Suqing County Yamen.
Zhong Li emerged from the autopsy room, followed by Lin Jin, who carried a candle stand.
Lu Wuxie sat in the pavilion by the entrance, enjoying the moonlight while leisurely sipping the clear wine in his hand.
The wine was plum wine from Jinzhou, its fragrance filling the entire courtyard.
“Young Master,” Zhong Li said as she walked up to him.
Lu Wuxie put down his wine cup and asked, “How was it?”
“Liaochen’s body also contained the components of Meng Han Yao, and judging by the dosage and the formula of the Meng Han Yao in the deceased’s stomach, this killer is an experienced hand at administering such drugs,” Zhong Li replied.
“What do you mean?” Lu Wuxie’s interest was piqued, and he casually poured a cup of plum wine, placing it opposite her.
Zhong Li did not drink wine, but she knew that Jinzhou’s plum brew was famous. Moreover, in her eyes as a modern person, ancient wine was no different from soda.
She picked up a cup and brought it to her lips, taking a sip. Only when the strong plum flavor filled her mouth did she continue, “Does Young Master recall that I said Zhao Jun died of excessive bleeding and agonizing pain?”
Lu Wuxie nodded.
“There are two types of Meng Han Yao: one is mixed with Ma Fei San, which numbs the pain-sensing nerves when ingested; the other is ordinary Ya Bu Lu, which only induces sleepiness,” Zhong Li explained.
Upon hearing this, Lu Wuxie instantly understood Zhong Li’s implication. “Are you saying, Li’er, that the Meng Han Yao the killer administered to Zhao Jun and Liaochen only contained Ya Bu Lu?”
“Yes!” Zhong Li added, “And the dosage of Ya Bu Lu was not large, only effective for a few hours at most.”
After hearing this, Lu Wuxie’s hand holding the wine cup tightened slightly. This meant that Zhao Jun and Liaochen had watched themselves being killed bit by bit, and the killer’s methods were truly cruel.
“By the way, Young Master,” Zhong Li said, finishing the plum wine in front of her and suddenly remembering something, she quickly added, “When I examined Liaochen’s body, I discovered a problem.”
Lu Wuxie remained silent, waiting for her to continue.
“Besides the calluses on the tiger’s mouth and the pads of his fingers, Liaochen’s hands were otherwise unmarked. In fact, the gaps under his fingernails were exceptionally clean.”
“How could that be?” Lu Wuxie frowned.
Zhong Li’s words, though seemingly casual, carried much deeper implications. Liaochen had been a warrior before becoming a monk, so calluses on his tiger’s mouth and finger pads were understandable. However, his fingertips being clean was somewhat inexplicable.
The area around the small house was full of flowers and plants. How could someone who cultivated flowers year-round have clean fingernails? Furthermore, he understood pharmacology and had been a physician who prepared medicinal herbs for a long time; how could his fingertips be smooth?
Therefore, there could only be one possibility: someone else was responsible for these actions.
“Let’s go!” Lu Wuxie mused, then stood up and walked out of the yamen with his hands clasped behind his back.
Zhong Li looked at the empty wine jar in front of her and also stood up to follow.
The night at Lingshan Temple was exceptionally quiet.
Perhaps due to Liaochen’s incident, the entire temple was shrouded in a somber atmosphere.
It was nearly midnight when Zhong Li and Lu Wuxie returned. Wuhui saw the two at the temple gate and stepped forward to pay his respects, saying, “Amitabha, honored donors have returned.”
“Master Wuhui, thank you for waiting,” Zhong Li replied with a bow.
Wuhui shook his head and turned, leading the two towards the monks’ quarters.
“Honored Donor Zhong,” Wuhui stopped a moment later, looking back at Zhong Li.
Zhong Li knew why Wuhui had been waiting for them at the Lingshan Temple gate. She smiled apologetically at him and said, “As long as the case is not solved, everyone is a suspect. I’m sorry, Master Liaochen, but I can only say that Master Liaochen was poisoned to death. I cannot disclose any further details.”
Upon hearing this, Wuhui’s swollen eyes lowered slightly, and he shook his head. “Thank you, Honored Donor Zhong. If you need any help regarding Master’s case, please do not hesitate to ask.”
Zhong Li offered Wuhui a faint smile, indicating that she understood.
The monks’ quarters were at the very back of the temple. One had to pass through the Great Hall and go around the cloisters to reach them.
Just as the three were about to exit the cloisters, the sound of sweeping suddenly came from not far away.
Zhong Li was startled. Who would be busy in the temple so late?
Wuhui glanced towards the back door of the Great Hall at the sound and said, “Honored Donor Zhong, do not worry. It is Master Liaojue, the temple’s sweeping monk.”
“Liaojue?” Zhong Li heard the name and asked, “Are all of them of the Liaojue generation? Did they join the temple along with Master Liaochen?”
“Precisely,” Wuhui nodded. “As the saying goes, a master leads one to the door, but personal cultivation is individual. Master and Master Liaojue joined the temple one after another. Now, Master has become the abbot, while Master Liaojue remains the sweeping monk.”
Wuhui’s words seemed fine, but to Zhong Li, they carried a hint of insincerity, as if Wuhui looked down on Liaojue.
Zhong Li followed Wuhui’s gaze and looked at Liaojue’s location a few more times. She vaguely saw several butterflies fluttering around him. Her heart tightened, and she squinted to get a closer look, only to find that they were ordinary butterflies. She then continued forward with Wuhui.
“I remember Master Wuhui saying that Master Liaochen’s medical skills were very profound, is that correct?” Zhong Li asked as they walked, wanting to inquire about Liaochen.
Wuhui glanced at her, as if he knew her thoughts, and smiled. “Honored Donor Zhong wants to ask if Master had any enemies, or if he had treated someone with unexpected consequences, thus creating animosity?”
Zhong Li pursed her lips and remained silent.
Wuhui continued, “Actually, none of the disciples have ever truly seen Master treat patients.”
Zhong Li’s eyes flickered, but she did not interject.
“Every time Master treated patients, he did so in his chamber, with the doors and windows tightly shut,” Wuhui, unaware of Zhong Li’s subtle change in expression, continued:
“However, I do not believe Master would have problems in this area. After all, even if there were, there would have been some indication, wouldn’t there? Not to mention the twenty years Master has been at the temple, in the ten years I have followed Master, I have never seen anyone cause trouble for him. So…”
Wuhui turned to Zhong Li, clasping his hands together. “I believe Master has never misdiagnosed anyone. Honored Donor Zhong can investigate other avenues.”
With that, Wuhui had brought Zhong Li and Lu Wuxie to the entrance of the monks’ quarters. He nodded at the two and turned to walk towards the monks’ quarters opposite them.
In the early morning, Suqing County had been sunny for several days. However, just as the cock crowed, sunlight streamed through the oil-paper window onto the bed.
At this moment, the bed was neatly made, and the man’s presence was long gone from the floor mat. Zhong Li had also woken up at some point. Lu Wuxie sat by the window, holding a piece of straw he had found somewhere, teasing a sparrow perched on a branch outside the window.
“Are you telling the truth?” She sat at the table, looking at the young monk opposite her. She recognized this young monk; like Wuhui, he was a disciple of Liaochen. If she remembered correctly, his name should be… Wusheng.
Wusheng nodded, his face filled with determination. “The killer is Wuhui. Everyone at Lingshan Temple knows that if Master dies, Wuhui will be the next abbot. He must have been impatient. Seeing that Master was reluctant to relinquish power, he took this drastic action.”
“Relinquish power?” Lu Wuxie’s previously languid eyes sharpened at this. “Lingshan Temple is merely a temple, where does power come from?”
Wusheng glanced at Lu Wuxie and puffed out his chest. “Does Your Highness not know this, even though you come every year?”
Lu Wuxie raised an eyebrow and remained silent.
“Do not look at Lingshan Temple being in Suqing County; Lingshan Temple is involved in many affairs of the court,” Wusheng said.
“Oh? What matters?” Lu Wuxie narrowed his eyes. Wusheng’s words had completely piqued his interest.
“Let me give you an example,” Wusheng said.
“Eight years ago, before Baolin Temple was built, Lingshan Temple was overcrowded, especially every year during the Ullambana Festival. If nobles wished to come and offer incense, they had to inform the temple in advance and make arrangements for their blessings and accommodation. It was only after the current Baolin Temple took over some of Lingshan Temple’s responsibilities that this rule was abolished. Otherwise, Your Highness would also have had to follow the old regulations!”