Chapter 12 Turnaround

It is said that Zhou Ke has been struggling to track down the murderer recently. After repeated comparisons, he concluded that the murderer of the painter Hong Yi and Mafu Jiading Xiao Mozi should be the same person, and this person must have been specially trained, otherwise he would not have been so sharp, not to mention the point of a knife, and there was no trace of the crime at the scene of the murder. In addition, it can be asserted that the murderer should be familiar with Hong Yi and Xiao Mozi, at least. Otherwise, with such a close frontal attack, how could the other party not even have a trace of struggle? Obviously, he was killed unexpectedly during the conversation. Zhou Ke also suspected Ma Haiqing, because he was the owner of Xiao Mozi, and Hong Yi had also met Xiao Mozi in private. The "one" written by Xiao Mozi before his death may also be the beginning of the word "horse", but this statement is obviously not convincing. The word "one" is more than the word "horse"! Hu Yong's Hu, Qin Wei's Qin, which one doesn't start with "one"! Zhou Ke thought hard and couldn't figure out what the blood word left by Xiao Mozi was to tell people. And everyone knows that Ma Haiqing is not good at martial arts at all. Two people in a row were killed with a knife. His technique and hit rate are comparable to professional killers. With Ma Haiqing, it is impossible, unless he*!

What is the motive for committing the crime? A famous painter who has only returned to his hometown after ten years, an ordinary family who has served his master all his life, two lives! There is also a day that has been ordered by people to write and draw for others, and now he has fled! Coincidentally, He Tian is also a painter! Is the whole thing really related to painting? What kind of painting is it? Even a few lives! Zhou Ke carefully looked at the landscape map written by He Tian from Hong Yi's house. Although nothing was found in it, Zhou Ke wanted to know more about what was hidden behind the case than the murder case.

And the truth and the murderer will not come to the door by themselves, so they can only investigate. Behind the scenes, or who is this murderer? What is the purpose? When Zhou Ke was puzzled, he suddenly heard the report that someone knew the deceased Hong Yi, which made Zhou Ke feel extremely excited and summoned the man now.

The visitor is an old man. His name is Xu Shun. He once served in the Economic Appeasement Department in Shaanxi. Only because Hong Yi and the previous Jing slightly appeased made Lord Hao have a similar interest. They are extremely fond of painting, have a very close relationship, and often go to the barracks, so Xu recognized him by the way. It was not until a few days ago that Xu Shun retired and was allowed to return home for retirement. Yesterday, he returned to Qinfeng Road, but he didn't want to hear that Hong Yi had been killed as soon as he came back.

Zhou Ke asked, "Do you think Hongyi often went in and out of the Jingjing to appease the department? What year is this?"

Xu Shun thought about it, broke his fingers and replied, "It will be ten years now."

"Ten years?" This answer brightened Zhou Ke's eyes. Isn't Hong Yi happened to leave Qinfeng Road in Shaanxi ten years ago? It turned out that he had arrived at the appeasement department. Do you know who recommended him to meet Lord Hao?

"Your Excellency, how can this little man know? He was already very familiar with Lord Hao when we met him. But listen to the rumor from the army..."

"What to send?"

"Of course, this is not necessarily true! I just heard about it! It is said that Hong Yi gave his family treasure to Lord Hao and climbed to the top.

"Bold!"

"Yes, yes, the villain deserves to die, the villain deserves to die! But this is not a little person chewing his tongue, it's just that the adult asked, and I reported what I heard.

"Ye, rumors are not credible! How can adults covet a painter's family heirloom? Don't go out and talk nonsense in the future!"

"Yes, yes, the villain wrote it down. I dare not talk nonsense anymore!"

"Ye! How long has Hongyi been there?

"Well... it will take about two years!"

"How can he, a painter, freely enter and exit the barracks?"

"Oh, you should know this very well! He made friends with the comforting envoy Lord Hao. Who would say anything more when he went in and out of the barracks?

That's true. Who will offend and appease the adults for no reason? You said that he often goes in and out of the barracks. What does he mainly do in the barracks?

"This little man is unknown. I heard that sometimes he goes to identify the authentic works for Lord Hao, sometimes discusses paintings, and sometimes he wanders around the barracks and makes paintings."

"Painting in the barracks?"

"Yes, but the paintings are all landscapes and so on. There is little water here, but there are quite a lot of hills."

"In addition to making friends with Lord Hao in the two years in the barracks, who else did he get closer to?"

"It's hard to say. Hong Yi has a good temper and a gentle personality. He can make friends with anyone. I think he is good with everyone."

"There are no special people?"

"I didn't pay attention to this! We also have our job. He has his own business when he comes to the barracks. At most, he has never made a deep friendship.

"Well, do you know where Hong Yi went two years later?"

"Ah, this! The adult asked the right person! At that time, the capital sent an adult to inquire about the situation of Xixia. The adult from the capital took a fancy to Hong painter's landscape painting at a glance and said that he intended to recommend him to the palace to listen to the messenger. At that time, I was guard beside him, and it was really true! Later, the Hong painter followed the Beijing official to Beijing.

"Did you go to Kaifeng?"

"Ye, the palace! Absolutely right. Although there was no contact later, he should have become some palace painter or something. He is a literati, and we are rough. How can we climb high? However, how did he let a good Beijing official do it, but returned to Qinfeng Road, Shaanxi Province, and died!"

"Do you know the name of the adult who brought Hong Yi back to Beijing?"

"I really don't know the name, surname? At that time, it seemed that the comforting envoy asked us to call him Lord Cui. Yes, it was surnamed Cui!"

This dialogue made Zhou Ke suddenly cheerful. In fact, even if he didn't ask Xu Shun, Zhou Ke would find out who took Hong Yi to the capital, but since he remembered it, it saved Zhou Ke a lot of twists and turns. Lord Cui? It should be said that Cui Yunjiang, who works in the Privy Council, is proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and cherishes talents very much, but he knows little about the military. However, due to his uncle Cui Guoyan, he got a position in the Privy Council, as well as a good envoy.

After Xu Shun left, Zhou Ke did not take immediate action, but sorted out his thoughts. Although Xu Shun was warned not to go out and talk about Hongyi's gift-giving, the word "family heirloom" is still deeply imprinted in Zhou Ke's heart. Su Wenjing slightly comforts the paintings of famous people who love to collect famous people. Isn't Hong Yi a painter? If he is completely likely to dedicate his family treasure in order to make friends with Lord Hao, and if he can get the love of Lord Hao, he must be his favorite famous painting. In fact, it doesn't matter who the famous painting is, or even what it is offered. What matters is whether this Hongyi is really as rumored, Lord Hao who sacrificed his treasure and made friends with him? Does he want to make friends himself or is someone instructed to make friends? What is the purpose of making friends with Lord Hao? Obviously, Lord Cui's subordinates accidentally saw Hong Yi's paintings. It is estimated that Hong Yi would not have expected it in advance. Did he go to the barracks for two years just to identify the authenticity and taste the paintings for Lord Hao? Can't these be done anywhere at home? Why did you choose the military camp alone? And Xu Shun also said that he had seen him walking around in the barracks and painting in the camp! What exactly does Hongyi want to do?

Zhou Ke meditated...