Chapter 1742: Your House Has Been Robbed

Ning Wang's sympathy for Song Wu's family, his nephews and nieces, vanished completely after he did the math.

Affection comes quickly and leaves even faster.

Song Wu's family didn't know they hadn't even had time to complain and wail before Ning Wang that they had already completely lost the chance to complain.

Ning Wang could clearly distinguish which weighed heavier: their suffering or his own wallet!

Looking at Song Wu's family now, he felt as if he were seeing a pack of debt collectors, and his mood was far from pleasant.

He decided that once Song Wu's cause of death was clarified, he would leave immediately, refusing to get entangled in the mess. He would let the steward handle the follow-up matters to avoid financial loss.

It was also the Emperor's fault for being inhumane and disregarding dignity. Confiscating property was one thing, but not even sparing the women's dowries was simply shameless.

If his younger brother and sister-in-law had held onto their dowries, he wouldn't have been so worried.

The autopsy of Song Wu continued until dawn the next day.

The longer the time since death, the more problems exposed on the corpse. Moreover, the bright daylight made the autopsy easier.

Four coroners worked together, employing a very unconventional method, and finally determined the cause of death.

A trusted subordinate approached Sun Sun Daoning and whispered, "My lord, we have the results. Song Wu died of poisoning, but not acute; it was chronic poison, administered over a long period with the dosage controlled very precisely."

Sun Sun Daoning immediately frowned. "Can you determine how long the poisoning lasted?"

"Definitely three to five months, certainly not exceeding half a year."

"That means the poisoning likely began around the Lunar New Year."

"Roughly that time."

"What poison?"

"Castor beans!"

How is that possible!

Sun Sun Daoning felt a moment of daze.

He hurriedly asked the scholar-official beside him, "Search the courtyard; were any castor bean seeds found?"

"Never!" the scholar-official affirmed with certainty. "Front and back of the house, every building, we dug three feet into the ground; there were no seeds at all. However, the kitchen had durable mung beans and soybeans. My lord, this is the territory of the Court of the Imperial Clan. The daily diet of the commoner Song Wu's family is provided by the Court of the Imperial Clan, with fixed rations cooked by female servants. Castor bean poisoning, especially chronic poisoning, can only result from collusion between inside and outside, or simply someone from outside poisoning them. After all, Song Wu's family's diet is entirely under the control of the Court of the Imperial Clan."

Sun Sun Daoning's frown did not ease. He asked again, "Are you certain it was castor beans, poisoned for three to five months?"

"Does My lord suspect the coroners made a mistake during the autopsy?"

"That is possible. If it is poisoning, I, an old man, also lean towards an outsider administering it. If one intends to kill by poison, why resort to a slow-acting poison? Why drag it out for three to five months? Would a single blow not be more decisive? Go fetch Mu Yiguan Mu."

Others might not know, but he was clear that Mu Yiguan Mu was most skilled in poisons.

The coroners might make a mistake in the autopsy, but Mu Yiguan Mu certainly would not.

Upon learning the autopsy results were out, Ning Wang blocked the door of the side room, pressing Sun Sun Daoning on exactly how Song Wu died.

Sun Sun Daoning brushed him off. "There are doubts about the autopsy results; the coroners' abilities are limited, so we cannot confirm. I have already sent someone to fetch a true expert. Once he arrives, the cause of death will be determined."

"What expert? Why wasn't he invited from the start?"

"No one thought of it at the beginning; Song Wu's cause of death is complex, with many questions. Your Highness, please calm down. Since someone has died, every aspect must be investigated. You wouldn't want this case to become a muddled one, would you?"

Ning Wang was furious and speechless, able only to continue waiting.

As soon as dawn broke, news of Song Wu's death was reported to the palace. Due to the phrase "cause of death unknown," Emperor Yuanding arranged for people to go to the scene to inquire about the case's progress.

When Consort Xiao saw that Ning Wang had not returned all night, she also sent someone to ask.

The two groups met at the main gate, and the atmosphere was somewhat tense.

Finally, Consort Xiao's people stepped back, while the eunuchs from the palace entered the gate with an air of arrogance.

Two people with authority from the Court of the Imperial Clan also arrived. They pushed responsibility onto others but generously promised that the body could be moved to the Ministry of Justice for a slow examination.

How could Sun Sun Daoning fall for that? He kept the two officials from the Court of the Imperial Clan engaged in trivial conversation, simply refusing to let them take the body.

Trying to shift responsibility without shedding blood? Dream on.

Moreover, the murderer might be within the Court of the Imperial Clan.

Mu Yiguan Mu was summoned to the scene to perform the autopsy and was still somewhat dazed.

As soon as he stepped through the courtyard gate, the stench of the corpse made him retreat three steps.

Others felt nothing; having been busy in the residence since last night, their noses seemed to have lost their sense of smell. Mu Yiguan Mu, being a newcomer, could not possibly endure it.

He took some ointment to wipe his nostrils; only when he could no longer smell the odor did he enter the courtyard.

Upon entering, he saw Chen Chen Guanlou and immediately felt he had a pillar of support.

Begin the autopsy!

Death by poisoning is unquestionable!

Castor beans?

Haha!

Truly the biggest joke of the day.

"Absolutely not castor beans!" Mu Yiguan Mu flatly denied the conclusions of the previous four coroners. "It only looks like castor beans. This is a relatively rare poison with a very common name: Safflower. One characteristic of this poison is that the victim appears to have been slowly poisoned over a long period, accumulating until death, thereby misleading investigators. In reality, a single drop is enough to kill someone on the spot!"

"Since Mu Yiguan Mu is so familiar with it, have you encountered it before?"

Mu Yiguan Mu dared not tell others that he was the one who created the poison called Safflower. As for why it appeared at Song Wu's crime scene, he was just as confused!

If he were not just an ordinary person, he would suspect this case was targeted at him and that he had been framed.

"I have never encountered it! But I, an old man, have seen much and know many strange flowers and poisons; that is quite reasonable, isn't it?"

"Old Mu, can the time of poisoning be determined?" Sun Sun Daoning asked him.

"Ask what time they ate last night? Song Wu likely died between half an hour and one hour after the meal."

Mu Yiguan Mu's mission was complete.

Sun Sun Daoning signaled that he could return, feeling an immense sense of relief.

He ran over to Chen Chen Guanlou, looking as if he were about to die of fright.

Seeing this, Chen Chen Guanlou knew something was amiss, so he made an excuse to escort Mu Yiguan Mu back to the Heavenly Prison and followed along.

Just then, Prince Ning, having learned the cause of death, also intended to leave, and the two departed the mansion together.

Prince Ning was in a foul mood; before mounting his carriage, he called out to Chen Chen Guanlou, "Chen Company Commander, when you are free another day, this Prince would like to invite you for a drink."

"Drinking is unnecessary. If Your Highness has any need, speak freely. Whether I can do it, I shall judge for myself!"

"You misunderstand! This Prince simply wishes to invite you for a plain drink."

"But I do not wish to drink plain wine." Chen Chen Guanlou smiled without smiling.

He could find plenty of candidates to drink plain wine with. Why invite trouble by attracting Prince Ning as a target? If it reached the Emperor's ears, he would surely overthink it and create trouble out of nothing.

Prince Ning was stunned, then immediately let out a bitter laugh. "Very well, very well. Let us speak of it after the funeral arrangements for the Fifth are finished."

Chen Chen Guanlou clasped his hands in farewell and, taking Mu Yiguan Mu, departed swiftly.

Back at the Heavenly Prison, Mu Yiguan Mu's heart finally settled, and only then did he speak the truth. "The poison Song Wu ingested is named Red Flower. It is a poison I concocted years ago during idle moments, tested only on a few dying death-row prisoners. Afterwards, it was put away on a high shelf! I do not know how this poison ended up in Song Wu's stomach and even caused a death! My lord, what is to be done?"

"Your household was robbed!"

Chen Chen Guanlou was certain and sure!