The First Volume of Qinghe County

  "The magistrate is not in." The teacher replied to Wu Song's inquiry without hesitation.

  Wu Song is now dressed in a plain white mourning attire, with an air of suppressed anger. The instructor can tell by his gut that Wu Song's visit is not auspicious and that finding the county magistrate will likely lead to no good.

  "Hey, Master, do you know where the county magistrate has gone?" Wu Song's left hand involuntarily clenched twice, and the wrist dagger hidden in his sleeve had become somewhat warm, but still gave Wu Song a chill.

  "I don't know!" The sharp-eyed instructor looked at Wu Song's left arm and saw that something was off under his sleeve, who dared to tell the truth?

  "What's going on here?" Wu Song asked reluctantly.

  "What are you talking about, He Jiu? That guy never comes to the county government office unless something's up, usually just stays in his shop." The teacher pointed a direction for Wu Song: "Go from that side, turn two corners, and the one with a large paper flower wreath at the entrance is it, easy to find."

  Wu Song nodded slightly and set off immediately. The teacher thought for a while, still feeling that something was not quite right, so he decided to go to the Lion Building in person to report the news.

  "You are He Jiu?" Wu Song looked at the middle-aged man sitting in the shop and taking a nap, asked in a low voice.

  It's not Qingming Festival yet, so Hejiu's business won't pick up. At this time, Hejiu usually eats his fill, leans back in his chair, takes a nap and daydreams.

  As for the paper people and horses in the shop, wreaths, incense and candles, He Jiu never worried about them. Who would steal these things when they are still alive?

  "Who! Who dares to disturb my peaceful dreams?" He Jiu wiped away the drool that had flowed down to his chest, and bid a reluctant farewell to the beauties of the Baifeng Building in his dream.

  He took another look at the big man standing in front of him and let out an "aiya", then made a great effort to stand up from his chair and cupped his hands together.

  "So it's Wudu Head after all, this outfit of yours..."

  He didn't need to ask, Hei Jiu also understood that Wu Song already knew about Wu Dalang's affair, otherwise he wouldn't be wearing white clothes and walking around the streets with a hemp rope.

  Wu Song didn't waste any words, and directly pulled out the sharp dagger from his sleeve. With a "whoosh", he stabbed it into the offering table beside him, and it went in by almost two inches at once.

  "Wu Du, what do you mean by this?" He Jiu looked at the offering table with a heartache. This was the best thing in He Jiu's shop, made of water curved willow wood. With Wu Song's careless move, it seemed that they wouldn't be able to sell it for a good price anymore. It was unknown whether using lacquer could repair the hole.

  "Come on, I'm asking you! How did my brother die?" Wu Song pointed at the sharp knife with one hand: "He San, if you have half a lie, people are made of flesh and blood, but they can't be as hard as this wooden board!"

  "Wudou head, this Wudalang is dead, there has been a conclusion." Hejiu looked at the shining sharp knife and was frightened: "The murderer is Yuange, now locked in the big prison."

  "...then how did I hear that it was Ximen Qing who got my brother killed?" Wu Song furrowed his brow, reaching out to touch the sharp knife: "He San, are you telling the truth?"

  "Dou Tou, I swear on my knife!" He Jiu gritted his teeth and said: "Not a single word is false."

  "Huh?" Wu Song looked at He Jiu with interest, his hand already on the hilt of his knife: "Then tell me, how did you determine that it was Yu'erge who committed the murder?"

  "This..." Wu Song's words hit He Jiu's weak point, to be honest, if it weren't for Niu Da Tou reminding him, He Jiu would still be in a daze.

  "Wudou, Gu Ge is under fifteen years old and has a weak body. He's been friends with your brother for a long time, how could he possibly do something like this?"

  At this time, a few words floated in from outside the door, which happened to help He Jiu out of his predicament.

  Wu Song turned his head to look, and the cow was standing at the door with its arms around its neck, a smile on its face that wasn't quite a smile. Its eyes weren't looking at Wu Song, but instead were staring fiercely at He Ninth.

  He Jiuxin wiped the sweat from his palm, and only then did he let out a breath of relief. He slid down the slope on his donkey: "Wu Doutou, this matter is clear to all of us, you'd better ask him than me."

  Whatever, it's none of my business anyway!

  "Are you telling the truth?" Wu Song lightly pulled out the sharp knife from his sleeve, casually inserted it into his waist, and walked out of the shop in big strides, standing face to face with Niu Doutou.

  "Wudou Head, you and I are colleagues, can't I deceive you?" Niu Doutou said with a composed chest: "On the night of the incident, I was on patrol, and I saw the scene. With Yu Ge's strength, it's not easy to push Wu Dalang down."

  Wu Song thought for a moment and said, "This still doesn't explain why it's Ximen Qing."

  "You may not know yet..." Niu Da Tou pretended to be mysterious: "Yue Ge is the murderer, this statement was put forward by Ximen Qing."

  "Huh?" Wu Song raised an eyebrow: "Is this true?"

  "He Jiu was also present at that time." Niu Dutou pointed inside the shop with his hand.

  Wu Song followed the direction of Niu Doutou's pointing hand and saw that He Jiu was nodding like a garlic press.

  "Oh, thank you." Unexpectedly, Wu Song didn't show any signs of extreme anger, but instead calmly cupped his hands and turned to leave.

  Zhu Xie and Ximen Qing are drinking in the Lion's Pavilion...

  The words did not stop Wu Song's footsteps. He just paused slightly and continued walking in the direction of Purple Stone Street.

  "Is this still the hero who beat the tiger?" Niu Dali's eyes were somewhat puzzled: "Ordinary men encountering such things would probably have burst into loud curses, and those with a fiercer temper would have gone all out. This Wu Song..."

  Wu Song, under the influence of Niudou, has always been that kind of reckless and impulsive man who shouts and fights, but this reaction seems a bit off.

  What the cow didn't expect was that Wu Song was now furious, but only on the surface did he not show it. The reason why he didn't explode and didn't ask where the Lion's Building was, was because before this, Wu Song wanted to go back to Purple Stone Street, to get confirmation from someone again.

  That woman is Wu Song's sister-in-law, Pan Jinlian!

  Wu Song entrusted his own elder brother, Wu Dalang, to Pan Jinlian before leaving, and also said many words of concern.

  Wu Song clearly remembered that at the time, Pan Jinlian was a manly figure without a headscarf, almost pounding his chest and swearing an oath.

  It's been such a short time since I left, and yet something like this happens!

  What can be tolerated, what cannot be tolerated!

  Wu Song's footsteps seemed slow on the surface, but his steel teeth were already clenched tightly.

  Brother Yingling is not far away, let's see how Wu Song avenges your death!

  "Master, what are you trying to say?" Ximen Qing found it difficult to hear clearly what Master was saying amidst the loud singing of the powder head.

  "When will the bright moon appear? I ask the blue sky with a cup of wine. Not knowing what palace or temple is in the heavens, what year is this evening?"

  Inside the room, although the space is not small, after putting down a large table, there were more than ten dignitaries from Qinghe County sitting inside. In addition to four courtesans playing the pipa and singing Su Dongpo's Water Tune Song Head, the teacher stood at the door, anxious but unable to squeeze in.

  Looking at Ximen Qing's frowning face, Master Zhang opened his mouth for half a day, gestured several times, but still couldn't make himself clear.

  Zhu Zhi County couldn't help but laugh, and he rushed to the door where his teacher was waving his hand, thinking that his teacher was accompanying him in dance.

  The teacher made a tiger-pouncing-on-a-person gesture in his anxiety, and only then did Ximen Qing come to his senses, realizing that the teacher seemed to be talking about something related to Wu Song.

  It's not easy to squeeze past the powder heads, especially for a promising young man like Ximen Qing. The powder heads sang and played instruments while using their bodies to entice him, intentionally blocking his way.

  Ximen Qing coughed twice, and with his unparalleled skillful grasp of the "Grabbing Dragon Claw Hand", he managed to extricate himself from the chaos, only to be met with a barrage of flirtatious scolding from the powdered heads behind him.

  "Sir, I hate it..."

  "County Magistrate, sir, why are you touching me there..."

  In an instant, the good "When will the moon be clear" was messed up by Ximen Qing.

  "Wutou has arrived at the county yamen!" The loud shout from Master Sifu was particularly jarring, causing everyone at the table to turn and stare.

  "Stable!" Zhu Zhixian was displeased: "You've come, you've come. What's so strange and weird about it? It's really disappointing!"

  A table full of delicious food, plus a dozen or so bottles of Jingyang Spring wine, singing and dancing, Zhu Zhixian was originally very lively, but unexpectedly this stirred up trouble.

  The teacher awkwardly smiled and Ximen Qing hastily mediated: "Teacher is here to find me for something, you gentlemen continue!"

  As soon as the teacher mentioned Wu Song, Ximen Qing knew that something was wrong and pulled the teacher to another elegant room. Behind them, the sound of "Shui Diao Ge Tou" started again...

  "Wu Duotou put on a mourning dress and came to the county government office to find County Magistrate. The teacher said with some concern: 'In my opinion, Wu Duotou may be carrying a sharp object, I don't know what he wants to do.'"

  Ximen Qing heard this and his heart was racing non-stop, what does this mean?

  Wu Dalang is dead, Wu Song wears mourning clothes, that's no problem; but why carry a sharp weapon and come to the county government office to find Zhu Zhi County? Is it to ask who the murderer is?

  No, Wu Song has returned home, so he already knows the name of Yan Ge. If he wants to find the murderer, Wu Song should go directly to the prison instead of the county government office.

  Unless Wu Song had received different news and it was very likely that he got it from inside the prison.

  Could it be that Xiong brother has turned against Wu Song? No, if no one had pointed it out to him, with Xiong's IQ, how could he have turned against him?

  "What if Wu Song is unfavorable to the magistrate, what's good?" The teacher asked anxiously: "County official, you pay attention to this and see how to handle it?"

  Ximen Qing smiled wryly, for Wu Song's target was unlikely to be Zhu Biao, but rather himself.

  "Where is Wu Song now?" Ximen Qing thought for a moment, and still wanted to clarify Wu Song's current location first: "Does he know that County Magistrate is drinking here?"

  "The little one didn't say where he went, and gave the branch to He Jiu..." Master said.

  What's the use of asking He San? Wu Dalang didn't die from poisoning, his body is still at home for mourning, and Ximen Qing doesn't need to bribe He San, that guy doesn't have any evidence in his hands either.

  Ximen Qing suddenly felt an extremely angry feeling surge up in his heart, who was this person, who was not getting along with him behind his back? This behind-the-scenes black hand, he must catch himself!

  "Go to the prison!" Ximen Qing said decisively. No matter where Wu Song is now, the least likely place he would appear is the prison. What's most important is finding out why Gao Qiu flipped his testimony. Since Pan Jinlian didn't poison Wu Dalang in there, at least for now, she is still safe.

  At this time, the singing from next door stopped again, and a loud shout came from Zhu Zhixian: "Where's the whole roasted sheep we agreed on? Why hasn't it been brought up yet?"