Chapter 7, Poisoned Corpse

Fortunately, I have a technical problem I would like to consult you about. You are aware of Aunt Bai Jie's situation, right? Seeing my mother nod sadly, I continued, "Based on the information we currently have, her cause of death is poisoning. She was poisoned with a type of snake venom mixed with certain toxic herbs, which can be described as a lethal poison that causes bleeding from the throat. The specific components are still under analysis by the technical department, and it is estimated that a definitive result will not be available for some time. Therefore, I would like to ask you first: she died within three minutes, and three hours later, black blood was oozing from her seven orifices, a very foul-smelling black blood. In your opinion, what kind of poison could this be?"

Am I mistaken? I looked at Xiao Ma with suspicion for a moment, and I did not sense that he was lying, so I said, "Perhaps, let’s go and take a look at Lin Weiye's death scene"

"It is a frog from our area, I... I have seen it before." My mother paused for a second before saying, "Let's continue eating!"

My mother shot me a glance and said, "I just got back half an hour ago, and I found a chair missing. I searched everywhere only to discover it was in your room."

Uncle Jinman has extensive research on snake venom, but he is not knowledgeable about herbal medicine

Around twelve o'clock, I took Zhang Zichen home. My mother had already prepared the meal and had also set aside a small bottle of medicinal wine she made by soaking herbs and snake, which is said to have health benefits. I was forced to drink this wine since childhood, and at that time, I was reluctant, always finding it hard to swallow. It was only as I grew older that I came to understand the benefits of this wine. My robust physique is a result of consuming it, and I have rarely fallen ill throughout my life.

I interjected, "Yes, have you seen it? You wouldn't tell me you saw it in a documentary about the African giant frog, would you?"

This, well... snake venom is divided into four main categories: neurotoxins, cytotoxins, mixed toxins, and circulatory toxins. Based on the description of the death conditions on www.whetushu.com, it is certain that no single category meets the criteria. However, if it is a combination of cytotoxins and potent poisonous plants, it is indeed possible to produce such a death condition.

In the end, I still left the bamboo grove empty-handed. However, as I exited from the other side and saw the small iron wire that had previously scratched me, a thought suddenly flashed through my mind. I immediately took the small iron wire off the bamboo branch and placed it into the evidence bag. Xiao Ma asked, "Does this have anything to do with the case?"

At six o'clock, Zhang Zichen drove away with four police officers, while I left with Xiao Ma. After returning to the county town, I immediately went to the forensic department to submit the iron wire, and only then did I return to the office with Xiao Ma. Bai Bai was waiting for us; upon seeing us return, he poured each of us a glass of water and then spoke: "The half piece of jade bracelet has been clarified; it is confirmed to be a court artifact from the Zhenguan period, specifically from the reign of Li Shimin. Moreover, it had been excavated, broken, and then buried again..."

"This one isn't that big yet, it's only about the size of a fist..." My mother quickly added, "Where is your hometown? Frogs are even daring to eat? Frogs contain many toxins and parasites, it's better to eat them sparingly"

My mother turned around and glared at me, saying: "Is a messy bed and the smell of foot odor considered?"

At three o'clock in the afternoon, the rain finally stopped. My mother took a large bag of things back to the mountains, while Zhang Zichen and I went to wait for news at the home of the Jin clan leader. We waited until five o'clock, when the four search teams began to return one after another, and the news they brought back was uniformly disappointing—there was nothing to be found. This left me feeling both disheartened and somewhat relieved, as this outcome might indicate that the old lady and Jin Shiba were not dead. This information is extremely important; if the old lady is not dead, then this is a grand deception, with no malevolent spirits involved, and everything is being manipulated by human hands. We waited until five o'clock, when the four search teams began to return one after another, and the news they brought back was uniformly disappointing—there was nothing to be found. This left me feeling both disheartened and somewhat relieved, as this outcome might indicate that the old lady and Jin Shiba were not dead. This information is extremely important; if the old lady is not dead, then this is a grand deception, with no malevolent spirits involved, and everything is being manipulated by human hands.

Hey, your approach to handling cases is quite strange. I thought you would be very disappointed with my answer, yet you were able to analyze clues from it.

Oh, preparing such a poison takes ten days to half a month, which indicates that this is a premeditated murder case

"Yes, yes, yes, listen to Auntie..." Zhang Zichen waved his fist in front of him, "This fist must weigh more than a pound, right? Auntie, you wouldn't deceive me, would you? Have you seen it?"

I do not know

The bed was given to a colleague of mine, you look unwell, are you alright? Is my dad okay?

"Indeed." After a brief pause, Bai Bai continued, "According to the county annals, Guangshun Town already existed during the Warring States period, and Jinlang Tianzhai is the first recorded village. It was over a hundred years later that a second village appeared. At that time, Jinlang Tianzhai was not called Jinlang Tianzhai; its original name is now lost to history, and it seems rather unimportant. Furthermore, regarding the embroidered shoes, these date back to the early Guangxu period and were court shoes that had been worn. They were preserved in excellent condition, which is why they have not deteriorated over the past hundred years."

I am a bit disappointed: "The second question, apart from you, who in the village is most familiar with snake venom? At the same time, who is also well-versed in the properties of medicinal herbs?"

"Let's go outside," I said. I turned around and walked out of the living room, introducing my colleague who had followed me back, "This is my colleague Xiao Ma, and this is my mother."

"What? Do you suspect that I am the murderer?"

I said in a mysterious tone: "If it is ultimately confirmed, it will be a significant breakthrough. Let's go back and have dinner."

Shouldn't the old shoes be preserved as if they were recently worn? Bai Bai spoke hesitantly, her face showing embarrassment. Such an important clue should not be overlooked; she was dissatisfied with herself.

I went to the home of the Jin clan leader and conveyed to him what Master Tie had said to me, asking him to find someone to make a Sanxian stele. After saying this, I pulled Xiao Ma outside and said, "Your reaction when you just met my mother was quite strange. Is my mother frightening in appearance?"

I went to the door to look for Xiao Ma, but I couldn't find him. This guy probably went to Elder Jin's house to look for Zhang Zichen, so I turned back and walked into my own room. However, I found that my room had been tidied up, and it was spotless, except for the chair that hadn't been taken out yet. The scene had been disturbed again. I sighed, lit a cigarette, and stood by the bed, pondering what exactly had happened to Cheng Huaihuo

"Are you sleeping on a chair?" My mother's expression was oddly strange, "Why not sleep on the bed?"

"Are you going to your house to eat? No, I just promised Elder Jin that I would go to his house to eat. How about you go with Zhang Zichen instead?" This guy still gives me the impression that he is avoiding my mom, but why is that? It seems I need to ask my mom about it.

Alright, I want to hit the wall: "Aunt Jin Hua is paralyzed in bed, it is absolutely impossible for her to be the murderer. By the way, can you concoct a poison that could cause such a death?"

Come back in an hour for dinner; I have prepared yours and your colleague's...

That basically rules out the second one

Zhang Zichen chuckled and said, "It would be great to have such a big one early, it would pair well with drinks"

"Hello, Auntie, I’m going out for a smoke. You all take your time chatting," said Xiao Ma as he quickly walked out. It didn’t seem like he was giving us space to talk, but rather that he was quite afraid of my mother. How strange; my mother has well-defined features and a gentle gaze. Is she really that intimidating?

"It's nothing," my mother quickly shook her head and sighed, "but if he hadn't gone up the mountain, your uncle and I still wouldn't know about the terrifying events happening in the village."

Five minutes later, I walked out of the room empty-handed and went to the kitchen to ask my mother, who was cooking: "Mom, when you tidied up my room just now, did you notice anything unusual?"

Upon returning home, just as I was about to enter my room, a person suddenly walked out from inside. It was my mother, Ye Ling, which startled me. I said, "Mom, when did you come back?"

I have always been like this; on the other hand, you have lost weight. Have you been very busy with work?

My mother pondered for a few seconds and then provided another answer: "Golden Flower Granny"

Clues are both intangible and tangible, making them difficult to explain clearly. To put it simply, every case has its own logic. Regardless of how miraculous or unbelievable a case may be, there is always a logical thread to follow. We seek clues within this logic to solve the case.

Because it is the same town, and there are only a few police officers in the town, my mother knows Zhang Zichen, so the atmosphere during the meal did not feel strange. Additionally, we Miao people are very hospitable, and the conversation while eating was quite pleasant. However, I did not find the opportunity to ask my mother if she knows Xiao Ma. Furthermore, just as we were finishing our meal, it started to rain heavily outside, and a frog jumped into the room.

Saying it is equivalent to not saying anything. Now it is already a possibility. What I want to know is the specific components. What kind of snake species is it, and what herbs can achieve this effect?

The little horse reluctantly followed me, but once we entered the bamboo forest, it felt different; it stayed particularly close, as the eerie atmosphere inside sent shivers down its spine. I paid no attention to it, as I had no expectation of receiving any help from it. I conducted my own investigation, searching for traces left by the murderer, but this was no easy task. Moreover, it had just endured a day and night of heavy rain, washing away any evidence.

I don't understand, I'm going to cook, and I need to return to the mountains this afternoon, you can sit here!" After my mother finished speaking, she got up and went into the kitchen

It is nothing, I will go to work

You should go to the forensic lab now and have them conduct another examination to see if any useful clues can be extracted, such as hair or skin flakes. Be quick; we need the report before we enter the Golden Wolf Stronghold tomorrow morning. " As Bai Bai was about to leave, I quickly added, "Wait a moment, let's have a meal together. Xiao Ma and I will wait for you at the Tian Restaurant on Beida Street; we will order first.

I pondered for a moment and then sat down. When my mother sat down beside me, I looked at her intently and noticed that she had lost quite a bit of weight. It had been less than half a month since I last saw her, yet the signs of weight loss were so apparent that it caused me a pang of heartache: "Mom, have you not been feeling well lately? You've lost weight..."

Seeing that we were empty-handed and had not brought back the divine tea, Xiao Ma said nothing and reported Cheng Huaihuo's condition to the captain. Ultimately, the town hospital sent a vehicle to take Cheng Huaihuo to the county hospital. I returned to Jinlang Tianzhai with Xiao Ma and Zhang Zichen. I must find out why Cheng Huaihuo is like this and what exactly happened. I have a vague feeling that it occurred in my home, because Cheng Huaihuo was fine before going to bed last night, but when he woke up, I sensed something was wrong; his mental state was particularly poor, which must be related. I must find out why Cheng Huaihuo is like this and what exactly happened. I have a vague feeling that it occurred in my home, because Cheng Huaihuo was fine before going to bed last night, but when he woke up, I sensed something was wrong; his mental state was particularly poor, which must be related.

Oh, I forgot to take it out last night

Little Horse looked astonished: "Is this really something that can be identified?"

At that time, there was neither a motive for the crime nor an opportunity to commit it. I am just inquiring to understand the situation

I pondered the question: "Does 'passed through' mean having passed through in the past, or recently passed through"

Researching for ten days to half a month should be feasible

Little Horse quickly replied: "No, there isn't. You must have seen it wrong, right?"