Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Let's explain Chapter 535.

Sun Xiang knew perfectly well that the three officials from the capital could not possibly be from the same faction.

Xu Xiaoyun regretted her words, but since she had already spoken, she couldn't pretend the other person hadn't said anything. "You said Prefect Liu poisoned you? What's the evidence?"

Sun Xiang immediately pulled a cloth bag out of his pocket.

Seeing this, Xu Xiaoyun regretted her loose tongue.

However, before Sun Xiang could even open his bag, Feng Zhong'an said, "Wait!"

"Lord Sun, although I am an official of the Ministry of Justice, all the cases I investigate are assigned by my superiors..."

Before Feng Zhong'an could finish speaking, Xu Xiaoyun suddenly stepped in front of him and whispered, "Lord Feng, this is poisoning! Even if we don't investigate, we should at least find out what happened!"

Feng Zhong'an did not agree. He seemed to think about it for a moment, then turned to ask Li Daolang, "Registration Officer Li, what do you think?"

Li Daolang hadn't said a word since the beginning; he wasn't going to get involved in such matters. "This humble official will listen to both of you."

Sun Xiang observed for a moment, waiting for them to reach a conclusion, before deciding whether to open the package in his hand.

Of course, he was also keeping an eye on Liu Dexiang during this time.

This man surnamed Liu is probably not a first-time poisoner. The evidence is almost right in front of him, yet he remains calm and composed, showing no sign of panic, as if he is confident that he can get away with it.

Xu Xiaoyun was still advising Feng Zhong'an, "Lord Feng, it would be best to find out the truth."

Lord Liu doesn't want to suffer an injustice, does he?" Xu Xiaoyun saw that Feng Zhong'an was just stroking his beard and not saying anything, so he even tried to persuade Liu Dexiang.

Liu Dexiang's eyes held a sinister glint as he looked at Sun Xiang, but his words were full of grievance: "What Lord Xu said is true. I don't understand what evidence Magistrate Sun has that dares to slander me like this."

Xu Xiaoyun took two steps to Sun Xiang and pointed to the small cloth bag he was holding. "Is this the evidence?" "Yes." Sun Xiang opened the bag and poured the contents into his palm.

To Xu Xiaoyun, they were just a few withered leaves. He didn't dare touch them and pointed vaguely, asking, "What is this?"

"You should ask Lord Liu what this is," Sun Xiang said, looking at Liu Dexiang. "Isn't this exactly what Lord Liu often adds to my food?"

Liu Dexiang looked completely innocent. "I'm busy with official business every day. How could I have time to pay attention to what you eat, let alone add it to your meals?" Liu Dexiang slapped his forehead, seemingly speechless. "Heavens, heavens, if Magistrate Sun really wants to frame me, why doesn't he use a more clever trick?"

Xu Xiaoyun's gaze swept between the two of them.

Feng Zhong'an had already walked to Liu Dexiang's side, patted him on the shoulder, and whispered a few words of comfort.

“Lord Liu,” Xu Xiaoyun turned to look at him, “Although you are busy, you have quite a few servants under you, and Magistrate Sun did not say that you personally administered the medicine.”

Liu Dexiang opened his mouth to defend himself, but Xu Xiaoyun waved his hand and said, "No rush, no rush, it's all just a hypothesis. Lord Liu, please tell me about this leaf. What is it, and what does it have to do with you?"

Liu Dexiang shrugged, "How would I know? They're just two ordinary withered leaves."

Xu Xiaoyun became more and more enthusiastic as he asked questions. The more Sun Xiang refused to answer, the more he wanted to know the answer. "Lord Sun, Lord Liu said he doesn't know. Why don't you just tell me?"

“In the Central Plains region of Daliang, there grows a poisonous herb. The entire plant is poisonous, and if someone accidentally ingests it, they will die within an hour. Therefore, the local people call it the ‘heartbreak herb.’” Sun Xiang raised his hand holding the withered leaves forward. “This is it.”

Xu Xiaoyun took several steps back, but quickly asked again, "Since you are destined to die, then... will you cry out for justice after you die?"

He didn't dare ask the rest of the question.

“The poison of the Gelsemium elegans lies in its sap, so the dried Gelsemium elegans is not as toxic as the fresh herb and cannot kill a person in a short time. Of course, this is exactly what Lord Liu did on purpose.” Sun Xiang said, “Wouldn’t it be strange if I died as soon as he arrived?”
"Lord Liu, 'A wild goose leaves its mark wherever it flies.' Why does your subordinate, Old Lin, soak it in water every day and then pour poison into my food?"

"Lord Liu!" Xu Xiaoyun shouted, then, remembering that he was on someone else's territory, coughed twice and said, "Explain."