Chu Xinian was certain that he had never written this plot. He suspected that it was tampered by a bad friend, and felt that this kind of murder plot was not his style. After thinking about it, he could only attribute it to the butterfly effect.
When Chu Xinian first traveled through time, he was taken back to the city by the guards of Quyang Marquis's Mansion. However, perhaps because of the impact on his original body's brain, the memories Chu Xinian received were fragmented and he could not piece together any useful information.
Xie Jingyuan seemed nonchalant, but he actually felt the situation was thorny.
Mei Fengchen was a famous loner. There were many factions in the court, but he did not rely on anyone. He was a loner and had only a few friends in the field of learning. His temper was like a stone in a toilet, smelly and hard.
A few days ago, a servant of Princess Pingshuang's mansion injured someone in the street, causing a murder case, and hid in the mansion. Mei Fengchen led the people of the Lianjing Division to arrest the evil servant. Princess Pingshuang was embarrassed and tried to plead for mercy, but Mei Fengchen reported him and he was rejected.
He is now targeting Chu Xinian and will not give up until the truth is revealed. Even Xie Jingyuan's face may not help.
"Master Mei, are you old and confused? You believe everything others say. Chu Xinian has been inseparable from our army these days. Just because a mere prostitute died, you came to our door with the body. Do you think I, Xie Jingyuan, am easy to bully?"
Xie Jingyuan didn't care. He raised his hand, and dozens of black arrows appeared in the corner of the wall, pointing directly at Mei Fengchen: "Today, our military mansion is closed to visitors. Anyone who dares to step into the mansion will be shot to death by arrows."
Xie Jingyuan is a military marquis, and he has at least 500 followers under his command. The few detectives from the Lianjing Division are really not enough.
Chu Xinian would never easily get involved in muddy waters before he found out the truth of the matter, and Xie Jingyuan's behavior was exactly what he wanted.
He shook out the wind cloak in his arms, tied it on Xie Jingyuan in front of the onlookers, and said in a low voice: "Soldier, it's windy outside, let's go back."
They looked so harmonious and in such good relationship that those who secretly speculated that they were not getting along were shocked.
Xie Jingyuan glanced at him and felt that Chu Xinian's smiling face looked like a wolf in sheep's clothing, but he didn't say anything and turned to go into the mansion.
Mei Fengchen saw this and lifted up his robe and sat down in front of the military mansion. His eyes were sharp and his waist was straight: "Human life is at stake. Thank you for your leniency."
Xie Jingyuan paused when he heard this. He didn't even squint. He wanted to kill this annoying old man with a sword. Not only did he bring a corpse here early in the morning to seek bad luck, but he also sat at the door for no one to see. He sneered and ordered, "If he wants to sit, let him sit. If he dares to come in, he will be responsible for his own life or death!"
The onlookers were talking about this. Mei Fengchen's reputation was really good, comparable to Bao Zheng and Song Ci. Now that he had solved a murder case, he had done so well. In comparison, Xie Jingyuan seemed a little unreasonable.
"What's the matter? The man who eloped with Jiu Niang was Chu Xinian. Now that he's dead, it must have something to do with him."
"It's hard to say. Lord Chu spent a lot of money in Wenxiang Tower, all for Jiuniang. How could he bear to kill Jiuniang? In my opinion, it was probably Xie Jun who did it secretly."
As soon as this answer came out, the public opinion was immediately diverted. After all, the "mistress" died outside inexplicably, and the most suspicious person was the "principal wife". Moreover, Xie Jingyuan's reputation for being vicious was well known to everyone in the capital.
But within the morning, the news had spread all over the capital, and the Quyang Marquis's Mansion naturally got the news. When Mei learned that Chu Xinian was involved in a murder case, she almost fainted, and the first thing she did when she woke up was to find Chu Jiaoping.
"Quick! Think of a way to save your brother! He crawled out of my belly, don't I know his personality? He might dare to tease cats and dogs, but he would never dare to kill someone!"
Mei held Chu Jiaoping's hand tightly, her face pale. She was already worried about this child, what would she do if something happened again
Chu Jiaoping also rushed back to the mansion. Seeing this, he held Mei's hand and comforted her, "Mother, don't worry. I will first ask the guard who brought my second brother back that day about the situation. Master Mei will not wrongly accuse an innocent person."
Mei finally reacted after hearing this and said, "Yes, yes... How could I forget them? Quick, call Chu Sanchu and the others, go quickly!"
The maid had rarely seen her so impatient, so she hurried to the front yard to call for help.
Chu Sanchu was the guard that Chu Xinian brought back to the mansion that day. When he heard Mei's question, he answered everything: "Madam, when I caught up with you in the suburbs of Beijing, you were with the prostitute. But I was thinking of your instructions and wanted to bring you back as soon as possible, so I ignored her."
Chu Jiaoping caught the key point: "When you left, was the woman alive?"
Chu San said: "Sir, she is alive and well. When I took you away, she was crying and chasing after me all the way."
Mei finally breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this, and fell back into the chair, holding her chest, chanting "Amitabha" several times. Chu Jiaoping waved his hand to signal Chu Sanchu to leave, and patted Mei's back and said, "Mother, now there is evidence that proves that the woman's death has nothing to do with my second brother. Just go to Master Mei and explain it clearly."
Mei frowned slightly: "I'm just afraid that Mei Fengchen won't easily believe our words."
Although the Quyang Marquisate and Mei Fengchen were cousins, they had never interacted with each other. Chu Sanchu was also a servant of the Chu family. To outsiders, it was normal for him to lie to clear himself of suspicion, but no one would believe him even if he told the truth.
Chu Jiaoping frowned, "We have to try to know. If Jingzhao Prefecture investigates this matter, we may be able to save some face. It's a pity that it's Mei Fengchen. He has always been ruthless and doesn't show favoritism."
Mei quickly turned the rosary in her hand, and said impatiently, "Is he sitting outside the military mansion?"
Chu Jiaoping nodded, his expression solemn: "I have been sitting here since the sun just rose until noon. The military mansion has been surrounded by the people. I am afraid that if I continue to make trouble like this, even His Majesty will know about it."
Mei's face suddenly turned ugly. She stood up with her hands on the chair and said to Chu Jiaoping, "Go quickly and take Chu Sanchu to find Master Mei to explain. No matter what, don't let your brother be taken away by him."
Chu Jiaoping responded quickly, turned around and left the house, leading his men on horseback to the military headquarters.
Noon is the hottest time of the day. This weather may not be warm enough for Xie Jingyuan, but for ordinary people, it is hot enough to cause sunburn.
Mei Fengchen's official uniform was already soaked with sweat, and his back was covered with dark sweat. However, he was not as good as Shan, and continued to guard the gate of the military mansion. Dozens of bows and arrows on the wall were aimed at him, and he was trying his best to survive.
The prostitute must have been dead for some time, and was covered with a white cloth, so her death could not be seen clearly. However, the stench spread far away, and I don't know if it was the blood that dissolved and stained the white cloth, leaving large green, black and purple stains.
The onlookers covered their noses and vomited repeatedly. They were afraid of such a scene, but at the same time they wanted to see how the situation would develop. Therefore, more and more people came to watch the excitement, and the rumors became more and more outrageous.
"I heard that the woman who died was Chu Xinian's lover."
"I heard that the man was killed by Xie Jun. Lord Mei went to arrest him but was stopped outside."
"No, no, that brothel girl was killed by Chu Xinian, and Master Mei specifically asked for him."
They discussed the matter enthusiastically, completely forgetting that the case had not been concluded and was only in the suspicion stage.
The military mansion was shrouded in dark clouds. The servants moved all the things in Xie Jingyuan's room to Yuhen Pavilion. The whole process was done in silence, and no one dared to even breathe.
The table was filled with lunch, ten dishes, one soup, and several plates of dessert. It was already very sumptuous, but the two people sitting at the table had no appetite.
Chu Xinian quietly recalled the scene of the night when he escaped from marriage, but his memory was lost and he found nothing. He kept repeating the woman's name, thinking: "Jiu Niang... Jiu Niang...?"
Hearing this, Xie Jingyuan looked at him, narrowed his narrow eyes slightly, raised the corners of his lips, and asked with a malicious smile: "If you really miss her so much, why don't I send you down to accompany her?"
Xie Jingyuan felt like a cuckold, the kind that everyone knew. Thinking of the old guy who refused to leave the door, his face became uglier, but he couldn't kill him.
Mei Fengchen might not be the most favored minister of Emperor Yan, but he must be the most trusted minister of Emperor Yan. His official position was not high, but his power was huge. It was undoubtedly asking for trouble to confront such a person.
Chu Xinian finally came back to his senses after hearing this. He picked up a piece of food for Xie Jingyuan with chopsticks and said, "What are you talking about, Jun? I don't even know her, so why would I miss her?"
Xie Jingyuan snorted coldly: "Deal with that old man outside first before you talk to me about this."
A tall and strong man was kidnapped by a weak girl from a brothel. Only a child would believe such a lie.
Chu Xinian looked at Xie Jingyuan quietly, and for some reason, he suddenly smiled. In fact, it was not impossible to let Mei Fengchen leave. As long as Xie Jingyuan was handed over, all problems would naturally be solved.
For some reason, Xie Jingyuan would rather confront Mei Fengchen head-on than hand him over.
Chu Xinian underestimated Mei Fengchen's determination. Now there are countless eyes outside the military mansion. People outside can't get in, and people inside can't get out. It's not a solution to drag it on like this.
Chu Xinian stood up from his seat and said, "Please sit down for a moment. I will go out and take a look and come back soon."
Xie Jingyuan frowned and stood up, wanting to follow him, but a slender hand suddenly fell on his shoulder. The force was not strong, and Xie Jingyuan was pressed on the chair.
"I'll be back soon." Chu Xinian said this in a low voice with gentle eyes.
The military residence was located at the center of a crossroads, surrounded by teahouses and restaurants. The seats near the windows were filled with people, all of whom were calculating their own little plans.
Sitting on the second floor with the best view was an elegant man in blue. He clasped his hands in his sleeves, and said with a shrewd look in his eyes, "Mei Fengchen is indeed tough, but I don't know who will have the upper hand between him and Xie Jingyuan."
Opposite him was a Confucianist strategist. Hearing this, he stroked his beard, frowned and said worriedly: "Chu Xinian is from the Quyang Marquis's Mansion after all, so he is also on our side. Your Highness, do you want to help him?"
The blue-robed justice is the current King of Jin, Yin Chengze.
"Help? How?" Prince Jin shook his head slowly, without any intention of taking action. "You know Mei Fengchen's bad temper, how can I help him? But if he really thanks Jingyuan for getting involved, it will be good for us."
The counselor looked out the window and saw a group of people riding horses from a distance. The leader was Chu Jiaoping. He subconsciously looked at the King of Jin and said, "Your Highness, it's Lord Chu."
The King of Jin frowned, his nature of seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster was clearly revealed at this moment: "I had guessed that he would come. People who accomplish great things don't care about trivial matters. The death of one or two people is nothing. Well, let him go."
Seeing this, the counselor did not persuade him anymore and looked at
Chu Jiaoping and his men hurried over on horseback. Due to his junior status, he dismounted and saluted Mei Fengchen: "Master Mei."
Mei Fengchen opened his eyes and saw that it was a famous young man in the court. His expression eased a little: "It turned out to be Lord Chu. Is there anything important that you want to talk to me about?"
Chu Jiaoping clasped his fists and said to him, "I heard that the Lord suspected that my second brother was involved in a murder case. It just so happened that my family sent a few guards to take my good-for-nothing brother back to the city that day. When they left, the woman was still alive and well."
After saying this, he waved his hand to signal Chu Sanchu to come forward: "If you don't believe me, you can ask them."
Mei Fengchen was indifferent: "One family's words are not enough to wash away the guilt. I am not a person who cannot distinguish right from wrong. I will know whether it was done or not after investigation. But if the second Lord Chu really did not kill anyone, why did he hide in the mansion?"
He was well aware of Chu Xinian's reputation as a dandy.
Chu Jiaoping wanted to say more, but Mei Fengchen raised his hand to stop him: "This matter has nothing to do with Lord Chu, so it's better not to get involved. I see that you are upright, so I'm advising you not to push your luck."
Upon hearing this, Chu Jiaoping had to step back awkwardly, frowning secretly and looking for another solution.
This scene, when seen by others, naturally caused another round of criticism. There was a lot of noise and it was as lively as a vegetable market. At this moment, the tightly closed door of the military mansion suddenly creaked open, and a man in white walked out.
He had an extraordinary face, as bright as the moon. He walked to Mei Fengchen without haste, bowed gracefully, and said with a faint smile: "I have heard that Lord Mei is strict in his conduct. Today I see that he is indeed extraordinary. I was negligent just now, please forgive me."
Mei Fengchen was old after all, and he had been sitting for half a day without eating or drinking, and his eyes were a little dark. He slowly stood up with the help of the yamen runners, looking at the man in front of him with lowered eyebrows and a faint smile: "How is it, you are finally willing to come out?"
Chu Xinian ignored the looks around him and smiled, "I know you have doubts in your heart, and I have been thinking about it for a long time in the house. I think it is better to solve it than to hide. I will just come out and prove my innocence to you, so that your good reputation will not be ruined here."
He speaks with sharp tongues, hurting others without leaving any trace.
Mei Fengchen laughed out loud upon hearing this, and waved his sleeves heavily, angrily saying: "Okay, okay, you little brat, today I want to see how you can defend yourself and how you can let my good name be ruined by this!"
Chu Xinian slowly walked down the stairs and came to the corpse. The crowd retreated and made room for him.
“Wow—”
Chu Xinian ignored the dirt and leaned over to lift the white cloth covering the body. He said calmly, "How about I test the cause and effect with you in front of everyone today?"