Chen Sijing did not expect to meet Xu Chunjun on the street, and there was a hint of joy in the surprise.
But business matters come first, and the reason must be asked first.
Xu Chunjun and Jiang Nuan explained the situation to him, and Chen Sijing said: "You two girls, don't be anxious, I will lead someone to look for it."
So he took his subordinates into the teahouse to interrogate him, and went upstairs to search for him, but he still didn't see Liu'er.
Seeing that it was getting late, Chen Sijing said to Xu Chunjun and Jiang Nuan: "It's getting late. You two ladies, please go back home! Leave Jiang's coachman here, and let's look for it along the street. If we can find it, we will
Tell her to go back with the coachman."
Jiang Nuan then took Xu Chunjun's carriage home. When he arrived in front of Jiang's house, Jiang Nuan got out of the car.
Xu Chunjun stopped her and said, "Ah Nuan, I'll go in with you and tell your wife what happened today."
Xu Chunjun was afraid that Jiang Nuan would go back alone, but her stepmother didn't believe it, so she went in with Jiang Nuan. This was because she was thoughtful and didn't want Jiang Nuan to be reprimanded.
Jiang Nuan's stepmother, Meng, was checking her son Jiang Hui's homework. She heard that the eldest lady was back and brought guests, so she asked her son to stay away for the time being. "It's so late, and the eldest lady has brought guests. It's really annoying.
I can’t figure it out.” The woman beside Meng said.
"I think there is something going on," Meng said to the maid beside her: "Please invite the eldest lady and guests in! The etiquette must be thoughtful."
Xu Chunjun saw that Jiang Nuan's stepmother, Meng, was only in her early thirties, with a sallow complexion and a medium build. Although her appearance was not great, she had a gentle temperament.
I remember Jiang Nuan said that her mother had a strong and competitive personality. I guess Meng and she are two completely opposite types of people.
Meng's clothes were neither new nor old, and she only had two hairpins on her head. She had a smile on her cheeks and her attitude was very kind.
After meeting each other, Xu Chunjun explained his intention.
Meng didn't blame Jiang Nuan, but just said: "Liu'er is usually quite stable, but she can't guarantee that she's not playful. She's probably gone somewhere, and she should be back in a while."
Then he said to Xu Chunjun: "I feel sorry for having to bother Miss Xu to come in person for such a small matter. Now that I'm here, I'll stay and have dinner before going back! I just don't know that there are guests coming today, so the meal will inevitably be casual. I don't think Miss Xu is so easy-going."
People won’t dislike it either.”
After hearing this, Jiang Nuan also took Xu Chunjun's hand and tried to persuade her to stay: "Sister Xu, just stay! After dinner, I will send you back."
Xu Chunjun smiled and replied: "Thank you madam for the meal. It's just that I was out for a long time, and I didn't have time to report to Madam Marquis. I was afraid that madam would be worried, so I didn't stay to eat. I will come to visit another day."
Jiang Nuan couldn't let go of Xu Chunjun, but she couldn't say much. She knew that she, a junior, couldn't say much in front of her stepmother.
Even though she was very careful, she was often criticized by her father for not knowing the rules.
Her stepmother, on the other hand, always protected her in front of her father.
Meng then said: "What Miss Xu said is reasonable, and I can't force you to stay. It will be the same if you come back another day. A Nuan has only been in the capital for a short period of time, and he doesn't have many close friends. Since I have fallen in love with you, then
Just keep in touch with each other more and don't see anyone outside."
Xu Chunjun saw that Jiang Nuan's stepmother was very good at facial expressions and spoke impeccably.
He replied with a few polite words, then left and went out.
Jiang Nuan sent Xu Chunjun to the door in person, and Xu Chunjun told her: "If Liu'er comes back, send someone to tell me. In addition, you don't have to worry too much about this matter. I will ask you to go out to relax some other time."
Xu Chunjun returned to the Hou Mansion and was already lighting the lamp.
I went to see my wife first to explain my reasons. After hearing this, Mrs. Houye said: "You should eat first! How can a living person just say that he is gone? I will hear the news tomorrow. It is probably a false alarm."
Xu Chunjun agreed, but the doubts in his heart were not dispelled.
The next day, Xu Chunjun helped his wife prepare things for going out. After two days of busy work, no one from the Jiang family came to report.
On the third day, Mrs. Houye went out with her two sons, and Xu Chunjun sent them outside the city.
After watching my wife go on the road, I took the car back with Mama Ye.
It is midsummer now, and the heat is already making people uncomfortable just in the morning.
As soon as I walked through the door, before I had time to take a sip of tea, a family member reported that an inspection from the Town and Fu Department had come to my door.
"It's so good, what are these officials doing here?" Mother Ye asked in confusion.
"Since he's here, I have to meet you. If it's something important and we can't make up our mind, we'll ask him to wait until Madam Marquis comes back before he comes," Xu Chunjun said.
Xu Chunjun is now running the house for his wife, so he naturally has to step in.
Who would have thought that it was Chen Sijing who came here with a few of his subordinates.
Mother Ye stayed with Xu Chunjun and received him in the guest room.
Chen Sijing was wearing black official clothes. He was tall and elegant in appearance. He looked dignified and upright even in the clothes of a low-level military attache.
"Master Chen, please have tea," Xu Chunjun said to Chen Sijing after seeing the ceremony. "Now that the Marquis and his wife are not at home, I wonder what the lord has come to do?"
Chen Sijing said: "I came to see Miss Xu. The Jiang family's maid disappeared that day and has been found now."
Xu Chunjun said: "Has Liu'er gone back? I was about to send someone to ask. It saves trouble. Thank you for informing me."
Chen Sijing coughed lightly and said, "Don't be afraid, Miss Xu. Listen to me telling you the whole story. Although the maid was found, she is already dead."
"How could it happen?!" Xu Chunjun was shocked.
You must know that this is the foot of the emperor, and it is daytime. How can a person who is alive and kicking die just because he wants to?
"Last night, a boatman salvaged a female corpse from the Qingping River. It was already swollen. But judging from her clothing and age, she was very similar to the missing Liu'er. We invited the housekeeper of the Jiang family to identify it. There was a tattoo on the female corpse.
The birthmark on her virginity is exactly the same as that of Liu'er, so she is judged to be Liu'er, the maid of the Jiang family."
"How could Liu'er drown in the river? What was she doing running to the river?" Xu Chunjun was shocked and confused.
"Although her body was found in the river, she was not drowned. Instead, she was strangled to death by covering her mouth and nose, and was later thrown into the river." Chen Sijing had already asked the widow to conduct an autopsy.
After hearing this, Xu Chunjun didn't speak for a long time. He frowned and said with a slight hesitation: "She took the handkerchief and returned to the teahouse that day, and no one saw her coming out again. And we searched for her several times, and no one found her.
I didn't see her. The north window of the teahouse faces the river, but if the body was dumped during the day, someone would definitely see it."
"What makes Miss Xu suspicious is also where I have my doubts. But in any case, she is most suspected of being murdered in the teahouse. I came here today just to ask Miss Xu to think carefully about whether there was anything suspicious that happened that day.
