Chapter 262: Doubt
Drunken Fragrance is a spice that Duanmu Kui developed using several kinds of herbs according to an ancient recipe, with the effect of calming the mind and relieving pain.
If a bit of sleeping potion is mixed in, it would be the best drug to induce sleep.
Yesterday in the carriage, Lu Chengjing had this spice in the sachet he carried on him.
He made Lu Chengyuan have a nightmare, a nightmare he had once inflicted on those innocent children.
Taking advantage of Lu Chengyuan being terrified and half-awake, Lu Chengjing used the method he learned from that ability user to plant a suggestion in Lu Chengyuan to get up in the middle of the night and hang himself.
Hanging, just kick away the stool; as long as no one comes to save him, the hanging rope doesn’t break, and the beam doesn’t collapse, there’s basically no way to survive.
The guards sleep downstairs, and quite far from Lu Chengyuan’s room; how could they hear any movement?
The next day when they come to check, wouldn’t Lu Chengyuan have hanged himself from the beam?
As for whether the autopsy would detect anything unusual, Lu Chengjing thought it was highly unlikely.
Drunken Fragrance is not a harmful spice, and the amount of sleeping potion is very small, unlikely to cause discomfort to the body.
As long as the autopsy doesn’t know about the existence of Drunken Fragrance and this secret technique, the conclusion from the corpse can only be suicide.
And on his suggestion, Duanmu Kui has already improved Drunken Fragrance, not only changing the formula but also the fragrance; even with sleeping potion added, it no longer has the effect of inducing sleep.
Meanwhile, Duanmu Kui is busy packing his bottles and jars to go to the capital city with Shang Wan, with no time to run out to help people with autopsies.
If it were a year ago, Lu Chengjing might have worried that the Wang Family would send people to investigate; after all, he had contact with Lu Chengyuan yesterday, so he was suspicious.
Now… there’s nothing to worry about.
Thinking of this, Lu Chengjing lowered his head and planted a kiss by Shang Wan’s temple. “Niangzi, won’t you praise me?”
Shang Wan: “Praise you for what, being so scheming?”
To be honest, her own fox’s methods were impossible to guard against.
Of course, Shang Wan herself wasn’t worried; after all, the drugs in this world were basically ineffective against her.
As for psychological suggestion, heh, she wasn’t even afraid of mental abilities; how could this psychological suggestion be more powerful than ability control?
However, no matter how much of a scoundrel Lu Chengyuan was, he was still Lu Chengjing’s blood brother; she had wanted to handle it for Lu Chengjing earlier precisely because of this.
But now Lu Chengjing had done it himself; wouldn’t this person have some qualms in his heart?
Thinking of this, Shang Wan reached out and poked Lu Chengjing’s chest. “Does it hurt?”
Lu Chengjing was stunned, emotions flickering in his eyes, and he reached out to pull the person in front of him entirely into his arms.
Shang Wan didn’t speak, quietly letting him hold her.
In the room, only shallow breathing and their heartbeats remained.
After an unknown amount of time, a somewhat muffled voice sounded by Shang Wan’s ear: “With you here, it doesn’t hurt.”
“Mm, I’ll stay with you.” Shang Wan’s arms around Lu Chengjing’s waist tightened; the fox at this moment made her feel a bit heartbroken.
He buried his head in the crook of her neck and rubbed lightly, inhaling the faint fragrance. Lu Chengjing said in a low voice, “If I betray you in the future, just kill me with one knife.”
Shang Wan: “Thanks for the reminder; even without you saying it, I would.”
If the fox became someone else’s, she wouldn’t feel heartbroken anymore. A swing of the hand and knife falling—quick business.
Lu Chengjing: “Oh.”
Shang Wan looked up at him, teasing in her eyes. “Are you angry?”
“How could I be angry with Niangzi?” Lu Chengjing shook his head.
Shang Wan reached out and pushed his forehead away. “The accounts aren’t settled yet; we should go out.”
Lu Chengjing buried his head back in, tightening his arms, his tone carrying a hint of acting cute. “Hold a bit longer.”
“What about the accounts?” Shang Wan didn’t want to work overtime.
Lu Chengjing: “I’ll do them.”
Shang Wan curved her eyes; if she didn’t have to work, holding a bit longer was fine.
……
……
After waking from the nap, Shang Wan was sitting on the bed collecting her thoughts when she suddenly heard noisy voices from the front.
She yawned and pricked up her ears to listen carefully.
The arrivals were officials who wanted to take Lu Chengjing to the county yamen for questioning.
They had traced it to Lu Chengjing?
Shang Wan got up and put on clothes, quickly heading to the front.
“What crime has my brother-in-law committed?” Xiao Huan blocked in front of Lu Chengjing, her brows raised as she glared at the officials.
“Just routine questioning. Lu Jieyuan had contact with the deceased yesterday, and his guard suspects the hanging is related to Lu Jieyuan. It’s a matter of life and death, so please don’t obstruct, young lady.”
The official knew Xiao Huan and was very polite, explaining the causes and effects clearly.
“On what basis does that guard suspect my brother-in-law?” Xiao Huan wouldn’t listen and didn’t budge at all. “So whoever he suspects, you take them? Are you handling affairs for him or for the lord?”
The official waved his hand. “Misunderstanding, misunderstanding; not arresting anyone. The lord instructed just to invite Lu Jieyuan back for questioning; I’ll send him back soon.”
Xiao Huan looked at her brother-in-law; was he really going with the officials?
Lu Chengjing gave her a comforting smile and was about to leave with the officials when Shang Wan lifted the cloth curtain and came out.
Someone watching the excitement shouted, “Shopkeeper Shang has come out.”
The shop assistants made way, and Shang Wan walked over, standing by Lu Chengjing and looking at the officials. “He can go with you, but let’s make it clear first: my husband is just going to answer questions, not being arrested as a suspect.”
A scholar’s reputation is so important, and Lu Chengjing had just made a big splash; who knows if someone would take the chance to spread rumors and throw dirty water on Lu Chengjing.
The official was polite to Xiao Huan, and naturally even more so to Shang Wan, repeatedly assuring it was just questioning, nothing to do with being a suspect or not.
In his view, Lu Chengjing couldn’t possibly be the murderer.
The autopsy had been done; the deceased hadn’t taken hallucinogens or poison before death, no new injuries on the body—it was indeed death by hanging suicide.
As for whether someone helped him hang himself while he was asleep, the doors and windows were tightly closed with no signs of outsiders entering, and the inn’s night-shift shop assistants saw no suspicious persons, so homicide could basically be ruled out.
That guard insisted it was Lu Chengjing’s doing; the official thought the guard couldn’t accept the deceased dying just like that and had to find a murderer, with Lu Chengjing just unlucky to be targeted by the guard.
They had all checked; Lu Jieyuan had been at home all last night—could he murder from afar?
“Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.” Lu Chengjing said this softly to Shang Wan and left with the officials.
Niangzi Lou leaned over, looking at Shang Wan with concern. “Just questioning; our county magistrate is reasonable, nothing will happen. You’re still pregnant, so don’t overthink it.”
“I know.” Shang Wan curved her lips in a shallow smile.
At this moment, this smile looked to Niangzi Lou like forced cheer.
She felt a bit upset inside; how did the government come to suspect Lu Chengjing?
She specially exhorted Xiao Huan: “Watch your sister, keep her company and talk to her; don’t let her be alone. If anything happens, send someone to call me, and I’ll come right away.”
Xiao Huan thanked her and watched Niangzi Lou leave.
She turned back to Shang Wan. “Sis, will brother-in-law be okay?”
