Chapter 196 Martial Law
The sound of shattering glass that broke the silence of the early morning at the courtyard house in Houhai
Like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, the ripples it creates far exceed what is visible on the surface.
The stone smashed the window of the backyard research lab. The note tied to it contained only a distorted sentence pieced together from printed words cut from newspaper:
"Happy wedding, there are many more surprises to come."
It was blatant intimidation, tinged with mocking malice.
Lu Zhanming gripped the paper tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, his eyes so cold they could freeze ice in the dead of winter.
He quickly directed the guards to expand the search area, investigating all possible locations and traces of the object being thrown, while simultaneously ordering the note to be immediately sealed as important physical evidence.
Gu Baobao was strictly ordered to stay in the main house, where she was closely guarded by two of the most reliable guards.
She sat on the edge of the bed, listening to the chaotic yet orderly footsteps and deep commands outside, her heart sinking deeper and deeper.
Lavoisier… he was like a persistent viper, his tongue reaching into her house.
This is not the end; this is just the beginning.
More than an hour later, the sky began to lighten.
The preliminary investigation results are both alarming and infuriating:
The thrower was highly skilled, choosing a blind spot and using the complex terrain of the alley to quickly escape.
Apart from the city wall bricks and newspapers that were scattered everywhere, no valuable fingerprints or footprints were left at the scene.
The other party was clearly an experienced person, with a certain understanding of the terrain and the pattern of guard rotation.
This means that either the other party has conducted long-term reconnaissance, or... they have "eyes and ears" inside.
This deduction sent a chill down Lu Zhanming's spine.
After taking over security, he screened the existing personnel, but it has been a short time, and it is hard to guarantee that no one has slipped through the net, or that the problem lies in a more upstream link.
Before he could even sort out his thoughts, even worse news followed.
At 8:00 AM, the guards responsible for inspecting the supplies delivered to the courtyard yesterday...
Outside the East Wing Pharmacy, they stopped Gu Baobao, who was about to carry a sack of newly delivered Chinese medicinal herbs inside.
"Expert Gu, please wait a moment!"
The guard, Xiao Chen, was a meticulous young man. He frowned and pointed to a few pieces of astragalus root that had spilled out of the sack.
"This batch of medicine... smells a bit off. It's very different from the astragalus aroma I've smelled at the pharmacy in my hometown."
Gu Baobao's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately stopped.
She stepped forward, grabbed a handful of astragalus root, and examined it closely.
Its shape, color, and size are extremely similar to genuine Astragalus membranaceus. Unless one is extremely sensitive to the smell of medicinal herbs or is an experienced doctor like her, it is very difficult to distinguish it at a glance.
She leaned closer to smell it, then crushed a little bit and put it in her mouth to taste it, and her expression changed instantly.
"This is not astragalus! It is the root of Caragana sinica. It looks very similar, but its properties are completely different, and it is slightly toxic! Long-term or large-scale accidental ingestion can cause nausea, abdominal pain, and palpitations!"
Her voice was strained.
"Quick! Check the other medicinal herbs!"
The result was chilling.
This batch of newly arrived medicinal herbs, distributed uniformly by the Third Medicinal Herbs Supply Station of the Capital and with complete documentation, includes...
At least four main ingredients were mixed with substitutes that were highly similar in appearance but had conflicting medicinal properties or were slightly toxic!
Besides Astragalus membranaceus, Angelica sinensis was mixed with Angelica dahurica, Codonopsis pilosula was mixed with Codonopsis pilosula, and slices of bitter licorice were found in licorice.
The dosage is small and mixed in with genuine products, making it easy to miss if not carefully sorted.
If Gu Baobao uses these medicinal herbs to prepare medicine, whether for grinding, making homemade health pills, or for her family to take, the consequences will be unimaginable:
A weakened or even reversed drug effect is a minor issue; triggering unpredictable toxic reactions is the real disaster!
"Seal off all of this batch of medicinal herbs immediately! No one is allowed to touch them!"
Lu Zhanming's voice was as cold as ice as he looked at Gu Baobao, whose face was pale.
"Baby, was there anything wrong with the medicine you used before?"
Gu Baobao forced herself to calm down and quickly recalled:
“The medicine I used in the past few days was a small amount of stock I brought from the island, as well as the first batch sent by the supply station. I checked them all and they were fine. This is the second batch of supplies.”
In other words, the other party only made their move after confirming that she had settled down and started receiving supplies regularly.
Clear objectives:
To sabotage her research, and if possible, to accidentally poison her or her family.
"Medicinal herb supply station..."
A cold glint flashed in Lu Zhanming's eyes.
"Immediately detain the delivery personnel and all personnel at the supply stations who have come into contact with this batch of medicinal materials! Seal off the scene! Report this!"
The nature of the incident escalated from a low-level threat of smashing windows to a malicious act of poisoning and sabotage targeting important national experts and their research findings!
The message was reported up the chain of command as quickly as possible.
In less than two hours, several unmarked black cars sped into Houhai Hutong and quietly stopped near the courtyard.
The people who got out of the car were dressed in civilian clothes, but they had a cold and stern demeanor and acted efficiently, quickly taking over the on-site investigation and perimeter security.
The team was led by two sharp-eyed, stern-faced middle-aged men who showed Lu Zhanming their identification.
National security agencies.
At almost the same time, the Lu family mansion.
Grandpa Lu Zhenbang was in a good mood listening to Peking Opera on the radio, planning to invite Zhan Ming and Bao Bao back for dinner on the weekend, and also to discuss what else needed to be secretly prepared for the wedding.
The phone rang urgently.
He answered the phone, listened for a few minutes, and the relaxed smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by unbelievable rage, with veins bulging on the back of his hand holding the microphone.
"What?! Poisoning the medicinal herbs?! In the baby's courtyard house?! Has the person been caught yet?!"
The person on the other end of the phone was one of his former subordinates from his old unit, now working in the relevant system and well-informed.
The other party's tone was heavy:
"Old Chief, this is a very serious matter. The other party's methods were covert, using a substitute with conflicting medicinal properties. If it weren't for Expert Gu's timely discovery, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
The National Security Bureau has now intervened and is investigating the supply station line.
But... knowing Expert Gu's supply channels and timing so precisely, and replacing key medicinal materials, is definitely not something an ordinary petty thief could do. The higher-ups are furious and have ordered a thorough investigation!
"Investigate! Investigate thoroughly!"
Old Master Lu growled, his chest heaving violently.
"Outrageous! Utterly outrageous! To lay a hand on such a person on our own turf?! This is a slap in the face to all of us old folks! A slap in the face to the nation!"
He slammed down the phone and paced back and forth in the living room like an enraged lion.
As long as it's reasonable!
Protecting one's own is an ingrained trait in the Lu family.
Moreover, Gu Baobao is not only his granddaughter-in-law, but also a national treasure carefully selected and protected by the state!
To touch her is to touch the nation's Achilles' heel!
"Get the car ready!"
The old man grabbed his coat and headed outside.
"Let's go to Houhai!"
"Dad, where are you going? What happened?"
When the eldest daughter, Lu Yuzhi, came out of the kitchen, she was startled to see his ashen face.
"Something's happened to the baby! Someone's trying to harm her! I'm going to check on her!"
Grandpa Lu kept walking.
"What?!"
Lu Yuzhi was also stunned.
"I'll go with you!"
"Stay home! Don't cause trouble!"
Old Master Lu didn't turn his head, his tone leaving no room for argument.
He knew that the area around the courtyard must be a den of wolves and tigers at this moment. He went there as a family member and a veteran revolutionary to express his attitude and exert pressure, but it was not advisable to have too many people.
The car sped along and arrived at the alley entrance, where it was indeed under martial law.
Plainclothes officers checked Mr. Lu's identification and confirmed it by phone before allowing him to pass.
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