The autumn frost was heavy, a figure shrouded under a cloak, holding a dim light in his hand, quickly passed through the night. The vegetation on both sides was lush, the autumn wind swept through, and there seemed to be a whimpering cry in the depths of the woods.
The shadow seemed not to be afraid at all, walking in a hurry, and the environment on both sides became more and more desolate. The sky was surrounded by trees, the darkness was so dark that no light could be seen, and the bushes grew recklessly. At first glance, it seemed as if black claws were struggling to stick out of the quagmire, trying to grab something.
A gust of wind blew from the river, with the smell of sticky and damp green algae, the lamps swayed left and right by the wind, and the surrounding scene was bright and dark, and there was no one, and it seemed that there were many things standing under the tree. Even an eight-footed strong man would lose his legs when he saw this scene, but the shadow turned a blind eye, walked straight to a place, bent over, and rummaged through the trees.
The shadow turned around for a while, stood up a little irritably, and went to pick up the bushes in other places, muttering to himself: "Why are you missing?"
"What are you looking for?"
The night was dark and windy, and a voice suddenly came from behind, the shadow was startled, the lamp in his hand fell to the ground, hit it and then went out. At this time, fire lights lit up in the shadows of the trees, and a group of people clinging to the torches, ran out of the darkness in unison, and surrounded the dark shadows.
The black shadow hid under the hood, his eyes were stinged by the fire, and he instinctively raised his hand to cover his eyes. The light passed through the fingers and became mottled and blurred, making people spin around and couldn't tell the direction. Dizzy and dizzy, Hei Ying saw a man walking out of the fire. He was wearing the most common men's robes, but his aura easily overwhelmed many sword-wielding officers and soldiers, so powerful that people didn't dare to look directly at him.
Hei Ying blinked his eyes hard, and reacted suddenly: "It's you!"
The firelight illuminated the snow-white blade and illuminated the face under the hood. Lu Heng came calmly with his hands behind his back, and said lightly, "Miss Chang, why did you appear here alone late at night?"
Chang Tinglan swept over the apparently well-trained soldiers on both sides, and then looked at Lu Heng, who was standing calmly in front of them, and already understood that she was in the game. It is absolutely impossible for such a person to be an unwilling literati who needs to rent a house. Chang Tinglan was horrified for a while, not understanding why he would get into such a person: "You are..."
"Presumptuous." Before Lu Heng could speak, the soldier holding the knife beside him interrupted Chang Tinglan with a cold face, "You still kneel down when you see Master Tongzhi, the commander?"
Chang Tinglan was a little confused when she heard that "all commanders and the same knowledge", but she looked at the ruthless and fierce situation of these people, and was shocked: "Are you Jinyiwei?"
Lu Heng smiled and said nothing. But Chang Tinglan was already in a cold sweat, knowing that she guessed right. She fell to her knees with a plop, trembling all over: "Sir, spare your life, the women didn't do anything..."
"You didn't do anything, so why are you begging for mercy?" Lu Heng walked to the place where Chang Tinglan went straight first, and looked down at the traces on the ground, "So, this is where Han Wenyan's body was thrown."
"My lord, the women are wronged!" Chang Tinglan really didn't know how a small murder case led to Jin Yiwei, but she had long heard about the torture method of cramping and skinning in prison, and she did not wait for Lu Heng to ask questions. He did everything. "The woman didn't kill him, he wanted to do something with the woman, but the woman pushed him, and he fell to the ground and fell unconscious. The woman was afraid and ran away, really unaware of him. How can you drown in the river..."
Chang Tinglan's voice was urgent and sharp, for fear that she would be punished for being too late. Lu Heng used the handle of his knife to pry open the bushes, carefully looked at the traces inside, and said casually, "If you don't know anything, why would you come with him to such a secluded place?"
Chang Tinglan choked, her eyes rolled quickly, and he hesitated: "He said he has something important to discuss..."
"Negotiate how to poison it?"
Chang Tinglan was startled and looked up at Lu Heng in horror. Lu Heng has roughly restored the scene of the crime and motioned Jin Yiwei to come over and mark the place. Holding the embroidered spring knife, Lu Heng slowly walked towards Chang Tinglan: "On the 21st of last month, you bought arsenic's frost from the dark market, what's your explanation?"
Chang Tinglan was so panicked that her hands were shaking, and she shivered: "The people's women... The people's women bought poisonous mice..."
Lu Heng sneered and said, "When death is imminent, you still dare to argue. You bought arsenic frost last month, and Han Wenyan died not long after. Before you died, the two of you met secretly, and he carried yours on his body. Handkerchief. I just mentioned that there may be something left at the scene, so you should come to the crime scene to check in the dark. Although the grass on the ground has been trimmed, there are traces of lodging at the roots, and the length is exactly that of an adult man. There is a place at the bottom of the grass that is buried with soil and has caked. It should be vomit. If you don't know anything, why do you run directly to the place where Han Wenyan fell as soon as you enter the dense forest? You said it wasn't the one you killed?"
"The people's women were wronged, they really aren't people's women!" Chang Tinglan heard Lu Heng's accurate description of the scene at that time, her body fell to the ground, her mentality completely collapsed, and tears poured down, "The people's women were confused for a while, bought Poison, but the women did not kill."
Wang Yanqing walked over slowly with the lamp in hand. Lu Heng didn't bring a cloak when he set off. He was afraid that Wang Yanqing would catch a cold, so he reached out and held Wang Yanqing's hand to keep her warm. His patience was exhausted: "I'll give you one last chance and tell the truth about what you have done during this time. Otherwise, you will Go to the prison and think about it."
"Minority women don't dare." Chang Tinglan covered her eyes and cried bitterly, while twitching and telling the truth.
It turned out that at the beginning of the year, after Ji Huan accidentally found a confidant who had been separated ten years ago, he fell in love with Han Wenyan. The two families became neighbors and helped each other out, and at first they were happy.
Since February, Ji Huan has suddenly been busy. His mind has been completely diverted. He doesn't care about Chang Tinglan at all. Instead, he stays next door for a long time, discussing with Han Wenyan about writing a book. Chang Tinglan was dissatisfied and followed the past, but they were talking about things that Chang Tinglan could not understand. Chang Tinglan was often left out, but Jian Yun was able to interject a few words from time to time. Gradually, Chang Tinglan didn't want to make fun of herself and stopped going.
Ji Huan knew that he had neglected his wife, but he had no time to take care of his family, so he could only ask his friend and fellow villager Han Wenyan to take care of him. Han Wenyan complied, Chang Tinglan was neglected by her husband, and she stayed alone in her empty boudoir. Coupled with Han Wenyan's graceful and graceful demeanor, after going back and forth, the two of them hooked up.
Chang Tinglan and Han Wenyan had an affair for half a year, and Ji Huan finally finished her work some time ago. She stayed at home for a long time, and gradually found out what was wrong with Chang Tinglan. Ji Huan was furious and went to Han Wenyan for the theory. Chang Tinglan was frightened at first, but he didn't know what Han Wenyan and Ji Huan said, and Ji Huan didn't make the matter bigger.
Chang Tinglan thought that her husband wanted face and didn't want to divorce, so she settled down. Chang Tinglan slowly let go of her heart and wanted to gather her mind and live a good life with Ji Huan, but unexpectedly, Ji Huan became more and more indifferent to her. Chang Tinglan had doubts in her heart. The woman's intuition told her that something was wrong. She secretly paid attention and found that Ji Huan seemed to be interested in Jian Yun next door, and even called Jian Yun's name once in a dream.
How could Chang Tinglan bear this kind of anger and kept cursing Jian Yun. Chang Tinglan was angry for a while, and suddenly remembered the tricks she had read in the storybook.
The Chang family runs a small book stand, and there are a lot of dictionaries at home. Although Chang Tinglan is illiterate, she can still read the picture book. She remembered that someone in the picture book had poisoned the enemy's family without knowing it, and even the government could not find out.
The booksellers came into contact with all three religions and all kinds. Chang Tinglan bought arsenic frost on the pretext of poisoning mice, forcing Han Wenyan to drug Jian Yun and poison her to death. In order to please Chang Tinglan, Han Wenyan agreed.
Chang Tinglan waited in fear and anticipation. After waiting for half a month, Han Wenyan did not move. Chang Tinglan was dissatisfied, just at this time Han Wenyan asked her to meet, Chang Tinglan sneaked out to question Han Wenyan while Ji Huan went out.
This place is hidden, and Chang Tinglan and Han Wenyan often meet privately here. During the confrontation between the two, Chang Tinglan learned that Han Wenyan had sympathy for Jian Yun and could not bear to poison her cousin who accompanied her from childhood to adulthood. Unless, Chang Tinglan poisoned Ji Huan to death, and then Chang Tinglan remarried to Han Wenyan, and the two of them would be a long-term couple.
Of course Chang Tinglan refused. She only found solace from Han Wenyan because of her loneliness. In fact, she didn't want to separate from Ji Huan. Chang Tinglan and Han Wenyan had a disagreement. During the dispute, Han Wenyan pulled Chang Tinglan. Chang Tinglan was angry and pushed Han Wenyan. Han Wenyan fell to the ground and fainted.
Chang Tinglan was afraid, afraid that people would find out that she was having a private meeting with Han Wenyan, so she quickly put on her skirt and ran away. Chang Tinglan slowed down for a long time after returning home, and then her mood calmed down. She thought to herself that the place was hidden, and no one should see her meeting Han Wenyan. Anyway, if she fell, she would not be killed. Chang Tinglan didn't take it seriously, and An Ran passed the time at her own home.
Who knew that Han Wenyan would fall into the water and drown.
At the end, Chang Tinglan whimpered and said, "Sir, you are a clear spy, the woman really just pushed Han Wenyan, and didn't kill him. The woman is only a weak woman, how can she have the courage to kill?"
Lu Heng chuckled and said sarcastically, "I don't have the guts to kill, but I have the guts to steal poison and instigate others to do it."
Chang Tinglan became hoarse, knelt on the ground and cried, not daring to look up. Lu Heng didn't have the patience to listen to this poisonous woman to excuse himself, and gave a faint wink to the people behind him: "Take it away, put it in jail, and wait for the release."
When Chang Tinglan heard that she was going to jail, she was so frightened that she quickly pleaded for mercy, but she was soon covered her mouth and dragged away with a whimper. After Jin Yiwei left with Chang Tinglan, the woods became quiet again. Wang Yanqing looked around, it was surrounded by trees on all sides, and there was a river not far away.
The wind on the river was getting colder and cooler, Lu Heng took Wang Yanqing in front of him, wrapped her slender, cold hands with both hands, and asked, "Is it cold?"
Wang Yanqing shook her head and asked, "Brother, is that her?"
Lu Heng didn't make a statement, but instead asked, "What do you think?"
Wang Yanqing thought for a while and said truthfully, "I don't think she lied."
Whether Jian Yun seduced Ji Huan or Ji Huan changed his mind was too subjective and biased, but apart from the emotional scolding, what Chang Tinglan narrated should be true.
According to her, when she returned home, she was angry with Ji Huan for empathizing with Jian Yun, but she didn't know that Han Wenyan was dead. She didn't know that Han Wenyan had drowned until the neighbor went to find Jian Yun next door.
Wang Yanqing recalled the day's situation. Indeed, when they first went to Chang's house, Chang Tinglan was arrogant and irritable, and was eager to rent the room to Lu Heng and the two, so that they could drive away Jian Yun. There was dissatisfaction and anger in her expression, but she was not afraid, until the door next door was knocked, Chang Tinglan showed surprise and fear for a moment.
Her rhetoric matched her performance perfectly. Including going to the river to see the corpse later, Chang Tinglan's palms were constantly sweating, her fingers were cold, and she no longer had the heart to talk about renting a house. When the people around felt pity for Jian Yun to be a widow, Chang Tinglan showed disdain, but did not speak ill of Jian Yun.
It was in line with her guilty and frightened state of mind at the time.
Lu Heng blocked the gloomy wind coming from the forest, hugged her tighter, and said, "The previous statement still needs to be verified, but the person who threw Han Wenyan into the water is indeed not her."
Wang Yanqing raised her eyes and looked up at him. Lu Heng took her to a place and said, "People have dealt with this place, but if you look closely, there are still traces of the scene. There are creases in the grass roots, the direction is messy, and there is vomit above it. It should be Han Wenyanhe. Chang Tinglan fell down during the dispute, fell in this direction, and foamed at the mouth, so the grass was overwhelmed at will, and there were traces of wetness on the ground. But from here, the grass fell in one place, and the moss on the trunk was rubbed. drop a piece."
Wang Yanqing followed Lu Heng's instructions, and indeed saw the moss falling from the tree and a looming road on the ground. Lu Heng walked forward with Wang Yanqing, stopped by the river, and said, "This is the route that Han Wenyan was dragged and thrown into the water by the murderer after he fell unconscious. Han Wenyan is seven feet long, even if he is a weak scholar, such a long way is not enough. It is not something a woman can drag. Judging from the height of the moss on the tree, this person should be about seven and a half feet. After he threw Han Wenyan into the water, he swept away the drag marks on the ground, and supported the crushed grass. Get up and cover up the foam that Han Wenyan spit out when he was unconscious."
When Wang Yanqing listened to Lu Heng's words, a person already appeared in his mind: "Ji Huan?"
Lu Heng stood by the river, and the evening wind blew up his jacket, hunting him. He chuckled lightly, looked at the boundless river, and said, "It seems that Guo Xun's information on marching and fighting is not for nothing, but he has learned a lot of tricks to fool the government. Drowning someone while they are in a coma is truly divine. Unknowingly. But if you want to deceive me, you are still a little too hot."
Wang Yanqing sighed and had to admire: "When you knocked on Ji's door today, you already guessed it?"
Ordinary officials see the body being salvaged from the river. As long as there is no fatal injury, they will directly conclude that the drowning is dead. However, Lu Heng can not only distinguish between falling into the water before birth and falling into the water after death, he even sees that Han Wenyan was thrown into the water when he was unconscious. in water. When he went to Ji's house to ask questions in the afternoon, they didn't see Jian Yun at that time, so Lu Heng left the hook "half a thorn on the corpse", and he caught Chang Tinglan.
Lu Heng set up spies in Jian'an Lane, followed Chang Tinglan all the way, and found the original crime scene.
So, from the very beginning, Lu Heng had suspected Ji Huan.
Lu Heng never explained much before, but now, he likes to show off in front of Wang Yanqing more and more, just to see her shining eyes full of admiration. Lu Heng said hypocritically and modestly: "At that time, Han Wenyan was not found to be drowned. How could I know that Ji Huan killed someone? I just think Ji Huan's attitude is very strange."
Wang Yanqing raised her eyebrows, is Lu Heng trying to take her job? Wang Yanqing hurriedly asked, "What did you see?"
"It's not as talented as you. I just think from the perspective of a tenant that Ji Huan's words are illogical."
Wang Yanqing quickly recalled what Ji Huan said in the daytime, and frowned and asked, "Which one?"
"When we first went in," Lu Heng said, "he claimed that the next door had been rented to a fellow villager, and it was inconvenient to sublet, but he asked when we wanted it."
Wang Yanqing blinked and slowly felt the subtle difference. Yes, if a person really doesn't want to rent, he won't ask the time at all, but Ji Huan asked Lu Heng for the time of the room, which shows that he wants to facilitate this business in his heart.
Ji Huan had this idea subconsciously, either it means that he and Han Wenyan are inseparable, or that he actually knows that Han Wenyan is dead, and the room next door will be vacant.
Later events proved that Ji Huan had both.
Wang Yanqing admired it even more, and just said a word casually. Thinking about it, Ji Huan didn't realize what he was thinking, but Lu Heng noticed something was wrong. No wonder Lu Heng changed his tone. They originally planned to use renting as an excuse, but after entering, Lu Heng suddenly became determined to rent.
Wang Yanqing sighed sincerely: "Brother, if people around you change their minds in the future, they will definitely not be able to hide from you."
Lu Heng glanced down at Wang Yanqing with a half-smile, "Qingqing is beating me?"
"I'm complimenting you." Wang Yanqing said, "Don't save others with yourself. I'm clearly praising you for your carefulness and discernment."
"I'd rather not have this ability." Lu Heng clenched Wang Yanqing's hand, and the good mood just now suddenly darkened, "Go and arrest Ji Huan, finish this matter early, and let's go back early."
If Lu Heng is insight into people's hearts, Wang Yanqing is aware of emotions. Wang Yanqing immediately noticed that Lu Heng's mood had deteriorated. She looked at Lu Heng quietly and asked in a low voice, "Brother, are you upset?"
"You said you were going to change your mind, do you think I'm happy?"
"I'm just giving an example."
"Don't take this kind of thing as an example." Lu Heng's voice was low, and he clenched Wang Yanqing's hand tightly, "I don't want to hear something like that, even if it were."
Wang Yanqing gave a low "Oh". When Jin Yiwei saw Lu Heng coming back, he stepped forward and asked what to do next. Lu Heng said: "Go to Ji's house to arrest Ji Huan. Be quiet on the road and don't let others hear."
Jin Yiwei clasped his fists, blew out the torches, and quickly left in three or five formations. Lu Heng pulled Wang Yanqing to the back, the surroundings were quiet, and neither of them spoke. Wang Yanqing walked for a while and asked softly, "Brother, are you still angry?"
The night wind turned stronger, and Lu Heng hugged Wang Yanqing in front of him and said, "I didn't blame you. I just..."
He was just afraid. Just thinking about the picture of Wang Yanqing's memory recovery and falling in love with Fu Tingzhou in the future makes him feel crazy. He could possess her body and tie her to his side with marriage, but he could not close her heart.
Wang Yanqing joked about other things, but Lu Heng didn't care because he knew it wouldn't happen. Only her change of heart, Lu Heng couldn't bear it at all.
Lu Heng seemed to want to say something, stopped for a while, and finally sighed in a low voice: "Forget it, I'm fine. What do you think about Ji Huan's affairs?"
"I'm not as good as you." Wang Yanqing said, "I just feel that Ji Huan is lying."
Lu Heng took Wang Yanqing's hand and said calmly, "This is already very powerful. Others have to go to the scene several times and check many witnesses to get clues, but you can pinpoint the suspect just by seeing each other, which is not powerful enough. Where is he lying?"
"Neighbors knocked on the door and told Jian Yun that Han Wenyan was dead." Wang Yanqing said, "Ji Huan's eyes were wide and his mouth was half-open, looking very surprised."
Lu Heng raised his eyebrows and asked, "Isn't it right?"
"I just heard that an acquaintance died. It's normal to be surprised." Wang Yanqing snorted softly and said, "But the people who reported the letter next door ran out, and he still looked surprised. It took too long. The real surprise is often Appearing in an instant, it comes and disappears quickly. Surprise that exceeds two blinks of an eye is mostly a performance component. Later, when we went to Ji's house for the second time, Ji Huan kept implying that Han Wenyan died because of physical discomfort. Yes, I think he's even more suspicious."
Wang Yanqing snorted softly and tenderly, and her tone was full of pride, "I want to lie to me with such poor acting skills." Lu Heng couldn't help laughing, and the anger just now dissipated: "Qingqing has good eyesight, it's really hard to lie to you."
Wang Yanqing was a little embarrassed by what Lu Heng said, and pretended to calmly change the subject: "Brother, why did Ji Huan kill?"
"Qingqing." Lu Heng looked down at Wang Yanqing, and pointedly said, "Just the fact that his wife is empathetic is enough to make a man murderous."
Wang Yanqing felt that Lu Heng's words seemed to have other meanings, but he couldn't figure out why, so he could only put it aside for the time being: "Then how did he know that Han Wenyan was in a coma and found a private meeting place?"
In front of the Han family, Lu Heng raised his eyes and glanced forward lightly: "We'll know right away."