Peering through the st.u.r.dy wooden fence, Zhang Enjie observed eight bodies neatly arranged within. They appeared to have been somewhat tidied up and were relatively clean.
His fists clenched involuntarily, his back arched, and his gaze remained fixed on the eight lifeless forms in the prison cell. Despite his grandmother and father's insatiable greed, they were still his closest family. In this moment, he was overwhelmed by a profound sense of regret, particularly for abandoning them earlier in a fit of frustration to take a solitary mountain excursion at noon. He wished he had never left them behind, or at the very least, he should have tried his best to prevent this tragedy. Even if he couldn't have stopped it, he should have been there to intercede on their behalf.
Qiao Mu ordered someone to push open the cell door and stepped inside with a somber demeanor.
The thin Minister Fang rushed to intercept her, concern etched on his face. "Crown Prince Consort, the conditions inside are quite unsanitary. Shouldn't we have someone remove the bodies outside?"
"No need." Qiao Mu waved her hand dismissively and entered the cell without hesitation.
Qiao Mu methodically wrapped a cloth strip around her hands, squatting down to examine each of the eight corpses individually before rising to her feet.
"It's the same poison that afflicted Boss Zhang and Landlord Li."
Zhang Enjie was taken aback. He couldn't help but lock his gaze onto the young Crown Prince Consort. "What do you mean?"
"You're an astute individual. I believe you can discern the truth," Qiao Mu replied indifferently. "Your grandmother and father were manipulated by someone to instigate trouble at the b.u.t.terfly Pavilion. When their actions were uncovered, they were apprehended."
"As you can see, the external injuries on their bodies are not lethal." Qiao Mu gestured to the various wounds, including staff and whip marks, on the eight members of the Zhang family. She sneered as she continued, "What claimed their lives was a deadly toxin."
Zhang Enjie held his breath, his voice trembling. "Crown Prince Consort, what evidence do you possess?"
Qiao Mu swiftly swept her hand, revealing an ordinary-looking sparrow perched in her palm.
With her other hand, she produced a silver needle and delicately touched it to the little sparrow. Gently p.r.i.c.king its tiny claws, she spoke with an unwavering expression, "This silver needle is not poisoned."
Zhang Enjie was instinctively embarra.s.sed and nodded. "I trust that the Crown Prince Consort would never deceive us commoners."
Ignoring him, Qiao Mu continued in a cold tone, "I will now extract a trace of poison from your grandmother's body."
She carefully inserted the silver needle into the elderly woman's heart.
When they examined the silver needles upon removal, everyone gathered to inspect them, but they found nothing amiss. The silver needles remained ordinary, displaying no signs of the poison turning black.
The young Crown Prince Consort gently pressed the small bird with one hand and once more p.r.i.c.ked its tiny claw with the silver needle.
"This poison entered your grandmother's body, coursing through her meridians to her heart. The poison that has collected in her heart can be considered the essence of this toxin."
"For an adult, if it's quick, it can lead to death within a day or take up to three days. Hence, in such a small bird, the poison's essence would manifest in less than 15 minutes."
She placed the small sparrow on the ground.
Initially, the little bird joyfully hopped around on the ground. However, within a few minutes, its body slumped to the ground, emitting a feeble chirp. Its claws twitched twice before its movements gradually waned.
Qiao Mu hurriedly stepped forward, picked up the small sparrow, and administered two drops of a medicinal solution into its beak.
Before long, the tiny creature extended its small wings and slowly regained its vitality.