Demoness, Where Are You Fleeing To?

Chapter 324 My Father-in-law (two-in-one update)

Inside the Taihe Gate, Wang Chuanhua, the leader of the eunuchs, hurriedly walked into the hall again and knelt down.

"Your Majesty, just now Jing Anbo has found new clues, confirming that Dr. Fei Yuanzhi, the Five Classics Doctor, probably died of suicide!"

The cabinet ministers in the hall, the big and small ministers who came under the imperial edict, suddenly made an uproar, and everyone looked in disbelief.

"Fei Yuan committed suicide? How is this possible?"

"How did he commit suicide? There are so many restrictions in the Forbidden City. How could foreign ministers bring poison in?"

"This is ridiculous!"

Wang Chuanhua, who was in the center of the hall, ignored everyone's words. He raised his head with a flushed face: "It's mixed poison! Mr. Jing'anbo found a kind of powder in Fei Yuan's nails. Although it is not poisonous in itself, it can be mixed with Renshou Palace." After mixing the snacks sent over, they can be synthesized into a highly poisonous substance called 'Blood Cherry Red'!"

At this moment, all the officials in the hall were dead silent.

"Why hasn't it been found out before?" Emperor Jingtai, who was sitting on the throne, was very energetic at first, and then he shook his head: "Forget it, Li Qing is indeed my uncle Jing'an. Now go and inform me about this matter. The officials and imperial eunuchs who are knocking outside must remember to speak louder, so that they can be heard both inside and outside the palace. Then recruit the leaders inside. Let them hear the truth!"

At this time, almost everyone in the hall could hear the joy and sarcasm in the emperor's words.

At this time, Emperor Jingtai changed his words again: "Also, where are Li Qing and others? Why didn't they come over?"

"Uncle Jing'an is still investigating the case." Wang Chuanhua bowed and reported: "The cause of death of the chef and the two chamberlains has not yet been ascertained. Uncle Jing'an has already led a group of people to the kitchen of Renshou Palace."

Shaobao Yujie couldn't help but nodded with satisfaction when he heard this. This Neo-Confucian protector lived up to his recommendation.

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At this moment, Li Xuan has indeed entered the Renshou Palace.

In order to save time, he had the bodies of the cook and two chamberlains carried directly to the kitchen of Renshou Palace.

——This is actually quite unlucky, so the eunuch boss of Renshou Palace is reluctant.

But Changning Princess Yu Yunhuang still had a sullen face and forced the eunuch to let him go.

Li Xuan investigated the case here and cleared most of the emperor's suspicions. On the contrary, the tea and snacks were sent out from the small stove in Renshou Palace. The Queen Mother Sun and the prince were a little unclear.

If the eunuch of the prison gate stops Li Xuan and refuses to let him go, there will definitely be an uproar in the outer court.

"In the Imperial City of Jin Dynasty, there are three large kitchens, Shang Shanjian, South Shanfang, and North Shanfang. However, they are all located in the outer palace outside Donghua Gate, separated by a palace wall and a moat. Things over there When they are brought in, they are basically cold and can easily be tampered with. Therefore, as long as there are conditions available in the palace, they will choose their own chefs to open small stoves."

Tongzhi Zuo Daoxing, the commander of the Xiuyi Guards, led the way and led Li Xuan to a row of blue brick houses: "There are three kitchens in Renshou Palace. The east one is the main kitchen, responsible for the morning and afternoon meals of the Queen Mother and the Prince." For dinner, the side chef further east is the grace of the Queen Mother, who is responsible for the meals of the palace servants of Renshou Palace and Ciqing Palace.

The smallest room here is a refreshment room dedicated to making refreshments and refined tea. Because there are not many nobles in Renshou Palace and Ciqing Palace, there are only three chefs on duty here every day. The chef on that day is named Li Jiudi. After the incident, we found his body in the kitchen.

The other two chamberlains died in the back garden of Ciqing Palace. They were delivering meals to Prince Liangdi. The cause of death was also blood cherry red. Our souls found Zi Nuo in the stomach pouches of the three of them, and also found three bowls with residual soup in the refreshment room. It is speculated that the two waiters were greedy when they came here to get the meal, and they ate purple glutinous pills with the master in the refreshment room and died——"

At this time, Zuo Daoxing's tone was no longer as firm as before, and was just a pure explanation.

Li Xuan first stood at the door and looked around. He discovered that although the refreshment room was surrounded by heavy snow, it was connected to the chef and side chef by corridors.

"Why do you think Li Jiudi committed suicide? Why did he kill the two servants who delivered the food? This seems unnecessary?"

"Actually, the reason why Li Jiudi died has not yet been determined. He just committed suicide temporarily so that he can explain it to the outside world. The reason why he poisoned the two servants is also a doubt. The reason has not been determined yet. But at the time of the incident, I Together with Princess Changning, we took down all the cooks here and interrogated them."

Zuo Daoxing took the trouble to explain: "It was noon at that time, and everyone was cooking in the kitchen. We asked repeatedly and all the cooks on duty that day had alibis. Only the palace maids who delivered the meals came and went in the refreshment room. , it was snowing heavily, and their footprints can prove it. It can’t be that these people made the purple glutinous pills?

If Uncle Jing An is suspicious, he can go over there and continue the interrogation. These cooks are still being imprisoned for questioning. "

Li Xuan didn't say anything else. He first looked at the three corpses outside the kitchen door.

This time he was still very careful, but found that it was generally as Zuo Daoxing said, and he could not find any abnormalities in these three people.

Only the chef's hand made Li Xuan frown slightly and stare at it for a while.

The chef named Li Jiudi was very fat. He was probably still kneading dough before he died, and he still had a lot of dry powder on his hands.

Next, Li Xuan entered the refreshment room again and scanned the room.

In the left corner of the refreshment room is a place where various tea cakes are placed, as well as various tea processing tools.

Tea at this time was not loose tea like in later generations. It was made into tea cakes and tea bricks for storage and transportation. Then when it is used, it is further processed and refined.

On the right, there are three stoves, tables, cutting boards, etc., which are filled with various kitchen utensils. The bowls with residual soup in them were also placed on top.

Behind the refreshment room, there are dozens of bags piled up, filled with mung beans, glutinous rice, barley, etc., which are raw materials for making snacks. There is also a wooden shelf here with dozens of plates of pre-made snacks on it.

Li Xuan looked around from inside to outside, then frowned and asked: "Has this room been touched? Is it like this when you came?"

He found that the refreshment room was extremely messy, and all the kitchen utensils and tableware were placed in a mess. In the corner, there are some unwashed bowls.

"It was like this at that time. No one had touched it." Yu Yunhuang looked at Li Xuan with his hands behind his back: "This room is watched day and night."

Li Xuan rubbed his chin with his hand: "Something is wrong. First of all, the purple glutinous pills in these three people's bodies are very small. Together they are not enough for one person."

The few people who followed in couldn't help but look stern. Previously in Hanyuan Pavilion, the current Emperor Jing'an Bo had already proven that he should not be underestimated.

Yu Yunhuang also fell into deep thought: "Perhaps Li Jiudi made it for himself. It happened that these two internal guards came over and shared this bowl of purple glutinous pills with him."

"It is indeed possible." Li Xuan nodded: "There is another doubt. The deceased was still kneading the dough before he died. He should be making some snacks. Have you ever seen a person who knew he was going to die? , you still want to work?"

"There is also the third doubt. I didn't find any tools or traces of making Zinuo Pills here. Was it washed away by him? But from what I see here, this cook is not particularly diligent."

When Zuo Daoxing heard this, he clasped his fists: "My subordinates have also raised these two doubts. They suspected that Li Jiudi did not die of suicide. However, when we tortured the cooks, we found nothing. Even if some people couldn't bear to confess, , the confession is also inaccurate."

After Li Xuan heard this, he had nothing to say. In other words, even if the supervisor and Xiu Yiwei were arrested, they still suspected that Li Jiudi was murdered and silenced. The problem now is that they can't find the real culprit.

At this time, Li Xuan heard a movement outside. Not long after, Qianhu, an embroidered guard under Zuo Daoxing, walked in with Le Qianqian, Peng Fulai and Zhang Yue.

Le Qianqian hurriedly walked to Li Xuan: "Master Xiaowei, we have found out that this powder is called 'Xuelibai'. It is not poisonous in itself, but it can produce some power after being mixed with certain things. It is extremely poisonous. My parents have an old relationship here, and he is a very powerful imperial physician. He guessed that someone may have improved the prescription of Xue Li Bai, using 'Xue Li Bai' as an auxiliary drug."

"White in the snow?" Li Xuan's eyes were suspicious, wondering how could these yellow dust be white?

"When the temperature is very low, it turns white. When mixed with snow, it becomes white." While speaking, Le Qianqian also handed a stack of paper to Li Xuan: "Not only did he help me get the blood cherry red With all the variants of blood cherry red formulas, two blood cherry red formulas using 'Xuelibai' as an auxiliary ingredient were even introduced.

This uncle is very powerful and is now the judge of Taiyuan Hospital. His name is Liu Wentai. It is said that he is compiling a book called "The Essence of Materia Medica", in which he wants to collect all the medicines and stones in the world and record them in a book. "

"The Essence of Materia Medica"?

Li Xuan thought to himself, isn't this the predecessor of "Compendium of Materia Medica"? However, in his world, it was only compiled into a book during the Hongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty. In this era, it would have to wait more than a hundred years. Emperor Hongzhi of the Ming Dynasty was Zhu Jianshen's third son.

Li Xuan started to look at the stack of rice paper in his hand, but then he smiled bitterly. He wanted this thing to be useless. He couldn't understand it at all. It could only be used as supporting evidence for Fei Yuan's death.

He glanced casually and put the rice paper in his hand into his sleeve: "Qianqian, thank you for your hard work, but our trouble now is to find the real culprit who killed the three people outside, or to prove that the cook did commit suicide. "

After hearing this, Le Qianqian looked hesitant and said: "If that's the case, I have a way. I found that these two prescriptions using 'Xuelibai' as an auxiliary drug both require the use of a drug called 'Ghost'. The medicine of rattan grass. The juice of this kind of grass is very special. The book says that it is difficult to wash off if it is stained on human hands. Unless you can endure the high temperature and soak it in boiling water, you will have to wait for a long time. It then dissipates naturally.”

Li Xuan's pupils suddenly shrank: "Qianqian, can you identify it?"

At this moment, Zuo Daoxing, Yu Yunhuang, and Demon Fu school captain Zhen Chun all looked sideways at Le Qianqian with bright eyes.

Le Qianqian flinched subconsciously, but then, encouraged by Li Xuan's eyes, she replied categorically: "I can prepare a potion. Anyone who has the juice of 'Ghost Vine Grass' on their hands can just put their hand in Your hands will turn black if you put them in the water.”

※※ ※※

With the help of Zuo Daoxing and Yu Hongshang, all the medicinal materials Le Qianqian needed were delivered to them in less than a moment.

The imperial physician named Liu Wentai was also invited here. This man took a piece of poisonous mung bean cake in Hanyuan Pavilion, sniffed it, tore it open and identified another piece, and then said with certainty: "There is indeed the juice of ghost vine grass in it. Although it has been steamed and made into cake, it will not It’s colorless and odorless, but if you smell it carefully, you can still recognize the unique fragrance of ghost cane inside. The mung bean cake made with it will also taste a bit astringent.”

Li Xuan was overjoyed, and when Qianqian prepared the potion, he first applied it on the hands of the cook Li Jiudi and the two chamberlains, but there was no change at all.

Yu Yunhuang was already prepared for this outcome. She stared hard and said, "Wait a minute, I've already asked people to escort all the cooks who were imprisoned to arrest the supervisors here. By this time, they should have already Entering the palace."

Zuo Daoxing also stood on the corridor outside the door and waited with his hands behind his back. He also has people under his command who are watching the group of cooks who are arresting the supervisors, so they are not worried about what Yu Yunhuang will do.

Soon, a group of figures with shackled hands and feet, escorted by more than a hundred factory workers and embroidered guards, walked to the front of the refreshment room in the wind and snow.

At this time, there was no need for Li Xuan to do it himself. Several servants and Xiuyiwei took the liquid prepared by Le Qianqian and applied it to the hands of these people one by one.

But what was surprising next was that none of the cooks had black hands.

Zuo Daoxing and Yu Yunhuang couldn't help but glance at each other, and they all saw a hint of surprise and suspicion in each other's eyes.

Li Xuan thought for a moment, then said with a cold expression: "Find me all the people who were on duty near the kitchen at that time and who have been in and out of the kitchen!"

When the Xiu Yiwei and the inner factory servants heard this, they all hesitated for a while, but then Yu Yunhuang snorted softly: "Why don't you go quickly? Go to the chief eunuch of Renshou Palace and ask him to quickly draw up a list. !”

About three moments later, nearly fifty people were gathered in an open space near the kitchen.

At this time, the potion prepared by Le Qianqian was no longer enough, so she had to mix some more. And just when the embroidery guards and inner factory workers carried the potion over and began to apply it on the hands of these people.

However, Li Xuan noticed with keen eyes that at the end of the queue, an old man with gray hair and a white face without beard had gloomy eyes and a different expression on his face.

Yu Yunhuang and Zuo Daoxing were also alert. They focused their attention on this person and began to be wary of his actions. Sure enough, when an embroiderer applied the liquid on the back of the old man's hand with a brush, the skin on the back of his hand quickly turned black.

At this time, the old man's face turned aside and his cheeks bulged suddenly!

"Is it him?" Yu Yunhuang's eyes couldn't help but widen slightly.

Zuo Daoxing sneered: "What a fantasy! In front of me, do you think you still have a chance to commit suicide by taking poison?"

The other person didn't move where he was, but a powerful force containing high-strength sword intent was generated, blasting the old man's body backwards several feet.

The force hit the old man's chest and abdomen, causing the old chamberlain to bend down and spat out a mouthful of blood on the snow. And in the snow, there was a broken tooth that had been bitten open.

※※ ※※

Late at night, inside the Gate of Supreme Harmony, Li Xuanli bowed slightly in front of the throne.

"——I found out that the real culprit who poisoned the cook and the two waiters who served the meal was Li Weiyang, the 'sasou' in the east courtyard of Renshou Palace. He had worked in the imperial kitchen and had been making pastries for many years. He was the master of the cook Li Jiudi. Seven years ago, because Li Weiyang offended Shangguan, Shang Shanzheng kicked him out of the imperial dining room on the grounds that he was old and unfit for use.

In the early morning of the day of the incident, Li Weiyang entered the refreshment room of Renshou Palace on the pretext of helping his apprentice and added poison to the mung bean cake when making it. At four o'clock in the morning, Li Weiyang entered the refreshment room again and poisoned the cook Li Jiudi with a bowl of purple glutinous pills to silence him. The other two chamberlains who delivered the meal met Li Weiyang in the tea room when they went to get pastries on the prince's order, so they were silenced together——"

Zuo Chunfang University Shang Hong frowned slightly when he heard this: "Did no one find any trace of Li Weiyang near the kitchen at that time?"

Li Xuan didn't recognize this person, but he said with a calm expression: "It snowed heavily that day, so few people came and went near the kitchen, and their eyesight was also affected by the heavy snow. The waiters who were responsible for delivering meals also moved in and out quickly. In addition, This Li Weiyang is a martial artist at the Sixth Level Tower level. He is very agile and can walk silently."

Wang Wen, a bachelor of Jinshen Palace and Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, asked puzzledly: "Why does Li Weiyang know martial arts? Such a person was not noticed by the Xiuyi Guards and the Internal Police Supervisor? Who did this person suffer? Instigating? You can't be resentful because you were kicked out of the imperial dining room, right? How many years ago did this happen, and who transferred him to Renshou Palace? "

Li Xuan smiled when he heard this, and bowed his hands to Wang Wen apologetically: "This prime minister, your majesty's order only asked me to find the murderer of the East Palace murder case."

The next matter has nothing to do with him. It is beyond the rights and responsibilities of Liudaosi, and Li Xuan does not intend to continue to get involved.

Liudaosi's rule has always been to remain neutral as much as possible and not to involve the royal family and the imperial court. His participation this time is already a special case.

Wang Wen, the Minister of Civil Affairs, was not surprised. He then bowed to the emperor on the throne and said, "I ask your Majesty to seal off the Renshou Palace and investigate the case thoroughly!"

At this moment, all the ministers in the hall buzzed. Even Shaobao Yujie frowned.

The second assistant to the cabinet, Shaobao Takagu, was immediately furious: "Wang Shangshu, what do you mean by this? It was just a sweeper of Renshou Palace who committed the crime, but you want to block the entire Renshou Palace. Where do you put the empress dowager?"

After hearing this, Wang Wen, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, responded with a smile and said: "Gao Shaobao is serious. Wang's proposal is to prove the innocence of the people in Renshou Palace."

While the two were arguing, Li Xuan was secretly looking at Emperor Jingtai above the throne.

This man looks about thirty years old, has a large face, large ears, and regular facial features, and looks very much like the young Yu Jianji. However, this person's face was a little pale, and he was sitting on the throne with a dignified expression, not angry but powerful.

Li Xuan thought to himself that this was his father-in-law? He looks really good, very majestic, and looks like a master at first glance.

At this moment, Emperor Jingtai seemed to notice his gaze and looked towards him, smiling at him. Li Xuan immediately looked solemn and bowed slightly towards the emperor.

"——I think Wang Wen's words are inappropriate!"

The debate among the ministers in the palace has become more and more intense. Even Shang Hong, a scholar of Zuo Chunfang University, stood up: "I just want to ask if there is any evidence that implicates the Queen Mother? If not, in what name will your Majesty block the Renshou Palace? This move is not in line with filial piety. It violates human ethics and will definitely make the world boil——"

At this time, Changning Princess Yu Yunhuang had a gloomy face, and Zuo Daoxing, the governor of Xiuyi Guard, walked in one after another, and then half-knelt down towards the throne.

"Your Majesty, the minister has found out that Li Weiyang is a disciple of the Changsheng Sect."

"The Changsheng Sect?" Shaobao Yujie glanced sideways at Yu Yunhuang, then looked at Zuo Daoxing: "Is this true?"

Li Xuan also paid attention to the two men. He knew that the Changsheng Sect was a sect composed of the remaining officials and people of the Mongolian people in the Central Plains. It was named after its belief in the Changsheng Heaven.

The disciples of the Changsheng Sect were mostly concentrated in the inner court of the Jin Dynasty in the early years. This is because most of the eunuchs and servants in the Mengwu era were accepted and recruited by the Jin Dynasty and entered the palace of the Jin Dynasty, which caused several turmoils.

It was not until the Xuande period that the Changsheng Sect's power in the inner court of the Jin Dynasty turned from prosperity to decline.

Zuo Daoxing hesitated for a moment, but replied cautiously: "This person's practice is indeed the practice of the Changsheng Sect! We just found some visualization pictures and sculptures of the Changsheng Sect's martial arts at Li Weiyang's residence."

Shaobao Yu Jie frowned: "What about Fei Yuan? Why would he conspire with Li Weiyang? I know this. He is from a famous clan in Huaibei and will never be involved with the Changsheng Sect?"

"There is still no clue about this matter." Zuo Daoxing replied with a cold face: "However, I found that Dr. Fei has no children. His wife and parents also died a few years ago, and now he is alone."

The ministers in the hall roared again, and Wang Wen, the official minister, couldn't help but sneered again: "What a childless person! Your Majesty, UU Reading www.uukanshu.net As far as I know, Fei Yuan, a doctor of the Five Classics, is here Hanlin Academy, Su was on friendly terms with the ministers of Zhan Shifu, Zuo Chunfang University scholar Shang Hong and other princes——"

At this time, including Shang Hong, many civil servants in the Hanlin Academy changed their faces, and their faces were as pale as paper.

But before Wang Wen finished speaking, Emperor Jingtai suddenly said: "Wang Aiqing, stay here!"

When the silence returned to the palace, the emperor looked solemnly and looked at the ministers below with cold eyes: "Based on my predictions, this case must have been done by the Mongols to alienate the ministers in my court. The Mongol army moved south to clear the way."

He then looked at the Cabinet's Second Assistant Shaobao Takagu, and the Minister of Household Affairs Xiao Ci: "Two beloved ministers, the military resources and silver needed by the beloved minister must be in place within three days to prepare for foreign enemies."

Gao Gu and Xiao Ci looked at each other with helpless expressions in their eyes. This time Yu Jie needed a lot of military resources, but both of them knew that at this moment, they had no room to argue, and they all leaned forward to respond.

After Li Xuan heard this, he looked at this 'father-in-law' with secret admiration. I thought that His Majesty was very good both in terms of political wisdom and overall outlook.

Continuing to investigate the case further at this time is actually meaningless. It will only alienate the courtiers and benefit Mengwu.