Zhong Niangzi Wanfu

Chapter 13: Leaving a Rod to Lure Fish
一
"This inkstone is a treasure given to you by the current Holy Emperor. How dare you steal it, Wen Yi? Aren't your Wen family afraid of having their homes raided?" Lu Mengzhi pointed at Wen Yi's nose and cursed, "After all, he is the son of a merchant, and he can't change his bones. treacherous."

Wen Yi had woken up and sneered: "What a joke, why should I steal Mr.'s inkstone? What's more, I was drunk last night and had gone back to my room to sleep. How could I have a chance to steal Mr. Shen's inkstone? The eldest son of the Shen family can do it himself. I bear witness."

Hearing this, Shen Feng took a step forward and solemnly saluted Zhang Jue, who had been silent all this time: "Disciple can bear witness."

"It's just because you're drunk that you have the courage to steal, isn't it?" Lu Mengzhi asked back, "A few days ago you said that today's inkstone merchants are shoddy, but the inkstones before Mr.'s case are the only ones that are of the highest quality. .”

Wen Yi thought about it carefully and found out that he had indeed said this before, but it was just a joke he casually told Shen Feng, and somehow someone with a serious heart heard it.

Seeing that Wen Yi didn't speak, Lu Mengzhi was even more proud. He took a step forward and stared into Wen Yi's eyes: "You just said that you were drunk last night. Then can I just assume that you usually have a thief heart but not a thief courage?" , was drunk last night just to make you cowardly?"

"Nonsense!" Zhang Tong snapped.

"Shut up." Zhang Jue, who had been silent, opened his mouth and glanced at the anxious Zhang Zhuo.

"uncle,"

"Call sir." Zhang Jue glared at Zhang Zhu.

Zhang Zhuo quickly changed his words: "Sir, as a person like Wen Er, I would never commit theft!"

"You have little knowledge and have only known Wen Sheng for a few months. How can you guarantee his character?" Zhang Jue's voice did not contain any warmth.

"Since you told your father that you are worried about returning early during the academic year, you can study quietly for me in the county school. There is a rule in the school not to drink alcohol. Go to the library and copy the "On Scholarship" fifty times for me. You are not allowed to leave the library until you finish."

"gentlemen!"

"Go back." Zhang Jue was really angry.

Zhang Chen had no choice but to hold back his anger and left the front hall. Before leaving, he glanced at Shen Feng and Wen Yi worriedly.

Zhang Jue calmed down and looked at Wen Yi: "The college is drunk, dishonest, and stealing. Wen Sheng, pack your things and go home."

"Sir!" Wen Yi was a little unbelievable, "Sir, don't you even give students a chance to defend themselves?"

"The witnesses and physical evidence are all there, how do you argue?" Zhang Jue glanced at the inkstone placed on the table and looked at Wen Yi calmly.

Wen Yi was stunned, his eyes flashed, he felt aggrieved and speechless.

Seeing this, Shen Feng stepped forward and said, "Sir, can you let the students have a try?"

Zhang Jue glanced at Shen Feng and said calmly: "Don't worry, this matter has nothing to do with you. Go back first."

"The student and Wen Er have grown up together, so they naturally believe in his character. Mr. Kuang hastily closed the case based on one person's words. If word spread, it will damage the reputation of Mr. Kuang and the county school." Shen Feng glanced at Lu Mengzhi and looked down. First way.

"You and Wen Yi..." Lu Mengzhi was interrupted by Zhang Jue's eyes, and fell silent.

Zhang Jue looked at Shen Feng's peaceful but determined look and said after a while: "I'll give you a chance. You and Wen Yi have to find the thief within three days, otherwise you two won't have to go to the county." Learn to wait."

"Yes."

two

After Zhong Yan got the news, he hurried to Wen Yi's yard with He Ming.

Yun Lang hurriedly told her about Wen Yi's situation and the three-day investigation deadline in the courtyard, and welcomed Zhong Lan into the house.

As soon as he entered the room, Zhong Lan saw Wen Yi, whose eyes were red with anger, in front of the desk. He also saw Shen Feng on Wen Yi's side shaking his head at him, and understood that Wen Yi felt aggrieved.

Zhong Lan stepped forward and patted Wen Yi on the back, pretending to be relaxed, and said jokingly: "Didn't Second Young Master Wen say before that we bleed, sweat, but not shed tears? If your eldest sister saw this, wouldn't it be a shame? Have a good laugh?"

Wen Yi quickly took a deep breath: "No, where is it? I, Mr. Wen, just squinted my eyes. Big sister wants to laugh at me, let's wait a hundred years."

"Both young masters, Miss Zhong, this is the end of the matter, the most urgent thing is to find a way to find the thief within three days." He Ming reminded, "My young master is still copying books in the library, so I will go to wait on him first." .”

"Tell Brother Zhang, don't worry about such a small matter." Wen Yi instructed softly.

"Yes."

After Heming left, Zhong Lan smiled and said, "It won't take three days. I just need to go and tell your husband that I and the Wen family's servant were always here last night to testify for you."

"The confession of the Wen family's servant girl is not credible. They will naturally turn to the master's family." Shen Feng said in a deep voice.

"What about me? I'm not from the Wen family."

"You're a girl waiting to be married. Are you going to lose your reputation by testifying that you drank with us last night?" Wen Yi retorted before Shen Feng could speak.

Zhong Lan was in trouble and looked at the Hui inkstone on Wen Yi's desk thoughtfully: "This inkstone of yours is a good Hui inkstone. What kind of inkstone is that square inkstone sir? Is it better than Hui inkstone?"

"That is the Changling inkstone that was paid tribute by the Dongchang Kingdom. The production process is complicated, and it has a unique aroma that lasts for a long time..." Wen Yi gradually stopped talking and smelled himself.

"Even if there is no smell, they can still say that you took a shower and changed clothes after you came back." Shen Feng added, "If it is found within three days, it is better to report it to the official. It is still the Chinese New Year, and there are not many students in the county school. Chance."

"That Lu San, couldn't he be Lu Mengzhi, the third son of the Lu County Magistrate's family in Wuding?" Zhong Lan asked coldly.

Wen Yi snorted coldly: "Yes, he is eager to have his father's name as 'Wuding Lu County Magistrate' on his lips. He says it eight hundred times a day. It must be right."

Zhong Lan laughed out loud: "That'll be easy to handle! Wen Yi, your sister Lan, I'll make sure you're fine."

After that, Wen Yi and Shen Feng got together and whispered for a long time.

three

In the afternoon, Wen Yi and Shen Yan asked to see Zhang Jue, saying that they had found a way to find the real thief, and begged Zhang Jue to gather all the students who were in the county school on the night of the crime, including Lu Mengzhi, together.

Zhang Jue ordered everyone to stop talking: "Wen Sheng, Shen Sheng, you two are ready to start."

Shen Feng took a step forward: "Sir, please allow the students to borrow the inkstone for a look."

"can."

Shen Feng stepped forward and carefully picked up the inkstone, looked at it carefully, then put it to the tip of his nose and sniffed: "This must be the Changling inkstone of Dongchang Kingdom."

"good."

"If the students remember correctly, the Changling Inkstone is complicated to make and has a unique fragrance that lasts for a long time."

"Not bad." Zhang Jue glanced at Wen Yi, "But the fragrance is very light, and the smell of wine can be covered up even if you take a bath."

"The student knows." Shen Feng smiled slightly, "But the student visited Dongchang with his mother before and gained some knowledge. By chance, he got an ancient book "Picking Incense" from the previous dynasty of Dongchang. It happened to be the place where he tasted incense. "Students remember that the fragrance of Changling inkstone is light and easy to cover up, but if it encounters the fragrance of Xiliang Sua, no matter whether it is covered up or not, as long as it is contaminated, the fragrance will overflow."

"And the longer the contact time, the stronger the aroma."

"You said it exists?" Lu Mengzhi asked, "What if you made it up?"

"Of course there is a book to prove it." Shen Jie smiled calmly and saluted Zhang Jue, "Sir, this book is in a humble house now. If you ride a fast horse, you can get it back in one day."

"But there is no Su Axiang in the county school." Zhang Jue replied calmly.

"The Wen family has it!" Wen Yi said quickly, "Although Su Axiang is hard to find, the Wen family has just purchased a batch of Su Axiang to Hengzhou. The student can send someone to get it quickly to prove his innocence."

"You said that if you want that Lao Shi Zixiang, you have to listen to you? What if the Wen family does something!" Lu Mengzhi panicked.

Wen Yi caught this detail, and sneered: "What is Mr. Lu San so flustered about? Are you afraid that the two of us will find out the real thief and steal your limelight?"

"you!"

Zhang Jue looked at Shen Feng and Wen Yi singing together, a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes, and said slowly: "Shi Yan followed Wen Sheng's people to get the incense, and Shi Tai followed Shen Sheng's people to get the books."

"Yes."

"It takes a day for Yun Lang and Shi Yan to travel back and forth from Hengzhou. Please forgive me, sir." Wen Yi calmed down and bowed to Zhang Jue, "But until the truth is revealed, the students will ask for imprisonment."

Zhang Jue nodded.

At night, Wen Yi lay on the bed and snored.

A man in black flashed into his room, took out an inkstone and scratched Wen Yi's coat hanging aside.

"The fish is hooked, why don't you close the rod?" Wen Yi smiled and sat up.

Yun Lang and Shi Yan, who should be on the way to Su Axiang, rushed out of the room with others and pushed the unprepared man in black to the ground.

When Wen Yi brought the man in black to the main hall, Shen Feng was also in the hall. Jiang Liu and Shitai, who were supposed to be on the way to pick up the books, were also there, with two trembling students escorted beside them.

Shen Feng and Wen Yi looked at each other and smiled, then pulled off the mask of the man in black, it was Lu Mengzhi.

Lu Mengzhi panicked for a while: "First, sir."

Zhang Jue sat on the seat holding tea: "Is this the answer you two gave me?" Wen Yi smiled and saluted and replied: "Sir, that's right. The students didn't know that classmate Lu was dressed in this way and ran to the student room in the middle of the night. If you ask me what Zhongyi wants to do, the truth will surely come out.”

Lu Mengzhi gritted his teeth and did not answer.

"Oh, I know this. Do you think I definitely don't have the smell of Changling Inkstone on you, and are you eager to frame me before Su Axiang is delivered tomorrow?" Wen Yi asked innocently.

"Then I will get it too! What am I trying to do?" Lu Mengzhi retorted.

Before Lu Mengzhi finished speaking, Shen Yan snatched what was in his hand, which was an unpolished black inkstone: "Does Lu Mengzhi want to test Wenyi tomorrow? Can you just cover it up yourself?"

Shen Feng said calmly, sniffed the inkstone, smiled and handed it to Zhang Jue with both hands: "Sir, please take a look."

Zhang Jue took the inkstone, inspected it and nodded: "It's the Changling inkstone."

"And the two people I brought back from the bathroom actually used up a whole pack of soap beans while taking a bath. I'm sorry for the offence, but women can't use so much when taking a bath. What are you doing? Are you trying to wash away the smell? , in case tomorrow?”

Shen Feng finished the analysis slowly, looked at the trembling two people and said with a smile: "You two can still ask for some tolerance from sir if you tell the truth."

The two of them looked back at Lu Mengzhi.Lu Mengzhi stared back.

Seeing this scene, Zhang Jue already knew the truth, and said to Wen Yi and Shen Feng: "I will return your innocence to you. But I still have one question. My late mother has extensive knowledge of spices, and I think I know all about it. About I have never heard of the incident between Changling Inkstone and Su Axiang. I wonder if Shen Sheng has the opportunity to borrow the book "Zhao Xiang Zhi" for a few days."

Wen Yi laughed out loud with a "Hey", then quickly silenced himself, looking very uncomfortable holding back his laughter.

However, Shen Feng became much calmer and saluted Zhang Jue: "The student is at fault. The student deceived the teacher. "Zhao Xiang Zhi" was just fabricated by the student. With the student's shallow knowledge, he has never heard of Changling Inkstone and Su Axiang. Things."

Zhang Jue was stunned for a moment, laughed a little, and shook his head: "You two can go back."

The two of them bowed politely and left.

four

"Sir! They, they dare to deceive you!" Lu Mengzhi glanced at Zhang Jue nervously.

"It's just a way of repaying the other person's kindness." Zhang Jue took a sip of tea, "Three of you, each write a thousand-word letter of repentance and send it to me tomorrow. Ask for intertextual dialogue, eight-legged essay Format. No one else is allowed to ghostwrite."

"If you don't meet my standards, pack your things and go home."

Seeing that Zhang Jue didn't want to get angry, the three people quickly agreed and left in a hurry.

"You have seen and heard everything." Zhang Jue put down the tea cup and said to the screen not far away.

Zhang Zhuo came out: "My nephew is very disappointed with his uncle."

"Are you very disappointed?" Zhang Jue chuckled and looked at the stubborn young man in front of him, "Nowadays, the Zhang family has very few descendants, and you are the only grandson. You have been raised with a lot of favors since you were a child. Even if you go out, most people will be because of your father. That's why I respectfully call you 'Master Zhang'. Naturally, you don't know jealousy, and you don't know the intrigue between ordinary people."

"So what? If my uncle is wrong, he is wrong. Do you dare to say that you didn't believe Lu Mengzhi's words this morning? If it hadn't been for Shen Da, Wen Erlang would have been wrongly accused by his uncle and gone home!"

Zhang Jue rubbed the carved handle of the pear wood chair: "I didn't want Wen Er to go back, I just wanted to use this incident to teach him a lesson. He acted too conspicuously in the county school, and without the support of a prominent family background, there was bound to be disaster. "

"My uncle only cares about his family background! Although Wen Er was born as a merchant, he was smart and good at learning, and his grades were good. He was many times better than the proud third son Lu. If because of his uncle, Lu San became an official and Wen Er was frustrated. Wouldn't it be a pity for Beizhao to lose the election?" Zhang Zhuo was so angry that his face turned red.

"Why does uncle have such a big prejudice against Wenji because of his family background?"

Zhang Jue looked at his nephew who was full of youthful spirit and was silent for a long time. After a long while, he sighed: "Don't put such a big label on me. I don't look down on Wen Er because he was a merchant. I know people and things well." From his writing, I have a clear conscience.”

"Wen Yi's articles are flashy but lacking in substance. He is elegant and extravagant on the surface, but there is little real content inside. It can be seen that this person has a smooth life in his youth and has not been tempered. If he has not polished his temperament, he will definitely suffer in the future."

Zhang Tong only took it as the second uncle's excuse, snorted unconvinced, and did not speak.

"It's not that I haven't taught you the principle of a full moon and a waning moon. Your identity is well-known in the county school, and you are close to Shen Dawen. Even if they are kind people, they are not immune to slander and jealousy." Zhang Jue got angry looking at the stubborn Zhang Zhu.

"If you keep talking and doing nothing, go back to your father. Do you hear me?"

Zhang Yan reluctantly responded: "My nephew knows." He turned around and ran out.

After entering the archway, Zhang Yu found Wen Yi, Shen Feng and Zhong Lan sitting in the courtyard drinking tea, and said happily: "I thought you should be here too."

After finishing speaking, Zhang Tong also sat around the stone table, and said with some guilt: "You have been wronged today. I am incompetent, and I did not help you."

"Brother Zhang, what are you talking about? I also want to thank Brother Zhang for defending me so hard." Wen Yi added tea to Zhang Tong and said with a smile, "It is also thanks to the help of Sister Yi's divine power, but fortunately the truth finally came out. I I have to give Sister Lai another drink."

Zhong Lan smiled and raised his glass in return: "It's not that I'm crazy, it's just that I know some tricks that are not on the stage, and my family is in Wuding. I happen to know that the son of Magistrate Lu is a weakling who bullies others. It's up to you to implement it. With Shen Feng."

"How can this be out of the question?" Wen Yi pretended to be annoyed, "This is a brilliant plan by Sister Yan, Sergeant Yan!"

Shen Feng also smiled at Zhong Lan: "This method is clever and makes good use of people's hearts. After this incident, the county school can also be in peace for a while."

Zhong Lan felt even more embarrassed after being praised.

But the more people said this, the more uncomfortable Zhang Zhuo felt.

Looking at the two of them, Zhang Tong suddenly had a flash of inspiration: "Since you call me brother Zhang, we also agree with each other, why don't we sworn brothers of the opposite sex?"

Shen Yan was taken aback after hearing this, and pursed his lips slightly.

But Wen Yi happily said after hearing this: "This is really a match, Brother Zhang!"

"There is no ancestral hall here, and the process of eight obeisances is cumbersome. We are not people who value formality. How about sneaking out tonight and worshiping Guan Gong in the Guan Gong Temple in the city?" Zhang Zhuo looked at Zhong Lan, "Miss Zhong is here, give it to me. The three of you will be witnesses.”

"Okay." Zhong Lan responded with a smile.

It was a boy's nature after all, so Wen Yi quickly agreed.Although Shen Feng was a little hesitant, seeing the joy of Wen Yi, Zhang Yu and Zhong Lan, he also smiled and agreed.

Unexpectedly, their conversation under the moon was overheard by the villain and he secretly told Zhang Jue.

Zhang Jue scolded the villain and drove him back.

"Brother Zhang, Brother Zhang!"

"Brother Zhang."

"Second brother Shen! Third brother Wen!"

After the three of them finished their work, they sent Zhong Lan back to Wen Mansion after a tiring day.

"As soon as this matter is over, I will return to Wuding tomorrow." Zhong Lan said to Shen Feng.

Wen Yi and Zhang Meng hid in the distance.

"Do you have anything to say to me?" Zhong Lan tightened the cloak around his shoulders.

After a long time, Shen Yan murmured: "I don't have anything right now, so I have nothing to promise you. I don't want to tell you nice things about how you treated me in high school."

"But I want to ask you to believe me." Shen Feng gently took out Zhong Lan's hand, "I begged my mother to go to the Zhong family to ask for this marriage."

Zhong Lan was stunned and met Shen Feng's clear eyes. He was speechless for a moment and calmed down his thoughts: "I understand. You can take the exam with peace of mind."

The three of them went to have a drink after sending them back to Zhong Yan, and they didn't dare to spend the night outside, so they returned to the county school after midnight.

The door was locked, so the three of them had no choice but to climb over the wall and enter the courtyard.

Zhang Jue was wearing a crane cloak and holding a lantern waiting for the three of them in the courtyard.

Shen Feng reacted first and saluted quickly: "Sir."

After hearing this, Wen Yi and Zhang Chen quickly turned around and saw Zhang Jue, who was half sober from the wine. They quickly stood up and saluted Zhang Jue.

After drinking, the three of them lowered their heads to hide their red faces, thinking that they would inevitably be scolded again.

"Where's that woman?" Zhang Jue asked coldly.

"It has been sent back to Wen Mansion safely." Wen Yi said hurriedly.

"We just went to Guan Gong Temple to swore sworn vows and let Miss Zhong be a witness. We sent Miss Zhong back to Wen's Mansion before going to have a drink. We definitely didn't offend anyone." Zhang Chen added, and suddenly felt that he had let it slip. Going out to drink is against the rules of the hospital, and the three of them will not be able to get rid of this punishment.

"I'll pretend that I didn't see what happened today." Zhang Jue secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the children were safe, but still said with a serious face.

"I'm about to learn how to try it. Don't be playful anymore."

The three of them were a little flattered and saluted to thank them.

After Zhang Jue left, the three of them entered the room and found three bowls of hot sobering soup on the desk.

(End of this chapter)