The strands of her unbound hair slipped from her shoulders as she lowered her head, and Zhan Feiyu had to tuck them behind her ears. When she looked down again, the wontons remained uneaten, and her hair had fallen forward once more.
Seeing the little girl’s puffed-up cheeks, Yin Wuyan’s phoenix eyes flickered with amusement. He stood up, retrieved a hair tie, and then stood behind Zhan Feiyu.
His slender fingers picked up a lock of hair from each side, gathered them together, and tied them with the hair tie, finally allowing the young girl to eat her breakfast without interruption.
“Thank you, big brother,” Zhan Feiyu grinned. As someone utterly incapable of tying hair, she had her mother do it at home, and at her teacher’s place, there were maids to help.
Every time Zhan Feiyu’s arms grew tired from holding them up, her hair remained uncombed, messy and rough, making her doubt how anyone could style such exquisite hair buns on their own.
“Is Wuyan raising a daughter?” Prince Yu’s eyes twitched. The hand that wielded a sword to kill could also tie hair!
Gu Qingzhou’s gaze was filled with envy. He retorted, “My little disciple is perfectly fine being raised by me, her teacher!”
It was fortunate that Yin Wuyan was nearly ten years older than Zhan Feiyu, old enough to marry and have children at his coming-of-age ceremony. Otherwise, Gu Qingzhou would have driven him far away, lest he corrupt his adorable and well-behaved little disciple.
Prince Yu glanced sideways at the displeased Gu Qingzhou and couldn’t help but scoff, “Serves you right! You get what you deserve! It’s not that retribution won’t come, it’s just not time yet!”
Years ago, when his beloved daughter fell in love with Gu Qingzhou at first sight and was smitten at second sight, Prince Yu, as a father, felt heartbroken and jealous, wishing he could banish Gu Qingzhou to the frontier.
Who would have thought that after he had finally prepared for his daughter’s marriage, Gu Qingzhou would refuse? If it weren’t for his wife desperately holding him back, Prince Yu would have surely taken his Crescent Moon Blade and gone to the Scholar’s Mansion to flay Gu Qingzhou alive.
Now, seeing Gu Qingzhou glaring angrily at Yin Wuyan, Prince Yu stroked his beard and laughed heartily. Wuyan was truly a man of the Yin family; he did a splendid job!
Entering the room, Prince Yu sat down in a chair by the window and asked loudly, “Wuyan, what’s this set of martial arts you’re teaching the young lady?”
Such excellent skills should be promoted in the army. Of course, the Imperial Guards wouldn’t need it; this martial art would only make ordinary soldiers stronger. The Imperial Guards were already elite masters chosen from a million.
Zhan Feiyu’s eyes widened instantly, and she looked at Yin Wuyan, who was sitting opposite her, for help.
“Eat properly,” Yin Wuyan’s voice remained cold. He glanced at Prince Yu and said, “It’s for Little Yu’s self-defense.”
Zhan Feiyu was young, and some of the moves in the military combat techniques had been modified by Yin Wuyan. It would be better for her to practice them when her body had fully grown.
Prince Yu, who had been waiting for an answer, was stunned. That was it? Nothing more?
Gu Qingzhou, however, smiled. If it weren’t for fear of arousing suspicion from the Emperor and having to guard against Yin Wuyan’s enemies retaliating desperately, he would have preferred everyone in the capital to know that his little disciple had the Commander of the Imperial Guards behind her. As long as they weren’t tired of living, no one in the Great Qing Dynasty would dare to provoke his little disciple.
If any other young member of the Yin family dared to speak to him like this, Prince Yu would have kicked them away long ago. But looking at Yin Wuyan’s handsome yet indifferent face, Prince Yu restrained himself.
“Wuyan, I think this set of martial arts is more suitable for military use,” Prince Yu said with a fawning smile, forcing the hot-tempered old prince to speak patiently. Yin Wuyan was definitely the foremost person in the Great Qing Dynasty.
Seeing the covetous Prince Yu, Gu Qingzhou said slowly, “So what? This set of martial arts now belongs to my little disciple.” If he wanted it, he would have to offer something in exchange.
“Gu Qingzhou! Do you think I dare not beat you?” Prince Yu slammed his palm on the table, his tiger-like eyes wide with anger as he glared at the provocative Gu Qingzhou.
If it weren’t for the Emperor’s protection and the fact that he was a scholar with a frail body, Prince Yu would have wanted to beat him up years ago.
He picked up the teapot, poured a cup of tea, and handed it over. Gu Qingzhou smiled nonchalantly, “As the saying goes, even if a deal falls through, friendship remains. Your Highness need not be angry.”
Completely unwilling to bleed heavily, Prince Yu ignored Gu Qingzhou, as well as the indifferent Yin Wuyan. A kind and friendly smile appeared on his wrinkled old face.
“Little Yu, the rise and fall of the world rests on every man’s shoulders. If this set of military combat techniques of yours were to be introduced into the army, it would undoubtedly greatly improve the combat effectiveness of the border soldiers. If even one more person survives, their parents will not have to send their children off to the grave prematurely, their wives will not lose their husbands, and their children will not be without fathers.”
Prince Yu had been stationed at the border for twenty years. He understood the truth of “a general’s success is built on ten thousand bones” better than anyone. Green hills everywhere bury loyal souls. If he could save the lives of the soldiers, he was willing to humble himself and ask a young girl.
Zhan Feiyu looked at Prince Yu, whose hair and beard were already white, yet who was still planning for the soldiers. She nodded, “Alright, but they must know that this set of martial arts was presented by big brother.”
Gratitude flows like water! Zhan Feiyu didn’t care about a set of military combat techniques, but if the soldiers in the army remembered big brother’s kindness, perhaps one day they would repay him.
Gu Qingzhou glared at the innocently smiling Zhan Feiyu with disappointment, feeling like she was turning her back on him again.
“It can be arranged, but it can be arranged,” Prince Yu looked at the unruffled Yin Wuyan, hiding a hint of worry in his eyes, “I’m afraid too much of a good thing can be bad.”
Prince Yu joined the army at sixteen and was stationed at the border at twenty-five. For a full twenty years, although he exchanged countless merits for his body full of scars, the forty-five-year-old Prince Yu did not wish to return to the capital.
However, he also knew that even without any disloyal intentions, his cousin, the Emperor, did not trust him, so he could only lay down his armor and return to farming, living as an idle prince in the capital who did not concern himself with court affairs.
Later, the former Emperor passed away, and the current Emperor ascended the throne. There were several disturbances at the border, and Prince Yu donned his armor and went to battle again. However, after the war subsided, he remained an idle prince. His imperial nephew was more broad-minded than the former Emperor, and could be said to trust his subordinates implicitly.
But from his accession to the throne in his early twenties to the present, nearly thirty years had passed. The Emperor was getting old, but he had also developed a tendency towards suspicion.
Prince Yu himself didn’t care; he was already in his seventies. His two sons, the elder son was in the Imperial Clan Court, and the younger son was a dissolute fellow. As long as the Great Qing Dynasty still bore the surname Yin, the descendants of Prince Yu’s mansion would surely be worry-free.
Prince Yu looked at Yin Wuyan with complex eyes. By seniority, this young man should also call him Uncle-Grandfather. He had been raised by the Emperor, but there was no kinship in the imperial family. The Emperor’s current trust in this nephew did not mean he would always trust him.
The throne had to be passed down. Wuyan’s influence was too great, and the Emperor would worry that his successor would not be able to control him. The phrase “功高盖主” (gōng gāo gài zhǔ - merit overshadowing the sovereign) had caused the death of many loyal officials.
Sensing that the atmosphere was too serious, Gu Qingzhou couldn’t help but chuckle, “If it’s inconvenient for Wuyan, then let Wuyan pick someone.”
Yin Wuyan had to avoid suspicion. He likely had confidants in the army, so giving the credit to them would solve the problem. Why make it so complicated?
“This method is feasible,” Prince Yu agreed with a nod. This way, the Emperor would not be too suspicious.
“Big brother?” Zhan Feiyu asked, looking at Yin Wuyan.
“There’s no need for such trouble. Uncle-Grandfather can directly give the martial arts to the Emperor,” Yin Wuyan didn’t care about this matter. Otherwise, after modifying the moves for Zhan Feiyu, he would have acted upon it, not waited until Prince Yu discovered the military combat techniques to plan.
What? Prince Yu and Gu Qingzhou were both angry and frustrated. They were thinking about how to benefit Yin Wuyan, but he was refusing it!
Zhan Feiyu was also a little confused.
“Eat.” Yin Wuyan’s heart softened upon seeing the disappointment in the young girl’s dark eyes. He said in a deep voice, “Have you forgotten what you said earlier?”
Compared to the gratitude and admiration of the soldiers, the gunpowder formula provided by Zhan Feiyu was more potent. If Yin Wuyan needed to protect his life one day, it would not be through this set of military combat techniques.
Zhan Feiyu, who suddenly understood, was immediately relieved. Her eyes lit up with a smile, and she lowered her head to eat her breakfast. Big brother had his own plans; she didn’t need to worry about them.
Yin Wuyan also ate leisurely.
Looking at the two happily eating, Prince Yu’s wrinkled old face furrowed in confusion. He turned to Gu Qingzhou and said, “Are Wuyan and your little disciple hiding something from me?”
Gu Qingzhou smiled as lightly as ever, “Your Highness is unclear, and this subordinate is also at a loss.”
“Do you think I’m senile?” Prince Yu glared at him impatiently. He didn’t believe a single word Gu Qingzhou said, but he didn’t press further.
…
Shangsi County, County Yamen.
Early in the morning, many scholars gathered outside the county yamen. Even more were seated at Leshan Residence, having sent servants to guard the county yamen, ready to report any news immediately.
“Brother Wei, what do you think of this matter?” The scholar speaking glanced at several tables on the right side of the main hall. The more than twenty people seated there were considered close friends of Wan Yunhao.
Wan Yunhao was poisoned at the county school, and rumors were rife. Some speculated it was due to personal grudges, others suspected Tutor Zhao of poisoning, and naturally, most believed that Zhan Feiyu was the mastermind, unable to accept defeat, and thus resorted to poisoning Wan Yunhao.
The man surnamed Wei lowered his voice, “Before entering the room, I stood close and saw Master Wan enter. His complexion was normal at the time, so it’s likely he was poisoned inside the room.”
The man didn’t explicitly state the rest, but the six or seven people seated at the same table understood. If he was poisoned after entering the room, it could only be that poison was added to his food. Zhan Feiyu was indeed the most suspicious.
In front of the tables on the right, a young man’s face was stern, his right fist clenched, and he said hatefully, “Yesterday, someone spread the news that Brother Wan was ungrateful and apprenticed himself to the Qin family for his future, and that Brother Wan had caused the death of Tutor Zhao’s granddaughter. This is utter nonsense!”
“How can Wenqing brother, who is pure and noble in character, be slandered and insulted by such despicable people!” The man who spoke indignantly had his eyes red with anger. He suddenly stood up, “I must go to the county yamen to seek justice for Wenqing brother!”
“Indeed, in this prosperous and peaceful era, with the heavens and earth clear, how can we allow Wenqing to die with his eyes open!” The youth who loudly echoed also stood up.
More than twenty scholars, their faces grim and their eyes filled with sorrow, left Leshan Residence, heading towards the county yamen.
“Why don’t we go and see as well.” Someone suggested, and the proposal was met with a chorus of approval. After a while, the main hall of Leshan Residence was empty.
In the county yamen’s study, Chen Weibin’s face was heavy. He put down the teacup he had picked up and placed it back on the table. “Lian Qing, who do you think poisoned Wan Yunhao?”
During yesterday’s competition, too many scholars had flocked to the county school to watch, forcing County Magistrate Chen to dispatch all the yamen constables to maintain order. This also meant that after the murder, Constable Fei, Constable Zhao, and others were also suspects. Although they were not imprisoned, they were certainly unable to be on duty.
County Magistrate Chen was fortunate to still have an advisor to rely on.
“Your Excellency need not worry. With Prince Yu and Grand Scholar Gu present, this case does not fall to Your Excellency to try. Moreover, the Imperial Guards appeared last night. According to my subordinate’s deduction, Prince Yu will let the Imperial Guards be responsible for investigating the case, as it is a matter of great importance.” Bai Lianqing had pondered all night and had no clue. Fortunately, Your Excellency needed to avoid suspicion in this case.
County Magistrate Chen sighed. Being awake all night had left him exhausted. “The poison was administered in the bamboo tube used for water. The cook sent to help at the county school was dispatched by this county. Those who had the opportunity to administer the poison could only be the cook, the school’s groundskeeper, or the yamen runners present. In the end, this county cannot escape responsibility.”
“Your Excellency, this is bad…” Before Bai Lianqing could speak, a servant’s voice sounded urgently and nervously outside the study. With a face full of panic, he reported to County Magistrate Chen, “Your Excellency, many scholars have gathered outside the county yamen, and they want to seek justice for Wan Yunhao!”
In the past, there would have been constables to maintain order, but now only a few servants were left in the yamen. If a conflict broke out, hundreds of people rushing into the yamen would have unimaginable consequences.
County Magistrate Chen got up and strode towards the door. Even if he had to avoid suspicion, he was still the magistrate of Shangsi County. If anything else happened, his tenure as magistrate would be over.
…
After Zhan Feiyu and the others entered the county yamen through the side door, the scene outside was already in an uproar.
Fortunately, Prince Yu had sent guards with his token to the Nanxuan Garrison the previous night. With the arrival of the garrison soldiers at the county yamen, the situation was prevented from escalating.
“Teacher, the Qin family must have had a hand in this.” Zhan Feiyu stretched her neck to look outside and saw a familiar face, Chen Fei, the former banner officer.
Gu Qingzhou smiled and tossed his folding fan to Zhan Feiyu, “Not to mention Wan Yunhao’s reputation and status among scholars, the Qin family is a scholarly family in Nanxuan Prefecture. With Wan Yunhao’s death, the Qin family has lost a successor. It’s only natural for them to fan the flames.”
The head of the Qin family and his direct descendants had no outstanding younger generation. The only one worth mentioning was Qin Ye of the third branch, but he was only thirteen years old, and it would take at least ten years for him to mature.
Wan Yunhao, as their son-in-law, was the successor being groomed by the Qin family. Of course, the Qin family’s connections and resources would eventually be passed on to Qin Ye, and Wan Yunhao was merely a transitional figure. However, with Wan Yunhao’s sudden death, the Qin family was caught off guard, which was also a problem.
The fanning motion paused, and Zhan Feiyu blinked, “Teacher, according to your explanation, it’s very likely that Tong Tongzhi made the move.”
Although Tong Tongzhi’s open enemy was Prefect Zhang, Prefect Zhang would eventually be transferred. The Qin family was the real enemy that Tong Tongzhi needed to guard against. Once they absorbed the Qin family’s influence, the Qin family would leap to become the largest family in Nanxuan Prefecture.
Glancing stealthily, Zhan Feiyu continued in a low voice, “Lord Liu is Tong Tongzhi’s patron. A second-rank official would certainly have highly skilled bodyguards protecting him. It wouldn’t be difficult to poison someone without anyone noticing.”
Ultimately, it was Zhan Feiyu and the others who were unprepared. They never expected someone to poison Wan Yunhao during the competition. If the county school had been under strict lockdown, it would not have been so easy for the murderer to administer poison.
Gu Qingzhou ordered Zhan Feiyu to continue fanning him, then said slowly, “Without evidence, it’s all talk.”
Pursing her lips, Zhan Feiyu resigned herself to being a fanning maid. If it were an unsolved case, it would be fine, but she had a feeling this mess would be smeared onto her.
Under normal circumstances, the death of a Juren (successful candidate in the imperial examinations) would not warrant Prince Yu’s personal attention. However, this incident had become too big, with thousands of scholars gathered in Shangsi County, and an explanation had to be given to them.
“Captain Tao, you lead your men to maintain order and prevent anyone from causing trouble.” Prince Yu issued his orders, then looked at Chen Weibin, “Today, the public trial will be held outside the county yamen, and I will personally preside over the trial!”
“Yes, this subordinate will arrange it immediately.” County Magistrate Chen took his orders and immediately went to make arrangements. A public trial was the only way to silence the public.
With the deterrence of the garrison soldiers and Prince Yu’s decision to publicly try the case of Wan Yunhao’s poisoning, the agitated scholars finally calmed down.
Fortunately, the weather was favorable. Yesterday’s sun was scorching, but today it was overcast. Although the temperature remained high, it was at least not so sunny. Prince Yu sat behind the public desk, struck the gavel, and first summoned the coroner who had examined the body and Doctor Xu from Jishetang.
“Your subordinate pays his respects to Your Highness.” Doctor Xu and the coroner knelt on the ground.
“Rise and report,” Prince Yu, seasoned in battle, had a stern face at this moment, exuding a formidable and ruthless aura. Coupled with the Prince’s Mansion guards armed with long swords standing guard on both sides, this majesty was enough to deter any petty criminals.
The coroner reported the autopsy results, “The deceased died of poisoning. There were slight white foam flowing from the mouth and nose. This subordinate rinsed the empty bamboo tube with water and fed it to a rooster. Half an incense stick later, the rooster fell to the ground and died…”
The coroner also examined the unfinished biscuits and two pieces of melon rind in the food box and found no poison. It could be basically concluded that the poison was administered in the bamboo tube containing water.
After the coroner retreated to the side, Doctor Ji began to report, “After careful examination, this subordinate found that the poison was extracted from Aconitum carmichaelii and mixed with snake venom, causing the victim to quickly fall into a coma and eventually die.”
Standing in a shady corner, Zhan Feiyu looked at Doctor Ji beside her. Seeing him nod, she knew that Doctor Xu’s examination results were correct. No wonder Wan Yunhao had not cried for help; the snake venom combined with Aconitum carmichaelii had almost made him fall into a coma instantly.
“Are both these poisons easily obtainable?” Zhan Feiyu asked in a low voice. If it were some secret medicine, it could be traced back to its source. If it were ordinary poison, the clue would be lost.
Doctor Ji had followed Yin Wuyan to the autopsy last night, “They can be found in the mountains.”
Aconitum carmichaelii is a plant, and while obtaining snake venom is dangerous, it is not difficult for a martial artist.
After the coroner and Doctor Xu withdrew, Prince Yu spoke again, and Zhan Feiyu immediately sat up straight. This time, the ones summoned were the three constables who had discovered the body.
Constable Zhao was slightly nervous, only because the trial was presided over by Prince Yu. Gu Grand Scholar, Lord Liu, and Prefect Zhang were seated on both sides, listening in.
Another unlucky constable, Feng Daping, was different. His kneeling body was trembling.
He had been locked in the room by Constable Fei last night. As a constable, Feng Daping was not afraid of corpses. He was only worried that this case involved too much, and that he, a small figure, would end up as a scapegoat.
“Your subordinate pays his respects to Your Highness.” Liu Tong, the groundskeeper, spoke with a trembling voice. He tripped over the threshold, falling heavily. Not only did he lose a tooth, but his lips were also swollen, and his left cheek was bruised, making him look quite pathetic.
Constable Zhao answered first, “Your Highness, when your subordinate and the other two reached the door, the candle inside the room was blown out by the wind. Your subordinate only saw Master Wan slumped over the table. Your subordinate initially thought Master Wan had suffered heatstroke. After calling out a few times, he nudged his shoulder…”
Feng Daping and groundskeeper Liu Tong gave the same testimony. Although Constable Zhao entered the room first, they followed closely behind. However, it was dark inside, so their actions were slower.
“Feng Daping, you continue,” Prince Yu’s voice was loud and authoritative.
After Wan Yunhao was pushed by Constable Zhao and fell to the ground, Constable Zhao didn’t realize the person was dead. In the dark, he thought Wan Yunhao had fainted from heatstroke, so he rushed out to find a doctor.
Zhan Feiyu nodded in agreement. In such a situation, she would also have thought it was severe heatstroke. Who would have thought the person was already dead?
Although Prince Yu was imposing without being angry, he also possessed an iron-clad righteousness. Feng Daping felt less apprehensive, “Reporting to Your Highness, your subordinate was looking for a fire starter on the table to light the candle, not because your subordinate discovered that Master Wan was dead.”
“It was I who discovered it,” Liu Tong immediately knelt on the ground again, trembling as he replied, “This servant wanted to help Master Wan up. When I got closer, I realized Master Wan had no breath…”
Liu Tong was startled at the time. When he looked again, Wan Yunhao had white foam at the corners of his mouth. He tremblingly reached his finger under Wan Yunhao’s nose; there was no breath!
After all, he was an ordinary person. Liu Tong was so scared that he let out a howl, shouted “Someone’s dead,” threw the body he was half-holding to the ground, and ran madly out the door, only to trip over the threshold and almost get himself killed.
The subsequent situation was clear. Constable Fei had just placed Zhan Feiyu’s examination paper into the paper box and sealed it.
Hearing Liu Tong’s shouts, Constable Fei saw the scholars outside rushing over like a swarm. To ensure the crime scene was not disturbed, Constable Fei decisively locked the door.
“Reporting to Your Highness, after the door was locked, your subordinate retreated to the side of the door and waited. He did not touch anything inside the room.” Feng Daping, being a yamen constable, had this common sense. After Prince Yu and the others unlocked the door and entered the room, everything inside remained in its original state.
From this, it seemed that Constable Zhao and the other two were not suspects. Wan Yunhao had already died of poisoning before they entered the room.
“You three may withdraw for now.” Prince Yu dismissed the three and then summoned the personnel from the county school’s kitchen to the hall. They were the most suspicious, as the food had been prepared by them.
The scholars gathered below straightened their bodies. The group of people who were close to Wan Yunhao looked at the more than ten people brought up by the soldiers as if they were enemies.
The county school kitchen originally had two cooks and three雜役 (zá yì - miscellaneous workers). Among the three杂役, two aunts were responsible for washing and trimming vegetables, while the remaining one, an uncle with a slight limp in his right foot, was responsible for chopping wood and tending the stove, doing the rough and miscellaneous work.
After County Magistrate Chen dispatched ten more cooks to help at the county school, each cook brought a helper. At this time, there were a total of twenty-five people.
After Prince Yu’s questioning and integrating the testimonies of the kitchen staff, it took a full half-hour.
Liu Jian put aside the confession handed over by the registrar and said, “Your Highness, this subordinate also believes that these four individuals are the most suspicious. The others can be ruled out.”
Gu Qingzhou did not speak, and Prince Yu did not pay attention. He looked at Prefect Zhang and asked, “Prefect Zhang, do you have any conclusions?”
“This subordinate agrees with Lord Liu’s view. These four had contact with the food boxes, and only they had the opportunity to administer poison,” Prefect Zhang replied after standing up. Finding the murderer in the case of Wan Yunhao’s poisoning might not be difficult, but the key was who was the mastermind.
The gavel sounded again, and amidst the solemn shouts of the yamen runners, Prince Yu sat back behind the public desk. His sharp gaze swept over the more than twenty people standing below. “The four whose names I call will remain. The rest may withdraw…”
Zhan Feiyu and the scholars standing below already had a list in mind. Based on their testimonies, it was not difficult to identify the four who had handled the food boxes.
Chef Jia was a胖子 (pàng zi - fat person). He was skilled at making pastries. The task of making the pancakes should have been done by the county school’s cooks, but Chef Jia volunteered to take it on.
“The pancakes I made were not poisoned. We even had a few extra pancakes, and we ate them ourselves,” Chef Jia, called by name, was so scared that the fat on his belly jiggled.
The flour was kneaded in a basin, and ten pancakes were produced from one pot. These pancakes were thick. Chef Jia originally planned to put two pancakes in each food box, but then he thought it was only for lunch, and two pancakes were too wasteful. Even for a strong middle-aged man, one large pancake would be filling.
So, after putting three in the food box, there were seven left. The pancakes were indeed thick and filling. Chef Jia cut them into four pieces with a cleaver, and everyone in the kitchen had a piece. If there was poison, they would probably all have been poisoned.
“This humble woman did not administer poison. I just washed the food boxes and bamboo tubes clean…” Aunt Yi was so scared that she could barely speak. She was a杂役 (zá yì - miscellaneous worker) at the county school and had always been clean and tidy, so the washing task naturally fell to her.
The miscellaneous worker Bing and the miscellaneous worker Ding also quickly spoke up to prove their innocence. Miscellaneous worker Bing was responsible for cutting the watermelon, and the fruit sent to Prince Yu’s table was also his responsibility.
Miscellaneous worker Ding filled the cooled warm water into the bamboo tubes and placed the pancakes and two pieces of watermelon into them. “Your Highness, this subordinate is wronged. This subordinate was working in the kitchen at the time, and everyone can see. This subordinate did not administer poison. After the three food boxes were packed, this subordinate placed them on the table outside the door, and then the constables took them away.”
There were many people in the kitchen. Although everyone had their own tasks at the time, it was not easy to administer poison to the bamboo tubes under everyone’s watchful eyes.
Of course, it was not impossible. If one had quick hands or was skilled, administering poison would only take a moment.
Zhan Feiyu looked at the pale miscellaneous worker Ding. Although he was terrified at the moment, he dared to look up when answering, which indicated that he was not guilty.
Moreover, he was a native of the area and had worked as a helper in the kitchen of a small tavern. He was not very brave and was honest. It was far-fetched to say that he had been bribed to administer poison.
“Bring out the three food boxes,” Prince Yu commanded, and immediately a yamen runner brought all three food boxes.
Prince Yu examined them carefully and then had the yamen runner take the food boxes down for Gu Qingzhou, Liu Jian, and others to inspect.
The food boxes were of the most ordinary style, found in the county school’s storeroom. Wan Yunhao’s food box was now tied with a red string as a marker.
Without this red string, these three food boxes were identical in style and condition, and no difference could be found.
“The food boxes were taken out of the storeroom yesterday morning?” Liu Jian asked for the first time.
The person who replied was the county school’s groundskeeper, who was responsible for managing the storeroom. “Reporting to Your Excellency, this subordinate took them out of the cabinet in the storeroom this morning and then handed them to Aunt Yi to wash clean.”
After another round of questioning, Liu Jian looked at Prince Yu on the throne and said, “Your Highness, the three food boxes are indistinguishable. After being filled with food, they were placed on the long table outside the kitchen. The constables who carried the food boxes at the time were responsible. Therefore, the poisoning could only have occurred on the path from the kitchen to the self-reflection room.”
“Lord Liu’s words are flawed,” Gu Qingzhou loudly refuted Liu Jian’s deduction.
His words were tantamount to pinning the murder charge on Chen Weibin. Liu Jian, that old scoundrel, had suppressed people in Shangsi County for seven years and still wasn’t satisfied. He even wanted to strike Chen Weibin down with one blow. A charge of dereliction of duty was enough to end Chen Weibin’s official career.
As soon as Gu Qingzhou spoke, the hundreds of scholars standing below immediately perked up, wishing they could prick up their ears to listen to Grand Scholar Gu’s analysis.
“The two yamen runners responsible for carrying the food boxes can testify for each other. This is the first point,” Gu Qingzhou glanced at Liu Jian, who wanted to retort. Without him speaking, Gu Qingzhou could guess what Liu Jian was going to say, which was that the two yamen runners might have colluded.
“The second point I want to make is that after the yamen runners delivered the three food boxes outside the door of the self-reflection room, they left. The three food boxes were placed together. Unless it was the person who administered the poison, outsiders would never know which food box contained the poison.”
Although Gu Qingzhou was not present at the time, Zhan Feiyu was, and there were hundreds of scholars at the scene. The food boxes were placed on the table in front of the corridor.
Gu Qingzhou smiled and said, “After the bell rang, Tutor Zhao asked the three contestants to enter the room. They each carried their own food boxes. Lord Liu, do you mean to say that Zhan Feiyu and Tong Xu knew which food box contained poison and deliberately avoided it, leaving the poisoned one for Wan Yunhao?”
The trial had reached a dead end. Without being able to determine how the poison was administered to the bamboo tubes, it was impossible to find the murderer, let alone the mastermind.
Zhan Feiyu rubbed her chin with her chubby paw and couldn’t help but murmur, “Could this be indiscriminate killing? It doesn’t matter whom they poison?”
Doctor Ji was almost amused, “Then why not poison all three bamboo tubes and simply poison all three of you to death.”
“I still feel scared thinking about it. I walked through the gates of hell and came back.” Not only Zhan Feiyu felt lingering fear, but Gu Qingzhou and Yin Wuyan were also terrified. Precisely because they were unprepared, Zhan Feiyu could indeed have been poisoned.
Although it was overcast, after standing for a whole morning, the scholars were all sweating profusely.
Prince Yu had everyone sign and affix their fingerprints. Except for the four most suspicious individuals, everyone else was temporarily released. The trial for this case was set to be held again in three days.
…
After returning to the farm and drinking a large bowl of iced mung bean soup, Zhan Feiyu felt alive again, rather than a wilted little salted fish baked by the high temperature.
“Don’t be greedy for cold!” Yin Wuyan’s voice sounded. Zhan Feiyu, who was about to approach the ice basin to cool off, sheepishly retreated.
Gu Qingzhou shook his head helplessly. This was a case of one thing conquering another!
Prince Yu was not so concerned. He sat directly in front of the ice basin and drank mung bean soup. “Wuyan, how is your investigation going?”
During the public trial in the morning, Yin Wuyan and the Imperial Guards had not appeared. However, Prince Yu knew that Yin Wuyan had left two people behind to protect Zhan Feiyu in secret.
“There are no clues, which also indicates that the mastermind’s poisoning plan was well-prepared and considered all aspects, thus leaving no trace.” Yin Wuyan suspected Liu Jian and Tong Tongzhi, as Wan Yunhao’s poisoning was most beneficial to them.
“The three food boxes were indeed placed randomly at the time, and you three also picked them up casually. The murderer could have randomly poisoned someone,” Prince Yu filtered all the information in his mind and couldn’t help but suspect that Wan Yunhao was just the unluckiest one.
“No!” The voices of the three spoke in unison. Prince Yu, who was refuted, immediately turned grim and glared angrily at the three who had spoken.
“Little Yu, you tell him,” Gu Qingzhou said with a smile. His little disciple was so intelligent, which gave him a sense of accomplishment.
Zhan Feiyu glanced at the upright and imposing Prince Yu, who looked as if he would cut her down with a sword if she said anything wrong. “Your Highness, although the current situation looks like random killing, any murder has a purpose. Tong Xu is an insignificant character. His death would not cause any impact.”
Although the Qin family and the Tong Mansion were secretly at odds, Tong Xu’s poisoning would not bring much benefit to the Qin family. Instead, it might provoke Tong Tongzhi to retaliate against the Qin family desperately. Moreover, the Qin family prided themselves on being a scholarly family and had never acted so ruthlessly.
Although there was competition between aristocratic families, there were also unwritten rules. Unless it was a mortal feud, they would not send people to assassinate each other. Firstly, the imperial court would not allow it, and secondly, if you kill me today and I kill you tomorrow, the world would fall into chaos.
Every family had female relatives and children, and the heads and heirs of families also had moments of being alone. If they kept killing each other, it was estimated that no family could survive for a hundred years.
Zhan Feiyu continued, “As for me, not to mention that they wouldn’t dare to offend Teacher, but the movable type printing technique was handed over to the court through me. At this time, poisoning me would be slapping the Emperor in the face. No one would dare to act like this.”
If Zhan Feiyu died, let alone Gu Qingzhou’s revenge, the Emperor would also send people to investigate thoroughly.
Once discovered, even if it wasn’t extermination of the clan, it would be close. The cost of killing Zhan Feiyu was too high. The mastermind was not only not killing randomly but could also be completely certain that Wan Yunhao was the one poisoned.
“The little girl is quite flattering herself,” Prince Yu joked, but he also admitted that Zhan Feiyu’s words made sense. “In that case, the mastermind’s target was only Wan Yunhao.”
“I looked at Wan Yunhao’s papers,” Gu Qingzhou had examined the papers last night. “He had already written the policy questions and poems. He only had the last of the ten帖经 (tiē jīng - classical scriptures) questions left unanswered. According to the coroner’s autopsy, Wan Yunhao died of poisoning around the hour of Hai (9 PM-11 PM). This raises a question.”
“Wan Yunhao didn’t drink water during the day? That’s impossible!” Zhan Feiyu immediately hit the nail on the head. If he had drunk water during the day and was poisoned, he wouldn’t have left one question unanswered.
She was answering the exam in the room at the time, and it was no exaggeration to call it a steamer. If she hadn’t been worried about needing to use the restroom from drinking too much water, even a bamboo tube of water wouldn’t have been enough. Zhan Feiyu drank about two sips of water every hour.
Yin Wuyan said coldly, “Ji Chaocai examined the poison in the bamboo tube. Aconitum carmichaelii and snake venom are not immediately fatal. A sufficiently large dose is required to cause death. Poisoning can cause difficulty breathing and dizziness, which are similar to the symptoms of heatstroke.”
Zhan Feiyu understood. Wan Yunhao might have drunk a few sips of water at first, but the symptoms of poisoning might not have been obvious. He might have just thought he was suffering from heatstroke due to the heat in the room.
Because Prince Yu had prepared a full five hundred帖经 (tiē jīng - classical scriptures) questions, Wan Yunhao might have been worried that heatstroke would affect his performance and cause him to lose the competition. He might have written the exam in one go, without drinking water or eating anything in between.
Until before the hour of Hai, only the last exam paper was left. Wan Yunhao first ate two pieces of watermelon, which was the most thirst-quenching. As for the pancakes, he only ate a little. Then he drank all the water in the bamboo tube and continued to write the questions on the last paper, only to be poisoned.
“This brings us back to the beginning. How could the mastermind ensure that Wan Yunhao would pick the poisoned food box?” Zhan Feiyu frowned in thought. Without understanding this, she couldn’t find the murderer, even though she also suspected Tong Tongzhi and Liu Jian.
“No matter what, let’s eat first,” Prince Yu waved his hand. He was good at leading troops in battle, but trying cases was not his forte, especially since the case of Wan Yunhao was proving to be a dead end.
“Perhaps Wan Yunhao was deceived by the mastermind. The food box might have been tampered with, and only Wan Yunhao and the mastermind knew the marker on the food box,” Prince Yu thought more and more that this was a possibility.
If the mastermind had tricked Wan Yunhao into thinking there were cheat sheets in the food box, Wan Yunhao would surely have taken a specific food box, only to be poisoned in the end.
Gu Qingzhou looked at the confident Prince Yu with disdain. Thinking of his old age, he didn’t say anything, fearing that he might anger him.
The competition questions were set by Prince Yu, Liu Jian, and the head of the Qin family. Prince Yu would certainly not reveal the questions, and even if he did, it would be useless. There were a full five hundred questions; how could they be revealed?
Liu Jian and the officials in the court who were not of the same faction as the Qin family, and moreover, he was the patron of the Tong Mansion, so he would naturally not reveal the questions to Wan Yunhao. As for the head of the Qin family, he only set the five-character, eight-line poem by Xia He. Revealing it or not revealing it yielded the same result.
Being able to make Wan Yunhao take a specific food box, Zhan Feiyu knew no matter how she thought about it, it definitely had nothing to do with the competition. Cheat sheets were even less likely. Wan Yunhao, as the youngest Juren (successful candidate in the imperial examinations) in Nanxuan Prefecture, and a young prodigy, relied on his true talent and learning. He would not cheat in the competition.