The first work of the imperial prison

Ye Baiting looked at the small portrait in the painting, and thought of what Qiu Yiqing said just now, it is not difficult to guess who the painter is——

"Draw it with your heart?"

Hatred and green jaws: "Yes."

Many things cannot be hidden, but if they are expressed, they will definitely be seen.

The beauty in the painting is smart and delicate, the atmosphere is moving, and the brush strokes are delicate. It can be seen that the emotion surging in the painter's chest must be rich and long, and he will be longing for it. There is also this writing, which is thin and golden. It is a bit bitter, but it is very bitter. It's beautiful, every stroke of the outline is full of love and romance, the gentleman is elegant, like willows and bamboos, but when you see it, it is impossible not to have ripples in your heart.

Ye Baiting couldn't help admiring: "This handwriting is really beautiful."

Qiu Yiqing reached out and turned the small portrait aside: "Eat first."

Ye Baiting: "...Oh."

It's really not good to be half-hearted, and you can't live up to the food and solving crimes.

The taste of my sister's dishes is indescribably good. In addition to the exquisite craftsmanship, the taste is delicious, there are also things that others can't make, a very warm taste, something that others can't give.

If you eat seriously, the time will become faster, your appetite will be appeased, and your spirit will have a short rest.

After Ye Baiting finished eating and wiped his mouth, he put the dishes on the small table aside, and saw that Qiu Xunqing had already picked up the brush and wrote the names of several people involved in the case on the white rice paper, simply outlining the relationship between the characters.

Qiu Yiqing is a person who is used to critiquing official documents. He sits upright, is proficient in writing, and is handsome and handsome. Sitting there is four words: pleasing to the eye.In other words: people who work hard look the best.

It looks very serious, but Ye Baiting just feels that he is showing off - my handwriting is also very beautiful.

"Plump and upright, with silver hooks painted on iron, with muscles and bones, commanding and making handsome characters!"

Ye Baiting knows that his handwriting is not good, and he yearns for beautiful handwriting from the bottom of his heart. No matter why others are beautiful, as long as they are good-looking, he will not hesitate to praise them.

Qiu Yiqing was satisfied, and hummed lightly: "If you want to learn, I can teach you."

Ye Baiting: "...It's not necessary."

Practicing calligraphy is very hard work, it takes a long time and a lot of perseverance. He has no obsession with it, and he doesn't feel too shameful... Let's continue to be ugly.

Qiu Yiqing raised her eyebrows: "Huh?"

Ye Baiting: "I don't like to practice calligraphy. If you are laughed at, you can write for me."

Chou Xunqing was not unhappy with the unexpected answer, but instead had a secret sense of satisfaction from being relied on.It's good that Xiao Wu Zuo's writing of the little meat dog crawls is invisible to outsiders. From now on, all the places that need Xiao Wu's writing will use his characters...

"Remember what you said."

Ye Baiting nodded, turned over the small portrait that he had held back, put it on the small table, and examined it carefully: "Do you know Ying Puxin's characters?"

Qiu Xunqing: "I checked it, and I have an impression."

"What about the person in the painting? Do you know who it is?"

"The time is too short to know yet, but—"

"This woman must be the one whom Ying Puxin cares about and longs for." Ye Baiting looked at the small portrait, "Who is it? There is only a back view in the painting, the most obvious ones are the slender waist and the red skirt, such a warm red skirt, who is it?" Like to wear it?"

"Lu Shi!"

Shen Jiang came back after solving his personal problems and washed his hands outside. Before they were dry, he grabbed the plate of burritos that was obviously reserved for him, and talked while eating: "The wife of the deceased, Lu Shi, liked to wear red dresses the most before she got married. , and Da Furen, I heard that the pomegranate skirts that were so famous in the capital city back then were in full swing, but after marrying Ying Gonghou, the two of them didn't wear them much, and the outside gradually faded away, until today, almost no one mentioned it. "

Ye Baiting: "No more, why?"

"I don't know," Shen Jiang gnawed on the cake, his voice was a little vague, "Maybe I don't like it all of a sudden, just my daughter-in-law, the hairpin skirt that I like, changes every month, a woman's mind is hard to guess Woolen cloth."

Ye Baiting felt that something was wrong. Everyone would have the emotion of "loving the new and loathing the old". After liking something for a long time, I suddenly disliked it when I got it. Similar things happen often, but the color preference is accumulated during the growth process. It's hard not to like it all of a sudden.

Qiu Yiqing: "The red is warm, unrestrained, too gorgeous and scorching."

Ye Baiting: "Huh?"

Qiu Yiqing: "It's not suitable for ladies in your circle."

Ye Baiting found that he still had a fixed way of thinking, and occasionally forgot about the environment around him. This is definitely not an era where everyone is equal, and some rules and regulations are very strict. He didn't expect it just now, and when the hatred grows, he understands.

Why doesn't Da Furen wear a red dress anymore? Because she is not dignified enough. She is the wife of Shizi, and she will be Madam Hou in the future.For this seat, with this identity, personal preference always has to give way to other things.

"The third lady is not a clan wife, so she doesn't need to take care of things, why don't you wear them anymore?"

The deceased didn't have a good reputation outside, and he was a bastard. Lu's status was limited, and he didn't have too many occasions to socialize. He was also a person with a flamboyant personality. He didn't seem to be afraid of being talked about by others. Why did he change his habits?

What is she for?

Shen Jiang finished eating the burritos, and sighed in a long voice: "Things in this deep house compound are too messy, I feel that something is wrong with everyone, this one has a lover outside, that one has a sweetheart..."

Ye Baiting also wanted to sigh: "I feel... what we see is still the tip of the iceberg, and there may be more chaotic and unclear relationships between characters."

Shen Jiang was sluggish: "This is not enough to play, what else?"

"I hope I'm thinking in the wrong direction," Ye Baiting looked at Qiu Yiqing, "You mentioned two people earlier, the second master Ying Puxin, and the eldest brother-in-law of this family, Ying Baisu's husband, both died of accidents ,what happened?"

Qiu Xunqing: "Ying Puxin was drowned. Four years ago in the summer, the capital experienced a heavy rain. The rain was extremely severe. He slipped down the embankment and never came up again. Ying Baisu's husband was Shi Xueming, He died at the hands of the bandits, who kidnapped him, went wrong in the process of asking for ransom, and finally tore his ticket and pushed him off the cliff."

"Wait," Ye Baiting felt a little delicate, "One drowned in the heavy rain, and the other pushed off the cliff. What about the corpse? The result of 'death', can it be confirmed?"

Chou Xunqing's expression was somewhat meaningful: "There is very little torrential rain in the capital city. At that time, many people died. After the heavy rain, the river water became shallow and many corpses floated up. It has been a long time since the corpses swelled and rotted, and their faces were hard to recognize. You can only recognize people by their clothes."

Ye Baiting narrowed his eyes: "I can only recognize the clothes... Where's the historical name?"

Qiu Xunqing: "The bandits were very wary, and they took the historical names to the dangerous cliffs with few people. Down there is the Valley of Mortal Corpses, which is what the locals call the Valley of Mass Burials."

Ye Baiting knew there was something wrong with this kind of place as soon as he heard it, Ye Baiting asked: "But the environment is extremely dangerous, whether it is a human or a beast, once an accident occurs, the bones are hard to find?"

Qiu Yiqing nodded: "The bottom of the valley is full of bones, including human bones and animal bones. The incident happened in the summer, and the government had worked very hard, but it still took a long time from confirming the bandits' behavior to overcoming difficulties and reaching the bottom of the valley. There are many, but there is no human form, and they can only be identified by the clothes and nearby accessories, which skeleton is the historical name."

After finishing speaking, he added another sentence: "The underground tunnel in Ying Gonghou's mansion was also dug at this time."

"Wait," Ye Baiting caught the point again, "Shi Xueming was kidnapped by thieves, what does it have to do with Yinggonghou's Mansion? Could it be that he was robbed in Yinggonghou's Mansion?"

Qiu Yiqing: "Exactly."

Ye Baiting was silent for a moment: "...that's why her husband's family is more dissatisfied with Bai Su? Because her son works at Ying Gonghou's booth, she thinks Ying Gonghou is responsible for this..."

Shen Jiang was dumbfounded when he heard this, the amount of information was really a bit large: "Then, that is, the mother-in-law responded to Bai Su with murderous intentions, and she put the wooden chrysanthemum?" He shook his head when he said it, "No, everyone accepts it. Back to her mother's house, her mother-in-law didn't come with her at all, and she didn't celebrate her birthday, how could it be possible?"

Qiu Yiqing: "Wooden chrysanthemum?"

Ye Baiting just remembered that Qiu Xunqing received the results of his autopsy and knew that the chrysanthemum can make people sleepy, but didn't know the other one, so he hurriedly said: "Ying Baisu is allergic to the chrysanthemum, and he vomited very badly after eating it. "

Shen Jiang: "That's right, I saw it with my own eyes, and she vomited very hard! But no matter whether the historical name is dead or not, there should be no hatred between Ying Baisu and her family. If you really want to say that she is not pleasing to the eye, think The only one who attacked her was the third master Ying Yutong...but he is dead."

Qiu Yiqing thought for a moment, and then said: "Fu Lixing also told me one thing, saying that it was just hearsay, and there is no evidence - Ying Yutong has an idea about his sister-in-law, Mrs. Wang."

With the deceased's greedy and lustful nature, what could this idea be?

Shen Jiang clicked his tongue when he heard it: "This third master, anyone really dares to think..."

Ye Baiting instantly remembered what the eldest son said: "Ying Haorong mentioned that Madam would occasionally reprimand the third brother because she hates iron but not steel. Does this reprimand really feel sorry for my younger brother, or is it a scolding after being molested?"

Shen Jiang felt that this incident was very magical: "Could it be possible that this matter of laying down Mu Juhua was to snatch a man? Why is the third master so attractive? Is it because of his rotten character and bad temper?"

"It might just be a cover for the murder. Whether the murderer knew he was allergic to Ying Baisu, and whether he cared...that's the key factor."

"Wait a minute, master, I'll take the notes!"

Ye Baiting waited for him to finish writing, and continued to share his thoughts: "Is it because the deceased was murdered because of 'knowing about the secret'?"

Shen Jiang: "What do you mean?"

Ye Baiting propped his elbows on the small table, with his knuckles touching his lips, thinking while talking: "Let's take a closer look at the deceased. This person was lustful, unruly, unreasonable, and he didn't want his face. No one in the circle knew him. Everyone knows that when they hear his name, they will take a detour, but he himself doesn't take it seriously at all, people outside dare to tease, people at home dare to provoke, who gave him the courage?"

"Up and down Ying Gonghou's mansion, I don't think anyone really likes him. From top to bottom, it seems that everyone hates him, but the mansion still spoils him and gives him money. He dares to quarrel with his wife and is not afraid of being caught. Others read jokes, dare to tease the elder sister-in-law, know that nothing will happen, dare to run on the elder sister, and act strangely in front of the elder brother, if it is someone else, has he been taught a lesson? Live well, get what you want, don’t worry about eating and drinking, and don’t worry about everything—I don’t believe that he’s fine.”

Shen Jiang nodded bewilderedly: "That's right... No one can let a bastard live like this, let alone a bastard, a serious brother, can't let it go like this!"

Ye Baiting looked at Qiu Yiqing and asked, "Has Ying Yutong lived so well since she was a child, or did she suddenly change?"

Qiu Xunqing thought for a while, and said: "The investigation work has not been completed yet. What we know so far is that the deceased did not have a strong sense of existence in his early years. Appearing in people's sights, he is very unpleasant, and his words and deeds are also annoying, and he is often taught by others. It is a later thing that he is rich in his hands and has no worries about food and drink."

This change is very subtle. What caused the earth-shaking changes in his family's status?

Qiu Yiqing obviously also thinks this point is very important: "I will investigate in detail."

"Also, on the way back to the room after leaving the family banquet, the deceased turned to a secret passage," Ye Baiting thought, "What did he do? Does it have anything to do with the secret he knew?"

Shen Jiang didn't know this, so he quickly wrote down: "Did he even go to the secret passage before he died! Could he be harassing someone again, meeting someone privately!"

Ye Baiting shook his head, the amount of information is too small to be sure: "What kind of entanglements do these masters of Ying Gonghou's mansion have, how much hatred, how much love and hatred... Has Jin Yiwei found out the general information?"

Qiu Yiqing nodded, and said slowly: "The old Hou Ye has married two wives..."

The first wife had a strong family background, and she was also a red makeup when she married. After marriage, the two respected each other as guests, and gave birth to a daughter and a son, Ying Baisu and Ying Haorong. Reported to be the heir, but the good times didn't last long. The first wife injured her body during childbirth and died a year later.

Because the child was still young and due to the influence of the Yue family, Ying Gonghou did not immediately continue. At least in a short period of time, it was inconvenient to find a suitable candidate, but he got a job assignment opportunity, which is very important. He will be seen by the emperor, of course he will go.

But this job opportunity is in other places, strong dragons can't beat local snakes, and the Hou Ye who came from the capital is not easy to work with, so the work is very difficult. After seeing the girl, the work went smoothly again.

The matter of Suxian must be informed to the Yue family in the capital, and the Yue family will agree. Firstly, the Xuxian is a foreigner. It doesn’t matter how powerful the foreigner is. It is not worth mentioning in the capital. Second, they asked the old Hou Ye to agree. Well, before the son grows up, this continuation cannot be allowed to enter the capital.

This Xu Xian is also a hearty person. He walks sideways in his hometown, and he doesn't care about going to the capital.She gave birth to a son, the second master Ying Puxin.

Ordinarily this Xu Xian is really a good person, he saved the old Hou Ye a lot of trouble, he should cherish it, but he is not a thing, coaxing Xu Xian and the second son outside, saying that the capital is not good, that the eldest son was led astray by the Yue family He didn't listen to him, he only had them, and when he returned to Beijing, he never mentioned his stepwife and second son. Only the eldest son was his treasure and love in his heart. For a long time, no one except his close family members knew about him. There is a second son.

Ying Puxin had been living outside with his mother in his early years. His mother had a big heart, so his growth process was a bit casual. In his early years, he traveled with friends, often stayed away from home, and often quarreled with his father. He got married very late, and the timing was also a bit subtle. , when he was 21 years old, his mother died of illness, and he became a relative during the filial piety.

No one knows where the Cai family came from. It is the words of the matchmaker, the order of the parents... more than half of it is the order of the father.Ying Puxin's mother was only worried that her son had no company by her side, and that she didn't have a confidant when she talked at night. Before she died, she kept saying, "Father, it's simple, everything is for profit, Cai's family background is not good, she is an orphan, and she is the wife of Zhang Luo for the eldest son." However, the Wang family is different. Whether it is a marriage of a big family or a relationship cultivated since childhood, after returning to Beijing, it is clear at a glance who is powerful and who is small, who can control who, and it will be easier to control in the future.

The third child, Ying Yutong, was born to the old Hou Ye who didn't control his belt, and was born to a maid in the house. He has no status in the family, and he can't be said to be the same. Of course, it changed later, and the reason is unknown at present.

Ying Baisu was raised according to Miss Di's 'model'. She didn't have to worry about eating and drinking, spent all her life, learned everything, and didn't even care what she liked or disliked. It's good to embarrass the Hou's mansion, 'don't embarrass the Hou's mansion', including when you reach the age, you have to marry, the candidate is determined by the old Marquis, and no rebuttal is accepted.

The marriage between her and Shi Xueming was due to her age and could not be postponed any longer. The order of her parents and the words of the matchmaker did not matter whether she liked it or not, and the two accepted it calmly.

The third eldest, Ying Yutong and Lu's, are actually the same, their parents' order, the matchmaker's words, but both of them resisted fiercely and did not accept it calmly, but they couldn't resist what the elders decided, and eventually became a bitter couple...

Ye Baiting was thoughtful: "All the marriages here must be the words of the parents, the order of the matchmaker?"

Qiu Xunqing: "It depends on how to say it."

"How to say?"

"This is a rule, of course there must be. For a big marriage, even if it is to win a good fortune, the process must be followed, but one's own wishes are also very important." Shen Jiang, as a person who has experienced it, has a great say. My daughter-in-law just saw the right eye, fell in love with each other, and she followed these rules if she wanted to!"

So rules are rules, people's hearts are people's hearts, times have their own shackles, and people have their own warmth...

In this comparison, Ying Gonghou's Mansion is even more special.

"Such a big family business, rich and powerful, much more freedom than ordinary people, but all marriages are on the head," Ye Baiting pointed to the names on the rice paper, "Old Hou is himself, marrying a wife is not what I like, It is decent, it is reproduction, and it is to solve troubles; the eldest daughter is old enough to marry, and she will not go out to be ashamed, pick someone who is similar, and you have to go as well; the second son cannot cause any trouble to the eldest son, you must choose He has no background and cannot be on the stage; the third son doesn't care whether you like it or not, he just presses his head; the eldest son and the eldest wife have childhood sweethearts, and they have a relationship foundation, but it was also cultivated by the parents on purpose..."

Clan concept is very strong here, marriage is an important matter, it is good to have two surnames, different things are considered, but everyone is like this, won't you be reconciled?Is this really what they want and desire in their hearts?

The deceased ostentatiously ostentatiously spread the reputation of being lustful, the eldest lady no longer wears red after getting married, even the flamboyant third wife Lu Shi has to put away her love of beauty, and there is also a small portrait that devoted all Ying Pu's love, amnesia the second lady...

Including the prince and Laohou himself, everyone here seems to have a personality, but is also very well-behaved, and they all show their attitude as people in the noble circle in front of people. The place of pride and the attitude of reasoning look like Carved out of a mold, but what about themselves?What about the self who once bloomed and laughed wantonly?

Ye Baiting felt their arrogance, and also felt the repression behind the arrogance. They have their own pursuits, things they can't help showing off, and they also have things they have to hold back, because they want to continue this glory and want to have these things forever. Things need to be carefully protected...

But the more suppressed the desire in the bottom of the heart, the crazier it will be. What will they do in a place where there is no one?

The behavior of the deceased was very rebellious.

The amount of information is insufficient, and I don't know if this direction is right. Ye Baiting didn't say any more, and tapped the table with his fingertips: "There are many kinds of medicines that can make people fall asleep, and most of them are not difficult to operate. Why choose wood chrysanthemum? Meirenxiang Liquid...is there any insinuation?"

Qiu Yiqing: "Cai's memory is still very important, we have to find a way to restore her."

The dead man coveted her and probably did something she herself forgot.

"There is also murderous intent, whether it has anything to do with the wood chrysanthemum, whether the two exist to complement each other, or to frame and borrow, we need to figure it out." Ye Baiting frowned, "There are more uses of the secret passage..."

Seeing him kneading his eyebrows, Qiu Yiqing poured him a cup of tea: "Isn't there still two people who haven't asked? Don't be in a hurry, I have sent someone to inform you that I will find the eldest lady and the old master tomorrow to understand the case, and you will go with me. "

Ye Baiting held the tea obediently: "Yes."

"Let's rest tonight."

"it is good."

……

The next day went smoothly, Ye Baiting and Qiu Yiqing met Mrs. Wang Shi, Mrs. Ying Gonghou.

Mrs. Wang wears a high bun, not many hair accessories, and only a jade hairpin, so she knows that the price is expensive. She is wearing a plain blue brocade dress. The material is luxurious and low-key. Elegant and dignified, the extravagance makes you feel that she doesn't seem to care.

"Sorry, I was busy yesterday and kept the commander waiting for a long time." She saluted shallowly, and there was no fault in her expression.

Qiu Yiqing's question was straightforward: "Ying Puxin, what kind of person is he?"

Wang was stunned, and slowly lowered her eyes: "I thought the commander came here to ask about the case, but I didn't expect to ask about my second brother... He is naturally a very good person."

Qiu Yiqing: "Cai's memory loss, Jin Yiwei has difficulty obtaining evidence, so I can only trouble the eldest lady, how is the relationship between this couple?"

Wang smiled lightly: "Emotions are such things as people drink water, knowing whether they are warm or not. If the commander asks me, it must be good. Everyone will say yes, but whether it is good or not, I'm afraid to ask them themselves."

"The eldest lady is so transparent, it can be seen that she has a lot of experience in the word "feeling."

"I can't talk about it," Wang frowned, "it's just that I'm getting older. You can see it. Don't you all come here like this? Families need glory, children need to reproduce, and what you like when you are young may not be true liking, ignorant If you know how to grow up, you will eventually understand that what the elders said is right. When you are old, you have to marry. When you are old, you have to learn how to live with men. When you are old, you have to have children. Pursue what you like. Be obedient, the clan is not going on, and the population is gradually losing, so it can't be messed up? We women are all responsible for this."

Mrs. Wang stroked her sleeves, smiled and asked the guests to serve tea: "Follow this road, and you will find that what you really like is on this road, and you can get it at your fingertips."