Mystery in the Dark Room
Dr. Wang... was murdered.
The news was like a cold wedge, driving into the already stagnant air. Yi Xing felt his heart skip a beat. The murder of a civil official within the palace walls was a shocking case in itself.
Ming Shiyin raised an eyebrow, appropriately displaying surprise and regret: "Dr. Wang? That old gentleman famous for authenticating the 'Tian Yuan Ce'? It's truly...heartbreaking. How can Lord Di assist me?"
He mentioned the "Tian Yuan Strategy" at just the right moment, and Yi Xing immediately understood that this was no coincidence. His master was actively guiding the clues in a certain direction.
Di Renjie's gaze was sharp as an eagle's, fixed on Ming Shiyin: "According to preliminary investigation, Dr. Wang died of poisoning. Before his death, someone witnessed you, Lord Ming... talking with him in the corridor near the Hanlin Academy."
The atmosphere instantly tensed upon hearing this. Cheng Yaojin crossed his arms, his tiger-like eyes wide open. Though he didn't speak, the oppressive aura of a fierce battlefield general already enveloped him. Bian Que stood quietly in the shadows, seemingly blending into the surrounding darkness, only his overly calm eyes recording everything.
This is a direct accusation, though carefully worded, the intention is clear—Ming Shiyin is a prime suspect.
Faced with such accusations, Ming Shiyin suddenly laughed. His smile held no panic, but rather a hint of understanding and… a touch of mockery.
“I see.” He nodded slightly. “Indeed, I did meet Dr. Wang briefly before the banquet began. He was in a hurry, seemingly on his way to the storeroom to retrieve some files. We met in the corridor, exchanged a few pleasantries, and I asked him how he was doing. He replied that he was alright, and that was all. It was only a short while. General Cheng was also nearby at the time and must have seen it.”
He suddenly pulled Cheng Yaojin in. Cheng Yaojin was taken aback, his thick eyebrows furrowed, and he recalled, "Hmm... it seems like that happened. I, Old Cheng, saw you two standing there exchanging a few words. Old Wang was indeed in a hurry and didn't linger."
Di Renjie looked at Cheng Yaojin, who nodded, confirming Ming Shiyin's statement. This undoubtedly weakened Ming Shiyin's suspicion—a brief, public conversation witnessed by a third party was unlikely to constitute a motive or opportunity for murder.
“Even so, Lord Ming is still one of the few people we know who last had contact with Dr. Wang.” Di Renjie did not relax, his tone still serious. “Moreover, Dr. Wang is currently appraising a batch of ancient books involving Jianghu forces, including the book ‘Tian Yuan Ce’. And Lord Ming, as far as I know, you seem to be quite interested in this chess manual.”
The clues finally began to connect clearly. Dr. Wang, who was examining the *Tian Yuan Ce*, had contact with Ming Shiyin and was subsequently murdered. Ming Shiyin, and Yao Tian behind him, both showed interest in the *Tian Yuan Ce*. All of this seemed to point to a meticulously planned frame-up.
Yi Xing's heart clenched. He looked at his master, Ming Shiyin, whose expression remained unchanged. He simply sighed softly, "The *Tian Yuan Ce* is a treasure of chess, and as a chess enthusiast, I naturally admire it. But that's all. If Lord Di suspects me because of this, it would be biased." He changed the subject slightly, "Moreover, Dr. Wang died of poisoning? What kind of strange poison could silently take a life within the palace? Perhaps... we should ask a professional for their opinion."
His gaze, with a meaningful undertone, fell upon Bian Que, who had remained silent.
Di Renjie also looked at Bian Que: "Mr. Bian Que, what are the results of the examination?"
Bian Que slowly stepped forward from the shadows, his voice hoarse and flat, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if stating the results of an experiment unrelated to himself: "The toxin originates from a mixed neurotoxin, extracted from several rare herbs. Those poisoned will rapidly develop symptoms such as limb paralysis and respiratory failure, with no obvious external marks, and it is difficult to detect through conventional silver needle testing. This poison... is not easy to prepare; only those proficient in pharmacology and toxicology can do it."
Proficient in pharmacology and toxicology… this area seems to be leading the suspicion in a certain direction. Yi Xing subconsciously recalled that during the reign of Emperor Yao, Yang Yuhuan was also skilled in medicine and herbs…
“Moreover,” Bian Que continued in his icy tone, “no container containing the poison was found at the scene. But a small piece of… a special fabric fiber was found in the deceased’s tightly clenched palm.”
He raised his hand, his fingertips pinching a small, transparent glass bottle containing a strand of extremely fine, almost white silver fiber that gleamed strangely under the light.
"This fiber is neither silk nor cotton, but a brocade woven with a special technique, mixed with a small amount of ice silkworm silk. As far as I know, there are very few people in Chang'an who can afford this kind of fabric."
In an instant, everyone's eyes, including Di Renjie and Cheng Yaojin, were focused on Ming Shiyin and Yi Xing beside him.
The outfit Yi Xing is wearing today is the very one that Ming Shiyin specially prepared for him: a moon-white robe woven with silver thread and cloud brocade, and mixed with a small amount of imperial-bestowed ice silk!
The fiber found in the deceased's hand was strikingly similar in both color and texture to the fabric of Yi Xing's clothes!
A chilling coldness instantly shot up Yi Xing's spine. He felt as if his blood had frozen. This wasn't a simple frame-up; it was an extremely malicious trap targeting him, or rather, targeting his identity as Ming Shiyin's disciple!
He subconsciously looked down at his sleeve; the smooth, silvery fabric now felt like an invisible net, trying to ensnare him.
The smile on Ming Shiyin's face finally faded. He looked at Di Renjie, his eyes becoming deep and unreadable.
Di Renjie's gaze was sharp as a knife, fixed on the increasingly pale-faced boy in the wheelchair. His voice was deep and forceful:
"Young Master Yi Xing, what is your explanation for this?"
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