Records of the Cattle and Horses of Chang'an

"hey-hey."

Ning Yuye looked up with a bit of pride at Wang Mingqian, who had turned his head away again. He pulled Zhao's hair again and said, "Shaoqing, if you take this drug, black spots like this will grow on the Fengchi acupoint. One a day, and after nine days, they will form a semicircle. That will be the time of her death."

As if he was afraid that Cui Bianxu couldn't see clearly, he suggested: "I have a razor with me, why don't we shave her hair here..."

Wang Mingqian turned his head in disbelief: "This man is not dead yet!"

Cui Bianxu didn't react much. He didn't mind shaving Zhao's head, but he had already seen the semicircle that Ning Yuye was talking about, so he waved his hand and let him continue.

"Shaoqing, the third point is naturally Zhao's foot. Look, there is a small red dot on Zhao's right ankle, the same size as the black dot on her head. This red dot will also grow on her left ankle on the ninth day after her death."

This was easy to see. Cui Bianxu nodded and said, "So, is it her first day now?"

"Shaoqing is right, it is indeed the first day." Although Ning Yuye had no way to remove the drug, he could still make this judgment.

"Isn't this poison?!" Wang Mingqian turned his head back and couldn't help but speak out. He can't be woken up in nine days, and he will die when the time is up. What kind of drug is this?

Wang Leisheng yawned one after another out of sleep, and with each yawn, he became intermittently deaf. Men get tired easily when they reach forty, especially someone like him who has to work and pay taxes. Sigh...

Ning Yuye forced a fake smile and said, "Didn't the General of the Central Army ask for someone from the Imperial Medical Bureau? Go quickly. As the chief physicians of the Tang Dynasty, I'm sure they will have a solution."

Wang Mingqian felt a lump in his throat and tightened his grip on the knife. Cui Bianxu agreed, "Yes, let's get someone from the Imperial Medical Bureau to take a look. There are still eight days left. Find a way to wake him up."

He spoke very seriously, and Wang Mingqian understood what he meant - even if Zhao died, he had to wait until the case was fully investigated.

Although he felt that even the people from the Imperial Medical Bureau might not be able to use this unheard-of drug, this was the only way left. He glared at Ning Yuye and turned to ask for help.

Cui Bianxu stared at Zhao for a long while before he said to the yamen runner beside him, "Find a maid to change her clothes."

It’s better to avoid getting sick from the cold. I can’t die early.

Ning Yuye followed him out. "Don't worry, Young Master. Under normal circumstances, if a person goes without food or water for nine days, they're probably not far from death. But this is another unique feature of Jiuchongxiao. This medicine can keep a person alive for nine days. During these nine days, unless there's a fatal injury or a highly toxic substance, Zhao Shi won't die from minor injuries or illnesses."

Cui Bianxu did not answer, his mind was working fast. Since Zhao was unconscious, he could not find any clues from her. The maid who disappeared with her was nowhere to be found, and it was unknown whether she was dead or alive. The only option now was to find a solution from other aspects.

As for where to start, it can only be the Li family, but now...

He looked up at the dark sky and ordered the yamen runners, "Go to Li's house and wake up Li Xingquan to identify him."

He should see his wife with his own eyes. What if he was mistaken?

"Yes, Shaoqing Cui." After receiving the order, Wang Leisheng hurried outside to call for people.

When Li Xingquan was dug out of the quilt, he was dazed. As he was old, he had difficulty sleeping and was a light sleeper. After he finally fell into a deep sleep, he was awakened by the servant's hurried knocking on the door.

He felt his heart pounding, and he patted his pounding chest several times. When he felt better, he sat up and shouted angrily outside, "It's the dead of night. Did someone die in the family or something?"

Unexpectedly, the servant's words woke him up from his sleep: "Master, the people from the Dali Temple said that Miss Zhao has been found. Please go and take a look!"

"Looking for...what?! You said you found someone?!" Li Xingquan was startled and got out of bed with rapid breathing. Maybe he was too anxious or he was too weak after just waking up, but his legs went soft and he fell to the ground, hitting the stool beside him with a loud noise. He fell to the ground in pain.

The servant heard the noise and shouted worriedly: "Master! Master! What happened?!"

Li Xingquan had the habit of locking the door when he slept, so no matter how anxious the servants were, they had no way of pushing the door open. Fortunately, Li Xingquan was worried about something, and although he felt severe pain in his tailbone and shoulders, he still gritted his teeth and climbed up tremblingly.

"Say it again." He opened the door with trembling hands and stared at the person in front of him.

The servant was anxious to see what happened to him, but when he looked up, he saw Li Xingquan's eyes were red and his face was ashen. He shuddered with fear and lowered his head again: "The people from the Dali Temple said that they found Madam Zhao. She is now in the Dali Temple. My lord, please go and identify her, my lord..."

Before he could finish his words, he felt a heavy push on his shoulder. Li Xingquan fell down a bit. Although he didn't have much strength, he seemed to be pressing his entire body weight against him. "What are you waiting for?! Prepare the car! Let's go now!"

"Yes, yes, I've already ordered someone to prepare the car!"

Li Xingquan used to refuse to ride in a car. At his age, if he changed from riding a horse to riding in a car, it would be a clear message to others that he was old and could not do it anymore.

Of course, the main reason was that he didn't want others to say that he married a young lady even though he couldn't ride a horse.

But today, he did not refuse. If he insisted on riding the horse, he was afraid that he would fall off the horse, and he did not want to die.

By the time he hurried to the Dali Temple, Cui Bianxu had already disappeared. When the bailiffs took him to the Dali Temple prison, Li Xingquan's face darkened even more: "What are you doing? My wife is not a prisoner in the Dali Temple!"

The yamen runner on duty was sitting against the wall with a piece of hay in his mouth, slacking off. When he saw someone coming, he felt very impatient. He was so unlucky. Every day, those on duty could find an opportunity to take a nap, so why was it his turn to be so unlucky today?

He was already feeling upset, and upon hearing Li Xingquan's words, he sneered, "How could anyone who isn't a criminal come here? Do you really think the Dali Temple is so idle?"

Li Xingquan was so angry that he blew his beard and glared. He pushed away the servant who was supporting him, staggered forward two steps, and tried his best to straighten his back: "Where is Cui Yiren?! Didn't he send someone to invite me here?!"

"Shaoqing Cui? Of course he went home." A hint of mockery flashed across the corner of the bailiff's mouth. He picked up the key chain hanging on the wall, held the lantern in his other hand, turned around and walked inside: Let's see how long this cuckolded man can be so arrogant!

"Master!" The servant stepped forward again to support Li Xingquan and rub his back, whispering, "Master, why bother with such a person? Right now, it's more important to take care of Madam Zhao!"

Li Xingquan's expression eased slightly. That's right, why bother with a yamen runner? He'd lost his status in vain!

Thinking of this, he put his whole body weight forward again and was helped inside by his servant.