Chapter 712: The Secret of Luoxue Pavilion

Yun Chang was taken aback, and quickly took the booklet from Luo Qingyan's hand, opened it, and recorded in detail Cao Shanxiu's birth date, time of entering the palace, and family background.

The time of entering the palace was almost the same, Yun Shang carefully looked at the family background, Cao Shanxiu's father was just a fifth-rank Zhizhou, but...

Yun Chang's eyes fixed on the line below that, although Cao Shanxiu's father was only a fifth-rank Zhizhou, but he was the younger brother of the former Zhengyi-rank General Jianwei.

As a first-rank general Jianwei, the word "Qian" was added in front of it, and Yun Chang squinted her eyes. In this way, she was almost sure that this Cao Shanxiu was that Cao Cairen, who was not favored because of her family background. , because she is from the Cao family. It's no wonder that Xia Huanyu let Xia Houjing's biological mother hide in Cao Cairen's palace. One is because Cao Cairen is not favored, so he is less noticeable, and the other is because the relationship between Cao Cairen and the daughters of the Cao family is cousins, and the relationship is close enough, so they sincerely help to hide the truth. .

Yun Chang nodded, raised her eyes to look at Luo and said softly: "It's her, and I don't know if she is still alive or in the palace, if she is found, Xia Houjing's life experience will be revealed. "

Luo Qingyan nodded lightly, and his eyes fell on the three words on the cover page of the booklet: "I'll order someone to look it up."

The two talked for a while, then put the booklet back in the distance, and went down to the library together. It was really dark outside, so Qin Yi simply took a palace lantern from the library and illuminated it with Yun Shang and Luo Qingyan back to Weiyang Palace.

Back in Weiyang Palace, before sitting down, Yunshang saw the excitement on Qian Zhuo's face, and smiled and said: "What's the matter today? Look at such a happy look."

Hearing the words, she walked to the door and looked around, then returned to the house, leaned into Yunshang's ear and whispered: "Your Majesty, there are two pieces of news, one good and one bad, which one do you listen to first?"

Looking at her expression, Yun Chang knew that the good ones were probably much better than the bad ones, so she smiled and said: "Then let's listen to the bad ones first."

Qian Zhuo nodded with a smile, and then responded softly: "The dark guards searched all over the harem, but they couldn't find the place called Luoxue Pavilion."

Yun Shang was a little surprised when she heard the words: "No? How could there be no?"

Qin Yi was also stunned: "Could it be that the court lady named Yuqin lied to us?" After speaking, she shook her head, "Impossible, we also saw the record in the book just now, it is indeed called Luoxue Pavilion ah."

Yunshang secretly guessed in her heart, the biggest possibility is that Xia Huanyu had changed the name of Luoxue Pavilion long ago, the Cao Cairen in Luoxue Pavilion was not favored at all, the palace man twenty or thirty years ago Not too many people are still in the palace, and the Luoxue Pavilion may not be remembered by many people.

Thinking this way in Yunshang's heart, she raised her head to look at Qianzhuo and said, "This is bad news, what about the good news?"

Qian Zhuo blinked mysteriously, and Fang smiled and said: "The butcher Liu Jin in Yangliu Village has been found."

Yun Shang couldn't help being stunned when she heard the words, and her eyes were a little surprised: "What's going on today? The clues are coming one after another."

After a pause, he asked again: "What did you ask?"

Qian Zhuo nodded and replied: "That Liu Jin said that the teacher with the same name as him gave them silver taels to let them move. The teacher said that in their eyes, having the same name as a butcher is a big deal. It was very insulting. He didn't think too much about it, so he moved away with his family."

After drinking lightly, he said softly: "The dark guard quietly checked the county annals of the county where Yangliu Town belongs, and it says that Liu Feixue, who entered the palace as a concubine, has been a butcher for generations."

It was exactly as Yun Chang thought.

Yun Shang snorted coldly, Liu Jin might not be called Liu Jin at all, he settled down in Yangliu Town and lived in the name of a teacher, and then sent Liu Feixue into the palace, but he was afraid of being killed. When people found out, they simply paid the butcher's family to move, and then put the butcher's name instead.

And behind all these actions, what is the purpose? Yunshang squinted her eyes, thinking of the news that the dark guard had inquired about in Yangliu Town, she also had some guesses in her heart. I'm afraid that all of this was done to protect Liu Yinfeng.

Liu Jin was called Liu Yinfeng's master, and he tried every means to enter Jincheng, and sent Liu Yinfeng to Xia Huanyu's side in that way.

What is Liu Yinfeng's identity?

Yun Chang was thinking in her heart, Luo Qingyan said softly: "I have ordered the dark guard to do everything possible to rescue Liu Yinfeng, and it shouldn't be long before."

Yun Chang nodded lightly, frowning tightly, feeling that she was surrounded by all kinds of mysteries.

"By the way, my secret guard reported that in Liucang City, there are many people dressed as soldiers acting recklessly in the city, robbing the people of their money, beating and killing ordinary people at will, and defiled women, which has aroused the anger of the people in Liucang City. " Luo said softly, then raised the corners of his mouth and laughed: "I'm afraid Liu Yinfeng is suffering from a headache right now."

Hearing the words, Yunshang also felt a little happier in her heart, and replied with a smile: "That's good, I want to see how Liu Yinfeng will deal with this matter, but no matter how he deals with it, the reputation of his soldiers will be destroyed. It has been corrupted, but it is very unfavorable to him.”

After dinner, Yunshang entered the inner hall and saw the empty piece next to the table, then remembered, turned around and looked at Qianzhuo and said: "But I found out who entered the hall to change the bottle that day. Plum blossoms in the middle?"

Qian Zhuo quickly nodded in response, and quickly said softly: "It's been found out, it's Pei Lan."

"Pei Lan?" Yun Shang frowned, "Isn't Pei Lan one of our own?"

Qin Yi was also a little surprised, and hurriedly said: "The maidservant assures that Peilan will have no problem, there must be something hidden in this matter, the empress might as well call Peilan in and ask carefully."

Yun Shang nodded: "Call Pei Lan in."

Qian Zhuo went out and called Pei Lan, who walked in and saluted Yun Shang and Luo Qing. Yun Shang asked softly: "Peilan, did you change the flowers in the vase in the inner hall yesterday?"

Pei Lan thought for a while before answering: "Your Majesty is asking about the plum blossom branch in the celadon vase?"

"Yes, that plum blossom."

Hearing this, Pei Lan nodded lightly and said: "It was changed by the maidservant. Yesterday a lady followed the guard to the inner prison, and then some palace servants came into the inner hall to clean it. The servant girl thought that Qin had obeyed Auntie's order before, so don't let her go. Let the other palace servants enter the inner hall alone, and the servants followed. When the palace servants were cleaning the celadon vase, they accidentally brought out a branch of plum blossoms from the vase. The place where the water soaked was dark, so the palace servant poured out the water in the vase, washed the vase, and refilled it with clean water, and then the slaves went to pick plum blossoms to change."

Yun Shang heard what Pei Lan said so calmly, but she couldn't laugh or cry: "This time, you really did something bad with good intentions."

Hearing what Yun Shang said, Pei Lan knew that she might have done something wrong, so she stood there awkwardly.

Luo Qingyan's brows were slightly frowned: "But I think that the cleaning palace man is a bit suspicious."

When Jing Luo said so lightly, Yun Shang also recalled it. If, as Pei Lan said, the palace servants came in to clean, usually clean, the vase was just wiped on the surface with a cloth, so what? Will you bring out the plum blossoms in the bottle? And the time happened to be the moment when Yun Shang left after discovering the secret of the plum blossom, such a coincidence is a bit too much.

"Do you remember who that palace man is?" Yun Shang asked softly.

Pei Lan thought for a while, but shook her head and said, "I really don't remember much."

Yun Shang frowned, could it be that besides Shen Ke in Weiyang Palace, there are other people staring at her? And that other person, I'm afraid it's not as simple as Shen Ke, just staring at it. Although she didn't know what was in that vase, but it was by no means a good thing, that person, I'm afraid that what he wanted was her life.

It's just that Peilan doesn't remember the appearance of that palace servant, there are quite a few palace servants in Weiyang Palace, it may be very difficult to find out. All she can do now is to prevent it.

Yun Shang smiled and told Pei Lan to back down, then raised her head and said softly: "It's okay, the fox will always show its tail."

Li Fuhua's body was found two days later in a well in a very remote palace in the palace. The body had been swollen with soaking, and it must have been some time. When the palace servants came to report the matter, Yun Chang couldn't help but frowned: "It's really bad luck for this New Year's Eve, go ask Li Qianmo to come and have a look."

The guard responded, Yun Chang thought for a while, and finally stood up: "Let's go, let's take a look too."

The palace was at the easternmost part of the harem, east and west of the eunuch Li Fuhua fled that day, almost passing through the entire palace. When Yun Shang arrived at the entrance of the dilapidated palace where Li Fuhua's body was found, she found that the palace was dilapidated, even the plaque at the entrance fell to the ground, and it was already covered with vines.

"Mother, be careful." Seeing this, Qin Yi quickly stepped forward to help Fu Yunshang, "The steps are covered with moss. It has snowed for the past two days, and the ground is wet and slippery."

Yun Chang nodded, and entered the yard, which was also overgrown with weeds, and some wormwood grew almost to the waist. Because of what happened just now, there were many palace people watching the excitement standing in the yard, Yun Chang frowned: "There is such a defeated place in this palace? Why is there no one to clean it? "

A nanny at the side heard the words, and quickly responded: "The empress doesn't know something. This courtyard was originally sealed up by the emperor's order, but it was gradually forgotten. Nobody remembers a place like this here."

When Yun Shang heard the words, doubts flashed in her eyes, but it didn't last long, so she walked towards the place where the crowd gathered.

"Give way, Empress Empress is here." The guards on the side hurriedly raised their voices, and the surrounding people hurriedly moved away.

The well where Li Fuhua's body was found was hidden in the half-person-high wormwood. Li Fuhua's body had already been picked up, and it was placed on the open space beside the well, covered with a worn white cloth.

Yunshang didn't go to see Li Fuhua's body, but just walked around the well. Although the well was covered by wormwood, there was a protruding platform about three feet beside the well, and the surrounding area of ​​the well was also very dense. Dilapidated, surrounded by moss, there are messy footprints on the moss, but there are no traces of people slipping and falling.

Yun Chang took a look before returning to Li Fuhua's body. The guard quickly lifted off the white cloth covering the corpse, and Yun Chang couldn't help but frowned when her eyes fell on the corpse. The corpse was swollen from soaking, but the clothes and shoes on her body were considered to be fine. Neat, and no obvious scars on the body.

Yun Shang stood on the spot, frowning, Li Fuhua should not have fallen by himself, but who is the murderer?

Yun Shang stood by the well for a while, then turned around and told the guards: "I'm afraid the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment will arrive soon, so you order someone to ask the palace servants, who has been here in the past few days? Tell them to stand aside, and when Master Li comes, he should be able to ask them questions."

The guard responded softly, and Yun Chang continued to order: "Whoever finds Li Fuhua's body first, let him stand aside, and Master Li will definitely ask when he comes later."

After the guards heard it one by one, they went to gather all the palace people who were watching in the courtyard together, and asked them to stand aside if they needed to ask questions.

Li Qianmo was afraid that he happened to be in the meeting hall, so he ran over not long after, hurriedly looked at the scene, took all the palace people aside, and ordered the guards to cut down all the wormwood in the yard, Some places that should be cleaned up are also cleaned up. Yun Chang felt a little strange, she didn't move anything just now, but she was afraid of destroying the clues and making it difficult for Li Qianmo to investigate. But I didn't expect him to give such orders as soon as he came, which was obviously a way of destroying the scene.

Seeing this, Yun Chang became a little interested, and stood in the distance watching Li Qianmo give orders.

Not long after, the guards all started to move. They pulled out the swords around their waists and looked at the wormwood. Then they were tied up by the palace servants and carried out. Li Qianmo was asking questions under the eaves. Yun Shang looked at the frequently asked questions in the case for a long time but didn't see any way out, fearing that her presence here would affect Li Qianmo's handling of the case, so she asked Qin Yi and Qian Zhuo to leave the yard together.

There are also people outside the yard tidying up the vines outside the door. The luxuriant vines have been cut down, and some of them have been trapped by the palace people and taken out. Yun Chang's eyes fell on the plaque erected beside him, but his eyes suddenly stopped.

Seeing that Yunshang stopped suddenly, Qin Yi felt a little strange, followed Yunshang's gaze and paused for a moment, then seemed to think of something, her eyes were full of surprise, she raised her eyes and looked at Yun Chang said: "Luoxue Pavilion? Isn't this the one..."

She stopped suddenly in the middle of her speech, but Yun Shang knew what she wanted to say.

This is the Luoxue Pavilion where Cao Cai lived. It's no wonder that the hidden guards couldn't find Luoxue Pavilion. No one thought that Luoxue Pavilion hadn't been renamed, but had just been defeated like this.

only……

Yun Shang suddenly turned around and looked into the courtyard, where Li Qianmo was busy, Wu Zuo was conducting an autopsy, and Li Qianmo was questioning the palace servants. The wormwood in the yard had been almost cut down, and Yun Chang could see Li Fuhua's body from the door, covered with a white cloth. Yun Chang's eyes fell on the corpse, and she turned her head to look at the faded and missing corner of the Luoxue Pavilion plaque at the door, but she was somewhat puzzled.

Before that, Yunshang ordered people to inquire about Cao Guiren, but yesterday a secret guard came to report that he could not find the location of Luoxue Pavilion. But today Li Fuhua's body was found in Luoxue Pavilion. Is this incident a coincidence or someone did it on purpose.

If someone did it deliberately, it was clearly providing her with clues, so what was that person's purpose?

"Niang Niang." Qin Yi asked Yun Shang softly, Yun Shang was silent for a long time, then raised her head and said softly: "It's okay, I just suddenly remembered that there is one more thing I haven't told Li Qianmo." After speaking, Yun Shang raised her head and ordered Looking at the palace man who was cleaning up at the side, he said: "Go and tell Mr. Li, and say that if there is any progress in the matter, let him come and report to the palace."

After Yunshang finished giving orders, she lifted her feet and stepped down the steps: "Let's go, let's go back to Weiyang Palace."

Back in Weiyang Palace, Yunshang took the book and sat on the soft couch in a daze, thinking about the words "Luoxue Pavilion" on the lost plaque in her mind. Many things were still full of doubts and could not be solved. Yun Chang felt a little irritable, sighed lightly, and didn't speak for a long time.

After a nap, not long after waking up, I heard someone coming from outside, saying that Li Qianmo had come.

Yun Chang stood up and went out of the inner hall. Seeing Li Qianmo standing in the inner hall, she opened her mouth, "How's the investigation going? Do you have any clues?"

Li Qianmo hastily turned his head and saluted Yun Shang, before saying, "After the autopsy, Li Fuhua did not die by drowning, but died before he was thrown into the well. A very small object was found nearby." , is a silk thread and a very small emerald bead, probably fell from the murderer's body. No one has been to that yard for a long time, and other clues have not been found for the time being."

Yun Chang nodded slightly, then stood up and said: "Let's go, follow me to the Imperial Garden for a walk, I want to hear some of your views on this case."

Li Qianmo complied, followed Yunshang out of Weiyang Palace, and together they went to the imperial garden. There were many palace people coming and going in the imperial garden. Yunshang stopped in the pavilion by the lake, then turned around and looked at Li Qianmo said: "Now that you are in charge of the case, you should find a way to search that Luoxue Pavilion in the name of searching the scene."

Li Qianmo just came over from there, so he knew where the Luoxue Pavilion was mentioned by Yun Shang, so he was stunned and said, "What do you want to search, master?"

Yun Shang was silent for a long time before saying: "I got some clues about the life experience of the Seventh Prince Xia Houjing some time ago. Those clues showed that Xia Houjing was not the child of Concubine Liu. Daughter, Xia Houjing's biological mother lived in the Luoxue Pavilion in the name of a servant back then. Cao Cairen, the master of Luoxue Pavilion at that time, was Xia Houjing's biological mother's cousin. I want to know the specific identity of Xia Houjing's biological mother, who is Xia Houjing? It's not Xia Huanyu's child. I also don't know what clues are in the Luoxue Pavilion, you just need to know about it, and when the time comes, you will leave any suspicious things behind, just send them over quietly."<