Chapter 114: Beyond Expectations

Magistrate Lu spoke with a calm demeanor. After half an hour of medical attention, the candidate had gradually regained consciousness, though, feeling physically frail, he soon drifted back into a deep sleep. The other candidates in the courtyard finally let out sighs of relief. However, some were gripped by fear, believing that staying in this place was extremely unsafe and wishing to depart immediately. Yet, they were too embarrassed to voice this, as Magistrate Lu held a position of high authority, and if they hoped to pass the examinations, they would need his favor in the future. Leaving so abruptly was no simple matter.

"Do you think we should find an excuse to leave first?"
"It is not as easy as you say. The culprit has not been caught yet; if we leave now, we will naturally be the prime suspects."
"Then what can we do? Perhaps we should wait a little longer."

A few candidates who were on good terms whispered among themselves, truly worried that if they waited any longer, they might never be able to leave at all. However, a single sentence from Lin Fei shattered all their deliberations.

"Everyone present today is a suspect. Write down your own account of whether you had any significant contact with this candidate, and include the names of anyone you personally suspect."

What? Was this an anonymous denunciation? Lin Fei handed out several sheets of paper, ordering them to write everything down. Though the candidates found it bizarre, they felt compelled to comply truthfully to clear their own names. Naturally, some would seize the opportunity to engage in petty schemes; malicious framing was inevitable. Aside from a few close friends of the victim, most of the others did not even know the candidate surnamed Liu and mostly wrote down nonsense.

Magistrate Lu then interjected with a question: "Does anyone know who the most likely perpetrator is? State your thoughts; you must clarify this now."

Once these words were spoken, the candidates in the courtyard were thrown into a panic. Were the papers they had just handed in useless? Why were they being asked to point fingers directly?

"Magistrate Lu, we have no grudges against this candidate, and with so many people watching, it is impossible that someone could have suddenly poisoned his teacup."
"Indeed, we have no motive, so why would we commit such a foolish act?"

"Yet, this candidate surnamed Liu ranked first in the Blue County examinations. Is there truly no one who harbors jealousy toward him? Including his own close friends?"

This... human nature is not to be tested. When this was said, the others looked at each other, not daring to admit anything, even though it was a undeniable fact.

"I haven't paid any attention to this candidate since I arrived. Furthermore, the tea he drank was provided by your household; if there was any foul play, it must have been someone from your estate. Why are you trying to shift the blame onto us?"

A few bold individuals, fearing neither power nor status, spoke up, telling Magistrate Lu that if he truly wished to uncover the truth, he should investigate his own servants.

"You are right. I have no further defense to offer. Let Magistrate Lin conduct the investigation; he is, after all, from the Inspectorate and appointed by the Emperor himself to supervise you all."

Magistrate Lu fell silent, leaving the difficult problem entirely to Lin Fei. Lin Fei was indeed bewildered. He realized that while it was just an ordinary cup of tea, the only person with a clear motive seemed to be Magistrate Lu himself. Yet, the servants had reported no knowledge of any such poison, and they claimed they had never procured such substances nor had anyone entered the room to tamper with the tea. How could it possibly involve the Lu family? He had quickly interrogated each candidate on the scene, but there were no breakthroughs.

Young Master Zhu, observing the spectacle from the side, felt perplexed. "Logically speaking, from the poisoning to the culprit's escape, this should be a closed loop; the culprit shouldn't have been able to get away. Why are there still no leads?"

"Perhaps their direction is fundamentally wrong," suggested Han Qing.

"That can't be right. The tea was distributed by the Lu family, so it must be linked to them. If someone else manipulated it, it should be the candidate's friends..."

The hypotheses he raised were all plausible, but one point was missing. "What if the candidate poisoned himself?"

What? How could anyone be foolish enough to do that?

"You mean he poisoned himself just to frame others?"

"It is a possibility, though not necessarily for the sake of framing someone else." Han Qing affirmed the former thought, though he could not guarantee the latter. Given the circumstances, it was either a sudden act by someone else or a clandestine act by the candidate himself. If he did it himself, no one would suspect him, and he could eventually distance himself from the suspicion. It was, in theory, a perfect plan, though such a scheme would likely require a mastermind behind the scenes.

"That doesn't make sense. On one hand, he poisons himself, but on the other, he has no motive?" Young Master Zhu pondered for several minutes, still feeling dazed.

As the investigation dragged on without result, the candidates in the courtyard grew restless, even beginning to make wild accusations. With the night turning pitch black, they could not remain at the Lu residence indefinitely. Han Qing, wishing to return home as soon as possible—for the day's events had become quite tedious—spoke up.

"Magistrate Lin, I have a clue that will allow you to solve the case quickly. Could you let us go home early now?" Han Qing said calmly, his eyes betraying a hint of fatigue.

The other candidates looked toward him, feeling a sense of disbelief. They were deeply confused: who was this person, and why was he so arrogant? They had never heard of him, yet he was remarkably bold.

"Young Master Han, is what you say true?"
"Listen, perhaps this isn't even a case at all."

One sentence followed another, leaving everyone truly baffled.

"That candidate surnamed Liu, while poisoned by the tea, was not harmed by another. He did it to himself."

The brief statement left the other candidates completely stunned. No one had dared to think in that direction. Everyone had been speculating about jealousy or hidden grudges, but the idea of self-poisoning seemed absurd. This was crane-top red—once ingested, there was no turning back. Even Lin Fei was left in utter shock upon hearing these words.