Chapter 336 Late at night
Li Chuan was stunned for a moment and realized that it was probably that time in the morning that Zhang Xintong was convinced that he was some kind of expert again.
Anyway, it’s good to cooperate.
Li Chuan said: "Master Zhang, don't worry, let's sit down and talk slowly, have you had dinner?"
"Not yet, after I left Qintian Prison, I took a leave of absence from my boss and went back to eat a few mouthfuls of food. I have been sorting it out at home." Zhang Xintong told him about his whereabouts that day, and then said: "Dr. Li, I understand, you saved me. You want to save my family’s life. Do you think fame and fortune are still meaningful if your life is gone?”
Li Chuan smiled and said: "That's it. Then just eat something here."
Then he said to the third brother: "Third brother, please go to the kitchen and ask them for a bowl." Let’s make some tea.”
Pang San said, “Okay.”
After Pang San and Gong Er went out, Li Chuan and Zhang Xintong sat down outside.
The night wind blew through the doors and windows, and Zhang Xintong calmed down. He said, "I am just a low-ranking official in the capital. I am afraid that my family will cause trouble and accidentally offend people who cannot be offended. He told them not to go out unless necessary. As for the servants at home, those are the only people they can come into contact with.
Zhang Xintong's words are very organized.
“So I started to wonder if anything special happened in my family before the cook got sick. I thought about it, and it occurred to me that shortly after the Chinese New Year, it would be my wife’s birthday, so I invited A theater troupe came to my home.
"At that time, there were also family members of several officials who were familiar with me. I was not at home during the day, and when I went back in the evening, they had already dispersed. Zhang Xintong slowly recalled and said: "At that time, there was a young actor who seemed to have gone the wrong way and I met him. Not long after, the troupe leader took him away and scolded him that he had forgotten his words. I don’t even know the road or anything. I didn't pay attention at the time and didn't listen. "
"Forgot the words? "Li Chuan grasped the key point.
Zhang Xintong said: "Yes, now that I think about it, maybe this disease came from the people in that theater troupe. ”
He went on to talk about things in his family, "As for my family, the person who got sick first might not be the cook, but a boy next to my eldest son. He is the son in charge. He has a bad character and is usually habitual. I like to hang out with these low-class people."
"What about your eldest son?" Li Chuan was a little curious.
Zhang Xintong said: "Fortunately, my son went to the academy to study just after the Chinese New Year in order to take the exam next year."
"When did the steward's son become ill?" Li Chuan asked.
Zhang Xintong said: "About half a month after the troupe arrived, the steward came to tell me that his son had broken his leg and had gone to the countryside to recuperate. I didn't think much about it at the time, and just told him to take good care of his health. , and gave him a few taels of silver, but until now, it has been eight or nine months, and the boy has not shown up. There must be something wrong, right?"
"Is the manager okay?" Li Chuan asked again.
Zhang Xintong said: "Fortunately, he is still working at my house."
Li Chuan nodded and said: "Anyway, tomorrow, you bring a few people over first, I will treat them, and then ask They have some problems. Divide them into several batches and treat a few every day."
"Okay, I'll do it early tomorrow morning..."
"It'll be fine later," Li Chuan said.
Zhang Xintong understood and said: "Then I will come back after the past time."
Li Chuan said: "Okay, you should come in through the small door then and I will tell them."
"Okay. Okay." Zhang Xintong responded repeatedly.
"By the way, I haven't finished talking about the theater troupe yet." Zhang Xintong said. At this time, the other three came in with a bowl of noodles and a pot of tea.
Li Chuan saw Zhang Xintong's throat moving, apparently smelling the fragrance of the noodles. He then said: "Let's eat noodles first, and then we'll talk after eating."
"Then I'll eat some first." Zhang Xintong said. He was really hungry, and he lost his usual grace and airs. After a few grunts, he finished the noodles.
After finishing the noodle soup and putting down the bowl, he said to Li Chuan again: "Hey, Dr. Li, this is the most solid meal I have eaten in the past few months."
“Another bowl?” Li Chuan asked.
“I’m full, really.” Zhang Xintong said.
So Li Chuan poured a cup of tea, pushed it in front of him, and said, "What's wrong with that opera troupe?"
Zhang Xintong said, "This opera troupe came from Yashan County years ago, and... ..."
"Yashan County?" Li Chuan repeated the place name.
“That’s right, from Prince Su’s fiefdom.” Zhang Xintong was sensitive to the strangeness in Li Chuan’s tone, “Li Chuan, are you not very optimistic about Prince Su?”
Li Chuan shook his head quickly and said: "I am a small official from the eighth grade, but I can't get involved in these things."
"That's good." Zhang Xintong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "His Majesty's birthday will be in a few days. The people in my Ministry of Rites said that up to now, they haven't decided who will host this matter."
Li After hearing this, Chuan blurted out and asked, "Let Prince Su preside over it? Isn't he under house arrest?" Then he waved his hand and said, "If you don't talk about this or that troupe, you will continue talking."
Zhang Xintong took a sip of tea and said, "That theater troupe also came to the capital half a year ago."
Li Chuan counted the days and felt something was wrong.
Not counting the boy for now. The cook in Zhang Xintong's family became ill more than five months ago. After two changes of people, the head of the family became infected.
The troupe all performs and walks at the same time. Normal people would have to walk for a long time from Yashan County to the capital. There are so many people in the troupe and they still have property, so they are not allowed to go on stage for more than half a year?
If the theater troupe contracted the strange disease in Yashan County, at this rate of infection, after more than half a year, there should be no normal people left in the theater troupe.
Did the troupe also contract this spirit-eating thing after arriving in the capital?
No, even if it was contracted in the capital, according to Zhang Xintong, more than half a year has passed? And they were singing opera in the capital. They went to this house today and that house tomorrow. Why did something happen to the Zhang family?
Is it because there is something special about the Zhang family, or is it because other families are also hiding it secretly? That’s not right. They had already become ill when they were singing at the Zhang family. It would take at least half a month from infection to onset...
So Li Chuan asked: "Where is the troupe now?"
Zhang Xintong said: "Three months ago, I went to the palace of Prince Gunlong. I heard that the princess missed her life in Yashan County, so she sent her to the palace. They stayed in the mansion."
At this time, Li Chuan knew why Zhang Xintong had to come to him first. He suppressed the rest of the doubts in his heart and said, "Don't worry, Qintian Supervisor will handle it properly after taking over this matter."
"I know, I'll leave everything to you." Zhang Xintong said , he took another sip of water and said, "Then...I'll go back first."
"Okay, I'll take you to the door." Li Chuan said.
(End of this chapter)