Chapter 89
Thunder rumbled in Cangjun, but there was no snow; it looked like it was about to rain.
At the end of Shenshi (3-5 PM), Qin Zheng, holding an umbrella, walked through the hurried crowd into the small building. She was a little late and didn't have time to go back to her room. She changed into the clean boots handed to her by a servant in the corridor and knocked lightly on the door twice.
This place is not the Maple Pavilion or Magnolia Hall of the main altar, but it is not much different from those two places. There are musicians playing the zither inside. The melodious and ethereal music is mixed with the laughter of women. A fragrant breeze and smoke drift out from the crack in the door. Qin Zheng stands in the fragrant mist with an ordinary expression. She hears Nangong Min say, "Come in."
Qin Zheng pushed open the door and went inside, but didn't go too far. She just stood not far from the door and said, "The believers from Yao Dingcheng's side sent a letter saying that things are progressing very smoothly."
Behind the heavy gauze curtains, several alluring figures swayed. The candlelight was bright, and the women played in the water behind the curtains. Their shadows cast on the curtains were graceful and vivid, as if painted by a brush. Compared with Nangong Min standing outside, it was as if they were from two different worlds.
Nangong Min's face was devoid of smiles. She appeared somewhat cold today. If she was usually a smile that concealed a dagger, then at this moment, the smile she used as a scabbard to hide her sharpness was gone, leaving only a sharp edge and a menacing presence. Just standing there, it was as if she were covered in thorns, capable of piercing people and drawing blood without lifting a finger.
Even though she had served Nangong Min for a long time and had seen all sorts of things about her, Qin Zheng still couldn't tell whether she was in a good mood or a bad mood. In the past, she didn't often hang around Nangong Min, but in the past few years, she had been promoted to Grand Protector and had become the only person Nangong Min was willing to meet. After several years of getting to know her, Qin Zheng admired Wen Chaoyu's performance when she was by Nangong Min's side more and more.
She couldn't chat and laugh with Nangong Min like Wen Chaoyu; she always harbored awe and fear in her heart.
Even though this person never gave her a hard time or spoke harshly to her.
A muffled rumble of thunder echoed intermittently in the distance, and soon the rain finally began to fall, instantly engulfing the world in a cacophony of sound.
Qin Zheng waited for a long time, but Nangong Min did not reply. She hesitated, unsure whether she should ask a question. Finally, Nangong Min spoke, saying, "If I don't ask, you won't know how to continue?"
Qin Zheng's heart tightened, and she hurriedly said, "The refugees have been poisoned, and the government has intervened and started investigating the case. Yao Dingcheng's Yunhua disciples have also been basically taken into custody by the officials."
Nangong Min stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on what lay behind the curtain, and asked, "How many people died?"
"I haven't heard of any deaths yet," Qin Zheng said. "They've all been sent to medical clinics in the city by Yunhua Palace."
Nangong Min was quiet for a moment before walking slowly toward Qin Zheng, a smile finally returning to his face: "That means the ingredients weren't strong enough. How can it not kill people? It would be better if they all died."
Qin Zheng said, "The leader's meaning is..."
“Not a single refugee from Yao Dingcheng shall be allowed to live,” Nangong Min said. “As for the refugees from other prefectures, as long as they are under the jurisdiction of Yunhua Palace, they shall not be allowed to have an easy time either.”
Outside, the torrential rain drowned out the laughter and music inside. Nangong Min walked to the door and looked at the rain, his eyes gleaming with the dim light from the corridor.
"The number one sect in the martial arts world, what a wonderful reputation," Nangong Min smiled serenely. "You've been with me for so long, do you know what I love most in my life?"
This is an extremely difficult question to answer.
Qin Zheng only paused for a moment before a layer of white sweat broke out on her back.
Not only did she not know what Nangong Min liked, she didn't even know what he disliked. This person was always unpredictable, with fickle likes and dislikes. What he disliked yesterday might be pleasing to the eye today, and what he liked today might be disliked tomorrow. He was completely unpredictable.
Qin Zheng pondered for a long time in this short period of time. Just as she was about to reply, Nangong Min seemed not to want to make things difficult for her and took the initiative to say, "I don't have many hobbies. Besides liking beautiful women, I like to destroy things that seem perfect on the surface."
Qin Zheng finally had a chance to respond: "Like Yunhua Palace?"
Nangong Min chuckled, glanced at her sideways, and pointed to the wet red stains on the ground in the courtyard, saying, "Look at these flowers, blooming so beautifully, who wouldn't love them? But Heaven just has to send rain, making them fall into the mud." She paused here before continuing, "Yunhua, such a clean name. If I don't give Yunhua Palace a torrential rain to wash it clean, how will the world know just how dirty the beautiful name of Yunhua Palace can be?"
A flash of silver light streaked through the rain, bringing a moment of clarity to the dome. The fleeting lightning illuminated Nangong Min's ambiguous smile, revealing an unspeakable danger in its intensity.
"Just wait and see, a good show is about to begin."
·
The snow on the pavilion was left unattended, falling in chunks and landing on the figures of people coming and going in the rice shop.
Bai Ling stood by the corridor, glancing at the several servants bustling about in the backyard, and asked the person next to her, "Who were they again?"
Last night, the disciple who was supposed to be there peeked out for a moment, pointed a few times, and said, "That's them."
Bai Ling glanced at the group of people, memorized their appearances, and then turned to give a look to the officers behind her.
Several constables descended the steps, pulling out their badges as they said, "The government is here to investigate a case. You few stay here, and everyone else, get out of the way!"
The men looked bewildered. Those who hadn't been called whispered among themselves and retreated towards the courtyard gate, leaving only a few people looking at each other, wondering what had happened.
"Come back!" Bai Ling, with her sharp eyes, spotted a figure trying to leave in the crowd. She leaped to the doorway and intercepted him, saying, "Didn't you hear the adults telling you to stay? Why are you running away?"
It was a thin, green-faced boy, about sixteen or seventeen years old. Seeing that Bai Ling had blocked his way, he blinked and gave a dry laugh: "Me?"
Bai Ling glared at him: "You!"
The boy was covered in sweat. He took out a handkerchief from his shoulder and wiped it off, saying, "The shopkeeper called me because he has something to discuss. If you gentlemen have any important matters to attend to, you can ask the brothers behind me. I am just a handyman, and I dare not disobey my shopkeeper's orders."
Bai Ling sized him up and said expressionlessly, "Does your shopkeeper carry more weight than an official? Get back in your place!"
The boy quickly replied "yes" and withdrew his feet to stand in the courtyard.
The snowfall was light today, but the sky was bright and the wind was particularly strong. Several servants stood there in the cold wind, and the officials hesitated to ask them any questions, leaving them standing there while secretly observing their expressions.
“That kid has a problem,” Bai Ling said in a low voice. “He’s still young. Look how flustered he is. His face is covered in sweat.”
An officer asked in a deep voice, "What did your senior uncle say earlier?"
Bai Ling said, "We'll separate them for questioning. We came so suddenly that they didn't have time to coordinate their statements. Right now, with you and me standing here, they haven't even had a chance to say a few words. We haven't had time to discuss anything. Perfect! Let's take each person to a room, have them write their statements and sign them, and then we'll pair up later."
The official handled the case effortlessly, with Yunhua disciples offering advice on everything. Upon hearing Bai Ling's words, he smiled and gave a thumbs up. The group divided the work, taking the servants away one by one for questioning.
Man Jiangxue estimated that it was about time, so she and Lu Huaiwei went to the rice shop together. As they entered the gate, they saw Bai Ling and the officials coming towards them.
“There’s a kid named Liu Ba who’s highly suspicious,” Bai Ling said, handing several confessions with fingerprints to Man Jiangxue. “Last night they had drinks at the post station. The others said Liu Ba got drunk and fell down while walking at the back. They waited for a while before he arrived. But Liu Ba himself didn’t mention this at all in his confession.”
Man Jiangxue took the confession and glanced at it briefly, then asked, "Was there any confrontation?"
“By the way,” Bai Ling said, “After reading their confessions, we took them to a place and interrogated them again. When we asked about the wrestling incident, Liu Ba said that he was very drunk last night and forgot about it after sleeping. He didn’t mean to hide it.”
Man Jiangxue asked, "How did he perform?"
Bai Ling replied truthfully, "If he had nothing to hide, I would write my name backwards. He was planning to run away before we even started questioning him, and then he was trembling with fear like a quail. If he wasn't guilty, why would he be so flustered?"
Man Jiangxue hummed in agreement, then handed the confession to the officer beside her, saying succinctly, "The rest of the investigation is up to you two officers to decide."
Seeing that she was about to leave after saying this, Lu Huaiwei immediately called out, "Where are you going, Martial Aunt?"
Man Jiangxue took a few steps, then turned back and said, "Let's go to the clinic and see how the refugees are doing."
"Aren't you going to check on Junior Sister, Martial Aunt?" Lu Huaiwei followed Man Jiangxue's footsteps, her brows furrowed with worry. "If I hadn't been sick, how could I have let Xiao Qiu be taken away? She hasn't returned for so long, and I don't know how she is doing."
Upon noticing someone leaving, the guards at the gate rushed over, but upon seeing that it was Man Jiangxue, they quickly retreated.
"She won't be coming back until the killer is found out," Man Jiangxue said.
Lu Huaiwei hadn't thought about it carefully before, but after hearing Man Jiangxue's words, she suddenly realized what was going on and asked in a daze, "Then what should we do... Doesn't this mean Xiao Qiu is going to jail?"
“So the most important thing right now is to prevent anything from happening to the refugees,” Man Jiangxue subconsciously touched the money pouch at her waist, her fingertips gently rubbing the fabric. “If someone dies, the blame will fall on her.”
Lu Huaiwei looked displeased and said with annoyance, "I shouldn't have asked Xiao Qiu to take charge for me. This... sigh."
Compared to Lu Huaiwei, Man Jiangxue appeared remarkably calm. As she walked, she said, "It doesn't matter who's in charge. Don't get flustered. Let's keep an eye on the refugees first."
·
Meng Jing smelled the medicinal soup that the apprentices had prepared, then took a small sip, and frowned, saying, "Is this the prescription your master gave you?"
The young apprentice, holding the medicine bowl, nodded upon hearing this and replied, "That's right."
“Absurd,” Meng Jing’s tone turned cold in an instant. “These people have been poisoned for a long time, and it has been found out before that they took a small amount of arsenic. What good are some sedative tonics? Do you want to watch them die after they fall asleep?”
The young apprentice was startled and said in a panic, "This... I will do whatever my master says. If you have any doubts, please go and explain to my master."
Meng Jing said, "If you practice medicine so carelessly, and someone dies, everyone in your clinic will be held responsible. Hurry up and call your doctor out."
The young apprentice was timid and was completely disoriented after being scolded by Meng Jing. He quickly put down the medicine and ran into the hall.
Upon hearing the news, the disciples gathered around and, after learning what had happened, were all shocked.
"My God, I've been studying medicine for so long and I've never heard of such a thing!"
"This is unheard of! Using tranquilizers to counteract arsenic is absurd, even a three-year-old should know how ridiculous that is!"
"Senior Brother Meng, the people in this clinic are very strange. Let's hurry up and prepare our own medicine, or it will be too late!"
Meng Jing had assumed that Zheng Ya Tang was Yao Dingcheng's premier medical clinic, and that the refugees would receive timely and effective treatment. However, after such a long delay, it was already evening, and all they had done was prepare a calming herbal soup for the people, without taking any measures to detoxify them. If Meng Jing hadn't paid attention to the herbal soup earlier, he would not have known how long he would have been deceived!
If we had known earlier that the doctor at this clinic was so absurd, why would we have gone to such lengths to send refugees into the city?
In half a day, the disciples would have already settled in!
Meng Jing tried his best to suppress his anxiety and said slowly, "Prepare the medicine quickly. We have already missed the best time for the antidote. If we delay any longer, someone will surely die."
The disciples hurriedly went to the medicine cabinet to get the medicine, sent away the apprentices, and began to brew the medicine themselves. But before they could finish brewing the medicine, a disciple rushed over and shouted, "Something bad has happened, Senior Brother Meng!"
Meng Jing frowned, his heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, but he tried to remain calm as he asked, "What happened?"
The disciple stammered anxiously, "Just now, several people suddenly died! And now many more are starting to vomit blood. The poison wasn't initially very strong, but after all this delay, the refugees, who are already weak, can't hold on any longer!"
Meng Jing's expression changed, and he quickly led his disciples out of the main hall. When they went outside, they saw dark red blood flowing everywhere on the ground. Several corpses had been covered with white cloths nearby. The remaining refugees were all pale, and although they had the strength to shout earlier, they were now delirious and bleeding from all seven orifices.
The disciples were both shocked and anxious, and they took out the pills to protect the heart meridians and fed them to each one. Meng Jing stood in the crowd, watching the refugees who still had breaths struggling and then watching them die. After a long while, he sighed and said, "It's too late to save them."
"This heartless clinic deserves a life for murder! Senior brother, let's report this to the authorities right now!"
"They are clearly deliberately ignoring these refugees; their intentions are despicable, and we must not let anyone here get away with this!"
"This is utterly depraved! Those young apprentices worked tirelessly all afternoon, and we thought the refugees were saved, but who knew they would treat human life so carelessly? And they're keeping it from us! Let's go, let's report the truth to the officials at the gate!"
The disciples were furious and rushed towards the officials at the door, vehemently denouncing the clinic's evil deeds. Meng Jing slowly squatted down and touched the several lifeless refugees at his feet.
Looking at the still-warm blood and the ashen, pained faces of the refugees, she felt as if her heart had been suddenly clenched, the pain making it hard for her to breathe for a moment.
While the disciples were still talking to the officials, amidst the chaos, they suddenly heard a deep thud behind them. When they turned around, they saw Meng Jing clutching his chest, lying in a pool of blood, his lips turning deathly pale.
"Senior Brother Meng!"
"Oh no, my senior brother's heart condition has relapsed!"
"Quick! Where are the pills that Senior Brother usually takes? Bring them here!"
Her inner garment was instantly soaked with cold sweat. Meng Jing was fed medicine and swallowed a few mouthfuls of water. Her eyes were half open, and all she could see was a blinding red. In that bloody light stood two figures that only appeared in her dreams, so far away from her.
Father... Mother...
Her palm touched the damp ground, and Meng Jing smelled the blood. Lost in the sudden illusion of survival, she remained for a long time before finally snapping back to reality, her breath ragged as she murmured, "Yin...Yin Qiu..."
One of the disciples, having heard what she said, quickly replied, "Senior Sister Bai Ling brought a message earlier, saying that Senior Sister Yin has been imprisoned in the government jail. It's over, it's really over now. The refugees are all dead, the murderer can't be found, and Senior Sister Yin has been imprisoned. Senior Brother, you must hold on!"
Upon hearing this, Meng Jing's already aching heart clenched painfully again. She struggled to stand up and said, "No, no... Go quickly and invite Senior Sister Lu. Yin Qiu cannot stay in the government office..."
"Senior brother, don't panic! You mustn't let your temper get the better of you right now!"
Meng Jing gasped for breath, gritted her teeth, and stood up. In that instant, she suddenly remembered something, and abruptly looked up, saying, "Duan Ning... Duan Ning!"
"Duan Ning?" The disciples were flustered and looked at her in surprise.
“She said she was going to give the refugees laxatives,” Meng Jing’s face turned slightly cold, and his weak voice revealed a long-lost ferocity. “The prefect has connections with the Duan family. They want to use Yin Qiu as a scapegoat. It won’t be that easy. Go and drive away the officials at the gate. You’ll come with me to the Duan family and ask them to release the people!”
Her words were like a wake-up call, and the disciples snapped out of their daze.
The refugee is now dead, and there is no way to make amends. The murderer is still at large. If Yin Qiu is not rescued as soon as possible, this mess will become huge. The government will definitely find someone to take the blame, and Yin Qiu will become the one in prison.
Duan Ning did indeed say a few days ago that she would give laxatives to the refugees. Regardless of whether she was the one who made the poison powder, she had already gotten herself into trouble by speaking nonsense in public. If the Duan family wanted to protect themselves, they could only tell the government to release Yin Qiu.
Brilliant plan!
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