I inherited my grandfather's Tang Dynasty assets.

Chapter 28 The Cook and the Mute Girl

The three had known each other for many years and were very familiar with Wang Xian's talents.

"Why would Wang, a member of the Langya Wang clan, participate in the imperial examinations?"

Ever since Wang Xian returned from the Shennong Temple that day, he felt increasingly depressed.

Although the Liu and Fan families of Chang'an were also aristocratic clans, they were no match for the Wang family of Langya. Therefore, in Wang Xian's view...

It was understandable for those people to participate in the imperial examinations, but for me, a member of the Langya Wang clan, to also participate in the imperial examinations would be tantamount to denying the Nine-Rank System and betraying my ancestors.

Fan Tao and Liu Boyan exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in each other's eyes.

Whether Wang Xian wanted to be an official or not is beyond doubt; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to become the village head.

They both wanted to become officials and were talented, but their pride as members of the aristocracy and their opposition to the court left them truly perplexed.

This is a classic case of wanting to have one's cake and eat it too. As friends, they can only offer advice, and if the other party insists on not listening, there's nothing they can do.

Fan Tao deliberately skipped over this topic and brought up the case of the Hu family. After returning from Shennong Temple on the third day of the Lunar New Year, he had already ordered a secret investigation into the Hu family's servants.

Now that they have reaped the rewards, the closest servants to the brothers Hu Wenyuan and Hu Wenbo are their respective personal pageboys, who have grown up with them since childhood.

After the Hu brothers died, the two were also devastated. Hu Wenyuan's page even went on a hunger strike, wanting to go with him. He had no connection with the alchemists in the cultivation workshop, and he judged that it was impossible for them to be the poisoner.

Secondly, there were the maids in the mansion. There were three close maids, and the other two were already married, so their wives could not have been the ones who poisoned them.

Almost all of Fan Tao's personal servants were ruled out as suspects, which once again puzzled him.

"Brother Fan, how about we go to the Shennong Temple again today?"

Just as Fan Tao was about to speak, a burly man in official uniform, holding a horizontal sword, hurriedly walked in without saying hello.

"Magistrate Ma, is there anything urgent?"

This man is called Ma Feng. He is the county constable of Wannian County and is highly skilled in martial arts. He has been investigating the Hu family's case recently.

Ma Feng gave a simple bow and said with some excitement.

"Your Excellency, half an hour ago, Yu Ming Lou of the Immortal Cultivation Hall released news that after hearing about the Blood Child, True Person Yu Ming has decided to personally capture him."

"At tomorrow's Ascension Ceremony, he will let everyone see the true face of the Blood Child."

"What did you say? Is that really true?"

Fan Tao was shocked and quickly stood up.

"Indeed, sir, this is a good thing. Why are you reacting this way? Blood Child killed the Hu brothers, causing widespread panic. If True Person Yuming can capture him, we can also complete our mission."

"Magistrate Ma, did Master Yuming say how to capture the Blood Child?"

Liu Boyan understood why Fan Tao acted this way; Chen Yue had indeed been right—it was all really Yu Ming Zhenren's doing.

Doesn't that mean the real poisoner is in the Hu family, but the government hasn't found them yet?

Ma Feng shook his head.

"He didn't say it explicitly, but it must be something like setting up an altar for a ritual. In short, as long as we can catch him, that's fine."

Fan Tao paced back and forth, staring at his temple with his finger, looking deep in thought.

Between Yu Ming Zhenren and Shennong Shi, he naturally believed the latter. Shennong Shi had said that if Yu Ming Zhenren released this information, it would mean that he was the mastermind behind the murder.

But now the most important link is missing: who is the poisoner? Only by finding the poisoner will the whole truth come to light.

Fan Tao intends to expose Yu Ming Zhenren's lies at tomorrow's Ascension Ceremony and bring him back to the government office, where he will face severe punishment under the laws of the Tang Dynasty.

Once tomorrow is over and the Ascension Ceremony is over, the Blood Child will have already been killed by him, and the matter will be settled. It will be very difficult to deal with him again.

"Ma Feng, I ask you, have you really investigated all the servants of the Hu family thoroughly? Think carefully, besides the people you mentioned, are there any others who could frequently come into contact with them? Preferably those who could tamper with their food."

Fan Tao firmly believed that Chen Yue wouldn't lie to him; he just hadn't found the poisoner yet.

"Sir, there really isn't any left."

Ma Feng handled this matter personally. If he can't even do such a small thing well, what kind of county magistrate is he?

Suddenly, Ma Feng paused, as if he wanted to say something, and glanced at Fan Tao, looking hesitant.

"Lord Ma, please speak freely."

Liu Boyan caught his expression and immediately asked.

Wang Xian wasn't particularly interested in this case; his only concern was restoring his status as a ninth-rank official. However, he had heard about the case and thus also turned his attention to Ma Feng.

"Speak quickly, stop being so long-winded."

Ma Feng pursed his lips and bowed to Fan Tao.

"Sir, you just mentioned someone who can frequently contact them and tamper with their food. That reminds me of someone."

"Who is it?"

Fan Tao took two steps forward and anxiously pressed for an answer.

"The mute girl."

"A mute girl?"

"Yes, this person is the cook of the Hu family. I saw her once when I went to the Hu residence to investigate a case the day before yesterday. She looks to be about thirty years old and is quite ugly. The Hu family said she is mute."

But she was an excellent cook. Three years ago, she fainted at the door of Hu Dashan's house, so he left her in the kitchen.

Hu Wenyuan and Hu Wenbo often read late into the night, and sometimes when they got hungry, she would personally cook something to eat and bring it to them.

Although she didn't have much interaction with the Hu brothers, she could tamper with their food. Oh, and she also frequently cleaned their rooms.

"Dumb girl, dumb girl..."

Fan Tao kept murmuring this name.

"The master said that to kill someone using illusion magic, someone needs to verbally guide them while they are in a hallucination. How could a mute person possibly do that? Unless that person isn't mute!"

Liu Boyan's words made Fan Tao's eyes widen. He had also thought of this and immediately gave instructions to Ma Feng.

"Quickly, go to the Hu family's house right now and find this mute girl. Search her room carefully to see if you can find any datura pollen. Once you find it, bring her to the government office immediately!"

"Sir, you suspect this mute girl..."

Before Ma Feng could finish speaking, Fan Tao rudely interrupted him, glaring at him and scolding him angrily.

"What are you dawdling for? Any later and you might be silenced. Hurry up!"

"yes!"

Although Ma Feng felt completely bewildered, he dared not waste any more time and immediately went to the Hu family's house.

"No, Boyan, Brother Wang, I, Fan, must go too."

If it was truly the work of the mute girl, she must have been instructed by Master Yuming. Now she is the only one who knows the truth, and she will likely be silenced.

"I will go with Brother Fan."

Wang Xian stood up.

"Wang needs to go back and review the Spring and Autumn Annals, so he won't join in the fun."

Fan Tao didn't say anything, and hurriedly walked out with Liu Boyan. After meeting up with Ma Feng and the clerks, they immediately rushed to the Hu family's house.

Hu Shanren was the most famous merchant in Dongshi. His wealth was beyond description, and his mansion was naturally enormous, but the bustling scene of the past was gone.

Now, white lanterns hang at the entrance, and the mansion is desolate, filled with a lifeless atmosphere.

"Sir, the magistrate and his men from the government office have arrived."

Hu Shanren sat in the lobby staring blankly outside. In just a few dozen days, he had aged considerably, his hair now completely white, making him look no less than a seventy-year-old.

The butler's words gradually brought his pupils back to focus. He wiped his eyes and led his family to greet him.