After a few pleasantries, Lin Shan Chang got to the point.
“Wei Jin, how long will it take you to solve this case? Can you let the students go home first? They are all children, it's not good to worry their parents.”
He wasn’t afraid of the Jin Yi Wei.
Even these students, most of whom came from wealthy or noble families, weren’t afraid of the Jin Yi Wei.
But just because he wasn’t afraid, didn’t mean he wanted to get involved.
The Great Qian had three intelligence agencies. The Emperor’s Secret Guard had the most power, the largest influence, and was the most ruthless, because they had the Emperor, the supreme authority, behind them.
His Majesty’s Shadow Guard had the second most power, the third largest influence, the most enemies, and was both merciful and stingy. They were petty and held grudges, just like this current Emperor.
The court’s Jin Yi Wei had the third most power, the second largest influence, and acted on righteousness, making them the most upright of the three intelligence agencies.
Just like the censor in the military.
He wasn’t afraid of being framed, but getting involved with them was like a pile of dog shit.
Just imagine being constantly watched by censors, and you’ll understand how people feel when they are constantly watched by the Jin Yi Wei.
If they find something wrong, they will truly impeach you/arrest you!
That’s why these people kept their distance.
“The killer hasn’t been caught yet. If everyone takes responsibility for their own safety and goes home, it would be less trouble for me.”
Facing Lin Shan Chang’s veiled attitude, Li Xuan also expressed his concerns.
As soon as these words were uttered, the students, who were listening to the teachers, erupted.
“What? We’re in danger?”
“No, my father is the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, I can’t die!”
“Your father is the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, my father is the Vice Minister of the Imperial Stables! I can’t die either!”
“Sir Hundred-man Captain, you have to protect us!”
Some were confused, some were scared, and some started showing off their fathers’ power.
Unfortunately, they were all below the third rank, and none of them could attend a small court meeting.
But it was also understandable. If they were truly at the pinnacle of power, they would have sent their children to the Imperial Academy a long time ago, why would they be here?
This was the reserved territory of mid-level officials and families of various lineages.
If there were truly learned individuals in a family, sending them to the Imperial Academy would be perfectly acceptable.
Among the clamoring crowd, some even saw Li Xuan’s flying fish uniform, speculating that he must have the ability to protect them. They wanted to use moral blackmail, raising the banner of justice.
Li Xuan didn’t say anything, he just gave them a murderous glance.
The students immediately fell silent.
Since the founding of the dynasty almost a hundred years ago, the nobility had been passed down for three generations or more. The martial spirit that existed at the beginning of the dynasty was already far less powerful.
Even among the nobles, there were few martial artists, let alone these scholars?
After ten breaths of silence, Li Xuan slowly spoke, “There are thieves who steal for a thousand days, but there are no people who can protect themselves for a thousand days.”
“If there’s no trouble, solving the case will be fast, and you’ll be safe soon.”
Hearing Li Xuan’s warning, the students calmed down.
Even Lin Shan Chang, his beard stroked, remained silent.
Only after the outside matters were settled and they were sure it wouldn’t affect the Jin Yi Wei’s investigation, could they focus on the case itself.
Otherwise, if they intervened now and then, he would have to turn into a Monkey King, shaking his head and shaking his brain, stamping his feet and yelling, “Ugh, this is so annoying!”
Li Xuan then walked towards Lu Zong Qi.
“Lu Zong Qi, has the coroner finished the autopsy report?”
“Reporting to Sir,” Lu Zong Qi saluted, “The coroner is still inside doing the autopsy, the others are searching for information according to procedure.”
“Keep it locked down, I’m going to take a look at the scene.”
Li Xuan knew that he couldn’t expect too much from an autopsy in ancient times.
To say nothing of the rest, Lu Zong Qi was able to withstand the pressure and let the coroner, who was considered unlucky by most, into the academy, even allowing him to perform the autopsy in the Vice Principal’s bedroom. He had already done a great job.
He nodded to him and pushed open the bedroom door.
It was called a bedroom, but as the Vice Principal, it was actually a three-room suite, including a study, a living room, and a sleeping room.
The Vice Principal was lying on the ground, his head and feet touching, like a person being stretched on a torture rack.
The coroner was examining him, turning him over and over.
Seeing Li Xuan, he was about to stand up and salute.
Li Xuan waved his hand, telling him to continue doing what he was doing, and began examining the situation in the several rooms.
There was a broken teacup on the ground, a teapot and a used teacup on the table.
The living room was neat and tidy, with no signs of objects being moved or damaged…
Li Xuan took a look around the living room and then went to the study and bedroom.
These two places had also been searched by the scribes, looking for any evidence that might have provoked others to kill him.
Finally, he returned to the living room and asked, “Any external injuries?”
“Reporting to Sir, there are no external injuries, no diseases. Based on the current condition of the deceased, it is believed that he died from strychnine, also known as ‘jianji’ poison, and his body’s signs are natural, not artificially created.
I am currently examining whether the deceased was poisoned with any other toxins.”
“Continue examining.”
After giving the order, Li Xuan turned to the outside and said:
“Lu Zong Qi, have your men investigate who else was outside after two o’clock last night, focusing on the students from the first class, as well as the teachers and staff of the academy.”
“Also find out the Vice Principal’s reputation, his relationships with others, who he has enemies with, and whether there have been any major changes recently, be thorough.”
“Oh, check if there were any outsiders who entered the academy yesterday, and who they were.”
“Yes!” Lu Zong Qi replied from outside.
Although he had already given some of these orders, he reminded his subordinates to ask separately.
The academy had five days of classes and one day of rest. Yesterday and today were still school days, and the students were all in the academy.
The academy had a certain level of protection, and some of the students’ families had arranged for guards to live nearby. Although these guards were not allowed to enter the academy, they lived near the academy.
With this multiple layers of protection, it was very difficult for outsiders to sneak in and harm people.
Either it was a great master who sneaked in, which would be impossible to investigate.
Or it was an outsider who entered through legitimate means.
Or else, it was the students or colleagues who did it. There was no way to avoid it, after all, the Vice Principal spoke those words in the afternoon, and died that night?
In a murder case, except for random killers and puppets who kill on orders, most of the time it’s someone they know who did it.
Leaving the house, Li Xuan pondered for a moment, and the coroner who was inside doing the autopsy finally came out to report.
“Reporting to Sir, Vice Principal Jin Shang Rong died from strychnine poisoning, no external injuries, no other signs of poisoning, no fatal diseases.”
“The time of death was midnight, no signs of being moved…”
The strychnine fully proved the proverb, “Medicine is three parts poison, use it in moderation.”
Strychnine, its seeds are cold and bitter, they unblock meridians, relieve pain, disperse knots and reduce swelling, used for treating rheumatic arthralgia, numbness and paralysis, falls and injuries, carbuncles and swelling.
Because strychnine has a strong affinity for the central nervous system, it is difficult to break down, and overdose can lead to stiff neck, dilated pupils, rapid and difficult breathing, and even convulsions.
If not treated in time, death can occur due to respiratory paralysis.
Then he continued, “Lu Zong Qi, check who in the academy has been taking medicine recently, and whether the medicine contains strychnine.”
It was uncertain if they could find anything from a long time ago.
Who in their right mind wouldn’t just take medicine, but would specifically take out and keep strychnine, knowing that they would need it in the future?
As for buying it now.
Do they think the doctors in the academy are fools, not knowing that strychnine is fatal in overdose?
This kind of medicine that can kill people, not only is the prescription cautious, but the purchase also needs to be recorded!