Chapter 197
Chapter 197
Shen Lang took the opportunity to examine Qiu Yao'er's innate bloodline. Her bloodline, though tainted by various heavy metals and emitting a complex glow, was still recognizably a golden-yellow one. Incredible! It was the most superior martial arts bloodline in the world. How on earth was this enchantress born?
Shen Lang wrote on a piece of paper.
"General, please dismiss your attendants."
Since Xu Qianqian had to interpret for Shen Lang, "attendants" referred to the one person, Lu Yi. Lu Yi flew into a rage, ready to cause a scene.
"How dare you try to deceive us with your tricks. Guards! Drag her out."
But Qiu Yao'er raised her hand and waved a few times, stopping her. She had no desire to waste a single word.
"My lady!"
Lu Yi pleaded coquettishly. But when Qiu Yao'er furrowed her brow, it was as terrifying as a clap of thunder. Lu Yi dared not act rashly any longer and, though reluctant, she shot Shen Lang and Xu Qianqian a hostile glare before withdrawing.
"You'd better be careful. If you dare show any disrespect to my lady, I will not let you off."
Lu Yi left the room after uttering this cold remark.
* * *
After Lu Yi had left, Shen Lang wrote on the paper.
"General, you have been poisoned."
Xu Qianqian read it aloud. Qiu Yao'er, her eyes still closed, spoke.
"What kind of poison?"
Xu Qianqian relayed Shen Lang's written words.
"It's heavy metal poisoning. Ordinarily, you wouldn't even feel that you've been poisoned, but over time, the heavy metals accumulate in your bloodline, leading to death. However... your body has surpassed that of a human. If an ordinary person had accumulated this much heavy metal, they would have died a hundred times over, their body rotting to an unrecognizable state. But your body appears even more beautiful."
This wasn't flattery from Shen Lang; it was what he genuinely observed. If a normal person were poisoned with this amount of heavy metals, their skin would rot, and all their hair and teeth would fall out. Yet Qiu Yao'er's skin seemed even smoother and clearer, and her hair was still a luscious, enchanting red. And her teeth were also as white as jade. She had completely shattered Shen Lang's understanding of the world.
Princess Ning Luo's past lead poisoning was because all the utensils she used—the bowls for her food, the cups for her tea, even the pot for cooking—contained lead. But Qiu Yao'er was poisoned by various heavy metals. How on earth was the poison administered?
Qiu Yao'er asked.
"How was it administered?"
Shen Lang also found it baffling. Even if daily utensils contained heavy metals, they wouldn't contain so many different kinds. Moreover, the concentration of heavy metals in her body was astonishing, an amount that couldn't be reached just from utensils. This level was only possible if heavy metals were put into her mouth every day, so it must have been in her food. But the people of this world had little knowledge of heavy metals. How could they use such a sophisticated method of poisoning? Shen Lang kept thinking but couldn't find an answer.
[It was probably put in your food.]
Seeing what Shen Lang wrote, Xu Qianqian shook her head.
"That's impossible. Lu Yi and I personally taste the General's food every day before serving her. Why has nothing happened to us?"
Shen Lang wrote his reply.
[This type of heavy metal poison is very strange. Symptoms only appear over time. Consuming a small amount daily won't cause any immediate issues.]
The culprit's poisoning technique was so brilliant that Shen Lang still couldn't figure out the exact method. How on earth did they do it? The people of this world probably didn't have enough knowledge of chemistry to add so many heavy metals to Qiu Yao'er's food at once. Suddenly, Shen Lang's eyes lit up. He realized how the poison was administered.
It was the salt! Some salts are toxic and are called heavy metal salts. Such salts are mined from salt wells and naturally contain various heavy metals, making them unsuitable for consumption and only usable for industrial purposes.
This had to be it. The people of this world lacked advanced chemical knowledge, so they couldn't have secretly added so many heavy metals to her food. But by using heavy metal salt, they could administer the poison in one fell swoop. They probably didn't even know what was in this salt, only that long-term consumption would be fatal.
"The salt, it must be the salt. Quickly, go to the kitchen and bring the salt."
After Xu Qianqian read Shen Lang's words, Qiu Yao'er gave an order.
"Someone, go to the kitchen and bring the salt!"
Several female warriors quickly ran out. They soon returned with a bowl of salt. Shen Lang tasted it. Something was wrong. This was normal salt. In fact, it was high-quality salt, not heavy metal salt at all.
"Are you sure this is the salt used in the General's food?"
The female warrior nodded.
"Yes. This salt is used exclusively for our lady's food."
Strange. Qiu Yao'er must have been eating heavy metal salt. Only consuming heavy metal salt could explain the symptoms in her body. Just then, Qiu Yao'er spoke.
"Bring it here. I'll taste it."
The female warrior brought the bowl of salt over. Qiu Yao'er dipped her fingertip in the salt, stuck out her tongue, and licked it lightly. In that instant, Shen Lang stiffened again.
"No, this isn't the salt I usually eat. The salt I normally have is tastier than this. It has a complex flavor that I like."
Shen Lang was speechless.
*'She's acquired a taste for heavy metal salt.'*
The truth was now clear. Someone was using heavy metal salt only for Qiu Yao'er when preparing her meals, carrying the salt with them secretly.
"Arrest the cook!"
Xu Qianqian exclaimed instinctively. The female warriors, radiating killing intent at the command, immediately rushed out.
*'How dare they try to harm our lady?'*
Qiu Yao'er had rescued these female warriors when they were young and taught them martial arts herself. To them, Qiu Yao'er was like a goddess. Everyone in the fortress was a pitiful woman rescued by Qiu Yao'er, and the cook was no exception. The cook had been kidnapped by pirates, her husband murdered, and her son and daughter were about to be sold into slavery in a crate. Qiu Yao'er had rescued the family of three and provided them with a home in Raging Tide City.
Now, the cook's son was married, and her daughter had also wed. Qiu Yao'er had even provided the house for her son and the dowry for her daughter. How could a woman who had received such immense grace dare to poison Qiu Yao'er? She was a vicious beast, worse than an animal. The female warriors resolved to flay that bitch alive. However... a short while later, the female warriors returned.
"My lady, she's gone. There's a new cook."
The new cook was also a beauty. She was brought in, trembling, and knelt on the floor.
"It wasn't me, I didn't do it... I would rather die than poison my lady. I... I love my lady that much. If I find out who poisoned her, I'll haunt them as a ghost and never let them rest. My lady, I will prove my innocence like this."
The beautiful cook ran forcefully toward the corner of a table, intending to smash her head against it and prove her innocence with her death. It was no act; Shen Lang could feel the fervent love she had for Qiu Yao'er in her words. She lunged toward the table with sudden, fierce determination.
*Whoosh.*
But what she hit was not the corner of the table, but Qiu Yao'er's palm. Instantly, the new cook grabbed Qiu Yao'er's legs and wailed loudly.
"My lady, it wasn't me! I really didn't do it!"
"I know. The food has been bland and tasteless lately. I thought something was strange."
Ouch! Those words were also hurtful.
"Have Lu Yi come in."
A moment later, Lu Yi, Qiu Yao'er's personal handmaiden, entered the room. Xu Qianqian asked her.
"Where is the original cook?"
Lu Yi said coldly.
"Who are you? What right do you have to question me?"
To this, Qiu Yao'er said.
"Answer her."
"Three days ago, the original cook, Auntie Shu Shu, requested leave, saying her daughter had given birth and she needed to help care for the baby."
"Go to her house, and her daughter's house."
"Yes!"
Dozens of female warriors rushed toward Shu Shu's home. Now they were certain that Shu Shu had poisoned Qiu Yao'er, but she was merely following orders. There had to be someone behind this, giving the command. Who could it be? Qiu Xiao? Or Qiu Hu? Both were possibilities. Qiu Yao'er's faction was too powerful, and it wouldn't be strange if Qiu Xiao, fearing she would usurp the position of Young Lord of Raging Tide City, tried to eliminate her. Qiu Hu was Qiu Tianwei's adopted son and the fourth-ranked figure in Raging Tide City. If Qiu Yao'er were to die, a significant portion of the warships and pirates under her command would fall into his hands.
"My lady, Shu Shu is probably dead."
Qiu Yao'er silently acknowledged it. She had suffered a seizure and collapsed three days ago, and that was when the cook Shu Shu disappeared. The mastermind had likely killed Shu Shu to silence her.
Shen Lang wrote on the paper.
[That name doesn't sound like it belongs to a cook.]
Xu Qianqian said.
"Shu Shu was the young lady of a great house, but she encountered pirates at sea and was violated, so she couldn't return home. She was highly educated, but scholarship is of little use in the General's estate. Still, she was also a good cook, so that's what she became."
[How old is she this year?]
Xu Qianqian answered Shen Lang's question.
"Thirty-six."
In just an hour, the warriors returned.
"We went to cook Shu Shu's house, her daughter's house, and her son's house. No one was there. Furthermore, her daughter's house had burned down, and everything was reduced to ashes."
*'Just as I thought. They were silenced.'*
Xu Qianqian said coldly.
"Who on earth would plot against the General?"
One of the female warriors said, unable to restrain herself.
"It must be Young Lord Qiu Xiao. He has always seen our lady as his greatest rival."
"That's right! We can't let this go. We must see the City Lord and demand he uncover the truth and clear this injustice!"
As another female warrior finished speaking, the others nodded in furious agreement, looking ready to storm the City Lord's estate at once. Anyone in this world who dared to harm their goddess was their sworn enemy for life. Qiu Yao'er gestured for them to stop.
"Enough. Let's drop the matter."
The female warriors were reluctant.
"Y-You're just going to let it go like this?"
"We're dropping it."
Why was Qiu Yao'er, who was so harsh with others, so lenient with Qiu Xiao? It seemed to be because he was her younger brother. Though not by blood, they had grown up together, making him no different from a real brother. No matter that the little brother was human trash, a villain, a son of a bitch.
"All of you, leave. Only the physician and Qianqian will stay."
Lu Yi shot them an even more intense, resentful glare.