Chapter 103: Formidable Use of Poison

Comments:

Erica– Been without Wi-Fi for a few days, apologiesfor the delay

Notes:

^[1]Should the student be better than their teacher

BaiZhiandZhaoYuewerebrieflytakenaback. BaiZhiwhispered:“Xiaojie, JiuYiniangislockedupinherowncourtyard,Laoyesaid——”

“FatherdidnotsayIcouldn’tgoandaskquestions.”LiWeiYangidlysaid.

BaiZhisaid:“Buttheweatherissocold.”

LiWeiYangdidn’tpayanymindtoit:“Itdoesn’tmatter.Let’sgo.”

ZhaoYuehadbeensolemnandsilent.Hearingthis,shenodded:“Yes.”

Therewasnotraceofanyonealongtheway.Perhapsnoonewantedtogooutinthisheavysnowyweather.LiWeiYangfirmlyheldontohercloakandwalkedintoJiuYiniang’scourtyardbutdidnotrunintothecaretakers.Inthesnownotfaraway,therewasasilhouetteofa figuremovingstrangely.

Thatperson’slonghairwasunkempt,fallingeverywhereandseemedtobedraggingherfeet.Her kneesstiff,shewalkedasifhe was awkwardlylimping.ShewasgettingcloserandclosertoLiWeiYangandcouldbefaintlyseenonlywearingthinlayerofclothes...Inthisweather,howcouldanyonewearsomethingsosparsehere!Amomentlater,LiWeiYangsaweverythingclearly.ThepersoninfrontofherwasnoneotherthanJiuYiniang!Shewasnotwearingthinsummerclothesbutawhitenightgown.

LiWeiYangfrowned,howcould JiuYiniangrunoutsideofthehousealone?!Didn’tLaoFurenordertohavemoreservantsto guard herandkeepherunderclosewatch...Howcouldshe runoutsidewithoutanyonedoinganything?Whydidsherunoutinthiskindofweather?!

ZhaoYueinstinctivelyplacedahandontheswordbyherwaist,cautiouslyeyingJiuYiniang.

JiuYinianghadalreadydiscoveredthemandsuddenlystaredintenselyatLiWeiYang,clappingherhandsandlaughing.

LiWeiYangnoticedhervoicewasratherabnormalandshuddered.Shelookedatherfaceandonlysawapairofsoulless,holloweyesasshehadwithLiChangXi!

“Hahaha,soit’syou!”JiuYiniangtwirledapale,frozenbluefinger.Herhandswerealwaysbeautifulanduntaintedbyevenalittlebitofdust,butnowtheywerecoveredinmud,dirtandblood.

“Iknowyou!You’rethatcapableSanXiaojie!Ahno!It’sLiWeiYang!Thatbearerofmisfortune!”

LiWeiYangraisedhereyebrows.CouldJiuYinianghavetrulylosthermind?

ZhaoYuewantedtostopJiuYiniangfromcominganycloser,butLiWeiYangshookherhead.ZhaoYuehadtostepback.JiuYinianggiggledominouslyandcameclosertoLiWeiYang.Thestrangelightinhereyesintensifiedassheusedthesecretivetoneofvoiceofayoungchild:“Child, aren’tyoureallycapable?!Savemethen,saveme,Ireallydidn’tharmyou!Ididn’thurtanyone!Theyareharmingme!Theycolludedwithoneanothertoharmme!IonlyfeltthatthingwasbeautifulandwantedtoborrowittomakeoneforJinger.Itrulydidn’tharmyou!”

Thewordsofamadwomanwerenotnecessarilycredible,butLiWeiYang’sintuitiontoldherJiuYiniangwastellingthetruth.

Shefrownedandsuddenlyraisedhervoice:“Wherearethepeopleinthiscourtyard?Didyoualldiesomewhere?”

Hervoicewasnotveryloudamidstthewindandsnow,butsevenoreightpeopleappearedfrominsidethecourtyard,fourMamasandacoupleyatous.Theyallhadafearfullookontheirfaces.

LiWeiYangcoldlysaid:“Allofyouweresupposed towatchoverJiuYiniang,whatareyoualldoing?!”

ThefourMamashastilykneltdownandapologized.Wheneveritwasthiscold,theydidnotstandguardbythedoorsandsneakedinsomewinetodrinkandplaycards.TheyjustrealizedthatLiWeiYanghadarrivedbutdidnotdaretocomeoutinfearofbeingpunished,butitseemed likeitwasunavoidable.

AMamaquietlysaid:“Xian Zhuforgiveus,theweatheristoocold.AlltheNubi’shandsarefrozenblue.WethoughtJiuYiniangwasmentallyunstableandwouldnotrunout,sothen——”

LiWeiYangcoldlystaredatthem:“QuicklyhelpYinianginside!”

Huh? Didn’tJiuYiniangharmSiShaoye?SiShaoyewasXian Zhu’sfull-bloodedyounger brother.WhydidXian ZhucontinuetotreatJiuYiniangthiswell?TheMamaslookedatoneanother.TheydidnotdaretoobjectandquicklydirectedpeopletoseizeJiuYiniang,butthestrengthofamadwomanalwayssurpassedthatofanaverageperson.JiuYiniangbegantolaugh,hervoicesharpasshebrokefreefromthecrowd,swayingassheran.Everyonerushedtoseizeherandaftersomedifficulty,theymanagedtoholdherdownonthesnow.JiuYiniangwasbarefoot,herentirebodycurledupasifshewasgettingsick.

LiWeiYanglookedonfromafarandhadanominouspremonition.Shewhispered:“Haveyourolder brotherwatchoverJiuYiniang.”

“Yes.”ZhaoYuequietlyresponded.

LiWeiYang’sintuitionwasratheraccurate.Onedaylater,JiuYiniangwasfounddeadinherroom.

“ThephysiciansaidJiuYiniangcommittedsuicidebyswallowinggold.”LiWeiYangslowlysaid.

ZhaoNanshookhishead:“No, Nucaistoodguardoutsidetheentiretime.Ifshecommittedsuicidebyswallowinggold,Nucaiwouldhaveseenit.”

historical

LiWeiYangsighedandsaid:“Ofcourseshedidn’tcommitsuicide,shewasmurdered.”

“Xiaojie,whenyatoubroughtdinnerinthatevening,JiuYiniangwasstillwell.Nucaihadalsotestedthefoodwithasilverneedle.Therewasnopoison,butaftersixhours,JiuYiniangstoppedbreathing.

AtfirstNucaisuspectedshehadbeenpoisoned,soNucaihadcheckedallthefurnishingsinroombutcouldnotfindanytrace of poisonanywhere. Then,NucaiexaminedJiuYiniang’scorpseandfoundthatshelookedasifsheweredreaming,asifithadbeenpainless.

“So,thepersonwhokilledhermusthaveusedapoisonthatcouldnotbedetectedoractedinawaywecouldn’thavepossiblyimagined.”

LiWeiYanghadlivedinthe palaceandknew aboutmany types ofpoisonthatcouldnotbedetected.Forthemostpart,thosewereingredientsthatcontainedarsenic,soitwasnotsurprisingthatZhaoNancouldnotfindthecauseofJiuYiniang’sdeath.

“Itseemsouronlycluehasbeenlost,”ZhaoNanfrowned.Inhisopinion,thewindingtroublesinthisgrandresidence havemadepeople’sheadshurt.Someonepeacefullylivingouttheirdayscouldsuddenlydieinfrontofeveryone’s eyes.Hereallycouldnotunderstandit;hewouldrathergotothebattlefieldtofightandkillthantobeafraid,worryingaboutwhenanarrowwillcomeforhimoutofnowhere.

“Didn’tanyofyouthinkthatJiuYinianggoingmadisstrange?”LiWeiYangprompted.

ZhaoYuenodded:“Shewasingoodhealth,butfromthemomentsheleftHeXiangCourtyard,it’sasifsheturnedintoadifferentperson.”

LiWeiYangnoddedandsaid:“LiChangXilosthermindbecauseofthetraumaIcausedher,butwhydidJiuYinianggomad?”

“Maybe...Shemadeagravemistakeandwasafraidofbeingpunished——”BaiZhisupposed.

LiWeiYangshookherhead:“Ifshewasdaringenoughtodoit,shecertainlyknewoftheconsequences.Howcouldshegomadsoeasily?”

BaiZhididnotspeakanymore.ShealsofelttherewassomethingwrongwithJiuYiniangsuddenlygoingcrazy.Perhapssomeonehadahandinit.

OnlyMoZhousighedandsaid:“PoorLiuXiaojie,shehasalreadylosthermothernotlongafterbeingbornintothisworld.”

LiWeiYangsmiled:“Thisisactuallyagoodthingforher.AlthoughJiuYiniangwasbeautifulandclever,shedidnotgrowupinalargeprestigioushousehold.Sheiseasilymanipulatedbyothers.Withamotherlikeher,Liumeimeiwillbeinvolvedinmanytroublesomematters.Nowthatsheisdead,JiangYueLanhastoestablishherimageofagentle,goodmotherinfrontofeveryone.Shewillexpectantlytreatherwell.”

BaiZhinodded;“Xiaojiehasapoint.”

MoZhoudisagreed:“WhoknowswherethenewFuren’sheartis.WhatifshealsodisposesofLiuXiaojie?”

LiWeiYanglaughed:“Foolishyatou, whywouldsheneedtoactagainstLiumeimei?Liumeimeiisonlyaconcubine-borndaughter.Infuture,sheonlyneedstogiveherabitofdowry.ShecouldalsouseLiumeimeitofurtherher familyinterests. Ofcourse,shemustbecarefullyraised ---forthesakeofJiangYueLan’sgoodname.ButMinZhiisdifferent...”

Firstofall,suppressingtheconcubine-bornsonistokeeptheinheritanceforthelegitimateson.Eveniftheconcubine-bornsonmovedout,hewillalwayshaveashare.Ifhedoesn’tmoveout,youwouldhavetoputmoneytowardssupportinghishousehold.Whenitcomestoanarrow-mindedandunfavored mainbranchofthefamily,theywillnaturallytreatmoneyastheirfleshandbloodandresentnotbeingabletoremovetheconcubine-bornsonfromexistence.

Thesecondreasonistoprotecttheeldest,legitimateson’sstatusinthehousehold.AmongtheofficialsinDaLi,thereweremanyconcubine-bornsonsthathavesurpassedtheirlegitimatecounterparts.Withachievementsinhand,notonlycouldtheywrestlefavorfromthelegitimateson,buttheirmothergainshonorasherson’spositionrisesandmayevenbeabletocompetewiththeofficialwife’s.

LikethecurrentprefectofZhangzhou,LiuFang,whowasoriginallyaconcubine-bornson.HewasraisedbythelegitimatemotherLiushifromayoungage.Whenhereturnedandsawthathisbirthmother,Lishi,withaheadofwhitehair,stillhadtoabidebyetiquettetowardsthelegitimatemotherandcouldn’tbearit.HepurposelyaskedforBixia’sedicttoallowhimtobringhisbirthmothertoZhangzhouPrefecturewithhimtosharehisprosperity.TheEmperorsawthatLiuFanghadenduredmanyyearsofhardworkandhardships,butthenewsspread,andhislegitimatemotherLiushifeltthissonwastoounrulyandwasfurious.SheorderedtheservantstochokeLishitodeath.So,itseemedlike sheraisedthisconcubine-bornsonwithherguardraised.Thiswasalsohumannature.ThiswasthemainreasonLiWeiYangdidnotwanttoleaveMinZhiwithJiangYueLan.Ifshedidn’thaveason,shemaytreatMinZhiwell,butwhatifshehadherownson?Theproblemwould becomerathercomplicated.

LiWeiYangthoughtupuntilthispoint,thenlookedatthebranchesoutsidethewindowthatwereswayedbythewind:“Thisisthelastsnowfalloftheyear.”

BaiZhiandMoZhoulookedatoneanother,notunderstandingwhyLiWeiYangsuddenlymentionedthis.

Theperson who had thesamethoughtsasLiWeiYangwasLiXiaoRan.HefeltJiuYiniang’smadnesswasstrangeandsuspectedsomeonepoisonedher.Asheponderedoverit,shesuddenlydied.Perhapssomeonemurderedher.Atfirst,hewantedtothoroughlyinvestigate.Unfortunately,theshopownerwasdeadandwith neitherawitnessnora testimony, theonlycluewaswiththeyatoubyJiuYiniang’sside.Herwordsbecametheonlydoorstothe truth. Nomatterhowshewasinterrogated,theyatouonlyrepeatedthat:JiuYiniangpoisonedSiShaoye,andshedidnotknowanythingelse.Lateron,LiXiaoRansentforanexpertintorture,butthatyatoustilldidnotchangeherconfession.

“Nomatterwhatitis,ithasnoeffect.Eithertheyatouistellingthetruthorshebelievesthatwhatshe’ssayingisthetruth.”LiWeiYangsaidtoZhaoYue.

ZhaoYuedidnotunderstand:“Whatisthedifference?”

LiWeiYangsmiled:“ThedifferenceisthatshereallydidseeJiuYiniangputthepoisoninsideorsomeoneelsemadehermistakenlythinkthatJiuYiniangdealtwithpoison.”

ZhaoYuesuddenlyunderstood:“Then, isthereawaytoinvestigateit?”

LiWeiYangcoldlysaid:“Ithappenedonce,sotherewillinevitablybeasecondtime.Aslongaswepretendnottoknowanythingforthetimebeing,theotherpartywillcontinuetoact.”

ZhaoYuenodded:“NubicertainlywillcarefullywatchoverSiShaoye.”

Atthatmoment,ZhaoNanquicklycameinandkneltdowntosay:“Xiaojie, followingXiaojie’sinstructions,NucaisearchedthroughJiuYiniang’sfoodintherecentdays...”Hehandedoverastackofpapers.

LiWeiYanglookedatitforawhilebutstillcouldnotseeanythingoutoftheordinary.Sheloweredhervoice:“Thereisnothingstrangewithfoodpreparation.Whatisgoingonhere?”Awhilelater,shefrowned:“Gofindaphysician.”

ZhaoNanrespondedandquicklydisappeared.LiWeiYangsolemnlylookedathisretreatingfigure.

Twohourslater,ZhaoNanbroughtbackanold,white-hairedandbeardedphysician.LiWeiYanglookedatZhao,andheimmediatelysaid:“NucaitoldtheguardsatthegatethatayatouinXiaojie’scourtyardwasill,sotheLifamilyphysicianwouldnotbesummoned.”

LiWeiYangnoddedandsaid:“Pleasetakealook,istheresomethingwrongwiththesefoods?Orwouldconsumingtoomuchofanyofthese beharmful?”

Theoldphysicianwastremblingandstilldidnotknowwhathappened,buthesawtheluxuriousfurnishingsintheroomandLiWeiYang’smannerofdressandunderstood.Heloweredhishead,notdaringtolookatLiWeiYang.Heacceptedthepapersandscannedthrougheachone.

ThesepapersrecordedJiuYiniang’sdailymealsinthepastmonth.

Theoldphysicianexaminedthemandpointedatadishthatwas preparedforeverymeal:“Thissteamedcassava——”

LiWeiYangsaid:“CassavaisuniquetoJiuYiniang’shometownandsomethingshelovestoeat.Fuqinalwaysdotesonherandsendsforittobedeliveredfromherhometown.Shedidnottouchitwhenshewaspregnant.It’snothingnew.Why,isthereaproblemwithit?

Theoldphysicianlookedalittlehesitant:“Theleaves, stems,androotsofcassavasaretoxic,andfreshrootsarethemosttoxic.Ifraworundercookedcassavaiseaten,eventhroughasipofsoup,itmaystillcontaintoxins.Consumingtoomuchofitwillleadtodeath.Therefore,mostpeopledon’tlikeeatingit.”

LiWeiYangfrownedandthensaid:“Thisisunlikely.Thekitchenstaffwouldnotserveuppoorlypreparedfood.”

Theoldphysiciandidnotdaretosaymoreandpointedatanotherdish:“ThisEnokimushroomanddaylilydish ...Ah...Themushroomscontainatypeofcolchicine.Ifit’snotcarefullycookedandconsumedinlargeamounts,itcaneasilyleadtotoxinsdisruptingthedigestivesystem.Ordinarypeoplecanstilldigestit,butifsomeoneweakandfrailwastoeatit ...”

Frail? JiuYinianggavebirthafewmonthsago.Herhealthnaturallycouldnotbeatitsbest,butdaylilywasoftenusedincooking.LiWeiYangneverheardofitbeingtoxic,soshemadeanexpressionofdisbelief.

Theoldphysicianexplained:“Thisoldmanhasseenwithhis owneyesapatientwithgastrointestinalbleedingforsevendayswhoseemedperfectlynormalbutsuffocatedtodeathintheend...”

BaiZhimadeafaceofdisgust.Thisoldphysiciandaredtosay‘suffocatetodeath’infrontofXiaojie-- hewastrulyoutofline!

LiWeiYangshookherhead.ThiscouldnotexplainJiuYiniang’sdeath.Tosayshediedbecauseofthetoxinsinmushroomsordaylilieswasabsurd.Everyoneeatsthesethings,andnoonehaseverdied from this.Theoldphysicianwasspeakingofaspecialcasethatwouldonlyhappenundercertaincircumstances.No,waitamoment,whatifsomeonedeliberatelyundercookedthecassavaorintentionallyletthefrailJiuYiniangconsumealargeamountofcassava?

Theoldphysiciancontinued:“Xiaojieisyoungandit’s normal that you haveneverseenthis.WhenIwasyoung,IusedtoexaminecorpsesfortheImperialCourt.Isawwithmyowneyesallthestrange,primitivewayspeoplekilloneanother!Takethisroastporkandpotatodish.Theblossoms,leaves,androotsofthesepotatoescontainalotoftoxins,especiallyintheshoots.Younggreenpotatoesordarkspotsduetoimproperstoragecontainextremelyhighlevelsoftoxicity.Aslongasonemakesgood useofit,theycaneasilyputsomeonetodeath.Ofcourse,tograspthis,onemustneedtoexperimentwithitmanytimesandhavedirectaccesstothevictim’sfood...”

LiWeiYangunderstoodeverything.Shewavedahand.BaiZhiimmediatelyplacedalargesilverbagintheoldphysician’shand.Theoldphysicianpanicked:“This ... Ididnotexamineanyoneyet,Icannotacceptsomuchmoney...”

LiWeiYangsmiled:“Thankyouforclarifyingmysuspicions.”

Theoldphysicianwasrewardedbutfrightened.Heintendedtosaymore,butZhaoNanhadshowedhimout.

BaiZhisoftlysaid:“Thisoldmanscarespeoplewithwhathesays!Weeatthosethingsevery dayandhaveyettoseeanyonedie!”

LiWeiYangshookherhead:“Indeed, ifyouwanttouseitproperly,youmustknowJiuYiniang’shealthverywellandusethischancetokillher.Thisisnotsomethingtheaveragepersoniscapableof.I’mafraidapoisonsexperthasappearedinthishousehold.”

“Xiaojieissayingit’s——”ZhaoYuewasstunned.

AchillinglightcrossedLiWeiYang’seyes:“Toputhertodeathlikethat,IknowwhythispersonwouldwanttostepfootintotheLifamily!”

InadifferentresidenceintheCapital...

ZhouTianShouworriedlywalkedinthroughthedoorsandgreetedtheyoungmaninceremonialgarmentsstandinginthehall.Theyoungmanturnedbackwithasmile:“Noneedtostandonceremony,Taoistleader.”

ZhouTianShouoriginallylivedinmountains,butforsomereason,hewasinvitedtothisplaceamonthago.Hemettheyoungmanhere,whoarrangedthisresidenceforhim.ZhouTianShouledamodestlifestyleandhadneverreceivedsuchacourtesy.Hecouldnothelpbutwalkaroundthecourtyardandglancedaround.Thetablesandbedweremadefrompreciousrosewood,thefour-paneledscreendividerwasinlaidwithgold,thecurtainsembroideredwithsilk,thebedding,andeventhesleepwearweremadeofsilk.Everythinginthehouse,eventhechamber pot,waslacqueredwithgold.

Atmeals, thetablewouldbefullofseeminglysimplevegetariandisheswithmushrooms,winterbambooshoots,fungus,chestnuts,cauliflowerandvegetables.However,heknewthatwhilemeatwashardtocomebyinthese seas,freshvegetableswereevenmorerarethanabaloneandginseng.Hewasblindedbysuchextravaganceandcouldnotbelievewhatfortunehestumbledupon.However,somethingmadehimuneasy,notknowingwhattheotherpartywantedhimtodo.

Now, theyoungmanappearedbeforehimasecondtime.ZhouTianShouknewthatthistime,itwouldbetogivehimatask.

“IinvitedTaoistleaderheretoaskthatyouleavethisplace.”Theyoungmansmiledashesaidthis.

ZhouTianShouwasshocked.Howcouldheleavesuchawonderfulplacebehind?Hisfacerevealedhisreluctance,buttheyoungmancontinued,withoutwaitingforhimtospeak:“Don’tmisunderstand.Ihavenootherintentions.SomeonewillcomeandinviteTaoistleaderintothepalace.”

“Intothepalace?!”ZhouTianShouwasevenmoreastonished:“Inviteme?”

Theyoungmansmiledandsaid:“Indeed.”

ZhouTianShoufeltratherstrange.Hecouldn’thelpbutlookattheyoungman’sappearance,feelinghehadanobleandhandsomeappearance.Hiseyebrowswerelikemountains,hiseyeslikeapondinautumn,andeverythingfromhisnosetohismouthwas perfectly sculpted, butmostimportantlywas his fate ...ZhouTianShouhadanideaofthisyoungman’sidentity.Hewasgoodatlookingatfaces,butthereweremanythingsonecanseebutcannotsayforsure.

“Youshouldreturntoyouroriginalresidence,Taoistleader.Inthreedays,QiHuangziDianxiawillinviteTaoistleaderintothepalace.”Theyoungmansaid.

ZhouTianShoufearfullysaid:“Intothepalace...Mymaster...”Hismastersaidmattersinthepalacewerecomplicatedandtoldhimnottobeinvolvedwithquestionablepeople,butheknewthathismasterwasafraidhewouldstealhisbowlofrice^[1].

Theyoungman’ssmileseemedevenmorecharming:“Everythingwillbetakencareofonceyouareinthepalace.However,ifyouwanttosurpassyourmasterinBixia’seyes,youneedtobringBixiaauniquegift.”

ZhouTianShoulookedhim,puzzled:“IamonlyapoorTaoist,whatgiftcouldIsend?”

Theyoungmanonlysmiledandsaid:“Ah, agift.Ihavealreadypreparedoneforyou.”

ZhouTianShoufollowedtheyoungman’sgazeoutthewindow.Hesuddenlystopped,hiseyesimmediatelyfixatedonayoungwoman.Hehadneverlookedclosely atbeautifulwomenandkepthimselfpure,butatthismoment,hestaredunblinkingly.Thebeautyinfrontofhimhadsofthands,afaircomplexion,sharpphoenixeyes,beautifuleyebrows,andaclever,charmingsmilethatmadeone’sheartquiver.Afterall,hewasareligiouspractitionerandimmediatelyrecollectedhimself:“Thisis——”

Theyoungmanhadaslightsmile:“The emperorismissingaflawlessbeautybyhisside,right?”

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Translator: Chau

Editor: Erica

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Next: Chapter 104 Part 1

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