Chapter 81

Think about it—could an outsider possibly poison a half-saint?

Leaving aside how unlikely this is, who would randomly poison Shen Kangbo? An outsider gains nothing; only a direct member of the Shen family stands to benefit.

That’s why Lu Fang turned his attention to the two most powerful figures in the Shen family.

Undoubtedly, if Shen Kangbo died and Shen Squad Leader was framed, who would benefit the most?

“Whoa!”

Beneath the protective aura of the Xiao Zhong treasure, Shen Kangbo spat out several large gouts of black blood.

In just a short time, his eye sockets sank, his muscles withered, and his eyes seemed unable to open.

Shen Qi knelt before the aura, tears and snot streaming down his face, “Father! Wake up! If you don’t lower the protective barrier, we can’t know what poison you’ve been given!”

Shen Qihe also wiped away tears, “Big brother, Father has lost consciousness. I’ve already sent someone to fetch Master Wang.”

Master Wang the Half-Saint?

Wang Luo.

Lu Fang remembered this man was Shen Kangbo’s close friend; after the Shen family rose to power, this half-saint became their household guardian.

This man was obsessed with cultivation and had once told Shen Kangbo he would only intervene when the Shen family faced annihilation.

It was precisely because of the deterrent presence of these two half-saints that outsiders dared not meddle with the Shen family.

It didn’t take long.

A Shen clan youth arrived to report: “Second Uncle, Grandmaster Wang has locked himself away and told us not to disturb him!”

“Grandmaster Wang is so heartless! Knowing Grandfather is dying, he won’t even come to see him?” Shen Lingyun complained.

“Silence!”

Shen Qicheng snapped,

“Don’t blame Master Wang entirely—he’s always been obsessed with cultivation and knows little about alchemy or such trivial arts. Even if he came, it would do no good.”

That doesn’t make sense! Lu Fang frowned inwardly. As Shen Kangbo’s close friend, why wouldn’t Wang Luo act? Something was clearly wrong.

Not just him—everyone else in the hall was also blaming Wang Luo.

Shen Qihe spoke up to stop them:

“This is my fault. I shouldn’t have gone to fetch Master Wang. If the moment calls for it, he’ll act on his own. I know everyone is anxious, but we mustn’t panic or make reckless accusations!”

“Master Wang promised Father he wouldn’t interfere in Shen family affairs unless it was a dire emergency. So his absence isn’t wrong.”

I understand.

From Shen Qihe’s tone, Lu Fang guessed Shen Kangbo had personally instructed Wang Luo not to interfere in Shen family matters.

Shen Lingyun suddenly snarled:

“It’s all their fault! Someone, take them to the dungeon! Grandfather’s life hangs by a thread—apply torture to these three, force a confession, and maybe we’ll learn what poison was used!”

This proposal immediately won the approval of most of the Shen family.

“Yes! We must force the culprit to confess to save Grandfather!”

“We must use torture!”

“I agree—but don’t torture Shen Squad Leader unless absolutely necessary. Torture the other two first and see if they’re the culprits.”

Shen Qicheng gritted his teeth: “Someone, take all three to the dungeon…”

Shen Qihe frowned:

“Big brother! Lu Fang is the Marquis of Civil Crown, and Squad Leader is the heir Grandfather deliberately groomed. Torturing them would be inappropriate. Let’s start with this woman disguised as a man.”

“If she’s not the culprit, we can proceed further later.”

“Fine!” Shen Qicheng glared at Shen Xiaxuan, “Take this woman away! Use any means necessary—force her to talk immediately!”

Shen Xiaxuan turned pale with terror, hiding behind Lu Fang, her voice trembling with tears:

“Big Brother Lu, I didn’t poison anyone! You have to believe me! I won’t go with them—I’m innocent! What good will torture do me?”

Lu Fang sighed deeply: “Don’t worry. No one will torture you. You’re merely an innocent bystander caught in a conspiracy. Once you explain, it’ll be over.”

Shen Qicheng sneered: “That’s not up to you! Marquis, you claimed you just happened to meet her on the road. Why do you object to our questioning her?”

“You’re so certain she’s innocent—could it be you poisoned him? Or do you know who did?”

“If you can convince me, I won’t torture her!”

“Otherwise, even as Marquis, you have no privileges here on Shen family soil. You can’t protect her—and you can’t even protect yourself!”

Lu Fang shook his head and sighed:

“I didn’t poison him. I have no motive. I don’t know who did. But I’m certain the poisoner is in this hall.”

“I’d like to ask you all: what benefit would an outsider gain from poisoning Grandmaster Shen?”

“If Grandmaster Shen truly dies, who benefits the most?”

Shen Lingyun cut in: “Perhaps you conspired with Shen Squad Leader to seize control of our Shen family, so…”

Lu Fang interrupted: “That makes no sense. Doesn’t it contradict itself? Shen Squad Leader is now under your own suspicion—how could she seize control?”

At that moment,

Shen Dadan rushed into the hall and grabbed Shen Squad Leader’s sleeve:

“Master, someone left a packet of powder in your bedroom. I swapped it for castor bean powder when no one was looking—but just as I finished, Shen Lingyun came in and seized it.”

Shen Squad Leader stepped forward, fixing Shen Lingyun with a piercing gaze:

“So it was you who poisoned him—and framed me! I already wondered why you thought that packet of castor bean powder was the poison meant for Grandfather.”

Shen Lingyun panicked: “You’re lying! I—”

Too stunned, he stammered helplessly, unable to form a coherent reply.

Shen Qihe stepped forward, took the powder packet from Shen Dadan, sniffed it carefully, and frowned: “Someone, take this powder for analysis—identify the poison.”

After this, Shen Qihe said coldly: “Big brother, what do you have to explain? One man alone wouldn’t dare poison Grandfather.”

Shen Qicheng glared at his son: “Rotten boy, what really happened? Tell the truth—if you lie even once, I’ll flay you alive!”

Shen Lingyun collapsed onto the floor, frantically waving his hands:

“Father, believe me! I didn’t poison Grandfather! Not even a hundred times my courage would let me do it!”

Shen Squad Leader sneered: “Then why did you so conveniently find the poison? Don’t tell me it was coincidence—your expression just now was suspicious!”

Shen Lingyun, furious, blurted: “Someone told me there was poison in your bedroom!”

“Who told you?”

Lu Fang asked urgently—find this person, trace the thread, and perhaps uncover who truly poisoned him.