Chapter 3 The Light in Her Eyes 2
Zhou Zhenzhen was very excited and out of control, her voice getting louder and louder. Just now, someone from the patrol camp came to stop the car, suspecting Cheng Jue of trafficking girls. The veins on Cheng Jue's forehead were throbbing. After he revealed his identity, the patrol camp realized it was a misunderstanding.
At that time, when Meng Fan saw the expression on his master's face, he suspected that Master Cheng would reach out and strangle Zhou Zhenzhen to death the next moment. Fortunately, his master still had a little conscience left.
"I..." Zhou Zhenzhen cried out like she was crying blood, Cheng Jue quickly approached her and covered her mouth with his hand. She widened her eyes and made a "woohoo" sound from her throat.
Cheng Jue was very close to her, and he had a refreshing scent of tea on him, which was very refreshing and pleasant to the touch.
The restlessness in Zhou Zhenzhen's heart caused by Song Eryue gradually subsided, but her body was still twisting and turning, and her mouth was still restless, and her soft lips kept rubbing against Cheng Jue's palm.
Cheng Jue felt the warmth in his palms, and his heart began to heat up as well. He looked at the little girl, who was like a flower bud, into his deep eyes, and pressed his body over, pressing her sideways body between his chest and the car wall.
This time, she finally stopped moving.
Zhou Zhenzhen's face was pinched and squeezed, and her facial features were almost dislocated, but her heart felt like a pot of sugar water was boiling, bubbling "gurglingly" and sweet.
Seeing that she had calmed down, Cheng Jue finally remembered and asked Meng Fan, "Has Princess Lin'an been sent back?"
Meng Fan withdrew his gaze from the two people who were almost merged into one, and nodded in a daze: "Prince Bo took his men to the palace gate, saying that Princess Lin'an was already unconscious when they ran into her on the road. Prime Minister Bo was born in the Imperial Guards , and later became a guard in the Dali Temple. He recognized Princess Lin'an, so no one should suspect him."
Cheng Jue had a serious face. Song Eryue's words made the princess' case suddenly a little clearer, but then plunged it deeper into the quagmire.
Song Eryue took action after Song Sanyue's forehead was hit by an inkstone, and she destroyed Song Sanyue's face with the strings of a musical instrument. At that time, there was no one else in Wangxing Pavilion except the two of them.
Song Eryue did not have a residence outside the palace. After leaving Princess Jintai's residence in a hurry, she went directly back to the palace. The palace gates clearly recorded the time of entry and exit. Cheng Jue had read the detailed records before. On the third day of March, Princess Lin'an returned to the inner palace at Shen time, and Princess Jintai died at You time.
In other words, after the last person left Wangxing Pavilion, Song Sanyue was not dead yet.
She was hit on the forehead and her face was scratched...
When Cheng Jue thought of this, the person under him moved timidly. He lowered his head and met a pair of big watery eyes. He looked very aggrieved and had tears in his eyes.
Zhou Zhenzhen really could hardly breathe, otherwise she would not have been willing to move.
Cheng Jue let go of her hand and sat on the other side of the carriage. Zhou Zhenzhen's lower face was covered with red finger marks, which made her look particularly pitiful. She took a few deep breaths to catch her breath, and her voice was hoarse than usual: "Master Cheng, do you want to find a way to ask the other two princesses?"
Cheng Jue's eyes were sharp. He stared at the red lower half of her face for a moment before looking away. "Come back when the lights turn on at night."
Princess Changping Song Yiyue has been married for many years, while Princess Ankang Song Siyue is still young and has not yet reached the age of marriage. It is impossible for either of them to meet their lovers while selling spices during the Fragrance Picking Festival.
Seeing Zhou Zhenzhen nod, Cheng Jue raised his chin slightly and asked, "What do you think of this case?"
Zhou Zhenzhen thought for a moment and said, " If someone died from being hit on the head by a heavy object like an inkstone, they would have died instantly. Princess Jintai died about an hour after being hit by the inkstone, so this can be ruled out. Her face was scratched. Although the wound looks hideous, there are no major meridians on the face, so this injury is not fatal. So we can conclude that Princess Jintai died from the dagger in her chest."
"Song Eryue said that when she left Wangxing Pavilion, there was no one in the pavilion, so there are only two possibilities. One is that the person who left earlier came back and stabbed her. The other is... there is another person involved in this case."
No matter which one it is, it's shocking enough.
Cheng Jue tapped his knees with his fingertips, saying nothing. While he was silent, the carriage stopped, and Zhou Zhenzhen lifted the curtain to see that it had stopped at the Manyue Teahouse.
"You've worked hard these past two days. Go back and have some sleep first. I'll ask Meng Fan to pick you up at night."
Zhou Zhenzhen was stunned for a moment, then pursed her lips and smiled: "Thank you, Master Cheng."
When she jumped off the carriage and her figure melted into the lobby of the teahouse and could no longer be seen, Meng Fan, who had been quiet all this time, tried to hold back but couldn't help but mutter, "Master Cheng cares too much about Zhou Zhenzhen. I have been with Master Cheng for two years, and Master Cheng has never given me a leave to rest!"
The flickering light in Cheng Jue's eyes paused for a moment, and he realized belatedly that he seemed to... have indeed cared about her too much.
She was just a sixteen-year-old girl, who tossed around in the wind and rain all day long without complaining or feeling tired, and even when the knife was against her, she didn't retreat at all. This made people feel pity for her for no reason, and it was impossible for people to treat her coldly or not care about her. Especially the last time, when he found someone following her, he almost flew into a rage on the spot. Although he calmed down and made good arrangements afterwards, the feeling of his usual rationality disappearing for a short time was not bad after he carefully savored it.
Just when Meng Fan thought he was being ignored as usual, Cheng Jue spoke again: "If you were also such a young girl, I could let you go back and rest now. Can you go back, 'Miss Meng'?"
Meng Fan: …
In order to ensure that the incense-gathering festival went smoothly, Zhou Zhenzhen barely slept for the past two days. With Cheng Jue's approval, she ran straight to the west wing at the back of the teahouse, threw herself on the couch, and fell asleep as soon as she touched the pillow.
Her emotions were not very stable, even her dreams were not peaceful.
A rainstorm covered the sky and the earth. The already dark night was covered by the rain, and no starlight or moonlight could be seen at all.
In the wilderness, she ran forward desperately until she was exhausted, her throat was dry, and every breath was burning. But she couldn't stop. She didn't know how many people from the Huainan Marquis were chasing her. If she stopped, there would be no hope.
After running for an unknown amount of time, she saw a cluster of fire in the darkness. She immediately quickened her pace and ran over as if she had grabbed a life-saving straw, but her foot tripped on the shabby threshold of the City God Temple, and her body fell out, landing at someone's feet like a rag.
“Help… help me…”
The chaotic footsteps outside the temple were getting closer and clearer. She grabbed the hem of the person next to her tightly, raised her head, and met a pair of cold and long eyes.
…
"Zhenzhen, Zhenzhen, wake up!"
The dream came to an abrupt end, and Zhou Zhenzhen opened her eyes. Mrs. Wang, who was standing beside the bed, smiled kindly at the confused look of the little girl and said, "There is an official outside looking for you. He looks very anxious."
"Official?"
Zhou Zhenzhen thought of the dream she had just had, and those eyes, and her face suddenly became hot. She reached her hand to the pillow and took out a small box. The things inside were not as dark as she said, but they were also horrible to look at. He would not want such a thing even if she gave it to him.
She bit her lip in frustration but threw the box back.
It was only when she arrived at the teahouse lobby that she realized that the person who came was not the one she thought.
"Why is Lord Meng here when it's not even dark yet? What's the matter?"
The two of them turned out of the Full Moon Teahouse, and there was a carriage parked in front of the door. Meng Fan said, "I guess we can't go to the Lantern Festival. Master Cheng asked me to pick you up and go to the Dali Temple. There is a new witness in the princess case."
Half an hour ago, Cheng Jue and Meng Fan returned to the Dali Temple. Soon, the guard at the gate came hurriedly to report that someone outside the door asked to see Master Cheng Jue and presented him with a badge.
The guards of the Dali Temple were all very shrewd people. As soon as they saw that the jade material of the waist plaque was warm to the touch, they knew what to do.
Cheng Jue took just one look and went out himself. The sedan chair was lowered and the person who came down with the help of a maid was slender, wearing a wide cloak and a hat covering most of her face.
Cheng Jue welcomed her in and took her to his private room where he handled official business. The two talked for a while, and Cheng Jue went out and asked Meng Fan to find Zhou Zhenzhen: "After you find her, you don't have to come in. You two just stand outside and listen at the wall."
Meng Fan: …
Why does it sound so much like stealing?
Not only does it sound like a thief, it acts more like a thief.
A quarter of an hour later, two people crouched under the window, leaning against the wall, listening to the noise inside.
The female voice sounded very tender and tender. She was sobbing and crying sadly: "I didn't expect it to be like this. My eldest sister told me that my third sister was just asleep and asked me not to bother her. She took me away from Wangxing Pavilion. But I thought something was wrong, so I turned back after my eldest sister went out. Who knew I saw... I saw a man stabbing my third sister in the chest with a dagger... I screamed in fear, and the man raised his face and saw me. He wanted to chase me, and I ran desperately to escape... I was so scared that I didn't dare to go out for many days. My father also said that my third sister just broke her leg when riding a horse, so I thought I was just dreaming and I saw it wrong. But today... today I saw my second sister kept saying "It's all blood, all blood..." after returning to the palace, I realized that I didn't see it wrong, it was real..."
"Master Cheng, they all say that you know everything about Chang'an City and that you are omnipotent. My third sister... has something happened to my third sister?"
Princess Ankang Song Siyue is only thirteen years old now. Seeing these at such a young age, she must be really scared.
The scar in Zhou Zhenzhen's heart was aching slightly. She had experienced the same thing in the past and had woken up from nightmares many times since then.
After that, a cold male voice said something in a low voice, and the door opened with a creak. Cheng Jue stepped out, glanced at the two people who were leaning against each other tightly over there, his eyes darkened with unkindness, pointed at Zhou Zhenzhen, and waved.
Zhou Zhenzhen rubbed her legs which were numb from squatting and walked over. Meng Fan opened his eyes wide and pointed at himself, indicating: Where is this subordinate?
Cheng Jue didn't even look at Meng Fan again, his expression turned into three cold words: Keep squatting.
Meng Fan: …
"Princess Ankang saw the man who stabbed her with the dagger. She is a good painter, so I asked her to draw a portrait of the man first. But she is still young, and her words are incoherent. You can go in and ask her again later."
Zhou Zhenzhen understood the key and couldn't help but sigh: "These princesses are really versatile."
"Speaking of painting, the eldest princess's paintings are the most outstanding among the princesses. Princess Ankang is not best at painting, but at chess." Cheng Jue said, and the chess game that had been moved by someone flashed before his eyes. He stopped talking and rubbed his fingertips subconsciously.
The breeze blew through the old locust tree in the courtyard, and the red light of the setting sun shone through the dense gaps between the trees, half covering his face. Zhou Zhenzhen was lost in thought as she watched Cheng Jue thinking seriously, until there was a slight movement in the house again.
Cheng Jue suppressed the emotions in his eyes, turned around, and pointed at Meng Fan to go in.
Meng Fan came and went quickly, and when he came out again, he had a portrait in his hand. Light ink outlined the contours, and dark ink blurred the facial features. The man in the painting had a handsome face, a face that was already very familiar.
It turned out to be Huo Chi!
Zhou Zhenzhen's heart trembled, and she looked at Cheng Jue suddenly: "Master Cheng..."
"You go in first!" Cheng Jue waved his hand, and Zhou Zhenzhen could only suppress her thousands of emotions in her heart.
Cheng Jue watched her walk in, and then he turned to Qing Feng and asked, "Can a corpse lie?"
Meng Fan shook his head firmly: "How can a corpse lie? It's obvious that Huo Chi is lying. What about not entering the princess's mansion, what about worrying about Princess Jintai, these are all lies, your subordinate..."
"meeting."
Meng Fan: ...Okay, ignore him again.
The reason why the princess case is so complicated is that several time points are staggered.
Cheng Jue thought of the Yuechu case that had just been settled. He just asked Meng Fan to open the lid of the makeup remover oil and confused the real time of Yuechu's death.
The chessboard in Wangxing Pavilion can be moved silently, and the same goes for other things.
The time when Huo Chi arrived in Chang'an, the time when several princesses left Princess Jintai's mansion, and the time when Song Sanyue died seemed complicated and messy, but when everyone investigated the case, they used the last time point as the standard to measure whether the suspect was guilty or not.
What if the standard itself is wrong?
All human beings tell lies.
It is like this before and after death.
Princess Ankang Song Siyue was still young and simple, so Zhou Zhenzhen easily hypnotized her without any tricks. The questions she asked were exactly the same as what Song Siyue had said to Chengjue. Zhou Zhenzhen put away the silver chain and put it back around her neck. The red light of the setting sun outside shone through the blurry window paper, and the pale face of Song Siyue, who was sleeping on the table, was reflected in it, looking particularly delicate.
She was the beloved youngest daughter of Emperor Xuanhe, the apple of his eye. It was said that when she was eight years old, Emperor Xuanhe held her in his arms and fed her personally. Her skin was so delicate that it seemed that if she was touched, it would bruise.
Zhou Zhenzhen pursed her lips. When she was Song Siyue's age, she was pushed and shoved by the river of difficult times and drifted without support. If she hadn't been worried about him, she probably wouldn't have been able to hold on until this time.
She sighed lightly and stood up. Her eyes swept over Song Siyue, paused at her fingertips, and then walked out of the room.
The case has developed to this point, and Huo Chi in the Dali Temple prison has become a suspect. With Song Siyue's testimony, Huo Chi also said that he rushed to Chang'an City on the day of the crime. Although the time is not right, it is hard to guarantee that he is not lying. Zhou Zhenzhen thought that Cheng Jue would strike while the iron is hot and take her to see Huo Chi to ask him clearly with the help of hypnosis, but Cheng Jue did not intend to do so.
"Master Cheng, do you have any other plans?" Cheng Jue walked in the Dali Temple government office, Zhou Zhenzhen followed behind him, stepping on his shadow step by step.
"If you were Huo Chi, and you wanted to kill the future crown prince for some reason, how would you do it?"
Zhou Zhenzhen slowed down her pace, and his shadow followed and stayed outside her toes: "Of course we have to do it secretly, otherwise once it is discovered, the minimum is murder of the crown prince, and the murderer must pay with his life. At the most serious level, it is treason, and the entire Xuanji Pavilion will be buried with it..." Her voice gradually became lower, Cheng Jue turned around and stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes slightly fixed, motioning her to continue.
"In fact, only Huo Chi and Princess Jintai knew that he came to Chang'an. If he was the murderer, he could just leave after killing someone, and there was no need to stay in Chang'an for people to catch him. In addition, since he is the young master of Xuanji Pavilion, he must be well versed in mechanical arts. It would be easy for him to kill someone without alerting anyone. Why did he have to take the risk of using a dagger to do it?"
Cheng Jue responded with a nasal voice: "It's getting late, I'll let Meng Fan take you back."
Seeing Cheng Jue's cold face and no reaction to her words, Zhou Zhenzhen felt a little uneasy. When facing Cheng Jue, she sometimes couldn't hide her thoughts. At this moment, her expression was fully captured by Cheng Jue. He frowned and walked in front of her.
"What do you expect me to say about you? Praising your reasonable analysis or praising your lively thinking?" His voice was deep and made her ears numb and red. "As an investigator, your thoughts and ideas should serve the case, not me. Do you understand?"
Zhou Zhenzhen was scolded by him and felt ashamed and sad. She lowered her head and replied sullenly, "I understand."
She hurriedly turned around and went back to look for Meng Fan. She raised her hand to wipe the corners of her eyes, forcing back the tears, and then looked up as if nothing was wrong.
