Staring at Xiaofen's heartbroken look, Chu Nanzhi couldn't bear it, but in order to find out the case as soon as possible, she had to continue to ask:
"Sister Xiaofen, please recall carefully. From picking tea to before the incident, have you seen any suspicious people in the yard, or who else besides your mother has come into contact with that bag of tea?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she was worried that her explanation was not clear enough, so she quickly added: "For example, who did you come into contact with when picking tea, and who were there when you dried the tea?"
Of course, the maid Xiaofen was also among the objects of her suspicion.
Although it is a bit cruel, in the process of handling the case, it is inevitable that all possible suspects will be investigated one by one, thereby narrowing down the target of suspicion more accurately.
This is also the investigative method she used as a criminal police officer.
But judging from the clues we have so far, this little maid cannot have any connection with the case.
After her reminder, the maid Xiaofen also began to carefully recall in her mind the relevant strangers she had met since the tea picking last month to the time when the master was poisoned, and then slowly narrated:
"I remember that on the eve of the Summer Solstice last month, my mistress came to my mistress's courtyard and said that there was a Taoist lecture in Nanhua Temple. She wanted to invite my wife to go with her. She stayed in the temple for three days. On the day of return, my mistress saw the honeysuckle on the mountain behind Nanhua Temple.
It was blooming beautifully, so I took my daughter to pick some with me, but I didn’t meet any strangers. When I came back, my servants helped me to dry the tea, and no one else made trouble."
After racking her brains for a while, she explained seriously:
"My little wife has always liked peace and quiet, so there are no other maids in the courtyard, only a slave."
"Um."
Chu Nanzhi nodded thoughtfully: "Mrs. Han often invites your little girl to go to Nanhua to visit, or go out for an outing or something like that?"
"it's not true."
Xiaofen answered decisively.
Looking around at everyone with tears in her eyes, a look of panic suddenly appeared on her face, and she said anxiously:
"It's not that I want to slander my mistress. Although my mistress looks kind-hearted, she is very deep-seated. On weekdays, even if the young man comes to visit my mistress, she will follow her closely, even when the two of them are talking.
She has to listen to every word and carefully consider every word. Even if she has never treated my little lady poorly, she is not as good as what is said outside."
Regarding this point, Chu Nanzhi somewhat agreed.
Seeing that the little maid's words and deeds were quite sincere and doubtful, she suddenly became solemn and threatened in a stern voice: "Xiaofen, what you just said was not a deliberate slander because you were jealous of Madam Han for driving you out of the house.
Someone?"
Being questioned by Chu Nanzhi, Xiaofen was so frightened that she quickly knelt down again:
"Although this slave is just a humble maid, she can't survive only by relying on the Shen family. Over the years, my mother has been frugal and has been frugally giving some monthly money to the slave from time to time, so that the slave can take it back to her hometown in the south to help the family.
There are several acres of good land, and my brother-in-law is also a conscientious person. He has been thinking about me, and the whole family is looking forward to my coming home as soon as possible. If I hadn’t thought about my mother’s loneliness, why would I have stayed here so hard.”
After complaining heartily and painfully, she began to express her grievances on behalf of Mr. Shen Yang:
"Everyone said that my little mother had a good life and met a kind mistress, but who knew that she was the one who really had troubles that she could not tell. When she fled to Tong'an Village without anyone, she was tricked by her mistress.
The female servant who worked in the house was forced to become a concubine for the Shen family.
She was also born into a scholarly family and was able to read and write. She had always been content and never coveted glory. If she had not been forced, she would have been unable to find a stable and reliable person to marry and become the main wife based on her talent and appearance. Wife, why should I be humiliated and become someone else’s concubine?”
After listening to Xiaofen's story, Li Sanmu first sighed and couldn't help but sigh: "A few years ago in the village, I heard that the head of the Shen family had taken in a beautiful concubine. I didn't expect that she was forced by Lady Han. of."
When this matter was mentioned, Xiaofen became even more indignant and continued to tell the story with a bit of anger: "I will never dare to deceive you about this matter. The nuns who have been in charge of the Shen family for a long time are all aware of this matter. I overheard it while they were chatting. Later, I saw the young lady alone in the courtyard feeling depressed. She was drunk that day, so she told the slave all her experiences."
"In this way, Mrs. Shen Yang is indeed a pitiful person."
Chu Nanzhi looked around at the people in the carriage and saw that everyone was somewhat fascinated by what they heard. She couldn't help but sigh. Thinking of the original topic, she asked again without delay:
"You just said that Madam Han doesn't often take Shen Yang out, so why did you want to take her to visit Nanhua together last month?"
Xiaofen thought for a while and felt a little confused: "This servant can't figure it out. The mistress only said that the master of the house has expanded his business this year and wants to take my wife to the temple to pray for the Shen family."
Chu Nanzhi continued to ask: "Have you ever traveled together in groups before?"
Xiaofen frowned and thought carefully, then slowly shook her head.
Chu Nanzhi probably had some plans in mind. Thinking of the matter of Erlang of the Shen family, she asked again:
"I heard that the second room of the Shen family is not harmonious, but after seeing it with my own eyes today, it seems that is not the case. Madam Han seems to be very affectionate towards the nephew of the second room?"
"The discord between the two families is just that the owner of the house hates the ungrateful people of the second family."
As soon as the second room was mentioned, Xiaofen puffed up her cheeks and wanted to punch someone, her face completely lost:
"Although my head of the family has been very prosperous in recent years, he was also very poor in his early years. When he was down and out, he couldn't even have a full meal. But his twin brother and his family would rather feed the leftovers to the dogs than give money to the head of the house. , how can the head of the family not be sad to be brought to such a calamity, but the mistress is happy with Erlang. If the head of the house had not insisted on objecting, and then the mother gave birth to the young man, I am afraid that Erlang would have been the head of the family by now. "
Hearing what she said, Chu Nanzhi was a little confused, but before she had time to express her doubts, Xiaofen immediately solved her doubts like a prophet: "Mrs. Chu, don't underestimate Erlang, he is a good person. He is very flattering, and he talks nonsense to others, but he always has a docile and filial face, especially in front of his mistress."
"Um."
She had already seen this.
That little bastard is indeed a capable master, so it's no wonder that he is favored by the Han family.
This can explain why the Han family would rather abandon their adopted concubine than favor the children of their second wife.
After roughly combing through her thoughts, she raised her eyes and looked deeply at Xiaofen: "So, your head of the family and Madam Han have always had differences?"
"snort."
Xiaofen sneered with some disdain: "I am not boasting, but if my wife is a pampered and arrogant person, how can my mistress have any place in this family?"
"I see."
Chu Nanzhi suddenly realized that she didn't know whether Shen Jianghe doted on his concubine and killed his wife, but the relationship between the couple was probably not harmonious.
Her eyes were fixed on Xiaofen, and she raised a question that she had hidden in her heart for a long time: "Your wife and Mrs. Han went to Nanhua Temple last month. Did they ever see Taoist Ximen?"
"Taoist Ximen?"
Xiaofen was surprised, with endless confusion in her eyes. She didn't know why she had such a question. She shook her head thoughtfully: "I have never seen this person before."
After hearing this concise and clear answer, Chu Nanzhi fell into deep thought again.