Old Hu Tou was originally a confidant of Xie Jing, the former Jiangxi magistrate. Due to Xie Jing's sudden transfer, he was left to monitor every move of the new magistrate Su Tao. The Xie family and Changfenglou had supported each other for many years and had become irreversible. The Xie family stayed in Nanchang Mansion to take charge of affairs.
Guo Wang, the chief steward of the family, lived in Changfeng Tower to facilitate discussions between the two families.
Old Man Lu of Changfeng Tower suddenly received an urgent order to kill Yang Tugen as soon as possible. Old Hutou and Yang Tugen were very familiar with each other, so they were rarely called to discuss it. It would not be difficult to keep Yang Tugen alive, but the difficulty was that the superiors said that he should be killed
He died without anyone paying attention. Old Hutou knew that the eldest daughter of the Su family was very fond of Yang Tugen, and that Yang Tugen was extremely doted on by Mr. Su. If Yang Tugen disappeared out of thin air, he would definitely make Ms. Su reluctant to let him go. That fight at the gate of the government office
The idea was his.
During the fight, Lao Hutou stayed away from him. Guo Wang suddenly broke into his room and whispered: "Su Tao arrested two people from Changfeng Tower, and one of them is on duty today. Hurry up and arrest him."
Both of them have been silenced, and Su Tao will never be allowed to pass the trial." He also ordered him to go over to discuss matters at night. Guo Wang had the keys to the back door of the four or five corner doors of the government office, and Su Tao had not thought about changing them after he took office.
There was no such thing as a lock, so he immediately slipped away.
After the chaos outside, Su Tao went to chat with Jia Cong about his family life. The government officials had just noticed the excitement and were chatting happily. No one paid any attention to the two people who had just been arrested. They were all novices.
He also didn’t know that someone should monitor the prisoners after they were captured. So when Old Hutou sneaked into the cell, there was no serious guard, and he easily stabbed the two of them to death. The knife that he couldn’t find was actually the pick he took from the kitchen.
Bone knife. Since there was no one around, I just dodged for a while, washed and wiped the knife, and slipped back into the kitchen to put it back. At dusk, Old Hutou slipped away to Changfeng Building to discuss matters according to Guo Wang's instructions. He was arrested when he came back.
.
Lao Hutou was Li Tao's best friend, and he was very affectionate. He had withstood various interrogations for many days, but Chen Ruijin finally used Li Tao as a cover to deceive and defraud him.
Since he couldn't pry open Old Hutou's mouth for so long, Jia Cong guessed that there was something in his stomach. Sure enough. When Xie Jing was in office, this man had been stationed in Changfeng Tower and was familiar with all kinds of things in the green forest. The Xie family stayed in various places in Jiangxi
He knows all the key figures and what he has done. Now that he has surrendered, he no longer cares about the original owner. Like a gourd with its mouth cut open, all the details of Xie Jing are poured out. But he does not
Knowing who Li Tao's boss is, he still thinks he is the old bustard. The serious owner of Changfeng Tower, Lao Hutou only knows that he is in the capital and has a son.
Chen Ruijin looked at the confession and casually asked him if he knew the details of the Lao family. Old Hutou said: "Their family was just an ordinary rural eunuch, but because of the sudden appearance of a high-ranking official, he suppressed all other big families in the past few decades.
Later, Mr. Lao died, and Lao Fuda was far behind him. Only then did other families gradually catch their breath. I heard from the old man of the Luo family that some people had suspected that Mr. Lao was strangely ill and died suddenly.
I'm afraid someone has used witchcraft. He just paid it off in the first two or three years after getting married. After that, his health gradually deteriorated, and some old people said that his wife had a bad birth date."
Chen Ruijin thought about it: "Who were the people who made the Lao family breathless earlier?"
Old Hutou said: "The most prosperous families in those days were Tu, Xiong, Chen, Mei, and Luo. They all had enemies when Mr. Lao was in charge. During the years when Laofuda was in charge, the Luo family was the first to fawn over their family, and then
The Xiong family and the Chen family have also reconciled. The Tu Mei family has been indifferent so far." Jia Cong and others were listening outside. I heard earlier that the owner of Changfeng Tower had a son in the capital, so I thought it was Mei Hanlin again.
Suddenly hearing the word "Mei Family", they all took a deep breath.
Chen Ruijin asked: "Isn't there anyone from these families who is an official in the imperial court?"
Old Hutou said: "There is no one, but I heard that a granddaughter of the Tu family married into a nobleman's house in the capital. I don't know whether it is true or not."
Chen Ruijin frowned: "Your Excellency? Are you a serious first lady?"
"Of course not." Old Hutou said, "Zuo is just a second-bedroom guy, he can't even fill a house."
"If it is really in the noble's house, it can be used here. The noble's concubine can bully the whole family. Didn't the Tu family publicize it?"
Old Hutou said: "It was many years ago that the Lao family was so proud. Later, Xu Hong, the commander-in-chief, was like a local emperor. No one dared to step forward, for fear that he would be targeted. Later, our lord came. Although he did not suppress anyone.
, just support your own people."
Chen Ruijin nodded: "That's right. All he has to do is pull his own strings, and the other family will fall into ruin before he knows it." He thought about it again, "How old is the Tu family who is the second wife of a nobleman?"
The old man was stunned for a while, and then said: "I don't know, I don't know. It's just a rumor among the people, I never paid attention to it."
Chen Ruijin said "Yes". Then he collected his confession and told him: "I will send the body to the ice cellar for preservation, and you will be left to come out and clean it up for her. You can think about what else is left unsaid and try to get out of prison as soon as possible."
"
Old Hutou's eyes turned red again: "Thank you, sir."
Chen Ruijin walked out of the room, and everyone couldn't help but applaud. Chen Ruijin said with a smile: "Ordinary people can't bear to force a confession like this. This person can keep his mouth shut for so long, either because he is extremely loyal, or because he is afraid that his hostages or lovers will be implicated. I also said that he can
Help him save the hostages. Not only did he not speak, but there was a bit of sarcasm in his eyes, as if he was laughing at me for guessing wrong."
"Then the only thing is love." Jia Cong said, "The Gu Dong family and the Xie family use each other, and their trust in each other is limited. Since Lao Hutou is a member of the Xie family, it is not wrong for the Gu Dong family to want to win over him. To win over him and cooperate.
The fine work of a partner can hardly bring a high salary to a high-ranking official. Money and sex are most commonly used, but beauty is the best, and Li Tao's beauty is as good as a bomb."
Su Cheng stretched and said, "The bomb-level ones have surrendered to us."
Liu Xiaoqi clicked her tongue and said: "After going around for a long time, it was Mr. Su who saved me." Su Tao felt relieved and smiled brightly.
Jia Cong kicked him: "Why don't you hurry up and check the second room of the nobleman in the Tu family?"
Su Cheng said: "Wouldn't it be better to ask Taoist Master Zhenming to find out?"
"That's right!" Liu Xiaoqi said, "He is the serious old man here."
Seeing that the situation was settled, Taoist Master Zhenming left Liu Hu to watch the government office and went back to Tianning Temple. Jia Cong and others drove their horses out and hurried over.
The flowers and trees in Tianning Temple are very well trimmed. Standing outside the temple, you can smell the refreshing fragrance inside. The little Taoist priest smiled and said, "Master is very happy today."
Jia Cong asked: "Why?"
"The female benefactor next door praised the peach blossoms we saw for how well they were cut." The little Taoist priest said, "I heard that the peach blossoms in her yard are really good." Since meeting Li Tao that day, Jia Cong has been inexplicably interested in the peach blossom plant.
, moved his brows.
Several people went to Litao to meet Zhenming, asking about the grievances between the Lao family and other families in the early years, and about the granddaughter of the Tu family.
As expected, Zhenming knew. Lao Fuhe won the favor of the late emperor because of a letter, and was suddenly promoted from a household minister to the right minister. The success of a young man was like reaching the sky in one step. His father immediately became arrogant and acted unscrupulously. He was three times more proud than the prefect.
points. The five families who had gained power in the city were the first to suffer losses. The local government did not dare to offend the Lao family, so it was useless to complain. In those few years, the Lao family became as wealthy as a nouveau riche. Zhenming only concentrated on cultivating Taoism at that time and did not inquire about it.
People marry wives. When a granddaughter of the Tu family entered a noble house, someone with a long tongue told her about entering the Taoist temple. I don’t know whether it was true or not. The old man thought about it and said: "It seems that the news came out about the same time as the second son of the Lao family got married."
Chen Ruijin asked: "How is the relationship between the Tu family and the Mei family?"
Zhen Ming said: "Mutual marriage."
Jia Cong asked: "Does the Mei family have any children serving as officials in Beijing?"
"I've never heard of this."
Jia Cong turned to look at Liu Xiaoqi: "I didn't provide the answer directly, so I still have to check." Liu Xiaoqi agreed and left immediately. Jia Cong asked about the "female donor."
Zhenming stared at him and said, "It's just a neighbor." He paused, "She's Laofda's mistress."
Jia Cong jumped up and asked: "Who?"
Zhenming said: "She is one of Laofuda's concubines, and now she has the final say in the affairs of the Lao family."
Su Cheng hurriedly asked: "Is this the unmarried daughter-in-law that Lao Shangshu arranged for him in Beijing?"
Zhenming frowned: "Daughter-in-law? Laofuda's daughter-in-law is the girl from the prefect who was earlier than Xie Jing. How could there be a daughter-in-law from the capital?"
Jia Cong suddenly felt that his head was filled with smoke, and he stumbled and said: "This is all such a mess, it doesn't match up to eight times!"
"Ah? Come on, geniuses!" Jia Cong quickly stood up and squeezed his wife's shoulders, "My head hurts."
Zhenming also asked: "What's going on?"
Chen Ruijin smiled and said: "You are a Taoist, so I don't care about secular affairs. It's not surprising." After sorting out his thoughts, he talked about his family's ancestors. Everyone guessed that the owner of Changfeng Tower was Lao Hutou.
She slowly went through the important words of her confession. At the end, she said: "The commander of the Jin Yiwei, Liu Pingzhong, was an eclectic person and not very shameless. Therefore, there were all kinds of people in the Jin Yiwei. After the Emperor ascended the throne, he concealed
He secretly connected with Liu Dengxi."
Jia Cong rolled his eyes: "The late emperor died unjustly!"
Chen Ruijin said: "I don't blame Liu Pingzhong. With his status, if the prince succeeds to the throne, there will probably be no good end - the prince can accommodate the whole population of the royal guards, but the only command is to be replaced by his own people. If Liu Pingzhong loses that command
Can you still live in official robes?"
Zhenming nodded and said: "That's right. Among the entire Jinyi Guards, only Liu Pingzhong can't stay."
"After Liu Dengxi joined forces to push the third prince to the throne, he took the greatest credit. Not to mention anything else, there is always no worry about official robes and lives." Chen Ruijin thought, "The 'Gu Erdai' placed by the imperial court in Green Forest will surely
He is Liu Pingzhong's confidant. It's really hard to say who Liu Pingzhong will choose." She paused, "Seeing that the Lao family is unstoppable, Mr. Lao is dead again, and Lao Fuda is mediocre. The other families have gone to reconcile with the Lao family.
This is the best policy. Since there is no movement from the Mei family and the Tu family, is there some kind of fight?"
Jia Cong pinched his fingers and said: "The Tu family must be the granddaughter of the noble family for some reason. The Tu family keeps a low profile, maybe it was the granddaughter's order. The granddaughter is a sensible person. What about the Mei family?"
Chen Ruijin said: "I'm thinking that if Mei Hanlin is a son of the Mei family, even if he is an official in Beijing, because the official title is too small, the Mei family may not dare to publicize it for fear of retaliation and revenge. And if there are Jin Yiwei to help,
It was very easy for Lao Fu and his brother to get engaged with Mei Hanlin's sister. At that time, Mr. Lao was still there and was greedy and cruel. The Lao family had enmity with every family. If you could send a woman into the Lao family in a roundabout way, you would have
There are many things to do. Mr. Lao fell ill and died unexpectedly. I wonder if there were any royal guards involved."
Jia Cong said: "Mr. Lao was very ill and was about to die before that aunt of the Lao family got married."
Chen Ruijin said: "Maybe it was some kind of deal. Since the emperor wanted to use Lao Fuhe, it was common for him to put a nail in his hometown. The Jinyiwei sent people to the hometown of important ministers, and the Mei family avenged the Tu family to vent their anger."
Jia Cong asked: "Is it possible that the Tu family is a soy sauce family? What would happen without their family?"
Chen Ruijin shook his head: "No, it must have something to do with their family. You just want to think that at that time, Mr. Lao was still there, the Tu family was still suffering, and the two families were still feuding. Lao Fu and Na Huizi were only a few grades
Can an official be compared with a nobleman? As long as the nobleman is moved out, even if he cannot beat the Lao family, he will not suffer any more, right? The granddaughter of the Tu family is definitely the work of Jin Yiwei. There are many marriages between the Mei family and the Tu family. This '
My ancestor is also a rare person, so he may not be willing to be an ordinary yellow-faced woman."
Jia Cong thought: "Mrs. Tu was recruited into the Jinyiwei by Liu Pingzhong - her entry into the noble manor may have been arranged by the Jinyiwei. The Tu and Mei families are family friends, and Mrs. Tu knew Mei Hanlin's sister and knew that this girl was good, so she took care of her.
She also recruited the Jin Yiwei. As a reward, the Jin Yiwei helped the Tu Mei family kill Mr. Lao. They also sent a daughter from the Mei family to Lao Fuda and became his mistress. Then after Lao Fuda got married,
My health and bones have gradually deteriorated over the past two or three years, probably because of this concubine."
Chen Ruijin said: "Because the Lao family and the Mei family have enmity, even though they all thought that Mei Hanlin's sister was a young lady from the capital, and she happened to be named Mei, their family was not willing to tell others about this surname, and they just avoided mentioning it.
.So no one knows her surname. And Miss Mei is not like a noble lady in the capital who is willing to suffer a loss and remain a widow. It would not be surprising if she originally left Nanchang Mansion and took on the task of monitoring the Lao family."
Jia Cong twitched his lips: "She also became Laofuda's mistress. Now I suspect that the Yanguo magistrate named Lao Yanci is their illegitimate child. Otherwise, why would she be so nice to him?"
Su Cheng interjected: "She is both a royal guard and Lao Fuda's mistress, so why not just kill Mrs. Lao and do it yourself?"
Chen Ruijin said: "Probably because I'm afraid it will be inconvenient."
"Why is it inconvenient? Wouldn't it be more convenient to monitor the Lao family?"
"When you become a housewife, you will have a lot of things to do. Manage the inner courtyard, receive relatives and friends, educate children, and take care of the servants." Chen Ruijin said, "Especially when the laborer's family has a large family and a mixed family. If she does
There is no need to do anything else now that Mrs. Lao is here."
"Oh...I never thought of this."
"It's still wrong." Jia Cong frowned and said, "The pseudonym Gu Erdai was used by Yang Guotai when he assassinated the late emperor. Judging from Lao Yanxiao's age, it can be seen that this aunt of the Lao family had already 'married' at that time.
She doesn’t have the ability to become the leader of the Imperial Guard so early.”
Chen Ruijin frowned: "We'll see when Xiao Qi comes back."
Everyone waited eagerly. It was not until dusk that Liu Xiaoqi came back. He laughed and said: "The granddaughter of the Tu family has indeed become the noble's second wife. Who do you think the noble is?" Everyone stared at him. Liu Xiaoqi raised his eyebrows.
He made a surrender gesture with his hand and said, "Liu Pingzhong, commander of the Jinyi Guards!" He paused, "Tu's mother's surname is Mei."