This abandoned alley of the Cao family has its origins. It was originally a courtyard where the old lady Cao protected the female family members of the Cao family. After being killed by the rebels here, the Cao family was afraid that the old lady would look sad, so they built a low wall to guard it.
The alley is sealed, and people light incense and worship in front of the alley during festivals.
In the few years after Mr. Cao passed away, the Cao family invited people to perform several rituals. Many people privately discussed that the Cao family acted this way because the ghost of Mr. Cao still lingered.
Now that Cao Ruwan died here, if the murderer could not be found earlier, rumors would soon spread.
As a prosecutor in Fengxiang County, Sun Chong wants to bring the perpetrator to justice immediately. The case is currently confusing. If Li Xu doesn't help, he doesn't know when he will be able to find out the clues: "Jiulang, you must follow me to understand the truth behind this."
Make it clear, otherwise I will come to your door every day and make noise so that you will not be able to live in peace."
Li Xu smiled: "Before solving the case, Mr. Sun didn't have this skill anymore."
Without waiting for Sun Chong to ask further questions, Li Xu continued: "This case seems to have only killed the daughter of the Cao family, but in fact it was targeted at the Cao and Xu families. The Cao family deliberately hid evidence when the case was committed to frame Prince Anyi.
, the Cao family is not completely innocent in this case, and there may be a deeper inside story.
Miss Xu’s identity allows her to easily enter and leave the two houses and find clues that outsiders cannot discover.”
Sun Chong said: "How do you know that Miss Xu wants to investigate the case?"
Li Xu smiled slightly: "There are chaste wives in the Cao family, so etiquette must not be neglected. Cao Ruwan's body was not properly disposed of, which is suspected of insulting the Cao family. Miss Xu brought Madam Chang to help you in need. It is a meeting with you. From now on,
No matter what happens, if she asks someone to look for you in the Yamen, you will definitely trust her a little more."
Sun Chong suddenly realized: "So that's it."
Li Xu: "It is no accident that Miss Xu has seized the opportunity again and again. The most important thing is that if you want to find out the case, Miss Xu is worthy of your trust."
Sun Chong did not expect that Li Xu could think of these joints in such a short period of time. He has handled many cases along the way and is somewhat famous in Fengxiang. He has been impressed by Li Xu for less than half a month after knowing him. He has never met such a smart person.
As long as Li Xu stands beside him, he will feel much more at ease.
Li Xu said: "Two girls from the Cao family married into the Xu family. One was the first wife of Mr. Xu, and the other was the step-in-law of Mr. Xu San. The interests of the two families have long been entangled. Even if the Cao family is at fault, Xu
The eldest master will also whitewash peace, but the Anyi Marquis Mansion is different. The status of the Marquis Mansion will only be coveted by others. They don't need to harm others, so they are trustworthy. You have the same purpose. Helping Miss Xu is equivalent to helping yourself.
I don’t need to say these words at first, but someone else is still looking for you. You have to make a decision in advance so that you can deal with him and not be used by him."
Sun Chong immediately said: "Who?"
Li Xu said: "The new prefect of Fengxiang has arrived, and Mr. Xu's eldest son is also returning to Fengxiang with the prefect.
As a sage, if he can make achievements in front of the prefect, his career as an official will go more smoothly. This case is an opportunity for him."
As soon as Li Xu finished speaking, Sun Chong heard someone talking. He raised his head and saw the young man approaching surrounded by people.
"Brother Sun, so you are here," Xu Qingshu's voice was loud and full of energy, "I heard about this just after I returned to Fengxiang. Thanks to Brother Sun, we can stabilize the situation. The Cao family is also in chaos, otherwise we should send people out.
Invite the brothers for a cup of tea."
Before he became an official, he became brothers and sisters with the people in the public family.
Xu Qingshu was still a bit bookish when he left Fengxiang, but he was so smooth in the blink of an eye. I think he will gain a lot in Beijing.
Li Xu said that it was difficult for him to escape these days because he was expected to be entangled by Xu Qingshu.
Sun Chong turned around to look for Li Xu again, but only saw a hint of Li Xu's back.
"Let's go!" Sun Chong said.
There is no need to hide the apparent facts of the case, and there is no harm in talking about it.
…
In the small study room of the Cao family, everyone's faces were ashen.
The more Master Cao Er talked, the more terrifying he felt: "How about we leave Fengxiang first? But where can we hide? He will definitely chase us. Sister Wan didn't know anything and she was killed like this. What would happen to us?
?”
When he said this, he couldn't help but cover his chest with his hands, as if his heart would be pulled out at any time.
Mr. Cao Er's lips trembled: "I told you a long time ago that you shouldn't treat him like that. He... saved us. How could we be so cruel? Now the retribution has really come."
"Shut up," Mr. Cao scolded, "If you continue to talk nonsense, I will have your mouth shut and lock you in the room."
Master Cao Er shivered all over and looked at his brother in surprise: "He was the one who killed Sister Wan, and you actually want to imprison me."
Mr. Cao San finally couldn't sit still: "That man is already dead. You and I saw it with our own eyes. How can a dead man kill someone? I think you are scared to death."
"Yes, he is dead," Mr. Cao Er's palms were filled with cold sweat. His eyes changed and slowly became dark, "That's the ghost...the ghost is asking for his life. We...we should invite a Taoist priest to come back."
practice……"
Before he finished speaking, he felt his face heat up and a glass of water was poured on his face. He turned his head and saw Old Mrs. Cao with sharp eyes.
Mrs. Cao said coldly: "Why don't you become a ghost too, so you don't have to be afraid anymore."
Mr. Cao Er lowered his head and did not dare to speak any more.
Old Mrs. Cao slowly looked at the people in the room: "I have already said that the matter has been settled. From now on, no one should mention it again. If anyone wants to ruin the Cao family, I will kill him first. Since back then,
You guys made a decision together and gave me a way to get to the dark side."
At this point, Mrs. Cao paused slightly, slowly twirling the beads in her hand, and lowered her eyes: "Even if there is karma and the ghost asks for his life, let him come to me first. I will stand in front of you. You
Everything that my father bought with his life cannot be lost in his hands. The only blame is God's will. For the safety of more people, he had to die. One life is worth dozens of lives in the Cao family."
That day many years ago, they also gathered here and made the final decision. As time went by, that frightening night had faded from memory, but no one expected that one day it would be mentioned again.
The room fell into deathly silence again. Everyone lowered their heads and didn't know what they were thinking. The brothers worked together to kill a person, and now the death of that person appeared on Cao Ruwan.
Mr. Cao San spoke first: "Mother, I don't blame my second brother for being panicked. Anyone who sees it will think of it. It's too... too..."
"Do you still remember it clearly?" Mr. Cao's voice was as cold as ice. "After so many years, some things have been unclear for a long time. The abandoned alley was a secluded place. Everything may be just a coincidence, or someone may have done it deliberately.
This arrangement is designed to make us panic."
Having just experienced the pain of losing her daughter, she was suddenly pushed into the abyss of panic. Mrs. Cao finally understood why her husband reacted like this.
Mrs. Cao raised her head: "Who deliberately arranged... why did you come to kill our sister Wan?"
Mr. Cao Er's eyes lit up: "Brother, do you know something?"
Mr. Cao said: "The incident happened suddenly, and many things are still unclear, but the letter we received...since it was not from Xu Qing'an, it means that someone used Sister Wan to frame Xu Qing'an, so Anyi Hou Mansion
It felt like we were facing a formidable enemy, and Xu Qinghuan had to personally investigate and find out."
Mrs. Cao suddenly realized something: "Could it be that you are talking about..."
Mr. Cao nodded: "Who can threaten the Anyi Hou Mansion?"
As soon as Mr. Cao finished speaking, he heard a servant outside the door say, "My aunt is back."
The cry of Mrs. Xu, Mrs. Cao, could be heard in the distance.
Mrs. Cao suddenly had a little resentment in her eyes: "As soon as I mentioned her, she came."
"Don't be impulsive," Mr. Cao told everyone, "so as not to alert the enemy."
The sunlight slowly receded from the window, and the emotions of the Cao family just now gradually disappeared into the darkness, as if nothing had happened just now.
The door was opened and Mrs. Xu walked in. What she heard were mournful cries.
…
In an inconspicuous small courtyard of the Xu family.
Mr. Xu San was helped into the nunnery. The disability in his legs meant that he could only move around. By the time the Cao family's affairs fell into his ears, almost everyone knew about it.
Although he was often ill, he had a quiet temperament. He didn't care about other things and just wanted to live his life behind closed doors.
Especially the wife who takes care of him wholeheartedly.
He looked at his wife who was kneeling in front of the shrine with gentle eyes: "Something happened to Sister Wan, aren't you going to go back and take a look?"
Mrs. Xu San opened her eyes after reciting the sutra, her eyes full of sarcasm: "What are you looking at? This is the retribution they deserve. After so many years, the Bodhisattva finally opened his eyes."
She kowtowed three times respectfully, and the clear knocking sound echoed in the nunnery.
Mr. Xu San wanted to say something more, but someone outside said: "Master San, Madam, Mrs. An Yihou and Miss are here."