Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!

Chapter 537 - 536: They’re All Dead

"Oh, Prince, you’ve really looked haggard these past few days!" Mr. Gao shuffled forward, sighing as he looked Lu Qing up and down, not forgetting to offer a few reminders, "Actually, in these days, the Holy Emperor has been thinking about you day and night. It’s just that this time, the trouble you got into is really quite serious, which is why he’s so angry.

I already put some cushions inside in advance, thinking that when you go in, kneeling won’t be too unbearable.

The Holy Emperor also saw it when I put them there, but he didn’t say anything or stop me.

So you see, the Holy Emperor actually cares about you in his heart!

Later, you must sincerely admit your mistakes and explain everything clearly to the Holy Emperor. Don’t act rashly; otherwise, in the end, won’t the suffering fall on you!"

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but sigh again, "This old servant has watched you grow up since you were small, and I’ve never seen you look so haggard."

Lu Qing smiled faintly and thanked Mr. Gao.

He hadn’t eaten or drunk for two days. Now his lips were chapped, and his voice sounded as if his vocal cords had been sanded down, extremely dry and hoarse.

Mr. Gao was taken aback hearing this, sighed, and turned to open the door to the South Study Room.

As soon as the door opened, five people were led inside. They immediately noticed another person already kneeling inside the South Study Room, still wearing court attire he hadn’t had time to change, kneeling straight.

With those clothes and posture, who else could it be but Lu Chao!

Zhu Yu didn’t expect Lu Chao to be in the South Study Room at this moment.

However, she couldn’t look around carelessly. After a quick glance, she hurriedly knelt down with Yan Daoxin and the talisman not far from the entrance.

Emperor Jin had already changed clothes and was sitting behind the desk. His expression bore no sign of "joy," even though his chronic headaches had somewhat improved and his spirits were looking better, his complexion wasn’t great.

His gaze coldly scanned the five people, including Zhu Yu, lingering longer on Zhu Yu’s face. Seeing that all five seemed worn out and haggard to varying degrees, he snorted.

"It seems my son has endured quite a bit in that Shackles Prison lately, suffering a lot," he said, his tone carrying traces of lingering anger.

Upon hearing this, Lu Chao turned to look at Lu Qing, surprised to see how much weight Lu Qing had lost. Though shocked, he said nothing and silently turned his face away.

Lu Qing remained silent, as if he hadn’t heard Emperor Jin speaking to him moments ago.

Emperor Jin clearly didn’t expect a response from him and gave a cold snort, saying, "But the hardships you’ve faced are self-inflicted, exactly what you deserve!

Who told you to act so recklessly, with the Jin Country unable to contain you, daring to run to the Fan Country and even attempting to assassinate King Fan!"

"The death of the Vassal King has nothing to do with me." Lu Qing slowly lifted his head, calmly looking at Emperor Jin with determined eyes, his tone also very calm. "I merely traveled with fellow disciples to various places and happened to arrive at the border area where King Fan had announced a search for a doctor.

My fellow disciple, Yan Daoxin, is already a peerless talent in medicine, known for reviving the dead and healing bones. Being a doctor with a benevolent heart, when he saw the announcement of King Fan suffering from a strange illness, he wanted to offer help.

I only accompanied him, hoping to share Your Majesty’s burden.

Unexpectedly, upon reaching the Fanwang Mansion, Yan Daoxin discovered that King Fan wasn’t suffering from a strange illness but had been poisoned.

The poison was very peculiar; at first, it didn’t cause any discomfort. Even when checking the pulse, it only made the person seem healthy and with a strong, steady pulse.

The poisoned one even appeared radiant, but behind these illusions, the poison had already seeped into the bone marrow. By the time symptoms appeared, it was already too late to reverse the effects."

"So, according to what you’re saying, by the time you saw King Fan, it was already too late, the poison was in his bones?" Emperor Jin listened as Lu Qing detailed the symptoms post-poisoning unhurriedly, frowning as he did, his gaze darkening and his expression becoming ever more severe, "If that’s the case, why then did you concoct a cure for him?!

Aren’t your words contradictory? Don’t you realize that?"

"We concocted the antidote for King Fan not because there was hope for detoxification, but to delay his sudden death as much as possible. This way, we could find out why King Fan was poisoned.

Unexpectedly, just as the truth was surfacing, changes unfolded unexpectedly; King Fan died suddenly, and his nephew, who was never allowed into the mansion, suddenly emerged, had us bound, and transported back.

This is the truth of the matter; I ask Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."

Lu Qing knelt straight, his head slightly raised. Despite his hoarse voice, he spoke with an undeniable strength of conviction.

"Oh?" Emperor Jin looked at him skeptically, "Then tell me, what exactly is the truth?"

"The truth is that King Fan was poisoned by Yishaen, the High Priest whom he trusted the most.

Yishaen tempted King Fan with toxic elixir pills under the guise of enhancing health and prolonging life."

"Oh? So where’s this High Priest you’re talking about? If he concocted the poison to harm King Fan, why didn’t King Fan’s nephew also bring him to the capital?" Emperor Jin asked.

"Because Yishaen had already gone into a closed retreat before we arrived in Bhutan.

By the time we uncovered the truth and went to find him, he had died during the retreat and had turned into a mummy." Lu Qing answered.

"Dead?" Emperor Jin frowned, then asked, "To want to hide something unless you didn’t do it; since he concocted the poisonous elixir for King Fan, could he have been the only one aware of it?

Is there no one around him or King Fan who can testify to this?"

"To Your Majesty, Yishaen’s four protectors, who went into retreat with him, were also found to have turned into mummies.

As for other servants in the Fanwang Mansion who had contact with the elixir, they were all killed by King Fan himself during the thorough investigation, leaving none alive."

After hearing Lu Qing’s answer, Emperor Jin’s face broke into a cold smile, and he snorted, "According to you, hasn’t this matter already been left without a living witness?

Those who knew about it, those who poisoned, those who were poisoned are all dead.

Now, as you tell me this without any proof, how am I to know if what you say is true, or if it’s just lies you concocted after killing King Fan to cover up your actions?"