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.”
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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