History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 230 Jiang Shunu Case Solved

Xi Jian explained in detail: "The so-called Gu curse is actually the use of various reptiles to roam around and create epidemics in order to cause harm."

"People are terrified of Gu (a type of poison), firstly because there have always been people who spread rumors and exaggerated the art of Gu. Secondly, those who practice Gu specifically seek out strange and unusual snakes and insects to raise, using their terrifying appearance to instill fear in people, and even demonizing the snakes and insects."

"Of course, we do need to be wary of Gu poison, but the reason why Gu poison is so difficult to cure is not because the poison carries a curse, but because the poisonous bait used to feed snakes and insects is complex and diverse! After being bitten or crawled by them, people's skin often develops acute sores."

"Acute sores require urgent treatment, and if no effective medicine can be found immediately, relatives and neighbors will inevitably offer folk remedies that are actually quite foolish. Some folk remedies involve mixing grass ash with water and having the patient drink it, while others involve smashing effigies at the patient's feet. Haha, tell me, what kind of illness can be cured with these foolish folk remedies?"

Cui Yu: "It's all about luck; only those with exceptionally strong bodies can survive."

Xi Jian: "Yes! Physician Cui, think about it again. How many days does it take to treat a cold? How many months does it take to treat a broken bone? A decapitation is even more straightforward, no treatment is needed! So why do you think you can be cured in a day or two when you are poisoned by Gu? Oh, a bug crawled into your ear, just kidding, haha."

Cui Yu and Cui Zuan, having been tricked several times, came out of the Divine Department with their heads drooping. "Officer Xi is really annoying! We'll never come here again!"
The streets are bustling at dawn, a scene of wealth and grandeur in the imperial city.

Today, besides the pageboy Xie Yi, the lady-in-waiting Sun Cairen from the Miscellaneous Books and Classics Library was also there to escort Wei Yao to the palace school.

Wei Yao was surprised to find that although she had met Consort Sun once before, she had no impression of her at all.

Sun Cairen had an ordinary appearance, walked with her eyes fixed on the ground, and never uttered a word.

Xie Yi whispered to Wei Yao, "The murderer hasn't been found yet. Now, Changqiu Temple is not only investigating Jiang Shunu's case, but also strictly investigating the labor service area. Consort Dong has been transferred back to the Erya Classics Library, and the palace officials from Changqiu Temple will be on duty at the palace school. The palace officials have changed the rules. From now on, when picking up and dropping off the regular lecturers, there must be two people, one of whom must be a female official."

Looking at Consort Sun's retreating figure, Wei Yao understood why she had come with Xie Yi. The palace academy had a total of nine book storage rooms, two of which were for storing miscellaneous books. Consort Sun's room had the fewest books, so she was sent there to do other things, as if she were a free person.

Yongxiang Lane was very long; the distance from Qianqiu Gate to the Palace School was more than halfway through Yongxiang Lane. Whenever a kingfisher landed on the wall or chirped in the tree, the passing palace maids couldn't help but look up at it, but Consort Sun always walked with her head down.

“Lady Sun.” Wei Yao followed the other person.

Sun glanced at Wei Yao with slight surprise, then lowered her eyes again, saying shyly as she walked, "Lecturer Wei, do you remember me?"

The maidservant spoke very softly; luckily, Wei Yao listened carefully, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to hear what the other person was saying.

Wei Yao also showed the restraint of speaking to someone she didn't know well: "There aren't many female officials in the palace school. I remember all the ones I've met."

The maidservant's mouth moved slightly, but no sound came out. Her body tensed up even more, and her head lowered even further.

Wei Yao: "I would like to ask you, does your library contain any 'Shuowen Jiezi', 'Fangyan', or 'Shiming'?"

"No."

After walking several steps, Sun said again: "There is Ying Shao's 'Customs and Traditions', Faxian's 'Record of Buddhist Kingdoms', and Dai Kui's 'Discourse on the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove'."

After a few more steps, she added, "The books aren't all complete."

Well, it's true that none of Wei Yao's interests are there.

Upon arriving at the palace school, some of the buildings were closed, indicating that classes were temporarily suspended.

Consort Sun led the way, and they were almost at Qixing Academy when Lady Dong hurried over and called to Consort Sun, "Hey... to the miscellaneous book storehouse, hurry up, Changqiu Temple has received several cartloads of new books, and Eunuch Su asked me to take the palace maids there. I can't leave, so could you go in my place?"

A column of Imperial Guards passed by, but none of them could have foreseen the ensuing turn of events.

Before Lady Sun could agree, Lady Dong turned to leave. Only Wei Yao saw the latter take a pen out of her bag, catch up with Lady Dong in two steps, grab her neck, and stab the pen into her eye socket.

"Bang!"
Hearing the door close, Consort Sun turned around but Wei Yao and Xie Yi were gone. Xie Yi, only then realizing what had just happened, trembled like a frightened quail, repeatedly muttering in terror, "Murder! Murder! Murder!"

Consort Sun did not intend to commit suicide. The Imperial Guards bound her up. The eunuch Su Xingshou ran over while cursing. He was really unlucky. Another person died at the very beginning of his shift, and he was the one who got caught up in it!
"Take him to Changqiu Temple!"

Sun Cai Ren called out towards the schoolhouse where Wei Yao was hiding: "Lecturer Wei, you are the first person to remember me."

Wei Yao opened the door only after confirming it was safe. She shielded Xie Yi behind her, preventing him from seeing Dong's body being carried onto the oxcart.

Zhang Longzi arrived with his Imperial Guards and asked, "Lecturer Wei, did the female official who committed the crime just now escort you into the palace?"

"Yes."

"What did they say to you on your way here? Did they mention the murdered female official, Ms. Dong?"

“She didn’t speak to me first, so I asked her first…” Wei Yao truthfully recounted her journey.

Zhang Longzi sighed helplessly and said, "Your servant boy won't be coming back. He's not dead, but the Xi government will be conducting a thorough investigation for a few days. Everyone involved in the kind of case you mentioned yesterday will probably be exiled to Pingzhou."

Wei Yao bowed and said, "I understand. Thank you for informing me, Commander."

"Are you still giving lectures these few days?"

“If you talk for 28 days a month, your salary will increase by one rank.”

“You’ve only been promoted one rank and you’re still a few…” Zhang Longzi regretted his quick tongue, scratched his head and said, “I have to go search the labor camp area in the back. If any officials cause you trouble, just give them my name.”

Fortunately, despite the chaos, none of the sixteen palace students at Qixing Academy were missing. Pei Shen also recounted another incident: "Last night, Eunuch Liu had us all rest in the lecturer's quarters and didn't make us go back to the labor camp to work."

Liu Teng, the eunuch? Wei Yao couldn't figure out this eunuch, so she put aside her distractions and focused on reciting the poem.

Two female officials died and one was arrested within two days in the palace academy, causing only a brief period of panic. From that day on, countless people paid attention to this, staring at the three vacant inner positions.

The next day, Wei Yao's suspicions were confirmed: Jiang Shu Nu, Jiang Wenqian, was also killed by Sun Shi. What terrified her was that Sun Shi originally intended to kill her first and then Xie Yi, but because she mentioned Xie Yi's surname on the road and said she remembered him, Sun Shi changed her mind and killed him at will.

Therefore, Lady Dong and Lady Sun had no enmity whatsoever; they were simply unlucky to run into each other.

According to Zhang Longren's account, Wei Yao learned the whole story of Sun's murder. The case itself was not complicated; what was complicated was human nature.

It turned out that ever since Jiang Wenqian took over the management of the palace school, he had been reducing the amount of paper and ink supplied to the female officials in the library every year. This ensured that the nine female officials in the library had books to read, but lacked paper and ink to practice calligraphy. Consort Sun was in charge of the miscellaneous books section, and she had the least amount of paper and ink. However, every month, others would borrow it for various reasons and never return it to her.

When Consort Sun confessed, she said, "All the books that others didn't want were put into my library, and I tolerated it. When I came to the palace school, my handwriting was the same as it is now, without any improvement, and I tolerated it."

"In the nine book storage rooms, I and they are all fourth-rank talents. I have been in charge of the book storage room the longest. Every year the book storage rooms are rotated, but they are always transferred around, and I am never transferred."

"I endured it too."

"It's been over ten years! Over ten years! They bullied me and still don't remember me! When they call me, they just say 'hey,' or 'you,' or 'from the miscellaneous library.' Not a single person remembers my surname or given name!"

"I... I endured it too."

"But what happened that day made me despair, and I couldn't bear it anymore."

(End of this chapter)