Endless anger was burning, and Sun Mengxi felt that she had been slighted.
It was delivered directly to the door, only to be rejected. What a humiliation.
Suppressing the anger in her heart, Li County Magistrate Li Tanhua had the ability to despise her, and her best choice was to leave.
But looking at Li Tanhua, that shallow smile seemed to welcome her to leave, but it turned into determination to stay no matter what, not for anything else, just to fight for a breath.
Besides, this is her best choice.
She is the daughter of a businessman. Although she has an uncle who was born in Juren, they are estranged from each other and cannot be relied upon when encountering big problems. Not long ago, the Sun family's backer happened to leave. It was a moment of power vacuum and a dangerous moment.
My father was in jail. Now, he has found out the truth and is out of jail.
But this does not mean safety, there are also inexplicable dangers.
This county magistrate is a good choice.
Moreover, she is the daughter of a businessman and a concubine, and her status is too low for ordinary people to look down on her. What she values is, her status is too high, and she is out of reach. Among many candidates, this county official is considered a good candidate.
"Take fingerprints!" Sun Mengxi said.
"Yes!" Li Mu said, "The leaves have tree patterns, each leaf is different, and everyone's fingerprints are different!"
Sun Mengxi was silent, thinking, looking up and down, and suddenly thought of something.
He took out the makeup box from his arms. There was a mirror, rouge, gouache, and silver powder inside. He took out the silver powder and flicked it on the bowl. He did it very lightly and carefully, but gradually, a streak appeared on the bowl.
Clear fingerprints.
Suddenly, Li Mu was stunned.
There is also this operation.
"Not bad!"
Li Mu said happily, "You can draw!"
"Little girl, let me know a little bit!" Sun Mengxi said.
"Then draw the fingerprints on the bowl!" Li Mu said. It would be good to show the fingerprints on the bowl, but drawing the fingerprints is a bit difficult.
"yes!"
Sun Mengxi said, took out the brush, chose the thinnest brush, and looked at the fingerprints on the bowl carefully. After looking at it for a long time, he closed his eyes and started painting. Brushing. Soon, fingerprints appeared on the paper.
Comparing them with each other, they are extremely similar.
When I opened my eyes, the painting was already finished.
"Not bad!"
Li Mu said, "You are very good."
I am very satisfied, this is a talent, he is always tolerant towards talents.
My talent has arrived.
Without Zhan Zhao, Bai Yutang would be good with Zhang Long and Zhao Hu.
In fact, the three Liu brothers and sisters are good choices; it's a pity that they are too mysterious and still unreliable.
"Young master, I am satisfied!" Sun Mengxi said.
"Not bad, not bad!" Li Mu said, "Now, you are my maid."
"Greetings to the young master!" Sun Mengxi said.
Li Muchao: "With fingerprints, we can identify the murderer! Secretary Zhang is now going to Sun's house to rub the fingerprints of the maid Xiaocui. Prime Minister Zhao Xian goes to the prison to rub the fingerprints of Qian Xiucai!"
All subordinates are busy.
About half an hour later, the fingerprint rubbing was completed.
Fingerprint comparison begins.
Comparing the fingerprints, Xiao Cui's fingerprints were eliminated. As a result, the fingerprints on the bowl were different from Qian Xiucai's fingerprints.
"Qian Xiucai was wrongly accused, Qian Xiucai was not the murderer!" Li Mu said.
"Qian Xiucai is not the murderer, then who is it?" Sun Mengxi asked.
"I don't know either!" Li Mu said, "The murderer is in the Qian family, and the target is clear!"
"Qian Xiucai was wronged, why don't we let him go?" Sun Mengxi said.
Li Mu said: "Let him go. He will remain in prison for the time being. Until the suspect is arrested, he will continue to stay. There is still a long time before the trial. Even if the trial is held,
Isn’t there still the Queen of Autumn?”
The county magistrate of this era had much more power than the county magistrates of later generations.
Although the county magistrate does not have the power to impose the death penalty, after the trial, it needs to be handed over to the magistrate above, and then to the Ministry of Punishment, Dali Temple, etc. for review. But in the case of the ninth floor, Dali Temple and the Ministry of Punishment will agree and rarely reject it.
.Besides, if you were beaten to death, you deserved it.
In other words, it is reasonable to die in prison.
"It's getting late, it's time to eat."
Li Mu said.
After dinner, Li Mu arranged a room for Sun Mengxi, who was not needed for the time being.
Starting today, I have an assistant.
…………
At night, in prison, Qian Xiucai lived in a cold cell, suffering unspeakable pain.
This was the county's esteemed master, who sympathized with him and gave him a separate cell, as well as oil lamps, quilts, desks, books, etc.
"I was wronged!"
Qian Xiucai said unwillingly, but Xiaocui was killed and he was the biggest suspect.
Even if the case is appealed to the Ministry of Justice or the Dali Temple, it will be approved for review unless there are major clues.
Bang!
At this time, the cell door opened and a woman walked in with a food box.
"Sanlang, how is your stay in the cell?" the woman asked.
"Fourth aunt!"
Qian Xiucai said: "Why you? Yuan'er, why didn't you come?"
His father's main wife was called mother; his father's concubines were called aunt. The fourth concubine was his father's third concubine, an oiran in a brothel, and she was in her early twenties.
"You have committed patricide. Yuan'er has returned to her parents' home with her son to make peace with you!" Si Yiniang said: "I am a brothel girl. I have only been in Qian's family for more than three years. I have no children and no children."
Rely on. I originally planned to be a good woman and be a good wife, but now that your father has passed away, I can’t stay any longer, so I can only go back to the brothel again!"
If the concubine has a son, the wife and sons can tolerate her, so as not to be known as unfaithful.
But without a son, I had no choice but to go back to the brothel.
Fourth Yiniang said: "Dalang, Erlang, are back too! This is the last time I see you!"
Qian Xiucai said: "I am wronged!"
Fourth Yiniang said: "Eat more. Master, I will not wrong you!"
Qian Xiucai was absent-minded and opened the food box. There were three dishes, one soup and rice in it. However, smelling the aroma, he stepped forward to eat with chopsticks. After only taking a few mouthfuls, his face suddenly became distorted and he foamed at the mouth.
He pinched his neck, felt uncomfortable all over, and rolled on the ground.
Fourth Yiniang shouted in panic: "Oh no, something happened!"
The prison guard stepped forward, opened the prison door, and stepped forward to check. Qian Xiucai had fallen to the ground and died.
…
"What Qian Xiucai, he was poisoned and died, and he is still in prison!"
Li Mu had just taken off his clothes and was about to go to sleep, when suddenly news came from the yamen servant.
Li Mu put on his clothes and hurried to the prison. He saw that Qian Xiucai was foaming at the mouth and had died. As for the fourth aunt, she was trembling and kneeling on the ground.