Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 54 The Second Death

"elder brother!"

Outside the meditation room of Xixing Temple, Hai Rui was eagerly waiting. When he saw Hai Yue turning back, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and went to greet her.

Haiyue knew that she had been gone for a long time, which would inevitably cause concern for her family. She returned to the house, sat down to drink a cup of tea, and looked around: "Is Jingfu not here?"

"He just left."

Hai Rui asked with concern, "Any progress? Why did you take so long?"

"I went to the government office first and met a Jinyiwei official..."

Hai Yue gave a brief account of Lu Bing's situation, then talked about the source of intelligence introduced to him by Min Ziyong, and finally talked about the story of Yinwu Village told by Yan Xiu.

As Hai Rui listened, his expression grew alarmed. "What happens after the fog covers the village?"

Hai Yue said, "That wasn't the miasma that outsiders talk about. When the fog enveloped the place, the guards, their swords dripping with blood, rushed in and never came out again. The remaining people were frightened, so they escorted the prince away. But when they returned to the palace, the nightmare began!"

"All the guards who participated in the massacre soon began to have nightmares every night, and every time they dreamed of the village shrouded in fog."

"In one dream after another, they kept wandering in that sinful place, unable to escape. The string of pearls that the prince had ordered them to find also turned into a rope, dangling precariously in the room."

"The guard couldn't bear it anymore. He put his head in a rope in his dream and hanged himself in reality..."

"The prince was terrified and kept submitting petitions to change his fiefdom. Finally, he persuaded the Empress Dowager to move his fiefdom. However, not long after he moved in, he died."

"He died suddenly at such a young age!"

"From then on, the legend of 'Hidden Mist Village' began to spread among the people and has remained so for a long time. It is said that anyone who dreams of that misty village will suffer a terrible fate!"

After hearing this story, Hai Rui frowned and said nothing.

Haiyue looked at her brother and said slowly, "Fourteenth brother, do you believe this legend?"

Hai Rui pondered for a long time, feeling somewhat bewildered. "I don't know. It's just that this happened decades ago, and it involves secrets of the feudal lords. I'm afraid it's difficult to verify."

"Yeah! It's because it can't be proven that it's easy to fabricate!"

Haiyue snorted.

He was originally somewhat concerned that there really was some mysterious power between heaven and earth, but the more detailed the legend became, the more he felt it was a man-made fabrication.

In particular, he took advantage of the bad reputation of the vassal king.

The princes of the Ming Dynasty had extremely low moral standards. It was common for them to exploit the common people. They would beat and murder local officials they disliked, and even committed some inhumane and even anti-human acts that are disgusting to talk about.

Therefore, all social classes, as long as they did not depend on or profit from the princes, basically hated them. Even Jiajing, who was born a prince, began to rectify the princes in various places.

This legend basically reflects this kind of hatred. Anyway, it is not wrong to blame them for any bad things.

The key point is that there are princes in the secular world, there are weird things in superstition, and there are always things to be afraid of. It is no wonder that everyone is so secretive about it. Who dares to speak out?

The more you dare not speak, the more mysterious it feels, and the more difficult it becomes to verify the source.

Previously, it was Hai Rui who counseled Hai Yue, but now it was Hai Yue who comforted her brother: "Let's put aside the truth. Let's just go by the legend. Only those who commit the heinous crime of massacring a village will have that nightmare. You and I are upright men with a clear conscience. Why should we be afraid of 'Hidden Mist Village'?"

Hai Rui nodded, cleared his mind, and smiled: "Brother, what you said makes sense!" The two of them made up their minds and began to read and review their lessons.

But this time, after waiting for a long time, Lin Daqin didn't come back.

Fortunately, as it was getting dark, an errand boy brought a letter written by Lin Daqin himself, saying that he was away and would not be back tonight.

At 9:00 PM on the second day, Lin Daqin finally returned to the side room, looking obviously uneasy.

Haiyue asked, "Jingfu, what's wrong?"

Lin Daqin hesitated for a moment and whispered, "It's about Zheng Jingxuan. I went to Fang's house yesterday. I hope he will listen to my advice..."

This behavior was obviously that of a pushover. Even Confucius did not approve of repaying evil with kindness. Lin Daqin obviously knew that these two people did not like Zheng Yishu very much, so he spoke with some apology.

Haiyue really didn't like it, but he wouldn't ask others to do things according to his own preferences: "We know Jingfu has good intentions, but he still doesn't know how to appreciate kindness?"

Lin Daqin breathed a sigh of relief and smiled bitterly, "Jingxuan's attitude was very strange yesterday, with a bit of indescribable excitement. Seeing me coming, he even arranged a guest room for me to stay. I declined. I stayed outside for one night, feeling a little worried. When I went to Fang Mansion again this morning, I found it in a mess. I don't know what happened..."

Haiyue's expression changed: "What exactly do you mean?"

Lin Daqin said, "There are always many people waiting outside the Fang family mansion to recommend themselves, but when I arrived this morning, I saw that everyone waiting had been driven away. I asked around, and although the doorman is usually arrogant, he wouldn't be so rude. I went up to report it, but he refused to listen and just kept driving them away..."

"I'm afraid Zheng Yishu has been murdered!"

Hai Yue and Hai Rui looked at each other, and this thought came to their minds at the same time, and they also felt it was difficult.

In ancient times, it was quite normal for a person to die in a wealthy family. It would even happen quietly without anyone knowing about it.

Even if they knew, those nobles would not even let the coroner in, fearing that the bad luck of the deceased would affect the living. Since it concerns the reputation of the female family members, outsiders are not allowed to enter the inner house. How can they investigate?

If Zheng Yishu really died in the official residence of the Minister of Personnel, then it can only be...

"Oh!"

Just as he was thinking about it, the sound of running footsteps came, and then the door was knocked open. A man rushed in front of Lin Daqin and knocked him hard with a plop: "Jingfu, you must save me!"

Hai Yue and Hai Rui were both stunned.

Damn, are you a human or a ghost?

The person who came was Zheng Yishu, the person the two had just guessed had died tragically.

Lin Daqin's face lit up with joy, and he quickly helped her up: "What's going on? Get up! Get up quickly!"

Before he could ask, Zheng Yishu said anxiously, "Someone's died in the Fang Mansion! Minister Fang's favorite nephew, Fang Wei, is dead! Now they all think I was the one who murdered him!"

"what?"

Lin Daqin was stunned. Hai Yue glanced at her brother. Hai Rui said, "That's a bit incoherent. Please tell us slowly and clearly explain the whole story. If you've been wronged, we will help you."

Unlike Hai Yue who had directly confronted Zheng Yishu and put him in an awkward position, Hai Rui had never had a direct conflict with Zheng Yishu before, so his question at this time would be acceptable to the other party.

In reality, Zheng Yishu's face was filled with grief and fear, and he couldn't care less about anything else. "I've been wronged! How could I dare to harm Fang Wei? I've been obedient to him these days! I've done whatever he asked. I finally slept with him last night and became his confidant, but when I woke up this morning, he was dead! Dead!!"

(End of this chapter)