Snow falls and the wind blows - Chapter 89
Duan Chen walked to the table, picked up the teacup, smelled it, and then handed it to Xiao Changqing. The two exchanged a glance, and Duan Chen walked up to the maid and asked, "Who brought this tea today?"
The maid sobbed softly, her face pale with fright, and timidly said, "Yes, I brought it directly from the kitchen. Master is in his study at this time every day, so we brew the tea in advance and then bring it from the kitchen, just enough for Master to drink until noon."
Duan Chen followed her gaze and saw a small stove against the corner of the wall, with a brass kettle sitting on it. A quick-witted constable grabbed a cloth from the window and used it as a mat before carrying the kettle to the table.
Zuo Xin instructed a servant to fetch a clean teacup, and then the constable picked up a kettle and poured out some tea. Duan Chen picked it up, smelled it, handed it to Xiao Changqing, and gently shook his head.
Duan Chen frowned slightly and turned to look at the Zhang family steward: "Where has your master been placed?"
The steward bowed, gesturing for the three to follow him. He led the way with a worried expression, explaining at length that Zhang Jinglin's wife had passed away before the new year, and their two children were not in the capital. Therefore, with Zhang Jinglin's death, there was no one in the household who could make decisions. Soon, they arrived at a bedroom. Zhang Jinglin's body was laid out on the bed. The old coroner, who seemed to have finished the autopsy, was standing at the table tidying up his instruments.
Upon seeing Duan Chen, the old coroner shook his head and sighed, "The poison is too potent. Once ingested, the intestines will perforate and the stomach will rot within an instant. Even if a doctor is present, there is no way to save him."
The steward burst into tears upon hearing this. Xiao Changqing also frowned: "What kind of poison is so potent?"
The old coroner honestly shook his head: "I don't know." Then, he cupped his hands to Duan Chen, somewhat apologetically, "This old man is incompetent and does not know much about poisons, so I cannot help Young Master Duan and the other officials."
“However, when I was examining Lord Zhang’s body just now, I found this.” The old coroner took out a small, royal blue purse from the wooden box. “Lord Zhang placed it in the lining of his clothes, close to his heart. However, when I opened it just now, it was empty.”
Duan Chen thanked him and took the purse, examining it closely. Embroidered on the sapphire blue satin was a pair of pure white lotus blossoms. He opened the purse, held it to his nose, and gently sniffed it. Duan Chen frowned, a thought forming in his mind.
Xiao Changqing, who was very curious, saw Duan Chen lower her eyes and remain silent. She took the purse from her hand, turned it over and over to look at it, and then rubbed the smooth material with her fingers. A sly smile appeared on her lips.
The three bid farewell to the steward and the coroner and walked out of the house. Once they were outside the Zhang residence and on the bustling street, Zuo Xin raised an eyebrow and looked at Xiao Changqing: "What did you find?" This man always showed that same expression whenever he made a discovery or came up with a wicked idea.
Duan Chen had been pondering the embroidery pattern on the purse, but upon hearing Zuo Xin's words, he turned to look at Xiao Changqing. Master Xiao winked at the two of them, held the purse between two fingers to indicate that they should look closely, and then turned the purse inside out.
Upon closer inspection, the two noticed that the purse contained black cotton cloth with a small square protrusion on one side. It wasn't very noticeable to the naked eye, but one could detect it by touching it with their fingers.
Xiao Changqing laughed so hard his nose wrinkled: "We'll go back and find some scissors later, and we'll be able to find out what's inside by unraveling the thread."
Zuo Xin glanced at him with a smile, then looked at Duan Chen: "Little Duan, have you found anything?"
Duan Chen pondered for a moment, then frowned slightly: "I feel like I've seen that pattern embroidered on the purse somewhere before."
As Duan Chen spoke, he suddenly realized something, took the purse from Xiao Changqing's hand, and sniffed it again. Because it was turned inside out, the scent was more pronounced than before. Duan Chen rubbed the black fabric with his finger, a slight smile playing on his lips, gesturing for the two to look.
On her fair fingertips were specks of dark green powder, barely visible because the lining of her purse was black and made of dull cotton. However, if one touched it, some of the powder would stick to their skin due to the sweat on their hands. Xiao Changqing raised his hand to look, and sure enough, his fingertips were also covered in specks of powder.
Mr. Xiao rubbed his fingertips together, frowning at the soft, resilient texture of the powder: "What is this?"
Duan Chen's lips curled slightly: "Tea powder."
The three returned to the government office and found Zhao Ting and the others already waiting in the hall. They changed their clothes and sat down to drink tea. The room had been cleaned, except for a folding chair and a high table. Lord Cao sat in the main seat, rubbing his cheek with a pained expression, while the young registrar refilled everyone's water.
Xiao Changqing chuckled at the sight, walked over and sat down opposite Zhou Yufei, his dark eyes scanning the man from head to toe, his clear voice full of mockery: "Lord Zhou, is your back alright?"
Zhou Yufei's face stiffened, his eyes, now bruised, glared resentfully at Xiao Changqing. He pouted, about to retort, but then hissed as he frowned, blood trickling from his broken lip. The two people beside him, however, appeared refreshed and calm, each taking a leisurely sip of tea. A closer look revealed a faint smile in their eyes and brows.
Zhou Yufei gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath: "Two heartless bastards! They only know how to take their anger out on me..."
Duan Chen looked at the two men with a calm expression, his voice indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger: "Why wasn't the medicine applied?"
The junior clerk next to him trembled as he held the teapot, his lips trembling as if he were about to cry: "The young prince and Young Master Xingzhi said that we don't need to help... We'll talk about it when Young Master Duan returns."
As she spoke, under Zhao Ting's cold glare, she moved tremblingly in front of Duan Chen and handed him a small medicine box: "Young Master Duan, the medicine, the medicine is here."
Duan Chen picked up the medicine box and walked to the two men. He placed it on the tall table in the middle and opened the wooden box under their watchful eyes. He glanced at the contents with his phoenix eyes and took out a pair of scissors.
Zhan Yun was slightly taken aback. Zhao Ting raised an eyebrow, glanced at Zhou Yufei, and felt a sudden chill run down his spine, shivering. "Little, Little Duan, everything can be discussed..."
Xiao Changqing, understanding the situation, took out a purse from his pocket and handed it over. Duan Chen took the scissors and carefully untied the threads on the purse, then placed the scissors on the table, inserted his fingers into the purse, and slowly pulled out a piece of paper folded into a small square.
Everyone crowded around, and Duan Chen carefully unfolded the note. There were five words scrawled on it: Poisoned, Kaifeng Prefecture! Judging from the handwriting, the note was written in a hurry and seemed quite flustered, with many strokes stuck together.
Zhao Ting took the note from Duan Chen, while Zhan Yun looked at the embroidery on the purse, his brow furrowing slightly as if he had thought of something. Cao Minde looked at Duan Chen with a grave expression: "Young Master Duan, have you found any clues?"
Duan Chen nodded, his expression also somewhat solemn: "Lord Zhang also took medicine laced with Five-Stone Powder before he died, but unlike the previous people, this medicine contained a deadly poison."
Zhan Yun lifted Duan Chen's wrist and examined the purse in her hand carefully: "I feel like I've seen this pattern somewhere before."
Cao Minde also looked at Duan Chen: "Was this purse found on Lord Zhang?"
Duan Chen nodded slightly, raising his hand holding the purse and bringing it close to Zhan Yun's nose, gesturing for him to smell it. Zhan Yun sniffed carefully, his handsome brows slightly raised: "Yidu Tower?"
Xiao Changqing and Zuo Xin exchanged a wink, they really had great chemistry!
Zhao Tingjian raised an eyebrow and looked at Cao Minde: "I'm going to the palace immediately, Lord Cao, come with me. We'll meet at the Yidu Tower at 3:45 PM tonight." He then glanced at Zhan Yun, signaling him to take good care of Duan Chen, and Zhan Yun nodded slightly.
Zhou Yufei sighed from the side; these two were truly beyond saving...
Author's Note: There will be an update tomorrow at 9 AM!
The next chapter is a crisis scene, and also the climax of this volume.
Everyone get your handkerchiefs and tissues ready! o(>﹏<)o
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Chapter Fifteen: Questioning the Depth of Love • Trading Life for Life...
That night, Duan Chen and Zhan Yun, along with Zuo Xin and Xiao Changqing, split into two groups and entered the Yidu Building. Zhou Yufei, meanwhile, led his men to completely surround the building, clearing out the area within a five-mile radius, allowing no one to enter but not leave.
As soon as Duan Chen and Zhan Yun entered the hall, a soft voice came from the second-floor stairwell, accompanied by the rustling of clothes and unhurried footsteps: "Oh! You two have arrived."
The speaker was the man who had called himself Qingli that day. He was dressed in a fiery red, thin robe with a wide-open collar, revealing a pair of fair and delicate collarbones. The fabric on his arms was a similarly colored gauze, faintly revealing the smooth skin beneath. Upon closer inspection, his eyebrows and eyes were meticulously drawn, and his lips were painted with crimson rouge. From head to toe, he exuded a seductive and decadent aura, completely different from his effeminate yet elegant image from that day.