Strange Events of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 8
After Xiaolan ate two mung bean cakes, she looked at Ling Changfeng writing and drawing on the desk, knowing whether he would get up in a while, so she slipped away to Xiaoyu in the lounge out of boredom.

One person and one cat were chasing vigorously in the hall, and for a while, the girl's chuckle and the cat's angry growl filled the hall.

Ling Changfeng was full of question marks.Although the development of the case is slowly getting a bit closer, more doubts have emerged.

Fingers clacked on the table, the most urgent thing now is to find out the situation from the servants in Lord Wang's mansion, and know where Lord Wang went before his death.Only in this way can we discover the clues hidden behind.

It's just that Mencius Yan will definitely not let himself go to see the servants of the palace alone.Only when the people involved in the case are summoned to the government office will a decision be made.

The direction was set, and Ling Changfeng didn't think too much about it. He raised his head and looked at Xiaolan with a smile, and said, "Okay, Xiaolan, don't sneak around Xiaoyu anymore, it will make her tired. Since you are so boring , why don't we go to the market together and have lunch by the way."

When Xiaolan heard this, she immediately picked up Xiaoyu and said happily: "Master Changfeng, you are done with your work. If you don't go out, I will be bored! Let's go, Xiaoyu, let's eat delicious food!"

Ling Changfeng shook his head dotingly, and followed Xiaolan out the door.When he got to the gate of the government office, he said to the little official, "I'm going out for a walk. If other people come back, you can say that I went outside."

The little official lowered his head, cupped his hands and said, "The villain Jinji."

. . .

The two came to the market and watched the bustling streets with people coming and going, and the vendors were constantly selling their delicacies.

"Selling candied haws..."

"Selling mutton skewers, authentic Western Region mutton skewers"

"Does the guest eat Roujiamo? Freshly baked Roujiamo"

Xiaoyu held the cat in one hand and a large string of mutton skewers in the other. What she was eating at the moment was that the corners of her mouth were full of oil stains.

Ling Changfeng looked at her eating big pieces, and said, "If you continue to eat like this, I'm afraid the soft sword at your waist will have to be replaced with a four-foot one."

Xiaolan didn't take it seriously, chewing on the meat skewers, she muttered, "Hmph, I eat more meat when I'm growing up. Let's go to the front and see that there are a lot of people around there. "

Without waiting for Ling Changfeng to speak, he walked forward quickly.I only worry about going late, but I can't see the excitement.

When the two walked in, they saw a group of people surrounding an old man and a thin middle-aged man.The old man pulled the man's sleeve, and the two seemed to be arguing about something.

Ling Changfeng leaned forward, and only then did he hear clearly that the old man was a charcoal seller from the countryside. Today he worked hard to bring a load of charcoal from home to the city to sell, and sold more than half of the charcoal. Something has been gained.

Unexpectedly, when the middle-aged man came to buy charcoal, the old man touched his purse when collecting the money, but it disappeared.There was a sudden panic in my heart, and I immediately grabbed the middle-aged man, saying that my purse was stolen by him, and tearfully begged the people around me to help report to the police.

The middle-aged man was entangled by the old man, but he had a ferocious face and roared viciously, but the old man's hands were tightly clutching his sleeves, and it was inconvenient for him to hit people in such a large crowd.So the two stalemate in the market.

Xiaolan stretched out her hand to poke Ling Changfeng, and said softly: "Master, I don't think this middle-aged man is a good person, so you can help this old man, it's pitiful to encounter such things at such an age. "

Ling Changfeng nodded, and said, "Just watch the show next to you."

After finishing speaking, he walked forward, and said calmly to the entangled two people: "You don't need to wait for the official to come, I can make a conclusion for you. Old man, you can let go. With me here, he is running away. No. Parents and folks around please be a witness.”

The troublemakers around replied one after another: "Young master, don't worry, we are watching."

The old man looked at Ling Changfeng with his red eyes, and saw that the young man was dressed in a manner that did not seem to be deceiving him.In addition, there were neighbors around as security, so he slowly let go of his hand, but his whole body was still tense. I am afraid that as long as this man turns around, he will pounce on him in the next second.

The middle-aged man was surrounded by the surrounding crowd, but he didn't dare to escape.Seeing the young man in front of me swearing in promises, I thought: Could this man be a son of some family who came out to play, hmph, let's see how he ends up boasting in Haikou.

Ling Changfeng said with a smile: "Okay, since the two of you have let go, then please take out the money bag on your body."

The man reluctantly took out a burlap bag, the copper coins in it jingled, and said angrily: "I brought this out today, take a look, how could it be this old guy's! It's clearly him." I lost my money and I'm here to rely on me."

Ling Changfeng nodded, looked at the middle-aged man, and said, "Tell me, how much money did you bring out today?"

The middle-aged man hurriedly said without hesitation: "I took 55 yuan to go out! Why, let's count it now? I told you, I was wronged by this old guy!!"

Ling Changfeng didn't talk, turned to look at the old man, and said, "Old man, do you remember how much money is in your purse?"

Hearing this, the old man said anxiously: "Of course, of course I remember! I only took three copper coins with me when I went out today as a backup. I sold charcoal for 52 yuan in the morning. I counted each piece, and there was a total of 55 yuan in the bag!" "

（一钱＝1枚铜板，1000钱＝1贯，2贯＝1两银子，10两银子＝1两金子）
Ling Changfeng didn't argue with him, and said: "Since the two of you have put the same amount of money in the purse by such a coincidence, let's count whether it's true or not."

After everyone finished counting together, it turned out that 55 copper coins were lying in the purse.

The surrounding crowd whispered: "The two said the same thing, I'm afraid this man was wrongly blamed."

"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about this doll."

Everyone sighed sadly, feeling sorry for the old man.

The old man suddenly felt that the sky was falling, and he stood there dumbfounded, and lost his mind for a while.Tears welled up in an instant, and she turned around to clean up the remaining charcoal.

The middle-aged man on the side was arrogant, and said proudly: "Old guy, next time you will shine your eyes! Seeing that you are old, I will let you go for a while." After speaking, he made a gesture to squeeze out of the crowd.

Ling Changfeng sneered, and said, "It's ridiculous! You're too happy! You haven't cleared up the suspicion yet."

Then he said: "Since the number of copper coins is correct, please continue to testify for me, and the truth will be revealed soon."

"Xiaolan, help me fetch a bucket of water."

"Well, master." Xiaolan ran to the shop to fetch water like a gust of wind.

Everyone wanted to see what kind of medicine he sold in the gourd, but it didn't fade away.The middle-aged man is calm and composed, with a fearless look.The old man also stared at Ling Changfeng closely as if he had grasped a life-saving straw.

After a while, Xiaolan came over with a basin of clear water.I saw Ling Changfeng pouring the copper plates in the purse into the clear water with a splash, and then shaking it lightly twice, traces of charcoal ash floated in the clear water, and the clear water was slowly turning black.

Ling Changfeng pointed to the ashes in the water, and said, "The ashes on the copper coins are definitely not yours, are they? This bag of money is clearly obtained from your theft. Let's see how you can still argue! Folks, please take this money away." People tied up and sent to the government office!"

The middle-aged man looked at the jet-black water in the basin, his face turned white and red, and he immediately turned his head to take the opportunity to slip away.But Xiaolan stretched her legs to stop her, and immediately rushed to the dog to eat mud.

Seeing this, everyone immediately rushed forward and sent his uniform to the government.

Ling Changfeng said to the old man: "Old man, please collect your money quickly! Just help me send this water basin to the shop. I have something to do, so I won't delay here." go forward.

The old man regained his composure, and bowed to Ling Changfeng again and again, tearfully grateful.The onlookers also applauded his magical writing.

Xiaolan followed Ling Changfeng and asked, "Master, how does the thief know how much money he has?"

Ling Changfeng said with a smile: "I'm afraid this thief has been eyeing the old man early in the morning. And for a habitual thief, he can know how much money he has by weighing it. If he doesn't know, it can save a lot of trouble."

As soon as Xiaolan heard it, she knew that he had already made up her mind, and she couldn't help admiring: "Young master, you are amazing! Ah, isn't the Qingyue restaurant that passed by in the morning ahead, I don't know if the drunk is still there. Young master, let's go and have a look. Let's have lunch by the way."

Ling Changfeng looked forward and said, "Let's go, I'm hungry too. Look at Xiaoyu, she's so hungry and listless." After speaking, he stroked the cat in Xiaolan's arms and walked away.

. . .

Qingfeng Restaurant is one of the best restaurants in Nanhe County.There are three floors up and down, and the decoration is very luxurious. Even the dishes for serving dishes are made of silver, and the chopsticks and spoons for serving dishes are all carved from jade.Of course, the price of wine and food is also quite luxurious.An ordinary dish will cost an ordinary person a month's expenses (about 5 taels of silver, an ordinary person's salary for a year.).

This restaurant is famous in Luoyang for its wine and dishes.The wine is apricot flower wine, which is good wine that has been sealed for many years, and it is sold in limited quantities, and you can only buy one catty at a time.The dish is braised lion's head, four golden meat balls, which melt in the mouth and have an excellent taste.The dignitaries and dignitaries of Luoyang also frequent this place.

It was lunch time at this time, and the tables in the lobby of the restaurant were already full of people.

Ling Changfeng led Xiaolan into the restaurant, the second child saw them coming in, hurried up to greet them, and said: "Waiting for Mr. Ling to come, please come inside! The box on the third floor - Yaxiang Pavilion is empty."

After all, Ling Changfeng was a regular customer, so you're welcome, he walked through the lobby and was about to go upstairs.

Suddenly, there was a "bang" coming from the counter, and someone shouted: "Hurry up and hand over that post!"

(End of this chapter)