Lin Yun frowned and looked over. Then she saw Song Ruotang say calmly, "Isn't there a coroner here? Ask him to examine her and we'll know if she's infected. Otherwise, dragging her away without clarification might spread it to others."
Everyone nodded, thinking it made sense. Moreover, the maid could immediately know her own situation and wouldn't have to be on tenterhooks.
For a moment, the servants around all had a bit of a favorable impression of Song Ruotang.
This newly - arrived third wife was different from the previous two. They were daughters of great families and used to ordering people around. Song Ruotang would consider the servants. At least, she wouldn't torture them.
Pei Zhiyan looked at the coroner, who understood and turned around, walking towards the maid sitting on the ground crying.
The maid lifted her sleeve as the coroner told her to. To everyone's surprise, there were no red sores as they had imagined. The coroner looked carefully, then asked her to open her mouth to check her teeth. There was nothing abnormal either.
"My lord, she's not infected," the coroner said, a bit surprised. According to the maid's words, since she served Liu'er, she must have come into contact with Liu'er's daily items. But with Liu'er's serious illness, this maid wasn't infected at all.
Pei Zhiyan's eyes darkened slightly. Syphilis was highly contagious. Liu'er's rapid onset of the disease was a suspicious point, and the fact that the maid who served her wasn't infected was also a suspicious point.
He slightly raised his eyes and saw Lin Yun's calm profile opposite. She had just sent Du Lingxuan away, and now there was someone from the Lin family. There were really a lot of spies.
"First, take the body away. Have this room isolated. No one is allowed to approach," Pei Zhiyan said calmly, giving instructions about the follow - up matters without mentioning the maid again.
All the servants left the courtyard in a hurry. Seeing that everyone was about to leave, Lin Yun knew it was useless for her to sit there. She originally intended to come and see how the Taoist priest Du Lingxuan had found and Song Ruotang were doing, but unexpectedly, she heard about the murder as soon as she came.
She had seen Liu'er a few times and didn't have a good impression of this maid. Just by looking at her dressing, one could tell she was restless. She never thought that Liu'er would die of syphilis.
Lin Yun got up and took her leave. Pei Zhiyan and Song Ruotang returned to Qingyi Courtyard. After making sure there was no one outside, Pei Zhiyan hugged Song Ruotang lovingly, "A Tang, I'm sorry..."
Song Ruotang shook her head, "Du Lingxuan had long - term plans. There must be many people from the Du family in the mansion. Your every move is under their watch."
Pei Zhiyan also knew that there was no chance to divorce Du Lingxuan for now. He could only punish her. If he divorced Du Lingxuan, not only would the Du family impeach him, but the Lin family might take the opportunity to support Lin Yun to be the mistress of the Pei Mansion.
The mistress of the Pei Mansion could never be someone from the Du or Lin family.
Emperor Chengqian wanted him to investigate the Song family. He also knew that the Song family privately operated salt and stone. That was why the Du and Lin families had strongly protected Song Zhen last time.
That was also the reason why Emperor Chengqian didn't allow Pei Yu and Song Wanying's marriage to be called off. Otherwise, those two families might monopolize the salt and iron industries of the entire Cheng Dynasty.
Pei Zhiyan gently stroked Song Ruotang's swollen cheek, his eyes full of concern.
That Taoist priest couldn't be allowed to stay. Since he had hurt Song Ruotang, he wouldn't be able to leave the Pei Mansion safely.
Pei Zhiyan took out the wound medicine from the secret compartment on the bedside and carefully applied it on Song Ruotang.
After he finished applying the medicine, Song Ruotang pursed her lips, "Do you think Liu'er really had syphilis?"
Pei Zhiyan lowered his eyes slightly and said calmly, "It is indeed a bit strange. Wait until Mo Qing finds the man who had an affair with her, and then we'll make a decision."
Song Ruotang knew that Pei Zhiyan was rigorous in investigating cases and wouldn't make hasty conclusions. But after thinking for a while, she still told him what was on her mind, "A few days ago, Liu'er had a very bad stomachache and asked for leave from me for several days."
Pei Zhiyan nodded. He knew about this. He originally planned to transfer Liu'er away from Qingyi Courtyard on the pretext of her laziness if she asked for leave a few more days.
Song Ruotang let out a breath, "I originally thought she just had a simple stomachache. But when she asked for leave three days ago, I saw some red dots on her neck. It wasn't as serious as the sores today."
Pei Zhiyan's eyes flashed slightly, "Developing so seriously in just three days..."
It was winter now. Everyone was wrapped in thick winter clothes, so no one would show their hands and feet. Naturally, no one could see if there were sores on Liu'er's body. Now that the matter was exposed, everyone would assume that she had been ill for a long time but it hadn't been discovered before.
"Poisoning," Song Ruotang softly called back Pei Zhiyan's thoughts. He lowered his eyes and looked at Song Ruotang, whose eyes were clear and calm. "Do you think it's like that?"
Pei Zhiyan did have such an idea, but...
"She's just a maid. What's the benefit of killing her?" Pei Zhiyan couldn't figure it out. He wondered what the purpose was for the person to use such a poisonous drug on Liu'er.
The two fell silent. A young maid walked in and said respectfully, "My lord, Guard Mo Qing is outside."
Pei Zhiyan nodded and stood up. Song Ruotang followed him out. The offering table set up by the Taoist priest in the courtyard had been cleared away, but there were still burnt paper ashes scattered in the courtyard, as well as the potted plants and bushes that had been messed up during Song Ruotang's fight with the Taoist priest.
Pei Zhiyan looked at the mess and gently tightened his grip on Song Ruotang's hand. After walking for a while, Song Ruotang suddenly remembered that Pei Zhiyan should have been on duty today. Why did he come back so early?
"My lord, why did you come back so early?" Song Ruotang looked at him in confusion.
Pei Zhiyan paused and smiled faintly, "It was Xiao Xi who sent me the message."
Although Xiao Xi had returned to being a cleaning maid, when she was dealing with weeds in the garden today, she saw the Taoist priest enter the mansion and go to Du Lingxuan's residence. She immediately sensed something was wrong and sent a message to Pei Zhiyan.
Xiao Xi knew that the Song family always thought Song Ruotang was an ill - fated star, so they must have often invited Taoist priests to bully Song Ruotang. Now in the Pei Mansion, Du Lingxuan was doing the same. So she informed Pei Zhiyan.
After hearing Pei Zhiyan's explanation, Song Ruotang felt a warm current in her heart. Thanks to Xiao Xi today. Otherwise, if Pei Zhiyan hadn't come, she would probably have been in great danger.
Mo Qing was standing at the courtyard gate. Seeing the two come out, he bowed to them, "My lord, the man who had an affair with Liu'er has been found."
Pei Zhiyan nodded slightly, "Ask Coroner Chen to examine him to see if he has syphilis."
Liu'er and that man had an affair, so they must both be infected. Now, by looking at the man's situation, they could determine the direction of the investigation.
Mo Qing acted quickly. After receiving the order, he asked the coroner to examine the man. Since there was a case in the Pei Mansion today, Pei Zhiyan was on duty at home, so he didn't go back to the Ministry of Justice.
In the evening, Mo Qing brought the news. The man's situation was the same as that of the maid who had served Liu'er. He wasn't infected.
After getting the news, Pei Zhiyan's eyes gradually darkened. It could be determined that the "syphilis" on Liu'er's body was man - made.