The first work of the imperial prison

Hunting the north wind, cold and lonely winter days, even the furnishings in Fusi's hall in Beizhen are cold, Rong Ningyu's concubine looks seem to inject a touch of warmth into the room, like a soft spring breeze.

Qiu Yiqing didn't seem to notice it at all, he was still aloof, and his majesty remained undiminished: "I know that Yan Rouman has won a big order from you recently. From now until the first month, your life will be very difficult." abundant."

Rong Ningyu sighed lightly: "Yes."

Qiu Xunqing: "She not only robbed your list, but also robbed your people. Jin Yiwei has verified that most of the Yan family's class is recruited from your Rong's class."

Rong Ningyu frowned: "Yes."

"She treats you like this, why do you indulge her so much, never hold grudges, never reciprocate?" Qiu Qingsu said, "There is no need to consider protecting you, I know that you have this ability."

The room was quiet for a long time before Rong Ningyu replied: "Why bother? Everyone has their own way of life, and Aman has her own ideas and persistence. I can't ask others to follow my path. That's right, in this business, everyone lives a very hard life. I can't be considerate everywhere. At least I can respect other people's choices. Maybe... this is the only way for them to earn money and live a good life. Why do I just think differently? If she doesn't listen to me, she must destroy it?"

Qiu Xunqing: "You don't seem to like this road very much, it's very hard, why don't you change your way of life?"

"Which one should you choose?" Rong Ningyu's voice was clearly bitter, but she still had a smile on her face, "I grew up in a troupe when I was young, and this is the only thing I know in my life."

Ye Baiting and Qiu Yiqing looked at each other, and said softly: "You say that, it makes us curious about your story."

Rong Ningyu: "I have a story, but it's just a day that I can't bear to look back on. There is nothing to say about it. If I can stick to it, it will be a day."

"Yan Rouman rebelled against the Rong family class that year," Ye Baiting mentioned the events of that year, "I heard that the old class leader passed away, causing a big disturbance, and some men outside wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to murder your sister, but is that so?"

Rong Ningyu's eyes darkened: "Yes. It was true that things happened in a hurry at that time. None of us expected the death of the old class leader. Everything happened very suddenly, but Aman and I are no longer the little girls we used to be, so we don't have the confidence , and I can’t think of a way to protect myself. Even if I was caught off guard, I immediately understood what was going on as soon as the incident happened. I don’t want to submit, so I will naturally find a way to resist. On the way in the past, the road has been paved, Think about what to do next... No one can force me."

"Where is Yan Rouman?"

"She went too, and she used some method to inform another man who liked her very much. That man was in the limelight at the time. He was a person with a strong temper and a strong desire for monopoly. He didn't want to Sharing the beauty with others, he heard the wind and ran over, saw the beauty being robbed, and then was fired upon by Aman with a few words, furious, and the two sides fought... The two men are not ordinary people, and the scene of the fight is very There is no way to stop the chaos. Although Aman and I have not been taken advantage of, we have been affected. My nose was seriously injured and I lost my sense of smell. to go out again.”

Rong Ningyu finished what happened at that time in a few words: "Because her domineering benefactor felt that she had been wronged, and the Rong's class was not a good place, he just stuffed her with a lot of money and told her not to stare at this crap. , If you really want to do it, why don’t you set up a new team yourself, and you can do whatever you want, and he can come whenever he wants, without restriction.”

"It's not easy to offend the gold master, and it's also... too much money, Aman has long since annoyed me, so she turned around and left, and set up her own family. But even if there is no such man, I would have expected On this day, she and I have different ideas and insist on different things, and one day, we will be strangers."

Qiu Yiqing took a look at Shen Jiang, and Shen Jiang took out the fir tree leaves, put them on a tray, and showed them to Rong Ningyu.

"This thing, are you familiar with it?"

"I know," Rong Ningyu said slowly, "it has the effect of causing women to have a miscarriage, and a small amount of it will have a miraculous effect. It is a medicine that is often prepared in the brothel... The troupe used to have it, but not now. I strictly prohibit, no one is allowed to comprador."

"Why is it strictly prohibited? What if a girl really encounters an unexpected situation...?"

"There is always a way. If you want to have a baby, we will help raise it together. If you don't want to have a baby, there is a safer way." Rong Ningyu's voice slowed down, "Although this product has miraculous effects, taking a small amount can even make the skin become softer. Whiter, but the amount is extremely difficult to control, and a little more can kill a person."

"Master Rong, does he know the purchasing channel?"

"There are specialized northern merchants who will sell this item."

"There are also special merchants who sell and sell, so there is such a market?"

"Not really, this kind of thing is only needed in places like brothels and private nests. Outsiders, no matter officials or ordinary people, will not use it if they encounter similar things. Relatives and clansmen need to be cared for. It's different from being a lowly person." Rong Ningyu paused, "This is a little secret of brothels, and it is generally not revealed to outsiders, unless you enter that circle, you can get a glimpse of it. Merchants are actually not willing to do this kind of thing Business, because customers need a small amount, they don’t buy much each time, but the brothel has always been a place to make money, such as those useful and useless pills... You have to help the old bustard of the brothel to get this Only by planting leaves can they have the opportunity to do other businesses, so even if they lose money, they have to do it."

"Is there any Rong family class now?"

"No."

"you sure?"

"I can be sure."

Ye Baiting and Qiu Yiqing looked at each other for a moment, and for a long time, the commander didn't intend to continue to ask questions, he was obviously waiting for him, so he asked again: "The old leader of the Rong family class has a bad mind, doesn't talk about business orientation, right or wrong , do you girls have the same homework from elementary school?"

Rong Ningyu nodded: "Almost."

"Although the details of the case have not been disclosed to the outside world, there are always gossip. Mr. Rong should have guessed how the deceased died?"

"I dare not say clearly, and I do have some guesses."

"Yan Rouman once directly admitted that she knows how to play this kind of 'whip game', so will Leader Rong?"

Rong Ningyu paused for a moment before answering: "It's long gone, and now you ask me if I will, I really have to think carefully."

That is, it was possible before, but now it is not skilled.

Ye Baiting pondered for a moment, then said: "I heard that Master Rong is good at mixing fragrances."

Rong Ningyu: "Yes, but it's all in the past."

"Bippo," Ye Baiting read out these two words, "is this name familiar?"

This is the name of the spice that Qiu Yiqing personally pointed out to his subordinates, spent a lot of hard work, visited many masters, and checked and confirmed the incense ashes burned at the scene of the crime. I have been young for 20 years, became famous 17 years ago, disappeared eight years ago, and can no longer be found on the market.

Rong Ningyu was only silent for a moment, then nodded: "I know, it's my original incense pill."

Ye Baiting asked: "Who else knows this skill?"

"No more," Rong Ningyu shook her head, "To make this kind of incense pills, the ingredients are very particular, and the seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter are different, and weather changes will affect the final fragrance. The production process is also extremely complicated, so I didn't have time Teach anyone, and no one else should."

"What about yourself?"

"I can't smell anything for a long time..." She pressed her nose subconsciously, "I can't identify the nuances of the raw materials, and I can't determine whether there are mistakes or omissions in the process, and I can't do it if I need to do other micro-operations." gone."

"If someone bought the collection before, can it still be used until now?"

"The incense pills I make are very particular about every process. If they are well preserved and not placed in a humid and perishable environment, they should still be usable, but the fragrance-lasting effect may not be so good."

"I heard that the incense made by Master Rong was very popular in his early years, and the supply was often in short supply."

"It's all the ladies who like spices, but after losing their sense of smell, they gradually faded out of this circle. I don't know who still keeps the things from the past."

Ye Baiting asked again: "He is so particular about making incense. I think the class leader Rong must have loved it very much back then. He lost his sense of smell. Have you ever seen a doctor?"

Rong Ningyu: "I've seen it, there are more than one of them, and they all say that there is nothing they can do."

"Really? Your sense of smell hasn't recovered at all?"

"No."

"Isn't that true?" Ye Baiting lowered his eyes, "That day when Lu Wang's mansion was hanging, the commander and I happened to run into Mr. Rong. I don't have very good fragrance, so I wore a scented pill on my waist that day. I heard that the materials used were not good, and they were of low quality. Leader Rong didn’t respond at that time, but later... Jin Yiwei, who was staring at the palace, reported that Leader Rong had been sneezing and running nose all afternoon, but you didn’t catch a cold. I didn’t call a doctor when I got home, and when I woke up the next day, I didn’t feel any abnormality, just like usual…”

"Is this the body's spontaneous stress response? Your nose is still very sensitive to scents."

Rong Ningyu had no choice but to explain: "It's not what you think, my sense of smell has not recovered, and I still react to some irritating smells, but I don't know what the smell is. If Jin Yiwei suspects, you can ask the doctor to check it out. Since eight years ago, I don't make any incense pills anymore, and I don't have a collection of 'Bipo' in my own residence, Jin Yiwei can send someone to search for it."

In fact, it has been searched, and it is indeed not found.

Ye Baiting asked in more detail: "I have a reaction to the stimulating smell, what kind of reaction is it? Is it only choking or not, or can I smell a little bit of the smell, which will produce pleasant or uncomfortable emotions?"

Rong Ningyu tried to explain: "I can't smell anything, but it may be because the smell was very subtle before, even if I can't smell it now, there will be a reaction in my heart. For example, if I pass by a spring flower bush, even if I pass by blindfolded, I might not be able to smell them, not identify what the flowers are, and still find it smells good, and I will feel a sense of pleasure, that’s all.”

Ye Baiting didn't linger on Xiangwan's question for a long time, nor forced Rong Ningyu to give an answer, but suddenly changed direction——

"Lou Kai, Prince Lu's son, Zheng Hongchun, who is the murderer who killed several people, do you actually know?"

The question came out of nowhere, even someone like Rong Ningyu, who was used to the world, was taken aback for a moment before saying, "I don't know."

"Do you really not know, or do you not want to tell us?"

"I heard that the commander is ruthless and selfless. Jin Yiwei pays attention to solid evidence in judging cases, and will not make things difficult for others at will." Rong Ningyu raised her eyes, and her gaze directly hit her. She was not as gentle as before, and she had a sharp light for the first time. , sharp and straightforward, "Could it be that someone outside made it up?"

Ye Baiting smiled: "It's just a question, Mr. Rong doesn't have to be so nervous, then let me change the question now, Zheng Hongfang, you killed him, right?"

The span directly pulled someone else, Rong Ningyu didn't react, Liu Mei jumped: "What do you mean by this, sir?"

Ye Baiting: "It's not that Jin Yiwei made things difficult on purpose, but the person involved in the case that was summoned earlier—Ma Shi, you should have met him? She recruited her."

Ma Xianglan jumped out from behind the screen, she was such a handsome young man, why didn't she speak human words?What did she just recruit?She didn't say anything!

Ye Baiting pointed at the brush with her fingertips, and said in a calm voice: "She said that Zheng Hongfang used to be your man, and you gave birth to a child for him, girl, but Zheng Hongfang is not a thing. He stole the child and threatened you with the child. You helped him to do things, win over nobles, and finally you couldn't take it anymore, and killed him near the Xishan swamp."

With just a few words, Ma Xianglan's forehead was bloodshot and her fists were clenched, it wasn't her who said it!She didn't!But she couldn't speak, because someone had specially reminded her before that if she raised her voice to warn, she would be helping Jin Yiwei to testify against the murderer.There was no way, she couldn't speak, and she couldn't go out, so in the end she could only stare fiercely at the Jinyiwei soldier next to her.

Xiao Bing was shameless enough, even waving his fan and smiling at her.

Outside the screen, Rong Ningyu closed her eyes.

After a long time, she spoke again, her eyes were filled with the pain brought by the years, and her voice was bitter: "Yes, Zheng Baiwei...is my daughter, I always knew it, and even couldn't help being selfish, when she approached She will talk more and let her stay for a while. She is gentle and strong. Although she is young, she has her own opinions. She knows what should be done, what rules should be followed, what she will never do, and who should not be approached , she...is a very good child, Sister Ma raised her very well, I am very grateful."

"So you don't mind when Ma Shi expresses unfriendly feelings towards you?"

"It's nothing to mind. I didn't raise my daughter with my own hands, but gave it to others. Although there is a reason for it, it is also my fault. I am not worthy of being someone else's mother."

"Why don't you just snatch your daughter and bring her with you to raise?"

Rong Ningyu clenched the handkerchief tightly, and smiled bitterly: "Days like mine... Do you want her to suffer along with me? What can she learn from me? As far as I can remember, I was in the theater troupe. , being manipulated like a puppet, until I have consciousness, know what is right and what is wrong, and then I am entangled, hurt and hurt others, and determine my future path... Every step I take is very fast. Difficult, do I want my daughter to experience the same pain as well?"

"I had no choice in the first half of my life. I could only do my best. I either endured it or realized it. She came at the wrong time. At that time, I couldn't help myself. I couldn't even protect myself. How could I protect her? In the later years, I have a way to make more proper arrangements..."

After she finished speaking, she was also startled: "Actually, a few years later, I will definitely not allow such an accident to happen... She and I have no mother-daughter fate."

Ye Baiting: "How did you and Zheng Hongfang get together?"

Rong Ningyu: "Girls in the opera troupe, to the old troupe owner, are goods, they can be bought, sold, leased, and engaged in various businesses. There are former big customers who think that I serve well. In order to reward those who are able to do things, I just spent a lot of money to 'rent' me out for three months from the old class leader to his new underling, Zheng Hongfang. Zheng Hongfang likes me very much, and he dares to do all kinds of dirty things outside, killing people, setting fires, throwing To kill the door with poison, to be a man in the dark... He helped that customer accomplish a few important things, and he also proposed that he could not be rewarded, and he wanted me, so the big customer continued the money, and I stayed by his side a year..."

When she was talking, Shen Jiang was trying to be a confession in the case. It seems that Sheng Long or someone said that Yan Rouman was sheltered by an older sister in the troupe. She said that her older sister had been missing for a year or how long it had been. After she came back, she became very popular, she was already 19 years old when she was protecting her, and she was completely capable of being alone, so it was at this stage that Rong Ningyu followed Zheng Hongfang and gave birth to Zheng Baiwei?

"Why did you give birth to him?"

"It's not what I want," Rong Ningyu closed her eyes, "There are some things that women can't avoid no matter how careful they are."

"Now that you have a child, have you considered another life?" Ye Baiting thought for a while, "For example, live a good life and never go back to the troupe?"

Rong Ningyu: "Why didn't I think about it? Every woman who walks through the wind and dust wants more than a home, but others won't allow it, the old class leader won't allow it, and Zheng Hongfang won't allow it either. He said he likes it." I just like me to serve. In his eyes, women are just playthings, not people who live. And with his way of doing things, sooner or later there will be backlash, and he will not have a good death. He also forced me to do it for him in order to control me. Doing things and taking the child away, I was at that time... so angry, so helpless, I still can't control my own destiny, so I can only pretend to be a snake and listen to him for the time being."

Ye Baiting: "Who knows about your relationship?"

Rong Ningyu: "The old team leader, the big customers, and some of the Zheng family, I'm not sure."

Ye Baiting asked again: "Does Yan Rouman know?"

Rong Ningyu: "I...don't know."

"When did you return to the troupe? Before Zheng Hongchun died, or after?"

"Before." Rong Ningyu lowered her eyebrows and said, "Although he bullied me, he still needed me to help him with things and inquire about various news. During that year, he probably got tired of it, so he let me go back. If you need me to do it, let me know with a signal that only we can read."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Two or three years."

"At that time, you had already figured it out clearly in your heart. The road you were going to take in the future was to fight against the old troupe master. If something happened to the girls in the troupe, you would help, right?"

"Yes."

"Have you helped Yan Rouman?"

"Yes." Rong Ningyu said softly, "There are more than one poor girls in the team. They are still young and have a long future. I'm used to it anyway. I can save as long as I can. As for the future... If I can manage it, I will manage it, but if I can’t, it’s up to their own luck.”

"So Yan Rouman will probably know about your relationship with Zheng Hongfang?"

"I can't answer this question, you need to ask her."

Ye Baiting didn't mention Yan Rouman, and turned back to Zheng Hongfang: "Mr. Ma said that the two brothers of the Zheng family are very violent. Has Zheng Hongfang ever hit you?"

Rong Ningyu: "I did."

Ye Baiting: "He is so shameless and treats you badly. Have you ever thought about killing him?"

Rong Ningyu's eyes moved slightly: "I'll tell you my son, I've thought about it."

"So you not only thought about it, but also did it, didn't you?"

"Jin Yiwei insists on saying that, please show evidence." Rong Ningyu's eyes were bright and quiet, "If the evidence is convincing, I have nothing to say."

"On the day he died, were you also at Xishan Hot Spring Zhuangzi?"

"When did he die? I can't answer this question, but after the rumors of his disappearance, a few days later, I was invited to sing at the Xishan Village."

"Will you wear flower tinsel at that time?"

"At that time..." Rong Ningyu thought for a while, "It should be a kind of peach blossom makeup that is popular in Beijing, and many women can put it on."

Rong Ningyu thought that she would have to go back and forth on this question, but unexpectedly, Ye Baiting didn't ask this man again, but asked someone else: "Before Zheng Hongchun died, he once harassed you."

"Yes, of course I also saw that day in Lu Wangfu."

"Isn't that the first time?"

"A few years ago, when Zheng Hongfang was around, he didn't dare. After Zheng Hongfang's death, the atmosphere of the Zheng family was in a downturn. The luck was not good, so he didn't move. Later, sister Ma's business was good, so Zheng Hongchun bought a small official, so he shook his head. Wake up, if you see me, you will use what happened back then as an excuse to threaten me to submit."

"But you didn't."

"Yes, I know how to deal with him."

"Do you often encounter such harassment? Has Lou Kai ever harassed you? Where is Prince Lu?"

Rong Ningyu sighed: "There are all of them, but it is very difficult for a woman who has been in love, and even if she is good, others will tease you and force you because of these experiences. Some people just like to see women who are unwilling look."

"But you have a way of dealing with it."

"Yes."

Ye Baiting asked again: "You said before that you helped Li Yao, didn't you?"

"Yes." Rong Ningyu nodded, "I met her in the street once, and I knew something was wrong when I saw her walking, so I helped her carry her things and sent her home."

"She was sold to a brothel in Jiangnan. Are you sure you were no longer in Jiangnan and didn't save her?"

Rong Ningyu paused, then lowered her eyes, and said slowly: "I have saved many people...Actually, I don't remember that clearly. The eighteenth female college changed. If she was young at that time and was different from now, I probably wouldn't recognize it."

Ye Baiting pondered for a moment, and then said: "You are intelligent, sensitive, and understanding. Since the day you helped Li Yao carry things, you recognized the injuries on her body, and you knew it was from a man who beat her. Have you ever thought about continuing to help Li Yao? Her? Have you ever encouraged her?"

Rong Ningyu: "I guess there was. I said a lot of things along the way, but she didn't respond, and she didn't come to me after that..."

"The night Zheng Hongchun died, did you meet Ma Xianglan?"

"No."

"Lou Kai, Prince Lu's son, Zheng Hongchun, on the night of the three deceased's deaths, you all had an alibi, didn't you?"

"Yes," Rong Ningyu said quietly, "Jin Yiwei should have asked the people in my team, they can all testify."

"Cedar leaves, bipo incense pills, whips, murder daggers, you don't have any of them?"

"Yes."

Ye Baiting raised his eyes: "I'll ask you again, you actually know who killed the above three dead people, and you even tried to persuade them in private, but no one listened. You have been protecting this person and confusing Jin Yiwei's sight. Is it?"

Rong Ningyu shook her head: "No, I don't know, and I haven't mentioned the murder case on other occasions, or even comforted others."

Ye Baiting: "That's it, the interrogation is over for now, please allow the class leader to sit behind the screen for a while, be careful not to speak or make noise, otherwise you will be giving Jin Yiwei directions, and this person in the hall is the murderer."

Rong Ningyu frowned, obviously didn't understand this move, turned behind the screen, and was startled when she saw Ma Xianglan.

Ma Xianglan didn't speak, just closed her eyes.

Rong Ningyu knew that what the young man said about Ma Chunlan's 'confession' in class just now was not true.Next, the teenager will use her 'confession' to test the people behind...

Of course Ye Baiting had this idea, otherwise why would you put such a long and big screen next to it?

This case is quite special, and the evidence about the murderer has not been found, but how to sort out all the truth and make the murderer confess is another matter.

This time it was Li Yao who was called to the hall.

Ye Baiting's first sentence was also very exciting: "The night Lou Kai died, you saw the murderer, right?"