You have truly caused me great suffering!

Geng Nanzhong's death set a very bad precedent.

Even at the height of the factional strife between the old and new factions in the Song Dynasty, the practice of poisoning opposing officials never occurred.

If not handled properly, this could cause panic among some people, making everyone feel insecure.

If someone even imitates it, then everything will be in chaos.

Therefore, we must find the real culprit as soon as possible, and we must have solid evidence to quell this storm with swift and decisive measures.

"Poisoned?"

Chen Shao looked at Wang Yin and asked, "This matter is of utmost importance and cannot be taken lightly or negligently. Moreover, there must be more to the story behind the poisoning of a minister. We must find out the truth as soon as possible!"

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I know this matter is of great importance and I will certainly not dare to neglect it."

Chen Shao nodded, but he still felt a little uncomfortable. As the year drew to a close, everyone was in a good mood and maintaining a facade of peace.

Who is this jerk who is deliberately trying to ruin everyone's New Year?!

You have to understand that the current situation is like the surface of a river in early winter.

It looks calm on the surface, but you never know when you'll break the calm and fall into the water.

"In addition, patrols in Taiyuan should be strengthened to prevent retaliation or imitation."

Geng Nanzhong, originally a core member of the old party, joined the Dingnan Army and obtained a high official position and power.

Therefore, a large number of people will inevitably dislike him.

This includes former allies, forces loyal to the Song Dynasty, and factions within the Dingnan Army.
There were too many people who had the motive to kill him, and Chen Shao was too lazy to think about who it was. There was no point in making wild guesses, so he decided to leave it to Wang Yin to investigate.

Shortly after Wang Yin left, a guard came in and said that the Prefect of Taiyuan had sent someone to inquire whether the Prince of Dai would attend Geng Nanzhong's funeral.

Without hesitation, Chen Shao nodded and said, "Make preparations and tell them to come with me!"

Geng Nanzhong's funeral was held in a very grand manner. Chen Shao led a group of officials to personally visit and offer condolences to his family.

Geng's family members all stepped forward to thank Chen Shao. Geng Nanzhong had long ago settled his relatives in Taiyuan, Hedong; wherever Chen Shao was, that was his home.

The residence wasn't even far from the Prince of Dai's mansion, just on the same street. In the past, Chen Shao would occasionally see the Geng family's carriages and horses when he was traveling.

"Please accept my condolences!" Chen Shao said to Geng Nanzhong's two eldest sons, "I will definitely find the real culprit and give you an explanation."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Geng Nanzhong was a brilliant scholar, authoring works such as "New Lectures on the Book of Changes" and "Understanding the Book of Changes". The Complete Poems of the Song Dynasty includes eighteen of his poems. However, his two sons were quite ordinary and failed to achieve official rank, but both received official positions in the court due to their father's influence.

They didn't seem as sad as Chen Shao had imagined; on the contrary, they seemed somewhat flattered by Chen Shao's personal arrival.

On the contrary, some of the other nephews and nieces were extremely saddened and grieved.

Chen Shao couldn't help but feel a chill, and he made up his mind that these two were not going to be hired.

Regardless of his character, he was your own father, who was poisoned to death.

After speaking, Chen Shao sat to the side and participated in the entire funeral ceremony before getting up and leaving.

Although he didn't particularly like Geng Nanzhong, and he wasn't considered one of his close confidants.

But there is no doubt that Geng Nanzhong's defection to Chen Shao's forces at that time brought great benefits to the Dingnan Army.

At that time, the Dingnan Army was at most an army in the Northwest.

Geng Nanzhong was the most distinguished scholar-official in the Song Dynasty. He was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), a person who was announced in the Golden Hall and whose name was called out in front of the Donghua Gate.

It was because of his arrival that many scholars who were not successful in the Song Dynasty came to join Chen Shao's forces.

Therefore, despite having had unpleasant experiences with him and not approving of his character, Chen Shao still placed him in a high position.

This was true when they were in Xiping Prefecture, and it was even more so when they returned to Bianliang.

Geng Nanzhong also used his connections and influence to do a lot for the Dingnan Army in Bianliang, creating a very good situation.

Regardless of his motives, in such matters, actions speak louder than intentions.

In a sense, given Geng Nanzhong's yearning for power, he even hoped that Chen Shao could replace the Song Dynasty more than Chen Shao himself.
-

The twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Despite the assassination attempt, the year is still relatively peaceful as the year draws to a close.

At least there are no major wars going on.

Chen Shao was sitting in his study, writing peach wood charms and painting door gods.

Each of his maids held one of his two daughters and one son, watching from the sidelines.

In the past, whenever Chen Shao saw that Emperor Qianlong liked to write poetry and had a record for the most poems he had ever written, he couldn't help but laugh at him.

At this time, he himself gradually developed this problem.

I couldn't help it, I couldn't help it at all.

So he didn't just write for his own household, but wrote and drew in one go, giving them to anyone who came to pay New Year's visits.

In the realm of calligraphy and painting, once you've even scratched the surface, it's easy to become addicted.

The lingering scent of ink made Chen Shao feel exceptionally refined.

The door was gently pushed open, and Li Shishi came in carrying a food box. Seeing Chen Shao's very focused expression and then looking at the masterpiece on the table, she almost couldn't help but laugh.

She pursed her lips slightly and said, "My lord is truly so devoted to his work that he forgets to eat and sleep."

"Forgetting to eat is possible, but neglecting sleep is impossible." After putting down his pen, Chen Shao laughed and said, "With Shishi by my side, who would have the leisure to tinker with these things?"

Li Shishi blushed and glared at him. With other maids around, she could only pretend not to hear.

The two had just set out the food and drinks on the table and were eating when Li Yumei walked in.

Today she wore a light blue jacket and skirt with purple-red embroidery, dressed very appropriately for the occasion, looking both gorgeous and dignified.

After entering, Li Yumei sat down next to Li Shishi with a smile and asked, "Would Your Majesty like to see the Nuo opera?"

Chen Shao shook his head and said, "Let's not go."

Officials in Taiyuan were putting in a tremendous effort to imitate and surpass Bianliang.

This year, a large-scale Nuo opera performance was specially held, with more than a thousand Taiyuan officials and actors wearing masks and playing roles such as Zhong Kui, the judge, and the Kitchen God, driving away the plague along the streets to the city gate to "bury the evil spirits".

Many officials, celebrities, and wealthy people living in Taiyuan were invited to participate, bringing their families with them.

Li Yumei reminded him, "The royal family participates in Bianliang every year. If Your Majesty doesn't go, it won't be as lively as in Dongjing."

Chen Shao immediately understood, and found the stubbornness of the Hedong officials amusing. Why were they arguing with Bianliang?

In terms of liveliness, what city in the world can compare to it?
But Chen Shao certainly wouldn't be a spoilsport. In the end, these people's actions were all about winning over the hearts and minds of the Dingnan Army, and Chen Shao would definitely support them.

He readily agreed, nodding and saying, "Let's go together! Let's have some fun!"

Li Yumei said with a smile, "That's settled then, I'll go arrange the carriage."

"We'll go call Auntie in a bit," Chen Shao said with a smile after Li Yumei left.

Li Shishi nodded.

At this time, we should celebrate and make merry to dispel the gloom brought about by Geng Nanzhong's assassination.

This showed people that the Dingnan Army remained a united front.

Although Chen Shao was already the Prince of Dai, he didn't have many family members.

The families who came to celebrate today all brought their entire families, and their groups were all larger than his.

People lined the streets to watch the ceremony, and those who wanted to participate could join in if they had masks or costumes.

Many folk activities in the Song Dynasty emphasized universal celebration and joy shared by all.

These wealthy young men are exceptionally generous today. Children from ordinary families sing nursery rhymes about "selling idiocy" along the streets, and the sons of nobles often generously give away small gold melon seeds, which is both appropriate for the occasion and shows their benevolence.

Chen Shao was originally watching from inside the carriage, but he gradually became infected by the atmosphere and joined his family in laughing and shouting.

Amidst the jubilation, Chen Shao suddenly remembered his first New Year when he first arrived in Taiyuan.

At that time, people were filled with fear and gloom, and large numbers of people fled Hedong, fearing that Zonghan's army would march south.

In that instant, he felt a surge of pride and satisfaction.

By the time the celebration ended and I returned home, it was already dusk.

Fireworks and firecrackers were being set off everywhere in the city, and people were already eagerly waiting.

The double-bang firecracker made a deafening noise.

In the courtyard of the Prince's Mansion, there were also several braziers where sesame oil was burned and Atractylodes lancea was burned, both to ward off evil spirits and plagues and to pray for good health in the new year.

After Chen Shao lit the fire himself, the family members in the inner quarters clapped and cheered.

Then came dinner, which the whole family gathered together to share.

Inside Chen Shao's room, fruits, candied fruits, red bean paste dumplings, and fermented ginger and soybeans were laid out on the table. Everyone gathered around the stove to stay up all night for the New Year.

Chen Shao sat next to Li Shishi, took her hand under the table, and their eyes met, and they smiled at the same time.

it is more than words.
-

While the world outside was celebrating, inside the Guangyuan Hall government office, Wang Yin was still investigating a case.

The number of people that Guangyuantang mobilized to investigate the case was actually not that many.

Because although this case had a great impact, it was ultimately just a murder.

It's not very well made yet.

The investigation is not difficult.

Wang Yin started with poison, meticulously investigating the case step by step.

He had obtained some clues, but the results surprised him.

If this person is truly involved, even the Prince of Dai might not be able to touch him.

Wang Yin was somewhat puzzled, as this person's wisdom and strategy were exceptionally high, unparalleled in the world.

Why would they use such a low-level method, which is completely unnecessary?

To be honest, there is indeed some grudge between the two, but Geng Nanzhong has always been the one who suffers losses and is suppressed.

Even if a cornered dog would do something desperate, it should be the other way around.

Wang Yin sighed, walked to the window, looked at the fireworks display that filled the city, and felt uncertain.

I will definitely report this to the Prince of Dai.

The rest depends on how the Prince of Dai handles it.

Wang Yin's investigation was highly professional; he completely disregarded other clues and focused solely on the source of the poison.

In the past few days, all the pimps, brothel owners, and madams in the brothel have been arrested and interrogated.

Following the lead of the poison, he eventually caught the person who had poisoned the person.

The poison is Gelsemium elegans, also known as the heartbreak herb. It has a pleasant aroma and can be mixed into tea, porridge, or wine, making it difficult to detect any unusual taste.

The Zhao Feiyan sisters once used Gelsemium elegans to poison Emperor Cheng of Han's favorite concubine; the Tang Dynasty medical text "Qianjin Fang" records that "it caused immediate death upon ingestion."

On the day of the incident, someone switched Geng Nanzhong's tea leaves.

Starting with the poison, after interrogation and investigation, the person who administered the poison was identified.

He was a servant in the household of the current Prime Minister, Cai Jing. (End of Chapter)