The Hairpin of the Red Chamber

Chapter 164

When Baoyu got Baochai's words, Zhanyan put down his childish feelings first, and excitedly went to find someone to investigate the case.When Jia Lian was questioned by Daiyu, he was really ashamed in his heart, and he wanted to do something to let the two women, Baochai and Daiyu, have a look, so he helped Baoyu investigate the case and was busy with business at the same time—these two were too busy When her feet were not on the ground, Daiyu went to the grave by herself, and when she came back she sighed and sighed for a day, then took over the county government's internal affairs and took care of them carefully.Baochai reads at home every day and doesn't care about everything.

After half a month, Baoyu finally came to the backyard to ask for advice.Chai and Dai saw that he was only wearing homely clothes, but his behavior was already somewhat official. They were pleasantly surprised, and Baoyu said again: "Brother Lian and I have screened for a long time, and we still think that Zhu Da is suspicious, but except him In addition, Liu Jia, who is one mile away from his home, and Wu Dayou, the boatman Wang Si and Zhang Sixi's cousin on Xiaohedu over there, are also suspected. It's just that they all refuse to admit it, and I don't want to punish them all. , so I’m here to ask Sister Bao and Sister Lin, in your opinion, who is the real culprit.”

Baochai asked, "Why do you doubt these people?"

Baoyu said: "There are three families in that forest. This Zhu Da lives in the innermost one, and there is a family named Yu on the outermost side of the road. Passers-by usually stay with him. He collects rewards from passers-by, and his family is richer than the other two families, and now he has gradually stopped hunting. How can a family like him rely on the road to kill people and ruin the reputation of this area?"

Baochai said, "100 taels is not a small sum."

Baoyu also laughed and said: "Sister Bao didn't understand this time--the second brother Lian and the servants only reported that it was a wild forest and a wild road, but I went to see it myself, only to find that the forest is a shortcut to the outside of the county. Those merchants who come and go often like to go to that road because they are greedy for the shortest road. There are always one or two groups of people who want to spend the night there in three to five days, and the surname Yu has some skills. Come on, let’s sell some game and local products with them, and once in a while, I can make a lot of money, if I were him, I would rather have this long-term business than the one-time capital.”

Daiyu raised her eyebrows and said, "Since you said that he didn't kill people because he was afraid of ruining his reputation, why are there still people walking around now that Zhang Sixi's matter has come out?"

Baoyu was startled, and said, "Zhang Sixi is just lost. If the body is found, it will be different."

Daiyu sneered and said, "He is a local hunter. Isn't it easy to kill people and hide corpses? With such a long-term business, there is no shortage of unexpected windfalls. Isn't it the best of both worlds?"

Baoyu was speechless for a while, Baochai smiled and said, "You finish your speech first."

Baoyu said in a low voice: "Then Liu Jia lives next to a person surnamed Yu. I think he is suspicious because he has suddenly become rich recently. He was an old bachelor, but he suddenly rebuilt the house and spent money to ask for a house." The head of the house is not bad daughter-in-law."

Baochai said, "Oh? Did you send someone to ask him where the money came from?"

Baoyu said: "He said that a relative got rich recently, and he went to the relative's door to win the autumn wind. However, when he asked where and which family it was, he hesitated and said that he was out of town, and he couldn't ask if there were too many people. out."

Baochai nodded and said, "What else?"

Baoyu said: "Zhang Sixi and his cousin have to cross the river to get there. There is a family of boats, and the boatman is Wang Si. He also has a son, Wang Liujin. Together, father and son can kill people and seize wealth."

Baochai said, "Then did you send someone to search for the corpse?"

Baoyu nodded and said, "I did a search, but I haven't found it yet. I've posted a notice offering a reward. In addition, we are adjacent to Wu County and Changzhou, so I also sent an official letter asking these two counties to assist in the search."

Baochai laughed and said, "What reply do they have?"

At this time, Baoyu showed a bit of childishness, scratching his head and said: "I said that I will definitely help Yunyun, but I showed it to the masters, and they said it was all official words, and they didn't take it as a big deal. I asked them for advice. , They said that they should interrogate these people, but they don’t know how to interrogate them.”

Baochai said: "You have been sending people to check this and that all these days, but have you ever paid attention to that old lady?"

Baoyu was stunned and said, "The case hasn't been solved, I... I'm not ashamed to call her here."

Baochai said: "She is Zhang Sixi's blood relative. You checked so many people, but you didn't check her, tsk tsk."

Baoyu was shocked and said, "You mean... she is Zhang Sixi's biological mother."

Daiyu shook her head and said, "Who told you to go and see this? Besides, what happened to your biological mother? Are there still few tyrannical parents in the world? Take a step back, and if they say it's his mother, do you really believe it?"

Baoyu was stunned.

Seeing his appearance, Daiyu smiled triumphantly, and said, "We know that you probably won't think of her, so we have already sent someone to investigate for you. Since you accepted the certificate, this old woman has been hiding at home every day. Except Other than Wang Cheng, no one else came to see her."

Baoyu sighed: "She is also a poor person."

Baochai coughed, and said, "Don't you think it's strange? Her son's life and death are unknown, and she has nowhere to ask. Finally, a yamen accepted her case and was looking for her son with great fanfare, but she hid at home. Go out to inquire, and don't come to ask the yamen."

Baoyu was startled.

Baochai said again: "We still think it's strange that this old woman's family is in such a difficult situation. She collected 100 taels for her son, so she can't live on herself? But for more than ten days, she and others have not borrowed a single penny." Things, although not big fish and meat, at least vegetables and steamed buns are still available."

Baoyu murmured, "Perhaps her family is not bad."

Baochai sighed and said, "Brother Bao, what would you do if you became a father and had such a big son whose life and death are unknown and whereabouts are unknown?"

Baoyu said, "I'm probably in a hurry."

Baochai asked, "Aside from being anxious?"

Baoyu said, "I... can't eat?" At this point, he suddenly understood, and frowned, "You mean...

Baochai nodded, and said with a smile: "I dare not guarantee it, but this Sixth... may not have been murdered."

Baoyu tilted her head thinking about it, and said cautiously: "He was either murdered, or he left by himself. Since he left by himself, why did he ask his mother to come and complain?"

Baochai said, "Do you know how much 100 taels of silver is to outsiders?"

Baoyu said: "Isn't it the expenses of the middle-aged family for several years?"

Baochai laughed and said, "For them, it's about the same as the money for your garden." Seeing that Baoyu was still ignorant, she shook her head and said a number softly, which made Baoyu startled.

Daiyu said: "You want to be a rascal, whose family is in ruins. Isn't it reasonable to borrow a large sum of money and run away shamelessly? He took the money himself. As long as he has some conscience, he will always give it to the old mother." I left some money, so the old woman is still able to live."

Baoyu said: "Then...then why did he make an appointment with his cousin again? Yes, he borrowed such a large sum of money, at least he had to put on a face...then why did his mother come to sue again? Could it be...Wang Cheng ?Wang Cheng knew that he was going to leave, so he purposely urged his mother to sue, so as to give me a blow?"

Baochai said, "Why did his family fall? Why did he run away again? Don't you remember?"

Baoyu said: "It's because of Wang Cheng... I don't understand, Sister Bao."