After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 478 Brocade Box
Zeng Qingxi came quickly.

When he arrived at the west courtyard of Zhou's third house, everyone had moved to another place. They no longer stayed in the courtyard but entered the house.

It is now May, and the weather is cool in the morning. It is quite comfortable for everyone to stay in the yard, and the space is spacious. But when the sun reaches three o'clock in the morning and the sun is getting stronger, the outdoors is no longer a pleasant place to stay. Everyone could only move to the main room.

On Saturday, the general and his wife took the people to remove all the unnecessary furniture and furnishings, leaving only a few armchairs. Duke Zhenguo and the emperor's representative Tu Rong took the seats on the left and right respectively, and Duke Zhenguo's wife and Ma Shangyi respectively Sitting next to the two of them, Zhou Shigong and his wife sat at the bottom, and most of the others were standing. Even Haitang followed Zhou Yijun and stood behind Zhou Ma with her grandmother Ma.

Everyone gathered in a half circle, and the main room was packed to the brim, leaving only a square foot of space. An armchair was placed in the middle, and Mrs. Ma sat on it, receiving everyone's gaze. General Saturday and Lin Sandao, the imperial guard who had just arrived in Chang'an, stood behind her on the left and right respectively, shouldering the responsibility of watching over her.

Mrs. Ma didn't seem to realize that she was being treated like a prisoner. She had no expression on her face, lowered her eyes, and heard the sound of someone entering the door behind her. She only held the handle of the armchair tightly and said nothing. explain.

Zeng Qingxi was wearing official uniform and holding a mahogany brocade box in his hand. As soon as he entered the door, he greeted the Duke of Zhen and his wife politely, and then saluted Tu Rong. After the ceremony, he couldn't help complaining: "Master Tongzhi called me Wait! I've been waiting at the Dusi Yamen for half a day, and I don't know how your case is going. If you don't send someone to call me, I can't help but break in to find out what's going on! "

Tu Rong rolled his eyes at Zeng Qingxi. It was obvious that the relationship between the two was quite close and they did not pay attention to common etiquette.

He first briefly introduced the matter to Zeng Qingxi, and then said: "Now we suspect that Mrs. Ma has some plot against the Zeng family's ancestral hall in Yingchuan Marquis Mansion. It is estimated that there is something she wants in the ancestral hall. It's just that I'm waiting for Outsiders don’t know what is hidden in the Zeng family’s ancestral hall. You are the adopted son of the Zeng family, do you have any clues?”

Zeng Qing said happily: "Although I grew up in the Yingchuan Hou Mansion, I am not of the Zeng family's blood, and I don't know much about it. The children of the Hou Mansion can enter the ancestral hall every New Year, but the main room in the back is really only the head of the family and the head of the family." Only heirs can enter. But it is not a place to hide things. It contains the memorial tablets of the ancestors of the Zeng family and the relics of the ancestors of the Zeng family. I really don’t know what is in these things that outsiders can covet. He paused and said two words, "But..."

Everyone was just disappointed by his words, but they were attracted by his word "but". Tu Rong asked hurriedly: "But what?"

Zeng Qingxi held up the mahogany brocade box in his hand and let everyone see the seal on it: "But before I left the capital, Marquis Yingchuan handed this box into my hands and put a seal on it and stamped it. He Tell me, if during the interrogation of Mrs. Ma, you encounter a question that must be answered by asking the Marquis of Yingchuan, just take out this box and ask the Duke of Zhen and Tu Tongzhi to open it together. The box contains his own handwriting. The confession..." He paused briefly and emphasized, "It was the confession made by the second wife, Zhou."

Mrs. Ma was shocked and looked up in disbelief. She stared closely at the mahogany brocade box, as if looking at something terrible.

Zeng Qingxi handed the brocade box to Tu Rong: "I have never opened the seal on this along the way, and I don't know what is written inside. The interrogation of the second wife was done by the Marquis and the prince. , the second master also followed to listen. After the trial, the Marquis went to the palace alone and did not tell anyone. In addition, even Mrs. Hou did not know what the second wife said. Tu Tongzhi never asked me, so I don't have to take out this box. In fact, I can keep it secret for a day. If people know it, the Yingchuan Hou family will be disgraced, and the ancestors of the Zeng family will be ashamed. To be shamed."

Zeng Qingxi said it so seriously that everyone immediately became extremely curious about the contents of the brocade box. Haitang vaguely guessed in the crowd that the answer she wanted to know the most should be in this brocade box. With this thing, Mrs. Ma's secret will be revealed to the world. She can no longer defend her actions and try to get away with it!

Tu Rong took the brocade box and solemnly turned around and handed it to Duke Zhen Guo. Justice Zhenguo was about to take it over, but Mrs. Ma suddenly jumped up and tried to rush forward to snatch the brocade box. However, General Saturday and Guard Lin had been staring at her, never looking away. When they saw her moving, they quickly reached out and grabbed her shoulders. As soon as she took two steps, she was pushed back into the armchair.

Mrs. Ma tried to struggle again, shouting words such as "unbridled" and "rude". However, General Saturday and Guard Lin turned a deaf ear and held her down tightly, regardless of whether she would be injured in the struggle.

Zhou Ma said bitterly: "My family, please save your energy! There are so many people here! Can I ask you to rob something?! Don't think that the old man has always been kind to you, so the Zhou family will Is he a sick cat who lets you do whatever you want?"

Mrs. Ma stopped struggling and glanced at her sullenly: "Boss, wife, are you so brave now? How dare you be rude to me?!"

Zhou Ma sneered: "You are just now able to show off your mother-in-law in front of me. When your crimes are exposed, the Zhou family will divorce you directly. Do you know who you are?!"

Mrs. Ma's eyes wanted to stab Zhou Ma to death, but when she heard a "clack" coming from the right direction, she froze, and then slowly turned her head to look over. Duke Zhen Guo had already joined forces with Tu Rong to tear off the seal on the mahogany brocade box and lift the lid, revealing a thick stack of paper filled with words inside.

Tu Rong took out the paper supply and found that there was a yellowed paper package underneath, only half the size of a palm. It seemed to be old. It had been opened roughly by someone, and then he carefully rewrapped it, leaving a few Damaged everywhere.

What is this?
A look of confusion appeared on Tu Rong's face.

Zeng Qingxi said: "This confession should be true. The second wife Zhou was originally unwilling to tell the truth, and she refused to admit that she had attempted to murder the prince. Mrs. Hou threatened her with the future marriage of her children, so she relented. She admitted her crime, but refused to explain why she did it. She only said that she was seeking the title of her husband's family and was unwilling to marry a mediocre official with no title or talent. The Marquis and his wife originally thought that this was what she had in mind. After receiving the letter from Chang'an, I realized that there might be something inside that they didn't know about. The Marquis convinced the second master and asked him to persuade the second wife in person, and then the second wife told the truth. "

As for Master Zeng's plan to abandon his beloved wife for his future, he didn't intend to make it too clear. Anyway, now the Yingchuan Hou Mansion has been divided into families in disguise, and Mr. Zeng took his children to the south of the Yangtze River. The Marquis of Yingchuan found a lucrative job for his younger brother, and his wife married him to a second wife with a good background and education. He took his second wife and children to live a quiet life in the south of the Yangtze River, leaving his first wife Zhou Shuyi at home in the capital, trapped in a nunnery inside the Hou Mansion for "purity". Mrs. Yingchuan Hou will take good care of her, so he doesn't need to worry about this wife who has second thoughts. The Zeng family in the Yingchuan Marquis Mansion returned to peace.

Tu Rong discussed a few words with Duke Zhen in a low voice, then ignored the paper package for the time being, took out the confession, and read it aloud to everyone present, starting from the first page.

(End of this chapter)