coobybook Chapter 172 Key Clues
Chapter 172 Key Clues
Haitang was startled, and her expression turned cold: "How did you know?"
"I was asked to investigate. I want to know what happened to you and your mother afterwards. Why did her limbs become broken, why did she become unable to speak, and why did she become unable to see? Who murdered her? And why were you in the brothel?"
According to Lin Shuning's understanding, women in this dynasty would never go to brothels unless they were forced to do so, especially those from peasant families, who would consider this a disgrace.
Haitang was silent for a moment, then sat back in front of the dressing table with an unpleasant expression.
After a long while, she slowly spoke: "It has been ten years since this happened. I can't remember many details. I only know that after my mother was driven out, she returned to Daojia Village and lived with me. But one day not long after, three strong men suddenly broke into the house and beat my mother ruthlessly.
Those people were too proud and arrogant when they committed the crime, and during the conversation, they revealed the person behind the scenes who instructed them to do such evil things, and this person was the wife of the Shangshu Mansion, Wang. "
"Then why didn't you report to the police?" Lin Shuning blurted out subconsciously.
"Report to the police?" Haitang sneered, "Reporting to the police also requires evidence. I was only five or six years old at the time. How could I compete with an official's wife? What's more, do you think she would let me go after she killed my mother? If I hadn't been saved by Yu Niang and taken in by Yu Niang in this brothel, I would have died at her hands long ago."
Lin Shuning was slightly shocked. She didn't expect that Wang was so cruel that she could even kill a little girl.
The next second, she was amused by herself.
What is a stranger?
Even though she was her adopted daughter whom she had raised for more than ten years, Wang still could do the same to her.
Haitang nonchalantly played with a strand of hair on her chest with her fingertips and smiled faintly, "Are you the one sent by Wang to kill me?"
"If you really think so, you wouldn't have said those things to me just now, right?" Lin Shuning also smiled.
Her jade-like face was bright, upright, and confident. Her brows were proud but not arrogant, and her spirit was extraordinary. When she smiled, the dust disappeared and light appeared, shining brightly, illuminating the mountains and rivers.
Haitang was distracted by what she saw, and it took her a long while to come back to her senses. She folded her long legs and said, "Because I think you are a good person, sir."
Over the years, if someone hadn't mentioned it today, she would have almost forgotten about it.
"Did your mother ever tell you how she met Wang, how she came to work in the Shangshu Mansion, and why she was killed in such a tragic way in the end?"
Lin Shuning asked the biggest question in his mind, which was also the most crucial clue.
Haitang hesitated for a moment and shook her head. "I only heard from my mother that she and Wang met during a rebellion. I don't know anything else. But before she was killed, she did intend to tell me something, but before she could open her mouth, she could no longer speak."
When she said this, her expression was calm, as if she was describing the story of a stranger.
Not getting the answer he wanted, Lin Shuning suddenly felt a sense of loss in his heart.
Now that Ma Ma’s limbs are broken, she can’t speak or see, so the clues must be lost again.
She frowned, "Did your mother leave any letters or anything else?"
"Then I don't know. You have to ask her. I just don't know if she is still alive."
Haitang lowered her eyes to hide the hatred that flashed across her eyes.
"Don't you know her current situation?" Lin Shuning was a little surprised: "She is still alive."
"So those people didn't want to kill her..." Haitang murmured to the sky, "Yes, letting her survive in such a cruel way would cause her more pain than killing her directly..."
Haitang said in a sad voice: "Ever since that group of people came to our house and she used me to block the knife, I knew that I no longer had a mother."
Lin Shuning was speechless for a moment. It turned out that Haitang was just like her, a person with few relatives.
Seeing that Lin Shuning didn't say anything but looked solemn, Haitang chuckled: "My dear, you are not feeling sorry for me, are you? Don't worry, I have let it go a long time ago. Look at my life now, I am living a life of luxury and eating delicacies from land and sea. What else can I be dissatisfied with? Whether this mother exists or not, it will not affect me at all."
Lin Shuning pulled the corner of his mouth and said calmly: "Could you please write down your previous address in Daojia Village for me? I have something to ask your mother... Ma Ma."
"Okay." Haitang walked to the desk by the window, took out paper and pen, scribbled on it for a while, and then handed it to Lin Shuning.
She pointed and explained to her, "After entering the village, just follow this route, turn at the third fork in the road, and then go four houses forward.
But after all, more than ten years have passed, and many things may have changed. This picture can only serve as a simple reference. You can ask the villagers for details, they are still very enthusiastic. "
Lin Shuning folded the paper in half and put it in his arms: "Thank you, Miss Haitang."
"If you want to thank me, show some sincerity," Haitang smiled charmingly, and her body softened and fell into Lin Shuning's arms. "It's still early, do you want me to wait on you and let you rest?"
"Oh," Lin Shuning smiled slightly, calmly, and just before Haitang was about to touch his chest, he put his arm around her waist and turned her around, then helped her stand up. "A man's words are as good as his words. Didn't I say that I came to you to inquire about something? Now I have found out what I wanted to know, Miss Haitang, I will leave first."
"Are you really going?"
Haitang stood up straight, a little surprised: "No one who has come to my room is willing to leave. You spent two thousand taels just to see me and ask about this?"
Lin Shuning nodded with a smile.
Anyway, these two thousand taels of silver were not two thousand taels in the full sense, but she had only this one purpose.
Besides, even if she wanted to do something, she couldn't do it.
Lin Shuning stepped back with a smile and bowed politely: "Miss Haitang, if we are destined to meet again, we will meet again. Goodbye."
Without waiting for anyone to stop him, Lin Shuning quickly pushed the door open and walked out, leaving Haitang's sight.
Inside the house, Haitang stared blankly at the door that opened and closed, with a puzzled look on her face.
After finally coming to her senses, she looked back at herself in the mirror, her jade hand caressed her cheek with regret, and she murmured, "He's gone... He's really gone... Could it be that my face and body can't hold anyone back? Or...
Is he really just here to see me and ask questions? Then who is he really? "
The long-frozen heart seemed to have a crack, and something soft and silent passed by, lingering and trying to break out of the ground.
……
Lin Shuning walked silently in the corridor, thinking and sorting out the information he had just received from Haitang. He was about to go downstairs to find Ye Mu and leave when he suddenly heard a loud "bang" in his ears.
A door in front of her left was kicked open violently, and a big man with a naked upper body covered in blood rushed out, holding a man covered in blood in his hands. The big man picked up the man and threw him down from the third floor like a rag.
Then there was another "bang" and the body fell to the ground with a heavy muffled sound.
The singing, dancing and laughter downstairs suddenly stopped, followed by a burst of high-pitched screams. The female guests were frightened and panicked, while the male guests ran away with their heads in their hands: "Murder, murder! Someone killed someone!"