Chapter 79
Murong Qiufeng was not one to sit idle and wait for his demise. Though he had never handled such a situation before, it didn’t mean he couldn’t.
Early the next morning, the once-quiet yamen erupted with the deafening sound of drums. Everyone who was awakened rushed to see what was happening, and when they saw who was beating the drum, chaos ensued. The magistrate, trembling as he heard the commotion, hastily put on his robes and hurried out to greet the visitors.
The visitors were, of course, Murong Qiufeng and Shangguan Ye.
Although Shangguan Ye had agreed not to intervene directly, he never said he wouldn’t accompany Murong Qiufeng. According to him, this wasn’t interference as a prince but rather as a friend helping to clear his friend’s name—an act of justice.
Murong Qiufeng couldn’t argue with that logic. Shangguan Ye’s cunning left him at a loss.
“Your humble servant greets Your Highness,” the magistrate stammered as he emerged from the rear hall and quickly bowed before them.
“No need for formalities. I’m only here to escort my friend to file a complaint. Magistrate, please take your seat and handle the case,” Shangguan Ye said indifferently, moving to lean casually against one of the yamen’s pillars, arms crossed. Despite his relaxed demeanor, his innate authority and cold presence made everyone present feel on edge.
Murong Qiufeng chuckled quietly at the sight and turned to the trembling magistrate. “My lord, I am Murong Qiufeng, and here is my petition. Please have a look.”
“Murong… Qiufeng?” The magistrate froze, his expression stunned. Only now did he notice the refined and elegant man in white standing in the shadow of Shangguan Ye’s imposing presence. Upon closer inspection, he couldn’t help but gasp. Such a graceful and handsome gentleman—was this the same prime minister’s son who was supposedly a depraved criminal, as the rumors claimed? He didn’t seem to match the description at all.
Those who thrived in the capital’s political circles were either highly talented or skilled at reading people. The magistrate had served in his position for over thirty years and had keen observational skills. At a glance, he could tell that while he couldn’t confirm Murong Qiufeng’s virtue, he certainly wasn’t the vile swindler or lecher he was accused of being. His natural righteousness and serene demeanor were impossible to overlook.
Moreover, the prince had just referred to him as a friend. How could someone worthy of Shangguan Ye’s friendship be a despicable lowlife?
In an instant, before even reading the petition, the magistrate realized trouble was brewing. If the accusations were false, then it was a case of malicious framing. Ordinary framing was one thing, but framing the prime minister’s son and involving the prince’s household? That was far from simple personal enmity.
Cold sweat dripped from the magistrate’s forehead as he held the petition with trembling hands. Reading it felt like holding a weighty treasure; not reading it felt like courting death. The forces behind both Murong Qiufeng and his accusers were undoubtedly formidable. Caught in the middle, he feared for his life.
“My lord, you don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell?” Murong Qiufeng asked gently, noticing the magistrate’s complexion turning from pale to ashen. His words offered the man an easy way out.
The magistrate’s eyes lit up with relief, and he clutched his head, pretending to be on the verge of fainting. “Ah, alas! I’ve been unwell lately, and my poor health might affect my judgment. Perhaps the young master could wait two days while I seek the emperor’s guidance and arrange for an official to handle the case?”
“Your health is important, my lord. If that’s the case, I shall await the news. In the meantime, since the case has been accepted, I would ask you to post a public notice to avoid unnecessary unrest among the people…”
“Yes, yes, of course,” the magistrate quickly agreed, understanding the implied threat. “I’ll have a notice posted immediately, stating that any grievances should be brought directly to the yamen rather than causing public disturbances.”
Murong Qiufeng nodded with a smile. “Thank you, my lord. I shall take my leave.”
“Safe travels, young master. Your Highness,” the magistrate said stiffly, forcing a smile as he watched the two leave. Once they were out of sight, his legs gave way, and he collapsed, barely caught by his assistant.
“My lord, what do we do now?” the assistant asked.
“What else? Draft a notice. State that the case involving Murong Qiufeng has been officially accepted, but due to its connection to the prime minister and the prince’s household, the emperor will assign a senior official to handle it. Any further disturbances will be deemed suspicious behavior, and offenders will be detained,” the magistrate replied grimly. “That prime minister’s son isn’t as easy to deal with as they thought.”
“Yes, sir.”
Meanwhile, Murong Qiufeng and Shangguan Ye left the yamen and returned to the prince’s residence. The streets were quiet at dawn, with only a few people around. Their departure went largely unnoticed, avoiding unnecessary trouble.
“Your Highness, Young Master,” a maidservant named Youxiang and a guard were waiting in the main hall when they arrived.
“How did it go?” Murong Qiufeng asked them.
The guard reported solemnly, “The slippery old rascal we caught is one of the most seasoned rogues in Lu City, and he knows all the shady dealings in the area. According to him, someone paid him silver to hire people for the task—a young master, based on his speech and mannerisms. However, the man was masked, so his face couldn’t be clearly seen. What stood out were his striking phoenix eyes, elegant white attire, and an air of nobility. His demeanor was aloof, almost haughty, and he seemed to have a touch of obsessive cleanliness.
“This rogue has been in Lu City for years and knows every notable young noble in the city. He’s certain the man isn’t a local but likely an aristocrat from the north, based on his accent and bearing. As for his exact identity, the rogue doesn’t know.”
“White clothes, phoenix eyes, fastidiousness…” Murong Qiufeng murmured softly, clinging to these clues. He searched his memory, hoping to connect these details to someone familiar.
Behind him, Shangguan Ye sat quietly. His eyes flickered for a brief moment, narrowing slightly with a cold and dangerous glint.
Noticing Murong Qiufeng turning to look at him, Youxiang also spoke up with her findings. “I examined the victims harmed by the zither music. The internal energy shock they suffered wasn’t severe. The zither’s sound waves merely disoriented their auditory systems, causing tinnitus and dizziness. This misled people into thinking their internal organs were injured. As for the three who died, my investigation revealed that their deaths were unrelated to the zither music—they were poisoned.”
“Poisoned?” Murong Qiufeng raised an eyebrow. Poisoning so many people at once could only have been done while they were gathered at the restaurant. But Mingyue Tower wasn’t an ordinary establishment—it was unlikely they’d be so careless as to allow someone to slip poison into their food unnoticed.
“That’s right,” Youxiang confirmed. “The poison used is called Menglihua (‘Dreamflower’). Those poisoned experience vivid dreamlike illusions of things they desire most, magnified severalfold. Combined with the zither’s disorienting melody, the poison overloads their brains, leading to mental collapse and death. However, I noticed something interesting: the deceased indeed died from Menglihua poisoning. But those who survived were also poisoned by Menglihua—three hours later than the others.”
At this, Youxiang raised her eyebrows with a mischievous smile that sent a shiver down Murong Qiufeng’s spine.
Her eerie grin unsettled him. “What did you do to them?” he asked warily.
“Heh.” Youxiang let out a sinister chuckle. “Nothing much. I just played around a bit with the survivors’ symptoms. And as for that weeping woman, since she enjoys putting on a pitiful act with her tear-streaked face, I helped her along. She won’t stop crying now.”
Murong Qiufeng stared at her, momentarily speechless, his scalp tingling. “You’re terrifying,” he muttered under his breath.
