Northern Song Dynasty: The City of Qingquan Mystery Case

Passing through the alleys piled with ancient bricks, you should have reached the most prosperous street in Yongcheng.The ancient idea of ​​emphasizing the root and suppressing the end has undergone tremendous changes in the Song Dynasty, and the idea that industry and commerce should also be based on the industry has been promoted.The night market in Yongcheng is always lively, and when the five drums toll, the morning market will begin.Businesses are always going from one household to another, time to time, but at this time they are completely disrupted because of the city ban.

Qianqing crossed the street and went straight to the inn.

The inn had no guests.The honest shopkeeper Zhou sat alone in front of the old elm table.He has already passed seventy years, he is deaf, but his eyes are not blurry, and his brain is very good.

Ganqing took the lantern from the counter and asked the shopkeeper in a loud voice if Xiangquan was still upstairs.It wasn't until the third time that shopkeeper Zhou said with a smile that Mr. Yi hadn't come down since he went up, but someone came to see him on the way.Ganqing heard from shopkeeper Zhou's description that it seemed that Xiaoman had been here.

Gan Qing had no choice but to stop asking, and went upstairs directly.

He pushed the door, and the door opened slowly with a creak.There are also medicine bottles and gauze on the table, as well as a gourd.The windows were open, the sky was high and the clouds were clear, and the warm and soft sunlight in the autumn afternoon slowly shone down, illuminating the whole room.The light blue bed curtain moved slightly under the blowing of the autumn wind.Not far from the curtain, Xiangquan's luggage and burdens are all there.

no one.

The gourd on the table lay quietly, slightly yellowed.Qianqing walked over slowly and unplugged the gourd, there was tea in it, he recognized his own tea leaves.He looked at the table again, there were no letters or other things, Xiang Quan just put down the things and left without leaving any news.

Where did Xiangquan go?

He must have gone wandering, and he will be fine.

Qian Qing felt more and more uneasy.Just as I was about to leave, I saw a bamboo pole as tall as a person at the door.This was brought by Xiaoman, he frowned, then thought about it, what is the use of this pole, Xiangquan obviously wanted to come, but the pole was not used, the gourd was not taken away, and the luggage was also there.

He was suddenly puzzled, and then carefully looked at the whole room, feeling that the floor was wet and slippery, as if it had been wiped by someone.Ganqing squatted down and saw water stains on it, although it was wiped, it was still wet, and there were fine tea leaves mixed in the slits of the floor.Ganqing took a little sniff, and it was the same as the tea in the gourd, and it was his own tea like the one in the gourd.

The tea was overturned.

"Shopkeeper, Mr. Yi really didn't come out of the house?" Qianqing came out of the room and went downstairs, and asked about shopkeeper Zhou loudly, but because the old man was deaf, Qianqing repeated it several times.

"I really didn't come out!" The old shopkeeper's wrinkled face was very serious, his voice was hoarse, but his voice was loud, "Master Yi hasn't come downstairs since he entered! I've been guarding here, old man! Could it be that the old man is dizzy?"

Ganqing felt that there was nothing to ask from him, so he stopped making too much entanglement, and went out to the Yongcheng government office.

He has never seen such a tight guard today.

At this time, it was nearly Shen time, and the sun was about to return to the west. After all, the sun went early in autumn.

Qianqing walked through the nine-curved corridor, and saw Mr. Zhao sitting on the grand master's chair with carved lotus leaves in the pavilion not far from the open space.Qianqing approached to salute, and saw him in a black brocade suit embroidered with hibiscus and gold trim, with a serious face, and did not say anything after seeing Qianqing.

Yang Fuyin stood on the side with his big belly, squinting his eyes to sweep away the dryness, he was covered in fat, and a green official robe seemed to be put on a Maitreya Buddha, the only difference was that Yang Fuyin's mustache was curly .Gan Qing saluted with a smile, but saw ginseng tea in a white porcelain cup on the marble table, only a little ginseng whiskers were used, not much.Ganqing thought in his heart that Yin of the Yang family was smart, and that the high-ranking officials in the capital came to inspect and wanted to provide some good things, but using the whole ginseng tree must be extravagant, which clearly shows that he accepts bribes on weekdays.Right now, I am about to pass the white dew, so ginseng is the most beneficial to people. Ginseng whiskers tea is polite and caring.

Gan Qing smiled, if he didn't send some things, Yang Fu Yin would never let him "watch the battle", he was soft on others, but this Yang Fu Yin accepted bribes and pretended to be aloof.

Officials are like this, corruption is like this.

But there are still people who do good things.

Fang Qian, who was dressed in military uniform, was standing not far away with a dejected look on his face, commanding the commander, he understood clearly, the matter of being used by the strange bandits in Tsing Yi yesterday made him unresolved.Ganqing wanted to comfort him, but didn't know where to start.

The guards were carrying them, carefully arranging the [-] rhinoceros in the yard, neatly one by one.With nothing to do, he looked around and casually asked the guards around him, "What is the big water tank in the corner for?"

I saw four water tanks in the corner, one in each corner.It is clay fired in a very ordinary kiln, and it is very large.

The guard next to him looked up and said, "This... I guess it was arranged by Mr. Yi? Or it was there a long time ago."

When Qianqing heard this, he felt suspicious, so he took a look at Fang Qian.Seeing this, Fang Qian immediately understood.

"Open it and have a look." Fang Qian ordered and walked over quickly.

Four large water tanks are placed in the four corners of the yard.I only heard another guard answer: "That one just moved in this afternoon, and it was placed at the door. The deliveryman said that Mr. Yi asked him to put it in the yard..."

"Open it!"

The guard put down the knife in his hand and began to lift the lid of the water tank violently.Gan Qing took a closer look, and it seemed to be sealed with wax.Shou frowned and said, "The water tank seems to be sealed."

Fang Qianjian frowned and ignored it, walked to the nearest water tank, clenched the edge, and lifted the lid vigorously with pale hands, but the veins bulged but couldn't be opened.

"The seal is really strong." Fang Qian wiped his sweat.

Ganqing folded his arms and said, "If you want to open it, I'm afraid it will only break."

At this time, Fang Qian saw another water tank in the distance. Unlike the other two tanks, it seemed that it was not sealed, but the cover was a little tight.

Fang Qian walked over and lifted the lid vigorously, and the lid opened at once.

"This is... water?" Fang Qian said in surprise, gently picked up a little water, and sniffed it: "There is no peculiar smell, it is indeed clear water."

The guard said: "Perhaps Mr. Yi thought carefully and prepared a special water tank to prevent fire."

Fang Qian nodded: "When he comes back, he will find out when he comes back. By the way, where is Mr. Yi?" He turned to Qianqing.

Gan Qing sighed, and smiled wryly: "Master Yi lost it at the inn, and he wants someone to find him."

"It's okay, he has always been like this, and he will probably be back soon." Fang Qian also smiled wryly, exchanged helpless looks with Qian Qing, and went to the door to see the guards without saying anything.

Fang Qian was half a head taller than Qianqing, and he was born stronger than Qianqing.Looking at his shadow in the setting sun, Qianqing vaguely remembered the scene of playing Cuju together when he was a child.Fang Qian ran fast, kicked high and far, but never hurt anyone.They also like cockfights and cricket fights, but Fang Qian doesn't like this kind of thing. He always said, why do good animals have to be bloody?It's unreasonable.

Gan Qing glanced at Yang Fu Yin, who is also an official, why is there such a big difference.

Gan Qing didn't think too much, and looked at the water tank again.He felt that something was suspicious, so he walked quickly to the water tank and lifted the lid vigorously—there was indeed water in the tank, clean water.But the water tank was too deep, the bottom was invisible, and it was pitch black.He rolled up his long, soft sleeves and reached out to touch the bottom of the cylinder to see if there were any foreign objects hidden in the bottom.

Qian Qing frowned, there was nothing in the tank, but it was not smooth, like sand, although there was very little, but Qian Qing could feel it.He lightly took a handful with his hands, and when he fished it out, it was white crystals, which seemed to be easily soluble in water.He boldly licked it with the tip of his tongue, it was salty.

It turned out to be salt.

Qianqing's eyes widened, and a trace of uneasiness swept over his heart.

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