Chapter 395
The first person was the geomancer, who was carried in by Wei Luowen’s bodyguards.
Another bodyguard came in with a pot of ink.
“Lord Marquis, there’s also some trace of Five Drums Grass in this ink,” Doctor Ming frowned and said directly.
It was very easy for a doctor who was familiar with Five Drums Grass’ stench to detect the smell from such a large basin of ink. The stench was quite strong and obvious, which indicated that there was a significant amount of Five Drums Grass inside.
“So what if the ink has the trace of Five Drums Grass? Do you think someone will be stupid enough to drink the ink?!” Madam Dowager slammed her hand on the table and shouted angrily. She was very dismayed about Wei Luowen’s action of bringing the geomancer here.
Wei Yuewu’s eyes darted slightly, and she hid the mockery in her eyes. Madam Dowager was really selfish. Was she so certain that someone had attempted to harm her? However, she didn’t have to do the explanation.
Sure enough, after hearing what Madam Dowager said, Doctor Ming hurriedly asserted, “What is the use of this ink? If it is mixed with Five Drums Grass, Five Drums Grass will be colorless and odorless after the ink is dried. If someone uses this ink to paint the walls, for example, a person who stays in that place for a certain period of time will die. However, since that person does not directly consume Five Drums Grass, it is not detectable in the person’s body, and people will only think that the person dies because of illness.”
When he said this, everyone in the room could not help but think of Wei Yuewu’s fainting earlier.
“What will happen if people drink it directly? Are there any symptoms?” Wei Luowen asked in a stern voice.
Sensing the oddity in the room, Doctor Ming looked at the people, cleared his throat, and answered, “If people drink it directly, they will die in a couple of hours, and the symptoms after death are obvious. Blood will come out of their eyes, noses, and ears.”
In other words, whether it was Concubine Dong or Madam Dowager who fell ill after drinking the medicine, accidental or coincidence was not a wise explanation. If either of them died tragically, everyone would know that someone must have secretly poisoned them, and it was a serious issue.
However, Wei Yuewu fainted simply after smelling the Five Drums Grass in the medicine. Then, they recalled that the ink was used to draw the talismans that were applied on the walls of Qin Xinrui’s courtyard that had been sealed. Wei Yuewu would definitely be there often when she missed her deceased mother. After a certain period of time, she would be poisoned inadvertently and eventually die without any significant symptom.
Most importantly, the cause of her death was untraceable, and no one would relate her death to the talismans or the ink on the wall.
“Tell me, what exactly is going on? Answer my question honestly. If there is a false statement, I’ll beat you up and then send you to the authorities!” Wei Luowen was immediately furious when he heard this. He glared at the geomancer and shouted sternly.
He was threatening the geomancer, indicating that he would never forgive him if the geomancer had something to do with this matter.
“L-L-Lord Marquis, I-I-I don’t know anything about this! The maids in the mansion prepared the ink for me, and my job is to draw the talismans with the ink, that’s all! I don’t know about the rest. I have nothing to do with this.” When Wei Luowen related the geomancer to the matter, the geomancer hurriedly waved his hands and cleared his name anxiously.
What he said made sense. Wei Luowen glared at the geomancer coldly. The cunning geomancer looked calm and composed, so Wei Luowen couldn’t tell if he was telling the truth or not.
“Luowen, calm down. This matter has nothing to do with him. It is not his fault. There are people in the mansion who are plotting against him.” Madam Dowager felt embarrassed when Wei Luowen questioned the geomancer because she was the one who hired the geomancer. She glanced at Wei Yuewu who was standing aside and grunted faintly.
Of course, she couldn’t be bothered with Wei Yuewu’s health, but she feigned her concern on the surface. When the matter was no longer related to her, she became much calmer. She was no longer as furious as before. In fact, she even persuaded Wei Luowen.
“But the kitchen has nothing to do with it either. We’re not in charge of purchasing these things,” an old maidservant, who worked in the kitchen, avowed timidly.
They had specialized staffs in the kitchen who were in charge of purchasing, but their responsibility was to purchase only the ingredients in the kitchen. Those staffs would never buy something like the ink and whatnot.
“Concubine Dong, aren’t you in charge of purchasing?” Wei Luowen looked at Concubine Dong and asked.
“Oh, I have been concerned about the progress of the other side lately, so, just like the medicine, I let Nanny Dong handle this matter.” Feeling that there was no big deal about this, Concubine Dong conveniently pushed the blame on Nanny Dong.
Nanny Dong had been working for Concubine Dong for years, and she was experienced in this kind of matter. After thinking about it, she indeed felt that this matter was not much of a concern. She and Concubine Dong believed that the geomancer would not betray and expose them.
After all, Madam Dowager would take the geomancer’s side, and Lord Marquis’ hands were tied without concrete evidence.
“Y-Yes, these things are under my control. I’ve recorded the purchase of the ink and other ingredients. I even checked them carefully because I didn’t want any mistakes to occur. Nothing could have happened!” Nanny Dong said with certainty, indicating that she had done her job well, and that there should be no problem on her side.
“See? Lord Marquis, the people in the mansion provided me the ink, and I used it to draw some talismans. Are you suspecting me? Is that why you question me like that? Alright, if you don’t believe me, just send me to the authorities. As for whatever happens in the mansion, you can say them out for everyone in the capital to judge.”
Noticing that the situation was favorable to him, the geomancer darted his eyes around and feigned a humble posture. He cupped his hands together and bowed at Wei Luowen, as if surrendering himself to him.
Seeing him like this, Wei Luowen was not sure if this matter had anything to do with the geomancer.
“No way! How can we make such a big deal out of it when we don’t even have evidence? Do you want us to be a joke in the capital?” Madam Dowager snapped unhappily.
“Alright, now that we have reached this point, we should investigate it slowly and attentively, but don’t you mix up the people who are not related to this matter. At that time, not only will the people in the capital see us as a joke, but it will also not be of any use.” Madam Dowager looked as if she was trying to gloss things over.
Wei Yuewu sneered. Madam Dowager was basically sure that she was out of trouble, so she intended to protect the geomancer and said that the matter should be investigated slowly.
“No! We must investigate this matter clearly and immediately!” Wei Luowen’s heart skipped a beat when he thought that Yuewu was implicated in this matter. He never expected someone in the mansion would be so heartless as to intend to kill Yuewu.
Was this heartless person related to Rui’er’s incident back then? He had been investigating this matter for years, but he had never found any clue. Now, of course, he would not end the investigation so easily.
“You can draw talismans, so it means that you are literate, right?” Wei Yuewu asked indifferently.
“Yes. I’ve spent more than ten years studying. Later, my family fell apart, and I had no choice but to become a geomancer.” When the geomancer heard this, he raised his head in an extremely conceited manner.
The geomancer’s answer was within Wei Yuewu’s expectations. All the geomancers and fortune-tellers were literate. Otherwise, how could they manage to fool the people into giving them money and fortune?
“Since that is the case, you must be able to read and write, am I right?” Wei Yuewu nodded and asked.
“That’s for sure. Without years of reading and writing, how could I be a good geomancer? How could I be able to discern the truth and false?” The geomancer felt very proud of his years of study, so he answered Wei Yuewu’s questions truthfully.
However, Concubine Dong could sense that something was wrong. She immediately interjected and stopped Wei Yuewu from asking. “Sixth Young Lady, whether he is literate or not, it has nothing to do with this matter. Let Lord Marquis interrogate him. After all, Lord Marquis is more experienced!”
“How do you know that?” Wei Yuewu raised her eyebrows, and a trace of coldness flashed through her beautiful eyes.
“I-I’m just guessing!” Wei Yuewu’s question was direct and impolite, but since Wei Luowen did not say anything, Concubine Dong could only bite the bullet and reply.
“I didn’t expect you to be so smart. You can actually figure this matter out with just a guess. So, Concubine Dong, can you please guess where the Five Drums Grass in your and Grandmother’s medicine came from?”
Wei Yuewu asked with a mocking tone.
“I…” Concubine Dong was tongue-tied. Of course, she knew where they came from, but she certainly couldn’t sell herself out.
“Since you’ve studied for more than ten years, why can’t you smell the difference in the smell of the ink?” Wei Yuewu suddenly asked sternly.
The smell of the ink was indeed very strong. Even Wei Luowen, who did not recognize the smell of the Five Drum Grass, could tell that something was odd about the strong and strange smell in the ink. It was impossible for someone who had studied for more than ten years to not notice the oddity. The geomancer began to sweat on his forehead.
He didn’t expect to leave such an obvious loophole in his remarks.
“There is a strange smell in the ink. Even if you didn’t know what it is, you could ask the old maidservant who was in charge. This is the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. Do you think you can bear it if something happens here?” Wei Yuewu pressed forward and asked solemnly.
Because of anger, she involuntarily held Jin Ling’s hand and walked in front of the geomancer. Finally, she stood in front of the geomancer and directly refuted him.
“I-I asked an old maidservant. She said that the ink was different than usual, but it didn’t matter!” The geomancer answered reluctantly. After he finished speaking, he suddenly felt relieved. He had just been to the mansion and didn’t know anyone. Later, he would just claim that he couldn’t recognize the old maidservant.
“Who is that old maidservant?” Sure enough, Wei Luowen asked with a livid face.
“Yes, who is that old maidservant? I have been with Concubine Dong all along, but I’ve never seen any old maidservant talk about this!” Under Concubine Dong’s hint, Nanny Dong hurriedly asked.
At this time, she exchanged glances with the geomancer and felt relieved. They shared the same thought now. As long as the geomancer claimed that he couldn’t remember which old maidservant he saw, this case would reach a dead end. It was impossible for the geomancer, who had only been in the mansion for a few days, to recognize all the old maidservants in the mansion.
Moreover, they could claim that the matter happened a few days ago, and he couldn’t remember even if he saw the old maidservant again.
“Who is that old maidservant? Please take a good look before you answer my question!” Wei Yuewu repeated Wei Luowen’s words. However, she pulled out a corner of the letter from her left sleeve with her right hand. Coincidentally, a few words on the letter were revealed. The geomancer, who was standing opposite her, saw the letter and was immediately shocked. His eyes widened, and his face turned pale…
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