"Dozens of people have died. I estimate that the number will definitely increase in the past few days." Zhan Yulong's face was a little gloomy when he spoke. What happened this time was too strange. If Lu Zhiyao was really right, it was Nangong.
So how did they do it, and how did they poison these traders?
"If this continues, no one will dare to sell things on the street." Ling Yi sighed quietly, glanced at Lu Zhiyao, and said to Zhan Yulong: "Let's go, I'll go out with you to find out more news."
Ling Yi and Zhan Yulong left, and Lu Zhiyao sat there with a frown, all he could think about was this matter. If the other party's targets were only those street vendors, then the number of people who would be poisoned would be limited. Lu Zhiyao was very scared now.
I'm afraid they have other ways to involve more people. It's impossible for them to attack so many people without flaws. Do they want to use this incident to cause panic among the people in the city, and then take the opportunity to do something? Then
I wonder if the emperor in the palace is in danger?
After not sleeping well all night, when Lu Zhiyao saw Ling Yi and Zhan Yulong again, both of them were obviously tired.
"You stay at home today while I go out."
"No." Zhan Yulong firmly rejected Lu Zhiyao's proposal, "If something happens to you, we can't explain it to the Eighth Prince."
"I'm not that vase in the house, how can something happen so easily?" Lu Zhiyao felt that Zhan Yulong was a little too worried, "Don't worry, I will make some preparations. If you two really can't stay,
Just go for a walk around Nangong Mansion, remember to be careful, their noses are sharper than dogs."
Ignoring the dissuasion of Zhan Yulong and Ling Yi, Lu Zhiyao simply changed his appearance and planned to go out. Bai Lixuan and others, who knew about this, also took the initiative to ask for help, wanting to contribute. Lu Zhiyao thought about it
Thinking about it, he took Bai Lixuan out of the door.
The street has lost the bustle of the previous days, and the stalls that were once crowded along the road have disappeared. Occasionally, you can see some elderly people selling home-grown vegetables. They may be old and homeless.
Maybe he felt that he wouldn't live long, so he was not as afraid of this disaster as young people.
Lu Zhiyao stood on the street and watched for a long time, not knowing where to start.
"How about we go to the Yamen first and take a look?" Bai Lixuan, who was standing behind Lu Zhiyao, said in a low voice. After seeing Lu Zhiyao lightly nodding his head, the two of them rushed to the Yamen.
Looking at the yamen entrance from a distance, Lu Zhiyao saw Lan Ruoling walking out of it alone in a short time. He followed him in big steps. When Lan Ruoling discovered them, the two of them didn't even think about it.
To hide it, just go up to her and talk to her.
After hearing Lu Zhiyao's voice, Lan Ruoling was a little worried about her safety. But when she thought about Lu Zhiyao's skills, Lan Ruoling didn't say much.
"I'm going to visit the deceased's home. Do you want to come with me?"
"Okay." Lu Zhiyao responded without hesitation, and followed Lan Ruoling to the home of a deceased person. Seeing those people crying hoarsely, Lu Zhiyao felt a little depressed, but also more
Be clear about the purpose of your visit this time.
Lu Zhiyao couldn't help feeling a little ridiculous when he heard Lan Ruoling comfort them and give them some money, saying it was from the government.
Lan Ruoling asked some questions, but in the end she didn't get any valuable information. Lu Zhiyao watched Lan Ruoling walk out of the yard with her head lowered, and took two steps forward to walk side by side with her.
"How many people do you estimate will die this time?" Lu Zhiyao looked sideways at her and asked in a calm tone.
"So many people have died, plus what I know now, there are about one hundred to two hundred people who have started to have cough symptoms. This is not a small number in the capital." Lan Ruoling's heart was still uneasy.
, talking to Lu Zhiyao about this matter while walking. "The distribution range of small vendors is very scattered. I asked many people, but they couldn't tell what happened, whether they ate something or drank something.
It’s time to drink. We can’t ask too many questions about those whose relatives have died. After all, they still have to live. Anyone who is involved in such a thing will have a hard time.”
"It's hard for you." Lu Zhiyao could feel Lan Ruoling's mood, "We will try our best to help you. You should also take a proper rest. It's your own fault if you collapse."
Lu Zhiyao lowered his eyes and thought carefully about what Lan Ruoling just said. No matter what, the same thing must have happened to these poisoned people. "The most important thing now is not to find out the murderer behind it, but to find out the murderer behind it."
I want to find a way to detoxify them and save their lives. Someone should report this matter to the emperor. Isn't there any movement in the palace?"
"There has been no news. I also hope that a trustworthy imperial doctor can come forward to help. Unfortunately, Jian Yuheng is not here now."
"Wait another two days. If the emperor knows, he will definitely not sit idly by. If he doesn't know yet, then we will find a way to let him know." Lu Zhiyao suddenly smiled and said to Lan Ruoling: "Otherwise, this will continue like this.
, the little salary you get from the court is not enough to give to others."
Lan Ruoling knew that Lu Zhiyao was talking about the things she paid for those people out of her own pocket. She pursed her lips and smiled. Lan Ruoling replied weakly: "I hope so."
Lu Zhiyao separated from Lan Ruoling on her way back to the Yamen. They walked around most of the capital and went back to meet Ling Yi and others in the evening. Lu Zhiyao heard Ling Yi say that everything in the Nangong family was business as usual, but he didn't do anything about it.
So she relaxed her vigilance towards the Nangong family because she knew that everyone in that family was as cunning as foxes.
Lu Zhiyao ate something and then lay down to rest. The next day he got up early and went out, walking on the deserted street, looking at the empty roads on both sides.
She waited for a long time before a woman selling melons and fruits came. Walking forward, Lu Zhiyao watched her lay out the things for sale with the help of her granddaughter, then squatted down and asked: "
Do you come out so late every day?"
"No, dad and I used to come out very early." The young girl answered Lu Zhiyao's question casually, and then asked her sweetly: "Sister, do you want to buy our things? These are ours.
My own is very sweet, if you don’t believe me, try it!”
After saying that, she picked up the fruit in the basket and stuffed it into Lu Zhiyao's hand.
Lu Zhiyao looked at her actions, took the fruit with a faint smile, and continued to ask her: "You just said that you used to sell things with your father? What about your father?"
As soon as Lu Zhiyao finished asking the question, the two people in front of him suddenly stopped talking. Slowly, Lu Zhiyao saw tears in their eyes.
Lu Zhiyao realized something, lowered his head and took out some broken silver from his waist, and gave it to the girl's hand. "I'll ask you a few questions. As long as you answer me, the silver will be yours. How about that?"
The little girl was startled by the silver in her hand. She looked helplessly at the elderly woman next to her, and then at Lu Zhiyao. She was a little scared and didn't dare to move.
"Girl, we can't take this money." The old woman shook her head hurriedly, not knowing who Lu Zhiyao was. She was stunned for a moment when she heard Lu Zhiyao say that she was here to help them.
"If I guess correctly, your son... is also sick like those vendors, right?" Lu Zhiyao asked in a low voice the old man with a vicissitudes of face in front of him. In fact, she is not that old, maybe because
The pain of losing her son made her look like this. When Lu Zhiyao raised his eyes, he could see her white hair mixed with a few black strands, which were gently raised by the breeze. The clothes on the two of them could be counted.
The house was very simple, and if the family hadn't been so poor, they probably wouldn't have risked it by setting up a stall.
Under Lu Zhiyao's questioning, the old man couldn't help crying emotionally. Lu Zhiyao knew that she had guessed right, and the girl's father had not escaped this disaster. After the old man cried for a while, she said
He continued to speak and said: "I am a member of the imperial court, responsible for investigating this matter, so you can accept the money. But you must also answer my questions."
After the woman and the little girl's emotions stabilized, Lu Zhiyao asked, "When did your son start to feel unwell and when did he die? Can you still remember clearly?"
"I can't remember clearly." The old man shook his head, wiped his tears, and looked at Lu Zhiyao. "He is usually in good health, so he didn't pay attention to the cough for a few days, and he didn't even take medicine.
I thought it would get better after a while, but who knew, it would get worse day by day, and it would be gone as soon as people said it was gone."
The woman was in tears. Seeing that he couldn't ask anything from her, Lu Zhiyao went to ask the girl. "You said that you and your father used to come out very early. Aren't you sleepy so early?"
"I'm not sleepy." The girl shook her head, holding the money given by Lu Zhiyao in her hand, and answered Lu Zhiyao's question. "Grandma is not in good health, and my mother is pregnant with her younger brother, so my father and I have to get up early to work. In the past,
There is a tea stall here, and the food is very cheap, so if we make a lot of money the first day, dad will take me there to eat something the next day, and then buy some things for grandma and mother."
Lu Zhiyao looked back at where the girl was pointing and noticed something between the lines of her words.
"Are there many people going there to eat?" Lu Zhiyao asked casually.
"There are so many people eating there. But now there is no one." The girl secretly glanced at the money in her hand, for fear that Lu Zhiyao would regret it and go back. When Lu Zhiyao saw her actions, he
He stood up and said with a smile: "This money belongs to you. Take good care of grandma. If anything happens to me in the future, I will come to you again."
After Lu Zhiyao finished speaking, he turned and walked away, thinking about his conversation with the little girl along the way, his brows furrowed.
