Zhu Yu crouched down and carefully sorted through the fragments of the Jade Pot, finding a piece large enough to reveal that the side previously holding wine was still wet.
She picked up the fragment, brought it close, and sniffed, but did not detect any fishy smell.
The tall and robust guard from the Prince Xiaoyao Mansion watched from the side and couldn't help but ask, "Are you going to taste it?"
Zhu Yu glanced at him, "I wouldn't dare. How about you give it a try, brave one?"
The guard was taken aback and quickly waved his hands in refusal.
"Do you have any cats, dogs, or mice in the mansion that we could use to test the residue on this shards of the wine pot?" Zhu Yu inquired.
This time, without Lu Qing needing to say a word, one of the mansion's servants had already gone to find one.
Before long, the servant returned, carrying a small dog in his arms.
After the dog licked the jade piece, it joyfully ran away unharmed under the watchful eyes of everyone.
Zhu Yu respectfully bowed to Lu Qing and said, "Your Highness, the matter is clear now.
The guard was indeed poisoned, but the poison wouldn't kill directly; it would paralyze the body and stop breathing until suffocating to death.
We tested with the dog just now, and the poison wasn't on the wine pot. The Jade Cup has shattered into pieces and can't be confirmed. But according to what I heard in the crowd, Prince Yi has been using that Jade Cup all along... His Highness seems fine, so there should be no problem with that Jade Cup either."
After she finished speaking, Lu Qing's lips curled slightly. His expression remained calm, but a hint of interest shimmered in his eyes.
Prince Yi, Lu Zhang's expression was somewhat embarrassed.
The people behind them, listening to Zhu Yu's words, found her reasoning sound. However, no one dared to speak due to Duke Yan's extremely gloomy expression.
As long as he didn't let go, the matter remained unsolved.
"Someone, please." Lu Qing, after a brief contemplation, instructed a servant nearby, "In any case, we've managed to save the person, but he hasn't woken up yet. Why haven't you gone to the Pharmacy Bureau to get a physician?
If we can resuscitate him completely, once he wakes up, we'll be able to find out what truly happened."
With his words, others finally realized that since the person wasn't dead, it wasn't a case without evidence, and the matter had a solution after all.
Someone in the crowd immediately breathed a sigh of relief and echoed his words.
For a moment, there were quite a few supporters.
"It's already this late, no need to disturb the palace." Duke Yan hurriedly gestured for a guard to stop them. "This guard belongs to Prince Yi, and naturally, Prince Yi will find the best physician to treat him. There's no need to trouble Prince Xiaoyao!"
Lu Zhang hurriedly nodded, "Of course!"
"This might not be appropriate." Seeing Duke Yan's inclination to concede, Lu Qing was instead unwilling to let go. "Duke Yan just now firmly accused me of attempting to poison the imperial heir and swore to report to His Majesty to have my entire household at the Prince Xiaoyao Mansion executed.
This guard was nearly pronounced dead from lethal poison by the coroners just now, and it took all we had to bring him back. If he's not revived in front of everyone here, if something goes amiss when he's taken back, wouldn't it be impossible for me to explain?
Although I'm not His Majesty's own flesh and blood, under His Majesty's favor, I was bestowed with a marriage. Such gracious kindness, causing such a scene on the wedding day — I have no idea how I'll explain myself to His Majesty later. No matter what, I cannot afford for any further mishap to occur."
Duke Yan's brows furrowed, and he signaled to the attendant beside him with a glance, yet he still wouldn't relent in words, "The poison isn't in the wine pot, nor in the Jade Cup. Could it have possibly fallen from the sky?!"
That attendant, who had a congenial face yet was quite astute, immediately grasped Duke Yan's implication and with a quick turn of the eye, promptly said to Duke Yan, "Old Duke, it's quite possible the poison did fall from the sky!
As a servant, I learned when I was young that in the summer, with intense heat, venomous snakes often coil themselves on treetops.
Perhaps the fragrance of Prince Xiaoyao's banquet attracted a snake from the tree, and its venom accidentally dripped into the wine cup, causing this grave mishap?"
Duke Yan motioned to his mansion's guards, "Check the tree!"
Immediately, three guards were sent, swiftly climbing the large old tree nearby.
After some rustling, a guard jumped down, holding a blue-green small snake with a round head, about the thickness of half a wrist.
"Duke, Your Highness, we've got it! This is the culprit!" The guard threw the snake to the ground. It had been squeezed at its heart and lay motionless.
Duke Yan drew his personal sword and sliced the little snake on the ground into two, "Wretched creature, causing trouble unprovoked!
Men, hurry up and escort the poisoned guard back to Prince Yi's mansion for treatment!"
The guards from Duke Mansion immediately stepped forward, lifting their unconscious companion. With Duke Yan, they broke through the crowd and left the Prince Xiaoyao Mansion.
Lu Zhang, with a slightly awkward expression, acknowledged Lu Qing with a salute, "Brother, I was out of line earlier and caused you much trouble, almost ruining your auspicious day. My deepest apologies.
I'll surely visit one day to offer my apologies properly to you and sister-in-law."
Lu Qing was nonchalant, chuckling lightly as he reached out to support him, "We're like brothers, no need to be so formal. His Highness also had quite the scare today, so it's best to return and rest early."
Lu Zhang had evidently been waiting for this very sentence, and hurriedly took his leave, quickly following his grandfather out of the mansion.
With Duke Yan and Prince Yi hastily departing, the other guests finally relaxed, though they too had lost the mood to drink and soon found excuses to leave early.
In the time it takes for a single incense stick to burn, the courtyard became desolate. The hustle and bustle from before had vanished, and the joyful atmosphere of the wedding completely dissipated, leaving only a few still-shaken servants starting to clear the tables of leftover food.
Lu Qing pushed open the door to the nuptial chamber, striding in boldly. Inside, Mrs. Zhao, who had been attending, visibly let out a sigh of relief. Just as she remembered something and stepped forward to report, Lu Qing waved her off, causing her to swallow her words and quickly exit the chamber, gently closing the door behind her.
Lu Qing circled past the screen to see Zhu Yu, dressed as a man and seated at the edge of the bed. His eyes sparked with renewed interest, "Thank you for your hard work, madam."
Seeing him, Zhu Yu stood and gave a courteous bow, finally able to properly see her husband's features.
As a concubine's daughter from the Shuo Prince family in the vassal state, she had never set foot in Jin Country before the wedding. She also didn't know what Lu Qing looked like until today. During the ceremonial bow, adhering to Jin Country's customs, she had to cover her face with a fan. At the feast, the dim lighting and the tense atmosphere left no room for other concerns.
It was only now that she discovered her husband was a man with sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and an elegant, graceful demeanor.
Lu Qing seated himself on a nearby chair, sizing up his new wife with her unusual demeanor, "You've been back for a while, why haven't you changed out of these clothes yet?"
Zhu Yu shook her head. Before Lu Qing had entered, Mrs. Zhao had been busy urging her to change.
"Your Highness, sharp as ever, likely recognized me earlier. If I were to hastily change back into that cumbersome wedding attire, it would truly be gilding the lily," Zhu Yu calmly replied.
"My understanding of Shuo Country was limited to its exceptional Black Iron and weapon forging. I didn't know that Duke Zhu Cheng of Shuo taught his children so well, that even a concubine's daughter possesses such life-saving abilities." Lu Qing slightly reclined in the chair, toying with a Jade Pendant in his hand.
He regarded Zhu Yu, a playful smile adorning his lips, yet his dark eyes, though seemingly smiling, were like deep pools, hiding his thoughts and making it difficult for others to gauge his current mood.
Before Lu Qing approached, Zhu Yu had already anticipated his line of questioning. She remained composed, "You flatter me, Your Highness. I was merely idle at home, borrowing various books from a female tutor to entertain myself. I browsed a variety of genres, including storybooks and travel journals, and having read so much, some things just stuck in my mind and happened to be useful today."