Outside Shunyi Gate, Li Jingyun rushed out in a hurry. County Magistrate Xie was waiting there. "Greetings, Princess."
"At this moment, how can you still care about such formalities? What did the coroner say? What kind of sleeping drug was it and which store sold it?" Li Jingyun quickly pulled him up and bombarded him with questions.
Xie Wu replied, "It was refined from the pollen of Datura flowers. Datura flowers come from the Western Regions. Their yield is low, not to mention transporting them to Chang'an. So they are very expensive. To knock out the ten members of the Liu family, a large amount must have been used. The person who did this must be either rich or noble."
What he meant was that an ordinary person couldn't even afford such a small amount of powder, let alone use it to harm others.
"Since it's so precious, are there any stores in Chang'an that sell it?"
"No. If one really wants to buy it, they have to go to the Ghost Market. If the person who did this is not an expert in using drugs, there must be some of the sleeping drug left." Xie Wu said seriously. He took out a small bag of sleeping drug from his pocket. "Princess, please take a look. I just bought this from the Ghost Market."
After Duan Jia took it, she carefully opened it. "Princess, just take a look from a distance so as not to affect you again."
"Okay."
Li Jingyun followed her advice and obediently took two steps back. A strong fragrance wafted out. How could she stand such a pungent smell? She couldn't help but cough twice, and her head immediately felt a bit dizzy.
Duan Jia immediately closed the bag of sleeping drug. Servant Feng and Manjing supported Li Jingyun from left and right.
"Princess, you're young, so your reaction is more intense. For a strong adult man, this dose wouldn't be enough to knock him out." Xie Wu explained.
"Do you have anything else to say? Just say it all at once."
Li Jingyun rubbed her eyes. During the half - day she was in a coma, County Magistrate Xie had been very busy.
At first, she thought she would have to go to the Ghost Market, but who would have thought that he had already taken care of everything.
"Yes."
County Magistrate Xie paused for a moment and then continued, "The seller in the Ghost Market said that the person who bought from him was a beggar. He bought nearly a jin. We found that beggar in a restaurant. He was using the money given by his employer to eat and drink to his heart's content. He was already dead drunk. With just a few questions, we found out that the person who hired him was the two sons of the Yingguo Duke's family."
"Brothers Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang?"
After hearing this, Li Jingyun felt as if the clouds had cleared and the truth had come to light.
They had already defected to the Yang family. The time when they threw rotten vegetables on the third brother's carriage was also instigated by them.
How much money did the Yang family give them to make them so willing to work for them?
She was so excited that she sneezed three times in a row, and her head was buzzing.
"Exactly. Princess, why don't you go back to the palace first? You might catch a cold. You don't need to worry about the rest. It's my duty. I will definitely seek justice for the eleven members of the Liu family."
Xie Wu bowed respectfully again.
Actually, at first, he never thought that the little princess, who had grown up in the imperial city and had a noble body, would go with him to the dirty and chaotic old residence of the Liu family, especially since someone had just died there. Ordinary young ladies would avoid such places.
Even when he came to report the progress of the case this time, he didn't expect that the little princess would come out to see him in person instead of through someone else.
"I'm fine. I'm in very good health." Li Jingyun said excitedly with a big smile. "I thought I would have to go to the Ghost Market with you, but who would have thought that it's already been investigated."
"I have another request for the Princess."
Xie Wu suddenly thought of something. It would be inconvenient for him to do it himself, but Li Jingyun could just say a word.
"Tell me! Do you want gold, silver, treasures or a promotion? I'll satisfy you!" Li Jingyun was full of enthusiasm, looking as generous as if she were saying, "The radishes and cabbages are on sale today. Do you want a bag?"
Duan Jia and Servant Feng quickly stopped Li Jingyun. They knew she was happy and excited, but she couldn't just say such things casually!
Whether it was about gold, silver, treasures or promotions, these were things the Emperor could say, not the Princess.
"Please ask the Princess to summon Wu Meiniang. Wu Meiniang should be able to get the remaining sleeping drug from Wu Yuanqing and the other one."
"Okay. Feng Feng, go quickly and find Meiniang. I'll wait for her at the sweater shop. Do it quietly and don't let anyone know." Li Jingyun readily agreed and quickly told someone to do it.
"Yes, Princess."
Servant Feng received the order and went to do his job.
"I'll take my leave, Your Highness." After Xie Wu left, Li Jingyun took a carriage to the sweater shop. Duan Jia and Manjing accompanied her in the carriage.
Manjing gently massaged her temples and asked softly, "Princess, there's something I don't understand. County Magistrate Xie and Wu Meiniang seem to be on good terms. Why did he ask the Princess to find Wu Meiniang instead of going himself?"
"Maybe he wants me to have more of an experience?" Li Jingyun said with a smile. Leaning on the soft and comfortable pillow, she felt happy all over.
Since she found out that the ten members of the Liu family were murdered instead of dying from coal gas poisoning, the big stone in her heart finally fell to the ground.
"Maybe."
Duan Jia smiled and echoed. The Princess was young and couldn't see through these things, but she was different. It was obvious that Xie Wu and Wu Meiniang had discussed this. Wu Meiniang wanted to take this opportunity to contact the Princess again, gain the Princess's trust, and hopefully completely rely on the Princess.
She was much smarter than her two brothers and her methods were more gentle but effective. She was a smart woman.
The group soon arrived at the sweater shop. The shopkeeper quickly stepped forward to greet them. "Greetings, Princess. Boss Su Gui is on the third floor. He also ordered a feast. Please go up quickly, Princess. The feast hasn't started yet."
"A feast? What's going on today? Is he that happy too?"
Li Jingyun was curious. No wonder she smelled the aroma of meat as soon as she entered the door. She thought she was hungry, but who would have thought there really was a feast.
"Princess, let him tell you about it himself. Please go upstairs."
"Okay!"
Li Jingyun replied crisply. Who would have thought that when she looked up, Su Gui was standing on the stairs looking at her, full of confusion. "Princess? Why are you here at this time?"
While other people would invite a large group of songstresses and dancers to sing and dance at their feasts, he was different. He simply ordered a table full of delicious food and planned to have a big meal.
Without the cover of music, Li Jingyun's voice downstairs could be heard clearly.
At first, Su Gui thought he was hallucinating. When he came out to take a look, it really was Li Jingyun!
Such a big thing had happened with the coal. How could the Princess still have the leisure to come to his place? It was really strange!
"I'm here to have the feast with you! What are we having today!"
Li Jingyun bounced up the stairs and pulled Su Gui in.
Now it was good. Originally, Su Gui thought he couldn't finish all this food and planned to reward some of it to his servants. Now he could finish it all.
In the private room on the third floor, Li Jingyun asked first, "What's the happy occasion?"
"Our sweater shop has landed another big order. We're going to sell them to the Khitan! Each sweater is sold for 150 wen! I was thinking of telling you after the coal thing was over, but who would have thought you'd come now." Su Gui greeted them. "Everyone, sit down and eat."
"The coal thing will be over soon! Xie Wu told me today that the coroner found sleeping drug on the ten members of the Liu family. They didn't die from coal gas poisoning. They were murdered!"
Li Jingyun quickly followed up.
This left Su Gui stunned. "They were really murdered? Was it the Yang family or the Zheng family?"
"The Wu family. Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang."