Gu Qingyan opened his eyes, having already gone over the entire political landscape of Qingzhou Prefecture in his mind.

He looked up at Prefect Ding, whose face was cold and filled with suppressed anger, and immediately understood that he was not aligned with the Lu family.

No wonder Prefect Ding had been so helpful during the earlier bracelet theft case—not just because of Pei Xuan’s name card, but also because of his complex ties to the Li family’s matriarch, Madam Bai.

Now, faced with Dean Lu’s threats and questioning, Prefect Ding’s displeasure was evident beneath his restraint.

Despite the Hongshan Academy’s great reputation and extensive network, Dean Lu was still just a dean without any official rank, while Prefect Ding held the official title of a fourth-rank court official.

In the past, their friendly relations and brotherly terms hadn’t mattered much. But now that Dean Lu was trying to strong-arm him in front of so many people, it stoked Prefect Ding’s ire.

Gu Qingyan saw the shift in his expression and knew that a rift had formed between them.

“Dean Lu, what arrogance. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you, a mere commoner flaunting the name of Hongshan Academy, had made yourself emperor of Qingzhou,” Gu Qingyan said coldly and provocatively.

Dean Lu’s eyes widened in fury. “You murderer! Even with the Pei family backing you, I will see you pay for my son’s life!”

Gu Qingyan sneered. “The case hasn’t even been solved yet, and Dean Lu continues to smear my name—boldly declaring I’m the murderer without a shred of proof. Do you have any evidence?”

Dean Lu shouted, “Who else would want to kill my son if not you?”

“Perhaps Dean Lu is getting on in years—deaf and blind—because he clearly didn’t hear what Magistrate Zhang just said. Your dear son, hiding behind the Lu family’s influence, abused men and women throughout Qingzhou. He made countless enemies. There are plenty who would want him dead.”

“You—!”

“What about me?”

Gu Qingyan raised his voice. “I request that the prefect conduct a thorough investigation, starting with Lu Yanhe’s personal history. Let’s see just how many evil deeds he’s committed and how many innocents he’s harmed, that ultimately led to his demise.”

Dean Lu’s expression changed. “Prefect Ding, even if my son was once young and foolish, now that he has died so tragically, this is not the time to dredge up the past. What matters is capturing the real killer.”

Gu Qingyan scoffed, “That’s rich. If we don’t get to the bottom of things, how are we supposed to find the killer?”

He shouted, “Or has Dean Lu already decided my guilt before arriving? No matter the truth, I must take the blame, just so the matter can be swept under the rug?”

“If that’s the case, why bother with court? Just pin the crime on me and have the Lu family’s guards beat me to death. With the Lu family’s power, killing the top scorer in the provincial exam can surely be brushed aside.”

He turned to address the crowd: “Once I’m dead, the case is over. Whether your sons died unjustly or who actually poisoned them will never be revealed.”

The grieving families who had gathered outside the courtroom, all of whom had been glaring at Gu Qingyan moments before, now looked somber.

They turned their eyes toward Dean Lu. Their children were already gone. If they couldn’t even find the real culprit, how could their souls rest in peace?

“If Dean Lu won’t let Prefect Ding investigate further, it must be because he knows continuing will expose Lu Yanhe’s misdeeds, and how the Lu family enabled them. Now that karma has come around, they want to pretend to be innocent.”

Gu Qingyan bowed deeply. “Your Excellency, Dean Lu wants to protect the Lu family’s name and pride, and he must find a scapegoat to take the fall. I am willing to die, but this has nothing to do with me. I am a victim as well. I will not confess to something I didn’t do.”

Dean Lu stared at Gu Qingyan, his face dark as ink. “What a clever tongue. No matter how you twist the truth, you won’t escape death.”

“Right and wrong will be judged by the court,” Gu Qingyan replied, meeting his eyes without flinching. “Dean Lu may be a local tyrant, but even he can’t call a deer a horse.”

A flash of malice passed through Dean Lu’s eyes.

If he had known Gu Qingyan would be so unyielding, he never would have…

He suddenly looked up at Magistrate Ding and, seeing the displeasure on his face, thought to himself, This isn’t good.

His own son had died—of course Dean Lu was heartbroken, and the words he had just spoken were indeed out of line.

For years, the Lu family had worked harmoniously with Magistrate Ding, but now, with that one remark, he might have completely offended him.

Dean Lu weighed the pros and cons, then clasped his hands together and bowed deeply.
“My lord, an old man like me sending off a young son… In my grief, I misspoke. I beg your forgiveness.”

Magistrate Ding gave a slight nod.
“To lose a son in middle age… Dean Lu’s inappropriate words and actions are understandable.”

Dean Lu bowed again.
“I ask that you issue a full investigation and find the murderer who took my son’s life—bring him to justice.”

“Of course,” Magistrate Ding said with satisfaction.

Vice Magistrate Zhang quickly added, “All thirty-eight suspects have been brought back.”

“Interrogate them separately,” Ding ordered immediately. “See if there are any leads.”

“Have the coroner perform an autopsy at once. You will personally lead men to search the city’s pharmacies and medical clinics for traces of poison.”

“Also, send people to question the Lu family members—look into anyone who may have held a grudge against Lu Yanhe.”

Magistrate Ding issued orders one after another, all clear and methodical.

“My lord,” Dean Lu said, “investigations take time. What if the murderer escapes from Qingzhou in the meantime?”

Glancing around the court, Magistrate Ding’s gaze fell on Gu Qingyan.
“Master Gu, until your name is fully cleared, you will have to be placed under custody.”

“However, while there is suspicion, there is no evidence. You will not be imprisoned in the dungeon, but will remain confined to your residence while awaiting questioning.”

Hearing this, Gu Qingyan felt a surge of relief. As long as I don’t have to go into a prison cell.

Clearly, Magistrate Ding was treating him with leniency—this had to be due to Pei Xuan’s calling card. For a fourth-rank magistrate to offer such favorable treatment, Pei Xuan’s name must carry more weight than he had imagined.

“Lord Zhang, assign two officers to guard him. He is not to leave even a single step,” Magistrate Ding added, casting a glance at Dean Lu.

“Yes, sir,” Vice Magistrate Zhang answered at once.

Gu Qingyan nodded. “This student obeys the order.”

“Court is adjourned. All family members may return. I will solve this case as quickly as possible and give the deceased a proper answer.”

As he was leaving, Dean Lu shot Gu Qingyan a cold, hard look.

He didn’t say a word, as though looking at a dead man.

Gu Qingyan frowned deeply, knowing the man was convinced he was the killer. The malice in his gaze was unmistakable—he wished Gu Qingyan dead already.

“Young Master, what should we do now?” Hongdou asked anxiously.

She had thought Lu Yanhe had poisoned others, but now, here in the court, she learned that Lu Yanhe was the one who had died.

Lu Yanhe was dead—and her young master had somehow become the prime suspect. Hongdou was distraught and overwhelmed.

Gu Qingyan said softly, “Don’t be afraid. I haven’t harmed anyone. Magistrate Ding will uncover the truth.”

Only then did Hongdou calm down a little.

Gu Qingyan was escorted home by two officers.

Zhang Nian had not expected so much to happen in his brief absence. He was beside himself with worry.

When he finally saw that Gu Qingyan was safe, he let out a breath of relief.

“How is Zhang Cheng?” Gu Qingyan asked.

The poisoning had clearly been an indiscriminate attack.

Zhang Nian quickly replied, “My cousin was poisoned too, but after taking the antidote pill, he’s doing much better. It doesn’t seem like he was seriously affected.”

Gu Qingyan recalled that Zhang Cheng, like himself, had hardly eaten anything.

“Thank goodness.”

Zhang Nian cursed, “When I was leaving, I saw officers heading to the Zhang residence—they must be going to question my cousin. Brother Gu, four people died in Qingzhou Pavilion, and four more are still unconscious. The entire city is talking about this.”

Gu Qingyan didn’t need to be told—he already knew.

“Lu Yanhe is dead.”

Gu Qingyan sighed. “He deserved to die. I wished him dead myself. But I didn’t expect the one who poisoned him to be so ruthless. If I hadn’t had the antidote pill with me, I might’ve been poisoned to death too.”

“The poisoner is truly wicked,” Zhang Nian said angrily. “Lu Yanhe may have deserved to die, but what about you, my cousin, and all the other scholars? Did they deserve it too?”

Hongdou added, “Are they not afraid of killing innocents at random?”

Gu Qingyan furrowed his brows tightly. He truly couldn’t imagine who would be so vicious.

“Ah Nian, I can’t leave the house for now. I need your help with something.”

Thinking of those who were still unconscious, Gu Qingyan took out some antidote pills.
“Give these to those who are still unconscious. Once they wake up, they might have clues.”

Zhang Nian nodded in agreement.

Hongdou whispered, “Dean Lu is dead set on insisting the young master is the culprit. The young master tried several times to deliver medicine, but he refused it every time. He must be holding a grudge.”

“Whether he accepts it is his business. Whether I deliver it is mine.”

Gu Qingyan spoke up. “I have no enmity with Lu Yanjun or Lu Yanchi. In fact, we’ve shared some friendly ties. Now that they are still unconscious, I cannot stand by and watch them die.”

The constable on guard, hearing the account, did not stop him.

Zhang Nian quickly left.

At the Qingzhou Pavilion banquet, four were dead and six injured. Aside from Gu Qingyan and Zhang Cheng, the remaining four were still unconscious.

The Lu brothers, being of noble status, naturally had their family bring in highly skilled physicians. Their condition had now stabilized.

But the other two students from Hongshan Academy were in bad shape.

After forced feeding of medicine, induced vomiting, and acupuncture, they still hadn’t woken up. Their breathing was shallow and fading.

When Zhang Nian arrived, he was met with the sound of heart-wrenching wailing.

“My son! If you die, what will your mother do? Doctor, please, think of another way!”

“Son, as long as you wake up, you can study if you want, and if you don’t, I’ll never force you again.”

The doctor, being pressed hard, was drenched in sweat. “I’ve tried everything possible. The rest is up to fate.”

Hearing this, the family wept even harder.

“Master, Madam, someone just came to the door claiming to be a servant of Gu Qingyan and delivered an antidote pill.”

“He said it’s a secret formula that works effectively against all poisons. Whether to use it or not is up to you.”

The old master trembled. “Gu Qingyan?”

“Isn’t he the one who poisoned and killed my son? Why isn’t he dead yet?!” the madam roared.

The servant who had gone to gather information explained what had happened in court.

The old master’s expression shifted.

“Doctor, please examine this antidote pill. See if it’s genuine.”

The doctor hurriedly took the pill, opened it, and sniffed a bit. “It is indeed made of detoxifying herbs. The ingredients are very complex—some of them I can’t even identify.”

“As for whether it works, we’ll only know after it’s administered. Master, it’s your decision.”

Looking at his son, whose breath was like a thread, the old master made a firm decision. “Let my son take it.”

Soon after taking the antidote, the student’s pulse steadied.

The doctor marveled. “The effect is excellent. In just a short while, the poison in the young master’s body has subsided significantly. I believe he’ll regain consciousness soon.”

The old master and madam were overjoyed.

“Could it be he truly isn’t the culprit?” the madam exclaimed in astonishment.

If he were the murderer, why would he send medicine to their home?

A nearby servant added more about what had happened in court. “That young Master Gu made a good point. He’s new to Qingzhou—how could he have managed to poison the banquet? It’s more likely that Second Young Master Lu was too arrogant and offended someone.”

The old master fell into silence. Looking at his suffering son, a sense of resentment toward the Lu family began to grow in his heart.

If it weren’t for Lu Yanhe’s arrogant and overbearing behavior, which must have provoked a ruthless killer, how could his own good-natured son have been poisoned?

What was worse, the Lu family had access to top-tier physicians, but they only cared for their own sons and completely ignored whether his son lived or died.

Was his son less valuable than theirs?

All these years, he had bowed and scraped before the Lu family, sending them countless gold and silver. And this is how they repay his son?

Zhang Nian had his own motives. He delivered the antidote to the other two students’ homes first and only sent it to the Lu family afterward.

In his eyes, the Lu family were all the same. If it weren’t for their indulgence, where would Lu Yanhe have gotten the gall to treat Brother Gu so poorly?

People like that deserved to die.

But Brother Gu had given his word, so he still delivered the antidote.

As for whether they used it—that wasn’t Zhang Nian’s concern.

At the Lu residence, the household was in chaos.

Especially the Second Madam, who was sobbing uncontrollably. “What sin have I committed? Chi’er has always been so obedient. First he was kidnapped, and now he’s poisoned?”

“Heavens, if we’re the ones who have sinned, then punish me. I can die, just don’t hurt my son.”

The Second Master Lu was also heartbroken, trying to console her in a low voice. “The doctor said Chi’er’s poisoning isn’t severe. He’ll be fine.”

“Then why hasn’t he woken up?” The Second Madam cried harder. “I don’t care—I just want my son to wake up safely. The one who harmed him must be torn to pieces!”

Second Master Lu felt the same, though as a man, he couldn’t weep like his wife.

Especially since Lu Yanhe was now dead, Lu Yanjun was still unconscious, and the First Madam had vomited blood when she heard the news and was now unconscious as well.

The Dean of the Lu family had gone to the court, leaving the entire household resting on his shoulders.

They also had to keep the truth from the elderly Matriarch Lu, for fear she might not be able to take it.

The more Second Madam thought about it, the angrier she became. “I’ve said before that Lu Yanhe had a twisted personality and was bound to cause trouble. Big Brother and Sister-in-law kept defending him, spoiling him like this—and now look at the disaster they’ve brought upon us!”

“What did my Chi’er do wrong? He’s the kindest of them all, and now he’s poisoned and unconscious.”

“If anything happens to him, I won’t let the main branch off the hook!”

Second Master Lu quickly scolded her, “Are you mad? Stop spouting nonsense!”

“Oh, so now you want me to shut up, even after all this?”

Normally, the Second Madam was gentle and refined. But now, with her son poisoned, all the long-held resentment in her heart had been unleashed.

“What did I say that was wrong? Hasn’t he been abusing men and women alike, provoking disaster? How many people have been carried out of his room all these years? Everyone in the Lu family knows it.”

She sneered coldly. “A silk blanket might cover up scandals, but not anymore—not this time.”

Master Lu the Second’s face turned ashen. “You—if the Lu family loses its reputation, do you think you’ll come out of it unscathed?”

“I don’t care! I just want our son to be safe and sound. If anything happens to him, no one will have peace!” Madam Lu the Second stood firm, her neck stiff with resolve.

Master Lu the Second had a pounding headache.

At that moment, a servant came in with medicine.

Master Lu the Second’s face darkened. “The Lu family has its own physician. Get out.”

But Madam Lu the Second stepped past him. “Where’s the antidote pill? Give it to me, now.”

Once she got it, she immediately turned and began to feed it to their son.

“What are you doing!” Master Lu the Second cried out and grabbed her arm.

Madam Lu the Second flung his hand off. “Saving my son.”

She continued feeding him the antidote pill.

“Aren’t you afraid that Gu Qingyan might have ulterior motives?” Master Lu the Second frowned.

Madam Lu the Second merely sneered. “Gu Qingyan already saved our son once. Chi’er is kind-hearted and often praised him as honest and upright. As for your elder brother’s words—I don’t believe a single one.”

“Anyone who stops me from saving Chi’er is my enemy.”

Master Lu the Second didn’t dare stop her. His face darkened as he snapped, “You—you’re being completely unreasonable!”

“Our son is dying, and all you care about is the Lu family’s reputation? Are you saying our son’s life is less important than the family’s face?”

Madam Lu the Second raised her head, looking at her husband with cold eyes. “Back when Chi’er was abducted, it was inseparable from Lu Yanhe. Tell me the truth—did you know about that?”

Master Lu the Second’s whole body trembled, speechless.

Madam Lu the Second had her answer.

She let out a bitter laugh. “Good. Let him die. He should’ve died long ago.”

Master Lu the Second no longer dared meet her gaze. When he saw Lu Yanchi’s complexion visibly improve after taking the antidote, he felt a wave of joy.

He quickly turned to leave, heading out to save Lu Yanjun, unaware of his wife’s cold, icy stare behind him.

By the time Director Lu returned from the government office, he was informed that both Lu Yanjun and Lu Yanchi had regained consciousness.

Master Lu the Second hesitated but still explained, “At first, even with the medicine, they wouldn’t wake up. But later, Gu Qingyan sent an antidote pill, and after taking it, they woke up.”

“You used the medicine Gu Qingyan gave?” Director Lu frowned.

Master Lu the Second quickly added, “Yanchi took it first, and it clearly worked. That’s why I gave it to Yanjun as well.”

Director Lu’s brows furrowed even more.

Master Lu the Second lowered his voice. “Brother, perhaps we’ve wrongly accused Gu Qingyan. Maybe he really had nothing to do with this.”

“Hmph. If he wasn’t the culprit, how would he have the antidote? Why would he conveniently carry it around with him? Bringing the medicine personally is just a ploy to play the hero and clear himself of suspicion,” Director Lu sneered.

Seeing his brother angry, Master Lu the Second dared not speak further.

He had never held much authority in front of his elder brother.

Director Lu had lost one son and now treasured the only one left even more—especially since Lu Yanjun had always been outstanding and exceptionally talented.

He walked quickly into the room, finally feeling relieved when he saw Lu Yanjun. “Yanjun, are you still feeling unwell anywhere?”

Lu Yanjun had already heard what happened from the servants.

“My hand won’t stop trembling. The doctor said it’s a lingering effect of the poison. I’ll have to keep taking medicine to detox and slowly recover.”

Director Lu felt a pang in his heart.

Lu Yanjun was supposed to take the provincial exam in autumn. With this situation, it was uncertain whether he’d recover in time.

“That damn Gu Qingyan—I won’t let him get away with this.”

Lu Yanjun shook his head. “Father, it wasn’t him.”

“We were the ones who set the time and place. We only told Gu Qingyan the day before. Qingzhou Pavilion is a restricted location. Random people can’t get in and out freely.”

“Gu Qingyan was the last to arrive. The food was only served after he came. There was absolutely no opportunity for him to poison anything.”

After finishing his analysis, Lu Yanjun looked at his father. “I suspect it was someone the second brother had harmed in the past.”

Director Lu’s face turned grim as he pulled the blanket over his son.

“You’re still recovering from the poisoning. Don’t overthink. Just rest and don’t exhaust yourself.”

“Don’t worry. I will take care of everything.”

Lu Yanjun was indeed exhausted and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Director Lu didn’t stay long in the room. He quickly returned to his study.

Unlocking a drawer, he took out a letter. His face twisted with fury.

Then, he burned the letter completely.

“Someone come.”

He pulled out a list. “Investigate these households. See if there have been any unusual movements lately—especially whether anyone has bought poison at a pharmacy.”

“Remember—do not let this leak out.”

“Yes, sir.”

Inside the prefectural office, Prefect Ding and Assistant Magistrate Zhang were also at their wits’ end.

They had assumed that in a place like Qingzhou Pavilion, if someone had poisoned the food, it would be impossible to escape everyone’s notice. As long as they investigated carefully, they should be able to find evidence.

Who would have thought that after a thorough inspection, not only was no evidence found, but the number of suspects had actually increased?

“Yes, Young Master Lu Er did hit me before, but I’m just a servant. Getting hit and scolded is part of the job. How would I dare to poison him?”

“Yes, three years ago, Young Master Lu Er kicked me down from the second floor, breaking two bones. It took me three months to recover, but the Lu family paid compensation. That matter is settled. It really wasn’t me.”

“Young Master Lu Er has a weakness for women. It was common for him to make us accompany him. If I couldn’t even endure that kind of humiliation, how could I work as a musician to make a living?”

“He said my cooking was terrible and dumped a whole bowl of soup on my head. Look at the back of my head—there are still burn marks.”

“I don’t know if others hold a grudge, but I accepted money from the Lu family, and the matter was settled.”

“We’re just common folk—who would dare go against someone like Young Master Lu Er?”

“My life is worthless. If I get beaten, I just have to swallow it. Besides, working at Qingzhou Pavilion pays well. I need this job to support my family. Why would I risk it all by poisoning the food?”

Assistant Magistrate Zhang was speechless. “Is Lu Yanhe mentally unstable? In one restaurant, he’s managed to offend almost everyone.”

Prefect Ding flipped through another set of testimonies. “That’s not even the worst of it. Take a look at this.”

Zhang took the document, and his expression grew even more bewildered.

Qingzhou Pavilion was just the tip of the iceberg. Wherever Lu Yanhe went, he stirred up trouble. Even the top courtesan at Tianxiang House had been stripped naked and thrown out into the street just because she said the wrong thing.

Such unbridled arrogance—and the Lu family had managed to cover it all up.

“Lu Yanhe may seem like an arrogant bully, but those he mistreated were mostly low-born servants. He bullied some commoners too, but not many.”

Low-born individuals had no control over their own lives or deaths. Even if they bore resentment, they had nowhere to seek justice.

“Look at this one too.”

Zhang looked and immediately stood up in shock. “He has thirteen concubines at home—most of whom were forced into it. Some of them are local to Qingzhou, from families that run small businesses, and have ties to Qingzhou Pavilion. They had the opportunity to poison him.”

Prefect Ding shook his head.

“If their families accepted compensation and still sent their daughters to the Lu family, why would they poison him out of lingering resentment? What benefit would they get from doing that?”

Zhang thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

They took the money, gave up their daughters—what would be the point of poisoning now?

“Then who could hate Lu Yanhe so deeply as to risk poisoning at a banquet, harming innocent people in the process?”

“Sir, could we have misjudged the target? Maybe the poison wasn’t meant for Lu Yanhe. Perhaps it was meant for someone else—like Lu Dalang, whose talents may have inspired jealousy.”

Prefect Ding shook his head. “Impossible. Lu Yanhe was definitely the primary target.”

He flipped through the case file again, then suddenly said, “The Lu family isn’t telling the whole truth.”

“Just these testimonies alone wouldn’t be enough to push someone to kill. To poison at Qingzhou Pavilion and implicate others—only a hatred that can’t be resolved would drive someone to such ruthless lengths.”

Zhang nodded. “I’ll interrogate them again.”

After Zhang left, Prefect Ding reopened the case file.

One incident after another—on their own, they might seem like petty abuse. But pieced together, they were horrifying.

Before this, he had only heard that Lu Er-lang was spoiled and lustful, but nothing had seemed serious enough to be alarming, so he hadn’t paid much attention.

But now it was clear—these things had happened. They had just been covered up by the Lu family.

Right here in Qingzhou, right under his nose, the Lu family had acted with impunity. It made Prefect Ding deeply uneasy.