Chapter 234: Investigate the Cause of Death

Find out the cause of death.

Nie Jinxuan's so-called method is actually very simple: she invited the Divine Doctor Long Jingyun, who was temporarily staying at Prince Rui's Manor.

And as soon as Long Jingyun arrived, Nie Jinxuan immediately spoke softly.

"Divine Doctor, I actually specially invited you today for an improper request!"

"What improper request?! You've summoned me, do I still have room to refuse?!"

He wasn't exactly unhappy, but Long Jingyun was clearly speechless and helpless at Nie Jinxuan's way of leaving him no retreat. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan smiled faintly.

"Hehe~, Divine Doctor, don't say that. Nie Jinxuan rarely asks for help, but today this matter absolutely requires your intervention. Moreover, it's urgent, so please forgive me, Divine Doctor."

"Alright, spill it! I've come all this way—I can't leave empty-handed!"

"Good! Divine Doctor, you're straightforward—then Nie Jinxuan will speak plainly… Actually, Nie Jinxuan wants you to examine a person for me!"

"Examine a person?! How? Is someone sick?!"

"Hehe~, it's a person, but not because they're sick!"

"Not sick?! Then why did you seek me?!"

He gave Nie Jinxuan a glance, but at that moment, he only saw Nie Jinxuan's expression slightly tighten, and then she continued speaking.

"It's indeed a person, but not sick… because it's merely a corpse, and one who died over twenty years ago!"

Nie Jinxuan said it word by word, and the originally bored Long Jingyun, upon hearing this, was instantly stunned, then his eyes widened in surprise.

"A corpse from over twenty years ago?!"

"Not bad!"

He nodded on his own, then Nie Jinxuan raised her eyebrows at Long Jingyun.

"How about it? This time, Divine Doctor, you should be interested, right~!"

Although Nie Jinxuan had interacted with Long Jingyun only a few times, she still had some understanding of his general temperament. Upon hearing this, Long Jingyun indeed blinked, and a strong interest inevitably rose in his eyes.

"Alright, let's go!"

……

Dealing with a martial world oddball like Long Jingyun who doesn't play by the rules, Nie Jinxuan knows she can't use force. If he isn't willing, she'll surely fail. Seeing Long Jingyun agree, Nie Jinxuan finally relaxed, then turned her gaze to the silent Yin Fengzhan beside her and exchanged a look.

Next, Nie Jinxuan didn't waste time, directly taking Long Jingyun with Yin Fengzhan to the courtyard of the Forbidden Land, passing through a secret passage to reach the stone chamber.

"The Divine Doctor has arrived—this is the place!"

Saying this, Nie Jinxuan walked over to Noble Consort Ning, whose body had been restored to its original state and placed back in the crystal coffin.

"It's her! But Divine Doctor, don't ask too many questions—just help examine how the woman in the crystal coffin died!"

Noble Consort Ning's affair involves the entire Dongling royal family and is a secret that cannot be disclosed outwardly, so Nie Jinxuan naturally wouldn't say too much to Long Jingyun. Upon hearing this, Long Jingyun habitually curled his lip.

"Hmph, who this woman is—even if you tell me, I'm not interested! But investigating a corpse—aren't you more skilled than I? Why are you asking me then?"

Although he said that, Long Jingyun still walked to the crystal coffin while speaking, then crouched down to examine Noble Consort Ning inside the crystal coffin.

Seeing him like that, Nie Jinxuan also smiled faintly and then bent down to crouch as well.

"Because her corpse must not be touched!"

"Oh, I see! That really makes things difficult!"

Having previously witnessed Nie Jinxuan's autopsy skills, Long Jingyun understood her statement. After her words finished, he glanced left and right at the crystal coffin.

"Can this crystal coffin be opened?"

"Yes!"

Nie Jinxuan nodded, and without waiting for her to say more, the silently standing Yin Fengzhan strode forward, grabbed both sides of the crystal coffin, and with a mighty heave lifted it entirely.

Actually, this crystal coffin was the one Yin Fengzhan had hastily commissioned later. Considering the cause of Noble Consort Ning's death is still unknown, it hasn't been fully sealed. Of course, opening the crystal coffin is no easy feat; if not for someone like Yin Fengzhan with profound inner strength, not just one person, even several strong young men working together might not manage to open this exquisitely carved crystal coffin.

Then, as the crystal coffin opened, Long Jingyun immediately began a detailed examination of Noble Consort Ning, while Nie Jinxuan beside him whispered an explanation.

"I've already examined her body—there isn't a single wound, not even abrasions. She didn't drown; her corpse is well preserved because a Soul-Anchoring Pearl was placed in her mouth."

After a few simple sentences, Nie Jinxuan conveyed all she had found. As soon as her words ended, Long Jingyun let out a light chuckle.

"Heh… so she didn't drown, and there are no wounds—therefore you suspect poisoning?"

Although Long Jingyun has a temperamental and sharp-tongued nature, he is also shrewd. Given that the woman in the crystal coffin bears no injury and didn't drown, there are only two possibilities: someone smothered her nose and mouth to suffocate her, or someone secretly poisoned her to death. Since Nie Jinxuan summoned him, it must be the latter—she suspects the woman was poisoned.

Long Jingyun saw through Nie Jinxuan's thoughts. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan did not conceal it; instead, she curled her lips in a smile.

"Then may I ask, Divine Doctor, is Nie Jinxuan's suspicion correct or not?"

"What do you yourself think—right or wrong?!"

He tossed the question back to Nie Jinxuan without even glancing at her while speaking. But at this point, Long Jingyun paused slightly, then reached out to take Noble Consort Ning's hand and turned his head toward Nie Jinxuan.

"However, I can tell you good news—you were right! This woman is indeed poisoned, and the poisoning is not mild!"

……

Long Jingyun said this with an unmoving expression, and upon hearing it, Nie Jinxuan froze.

"……Certainly?"

"Nonsense!"

Saying this, Long Jingyun directly pulled Noble Consort Ning's hand before Nie Jinxuan's face, then raised his eyebrows and said:

"Look at her fingernails—aren't they slightly more pink than an ordinary person's?"

"Also, look at her skin—isn't it different from a typical corpse, with a similar white-but-reddish hue?"

"Moreover, if I'm not mistaken, her toes should be the same as her hands—so what else could it be but poisoning?!"

After delivering those three forceful sentences, Long Jingyun's words resonated. Hearing them, Nie Jinxuan narrowed her eyes and indeed saw that Noble Consort Ning's fingernails were just a tad pinker than normal. Yet she then furrowed her brows.

"I naturally noticed these as well, but could this not be the effect of the Soul-Anchoring Pearl?"

Nie Jinxuan expressed doubt, and at that moment Long Jingyun twitched the corner of his mouth, then said:

"It's not impossible, after all—I'm not entirely sure what changes ordinary people undergo after using a Soul-Anchoring Pearl… but given the current situation, I'm more inclined to believe this woman was poisoned!"

So you're saying you know what poison would cause this result?

Of course!

Speaking, Long Jingyun placed Noble Consort Ning's hand back to its original position, then stood up.

This poison is called Peach Blossom Frost. As the name suggests, the poisoned person's whole body emits a very, very light pink like peach blossoms, but the color is extremely pale, so it's generally hard to notice. Even if noticed, it makes one think the deceased is merely asleep. Hence the name.

However, Peach Blossom Frost is colorless and odorless, but tastes bitter when tasted. So, if poisoned openly, the victim would surely notice, and if it were a one-time poisoning, the pink traces on the body would be heavier. Therefore, given how pale the woman's color is now, we can know that someone must have long mixed Peach Blossom Frost with something unnoticed, and then slowly, day after day, had her ingest it, to produce this result.

Long Jingyun voiced his judgment, while Nie Jinxuan was already frightened and unable to speak, then turned her head to look at Yin Fengzhan, whereupon she saw Yin Fengzhan stride over and then asked in a low voice.

Where does Peach Blossom Frost come from?

Where? Just one place!

Understanding Yin Fengzhan's meaning, Long Jingyun did not hide anything, immediately clapped his hands, then said.

Let me tell you the truth: Peach Blossom Frost exists nowhere else, and no one has even heard of it, but I know. Because this Peach Blossom Frost was made by my mother!

Looking at Yin Fengzhan and Nie Jinxuan before him, Long Jingyun was not afraid to reveal the details.

My mother is someone who, in this life, loves researching poisons, all kinds of strange and odd things—if she can think of it, there's nothing she can't do! So I once saw a record of Peach Blossom Frost in my mother's Poison Classic! But later my mother thought Peach Blossom Frost had a bitter taste, was imperfect, and so she stopped making it.

Long Jingyun's words did not sound like a lie. At once, Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan exchanged a glance in tacit understanding, but just then, before Nie Jinxuan could continue questioning, Long Jingyun jumped ahead and shouted.

But I'm telling you, don't think about getting me to find my mother and ask who obtained this Peach Blossom Frost from her back then—it's not that I won't help, but I actually sneaked out this time; if my mother finds out, I'm dead! So I can tell you, don't push me! Otherwise, I won't let this go.

Long Jingyun's greatest fear in this life is his own mother, but upon hearing that, Nie Jinxuan furrowed her brows, while Yin Fengzhan's face darkened, and he stepped forward and grabbed Long Jingyun's collar.

Not speaking?! Then this Prince will strike you dead with a single palm, anyway you're useless!

Speaking, Yin Fengzhan actually raised his hand, then directly brought it down aiming to strike Long Jingyun——at that moment, even Long Jingyun was startled by Yin Fengzhan's action, and without thinking shouted.

Stop!

As the saying goes, a brave man does not suffer immediate loss; hearing that, Yin Fengzhan's hand paused. At this moment, Long Jingyun pushed him away with a lift of his hand, then said in a low voice, very unwillingly.

Isn't telling you enough?! Honestly... but let me make this clear: I can't directly tell you where my home is, nor can I go back now, but I can help you write a letter to ask. As for how my mother will respond, I don't know.

Second update uploaded, see you tomorrow!