Chapter 2, The Poison Scheme

The sinister young man was astonished that Qin Lin could discern his background with just a few words. Little did he know that analyzing footprints to identify suspects is one of the simplest techniques in criminal investigation: the footprints of elderly individuals show a heavier heel and lighter forefoot, while those of young people exhibit a lighter heel and heavier forefoot. From the shape of the footprints, one can estimate the age of the individual; by measuring the size of the shoe prints, one can estimate the length of the barefoot, and multiplying that by seven gives the suspect's height. The length of the stride can be used to estimate height as well as assess the physical condition of the suspect.

The Ming Dynasty strictly enforced policies to suppress the White Lotus Sect, and the unrest caused by the sect in the Jinghu region prompted the authorities to conduct thorough investigations. For Qin Lin, who had no registered domicile and no travel permit, the urgent task was to quickly escape the Jinghu region and head to areas where the enforcement of travel permit policies was more lenient. In fact, after the Yongle period, the travel permit policy had largely been relaxed and was only implemented during times of severe social unrest.

Qin Lin planned to take the mountain path to avoid the checkpoints, slowly seeking a small dock by the Yangtze River to catch a boat downstream. This way, on one hand, he could evade the strict inspections in the Jinghu area, and on the other hand, upon reaching the economically developed southern coastal region, as a knowledgeable modern individual, he would not have to worry about lacking opportunities to apply his skills

Thank you. Qin Lin responded with a sound, holding it in his hand, and was about to bite down.

Qin Lin expressed his deep regret, saying: "What a pity, if my father were here, this wild chicken would definitely not escape!"

Yu, with great talent, settled down, took a bite of his own pancake, and deliberately praised the delicious flavor of the sesame cake, while secretly observing Qin Lin's movements

To the average person, there is nothing strange about this. Although the mountain path is remote, there are hunters and woodcutters passing through, and it is more likely to be traces left by large wild animals.

He cautiously said: "My name is Yu Caigao. I was transporting a batch of cotton cloth from Qizhou to Jiujiang Prefecture. Half a day ago, I encountered bandits who robbed me of my belongings and also slashed my leg. I barely managed to grab a knife and escape. Fearing that the bandits would pursue me, I had no choice but to hide. May I ask your esteemed name, young sir?"

When he first discovered the footprints made by calfskin boots, he felt quite apprehensive, as he had previously observed that the common people of this era either wore straw sandals or cloth shoes. The presence of calfskin boots likely indicated a person of official status, which meant that he, walking alone in the wilderness, could very well be stopped for inspection and mistakenly identified as a member of the White Lotus sect.

Is that true? Qin Lin stood up straight with a smile, his expression returning to calm, showing no signs of having been poisoned to death

Gao Chaiyu was taken aback for a moment, then burst into a cackling laugh: "I never expected that a young lad like you would have such meticulous thoughts. You don't seem like the offspring of any hunter; rather, you resemble the Eagle Claw Sun from the Six Doors! Hmph, it doesn't matter what you say now; the Old Mother of Life has opened her heavenly eyes and is about to take your young life!"

Feeling a dull pain in his abdomen, Gao Chaiyu trembled all over. He was well aware of how potent the poison in that cake was. In a fit of rage, he seized a single knife and lunged at Qin Lin, swinging the steel blade in a feigned strike, creating a whooshing sound as it cut through the air, demonstrating considerable force.

In a moment, Qin Lin suddenly bent over, clutching his stomach, as beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolled down from his forehead, and he began to moan repeatedly: "Oh dear, this cold water really cannot be drunk, oh no, my stomach is starting to hurt..."

To the south of Qizhou, the Yangtze River flows majestically eastward for thousands of miles. On the northern bank, the Maple Tree Ridge is lush with vegetation, while the winding mountain paths have long been deserted. Only Qin Lin walks along the overgrown road, stepping unevenly on the uneven ground.

Thus, Qin Lin had thoroughly grasped the basic situation of the sinister young man without even meeting him

There was not a trace of movement in the thicket, and the forest was exceedingly quiet, with only the distant chirping of birds.

Upon hearing this, Yu Caigao's eyes twinkled, and a broad smile spread across his face: "In these mountains and forests, there are snakes, insects, tigers, and leopards roaming about, especially the 'Five Steps Poison' viper, which is quite numerous. Since we are all heading to Jiujiang Prefecture, why not travel together? It would be safer to have someone to look out for each other on the way"

A glimmer of fierce light flashed in the eyes of Yu Cai Gao.

Descending the river from Jinghu leads to Jiangnan, which has been renowned for its prosperity since the Tang and Song dynasties. The bustling markets are filled with merchants coming and going, and the system of travel permits there has likely long since become a mere formality

Qin Lin said in a deep voice: "I have been walking several miles behind you, yet you discovered me early on, hiding by the roadside, intending to ambush me. It is evident that with every stretch of open road, you turn back to look, fearful of being pursued, which is how you noticed the pedestrian trailing behind you. You claim to have been robbed by bandits; if they were ordinary robbers who only seek wealth and not life, there would be no reason for them to chase someone for dozens of miles, let alone with the Jin Yi Wei, officials, and constables all actively hunting down the White Lotus Sect. What kind of bandit would dare commit a crime in such a precarious situation? Ha ha, thus from the moment I discovered you hiding in the grass, I knew that what you feared was not bandits, but rather the Jin Yi Wei capturing the demon bandits of the White Lotus Sect!"

Qin Lin validated his judgment and couldn't help but feel a sense of self-satisfaction

After Gao Chaiyu fell, he still intended to rise and fight again. However, he did not anticipate that the surge of blood and energy following intense exercise would trigger the toxicity more rapidly. Struggling with great difficulty, he managed to prop himself up with his hands, but waves of excruciating pain surged from his abdomen, leaving his entire body weak and limp. He fell face-first into the mud, convulsing only two or three times before falling silent.

The piece of cloth found on the thorny bush corroborated Qin Lin's judgment. This color of clothing was neither the "green battle robe and red belly wrap" of the yamen runners, nor the red mandarin duck battle jacket of the guards, and certainly not the golden flying fish attire of the Jinyiwei, but rather that worn by common folk

"Hey, who is there!" Qin Lin shouted as he threw a stone.

After traveling for more than half an hour, combined with the distance previously covered, they had already left Qizhou City by over 20 miles. Both of them felt somewhat hungry, so they sat down to rest by a stream.

Qin Lin nodded without a moment's hesitation, and Yu Caigao was immediately overjoyed, so the two set off together.

The sinister young man was uncertain about Qin Lin's identity: he appeared to be around 10 or 11 years old, yet spoke with remarkable shrewdness; his skin was fair like that of a scholar, but his clothes were even more tattered than those of a laborer, leaving one truly perplexed about his background

Yu Caigao was taken aback, his face turning very unpleasant. Following the direction in which the stone was thrown, he saw a wild chicken flapping its wings and flying away, and the expression on his face instantly returned to normal

Gao Chaiyu was tall and strong, and his martial skills were not to be underestimated; otherwise, he would not have been able to escape the encirclement of the Jinyiwei alone. However, his current condition was indeed quite dire.

Gao Chaiyu was taken aback when his identity was revealed, stepping back two paces, and pointed with his spear, asking: "You... how did you know?"

Yu Caigao could only sneer inwardly; after walking for half a day, he felt a rising hunger in his stomach. Seeing Qin Lin eat so deliciously, he also began to eat the flatbread in his hand

This friend, come out! The road is wide, and we each take our own path. We are strangers to each other, yet meeting here is also a form of fate. Why must we hide and seek?

As he continued to observe along the way, after advancing for two or three miles, Qin Lin stopped once more. He glanced at the posture of the fallen and broken thorny bushes, and shouted towards a dense thicket about seventy or eighty feet away:

Gao Chaiyu was startled, his eyes wide open: "You... you!"

In dealing with an injured and severely poisoned opponent, Qin Lin effortlessly dodged the attack and delivered a powerful kick to the left leg of Gao Chaiyu, who had been wounded, causing him to fall flat on his face.

The mountain path is seldom traversed by people, with most of the road obscured by wild grass, and thorns growing in abundance. Qin Lin's coarse linen clothing is torn and tattered by the small thorns on the brambles.

After passing a fork in the road, he suddenly stopped, watching ahead with caution: there were several thorny branches that had been broken.

In this era, brush-painted portraits were not particularly accurate, and ordinary people might not recognize them. However, Qin Lin, who was accustomed to creating simulated portraits, was very familiar with the proportions of facial features, their relative positions, and the distribution of facial muscle groups. Upon seeing "Yu Caigao m.hetushu.com.com" for the first time, he immediately matched it with the silhouette.

In the sixth year of the Wanli era, although the Ming Dynasty had numerous latent dangers, internally, there was Zhang Juzheng wielding power, and externally, there were capable generals like Qi Jiguang and Yu Dayou leading troops. The northern chieftain Altan Khan had submitted and paid tribute, while the southern pirates had been eradicated, making it a relatively peaceful era. Aside from the White Lotus Sect disturbances in the Jinghu region, other areas would certainly not conduct strict investigations of passersby

A rustling sound came from the thicket, and a strong young man emerged, carrying a small bundle and holding a single-edged knife in his hand. Indeed, there were spots of blood on his left leg, and he walked with a limp. Upon seeing Qin Lin, a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old, the young man's originally sinister face revealed a look of surprise

Qin Lin quickly ate the cakes by the clear and sweet stream.

However, for Qin Lin, a master of criminal investigation, no clue, no matter how small, will be easily overlooked

Unexpectedly, Qin Lin straightened his back, his clear eyes fixed on Yu Caigao: "No, it is likely that he has been poisoned; someone wants to kill him to silence him... By the way, you are the senior brother of the White Lotus Sect, you are not Yu Caigao, you are Gao Chaiyu, who is being pursued by the Jinyiwei!"

After Qin Lin exposed Gao Chaiyu's actions and forced him to reveal himself, he was completely certain of his judgment, as he had previously seen Gao Chaiyu's portrait in the shadowy image of Shi Wei, a hundred households of the Jinyiwei.

He immediately crouched down to examine the footprints. After discovering several fresh prints, he was first taken aback, then his expression turned serious as he compared them with his own feet. He also measured the distance between the two sets of footprints before he finally let out a slight sigh of relief

Qin Lin confidently stated: "There is no need for you to hide, my friend. You came here alone, wearing a light blue long gown, with flat-soled boots on your feet. You are approximately five feet two inches tall, around twenty-five years old, and of strong build. Most importantly, you have an injury on your left leg. Am I correct, my friend?"

Yu Caigao took out two pancakes from his bundle and smiled at Qin Lin, saying, "These pancakes are homemade; Brother Qin, do you want to taste them?"

Although the strength of a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy has diminished considerably, his skills in grappling and combat remain intact, making him highly confident in dealing with an opponent who has a serious leg injury

Haha, playing dead? I won't be fooled! Qin Lin muttered to himself, and after a while, he reached out to feel the inner side of Gao Chaiyu's sternocleidomastoid muscle, discovering that the carotid artery had no pulse. The absence of arterial pulsation cannot be faked; this person is as dead as can be.

He quickly recognized that the fresh footprints on the road all belonged to the same person, which relieved him. He then deduced that this person had a noticeable limp in the left leg, but the shape of the footprints did not remain consistent like those of a typical limp. He realized that the individual had recently sustained a leg injury, and the uneven pressure due to pain resulted in these unstable footprints, further solidifying Qin Lin's conviction

Along the way, Yu Caigao constantly tried to probe Qin Lin with words, but what kind of person was Qin Lin? In the interrogation room, he could often break through a suspect's psychological defenses with just a few words, staying alert throughout the night without even yawning. As an expert witness in court, he faced the defense attorney's questions without missing a beat. How could he possibly be led to reveal anything by Yu Caigao now?

Next, Qin Lin carefully searched through the broken thorns until he found a piece of cloth no larger than a little finger on a small thorn, at which point a relieved smile appeared on his face

Qin Lin then revealed his true name, stating that no one in this world would recognize him. He claimed to be a poor scholar from Jiujiang Prefecture, going to meet literary friends, and mentioned that his father was an experienced hunter, which enabled him to read tracks and identify people.

Qin Lin leisurely patted his tattered clothing, lifted his hat, and said slowly: "Since I recognized your origins from the very beginning, how could I fall for your scheme? Hehe, let me clarify for you: just now, I switched your cake with mine. This is called using someone's own methods against them. You ate your own cake, so if anything goes wrong, you can't blame me..." Hehe, let me clarify for you: just now, I switched your cake with mine. This is called using someone's own methods against them. You ate your own cake, so if anything goes wrong, you can't blame me..."

Yu Caigao was so anxious that he was jumping up and down, urging Qin Lin to rub his stomach and suggesting that he lie flat to rest