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Soon a court physician hastened over, named the poison and explained, “Your Majesty, what the assassin consumed was a poison of an extremely high level of toxicity. It was not difficult to prepare. Anybody with the right formula can get all the ingredients in any drugstore.”

All other people’s faces slightly darkened at the court physician’s explanation. This meant that tracking down the culprit by tracing the source of the poison was no longer an option.

“Court physician, does this kind of poison has any defects?” Yuwen Tong suddenly asked.

The court physician replied, “Well, speaking of defects, this kind of poison inflicts great misery on the consumer before their death, which is why in the ordinary course of things people tend not to give it to a member of a death squad. On top of this, ingredients need to be added in strict orders and very precise amounts during the process of compounding it, because even the minutest error would cost its efficacy of inducing instantaneous death, which means people might be able to rescue the consumer, so normally, members of a dare-to-die corps don’t use this kind of poison to commit suicide. It’s too risky. Because there’s a very high chance that the amounts of ingredients haven’t been handled with required precision and they won’t be able to die an instant death.”

After hearing the court physician’s answer, all others lapsed into contemplation.

The emperor inquired of Yuwen Tong, “Was it because something occurred to you that you asked about this, Aiqing (a term of endearment used by an emperor or an empress to address an official in feudal China)?”

Yuwen Tong said, “Your Majesty, I just felt that since the assassin was carrying a weapon nobody had ever seen before, those he served are definitely no common people, and they don’t seem like the kind who would use this sort of ordinary poison. This is slightly against common sense, so I asked the court physician that question, whose answer made this departure from reason even more distinct. Therefore, I conjecture that the mastermind’s identity is very special. They have at disposal the kind of poison specially compounded for a death squad, but they don’t dare to use it, because once they use it, they would instantly be identified. What kind of poison would result in sure exposure of the consumer’s identity? Maybe the kind that is uncommonly rare and unique – the growing areas of the herbs needed to prepare it are easy to ascertain, for example, or maybe those people are the only group in possession of this kind of poison, and it has become one of the symbols of their identity.”

Light suddenly dawned on Ling Zhang who had been standing on the side listening. Yuwen Tong was right. The mastermind clearly was aware that this kind of poison had the defect the court physician had just mentioned that would probably led to exposure of their identity, but they had chosen to use it anyway, which showed that use of the poison they had at their disposal was even likelier to cause exposure of their identity than that of this defective poison!

“The Marshal is right. I think the schemer is probably still in the city, and he or she has under their command someone adept in compounding poison. Otherwise they wouldn’t have used this kind of poison and ensured the assassin’s death,” observed Jiang Changfeng.

“But this doesn’t make much sense. I mean, he or she could have chosen to use another kind of poison of more reliable toxicity instead of this kind. After all, there are drugstores everywhere in the capital city. Maybe the reason was that this kind of poison was the only choice the plotter had rather than that he had misgivings?” said the King Duan.

Yuwen Tong commented, “You’re neither right nor wrong.”

“What do you mean?” asked the King Duan.

Yuwen Tong explained, “Maybe it’s true that this poison was the only choice he had, but that would be because this is the only kind of poison his subordinate is capable of preparing that is both common in the Great Yue and made from easily accessible ingredients.”

After Yuwen Tong said this, faces of others grew thoughtful once again, and this time they seemed to have come to a new understanding of the situation. Even the emperor appeared to be deep in thought.

Ling Zhang felt that by making this remark, Yuwen Tong was faintly insinuating something.

Unsurprisingly, the court physician said, “Indeed, just like the Marshal said, there are many widely-known poisons in our country that could cause instantaneous death if ingested, any of which could’ve ensured immediate death of that assassin and been a safer choice than the one consumed by him, unless the behind-the-scenes mastermind had no acquaintance with any of those virulent poisons or was incapable of compounding any of them, but given that they’d managed to successfully prepare this poison of a high failure rate, they must have a very high level of proficiency in compounding poisons – at least in the Great Yue, it’s very unlikely that someone with this degree of mastery is not capable of preparing other poisons. Assassinating people under the nose of Your Majesty is a very risky task, and the schemer should know very well what consequences they’d have to take once their identity is exposed. As long as there’s an alternative, I believe they would never have chosen to use this one.”

There was even more manifest insinuation in the court physician’s remarks.

Everybody present was no fool and came to realize whom he was referring to.

At this moment, Yuwen Tong added, “Of course, we should not exclude the possibility that the mastermind was so conceited as to be one-hundred-percent sure that his poison would produce the desired effect.”

This could indeed have been one of the reasons, a less likely one compared with the previous conjectural one, though.

The emperor said, “No matter what, first the court physician is to make a list of the ingredients of the poison, and then a citywide search is to be conducted to find out who has recently purchased medicinal herbs required to compound it.”

Naturally, someone immediately left to execute the orders given by the emperor.

Though nobody present expressly pointed it out, almost all of them, including the emperor, actually had begun to suspect the Wan Kingdom.

Moreover, in the eyes of those who didn’t know any inside information, the attempted assassination had been targeted at Yuwen Tong, and the possibility of the president of the Oriental Rite Academy being the target had been completely ruled out by all others. Who else could hate Yuwen Tong so much apart from people of the Wan Kingdom?

In the sight of others, this was a very reasonable deduction, and a conclusion could almost be drawn.

But Ling Zhang was aware that he was indeed the one that the assassin had tried to kill, that he was indeed the target. Judging from the poison, it was very likely that the Wan Kingdom was behind this, but why did the Wan Kingdom want him dead? Because he was Yuwen Tong’s betrothed? But what difference could it possibly make if he died?

As a result, Ling Zhang himself was more inclined to believe that the preparer of the poison had been so wildly arrogant as to be positive that the poison would kill the assassin had he failed, and this also meant that this person was probably one of those in the capital city.

After the discussion about the poison, the emperor had palace guards pitch some tents for him and officials to rest in. Yuwen Tong naturally had a tent of his own. Ling Zhang followed him heading for the tent to get some rest. He happened to have a lot of questions to ask Yuwen Tong. All those remarks made by Yuwen Tong a while ago had been aimed at the Wan Kingdom, which greatly puzzled Ling Zhang. Had Yuwen Tong by any chance found something else?

While leaving, Ling Zhang could sense that a lot of people’s eyes were fixed on him. All their gaze was different from the one they’d given him previously. It was somewhat inquiring.

Ling Zhang guessed that this was probably because his using internal energy to defend against that bolt had been a trifle conspicuous and might have aroused some people’s suspicions.

But he decided not to dwell on this matter for the moment. After all, nobody could forbid him from practicing kung fu.

After entering the tent, Ling Zhang, bursting with impatience, was just about to ask questions when Yuwen Tong raised his hand and stopped him, saying, “You must be frightened at that time, weren’t you? It’s okay now.”

Ling Zhang fixed Yuwen Tong with a confused gaze. Seeing Yuwen Tong was looking out of the tent, Ling Zhang realized why he’d said this and answered, “I was almost scared to death. Just now Snowflake suddenly halted and I nearly fell off its back. I’m worried about you, for someone wants you assassinated. This place is too dangerous. Let’s just go back, shall we? How about you tell His Majesty about it?”

Yuwen Tong said, “It’s fine. We’ve got palace guards here, and His Majesty is still here as well. There won’t be any more assassins.”

Ling Zhang cooperatively made some further remarks and then said he was tired and could use some rest. Yuwen Tong conveniently told him to have a nap, saying he would wake him up when the food was delivered to the tent.

And then the tent fell quiet. Ling Zhang pricked up his ears, listening to audible signs of activity nearby.

After quite a while, a faint sound reached his ears, followed by an utter hush.

Ling Zhang was secretly astounded. After all, his hearing was amazingly good now, but just now he still hadn’t heard this eavesdropper’s breathing, which was an indication that this person’s internal energy was greater than his.

“He left,” said Yuwen Tong in an undertone.

Ling Zhang gave a bob of his head, heaving a sigh of relief. “You sensed his existence on entry? I couldn’t even hear that guy’s breathing.”

Yuwen Tong said, “Though faint, it was still audible. You’ll be able to detect it as well after you reach a higher level of proficiency in internal energy. The eavesdropper was probably one of the emperor’s secret bodyguards. There are not many of them, but they’re all kung fu masters. From now on, you have to be careful about what you say when you’re not at home, unless I’m by your side.”

Ling Zhang solemnly inclined his head.

“You used your internal energy back there. All those having discerning eyes should have noticed, and it’s impossible to keep it from coming to the knowledge of the emperor as well. In the future you may just let nature take its course, and there’ll be no need for you to conceal the fact that you have internal energy, for you might arouse people’s suspicions if you do,” Yuwen Tong added.

Ling Zhang nodded again. “All right.”

And then he couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you say that just now? And why didn’t you show them the short bolt I gave you when we were in the wood? Why did you mislead them into the belief that the assassin was aiming at you?”

Yuwen Tong answered, “I hid the short bolt for two reasons. First, I want them to believe that I was the one the assassin tried to kill, which makes it difficult to explain why this bolt was found; second, it might prove helpful in conducting further investigation. As regards why I misled them into believing that the assassin was aiming at me, naturally it’s because I want to find out who sent the assassin.”

Ling Zhang was perplexed. “Find out who sent the assassin?”

Yuwen Tong gave a nod. “Ever since I took you out of that wood, I’ve been observing each and every move of everybody around us, including the emperor and those in the stands. If it was one of them who sent the assassin, he would surely, no matter how great restraint he has, give himself away when I tried to mislead others into believing I was the target – at least he wouldn’t be able to keep the change of his breathing from being detected by me. Besides, afterwards I also brought up the poison and insinuated that the Wan Kingdom was behind this. If the behind-the-scenes mastermind was in the stands just now, he definitely would have taken advantage of the opportunity pushing the boat with the current.”

Ling Zhang carefully replayed in his mind what everybody had said just now. The King Duan had expressed some of his doubts, but all others had been quite silent, and none of them had appeared suspicious.

Yuwen Tong said, “Either the mastermind is too cunning or he is indeed not among them. I tend to believe the latter is the case.”

Ling Zhang asked, “Why? And who do you think is the best suspect?”

Yuwen Tong responded, “The Wan Kingdom.”

Ling Zhang widened his eyes. “But wasn’t that what you deliberately misled them into believing?”

Yuwen Tong smiled, “Although I was intentionally misleading them, some of my words were facts – for example, the poison, and the crossbow you talked about.”

Ling Zhang fixed him with an earnest gaze, waiting for him to explain.

Yuwen Tong continued, “I don’t know much about the situation in other countries, but when it comes to people in the Great Yue – as least these people in the capital city – I’m fully aware of whether they’ve been covertly developing new weapons or not. Most weapon developers hidden by the Ministry of War are top weapon makers in the Great Yue, and if they invent something new, I would definitely be informed. I’m absolutely positive that currently no such crossbow exists in the Great Yue. Given that the assassin sacrificed his own life to delay me buying time for his accomplice to transfer that crossbow, it is not only precious but also something the schemer has to do whatever they can to make sure it doesn’t fall into the hands of me or anybody else serving the Great Yue.”