Records of the Lost Cases of Helaitang in the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 274 Antelope hanging horns
The roof tiles were shaking and the rain was pouring down, pressing down on people's hearts, which were pounding violently.

There is no antidote for the poison of Scarlet Night Demon Queen in Middle-earth. Wang Heng kept repeating this sentence in his mind. So, is Lord Li only getting better temporarily?
After thinking for a long time, Wang Heng mustered up the courage to ask, "How did you poison Scarlet Night Demon Lady?"

When Xiaocai heard this, he was so scared that he took a few steps back towards the door, fearing that the father and son of the Meng family would suddenly attack and kill him to silence him.

Meng Dalang chuckled and said, "My Lord, please forgive me for making fun of you. The so-called Red Night Demon Lady was just an illusion created by my father's seclusion in the dark room. Doctor Sun from Baohe Hall in Jiangning County, Doctor Cui from Baosu Hall in Yingtian Prefecture in Nanjing, and the apprentice of Doctor Zhao from Lord Li's residence can all testify that my father has always had a habit of lying."

Xiaocai muttered, "Mr. Zhao's apprentice is so capable and not particularly young, and he hasn't even completed his apprenticeship yet. How skilled must Mr. Zhao be? Brother Meng, have you ever asked Mr. Zhao to take your pulse?"

Wang Heng recalled the drunkard he saw in Mr. Zhao's courtyard before the dinner. His face was red from drinking and he staggered as he walked. It would be fine if he was a poet or a famous general, but he really didn't look like a famous doctor.

Meng Dalang said, "We are just country folk, poor relatives of the Li family. How can we be worthy of Mr. Zhao to take our pulse?"

Wang Heng felt that his thoughts had strayed a bit, so he tried to get back to the topic, recalling his actions at the beginning of the banquet, and said, "The Shaoxing wine used in the birthday banquet was delivered by you the next day. Did you put poison in the wine?"

Meng Dalang laughed and said, "Prince Wang, you don't believe me. How could the Red Night Demon Lady have such a tricky poison? The Shaoxing wine was indeed sent by my family. Everyone at the table drank it. We drank it at lunch. Which guest was poisoned? My father's toast was good. The wine jar was taken from the servant of the Li family. Could it be that we knew in advance which jar of wine would be placed on the main table?"

Xiaocai suddenly had an idea and said, "If there is something wrong with the wine, then the poison must be in that bamboo cup."

Meng Dalang said calmly, "I think Mr. Pu's bamboo cup is still on the seat in the main hall. When the heroes of Qingfeng Village let us out, you can take the bamboo cup to the county government office to report it and let the officials come to test it. If it is found to be poisonous, my father and I are willing to be executed."

Meng Dalang spoke with great righteousness, but Wang Heng did not believe a word of his at all.

Li Wan is an important official in the imperial court. After his mourning period is over, he will be reinstated and return to the capital. He will be accompanied by a large number of guards and is very powerful. The Meng family father and son will never find a chance to get rid of him.

Similarly, if Li Wan, an official appointed by the imperial court, was murdered, everyone present would be a suspect.

It was impossible for the Meng family father and son to predict that the heroes of Qingfeng Village would come to disrupt the situation. Without a foolproof plan, they would not put themselves in danger. Even if Mr. Meng was old and had no desire to live, Meng Dalang was in his prime, and the father was kind and the son was filial. No matter how much Mr. Meng hated Li Wan, he would not sacrifice his eldest son's life for revenge.

Therefore, the Meng family father and son must have other ways to poison. Wang Heng closed his eyes and pondered the past behavior of the Meng family father and son, and felt that it was like an antelope hanging a horn, with no trace left.

Without giving Wang Heng time to think carefully, the east door was pushed open heavily, and the guard from Qingfeng Village came in with a fierce look. Seeing Li Wan sitting against the wall, he shouted at the top of his voice: "Mr. Li, you just saved your life, so don't be stingy with your money. Where are your family's gold and silver treasures hidden? Tell me the truth, otherwise Scar Brother will have to take you out again."

He had seen Li Wan vomiting blood earlier, and was afraid that the disease would spread to others, so he stood far away at the door and refused to come in.

Li Wan had been in high spirits since taking the detoxification pills. After talking with Mr. Meng, she had been hesitant and silent, and seemed to be deaf to the words of the Qingfeng Village guards.

Watching him coldly, the brilliance in his eyes disappeared. Wang Heng thought to himself, this is terrible. Lord Li had done so many great things when he was in the court. He was also a person who had been in officialdom for a long time and had some martial arts skills. How could his will be crushed by a few words just because of his poor personal ethics?
Seeing no one answering, the guard was frustrated and walked out. Soon, two masked men from Qingfeng Village came. Wang Heng wondered what they were looking for in Qingfeng Village. It seemed that they had searched for so long but still couldn't find it. The two men were strong and dragged Lord Li out: "Brother Scar has something to ask you. If you want to kill me, just confess."

As soon as the door closed, Xiaocai stroked his chest and said softly, "It seems that the people in Qingfeng Village have not yet decided to kill us. We still have a chance to escape."

Wang Heng nodded and said, "They may be looking for something. We, the guests, will not know the inside story. As long as the secret is not revealed, we may not die."

Xiaocai said, "Seventh brother is right. The masked man called Lord Li out to ask us to save our lives. I am just a little worried about the mountain people."

The only legitimate masters of the Li family are Lord Li and Shanmin and his son. Shanmin is sick in his study and can be easily found. If Scar Brother threatens Li Wan with Shanmin's life, what choice will Li Wan make?

Thinking of this, Wang Heng frowned and could only wait and see what would happen.

Soon the door opened again and someone was pushed in. It was not Li Wan who came back, but a slim woman.

Looking closely, the person who came was actually Mrs. Liu Le Niang. Wasn't Mrs. Liu entertaining female guests in the backyard? She followed Scar Brother's orders to his men and only locked the female relatives in the inner yard and didn't allow them to be troubled. So why did Mrs. Liu come to the front?

Wang Heng bowed and said, "Mrs. Liu, how are you?"

There was an oil lamp in the east wing, the light flickering weakly, casting obscure shadows. In the light and shadow, a trace of panic flashed on Mrs. Liu and Le Niang's faces.

"So they are two princes." Le Niang had changed her widow's attire from the white silk shirt and skirt she wore in Jubao Temple, and now she was dressed in brocade, jewels and precious stones, looking extremely gorgeous. She bowed and seemed to be quite frightened, and leaned against the flower stand with her lips pursed, too reserved to speak a word.

"I am a classmate of Mr. Li and I in Nanjian. Today I came to celebrate Lord Li's birthday, but I didn't expect to encounter such a fortuitous encounter." Wang Heng said with emotion.

Le Niang reluctantly replied, "The young master is a classmate of the mountain people." And that was all.

Wang Heng ignored Le Niang's indifference and asked, "I heard from the mountain people that Mrs. Liu is a cousin of the Li family. The mountain people call you cousin?"

Le Niang just said "hmm" and did not comment.

Wang Heng pressed on, "What kind of relationship are the Xu family and the Li family in Jiangning? Madam Liu, why don't you tell us?"

Le Niang widened her eyes and showed a look of disbelief.

Xiaocai said, "Mr. Zhang Xiru, the abbot of Jubao Temple, is an official appointed by the imperial court. He ordered the two of us to handle the murder of Guangheng, a monk in Jubao Temple. After our investigation, we have evidence that you, Madam Liu, are involved in Guangheng's murder. Please answer our questions. Otherwise, you will be interrogated by the Jiangning County Magistrate's Office."