Chapter 7 Poisoning on the Seventh Side
After tidying up the stables, Lu Huantang returned to his large dormitory room.
Everyone else was fast asleep, so Lu Huantang didn't turn on the light. He quietly found his spot, pressed his anxious heart, and lay down.
When Uncle Liu saw that Lu Huantang returned late, he didn't ask anything else. He said softly, "How's that new box of otter oil? Does it help with scars?" Although he was just making conversation, Uncle Liu had made his point clear. He simply realized that Lu Huantang wanted to use his face to pave a way for himself. He was just telling Lu Huantang that he didn't look down on him and that if he became successful, he would help him out.
Amidst the snoring, Uncle Liu stopped Lu Huantang from thanking him with a look, saying, "It's not for nothing, just treat me to a drink." He then turned away and went to sleep.
In this world, every life is precious, especially if it benefits oneself. Who cares what method one uses?
The atmosphere at the Jiang residence has been oppressive lately. I heard that the shelter that Jiang Linzhi built by imperial decree was forcibly sold to the poor. The poor, who already had no money, had no choice but to work for the Jiang family. It doesn't sound like a completely bad thing, but the land on which the shelter was built originally belonged to the poor. It was forcibly taken from them and then forcibly sold to them. They're really obsessed with money.
But Jiang Linzhi wasn't the only one to get a piece of the pie; which of the powerful and influential people in the capital didn't get a share?
In other words, those who did the hard work to build the houses were all poor people who couldn't afford to eat, and they supported many people with this kind of livelihood.
Liu Bo was employed by Jiang Linzhi, so naturally he couldn't resist those people, nor was he obligated to help them. But how much more noble was he than those people? Once they were no longer of value, it would be their turn.
Since arriving in Sui, Lu Huantang had witnessed far too many such things. With snuff bottles supporting the kingdom, the people should theoretically be able to live in peace and prosperity. But how could that wealth be evenly distributed among the people? It was all in the hands of the powerful and wealthy. Some manipulated the poor to perform military exploits to protect the country, while others used it to build a decadent and extravagant capital for themselves.
Lu Huantang didn't say anything more, washed up and went to bed.
In the middle of the night, Lu Huantang was awakened by the noise outside. He thought it was just a cold wave and didn't want to pay attention to it, but to his surprise, Chen directly sealed off the Prince's Mansion.
It turns out that Jiang Linzhi vomited blood continuously during the night, and it was suspected that he had been poisoned.
Lu Huantang went out alone with Jiang Linzhi today, and before he could even put on his coat, he was dragged into the palace.
Qi Lingjun's voice came from behind the screen. Although it was still calm, it was still cold and stern. "Last night, Miss mentioned that you were being promoted. Your bright future is right in front of you. I know you definitely didn't do it, right?"
The voice alone was enough to intimidate people. Lu Huantang said in a deep voice, "This subordinate will not do anything to harm Miss."
A cough suddenly arose from behind the screen, and Qi Lingjun's voice was noticeably more flustered, "I am currently unable to leave. I would like to trouble Guard Lu to find the murderer who poisoned His Highness, is that alright?"
Lu Huantang couldn't help but admire Qi Lingjun. Tonight, he was alone with Jiang Linzhi, and Jiang Linzhi had just gotten into trouble. Most people would immediately suspect him, wishing they could write the word "murderer" on his forehead. Yet Qi Lingjun could still speak calmly and even test him in this way. He was truly remarkable.
Lu Huantang took the token and asked, "Has the antidote been found?"
"The imperial physicians are working on it; it would be best if they could find an antidote."
Lu Huantang was new to the area, lacking both personal connections and authority. Who would listen to him?
He led his men to the maids' room first. Sure enough, one of the maids, seeing that they were about to rummage through the items, complained, "We've kept everything tidy. There are a lot of personal things here. Can you please not touch them?"
Upon hearing this, the maids all echoed his sentiments.
Lu Huantang picked up the box belonging to the one who had stood out and dumped it on the ground. Before the maid could get angry, he coldly said, "Is the young lady's life more important than your clothes? Do you think your things are some kind of hot commodity? If anything is found, even if it's not yours, everyone will be implicated."
The lead maid was speechless after being rebuked, her face turning red as she looked at the pile of underpants and bodices on the floor.
Lu Huantang didn't want to make things difficult for them, so he asked the others to leave and said, "If you don't want us to spill the beans, search each other. If you find anything suspicious, report it immediately."
The maids dared not object anymore. For their own lives, they frantically searched through other people's belongings and soon found a lot of random things.
Lu Huantang asked the people inside the house that night from outside, and he immediately called them in and questioned them one by one.
The person who came out of the house looked distraught and staggered as he walked; the person outside who hadn't been called was on tenterhooks, afraid of saying something he shouldn't have.
Suddenly, a loud bang came from inside the house.
Immediately afterwards, the maid who had just gone in flew out along with the door and crashed heavily to the ground.
The shattered door panel pierced the maid's chest. The maid struggled like a tortoise lying on its back, but could not get up from the ground.
Lu Huantang threw away the dagger that was flashing with blue light, stepped on her chest, and said coldly, "The antidote."
"Pah!" The maid's eyes widened in fury, a fierce light emanating from them. "Who kills someone and then brings the antidote?"
"Who instigated this?" Lu Huantang asked coldly.
"Jiang Linzhi is arrogant and licentious. The money she spends on male prostitutes in one night is enough to buy enough food to feed two border cities for a month. The border is not yet settled, and all she knows is pleasure and power struggles. Such a person deserves to be killed by everyone." Even though she was pale with pain, the maid shouted her curses, her voice echoing in the small servants' courtyard, reverberating back and forth.
It struck everyone's chest, causing a slight tremor.
Some of the servants were so frightened that they buried their heads in their chests and dared not utter a sound.
The other group glanced at the maid with pity, then slowly lowered their heads, remaining silent as well.
Lu Huantang asked, "You're from the border?"
"What do you want to do!" The maid realized she had said the wrong thing and suddenly became alert.
Lu Huantang sneered, "If Miss dies, because of what you just said, none of the twelve border cities will escape. Not only your beloved hometown, but also those innocent people will be implicated by your actions today."
"One person does the deed, and one person takes the blame! What does it have to do with them!" The maid struggled violently, and blood flowed through half of the door.
"You and I are of lowly rank, and our words have no weight." These cold words struck the maid's spine, pinning her to the ground, rendering her immobile.
This is a country that values power and means. If those in high positions are dissatisfied, a single breath can destroy a person's family and cause their death; if the lowly want to live in peace, they can only cut off their own flesh and blood to serve those in high positions.
Either kill the person in a high position.
The maid turned her head, looking at the silent, motionless mass of people, a single tear of blood streaming down her face. She asked sorrowfully, "So we deserve to be trampled underfoot...deserve to suffer...?"
No one responded to her.
Lu Huantang coldly asked, "Who instigated this?"
"...I myself..."
Before he could finish saying "I," Lu Huantang picked up the dagger the maid had just used to attack him and plunged it into her hand. He coldly looked at the remaining people and said, "Anyone else want to say something? Speak up now."
The knife was poisoned, and the maid's blood was gushing out like boiling water.
Is Jiang Linzhi behind the screen the same? In the face of death, all beings are truly equal.
"Look up, all of you!" Lu Huantang scrutinized the expressions of every servant, and said sternly, "Her present is the future of any wicked thoughts you may have."
The maid struggled in agony for half an incense stick's time before her eyes opened, lifeless, her blood and flesh fused together, becoming a puddle of rotting flesh.
Before the head could be corroded, Lu Huantang swiftly brought down his knife, and the head rolled to the feet of a maid in the front row.
The maids didn't even have the courage to scream. They stared in terror at the pair of eyes that were still open, their pants soaked with sweat.
It seems there are no accomplices here. Lu Huantang waved for the servant to leave first and take the dagger to the physician for examination to see if an antidote can be made.
While waiting, Lu Huantang returned to the room, where Uncle Liu diligently prepared warm water for him to wash his hands. "There are probably accomplices in this mansion. Although she is His Highness's personal maid, she certainly couldn't have done it alone. If you need anything, just let me know. But after it's done, please mention me to Miss."
Lu Huantang nodded, handed his token to Uncle Liu, and said, "Could you please go to the maid's quarters and bring back all the people who are on good terms with that maid?"
This token belongs to the only person besides Chen who can move around freely tonight.
Uncle Liu readily agreed.
As soon as he stepped outside, Uncle Liu wiped the cold sweat from his palms onto his trousers. Tonight, Lu Huantang was a completely different person; he had actually been trying to get close to this fierce man on ordinary days.
A cold sweat broke out on Liu Bo's back. He rubbed his arm hard and walked towards the backyard.
The back door was right in front of them. Liu Bo took out Lu Huantang's token and was about to show it to the guard when suddenly, Liu Bo's dagger was pressed against the guard's throat.
Liu Bo wanted to kill the guard.
Blood gushed out, and Liu Bo swiftly dragged the lifeless guard to a nearby flower bush.
Apart from the cold night wind and the sound of his own heartbeat, there was no other sound. Just as he was about to leave, he turned around and saw Lu Huantang, who should have been waiting inside, standing quietly behind him.
Cold sweat instantly soaked the back of Uncle Liu's clothes; he was so frightened by that look that he couldn't move.
Lu Huantang snatched the dagger and pinned Liu Bo against the wall, saying, "This lotus-patterned purse belongs to her. I remember the pattern on your sleeves is also done with this stitch. If you're not familiar with her, why did you go and befriend her without even asking? Just now, she was clearly in so much pain, yet she still craned her neck and looked into the crowd. She wasn't looking at you; she was looking in the opposite direction, protecting you."
Liu Bo's eyes shifted from terror to a death rage. Pressed against the wall, he roared, "So what? We'll drag that vixen Jiang Linzhi down with us! It's worth it! Those cowards, and you bullies like you, should all thank me. As long as she lives, you'll all be slaves forever! Slaves!"
“She’s dead, but those people are still slaves.” Lu Huantang replied sharply, leaning closer to speak in a voice only the two of them could hear, and said sarcastically, “You did all this really for those people who don’t even dare to express their anger? I know you’re smart and have a strong sense of justice. Your family is definitely not a fallen noble family, you’re definitely not being used as a pawn, and you and that woman were definitely in love and you didn’t use her.”
This was sarcasm; if they couldn't find out, Lu Huantang could just give him any identity he wanted. Lu Huantang wasn't surprised at all as he watched the surprise and despair slowly surface in Uncle Liu's eyes. He smiled and said, "I was originally going to help you get revenge for the sake of the horse oil, but since you're so smart, it's really unnecessary for me to do that."
Lu Huantang's hawk-like eyes were cold and stern as he pressed, "Where is the antidote? There's no one here. Hand it over, and I'll protect you."
By doing this, I can recruit one of my own people; this deal is definitely worthwhile.
After a long silence, just when Lu Huantang thought Liu Bo was about to waver, Liu Bo vomited a mouthful of black blood.
Liu Bo's eyes first showed shock, then understanding, and finally madness.
“You’ve been poisoned too. Look how big the commotion is. Does he want you to escape? I was almost beaten to death by him and thrown out to be convicted. What does he want you to do? With your abilities, what can you do?” Lu Huantang could only take a gamble, betting that the person behind it all was the Regent.
Uncle Liu laughed so hard that tears streamed down his face.
Just as Lu Huantang thought he was about to reveal the mastermind and the antidote, Uncle Liu shouted, his voice piercing the dawn sky.
"Jiang Linzhi! Everyone has the right to kill him!"
As he spoke, he pushed off the wall with his legs, using his own momentum to meet the dagger head-on, and then cleaved himself in two on the dagger.
Blood splattered all over Lu Huantang.
A series of unexpected events caught Lu Huantang off guard. He had clearly managed to sway Uncle Liu, so why did he suddenly become so stubborn at the last minute?
The shouts attracted the other guards. Looking at his blood-covered body, Lu Huantang suddenly understood—Even in his dying moments, Liu Bo wanted to drag him down with him.
With the trail completely dead, Lu Huantang dared not delay. Before the guards could react, he searched Liu Bo's body thoroughly, but found nothing. Nothing that could prove his identity, nothing about the antidote—not a single thing.
The torches gathered, illuminating his slightly stiff, ashen face, but they couldn't reflect the light in his eyes.
In the eyes of others, he was an accomplice in silencing the criminal, and he had no way to defend himself.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
