After getting dressed and packed, Minglan did not go directly to see the Wang family. Instead, she took a slight turn and picked up Sheng Hong, who slept alone last night, on the path leading to the study, turning a blind eye to her father's face as black as the bottom of a pot. , smiling and talking while walking. ( ·~ ).
"Dad, do you think it's strange? Aunt Kang didn't come back all night. The Kang family is not anxious, but the Wang family is?"
Sheng Hong walked with his head lowered and refused to pay attention to her. Since the argument that day, the corners of his mouth and eyes have always been drooping at 30 degrees.
"In my opinion, this is because the old lady was poisoned." Minglan didn't wait for her father to answer, "But dad sees things clearly. Needless to say, I must also understand the reason."
Sheng Hong snorted. His little daughter had a nice smile, but he couldn't bear to scold him in public, so he felt very depressed. He secretly thought that that day when you learned that the old lady was poisoned, you almost wanted to eat Wang's on the spot, but today you are like no one - you are so upset. Books are good material for getting involved in official circles.
Minglan said: "In my daughter's humble opinion, there are only two reasons why Uncle Kang didn't come this time."
Sheng Hong held back the inquiry and remained silent.
"Either Uncle Kang knew about it, but was indifferent and unwilling to stand up for my aunt; or the uncle didn't know about it at all, and the Wang family didn't want his uncle to know." The couple's relationship is already so bad, so it's better not to make the Kang family hate the Kang family even more. The reason is better.
"When we meet the Wang family, dad can ask why my uncle didn't come? But, I guess cousin Jin can only give two reasons..." Minglan smiled slyly, "My uncle is unwell and can't come; or, the Kang family Something's wrong, and uncle can't get away."
Sheng Hong wanted to laugh, so he straightened the corner of his mouth and kept a straight face - his brother-in-law, who had been idle for many years, had nothing to do, unless he would be exhausted after taking care of two more maids.
Minglan also smiled: "It's true that the Wang family is coming today, and I can't think of any more than three situations..." Sheng Hong slowed down unconsciously.
"The first one is that the Wang family doesn't know about Aunt Kang's evil deeds, and this visit is just to care about the old lady's condition; the second one is that the Wang family knows the inside story, and today they are here to plead with father and discuss how to let Aunt Kang go..."
Sheng Hong twirled his short beard under his chin and nodded secretly, thinking that his little daughter would understand what was going on.
"Thirdly, there are people with bad intentions who want to blame all this matter on my wife and the Sheng family."
Sheng Hong suddenly stopped and looked straight at his daughter, his expression cold and solemn.
Minglan said lightly: "What this matter is about, my father will be able to figure it out in a moment."
The father and daughter didn't waste any more time and walked quickly to the main courtyard. As soon as they stepped into the hall, they saw Mrs. Wang crying on Mrs. Wang's knees. Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang were advising and sighing next to them. Kang Jin stood in front of Wang with a sad face. Behind the old lady, standing beside him was an old woman dressed as a servant, who was described as quite shrewd and capable. In addition, only Liu Kun's family servants stood in the corner of the room, and all the maids and women nearby were sent out. No one was allowed five meters away from the doors and windows of the hall. Snooping around, there's someone guarding the entrance to the courtyard.
When Mrs. Wang saw Sheng Hong coming, she smiled happily and said, "My dear son-in-law, you are finally here."
The father and daughter walked one behind the other, bowed down and saluted their elders before standing up. When Sheng Hong saw Kang Jin, he couldn't help but ask: "Where is your father?"
Kang Jin's face froze and he hesitated: "My father...he...he has been unwell recently."
Sheng Hong couldn't help but look at his youngest daughter's face, and said hello to Mrs. Wang: "My mother-in-law is so old, and you are so tired from running around and working hard. It's not the responsibility of the younger generation."
Mrs. Wang lamented: "You have such an unfilial daughter from the Wang family, how can I have the nerve to come see you!" After saying this, she glared at Mrs. Wang, who immediately knelt down and cried: "Mother, my daughter knows she was wrong!"
Mrs. Wang pointed at her daughter and scolded: "What I taught you before you got married is that filial piety is the foundation of life. As a daughter-in-law, you have to take a step back from the word filial piety. It's better for you, if you do something worse than a beast, we, the Wang family, will be completely embarrassed by you!"
Mrs. Wang cried loudly: "Mom, my daughter is indeed very wrong! I have embarrassed my parents, brothers and sister-in-law. Mom, you can beat me or scold me. I just hope you can forgive me!"
Mrs. Wang was so sad that she hugged her daughter and cried: "My son, why are you so confused! It's easy for me to forgive you, but how can my uncle's family make it right?!" She raised her head again and said to Sheng Hong: "My dear uncle, she is so harmed. Killing the old lady in law is really a big crime, how are you going to deal with this matter?"
Because of the reminder from his youngest daughter, Sheng Hong paid more attention. The more he listened, the more confused he became: "Mother-in-law... what she meant is that she is Brother Bai..." He hesitated and turned to look at Minglan. [Ye *】【*】
Minglan scolded this cheap father for playing easy and shirk the serious, and said bluntly: "Old Madam Mingjian, my old lady was doing fine the day before yesterday, but she suddenly fell ill and couldn't wake up. We thought it was just a sudden illness due to heat, but who knew that the imperial doctor said After careful diagnosis, it turned out to be poisoning."
She and the Wang family would not have violated the river if they entered the house, but since entering the house, Mrs. Wang has only kept talking about how her daughter is doing, and has not even asked about her grandmother's safety. This shows the purpose of this trip, so she should just tell her directly.
Mrs. Wang looked ashamed: "I already know, the Wang family is really shameless to meet their in-laws." After saying that, she hit Mrs. Wang on the back several times and cursed: "It's all you who are so stupid, why are you like this?" Ignorant!"
This time, even Mrs. Wang could tell that something was wrong, and she said in surprise with tears in her eyes: "Mom... you...?" The mother and daughter were extremely excited from the moment they met. One of them cursed, and then they hugged each other and cried, without explaining the matter clearly. .
There was a smile on Minglan's lips: "It seems that the old lady thought that my grandmother's incident was all her fault?"
Mrs. Wang heard that there was something wrong with these words, and looked at her daughter and son-in-law's expressions of shock or anger, and felt confused, so she turned to look at the old woman next to Kang Jin - it's not that Mrs. Wang was resentful of her mother-in-law, so she went down. Something that causes disease?
Seeing this situation, Sheng Hong and Minglan were already halfway convinced, and the father and daughter quickly looked at each other.
The old woman didn't panic at all, and pushed Kang Jin gently. Kang Jin, who was standing still, seemed to suddenly wake up. He quickly raised his hands to Sheng Hong and said, "Uncle, my mother has not returned home all day and night. I am very anxious at home. Can you please go first?" Invite my mother to come out and meet her?"
Sheng Hong was angry and said in a deep voice: "Minglan, bring the people out first!"
Minglan walked to the door and saw Luzhi waiting at the entrance of the courtyard. She waved her hand from a distance and then returned to the house.
Behind the green branch were two women, with Aunt Kang in the middle holding Aunt Kang. They walked quickly and entered the house. Everyone saw that Aunt Kang was wearing a thin turmeric silk summer dress. There was nothing wrong with her body and hair, but her cheeks were red. Minglan knew this. It was caused by just pulling off the gagged towel.
Mrs. Wang looked at her sister's clothes and remained silent; she thought of Liu Kun's family coming to report that Aunt Kang had been tied up for a day and a night, with feces, urine and urine on her body, and the stench was terrible. It was really humiliating and painful, and she felt sad Minglan was even more afraid.
Aunt Kang had suffered a lot and was originally depressed. When she saw her mother, brother and son, she suddenly became energetic. She pushed away from the two mothers-in-law, stumbled to Mrs. Wang's legs, and cried loudly: "Mother, you Finally here! My daughter has been tortured so hard. The Sheng family... wu wu... they bullied me too much. My daughter really wishes she was dead!"
Kang Jin also knelt down beside his mother, and the two mothers burst into tears. Minglan tugged at the corners of her lips and waved to the two mothers-in-law to go down first.
Sheng Hong got angry when he saw her. Originally, his family was fine, and his father and son were running together on the road to prosperity. Today, there was such a quarrel. It was all because of this poisonous woman. Now he still has the nerve to cry with his mother and son. . Then he sneered and said: "My mother is still struggling on the hospital bed, but my aunt will definitely survive!"
Mrs. Wang slowly wiped away her tears. This little son-in-law has always been modest and filial, and he sounded like this today. There might be something hidden inside. While hesitating, the old woman beside Kang Jin cried sadly: "My poor girl, she has been here since she was a child. How have you ever been so wronged!"
After receiving this reminder, Mrs. Wang's face darkened: "I don't know what's wrong with my daughter. As an aunt, she was detained at her brother-in-law's house for no reason. This is really unheard of!"
Sheng Hong was scolded and was about to argue when Minglan took the lead, looked at the old woman and said with a smile: "This is Mama Qi. She is the most powerful person around aunt. Not only is mom capable, but mom is also The two sons are also highly valued by my aunt."
Mrs. Wang's expression was displeased, and Aunt Kang was filled with hatred, and she hurriedly cursed: "What does it have to do with you when the elders are talking?! Interject at will, if you are raised by a young woman, there are no rules!"
When Sheng Hong heard the words 'raised by a young woman', he was furious and said coldly: "Even a servant from outside the family can interrupt, but my daughter can't talk in her own home? I don't know where this rule comes from? ! ”
Mrs. Wang was scolded in both ways, so she tried to hold it back and stopped her eldest daughter from talking anymore. ~
Qi's mother was shocked. Xindaoer was indeed captured by the Sheng family, and she was now in big trouble.
She raised her head and looked at Minglan: "It seems that my wife's two worthless sons are also in the hands of my in-laws. I really don't know if the family can't talk about something properly, but my aunt insists on doing that and robbing people on the street. , I imprisoned my direct aunt, and if I tell anyone about it, I really don’t dare to make people believe that this is an act of the Sheng family from a scholarly family."
Such a powerful eloquence, and in a few words he directed the focus to the issue of means, bypassing the root cause of the incident.
Minglan didn't feel dissatisfied at all, and said with a smile: "Compared with the poisoner, this method is nothing. What's more, using these extraordinary methods is also for the sake of the face of several families. It's just like what Qi's mother said , spread it out and talk about it carefully, I am afraid that the three Wang Kangsheng families will never go out to meet people in the future...especially the Wang family."
Uncle Wang always frowned and asked, "How do you say this?"
Minglan sneered twice, took out a thick stack of paper from her sleeve, took the first two pieces called Liu Kun's and handed them to Mrs. Wang. At the same time, she said softly: "About two months ago, Qi Er of Kang Mansion was in charge of the affairs management. You Da led the way and met an old Taoist from a remote Taoist temple in the west of the city. This old Taoist is best at refining all kinds of cheap pills and decoctions, and he usually supplies them to the brothel."
From drugs, psychedelics, birth control pills, abortion pills, and even counterfeit red pills, we have a wide range of products, with considerate service and high quality, and our business is booming.
Minglan pointed to the paper in Mrs. Wang's hand and said, "This is the confession of the broker You Da and Qi Er."
Although Mrs. Wang is old, her eyes and ears are still very sharp, and the confession is very clear. Uncle Wang and his wife also leaned over to read it, and Aunt Wang glanced sideways at Mother Qi, not hiding her disdain.
Mother Qi's face was extremely ugly, and she said forcefully: "This unsatisfactory thing..."
Mrs. Wang shouted loudly and cursed: "Shut up, why are you being a slave? Let the master finish what he has to say!" No matter how confused she was, she now understood. She just hoped that Minglan would work harder and get Kang.
My aunt's sins were crucified, otherwise I would have to be the scapegoat!
She scolded and glared at her sister, and Aunt Kang turned away from her.
Minglan continued: "For more than half a month after that, Manager Qi Er often made friends with the old Taoist through drinking. Finally one day, Manager Qi Da personally went out and asked the old Taoist to make a poison that could not be tested with a silver needle and was quick.
The old man refused at first, but after being persuaded for some time, he finally agreed and offered a piece of earth containing hundreds of kilograms of budding ginkgo to refine the extremely thick bud juice. If you only need to eat a small amount, it will kill you in a moment."
She took the top two or three pieces of paper in her hand and asked Liu Kun's family to pass them over, "These are the signatures of the veteran's confession."
Mrs. Wang's fingers began to tremble slightly as she read the confession. Uncle Wang glanced at it for a few times and then shook his head unbearably. Kang Jin stared at his mother in disbelief.
"The manager of Qi Da paid a deposit of two hundred taels, and the old Taoist started immediately. Since he wanted to purchase a large amount of budding ginkgo, which could not be supplied by scattered farmers, the old Taoist found four remote small herbal medicine shops and sold their old and discarded inventory.
Sold out immediately."
Minglan took a few more pieces of colorful paper and said, "These were copied from the delivery orders of those four stores, as well as the testimony of the shopkeepers at the time. In just seven or eight days, the old man bought a total of one hundred and ten pieces.
Two pounds of budding ginkgo."
"The old Taoist worked day and night and finally made three bottles of poison. Manager Qi paid another eight hundred taels of silver. The old Taoist handed over two bottles and kept one for himself." Minglan gestured to Luzhi, who carefully took it out.
A small white porcelain bottle was handed to Sheng Hong this time. "I have asked the imperial doctor to take a look. The poison in this bottle is the same as the poison in the old lady's snacks."
Sheng Hong looked at the vial with a pale face.
"Aunt Kang got these two bottles of poison. Several days passed. On the early morning of the day before yesterday, my wife did not send people to buy the old lady's favorite snacks as usual. Instead, a young man named Jin Liu from Kang's house went to Jufeng.
Zhai bought the first batch of hibiscus and lotus cakes. About an hour later, Manager Qi personally escorted the Shan family to deliver the snacks to Sheng Mansion and handed them over to my wife."
Minglan handed over the last few pieces of paper in her hand, "This is the confession of Manager Qi and the wife." When she watched Mrs. Wang and others reading the confession, she added, "That person who is kind to the whole family,
She turned out to be my aunt's personal maid."
Having said this, it is very clear.
Aunt Kang's face was pale and blue, and she did not dare to look at the faces of her mother, brother and sister-in-law. She only half-sobed into her sleeve and sobbed softly. Sheng Hong went away angrily and glared at his wife. Mrs. Wang lowered her head and cried in shame, and couldn't help but murmured: "I really
I didn’t know it was poison…”
Minglan gave Luzhi a few instructions, and Luzhi hurriedly walked out of the door. After a moment, two guards came in escorting a man covered with bruises. Aunt Kang almost fainted when she saw it.
The man knelt on the ground, crying loudly, and said to Qi's mother: "Mom, mother, please help me! We can't survive this. I don't know if I am alive or not. Please save my life!"
Mother Qi looked at the child with a broken mouth and teeth, half of his clothes were stained with blood, her heart ached, but she gritted her teeth and turned away.
The two guards dragged Manager Qi Er out. Minglan smiled at Qi's mother and said, "Don't worry, Mom, Manager Qi is fine. They are all flesh wounds. They will be fine after resting for half a month." In fact, Tu Hu said,
Before he had time to show off his strength, everyone had already attacked him. The main reason was that Qi Daxing was the type to beg for mercy, and his screams were not as effective as Qi Er's.
She then said to Mrs. Wang: "If you still have doubts, you can ask these people in person. That old man has also been detained."
The monk who was fond of pharmaceutical work was working diligently in dual cultivation in a Taoist temple. Unexpectedly, a group of masked men descended from the sky in the middle of the night and put his head into a sack. He was so frightened that he died, and before they could get punched or kicked, he cooperated and said
, and also took the initiative to provide witnesses who witnessed him drinking and having fun with Qi Da Qi Er, as well as several banknotes.
The room became quiet again. Everyone in the Wang family looked at each other in confusion, not knowing what to do. Aunt Kang panicked, looking at her mother and her brother in prayer.
Sheng Hong gradually lost his breath and said coldly: "May I ask my mother-in-law and eldest brother how to resolve this matter?"
To his own children, he first thought about how to cover up the matter; but once the matter spread to his in-laws' house, he had to act angry and filial; if it was to outsiders, he would be even more angry and grieved, beating his chest.
It's better to howl.
Aunt Wang suddenly opened her mouth and said with a kind smile: "The Kang family and Sheng family are the real owners of this matter. My mother-in-law is old, how can she stand it? Brother-in-law, please don't come after us."
Sheng Hong felt soft when he thought of all the support Mrs. Wang and his uncle had received many years ago.
Minglan listened and chuckled: "What Auntie said is true. It's a pity... From the beginning of this matter, Aunt Kang made up her mind to bring the Wang family in."
Aunt Wang frowned and said, "How do you say this to my niece?"
Minglan looked at Aunt Kang who was huddled in the corner and pretending to be dead: "Manager Qi Er went around making friends with people who knew how to make drugs. It was when the Wang family sent a letter that they wanted to move their family back to the capital; when Manager Qi Da gave the deposit to the old Taoist,
It was the time when the old lady and my aunt returned to Beijing; the day when Aunt Kang decided to poison was the first time that the old master of Jufangzhai opened the furnace after my uncle returned to Beijing."
As for Aunt Kang, she first came up with this idea probably when the concubine of the Kang family became the concubine of the old prince.
Mrs. Wang stroked her chest and looked at her eldest daughter in despair, full of pain.
"Okay!" Sheng Hong thought for a moment and immediately understood the meaning of Aunt Kang's choice of the date of the murder. He slapped his palm on the table and sneered, "The Wang family is a noble family, and our Sheng family is an unknown and poor family. She is my mother.
After being plotted against me, I still have to be afraid of the Wang family and dare not speak out and pursue the case?!"
Uncle Wang hurriedly said: "Brother-in-law, please don't say that. We are a family. We care about each other's face and are afraid of hurting the harmony. There is no such thing as 'scrupulous' or not! This..." He waved his hands repeatedly, "In-laws
The old lady is seriously ill in bed now, and I am very concerned about it. Today, my mother specially brought a hundred-year-old ginseng here, hoping that the old lady can turn the corner and recover. If not, the Wang family..." He actually burst into tears, "
The sin is really great!" When he finished speaking, his face was full of shame, his tone was sincere, and he did not plead for his sister. Minglan secretly thought that this was somewhat conscientious.
Seeing that the situation was not right, Mother Qi hurriedly stepped forward to help Aunt Kang, and argued: "These confessions may not be credible. Under severe punishment, there are cases where they can be beaten into submission."
Aunt Kang was reminded and was shocked. She stood up and said loudly: "Yes, brother, the Sheng family wanted to pluck my sister cleanly, so they slandered me! They captured the people around me and tortured them severely. This way
How can your confession be trusted?" She turned around and threw herself on her mother's lap again, pleading, "Mom, you have to make the decision for me!"
Wang jumped up and pushed her sister angrily: "What do you mean? What do you mean by picking me clean! Do you want to fall on me?!"
Mrs. Wang looked embarrassed.
Minglan was waiting for this moment, clapped her hands and smiled: "I know my aunt would say that. But, it's true. Who knows if those villains will frame my aunt in order to escape guilt?"
As soon as she said this, the whole room was shocked. From the beginning to the end today, Minglan had been pressing hard on the Kang Wang family step by step, beating her to death with bricks and nails, but now she changed her tune.
"But..." Minglan's face changed and she said solemnly, "It's true that my grandmother was poisoned, it's true that the snacks are poisonous, it's true that the snacks were given to my grandmother by my wife, and the old Taoist practiced the same kind of poison. In the end, it's just that
"Whether it was my wife who harmed my grandmother or my aunt who harmed my grandmother." After she said this, the expressions of everyone in the Wang family and Kang's mother became uglier.
"They are all the flesh and blood of the Wang family. The beloved daughter is Mo Ruomu. The confession is on this table, and the criminals are being held in the backyard." Minglan slowly passed over the faces of the group of people and said lightly, "
My grandmother's life and death are still unclear, so there must be an explanation. Please give me an idea, Madam. Dad, what do you think?"
Sheng Hong said in a deep voice: "It is forbidden to murder one's elders! In my Sheng family, to dare to kill my mother is too much! You must make it clear no matter what!" Hurry and end the matter as soon as possible and hide the family scandal.
In the Shengwang family, it was not too bad, and by the way, they could shirk responsibility. He cupped his hands towards Mrs. Wang and said, "I'll ask my mother-in-law to make the decision."
Mrs. Wang suddenly became the key point. Aunt Kang and Mrs. Wang both grabbed their mother's arms——
"Mom! You have to save me! You know best how much I have suffered over the years. Who can understand the pain in my heart! You must save me!"
"It was my sister who said it was just a medicine that makes people sick. How could I have thought it was poison... Mother, how could I have the courage to think of such a way to harm people?"
Mrs. Wang couldn't make a choice, worried about her, and looked at Sheng Hong pleadingly. Sheng Hong turned away. She thought about how her son-in-law would be willing to let go of such a heinous crime of matricide. She couldn't help crying, shaking her head and crying bitterly.
Uncle Wang was also extremely sad, but was unable to resolve it. He could only kneel at his mother's feet and cry.
Aunt Wang slowly took a few steps back and glanced at Minglan calmly, thinking that this little girl was very scheming.
She clearly hates the Kang and Wang family, she also hates the extremely prosperous Wang family, and even blames the Wang family, but she kills people slowly and slowly. No matter who is blamed in the end, Mrs. Wang will be heartbroken after making the choice.
After a life of pain, the brother will also be heartbroken. As for the two sisters, the one who is acquitted will certainly resent her parents' family deeply, but the one who is acquitted will find it difficult to have the same love between mother and daughter as before.
Killing three birds with one stone, she not only wanted to punish the evildoer, but also tortured her natal family who indulged her.
Aunt Kang's face was extremely red, and she suddenly grabbed Mrs. Wang, her eyes were straight, and she gasped: "Mom! The Sheng family will not embarrass my sister. My sister is great, and her daughter has also married into a high family. She supports it."
If you suffer more, nothing will happen! But I can't do it. That heartless man has already abandoned me, and all the vixens in the house want me to die! If I are divorced, what will happen to my children? What will happen to my children?
It's my father who arranged the marriage for me. Mother, you can't leave me alone! You can't let me just do whatever others want!"
Kang Jin threw himself on his mother's skirt and cried bitterly.
Wang was extremely angry, her eyes were red, and she pointed at her: "You——!"
Seeing that her own flesh and blood turned against each other, Mrs. Wang's heart was as sharp as a knife, her vision was blurred, and her lungs were burning with pain. Her eldest daughter kept shaking herself, wailing and begging for 'save me' over and over again.
She gradually focused her eyes, and the face of her eldest daughter that looked exactly like her appeared in front of her. Then she looked at her younger daughter who was anxious and angry. Then she made up her mind, raised her arm and slapped her with all her strength.