After administering the哑药 to Wang Nanshi, he did indeed become much quieter. However, transitioning from a vocal performance to a silent one meant the entertainment value dropped significantly, the contrast too stark, greatly diminishing Lu Shi's interest.
Most importantly, looking at Wang Nanshi now was utterly repulsive. He resembled a mass of bloody flesh writhing in agony, a truly disgusting sight.
Fortunately, Lu Shi was battle-hardened and had witnessed far more gruesome scenes; otherwise, he would have vomited his last meal.
Lu Shi stood up, no longer willing to insult his own eyes by staying: "You two watch him here. Give him the antidote every two hours. Don't let him die too quickly."
He wanted Wang Nanshi to be tortured to death. That would be satisfying and a fitting tribute to the souls lost in the afterlife.
After making arrangements, Lu Shi left to report to Ling Mohan, informing him of the entire affair.
"Tomorrow, we'll finish him off directly and dump the body at General Fan's residence." He wanted to show Fan Shun a thing or two, to make him realize that Yun Cheng was not his sole dominion.
"Yes, Junior General."
After Lu Shi withdrew, Ling Mohan treated the written letter with a potion, sealed it, and attached it to the leg of a carrier pigeon.
He needed to get the news from Yun Cheng to Chu Chenyi as quickly as possible. With only the soldiers he had brought, he could not possibly contend against Fan Shun's tens of thousands of defending troops.
Only by informing Chu Chenyi of the situation here and urging him to bring his troops swiftly could they reach Yun Cheng. Even traveling day and night, it would take four to five days. He had to find a way to stall Fan Shun at all costs.
...
"My lord, my lord… save me! My lord…"
"Who dares trespass? This is Fan…"
Before the servant could finish speaking, the door swung open from the inside, and Fan Shun's slightly portly, puffy face was instantly revealed.
"You impudent cur, daring to disturb me!"
"My lord, save me! I am Deputy General Wang's servant. My master hasn't returned home since yesterday. I fear he has met with misfortune. I beg you, my lord, save him!"
Fan Shun chuckled disdainfully. "If he hasn't returned home, then go find him. Do you think I can conjure people out of thin air? Get out of here and stop bothering me. Guards, drag him out!"
"Yes, my lord!"
"My lord, I implore you, save my master, my lord…"
Fan Shun, annoyed by the commotion, directly kicked a potted plant.
"My lord, a body has been dumped at the front gate!"
"Damn it, it seems no good will come of this today. Who has the audacity to throw a body at my doorstep? Are they trying to ruin my feng shui? Go and see."
Such incidents were considered highly inauspicious in the early morning. Fan Shun's anger flared instantly. He heaved his rather corpulent body and strode outside.
The moment he saw the corpse, Fan Shun's stomach churned, and he vomited, even spitting up bile, before feeling any relief.
He had never seen such a gruesome death before. "Go and see who this person is."
"My lord, your subordinate has already looked. However, the face has been completely clawed to shreds, and it has been gnawed by insects, rats, and ants. It's impossible to tell who it is."
The servant, barely suppressing his urge to vomit, spoke with great difficulty, finding it truly disgusting.
"My lord… my lord…" Suddenly, a wailing cry erupted. It was the servant of Deputy General Wang who had just barged into the residence, now kneeling beside the utterly repulsive corpse and weeping.
Hearing the sound, Fan Shun's brow furrowed deeply. Covering his nose and mouth with a handkerchief, he nudged the corpse's face a few times with his foot, but he couldn't discern if it was Wang Nanshi.
He withdrew his foot, the leather boot now bearing some bloodstains. Fan Shun distastefully lifted his foot.
The servant standing nearby immediately understood and quickly crouched down, using his own clothing to wipe Fan Shun's foot clean.
"Are you sure this is Wang Nanshi?" Fan Shun, unable to identify the body, asked the servant who had come forward to claim it.
"My lord, the clothes on the body are exactly the same as what my master was wearing when he left home. Moreover, my master has a mole on the inner side of his left arm, which this corpse also possesses. This is indeed my master."
"My lord, my master was murdered so tragically in Yun Cheng! You must seek justice for my master!"
Fan Shun no longer wished to look at the corpse. He quickly turned his head, "I will have this matter investigated. Hurry and take the body back, and don't leave it in front of my residence anymore."
As he spoke, several people hastily carried the corpse away. Over a dozen people meticulously swept the area in front of the residence more than ten times until Fan Shun was satisfied.
"Lord Wang Nanshi deserved to die. He didn't follow your orders, so it's only right that he died."
"Alright, stop gossiping. I know you never liked Wang Nanshi. Now that he's dead, it's to your satisfaction, isn't it?"
"My lord, you are wise to see. The reason I disliked Wang Anshi was because he harbored malicious intentions and was disloyal to you, my lord. Such a traitor by your side is a danger. Now that he is dead, I am relieved."
Zhang Kun, with an air of fawning obsequiousness, played the role of a sycophant to perfection. This Wang Nanshi had always opposed him, and he had long been displeased with him. He wondered who had done him the favor of dealing with Wang Nanshi, saving him the trouble of acting himself.
"I know your loyalty. You have been by my side for ten full years, and when have I ever mistreated you? It is reassuring to have you by my side."
"However, Wang Nanshi's death in this manner is still highly suspicious. Someone dares to harm my subordinate in Yun Cheng; they truly have quite a lot of nerve. For this matter alone, I cannot let it go. Go investigate and find out who is responsible. Once you find the culprit, kill them directly and leave no loose ends."
Such a person remaining in Yun Cheng meant that he himself could be the next to die. He could not tolerate such a dangerous existence; the person had to be found quickly. Only the dead were truly without danger.
"Yes, my lord, I will find and eliminate this person immediately. You can rest assured."
Zhang Kun, performing the role of a sycophant to perfection, was willing to go to any lengths to climb higher, naturally needing to latch onto a strong patron.
"It's good that you understand. You may leave for now!"
"Yes, my lord."
Fan Shun, dragging his corpulent body, stood up. Just as he was about to return to his room to embrace a beauty and catch up on sleep, a servant rushed in with urgent news.
"What is it now? Is there no end to this!" Fan Shun said impatiently. Today was destined to be a difficult one for him.
"My lord, General Ling has arrived with his men."
Fan Shun's expression immediately froze. He quickly said, "Quickly invite him in!"
"Lord Fan is always busy with state affairs, I presume you have just woken up."
Ling Mohan's icy voice echoed as he walked in, seating himself in the honored position.