The Golden Hairpin

After discussing it at the gate of the West Market, the three decided to split up. Zhou Ziqin went to Puning Fang to tell Zhang Xingying the good news. Wang Yun and Huang Zixian went to Dali Temple first.

Huang Zixian said to Wang Yun, "I'll go to the side and take a look", then turned to Lu's Fragrant Candle Shop and took a look.

Old man Lu was still at the back of the shop, and he made another giant candle, which was exactly the same as the one that was blown up, except that the patterns and colors had not been painted yet.

Huang Zixia looked at him by the side, did not go in, did not speak, just looked at him calmly. He is already old, an old man in his sixties, hunched over his waist, narrowed his already muddy eyes, and concentrated on drawing the dragons and phoenixes and flowers on it.

In such a hot weather, he has an iron basin in his hand, which is divided into several grids, which are respectively filled with various colors of wax. Fearing that the wax would solidify, he kept close to the stove next to him from time to time and bake the wax liquid on the fire.

The heat steamed up, he was sweating profusely, and the brown short coat he was wearing was all soaked, but he still carefully painted with candles, meticulous and almost pious.

Wang Yun looked at him, then at Huang Zixia, and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

Huang Zixia let out a long breath and whispered: "It's nothing. I'm thinking, if Di Cui is released from prison today, do you want to tell her father."

"The gathering of father and daughter is justified, isn't it?" Wang Yun said.

Huang Zixian entered the store with him and said to Lu Zhiyuan, "Lao Zhang Lu."

Lu Zhiyuan squinted his eyes and looked at her. He didn't know if she recognized her. He only said vaguely, "Oh, it's you."

"Let me tell you the good news, your daughter Lu Dicui is coming out of Dali Temple today. Do you want to go and see her?"

Lu Zhiyuan stopped for a while and went to paint his candle again: "Come out? Just come out, I almost thought she was going to hurt me."

Huang Zixia knew that the old man had a temper, and stopped talking. He just stood in front of the giant wax wax behind the store and looked at it and said, "It's almost finished."

Lu Zhiyuan ignored her at all, he dismissed the eunuch.

Wang Yun looked at another pair of flower candles in the store and called Huang Zixia and said, "Chonggu, come and take a look."

The pair of anthuriums is about one foot high and has a peculiar shape. One is like a dragon, and the other is like a phoenix. The color of each scale and feather is different. There are dark red, light red, light red, red rose, carmine, etc. , The various colors that the old man tuned out are simply amazing. The shape of the candles he carved is even more exquisite. This pair of dragons and phoenixes is lifelike, with a flowing spirit. Each dragon and phoenix have a candle wick on their heads. The candles are also decorated with countless copper flower leaves and bells. The shop is so colorful and radiant, it makes people wonder how dazzling the pair of anthuriums should be when they are lit.

Seeing that the anthurium is so exquisite, Wang Yun turned around and asked, "Boss, do you sell this candle?"

"Not for sale." He rebuffed.

Wang Yun had a very good temper, and she could only smile when she touched her gray nose, and said, "Well, when you put this thing in the store, it's the best sign."

They walked outside, the breeze blew, the bells on the candles shook lightly, and the copper pieces of flowers and leaves were ringing each other, and the sound was crisp, like music in the ears.

Huang Zixia looked back at the pair of anthuriums unconsciously.

Wang Yun stood beside her and suddenly said in a low voice, "If you like it, we can also let him make a pair of these flowers when we get married in the future."

Huang Zixia heard the words, only to feel a sudden rush of enthusiasm mixed with embarrassment and consternation in her heart, making her face flushed suddenly, but the flushing was mixed with a sharp, cold needle-like sting, which pierced her limbs. , So that her body can't even move.

Wang Yun looked at her stiff body and smiled. The smile was reluctant and tolerant, and his voice was gentle as always: "Of course it's a joke. Then we have to wait for the truth of your family's case to be revealed. is not it?"

She didn't know whether she should nod or shook her head.

The person in front of him knew that her reputation had been so corrupted, and there was always a Yu Xuan in the rumors about her—but he deliberately ignored it.

After a long time, she responded in a dry guttural voice: "Yes, when the truth of my family's injustice becomes clear..."

As if reminded by her own words, she seemed to wake up suddenly at this moment.

Huang Zixia, from the moment your parents passed away, you have already sworn an oath, everything in this world can never affect you again. Will you abandon all your tenderness, cut off all ties and concerns, and live only for the blood feud of your parents?

Neither Yu Xuan nor Wang Yun is something she needs to consider right now.

So she raised her head and smiled at Wang Yun, her voice slightly hoarse, but her tone was very calm: "Wang Duwei is kidding, I am a royal eunuch, who can we marry in this life?"

Wang Yun was taken aback for a moment, and then laughed at himself and said, "Yes...I shouldn't make such a joke."

They left the incense candle shop and looked at the Qian's carriage and horse shop not far away. As soon as the shopkeeper of the cart and horse shop saw Wang Yun, he hurriedly greeted him: "Oh, Wang Duwei! If you come here today, I really missed you!"

The Qian’s Chess and Horses shop had done a few big deals with the Beijing Defense Department, and they were naturally familiar. Several people welcomed them into the shop, making tea and making fruit for a while.

Wang Yun stopped them and said, "It's just passing by to take a look, don't be busy."

"Oh, Duwei Wang, I'm really sorry, you see, our boss Qian has entered, we really don't know what to do in the store..." The shopkeeper was talking, and Mrs. Qian and the three children also rushed over. , Weeping with tears, knelt down on the ground and begged Wang Yun for help.

Wang Yun has always been gentle and gentle. He didn't smile bitterly when he saw them being so noisy. He said, "I can't say anything about this. If you want to avenge your grievances, go to Dali Temple."

"This... this official messenger came to see the master last time, and it is said to be from Dali Temple!" Upon hearing this, the servant hurriedly pointed to Huang Zixia and said to Madam Qian and the shopkeeper.

So the family pleaded with Huang Zixia again, and Mrs. Qian cried the most fiercely: "Our master is really good, and we are the most cautious and afraid of things in daily life. How can we kill people..."

Huang Zixia hurriedly helped Mrs. Qian and said, "Actually, I also have questions when I came here. Do you know who is in charge of repairing the house for Sun Yuzi that day?"

The shopkeeper hurriedly said: "The accounts for the repair of the house are on the facade of a nearby house. I will look for it immediately to see who passed by that day."

"If it's convenient, I will go to Sun Lezi's house in Daningfang immediately after I find him. I have a few small things, and I will wait for him when I finish it." Huang Zixia said, thinking about it and then adding, "Put the sewer Zhang Liu'er. Call it too."

"Yes, it must be over as soon as possible!"

After two tossings, when Huang Zixia and Wang Yun arrived at Dali Temple, Zhou Ziqin and Zhang Xingying were already waiting for her. Zhang Xingying was holding a child in his arms, and two strange men and women stood behind him.

"It's my elder brother and sister-in-law, who happened to be at my house with the child. I heard that he took Adi home, so they all came together." Zhang Xingying said.

Zhang Xingying’s elder brother is Zhang Xingwei, who is as tall as his younger brother. He and his wife only smile cautiously: “Adi is our family. It’s a happy event to pick her up today, and of course he will come.”

Zhou Ziqin also said: "Yes, if it wasn't for Mr. Zhang who just recovered and was discouraged by us, otherwise he will come over too."

Huang Zixia felt relieved to see that the Zhang family treated Di Cui so sincerely, and smiled and nodded: "Everyone, wait a minute, I'll go in and pick Adi out."

It's rare that Cui Chunzhan hasn't left today, and he seems to be in a good mood. When he saw her, he smiled and said, "Duke Yang, are you running for the prince again?"

Huang Zixian hurriedly saluted and took out the letter from the Prince Kui Mansion, and said: "The prince said that since there are already more important suspects in this case, there is absolutely no possibility for Lv Dicui to commit the crime when the princess Xie died, so I let me Come to discuss with Shaoqing whether to let Ms. Lu go home and wait for trial first, otherwise it seems inappropriate that there is always a girl in the clean room of Dali Temple."

"Oh, it's easy." Cui Chunzhan asked the governor next to him to take a list and asked Huang Zixia to fill it in, and then he personally took her to mention someone.

Huang Zixian walked through the remaining empty clean rooms all the way, and asked, "I don't know where Qian Guansuo is now?"

"He? He has been transferred to the prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice." Cui Chunzhan said casually, "The evidence is available, and he confessed this morning."

Huang Zixia was stunned, and asked urgently, "Did you confess?"

"Yeah, hired." Cui Chunzhan saw her staring straight at him, her clear eyes seemed to be able to see everything in a moment. He avoided her eyes unconsciously and said in a low voice, "Daddy Yang, this case... has been closed. The case was solved so quickly, and the evidence is solid, the emperor and Concubine Guo Shu are convinced, and Dali Temple has made great contributions. , The Ministry of Justice can also explain, don’t you say that this is not the best ending?"

Huang Zixian stood under the gloomy eaves of the clean room, and was silent for a long time before asking, "Qian Guansuo...how did it happen?"

"How did you do it? Father-in-law, don't you know?" Cui Chunzhan looked at the bare blue brick floor under the eaves and sighed helplessly. Tools. It is said that he has tortured more than 120 people, and none of them refuses to recruit. Qian Guansuo...can't escape."

Huang Zixian frowned and asked, "Does he recognize the death of the princess?"

"Acknowledged. Yesterday afternoon, I recognized Sun Laizi, and Wei Ximin in the evening. By early this morning, Huaba confessed that he had killed the princess."

Huang Zixian only felt that her chest was slightly cold, and she could only say stupidly, "Sure enough, it's a good method."

"The case has been quickly copied and submitted to the emperor. It is estimated that the emperor's will will be passed back to the palace at this time." Cui Chunzhan said.

It turns out that he didn't go home after lunch today, just to wait for this.

Huang Zixian was silent, with the sound of iron chains behind him, and Di Cui had been taken out. She stayed in the clean room for a few days, quite haggard, and when she raised her eyes to see Huang Zixia, she reluctantly nodded at her.

"Lv Dicui, today is guaranteed by Prince Kui's mansion, and you are released on bail to Puning Fang. Until this case is over, you must not leave Puning Fang. For example, Dali Temple and the Ministry of Criminal Justice need to follow the pass, understand?"

"Yes, I understand..."

Huang Zixia helped her take the blanket sent by Zhang Xingying and took her out of Dali Temple.

She walked out of the Dali Temple and saw Zhang Xingying who was standing outside waiting for her at a glance. Only when her trance-stricken face finally showed sorrow and joy, her tears slid down: "Second Brother Zhang!"

Zhang Xingying put the child down, ran up the steps, wrapped Di Cui's hands tightly in his palms, held them in his heart, looked at her for a long time, and then choked up: "Adi, we... go home."

The people standing by looked at them with knowing smiles. Even the child who was held by Zhang Xingying's sister-in-law raised his hand and shouted at Di Cui: "Auntie...auntie..."

After shouting twice, he suddenly turned his face away, desperately leaning over to the side of the road in front of the Yamen and shouting: "Brother, brother!"

Seeing that the child was almost struggling out of his mother's arms, Brother Zhang hurried over to help hug him, turning his head and looking towards the street.

Passing by on the other side of the street was a long jade man. He walked under the elm tree on the side of the street, and when he heard the child calling him, he turned his head and looked towards this side.

The plain streets seemed to light up faintly when he turned his head.

Huang Zixia's gaze stopped on his face, and her breathing also stagnated. The summer sun and the hot wind in the afternoon made her feel suffocating pain.

In such a hot summer day, the man was completely clear and unaffected by the mundane breath. His slightly slender figure was as straight as a stick of Hsinchu that had been cleaned of dust, with a faint luster and extremely clearness.