Hearing Qi Shuo’s words, Cheng Maoming couldn’t help but bend down to examine the corpses.

The two bodies were laid side by side. What Qi Shuo was pointing at were the burly man’s blood-stained fingers.

Cheng Maoming couldn’t make anything out, “Where are the signs of poisoning the Heir mentioned?”

“Chief Commander, look at his fingernails.”

The criminal had suffered the torture of bamboo splinters under the nails, so the nails were turned up. Cheng Maoming only saw a mass of bloody flesh.

“Here, there are purple crescent-shaped marks.” Qi Shuo pointed out the traces.

Cheng Maoming looked carefully and indeed saw purple crescent-shaped marks at the base of one fingernail. However, mixed in with the bloody mess, if no one had specifically pointed them out, they would be impossible to discover.

“Chief Commander, now look at this person’s fingers. They also have these purple crescent-shaped marks.”

Cheng Maoming looked at the other corpse and also saw purple marks, though the color was even lighter than those at the base of the burly man’s nails.

“What exactly is this?”

Qi Shuo stood up, his tone calm, “This is a strange poison called Purple Faith. Once it enters the body and flows with the blood toward the heart, there’s an extremely high chance it will trigger sudden cardiac arrest, thereby achieving the purpose of killing someone without anyone being the wiser.”

“There’s such a poison?”

“This poison is extremely rare. It’s perfectly normal the Chief Commander hasn’t heard of it.”

Cheng Maoming’s expression showed suspicion, “How does the Heir know of it?”

In his impression, the Heir of Prince Jing was just a frail, unremarkable imperial clan member. Now it seemed he’d misjudged.

Qi Shuo hesitated before saying, “This poison once appeared in the Northern Territory, so by chance I came to understand it.”

“The Northern Territory?” Cheng Maoming’s gaze was somewhat complex, “When the Heir was in the Northern Territory, you were still quite young, weren’t you?”

Qi Shuo smiled, “Ten-odd years old isn’t that young. The Northern Territory is bitterly cold, and one must face harassment and invasion from the Qi people. Children there mostly mature rather early. Moreover, this poison is so unusual that encountering it once is enough to remember it forever.”

“So you’re saying this is a strange poison unique to the Northern Territory?”

Qi Shuo looked deeply at Cheng Maoming, “Surely the Chief Commander doesn’t suspect Prince Jing’s Manor?”

“Of course not. It’s just that two criminals died from this poison, and I know so little about it that I must ask more questions.” Cheng Maoming spoke these diplomatic words.

Qi Shuo knew he harbored suspicion, but didn’t dwell on this. Instead, he brought the topic back to the two criminals, “Today they suffered the bamboo splinter torture, didn’t they?”

Cheng Maoming nodded.

Qi Shuo crouched down again, examining the criminal’s fingers, “The characteristic of Purple Faith poison is that it leaves purple crescent marks where it first enters. Because the marks are so faint, they’re often overlooked.”

Cheng Maoming’s eyes narrowed, “You mean this poison entered through the criminals’ fingers?”

Qi Shuo nodded slightly, “I surmise the poison was smeared on the bamboo splinters used for torture.”

Cheng Maoming’s gaze became ice-cold, chillingly frightening.

Criminals he’d specifically instructed about had died in the Jinlin Guard—of course he knew there was a problem internally. For this reason, anyone who’d had contact with the two criminals had been detained.

But those responsible for interrogation and torture were all people he trusted. To say there was a problem with them—he found it truly hard to believe.

Cheng Maoming opened his mouth, his throat dry, “The two people who administered torture have both been interrogated. Nothing has been extracted so far.”

“Has the Chief Commander considered another possibility?”

“Please speak, Heir.” By this point, Cheng Maoming had to take Qi Shuo’s words seriously.

“Those with opportunity to apply poison to the bamboo splinters aren’t only those responsible for torture, but also those who deliver the implements.”

Cheng Maoming was startled, then quickly showed enlightenment.

The Heir of Prince Jing was right. Those who delivered the torture implements also had opportunity to tamper with them. Because they had no direct contact with the criminals, they’d been overlooked.

“Many thanks for the Heir’s reminder.” Cheng Maoming couldn’t stay still, “Heir, please go have tea with Young Master Cheng first. I’ll join you after handling this matter.”

“Chief Commander, please attend to your business.”

Qi Shuo was led by a Jinlin Guard to where Cheng Shu was.

Upon seeing him, Cheng Shu was dumbfounded, “Heir, they brought you here too?”

Qi Shuo sat down opposite him and explained with a smile, “Brother Cheng hadn’t returned for so long, I was worried and came to check.”

The address had changed from “Young Master Cheng” to “Brother Cheng,” but in his emotion, Cheng Shu didn’t notice the change in address at all, “Heir, you’ve ‘walked right into the trap’!”

All for his sake, after all.

The Heir of Prince Jing was enthusiastic and loyal—this friend, he’d definitely made.

Cheng Shu immediately looked at Qi Shuo with closer affection.

Qi Shuo: “…” This kind of affectionate gaze was rather frightening.

Here the two young men were drinking tea in a harmonious atmosphere, while on Cheng Maoming’s side, things weren’t so pleasant.

The Jinlin Guard who’d delivered the torture implements yielded nothing under interrogation, while the person responsible for safeguarding the implements had disappeared.

The one responsible for safeguarding the implements was an old man over fifty, belonging to the auxiliary staff, with normally no presence whatsoever in the Jinlin Guard.

Cheng Maoming was so angry his hands shook, “What use are you all? You don’t even know when the man disappeared!”

A light laugh came, “Chief Commander, don’t let your anger harm your health.”

Cheng Maoming spun around sharply and looked at the approaching person.

The one walking over was a man in his early thirties—his deputy, Zhao Helin.

Seeing the smiling Zhao Helin, Cheng Maoming couldn’t help but turn cold.

He had two deputies. The other one didn’t cause trouble, but this one surnamed Zhao always competed with him in secret.

At his and Zhao Helin’s positions, it wasn’t that he could replace the other just because he found him disagreeable, especially since in recent years Zhao Helin had rather caught the Crown Prince’s eye…

“Today’s commotion really gave me a fright. Previously it was always our Jinlin Guard arresting and interrogating others. Who’d have thought we’d now be arresting our own people?”

Cheng Maoming looked at his deputy whose words carried hidden meanings and clenched his fists tighter.

If he punched this Zhao fellow’s nose crooked, would His Majesty be angry?

Thinking of the two criminals he’d failed to guard, Cheng Maoming regained his rationality.

He sneered coldly, “Those who loyally fulfill their duties with single-minded devotion to handling matters well for His Majesty are our own people. Those who act contrarily are traitors and spies. Deputy Zhao’s understanding of ‘our own people’ is too one-sided.”

Zhao Helin showed a concerned expression, “Our Jinlin Guard has a spy? Has that person been found?”

Cheng Maoming choked.

If he’d found them, would he be standing here listening to this bastard’s sarcasm?

He could even say this traitor was most likely arranged by this Zhao fellow.

A Jinlin Guard approached, “Chief Commander, the Heir of Prince Jing asked this humble one to convey that he wishes to return with Young Master Cheng.”

Cheng Maoming furrowed his brow in thought, then strode toward the pavilion where the two were being hosted.

He’d already asked an imperial physician skilled in toxicology to examine the bamboo splinters used for torture. As for the Heir of Prince Jing being able to recognize this poison, he couldn’t help but feel curious and suspicious. Of course, given the other party’s status, he couldn’t employ interrogation methods as with ordinary people, and because the other party had been helpful, he needed to be even more courteous.

Actually, Cheng Maoming’s suspicion of Qi Shuo wasn’t deep. This trace of suspicion arose more from caution.

He walked a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned around, “Deputy Zhao, why are you following me?”