, Liu Xi said: "The elders almost never go there, it's our brothers who go, and I'm the one who goes the most."
Bo Ruoyou nodded, "Five sons, do you know why Seventh Miss likes "Shan Hai Ji Lu"?"
"Shan Hai Ji Lu" is Liu Yao's travel notes copied three times. After hearing this question, Liu Xi said without any hesitation: "Because she doesn't want to stay in the mansion, she wants to go outside and have a look." His face darkened, "I kept telling her that there was a chance, but I didn't expect..."
Bo Ruoyou pursed her lips, no wonder Liu Yao liked copying this book so much when she was locked up in the nunnery, the world is vast, but she is like a bird with broken wings, the tighter she is locked up, the more she wants to escape , but she eventually died in the nunnery.
Bo Ruoyou didn't ask any more questions. At this time, Wu Xiang and the government servants also finished questioning the servants in the mansion. They didn't seem to have gained much, and their faces were indifferent. At this moment, the gold is sinking, and Wu Xiang doesn't make things difficult for Liu's mansion. Everyone offered their farewell directly.
Liu Xi still wanted to inquire about the yamen, but Wu Xiang didn't go into details, so Liu Yan sent them out of the yamen himself.
On the way out of Liu's Mansion, Wu Xiang's royal horse was outside Bo Ruoyou's carriage, and asked in a low voice, "Why did you ask me to ask if anyone went to visit Miss Seven in April and June?"
Bo Ruoyou then told about the manuscripts he found in the Nuan Pavilion, and said in a concentrated voice: "Liu Yao always liked to write poems silently. When she was in Liu's residence, she could play chess and become a female celebrity, but when she came to the nunnery, all she could do was this. Therefore, I think Liu Yao's state of mind can be seen mostly from her manuscript."
"When she was imprisoned for two months, her mood was obviously flustered and irritable, but at the beginning of April, the pen suddenly changed back to its original appearance. The same thing happened again at the beginning of June. She was so erratic twice, I I don't think it was because of her comforting herself, or because of other reasons, I tend to think that someone comforted her at that time."
Wu Xiang's eyes shimmered, "Is it the person who has an affair with her?"
Bo Ruoyou nodded, "She defended that person very well, especially the later poems are quite world-weary and self-deprecating, but she still doesn't say who that person is. If she even has the idea of committing suicide but still hides it, I will I feel that she really wants to protect that person, otherwise, why not just say it and fight to the death?"
There is nothing worse than death anyway.
Wu Xiang nodded, "So that's the case, but we have asked the servants in the mansion, some of the personal attendants may have concealed something, but what the stewards and porters said is true, according to them, the masters have never been to the place in the past six months. Shuiyuean has seen her, and Shuiyuean's flesh and blood business is also in the name of entering the mansion to pray for blessings, and comes to various households to do things. After you told me, I asked a little more broadly, asking them Did you ever go out of the city? This is a matter of asking. This mansion really believes in Buddhism, but it is the Buddha in Xiangguo Temple."
Wu Xiang mocked, "The whole family has to go to Xiangguo Temple to make offerings every month. Sometimes they go together, sometimes they send someone to go there. In the past six months, almost everyone has been out of the city for this reason."
Xiangguo Temple is on the Nanshan Mountain outside the city, not far from Tingshan Mountain, but if everyone goes together, they can all be witnesses to each other, and if they go alone, they also bring some followers, such as the one who went out of the city to offer incense on the sixth day of the lunar new year Fourth son.
Bo Ruoyou pondered and said: "The headhunters can be checked carefully, are there any people who went out of the city to Xiangguo Temple by themselves but the witnesses are not complete, and then ask the teachers in the nunnery, most of them know who has been there and who hasn't." When did you go?"
Wu Xiang nodded, feeling that Bo Ruoyou had almost grasped the context of the case after discovering it this time, and felt that it was the right thing to bring her with her, "Okay, we'll interrogate tonight, and I'll let you know tomorrow morning."
After a short pause, Wu Xiang said, "However, there is one more thing that is still unclear."
Bo Ruoyou also frowned, "The secret room hasn't been cracked yet."
Wu Xiang said in a deep voice: "No matter who murdered Liu Yao, Liu Yao did die in the secret room in the end, and there was blood wiped off behind the door. You and I checked carefully yesterday. The house is so simple and simple, I really didn’t think of it.”
The rougher the place, the harder it is to set up blindfolds to confuse people. The doors and windows in the nunnery are locked, and the most simple and solid internal bolts are used, and there are no other breaches. After thinking about it, Wu Xiang really doesn't understand. How the killer did it.
Bo Ruoyou also said: "I have never imagined that the doors and windows are all tightly seamed. If it is made of ropes and threads, it is impossible. The only place where the dishes and chopsticks can come in and out is in the back window of the Nuan Pavilion, which is separated from her by a few days." Ten zhang away, and she died by being hijacked and bumped against a pillar, if the murderer was outside the house, she would not be able to commit the crime."
Bo Ruoyou thought about Qimen Dunjia, but she was not good at it, so she felt her thoughts were suffocated and she had no clue at the moment, Wu Xiang sighed, "Forget it, let's go to interrogate some people in the nunnery, maybe there is something else The clues are missing, the murderer is not a ghost after all, it is impossible to be flawless."
Bo Ruoyou responded, seeing that it was getting late, he bid farewell to Wu Xiang and went home.
After returning home, Bo Ruoyou couldn't help asking about Huo Qinghong's condition, Cheng Yunzhi said: "It's improved a lot, he can't stay in the Hou's mansion for the past two days, he wants to go back to the Duke's mansion, Eunuch Fu discussed with me, If the needling is changed to once every seven days in the future, it would be good to go back to the Duke's Mansion, but he is not at ease, in the Marquis Mansion, the prince is still a little bit afraid."
Bo Ruoyou thought for a while, "Look at him, this time he has also stayed in the Hou Mansion for half a year, and I'm afraid he's really suffocated."
Cheng Yunzhi twitched his lips, "Eunuch Fu wanted to find some new gadgets for him to go to the house to solve the problem, but he didn't dare. It seems that he will really change his temper after this time."
Thinking of Huo Qinghong's absurdity, Bo Ruoyou also felt that it would be great if he could change his temper. Cheng Yunzhi asked about the case again, and when Bo Ruoyou told about the Liu family, Cheng Yunzhi couldn't help but change his expression, "There is no other possibility. ?”
Bo Ruoyou shook her head, "At present, the possibility is extremely small."
Cheng Yunzhi sighed, "If this is true, it will be a bad relationship."
Bo Ruoyou responded, and revealed the unsolvable secret room. Cheng Yunzhi listened to what she said, but after thinking about it for a while, he found nothing, so he comforted him, "Maybe it's not that complicated, so you don't have to think hard all the time."
Bo Ruoyou agreed, the father and daughter had dinner, and Bo Ruoyou took a rest early.
In the early morning of the second day, Bo Ruoyou and Cheng Yunzhi explained that they planned to go to the Yamen first, and then accompany him to the Marquis Mansion. Cheng Yunzhi responded, and Bo Ruoyou went out. When they arrived at the Yamen, Wu Xiang had already finished the interrogation, but He looked at the evidence and thought hard all night, but he still couldn't figure it out.
Seeing Bo Ruoyou coming, he seemed to see a savior.
"Look, I asked them, and what the two brothers Liu Yan said was similar. Besides the two of them, the Second Young Master and the Fourth Young Master also went to see it once, and they went together. It was in early April, except for the two brothers. In addition, they are away from the nunnery for two days at the end of March and early April, as well as at the end of May and early June, and they don't know if anyone visits at that time."
"Comparing with the testimonies obtained in Liu's residence, at the end of March, the third father and son went out of the city together to Xiangguo Temple once; at the end of April and May, the second father and son went together with the fifth son; only The Fourth Young Master was on the sixth day of this month, and there were witnesses for that time, as for the Fifth Young Master's house in the south of the city, I also sent someone to investigate."
"The five sons bought that house from a Jiangnan businessman. The intention was at the end of March, and it was mid-April when he went to the Yamen to pass the documents. After that, he invited craftsmen to repair the courtyard. He specially invited craftsmen to decorate a women's boudoir, and the inside of it is not like the place he said for the gathering of literature—"
Bo Ruoyou took a light breath, "A women's boudoir? Do you want to hide your beauty in a golden house?"
Wu Xiang was also a little puzzled, "In their house, only the second son has made a marriage. If the fifth son wants to hide his beauty in a golden house, then he wants to be an outhouse. It's not possible. He wants to bring his sister into the mansion, right? ?”
Bo Ruoyou frowned, and couldn't help asking: "Did the masters say that who likes the flesh and blood business in this nunnery?"
Wu Xiang showed disdain, "The Liu family belongs to the second master."
"Only him?" Bo Ruoyou was a little surprised.
Wu Xiang nodded, "I also said that the second master has a lot of eccentricities, because of this matter, he was reprimanded by the Liu family uncle. Since then, he has not dared to leave people at home to enjoy themselves, but sent them to a foreign house."
Thinking of the second master's well-dressed appearance, Bo Ruoyou felt a chill in his heart, but Wu Xiang suddenly thought, "You said that Liu Yao has some weird injuries?"
Bo Ruoyou's heart skipped a beat, and she thought about it again, "But...the other people have all the evidence, it doesn't seem like it."
Wu Xiang rolled her eyes, "They said that the second master valued one of the nuns very much, but that person stayed in the nunnery. I plan to bring the other two back to Beijing for questioning. It is best not to miss any nuns. clue."
Bo Ruoyou responded, seeing that Wu Xiang was going to get someone, she said goodbye and went back to the mansion to accompany Cheng Yunzhi to Wuzhaohou's mansion to visit a doctor. She came yesterday, and as soon as she entered the mansion today, Fu Gonggong was very concerned. When she heard that there was another strange case in the capital, Then I pity her for her hard work.
Cheng Yunzhi went to see Huo Qinghong first, and when he entered the yard, he saw a cage hanging outside the window, in which lived a bird with a whole body of colorful feathers. Fluttering his wings, Mr. Fu said: "The son is bored and wants to go back to the Duke's mansion. I said I would find some other fun for him, but he didn't want to, so he suddenly said that he wanted a sparrow, which was just delivered this morning." .”
When Bo Ruoyou saw it, she thought it was better to play tricks on the birds than go to the place of fireworks.
Cheng Yunzhi went to ask Huo Qinghong for pulse, Bo Ruoyou stood under the verandah and looked at the bird, just after watching for a long time, a servant of the Hou's mansion suddenly came in a hurry from outside, behind him, followed by someone whom he hadn't seen for a long time Ning Xiao.
Ning Xiao originally had a cold face, but when he saw him today, there was a look of anxiety on his brows. He didn't seem to expect that Bo Ruoyou was here, so he was a little taken aback before going forward to salute. See Mr. Fu.
Soon Eunuch Fu came out, the smile on his face faded when he saw Ning Xiao's expression, Ning Xiao glanced at Bo Ruoyou, "Eunuch, please take a step to talk."
It's nothing to hide the business from Bo Ruoyou, but Ning Xiao's last glance made Bo Ruoyou uneasy. She almost immediately decided that what Ning Xiao came to report had something to do with Huo Weilou, not only that, but it was not a good thing.
When the two of them left the guest house, she suddenly raised her heart, and waited for half a cup of tea before Eunuch Fu came back from the outside. Looking at Bo Ruoyou, Eunuch Fu wanted to force himself He smiled, but the corner of his mouth twitched, his smile was uglier than crying.
Bo Ruoyou couldn't bear it anymore, she stepped forward and asked, "Elder-in-law, is there something wrong with Lord Hou?"
Eunuch Fu gritted his teeth, forced by the urgency in her eyes, he had no choice but to tell the truth, "Three days ago, Lord Hou was attacked in the southwest village, and his whereabouts are unknown now."
Bo Ruoyou turned pale immediately.