Tang Dynasty detective

Chapter 509

"On the 16th year of the Lunar New Year, Zhang Wenyuan officially married Feng Niang, and built a painting garden for her. After the two got married, they were together almost every day, and Feng Niang became the main wife justifiably." Conan said .

Li Canghai rubbed his nose, and pondered: "In this way, Zhang Wenyuan was not as stupid as he is now! What kind of person is Feng Niang?"

Conan nodded and said: "From my investigation, Zhang Wenyuan was indeed a person who valued love and righteousness 16 years ago, and his feelings for Feng Niang were not false. As for why he became like this, we will discuss later Brother Li will know. Speaking of Feng Niang's personality, I asked the old servants who have worked in the Zhang family for more than ten years, and they all said that Feng Niang is easy-going, and even smiles at the servants, and everyone in the mansion treats her Much respect."

"You said earlier that Zhang Wenyuan married concubines first, and Feng Niang later. Where are those concubines now?" Li Canghai asked.

Conan glanced at him, and said: "Those concubines are none other than Hongmei, Azhu, Juzi and Lanyue. The four of them were originally the top names of the brothels in Chang'an City, but they all fell into disrepair because of their family fortunes. Zhang Wenyuan took them as concubines and brought them back to Yangzhou after Zhang Wenyuan flew to Huang Tengda. They were originally ladies from all walks of life, and their music, chess, calligraphy and painting also had their own merits. After Fengniang came, they often talked about poetry, painting and playing the piano together. Among them, Fengniang is the most proficient in these things, so she often teaches Hongmei and others, and it can be seen that the relationship between them is very good."

Li Canghai rubbed his nose and said to himself: "No wonder Lan Yue said that they are sisters for more than ten years. It turns out that they have known each other more than ten years ago."

Conan continued: "But everything changed drastically on the sixth day of September 16 years ago. Among the five wives and concubines, Feng Niang was the first to conceive a child. On the sixth day of September, it was Feng Niang who gave birth. Period. But... an extremely strange thing happened!"

"What's the matter?" Seeing Conan's serious face, Li Canghai asked hurriedly.

"What Feng Niang gave birth to was not a baby, but a civet cat!" Conan said.

Li Canghai leaned forward. Hearing this, he almost fell off the wheelchair.

"Damn! Civet cat?" Li Canghai cursed subconsciously, isn't this the plot of the story that has been passed down for thousands of years in the previous life?

Seeing Li Canghai's strange expression, Conan hurriedly asked, "Brother Li, what's wrong with you?"

Li Canghai rolled his eyes and said, "It's okay, Brother Conan, please continue."

Conan sighed and said: "This matter is really strange and inexplicable. How could Feng Niang's good-looking woman give birth to a civet cat? After Zhang Wenyuan learned of this, he was shocked. At this time, a wandering Taoist came to Zhang's house. It is said that there are evil spirits in the Zhang family, if it is not eliminated, the Zhang family will be destroyed! Zhang Wenyuan looked at the civet cat born by Fengniang, and suspected that she was the evildoer that the Taoist said, and even took the civet cat to question her. At that time, she fainted from the pain of dystocia and bleeding, but when she saw that the baby she gave birth to was a civet cat, she refused to believe it anyway. She insisted that although she passed out from the pain, she still remembered her child The cries are definitely not civet cats."

"What about after that?"

"Afterwards, Zhang Wenyuan believed what the Taoist said, thinking that she was the evildoer who troubled Zhang's family, so he locked her in the painting garden. That is, that night, Fengniang first lost her child, and then she was said to be a evildoer , she was heartbroken, and threw herself into a well. After that, Zhang Wenyuan seemed to be a different person, becoming cruel and tyrannical, and lustful for women." Conan shook his head and said.

After saying this, the two fell into silence at the same time.

After a long time passed, Li Canghai asked, "Brother Conan, how do you feel about what happened back then?"

Conan sighed and said: "How could this person give birth to civet cats? No one would believe such a ridiculous thing. But it is true. Zhang Wenyuan and all the old servants of the Zhang family have seen it with their own eyes. That civet cat. This matter should have been reported to the government, but Zhang Wenyuan was worried that such things would be spread and affect the reputation of the Zhang family, so he strictly forbade people in the government to discuss this matter. As time passed, this matter was gradually forgotten. And then it was ruined.”

After pondering for a while, Li Canghai asked, "What about Wen Po, who delivered Fengniang back then? She also said that Fengniang gave birth to a civet cat?"

Conan frowned and said: "According to the clues I found, she did say that Feng Niang gave birth to a civet cat. However, the day after Feng Niang died, she also died."

Li Canghai suddenly felt a little surprised, and asked, "How did she die?"

"It is said that he was scared to death by such weird things after delivering a civet cat," Conan said.

Li Canghai narrowed his eyes immediately, this case became more and more interesting.

"One more thing, did Feng Niang do anything unusual before she died?"

Conan thought for a while, and said: "Yes, it is said that Fengniang had painted four paintings before her death, called 'Four Gentlemen'. They were painted with the theme of plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. These four paintings were painted by Lan Yue after Fengniang died. When people went to worship, they found it on the painting table. Because Fengniang and them are like sisters, they framed the painting and hung it in Fengniang's room as a souvenir."

Li Canghai's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had figured something out instantly, he said in a low voice: "So that's it! It seems that the four missing paintings in Fengniang's room are the paintings found at the scene of the three murders! But, between What's the connection?"

Seeing him rubbing the center of his brows, Conan seemed to be in pain, and hurriedly asked, "Brother Li, what did you think of?"

Li Canghai frowned and said, "To be honest, I did think of something. It's just that I haven't figured out the relationship between them."

"Brother Li, to be honest, are you really sure to solve these three murder cases?" Conan asked.

Li Canghai was stunned for a moment, he didn't expect Conan to ask this, he thought for a while, then shook his head and said, "No."

Conan nodded and said: "I have also solved many unsolved cases in Dongpu. To be honest, I have never encountered such a complicated and weird case. I have started investigating the case since the beginning, but so far, I still have no clue. Now One day has passed, if we fail to find the murderer at sunset tomorrow, Zhang Wenyuan will definitely kill Ueda Takashi, so what about Brother Li?"

"Do your best to stop it." Li Canghai said without hesitation.

Conan was slightly taken aback, and said puzzledly: "Brother Li, Ueda Takashi is definitely not a good person, he must have done a lot of bad things, Zhang Wenyuan wanted to kill him, why did you save him?"

Li Canghai smiled, and said seriously: "Brother Conan misunderstood, I didn't do this to save him. Ueda Takashi committed a crime, and it should be judged by the laws of the Tang Dynasty, not an individual. Otherwise, what's the use of the Yamen? This law What's the use? I, Li Canghai, have been a human being for two lifetimes. There are only two things I insist on, one is the righteousness in my heart, and the other is the love in my heart. These two things, no matter what, I will never give up lightly."

(End of this chapter)