Chapter 85: Death Disciples

Lu Fang mused:

“The third suspect? I did think of someone, but forcing him into this seems too stretched—I simply can’t see what benefit he’d gain.”

Shen Squad Leader frowned tightly, “Could Lord Wenguan suspect Master Wang?”

At the mention of Master Wang, Shen Xiahuan snorted, “That old man has problems, no doubt.”

Shen Squad Leader’s expression darkened: “If you say Master Wang has problems, you must have a reason. Don’t just assume it because you’ve clashed with him.”

Shen Xiahuan crossed her arms, hugging her shoulders:

“I just feel he’s suspicious. Even Lu Daoge can see I’m innocent—why would a half-sage like him target me?”

Shen Squad Leader gave a scornful laugh: “Most of the Shen family suspects you—does that mean all of them are guilty? I suspect you too—does that make me guilty?”

Lu Fang cut in, sternly: “Has there been any conflict or verbal dispute between the Shen family patriarch and Master Wang?”

Shen Squad Leader’s expression turned solemn:

“I’ve never heard the patriarch say anything amiss about Master Wang. Though he rarely speaks of him, every time he does, he speaks highly of his character.”

Lu Fang nodded and dropped the subject.

Perhaps because he’d just argued with Master Wang, he held no fondness for him—but he was certain: if there was a third suspect, it had to be him.

It wasn’t baseless speculation!

First, Master Wang is a half-sage and has access to Shen Kangbo—meeting the condition for poisoning.

Second, if Shen Kangbo dies, Master Wang, as the only half-sage, would gain far greater influence.

Most importantly, as a household retainer, Wang Luo must have his own small faction within the Shen family.

That would make it easier to hide poison.

What puzzled Lu Fang was this: none of the suspects seemed to have any reason to frame Shen Squad Leader.

She seemed more like a threat to them—why would the poisoner frame her?

Shen Xiahuan leaned close to Lu Fang:

“Lu Daoge, what do we do? Are we really just waiting here? What if Shen Kangbo really dies—will they blame us?”

Lu Fang sighed: “For now, we have no choice but to wait.”

Even if we weren’t trapped here, I couldn’t do much—I’m an outsider to the Shen family, and still a suspect.

Finding out who poisoned Shen Kangbo is like searching for a needle in a sea.

On the bright side, if Shen Kangbo survives, everything’s fine. Otherwise, things will only get worse.

Evening fell.

“What’s your business!”

The guard outside the hall stopped a sturdy woman.

The woman, carrying a food box, bowed respectfully: “The masters ordered me to deliver dinner to the four inside.”

The guard checked the food box, impatiently: “Go in. Move quickly.”

The woman nodded, stepped swiftly inside, placed the food boxes on the table, and turned to leave without uttering a word.

“Wait!”

Lu Fang called out to the woman.

She turned, bowed slightly, and looked at Lu Fang: “Young master, what do you require?”

“Did you prepare these meals yourself? Did you watch them the whole time?”

Lu Fang asked.

Shen Squad Leader, seated cross-legged with eyes closed, opened them and said: “Lord Wenguan, do you suspect the food is poisoned?”

Lu Fang didn’t answer. He studied the woman’s expression. Since someone had poisoned the Shen patriarch, poisoning them wasn’t impossible.

The woman’s rough face flushed with agitation:

“I prepared every dish myself, never left them unattended—there’s no poison. If you don’t believe me, I happen to have a packet of silver needles issued by the household—test them.”

She pulled a needle pouch from her pocket, face taut, walked to the table, and tested each dish one by one.

“Lu Daoge, no poison!”

Shen Xiahuan exhaled in relief as the needles remained untarnished.

Lu Fang pondered briefly: “The Shen patriarch is a half-sage—he was poisoned. Relying on a single silver needle to detect poison is far too simplistic.”

Shen Squad Leader frowned: “Then what do you suggest, Lord Wenguan?”

Lu Fang smiled faintly, turning to the woman: “Simple. You say you made the food and never left it—then eat all of it yourself.”

The woman waved her hands frantically, her facial muscles twitching: “I already ate in the kitchen—I’m full to bursting, I can’t eat another bite!”

Lu Fang had been watching her expression closely. Seeing her unnatural demeanor and this clumsy excuse, his eyes narrowed:

“Did you poison the food? Why else would you refuse to taste it?”

The woman’s panic twisted into venomous rage. She bit down hard—black blood trickled from her lips—and collapsed to the floor.

Lu Fang moved to intervene, but too late—the seemingly simple woman, exposed, had chosen death without hesitation.

“Dead!”

Lu Fang felt her neck pulse—no sign of life. His scalp prickled. This was clearly a death disciple.

“What happened!”

The guards finally rushed into the hall.

Shen Squad Leader ordered:

“Alert everyone in the Shen family—do not eat any food from the kitchen. This woman poisoned the food, was exposed by Lord Wenguan, and immediately took poison. Someone this disciplined isn’t ordinary!”

The guards, now understanding, scrambled out in panic.

Shen Xiahuan hid behind Lu Fang, her delicate face scrunched in fear:

“Lu Daoge, thank you for spotting the flaw—I was about to eat some food just to fill my stomach.”

Lu Fang shook his head gravely:

“I didn’t spot any flaw—only stayed alert. Even if she’d agreed to taste the food, I’d have stopped her. A commoner couldn’t possibly detect poison.”

“I won’t let you eat any of this food. A skilled poisoner has countless methods—there’s no defense.”

“I have some food in my storage pouch—if you’re hungry, eat this.”

He pulled from his treasure pouch smoked, roasted hind leg meat of a strange beast. In the cold, this meat kept for a long time.

Both flavor and nourishment were excellent.

Shen Xiahuan took the meat, pulled a dagger from somewhere, sliced off a small piece, chewed it, and her eyes curled into crescents:

“Lu Daoge, is this beef? It’s incredible!”

Shen Dadan shuffled over timidly, asked for some meat, and after a few bites, exclaimed:

“Master, this is strange-beast meat! Do you want some?”

Shen Squad Leader shook her head, gazing worriedly toward the hall’s entrance.

Lu Fang understood her fear—the Shen family’s situation was spiraling worse.

If Shen Kangbo didn’t recover and take charge, the Shen family would soon be engulfed in bloodshed.