“Poison!” Everyone was terrified. Only two City Guards managed to compose themselves, first trying to feed the captain some medicinal pills. But the captain couldn’t even open his mouth as his throat had swollen up—how could he swallow the pills?

If this continued, he would suffocate soon. One guard rushed to find a doctor, while the other pushed through the crowd and shouted sternly: “Stop!” He strode forward to block Qiao Tianxing and his group.

Qiao Tianxing asked with displeasure: “What are you doing?”

“You are now suspects!” The City Guard’s eyes were wide open. “Suspected of murdering Captain Ma, you cannot leave!”

Qiao Tianxing laughed angrily: “Which dog’s eye of yours saw me kill someone? How do you know the murderer isn’t hiding in the crowd? How do you know the murderer isn’t—” He suddenly pointed his finger, “—isn’t her?”

The direction he pointed was exactly where Miss Yao stood.

Although Miss Yao was normally sharp-tongued, she understood that life and death were serious matters. Now she waved both hands in denial, clearing herself completely: “I never even touched Captain Ma. How could I harm him? With so many people here, only you people were pushing and shoving with him for so long!”

Qiao Tianxing sneered: “Nonsense! If pushing someone twice could cause harm, then these City Guards have touched the captain more times than I have. They should all be suspects too!”

The other City Guards rushed over and surrounded them. Qiao Tianxing’s guards immediately formed a protective circle around him, drawing their weapons to keep the City Guards at bay.

With several metallic sounds, blades were unsheathed, and both sides were instantly at a standoff. The guard who had first spoken demanded: “You said you came to Shun Dongfeng by invitation. Who invited you, and where are they now?”

“The envoy from Taoyuan Territory, Tan Qingshuang,” Qiao Tianxing said proudly. “She should be upstairs.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a woman’s voice responded from above: “I am here.”

Then, a beautiful woman quickly descended the stairs.

This woman had black hair and snow-white skin, an oval face with willow-leaf eyebrows, and eyes like spring water. Even dressed plainly in blue robes with a white skirt, she couldn’t conceal her extraordinary beauty.

First, she produced a token to show everyone: “I’m new to your honorable land and didn’t know Shun Dongfeng’s taboos. I did indeed arrange to meet with the Wei envoy here. I never expected to cause so much trouble. Qingshuang is at fault. If an investigation is needed, I will fully cooperate.” Then she quickly walked to the captain’s side and earnestly asked Qiao Tianxing: “Was it truly not done by you, Master Qiao? If so, please provide the antidote.”

Qiao Tianxing spread his hands, a bitter smile on his face: “I don’t know how to use poisons.”

Tan Qingshuang immediately said: “I have some basic knowledge of medicine. May I try?”

Since the doctor had not yet arrived, the guards could only nod in agreement.

Tan Qingshuang crouched down and extended her slender fingers to feel the captain’s neck. Her expression changed slightly, and then she gently pressed on his chest.

After a while, she sighed: “It’s too late. He’s gone.”

“What…” The City Guards were shocked. When they checked the captain’s vital signs again, his heart had indeed stopped, and there was no pulse.

A strong man who had been full of life just moments ago was now inexplicably dead. What kind of poison could be so violent? “People often die from poison attacking the heart, paralyzing it, as with Captain Ma. But if we can somehow get the heart beating again, he could recover…”

Tan Qingshuang was lightly touching and pressing the captain’s neck, chest, and abdomen. Hearing this, she shook her head: “Ordinary poisons affect the meridians and paralyze muscles, which can be treated that way. But this poison is potent—it has dissolved nearly half of his internal organs, and I fear his heart wasn’t spared.” After a moment’s hesitation, she added, “But a flesh-dissolving poison shouldn’t take effect so quickly!”

Dissolve!

Hearing this word, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.

When muscles and internal organs rapidly dissolve, how much suffering must a living person endure? Putting themselves in his place, no one dared to imagine. No wonder Captain Ma, such a rough and tough man, had howled so inhumanly.

At this moment, there was a commotion outside the crowd. Two people arrived together—one with a strong build, around forty years old, and the other in scholar’s blue robes with a salt-and-pepper beard. Behind them followed the guard who had first gone for help.

When the City Guards saw them, their expressions relaxed, as if they had found their leader: “General!” Was even the general alarmed by this?

“What happened to Ma Seven?” The newcomer was General Xu Lin, who commanded the City Guards. He happened to be visiting Doctor Xie’s home not far from here and came to see what had happened at Shun Dongfeng.

His gaze fell on Captain Ma’s body, and he was immediately shocked. Then he surveyed the scene, his thick eyebrows furrowing. Captain Ma had followed him from the battlefield to the Yao capital, one of his most loyal and trusted subordinates, with a closeness to Xu Lin that ordinary soldiers couldn’t match.

Doctor Xie beside him quickly knelt to examine the body, and after a few moments regretfully said: “He can’t be saved.”

Xu Lin had already heard about what happened from his soldiers on the way. Now he solemnly instructed the doctor: “Determine how the poison was used.”

Doctor Xie had seen thousands of strange injuries and had his own set of verification standards. He took a blood sample from the deceased’s finger wound and applied some reagents. Watching the sample change color, he suddenly exclaimed: “There’s more than one poison. At least one is responsible for sealing the blood vessels upon contact, and another dissolves flesh and marrow. Mixed, their toxicity is even harder to judge. Could the perpetrator have been afraid that Captain Ma wouldn’t die instantly? What a ruthless heart!” In this world, there are countless strange poisons, some handed down from ancient times. Killing ordinary people is nothing—they could finish off even immortals in minutes.

For the next examination of the wounds, out of respect for Captain Ma’s final dignity, the autopsy was conducted in a secluded room at Shun Dongfeng.

During this time, Xu Lin turned to Qiao Tianxing and Tan Qingshuang: “I am Xu Lin, General of the City Guards. Please come with me, Master Qiao. I need to ask you a few questions.”

With a high-ranking Yao official present, Qiao Tianxing felt relieved. Despite his anger, he couldn’t resolve matters with these commoners and soldiers—communication with higher authorities was necessary. So he nodded: “Very well.”

Before turning away, Xu Lin caught sight of Miss Yao standing to the side and beckoned to her: “You come too.”

The four requisitioned the accounting room of Shun Dongfeng. Xu Lin inquired about what had happened and repeatedly verified several details before nodding.

Based on the facts currently known, Wei envoy Qiao Tianxing being blocked from entering Shun Dongfeng and the subsequent conflict with the City Guards appeared to be an accidental event. He and Captain Ma had no deep grudge, so the motive for the murder was insufficient. Moreover, the scene downstairs at Shun Dongfeng had been chaotic, with physical contact between the opposing sides and onlookers surrounding them. If the murderer had acted while mixed in with the crowd…

As he was pondering silently, a soldier reported from outside: “Doctor Xie requests your presence.”

When the four entered the room temporarily serving as the autopsy chamber, they were all shocked. In less than half an hour, Captain Ma’s corpse had grown many strangely colored mushrooms!