CHAPTER 449: 345. CONCEALING POISON WITH ONE’S LIFE_2

Chen Ji replied: "I understand, my lord."

Bai Long walked south: "Tell me, how do you plan to investigate the true culprit? You were not at the scene at the time, yet you confidently came to me seeking privileges at the salt field, as if you already knew who the murderer was... Could the true culprit be you?"

Chen Ji was startled inside, but his face remained calm: "You’re joking, my lord. I have no connection with the Korea Envoy, how could it be me? Previously, I assisted Lords Jiao Tu and Yun Yang in solving cases multiple times, which is my expertise. I only wish to use my skills to alleviate Lord Bai Long’s troubles."

Bai Long suddenly stopped and quietly scrutinized Chen Ji, pondering something.

The hair on Chen Ji’s back stood on end.

This Bai Long differs greatly from Mr. Feng; he’s neither as unpredictable nor as aggressive as Mr. Feng. However, the similarity between them is that both are equally intelligent.

When dealing with such a person, not a single mistake can be made.

Bai Long slowly said: "Since you came to me in the middle of the night, asking for favors and piquing my interest greatly. If you cannot find the true culprit, then you may assume that role, after all, someone must be sent for execution."

Chen Ji said: "I need to first look into the case details."

Bai Long responded with a hum: "I’ll take you to Huitong Hall right away."

Chen Ji shook his head: "No, I need to first look at the dossiers and the forensic ’corpse form’.

He couldn’t go to the scene to investigate, for he feared that the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department might still be monitoring Huitong Hall. Given Si Caogui’s familiarity with him, even being masked might not help.

Bai Long glanced at him: "Follow me to the inner prison."

Chen Ji calmly said: "Sir, I cannot go to the inner prison."

He also didn’t want to visit the inner prison to inspect the official correspondences because he was unsure whether high-ranking spies from the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department were lurking within the Ritual Supervision.

Being forced from the shadows into the spotlight was already a last resort.

Bai Long gave Chen Ji a sideways glance: "You’re unwilling to go to the inner prison; what are you worried about?"

Chen Ji responded: "Lord Xuan She is eager to claim credit; if I prematurely solve the case, it would block his path to promotion, sparking resentment. I do not wish to be hated."

Bai Long pondered for a moment: "That’s cautious enough, wait here."

Bai Long returned to the Imperial Prison with two dossiers and a forensic corpse form, tossing them over to Chen Ji: "Review them here, you may not take them away."

Chen Ji sat plainly on the grass behind the artificial hill, using the moonlight to peruse the dossiers.

The first dossier listed those who had recently approached the Korea Envoy, secretly noted by the tracking spies. The individuals recorded were few, all Honglu Temple officials.

The second dossier collected the testimonies of those present yesterday, detailing identity, name, origin, destination, and reason for being on Chessboard Street and East Rongmi Lane.

While Chen Ji reviewed the dossiers, Bai Long didn’t urge him, standing nearby with his hands folded, silently resting.

Chen Ji asked while perusing the dossiers: "Lord Bai Long, why isn’t Wu Xuange’s testimony included in the dossiers?"

Bai Long, eyes closed in rest, showed no intention to answer.

...

...

The dossiers recorded the people present on the scene: Assistant Minister of Rites, Minister of Public Works, Minister of Personnel, along with Six Departments Clerks, scholars from Hanlin Academy, and compilers, but mostly merchants and pedestrians of Chessboard Street.

Due to the presence of many officials, if detained all, the Six Ministries would be in chaos; therefore, the Spy Department has released most officials home, only requiring they do not leave the capital and be available when summoned.

Merchants and pedestrians were detained in the Five Cities Military Department’s prison, with Chessboard Street completely closed down, creating a desolate scene.

The dossier noted that after the disturbance on Chessboard Street yesterday, the Spy Department searched all Korea Envoys’ belongings, simply marking "seven orifices inspected," indicating no contraband was found on the Korea Envoys.

Chen Ji puzzled over how the Huitong Hall secretary could have brought the poison inside?

He continued flipping through the dossiers: During the evening, Xuan She commanded his men to escort the Korea Envoys into Huitong Hall; at 7:45 PM, Xuan She dispatched spies to Huitong Hall again yet found the Huitong Hall secretary dead in the backyard woodshed, covered with firewood, while the Korea Envoys were entirely poisoned dead within the hall.

The poison was Korean bean paste, hidden within the paste jars.

Chen Ji put down the dossier and picked up the forensic corpse form.

Inside the corpse form, forensic records from 7 PM detailed the Korean Crown Prince first:

"Corpse owner: Korean Crown Prince Li Yi, approximately aged twenty-eight, height five feet three inches, time of autopsy 9:15 PM, location second floor of Huitong Hall, East Rongmi Lane."

"Face greenish-blue like indigo, lip color blackened, eyes slightly open, whites threaded with red."

"Skin relaxed, fingers flexible without stiffness, chin droopy. Nail beds blackened, a black line through the middle finger of the right hand."

"Back and back of the thighs show bright-colored patches disappearing under pressure. Froth lightly at mouth and nose, no discharge marks at lower openings."

"Death was caused by violent poisoning, a re-examination with steaming bone method is needed."

Following the corpse form, it noted "examined without error by forensic doctors Cheng Zhe and Li Bin," with their red handprints. This was their signing and stamping, if tested inaccurately, they would be charged together.

Chen Ji hurriedly flipped through the corpse form until the last page noted the Huitong Hall secretary’s record; the rest of Korea Envoys were not much different, except for two distinctive phrases.

"Chin slightly rigid."

"Left arm outside knife wound one finger deep, wound above navel revealing five viscera, and dagger pierces heart causing fatal injury."

The first sentence proved the secretary died earlier than others, by ten to forty minutes; the second sentence was peculiar... Who stabbed him?

Chen Ji looked up at Bai Long: "Lord Bai Long, what conclusion did the investigating spy reach?"

Bai Long didn’t lift his eyelids: "Secretary Wang Peng discovered the Korea Envoys had poisoned the meal; unable to report, he was silenced. The assailant stabbed him with a dagger: first blocked by his arm, the second cut through his abdomen, the third stabbed into his heart, the wounds align."

Chen Ji shook his head: "Incorrect."

Bai Long finally opened his eyes: "Where’s the error?"

Chen Ji asserted: "Wang Peng committed suicide."

Bai Long casually replied: "Forensic doctors claim the dagger was thrust from the front, wounds align."

Chen Ji pointed to the dossier, saying: "Sir, Wang Peng’s lips were blackened at the time of death, indicating severe poisoning and signs of asphyxiation. Since he was already poisoned, why would Korea Envoys need to silence him further with a dagger? Isn’t it redundant?"

Bai Long wasn’t particularly surprised, probably already aware. Spy Department’s forensic doctors are experienced, they won’t fail to notice.

But such matters were not sufficient for conclusions. It’s possible the Korea Envoys were cautious, or Wang Peng was still capable of shouting, both potentially leading to further stabbing.

This couldn’t prove anything.

But Chen Ji was different; he deduced with pre-known answers. Understanding the issue lay with the secretary, he now needed to persuade Bai Long of his argument.

Chen Ji contemplated briefly: "Sir, analyzing Wang Peng’s death time shows he died shortly after being taken back to Huitong Hall from poisoning. He had just undergone a ’seven orifices inspection,’ how could he calmly eat thereafter? Moreover, as a Ning Dynasty individual, how would he eat Korea-imported bean paste for no reason?"

Bai Long calmly said: "State your conclusion."

Chen Ji asserted: "The one who set fire on Chessboard Street likely handed the wooden box with poison to the Huitong Hall secretary Wang Peng, who, to evade the inspection, swallowed the poison, hiding it with his life. When returned to Huitong Hall, he showed early poisoning signs, immediately cut open his arm and abdomen, using his own blood as poison. Afterwards, he dragged himself to hide under the firewood in the woodshed, piercing his heart with the dagger, creating the false impression of being murdered and silenced."

The conclusion was not flawless, with numerous shortcomings, yet only the ’using life to hide poison’ could explain the source of the poison.

These clues were enough to plant a seed of doubt in Bai Long. Chen Ji didn’t need a perfect argument; he merely needed to incite Ning Dynasty’s suspicion.

Holding the corpse form dossier while seated on the grass, Chen Ji took a deep breath, looked up at Bai Long and said: "Sir, I suspect this was orchestrated by the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department to lure our dynasty into attack... This is a trap."