Imperial Physician Sun pointed to the position where the fine needle was pulled from Han Zao just now and said: "There is an acupoint here, called the water point. The "Bronze Man" of the Northern Song Dynasty has long said that if the water disease is a good moxibustion, it can be moxibustion from seven to one hundred strong. It is forbidden to stab, and the needle will die when the water runs out. Therefore, there is a saying that moxibustion can not be acupuncture, but it is not impossible to acupuncture, but some people are not good at learning, and it is easy to pierce too deeply, causing a catastrophe.”
Tang Fan and others immediately understood that all acupuncture points in the human body must be useful. Like this water point, massage with fingers or moxibustion can treat symptoms such as edema and diarrhea, but there are two sides. Conversely, it is also related to Like Baihui and temples, they are both important acupoints in the human body. If they are not treated properly, they will also damage the body.
Sun Taiyi said: "The water point belongs to the Ren meridian, and it is in the same vein as the lumen bone. Therefore, when the needle is inserted into the water, blood dizziness will appear on the lumen. Usually, I only heard my master say that if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes today, I would never have broken it. I would believe that someone would actually come up with such a method to harm people! This person must be familiar with the classics of medical books, and maybe he is a doctor. It is just that his ability is not used to save people, but is used to harm people, which is really infuriating! "
Imperial Physician Sun was still angry for the murderer, but Tang Fan and others all looked solemn.
They originally thought that Han Zao died of poisoning, but they did not expect that in the end, he was stabbed into a key acupoint by a needle. What a hidden method of death, if not for the presence of Imperial Physician Sun today, they could see the mysterious connection between the lumen bone and the water point. I'm afraid they don't say that they shaved Han Zao's hair, even if they open his body and cut his belly, they may not find the problem, because the needle is so small, and they previously focused on poisoning, when the time comes Even if the corpse is dissected, it will only go to the throat and chest to see, and may not pay attention to the location of the water point.
Tang Fan asked, "If there is a broken needle in Han Zao's body, can he get the pulse out?"
Imperial Physician Sun understood what he was asking, and shook his head: "It can't last that long. When I checked Han Zao's pulse a few days ago, I confirmed that he is fine. That is to say, the attack time is very fast, even if this needle It is extremely thin and short, but because this acupoint is special, if there is a problem, it will never exceed a day and a half."
Tang Fan was puzzled: "In other words, Han Zao's needle was stabbed on the same day, but if that's the case, Han Zao is not a child who can't speak, how could he not notice when the needle was pierced?"
Imperial Physician Sun said: "First, this broken needle is even thinner than a filigree needle. People may not have a very obvious feeling when such a needle as thin as an ox's hair penetrates the body. Second, this is a broken needle. If it is completely submerged in the body, and Han Zao can't find the problem, others will only think it is normal abdominal pain, his death method is unexpected, and few people will think of it."
Sui Zhou responded to Taiyi Sun's statement: "Take me as an example, I can really easily pierce the broken needle into the other person's body through clothes without being noticed by him. If the person is an ignorant child, his alertness is low. , it's easier."
Hearing what they said, Tang Fan frowned and said, "So, the question is who had close contact with Han Zao on the day of his death, and this person is probably someone Han Zao knew, otherwise it's normal. It is impossible to put a broken needle into his body through such an intimate contact."
This is not the field that Imperial Physician Sun is good at, and this matter involves a wide range of people, and it is more likely to involve someone in the palace. Tang Fan didn't want to embarrass him, so he asked Bian Yu to send someone to send Imperial Physician Sun back.
Tang Fan said to Suizhou: "I remember that Han Zao entered the palace at 90 o'clock in the morning. At about 1 o'clock in the o'clock, Empress Dowager Zhou sent someone to send the winter bamboo shoots cakes. Han Zaoyan said that he had abdominal pain, and then he died suddenly. That is to say, it should be counted from Mao Shi, and the period will be one hour plus four quarters of an hour."
Suizhou: "No, you should count him in the morning before he goes out."
Tang Fan thought for a while: "You mean that the Han family are also suspected?"
Sui Zhou said: "I have handled a lot of cases before, and they often end up with the most inconspicuous person. This is just to be on the safe side and add a possibility."
Tang Fan nodded: "Usually, Yin Shi gets up to wash and enter the palace. Elder Sun also said that when the water point is stabbed, it penetrates deeper as the body moves. The attack time is very fast, two hours plus four quarters, about It won't be longer."
At this time, someone from the East Palace came outside, saying that His Royal Highness the Prince wanted to see Master Tang.
Tang Fan was not surprised, even if the prince didn't look for him, he would still look for the prince.
With last night's experience, I won't have too many feelings when I enter the palace again, not to mention that Tang Fan is now full of clues about the East Palace case, and he doesn't even bother to take a look at the palace scenery.
The prince had also seen it last night, but in the daytime, it was naturally more clear.
He just turned eight years old this year, but since he was a child, in order to avoid the eyes and ears of Concubine Wan, he hid in Tibet in the east of the palace. He also ate the rations saved by the palace ladies and eunuchs. He looked like he was wearing an Eastern Palace robe, and it was a bit empty and distressing.
However, although he was not born, he was dressed in fine clothes, but he could see that he worked very hard, and his etiquette and behavior were based on advance and retreat, and he could not pick out mistakes. Bring a stool for Tang Tuiguan, give you a seat, and serve tea."
Tang Fan declined and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for being sympathetic, the minister can just stand."
The prince said: "Tang Tuiguan is handling the case for the father and the emperor, and you are not polite."
Tang Fan stopped being polite, thanked him and sat down.
The prince asked, "What has Tang Tui found out about this case?"
He originally just asked casually, it's only been a day, what can be discovered, who knows what Tang Fan said: "There are indeed some discoveries."
Tang Fan explained the cause of Han Zao's death, and the prince opened his eyes wide and couldn't help but stand up from his seat: "How can this happen, how can this happen, Xiao Zao is so miserable!"
No matter how diligent and restrained he is, after all, he is still only an eight-year-old child. Although he has experienced all kinds of hardships since he was a child, when he heard that his friend who had been with him day and night died tragically, he still couldn't help tearing up.
"Tang push officer, who is the one who wants to harm Xiao Zao, have you found out?"
While the prince was talking, Tang Fan was also watching him carefully.
Although a person's words and deeds cannot be used as substantive evidence, they can be used as reference supplements.
The crown prince suffered more than an ordinary person when he was young. He was threatened with death at any time, so he had to move around in the palace with the loyal maids and servants to avoid the persecution of Concubine Wan. This is in the legend of the story. There may be a little bit of bloody plot in it, but it really happened in the Chenghua Dynasty.
His biological mother, Mrs. Ji, died violently three years ago, the same year he was named the crown prince. At that time, no one jumped out and shouted to investigate thoroughly. Everyone tacitly exposed the matter. , they all thought that the prince was young and would not take it to heart.
But how could a precocious child not know what his mother had gone through, how could the rumors of the entire court not flow through his ears
However, having encountered so many ups and downs, the prince did not become gloomy because of this, but instead exuded a quiet and soft anger, his eyes were clear and bottomless, and he was not polluted by the sinister complexity of world affairs.
Tang Fan asked himself and experienced a lot of people's hearts. Based on his observation, from the prince's true feelings for Han Zao, the other party should have nothing to do with the case, at least not like Concubine Wan suspects, for revenge She deliberately framed it.
Therefore, when the villain looks at the gentleman, he will always treat the gentleman's belly with the villain's heart. They will not know what the gentleman is thinking, and they will not understand the gentleman's thoughts.
He shook his head: "At present, only the cause of death has been found out. Even if the prince does not come to find the minister, the minister is ready to come and see the prince. The minister wants to know what he did during the period from Han Zao's entry to the palace to his death. What, with whom did you meet?"
The prince blinked, stunned for a while, and then shook his head: "No, he has been studying here with me, and has never been anywhere."
Tang Fan was both angry and funny, the Crown Prince was not good at lying at first glance. "Is His Highness's statement true? This matter is of great importance. If the other party is not just targeting Han Zao, but has other intentions, I am afraid that His Highness will also be in danger."
The prince fell silent.
Tang Fan decided to force him: "If Your Highness refuses to tell the truth, this minister has no choice but to ask His Majesty to come forward."
After he finished speaking, he stood up and cupped his hands, and was about to go out.
The prince hurriedly stopped him, and even caught up with him: "Don't go, don't go! You wait!"
Tang Fan turned around.
The prince bit his lower lip: "I can tell you, but that person will never hurt me, let alone Xiao Zao. You have to promise me that you must never tell the emperor."
Tang Fan nodded and said, "As long as it has nothing to do with this case and the murderer, I naturally won't go into it."
The prince was silent, standing there hesitating, Tang Fan also waited with his sleeves up, without urging.
After a while, the Prince Ping retreated from the palace servants on the left and right, and said to Tang Fan, "After entering the palace in the early morning, we would study in one place, and on the way, I asked him to go to a place to see someone, and it only took half an hour to go back and forth, and That person will definitely not harm Xiao Zao, let alone me!"
Tang Fan asked, "Who is that person?"
The prince said, "Niangniang Wu."
Tang Fan didn't react for a while: "Which Niangniang Wu?"
The prince said: "It is the first Empress Wu of the father's emperor."
Oh, it's the Queen Wu.
Tang Fan remembered that this Empress Wu was abandoned as a child of today because she blamed Concubine Wan, and was banished into the West Palace. After that, the name of that person was rarely heard inside and outside the palace, and this woman seemed to be completely forgotten by everyone. within sight.
The prince said: "Niangniang Wu lives in the West Palace, where there is often a lack of clothing and food, and it is not convenient for me to visit in person, only Xiao Zao is young and has a special status, so I will not be questioned, so I sometimes ask Xiao Zao to send some things over. "
What a smart person Tang Fan is, he understands after a little bit: "Has Empress Wu ever helped His Highness?"
The prince didn't speak, his dark eyes looked at him rightly.
Tang Fan said warmly: "Don't worry, Your Highness, I won't spit out a single word about things that have nothing to do with this case. I will consider this matter as something I have never heard of, but I still have to go to the West Palace."
The prince became anxious: "No, when the royal father knows about your past, the imperial concubine will also know. If they ask you why you went to her, the things of the past will be brought up again, and the imperial concubine will not let go. Passed Niangniang Wu!"
Tang Fan said: "That is to say that Han Zao was a playboy, and took advantage of the opportunity to take a break in the middle to sneak out to play. The minister must check all the routes he might run to. By then, not only the West Palace, but also the nearby ministers will go. If Empress Wu had nothing to do with this matter, Concubine Wan would naturally not doubt that she raised and helped Her Highness back then, how?"
The prince opened his mouth slightly and looked at him incredulously, as if he couldn't believe that a courtier would discuss with him face-to-face about bullying the king.
Tang Fan smiled slightly: "It's not deceiving the king, it's just a little bit of flexibility. The minister is for His Highness's sake, and please ask His Highness to keep it a secret."
The prince said: "Aren't you afraid of offending the imperial concubine? Now that the court is full, no one dares to offend the imperial concubine, why are you not afraid?"
Tang Fan said: "It's not that I'm not afraid, it's just that a gentleman has something to do and something he doesn't do. Empress Wu's kindness to help His Highness has nothing to do with this case, it should have been a secret, and no one in this world should have done something because of it. Good deeds are rewarded with evil. The purpose of this minister's investigation is to find out the murderer, and not to harm good people in the name of righteousness. Of course, if Empress Wu is involved in this case, then please ask your Highness to forgive the minister and not show favoritism."
The prince nodded again and again: "Niangniang Wu is a good person, she would never do such a thing, but Niangniang Wu stayed in the West Palace for a long time, her mind was a little dazed, and sometimes she would act crazy, please don't care about her. ."
Tang Fan cupped his hands and said, "Don't worry, Your Highness, that minister will retire first."
He took a few steps back and turned to leave.
"Wait!" The prince stopped him and quickly chased after him.
Tang Fan turned around, not knowing why.
The prince said to him: "Tang Tuiguan, you just said that there should be no one in this world who does a good deed and gets a bad reward. I think what you said is very reasonable, and I like this sentence very much. Will there be a chance to enter the palace, I want to chat with you more."
Tang Fan smiled: "This is not something that Wei Chen can decide, but there are a lot of talents around Your Highness, all of whom are more talented than Wei Chen. The minister is so humble that he really can't get into the eyes of His Highness."
The prince also showed a small smile, his delicate face did not look like Emperor Chenghua, Tang Fan guessed that he should be more like the biological mother who died young: "Tang Tuiguan, you are too modest, I have heard of you, Chenghua Eleven years of biography, right, I have also read your article, it is very well written!"
Tang Fan said, "Thank you for your praise, Your Highness. If there is a chance in the future, I will definitely come to visit Your Highness."
The prince nodded: "Okay, I'll wait, and I also ask the official Tang to find the murderer, so as to comfort Xiaozao's spirit in heaven."
Tang Fan cupped his hands: "I must do my best!"
He didn't waste any more time, came out of Ciqing Palace, and hurriedly went to see Emperor Chenghua.
His Majesty the Emperor is just getting along with the affairs of the state, but this case is of great importance, the real murderer behind the scenes is unknown, and the reason for Han Zao's death is strange, which really aroused his interest. Hearing that the case was progressing, he quickly agreed to summon Tang. pan.
Even so, Tang Fan still waited outside for a long time before he could enter.
As soon as they met, Tang Fan didn't have a small official who rarely saw Tianyan, and was so excited that he was flattering. Instead, he got straight to the point and went straight to the topic.
The cause of Han Zao's death must have been reported to Emperor Chenghua when he came to see the crown prince, so Tang Fan just mentioned it briefly, then jumped over, explained his own analysis, and asked Open up some places in the palace and let him ask them one by one.
In fact, he just wanted to ask Empress Wu for questioning, but due to Concubine Wan's hatred for the Wu family, if she knew that Empress Wu helped the Prince, and the Prince now sends people to visit Empress Wu secretly, she would definitely Taking retaliatory measures against Empress Wu, since Tang Fan had promised the prince not to expose Wu's family, he could only take a detour.
Emperor Chenghua was frightened by the fact that Taoist Li spied on the inner palace and attempted to assassinate him. When he heard Han Zao's death, he immediately thought that the murderer might be the prince or even himself, but he didn't hesitate. He agreed to Tang Fan's request, but since Tang Fan was a foreign minister, Emperor Chenghua asked him to be accompanied by an eunuch when he walked in the palace, and he could not leave the established place at will and run to a place without prior notification. go.
Tang Fan naturally agreed one by one. After all these setbacks, when he came out of the palace, it was almost evening. Poor Master Tang was running around all day, and he couldn't even eat. His official position was low. Although he was on an errand, he didn't have the benefit of staying for dinner. If he was working as a cabinet scholar or six ministers, this would definitely not be the case.
But despite this, he ran with foam on his mouth, but he still didn't run away to find food, but went to the West Factory first, because when he left in the morning, Han Zao's body was still lying there.
When I heard that he was back, Bian Yu came over quickly.
Tang Fan asked him, "When did Sui Baihu leave?"
Bian Yu said: "Shortly after you left, he also left, and later sent someone over to let me tell you that there is a temporary errand at Beizhen Fusi, and Sui Baihu has to travel far away, and it will take a few days to arrive. Half a month, so you don't have to wait for him."
Tang Fan sighed: "It's really not the right time for him to leave. Where can I find an old friend who cooperates well for a while?"
"It's not me."
Accompanied by the voice, the Admiral Wang Zhi Wang Eun Wang walked in from the door.
Tang Fan was speechless, this is really haunting.
"Wang Gong is in charge of all kinds of opportunities, why did he make a special trip to accompany me?"
"Yo, I think you're not very happy? Don't you want to go to the palace to investigate, that's why Your Majesty asked me to watch you, lest you go where you shouldn't go! Do you think Sui Guangchuan can transfer to the palace with you? Go? What is that place, he is a relative of the Queen Mother, and he doesn't have such a big face!"
Wang Zhi laughed, but instead of being careful and respectful in front of the emperor, talking to Tang Fan, of course he didn't need to be polite.
"What's the matter, I'm with you, but you're not satisfied? It's a blessing that you can't even ask for. How many people want to see me but can't meet me!"
Unlike the little blue-clothed hat he wore last time at Xianyun Pavilion, Wang Zhi was wearing the unicorn suit bestowed by the emperor. The style is very similar to Jinyiwei's flying fish suit, but the pattern is different, and the level and value of the representative are also different. , This dress is extremely gorgeous, Eunuch Wang dangling in front of Tang Fan with his hands, like a flowered peacock.
"From now on, until the case is closed, I will follow you. If you have anything to do, I will give an order. Xichang's efficiency is much higher than that of Sui Guangchuan's laoshi Jinyiwei, not to mention that he is only a 100-year-old. Hu, don't worry, I won't get in your way, since this case is up to you, then you have the full authority."
After Wang Zhi finished speaking, what else could Tang Fan say, he could only helplessly say: "The palace gate will be closed now, so there is no rush to investigate, it can only be left for tomorrow."
Wang Zhi hummed.
Seeing that he hadn't left yet, Tang Fan said strangely, "Has Mr. Wang ever eaten?"
Wang Zhi: "Eat, why do you want me to invite you? No way."
Tang Fan: "...I didn't eat two meals. If Mr. Wang doesn't give up, just follow me to eat another meal."
Tang Fan thought that when he said this, Wang Zhi must have slapped his sleeves and left, but the factory owner actually changed his clothes, gave him a normal suit, and asked him to put it on too, and then followed Tang Fan from Xichang went to the wonton stall in the north of the city.
Until Wang Zhi sat down on the stool next to him, Tang Fan still felt a little weird.
He wasn't afraid of Wang Zhi, but he just didn't know why a dignified admiral of the West Factory, who was usually a boss to the Sixth Cabinet, had the leisure to follow him here to eat wontons, and he couldn't drive him away.
What kind of medicine did Eunuch Wang take the wrong medicine today
Moreover, Master Tang, who said that he was not familiar with Wang Zhi, also felt awkward being followed by a eunuch like this. He originally wanted to stop by and go to the bookstore to see what new words were published recently, but now, how can he go
Follow the eunuch hand in hand to the bookstore to read the Fengyue storybook, isn't this world too mysterious
"Why are you looking at me, and you don't want to invite me to dinner? Don't forget that I also invited you to Xianyun Restaurant last time. The price of one dish there is enough for you to eat a hundred wontons here! "Wang Gong is fair.
Tang Fan was helpless: "Please, please, Mr. Wang will order whatever he wants to eat first, and the lower officials are happy to do so."
"It's pretty much the same, but there's nothing good about you, it's not all wontons!" Wang Zhi said in disgust.
"Then Mr. Wang really guessed wrong. The boss here is famous for making wontons, but the soup noodles are also good, especially the bone soup boiled from the old fire. They run a mom-and-pop shop, the proprietress is in charge of rolling noodles and ramen, and the boss is in charge of wrapping the wontons, but it is so late, the noodles are probably sold out, and there may be leftovers. The bone broth wontons are sprinkled with coriander and sesame seeds. I really want to try it!" When it comes to eating, Master Tang must be familiar with it.
The business of this stall is really booming. Just after they sat down, the proprietress came to wipe the table to clean up the leftovers left by the previous guests. This was because Master Tang was a regular customer.
"Master Tang, do you want to be the same? What does this guest want?" The proprietress greeted with a smile.
Tang Fan said with a smile: "Yu Niang, you are really not being kind, there are only wontons left, and you still ask us what we want."
The proprietress sighed: "Then you have wronged me. There's a lot of noodles today, and there's still leftovers. I've fried the oil cakes again. What, do you want to make some?"
Tang Fan hurriedly said: "If you want, four oil cakes!"
He turned his head and asked Wang Zhi again, "Do you want wontons or noodles?"
Wang Zhi was stunned for a moment: "Let's stop the wontons!"
Tang Fan said to the proprietress again, "One bowl of wontons, one bowl of wonton noodles, and more coriander!"
"Okay!" The proprietress laughed and joked again: "Master Tang, you have a lot of friends in Beizhen Fusi, last time was Master Xue, last time was Master Sui, why, this time it's a new person. ?"
Tang Fan coughed lightly: "I'm not trying to drum up business for the two of you. This is not Jin Yiwei, but Mr. Wang from the West Factory."
Doing business under the Imperial City, who is more informed? There is only one person surnamed Wang in the entire West Factory. When I heard this name, the proprietress was at first dazed, and then her face changed immediately, trembling. He shouted "Master Wang", and in an instant it was as if the soles of his feet were smeared with oil, and he floated away with a rag.
Before they could even settle down, two bowls of wonton noodle soup and four large oil cakes were brought over. The weight seemed to be two points higher than before.
Tang Fan couldn't help laughing and said, "Looks like Mr. Wang's name is so powerful that he can even eat wonton stalls!"
Wang Zhi snorted: "It looks like I'm with you, I have to be careful that you are fooling around with my name!"
When other civil servants saw him, they were all trembling or being on guard, with the exception of Tang Fan, who spoke witty and witty, and made fun of him when he should be ridiculed. People who have been in high positions for a long time are a bit mean in their hearts. Others respect him, but he doesn't like them very much. If he is like Tang Fan, he feels fresh.
Tang Fan pushed the pancake plate in front of him, smiled, and was about to say something when someone came on the other side. Seeing that all the tables were full, they only had two seats left on this table, so they walked up to them. Come and sit down without asking.
Wang Zhi stared: "I don't have eyes anymore? There are still people sitting here!"
The other party smiled: "It's quite arrogant. We can't sit on this table with your name written on it? Do you know who we are, sir?"
Done.
Master Tang lowered his head and took a sip of soup, and silently mourned for the other party.