"Benzoin," Ye Xiu picked up another piece of incense that had not been burned and threw it to Xu Hu, Xu Hu was smelling the incense in his hand, he had already smelled the fragrance of Lost Soul Grass in it, and the incense candle rarely contained Lost Soul Grass, this benzoin was actually mixed with Lost Soul Grass, which was strange.

"Isn't this benzoin, too? Xu Hu sniffed it and asked curiously.

"Sniff again. Ye Xiu said lightly, Xu Hu sniffed it carefully, it was still the fragrance of benzoin, and when he looked up and was about to speak, Ye Xiu had already turned around and called the middle-aged man standing in front of him.

"How is this Qi Clan's weekdays?"

"Back to my lord. The middle-aged man clasped his fists and replied: "Qi is very honest on weekdays, I have never heard of her quarreling with others, and she is kind to her subordinates, even if her subordinates are wrong, they have never been severely punished. ”

"Yes, Twelve Niang, she is very good to us, how could she kill the master, my lord, is there a mistake. A middle-aged servant woman on the side looked at Ye Xiu timidly, and muttered in a low voice, her voice getting smaller and smaller, and finally it was almost ant talking.

"Does she go out often?" Ye Xiu asked again.

Almost everyone shook their heads, and Ye Xiu asked again: "Who in the mansion is good friends with her?"

Several girls looked at a young woman in the middle, this woman was wearing a girl's costume, her eyebrows and eyes were green, and she looked like she was fifteen or sixteen years old.

"Lord Hui, I am the girl who serves Madame. The woman replied in a low voice, looking very frightened.

Ye Xiu looked at her, and the woman whispered: "Aunt Twelve treats people very well, and her temperament is gentle, and when she is fine, she also teaches us dancing and needlework." ”

"Is she out then?"

"I don't go out very often, I go out once a month. ”

"Where are you going?"

"That's all, sometimes I go to Guanli, sometimes I go to Lao Liu's rouge gouache shop, sometimes I go to Wu's silk village, sometimes I go to the tea shop to drink tea, there is no fixed place. ”

Ye Xiuxiu's eyebrows twisted slightly to reveal a contemplative look, could it be that she had misjudged? The hidden pile next to Gu Shuo was not this woman? Could it be someone else?

Xu Hu came over and asked, "Does your master usually give her a lot of silver?"

"The monthly routine of the twelve aunts is the same as that of other aunts, except that the lord is occasionally happy and gives some rewards, but not much. ”

"Oh," Xu Hu nodded calmly, "She usually has a good relationship with that aunt?"

"It's all good, if you want to say better, it's better with the ninth aunt, the eighth aunt, and the tenth aunt. ”

"What do they say together?" Ye Xiu asked.

"It's just chatting, or embroidering, kicking shuttlecock in the spring, around the fireplace in the winter, and nothing else. ”

"Does she have any relatives?" Xu Hu asked quietly, and from this sentence, he quietly took over the right to ask.

Ye Xiu didn't fight, she looked up and looked around, and stretched out her hand to call the middle-aged man over.

"When does this backyard open on weekdays and when does it close?"

"Back to my lord, this backyard opens at the hour and closes at the end of the day. The middle-aged man replied.

"What's your name?" Ye Xiu looked him up and down, this person had seen him before, and he should be Gu Shuo's henchman.

"Grass people Gu Jian. Gu Jian bowed in response, and Ye Xiu still looked around: "Since the door is closed, how can this Qi clan get out? ”

"Yes, the corner door was opened temporarily when there was something to do, but it was usually guarded by a mother-in-law, and it was locked at night. Gu Jian said.

"Who was on duty last night? ”

Gu Jian turned around and asked, a woman in her forties hurriedly came over, knelt down in a panic, Ye Xiu asked her to stand up, and then asked, "What time did you lock the door last night?"

"The corner door of this backyard is locked on weekdays, last night, it was locked at the end of the day, and no one asked the slave family to open the door in the middle, but, just," the woman looked up at Ye Xiu, Ye Xiu said lightly: "If you have anything to say, don't hide it, don't talk nonsense, just tell the truth." ”

"Yes, yes," the woman hurriedly agreed: "This corner door key, in addition to me, there are several, well, sometimes, the lock is locked at night, and when I get up in the morning, I see that the door is open, I have reported it to the master, but the master has not made a noise, and when I see this door open, just close it." ”

Ye Xiu's brows furrowed, Xu Hu also heard the woman's words, and couldn't help but be a little stunned, Ye Xiu asked the woman to take them to the corner gate, Ye Xiu looked around, and then pushed the corner door open.

Out of the corner gate, it was a side courtyard, Xu Hu said on the side: "Where is this?"

"This is the East Side Courtyard," Gu Jianying said: "This courtyard is usually empty, only two people who clean it, and at night, there is no one here at all." ”

Xu Hu looked at the yard, although the yard was very clean, it was obviously a little dilapidated, the flower beds were bare, the two magnolias stood lonely in the corner, and the doors and windows were a little damaged and not repaired. Going out of this courtyard, turn a corner and you will find a side door.

"Is this road manned on weekdays?" Ye Xiu asked again, Gu Jian shook his head: "No, this side door is not open on weekdays, even if the girl wants to go out, she will go through the back door, outside this door is an alley, very secluded, smelly, adult, you smell it, this smell." ”

Ye Xiu and Xu Hu had already smelled it, there was a faint sour smell in the air, Xu Hu frowned and asked, "It's the Su family's stinky tofu outside, yes, it's the Su family's stinky tofu." ”

Xu Hu laughed dryly, this Sujia stinky tofu is a famous specialty in Yangzhou, more famous than the stinky tofu in Jiankang in Wu County, this stinky tofu smells stinky, tastes fragrant, people like to eat, but they can't smell the smell when they make it.

Ye Xiu has long known about this side door, and he also knows that the outside is the stinky tofu of the Su family, and this alley is between the Su and Gu families, which is very secluded, and it is a good escape path.

Just as he was about to open the side door, suddenly a high-pitched cry came from the courtyard, Xu Hu Yexiu was surprised, and Gu Jian smiled bitterly: "It may be that the eldest prince is back." ”

The eldest son, Gu Chen, was not at home last night, it is said that he was cultivating with a few scholars, and this morning, the house sent people to look around, and the affairs in the house have always been handled by the second son, Gu Heng.

Backyard.

Gu Heng's eyes were red and he looked at the eldest brother Gu Chen kneeling in front of his mother and the old patriarch, the old patriarch looked serious, but his white beard was already cocked, his eyes were staring at Gu Chen sternly, and several uncles were also expressionless.

"There is such a big thing at home, you are still ridiculous outside, hum, Xuan Xiu, Gu Xi, you say, where did you find him?"

Gu Xi is a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy, a slave of the Gu family, and his parents are also slaves of the Gu family, loyal to the Gu family, Gu Xi bowed down and replied: "Patriarch Hui, the younger one is Kun Ciguan in the west of the city. ”

"Hmph," the old patriarch eased slightly, Gu Heng stepped forward and bowed to the old patriarch: "Patriarch, uncles, the autumn product is approaching, the eldest brother has no choice, besides, this is also the meaning of my father before his death, if the eldest brother can get a good tasting, he will become an official in the future, and he can also magnify the lintel of my Gu family." ”

"Well, get up. The old patriarch nodded, Gu Heng helped the eldest brother up, Gu Chen looked at his mother with tears in his eyes, his mother's expression was calm, and he could still see the sadness.

"This kind of thing happened to the old family, so that my Gu family's face was damaged, Chen'er can't participate in the autumn product this year, three years of filial piety, these three years, your brothers have to study hard, alas, when will my Gu family be able to enter the temple. The seventy-year-old patriarch sighed tremblingly.

"The old patriarch can rest assured, the second eldest of the third brother's family is going to participate in the tasting this year, and I heard that his poems have been praised by Mr. Changqing. Gu Chen, the second uncle on the side, comforted, and then said: "The most important thing now is to catch that little **** and ask her why she killed her eldest brother." ”

Speaking of which, the second uncle's eyes are red, over the years, the eldest brother Gu Shuo has made a lot of efforts for the Gu family, he is the pillar of the Gu family, the Gu family is not a big family like the Lu family or the Yu family, the power is strong, the Gu family is a small family in Yangzhou, the foundation is thin, the power is weak, Gu Shuo's financial resources are an important pillar of the family.

"The county guard has sent Xu Zhutou to the mansion to investigate, the old patriarch, mother, and please **ten, the three aunts come over, Xu Zhutou has something to ask. Gu Heng bowed down and said.

Gu Shuo's wife, Qin, nodded in agreement with a little contemplation, and three white-clothed women got up in the group of white-clothed women in front of the hall, and the three women saluted the hall before going out with the two girls.

After a few uncles vented for a while, Gu Wei, the head of the Gu Mansion, came in to report that the mourning hall was ready, the old patriarch did not get up, Gu Heng and Gu Chen said goodbye, Gu Chen went back to change into filial piety clothes and hats, Gu Heng went to the front yard, and the group of women outside also got up and followed him to the front yard.

The front yard has become a white world, including the trees are decorated with small white flowers, the door is covered with white curtains, all the red places are covered with white cloth, and the girls in the house are all dressed in white filial piety clothes and hats.

Gu Wei, the general manager, is still very effective, such a big project has been prepared in such a short time, Gu Heng checked it and was very satisfied, except for the Qin family, the twelve aunts were all guarding the spirit in the mourning hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this wake is very tired, there is a room for rest at the back, if you are tired, go to the back to rest and rest. Gu Heng said to the women, and the women cried in low voices.

The fate of the concubines is not in their own hands, especially after their men die, their fate is in the hands of the legitimate lady and the heir, those concubines who have a bad relationship with the eldest woman are sold into brothels, and some are simply sold directly to the farmers in the countryside, and the most excessive is to be sold in the market;

After Gu Heng finished speaking, he put three pillars of incense on his father, kowtowed nine times, and then got up and came out.

After seeing the Gu Heng brothers go out, the old patriarch asked: "Eldest daughter-in-law, the boss is gone, don't just cry, who will hand over this Gu family's property, have you thought about it?"

Gu Shuo has several sons, but only Gu Heng Gu Chen, there are two sons and five daughters, the law of the Great Jin Dynasty stipulates that the son-in-law inherits, if there is no son-in-law, it can be inherited by the son-in-law;

Therefore, Gu Shuo died suddenly, and the inheritance of the family property was a problem, but it was not a big problem, it was between Gu Chen and Gu Heng.

The Great Jin Law does not stipulate that the eldest son must inherit, which is also the source of infighting among countless families.

Qin shook his head and said sadly: "Patriarch, this matter came too suddenly, the master left like this, the nephew and daughter-in-law messed up, this matter has not been thought about yet, alas, so be it, patriarch, after the old man mourns, I will ask the patriarch to be the master." ”

The old patriarch sighed, nodded and said, "The boss's matter is too sudden, who would have thought that it would be okay to do this, send it first, and then talk about it." ”

The guests who came to mourn came one after another, most of the relatives and friends of the Gu family in Yangzhou and the shopping mall came, and the few who did not come also sent people to explain the reason.

After all, the old patriarch was old, and he went home after dinner, and soon after he left, several uncles of the Gu family quickly said goodbye, and the Gu family was left with their own people in the family.

Gu Heng stretched his tired body and looked at the empty straw mat opposite, the women had already gone back to rest, and when they looked back, the eldest brother was no longer there, and there were a few boys left in front of the mourning hall.

"Second son, Madame told you to go. Gu Wei came over and said, Gu Heng sighed, and kicked away a strip of white cloth at his feet: "Uncle Wei, you can arrange it here, divide it into two shifts, one shift in the middle of the night, and remember to add oil to the lantern." ”

"Second son, don't worry. Gu Wei responded.

Gu Heng arrived at his mother's yard, and before he entered the house, he heard the eldest brother say, "Mother, I'm tired, what's the matter, I have to wait for the second brother to come." ”

Qin didn't answer, the two girls were waiting on the side, Gu Heng entered the house, and was about to give a salute, Gu Chen had already said lazily: "Second brother, you are finally here, mother, if there is anything, just say it." ”

Gu Heng was slightly surprised, and in a slight daze, the Qin family had already waved his hand: "Don't be polite, it's more polite than your brother, sit down, you all go out, let's talk about it." Just this sentence, Gu Heng immediately felt that his mother was a little different tonight, in the past, his mother was always very gentle, no matter how the two brothers played, she was tolerant and gentle, and rarely punished them, unless their homework was not good. But tonight, the mother's expression was still gentle, but her tone was very firm.

Obviously, the eldest brother Gu Chen also noticed it, and the trace of impatience in his expression disappeared immediately, and his crooked body moved slightly and became a little more normal.

After the girl went out, Qin got up and entered the house, and soon came out again, with a small wooden box in her hand, she put this small wooden box on the table next to her, and then motioned to Gu Heng, Gu Heng got up and opened the door, the moonlight outside the door was like water, silent, and the two girls hid far away with great interest.

"This box was left by your father," Qin said, "open it and take a look." ”

Gu Heng and Gu Chen exchanged glances, Gu Chen got up and went over, picked up the wooden box, this was a very ordinary wooden box, locked with a small lock.

"Mother, where is the key?" Gu Chen asked, Qin Shi took out a dagger from his cuff: "Pry it open." ”

Gu Chen was very puzzled, looked at the Qin clan in confusion, and then looked at Gu Heng, Gu Heng's face was pale, and there were huge waves in his heart, he stabilized his mind and took the knife from Gu Chen's hand.

"Big brother, I'll come. ”

Gu Chen hesitated, Gu Heng had already taken the knife over, and pried open the wooden box in a few clicks, obviously the wooden box was not as strong as he imagined just now, but the contents of the box were also very simple, just a letter and a bronze medal.

(End of chapter)