Cure the cold-faced general by solving crimes

Chapter 4 If you have something to say, say it nicely

Fuxiang Teahouse.

Pei Zhizhao and Meng Liang were sitting by the window.

Meng Liang was different from the madness in the court just now. Facing Pei Zhizhao at this moment, he was afraid. He lowered his head, stared at the toes of his shoes, huddled and remained motionless.

Pei Zhizhao remained silent and slowly looked out the window.

This is the most lively Bushi Street in Ping'an County, dotted with restaurants, tile houses, medical clinics, banks, and pedestrians, and it is full of prosperity with people coming and going.

A slender figure suddenly flashed past the alley. Pei Zhizhao's heart ached, his pupils shrank, and when he looked again, there was actually nothing...
  It took Pei Zhizhao a long time to look away from the bustling streets. Six years later, everything has changed.

The waves in his eyes quickly dissipated, and he looked at Meng Liang again.

Meng Liang drank down the tea in front of him in fear and said anxiously, "Master Pei, please believe me. Fang Lianqing is the murderer of my sister."

"Let's talk about it. This is not a county government office. I see you here just because I want to hear what you have to say." Pei Zhizhao spoke slowly.

Meng Liang raised his head, "Master Pei, let me start from the beginning. There are two brothers in the Fang family. The eldest is called Fang Lianqing, and the second is my brother-in-law Fang Lianxi. A year ago, Lianxi suffered a serious illness and could not be cured. Half a year ago Unfortunately passed away.”

Pei Zhizhao nodded without saying a word.

Meng Liang continued, "Lian Xi and my sister had no children, so after Lian Xi passed away, Fang Lianqing was concerned about Lian Xi's family property."

"Is your sister's family rich?" Pei Zhizhao looked into Meng Liang's eyes and asked for the first time.

"Lian Xi is a down-to-earth person. He has been working as a gang outside for so many years and is not rich. It can be said that he and his sister live a life without worries about food and clothing." Meng Liang unconsciously avoided Pei Zhizhao's gaze.

"Where is Fang Lianqing? What kind of person is he?"

"Let's put it this way, although Fang Lianqing inherited the Fang family's property, his mind is not as sharp as Lian Xi's. Although his life is fine, his financial situation is much worse than Lian Xi's."

Pei Zhizhao noticed a hint of evasion in Meng Liang's eyes, "You said that Fang Lianqing is concerned about Fang Lianxi's property. Where did you start with this?"

"That's right. This matter started a few months ago. After Lian Xi passed away, Fang Lianqing had been instigating my sister to remarry, but Fang'er refused, and the conflict started from then on."

"Remarry?" Pei Zhizhao frowned.

"Yes, in order to get Fang'er to remarry, Fang Lianqing came to me many times and asked me to persuade my sister to leave the Fang family."

"Why is Fang Lianqing looking for you? You usually have a good relationship?" Pei Zhizhao looked coldly.

Meng Liang was stunned for a moment, then sneered, "After all, we are in-laws. I only have one sister, Fang'er, and the two families usually move around frequently." Meng Liang lowered his eyelids.

"What about you? What do you think about your sister's remarriage?" Pei Zhizhao pondered for a long time and then asked suddenly.

"Me? I...of course I didn't agree, so Fang Lianqing came to me repeatedly. Fang'er was very angry when she found out about it. After that, I never contacted Fang Lianqing or mentioned this matter again."

Pei Zhizhao was silent, and Meng Liang's behavior and attitude were completely different from those in the court just now.

"You don't agree with Meng Fang's remarriage?" Pei Zhizhao asked again.

"I... Of course I listen to my sister. After all, it's her business and I can't get involved." Meng Liang held the teacup in his hand and lowered his head.

"You said you didn't agree just now, but now you're going to listen to my sister again?"

"Oh, no, I only agreed with my sister's decision after hearing her thoughts later."

"What do you think?" Pei Zhizhao endured his anger, and his whole body exuded coldness.

Meng Liangliang became anxious and hurriedly explained, "My sister vowed not to leave the Fang family and said she wanted to adopt my youngest son with her."

Pei Zhizhao sneered, understanding Meng Liang's thoughts, "What happened next? Go on."

"Fang Lianqing was very angry when he found out that my sister wanted to adopt my son. He called me many times and firmly refused to allow my son to come in."

Pei Zhizhao stopped asking, and put his big hand on his chin with a hint of ridicule, "According to the laws of our court, after Fang Lianxi's death, if he has no heirs and Meng Fang remarries, he can indeed inherit Fang Lianxi's property." Meng Liang nodded frequently. .

"But now that Meng Fang refuses to remarry and wants to adopt your son, Fang Lianqing can't even get a single copper from Fang Lianxi's property, let alone money."

"That's right, Mr. Pei, so Fang Lianqing is jealous. He doesn't allow his sister to contact me. He even went to the head of the Fang clan and refused to let Fang'er adopt my son."

Meng Liang said categorically, "This is Fang Lianqing's motive for the murder. He wanted to kill Fang'er and take the property as his own. But no one listened to me in the court just now, especially Jiang Xihe. She distorted right and wrong and collaborated with Mr. Qi to fabricate me." .”

Pei Zhizhao was silent.

Meng Liang continued, "Sir, Fang'er is usually very cautious. She never leaves the door without taking a second step. How could anyone want to harm her without any grievances? The only person who wants to harm her is Fang Lianqing."

After Meng Liang left, Pei Zhizhao looked down at the street outside the teahouse and fell into deep thought.

Not long after, there was a knock on the door, and Han Fang strode in.

Pei Zhizhao changed the tea cup, filled it with water and handed it to Han Fang, "How is it?"

"Lawyer Jiang has mixed reviews. She has a brother named Jiang Xifeng. He was elected the year before last and everyone was full of praise for his character. As for the old lawyer Jiang, he died of illness last year. Before that, he was a county government official. The established Xiangzhu Academy has sponsored many students and has a good reputation."

Pei Zhizhao nodded.

"The situation of the two brothers Fang Lianxi and Fang Lianqing is similar. They both said that Fang Lianqing was lazy and lazy. After Fang Lianxi died, he spoke harshly to his sister-in-law Meng Fang. The couple did not give Meng a good look."

This was also expected by Pei Zhizhao, "Where is Meng Liang?"

"Running a small business and being good at calculations."

Pei Zhizhao narrowed his eyes.

The two people walked out of Fuxiang Tea House, turned across Bushi Street, and stepped onto Taoxi Road. Pei Zhizhao saw two women pushing and shoving on the street corner not far from the Yamen.

One of them was Jiang Xihe, and the other was Mrs. Fang who helped Fang Lianqing out of the court.

Pei Zhizhao and Han Fang looked at each other, took a step back, and ducked around the corner.

Mrs. Fang's voice from a distance was more urgent, "Miss Jiang, we agreed on three taels of silver, but you can't ask for excessive amounts of money. Besides, you didn't do anything in court. In the end, Mr. Pei let me go."

"That's ridiculous! If I don't speak for your husband, can the magistrate let him go?"

"That's because there are many people in the hall today, and County Magistrate Pei let him go because he knew he was not the murderer."

Jiang Xihe smiled instead of getting angry, "Have you thought about it? If you do things like this, I won't care about it later."

Mrs. Fang couldn't help but said, "I mean, since we have to deal with each other later, can we spend less money this time?"

"That's not what you said yesterday. You cried so hard that your makeup was all gone. You said that no matter how much money you spent, you had to rescue Fang Lianqing."

Mrs. Fang pretended to cough a few times.

"Okay, Mrs. Fang, since you are like this, I will write another complaint tomorrow and send Fang Lianqing to prison!"

"Fifty taels is too much. My family has no money." Mrs. Fang was a little anxious, but she didn't believe that the girl in front of her could really do this. Her tone sounded ups and downs, "You said in class today that there was no evidence. Why did you write another one?" shape?"

Pei Zhizhao poked his head out from the corner of the street, and the wind blew up the corners of Jiang Xihe's aqua skirt. She was graceful and graceful, with curved eyebrows. Who could believe that she was competing with someone for five taels of silver.

"No evidence? I think you have forgotten. When Meng Fang was killed, the doors and windows were intact. The door of your house was also locked inside. The wall of Fang Mansion is six feet high and no one can climb over it..."

Jiang Xihe's voice was crisp and clean, and these words followed the wind and fell into Pei Zhizhao's ears word by word.

Mrs. Fang was shocked, and Pei Zhizhao frowned, only to hear Miss Jiang's voice grow long, "Based on these points alone, someone from the inner house did not commit the crime? Since your husband-in-law is not the murderer, could it be you?"

Mrs. Fang exclaimed and took out a few ingots of silver from her purse, "Here are five taels, Miss Jiang, let's talk if we have anything to say."

(End of this chapter)