At breakfast time, Xue Mulin and Wen Yizhi visited.
The grand master did not return early, so the two of them went straight to the inner courtyard without paying their respects. The young man greeted him outside the small study: "Please, two gentlemen, our eldest son has been waiting for a long time."
Xue Mulin laughed and said, "This Ah Yan! I think he should change his name. There was Kong Ming in ancient times, so he can be called Kuai Ming."
Wen Yizhi clapped his palms: "This is good, it's really a bright inkstone with luminous light."
Wang Yan quietly emerged from the door: "Is there any important news?"
Xue Mulin folded his hands: "Otherwise, how dare you go to your door? That Feng Tongpan went back to the Yamen of Jingzhao Mansion overnight to check if there were any suspicious murders of foreign people within a few months. Ah Yun followed him, but there is no news yet. He Yizhi came to look for you first." Then he smiled subtly, "I heard that the grape trellis fell in the backyard of your mansion last night, is it okay?"
Wang Yan hummed.
Wen Yizhi looked inside the door: "Isia is okay."
Wang Yan raised his eyebrows: "In the guest room, if you want to see her, you have to wait for a while. I have a surprise here for you to see first." Turning sideways, let Xue Mulin and Wen Yizhi enter the outer hall of the small study. Xue and Wen stared straight at the bird stand hanging by the rear window.
"This this… "
The gray parrot on the rack flapped its wings and tilted its head: "Please be good, sir, have you eaten yet?"
Wen Yizhi raised his finger: "This is that parrot?! Did you find it?!"
Wang Yan was expressionless: "It's not that I found it, but it was caught by Xuema Tang."
Wen Yizhi yelled strangely: "Snow Matang? Have it in your mouth?!"
Xue Mulin pressed his temples: "I have to take it easy."
The parrot flapped its wings: "Slowly, slowly, slowly, eat."
Wen Yizhi waved his hand: "Hurry up, go and tell Ah Huo that he must be crazy. He should be in Jingzhao Mansion with Ah Yun right now, after hearing this letter, he will definitely rush over here. "
Wang Yan said: "Wait a minute, the matter is still not clear, anyway, they will come over in a while, don't rush for a moment or two."
Xue Mulin continued rubbing his temples: "How could the parrot be picked up by Xuematang?"
Wang Yansui briefly talked about it, and Xue Mulin and Wen Yizhi were amazed. Wen Yi knew: "In other words, the person who blamed Xuematang for eating Jingzhao Mansion pigeons is more likely to be aiming at this parrot."
Xue Mulin rubbed his eyebrows instead: "If according to Ah Yan's previous analysis, the dead Hu Shang let go of the parrot before he was killed, maybe Xue Matang just passed by at that time and took the parrot away. The murderer saw it, but didn't know Xue Matang Who is the candy? After dormant observation, I decided to blame Xuema Tang for eating the pigeons from Jingzhao Mansion. I used the help of Jingzhao Mansion to find the owner of Xuema Tang, and then found the parrot... "
Wen Yizhi let out a hey: "Then old man Xu's Dongying daughter-in-law can do it!"
The corners of Wang Yan's lips curled up: "Before Ah Yun and Ah Hui didn't come over, let me tell you what you know first. After I left the banquet last night, Feng Tai should have shown you what I found in the mezzanine under the table." .”
Xue Mulin breathed out: "As Mr. Wang expected, he has to show us. As soon as you leave here, I will take out the official letter, and he took it out very happily. But I can't bring it for you to see. Do you have a pen and paper?"
Wang Yan pointed to the inner room: "The table is ready."
After entering the study, the servant spread paper and rubbed ink, and Xue Mulin asked him to get another color of ink, rolled up his sleeves and drew a picture on the paper.
Wang Yan looked at it carefully: "It looks like a map of various countries."
Xue Mulin put down his pen: "Yes, it was originally drawn on a piece of parchment. The Hu Wen written on it is not Sansi Wen, I think it is Baiman Wen. I will ask my colleagues who understand Hu Wen to identify it in the morning. I probably know what is drawn. I already know." Pointing to the far right side of the drawing, "This is the east, which is my direction. The specially circled area is the direction of the capital. The other small areas are several Hu countries, and then here is Shansi , and right in the middle is Baiman Kingdom.”
Wang Yan frowned: "The blueprints hidden by Shansi and Hu merchants are from other countries, which is interesting."
Xue Mulin said: "Hu merchants travel all over the world, and it is very common to use maps of other countries. I went back to the yamen and compared them with maps of all countries. Most of the places marked on the maps are the big cities and ports of various countries. They are all on the road from Baiman to our court. On the business road. In addition, we have drawn some things here in the capital on the blueprint."
Xue Mulin picked up the ink brush instead, and sketched a parrot, a strange circle and an egg in the direction of the capital, with a cluster of flames on its body.
Wang Yan's eyes lit up: "Interesting, there really is a parrot. What's the meaning of the circle on the egg that looks like a city wall?"
Xue Mulin sighed: "This ring with teeth is not a city wall, but a crown, and the crowns of some great kings of the Hu Kingdom are like this."
Wang Yan rubbed his chin, and Wen Yi knew: "Could it be that the parrot refers to the secret work of the beards hiding in the capital? The map shows the route to my dynasty. The flaming eggs are laid by parrots. With the crown, the beards may have wolves." Heart of a child!"
Wang Yan shook his head: "Baiman Kingdom is one hundred and eight thousand miles away from our dynasty. If we send troops, how far can we make it?"
Xue Mulin said: "I can't make it through. Baiman is indeed a big country, and they will send envoys to me every few years. Their envoys have been here for more than a year since they came to Baiman. There are many valiant beards in the west. There is a sea of sand and a desert, and no matter whether Baiman or Shansi has the intention of disobedience, no matter how many soldiers and horses are mobilized, they will be wiped out if they can't even reach the borders of the small countries such as Lou Ran and Hu Nuo. However, , They have always been at odds with the country of Shansi, and there have been wars. There is another interesting thing on this picture."
Xue Mulin picked up the ink brush again, and drew another picture beside the map. It was a bird with spread wings surrounded by flames.
"This picture is painted on the back of the blueprint, which is very similar to the emblem of the Divine Fire Cult. The Divine Fire Cult was once the state religion of Shansi, and the emblem of the Divine Fire Cult was embroidered on the king's flag. But the people of Baiman believe in Nestorianism. The Western Yi countries especially Religious sects, different religions cannot coexist, all regard other religions as heresy. Baiman Kingdom sent troops to Shansi in the name of crusade against heresy, and almost destroyed the country of Shansi. About a few decades ago, the king of Shansi converted to Nestorianism Let go of the Holy Fire Cult and make peace with Baiman Kingdom. Many Shansi Holy Fire Cultists have been exiled in other countries, and even our dynasty has many more Shansi people. These Shansi Holy Fire Cultists have written to the court, asking for a piece of land as a place to live Of course, the imperial court did not approve it, but only ordered them to live in our court and live in peace."
Wen Yizhi clapped his hands: "Ah, I understand! The Shansi people who died are members of the Shenhuo Cult. They hibernated me and intended to make a comeback and return to the country to seize power! Kill Baiman again, and the old hatred will be snowed! On that egg There are flames, which means hatching. Shenhuo is born, Shansi is prosperous, and Baiman is dead!"
Wang Yan nodded with rare affirmation: "It's a possibility."
Xue Mulin smiled slightly. Wang Yan changed the topic: "But..."
Wen Yizhi curled her lips: "I knew there must be something wrong."
Wang Yan said seriously: "However, if it is combined with other clues in this case, something is wrong. Why did they grab a parrot?"
Wen Yi knew: "Perhaps the parrot is the holy bird of their Shenhuo sect, which is equivalent to our phoenix. Look at the bird in the fire that Mu Lin drew last. If the drawing is correct, does this curved beak look like a parrot? Yes. With this parrot in hand, he can ascend to the throne and become king."
Wang Yan said: "Then what's the use of Dongying people snatching this parrot?"
Wen Yi knew: "The Dongying people want to take Shansi Kingdom or that Baiman!"
Xue Mulin had no choice but to say, "Dongpu is far away from the two countries of Sans Byman. I can't win these two countries, let alone Dongying."
Wen Yizhi You Ziqiang argued: "It's okay to be far away, maybe a group of Dongying people want to go to other countries to become kings."
Wang Yan said slowly: "I think they are looking for something."
Wen Yizhi asked back: "What?"
Wang Yan looked at Xue Mulin: "Can you find out the list of tributes paid by Baiman Kingdom when they came to my court for the last two times?"
Xue Mulin was startled, and then pressed his forehead again: "Our Honglu Temple is only responsible for reception, and all tributes are received by the Ministry of Rites."
Wang Yan pulled a piece of paper: "Let Lan Jue help me then." Picking up a pen and writing a few lines hastily, he handed the pen to Xue Mulin, "Mr. Xue, please sign and seal it, so that Lan Jue's boss won't worry about it." say what."
Xue Mulin smiled wryly: "I obey. I'm really afraid of Mr. Wang." He wrote his name according to his words, and took out a seal from his sleeve.
The attendant took the paper, folded it and sealed it, and hurried to the Ministry of Rites.
Xue Mulin rubbed his forehead again: "May I ask if Mr. Wang has some snacks here? I didn't sleep all night, and I came here before I had breakfast. I really can't stand now."
Wang Yan yelled: "I'm tired, I'm tired!" Immediately ordered the servants to prepare tea, rice and snacks, and ordered to fetch hot water, so that Xue Mulin and Wen Yizhi could take a bath and change clothes in the side compartment first.
Xue Mulin waved his hand: "You don't need to take a shower, don't forget that we just took off our clothes and went into the water, Ah Yun and the others arrived over there. Just eat if you have something to eat."
The parrot yelled again from the next room: "Take off your clothes, take off your clothes, take off your clothes!"
After the tea was brought, Wang Yan, Xue Mulin, and Wen Yizhi just sat down at the table, and the servants announced that Young Master Yu and Young Master Liu had arrived.
Xue Mulin said: "I'm right, if you're taking a bath, you just entered the barrel at this time."
The parrot flapped its wings cheerfully by the window again: "Bucket bucket bucket bucket!"
The servants drew up the curtain, Yu Yun and Liu Zhen entered the room, and they were stunned when they saw the window.
Wang Yan grinned: "Are you surprised?"
Liu Zhen swayed and threw himself at the parrot: "My father! Ah Yan, you are my real grandfather!"
Wang Yan said with a smile: "If you don't deserve it, don't kill it."
Liu Zhen quickly slapped his mouth twice: "Slips, brother Yan, don't joke, you're so merciful. It's really this bird that almost killed me. How can a bird make such a big deal?!"
Xue Mulin said: "It's not just big, just now Ayan and Yizhi and I speculated about the case. It's like a gathering of nations, it's a mess."
Liu Zhen pulled Wang Yan to ask how he found the parrot, Wang Yan briefly recounted the story, Liu Zhen was amazed again and again, and shouted to burn incense for Xuema Tang, Yu Yun and Wang Yan pushed him to sit at the table Down.
"The key now is not the parrot, but the conspiracy involved in the whole thing!"
Liu Zhen nodded sharply: "Yes! Yes! By the way, guess what Jingzhao Mansion found out in the old files?! Ah Yun, I don't know as much as you. Tell me, tell me!"
Yu Yun took a sip of tea, and sat upright solemnly: "The Dongying woman refused to recruit anything, but Xiao Feng Tong found out from the dossier of the torture room in Jingzhao Mansion that a few months ago, before the Xu family got this parrot, it was also a parrot. In Dunhuafang, not far from the residence of the missing beard girl Helena, a Shansi person died. The person was killed at home, and there was another corpse not far from his home, which should be the same He was killed around the same time. Guess who this dead man is?"
Xue Mulin said: "Don't be so tricky, just say it straight."
Yu Yun took another sip of tea, and said slowly, "He's from Boluo."
Wang Yan's pupils shrank.
Yu Yun blinked mysteriously: "Guess again, what does this dead Shansi do for a living? What's his nickname?"
Wen Yizhi sneered: "Can you stop panting when you speak, I can't guess, just say it!"
Wang Yan said: "This man is a craftsman. His job is to make locks or boxes. His nickname is related to the parrot."
Yu Yun let out a sigh: "Ah Yan, it's amazing! You can set up a stall at the gate of the Town God's Temple! This Shansi man is indeed a locksmith who can make small gadgets like chain buttons. He is nicknamed Big Parrot and his real name is Ta Mu Sha is so nu and lu, he is quite long and awkward, he has this nickname because... "
Wang Yan said: "Because he has a gray parrot."
Wen Yizhi looked at the parrot by the window in amazement: "You mean, this parrot is..."
Wang Yan nodded.
At this time, another servant came to report: "My lord, the official surnamed Feng from Jingzhao Mansion is here, outside the east corner gate here, and said he wants to see you."
Liu Zhen wondered: "Since he wants to come, why didn't he come with me and Ah Yun?"
Wang Yan said: "Feng Tongpan is a man who abides by the rules."
Liu Zhen clicked his tongue: "Could it be that it's not proper to come here with me and Ah Yun? By the way, this Feng Tong gave you face. Just now, Ah Yun and I were very angry with him. I'll talk about things directly You can’t even enter the door, so you can only drink tea in the next room.”
Yu Yun smiled and said: "Stop talking, last night, Ayan and Yizhi were bullied by Mr. Feng, and they couldn't sit down at the dinner table. In fact, this person can go straight from the local area to Jingzhao Mansion, how could he What a fool. Soft or hard, it just depends on what he thinks is convenient."
While talking and joking, the servant led Feng Tai, who was dressed in casual clothes, to arrive.
The parrot by the window flapped its wings: "Grandpa, have you eaten yet?"
Feng Tai took a deep look at the parrot, and after meeting with everyone, he asked Wang Yan solemnly: "This is the parrot in this case?"
Wang Yan said: "Yes."
Feng Tai cupped his hands again: "Master Wang, please immediately transfer Hu Nu Yi and the parrot involved in the case to Jingzhao Mansion."
Wang Yan said: "Mr. Hu and the parrot, Lord Feng will take them away after a while, but there is one piece of evidence that needs to be waited for right now. Please wait a moment, Lord Feng."
Feng Tai frowned, but took out a roll of paper from his sleeve.
"Feng came here this time because he found another small crossbow in the home of the murdered Hu merchant Guhande. After inspection, it should be the weapon used to shoot the small arrow, kill the pigeons of Jingzhao Mansion, and frame the falcon of Mr. Wang. Does your lord know why Guhande did this?"
Wang Yan took the scroll and looked at the pattern drawn on it: "It has something to do with the parrot brought back by Xue Matang."
With a flash of Feng Tai's gaze, Wang Yan pulled out a chair with his own hands: "Master Feng has not slept all night, please sit down and have a cup of tea and some snacks. The truth will be known in detail after a while. If you still have important business, it is inconvenient to stay , go back to Jingzhao Mansion first, and I will send the man and bird to you later, and let me know the details."
Feng Tai looked at Wang Yan again, but didn't say much, went to the chair and sat down.
Wang Yan called the young servant to serve tea, and chatted with Feng Tai, Feng Tai only responded with a few words. Wang Yan invited him to look at the garden outside the house, but Feng Tai also declined. Yu Yun, Xue Mulin, Wen Yizhi, and Liu Wei couldn't talk to each other, so they went to relax. First they took turns to take a bath, Liu Zhen and Wen Yizhi circled around the parrot, Xue Mulin thought of being sleepy next door, and was called to stop by Liu Zhen again. Yu Yun asked his servants to fetch a pair of horse-slings, rubbed them together and chatted away.
Wang Yan also took a book on the art of war, and held the scroll with Feng Tai. The four people in that room clapped their cards, and the parrot on the rack suddenly flapped its wings excitedly towards the card table: "Don't cry, grandma! Don't cry, grandma!"
Wang Yan and Feng Tai immediately put down the books and got up.
Yu Yun and the others also stopped rubbing the cards, and the parrot flapped its wings towards the card table: "Bang, bang, bang! And, and, and!"
Wen Yizhi couldn't help but laugh: "My dear boy, do you understand this?"
Wang Yan asked Yu Xuewen and Liu to step aside temporarily, and ordered them to untie the parrot's ankle chain. The parrot plunged headfirst into the card table, pecked at the dice first, rolled it a few times with its claws, picked it up, looked at Wang Yan and the others, tilted its head, seemed a little confused, then spit out the dice, jumped to a few cards, Pushed a piece of six cakes, struggling to pick it up.
At this time, a voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Eldest Young Master—"
The parrot shook, jumped to the side, and flew into the air.
Wang Yan turned around in embarrassment, staring at the boy who reported the letter: "Why is it so stinging? The news from the Ministry of Rites is back?"
The little fellow repeatedly pleaded guilty: "Damn the little one, it's not the news from the Ministry of Rites, but because of the master's clever plan, there is a commotion in Luwu Xiaoyuan."
Wang Yan's expression changed: "The rest of the women's family members will retreat, I will go over immediately!" Looking back at the parrot, he told the servant, "Don't tie it up. After I leave, let it go to the card table. It doesn't matter what it does. Write it down one by one, don't miss it."
Liu Zhen said: "Leave this matter to me. It was originally a trouble on my side. You have been busy a lot, but I didn't do anything. I have to give some credit at this moment."
Wang Yan raised his eyebrows: "That's fine, but there's a big scene over there, don't you really want to go and see it?"
Liu Zhen smiled and said, "No, I'm still a little confused. Tell me when you come back, and you'll understand better."
Yu Yun and Xue Mulin didn't say much, it was only because Liu Zhen refused, or there was another hidden reason. When Wang Yan's wife was still in her boudoir, Master Liu Hou once proposed marriage to Uncle Guo for Liu Wei, but Uncle Guo married his daughter to Wang Yan.
There is another saying that Uncle Guo was hesitant between Wang Yan and Liu Zhen, and asked his wife to ask his daughter about it. Wang Yan and Liu Wei often went to and from the country's uncle's house, and Miss Yuezhao had seen them behind the curtain, and she told her mother without hesitation that she would not marry unless it was Wang Yan.
Since Wang Yan got married, Liu Zhen seldom came to Taishi's mansion, let alone set foot in the inner garden.
Wang Yan was never embarrassed by this matter, but Liu Zhen refused, and he didn't force it, he said "no matter", and left the small study. Feng Tai, Yu Yun and Xue Mulin all followed closely behind. Wen Yizhi looked at the parrot and then at the door, struggled a bit, and ran out the door too.
Just passing through the small garden, a young servant hurriedly chased after him and sent Lan Jue's reply letter to Wang Yan.
Wang Yan opened the envelope, and Yu Yunwen and Yizhi leaned forward to look at it. Feng Tai unhurriedly stared at it, and saw the words on the paper——
In the nineteenth year of Yingchang, Baiman Kingdom came to the court.
Offer, a pair of swords.
A golden rod.
Ten hanging red treasures.
Green Treasure Eight Links, Sapphire Eight Links.
There are two gold tents.
There are two precious coral trees ten feet high.
A pair of peacocks inlaid with seven-color precious gold.
A peacock inlaid with seven-color treasures...
Wang Yan smiled: "It's just a coincidence, the truth of this case has been revealed."
Two women were guarding the gate of Lvwu Courtyard, and they came forward to greet Wang Yan. Wang Yan asked about the situation inside, and the mother-in-law replied: "Young Madam's maidservant outside the room can be said to have been held hostage. Last night, Young Madam ordered the servants, and the little girls acted according to plan, and gossiped a few times outside the window. In a word, it mentioned the matter of the parrot and the words ordered by the madam. Just now, the woman suddenly clamored to see the young madam, because Ke Yu arranged for her to be brought here yesterday, and the little girls came to Ke Yu again, The woman thought that Keyu was his wife, so she held Wuliwala and yelled, but the old slave was deaf and couldn't hear what she was yelling."
Wang Yan looked inside the door: "Who else is there now?"
The mother-in-law said: "Listen to the eldest son's order, there is still one person in the house, two people guarding the porch, in case something happens, and there is only that bearded girl who can talk."
Wang Yan nodded and stepped into the courtyard, followed by Feng Tai and Yu Yun. The door of the main compartment was wide open, and the two women stood outside the door, bowed to Wang Yan and stepped aside. Wang Yan strode onto the corridor, and saw that in the room, Isia was holding Keyu with messy temple hair in one hand, and a piece of broken porcelain lying beside her neck in the other.
Wang Yan walked into the room slowly, Isiah let go and dropped the tile, Ke Yu quickly moved aside. Wang Yan signaled the women to help her away, and looked at Isia: "I know the truth of the matter. You should also understand that only telling the truth can help you."
Isiah smiled slightly: "I don't want to lie to you. But, you don't believe others. I told you, but you don't believe me either. It's like, those girls' comments, you let them tell me. I did what I just did , as you think, you will appear. You only believe in yourself. So, I will wait for you to find the answer."
Wang Yan arched his hands: "So, I actually fell into the trap of the girl. I have never found that the girl is so smart, disrespectful and disrespectful."
Isia grabbed the hem of the skirt with both hands and bent her knees: "Thank you for the compliment."
Wang Yan's gaze narrowed: "Then, you and I should speak openly. The girl is not from Shansi, but from Baiman."
Isiah nodded, and a strand of golden curly hair in a bun slid onto her shoulders.
Xue Mulin on the side sighed: "When I saw the girl's pupils, I thought, your hair color should be golden. Sure enough. People from the Baiman Kingdom are noble and will not easily become slaves to people from other countries. So, girl, you are not Guhand's handmaid."
Isia didn't answer, Wang Yan said slowly: "Of course not. The girl deliberately concealed it yesterday, and I'm ashamed that we were indeed deceived. When the real body is revealed, it will definitely not be easy. Guhande, I should be sent by you."
Isiah stood calmly, still not speaking.
Wang Yan walked to the chair: "The ins and outs of this matter are actually not complicated. Girl, you are from Baiman Kingdom, and you came here for a treasure in my dynasty. Guhand's lover Helena It's your maid. A locksmith from the Shansi Kingdom in Dunhuafang is the key to your finding this treasure, but unfortunately he intends to sell this treasure to the people of the Boluo Kingdom behind your back."
Isiah's expression became serious, and she slowly sat down on a chair. Wang Yan continued: "The Dongying people learned that the Boluo people planned to buy treasures, and the Shansi locksmith was killed by the Dongying people when they were negotiating with the Boluo people. The Dongying people failed to get the treasures, so they took away the locksmith. Parrots, use parrots to lure you to the bait."
Wang Yan also sat down on the chair, Xue Mulin and others followed suit, Feng Tai also found a stool for himself, and listened to Wang Yan's narration.
"You understand the traps of the Dongying people, but you must get the parrot, because it is the key to obtaining the treasure. When trying to get the parrot, Helena was also killed by the Dongying people. Fortunately, she entrusted you to Gu Hand in advance. Gu Hand Although Hand is from Shansi and believes in the God Fire Cult, he is very loyal to you."
Wang Yan took the tea brought by his servants and moistened his throat.
"Yesterday, the girl sang really well. You and Guhande found out the whereabouts of the parrot, and you also knew that Xu's daughter-in-law is from Dongying, so you didn't dare to go to their house, so you chose to steal the parrot on the day when Mr. Xu stayed at the flower market. Go parrot. But why do you want to blame Xuematang?"
Isiah asked softly, "What do you think?"
The corner of Wang Yan's lips raised: "I think you want to get close to me. My white falcon is very obedient. It shouldn't fly to that area. Why did it fly to your house and take a parrot away? Yes You have been citing it. Yesterday, you appeared in the market, not following Mr. Feng, but for me."
Wen Yizhi looked at Isiah in disbelief: "Could it be that your heart belongs to Ah Yan a long time ago?"
Yu Yun sighed: "Girl, I advise you to retreat as soon as possible, so that you don't get stuck in the mud."
Wang Yan straightened his face: "Don't talk nonsense. The girl wants to get close to Wang, there must be other reasons." Looking into Isiah's clear eyes, "For the treasure, right?"
Isiah stood up: "My lord, you are really smart. Can I meet your wife?"
Yu, Xue, Wen, and Liu looked at each other, and Feng Tai also frowned slightly.
Wang Yan put down the teacup: "You want to see her because her aunt is the empress dowager?"
Isiah grabbed the hem of her skirt again, and slightly bent her knees to Wang Yan: "Yes, I would like to ask Madam to lead me to meet your noble Royal Highness the Empress Dowager."
Xue Mulin said: "Girl, the empress dowager's holiness is something extraordinary people can admire."
Isiah raised her face and stood up slowly: "In the name of Ovetnia Pachidon, the daughter of the emperor of the Byman Empire, I request to see the Queen Mother."