As mentioned above, the distance between the annex house and the main house at the back is about seven or eight zhang, and there is a vegetable garden in the middle, and some plants and trees are planted. There are two such annex houses, and although the doors, windows and structure have some tricks, the houses are generally relatively old.

The following is divided into two large rooms. The front half of the room is the kitchen, and behind the kitchen is a firewood room. The other room is also divided into two, half is a stairwell, and the other half is a small miscellaneous room with a pile of miscellaneous items, which is also the dog house where the hunting dog is kept. Nie Xiaoman stood in front of this back room and watched, and of course the rest of the people also stopped.

Nie Xiaoman looked into the dog house, pointed to the fragments of the jar on the window frame, and said, "Yes, it's very messy here, and there are still some dog paw prints left on this dust." There seems to be no doubt about the question of the dog. Quan Thirteen, do you know who locked Cang'er in? ”

Quan 13 hesitated for a moment, and slowly replied, "I don't know. But there were only four people in the house. If it wasn't the lady herself, it must be the owner herself. Because I didn't close it, and Mama Li went home after dinner. ”

"And does your master often lock up this dog?"

"Sometimes the owner yells annoyingly, and he has been locked up a few times, but in general there are very few times."

Nie Xiaoman turned around and said to the fat man Pu County Lieutenant: "From this point of view, your inference may have to be revised. Now that the dog has been locked up and deprived of his freedom, it will certainly not be able to exercise its role as a caretaker even if any stranger comes. ”

Xiao Man turned to Quan 13 again and asked, "I think the matter of the dog is definitely not accidental, what is abnormal in your master's speech and attitude these days?" ”

Quan 13 thought for a while before he said: "My master usually goes out to hunt by chance, and it is difficult to go out. In the past few days, he has been lying upstairs all day long to plan his business, and he will never go out. The afternoon before yesterday, Mr. Zhao visited him again. He came downstairs and talked about less than a cup of tea, and then went back upstairs. Now that I think about it, it seems a little unusual. ”

"Well, why?"

"Because Mr. Zhao is here on weekdays, my master always has to talk to him for a while, and he won't break up all at once."

The fat county lieutenant suddenly interjected: "Wait a minute! Zhao Leren also came the afternoon before yesterday, and left after a cup of tea? Yes and no? ”

"Yes, sir."

"The day before yesterday, Zhao Leren came here again, do you know?"

The old man suddenly shook his head and looked at Pu Jiaoren. Lieutenant Pu was a little disappointed.

Nie Xiaoman continued to ask, "Quan Thirteen, on what day did your master's abnormal state start?" If you think about it, can you still remember? ”

The old man's reflexes were evidently sluggish, and his memory was not very strong. He lowered his head and estimated for a while, then counted with his fingers before answering.

The old man said, "Today is the fifth day of the new year. The owner seems to have been in a state of uneasiness since the day of the first day of junior high school. ”

Xiao Man's eyes lit up and asked, "Why are you uneasy?" ”

"On the night of the first day of the new year, the master also instructed me to bolt the front and back doors carefully, as if I was worried that some thieves would come in. On the afternoon of the third day of the new year, there was a strong beggar pestering at the door. The master suddenly rushed down from the upper floor and started to drive out the begging Shandong man. The rough state of the master was rare to see in the past. ”

"Is there anything else?"

On the fourth day of junior high school, he took out his bird gun and oiled it and wiped it. However, he did not go out hunting during these days. ”

Nie Xiaoman's eyes flashed suddenly, showing a twelve-point concern. Xiao Man estimated a little in his heart, and then raised his head and continued to ask.

Xiaoman asked, "Yes, your master also has a bird's gun." Brother Pu, have you checked this bird gun just now? ”

Lieutenant Pu closed his lips tightly and shook his head slightly. It seems that this fat man Pu not only can't answer, but also doesn't want Nie Xiaoman to have such a question.

Nie Xiaoman asked Quan 13 again, "Where is your master's bird gun now?" ”

Quan 13 said: "The bird gun was originally placed in the corner of the canteen, and it must still be there." ”

Nie Xiaoman nodded and said, "Okay, I'll take a look at this bird gun later." Now I ask you: You said that your master has been in a different state since the beginning of the year. But do you know the reason for the uneasiness? For example, if there is any urgent news, letter, or a friend who has come to talk to you, or has you heard some news from nearby, etc.?

The old family lowered his cloudy eyes again, as if trying to search his brain for the facts. After a long while, he slowly raised his head and looked at Fat Pu and then at Jing Mo, and then slowly replied.

"There was very little correspondence from the host. I don't remember any messengers coming that day. But his cousin-in-law, who had lunch here that day. ”

"Oh, his cousin-in-law? Who is it? ”

"His surname is Wen, and his name is Zhixin."

"But you also live in this town?"

"Yes. He is the second shopkeeper of Yutai's pawnshop in this town. He rented this house for his master, and he introduced me here. Because I first worked in Yutai Pawnshop for three years. ”

"I see, this man I'd love to see him. Does he come here often? ”

"Yes, sir, he comes from time to time. But if you want to see him today, you may not be able to do it. ”

"Why?"

"After I was awakened by Madame's screams the night before, because Madame was the only one in the house and couldn't go away, I went to wake up Wu Asheng, who was growing vegetables in the east of us, and asked him to inform Mama Li and the shopkeeper Wen in the pawnshop. According to him, the shopkeeper went to Jinling the afternoon before yesterday. So he probably didn't know about this tragedy at the moment. ”

Nie Xiaoman frowned and stroked his chin again. Then, he turned his face to look at Pu Jiaoren and said, "I think it would be very beneficial for us to have a meeting with this shopkeeper in the case." I think it's always easier for you to do that? ”

Pu Jiaoren lowered his head, as if disappointed, and like bored, and did not agree. But Hu Defu, the head of the capital who had been silent for a long time, volunteered to answer again.

"Sir, this is easy. Since he is the shopkeeper of a pawnshop, of course it is not difficult to find. Even if he goes to Jinling today, he will always come back soon. ”

Nie Xiaoman smiled slightly, and nodded to Hu Defu again. Jing Mo felt that there was a bit of reward in his head and smile.

Xiao Man turned back to Li Quan Thirteen and asked, "There is one more sentence." Will your host go out in the car? ”

"This will be natural, I see that the master has hired a car to go out a few times."

"So, does your master have his own donkey cart or anything like that?"

"It didn't."

Nie Xiaoman thought for a while, and then said, "You said that your master never went out the day before yesterday, so you shouldn't have hired a donkey cart or anything like that, right?" ”

Quan 13 shook his head and said, "I haven't hired a master." ”

"So, the day before yesterday, what guest came to visit your host in a car?"

"Yes, sir."

"But what is there to send a quick letter or send something to your master, and the car that sent Hua has come here?"

"None of them."

Pu Jiaoren interjected again: "Your master's friend, that Zhao Leren, I also saw him go out in a car, right?" ”

The old family said, "Yes, sir, I have seen it too." But when he came here, he always walked, and his lodgings were not far from here. ”